#series. leopard skin

[guginosource]

Carla Gugino in LEOPARD SKIN (2022)

[you-are-deceptively-complex]

up next on manic ashley o’clock!!! what if i start writing poems for ships!! first up, batty and alba from leopard skin!!! or, more specifically, batty pov about alba!!!

[theakandrewscollection]

Leopard Skin: Alba and Batty (television, 2022)

Pride Month 🌈 day 30

In one of the stories woven through the Peacock+ TV series Leopard Skin, a young woman begs to do anything a older woman asks of her for...

...reasons.

D/s ensues...

...then evolves.

Quick clips of the kink

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If you're not up for watching the whole series just for the kinky bits, someone has extracted just the Alba and Batty storyline from the rest of the series and put it up on youtube, broken up into 16 short videos here -

If you want to jump right to the D/s stuff -

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Chapter 6 (the sex chapter)

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Chapter 7

The following chapters in the story do feature bondage but the D/s-related scenes, while important to the characters' story, are very brief.

The whole Alba and Batty storyline is worth a watch and ends up being delightfully kinky, queer and sweet. A good note to wrap up this year's month of Pride posts on.

[albaandbatty]

Carla Gugino, Gaite Jansen, Nola Palmer and Lucy Walters in JETT (2019, Dir. Sebastian Gutierrez)

[novelconcepts]

Not sure if you already made one, but what are your thoughts on Leopard Skin? I haven't gotten a chance to watch it yet, but is it good or just a good opportunity to watch Amelia and Carla again???

I wouldn’t qualify it as good, but it is a fun easy binge. It’s better than Jett, in that the characters feel more like human beings and less “has this man EVER spoken to a woman”—but it still asks the actors to do 99.9% of the work while the writing…is…present.

Personally, I liked it fine as a cotton candy. The women are all gorgeous, the plot is (mostly) coherent, and there’s a completely unhinged sapphic “love?” story. It’s great if you want to see pretty people’s butts and have some surprisingly funny one-liners. And see Carla Gugino make out with a lady. But I wouldn’t go so far as to call it quality television.

[mikethemovieguy]

Tune-In Tomorrow: Watch Peacock’s New Thriller Series, LEOPARD SKIN

Tune-In Tomorrow: Watch Peacock’s New Thriller Series, LEOPARD SKIN

Fleeing a botched diamond heist masterminded by crooked Judge Lasalle (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a criminal gang (Nora Arnezeder, Gentry White, Margot Bingham) seeks shelter in the remote paradise of Playa Perdida, Mexico in the beachside estate where two intriguing women, Alba and Batty (Carla Gugino, Gaite Jansen) live. Dark and humorous complications arise when they are joined by two dinner…

[basketonthedoorstepofthefbi]

Shaking (Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader)

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Summary: You have an anxiety attack in a public setting, but luckily, the doctor is there to help you through it.

Word Count: 2450

Warnings: Anxiety attack, mild cursing, mostly just ANGST and then comforting FLUFF

A/N: Wanted to write Spence comforting the reader during a panic attack. Fanfiction is better than therapy, right? At least, it’s cheaper! Also not my GIF

——

“You don’t want to just order it online?” Spencer asked as you walked beside him down the sidewalk. His longer legs would typically mean that he’d be several steps ahead of you, but he always slowed his pace so you wouldn’t have to strain to keep up with him. He also walked on the outside of the path because, let’s face it, he was a gentleman.

You shook your head. “No, I want the whole experience,” you said excitedly as you walked, your face lighting up in anticipation. You were on your way towards a local bookstore, where the third book in your favorite series was being released today. The bookstore was going to be packed, but you were so excited to be one of the first ones in the door, to get your hands on a physical copy. “I don’t ever do things like this, but it’ll be something I think about every time I look at the book sitting on my shelf.”

Spencer nodded, lifting his hand, his thumb and forefinger in an O-shape as he spoke. “Ah, the age-old concept of symbolic treasures. One of the main reasons why souvenirs are such a prevalent part of going on vacation. Did you know the tradition dates back to Ancient Egypt?”

You shook your head as you continued to walk with him. Your boyfriend carried on without fault. “As far back as 2200 B.C, Egyptian Prince Harkhuf traveled to what is now known as Sudan and returned with all sorts of objects to present to his father, the pharaoh,” Spencer explained. His words spat out quickly, compulsively, as though they had to exit his encyclopedic brain. “He brought back items such as incense, ivory, even the skins of leopards to show off to his father.”

“I had no idea,” you told Spencer as you neared the bookstore, smiling sideways at him. You loved it when he spouted off facts like that, like he had to get the information out or else he’d explode. He had confessed to you more than once before that most people found it weird or off-putting or even annoying, but not you. Rather, you loved learning new things. Whatever information he had to share with you was always relevant in one way or another, and it was just one of the reasons why you loved spending time with him - he made you a more knowledgeable, well-rounded person.

Before either of you could say much else, you’d reached the back of the line of the bookstore. You checked the time on your phone. The store would open in about fifteen minutes. The line stretched down at least a full block, from what you could see. Lots of people dressed like characters from the books, shuffling their feet in excited anticipation.

There were at least a hundred people in the line, and after a minute or two, a couple dozen more had filed in behind where you stood. You pursed your lips for a moment, scanning the crowd until your eyes met Spencer’s.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, inclining his head to the side.

You shook your head. “Nothing,” you said. “Just… lot of people.”

Spencer nodded understandingly, then reached down to take your hand. Your fingers twined with his and he squeezed his palm against yours. “I’m right here,” he reminded you. You didn’t love crowds. They always made you feel anxious, perhaps even a little claustrophobic. You and Spencer had gone to a fairly crowded French film festival a few months ago and there hadn’t been an organized line to enter; rather, it had been a cluster of people, all pressed together. And you had felt like you couldn’t breathe. Spencer’d had to pull you to a seat off to the side so you could catch your breath, and you’d missed getting a seat up front like you’d been hoping for.

Right now, you were okay, though. There were people in front of you and behind you, but they weren’t flush against you like they had been waiting for the film festival to open. And Spencer was holding your hand, and you were outside, with the cool, spring morning breeze hitting your face. It was fine. You were going to be fine. You inhaled deeply and exhaled, then nodded your head, feeling the anxiety dissipate. “I’m good,” you told Spencer, looking up at him.

Spencer nodded. He squeezed your hand once again before letting go, only so he could wrap his arm around your shoulders and tug you so you leaned against his chest. He kissed the top of your hair. “It’s going to be just fine,” he promised you, and you just smiled to yourself.

About ten minutes later, the store opened. You only knew that because the line started moving, and more quickly than you thought. You squealed in delight and matched the pace of the people in front of you, Spencer by your side with an amused grin on his face. He loved books just as much as you did, if not more, but this outing was definitely just for you. He’d read the other preceding books in this series (literally just because you asked him to and it took him an hour, tops), but he wasn’t a total geek for it like you were.

You finally made it inside the bookstore, a small business, a local place. You’d been inside several times before, but you hadn’t realized just how small the building actually was until you stepped in now. It was two stories, but everyone was tightly packed, with the people and the bookshelves crowding around you as you made it fully inside the store. There was even a line to go up to the second floor, like a queue at an amusement park.

There was little to no breathing room. Everyone was talking as they waited their turn to grab a copy of the new book, and the sound seemed to bounce off the walls and the ceiling and smack you right in the ear. The air felt thick despite the front door and handful of windows being opened, allowing the cool spring breeze to ruffle the pages of the paperbacks on display.

But it wasn’t refreshing. Rather, it was another stimulant that caused the neurons in your brain to fire even faster. You felt your palms get slick. You felt your heart start to pound, and your knees wobble as you shuffled forward in the line. What were you even waiting in line for? You momentarily forgot, blinking a few times before looking up at the man beside you. Spencer was engrossed in looking around the bookstore, the corners of his mouth quirking upward as he seemed to find something amusing. But when his eyes came full circle back to you, they were immediately filled with concern. “Y/N?” He asked softly, placing a hand on your shoulder.

You couldn’t even hear him. The sound of his voice just bounced off your brain, like you were trapped inside of cellophane. All you could think was trapped. I’m trapped. No way out. Stuck. Caged. Can’t breathe. Can’t breathe.

You felt your breathing go heavy, and your eyes fill up with tears. Your cheeks were red, bright red, judging from how hot you suddenly felt. “Leave,” you managed to choke out, your voice coming out from your throat. It felt like your throat was lined with thorns, like the words you wanted to say kept getting caught.

Spencer nodded. “Leave? Yeah. Yeah, baby, we can leave,” Spencer grabbed your hand, tugging you along behind him as he murmured “excuse me, pardon me,” to the other patrons, to get through the crowd. Moving against the crowd was so much worse than standing still. All those eyes on you, seeing your red face and the anxious tears trickling down your cheeks. It was so embarrassing, freaking out like this is such a public space. Everyone thinks I’m a freak, you thought. Your anxiety became not about the crowd, but about your anxiety, about how you were being perceived. Your breathing picked up, quickened, and by the time Spencer led you out into the morning sun, you were fully hyperventilating.

The thoughts in your head were racing at the speed of light. You hated feeling nervous like this, but moreover, you hated that Spencer had to take care of you because of it. You felt like you had ruined the day because your head wasn’t on straight, because you couldn’t stand in a crowd of people and hear the cacophony of voices and tamp down your panic.

Spencer led you down the block, about twenty feet from the store, away from the crowd, and your breath was still coming out staccato, unstable as you looked down at your shaking hands. You were crying and hyperventilating and the whole world felt like it was spinning. Spencer kept his hold on your hand and stood in front of you, squeezing his palm against yours. His eyes, those light brown irises with little flecks of green, stared into yours. “Hey, Y/N,” he said, bending his knees so his face was level with yours. “Breathe with me, okay?”

You shook your head, your eyes clamping shut. You were so mad at yourself in that moment. You didn’t want to have Spencer take care of you, to have to drag you out of a bookstore because you were having a panic attack. “Baby, you’re trembling,” you heard Spencer’s voice laced with concern. “Look at me. We’ll get through this together.”

You opened your eyes slowly, and that’s when you realized your entire body was shaking. You looked into Spencer’s eyes and he released your hand so he could cup your face. His fingers anchored under your jaw, his thumbs rested on your cheeks, and his eyes were wide, full of worry, but his voice managed to stay soothing and calm. “Follow my breath, Y/N. Do what I’m doing, okay? In for four, hold for four, out for four.”

He inhaled for 4 seconds, and you tried to follow his lead, but you just couldn’t control your lungs. “It’s okay,” he assured you as your brows furrowed, presenting frustration. “C’mon, try again.” He inhaled for 4 seconds, and you managed to match him this time. “Hold for four,” you held your breath while Spencer counted. “And out for four,” you exhaled deeply. “Good, okay, let’s do it again.”

Spencer guided your breath for a few minutes, until you finally felt like you could do it on your own. And when you finally felt yourself coming down from the rush of panic that had sent you into fight-or-flight, you wiped at your wet eyes. “I’m sorry,” you croaked, and Spencer just shook his head.

“No,” he insisted, taking your hand and placing it on his heart. You could feel it beating through his long-sleeved t-shirt. “No, you don’t have to be sorry.” You rubbed your hand against his chest, finding it comforting as you hung your head. “Baby, look at me,” he requested, and you met his eyes.

“Please don’t ever apologize for having an anxiety attack, okay? For one thing, it’s not your fault. You can’t control the chemicals and waves in your brain and how your body reacts to situations,” Spencer began, his hand on top of yours that rested on his chest. You nodded, using the heel of your free hand to wipe away your tears. The crying was over, you were fairly certain, but god, did this suck. “You also should never feel ashamed for having a panic attack, Y/N. It happened, and we’re working through it. It’s a lot like boiling a pot of water, isn’t it?”

You let out a garbled sounding laugh and your brows furrowed. “How so?” You stammered out.

“Well, you set the pot of water on the stove, right?” Spencer began, and you nodded. “And then when it starts to bubble, that’s your anxiety. Some sort of external stimulant - the stove, or, in your case, the overwhelming feeling of being in a crowd - is causing the water to bubble. And when the external stimulant increases in intensity, so too does your anxiety. And sometimes, yeah, the pot boils over.” Spencer shrugged like it was no big deal. “But then you just turn the stove off, grab a dishtowel, and clean up the mess. Problem solved.”

You cracked a half-hearted smile. “So in this metaphor, you’re a dishtowel?” You asked, curling your fingers around the fabric of his shirt.

“Technically, I think it’s a simile, but yes,” Spencer grinned as he looked in your eyes.

“But the book,” you sighed, looking back at the bookstore, which was still filtering people in and out slowly. The patrons leaving the store clutched their new copies of the book in their hands, grinning and taking pictures with their phones, laughing with their friends excitedly.

“Do you want to get back in line and try again?” Spencer asked, and you bit your cheek pensively.

“I don’t think so,” you said softly, defeatedly.

“That’s okay,” Spencer said. You loved that he wasn’t coddling you, he was just feeling it out, seeing what you were up for. “Do you want to get brunch somewhere and come back? Maybe the line will have died down by then?”

You nodded, your lips curling into a small smile. “Yeah,” you agreed. You realized your hand was still over his heart, rubbing at his chest. Your movement halted and you retracted your hand, but before your arm could fall completely at your side, Spencer scooped your hand up and kissed the back of your palm. “What if we come back and they’ve sold out of the book, though?” You asked as Spencer walked with you in the direction of one of your favorite brunch places, just a short walk from the bookstore.

“There are twenty-two independent bookstores in the D.C. metropolitan area alone,” Spencer rattled off. “If this one doesn’t have it, we’ll drive around until we find one that does.”

“What article did you read that told you how many bookstores were in D.C?” You asked. You often liked to challenge him by asking him to cite his sources.

“No article. I did a search on Google Maps last night,” Spencer explained.

“What, because you knew I’d freak out when we walked into this one?” You asked him.

Spencer shook his head. “No, just wanted to have a contingency plan in case our first stop sold out before we got there.”

“Always thinking ahead, huh, Boy Wonder?”

“Damn straight.” A smirk formed across Spencer’s lips.

You shook your head. “You’re the best dishtowel a girl could ask for.”

[atomic-raunch]

Judy Crowder. There’s a whole series of her taken in what I’m assuming was the photographers home tiki bar, you can see some of the tropical matting in the background and leopard skin stool she’s sitting on here

[braxiatel]

Just woke up from a dream about the new life series and the only thing I can remember is that Mumbo was there and he had a new skin that was him wearing a beret, a cropped leather jacket, and a leopard print skin suit. Please Apollo DO interact

[illusionarylibrary]

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓸𝓷

CW: Mention of death, spoilers

| Series | next>>

✶⊶⊷⊶°.•☆•.° ✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶ °.•☆•.° ⊶⊶⊷✶

- The snow fell harshly, blizzard sweeping through the northern islands. All was as usual.

- Well, all except for the attack on Minion Island. Marines vs Pirates. But you couldn’t be bothered. Why would you care? After all, you weren’t personal with either side, not to mention humans themselves.

- Humans. Those vile creature that tried to hunt your kind to extinction. Your memory was perfect, each detail from the last 200 years were intact. But that was a story for another time. Right now, you were swerving through flying nets, diving cannonballs, and avoiding capture.

- You were the infamous Light Fury.

- Child of the skies and glider of clouds. As big, if not slightly bigger, as a Clydesdale Horse. Your scales were like pearl, prettier than any kind. With your plasma based fire, you could make yourself invisible for in a moment’s notice, like a magician disappearing from the stage.

- Disappearing.

- Now how come you didn’t just use your disappearing act and fly away unnoticed? Well, where was the fun in that? It wasn’t like you got much action from the humans when you hid away.

- If you wanted to hide, you could. If you wanted to make your presence known, you could. These humans were nothing to you…but oh, how wrong you’d be.

- Just a normal day of flying, agitating the humans, and then going on with your peaceful life. Though, it wasn’t part of the plan to find a stray human child wandering the snow banks of a village’s outskirts.

- He was tiny, frail even, drowning in his ragged brown cloak. It reminded you of a potato sack. The child’s hat was strange as well. Kind of like a snow leopard- that’s besides the point.

- His face was painted with a bright red hue, his nose running and droplets leaking from his eyes. He was in distress.

- The spots on his skin didn’t help his appearance.

- He couldn’t think straight. The sound of Doffy’s crew behind him, battling the Marines, made his head hurt. Or maybe that was because of his tears. His medical books did say that crying made headaches worse. He couldn’t breathe through his nose. His nose.

- Cora’s nose.

- The blood ran down Cora’s nose, his mouth no different. Cora’s face was covered with blood and scratches…no, his head was surrounded by red.

- Red. Red. Red, red, red red red- his chest was red. His blood was red. It was all…white?

- What was that? There that moved in front of him? Blue.

- Striking blue eyes were right in front of him. A…a dragon?! But- but he thought dragons were just of legend! The villagers never believed the marines when they told stories of that pearly white dragon slinking around in the clouds!

- Blue. Such electric blue eyes, pupils that of a cat’s.

- He was going to be eaten. Cora had just died for him, and now…and now he was about to die to a dragon. Cora’s deaths oils be in vain.

- He couldn’t- no more- his head hurt too much. His ears were ringing. His own cries made his brain want to explode.

- He felt back, tripping on his cloak as it grew closer.

- You could smell his fear. His tears were so salty. His cheeks and nose looked too red to be healthy…it wasn’t like you cared for humans, but you did spend a bit of your years studying the interesting creatures.And now, here, right in front of you, was a human youngling.

- Er, child. A human child.

- He looked like he was about to pass out, his chest rising up and down at an abnormal pace. Oh, you must be intimidating him. The moment you backed off proved you right.

- His eyes widened, confusion written all over his face. The little child looked so lost. He was…so sad. His cries like a tormented youngli- child. A child. Right, right, he wasn’t a youngling, he was a child.

- His cries wouldn’t stop though…they kinda hurt your sensitive ears. Your nubby ears were pinned to your head, eyes scrunched up at the high sounds of his endless wailing. Agh, too much.

- You darted into the sky.

- This little human child was weak. He was weak. Weak: lacking physical strength.

- But then again, so were you. You were in the same position as him. You were once wounded like he was. All so long ago. It was the reason you despised him.

- No. Not him. Not the youngling. His kind, the humans. It wasn’t even that long ago, about a hundred years prior…but that story would never be revealed to the world.

- Unless someone found those four red blocks those humans carved.

- You still wondered why they carved such intricate red blocks. But no matter. Humans were weak. That youngling was weak…you were once weak. But never again.

- Never again would you be weak.

- Right?

✶⊶⊷⊶°.•☆•.° ✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶ °.•☆•.° ⊶⊶⊷✶

Ghost notes: Have returned, yes. For how long, no one knows. But the ghost had some time to spare and wrote on the plane…again. The ghost has an obsession with One Piece and HTTYD at the moment. Hope you enjoy!

[pampushky]

Creature (Both Haunted & Holy)

Vinsmoke Sanji/Reader - chapter 1 - 2.2k

As you resign yourself to a fate of misery at Arlong's hands, your journey unknowingly starts with the appearance of a green-haired swordsman.

Warning: This chapter does have descriptions of non-consensual sexual encounters, along with mentions of possible forced prostitution. Be smart. Don't force yourself to read this if it'll trigger you.

ao3 | series masterlist | masterlist | next part

Notes on Selkenfolk, from the Journal of Dr. Crocus of the Roger's Pirates Pod; the selkenfolk family. There is a large emphasis on the chosen family, however this may vary based on the type of selkie. According to the selkies of our crew, we are considered their pod, which delighted Roger to no end. It must also be noted that selkenfolk can hold their breath for a very long time, usually up to nearly two hours if they're trained and prepared properly. For defense in their humanoid form, which differs greatly from the selken and seal form, they have a set of retractable claws on their hand. While their claws are strong, they have to be properly cared for, or else they will become brittle. They are also rather sensitive to sunlight, as their entire eye is black, to see better in the deep water they are normally found in. Their humanoid form will resemble their seal form, with their skin the color of the pelt, and having freckles/dapples matching it, as the selkies Pell and Coth of our crew do greatly resemble leopard seals, even while more humanoid. They are rather protective of their pelts, which while rather durable, can be used to manipulate a selkie should the wrong person get ahold of it. According to Coth; "A stolen pelt is a fate worse than death--- it is a sentence to eternal servitude."

The rooms under Arlong Park were always musty. It’s a consistent smell that’s always seemed to cling to your skin, no matter how many times the fishman may let you bathe or go on “walks”. Straw mattresses, mildew, and molded-over heels of bread, along with a dryness that was unusual to a place inhabited by fishmen. But that was a special case, it was made to be that dry just for you. 

It’s not as if the conditions were meant to be pleasant, anyway. The 'walks' were you being chained to a post, or kept by Arlong’s side in the middle of the day, usually when the sun was at its highest, with nothing to shade your sensitive eyes. Arlong enjoyed watching the way you suffered. It’s not as though he was completely ignorant to what a selkie such as yourself needed— though your skin was a mottled gray, resembling the pelt of a common harbor seal as did the rest of your pods, it didn’t mean the sun didn’t burn you after enough time under its rays, or that you enjoyed being out during the day. Your tongue was dry, from the continued deprivation of water and proper food, eyes were in a constant state of watering from how bright everything was around you. Arlong fed you just enough fish— however rotten they may have been— to keep your hair shiny and soft, the way he liked it, and gave you enough food to keep his favorite parts of you soft. But there was never enough to help you gain strength or muscle. If he ever suspected you were trying to grow stronger, the food would disappear until you were so weak you were unable to stand.

You will not run, he had told you, the moment he had taken you from your small island home, just along the calm belt in the North Blue, You will not run or it will be twice as bad for your pod, little one. 

A pretty little doll to sit on his lap, to be shown off, and toyed with later if he so desired. Muzzled and chained, clawed hands kept dull, and your pelt hidden away in a trunk somewhere in the park. You held no power here, his captive empress of the sea. Nothing for you to fight back with or a purpose to even try, but there was the promise of your home being destroyed should you even try to escape, reminders of your mothers' screams filled your mind every time the ocean beckoned, your pelt lazily left out on Arlong's bed when he left you after chasing his own pleasure. 

But it was for your village. To keep it safe. You had to keep it safe. Your brothers were just pups, your baby sister hadn't even opened her eyes yet when you had left. You had to protect them. Arlong would not hesitate the moment you moved out of line. He would destroy them all, for the crime of trading with humans and marrying among them, like your older sister had. You remember how devastated your mothers looked, holding each other as you were dragged away, a heavy metal collar fastened around your neck, a wail on your lips as your mothers both reached to you for a final time, screaming your name as they were held back by Chew and Kurobi. The last you heard of them was their roars of rage and pain.

It was that same night he broke you in, as you cried silently for your pod’s grief, crying for someone to help. The same night he left a grievous bite along your shoulder to claim you. You are mine and no one else’s, he snarled, smiling with your blood on his teeth as you thrashed beneath him, hitting and trying to wriggle away from him, so small under him, so helpless. No one will have you like this now. He had you map the currents of the waters he dominated. You were a gifted selkie, after all, blessed by the Mother of the Sea, rumored to be able to conduct the waves themselves and make it rain with your voice. That was not true of you, not yet, not when you had only started your training a few months before. Nevertheless, the currents were old friends of yours, swirling around you whenever you swam, invigorating you the longer you stayed in the depths before you were pulled back up by the chain on your wrist.

A good selkie, Arlong purred, a finger brushing over your cheek. Such a good selkie for me, telling me exactly where the undertows form. His nose had cut a groove in your cheek that night, as he had rutted into you, panting and grunting like a wild beast as he finished, leaving you a sticky, bleeding mess, weeping on the straw mattress of the ship's brig after a 'successful' excursion. 

So here you were chained, forcefully sitting on Arlong’s lap as Nami walked up to the pirate, a smirk on her lips as she tossed some treasure his way. The Marines had already made lewd comments about you. Ogling your body, laughing at how your lace, nearly see-through top only barely covered your form, and how your shorts hardly did anything to hide the bites along your thighs. You were his pretty little doll, wearing whatever he chose for you, and if you didn't? Well, he wasn't above making you walk around naked, sitting on his lap for all to see, but not to touch, demonstrating your pretty sounds for his crew when you had refused to wear what he chose, begging for something more concealing. How had he responded?

"Isn't my selkie lovely?" Arlong had crooned, shoving two fingers inside you, despite your screams. He had bound your hands above you, shoving a towel in your mouth to quiet your cries, pumping in and out of you. Chew looked over, tutting at the tears running down your face, and the way that you thrashed, hips jutting forward with each harsh pump. Arlong only grinned, his thumb finding your clit and rubbing it in tandem with his fingers. Your hips jutted forward, and your head sagged onto your shoulder as he forced an orgasm out of you, grinning dangerously as you came, spraying all over his hand, whimpering and trying to jerk away from his continuing touch. 

"She's yours for the night if you pay enough," Arlong grinned at Nezumi, letting you slump to the floor, numb to the laughter and predatory eyes on your body as the marine began to negotiate.

Nami’s gaze fluttered over you, and you looked away, eyes down. It was an unspoken agreement. You were friends, and allies, due to both of your situations, and you both attempted to make each other's sufferings better. You had spoken with her, in desperate confidence after she had found you the first time, left on a straw mattress in the basement cell under the main building. You were so similar, yet different. But you both acted for others. To keep your pod safe. For her to liberate her village. Forever branded by the monster who had caused your terrors, and forever invisible to the marines who were meant to help you.

The only respite was swimming. Bring dropped somewhere in the ocean, followed by however many of Arlong’s crew, just to keep an eye on you. But they knew you wouldn’t run. You had tried, early into your capture, and your grandfather paid the price, Arlong dropping a necklace that had belonged to him before you after he had pinned you to the wall, declaring that whenever you swam now, you would do it with iron shackles around your wrist, a thick iron chain securing you the ship, only allowing you to swim as far as the chain went, the crew able to pull you out of the water at any given moment, should they so desire, hurting you as they did.

But you pushed it away, shaking off the loss of your pelt, and held your breath as you had been taught by your mothers. Diving deep, deep into the ocean, feeling the waves churn around you, the way they pushed and pulled. You were free here. Able to memorize the dances of the water, and able to trace them out on paper, sloping arrows in deep blue ink on Nami’s wonderful maps. The most detailed currents were around Seal’s Drop, your home village, where you had played for years before you were taken. Sometimes, it was like the shackle wasn't there, when you went deep enough, the pressure making you dizzy in your humanoid form, and it was as if your mothers were swimming beside you, until your arm was pulled, forcing you back into the brightness of the day, laying on the deck as you were taken back to the park.

Nami’s gaze rested on you for just a second before she spoke to Arlong again. Another successful mission, more treasure to be gained, and some small-time pirates duped into helping her, along with getting a brand new ship for the fleet, one that could easily blend in with luxurious boats meant for the wealthy that lived in the east blue. Arlong grinned widely, sharp teeth on full display as he threw his hands into the air, looking down at the map that Nami passed him, a look of awe on his face as he traced out the shape of the Grand Line.

The call for a party had you keeping your head down lower. Parties meant Arlong drinking. Which meant forcing drinks down your throat, and an unpleasant night ahead, with puncturing bites and deep bruises. Your stomach churned at the thought. You would end up sick, no doubt, ending up retching and puking with Arlong having his way as you struggled, whimpering for him to stop. Arlong loosely put his hand around your throat and squeezed just enough to make your breath hitch, pulling you out of your mind.

“C’mon now my little selkie, it’ll be fun,” A malicious grin spread across his lips, sharpened teeth on full display. “Consider it a celebration of your recent success.”

“Of course,” You nodded, only looking at his teeth, avoiding his eyes. He hated it when he thought you weren't looking him in the eye.

“Make the arrangements—” Arlong stood up from his seat, ”And put my darling selkie away in the shade for a bit, she deserves a bit of rest,” a finger ran over your chin, “She’ll need the energy. For now, Nami, come with me, we have much to discuss.” His voice was sickening to you, and his touch made you shudder.

And then the green-haired man was brought in. And his eyes bored straight into yours, even as Arlong held you by your waist, fingers sinking into your skin so hard you knew it'd bruise. And when he’d pushed himself into the water, you couldn’t help but gasp, instinctually jumping forward, stopped by the hand around your waist. You were jerked backward, hitting your head on the corner of Arlong's chair, a small laugh bubbling from his lips as you rubbed at your head, whimpering. 

“Awh, did you find him cute?” Arlong had a vicious smile on his face, one finger tracing over the claiming bite he had made, pinching your chin and making you look up at him. “I’ll just have to remind you of who owns you. Maybe in front of him.” 

A shiver rolled down your spine, as you watched Nami pull the man from the water, flinching when you saw how hard he had been punched. But the moment he looked up, his eyes were on yours, before focusing on Nami, as the fishman gave news about Cocoyashi, sending her away to do what he needed, and dragging him away.

It wasn’t gentle being led to the cells, and you were thrown in with him, eyes on the floor, curled into a tight ball as your chains were fastened to the wall behind you,  the green-haired man in the corner across from you, eyes staring right into your soul. You only fell back into your mind, thinking of the kelp forest you and your older sister had learned to swim in.

[lambtotheslaughterr]

The Taming : Part Two

A Clark Kent Mini Series

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 5.9k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

PART ONE | MASTERLIST | PART THREE

all AI images are created from prompts i wrote. they are not real images.

            She thought she was clever. Her precious roommate never noticed her, but I sensed her the moment she entered the restaurant. She wore a significant perfume, one that made me think of the endless sandy beaches of Mexico. I smelled it on her on the subway that night. She had been so close. Close enough to touch, to grab, to hurt. Oh, how badly I wanted to have her against the subway walls. Her throat in my hands, her eyes glaring heatedly into my own. She had nearly embarrassed herself, trying to put me ‘in my place’. It was almost adorable. She didn’t know who she was getting tangled up with.

            Even now, she sat facing us on the other side of the patio. It was a busy night, but she stuck out like a sore thumb. To me, at least. It was rare for a beautiful woman such as herself to dine alone. Yet no one sought her out. She was still dressed in her clothes from her day job. It was a wonder on why she worked a minimum wage job, a wonder I would soon understand.

            I felt her eyes on me throughout the whole dinner. Her roommate, as sweet & beautiful as she was, was not the object of my desire though. She was simply a means to get closer to who I really wanted. And she only sat a few tables away.

            Her poor roommate must’ve thought that I was smiling adoringly at whatever she was saying, but the smile on my face was due to the fact that this young woman, the one who wanted to hurt me as much as I wanted to hurt her, was losing control. She couldn’t stand seeing her roommate out with me. It made her blood boil. I could smell it. Taste it.

            I hope she knows that I will be tasting it. Soon.

            It was a little after five when you clocked out from your shift. You waved your good-bye’s to your coworkers & left the coffee shop. You sighed heavily to yourself as you hiked your leopard Sicily backpack higher on your back. It would be less than a minute walk to the subway station.

            As you waited down on the platform with the rest of the Metropolis working class, you grumbled internally to yourself. It wasn’t that you needed to work because you absolutely did not have to. You could likely go your whole life without working a day in your life but about a year ago, you didn’t want to have to be dependent on your parents to fund your lifestyle. Working minimum wage in coffee, of course, was not going to keep up with your expenses, but it was enough to grant you the illusion of independence. Plus, you enjoyed coffee. And your coworkers, as middle-class as they were, weren’t half bad.

            It was the middle of the week though. You only ever worked once or twice a week & you told your boss you’d only accept weekday shifts as you needed the weekends to do as you pleased. Fortunately, you boss was willing to work with you on that, but even if he hadn’t, you simply would’ve quit. Easy as that.

            The subway ride back to your apartment was relatively quick, considering it was quitting time for a majority of Metropolis residents. By the time you walked up to your condominium apartment complex, it was a little after six.

            You took the elevator to the 12th floor & entered your apartment. Your living room was always a welcome sight to see. You had decorated the interior of the apartment before Ariana moved in & for that you were grateful otherwise she would likely want the apartment to have those French-country details she liked so much.

            There were no plans for your night. You were going to shower, do your skin care routine, check your social media, then make some dinner before lounging out in the living room to watch a film of your choice. But as you entered your bedroom & began kicking off your shoes, you heard a clatter come from Ariana’s bedroom down the hallway.

            Checking the time on your phone, you thought it was strange that she was home. Ariana was in school, a French language major, & with the end of the school year only a couple weeks away, she was often at the campus library late studying. Her being home this early was out of the ordinary.

            Tossing your jacket onto your bed, you began unbuttoning your white uniform top as you trekked down the hallway to her room. Her bedroom door was closed but you could make out the muffled sounds of her French 40’s music she listened to often. Knocking on the door, you waited momentarily for her to open the door but it never came.

            “Ari.” You announced, leaning closer to the door. Only more clattering.

            Not waiting for a response, you opened her door & stepped in.

            Her bedroom was minimal & simple. It was the smaller of the two bedrooms but still had plenty of room. You peered around her room & noted some discarded clothes near the foot of her bed & her built in wardrobe with a vanity had hair & make-up utensils in a neatly order.

            “Ari.” You repeated again.

            The door to her en suite bathroom opened then & your cousin stepped out.

            You raised your brows in curiosity.

            Ari was dressed to the nines, at least to her nines. She looked diabolically adorable. But as cute as she looked, it only piqued your interest.

            “Oh, hey!” She greeted, lowering her eyes as she turned her back to you to sit on her bed, slipping into some heels that matches the color of her dress.

            “Hey, yourself.” You returned, stepping further into the room, “What’s the occasion?”

            “Hmm?” She glanced at you over her shoulder before laughing half-heatedly, “Oh, nothing special.”

            “Coulda fooled me.” You crossed your arms over your chest. You already knew where this was going. Ari had never been a good liar. She had the tell-tale signs of a someone who couldn’t lie even with a gun to their head. The biggest giveaway was her cheerful attitude mixed with her lack of eye contact. You knew well-enough that she was preparing to feed you some bullshit.

            She stood then, meeting your eyes briefly before glancing down at her outfit, “Just going to a dinner with some classmates.”

            “Really.” You pressed your lips together & cocked your head.

            “Yeah.” She breathed out & passed by you to return to her vanity, sitting down as she applied some lipstick to her lips.

            “Are your classmates dressing up, too?”

            Ariana smiled nervously but shrugged, “Maybe.”

            Sighing, you sat on the foot of the bed, staring at her in the mirror. But she was battling you. You would have to drag the truth out of her.

            “Who is it, Ari?” You asked, tired of beating around the bush.

            “Who is what?” She frowned at you but kept the forced smile on her face.

            “Ari.” You shook your head, “When have you ever been able to lie to me?”

            Part of you was impressed that she was committed to the façade, but the larger part of you was more annoyed. The longer she put up a fight the worse the truth was.

            “Like I said.” Ari repeated, “It’s a dinner with classmates.”

            “Okay, then.” You feigned belief, “Guess you won’t mind if I tag along then. I’ve had a long day at work, it’ll be nice to get out & mingle with your classmates. They can teach me some French—”

            “God, okay!” Ari exhaled, her eyes fluttering closed, “I’m not going out to dinner with classmates.”

            “Ya don’t say.” You gave her a pointed look.

            She finally turned in her seat to face you, her hands in her lap as she played with the lace at the hem of her dress, “It’s a date.”

            “Obviously.” You deadpanned. “Who is it?”

            It wasn’t that you were trying to be a helicopter parent, but Ari didn’t know any better when it came to men. She was still so naïve &, honestly, a little dumb. Sure, she had a good heart & preferred seeing the good in people but that’s what she had you for. To bring her back down from cloud nine & remind her that men, especially Metropolitan men, were only snakes in the grass.

            “No one you know.” She responded.

            “Even more reason for me to know.” You retorted.

            “_____, please. You’re not my mom.” Ari rolled her eyes.

            You scoffed at that, “Yeah, thank hell for that.”

            You didn’t miss the glare she tossed you but it was quickly brushed under the carpet as you pushed on.

            “Tell me who it is, Ari. I won’t ask again.”

            “Oh, geez. What are you going to do? Call a P.I.?”

            You only stared at her knowingly.

            She sighed annoyingly, “Of course you have a P.I. on speed dial.”

            “Of course.” You confirmed.

            “His name is Clark.” She finally revealed as she applied some eye make-up.

            “Where’d you meet him?”

            Ari paused, biting her lip, “Technically, at school.”

            You narrowed your eyes, “And not technically?”

            She put down her make-up before facing you once more. It made you almost proud how she stared at you challengingly, “Not technically, I met him this past weekend. On the subway. After your birthday.”

            You reeled at that, trying to put the pieces together. When had she met anyone that night? You were with her the whole time. But she said the subway. Who had she met on the subway…?

            When it finally clicked though, you stood up from the bed, your stance firm, “No fucking way, Ari.”

            “See? I knew you’d react like this, that’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

            “Well, it’s a good thing you did!” You exclaimed, “You’re going on a date with that creep? How did you even meet him on campus?”

            “He’s a student.”

            “Bullshit. He’s like twenty years older than you.”

            “Actually,” Ari glared at you, “He’s only seven years older than me.”

            You laughed loudly at that. You remembered the man from the subway well. Though he had youthful features & a timeless look, the way he carried himself reeked of a man on the brink of being considered middle-aged.

            “So,” you began, sneering at your cousin, “you don’t think it’s weird or strange or creepy at all that the man who groped you on the subway over the weekend happened to run into you on your campus. Really, Ari? C’mon, you’re smarter than that.”

            “I am smarter than that, thank you very much.” Ari slammed down her make-up & stood up to face you head on, “And no, I don’t think it’s weird because it was me who noticed him. Not the other way around.”

            “Please. Elaborate.”

            “I was sitting on a bench in the middle of campus, reading, minding my own business, & there was a tour happening for new students joining the university next year. He was the one giving the tour. He’s been a student there for four years. He graduates this summer.”

            “Mhmm.” You rolled your eyes, “And so then he spotted you & asked you on a date?”

            “No, _____. I approached him.” Ari shook her head exasperatedly.

            “You what?”

            “Yeah. I approached him.” Ari repeated, crossing her arms. “And I apologized to him for what happened on the subway. He didn’t even remember at first! But once he did he said it was okay & that he didn’t lose any sleep over it. I explained to him that you’re just overprotective of me & he said he understood.”

            You scoffed at that. Of course that stranger was playing the role of an understanding & charming man. How foolish could Ari be?

            “Then it was me, again, who asked him out.”

            “Oh, my god…” You hung your head in disappointment.

            “And technically, it’s not a date.” Ari added, “I just asked if I could make it up to him with dinner. He rejected me at first but I insisted. Said that it was the least I could do after how you tried to humiliate him in public.”

            “Wow, Ari.” You shook your head, eyeing her, “You’re a saint.”

            “Oh, please.” Ari waved you away, “It’s called being decent. Nothing you know about.”

            Ouch, but okay.

            “So, what? Now you’re getting all dolled up for a date that’s not a date with the perfect stranger?”

            “After tonight he won’t be, will he?” She stared at you.

            “You’re really going through with this?”

            “Yes.” Ari nodded, standing her ground, “Like I said. You’re not my mom. And I’m a grown up. If I want to ask a man out, I will. So, please, save your man-hating opinions for someone who actually cares.”

            You bit your lip at that, shaking your head.

            “Now, if you don’t mind. I have to finish getting ready.”

            Ari pursed her lips, her defiance almost commendable, but only not since it was towards you.

            “Fine.” You moved towards her door, “But don’t call me crying when he tries to get in between your legs at the end of the night.”

            Ari slammed her bedroom door behind you & you stomped down the hallway towards your own before slamming your own door.

            Fucking Ariana. You inhaled sharply, closing your eyes to calm your nerves. She was being stupid, ridiculously stupid. Date-raped & found along the riverbank half-alive stupid.

            Opening your eyes, you stared out your windows. It was a city filled with millions of people, half of whom were men who only had bad intentions. As absurd as Ari was being, & despite what you said to her, you couldn’t let her go through with it. Not alone at least.

            You smirked wryly to yourself.

            You didn’t have time to change out of your work uniform by the time you heard Ari leave the apartment, so you simply added some items from your closet to your outfit to disguise yourself. You wouldn’t be as ridiculous as those scenes in films where they wore wigs & dressed like a man. All you needed was to just shield yourself enough from Ari’s eyes, not that she’d be aware of her surroundings.

            Once a minute passed after Ari left, you took off after her. Once on the main level of your building, you waited just inside the lobby, spotting her outside as she waited for a taxi to notice her.

            How tacky. You thought bitterly. He can’t even pick her up.

            But the second Ari disappeared inside the back of a cab, you ran outside & waved one down yourself, directing the driver to follow the cab Ari had just gotten into.

            The ride itself was roughly 30 minutes when Ari’s cab pulled over in the center of downtown Metropolis. You paid by cash to your driver & hopped out, following a few yards behind Ari as she walked towards the riverfront.

            A hiss parted your lips as you got caught at a stop light. But fortunately, you spotted in the distance as Ari disappeared inside one of the riverfront restaurants. EARTH was an intimate fine-dining restaurant with views of Metropolis South across the bay. Had you not been in investigative-sleuth mode you might have been impressed that Ari was choosing to eat at such a fine establishment, but considering who she was dining with, you only felt annoyed. The man, Clark as she told you his name was, was really trying to woo Ari’s underwear right off her. You only hoped Ari would at least be smart enough to not fall for it.

            Inside the restaurant, you were deterred from the host who asked about a reservation.

            “I don’t have one. It’s just me.” You told the host but he only offered an apologetic smile, “Sorry, Miss. Reservations only.”

            “Godfucking—” You waved him away, “Just hold on.”

            Stepping back outside, you pulled out your phone & called Nicola.

            “Nic.” You greeted as soon as she answered.

            “What’s up, babe?”

            “I need you to get me a reservation at EARTH for ten minutes ago.”

            “Whoa, okay, everything alright?”

            “No but it will be as soon as you can get me a table.” You had briefly recalled seeing Ari being led out to the rear patio when you first entered the restaurant, “And make sure it’s outside. Please.”

            “Alrighty. I’ll do it. But I expect a call back later explaining to me the rush.”

            “Of course.” You sighed, “Thanks, Nic.”

            She kissed you through the phone & you returned it.

            Other than being as equally beautiful & cold-blooded as you, Nicola was also influential. Not only did her father have a hand in a majority of the luxurious buildings built throughout metropolis but her former socialite mother’s name still carried impact.

            You waited another two minutes before re-entering the restaurant, sure to silence your phone. This time, the same host as before greeted you with a menu in hand, “I apologize for that mix-up, Miss. _____. Right this way.”

            Following the host, he led you to the outdoor dining portion of the restaurant. Immediately, you spotted Ari, along with that man from the subway, on the far end of the patio. The host began to lead you in that direction but you snagged the sleeve of his shirt.

            “Right here is fine.” You told him as you sat down at a two-person table kitty corner from where Ari & her date sat.

            “Um, Miss, but this table—”

            “I said this table will do. Thank you.” You seethed, taking the menu from him.

            “Of course.” The host forced a customer-service winning smile despite the irritable tone in his voice.

            When the host finally disappeared, you pulled the menu upwards just enough to shield your face but peer over the top of it. It was late May & almost seven in the evening. It wouldn’t be strange whatsoever that you were still wearing your shades.

            You watched as Ari & Clark sat perpendicular to one another, the two of them facing the bay. Ari’s back was to you but Clark was facing you three quarters of the way. It made your skin crawl how he watched your cousin, his eyes never leaving her face as she talked animatedly with her hands. He was grinning the whole time, as well. His perfectly primed teeth on display.

            A server appeared then & began asking you what you’d like to drink, eat, etc. You mindlessly ordered, only glancing at the menu once before they left. Fortunately, they left the menu so you could still hide behind it. But after a while, you knew that would be more suspicious than anything you eventually lowered it, feeling confident enough in your disguise that you’d evade either of their curiosities.

            After about ten minutes, a server brought a tray of food to their table. Ari was her usual cheerful & kind self as she thanked the server. You rolled your eyes. Clark then raised his glass to Ari’s, their drinks clinking together. The sight disgusted you. Ari was really falling for his bullshit.

            But as you were stewing about it, Ari suddenly stood up & began walking in your direction. You leaned forward in your seat & hung your head, shielding your face with the brim of your hat as Ari passed you by, likely in search of the bathroom. It was tempting to follow after her & drag her out of the restaurant by her hair, but you would avoid making a scene. If she insisted on being independent & learning the hard way you’d let her, but you wouldn’t stand by for long.

            While Ari was gone from the table, you took that time to observe the man. Clark. He was dressed handsomely in a navy blue button up tucked into a pair of black slacks that reached above his ankles. The sleeves of his button-up were rolled up, revealing the muscular contours of his forearms. The top three buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, revealing a display of dark hair. It was very similar to when you first laid eyes on him in the club. He sat leant back in his chair, admiring the views of the city & bay, totally unaware of your presence. You kept waiting for him to sneak a tablet of questionable intent into Ari’s unprotected glass of wine but it never occurred. He remained eerily still, like a statue, as he sat staring into the distance. The only thing about him that truly unnerved you though as you watched him was a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips. Like he knew something you didn’t. You imagined he was already picturing what it would be like to have Ari under him. Fucking freak.

            It was then that Ari reappeared & sat back at her table with Clark. He grinned at her & gestured for her to begin eating. Once they started eating, it was then that your server appeared with your meal. You mumbled a thanks & rejected an offer to try the house wine. It was rare that you turned down alcohol but you needed your 100% sober & clear mind if you were going to stalk Ari & her date all night.

            Over the next ten minutes, you hardly touched your food, only taking a bite when it seemed as if either of them would look in your direction. Other than that, you only twirled a butter knife in-between your fingers as you watched Ari & Clark talk & laugh with one another. What you could give to be a table or two closer to hear their conversation, but you couldn’t risk being discovered.

            Their server returned to clear their plates before offering them another menu. You knew it to be the dessert menu as it was smaller than the dinner menu.

            Clark seemed to order for the both of them before the server departed. You pushed your plate of food to the side, your appetite non-existent.

            “Would you like the check?” Your server asked as they came to take your plate of food.

            “Sure.” You replied, not thinking.

            You remained sat there for a while, watching endlessly as Clark & Ari shared a slice of what appeared to be huckleberry cheesecake. Your fingers were tapping impatiently on top of the table.

            Where the hell was the server with my check? You thought internally. You needed to be out of there & out front before Ari & Clark left themselves.

            When your server appeared before, but for a nearby table, you threw your arm out as discreetly as possible.

            “Excuse me, I’ve been waiting for the check.”

            “Oh.” The server frowned, “I’m sorry, I must’ve forgotten to tell you. But your bill was already paid for.”

            The server disappeared without another word, leaving you confused.

            What? But you hadn’t paid. You knew you hadn’t. However, you then realized that it was likely either Nicola who covered your bill or the restaurant itself. Accepting it for what it was without any further questions, you departed from the restaurant. Crossing the street, you lingered behind a light pole, waiting for Ari & her date to appear. You genuinely hoped this would be the end. After all, Ari told you she only offered dinner. What else could they possibly do?

            Apparently, a walk along the riverbank was on their agenda.

            While they walked on the sidewalk closest to the river, you walked along the elevated sidewalk parallel to them. You could see them over the railing as you trailed behind their steps. If Ari did ever sense you, she would not think to look up, only behind. It was getting darker out at this point. The time on your phone said it was nearly 8:30.

            You had a few text messages from Nicola, likely waiting for your call to update her, but you would have to do that in the morning. Right then, your priority was never letting Ari out of your sight.

            There was few people on the riverbank. Ari & Clark walked alongside one another as they spoke to one another. You weren’t close enough to make out their words but close enough to hear their voices. Ari was the one who spoke most of the time. Her voice was often carried lightly followed by her pathetically innocent giggles. It made you groan internally every time. If she weren’t your cousin, you’d destroy that naivete mercilessly. But she needed to grow a tough skin on her own, so you’d let her.

            At some point during the walk, Clark made a bold move. He reached your cousin’s hand. Ari smiled up at him & accepted the gesture, tangling her fingers with his. It made your stomach roll.

            He was so large. She looked like a child compared to him. He could overpower her easily, muffle her screams without thought. Ari had no clue how much danger she was potentially putting herself in. It was only a good thing you made the executive decision to follow her tonight. Because if that mountain of a man tried anything, you’d be right there to kick his ass. And it’d be your absolute pleasure.

            But then what happened next made your heart stop.

            Clark gently pulled Ari to a stop. They faced one another & you watched in horror as he cupped her face. Ari was staring up at him with stars in her eyes.

            “Oh, fuck no.” You mumbled quietly.

            Yanking out your phone from your pocket, you quickly dialed Ari’s number. The sidewalk lit up with the sounds of a classical French tune coming from Ari’s purse.

            She frowned at that, apologizing to Clark before reaching into her purse.

            You dropped to the ground to hide behind a flower bed as she picked up your phone call.

            “What is it?” She asked.

            “How’s it going?”

            “Like you care.”

            “I do, Ari.” You insisted, trying to sound calm, cool, & collected, “I can’t help but just make sure you’re okay. You didn’t even tell me where you’re going tonight.”

            Ari sighed at that before she softly responded, “Well, it’s going good.”

            “Good, good.” You lied, peeking over the flower bed. At this point, she had walked a few feet away from Clark as she spoke on the phone with you. “And where are you? When will you be home?”

            “We’re walking along the river right now. And I don’t know, within the hour. I have class in the morning.”

            “Okay,” you breathed out, “well, if you need me to send a car, I will.”

            “No, thank you.” Ari laughed softly at that, “Clark will be dropping me off.”

            Oh. “Oh.” You responded, “Okay. Don’t be late. If you’re not back within the hour I won’t apologize for sending out a search party.”

            “Oh my gosh, okay, mom.”

            “Be safe.” You added, “And don’t kiss. Not on the first date. If you really want him you’ll make him work for it.”

            You didn’t actually want Clark to work for it, you just didn’t want Ari to let him in so easily.

            “Yeah, yeah. Goodnight, _____.”

            “Night.” Then you hung up.

            You continued peeking up over the flowers. Ari was a good couple yards away from Clark, closer to you than him. But as she walked towards him your own phone began to ring. And it was ringing, not buzzing.

            7 Rings by Ariana Grande began blaring from your phone & you quickly clutched your phone from your pocket, racing to silence it. Once you had, you held your breath, listening for Ari.

            “Everything alright?” Clark hollered from a few feet away.

            “Yeah…” Ari’s voice returned, but she sounded suspicious, “It’s nothing.”

            “What is it?” You heard his footfalls approach her.

            “I just thought I heard my cousin’s ringtone.”

            “Your cousin? The one you told me about?”

            “Yeah, she, uh. She just called me but…she’s at home.”

            Clark grunted at that, a smile in his voice, “She the type to follow you?”

            Fuck. You began to crouch away from their location. You had to get out of sight. As you did, you glanced at your phone furiously. You swore you had silenced it. And when you checked it, you confirmed that it was indeed in silent mode. So, how?

            Ari scoffed, “Actually, yes.”

            “A control-freak, isn’t she.” It wasn’t a question.

            “Yeah.” Ari replied irritably, “She is.”

            “Think she’s up there.” You imagined him gesturing to the sidewalk you were on above them.

            “Only one way to find out.”

            At that, you stood up & raced towards the road where traffic was. They’d have to walk back down the sidewalk to take the incline walk up to where you were hiding. You’d have to be quick if you were going to get away.

            Quickly, you raised your hand & hailed a cab. It barely came to a stop when you flung the door open & dived inside, slamming the door shut behind you. Rushing out the address to your apartment, you pressured the driver to move fast.

            As he pulled away from the curb, you finally raised your head up enough to look out the window. As you rode away from the river walkway, you watched Ari & Clark stood where you were once hidden, Ari glancing around as Clark watched her.

            You breathed out a sigh of relief. Normally, you wouldn’t have cared if you had gotten caught, but if she knew you were following her she’d only grow to be more secretive. And that you couldn’t have.

            Once the cab turned the corner, you felt your phone buzz in your pocket. Ari was calling. You ignored the call, not wanting to feed into your suspicions. As much as you loathed having to go back home & wait for her there, it was your safest bet to ensure her trust.

            Your phone stopped buzzing then so you opened it, checking your call log. Her name was in red. That was not surprising, but what was surprising was the missed call just beneath hers. It was the missed call that had caused your phone to suddenly blare your ringtone.

            And in red, the missed call was marked as ‘unkown’.

            You were antsy waiting for Ari to come back to the apartment. As soon as you got inside, you quickly went to your room & took a quick two minute shower so your hair would be wet & drying by the time she got home. Then you changed into some comfy pj’s before entering the living room. You put on a random movie & muted it, listening intently for Ari’s key in the door. But as you mindlessly watched the scenes of the movie before you unfold, you finally heard a pair of footfalls sound in the hallway.

            Unmuting the movie, you raised from your spot on the couch & crossed to the door, peering into the peep-hole.

            Sure enough, Ari was there. Clark right beside her.

            That bastard.

            “Thank you for walking me to my door.” Ari smiled at Clark as he returned her grin.

            “Thank you for a wonderful date.”

            “I had a lot of fun.” She admitted, reaching into her purse to pull out her keys.

            “Me, as well.”

            You felt your nails dig into the material of the door as you watched them. But just as Ari was about to put her keys into the door, Clark placed a hand on her wrist, stopping her.

            He then gently pushed her against the door, blocking the peep-hole.

            No!

            Uncaring about the furious look you’d get from Ari, you quickly unlatched the door & swung it open. Ari would’ve had to catch herself on the door frame if it hadn’t been for Clark securing her stance with an arm around your waist.

            “_____!” Ari exclaimed as she spun around in Clark’s arm to stare wide-eyed at you.

            You forced a pleasant smile on your face as you stared at the two of them, “I thought you were having trouble with the lock. My bad.”

            Ari gave you a knowing glare but didn’t comment further.

            “You must be Clark.” You turned your attention to the mountain man behind her.

            “And you’re _____.”

            “Yes, we’ve met.” You replied in a sickly sweet manner, though it was clear you were being anything but.

            “I remember.” He replied, his eyes darkening as he stared at you over the top of Ari’s head.

            “Thanks for getting her home, I got it from here.”

            You then snatched Ari by the wrist & yanked her inside.

            “_____!” Ari reprimanded but you ignored her as you pushed her further into the apartment behind you.

            “Have a good night, Clark.”

            Clark opened his mouth to respond but before he could you slammed the door on his face, securing the door with the lock.

            “I cannot believe you just did that!” Ari stared wide-eyed at you in disbelief.

            “Oh, please. If he really likes you he won’t care.”

            “Uh, yes, he will.” She bit back, “Anyone would care if they were so rudely treated like that.”

            “He’ll be fine.” You dismissed her concerns.

            “You’re such a bitch.” Ari finally breathed out, her purse hanging loosely in her hands.

            You rolled your eyes, returning to the living room to turn off the TV, “Yes, Ari, I am. Nothing new there.”

            As you made to leave for your bedroom though, she stopped you with a question.

            “Did you follow me tonight?”

            Spinning on your heel, you gave her a ridiculous look, “Are you serious, Ari?”

            “Did you?” She repeated, crossing her arms.

            “No, Ari, I didn’t follow you. I got better things to do than stalk you & your date.”

            You could tell she didn’t believe you. But if she attempted to challenge it you knew she would have no evidence to back it up.

            “I can take care of myself.”

            “Okay.” You nodded but didn’t agree.

            “Do not ever interfere with my date like that again.”

            You shrugged, “Okay.”

            Rolling her eyes, Ari brushed shoulders with yours as she passed you by, “I’m going to bed. And I’m calling Clark to apologize again for you actions.”

            “Whatever, Ari.” You waved her away as you made for your own bedroom, “Sweet dreams.”

            With that, the both of you disappeared within your respective bedrooms, doors slamming shut.

            In your bedroom, you approached the windows that overlooked the front of the building. You watched as Clark appeared 12 stories below, heading towards a sleek black town car. As he rounded to the driver’s side though, he paused. Then looked up.

            You steeled yourself. You were much to high above him for him to truly see you but you felt it. Those eyes, watching you, seeing you. Much like they had the first night you felt them in the club, watching you from below.

            Not waiting for him to get into his car. You snagged the sheer pink curtains & tugged them closed.

            Pleased with yourself for preventing Ari from getting physical with the stranger, you collapsed onto your bed, a prideful smile on your face.

            Clark, zero. Me, two.

            If Ari insisted on seeing Clark again, you’d be sure to ruin every chance she had. If Clark really wanted your cousin, he’d have to go through you first. And you were a force to be reckoned with.

part two! i am SO EXCITED for this series. the plans i have for it are insane.

as always, please let me know your thoughts/feelings by dropping a comment, reblogging w reviews, or talking to me in the ask box. they keep me going.

thank you for reading!

oona<3

Read this post on why doing more than liking a tumblr writers work is essential to our content creation.

[my love language is words of affirmation, it would make my day if you could comment your thoughts, reblog with tags, or drop an ask that shows your support. thank you for reading tumblr writers, we appreciate you]

taglist: @rosecentury

to be added to a taglist read rule 11 here. requests will be dismissed otherwise.

[lgbtpopcult]

10 WLW Shows You Could Be Watching Right Now...or very soon

10. Velma

9. Fantasy Island

8. The Sex Lives of College Girls

7. Leopard Skin

6. Harlem (season 2 out February 3rd, on Prime Video)

5. NCIS Hawaii

4. The Last of Us

3. Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special

2. Willow

1. Gap the Series

[sundaymorningdew]

TRACK FOUR: ARABELLA | Jeon Wonwoo (M) | Preview

pairing: 80s!wonwoo x reader

genre: opposites attract!au, 80s london, angst, fluff, smut.

synopsis: Bookish and quiet, wonwoo very much keeps himself to himself; finding comfort in the dusty shelves of the local bookstore he remains as inconspicuous as he wishes. That’s until one rainy night you come tumbling into the store; leopard print, cigarettes and whiskey, loudmouth of the party, you’re everything he’s not so why can’t he help the way his heart thuds a bit harder when you set your galaxy eyes on him.

teaser length: 1301

now playing: Arabella by Arctic Monkeys [X]

a/n: im slowly going to start teasing the tracks im happy with, but enjoy, this is my favourite one to write so far! hopefully ill have one out by christmas <3

series masterlist |

London, 1989

“There was not a soul to be seen, nor a sound to be heard, except the dripping of the rain.”

Wonwoo never loved the rain, he never loved the way the watery whispers from the sky could change everything they touched; nor did he love the way that it could chill him to the very bone and nip at the skin of his hands like aquatic parasites leaching off his warmth. But it was on nights like this, where the winter forced the sun to slink its way back into the horizon early, pulling the inky hue of the night into the sky that he found himself liking the rain. Perched with his arms crossed in the window of Hatchards Bookstore in Piccadilly, Wonwoo found himself enjoying the way the rain reversed itself into the sky as it bounced itself off the pavement in a million tiny thunderous tumps.

Even though it wasn’t the latest in the world, 6:30 pm during the winter might as well have been the middle of the night with the way the sun shielded itself for the day. The flickering lights of London could be seen blooming from the puddles of the pavements; the cracks filling up to give the world a different view if anyone looked closely. It was rare it rained like this, no wind in sight but Wonwoo was sure that you’d be frozen to the bone all the same if you were to step out in it.

He felt glad to be within the warmth of the shop as he watched the people in the streets without protection skitter around like helpless animals looking for shelter; newspapers and briefcases alike held above heads in a makeshift refuge from the watery beast in the sky, the shoulders of lovers damp with purpose as they huddled together for warmth, and the lone soul that didn’t care if he got drenched or left to dry because it wouldn’t change their day either way. It was interesting to Wonwoo to watch how people reacted to situations out of their control, and his spot from the window was a prime people-watching space to do just that. He’d never been a people person, a close group of his choosing was all he needed, but every now and then even he liked to see how the other side of the coin lived.

Wonwoo supposed that in many ways, standing here in the window of the shop had many meanings; this wasn’t just his job, he felt a sense of calm when he was surrounded by the astute sound of nothing but the old building and gentle tinkle of the radio, with the smell of dust and paper clinging to the air, he felt still when he got to work alone with nothing but a smile given to the odd person that would come up to pay. The bookshop to many just looked like another store, but to Wonwoo, that faded green door with the croaky bell was the first step into his world.

It was a contemplative and serene home for any the entered it, it held no judgment and there was no signature to who could and couldn’t enter the place. Wonwoo saw everyone from the youngest of kids to the oldest of the old walk through the door, all with the same interest in mind, finding themselves in the pages of somewhere new. He liked the temperance of knowing that he could play a small hand in helping them with something new, it was a pause from his usually busy days out of the store, it was a second home.

Life for Wonwoo outside of that faded door was weirdly monotonous; he was only really in the city for university, and even then, he found himself in the libraries of the old college, swamped readying old classics that no one else dared to touch, finding stories in the fraying bindings of texts. He wasn’t a social man, he had his friends he would meet up on the weekends he had free, but he wasn’t a recluse either; Wonwoo didn’t love the rain, but he however did love walking in the frozen still mornings, Lady Frost licking at the skin of his nose as the blood rushed to the skin to soothe the biting kisses. He loved walking on his own and experiencing parts of life on his own, the people he needed would come into his life when they were needed themselves.

Most of all, Wonwoo didn’t believe in fate, even though he read pages upon pages of dreamers slewing their wants for a fated life, the man himself didn’t think reality worked like that; if fates were reality, then why were they confined to pages for others to read? He believed in the things that were tangible and real, like if he touched the edge of a page too hard, he’d get a cut, or it he held his skin to close to a flame it would blister, he didn’t believe in things he couldn’t see.

What he didn’t expect to see, ironically, was the presence of the faded green door flinging itself open with a screeching ding; the old bell above it desperately needing replacing. It must have been comical really to see the man of 6ft jump in place at the sign of a small bell, but his people watching, and day dreaming had been so intense he neglected to remember he was still on the clock.

He wasn’t a judge, he didn’t care how people dressed or acted, it was the end of the 80s people had lived through enough that other’s clothing didn’t faze anyone anymore; but even Wonwoo could find his own brow quirking as he took in the cause of the noise.

He felt his arms loosening from his chest as he gazed at you from your spot by the door, drenched and dripping onto the hardwood, he supposed the leopard print coat you wore once had more life to the moving fibres as the rain matted them down and clumped them in a way that made you look like you’d be pushed face first into the river. To be frankly honest it was like the rain had soaked the life of you, Wonwoo took care in spotting the way the mud stuck and tangled itself from your gator skin boots to the ripped and tugged netting that grasped it way up your thighs, the way the dress you wore probably floated and danced around the skin of your hips and thighs before the weather got its hands on you.

What struck him though, even though you hadn’t said a word or moved an inch from the spot by the door, was the way your hands grasped themselves in a fist by your hips; knuckles a sheen of white, the muscles in your covered arms shaking slightly as you pent up whatever feelings inside to the point your skin turned a nasty blush as your fingers cut into the inside of your palms. It was only then he took a look at your face, his shoulders softening slightly as he caught wind of what was up with the bursting through the door.

He wasn’t sure if it was the rain or the way your lip warbled with emotion that tarnished your face; the black running down your cheeks till they smudged into a sickly grey, and the faded brown around your mouth from where he imagined a pretty lipstick once lay, he softened up completely at the distraught look on your face, much like the weather outside you were storming with something too.

“Please tell me you’re still open,” Your voice was bubbled and thick with something he couldn’t place, like something was lodged in your throat and creeping out, “Please god tell me you’re still open.”

[flygonscales]

I’m rereading the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque du Freak) and oh my goddddddd

What do you put in your books Darren?? It is not often I read something so addictive. I saw someone describe them as being like crack. And yeah I can see that I don’t even read Animorphs books this voraciously

(Spoilers below)

And yet. Rereading the second half of the series. When you know who the vampaneze lord is and how it’s going to end. Just:

God. (Or should I say, Charna’s guts!) the planning that must have gone into the series. I can see the foreshadowing/just a prophesy that they don’t know how to follow properly because they don’t know how it ends. It’s like how a horror film protag doesn’t check why a cup fell down because they don’t know they’re in a horror film. Darren! You had Steve at your mercy! SEVERAL TIMES!!! Kill him! It’s unbearable!!! He’s lying!!!!!! This is like a fucking Greek tragedy mess of a plot!!!!!!!!

(Just try. Try reading Allies of the Night knowing full well what’s happening)

(The Greek tragedy comparison makes sense though, Darren is literally struggling against Des Tiny, even if he doesn’t know it)

And then, Mr Crepsley is dead, and Darren (post depression) and Harkat go on holiday to the nuclear dragon desert to gather panther teeth, gelatinous toad globes and Grotesque venom so they can go fishing for souls! It’s very reasonable that the war is drawing to a close so we need a break before the final battle but those toad spheres came of left field.

And then we hear the cirque du freak is returning to Darren’s hometown!! Love it when heroes return after most of their journey and discover they’ve changed too much to go back! But especially Darren, who cannot talk to anyone or even look around too much. He died. I LOVE IT I LOVE THESE BOOKS SO MUCH BUT I AM TEARING AND CRAWLING OUT OF MY SKIN THEY HURT SO BAD I JUST WANT MY BOYS TO BE HAPPY AND SAFE AGAIN)

(Boys includes: Darren, Harkat, Mr Crepsley. Vancha, Alice and Debbie. Not Steve Leopard. Fuck Steve Leopard. All my homies hate Steve Leopard)

And another thing: now I know about actual science - ‘vampire atoms are wobbly so they don’t show up on cameras’ - that is some of the most shallow pseudo scientific bullshit I’ve seen outside of JoJo’s. I love it. It’s so silly and makes no sense.

[localsharkcryptid]

Fuck it, I NEED to talk about a hyper specific headcanon I have for cpunz.

So the sort of precontext for this is that I have this idea for Punz being something called a False Selkie, a concept of mine but to put it simply they're like selkies but substantially more fucked up and predatory (think seal + the loch ness monster). They are like what kelpies are to horses kinda - fucked up predator edition ya know.

Punz specifically is a False Selkie with traits from a Leopard Seal, they may also be the local lake/water cryptid of the dsmp but that's for another post. Either way, I have the idea that they can make vocalizations like a leopard seal - kinda like in this video where people are being sooo fuckin stupid but it's the only thing I've found where you can really here that clunking noise they make. This sound in general for leopard seals (and by extension Punz) basically means "Fuck off", it's a threat, a warning to back up or else learn why they're an apex predator under most circumstances. It is also used to drive off rivals and probably equivalents to "Fuck off, I'm bigger and this (territory or whatever) is mine".

---

Punz does of course have very good control over his emotions and reactions to things, years of training to be able to suppress most things in favor of their job. But they've struggled with being able to stop making that threat sound in the later days of the SMP once the plan is in place, usually no one is ever close enough to here that subtle clunk, clunk, clunk that wells in the back of their throat now and again but it's there. It's a warning, a threat and the only tell they have to show that they are feigning politeness with the idiots of the server and no one ever really hears it. Even if they did who's to say it was coming from Punz? As far as everyone knew, Punz was simply a little off, they had no idea what he was so it would probably be brushed off.

Dream had heard it once or twice before the plan went into effect, but he eventually heard it properly the day he explained what happened in the prison- he had known of Punz's true nature but the sounds caught him off guard, Punz showed little emotion, they were a person of action most days but now they stood before him, slightly hunched over a table and making that deep clicking that almost echoed in the room. A threat but also a promise, a promise to set things right, to break even at the very least - after all the diet of a leopard seal includes flightless birds and well, they sure as hell hadn't ever seen Quackity fly.

Additionally they would no doubt use this sound as a challenge, Punz and Sapnap are more than prone to bumping heads- though their fights never got very far in the original days of the SMP, and even then it was mostly snide comments from Punz that were jabs to purposely get under the blazeborne's skin. But eventually the two cross paths later on in the days of the SMP - perhaps a situation where Sapnap feels the need to be a hero or simply a time where things go differently and Punz has to be between Sapnap and Dream. Either way their jabs, their cold comments purposely made to try and get Sapnap to make the first move are accented with that deep clicking except this time it's practically a threat phrased as an invitation. "Do it, I dare you, give me a reason."

There's one more time where the sound is heard, the first time it's heard in fact. In the dark of a hidden bunker, deafened by screams as those of L'manberg were betrayed. Wilbur is the one to hear it. In fact he heard it in the walls behind him before the button was even pressed. An ominous series of deep clicking sounds that were not human is what also befell the president's ears when he lost his first life.

(this string of thoughts also works with them being a normal selkie too tbh)

Anyways I'm deranged about my cPunz interpretation and my favorite hobby is making them horrifying<3