#since lord knows what'll happen

[natti-ice]

(for natti's 18+)

i'm SCARED for benedicts season in bridgerton, mans been FINE since the beginning so lord knows what'll happen for his bridgerton glow up.

anyways, I would let that man raw me.

I mean 25/8. 367. forwards. backwards. morning, noon, and night. they gonna have to ring the mattress out like a mop.

would he? no (probably). but I can dream.

18+ mdni

You are so real for that. Might be the realest statement I’ve ever read.

It’s going to be a panty dropping season I can feel it, I need him butt naked dipped in oil laid out on a bed.

[atopvisenyashill]

How do you expect dany ending slavery to be? By asking the slavers nicely to stop owning people? To the masters enslaved people are nothing, they do not view them as humans deserving of autonomy, of decency, of freedom to live for themselves. The masters will never have given up the people they held captive because they believed they are their property. Should she have let the masters go free in astapor, they would've undoubtedly started enslaving people again. abolishing slavery will never not be bloodless, for the masters because they don't want to lose the wealth and power they gained through the enslavement of people, their labour and their talents/creativity. And for the enslaved because they don't want to be at the mercy of people who treat them as if they're animals - or below - people who think they're nothing but bodies to be used and utilised as they see fit.

I've seen people saying the crucifixion of the masters was wrong, I think it was not nearly enough. What are the lives of a few hundreds masters to the millions of enslaved people they've killed? To the millions suffering at their hands? The unsullied if I remember correctly are around 8 thousand, meaning each one killed a baby, that's 8 thousand babies killed because of the masters. What they deserve is to stripped of all their wealth, death if found to be involved with the harpy or for refusal (I don't think that's what'll happen in canon though)

Also, I don't understand the comparison between dany and robb, yes they are both leaders of their people, who fail somewhat in their job but their similarity end there.... where dany grow up in poverty and without shelter, enduring her brother's abuse, robb grow up as the heir to a lord paramount, among his loving parents and siblings without ever worrying about food or shelter

Alright fine let’s break this down piece by piece.

How do you expect dany ending slavery to be? By asking the slavers nicely to stop owning people? To the masters enslaved people are nothing, they do not view them as humans deserving of autonomy, of decency, of freedom to live for themselves. The masters will never have given up the people they held captive because they believed they are their property.

FIRST OF ALL i don’t need a lecture from a grey faced anon on the horrors of slavery, EYE have Indigenous ancestry on both sides of my family, I have actual proof of SLAVES in my family, and I can almost guarantee my ancestors experienced the horrors you’re lecturing me about first hand so maybe roll back on the attitude a bit hmmm.

Second, idk how many times I have to say it, other people have to say it, how many times i have to scream it from the rooftops but- POLITICALLY, I think the crucifixions were a misstep. MORALLY, my issue with her is not the crucifixtions. POLITICALLY, this was an objectively stupid thing to do that makes Meereen harder to control, and since this is a series MEANT for analysis I personally think it’s fine, actually, if I critique something that is POLITICALY stupid regardless of the MORALITY of it. Making decisions fueled by anger is BAD and any toddler knows that.

Should she have let the masters go free in astapor, they would've undoubtedly started enslaving people again.

You are putting words in my mouth or mixing up the events. She doesn’t crucify the Good Masters of Astapor, she sacks the city. She takes their resources, their Unsullied, their food, murders children and teenagers just like her who were born noble class and inherited slaves they may not have wanted, leaves behind a council of only THREE PEOPLE, and slavery is brought back the moment she leaves by Cleon the Butcher.

It’s the Great Masters of Meereen that she crucifies. She tells them to “give up their leaders” and takes them at their word, doing something that is going to piss everyone off without thinking of the consequences. Also - she DOES let the masters go free in Meereen! She literally lets them keep all of their riches, lets them pay their servants next to nothing, and resorts to bitching about how mean they are even though SHE is the one with the power to change this. Not only does SHE let the Great Masters go free, she then BRINGS BACK SLAVERY, so, really, what exactly do you think she accomplished with the crucifixions besides inventing the Sons of the Harpy??

abolishing slavery will never not be bloodless, for the masters because they don't want to lose the wealth and power they gained through the enslavement of people, their labour and their talents/creativity. And for the enslaved because they don't want to be at the mercy of people who treat them as if they're animals - or below - people who think they're nothing but bodies to be used and utilised as they see fit.

Who said anything about it being bloodless? I am critiquing a specific act that she did that hurt her overall attempts at reconciliation in the region. She goes for a flashy, brutal way of collective punishment instead of actually figuring out whose idea it was to crucify the children, who the leaders of the city are, if there is any sort of abolition movement going on, and then acting accordingly because she is ruling through her emotions and not making smart decisions.

I've seen people saying the crucifixion of the masters was wrong, I think it was not nearly enough. What are the lives of a few hundreds masters to the millions of enslaved people they've killed? To the millions suffering at their hands? The unsullied if I remember correctly are around 8 thousand, meaning each one killed a baby, that's 8 thousand babies killed because of the masters. What they deserve is to stripped of all their wealth, death if found to be involved with the harpy or for refusal (I don't think that's what'll happen in canon though)

But she doesn’t strip them of their wealth does she? As a matter of fact, many of them still have their wealth. Many of them still effectively have slaves. The situation becomes worse in fact because she creates considerably worse class stratification wherein most people are living in abject poverty or living in the pyramids with the other rich nobles who she herself lives amongst. She also doesn’t give them the choice of “give up your wealth and disavow the sons of the harpy or die.” She takes 103 nobles that she is told are leaders, crucifies them without any sort of inquisition, and then let’s the rest keep their wealth. She does the complete opposite of what you are saying. I am critiquing her on exactly the point you are making - she makes a decision out of anger then doubles down on this stupid behavior instead of doing what’s RIGHT and what’s SMART, she sticks to useless, angry half measures that don’t go far enough because going far enough would mean giving up her OWN wealth.

During the farce we called Reconstruction, we didn’t just execute a bunch of random ass southern soldiers did we? No, there was an attempt by Lincoln to try the highest ranking government and military officials for treason. Did South Africa execute or kill every single white person when Apartheid ended? No, because committing mass slaughter of an entire class of people without some sort of plan in place doesn’t freaking help when you are trying to LIVE with them. Fuck it, do you know why MAO was so effective when he killed the landowning class? Because he had an entire plan and didn’t just kill a handful and let the rest keep their wealth!!! If what Dany had done was offer them that choice, or just straight up exile or kill literally every single Great Master, this would be a different convo. Instead she kills a handful of random ass dudes and then can’t figure out why she can’t get ahead of the political situation. It’s because she let THEM choose who to kill and she offed people who might have TALKED to her or explained the basics of how Meereen works. You can’t say you’re here to liberate the masses and then let the elites keep their shit!! That’s not ending slavery, that’s just cronyism.

Also, I don't understand the comparison between dany and robb, yes they are both leaders of their people, who fail somewhat in their job but their similarity end there.... where dany grow up in poverty and without shelter, enduring her brother's abuse, robb grow up as the heir to a lord paramount, among his loving parents and siblings without ever worrying about food or shelter

oh well since Catelyn never hears a prophecy that makes her go insane, I guess that means I can’t compare her to Cersei. and since Rhaenyra and Aegon grew up in a castle I guess that means we can’t compare them to Dany. and since Viserys II was a hostage for several years that means we can’t compare him to Tyrion. and since and since

you’re unserious if you think we are not meant to compare and contrast two teenage war rulers who are the exact same age born in the aftermath of the exact same freaking war.

[preggomancer]

himbo lore so far:

-named Howell Beaux

-trans, obviously. what you think i would have a cis guy on here??

-he's Dave's cousin, and Howell's two years younger

-has a partner named Clara! clara is a horrific 15-foot-long wyrm made of obsidian ooze and solidified fear who eats human souls

-Clara's weird spores accidentally got him pregnant. Oops!

-Since this is the first recorded instance of their two species mating, they have absolutely no idea what'll happen. How long will the pregnancy last? will the babies be humanoid or horrible wyrms? how big will he get? will they pop out of him chestburster-style?? nobody knows but good lord he is huge huh

-absolutely gave himself those anime tiddies on purpose with magic to really drive the point home when people wouldn't stop asking about why he didn't want top surgery

[evilprince-puppet-translation]

Home Voice Lines (Belladonna)

Translation of Belladonna characters' home voice line.

Note:

It is not listed per their relationship level

The voice lines for their interaction with other factions will be on another post since this will be mainly focused on the members within the faction itself

I'll update the list when they add more seasonal voice lines

Adder:

Voice Line 1: It looks like you want to know about those who make an enemy of the Belladonna House?

Voice Line 2: Devils are scary, you say? Heh, you still don't know what's truly scary, do you?

Morning Voice Line: Hey, wake up. Don't lose your focus just because it's morning.

Afternoon Voice Line: A break? I don't have time for that, first of all I don't need a break. If you want to have one, do as you like.

Night Voice Line: Night is the busiest time. Since it's the time when the masses start making a racket. The incompetent ones get carried away the most...

Seasonal Voice Line (Monsoon): Don't feel like doing anything because it keeps raining? Someone said the same thing before. Don't act like a kid, move it.

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer): It's lively once the humans start to be outgoing. I should stock up a large amount of Mana for the servants by now.

Rosé:

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 2): Don't let the sunlight get the better of you. You'd waste your precious Mana.

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 3): It's getting cooler by midnight. Convenient for me since it's easier to move.

Voice Line 1: Come on, cry a better sound ♪ Is there anyone who can satisfy this Lord Rosé~?

Voice Line 2: From now on, it's today's exciting dissection time ♡ No~w, I wonder how's the inside~♪

Morning Voice Line: Whaaat~ It's already morning? I've been playing all night long so yours truly has only start his sleep now.

Afternoon Voice Line: It's time to rise~... Are you interested in yours truly's morning routine? It's noon already though.

Night Voice Line: It is now the prime time of yours truly~ ♪ Gonna have tons of fun today ♡

Seasonal Voice Line (Monsoon): I don't hate the rain. Look, the splendidly graceful Devil* dripping with water, Lord Rosé. Fascinating, isn't it?

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 1): Yours truly loves summer ♡ Now, let's play with those high-spirited humans right away~♪

Vanis:

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 2): It's so hot~ Nope, it's impossible to go outside in this weather even for me. I'll hole inside the home for a bit~

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 3): This is the peak season for harvesting good herbs. I can make all kinds of medicines~ Yay~ I'm SO looking forward to it~♪

Voice Line 1: How does the Belladonna House feel like? It's pretty comfortable. If you like to, how about you join too?

Voice Line 2: I'm a fallen angel. Are you that interested in me? Fufu, what a bad child you are.

Morning Voice Line: Good morning. Have you been sleeping well? You should rest while you still can. Since we don't know what'll happen next.

Afternoon Voice Line: It's that time already. Actually taking a rest is my forte. How about it? Want to rest together with me?

Night Voice Line: What are you doing at this hour? It's our time from now on. I can't guarantee your safety.

Seasonal Voice Line (Monsoon): Don't you think rain is wonderful? Listening to the sounds of rainfall while engrossed in your hobby... What a luxurious time.

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 1): You can feel the approaching summer now. I think I'll remodel my aquarium for a summer makeover slightly earlier.

Adder + Rosé:

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 2): Humans are fragile after all. They easily wither in the heat of summer... Don't push yourself too hard. Got it?

Seasonal Voice Line (Summer 3): It's colder during mornings and evenings now. It's a season fitting to stay up late.

Voice Line 1:

Adder: Stop playing around and behave more as your part of the Belladonna Family. Don't make me state this multiple times.

Rosé: Please no~ Oh Big brother! This isn't playing, but an experiment. Get it?

Voice Line 2:

Adder: Hey, you... Wasting rare Mana as if it grows on tree. What are you planning to do with it?

Rosé: But they're absolutely essential for my experiments. Big brother, forgive me please ♡

Voice Line 3:

Adder: The nobles are coming here. Make sure to treat them with hospitality.

Rosé: Aha—! I see now. Leave it to me, big brother! I'll make them satisfied to death.

Adder + Vanis:

Voice Line 1:

Adder: You kneel down and tumble to our place. It's about time for you to find a way to be useful.

Vanis: Adder, it's not good to exaggerate things. We collaborate because we have benefits for each other, remember?

Voice Line 2:

Adder: Just thinking where you disappear to but it looks like you've done something worthless. Let me hear the results.

Vanis: Fufu, just what I'd expect from Adder. You just look through me, I think I can satisfy you this time.

Voice Line 3:

Vanis: Adder, actually right now... I'm really hungry. What should I do?

Adder: If what you want is Mana, say so after doing an appropriate job. If that's impossible, then you have to manage your own stomach.

Rosé + Vanis:

Voice Line 1:

Rosé: Oh, bo~ring~ Oh, right Vanis! Gimme some of your cute old lamb friends for me to pick on ♡

Vanis: You're still the same, Rosé. But I can't grant you that wish only, my bad.

Voice Line 2:

Rosé: Yours truly can't really grasp what you're thinking at all. Are you happy just being alive~?

Vanis: Is that so? If Rosé sees it like that, then it might be. Fufu, it's pretty fun.

Voice Line 3:

Vanis: Can you give me a minute? I'm thinking of something interesting. Want to do a strategy session?

Rosé: Fine with me! Yours truly is super fond of those. Of course, keep it hidden from Big brother right?

Group Voice Line:

Rosé: Vanis~ Come with yours truly for a bit. Let's have some fun with Lord Rosé here ♡

Vanis: Sure, Rosé. Where are we going tonight? Go easy on me.

Adder: Both the foolish brother and the freeloader sit there. That's some nerve you two have to ditch your work right in front of me.

*Rosé said 水も滴る (mizumoshitataru) in the original text. It literally means dripping with water, but it's also used as an expression to mean that someone (in this case, Rosé) looks splendidly good-looking. Which means that Rosé is just showing off how good he looks while dripping with rain

[crqstalite]

4,6,7 for the dragon age q&a !

ask game!

4. what does your worldstate look like going into DAV?

I had to dust off some of my older works to remember what was canon and what was my own headcanons to make the world more interesting -- plus, I don't even have access to my original worldstate I used for my main Inquisition playthrough, the Origin account I played it on got nuked by EA (to which I still don't understand why ... lost almost 100+ dollars on that account in just games).

DAO: - Svenja Tabris (Warrior / City Elf / Alive as of 9:53) - Every companion still alive / in good standing - Non-Hardened Alistair / Alistair Romance - Queen Anora - Ritual Taken (Alistair Kieran) - Sided with the Mages

DA2: - Reyna Hawke (Rogue / Was the Fade Sacrifice) - Purple / Red Hawke - Every companion still alive / in good standing - Anders Romance / Approved of his choices - Sided with the Mages

DAI: - Marzeyna Lavellan (Mage / Knight Enchanter) - Every companion still alive / in decent standing - Cullen Romance - Didn't drink from the well - Sided with the Mages - Leliana Divine

I have actually zero clue what'll be important in the next game, and I also kinda despise the Keep, but regardless, there are the sparknotes. I didn't do any of the DLCs my first playthrough, but did the DAO Shale DLC once. I did eventually do the Descent + Tresspasser DLCS, I didn't particularly care for Jaws of Hakkon and think I intended to come back to it lol

6. Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

Only slightly! Since I have like ... three worldstates I want to say, I'm probably going to use the main one here.

Really tempted to roll another mage, but I'll probably go rogue because I did like the gameplay reveal a lot (and with Hawke vaguely dead, I no longer have a rogue in this worldstate!) We'll see how the classes crossover when the game comes out. Think Lords of Fortune or Veil Jumper background, and an elf. My preferred lineage choice across all of the games, as you can see lol.

Her name will probably be Sabine, though I don't have anything else about her so far. Bioware I'm begging you to put out the CC early ...

Bellara or Neve romance, unless Lucanis manages to tumble his way into me. I saving Lucanis + Emmrich for a second playthrough I think.

7. Which character from the previous games or other media are you most hoping will make an appearance in DAV?

Honestly, I just want to know what happened to my Hawke, I love her a lot, and because of some choices I made in DAO, I let her go. I wish they'd just tell me if she was dead so I can move on with my fanon.

Now if I'm being vaguely realistic, I'm not actually looking for anyone in particular. Most characters feel as if they've had their stories wrapped up for the most part (and it's been at least three years + six separate fandoms since I've played any of the games). If anything I do want to know what became of Kieran ... his father and stepmother are very curious.

Thank you for asking!

[lunarcry]

thinking about agastia loki & fen vs ch174 loki & fen. lord

also fenrir has a line in agastia too about 'if it wasnt for these chains' urghhh...............i DO wanna make a full post about them one day but i need to think things over some more but something something literal chains & metaphorical chains.

anyway theres also this during agastia

(not to mention that when they control lyria during the whole lumacie happening, akasha's admin is byleistr

WHICH ill 5ever think about. something something the astral at edgelands who is hostile toward loki immediadetly while speaking about byleistr with "respect" (when u use lord but then insult his decision to marry a skydweller). btw can we have more orchid stuff regarding the fact that shes uhhh half-astral!!!!!!

anyway if they dont reveal lokis past next update......pleeaaseee theres some details regarding him & byleistr that i rlyyyy wanna know....u dont have to deal with byleistr&viola stuff (cuz if it ends up weird ill be unhappy). i do want viola stuff tho. aurgh viola......orchid..... either way i have Thoughts about loki & fenrir but we'll see if i make a post or not since...who knows what'll become canon...<3

[marshmallowprotection]

Oh my lord here you go and I agree with what teams you think would fit them!!

I think I made these teams like months ago and I even looked up content of what other people thought about what Pokemon fit these characters!

I thought it would be an interesting idea if I gave all of them a starter and I kinda started thinking about what they would pick and if it fit them somewhat.

I didn't think that much of their teams but I hope they make at least a lil sense, haha!^^

Oh, I think this is really interesting. We definitely have a couple of Pokemon that overlap for each of them. I know that everybody is going to have different opinions about how they would create a team for their favorite characters, but it’s interesting how people manage to pick something that stays consistent.

Like, I always see Saeyoung with a Rotom. I believe that makes sense just because you know that it can hack its way into anything and he would absolutely thrive with a partner like that... Umbreon is always a given for him, too.

I like how Jumin is consistently a cat man here. I wouldn't want to mess with his fury swipes. I'm crying about him having a Sylveon as they only evolve from love. Does it evolve when he realizes that his heart isn't tangled? When his Eevee sees him love the MC and his life and Pokemon instead of living in fear and shame? GOD.

Our Zen teams are almost 100% a match. Crying. That man really says "I am elegance and fury. Give me the power to shine on that stage."

Yoosung's team fits him. It's got that bite and charm of a boy with dog energy. Saeran's is sweet since it reminds me of Gladion from Pokemon Sun and Moon. I feel like they'd get along somehow for whatever reason. I can't believe I didn't think of Jaehee and Noctowl, though. That makes so much sense aesthetically and strength-wise.

I'm not meeting Vanderwood in a dark alley. I know what'll happen and I do not want to get ripped to shreds by those snakes.

[crossdressingdeath]

Dorian: Ah, yes. After. Dreadful thing, after. Dorian: Let's see. Assuming one or both of us aren't slaughtered along the way, what do you wish to happen? Dorian: We could go our separate ways, if you prefer. I've been a port in a storm before. I would understand. Alaris: Of course not. I want us to be together as long as we can. Dorian: You're very sentimental for someone who's killed as many people as you have. Alaris: You bring it out in me. Dorian: Sweet Maker, next you'll be making calf eyes at puppies. Dorian: I... don't know what the future holds. For us or anything. That's my honest answer. Dorian: Once Corypheus is defeated, when this is over... I'd like to talk about it more. If you would.

I was originally going to have screenshots for this, but... since this conversation isn't a cutscene (even though it really should be; Alaris, why are you asking about this in the middle of the library, the Skyhold gossip mill is going to lose its goddamn mind) it would've just been a bunch of near-identical images with just the subtitles different in each one, which frankly would be a waste of space. But that's not important. (Also for context just in case because I missed the first line of this conversation, this is the conversation where you ask Dorian what'll happen between the two of you after all this.)

This conversation is just so good. I mean, first off it's just a really cute conversation to be having? I mean, that sort of "where is this relationship going" conversation that's just slightly uncomfortable for everyone involved is just very relatable! It's not something that usually comes up in Dragon Age romances, either, they mostly skip around that awkward early relationship stage where you're still trying to figure it out what with all the very serious shit going on, but here they make time for it because Dorian's romance is the most precious shit.

But it's also just so sweet? I mean, the way Dorian tries to downplay how much this relationship means to him because he's been burned by relationships that turn out to be more casual than he wanted before is very sad, but other than that. How firm Quiz is about wanting to stay together is so good! (The "Of course I want to stay with you" is especially pleasing, it gives me many serotonin with the "Did you have any doubt about that" vibes.) So is Dorian trying to joke about it because all this affection is Difficult, it's incredibly fun and relatable. Also Dorian pointing out just how many people Quiz kills on a regular basis even in such a sweet romance conversation is like. I get it but do you have to bring that up now, babe? Dorian lowkey telling you to stop being so damn cute is also excellent!

And I do like how the conclusion of the conversation is basically "Let's put this conversation on hold until we're reasonably sure we're not going to die within a year", just because it fits really well with Dorian's consistent anxiety over how being in a relationship with the Lord Inquisitor is going to end. He's so worried that it's going to end badly and he'll get his heart broken right from the start, and he seems especially worried that Quiz is going to die given how he responds more badly to Quiz drinking from the Well if romanced because he's scared of what it's going to do to him. So it fits really well that he's basically like "Can we just defer this topic until we have some idea of how this is going to go"! It's not that he doesn't want to fully commit to this as a long-term relationship, he just doesn't want to fully commit when there's such a huge danger that one or both of them could die at any time!

[queenofzan]

Once again, I have gotten several thousand words deep into a story and had a line where one of the two speculated about what would have happened if they met earlier, and then...become obsessed with writing that idea down too. WHOOPS. I just think...what if trans characters realized they were trans sooner. And how would that change things. Especially on Kavagor.

So here's Maria drawing too much attention to herself and accidentally getting fucked into a gender realization.

My main Yuri/Maria file is 25k; this is only 11k of the 16k i have written of the AU where they meet in their 20s instead of their 50s/60s

(warnings for uhh let's go with eroticized violence, under-negotiated kink, dubious consent, and misgendering. and homophobia i guess.)

---

Kasharik was late getting to the bar. When he arrived, he had his arm around the shoulder of a stringy young man who looked very uncomfortable. The stringy young man also had bruised knuckles and a split lip, although the rest of his face looked fine. He was not nearly as good-looking as the men Kasharik typically had on his arm or at his side, which meant there was some other reason Kasharik brought him.

"Sir," Yuri said when Kasharik got to their table. "Who's this?"

"Ivanov here," Kasharik said, pushing Ivanov into the booth ahead of him where he'd be trapped up against the wall, "just won the mixed-weight UAC tournament very handily."

That did make the plain, stringy man more interesting. "Did he," Yuri said, giving him another, more careful look. He had dark hair, deeply-set eyes, and a dimpled chin. Yuri supposed his stringiness might translate to lean muscle. He was probably faster than Yuri.

"Yeah," Ivanov said, proud even through his sullen discomfort.

"Get us some drinks, would you?" Kasharik said to Yuri, pulling out his wallet and passing Yuri a large bill.

"What'll you have?" Yuri asked Ivanov.

Ivanov frowned. "Beer," he said.

Kasharik rolled his eyes. "Not specific enough, darling."

Ivanov looked at Yuri's glass, which had sweated a ring onto the table in the time it took Kasharik to show up. He looked back up at Yuri, then said, "Whatever you're having."

Well, it was no surprise Ivanov could tell Yuri wasn't a commissioned officer even out of uniform. Yuri grunted acknowledgement, and got up to go to the bar.

As he returned to the table carrying drinks, Ivanov was protesting to Kasharik, "I'm not gay, though."

"Neither's Arevin, last time I checked," Kasharik said mildly. Yuri set his glass down in front of him, and Kasharik gave him the barest nod of acknowledgement.

Yuri wasn't gay, but he wasn't sure it was fair to say he was straight, either. Bisexual, maybe, like Kasharik's ex always said. At least, he was happy enough to fuck men, since it meant at least he was fucking someone. He wasn't sure if he would have sought it out, but mostly because he wasn't great at normal social interactions; figuring out if a guy was interested was a complicated endeavor in most environments. How he felt about it seemed like a distant second in importance.

"Oh, come on," Ivanov scoffed. "You know I don't mean fucking 'homosexual', I mean queer. I'm not interested in men at all."

"Really," Kasharik said, uninterestedly. He was being a dick. Despite finding it obnoxious, Yuri often enjoyed when Kasharik was dickish, because it meant he was going to have a fun night.

"Here," Yuri said, sliding Ivanov's beer across the table as he sat down. "You being offensive to Lord Kasharik now?"

"No," Ivanov said, although he glanced at Kasharik nervously. "I don't mean there's something wrong with it or nothing," he said. "Folks should be as gay or queer or whatever as they want. I'm just not."

"Shame," Yuri said, taking a sip of his beer. Kasharik smiled. He was handsome, and he had a nice smile. He liked it when Yuri picked up on what Kasharik wanted him to do without him having to spell it out. That was difficult with most people, but not Kasharik.

"Why's that?" Ivanov asked, wary and suspicious.

"Most folks can't handle me in a fight," Yuri said. "And I've kind of wanted to go right from a fight to a fuck since milord first brought it up."

Ivanov stared at him for a moment, then scoffed again. "I could take you," he said. He turned a little pink as he sipped his beer, though.

"That is why you caught my eye," Kasharik said. He shrugged and picked up his glass. "But if you're not interested in men, I suppose it might be awkward, with the sergeant so…responsive to violence."

Yuri wished he wouldn't say it that way. That sounded like he couldn't keep a handle of himself. No one had ever realized before Kasharik how horny fighting made him, which Yuri thought made it pretty clear he wasn't at the mercy of his baser instincts.

"Hell, I wouldn't hold it against him," Ivanov said. He was still a little flushed. Interesting that he hadn't been embarrassed denying he was interested in men, which lots of closet cases were, but now that the link between sex and violence had been brought up, he was affected. Promising, perhaps? He went on, "Plenty of guys get worked up rolling around on the ground. Not my business if he jerks off after I beat his ass."

Kasharik laughed. "You don't know when to stop, do you, Ivanov?" he asked.

Ivanov shrugged. "I beat the best of the best today," he said. "I feel pretty good about my chances."

"Do you?" Kasharik asked. If Ivanov knew Kasharik the way Yuri knew Kasharik, he would have been on alert for bullshit, but he didn't. "Good enough to make a little wager?"

"Hell yeah," Ivanov said. "I could use some extra cash."

"Hmm," Kasharik said. "I wasn't thinking about money."

"Well I was," Ivanov retorted. "I got bills to pay. My lord," he added as an afterthought.

Yuri felt himself smile into his glass. Ivanov did have guts, at least.

Kasharik laughed again. "I'm sure you do," he said. "Fine, we can have it both ways, can't we? If you can beat Arevin in a fight--let's say tourney rules--I'll give you five hundred marks. And if Arevin wins, he gets to fuck you."

Ivanov glanced at Yuri again. He looked alarmed, but possibly also intrigued, now. Yuri had to admit he would enjoy fucking him. Ivanov studied Yuri for a moment, then turned back to Kasharik and said, "Well, why not? I could use the money."

"You're not at all worried about what will happen if you lose?" Kasharik asked. "I wouldn't want you to feel taken advantage of or ill-used." He was so full of shit; he didn't care one whit if Ivanov felt used or taken advantage of. He just didn't want to deal with complaints or backing out later.

Ivanov shrugged. "Long as you know I ain't gonna enjoy it and that don't bother either of you, I'll risk it," he said. "Not like it costs me nothing."

"Really?" Kasharik asked, surprising Yuri a bit. He didn't usually go this far to make sure people were comfortable. "Most straight men are a little more concerned about the possibility of getting fucked in the ass."

Ivanov paused with his glass halfway to his lips. "Ah," he said.

"What did you think I meant?" Kasharik asked, smirking.

"Uh," Ivanov said, turning pink again. "Usually when people assume I'm gay, it's--kind of implied I'd be the one on top." He looked back at Yuri. "But I guess you're not exactly the pretty little sissy type."

Kasharik laughed again, quite loud this time. "No," he said. "Not exactly."

Yuri had taken it up the ass before, actually, but he wasn't really thinking about ending a fight riding someone else's dick. And he'd never told Kasharik about that. Not that he'd asked, either; Kasharik was more interested in using Yuri for other purposes.

Yuri didn't say anything. Kasharik would talk Ivanov into it or he wouldn't. It wasn't Yuri's role to be persuasive, just obedient. 

Ivanov looked from Yuri to Kasharik and back again. Kasharik took a sip of his drink. Eventually, Ivanov said, "Don't see that that changes anything, really. 'Specially since I'm gonna win."

"Confident, aren't we?" Kasharik murmured.

"He can't be better than everyone else in the fucking service," Ivanov said with a shrug. Logical, if not accurate. He grinned at Kasharik. "But I'll appreciate that five hundred, my lord."

Yuri did not expect he would lose, but to be frank, he wouldn't mind it. Kasharik wouldn't be pleased, but he wouldn't be too shitty about it. He might knock Yuri around some after, but considering he found it amusing that Yuri got off on shit like that, it would be fine. Yuri was just looking forward to a real fight, which he hadn't really had since he got transferred out of Petrov's command. Maybe if he got sent off-world, like there were rumors about.

Kasharik took them back to his apartment, then had Yuri and Ivanov push all the furniture in the living room aside to clear space. Ivanov had kept pace with Yuri, and nursed just two drinks through Kasharik's four. He didn't seem drunk, and he didn't seem worried. He wasn't good-looking, necessarily, but he moved with enough surety that he was attractive.

"Oh, and roll up the rug as well," Kasharik said. "I'll go grab lube."

"You better grab five hundred dollars, too," Ivanov called after him, even as he helped Yuri roll up the rug. As they worked, Ivanov asked Yuri, "You always get your kicks doing your knob boyfriend's bidding?"

"He's not my boyfriend," Yuri said.

"What, you fuck people for a guy who's not your boyfriend?" Ivanov asked. "You know that's weirder, right?"

Yuri shrugged. It was weird, but not as weird as the idea of being a nobleman's boyfriend.

Kasharik came back, a bottle of lube in hand, and sat down on one of the armchairs pushed back against the wall. "Whenever you're ready," he said, waving a hand.

Ivanov stretched each arm behind his head in turn, cracking his shoulders. Yuri stripped off his shirt, leaving him in just his undershirt. He did a similar quick stretch to Ivanov, then shook out his arms. "Ready," he said.

Ivanov was good. He dodged Yuri's blows like it was trivial, and managed to trip him once. He got a painful hit on Yuri's jaw. Yuri had to back off and strategize for a second, which was difficult when Ivanov pressed his advantage. But as much as Yuri believed Ivanov wanted that five hundred dollars, Yuri really wanted to rip Ivanov's clothes off and have his way with him. Blood, Yuri wanted to smash his face into the floor and fuck him until he cried. He wanted that so, so much.

Ivanov was fast, and he was good, but he was also coming off a tournament and smaller than Yuri. Once Yuri got him on the ground, it was over, it would just take a while to wear him down.

Or more than a little while. "Fuck's sake, man," Ivanov grunted after a few minutes, attempting to keep Yuri's hold from taking. Yuri was having a little trouble keeping himself from rubbing his dick against Ivanov. "You ain't won yet."

From the side of the room, Kasharik said, "I thought plenty of guys got worked up rolling around on the ground."

Ivanov only grunted instead of trying to respond. He needed all his attention on Yuri.

He was good at escaping holds, but he could never keep Yuri off him for long, even with Yuri distracted by how turned on he was. The more he flopped around, struggling, the more obvious it became that he was aroused as well. Yuri reached down with one hand to cup his dick, and Ivanov groaned.

"That ain't tourney-legal," Ivanov protested.

"You can keep struggling," Yuri told him.

Ivanov groaned again. He did keep struggling, but not quite as hard as he had been, especially when Yuri rubbed his dick. After several more minutes, he gasped, "Fine, fuck, mercy, you win! I concede!"

"Obviously," Kasharik murmured.

Yuri unbuttoned Ivanov's trousers blindly, then yanked them down. "Keep struggling," he breathed against Ivanov's ear.

Ivanov shivered. "You're a fucking freak, you know that? Blood." But he did keep struggling, even when Yuri took his dick in hand and stroked it. He even bit Yuri's hand when it got too close to his mouth. Yuri wasn't sure he had ever been this hard in his life.

Kasharik rolled over the bottle of lube. Yuri snatched it up and immediately dumped some down Ivanov's ass crack.

"Ow, fuck," Ivanov said, squirming.

"If you think his fingers are too much, you are not going to enjoy his cock," Kasharik said, sounding smug.

"I fucking said I wouldn't," Ivanov said, like he wasn't just as hard as Yuri. He immediately belied himself by moaning and arching his back when Yuri thrust his fingers back into him.

"Maybe you weren't into guys because you always figured you'd be the top," Yuri said. "You seem to like being my bitch just fine."

Ivanov made a startled sound that was practically a sob, as his cock jumped in Yuri's hand.

"Ohh," Kasharik said. He sounded as if he was smiling. "Maybe that's what it is! Maybe people keep clocking you as queer because they can tell you'd be better off as a woman."

Ivanov gasped. "That's not--that ain't true."

"No?" Kasharik asked. "You sure seem just as happy pinned beneath Arevin as you did winning the tournament."

"No way," Ivanov said, then moaned again as Yuri's fingers pushed deeper. "Bones, please--fuck!"

"Might be nice to have a woman of my own," Yuri murmured into Ivanov's ear. Ivanov shuddered again, clenching around Yuri's fingers. "You like that idea?"

"I don't know," Ivanov moaned.

"I'm not sure how pretty you'd be, as a girl," Kasharik mused. "But then, that's not really what matters to Arevin, is it, sergeant?"

"Any girl's pretty when she's taking your cock," Yuri said, and Ivanov shuddered again. He pulled his fingers out of Ivanov's ass and reached for the bottle of lube again. He had to sit up some to slick up his dick. He kept one hand on Ivanov's back, only nominally holding him down, but Ivanov didn't try to get up. He just laid there, breathing hard, his erection dangling between his legs.

"Tap-dancing zombie Emperor Sergei!" Ivanov yelped when Yuri started pushing his dick into him. He tried half-heartedly to crawl away. Yuri yanked him back by the hips, driving his cock even deeper. This time, Ivanov's yelp was wordless. A moment later, he moaned, "Blood and bone, are you packing a fucking wine bottle down there?"

Kasharik laughed. "Not quite," he said. "Though he is rather well-endowed."

"If I'd known I was gonna be taking a horse cock if I lost, I never would have agreed," Ivanov said. Yuri reached around to play with his dick, and found it had not flagged at all. That was interesting, considering Yuri had certainly not prepared him adequately. Was he a masochist, or did he really like the idea of being a woman so much?

"You don't seem to mind," Yuri murmured, giving him a slow stroke.

"Fuck you," Ivanov gasped.

The noises Ivanov made as Yuri fucked him were about half pained and half aroused. He swore after almost every time he moaned at something. He was rather cute, actually, which was not something Yuri usually thought about the men Kasharik had him fuck. Kasharik liked simpering kiss-asses and humiliated stoic straight men. They were fun, but not cute. Ivanov's vulgar expressions of alternating frustration and pleasure was.

Yuri pushed his face down into the floor and snapped his hips forward. Ivanov whimpered. Yuri snapped his hips again, and Ivanov gasped, "Oh, fuck!"

"You do like this, don't you," Yuri said. "I could make you my woman. I'd let you have my cock whenever you wanted it." He bit his lip, to have something to ground him. "Get you some dresses so I can just flip your skirt up and stick it in."

Ivanov whined and clawed at the floor. He was not making a real attempt to get away.

"I've never had a girl of my own before," Yuri said. "I'd treat you nice."

Ivanov laughed. "You think this is nice?"

"Your dick seems to think so," Kasharik said. "But I'm sure Arevin would be willing to treat you rough, if that's more your speed."

"Only in bed," Yuri said, and Ivanov shivered. "Mmhmm, that's right. Can treat you like a lady most of the time, even though we both know you're really a slut." He punctuated that with a smack to Ivanov's ass.

"Fuck," Ivanov moaned. "Fuuuck."

Yuri finally heard the clink of Kasharik's belt buckle. He was surprised it had taken so long, but perhaps he was trying to savor the experience. Surely even he would have trouble finding another fighter at Yuri's skill level who would agree to go right from a match to sex. Even though he wasn't usually a fan of a fair fight, he did like watching Yuri work someone over, and that lasted longer when they could fight back.

Yuri bent over, pressing himself against Ivanov's back. He wrapped one hand around the front of Ivanov's neck, fingers slipping between his collar and his skin, and kept it there. He could feel Ivanov's thundering pulse under his thumb, even through the harsh panting of his breath. Into Ivanov's ear, he murmured, "Not often milord's got a personal sex show with a woman involved."

Ivanov shivered again. "Please," he said. "Please."

"Please what?" Yuri asked, grinding his hips into Ivanov's ass.

"I don't know," Ivanov moaned.

"I think you do," Kasharik said.

Ivanov moaned again. "Say it again," he said.

Yuri grunted. "Slut," he said on his next thrust. "Slutty little girl," he said as he pulled back. Ivanov moaned. "Made for taking cock," Yuri went on. He thrusted back in, making Ivanov gasp. "For real men to use." Ivanov whined, practically keening. "You put up a good fight," Yuri said into his ear, "but you wanted this."

"No," Ivanov said. "No, I didn't know, I didn't think--I didn't know!" He practically sobbed, "Blood!"

It didn't take much more to finish them both off. Yuri growled into Ivanov's ear when he was close to coming, "Take it like a good girl," which made Ivanov spasm, which in turn pushed Yuri over the edge.

Ivanov didn't say anything more coherent or complicated than, "Oh oh oh oh!" Yuri barely had to tug on his dick before he was coming all over Yuri's hand and the floor.

Yuri pulled out and collapsed onto the floor next to Ivanov, breathing heavily. He glanced at Kasharik, to make sure he didn't expect anything else from Yuri, but Kasharik didn't even have his eyes open, jerking himself furiously, bottom lip caught between his teeth.

Ivanov rolled onto his back, away from Yuri. The tip of his dick still glistened with liquid, like some of his come had gotten held up somewhere and missed the main event. His shirt was soaked with sweat under his arms and down his chest, making it stick to him, following the contours of his body. He looked perfectly masculine, in a rather appealing way if Yuri was honest, but it wasn't hard to imagine him with small breasts laid over his pectorals. That was appealing, too.

Kasharik made the little grunt he usually made when he was coming, which meant he'd continue talking in a moment. Yuri pulled his trousers up and started tucking everything back into place.

"Well," Ivanov said, staring at the ceiling. "I mean, I coulda used the five hundred bucks, but I guess startling personal revelations are good too."

"Did you really not know?" Kasharik asked, pulling out his handkerchief to wipe clean his dick and hands. "I was honestly shocked you seemed so sincere about not being interested in men. It looked like a classic case of over-compensation to me."

"Oh, thanks," Ivanov muttered.

"Admittedly," Kasharik went on, folding over his handkerchief, "I don't often run into transsexuals who don't know."

"Great," Ivanov said. "Not only am I a freak, I'm a stupid freak."

"It's not stupidity so much as ignorance," Kasharik said. "I suppose plenty of people on our backwards little planet are unaware there are options that might suit them better."

"I'm pretty sure 'girl' is an option I've been aware of," Ivanov said. He scrubbed his hands over his face. "Fuck."

"Happy to help," Kasharik said, sounding amused. As he stood up, stretching his arms over his head, he said, "Arevin, will you see our guest safely home? And put my living room back in some kind of order."

"Yes, sir," Yuri said, and Kasharik went into his bedroom and shut the door behind him.

Ivanov was less helpful restoring the living room to its prior function than he had been clearing it for a fight. He was slow getting dressed, and moved carefully. Well, Yuri hadn't gone easy on him, and it didn't seem like he had experience bottoming. Plus, he had gone through a tournament's final rounds before Yuri even met him that evening. Rolling out Kasharik's rug and pulling furniture back into its approximate former location alone wasn't so strenuous that Yuri missed the help.

"Bathroom's the first door on the right, if you want to clean up before we leave," Yuri told Ivanov, as he buttoned up his shirt.

"Yeah, I guess that's a good idea," Ivanov said. "Don't really want to worry about whether I'm feeling jizz or blood in my drawers."

Yuri frowned. "There shouldn't be active bleeding," he said.

"No shit," Ivanov said, rolling his eyes, "but I can damn well feel there's gonna be some blood, and it'll be easier to tell if it's fresh or not if I clean up." As he stood up, he blushed a little, and added, "Don't take it as a complaint."

Yuri hadn't been in much doubt as to whether or not Ivanov enjoyed himself, but it was nice to hear he wasn't reconsidering it now. "Noted," he said.

While Ivanov was in the bathroom, Yuri took Kasharik's discarded handkerchief to the kitchen sink to rinse it out. He hadn't explicitly asked for that, but Yuri figured it fell under the remit of putting the living room back in order. Kasharik didn't always seem to remember he didn't have servants, living in his city apartment instead of Kasharik House. There was a cleaning service, but Yuri felt like it might be weird to have them clean up after sex stuff like this. Sometimes when Kasharik had a boyfriend, he explicitly had them do it, but without one, it fell to Yuri.

Ivanov came back from the bathroom as Yuri was wringing the excess water out of Kasharik's handkerchief. Yuri draped it over the edge of the sink to dry, then turned out all the lights before they left.

Ivanov told Yuri which dormitory he was in, but was otherwise quiet on the walk to the tram. It wasn't until they got on the tram, empty except for them, and sat down near the door that Ivanov asked Yuri, "So was all that just dirty talk, or did you mean any of it?"

"Which part?" Yuri asked.

"Shit, I don't know," Ivanov said. After a moment, he said, "I sure hope you didn't mean the part where you said all I was good for was taking cock."

"I don't think that's true of anyone," Yuri said. His mama and the other women who raised him would have smacked him if he believed otherwise. "Even whores got hobbies."

Ivanov laughed. "Yeah, good," he said. He glanced at Yuri sidelong. "How about some of the other things, though? Like, would you…really still like a woman with a dick?"

Yuri shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"And you'd just…believe her, even if she didn't have the surgeries and everything yet?"

Even Yuri could tell Ivanov was fishing. Again, he found it more cute than annoying. "That's how galactics do it," Yuri said. "And I mean, I don't know how she feels. If someone says they're a woman, I don't see why I shouldn't believe her."

Ivanov did not have any immediate response to that. Yuri wasn't terribly surprised; he probably needed time to reconsider things. They actually made it to their stop and off the tram before Ivanov asked, "You've never had a girlfriend?"

Yuri snorted. "Most of the times I've gotten laid were because Kasharik thought it would be funny," he said. That was a simplification, but he was sure that was how it started. "No one's ever wanted to date me, female or otherwise." 

"Guess that explains it," Ivanov said.

"Explains what?" Yuri asked.

Ivanov looked over at him and said, "That whole time wrecking my ass and rearranging my world, and you never kissed me once."

Yuri blinked. No one had ever suggested he kiss them, or made any move to kiss him. He said, "I've never done that before."

"Well I've never fucked someone without kissing them before," Ivanov said, stepping in front of Yuri, cutting him off and making him stop. "And of the two of us, I think I've had enough novel experiences for one night. Fucking kiss me."

Bemused, Yuri set his hands on Ivanov's shoulders, leaned in, and kissed him. Ivanov made a noise against Yuri's lips, then brought his hands up to Yuri's waist. When Yuri pulled away, Ivanov opened his eyes and looked at him for a moment. He had short but thick eyelashes. After a moment, Ivanov said, "Fuck." He turned around, and brought his fists down on his thighs as he shouted, "Fuck!"

"Sorry," Yuri muttered. He wasn't that bad at kissing, was he? What was there to screw up?

Ivanov turned back to him. "It's not you," he said. "You're actually--blood, kind of sexy, really." Literally no one had ever said that about Yuri before. Ivanov did look embarrassed to have said it. He went on, "That's the fucking problem, though, isn't it? I thought my whole life--blood and bone. I mean, how did I miss this?"

Oh, he was still upset about the whole…gender and sexuality thing. Of course, that made sense. Yuri said, "I did kind of think people always knew, since they were kids."

"Right," Ivanov said, nodding fervently. "Right, so did I, and I was never, like, longing to wear dresses or anything. I guess I wasn't mad about it when the neighbor girls made me play dress-up with them? Would a real boy have been upset about that? I don't know." He shook his head.

Yuri couldn't remember feeling one way or the other about dresses as a child. But then, he hadn't had a very ordinary childhood. "You seem very sure about it, considering," Yuri said.

Ivanov shrugged. "I don't think I've ever wanted anything as much as I wanted it when you said I could be your woman," he said, only looking a little embarrassed. "This whole fucking--alternate life fucking appeared in my head, fully-formed, like if I could have dinner waiting on the table when you got home, you'd nail me afterwards, and then we could shower together and watch a vid on the couch, and fucking--like, I never thought about that with any of my girlfriends, ever, but you put your twice-damned fingers in my asshole and I was ready to marry you. I mean, what the hell is that?"

Yuri shrugged. "Endorphin rush from the fighting?" he suggested.

Ivanov snorted. "You think I never lost a fight before? Sure, alright, I wasn't that surprised to get kind of horny about it, but the fucking home-maker fantasy sure as hell ain't something I experienced before." He put one of his hands in Yuri's. "Kiss me again?"

Yuri saw no reason not to, so he kissed him again. This kiss went on longer, until Ivanov's arms were wrapped around Yuri's shoulders and Yuri was clutching him around the waist. He wasn't entirely clear on how that happened, except it was very pleasant. Eventually Ivanov pulled back, resting his forehead against Yuri's. "Fuuuck," he groaned. "I think I musta had it backwards. I think I was into guys like you and wanted to be like the girls I dated. Blood and bone." He shook his head.

"Can we do this again?" Yuri asked, before he could think better of it.

"What, make out in the street?" Ivanov asked. "Hell yeah."

"No," Yuri said. "I mean, yes, that too. But, uh. The rest of it. Drinks and sex and talking."

Ivanov smiled. "Are you asking me out?" he asked.

"Yes," Yuri said, relieved. Right, this was a thing people did, he had a framework to draw upon. "Yes, exactly," he said. "Would you go on a date with me?"

Ivanov laughed. "You've got a terrible grasp of romance," he said, though he was still grinning, and rubbed his nose against Yuri's as he said it. "Yeah, why not. Leave your knob boyfriend out of it, though."

Yuri's stomach twisted unpleasantly. That wasn't entirely up to him. Kasharik was generous, but demanding. "Sure," he said, sounding much more confident than he felt.

"Great," Ivanov said, and leaned in to kiss him again.

*

Later that week, Kasharik said something about his plans for the evening. As he usually did, he said 'we' when he talked about it, including Yuri automatically.

"Uh, sorry, my lord," Yuri said. "I've got plans."

Kasharik turned to him and raised one aristocratic eyebrow. "You've got plans?" he asked, disbelief dripping from every word.

"Yes, sir," Yuri said.

Kasharik stared at him for a moment. "Fine," he said. "You've got plans. I suppose I can keep myself entertained."

Yuri had a bad feeling about how easily that went.

*

Yuri met Ivanov at the other exit from HQ, which most of the enlisted men used. They were going to get dinner, then go back to Yuri's quarters. Yuri had been willing to leave that part implied, but Ivanov told him when they made the date that he had three roommates so it should probably be Yuri's place afterwards. Then Ivanov added that he wasn't sure he'd be physically fit for more penetration just yet, but he'd be happy to explore the other available options.

On the walk to the restaurant--chosen for being unlikely to harbor either Kasharik or any of Ivanov's immediate squadmates--Ivanov said, "You realize I can't just--tell everyone. I wouldn't have a bloody job if I did."

Yuri nodded. The Imperial Service just about tolerated homosexuality, as long as you didn't draw too much attention to it at the wrong time, but women weren't allowed in anything but the Aux Corps. Any of Ivanov's superiors finding out he was transsexual would either mean dishonorable discharge or a retroactive stripping of rank. He'd lose his job and all his benefits, and probably be outed to every government branch there was.

After a few moments of apparent waiting, Ivanov said, "So this is going to make you look gay."

Oh, Yuri thought. He wanted to know what Yuri thought about that, if it would bother him. "It's not exactly secret how much time I spend with Kasharik," he said.

"Right," Ivanov said. "I suppose it ain't new for you, then."

Ivanov had been very concerned the other night about making sure Kasharik understood he wasn't queer. Yuri asked, "Is that a problem for you?"

Ivanov shrugged. "Don't think so," he said. "I mean, ain't no one gonna beat me up over it." He glanced at Yuri sidelong, smirking. "'Cept maybe you," he said. "And I know it ain't like that. I mean, it might be a little annoying, but I'd rather not dance around it, you know? I got no practice being discreet anyway."

"Good," Yuri said, then grabbed his hand.

"You fucking sap," Ivanov muttered, even as he squeezed Yuri's hand with his.

Feeling extremely self-conscious, Yuri made himself say, "I've never…dated. Anyone. It's nice."

"Bones, that's right," Ivanov muttered. He stopped, pulled Yuri to a stop, then yanked Yuri in so he could wrap his arms around Yuri's waist. They were on a public street, and it was broad daylight, not after midnight. Even with Ivanov saying he'd rather not attempt to hide it, Yuri was surprised to find him being so forward. "You be as sappy and romantic as you want, then," Ivanov said quietly, before leaning in to kiss him.

Oh, Yuri liked kissing even when he wasn't buoyed by the afterglow of the most satisfying sex he'd ever had. He really liked it.

Ivanov finally pulled back, but not entirely, just from the kiss. Quietly, he said, "I've only ever done this the other way around. So you gotta forgive me if I don't do it right." He smiled. "I guess we gotta forgive each other if we don't do it right."

"Yes," Yuri said. He leaned in to press another kiss to Ivanov's lips. "I'd like that."

"Shit," Ivanov said, smiling wider, "you got no right being so cute with such an un-cute face."

"You can say ugly," Yuri said, rolling his eyes. "I know what I look like."

"And I know what you look like naked," Ivanov said, which was not strictly true, "which brings up your score a bit." He leaned in to give Yuri another quick kiss. 

Yuri had never considered the idea of a man's body improving his average attractiveness, although obviously he was familiar with the idea from the brothel. Girls no better than plain could command as much as the most beautiful if they had good enough tits and asses. Yuri was pretty fit, even by military standards. Thinking about it, he supposed it made sense. To Ivanov, who still had his arms wrapped around Yuri's waist, he said, "You adapted to finding men attractive fast."

Ivanov shrugged. "Maybe you just did too good a job fucking me to ignore," he said.

"I'm sorry to say it was mostly incidental," Yuri said.

Ivanov grinned. "Guess you'll have to do it more on purpose next time."

*

Ivanov took the lead when they got back to Yuri's place, which was a little weird. Not a terribly feminine trait, but maybe that was on Yuri for thinking someone's whole personality would change with their gender. Yuri was used to taking orders, though, and it was certainly more fun when those directions were conveyed by Ivanov pressing against him, whispering in his ear, or grabbing the part of Yuri he wanted doing something.

Which was how Yuri found himself experiencing well after his first sexual experience his first "make-out session". It wasn't quite as stimulating as beating the hell out of each other, but he supposed it was safer. And he did enjoy kissing Ivanov, getting to touch him as much as he wanted, and feeling Ivanov get hard against him without complaining about it.

After a while, he did feel like he'd go insane if he didn't get to get off, though. Yuri finally said, "Please, can we just…."

Ivanov laughed, and unzipped Yuri's trousers. "That's a lot more polite than last time," he said, pulling Yuri's briefs down and out of the way.

"It seemed like you wanted to go slower," Yuri said. "Which is fine." His breath caught as Ivanov's hand wrapped around his cock.

"But you don't wanna blow your load in your pants, I get it," Ivanov said. He glanced down at Yuri's cock. "That's less weird than I thought it'd be," he said. "Sergei's bones, you put this monster in my asshole? No wonder it still fucking hurts."

"I can go slower next time," Yuri said. Then he realized that was maybe presuming too much. "Uh, if you want."

Ivanov laughed, then leaned in and kissed him. "Yeah," he said when he pulled back, "I think I'll want you to be a little more careful next time." He gave Yuri's cock a slow, light stroke, teasing. "That's something you can get used to, right? So it's easier? Not that I didn't like the fight-to-fuck thing, but it'd be nice if it didn't totally wreck my ass for days."

"Yeah," Yuri said. "You can kind of make yourself relax if you concentrate, but it's easier with practice. Is this how you jerk yourself off?"

"No, but that ain't how I'd want sex to be," Ivanov said, grinning at him. "You fucked me out of a closet I didn't even know was in the bloody house last time," he said, "I'd like to at least drive you a little crazy."

"You are," Yuri said, and Ivanov laughed. He stopped teasing Yuri's cock long enough to spit in his palm, then leaned in to kiss Yuri some more while he jerked him off. Yuri felt light-headed from getting kissed and a hand-job at the same time.

Growing up in a brothel had affected Yuri in a lot of ways, probably, but one of the ones he'd noticed as soon as he started sharing rooms with other guys was that no one else seemed to have lube. Someone in the barracks at his first training camp had suggested merely having lube instead of lotion or oil was a sign someone was gay. Yuri had been baffled by that, and apparently was convincing enough that the homophobe in question had backed off. Yuri didn't think he'd have to explain to a bunch of horny seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds that actual purpose-designed lubricant felt and worked better than whatever lotion or oil they stole from their family medicine chest. He wasn't even bothering then with the fancy off-world shit, just the lube the brothel bought in bulk that was made from seaweed or something; one of the only native Kavagoran agricultural products that wasn't derived from introduced Earth species.

So when Yuri told Ivanov to hang on for a second, and rolled over to get his lube out of the bedside table drawer, he wasn't surprised to hear Ivanov chuckle.

"You're too good for regular lotion, huh?" Ivanov asked. "Or does Kasharik bring folks 'round your place?"

"Real lube is better and cheaper than lotion," Yuri said, just as he'd gotten used to saying in every barracks he'd slept in. "Kasharik's never been past the front door. Get out your dick."

"Yes, sir," Ivanov said, wriggling out of his trousers and underwear entirely. Yuri paused to do the same, shoving his trousers down until he could shake them off his legs. He rolled over and straddled Ivanov, pressing their dicks right up against each other. Yuri had never done this on purpose, as an end to itself, but he figured it felt good enough to give it a shot.

He doused his hand in lube, then wrapped it around as much of both of their cocks as he could manage. Ivanov jerked up against him.

"Oh, yeah, all right," Ivanov breathed, "that does feel better."

"Lasts longer, too," Yuri said, barely resisting the urge to just start rutting up against him. He used his other hand to spread the lube more evenly around the other side, before Ivanov's hand joined his.

"I know you called yourself ugly earlier," Ivanov said, looking up at him, "but you oughta know you sitting on my lap jerking both of us off is one of the hottest things I've ever seen."

Yuri knew he shouldn't disagree, but he couldn't quite bring himself to believe it, either. Ivanov's breathless voice and rock-hard cock made it difficult to discount entirely, however. So Yuri just said, "Good."

"Sticks, I'd like you in me again, though," Ivanov said, even as he rocked up against Yuri. "I did like feeling used like that."

"I bet you did," Yuri said. "Slut." Ivanov shivered. "Pretty little slut." He braced himself against the wall with one hand so he could bend over and kiss Ivanov some more, trapping their hands as well as their dicks between their bodies. "That's my girl," he murmured against Ivanov's lips. "Dirty, slutty little girl."

Ivanov moaned and panted, his hips bucking up helplessly, squashing Yuri's fingers against his abdomen. Yuri stopped kissing him momentarily to extract his hand from between them, then settled more fully on top of Ivanov. The weight of his body worked fine to rub their now-lubricated cocks against each other. When Ivanov withdrew his hand, they wound up more next to each other than on top of each other, but that was fine, they were still pressed together. Yuri rolled his hips, rubbing his cock against Ivanov's and Ivanov's abdomen. Ivanov put his slippery hand on the back of Yuri's neck, holding him there. As if there was anywhere else Yuri would want to be.

"My pretty girl," Yuri said. Ivanov was pretty, especially all flushed and panting like this. His eyelashes were so thick. His cock was so hot between them. "Precious, slutty, dirty girl."

"Blood, yes," Ivanov moaned.

Yuri was too turned on to think of anything else. His cock felt so good, sliding against Ivanov's skin, next to Ivanov's cock. It almost felt more intimate than having his cock inside someone's body. He had Ivanov trapped, his legs pinned in by Yuri's, and his body covered with Yuri's. His cock rubbed against Yuri's groin, popping over as if to kiss Yuri's cock once he was on the back-stroke.

"Please," Ivanov tried to murmur, even as he kissed Yuri's lips. "Please, use me, mark me, make me your woman."

"Uh huh," Yuri said. "Mine. My woman, my slutty, pretty woman."

Ivanov came first time this time, if such a small distinction mattered when it was the feel of his cock pulsing against Yuri's that set him off. Yuri sagged on top of him. Ivanov laughed, and kissed him, grinning. Yuri didn't usually feel like he had the right to lie atop the people he fucked after they finished. He thought Ivanov wouldn't begrudge it.

"Bones, you're heavy," Ivanov grumbled, although he still had both his arms wrapped around Yuri.

After a few moments, Yuri sighed, and rolled off of him, onto his back, so he could finally straighten out his legs.

They lay there in silence a few more moments. Then Ivanov said, "So sex is always that good, huh?"

It had been very nice, but Yuri didn't know that that was the hottest sex he'd ever had. He felt less weird about it in the aftermath, less used, but it hadn't been a profoundly erotic experience or anything. The more noteworthy part for him had been the kissing, which Ivanov had seemed to expect as a matter of course. Yuri asked, "Has it not been before?"

Ivanov laughed. "I guess not," he said. "I kinda thought the reason other guys seemed to be having a better time fucking girls than me was they that were selfish lovers, you know? Like if you made sure a girl had a nice time, it was less fun for you."

"I don't think that's how it's supposed to work," Yuri said. Certainly some johns acted that way, but the girls had negative opinions of that. "I guess I've been with fewer women than you?" he added, because that sure sounded like it was the case.

"Yeah, I don't think that makes a difference," Ivanov said. "In this, anyway. Fucking hell." He rolled over, propped himself up on one elbow, and leaned over to kiss Yuri again. He ran his still-slippery hand down Yuri's chest, then back up, rubbing all of Yuri's chest hair the wrong way and making it stick up. When he pulled back, he asked, "You gonna be up to go again tonight?"

"I can keep going until you're done," Yuri said.

Ivanov smirked. "Yeah?" he asked. "What about a little bit longer than that?"

"In that case," Yuri said, resting his hand on top of Ivanov's on his chest, "I can keep going until you're begging me to stop."

Ivanov shivered. "I don't know if I'm up to try that tonight, but keep it in your back pocket," he said, blushing pink, his voice husky. "Sticks."

Yuri had intended to clean up some before seeing if Ivanov was interested in another round, but he couldn't resist pulling him down into a kiss, and from there, it turned out he didn't have the willpower to hold back with a willing partner.

*

Ivanov was a similar kind of mean-funny to Kasharik, but less targeted. He was self-deprecating as often as he was insulting to others, and Yuri never got the feeling he meant it, the way some people did. The way Kasharik usually did. It was like finally being included in the barracks-room banter, only the filth was directed at Yuri, and not some passing woman.

He could carry a conversation without much help from Yuri, which was good, but he also wasn't insensible to Yuri's opinion. He seemed good at reading Yuri's expressions from the jump, and only got better with time. Even when he misread them, though, he had a way of continuing the conversation as though he'd gotten a response that could carry them through a good while. 

He was extremely touchy-feely, compared to anyone else Yuri spent time with. Some of that was dating, Yuri was sure, but some of it was just the way he was with everyone. He often patted people on the shoulder or nudged them with his elbow. He seemed to flirt with women automatically, which Yuri perhaps should have been more upset about, but mostly found amusing. Ivanov really did come off as feminine in those interactions; Yuri wasn't surprised people assumed he was gay, but he didn't understand how no one before Kasharikhad ever suggested Ivanov might be better suited to womanhood. 

The first time he flirted with a woman while they were on a date, Ivanov was mortified. "Blood, I'm sorry," he said to Yuri as soon as he realized. "I wasn't even--shit."

Yuri asked him, "Would you rather be on a date with her?"

Ivanov blushed. "No, of course not," he said. "To tell the truth, I--don't know that I was ever really into girls."

"Really?" Yuri asked. He supposed Ivanov had said something to that effect, the first time they kissed.

"Yeah, turns out there are other reasons to constantly think about girls and how pretty they are," Ivanov said, circumspect since they were in a public restaurant. He was rosy-cheeked, though. He went on, "And I, uh, got things backward."

Yuri couldn't imagine confusing attraction with envy, but he also didn't entirely understand why or how other guys were so opposed to fucking other guys. Sex was sex, and Yuri hadn't found it to make much of a difference who was sucking his cock or why. He liked women more, or at least more often, but it also wasn't exactly safe to go around evaluating the attractiveness of other men. He didn't exactly have any trouble understanding why Kasharik liked a fellow, or what someone might see in Kasharik.

"Sorry," Ivanov repeated, reaching across the table for Yuri's hand.

"It's fine," Yuri said, but he did put his hand in Ivanov's.

The next time it happened, Ivanov swore at himself. "Bloody reflex. Yuri, I swear I don't mean nothing by it."

"I know," Yuri said. He thought the woman Ivanov had been flirting with knew it too; she'd glanced at Yuri, amused, before flirting back. Yuri figured that meant she'd noticed they were on a date.

Anyway, it was easier for Yuri to be okay with it when Ivanov was so affectionate with him. He hadn't really expected to be holding hands or getting cuddled and kissed in relative public. He felt as if no one else had ever liked him so much.

It would have been understandable for Ivanov not to be so cuddly in public. It wasn't like they didn't get dirty looks. But Ivanov only shrugged when Yuri asked if he was worried about strangers thinking they were gay. 

"What are they gonna do?" he asked. "They ain't gonna beat us up. I bet most of 'em won't even have the guts to catcall us."

And they hadn't. Yuri caught more of the dirty looks than Ivanov did, because Yuri doubted Ivanov would have been able to avoid picking a fight if he saw some of the more disgusted looks. Ivanov was hot-headed; he couldn't keep his mouth shut when people talked shit around him. Yuri thought there was a good chance that was why Ivanov had learned to fight in the first place. But overall, there was less pushback than Yuri thought there'd be. Maybe his looks explained that, or maybe Ivanov didn't look noteworthy on Yuri's arm. Maybe they looked right together. Or maybe they didn't look stereotypical enough for most people to even notice they were on dates.

*

It was their fourth date in less than two weeks (was that a lot? was that normal? Ivanov didn't seem to be doing anything other than working and going home, which was all Yuri was doing) when Ivanov said he was ready for Yuri to fuck him in the ass again.

"Yeah?" Yuri asked. "You sure?"

"Didn't hurt none when I fingered myself last night," Ivanov said, then grinned at Yuri. "Weren't half as good as if you'd been doing it, I'm sure."

Fingering was probably the thing Yuri had the least practice with, since he'd been mostly fucking people for Kasharik. He'd done it, but only so it wouldn't hurt so much when he fucked them. He suspected he'd have far more patience for it with Ivanov wriggling and swearing at him. If only there was some way to leverage the power of Ivanov getting turned on about it to make everything Yuri found boring or tedious easier.

Neither of them had done anything about getting Ivanov women's clothing. Yuri did long to see him in a skirt, if only because it wouldn't need to be removed before they could fuck, but he didn't know the first thing about sizes in women's clothing and he knew without asking that Ivanov would be too self-conscious to go shopping with him, even if they pretended it was for someone else and Ivanov didn't get to try things on.

Still, there was something about kneeling between Ivanov's spread legs, working his fingers in and out, that felt distinctly…heterosexual. Even though Ivanov's cock was sticking straight up and bouncing every time he bucked his hips up.

Yuri reached up with his free hand and groped Ivanov's chest as if he did have tits. Ivanov let out a shaky, "Haah."

"I can hardly wait to get my cock in you again," Yuri said, squeezing Ivanov's flat chest as he thrust his fingers in hard.

"Fuck!" Ivanov's hips jerked up again, setting his cock bouncing and swaying. "Can you--please say it?"

"Say what?" Yuri asked. Ivanov kicked him, so he chuckled. "Oh, you want to hear what a good girl you are? How you're spreading your legs for me? A slutty little girl desperate for cock?"

"Bones, Yuri, please," Ivanov panted.

Yuri paused to consider before he said the next part, but decided fuck it, Ivanov was game to try things out and tell him they didn't work. He asked, "You want my cock in your pussy?"

Ivanov laughed. "I fucking wish," he said. "Bones and all, I fucking wish. But don't act like that's what my ass is."

"No good, then?"

"It's fucking absurd," Ivanov said. "I mean, if I had a cunt, I'd still have an asshole you could fuck. And you probably would, you sadistic bastard."

Yuri smiled, and bent down to kiss Ivanov's stomach. "That'd be fun," he murmured. "I bet you'd beg for me to put it in the right hole."

"I'll beg now if it'll hurry you the fuck up," Ivanov said, but Yuri could hear perfectly well that he was smiling.

"Promise?" Yuri growled, mostly for the way he knew it would make Ivanov shiver.

Ivanov shivered.

It took enough work and concentration to keep Ivanov interested but on the edge that Yuri was in no danger of going off too soon. Still, when he finally hitched Ivanov's thighs over his own so he could line up his cock, he had to pause as soon as he got the head in. Ivanov's loud, full-throated moan didn't help keep him from getting too worked up, either.

After a moment's stillness, Ivanov lifted his head to glare at Yuri. "What's the hold-up?" he demanded.

Yuri huffed a laugh. "Baby girl," he said, and felt the pleased clench of Ivanov's body around his cock, "you're still so tight."

"Oh," Ivanov breathed, eyelids drooping. "You're trying not to blow your load, huh? It's that good?"

"You're that good," Yuri said, feeling silly but meaning it with his entire being.

Ivanov giggled, and Yuri would have married her if he could.

*

It was only a few days later that one of Ivanov's roommates caught them necking outside the building. Yuri froze, not sure what to do, but Ivanov called out, "This ain't a free show, Alexei! Go inside!"

"You're not even worried about your roommates?" Yuri asked after Alexei had moved on.

"They all know I could take 'em," Ivanov said dismissively. "I, uh, was wondering, though," Ivanov went on, not quite making eye contact. "If we might be at the going steady phase of things. In which case I think I'd rather be your sweetie, since I can't really be your girlfriend and I really don't want to be your…." She looked back at Yuri finally. "If that's something you're interested in."

"Yes, sweetheart," Yuri breathed. He kissed her.

"Fuck," Ivanov murmured, smiling against Yuri's lips.

*

Ivanov (she damn well wasn't keeping the name "Yosif" as a woman, but she hadn't picked a new one out yet; she'd still be an Ivanov even as a woman, so it would have to do for now) stepped into the apartment, pretty much walking on air. She had a boyfriend. She had a boyfriend! Blood and bone, she should've realized sooner she wasn't actually into women, she'd never been this bloody happy about a girl going out with her.

She bent down to yank her boots off, then hung her coat up on the open hook. When she stepped around the corner, all three of her roommates were gathered in the living room, piled onto one couch, staring at her.

She sighed. At least she could get it over with all at once, she thought.

"So," Alexei said. "Who's the guy, Yosif?"

"Whatever happened to 'I'm not into men, stop asking'?" Nikita asked.

"Were you really just making out with another man right in the open?" Damir asked.

"You're like a bunch of old aunties," Ivanov said, rolling her eyes. "His name's Yuri, he's my boyfriend, and it turns out no one ever asked the right questions. Ya old biddies."

"Your boyfriend?" Damir demanded.

Alexei, meanwhile, whipped the blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around his head, old countrywoman style. In a high-pitched voice, he said, "I hope you're not letting him take any liberties, young man!"

"If I hadn't let him take liberties, I wouldn'ta known I was wrong about liking men," Ivanov said. She collapsed into the free chair, propping her feet up on the coffee table. "Turns out I was tired of always being the big, strong one."

"Ah," Nikita said, nodding, as Damir sputtered. "'Swhy you could make out right in the open. Anyone fucks with the two of you, they're dead."

"Pretty much," Ivanov said.

Alexei, still with the blanket draped over his head, said, "So he's not one of those guys that looks tough but is actually a pushover."

Ivanov laughed again. "The day I won the UAC tourney, he wiped the floor with me," she said. In a manner of speaking, but that was detail her friends did not need. "Though I am also half-expecting poetry at some point."

"So a little softer than your usual type," Alexei said.

"Shut the fuck up," Ivanov said, grinning. She had gone for pretty strong-willed women; delicate flowers of any gender had never really interested her.

"And why haven't you talked about him before?" Nikita asked. "Usually you won't shut up about your new sweethearts."

Damir punched him in the arm. "Why do you think?" he asked.

Ivanov shrugged. "I wouldn't want to have this whole stone-sworn conversation if it was just a few fucks," he said. "Now we're going steady, it seems worth the effort."

Alexei made an offended noise. "An effort?" he asked. "To tell us? Your best friends? That you are, in fact, not not-gay?"

"Hm," Ivanov said. She rubbed her chin, reflecting that she'd need to shave tomorrow. "I guess I coulda mentioned that sooner. Pretty sure about that one." She shrugged. "Turns out I'm only into guys, I'm just picky."

"You are fucking kidding me," Nikita said.

"Yosif!" Damir exclaimed. "Really?"

"Do you remember our first year," Ivanov asked, "when I said you were all making way too big a deal about how good sex was?"

"Emperor's bones," Alexei said, dropping his head. "You're kidding."

"Look on the bright side, you were right," Ivanov said. "I was doing something wrong."

"For Mad Ivan's sake," Damir said.

"So does that mean you're the one getting it up the ass?" Alexei asked. The blanket slid down around his shoulders as he looked up.

"That ain't any of your business," Ivanov said, "but yes."

"It's better than it sounds," Nikita said. Everyone turned to look at him, instead of Ivanov. "What? Sofia used to put her fingers up there when she was sucking me off. You try telling Sofia Dryden something's too gay for her to do to you."

"I'm pretty sure with tits that size, you can safely say it ain't gay even if she fucks you with a strap-on," Ivanov said. An arresting image to be sure, but maybe not for the reasons she would have thought a few weeks ago.

"How'd you meet him?" Damir asked. "Lexei said he didn't recognize him."

Ivanov laughed again. "I bet he woulda, if the light was better," she said. "He's Kasharik's pet sergeant."

"Kasharik's pet--sticks, Yosif, that guy's butt-ugly," Damir said.

Ivanov shrugged. "You ever see him take his shirt off, you'll get it," he said. "He's fucking built."

"Like it would matter what he looks like when he can beat you in the ring," Alexei said.

"And's good in bed," Nikita said, nodding. "Especially since Yosif's apparently been having shit sex all this time."

"It was fine," Ivanov protested, over the others' laughter. "It just wasn't good. For me. Pretty sure I made it good for the girls."

"Oh, well," Alexei said. "As long as one of you was having fun." He shook his head.

"So he's a sergeant?" Damir said. "I guess that's a respectable non-com you could take home to your folks."

"Yeah, but isn't he attached to Kasharik at the hip?" Nikita asked. "That's…." He glanced at Ivanov. Even in their own apartment, it seemed risky to be more explicit.

"Not ideal," Ivanov agreed. Kashariks were well-known to be a pack of maniacs, even more so than other knobs. Even the other knobs thought they were distasteful, so you knew they were bad. Boris Kasharik was pretty, and apparently insightful, but Ivanov was aware his whims were fickle. She went on, "He introduced us, but I wouldn't wanna rely on his good nature, that's for sure."

"Have you told your parents?" Damir asked.

Ivanov blew a raspberry. "Of course not," she said. "I don't know when I'm gonna, either. I mean, I like Yuri, but I do feel like he might actually be the worst first boyfriend to take home to Ma and Pa."

"What, you don't think your parents want a big, strong man to take care of their baby boy?" Alexei asked. "And a sergeant! Older man, too, I assume. There's uniform hunters would be envious."

"I think Pa might have a bloody coronary," Ivanov said, chuckling. "Or else just ignore it, you know? Full denial."

"It's so nice of you to share your bed wth your friend, Yosif," Alexei said, again putting on a high-pitched voice, for some reason.

"Anyway, that's probably something to worry about when we've been dating longer than half an hour," Ivanov said.

"Oh, you just made it official," Nikita said. "Like, right now."

"After I told Alexei to fuck off," Ivanov agreed.

"I guess I should retract my complaint about you not telling us sooner, damn," Alexei said. "That's as fast as anyone could tell anyone."

"Pretty much," Ivanov said.

*

"So now we're going steady," Ivanov said, "maybe it won't sound too patronizing if I ask, uh. I mean, you do know Kasharik's bad news, right?"

"He's not that bad," Yuri said.

"Oh sticks," Ivanov muttered, rolling her eyes. "He's a creep and you know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. And I know I don't have no proof he's worse than a creep, but I got a strong suspicion he's worse than that."

"People aren't kind about openly gay men," Yuri said.

Ivanov kicked him under the table, hard. "How many openly gay men are out on the town telling their boyfriends to bend over for a stranger if they don't want to get dumped?" she asked. "Yeah, maybe not just him, but I wouldn't feel too safe around those other guys either."

"He has some questionable tastes," Yuri allowed. "But so do I. So do you."

"Babe," Ivanov said, which made Yuri's chest feel warm and fuzzy despite the conversation topic, "my questionable tastes don't threaten anyone with insubordination or social suicide. You been working with him, what, two years now? You must've noticed he's a dick in a pretty specific way."

"He's not dangerous," Yuri said. After a moment, he reconsidered. "Usually."

"That is not the kind of qualification you gotta make about a safe person," Ivanov said. "You have to know that."

Yuri thought back to how his stomach twisted when Ivanov asked him to keep Kasharik out of their dates, and how certain he'd been that would be a problem. "Maybe," he said. "But I am spending less time with him, now."

"Yeah, well," Ivanov said, smiling. "That ain't the main reason I went out with you, but it's a happy side effect, as far as I'm concerned." She reached across the table for his hand, and Yuri gave it to her. "I just, he's a knobby knob, you know? Seems like he might be possessive." She squeezed his hand. "Which I take issue with."

"Please don't try to fight Lord Kasharik for my hand," Yuri said. Ivanov laughed, as Yuri had intended her to.

*

Yuri had started out kind of expecting Ivanov to drop him at some point, maybe after she could be out to more people, but he was less and less sure of that every day. Ivanov not only really liked getting plowed by him, she seemed to have a good time on their dates. She laughed at Yuri's jokes, when Yuri thought to make them. She smiled at Yuri all the time. And then of course she asked if Yuri would go steady with her, even providing a substitution for misgendering her that wouldn't raise any eyebrows. Maybe Yuri wasn't experienced at the whole dating thing, but that didn't seem like something you suggested to someone you weren't actually interested in.

The sex was great, of course. It was never really like the first time, but as phenomenal as being able to transition right into fucking from a fight was, Yuri found it was unsurprisingly more rewarding to have sex with someone who wanted to have sex with him.

The simple facts that Ivanov got hard and clingy just from making out, that she obviously ogled Yuri's body when Yuri was undressed, and that she was eager to go on dates but by the end of them was just as eager to get Yuri into bed, were so, so nice. Even if the sex had been boring and vanilla, it would have been nice just for that, for feeling desirable. Everyone before Kasharik just wanted something from Yuri, and Kasharik's picks tended to be clearly doing it just to please Kasharik. Some of them had been humiliated by having sex with Yuri. As hot as that was, it was also kind of…degrading, perhaps. To have it happen all the time. That none of them wanted to have sex with him.

He'd sort of assumed that was how everyone would be about him. That he was ugly enough and uncharismatic enough that no one would ever want to have sex with him just for its own sake. But he had to admit Kasharik was unlikely to find that as interesting or fun as convincing people to let Yuri fuck them just to make him happy. And Ivanov wasn't some kind of especially-perverse freak; in most respects she was a normal woman.

Well. As much as a closeted transsexual woman on Kavagor could be.

Yuri had literally beaten Ivanov and forcibly stripped her, yet Ivanov didn't seem humiliated to be having sex with Yuri. Even that first time, she seemed more bothered by what it said about her than about Yuri. And she did it again, and again, and again. She was practically desperate for Yuri's skin against hers by the end of some of their dates. She yelped, hit Yuri, and called him names, but she also moaned like she'd never felt anything so good in her life, locked her ankles behind Yuri, and begged Yuri not to stop.

She was turned on by doing it rough. She liked to fight back a bit, which Yuri really enjoyed, but she also always reached a point where she was too into it to protest. She'd do anything Yuri asked her to at that point, which was the kind of thing Yuri didn't want Kasharik to ever find out about.

"Oh, fuck," Ivanov moaned into a pillow while Yuri humped her furiously. "Blood, Yuri," she said.

"You want it?" Yuri breathed into her ear. "Does my pretty little girl want to get filled up?"

Ivanov whined. "Yes," she said. "Yes, please, yes sir, yes, yes, yes."

"Say it," Yuri demanded.

Ivanov groaned. "Please," she said.

Yuri slipped one arm around Ivanov's neck, taking all his weight on the other arm. "Say it," he growled.

Ivanov whined again. "Please, I want to get filled up, I want you to come inside me, I want it, I like it, please, fill me up, pump me so full of come I get pregnant."

Objectively, that was ridiculous. Gender identity aside, Ivanov did not have the equipment to get pregnant. And Yuri was fucking her in the ass besides, which was not typically something that carried the risk of pregnancy. In the moment, though, it was the hottest thing Yuri had ever heard. He said, "Oh yes, pretty girl, I'm going to knock you up. I'm going to get you pregnant. Just fucking wait."

Ivanov gasped, "Yuri!" and started clenching around Yuri's cock.

"You want it so bad, don't you, sweetie?" Yuri asked. "It's like you're trying to milk it out of me, you slut."

"I am, I do, I want it," Ivanov said. "Blood, Yuri, please, please, I--Sergei's bones," she swore, as Yuri started coming. She said she couldn't feel it much in her ass, but she could certainly feel the way Yuri went taut, and Yuri knew his arm around Ivanov's neck had tightened.

Afterwards, Ivanov buried her face beneath a pillow. "Don't look at me," she said.

"Sweetheart?" Yuri asked.

"I'm fine, it's not you," Ivanov said, waving one hand in the air vaguely. "I'm just embarrassed. Bones."

"Ah," Yuri said.

"I mean, I can't even do that," Ivanov said, words muddied a little by the pillow. "I'm not sure I could do that if I moved to bloody Vilvinudes or Gnilles or something and got every surgery I could."

"Pretty sure you could," Yuri said. "Might take a while, but they can clone people for parts. Don't see why they couldn't clone you a womb."

"It's more I don't got nowhere to put it," Ivanov said, "though I guess most organs are squishy anyway. It's just--fucking embarrassing to get turned on by something I don't even want."

Yuri waited a few moments, but Ivanov didn't acknowledge the irony in that statement. Yuri felt he had to say, "Remind me how we met."

Ivanov kicked him. "Shut up," she said. "That's different. It's fucking normal to get turned on by having your gender affirmed. Or don't you like being my big, strong man?"

"I do," Yuri said. He liked it extra hard because Ivanov could hold her own against almost anyone else; being her big, strong man meant he was pretty damn big and strong. "But I promise it's also normal to get turned on by the idea of getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant, whether or not you want kids."

"I never said I didn't want kids, I said I didn't want to be pregnant," Ivanov muttered. That was interesting, Yuri thought. "And that's--pregnancy is gross and dangerous. Galactic women don't even do it no more."

That wasn't entirely true, from what Yuri knew about artificial wombs, but he knew what she meant. Certainly women still died in childbirth quite often, which was much less of a concern on planets where they used artificial wombs. "Fair enough," he said.

Ivanov pushed the pillow off her face and rolled over to look at Yuri. "What d'you mean it's normal, anyway?" she asked. "How would you know?"

Yuri realized he'd never told Ivanov about his childhood. "I grew up in a brothel," he said. "Mama was a whore. Pretty common theme from the johns."

"Oh," Ivanov said. Thankfully, she didn't seem either surprised or disgusted. Yuri hadn't really thought she would, but it was always a possibility. "Yeah, all right, I guess you'd have a decent sample to draw from, then. Old Town?" Ivanov asked, and Yuri nodded. "You don't talk like it."

Yuri shrugged. "Makes things worse, usually," he said. "Recruiters thought it made me sound stupid."

"Sure," Ivanov said. "I won't pretend I don't talk a little more proper when I'm in uniform." She poked Yuri's side. "But I ain't gonna judge you for it."

"It's easier not to go back and forth," Yuri said.

"I s'pose," Ivanov said. She poked Yuri's side again. "It is part of why I thought you couldn't be that good in a fight, though."

Yuri thought about that for a moment. He said, "'S good tactics, then, innit?"

Ivanov burst into laughter. "Shut the fuck up," she said, shoving him.

[interstellarmoodboards]

[Joke Calculester Moodboard where you keep messing up whenever he brings ‘round a plant.]

Definitely not projecting or anything. Regardless of how stupid this inspiration was, it was fun to make. I think it took just half an hour.

[mywritingonlyfans]

I don’t want to post it on my site simply because I’ve never written before (especially in English) and I’m too shy 👉🏻👈🏻🥺 but i feel like i should show it to someone. thanks to tumblr for anonymity. I just said that I'm really worried if I'm bothering you with this

Well, in general, that's it. I hope you really don't mind

he remembers the first time he saw her.  and how his brain immediately stopped working properly.

he randomly craved coffee that day. he didn't really like this drink until that day.

in the next building from where he lived there was a coffee shop and that was where thomas headed.

a neon sign on the street, a garland of light bulbs, a couple of tables and chairs to relax and enjoy a drink. everything would be fine if not for the music from the speaker. "damn, this is led zeppelin" - he thought to himself : "I already like this place". but going inside thomas liked it even more. he liked it so much that he froze in the aisle, unable to take his eyes off the barista.

- good afternoon, what would u like to drink? - it seems Thomas did not even hear the question and continued to examine the girl opposite him, he was so fascinated by her - mister, are you okay?

- oh, yes ... yes, of course, I'm sorry - it seems he is already redder than a tomato

- what'll it be?

- um .. maybe ... I want - "you" thought the guitarist to himself, but of course he didn't voice it - I don't know what I want - sighed sadly

- well, in that case, let me help you with the choice - it seems her eyes sparkled even brighter. damn this girl really loves her job

- it would be nice - after a couple of questions, the girl began to flutter around the coffee machine.

all her movements were so easy and so ... beautiful. just like her. dark hair, almost black. loose clothes in which she looked even smaller than she was.  "she is tiny. she's up to my shoulder... OK, maybe a little bit higher... or not" . in any case, it doesn't matter, unlike the fact that from the moment he saw her, this girl did not leave Thomas's head for more than a minute. he thought about her all the time. when he fell asleep, when he woke up, when he ate and even when he was working on new music.

from day to day he came to the coffee shop  in the morning for a cappuccino with  a little bit of caramel syrup (I think he would like it) . the barista offered him this drink when he first went into a coffee shop and did not know what to take and now he is ready to drink only it until the end of his days. on the days when he had to go to the studio, he bought coffee for the whole band, simply because "if you don't want to introduce us to the thief of your heart, then at least bring us  coffee from her".  the point was that thomas didn't know her either. not even her name. nothing. all he knew was that she works in a coffee shop and she is about his age. and also that her handwriting is beautiful. when the guitarist took coffee for the whole group, she wrote on each cup what was inside.

they never talked about anything. after a couple of visits, the girl already knew Thomas's order by heart. so every time he quietly entered, greeted from the doorway and said the number of drinks and sat down at a table waiting for his order. he quietly watched every movement of the girl, paid, thanked and left as quietly as he came.

why didn't they talk? they both wondered this question. at first they boyh were too shy, and afterwards silence became a habit. and it became even more difficult to speak first.

almost two months have passed since their first meeting. Thomas stood near the coffee shop, smoked and talked to victoria on the phone.

- fuck! ..yes, apparently I fell in love! I have a crush! I'm smitten by a girl! yes, I'm!..maybe... I do not know! leave me alone vic, please! - thomas was fed up with it. he was angry with himself and his lack of confidence, and this conversation did not help, especially at half past seven in the morning

- did you ask her out? damn, thomas! do you even know her name? - the last long drag and he threw the cigarette  into the trash can

- she is fucking perfect, gorgeous, breathtaking and she's doing the best coffee in the world and she is not interested in me in this regard. end of the conversation! - he ran his hand over his face and ruffled his blond hair.

- how she can not being interested in you? have you even tried to talk to her?

- OK vic, I'm done, see you soon

thomas pushed  the red icon on his phone and entered the coffee shop, without even thinking that the girl  behind the counter heard what was happening on the street.

- good morning.  four please - he sat down at the table - she left her hair down  today, looks good ... nah, perfect on her. he thought about the way she smiles every time when she sees him. although he realizes that she is only smiling at him because he is her customer... damn, he seems to be in serious trouble.

- are you okay? you look a bit...

- t-tired? - did she just...spoke to me? -  yes, could not sleep all night

- coffee does not replace sleep, but I hope it will help you

- me too, dolcezza - she's so cute when she blushes. it seems he fell in love even more, if it possible

the guitarist paid, took his four cups of coffee and headed for the door

- thanks, bellezza - thomas raggi, where did you suddenly get so much courage to call her like that? TWICE!? but still not enough courage. he thought to himself

Thomas gave the stand with signed cups  to Damiano, who was sitting in the front seat

- OK,  that's yours - the singer handed the cup to victoria who was sitting in the back of the car with guitarist - ethan, your coffee, and ... O LORD, FOR GOD'S SAKE! THOMAS YOU FINALLY DID IT !

the blond guy looked up sharply from the phone

- What did I....?

- LOOK! - damiano interrupted thomas and handed him the cup. there was complete silence in the car. the guitarist couldn't take his eyes off the writing on the cup of his caramel cappuccino, and the band couldn't take their eyes off his shocked face. there was a phone number written in neat handwriting

- that's might be her phone number ... did she..?. SHE GAVE ME HER FUCKING PHONE NUMBER!!!

thomas would not be thomas if he called or texted  her. at the end of the working day he just came  to a coffee shop with a neon sign.

- good evening - without looking up from work the girl began - what would you... - she finally turned towards the guy standing awkwardly near the door - oh, hi - she looked down and blushed a little. it seems he should have contacted her  during the day

- I'm sorry I didn't text you, I ...

- no, it's okay, I just misunderstood you, I'm sorry, I - the girl wanted to continue, she was interrupted by  thomas's  nervous giggle

- no, don't apologize - he came closer to the counter - I really wanted to text to you .. and offer to take a walk after work .. and find out your name .. from the very first day when I came here -  the guitarist babble quickly, but at the same time with slight pauses between sentences.  his gaze  time traveled from the barista's face to some random item in a coffee shop all the, which could not but make the girl smile

- I'm y/n

By the way, I apologize for the mistakes, as you already understood, English is not my native language

THAT'S SO FUCKING ADORABLE I'M FUCKING IN LOVE WITH IT OMG pls nervous/anxious Thomas is a thing and I love it!!! Pls get your girl, siiiir!!!! Thanks for that, you're amazing!!

- and i don't mind at all, i love reading it!

[roseabelle21]

No. 1

Requested by: @mirukobecomingbothered​

I might have gotten carried away with the headcanon, I'm sorry! 🥺🥺 I added a few twists of my own and I hope it reached your expectations. I hope you like it! ♥️♥️♥️

Pairings: Hitoshi Shinsou x reader, Katsuki Bakugou x reader

Status: Unedited

Genre: Fluff with a tiny weeny bit of angst.

Quick Background:

An outcast because of a 'villainous' quirk? Check.

Do you have friends? Not sure if you can call them your friends when they are all blithering idiots who want to mess with the spirits.

Does everyone think that you will be a villain someday? Every time.

Is everyone afraid of you because you look like you've been dead for the past five years but still walking above ground? Absolutely!

When do people see your cat do they automatically think that you are a witch? Yes, but more like a demon in disguise.

You shrugged them off, your quirk might be on the freaky and terrifying side but it is powerful.

Contrary to popular belief, ghosts are nice, most of the time. Maybe a bit clingy and attention seeker towards you since you are the only one who can see and hear them.

They are a nice company to be around. Most of them.

There was a time you used to hate your quirk, there never seems to be a privacy when you see those supernatural things.

You see things you wish you couldn't, things that can go beyond your imagination.

Everyone thinks the worst in you, and there are days when they get to you.

When that happens, the ghosts always have your back.

You try your best to prove them wrong, and when you got into UA and placed top 5 in the sports festival, some perspective changed, and some called you a freak.

Though they are all wimps since they can't say it directly in your face or around your friends, especially your boyfriend.

Lord knows what'll happen when someone talks shit about you around them.

They probably met Jesus soon after.

Shinsou Hitoshi

Straight off the bat, your favourite date, past time, and other couple activities are sleeping.

Him catching up on his well-deserved sleep and you calm your mind from everything.

Nothing in between.

Naps in the couch, beside the window, your rooms, maybe beside the window in the common room after stargazing.

You have to pry this headcanon from my cold dead hands.

This sleepy boi understands the pain and suffering you go through the best, especially since he's been there.

Both of you start as acquaintances.

You met him when your cat decided to give you a heart attack by running off to who knows where and not coming back for h o u r s.

It freaked you out since staying out late is unlikely of your lazy ass cat.

Despite your fatigue from training, you rushed outside to find them.

You didn't have to look for too long, you found them at the park accompanied by an Einstein inspired purple-haired guy with a UA uniform.

You let out a breath of relief, it didn't last long as anger bubbled up in your chest.

Yelling out their name that startled not only your cat and the guy, but the rest of the people at the park as well.

Shinso stared at you scolding your cat whilst bringing them in your arms.

Amused and curious at the same time.

Thinking that you took that TikTok meme "I'm alive but I'm dead" a little too far.

A chuckle that left his lips and your glare started a long interesting talk.

Both of you started eating lunch together at school with the Dekusquad.

A few teasing looks from Uraraka when he sat down beside you and greeted you before anyone else.

They started inviting him to your hangouts outside of the school and study dates.

It happened almost every day once he transferred from class 1-A.

A month after that Uraraka and Kaminari started teasing the both of you.

It confused you when they made a big deal about you and Shinsou spending more time with each other than the rest of the class.

It only confused you further when Shinsou started blushing every time you look at him or even go anywhere near him.

He finally confessed to you when both of you got stuck in the closet playing 7 Minutes In Heaven.

It was hard to listen to him because of the endless teasing of your ghost friends.

They approved of him the moment he talked and looked at you like a normal human being.

Shinsou as a friend was protective of you, knowing all of the nasty looks and what people say about you because of something uncontrollable.

And now that you're his girlfriend? Oh boy, haters can run but they can't hide.

He is the most chill person you will ever meet.

But once you decided to talk shit about his girl, just pray my dude.

Or beg for mercy.

If they are one in a million lucky ones, it might work.

But they're not so.

Not even Aizawa can stop him, cause he will turn blind eye.

Nobody talks shit to any of his children students and stay alive to tell the tale.

The both of you are his prodigies, they know nothing of the hard work you both put in your training with him.

You and your boyfriend are the best in stealth missions and gathering information.

You use your friends to gather information undetectable and Shinsou tricking the villains to brainwash them.

In short, you guys are the power couple of Class 1-A and everyone agrees.

A force to be reckoned with.

Besides, no one can pull off the cosplay of Morticia and Gomez Addams better than both of you can.

You rely on each other when times get rough and needed reassurance.

Being each other's rock to hold on and find comfort in.

Shinsou will wrap his arms around you as you spill everything to him.

Reassuring you that you are his hero, muttering sweet things in your ear, stroking your hair to calm you down, and humming you to sleep.

He knows what it feels like to hate something that is apart of you.

And he tries his best to make you see the best in the worst you think of yourself.

Everything about you is beautiful, nothing that is apart of you is worth hating.

Honestly, you couldn't wish for anyone better to be your significant other.

They can call you anything they want, but you will always be an angel in his eyes.

All of them can keep talking, and he finds great pleasure once they see your true power and find themselves speechless.

"That's my girl."

Bakugou Katsuki:

Not gonna lie, he will probably think that you are a zombie or somewhat related to them.

From the moment you walked through the door, slouched back, droopy red eyes, panda-like eye bags underneath, paper white skin that is unhealthy to look at, he was certain that you are going to collapse at any given moment. 

He scoffed, wondering how the hell you managed to get into UA, let alone the Hero class.

Were you even in the right class or are you just that tired to not see that huge ass sign at the door?

Either way, he didn't care.

So long as you don't stand in his way from being the best, which is highly unlikely to happen in his eyes.

So imagine his shock when you managed to score higher than him in the Physical Assessment Test.

What in the hell?

"Hey, freak bitch! How the hell did you score higher than me?! What are you playing at?!"

Kirishima immediately held him back and apologized profusely to you. 

Bakugou's anger at you only increased when you only stared at him blankly before rolling your eyes and walked away. 

Throughout the rest of the day, whenever he tries to call you or even go near you, he finds himself tripping over nothing or his things randomly dropping.

To say it freaks him out will be an understatement.  

However, that didn't stop him from pestering you. 

Constantly asking yelling- at you demanding your quirk and challenging you for a fight.

You're nonchalant response and sassy remarks only ticked him off.

The two on two activity was useless since you did nothing and Todoroki handled the rest. 

Cue the USJ incident and he is finally satisfied when he saw your quirk at first hand. 

Skeletons rising from the ground and villains mysteriously flying away from you when they get too close to you. 

He immediately put everything together and he is ecstatic. 

An unusual quirk but powerful nonetheless. 

Katsuki finds himself watching you in the classroom and during training. 

Finding your quirk nothing short of weird and curiosity of finding out how you use it is eating him alive.

Sometimes, he catches you talking to yourself and it only makes him more curious. 

And think that you are crazy.

The moment you agreed to challenge him was the beginning of your friendship.

He overheard a few girls that you went to school with talking about your hideous appearance and quirk when walking towards the school for training.

A slight twinge in his heart when he saw you, although your face didn't reveal anything, your eyes sure did. 

He dragged you by the arm to go faster and reassured you in his blunt way.

After that training with Bakugou became a routine.

The Bakusquad saw you both walking out of the park.

You declined their offer of going out saying that you have something to do and Bakugou just saying that he's not interested in going. 

So the teasing of when both of you will make it official happens every. Single. Day.

Be it weekends or weekdays. 

They will not stop their teasing even if they are on the verge of death.

Your bond with Katsuki strengthened when you came to rescue him from the villains and when he failed the Provisional License exams.

You were the first one to notice his change and the first and only one to confront him. 

He was shocked.

He thought he had it hidden well but not to you. 

At first, he was hesitant to tell you anything. But one hug from you and his walls came crashing down.

After that incident, you came to each other to open up.

You told him how you hate your quirk sometimes. Seeing things that gives you nightmares and paranoia.

In a short but somewhat sweet way, he told you about how those fears make you a stronger person. Physically and mentally.

He's by your side no matter what happens, he won't let you go through this alone.

To further emphasize it, he gave you a one arm hug.

He asked you out a few weeks later, quietly and all blushy face which was the first for him. 

Of course you said yes.

You both agreed to keep your relationship a secret from everyone until Halloween where - much to everyone's surprise- he joined in.

The real icing on the cake was when they saw you both in a cliche couple, Harley Quinn and Joker.

Mina and Kirishima were the first ones to realize and Denki being the last.

You are practically inseparable after you relieved your relationship. 

Anyone who talks badly about you and your quirk won't last long in the face of the earth.

Katsuki Bakugou is already explosive enough as he is, and you decided to talk shit about the love of his life?

Girl/Boy bye.

I hope you crossed everything off your bucket list cause the last thing you will see and hear is the sound of his explosions.

He once asked you about what your spirits think of him.

You were silent for a while before you replied, "I don't think you wanna know."

You know he won't stop there, he kept pestering you, again and again, every chance he gets to ask. 

Annoyed you told him.

"They think you are a crusty pomeranian and they find you amusing since it's a miracle that you still have your voice after al those yelling."

They like annoying him, whenever you both are alone, they whisper things to you that'll get you to giggle and he'll angrily question what they were talking about.

Making his things fall or mess with his hair. 

They like him for you.

As long as he keeps you safe and happy, they'll keep him safe and sound.

From the villains and the bad spirits. 

Random:

You have the perfect quirk to scare the living hell of your friends and family during Halloween season.

Who are you to deny the advantages of it. 😏😏😏

Various crosses and other blessed items by the priest litter around your room to keep the spirits away.

[necromancy-enthusiast]

There's certainly a lot of death denial in the Christian world nowadays but its traditional emphasis on death is still around, it's just (usually) subtler. There are still plenty of brimstone-and-fire types, you know, 'Repent ye sinner! For our God's Wrath is great and terrible, and He shan't show mercy to Those not Bathed in the Light of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who suffr'ed on the Cross so that we may know Salvation rather than eternal Damnation', but they grow fewer and fewer in number as time marches on, which is great imo. Let me tell ya, the fear of hell is deeply traumatic to kids brought up like that. Like, you don't really come out of that environment without at least a bit of existential dread and a couple of hell dreams.

Anyway, there's still often an emphasis on what'll happen after you die, because life is fleeting and we're all gonna die, but the hereafter in their mindset is eternal, and your fate in it is determined by what you did in life. Once you get there, there are no do-overs or second chances. So Christianity's whole premise tends to kind of encourage... Not an *obsession* with death, but a strong preoccupation with it.

The form it takes has just changed since the days when a lot of Puritans refused to get variolated (which was basically a predecessor to vaccination but specifically for smallpox) because they thought it was interfering with God's will for them all to die horribly, or when monks decorated churches with human bones and the occasional mummy. Probably at least partially because it was economical (free real estate and all that), but also it was good at reminding people of their impending death and that they should get their act together, because the clock is ticking and you can't turn it back.

[maybanksslut]

your wish is my command bestie

well, I thought that all this takes place in 2018 or 2019

he remembers the first time he saw her.  and how his brain immediately stopped working properly.

he randomly craved coffee that day. he didn't really like this drink until that day.

in the next building from where he lived there was a coffee shop and that was where thomas headed.

a neon sign on the street, a garland of light bulbs, a couple of tables and chairs to relax and enjoy a drink. everything would be fine if not the music from the speaker. "damn, this is led zeppelin" - he thought to himself : "I already like this place". but going inside thomas liked it even more. he liked it so much that he froze in the aisle, unable to take his eyes off the barista.

- good afternoon, what would u like to drink? - it seems Thomas did not even hear the question and continued to examine the girl opposite him, he was so fascinated by her - mister, are you okay?

- oh, yes ... yes, of course, I'm sorry - it seems he is already redder than a tomato

- what'll it be?

- um .. maybe ... I want - "you" thought the guitarist to himself, but of course he didn't voice it - I don't know what I want - sighed sadly

- well, in that case, let me help you with the choice - it seems her eyes sparkled even brighter. damn this girl really loves her job

- it would be nice - after a couple of questions, the girl began to flutter around the coffee machine.

all her movements were so easy and so ... beautiful. just like her. dark hair, almost black. loose clothes in which she looked even smaller than she was.  "she is tiny. she's up to my shoulder... OK, maybe a little bit higher... or not". in any case, it doesn't matter, unlike the fact that from the moment he saw her, this girl did not leave Thomas's head for more than a minute. he thought about her all the time. when he fell asleep, when he woke up, when he ate and even when he was working on new music.

from day to day he came to the coffee shop  in the morning for a cappuccino with  a little bit of caramel syrup (I think he would like it) . the barista offered him this drink when he first went into a coffee shop and did not know what to take and now he is ready to drink only it until the end of his days. on the days when he had to go to the studio, he bought coffee for the whole band, simply because "if you don't want to introduce us to the thief of your heart, then at least bring us  coffee from her".  the point was that thomas didn't know her either. not even her name, nothing. all he knew was that she works in a coffee shop and shr is about his age. and also that her handwriting is beautiful. when the guitarist took coffee for the whole band, she wrote on each cup what was inside.

they never talked about anything. after a couple of visits, the girl already knew Thomas's order by heart. so every time he quietly entered, greeted from the doorway and said the number of drinks and sat down at a table waiting for his order. he quietly watched every movement of the girl, paid, thanked and left as quietly as he came.

why didn't they talk? they both wondered this question. at first they both were too shy, and afterwards silence became a habit. and it became even more difficult to speak first.

almost two months have passed since their first meeting. Thomas stood near the coffee shop, smoked and talked to victoria on the phone.

- fuck! yes, apparently I fell in love! I have a crush! I'm smitten by a girl! yes, I'm!..maybe... I do not know! leave me alone vic please! - thomas was fed up with it. he was angry with himself and his lack of confidence, and this conversation did not help especially at half past seven in the morning

- did you ask her out? damn, thomas, do you even know her name? - the last long drag and he threw the cigarette  into the trash can

- she is fucking perfect, gorgeous, breathtaking and she's doing the best coffee in the world and she is not interested in me in this regard, end of the conversation! - he ran his hand over his face and ruffled his blond hair.

- how she can not being interested in you? have you even tried to talk to her?

- OK vic, I'm done, see you soon

thomas puched  the red icon on his phone and entered the coffee shop, without even thinking that the girl behind the counter heard what was happening on the street.

- good morning.  four please - he sat down at the table - she left her hair down  today, looks good ... nah, perfect on her. he thought about the way she smiles every time when she sees him. although he realizes that she is only smiling at him because he is her customer... damn, he seems to be in serious trouble.

- are you okay? you look a bit...

- t-tired? - did she just...spoke to him? -  yes, could not sleep all night

- coffee does not replace sleep, but I hope it will help you

- me too, dolcezza - she's so cute when she blushes. it seems he fell in love even more, if it possible

the guitarist paid, took his four cups of coffee and headed for the door

- thanks, bellezza - thomas raggi, where did you suddenly get so much courage to call her like that? TWICE!? but still not enough courage. he thought to himself

Thomas gave the stand with signed cups  to Damiano, who was sitting in the front seat

- OK,  that's yours - the singer handed the cup to victoria who was sitting in the back of the car with guitarist - ethan, your coffee, and ... O LORD, FOR GOD'S SAKE! THOMAS YOU FINALLY DID IT !

the blond guy looked up from his phone

- What did I....?

- LOOK! - damiano interrupted thomas and handed him the cup. there was complete silence in the car. the guitarist couldn't take his eyes off the writing on the cup of his caramel cappuccino, and the band couldn't take their eyes off his shocked face. there was a phone number written in neat handwriting

- that's might be her phone number ... did she..?. SHE GAVE ME HER FUCKING PHONE NUMBER!!!

thomas would not be thomas if he called or texted  her. he just came  to a coffee shop with a neon sign at the end of the working day.

- good evening - without looking up from work the girl began - what would you ... - she finally turned towards the guy standing awkwardly near the door - oh, hi - she looked down and blushed a little. it seems he should have contacted her  during the day

- I'm sorry I didn't text you, I ...

- no, it's okay, I just misunderstood you, I'm sorry, I - the girl wanted to continue, she was interrupted by  thomas's  nervous giggle

- no, don't apologize - he came closer to the counter - I really wanted to text to you .. and offer to take a walk after work .. and find out your name .. from the very first day when I came here -  the guitarist babble quickly, but at the same time with slight pauses between sentences.  his gaze  time traveled from the barista's face to some random item in a coffee shop all the, which could not but make the girl smile

- I'm y/n

🌻

AAAAAAAAAAHH love ittrtt

[punkscowardschampions]

Tommy & Meena/Meena & Ro

Slides into ya DMs a million years later

Tommy: [Sends her a link to a facebook post about their dance teacher from when they were kiddos] Tommy: As if she's retiring! 😮 It doesn't seem 5 mins since she was calling me out for picking my nose like Tommy: I wanna get her a pressie or something, what you reckon? 🤔 Gin or bubbles Meena joined the chat 105 minutes ago Meena: I know, crazy isn't it, sure she's telling everyone she doesn't feel anywhere near old enough (hoping they'll say she doesn't look it either) Bless her Meena: and it is a pretty nasty habit I hope you left behind, in fairness 😛 Meena: I don't think she'll oppose either, I'll go in with you on it if that's alright Meena: We should, really Tommy: 😂 Mostly. We all have our off days though, yeah? Bet your thumb still be looking tempting on the reg 😜 Tommy: Fuck it let her be down with the kids and chug down a 'trendy' gin Tommy: Yeah I was gonna ask if you did wanna but knowing you I didn't wanna assume you hadn't already gone all out like 🎉 Tommy: 😇 to my 😈 Meena: Never! That rancid nail paint Ana got me put me off for life Meena: could totally rock a mani now, even if pedis are forever out of the question 💃👣 Meena: I hadn't actually, been so busy with this band stuff with your sisters and that Meena: Probably wouldn't have done it if you hadn't, doesn't want any old riff-raff she barely remembers showing up Meena: her ⭐pupil though, that's different Tommy: fair, she's been at me bout it too Tommy: needs my skills appaz but it'll cost her Tommy: come on, it takes two to tango! nothing without the baby to my johnny 💑 Meena: Nice try but I'm not getting involved in sibling drama, I know better than that 🙅 Meena: my own Brother is going great lengths to avoid me so I'm chilling Meena: 😂 please Meena: if the other girl hadn't got knocked up, baby woulda been surplus from the start Tommy: Drama, me? Please 😂 Tommy: Nah tbh I'm excited to get involved Tommy: & see you lot in action ofc Tommy: Imagine! We'd have to have been going some to be dealing with pregnancy scares at that age even by my ma's standards Meena: 😏 Isn't it on your required curriculum? Meena: Can't blame you Meena: It has been a lot of fun Meena: It'll be good to see you too Meena: 😨 No thank you, I'll leave that to Ali, she's got it covered Meena: No way either of us could keep a child alive 😂 Tommy: You got me 🥊 Tommy: It looks it & the socials never lie Tommy: It'll be fab to see you too! ��� Tommy: How've you been, girl? Meena: Naturally, filters need not apply Meena: Me? I'm all good Meena: Nothing to report, no pregnancy scares or slightly predatory older men Meena: How's the London life? Tommy: 👍 Tommy: Me either Tommy: Only the teachers 😂 Tommy: London's capital D dramatic but I'm surviving 🤩 Tommy: like you said, required, yeah? Meena: Don't even joke, Mr. Lucas, this new teacher, is soooo sketchy Meena: not that he's likely to go after me 😂 but there will be drama worth reporting there Meena: mark my words Meena: and don't lie, you so LIVE for it, don't you? 🙂 Tommy: Oh my god colour me unsurprised and deeply disturbed Tommy: Trying to big you up without calling you a lolita and all that jazz Tommy: but noted Tommy: Shame the news came too late to get my sister learning from the nuns Tommy: 😂 Meena: Thank the Lord we can rule out everyone but Caleb pretty much for Rio's daddy Meena: she's so cute 😍 Tommy: Right? she's his double Meena: Nah she looks a lot like Ali too Meena: still, Mr. Lucas has not gone that far is my point Meena: she hates him, its so funny 'cos your Ma can't even be mad 😂 Tommy: Yas! Glad she ain't protesting too much Tommy: None of us got time to be dealing with that level of drama even me 😏 Tommy: Ma can ALWAYS be mad tho Meena: I wouldn't like to say Meena: Trying to get me to badmouth all your family today...are you print screening this?! 🙊 Tommy: Only if it gets juicy 😂 Tommy: what'll it take to get you to throwdown on 'em? Meena: 🤐 Tommy: It's been good catching up Tommy: Soz I'm not better at it Meena: No, it's not all you Meena: I'm not the most social of bears Meena: and its been a while Meena: but it was nice 🙂 Tommy: we should get a drink when I'm back 🍹 do it proper Tommy: no pressure like and even less drama Meena: You got it in you to leave it in London? 🤔 Meena: but i'm up for it Meena: I don't drink drink though, just an FYI Tommy: I'll do it for the craic 🍀 Tommy: Still gonna dance on the tables tho, yeah? Meena: 😳🙈 guess so Meena: anything you do, i'll do backwards and in heels Meena: thems still the rules, last I checked Tommy: 👑💚 Tommy: Love it Meena: Okay...Can I just vent at you for a hot sec, Ro Meena: More than free to comment any way you see fit (of course) but also as free to say nothing if you can't or don't wanna Meena: Just need to get it out 'cos what even Ro: Oh...of course Ro: Go ahead Meena: [Screenshots Tommy in her DMs] Meena: so I know its awkward 'cos familial ties and whatnot but WHAT THE WHAT Meena: He's been ignorning me for what, 6 years? Meena: Perhaps a little dramatic but basically Meena: and now we're just meant to move on as if a. those years didn't happen and b. the ones BEFORE didn't either Meena: am I being insane? I tried not to sound it with him but I am at such a loss rn Ro Ro: Um...I'd say it's rather awkward regardless Ro: What was he thinking? Ro: You are most definitely not insane, in fact, I applaud how together you remained Ro: It's a nice idea, in theory, to reconnect, but that's all it can be and surely he must see that Ro: The past can't just be erased when it's convenient Meena: Ugh, thank you! Meena: I can tell you're not just yes-manning me and it is so appreciated 😘 Meena: You'd think it had been a couple of days, the way he just tried to pick up there Meena: I get it...I wish it was possible in many ways Meena: but if we're going to be anything more than passing acquiantances ever again then I'm afraid we need to have a convo more awkward than that one even! 😬 Ro: Exactly! Ro: We'd all love a quick fix but they simply don't exist, even if you are a McKenna Ro: I'm frankly at a loss for words Meena: I mean...guess it was a nice gesture? right? Meena: God, feel like I'm 9 and he's pretending to like me so he can laugh about me with his friends at break Meena: Ridiculous Ro: I suppose so, if misplaced and poorly timed Ro: Well that's hardly surprising considering you were a child when he last talked to you Ro: You don't have to go for a drink with him just because you agreed then, remember that Meena: I know Meena: but I don't know Meena: I think I want to? Meena: Maybe he wants to say his piece in person Meena: although, in that case, perhaps give an indication in the text! Meena: Walking into an ambush Ro: You don't have to decide now at least Ro: And you can always call me if it does turn into an ambush Ro: I'll act as if there's an emergency Meena: Ooh, good plan Meena: never felt like I was in a romcom before Meena: almost exciting except i feel a bit sick Ro: I understand that all too well Ro: Another idea, cliche though it is, would be to channel this situation into composing a song Ro: Just don't let him know he's the subject Meena: it might be time to embrace the clichedness of it all Meena: the others would be proud Ro: They certainly would Meena: if not a little curious where all these deep feelings had sprung from Meena: oh the shame 🙈 Ro: True, but have no fear, my lips are sealed Ro: Whilst we're on the subject though, how do you feel about him getting involved with the band? Meena: Thanks, Ro 💛 Meena: I mean, I don't mind...I don't WANT to mind, it should be fine Meena: He's a part of my life as long as you guys are but that was admittedly far more abstract when he was more Meena: gone Meena: I am going to try, it would be good for the band, and me, to get over this Ro: Never mind the others, I'm very proud of you, Meena Ro: And for what it's worth, I think that's the right move, after all, he won't be away at school forever Ro: Should he decide to come back home for good you too are bound to interact more Meena: Exactly Meena: Can't ban him from Dublin and activities with his fam Meena: but I also don't think I need to exile myself...far too cliche for words and I frankly, don't want to Meena: I feel better for having talked it out...I just felt absolutely insane, like I was in topsy-turvy land or something, there for a sec Meena: Thanks again Ro, it means a lot Ro: What are friends for? No need to thank me, I'm just glad you feel better Ro: A very strange day for you indeed Ro: Tomorrow is a new one though at least and I'll be here if you need to talk again Meena: Truly! So strange manners were dropped at the door Meena: When we talk again I WILL ask how you are and what's going on with you Meena: I promise 😘 Ro: I have no doubt whatever Ro: But you're forgiven Ro: If there was ever a time for such an entitlement it was now Meena: 💛

[melonlordheroes]

The Dadlords: Sun, Sand, Sunk (PART 1)

-With the victory of Lyon in the voting gauntlet, Tiki's recent promotion to 5-Star, and all the chaos inherent in the BHBs currently taking place along with the Summoner's birthday happening the previous day... the Askran forces have earned a break. What better way than with a trip to the beach? While Mystery temporarily controls the grill (and occasionally threatens Arvis with the tongs to keep him away) the dadlords have scattered about to enjoy the weather. Hector is currently lecturing Lilina on the importance of sunscreen while she eyes Roy and Eliwood nearby attempting to lure a crab back into the ocean. Julius is plotting to try and dunk Julia underwater until a volleyball bashes him in the back of the head, courtesy Lucina and Seliph's extremely heated match being played with Fir and Siegbert. Finn is staring out over the sea, wishing Leif, Lachesis and Nanna were home with him and feeling a pang of sorrow at their absence. Bartre and Sigurd are watching the group, serving as makeshift lifeguards.-

Sigurd: It's rather nice to spend time with our families like this, isn't it?

Bartre: Heh, it is. ...Bet Barst woulda' loved to come too. Shame Genny came down with that cold.

Sigurd: Perhaps we'll have to all come back later in the summer?

Bartre: Now THAT'S the kind of thinkin' I respect! Good idea, Sig--

-Bartre is cut off by a sudden howl from further down the beach and both men stop to look at the source. Chrom is standing knee-deep in the water, looking pleased with himself, and in his arms wrapped up into the form of the ANGRIEST Nohrian burrito is Leo desperately trying to hide from the sun.-

Leo: CHROM, PUT ME BACK ON THE BEACH THIS INSTANT!

Chrom: Oh, Leo, it's not THAT bad. Look, you're not even touching the water!

Leo: (hissing) Historically speaking, princes of Nohr and the ocean have failed to get along since time immemorial! I REFUSE to go into that, that glorified corrosive bathtub!

Chrom: (soft laugh) Come on, try it. I won't let you drown!

Leo: It's not drowning-- I'm not the one who can't swim! I just don't LIKE to!

Chrom: Not-- wait. The one who can't swim? Then... can Xander not swim?

Leo: No, he can't. (wiggle) Now put me down. I'll go help Mystery cook or something.

-Seemingly too stunned to argue, Chrom steps back onto the sandbar and puts Leo down. As Leo immediately flees to the safety of Mystery's side, Chrom approaches Bartre and Sigurd with a determined look. Arvis also steps over to join them, having tired of dealing with Mystery.-

Chrom: Did you two hear that, by chance?

Sigurd: (frown) Indeed we did. Xander can't swim?

Bartre: Oh, that's just a tragedy... what'll he do if he ever has to travel by boat?! Gods, if he gets thrown overboard...

Chrom: As Xander's fathers, we must teach him. For his own safety!

Arvis: Bah, so he can't swim. What's the big deal? Nohr's probably landlocked--

Sigurd: Are you saying that because you yourself cannot swim, Arvis?

Arvis: ...

Sigurd: (little bit smug) Aha. Got you.

Arvis: Dastard.

Sigurd: (waves a hand) Very well! Chrom, fetch Marquess Ostia and Lord Eliwood and let them know we'll be occupied. Bartre, you'll be our leader for this mission.

Bartre: Right! Heh, leave it to me. Our boy'll be faster n' a ship in the waves when I'm through!

Sigurd: And I'll help teach Arvis to the best of my ability.

Arvis: That is absolutely not necessary.

Sigurd: Do you want to explain to Julia and Julius why you can't come in the water with them?

Arvis: ...Damn it. Fine. You're on.