#sorry this is so long but I'm very detail oriented

[leonsgfpost]

note: hello, it's me again! This is the second part of my first post (you can find it on my profile). I'm sorry if this is too long or I made a mistake, I just lost my mind for Leon, you know? 🎀

tags: Leon RE2 x f!reader, smut, unprotected sex (please don't do it), creampie, oral (famele receiving), masturbation and more!

Weeks went by and he finally did it, it was the most embarrassing moment of his life.

He had approached with two coffees in his hands and a packet of those sweets he saw you eat at every break. Because yes, he was very attentive. You like the pastries bought at the bakery down the street and the coffee you usually drink bitter to counteract the sweetness of the pastry. After making an effort and putting the most awkward smile on his face, he got up the courage to ask you if you wanted to hang out. And lucky for him, you accepted. That day of the date, he arrived an hour early, and had jotted down some questions on a crumpled piece of paper now inside his jacket. And just as he expected, you arrived with the cutest outfit he had ever seen. He knew you were the best, always wearing nice clothes that brought out all your features in just the right way. He felt like a fool for only wearing one of his blue shirts and the best pants he had found in his closet. But it had been a wonderful afternoon, he took you to a nice restaurant, moved the chair for you and paid the bills despite your complaints. Then, when the sun was going down he walked you home and you kissed his cheek so sweetly that he stood for ten minutes outside your door even after you closed it.

That night he couldn't sleep, because he realized that he really liked you, that you could stop his heart completely and not just his dick.

The two of you started to frequent each other more, started flirting at work, complicit glances and sloppy kisses in the lonely corners of the station. He didn't want to be a hormonal jerk, but the feeling of your mouth and tongue sliding past his lips fucked his brain. You were so pretty, so perfect that he had to have you, soul and body. He was determined to win you over. And so he was the most detail-oriented guy you ever met, bringing you nice flowers, chocolates, leaving you a coffee every morning on your desk and leaving you cute notes against it.

In no time you fell for it, because let's be honest, no one could resist.

The relationship was formalized, and you swore you never saw such a cute smile on someone's face after giving he a big "Yes." to his proposal. Leon felt like the luckiest guy on the planet, he had a cute, funny girl whom he loved madly because it didn't take you long to get into his heart. You came into his arms as if it was where you belonged, because it was, you belonged in his arms. Just like now, you're buried comfortably in his embrace and the television had been forgotten, you were both too busy devouring each other's mouths.

Leon's hands held each side of your cheeks, drawing your face towards him so he could keep pushing his lips against yours eagerly. It was a simple wet kiss, and he was already dripping inside his pants. And with every sweet sound that came from your lips, his mind was spinning. He wanted to put his hands on you, he wanted to bend your body and pin you so much against the couch that it was getting absolutely silly.

But he didn't want to push you, what if you felt obligated? What if you thought he was just a pervert? What if-

All those doubts were gone as quickly as they came as he felt you climb onto his lap, your arms around his neck and his hands instinctively squeezed your soft hips, pushing you down eagerly. He let out a deep moan as your fingers tugged his hair a little, pulling it away from your lips and he instinctively chased after you again. You had to hold back a laugh at how fucked up he looked from a simple wet kiss, how you could feel him so hard beneath you.

"Hey, Leon. Do you want to... Do you want to continue?" you ask sweetly, moving those pretty eyes of yours to his blue eyes that seemed to want to devour you completely. Before you could think anything else, he was already nodding eagerly.

"Yes, yes... Please." He murmured, his voice was hoarse and came out along with his heavy breaths. He cupped your face, pulling you into him. His lips moving hard against yours, the sloppy sound of the kiss echoing in his small living room. His hands moved down from your face to the sides of your shirt, pulling it up and he pulled away from your lips to lower his gaze to your chest. His breath caught in his throat, moving his hands to the clasps of your bra.

"Can I?" he asked looking at you, as if he wouldn't need to choke on your tits. After all, he was a gentleman.

And when you barely mumbled a small "yes" he removed the garment as if it had somehow insulted him. Your tits fell freely in front of his eyes and he swore that here he belonged. His mouth quickly catching one of your breasts, sucking like a hungry man. As he felt your fingers tugging at his hair and your moans echoing in the room, he had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. He could cum from just sucking on your pretty tits.

For lack of air, he pulled away from your nipple watching with fascination the red mark left on your tender flesh. His eyes lifted to yours to push his mouth against yours again, one hand on your cheek and the other holding your hip.

"Lift your hips." He said between kisses, smiling as he felt you obediently follow his request. His hand moved to cup your pussy above your pants, feeling the wetness and heat radiating from your center. And as much as he wanted to bury his face between your legs, he wasn't sure how long he could hold back and not cum intact in his pants. He began to massage your center gently before he began to stroke you harder, his fingers searching for your clit above your clothes. When he decided you were both eager enough, he began to unzip your shorts. His heart (cock) was about to burst with joy as he saw more of your panties exposed to his hungry eyes. It didn't take him too long to slide your shorts down your luxurious thighs, gasping at the sight of the dark stain on your underwear.

"Babe-" You moaned almost shyly as you watched his eyes not move from between your legs. His eyes lifted to look at you again, letting out a low moan as he impacted your mouth. His hands gripped your hips, moving you as if you weighed nothing to place you on the couch.

"You're so cute like this..." He murmured, looking at you as if you were the brightest star to come down from the sky just for him.

"You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen." His voice sounded genuine, mesmerized by the sight of you lying beneath him as he had so often fantasized. So ready, so willing for him. His lips moving down to your neck, beginning to kiss the full expanse of your skin. His hands beginning to impatiently pull down his own pants and boxers, letting out a sigh as the cool air made contact with his raging erection. One of his hands reached down to slip inside your underwear, feeling like he was going to faint when his fingers made contact with your wet folds.

Were you that wet for him? Did he turn you on as much as you turned him on? This was paradise, paradise was between your legs and he was ready to drown himself in it. It didn't take him long to plunge a finger inside you, feeling your walls sucking him hard. He was letting out more moan than you, simply by touching you like this.

"Leon, I want you... I want you, please-" You asked more impatiently, grabbing his hand for him to finally give you his nice cock that you could see it quivering between his legs with excitement.

"I know, I know. I got you, pretty girl." He whispered against your skin, increasing the rhythm of his fingers and with his palm he pressed your clit in a way that made your legs tremble around his hand. When he decided he could take no more, he pulled down your underwear completely, fixing his eyes on your drooling center in a lewd way. For him.

His hands spread your thighs, trying to look away from your pussy, to look at your face, but damn, he was mesmerized. He really wanted this to have been something more romantic, maybe some wine and candles but all those thoughts vanished as he pressed his tip against you. His chest rose and fell, massaging your thighs with his gaze fixed on how the head of his dick was lost from his sight as it entered your warmth. His gaze lifted for the first time to see the expression that crossed your face as he began to fuck you with just his tip.

"D-Do you want more? Does it feel good, huh?" he asked awkwardly, because he's never been good at this 'dirty talk stuff', but he was trying for you. His face was red, slowly moving his hips and his thumb moving up to caress your clit.

"Leon, Come on-" You moaned impatiently in the sweetest way, lifting your hips to try to take him deeper. Your walls were sucking him hard, and he was weak so he started thrusting harder and harder, giving you time to get used to it. He took a shuddering breath, lifting one of your thighs so he could go deep and his head rolled back with ecstasy.

He was not going to last.

He wanted to go slow, to make love to you but quickly found himself fucking you like a repressed man. And his expression was the cutest, his brows furrowed with pleasure and his pink lips slightly parted. A thin layer of sweat was beginning to cover both of your bodies.

When he opened his eyes to look at you, he cursed under his breath. You looked just as he had imagined you all this time, the hottest expression on your face, your body jerking against the couch and your tits bouncing happily with each thrust. And he closed his eyes again because he felt his abdomen tightening from the familiar sensation of his orgasm building. His thumb started stroking you faster, trying desperately to get an orgasm out of you.

The sound of your skins colliding and your moans echoed off the walls, a sound so wet it was almost sinful. His hips began to move uncoordinated as fast as he felt your walls clenching around him tightly, and he knew it.

"Don't stop, Don't stop." You repeated over and over, your nails scraping the smooth skin of his back with ecstasy at the coil forming in your belly that was ready to explode. His cock was touching all the right spots inside you, his veins rubbing and molding your walls with need.

"I can't, I can't... I'm sorry, baby-" He apologized with a choked sob escaping his lips, as his cock contracted and began to shoot its load inside you. His mind went blank and his arms making an extra effort not to let himself fall on you. His face burned knowing he cum before you.

But his brain was too fucked up as he continued to slowly move his hips against yours. As his mind began to clear, he looked up at you with his eyes cloudy and his bangs sticking to his forehead from sweat.

"Let me, let me make it up to you..." He asked in that pathetic voice of his, getting out of you with his trembling body and moving backwards on the couch. He knelt between your legs, staring at the mess he had made in you. His sticky semen escaping from inside you, staining the couch cushions.

"Leon, Wait-" You murmured, tangling your fingers in his sweaty hair before he plunged his face between the piece of paradise he held for his own blessing. His pretty blue, misty eyes meeting yours, and he let you know he wouldn't let go until you were broken.

Because he was already crazy, there was no turning back from his addiction. Because you were a drug to him and this was just beginning.

Thank u so much for supporting my previous post, I hope this one wasn't too long or boring for you 💕🫶🏻

Remember that you can read the first part on my profile, let me know if you liked this one too.

bye, bye (💌)

[kittensbooksart]

I made a doll

After making historical doll clothing, I got this idea that what if I made a doll myself. I was coveting a doll I could sew clothes for and then pose them for the clothing, but I don't really like that much of any of the design of commercial posable dolls and I'm broke so I can't in good conscience buy an artisan ball jointed doll (and I anyway don't like how thin most of them are). So I did the reasonable thing - I bought very cheep air dry clay (I do have "normal" clay but I don't have access to ceramic oven and it takes much longer to dry it and burn it etc, and I was literally just trying this out) and just started making it myself. I didn't plan ahead because it felt very overwhelming since I have never customized dolls beyond making them clothing and repainting their faces nor have I ever even owned a ball jointed doll. I went with the learning through mistakes rather than theory. The route I most often take. So just bear with me (real doll makers I'm sorry for the cringe).

Without further ado, here's Aune, my vampire OC (from my wip Be All My Sins).

I wanted to make her look like a porcelain doll, because I love their aesthetics. I did lean towards more realism than they were historically like though. Here's all her body parts before painting. (Some of the pieces in the picture are not actually fully smoothed and sanded, but it is right before I started painting the face. My brain just works in a way, where I jump around between the working stages. I'm very much incapable of doing anything organized and straight forwardly.) I have been wanting to do clay sculpting for a long time (it was so fun, when I was a kid in afternoon art school), and this was small scale enough to be manageable so it was so much fun. I will be definitely making more.

Here's her face before and after the paint. I'm quite happy on how the face sculpt turned out, but the paint job was a bit messy. As I mentioned I have done couple of repaints of doll faces, but I'm still not very good at it. When I paint traditionally I'm not often this detail oriented and painting on a 3D surface feels very different.

Here she is before and after getting her hair. I made her hair from wool yarn just by unraveling the yarn. It's the first time I made doll hair and I didn't want to buy proper doll hair for this or learn to curl it (I don't even have any curling irons or literally any other hair shaping appliances than a hair dryer, which I don't even use for my hair but for painting with water colors). It doesn't fall down nicely, but it has roughly the look I was going for.

Because I didn't plan at all ahead, the proportions are a little wonky (her arms especially are too thin imo and he legs could have a little more shape too) and the joints are not great. Worst of the joints was the hips, which attach to the torso in a weird way. The biggest issue that I had was not taking into account how much the varnish would add to the size. It's not a visible amount, but enough to make fit of the joints very poor and basically making it very hard for her to stand. (Her index fingers already broke of when she fell from my desk after I had made her stand there djfkjds. I was able to glue them back.)

Here's couple more picture of her!

It's not perfect at all, but I do still love her if only because it's such a cool feeling to be able to just have a lump of clay and two weeks later have a posable doll. It somehow feels magical to be just able to make a real physical thing from scratch.

[goldenlikedayl1ght]

the albatross ii - matt murdock

a/n: my first part two! i really love odd reader shes my favorite person ever. uh i don't really have much else to add i just love their dynamic. sorry the beginning is kind of bad im trying to figure out how much i want to delve into readers past like that. also im going to start a taglist for this so let me know if you wanna be included :)) warnings: cursing, drinking, lots of talk of death, reader has a lot of insecurities, reader has boobs my bad, oh! like a very brief mention that reader has sexual trauma, and lots of talk of sex though nothing happens-- word count: 5.2k summary: if there's a stunning woman with questionable character in the room, matt murdock is going to find her, and foggy nelson is going to suffer. pairing: matt murdock x winter soldier!reader the albatross series : i // ii now playing: the albatross - taylor swift "i'm the albatross/i swept in at the rescue/the devil that you know/looks now more like an angel/i'm the life you chose/and all this terrible danger"

September 19th, 1972

When you wake up, you’re freezing and out of breath. The initial moments after those long-term freezes were always frightening. You do not know how long it has been since you were taken, and part of you wonders if you ever will. You’re only ever conscious here, surrounded by generals and guards.

As soon as you wake up, a muzzle is clamped over your mouth. You’re a screamer, or at least you used to be. But now the muzzle is put on as a reminder that you are truly trapped and have no autonomy.

Someone will come in soon to say a list of words that will snap you out of your brain—Maybe snap is the wrong word. You will be locked out of your brain, conscious enough to know what you are doing but not at all in control.

You’re sitting in this big metal chair that might have scared you all those years ago, your arms strapped to the arms of the chair. The dimness of the room almost makes you scared as if you are a six-year-old who is afraid of the dark.

 A gruff looking man walks into the room, and behind him, you can see some soldiers dragging along an exhausted man, whose hair is long, but your eyes are drawn to him. Are there.. are there other people who are in the same situation as you?

In the back of your mind, a foreign emotion sparks, something that you cannot name at first, but then you find it— hope. Maybe hope is a strong word, maybe what you should be feeling is dread, that the things you are being forced into are happening to some other poor soul. You almost want to throw up when you realize it, but like everything else in your exhausting existence, you are ripped out of your thought by commanding forces around you. The man in front of you follows your eyeline to see you watching the man, and you think you see him grimace.

You have found something that was meant to always be a secret from you. You recall a foggy memory that isolation is the key to abuse.

The man nods towards you, and suddenly, you feel a violent shock go through your body as the man wills you to forget the small detail that you will hang on to for as long as humanly possible.

When a second jab of shockwaves hits you, you black out for a few seconds, only—

• • •

You sit up in bed, gasping or air as you try to orient yourself. Your hands come up to push sweaty hair out of your face, and you grip it tight to try and ground yourself. Your heart is racing as you take deep breaths in your nose and out of your mouth, not wanting to spiral into a panic attack.

You get up from bed to go shower, before changing your now drenched in sweat sheets, and it’s only then do you turn on your light and grab the book you’ve been reading.

You sit on the floor next to your bed, feeling disgusting and upset. You try to read, but you are rereading the same paragraph repeatedly. After twenty minutes of that, you grab your flip phone off the bedside table and dial Matt’s number.

You know it’s four in the morning. He’s asleep. He has to be up for work in the morning, but you cannot help it. You have been seeing the handsome stranger for a little under a month, and he has become your drug.

But there’s a couple of things.

First, you are still lying to him. He has no idea about your time as who is known in government circles as “The Midnight Agent”, and he has no idea that you will never be able to give him the life he deserves. Hell, you haven’t even spent the night with him, your relationship has been the definition of taking it slow.

Which leads to this: You have not slept with the man.

Back in 1945, you were surrounded by purity culture. Sure, you could have had a handsome soldier in your bed, but there was a part of you that always felt guilty when you looked to your large catholic family who were always insistent on saving yourself for marriage.

But you recall the memories of your time trapped, of guards who went unchecked and memories of men who took advantage of the fact that you were brainwashed, and how you might freakout if Matt’s hands wander too far..

And you recall Matt’s comment on your first date, about how he thought a long time to go without a date was a few months.

He picks up the phone before your thoughts can spiral any further.

“Hey, baby. You okay?” His voice is thick with sleep, and you feel a pang of guilt for waking him up. But you also melt at the simple pet name, not quite used to it yet.

“Hi.. I’m sorry I woke you up..”

“No, no, it’s okay.” He lies, “You didn’t..”

“Liar.”

“Okay, you got me.” He chuckles softly, “But seriously, it’s okay. What’s up?” He asks, and you let out this sigh. What to tell him, what not to tell him..

“Can’t sleep.” You sigh, rubbing your eyes. “Wanted to hear your voice. I tried to read The Outsiders, but I couldn’t focus.” You cannot seem to do anything right..

“Okay.” He says gently, “Why can’t you sleep?”

“I had a nightmare.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“..Not really..”

“Okay, that’s fine.”

“Sorry..”

“Why are you apologizing?”

You pause. It’s a good question.

“I dunno..” And then after a few moments you ask, “Matt?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Is it okay that we haven’t had sex yet?” The question eats at you. You recall Matt’s assumption that a ‘while’ since your last date had meant a few months. You’re worried that you’re not satisfying him and that he’ll get bored. Bored of you, bored of your quirks and oddities, bored of all of it.

And you don’t know when you’ll be okay to have sex with him, or if you’ll even be able to make it all the way through when you get to that point. And it’s eating you up— You could at least be good at something if you insist on being odd and bizarre throughout this whole relationship.

“Of course it’s okay,” He promised, “Why wouldn’t that be okay?” Sure, Matthew had his fair share of partners in the day, but this was different— You weren’t just a date to him, you were fascinating. If he hadn’t been such a realist, he might have accused you of being a time traveler.

And sure, sometimes he thought about you, about being buried between your thighs, about making you shake and cry with pleasure, and about how well he could fill you up..

But those lewd thoughts always take a backseat to how utterly interesting you are— Your odd taste in ice cream, odd movie and book tastes, the way you speak, some of the things you say..

“Because you’re hot,” you blurt out and then sigh. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, you’re so fucking handsome and I can’t even..” The words die out in your mouth, as you curl up into yourself on your floor, holding the phone pressed tightly against your ear.

“Oh, sweetheart, I don’t need to sleep with you to know that I care about you.” He promises. “Do you want me to come over? Maybe you’ll sleep better if we’re together.” He says softly.

You hesitate, looking around your apartment. If you had a nightmare, he’d question what happened.. But on the other hand, you were fucking exhausted, and maybe Handsome Matthew would be the trick to you getting some sleep.

“Sure.. but uh.. My apartment’s super messy..” You confess, and he just chuckles.

“Somehow I don’t think that’ll bother me.” He teases, and you laugh.

“Right, Right.. Sorry..” You say. “I’ll see you soon, then?”

“See you soon.” He promises, and as soon as he hangs up, you immediately get up and start shuffling around to clean your apartment.

You do the dishes, you throw all your dirty clothes in the hamper, you make your bed with pristine edge and of course.. You grab the gun you keep under your pillow and stuff it right next to your vibrator next to your fuzzy socks.

You’re finally finishing up with your minor chores when you hear a knock at the door. You open it and have to take a beat to catch your breath since Matthew looks especially good with his grey sweatpants and black sweatshirt.

He grins at you, leaning into greet you with a kiss as he steps into the apartment.

“So, this is where the magic happens, huh?” He asks, and you smile bashfully.

“Something like that.” You shrug, letting him lead you through the apartment. His cane tip-taps against the floor, and your hands come up to rub your arms. It is your apartment, and yet, you feel absolutely exposed. “Uh, just… Keep going straight and the bedroom is on the right. Do you need anything?” You ask, unsure if he has some weird hypervigilant bedtime routine at.. you know.. Four in the morning.

His cane shifts hands and he holds his free hand out behind him, for you to take.

“Just you.” Your face flushes as you take his hand,

“You’re such a flirt.” And he laughs.

“How can I help myself when I’m in a pretty girl’s place?” he asks, and you go to answer but he leans against the wall right next to the doorframe, dropping his duffle bag and cane in favor of pulling you close, your chest against his. Your breath catches and he smirks as if he can see your flustered nature.

“You’re a decent young man,” you start, “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that it’s rude to grab people?”

“No, the nuns never mentioned that.” He does that adorable half chuckle before tilting his head. “Why? Do I make you nervous, sweetheart?”

Your face flushes.

“Everything makes me nervous, Matthew, you know that.” You accuse and he laughs again, nodding.

“Yeah, maybe I do know that. Seems familiar.” He hums, his grip on you loosening a bit. He presses another kiss to your lips. “Let’s get you to bed, sweetheart.” You don’t protest, simply grabbing his hand and pulling him along to bed. He’s more than happy to follow you through.

You find yourself laying in the bed, and he’s standing to the side as if he’s staring at you. You raise an eyebrow to him.

“What? What is it?” You ask, and he quickly moves, jumping on top of you. You laugh a bit to hide your nerves, and he grins. He leans down and presses a long kiss to your lips before whispering,

“If we never have sex, I’ll still stay with you forever.” He says gently, and your face is deeply flushed.

“Forever?” You ask gently. He nods, leaning down and pressing another kiss to your lips.

“As long as you’ll have me.” He says gently, and then, he rolls over and lays next to you. His hand finds yours and he laces his fingers with yours. You look at him for a long time, just holding his hand. “What is it?” he asks softly, glancing over to you.

“I just..” you laugh a bit. “I’ve never had a boy in my bed before.” You confess, and he laughs, his arms wrapping around you.

“You’re so odd.” He says softly, his hands finding your hair to play with it gently. “I love it.”

• • •

And this is how you spend your early morning. You sleep soundly in the arms of the one who loves you, something you have never had the privilege of before.

You slip out of bed rather early considering that you don’t have work today. But you can’t help yourself, you find yourself making breakfast for Matt. Pancakes, sausage, and coffee, just for him. At some point, he calls out to you,

“Hey, babe, where’s the shower?” And it’s rather domestic, in a way that makes you both uncomfortable and giddy. At the same time. Weird.

“Uh, right across the hall from the bedroom,” you tell him. And after about twenty minutes, Matt comes out to the kitchen. He’s dressed for work, but his tie is undone, sitting on his neck. His jacket hangs over his arms, and for a minute, you are just as you were always meant to be—

A young woman, in love with a man who has a good career, who loves you and is kind, whom you cook breakfast for and anxiously wait for him to get home.

And before you can stop yourself, you walk on over to him and begin to fix his tie, and he tilts his head.

“Where’d you learn to tie a tie on someone else?” he asks curiously. Your brain flashes to the soldiers who were never taught to tie a tie, so you learned, making sure to help them make sure their uniforms were in pristine condition.

But better than telling your boyfriend about that, you settle on a different truth.

“Needed to tie my brother’s tie a lot before work.” You settle on, and he smiles. That was the first time you had mentioned any of your family, so he just nods.

“What was his name?” ‘Was’ is a cruel but accurate detail.

“Anthony.” You tell him, finishing your work on his tie. Then, you press a kiss to his cheek. “Ready for breakfast?” He smiles and nods, as you direct him towards your table.

Yes, even though you ate mac and cheese while sitting on the floor when you first met him, you do own a table.

“What’s for breakfast?”

“Pancakes and sausage. Oh, and Coffee,” You tell him. You serve breakfast and sit across from him, placing a jar of jam on the table as well as syrup. When you pop the lid off the jam, Matt tilts his head.

“Why do I smell strawberry jam?” He questions, and you just raise an eyebrow.

“For my pancakes?”

He begins to laugh.

“This is what I mean when I say you’re odd. The only other person I know who’d do that is my dad, who learnt it from my grandparents.” He tells you. You shrug.

“I grew up with jam. Syrup’s too sweet.”

“Of course you did.” He smirks, taking a bite of his breakfast.

• • •

After Matt leaves for work (After breakfast, a make out session and then ten minutes with you fixing his disheveled look), you begin to actually clean your apartment. But your apartment is only so big, so by lunchtime, you’re bored again.

So, you start cooking and making these chicken ceaser wraps and french fries, before hopping in the shower. You’ve never dated anyone who you’ve felt the need to make and bring lunch to, but there is a first time for everything.

When you get to his office, you take a while to notice and observe every little thing about the walk. When you get to the front door, your hands run over the sign that reads ‘Nelson, Murdock & Page.’ And then you remember that in going up these stairs, you’ll meet his two best friends, and your stomach flips at the idea of it.

But your fingers twitch at the idea of seeing Handsome Matthew again. You’re incredibly down bad for the man you refuse to sleep with, so you push open the door, making your way to the office. When you step inside, you’re faced with a blonde man holding a cup of coffee, talking to a different, more blonde, woman who eats her lunch. 

Maybe you have the wrong office.

“Hi— Uh, I’m looking for Matt.” The words tumble out of your lips, and you wish you could say something more.

“Yeah, he’s in his office, I can grab him for you.” The man says kindly, and steps towards the only office door that’s closed. You nod and stand awkwardly. This is weird, you know that. You are a stranger in this office holding a big lunch box.

Matt steps out of his office and smiles in your direction. Immediately, you relax. There he goes, Handsome Matthew completely messing up your thought patterns and making you go against everything you ever thought you’d do.

“Hi.” He says, leaning in to give you a quick kiss.

“Hey.” You smile, and you see a moment of recognition on the faces of his coworkers.

“Oh, you’re the girl—” The man starts, and then it clicks that these people must be his best friends.

“And you’re Foggy and Karen.” You smile, sticking a handout for them to shake, and they do. You introduce yourself, and they do the same. It’s not as awkward as you would’ve thought, but you’re making it so much worse in your head.

“What’s going on?” Matt asks, and you redirect your attention to him.

“Uh, I made lunch. I thought I’d bring it to you.” He smiles at this.

“Thank you. Here, let’s uh, eat in my office.” He takes your hand, and you tell Foggy and Karen that it was nice to meet them, as he closes the door behind him. You sit down in one of his chairs.

“Sorry for just barging in on you guys. I probably should have called first.” You decide, but he shakes his head.

“No, no, it’s perfectly fine.” He smiles, sitting down in his own chair as you unpack lunch. You’re seriously not used to any of this, so it’s as if you’re taking foreign steps.

The two of you make pleasant conversations before Matt asks you,

“Hey, do you want to come to the bar tonight?” He asks, “We have a usual spot we go to. I thought it might be a good way for you to get to know my friends.” He hums.

“Oh, I don’t want to intrude...”

You also don’t really want to get drunk around Matt, afraid of what you might say. But he answers,

“Don’t worry, Foggy’s wife is going and so is Karen’s boyfriend.” You notice the shift in Matt’s body language.

“You don’t like Karen’s boyfriend.” You immediately recognize.

“What? No—“ He chuckles, “It’s just a complicated history..” The part of you that never grew up, that wants to dive head first into drama, the part of you that is still twenty something, clutching the arm of your sister as she spills about all the people she doesn’t like gets to your mouth before you can stop it,

“What do you mean, ‘complicated’?” You ask, and he just laughs a little.

“Really, sweetheart, it’s not—”

“Let’s make a deal,” You say, “In exchange for me bringing you a delicious lunch,” You start, “And for telling you something about my messy past, you have to tell me about that complicated history.”

“Deal.”

“Okay, than spill.”

“You remember a few years back, the uh, Punisher?” He asks, and you tilt your head. No, you don’t. It was probably before you were allowed to have autonomy and live on your own.

“Uh.. No.”

“What? It was all over the news.”

“I wasn’t living in New York until a few years ago.” Not untrue, you were living in the middle of Europe until recently.

“Oh, right.” He nods, “Well, he killed a lot of people he thought deserved it, and, as someone who has great respect for human life, I don’t know, I just can’t imagine dating someone with a kill count at all, let alone over thirty people.” He sighs, “But Karen sees something in him, I guess.”

A shiver runs down your spine. You realize that you can’t ever tell Matt about what had happened to you. He wouldn’t understand, he’d see you as a monster. Well, you are a monster, but you cannot ever tell him that! Is this a mistake? Are you supposed to break up with him now not to hurt him?

“Yeah, I can understand that.” You take another bite of your wrap.

“I believe I’m owed some of your messy history.”

“Right,” you nod, “Well, Before I moved here, I was living in Europe.” You tell him.

“Really? Where in Europe?”

“Here and there.” You shrug. “I just sort of went wherever I was needed.” You explain, again—Not a lie. Definitely not a lie. You were ordered around and told to go here and there.

“What did you do there?” He asks.

“It’s all kind of a blur,” You’re really being truthful now.

“Has anyone ever told you how weird and odd you are?” He acts, voice full of affection.

“You. Last night.” You grin, and he just grins back.

“Right. I really have a way with words, huh?”

“Yup. You’re a real charmer.”

“I meant it though.”

“Which part? The part where you called me strange?”

“The part where I asked you to come out to the bar with us tonight—And the part where I told you I’d stay with you for as long as you’ll have me.”

“Yes.”

“Yes you’ll come to the bar with us or you’ll let me stay with you for a while?”

You get up, circle around his desk, before placing your hand on his jaw, tilting his head up to you. Your other hand comes up to take his glasses off. For a minute, you just admire him, before pushing the hair from his face. Then, you lean in to press a kiss to his lips.

When you pull away, his lips try to follow yours, but your thumb just gently wipes away your lipstick stains from his lips.

“Yes.” You repeat, and he just grins.

He absolutely adores you.

• • •

You make sure to fix your hair before you leave your apartment, and then, you find yourself leaning on the brick wall outside of the bar. Your heart is racing, and although you do not smoke, god you need a cigarette.

Your foot taps anxiously against the pavement.

This will be fine, you tell yourself. Matt likes you, surely you can get the others to do the same. Or at least, you can try your damn best, and not just sit out here like a bitch.

Your head glances over to the door as a rather tall and gruff man approaches the door. He sees you staring at him, and opens the door before asking,

“You coming in, kid?”

Kid.

You’re a hundred years old, but okay.

“Uh, yeah.” You answer, before heading into the bar, “Thanks,” He just nods back at you. You walk in and look around for Matt and his friends. You immediately soften when you see him. Of course you can do this.

As you make your way over to them, the man who opened the door for you also heads over to them. You tilt your head as you get to your boyfriend and his friends before Karen comes over to you guys, sends you a smile, before greeting the man with a kiss. Oh. This is the boyfriend that Matt doesn’t like.

Matt greets you with a kiss, before Karen asks,

“What are you drinking?” You realize she’s asking you. What do you drink?

“Uh, whatever. I kind of like everything,” You smile weakly, before shrugging. She just nods, and then her and her boyfriend head over to the bar. You glance over to Matt, and smile. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He smiles and kisses you again. “I’m glad you decided to join us.”

“Well, I did say yes earlier.”

“Yeah but you were being very vague and odd.”

“You said you liked that!”

“Shhh,” and then he kisses you again.

“You two are gross.” His friend, Foggy, says, and his wife just swats his arm.

“Sorry,” You smile, and then Frank and Karen are back at the table, and this large bottle of whiskey is placed on the table, and six glasses are placed along side it.

“Woah, big bottle.” Foggy whistles, and Karen shrugs.

“Long week. Lots of whiskey required.” Matt leans over to you and says,

“You don’t have to drink that if you don’t want to—”

“I said I like everything,” You told him, “And I meant it.” You remind and the people around you laugh, so it definitely gratifies your desire to please them.

“See, this is the type of energy you needed in a date,” Foggy grins, and Karen laughs as she pours the whiskey for you all.

“I agree, I like her a lot more than I liked the last one.”

“Flattered, I love when people talk about me like I’m not here,” You tell them, as you take a long drink of your whiskey.

“You are odd,” Foggy says, and again, his wife swats his arm.

“Franklin, you cannot say that to someone you just met!”

“I was just joking, really it’s fine,” You assure, and take another sip of your drink. Then another drink. Your eyes get a glint of dog tags hanging around Frank’s neck. You nod to him. “Military?” Everyone’s head snaps to look at you, and then to him.

“Marines.” He answers, and he waits.

“I was a nurse overseas for a while.” And you almost slap your hands over your mouth, horrified at the words that just left your lips. Everyone looks at you, very confused, including sweet Handsome Matthew.

“Wait, you were in the army as a medic?” He asks, and you just nod.

“Yeah, I don’t.. really like talking about it..” You sigh, “It was a long time ago.. Before I was in Europe doing whatever, I was in Europe being a nurse.”

“Europe? There hasn’t been active combat in Europe since the 40’s,” Frank says, and you shrug.

“That’s where they had me. It’s where I learned to drink.” You finish your drink and go to refill it, “You’d be surprised how many young cadets try to assert their dominance over drinking games.” You laugh fondly at the memory.

Matt leans in to kiss your cheek, whispering in your ear, “Odd.”

• • •

You and Frank get into your own form of a drinking game as the night goes on. After two glasses, Foggy and his wife stop drinking, something about brunch with her parents in the morning.

Matt stops drinking after three, and Karen after four.

But here you and Frank are, swapping war stories like old army buddies as you make your way through the bottle. Five, six, seven.. You can’t remember by the time the bottle is empty. All you know is you’re leaning against Matt, and Frank is holding Karen close, and you are happy.

You don’t feel hidden anymore.

When the bottle is done, Matt’s fingers run up and down your arm.

“We gotta get you home, honey.”

“You need to kiss me.” You blurt, too drunk to know what you’re saying.

“What?” He grins.

“Kiss me. I want you all over me,” and you lean over to kiss him, and after a few moments, he pulls away from the kiss.

“Alright, but let’s get you home first.” And then you nod, because that’s a good idea. You don’t want Frank and Karen to see all the vicious things you want to do to Handsome Matthew. He helps you up and wraps his jacket around your arms, before glancing back to his friends. “Have a good night guys. See you Monday.”

You take a minute, before smiling at his friends.

“Thanks for having me. I had fun.” You cannot remember the last time you had this much fun. “Sorry I’m so fucking odd,” You start giggling, “But I had fun.” Everyone else, too tipsy and drunk to say much else, just laughs and sends you on your way.

You and Matt stumble home, as you mumble soft things about how much you like him, how pretty he is.

When you get back to your apartment, he locks the door behind you and helps you to your bedroom. Once there, you begin to kiss him.

“Sweetheart,” He mumbles into your lips, “Wait,” He pulls away and smiles at you. “Pajamas first.” He requests, and you nod.

“Yeah. Great Idea.” You mumble, going over to your drawers (Not the one with your vibrator, socks and gun) and pull out an old tee shirt and shorts. You begin stripping down, and you stop and glance to Matt, in just your shorts and bra, before asking, “Wait, how do I know you’re not staring at me?”

He almost laughs at how drunk you are.

“Honey,” he begins softly, and then taps the space between his eyes. Then you laugh, feeling silly.

“Oh.” You unclip your bra and slip on your tee shirt. You sit on the bed, and then lay down. You sigh deeply, your bed surprisingly comfortable after all of those drinks. You watch as Matt begins to strip down. “Handsome.” You mumble, and he laughs.

You fall asleep as he kicks his pants off before crawling into bed with you.

• • •

You wake up at some god-awful hour, maybe around two in the morning. You run over to the bathroom and vomit into the toilet. After a while of throwing up, you wander on over to the kitchen.

You take a big, long drink of water, before sighing deeply.

Your stomach growls. You find a loaf of sourdough bread you had brought home from work yesterday and begin to butter a few slices. You munch on your food, and remember Matthew in your bedroom.

Your Matthew.

You finish your snack, and then find yourself sitting on the floor of your kitchen. Just like you did the first night. Your lean your head back against the cabinet. You think about your boyfriend, and you think about everyone you lost.

In your half drunk state, You only smile when Matt sits next to you on the floor.

“What’re we doing on the floor, baby?” He asks softly.

“Just.. Sleepy..” You mumble, and then a grin spreads across your face. “I’m thinking about my best friend.”

“Your best friend?”

“Taylor.” You say softly, “She was my best friend.”

“And where is she now?” He asked, leaning over to brush your hair out of your face.

“Oh, she died ten years ago.” You say, and then laugh as if it’s funny. “Natural causes.” You shrug. She had died of old age.. And you weren’t there for her. Your best friend..

Matt’s arm is around you in an instant.

“I’m sorry, baby.” He says gently, and leans in to kiss your head.

“And you..” You glance over to him. “You.. I don’t even know what to do with you.” You laugh, and he frowns.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I..” You sigh. “I mean that no one’s ever made me feel like you have..” You mumble, and then you admire him, only in his boxer briefs. “I love you, Handsome Matthew. And I don’t know what to do about it..” You mumble.

Matt just leans in to kiss your head again.

“If I said I love you too, would that help?”

“It would be a start..”

“I love you.”

“Even though I’m odd?” You ask, “Weird and bizarre? Off my rocker, completely out of my fucking mind..?”

“Especially because you’re odd.”

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

taglist: @writtenbyred , @indestructeible

[lalovi]

https://www.tumblr.com/shmolish/750251834196852736/so-not-sure-on-the-limit-for-characters-but-feel?source=share

Hey I got inspiration from this other anon's ask and...gotta ask:

Same traits question...but for...well Royal margarine, clotted cream, shining glitter, cherry blossom, dark choco (after he redeemed himself), butter roll, red velvet, Caramel arrow and finally...cream unicorn.

If it's too many cookies at once...surprise me with who you choose from the List lol! (Sorry for so many...I simp for a LOT of cookies! Just picked a few from the list of cookies I Simp for.)

AN: I don't know some of these characters that well, so sorry if they seem a bit wonky-

Multiple x Reader CRK

Headcanons

Warning: Some of these characters may be OOC, not proof read

Royal Margarine

First and foremost, Buttercream has to like you

If they don't, you're automatically out (sorry)

It shouldn't be that much of an issue as long as you are a halfway decent person

Since he's kind of a wimp, he'd definitely appreciate someone who can fight rly well

A person to take care of him when he's drunk

Oh, and you have to be able to handle his constant flirting

And he probably won't mind someone who flirts back as well

Starts blushing and kicking his feet at the thought /hj

So, someone outgoing and bold

Clotted Cream

Knowing his profession and all, his day to day life is very stressful!!!

Therefore, I think he'd like someone who can help him wind down a bit

Someone who is always put together and organized

Like housewife vibes, even if that's a bit stereotypical

A person to just help his life become a little easier and a little less dull

So, someone detail oriented and calm

Shining Glitter

Since music is such a big thing in her life, she'd enjoy someone who can create music with her

Or even just dancing along to her own would be enough

Someone who appreciates everyone's art

A person who never gives up on their dreams

Or a person with a lot of ambition and ideas

Since it reminds her of herself <3

So, someone determined and creative

Cherry Blossom

100% you need to go on picnics with her daily

Bonus points if you know proper tea-party etiquette

She gives off nice aunt vibes but gossips a lot

Probably enjoys someone who she can gossip with

Not only that, but I'm sure someone who can bake would do her some good

After all, you must bring plenty of snacks to a picnic

So, someone who always listens and is easy to talk to

Dark Choco

Enjoys a person who will always love and accept him, despite his past

It would be a sun an moon kind of relationship

He seems rather touch starved, so a cuddly partner will definitely serve him well

So, someone understanding and kind

Butter Roll

He'd like someone who appreciates and is interested in his work

A person who always listens to his rants and what-not

An upbeat person to match his sunny personality

And perhaps someone who can notice small details and point them out

Someone who's dedicated to their craft

So, someone focused and upbeat

Red Velvet

I think he'd be interested in someone who is very kind and gentle

Since he has a lot of dogs, (cakes?) He would appreciate someone who can help him take care of them

Not only that, but I think he'd enjoy someone who he can just rant to

I don't know why, but I feel like he has a lot to say

So, someone gentle and caring

Caramel Arrow

She would be attracted to a person who always looks out for others

A person who fights to defend those who can't defend themselves

Even if they have to defy authority

You two would share that struggle

So, someone who looks out for others and has integrity

Cream Unicorn

Though they are very kind, they are actually rather calm

Therefore, I think they'd need someone a lot more extroverted to be with

A person who always tells them about their day

They just find you so interesting

A person who is kind to everyone

Someone with lots of energy

So, someone who is energetic and loves to talk

[nalyra-dreaming]

From Reddit:

The show wasn't performing on a stellar level in S1 when Lestat was in every episode. The fact of the matter is this show had a lot going against from inception. For one, the source material isn't all that relevant today if I'm being brutally honest. That's why it took as long as it did for an adaptation to come to fruition after being scrapped and passed up on other networks. No disrespect to Anne Rice, she did set the path for all these other shows to tread, but vampire media has become a tough sell in recent years and it's popularity is no where close to where it was in even 2010. Fox's The Passage was a wonderful show that was canceled the first season. Morbius was a box office failure, The Strain-canceled, NS4A2- cancele, and Dracula (NBC) - canceled. Now throw in a show centered around a melodramatic gay vampire relationship? Very tough sell because queer shows often have their own set of struggles appealing to a wide audience (RIP Our Flag Means Death, and Good Omens was very lucky to be revived for one more season after being canceled).

I for one love the relationship aspect of the show, but it made IWTV that much more niche. The movie back in 94 was controversial because it was so niche, luckily it had the start power to make it successful but it messed up Tom's career for years. Even if every book reader did show up for this show (and they didn't) it still would have been too small of an audience. And I say this as an avid fan of Rice and a book reader.

I have watched nearly every person who has reacted to the show on YouTube who wasn't a book reader and guess who is their favorite regardless of race, age, or sexual orientation? Lestat. And guess which episode they all have liked best? Episode 5 because it was an escape from all the melodrama and actually had some action. Despite my favorite parts of the show being the Loustat romance, I can admit that most people aren't tuning into AMC, home of The Walking Dead, for that. I hate to say this, but the show would probably have performed even worse if Lestat was not made as extreme and off the wall as he was. You either love him, or love to hate him.

Unfortunately, we live in an age that quality shows such as this don't make it very far. Hence why television is so weighed down with police, medical, and firefighter dramas at the moment (yawn).

Nalyra, it sounds like the show really will be cancelled based on this. Do you agree with this comment? I know AMC owns the intellectual properties. What is stopping them from cancelling the Immortal Universe & selling those rights if it’s not making money & people aren’t watching?

Alright, Nonny, sorry I needed a moment.

cracks knuckles

Let me take that one apart :))

“The show wasn't performing on a stellar level in S1 when Lestat was in every episode. The fact of the matter is this show had a lot going against from inception. For one, the source material isn't all that relevant today if I'm being brutally honest. That's why it took as long as it did for an adaptation to come to fruition after being scrapped and passed up on other networks.”

Nope. It was passed on and from network to network because Christopher Rice wrote the script and wanted to start with “Wolfkiller”. Now, as has been detailed here by @cbrownjc (for example), that wasn’t a good idea, because it would literally give all the story away. And THAT is why it was likely passed on. Note also that when AMC finally acquired all the rights they scrapped that script immediately, and Anne and Christopher likely signed NDAs, because though they were/are Executive Producers… there is no statement, whatsoever. Which MIGHT have to do with Christopher’s rejected script. 😬

Also, I think the show has more than proven how just slight twists can make this source material immensely relevant for today. Their social commentary and color-conscious casting is top notch. Not seeing that… well. What do you want me to say to that? 😅

Fox's The Passage was a wonderful show that was canceled the first season. Morbius was a box office failure, The Strain-canceled, NS4A2- canceled, and Dracula (NBC) - canceled.

… Okay I did not watch “The Passage”, but the other ones. And apart from The Strain’s first season they were all very sub par. Like the first season of NS4A2? Intriguing!!! Second season? I wanted to bash my head against the wall!! The Strain I actually bought, and the initial setup was awesome… and then it just went downhill. Dracula… lol, yeah. I wasn’t surprised. And let’s not even talk about Morbius. (I think I was very drunk by the end of that one, lol)

Imho - it’s not the “vampire media” but the quality of said vampire media. And, let’s not forget - this is the Vampire Chronicles, the very basis for a lot of these re-inventions. It’s a very different kind of beast. And a very distinct universe, imho.

Now throw in a show centered around a melodramatic gay vampire relationship? Very tough sell because queer shows often have their own set of struggles appealing to a wide audience (RIP Our Flag Means Death, and Good Omens was very lucky to be revived for one more season after being canceled).

Yeah well, from what I heard OFMD killed of one of the very beloved characters there in very bad writing and… well. That didn’t go over well. (So I heard.) And Good Omens was never supposed to be more than three seasons afaik (after that initial ONE season).

It's not the gay or queer - it's the quality and setup, imho. It's why the rating is at friggin' 97% this time round. And why there is a whole universe being set up. There is just SO MUCH you can do with the VC.

The movie back in 94 was controversial because it was so niche, luckily it had the start power to make it successful but it messed up Tom's career for years.

WHAT. What are they talking about. Niche??? I was there, in packed theaters. WHAT??? Also Tom's career. Niche... yeah it was controversial, but not because of niche, but because it was very gay for the mainstream 90s!!!!

Even if every book reader did show up for this show (and they didn't) it still would have been too small of an audience. And I say this as an avid fan of Rice and a book reader.

🙄 To be honest (forgive me but), they sound like one of those hardcore book fans who stop after QotD because it’s “not the original trilogy” after. SMH.

I have watched nearly every person who has reacted to the show on YouTube who wasn't a book reader and guess who is their favorite regardless of race, age, or sexual orientation? Lestat. And guess which episode they all have liked best? Episode 5 because it was an escape from all the melodrama and actually had some action. Despite my favorite parts of the show being the Loustat romance, I can admit that most people aren't tuning into AMC, home of The Walking Dead, for that. I hate to say this, but the show would probably have performed even worse if Lestat was not made as extreme and off the wall as he was. You either love him, or love to hate him.

That one… is probably true, I guess. Or at least in parts, I don’t think that everyone liked ep5 best, nor wanted to escape “the melodrama”. But there is a reason why Lestat is the main character of the VC, and why he is so iconic. And Sam…. manages to conjure him, on possession-level, lol shrugs

Unfortunately, we live in an age that quality shows such as this don't make it very far.

At least they acknowledge the quality :)) … this is why it’s so good we’re on AMC. They have experience with shows like this. And they own the books.

_____

Okay. (I think it’s clear I don’t agree with this comment^^)

Nonny, the show won’t be canceled because of takes like this, or through takes like this.

You ask what is stopping AMC to cancel the IU and sell it all?

Well, for one - who would like to buy it if they fail to develop it? They would NEVER get the money back if THEY fail to monetize this. And they did pay big bucks to get all of it.

There is a whole universe in those books. And I mean, Mark Johnson only said just the other day, at the fan premiere, that they’re developing Talamasca and more. Why would they put money into an adjacent show, if they were planning on cancelling the IU?

And, trust me, this IU… is built on the VC. There is a reason why Rolin Jones is on record saying AMC wants to do 10 seasons. They are going to milk this thing, for all it’s worth.

Also - people are watching. It has its audience. I have no idea where this is coming from - from the cable ratings? The show is #1 on all streaming sites. What do you mean people aren’t watching? :)

IWTV has been adapted before, and so I do agree with the OP wrt to some people biding their time. Which is something I low-key understand, even though I do not agree, because they’re missing out big time, and ultimately only hurt themselves with it.

But … trust me - when the truly “new stuff”(*) will happen?

I bet then this show will take off.

(* Mandatory disclaimer: IWTV is brilliantly reimagined, but some people seem to be stuck in the book structure mentally, even though we are far from “only on one book”. Still, for all intents and purposes we are on IWTV for the majority of the story, and (a lot of) that HAS been told before. However… we will enter never before seen territory soon. Have actually already gotten to see a revenant?!!!

Let’s… just wait.

But I actually, sincerely doubt this show will be in any kind of danger.

[seokjins-luigi]

i hate everything about you | pt. 2 | pjm

・pairing: ex!jimin x ex!f!reader

・genre: exes to ? | angst | smut

18+

・word count: 4.2k

・summary: accidentally, you bump into your ex who, mind you, previously cheated on you. so you're 99% sure the only feeling you have left for him is sheer hate. but the 1% leaves you questioning.

・banner: by the amazing @/kookdiaries

・A/N: i'm very sorry for making you wait for so long ): but finally, here's part 2 of this story. i wanna thank everyone for the amazing feedback 💜

again: here's a playlist for y'all to play as you read it, if you want to hehe

as always, thank you to my soulmate @primadonnasdream for helping me build my stories. hope you guys enjoy the reading :))

if you wanna be added to any of my taglists, just leave a comment here. feedback is always appreciated, sweeties 💜

・permanent taglist: @goldenhoney-cas @yuugehn

・taglist:@imluckybitches @bbtsficrecs @minijagiya @jackinthethroat @arckyive @chimchimmarie @bex-92br @rkvi @hoseok666 @joonsytip @callmejimmeo @koreanaestheticc @tea4sykes @pamzn @nikkiordonez12 @withluvjm @natalie-rdr @south09 @hannahdanyelle @vonvi-blog @leticiaesteveslp @sheylamc @kooklovee

You like to think of yourself as a not complicated type of person. Most of the time, you’re logic-oriented, try not jumping into conclusions and, above all else, you don’t waste your precious time obsessing over things that are outside of your control. 

This has been working for your chill personality for your entire life just fine, but when it comes to Park Jimin, none of it applies to you. 

Today, you wake up feeling extremely tired after the awful night of sleep you obviously had. Unfortunately, you couldn’t think about anything else other than fucking Park Jimin. The things he had said kept replaying in your mind in a never ending loop. Totally obsessing over it and this is so unlike you, it hurts. 

You watched the dark shades of the night turn into the golden shades of the morning through the thin curtains of your bedroom window. What did he mean when he asked you if you still had no idea? Was he trying to manipulate you or was there something you really didn’t know about the situation?

As much as you keep trying to convince yourself that you don’t want to dig into it, you know that you very much want to dig into it. You nor only just want, you need to. If anything, it’ll give you closure. Although it sounds bizarre and you honestly didn’t have the faintest idea of what this could be about, it really felt like some part of Jimin was being honest.

“I wanna tell you everything”, he actually said that. Maybe there is something to be told. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking, maybe you are only falling under his spell all over again. But the fact that you were the one who did not let him speak last night is eating you alive, now you’re anxious and nervous and it’s all your own fault.

You were just sure things could not go on like this, because it was starting to affect your work. You kept losing focus on your meetings with clients, forgetting about important tasks or overlooking details that should not be overlooked. This is where you draw the line. You can’t allow Jimin’s influence in your life to go this far. One time was enough, you can’t allow him to mess with your head again. 

After pondering about it for hours, you decide to go looking for him. You know the only way out of this spiraling mode you’re in right now is to have an honest and thorough conversation with Jimin, because you deserve to know the truth. 

When you arrive at the bar, the place Jungkook took you last night, you see Jimin’s car parked nearby. It was almost exactly six o’clock and you’re sure he had arrived at work already, he’s always been a responsible guy. Luckily, as if destiny was giving you a hand, not even a minute later you see the glass door of the bar being opened and a second later Jimin passes through. 

You see your ex heading towards his car, he doesn’t seem to have seen you across the street. You hesitate for a second, but you force yourself to go to him. 

Each step you take in his direction makes you want to just run away as fast as you can, almost as if you can’t take the anticipation. You need this. You need closure. You can do this, Y/n.

As you got near, you saw him looking for something in the glove compartment, still unaware of your presence. You take a deep breath and call his name.

“Jimin?” You’re surprised with how confident you sounded. 

He snapped his head in your direction, confusion stamped all over his face.

“Y/n?” He furrowed his eyebrows, turning to you as he spoke. “What are you doing here?”

“Can we talk?” You looked him in the eyes and he returned the deepness of your own. “Please?”

“Y/n, about last night… I’m really sorry. I was drunk, I shouldn’t have gone there and bothered you with my shit”.

“I can forgive you for last night if you tell me the whole story”, he looked down to his feet before you could finish the sentence, breaking eye contact with you. “Jimin-ssi, I deserve to know”.

He turns his back, delicately closing the door of his car. He, then, turns back to you, finally looking into your eyes once again, the surprise from his eyes is gone and you’re not sure of what you see there. 

“All I can say is I’m sorry for last night, but”, he leans and rests his body against his car, displaying an annoyingly nonchalant expression on his fucking face as he shrugs. “There’s nothing to tell”.

At this moment you remember why you hate his ass. It’s ridiculous how he can look you straight in the eyes and lie to you after the scene he pulled hours ago in your house. 

You take a deep, frustrated breath.

“Fucking bullshit! Thanks for reminding me how much of an asshole you are, Jimin. I almost forgot”, you smile dryly. “I hope next time you drink, you don't show up at my doorstep whining again, ok? Next time I’ll call the fucking police”.

With a smirk, he declares. “There'll be no next time, Y/n. Rest assured”.

“Well, praise the lord, huh?” You reply in a sharp tone, not allowing him to say his piece. “I regret every single tear I’ve wasted on you. You… You were the worst mistake I’ve ever made”.

He glares at you with contempt plastered all over his face, his plump lips tightened as his brows rose. You wish punching people in the face didn’t cause as much trouble as it does, because you can swear to all gods that have ever existed that the only thing you want at this moment is to punch this expression off his face. 

“Say that again”, he challenges you, brows still in the same position as before, with a darker shade of brown on his eyes.

You refuse to give him the satisfaction. 

“You’re not deaf”, now you’re the one who answers challengingly, raising your own brows as you try to speak calmly. “Next time we bump into each other, do me the favor of pretending you don’t know me”.

You turn your back to him and march back to your own car, hating yourself for dragging your ass all the way to this fucking bar again, only to have him mock you. You rush back into your car, knowing fully well that there’s a big chance that Jimin’s still observing you, so you can’t allow yourself to cry. You were not even sad, you’re genuinely pissed, but unfortunately you’re an angry crier. 

You could run over him if it wasn’t a crime. As you are about to connect the keys to the ignition, you hear a soft knock on your window and you just know it’s him. Rolling your eyes, you turn your head in Jimin’s direction and he gestures, asking you to roll your window down.

You do as he says and hiss impatiently. “What?”

“One last fuck and we’ll forget about each other”, he licks his lips in an obvious attempt to make you feel something.

Unfortunately, you do. But fortunately, you’re pretty good at hiding your emotions when you really want to. So you just throw your head back and let out a very ironic laughter. 

“What’s so funny, Y/n?” He asks you, with a piercing look in his dark eyes, tilting his head to the side slightly. 

“I just told you you were the worst mistake I’ve made, man…” You let out another laugh, less energetically. “Are you into degradation now? I’m not really into that kind of kink, sorry”.

“Oh, come on, Y/n. You fucking love angry sex”, he declared in a lower tone, with a raspy voice that he knows makes you feel things. 

He has a point, you do love angry sex. As you keep silent, Jimin continues.

“Let me take you to my place, it’s just around the corner…” his eyes focus on your lips as he speaks. “Let me fuck you, until you forget why you’re mad at me. You know how good I am… Just this one last time, then you can go back to pretending I don’t exist”.

You do know how good he is. You hate to admit, even if it’s just to yourself, but he’s more than good. Your sex life with Jimin has always been great, actually, that’s why you got even more hurt when he cheated. You used to think you were enough for him, that you satisfied him as much as he did to you. Apparently not. And that broke your confidence and self esteem in a way that you’re still trying to recover.

You’re pissed at him, but you can’t deny that you’re still insanely attracted to this motherfucker, regardless of your history. Your mind desperately says no, but your but urges you to say yes.

“Why would I say yes to this ridiculous proposition?” You scoff, trying to mask the fact that this is you already starting to give in.

“Simply because you know you want me to fuck you”, he declares with a knowing smirk.

The way he’s looking at you right now is definitely not helping you to stay focused on maintaining your sense of dignity. His plump lips slightly parted, forming a deliciously attractive dirty grin, his eyes intensely glued onto your own lips as he waits for your answer. You can’t deny how magnetic he feels.

He leans further in your direction, cupping your face with one of his hands, running his thumb over your mouth. You are simply unable to stop yourself from delicately parting your lips, taking his thumb between them and sucking it softly. He lets out a heavy breath, locking his dark eyes with you as your skilled tongue runs along his finger.

“Let’s go, babe”, he almost begged this time.

He didn’t have to ask you again, unfortunately. He opened your car door and next thing you knew, he was dragging you up the stairs of his building until you saw yourself inside his small apartment. 

As soon as you were inside, he pushed you against the front door and started kissing you hungrily. Just like the last kiss inside your place last night, it feels like Jimin is hungry for you, it feels like he can devour you right then and there. His tongue tastes yours with desperation, making it difficult for you to breathe. One of his hands lands beside your head, on the door, and the other travels up your body, from your waist to your boobs. 

The kiss is messy and intense, not only for him, but for you too, your mind can’t seem to focus on anything other than Jimin. It feels like time and space aren’t real when you’re with him, just like it was then. 

Reaching for the hem of his shirt, you tug it in order to get rid of it as quickly as possible, getting rid of yours in the middle of the way too. 

“You missed this, didn't you?” Jimin places your hand on his abs as he whispers with a cocky grin.

“I think you missed these much more”, you reply with the same amount of cockyness as him, guiding his hands to your boobs.

“Oh, I fucking did”, he whispers again, mouth already glued to your neck as he kneads your breasts.

In the back of your mind, a little annoying voice tries to warn you, saying you will regret this later. But, honestly, who gives a fuck? Life’s hard enough for you to worry about future regrets. You’ll hate yourself for fucking Jimin when the times comes, right now, all you want to focus is on his devious tongue and the crazily good patterns it’s drawing all over your neck. You’re so lost into Jimin’s magic that you don’t even realize you let a moan escape your lips driving your ex even more mad.

His mouth is back on yours and he pushes you towards the couch sitting in the corner of his small living room, throwing you carelessly against it. His tongue is already pushing his way between your lips, you close your eyes, focusing only on the intensity of Jimin’s kiss. It feels like you’re back to the beginning of everything, this kiss feels like what it felt like kissing Jimin for the first time. The passion is still there and you will deal with it later.

“Let’s get rid of this, shall we?” He asks you, pulling the strap of your bra down, almost not waiting for your nod of approval. 

You both sloppily get rid of the rest of your clothes, tossing them carelessly on the floor of your ex’s living room. Next thing you knew, he had two fingers in you and your nipple in his mouth. He sucked and licked your nipples in a passion that had you gasping and his fingers were bent inside your thoroughly wet pussy. He knows exactly what he’s doing with his fingers and his mouth, he knows exactly how you like it and that’s why it feels so good. Being with someone who knows you and what you like is so much better than spending the night in a stranger's bed like in the countless one-night stands you’ve had the past few months.

“You’re so fucking wet right now, babe… It’s ridiculous how much you want me to fuck you, huh?” He teases you, lips brushing lightly against your already sensitive nipple as he speaks.

You let out a loud moan this time, staring back at his intense black eyes, and nod. 

“I do, Ji”, in a distressed attempt for grounding, you scratch his back with your nails, not minding if it’ll leave him marked or not. He gasps and you continue. 

“Please, just fuck me, Ji-”.

“Of course, babe, anything you ask”, he cuts you mid sentence.

He pulled his fingers out of you and, before you could whine about it, he shut you up with another messy kiss, but also full of desire. Without breaking the kiss, he lifted both your bodies up, switching places with you on the couch. He positioned himself between your legs, making the tip of his cock touch your wet and throbbing folds.

“Rid me, Y/n”, he asks you, half tenderly, half assertive. “Show me how much you miss me”.

You felt something inside you shake. This is so fucking wrong.

But without thinking too much about it, you let your weight down on his cock, feeling the delicious stretch all at once. Both of your breaths falter, basking in the divine sensation of him being inside you. 

Your hips started moving on their own, as the pleasure started to consume your mind completely. You had your eyes on Jimin’s beautiful face, now fully taken over by lust, darkening his features in an irresistible way. His plump lips parted and he moaned, making you forget completely about everything else around you. 

Your movements were starting to become desperate, feeling the way his cock fills you up completely, as he tries to pick up your speed with his own skillful hips. Both of you were loudly showing how good you can give it to each other.

His hand travels up your body, as he lifts his upper body to reach the back of your neck. He sticks his tongue out and licks the side of your neck, the warm and moist sensation makes you close your eyes instantly. 

“If you don’t take it slow, I won’t last much longer, babe…” He whispers, as he grasps your hair tightly. “Can I take over now?”

You hum. You love being in control, but you love it even more when Jimin is in control. He instantly switches positions with you, thrusting hard the moment your back touches the couch, in a slower, but deeper pace compared to how you were riding his cock just now. 

The intensity of his thrusts have you clenching around his cock. Shaky breaths leave both of your lips, both of you too focused on the ecstatic feeling of being together. The sounds of your wet pussy being snapped against his cock, his balls slapping against your naked ass mixed with your moans and pants.

“I could…” He thrusts you one more time, deeper than before. “Fuck this pussy forever”.

You feel your walls clenching tighter around his cock, not missing a single inch of his length being pushed inside of you. 

“Look how… how good you take it, babe”, he groans in your ear with his cock buried deep inside of you.

You feel his cock twitch and another moan escapes his parted lips. You’re both almost out of breath. You know he won’t last much longer now if he continues to hammer you in this intensity. Your body tingles with pleasure with every single thrust of his hips.

At this point, you’re just a moany mess. Your heart is racing and in every pump you can feel the adrenaline flowing through your veins. Jimin’s thrusts start to become desperate and out of pace, while you can feel the burning sensation building in your lower stomach. 

One of your hands travels to your clit, your head snaps back when your fingers finally touch your throbbing sex, feeling the divine sensation spreading throughout your body. Jimin replaces your fingers with his own, with a cocky grin hanging on his swollen lips.

“Fucking slut, look at you…” Moving  his fingers in circular patterns as he pants and thrusts and gazes at you with his dark, lusty eyes. “You still like it messy, huh?”

“Ye-”.

Before you could finish, the electric sensation takes over your whole body and all you can focus on is the pleasure taking over you. You whimper as the orgasm spreads through your veins, screaming Jimin’s name. Clenching even harder around his dick as your pussy spilt out your juices all over his twitching cock. 

He bites your shoulder and you feel like he’s on the brim of cuming too.

“Ji, I- I want you to fill me up”, you whispered in between your pants. “I want it all”.

“Y-Yeah?” You know he’s struggling to hold back by the sound of his shaky, low pitched voice. “Are you gonna take all of it like the good girl that you are, babe?”

You want him so bad. You want to feel everything you missed out on in the last months away from him. 

“I will, Ji, please”, you looked at him, eyes pleading as you gave yourself completely to him. Once again. 

He thrusted deep inside of your pussy one last time, allowing his orgasm to take over him and cuming deep inside of you, painting your clenching walls white. Both of you are too out of breath to move, so you just take your time breathing and trying to recompose yourselves before Jimin pulls out of you. Sweat covering both of your naked bodies on a weekday afternoon. 

You closed your eyes, feeling the tiredness and soreness, but also the delightfulness and the lingering sensation of pleasure. This motherfucker was right, what you two have is not easy to find. This chemistry.

You open your eyes when you feel Jimin’s body weight being lifted up from yours. You take your time looking at him and he is still just as beautiful as you remember. Not just hot, that’s obvious. But he’s also beautiful like very few men in the world are.

He sees you’re staring and smiles cockily. 

“Too handsome, huh?” 

“Unfortunately, I have to agree”, you roll your eyes, almost playfully. 

He laughs softly and throws himself on you again, laying his head between your breasts and hugging you. It’s ridiculous to admit, but it just feels right. 

Both of you remain silent. The only thing that can be heard are both of you trying to catch your breaths, but you don’t even pay attention to that. You’re nervous. There are so many questions you wanna ask and even though this feels right at this moment, this man made you suffer like hell not so long ago. 

“Ugh, I don’t wanna get up”, he declares in a lazy voice, his face still between your breasts. “You almost make me want to miss work”.

You sigh. This is too much, too domestic, too nostalgic, but you want to be right here, exactly like you are, in his arms. All the things he said to you yesterday flash through your mind. How he said he missed you, how he begged for you two to talk and you refused to listen. You were hurting so much you couldn’t see through the pain and resentment. 

“I’ve missed this”, you finally confess in a whisper.

But you’re sure he could hear you, because his arms closed even tighter around you.

“Me too, babe”, he murmurs the answer. 

Your hand travels up to his silky hair, running your hands through his locks. You’re not sure how long you just stay together like that, enjoying each other’s existence silently, but you finally break the silence.

“We still have a lot to talk about, don't we?”

He lifts his head to look you in the eyes. “Do we?”

“You think we don’t?” The protesting tone was clear as you voiced the question, specially because you didn't find anything genuine in his eyes when he asked you that question.

“We don’t”, he averts his gaze, laying his head almost between the crook of your neck and your shoulder.

“Jimin, look at me…” You try to sound as firm as possible, but it sounds more like a plea than a command.

“Baby… Just- Let’s not do this”, he whispers. “I can’t”.

You lift your body with your elbows so you could look at him, making him untie his arms around you and sit as well.

“What do you mean, Jimin-ssi?” You try again, speaking slowly so your nerves don't get the best of you. 

You don’t want to believe that this is true. He can’t treat you like you’re some random booty call.

“Hey!” He tries giving you an obviously empty smile. “What happened to Ji? I prefer when you call me Ji”.

Also sitting up, bending your legs in order not to touch his anymore. The way he’s speaking to you right now, the way he’s looking at you with empty eyes and an empty smile. You know where this is going and you feel sick to your stomach with the idea that you allowed Jimin to get in your head again and, once more, you end up hurt.

“And I prefer when you tell me the truth!” You raise your voice now, trying to find on his face any signs that you might be wrong.

“I thought I had made myself clear when I said I have nothing to tell you”, he states firmly, averting his gaze from yours. “I have already asked you to forget about this”.

You feel a huge lump in your throat, trying your best not to allow the tears to form in the corner of your eyes. You are not crying in front of Park Jimin ever again. You refuse. Even though it hurts just like it hurted before, you’ll save your tears for another time.

“Really? After fucking me, you’re just gonna ask me to get the fuck out of your life like nothing happened?” 

You watch his face contort, like he was profoundly thinking about what to say next. You suddenly see his expression change and you know this is his sassy snarky side taking over, nothing serious comes out of him when his eyes reflect his darker side like that. 

“I was horny, you were horny. I thought it was clear it wasn’t a bargain”, he still doesn’t look at you while he speaks. “It was just sex”.

And he shrugs. It’s clear to you that this shit’s been a fucking joke to him. A sick fucking joke you never expected him to be capable of. This is not the Jimin you spent years with, the one you loved, the one you wanted to get married to at some point in the past. 

His words cut through you. Just sex. 

You hate everything about this Jimin.

“Of course it was just about sex… I’m sorry if I misunderstood the situation, Jimin. ” You push his legs aggressively so you can get out of the couch. “Excuse me, I wanna leave”.

You start collecting your underwear and clothes from the floor of his stupid house, trying your best to block the tears away. You dress yourself hastily, while Jimin watches you in silence. You head for the door, but he holds your arm lightly, trying to stop you.

“Hey, Y/n… Don’t be like that, I’ll feel guilty”, he pleads softly again.

“Get your hands off of me”, you groan between your teeth without turning to face him. “Also, fuck off”.

He lets go of your arm and you leave his apartment as soon as you can, slamming the door behind you. You rush back to your car and drive away as fast as you can, only allowing yourself to cry your anger and pain out when you’re tucked in bed later that day.

[sae-mian]

Nira’sae Mian

Nicknames: ‘Sae, Nira Age: 29 Birthday: 12/29 Race: Viera (veena), formerly Miqo’te (keeper) Gender: NB, accepts neutral/masc pronouns Orientation: Confused ™️ (but more accurately demi) Profession: Warrior of Light, adventurer, guest lecturer (at the stadium. like. once.)

Physical Aspects

Hair: Grey with white tips (and a few white streaks); relatively short - longer at the front, more cropped in the back; wavy and silk-soft; (usually) partially tied on one side. Eyes: Charcoal grey with very subtle hints of dark blue. Skin: Pale as fuck. Tattoos/scars: White freckles. Large, uneven scar wrapped around their right side (from about navel to spine), intersecting with another smaller scar on their back; entry and exit scarring on their left side (just beneath the ribs); third scar between neck and shoulder. Aether channels are visible beneath the skin by their shoulderblades.

Family

Parents: Nira Mian (mother), Iian’a Hak (father). Both Keepers from Mazlaya. Both deceased. Siblings: None (?). Grandparents: Unknown. Other/partners: Minasha Taan, their independent retainer and partner; G’raha Tia, partner.

Skills

Abilities: S-Tier white mage and bard. A-tier dancer. Excells at aether manipulation with the medical knowledge to heal even the most complicated injuries. Exceptional aim with most projectile-based weapons, but especially longbows & harp-bows. Hobbies: Botany, textiles, woodcarving & music (singing & playing, particularly string based instruments).

Traits

Positive: Kind to a fault. Always eager to help. Gentle. Has a sense of humour and a quick wit (sometimes). Fiercely loyal once bonded. Negative: Anxious. Doesn’t look after themself. Known to speak without thinking.

Likes

Colours: Blues and greens. Has a quiet fondness for red. Smells: Tea & coffee, wet grass, sea-side air. Textures: Everything. All of it. Idiot wants to touch everything. Drinks: Black and herbal teas. Soft-spot for matcha (and a weakness for overly sweet milktea).

Other Details

Smokes: N/A Drinks: VERY rarely. Known lightweight. Drugs: N/A (has a bit of a fear of Substances) Mount Issuance: Twin Adder issued chocobo named Pavement (has been known to summon/ride other unlicenced mounts). Been Arrested: A few times. Including very recently.

⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆

tagged by: @azems-familiar (I'M SORRY THIS TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET TO OTL)

tagging: @humblemooncat, @lilvulpix-alex, @bnuuywol, @imyour-marigold, @abstinencesupreme & anyone else that's been wanting to do it!

[elvenbeard]

OC INTERVIEW: Vincent "V" Ezaki

Tagged by: @pinkyjulien @chevvy-yates @wraithsoutlaws and @v-eats-bugs thank you so much!!! <3

I'm gonna steal the idea some of you had and let him answer in character, but I'm gonna put some more context (and/or the truth xD) after Vince's reply where I see fit!

Tagging everyone who sees this and hasn't been tagged yet :3c I think most of you have done this at this point, but do please tag me if you do, I wanna read about your blorbos!!

■ NICKNAME ■ "Just 'V'."

100% going with the "only people that know me really well can use my real name" canon, because I love that scene and moment so much (and the lil nod to it again in the Tower Ending with Johnny ;_;). In my hc, Jackie gave him the nickname "V" on the day they met. Up until then he had always insisted on the full "Vincent" with everyone, and Jackie was the one to urge him to be careful with whom he shares his full identity. Meanwhile it's the other way around and "Vincent" is reserved for friends only... and "Vince" exclusively for Kerry really xD

■ GENDER ■ "Could say I'm a self-made man." ;)

This highly depends on who is asking the question here, if it's a very casual setting he'd say the above, if it's something to go into a screamsheet or whatnot he'd be more like "well, take a wild fuckin' guess" or just "male". He doesn't hide the fact he's trans, and he's proud of his journey and identity, but it's still not something he'd want to publically discuss with strangers without anything to gain from it.

■ STAR SIGN ■ "Gemini I think, but I gotta say, astrology isn't exactly something I have deep knowledge or opinions about."

He celebrates his birthday June 10th, but his real birthday in in September, so he's actually a Libra xD

■ HEIGHT ■ "5'6."

■ ORIENTATION ■ "Sorry ladies." ;)

Again, highly contextual on who is asking, and depending on that his answer might be more evasive or he'd just decline to answer. The less details about his private life are in the public's eye the better. But if the context is a fun night out with friends and he feels safe, he'd definitely give a more cheeky response and, to not get anyone's hopes up, just straightforward let them know he's gay.

■ NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY■ "Born and raised in Night City and a proud citizen ever since."

He doesn't talk about his family because he's cut ties with them long ago. His mother, Marcella, was also from Night City, your average NUS citizen with mixed European heritage. His father, Kousuke, was Japanese. He and Vince's mother met through work for a certain corporation that wasn't necessarily welcome in NC at the time (but I bet my ass still very much present in one way or another).

■ FAVE FRUIT ■ "When I was a kid, I once had daifuku with real, straight-from-the-ground strawberries. Somewhere way out there on the Japanese countryside, couldn't tell you where exactly anymore. Still got no idea where they even got the strawberries from, but no RealFruit ever matched those."

■ FAVE SEASON ■ "Don't think I have a real preference here, 'specially cause Night City's warm all year round. I like it that way. Could do with less sandstorms though. I like it when it rains now and then, the steam on the asphalt, everything is just... quieter, in a way."

■ FAVE FLOWER ■ "One made from plastic."

Vince doesn't have a green thumb and no mind to care for plants either. He's far from an outdoorsy, nature-loving person XD Do not gift him flowers, he will not know what to do with them. That being said though: he has two big stylized lotus flowers tattooed. The first one he got shortly before he left his home, when he began his transition. The second after his top surgery, when he already worked for Arasaka, as a reminder to stay true to himself on the inside, especially whenever he couldn't outwardly. He just likes the lotus aesthetically, the shapes and symmetry, and that it symbolizes rebirth and transformation.

■ FAVE SCENT ■ "Clean bedsheets and freshly brewed green tea."

And the odd mix of Kerry's overpriced bodywash and favourite cigarettes XD

■ COFFEE, TEA, HOT CHOCOLATE ■ "Yes, in that order please. Coffee with milk and sugar, tea is fine just plain, green or black."

He's definitely more of a coffee than a tea drinker, and whatever it is, it's gotta be a little fancy xD Vince is the kind of person with a long-ass signature order at the coffee shop, and I 100% see him loving bubble tea in any combination and variation in existence. The only time he drinks his coffee black is when he accidentally orders "the same as him" in a moment of distraction at Caliente's with Kerry. But tea he occasionally likes just plain, but then it has to be high quality organic real tea leaves. Hot chocolate is a nice special treat, too.

■ AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP ■ "Even in my line of work a regular sleep schedule is possible - and necessary, to stay sharp. I try to get my 7 hours of sleep in."

The somewhat regular sleep schedule is really something he values and tries to stick to, although the Relic and Johnny's presence really mess it up for a long while. But especially because his lack of sleep while working at Arasaka contributed to him developing a drug addiction to cope with the stress and sleep-deprivation it's something he doesn't want to fall back into.

■ DOG OR CAT PERSON ■ "Defintiely cats."

■ DREAM TRIP ■ "I'd like to return to Japan one day for a short vacation - see if I can find that daifuku shop again, haha. Would also love to visit Europe more extensively than what I've seen of it so far. And, who knows, maybe the Crystal Palace one day."

And the Phillipines with Kerry <3

■ FAVE FICTIONAL CHARACTER ■ "Ooohhh, that's a hard question, let me think for a moment... [insert long analysis of different movie and video game characters and why they're good or bad and why he likes them or not]"

Evading this a little bit because I don't wanna dive into a rabbit hole of seeing what canonical fictional characters there are and why Vince might like them or not xD He is a big nerd and a gamer and knows so much more than I do XD Also, he'd 100% be the kind of person who's rooting for the evil guys, because often their motivations and goals are much more complex and interesting than the "hero's" in his eyes xD and he's fascinated by the concept that they're doomed to lose by the narrative usually (because the good guys usually win), but still fight tooth and nail to achieve their goals and safe their own skin. He can relate to that a lot more than the selfless goodie-two-shoes who just want to save the world and make it a better place.

■ NUMBER OF BLANKETS THEY SLEEP WITH ■ "In this weather one is more than enough. Sometimes none is better."

■ RANDOM FACT ■ "It takes around 7 seconds for someone to form a solid first impression of you in a face-to-face conversation. It takes my Kiroshis' scanners half as long to additionally supply me with all the data on you I need to permanently ruin your life for good."

[just-a-strange-boy]

better strangers - part 1

part 2 * part 3 * part 4

When you signed up for that anon hook-up service, you hadn't quite expected to meet such a handsome stranger.

Pairing: Stephen Strange x ftm!reader

Warnings: 18+ (Minors DNI), one night stand, sex with a stranger, oral sex (male receiving), penetrative sex, Stephen being sinfully hot

A/N: told you this was coming... sorry about the ending, I'm evil. Stay tuned for the second part though ;)

You had been so convinced it would be easy.

Being here and waiting was however anything but. Even during check-in down by the bar, you had already begun second guessing your initial decision to do this, a fair amount of worries – which you maybe should have thought about before coming here – coming up and tormenting you just now.

What if you wouldn't like it after all? What if you couldn't go through with it? What if the stranger wouldn't be as open-minded as you needed them to be? What if he wasn't appealing, not great at this or just not nice? What if he was a creep?

It had been a silly idea.

You'd only been on the lookout for some fun when you signed up to that online platform.

Having heard about it from a friend, who had been very enthusiastic about the matching process and the anonymity it offered, you had decided to give into your own curiousity and checked the website in question.

Even just at first sight, it seemed to be a legit and serious platform, professional, rather progressive as well, LGBTQ+ friendly, allowing to pick from plenty of options when it came to preferences, guaranteeing a high success rate in getting your needs met to a T.

It was the guarantee you needed the most, because you were growing a little desperate, ever since breaking up with your boyfriend. You were disastrously horny, hadn't been fucked in a long while and wanted to look for a fun time to fulfill your sexual needs.

Unfortunately, you weren't forward or extroverted enough to put yourself out there on full display in a club. A regular dating app was out of question too. Well, sure – you could have chosen to check one of them out and perhaps still succeeded after a reasonable amount of time, but you didn't want to bother with the long process of messaging back and forth with people, until you'd find a potential match looking for the same as you did: one time thing, without strings attached.

The online platform your friend had suggested, made it so much easier. The name said it all.

One Night Strangers.

Signing up had been simple.

There was no need to put pictures or an actual name – since that was the point of remaining strangers. The online page just asked for a couple of details important for the matching process, such as age and gender, sexual orientation, usage of contraception or prep (absolutely mandatory), preferences and kinks, and a couple more boxes to click for additional information to ensure the most comfortable encounter.

You also had to choose which days of the week and which time of day would work best.

Checking the terms of agreement before finalizing the sign up (after all you wanted to be safe and make sure you hadn't misunderstood anything about the process), you had stumbled across the fact that the platform would determine the specifics of the encounter as soon as they had found a match. No need to even talk to the stranger. Perfect.

All you had to do, was to accept the match made and pay an estimated sum in advance that would cover the cost for the place you'd meet at. Encounters would apparently take place at a location partnered with the platform, where every participant would go through a discreet check-in shortly beforehand, meaning this was as anonymous as could get while also being as safe as possible.

Being fine with all of this, you had agreed and the platform had done what it apparently did best, matching you with someone in the New York area almost immediately: M37. That's all you knew. Well, besides the fact that your preferences seemed to align. And the where and when.

Friday, between 8-10pm, Lotus Laurea Bar, Room 12.

You hadn't harvested many doubts then, excited about the fast matching process and the fact you were meeting up with a person you didn't even know for the only purpose of getting laid.

It had been a silly idea, but you hadn't been averse to it by any means.

So of course, you had clicked the button to accept the match, paid the money, by no means a large sum, and found yourself at the Lotus Laurea Bar by Friday, shortly before eight.

The bar in question was a small, independent business with a handful of rooms and an adjoined LGBTQ+ nightclub. It wasn't a shifty or suspicious place at all, which was definitely a relief.

The check-in had been as easy and discreet as promised. The staff member had exactly known what you were here for as soon as you'd shown them the invoice on your phone.

They had been very respectful and considerate too, assuring you there was no need to worry about anything, while you'd been asked to sign a form of consent, confirming that you were of legal age and doing this out of your own will – a safety precaution you thought was fair, for legality alone.

Then they had simply slipped you the room key and told you that the stranger you'd been matched with was not here yet but would come up to the assorted room and knock as soon as he arrived.

So you headed up to the designated room 12 and made yourself ready for some dreadful waiting.

The accommodation was actually quite nice, especially considering you had paid so little for it. The room was small, sure, didn't have any windows, but smelled fresh. Everything was clean and neat, looked comfortable and you were convinced you could try relaxing for a moment here, though the loud music from the club downstairs ruined the quietness.

The ambient light however was lovely, a dark blue hue filling out the room.

The bed was somewhat medium-sized – more than enough for one person, a little small for two people sleeping comfortably in it – but since you didn't think you'd get tempted to cuddle with a stranger after sex anyways, it suited the cause well enough. On the nightstand there was everything provided that might be necessary – lube as well as condoms.

There was a bathroom included too, which you used right away, trying to fight your own nervousness as you took another shower after already having thoroughly cleaned yourself at home.

But that was the thrill of fucking a stranger, wasn't it? Not knowing what you'd be in for. Not knowing what to expect. It was just normal to experience a bit of nerves, right?

You certainly had plenty of them.

Because what if the stranger changed their mind and wouldn't come? Were you just meant to wait until ten, go home with money wasted and still underfucked? What if you would change your mind last second and flee in a rush, before M37 could even get here? Was the promised guarantee really that high? Would it be good and worth it?

Perhaps hooking up at the club downstairs after getting plastered with a few drinks would have been a lot easier to handle. They'd still all be strangers to you. But you would have had to approach them and that definitely wasn't your thing.

Besides that, you had gone through all the effort already, having showered and cleaned yourself literally everywhere. The idea was still tempting, if a little frightening.

Though in the end, you were probably just worrying for nothing. What's the worst that could happen? If you didn't like the sex, you could just say so. You could say No. Certainly the stranger would understand, after agreeing to the same terms and signing the same form of consent as you had. If you didn't like the overall experience, you would never have to do it ever again afterward.

A sudden knock to the door sent your heart rate sky-rocketing.

You waited, swallowing down your nervousness, your heart almost springing out of your chest at the sudden awareness and realization that this was totally gonna happen now.

For the flicker of a moment you were afraid of getting seriously panicky, but it was more so the rush of excitement and anticipation than the threat of a breakdown – so you tried the very best to get your shit together and took a deep breath. Brace yourself. You were going to do this.

“Come in”, you replied timidly to the knock, unsure whether you should have gotten up to greet the stranger at the door instead of sitting here on the bed. Wearing nothing but the towel from showering earlier on, part of you had also wondered whether to just get on hands and knees, waiting in the most useful position to get fucked, no need for any foreplay and introductions and such.

You figured it didn't really matter though and remained right there, expectant and curious and awfully nervous.

The door opened and the stranger stepped inside.

The ambient light was a little too dark to make out how he actually looked from the distance, but M37 seemed to be exactly that (a man, in his thirties) and more. Lean. Long legs. Dressed in a damn suit.

He carefully closed the door behind him and moved further towards the bed, and therefore also towards you.

There was an immediate unexpected tension in the air between the two of you, hard to deny. It wasn't awkward by any means. If anything, it was incredibly hot, the way he was slowly stepping in your direction, his full attention on you already, not a single word spoken because there was no need.

The stranger was enticing, pulling you in with his mere presence, dominating the scene and grasping all of your attention – you could feel your heart hammer even more, finding it hard to breath for a moment, and were eager to catch a good look at him when most of the distance had already been crossed.

With the stranger now closer to the source of light, you could make out how truly handsome he was. Definitely a lucky match. He was more than you had hoped for. Downright hot as fuck. There was something peculiar about his face, all sharp angles, from his smooth jawline to his high cheekbones, curved and full lips that were very tempting, his intense eyes, pupils blown wide with lust as he stared back down at you.

It suddenly made you feel very small sitting on this bed before him.

You weren't sure whether to talk to him, didn't know whether you should ask questions about how you wanted to do this or what the man was going to prefer to do first. Was it fair to ask how to start? Perhaps he would set the tone? It would be more than fine if he told you what to do.

As you looked him over, you wondered whether the stranger had any experience with anonymous hook-ups like this. Maybe he had. He didn't seem as nervous as you, carrying himself so self-confident, unashamed, coming to stand before you, eyes mustering you for a long moment, before he moved again.

Bringing his hands up to cup your face in them – large, warm hands – and letting the tension reach enormous heights, he eventually bent down to your level and leaned in real close.

His hot breath was lingering against your lips for a moment and he was just waiting, knowing it might rile you up and put you on edge, all while he hadn't even really done anything.

As he pressed his lips to yours, whatever barrier might have been between you (and in your head for that matter) just broke.

Since you had most certainly ticked the box for “kissing” in the sign-up process, it hadn't been entirely unexpected – and weren't you just glad you had!

Even though the stranger's lips were soft, he wasn't primarily gentle, kissing you hungrily, demanding you submit to him, claiming your mouth, tongues entwining, teeth clashing, and you found yourself getting aroused by the sudden attention.

Trying to waste as little time as possible, you slung your arms around the man's broad frame, pulling him forward and onto you, shuffling to get settled on the bed with him. Apparently that didn't need any words either. It was as if your bodies already knew what to do, slotting perfectly together.

The stranger was very careful not to crush you, holding his own weight without struggle, as he continued licking into your mouth, and to no surprise began grinding against you not long after, his sizable bulge brushing your thigh that was barely covered by a bit of towel, shooting another surge of raw arousal through your body.

Okay, maybe this had been a good idea after all. Because wasn't he just great? The platform had assigned you the perfect stranger. Handsome, a good kisser, hungry to devour all of you.

You were already dying to get fucked by him, who so passionately kept your mouth occupied, swallowing your little moans and whimpers right away, feasting on them, letting them urge him on.

Easing your grip around him, your hands moved along the collar of the man's dress shirt and you began busying yourself with opening the buttons one by one, hoping he would get the drift immediately. You needed to get him out of his clothes! And since you already were only in a towel, it was fair that you got to see him as well.

Upon breaking away, as the stranger peeled himself out of his shirt, you used to perfect opportunity of checking him out, making out a sculpted and trained torso. Of course, he looked handsome under his clothes as well!

Seemingly taking good care of himself, you wouldn't have been surprised if he had an entire row of people waiting, trying to get with him, looking like that.

So why do it like this, was the question that arose, taking the sight in, as the stranger stood back up, toeing his shoes and peeling his socks off.

Middle-aged and attractive, clearly confident enough and open to anything, he could have gotten laid anywhere. Perhaps he was in it for the thrill, liking the anonymity.

There was something oddly exciting about having sex with a stranger, you couldn't deny it, so maybe he was just in it for the general experience, like you.

Figuring that the stranger's reasoning was technically none of your concern – he was here to fuck after all, just like you, anything else didn't matter, and it was nothing personal either – you shuffled back up as well, coming to sit on the edge of the bed again as he stood before you.

You looked up at the stranger then and checking that he had his eyes fixated on you, you reached forward, your hands landing on the fine leather belt, of course only accidentally brushing the bulge he was sporting, giving him more than just a suggestive look.

The man took in a deep breath, but hummed in agreement, patiently waiting as you went to unbuckle his belt and mercifully free him from the restraint of his fine trousers, leaving his prominent erection covered by only his underwear.

God, the fact he was able to keep up par to your eye-contact, while clearly achingly aroused, told you more than you could have figured out by questioning him. He was able to keep himself restrained, looked as stoic and composed as before. He was prepared for this and feeding off the moment, his lips parting ever so slightly as you squeezed his hardening cock through the remaining fabric, continuing to keep your gazes locked as you leaned forward to bring your mouth to his clothed erection.

As composed as he was, you could hear the man's breath stuttering then, running your lips along the hard outline of his cock, and you couldn't help but to grin at his reaction. You didn't want to tease him for too long though, pulling the waistband of his underwear down, the throbbing erection springing free, practically begging to be sucked off – and you wanted. His cock looked delicious. You needed to taste him.

There still weren't any words necessary between the two of you and obviously, you currently would have rather liked to keep your mouth busy otherwise anyways, grabbing the base of the stranger's cock firmly as you placed small licks around the cockhead, lapping up the precome oozing from his tip, eyes still locked together.

“You want me to fuck your mouth, pretty boy?”, he asked. Damn.

Now you were the one to feel your own breath hitch in the back of your throat now, stopping your advances as you heard the man speak altogether, for the first time, his voice low and smooth, his words filthy and promising. He sounded so fucking hot, you could have probably drowned in the low grumble.

“Yes”, you responded in a whisper, mouth returning to his cock, tongue swirling around the tip once more, before wrapping you lips around him again, taking in as much of him as you could, struggling to breathe in deep through your nose, trying not to lose eye contact with him.

Pulling back, you pressed your tongue up to the underside of his throbbing member, savoring the taste of the man, feeling your own lust coiling tightly in your core. He was intoxicating.

The stranger didn't speak another word, his large hands coming to gently hold onto your head at first, before his grip tightened possessively, urging your mouth off his cock, pulling your head back hard by grabbing a fistful of your hair – and then, he guided your head forward again, easing himself into your mouth once more, careful at first and for another few times, eyes never leaving the sight.

You welcomed him in each time, opening wide, ready to be used as the stranger sank his cock deep into your mouth, all the way to the back of your throat, where you felt your own body protesting, muscles tightening, gagging around him, before releasing you again, pulling back out. Your gag reflex wasn't as shy as you would have needed it to be right now, but even that didn't seem to irritate the stranger, tightly holding onto your head as he thrust into you mouth again, not quite as deep, aware of your response.

Like the good little slut you were, you gladly accepted his advances, sucking on him hard, moving your tongue along the throbbing flesh, and the stranger fucked your mouth exactly like he had promised, using you just like you had wanted him to, leaving little opportunity to catch your breath. He groaned loudly when you tried to take him deeper down your throat again.

The thrusts slowed eventually, allowing you to regain more control of the situation – you were as relentless as he was, insistent on serving him well, reaching up to gently caress his balls, your other hand wrapping around the base of his cock again, sucking him hard into your mouth yet another time.

“I'd love to come down your throat, but if you want me to fuck you, you need to stop”, the stranger spoke up again, holding your head still for a moment, his eyes piercing deep into your soul.

“Can't go twice?”, you wondered, having pulled back from his cock altogether.

“We don't have all night”, the stranger shrugged it off and almost tenderly, he gave you a little shove, urging you to shift further back on the bed, while stepping out of his own pants before joining you there.

You weren't protesting, making yourself comfortable as you lay back into the pillows. The towel around your waist had come apart in the meanwhile and you mindlessly shoved it down to the floor – it was just a nuisance at this point – unashamed to present yourself to the other man, knowing there was no way to save your dignity anyways.

You knew the stranger's eyes were raking over you, watching you in the soft light, naked and wanting and spreading your legs for him – and he seemed entirely unperturbed about it.

“I'm sure your holes can please me just as well”, he mused then, crawling towards you on the bed, his throbbing hardness, wet with spit, brushing your thighs as he covered you with his weight, unashamed to bring your mouths together again.

And you had no doubt he would please you just as well, pressing your hips upwards into him, begging for more, aching for it just as much. You didn't want to wait any longer, couldn't, wanted to have this hard and throbbing cock inside of you, let him fuck you all the way to next Sunday.

“Patience”, the stranger scolded you, shifting a little again to reach for one of the condom wrappers provided on the bedside table, preparing himself with swift movements, and not wasting any more time, returning to your body and eager to give you what you both wanted.

You sucked in a deep breath with absolute anticipation as the stranger aligned his cock with your entrance, rubbing his hardness over your wet folds, smacking it against your small nub you were proud to call your own cock. He was teasing you, obviously, because he could, all while his eyes never broke your gaze.

Patience got a whole new meaning as the stranger continued to toy with you, the tip of his cock barely pushing into you, just nudging your hole like a promise that was seemingly never going to come true at this rate – and you were absolutely about to complain, though didn't have to after the stranger gave into your wordless pleas, hands gripping your hips hard, burying himself fully into your tight heat.

You groaned at the sudden intrusion. Blowing him had gotten you so needy and wet that you had been able to take him in without any issue, the large cock was stretching you out so nicely and you were more than happy to keep the stranger in place between your legs, reaching out to wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him in to reconnect your mouths as the man started to move inside of you.

Honestly, either way would have been perfectly fine with you. He could have fucked you roughly and quickly, destroying you with sharp thrusts – or he could have taken you slowly and deeply, painfully teasing you and dragging out your encounter.

It would be good. It would be perfect.

The stranger made sure to keep switching the rhythm and pace, playing with your patience because he could, taking his own pleasure but also making sure that you would have a good time. Even though you were nothing to each other, he handled you with so much care, fucking you with a passion, precise thrusts that sent hot flashes up your spine and sparks of arousal through your entire body.

Your mouths mingled together, seemingly melting into one another, bodies entwined, sharing each others breath and pleasure like you had done this many a times before.

Your feverish kissing broke after a while, both of you sweaty messes, groaning and moaning into each others mouths, chasing your ecstasy and enjoying your lust-driven high together.

Holding onto the stranger with a tight grip, your arms and legs kept him in place – you certainly weren't going to let him go now – as you got railed into the mattress, driven closer and closer to the edge of pleasure.

“Fuck, I'm so close”, you moaned, brain turned into putty, intoxicated by the stranger and every thought gone, except one - you wanted him to go on. “Please. Don't stop now.”

Your soft whimpers and pleas seemed to only encourage him, the rhythm changing, slow and deep, cock filling you out to the brim, both of you breathing hard, gazes drawn to each other, neither of you capable of looking away.

“You're gonna come on my cock like a good slut, hm?”, the stranger groaned, drawing out the last thrusts painfully slow, eager to sent the two of you over the edge.

A hard shudder surged through your body, a sudden ease to all the tension building, your core throbbing, your walls clenching around the stranger, who was continuing to move inside of you, fucking you all the way through both of your orgasms.

You had felt him tense up, his body trembling as he too had tripped over the edge, and only then did your eye contact break. He closed his eyes, enjoying the overwhelming feelings all the way through his orgasm – and so did you.

Tired out, breathing hard, entirely overrun by the intensity of your orgasms, you had come to lay side by side.

You felt awfully empty without the stranger's cock inside of you and maybe, just maybe, if your stamina allowed for it and you dared to ask for it, you'd let him fuck you another time – if he wanted to stay around, of course.

You couldn't really ask just yet. Even after catching your breath, the words seemingly got stuck in your throat. Looking back over at him, you marveled at the handsome stranger, eyes still closed, little huffs escaping his parted lips, his toned chest heaving and sinking again, cock now nestled flaccid and satiated against his thigh, condom filled with his semen.

Some little part of you wondered. Who was he? What was his name? What did he do in his every day life? What else was there to him, besides the fact that he was an exceptionally good lay? Why was he pursuing a one night stand like this?

It took a moment until the man regained his previous composure and began to stir again, sitting up on the bed. He turned towards you, addressing you so casually, like he hadn't just pounded you into the mattress. “That was fun. Really needed this”, he spoke, his voice calm, not an ounce of the raw filthiness from earlier left, “Never been with a trans man before, but my, my... I got lucky to get someone as gorgeous as you.”

“You're quite the handsome stranger yourself”, you replied with a grin, positively flattered by his compliment.

The man smiled back at you before he got up from the bed. “Mind if I have a quick shower?”, he asked politely, circling the bed to where he had lost his clothes, picking them up from the floor.

“No, you...uh... can take your time... I'd... uh... you could stay around for a second round though, if you wanted to?”, you spoke shyly, finally daring to make the request.

The stranger seemed to consider your suggestion for a moment, then plucked a phone out from the pile of clothing, apparently checking the time. “Shit, it's late already”, he cussed, giving you an apologetic look, “Sorry, I can't. Technically I wouldn't be opposed to another round, but... I really need to get going.”

“Oh, okay”, you shrugged, obviously a little disappointed, but you weren't going to throw a fit about it, pulling the rumpled blanket over your form instead, not because you needed to hide any of your nakedness in front of the stranger, but even more so because you were getting a little cold without his body warmth and the heat of sex.

“Thanks for the fuck though”, you made sure to let him know, an awkward smile rising up to your lips.

The stranger shot you another smile too, before turning into the bathroom and taking, as announced, a very quick shower, returning to the room mere minutes later, all dressed up again, prim and proper.

Part of you had expected him to just say his goodbyes and leave, perhaps even not say anything to you at all since you were nothing to one another, but then he walked over to the bed again, leaned down to you and pressed a soft but unexpected kiss to your lips.

“How did you put it? Thanks for the fuck”, the stranger chuckled, “Goodbye, handsome. Was nice meeting you.”

Thus, you parted like you had met – as strangers, knowing nothing about each other except the way you looked, the way you felt, the way you liked to fuck, under the clear impression you would never get to meet each other ever again.

And then your sister introduced Stephen Strange to you – her colleague from the hospital, the man she was dating and the stranger who had fucked you.

[lostonehero]

Marius has a bad time or more new mechs and tma au stuff

Marius was rubbing his eyes. The pain was getting worse as they continued deeper into these tunnels. "Mr. Bouchard, I don't mean to sound rude, but how much farther?" He was incredibly uncomfortable, and his hair was threatening to move without his permission from the slick back position.

Elias looks back and smiles. "Not much further now, Marius. Now, the history of these tunnels goes back over 200 years. Created by Robert Smirke himself, now he was quite detail orientated if you knew him."

Marius nods. He doesn't really know how long humans live, but he knows how long Martin should live and that he wanted to expand that. He knew about the other species that his crew was made up of and what that meant. He probably should look more into humans for Martin's sake. "That's very interesting, sir." He barely could register the now open room they were in, let alone the mummified corpse.

"Now I normally don't have the choice in choosing my new body, the Beholder picks for me, and I wake up and move on. However, the situation has changed, and unfortunately, this body is on its last legs." Elias sighs.

Marius felt like his eyes were about to explode from pressure, and he barely registered that he was being spoken too.

"I'm having Peter take over in the meantime since you're so new to the institute. Elias was here for at least 3 years, but I can't be picky. Not when I'm getting so close and you just walked in. I really have to thank you, Marius." Elias hums softly. "Now, don't worry, you won't be left when I take over. I've heard death is quite peaceful."

Marius's vision went black as he collasped on the floor. He could feel a warm sticky liquid drip down his cheeks before sweet unconsciousness took over.

.......

Jonah opened his eyes with a sigh. "Not an enjoyable process being awake, but necessary for the situation." He walked over to the corpse on the floor and fished out his phone. He shudders, finally realizing his new body felt wrong on many different levels. He went to run a hand through his new hair and bit back a surprised yelp.

"Not human." Marius blearily blinked as he floated next to the man possessing his body. "Also, be gentle. My hair is very sensitive."

"You're still alive?" Jonah watches Marius float in front of him.

"Kind of comes with the territory. I wonder if you'll stick around if I get killed well, my body, at least." Marius scratches his chin. "I can't say I've been possessed before, and it's quite an odd feeling."

Jonah stumbles back and hits a wall with a new jolt of nerves he has no experience with. He goes up his spine. "What are you?"

Marius snickers. "Is this how Jonny felt watching me stumble around for the first hundred of years felt? Because if it is, then I get his humor." He smiles as he floats down to sit next to the man possessing his body. "I would take over, but seeing you flail around is way funnier. I'm not human, I'm not even from earth to be fair."

......

Jonny can feel his tail threaten to break his belt loops on his pants. He was annoyed the sun went down, and he was stuck waiting outside Elias's office waiting for Marius. This was incredibly frustrating. Why did he have to wait for him he's a grown ass man. He can take care of himself, and it's not like he could die.

Jonnys phone buzzed and he took it out to see a message from Martin

Martin: Is Marius out yet? I'm sorry I asked for you to wait. I'm making your favorite when you both get back. I even found some bad alien movies for this weekend for just us to enjoy. I mean, you don't have to. I know you might have other plans, and that's ok.

Jonny can feel his face heat up. Ok, he knows why he's doing it, and homemade dinner sounded amazing. He was never much of a cook unless you counted butchering an animal you kill and cooking it over an open flame proper dinner. Martin spoiled him, and he expected nothing in return it's the least he could do to wait for Marius. He knew Ashes had to drag Ivy out of the library because it's Friday night, and the building was closed for the weekend.

Jonny began to play with his phone before his ears twitched with a new noise in the air that he knew to be Marius laughing. He scowls, shoving his phone in his pocket. "Are you quite done wasting time?" His annoyed scowl dropped to a confused frown as he confronted Marius.

Marius looked disheveled, which he rarely was unless it was early morning or he just left Raphella lab. His tail was swaying lazily behind him, and his hair seemed to be stretching. His pointed ears, Martin like to call elf ears, were blue at the top to match his mood, which was happiness. "Jonny!"

"Please tell me you're drunk." Jonny pinched his brow and sighed. He would much rather prefer a drunk Marius to a sober one. It's much easier to get him to do things.

"I'm possessed!" Marius breaks down in giggles. "I know you can't see him, but his face when I slit my throat was priceless. Also, he stays after I die, which is a little annoying, but he had no idea I wasn't human." He starts to laugh harder. "So so Elias wasn't actually Elias it was this guy Jonah possessing his body, and he picked..." He composes himself the best he could without breaking down laughing again. "He picked me! To possess! I've got his eyes now."

Jonny raised his brow, but the gray eyes were definitely not Marius's, but they were in his head. "So you got a dead guy in you?"

"I have a guy scared to die in me." Marius breaks down laughing again.

Jonny snickers that turns to laughter and is very insane laughter. "Fucking scared to die? That's fucking hilarious. I I.... fuck me I'm texting the group chat."

.....

The less cool mech chat because Martin isn't here

Jonny: guys Marius has a dead guys eyes now

Ashes: like in his hands or...?

Raphella: did he get affected by one of the cursed books? I will run tests.

Tim: You've gotta be specific. TS is asking if it's the same guy who stole their vocal cords.

Jonny: Like in his skull.....

Jonny sends a picture of Marius purple face mid laughter and his eyes are clearly gray and not green anymore. His hair is pointed up straight, and his sharp teeth are on display. There's blood on his white shirt from an earlier slit throat.

Raphella: I would like to remove the eyes

Tim: dude what the fuck

Brian: Is there another doctor?

Jonny: so.....

Jonny puts in a audio message explaining the entire situation as Marius is giggling in the background adding details like the guys name is Jonah and he's nearly 300 years old and how he did this to serve his god.

Ivy: so can he get the keys and I can go to the library?

Ashes: no

Ivy: fuck you

Ashes: Martin wants you to join game night Sunday.

Ivy: that means Raphella cant drag Marius to her lab

Raphella: darling I have wendsday open for that

TS: Honorary Mechanism!

Jonny: mechanism plus one.

Ashes: sorry TS I'm with Jonny

TS: That Is OK We Have A New Friend

Marius: Jonah didn't belive in aliens.

Several people are typing

[andorerso]

sissi hello!! in regards to the post about ocs, i would LOVE to hear more about dani and elijah 💜 (partly bc i love both of those names so so much, always have, and that intrigues me instantly).

hope you're having a wonderful day!

rolling up almost two months later like hiiiiii <3 sorry it took me so long to answer ahfgdchg

but first of all, thank you for asking because I love talking about them, second of all, I'm so happy you like the names because I do too 🥰 well obviously, I wouldn't have chosen them otherwise, but I'm very particular about names and they have to feel right, and this was one of those instances when I almost instantly knew their names, like it was just fate. meant to be. and I think they sound nice together!! anyway, I'll stop ranting about names now

so, the story is urban fantasy, and their tropes are slowburn, mutual pining, idiots to lovers, battle couple, codependency, angstttttt, two sides of the same coin, flirty & awkward, snarky & serious, impulsive & rational, short-tempered & calm

Dani (full name Danielle Preston but she hates being called Danielle) is our leading lady, she's in her mid-20s, and she's the flirty, snarky, impulsive, short-tempered side of the two. she's always cracking a joke, which is mostly a self-defense mechanism, and tends to cover up real feelings with humor, sex and booze. I have such a soft spot for characters who'd rather cut open a vein than show weakness or vulnerability in front of someone, but still deeply care about people and are intensely loyal if you earn it, so she's kinda that archetype. she'd literally burn down a whole city for someone she loves but will never actually say the words. also she's bisexual like almost all my MCs

here's kind of how I imagine her (made with this picrew)

and Elijah is the more level-headed, serious, all business no fun counterpart to Dani's generally chaotic behavior. he's a couple hundred years old, and not human, but he looks to be in his early 30s. he's very matter-of-fact, goal-oriented, and pragmatic, but he's also very kind to those who deserve it, and can be surprisingly intense and passionate when he actually lets himself feel it (which is not very often, at least not at first). he has a very strong sense of justice, but he kind of follows his own moral code, so he definitely falls into the morally grey category (Dani kind of does too, but Elijah even more so)

here's a picrew for him too

as for their relationship, it starts as kind of an unwilling partnership and they clash a lot at the beginning because of their different approaches and worldviews, but they eventually form a friendship. Elijah's kind of drawn to her/fascinated by her from the start, because she's so different from him but has a lot of the qualities he admires/wishes he had too. Dani takes a bit longer mostly because she's better at lying to herself lmao. but there's an attraction of sort from the beginning. it's a difficult ride, mostly because they're both stubborn idiots who tend to repress their emotions, just in different ways. she's lost people and is afraid to lose more, and he's just not sure he knows how to allow himself to want things and be a functioning human person, so neither wants a relationship and they're both violently trying to deny any feelings. but the feelings are definitely there. like they're not together but they're deeply devoted but they will never admit it but there's no one else who could possibly compare. those kinda vibes, you know?

some other tidbits/details that I love about them: she loves to antagonize him (mostly in a teasing way) and he's so offended/annoyed at first until he realizes it's her love language. then the annoyance turns into fond exasperation. she's pretty much the only one who can make him genuinely smile and laugh, in fact sometimes he's the only one who actually finds her funny at all lmao (she definitely overdoes it sometimes but he finds it charming). she's a bit of a romantic deep down, and he's very intensely devoted once he commits, so it's the kind of relationship she always secretly wanted but never thought could have. and he's the only person she will tolerate calling her Danielle (it's kind of a turn-on from him).

anyway, I could go on but it's gonna get long very quickly, so this is just the basics. but I love talking about them and I'm always open to more specific questions from anyone <3

also here's a moodboard too because why not

[mochimouiemarty]

I need your headcanons I don’t care which character which fandom I need headcanons because you seem awesome now give them to me /affectionate

ARGHHHH IM SORRY THAT THIS TOOK SO LONG TO ANSWER?!?!? i was drawing the pookies to go with these hcs

i jumbled all my favs together and yeah have some silly hcs (thisll prolly be rlly short, or not) not in a set order so good luck finding the characters from fandoms you know 😈/hj

CHARACTERS MENTIONED IN THIS!! Idia Shroud, Cater diamond, Mime Bomb, Weeping Clown

- Cater once played this dress up game for fun (or to make some content out of it), got some HARSH constructive criticism, never played again (person who insulted gave him advice was idia)

- Weepy often puts wax on the hair in front of his face to keep it out of his eyes while performing. (totally not based on an oc x canon thing i thought of.)

- Mime Bomb often has makeup residue around his eyes, making him look more tired than he already is. He struggles to get it out and also doesnt see the point bcs 9 times out of 10 hes gonna be hopping on another flight anyway!!!!

- Idia is half filipino. dont try and change my mind YOU CANNOT

- Cater has freckles and used to cover them up around highschool - year one in NRC. maybe because of insecurity or to follow the current "trends". maybe both!!!!!1!1!1!1! probably still does it to this even better if no one actually knows if his freckles are real or nah

- Mime Bomb knows how to draw! always uses himself as a reference when he can. loves drawing hands

- weepy is a jack of all trades, master of none. he'd observe and learn other peoples crafts silently from other people at the circus! even if he's not that good at most of them, he knows the basic stuff.. maybe.

- Cater often puts white eyeliner on to brighten up his eyes!!

- i think idia likes watching those process videos on sculpting and carving, just traditional art in general.

- cater probably likes to deconstruct a bunch of stuff, mainly content-making related things and especially music! I saw someone mention how passionate he seems about music based on the details in his room (might sound like a total idiot rn if those details were disclosed in one of the vignettes or something) so in my heart it seems like something he'd totes do. he's also a very detail oriented person so !1!1!1!1!1

- Joker dislikes popcorn, also smells like stale buttered popcorn(/hj)

- mime bombs skin is either hella sensitive or the complete opposite. I can see him either hoarding this one brand of makeup cuz it's the only one he can use, or his skin is THAT ok with any product that he's fine with using VILE products 😭

- I like to believe that Jokers hair is either a wig (or he dyed it) and he's a brunette. or he's just silly like that yk (the most likely possibility)

- Cater has an old list of piercings he wanted/wants, idk which ones he'd want but yuh!!! maybe he got a piercing when he was younger but got caught soooo

- Idia hates oily foods

this is probably it

also have the drawings that took TOO DAMN LONG.

"one is not like the other!!!!!" ahh favs 😭🙏

these are sort of my hcs on how they'd look? or at least a reference for myself for when I draw them again, I'm too inconsistent

random, but idias hair being so expressive is my most favorite detail about his character

I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY SPELLINV MISTAKES

—

ok these took too long thank you bye

[blackberry-nightingale]

im new to your block, could you introduce your OCs?

Of course!! Sorry for the wait this took me a long time to type up.

Firstly, welcome! Glad to have you here!

Secondly, this is gonna be a long post so I'm going to keep it under a read more.

Thank you so much for asking! I hope you enjoy! And feel free to ask about anyone

Demon characters across all stories -

Dayzel: he/him, trans/pan, ice/shadow demon hybrid. Dayzel is a bit of a han solo type rogue. He is very charismatic and flirty, with *severe* trauma. He's got mommy issues like crazy, and has had a long string of toxic exs. Was married to Nox for a while. He also worked as a hitman for hire with Rupert when they were dating. And then worked for Berkley for a while kidnapping victims for her. Later is a stay at home Dad while Mibium (his eventually husband) works full time.

Beth: She/her, cis/lesbian, ice/shadow demon hybrid. She is Dayzel's estranged younger sister. She's very prim and proper, until you get to know her and she loosens up. Then she becomes much more mischievous and playful. She's a bit reckless and incredibly stubborn, but ultimately is a good person, despite her past mistakes.

Cole: he/him, too young to know labels, electric demon. Beth's son who is adopted by/raised by Dayzel and Mibium.

Cindy: she/her, cis/bi, true shadow demon. Dayzel and Beth's mother. A truly ferocious woman who wanted "the best" for her kids. Toxic to everyone but Lucian. Was killed by Dayzel when he was 17.

Lucian: he/him, trans/straight, ice demon. Dayzel and Beth's father. Very laid back to the point of neglect.

Rupert: he/him, cis/gay, fire demon. He is also pretty charismatic but in a different direction. Think wolf in sheep's clothing. He's not as smart as some of my other OCS and much prefers brawn over brain. But definitely not a himbo. Runs a criminal gang of assassins and hitmen for hire. Mostly other demons.

Octavian: he/him, cis/bi (masc preference), poison/shadow demon hybrid. A demon aristocrat. A bit of slimeball but everyone loves him or at least pretends to because they're afraid of him. A collector of "fine" things.

Marley: they/poi, nonbinary/panromantic/asexual, poison demon. A chemist specializing in poisons/their own venom. They are very passionate and care deeply, but are a bit of a social outcast. Deeply, deeply craves connection.

Rain: he/him, trans/bi, touch/shadow demon hybrid. Very work focused and detail oriented due to his relationship with Berkley. Very low self esteem. Very little memory aside from living with Berkley. Incredibly lonely... This man needs a hug and a raise.

Reigns: he/him, trans/gay, true shadow demon. He is a "scientist" who works in Richard's lab. He's mostly muscle and sometimes an experiment himself though. He's very kind hearted, but is put in a place where he can't always abide by this. Ian's actual father figure and mentor for many years.

Jane: she/her, cis/bi, touch/shadow demon hybrid. She is a very gentle soul who has seen way too much. She's very laid back and relaxed most of the time, but does get anxious quite easily, especially when it comes to her family. She has no memory of her early childhood and was bounced from home to home the majority of her life. Married to Phoenix, and mother of Dee.

Phoenix: she/her, cis/bi, succubus. She is very... Passionate in a lot of ways. She tends to have a lot more of a temper than her wife, which can get her into trouble sometimes. She works as a secretary. She also streams games in her spare time.

Dee: they/them nonbinary/pan, touch/succubus/shadow demon hybrid. They are still a teenager, but they have a good head about them. Having picked up Phoenix's assertive nature, and Jane's levelheadedness.They can be very reckless at times and don't like listening to authority. They can be very stubborn, but what teenager isn't. Incredibly empathetic.

Dare: they/she/he, genderfluid/bi (feminine preference), true shadow demon. They are Jane and Ian's parent. They are a very gentle and empathetic soul that was thrust in a very bad relationship. The king of hell, alongside Richard. Just wants to be a dad in peace... Living out the cottagecore dream with their partner Mindy.

Richard: he/him, cis/gay, mind demon. The king of hell! He's very charismatic in the sense that he is powerful... But has the personality of a wet paper bag. He is very self centered and selfish to a certain level of cruelty. He's Ian's real dad... But definitely not a good one.

Ian: he/him, cis/bi (feminine preference), mind/shadow demon hybrid. He's got so many daddy issues it's not even funny. He's very quick to temper and struggles to express genuine emotions. He gets overwhelmed easily. He can be gentle with those he cares about though, such as Talon and Ryan. He is pretty suave and very good at manipulating people. He's the secret prince of Hell.

Talon: he/him demiboy/unlabeled, mind/shadow demon. A young clone of Ian that is being raised as Ian's son. He's very curious about the world around him and loves asking questions. Very friendly most of the time, but can be shy if he's already overwhelmed.

Ryan: he/him, trans/gay, true shadow demon. He is sweetie with a, albeit mischievous, heart of gold. He loves to cook for his friends and family. He's very introverted and enjoys the simpler things in life. Takes on being an adopted father to Talon with Ian.

Ash: he/him, cis/gay, touch/??? hybrid. He used to be Ian's best friend. They grew up in the lab together. They had a falling out though. He is very affectionate, sometimes to an uncomfortable degree.

Past: he/they, demiboy/demiromantic/pansexual, fate demon. He is the storyteller of the fate siblings. He is the most sociable and approachable of the siblings. Also, the least outwardly cruel.

Present: they/he/she, genderfluid/bi (masc preference), fate demon. The ambassador of the fate siblings. They are very work oriented and don't really take time for self care. They are easily the most cruel, but have a "work" persona most people like. Old friends with Nox, and they have a *massive* crush on him.

Future: xey/xem, agender/aromantic/asexual, fate demon. The prophet of the fate siblings. The most anti-social of the fates. The oldest and "leader" of the triplets. Xey consider Dare to be xer only true friend.

Isaac: he/him, cis/gay, true shadow demon. A bit of a sleezy guy. He is still powerful, and have influence, but is not well liked. He doesn't mind too much though. He has Luc to torment.

Luc: he/him, cis/pan, fire demon. Ironically has very bad luck. Is very hotheaded and snarky. He tries to be there for others as best he can, but has a lot of his own issues to deal with. Ends up lonely a lot of the time, aside from Isaac.

Zeke: he/him, cis/bi (feminine preference), electric/shadow demon hybrid. A bounty hunter in space in the far, far future when Humanity/angel/demons have taken to the stars. He is another roguish type. Very introverted and spends a lot of time alone. Though he warms up for those he cares about.

Angel characters across all stories -

Berkley: she/he/it, demigirl/demiromantic/demisexual, reaper angel. She is a bit of a mad scientist type. She is also a bit of a social recluse aside from a select few. She is very smart, but very socially inept. Collects teddy bears. She has a very large garden and does a lot of different crafts.

Mindy: she/he, genderfluid/bi (feminine preference), reaper angel. She is like... A feral raccoon. She does not have a lot of social skills due to her past. But her partner, Dare, very much doesn't mind. They can be very sweet at times to those they care about. A bit of himbo.

Mibium: he/him, cis/gay, guardian/healer angel hybrid. He is very much himbo, and a gentle giant. Unless you piss him off, then you're fucked. He deepy, deeply loves and cares about people. He works as a high-school French teacher. His students are convinced he's not human, but don't know what he is. He's a very popular teacher. He's very sociable, if a bit awkward.

Nox: he/him, cis/gay, touch demon/cupid angel hybrid. He is incredibly vain and self-centered. Used to be married to Dayzel, and best friends with Rupert. He is a coward and does not handle being under pressure well.

Omen: he/him, cis/gay, reaper/light angel hybrid. A space bounty hunter in the far, far future. Rivals with Zeke. He has a *massive* crush on him though. Another gentle giant type.

TTRPG characters -

Nom: he/him, trans/pan, Gnome paladin/barbarian. He's my PC that I play in @icyheart-and-friends's DND campaign. He's got a heart of gold but has a lot of trust and self esteem issues. He's a writer under a pen name. Kinda-sorta dating a god? Incredibly loyal and empathetic.

Jax: he/him, trans/bi (masc preference), Tiefling Paladin. He's my PC that I play in @emmettland's DND campaign. He is a soldier that has befriended the king he serves under. Very friendly and the life of the party. Bit of a flirt. Very firm in his moral code. Sees his fellow soldiers as family that he cares deeply about.

Sebastian: he/him, cis/bi, Human. He is very determined, but a bit of a scaredy cat. He woke up in a castle with no memories, and has to keep fighting monsters to get them back. (Castle of memories TTRPG). He's an artist and very kind hearted.

[s0dium]

Hii, I'd like to participate in the matchup event if it's still alright ^^

Name: Gale

Specification of fandom and preferred matchup gender (would you like to be paired with a boy or girl or either): Kny ; boy

Likes/Hobbies: Music, Sweets, Salty Food, Meat, Food, Anime, Books, Knick knacks, trinkets, Drawing, Singing, Comfy things, Researching, Stationery

Dislikes: Tea, Bitter Things, Carrots, messiness,

Relationship Turn offs: Getting jealous to the point it affects the relationship but won't properly communicate it. Not willing to compromise during discussions. Being pushy and not respecting boundaries. Treats nothing seriously. Super secretive to the extent that they won't tell me if something is bothering them or they're in trouble.

Ideal Traits in a partner: Detail-Oriented, Smart, independent, Caring, Willing to spend time with me, Patient, Supportive, Isn't afraid to tell me off if I go off the rails or go into a downward spiral and don't listen to advice.

Love language: My love language is Gift Giving and Physical Touch. I have trouble communicating through words so I tend to compensate it with splurging and spoiling my loved ones with gifts. I am also clingy in the sense that I hug and lean onto people I'm comfortable with a lot. I don't really have a preference in how my partner show's their affection, though maybe words of affirmation would help me in more ways than one. One of us needs to know how to speak I guess haha.

Description of Personality: I'm usually timid and quiet, but when I'm comfortable it depends on my mood. Sometimes I'm loud and energetic, child like even. Sometimes I get sarcastic and sassy, but mostly as a silly or joking bit. I get easily annoyed or ticked off when triggered, but, if isnt one of my triggers, I'm very chill I think. I'm also a bit air headed, like I do things without thinking or easily spacing off or forgetting things. I'm also a bit stubborn. I like to take things easy and frankly a bit lazy. But when I have something to do and I'm not being lazy, I'm anxious to get it done and done in a certain way. If I get serious, I'm very detail-oriented and specific in how I want things but struggle to communicate how I want it. This ends with me doing most projects and tasks alone. Even in activities that require group effort, I don't like not knowing what everyone is supposed to do and the possible quality of their outputs. I prefer knowing who knows how to do what and giving them appropriate jobs. But, this tiring and I burnout easily because of this. I also have the bad habit of, when things don't go the way I plan, as a way to remedy any panic or frustration, I often downplay how I feel about the situation with phrases like "It doesnt matter" and laugh it off, which is both a blessing and curse for me.

What makes you laugh: I have a weird sense of humor so I'm not sure at this point. I do have slight dark humor and I like puns if that helps. Sometimes there are situations where a joke pops in my mind and I have to stop myself from laughing or saying it outloud because it's not the appropriate time. I also laugh at weirdly simple jokes.

What makes me cry: I cry when feelings are involved, when watching sad movies, when I get frustrated, or I get invested in a sad story. I made the mistake of reading ErHa at 2am and did not stop crying abour Chu Wanning for 3 hours. I also played Love Signal D-Mate and chose P:ure's route once and never played another route because I didnt have the heart after his ending. I cried the whole night after my first playthrough :'DDDDD

Ideal Date: I prefer indoor dates like movies, cooking together, playing board games or video games or even reading books together in a cozy and comfortable silence. But if we had to go out a cafe, some movies or mall hopping sounds nice but a bit tiring.

This got really long, I'm sorry qwq Thank you for taking your time to read this though. And congrats on the milestone!!

Giyu Tomioka

"Its strange." Giyuu murmurs. "I always feel at ease around you." "Really?" You let out a slight laugh. "I feel the same way its like everything just....clicks Giyuu leans in, the proximity making your skin hot. "I'm glad. I've never felt this warmth before."

I think you and Giyuu really even each other and compliment each other well

(This is a modern AU)

Giyuu appreciates the peace of staying indoors, which perfectly matches your love for cozy dates. Most evenings, you're likely found curled up together, each with a book in hand, or you drawing while he watches, appreciating your focus and dedication.

He can stare at you sometimes which looks a little weird but he just loves you

Despite his reserved nature, Giyuu finds comfort in performing tasks together, like cooking. He's patient and meticulous, qualities that help when you're trying new recipes.

He does stupid things that make you laugh. He doesn't even know what he is doing sometimes he will say something really blunt that is just hilarious. He loves your laugh

Ngl I think that Giyuu would love manga. You and Giyuu would spend many nights binging series or watching movies. He's usually quiet, but you notice he's more expressive during these times, showing small smiles or furrowing his brows at intense scenes, which you find endearing.

Knowing your love language is gift-giving, Giyuu makes an effort to find thoughtful trinkets and books he knows you'll love.

: Giyuu isn't naturally very expressive, but he understands your need for physical touch and gradually becomes more comfortable with holding hands, hugs, and gentle touches that reassure you of his presence and affection.

Giyuu is a man of few words, which suits your occasional need for silent companionship. When you're working through your thoughts or simply need to be quiet, he's there beside you, a stable and comforting presence.

Both of you have your own strengths and weaknesses, but what makes your relationship special is your willingness to grow together. Giyuu learns to open up more about his feelings, while you help him with organizing tasks and making plans, making each other's lives easier and more fulfilling.

When you do go out, Giyuu enjoys taking you to quiet cafés where you can both enjoy some sweet treats. He will lowkey spend like 200 dollars on sweets that you like

Giyuu is protective, especially when it comes to the people he cares about. While he respects your independence, he's always ready to stand by your side if you feel overwhelmed or frustrated, helping you navigate through tough times with his calm and steady presence.

Hope you enjoyed!

MATCHUP RULES AND INFO

[memphisnovels]

Evermore

Chapter 33. Lean on me

Previous chapter

Masterlist

Hiya, sorry for the delay I've been working on this chapter alongside a few others as things are beginning to ramp up! This marks the official beginning of Evermore Part 2, which will largely encompass the events of the Civil War movie. I'm very excited for you to read it and as always I hope you enjoy!! <3

pairing: Pietro Maximoff x OFC

warnings: Tony and Nadia bonding time, arguing, sad Nads, more memories, Secretary Ross

I couldn’t though. Couldn’t bring myself to hate him. I didn’t need days of soul searching to figure that out. It was so obvious that even I couldn’t deny it.

“I don’t mean to toot my own horn or anything, but I chose a hell of a piece of land to build this compound.” Tony’s voice filled my ears. I didn’t look up at him, having heard him stomping over branches ungracefully for the last minute. “Though, it’s not the most comfortable place to camp out overnight.”

“Just go, Tony.” I muttered. Movement roused my attention, I was surprised he’d given in so easily. However, instead ofturning and heading back in the direction of the compound he’d settled on the ground beside me. He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off before he had the chance. “No thank you.”

He sighed, but closed his mouth, looking out at the water instead. There was silence for a long while before he inevitably became unable to help himself. “None of us knew.”

“I know.”

He tilted his head from side to side. “It does seem like it was all from before… before you two knew each other.”

“I know.”

“So, are you going to hear him out?”

A beat of silence passed and again that stinging was back in my eyes. I clenched my hands into fists, focusing on the ripple across the waters surface. “I did.”

He hummed. “Right. Of course, it’s just that I’m not sure you really gave him enough time.” I narrowed my eyes at him, unsure when exactly he’d become so confident saying things like that to me. Although, I suppose maybe he’d always felt able to call me out. The day we’d met came to mind.

“Time for what, to come up with a lie?”

“Or to gather his thoughts.”

I shut my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath before answering. “It’s not… It isn’t what he did, Tony. I don’t care that he was communicating with Hydra before we knew each other. I mean, I do care about it, but that isn’t what’s getting to me.” My hand threaded through my hair, tugging at the roots in frustration. “The problem is that he lied about it. For all this time.”

Tony tilted his head side to side for a moment and I knew what he was going to say before the words even left his lips. “He didn’t really lie it was more an omission of truth.” The look I gave him had him backtracking immediately. “Right. It’s the same thing. I know. Sorry kid, I’m not exactly good at the whole comforting thing.”

“Why did you even come out here?”

He sighed exasperatedly, looking out at the still water before us. “Because I knew you were out here.”

I didn’t respond for quite some time and when I did it was quiet, barely a mumble. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, I’m definitely not an expert here, but talking to him might be a good place to start.”

 …

The sound of pen on paper filled the otherwise quiet room. I lounged back in the armchair across from Dr. Norris, legs crisscrossed beneath me.

“You mentioned recalling the smell of salt in one of our sessions, I’d like to revisit that.”

“Why does that matter?”

He smiled a little at that. “Focusing on distinctive smells and sounds can be a good way to orient a given memory, it can be helpful to understand where you were when something occurred.” I was unconvinced but his tactics had proved effective previously, so I eventually nodded and closed my eyes, allowing him to walk me back through the recollection. He recounted to me the details I’d told him previously, setting the scene. “It was a warm day, you could feel the sun on your skin, the breeze in your hair. Are you outside, or is it from a window?”

I could feel it all as if it were happening to me right now, though there were still frayed edges that were unclear to me. “I don’t know. I think so, there is nothing blocking the sun, there are no walls.” The cheeky smile that had become familiar to me flashed through my mind, soft brown eyes gazing down at me. I tried hard to focus on my surroundings rather than the company. “I can still smell the salt, its strong but I don’t know where it’s coming from.”

“You said you were dancing, is there music playing?”

I could hear it, faintly, just over the clicking of my shoes against the concrete. The velvety hum of rhythm and blues.

Lean on me

When you’re not strong, I’ll be your friend

I’ll help you carry on…

When I looked down, I saw small feet in sparkly champagne-colored sandals and larger black leather shoes.

The boy taunted me about eating too much cake, how it’d make me sick. I thought about the cake, the way it had tasted, the color of the frosting.

It was crisp white with intricate piping along the sides. I recalled gazing up at the three-tiered masterpiece, on top of the third tier sat an ornament. The fork in my hand was golden as I stabbed at the buttery yellow interior; vanilla and lemon danced across my tastebuds. When I focused so hard it felt as though my hair might fall out the ornament came into focus, it was small and porcelain, a bride and groom standing side by side. It was a wedding cake.

That realization seemed to trigger a series of other memories. The beautiful white dress, puffy like a pastry. I remembered the way the way the tulle felt between my fingers and dark hair encased by a veil that glimmered under the sunlight. Then it was the softness of rose petals, swirling in a downward spiral as I dropped them. Concrete beneath my shoes as I wandered down the long pathway between rows of seats. A hand reached out toward me at the end of the aisle, manicured fingers and a shining silver bracelet the first thing I saw. Then it was the blonde hair as I sat beside the woman, her perfume startlingly familiar. The powdery floral scent that had drifted into so many of my dreams.

“Do you smell the salt where you are now?” Dr. Norris asked.

I shook my head, silence sitting heavily between us after that.

I couldn’t get that fragrance out of my head for the rest of the day. Vanilla, jasmine, citrus, roses. It was the perfect combination of each of those things plus others I couldn’t pin down.

I’d been a flower girl. It felt like another lifetime.

Such a simple concept seemed so incomprehensible. It was jarring to think of the softness, the smell of roses and the silky white dresses compared to what had become of me after. There was a time when I’d felt tulle brush over my fingertips and that wasn’t startling to me then, yet it was the cold hard metal on guns and knives that I became used to so quickly. That childhood was so clear in my mind, so conceivable. How could both things be true.

When the sun had well and truly set and most of the others were either eating dinner or had retired for the evening, I surfaced from the shadows I’d been clinging to while avoiding inevitable conversations. The training room was silent, long since abandoned by this hour.

I separated my ponytail in two, pulling hard to tighten it. My gaze narrowed in on the punching bag before me as I stretched my neck back and forth. The first crack of my fist against the bag sent a shot of adrenaline through me, my focus locked into what I was doing until there was nothing else.

When I was training it was like there were no thoughts but the movement of my limbs; the raw emotions that pumped through me. I used to always believe that when I was sparring, I was able to turn off my emotions, to become numb. It took me a long time to realize that really, I was just good at channeling what I was feeling into the power behind each punch. I hit the bag again and again, making my way around it, jab, jab, kick. When it didn’t feel like enough to drain the thoughts from my mind I hit harder. My heart thumped heavily against my chest, and I felt the sheen of perspiration across my forehead and chest but still I punched and punched.

“Jesus, what’d the bag do to you.” Natasha’s voice pulled me from my haze and when I pulled back, I was panting heavily, and a dull ache had begun in my shoulders. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand. She grabbed the boxing pads and attached them to her hand. “Maybe lay off the poor bag for a minute and pick on someone your own size.”

I rolled my eyes at her, tightening the wraps on my hands and moving toward her. She held her hands up and for me to hit. When I’d caught my breath I jabbed her right glove once, then again harder before hitting the left one. I continued this pattern, finding my rhythm quickly. “I don’t want to talk about it.” I gritted out, throwing a particularly hard punch.

Natasha rose an eyebrow at me. “Well, judging by the tone and how hard you’re hitting right now, I’m guessing things remain unresolved?” I didn’t respond verbally, only continuing to jab again and again. “That would also explain why Pietro’s been so unusually quiet.”

“He’s a lot better at keeping silent than you’d think.”

I could tell by the look on her face that she was dying to meddle. “I think he’s quiet because he’s afraid.”

Her words had me veering back. I yanked at the wraps on my hands. “Because I’m so frightening right? Awful, cold, calculated Nadia?” Natasha’s eyebrows knitted together at my words but now all I was thinking about were the words I’d read on that page in Pietro’s folder. That is what he’d written about me, what he’d said to Hydra. Evidently, I wasn’t so good at hiding this from her.

Her eyes softened, the expression she held turned my stomach. “No, Nadia, of course not. I think he’s probably afraid of losing you.” The stinging was back in my eyes, there was so much on my mind, and I hated this weak feeling that coursed through my veins, and it was so fucking hot in this room I felt like I was suffocating.

“I told you I don’t want to talk about it.” My feet were moving before any words had the chance to leave her lips. I pushed through the doors of the training room, rushing down the hall toward my bedroom. Walking head down in such a hurry was an obvious oversight, another thing I should have seen coming. I gasped as my chest collided with another. Warm hands wrapped around my upper arms, steadying me. The second my eyes met his, I looked away, unable to stomach the look that had lived there for days now. I shoved past him only to be stopped by Steve, standing before us with a look that was equal parts discomfort and concern.

“Oh good, you’re both here.” He glanced between us, obviously sensing the tension sitting heavy in the air. “I just got a call from Secretary Ross’ assistant. He’s coming out to talk with the whole team at the end of next week.”

Just the mention of his name had me fighting a wince. If he was coming all the way out here it couldn’t be good. The reasoning for his last visit came to mind, I knew he was coming to talk to us about the mess in Lagos. It’d been all over the new this past month; inescapable.

“Oh goody, I can hardly contain my enthusiasm.” I muttered, walking away from both men. Not before stealing a single glance at Pietro to catch his expression to the news. He was less able to hide his wince.

It sickened me, the way my hand twitched toward him. The urge to comfort him seemed to clamp down on my heart until the pain promised to bring me to tears.

The next week and a half passed quickly, every day I’d get up before the sun and work out my complicated feelings in the training room. Then I’d eat breakfast before everyone else and spend the rest of the day finding new ways to avoid sympathetic gazes and the incessant questions. That was unbearable, but most of all I was avoiding having to look at Pietro’s face, the guilt that I knew would be written all over him, the ache in me that resounded every time I thought of what he was guilty of. The words he’d written in those notes echoed through my mind. I wondered if that was his only omission. I wondered what exactly had made him stop working with them. I wondered at what points he’d been telling the truth.

When Friday finally came around, I was so on edge that even hitting the punching bag until my fists went numb didn’t do the trick. The memory of that perfume still clung to me, stubborn, unyielding. It was still clouding my mind as I paced the corridor waiting for the familiar silver-haired man to emerge. The moment he did I pressed my palm against his shoulder, pushing him toward the sitting room. He put up no fight, going easily. When the doors were closed behind us, I paused, facing away from him.

“That is what you were so upset about, isn’t it?” I turned then. Pietro closed his eyes tightly, shoulders sagging. The breath I exhaled felt like glass. “Say it.”

“Yes.” He ran a hand through his hair, and I dropped down into one of the armchairs. “Nadia, I wanted to tell you so badly, I just didn’t know how. It was eating me alive. At first, it was just the guilt of being dishonest with you. But then, when I found out what Hydra did to you when you were just a child and then how they tortured you in Morrocco. It made me sick to think I’d ever helped them get anywhere near you.”

My head dropped down into my hands, eyes stinging. “Why didn’t you just tell me when you first arrived?” It would have been so much easier that way, all of this would’ve been much simpler. I could have lumped it in with everything else, it would have absolved him, made him trustworthy to me because at least he’d owned his mistakes. Now, over a year later, it was an entirely separate entity. It didn’t feel like some piece of the past, it felt so fresh.

“I’m sorry.”

“You mentioned that.”

He moved swiftly, kneeling on the ground before me, one hand over my knee while the other took ahold of mine. “I should have told you; I know I fucked up. Please, just… please don’t hate me.”

There was silence between us for a long while. “I don’t hate you, Pietro.” I finally met his eyes. “Of course I don’t. It’s not about that, it’s about trust, you lied to me-” My voice broke and the stinging in my eyes became unbearable. I couldn’t swallow it down this time, I felt tears gathering along my waterline. “You have lied to me about this every day since I’ve known you.” I clenched my hand into a fist, focusing on the pain of my nails digging into my palm.

Pietro’s face fell so completely that I felt my heart crack yet again. It was impossible to look at him when he looked so devastated. His eyes glistened like mine, but I couldn’t bring myself to look away, I scanned his face for any sign of familiarity, of the Pietro I’ve come to know. The worst part was that I found it, all over him was the man that had stepped into the darkness with me, broken down my walls and never given up, just like he’d promised.

“I will tell you anything you want to know. I will tell you everything, I swear, just please, please… believe me, the last time I sent anything to Hydra was after we fought in the shipyard. Never again after that, and it was never ever a factor in my wanting to be with you.” His hand smoothed over the flesh of my check.

When I looked into his eyes, letting my head rest against the warmth of his palm I could almost convince myself that nothing had changed. It was still him, still Pietro, my Pietro. It was still him and this didn’t change the way I felt, it didn’t negate every moment we’d shared since he’d come to the compound. Everything was not lost just because of this one treacherous secret. I clung to every memory that popped into my mind, every smile he’d caused, every flush, all the laughter and banter, the arguments and that white-hot ache I’d felt when I thought I might have ruined everything between us in Amsterdam.

F.R.I.D.A.Y. chimed into the room, saving me from having to force a response over the lump in my throat. “Mr. Stark has arrived accompanied by Secretary Ross; Captain Rogers has asked that everyone convene in the conference room.”

I stood then, clearing my throat and quickly wiping my eyes. Pietro watched me carefully, but I just stepped past him, making my way towards the door. I paused, however, hand hovering over the handle. “Let’s just get through this, then we will talk.” With that I left the room.

I sat between Natasha and Steve at the table, listening to Secretary Ross speak about his heart attack and how it allowed him to gain perspective. The nature of this meeting was not lost on me, nor any of the others, though, the specific consequences for what had occurred loomed over us all like an impending storm. I glanced at Pietro across the table, he sat beside Wanda, hands in his lap, studying the tiniest imperfection in the glossy wooden table. The words spoken by the secretary became a low hum of white noise as I gathered my thoughts about everything that had come to light. Where to go from here, how to proceed.

The word dangerous brought my attention back to the conversation at hand. Ross moved back toward the screen as the pixels joined to show a video.

“New York.” He said as the footage revealed Hulk smashing through building after building. “Washington, D.C.” The S.H.I.E.L.D. mother ship was smashed into smithereens, screams ringing through the screen. “Sokovia.” As soon as that word left his mouth my eyes were on Pietro and Wanda. The sound of screaming filled my ears yet again, the footage showing the crumbling island being lifted upward, buildings falling and people attempting to flee. “Lagos.” The footage I’d seen on the news played out, smoke and stretchers, civilians crying and more screaming alongside the sound of sirens. Pietro’s jaw tightened and his shoulders sagged further, he could not even look at Wanda who’d finally torn her eyes away from the screen. I glanced toward Steve, furrowing my eyebrows momentarily as a silent plea for him to put a stop to this.

“Okay that’s enough.”

Secretary Ross turned off the video, bracing his hands behind his back as he turned toward us once more. “For the past four years you’ve operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That’s an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate, but I think we have a solution.” He slid a hefty-looking, bound booklet onto the table toward Wanda. She pushed them toward Rhoadey as Ross circled the table, discussing the end to our privatization. When the booklet moved to Natasha I placed a hand over it, pulling it a little closer for inspection.

The Sokovia Accords.

I skimmed through the pages as he continued, Rhoadey speaking up as well. It all blurred together as I read about the plans for ‘supervision’ of the Avengers. If this was agreed on it would mean we were only able to intervene in conflict if it was deemed necessary by the United Nations. I closed the book, pushing it down toward Steve as I mulled over the words I’d read.

“Talk it over.” He spoke with finality, beginning toward the door of the conference room.

I swallowed heavily.

“And if the decision we come to isn’t the one you want?” I asked, glancing up at Ross.

He lingered for a moment, turning back slightly to address me. “Then you retire.”

I nodded, utterly unsurprised by this.

When Ross left we all moved to one of the compound’s sitting rooms to discuss our respective feelings on how to proceed. It took no time at all for Sam and Rhoadey to begin arguing about the matter, Sam disagreeing with the accords while Rhoadey vehemently defended Ross. I glanced at Tony who lounged back in an armchair, hand covering his eyes.

Pietro had been completely silent since the meeting with Ross, not so much as uttering a word to any of us. He stood behind the couch where Natasha and I were seated, pacing the floor, arms crossed over his broad chest.

“I have an equation.” Vision spoke up from his spot beside Wanda, all eyes turning to him and finally Pietro’s pacing stopped, instead he moved to hold onto the back of the couch, looming over it. Sam muttered some sarcastic remark, but I kept my eyes on the red man. “In the 8 years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate.”

Steve looked up at vision over the edge of the accords he held in his hands. “Are you saying it’s our fault?”

“I’m saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge, challenge incites conflict and conflict breeds catastrophe. Oversight… oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand.”

“Boom.” Rhoadey added, looking toward Sam.

Tony sighed heavily causing my eyes to shift back to him. “You’re uncharacteristically tolerable today.”

“It’s because he’s already made up his mind.” Steve retorted.

“Boy, you know me so well.” Tony pushed himself up from the couch. Walking toward the kitchen. “Actually, I’m nursing an electro-magnetic headache. That’s what’s going on, Cap, it’s just pain. It’s discomfort.” The tone he took had me wondering if maybe Steve was right, but something significant must have happened to have Tony agreeing with Secretary Ross. “Who’s putting coffee grounds in the disposal?” He asked, looking back at us accusingly. “Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?” His deflections didn’t fool me. It was evident something was eating him. He pulled out his phone, projecting the image of a boy who looked to be in his late teens or perhaps early twenties. “Oh, that’s Charles Spencer by the way, he’s a great kid, computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA… had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn’t want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn’t go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where? Sokovia.” I looked to Pietro then, his knuckled had turned white from his grip on the seat. I didn’t think about the movement of my hand, or the implication of it, I just reached out for him, hand falling over his and squeezing. “He wanted to make a difference; I suppose. We won’t know because we dropped a building on his while we were kicking ass.” Pietro moved to drop down into the seat beside me. “There is no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check and whatever form that takes, I’m game. If we can’t accept limitations, we’re boundary-less, we are no better than the bad guys.”

“Tony, someone dies on your watch. You don’t give up.” Steve intervened.

Tony took a step forward. “Who said we’re giving up?”

“We are if we’re not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame.”

I saw his point; the trouble was I also agreed with Tony. The room quickly opened back up to a heated discussion, with Rhoadey and Tony on the same side while Steve adamantly disagreed. I met Natasha’s eyes, a silent sentiment shared between us then, this was really bad.

“Maybe Tony’s right.” Nat spoke up, Sam and Steve’s heads whipped toward her. “If we have one hand on the wheel we cant still steer, if we take it off.”

“Aren’t you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?” Sam questioned.

I snickered quietly but was quick to defend her. “She’s just reading the terrain. We had all made some very public mistakes, we need to win their trust back.”

Natasha smiled at me but the look on Pietro’s face read surprise.

It was Tony who spoke next. “Focus up. I’m sorry, did I just mishear you both or did you agree with me?”

 I rolled my eyes heavily, Natasha and I both muttering our regrets at giving him satisfaction.

“You can’t retract it now! Thank you both. Okay, case closed; I win.” Tony gloated.

The Accords booklet slapped against the glass table as Steve stood, tossing it down. “I have to go.” His voice was low, betraying something private that was causing him pain.

While the others returned to their discussions, I caught Pietro’s eye, nodding toward the door before standing from the couch. When we had both exited the sitting room I turned back to him, my mind brimming with a million different thoughts. “It is going to be okay.” I assured him, recognizing the expression on his face. However, my words had his look changing slightly.

He watched me intently for a moment, gesturing between us with one hand. “What about us? Is this going to be okay?”

I wrung my fingers together, dropping my eyes down to look at the floor. The look on his face has an array of different emotions bathing me. I knew that we would only ever be okay if I could move past what he had done, if I could let go of the shades of distrust that had begun to darken the moments we shared. This was the only path forward, what we had could never survive if I let this fester. I also knew there was only one way for me to even begin to let it go.

“You need to tell me everything.”

[shai-manahan]

Hollowed Minds Progress Update 5/08/23

Hi! I know I failed at making a progress update last month, so first of all, apologies for that! Things have just been busy tbh and life has been too stressful that at some points I just couldn't write. It's why I've been a bit inactive here as well, and why I've been barely answering the asks I've been receiving.

I cannot report yet how many words I've written for the update so far because I haven't really taken a look at it myself, but I will do so at the end of the month if there's still no confirmed schedule by then. My eye health has just been very consistent at making my life harder as well until recently, and here's hoping I'll at least be able to function properly for a whole month🤞

Some things that will be in the next update:

For Chapter 2's Part 2:

Everything still goes as planned, except now both routes are expected to be fast-paced and action-oriented, though one is still more intense than the other.

This will be a massive one, not because of the word count but because of the variations that will play out. There won't be much issues in arranging the transitions to Chapter 3, so there's at least that, but your choices will matter a lot. So you might have to be careful with them.

One of the routes gets Alonzo actively involved, but please be assured that this doesn't mean you have to romance them. I actually encourage you all to check out both routes once they come because you'll gain more discoveries that way. 👀

Alonzo's route will be so memeworthy, I have to admit. Please try it.

There's an info dump in Chapter 2's Part 1 that I'm not really a fan of, so I'll be moving some of those to this part instead if needed.

For the overall IF:

Alex will now have a set skin tone if a lighter one is chosen for the Ripper. I will discuss this in detail soon, but I just wanted to emphasize that Alex and Ripper's mother are canonically PoC.

You will have options for your Ripper to wear contacts or glasses (or neither ofc).

You'll be able to bring a weapon with you in Chapter 2 depending on your choices so far.

You might remember a section of Chapter 1 where you can choose what your Ripper had been doing for the duration of the five months. I might reduce it to a few, just so I could have them properly recognized in the story.

There will be a couple of changes in the character descriptions in the game's stats page, with plans to make them shorter, too, for easier readability.

I will make sure you'll have saves at the end of this. So please don't be surprised if there'll be more page breaks in the future, as well as more choices (that are still as meaningful.)

In connection to above, I also plan to make the in-game descriptions snappier and easier to read while still maintaining the quality they should have. Your feedback will be very important for this, and this also applies to the beta testers (sorry I've been so silent. I swear I'll get back to you all soon lmao)

Not really too related here, but I also plan to be more consistent with my updates in the future. It's just that my irl schedule is still a huge mess, and it's very hard to be consistent when that happens.

Just a last piece of my mind. Some anons have been very aggressive with harassment the past few months, and I really have no interest for more drama right now. So if you have issues, if you think you can back your own words, send them through a DM or at least turn off anon so we could have a proper conversation.

It's honestly tiring. Being an Asian in this community can already be so tiring, so I am begging people to be mature and responsible with their words. After all, I've repeatedly said that you can always come to me with your concerns or whatever you have against me. As long as we can actually talk about it.

Anyway, that's all, and I hope the week will be good for everyone :) I have a few more things to post on Patreon tomorrow, so if you're a current patron, do look forward to that!