#top gear moodboard

[aestheticstuffbystrixaluco]

Коллаж к фанфику «Как в первый и в последний раз»

Фикбук (Ficbook): https://ficbook.net/readfic/018cdaf0-239e-7bb1-a493-707b31dea23e

Collage for my work «Like the first time, like the last time» (only in russian sorry)

James May/Jeremy Clarkson

[cheeseknives]

Watching them put James on actually nice clothes, just for him to go back to the unholy pink/purple rugby shirt and jacket that looks slightly too short

[sacredjake]

Fast Times

pairing: Danny Wagner x Reader

word count: 4.6k

warnings: fluff, biker danny (bc yes that deserves a warning)

disclaimer: please, please, please be exremely cautious about riding motorcycles and always make sure you wear the correct gear. and please do not ride on the back of a strangers bike for the first time… or maybe in general? stranger danger y’all!

a/n: hi y’all! hope you enjoy biker!danny

should out to @malany-gvf for proofreading and allowing me to bounce ideas off her <3 and thank you to @gold-mines-melting for giving me feedback on the moodboard, i definitely think this is the perfect one :) thank you both so much!!! <3333 love y’all!

—————————————

The grocery store was fairly busy, it was a Saturday after all. People milled about getting their groceries, necessities and whatnot, filling most of the aisles you traveled down. You hated going to the store on the weekends, but you needed a few things and today was one of your few off days, so here you were. Thankfully you didn’t need more than a couple of items.

You muttered a few apologies as you pushed the cart past other customers down the aisle before stopping in front of the pasta. Your eyes raked over the shelves trying to find the specific pasta that you wanted. Finally you were able to spot it on the top shelf.

“Great…” You huffed with a sigh, realizing the box was just out of your reach. Taking a look around you noticed most of the aisle had cleared out, so you walked closer to the shelves, and stepped lightly on the bottom one. Even with the extra step up, your fingers barely grazed the box.

The more you tried to grab the box, the further you pushed it back with each sweep of your fingers. Just as you were about to give up, a hand plucked the box from behind your fingers. A very large hand. Your eyes trailed up from the hand next to yours to land on the man next to you. He was tall, with beautiful, dark brown curly hair, soft brown eyes, and he was wearing a crooked smile. He was very attractive. And he was holding the box of pasta out to you.

You cleared your throat as you stepped down, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up your throat and into your cheeks. “Ah, thanks…” You carefully took the box from the handsome stranger and tried your best to avoid looking at him again. Your face was red enough already.

“No worries.” He gave you a soft smile before he walked away. You watched as he got further down the aisle and caught his eyes one last time as he glanced back at you from over his shoulder. He disappeared around the corner, shaking you from your deer-in-headlights state.

You pushed the attractive stranger out of your mind and continued your shopping by grabbing the last two things on your list. While you waited in the self-checkout line you spotted the man again at a register in front of you. You watched him scan the few items he had and pay for his belongings until it was your turn. He was wearing black skinny jeans, white vans, and a “The Church of Rock and Roll” shirt that had been made into a tank top, the slits on the sides easily reaching down to his ribs, with a pair of black ray bans hanging from the neck of his shirt.

Just as you were walking up to an empty register, he was packing away his things into a small bag. A few minutes later you did the same, and walked out to your car once everything was paid for and placed back into the cart. You unlocked your trunk and began carefully placing everything inside making sure nothing would fall over.

As you shut the trunk and walk the cart towards the corral, you could hear the sound of a motorcycle pulling in beside you. The driver had parked right next to your driver side and had set the kick stand out, letting the bike rest while still being on.

It was a small black Harley cruiser, nothing super fancy, but still very nice. You took special notice to the rider, recognizing the mystery man from the pasta aisle, but this time he had a helmet on. Suddenly the sound from the bike was cut off as you approached your car and unlocked it. You had opened the door and sat in the driver’s seat when the guy finally spoke up.

“Uh, hey, I’m sorry about this, but I just thought you were really cute and uh… Sorry… I uh… Was just wondering if maybe I could get your number?”

The bulky helmet covered most of his face, but you could tell underneath that he was blushing. His shyness almost caught you off guard seeing as he didn’t seem so shy inside the store. It was endearing in a way.

“My number?” You couldn’t wipe the stupid grin off your face even if you tried. He was incredibly cute.

“Yeah… If that would be alright?” The crinkles by his eyes gave away his hidden smile under the helmet. While the helmet covered most of his face you could still see the bridge of his nose, and the freckles that lived there.

“I’ll make you a deal…” You leaned towards him more with your left foot planted on the ground outside of the car. His right eyebrow cocked upwards waiting for your next move.

“And what might that be?”

“I’ll give you my number if you take me for a ride on your bike.”

“Deal.”

There was no hesitation in his reply and the confidence in himself made him more attractive.

“Really? Just like that?” You were amused that he had even agreed and especially more so that he did it almost without a second thought.

“It’s not everyday a pretty girl wants to ride on the bike and will give me her number. But I don’t have another helmet on me right now and there’s absolutely no way I’ll take you out on this without the proper gear.”

“I can wait.” The words left your mouth before you had even realized what you said. You didn’t know this man and you were going to get on a motorcycle with him? What the hell was wrong with you?

“You don’t have anywhere else you need to be? Nothing frozen in there?” He gestured to the back of your car where you had just finished loading in all your groceries.

“Nope, I am completely free and nothing frozen in the back.”

He said nothing for a moment and just continued to stare at you in awe. He shook his head with a chuckle before he spoke again.

“Alright, give me twenty minutes and I’ll be back here… You’re seriously gonna wait?”

“I’m seriously gonna wait.”

With that he started the bike up again and released the kick stand. Before he backed up, he shot you another smile with a look of almost disbelief that this was happening. Once he took off you shut the door to your car and turned the engine on to get comfortable. You made sure to text basically everyone you knew about your plans for the night in case he was actually an axe murderer.

You scrolled through various forms of social media while you waited for the mystery man to return. When you heard the loud rumbling of the bike around the corner you checked the time. Almost twenty minutes on the dot. He was good.

You waited until he killed the engine to the bike to turn your car off and step outside. He took his helmet off and stepped off the bike. His delicate curls didn’t suffer any damage or deformity during their time inside his helmet, looking absolutely perfect. The same crooked smile you saw in the store had returned and it made your heart skip.

“I can’t believe you waited.” He tucked his helmet underneath his arm while he held another one in his hand. It was red and slightly smaller than his black helmet.

“I can’t believe you came back.” You closed the car door behind you and clicked the lock button twice to set the alarm.

“Of course I came back. I’m not sure if this helmet will fit exactly, but it’s better than nothing.” He held the helmet out for you to take. You did as he silently asked and took the helmet from him. It was heavier than you expected, but at least you knew your skull would be safe in it.

“Ya know, before I put this on maybe you should tell me your name?”

A smile cracked across his face making his eyes sparkle.

“It’s Daniel, but you can call me Danny.” He held his hand out and waited for you to shake it.

“Danny… Nice to officially meet you, I’m y/n.” Your left hand dropped to your side with the helmet as you grabbed his hand. Danny didn’t squeeze your hand hard, but his grip was firm. You met the pressure of his hand, squeezing back slightly.

“Likewise.” His smile was contagious, and it never left his face. Every time he looked at you, you couldn’t help the grin that danced on your lips.

“Have you ever been on a motorcycle of any kind?”

“No, I’ve been snowmobiling, jet skiing and on ATVs, but never on a bike.”

He nodded his head in understanding and seemed to think about what he was going to say next.

“Hmmm… Right. So there are a few rules we need to go over before you put the helmet on.” You followed his previous action and nodded in response.

“You have to hold on to me at all times, so don’t get all shy on me. When we turn, let your body follow the natural pull, don’t fight it or that’ll end up badly. If you’re nervous or uncomfortable at any time, let me know. We’ll be able to hear each other through the bluetooth in the helmets, but sometimes it cuts in and out, so tap my chest three times, okay?” You continued to nod as he went on explaining the important things you’d need to know.

“When we stop, try your best to not lean forward on me and brace yourself as we slow. Try not to move too much on the back as well. Lastly, relax and have fun. I won’t go any faster than what you’re comfortable with. Sound good?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve got it. Hold on tight, don’t lean too much to one side, communicate by tapping your chest three times or talking, brace for stops and don’t lean on your back, and don’t move around.” You ran back through everything he had just said, pretty sure you got it all down. It was a little nerve wracking to think about the fact you were trusting a stranger with your life. And that he was trusting you not to screw up.

“Sounds like you’ve got it. Ready to put that helmet on?” You held the helmet up wordlessly between the two of you.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Alright go ahead and slip it on, and I’ll help you tighten and buckle it before I put mine on.”

The helmet he provided you fit perfectly, it was snug without being too tight, and it didn’t wiggle around your face. You could hear his muffled voice asking how it fit through all the padding. You gave the helmet a tap on the outside and a thumbs up. His fingers got to work on the straps underneath your chin, constantly asking how they felt. Once they felt good, Danny slipped his own helmet on and set up the bluetooth.

You hear the bluetooth dial up tone before you hear his voice.

“Can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.” You saluted him jokingly, earning a chuckle that rang throughout your ears.

“Alright, I’m gonna hand you some gloves, go ahead and put those on while I hop on the bike.”

“Sir, yes sir.” He chuckled again, this time shaking his head.

“Easy now, I don’t know you that well… yet.” Danny winked at you as he handed you the gloves. Instant heat flushed to your cheeks and you were thankful that most of your face was covered. Damn him.

Once he was settled on the bike and you had the gloves on, he spoke again.

“Alright I’m gonna hold my hand out and I want you to use me to help you step on.”

“Got it.”

You walked around to the back of the bike and grabbed his hand around the top of his left shoulder. He kept you steady as you swung your leg over the seat and sat on the back of the bike.

“You’re gonna have to get a little bit closer than that.”

You scooted forward on the seat and tried to get more comfortable. However, you still must not have been close enough because just as you got comfortable, Danny’s large hands wrapped around the backs of your knees and pulled you closer until you were flush against him. You tried to ignore the proximity and where his hands just were, trying to focus on preparing yourself for the actual ride.

“Sorry…” You felt like you had let him down a little by not meeting his standards.

“No worries, this is your first time. Sometimes you just need someone to show you. Go ahead and grab on. Don’t be afraid you’ll hurt me, okay? Hold on tight.”

“Yeah, okay.” While being this close to a complete stranger was unusual, you felt safe with Danny. You snaked your arms around his midsection and held your arms with the other hand, locking them on.

A moment later the bike’s engine revved to life and you felt the vibrations roll through your body. It had just become very real to you. You were about to go on a ride with a man you literally met maybe forty minutes ago. You were in far too deep to turn back now though.

“Ready? We’ll start out nice and easy.” Danny’s head turned slightly over his left shoulder to peek at you. Instead, his helmet knocked against yours softly due to the minimal distance between you. He muttered a quick ‘sorry’ accompanied with a chuckle. You couldn’t help but let a small giggle out.

“Yeah, uh… Just promise you’re not some kind of murderer who’s gonna kill me and dispose of my body in the woods…”

“I promise I’m not a murderer. Just a guy who desperately wants a cute girl’s number. You’re gonna have to trust me during the ride, okay?”

“Yeah, okay. I’m good. I’m ready.” You were basically trying to hype yourself up. Trying to prepare for whatever was about to happen. Definitely too late to turn back now.

“Alright then, let’s go.” Danny released the kickstand and began to walk the bike backwards out of the spot. Your arms tightened around his waist out of instinct as Danny took off out of the parking lot slowly. You remembered what he told you to do during turns and let your body stay neutral, following the motion of the bike while he took a right out of the parking lot.

“You doing okay back there?”

“Yeah, I’m doing alright. If you want, we could probably kick it up a notch if we’re below the speed limit. I’m feeling good.”

You meant it too. Riding on the back was fairly easy and you adjusted to it quickly. Letting your body move in tandem with Danny’s and the bike felt natural and you were loving it.

“Whatever you say, doll.” He laughed with amusement and gave the right handle bar a twist, accelerating. You didn’t go much faster, but you appreciated it. Danny seemed to be cautious about keeping the ride safe.

Buildings and houses and schools blurred in your vision, zooming past. Everything went by at warped speed which made your ability to focus nearly impossible. You did your best to keep yourself upright, but still pressed against him to not leave too much room. Constantly, you fought the urge to rest the cheek of your helmet against his shoulder, but decided that may not be the best option. You didn’t want to be too close to him so that you wouldn’t be able to brace yourself for stops or pull away when you stopped at red lights or stop signs.

Eventually, Danny pulled out onto a quieter road surrounded by trees. There were little to no cars and no people walking around. He kept the speed steady for a moment before speaking.

“Ready to experience some real speed?”

You were definitely ready. You had trusted Danny this far and didn’t think he was reckless enough to endanger you both. Less traffic also made you feel more safe. You tightened your arms around his waist tighter, gripping your forearms with more strength.

“Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s do it.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Just from the sound of his voice you could tell he was wearing his heart stopping crooked smile.

The build up of speed was gradual, but quick. One moment you were comfortable and the next you felt like you could fly off the back of the bike any second. But you were enjoying every bit of it. You hadn’t even realized that your small screams of enjoyment were now coming out as laughter. No matter how hard you tried to stop you just couldn’t stop laughing.

Your laughter finally died down with the speed of the bike as Danny started to decelerate. He pulled over on the side of the road, kicked the stand out, and killed the engine. You stayed on the back of the bike while he fumbled with the chin straps on the helmet and then slipped it off his head.

“Here.” He held his hand out like he did to help you get on the bike. You placed your left hand in his right using the leverage to pull your body up and swing your leg over the seat. Moving slowly, you were careful to not send your knee flying into his spine.

Danny didn’t let go of your hand after you stepped off the bike, and instead intertwined his fingers with yours to pull you in front of him. Both of his hands find the straps under your chin and his fingers release them swiftly allowing you to pull the helmet off.

“Not bad for a rookie.” He smiled up at you from his seated position on the bike. His discarded helmet sat between his legs, his large hands resting on top of it.

“I’ve been told I’m a pretty fast learner.” You shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk creeping its way onto your lips. Danny only smiled wider.

“Is that so?”

His eyebrow cocked as he spoke and his hand stretched out the short distance towards your hip, looping his index and middle fingers through the belt loop on your jeans. He tugged you towards him with minimal force, and you allowed your body to follow until his knee rested against your hip. You nodded your head slowly in response, teeth gnawing lightly on your bottom lip.

It was at this moment that you realized just how close you were to one another. You were so close to Danny that you could make out all the freckles that splayed across the bridge of his nose. So close that you could tell that his eyes weren’t just brown. They were hazel. Brown and green hazel. They were beautiful, and warm, and inviting, and they held you there, unable to look away.

His hand gripped your hip, the tips of his fingers digging into your waist, somehow bringing you closer to him. You rested your hand on his shoulder, a nervous knot of excitement twisting in the pit of your stomach. With bated breath you watched Danny’s eyes shift between your own before flicking down to your lips and back up to your eyes.

His eyes bore into yours with a silent question, your answer coming out in the form of a nod. The hand on your hip disappeared and came to rest on your neck, his fingers reaching the nape. He pulled you to him, pausing just before his lips brushed yours, his eyes flitting once more between your eyes and lips. He met your gaze again, his lips curled up in that soft crooked smile that made your knees weak.

When his lips finally touched yours it was with light pressure. Like he was afraid he’d hurt you. Soft and warm, his lips fit against yours in a way you couldn’t describe. As if they were made for each other. Your skin tingled with goosebumps and felt like it had been set on fire. Just when you began to melt against Danny’s lips they were gone. Your eyes open half-lidded, coated with content and need, to see Danny staring back at you mirroring your expression.

“It’s, uh, starting to get dark out. We should head back.” You were still so close to each other that his warm breath cascaded over your skin. He was smiling at you when he spoke, his hand still holding the back of your neck.

“Yeah, okay.” Your voice cracked in a whisper and you smiled softly back at him.

Danny helped you put your helmet back on, tightening the straps and making sure the bluetooth was working before starting the bike. He held his hand out just as he had earlier and you grabbed on, hoisting yourself onto the back of the seat. While you got comfortable, Danny put his helmet on.

“Ready to head back?”

You snaked your hands around his waist and squeezed lightly before responding.

“Yeah, I’m all set.”

“Alright then.”

——————————

The ride back to your car was fairly quiet. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. In fact it was completely comfortable, just enjoying the moment you were sharing and watching the night fly by. Soon enough you and Danny were pulling into the spot next to your car. The parking lot was mostly empty, the grocery store having closed nearly an hour ago.

“Here we are.” Danny killed the engine to the bike and helped you step off the back.

“Here,” You held out the helmet he had brought you, “Thank you for taking me out on the bike. I, uh, had a lot of fun.” He hung his own on the handlebar as he stepped off.

“I had fun too, I’m glad you asked for a ride.” He didn’t take the helmet from your hand and instead pushed it back towards you gently. The confusion written on your features was met with a soft smile.

“Keep it. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time I take you for a ride.”

You smiled back at him and tucked it underneath your arm.

“Oh is that so?” You gave him a sly, playful smile and laughed.

“I hope so.” He laughed with you, and stepped closer, his hand cupping your cheek. You leaned into his touch with your hand laying over his.

“I think that can be arranged.”

“Good, because I’d like to be able to do this a lot more often.”

Danny’s lips met yours for the second time that night, and still you felt the imaginary fireworks. Still you felt the tingle it brought to your entire body. Still you felt that same fire from before. It was almost as if you had never felt truly alive until today. And just like before, the kiss was brief. When you opened your eyes, Danny’s were staring back at you softly. That beautiful crooked grin adorned his face making your heart clench.

“I think I could get used to that.”

Another hour had easily passed. You were both talking, and enjoying each other’s company and swapping life stories. The night was beginning to turn chilly, your body shivering lightly. Danny being the gentleman that he is, handed you his jacket, which you gracefully accepted even though it was far too large for you.

Eventually the night drew to a close despite you wishing it would never end. You could’ve stayed with Danny the entire night, just talking about your lives. You loved learning all the little things about him like the things he loved, and the things he hated, his passion for music and his family. Being around him was like a constant nicotine high leaving your entire body tingling, and your mind fuzzy.

“Hand me your phone.” You held your palm out to him. He had opened your door for you and you were sitting in the driver’s seat looking up at him.

He just gave you a questioning look, but took his phone out of his pocket and handed it to you, unlocking it first. You opened the phone icon and began typing your numbers in on the keypad. You saved your number in his phone and gave it back to him with your contact popped up on the screen.

“I intended to keep my end of the bargain.”

“How do I know this is your real number? That you didn’t just put in a fake one and use me for my clearly awesome bike?” His tone was playful, clearly making a joke.

“Well you could text me now, make sure it’s right.” A light, breathy laugh sounded from his lips. He did as you suggested and typed out a quick message. To neither of your surprise, your phone vibrated in your pocket. You showed him the notification and saved his number in your phone.

“I told you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Danny rolled his eyes, an amused smile on his face. He stepped closer to you and leaned down, kissing you a final time for the night. This kiss was a little different than the other two. There was the tiniest hint of passion and hunger behind the barely there force that came with his lips this time. Not letting either of you explore those feelings, Danny pulled away and grabbed your hand.

“I really need to get going, it’s getting late. Let me know when you make it home safely?”

“Yeah, I will.”

Danny placed a kiss to the back of your hand, and stepped back. He wished you goodnight, his voice coming out soft, and hushed. You said goodnight as well, shut your door and started your car. He waited for you to back out and leave the area you were parked in before he exited the parking lot too. The whole way home you couldn’t stop replaying the day’s events in your mind. It almost felt like a dream. A fairytale even. What are the odds right?

When you had made it home safely you remembered to text Danny.

I got home safe. Thank you again for a great day, it was perfect.

You went about your regular nighttime routine, washing your face, changing clothes, feeding your fish, etc… You also had brought in all of the groceries you had bought hours ago, and put them away. It wasn’t until you were changing that you realized you still had Danny’s jacket on. You slid into bed and picked up your phone to text him about it. He had already texted you back which made you smile.

I had a great time too. I’m glad today was perfect because that was just a scratch on the surface.

His text seemed promising of another… whatever today was. You weren’t sure if you would call today a first date, or a date at all considering you barely knew the guy, but you knew for sure you wanted to see him again.

Sounds like you plan on seeing me again?

You hit send before typing out another message and hitting send on that one.

Oh by the way, I still have your jacket!

When his next text came through, you were sure you were blushing bright red, and smiling at your phone like a lunatic. Or some kind of love-sick teenager.

I know, I didn’t ask for it back on purpose. I figured you could give it back to me on our second date ;)

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taglist: @malany-gvf @dannyandthekiszkas @gretasimp @popejosh4ever @brujamagick @demolitionndann @hellowgoodbye @lipstickitty @ageofhearingloss @sunandthemoontwinflames @indigofallingsky @gold-mines-melting

add yourself to my taglist! :)

[b0r3dtod3ath]

hii! if ur requests are still open, may i ask for list A, going skiing with lewis? maybe when he’s on uncle duty as well? 🫶

Christmas Event Masterlist

A/N: I wrote headcanons for it, I hope you don't mind!

When Lewis came up with the idea to take his niece and nephew with you for a ski trip you were more than happy. He loved his family and wanted to give them as much time and attention as he could. Also, you quite enjoy seeing Lewis being surrounded by kids, it brings out a different side of him.

He made a playlist to listen to in the car on the way. It contains hits that the four of you sang at the top of your lungs as well as some more calmer, jazzy tunes as to not wake up tired kids while coming back.

He definitely teaches you how to ski if you don't know. He has a lot of experience and patience. Safety is key so none of you is seen without a helmet. It also gives you some privacy as no one can recognise him. He always has eyes around his head and looks after you and the kids.

Speaking of helmets: he's stylish as hell so creative skiing gear with a personal touch.

Once you are at the place that you rented he makes sure that kids go thru their night routine, he might even read them a bedtime story. Once they are asleep he places his full attention on you, not wanting you to feel even slightly left out.

Many off-the-slope activities such as building a snowman, snowball fights, going to the restaurant or board games in front of the fireplace.

Lewis, being active on social media, would likely take some pictures of the skiing adventure, sharing snapshots of you and the kids, the beautiful scenery, and maybe a few behind-the-scenes moments.

Bonus moodboard:

December 31, 2023

[softstarlite]

Camping Proposal

A Frankie Morales One Shot

Frankie Morales x f!reader

Inspired by this moodboard by @wildemaven

Warnings: very slight smut, mention of masturbation (m receiving), mention of cum eating, one mention of killing from reader towards Frankie, pure fluff.

Rating: +18

Word count: 1.8K

Masterlist

A/N: I'm not sure if I like this but well, here it is <3

Dividers by @saradika

Frankie had it all planned, the entire weekend. All the gear that they needed to camp was already in his car, his car had gas, his daughter was spending the weekend with his parents, he had packed the camera in his bag when you were distracted because he already knew you would want to get some pictures about the whole thing. And, most importantly, the ring was inside a pair of socks in his bag, ready for the perfect moment.

You and Frankie met on one of Benny´s fight nights, you had been dragged to it by a close friend that had a crush on Benny and wanted to see him all sweaty and throwing punches. You, being the kind friend that you are, let her drag you with a smile on your face. You had worn a pair of cropped jean shorts, a tight black tank top and the one item you were obsessed with at the time, your black cowboy boots. You were sitting on front row, even if it was a stupid idea since it would mean that any blood, sweat or spit would be hitting you, all because your friend really “needed” a good look of Benny; that was when a stranger tripped just in front of you, sending their beer all over you on accident. When you got a good look at the stranger he had beautiful brown eyes, a patchy beard and a dimple formed in his cheek when he gave an apologetic smile to you, followed by a million sorrys.

After an hour and a half of Frankie driving with a hand on your thigh and your sing along of the songs on the radio, you guys arrive at the campsite, you hop out of the car in excitement and look around, when you see that you guys were alone and the closest person was miles away you let out a excited squeal.

“Ooh this is a perfect place amor” you say walking to the flattest place, where the tent would be placed, and look towards the river close to the site.

You feel a pair of arms surrounding you from behind and the tickle of Frankie´s mustache in your neck. “you know what's more perfect? you, bebita” he says pecking your neck.

“I love you, but that was the cheesiest thing in the world” you chuckle and bring a hand behind you to run through his brown curls, his cap forgotten inside the car.

“Having you here all to myself for the whole weekend gets me too cheesy, so don't be mean cariño” he squeezes you between his arms and nibbles your neck.

“Frankie!!” you squirm in his arms and laugh, you love him like this, not stress about anything and with time to be as playful and carefree as he wants to be.

He finally lets you go and spins you, so you are looking at him, he looks into your eyes for what feels like an eternity, his eyes soft and expressing all the love he guards inside of him for you. Then he puts a hand on your cheek and kisses you softly and slowly, like he wanted you to never forget this moment.

Once you guys separate, you start to gather some wood for a fire and he starts to put together the tent. By the time he finishes it's already dark and you have already put up a fire. One of the things that made you and Frankie click fast was your love for nature. You used to camp with your dad and brothers all the time growing up, and Frankie´s time in the military made him appreciate nature more and lent him many useful skills.

“Finally…” Frankie groans while getting up from putting the last tent stake.

“You should've let me help you, amor, your back is shit, I could´ve crouched better to put those” you say from your chair by the fire, where the dinner was cooking.

“You're calling me old bebita?” he says, squinting his eyes at you but with a smirk on his face. “You don't worry that much about my back when I'm-” you quickly interrupt him, throwing a small stick at him. He laughs at your flustered face “I'm joking bebita” he walks to you and kisses your temple “this weekend i want you to relax as much as you can and to not lift a finger as much as you can as well” he sits on the chair beside yours.

You cross your arms over your chest “and what if i want to pamper you instead”.

“You already do it everyday, cariño, it's my turn this weekend” he says, putting an arm over your shoulders and bringing you to him.

That night you guys just fell to sleep easily, you were both too tired after the drive and putting up the camp.

The next day, after you wake up, quite late compared to your weekdays or the weekends when Frankie's daughter was with you, with Frankie pressed into your back, you wake him up with your hand around his already semi hard shaft and later, after he came over your hand with a loud groan and watched you lick his spend from it, you guys had a quick breakfast.

After eating, you both got dressed and went for a hike along the beautiful hills; you had packed two sandwiches for lunch in case you hadn't come back by then.

“Frankie, amor, maybe let's take a little break” you say since you have been hiking for two hours straight, you sit on a big rock and wipe the sweat from your forehead with the sleeve of your long sleeved sporty crop top. He puts his backpack off his back into the ground, at your feet, then he climbs behind you and makes you rest into him. The view from your position was breathtaking, the warm sun behind you, the hills full of green in front of you and the arms of the man you love around you.

You turn to the side, to Frankie´s arm, your head and take his scent in, a mix of patchouli from his cologne, mint from the gums he was always chewing and a musky scent that was just Frankie, that's the only way you could described, just Frankie. He kisses the top of your head. You guys stay like that for a whole hour before you resume your hike but now back to your camp.

When you are close to the camp, Frankie tells you to go ahead while he ties one of his boots, you tell him that you´ll just wait for him, that is no problem but for some reason he insists that you go ahead. With a confused frown you shrug your shoulders and resume walking to the camp.

You suddenly spot a red thing on the ground, followed by another and another. Rose petals? In ths part of the mountains there are no roses, you and Frankie have been here before so you know it from your several hikes. You continue walking and you´re meet by more and more rose petals.

“Frankie, can you come baby?” you say over your shoulder but he isn't there anymore. Your brows furrow even more, where the hell did he go? “Frankie?!” no response “I swear to god, Francisco Morales, if you´re just pulling a prank on me, i'll kill you in your sleep” still no response, so you decide to just continue towards the camp, maybe he went through the trees to it?

More rose petals appear at your feet, you decide to follow them, it feels like the only reasonable thing to do. They lead you to one of the trees in your camp, but that's not the most surprising thing.

When you see the tree coming into view, there are fairy lights hanging from its branches, a little final pile of red rose petals scattered around its base and something engraved into the trunk. When you're close enough to read what's engraved on the trunk, you gasp and lead your hands to your mouth, Will you marry me?, can be read on it. In that moment, Frankie comes from behind a tree and kneels in front of you with a simple but beautiful ring. You can feel the tears conquering your eyes immediately.

“Frankie…” it's all that comes out of your mouth.

“Cariño, I´ve loved you since the minute my eyes landed on you, you were there, covered in the beer I had just spilled over you but as soon as my eyes met yours, I knew it. You´ve been there for me in my worst and best moments, you accepted my daughter from minute one and not only that but you´ve also become the healthy maternal figure she´s needed her entire life. My heart bursts in happiness every time I see the both of you together, my mind can't help in those moments to just imagine how a little one born from our shared love would look like. I want to be able to introduce you to everyone i meet until the day i die as my wife, i want to wake beside you for the rest of our lives and for your eyes to be the first and last thing i see everyday, so would you make me the happiest man on the universe and marry me?” he holds his breath while he waits for your answer and you´re just a sobbing mess, not capable of giving him a verbal response, you nod yes like a thousand times.

Frankie stands from his kneeling position, quicker than what his back will thank him later and embraces you in his arm very tightly, then he pulls back, tries to wipe most of your tears and kisses you deeply. When both your bodies demand air to survive, you break the kiss and he takes your hand on his and slides the ring on your finger.

Now that you've stopped crying you feel like you can talk and be understood. “How? How have you prepared for this?” you say signaling around you.

He puts a hand of your hair, that had escaped your ponytail, behind your ear “The guys helped me,I prepared it all with them when you told me that you could go camping this weekend” He puts his hands on your waist and you circle his neck with your arms.

“That's why stupid Benny canceled on me when I asked him to confirm about getting our manicures and pedicures on Saturday like always? That bastard!” Frankie chuckles and shakes his head.

“Pope still gives him shit for your little friend dates to the nail salon” he puts his face on the crook of your neck and inhales your scent.

“That's because Santi has spent too much time around dirt in the jungle and doesn't even remember what having nice and healthy nails is anymore” you both chuckle and stay on each other's embrace for some time, just taking in the fact that now you were engaged and you would start a new life together.

[jancy-central]

Hello and welcome to another Spotlight Saturday!

This week is our monthly Fanart Spotlight so today we are spotlighting all the fabulous art from the ‘We Love Jancy Fanart Event.’

^Top 2: @soniclion92, middle 2: @leslie057, bottom: @emily-mooon

To see everything, including the moodboards and Jancy playlists, head over to @we-love-jancy and see all of the Jancy goodness!

Thank you to all the artists (and to everyone who liked and reblogged) and made this event so amazing! ❤️

Reminder: The event giveaway continues until tomorrow (Sunday) night at 11:59pm!

Reminder #2: With the Fanart Event gearing down, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming Fanfic Event!

The We Love Jancy Spring Fanfic event will be March 21st - 24th and follows the same prompts as the Fanart Event. Please head over to @we-love-jancy for all the info! (And don’t forget to follow while you are there!)

Reminder #3: This month’s prompts here at JC are ‘Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan’ and LOVE. Please use these prompts to continue to create Jancy fanart, moodboards and fanfic! (See our pinned posts for more info!)

Got a question! Send us an ask!

[watchyourbuck]

Inspiration Saturday ☾𖤓

tagged by @daffi-990 thank you baby!💗 today I wanted to be a little more creative than a moodboard, so I wanted to show you what I think about when I make descriptions for my Murder Husbands AU! Here you have firearms, uniform and knives + daggers, accompanied with a quote for each. I hope you like it!

⛧°｡⋆༺♱༻⋆｡°⛧

Eddie stood on the side, racking the slide of his favorite gun to make sure there were rounds in its chamber. “You ready?” he called out with a grin. He adjusted his side strap to make it tighter, putting the gun on its holster.

“I am,” replied Buck, coming out of the bathroom in full gear. Eddie’s breath hitched. Draped in sleek black, his attire hugged every contour of his body like a second skin – a one-piece uniform, with a bulletproof vest on top. He wore a side strap that mirrored Eddie’s, crisscrossed his torso, with a belt boasting twin holsters – as well as thigh ones adorning each leg. Three pockets filled with extra ammo and knee pads completed the look. As usual, he sported his combat boots, holding the balaclava in one hand.

Eddie nodded, grabbing the silver dagger from his ankle strap and playing with it absentmindedly. He did that every time he was consumed in thought. Buck thought it was pretty, the way he would scar his fingers with the tip and never once wince.

⛧°｡⋆༺♱༻⋆｡°⛧

tags! @housewifebuck @eddiebabygirldiaz @spagheddiediaz @thewolvesof1998 @malewifediaz @loserdiaz @wildlife4life @lover-of-mine @try-set-me-on-fire @cowboydiazes @mattsire @buckleyobsessed @disasterbuckdiaz @bucksbirthmark @evanbegins @wikiangela @911-on-abc @butraura @hippolotamus @honestlyeddie @fionaswhvre and anyone else who’d like to participate! (I’m going a little insane with this AU so if you’d like to be removed from this tag list pls let me know!)💗

[separatist-apologist]

Neon In The Nighttime

Summary: It's the end of the word as we know it. A west coast baker and the drummer of a metal band team up in Boston, MA thinking they're one of the last few people left alive after a viral outbreak turns those infected into blood hungry monsters.

Their destination: Los Angeles, California- the last place Lucien's eldest brother was living while gearing up for a presidential run. Lucien is desperate to escape the memories of his past life and what he had to do when his wife, Jes, became infected. Elain wants to try and reclaim the fractured pieces of the life she remembers before everything went to hell.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Read on AO3

Thank you @corcracrow for the moodboard

Elain woke to Lucien stretching his back. 

“You’re getting old,” she teased, listening to the sound of his spine cracking.

“Don’t I know it,” he grumbled, rolling to his back. Lucien sighed, arms folded behind his head as he blinked up at a revolving ceiling fan. “I forgot how nice circulating air is.”

Elain slipped out of bed, pulling the hem of the t-shirt she’d worn down over her thighs. Lucien kept his eyes firm ahead, allowing her to dart to the bathroom. By the time Elain was finished, Lucien was dressed in light wash jeans just a size too small—they hugged his ass and thighs obscenely , made worse by the soft, purple v-neck clinging to his muscular chest. Lucien’s biceps practically bulged from the sleeves, distracting given they were sharing such close quarters.

It was easy to forget just how handsome he was. 

“Tam left some things,” Lucien told her, gesturing to a set of clothes on the bed. “Shorts and a dress, depending on what you’d prefer.”

A sundress. It seemed almost holy to her. Lucien slipped out, mumbling something about giving her privacy and a communal breakfast, but Elain only barely heard him. The fabric was a pretty lilac with pretty yellow and white daisies printed over the fabric. She dressed quickly, buttoning it in the back. Like Lucien’s pants, it was just a little snug against her ribs, but worth it for the skirt that flared out at her hips, halting just above her knees, the cute square neckline and the fluttering sleeves.

Elain twisted the top half of her thick hair off her temples, letting the rest cascade down her back. She felt almost normal. There was a bounce to her step when she met Lucien in the tiny living room, staring into space. He looked up when she came in, and for some reason, Elain couldn’t contain her smile. 

Lucien smiled back, rising to his feet. “Very nice,” he told her in that polite, distant way of his. Elain appreciated that he kept his eyes on her face. It was very pointed, and Elain didn’t hate his attempts to prove that he was her friend and not a creep trying to have sex with her. 

“Hungry?” he asked when she didn’t say anything. She had been admiring him. Embarrassing, she thought to herself as she nodded. Lucien didn’t seem to realize, nor did he notice when they stepped out into an unseasonably warm morning how several heads turned to look at him not with suspicion, but appreciation. Elain supposed after months of seeing the same faces, Lucien’s must be twice as striking.

She had to swallow the bubble of jealousy she felt. He wasn’t hers—he didn’t belong to her or with her. He could do what he liked with whoever he liked. Elain had wondered why Lucien wanted to stay an extra day…maybe he wanted to vent some of his anxiety with someone. 

His arm wrapped around her waist, fingers digging just beneath her ribs as he pulled her closer. Looking up, she saw his jaw set so tight a muscle ticked just beneath his skin. Wisps of auburn hair fluttered over furiously burning russet brown eyes.

“Everything okay?”

“Sure,” he said, forcing the word through gritted teeth. “Just—the way everyone is staring at you—”

“Me?” she squeaked, looking around the courtyard. She supposed some of those faces were turned in her direction but there was nothing there but friendly smiles. 

“Like you’re a piece of meat,” Lucien growled, leading her toward a large, long building made of logs. Lucien pushed open the swinging door and Elain’s legs wobbled at the smell of bacon.

The anger on Lucien’s face evaporated when he scented it, too. The arm around her slid to his side, face slack as he drank it in.

There were far more people than the commune suggested. Seventy at least, though maybe a full hundred bodies mingled through the large, open space. A buffet style meal was set out at the far end of the room, with a line of people scooping hot food onto plates. Behind them, rows of picnic style tables were set up for people to eat and chat. 

With his fingers at the small of her back, Lucien led Elain to the line like a child who’d just realized Santa brought him everything he wanted. Elain couldn’t help the delight she felt. In their time together, she didn’t think she’d ever seen Lucien so happy. Certainly not when he heaped eggs and bacon and sausages on his plate, and not when he realized there were seasoned potatoes, too.

She thought this might be what broke him—what made him dissolve into tears. They chose a table at the far end of the room, anti-social when it might have been nice to talk to new people. While Elain took a sip of coffee, Lucien shoved an entire piece of bacon into his mouth, eyes fluttering shut at the first taste.

He groaned so obscenely Elain had to clamp her thighs together, embarrassed he’d elicited that sort of reaction from her. Elain’s mind immediately went back to that small, shared bed and what else might draw such a noise from him. Unaware of the slant of her thoughts, Lucien continued his little groans and whimpers until she couldn’t take it any longer. 

“Lucien,” Elain began, forking her own potatoes carefully, “you still want to leave, right?”

Guilt flooded his expression. Cheeks stuffed with food, he swallowed loudly. “Of course.”

Liar. One hot meal was apparently all it took to derail their plans. Elain could appreciate Lucien’s simple joy, though. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a hot meal or a hot shower or hell, just felt safe.

Maybe it was foolish to leave. Maybe they should stay. It was the allure of the cure that kept Elain from fully talking herself into it. Elain wanted to know for sure that she was safe, and she knew if they stayed here and settled, she’d always wonder. Always worry. She couldn’t kill Lucien—she wouldn’t kill him. 

They could always come back. That was what convinced Elain leaving was still the right thing to do. They could always return if they wanted to and settle down somewhere. Together, even, if that was what he wanted. Though, Elain suspected he’d want to split up, to live on his own.

She’d still get to see him, though. Still get— “Are you going to eat that?”

“Lucien,” she hissed, yanking her plate away from him. “Get a grip.”

He only rose from his chair, returning for more. Lucien demolished enough food to feed them both for a week if they were careful, his groans of pleasure quickly turning to moans of pain. 

“You ate too much,” she said when he pressed a hand against his still flat stomach. 

“It was worth it,” he said, flashing her a rockstar's smile. Elain was momentarily dazzled by it before she remembered this was still Lucien who was still her friend. She’d never seen him so effortlessly happy before.

Elain wasn’t sure she’d ever even seen him smile before that moment. “We’ll leave in the morning,” she told him firmly. Lucien’s grin didn’t dim.

“After breakfast.”

He chuckled when she rolled her eyes, but still whisked the metal plate from in front of her and deposited into a bucket for dishes. It left her alone just long enough for a rather nice looking man to sidle over.

“New?” he asked, blue eyes shining with such obvious interest and hope. Unlike Lucien, this man’s eyes slid down her neck to her exposed collarbone and the breasts peeking from just beneath the fabric. It was been so long since there was anyone to ogle her that Elain had forgotten just how much she disliked it.

“Yes,” she agreed, drawing his attention back to her face. He was older—maybe early forties, his brown hair silver at the temples. A beard graced his face, making him seem more angular.

Handsome too, she supposed. “We just got in last night.”

“I heard,” he said, flashing her a smile. One of his teeth had been viciously chipped and Elain wondered what had happened to cause that. “I was hoping—”

“Hoping what?” Lucien asked, falling beside her close enough their knees touched. He threw a casual arm around Elain’s shoulders, fingers brushing her skin. “I’m Lucien, by the way.”

The stranger's eyes fell on his hand and the ring he still wore before looking back at her. Elain’s own hands were hidden beneath the table, though if she’d pulled them up, he would have seen she didn’t wear one in return.

Lucien was staking a claim right here, right now. Elain wished it didn’t make her stomach as nervous as it did.

“Just that you’ll stay,” the stranger finished lamely. Lucien didn’t smile, his expression one of boredom. This was all a warning—not just to this man, but to anyone who might be interested.

Stay away from her. She’s with me. 

“It was nice meeting you,” he said without ever asking her name, or giving his own. Elain waited until he left to round on Lucien. 

“Do you mind?” she demanded, shoving his arm from her. “You’re freaking everyone out.”

“Good,” he replied, jaw set. “Better they’re freaked out then trying to climb through the window at night.”

“They wouldn’t—”

“You’re right,” Lucien interrupted fiercely. “Because I’ll kill them if they try. Elain, surely you must…you have to know that you’re…” he trailed off, looking at her helplessly.

“That I’m what? Weak? Unable to take care of myself? Because I’ll have you know I took care of myself just fine before you showed up and I would—”

“Beautiful,” he interrupted, his cheeks flaming red. “You’re beautiful, Elain.”

She blinked. “Oh.”

Lucien took a deep breath, clearly trying to figure out how he wanted to word his next sentence. Elain didn’t care what he said so long as thought she was beautiful. It was an absurd thing to care about.

And she did, all the same. 

“I see the way they’ve been looking at you. I know what they’re thinking—what they’d do if they had the chance. I don’t want them thinking you’re unprotected, that’s all.”

Elain dared to put her hand on his knee, squeezing softly. “Thank you, Lucien.”

“Of course,” he replied, looking away from her quickly. He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea which was unfortunate.

All Elain had were wrong ideas.

LUCIEN:

He was so utterly fucked. 

Lucien had been the minute Elain had come out in that cute little sundress. He was just barely keeping a lid on his jealousy which had mixed hatefully with his guilt until Lucien was a walking, talking disaster. His only saving grace was that Elain had no idea what was going on. Utterly oblivious to the effect she had on men, Elain bounced her way around the commune, curious about how they ate and how they powered their home.

He didn’t think he’d ever seen her smile as wide or brightly as she did when she saw the sprawling garden of fruit trees and vegetables. She’d reached for his hand, squeezing before following after a woman who explained what they grew and how they sustained things during the winter. 

If it weren’t for the promise of a cure, Lucien thought Elain might ask to stay. He could picture it so easily it made him feel like a traitor. He and Elain, settled in that little cabin. Sharing a bed—sharing a life. 

What would Jes think about you, moving on so quickly? 

Lucien forced himself to imagine looking his wife in the eye and telling her he’d met another woman. That he was falling for someone who wasn’t her. And that every vow he’d made, every promise to love her and only her had been a lie. 

Lucien left Elain in the garden, tracking Tamlin to a patio not far from the mess hall. He lounged in a wooden chair, legs spread in front of him. Lucien joined his old friend, plopping into the chair beside him.

“We’re leaving tomorrow,” he told Tamlin before he could talk himself out of it. “Right after breakfast.”

“I’m disappointed to hear that,” Tamlin admitted with a heavy sigh. “But I figured. She wants to track down that cure, huh?”

“So do I,” Lucien admitted. He was too afraid a day would come when Elain might become sick and he’d have to hold her down and kill her. Just like before. No goodbyes, no burials. Just Lucien and his guilt. 

“Well, you’ve always got a place here if you want it,” Tamlin told him, running a hand through his shoulder length blonde hair. “Can I give you a piece of advice, though?”

Lucien nodded. “Of course.” “You can’t trust any of the Archeron’s,” Tamlin told him, dropping his voice. Lucien looked over at his friend, eyes wide.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Both of her sisters have come through here,” Tamlin murmured, green eyes fierce. “If she’s anything like either of them—”

“She thinks they’re dead,” Lucien interrupted. “You saw them?”

“Months ago,” Tamlin agreed. “And you can’t trust them, Lucien. If you find them, you need to be on your guard.”

“Tell me what happened,” Lucien demanded. Elain could be trusted—he knew that like he knew himself. And whatever had happened between Tamlin and her sisters, well…he intended to reserve judgment until he knew more. 

Tamlin took a long, hard look at Lucien. “Are you in love with her?”

“No!” Lucien replied, though it felt like betrayal to say so. 

“Let her go without you, then. Tell her that her sisters were alive about ten months ago and let her go. Stay here—before she could destroy you.”

Lucien was shaking his head even as Tamlin urged him to stay. “Tell me what happened.”

“Her sister—Feyre. I…” Tamlin set his jaw. “Just be careful, if you’re going to stay with her. Don’t fall in love with her. Think of Jes.”

“Don’t put that cryptic shit on me. Elain has saved my life more than once. Tell me what fucking happened with Feyre or don’t say anything at all.”

“She’s a liar,” Tamlin hissed, his anger getting the best of him. “A fucking traitor, too. Burned this place to the ground when she left which opened us up to attack and theft…people died. She told me—”

Oh. Lucien could see it plain enough on Tamlin’s face. How stupid, that he hadn’t recognized it. She’d told Tamlin she loved him, and whatever had happened had soured so badly, it had left everyone in ruin. Lucien wanted to offer Tamlin sympathy, but that had been how all his relationships ended. Usually it was metaphorical flames, but Lucien wasn’t entirely surprised that someone had finally taken it too far. 

“Just. You can’t trust them.”

“And yet, you let her in,” Lucien reminded his friend. “Are we both welcome back? Or just me?”

Tamlin set his jaw. “You’re always welcome. And if that means she comes, too…I won’t turn her away.”

“Those early days during the pandemic were wild, Tam. You know—”

“I don’t.”

And neither did Lucien. Tamlin wasn’t going to tell him and Lucien wasn’t going to pry. He didn’t want to leave things like this, so Lucien offered a strained smile. “Thanks for the warning. I’ll keep it in mind.”

He wouldn’t, though. Whatever had gone down, whatever Tamlin had against Feyre had nothing to do with Elain. And as he made his way back to her, Lucien knew he’d choose her over everything, everyone. He could have stayed, could have given her the keys to the truck and wished her nothing but good luck. He could stay with Tamlin, have the small, slow life he was suddenly aching for. 

Because he wanted it with her. Lucien didn’t know how he’d gotten here, nor did he know how to untangle the way he felt about Elain from the way he felt about this new world in general. Jes was behind him, watching and no matter what, she was never coming back to him. He knew that, logically. Just as he knew Elain was waiting ahead, with that easy smile and a hand held out to keep him from slipping. He’d been drowning before he met her.

Life had been one long, endlessly night but Elain illuminated the dark until Lucien felt like daylight, too. 

Lucien didn’t care if no one else could trust her. Hell, he thought he preferred it that way—it meant she’d stay his, that everyone else would keep their distance. The only thing Lucien couldn’t figure out was how to integrate all of this into his life. How to forge ahead, to rebuild. Even when he found her in that garden, buried up to her wrists in soil with a smudge of dirt on her cheek. He wanted her—he wouldn’t lose her.

And he wasn’t sure he could have her. Didn’t know how to absolve himself of Jes or even tell Elain at all. She stood, smiling a smile Lucien had never seen grace her face. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Lucien shoved away the guilt he felt because he’d once that the same about Jes, too. Once sworn no one could compare.

But Elain…he held his breath as she came to him, dirt caked under her nails. “Are we still leaving in the morning?” “Yes,” he said, reaching for her hand to lead her away from nosy ears. “Maybe before breakfast.”

“No bacon?” she teased, elbowing him lightly in the ribs. Lucien sighed.

“Maybe not. Come here.”

He led her back to their cabin, pulling her inside where he could guarantee no one was listening. “Look,” he said, reaching for her shoulders. Not because he needed her to focus, but because he wanted to touch her. Selfishly, Lucien was desperate for contact and knew if she’d reciprocated any of it, he’d have frozen like a teenage virgin. “Tamlin told me something and I think the sooner we get out of here, the better.”

Elain’s smile faded. “What did he say?”

Lucien hesitated. He could keep it to himself. Could let her continue to believe her sisters were dead—that they hadn’t survived. And Lucien had sworn to himself he’d be honest with her. “Feyre came through here. And your other sister—”

“Nesta?”

Elain pulled out of his grasp, blinking rapidly. “They’re alive?”

“They were,” he murmured. “Feyre lived here for a while…her and Tamlin had a thing.”

“I need to talk to him—”

“No,” Lucien caught her before she could rush out the door, holding her tight in his arms. “Tamlin hates her. He…he warned me not to trust you. He said Feyre burned this place to the ground. We could leave in the morning, or…”

Elain looked up at him, lips trembling. Fuck, he didn’t want to see her cry. “Or?” she whispered.

“Or we leave right fucking now. Fuck that bed and a hot breakfast. Let's just go, keep heading west until we find that cure.”

Elain looked down at him, hands pressed against his chest. “Do you still trust me?”

“With my life,” he agreed. “Do you trust me?”

Her eyes found his. “I do.”

That’s all he needed. “What do you want to do?”

“Let’s go,” she agreed, pulling from the embrace to shake out her hands. But Elain didn’t move, her pretty lips pulled in the saddest frown Lucien had ever seen.

“What is it, Elain?”

She blinked away, eyes glassy. “Do you think…do you think they just gave up on me?”

“If they did, they’re stupid,” Lucien insisted fiercely. “But Elain…is it possible they were looking for you, too? Maybe your sisters assumed you’d head west and went that way, too.” Elain pressed her fingers to her lips as if trying to keep a sob from escaping. “We’ll find them,” Lucien promised. “We’ll get that cure, and then we’ll track them down. We have nothing but time now, Elain. What’s stopping us?”

“Do you promise?”

Lucien went to her again. Cupping her cheek, Lucien nodded his head. “I promise.”

[earthnashes]

Hello, I was wondering if you had any tips for coming up with references for commissions (including reference commissions) when one is not an artist. Specifically for a D&D character. Would finding reference picture help, going “I’m thinking That face structure but That body type”? How many pictures would be reasonable? And finding armor examples, how would you go about that? Would making a character in a figure maker like Hero Forge help? I know it probably depends on the individual commissioner but any advice would be welcome

Heyooo! :)

Aight, you're right! It does honestly depend on the commissioner and how much you as the client trust the artist's judgement in designing your character. I've personally done a wide range of design commissions, from people giving me complete artistic liberty over the design outside of a few key components required to the design, to folks sending me every nitty gritty detail of their character to make sure it's entirely in their vision.

But regardless of which I work with, I think these are the top things I require to help me visualize the character, and could possibly be helpful to other artists you decide to commission for a design!

-The character's name. It's okay if you don't actually have a name for the character yet, but a name can carry a whole lot of weight to it. It's just another hint at who your character is, and for me, knowing what they're called and their pronouns (if they have any) are a huge help when I design a character.

-The character's race and occupation/class: What is your character? Are they a dragonborn? Kobold? Human? What do they do, what is their job? Are they a paladin? Are they an archer, or a weaver, or a cook, a doctor? Knowing your character's race is a no brainer, but knowing what their profession/class is will be extremely helpful. Not only is it good to know for possible bodytyping, it's also great for when you go into the costume design aspect of your character. Their gear will largely reflect what they do, so let the artist know!

-Brief Description: Who is your character? What's their personality? Backstory isn't entirely necessary, but some snippets of the character's personality is, in my opinion. A character's personality will lend well into how that translates into their design, so be sure to give your artist an idea of who the character is!

-Moodboard/References: The fun part! Honestly, use as many references as you wanna send, but my biggest tip is to send only what is relevant to the design. If you had a specific hair-type in mind, send the artist an image that clearly (or closely) depicts that. If you have a set bodytype, send the artist an image that depicts it. Examples of armor that fits the closest to your vision, assuming you have one, is a good idea too. As far as a number, I don't think there's a limit, though I personally ask for a general moodboard of 3 to 6 images from the client so I can get a feel of what they're thinking when they envision their character. Even something somewhat vague is a little easier to work with, because I'm getting to see what goes through your mind when you think of your character.

----

TL;DR:

-Give the artist your character's name, class, race, and occupation

-There is no set number for how many references you send, but I personally recommend at least three just so the artist isn't working in the dark

-Hero-Forge is very helpful, yes, so please use it as a means of reference if you think it'll get your ideas across!

Hope that helps! :>

[cheeseknives]

[nightwingshero]

👗 On the moodboards for RE!Wren

Thank you for the ask! I ended up making two and that’s kinda what took so long.

So for the first one, I guess that’s more before/during RE2, mostly because of when it takes place and Wren is about the same age Leon is when this shit goes down. But Wren doesn’t really change all too much in her aesthetic or wardrobe for RE. She has a bit more of a grunge feel since she’s 21 in 1998, but she’s still rocking the band shirts, tank tops, the flannel, and converse and combat boots. She hasn’t changed much. She wears her beanie too and still rocks that black leather jacket every now and then. She also does the “wear a long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve shirt” thing too. She also still likes her shirts to be cut out on the sides.

Wren after Raccoon city is also a facet of Wren that hasn’t changed. She rocks similar clothes from when she was fighting for the Resistance in FC5 but obviously she’s way more trained and it’s more official gear than just picking random shit up…well, most of the time. We know how that goes. Wren also rocks the suits every now and then when she has to, but she’s usually in a tank top with a jacket, her weapons, and mostly jeans to be honest. If she has to where approved pants from the government, she gets super pissy about it. But again, casually she’s still rocking the band shirts and skinny jeans and such, much like in the first moodboard, but a little less grunge. She also finds a love for oversized sweaters or hoodies as well. Her flannel isn’t as oversized as it was before, but she still wears it from time to time. Or, you know, a nice loose shirt or a band shirt that has the sides cut out when she’s super casual. Overall though, her pajamas mostly remain the same which would be underwear and the closest shirt she’ll put on. Every now and then she’ll even wear sweatpants.

[choicesfanaf]

I posted 632 times in 2022

58 posts created (9%)

574 posts reblogged (91%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@jamespotterthefirst

@ghost-inacup

@pitrsattabhaadmeinjao

@identitycrisis-electricboogaloo

I tagged 131 of my posts in 2022

#ethan ramsey - 58 posts

#ethan x aru - 54 posts

#open heart - 51 posts

#arundhati kulkarni - 50 posts

#ethan x mc - 50 posts

#mc monday - 44 posts

#playchoices - 35 posts

#choices stories you play - 29 posts

#thirsty thursday - 28 posts

#dr ethan ramsey - 16 posts

Longest Tag: 62 characters

#you are a coward who's using the anon button to hide yourself

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Why Did You Leave Me Alone

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Arundhati Kulkarni)

Characters: Ethan Ramsey, Arundhati Kulkarni, Sienna Trinh

Word Count: 1031 words

Rating: General

Summary: On his arrival from the Amazon, Ethan receives a surprise

Category: Angst

A/N: TW Periods, TW Pregnancy

Tagging: @jamespotterthefirst, @rookiemartin, @choicesficwriterscreations, @openheartfanfics

A few weeks after her first visit to Ethan's apartment, Arundhati noticed that she had missed her periods.

"Not a big deal", she initially thought, "it must be due to stress", as she had a large number of patients to take care of recently. Also, she was preparing for her new position as a fellow in the Diagnostic Team, which ended up increasing her overall stress.

A few days passed by, and she started feeling nauseated and felt her sense of smell & taste change.

Having all of these symptoms together made the gears of her brain turn.

"I really hope that I'm panicking over nothing", she muttered to herself.

As a result, she decided to do a few pregnancy tests to confirm her suspicions.

The two minutes that Aru waited for were filled with anxiety and worry about her future if she was pregnant.

The ring of the timer broke the ominous and unpleasant silence that Arundhati felt captured and trapped by.

When Aru checked the results, she realised that her heart was pounding inside her, making her more terrified than she was before.

To her complete shock, the test came out positive. At first, she couldn't believe her eyes and decided to do another test, just for safety. But, when her second test also turned out to be positive, she broke down, unable to control her emotions.

Sienna heard faint cries from the bathroom and went in to investigate.

"Hey, can I come in?" she whispered, to not wake her roommates up.

"Yes, please", came the reply.

"Aru, what happened?" she queried as she tried to make sense of everything around her.

Sienna's eyes widened in shock when she saw a positive pregnancy test in Arundhati's hand.

"Oh, Aru. Come here", Sienna said, giving her a warm & comforting hug.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, unsure of Arundhati's reply.

"Yes"

"Come to my room, then."

"Here, sit down and have some water. And feel free to let it all out."

"Si, please don't tell anyone about this."

See the full post

14 notes - Posted February 18, 2022

#4

Cafe

For Choices February Challenge Day 6:

A moodboard based on Open Heart Book 1, Chapter 7 when Ethan & MC go out to have coffee at Derry Roasters

Tagging: @burnsoslow, @choicesfebruary2022challenge

15 notes - Posted February 6, 2022

#3

My (Fake) Boyfriend

Pairing: Damien Nazario x f!MC (Aisha Park)

Characters: Damien Nazario, Aisha Park, Nadia Park

Word Count: 792 words

Rating: General

Summary: Aisha asks Damien to be her pretend boyfriend.

Category: Fluff

Tagging: @burnsoslow, @rookiemartin, @mrsnazariowrites, @choicesficwriterscreations

A week after Aisha had a date with Hayden, she had a movie night with Nadia & Damien, just like any other weekend.

"Okay, guys, I'm off. It's getting pretty late now. Steve must be waiting for me. Aish, you remember that tomorrow is Shalini's wedding, right?"

"Oh, right! I almost forgot. What time is it again?"

"It starts at 11 o'clock. That means we need to be there by 10 am."

"Are you bringing Steve along?"

"Yeah, definitely. Can't wait to introduce him to the rest of the family. What about you though? Are you bringing your boyfriend?", Nadia asked, vaguely pointing towards Damien.

"Oh! I'll try my best, but I'm not sure", she said winking.

"Well, see you tomorrow."

As soon as Nadia left, Damien asked the one question that was on his mind.

"What was Nadia talking about? Who's Shalini? And the last time I checked, you don't have a boyfriend."

"Shalini is our cousin who lives in Manhattan. By the way, how are you so sure about me not having a boyfriend?"

"Nadia and I are always the first ones to know whenever you have a new partner."

"But Nadia already knows about him."

On hearing this, Damien gave a look of confusion.

"Well, buckle up, D. Cause this is one hell of a ride."

"What do you mean?", he said, not knowing how the next sentence would change his life.

"So about two years ago, my parents were forcing me to get married and look at some proposals they had. They wanted me to marry for love, but they had told me that if I didn’t find someone for me, they would pitch in. I didn't want to get into all of that stress and drama, so I accidentally blurted out that you were my boyfriend."

"What?! Why me?"

"Cause you were the only person that came into my mind!", she exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed this on you. You might have some plans for tomorrow that are more important than this mess", Aisha rambled as she calmed down.

"There is nothing more important for me than you", he thought.

"Well, I don't have anything important lined up for tomorrow, other than a meeting with a few people. Let me see what I can do."

"D, you don't have to worry. I'll tell them that you are in Paris right now."

See the full post

17 notes - Posted January 16, 2022

#2

A Surprise Date

For Week 5 of Choices Flashfics, Prompt 1: “Every time I think I’m close to finally figuring you out, you end up surprising me.”

Prompt used is highlighted in pink and bold.

Based on an ask by @peonierose, pictures used in the text messages.

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x f!MC (Arundhati Kulkarni)

Characters: Ethan Ramsey, Arundhati Kulkarni, Sienna Trinh

Word Count: 572 words

Rating: General

Summary: Arundhati takes Ethan out on a date.

Category: Fluff

Tagging: @peonierose, @jamespotterthefirst, @quixoticdreamer16, @rookiemartin, @choicesficwriterscreations, @openheartfanfics, @choicesflashfics

See the full post

18 notes - Posted November 6, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Thanks a lot to @choicesfandomappreciation for running this event!

Mods of @choicesficwriterscreations and @openheartfanfics, thanks a lot for organising and displaying the works of a lot of creators. Also, I love that you all create many wonderful events which leads to other creators having fun during them!

@lovealexhunt, I'm in awe of all the work you undertake to make this fandom a lovely space to be in! Thanks for all that you do!

@jamespotterthefirst, thanks for creating MC Monday and Thirsty Thursday, which gives all the creators an opportunity to discuss more about their pairings. Also, I love that you try to reply to everyone who takes part in these events!

@jerzwriter and @liaromancewriter, thanks a lot for being an awesome part of the fandom and responding to everyone who participates in various different events! Your comments definitely make my day!

@quixoticdreamer16, thanks for supporting all the work I do! I admire you as you support everyone in our fandom, and give them enough motivation to keep being a part of it!

@peonierose, thanks for sending lovely messages of kindness, and showering my inbox with love!

@potionsprefect, thanks for creating Tiktok Tuesday, and all the lovely content you create!

@genevievemd, I want to thank you for creating Wedding Wednesday which was a lovely weekly event!

@dr-colossal-pita, I'm grateful for Foodie Friday, and how wonderful it is to share additional details about my OCs.

@ofmischiefandmedicine, thanks for creating Style Saturday, and I hope that you continue it!

Tagging some more lovely people: @moodmusicmonday, @choicesflashfics, @headoverheelsforramsey, @burnsoslow, @monsoonblooms12, @nooruleman, @crazy-loca-blog, @inlocusmads, @lawyerlies, @mrsnazariowrites, @robintora

I appreciate you, and am glad that you are a part of the fabulous Choices fandom!

Please forgive me if I might have forgotten you!

25 notes - Posted November 10, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ladyshandioftheendless]

I posted 7,300 times in 2022

That's 1,261 more posts than 2021!

1,417 posts created (19%)

5,883 posts reblogged (81%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fromriches-tosin

@kissmaidens-blog

@therockywhorerpictureshow

@80srocknroller

@slavet0thegrind

I tagged 6,408 of my posts in 2022

Only 12% of my posts had no tags

#awesome fanart - 311 posts

#{starchild} - 262 posts

#paul stanley - 253 posts

#nikki sixx - 190 posts

#the sandman - 187 posts

#dream of the endless - 118 posts

#gene simmons - 118 posts

#aesthetic moodboard - 111 posts

#axl rose - 107 posts

#{demon} - 106 posts

Longest Tag: 132 characters

#lol so i think someone i have never interacted with before on tumblr randomly blocked me because i talked shit about billy in a post

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

France's Rock Hard Magazine celebrates the 40th anniversary of Creatures of the Night ~ January 2022

74 notes - Posted January 4, 2022

#4

GUYS, SEND HELP BECAUSE I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS REAL. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. I'M JUST GONNA CRY 💜💜💜💜💜

88 notes - Posted May 25, 2022

#3

Never have a found a more accurate meme XD

91 notes - Posted August 23, 2022

#2

So Guilty Gear Strive is adding an OG Testament to the roster later this month. And they are canonically enby~ I LOVE IT~ 🖤🖤

273 notes - Posted March 20, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Best sibling interaction that still makes me laugh~

Death: This is my brother and he's an idiot.

Dream: I'm just feeding the birds.

454 notes - Posted August 11, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[midnightprelude]

I posted 640 times in 2022

27 posts created (4%)

613 posts reblogged (96%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@hexcore-juggler

@storybookhawke

@johaeryslavellan

@mdzsartreblogs

@miindli

I tagged 626 of my posts in 2022

Only 2% of my posts had no tags

#dragon age - 389 posts

#da art - 386 posts

#dragon age inquisition - 172 posts

#dragon age 2 - 162 posts

#dorian pavus - 150 posts

#anders - 119 posts

#our flag means death - 53 posts

#hades game - 52 posts

#ofmd - 47 posts

#blackbeard - 43 posts

Longest Tag: 91 characters

#i am watching the fandom trying to decide a ship name in real time and i like that one best

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Would there be any interest in a small indie author writing support group on discord? Specifically geared towards people looking to publish in the near future and especially lgbtq+ authors and authors who write lgbtq+ works!

15 notes - Posted November 28, 2022

#4

Thinking of holding another Dorian centric event this spring and wondering if folks have preferences for event type? Could be a prompts event, Big Bang, competition, or exchange? I’m also open to ideas!

23 notes - Posted February 19, 2022

#3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/36437791

Saturday morning Patrochilles feels because I JUST finished TSoA and I’m not alright. 🥺😭

40 notes - Posted January 15, 2022

#2

First drawing in a very long time (maybe of the year)! Trying to get a hang of a different style and of course I had to start with Dorian and Anders. :)

47 notes - Posted August 3, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Ukraine Relief Charity Commissions

I never do writing commissions, but in light of the war in Ukraine, I've decided to make an exception. I'm going to be offering a limited number of writing commission slots in exchange for a donation of $20+ USD to any of the organizations listed below.

These will be ~1k written works for original fiction or any of the following fandoms:

Dragon Age, CQL/The Untamed, The Song of Achilles, The Magicians, Hades Game, or Horizon Zero Dawn (I'm barely into HFW so I can't really write to that).

I'm willing to write any rating, but have specific subjects I'm uncomfortable with. I reserve the right to refuse commissions that I don't think I can do justice and will do so before accepting the slot.

How it works:

Confirm your slot with me via tumblr, Twitter, or discord

Send me your idea and I'll make sure it's something I can write

I'll work on an outline or concept and send it back

Send me a receipt of your donation

I'll finish up your work in 1-2 weeks, depending on time and will communicate if I get behind.

If you're a creative of any sort and would like to help in this effort, please let me know! I can create a master list of posts for people taking charity commissions for any sort of creation (art, writing, moodboards, music, etc.). Also, please feel free to use my banner.

Charity Organizations (subject to change):

1. CARE's Ukraine Crisis Fund:

2. Global Giving's Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund

3. Save the Children's Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund

126 notes - Posted February 25, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

Thanks for the tag, @johaeryslavellan! I was glad to see you on my top reblogs, too! <3 Tagging forward to @dismalzelenka!

[separatist-apologist]

Neon In The Nighttime

Summary: It's the end of the word as we know it. A west coast baker and the drummer of a metal band team up in Boston, MA thinking they're one of the last few people left alive after a viral outbreak turns those infected into blood hungry monsters.

Their destination: Los Angeles, California- the last place Lucien's eldest brother was living while gearing up for a presidential run. Lucien is desperate to escape the memories of his past life and what he had to do when his wife, Jes, became infected. Elain wants to try and reclaim the fractured pieces of the life she remembers before everything went to hell.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Read on AO3

Thank you @corcracrow for the moodboard

Elain thought it was a terrible idea to open the door given they didn’t know if this even was Tamlin. It seemed cruel to keep him out in the dark, though, and crueler still to have that conversation while Tamlin could hear. And Lucien looked so happy to see his friend that Elain remained silent as Lucien stumbled into the night and pulled the blonde man into a rough embrace.

“How the fuck—” Lucien’s question dissolved into a joyful laugh as Tamlin clapped him on the back.

“I didn’t get far,” Tamlin’s rich timbre replied. His expression was lost to the nighttime, though Elain swore she heard a smile. “Fuckin’ Indiana.” 

Elain twisted as Tamlin climbed into the back, his eyes falling on her while carefully pushing their supplies to the side. “What happened to Jes?”

Lucien slammed the door a little too roughly. “She didn’t make it. This is Elain. We’re…”

“Friends,” Elain finished for him, sparing Lucien from having to say anymore. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Tamlin was handsome and young—maybe five years older than Lucien. He looked well-fed and healthy which Elain supposed was a blessing in a world ravaged by a virus. 

“Lucky you two found each other,” Tamlin said with ease, reclining back in the cab. “Need a place to crash for a day or two?”

Lucien and Elain glanced at each other. They had gas tanks in the back of their car, as well as other things that were valuable in a world without currency. Elain didn’t want to be the one to tell Tamlin no given Lucien’s history, but she didn’t want to stay in Indiana, either. 

“Maybe for the night,” Lucien agreed, his tone cautious. If Tamlin caught it, he didn’t betray any discomfort.

“Alright, cool. At least take a break from running. Have you seen any infected?”

“A few,” Lucien told Tamlin after getting instructions on where to go. Straight to New Fort Wayne just a mile up the road. They might have stopped anyway, might have run into Tamlin organically by sheer chance. 

“I haven’t seen one in months,” Tamlin told them, leaning between their two seats. “Are they rotting?”

Elain closed her eyes, not wanting to remember those bodies tripping mindlessly into an elevator shaft. Lucien gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles bled white, hiding the calluses and cuts from the steel cable they’d climbed down. 

“Yes.”

Tamlin read enough in Lucien’s tone not to ask a follow up question. Instead, he provided instructions, turning them from the interstate down a dark, winding road that led to gravel, and then dirt. Hidden among the trees in a place no one would look unless they knew what it was they were trying to find, lay a fence eight feet high and made of wood and curling barbed wire over the top.

There was no getting in…and as they pulled through open gates, Elain wondered if there was any getting out. Lucien must have thought the same thing because he asked, “Do we ask to leave in the morning?”

“I’ll let you out,” Tamlin replied with that easy smile. “Whenever you’re ready. This isn’t a prison—it’s just a little commune of survivors.”

That did little to ease Elain’s anxiety, especially when Tamlin so casually added, “We separate men and women. I’ll have to wake—”

“No.” Lucien’s voice silenced them both as he parked his car in the grass. “Elain stays with me.”

Tamlin shifted. “There are rules–”

“She stays with me.”

Tamlin cleared his throat, clearly trying to figure out what was going on. “You two are friends—”

“She’s with me. That’s all anyone needs to know,” Lucien told Tamlin, not daring to look at either of them. “If you have to separate us, then it was good to see you, Tam. Really. But I think we’ll keep heading west.”

“Don’t—” Tamlin took a breath before looking at Elain. “You two can stay together. We’re trying to minimize unnecessary risk, that’s all.”

Elain could read well enough between the lines. They were trying to keep children from being born without careful and thoughtful planning. That made sense to her, and still she was grateful Lucien had insisted they wouldn’t be separated. 

Elain didn’t move until Lucien pulled open her car door, grabbing her hand like Tamlin was going to snatch her away. Tamlin watched, too, his expression unreadable in the dark.

“C’mon,” he finally said, gesturing for them both to follow him. Lucien slung his arm around Elain’s shoulder, too possessive to be casual. As if anyone was going to try and steal her…and yet,

Elain appreciated Lucien’s willingness to stake a claim at all. It meant he wasn’t going to abandon her for Tamlin, which she’d been privately afraid of the minute Lucien leapt from the car to greet his old friend. 

Tamlin led them down an immaculate path into a clearing that, much to Elain’s surprise, was lit up. Lucien, too, paused to take in the rows of wood-built houses that reminded her a little of an eighteenth century suburban neighborhood. But the electricity and the sound of whirring blades made Elain pull from Lucien’s grasp.

“How is this possible?” Lucien asked. Tamlin chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

“We don’t need big companies telling us how to live. I’ll show you in the morning, if you want. For now, I’ve got a place for the two of you.”

“Is there hot water?” Elain found herself asking. Maybe they could stay, if only for the sake of a scalding shower. She still thought of the rusty taps from Ohio that she’d been so grateful for, even if it had been frigid river water. 

“Yes,” Tamlin said, his handsome face made all the more so by that easy smile. “Lots of hot water. And clean clothes, if you want them.”

God, Elain did. She wondered if he recognized her own outfit having come from his closet. Elain stepped a little closer to Lucien, because she still didn’t trust Tamlin, and followed down the neatly laid stone path all the way to the edge of the fence. Lucien was clearly marking their way, though they had a car and could probably force their way through the front gates if they really wanted to.

“There is food in the morning, and no rush to leave. I’m just—it’s good to see a familiar face,” Tamlin told Lucien before handing over a little key. They stood at the bottom of a well-built wooden porch looking at each other. It wasn’t trust, especially on Elain’s end, but there was something especially potent about recognizing another face.

It was easy to feel alone, isolated. Tamlin had a whole community here, people Elain was dying to see in the morning, if only to prove to herself more than just her and Lucien had survived. And if Tamlin was normal, she didn’t see why they couldn’t stay for a little while. Not settle down, but maybe try and relax for the first time since the world went to hell.

“There are towels inside. I’ll have some things left on the porch for you. If you need anything else, just yell.”

And that was that. Lucien and Tamlin hugged one more time, the sort of one-armed, back slapping hug men liked to do. Elain raised a hand, offering a half-hearted wave. He gave one right back, that smile returning before he ducked off and left. Lucien sighed, his own smile slipping at whatever he found in Elain’s expression. 

“Are you happy?” Elain asked him while Lucien slid the metal key into the lock.

“I’m not sure yet,” Lucien admitted, his voice low. “If he gives a place to stay and they let us go, yes.”

“And if this is some insane cult—”

“I’m sure it is,” Lucien interrupted, pushing open the door and beckoning for her to follow him in. “Probably a sex cult, from what I remember about Tam.”

“Really? He had that sort of charisma?”

Lucien chuckled. “Well–no. But he’s got…you know, his face. And he was a rockstar. You don’t have to work so hard when you’re good looking and talented.”

And before she could argue that, Lucien flipped a switch on the wall. Light flooded the room, rendering them both speechless. 

“Wow,” Elain whispered, turning to look at Lucien in the light. Ordinarily, Elain would have sworn Lucien had a soft glow to him, neon even at night. But here, Lucien was practically the sun, Elain a swaying flower desperate for a little warmth.

“Thank you,” she told him, forgetting for a moment he was just her friend. She felt so starry eyed, drinking in his lovely face. Lucien, utterly unaware he was the subject of her fascination, furrowed his brows. 

“For…?”

Right. Get it together. “Asking for us to stay together.”

Lucien cleared his throat. “I just ah…worried.”

“Yeah,” she agreed hastily. “That’s why I said thank you.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Lucien nodded toward the dark hall. “Want to check out the bedrooms?”

Elain thought that was rather optimistic of Lucien, given the size of the house, and was proven right. The hall was little more than three steps, opening into a bedroom that smelled strongly of cedar. The bed itself was small, draped in white linens that matched the curtain along the window. Another door opened into a small bathroom that had, to Elain’s relief, a working toilet and a tub that filled with water. 

Lucien hadn’t moved from the hall, still staring at that bed. Dread filled Elain’s stomach. “Lucien?”

He rubbed the back of his neck again, unable to meet her eye. “Just…give me a second? I’m gonna grab something from the truck.”

Pace around as he wondered if he was betraying his wife, more like it. Elain nodded, though, thumbing toward the tub. “I’ll take the first bath then, if you don’t mind.”

“Go for it.” Said, staring straight at his shoes. Great. She’d just admired his face, she hadn’t wanted to undress him. Lucien was imagining too much, and when he turned abruptly, leaving her to her bath, Elain felt a little measure of relief. He wasn’t the only one grappling with things, she thought in annoyance. Thinking he was handsome and wanting to see him naked were two different things, besides.

He was her friend, and maybe that was why it stung. Did he see her as a friend at all?

Elain pondered that for so long, by the time she’d talked herself out of her worries, the water had become frigid.

She hadn’t even noticed.

LUCIEN:

“Knew I’d found you out here,” Lucien lied, making his way back to where he’d parked his truck. A few yards off stood Tamlin, staring up at the sky.

“I had to give up smoking,” Tamlin admitted ruefully, pushing his shoulder off a rough tree. “Still like being out here, though.”

“Yeah,” Lucien agreed. This was the perfect distraction from Elain, with her big brown eyes and her too trusting expression. He felt like a bastard—and not just on her behalf, but Jes’s too. The thoughts he’d had, though…Lucien knew he was better off burying them.

Elain was his friend. His incredibly beautiful friend, and nothing more. 

“What’s going on with you and…”

“Elain,” Lucien finished, exhaling softly. “We met after Jes…” fuck he couldn’t do this. “Anyway, we’re heading toward California.”

“For the cure?” Tamlin asked, utterly blowing Lucien’s mind. “I heard that’s up in Seattle now. At least, that’s where they were heading—”

“Whoa, slow down. What cure?”

“Two scientists and a doctor came through her….eight months ago?” Tamlin began, scrunching his face as he tried to remember. “Maybe they were military. Anyway, they claimed they had a cure—it can’t bring anyone who has been infected back, but it keeps the virus from…whatever it does. They’d been discussing going to Seattle instead of Los Angeles because they’d heard there was a larger human commune up there.”

“I…I never heard any of this.”

“Most people leaving east end up here. So I hear a lot,” Tamlin informed him with a too-knowing look. One that said, you could stay, too. Oh, how Lucien could imagine it. And it was imagining that slow, domestic life that made Lucien feel so guilty again. 

“Tell me the truth. Is this a sex cult?”

Tamlin threw his head back and laughed. “Not anymore,” he choked, hands on his knees. “No one would have fucked your girl, by the way. I know you were thinking it, but we take that really seriously here.”

“She’s with me,” Lucien said, ignoring the way his stomach clenched every time he declared Elain was with him—she’s mine, she belongs with me—

“I’m sorry about Jes,” Tamlin said, perhaps guessing Lucien’s thoughts. “I always really liked her.”

Lucien thought about what Elain said—-that Jes hadn’t felt anything when he killed her. She’d been gone long before he got home, and all he could hope now was that it had been relatively painless. That her last thoughts had been of him.

That she’d known how much he loved her. 

“What about the guys?” Lucien asked, trying to remember their names. “Bron…Hart…and—”

“Andras,” Tamlin said, his expression gloomy. “Gone.”

Lucien knew better than to ask if Tamlin had been the one to dispatch them. Let them have these little secrets while they try to heal and try to rebuild.”

“So no to the sex cult?”

Tamlin laughed again. “No sex cult. I wish it was a sex cult. No, it functions more like a little town…if a town had a board of directors, I guess. We’re governed by a majority that get elected once a year. But honestly, we don’t have many problems anymore. Not since that fire.”

Lucien raised his brows but Tamlin only shook his head, jaw set. 

“And you separate men and women—”

“Too many babies that first year,” Tamlin said quickly. “We aren’t equipped for that. I know it’s kind of fucked, but…we lost a lot of women, too. We didn’t have anyone who knew how to deliver babies or what to do when shit went sideways, so we separated everyone. It works a little better…and we found a fuck ton of condoms which didn’t hurt. We’ve got Briar, too, who was a nurse so we’re moving toward integrating.”

“Sounds like a good set up,” Lucien agreed, ignoring how Tamlin’s eyes sharpened. He knew what was coming.

“It is. Fuck, man…it’s so good to see you. I haven’t seen anyone from…before. I know you and her and trying to get to California but there is nothing out there anymore. Who are you looking for, anyway?”

“Eris,” Lucien replied, earning a grimace from Tamlin. Eris was his brother and he cared for him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t blind to what the rest of the world thought of him. Eris had been a bastard, and Lucien didn’t think a global pandemic had done much to change that. 

“You know he’s probably—”

“Yeah, I know,” Lucien interrupted, wiping sweaty palms on his jeans. 

“Stay with us. It’s safe here. I know it’s Indiana but…”

Lucien clapped a hand on Tamlin’s shoulder. “I’ll think about it. We’ll stay tomorrow at least. Get some rest, talk to people.”

A day without driving, without eating old, stale gas station food sounded like heaven, besides. “Good. Stay as long as you want. Real quick…Elain? What’s her last name?”

“Archeron. Why?”

Tamlin shook his head back and forth, a contemplative look on his face. “No reason. She just looked familiar. Have a good night.”

Lucien wasn’t sure if having a good night was possible. Tamlin melted away and Lucien dawdled, making his way to the truck as if he needed anything. Screwing around until exhaustion convinced him to go back, Lucien locked up and plodded toward the little cabin.

It wasn’t her fault that she was beautiful and it wasn’t her fault that he was attracted to her. Elain was his friend and Lucien didn’t want to push her away because he didn’t know how to deal with the guilt and want he felt. It would pass, he told himself. 

The house was lit up when he returned, and old habits convinced Lucien to walk through the little sitting room, with only a wood table and chairs for furniture, flipping off the lights as he went. The kitchen had what he hoped was a working stove and an oven he’d expect to see back in the eighteenth century.

Back down that little hall to the bedroom where Elain lay asleep, curled on her side. Tangled, damp curls spilled over her lovely face—beckoning him to brush them away. Sighing, Lucien took himself to the bathtub and washed himself quickly. The scalding water was, perhaps, the best thing he’d felt since the world went to shit.

“Lucien?” Elain’s voice from the darkened bedroom convinced him to crawl out.

“I’m coming,” he replied, groaning softly. “The water is hot.”

A pause, and then, “It’s nice, isn’t it?”

Nice wasn’t the word he’d use, though it was good to hear the smile in her voice. 

“I cried a little,” Elain continued, her voice hoarse from sleep. “I can’t remember the last time my hair felt clean.”

“I know,” he joked, wringing his own out over the tub. “How is the bed?”

“Soft,” she said with a sigh. “Are you…?”

“Yeah, just give me a second.”

Lucien tugged his boxer briefs up over his hips, glancing at his jeans. He didn’t want to sleep in them again and didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, either.

“Hey, Elain? Do ah…do you mind if I skip the clothes?”

Another pause. “Are you naked?”

Lucien ran a hand down his chest, heart thudding in his chest. “Mostly. Nothing obscene.”

“That’s fine. We should have asked Tamlin for a change of clothes before bed.”

Lucien raked a comb through his long hair quickly, towel drying it one last time before shoving it off his face. Turning off the light so not to assault her with his body, Lucien hurried quickly to the bed while Elain scooted comically to try and make room. As if she was the problem and not him. 

The top of Elain’s head hit his collar bones when they stood in front of each other. She was a small woman and though the bed was, too, it was Lucien who was eating up all the space. He hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out how they’d sleep without touching.

And then he gave up. Better to just lean into the closeness rather than admit it was weird. She’d slept on the couch beside him the night before, head on his shoulder. How was that any different? Lucien slid his arm around her middle, careful with where he put his fingers, and drew her away from the edge. 

Elain relaxed the moment her back hit his chest. “It’ll be easier this way,” he said, pushing her hair out of his mouth with his free hand. “And I miss…” Ah, fuck, he shouldn’t have said anything. 

Elain twisted to look at him. “Miss what?”

“Being close to someone,” he forced himself to say. “This is nice.”

Elain sighed, her breath warm against his neck. “The last person who touched me was trying to kill me.”

Lucien blinked away the urge to cry, nodding his head. “Me, too.”

Elain relaxed further into his hold, reaching for his hand until their fingers were interlaced. “How long are we going to stay here, Lucien?”

“A day,” he replied as he focused on just breathing. “Tamlin told me something. He said—” Lucien hesitated, knowing if he told her, Elain would want to go. Looking for a cure would mean giving up on Eris, on any shred of hope that someone he loved had survived. It meant starting over from the very beginning, creating a new life in this new world. 

There was no going back. He could lie to her and try and chase the past. But as Elain blinked those big, brown eyes up at him, Lucien had the most terrible feeling that she might hate him if she found out he’d kept this from her.

She might leave him. Elain and his past weren’t compatible. He couldn’t integrate them.

And Lucien knew he couldn’t go back. Even if he found Eris and the world went back to normal, he’d still be without his wife. He’d still have to carry the knowledge of what it had been like to kill her, to leave her body behind. 

Lucien had been moving purposelessly since everything went to shit. Even now, finding Eris was just a distraction—a last ditch hope that he’d wake up one day and this would all have been a dream. Lucien took a breath, his chest aching for all that he’d lost.

Even as his heart quickened at the thought of everything he might gain if he was just honest. 

“Tamlin said there’s a cure in the pacific northwest.”

Elain leaned up on her elbows, staring down at him. “What kind of cure?”

“It can't’ bring people who were infected back…but it keeps the virus from turning people into zombies.”

“Lucien,” she breathed, her eyes out of focus. “If that’s true…”

“I know.”

“We have to find it,” she said, just like he knew she would. “Lucien, if that’s true it means we’d be safe. We wouldn’t have to do so much running, I would—”

She stopped herself, but Lucien knew what she was thinking. She wouldn’t have to worry that one day she’d have to kill him. He hadn’t even considered that, but looking up at her, eyes shining with hope, he didn’t think he could. Even if it meant dying, too—Lucien couldn’t stomach the thought of killing another person.

“Tamlin thought it was up in Seattle. We’ll head that way and see if it's true.”

Elain settled back in his arms, head resting on his bicep. “I hope it is,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

Lucien breathed out a soft sigh. “I do, too.”

[merrock]

sunday; post-holiday notes.

Morning, Merrockites! A lot of new stuff was posted this weekend to gear up for our holiday season, so here is a rundown of everything you should be aware of:

important mod post. -- READ & LIKE ASAP!

winter wonderland sleepover. (dec. 9-11)

winter market. (dec. 18-24)

new year’s eve party. (dec. 31)

holly jolly season moodboard task.

the week ahead -- we have snow coming!

Pretty, pretty please with icing on top make sure to pay attention to and like the mod post that is linked above -- read it and like it as soon as you can, so that we know you’re up to date with what’s happening in the group right now. Even if you’re in stealth mode and just checking mobile, or lurking while busy, read and give that little heart a click, that’s all we ask.

With the Thanksgiving holiday coming to an end, we would love to see some characters who have been MIA pop back to life once the food coma and shopping frenzies have worn off. Although we don’t normally encourage it, if you are feeling overwhelmingly behind on replies due to the holidays, this is the time to pop up new starters and start fresh, or reach out to get threads going. We’ve had a lot of writers express interest in wanting wintry, fun threads, so go get ‘em.

Enjoy your Sunday! xx