#we as a society moved far too fast from this outfit

[prentissology]

more ppl need to talk about gwen’s prom look

[thicksimpx]

Prologue | Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3 | Ch 4| Ch 5 | Ch 6 | ch 7 | ch 8 | Ch9| Ch10 | Ch11| Ch12| Ch13| Ch14 | Ch15 | Ch16 |

Summary:  Leaving the soul society for “research” - desperately looking to find answers, anything that’ll help him take down the Spirit king.. that is until he meets “HER” - She has him enamored, desperate and most of all curious… there’s something about HER

“Sometimes we do bad things for the people we love. It doesn’t mean it’s right, it means love is more important”

Warnings : 18+ , mature content, mature language, possessiveness , stalking , murder/gore, rough penetration, creampies , fingering, masturbation, cam girl y/n, Lots of Psychology lessons 😂,  violence, public sex, unrequited love.

(Aizen POV)

Class finally ended. As each student left they came up and dropped their papers into the bin on my desk. I had to admit, this class was deep.

"Professor Aldridge" a voice called. Lowly groaning I look up and to my surprise it was y/n.

"Mrs L/n what a surprises. You're usually the first out the door. To what do I owe the pleasure"

She waited until the last student walked out the room to start talking. "Uh, I just wanted to apologize for my lateness. "And um, Here's my paper. I'm not happy with it so , if I get a bad grade I'll do it over or whatever "

"I'm sure your paper is great Y/n" I took my glasses off and smiled. "If you have and trouble with assignments you're always welcome to schedule time during my office hours. I'll be more than happy to assist you." Im hoping she does schedule some time. I'll be able to be alone with her. Alone with y/n ....

"Thank you" she smiled. "Um have a great rest of your day sir" she said awkwardly and fast walked to the door. Stopping shit turned around and said "you should get contacts"

Before I could questioning her statement she was gone. Was she flirting? That was a compliment. She has a thing for older guys right ? Oh y/n you sneaky girl, don't say things like that, it makes me think you want me.... The way I want you.

—-

That Night

Y/n is home alone today. So far no one as came over and it's already 12Am. I bought a little fold up chair this time so Atleast i can be comfortable watching my girl. as I settled in, I noticed she was moving things in her room around. followed by her applying some make up, and a wig with some bunny ears.

A few seconds later from her large window I could see her sitting down at her desk smiling and talking as if someone else was in the room. I glance over and it was just her computer screen. no .. she's not... I straightened up in the chair and moved closer to the window to try and hear what she was saying a bit clearer.

(y/n pov)

Your hands felt up towards your chest. You cupped breast and kneaded them. The action alone made him breath a little harder. "It's been too long since I've cum hard and good." you sigh. "you know, I'm going to be honest with you guys. Normally someone would come over and do this for me, but he hasn't called in a while." you breathe out as the tips of your fingers trace your cunt.

"oh this? "You are crazy" you chuckled  responding to a comment  You licked your lips. "You like? It's not as pretty as my red outfit some of you like some much but I thought you'd like this one too"

"Oh wait, one of you sent me a gift that I planned on using tonight. you dont have to tell me who you are" you smiled as you left to rummage for something. You came back into view holding something and sat down quickly and close as you fixed the laptop to your liking. Once you were back in the frame you showcased a bottle of lube And a very big red dildo.

Admiring the gift you smile into the camera. "thank you to whoever bought this." you said as you eyed the toy. "its big but we can definitely make it fit" you pressed the tip to your lips, tongue darting out to lick it.

--

(Aizen POV)

Everything she said sounded like a whisper to me. I couldn't believe it. My y/n was a cam girl. she was giving everybody the chance to see what should belong to me.

Although she's showing everyone over the internet, im right here. With the perfect view. the perfect show just for me. Oh y/n are you teasing me now? I feel a little overwhelmed. What I'm seeing, everyday I learn more about you y/n. is this real?

My head, it feels oh so light from what I was witnessing. One hand wandered down between her legs and played with the hem of her panties, occasionally hovering over the hollow between leg and pussy before she pulled the white lace aside to fully reveal her beautiful puffy cunt. I snapped a quick picture, who knows if ill be lucky enough to see this sight again. I watched as she lubed up the red dildo and begin to push it inside of her. Inch by aching inch she pumped and the wet squelching sounds made my dick  jump. I wish it was me, my dick... ill give it to you so good.

Unbuttoning my pants quickly my dick jumped out and I palmed it as I watched. It was hard, I didnt know if I should watch her face or the way the dildo easily slid into her. everything about her was perfect. Looking at her even her feet were perfect symmetrical toes, clean nails just like the rest of her .. perfect

"I'm full, so fucking full"  I hear her cry out. she tested the waters by thrusting the toy slowly in and halfway out. "God I'd give anything for this to be you, I bet you feel hot to the touch" she moaned. I know.. oh I know my love. She was lost in it, pumping the toy in and out almost to the rhythm of my stroking as if she knew I was watching and wanted to match me

"I am... I wish I was, you wouldn't need that thing" I groaned softly, hands gripping my balls as she arched her back and spread her legs. Oh what a good girl you are y/n. doing all of this just for me. I had to admit that observing her cunt becoming slick and glazed with her juices bit by bit, smacking noises coming from it as she thrust with her toy was charming. I never knew I needed this. It did not escape my attention how she was circling her lower body, she's about to cum.

I spit into the palm of my hand for some additional lubricant which made the motions even smoother. At some point, I must have lost my mind and he instinctively moved his hips and thrust into my hand as if I was was the toy she was using. "Oh god daddy!" she shouted as she pushed the dildo as deeply as possible and went to touch her clit.

Her shivering frame and tense like movements alerted him to how painfully close she were. Y/n, shit, baby I want you to cum for me. it felt good to know I was the only one who knew her name these loser perverts dont know you the way I do.

"I-I wanna, oh god, cum w-with you" She moaned as her hand slithered down to her clit. I nodded, "I can't deny you princess" I muttered.

She rubbed her most sensitive bundle of nerves and came chanting "daddy" over and over as each wave hit her harder than the other one. Each spurt landed on my leg,  stomach and the floor as I groaned. "who knew we'll be moving so fast in our relationship babe, Getting off to each other like this" I laughed lowly cleaning myself up with some tissues I had in my pocket.

"um what are you doing"

I turned around and spotted a homeless man standing in the doorway to the room I was in. "how long have you been standing there?"

"long enough to spot you yanking it to that girl there. she's a hot piece of ass aint she. Ryan told me about her.. heard she does this every other Wednesday"

interesting. "so other homeless come here too?" I asked. the man just shook his head and said not really.

"oh then let me show you what I saw from the eighth floor, there's really good stuff we can jerk off to up there friend" I said quickly stuffing my self back into my pants and prompting him to follow me to the steps. without hesitation he came. fucking idiot. ill kill each and every one of you who come her to watch my Y/n.

—

Thicksimpx© 2022. Do not copy, claim, modify or translate my work without my permission. thanks 😘

[boldlyanxious]

Kiss and Run

Jasonette July prompt 16: heist

July masterlist

All masterlist

All things considered this was probably the best night for her heist. It didn't make sense at first since the Wayne gala was the social event of the season and they definitely had more security than usual. But that was mostly concentrated on the manor and everyone trying to get in, not seldom used storage buildings beyond the garden.

It had taken her a long time to track down what was labeled as a ceremonial item but she knew that it was a missing miraculous. She had managed to get through all the paperwork but it just wasn't listed. The last person recorded to have handled it was Jack Drake. The item had never been sold. She looked through all the records of the items sold after his death and it wasn't listed. All the things his son kept had been moved to the Wayne estate when the Drake estate was sold.

Marinette snuck in as the guests were arriving. She made sure that her outfit was fitting for the occasion but would not draw unnecessary attention in case she was spotted. She didn't actually need to enter the manor. She blended in with the guests but headed to the building to locate the item quickly. She took Plagg with her to assist with remaining hidden and for the additional night vision.

It has been far easier to get in than she had expected. The building was a lot larger than she realized and it had taken longer than she liked to find what she needed. She was fairly certain she had found it. She didn’t have very precise details on what the jewelry would be so she ended up with 3 pieces that were from the same archaeological dig. That would have to be close enough. Based on how they were stored, she didn’t think they would miss them. Honestly she could probably wear them into the party and meet the whole family and they wouldn’t recognise the items. But she wouldn’t push her luck. It had taken over an hour to find them and she still needed to get out of here without being discovered.

She had just closed the door when she heard voices around the corner. She slipped around the other side and dropped her transformation. Getting caught while transformed would be suspicious. Wandering around in formalwear would just look like she wandered a bit too far when she went out for fresh air. Luckily she planned ahead and had a champagne flute and a small bottle in her purse. No one would have cause to question her too carefully if it was clear she had too much to drink.

“The alarm definitely went off again. There are some guests out this way so maybe it was an accident. I can see the door. It is locked.”

She could hear the man on the phone. She focused on getting further away from the door and towards the garden area from which she could exit the estate grounds. She could hear the man continue his conversation but she chose distance over information. She almost hit a man in the shadows when she heard him move suddenly. But the man from the phone had moved this way too. She thought he might be following her. She needed to do something fast to explain her presence without causing more questions.

She pivoted to the other man and pulled him down by his tie. He seemed stunned by the sudden action but she kissed him before he had a chance to say anything. The alcohol now on her breath would be an incentive for most men. The man on the phone saw them and gave a look before heading the other way. She was so relieved she barely noticed that the man in front of her had pushed her against the wall but he had not returned the kiss. His eyes danced with amusement as she tried to slip away and then looked up at him when she realized she was trapped.

“That was some quick change back there,” he said. “You went from a Halloween costume to formalwear almost instantly.”

“I don’t know what you mean. I just stepped out for some air. I probably had too much to drink.” she forced herself to stumble over her words and then let out a breathy giggle.

“Nice cover. What did you find so interesting in the storage? You were in there awhile but your bag isn’t very big so you had something specific in mind.”

“I think there has been some mistake."

She tried to keep her voice slow and even, hoping that Plagg would take the opportunity to recharge. She didn't think it would be an issue, he couldn't see a wheel of cheese without eating it. She slid her arms up around the man's neck and tried to pretend it had no effect on her when he moved closer. Really she was just trying to get her back away from the wall. He slid his hands down to her hips and smirked at her. She tipped her face back up towards him but without waiting to see if he took the bait she pushed off from the wall and twisted out of his arms. She dropped low and swept his legs with her foot.

Her dress was perfectly capable of a quick get away but not quite as easy to fight in as the suit. The leg sweep caused him to stumble but he was much more agile and with much quicker reflexes than she had anticipated from a random guest at a society function. She would think it was just a Gotham thing, but she had actually lived here long enough to know that wasn’t the case. Most of the residents seemed to have very little interest developing skills to fight back. Perhaps they had seen what happened to those who fought back and would prefer to wait until the incident was over and hope they didn’t become a target.

She turned back to the man to decide whether she would have to fight him or if she could run away. But as he stumbled he reached out and grabbed her bag strap. He didn’t need to do anything else. He had what she had come for and he might even think he would find identifying information in there. He wouldn’t because she knew better, but he might hope. She tugged back on the strap and with the force of both of them it snapped.

Luckily it snapped with the small pouch on her side so she gave another yank to get the rest of the strap away as she turned and ran for the gate on the far side of the garden. She weaved in and out of all the obstacles hoping to slow down his larger frame. He would likely have the advantage if it were a straight shot but she intended to make it hard on him. She was still shocked when she made it to the gate and he wasn’t right behind her. She opened it just enough to slip out before closing it quietly behind her.

She stayed in the shadow along the wall making her plan for the best path through the grounds. If she could make it to the trees she should be able to get away without risking capture. She cursed as she bumped into something sticking out of the wall. It grabbed her arms and pushed her against the wall. She looked back up to see the same man. He must have chosen a different path through the garden while she was slowing herself down in an attempt to slow him down. His knee slid between hers pinning her dress to the wall and restricting her movements. He easily held her struggling wrists in one hand.

“That is some pretty coarse language coming out of that pretty mouth. Did you still want to kiss me?” He used his free hand to tilt her chin up.

“I was just doing that to create a distraction. Let me go.” She struggled against him but she couldn’t get loose.

“I think it could work. We should try it just to find out.”

“Are you the security here? Pretty sure you are supposed to take me to your leader rather than trying to seduce me.”

“You are giving me such mixed signals. I thought you wanted to seduce me.”

He had leaned down to whisper that in her ear. She froze as goosebumps covered her neck and arms. He used his free hand to trace with his fingers behind her ear, down her neck, and along her collar bone. He chuckled when she shivered. She adjusted just enough to lift her mouth up. He tilted his head down to her and their lips met. His lips slid against hers easily. She pushed herself against him as she slid her tongue against his lips. He granted her entrance and met her halfway. She was careful to give just enough attention to kissing him that he wouldn’t notice how she was moving.

She twisted each wrist gradually until she was very close to breaking his hold. But he suddenly shifted again and grasped her wrists with both hands. He didn’t break the kiss until her wrists were pinned on either side of her head, her bag still dangling from her left hand. “Nice try,” he said as his lips pulled away from hers. He brought her wrists together in one hand and pulled the bag from her. Her grasp slipped away and he suddenly released her. “You can go. Feel free to come back and try that again any time.”

She made a frustrated noise as he winked at her. She rushed at him but his arm blocked her far too easily. She had nothing to lose as he had already seen her detransform so she used her last resort. “Plagg, claws out,” she called. The sudden change and the bright light gave her the opportunity to use her staff to sweep his legs. When he went down she kicked him in the gut and used the staff to hit the purse from his grip. She didn’t wait to see his reaction; her priority was escape. She didn’t manage it though. His arm shot out and grabbed her leg before she could get out of his range. Damn his lightning reflexed.

She stumbled and turned to pull away from his grip. She extended her staff to push off but once again he defied the odds and had jumped up and tackled her. They rolled over, each of them fighting for dominance. Marinette lost the fight as she looked over to locate her purse. She had been on top but her split second attempt to determine her escape route gave him the ability to turn her over and plant his weight over her. He placed his knee painfully on her hip to limit her movement and held down her shoulders.

“Very Catwoman look. I like it. But you didn’t manage to land on your feet.”

“I didn’t have a chance to land. Some brute knocked me over and landed on top of me.”

“You were trying to kiss and run. We could get back to the kissing.”

“But you told me I could go.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “Did you change your mind?”

“I don’t think I ever want to let you go. But I don’t see the need to force you to stay. Whatever you stole won’t be going with you.”

He hauled her up and reached down for the purse again. She only had the one chance to use his lack of knowledge against him. So when he moved back up and held both her wrists together to pull her along with him, she let him. But as soon as he turned his face away she extended her staff lifting them both. She relied on his quick reflexes to protect him until she could get him in her grip. She vaulted them both away for the trees she had planned to use for her escape. She made several jumps into the trees until she found a good sturdy tree that looked like it would be easy to climb down from.

She dropped him in the high branches and took the purse back from him. He tried to hold on to it but she continued extending until she was out of his reach. She pushed forward to the next tree to talk to him while she was out of his reach.

“I really wish I had a reason to come back and try that trick again.”

“Am I not reason enough? You did already seduce me.”

“I’m pretty sure you were trying to seduce me. But my need to keep this safe would complicate that. I won’t return it.” She shook the purse to show what she was talking about.

“You did kiss me. Twice.”

“Sorry to kiss and run.”

She vaulted away. She trusted that he would easily manage to get down on his own. She didn’t notice that he had slipped out his camera to get pictures of her before she made her escape.

Taglist

@jasonette-july-event | @theymakeupfairies | @emjrabbitwolf | @vixen-uchiha | @trythisagainlove | @trippingovermyfeet | @tbehartoo | @adrestar | @zynna

[v3nusaphr0d1t3]

doin’ that night thing

crossposted on ao3: <3 rating: explicit warnings: sex so much sex. just so much horny afab reader, gender neutral. reader is not described.

it was only so long before you texted the number. it was natural curiosity! the number might be hawks’! you let it marinate in your head. the little paper he slipped into his tip to you when you two met at the club that had his phone number sat on the coffee table. you stared at it for a while, eventually just deciding to text him.

you: hey, this is ____

you still used your stage name, since you had decided that you’d trade your real name for his. he replied surprisingly quickly (it was later on in the evening on a sunday so you assumed he was off), with only a couple minutes of anxiously making your way through your carousel of social media before you heard your text tone.

XXX-XXX-XXXX: heyyy. it’s hawks, what u up to?

you would not admit that your stomach did a little flip. this was genuinely his number, or at least you prayed it was. you added him to your contacts. 

you: off day, so i been sittin around. wyd?

birdie: i had patrol today but i’m off the next two days, thank fuck.

you: thats good, bet its stressful as hell to do what u do.

birdie: you sayin that out of consideration or you sayin it to kiss my ass?

you genuinely laughed out loud. you didn't expect him to be upfront, and you had expected to stroke his ego if you wanted into his pants, but it didn’t look like it would turn out that way.

you’d find out soon enough.

---

he said he was off for the next two days, monday and tuesday. you worked evening shift on monday and got out by 11 PM, so you got an idea.

you: pick me up from the club tonight? 11:30?

birdie: is this what i think it is?

you: i don’t know birdie, you tell me

he didn’t reply to that. it made you a bit nervous, but you weren’t gonna fret. if he didn’t come, you could just take the subway. that’s how you got there most nights, just like tonight. the train ride was bustling in the late afternoon, most people just getting off of work and heading home. you instead got off at your stop to walk the few blocks to the club, work bag slung over your shoulder and knife in your hand. the sun was starting to go down and you didn’t play games. being quirkless in this society was an inconvenience at best and at worst you could end up dead.

you went in the back way, readying yourself for your shift and freshening up. you put on your outfit you has chosen for today, did makeup, fixed your hair the best you could, and hyped yourself as well as a few of your coworkers up. eventually it was time for your set. you took a deep breath like you always did, grabbed your wipe you all used to clean the poles between each set, and stepped out onto the stage. and when you looked up at your audience, you met a pair of warm yellow eyes.

---

when you got off, you took a quick shower in one of the bathrooms in the back. you tried not to shower at the club when you had the choice, but being sweaty and covered in other’s people’s germs when you took hawks back to your house wasn’t at the top of your list of things to do. you dried your hair well enough when you got out, putting on some cute underwear that you had packed (because you had planned this in advance). you put on a regular t-shirt and jeans, making your way with your bag to the front of the club to look for hawks. you had your hand in your pocket on your switchblade as you surveyed the street and parking lot with your back to the club wall. you knew he was here, or you were going crazy. you saw him.

so intent on searching for a familiar figure in the parking lot across the street, you didn’t notice someone coming from your side. and when the hand fell on your shoulder, you reacted immediately, pulling your knife out and flicking it out, holding it out and steeling yourself.

instead, it was the stupid fucking bird with his hands up and an amused grin on his face. he looked casual like he did when you first interacted, just considerably less tipsy and more excited.

“god, jesus, you scared the shit out of me!” you put your knife away, sighing. hawks let out a little chuckle.

“sorry, sorry, i just thought you were paying attention to ALL of your surroundings. or maybe, since you were looking for someone…?” he trailed off, and you wanted to knock him upside the head. but you didn’t.

“you seem intent on NOT getting head tonight.” you joked, striking a chord as he spluttered.

“was that on the table? i take it back, i take it ba—” you cut him off with a flick to the nose.

“shut up and take me home already.” you chuckled gently, looking around for some sort of vehicle. and then it hit you.

“you… you didn’t drive here, did you?” you asked, sighing yet again, this time in annoyance at yourself for not remembering that this man had wings.

“no. no i did not.” he almost looked ashamed, if it weren’t for the shit-eating grin that split his face.

“and i’m guessing that you’re not driving me home, is that right?” you asked, letting him take your hand and pull you into the alley?

“where are we going?” your question went unanswered as he pulled you further away from where the people were. it made you a bit nervous, but when he suddenly pulled in close and scooped you up like you weighed nothing, you were in no state to protest. and then he shot himself AND you into the sky.

“where do you live, by the way?” you heard over the howling of the wind.

“you ass! its—” and you gave him your apartment building. you found that he smelled nice, from close proximity, and you made the very smart decision to bury your head in the crook of his neck rather than looking at the very far away ground. 

he touched the ground again on the rooftop of your building, and when you were put down you immediately shoved him.

“warn me! jesus,” you were genuinely mad for about twenty seconds, before bursting into laughter and moving to grab his shirt collar, pulling him into your first shared kiss. it was sweet, and a bit too soft considering that this was a hookup. he reciprocated almost immediately, coming up to cup the back of your neck. he tasted sweet. it was nice.

you grabbed his wrist, pulling him along and wrenching open the door to the roof. you found your way out of the staircase to the elevator (your building had way too many floors for that mess) and pressed the ‘down’ button. you waited for only a few moments before the doors opened with a ding and you dragged hawks in with you. you pressed the button for your floor, and when the doors closed you were on each other again, pressing him back against the wall of the elevator as you licked your way into his mouth.

it wasn’t only the elevator that made your stomach jump. it was the fact that this was the first person you had brought home in a while, and the fact that he was a hot ass pro hero who looked at you like you were the hottest person ever. it set you on fire, made your skin sing and lit you up from the inside. it was like being on stage but ten times better.

eventually you broke away when the elevator doors opened, and you grabbed his hand to pull him along. you approached your door, fumbling with your keys and getting your door unlocked. and the moment you were inside, like the MOMENT, he had you pinned against the door. the speed was almost hilarious if not ridiculously hot. 

he brought your lips together only briefly before pulling away to trail little nips and kisses down your jaw and neck. 

“don’t give me any hickeys, it’s bad for business.”

“i’ll pay for your shit.” he said nearly immediately, and the look he gave you was goddamn predatory. 

“i— okay.” you could only agree, because it felt too nice and that gaze was gorgeous.

and with that, he sucked a dark mark high on your neck, going on to make more.

and suddenly, your earlier promise came to mind.

“didn’t i promise you head?” you say with a pant as he bit down on the junction between your neck and shoulder.

“you mentioned it.” his shit-eating grin from earlier returned. you playfully pushed him away and grabbed his hand to lead him to your bedroom. it was humble but comfy, with your bed in the center of the room and the window cracked, letting in the sound of night traffic. your floor was high enough off the ground to not have to worry about the people below hearing you. you didn’t have a headboard to your bed, so you wouldn’t have to worry about that noise either. but you hoped that you could perhaps make a noise issue with the man you pushed to sit on the edge of your bed as you suck to your knees.

you tugged at his belt, undoing it as he watched you with his intense gaze. you unbuttoned his jeans and pull his pants and boxers down, observing his half-hard cock. you spit in your hand, giggling to yourself and hearing a giggle above you that got choked out as you wrapped your hand around him. you pumped him and leaned forward to take the tip in your mouth, twirling your tongue around it as you teased the slit. you heard his intake of breath and subsequent sigh as you sunk your mouth further down.

it was sizeable, and thick too. it made you clench around nothing as you worked your way up and down his shaft, to the point where the head was hitting the back of your throat. you tucked your thumb into your fist and breathed through your nose, putting your faith in that stupid little trick you heard as rumor from your stupid friends. it surprisingly worked, or at least it placebo-ed itself quite well, because you only gagged when hawks rolled his hips upward into the heat of your throat.

you pulled away to take a breath, looking up and meeting his apologetic expression. it was annoying that you thought that little thrust was hot. you steeled yourself again and went back to it, so the next time he ground upwards, you were prepared. he let out a groan, reaching up from where his hands were stabilizing himself on the bed to instead rest on the back of your head.

“fast learner, huh?” his little quip made you roll your eyes, but apparently he took that the wrong way, because he took a ragged breath.

“roll your eyes back again, s’hot.” you would scoff if you could, but you instead took another one of his little thrusts into your throat. his little whines were enough fuel to let him keep doing this, using your mouth like it was made for this.

“damn, baby, you’re perfect—” his words were more likely to make you blush than his actual cock in your throat. suddenly, he grabbed your head and pulled you off. you looked up in confusion.

“don’t wanna cum yet,” he murmured with a breathy chuckle. there was that little glint in his eyes again. the one that zeroed in on you like you were the only thing on his mind, like you were the most important thing in the world. it was frankly a bit frightening. that little primal part of your brain didn’t like the gaze much. but your much larger brain thought it was fuckin’ hot.

“your turn, get on the bed.” he said, standing up and shuffling out from under you to remove the majority of his clothes. you did the same, peeling off your shirt and jeans to reveal the cute underwear you had chosen. he watched you, whistling when he saw you wearing one of your g-strings. 

“keep that on, wanna pull it off with my teeth.” he said, casually, as if that wasn’t enough to make you clench around absolutely nothing. you made your way onto the bed, sitting up as he joined you, pushing you down to prop yourself up on your elbows. he leaned down to make good on his promise, catching one of the strings over your hips with his teeth and pulling them down your legs, pulling it off all the way and throwing it aside. you laughed a bit, matching his chuckle.

“now, lemme get a look at you,” he grabbed your thighs and pulled your legs apart to gaze at your dripping cunt. he bit his lip, leaning down immediately and licking a stripe over your folds with a flat tongue. he moved to suck on your clit, eliciting a moan from you as you felt your nerve endings catch fire, tingling all the way down your legs and up into your core. he moved to rub his tongue over your hole, teasing but never fully giving.

“hawks! c’mon, god— feels so good,” you were talking just to fill the silence, little murmurs threaded into barely legible sentences. he pulls away from you and you whine. you barely get time to be mortified with yourself before he says something shocking.

“you can call me keigo. just don’t tell anyone that shit, okay? you sound too good and i really want to hear my name from your pretty little mouth.” 

“i— i’m ____,” you practically gape for a minute, before giving him your own name. that was your deal, his name for yours.

“pleased to meet’cha, _____.” he joked and once again you barely had time to react when he leaned down to continue eating you out, swirling his tongue around your clit as he reached up to stroke a finger down your folds. once it was sufficiently wet (kinda gross) he slipped it inside you without much resistance, curling upwards a few times and pulling it out to repeat the process but with two fingers.

“keigo, shit! god, that’s fuckin’ great—” you babbled, the constant stimulation to the most sensitive place making your brain hazy. your eyes were closed without your realization, and once you did open them, you looked down on a gorgeous sight.

his head eyes were fucking immaculate. his golden eyes looked up at you like he wanted to own you, like he already owned you. by god, you wanted that. you wanted it bad. you wanted to do whatever it took to have this man keep looking at you. this was its own type of performance, and you feared it would be addictive. you ate up his gaze, the warmth it brought, like it was the air you needed to survive. with a knock of his now three fingers against that sensitive place deep in your core, you gasped, throwing your head back and breaking his gaze.

he was out-doing you. no one was allowed to out-do you. you decided the stretch was enough, and agonizingly shifted away from his criminal tongue. he gave you a confused look, but you guided him to lay back toward the edge of the bed, up on his elbows so his large wings would hang comfortably off the edge, and began to crawl over him. the fact that your legs were quivering was not one that was mentioned aloud, but it was definitely felt. you helped him roll a condom on and you matched eyes yet again as your plush thighs straddled his hips, grinding against his cock that was laid against his stomach. your smirk was telling as you leaned down to capture his mouth in a filthy, open-mouthed kiss. he was panting and flushed by the time you were done with him, leading down to leave playful nips on his neck and shoulders.

your grinding was incessant and reliefless, promising but never giving, and it was driving him mad. any time he would attempt to take the reigns, you would raise your hips, robbing him of any friction at all and making him whine. oh what a sound, it filled you with determination. you were going to put on a show, but you didn’t work for free. he would have to beg. but he was a stubborn ass and you’d have to work him up to it. he was already nearly there, gasping and breathless while his cock jumped against your heat. you held his wrists down so he couldn’t grab your hips, and you leaned down to look him in the eye with a shit-eating grin.

“you know what i want,” you said simply, your voice piercing and thick with lust.

“oh- oh really?” 

“what’s the magic word, keigo?” you asked, watching his pupils pin at the usage of his name. whether it be your tone, or the circular little grinds you were working with your hips, or your penetrating stare, something broke his pride.

“please— please, god, please, ____” his voice was whiney, as it made the simmering heat in your gut roar as you raised up off his cock and used your hand to position it, sinking back down and making a noise low in your throat. it took you a moment to adjust, with little cants of his hips smoothening the transition. but once you had accommodated to the stretch (and by god was there a stretch), you moved your hands to rest on his thighs and set to work. 

you raised yourself up and down, up and down, getting into a rhythm that left your thighs quaking and your core aching from the ceaseless abuse. it felt so fucking good. the sounds of skin slapping and both of your breathy noises filled the room, making you blush even more. the grinds he would meet you with when your hips came together nearly make you drool, mouth hanging open and panting quietly. once again, your eyes had closed by default, overwhelming pleasure making it hard to keep them open. 

but when he sat up, grabbing you by the waist and thrusting up hard into you, your eyes shot open to his gaze again, this time focusing on where his cock was disappearing into you over and over without stop. his wings were tensed, hiked up and spread, shaking slightly from the stimulation. the streetlamp poured light in from the window, casting a strange feathery silhouette all over your room. you gasped loudly as you felt your orgasm start to build up.

“please, god, keigo, don’t stop,” you moaned as he manhandled you to lay back on the bed and started plowing into you hard enough to make your mattress creak. you didn’t think you could ever fuck someone else like this. you couldn’t think at all, actually. you could feel yourself drooling like a dog, running down the corner of your mouth as you choked on air. his hands on your hips were like fire, and you were hot, hot, hot. you burned up under his gaze, under him. you could feel the pressure building, building, building— until you gushed all over his cock. and your sheets, for that matter. the feeling was insane and you were not mentally there enough to think of the consequences. your orgasm rolled over you right after that, hitting you like a train and making you clench down hard enough to trigger a chain reaction. you felt a warm blossom in your cunt as he shot into the condom, groaning roughly a mangled version of your name.

he slowed his momentum to small little grinds until you whined from overstimulation, belittled to noises and half-words. he pulled out and tied off the condom, dropping it into the trash by your bed and laying down next to you to catch his breath. you did the same, eventually catching the rest of your mind as well.

“that was probably the best sex i’ve had in my entire life, no lie.” you chuckled, voice still cracked and airy.

“we’re gonna have to change your sheets.” you looked down to see a soaked blanket beneath you and sigh in slight annoyance and embarrassment.

“i honestly didn’t know i could squirt. i’ve never done it before.” your chuckled elevated to a laugh, and he let out a bark of a laugh along with you.

“well, thanks for the prize money. now hop up, i’ll help you with laundry.”

[redinkofshame]

Exotic Vacation

I based #2 on the AU list on my own honeymoon. I’m sorry the prompt never gets to the actual vacation part of the vacation… But if I added all the semi-public beach smex and threesomes this prompt would have been WAY too long.

So have some committed-relationship spice, with mirror smex.

2214 words, explicit

for @augustwritingchallenge

Read on AO3

Black Bikini Bottoms

Des and Solas hadn’t taken a honeymoon as newlyweds, as they had been new parents as well. They tied the knot at City Hall and promised each other they would take a trip for their first anniversary instead. But, between financial strain and Des’ separation anxiety, they’d called it off.

Now it was nearly their second anniversary and their daughter, Isla, was two years old, and Des was ready for a break. Cruise tickets for five days and four nights through Rivaini islands had been booked, plane tickets for her mom to stay here with Isla had been booked, and an appointment with a waxing salon so Des could get bikini-ready had been booked.

To be honest it wasn’t about the new bikini she’d packed so much as Solas seeing her in — and out — of it. Between work, parenthood, medical scares, and life in general, her and Solas’ s.ex life was all but non-existent, and she was hoping to change that, if only for the week.

The morning before was hectic — saying hello to her mother, goodbye to her daughter, and loading on the plane. They arrived late in Rivain and headed straight to their moderately-priced hotel room, where they both crashed. They did not have sex. (Thank goodness; she was exhausted.)

They were up before dawn on the day of their anniversary to begin the on-boarding process. Tickets, passports, suitcases, and a mandatory cruise ship safety lecture from the crew. It was after noon before they were free.

They managed to find their tiny windowless room well enough; it was on the lowest level and practically at the rear of the ship. After they’d checked that none of their luggage had gone missing in transit and settled a bit she sat on the bed. As it was practically the only place to sit her husband did the same. They chatted a bit, appraising the experience so far, and she scooted close, suggestively running her hand up and down his thigh as he commented on the excellent service and cheap booze.

Then a loud rumble started up, and they had to raise their voices to be heard.

He grimaced. “That must be the engine. I had not realized it would be so loud…”

Neither had she. Unlike Solas, she was a light sleeper and she was already starting to stress about the noise keeping her awake the entire trip.

But she was determined to break their dry spell. “It’s for the best,” she purred, running her hand along his chest. “Now we don’t have to worry about being too noisy.”

She pulled him into a kiss, trying to put heat into it. She wasn’t actually in the mood, yet, but she was sure she’d get there.

They kissed for several moments, nibbling on lips and necks. Neither mad a move to further, though, so they slowed to caresses. The longer it went the more painfully obvious it was that this wasn’t working for either of them. She moved her hand down and cupped hi, just to be sure, but she didn’t find anything significant.

She pulled back with a sigh and leaned her forehead against his.

He sighed as well. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired, we can still—”

“No, no, it’s okay. It’s not just you,” she admitted. She forced a smile and they stayed there a moment, heads together, eyes closed. Their hands found each other. She was trying not to get worked up over it, to blame herself, her body, to spit out something like ‘I guess we just don’t have sex anymore!’.

It was a shame. They used to have great sex. Like, really fucking good. Shouldn’t she be craving that? Would he, if she still looked like she did back then?

She reminded herself there was no reason to force themselves into some mediocre orgasms just because society said that their ‘honeymoon’ should be some kind of uber-romantic fuck-a-thon.

When she was sure she could open her eyes without getting teary she did so — only to find that while she was trying not to lose it the asshole was nodding off right where he sat.

“There’s a couple hours until our assigned dinner time,” she said, and his eyes popped open with a start. “Do you want to take a nap until then?”

“Yes. Very much so. But I would not

want you to leave you all alone on our anniversary…”

She waved it off. “I’ll nap for a bit, too, then I’ll just read. I brought a book.”

He didn’t need any more convincing and climbed under the covers. She got up and turned off the light.

She blinked.

“Holy shit.”

“Yes,” he agreed, sounding just as surprised as she was. It was dark. Like, completely lightless, even with elven vision. The blackout curtains in their bedroom at home had nothing on a windowless room under the ocean, apparently. “There’s no light from the hall; I suspect the rooms are water-tight.”

She hummed her agreement as she felt her way back to the bed. She didn’t bother setting an alarm; she never napped for more than an hour or so. With as loud as the engine was, she would be lucky to nap at all.

~~~~~

So, apparently, a cruise ship engine made for a wonderful white noise machine, especially when combined with the comforting darkness of the room. Des knew she’d over slept immediately. She didn’t bother trying to find her phone to check the time; they were out of service range and cross time zones. Instead she found the remote for the ceiling-mounted TV, which has a “channel” just to tell you the time and introduce you to the captain, as well as a few others explaining the islands they’d make port at in the coming days.

So much for a sixty minute nap; it had been six hours.

She hadn’t muted the TV fast enough and Solas stirred. “What time is it?” he mumbled. “Did we miss dinner?”

His tone told her that he already knew the answer.

“You could say that.”

“There’s room service, right?”

“I think they’re closed…”

“Well let’s try, at least.”

They did. The kitchen was closed, but uncooked meals were still available. Solas ordered a sandwich and she got the salad, and instead of eating a romantic anniversary dinner by the sea they ate in relative silenced in a room the size of a closet. At least wine didn’t require cooking.

C’est la vie. They went over their schedule for the next day, and which activities (‘excursions’ as the ship called them) they planned to hit. Once their plan was in place and the drinks were finished they went right back to bed.

With their good mood, full bellies, wine, and rest, Des thought they would ‘celebrate’ some more… But instead they wished each other a happy anniversary and went right back to bed. They did not have sex.

This time Des’ disappointment was genuine, and she allowed herself her tears. She might as well mourn the apparent loss of this part of their lives as Solas snored away behind her. Maybe they really were one of those couples after all. They had love, and family, and a life together, and sex wasn’t much of a part of that. And that was okay. But it also kinda sucked.

~~~~~~

The alarm woke them in the morning. Unlike the dinners that were scheduled in the dining room at the same time every night, breakfast would be buffet style for two hours on the upper deck, so there was no hurry. In theory. Des hurried anyway, excited to finally enjoy the view of glittering ocean for as far as her eyes could see as she sipped mimosas.

She was pulling out her outfit for the day (bikini included) when Solas invited her to shower with him. It was something they did pretty much whenever schedules allowed, so she didn’t expect any hanky-panky (and tried to convince herself she wasn’t disappointed when she was proven right).

He scrubbed her back and she watched him shave his head, checking him for missed spots. They got out and toweled dry.

She reached for her bikini bottoms but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, grip noticeably firm. “Who said you’re allowed to get dressed?” he asked.

His wicked little grin was enough to send a tingle through her. “I can’t wait to see the incredible view,” she answered coquettishly. He didn’t bother with a response, just pulled her in and kissed her hungrily, almost immediately finding her tongue with his. His hands moved from her wrist to waist to grab great handfuls of her ass.

She tried to give as good as she got but she still had to wrap her arms around his neck just to keep her balance with the way her pressed into her, forcing her to back up until her butt hit the tiny vanity. She puled back to catch her breath, scraping her nails along his freshly-shaved scalp. He used the opportunity to go for her neck, sucking and biting as he pleased. She knew he was leaving marks on her but happily let him.

Des gasped lightly as his fingers traced to the apex of her thighs, teasing her. Fuck, it had been way too long… She canted her hips against his hand to prove how ready she was already, just in case it wasn’t super obvious.

It must have been because he hooked his elbow under her knee and lifted, speaking her open. She giggled in surprise but was cut off by her own hitching breath as he used his other hand to finger her. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck, clean and warm, until he murmured appreciatively in her ear, “Now there’s an incredible view…”

She turned to look over her shoulder only to see her own bare ass reflected in three different angles by the vanity mirrors.

Des smirked. She propped up her leg higher and leaned forward into Solas, arched her back to give him a pornographic view of his fingers disappearing into her cunt. He groaned and grabbed her ass with his now-free hand, lifting her higher still.

He worked her with those long, familiar fingers until she couldn’t take it anymore. He ignored her increasingly insistent noises of frustration — she knew he knew what she wanted, but the asshole always wanted to hear her beg for it. Finally she dropped all pretense and just said, “Dick. Now.”

He ignored her still, so she sunk her teeth into his neck, biting hard.

His surprise yelp was followed by a chuckle just before he grabbed her by the hips and spun her around. She met his grin with a smile of her own and bent over to brace her hands on the vanity table. She watched in satisfaction as his gaze dropped to her tits. Then she wiggled her butt to get him back on task.

He rook the time to run his hands up along her curves, all the way up to her shoulders and back, giving her ass a loud smack before finally aligning his cock up and — Fuck. Creators, she’d forgotten just how damn good when her husband fucked her with that big cock of his. The toys in her drawer at home had nothing on the grip of his hands pulling her hips to him as he thrust steadily into her.

She looked up at him in the mirror but couldn’t make eye contact as he was intently watching their bodies moving together instead. She’d been stupid to think he was tired of her body… He’d never said or even done anything to make her think he was no longer attracted to her, and the way he looked at her now was anything but disinterested.

She reached up to squeeze her own breast — that caught his attention. His eyes snapped up to hers and she continued the treatment, tugging her nipple for her own satisfaction, watching him watching her. Then she watched nothing at all as her eyes screwed up and she came for him, though she felt his heavy gaze even then.

He rode her through her orgasm, steady, controlled as always. Always, that was, until it was his turn. Once she opened her eyes again he dug his fingers into her and took her hard. She moaned with each thrust and it was all she could do to brace herself against the table as he lost himself, pounding into her fast, hard, deep.

She watched his face as he came at last, smiled when his eyes opened to meet hers. He smiled back and gave her ass another slap before pulling out. “Worth it for that view alone.”

She rolled her eyes and went to grab a washcloth from the shower, giving him one as well. Then her the bikini bottoms she’d been reaching for before, like a proper gentleman.

“Why thank you.” She grumbled as she started pulling them on, “Gonna get cum stains on it before I even get in the water…”

Solas cupped her face and pulled her into a long, satisfied kiss. Then he said with a smirk, “It won’t be the last time. Black was a poor color choice for our honeymoon.”

[itmeansofthesea]

Moving Day

Well this one got me all in my feelings. This was supposed to be lighter and funnier and somehow it got away from me. Instead it's this beautiful thing?? Maybe I'll try to write a funnier version later, but thanks to @dobega for reminding me of the domesticity conversation that led to the end. Any longer and I would have to make this a series, but if that's something you're interested in I think I could swing it. Enjoy, y'all.

Warnings: like one curse word? I think that's it... It's also overwhelmingly sweet imo so just be ready for that.

Had Charles Vane known that becoming ally/friends with James Flint would involve helping him, his boyfriend, and his boyfriend’s wife (his girlfriend?) move into their new house, he might have just gone ahead, taken the warship and let Peter Ashe hang Flint and be done with. Not really, but… maybe?

He honestly isn’t even really sure how he got roped into this. It was a couple of weeks ago when he, Jack, Anne, Max, Flint, Thomas, and Miranda were all sitting at a table upstairs in the brothel having dinner. Billy was out showing Abigail around Nassau and Mr.s Gates and De Groot were just trying to get a moment’s peace at some smaller tavern at the other end of town. Silver and Madi were out having some sort of alone dinner thing (Jack had called it a “date” and then called Charles a “heathen with no sense of romance”), and this all left the motley crew to sit around with whatever the brothel’s cook had dreamed up and a metric ton of ale to wash it down.

Charles didn’t fully understand the situation Flint had with the Hamiltons, but whatever it was clearly made Flint happier than Charles had ever seen him. He was all smiles and laughter and joy. It warmed Charles’s heart (just a bit) to see his friend so happy, because they certainly had become friends. He mentally joked about leaving Flint to hang, but to be honest it would be difficult to imagine his life without the people sitting around the table with him now. At least, it would be difficult to imagine something resembling a happy life.

They’d stopped to refuel in Savannah after Charlestown and somehow or another word got to Flint about a plantation full of the disgraced sons of London’s elite that were now more or less enslaved in the prison colony. If there was one thing Charles was always down to do (and there were many things he was always down to do), it was hunt down a slave master and free people from bondage. They’d split when they got to the plantation- Charles after the master of the house and James off to find Thomas. Finding Mr. Smith hadn’t been difficult and dispatching him was even easier. Once that was finished, Charles made his way outside to find Flint in the arms of another, taller man and both of them appeared to be weeping. He felt like an intruder watching them, so he busied himself with checking the plantation for anyone else who may need to be released. When they made it back to the ship, Miranda leapt on the man who Charles realized must be Thomas, and after a minute of holding on to him she grabbed Flint into their embrace.

In time all of the introductions were made, and suddenly the Charles/Anne/Jack crew expanded to the Charles/Anne/Max/Jack crew and the Charles/James friendship expanded to include Charles/James/Thomas/Miranda. They also intercepted Abigail Ashe on the way, and James and the Hamiltons promptly adopted her on the spot. She and Charles had some reacquainting to do outside of Eleanor Guthrie’s influence, but he at least thought they were making progress. She didn’t seem nearly as terrified as she’d been of him when she followed Eleanor through the gate, so that was something.

Fast forward a few weeks and here they all were finishing their chicken and ale when Jack began asking about where the Flint/Hamilton/Ashe family intended to live. Miranda’s house was too small now that they had Abigail, and Billy had attached himself to Abigail as an older brother figure so usually where one of them was, the both of them were. Of course with Billy came Mr. Gates as his surrogate father, and while they’d made it work for the last couple of months, everyone was feeling a bit cramped.

Jack and Max volunteered to host them at the brothel, but they politely declined. Charles half considered offering to let them stay at the fort, but figured that may not be the best idea considering they also had Abigail to consider. Not that he couldn’t keep his men under control, but he also knew that she had memories of that fort that she may not want to be surrounded by all the time. He certainly knew that was the case for him, and yet he stayed… for some reason. Maybe he should take Jack up on the offer to move into the brothel…

Thomas mentioned that they’d been asking around and found a house a bit more inland from Miranda’s that had been abandoned for the last several years. It would take a bit of fixing up, but they planned to go ahead and move in and then work on it as they lived there. Before Charles fully knew what was happening, Jack had volunteered Charles, Anne, himself, and Max to all help them move with the added bonus that he and Max would help with the decorating if Miranda so desired their assistance. Max enthusiastically agreed and elbowed Anne in the side prompting her to shrug a shoulder in agreement. Jack looked at Charles with those wide puppy-dog eyes and before Charles even knew what he was saying he’d agreed to help. The look on the Flint/Hamilton’s faces almost made it worth it.

At the time.

That was then.

Now it’s moving day. What on earth had they gotten themselves into?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Charles and company arrived at Miranda’s house early the next day, one cart was packed and Thomas, Billy, and James were in the process of loading another one. It was decided that they would stay behind and the Ranger crew plus Max would go with Miranda and Abigail and get things unloaded. Mr. Gates was out helping Mr. De Groot careen the ship again since the last time was a bit of a disaster.

The moving crew pulled up to a slightly rundown looking two story house with columns on the porch and an overgrown garden to the side. Miranda smiled and squeezed Abigail around the shoulders before jumping off the cart to start unloading. Abigail took the key to the front door and unlocked it, but had a little trouble pushing it open since the summer heat made the wood swell in the jamb. Jack went to help her push it open while Charles and the others started getting things off the cart.

“Just put everything in the front for now, we’ll get it sorted later,” Miranda instructed as she pulled a crate of books from the back. She passed it to Charles who noticed the copy of Reflections by Marcus Aurelius on the top. He recognized it from a conversation he’d had with Flint on the way to the plantation. That was his and Thomas’s book, the one object that kept them tethered together to all this time. Flint’s book with Miranda was Don Quixote, which he also noticed on top of the stack. It’s not that Charles couldn’t read (Teach made sure he could), it had just never been particularly useful to him. You don’t have to know how to read to split logs, haul rope, navigate the stars, or fight the English Navy. Besides, he’d never really had the time to sit down and rest long enough to read. Maybe he should change that. He set the books down to the left of the open door and went back out for more stuff.

Max and Anne pulled down a trunk of clothes and carried it into the house together. Charles volunteered to switch with them, but he was told in no uncertain terms that they could handle it themselves thank you very much, so he left them to it. He passed Miranda and Abigail carrying small crates of what appeared to be dishes. Porcelain. Hadn’t he and Flint had that conversation just a few days ago? About how fragile porcelain and books were, and how fragile a civilized life was, and how it all came down to capitulation and letting society numb you into obedience? Now he was willingly helping Flint settle into that obedience. Is that something a real friend should do? Charles wasn’t sure, so he jumped into the back of the cart, pushed a trunk to the edge, and hauled it out of the back of the cart to take inside.

Miranda stood in the foyer with her hands on her hips trying to put together what each room should be when the furniture arrived. Charles motioned to the trunks on the floor and at Jack who was just standing there in slack jawed awe.

“Would you like us to move these upstairs?”

Miranda turned and smiled up at him. “Sure, thank you, Charles.”

“Jack, let’s go.” Charles barked and jerked his head toward the trunks.

“You can’t honestly expect me to be able to help you carry that upstairs.” Jack raised an eyebrow and looked at Charles like he’d lost his mind. Charles scowled and opened his mouth to reply when suddenly-

“Good thing we got here in time then,” Flint’s voice sounded amused coming from behind him, and he turned just in time to see Billy and Thomas carrying in a table. Miranda’s smile widened as she directed them to the right and Flint walked over to Charles to help with the trunk.

“My hero,” Jack cooed jokingly at Flint before catching Charles’s eye and backing away. “Yes, yes, I know. Fuck you, Jack. I’ll let you save your breath.” Jack raised his hands and walked away to follow Miranda and see if he could start setting the table or something.

Charles just rolled his eyes and grabbed his end of the trunk.

“On 3?” James asked. Charles nodded. “1, 2, 3,” James counted off and they both lifted at the same time. It was heavy, even for the two of them.

“The fuck’s in this thing?” Charles grunted as he started backwards up the stairs.

“I think these are Abigail’s… From what I understand, women’s clothes are far more complex than ours,” James laughed.

“Not here, they aren’t…” Charles thought back to Eleanor’s outfits, but also realized that Abigail and Miranda were nothing like Eleanor, therefore they would likely be dressed more like Max, in which case it made sense. Thank God they weren’t like Eleanor. Nassau couldn’t handle another one.

“So, if you can’t understand why a man would want domesticity, why are you helping four of them move into a house?” James looked amused, and Charles honestly wasn’t even sure he had an answer.

“I still don’t understand it. To the left,” Charles moved to get his back to the doorway and James moved with him. “However,” they set the trunk down inside the room and straightened. “I think I am starting to understand wanting peace.” He sighed. “And I don’t know, maybe I do understand it. I tried to tell Eleanor that we could take part of the gold and settle down, have a life, a couple of kids… but she would never have that. I told myself that wasn’t me wanting domesticity, that was wanting someone else to depend on me, but…” he took a deep breath and walked out onto the landing where he could see Jack and Anne below him. James wordlessly followed. “Maybe I’ve had other people depending on me for a long time. Actually, I know I have. It’s why Jack wouldn’t come with me when I left with Teach- he didn’t want to have to depend on me when he’d built something of his own here. I didn’t expect that to hurt as much as it did.”

“But it did,” James whispered beside him.

“It did. I guess because I was hoping that our friendship would be enough for him to come with me, but in the end his need for independence won out. I can’t blame him, especially after all the shit I put him through with Eleanor-”

“Excuse you, you both put us all through that,” James smirked and bumped Charles’s shoulder. He earned a grunt in response. James just chuckled and noted the small grin gracing Charles’s face out of the corner of his eye. James knew at one point that comment would likely have resulted at him having a knife in his face. He was thankful they’d progressed past that.

“Anyway,” Charles emphasized the word, “seeing you with Miranda and Thomas, and even adopting Abigail. It seems peaceful. Maybe that’s part of domesticity, maybe it isn’t, but either way, it looks nice. It’s not something I can have in that fort probably, but…” he trailed off.

James waited a beat before asking, “what?”

“I am happy that it’s working out this way for you,” Charles whispered. “If anyone deserves all of this, you do. You all do,” he ignored the water welling up in his eyes as he put a hand over Flint’s over the railing.

Flint didn’t even bother ignoring his tears. He just let them go as he watched his family make their home together for the first time in a way that included all of them from the very beginning. He whispered, “thank you. So do you, you know?”

Charles chuckled humorlessly and swiped a hand across his face.

“I’m serious,” James looked at Charles who turned his head in response. “They are my family, but you are now, too. You don’t show up to save my life from the man who ruined my life, help me blow a port city to hell, kill its governor, and then stop me from murdering Jack Rackham for taking the Urca gold I’d been after for years without earning the title of brother. Even if you did steal my ship first.” James smirked and bumped Charles’s shoulder again.

“Yeah… I’m not sorry about that.” Charles shook his head and laughed.

“Wouldn’t expect you to be,” James chuckled, “brother.”

Charles looked at his family and back at James. “Brother.”

[fae-fucker]

Zenith: Chapter 76-79

Chapter 76

Andi has a nice little poetic nightmare. It’s irrelevant. The next morning has the girls preparing for the ball, complete with dresses and makeup.

Some things to note include Lira saying that in Adhiran religion (which is global, I guess), one has to mourn for three days before “letting” the souls of the dead pass on into ... everything.

Andi tries to say that it’ll take time to heal from it all, but Lira is having none of it.

“It will take time to move past what happened on Adhira,” Andi started, but Lira held up a hand.

“My three days of mourning have passed. Lon’s and my aunt’s, too. Now we, and the others who lost loved ones during the attack, must give the lost spirits to the stars, to the trees, to the wind.”

Which basically means that she’s done feeling bad about the unexpected and brutal attack on her home planet, so that’s convenient. Well, if one of our main characters doesn’t care about her people getting senselessly murdered, then why should we?

She also lets us know that her aunt has fixed up the Marauder and brought it here, because of course. Lira wants to arrange for Lon to be transferred to the Marauder, and though she has a logical reason for it (taking him home personally), it’s only a setup so we know why he’s on there at the end of the book when Andi’s bleeding out and needs a universal donor.

Spoilers, I guess.

Andi’s mother, Glorya, intercepts Andi as she tries to leave her crew to their makeover montages, just so we can move into a scene where her mom is brushing her hair and babbling on about gossip and vapid high society stuff.

But Andi, of course, gets lost in a flashback that’s so amateurishly written it’s honestly embarrassing and only highlights Shinsay’s helpless reliance on flashbacks as a storytelling device.

Observe:

Her words faded away as memories took their place. Andi lost herself to them.

The whole flashback is written in italics for some inexplicable reason, even though it would’ve been fine as just regular text since we’re clearly told what’s happening now and what’s a memory.

Also, there’s one bit where the memory “fast-forwards” to a different one. Shinsay, this isn’t a fucking movie. This isn’t a screenplay. What the fuck are you DOING.

The flashback and the mother’s inane babbling are all there to illustrate how vapid and brainless Glorya is and how she only ever cared about her status and not about her kid. Glorya pretends that everything is back to the way it was but Andi curses her out for abandoning her when she needed them most and how “the way it was” was actually always shit.

I mean it’s fine. It’s all right. I see what they’re going for, it’s melodramatic as all fuck but it works for what they’re trying to do? I can see this as being a realistic way for an emotionally neglectful family to look like. I wish it was more nuanced and wasn’t just shoe-horned in here (Glorya doesn’t show up before or after this bit, this is the only time she’s ever present or even mentioned in this book in any meaningful capacity) for the sake of making Andi’s friends look better and for her to not have anything that anchors her to Arcardius, but like, I won’t say this isn’t realistic.

And then Shinsay can’t stop themselves and it’s back to silly time:

“Really, Androma...” 

[...]

“That is not my name,” Andi whispered. She allowed the darkness to come up into her voice, the mask of shadow and steel to sweep across her face. “My name is the Bloody Baroness. And if you or Commander Racella ever so much as utter a single word toward me or my crew again, I will personally strip the skin from your body and wave it like a flag from my starship.”

Glorya let out a soft squeak. Andi snarled with all of her teeth.

Guys I can’t breathe this is too fucking funny. And not in a good “woo vindication!” sort of way, but in a “they really put this right after an emotional confrontation about parental emotional neglect/abuse huh?” way. They really thought this was ... badass? Revenge? Andi, sweetie, you’re, like, traumatized? Presumably? I can’t really tell. But maybe get some therapy?

Do Shinsay think this is somehow a win and that Andi’s threat means she’s fully released from the hurt and pain her parents have caused her through their neglect? It’s honestly written as if Andi just confronted her mother and her own hopes of coming back to her family in this one short scene, and then upon realizing her parents never loved her, she scares her mom a little and then is all smug and satisfied at the end.

That ain’t how it works, darlings.

Then the annoying Marketable Space Pet runs in and starts biting Glorya’s toes and she runs away shrieking like a defeated Disney villain.

Way to undercut your own drama, Shinsay.

The chapter ends with Andi thinking about how her crew is her True Family for the bajillionth time. Because we’re all idiots and Shinsay wants us to remember that.

Chapter 77

It’s the evening of the ball and Andi thinks about how she missed Bavista, which is apparently your generic coming-of-age ball held at Arcardius for every 16-year-old. I’m guessing it’s a yearly thing? The book never clarifies. Not sure why the fuck it’s here tbh.

Actually, it’s a pretty good demonstration of how the worldbuilding in this book is presented so here, have at thee:

She could still remember seeing the otherworldly dresses and suits float by her on the feeds as she watched the girls and boys glide into the A’Vianna House in the Glass Sector. They seemed light as air, full of pride, bursting at the seams with excitement. Once inside, they would be greeted by members of the Priest Guild, who would award each young person three items.

The first was a vial of water from the Northern Ocean, symbolizing strength. For growth, they accepted a single leaf from the oldest tree on Arcardius, known as The Mother, which was said to have been planted when the Ancients first arrived. Lastly, they were given a single floating pebble, no larger than a child’s fingernail, chiseled from the very gravarock where the Cortas estate was. It represented the wisdom of rising above.

Is this relevant to anything? Does this help you understand this world or its inhabitants? Does it tell you anything of the culture of Arcardius or its youth and what’s expected of them? No? It’s just a really generic list of things thrown together using Mystical Proper Nouns as glue? Weeell heeell.

Also what does “it represented the wisdom of rising above” mean? This is utterly generic and means fuck-all, that’s what.

Anyway, Andi’s admiring herself in the mirror. Her dress is very sexy, trust me, I can’t be bothered to include it so just imagine your favorite My Immortal outfit description. It does include sword holsters at the back, which are Andi’s favorite part, because she’s a strong independent woman who don’t need no man. She never actually uses them or brings the swords to the ball so ... Idk what the point of this was.

We also get some shit about how Andi actually LOVES dresses and being pretty but she never admitted it to anyone. But don’t you worry, this badass space criminal LOVES all things girly, because that’s feminism! Can someone check in on Shinsay? I’m not sure they’re getting enough air with their heads so far up Sarah J Maas’ asshole.

Admitting to herself that she looked pretty was something Andi kept private. She didn’t want to give her crew the satisfaction of knowing her true thoughts about fashion. How even though she was a fierce, hardened criminal, she could still appreciate the joy of a beautiful, impractical ball gown.

Huh. And here I thought they were your family. That’s weird that you’d keep this information from them, especially considering all of them seemed pretty excited to be prettied up in the last chapter. I guess they’d really just haaate the idea of sharing this joy with their captain, huh? Why aren’t you admitting this to them, Andi?

You’re saying shit about how “even though” you’re a hardened criminal, you can “still” appreciate beautiful gowns, like those two are somehow contradictory. Are you, mayhaps, ashamed of having this traditionally girly interest? Hmm! Interesting. Why could that be, I wonder? Why would having traditionally feminine interests or even caring about one’s appearance be seen as something inherently shameful or embarrassing, as inherently contradictory to being fierce and “hardened?”

This is all just so *clenches fist* feminist.

Forreal though, somehow Shinsay managed to take their entire made up GALAXY and make it subtly and not-so-subtly sexist. Good job, morons. Really girlbossed that one, huh?

The only bit I like about this whole mess is this:

The dressmaker had also accented her gown with a sparkling necklace full of jewels that Andi didn’t plan on giving back.

This is the one and only space pirate-y thing Andi does -- sorry, considers doing -- in the whole book and honestly could’ve been used to build her character more, but it’s just a one-off joke here. Wasted.

Valen comes to fetch her and we get some subtle foreshadowing.

“Valen the Resurrected.”

He stopped to look at her, brows raised. “What?”

She shrugged. “It’s what the press is calling you in all the feeds.” Valen let out a deep chuckle.

[...]

“Something tells me things are about to change for the better,” he said. “I’m ready to see it all happen.”

Andi wondered what he would do now that he was home with a whole planet at his disposal.

He deserved to have some fun.

Is it bad that I’m rooting for Valen to destroy everything? And this isn’t my villain-fucker coming out, I just want this poor bastard to absolutely annihilate Andi and her gang of acolytes.

Chapter 78

Andi and Valen arrive at the ball. It’s all very pretty and space-y and aesthetic. There’s a bunch of aliens everywhere. Andi sees a woman with funky eyes and assumes it’s a body mod, because I guess she knows the genetic characteristics of every species by heart and can tell when something is real or not.

An old classmate of theirs comes up to talk to Valen and congratulate him on being alive, then Andi reminds him of who she is just to be a smug asshole and the guy fucks off in a panic. She’s just so cool and badass, you guys.

Then it’s time for Valen and Andi to dance, and of course General Cortas looks like he’s about to lose his marbles because these darn kids! >:(

The chapter ends on Andi noticing Dex pouting in the distance.

“Relax,” Andi whispered. “Let’s give them something to talk about.”

She flashed him a wicked grin as the music began.

And as Valen spun her into the first move of the dance, Andi saw Dex standing on the fringes of the crowd, an expression of longing clear on his face.

Chapter 79

This chapter is exactly 298 words of Dex moping around about how he’s actually not over Andi at all when he thought he’d done such a good job of repressing his feelings, and how he should be the one dancing with Andi instead of Valen. If you’re surprised, you’re clinically dead.

[mimsylovesloki]

Episode 3-Play by Play Reactions (Spoilers)

I’m so excited

Previously on? Oh please like I need a reminder of what I’ve been obsessing over forever

I miss Randy

This reminds me, how did that person know where the timekeepers are? I’d assume only someone of the status of Judge Renslayer would know.

Ooh funky beat

Oh lunch with Sylvie and that one soldier?

I don’t think that’s what a brain freeze is lmao

Oh they’re friends? Or is Sylvie just in her head?

Hmmmmmm

Poor girl

Oh yup

Oop—

I like the opening thing, but I was kinda hopeful that it’d change from episode to episode like wandavision

Lmao not the best security I gotta say

Yo magic don’t work here girly

Oh she just murdered that guy

Nice moves!

Oh that guy is dead too

GET HER LOKI

MY BOY GOT HIS KNIVES

See TVA, this is why guns are nice. You don’t need to engage in hand to hand combat

Yea that’s rude

SYLVIE HURT LOKI? JAIL! JAIL FOR A THOUSAND YEARS!

Rude, Renslayer

Lmao they’re like siblings fighting

Oh that’s fortunate

HAHAHA MAGIC YESSSSSS

Yea she’s not Loki

We got quips

Uh oh lol

Loki what did you do

Ohhhhh the purple realm in the trailers in called Lamentis

Soooo is this termina?

Oh she said watch out to him!

Oh her hair is up in the back. Cute.

Looking out for each other.

Soooo why no likey being called Loki?

Bonding?

No?

Hello?

Hahahahaha she can’t enchant him

What’s her issue?

No that’s not the reason he saved you. He’s just not a murderer like you.

And what’s your plan?

Cmon girl, spill. What’s your background?

Fast pace episode, gotta say.

Sky kinda looks like a painting.

Sylvie, you shut up. Don’t be rude.

“That’s not who I am anymore.” Sooo she WAS one? Sylvie just an alias?

Seems like the theories about them combining lady Loki and Sylvie together are potentially coming true.

Collapse of society? My favorite pastime!

Cmon kids, get along.

Skull kid has to be somewhere around here. (G-get it? Majora’s mask? Anyone? No? Okay...)

Get yeeted

Lmaooo

Oop shape shifting time

Oh this poor lady

Oh lmaoooooooooo

That didn’t go well

Neat weapon.

That sword she has, is that the one Loki later gets?

I hope Sylvie has a good explanation for things...

Ahhhhh the blue outfits. Turtleneck Loki soon???

Lmaoooooooo nice plan loki

Uh oh rich people

Kinda heavy handed line delivery

Lmaoooo teamwork

What’s gonna work? Teeeaaaaamwork

Can’t wait for Loki to throw someone out the window

Lmao he sounds like a robot

TURTLENECK LOKI

Loki is such a pain lol. But she deserves it.

Frigga my Queen

Oh no

Emotions

Please no

Spoiler lmao

What the heck Sylvie lucky

Or not?

What happened to her?

BONDING

WE STAN SUPPORTIVE FRIGGA

Teach Loki that magic!

I wonder how Sylvie’s past was so different than Loki’s? Wouldn’t that make her whole family variants for stepping off the scared timelines path? Why didn’t the TVA act sooner then?

I’m so happy seeing so much more of Loki’s magic.

“Love is hate.”

Loki is such a wonderful pain

Is this flirting???

Of course loki flirts with Loki

Soooo Loki dated?

“Love is mischief then.” “No. Love is... uh something I might have to have another drink to think about.”

We getting Loki drinking and talking about love. Huh.

Oh my gosh is he drunk?

Yep he’s drunk

How does an asgardian get drunk?

Now we have Loki singing in Asgardian

Seems like it’s hitting to close to home for Sylvie mayhaps?

Tom, your theatre kid is showing.

BAHAHAHAHAHHA HE PULLED A THOR OH MY GOSH

Loki dammit. Stop being drunk.

Please please please don’t make Loki a joke. Please. Please. Please. Cmon Loki.

Love?

“Love is a dagger. It’s a weapon to be wielded far away or up close. You can see yourself in it. It’s beautiful. Until it makes you bleed. But ultimately when you reach for it.” “It isn’t real.”

You were close there.

Fight?

Do it!

Please.

Loki can’t just fabricate tickets?

Hey

Did he just break that guys hand lmao

Nice Sylvie. Using your headpiece as a weapon. Copying Ragnarok Loki

Loki missed? Must be cuz he’s drunk.

Aaaaaand Loki was thrown out the window. Why does this keep happening to him? First dark world by Thor.

A little nervous rn with Loki... he seems to be a bit of a joke rn which is what I was afraid of. I hope this is just a little thing and that they’re not trying to make Sylvie better than Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. I mean, you could chalk it up to this Loki being a variant, so maybe there are other things different about him, but that begs to question, at what point does the TVA step in? We saw other Loki variants in that little hologram display in episode two that seemed like those Lokis had done a lot already.

Now now Sylvie, ahem... “LANGUAGE!”

Bragging about hedonism?

Temper tantrum

Cmon therapist Loki

Sober up Loki.

Scene from the trailer I presume.

TVA should step in soon huh? Or is this another apocalypse with no survivors so it doesn’t get picked up on.

Save this world Loki. Trigger the TVA.

Oh. So no trailer scene yet?

Lazy Loki

Cmon Sylvie, teach him! Maybe he can teach you something!

How on earth is Sylvie so different from Loki? I’m so confused.

I hope Loki is able to learn how to do this.

Wait I thought the TVA workers were made.

THEYRE ALL VARIANTS TOO????

BROOOOOOOOO

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING

So they’re ALL variants? Soooo, the timekeepers are like running a labor camp? If they have no memories, then what do they think happens when a new worker shows up?

Oh man this is like ragnarok ptsd for Loki if he went through it

Very cool set I gotta say

Also very sad. So many people desperate for their lives.

Major Majora’s Mask vibes

MY BOY HAS SUCH STRONG TELEKINESIS

Tom Hiddleston really said “soooo this is all that Loki CAN do but hasn’t been able to do in the past movies. Soooooo now we’re gonna make him do ALL of it.”

Wait... that’s it????? Why did this feel like the shortest episode so far? I think it was. And the ark was destroyed.

I have so many more questions now, mostly about Sylvie. But also concerns. I really hope they are able to balance series loki with mischievous and clever and silly Loki. And I hope they don’t try to push some kind of female Loki is superior thing (I haven’t gotten that vibe yet, but it’s always a concern for me whenever I see a supposedly gender bent version of a character).

I’m having trouble forming the words for my thoughts. This episode was fun and pretty and intriguing, but probably the weakest for the three so far imo. Not to say it was bad, but it felt kind of like it was amping, then plateaued and then ended. Like we barely got much more information, but more questions and set up but it felt like it ended too quickly. Like more was supposed to happen for this episode but it didn’t.

I hope we can find a way to hear Loki sing in asgardian again, but under less jokey pretenses.

[rpmemesbyarat]

RP meme from Scream Queens Ep 8 "Mommie Dearest"

We have to figure out who that woman was.

You work fast.

We are murderers hell-bent on revenge.

Tell me what happened to the baby.

Come to my office, alone.

You scheduled this meeting; that means you talk first and I do my best to try to pretend to listen.

You know why I'm here.

I mean, look, I was probably high on Klonopin at the time, so you can't really hold me to anything I might have said.

I saw that movie 50 times!

If you need a ride to the store or McDonald's got your order wrong, please hang up.

Doesn't seem fair, does it?

I taught him everything I knew about making love.

The homosexual lifestyle is not destructive to the fabric of American society! The Voting Rights Act should be authorized in every state! And the Affordable Care Act does not require people to eat broccoli!

I need them convicted, fried in the electric chair, and I want it now.

I need to know what you found out. Go.

All of these clues are terrible.

If you want something done right, pay someone a lot of money to do it for you.

Haven't you heard? I moved in.

So, I'll sleep in the dead girl's room and do my best to not dwell on the fact that there's a big old bloodstain on the floor.

I've always wanted to try this recipe for a smoothie called a Hormone Helper.

I am frying up some mozzarella sticks.

I question why this house even has a kitchen.

If you had all the money in the world, what would you do?

My mother used to say that smugness gives you wrinkles.

Oh. Was I being smug? Sorry, I thought I was just being right.

I just figured that eventually someone would shoot the bastard.

Now it's different, because they came after you.

Cover-ups like this only work if everyone has tiny bits of info.

This name is all I have. The rest, as they say, Sherlock, is up to you.

I want to stop these murders!

The less we know about ourselves, the better.

Rummaging around in your life, it's like digging through a landfill. Sure, you may happen upon something interesting, but you're gonna get filthy.

I'm gonna kill that dumb bitch.

I definitely know what it feels like to not be one of the cool kids.

They spent the whole time making fun of my outfit, talking about how cheap my clothes were.

I'm getting real tired of your nonsense.

You make me wish I was a serial killer

If you want to accuse me of something, walk your ass down to the police station and get yourself a warrant.

My investigation has been lacking in the financial resources department.

Right now, this whole thing has been funded out of my pocket.

So I was wondering if I could get a little advance.

Let's say ten percent of that three million?

You got a hot mouth.

That mouth would look even better if it was kissing all over my rippling pecs and my rock-hard abs.

That outfit---amazing.

What is that smell? Does anyone else smell something burning?

No. This cannot be another dead end!

The madness needs to end.

This is an outrage!

My whole life is ruined!

You have to fix this.

First of all, I'm an American, I don't have to understand anything.

I'm rich. Stupid rich. And I'm prepared to pay handsomely to get what I want.

I don't care what you toothless inbreds have to do to make that happen, just make it happen!

Is this real?

It does kind of look like me.

What's with the two babies though?

She remembers you being there with two babies.

Honey, have you been smoking ayahuasca?

I want some of whatever it is you're smoking.

It's all happening way too fast.

Beautiful, no?

Someone has, in fact, contemplated killing you, if not attempted it outright.

Will you please stop peppering your speech with "indeed"?

Looks like the bitch apple doesn't fall far from the bitch tree.

How could you get engaged?

Who am I, Hugh Hefner?

You're not Hugh Hefner.

I didn't want to bum her out, so I figured if I played along with it, you know, it would lead to some mind-blowing sex, which I was totally right about.

What, you think I have something to do with these murders now?

We need to discuss the manner in which you intend to turn yourself in to the authorities.

You look all sweet and cuddly, but I know for a fact you're the killer.

There's a couple of blind dogs down at the pound we're gonna read the newspaper to.

Since when are you in charge?

Why are you wearing my clothes?!

What in God's name are you wearing?

I don't know what you're attempting here, but I call the shots.

We're gonna step into the nearest bathroom and have a nice little heart-to-heart, just me and you.

You can't go around insulting somebody's mama.

Everybody had a terrible mama.

What am I supposed to do, apologize?

Over my rich, hot, dead body.

I burned it down to cover up any evidence you might find.

I committed arson. For you.

I was trying to protect you!

I've always done nothing but try to protect you.

You can't protect me from who I really am.

I would stay far away from me if you want to protect yourself.

That's how little I trust you.

Are you wearing a wire to try to get me to admit I'm the killer?

I have an awful mother, too. Even worse than yours.

Mommy said I was a prodigy at firing nannies and top of my class at destroying people's self-confidence, although they don't out grades for that for some dumb reason.

She said my deformity would embarrass the family.

We all have mommy issues.

I'm a work in progress, okay?

All I do is work out and kill people.

What do you think, I'm an idiot?

Look, I'm totally incognito, I'm blending right in.

I mean, who shows up in a Justice Scalia costume?

We take her out, and then we finish what we set out to do.

[missn11]

The Possible Meaning Behind The Malkavian Armors In VTMB

I had been planning to write this for the longest time but never could quite get it done until now! XD 

So I’m sure that you all have seen the wacky armors that the Malkavian PC can buy in Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines and just thought it was another thing that added to the fishmalkiness to the VTMB’s Malkavian PC but like the Malk PC themselves, I think there is more to the outfits than we might think.

of course this is purely my own opinion and I could be reading way too much into the armors but I digress.

((All Screenshots of the armors are from this guide of all the armors in VTMB https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1850939973)) 

Light clothing and Santa Monica  

The first outfit that you start the game with for both the male and female Malkavian PC highlights their vulnerability of their new situation. This shows of how not only their sire seduced them into letting their guard down to be able embrace them but also the dangerous political situation they have been thrust into, a vulnerable pawn at the mercy of being taken advantaged by Kindred older than them. Though despite that vulnerability the PC has, they still have it better than the Thin-bloods at the beach who are often pushed around or hunted by other Kindred for being who they are. https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Thin-blooded 

Santa Monica is where the Malk PC spends most their time in this outfit, getting their first taste of being used as a pawn in the Voreman sisters’/Bertram Thung’s feud. Even when they gain victories in their time in Santa Monica (especially upon destroying the warehouse) the shovel-heads attacking and kidnapping the PC highlight further how vulnerable they are and still in need of being saved by Nines Rodriguez.

Heavy clothing and Downtown

So the second outfit you can get in the game in Downtown is where the outfits for the female and male Malkavian PC gets starts to become more interesting. Now walk with me on this one and the later outfits. I think that these outfits give a hint of what Downtown has in store for the PC. And how you get these outfits in the game aside from the body armor, is always procured by yourself, no one gives you the protection you so need, aside from Heather Poe. 

The second female Malk PC outfit, a sexy cowgirl outfit, highlights the situation in Downtown between the Camarilla, the Sabbat and the Anarchs. A Mexican standoff if you will. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_standoff neither of the three factions present in Downtown can strike at each other without possibly losing, so instead they all in a stand still until one of them makes the first move. The female Malkavian PC is a slightly more covered but her cleavage is still shown and her bottom is now more exposed. Again showing how much she has to watch her back with the intrigues and dangers that all three factions pose for her. But in a way she may be (depending how you play the game) using her more seemingly vulnerability as an advantage when it comes to mortals, e.i seduction.

The second male Malk PC outfit on the other hand, a pest control outfit  highlights the disease the plague bearers had spread in Downtown and of course the ‘pests’ of those who threaten the Masquerade, e.i Patty and Simon who can either killed or given to Pisha for her to consume ( like flys to a spider or preying mantis) Boris is also a pest for Venus that she wants us to kill for her, so she can have full ownership of her club, Confession, without having to be forced into sex for late payments. And to both the Camarilla and Anarchs the Sabbat are also pests that are needing to be taken care of. Taking care of these pests seem to be never ending and only some of the quests actually give you rewards in more than EXP.

Yet the Malk PC is starting to grow in strength and become something of notice for those important to the faction Leaders, (LaCroix, Nines and Strauss) even if they aren’t quite ready to fully stand on their own. 

Light Leather and Hollywood

Hollywood is where the PC starts to see and get more entangled with the political situation in LA, starting to learn how to play the intrigue game to their advantage, perhaps gain or lose possible future support from either the Camarilla or the Anarchs ( the support gained from the Camarilla and the Anarch can be also gained back in Downtown but you can lose support from Struass, e.i the Camarilla by telling Isaac who made the Gargoyle hiding in the Chinese Theater. And is also shown of how much a threat the Sabbat are.  

The third male Malk PC outfit, a sewer worker outfit, hints at the eventual trip down into the sewers to rescue the Nosferatu from Andrei’s monsters’ siege. With how fully covered the male Malk PC is now, shows how far he has come from the true vulnerably of the beginning of the game and despite the odds, is more prepared to take on a army of monsters by themselves than most. (either through combat or sneaking, depending on how the player has build their character! XD) 

The third female Malk PC outfit, a sexy cop outfit, hints at the sleazy and illegal goings on in the underbelly of Hollywood that need the police’s attention but due to corruption and the secrecy needed for the Masquerade that falls to us to investigate and bring to Justice. In the PC’s investigate into the origins of a snuff film of monsters killing and eating a woman trapped inside a flesh decorated mansion, they discover anyone who has anything to do with the illegal tape is quickly killed. With Isaac’s help, the PC tracks down the source of monsters to Andrei and attempts to bring him to Justice by fighting him. 

Funny enough, the sexy cop outfit also hints at the sidequests where you can protect and serve the Masquerade. But it’s not just that simple as shown with Julius, the serial killer and the Gargoyle all being victims of their circumstances. 

Julius is a Thin-blood that has been abandoned by the rest of Kindred society and only breaks the Masquerade out of ignorance, as well the need to make a living for himself. (provided that David Hatter does pay him for his ‘ideas’) 

The serial killer is a Gangrel that was doing all the killings, turns out to have been avenging his family when they were killed in a break in gone wrong. The Gargoyle hiding in the Chinese theater, had escaped from the Tremere Chantry and was a creation of Strauss. 

Gargoyles in Vampire the Masquerade are a bloodlines created by the Tremere to serve them as scouts, warriors and sentinels.But their creation is not so simple as embracing, rather they created in a ritual. https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Gargoyle_(VTM)   

You can either help them or kill them, Julius can spared so he can flee out of town. The serial killer can be convinced to no longer go on anymore killing sprees now that he avenged his family. And the Gargoyle can talked into joining Isaac against the Camarilla and as well the Tremere.

Heavy Leather and Body Armor, Chinatown and The Endgame 

Chinatown is when the PC really begins to become so powerful that Kindred society, especially the leaders of LA faction are starting to take notice of them. Now I feel for both the female and male Malk PC final outfits are now showing the great strength the Malkavian PC gained through their trials by fire their journey has constantly brought. 

The final female Malk PC outfit, a black leather outfit that nearly covers her whole body aside from her cleavage and a few rips on her bottom and thigh and a painted face that cries blood and the words ‘Exxxploit me’ Some would say that the ‘Exxxploit me’ on the back is further showing of the unnecessary sexualisation of the female Malkavian but I don’t that’s the only thing going on here. 

By this point in the story the PC has endured countless dangers and plots of LaCroix, Ming Xiao, the Society of Leopold and the Sabbat has thrown their way and always managed to come out on top. And not only that, the PC (especially a Malkavian) is without doubt fully aware of how every single Kindred in LA has used and exploited them for their own gain in one form or another throughout their journey and perhaps bitter about it. But with gaining power at a fast pace and by the end the PC is now able to stand fully on their own, either choosing to side with which faction they cultivated favor from or leave LA effectively siding with themselves, no longer the helpless pawn of the city’s Kindred.

I believe the ‘Exxxploit me’ is mocking those who would attempt to use or exploit them, highlighting that they are beyond or at the very least aware of the schemes of the older Kindred of LA.  

On a more personal note, when I play as the female Malkavian, I tend to pick the ‘Lone Wolf’ ending and I feel that the meaning I’m trying to get across about the ‘Exxxploit me’ on the back is shown quite well.

The final male Malk PC outfit, a big white fur coat and a Cat in the Hat style hat

shows that the male Malk PC have grown so much in strength and isn’t afraid to show it by wearing such a flamboyant outfit. His body is nearly all covered up except for his chest, perhaps as a challenge to his enemies to strike at him if they dare or even able to. 

Like with the ‘Exxxploit me’ on the female Malk PC’s back, the male Malk PC’s outfit is also showing that he is no longer so easily exploited anymore.  

Phew, that was a long post that I spent hours writing! XD I hope you all enjoyed reading this essay on the Malkavian outfits of VTMB.

Many thanks to @leadflowers​ for giving me the encouragement to write this by saying that you were interested in my thoughts on the Malkavian outfits! :D 

[itsyourimaginaryworld]

This is Home (Yancy x Reader) (Part 1)

Ship: Yancy x Gender Neutral!Reader

Summary: The process of Yancy falling in love with you, and you falling for him.

Warnings: Nothing yet except we gotta watch out for Mark yelling at us that Yancy doesn’t love us back.

Words: 1062

Note: It’s a pretty slow burn with multiple parts! You’ll earn Yancy’s respecc, don’t worry. I’ve got so many ideas for this one but I don’t want to make it too long, so parts it is!

Next part!

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The prison was having a quiet evening. Yancy leaned against the brick wall in a relaxed pose as he watched his fellow family members hang around and chat. A part of him was nagging him to sneak to one of his many hideouts and have a quick smoking break, but his attention was soon divided by the familiar sound of a heavy door.

His eyes diverted to the newcomers that had just walked in. They first landed on the man who looked, well, a little like him. Or maybe more than a little. The striped hat went a long with his outfit and his eyes were filled with distress. Yancy couldn't quite hear it from here, but he yelled something at his companion.

He paused for a moment when he saw the handsome and/or beautiful person and a thought immediately crossed his mind. What’s someone like they’s doing in a place like this’s?

They held their hands around a box that looked like it contained something valuable, but they soon had it taken away by a guard. Yancy already saw the easiest way of snagging it back. Honestly, why did they even bother?

His curiosity getting the better of him, he snuck closer so he could hear their conversation.

"I see two ways out of here, either we cozy up to the guards..." The man gestured vaguely towards them, "or we try to rally the prisoners to our cause."

Oh, I already know which option would be the better for youses... Yancy thought to himself. But in the end, neither of they's wanna break youses out.

Prisons had a bad reputation in the outside world, but he usually tried not to think about it. He found a better family and a home here, for free without having to do any work (except making sure you don't get through parole), and you're already in prison so there's no need to follow any rules! It was magical — couldn't they see?

Then again — why did he care?

The companion hesitated for a moment and Yancy could the spark of worry in their eyes. Maybe their friend always put the heavy choices upon them? Maybe that same friend blamed them for being in prison now? And just maybe, that friend was the whole reason the two of them were in prison now.

"Let's ask the prisoners..." they eventually answered.

"Good call!" the man replied, "now, the easiest way is to get these guys' respect - and trust me when I say, I know a thing or two about respect!"

Before they could say anything else, the guy marched over to Jimmy the Pickle and shouted, "Hey! I wanna talk about respect!"

The hostility in his voice... Oh, he could not have made a worse mistake.

"It's something that we've been really missing here lately!" He pointed his finger at the guy twice his size as if it didn't matter. "I need you to respect me and help me and my friend, break out!" 

Well, it was entertaining, and Yancy had to admit the man's bravery of doing that was certainly something. Something he didn't quite catch in Newcomer #2.

Jimmy, as expected, one hit punched him through the wall, which was then quickly covered up by two other prisoners before the guards could rush in.

"Break out? Of this place?" Yancy said in a raw, husky voice, turning around to stare the leftover fellow right into their eyes. "Why would anyone wanna break out?"

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You couldn't quite process what was actually going on right now. Time seemed to move so incredibly fast.

First you had agreed to rob a museum with your friend Mark, for some reason that was far beyond you right now. Maybe his plan wasn’t so perfect after all.

The next second there was a convienent helicopter just waiting for you two, and in your excitement you stupidly forgot that neither Mark nor you are pilots.

Now you had found yourself between the outcasts of society, in Happy Trails Penitentiary. Well, you were technically a criminal now... But did you truly belong here?

"The outside world recoils in fear..." Your gaze was locked onto the man whose voice started singing and you were met with a view that almost paralyzed you.

"Thinking if they slip up, they'll get locked up in here..." He was radiating his toughness simply by his looks. He reminded you of Mark in a sense, but with his hair slicked back and a lot more muscle.

"You're killing yourself just to make ends meet..." A tattoo of a tiny box was marked on the side of his neck, and his arm tattoo was some sort of pattern you couldn't quite make out from where you stood.

"While I'm working on my tan and kickin' up my feet." The accent sounded almost straight out of some 1920s gangster movie and you wondered where this guy was actually from. But you couldn't deny how well was singing since these three simple lines had already sent shivers down your spine.

You still could barely move a muscle or interact with anything... your stomach felt weird and your heart raced, but you couldn't quite tell if it was from fear or something else.

"You can't beat living in prison, there's always something to do!"

Wait a second, this guy was happy about being in prison? And he was... singing about it?!

"And you know who's paying?" He shot you a questioning look.

"Everyone but you!"

Okay, you had to admit he was making a good point here.

"Every day I wake up to a nice hot shower, don't pay the water bills so I'm scrubbing for hours~”

Was this sarcasm, perhaps? Irony that you weren’t getting? Or perhaps you misread the sign and this was actually Happy Trails Mental Asylum.

"Shoot some hoops, then lift weights in the yard!"

Another prisoner chimed into the song now as well, but you weren't too excited when he pulled out a blade. "Maybe blow off some steam, shiv a rookie guard!"

Oh no, they were dead serious about staying here...

"And there's nothing more exquisite..." a new voice sung along happily, "than when I get my fourteen minute conjugal visit!"

"Come on and meet the gang!" The main prisoner continued, gesturing to you with his hand and looking you straight in the eyes.

"There's Jimmy the Pickle-" he pointed at the guy who punched Mark, "and Shithole Hank, he makes the best Hooch wine in his toilet tank."

Alright, gross...

"There's Bam-Bam, and Tiny, and Sparkles McGee..."

You tried to memorize the names just for the sake of it.

"And every single one of us scumbags agree..." he trailed off his sentence and shot you an awaiting look.

You hesitated, swallowed and searched your mind for words. The right words.

"You don't wanna be free?"

[drunk-onsunlight]

Day #11 of Promptmas

Chapter 11: Gosh, your lips look delicious!

Summary:

Fancy family dinner. Peter asks MJ why she is stealing money and MJ tells him about a little guy involved in her superhero adventures.

Notes:

This chapter is the reason this whole fic exists! I had a very clear image of a conversation between MJ and Peter about their alter-egos and this huge fic started there. It's almost the end and I have to thank again to @spiderman-homecomeme and @elbris for all your kind and lovely comments! To all of you reading this fic, have a Happy Christmas Eve, have some fun with your families and let's hope the next year brings us all health and lots of success :D

(Read on Ao3 for more notes)

Concept: Mistletoe kisses

Dialogue: “Usually it’s just a kiss under the mistletoe” & “It’s that… mistletoe?”

December 24th

After a few minutes making snow angels, they decided it was a good time to grab something to eat so they got inside the house to change clothes, warm up a little and eat with the rest of the group. MJ and Peter entered their room while Ned and Betty did the same.

“I’m going to take a bath, I’m freezing. You can change or shower here I’m using the bathroom from the hallway” Peter left before MJ could tell him they needed to talk

MJ took her time taking a hot shower. The snow angels were fun until you were totally wet and freezing wanting to drink something warm and have a huge fluffy blanket around you. Her jeans, white shirt, a blue coat, her underwear and converses were discarded on the bathroom’s floor. Every bathroom had at least one fluffy bathrobe and MJ loved hers. She turned off the shower and wrapped herself in the robe. She didn’t have clothes in the bathroom so she needed to grab some from her bag. When she opened the door Peter was already in the room. Apparently he forgot his clothes too.

“Oh! Sorry, I forgot my clothes before my shower” Peter apologized but MJ wasn’t sure about what

“It’s fine. I forgot mine too” MJ moved on her tiptoes to her bag. There was a tension in the room that wasn’t there a few days ago. Maybe because they never got inside each other’s rooms and now they were sharing one. Or maybe the fact they were just wrapped in fluffy white bath ropes and totally ignoring last night’s events

“I’m going to change in the bathroom, you can change here if you want” Peter offered MJ after he collected some clothes

“Yeah. That would be… nice. Thanks” Well, apparently her brain was on resting mode these days when she got close to Peter

MJ waited until Peter closed the bathroom door to change her clothes as fast as she could. She had a nice dress on her bag and decided to wear it. It was a beautiful white dress with floral designs. The dress was knee length and had a deep v neck on the front. The only problem was the zipper, she couldn’t close all of it. While she was trying to close the half top of the zipper on the dress, there was a knock on the bathroom door

“Are you ready? Can I go out?” Peter asked from inside the bathroom

“Am I ready? Kind of… Aammm… I’m struggling a little with a zipper, can you help me?” She took some white flat shoes and moved closer to the bathroom door but Peter didn’t open the door or answer her question “Peter?”

“Yeah?” MJ was sure she had imagined how deep his voice sounded with the question

“Can you help me?”

“Yeah” When he opened the door MJ had to take a look at Peter twice. He was wearing a light gray drill pants with a white shirt, he tried to make the outfit a little informal wearing black sneakers and left the shirt a little unbuttoned at the top. After a few seconds of MJ pretending to be perfectly good with Peter looking that good she turned around so he could help her pulling up the zipper from her dress

“I couldn't get the full zipper up” MJ knew she was tense. It wasn’t the first time she had seen Peter looking good on some drill pants or him helping her pulling up a zipper of a dress, but the circumstances were totally different from a few years, months and even weeks before. MJ tensed more when she felt Peter’s left hand on her waist, holding the dress in place to make easier pulling the zipper up.

A million years happened before the zipper got to her neck, or that’s what MJ felt. That and one of Peter’s fingers ran through her skin before getting covered for the dress. When Peter was done, he put both hands on her shoulders

“Now we are ready for the fancy dinner” MJ shook her head nodding a few times. She was speechless after so much contact and Peter looking like that on those stupid pants. Her hair was wet and her curls were framing her face. She wasn’t going to dry her hair, she was going to trust the hair conditioner to control the curls “Michelle, you look pretty”

“Therefore I have value?” MJ saw Peter’s face went from a slight blush to pale in two second after her comment

“No! That’s not what I meant…” He was trying to explain to her so she decided the joke was over

“I’m messing with you” MJ had a laugh a little at Peter’s face “You look… pretty, too. We should go, they are probably waiting for us” MJ opened the door that lead to the hallway followed by Peter. They got to the dining room on the kitchen and everyone cheered when they showed up.

“Finally!!! What were you guys doing that took you so long?” May went to hug MJ and Peter at the door of the kitchen. Stopping them from fully entering the room

“I don’t want to know what they were doing. Thank you” Ned answered May before they could.

“Ned! Leave them alone! They didn’t take that long. Maybe they were just chatting” Betty send some meaningful looks at MJ and she understood what she meant. The conversation they had pending. MJ looked at Betty and move her head trying to tell her that they haven’t talk yet

“Peter?” Morgan turned everyone’s attention to her calling her big brother

“Yes, peanut? Need anything?” Peter tried to move from MJ’s side but Morgan didn’t let him

“No! I’m good. Can you look at the top frame of the door, please?” MJ and Peter looked up after a small look between them

“It’s that… mistletoe?” Peter asked softly to MJ

“Yeap” MJ answered making a pop sound at the end. Maybe they could get rid of this situation without actually kissing

“Just get over it. I don’t know how that got there but every couple did it. You are the last ones” Happy told them like it was such an easy task. Maybe if they were together it could be easy. MJ looked at Betty begging for help

“Just a little peck, come on guys!” Betty said looking at MJ with an ‘It’s now or never’ kinda look

“Usually it’s just a kiss under the mistletoe. You don’t need the full ritual” Anthony was making fun of the situation. They probably looked terribly stressed for the situation

“Full ritual?”

“What ritual, dad?” Pepper and Morgan asked at the same time looking at Anthony

“Yeah. Different societies saw mistletoe as peace, fertility, love and even health. But I will tell you all the stories after those lovebirds kiss” Tony dismissed more questions about the history of mistletoe and now everyone was looking at them, waiting.

“Come on Peter. It’s not a big deal, just a little peck and they will let it go” MJ turned to look at Peter who looked totally pale. It was a big deal but they had to talk about many things and if that turned out well then maybe they were going to be able to do it again without all the baggage they had right now.

“Sure?” Peter whispered close to MJ and she was speechless once again. She nodded a little and felt Peter’s breathe on her face. Sometimes she forgot Peter grew up a few inches taller than her at some point so she found herself looking up at him, noses almost touching.

They moved forward at the same time, moving their heads to the right. MJ closed her eyes as soon as she felt Peter’s lips on hers. The kiss didn’t last more than three seconds. They backed a little and while MJ opened her eyes she heard everyone talking happily but she didn’t get the words they were saying. All she wanted was to feel Peter’s lips on her, but this time a little longer than before. So she did

She placed her hands on each side of Peter’s face to pull him closer. As soon as they lips met again he placed his hands gently on MJ’s waist. His lips were soft against hers, not fully pressing them together. She felt like he was waiting for her to do something she felt comfortable with, not to cross any lines she didn’t want to cross.

MJ decided to go all the way with the kiss, because maybe Betty was right, it was now or never, they could talk about it later. She opened her mouth a little, allowing Peter to taste her. When she was already putting the tip of her tongue in his bottom lip, someone shout at them

“Oh, for God’s sakes! Get a room!” Ned shouted at them and they jumped away from each other as far as the door frame allowed them.

“Shut up, dork!” MJ finally entered the room and found a free chair next to Betty. A few seconds after she sat, Peter sat down in front of her. Time to pretend that kiss was definitely not their first kiss between them, but MJ was too flustered to even talk to Betty

“Is everything ok? You look like you want to run away or maybe you want to pass out” Betty tried to call MJ’s attention but she couldn’t drive her eyes away from Peter. If she looked like she wanted to run away definitely was a running away with Peter if the way he was looking at her was a solid clue of what they both wanted.

“I’m good”

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The diner was amazing. 150 minutes of pure torture and delicious food that some amazing chef did for all of them. MJ and Pepper found tasty options for them with vegan food while the others enjoyed their meals. When they were finishing the desserts, Morgan started to say they should go to sleep so they could wake up early to open their presents.

“You know what, Morgan? I totally agree with you! Let’s all go to our rooms and we can open the presents sooner” MJ tried not to laugh at Peter’s comment. She could feel his leg bouncing and she bet Ned, who was sitting next to Peter, could feel it too. Ned spoke softly in Peter’s ear and their postures changed, they were definitely up to something

MJ noticed that Ned was rubbing his hands on his pants nervously. Suddenly he stood up from his chair and looked at Betty. Peter smiled a little and his leg stopped bouncing, his hands were hidden under the wood table.

“Betty” Ned spoke with such security everybody turned to look at him and went silent

“Yeah?” Betty spoke softly and her back straightened

“We have been dating for so long someone can think the feelings have changed from the first time I saw you on school” Pepper gasped and placed her hand on his mouth, May started to tear up a little, Morgan pulled her phone and started recording and MJ looked at Peter asking him with her eyes if it was what she thought it was happening and Peter confirmed it with a little nod “I still remember seeing you every day on the hallways and some classes and one day I told Peter that you were the most beautiful girl in the world and that I would be the luckiest man alive if you spend a minute with me. Now we have been together so long but I can’t wait to see you every day and every morning and every night for the rest of my life. If you let me”

Ned opened his hand to Peter and he pulled his hands from under the table with a little red box. Ned took it carefully and rounded the table to get to Betty. He offered his hand to her to help her stand up. Betty was already covered in tears and had a red nose. Anyway, to MJ she looked adorable.

“Elizabeth Brant” After saying her full name, Ned got down on one knee and Betty sobbed harder “Will you marry me?” Ned dropped Betty’s hand to open the little box revealing a beautiful golden ring with little emeralds and a diamond in the center. MJ had to clean a single tear that escaped her right eye

“Of course I’ll marry you Edward!” Betty said right after Ned opened the box and she threw herself to his arms and kissed him on the lips.

Everyone around cheered while Tony and Happy offered some tissues to Pepper and May. Morgan was still filming while Ned stood up and putted the ring on Betty’s finger. Peter walked around the table and stood next to MJ.

“You knew about this” MJ wasn’t asking. She was sure they have planned all of this

“And you interrupted us while we were buying the ring” Peter whispered to MJ but she could tell he was half joking half serious

“What do you mean?”

“Let me remind you my little encounter with Rhino a few days ago. Where Prowler appeared to have a nice chat with you and then you took Ned out after a car almost crushed him. We were buying the ring that day” Peter took MJ’s hand to move her away from all the hugs and tears from the girls and the handshakes from the boys

“We seriously need to talk about that… and other things. I was chatting with Prowler but not in a friendly way, I needed information. Now I get why Ned was holding that little bag like his life depended on it” MJ wasn’t looking at Peter but she felt his eyes on her all the time

“We do need to talk. Let’s congratulate the couple, Betty can show you the ring we picked and we can go talk somewhere else” Peter didn’t wait for an answer. He took her hand and led her back to Ned and Betty. He went to hug Ned and they spoke for a while. In the meantime MJ hugged Betty and congratulated her

“I’m really happy for you Betty! We were talking about the possibility of all this and it was a still a surprise!” A few days ago while they were doing pizza, Betty told MJ about Ned and her talking about buying a cute house and maybe a wedding but they never thought it would be this fast

“Look at the beautiful ring!” Betty extender her delicate hand to MJ and she looked at the beautiful ring once again. It was a plain ring with a little braid on both sides of the diamond and six little emeralds completed the ring.

“It’s beautiful Betty. I can believe Ned and Peter actually picked this ring for you”

“Peter was there?” Betty was surprised too. The two losers picking jewelry? And nice jewelry? A total surprise

“Yeah, he just told me about that day”

“You are going to be my maid of honor, right Em?” Betty was looking at MJ with bright eyes and of course she was going to be there for her best friend on the most important day of her life

“No if you make me wear those awful pastel dresses that people use in weddings” MJ was joking and Betty knew it so they laughed at the comment

“I’m sorry ladies but we have to go. Betty, congratulations! I hope you guys keep having a very happy life together” Peter hugged Betty and give a little peck on her cheek and took MJ’s hand. He started moving away from everyone, saying their goodnights and telling Pepper that the menu was amazing and the food delicious and other formalities.

When they managed to get out of the kitchen Peter walked faster. MJ thought they were going to their room but apparently he had other plans

“Where are we going?”

“Rooftop”

“Of course” MJ had learned a lot from knowing that Peter is Spider-Man. His safe place was whatever rooftop he could get to and he definitely wasn’t a man of patience. Once they arrived he let MJ’s hand go and invited her to sit next to him on the edge of the cabin

“Where do we start?” Peter voiced what she was thinking. They needed to get the thing with Rhino, Prowler and Octopus out of the way first

“One day a kid appeared in the lawyer’s office and said something about his uncle having some weird tech and he was afraid he could get in trouble for that and wanted help in case it was illegal. Of course nobody payed attention but something made me go to him and I decided to invite him for something to eat so he could tell me this story about his uncle” It was the first time MJ talked about how she became Black Cat and it was easier that she thought, maybe because it was Peter “He lives with his parents, they are a lovely family. Rio and Jefferson take care of him like any other parent would, so I cut the possibility of him getting attention because they weren’t treating him correctly. He speaks so fondly of them it’s amazing to see. He remind me a little of you. He is a nerd, he cares too much, loves science, wants the world to be a better place for everyone. And that’s why he came to the office”

“How old is he?”

“He is older than Morgan but not much. He is 12. One day he was visiting his uncle, Aaron Davis, and found some kind of weapon along with some papers he didn’t quite understand but he knew they were important. He took a few photos and showed me the papers. They are trying to create clones from supers. They designed some formulas to make super soldiers like Capitan America but of course they turned out terribly wrong. You know most of them, Green Goblin, Rhino, Prowler, all of them just want power but while they do that, they hurt people.”

“I recognize the name of the kid’s uncle. I crossed paths with Aaron Davis like a year after I became Spider-Man and he did mentioned having a nephew. What’s the kid’s name?”

“Miles. His name is Miles Morales. And he was right, his uncle is doing illegal stuff but nobody wants to pay attention because there are big heads after all of them” It was the first time MJ talked about Miles with his name, she always protected him while exposing the case to different people

“Who?”

“Dr. Conrad Markus and Dr. Otto Octavius. Markus is behind the idea of clones and Octavius behind the obsession for supers. Aleksei Sytsevich aka Rhino and Aaron Davis aka Prowler, got involved with Markus and Octavius. Their idea of becoming more than regular citizens was all they needed to get involved. Now they have designed tech to cause massive damage wherever they are. So one day I was talking to Miles and he told me he wanted to be like those superheroes that dress up with a suit and stop the bad guys. So I did it”

“That’s how you became Black Cat”

“Exactly. I designed the leather suit and Miles came up with amazing ideas for me. The idea was to steal as much money and equipment as we could from them but I needed to be fast, agile, strong and the most important, imperceptible. I had claws to attach to walls, some mountaineering equipment, a very nice pair of lenses I stole from Markus that let me see far away and I actually can see different spectrums which is really cool”

“Why the name?” MJ had to laugh a little at how her name was born

“One day I was fully dressed in the leather suit with the wig and the mask and I found a few security wards on Markus lab and I turned off the cameras, the microphones and definitely kicked some asses there. The last one told me I looked like a black cat and he didn’t know how but I have managed to bring them enough bad luck for a year. I told Miles about it and he started calling me Black Cat. That’s how it started”

“He seems like a really nice kid”

“He is. Every time he risks going to his uncle's house it gets on my nerves. Aaron loves Miles but I don’t know what he would do if he finds out Miles is stealing information from him to help me steal money and equipment from them so I can frustrate their plans”

“What about a few days ago, the park and then the Rockefeller center?”

“They already know I exist but they don’t know I’m stealing from them. The information they have is basically what Spider-Man knew about me. Someone stealing money from time to time that maybe they can recruit for they little clan. I needed information about their plans, but you ruined it”

“Me? Why me?”

“Peter, they saw Black Cat and Spider-Man going away from a fight together. They are not going to trust me anymore with information about anything. They are probably thinking we work together but if they read the tabloids, they may be thinking we are together, as a couple”

“Aren’t we?” MJ covered her face with her hands and they laughed softly

“Like pretended or for real? Because I have no idea anymore” MJ was seeing her breathe become visible every time she spoke

“Ok. We have covered your secret identity subject. Which, I have to say, is amazing and I would love to meet Miles one day”

“He totally loves Spider-Man. You are gonna meet him, soon. I promise”

“Also what you do it’s amazing. I’m sorry for judging you, I freaked out a little with the whole situation. Now I can say I respect and admire you even more than I did a few minutes ago. And I would love to share with you how I became Spider-Man, but maybe when we get home. It’s a long story”

“Thanks loser. I would love to hear your story too, whenever you are ready to tell me, of course” Peter grabbed MJ’s hand one again. His hands were warm and they weren’t soft, she could picture him now, climbing up walls, holding his webs from building to building, punching villains every now and then “How on earth I never saw you beaten up? I have seen the news Peter, you got into pretty bad fights with Rhino lately” She haven’t noticed but she was caressing Peter’s hands between hers

“Remember I send you a few messages of me ‘getting out early’ or ‘having a last minute meeting with Tony’? Well, I was probably recovering in the Avengers Facilities after a fight”

“How is your investigation on Rhino going? I remember seeing some notes on your board the other day…” She couldn’t finish her sentence because Peter pulled her closer to him and kissed her. It wasn’t a soft kiss like the first one, it was filled with urgency, unspoken words and even lost time. After a few minutes they had to pull apart, damn the need of air.

“I really like you, Em”

“I really like you too, loser”

MJ felt like she was a teenager again. Her heart was beating fast and she was sure he could hear it, her hands were trembling a little and she didn’t know what to say. And apparently Peter didn’t know either, they were just looking at each other like it was the first time. After a moment they just started laughing. MJ turned her face away from Peter and looked at the ocean, it was a beautiful view.

“You want to go to sleep? It’s getting late” Peter stood up from the edge of the rooftop and offered his hand to MJ

“Yeah. That would be nice. I like this dress but I’m freezing here” MJ forgot to bring a jacket or coat with her and now she was craving a warm blanket

“You look amazing” She stood up with Peter’s help and they started walking back to the inside of the house

“Thanks, again”

When they got to their room MJ took one of Peter’s shirts and went to the bathroom to change. She had a little bit of trouble with the zipper but managed to pull it down by her own. When she was ready she did the same Peter had done early. She knocked the door and asked him if he was ready. After she came out of the bathroom, she lay down on the bed next to Peter who was texting on his phone

“Karen tells me the investigation is going good. The formula I design for some webs can help with Rhino. The formula is basically chemicals that can affect his armor, the corrosion should do the magic once and for all” After he stopped talking MJ got close to him and placed her head on his chest

“Night loser” MJ whispered and Peter kissed her head softly. After a few seconds she was asleep in his arms

[birdwonder]

Hi! I've been watching Brooklyn 9-9 and I just had a thought: a detective!reader who's like Jake Peralta 80-90% of the time (and who's also a stand-user) with Bruno. Maybe reader helped him when he was injured but didn't know that he's a part of mafia but then boom, they meet again when reader went undercover maybe, so reader is just ":0!!!" Sorry if it's weird, have a nice day/night!

|| so sorry this took so long ! i tried to watch some Jake Peralta scenes to help me since i haven’t watched Brooklyn 99 before but i didn’t really capture his character at all. the mood of this story is like. entirely different from the request and i didn’t add the stand user part bc i forgot- sorry!  it was meant to be better but somehow my tab deleted with my first version of the story. :,) honestly i’d be happy to try again for a more light hearted story if you want to request again!

Bruno Bucciarati | Second Meetings

“Truth be told, I never wanted us meeting like this,” he confessed, wine glass in hand while he purposefully turned it in circular motions to watch the red liquid swirl. It was like you - rouge lips, red dress and the perfect pair of heels to match.

“Honestly, I didn’t think we’d meet again.” You laughed softly, your own wine glass empty and placed on the balcony’s fence. The moon was full and the night was far from cloudy. A perfect excuse not to look at him, not yet at least. Let it all sink in first.

You had waited endless days, months and almost a year to be given an assignment as important as this; the amount pleading and begging you had done was unmeasurable. Of course this is what you wanted, ever since you become an official rookie cop. No - ever since you were old enough to realise the truths of the country you lived in.

Here, the weak are preyed on and the wealthy get away with it all. Street thugs to Mafia members go unpunished while others suffer for their wrong doings, and it’s the furthest thing from fair. That’s why you committed not only your heart but every moment of your life training to become the person you are now, a police officer who can at the very least help a town become a safer place for everyone who lives in it and visits.

Still, you never expected to be in a situation like this.

When you had asked your boss to give you a more important task outside of street patrol and parking ticket duty, you were expecting to be sent to do arrests and investigate some crime scenes, but you were sent on the cheesiest mission in the world. None of your coworkers even expected it, seeing you - the woman who sent the whole station into a riot on your first day just by cracking a couple of jokes - in a dress that showed more than what a modest person could imagine.

The plan was to investigate the members attending a party that only the ‘underground’ members of society could attend, try to overhear any plans, find out the statuses of some mafioso’s and if you were lucky, talk to a Capo. Gain their trust and let them have something slip. You just had to be careful they you weren’t found out and killed. They were the sort of men and women who were merciless when outsiders tried to interfere with their business and you being a cop wouldn’t help at all.

When you entered the party hall, well decorated and filled, you instantly knew this was going to be harder than it initially seemed. ‘There’s no way I could find out anything just by asking questions, it’s too suspicious. I’ll just drink and blend in until I can strike up casual conversation,’ you explained to yourself as you approached a silk covered table, glasses filled with all sorts of beverages on top.

Wine seemed like a good choice, you weren't much of a drinker at all but whatever calmed the nerves! If it did at all. Again, you weren’t much of a drinker. You threw your head back as your lips pressed against the rim of the glass and downed all of what the glass contained in seconds - the flavour barely hitting your tongue and the drink simply running down your throat. Something fizzy was definitely better.

A low, impressed whistle was then let out, followed with a few claps and a voice, “impressive. I can’t say I’ve seen anyone here finish a drink as fast as you have!”

That was the start of leading you to your current predicament.

“You still have that middle aged woman hair cut I see.” Light teasing, nothing truly offensive and even he chuckled a little, head shaking at your comment. You had described it just like that when you first met, insulting him at first until you apologised sincerely and cracked some self deprecating joke about your own messy hair.

His lips held onto the rim of the glass and slowly the wine was disappearing. He seemed calm and relaxed but even he would be a bit on edge in a situation like this.

Bruno knew you were a cop, a truly good hearted one at that, you had told him about it the day you met and proved it through your conversation and actions alone. That was the problem however, being a police officer while he was the Capo you were looking for. It was a tragedy you two met again like this, and he knew you couldn’t leave this place without something to help the police force. You just had to help others in some way. He didn’t know many people who would help him out in a situation like the last.

It must have been a month ago, more or less, and he had fallen by your doorstep due to exhaustion from who knows what; he never told you after all. You never asked questions though. When he awakened, you can imagine his surprise to find himself in a stranger’s home with a woman only feet away, humming to herself as she prepared a meal. That was one of the more noticeable things about your home, how close everything was together.

“Where am I?” He asked out loud, knowing that keeping a level head would be the better option instead of panicking right off that bat. Thankfully, it had caught your attention and you rushed to his side immediately, checking to see if he was alright before explaining to him how he had passed out in front of your home. It was confusing but the pieces came together quickly. Right before blacking out, Bruno was going against a stand user who was trying to climb the ranks of the mafia and though he had succeeded in winning, the exhaustion of the battle had gotten to him too quick to comprehend.

“Name’s [F/N] by the way, I’m a cop so don’t worry about me doing anything shifty while you were asleep! Your outfit’s a bit too whack to touch anyways.”

It was just his luck that a police officer was the one who had helped him.

Still, he was grateful and even more so when you started offering him the food you were making.

“I’m Bruno, a pleasure Miss [F/N].” Better not use last names.

When you parted ways, you jokingly pouted at him, “need to go so soon? I was just about to get used to you being my new room mate, bob cut.”

“How sweet you of, perhaps I’ll be seeing you later,” he laughed, detesting the nickname while simultaneously appreciating your light-hearted and humorous nature.

“I hope that’s more of a promise than a farewell!”

Luck wasn’t kind to him again. Seeing you here like this was a curse, a mistake, anything that he could easily say was the cause of the small break in his heart. It was wrong to even feel that pain, you didn’t deserve a gangsta. Not when you were so purely justice driven.

“So you really are a capo, hm?” You didn't sound angry nor disgusted. More detached if anything, which you were. You wanted to let go of this reality and assume this was a dream mixed with a nightmare.

Now two empty glasses resided on the balcony, along with two young adults who just didn’t know where to go from here, Bruno only nodding in response to your question.

A small sigh left your lips, shaky from either the cold whipping against your exposed skin to which you tried to cover by crossing your arms, or from the nerves. “You’re not going to um-“ Noticing your shivering, Bruno had moved closer beside you and wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer towards him so that he could shield you from the wind. Not entirely effective but the gesture threw you off from the horrific question you were going to ask.

He answered anyways. “Kill you? No, no, I don’t even think about hurting those you don’t deserve it. [F/N], you’re a good person. A sweet one who shouldn’t be risking herself by coming here and yet you have. I respect you far more than I show - you have to leave soon before someone notices you.”

You shook your head in response to that. You couldn’t leave! Not yet, not when you barely had any information to report. You had gotten this far, you just had to find something good, something worth knowing. “Bruno I can’t! I have to stay, just for a bit longer!”

“And risk someone finding you out?” He sounded harsh, just for a second. He softened once he noticed your worry. “I’m sorry, but you can’t just risk yourself like that. I’m going to get you out of here.”

“Bruno…”

“If it helps. Some people have been talking about terrorising the main street in a week’s time. Scare off the locals and rob what they can before anyone tries to stop them so,”

“Beef up the patrol there and we should be good,” you finished for him. It wasn’t exactly ‘take down the mafia’ intel but the fact you were alive was a miracle. “Thank you. I- I’m glad there’s at least some good in gangs, even if you seem like you’d be a better cop.” Your smile was thanks enough to him. How unfair of the moon to highlight your face like an angel’s when he should be telling it ‘goodbye.’

“Call us even, for last time.” His arm around your shoulders then lowered to be around your waist, guiding you away from the balcony and back inside, voice much lower now. “Let’s get you out of here now, if anyone asks I’ll just say you were my date who had to leave early.”

You giggled at that, “your ‘date’?”

“Hey, it makes for a good story. Plus, it makes me look good too, having a beauty like you on my side.”

Neither of you should be joking like this, the attachment was wrong. It wasn’t stopping you though, the two of you continuing to chortle at each other’s words. Quipping back, you teased him, “I don’t know if they’ll know which of us is meant to be the woman here, bob cut.”

When you were by the exit, you two made the mistake of looking into each other’s eyes, you taking a moment to appreciate his blue orbs and him doing the same with your own.

Pulling away from each other’s gaze was harder than you thought it would be. You tried to play it off by snapping your head to the side and faked a cough. “So I guess it’s goodbye again now, right?”

Bruno was looking elsewhere too. He seemed more interested in a potted plant or the wall when really he could only think of you. “Well, for now maybe. If we’re lucky, I’ll be seeing you soon.”

Was this excitement? Compose yourself, [F/N]! You were still on the job. “Make it next Friday soon, you know where to find me.” So much for composure, you were smiling.

“It’s a date.”

[owlsbride]

This Too Shall Pass

Chapter III: The Reaper.

London was no longer London. At least not the London he had come to love. Now it was a mix of modern buildings as tall as the sky itself. The old carriages over the years had been replaced by modern cars much faster and more compact at the same time. Now there were buses and even high-speed subway trains. Modernity was a new world and infinite possibilities. There was no misinterpretation, he had adapted well throughout all these years. He had learned to use every technological advance that came his way: cell phones, computers, the glorious internet, television. He even enjoyed from time to time going to the movies. He had learned that the latter was not significantly different from how people's cinematics records worked and that in a way filled him with pride. Even if he was a deserter, he had to accept that his people were far more intelligent and advanced than humans. He was used to modern life; it could be said that he even enjoyed it. He had come to learn some of the little pleasures that this era could bring him. He could sit for hours in some trendy little cafe, (where in order to pay a cup of tea, a regular person would have to consider selling a kidney on the black market) just to watch humans live their lives as fast as possible, coming and going without even pausing for a second to look to the side or behind, without even having the slightest consideration for what they did to the other or to the world in which they lived. These people lived oblivious of the finiteness and fragility of their bodies. They walked around proud of their cars, their clothes, their lovers and their promising careers, never stopping to look at or ask the needs of the others, never acknowledging that in the end death was inevitable and that at the last breath she equalled them all. Royalty, politicians, businessmen or beggars, they would all follow the same path and some of his former colleagues would be willing and able to judge them and take them without the possibility of the slightest protest. Oh these humans, they would never know what they got till is lost forever. He had lost everything once, even his sanity, and he was sure he would not do it again. Not now that he saw things as they were. His obsession with death had long been replaced by his obsession with life. That was what had driven him away from what had made him a legend so long ago, and what drives him crazy every time a little more. It was the burning desire to know what life was afterlife itself. How to prolong it, recover lost moments, and why not, create new ones. How to find once again what was lost and how to restore it as an exquisite work of art. Ironically, to reach his goal, he needed death: he was tied to it, and just today, in these times, the business of death was dying. Hilarious. Something as simple as passing, now it was complicated. In the good old days, when he had decided to turn his back on everything he knew, he had become London's best-known mortician. With his small business in Camden Town, he had had access to the most extraordinary elites of English society, and yet also made important contacts with simple commoners. As an undertaker, he had connections, the most varied and they all turned to him. Of course, he was not moved by money, he had never cared, he simply demanded in return a good joke that would make him laugh. After all, even death was not to be taken too seriously. He ran his business diligently getting to know more people than he ever imagined, one more curious and entertaining than the other. As an informant for the queen's watchdogs, he had managed to get into the elite, and thus each subject of study reached him without significant problems. He was happy, Oh what wouldn't he give for listening to the Earl's little voice once more asking for information? That butler was an incredible specimen, and he would have loved to dissect him. Oh lord, if only the little boy wouldn't be so stubborn about his stupid vengeance. Today the Parlour was not enough. Undertaker knew that if he wanted to continue his investigations even nearly 200 years later and with many incredible technological improvements, he had to be able to access another source of income. Modern times meant diversifying. Today, everyone's favourite mortician was no longer called to make arrangements for the afterlife. No. Now there were hundreds of other undertakers who did the same as him. Therefore, a place in the hospital morgue had been secured for some time. Who better than him, after years and years of seeing corpses to perform an autopsy and making himself time to take a look at his hidden agenda secretly? So yes, Undertaker was happy. Even if he missed the old times sometimes, he still ran his Parlour in the afternoons and was a forensic doc in the mornings. Just like a superhero with a secret identity, thinking about it, too many identities. Undertaker was sitting on the counter at his place, his long booted legs swinging lazily. The newspaper rested next to him, he had just finished reading the news, and they were hopeless, people in London were dying in droves, more like hundreds a day and that sort of hurt. Of course, he had witnessed other pandemics and knew very well what the consequences were. Not only did people die from the disease itself, but the devastation left, and the collateral damages were incalculable. It was as if the Horseman of the Apocalypse from the bible really put his feet on the slaughtered Earth. Undertaker knew that by now his fellow shinigamis would be desperate from overwork and felt sorry for them. How much would the lists of people to die have increased in recent months? He also felt sorry for the doctors who work non-stop to save lives. Two sides of the same coin: medical services and shinigamis, both barely surpassed by an infamous virus invisible to everyone's eyes, even his own. He regretted his work in the hospital too, it had been interrupted in these months, and he no longer had access to people's bodies for security measures. Obviously, the virus did not affect him in the least, but he had to keep up appearances. He sighed bored as his black nails drummed on the surface of the counter, he had no pending work, and he only had to wait. Sighed and wait. No more laugh, no more research, no more hilarious strange glances from his fellow doctors, nothing. Just desolation in every corner. His day couldn't get any worse, he burnt his bone-shaped cookies and was running out of tea. He would have to go to the store soon. He hated the store, he much preferred Lau's herbs, even the funny ones, those who made people laugh and relax when used in the right amount, and if not, still, he was not one to judge. So picking up the keys, he was ready to go out when something or somebody took him by surprise. "Heh heh, but if it's none other than the red shinigami ~ Tell me, sweety, Dear William gave you some free time?" "Undertaker, always a pleasure ..." Grell began nervously. Being in front of the legend of the shinigamis made him nervous "I have a favour to ask you." "A favour? Hmm ... How long has it been since the last one?" The silver-haired man chuckled, removing his bangs from his eyes. "You know what to do ~ give it to me first. Come on, you know what I want." "Undertaker ..." Grell pleaded "Now is not the time, besides you know I don't know how to do it." "My my, your face is priceless; you are still a nervous wreck." The Undertaker smiled almost fondly at the younger reaper. "What do you want?" "I need you ..." Undertaker raised an interested eyebrow, putting the keys back where he had found them, the tea could wait. Not every day a Shinigami would show up at the doors of a deserter asking for help. "I mean... WE need you." "You mean the London Despatch?..." Disbelief in his words, Grell nodded "Now, that's the joke of the century Grell, come on, I don't have time, I'm running out of tea". Grell Sutcliff rolled his eyes. He hadn't changed in years, Undertaker was just the same and he kind of like it. If it weren't for his relationship with William, Oh, the things he could do to the revel grim reaper in front of him. "Really, Undertaker? Is that what you do now? Take tea like an old lady?" the red-head spoke loudly, pointing at Undertaker's hidden scythe. "Well ... I'm quite old after all" Undertaker smiled and Grell pouted. "Ok, Ok. Why don't you take a seat on one of my special coffins and explain yourself?" Grell blew out the breath he didn't know he was holding and accepted the invitation. It was his idea after all, and he couldn't bring a no for an answer to his beloved William.

The chilly winter covered the city with a heavy mist. The sky threatened to snow at any moment. It didn't take long to convince him. Once young Grell Sutcliff had finished telling him his crazy plan and talked about how much the Despatch needed the help, he was ready to go. Plus, the red riper dared to say that the snob William T. Spears would have more than a headache knowing that he, the renegade shinigami, would accomplish the task better and faster, and nothing made him happier than bother poor Will. He was ready to wear the shinigami outfit one more time. He had to admit that he had missed it and that there was nothing like fieldwork. He was prepared to prove that no one could ever match him. Within just a few hours, he had been able to carry out the work of four shinigamis together and was just getting started. He caressed his lifelong companion with devotion, he had never gotten rid of his lover, and today they were walking together once more. His scythe was fantastic, and he loved her. Standing on the terrace of the hospital, he checked the list one more time. There were only two names left before the end of the shift when something caught his attention. She wasn't on the list moments ago. Her name had appeared suddenly, and she should not be there: Gwenhwyfar O'Doherty. He knew her, he had seen her from time to time in the corridors of the hospital. The young Irish doctor, lovely green eyes, cute freckles, she was so full of life. Working diligently every day to save others and yet here she was about to take the somersault that would make her, at best, one of his own kind. She wasn't ready to go, the world needed her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, dear~ You are very much need it right now~." and his soft chuckle got lost in the winter night.

[i-guess-im-writing-today]

Day 19-Sling

Hello to anyone reading this now (in 2021) I am currently trying to complete this I’ll be updating at least once a day unless there’s an exam or something until I finish with the prompt list or whenever the story is over with the whole reveal cute fluffy ending and all that. so if you’re interested let me know if you want to get tagged

Day: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19            On Ao3

Chapter 19-Sling

Marinette smiled, "Thanks, Adrien, that's really sweet of you,"

"See, girl! Now you don't have an excuse anymore!" Alya laughed.

Marinette rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. The kids were a danger to society. But with a person per kid, it couldn't be too bad.

-------- Time skip (the weekend) ---------

Correction, it definitely could. Not only could it, but it was a complete disaster. It was like trying to round up animals on the loose from the zoo. Only instead of being armed with sharp teeth or claws, they were armed with markers, scissors, and way too much junk food. Marinette wanted to blame Adrien. She really did. After all, he brought all the junk, but she just couldn't. He obviously had good intentions thinking he could get the devils to cooperate by bribing them, but it was a rookie mistake. Sugar and children was not a good combination especially if it's past their bedtime. And now Marinette was barricading the rest of the stash in the kitchen, using only a wooden spoon to defend herself from Ella. And Adrien held Etta Lion King style to stop her from scribbling on the walls. There wasn't any time to check Adrien's coat pocket in all the chaos. It taunted her from next to the door when Adrien stood.

"Wanna switch?" Marinette half-joked, still watching her demon child closely.

Ella used that opportunity to pounce at Marinette. Marinette moved out of the way, but the cunning child tried to dash behind her to the snacks. Marinette blocked continuing the stalemate.

Adrien chuckled nervously, "I think you got it covered. Besides, I think I'd give in after she gave me some puppy eyes,"

"True at this point, I think I'm immune," She remembered all the times she gave in to Mamon with a sigh.

Etta took Adrien's brief distraction to kick the air hard enough to surprise him. He dropped Etta in response. She landed with her arms in the air like she just performed a trick and giggled. She stuck her tongue out at him before grabbing the markers again.

"I'm reconsidering switching," Adrien sighed before running after her.

Marinette crashed on the sofa with a huff. She groaned as she inched away to give room to Adrien, who came with drinks. He sat down at the edge, trying to give her space while silently handing her a soda. Marinette grumbled a bit, but she sat up and took the drink from Adrien. It took bribing, two movies, an impromptu fashion show, and some smooth teamwork to tire the girls out. Too smooth. She looked at him out the corner of her eye. They moved seamlessly after getting used to the situation. It was like how she a Chat would coordinate once they figure out an Akuma. Accessing the problem then wordlessly dancing in tandem. She grabbed the remote, he distracted the girls, she helped pick outfits, he hid the snacks, switching duties and switching girls. It felt like second nature. She was only ever that much in sync with one person.

"We're back!" Alya pulled Marinette out of her thoughts, barging through the door.

"Shush, the girls are asleep!" Adrien whisper-yelled.

"Thank god you're back!" Marinette ran up, hugging Alya like she was her savior.

Alya rubbed her back while giggling at her best friend's dramatics.

Nino chuckled, "Come on now, Marinette, you babysat them before. I'm sure it wasn't that bad,"

"Two-words Nino, Sugar rush,"

The couple cringed before laughing. After a brief retelling of the terror of babysitting essentially mini criminals on steroids, Adrien and Nino said they wanted to talk real quick while Alya checked on the girls.

Sensing the perfect opportunity, Marinette leaped at the chance, "I'll wait for you outside,"

"It's cold outside. Stay inside a little longer. It'll only be a minute," Adrien worried.

"Don't worry, I'll be right outside the door. I'll grab your coat," Marinette grabbed his coat, feeling anxious to get the answer she's been wondering all week about.

"Thanks, Marinette. It'll be quick,"

"No need to rush," She stressed, wanting to have a proper look this time.

With an okay from Adrien, she left and made sure to close the door behind her. She quickly checked the pockets and pulled it out.

Red string

Eight beads

A large green four-leaf clover in the middle

Without a doubt, this was her lucky charm. She held it lightly like the evidence would shatter if she grasped it too tight. She flipped it over and over again as if the pattern, color, or symbol would change the next time she did it.

Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir.

She stepped back, leaning on the stair railing for stability. Adrien was Chat. Chat was Adrien. Her boyfriend had been sitting behind her in class this whole time. Her mind was spinning. What should she do? They just became friends. She can't just tell him now. What if he runs away? Well, actually, her kitty was quite the persistent type, so she didn't think he'd run. But it was Adrien! Oh god, she had no idea what to do. Sure they made up, but she called her boyfriend a pretentious spoiled rich kid, so many times to his face! And how was she supposed to tell him that she found out first? She had been the one that refused to reveal their identities for their own safety. She even encouraged both him and herself that they should catch Hawkmoth fast so they could be together. She would be such a big hypocrite! Especially since she said that "even if we suspect someone from real life, we can't investigate," and what did she do? She took his jacket and looked through his pockets like a stalker! Speaking of, should she take a picture, so she doesn't think she made all this up tomorrow, or would that be too much? She pulled at her ponytails. What was she thinking? All of this was too much already! Her mind was running in circles. She pulled out her phone and took the picture but then hovered her finger over the delete button. She invaded his privacy on accident when it fell, but this was on purpose, and she was going to have proof of it? But then again, what he doesn't know won't hurt him?

"Sorry I took so-"

"Ahhhh!" Marinette screamed.

She dropped everything and backing away from the sudden voice. Her foot hit the air as she missed the step. She reached for the railing to give her stability, but it was just beyond her grasp. She saw Adrien's wide eyes, and he ran to grab her. Guess his cat-like reflexes happened in real life too, but he's still too far, she thought as she twisted her body to catch herself on her hands and stop herself from rolling down. She felt a sharp pain in her right shoulder as she landed wrong and sucked in a breath.

"Marinette, are you okay!?" Adrien yelled, crouching down and helping her sit up.

"Mostly," she winced, "hurt my shoulder a bit, but other than that, I'm fine,"

She felt like she should thank Tiki or Master Fu or maybe even the miraculous itself. Thanks to her time as Ladybug, she was able to pull off a more like that despite being extraordinarily clumsy. She looked up noticing, that she thankfully hadn't fallen too many. Maybe she wouldn't need a sling anything. Spoilers, she was wrong.

[pernatius]

Lost in Space Part 5: Ch 4

ch 3

Summary: An unnamed Space Explorer must come to terms with the fate of the universe resting in her hands. 

Part 1: ch 1, ch 2, ch 3, ch 4, ch 5

Part 4: ch 1, ch 2, ch 3, ch 4, ch 5

————————

Lucy’s sweat, which now glistened his forehead and the crevasses of his face, descended to his suit and sash. They darkened their colors. It looked like I had shot him. It looked like his blood pooled and drenched into their fabrics. The footsteps are getting all too close, but Lucy has yet to decide. His eyes dodge the sight of the gun by switching their focus from me to Saamuki, but mostly Saamuki. As for Saanuki, she’s chosen to look away from both of us with her arms crossed. It felt like I was going to blackout from all the suspense. I tried gulping it down, but it only made it worse. So, I thought I was going to have to do it. I thought I was going to kill the father of who knows how many children. They’d wake up and run out of their rooms. Instead of spending time with their father as they usually did for breakfast, which was the only time they saw him, they’d find their mother hunched down on the table with tears in her eyes. They’d, as they hesitantly stepped towards her, ask what’s wrong. She wouldn’t say a word, too hurt, but when they see their father’s sash held in her arms they’d realize what happened and cry. Their mother, leaving her husband's sash on the table, would hug them. She’d do her best to comfort them. Eventually, the cries would stop, but the pain wouldn’t. The children would live the rest of their lives without a father. As for their mother, she’d have to wake up every day in the large, empty bed she’d used to share with her husband. Thinking of this made me nauseous even though he cheated on her with Saamuki. I thought I was going to throw up, but I was saved by Lucy finally making his decision. “Fine, but Saamuki, if Cabelo finds out about this you’re on your own.”

Turning back to face the guard, “That’s not new to me.”

As Lucy headed elsewhere and Saamuki led me to the door at the end of the hallway, I got a strange feeling that told me to turn around. I do and I find the source of the footsteps, but I also get stricken by fear. In the mouth of the hallway stands a Watcher. They don’t have any eyes, as far as I could tell, but I can still feel them staring me down. Noticing my sudden stiff self, Saamuki stops and turns to see what I’m looking at. Seeing her reaction in the corner of my eye makes me doubt my sense of sight. “You see that too, right, Saamuki?”

“See what? See Lucy?” Rubbing my eyes, the figure is no longer there. Taking this as my mind messing with me, and as an indication, I’m not sane, I tell her to forget about it. We continue walking with my arms covered in goosebumps until Saamuki opens the door for me. A dimly lit room with flickering lights and a steel ladder that descended into a dark abyss greeted me. The last time I was here it wasn’t like this. It wasn’t frightening. Although, most of my attention was on keeping pace with everyone. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Sorry.” 

The further we descended the colder it became. At one point I began to see my breath. The more rungs I grasped the stronger the frostbite on my hands became. The flames from my crown lit up the cramped space circling me and provided me heat as best it could. The trip down the ladder was long. It seemed like it was never going to end, at one point I thought it wasn’t, but a moment later I and then Saamuki finally stepped onto the basement floor. Three hallways stood before us. The middle of which the others and I used. Saamuki nudged me to the hallway right across from the one the group and I saw her and Cabelo walking out of the first time I was here. I follow her. We go through several convoluted twists and turns until we just need one more turn before we’re in front of the door. Both of us hid and waited behind the very wall we needed to get past for that to happen. 

On the other side of the door, I can hear Cabelo talking to someone. “It looks like he’s still in there,” Saamuki reaffirmed my assumption. She said something else, but I ignored and tried to listen to what was being said on the other side of that door. 

“Free the blood,” a voice growled. 

The voice was about to say more, but Cabelo cut their conversation short. The door slid open and revealed Cabelo pressing two fingers between where I think is his nose. He turns and walks away and as he does the door begins to slide close. This was my chance. This was finally my chance to redeem myself after all the shit I’ve pulled. After all the utter embarrassing failures, this was my moment to shine. I grab the crown from my head and even with my mixed feelings of the spiritual realm I pray that it works. I pray that I’m able to make a staff. I didn’t get to see Licata’s staff for long, but it’s burned into the back of my mind. No pun intended. I imagine it and focus it on the crown. Heart dropping, eyes widening, I realize I did it, so I throw it. It all happened so fast. The staff comes barreling towards the crack with its flames trailing right behind it. One second longer and we’d alert Cabelo we’re here by the loud clanking noise it would’ve made if it fell to the ground. The staff slid through the sliver of space between the door and wall. With Cabelo out of sight and both of us smiling that our poorly put together plan was going to work out, after all, we headed towards the door. 

Preventing the door from closing was the easy part. The hard part, at least for now, is bringing it all the way open. Saamuki grabbed the door’s edge and tried moving it. Sweat and a vein appeared on her forehead, but it came to no avail. If she couldn’t do it then there’s no way I could, but I got that sense again. I stepped forward and wrapped my fingers around the door’s edge. The room is pitch black. A breeze hit me. I thought it was just a breeze, but leaning in I realize it’s whispering. 

“What are they-” I raised my hand for her to quiet. She does. 

“Let our minds become one, child,” the very same voice I heard growling had hushed this into my ears. I don’t know what I did at that moment, but the next thing I know is that I’m holding the staff with my hood down and that the room is wide open. I tried swinging the staff around for us to see what’s in that room, but for some unknown reason, the room remains black. So, I look at Saamuki and see that she’s taken a step away from me. Something happened. Something clearly happened to my body a few moments ago. I was about to ask her what happened, but I noticed something warm around my eyes. Raising my free hand to them, I find blood on my fingers. My eyes are bleeding, but I’ve suffered no effect. I can see, but it’s not like there’s anything worth seeing. After a few more moments, though I have yet to digest what happened, we both head inside. Once we do the door behind us shuts. Both looking at each other, we gulp, and begin to regret our decisions. Laughter erupts. It echoes, making it seem like there are multiple beings inside this room besides us. 

Was it bravery? Utter fear? Or plain stupidity? I call out to it, “Show yourself.” 

Was it an act of chivalry? Knowing they had nothing to fear because we were at their mercy? Or to get a better view of the two people they’ve caused to become pale? The figure looked like a clergy. Their outfit is as black as the darkness around us but it’s also fitted with blood-red buttons and a sash wrapped around their waist. Horns sprouted out from their head and two sets of fangs peek out of their lips. They look holy, but at the same time appear ironically demonic. Also, they’re nearly transparent. “I have done what you’ve asked, yet here you are being ungrateful.” After his fingers comb his hair and he sighs, he bows. “I am The Speaker of a once-great society that helped millions with their knowledge, but in the end, we were thanked with desecration.”

“I’m sorry to hear about this. I truly am, but we don’t have time.”

“Time and time again I am proven that the living is impatient. I have already gotten word why you two have come to me and yes I do know how to bring someone back to life. However, it comes with a cost.”

“What do you mean by cost?”

“The woman you wish to bring back doesn’t have a body to go to. So, someone from the living must exchange their body in return.”

“What?”

“What are they saying?” 

"We need someone to give up their body for your sister to be brought back because she doesn’t have a body to return to.” Saamuki doesn’t respond. So, I turn my attention back to The Speaker. “Can’t we just put the soul into a machine? Like a spaceship for instance.”

“You can try if you want to waste your time. It’ll be like forcing a cube in a triangular hole. You’d have a better time placing her in a potted plant.”

I was about to say something, but Saamuki opens her mouth to offer, “I’ll do it. I’ll give my body up.”

“Saamuki, what do you think you’re doing?”

“There’s no other choice. I have to give up my body for my sister. It’s the least I could do for her.”

“No, this isn’t the least you could do for her. This isn’t even the most. Saamuki, do you even hear yourself? You’re giving your life away. What about Mikrovos? You’re just going to leave him behind?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Saa-”

“I am because I already left him behind and now look what’s happened because of it. I left my sister behind and now look where we are. I have to do this.”

The Speaker smiles and moves their hand in front Saamuki. I didn’t like that smile. It told me that there’s something off about The Speaker. I’m about to swat her hand away from The Speaker, but the door slides open and reveals a surprised and slowly angering Cabelo. Flames are shot towards Saamuki. As stupid as it was, but I’m not new to stupidity, I shield Saamuki from it. She screams and I do too. I fall to my knees and watch my body begin to heal from the burns. Still, it hurts. I force myself back up and I swing the staff at Cabelo who’s charging towards us. He is thrown into the air and I think his back slams against a wall. As he gets back up, I ready myself for the fight ahead. 

I thought I was ready, but with Cabelo suddenly appearing in front of me and swinging his fist into my gut he sends me flying. I hit the ceiling and then a wall. Getting up, I can hear a few of my ribs have cracked. Him getting all too close to Saamuki and The Speaker, both of which have alarmingly glowing blue eyes, I force myself up and throw the staff once again at him. He catches it in his hand and as he prides himself at my facial expression, I send my fist at him. It goes right through him. The smell of burning flesh hits my nose. It’s my flesh. My arm smolders right before my eyes. I scream as the flesh on the arm slowly tears and melts away. Again Cabelo is entertained by my pain. Through his smirk and as painful as it is, I manage to fling my hand out of him and rip the staff out of his grip with both my hands. He doesn’t have time to react. At that moment I became too fast for him as I saw all the dastardly people that have used that same type of smirk standing in front of me. I move the staff back. With venting rage, I shout as I’m about to thrust it into him, but I’m not fast enough as a blue beam of light beats me to it.