#“24-karat red���

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue October 15, 1958

Helena Rubinstein "24-Karat Red"

Model : Isabella Albonico

vogue archive

[vantetaes]

SPOILED BRAT 🫧🥂

SUGARDADDY!CONNIE! X SPOILED!BLACKFEM!READER

SUMMARY!!! connie tells yn no

WARNINGS!!! overstimulation, oral (f receiving), daddy kink, implied ‘age gap’, mentions of drug dealing, sex 18+!!

you’d been together with connie for a 6 years at this point. the two do you did everything together. he always made sure you were straight no matter what.

you’re his woman. his pride and joy. his headache.

just today: he’d taken you to brunch to help recover for your god awful hangover acquired by spending the night before taking shots of don julio with your friends. he took you to the hair store, buying you new bundles for the season change, then payed for the install. taking you to lunch after your hair was done. deciding you were getting tired of walking, you requested one last lap around the mall, which ultimately ended with connie wanting to see your nails a different color and a new set of lashes.

you’ve been gifted birkins, 24 karat bracelets, trips out of country just because, and even receiving a maybach for getting through your first year of college. everything you ever wanted, he made sure you got. no if, ands, or buts.

bouncing on the tippy toes of your pretty pink chanel slippers. the fresh white pedicure compliments the white lettering on your shoes. your eyes glaze over the stores extensive amount of new products. you wonder in awe as connie walked behind you, carrying your bags while his face is buried in his phone.

“oo! they have the two piece i’ve been wanting!” only hearing the paddling of your shoes, connie barely has time to look up before you and a PINK store associate were talking about the newly released thong set.

“you want it?” he asks simply, hand caressing the small of your exposed back.

“no i already have too much!” you shake your head, your fresh set of lashes batting against your face as you eyed the clothing. connie’s hand flags down the worker from earlier.

“can we get all if the color for this set, medium.” he places a few hundreds in the woman’s hands before she scurries off to fulfill the purchase.

“thank you, baby.” you giggle , giving him a small kiss on the cheek. the strawberry scented lipgloss leaves a transparent pink path on his face. which stays there. before you could bring up the fact that you were eyeing one more thing in the store, connie’s ringtone went off. he peers down before gazing back at you. placing a quick kiss to your lips, he slides away.

“give me one second, baby.”

he basically stormed out of the store, face twisted up.

from your view through the glass it looked like someone fucked something up. connie’s tattooed had runs across his head, sighing into the phone before shaking his head a final time, hanging up.

once he returned, the worker rushes a few bags over and the left over money from the exchange.

“keep it. ♡︎, let’s go.” he takes the bags carefully before heading for the exit. his tone was firm but still gentle enough that you didn’t feel offended.

-

finally back home, washing every piece of clothing you got today, you noticed your fiance was a little quieter than usual.

changing into something a little more comfortable, you walk out into the large penthouse living room.

“what’s wrong?” you quiz. his head shoots up from its resting position on his hand to shake his head.

“nothing princess. just some stuff i have to go handle in a few, you good?” he asked concerned.

“yeah you’ve just been like.. preoccupied away from me all day today! i just want some attention. can i come with?” the long red fur lined robe moved swiftly against your exposed brown skin as you did your little begging dance.

“whatchu’ mean i’ve been ignoring you? and not this time, princess. it’s something real important and i can’t risk some shit happening to you. we not finna do this.”

your motion stops as you stare a little dumbfounded. no? no?? jokingly sticking your acrylic inside your ear, wiggling it, pulling your finger back out to check. he got used to the dramatics years ago.

“what do you mean not this time, connie?” you only used his government when you were mad at him.

connie leans back in the leather chair, pinching the bridge of his nose as he watches you from across the room. he’s always been the one to say yes, to pull strings, to make things happen. you’ve always reveled in that—his power, his ability to hand you everything you could ever want, no questions asked. but this time, the look on his face is different.

“not. this. time.♡︎.” he says, his tone firm, his jaw tight.

“you’re joking?” you say, voice sharp, tinged with indignation. a small flabbergasted smile making its way into your face slowly.

he shakes his head, slow and deliberate.

“i’m serious, ♡︎. i can’t do this. not this time.”

for a moment, you’re stunned, the words hanging in the air between you like a challenge. then, like a flame catching kindling, the fury ignites.

“can’t ?” you spit, laughing abruptly, your voice rising. “or won’t?”

he doesn’t flinch. that only makes it worse.

“you’ll do everything else-” you continue, pacing now, your anger spilling out unchecked.

“-you’ll risk everything for everyone else, but the one time i ask for something that matters to me, suddenly it’s a problem?”

“♡︎, it’s not like that.” his voice is calm, measured, and it infuriates you more.

“then what is it like, connie? hm? you basically ignore me all day and now you wanna leave me here?” you shout, spinning to face him.

“because to me, it looks like you’re picking and choosing when i matter.”

he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. you know he hates this side of you, the part that lashes out when things don’t go your way, but right now, you don’t care.

“im saying no because it’s not safe. you don’t see the bigger picture.” he says, his voice hardening slightly.

“don’t give me that fucking bullshit!” you scoff, crossing your arms.

“you think i don’t know what you’re wrapped up in? you think i don’t know how you make all this happen?” you gesture around, the designer bags, the jewelry, the life he’s built for you.

his silence speaks volumes, and it only fuels your rage.

“yn. im being polite with you. please don’t start this shit. and watch your fucking mouth, mama. im being calm.” his eyes growing more irritated and narrow. laughing in his face, you turn on your heels, walking back to the bedroom. disappearing down the lengthy hallway. you could hear the slow pads of connie’s feet following after you.

“fine! fuck you! didn’t wanna fucking go anyways.” you huff under your breath, slamming the tall room door behind you.

the man immediately flings the door back open, pointing to the bed.

“sit down. im not fucking asking you.” his jaw clenched tight.

finding yourself crawling onto the white king sized bed, sitting on your knees. the lacey black lingerie set underneath the red fur peeking through.

“what in the hell is wrong with you today, princess?” his voice is growing agitated and upset.

avoiding his gaze, you can only play with the hem of your clothing, ignoring him fully.

“yea we not about to do this shit.”

before you had a chance to react, he was on the bed, pushing your body backwards, and hovering above you.

“why you actin like this, baby, hm?” you couldn’t help but to melt looking at his eyes. everything about how close he is to you is just turning you on. ignoring him again, he’s starting to get fed up.

“im gonna ask you one more time and after, i don’t wanna hear about it.” his right hand held both your hands in front of you and his left was on the outside of your thigh. you could feel his warmth.

“just want attention, daddy.” you mumble, face whipping to the side. his hand shoots up to fix your chin back his direction.

“uhn uhn, speak up.” gently shaking your head side to side, he’s looking at you gently still.

“i want attention. why are you being such a fucking bitch con?”

immediately regretting your choice of words, the man rears up off your body, fixing his shirt and pants. you rush to sit upright, closing the robe, watching as the man put his shoes on.

“baby, you know i didn’t me-“ you start. he just laughs, walking through the open door. chasing behind him, anxiety creeping up your neck.

“baby, im sorry.” your voice barely above a whisper, watching as he grabs his cars keys, then he’s out the door.

-

“just calm down, im sure he’s fine.” mikasa chats on the other end of the phone call. you’re using your other phone to repeatedly dial connie’s number, all chances failing.

“what if he’s not though? he wont even answer!” the salivas getting caught in your throat to think he’s upset with you but who else to blame?

“drink a glass of wine and relax! i just talked to him, he’s fine.” you hear onyankopon on the other side of the line.

“what? how? what did he say?” you couldn’t help but to shove all the questions down his throat.

“chill chill. he’s fine, he said he’s heading back home now. go relax, ♡︎.” the man said on the other end of the line.

“okay thank you, i’ll see you guys later.” the phone beeps off.

making your way to the kitchen, you grab a wine glass. hand skimming over the wall collection you and connie built over the years, you pull out a red wine from italy you got last summer. pouring a generous amount, you decide to just bring the bottle to the living room. waiting for the man to walk through your doors.

cuddled underneath a large white blanket, halfway through a movie, you make it more than halfway through the bottle, unfortunately still slightly sober from anxiety.

until the sound of keys being turned broke you from staring off into space.

he slides in, immediately kicking his shoes off and placing them on the rack. he removes his jacket, hand wiping off some lint from the inside off his shirt. your body jerks into a standing position, blanket laying at your feet.

“baby-“ you start.

“room. now.” he doesn’t even look up at you, he just begins to walk down the hallway. shuffling confused and worried behind him, he turns on a single lamp on his side of the bed.

“lay down.”

crossing your arms, standing firmly.

“not until you tell me where you went and why i couldn’t go!” your lips pull into a line and your eyebrows furrowed.

“lay the hell down. if i have to say it again i swear to god you’ll hate me afterwards.”

still standing firm, you’re unmoved and unwilling. fed up, he walks over to you, his height towers you, throwing you over his shoulder. he tosses you onto the bed, yanking off your robe in the process.

“you want attention? strip.” he begins “and if i have to repeat myself this time, ♡︎, you won’t leave this bed tomorrow.” his jaw gripped tight, words spoken through gritted teeth, he was 100% serious.

without hesitation, you pull the set off with ease. he smiles before digging in his nightstand. pulling out two pairs of fuzzy pink handcuffs and your sleep mask. plopping everything down beside you, you feel his strong hands pick up up from under your arms, pressing your back against the cold bedframe. he reaches behind him, grabbing the supplies. cuffing both your arms to the posts, he gives you a small kiss before covering your eyes.

“connie why are you doing this?” voice unable to hold water, you were a mix of turned on and scared. you knew how he could treat you when he was this angry.

his hand goes back into the nightstand, all you can hear is him place it down beside you. the rattling from his belt being undone causes a reflex in your lower region, clamping your legs closed to gain some kind of traction. you can hear the laugh come from your fiance.

“don’t worry baby, you’re about to get all the attention you wanted.” the sound of his belt buckle hitting the ground followed by the sound of him removing his pants.

before you could try to listen for anything else, all you feel is his lips pressed against your pussy and his hands keeping your knees spread. his tongue licks long strides up and down, from your entrance to the throbbing, swollen bud. his lips pucker around your clit, giving it a few gentle tugs and licks. his hands move close to your core, squeezing every inch of your thighs, humming into your warmth.

“oh- shit con.” moaning, you start to feel a little vibration start to happen. “what’s that-“

he put the vibrator flush against your clit, using his tongue to pump slowly in and out of your clenching hole. flailing against the restraints, you can’t help but to cry out for him.

“please- please daddy, fuck me. im sorry i swear, please.” you feel him pinch the inside of your thigh, causing you to flinch a little.

“don’t tell me what the fuck to do. im gone take you how i want you.” he goes back to abusing your pussy, face covered in your slick and his spit. he’s always been obsessed with eating you. removing one of his hands from your leg, he begins to use his long slender fingers inside while he took turns sucking your clit and then replacing it with the vibrator.

you can’t see anything but little stars floating across the darkness of your eye covering. the intense feeling in your abdomen building up. his fingers slide in and out agonizingly slow, tongue writing love spells on your swollen bud.

“shit connie im gonna- oh fuck!” your body begins to shake as you release. that doesn’t stop him. he continues, his mouth attached to you, unable to pull away.

“that’s my girl. give me some more of that shit, come on baby. this what you wanted right?” his mouth forms an o-shape, licking at the swollen bud while humming. you try to force your knees together, only for him to pin you down into a middle spilt. every inch of you was being sucked, licked, and bitten.

he pulls the vibrator back out, hooking his fingers into you, teasing your g-spot while his other hand switched modes on the wand.

“pretty ass pussy baby. she so wet for me, didn’ even have to do much. yeah, i feel it. make a mess, cum all over my fingers baby.”

the mix of the vibrations, connie’s fingers slowly fucking your hole, and the way he talked to you, you came undone. again. body shriveling up in overstimulation, you can only feel him turn the vibrations off, hoping to be done with this whole thing. you’re already fucked out and a mess.

“fuck baby, youre so filthy for me. but i don’t think im satisfied, ma.” you shake your head a little, knowing that you fucked up. repositioning a pillow under your butt, the man reattaches his lips, going slower than he ever had. mouth frozen in an o shape, you couldn’t help but to cry out.

“it’s too much daddy, be nice!” you cry, eyes brimming with tears, feeling as his warm, wet tongue slowly circles your swollen clit.

“mm- mm.” he offers in a hum, extending his arms up to play with your nipples, tugging gently at them. it seemed like his tongue never stopped moving, sometimes slipping into your clenching hole to collect more of your wetness. the burn in your stomach was intense. you could barely breathe, only pushing out large exhales of air, moans strangled in there alone the string of ‘please’s and ‘fuck’s.

he was eating you like it was a competition and he wanted that fucking gold.

“again, again, connie oh- fuuck.” you’re now full blown crying. the orgasm shaking your body beyond control. the man gently pulls away, softly running his hands around your body. his hands remove your blindfold, wiping some of the fallen tears. the readjustment to light wasn’t too bad but once you saw his face, he just gives you a look.

“im- fine.” you choke out, tears still rolling. he laughs a little, wiping your face before standing and using his should to wipe his.

“im giving you two minutes.”

you swore those two minutes went by quicker than a hellcat in atlanta traffic.

he was now pinning your knees to your ears, dropping his throbbing cock inside you slowly, bottoming out. you let you a cry, in pure bliss. he pulls out quickly, slamming back into you. the sound of sex filled the room.

“pussy so fucking good. taking that shit so good.” he throws his head back, mercilessly pounding into you. he pulls out of you slowly, before pushing back into you. your hands grip at the chains of the handcuffs, bracing yourself for the man’s abuse on your hole. the veins of his cock rubbing the inside of your gummy walls. without warning , you’re squirting all over his dick, making a mess of the bed in the process.

“daddy! i’m sorry!”

“it’s too late for that shit now. let me take these off you.” he reaches up, undoing the cuffs swiftly before tossing them to the side. thinking youre free, you try to roll off the bed, only to be caught by him.

he tosses you over onto all fours, grabbing your arms from your side so your face down into the mattress.

“you know i love you right?” he asks, gripping both your wrists firmly behind your back.

“yes baby i know.” you say, head tilted to the side.

“good cause im about to treat you like i dont.”

slamming into you, he’s relentless. the tip of his cock abusing your poor cervix, digging completely into you. large hands grab hold of your breast, chest stuck in a heavy breathing pattern.

pounding into you, not letting up, you know he’s pissed. trying your hardest to pull away to give yourself so slack, he yanks you back into his length by the wrist.

“nah whatchu’ running for? this what you wanted right? you wanted me to fuck you like this, huh? you gone take this dick.”

he could feel you clenching around him, the slick dripping from your abused hole to to your ass. he could feel how close you were.

“ooo shit, let that shit go baby. imma fucking cum.”

your hands dig into his arms instinctively, eyes rolled to the back of your head, saliva spilling from the sides of your mouth in euphoria. it was so much yet you never wanted it to end. babbling nonsense and hitting connie with the palms of your hand, you release over him, again.

he delivers a few more thrusts, violating your cunt, sopping up every second of being inside you until he’s filling you up.

pulling away from his position, your body lay unmoving.

“was that enough attention for you?” climbing to your side, his large arms pulls you on-top of him. placing gentle kisses to your head, he rubs his hand along your back, giving you a small massage.

“im sorry.”

“shh, it’s all fine now baby.”

connie cleaned the both of you up, tossed the sheets in the wash, replaced them with new sheets he bought while out, and even prepared a small dinner. sitting on the couch, both heads in a silk bonnet, watching love island.

© vantetaes. do not modify, repost, translate, or plagiarize any of my works. ageless/blank blogs dni.

inspo pics

[lvndrfucks]

don’t leave me hanging omg, write the concept. miguel brain rot is on 24/7 — 🧠

You were surprised none of Miguel’s neighbors had complained yet. There were teenagers scattered all around the inside of Johnny’s apartment and the outside, loud music blasting and a fair share of drinks being passed around. At least everyone was getting along after the long overdue karate feud.

You were nursing a red solo cup while standing in the corner of the room, taking small sips. The taste of alcohol didn’t really appeal to you. Your friends engaged in chatter that you chimed in once in awhile, but you were a bit distracted.

“Are you going to talk to him or keep eye-fucking?”

“What?” Your eyes moved away from Miguel’s. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You guys have been staring at each other all night,” your friend pointed out. “He’s single, you’re single.” She made gestures with her hands for emphasis.

You shook your head while looking down to hide how red your face had gotten. “He doesn’t like me like that. We’re friends.”

“Lame,” your other friend bursted. “Go talk to him! Congratulate him on winning karate again or something.”

You rolled your eyes while taking a drink to avoid the conversation.

Her friend smirked suddenly with an idea. “Hey, can I borrow your jacket? I’m a little cold.”

You were feeling hot from the crowded room, so you were a little confused on how she was the opposite, but you did so nevertheless. You removed the cropped denim jacket to expose more of the little black dress you had on. You smiled while handing it to her.

Miguel felt his mouth go dry. His eyes scanned up and down your body from afar, the silk perfectly hugging your body and exposing valleys of skin he had never seen before.

A pat on his shoulder made him jump as he was forced to look away.

“Hey, man,” Hawk greeted. He noticed you and looked back at Miguel with a smirk. “You gonna make a move tonight, or what?”

Miguel chuckled nervously and shook his head. “I don’t think she likes me like that. I mean, we’ve been friends since we were both in Cobra Kai. Isn’t that a bit weird?”

Hawk scoffed. “No. That just builds up more chemistry. And pent up frustration.” Miguel looked at him curiously as he clarified. “Sexual frustration.”

“Dude.”

“It’s true! Remember that time you went out with Sam and she nearly broke some kid’s arm. Or when she got asked out and you broke the practice dummy.”

Even though Hawk’s statements were technically true, Miguel still had his doubts. What would a girl like you want with a guy like him?

“You just gotta go for it, man. Before someone else does,” Hawk advised and motioned his head towards Chris and Mitch who had started talking to you. You immediately started smiling and laughing at what they were saying.

Miguel held back a glare as he handed his cup to Hawk. He cheered, “That’s my boy!”

Your laughter died down as Miguel approached the three of you. You smiled at him in greeting that he returned before looking at Chris and Mitch.

“Robby wants you guys to refill the cooler outside,” he told them.

“But I just did five minutes ago,” Mitch said.

“Well, he wants you to do it. Again.”

Miguel was grateful Chris was the smarter one between the two as he was beginning to catch on.

“Yeah, it’s no problem.” There was almost a smug smile on Chris’ face. “Come on, man.” He began dragging Mitch away, the boy complaining that he already did once again.

That just left you and Miguel.

You glanced behind you to see your friends had ran off somewhere, of course. There was a small beat of silence between you two.

“How are you?”

“This is a great party.”

You two spoke at the same time. You both laughed.

“Sorry. You go first,” Miguel insisted.

“I said this is a great party,” you repeated. “I’m surprised your mom was okay with it.”

“Well, Johnny told her that it was just Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang ‘hanging out.’”

When you were about to respond, someone knocked into you. As you tripped forward slightly, Miguel had his arms out to catch you. You sheepishly apologized while standing straight.

“Um, did you wanna go somewhere less crowded,” he proposed.

You nodded and started following him out. People from school were still showing up and it seemed the outside was becoming just as packed. You maneuvered around while still trying to keep up with Miguel. He turned to face you and offered his hand out so you wouldn’t lose each other. You took it, trying to hide your growing smile.

He guided you across towards his apartment. He opened the door and let you inside first. You were still able to hear the music and chatter of people, but it reduced slightly. Plus, you guys were completely alone now.

“Sorry. I thought it would be better here to talk and stuff. Unless you wanted to go back to the party. I’m fine with either, I just assumed—“

“It’s fine, Miguel,” you cut him off with a light chuckle. “It was getting a little overwhelming out there.” You set your empty cup on the dining table and moved to lean on the edge of the couch.

“C-can I tell you something,” he asked, standing in front of you.

“You can tell me anything.”

Your smile made him weak in the knees. His hands suddenly felt clammy as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

“I…I really like you.”

“I like you too.”

Miguel gulped. “No. I mean I like-like you. Like more than friends type of way.”

“Oh.”

Oh?

“If you don’t feel the same way, it’s fine. I get it. We’ve been friends for a long time and I understand not wanting to ruin that. It’s just that when I’m around you, I feel different. Different like you’re the one person in my life I’d hate to lose or I wouldn’t mind kissing. You know, that was probably a really weird thing to say. I’m sorry—“

“Miguel.” You laughed a bit. “It’s okay. I like-like you too.”

“Really,” he breathed out in disbelief.

You nodded. “And you’re the person I wouldn’t mind kissing either.”

Your hands reached forward to grasp his flannel and pull him closer towards you. The heels gave you an advantage to be nearly face to face with him. The close proximity made you both nervous, but someone had to make the first move.

Meeting halfway, Miguel’s lips pressed against yours in a savory kiss. His hands rested on his either side of your neck, his thumbs on the underside of your jaw and pulling you in even closer. You pulled away briefly, seeing his heart-shaped pupils and puffed lips parted. He pulled you back in with urgency.

There was only the heat of the moment, the electricity between you two, and the pure, unbridled passion of your kiss. It was a moment you would remember forever, a moment that would stay with you long after the kiss had ended.

The buzz of Miguel’s phone brought you back to Earth. He seemed to have no intention of stopping, though.

You pulled away, his lips immediately attaching to the side of your neck. “Do you wanna get that,” you asked, slightly breathless.

“Not really,” Miguel answered and kissed you again.

His phone eventually stopped until whoever was calling decided to call again. You laughed slightly at Miguel’s annoyance when he pulled away.

“It’s okay,” you reassured, one of your hands combing through his hair.

Miguel begrudgingly answered the phone with a haughty, “What?”

“Dude, where are you,” Hawk asked from the other line.

“I’m a little busy right now.” Miguel pinched your hip lightly in warning as you continued sucking on the skin of his neck.

“Well, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I need a beer pong partner.”

“Ask Robby.” Your hand began to trail down his body.

“I’m going against him, dumbass.”

He held back a groan when you squeezed his hard on over his jeans. “I gotta go.”

“But—“

Miguel hung up and tossed his phone on the couch. You yelped in surprise when he lifted you, your legs wrapping around his waist in response.

Once in his room, he had shut the door swiftly with his foot. Next thing you knew, you were lying back on the bed with Miguel hovering over you, leaving wet kisses and sucking on your exposed chest. One of your hands was threaded in his hair as the other tightly gripped the comforter. His hand slowly trailed up your thigh, giving a soft squeeze and earning a low moan from you.

Miguel pushed the bottom of your dress up to your stomach, exposing the black shorts underneath. He looked at you as you were panting already from the build up.

"You okay," he whispered.

"Of course."

He pecked your lips before going down on his knees at the edge of the bed. He ran his hands over your thighs, placing light kisses ever so often. Eventually, he hooked his fingers onto the waistband of your shorts and pulled them off, leaving just your underwear.

Miguel was hesitant at first as he ran his thumb over the wet patch, but you moaned softly from above as you tried closing your legs if he wasn't in the way. He repeated the motion with more pressure, causing you to jolt. He enjoyed the reactions.

He gently guided your underwear over your hips and slid them out from under you. A soft gasp emitted as you felt Miguel slip his tongue between your lips. Your mind went blank as he licked, his tongue spreading over your clit in smooth strokes. His open mouth panted heavy, moist breaths over your cunt, absorbing every drop of essence as it pooled on his tongue.

Your fingers tugged on his hair, your back arching off the bed slightly. You could feel a growing sensation low in your stomach, your orgasm twisting and winding into a tight knot.

A sudden gasp fell from your lips as he slowly pushed a finger inside of you. You inhaled sharply, eyes rolling back as he pushed his pointer finger in knuckle by knuckle until he rubbed the tip of his finger against that tougher spot inside of you.

His finger slipped in and out a few times until he added a second. It made you choke, walls clamping down and tightening painfully, tears pricking your eyes in a mix of pain and pleasure. Miguel kept them still as he leaned forward to press soft kisses on your clit.

“You're doing so good, baby. I just need to relax, okay?"

You nodded, even though you were sure he couldn't see it. You exhaled loudly, gasping just as loud before groaning and bucking your hips unconsciously. He resumed pushing in and out, his fingers shined with arousal.

You could feel every inch of his fingers inside as his mouth continued to stay hot and slick against your cunt, letting his spit collect all around. Your eyes rolled back when your stomach began twisting, feeling as though something was on your chest. You whimpered, followed by a groan of his name as your body relaxed once the knot snapped, and your vision blurred.

Miguel lapped up the mess and licked his fingers clean, watching the way your chest rose and fell rapidly. You looked utterly fucked the way your hair was sprawled out and little breaths leaving your plump lips, your head tilted to the side and eyes still shut.

He moved beside you and kissed your temple, combing your hair back. “You still got one more left for me?”

With shining eyes, you looked up at him and nodded.

Miguel grinned as he started to remove his flannel and shirt. Your thighs rubbed together while staring at him undo his jeans. You shakily stood on your knees and shuffled closer to him.

He gave you a tender, slow kiss, but you weren’t ready for such gentleness at this point in time. Instead, you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him closer to you. A low groan released from his throat as his hands moved from your hips to the zipper of your dress. You pulled away to disregard the rest of your clothing before pulling Miguel onto the bed.

He sat back as you straddled him, lips moving together once more. Reaching between the two of you, you grabbed his leaking cock so you could set him up at your entrance. As you lowered yourself, you inhaled slowly through your nose since the preparation and care he had given you had made the stretch easy to endure. As a result, all you felt was the full sensation he had given you.

You performed an exploratory hip roll once you were seated completely. You let out a groan at the feeling, every little motion causing electricity to tingle through your body.

Miguel sat up, you two now chest to chest while he held you firmly. “Fuck, you feel fucking amazing.” He placed wet kisses along your chest.

The noises of the party drowned out his moans as you began to ride him in earnest. His hands settled on your hips, causing the soft flesh to crease as he started responding to your thrusts with his own. You could feel him moving deeper with every motion, until eventually you could almost feel him in your stomach.

“Miguel,” you gasped out, meeting his gaze.

“I’ve got you, amor.” His mouth attached to one of your breasts, making you whimper.

His actions left your limbs feeling like rubber while he proceeded to fuck into you harder. Your tongue grazed his flushed skin, your head tucked into his neck.

“Making me feel so good,” you told him gently in his ear. “Want you to finish in me. Want all of you.”

Your babbling was cut off by a higher pitched moan at Miguel’s hard thrusts, your words egging him on more.

“Think you can take it all, baby?” His forehead pressed against yours as you nodded with a pleading look. “I’ll give you everything. Again. Again. And again.” He punctuated with each thrust, your grip on his shoulders tightening. “You gonna cum? Can feel it.”

“Please.”

Your loud moans echoed throughout the room as your legs tightened around his, your body moving faster to keep you on your high. You could feel Miguel spilling out of you, the warm feeling comforting the both of you. His arms wrapped around your waist to cease your shudders as he placed light kisses upon your shoulder.

Miguel, though he didn’t want to, slowly removed himself from you, a small whimper slipping past your lips. He laid you down on his bed and told he’d be right back. When he returned, he had a damp washcloth in one hand and a water bottle in the other. He carefully cleaned you up, knowing your legs must be sore, and sat you up to take a few sips of water.

He smiled gently at you and kissed your forehead, making your face flush in admiration. He grabbed an extra t-shirt for you and changed into a pair of new boxers for himself. Once settled beside you, Miguel draped the comforter over both of your bodies.

You both stared at each other, a grin on your lips as you leaned forward for one last kiss in the night.

hera speaks!

sorry for the long wait. i honestly get embarrassed writing smut, but this has been on my mind for a long time

[three-realms-archive]

Was Never Your First, After All

Genre: Angst, Oneshot Fic

Characters: Mammon, MC, other Obey Me! Brothers mentioned briefly.

If there was something Mammon prided himself on being, and constantly strove to be, it was your first man. Only he could be your first in anything and everything.

It was all he had; especially with Satan and Lucifer’s knowledge on everything, Asmo and Levi’s interest in human world media and trends, and Beel and Belphie’s little-brother cuteness. It was a dog-eat-dog world when it came to your attention; but there was one thing Mammon would always have over his brothers, and he treasured it dearly.

The Avatar of Greed was your first man. Your first pact. Your first friendly demon, who had been your knight in 24-karat gold armour from the start. And, true to that that title (and to his general greatness), Mammon had strove to be your first in all other aspects, too. He was there at your first movie night in the Devildom - the TSL marathon with Beel. He had gone with you to a café near RAD for your very first Devildom coffee. Granted, you had hated it so much and had scrunched your face up so tight he had almost tried to bring you to the emergency room in fear that you had stopped breathing… But! Still your first coffee.

He had been your first friend in the Devildom, too. You had told him such in a birthday card, even referring to him as your ‘first man’. And, though it was probably a joking reference to what he always said… it hadn’t stopped Hell’s second-born Lord from cutting out the snippets of that handwritten birthday card which had made his face go red, gluing them onto a smaller piece of card, and keeping it in his wallet. Secretly. So it was always with him; from the moment he woke up, to the moment he checked the wallet with a goofy grin before bed.

So, armed with solid, MC-approved evidence, Mammon went about his days secure in the fact that he would always be your first in everything.

… Until now.

Stupid human. Not you, of course, but a different human who had broken into Serenity Manor, stolen all your coffee, and was now holding you hostage.

That was: your childhood friend, who you had invited over for a movie night at Serenity Manor, currently drinking coffee you had offered him.

School break meant trips to the human world; naturally, with the Avatars of Sin right beside you. However, whilst out on errands, you had spotted a childhood friend of yours whilst shopping at the grocery store. Within just a few minutes, you were chatting with him as if no time had passed at all; and you had taken the opportunity to invite him over to rewatch an old movie, since he had expressed that he was only in the area for a few days more.

Mammon had really, really tried to listen to Lucifer and Beelzebub when they had attempted to calm down their family in the kitchen - just one room over from the living room, where you and your friend were engrossed in the movie. Asmo and Levi had pouted and whined sorrowfully, whilst Satan and Belphie had jealous, irritated scowls. Unusually, Mammon hadn’t said much. It made sense in his head. He and his brothers were used to being the closest to you in your life. It’s definitely what you were to them. You were meant to be their closest friend. You were meant to be their family.

You were meant to be… his first special person.

But it made sense, Mammon thought, that you had a life before them, with other humans - that was just common sense, and he had plenty of that.

So here Mammon was now, in the opposite corner of the living room to you and your friend, trying to will himself to listen to his mind instead of his heart. He had wanted to be better than his brothers, who were stropping and sulking around the house. He had thought maybe he’d look more big-brotherly. That he’d get to look cooler, in front of you.

… That was an hour ago. Since then, you hadn’t even noticed that he had entered the room.

“More coffee?” Your friend piped up, grabbing the jug of iced coffee set on a small table beside you. Jealousy gripped Mammon’s heart like a vice at the sight before him: you and your friend huddled too close under a blanket, the TV screen illuminating your smiling, happy faces. Mammon scoffed internally at your friend’s suggestion, though. You never had coffee in the Devildom. You hated coffee.

Although, this time, you nodded eagerly instead; raising your glass to your friend and letting him fill it to the brim before chugging half of it down in one, satisfying gulp.

“Thanks, man. I absolutely love this coffee.” You said, grinning. Mammon’s eyes widened in shock. “Do you remember when you made me my first coffee at your ma’s? It was so, so good…”

Mammon felt his heart drop, confusion and self-berating flooding his mind and screaming in his thoughts. One word repeated itself, over and over:

First.

First.

First.

Your friend.

Your first.

Mammon barely registered your friend - your stupid, dumb, charming friend - chuckle amicably your reminiscing. “Yeah, those were the days, huh? I think we probably watched this movie for the first time the day after, right? Or was it the week after…?”

You laugh, touching your friend’s shoulder in a way which made Mammon’s irritation flare up wildly. Greed pumped through his veins, surging - accompanied by a primal, raw feeling of competitiveness. “I don’t know! We did a lot of stupid stuff for the first time - we were just kids.”

Amused, your friend raised an eyebrow. “You make us sound like troublemakers, man. We weren’t that dumb - and we turned out pretty okay, right?”

“Sure.” You joke. “It’s alright to admit that we were a bit wild, though. I guess you can’t help being reckless when you make your first friend.”

Your friend watches you laugh, with a fond smile that grips Mammon’s heart like a vice and twists it violently.

He thinks he sees the colour red flush across your friend’s cheek.

Mammon decides to leave, heading to his room; his chest constricting and his stomach feeling like it was churning.

He all but sprints up the stairs, slamming the door behind him and leaning against it. Nervousness and nauseousness flooded his body. Something wet was pooling in the corners of his eyes but he clamped his eyelids shut, rubbing at them furiously. Yet, even in the darkness of nothingness, Mammon couldn’t escape the images of you and your friend; drinking coffee at cafés together; cuddling under blankets, watching movies together; holding hands together; getting closer; faces closer; lips touching -

A few minutes passed. The rise and fall of his chest began to slow as he waited. And, though it took some time, eyes eventually became dry again.

If there was something Mammon prided himself on, and constantly strove to be, it was your first man. But, as it turns out, he couldn’t even be that.

If Mammon wasn’t your first in anything… then what was he to you?

Your first friend in the Devildom? What did that matter? You were probably freaked out of your mind seeing non-humans for the first time, probably missing the humans that looked like your childhood friend. Probably missing your childhood friend.

Your first pact? Mammon had to be tricked into his pact, and you needed the pact for both Belphie and your own safety. Being your first friend meant both your childhood friend and you had met and mutually agreed to grow closer to each other; to learn more about one another; to be there for each other. It might as well have been a proper pact.

And what was left?

Your first man?

How could Mammon be your first man, when someone else had already taken all your firsts?

Mammon sighed, forcing himself to puff out his chest and stride over to his closet. Suddenly, he felt like going out shopping. Somewhere expensive, with trendy clothes to cover up his emerging insecurities, and coffee shops to drown all the bitter thoughts stirring in his mind. Absentmindedly, his hand reached into his pocket to fetch his wallet, so he could check how much cash he had for his impromptu retail therapy session. It would all be fine. He’d go out, glow up, remind himself of how great he was, and forget why you would would ever even compare that lowly human to a literal Lord of Hell, like himself. A demon with money, charm and devilishly-handsome looks. That would be enough, he willed himself to think. It had to be enough.

Opening his wallet was a mistake.

The card - the one with snippets of his birthday card from you - fluttered out of his wallet, landing gently on the floor. His eyes briefly caught the first sentence.

You had said he was your first friend…

… in the Devildom.

He didn’t read the second part of that sentence, however. He knew what came next, and it wasn’t like it was important. First friend, that’s what was important. The rest hadn’t affected him at all.

It hadn’t affected him, which is definitely why he slammed his wallet shut and left it behind on his desk, taking out his credit card and ID. They were the only things he’d need, after all. He would open the door, leave his room and get out of the house for a deserved shopping spree. Unaffected.

Mammon didn’t need to be your first.

… And that’s exactly what he told himself over and over, as he broke down into tears; not having been able to bring himself to even turn the handle of his bedroom door.

Instead he sunk to the floor, curled up into a ball, and sobbed uncontrollably into the screaming silence of his bedroom.

(mammon next on my angst list, which is still the most requested genre after a week of polling! My second ever post had him breaking a vase in a hotel and now we have this lol)

(the first man thing is something mammon uses as a bit of a crutch in both canon and fanfiction. it’s a romantic line, its an excuse, its an identity, its all of that. i think its a nice, telling part of mammon’s character, and i tried expanding on it with other firsts. however, what if you took that away from him? and u get the idea for this fic. hope y’all enjoyed!)

(I’m also going to start putting genre and character stuff at the start, so people can easily know what they’re getting into. let me know if i should add anything to it)

[lizzy019]

✨ 🔞 ‎ 𝑀𝒜𝒮𝒯𝐸𝑅𝐿𝐼𝒮𝒯 🔞‎ ✨

‎ 💚- Fluff 🖤- Angst ❤️- Smut ‎

𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓜𝔂 𝓑𝓵𝓸𝓰! 𝓡𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓼!

The Outsiders:

Johnny Cade

Jul 1/24 ❤️ - Baby, I'm Tired..

Jul 1/24 ❤️ - If White was a Feeling...

Jul 2/24 ❤️ - Stressed Out

Jul 3/24 ❤️ - Confidence or Illusion?

Jul 4/24 ❤️ - Say Cheese!

Jul 8/24 ❤️ - Sleep Well... Enough.

Jul 9/24 ❤️ - In The Club, In The Sheets, & In My Heart.

Jul 10/24 ❤️ - Are You Sure You Want Me?

Jul 12/24 ❤️ - My Good Boy!

Jul 14/24 💚❤️ - Dating Johnny Headcanons! - Part Two

Jul 19/24 ❤️ - White Raindrops.

Jul 21/24 🖤💚 - It'll Always Be You.

Jul 31/24 ❤️ - I Can Help!

Sept 20/24 ❤️ - We're Under The Same Stars.

Coming Soon!

Ponyboy Curtis

Jul 31/24 💚 - Tickle Fight?

Darry Curtis

Jul 6/24 ❤️ - Moonshine? That's Liquor.

Jul 7/24 ❤️ - No Modesty.

Jul 11/24 ❤️ - Big Titty Goth Girlfriend :)

Jul 13/24 ❤️ - Wait For Me...

Jul 18/24 ❤️ - Good Girl.

Jul 22/24 💚❤️ - Darry Curtis w/ nipple piercings - Headcanons!

Jul 24/24 ❤️ - Lock The Door, Yeah?

Aug 10/24 💚❤️ - Darrel Curtis - Protective & Dominant Headcanons!

Oct 28/24 ❤️ - Whispers in the Evening.

Coming Soon!

Sodapop Curtis

Jul 9/24 ❤️ - Fizzing Pleasures.

Aug 9/24 💚 - Morning w/ Soda :) - Drabble

Coming Soon!

Dallas Winston

Jul 4/24 ❤️ - Them hips, hun.

Jul 14/24 💚❤️ - Dally Headcanons w/ an Innocent S.O.

Jul 17/24 ❤️ - Birthday Boy 🎉

Aug 5/24 ❤️ - Sore Loser.

Aug 15/24 ❤️ - Help Me!

Aug 29/24 ❤️ - Itty Bitty Baby!

Dec 23/24 ❤️ - Wingman to Main Man.

Coming Soon!

Keith “Two-Bit” Mathews

Jul 27/24 ❤️ - Are You In Love? ...For Real This Time?

Steve Randle

Coming Soon!

Doubles - The Outsiders

❤️ - They're Called "Love Handles" For A Reason!

❤️ - You Eat, So What?

The Outsiders: Dick Sizes

The Outsiders: Shower Routines?

❤️ - Bandaids!

Coming Soon!

Drabbles:

❤️ - Johnny w/ Ovulating!Reader

❤️ - Pussy-drunk Johnny

❤️ - Darry w/ Ovulating!Reader

❤️ - Johnny talking Reader through it

❤️ - Johnny in the 69 position!

❤️ - Johnny w/ a squirting kink

❤️ - Sodapop w/ Ovulating!Reader

💚 - Morning w/ Soda :)

❤️ - Johnny w/ praise and violent thrusts

❤️ - Dally w/ Ovulating!Reader

❤️ - Jally x Reader

❤️ - Two-Bit face riding

❤️ - Desperate Dallas lmaoo

🖤💚 - Pregnancy w/ Dallyyyy

❤️ - Darry x Dally x Reader threesome :))

❤️ - Dally teaching her to masturbate

❤️ - Public seggs w/ Johnny

🖤💚 - Dally mini break up :(

💚 - Johnny & his fluffy hair

🖤💚 - Dally helping you after you got jumped :(

❤️ - ditzy w/ Dally (suggestive)

💚 - Johnny loves youuuu

💚 - Dally n pink bows <3

❤️ - Stevie smut

💚 - Ponyboy so eepy

💚 - Pony has bad dreams abt you :((

💚 - Johnny showing innocent reader the gang :)

💚⚠️ - The gang w a reader who hates drugs n drinks

💚 - Steve is jealousss

❤️ - curly drunk smuttt (consensual)

💚 - Johnny loves taking care of sick you 😔

CoD:

König

Jul 16/24 ❤️ - My Big Bear!

Ghost

Jul 7/24 ❤️ - Cinnamon Roll?

David Walker

Jul 5-6/24 ❤️ - I'll Be Home, Mama. / 💚 - Part two!

Nikto

Personality Analysis

Coming Soon!

Doubles - Call of Duty

Coming Soon!

The Karate Kid:

Daniel Larusso

💚 - Blood & Love Are Both Red.

Drabbles:

❤️ - Johnny x Daniel x Reader

[somanyratsinthewalls]

Run Away With Me Chapter 1

NEW SERIES BABY

Pairing: Vinsmoke Sanji x Named Female OC (Charlotte Ginger)

Summary: Big Mom's daughter, Charlotte Ginger is married off to Vinsmoke Sanji. What could possibly come of this?

WC: 2200

Run Away with Me Chapter 1

— —

The transponder snail rings. 

Big Mom waits a few tones until she answers.

The snail was presented to her on a silver platter from one of her many servants. She lounges in a giant bed and presses the phone up to her ear. 

“Yes?” She answers. 

“Madam Charlotte. It is a pleasure to speak to you directly. Thank you for taking my call.” A deep voice booms from the other end of the snail. 

“The pleasure is all mine, Judge. Did you make a decision from the papers I sent you?” Big mom asks, nibbling at a carrot cake slice she had left on her side table. 

There was a pregnant pause. 

“I’ve made a decision… but not from the options given to me.” Judge Vinsmoke says from the other end of the line. 

“You know how I feel about a change in terms, Vinsmoke… tread carefully.” 

“Your daughters are nothing less than spectacular, Madam Charlotte, but what I think would best serve our alliance is one of them I didn’t see in the file.” Judge replies. 

“Oh? And who would that be?” Big Mom inquires after wiping the cream cheese frosting from her lips. 

“The red haired one. The hunter. From the wanted posters. That’s the one I want for my son.”

Another silence. 

“So you want my Ginger, eh?” Big Mom indulges him. “Why?”

“She’s strong. Intelligent. Crafty. Good breeding stock for my boy. This legacy lives long after we’re gone, Linlin, am I correct? I have no interest in simply making an alliance. I want to build an empire.” Judge says grimly, with a smirk hidden not-so-plainly in his voice. 

“Hmm… you make an interesting point, Vinsmoke. I’ll consider it.” 

— —

*peck*

*peck*

*caw?*

Your eyelids flutter open. Your familiar raven, Nori, was gently prodding his beak at your nose, causing you to wake up and scrunch your face together. 

“What? Gods forbid a girl get a break around here.” You sigh and throw the blanket off your body. Nori flaps his wings and settles on your night table before cocking his head and giving you an urgent sounding coo. 

You throw your long, bright red hair into a ponytail quickly as you rise to your feet. You slip on your boots, still slightly dank from the long journey at sea. You were sent on a hunting expedition, as searching and destroying was always your area of expertise. Your mother, an emperor of the seas, had you go off to hunt down a pack of deserters and bring back some supplies along with the bodies of her betrayers. 

Always the good daughter, you obliged your mother’s every request. It was no easy feat, capturing and executing the deserters, but with your skills and prowess you were able to achieve your goal. You carried the men’s heads deep within the belly of your ship, carefully preserved to present to your Mama. Years ago you lost count of the heads of dead men you’ve offered to your mother for her shrewd approval. Marines, pirates, low brow bootleggers, high born nobles, no target was safe from your murderous grasp. 

You loved your position. A general of Big Mom’s army and Minister of Spice, you were her most powerful daughter and an essential member of her armada at the tender age of 24. As little love and care as your mother showed you growing up, you appeased her now to stay in her good graces. You knew if Mama got a single *whiff* of indignation, your status would be lost to one of the multitude of your other siblings…

Perhaps someone larger… one of Mama’s children with giants perhaps. Or one of her fishmen children, adept in the arts of karate and unmatched in the seas. Your father was a wood elf from a secluded island in the South Blue… or so your mother told you. Perished before he could meet you. She explained this only once when you asked why your ears were different… pointed so much that you were bullied in school. 

“Tell me who’s bothering you, cupcake. I’ll just have a nice talk with their parents..” Your mother would always say when you asked her why the other children made fun of your ears as a kid. When you were young you hid your ears with your long hair, but once you proved yourself as Big Mom’s strongest tracker and hunter, you no longer feared judgment and mostly wore your hair in a slicked, long ponytail. 

*squaaak!* Nori cawed louder, as if trying to urge you to hurry up getting ready. 

“Alright alright, I’m moving.” You hush the bird and throw the pink cloak emblazoned with your mother’s jolly roger over your shoulders. You slide your daggers into the holsters on your thighs and swing your bow and quiver across your back before making your way to the door of your captain’s quarters. 

You push the wooden door open and trudge out into the sunlight. You bring your palm to your brow in an attempt to shield your eyes from the sun’s brightness. Once your eyes adjusted to the light, you can see Whole Cake Island coming up fast on the horizon. You let out a deep sigh. 

Another mission over. Stuck at home until the next assignment… But what was home, really? You loved your ship, your crew, your job… being at the chateau depressed you. Stewards and maids waiting on you hand and foot… constant badgering from your underlings and younger siblings… you wished you could always be at sea. 

The sea awakened you. The battles filled you with vigor. The camaraderie of a crew on the ocean brought you to life… But you were cursed to always come home to Mama. 

“Men! Prepare for arrival!” You shout to your crew before beginning to take down the main sail yourself. 

— —

You stepped off the gangplank and your soggy boots met the worn wood of the dock at Whole Cake Island. 

“Alright men, bring my cargo up the chateau. Mama will be quite pleased to see her spoils from this trip.” You say as you wipe the sweat from your brow. You turn around and see an emissary with several guards approaching you on the dock. 

“I can’t say I’m used to a welcoming party. A special occasion?” You quip at the emissary as you straighten out your leathers. 

“Big Mom has requested your audience as soon as possible, Miss Ginger. You are to come with us.” The grey bearded emissary said with a blank expression. Your hunter’s intuitions can’t help but notice the way the guards grip on their spears tighten as he finished his sentence. You scan their faces. You can only see fear. 

“And if I don’t go with you?” You cock your head curiously.

“I am afraid that’s not an option.” The emissary purses his lips. “Miss Ginger.” 

You were exhausted and not prepared for a fight, your men were loyal to you, but wouldn’t risk their lives to Big Mom for anything. 

“Aye. I’ll come.” You resign. 

*caw! CAW!* Nori frantically called from your shoulder. 

The emissary clears his throat. 

“Your mother requests you alone.” He says as he eyes your bird. 

“I’ll be fine, Nori. I promise. Wait here.” You coo to your familiar. 

He grows disapprovingly before flying off. 

— — 

You follow the emissary and the guards up the the chateau through the winding, frosting lined corridors of the castle as your mind races. What could mother possible want with you so urgently? You had done everything she asked for… the heads of the deserters on a silver platter… a ship filled to the brim with sweets and supplies… you couldn’t think of anything you’e done recently she could even consider a transgression… unless it was about Lazora….

You eventually reach Big Mom’s chambers and the emissary holds the door open for you. You take a deep breath before crossing the threshold. 

Your mother was seated on her lavish, massively large loveseat indulging in several bowls of what you could only perceive as banana pudding. Her throat bobbed heinously as she shoveled more of the dessert down her enormous gullet. You stepped towards her softly as not to disturb her gorging. 

“Mama…” You say quietly. 

“Ginger!” Your mother exclaims as she righted herself and placed the empty dish on the coffee table. “I’m so glad you’re back, my sweet child. Something incredible has come up, and I just can’t wait to tell you about it!” 

“Yes, Mama?” You ask. 

“Come, come, my love. Sit down! I can even have the guards bring some of that red wine you like.” Your mother gestures towards the armchair across from her. 

“I’m quite alright, Mama, thank you.” You say as you sit down and place your hands in your lap. 

“Well, Ginge, I’ll get right to it. We’ve come into the opportunity for the strongest alliance the world has seen in decades.. and you’re the one in the middle of it! How exciting!” Your mom claps her massive hands together below her double chin. You were reminded at this point how easily it would be for her to crush you in those hands…

“I… I’m afraid I don’t understand, Mama…” You say, confused. 

“Germa 66… the most powerful technological agency in the entire world has offered to marry one of their sons off to the Charlotte family! It would prove greatly beneficial for both us and them. Isn’t that fantastic, my sweet cupcake? Your wedding will be in nearly a weeks time! I am so happy for you! And all of us!” Your mom grinned. 

“But… mother… You told me if I could rise to the ranks of general… or minister… I would be exempt from political marriage! I’ve managed to do both and you’ve still sold me off? I don’t understand…” You shake your head in a panicked manner as her words start to sink in. 

“Things change, darling. We all took an oath to protect and serve this family… and I’ve determined this is the best way you can do your duty.” Your mother reaches for another bowl of pudding from the table and you instinctively flinch, thinking she was lunging for you. 

“Mother I must protest.. I have no desire to marry, which is why I pursued the role that I did. I am your most elite hunter and assassin… the fleet will be left with a massive gap without me! I have done everything you’ve asked since the day I was born I-“ You stutter out through gritted teeth. 

“ENOUGH!”

You mouth is snapped closed by an unseen force. Your mother’s power was far, far greater than your own. 

“You will marry the Vinsmoke boy with no issue. You have been chosen for this task and should feel grateful.” Your mother scolds you. 

“M-m-my sh-shi-ship-!” You choke out through the invisible grasp that Big Mom has around your throat. 

“Silly girl. Cracker will take over your fleet. He may not be as productive, but he’s got you cornered in the strength department. I’m sure his results will be just as fine.” Your mother shoots you a cheeky glare. 

You sputter for breath as you struggle to breathe. 

“Ma.. Ma..” You croak out. 

The grasp on your throat releases and you clutch your neck, gasping deeply to regain oxygen. 

“The wedding is Sunday.” Your mother says casually as she gulps down a second bowl of dessert. “It’ll take that long to get you presentable.” She gestures to the guards. “Get her to the chambermaids. She needs a decent gown and to wash that vile sea-stench from her hair. The Germa Prince arrives tomorrow and she needs to be look like a lady for once.” She commands as you grasp at your own throat in relief. 

You feel strong arms encircle each of your shoulders 

Your body was too weakened to fight back, you simply had no choice but to allow the guards to shuffle you to your chambers. 

— —

You fall face first onto your plush comforter, your mind still swimming with thoughts of what your mother just told you… you can’t take it laying down.. there’s no way you’ll be married off… it was guaranteed to you…

“Wait! Stop!” You push yourself off the bed and rush towards the door, pulling desperately on the handles, only to find it locked already by your mothers devouts. “No!” You push your legs on the opposite door as you pull the handle with all your might. You pull one of your daggers from your thigh-holster and try to jam Ito between the double doors to unjam the lock mechanism. 

“Ah!” You screamed.

It was like a lightening bolt hit your body. You were shocked and blown backwards. Your mother must have put some enchantment on the door… you were trapped… 

— —

A/N HEY YALL NEW SERIES TIME! I PROMISE WE’LL GET SANJI IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! We’re just doing a lil world building, ya digg?  Also please send me inboxes or comments for ideas for this series or critiques! Love yall.

[jomunson]

50 ed headcanons i been thinking about

1. washes his hair with bar soap

2. doesn't like coffee

3. his father is in jail and his mother passed when he was 11

4. secretly gets really scared when it storms

5. says "hubba bubba"

6. gets super miserable in the summer, he burns super easily

7. swims with goggles and a snorkel

8. wears his hair in a towel when he gets out of the shower

9. super good and confident with flirting with men but really awkward and flustered with flirting with women

10. will say "is this guy bothering you, babe?" if you ever run into furniture

11. love language is words of affirmation, he wants to know you don't see him as a freak

12. sleeps with a garfield plush he's had since he was a boy

13. really bad at fishing, like he'll actually catch a boot when he goes on trips to the creek with wayne

14. burps the abc's

15. took his driving test drunk

16. when he gets home from school he's tired from being a tough guy, he reads a book and smokes before falling asleep

17. thinks people are pranking him when they ask him out

18. wears silly red and pink heart designed boxers

19. really sweet with the kids who live in the trailer park

20. will leave a handful of change as a tip

21. can only cook spaghetti. only spaghetti.

22. biggest fear is the koolaid man coming alive

23. minute man munson (iykyk)

24. will ask people to name 3 songs if their wearing a band tee

25. put lipstick on one time and felt pretty

26. prefers apple juice over orange juice

27. absolutely loves halloween

28. extremely competitive

29. hits people when he's excited/laughing

30. sits really close to the tv like an ipad kid

31. moans while getting beat up to make it awkward

32. extremely allergic to cats but loves them to death

33. birthday is april 19th 1966

34. has skinny dipped w his bros in lovers lake

35. fein for chocolate chip pancakes

36. eats skittles for lunch

37. tried to do a karate kick and ripped his pants once

38. calls his van his baby

39. lifts his leg when he farts and thinks it's peak humor

40. won a goldfish from the fair and fed it crushes doritos for 4 months and cried when it died

41. writes reminders on the palm of his hand and it gets smeared on his face

42. always cuts his face when he shaves on accident

43. when he draws and has to erase he does it so hard it rips holes in the paper

44. feels cool because he doesn't carry around a backpack at school

45. scared of moths

46. has lost pencils in his hair

47. flips his boxers inside out so he can wear them longer

48. has to be told to shower

49. tried to pierce his ears and sobbed and then they got infected

50. his nose gets the brightest red in the winter

[syresdcthings]

Just trying to figure out my DC au timeline rq... Actual dates don't matter!!! This is a MESS by the way I am SORRY 😭 its just me jotting down my own stuff for my story's!!

Bruce's parents die when he is 10, he starts Karate classes at 12 but leaves gotham to train at 16. Bruce returns to Gotham 4 years later at 20

Now the important things..

So Bruce starts his career as Batman at 21, he adopts Dick Grayson, 11, at 22.

Dick is Robin for 5 years until he turns 16 and leaves for the Titans. D

Bruce adopts Jason Todd, 12, that same year. At this point, Bruce is 27 and has been Batman for 6 years.

Jason Todd is Robin for 3 years, before he disappears. He dies 1 year later, aged 16. Bruce is 31 and has been Batman for 10 years, Dick is 20 and becomes Nightwing.

Bruce takes Tim, 12, as Robin the same year Jason dies. Bruce adopts Tim less than a year into his Robin Career.

Jason is revived 1½ years into Tim's Robin Career, Damian is 5, Jason is trained by the LOA at 17. Bruce is 32 and has been Batman for 11 years, Dick is 21 and has been Nightwing for 1 year, Tim is 13 and has been Robin for 1½ years

Tim turns 14

Jason leaves the LOA 3 years later, he is 20. Damian is trained by the LOA since birth, he is 9. Bruce is 35 and has been Batman for 14 years, Dick is 24 and has been Nightwing for 4 years, Tim is 17 and has been Robin for 4 years

Jason Becomes Redhood the year he leaves. Tim becomes Red Rouge the year he leaves. Bruce adopts Cassandra Cain, Batgirl, 18. Tim dates Stephanie Brown, Robin, 17.

Jason reunites with Batman one year after at 21, Bruce takes in Damian, Robin, later the same year. Stephanie is no longer Robin, no longer dates Tim. Stephanie becomes Spoiler. Cassandra becomes Orphan. Tim dates Bernard. Bruce is 37 and has been Batman for 16 years, Dick is 25 and has been Nightwing for 5 years, Jason is 21 and has been Red Hood 1 year, Tim is 18 and has been Red Rouge for 1 year, Stephanie is 18, Cassandra is 19, Damian is 10.

OK... Ages now in present time I guess... 4 years later

Bruce: 41, Batman: 20

Dick: 29, Nightwing: 9

Jason: 26, Red Hood: 5

Tim: 23, Red Rouge: 5

Cass: 24, Orphan: 4

Steph: 23, Spoiler: 4

Damian: 14, Robin: 4

Alfred: Known no bounds (Became butler at 35, is currently 71)

Also yes Damian will get another hero title when he's older and it won't be Batman. Something like Great Dane or whatever I haven't figured it out yet.

THIS ISNT SUPPOSED TO BE COMIC CANON!!! Also I messed up with Bruce's age during this so don't mind if he's suddenly been Batman for a year longer than he should've been...

[denaliwrites]

Keep You Like An Oath

Cale Erendreich x Fem!Reader

Summary: (18+) Cale doesn't like your gift -- in fact, he hates it in all the right ways.

Soundtrack: Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy

Requests: Open!

Warnings: It's Cale Erendreich and it's smut. Degradation, CNC, Bondage (?), Fingerfucking, Choking, Squirting, Overstimulation.

"What the fuck is this?" Cale asked, holding up a set of black lace lingerie in one hand. That alone would be nondescript, if he didn't also have, in his other hand, the custom collar you'd had made to your exact specifications as a special gift for his birthday.

It was a beautiful thing -- absolutely luxurious -- made with black lambskin leather, lined with the softest mink fur you'd ever felt, and studded with 24-karat gold. The ring, too, was made of gold, and proudly dangling from it was another custom piece -- a gold tag, shaped like a heart and inlaid with many glittering rubies. Emblazoned in red was the engraving "CE's Bitch."

You were rather proud of it, if you did say so yourself.

"How much did I spend on this?" he asked, tossing the collar in front of you. It landed right at your feet. "The rubies alone must've been worth a fortune."

You swallowed thickly and picked the piece up. You had the good sense to look afraid and ashamed, but internally you couldn't help but admire it.

"Fucking answer me, bitch!" Cale commanded, and your eyes shot up to meet his. He was glowering. In fact, he looked quite ready to kill you.

"T-ten thousand," you whimpered.

"Ten -- ten fucking thousand?"

You should've been running for your life, praying to any and every god you could think of he wouldn't catch you. You should've, at the very least, feared for your life. And maybe you did, a little bit. But mostly, you felt a tightening in your gut and a rush of slick coating your panties.

You could see it in Cale's eyes that he knew -- sometimes you could swear he smelled the arousal on you.

"Fucking hell," he growled, running his recently emptied hand through his hair. "For ten grand, the sex better be fucking incredible." You blinked up at him. "Well? Go put it on," he commanded, throwing the lingerie at you.

You caught it and hurried out of the room.

Cale wasn't known for his patience, so you changed as quickly as was physically possible, secured the collar, and padded out into the sitting room. He watched as you dutifully came to stand in front of him, eyes cast upwards to stare at him longingly.

"Good girl," he told you, and when your lips tilted up for a brief moment, his did the same. "Such an obedient little slut, aren't you?"

"Yes," you answered easily.

Cale lazily looped two fingers through the ring of your collar and waited for you to get complacent before he yanked you forward. You yelped as you were suddenly displaced, though you quickly felt his arms circle your shoulders. Around the same time, his lips crashed into yours.

You moaned into the kiss, all but melting at his touch. You knew he wouldn't stay this gentle, so you happily enjoyed these few tender moments while they lasted.

Which wasn't very long at all.

He pulled away and stoically pulled you by the collar over to the sofa. You knew, generally, what was about to happen, but not enough to prepare yourself to be thrown into the cushions.

You landed with a pitiful squeak, and then Cale was on you. He had one knee between your legs and one at your hip, while his arms further pinned you down. Escape wasn't impossible -- he made sure of that (though not exactly for your benefit) -- but it was unlikely.

"What should I do with you?" he asked himself as one of his hands began roaming across your body.

He teased you mercilessly, making sure to drag his thumb over your nipple, or to grip your hip hard enough to bruise, or to pinch your skin in any place he saw fit. Your body jerked into him each time, trying desperately to fool you, all the while heat pooled in your core and slick gathered in your cunt.

"What do you want?" he asked you only after he'd turned you into a mewling mess, desperate for his cock.

"P-please fuck me," you begged, clutching at him. "I need y-you inside me."

"Need what inside you? Be very specific for me, you fucking whore."

"Your cock -- please, I need your cock!"

For a moment, he looked disarmingly kind. He smiled so sweetly and placed a kiss to your forehead. You blinked up in confusion, just to see him shift back to cold and dangerous.

"No."

"C-Cale, please --"

You yelped at the sudden intrusion of his fingers into your cunt, reflexively grabbing his wrist to stabilize yourself.

"Calm the fuck down," he ordered, though for a second his gaze once again betrayed him -- filled, just for a moment, with genuine concern. When you released his wrist and settled back into the cushions, he continued as if nothing had happened.

"The next time," he started, punctuating his words with a hard thrust of his thumb to your clit, "you feel like spending ten thousand fucking dollars," and this time he withdrew his fingers just to slam them back home, "remember this moment."

You nodded distractedly, hips twitching in a desperate bid for his touch.

He acquiesced, thrusting again and again until he'd found a rhythm that had you moaning his name.

"You're such a goddamn slut. Look at you, you're a fucking mess, just from my fingers." He made sure to drive his point home by driving his fingers into your core. "You're so wet, and for what? Fingerfucking? God, you're such a pathetic little bitch."

You all but wailed as he rammed his fingers into your G-spot and clit simultaneously, cunt clenching for dear life as he brought you closer and closer to orgasm.

"Fuck, you're such a tight little whore. Maybe you do need my cock inside you."

You moaned in response.

He quieted then, focused on bringing you to orgasm. His fingers slammed home again, pressing against your G-spot and clit a few last times to push you over the edge.

You screamed as you unraveled, legs quaking against his from the strain of being held open as your hips jerked to chase that high. His fingers stayed inside you -- hell, continued fucking you -- until you stilled but for your panting breaths.

"Good girl," he murmured against your cheek when he leant down to plant a gentle kiss there. "You're so good for me."

You wordlessly wrapped your arms around his neck and drew him in for an embrace in response. You could feel his breath dance across your skin, could feel his lips press to your shoulder, could feel him nuzzle into your throat. Felt, more than heard, him whisper "I love you."

You froze, and he seemed to realize what he'd done as he froze too. Only for a moment, though -- the next, his hand was wrapped tightly around your throat and he was glaring down at you as if you'd gravely insulted him.

You realized, as you struggled for air, that he'd never taken his fingers out of your cunt. Your walls squeezed around them in anticipation, which only grew as you took in his wicked smirk.

"P-please," you gasped, eyes losing focus from the lack of oxygen. Neither hand let up. If anything, the one at your throat tightened in response, while the one half-buried in your cunt gave a sharp thrust that forced a breathless squeal from you.

"God, you sound like a fucking pig," he spat, twisting his fingers to hit your G-spot roughly. Your whole body twitched aggressively as a jolt of pleasure and pain shot through you. "How pathetic do you have to be to get off to this?"

You started off moaning in reply, but the sound quickly escalated to a shriek as his fingers took up an absolutely brutal pace fucking you.

It wasn't long before you were caught in a silent, air-deprived scream as he brought you to another orgasm, your pussy sorely constricting around his fingers.

And yet, even through and beyond your second orgasm, he didn't let up on fingerfucking you brainless -- though, blessedly, he did release his hold on your throat long enough for you to chase away that dark edge around your vision.

You whimpered as his hand slotted back into place around your bruising neck, whimpered as he brought you to yet another orgasm. There were tears in your eyes as more pain than pleasure built in your core.

"What's your record for consecutive orgasms?" he asked you, as if you had a single functioning brain cell left with which to answer. Luckily, he didn't need you to. "Four? We're just one off now... I think you're desperate enough for more. Think you can take six, you fucking whore? I bet you could take more, you're such a fucking slut."

You wanted to shake your head, considered maybe even asking him to stop -- but all thoughts were forcefully vacated from your mind as he made quick work of your ability to focus with just one dig of his fingers into your G-spot. Another followed, then another, until you were a squealing, shaking mess.

You wriggled in an attempt to escape the oncoming orgasm, but Cale's hand on your throat kept you pinned. Wailing, you came undone with full force, body quaking and fluid gushing from your cunt to coat his fingers and the sofa beneath you.

"Fuck," he grunted, "did you just squirt?" He asked as if you had any ability to answer. "You're cleaning that up."

That would have to be a problem for Later You. The problem for Now You was still ongoing, as Cale was clearly intent on a fifth orgasm despite how overstimulated you were, how bruised you were, how broken you were.

But you couldn't protest -- not because of any physical constraints. The moment you even so much as mouthed your safe word, he'd stop. But despite the pain and bruising and your body begging for relief, you simply didn't want to stop him.

So through tears and bruises he brought you to yet another orgasm that left you screaming.

After that, he withdrew from you, and you thought your ordeal was over. He pulled your limp body up by the ring on your collar and wrapped you in his arms, pressing his lips to your sweat-slicked temple. "One more," he said gently. "Just one more. I know you've got it in you."

Your head rolled as you attempted to nod.

"You're such a good girl, aren't you?"

You rolled your head again.

"You've been so good for me. I think you've more than earned my cock. Wouldn't you agree, my sweet little bunny?"

You felt a rush of arousal in your cunt and forced yourself to really nod.

You were sore -- so very, very sore. Bruised, even. You thought you might die if you came again. But you wanted his cock inside you.

No. You desperately needed it inside you.

He rearranged your bodies so that he was in the place you'd been occupying, with you on top straddling his lap. You were too limp to be much help, little more than a drooling mess on his shoulder, so he did all the work getting his cock out and lining it up with your pussy.

He pressed a kiss to your forehead as he ran a hand through your hair down to your neck, where he stopped to hold you close and steady. "Are you ready, bunny?" he asked softly. The gaze you lay on him was heavy and hazy, but it came with a nod. Another kiss was planted on your cheek, and then he thrust up.

You mewled as your cunt contracted weakly when it found itself suddenly filled. He gave you a moment to adjust, whispering sweet nothings until your body relaxed around him. Then, slowly, he pulled his hips back, just to thrust up again.

Carefully, after he'd found a slow and steady beat that wasn't too demanding of you, his hand trailed down to your clit and started looping it in lazy circles.

Despite the pain that made you want to sob, you moaned into his shoulder as the muscles in your core began coiling.

But Cale was nothing if not careful, and any time he felt you get too close, he paused his ministrations, letting you come down before starting up again.

It wasn't so much that he didn't want you to cum -- you knew, somewhere in the fog, that he wanted that more than anything. More than that, though, you suspected he probably wanted you to share your last orgasm with him.

You wanted that, too, despite what you had to go through to get there.

He was getting closer, now, though. His slow and steady thrusts were getting harder and more erratic. His fingers on your clit were growing clumsier. And he didn't bother stopping when he could tell you were getting close.

Another minute and he stilled, cock twitching inside you. A moment later and warmth flooded your cunt, pushing you over the edge into your sixth orgasm. You jerked weakly, hips twitching to escape his still circling fingers. They slowed but didn't stop until you'd come all the way down.

"That's it," he cooed into your ear, kissing a spot on your jaw just below it. "That's a good girl. God, you were so good tonight, bunny." Knowing it was over, you flushed at his praise, looking up at him with a hazy gaze and a fuckdumb smile. "Oh, look at you," he said, beaming as he took you in. "You're gorgeous. Perfect, even."

You made tired, indecipherable sounds as he placed a kiss onto your drool-slicked lips. "Let's get you to bed, now," he said softly, carefully moving to a stand and taking you with him. "I'm afraid you might drown or fall if we try to clean you up tonight."

You didn't protest as he carried you through the house, up the stairs, and into his room. Hell, you weren't even awake when he laid you gently on the bed and pulled the covers over you, nor when he slipped in beside you and pulled you flush against his chest.

And you certainly weren't awake when he whispered "I love you" into your ear.

[be-my-ally]

Throw Me

co-authored with @thatbanditqueen (and alpha'd/edited/perfected by @whositmcwhatsit)

So, this took us forever + a day (entirely my fault - poor Norah had to put up with me abandoning the document and then popping back in all ‘c’mon now let’s finish this week!’ and falling asleep on her and making her do all the writing)  - this all started from a wonderful, fantastic, delicious collaborative fantasy (masterminded, if I remember correctly, by @thatbanditqueen) between @whositmcwhatsit, @ellie-24 and @vintageshanny and myself - about how delicious it would be to be taught karate by elvis.

Now, in turning this into fic some things changed but, I'm pretty sure that just means that everyone needs to write karate fic asap; i think @ellie-24 had some excellent suggestions about jewellery and @vintageshanny on deliciously torn pants & @whositmcwhatsit on the joys of mirrors and chairs (please I still need all of these). More elvis karate fic in the world is needed.

warnings: 18+ ...karate, being taught karate, elvis doing karate, all the karate, elvis pulls a gun (in play), p in v sex - it gets cute and sappy by the end.

pairing/summary: 1974 elvis x female oc -- Olivia's been invited to Graceland for the week and Elvis takes the opportunity to teach her some moves.

wc: 9.3k

Summer/Fall 1974 Graceland

“S’alright honey, you’ll jus’ take off your shoes anyway, so c’mon.”

Olivia looked up from where she had paused in the hallway, her long, ash blonde swaying in time to the impatient snaps of Elvis’ fingers. She stopped unbuckling the clasp on her purple platform shoes, glancing up with her light blue eyes to where Elvis stood in his gi. His shoulders were so taut that it made his uniform’s red collar stick straight up, broad and athletic. 

Pulling on his collar, she ran a finger over his warm neck as she tried to summon the allure to distract him away from what would be the fourth, the fourth, karate class this week. She hesitated when she thought she saw Elvis’ eyes flicker with a teasing glint as she ran her hand through her hair, but she still tried, making her voice breathy and girlish. 

“Why don’t we take a break from the lessons and you can just show me some moves alone. Upstairs.”  

Elvis smirked and shook his head. “Nah uh, now, this is important. Billy’s already down at the gate gathering up the other gals, so we gotta hop to it. They have clean robes there, baby.” 

With a loud slap to her butt, Elvis grinned and the discussion was over as she followed him out of the house and towards the carport. 

Olivia leaned back in her seat as they drove to the karate studio, thinking of the last time she had been to Memphis. That week had been a dreamy unreal blur of swimming, BBQ, late night jam sessions and pranks at Graceland. When Joe had called last week and asked if he could fly her up to Memphis, Olivia had squealed and immediately packed her travel bag for another romantic week at Graceland.

Man oh man, had she been wrong. The very first day had dashed her expectations to bits when Elvis had taken an hour away from her to have a screaming match over the phone, with whom was not mentioned, and Olivia didn’t dare ask, although she suspected Linda Thompson. Then came the news about the attacks downtown. Elvis had heard the call over his police scanner about another rape downtown, the fifteenth this month in a series of assaults on young women in Memphis, all believed to be perpetrated by the same blonde guy in a ski mask. He became obsessed with “solving the case” - his police badge permanently hanging around his neck like a real detective, and he spent an extremely long time planning how he could lead an elite group of his mafia in tracking that “sonofabitch down and showing him what happens to rapists in ma home town,” until Sonny had talked him down, or rather, redirected him to teaching girls self defense. Thus, Elvis was now convinced that Olivia, and any other female in a five mile radius, needed to learn how to protect themselves. And he knew just which karate master had been put on this earth to teach them. And so she spent every afternoon at the dojo. 

The dojo wasn’t all bad. Elvis was cute in his uniform, and when he grunted doing moves, oh brother. But she felt uncomfortably awkward when he called her up to practice in front of everyone, all eyes on her. And, perhaps even worse was his insistence on going around the room; making her watch him with all the other girls they rounded up at the gate to come learn self defense.

Olivia felt as though she were in the crush of fans going to a concert as they walked upstairs to the karate studio. Elvis turned at the top of the stairs, swinging his arms, a big, boyish smile cresting his cheeks when he looked down at the eager karate students below him as if he were leading them to the promised land, instead of a large, wood paneled dojo that smelled like sweaty boys.

Feeling shy and very out of her element. Olivia slowly meandered through the dressing room tying the white band at her waist, and then immediately slinked to the back of the classroom to hideout while she watched the lesson.

Elvis introduced himself, an earnest, serious expression on his face as he spoke to the class, arms rising and expanding on either side as he spoke about the dojo, pausing for dramatic effort between sentences. 

“Here, in the confines a this room, I’m not Elvis Presley, I’m not an entertainer, I’m just a simple karate master. Mister Tiger. That’s the name I was given, s’meaningful, cuz the tiger, in Japan, where he is called the kanji, he is a symbol of brav’ry, of strength, and the tiger there protects people from evil. And that’s what I do, and that’s what we’re doing here today, ladies. Me, and these other karate masters here, we are gonna protect you by teaching you how to protect yourself.”

Mister Tiger then led them in a long, rambling guided meditation replete with even more tangential bible verses than yesterday. Today, apparently, was an auspicious day to learn self defense. It was also an auspicious day to do karate in white go go boots. There were others amongst the cadre of masters at the front of the room who wore colored robes: black, blue,or the patriotic print of the American flag. But none of them looked like Elvis, with his eye make up, resplendent flared out pants with bows and shiny, red satin lining. He could easily have been on stage in Vegas, and, yet, he seemed completely at home at the front of the room explaining how to gouge out a man’s eyes, and beckoning Red up for a demo.

The lessons had a formula to them. Elvis would start by beckoning David and Red up to play the role of alternating assailants while he played the role of the lady, pretending to cry out in despair before turning with a growl and vehemently demonstrating a technique to grab, strike and flip over a male attacker. He was utterly captivating as he grew progressively sweatier in his gi, smiling with glee each time he threw Red or David to the floor, or when the blush spread across his cheeks when Master Rhee praised him.

Then came the mechanics, as Elvis concocted more elaborate and involved scenarios in which an assailant would come at you with a gun down an alley, or catch you on the stairs at a car park. This was followed by longer and longer demonstrations as Mister Tiger showed the audience every possible strike to disarm and take down Red, step-by-step. The throat, groin and knee were the money shots, Elvis explained, then showed them how to hit Red in each spot, grunting with a scowl as he jabbed his friend in the nuts. By the time that part of the lesson concluded itself with Red insistently tapping out Elvis was shining with a layer of perspiration, strands of hair stuck to his forehead as he leaned into his thighs. In action, he commanded Olivia’s full attention. But then during his lectures, Elvis would get intensely serious, his explanations became more drawn out, and it became harder and harder to stay focused.

Staring out of the window, Olivia lost herself in a daydream of her and Elvis driving away in the convertible she could see parked just below. Alone. She was, however, suddenly roused from these delightful thoughts by the sound of clapping, the women applauding as Elvis announced his demonstrations were over. She turned to find a line of women snaking around the mats waiting to start practicing some of the moves with Red, Dick and Bill, while Elvis paced between them, correcting the girls' stances and flirting with them in hushed tones as they giggled. 

Olivia stood too, trying to blend into the background as she walked along the back of the room, gliding her hand over the stack of mats. She turned to see Elvis with his hand on another girl’s back and she sighed, reminding herself that it was all part of the lesson, all part of who Elvis was, it didn’t mean anything. She shifted back on top of the mats, catching him staring at her, and her legs froze mid swing, his eyes narrowed and his hand still on the other woman. If he thought she was going to get in line like any other random stranger and humiliate herself trying to flip over Red, he had another thing coming. She wasn’t doing it again.

Nope, no sirreee. Sports were not her thing, she had almost fainted yesterday when he called her up to model a strike to David’s chest. Yes, the attacks downtown were awful, but the truth was that she still wasn’t comfortable attacking anyone, or even pretending to, and nor did she have any intention of going alone into the alleys of downtown Memphis any time soon. George had introduced them, what, two months ago? And in the intervening time, Joe had now called her three times, inviting her to come up to Memphis to spend a week with Elvis while he was home from touring. In all her visits, Olivia had learnt that the only place she was ever really alone in Graceland were the bathrooms. She smiled feebly at Elvis’ pursed lips, and settled back on the stack of mats to wait.

It was another hour before Elvis felt satisfied that every woman in the room had gotten the opportunity to scream at one of the guys and flip him over onto the mat. With Elvis’ tutelage, they also got to strike David or Red in the throat, heart and nutsack. At least once; though Elvis had encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity and have as many goes at the boys as they desired. One short, slender woman had attacked both guys in the nuts with each of her limbs twice, shouting a loud “hiya!” every time. A girl sitting next to Olivia explained, “Oh that’s just Sapphire, she’s a elementary school teacher. SO, you know.”

Exhausted and grumpy, the guys began shepherding the group out and Olivia jumped off the mats to join them, stopping and furrowing her brow as she watched Elvis whisper with Billy and then thank Master Kang Rhee, looking over at her as they spoke. They were suddenly alone in the studio, and Olivia began to walk backwards into the tower of mats as Elvis advanced towards her.

“So, don you need to learn any a this, huh?” 

Olivia bit her lip, and awkwardly rubbed her hands together as she tried to figure out how to get around him and maneuver them back to Graceland where they could maybe go for a swim and cuddle in bed and things could be sweet and fun and romantic like they had been on her last trip to Memphis.

“It’s not that, I just - I was never good at sports.  It’s embarrassing, Elvis - “

“You know, this ain’t Oxford, Mississippi, lil girl.” He narrowed his eyes at Olivia and pursed his lips, his boots landing with a thud as he slowly sauntered over with his hands on his hips. Or rather, right below, thumbs in the red satin belt of his gi.

Olivia sucked in her breath, mumbling, “I know, but I just -”

“Memphis might be the big city for you now, and you feel safe here ‘cause you’re with me. I get that, baby. But what if you get a modeling gig up in New York City? Hmmm? I ain’t always gonna be ‘round.” He shook his head, tutting at her in admonishment.  

He quirked his eyebrow at her. “C’mon, walk that fine little bottom over here, Lolly. Ain’t gonna have you leave without learning some moves.” It was not a question, but a command.

Olivia pushed herself off the mats, slowly making her way over to Elvis despite a sense of foreboding. She immediately felt him crowd behind her, the warmth of his chest and stomach, warm and sweaty from the lessons, now pressed against her back as he clutched her close. He positioned them both to face the mirror set into the paneling of the wall of the room, 

“Right then honey, just like this, you gotta plant your feet like this. ” She nodded, although she was immediately distracted from watching where he placed his legs by the feeling of his hands gathering up her long hair into a ponytail in his palm and brushing it over one shoulder. She sucked in a shiver.

“Pay attention now, this is important - you see?” He spread his legs - demonstrating behind her and nudging her with his boot to spread her feet further apart. Paying attention was almost impossible when he leaned in to rest his chin against her neck before he pointed at the mirror. The room was silent except for the sound of their breath as Elvis corrected her stance.

“Nah, honey, see.” His hands were at her waist, roughly trying to angle her towards her front knee. 

Olivia couldn’t decide if she should try harder or let him keep correcting her so she could enjoy the delicious feeling of his warm, sweaty hands moving over her body to work her into position. A herd of horses galloping over her chest, pulsing up through her ears from the strange mix of self-consciousness and arousal every time his fingers gently clenched around her. 

Something about performing karate made her self-conscious, it was the total opposite of how she felt modeling, which she had been doing since her mama started her in pageants as a little girl. This, this was unknown. The mirrors and strangers in the room had felt almost overwhelming and she’d yet to really try; feeling like everyone’s eyes had been on her from the moment Elvis held her arm while she climbed out of the car. Alone though, now, with his arms at her side, Olivia began to think she might be able to give it a go, and moved her feet apart. 

He tutted, “No, no, no, Lolly baby!” He shook his head and moved away from her shoulder to stand upright, gripping her waist and inserting his leg between hers. There was an insistent press from his knee to her thigh until she begrudgingly spread them further. “Just a little bit farther apart…” He huffed as he shimmied her legs open, murmuring against her hair, “for balance.” 

Olivia tried to reply, but her words caught in her throat, and she was unable to respond as she stared at his leg between hers in the mirror. She could feel his fingertips dig into her waist even through the heavy white cotton of her jacket.

“Now, honey, you should know this,” He breathed a laugh almost too close to her ear. “You gotta loosen up too, baby, let me position you.” He paused to move away and look her over, assessing her position. “This ain’t a tournament, we’re just playin’ aren’t we?”

“Yeah, we’re just playing.” She repeated back to him a little dumbly. He nodded and stepped back to anchor her body with his. He was still earnestly focused on instructing her, nudging her thighs with his leg again, forcing her to spread her legs wider before running his hands down to her hips, and maneuvering her to twist to the side. His warm breath was on the back of her neck just for a moment. She can feel herself tremble a little, shoulders twitching and she’s surprised he doesn’t seem to have felt it, shuddering when he presses his lips to her hair for the briefest of seconds. She stumbled back a little, losing her balance enough that she was forced to rest against him as she followed his body. Elvis was oblivious to the effect he was having on her and remained intent on getting her form right, sliding one hand down to her leg, spreading his own to allow him to reach further down, and pushing her forward - bending her knee himself while gripping onto her other thigh. Putting her with her front leg bent and low, and her back leg straight, long thick fingers tight on her thigh. 

“This is called zenkutsu dachi,” He pats her bent thigh, “this leg gives you a bit more power to your punches.” Olivia peers down at where his hand remains resting on her leg, and he uses his other to bring her chin to face directly in front of her. He takes a step back to look over her form, “Hmm, good.” 

Elvis moves around, circling her, before coming to a stop in front of her, and pulling at her hands where they’d rested by her sides, to form a fist. She instinctively tucks her thumb in and he rolls his eyes at her, tutting, 

“You haven’t been paying any kind of attention have you?” pulling her thumb back out. “Guess I’ll just have to start from scratch.” He stretches his own arm out front of himself, holding his hand flat vertically and demonstrating how he curls his fingers before twisting the fist horizontally. 

“Elvis -”

“Na uh, baby, Mister Tiger.”

Olivia rolled her eyes at his smirk.

“Oh, right. Mister Tiger. Aren’t you tired? Should we maybe head out?”

His eyes moved over her, his hands were back at his hips. “Sho honey, soon as you throw me. You get through an attack and throw me to the mat, then lickety split, we’re on our way home.”

Olivia giggled. “Elvis, I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”

His hand was back on her shoulder, rubbing it. “Sure you can, baby, cuz Imma teach ya. Right here. Now, come on. Let’s try that fist.”

She nods and watches him again, repeating the action with her own hand.

“So, you punch from here,” he slides his hands around her middle, “right round by this itty bitty waist of yours.” Then grips her newly formed fists and tugs them into the proper position. 

“Your hands rest here - you gotta return ‘em here whenever you finish with the move… Well, at least, as a beginner - and then from here you can step forward into an oi-zuki - that’s a punch like this.” Elvis’ brow furrowed in concentration, before he demonstrated with a shout. Olivia jumped a little, not expecting it, and he flashed her a grin. “The shout - that’s called a kiai.” He stands back up, strutting in front of her with his arms crossed, a fierce, boyish pride on his face.

“Now you give it a go.” She was a little nervous but still, she complied, performing for him and even remembering to return her fists back to the same position after. 

“No. You gotta do it with the kiai. Do it again.” 

“Slave-driver.” She was kidding, smiling as she said it, but his facial expression dropped.

“It takes time, Lolly, to get it right. You wanna half ass everything? Cuz I sure as hell don’t. This is real karate, only kind I know how. But if you ain’t even gonna try, I’m ain’t gonna bother trying to teach you. ‘S fine.” He looked to the side, pouting. He sighed loudly, “I jus, just worry about you, wanted you to know how to defend yourself…” 

“No - No, sorry - Elvis, sorry. You’re right. I do wanna learn… just-” She got back into position. “Show me how it goes again.” He huffed, but then moved into the position to show her again, perking up as he began to take her through it a second time.

“Now your turn.” Olivia mimicked the move, feeling ridiculous as she copied Elvis’ shout this time.

“See, There’s my good lil’ Lolly Ollie. If you lead with the other arm now, that's a gyaku zuki.” She does as he says and he nods, grinning at her efforts. 

“Good girl.” Her tummy flips, as it still does every time he gives her praise she quickly tries to collect herself when he waves a hand as if to make her do it again, and she does, but she pauses after bringing her fists back to her waist. 

“Not that I’m not enjoying the lesson El - I mean Mister Tiger, but can we get to the throwing part? I…weren’t you gonna show me how to defend myself?” He huffs again. 

“Well, yeah. But I gotta teach you the basics first.” His voice takes on an expository tone as he rests his hands on his hips, “It takes a who-ole lot of practice to get this good.” Olivia smiles back at him, 

“And, you are very good at it too.” Despite her best efforts he won’t be deterred, simply agreeing with her. 

“Exactly, so listen up.”

“Perhaps you should just…let me watch?” Elvis looks her over for a moment, blue eyes narrowing, and she’s taken aback when, after a moment, he nods in agreement. 

“Well, I suppose a li’l demonstration might help… yeah, yeah you know what - actually, since you’ve not been paying attention in class, it’ll be useful.” He gives her a stern look, “I’ll have to do my best without a partner, but it’d probably do you good to watch me for a little while.” 

His eyes barely leave himself in the mirror, only occasionally sneaking a glance to see her reaction after he does what he deems to be a more impressive move. It was mesmerizing to watch him reflected around her, alone, moving his body in quick, fluid strokes, all around her. His grunts echoing through the empty studio. His powerful mix of raw passion and discipline remind her of his stage presence, those moments he seemed to go inward and close his eyes and let the energy of the music take over and move his entire body in an electric fit of kicks and thrusts. His voice brings her back to the here and now, alone, on the mat in the dojo, he doesn’t notice the awe and desire in her eyes at first, but then he pauses as he speaks, quirking his head at her and blushing slightly in recognition at her attentive, wide-eyed stare.

“Now Lolly, don’t look at me like that, won’t be able to finish this lesson. “ He slapped her bottom, and stepped aside. “Alright, that was just some blocks, but you’ll need to know more than that if someone grabs you. So, look - c’mere,” He maneuvers her around, pulling her to slightly in front of him “and just, that’s it, stand right there.” 

“Oh…kay.” She obediently goes where he tugs her.

“Right, now, try and grab me.” 

“I’m not doing that - you’ll hurt me!” He smirks, shaking his head. Her voice turns even more shrill, “You were just telling me you’re an expert!” 

“I won’t hurt you, lil gal, I won’t even let you touch the floor, just gotta show you where to place your arms.” He shrugs, exaggerated sad frown on his face, although his tone was unsympathetic, “If only you’d watched earlier… then you wouldn’t have to.” 

“Elv-is! Seriously - I’m not sure about-“ He looks at her flatly, unamused by her protestations, 

“Lolly,” He elongates the vowel making it seem like he was mimicking her, “jus shut up and grab me.” 

Nervous and still not comfortable trying to hurt someone, she half-heartedly tries to grab Elvis from behind. He shakes his head, smiling a little as he starts to mime out throwing her to the floor. 

“So you needta put your arm ‘round em, just like this.” He twists to grip her torso, while sliding his leg around her, “And then, you place your foot here,” She finds that the move tucks her legs between his thighs and she can already sense how he’s about to drop her just from the pressure of the angle, “and then, you push ‘em off balance, with your other hand.” He puts his palm to her other shoulder, pushing a little. “Then you use that momentum to push them to the floor.” He shoves a little harder, before grasping the lapels of her jacket and pulling her back upright. Situating her between his legs again. “Told you I wouldn’t drop you.” 

Olivia finds herself slightly disoriented with the sudden movement, and the squeeze of his thighs against hers, he’s so close he’s blocking her view of everything but his body. Her entire world is enveloped by Elvis in his karate gi. He blows off a puff of hair, tickling the top of Olivia’s head, and she shivers against him, immediately missing his heat when he steps back. 

“Now you try on me.” He grins, “You can put me on the floor if you like.” 

Olivia tries, she really does, but it’s an awkward angle and she can’t quite seem to wrap her hand far enough around to get a good enough grip to make him fall off-balance. He huffs when she struggles to make him move even an inch, 

“C’mon, Lolly, harder - you can do it.” She tries again and Elvis laughs, “You are trying to throw me aren't you?” 

She huffs, teasing back, “Of course!” 

Elvis shoots her a grin, waggling his eyebrows in a challenge.

“Well - actually do it then.” 

She rolls her eyes, but attempts the move, and it only takes a couple more tries before she manages to hook her leg in just the right way to push him over. He smiles proudly at her from his prone position. “That’s it! Good girl!” He launches himself back up, brushing himself off, “See - I knew you could do it!” Olivia nods smiling back at him, 

“It wasn’t that hard really…”  

He lifts an eyebrow, pulling her towards him, fingers curled into the belt of her jacket. 

“So, that’s how to get them to the floor - but what if you have to fight? Kicking is more effective than punching for defense. So now watch.” He shakes her a little when she doesn’t immediately respond, furrow forming in his brow.  “Lolly.’ His voice is serious, earnest, “This is important.” She nods, 

“Sorry! I’m listening. I am. Show me,” He’s still frowning, “Please?”  He doesn’t respond but moves to the side of her to demonstrate,

“For the first, you bring up this leg.” He waits for her to follow, lifting her knee up to a 90 degree angle. “This is called chambering, so you gotta bring up your knee to ‘chamber’ the kick - for, uh, control.” She nods, “And then, you can, uh, flick it up, like this.” 

She tries to do as he does but he immediately comes around to hold her hips.

“No. Not like that. You’ve gotta push through with it, with power - not all… loose and floppy, like that.” He shakes his hands around her hips, mimicking the words as he says them. “Do it again.” She tries again, “Hmm, better.” She brings her foot back down, but he catches her ankle before she can, causing her to stumble a little. 

“Elvis.” She stands upright again, crossing her arms across her chest. “What’s the point of this?” He pouts, mirroring her pose, rubbing his hand down his arm. 

“Honey, your assailant ain’t gonna just stand there and let you flip him. You gotta learn how to really kick that motha out when comes atchya. But If you wanna be attacked by drugged out commies, raped and murdered - boom, bang - BAM, fine, go ahead!” 

He starts to stalk away from her, although she grabs his arm before he can get too far, and though he looks down at her hand with distaste he doesn’t immediately shrug her off. 

“No - no, Elvis, I do. I want to learn, please - pleaase?” He huffs, but nonetheless turns back around and walks back over to the middle of the mat gesturing for her to come back beside him. Olivia tries again but she’s immediately met with a huff.

“No - you’re still not listenin’ to me, and you’re still not paying attention to your goddamn hands. Now you’re using them too much - they’re meant to help you balance, not drive the whole kick.” He’s taken on a particularly patronizing didactic tone, and it does little to make her less irritated. She tries again and he rolls his eyes, 

“... Now, look - let’s try something else.” He looks around for a moment, before his hands come up to fiddle with his black and red belt tied around his waist. He looks up at her, calculatingly, somehow she knows what he’s about to suggest, and she holds up her arms as if to ward him off,

“Oh no, no. Elvis, that won’t help - don’t you even think about it!” He smirks back at her, eyebrow lifting to almost touch his sweaty hair sticking to his forehead.

“Yes Elvis.” He repeats back at her as he unties the belt, curling it around his hand as he does.  She lets out a squeak as he looks over at her, his jacket already starting to fall open of its own accord. She shakes her head while he nods, his face becomes tender.

“Aw, now Lolls, trust me, sweetheart, this will help you focus. Master Rhee tied mine to help me learn how to focus on my legs. I won’t hurt you, promise.” 

This time, when he reaches out to grab her arms she doesn’t protest letting him grasp her hands. He unrolls his red satin belt and slowly loops it over her wrists, tying it with a satisfied nod. 

“Now. Try again.” 

She does as he says, but wobbles not being able to steady herself with her hands. 

“Still not quite. Look, just sit there an’ watch me.”

It’s hard to focus with his jacket now flying open as he demonstrates a seemingly long-winded Kata. Her attention drifted to his tan stomach, the trail of dark hair peeking out from between the white cotton on the gentle swell of his tummy, his skin almost glowing with the light layer of drying sweat that covered him. He suddenly pauses, eyes dark as he looks directly at her “Are you payin’ attention?” She nods frantically, 

“Of course! Of course I am!” 

“Gonna ask you to prove it in a sec. Now watch.” 

He does it again, and she squirms against the smooth glass of the mirror, unable to stop her thighs clenching. Finally, he finishes, striding over to her, undoing her hands to wrap the belt back around his waist. Her stomach flips at his closeness, the touch of his fingers grazing over hers as he helps her up

He smacks her butt again, with a chuckle.

“Alright, Lolly, show me whatcha got.” 

Then Elvis sits down on a chair, getting himself comfortable with his thighs spread and his legs out. 

She closes her eyes in an attempt to center herself back to the task at hand again. Only to jump, hard, when the next thing she knows Elvis’ arms are wrapped around her and there’s the cold metal of the tiny pistol he’d been showing off earlier in the class being pressed against her body. 

“What the hell, Elvis!” 

“How’d you get out of this now?” She struggles against him, trying to wrench herself out of his hold, “C’mon,” He’s growling into her ear, low and rumbly “C’mon, Oh-liv-ia, now, how would’ya get yourself free?” 

“Elvis - this isn’t funny, get offa me!”

“Elvis!” He repeats back, affecting a shrill, mocking tone. “Get offa me!” He teases, and it riles her up, as he intended, but now her movements are focused. 

 “Now. See this is why we havta practice, cuz women go emoti’nal when a bad guy grabs ‘em, just natural, that’s why we gotta run it again ‘til you know you can get it.”

Somehow in the haze of her frustration she manages to shove him back, and gets her knee into the right position to be able to sweep his leg out, using the force of his grip around her to topple him off balance - although she goes straight down with him, falling on top of him with a startled yelp, and a grunt from him on impact. 

“See. I told you you could do it Lolly girl!” He chuckles, breath tickling her ear, 

He rolls her over, notching his knees on either side of her waist, his hands almost instinctively pinning hers above her head. She can feel the heat of his belly pushing into her, and she rocks ever-so-slightly against him. He blows away the strands of hair that have fallen out on her face, his hands still holding her secure against him. 

“If I really tried you wouldn’t be able to get away.” She squirms a little, not really trying that hard to get out of his grip.

“I don’t wanna get away.”

The smirk on his face turned to a sweet, boyish smile. “Hmmm, that right?”

Olivia moved her forefingers inward to tickle his palms.

“Uh huh, got you right where I want you, mister tiger.”

Elvis leaned forward, loosening the tight grip he had on her wrists to palm over her hands, pressing them into the mat. His breath was warm on her neck as he spoke.

“Grrrrrrr”

They both start to laugh at his silly growls, but then, all of a sudden, the laughing stopped, replaced by an intense, lingering stare. Elvis trailing his thumb down her jaw, and she could feel a twitch between his legs, where he pressed into her. A hunger grew in his eyes as he thrust forward slightly.

“Time to go.”

He jumped back like a rubber band snapping into place, and held out his hand to pull her up. Startled, and not a little disorientated Olivia smoothed down her top.

“Ok, I’ll just go change -”

“Nah, leave it on.” 

He kept a tight hold of her wrist, not letting her stray as he bends with a slight grunt, tugging his white boots back on with a stomp of each foot. Elvis pulled her closer, his arms enclosing her, and turning her around as they looked into the mirror. Olivia could feel him prodding into the small of her back, as he tightened his grip around her. Just the warmth of his skin grazing the curve of her breasts made her nipples tingle and harden. He seemed to feel the longing rising up from her core as he leaned closer, resting his chin into her neck as he looked at their reflection, his fingers grazing over her bosom as he drew his hand across her body.

“I like the way it looks on you, baby.” 

Olivia pushed off of him, and turned, walking backwards towards the door. 

“Yeah, I bet you got a good view looking up at me from the floor when I threw you, Mister Tiger!” she giggled, waggling her eyebrows playfully as Elvis shook his head and followed her.

“Ha, only reason you threw me is cuz I wanted you to throw me, honey. Trust that. Looks like you forgot the most important lesson in karate.” 

There was a playful bravado in his eyes as he quickened his stride, the sound of his white boots squished over the vinyl mats. Olivia let out a nervous laughter and turned to look over her shoulder as she stumbled back, turning just in time to see him grab her and throw her over his shoulder. 

“Respect your sensei.”

The stairway echoed with the sound of Elvis’ hand slapping her butt and Olivia’s shrieks and giggles as he carried her towards the car. He seemed unphased by Red’s impatient glare as he and David leaned against the Stutz, smoking. Elvis’ eyes were focused on Olivia, and he looked over at her in silence as they drove back to Graceland, a goofy, boyish grin on his face as she leaned into his shoulder. He shook his head as she slyly swiped her hand over his thigh, feathering just above his groin. 

Once they were back at the house, Olivia hurried out of the car as he grunted his thanks to the boys. She was almost down the hallway behind the kitchen when he caught up with her, pinching her at her waist to walk behind her.

“Hmmmm, this kinda behavior fly with your teachers back in Oxford?”

A warmth spreads through her chest at the way his arms embraced her, and Olivia turned, wrapping her hands around his neck, almost overwhelmed by the tenderness she feels towards Elvis, whispering into his neck.

“Ugh, all my professors are old fuddy duddies, where’s the fun in teasing them.”  

She looks up, meeting Elvis eyes and swallowing at the intense desire bubbling up her throat. Recognition spread through his body, and his bottom lip dropped open as he scooped her up and carried her up the narrow back staircase behind the den. 

“Good baby, that’s good. Can’t bear the idea of you even talkin’ to another man.”

Elvis settles his hands at her bottom, fingertips gripping hard into the tops of her thighs as he hoisted her a little higher on him, dropping her down upstairs as he leads her through the walk-in closet and bathroom. The backway to his room.

All of a sudden, Elvis seems to become shy, rubbing his hands as he looks down at her feet. Olivia knows this mating ritual well, Elvis’s shift from confident bossman in front of the guys to fumbling, unsure boy. Olivia runs her fingers up his gi, trailing over the shiny, red satin of his uniform’s trim, to pull on his belt, though not too much, anxious to let him take the lead. 

“S’not fair, your uniform is so much nicer than mine.” She pouts.

Elvis’ voice becomes a low, breathy whisper. “Aw, now, Lolly, if you really think you wanna learn more now, I can get you a gi just like mine, baby.” 

He nuzzles her neck as he speaks, and Olivia leans into his nose.

“I do wanna learn more, E, I think.” She runs her hands up his side with longing. “I think I’m starting to like karate.”

Elvis arched his eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Well, I do have a pretty hot teacher.” She giggled. “He showed me some pretty slick moves today.” She bites her lip, drawing him backwards to the bed.

“Hmm, that right?”

Olivia cocks her eyebrow up, and before Elvis realizes it, she turns inward, hitches her foot behind his heel, and tries to grip him and toss him on the bed. He wobbles, but deflects and they tumble backwards together. 

“See, honey, I told you I let you throw me before -” She pouts, she wasn’t entirely unsuccessful - he’s still ended up exactly where she wanted him to be. “Aw - no, don’t look at me like that Lolly, baby - you just, you just need some more practice that’s all.” He pats at her cheek, encouraging her to look at him, “just a few more lessons, then I’m sure you’ll be able to get me good.” Olivia nods, lips softening out of their pout at his earnest expression, thumb rubbing the corner of her mouth.

Her eyes try to track his fingers, and it’s as if he suddenly becomes aware of the charged atmosphere again. His lips quirk as he trails his hand down her side, causing her to tremble against him. She turns, rolling even closer, and he twists himself to lean over her a little, thumb idly stroking her soft, pebbling, skin. It made her chest tighten with longing, and she lifted her hips to thrust into him. His hand trails down to her hip, his fingers continuing to caress the soft skin under her thick cotton of her uniform.. 

His fingers went to the drawstring of her pants, stumbling in his haste and desire to get the cord undone. She chuckles a little as he accidentally tightens the knot, swearing under his breath, before he manages to finally pull the cords free, the elasticated waistband now loose enough for him to comfortably slip his hand under. He draws it out, and Lolly is left to gasp and struggle to hold somewhat still as his fingers toy with her, gently sweeping across her belly button brushing lower into her soft curls and back - taking it as slowly as he can.  The thought pops into her head that it feels strange to be touched without feeling the skin-warmed metal or the delicate claws of a setting of one of his rings pressing against her skin - just his bare hands for once. It feels more charged in some way, raw. He grins at her when she issues a soft whine, and he stills her hand from pulling on his trousers. 

“Mmmhmmm, now, good things come to good lil girls who wait.”

“Oh god, El-vis. Please, touch me.” He chuckles, breathy and low. 

“Patience Lolly darling, waited all afternoon for you like this - just let me enjoy you, hm?” Her legs parted further almost entirely by themselves, and Olivia bit her lip at Elvis’ cocky, boyish smirk at her response. 

“Gonna be a good girl?”

“Mmmmhmmm.” 

She lay back, ceding him all control as her hands fell back over her head. His fingers pull on the white belt, releasing her top, revealing her pale, silky milk white breasts. She trembles at the sound of him sucking in air, grazing his knuckles over her belly to the bottom curve of her breast. Elvis pursed his lips and gently tugged at her left nipple, the subtle mix of pleasure and pain made her gasp, and she felt him twitch at his groin.

“Mmm, there she is, there’s my good baby.”

He leaned down to softly mouth over her other nipple, and the cool, wet feeling provoked another moan. All of her blood rushed to her core and her neck arched back. She hardly noticed how Elvis surreptitiously began to pull her pants off, the elasticated waistband of the gi slipping down easily, leaving her in little cotton panties. 

He doesn’t stop giving her nipple attention with his mouth, his hand still gently playing with the other, and Olivia can feel her pulse quickening, that slightly nauseating feeling that comes with being so rapidly turned on transforming into fluttering butterflies in her stomach as he shifts his lips to suck a love-bite on the velvety flesh of her breast. She meets his eyes, Elvis' gaze deepening as he pulls himself away to plant a soft, lazy kiss on her lips. It felt like she had needed him to kiss her all afternoon, and she couldn’t help herself. Once his mouth met hers, she greedily held him to her, pulling on his silk collar, just for a moment.

She giggled up into his mouth, feeling the distinct outline of an erection through his gi. She flipped her head back, looking at their reflection in the curved mirrors that lined the walls across from the bed.

Elvis’ was hunched over her, like a tiger over his prey. A tiger who was suddenly very tame, nipping at her neck. Tugging at his belt, she lets out a choked moan in surprise that he is totally nude underneath.

“Oh god, Elvisss - I.” 

Elvis has to look away at her gasp, and the hungry way she palms over his cock. Olivia finds her desire swell every time she is with him like this and gets to witness up close how shy he is in bed. She can feel him stiffen as he grins, and he cannot seem to stop the teasing way his eyebrow arches up in recognition of how his naked body, his jacket falling off of his shoulders, alone is enough to make her moan in pleasure. 

“Something you tryin’ to tell me, honey?” The laughter in his eyes tells her that he knows exactly what he’s doing to her - lowering his tone, quieting his voice until it's practically a deep, masculine, whisper. His hand trails down to run a single finger across the waistband of her panties, Olivia’s hips jolt as he toys with her - slipping further until he’s pressing the damp spot on her fabric. Her moan is stifled by his mouth, his tongue slipping into hers, and she is once again enveloped by him. The smell of the sweaty dojo that lingers along with his crisp aftershave, the warmth of his nose along her jaw, the sight of his chest hair above her. It takes every bit of focus that she has to move her hand over him again, touching him so that he can feel her desire.

But Elvis won’t be rushed, he takes his time, brushing over her clit through her underwear before finally tugging at the waist. She can tell from the way he waggles his eyebrows that he is enjoying this. Olivia should slap him for being so cheeky, but her arousal makes her lift her hips almost too eagerly as a giddy exhale escapes her throat. 

The cool, arctic air of Elvis’ bedroom is titillating on her bare skin, and she bucks up into his cupped hand, grinding into him and he lets out a sharp breath, almost a whistle at the way she slides against him, 

“Lordy, lordy lordy, like a caged alley cat, suddenly let out of its cage. Whatcha do with my good lil sorority gal, hmmm?”

“Uh-huh,” She wriggles, “Couldn’t - can’t help it, you, ah,” He slips his finger between the lips of her vulva, “something bout you, bout karate, makes me - ” she grinds into him again, another breathy giggle comes out when she meets his eye. “craazzzy.” 

“Huh, and here I thought you were bored, guess you were just playin’ it cool, huh?” He nudges her clit with his knuckle, “you like watchin’ me, lil girl?” 

She whines as he pulls himself away, tugging his jacket fully off, he hushes her, grinning, and leaning down to suck on her collarbone, just a teeny bit too high for her to cover. Olivia knows it will leave a hickey, and she’ll get a lecture from her house mother on lady-like behavior befitting a Chi Omega. But she doesn’t care, the way his lips are pressing into her and suckling, as his finger glides over her, around her, inside her, beckoning her to him like he beckoned his competitors to challenge him earlier. The full length of his soft, tapered fingers now slide back and forth along her clit and she rocks with them over the black satin sheets, chasing the electricity at their tips. She looks up into his eyes.

“Mhmmm. Watching you. But I liked it best - ” He plays it straight like he doesn’t know why she’s stopped talking, tilting his head at the way she cries out and gasps when his  fingers rub around her and she can’t stop the groan they summon. 

“Yesssss honey, you ok? What is that you like?”

Olivia shakes her head, her hips follow the measured, slow, movements of his hand inside her. Looking into his playful eyes, she can feel him fully hard against her stomach, and she can’t bear it much longer. In her past few times at Graceland she’d gotten used to the fact that he was nothing like the college boys she’d fooled around with in the past. Elvis was not a wham, bam, thank you ma’am lover. For him, the foreplay almost seemed as important, if not more so, and he seemed to enjoy pushing her. Right to the edge.

“I liked it when you worked one-on-one with me. I liked feeling you teach me.” She whispered, heart beating fast as she felt Elvis’ fingers still, while his left came up to cup her cheeks.

“Awww, baby, you like it when I teach you things? Honey -”  Elvis' voice dipped low into a sweet murmur as he leaned forward into her ear, and Olivia nodded, his hand guiding his penis to her entrance. “I’m jus getting started. Got all kinda moves I wanna show you.” 

He chuckled, bending into her neck as he laughed at his own corny lines. However, his momentary chuckle was swiftly replaced by a low growl as he thrust up inside her, and Olivia became incapable of replying. Snaking her arms over his shoulders, she tilted her hips to meet him, her heart pounding as he moved back deliberately, his mouth a terse, concentrated line, before they delved down to kiss her neck.

“You ok, honey?”

Olivia nodded her head, winding her hair through his fingers, the hot breath from his nostrils moistened her skin as he delved up into her once more, and she pushed back to let him know that she could take it, that she wanted it, that she liked it. 

“Uh uh, more than ok.” She whispered into his ear. “Been thinking about this all afternoon.”

Elvis hand swiped down to trail along the side of her rib cage, tenderly, enjoying the delicate feel of her soft skin, and then gripping her tighter as he plunged back into her, deeper, and more determined, encouraged by the succession of moans Olivia uttered in time with his hips. As if he were pounding them out of her in time with his own heavy panting gasps. 

She could no longer think, every move brought Olivia into the present and everything left her head until suddenly all she knows is the flare of Elvis’ nostrils over her, the silk of the sheets below her, and the reflection from the television sets in the ceiling above her that she calls out, babbling a succession of “oh - gods” out as Elvis’ increases his pressure, and the way he smiles at her praise and grins, leaves her breathless. His hips stutter a little, and his mouth hanging open, and she is consumed by the need to drink him in, and leans up to close the gap between them, capturing his mouth with hers and pulling him close with her arms entwined around his neck. Their movements become more erratic, desperate, unable to be close enough, completely absorbed in the moment, so much so that as they roll over once, then again, Olivia accidently hits her nose into Elvis' elbow.

He slows down, “You ok, baby?’

And she shakes her head, an urgency to her voice, “Mhmmm, don’t stop, don’t stop, please don’t stop.” Her hands cup his face, and he chuckles, rocking back into her, then moaning out as she grinds against him. 

He nibbles at her cheek, mouthing at her sweat-slicked skin as his hands glide up her sides - his palm and fingers spread out wide and flat on her back, holding Olivia to him. She throws her head back, inviting him to her neck and chest and he complies, leaving little wet marks as he presses open-mouthed kisses down her collarbone to the top of her breast. She can feel the sweat from his forehead as he works his way down, one of his hands sliding over to tweak a nipple. It sends an immediate zing to her core, and she pushes her hips harder into him as her orgasm washes out through her body.

“El, Elvis, oh mercy me, oh good lord - “

He smiles, a cocky, self-satisfied grin, which is short lived, replaced by the contortions of his own climax, and his kisses to her neck become a chain of fervent, wet, sloppy lips, as he murmurs into her skin.

 “Oh Lo-Lolly, my lil Lolly, bout to loose ma damn mind.” His voice wavered, and his hips start to stutter, and he chants her name as he pulsates into her, his forehead slumping into her breasts as they hold each other. 

Olivia looks up at the blurry reflection of his body over her in the blank television above. She blinked and let the cozy, warm afterglow of lovemaking over take her, leaning into his chest as he pants. The way his chest lifts her up and down, the way his heart is beating like a drum through his rib cage into her ear, the calm way he laughs as he grabs the nearest thing he can, the satin-lined karate uniform top, to wipe himself and throw it across the room, is all so endearing and comforting that it makes her tighten her embrace. She wishes she could just stay like this forever. She smiles into his hand, as his fingers trail down her cheek.

“You really are a beautiful girl, Lolly. Don’t know what I’d do if anythin’ ever happened to you.” 

The intense, sentimental look on Elvis’ face wasn’t lost on Olivia, in part, because it was so romantic, and so very different from the closed lipped boys back at Ole Miss. She could see some of her friends being intimidated by grand gestures, but Olivia longed for this, his open, candid way of just sharing whatever emotions he was feeling had been part of the charm that induced her to drop whatever she was doing, even ditch her classes, and visit whenever Elvis called and invited her to Graceland for a week.

When he looked at her like this, so earnestly sharing his sweet confession, it made Olivia want to pull him into her and kiss him fiercely, desperately showing him how much it meant to hear him care for her this way. 

“You could, you could just keep me by your side always.”

Elvis let his lips brush over hers. “Wish I could, sweetheart, keep this fine ass safe and sound.” 

There it is, a reminder that she is leaving tomorrow, and his plane will be flying her back to Oxford, back to school, back to her boring, mundane life and away from these arms. The reminder that he has other girls to spend time with and other promises to keep. She pushes the thought away, and puts a smile on her face, she doesn’t want to lose this moment or let her disappointment get to her. As if reading her mind, Elvis distracts her soon enough by grabbing her waist, and working his hand down to gently cup her bottom, massaging his fingers around the bottom of her cheeks and grinning at her gasp. 

“Yeah, that’s the one. Finest lil tail in all a Memphis.”

“Stop.”

The tone of her voice encouraged Elvis to squeeze her butt harder, before returning to rub her shoulder.

“S’ok baby, I’ll sleep better knowing you have some basic defense moves now to pro-tect ya self. T’weren’t half bad.”

Olivia runs her fingers through his chest hair, then sits up to look down at him.

“Half bad? Elvis Presley,” she effected a grand, dame accent.  “I do de - clare, I think you forgot that I threw you, Twice.”

He shakes his head.

“Hhhh, so you think that makes you a baaadd mumbo jumbo, huh?”

She nods, giggling as he pulls her back to him. 

“Uhh-huh, what was it you called the guy, the one attacking all these women?” She puts on his accent and tone, deepening her voice to imitate him, “That guy ain’t just bad, he’s double-bad.” She speaks like herself again, “Guess that’s me now. Double-bad. Can take down a karate master.” She strokes his arm, poking him with one manicured finger to emphasize the syllables. He shakes his head, 

“Just you wait. I just let you so you’d get the technique down. Soon as I can walk again, we’re gonna have another lesson here. Better believe.”

Olivia fixes him with a teasing glare.

“Huh, well get ready, baby, cuz you're the one who’s gonna get a lesson.”

“That right?”

“Mhmmm. And a mouth full a humble pie.”

Her shrieks and his laughter echo through the room as they roll back and forth in a contest of wills, trying to pin each other down until they accidentally roll off the bed, and erupt into another fit of laughter with Olivia, once more, on top of Elvis. 

“See, that’s the third time. Admit it, I threw you, fair and square.”

He gazes up at her, his thumbs rove her belly from her waist, where they hold her.

“Ok, honey, you threw me. Threw me good.”

taglist: @lookingforrainbows @literally-just-elvis-fics @missmaywemeetagain @peskybedtime @shakerattlescroll�� @arrolyn1114 @from-memphis-with-love @powerofelvis @dkayfixates

[loustyleshtommo]

Taylor Swift’s TTPD Song Theory: The Alchemy

I believe The Alchemy is about Karlie Kloss showing up at the Eras Tour postpartum, while Travis Kelce is another red herring.

He’s a counterfeit; She is 24 karat magic in the air~

This is Taylor writing from Karlie’s perspective:

The Alchemy

This happens once every few lifetimes.

It’s how IVF works. Not all embryos get implanted. Not all pregnancies are viable. (Higher miscarriage rate than traditional conception). It feels like a miracle when it results in a healthy baby.

These chemicals hit me like white wine./He jokes that it’s HEROIN but this time with an ‘E’

Epidural used to assist childbirth can make you feel drowsy. That’s where the ‘E’ comes from. Mama also had to give up white wine due to pregnancy, so she hadn’t felt tipsy in a while.

Heroin + e = Heroine

Taylor in Don’t Blame Me: My drug is my baby I’ll be using for the rest of my life

Reputation muse is her heroine.

Also, how sweet it is to call your wife a heroine for giving birth to your child. I’m grinning from ear-to-ear every time I hear this line.

What if I told you I'm back?

The hospital was a drag

Worst sleep that I ever had

This is Karlie showing up at The Eras Tour concert only days postpartum.

I circled you on a map

Confirming that she was a muse for reputation. (End Game: I buried hatchets but I keep maps of where I put them.)

Or, even sweeter interpretation: They drew circle around their baby in the ultrasound pictures taken during pregnancy. Taylor’s baby in Karlie’s tummy. That’s the most adorable mental picture ever.

I haven't come around in so long

But I'm coming back so strong

Remember Karlie at the reputation tour? That was after kissgate and love blackout. So many people were saying they hated each other then. And so many people mocked her for coming to the Eras Tour. How strong is she that she refused to let anything stop her from coming to support Taylor? Not the public opinions, nor recent childbirth can stop this mother.

So when I touch down

The continuation of Call It What You Want: My baby’s fly like a jet stream

Call the amateurs

I’m biased and think this line is about Swifties who chased Easter Eggs but couldn’t see Karlie embed into the heart and soul of Taylor’s songs.

And cut 'em from the team

bridges burn, I never learned

Ditch the clowns, get the crown

All the jokers dressing up as king

Baby I'm the one to beat

This is so cute. Taylor wrote from Karlie’s perspective here and really said Karlie KNOWS with absolute certainty that she is the King of My Heart.

Cause the sign on your heart

Said it's still reserved for me

Again with the ‘Karlie knows I am in love with her so utterly and completely, always

Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

And the sweetest thing about this being from Karlie’s pov is that, she already made damn sure Taylor knows, that Karlie doesn’t blame her at all for the bearding/fake love for the crowd. That’s how Taylor gets the confidence to write this whole song in such a way that could be attributed to the guy on the chief. He’s not the real muse, like the alchemy that doesn’t make real gold.

Hey you, what if I told you we're cool?

That child's play back in school

Is forgiven under my rule

This is Karlie at the Eras Tour responding to Taylor’s inability to hide how smitten she was for Karlie, especially during ‘betty’ performance. James is down bad.

I haven't come around in so long

But I'm making a comeback to where I belong

Again a reiteration of Karlie showing up to support Taylor at her concerts since 1989 to reputation tour, and now The Eras Tour. It’s as reassuring as the repeating chorus. But do you know what changes? The two lines about giving birth to IVF baby that she opens and closes the song with. In the beginning, there’s only one leading vocal. At the end, there are two vocals in harmonies. Like how Taylor and Karlie have transitioned from being moms of one kid to two kids. And they’ve been so in love through it all.

These blokes warm the benches

We been on a winning streak

Once again with the reassurance. Karlie made sure that Taylor knows no matter how much bearding they have to do, the love they have for each other never wanes.

Shirts off,

The many outfits change Taylor does in every concert.

and your friends lift you up over their heads

I Did Something Bad Choreography: Go ahead and light me up.

Beer sticking to the floor

Shout out to swifties drunk on alcohol AND fun during the concert

Cheers chanted,

ONE, TWO, THREE, LET’S GO BITCH among many others

‘cause they said

There was no chance, trying to be the greatest in the league

Again, with reference to reputation era and how Taylor was not the mass media’s favorite at all, at the time.

Where's the trophy?

Not Taylor calling herself Karlie’s trophy wife. HAHAHAHAHAHAHSJK

He just comes running over to me

James is still just as down bad for Betty now as ever.

Thank god for Travis’s team winning, otherwise this sweetest song would’ve been scrapped for being too obviously not about him.

[karolane-lewizz]

Did I told y'all that I have a Osomatsu-San OC? No? Then there ya go. :p

Karolane's biography:

Name: Karolane

Full Name: Karolane June "Tori" Lewis (written "カロラン ジュン "トリ" ルイス")

Aliases: Karo, Karo-chan, Tori, Tori-chan

Nationality: French/British

Pronouns: She/Her

Age: 23/24

Height: 4'11 (150 cm)

Species: Human

Subspecies: Neko/Demon

Sexuality: Pansexual

Appearence: Karolane has brown hair tied to smal pigtails with white ribbons, she has blue eyes, she also has freckles on her face. She wears a blue shirt with a rainbow on it along with a white collar, blue overalls with a skirt, white socks and black shoes. She appears to have fangs and a tooth gap between her front teeth.

In her demon form, she has the same outfit but she has light purple skin, with small black horns, with big bat wings, she also has a demon tail. She has claws, red glowing eyes and sharp teeths.

In her alternative outfit, she has her hair tied to a ponytail with a white ribbon, along with a Japanese school uniform, black shoes and the same black shoes.

In her high school outfit, she's seen with untied long brown hair along with a black headband, along with empty/emotionless eyes, wearing the usual Akatsuka High uniform of a blazer and plaid skirt, but instead, she has long black socks.

Mental disorders: Karolane suffers from ADHD, PTSD, arachnophobia, depression, athazagoraphobia, social anxiety, school phobia, obsessive love disorder, schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder , insomnia, dissociative syndrome, Peter Pan syndrome, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, hyperventilation, Balint syndrome and dementia due to a trauma.

Karolane's interests:

Likes: Animes, cats, foxes, drawing, videogames, eating, sleeping, cosplay, baby-doll style, the Matsuno brothers, Iyami, blood, horror movies.

Dislikes: Her disorders, being forgotten/left out/neglected.

Trivia:

◾ Karolane lives with the Matsuno brothers.

◾ When Karolane starts being insane, she's in her demon form, and red glitchy eyes.

◾ She's friends with everyone, especially Totoko and Nyaa-chan.

◾ She naturally has a cat mouth.

◾ She's in love with all the Matsuno brothers, but she keeps it as a secret and she doesn't know which one to choose. She also really really loves Iyami, but is always flustered to talk to him.

◾ The cat and the fox are her favorite animals.

◾ She has A LOT of cat plushies.

◾ She's a cosplayer.

◾ She's very popular due to her kindness and her cosplays.

◾ Her birthday is the 4th of September.

◾ She's 4'11 tall.

◾ She's a tsundere and a yandere.

◾ She has a lot of hallucinations.

◾ She's afraid of spiders.

◾ She's a sugar addict.

◾ She's as dumb as Jyushimatsu.

◾ Her favorite drink is bubble tea.

◾ She loves animes.

◾ Her favorite sports are Baseball and Karate.

◾ She's a J-Pop Idol, and is known as the biggest J-Pop Idol in the universe.

◾ When she was in Akatsuka High, she didn't know Iyami at all, and she always used to look empty and cold in front of other people, possibly due to her trauma and her fear of other people.

Powers/Abilities: Immortality, Telepathy, Flying, and more.

Weaknesses: Iyami, Noodles, the Matsuno Brothers, kittens.

[andydrysdalerogers]

Cross-Checked ~ Chapter 24

Andy Barber x OFC Leighton "Leia" Andrews

Summary:

Andy Barber is having the best year of his life. His game is on point. It’s gets to play with his best friend and his fiancé just... dumped him?!. 

Reeling from a sudden change in status, Andy decides it’s time to just focus on hockey. Until his best friend's sister comes out with news that rock the entire organizations world., 

Andy has always carried a torch for the untouchable Leighton but in her hour of need, is now the time to shoot and score or risk getting cross - checked again? 

Warnings: Cheating (but not by the MCs); slow burn; friends to lovers eventually; SMUT!; pregnancy; jealousy; handsome goalies, evil exes...

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS. Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Banners by me!

Previous: Chapter 23 ~ She's Ours

Series Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Andy 

Relationships are hard.  

I know this.  

What I forgot is that proposing is even harder.  

Sure, your relationship is in a constant state of change. You weren’t the same person you were when you started the relationship, and you won’t be the same person when it ends. I get that.  

I’ve even proposed before, but my ex had chosen the ring and told me how she wanted to be proposed. It made doing it very easy.  

(To be honest, that should have been my red flag, but you know, hindsight is twenty/twenty.) 

Leia, however, has not dropped a single hint on how she dreamed of being proposed to or even what her ring looked like. Granted she has changed from girlfriend to mother and the priorities are different but still, I assumed she had talked about it to her friends.  

You know how to spell assume right? 

Now I’m panicking.  I want to have the perfect proposal for my queen.  She deserves something special and spectacular after everything that she has been through. I want it to be something that she tells our grandchildren one day. I want her ring to be something we pass down from mother to daughter (or son). I want it to be the symbol of the infinite love we have for each other.  

No pressure whatsoever.  

But first things first, I must find it.  

You know what else is hard: asking your best friends to go ring shopping with you.  Because your best friends are probably useless in choosing jewelry. Luke has it easier.  While he didn’t have a clue on the how, he did have an idea on the ring. And Miranda loved the ring he picked out.  

But my girl, my queen, hasn’t dropped a hint. Nothing. Zip. Nada. And that is how I find myself in a boutique jewelry store in Boston with five other hulking hockey players.  The salesperson seems overwhelmed with the number of men in one store. I really had only meant to bring Luke. But that somehow turned into bringing Luke, David, Brad, Jeremy and Linus.  The salesperson has a selection on rings out, but nothing seems to catch my eye.  

I know I wanted something that would be classic but unique as well. I see like 30 rings but none of them scream “Leia”. I’m starting to feel defeated when a soft glimmer catches my eye. I move to the case, leaving the others arguing the merits of each ring. “Can I see that one?” I point to the ring.  

(Picture of the ring at the bottom)

“This is an antique,” she starts. “It's a 1.5 karat light blue diamond, lab created. Its set in a halo and surrounded by a half karat of diamonds and along the band set in rose gold. It has a matching double band in smaller blue and white diamonds.” I studied the ring, and I can see it on her hand. The color almost matches Avery’s eyes. My princess has blue green eyes, and the diamond reminds me of them.  

“It’s perfect.” I smile at the salesperson. “I’ll take it.”  

Luke wanders after me as I look at the ring one more time.  “Wow, dude, that’s beautiful. Kinda reminds me of Avery.”  

“Yeah, that’s why I liked it.” I pull out my credit card and handed it to the girl. Now I just need to figure out how I was going to do this.  

It was easier to discuss things on the road. The only problem was I couldn’t get Stella and Jeremy in the same room. The poor guy was exonerated and yet his girl still wasn’t talking to him. I decided to leave Stella out of it because I didn’t want to rub it in her face. I know they will work everything out. Leia said that Stella is dealing with her guilt on how she handled Jeremy’s situation. “She’ll get there,” Leia said with a soft voice. “They’re soulmates.”  

I love how much she loves sometimes.  

I have to plan this proposal.  She needs something more than just asking a question.  She is the queen of my world, and I want everyone to know it. “How about a sky writer?” Brad offers.  

“That’s excessive,” I comment.  

“You could do it at the diner,” Luke offers. “You guys have hung out there a lot, even when we were younger.”  

“True.” I’m thinking it over when Jeremy pipes in.  

“What about after we win the cup?” A couple of hands go to bat at him, and he dodges. “What?” 

“You’re gonna jinx us,” David says. “But he does have a point.  Why not after the season ends, wherever that may happen.”  

“What if we are on the road when it does?” I counter.  

“If we’re to that point, wouldn’t she be in the building anyways?” David smiled. “We can involve our girls to make sure she has help with Avery and pictures and stuff.”  

All the guys agree, and I smile.  “Ok, then that’s when I’ll do it.  But someone has got to carry this ring around.” I hand the box to Linus.  

His eyes go round. “Me?” 

“You are the most responsible out of all of us.  Plus, on that final game, you and Jeremy will know how to find it.”  

He sighs and takes the box. “I’m only doing this because I love Leia, and she deserves this.”  

Leia 

Hockey players are weird.  They are superstitious, grouchy, high-strung men that need a chill pill. Honestly, Andy has been so jumpy that last few weeks that it’s been concerning. I catch him texting all the time and when I ask, he says it's the guys. But he’s acting so shady.  

I’m at lunch with Miranda and Stella. “The way he’s acting is so different from years before. I know hockey players are intense and superstitious, but I think something else is going on.” I take a sip of my ginger ale and then look at Avery in her stroller. She’s awake and her beautiful green eyes are on display, taking in the scenery.  

“Luke has been acting cagey as well,” Miranda said.  She took a bite of food and chewed thoughtfully.  “Do you think he’s cheating?”  

“God, that thought never even crossed my mind.” I buried my face in my hands.  “Why would he make a big production about adopting Avery if he has a side piece?”  

“Whoa!” Stella takes my hands. “She asked if you think he is.  And you think he is not.  That’s good.  That doesn’t mean he is.  And I’m with the team most of the time.  Even if I’m avoid certain players, Andy is always checking in with me. It's the playoffs, trust me.  Andy’s first year as captain and he took them to the playoffs.  That is so stressful it would make anyone loopy.”  

I know she’s right. But now that the seed of doubt has been planted, its starts to grow as the season goes on.  

We travel whenever the guys get to an elimination point. But so far, the guys have been playing fantastic. We celebrate on the ice when we win at home or in the family rooms during away games. Its been a roller coaster but I couldn’t be happier for Andy and my brother.  

Andy 

Game Seven – Stanley Cup Finals 

Here it is. The final game of the season.  Game Seven.  

I might throw up.  

And not because of the game.  

It’s because I know, tonight is the night I ask Leia to be my wife.  

I woke up this morning to the cries of my little girl. I looked over to see Leia still asleep. Avery had been up and down this week and Leia was exhausted.  I grabbed the baby monitor, turned it off and headed into Avery’s room. We had been transitioning her to her crib at three months and it was hard on Leia but a necessary step. I needed to be able to take my girl whenever I needed. And while I understand my baby probably can’t see what I’m doing yet, I know she can hear us, and I don’t need her to hear me violate her mother.  

The thought started to chub up my dick, so I shook the thoughts away.  

I walked into the room and peered over the railing. As soon as Avery spotted me, she quieted to sniffles. “There is my princess.” I reached into the crib and pulled her to my shoulder. Her heavy diaper and the stench that followed alerted me to why she was crying. “Did my princess make a mess?  Yes, she did,” I cooed as I went to change her. As I cleaned her up, I wanted her opinion.  

“Do you think mama would want to be married to daddy?” Avery shook her fist at me and cooed. “Yeah, I think she wants that too. Would you be happy with me marrying your mama?” Avery a shout, startling the both of us.  Her eyes widen and she did it again. Looks like someone found her voice, I chuckled.  “Let’s get some breakfast, princess.” 

This is what I wanted.  Mornings with my girl, letting my queen sleep.  She’s been with Avery 24/7 while I had been on the road but this summer, I would spend all my time with my girls. I made a bottle and sat to feed Avery with some SportsCenter in the background. I felt a delicate hand on my cheek and looked up at Leia smiling. “You should have woken me up.”  

“And miss my morning conversation with my princess?” I scoffed. “Fat chance.” I kissed her palm. “Wanted to let you rest.”  

“Hmm.” She walked into the kitchen and heard her making the coffee.  A few minutes later, she placed a steaming cup on the table in front of me. “Wanted to cuddle this morning.”  

“Well, I’m right here,” opening my arm so she could slide right next to me. “Avery required my attention this morning. For the sake of keeping the house smelling good, I obliged.”  

Leia giggled.  “How are you feeling about tonight?” 

“Optimistic. First Game 7 as Captain. I don’t want to let the boys down, but I know they have it. I just don’t want to screw it up.”  

“Baby, you would never screw up anything up. At least not on purpose.” She gives me a cheeky smile before sipping her coffee.  

“Brat.” I really can’t retaliate as I have my daughter in my arms. I kiss the top of Leia’s head. “Promise, no matter what happens, you’ll stay with me.”  

“Andy...” 

“You’ll still love me even if I lose the cup.”  I stare out the window, the sun beginning to peek between the clouds.  

“Baby, look at me.” I turn to her, and I feel the tears forming behind my eyes. “I haven’t had any doubt about your ability to lead this team. You were named captain for a reason. Don’t doubt that.”  

I kiss Leia softly, but it quickly deepens until Avery lets out a cry. I turn to look and see her bottle is empty. But her eyes are drooping so I kiss her head and stand. I offer a hand to Leia. “Give me 15 and I’ll be back in our bedroom.”  

She gives me a sexy smirk. “Yes, sir, Captain.”  

I still as she sways her hips in front of me and climbs the stairs. I look down at my sleeping daughter. “$1000 if you sleep for the next hour baby girl,” I whisper before I follow her mother up the stairs.  

This game has been tight. The Kings are a great team.  They deserve to be here.  

But my boys are better.  

We made this game 2-1 and there are two minutes left in the game.  Los Angeles pulls their goalie so its but to us to get the puck out and away from Jeremy.  His glove has been on fire. The one he let it, no one would be able to have stopped.  But since then, I don’t think the puck has gotten six inched near the line. 

We set up on the left of Jeremy. This is going to be an all-out fight for the puck. The kings centerman lets one go that Jeremy is able to block but the puck deflects right. He up to block the next shot from the right but his left is wide open.  

“Oh fuck,” I yell as I skate to his left. Another shot after a block comes sailing towards the net.  I dive in front, and it hit me square. I groan as I hit the ice. That one is going to leave a mark.  

“Andy! You ok?” I hear Jeremy yell at me as the rest of the skaters move to the other end of the rink.  

“Yeah, I’m...” and the buzzer sounded.  

Oh my god.  

We did it. We won.  

I rush to Jeremy and launch myself into his arms as we hug. “We did it!” I yell as I feel my other teammates start to crush us.  

“Fuck yeah, we did,” Jeremy says. The team is around us and yelling out. It takes a while to get us to do the traditional handshake and then wait on the official to bring out the cup. I look at Linus and he nods. Gary Bettman, the NHL commission is now up at the mic.  

“First, let me say congratulations to the Los Angeles Kings for a fantastic final. You demonstrated why you are the best in the west.” Applause fills the arena. “Before we bring out the cup, I want to name our MVP for the finals.  With three goals and one hell of a save, your Finals MVP is your captain, #27, Andy Barber.” He starts to clap as the crowd screams.  

I shake his hand before I lift the trophy and stand for pictures. I skate back a little while an assistant takes my new MVP trophy away. The arena fills with more pomp and circumstance as the Stanley Cup is brought out.  “Boston, your team to themselves to the limit to come back home and win it all. Congratulations to the coach and the team.” I skated forward and I lifted the cup with him for photos before I took it in my own hands.  

Its heavy but I think the weight of it being the first cup I’ve held is more. I lift it over my head. “Yes!” I skate around and then head over to David. He smiled. “Thank you, Cap!” 

“You earned it, Pasta!” I hand it over and watch as he skates around.  This goes on for half an hour before we see our families heading to the ice.  I see Leia with Avery in her carrier. I skate over with a big smile. “Hey.”  

“Hey,” she says with a smile. “Did something big happen?” 

“Just won a trophy.” I shrug. “No big deal.”  I grin as I lean down and kiss her hard. “I love you, Leia.” 

“I’m so proud of you Andy.” Avery coos and waves an arm. I feel something in my hand and see Linus wink. I go to move when I hear a scream of “Yes!”  

I look to see one of the rookies proposing to his girlfriend. Everyone is cheering for them, and I try not to scowl. I can’t propose now. I want it to be special. I slip the box behind the bench and look at Linus.  He’s got his little girl in his arms, but he sees what I did and nods.  

I take a break and refocus. Tonight, it's about our team. I can get engaged another day. 

NEXT

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[the-bar-sinister]

Deicide: Red Shift (91179 words) by VickytheSnake, thesavagesabretooth Chapters: 20/24

Summary: A mysterious signal is drawing ships across the Grand Line to a place called Elegia for the first ever concert by the rising star singer, Uta. Following the signal are Cross Guild and fallen emperor Shanks, the Charlotte family, the Donquixote Pirates and the shattered remnants of Law's crew, and Kid's crew, and Cavendish and Bartolomeo.

And the Straw Hats and their captain Luffy, who hasn't seen Uta since they were both little children at their idol Shanks' knee.

Perhaps this meeting was ordained by fate. Perhaps, in the end, there was only ever one tragic outcome possible.

But Luffy has other plans.

catch up here

-

cw for minor character death in this chapter.

-

The battle with the marines raged. Hancock and her crew were joined by Kaidou and his crew, and former warlord Geko Moria. Another ship had docked, and from it had poured a legion of soldiers that Hancock recognized as the mercenary 'army of evil', Germa 66. They seemed to be on the side against the marines, whatever else they were.

he had been yet to find Luffy—her every attempt hampered by one of the damned marines getting in her way, the admirals especially.

She felt her anxiety rise, the sick twisting frustration as they protected helpless civilians from marines stirred into a bloodlust, and blocked Akainu's every attempt to assassinate the woman on the stage.

Her skin felt like it was on fire, her insides twisted up as she furtively looked for her beloved while fighting alongside her sisters.

She blocked a marine's sword with one of his petrified comrades, and returned fire with a punch to the face that sent him reeling even as his body turned to stone. Her eyes fell on the stage again, the girl there–standing alone with her head in her hands as hiccuping sobs rang out over the speaker system. 

A bolt of fire sang past her and caught another marine attacker.

"Hancock, we haven't been able to wake anybody up!" It was Sabo, still wearing the dress she'd given him on her ship– though it was already heavily singed and his pants were showing through it. "Can't find Luffy yet either– but we saw his ship!"

"Which means he's here—somewhere. We just gotta find where!" His partner Koala flowed beside him and nodded emphatically. She was using her logia powers as a venue for fishman karate to strike bolts of fluid at the men who came to back up the flaming marine, catching fire and splattering them in spreading flames. Hancock wasn't sure how or when she'd obtained her devil fruit, but now was not the time to ask even if she cared.

Hancock nodded back as her breath hitched. "Somewhere…I just damn well have to find him! But in this damned fray I—"

Uta's voice rang out, ragged with tears as she cried. "Just LEAVE THEM ALONE! You monsters! Marines!! These people haven't done anything to you!" 

No one was listening to Uta. The enlisted marines, Hancock had observed, were wearing some kind of sound blocking headgear.

But it wasn't the enlisted marines that were the real concern. 

Hancock felt the temperature around her rise just in time to clock the fleet admiral in her blind spot and react to him. A surge of beyond white-hot magma barely missed her, becoming slag on the island ground. But that didn't deter the man. If anything his miss seemed to make him angrier.

"Is that any way to treat a former warlord of the sea?" Hancock hissed as she spun to face him, dancing away with a sharpened frown. "---of course it's what I expected after you sent your miserable dogs to my island." 

"You should have laid down there and saved us the trouble." Akainu wasn't in a talking mood, if he ever was in one. He came back at her with another molten blast.

He was fast, he was dangerous, his devil fruit among the most deadly in the world—she was barely on her toes as she danced back with a sharp hiss. The heat singed the ends of her hair, just as her growing anger and frustration burned inside her lungs.

Her whole body was alive with tension, fury—fear. If he wasn't in a talking mood, then fine.

She held her hand up to channel her power, attempting to turn the man to stone once she'd gotten distance between them. 

The air rippled, not just with the heat of his attack, but with his haki, too, as he resisted her power. She could tell though that he wasn't merely shrugging it off. Sweat rolled down his brow the same as it rolled down hers as she narrowly avoided another blast of magma.

In her peripheral vision she saw Sabo not too far away, his fire and his staff knocking away many lesser enemies as he made for her position.

She'd seen with her own eyes how that battle between magma and flame had gone. 

Lightning crackled through the air nearby. Flames worked in tandem with Koala's unique powers of liquor, and Hancock was doing all she could to simply survive as she danced out of the way of another strike.

Her skin itched no— ached, perhaps. As if something was welling within her as every muscle contracted. 

As she hissed in fury at the vice admiral, memories of her wounded people and the fear on their faces mingled with memories of Mary Geoise and the horror of her experience as a slave; they seemed to take on a life of their own, and consume her.

Her haki rippled through the air before the sudden rush of something—else. 

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, and the sound of her hiss of fury took on a decidedly different tone, joined rather suddenly by an echo of hissing all about her as the power flared to life inside her.

Something felt— strange— as it started to radiate through her being. 

Maybe that was why Akainu, aggressive, determined, unstoppable Akainu, stopped in his tracks for just a moment to stare at her as if bewitched. 

Reflected in his widening eyes she saw something inhuman.

A serpent-woman, not quite as large as her sisters, reflected in Akainu's eyes. Hancock saw—and saw and saw and saw through awakening eyes she never realized she'd had—-glimmering purple scales on a long, powerful tail. She saw a serpent's fangs in an inhuman mouth. But most of all she saw the writhing, twisting purple snakes framing the reflection's head. A halo of long, deadly serpents all reared up and pointed towards Akainu in fury.

It took Hancock a moment to realize it was herself. 

But only a moment, before the dozens of eyes all focused on a single vision registered as her own. She raised a clawed hand towards the Vice Admiral as words continued to fail her.

The furious hissing of a nest of snakes surrounded her as she opened her reptilian eyes to stare him down with an outpouring of every ounce of her power into her frigid glare. She distantly remembered when she was young, the sudden presence of this same hissing sound the first time she'd used her power, before it had faded away and left her with the explanation of 'love-love fruit'. 

Her power– magnified a hundredfold now– rippled through the air in opposition with Akainu's haki.

And though the man recovered from his momentary shock, his will did not.

Akainu's haki broke like shattering glass and he stood, suddenly just a man like any other, pinned under her great and terrible gaze.

HIs face went white.

And then it went grey as the admiral turned to stone.

She had just a moment to appreciate the fine look of the statue before it exploded into a thousand tiny pieces as Sabo descended from a high leap and smashed it with a fiery shock from his staff.

The hissing around her slowly started to quiet as she gazed down at the rubble with her deadly stare. Even the battle around them had quieted as she slithered slowly forward and grabbed a chunk of what was once the Fleet Admiral's face and held it up to look into one frozen and terrified eye.

Her fingers clenched, the rubble shattered further and she let the powder and pebbles rain to the ground as one of the snakes twisted around and rubbed against her face. She could feel the sensation from both ends.

"Basstard…" She spat through down at the dust, before she stared at her hands instead of Sabo. "Thank you for landing the killing blow, brother-in-law."

She felt dizzy—yet so very alive. Like she was exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. 

"A death repaid." In her peripheral vision she could see Sabo carefully look away from her. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity. Are you… alright?"

Even as she kept her eyes directed downwards—she could still see him as the snakes shifted over her shoulders—dark scaled , as long as her hair.

They were her hair. They were an extension of her. She wasn't exactly alright—but she wasn't bad either.

She took a deep breath before she covered her face. "I'm beginning to think that wasn't the love-love fruit after all, Sabo." 

-

"...I'm not going to have much choice, though—New Genesis is coming whether the old Uta likes it or not."

The look on her face shook Luffy. He grabbed her shoulders.

"What do you mean?" A powerful, dire feeling took hold of Luffy's stomach as he looked at his sister, her face in her hands, her wings shuddering and shedding feathers. "What do you mean, Uta?"Feathers framed her face in lazy arcs down towards the ground. Downy tufts at their ends catching the stage lights as she seemed to force a smile to her face.

"It's a song that can never be stopped once you start it. If I die you all live in paradise forever. If I live the ritual completes, and there won't be a 'real world' to go back to."

She raised her hands, scrunching them teasingly like she used to when they were kids, only this time it was hollow, empty. "When my song ends, everyone will see a world of dreams and liberation. Guess you'll just have to learn to live with it!" 

His fingers tightened around her shoulders. H

e knew that it wasn't going to be simple. He wanted it to be simple, just to talk to her. But it was never like that.

They were probably gonna have to fight about it.

"That's not true!" he declared. He didn't care whether it was true or not, he would make it not true. "I know there's some way to stop it!"

"The marines are here to kill me already, Luffy!" She leaned in towards him, and her forehead bumped against his. He could see something, almost like a shadow behind her, barely visible as she tilted her head down to rest against him.

"They're monsters too, just like the pirates. They're killing my fans—and they're trying to kill me. And if they do—" 

"Then let me out of the bubble and I'll stop them!" The blood in Luffy's veins was ice cold. His haki rippled around him and he felt that he could sense the chaos happening outside of the dream. It lurched his stomach again. "Drop the bubble and we'll all fight! Me and you can stop them together!"

Uta paused a moment, mouth partially opened as she lived between two worlds—for a moment, she almost seemed to soften.

And then the shadow shifted behind her, dark arms like starlight draping around her shoulders as a shadowy approximation of herself with a crescent moon smile draped over her and looked Luffy in the eyes.

Even as Uta's lips moved it didn't seem like it was coming from her as she smiled just as sharply as her doppelganger. 

"You really are deluded, aren't you?" Her hand snaked up to grab the collar of his vest to yank him towards her. "The marines—that band of pirates fighting them—I'll tear the headphones from their ears and sing them a welcome to my eternal paradise!" 

He didn't let go of her, his nails digging into her shoulders. He knew what was happening to her. She was listening to the god. Maybe the god was even in control. Did she hear something in her mind, whispering to her?

He shoved her backwards. 

"I won't let you! I'm taking you away from here! I won't let you listen to that thing inside your head! I'll beat it out of you if I have to!"

She started to laugh falling backwards into the arms of her own shadow, who looked at Luffy with luminous white eyes. 

"That thing—" She pressed her hand to her face, laughter filling the air. "That THING—-is Tot Musica!"

Her eyes slid towards where Shanks had been tied up, snapping her fingers as the stage lights centered on her. "And it's a very mortal dream to think you can beat a god, Luffy!"

He could hear it—as she turned her hand to the crowd. "Xan't you hear them crying out? Can't you hear them calling my name?" 

Sometime during their fear and confusion—something had taken hold of most of the audience. Uta's name filled the stadium, lights flashing in time with the voice of the crowd. 

He heard it, alright. There was no way to tune it out, and it thrummed a chill through his body. He gritted his teeth.

"I already beat one god, Uta, the one inside my head! And now we're gonna beat the one in yours!"

Maybe it wasn't exactly true. Maybe he hadn't beaten the god inside him yet, but so what? He would. And Uta would, too.

Luffy heaved her backward against the wall at the back of the stage. Whatever was going on around him didn't matter. What mattered was Uta.

Uta hit the wall, only to hold her hand out. Bars of music came flying from her fingertips, lashing out at him like a musical cage as she grinned wider. 

"The god in your head was weak then, Luffy. But I…I'm the song of ruin and rebirth!" The musical notes lashed against his skin as she attempted to trap him "I"m their salvation, their promise of a world without pirates, pain, or loss!" 

"I don't want a world like that!" Luffy thrashed against the notes, grabbing them and trying with force to pull them off. "Nobody really does! It's just a dream, Uta!"

-

Uta had been distracted on the stage by Straw Hat. Admittedly, Straw Hat was pretty fucking distracting. But maybe that would give Buggy a chance to actually do something. The question was what should he do?

The crowd had gone insane. He could see them out there, dazed and staring, chanting Shank's daughter's name like some kind of prayer. It gave him a full body shudder.

He floated his hand out to grab a knife fallen from one of the dead Celestial Dragon guards to slowly bring it towards himself.

The Straw Hats were fighting like hell, he even saw a familiar flash of blue among them that he pointedly ignored. The Charlottes were— Baroque Works, the Donquixotes.

He sure as hell wasn't going to be the deadweight. He slowly began cutting his bonds without being spotted, looking at Shanks with a desperate glance.

Shanks looked like he was struggling. His fingers clenched and unclenched, and he was focused on the fight between Uta and Luffy. Buggy saw his eyes were narrowed. Was he trying, perhaps, to reclaim that tremendous and famous haki he'd always had? The willpower he'd seemed to lose before they'd fished him out of the water?

If ever there was a moment for it, it was now, but if so, it didn't look like he was having much luck just yet.

It looked like when the chips were down, it was up to Buggy.

He took a deep breath, and quickly sliced through key spots on his clothes and against the strange power that held his many pieces captive, freeing himself at the expense of some holes in his clothes and a few smaller chunks of Buggy flying about for a moment before he recompiled behind one of the standing decorations.

Straw Hat was trying to talk sense into Uta—smart, but it wasn't going great. Shanks was captive, and the monsters were raging.

What this party needed was a distraction. 

Buggy took in the components of the scene. Shanks caught his eye for a moment before going back to watching the increasingly violent fight at the center of the stage. Down below on the grass was a massive sea of pirates versus monsters, and Buggy noticed Crocodile and Mihawk fighting their way toward the stage like they were wading through the grip of the ocean's tide.

The best way to hijack a concert? To get the people to stop chanting the name of some increasingly divinely inspired siren?

To become center stage yourself.

Buggy suddenly spread his pieces out all around him. Hands zipped up to the rigging and the lights above, and he prepared himself to draw as much attention as he could. He had explosives in his pocket—and the charm of a clown on his side. Even if he didn't have his makeup. 

-

Crocodile's sandstorm heaved another dreamlike monster into Mihawk's whirling blade, and it gave him breathing room to glance up at the stage again.

"Clown's free," he grunted, feeling a flutter of relief in his stomach as he saw it. "But what the hell is he doing?"

Mihawk looked up just in time to see the lights all circle and center at once upon Buggy's floating torso, the clown posed as best he could without his makeup and his usual flashy glitz and glamor.

His voice echoed all around the venue , drowning out Uta's voice as somewhere switches flipped and knobs toggled.

"HELLOOOOO ELEGIA!!! Forget Gods and New Genesis! Who's ready for a REAL FLASH??"

"Oh dear," Mihawk murmured.

"Oh for fucks sake," Crocodile huffed. He tore his attention away from the display with just enough time to dodge a blow from a lumbering dream soldier, and smash the thing into another of its comrades who was coming up behind one of the Charlottes.

Buggy was being ridiculous. But on the other hand, maybe a distraction was exactly what the moment needed. The crowd had already started to respond to him– with confusion at least.

Buggy pulled a handful of small objects—explosives—out of his jacket and held them up as his hands snapped back to him.

"She can sing, she can dance, but nobody out flashies EMPEROR BUGGY THE CLOWN!"

He threw them down, in front of where Straw Hat was fighting his sister, letting the flash grenades erupt into multicolored smoke as they tore up chunks of the sturdy stage below.

"You think he's trying to draw all the attention to himself to lure the dream warriors?" Mihawk murmured as he skewered another. 

"I sure fucking hope so, cause that's what he's doing!" Crocodile growled, watching the things reorient and move toward the stage. "We better get up there!"

-

This was supposed to be Tot Musica's big moment. Somehow everything was going wrong at once. Overrun by pirates. Attacked on stage. Attacked from the disgusting real world too. 

None of it mattered of course.

Nothing could stop them.

Nothing could stop the music. Nothing could stop the adoration of the crowd.

Not even death.

So why was their power suddenly faltering?

Little by little the energy they had built up the entire concert was faltering. Smoke was rising from their stage—smoke that wasn't planned meticulously to draw the eyes of their worshippers towards the god of the new era—shouts were ringing out over their voice as they deflected attack after attack in both worlds.

Inside them, a piece of their existence stirred as if waking up. They began a lullaby to put her back to sleep. New Genesis was still at hand—no matter this strange loss of power as Uta's name faded from the lips of the worshipers. No matter the attackers and their distractions.

If they wouldn't chant Uta's name—they would have to chant one far stronger. 

-

Luffy's breath was ragged in his chest as he came at Uta again. He was about to hit her when he saw something shift and flicker in her expression, some momentary flash of her, behind the cackling god who had taken over her body.

He redirected his attack and grabbed her wrist instead.

"Don't fight me, Uta! Fight it!"

 "L-Luffy?" His sister's voice was shaky as it leaked from her smiling lips. "I…"

 Her eyes pulled upwards to the billowing smoke blocking her from the crowd—and she twisted like a caught beast in his grip. "I…I was born for this. I can't!"

 For a moment it seemed like he had the real her. Or at least a scared fragment of her.

"Don't let that thing tell you why you were born!" He was shaking her as he held her as tight as he could. He wrapped his arms around her like a coiled snake. "Maybe you were born to be my friend! You were born to do anything you want! We can fix this!"

Uta shuddered in his arms, whatever was happening out there, it seemed to be disrupting the god's control over her. She shook her head vehemently, though, as if fighting something off.

 "Gh….it's too late, Luffy. I'm not free like you are, I'm not—" 

Musical notes began spinning around them rapidly—the notes foreign to Luffy and even the lyrics incomprehensible. There was something terrible about them though. Every time they caught the eye it brought with it the same sort of sick feeling as Gear 5.

 It was clear it was getting to Uta too as she tried not to look at it. "I learned exactly why I was born when Da–Shanks told me why I had to hide my hand. And then again when the people of Elegia took me in as their salvation." 

-

Shanks hung limp and impotent in Uta's trap, watching as everyone else struggled with all their power to clean up the mess that he had made. Buggy. Mihawk and Crocodile. Luffy.

Every exchange between Luffy and Uta was like a blow across the chest, knocking the air out of him. Was this really his legacy? Making people feel trapped in the wheels of inescapable destiny?

The same way he'd always felt trapped.

The same way he'd felt since Roger had told him the funniest, most horrible secret in the world.

And had made him feel like there was no point to trying anything.

Hell, the only person who hadn't ruined that way was Buggy. Buggy who still believed he could make a difference. Buggy who was making a difference right now, no matter how irrelevant 'destiny' sought to make him.

Shanks had been made irrelevant by destiny and he had given up. And that was why he had turned his back on his beloved friend. Because he didn't want to crush him the same way. 

He'd thought maybe he was doing Uta the same favor when she asked him to leave her, and he'd been wrong.

He'd thought he was giving Luffy a gift when he told him about his great destiny, and he'd been wrong.

No matter what decision Shanks made, it seemed to be the wrong one. 

No wonder his haki had left him! No wonder he couldn't summon his willpower when every time he exercised his will on the world it became worse.

He glanced away from the struggle between Uta and Luffy, and looked at his old friend.

Buggy was trying to call the dream guardians down on himself, dancing about as he fought them with his devil fruit power and did all he could to earn the gaze of the crowd. He was a born showman—and he was putting on a show.

He juggled knives, tossing them one at a time into a row of Dream Guardians before sending his hands to rip them free and return them to the arc as he drowned out Uta's music with a joke. Was he buying time for the others to get to the stage? Or was he trying to disrupt the power Uta's voice had over her fans?

Disrupt the power over Uta's fans…

Uta's power had grown immensely over the last decade, to be able to hold them all in such a consistent dream. But where was she getting all of that power?

If Luffy was right in what he was screaming, that Uta's power was the same as his, then maybe some of that magnified power came from the adoration. The attention. The worship and hopes of the people around her.

If that flow could be cut off, then it would destabilize Uta's power. The bubble would pop, and they would all wake up.

And maybe outside of the dream Luffy would be able to reach Uta. 

Shanks knew that he couldn't reach her, not now. 

His words wouldn't make a difference, not when Uta was like this. Shanks couldn't stand in front of everyone and make himself the center of attention like Buggy could. And he couldn't reach Uta where she could listen like Luffy could.

But maybe that didn't matter.

Maybe his power could set the stage.

Popping the bubble. That was what he needed his power to do. That was something worth doing, even tired and drunk and miserable.

It was worth doing.

He closed his eyes and he reached inside of himself.

The created world started to tremble with the power of the Red Haired Emperor.

-

Tot Musica was panicking. The attention of the crowd was wavering, and it was making it hard to maintain the dream constructs, more of them being destroyed by pirates as everyone focused on the clown.

Their concentration was wavering too, with every stupid, foolish word out of the Straw Hat captain's mouth.

And now the world that they created rippled with some opposing power, shaking its very foundations like an earthquake.

 The girl—the part of them that refused to let go of her humanity—was babbling back at the Straw Hat captain, even as their beautiful New Genesis shook around them. The words to the song that would cement their power, draw in the faithful and help her power merge the world of dreams and the real world, were wavering, never reaching the crowd.

 It was impossible—it was terrifying. But they were a god— the God of Dreams and Music— something that could never be quashed. 

Despite that, the boundaries of their world warped and trembled under the intrusion. 

The interlopers had to be dealt with now.

-

"Uta's power is breaking." Crocodile glanced at his partner, watching the dream soldier fade to nothing before Mihawk could even skewer it.

All around the crowd, the same thing was happening.

Mihawk nodded, spinning his blade to latch it back on his back with a quiet 'hrm' of a sigh. "...it is, I wonder if it's because everyone's attention's been drawn away."

 The world itself seemed to ripple, stage effects fading and blipping from existence all around them as the world seemed less vibrant and alive by the second. 

On the stage they heard Uta cry out in anguish—or even pain—as a surge of haki lashed out to clash against haki, crackling in bolts of red lighting as her great wings flared out to frame her and Luffy at the back of the stage. 

"Damned good question," Crocodile said, a grim smile slicing his face. "Think we oughta leave the clown to it,or is now a good time to introduce the world to Cross Guild?"

"If we leave it to him, he's likely to start babbling about the One Piece." Mihawk pointed out. 

"Exactly what I was thinking." He slapped Mihawk on the back. Their way to the stage was clear now. "Time to make a spectacle of ourselves, Hawkie."

-

Luffy could feel the power that surrounded Uta weakening as he struggled with her. Something played at the edge of his senses, as if he was seeing two realities at once, and for a moment he was aware of the Sunny, and a great clash with marines.

But that wasn't important right now.

What was important was Uta.

"It doesn't matter what Tomato-ka says!" he insisted, still holding her tight in the coils of his arms as she struggled and her shadow contorted. "It doesn't matter what Shanks says! It doesn't matter what I say! what matters is what you want!"

Uta cried out suddenly, her wings flaring open behind them as the musical notes seemed to constrict around them in the attempt to force her to look at the rune-like lyrics upon shaking sheets. Her head went into her hands, her voice cracking with emotion as her strange shadow shuddered below her. 

"I…I…wanted to be a ship's musician. Singing for my crew, but…" 

"No but! If that's what you want, I'll help you get it, no matter what!"

If the god in his own head had an opinion on any of this, it was mercifully silent in the cage in the back of his head he had put it.

The world flickered around them, trembling under a haki that felt familiar.

 Another haki arose—unfamiliar and emanating from his sister as she pressed her hands to her face and mouthed words he didn't understand. Sharp, rasping sounds that leaked from her lips between shaky sobs. It clashed against the other will—but it faltered with flashes of light.

 Uta looked up at Luffy with the god's smile as the words leaked from her lips. 

"I can't let the dream die. There's nothing to wake up to,not in the era of pain and suffering!" Her tone seemed to wavered between 'her', and the 'god'.

 The rasping words she spoke–were they part of the God's power? 

"I've already been left behind once. You'll leave me behind too. The only people I can sing for are my followers—the people who need me." 

Luffy shook his head. "I'm never going to leave you, Uta, I promise!"

It was impulsive. He knew it was impulsive, but he was never one to stop when he wanted to do something. It was now or never.

He pressed a kiss on the struggling Uta.

The lyric sheets around her shuddered, and time seemed to stop in Uta's constructed world. Her thrashing, the guttural chant to the god inside her head, even the lurching shadow all seemed to stop at once as their lips connected.

Something wet—hot—leaked down his cheek as she shakily returned the kiss. She was crying, tears flowing down her face as she pressed into the kiss rather than away. 

The tension melted. He pressed his hand softly against her wet cheek as he kissed her. All the love he had for her, all the years that he had missed her, all the sincerity of his promise not to leave her behind, he pressed into the kiss.

The dream world around them flared into something bright. Something it had never been before. For a moment it was just Luffy and Uta's dream together.

There was no crowd. No marines. No fighting. Not Tot Musica.

Just Luffy and Uta. The real Uta. The two of them together in a vast and ethereal expanse.

He broke the kiss, and smiled at her.

 Uta's cheeks were stained with tears, her eyes red and puffy—and her smile bright and warm. She took a soft and shaky breath in their private dream, her arms looped around him to pull him closer.

"Luffy—you really mean it, don't you?" 

"I do," he promised again. 

He did, he meant it with all of his heart. Could she feel that? Could she feel how much he hated giving up on people? How much he hated leaving people he loved behind?

And he loved her. He didn't want to give her up, or leave her alone. He wanted her to be a member of his precious crew.

Uta nodded, tears flicking against his vest as her smile brightened, as if she'd heard his very thoughts. 

"I love you too, Luffy," Her beautiful voice whispered it as she squeezed him tighter. "I thought about you, all the time when the people of Elegia had me locked up learning music. My…my first song, the first one people fell in love with was about missing you." 

He nodded. He'd heard it on the way to the island. 

"It made me feel warm," he told her. "But you don't have to miss me any more. You're coming with me, on my ship. No matter what."

 She hiccuped again and she pulled back enough to look him in the face. 

"I wanted to. I really, really did. And I still want to! But…Gordon, the elder of the island, he—he spoke to the voice inside me, Tot Musica. And it got so loud I felt like I was drowning in a sea of darkness." She brushed her fingers over his scarred cheek. "And I couldn't even remember my own dreams anymore. It was just—Tot Musica's dream of a world free of reality." 

"It was almost like that for me, too. Back in Wano, the voice in my head, Nika, I guess, tried to get me to do things. Tried to overwhelm me. But I'm still here. And you're still here. And I won't let that thing get you again. Me and my crew are going to protect you. Because you're one of us."

He smiled, leaning into her hand as he stroked her face in return. "Got it?"

Uta's eyes brimmed with tears again as she nodded firmly. 

"If you fought Nika off—I…I can't let you beat me, can I? I'm gonna have to make sure I fight Tot Musica off too." She leaned in and pressed her forehead to his. "and I'll protect you if you ever slip—and you'll protect me too. As your ship's musician, I p-promise." 

"It's a promise."

Luffy grinned. He felt the dream they were in– the whole dream– tremble under that familiar haki.

"I'll be right back, okay? I think we're about to wake up."

 Uta nodded with a teary smile "I think we've all dreamt long enough. There's people out there who're waiting for you." 

Luffy brushed his fingers over her face, and the dream faded around them in a warm glow.

[jmtorres]

I have another (gluten-free) baking question:

 this recipe includes 20 g/2 tablespoons of nonfat dry milk powder 

I am lactose intolerant so in general I do not fuck with dry milk powder. It's like 60% lactose or something absurd

So my question is will I regret it if I sub in whey protein or whey protein isolate?

With a follow up question of does anybody sell whey protein in amounts smaller than a fuckton. I do not want to buy a $30-40 jar of whey protein. 

page of recipe (incomplete bc i feel weird about sharing a whole recipe someone worked their butt off solving gf baking issues on):

image transcription:

MAKES 18 DANISHES

BAKING TIME: 31 to 40 minutes

CHILLING TIME: 3 to 24 hours

instant yeast, Red Star preferred 10 grams | 1 tablespoon

nonfat dry milk powder 20 grams | 2 tablespoons

xanthan gum 1 teaspoon

kosher salt teaspoon

guar gum ¼ teaspoon

pectin ¼ teaspoon

superfine sugar 80 grams | ⅓ cup

Nosh AP GF flour (page 4) 390 grams | 3 cups

unsalted butter, slightly softened 60 grams | 4 tablespoons or ¼ cup

eggs 120 grams | 2 extra-large

egg white 35 grams | 1 extra-large

fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon

fresh lemon zest 5 grams | 1 tablespoon

vanilla extract ½ teaspoon

lemon extract ½ teaspoon

whole milk, scalded and cooled 245 grams | 1 cup

BUTTER LAYER

Nosh AP GF flour (page 4) 2 teaspoons

cold unsalted butter 115 grams | 8 tablespoons or ½ cup

(INGREDIENTS CONTINUE)

FLO'S DANISH

Florence was my Jewish deli pastry guru. That I knew Flo my entire life was my hood fortune. As the end of her life came barreling forward the only thing she wanted to talk about with me were the finer points of her recipe for Danish and that there is no good reason for not wearing a good shade of lip coloring, even when housebound. Three days after she was gone, the Danish recipe arrived in the mail. Whenever I bake this gluten-free version, inspired by Flo, make certain to wear a fabulous shade of lip gloss, in her honor.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the yeast, milk powder, xanthan gum, salt, guar gum, pectin, superhne sugar, and flour. Mix in the butter with a fork just until it looks like coarse, uneven crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg white, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon extract. Stir the egg mixture into the four mixture. Add the milk and mix until it is well combined. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the dough down the sides. Fold from the bottom to make sure all the dry matter is mixed in. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight.

2. To make the butter layer, place 1 teaspoon of the flour on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place the butter on top of the flour. Cover the butter with the remaining teaspoon of flour. Fold the plastic wrap over the top and, using a rolling pin, pound the butter into a rough 4-inch square. Refrigerate the butter layer until needed.

3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a flour-dusted sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Form the dough into a 12 × 5-inch rectangle. Remove the prepared butter layer from the refrigerator, place it in the center of the rectangle, and fold the dough over the packet to seal it in.

4. Turn the dough so that the fold now faces you. Using the sides of your hand (think karate chopping) hit the dough until it is a rectangle that again measures 12 x 5 inches. Fold the dough like a business letter in thirds the long way and turn it so that the fold faces you. Repeat this four...

end image transcription

It's from the book Nosh on This: Gluten-Free Baking from a Jewish American Kitchen by Lisa Strander-Horel and Tim Horel if you're interested in the rest

[allforthesapphic]

“best dynamic was cobra kai miguel dating miyagi do sam” “no the best dynamic was miyagi do robby and cobra kai johnny” “no it was eagle fang vs-” NO. UR ALL WRONG.

the best, most interesting, thrilling, life-changing dynamic is the redhead brothers. like- one has been in miyagi do and one has been in cobra kai this whole time. that’s so funny omfg

do people at their dojos know they’re siblings? are their friends just like damn that’s tough- anyways let’s go back to plotting the other dojos demise.

what do their parents think?? do know they know about the dojo rivalries? do the brothers just give each other the silent treatment 24/7?? or do they just not talk karate at home? were they close before this? did karate drive a wedge between them??

THERES SM POTENTIAL.

ik they have like four lines collectively. they don’t even have real names. they’re just called big red and little red. but they are everything to me.