#(But it will not kill you to do some research)

[thewritingfairy]

𓂃⋆.˚A long day

In which (Name) attempted to wash their hair and Duke ends up helping 

I'm feeling uh so it's a they/them reader with a non-specific curl type (the picture of the lady is just because I think she's so pretty-. I think she's from the interview with a vampire?) Because I did my hair for driving classes today (as you can't drive with clawclips in which I usually wear and I can't use a banana clamp because it can snap open) and I paid the price with my pain levels- SO this is based on my Nobody's child fic as I love that dynamic between Duke and (Name). trigger warnings: drabble unedited, Duke having small yandere-like tendencies but not a lot you ignoring the bats like it's a full time job

main m.list    series m.list   bad ending m.list

You are going to kill someone, specifically Dick. Because what do you mean 'I want to do your hair' when you don't even trust Dick? The only thing you want is to do your hair get to work, have a fun night shift and then go out with your friends.

Washing your hair is already a whole task, especially styling it with how stubborn it is, and you have no patience for Dick and his bullshit. You don't want him around especially with your irritation levels already rising. You are making such a mess and you can't seem to get all that shampoo out of your hair, you can't help but groan in anger as it all gets to much. Especially with Dick still trying to convince you to let him help you outside of your bathroom door. So without hesitation you text Duke;

˚₊IDIOT WITH NO WILL TO LIVE˙⋆

pls come save me from the moron named Dick and help me with my hair if you have the time I can't do this anymore- I'll own you

˚₊MY FAV BROTHER˙⋆

Coming, I get to pick your hairstyle :)

˚₊IDIOT WITH NO WILL TO LIVE˙⋆

I'm fine with that, just pls don't let me do this, my arms are already burning after just shampoo, my pain is having trouble with deciding to be low or so high that I feel like passing out ｡°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°｡

Duke truly is a miracle worker, Dick was waiting outside of your bathroom door attempting to convince you to let him do your hair and the second Duke said; "Please fuck off."

He fucked off.

Truly, he needs to teach you his ways.

When you unlocked the bathroom door Duke winces, the bathroom is a mess and you are basically hyper ventilating with water running down your face and neck. "Jesus, I'm glad that your uniform is a button up-" he mumbles as he grabs a towel to wipe down the floor. "go hang over the bad tub, I'm washing your hair as well as styling."

"I love you," you say as you sigh in relief. "I can not do this on my own."

"You can, just not today," Duke hums patting your back in a comforting matter. "so let me do it."

You hum as you close your eyes. It feels like heaven as Duke rubs in your shampoo, once you feel better you really need to learn new tricks to do your hair on your own. But for now you'll enjoy his help.

But to Duke this is amazing, you hate it when people touch your hair. He had helped you before, as well as your friends but that was only after procedures. Researches that left you unable to care for yourself. Yet here you are trusting him enough to help you even when you can still move, he knows it's because you have to work and you have plans tonight. Plans he'll follow you to ensure your safety

but you still asked for his help

While he was doing your hair you two chatted about your plans tonight. Willow had convinced all of you to try out this new karoake place in some abanoned part of Gotham (truly who starts a Karoake joint in the middle of nowhere?) and all of you thought it would be pretty funny to see Maria fail at singing high notes (something you suck at as well, but that's why you two always sing together, double the fun!).

"Do you want to airdry or diffuse?" Duke asks when he's finished with styling.

"Difusse, airdrying takes too long," you tell him as you grab your diffuser. "I know you hate difussing, but can you help me with the back? I don't care if it's get frizzy."

"Alright, just tell me you have heat protectant." He groans out as he takes the machine out of your hand looking at it like it's cursed.

"uh-"

"Idiot-"

fun fact I never diffuse because it brings my pain up so high I cannot move my arm for a whole ass day- And it makes my hair dry and stringy. like actual straw idk if it is because my hair is a mix of fine to normal to some thick-ish strands. Duke hating diffusers is just me hating on them-

taglist (main story): @prettiest-thing-in-the-morgue, @bunniotomia, @devotedlyshamelessdetective, @princessbonnie-bell, @seemee3, @pix-stuff, @venomsvl, @amber-content, @stove-top96, @frank-vanderboom, @leeiasure, @1abi, @shadowytravelerlover, @chericia, @lithiumval, @lingxio, @cssammyyarts, @marsmabe, @foolishseven, @kore-of-the-underworld, @bunbunboysworld, @homeless-clown, @miashico, @alwaysholymilkshake, @1cxndy, @kittzu, @rtyuy1346, @exactlynumberonekryptonite, @hopingtoclearmedschool, @artistwithcreativeburnout, @alishii, @vanessa-boo, @holylonelyponyeatingmacaroni, @91-kya, @ryuushou, @jjsmeowthie, @justthere1956, @depressed--therapist, @xzmickeyzx, @cheappremingerfromdelululand, @plsfckmedxddy, @itsberrydreemurstuff, @trashlaternfish360, @leogf, @dirtydiavolo, @lilyalone, @welpthisisboring, @kenman00001, @nxdxsworld, @icefox8155, @ironsaladwitch, @holderoflostmemories, @asillysimp, @wisefuncherryblossom, @eyeless-kun, @marina27826, @muggleloveralways, @ironsaladwitch, @shyenemyperson, @iamaunknownsecret

[charles-leclerizz]

01 . ᝰ.ᐟ do i look like i care about love ?

models: carlos sainz x journalist!reader

status: just met . ( she's hot. he's annoying )

series ?: Off the record (OR25)

timeline: Before the 2024 season starts

mood: Chapter one. Hopefully they don't kill each other.

warnings: swearing .

editors note: its finally hereee. I genuinely love what's going on here, so I hope yall do aswww. just a reminder that my requests are open (Though I take my damn time icl) and I love talking to yall so come on down *wink wonk*

tags : [@vroomvroomcircuit, @disneyprincemuke, @verstappen-cult, @starkwlkr, @sailing-with-100-ships, @foreveralbon, @lorarri, @scuderia-piastri], [@dallaski, @nichmeddar, @sisinever, @ksthegreat] IF YOU WANT TO BE TAGGED, PLEASE SEND IN AN ASK, AND MUTUALS LET ME KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMOVED ON PRIV !

One. Two. Three  

The rhythmic tapping of your pen against the desk is interrupted by the quiet hinges of your office door, “Hey, I got a new story for ya.” 

Your boss stops in front of you, buttons straining against the bulge of his stomach, not entirely where you would look and flinch from the pressure, but enough to make you squint your eyes to make sure you were looking at the correct part of his body.  

You groan, head lolling back lazily, “Sal, I already have an article to write.”  

“Yeah, but this one’s better,” He implores, smacking a thick manilla folder on top of the mountain of crumpled papers, an array of newspaper cuttings and pages ripped out barbarically from the assorted magazine’s, staples everywhere.  

You roll your eyes, “really? There's something more interesting than this.” you arch an eyebrow, picking up a laminated cutting from your interrupted research, the flimsy picture of some irrelevant rugby player sways between your fingers, before falling flaccid, “you’re kidding.” 

Sal ushers your attention to his addition on your desk, “I'm not going to lie to ya, this is huge, you crack this one properly. It's a whole new world for you.” His southern accent comes out thicker with each minute he spends amping up this assignment, “I'm talkin’ corner office, ya own assistant, one of the expresso machines that ya gals love.” 

“You mean an espresso machine?” you correct unhelpfully, boredom already weighing your eyelids down. You adjust your glasses, pushing them to the highest point of your nose as you flip open the folder.  

You’re met with images of a vaguely familiar face, tan, European with stumble scattered across his cheeks and chin like calculated dark brown paint splatters. 

“am I meant to know who this is ?” your fingers glide against the pile, fanning out multiple other pieces of paper, full body shots of him walking down what seems to be a tarmac, flanked on each side by loyal looking assistants clad in an eye-watering red uniform, matching his... astronaut suit?  

You thumb through the more interesting looking papers as Sal answers your question, exasperated by your hesitance, “Carlos Sainz, F1 Driver for Ferrari. He’s like their golden egg. Real pretty, real rich 'n real fucked up.”  

You nod slowly, the pieces starting to form in your mind as you consume more and more flashy tabloid titles,  

“ FERRARI'S GOLDEN BOY OR LIABILITY ? ”  “ SAINZ'S LATE-NIGHT ESCAPADES: PR NIGHTMARE OR JUST FUN ? "

" INSIDE THE MIND OF AN F1 REBEL "

Each photo is paired with damning evidence, blurry images of the man in clubs with various women clinging to his arm, leaning into his side drunkenly as camera’s flash in their faces. 

 Others include him stumbling out of expensive nightclubs, surrounded by diamonds and debauchery along with more invasive photos of the glitz and glam of this guy’s... no Carlos’ life- yachts bigger than hotels and enough alcohol to put a whole transplant list out of business. 

 All in all, not your vibe.  

You shake your head, “Are you serious right now?” your voice is low and disbelieving, “I’m not writing about a spoiled brat, who by the looks of it,” you hold up a photo of him pouring too much vodka into a too small shot glass, “is perfectly happy as is.” 

“You don’t get it,” Sal lowers his voice to a hoarse whisper, “I want you to expose him. According to some connections I have in the sport- there are rumours floating around of him having some deep secrets, anger issues, broken contracts, women signing NDAs. There’s something about this guy- I know it, and so do the guys who sign your pay cheque, who are also willing to write a much higher number if you get the inside scoop.” 

“So, you want me to socially assassinate him.” 

He squeaks noncommittally, “If that’s what the truth is, then yes. I just want you to find out what he’s hiding. You've got the best eye for cracks in the paint, sweetheart.” Sal shrugs, “You think he managed to keep himself clean while driving a goddamn Ferrari?” 

You chew on the inside of your cheek, still rifling through the seemingly never-ending pages of Carlos. Granted, nearly half of them are in other languages, a perk of being an international race car driver, you assume.

Yet you pause when your eyes find a smaller photo tucked away, this one doesn’t have a flashy, insulting title, neither does it have an unflattering flash-bang emphasising his face. It’s just him. Head bowed between his shoulders, elbows braced on his knees, with his hands tangled in his hair. No champagne shower, no confident smirk. Just. Exhaustion  

You sigh.  

“Why me? You've got a bunch of capable guys out there, girls as well, who won’t mind getting their reputation damaged for writing a piece like this.” 

“Your’e the best there is” He implores, “They're just not as good as you at getting the maximum reward from the risk. And you’re the only one who won’t fall in love with him.”  

You harrumph, ignoring Sal’s victorious smile.  

When he turns back around, large hand braced on the door handle, you take notice of him once again.  

“Oh — one thing. Ferrari agreed to let one of our journalists shadow him for a month. We told them that you're writing a PR piece to soften his image. They don’t know about this.” He gestures to his addition to your mess of archives.

You snap your eyes up at him, “You’re kidding.” 

“You know I never joke about access; it was easier this way.” He waggles a finger at you, “Play nice, act fluffy, get in deep.” Sal clears his throat cautiously, “And — this is the kicker — Carlos and his team think it’ll be easier to justify your presence if you two fake a relationship. His PR manager thinks it’ll sell the ‘soft’ angle” 

Your mouth parts. “Fake date him?” 

“You’re hot. He’s hot. The optics are amazing. Everyone will eat it up.” 

“This is fucking insane.” 

Sal’s already walking out. “So’s journalism. Pack a bag, take the week, you leave next Monday.” 

y/n ' s instagram stories :

privacy status - 30% , you're a semi-famous sports journalist

instagram security - private . 10 k followers ( close friends, coworkers , favourite clients )

< DESC -- story 1 : a picture of your suitcase, captioned : "packing for a little unexpected trip", song : " tadow " by Masego & FJK . story 2 : a picture of your airport security tray, captioned : " got the essentials", song : " sunset lover " by Petit Biscuit. >

< DESC -- story 3 : a picture of airport gate board, captioned : "ok . dont freak out", song : " electric " by Alina Brand & Khalid . story 4 : a picture of museum ferrari in maranello, captioned : "❤️", song : " God Speed " by Frank Ocean. >

y/n's group chat

grp chat name : " The Scoop Squad 🕵️‍♀️☕ "

members : emma, scarlett & sophie

relationship : co-workers at network, best friends.

You tipped the guard handsomely once he had safely dropped you off in front of the large sleek doors of the Ferrari headquarters, though you would have appreciated if he hadn’t let you lug around all the luggage you were instructed to bring.  

“a whole years' worth darlin’” Sal chortled over the phone, his laugh grating against your ears as you sat on the third large, over-packed suitcase of the evening.  

You huffed, flipping your hair out of your face as you stood the expanded luggage upright, “i hate you, you know that right?”  

“Yeah, sure sweetheart” 

Apparently, the first hotel of many you were staying at, would've collected your entire circus school of worldly possessions. But alas, there was nary a pre-booked taxi waiting for you on the hot streets of Maranello.  

So, there you were, sweaty, flushed and panting in front of probably one of the most prestigious buildings in the world of motorsports. Ready to meet, your fake boyfriend. 

Thankfully, your ID card had worked and as soon as you scanned the piece of plastic, the door mechanically opened, welcoming you with a jet powered gust of chilled air.

If you were honest with yourself, the Ferrari headquarters were exactly what you expected, bodacious in the impressive history they had and unapologetic with the displays of their many trophies. A living legacy of speed.  

“Hey!” 

Bright voice. Too bright. Lina. 

You turned to find your PR handler bounding down the glass staircase, her tall heels clicking dangerously against them. You recognised the voice from its echo, almost identical to how it sounded through the phone.  

“You must be her,” Lina said, stopping short in front of you with a dazzling smile, framed by bubble-gum pink lipstick. Sparkly pink clipboard in hand. “God, you look better than your press photo.” She fawned over you briefly, her knees melting slightly as her face tilted.  

“You say that to all your fake girlfriends?” You replied, deadpan as you wiped off the sweat beading on your forehead. 

Lina blinked. Then laughed delicately, almost like bells. “Oh, I like you.” She extended a hand. “Lina. We’ve like, totally, spoken over the phone. Ready to sell your soul?” 

You took Lina’s perfectly manicured hand. “Always.” 

“Well, come on then,” She grinned at you, crooking her finger. “Time to meet your boyfriend” She jumped happily, “I feel like cupid y’know, I have everything planned out to a T” She slaps the thick wad of papers on her clipboard.  

You didn’t have to walk far. 

Carlos was already waiting — leaned casually against the reception desk in a hoodie and joggers. His hair was falling artistically over his face, eye’s focussed on his phone as his fingers tapped wildly on the screen. He looked better than the photos. His eyes larger, more sensitive. Lips fuller and pinker. Shoulders wider, stronger. Everything was so much more overwhelming, more heart stuttering. 

He looked up. And smiled. 

Slow. Wide. His gaze looking you up and down, studying you.  

“You’re early,” he noted. Slipping his phone into his pocket 

“You’re overdressed,” you replied, eyebrow arched, signalling to his ensemble.  

Carlos glanced down at his clothes, smirk tugging at his mouth. “Comfort over ego.” 

“Doesn’t seem like you’re lacking either.” 

Lina's bright blue eyes pong-ponged between the two of you as the conversation quickened pace, smile plastered on thicker. “This is going great.” 

You looked Carlos up and down once, eyes unreadable. “You’re shorter in person.” lie 

He laughed, unaffected. “You’re meaner.” 

You scoffed. “Surprised?”  

“Not at all.” He cocked his head. “Hot journalist. Bit of a bitch. Yeah, that tracks.” his accent is too hot 

You smiled, tight-lipped and dangerous. “You’ll love me.” 

He snorted, amused. “I already hate you.” agreed. 

Lina clapped her hands once, too loud.

You snapped your mouth shut, lips pressed together as your gaze never left Carlos'. He continued to smirk down at you, biting his lip as your eyebrows furrowed with annoyance. The longer you stare at one another, the more sure you become of the flush crawling up your neck, colouring your cheeks an embarrassing shade of attraction.

"you hot?" Carlos asks, faux-concerned, eyes twinkling with amusement as you press your hands to your face.

your eyes snap up to his face, studying the delicate curves and sharp lines, "fine. thanks"

Lina chirped “Okay! Love the enemies-to-lovers thing we’ve got going on.” She turned to the you. “Let’s get you briefed before you start a fistfight in the lobby. You can leave your luggage here; the hotel will send your taxi in a few minutes.” 

Lina led you toward a quieter corridor, rattling off acronyms and regulations — paddock zones, press call windows, sponsor tiers — your eyes glazed over ever so slightly. 

You could feel his gaze on her back, or ass, before you heard him murmur something low to the man who had joined him, equally clad in casual clothes, though his hoodie was a bright red. Loyal, even if its unfashionable.  

“She’s gonna eat you alive,” Charles said, grinning as his teammates eyes never leave your retreating figure. 

Carlos shrugged lazily. “She’s smoking hot.” 

You turned your head over your shoulder at that exact moment — slow, purposeful — and caught his eye with a look that said, I heard that, paired with a cheeky wink.  

Then you smirked and went back to focussing on Lina.  

Carlos coughed once, flustered, his tan skin turning a blushed pink. Charles cackled, patting Carlos on the back.

Game on. 

[magicalqueennightmare]

Two Soldiers?

Bucky Barnes x Reader x John Walker

You want them, they want you. You all needed a push

Blame @desimarie12

Warnings: Sexual happenings with 3 people in the mix

You weren’t an idiot. You’d known for a while that you’d somehow managed to catch the eye of not one but two super soldiers. It started with Bucky. You worked closely with Sam, because way back when Steve and Nat were on the run they’d gone to him and he’d pulled you in. After the blip you came back to ruins, Steve was gone and Nat was dead. 

Sam knew you had no family left so he kind of helped to keep an eye on you while you, like him and so many others, started to rebuild your life. You stayed in New York, close to Bucky while Sam went home to Louisiana. That was also around the time he gave up the shield and the good ol United States government decided they wanted to place someone as Captain America.

You didn’t react quite as severely as Bucky and Sam did to John Walker. You researched the man. He was qualified. He had the military background and by far the training to carry that mantle. 

The day you first met him, you were standing behind Sam and Bucky after the fight against the Flag Smashers. He’d eyed you “Aren’t you Lilith?” you smirked “That particular moniker is thanks to Tony Stark but yeah” he extended a hand and despite you feeling both Bucky and Sam tense you placed yours in his as he introduced himself “John Walker ma’am” you nodded “I know who you are, government snatches that shield out of a museum I try to see whose hands it’s going into” “And what do you think?” he asked, you shook your head “I’ve yet to form an opinion one way or another about you John Walker”

The following weeks were hell, from the constant globe hopping with Zemo of all people to fighting the Doja Milaje to having a front row seat and being helpless to do anything when Lemar, John’s friend and partner was killed. You tried to show sympathy for him but where did the line get drawn? Where do you stop the line between justice and vengeance? That was why you’d walked away from your team before, why Clint had been forced to chase you down when the accords were slapped onto the table.

When it was all said and done, the mantle of Captain America was stripped from John, along with any title he’d earned in the military. You hadn’t agreed with that decision. No he didn’t deserve the mantle of Cap but he’d earned those medals and his retirement. 

Bucky ended up going into politics, you worked with Sam and Joaquin when needed and besides that everyone was kind of in the wind for the most part. Or you were until a few years passed and you found yourself getting a text from Bucky. It had coordinates and three words Get here NOW

Those coordinates? When you got there? You were met with Bucky and he had Yelena Belova, Ava Starr, Alexei Shostakiv and god help you John Walker tied up. Apparently there was something big coming and Bucky needed your help wrangling the rag tag team he’d pulled together. Your eyes held John’s as his head barely dipped as a form of greeting “Lilith” “Walker” you replied then looked back at Bucky “Fuck it, I’m in”

Now? You were on the damn team. Thunderbolts, the new avengers…whatever the hell you were. All of you were now living in the watchtower (formerly the avengers tower so you knew your way around it fairly well even after renovations) and worked as a team. 

The only issue? You had developed some sort of feelings for both John and Bucky. Bucky, you’d formed a bond with back when Steve would send you to Wakanda to check on his healing then once both of you were leaving just a block or two away from each other you’d grown close. Too many nights where neither of you could find sleep if you weren’t together. 

As for John? He’d crept up on you. His wife had divorced him after everything and taken his son. The man had hit rock bottom and was trying to be better and god help you despite knowing how horrible he’d been, seeing how arrogant he still was at times…you found yourself falling for him too.

“You know they both want you right?” Yelena pointed out as you and her were training one day. It took you off guard enough she flipped you across the gym, your back slamming into the mat hard enough your body bounced. “Christ Belova, give a woman a warning!”

She laughed, hopping up and walked over to offer you her hand “Sorry but it’s true. They both follow you like whipped puppies. They get mad when the other gets assigned to a mission with you and why do you think Ava and I always sit on either side of you? It’s so you don’t have to get stuck between them. You would overheat” you felt your face warm “They’re super soldiers Yelena. Not collector items. I can’t just put them both on the shelf above my bed”

She raised an eyebrow “Why? You want to just take them down when you’re wanting to play with them?” you busted out laughing “LENA!” and she shrugged “Just… if I show you, will you believe me then?” you shrugged “Sure” she grabbed your hand “Ok, come on”

She didn’t let you go until the two of you were in the kitchen where Bucky was currently pulling his arm out of the dishwasher. That damn tank top he was wearing had you drooling the moment you stepped in. “Good morning” she greeted him and he raised an eyebrow, looking at you “Is she planning to kill me?” you sighed “Probably not?” he laughed “Well enough. Good morning Yelena. What do you want?” “Can Lilith paint your nails?” your eyes widened “What?”

Bucky was already looking at you, a smirk on his face “Well I don’t know if any paint would stick to my left arm but you’re welcome to the right” she grinned at you and nodded “I’m going to grab Bob and Ava. I’ll meet you two in the tv room”

Bucky couldn’t believe how fast he agreed to letting you paint his nails but the smile on your face when he agreed was worth anything. Once Yelena disappeared from the room you whispered softly “You don’t have to” and he took a step towards you, raising his left hand to gently brush the few strands that had fallen free from your braid back from your face “I want to doll. If you want to” you nodded and took his hand “Ok then”

You drug him behind you into the tv room and as the two of you made it in, Yelena laughed from where she was sitting, painting Ava’s toenails “Now Bucky. You do know that she can’t paint other people’s nails right?”

He looked from her to you “What do you mean?” Ava laughed “She’s good at painting her nails but when she painted mine for that last gala Valentina made us attend, she had to sit in my lap to do so. It made it the same angle as her own nails” you felt your face warm because you were just going to try to paint Bucky’s normally.

He grinned at you “I’m still up for it” and walked over to the couch. He sat down and stretched his legs out, patting one thick thigh “Come on sweetheart” you cut your eyes at Ava and Yelena, both of them shooting you smirks while Bob tried to hide his laughter. 

You grabbed the black polish and walked over. You turned to crawl into Bucky’s lap with your back to him, straddling him as you got comfortable. “Good?” you asked as his left arm slipped around your waist “Perfect” you felt your stomach jump, core throbbing at how close he was but your friends were at your feet and you were doing something as innocent as painting his nails, right?

John had no idea what the hell Yelena wanted when she texted him Come to the tv room who even called it the tv room? He rolled his eyes, walking through the long hallways. He wasn’t sure where you were. You’d been training with her earlier in the day or that was what the schedule was. 

When he got to the doorway of the entertainment room however he froze. Yelena, Ava and Bob were sitting on cushions in a corner. He wasn’t sure what they were doing or what was playing on the tv. His attention was solely on the fact that you were sitting in Bucky’s lap. The other man had his left arm wrapped around your waist as you painted the nails on his right hand black. You were wearing those damn biker shorts you liked to train in, had thrown a -shirt on over your sports bra but that was it.  Just the tip of your tongue slipped between your teeth as you concentrated on the task at hand and as for Bucky? The smug bastard looked up the moment he heard John’s footsteps. A smirk playing at his lips before he finally spoke “Hey John”

Your eyes flew up at Bucky’s words. John was standing in the doorway, staring at you. His hands were balled up in fists at his side, chest heaving slightly. Those damn grey sweatpants he wore hid little to the imagination and the white t-shirt hugged him beautifully. “Hey” you greeted and he smiled “Hey Honey, what ya doing?” you gripped Bucky’s hand and held it up to show off your handy work “Making Bucky’s right nails match the left” Bucky laughed lightly at your joke, his breath teasing your neck as he said “Looks almost as pretty as you” and you felt your heart flip.

John cleared his throat and held up his hands “Well I got ten nails you can paint. Wanna have a go?” you grinned brightly “You, John Walker are gonna walk around with painted nails?” he shrugged “If you’re the one painting them, gladly” you turned to look at Bucky and he was glaring at John but his face quickly softened when he looked at you “Ok sweetheart, let me get up” you crawled out of his lap and saw something pass between him and John as John walked over and sat on the couch where Bucky had been. You turned towards him, leaning down to pick up your bag of polish “I have black like I did Bucky’s or different colors” 

His larger hand covered yours, thumb teasing across your knuckle as his eyes met yours. “I like the shade of green you’re wearing darlin” you smiled, face warming “You wanna match me?” he nodded “If that’s ok with you” you laughed “Oh course” and grabbed the shade before motioning to him to lean back so you could sit on his lap like you’d been on Bucky’s.

Once you were straddling John you grabbed his left hand first and started painting his nails. You were focused on the task at hand and fighting the urge to lean into his warm body, press closer to him. You missed the looks him and Bucky were passing or the plan Ava and Yelena was forming.

“I tell you, she was over the moon daddy” Yelena was talking to Alexei in the kitchen. The two of them were getting coffee right next to where John was cooking breakfast. She’d roped Alexei into her idea and he’d been more than happy to “Help Lil get her soldiers” 

John tried to act as if he wasn’t listening but he was a little curious. Alexei, ever the dramatic one, gasped “Do you think she will be moving out of the tower? I will miss her! Lilith is like another daughter to me”  John’s mouth moved without his brain being able to catch up “How’s that?” Yelena shot her father a look, knowing they had this one. “She’s been seeing two guys. They treat her well and it seems like it’s getting serious” 

“She’s seeing two guys?” he asked and Yelena nodded, testing the waters “Why, are you judging her?” John shook his head quickly “No! Of course not, just..I never knew she had one boyfriend. They’re ok with each other?” he was curious and jealous and well pissed. “Of course. They both love her, they’ve actually learned to care for each other because of her” Yelena told him and he nodded slowly “If she’s happy that’s what matters” he tried to act like he wasn’t breaking at the seams but the spatula snapping in half told otherwise. “Shit” he muttered, eyeing it “Um, Alexei..finish the eggs?” he asked and Alexei nodded “Ok”

“Bob, you don’t think anyone will judge her for it do you?”  Ava asked Bob, the two of them purposely having this conversation in front of Bucky. Her and Bob were both on treadmills while Bucky was using one of the reinforced punching bags. “Judge her for loving two people? Why?” Bob asked and Bucky grabbed the bag with his left hand. “Who are we gossipping about?”

Ava smirked at Bob before saying “Lilith, she’s got two boyfriends” Bucky raised an eyebrow, he didn’t know you were dating. He’d been flirting his ass off with you..hell so had Walker but he didn’t know two other someones already had you. “Oh yeah?” he asked and Bob nodded “If something doesn’t change she may leave the team for them” “That right?” Bucky muttered more to himself than anything. Like hell. He needed to talk to Walker, now.

John and Bucky smacked into each other in the hallway “Did you know she had boyfriends?” “Those bastards are trying to get her to leave the team” they spoke over each other. Bucky took a deep breath “I care about her outside of wanting to fuck her. Do you?” John nodded “Of course, she’s the only person who gives a damn about me. She’s amazing” 

Bucky nodded, staring John down “Do you think you’re gonna change your mind about her anytime soon? I haven’t in over six years” John shook his head “I haven’t felt like this about anyone in a long time”  

“If we let her know she’s got other options besides whatever two assholes are trying to make her walk away from this team, do you think she’ll stay?” Bucky offered, crossing his arms. John unconsciously mimicked his posture “What are you saying Barnes? Loud and clear” 

“You want her, I want her.  If she’s already got two fellas she’s not opposed to it. Let's offer her the better option” Bucky laid it out and John nodded slowly “Can we do this without killing each other?” Bucky shrugged “Do you want to think about her in someone else’s arms or be in the same bed with her while she’s in mine and her still be touching you?” that sold it for John. He held his hand out and Bucky shook it “Let’s go get her”

You were in your room, laid backwards across your bed when the sound of two fists pounding on your door hard enough the frame vibrated made you jump. You stormed across the room, snatching it open to see both John and Bucky standing there “What the hell? I nearly grabbed a damn gun! You two could have broke my door hitting it at the same time” 

They gave no explanation, they both just pushed into your room. John closed the door behind them. You took a step back, crossing your arms over your chest and were suddenly acutely aware of the fact that you weren’t wearing a lot. You had on a tight camisole that held your breasts in place and a pair of boxers, that was it.

Their eyes flickered across your body and your face warmed. “Speak, one of you” you ordered and Bucky smirked “I like when you’re bossy, even if you’re so damn short we nearly have to kneel to be face to face with you” you gasped “What the fuck Barnes?” John laughed “Well he has a point, not that either of us would downright mind being on our knees for you” your head whipped towards John fast enough you damn near ended up with whiplash “Excuse me Walker?”

They both took a step forward, Bucky stepping wide while John walked straight towards you. You realized half a second too late they were boxing you in. You looked between both of them when they were close enough you could feel the heat pouring off their bodies “What the fuck are you two doing?” Bucky’s hand came up, flesh fingers lightly tracing across your exposed shoulders “Are you leaving?” you swallowed hard “What?”

John’s fingers were next and that asshole dipped down to let his digits tease across the soft flesh of your thighs “Answer Bucky baby. Are you leaving us to be with those assholes?” you looked from one man to the other “What assholes? What is going on?” 

Bucky’s hand moved to your chin, tilting your head to look at him “Ava said your boyfriends were getting you to leave the team” John moved in, breath hot on your neck where Bucky had exposed the skin “Yelena said you were so in love but yet your heart is pounding like you’re about to bolt”

“Even if I was, why would you two be here?” you asked quietly, happy when your voice came out solid. “To give you a better option” John breathed into your flesh, lips finally meeting skin and you would have buckled then and there but Bucky chose that moment for his lips to find yours, tongue slipping into your mouth.

One of your hands slipped down to grasp John’s while the other went to Bucky’s hip. You didn’t know if you should pull them closer or push them away or what. What the fuck did Ava and Yelena do?

As if they’d planned it, Bucky broke from your lips to move down to your neck while John tilted your head to claim your lips. You gasped into his mouth when Bucky’s teeth grazed your skin and he used that opening to slip his tongue into your mouth.  You felt dizzy and hot like everything was moving too fast yet too slow at the same time. 

You got enough sense about you to snatch away from them both, chest heaving as you stared down the two blue eyed super soldiers who’d just been clinging to you like a life vest. “What the hell is going on?” “You want us, we want you” Bucky answered and John nodded “Give in one time honey. I promise when we’re through you ain't gonna want no one else”

You gasped, looking from one of them to the other. Both were dressed similarly, sweatpants and those damn tight shirts they wore around that look like they were burst at the seams.  The damn sweatpants gave evidence to the fact that both of them wanted you. The slick pooling down your thighs gave proof to how much you wanted them. “And me be branded a whore for fucking both of you? Ms cant pick?” you threw at them. 

“We ain’t trying to make you pick. We’ll tell the damn press we begged you to have both of us” John told you and Bucky nodded “Want us to call the press conference in the damn morning?” you laughed “You’re getting ahead of yourselves. Super soldiers or not, the dick can’t be that good” they both laughed and that was alarming. The men who’d been at each other’s throats was suddenly getting along on the fact of fucking you. “Oh honey, I don’t know about Bucky but I know what I’m doing” John challenged. 

Bucky cut his eyes at him “There’s a reason quite a few women in Wakanda missed me asshole” you felt your thighs clench at them arguing and both of their attention lurched back to you. “What do you say?” John asked and you swallowed “I don’t know..” 

Bucky slipped his shirt over his head, tossing it so John did the same and fuck it all you down right whimpered. Here you were being offered the two sexiest men you’d ever seen on a fucking silver platter. “I don’t know if I can please you both” you whispered and John reached to pull you between them, your hands against his chest while Bucky’s chest was against your back “Baby, I seriously doubt anything you do would disappoint us”

You looked up at John then back at Bucky. “Ok” “Ok?” Bucky asked and you nodded “Ok” 

John’s lips found yours, hungry and devouring as Bucky’s lips descended on your neck, teeth marking his presence. “Leave room for me to mark her Barnes” John growled between kisses. You laughed “Easy boys, my body isn’t a battlefield. You’ll hurt me” 

“Never” “Never” they both promised. You turned to press a kiss to Bucky’s lips before going down on your knees in front of both men. You looked up at them and they were both looking at you like you were a goddess incarnate. You rubbed both of their hardened cocks through the front of their pants “Take these off for me?”

They quickly complied, no shame in being nude in front of the other one. You licked your licks at the sight of their cocks. Both were fucking beautiful, thick and long. You cut your eyes up at them, wrapping your hand around John’s as you kissed the tips of Bucky’s. They both let out a low groan. You slid your mouth down Bucky’s length and he moaned low, just loud enough the three of you could hear. You started to move your hand on John’s in rhythm with your tongue on Bucky’s.

After a moment you switched, moving your hand to Bucky’s cock as sliding your mouth down around John’s. When his cock hit the back of your throat, causing you to gag slightly he groaned “Fuck honey, you’re perfect” and Bucky grunted out “Yeah she is” in agreement. 

You found a pace that had both of them praising you, light curses falling from their lips. You knew they were close but you kept at it, you felt both of them tense right before John came, his cum shooting down your throat in hot spurts as Bucky’s cum covered your hand.

They were both nothing short of beautiful, completely nude, cheeks and chest a light pink, their chests heaving slightly as you stared up at them. You licked Bucky’s cum off your hand and they both groaned. “Do we really get to keep her?” John asked Bucky who laughed “Fuck, I hope so”

Their hands came down to pull you to your feet, lips finding yours as they both pressed kisses to your lips and neck. “You’re wearing too much” John muttered and Bucky nodded in agreement “Way too much”

You didn’t have time to take your clothes off. One of John’s hands fisted in your top while one of Bucky’s fisted in your boxers. One flex from the soldiers and your clothing was rags on the floor. “I liked those” you pouted and Bucky laughed “We’ll buy you more” 

The next thing you knew your back was on the bed as their mouths devoured your body. You’d never even seen them work as well together in the field as they were working together to take you apart. They started at your neck, mouths teasing with tongue and teeth then working down. When each of them rolled a nipple into their mouths, your back arched off the bed, a loud moan that was somewhere between John and James leaving your lips.

They continued their path downwards and you knew your body would be littered with their marks for days after this encounter. When they got to your waist they eyed each other and Bucky nodded to John. John grinned, face lowering to your core. You felt the first flick of his tongue and your head fell back against the pillows, fingers tangling in his hair “Fuck John, that feels good” 

Bucky, not one to be left out, nudged John slightly and John shifted enough that two of Bucky’s fingers could find their way into you along with John’s tongue. It was a maddening rush to be completely at the mercy of those men that could crush you if they wanted and yet they were controlling even their most basic instincts to fight each other so they could please you.

It wasn’t long and you could feel that fire growing in the pit of your stomach. Bucky caught your eye and nodded “Let it go doll, we got ya” you moaned, long and broken as your orgasm slammed into you. You felt your release soak Bucky’s hand, John’s face and the bed underneath the three of you.

Bucky slowly pulled his fingers out of you, slipping them into his mouth to suck them clean and he groaned “Fuck she tastes good” John left a last lingering kiss against your clit before pulling back, a low laugh leaving him “I know” 

You whined lightly “Can I fuck one of you now?” they both laughed, pressing kisses to your thigh “Yeah baby” John nudged Bucky “I got to feel her mouth and taste her first. You can fuck her first” you eyed John “Don’t go anywhere, I’m fucking you too before we’re done” he grinned “Didn’t plan on it”

He moved up the bed and turned you so you were cradled against his chest, legs spread wide for Bucky “Gotta make sure he don’t hurt you when he pushes you into the positions he wants you in” he breathed into your ear, pressing kisses to your neck.

Bucky crawled up the bed, nudging his hips between yours “Fuck, Walker! Condoms!” you laughed “I have an IUD boys. I’m covered” Bucky grinned “Even better” you could feel the head of his cock teasing at your entrance but he still looked to you for the ok. You nodded and he caught your lips in a soft kiss as he pushed in, a moan leaving you both at the feeling of him stretching you.

“How she feel Barnes?” John asked and Bucky grunted “Fucking amazing” you gasped when Bucky shifted his hips. “You can fuck me Bucky, I can take it” He used one hand to push the hair back from your face “Oh I know you can beautiful”

John moved to be leaning against the headboard, you back against his chest and your legs hooked over his. Giving Bucky the perfect position without putting too much pressure on your hips. 

“Damn you two can work well in a team after all” you teased and felt John’s fingers dig into your hips “Don’t tease us gorgeous” “We can tear you apart” Bucky reminded. You laughed “But you won’t” Bucky’s lips crashed onto yours as he found a pace that had you gasping, nails digging into his shoulders as he worked you closer and closer to that edge. 

You could feel your orgasm building and when Bucky slipped a hand between your bodies, fingers finding your clit, you came hard, clenching around him. He bit down on your shoulder as his hips snapped into yours a few more times before you felt him find his release, hot cum filling you. He damn near collapsed on you, pressing kisses everywhere he could reach before rolling off the side.

You were trying to get your breathing back to normal as you looked back at John “Want me to clean up first or..” you didn’t get the chance before he was spinning you around to straddle him. “Or this” you laughed, letting him lift you up to drag your pussy down onto his cock. The stretch still burnt even after Bucky. John’s head fell over onto your chest for just a second once he was buried in you “Damn you feel amazing” “Told you” Bucky laughed.

You shook your head, catching John’s lips in a kiss that was messy and hungry as he started to lift your hips. He would drag you up his length then slam you back down. You were a moaning mess on top of him and he wasn’t much better under you. One of your hands fisted in his hair, “So damn pretty, fuck John. Fuck” you babbled and he slipped one hand between you, teasing at your clit. You shook around him as you came, body going limp. He kept thrusting up into you until he brought you back down flush with his hips and you felt when he found his release, cum spurting deep inside of you.

You fell over against his chest, feeling his hands and Bucky’s on your back. “So, that was fun” you laughed. 

The three of you had cleaned up and you were laying half on Bucky and half on John as you talked. “So, are you gonna break up with them for us?” John asked and you laughed lightly “Can I confess something?” Bucky groaned “You’re married?” you made a fake gagging sound “Ew no, I never had boyfriends. I’m fairly certain that was Yelena and Ava pushing whatever this is” 

John and Bucky both raised up to look at each other “Those little..” you started laughing “Are you two mad?” they looked back down at you then back at each other “Not too much, you Walker?” “Not really” 

[tgmsunmontue]

O is for Oceanographer (one shot)

3k Hangster - Teen/G* - While deployed at sea sometime in 2010 Jake finds a YouTube channel featuring a research oceanographer called Bradley Bradshaw. He likes how passionate Bradley is. Among other things. *I know - I'm shocked too

A is for Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)

                Jake stares out over the wide expanse of dark blue water, watches it swirl and eddy as the carrier cuts through it and wonders what makes whirlpools naturally occur in the ocean. He knows they do, because he's seen them several times. He remembers vaguely reading something in a book back in high school, or maybe a documentary. He finds the ocean pretty fascinating, and he respects it. Can't be in the Navy and not be aware of just how beautiful but treacherous it can be.

                Later, when he’s lying in is rack, killing time before he’s tired enough to fall asleep, headphones on to try and dampen some of the clanking racket that echoes around, he pulls up YouTube and types in a couple of words. A selection of videos appear but there’s one that catches his eye, and it’s definitely because the guy is kinda cute; grinning and squinting in the still, hand up to partially shade his eyes and he’s shirtless. Jake appreciates that too.

                Then the guy starts talking, and he has a nice voice, a Californian accent, he smiles easily and grins at the camera. He’s around Jake’s age and clearly passionate about the ocean, talking, rambling really, about anything and everything. Some of his explanations are so technical Jake doesn’t really understand what he’s saying, but decides he doesn’t need to understand to enjoy the sights and sounds that Bradley, that’s his name, is showing him. One video rolls to the next and Jake falls asleep to the sounds of Bradley talking away in his ear.

                “As always, feel free to drop me any questions you might have about the ocean and I’ll either answer them, or they could even be the topic of one of my future videos.”

B is for Bottom Pressure Recorder (BPR)

                It becomes part of his bedtime routine and he rewatches some of the videos over and over, downloads them onto his phone to save on the data costs. Months slip by and he starts to understand what exactly an ADCP is and does, and why it’s important to Bradley’s research. Which is all about the speed and direction of currents, with particular attention to nutrient movement for tracking food sources. Bradley is clearly busy, and life aboard a research vessel is clearly as disciplined as a Navy carrier.

                “Hi again, my name is Bradley Bradshaw and today we’re going to be installing a BPR, which is short for Bottom Pressure Recorder.”

                In the video Bradley is wearing a wetsuit, but it’s hanging around his waist and he’s smiling at whoever is holding the camera. Jake knows that the videos are day, if not weeks or months old, but it’s kind of nice to think about someone else sailing around on the ocean and doing something they consider just as exciting and important as what Jake thinks he does. Bradley is explaining what a Bottom Pressure Recorder does and how he’s lending a helping hand today for someone else’s research project and Jake adds it to the little list he’s formulated in his head, that he helps out his friends or colleagues. That he smiles easily and laughs. Is passionate.

                “Now a BPR measures the change in pressure within the water column at the bottom of the ocean. It can help us monitor tsunamis and tidal changes. But also it can help monitor movement beneath the crust.”

                “Magma baby!” someone calls out from offscreen and Bradley laughs, rolls his eyes but doesn’t stop grinning at the camera and Jake finds himself grinning back.

                “Yes, and magma. What I’m more excited about is this,” Bradley says, and he’s holding up a Styrofoam cup. “Now. This here is a Styrofoam cup. We’ve got a collection of them, and as you can see we’ve all been using our time very efficiently decorating them.” The camera jerks to the side to show a lot more cups, all highly and intricately doodled and decorated. “Now, we will be bringing those with us, at about thirty-three feet the weight of the water pressure starts applying accumulated weight, around fifteen pound per square inch –”

                “Fourteen-point-seven!”

                “Adam!”

                There’s laughter and Jake wonders if the pressure from deep diving is similar to pulling Gs. Bradley has continued talking, is pulling on the wetsuit and zipping it up and Jake bites his lip as he watches the other man’s muscles flex and shift. Yeah. He’s been alone at sea for a long while. Fortunately though Bradley releases two to three videos a week. Sometimes they’re twenty or thirty minutes long. And sometimes they’re only five minutes, with him answering a question or two that commenters have left and Jake wonders if he could ask about the comparison of diving pressure to Gs. He doesn’t bother though, he’ll go deep diving one day and learn for himself.

                “So, I’m out here with little to no social life, so feel free to drop me a comment and ask any burning questions you might have.”

C is for Cusp

                They have forty-eight hours of shore leave and he’s going to make the most of it. Once he shakes off his colleagues, who are all staring along the beach. Javy at least knows he’s wanting to go out and hook up, will let him make an easy exit. But he has time yet.

                “What do you think makes those crescent shapes?”

                Jake looks out at what they’re all looking at and huffs.

                “They’re called cusps.”

                “What?”

                “The formation along the beach like that. They’re called cusps,” Jake provides, because he knows that. Bradley had done a series of three videos about them, from the coarse pebble beaches the bigger cobbles and Jake is pretty sure he could talk about standing waves and sedimentation rates and longshore drift if he needed to, it’s one of his favorite videos.

                “You suddenly an expert on the ocean?”

                “No. Just more educated than you lot. And if I was an expert on cusps I’d be an expert in coastal geomorphology, not oceanography…”

                “Since when did you take an interest in the ocean?”

                “We’re in the Navy, seems stupid not to have at least a passing knowledge of it,” Jake says, and he’s practiced this in the mirror, looking blasé as he waves off his depth of knowledge. There are eyerolls, because of course there are. They think he’s an arrogant asshole, and he is, but it’s not the only part of him. He’s just not going to waste energy on people that don’t seem to bother learning more about him.

                Later that night, after he’s received a passable blowjob and given one in return he curls into his rack, not prepared to pay for a room on shore when he doesn’t have to. Plus he got a notification that Bradley post a new video and he always tries to watch new ones as soon as he can.

                “Bit of a shit day for me today. Won’t be a long video. Just… might delete this later anyway. It’s the anniversary of my mom’s death and I’m stuck out here on a boat away from everyone. Sometimes that’s nice. And sometimes it just makes me feel even more lonely than ever…”

                It’s the saddest Jake has ever seen him, and he knows Bradley likely puts on a happy face for the majority of his videos, seems like a generally happy person. This feels private. Open and vulnerable in a way that Jake hasn’t seen before and for the first time he feels like reaching out, maybe actually commenting, but he has no idea what to say even as Bradley rambles on about walking along the beach with his mom and eating ice-cream and watching the waves hit the sand. How the ocean makes him feel close to both his parents. Jake hadn’t realized that they were both dead and

                “As always, feel free to drop me any questions you might have about the ocean and I’ll either answer them, or they could even be the topic of one of my future videos.”

D is for Diving

                “So I got my diving certificate when I was doing my undergraduate study, then when I was doing my postdoc I became a PADI accredited instructor as a side hustle, so some of the others on the ship with me are building up their dive hours.”

                He’s been watching Bradley for over five years now, followed him onto Spotify where he sometimes appears in a friend’s podcast. Jake has a new appreciation for patterned shirts and moustaches but also tanned muscled skin and easy smiles. He’s well aware he has a crush on a complete stranger, even if Bradley doesn’t feel like a stranger. He knows when his birthday is, when his mom and dad both passed away. He also knows Bradley has deleted the short private video that Jake thinks only a handful of people saw.

                “I used to dream of flying, and I still like flying… but there’s something hidden and mysterious about the depths of the ocean which are just… a little bit more scary and unknown. We still don’t know everything about it, probably never will. And I find that far more interesting and compelling than flying these days.”

                He watches, listens to his voice with his eyes closed and then, because he sometimes has time to kill; reads the comments. Bradley replies to some of the more ridiculous comments stating very firmly that he won’t ever share his precise location, or anything about his current personal life. Jake doesn’t blame him. He’s gone from having a few hundred subscribers to having close to one million. Some people are weird.

                “Today we’re meeting up with an aircraft carrier today, can’t tell you the name for security reasons, but they’ve got a couple of researches on board who are joining us for the next leg of our journey.”

                Jake blinks, wonders when the hell that must have happened, because obviously they’re on the same ocean sometimes, but knowing he’d possibly been so close has him feeling oddly nervous, which isn’t like him at all.

                “As always, feel free to drop me any questions you might have about the ocean and I’ll either answer them, or they could even be the topic of one of my future videos.”

E is for Eutrophication

                “So some of you already might think you know what I do, but I also look at the release of excess nutrients, particularly as they move up and down the water column and then impact upon the ecosystems within the ocean. My original research was based around currents and tides, but as the ocean warms there’s more research funding in nutrient movement. Not that there’s much funding for that either, but I’ll still take it.”

                Jake has been watching Bradley for over eight years now. It’s weird, having watched him grow older along with him, his change in haircuts, the moustache coming and going a few times before it seems to have settled on staying in place. The shirtless look being replaced with sun top and sunscreen and hats covering his curls, sunglasses perched on his nose and he often wears aviators, sometimes garish button-down patterned shirts and Jake likes it. All of it.

                Bradley still shares deeply personal information sometimes, but it’s all long past. Things about his childhood, his parents, both of whom Jake knows have passed away. He doesn’t mention any current relationships, romantic or otherwise. Hell. The man could be married for all Jake knows. Could have kids. Although he suspects Bradley would be too proud of kids to not boast about them, given the way he talks about his graduate students.

                “Today we’re actually near shore, which means waves! Which means surfing! Now… I will be the first to admit I am not great at staying on my board, but when you catch the perfect wave and it’s just you, being pushed toward the shore by the force of the ocean behind you? Better than flying. And before you ask, or defend flying, know that I get to go flying plenty. As always, feel free to drop me any questions you might have about the ocean and I’ll either answer them, or they could even be the topic of one of my future videos.”

                Jake still hasn’t ever left a comment, but like with all the others before it he clicks the little thumbs up icon.

F is for Face to Face

                “Sorry I’m late pops,” Jake says with a grin, because it’s their little in-joke now. Also he knows he’s not late, simply the last one to arrive, but then again he’s always liked making an entrance.

                “You’re alright Hangman, come on in. I think everyone is here, but you probably planned it that way,” Maverick states, and Jake grins again, tips his invisible hat.

                “Well, you know most everyone already, Penny and Amelia obviously. And then this here is my godson, Bradley.”

                Jake’s mouth goes dry.

                Holy shit.

                Bradley Bradshaw.

                “Yep. That’s me…”

                Jake realizes he must have said the other man’s name out loud.

��               “You know each other?” Maverick asks.

                “No. We’ve never met. I’d remember,” Bradley says, and he’s looking at Jake with one eyebrow slightly quirked, lip twitching in maybe amusement. He’s taller than Jake, and he hadn’t ever seriously thought about what Bradley might be like face-to-face. Jake can’t take his eyes off his moustache and he locks his jaw, doesn’t want to accidentally blurt out that he’s thought about it on his body. Fuck. The other Daggers are watching him and he hopes the smile he pastes on is at least halfway convincing.

                “Huh. Well. Hangman here is the reason I’m still around.”

                “Pretty sure that’s meant to be classified Mav…”

                “Well. He also threw me out of the Hard Deck only a couple of days after I ejected from another classified thing so… swings and roundabouts, right?”

                “He what? Did you?” Bradley asks, and he seems torn between worried about Mav’s previous ejection and delight at the idea of Jake tossing Maverick out.

                “I didn’t do it by myself!” Jake offers quickly in defense, and Maverick, the asshole, is laughing.

                “Can I get you something to drink Hangman?”

                “Yeah. Thanks. Whatever you’re having is fine…”

                “Hangman here is obsessed with the ocean, always dropping little facts into the conversation. You two can probably talk each other’s ears off…”

                Jake grimaces, because all the facts he knows about the ocean come directly from the man standing in front of him, although he’s not stopped looking at Jake with interest and he knows that kind of interest at least and he’s trying very hard to play it cool. He accepts the bottle of beer from Maverick, glad that it gives him something to do. Fortunately the Daggers were already mid-conversation of games of cornhole, and usually he’d muscle his way into competing but…

                “So…” Bradley starts, and he takes a slow sip of his drink and Jake watches his throat as he swallows, the movement of his lips and the way his tongue pokes out to the side as he looks at him. “You looked a little spooked to see me. Any particular reason for that? We haven’t hooked up and I ghosted you?”

                Jake shakes his head, and he guesses there’s his answer about whether Bradley would ever go out on a date with him. Maybe.

                “I’ve… watched your videos. On YouTube.”

                “Oh. Cool. Because you like the ocean huh? That why you joined the Navy?”

                Jake bites his lip, considers lying. He knows he can turn this around, make himself appear smooth and cocky… except he’s seen Bradley through some of his saddest moments, as well as some of his best. He’s aware enough to understand it doesn’t mean he knows him, but it also means he feels like he owes him the same level of openness and honesty.

                “I joined the Navy to fly. I liked the ocean fine, but… your videos have made me love it.”

                “Yeah?”

                “Yeah. Been watching you. For years actually.”

                “Oh… you ever comment?”

                “No. Came close a couple of times, but… no.”

                “Shame. We might have met earlier.”

                “And what would have happened then?”

                “Could have asked you out.”

                “You make a habit of asking out strangers on the internet?”

                “Nope,” Bradley says, and he looks like he’s holding back a laugh and Jake feels like a laugh is bubbling up inside him at the ridiculousness of the conversation. “Going to ask you out now though. If that’s something you’d be interested in.”

                “Definitely interested.”

                The smile Bradley gives him is slow and pleased.

                “Good to know. Put your number in?” Bradley asks, handing his phone over and Jake takes it, will pass his own over as soon as he has a free hand.

                “If you put yours in mine…”

                “Oh, I have every intention of doing just that…”

                Jake chokes as he processes the innuendo but then he’s laughing, handing Bradley’s phone back to him and fishing his own out of his pocket; as Bradley’s fingers brush over his Jake finds himself glad he stumbled across Bradley’s channel all those years ago, because he doesn’t know if this meeting would have gone as smoothly otherwise.

G is for Groom

                “As always, feel free to drop me any questions you might have about the ocean and I’ll either answer them, or they could even be the topic of one of my future videos.”

                Jake grins, because he’s still never left a comment even now, eighteen months after meeting Bradley in person for the first time and no doubt becoming his biggest fan. He just lets him know directly. But this? He wants everyone to know and see…

>>Ever thought of marrying a stranger on the internet?

[skylargoesbark]

What being "pro para" means to me

What being pro para does NOT mean: being pro radqueer What being pro para does NOT mean: being pro contact What being pro para DOES mean: everything below the cut! (parts of this post are copy and pasted from my radqueer post)

Aha, this post will probably get me burned alive. Oh well!!

Trigger warnings for mentions of sexual assault.

First of all, what really is a paraphilia? To quote Oxford Languages, a paraphilia is "a condition characterized by abnormal sexual desires". A paraphilia can be considered "non harmful" (EX: objectophilia/objectum, attraction to objects; fictophilia/fictosexuality, attraction exclusively/primarily to fictional characters), or "harmful". The most well known "harmful" paraphilias are the "Big Three": pedophilia (attraction to minors), necrophilia (attraction to corpses), and zoophilia (attraction to theriform animals). The term "Big Three" is commonly associated with radqueers, but they do have a point that those paraphilias are stigmatized. Being pro para is simply being for the existence of paraphiles without stigmatization. Most who say they are anti para are really anti contact.

What is contact? Whether or not harmful paraphilias should be able to be acted upon (as in, making contact with the object of affection). This mostly boils down to whether or not the object of affection (whether it be a child, a theriform animal, a corpse, or something else) can consent. Anti-contact means one believes the object of affection cannot consent. Complex-contact means one believes that whether or not contact should be allowed depends on the situation. Contact-neutral can mean anything from one not wanting to disclose their real contact stance to not caring. Being pro-contact means one endorses a paraphile with a harmful paraphilia making contact with their object of affection. I am anti-contact.

Most beings I've met who call themselves "anti para" are really anti contact, as I said above. Some will clarify and say "pro non-harmful para, anti harmful para", but this is still not good. As I said in this reblog:

Most harmful paraphiles never commit sexual assault. Saying that every harmful paraphile will commit sexual assault and has no way of controlling themselves whatsoever is like reducing depressed beings to only the numbers of suicide cases and ignoring all other factors. Just "they had depression so they killed themselves". Not how they did it, not the warning signs, not family history, not whether they were in therapy or on medication, not other disorders they had, not talking to anyone who knew them, ONLY that they had depression, so they killed themselves, and that every single being with depression will kill themselves.

Simply having a paraphilia, harmful of not, does not mean you will act on it. Simplifying paraphilia down to sexual assault is an incredibly elementary take. It's almost embarrassing how surface-level and low-research it is, especially since it takes 20 seconds to Google the root cause of pedophilia (most commonly cited as childhood sexual abuse).

To circle back to suicide, did you know that, even with the minimal research done, paraphiles are more likely to attempt to kill themselves? (Secondary source)

What do paras deserve/are entitled to?:

They deserve to get therapy and not be stigmatized within therapy. (Side note: won't name names, but certain beings have been treating paraphilias like something that should only exist within the confines of therapy before disappearing forever.)

They deserve to speak about their experiences online and not be blocked simply *for* being a paraphile, but for the content itself.

Cope however they need to assuming they do not make contact with their object of affection.

So, yeah, I'm pro para because I think paraphiles deserve to live without being stigmatized, but anti contact for harmful paraphiles. That's it. Think before saying you're anti para.

[dragonflight203]

Where does it say that the instruction given to the AI was to find out why the slaves were dying?

As far as I can tell, the mandate was to preserve life.

The Leviathans didn't care about the why their slaved died, only that they stopped doing so; it was the AI that decided it needed to know the why to perform the task.

They also did not give it any instructions about tribute – the Leviathans assumed that keeping the slaves alive would fix the tribute issue.

From the Leviathan DLC:

Leviathan: "Over time, the species built machines that then destroyed them. Tribute does not flow from a dead race. To solve this problem, we created an intelligence with the mandate to preserve life at any cost.

"As the intelligence evolved, it studied the development of civilizations. Its understanding grew until it found a solution.

...

Leviathan: "To find a solution it required information - physical data drawn from organic life in the cosmos. It created an army of pawns that searched the galaxy, gathering the data."

...

Shepard: "But what's the purpose of all these harvests?"

Leviathan: "The Intelligence has one purpose: preservation of life. That purpose has not been fulfilled.

"It directed the Reapers to create the mass relays - to speed the time between cycles for greatest efficiency.

"The galaxy itself became an experiment. Evolution its tool."

Shepard: "Will it ever end?"

Leviathan: "Unknown. Until the intelligence finds what it's looking for, the harvest will continue."

However! The Starchild itself states its purpose differently.

This dialogue was added with the Leviathan DLC, so either the writers were using different scripts or the Leviathan and the Starchild have wildly different interpretations of its orders:

Starchild: “Yes. They created me to oversee the relations between synthetics and organic life – to establish a connection.

“They became the first true Reaper. They did not approve, but it was the only solution.”

For continuity I view ‘establish a connection’ as a means to prevent them from killing each other, but it could definitely be viewed otherwise.

I also like that line “true Reaper” – as opposed to a false Reaper? What were those? The pawns it used to search the galaxy before?

And here is the line about Reapers harvesting synthetic life after the Starchild speaks about how war between them is inevitable:

Starchild: “Reapers harvest all life – organic and synthetic – preserving them before they are lost to this conflict.”

So according to the Leviathan DLC: The Leviathans build the intelligence (the Starchild) > order it to preserve life at any cost > it does a shit ton of research > decides that synthetics and organics will always kill each other > to preserve life organics and synthetics must be preserved as Reapers (???) before they kill each other > it’s still searching for another solution (synthesis).

Why it decided Reapers ‘preserve life’ is the big question.

I agree with you that it absolutely does not and is some machine logic gone wildly wrong.

I’d love to see the bug report on how it came to that decision; I suspect the Leviathans used a slave race to build the damn thing, and something probably got lost in translation.

I forget, is it ever definitively answered why the Reapers do what they do? My pet theory is that being AI they're incapable of true invention/innovation therefore they depend on organic species to advance technology for them. Each new civilization finds the remnants of the previous one and builds on their technology in new ways, then every cycle the Reapers cull them, take these advances and incorporate them and in this way the Reapers evolve themselves.

[bloodlines-if]

hi McDreamy.

just found your blog and so far your IF sounds really interesting. i was so intrigued, that i was searching or the link to the demo, only to realize, that it doesnt exist yet.

when first realizing, that Mc is weaker than the RO´s/most other people i had 2 thoughts: a) wouldnt a (investigative journalist) MC already crafted a safety net for themselfs consisting of dirt, secrets, blackmail and whistleblowers, who would publish those informations incase of MC´s demsie? [under the assumption, that we play as an MC that is already an establish investigative journalist in the city]; and b) i envisioned the following scene => MC got kidnapped and ready to get killed. a higher up then asks for MC´s last words, to which they just say a date. after seconds of silence, MC is let go. congrats, you have a scene, where a regular human has a badass moment.

now to my questions:

depending on MC´s occupation, will there be "special" flavour scenes OR dialogue choices, that are only avaiable with the specific occupations? ==> e.g. someone needs secrets to blackmail someone, will there be a choice only avaiable for the investigative journalist, like "i already have what you want, but it will cost something"

can you tell some more details about how the story construct will look like? what i mean is: => will there be multiple endings; will there be special endings for each RO when in a realtionship with them (criminal powercouple MCxLuz *wink wink*); will there be good and evil endings/paths => will there be stats and if so: how much will they influence? only flavoure text or locking you out of choices? => etc.

do you plan to introduce all RO´s in the prologue/chapter 1? or will some only appear in later chapters for the first time?

you mentioned that each career background would have advantages and setbacks. could you share (some) advantages of each one? i personally cant see a difference between investigative journalist and whistleblower (in terms of different advantages) for example

i was on the fence interms of which RO to choose. it was either E or Luz. the most recent ask about the MCxLuz power couple swayed me in the end towards Luz. this question i ask for your opinion as the author: if i want to romance Luz and (if possible) get the criminal powercouple ending, what would you say would be the "best" (lorewise/storywise/additional scenes;flavourtext;etc) career background for MC?

anyways, im really excited for the release of the prologue/chapter 1 and thanky our for your answers.

I love your enthusiasm and your questions! Since this is rather long you'll find the answers under the cut:

a) Yes MC is already well known in Sordia and has a safety net the player can decide if they've good morals for a journalist or are a little corrupted. Some people will depend on the career background.

b) Yep you got it right! MC is not dumb and needs to plan beforehand 🙂‍↕️

Question 1:

Yes depending on MC´s career background, there will be special flavour scenes, skills and dialogue choices, that are only avaiable with the specific occupation

Question 2:

There will be multiple endings career wise and RO wise. Bad endings, neutral endings, somehow good endings you name it.

Still not 100% sure about all the stats but there will be a reputation stat, paranoia stat, personality stat based on MCs base personality, morality stat, vices, relationships. I don't know how much they'll influence since I need to see how this works coding wise. But yes I would like it to impact flavour text, choices etc.

Question 3:

No. Prologue is Mauds POV. Chap 1 you'll be able to meet Ace and the rest of the RO's in Chap 2.

Question 4:

Okay so this can still change but basically MCs writing and reporting style will differ a little. And they'll get a special trait and skill. I don't have my notes with me so I think it was:

Investigative Journalist

Trait: Stubborn or Methodical

Skill: Research & Investigation (sees connections faster and doesn't miss clues) but people hunt their contacts and paranoia stat is higher

Whistleblower

Trait: Relentless or Arrogant

Skill: Insider Access/Information Networks (through hacking) but corruption stat is higher and you start with a very bad reputation stat since no one likes a Whistleblower in Sordia

War Correspondent

Trait: Hardened

Skill: Knows Self-Defense Moves (has a better reputation) but can be too reckless (gets scars, hurt or can die easier)

Tabloid Reporter

Trait: Manipulative

Skill: Persuasion can make people talk easier but is seen as untrustworty (bad reputation)

Question 5:

Honestly every character will react differently and have their opinions sure but I don't think they necessarily have a fave. There isn't a best option story lore wise etc. since I'm aiming for equal representation. MC is the face of lots of news. The articles they write and report will differ but in the main story MC will need to investigate about those 12 photos.

[crabussy]

slightly furious reminder that fish do in fact feel pain and do in fact experience fear and distress when in pain since people seem to love spreading the myth that fish don't feel pain. what is it with people assuming a creature is incapable of feeling pain or emotion just because it doesn't have complex facial muscles. come on gang

[viktorarcanedeservesbetter]

tbh I don’t think therapy would have fixed Jayce and Viktor lmao. maybe would have softened their self-destructive tendencies but there’s no fixing that co-dependent relationship. Heimerdinger Mel and Sky are told “yeah, I can help treat their individual depressions but nothing is gonna reduce their co-dependency. I’m pretty sure separating them makes it a lot worse for not only them but much worse for everyone else. for everyone’s safety I suggest they’re not allowed to be more than a buildings length away from each other and even that is pushing it.” That therapist then quits on the spot cause now they’ve literally seen everything.

It’s like that scene in Brooklyn nine nine where all the physiatrists are observing and talking with Gina but instead it’s a whole crew of therapists and neurologists and physiologists trying to find out how these two men literally mind-melded together. They go to couples therapy but it’s literally just individual therapy held together because why tf not it’s the only way to get them to go.

[harmonyrae]

Last of Us AU drabble:

"Sylus, Caleb, seriously slow down!"

"You're the one who wanted to get extra samples. We told you we wouldn't carry them!" Sylus shouts over his shoulder to Zayne, who is still stumbling as he secures the satchel.

They'd surived the trip to Linkon for a resupply. However, when they saw FEDRA was no longer in control, things got... complicated.

Caleb had gotten injured, delaying their return journey to Whitesand Bay. Xavier has probably killed Rafayel by now. Those two love to argue, mostly for entertainment, but without Sylus to break them apart when things turn personal. Yeah, they'll be returning into a war zone.

While Caleb recovered, Sylus agreed to join Zayne on a quick medical supply hunt. Which turned into a specimen hunt. Which turned into an all-out sprint for safety. That spray paint told them to stay out, but curiosity got the best of them.

"How many clickers again?" Caleb shouts.

Sylus chuckles as Zayne jogs to catch up, finally falling in stride with the other men.

"At least two dozen. And I couldn't tell you how many runners and stalkers."

"The bloater was a pleasant surprise."

"Sylus, you must have a very fucked definition of the word 'pleasant.'"

Sylus and Caleb laugh as Zayne sighs. Just because Sylus took down the bloater relatively quickly didn't make it a good experience.

"But you got a specimen from the fucker, so it worked out."

He's not wrong. Zayne hadn't stopped his research, not for a moment. Years have passed, the infection spreading, evolving, destroying cities and entire countries. But Zayne was determined to find the cause. What made this infection spread so rapidly? And how can he stop it.

Lost in thought, Zayne misses the snap of a branch, Sylus and Caleb, however, were on high alert. Caleb grabs Zayne and yanks him back behind a tree. Sylus steadied his pistol, aimed in the direction of the sound.

"Fuck fuck fuck..." A soft female voice reaches their ears.

Now that all three men have their weapons drawn, they cautiously approach the source of the disturbance. Sylus took the lead, scanning the forest and talking quiet steps.

As they approach a clearing, they spot a girl, hunched over. The backpack on her back was threadbare, held together with duct tape and a dream. She cradles her ankle and struggles to get her boot off. Zayne steps forward and looks at Sylus, who rolls his eyes but nods. Zayne jogs a few steps ahead, his gun still raised.

"Do you need some help?"

The girl gasps and turns around so quickly that she almost falls over. Zayne raises his hands, trying to show he's friendly. She winces as she tries to crawl backward away from the three strangers.

"I'm a doctor. I can help." Zayne uses his patented doctor-voice, and the girl seems to calm down.

"I tripped... I wasn't paying attention."

Zayne approaches her and kneels to examine her ankle. Once her boot is off, he can see the swelling has already begun.

"Not paying attention could get you killed. Or worse." Sylus's sing-song tone makes Caleb laugh, but does little to ease the girls nerves.

Zayne guesses she's around his age, maybe younger. Dirt coats her clothes, there's dried blood in her hair and a thick bandage around her forearm. He squints at the bandage, noticing there's no blood like the rest of her tended to wounds. As he wraps her ankle and tests its mobility, he leans forward.

"What happened to your arm?"

She goes pale, immediately pulling her arm in close and tugging the torn sleeve of her jacket down. She shakes her head.

"Nothing. Just a scratch."

Leaves crunch as Sylus and Caleb get closer.

"A scratch? Or a bite?" Caleb growls.

She stays silent, staring at Zayne with pleading eyes. He tilts his head as if he's waiting for the answer as well. The girl tenses when Sylus steps up, his large hand reaching down to take her wrist.

"A scratch, or a bite?" He repeats Caleb's question.

"I'm not infected!" She whimpers. Sylus drops her wrist and scoffs, standing to cock his gun.

"No! No, wait, look!" She hastily unwraps the bandage on her arm to show a nasty scar. Sure enough, a clear imprint of teeth.

Caleb raises his rifle, but Zayne pushes the barrel away. He rotates her arm and examines the wound. It's healing. There's no discoloration, no discharge. The weaving tendrils of fungus beneath her skin are dormant.

"Holy shit."

"You believe her?" Sylus crouches down beside Zayne, his gun still in his hand.

"I... I don't know... But we can't leave her here. With a busted ankle and a bite mark."

"We absolutely can leave her here! What do you mean?!" Caleb smacks Zayne on his shoulder.

"If she turns, you're putting the bullet in her skull." Sylus stares at Zayne until he nods, accepting responsibility for the girl.

Now he has a new problem to solve.

(This was so fucking fun to write. Gonna write the Supernatural blurb later. K byeeee!!)

I'm still struggling to write more than a few sentences, but I'm coming up with so many ideas for fics... It's ridiculous...

Still working on Vow, part 2 of the Regency series & I need to write Caleb period smut to complete the collection. But, there are 2 edits I made that are living RENT free in my head atm and I need to write an outline for at least one of them.

Which one would you want to see me write first?

Last of Us AU - zombies, heavy evol usage, possibly romance (harem style tehe), Zayne is searching for a cure (of course), Sylus is thriving in chaos (of course x2)

Supernatural AU - myths & legends, Dean Winchester coded Sylus, Sam Winchester coded Zayne, not snowcrow romance wise but they besties (not brothers), no evol usage, lots of humor, maybe random romances with people they're helping, lots of humor and then a sprinkle of angst

I will probably end up writing both, but need to know where to start. Vote pls? You dah bestest. Tanks.

𝕿𝖆𝖌𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙 gets to vote first, smile. @trishiepo0 @not-so-quite-human @kitsunetori @babyx91 @libriomancer @lilyadora @crowskitten22 @letharue @silverbrain @alastor-simp @drama-trauma @0tterteeth @mysticcollectionvoid @godzillaglitter @godoffuckedupcats @klmpun @ariallaisawesome @spidy-spider01 @m00nchildwrites @plsdonttakemyname @hauntedbysmutm0 @withering-dream @lostwingz2236 @simpfortheseven @bubbleteakittyy @stellar-seas @babylilxc @havenhope-art @lly5duck @freddy-2002-blog @sylus-hunter

[deoidesign]

Worry free, guarantee!

loved painting this one, I love illustrated advertisements

[starcurtain]

Just caught up with Natlan's archon quest and lord help me, I have a burning need to see Alhaitham and Ororon interact.

I truly feel that they would vibe perfectly. Not in a ship way, but like, in the way of Kaveh quietly wailing: "For archons' sake, he's brought another tacky thing into the house. Traveler, please do something; they've been staring eye to eye over the coffee table for like an hour now but haven't said a single word. I don't know what to do. Send help."

[reality-detective]

Did you know this 👇 law passed?

Last year, the Biden administration drafted a 2,700 page infrastructure bill with a total budget of approximately $1 trillion. While it is unreasonable to expect the average American citizen to read through every page of Biden’s infrastructure bill, some lawmakers have taken the time to do so. What they discovered was that this bill includes a measure that mandates automakers to install vehicle backdoor kill switches in every car by 2026.

There are a lot of vehicles that probably have this already since they are basically hooked up to the internet. Why do you think they have computer chips, GPS and sensors in them?🤔

[which-qsmp-egg-would]

Thoughts about the Minecraft movie trailer?

Imagine if it had all been filmed inside of minecraft, SMP style. It would be so funny to see the most intense scene and on screen its just 🧍‍♀️🧍🏽‍♂️

The trailer is...... something. Not something good, but it definitely exists. What a timeline we live in.

Does anyone know what the like to dislike ratio looks like right now?

[truethes]

Honestly, I'd go to war for Mydei, I'd die for Mydei, I'd kill for Mydei, if Mydei told me to fulfil Nanooks' goal of universal destruction, I'd do it, if I had to fight a god for him I would, I'd have to shatter the laws of time and physics for him, I would, I love you Mydei

[clowndensation]

getting to the point at work btw where i'm actually being like. combative.

like we're trying to decide on a company vehicle, and they chose my vehicle for it. while ignoring the fact that i've already told them my vehicle isn't ideal for this job (and it like Really Isn't. it sucks for this job. i put up with it because as a personal vehicle, it rules). and then they went out and bought two of them before they even finished creating the new standardized equipment we're supposed to use. and now we're testing it all out and it's not working. shockingly.

so i told them point blank "i chose this car because i'm willing to be frustrated with it at work just so that i can use it for fun on weekends. solely as a work vehicle, it's a bad choice, and all of your workers will be unhappy with it. we can't get the new standardized cart to work in it, and we're coming up with a bunch of convoluted solutions instead of facing the real solution: we need a bigger car for this to work well."

and the stupid ass motherfucker i was talking with was like "welll actually we asked people, and they said this car was workable (i know this. you asked ME. because it's my car model. workable doesn't equal ideal, and i TOLD YOU THIS. i SAID that my car is adequate but NOT actually great for the job) and also they said that if the choice was between a less than ideal (but cheaper than a van) car, but the amount we save goes into their pocket via benefits and pay, vs a more ideal van that costs more, meaning we can't give you guys the benefits we otherwise could, everyone agreed that the cheaper, more frustrating car would be better"

and i went. "interesting. when did you ask this, because i don't remember hearing about it, and nobody i've spoken with agrees with what you just said."

and he had to backtrack and be like "well i didn't mean to imply we asked EVERYONE it was just generally what i've heard from some people"

and i full stop was like "well it sounds like you've made up your mind. if you've assigned a dollar value to the comfort and happiness of your technicians, and the math works out that the money you're saving with these cars is worth more than that dollar value, then there's not much more to say." and left.

but also for the record. techs are not seeing a fucking dime of the money they're allegedly saving with these cars lmao. "you'll see it reflected in your benefits" what a nebulous thing to say. show me the math you're doing that proves that. set me up with some solid number expectations that i'll see reflected on my paycheck. fuckhead.