#Apparently she saw it in theaters

[sanguineswanqueen]

My nearly 70 year old mom asked if I had heard of the movie 'Bottoms' and said that I absolutely HAD to see it. Apparently it's getting rave reviews among the Seattle retiree community.

[rimouskis]

sigh someone on twitter extolled the virtues of furiosa and said it was better than fury road. I just saw furiosa. they are wrong.

[todayisafridaynight]

Hey so Snap this is going to be so fucking weird, but honestly don’t care. So I was watching a clip of Drag Race Philippines and it was the make over episode and I think they were making over family members and this father was all about getting into drag. So, I just wanted to tell you never forget how much of a lovely loving kind and caring father you have, who loves you and protects you and makes you feel heard. That’s all.

i'd have to die before i forget how great my dad is thank you for the opportunity to brag about him again anon

[labyrynth]

your mom sounds really nice. please tell her some anon hopes she has a lovely weekend.

i told her! she thought it was very sweet of you to come out of your way to say so ☺️☺️

[deforest]

SHE'S CRAZY WITH THE HEAT — 1946 ft. The International Sweethearts of Rhythm

In 1946, William D. Alexander began the production of a series of one-reel shorts, half-hour featurettes and feature films that would serve a dual purpose. These black cast subjects would be released to theaters that welcomed African American audiences; concurrently, the music segments would be excerpted from the films and released as Soundies. Ultimately, sixteen of Alexander’s musical shorts reached the Panoram screen, spotlighting the bands of Lucky Millinder, Billy Eckstine, Henri Woode and the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. (Alexander actually produced four films with the Sweethearts, three ten-minute short subjects and one feature, although some of the performances turns up in more than one film; only three performances saw release as a Soundie.) The International Sweethearts of Rhythm grew out of a band formed in the 1930s at the Piney Woods Country Life School, an institution – in part an orphanage – for poor African American children. A member of the music department had apparently taken note of the success of Ina Ray Hutton’s Melodears and decided that an all-woman band composed of school members might lead to something special. While they performed locally, the ISR did not begin to hit its stride until it left Piney Woods and became a professional touring outfit in 1941. The band was certainly “international” in nature, and its ranks included African American, Latina, Chinese, Indian, White and Puerto Rican musicians. In 1941, Anna Mae Winburn joined the orchestra as front woman and featured vocalist. During the war years Maurice King joined the band as both arranger and band manager. Born Clarence King in 1911, King played reeds and later became a fine swing arranger. While here we recognize his composition and arrangement for the Sweethearts – he called this tune “She’s Crazy with the Heat ” – King is best known for his longtime association with Barry Gordy and Motown Records for which he served as director of artist development. He worked closely with vocal groups, teaching the singers how to voice and phrase together. “Maurice brought sophistication and class to Motown,” said session musician Johnny Trudell. By 1946, the Sweethearts was recognized as one of the finest African-American bands in jazz. They recorded for Guild and RCA Records, broadcast regularly for the Armed Forces Radio Service, and toured Europe entertaining the GIs. While much of the success was due to Maurice King’s arrangements, the band’s musicians were all strong, and a special nod must go to Viola Burnside, one of the most neglected tenor soloists of the 1940s. I chatted with my friend Roz Cron, a member of the Sweetheart’s reed section, shortly before her passing. When I thanked her for her contribution, she paused and said, “Yeah, we were one of the best, one of the very, very best.” (via Jazz on Film)

[aidaronan]

The years go by. The retail jobs that Steve thinks are temporary keep piling up, but he has no idea what else to do with his life so he just keeps on keeping on.

Until a large tree falls on the lawn of the little house he managed to buy and he gets the quote on removal and the number literally hurts his soul.

He buys a small chainsaw instead. Over the course of a few weeks, he gets most of the branches cut up. He collects some large rocks from down by the quarry and digs out a fire pit in his backyard. On his days off, his friends come over and they sit out back and have a few beers. The pile of wood dwindles. The giant trunk is another story though. His chainsaw isn't big enough for it. Burning it would take forever, and Steve's terrified he'd disappoint Smoky the Bear. He's at a loss.

Until he sees another giant trunk in someone's yard carved into a bear.

He knows what to do then. Not a bear, but something else. Through trial and error, the trunk becomes the rough shape of a woman, the remnants of the branches like a crown on her head. It's not as amazing as the bear he saw, but it's his. He finds he loves the smell of sawdust and the feeling of creating something.

Just like that, Steve realizes what he wants to do. It takes several months and a lot of yard sales, but he scrounges up the tools he needs to start woodworking. He learns to measure twice and cut once. He makes tables and chairs and carves them with art and designs that get better and better the more he learns. Shockingly, people actually buy his pieces.

Even more shocking comes the realization that he's making enough money to do it full time. He puts in his two weeks notice at Melvald's and hands in his assistant manager badge.

He's not sure he's happy, but he is content. It feels good to work hard and actually have things to show for it. It also feels good to work muscles he hasn't used since high school. He carries on for a few years like that, creating and learning and creating some more. Then Eddie Munson blows back into town. Invited back so Hawkins can have their most famous alumnus sing the national anthem at homecoming. Steve's honestly surprised he shows at all. "Can't believe you didn't tell them kiss your hairy ass," Steve says. Because of course Eddie ends up around his fire pit, sipping on Steve's cheap beer like he doesn't have three Grammy awards on his mantel. The years fall away with each drink, reminding Steve of just how much it had hurt when Eddie left. He'd wanted Eddie so bad back then, more than he'd ever wanted anyone. He can feel the echoes of that deep ache across time.

"Pfft. Don't you know all famous people wax our asses now? All the rage in LA." Eddie cuts a look at him and smirks when Steve rolls his eyes, grateful for the lighthearted moment to snap him out of his maudlin nostalgia. "Really though I thought about it, but then I thought it would be way funnier to donate a metric fuckton of money to Hawkins High with the stipulation that it go to the theater and band programs. Kind of bummed they couldn't honor my other request though."

"Which was?"

"My old Hellfire throne. I miss her, but apparently she's not around anymore. Something about water damage."

"Oh yeah. Water main busted a few years back and flooded the theater. I remember that." "Yeah. Had to settle for the promise they'd make a game lounge and stock it with all the supplies a budding young nerd needs."

"That's really nice, Eds."

Eddie shrugs. "I've been known to be nice on occasion. You'll come to homecoming, right? Moral support?"

Steve hasn't been to homecoming in years because he sees the other people who stayed in town all the time, and he has no interest in seeing the people who didn't. He can only answer the same questions so many times. Oh, I'm doing woodwork now. Yep, I still live right here. Nope, still not married, no kids.

He goes though, and he answers the uncomfortable questions. Because Eddie asked him to. Because no matter how long it's been, Steve can't deny that some part of him still...

He says goodbye after, and Eddie leaves again, and Steve tries not to think about that too much in the following days.

He's halfway into the project before he realizes what he's building. He'd seen Eddie's throne quite a few times back when. What he doesn't have memories of, he makes up. He adds his own touches too, making it a throne fit for a rock star, a nerd, a friend.

He carves ornate patterns, he creates scenes of dragons being beaten back by a man with a guitar, crowds of people that could be knights or concertgoers.

It's his favorite piece he's ever done, and his hands are shaking when he dials Eddie's number. He gets an answering machine and stumbles through a message.

"I made you something. I guess it's kind of silly, but it's here in Hawkins if you want it. Or I'm sure you can afford the shipping if you don't want to come. Just, I made you a chair. It's more of a... Well, you'll see. Unless you don't want to... It's Steve by the way." He hangs up before he can embarrass himself even more.

Eddie doesn't call him back. One day passes and then another. Steve tries not to let it get to him. He works on orders and new projects. He enjoys his little backyard oasis. He rents a few movies and thinks they're okay.

He's debarking some wood in his driveway when the rental car pulls up, Eddie stepping out in ripped jeans and an old Metallica tee. "Hi again, Stevie."

"Oh." Steve clears his throat. "The thing's in the garage. I'll..."

Eddie doesn't say anything for a long time, circling the throne, running his tattooed fingers over each little detail.

"You made this whole thing?"

"I did."

"For me?" Eddie looks at him then, one hand still touching the wood like he doesn't want to let go. Even under the harsh lights of the garage, his eyes are such a warm shade of brown that Steve forgets to breathe.

He nods. "For you."

"Why?"

There are a hundred answers Steve could give, but he spent so long not knowing who he was or who he wanted to be. Too long. "Because you'll always be the one that got away. Because some part of me will always want to make you smile no matter how long it's been."

Eddie falls into the throne like he just got the wind knocked out of him.

"You don't have to respond to that," Steve says. "You can just say thank you and take the chair."

"I can." Eddie blows out a breath. "But that would be incredibly stupid considering half my early ballads are about you."

"What?" Unfair. Steve doesn't have a chair to fall into.

"Oh sure, I changed the hes to shes for a while there because..." Eddie waves his hand. "But they're about you, Steve. God, I should've asked you out. I just thought..."

Hearing those words is a lot like seeing that carved bear all over again, something clicking into place that wasn't quite right before.

"Go out with me now then," Steve says. "Or stay in. I've got a frozen lasagna and I rented Contact."

"Steve Harrington? Asking Eddie 'the Freak' Munson on a date? Did hell freeze over?"

"Pfft." Steve takes a step closer toward what he wants most. "Hell froze over in 1986, Eddie. You were there."

Five months and a lot of long distance phone bills later, Steve opens Harrington Woodworking in Los Angeles. That same day, Eddie takes photos for Rolling Stone posing in an ornate throne in his living room. He tells the reporter exactly who made it and what he means. At concerts, he starts singing those ballads the way he always wanted to. More often than not, Steve stands in the wings singing along.

[hippiegoth97]

I Melt With You: Eddie Munson x Reader

Collage by me :)

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Description: It's Eddie's birthday, you spend the day celebrating with your friends. And when you and Eddie return to his trailer for the night, you have the perfect gift for him. One you've been wanting to give him for such a long time...

Content Warning 18+ Only, Minors DNI: smut, virgin!female reader, fingering, oral sex, protected sex, light praise, fluff

Word Count: 7.4k

divider by @xxbimbobunnyxx

I Melt With You

"Are you ready for your special present, baby?" You say to Eddie as you stand behind him with your hands over his eyes. Eddie's never been a major birthday guy, but having you in his life for the past year has changed his mind on the subject.

"You know it, sweetheart." He chuckles at your words, curious as to what kind of surprise you have planned for him tonight.

You two had spent the day with your friends Steve, Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, and Argyle to celebrate as a group. You all met up at Skull Rock, drinking beer and eating pizza before presenting Eddie with gifts. Steve gave him a voucher for ten movie rentals at Family Video, and Robin got him a couple new patches for his battle vest. Nancy and Jonathan went in together on a blood red guitar strap, while Argyle presented him with a homemade t-shirt in black and white tie-dye with an intricate skull design.

When it came to be your turn, you gleefully bestowed upon him a first edition of The Hobbit. His favorite book, signed by Tolkien himself and everything. It's safe to say that Eddie was over the moon about your present in particular, scooping you up into his arms to give you a heart-melting kiss after he tore the wrapping paper away from the weathered book cover. He said it was 'the most bitchin' gift in the entire world'. You felt a little bad for upstaging everyone else, but being his girlfriend implies that it's kinda your job.

You'd moved to town in the summer of '86, living with your Aunt Sylvia before moving into the dorms for freshman year at Hawkins Community College. When you first arrived, Sylvia showed you around. There's not much to do in a place like Hawkins, but you've lived in worse places with even less to do. At least there's a movie theater and some basic shops and restaurants here. The last place you lived had a gas station/country store and two churches as the only things around for miles.

Summer was pretty uneventful, you'd go out to eat or see a movie every once in a while. But most days, you'd be helping Sylvia tidy up her home at Forest Hills Trailer Park. She's not as spry as she used to be, so you took on the chores around the house that she can't bend down to do anymore. You didn't mind at all, the work kept you busy. Something you noticed though, or more like someone, was a handsome young man who lived a couple trailers down from you. His name was Eddie, and you two talked sometimes in passing as you took the trash to the dumpster or either of you saw the other smoking on their front steps.

He said he lived with his uncle Wayne, and you told him about your aunt. Apparently they know each other, she used to bake cookies for Eddie and help him with his homework when his uncle was out. You found out many other things about Eddie over those three months. He liked metal music, had a band, and was a total nerd. He was cute, and charming, you really liked him. He seemed to like you too, but neither of you made a real move in any forward direction. You're quite shy, and Eddie appeared to share your delicate nature, despite how dramatic or obnoxious he could be.

Regardless, the two of you liked being around each other in your small ways. It was comfortable, noncommittal. You were both busy with your own lives, too focused to become entangled with one another. Or anyone else, for that matter. And when fall rolled around, you barely even said goodbye as you hauled your stuff to your assigned dorm room. You figured you'd see Eddie again in town at some point, so it didn't feel necessary to participate in a formal parting.

You wouldn't see your kinda-sorta-friend again until your first ever college party. It was being held by one of your classmates, you don't quite remember who. But your roommate, Robin, insisted you go along with her. You begrudgingly agreed, going against every natural instinct to avoid crowds that resided within you. The party itself wasn't huge, but it was certainly not what you had in mind for that evening. Robin went off with people you didn't know at the time, Nancy and Steve, leaving you to fend for yourself.

You had scanned the crowd, trying to find a singular familiar face. But nope, you were completely on your own. You found this fact to be quite overwhelming, so you stepped outside to get some air and have a smoke. And lo and behold, you found the one and only Eddie Munson all by his lonesome. It was like he was waiting for you, and you were overjoyed to see him.

"Hey, long time no see, Y/N." Eddie speaks first, looking you up and down. He really likes how you look tonight, a simple cocktail dress and strappy heels. Perfectly applied makeup painted on your face, and your luscious hair styled into an updo. He's only seen you in ripped jeans, dirty t-shirts, and rubber gloves before. He likes how you look no matter what, but this getup is certainly enticing to him.

"Hey, Eddie. What brings you here tonight? I never considered you a party person." You ask, reaching into your purse for a cigarette. You locate the pack, pulling one out and dropping the box back inside. You stick the end between your lips, digging around for your lighter. You're just about to give up looking when you hear a flick in front of you. You look up to find Eddie lighting the tip of your smoke, and you inhale deeply to jumpstart the burn. "Thanks." You say meekly, unable to hide your blushing in the moonlight. He's standing quite close to you, gazing deep into your eyes as he mindlessly returns the lighter to his pocket.

"No problem, angel. And no, I'm not into this scene at all. But it's good for business." He smiles kindly at you, hoping to put you at ease. He hides it well, but underneath the facade, his stomach is fluttering with butterflies and his heart hammers in his chest. He wasn't sure he'd see you again, at least not for more than a passing glance. But here you are, exactly where he wants you to be.

"I figured as much. I'm not really into it either. My roommate Robin dragged me here." You giggle at this admission, which makes Eddie laugh too. He gestures for you to join him to sit on the backdoor stoop. You do, slanting your legs together to sit properly in your dress. It's far from comfortable, but you don't want to flash him or something.

"Buckley, huh? She leave you all alone?" You nod, and he tuts. "That's kinda rude. Although I will say, I'm glad I get to see you again." He leans over to nudge your shoulder with his own, the leather of his jacket rubbing against your bare skin. This simple touch sets your insides ablaze, and the air between you is changing.

"I'm glad to see you too, Eds." You reply, trying to keep yourself together. You take another drag, blowing the smoke out in a large cloud as the nicotine works its way through your system. You flick the ash, the two of you simmering in silence as your faces stare out into the cool fall night. Eventually, the cigs burn away to nothing, the spent butts discarded into a nearby bush.

"Y/N?" Eddie asks, breaking the silence. You turn your head to look at him, meeting his large brown eyes. Your mouths are dangerously close to each other, and he keeps staring at your lips.

"Yes, Eddie?" You say softly, eager to hear what he has to say. You really hope it's the same as what you've been tempted to say since the second you found him out here.

He clears his throat, clearly nervous about asking you this. "W-would you...maybe...wanna go out sometime?" Eddie stumbles over his words in the most adorable way. Even though you've always wanted him to ask, you still gasp as you can't believe it's actually happening.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to ask that." You say, dumbfounded. He's about to confirm if that means 'yes', when you impulsively grab the lapels of his jackets to pull his mouth to yours. He grunts in surprise at first, before softening against you. You both melt into the kiss, and Eddie smoothly maneuvers you to straddle his lap. Your bare knees sit on the brick of the steps, but you don't care about them getting scraped at the moment. He bites your bottom lip, making you gasp. He slips his tongue into your mouth, quickly dominating yours. You instinctively grind your hips against him, already feeling an erection forming in his pants.

"You look so beautiful tonight, Y/N." Eddie says breathlessly as you break away for a moment. His hands have migrated to your waist, gripping you with the perfect balance between firm and gentle. His touch makes you feel safe, secure.

"Thank you, you're very handsome too." You repay the compliment, even though he almost always wears the same clothes. He looks sexy as all hell in them, that's for sure. You stare at one another for a moment, still rubbing yourself against him. Stifled moans leave your lips, and Eddie loves every little sound you make. He decides to take things a step further, leaning forward to kiss your neck. "Eddie." You whimper, savoring the sensation of his teeth and tongue leaving purple marks all over your throat. Your hands slip into his thick hair, tugging on it just enough to make him groan.

He attempts to make another bold move, slowly sliding one of his hands to slip under your dress. He's just about to touch your slick folds through your panties, when you grab his wrist. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" He asks, worried he's overstepped and ruined everything. He looks at you with a concerned expression.

Your face has hardened like stone, and you feel frozen in place. "I just- I haven't...gone all the way before." You speak sheepishly, blushing in embarrassment. He probably thinks you're not worth his time now. Your stomach turns as he doesn't respond at first, tempting your flight response to kick in any second now.

Eddie caresses your cheek, giving you another light kiss. "It's alright, baby. We don't have to do anything you're not ready for. 'Kay?" Your heart soars at his understanding, and you capture him in a passionate hug. "How 'bout we go inside, hm? We can hang out for a bit, just talk and plan our date. If you still want to, anyway." He rubs his neck awkwardly, wondering if you even want to keep being around him at all.

"Of course I do! C'mon, let's go get a drink." You reassure him that you have no intention of blowing him off, standing up and extending your hand to help him off the ground. He smirks, letting you assist him. He wraps an arm around your waist, leading the two of you into the house.

To this day, you and Eddie still haven't fully 'consummated' your relationship. It's not that you haven't wanted to, far from it. But you've wanted to wait until you're ready, and he's been every flavor of patient with you. You two go on cute dates, and cuddle in your dorm or at his trailer. You attend his band practice and performances, and occasionally play D&D too. You also frequently engage in hot-and-heavy make-out sessions, and even let Eddie touch your tits from time to time. You've never gone any further than that though, until tonight. You finally know that Eddie is the one you want to give your virginity to. You love him more than anything in the world, and you want to give every little part of yourself to him. "Happy Birthday, Eds." You say excitedly, removing your hands so Eddie can see what you've done to his room.

He opens his eyes, finding every surface lit up by multiple candles. There's rose petals on the bed, and a small box wrapped in dark blue paper sitting on the pillows. "Damn, Y/N! You really went all out, huh?" Eddie exclaims, unable to believe how lucky he is to have you.

"There's more, baby. Open your present." You say seductively, nudging him forward with your palms. He chuckles darkly at your tone, doing as you ask. While he's occupied with the box, you quickly remove your clothes to uncover a very special lingerie set you bought just for this occasion. You pose seductively against the dresser, you can't wait to see his reaction.

Eddie tears the paper away on the little gift, revealing a brand new box of condoms. His eyes widen a moment, looking to you to see if you're trying to say what he thinks you are. His jaw practically falls to the floor when his eyes meet your body. You're dressed in nothing but a dark red bra and thong. The material is lacey, and almost completely sheer against your skin. "Jesus christ." He whimpers, unable to trust his eyes at the moment. He's been dreaming, fantasizing about you finally giving yourself to him. Is this really happening?

"Did you figure out what your special surprise is yet?" You ask mischievously, biting your lip. You suddenly feel very exposed under his gaze, you've never been so scantily clad around him before. Even your bathing suit is a one-piece, although Eddie adores you in it anyways. He nods wordlessly, walking over to you to get a closer look.

"Can you turn around for me, princess?" He asks, his mouth sitting agape. You slowly rotate all the way around, letting him drink in your entire form. He groans at the sight of your practically bare ass, unable to resist reaching a hand forward to grip one of the supple cheeks. "Is this okay?" He inquires while stepping even closer behind you. You moan in response, pressing yourself further into his grasp. He kneads the firm flesh, drawing more little noises from your lips. You want him to take you right now, the anticipation is already extremely intoxicating. "Does that feel good, sweetheart?" He speaks lowly in your ear, sending a chill up your spine.

"Yes, fuck." You rub yourself against him, his cock hardening in his jeans.

"You wanna lay down for me, baby?" He asks, intending to take his sweet time with you. You oblige his request, resting your head on the pillows while he stands at the side of the bed. "God, you're gorgeous." Eddie looks down at you in endless admiration. He removes his own clothes layer by layer, and you watch hungrily as he reveals his body to you. His jackets and shirt come off first, exposing his tattooed chest and arms. He slips off his shoes, and unbuckles his belt to take off his jeans. Your breath catches in your throat as he's only in his boxers now, his dick forming a tent in the thin fabric. He notices you licking your lips as you stare. "Like what you see, angel?" He asks teasingly, laying down next to you on his side.

"Yes, you're so handsome, Eddie." You say softly, reaching a hand up to caress his slightly toned chest. You've seen it many times before, but it's different now that he's practically naked. He carefully leans over you, pressing his lips to yours tenderly. You melt beneath him, moaning when his hand cups one of your breasts. Eddie slips his tongue in your mouth, effortlessly dominating you. You pull him a little closer by the shoulders, wanting to feel his weight and warmth on you. He shifts to put himself directly over you now, his knees on either side of your own.

"Can I take this off, sweetheart?" Eddie asks, tugging at your bra strap. He has every intention of making sure you're comfortable with what he's doing. And regardless of how horny he is, he'll stop altogether if that's what you tell him to do. He loves you so much, and he never wants to hurt you or make you uncomfortable.

"Go ahead, love." You say as confidently as you can. You'd be lying if you said you aren't nervous about this, your anxiety has wormed its way to the forefront of your mind. But you know Eddie will never force you to do anything, you're perfectly safe here with him. You breathe deeply, trying to relax.

"You doin' okay?" He asks, noticing your body trembling slightly. He thought you might be cold at first, given your lack of clothing. But he knows you better than that.

"Y-yeah. I'm just a little nervous, that's all." You stutter. You see he's about to climb off of you, and shut this whole thing down. "But I want this, I want you." You insist, holding his arm to keep him in place.

"Okay, angel. I'll go real slow, alright? And if you're not having a good time, just tell me and we'll stop. I promise." He strokes your arm as he speaks, his eyes never leaving yours. He's deadly serious, and you love him even more for it.

"Okay." You smile sincerely at him, sitting up to unclasp your bra. You slip the straps off your arms, and you lay back down with the cups still covering you. "I imagine you can take it from here." You giggle, wanting him to expose your tits himself. It is his birthday after all. He grins back, pinching the bra between his finger and thumb before snatching it away. It's tossed to the side, and Eddie takes a moment to fully appreciate your naked torso. Your breasts are perfect swells of velvety flesh, your nipples hardened with arousal.

"You have gotta be the most beautiful woman in the entire world." He says as his pupils dilate with lust. You can't help blushing at his praise, itching for him to finally touch you. He lowers his body, resting on his elbows. His large hands grab at your tits roughly, his thumbs rolling over the pebbled mounds at the centers of them.

"Oh, Eddie." You sigh blissfully, a familiar pressure building between your legs. You've never fully relieved it before, and you're really looking forward to finding out what it's like. Eddie brings his lips to your chest, leaving wet kisses on every inch of flesh he can reach. Every touch sets your insides on fire, the temperature of the room rapidly rising. Your hands tangle into his curly locks, tugging gently to draw some low groans from him. His sounds hum against you, heightening every sensation. He swirls his tongue around one of your nipples, before taking it into his mouth. "Fuck." You moan, your back arching off the bed. Eddie slips his arm beneath you, wanting to hold you up closer to him.

He continues nibbling on your sensitive bud, eventually moving on to give the other one equal attention. You're putty in his hands at this point, making the sweetest little noises. "Are you feeling more relaxed, Y/N?" Eddie asks, lifting his head slightly to check in on you. You meet his kind eyes, your heart fluttering at how sweet he's being with you.

"Yes, Eddie. You're making me feel so good, love." You coo at him, stroking his hair. "You wanna take my thong off now?" You tease, biting your lip. You're certainly more loosened up, and you really want him to go further.

"Don't have to tell me twice, baby." He speaks softly, putting you back down on the sheets gingerly. His hand goes to the strap of the thong at your hip, looping two fingers between it and your supple flesh. He hesitates, gauging your reaction to what he's about to do. Your heart races in anticipation, and you're mentally begging him to expose the most intimate part of you. "You ready, Y/N?"

"Yes." You say simply, placing your hand over his to assist him in pulling the thin material away from your hips. He finishes the job when you can no longer reach, flinging the garment across the room. Eddie makes a note to keep it as a souvenir later, saving it in a box dedicated to your relationship.

You're completely bare to him now, his eyes scanning over you intently. Eddie carefully spreads your legs apart, his large hands holding your thighs. You can't help the tremor that rolls over you, which makes him stop in his tracks. "You okay?" He questions, and you insist that you're fine. That you want this more than anything. With that, he brings one hand to your core, slowly rubbing two fingers along your dripping pussy. You moan at the contact, you've never felt anything like this before. "You're so wet for me, sweetheart." He says, as if he's surprised.

"Is that a good thing?" You don't mean to be so ignorant about sex, you feel silly even asking. But you have nothing to go on, except what you've seen in movies. Though those don't provide much actual information at all. You worry that Eddie will laugh at you for being uneducated, the nerves coming out to play again.

"Yes, it means you're enjoying yourself, angel." He says, not a hint of judgment in his voice. This puts you at ease, and he continues to drag his digits along your hole to your sensitive bud. You at least know what a clitoris is, thankfully sex-ed back in school taught you that one. It feels so good when he touches you, you can't help letting out little moans at the sensation. Your hips buck upwards when he brushes your clit, pleasure jolting through your body. "Can I put my fingers inside you, love?" He asks so sweetly, wanting to loosen you up along with making you come undone.

"Yes, please." You can't help the neediness in your voice, practically aching for him to be inside you any way he can. He brings his middle finger to your entrance, using his free hand to caress your waist to keep you relaxed. His eyes meet yours again, and he pushes into you nice and slow. You wince at the feeling at first, gripping Eddie's arm firmly. You try your best to stay calm, knowing the slight sting will turn into pleasure after a while.

"I know, princess. Just let yourself mellow out. It'll get better, I promise." He assures you once he's in you as far as he can go. You just nod, whimpering quietly. He stays still for a minute, letting your walls get used to the stretch. He tests the waters, curling his finger slightly. It strokes your g spot, pulling another moan from your lips. "There ya go." He smirks, satisfied with himself. He pumps slowly in and out of you, curving the joints just so.

"Fuck, Eddie. It feels amazing. Can you put in another one? And go a little faster?" You plead, letting your eyes flutter closed as you feel something beginning to brew in your belly. He does as you ask, making you gasp. Your cunt welcomes the fullness, and you can hear your juices squelching from the friction. Eddie watches as his fingers work you up, memorizing your fucked-out expression. He would love to gaze into your eyes as he drives you mad, but he lets you be so you can focus on enjoying yourself.

"I love the pretty noises you're making, Y/N. Tell me how it feels, let me know I'm doing a good job." Eddie's tone pushes you further, amplifying every little thing he's doing to you. You can feel yourself getting closer, your first orgasm quickly approaching.

"It feels unbelievable, Eds. Keep going, I want you to make me cum." You whimper, bringing your hand around the back of his head. You pull him down to you, hungrily kissing his lips. He increases his pace within you, and you moan down his throat. You can tell you're just about to lose it, helpless noises trapped inside your connected mouths. His tongue tangles with yours, and he massages one of your tits to overwhelm you with pleasure. Your body feels like it's on fire, a sheen of sweat spreading over your skin. You're so very close, you can feel it. You have no idea what to expect, you just know that the buildup is going to explode any second now.

Eddie breaks away from your kiss, wanting to watch you lose control. "C'mon, baby. Let it all go." He says lowly in your ear, brushing his thumb against your clit to send you flying over the edge.

"Oh god, I think I'm gonna-" You're cut off by an enormous tidal wave of bliss crashing into you. Your breath catches in your throat, before releasing in an obscenely loud moan. Your legs begin to shake, and you feel your insides clench against Eddie's fingers. Stars fill your vision, and you finally understand what all the fuss is about. This has to be the best thing you've ever experienced in your life, there's nothing else like it on earth.

"Atta girl." Eddie praises, carefully removing his fingers from your pussy. Your hips stutter at the loss of him, your walls snapping at nothing. He lays on his side next to you, letting you come down from your high at your own pace. He presses a light kiss to your cheek, though you hardly notice as you're still reeling through the aftershocks. He watches your chest rise and fall, admiring how picturesque you look with your legs still spread apart and the sweat on your skin glistening in the candlelight.

When your breathing and heartbeat slow down a bit, you roll over to face your man. You gaze at him meaningfully, the flickering glow of the burning wicks illuminating his deep brown eyes in a most romantic way. "That was amazing, Eddie. Thank you." You capture his lips in a kiss of gratitude, showing him how thankful you are to have him in your life. Eddie's hand cradles the back of your head, and you scoot closer to press your body against his own. You snake your hand down his front, grazing his skin with the tips of your fingers. He sighs at your touch, hoping you'll keep going until you reach his needy cock. You meet his waistband, stopping your movements for a moment.

"Go ahead, sweetheart." Eddie whispers in a brief break from your intense kiss. You accept his invitation, slipping your hand beneath the elastic. You feel his mound of hair, going lower until you make contact with the firm flesh of his length. You gasp in surprise, it's much different than what you were expecting. That's not a bad thing, you're just not used to it. "Take your time, love. It's okay." He encourages you to keep going, and you reach for him once more. You gingerly feel around on his dick, noting how silky soft it is with a stiff center. Eddie groans at the teasing contact, he's already so wound up from giving you your first orgasm.

"Can you take these off, Eds? I wanna see you." You feel a bit stupid again, you sound like a child with all your questions. Eddie doesn't seem to mind though, and thank fuck for that.

"Of course, baby." He slips his boxers down his legs, his cock slapping against his stomach when it's set free. He kicks the underwear away, returning to his previous position. You take a minute to just look at it, noting the curve of the shaft and shape of the head. There's a small amount of sticky fluid leaking from the slit at the tip of it, giving you a sudden urge to lick it off. You imagine that fluid, and how hard he is, indicates that you have had a certain effect on him. He wants you, and this is as clear a sign of his desire as you could possibly get. "What do you think, angel?" He asks, smirking at the flare on your cheeks as you've been staring at him for a good while.

"It's beautiful, love." You say breathlessly, eyes flicking to his briefly. He chuckles at your compliment, that's definitely a new one. "Can I?" Your hand raises, waiting for permission to fully touch him.

"Knock yourself out, baby." He replies, taking your wrist to lead your palm to brush over his shaft. "Fuck." He groans, and the sound is music to your ears. You grip him cautiously, and he pulls your wrist to show you how to stroke him. You follow his silent instruction, dragging your hollow fist up and down languidly. "Just like that, Y/N. Fuckin' perfect." Eddie whimpers, he's been waiting so long to feel you on his dick. Your hand, or tongue, or pussy. Anything he can get, he wants.

You love the little noises escaping his lips, observing how his face scrunches and twists as you please him. It's making you very wet again, you can sense your arousal dripping between your legs as you become more revved up. "Lay down, babe." You want to try something, hoping it'll make him happy. He looks at you oddly, wondering what you're up to. But he does as you ask, his back meeting the mattress. You sit up on your knees, positioning yourself perpendicular to his crotch. You give him a loving glance, still pulling whines and moans from his chest. You bend over, so your mouth is directly over his swollen head. You curiously poke your tongue downwards, licking a small stripe over the bead of precum to taste him.

"Fuck, Y/N." Eddie groans, one hand balling the sheets below while the other rests beneath his head. The fluid is salty, but far from unpleasant. Interesting. It's strangely like you're conducting an experiment, testing which things you do with your mouth will please your boyfriend the best. You swirl your tongue around his tip, plant wet kisses that provide small amounts of suction, drag the flat of your tongue along his thick shaft. Everything you do to him is driving him mad. You know it'll take more than one try to be good at giving him head, but your teasing trials seem to be doing just fine in the meantime. "Feels so good, princess." Eddie praises you again, you can't get enough of that.

"You make lots of pretty noises too, Eds. It's very sexy." You decide to make a bold move, challenging yourself further. You bring your lips to his tip, opening nice and wide to slide down as far as you can onto him. You surprisingly manage to take his entire length in without choking.

"Oh my god." Eddie didn't expect you to try to fit all of him into your mouth, but the fact that you appear to have no gag reflex is another gift all its own. You're so hot and wet around him, he's not sure how much longer he'll last. It's been so long since he's had anything other than his hand pleasing his dick, and your toying around from earlier was fucking phenomenal. He tilts his head forward to look down at you, almost cumming right here and now from the sight of you crouching over with his cock shoved down your throat. "You really are amazing, you know that?" He says, in total awe of you.

"Mmhmm." You hum teasingly, making his hips buck upwards at the vibrations. You can't help smiling around him at his reaction, the power you hold in this moment is intoxicating.

"Jesus, Y/N. You're gonna be the death of me." Eddie chuckles in disbelief, wondering if he's dreaming again. You dissuade him of this thought, sliding your mouth up to his head, before bringing it back down again. "Shit." His grip on the bedding tightens, his toes resisting the urge to curl. You repeat the motion, wanting to make him cum for you. You're guessing it won't take long, especially given your newly discovered skillset. "That feels amazing, baby. Keep going if you can, and maybe a little faster?" He asks nicely, appreciating every little thing you're doing for him.

"Mmm." You hum in agreement, another moan escaping his lips. It takes everything in him not to put his hand on your head to hold you down and fuck your face. But he knows you're not ready for that, not yet, at least. You increase your speed, bobbing up and down while keeping your teeth away from his tender flesh. It's a little bit of a challenge, as he fills your hole significantly. Your jaw is gradually growing tired, but you're committed to this. You want to make your love feel just as good as he made you feel earlier. You try swirling your tongue around him as you move, and it looks like you've made the right choice by the way his noises become more and more desperate.

"You're doing so well, sweetheart. Especially for your first time. I'm almost there-fuck, your mouth is too damn good." He's so hot, he swears he's melting into the bed. Just a little more, and he'll finally get some relief. You try to go even faster, letting his tip ram into the back of your throat. You can see his stomach tensing, and his balls flexing slightly. He's gonna lose it, and it's all because of you. "I'm gonna cum, baby. Try to swallow it all if you can." He groans almost as loudly as you did with your own orgasm, his hips stuttering. His load spills down your throat, and you just barely get a taste of it. You really enjoy it, hoping there will be many more times you get to have the flavor of him on your tongue.

You release his cock with a pop once he softens. You look at the fuckstruck expression on his face. His eyes are hooded with lust, staring at the ceiling to ground himself. His chest rises and falls roughly, panting sighs forced from his lungs. You crawl up to his head, caressing his shiny cheek. His gaze flicks to you, a satisfied smile crawling across his mouth. "I take it I did a good job?" You ask shyly, your cheeks heating up again.

"More than good! That was fuckin' fantastic!" He says enthusiastically, which makes you giggle. "Seriously though, did you practice on a carrot or something?" He asks, mostly joking. But the widening of your eyes blows the humor away. "No way!"

"Maybe a little, although it was actually a zucchini." You admit, drawing raucous laughs from both of you. "I wanted to impress you." You snuggle up to him, bringing your head level to his. Your knee lays over his thigh, and you drag your nails up and down his chest. You look at Eddie from under your lashes, giving him your best attempt at 'fuck me' eyes. His arm goes around your waist to pull you nearer to him.

Your shared energy escalates, the closeness of your bodies electrifying the air in the room. Eddie's breath fans hotly against your skin before he speaks lowly to you. "Well, you certainly succeeded, Y/N." He cups your cheek, gently brushing his thumb across it. You nuzzle against him out of habit to deepen his touch. "I love you more than anything in the world, sweetheart." He whispers, not wanting to disturb the peaceful quiet.

"I love you too, darling." You reply just as softly. He brings his face closer to yours at an agonizing rate, it seems to take forever for his plush lips to touch yours. The second they do, however, you both give in to the feverish intensity that's been broiling inside you. Eddie bites your lip harshly, and you moan to allow his tongue access. He quickly dominates you, moving his hand to grip your thigh. He pulls your leg further over him, his fingers digging into your flesh. His mouth moves to your neck, licking and sucking to mark you up like a wild animal. "Fuck, Eddie." You whimper, savoring the pinch of his teeth.

"I'm gettin' to that, baby." He smirks, rolling the two of you over so he's on top. His dick is hardening again, pressing into your inner thigh. He's kissing all over your chest, and tenting your knees apart so he can rub his erection on your soaked pussy.

"Shit, I want you so bad." You whimper at his tip meeting your clit. You're clawing at his back, sure to leave dark red scratches all over him. He groans against your tits, nipping them over and over while his cock spreads your wetness around.

"I want you too, princess. Just let me work you up a little more, I promise it'll make things so much better." His tone is so comforting, yet darkly seductive. You have no choice but to heed his words, letting him drive you wild before the main event.

"Alright, just please don't stop touching me." You whine, grinding your hips upwards to get more friction on your needy cunt.

"Wouldn't dream of it, angel." Eddie says through a moan at your bold move. You both roll your hips against each other, making the most deliciously vulgar noises. He lowers a hand to put two fingers inside you again, curling them in that flawless way only he knows how.

"Oh, god." You can't believe this is happening. He's worshiping your breasts, teasing your bundle of nerves, and fingering you? If heaven is a real place, it's right here, in this moment. There's nowhere you'd rather be than writhing beneath your man. You can feel that familiar pressure building up within your belly once more. Eddie reaches over to the nightstand for the box of condoms, clumsily opening it with one hand to retrieve one.

When he tears one away from the long strip within the package, he opens the little foil square while still riling you up. You watch as he rolls the latex down his length, tossing the wrapper on the floor. He looks at you a moment, gripping his dick to bring the head to wait outside your taught entrance. He plants a gentle kiss on your lips. "You ready, love?" Eddie asks, breathing heavily in anticipation. He's waited so long for this moment, to share his body with you.

"Yes, Eds. More than you know." You encourage him to press on, finally put himself inside you. He nods at your confirmation, gripping your thighs in his large hands. He slowly pushes his dick in, stretching your pussy more than you expect. You wince at the feeling, your fingers holding his shoulders tighter than before. Your eyes squeeze shut, this is harder than you were anticipating.

"I'm goin' nice and slow, baby. Just relax." You force your eyes open, gazing up at his comforting face. You nod, taking a deep breath.

"Kiss me?" You ask, thinking his tongue in your mouth will distract you. You plead with your eyes, hoping he understands.

"Of course, sweetheart." He brings his lips to yours without hesitation, continuing to push into you. You gasp against him when he brushes your g spot, waiting for him to bottom out. Inch by inch, he stretches your walls until his tip hits your cervix. "Fuck, you're so tight, baby." Eddie groans, stilling his movements to let you loosen up. 

You two lay here for a while, giving each other little butterfly kisses and giggling like teenagers. You're in no rush, wanting to savor every moment. You're so deeply, helplessly in love, and this night is the ultimate expression of your affections. You're feeling so serene, blissful even. And you think you're prepared for Eddie to start moving. "I think I'm ready, darling. You wanna make love to me now?" You chuckle when you realize how old-fashioned that phrase sounds, 'making love'. You've always found it kinda cheesy, but 'fucking' doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

"You got it, princess." Eddie grins, slowly pulling out before slipping back in. Low moans spill out of your mouths, the initial discomfort quickly transforming into pleasure. His left hand holds your hip for leverage, while the other pins your own to the mattress. His fingers intertwine with yours, bringing you even closer together.

He begins to thrust in and out of you at a gentle pace, he doesn't want to hurt you. The sensation is really good, but you're craving more. "Eddie, please go faster. I swear I'm not gonna break." You insist, rolling your pelvis upwards to encourage him. He does as you ask, snapping his hips once to give you a taste. "Fuck!" You cry out, his cock hits your special spot perfectly. "Keep going, just like that." You beg. You wrap your legs around him to pull him deeper into you.

"You're so needy, baby. I love it." Eddie repeats the rough action, stealing your breath away. Before you have time to respond, he ruts himself against you in that same animalistic way over and over. He's not sure how much longer he can last though, you've been hugging his cock so damn tight it's insane.

As for you, you're not too far behind. Everything Eddie does feels so good. He's pounding you relentlessly into the bed, your orgasm ramping up with every stroke. Moans and curses harmonize with the slapping of skin, the room shaking from the headboard smacking against the wall. You're positively drenched in sweat, holding onto each other for dear life. "I'm getting close again, Eds. You're so fucking amazing."

"I'm right there with you, love." Eddie pants, his stomach threatening to tense to signal his end. He's determined to drag you down alongside him, enlisting his mouth to bite and lick your tits and throat with reckless abandon. His hand releases yours, snaking down to your clit to rub it in strong circles. You're overpowered by sensation, euphoric waves washing through you. Your walls are fluttering around Eddie's length, he can feel you about to lose it. He stops marking your flesh for a moment to share a loving look with you. "Cum for me, sweetheart."

Eddie's simple command, and the expression of pure admiration on his face sends you tumbling into oblivion. "Fuck, Eddie!" You cry out, your hands clawing at the sheets and pillow beneath your head. Your back arches upwards, your tits rubbing against Eddie's slick chest. Your thighs quake, and your insides squeeze around his cock as your orgasm runs its course.

"Goddammit." Eddie murmurs, the feeling of you cumming around him is too fucking good. He thrusts into you sloppily, extending your pleasure. He loves the way your beautiful face looks right now, so much so that his load spills from his cock to fill the condom. He presses a desperate kiss to your lips, and you reach up to hold him to you in response. He's still pumping in and out of you, riding out your shared highs. You exchange muted moans, slowly simmering down as your hearts stop racing. Happy tears spring from your eyes unexpectedly, and Eddie breaks away to check on you. "What's wrong, baby? Was it too much?" He's gone still within you now, becoming soft and overstimulated. He caresses your cheek, wiping the tracks away. You sniffle, shaking your head.

"Nothings wrong, Eddie. I just love you so much. Happy birthday." You look up at him, smiling brighter than the sun. This night has been everything you'd dreamed of, and sharing it with Eddie makes it so much more meaningful.

"I love you too, Y/N. Tonight has been the best night of my life. And being with you has made it so special." A couple tears of his own drip down onto your face, and he kisses you tenderly to accentuate the sentiment. You two are so perfect together, and you want nothing more than to keep it this way forever.

The end.

[themfatales]

Ooh, I forgot about Small Things Like These. So take out Nightbitch, move The Brutalist to Number 5, and put in Small Things Like These at 4.

It definitely looks really gripping and I applaud Cillian Murphy for coming off winning Best Actor at the Oscars for Oppenheimer last year by going to a small Irish indie movie that he produced (so clearly a personal passion project) about the atrocities committed by the Catholic church in Ireland in the Magdalene Laundries. But I could also see this movie go the Killers of the Flower Moon route where the movie might get great reviews but even people sympathetic to victims of colonization might just not want to watch a depressing movie about it. I'm curious, though. because I want to see what Murphy's up to and even though I'm familiar with this history somewhat and have seen some short news stories about it and interviews with some survivors, it isn't talked about as much as other parts of Irish history in US schools even if you have family roots in Ireland, so I could do more to learn about it.

Top films coming out that I am looking forward to:

Anora

A Real Pain

Memoirs of A Snail

The Brutalist

Nightbitch (but, like, ironically)

Actually, speaking of ironic anticipation, Joker 2 was kinda my most anticipated movie of the year because I knew it was going to be realllllly badddddddd and as a Bad Film Enjoyer and a hater of the first movie, it definitely lived down to my expectations but was too bleak and too boring for me to truly recommend in a So Bad It's Good way like I had hoped it would be. The other movie I had been ironically looking forward to was Trap, which isn't quite So Bad It's Good -- is not a good movie but it's not completely incompetent enough to be truly Camp -- but is pretty much exactly what I hoped it would be and Josh Hartnett is great because you can tell he knows exactly what kind of movie he is in. Metropolis is another one I was actively rooting to be bad and apparently lived down to my expectations based on the reviews, but it actually looks so insufferable that I don't think I could make myself sit through it in theaters. Maybe a drunk rental.

The Apprentice is getting good reviews, but while Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn sounds interesting, I am so fucking sick of thinking about the existence of Tr*mp especially in an election year that I don't know if I can stomach a whole movie about him and Cohn.

[wwaheoh]

“Unrequited”, Zenless Zone Zero x gnReader - ♪ - Angst

Von Lycaon, Anby Demara, Zhu Yuan

Lycaon, head of Victoria Housekeeping, a Therian of class- yet nimble enough to not be uptight. The butler-for-hire had been one of your closest friends, meeting on one of his jobs, with him having protected you while traversing the Hollows, in search of a lost possession. The two of you hit it off, meeting outside of work- whenever he was spare, which admittedly was a bit rare, for drinks and casual hangouts.

Over time a building feeling became apparent to you, every time you even thought the Therian, bundles of joy and giddiness curled up tight. It made you want to burst every time. When the two of you met for the day, it became harder and harder to look away, his soft eyes and warm demeanor making you puddy.

One day you decided to admit these feelings, no longer able to bear keeping them hidden any longer- lest they burn you alive.

He had a free day open, the two of you having scheduled to meet up in the afternoon. Days passed by like snails in the arctic but finally as the hour arrived, you put on your best clothes, a giddy feeling as you mentally recited what you wanted to say to him.

///

The outing had been going great, the two of you met, exchanged pleasantries before exploring. While you had wanted to confess where you met- meeting in a Hollow wouldn’t exactly be the greatest move. But a nice view looking at the setting Sun would be!

“Hey, Lycaon?”

“Mm?” He turned to you, his arms rested behind his back- habits from work carried over to his day to day.

“I… I…” The words were terrified to leave, yet as you ripped them out like a band-aid, it was cathartic to let them out into the air.

Lycaon’s gaze was the same as usual, yet a terrified feeling began to build in you. He looked over to the sinking Sun, a downward quirk at the edge of his mouth as he pondered for a few moments before turning back to you.

“I… must apologize. While you are a cherished friend of mine, I am unable to reciprocate these feelings you have for me.”

“R-right… ‘m sorry…” You choked, unwilling to begin crying at having been rejected- even as your shoulders shook and you grit your teeth, no tears were allowed to fall.

He watched, uncharacteristically awkward as he attempted to help you. Yet how do you help someone when you were the direct cause of their pain.

“I’ll start up the car. It’s getting late.”

“I-it’s- hic- fine. I’ll get home on my own…”

“I must insi-”

“I said it’s fine.”

Even to you it felt too harsh to be like this, yet it escaped nonetheless.

“I understand.” Lycaon nodded, ears drooping as he started the car, backing off to let you blow off steam.

That was the last time you voluntarily saw him. Not wanting these feelings to continue burning, you smothered it. Never replying to his texts, turning the corner any time you saw his snow-white fur.

Anby Demara, a friend you made while shopping for movies, having accidentally chosen the same movie at the same time before turning into discussing it and later on exchanging numbers. She was great- very direct but honestly that helped understand her a lot more. You didn’t know what she did on her off-time, but she was pretty free, leading to the two of you spending time together watching movies, eating out, or going to trivia nights.

Yet a growing feeling began to ball up in you, watching her expressions as she watched movies with rapt attention. You wanted her to look at you like that- to look at you the same way you did her.

You decided a direct approach would work, it worked with her and worked for you. So one day the two of you were walking back from the theater, discussing the latest movie the two of you had watched- a sequel to the one you both picked out at the beginning of your friendship. It was okay- but the publishers pushing for a sequel to an already wrapped up story made it lose its charm. Steeling your nerves as she spoke, you took a deep breath before speaking up as she finished.

“Uhm, hey, Anby?”

“Yes?”

You confessed your feelings for her, a direct message. You tried not to show your nervousness, yet it was pretty apparent to anyone with keen eyes.

“Um…”

Anby stood, thinking about all the movies she’d watched. Usually at the end of romance films, the protagonist professes their love for the love interest, ending in a happy ever-after. Yet she didn’t like you like that, she wanted to continue being friends.

It was confusing- landing in such a mundane situation that had no good answer. She cherished your friendship yet had no idea how to reject your confession- no source to look at and help navigate.

Anby was mannequin-still before sprinting, unable to choose what to do- so she detached herself from the situation. You called out to her, heart-broken and confused as she left your confession unopened.

Texting didn’t work, leaving you on ‘Read’. You never saw her again, only glimpses of her silver hair or neon-green sleeves before disappearing.

Zhu Yuan, leader of Public Security, she was a role model to all and someone everyone aspired to be. You- and a few others could admit or deny having a crush on her- yet it was the truth all the same. And how could you not? She was a great person, amicable, someone kind and easy to be open to.

You had become friends with her after being partnered up, spending your time after shifts with her as she trained or helping her with her garden at home- even afterwards when you were partnered with someone else and she was with Qingyi. The crush you held deep began to burst as you learned more and became closer to this amazing person.

So one day you decided to finally really confess- after having talked yourself out of it so many times…

During a meeting, you were positioned opposite of where Zhu Yuan sat. It was a bit hard to look away from her, but you did at least attempt to focus on the briefing- no matter how much it was unneeded.

Then Qingyi went up to present information.

Zhu Yuan had a different look on her face- usually so focused and diligent. She had a soft- almost mesmerized look now.

It sat uncomfortably within you- a thought striking your mind, something you didn’t want to admit but as the meeting ended and Zhu Yuan still kept that same look, it was something you had to admit.

Zhu Yuan was in love with Qingyi.

You rushed out of the meeting room, packing your things with haste before leaving.

You still did meet with Zhu Yuan- yet every time you did, all you could focus on was the aching in your heart. So slowly you stopped meeting with her, not wanting to continue torturing yourself.

You were too late.

[flwrkid14]

Batfam Goes to See Hamilton (Thanks to Jason Todd)

note: based on the fact that i saw hamilton on broadway today!

So, Jason somehow managed to drag the entire Batfam to see Hamilton—because yes, Red Hood is a theater nerd, and apparently, none of them can say no when he’s excited about something. Here’s how it went down:

Jason Todd: Living for it. Jason knows all the lyrics by heart and is practically singing under his breath the whole time. He’s vibing hard to every song, mouthing along to My Shot like he’s in the show. You’d think he was a one-man standing ovation from the way he keeps reacting to every scene. He also goes full nerd mode explaining all the historical inaccuracies and why they don’t matter because the storytelling is incredible.

Bruce Wayne: Very confused, but engaged. He’s trying to get into it, but you can see the gears turning in his head, over-analyzing every political angle and historical context. He does appreciate the themes of legacy, sacrifice, and honor (classic Bruce). He might’ve even shed a few tears during It’s Quiet Uptown, but he’ll deny it forever.

Dick Grayson: Having the time of his life. Dick is the one clapping the loudest, laughing at all the jokes, and crying during the emotional songs. He’s completely caught up in the performance, and by the time The Room Where It Happens comes on, he’s all but bouncing in his seat. He also loves the choreography and probably made a mental note to learn the dances later.

Tim Drake: Secretly loving it but pretending to be indifferent. Tim walked in like he was only going to humor Jason, but by the end of Act 1, he’s fully invested. He tries to keep a straight face, but you can catch him mouthing the words to Wait for It and tapping his fingers during The Room Where It Happens. He’s obsessed with the way the show mixes history, strategy, and storytelling, and he’s definitely taking mental notes on things to google later for a deep dive into historical rabbit holes. After the show, he’s already re-watching bootleg clips on YouTube, but if anyone asks, he’ll just say, “It was fine.”

Damian Wayne: Not impressed. Damian doesn’t see the appeal. He’s sitting there with his arms crossed, giving side-eye to everyone clapping or singing along. “I could’ve done better,” he mutters after Guns and Ships, but you catch him tapping his foot during Yorktown, and he seems unusually focused during the duel scenes. Maybe it’s growing on him… but he’ll never admit it.

Stephanie Brown: Living her best life. Steph is totally into it. She’s laughing at all the jokes, especially King George’s bits, and probably even got Bruce to crack a smile. She’s belting out Helpless and Satisfied in her seat and whispering excitedly to Cass about how they should come back for the next performance. She’s already planning a Hamilton-themed karaoke night after.

Cassandra Cain: Loving the energy. Cass isn’t much for words, but she’s totally feeling the performance. The choreography and intensity of the actors keep her fully engaged. She’s watching every movement with laser focus, and you can see her appreciating the way the actors tell the story through body language. She’s not super vocal about it, but afterward, she signs to Jason that it was “powerful.”

Duke Thomas: Totally into the music. Duke is all about the beats and rhythm. He’s vibing in his seat, really feeling the music and lyrics. You catch him nodding along during Wait for It and The Room Where It Happens, and he’s probably already added the soundtrack to his Spotify. He’s impressed by the storytelling through music and keeps shooting Jason looks like, “Okay, you were right—this is awesome.”

At the end of the show, Jason’s the first to stand up, clapping like his life depends on it, and despite the varied reactions, everyone else follows suit.

[katealpha]

Art by RandomGirl1265

While many of the underground facilities built by Vault-Tec have been uncovered over the two centuries that went by after the bombs fell over America. However, one of Los Angeles’ deepest secrets lie just underneath the decimated (and formerly named before the war) Chinese Theater.…

————-

Christina Kirby was just your average movie and TV actress in her late 20s. Born into money and practically raised by Hollywood, she had a promising career ahead of her. The Great War hadn’t affected her life all that much, though one day, she was brought to one of those vaults that were being created in case the worst happened. The plan was outlined to her as she was given a tour around the place. That when the bombs started to fall, she‘d be notified the second any bombs were detected headed towards the country, minutes before any nuclear sirens started going off, and she and other Hollywood names would live underground until the all clear.

It was a neat little place. It was furnished comfortably with many of the decorations based on the Hollywood esthetic. Movie posters, a walk of fame in the hallways, everything looking shiny. Her room was practically a smaller version of what she had in her mansion, but still comfortable and private.

When she was driven home after the tour, she was getting ready to walk through her front door, when she felt herself being grabbed from behind and a wet cloth pressed against her nose and mouth. Christina passed out within seconds, hardly able to struggle.….

————280 Years Later———-

A hydraulic hiss woke Christina up suddenly. Everything was blurry and misty as a glass door opened before her into a dim hallway. She felt horrible. Sweaty, sore, and most of all, severely bloated. As she stepped out of the cylindrical pod, she felt slow and heavy to boot. When her vision cleared, Christina looked down to see that her belly was disgustingly swollen. A gasp left her lips as her hands moved to feel herself. It didn’t take long for her to feel something moving inside of her. That she was pregnant. Very pregnant. Her heart sank and Christina imm began to waddle down one way, searching for anything that could help her, or give her answers.

As she made her way down, she passed by more of those pods like the one she was in. Inside she saw more women. All of them sporting baby bumps of various size. Some looking less than 9 months with one, some looking like they were carrying quadruplets. They all stood still, sleeping. Some were subconsciously caressing their bellies as they shifted and jostled with whatever lie within. Christina looked up and gasped again, seeing their faces and seeing their names on the tops of the pods. All of them were other actresses. Many having much more recognizable names than her. A List stars to lesser known actresses like herself. All Christina could do as she wandered through this place was wonder what was happening to them and why.

———-—

After finding a shower chamber and rinsing off, Christina managed to fit a blue and yellow jumpsuit on and began exploring, hoping to find food and water. She found water cans first, then some food stores with cereal and canned goods. Then, she found various terminals. All of them revealing more and more about what was really going on here.

Apparently, this was part of some horrendous experiment to preserve pre war Hollywood. By kidnapping nearly every prominent actress in the industry, stick them down in this lab, and inseminate them with the seed of multiple sports stars. To combine the genes of the most physically fit men in America with who many considered to be the most beautiful and influential women in entertainment. That by doing this, a new generation of potential entertainers could populate the wasteland. It all made Christina want to throw up, especially with the knowledge that the outside world was a nuclear hellhole, and that over two centuries had gone by, the pods preserving the actresses perfectly, as well as their unborn children.

After Christina gained ahold of her bearings, she ventured to an elevator and arrived in the living quarters upstairs. The place she remembered touring through what felt like yesterday. It was still in decent condition. The vault hadn't been discovered by the outside world, and everything was as it was left by the science staff. A trek up to the Overseer’s office revealed that not only was he dead, but killed by the scientists, who collectively agreed not to participate before their pregnancies reached full term. They left the vault together after over a decade, shutting it behind the. Only the robotic staff and the test subjects remained.

Now, Christina had a choice. One that had her stumped. From that terminal, she could override the pods, and release every woman in the lower levels. Let all those actresses wake up to the same horror Christina had. She couldn’t know what reactions would happen as a result, but she wouldn’t be alone, and the truth would prevail. However, she could also let them rest with their children still inside, and leave this place behind to start a new life. It was a tough choice…one that she hadn’t too much time to make, as one more question popped into her already overwhelmed mind.

When am I giving to give birth?..

[mikedfaist]

please write more about what fans say about mike and famous or non famous reader !! like sightings etc, if u know what i mean lol

Why have one when you can have both?

Non-famous:

When you’re casually at the Challengers premiere in London and accidentally bump into Mike’s (alleged) girlfriend as she’s trying to sneak into the theater… Sorry, babe. Cute dress though.

Eye spy Mike’s girlfriend at Brokeback matinee today, and later sneaking out the stage doors during the meet and greet, only to return with Starbucks. She has her priorities set. Good for her.

Met Mike’s girlfriend today in line for the bathroom… I wanted to hate her so bad, but she lent me a tampon.

I don’t mean to alarm anyone but I just saw Mike Faist and his girlfriend at the grocery store, and they were having a heated conversation about mangos. Apparently, she eats the skin and he thinks that’s weird.

Saw this cute ass couple on the subway platform only to realize as my train took off that it was Mike Faist and his rumored (definitely confirmed after what I saw) girlfriend.

Famous:

Anybody else notice Mike walk briefly into the frame during [reader’s] IG live today?

What’s better than [reader] and Mike Faist having lunch at my restaurant today? Her tipping me $1000. I haven’t stopped crying.

I need Mike to make an Instagram account solely for all of the pictures and videos he takes at [reader’s] shows. Can’t let them go to waste.

The look of fucking horror on Mike’s face when that fan stormed the stage at [reader’s] show tonight. Somebody please go check up on him.

Did anybody else catch Mike nearly lose his shit when [reader] got hit in the face with a water bottle tonight, or was it just me?

Wait wait wait what do you mean [reader] is dating a Newsie?

I can definitely do more if you are interested -- just feeling exceptionally tired tonight and was forcing myself to answer at least one thing.

[theushijimaoverlord]

"this whole thing is a mess"

♡ tooru oikawa x reader - 1.3k ♡ warnings - none other than oikawa himself (and some ugly baby shenanigans) ♡ notes - hi! i'm purple and this is my first post, enjoy! (prompt credit from @creativepromptsforwriting)

It was a mess.

A big, tremendous, nearly-unfixable mess.

The day started off normal enough, you in your comfy gray sweat, loose shirt (that may or may not belong to Oikawa), a book you’ve been overdue to read in your hands. As your eyes scanned the pages, your attention was drawn away as you began to the thump thump thump of someone running up the stairs. And unless someone had broken into your house, you already knew who was currently making their way towards your bedroom.

As if on cue, a familiar ruffle of brunette hair came into view as said person came barreling through your door. For an athlete, it always bemuses you how Oikawa always got so winded running up your stairs.

You patiently wait for him to catch his breath. Finally, after he had decided that enough air had entered his lungs, he looked up and if you knew any better from the look in his eyes, you could already tell he was about to tell the most ridiculous thing ever. Because your boyfriend wouldn’t be doing the world justice if he were one for the dramatics.

“You would not believe what I just found out.”

Staring at him for a few seconds, you roll your eyes, close your books and turn your whole body to face him. This was gonna take a while. “Okay I’ll bite. Tell me what you found out.”

If you squint hard enough, you could almost see the joy gleaming in his eye from the fact that he caused you to turn your whole attention to him. But it quickly disappeared as he crossed the room and plopped down face first onto your bed, arms wide, and began whining.

You should convince him to take up theater.

“Come on Tooru, tell me what you came all the way up here for or I’m going back to my book,” Turning his face, Oikawa looked at you and gave his signature pout. If you called him out for it, he would vigilantly deny it.

“Did you remember when you went over to my mom's house a week ago?” 

“When we visited for new years? Yeah I remember, remind me later to ask her for her mochi recipe.”

“Yeah, yeah. So you remember when the two of you decided to torture me by looking at my baby photos?” Honestly, he was the one torturing you with the way he was loudly complaining with each flip of the photo album.

If it wasn’t already obvious by the media attention, countless photo-shoot bookings, and (to his dismay) amount of fanfic being written about him, Oikawa Tooru was a very handsome man. Some might even argue (you) that the word pretty comes to mind when talking about the Argentina National Volleyball Team’s setter.

But a little secret that he had and would rather take to the grave is that he was a very, very ugly baby. At least by his standards. You have a running theory that he only thinks that way because Iwaizumi liked to taunt him about it, especially when they were younger.

“Yes Tooru, although I’ve told you pointless times that you were a very normal looking baby, I do recall looking at photos with your mom.” Reaching a hand out from under the warm blanket, you grab his hand that is closest to you and intertwine your fingers. You swear his pout lessens a little before he continued telling you about his current dilemma.

“Well I was scrolling online and you will not believe what I saw” Sitting up without disconnecting your hands, he sits on the bed, brown eyes now directly across from you. 

“Well she. Posted. The. Photos.”

A beat of silence passed as he just stared at you, straight faced and serious. 

And then you break eye contact by letting out a short laugh, which apparently broke a dam inside you because your free hand came up to cover your mouth as you tried to suppress the fit of giggles you couldn’t hold back anymore. 

Oikawa just continues to stare at you, but now he had a dumbfounded expression on his face, as if he hadn’t just told you the worst possible thing to ever happen to him. Realizing you weren’t gonna stop, Oikawa lets out a long drawn whine, closing the gap in between the two of you and throwing his arms around your body, pressing his face into your neck.

The position caused you to uncover your mouth and now the only sound filling the room was your unfiltered laughs. As much as Oikawa loved listening to the noise, he hugged you tighter hoping you would eventually stop being entertained by his misfortune.

“Why do you hate me, babe. What have I done to deserve this mistreatment?”

As your laughter finally dies down, you reach your arms around and hug him back, rubbing one palm up and down his back as the other hand carded his brown moppy hair through your fingers. Your bedroom was now engulfed by a (rare) moment of peaceful silence as you felt him breathing into your neck.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’d have a knack for always being the most dramatic person in a room” A pause before his response.

“...no” An obvious lie, but you let it slide.

“Alright, what are people saying about your photos though? Can’t be that bad”

Sitting up straight again, his arms were still wrapped around your body so he had to crane his neck to look down at you and you find yourself doing a similar motion to look up at him. If anyone else saw the two of you like this, they might find the positioning comedic.

“It’s terrible. Absolutely horrible. This whole thing is a mess. The entire world is making fun of me as we speak.” 

Rolling your eyes, you reach for your phone on the nightstand and begin searching for his mother’s post which wasn’t hard considering you closely followed her actively due to her weekly recipe post. And just as you presumed, Oikawa’s mom’s most recent post was a picture of some photos from the album the two of you looked at a few days ago.

You could tell they were pictures of Oikawa during his infant years, but only because you were able to see it in person but…. When you closely examined the post, you were astonished that anyone could even tell what the photo was off. Even though mama Oikawa had skills in the kitchen and taking pictures of the foods she makes, the woman wasn’t as skilled when photographing other things.

“Babe, literally no one can tell what this is a picture of. If I didn’t know any better, it just looks like she took a picture of a photograph of a loaf of bread and posted it.” A gasp falls from his lips, causing you to look back up at him.

“Are you saying I look like a loaf of bread? How dare you!” You are practically rendered speechless.

“No! I’m saying that unless people have seen the real thing, there is no way anyone would guess that it’s a photo of you as a baby. And I’m looking at the comment section right now, no one is saying anything about you, most people are asking what it even is.”

“What? I swear people were saying stuff” Snatching your phone, he also begins to scroll before he comes across a comment that read:

that’s the stupidest looking baby I’ve ever seen

Turning the phone to show you, he pointed at the words on the screen, giving you a wide eyed I-told-you-so look. 

“See??” Looking at him, you gave Oikawa a blank stare.

“Tooru, Hajime is that one who commented that” Flipping the screen back around, his eyes quickly scan for the person who typed out the atrocious words and staring right back at him is Iwa-chan’s username, and profile pic of the gym he worked at.

“Oh”

Pondering his existence, Oikawa almost misses the snort you let out if it wasn’t for the explosion of laughter you let out.

Again

♡ hello! thank you for finishing my first work, i hope you enjoyed it. i would love any type of constructive criticism, either in regard of my writing, theme, or anything else

♡ i took a lot of my inspiration from @adoringhaikyuu, especially when creating my theme so i wanted to give them credit, and i completely recommend their work so go check them out

♡ thank you (again) and warmest regards, ms. purple

[r3starttt]

Can you do something about drummer Abby and makeup artist reader?

Thank you, I love the ellie in an interview ❤️

MAKE IT UP TO ME

Drummer! Abby x makeup artist! reader

You’ve always loved makeup, a lot. Your biggest dream was to become a professional makeup artist, and you were determined to. So when you finally got a job you felt like your life was solved.

But it wasn’t, apparently if you don’t work on your own there’s always gonna be people that cause trouble in your life. You got fired because some jealous coworker which you didn’t even get to know the name, said some shit about you.

And you thought it was all over because apparently no one hires people if they don’t have enough experience. And you stood jobless for a while, until your best friend, Nora, helped you get a job.

And now you’re here, on your fifth concert, doing makeup to an apparently very famous band that pays you more than enough. Most of them would ask you for very extravagant makeups, especially the main singer of the band, so you had to take a while with each member due to the details.

So when it was time to get to the drummer you mostly ended alone with her, which you didn’t mind at all because she’s hot and really nice to talk to. Also it’s been pretty helpful because you’ve get to be closer with the band as well that way.

“Gosh people’s so loud today” you could hear the fans screaming outside. The place they were doing today’s concert was pretty small, like a local theater kinda “yeah… we’ve been getting a lot of support lately, hopefully soon we’ll get to perform on bigger stages” Abby’s eyes were closed as she spoke. You were doing a type of messy look, smudged eyeliner, some dark eyeshadow and a bit or mascara.

“You’re planing on performing maybe in other states?” you grabbed the eyeliner and started to apply it on her eyes, smudging it with your finger “we’d like to, but it doesn’t really depends on us. But if we do you’re definitely coming with us” you couldn’t help but smile, she’s just being nice but when you’re almost on top of her, while she has her eyes closed and her voice sounds so pretty to you, what else is there to think?

“I’d love to, thanks” you can see her smile widening a bit “you’re ready abs, tell me if there’s anything else you want to add” you step aside, allowing the blonde to look at the mirror in front of her and check on her makeup “all good” she says, standing up from the chair. And you can’t help but stare at her tall and strong figure which totally hides whenever she sits for you to do her makeup.

She’s wearing a black tank top and some gray military pants with a pair of black boots, and the contrast it does with her skin and hair as well as the makeup is killing you because how does she look hotter than any other day? However your thoughts get interrupted by her voice.

“You’re free tomorrow? I’d like to take you somewhere” she says it so casual, as she puts on a baggy jacket, and you can only stare at her in shock “I’d take you out tonight but we got plans already and I’d like to do something better than just getting drunk and talk about the show with you” she finally turned around and it would be a total lie to say you don’t look nervous because you can see her laughing a bit as she stares at you.

“Yeah, just…. send me a message tomorrow morning” you said trying your best to sound as confident as her. she just nodded and walked out of the room. later that night when you were with the band as usual, celebrating another show, you two could only stare at each other. She always sat besides you, but that night she was touchier than usual and fuck you needed to see her again, alone.

Just as you woke up you checked on your phone and gladly, a message from Abby was the first thing you saw. She just remind you to not go out since you had plans with her. You two kept talking most of the morning, planing where to go and what to do. Finally you two decided to go to some quite fancy restaurant to have dinner.

And the day felt eternal, even though you had to work that day you could only overthink about the whole situation and the date you had later with Abby. And it was the same for her because as confident as she looks and acts in front of you she was almost dying yesterday when she first asked you to go out and you wouldn’t answer, she was also overthinking, a lot, an repeating the scene in her head over and over.

Abby had offered to pick you up and drive you home as well because “it’s dangerous for you to be alone” so when night came and your phone vibrated you got shivers all over your body.

The date was way better than you expected, you feared it might be awkward but it was the total opposite. Maybe it helped the past weeks of pure tension between both or the fact that most of the time you were flirting with each other, but whatever it was it doesn’t really matter as long as you get any chance with her.

Once she drive you home she ask you to stay just a bit more, so now you’re both outside your apartment’s building, just sitting in the car, staring at each other in silence.

“Can I kiss you?” you see her eyes wandering over you as her hands cup your face, and suddenly you’re pressing your lips over hers for some seconds that feel eternal, until she pulls away.

“you’re so fucking pretty you know that?” her hands are still on your face yet she moves them rapidly and turns her face to her window, to which you laugh “what’re you doing?”the light from the outside reflects on her as she turns her face back to you “doing what?” her eyes move to your lips once again “look away” you reply.

“Because” a nasal chuckle comes out of her and her smile wides a bit. her arm moves again to your face and as her fingers touch your lips you open your mouth slightly “I gotta go abs” as you speak her thumb goes slightly into your inner lips “why?” you notice how she furrows her eyebrows slightly and her eyes finally meet yours.

“It’s too late already and I have to work tomorrow, all day” a small chuckle comes out of your mouth “Come here then” she moves her arms to the back of your neck and pulls you again for another kiss.

“Thanks for today, I swear I’ll make it up to you” you grab your bag and open the door, looking at her one last time “you better do”.

[silly-jester]

Today, while I was sleeping, I had a dream. It was like a new episode of a cartoon, but everything happened as if through my eyes from Hilda’s perspective. She and her friends were in some abandoned place and behind the bushes they found a small lake in which they saw Eugene. Well, they talked, I don’t remember well what happened there, but then they found themselves in some abandoned theater, already sitting in the audience seats. Well, Hilda immediately noticed that Eugene was a little nervous. And then we saw the owner of this theater - some kind of ghost. I don’t know exactly what kind of ghost it was, but she controlled everything here. As it turned out later, Eugene promised her something or lost, I don’t know, and now he has to be here all the time, which, surprisingly, didn’t make him happy at all. Well, then came the rescue operation of this poor merman. :D The funniest thing I remember is that Hilda had to run from the ghost while holding Eugene in her arms because apparently he was too scared to run on his own. It was very funny. XD

[corpsebasil]

Hii!!!!! Can I request a nikolai x reader where she hates nikolai with every morsal in herself but she soon realises the reason she hates him is cause she is scared of liking him as she has had a bad experience with men in the past. And one day he traps her and asked her what he has done to make her hate him so much and she breaks down about what has happened and how she loves him so much. His smile, face, personality, his kind and caring attributes and they share a heartfelt kiss

Sí

Do You Love Me-> N.L.

The Lady that lives in the Grand Palace is immune to the Prince’s attention.

He wouldn’t. Leave you. Alone.

You didn’t like anything about him. Not his stupid face, or his ridiculous sense of humor, or his cocky attitude that made you want to vomit when you watched him turn on the charm for other women. You especially hated him when constantly you badgered you, seeking you out.

“Lady Y/N, darling!” You heard a cheerful voice call behind you as you worked on stitching up a tear in your nightgown. You flinched and poked yourself in the finger, cursing under your breath as you stuck the wounded digit into your mouth.

The prince entered uninvited; he had a habit of showing up in the middle of the day, bored after his state meetings around noon and desperate for entertainment. That was all you were, apparently. Entertainment.

“Your Highness.” You greeted tightly, glancing up from your perch on your window-seat, your knees tucked up to you chest. “And to what do I owe this grand displeasure?”

“I’m bored.” He sighed, dropping onto your couch. Of course he was. “I’ve missed you desperately.”

“You saw me at dinner yesterday.”

“You didn’t even speak to me.”

It was true. He’d been trying to get your attention for at least an hour. He’d even gone so far as to wave dramatically, drawing your annoyed eye slowly to him, only for him to flash you a beaming grin.

That was it.

He just wanted to smile at you.

“Maybe you should take the hint.”

You could almost hear his aggressive eye-roll. Nikolai swore he’d never rolled his eyes so much before he met you. Every since you’d come to the palace, a beautiful lady of high ranking, his breath had been ripped right out of his lungs. You’d been polite, at first. Sweet even. But as he spent more time with you, tried harder to be your friend and eventually court you, you grew cold.

And he didn’t know why.

“You look stunning today.” He tried again, smiling sweetly as you glanced up, your eyes meeting his.

“I know.”

“Glad you know. I love a confident woman.” When you ignored him, he pressed on. “Lovely day, isn’t it?”

“It’s definitely another day in Ravka.”

“I have a proposition. We could—”

“Not interested.”

“You didn’t even hear it.” He whined, and you looked up.

“Anywhere you are—” you began, giving him a firm stare, “—is where I do not want to be.” You returned to your stitching, smiling in amusement to yourself.

There was a weighted pause, and you glanced up. Nikolai’s expressed flickered for a moment, before smoothing into neutrality. He stood, wiping imaginary dust off of his trousers.

“Of course, well. Wouldn’t want to burden you.” He said crisply, and tugged something out of his pocket. He laid a piece of paper down on the couch and you were surprised to see the tips of his ears had gone a bit pink. “I bought tickets for that play I know you like. What is it? The one with the skull and the emo guy?”

“Hamlet?”

“Yeah, that one. We don’t have to sit together. Or—you can go, and I’ll stay here.” He smiled tightly and nodded, leaving your bedroom before you could say a thing.

-

That night, you did go to Hamlet. And it was amazing.

You got back to the palace feeling like you were walking on air; something about the theater made your heart sing, and you were surprised Nikolai knew anything about that.

You walked down to the hall to your rooms, clad in a splendid dress that swept across the floor, emerald jewelry dangling from your ears and neck. Gifts from Nikolai, obviously, but they were the best options you had, so of course you wore them. You weren’t vain enough to toss away emeralds.

You had barely gotten your handle on the doorknob when a guard stopped you, handing you a piece of folded stationary.

“Lady Y/L/N.” He greeted, nodding his head. He passed it to you wordlessly and you entered your rooms, breaking the seal as you walked. Then you paused, eyes flicking up to your coffee table.

A bouquet of spring flowers were in a grand vase on the table, as beautiful as any flowers you’d ever seen in your life. You were pleasantly surprised; you loved flowers. You smiled and moved over to smell them, then flicked open the note, eyes running across the elegant script.

‘Y/N,

I hope you enjoyed Hamlet. I certainly enjoyed sitting in my room all night pretending I was there. Imagine me holding a skull and whining about my dead friend. (Was it father? I don’t remember.) Anyways, I’m sure you looked magnificent. I heard from some servants that you were the prettiest Grisha they’d ever seen as they saw you leave.

I know they won’t, but I hope the flowers I sent will amount to even a fraction of your beauty. Maybe you’ll hate me a bit less tomorrow.

Yours,

Nikolai.’

Something tugged at your heart at those words, especially the last line. You grumbled to yourself and tossed the note into the bin, right on top of a multitude of others that he’d sent you. Some were long rants about what he’d did that day and requesting you write him back. Some were just one line, things like ‘you looked beautiful at dinner’ or ‘thinking about you by the way’.

It was annoying as hell and you didn’t know how to get through to him that you had no interest in the prince whatsoever. Sometimes it felt like he only chased after you because you were only woman he couldn’t have. You’d seen the way he flirted and had no interest in any of that.

-

Breakfast was a fun occasion, one in which you and a few of your Grisha friends sat at a small table in the tea-room, laughing over delicate sandwiches and tiny cakes. You had just popped a small slice of strawberry into your mouth, clad in your favorite green silk robe, when you glanced up.

Nikolai was entering the room, heading over to a group of men that were eating their own breakfasts. Soldiers, by the looks of them, all in uniform and ridiculously attractive. Your eyes tracked him, keeping watch on his movements as he approached the soldiers. They stood and laughed, grinning as they clapped him on the back and ushered him into a chair, their boyish voices loud and carrying.

Nikolai’s eyes darted to yours, as if magnetized, and you glanced away.

“He’s so handsome.” Your friend Marley sighed, propping her chin on a hand as she stared at the prince.

“He’s average at best.” You countered, following her gaze. “I mean really? Blondes?”

“I’m more of a brunet loving girl myself.” Lina said, pointing her fork at you. “I agree with Y/N. But he is rather handsome. I think he’d be my exception.”

The fourth girl at the table, Joanna, simply wrinkled her nose. She was into women, and had no interest in this line of conversation.

“He’s a guy. Who cares.”

“Y/N..” Marley purred, and you did not like her tone one bit. “I heard Nikolai got you invitations to the play last night.” She grinned. “And you went. Did you guys snuggle in the carriage the whole time?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“He didn’t go.” You said calmly, looping one leg over the other knee.

“What?” Both Marley and Lina exclaimed, and even Joanna looked surprised.

“Why not?” Marley asked, voice rising an octave.

“I didn’t want him there.”

“But—but he’s the prince.”

“Only you would find a way to turn down the most ridiculously high-ranking bachelor in the kingdom.” Lina grumbled.

“She’s a duchess in her own right.” Joanna argued, tucking a piece of her dark, shoulder length hair behind an ear. “Just because he’s a prince—”

“But he’s a prince!” Marley told you, eyes wide, and her voice carried a bit too loud. You cringed as the soldier’s table quieted down a fraction, then erupted into male laughter. Marley blushed.

“Go ahead and let all of Ravka know what we’re talking about.” Joanna grumbled, wiping her hands and standing up. “I’ve got to meet up with Rebecca. See you ladies later.” She beamed, wiggling her fingers at the three of you before sweeping out of the room, her cream-silk robe billowing behind her.

You shot Marley daggers with your eyes and the honey-blonde girl ducked her head, smiling to herself.

“I’m just saying.” Lina whispered, voice much lower now. “You guys need to come to my room around ten. Trust me.”

“Will there be fireworks? Copious amounts of kittens?” You asked drily. “Because that’s the only thing that’s going to interrupt the novel I’m reading.”

“If it’s one of those filthy novels I know you read, then you’ll like it.”

You wrinkled your nose.

“What?”

“Geez, Y/N, lighten up. Just come.” The black haired beauty groaned, her smooth tan arms crossing onto the table. “Pleaaaase?”

You glanced between the two girls, back and forth, then nodded.

“Fine.”

They both squeaked rather loudly, again too loud, and against your better judgement your eyes slid over to Nikolai. He was watching you, a soft smile on his face, and you felt your cheeks flush.

“See you then.” You said and abruptly stood, fastening your robe tighter around you.

And as you left the room, you could’ve sworn you felt his eyes tracking you the entire way out.

-

“Oh my god.” You scoffed, eyes wide as you yanked the current shut. “You didn’t tell me we were going to perve.”

“Just look at them.” Marley giggled, face practically glued to the window.

The guards were on their morning run, which included every soldier at breakfast, all shirtless and jogging across the front lawn, down the back trails to the woods. Which included, to your dismay, Nikolai.

Your mouth went slightly dry.

He was more ripped than half the men around him, golden skin glistening with sweat as he kept up with the very front of the pack. You were alarmed to see he was laughing, whereas some of the men behind him were red-faced and breathing hard.

“Does he—” you stopped yourself. “Do they always run at this time?”

“Mhmm.” Lina said, smiling coyly. “Right under my window. Makes for a lovely after breakfast treat.”

“You two are horrible.” You said, but a smile was pulling at your mouth. Your eyes went back to Nikolai, watching his back muscles flex as he ran ahead, chasing after the man in the very front as they rounded a corner. You tried not to laugh when the two began racing each other, full out sprinting for the lead while the others kept steady pace behind them.

“Ask it.” Lina demanded, and you raised your brow. “Ask what you want to ask.”

“I don’t—”

“Ask me you coward!”

“Fine. Does the prince always run with them?”

Marley and Lina exchanged looks.

“He served in the military…you know that, right? Of course he trains with them.”

You blinked. You’d always thought he was a pompous flirt. You had no idea he was a soldier. Nor that he was packing that much muscle under his outfits of state.

“I um. I didn’t know.” You admitted, biting your bottom lip. “How…strange.”

“He’s so brave.” Marley swooned, slumping dramatically against the window. “I would literally kill to be you. Kill.”

“No threats.” Lina giggled, poking Marley. “Anyways. They’ll come back around in about ten minutes. Let me grab my binoculars.”

You rolled your eyes, pinching the bridge of your nose. Your friends would be the death of you.

-

You left Lina’s room, face flushed from laughing. You indeed had ended up using the binoculars at one point after much peer pressure, and the view was…well… You felt immensely creepy after about two seconds and tossed them back to her, saying that ladies of your stations shouldn’t bend to such inappropriate behavior.

So you walked down the hallway, towards the gardens, eager to get some fresh air when—when—

He didn’t see you at first, eyes closed as he drank from a water bottle, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. A hand-towel was looped around his neck, his bare chest glistening with sweat and—

“Y/N?” He called out, and your eyes snapped to his face. You hadn’t realized you’d frozen in place, ogling him like a damn lunatic. “You okay?”

“Mhmm.” You squeaked, raising your eyebrows as if to ask, what’s it to you? “Why are you topless? Decided to be a little sluttier than usual?”

“Slutty?” He scoffed, moving over to you as he screwed the cap on his bottle, an amused glint in his eyes. His teeth flashed in a grin as he stood in front of you and he was so tall up close you had to tilt your head up. “How am I slutty?”

“Running around flirting with everyone.” You said, raising a finger as if to tick off the reasons. “Sleeping with anything with a pulse. Oh—” you tapped your chin, pretending to think. “—and weren’t you caught at that orgy party last week? Everyone heard about it.”

Nikolai’s smile grew lazy and he tilted his head, his blonde hair curling a bit with the moisture of his sweat. His eyes scanned your face, then grew mischievous.

“Well.” He started, wiping his face off with his towel. “Since you’re so interested in my sex life, Lady Y/N, I’ll have you know I haven’t had sex in over a year.” You flushed and raised a hand for him to stop, but he continued. “I’m flirtatious by nature, sure. But you must know by now the only woman I want is you.” He leaned in closer, chills spreading across your body as his voice brushed the skin of your neck. “By the way, sweetheart? Lina’s windows are see-through.”

When he nipped your ear you jolted, lurching away with a flushed face, and his laugh echoed down the hallway as he walked past you, headed to take a shower.

“Nice binoculars by the way!” He called over a shoulder, and you wanted to kill Lina.

-

You sat in your rooms. You paced. You groaned into your pillow and sat up, crossing your arms over your chest. You hated him. You hated him. And yet the ghost of his teeth still warmed your ear, and his voice—and his body, and—

No. Absolutely not.

You let out an annoyed sound and rubbed your eyes, standing up to wrap your robe around yourself as you paced some more. You’d had experiences with princes. Arrogant assholes that wrung you out like a towel and left you to dry.

Prince Achileas was the last straw, a pompous ass that had made you feel completely in love. All until you found him mid-fuck with one of the servants, an affair you discovered had gone on for a long time. Possibly during your entire courtship.

You would not make that mistake again, ever. You would marry a nice, non royal, totally normal boy who—

A knock.

“Who is it?” You called after a beat, and the door opened a crack.

“May I walk you to dinner?” Nikolai asked, sticking his head in the door, and your patience was at its wits end, images of Achileas still haunting your thoughts.

“My god cant you just—” you bit your tongue hard enough to draw blood and his eyebrows knit together.

“Can I what?”

“Fuck off and leave me alone?” You snapped, but immediately regretted it when a wounded look crossed his handsome face. He opened the door a fraction wider, leaning against the frame.

“What did I do to you, Y/N?” He asked, voice soft but strained. “Why do you hate me so much?”

“Because!” You fought for words, a flush rising in your cheeks. “Because you annoy the shit out of me. You chase after me like a damn lap dog. What do I have to do to get through to you?”

He flinched like you’d slapped him, then held his hands up in surrender. You’d never seen him look so hurt; every rejection, every rude comment, was always swept under the rug as he tried harder and harder.

Now he was done.

“Alright.” He said, and it sounded like his words had to travel over a lump in his throat. “I’m sorry. I apologize for following you around, and for trying to love you. I’m sincerely sorry.” Nikolai closed the door before you could respond, a soft click that made you wish he’d slammed it.

You were such an idiot.

Because you’d been lying to yourself. You knew, somehow, that he was genuine. That he kept trying because beyond your icy exterior, he saw something in you he longed for. And you, deep down, though you didn’t want to admit it—had never admitted it—had cared for the prince for quite some time now.

Fighting the ache in your throat you sat on your couch, pulling your knees to your chest, and decided not to go to dinner.

-

A week passed and you’d been watching, waiting, for him to find a new girl to chase. But he didn’t. In fact, he seemed to be a dimmer version of himself. He only spoke to his fellow soldiers, and avoided your presence.

It all came to a head at the nearest ball, one you were forced to attend by your friends, you eyes tracking Nikolai’s figure as he leaned against the wall, completely ignoring the party. You’d been following him with your stare all night, the hurtful words you’d said to him seared into your mind.

“What’s wrong with him?” Lina asked you, nudging your arm. “He’s been going on night runs alone, lately. Never used to do that.”

“I don’t know.” You lied, though your heart ached as you watched him.

Your eyes met and you saw him take a deep breath, his brow furrowing as you made eye-contact. You hoped he could see your pleading expression and apparently he did, because he pushed off the wall and headed in your direction.

Your stomach churned.

“Shit.” Marley squeaked, snatching Lina’s arm and dragging you away as the prince neared you, stopping a foot away.

“Enjoying yourself?” He asked, tone flat, and he was surprised by the immediate ‘no’ that left you. “No?”

“Are you?” You shot back, and he gave you a sad smile.

“No.” He told you, tilting his head. “You’ve been watching me. Making sure I leave you alone?”

“Nikolai—” You stopped, pained, and blinked up at him. “I’m sorry.” Your voice lowered and you felt ashamed at his stunned expression. “I’m really, really sorry.”

You were relieved when he didn’t make you work for his forgiveness; his face relaxed, a hesitant smile on his mouth.

“Y/N,” he sighed, blinking up at the ceiling. “I appreciate your apology. But if you truly do not want me to pursue you, I won’t.” You stared, but then he offered you his hand. “May we dance?”

You nodded wordlessly, ignoring the tightness in your chest, and allowed him to lead you out onto the floor. His hand found your waist, pulling you close, and you realized this was the most he’d ever touched you. His fingers locked with your own and you caught your breath.

“You’re so beautiful.” He murmured a minute into the dance, then cringed, like he wished he hadn’t said it. You closed your eyes, absorbing the feel of his hands. When he spun you and pulled you back in, he tugged you closer than you were before.

You took a shaking breath at the scent of him, and the warmth of him, and you remembered his words. Sorry for trying to love you. You’d never been truly loved by any man, only hurt, and it was hard to believe that Nikolai, the kindest, most generous man you’d ever met, could love you.

“I’m sorry.” You told him again, and his grip on you tightened. He tilted his face closer to yours to listen as you spoke, his blue eyes gentle. “It’s just—I’ve never—” you swallowed. “I’ve never been treated…right. Loved. And I didn’t trust you at first. It was easier to push you away.”

He sighed and shook his head.

“I’d have given you the world, Y/N.” He said, expression pained. “Anything you wanted. All of me.” He glanced down, eyes meeting yours. “I would’ve been yours.”

Would’ve.

The past tense isn’t lost on you and you pulled away, feeling stupid, and sad, and lonely and—and what had you expected? Him to still want you after what you’d said? You didn’t realize a tear of grief and self-hatred had slipped down your face until he cupped your cheeks, a low noise caught in his throat as his forehead touched your own.

“My sweet angel.” He murmured, tilting your face up. “I like you better without your claws.”

You didn’t care if this was inappropriate, didn’t care about onlookers, not when he kissed your brow softly, his smile weak when he pulled back. He gave you a nod that broke your heart and moved away, disappearing into the crowd.

You left the party.

-

Nikolai found you later, around midnight, sitting on the ground with your back against a stone bench in the garden. It was raining, a light sprinkle, but you’d been out here so long staring at nothing that your hair and dress were wet. You hugged your knees, chin propped on one leg, lost in thought.

“Lady Y/L/N?” The prince called, and you cringed at the formality. You didn’t turn, though, only stayed still as he sat beside you, blond hair growing damp. “I’ve been looking for you.”

You swallowed the knot in your throat before speaking.

“Are you sending me home?” You asked, voice strained as you stared ahead. The fear had began to plague you the moment you’d left the party. Without the prince’s affection, would he let you stay?

“What?” Nikolai demanded. When you only sniffled he turned your chin with his hand, forcing you to look at him. “Why would I—Saints, no, Y/N.”

“But you said you—you said would’ve. I ruined everything.”

“Do you love me?”

“I’m scared Nik, I’m scared to hurt you again—”

“Do you love me?”

“—I’m scared of being hurt—”

“Y/N.” He gripped your chin tighter. “Do you love me?”

“Fuck. Yes okay? I do and I cant stop and—”

Faster than you could blink he lunged into you, crushing your mouth to his. You swayed from the impact and collapsed against the wet grass, his body dropping onto yours. Your lips separated and you laughed, his eyes brighter than you’d ever seen them.

“God, say it out loud.” He told you, calming his amusement to kiss your cheek and temple. “Tell me you love me.”

“I love you.” You said with a soft smile, and he kissed you again.

SORRY I GOT CARRIED AWAY LOL