#But actually saving up and getting some decent dress shoes

[servantleverslutdrop]

After so long, I found some really nice black cap toed oxfords for a decent price. They just came in, and they're sooo pretty and slender and fit perfectly. I have to admit I teared up lol

[mellowsadistic]

Easter Bunnies - Part 1

Melony and her boyfriend meet up with their friends for a garden party, but the girls are acting more like toddlers getting ready for an Easter egg hunt, and Melony's boyfriend expects her to join them.

***

“Are you looking forward to playing with your friends, sweetie?”

Melony scowled at her boyfriend as they walked up the driveway. “Don’t say it in such a patronising way, Peter!” she snapped, tossing back her long black hair. “How many times do I have to tell you not to talk to me like a child?”

“Sorry, Mel,” said Peter, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, baby. I know you’re very sensitive about that sort of thing.”

Melony pressed her lips together. Even his apologies were infantilising! Mostly she liked having Peter as her boyfriend; he was tall and handsome, and decent enough in bed, but he could be infuriatingly condescending at times – even though they were the same age, he sometimes treated her more like a toddler than the twenty-four-year-old woman she actually was. But now wasn’t the time for an argument. She’d save her scoldings for when they got home.

Peter knocked on the front door, and a few moments later it swung open to reveal a smiling, sandy-haired young man. “About time, you two!” George said cheerfully, standing back to let them over the threshold. “Happy Easter! Come on in. Hazel and Oliver are already here.” He shook hands with Peter as he passed and, to Melony’s annoyance, placed his hand on her back to move her along down the corridor, as though she couldn’t do it by herself. “Hazel’s just upstairs with Oliver, being changed into something more comfortable,” he said, “and Jackie’s playing out in the garden.”

Melony clenched her teeth. There was that word again. Playing. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking he was talking about a trio of three-year-olds, and not three grown women in their mid-twenties. And there was something about his smile that Melony didn’t like. But then George often looked like he was laughing at some private joke. It was maddening! She didn’t know how Jackie could stand it.

They were led into the bright kitchen at the back of the house. Double doors opened out onto a wooden decking, and beyond that a large green lawn with patches of brightly coloured Spring flowers. But before Melony could head out into the sun, she heard running footsteps on the landing above them, and then the unmistakable sound of someone rushing down the stairs as fast as they could.

“Hazel!” she heard a man call. She recognised Oliver’s voice. There were more hurried footfalls above them. “Wait for Daddy, silly girl!”

A moment later, a young brunette woman ran, or rather toddled, through the hallway to join them in the kitchen. “Mewwie!” she squealed, coming to a stop in front of them.

“Hazel?!” Melony gasped. Her normally shy, reserved friend was standing in front of her wearing a pair of trainers on her feet, a set of bunny ears on her head, and absolutely nothing in between. Her bare pussy and perky breasts were on full display, though it didn’t seem to bother her one bit. There was a vacant, innocent look in her green-brown eyes, and she was grinning broadly.

“Hazel, what are you doing?!” Melony asked, blushing scarlet with second-hand embarrassment. “Why are you dressed like that?!”

Oliver chuckled as he entered the kitchen behind his girlfriend. “I’m not sure I’d call her dressed at all, Mellie,” he said, winking at her. “My little lady was more comfortable in her birthday suit, but I insisted on shoes.” He patted his girlfriend’s bare bottom. “And of course, she absolutely refused to go without her pretty bunny ears.” He kissed Hazel on the cheek. “Didn’t you, baby girl?” he cooed. “You wanted to be Daddy’s nakie little bunny rabbit!”

Hazel giggled delightedly. “Nakie bunny!” she echoed, bouncing on the spot and making her boobs jiggle about.

“But she has to tell Daddy when she needs her potty,” Oliver said, “because we don’t want to leave any puddles on George’s floor, do we, baby?”

Hazel nodded seriously at her boyfriend. “Tell Daddy,” she agreed. “Don’t need puw-ups!”

“Not during the day at least,” said Oliver, bending down to give his girlfriend another kiss, this time on the forehead. “You’re Daddy’s big girl, aren’t you?”

“What the fuck is going on here?!” Melony demanded in a shrill voice. She realised she was breathing very fast. A part of her was sure this had to be some bizarre joke, but the blank look in Hazel’s eyes was telling her otherwise. She looked around at Peter and George, but neither of the boys seemed to think there was anything wrong with the situation. In fact, George looked like he was trying to hold back laughter as he took in the sight of Hazel standing nearly nude in front of him, prattling like a toddler. Peter was looking at her, however. There was a smirk playing around his lips, and an almost hungry look in his eyes.

Melony suddenly remembered that George had said Jackie was out in the garden, and she rushed to the back doors. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she reached them. Jackie was indeed playing in the garden. She was prancing about awkwardly like the littlest of toddlers, giggling and trying to catch butterflies. She wasn’t naked like Hazel, but Melony almost wished she was. She wore a pale pink dress, all frills and lace, and so short that it did nothing whatsoever to hide the enormously thick nappy she wore beneath. Even as Melony watched, Jackie bent over to peer at something in the grass, and her diapered bottom was thrust high into the air. The padding was sagging and discoloured. She’d clearly wet herself. A moment later, she straightened up and turned around, smiling even more vacantly than Hazel. Her blonde hair had been tied into a pair of pigtails, and she too wore a set of bunny ears.

Melony felt sick to her stomach. Something was very, very wrong here. Hazel and Jackie needed the hospital, or a psychologist, or something! They couldn’t be allowed to just walk around humiliating themselves like this! They needed help! Before she could get over her shock, however, Peter had walked up behind her and slipped a pair of fluffy bunny ears onto her head.

“What? What are you…?” Melony spun around, confused and angry, to see her boyfriend grinning at her. She lifted her hands to her head, feeling the soft ears, ready to rip them off, but by then it was already too late to stop the warm, fuzzy contentment spreading through her body from the top of her head to the tips of her toes…

[gowns]

this is my current ~style~

my wardrobe consists of: a few "made in england" docs. a stack of pants, half of them big bud press cotton work pants / trousers in various colors, the other half black jeans... all purchased on sale or secondhand... various shirts, t-shirts, button-up shirts. usually black with a pop of color; sometimes color with a pop of black. various jumpsuits from BBP and nooworks. earrings if i'm feeling fancy. Perfume. perhaps some sea salt hair spray. maybe nail polish (a sign that i am currently, at that moment, trying to not bite my nails). cotton socks from maggie's organics. glasses by toms. yes, the shoe company, toms. they made my glasses.

anyway, this is a pic of me at a warehouse sale of some local ~ethical sustainable brands~ which btw is another way that you can get these things for decent prices. (these blazers were nice but i didn't like the armholes. so i did not purchase.)

i guess it's like. fancy little guy. goofy guy. feminin masculin.

in any case, i feel a lot more myself these days than i did in my 20s. i think i only started dressing how i actually like around the age of 33. (i'm 35 now. plenty more years to go.) like, i've always wanted made in england doc martens. for years and years. and i was like ohh but it's beyond me, it's not possible. but it is possible. you can save up and buy it and wear them every day, and the more you wear them, the more the "cost" goes down and the "value" goes up. so buy what you love, then wear the fuck out of it.

if you want to make that magic wardrobe happen you can do it, tbh. anything is possible

[evenmyhivemindisempty]

For the Boyd Holbrook's character union questions (big fan!), how about what's the most expensive thing they've ever bought, and the most expensive thing they've ever been given?

Steve Murphy

Most expensive thing he’s bought: Steve’s an old fashioned (and frugal!) sort; the most expensive thing he’s bought was Connie’s engagement ring.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: When he became a DEA agent his parents in West Virginia put together some money to buy him a very nice and semi-fashionable quartz watch. They were going to get an engraving in the back, but that was just out of their budget. But they sent along a rather sweet note (his mom wrote it).

Donald Pierce

Most expensive thing he’s bought: Pierce will occasionally splurge on some item of designer clothing or a piece of gold jewelry, but the most expensive thing he ever bought was an hour in a Vegas strip club’s VIP lounge for him and a few of his Reavers. He didn’t have a great time. He was hyperaware of the guys around him and tried to oversell his (extremely lackluster) enthusiasm about the girl on girl show a couple of the women put on.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: For his 30th birthday Gabby got him a bundle of mint condition Wolverine comics (one of them was signed by the artist). He cried a little and tried to pretend it was the dust from the box.

Cap Hatfield

Most expensive thing he’s bought: He scraped together some money from doing odd jobs for his family and bought himself a good and sturdy pair of shoes from the cobbler. He immediately ruined them trampling through the woods after Jim.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: The gun Jim got him! He adores it so.

Clement Mansell

Most expensive thing he’s bought: He blew through a few thousand in one go after a long con he ran on a custom-tailored luxury suit. He doesn’t wear it anymore. He decided forest green wasn’t his color.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: He hasn’t actually gotten many expensive gifts. Sandy bought him a series of music lessons with a decent coach, but he stopped after the first one – he stormed out after they tried to offer some basic suggestions, and told Sandy he wasn’t gonna take advice from some ignorant no-name who never sold a single album.

The Corinthian

Most expensive thing he’s bought: He doesn’t really need to buy much in the Waking World. The most expensive “thing” he’s bought was a ludicrously pricey ticket to a restaurant in Shanghai that promised an interactive culinary experience, complete with avant-garde food and visual presentations. He had a great time.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: A very wealthy trust fund baby became enamored with him after a one night stand, and proceeded to whisk him away to a weekend in Paris. They stayed in the penthouse suit of a five star hotel, and rented out the Louvre for a private tour. The Corinthian decided against killing him, because the kid promised him that next time they’d hit up Greece. And after Greece, it was Jaipur, and so on..!

Eli Klaber

Most expensive thing he’s bought: Klaber’s never really had a ton of spending money to throw around, but he did save up for a while for a bottle of French perfume. It was very classy and very chic, and the saleswoman assumed he was buying it for his wife. Klaber sprays it on when he doesn’t have to leave his apartment for the day, and really likes wearing a dress with it.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: Voller presented him with the German Montblanc 149 fountain pen. Klaber really appreciated it, but secretly finds it a bit boring. He longs for the delicate Lady Sheaffers pens.

Ty Shaw

Most expensive thing he’s bought: He likes to get nice gifts for all his siblings, but the most expensive thing he’s bought was the spruce wood Spanish guitar he got Abby for her high school graduation. She wrote him a song as a thank you gift and he teared up listening to her play it for him on the guitar he got her.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: Abby once bought him a very fine pair of leather, custom fit cowboy boots. The spur straps are embroidered with turquoise! He shows them off to everyone.

Quinn McKenna

Most expensive thing he’s bought: Quinn’s never fallen victim to the typical military boy spending patterns. He didn’t buy a charger or anything like that - he got a very sensible used Honda. He used to grouchily say that the most expensive thing he ever bought was the house, for all the good that did him, considering his wife got to keep it in the divorce.

Most expensive thing he’s been given: Quinn’s honestly not sure. Maybe the investment the military spent putting him through sniper school?

[princelylove]

Hello your Highness, I read that Prosciutto is big on gender role so would it complicate things if he found out his darling is trans? Like one of those people who hides it for fear that someone will assault them, this would be the reason to why Prosciutto wouldn't have found earlier.

We can talk about Prosciutto and gender roles a bit.

Prosciutto is such a dick about certain things.

He doesn't care about his darling transitioning, but he does care if they're conforming or not. If you don't pass, it doesn't make sense to him. If you wanna be a man, be a man, don't embarrass him by being bad at it. Are you just challenging his masculinity? Don't be such a brat.

He's somehow incredibly gender-affirming and incredibly dysphoria-inducing at the same time. He doesn't want to date a coward. You're being such a pussy about it, be a man about it, don't feel shame for who you are. He's not gonna just let something bad happen to you, that's not what men do in relationships. Even if you can't afford it, or don't want to get any surgery yet or ever, you can act like it.

It's kind of sweet how he shows you how a woman 'should' act. He was raised in a very cold, but well taken care of environment. His idea of a woman is someone ladylike- someone with manners, someone who doesn't sit like a man or talk like one. (Note that fem Prosciutto is just as vulgar as her counterpart.) He's diligent about showing you how to hold cups and how to sit with decent posture- he models how to do it, first, so there's no confusion. He might even give you a book about how to speak more 'elegantly.' More refined. It's well intentioned.

He'll let you use his wallet to get better clothes. It's a bad look for him as a man to not provide for his darling- if you're dressing like a slut, that's on him. He'll come with you, to make sure you're staying within budget to make sure you don't waste his money. Do a little twirl for him in that skirt.

(Note that fem Prosciutto breaks formal dress code often. Skirts too short, too much cleavage. Same bad attitude. Whore.)

He saves up for it. He makes money from both of his jobs, but he usually takes care of the utilities and most of the rent for Risotto, so he doesn't really have much to spare.... but that won't stop him. Ris can be a man and handle the apartment's finances for a while, you shouldn't worry about money, as a woman.

If you're a man, he'll make some jabs about you learning to open your wallet and about how you should know what the word 'investing' means, but he'll treat you every once in a while. He provides resources you may not be able to get by yourself. Your clothes should be tailored. You should have shoes that actually fit. You shouldn't ever ask to go fifty-fifty with him, a real man plans ahead and pays before the bill even comes. Men handle things.

It's less sweet when he sees that you're not very gender conforming. Why even bother if you're not going to try? What a waste of his time. He deals out physical punishments for not meeting his expectations, he'll bend a woman over his knee but just plain beat a man.

He's not gonna just let you embarrass him.

[howtofightwrite]

Okay so I’m currently writing a character that has a background in Muay Thai, but I wanted them to have somewhat of a punk fashion. Now punk fashion mostly consists of tight clothes with unstretchy materials. Changing the pants is not a problem, so Iwas mostly wondering about the upper body and feet. How well can you throw an elbow in a leather jacket? Maybe a vest is a better option? Also shoes, I don‘t like sneakers, and I initially thought to get them cowboy boots because they look cool and also the character loves the sound they‘re making when walking. Now cowboy boots are also notoriously made for not bending at the ankle, which of course comes in the way of kicking. Now I’m not too knowledgable in muay thai techniques, but as the kicks are often done with the shins, would it sill work to have something like low-rise cowboy boots? Or would it be better to have just some thick leather dress shoe adjacent shoes? With free mobility of the ankle?

So, the fun thing with the punk aesthetic is that there's a lot of very practical clothes that are still in theme.

So, starting with leather jackets, good ones aren't going to restrict your movement by much. Parrying unarmed strikes with a leather jacket is actually nice. This is because the jacket (and any insulation in the sleeve) will absorb some of the impact, meaning you're less likely to bruise. Decent quality biker jackets will have some reinforcement (to protect the wearer) and as a result will actually function as armor for light melee combat. It won't save you from a knife or a gunshot, but, depending on the design, it will soften the punches and kicks you take.

Leather, denim, or heavy canvas pants are a similar story. Yes, it's entirely possible to get tight jeans that restrict your movement, but casual cut pants will provide mobility and protection. It really comes down to what your definition of punk pants are.

With boots, the better choice is going to be work boots or motorcycle boots. In both cases you're looking at heavy footwear which armors the foot and protects the wearer. The lack of mobility in the ankle is less of a concern because of the protection the boot provides. In this case, steel toed is a perk, it's actual metal armor over your toes, protecting you from someone stomping your foot. There's nothing automatically wrong with cowboy boots, but that's moving away from the punk aesthetics.

There's the commercial, punk aesthetic. You'll find it in those “counterculture” corporate clothing stores. It's about as inherently contradictory as mass market Che Guevara tee-shirts. And, if you're looking at that, particularly looking at the examples marketed towards women, your assessment of the loss of mobility and general unsuitability for combat is probably spot on. It's cut to be tighter than it should be, for the visual aesthetic and your ability to move in it is a casualty of the same.

And, from my perspective as an outsider to the scene, that's not punk. It's more like punk cosplay.

If you want your character to have a punkish aesthetic, to go hand in hand with their fighting style, then you should probably look at heavier clothes that are designed to take a beating and keep going. That was the original aesthetic of punk. Heavy leather jackets that will protect you from a beating. Heavy pants that will do the same. Motorcycle boots are a big plus here. They're heavy, durable, look good, and they work as armor. Spikes and studs can be retrofitted onto existing clothes, probably with an eye for keeping it durable enough to stand up to a fight. Gloves are up to you, but there's no real downside to having a pair.

For a martial artist buying clothes, you're making constant decisions about whether something will look good, or whether you can move in it. There isn't a concrete line of which one you should select, this is a personal preference, however, if you're planning to take those clothes into combat, expect them to get damaged, and at that point the freedom of movement and durability start to become a lot more attractive options. Ironically, the original core of the punk aesthetic was leaning hard into that combat ready street wear.

So, yes, your character is giving up a little flexibility in their ankles, but not enough to matter, and in exchange, they're armoring them. They're giving up a little flexibility in their arms, though again, not enough to matter, but in exchange they're getting armor. They're not wearing form fitting pants, but the trade off is, they can move freely, and still get the protective benefits of those heavier, and “unstretchy,” materials.

Once you get past that, Muay Thai fits with a punkish attitude. There's no direct connection, between them, but the brutal nature of competitive Muay Thai does sync up pretty nicely with punk.

-Starke

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[amysterywrappedinanenigma]

Ranking (bullying) LD Curtain's season 2 fashion choices

Because even if the show seems to have forgiven him, I sure haven’t. 

DISCLAIMER: This is in NO WAY criticizing the costume designers of this show- it couldn’t be farther from that. They’ve done an amazing job with every single piece in the show, and all of these fit Curtain’s personality and aesthetic perfectly. This is just me mocking the in-universe fashion choices that the character makes, because he needs to be bullied more. All lighthearted, all in good fun.

Disclaimer #2: I know literally nothing about fashion, please don’t attack me. 

Okay, from least heinous to most heinous, here we go! 

First up:

As much as it pains me to admit this. I actually. Really like this one. (”And if you told me I would never say something like that, well, I would never say something like that, but here we are.”) I think the silhouette is interesting, and all of the pieces come together well. Plus, in some of the tighter shots you can see that the fabric texture and detailing is really cool:

The leaves as clasps and that crinkly texture kind of really slap, and I really love the way the collar sort of wraps into the placket.

8 / 10

Interview outfit:

Wow, look! Another one that doesn't inspire immediate feelings of rage! We're doing so well.

This one isn't as visually interesting as the first outfit, but I do sort of like it. The collar folds create kind of a cool shape, and the grey accents under the top is a nice little contrast. I don't know how I feel about the zipper right below the collar, it's kind of a weird choice and might look better if it wasn't so visible, but I'll let it slide for this one since we have a much more heinous zipper situation coming up later.

I like the contrasting shades of blue with the button up shirt, and the lavender shirt he wears under it later in the episode, and the fact that part of the collar can kind of fold down to make a different shape.

6 / 10

Clown sleeves:

So the sleeves on this one are. kind of a lot. But they gain a couple of points for being the only thing in this outfit that really pops. They're sort of weird, but I can see the appeal of them standing out against the black vest, and being a pretty nice contrast that draws the eye.

5 / 10

Meh:

Time for the part of the post where I include 6 outfits that I just kind of don't have strong opinions on, mainly because they feel like pretty standard, decent outfits with no real reason to bat an eye at them.

The last image is saved on my computer as "are those your pajamas?" but. acceptable.

sure / 10

Dancy dance:

🧍‍♂️

I don't have much to say about this one other than, for some reason, the visual of him wearing tennis shoes makes me viscerally uncomfortable.

🤡 / 10

Elizabeth Holmes Chic:

He looks like a kid playing dress-up in their dad's giant overcoat, except someone let him go outside looking like this. I know oversized clothing items can be fashionable but here he's like drowning in it.

And then when he takes the coat off:

This maybe wouldn’t be a terrible outfit, it’s just so goddamn pretentious. He seems like he's trying to look like Steve Jobs, but ended up looking more like Elizabeth Holmes.

about to start another pyramid scheme / 10

Vacation dad (derogatory):

On someone else I might like this outfit, but on him it just looks so dumb. He looks like he's about to go skydiving with how much he's buttoned up. Better watch out or he could get carried away and spend 20 minutes unstrapping and unbuttoning it to reveal his fun little vacation shirt underneath! It's somehow stupidly formal and stupidly casual at the same time, and I just think it's a very silly little outfit. He's joining the army as penance for his fashion crimes. If you ask very very nicely he might tell you what's in his four huge, weirdly-placed pockets.

what's in the pockets / 10

And now.

We've arrived. We're finally here. The last one. The moment we've all been waiting for.

The worst of the worst:

I'll be honest, I don't really know where to start this one. There are too many things to choose from. Do I start with the weird asymmetrical pattern on the sleeves, with the red and blue stripes that aren't even made up of the same type of pattern?

Or maybe the fact that the buttons (and the piece of fabric they're attached to) ends too high above the neckline of the top layer?

Or we could talk about the fact that the top layer looks like one of those smocks you'd wear to get an x-ray at the dentist, made in a fabric that must have been rescued from the back of a fabric store after 50 years of not being bought.

I think by far the worst part is the length:

The fact that those strange little smock flaps go almost a foot past the zipper, halfway down to his knees. It swallows like 2/3rds of his body in this horrible block of grey fabric, and this man has the audacity to carry himself like it’s fashionable, instead of an assault on the senses. 

I want to set it on fire. I want to burn him along with it. I want to gently take his tailor aside and ask if Curtain held him at knife point and made him design this monstrosity. TEAR IT TO PIECES, GET IT OUT OF MY SIGHT, TURN IT INTO SCRAPS FOR SQ'S ART PROJECTS.

Anyway.

This outfit is such a menace to this world that I thought everyone should get a chance to tear it to shreds, so presenting, the communal roast:

“GROSS. SHUN.” -@mvshortcut

"prison chic. dentist x-ray chic. ugly." -@mysteriouseggsbenedict 

“the terrible zip up vest that just keeps on going fucked a potato sack” -@bi-demon-ium

“runway model for the most pretentious fashion designer who ever lived” - @sqenthusiast

“Trying to be casual but also Better Than You. The definition of 'you really thought you did something there'” -@echo-delta

“Child with one of those books where you can draw clothes over top the shape of a person” -@mysteriouseggsbenedict 

“Mr Curtain sir I don’t feel very happy looking at this. I think it’s a little counterproductive.” -@mvshortcut

Truly horrendous.

borrowing constance's acid to destroy the outfit and then clean the eyes of anyone who wants to forget they saw this monstrosity / 10

Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me, and as always, send the x-ray bib to hell.

[sheriffofwestwood]

Habsburgs Coupled Daughters (2020) Part 1

Guess who's back? *uncovers some old dust*

Get in fashion lovers, a documentary with dropped on Netflix about the daughters of the House of Habsburg. And they have played out scenes.

Keep in mind that documentaries have small budget. On the other hand, documentaries try to teach us history, shouldn't they be held to a higher standard than entertainment?

Anyway, buckle up your shoes and tighten your corsets as we take a look at this piece of work.

Part 1: setting the mood

While setting the mood of the documentary we are presented with this scene of young girls having fun. From the set, the hair and the vibe I would say somewhere in the 18th century. While the girls on the left looks a bit too much of middle class for a court setting the right one looks good. Bonus points for hiding behind the champagne.

But in the loving fuck is Little Miss Habsburg wearing? (by my best guess it's Marie Antoinette?)

Like these sleeves? What are they? There were sleeves like this but not certainly not with those straps. With the bodice it gives me 19th century fancy dress vibes. The bodice is completely unadorned. Why.

Bonus points for back-lacing though. I'll refer to it as Blue Fancy Dress.

And then we also get the Sad Brown Sack dress.

It's just an ill-fitting Regency dress? Something its off. The waist line? The neck line? The weird necklace under the dress?

Switching to two woman standing close together in 19th century clothing. Not sure who they are and what they are hiding.

And then we get a close up top this dress:

I'll call it the Fancy Golden Carpet Dress. Not sure which century if any at all.

Part 2: Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria

Ohh we do love a dressing scene? Where do we start? The ill-fitting and wrongly shaped maid on the left? Carolina's missing chemise under her corset? That the wedding dress is white?

What are they doing?

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH HER HAIR?? A GIANT ASS HAIR CLIP?

The final dress looks atrocious. Ugly. White all white wedding dresses weren't even a thing yet. Where's the gold? The silver? The pearls? The Shiny Rich People stuff? Not even the back-lacing can save us.

What what year have we? 1768 you said? You mean a dress like this?

(Actual Maria Carolina from 1768)

But we have a pink dress at home:

THE HAIR CLIP AGAIN. AHHHHHH. THAT NECKLACE.

Modern wedding hairdo spotted. Who needs powdered hair?

A decent Robe á la Francaise spotted underneath the cloak. Why are you hiding the sleeves? What am I not suppose to see?

Too bad she's not her sister Marie Antoinette and it's not a little bit later.

Ahhhh, these sleeves. Ugly! No! Suddenly we are a century behind with the off-the-shoulder-look. Why. Why is the bodice in such a weird shape?

Part 3: Archduchess Marie Antoinette of Austria

Blue Dress girl confirmed to be Marie Antoinette.

What are they hiding under the cloak? Why is this dress oddly shaped? Do I want to know?

Buckle up. It's 1770!

(That's Marie Antoinette in 1769)

Marie Antoinette is famous that she had to change her complete dress at the French border. You know what that means?

Dress changing scene! Into the Blue Fancy Dress!

WHAT IS THIS?

IT WAS A JOKE WHEN I SAID 19TH CENTURY FANCY DRESS.

MARIE ANTOINETTE WAS A FASHION ICON.

BUT THIS IS A FULL BLOWN LATE 19TH CENTURY BUSTLE GOWN.

AHHHHHHH.

(Still like the hair. Better than her sister's modern wedding hair.)

Nevermind, she gets her wedding hair as well.

Part 3: Anne of Austria (1601 - 1666)

What we expect:

What we get:

You didn't even try at all. That looks maybe mid-19th century. If I'm really generous.

We jump to the Golden Carpet Dress.

What is this bodice shape????

The front looks kinds okay. We just ignore the sad droopy Stuart Collar and the sleeves. All hopes lost for the hair.

Ouch. :(

Part 4: Margaret of Austria

I can't. Just can't.

This is Margarete at the age of 10 in 1490.

We are talking early Tudor fashion.

What we get:

Assignment? Failed.

Undone uncovered hair. French Hood hair band. Female Da Vinci cosplay.

Continues in Part 2 because I reached an image limit.

[gothamslostboy]

📁 for Micheal tlb!!

A/N: I’m in a Michael mood rn so I figured I’d do this request first, but to the person who requested it, I will do the Jervis fic soon I promise

My boy has perfect pitch

Sam just walks up to him and hits random things together and is like “what note was that”

Michael put a lock on his door bc one night sam did rt his at 4:00am

He loves Disney movies

I’ve said this so many times but he LOVES cooking

Especially for ppl he cares about

His favorite season is summer

It would be spring but he’s allergic to flowers

Still buys Star flowers every week

His favorite fruit is cantaloupe

Likes the look of button up shirts but cant stand actually wearing them

Solid B+ student

Does well in math tho

Has 5 pairs of shoes: 1 set of foot flops, 1 set of dress shoes, 1 pair of boots, 2 sets of tennis shoes

Looks identical to his grandpa on his dads side

Prefers quilts over blankets

Decent singing voice but thinks it’s awful

Mamas boy, but in the good way

Normally his room is pretty neat, but around important tests it gets messy

Always wanted brown eyes

Used to help grandpa Emerson with his taxidermy when little until he realized it was actual animals

Nanook was originally his dog, but gave her to Sam after realizing he didn’t want the responsibility

Still lays on the floor with Nanook’s head on his chest like they did when she was a puppy occasionally

Learned piano for a couple years but dropped it for guitar

Has a tiny scar just below his hairline on the back of his neck bc Sam threw a pencil at him in elementary school

Collects quarters

Favorite candy is pop rocks

When he was a toddler he was a dance machine and Lucy constantly brings it up and accidentally embarrassed him

Michael and Lucy have had special nights just for them since he was 2 where they watch their favorite kids movies together curled up on the couch

He saved up money from his first job in Santa Carla and bought a tv so they could continue this

At some point in life he gets a chicken named Julian

I Like @persephone-s-moon ‘s Rat Series so even though they aren’t they boys, laddie, and Star, he gets 6 rats to help with anxiety after the night in the house

Names are Joey, Bobby, Danny, Chloe, Rosie, & Frankie

Yes all their names had to end with an “e” sound on purpose

He and Star end up dating for a couple years, but decided to be friends after a while

Michael ends up dating a bleach blonde guy who he just can’t figure out why he looks so familiar no it’s not actually david

Kinda regrets not turning when he reaches his 30s

Would never tell anyone that tho

His favorite Disney movie as of 1987 was The Fox and The Hound

But adored the Little Mermaid when it came out and took Laddie to see it all the time

Also was the one who went with Star to return laddie to his parents after everything, and the pair became his official babysitters

He gets a little creeped out whenever laddie acts like the boys tho

Still bought laddie a new jacket when he outgrew his old one, and it looked a lot like Dwayne’s

Becomes a music teacher in 50s, but was a producer before that

Ends up married to a girl named Susan, and has a son- Gabriel David Emerson

Yes Sam and everyone besides Laddie gave him hell for the middle name

Ends up being a great dad

Favorite shape is a trapezoid

Listens to Queen a ton

He and Star end up life long besties

[gh0stlain]

hiiii i would LOVE to hear your thoughts on vampire mumbo. how did he become one? do others know? how the man survived s8? why had he gone peace love and plants in the first place?

hello! this is going to be a sort of long response i'm so sorry 😭

sososo. i haven't actually watched the series since season 6 so i'm not really able to answer your last 2 questions in good detail (i'm sorry!!) but here's some stuff i CAN tell you about my version of the story.

(this is canon diverg obv) mumbo joined hermitcraft in season 2 when he was 16. his first moments on the server were absolutely terrifying as he had no idea where he had woken up as the night fell. ripping his way through a forest in an attempt to reach a clearing, he loses his jacket and falls. he's not the only one there. that evening, moving silently through the brush, is jessassin (a hermit from seasons 1-6). jess, having heard mumbos panic from a far distance makes his way to mumbos location. he rips back branches to see what had been running for it's life to find this kid. definitely a kid. looking as if he'd been ripped from a fancy dinner party or wedding given his dress slacks and shoes which have now gone dirty.

mumbo covers himself, terrified that he's about to be killed when a voice shouts from beyond the treeline a distance away. it's xisuma searching for jess. xisuma makes his way into the woods and mumbo finally realizes he's probably not going to die and looks up at the men above him. jess explains how he found the kid in the woods and xisuma takes mumbo in as the newest member of their group.

over time he warms up to everyone, and becomes decent friends with jess who he saw as the person who likely saved him from doom on his first night. to nobody's knowledge, how jess was able to detect mumbo in the first place was because jess was a vampire. it is unknown how he came to be one, but he was able to keep his blood lust in check for years, feeding off shades of red. the night he had set out into the woods was when it had reached it's worst point and he was looking for an animal to feed off of. it just so happened that this hunt would be cut short.

since finding mumbo in the woods, he couldn't get the sound of his heart pounding out of his head, the blood swirling through his veins, the smell of it rushing from a small cut mumbo had sustained when he ripped his jacket. it took everything that first night not to feed on a human for the first time in years. but eventually, his restraint snaps, and in a struggle, he turns mumbo

no one, minus jess, knows of mumbos true nature until seaon 6 when, after jess mysteriously disappears (and xisuma suspects foul play from mumbo), mumbo also succumbs to blood lust and feeds, though it's less traumatizing and he doesn't turn the one he fed on. that person is likely grian or iskall, i'm not sure yet actually but i believe they would be the only ones to know what he is

here's some doodles of jess!

[briar-ffxiv]

formal: What's your OC's formal look? Do they like dressing up? Do they have different looks for different occasions?

informal: What's your OC's lazy-day look? How do they like to dress when they're winding down?

outerwear: What's your OC's outerwear situation? Jacket, sweater, cloak? What sort of weather do they deal with most and how do they protect themselves?

footwear: What does your OC wear on their feet? Here! Have several in case I missed you answering them!

oc asks: character design edition

formal: What's your OC's formal look? Do they like dressing up? Do they have different looks for different occasions? Briar doesn't have a lot of experience with anything formal so he doesn't have much of a 'formal' look. However, if he was asked to, he'd probably do his best to wear his best clothing and be as neat and presentable as he knew how to be. Unfortunately, most of his clothing is handmade so none of it is very 'fancy' but he does his best.

However, if he had the chance to be exposed to fabrics like silk and the option to have some nicer clothing, Briar would likely jump at the chance. He'd save it for special occasions, but he loves the feel of soft and smooth fabrics and would no doubt build himself a decent little collection.

informal: What's your OC's lazy-day look? How do they like to dress when they're winding down? Briar doesn't have many truly 'lazy days' simply due to living alone and on a little homestead with plenty of plants and animals to take care of each day. However, he does have easier days where he can stay indoors other than a few times to check on the animals and he does enjoy them when he can. If he doesn't have to do any heavy work or hunting, Briar likes to wear loose, warm shirts and pants that he can lounge in bed or on the floor with. Normally, they are from soft wool that he spun himself, which is quite cosy when he's baking, reading, or knitting.

During his normal day after everything is done and he's in for the night, Briar usually washes up and likes to dress in light comfortable linen pyjamas during warm months and soft wool ones when not. When it's fall and winter, he also loves the comfy knee-high socks he's made for himself and usually pads around in those during his evenings. He likes to let his hair down and make some tea, curl up and just relax since most of his days are pretty active.

outerwear: What's your OC's outerwear situation? Jacket, sweater, cloak? What sort of weather do they deal with most and how do they protect themselves? Briar is seldom without his mother's green hooded ruana cloak. Even when it's warm, he often wears it, just in case. Fortunately in the Twelveswood, it doesn't often get terribly hot.

Being from the South Shroud, Briar doesn't have to deal with extreme weather too often. The summers are reasonably warm and sunny, but not overly so. The winters have some snow and ice, but it is rare for particularly bad snowstorms. The worst they have to deal with is some strong rains, which can be cold depending on the time of year but are most dangerous due to flooding.

Briar's cloak is waterproof and if he's wearing any protective leathers, they are also waxed to keep them from getting soaked and damaged by heavy rains. Even wool clothing is actually quite good at managing rain, even if there is a bit of a 'woolly' smell while damp.

footwear: What does your OC wear on their feet? Briar actually prefers to be barefoot if he can get away with it. He likes to feel the earth under his feet and he can move more easily on various terrains, including trees. Having run around barefoot since he was small, Briar's feet are actually quite tough and he can handle a lack of shoes fairly easily.

That said, he's not stubborn about it and if it's going to be particularly cold, particularly hot, or a city, he definitely wears shoes. He doesn't want to step on broken glass, get frostbite, or burn his feet on Thanalan sands. He doesn't much like wearing boots though, finding them rather confining even when well-fitting.

@pinxli - thank you for the asks! <3

[house-of-slayterr]

The littlest Firefly:

An: More backstory for our fave Blinky

Cw: use of the N word

@vincent-sinclair-deserved-better @myers-meadow-selfship @oceansrose2002

Blinky’s POV:

Six months. Half a year I’d been with the Firefly family. My family. It felt much more official now, something natural. Like I’d never known anything else. It’s was comforting. But being a Firefly wasn’t all roses and sunshine, far from it actually.

But did I even want that? A life like that no longer seem achievable, and hardly desirable. Who wants to be a pretty princess, cooped up in a stuffy tower, waiting on a prince to come save them. It was much better to play the prince. That’s what I decided on today. I fashioned myself a little crown out of the old newspaper Grandpa was done with. There was a little blood stain on one of the corners where he killed a mouse with it, but I didn’t mind.

I had my hair up in two big puffs, it was much too hot in the texas summer now for me to have my hair down. There was just so much of it. Baby had helped me with my hair, giving me little purple ribbons to tie it up with. I placed the crown on my head, pining it down with bobby pins. Such an odd name for a little trinket.

I had much more clothes now. Otis had stolen some from a young girl who was backpacking across texas. A strange choice for hiking, but who was I to judge. It wasn’t a hobby I knew much about. I preferred indoor hobbies, like origami that I used to make my new crown. I decided I would show it off with a pretty outfit. There was a small yellow dress at the back of my closet, a little shorter than I usually wear, but I didn’t mind.

I paired it with some striped black and white socks, and the new shoes Mama had gifted me. She said my old ones were hideous. And I guess she was right, there wasn’t much shoe left to them. These were much more hardy, they reminded me of Otis’s work boots and that’s why they were my favourite. I sometimes like to mimic his heavy walking and stomp around in my brown combat boots when nobody was home. He was always so angry, and he looked a little silly with his brows furrowed. It left a permeant wrinkle on his face.

I zipped up the boots and checked myself in the old cracked mirror in the corner, but something was missing. Tiny had picked me some flowers last week, little daisies he found on the side of the road. I plucked one from the vase and snapped the stem, shoving the now shorter flower into the side of my left poof. Perfect. I gave a little twirl, giggling to myself as the room got blurry. I flopped down on my bed to steady myself, a tiny point of my crown bending a little. But I didn’t mind, it added character.

I had to show Baby. I skipped down the hall, following the sound of rock music to her room. I knew she wouldn’t hear if I knocked, so I slowly peaked the door open to make sure she was decent. I didn’t want a repeat of last time I bathed into her room. I watched as Baby danced along to the music, she always made dancing seem so easy. She looked effervescent. She turned around, and stopped when she noticed me, smiley wildly.

“We’ll aren’t you adorable today.”

“I’m adorable everyday” I responded cheekily.

“You’re right, my mistake my lord.” She did a mocking literally curtesy.

“I’m a prince actually. They’re quite different.”

She chuckled.

“No makeup today? I suppose they don’t usually wear any do they?” She asked, turning down the music.

I was thankful she’d noticed I was getting mildly overstimulated. I never wanted to ask her to be quiet, it didn’t seem right. And it wasn’t fair to her, especially when she was having so much fun.

“We’ll maybe I’m not a normal prince, not if the princess wants to do my makeup.”

I held out my hand, asking for hers. She placed her hand in mine and I kissed the back of it. She was positively giddy.

“Hmm, let’s think. What if we put little stars on your cheek? And some yellow eyeliner to match that pretty dress if your Prince Blinky.”

“Stars?!”

She nodded her head.

“And does the Princess get stars too?”

“Of course!”

She still held my hand, leading me to sit on her bed.

“Let me go get your face paint box. You still got some left right?”

I nodded.

“Spaulding didn’t like the paint he got last time, said it made his skin itchy.”

She frowned.

“It doesn’t make your skin itchy right?”

“Nuh uh.”

I kicked my feet back and forth as I waited for her to come back. My smile returning as she entered the room. Baby’s personality was contagious.

“Alright what colours do you want today, you seem to be in a very colourful mood.”

I thought to a second.

“Just yellow and purple to match my ribbons please. Don’t want to over do it.”

“Oh yes, the only person allowed to be over done in this house is Mama. Did you see the new robe Spaulding gifted her?”

“The one that’s baby pink?”

“Mmm” she hummed.

“I think it makes her skin look pretty.”

“And did you tell Mama that?”

“Not yet, I got nervous.”

She chuckled lightly.

“Alright eyes closed, no peeking!”

“None?”

“Might have to claw your eyes out if you do.” She teased.

“But my eyes are my best feature?”

I looked up at her, my eyes shinning brightly for emphases. They were far more expressive then the rest of my face. Sure I smiled a lot now, but it was a learned behaviour. It felt so weird, and kinda hurt at first, my face muscles sore at the end of the day. But for the most part, I remained neutral, just smiling with my eyes most times.

“And don’t you forget it.” She booped my nose:

She was different than me than with the others. She was almost constantly getting in petty fights with Otis. But it seemed she liked having another “girl” around. I don’t know what I was, but girl never really felt right. But I liked pretty things, and girls had the prettiest things. And if being used as a living doll made Baby and Mama happy, I’d gladly do it.

“Now close your eyes Blinky.”

I obeyed easily. I was no longer nervous in her presence. Not like when I first got here. I let my mind wander as she painted my faces, speckling little stars on my cheeks. I kept thinking to the story of the prince I’d been reading. He was strong, fierce, but shorter than his brothers, younger too. The last in line for the throne. No one thought he’d amount to much until he rescued the rival kingdoms Princess from the evil dragon. Sure, the way I described it sounded like a children’s story. But it was quite gruesome, many before him has died horrible deaths, being torn apart, burned or eaten but the fearsome dragon.

I believe the book was marketed toward young adults. They’re were many encounters of sex with the other brothers, but I didn’t much care for that part of the story. And when the little prince rescued the princess, they were betrothed to be married to save their two kingdoms. A wedding to bring enemies together. A wedding which ended in the beheading of the cruel king, the one who’d ignored his son, and by the hands of his daughter in law none the less. An act of love and devotion to her new husband who has suffered at the cruel hands of a king who was unfit to rule a kingdom. As she held up the head of the once feared king, the kingdom cheered for their new leader.

“Long live the King!” They all chanted.

And that was where the book had ended. And ending which I’m not quite sure I would describe as happy. It was good, satisfying even, but there was something about it that seemed so strange. I wondered what would become of the little prince and his new queen. Do they live happily ever after, or was he doomed to ruin her, and befall the same fate as his father. Could people be different, change? Would he ever unlearn the behaviours and habits forced onto them by family?

“Blinky, you’re scrunching.” Baby said, slightly annoyed.

“Oh.” Was all I said, trying my best to relax my facial muscles.

“What ya thinking about in that smart Brain of yours huh?”

I fidgeted with my hands.

“Do you think people can change Baby?” I asked.

I didn’t dare open my eyes, but I did lean forward slightly when I didn’t feel her hands or the cool brush on my face.

“Course they can. People change all the time, you have.”

“I have?” I asked.

Maybe it had gone unnoticed, a subtle change over time. But my memory wasn’t too good, I always forgot certain things. Like what I looked like when I first got here. But I remembered stupid things, useless things. Like the first book Otis had ever gifted me. Or Tiny’s favourite food. Or Mama’s favourite perfume. I knew a lot about them now, but I didn’t really know a lot about me. I didn’t like to think about me much. Every-time I did I’d only get sad again.

“Mmhmm.”

“Could you tell me how?” I asked.

“Well, I guess you’re less shy. You don’t hide as much anymore. And your style, that changes every week. You’re less squeamish too, don’t mind the blood and the mess so much no more.”

“Hmm” I hummed.

Maybe I could change. Maybe the Prince could. But was it a good change? That was an entirely different question.

“And done!” She proclaimed proudly.

“Can I see?”

“Yes Blink, you can open your eyes now.” She sassed.

She held up a tiny little pocket mirror. My eyes looked a little bigger, the yellow complimenting the dark drown. Well I’m wasn’t sure if that was the right word for it, they were almost black, unless under harsh lighting. And the undertones were more red. But whatever they were, the yellow was nice, like the centre of the daisy in my hair. And the little stars complimented everything perfectly. I felt like the cutest prince in the whole world.

“I love it!” I exclaimed happily.

“Of course you do!”

Baby was confident, in everything she did. Some people may think it comes off as arrogant, but I thought it was endearing. She was a princess who didn’t need saving, like the one who changed at the end of my story. No longer being docile and quiet, and choosing instead to cause a ruckus and stake her claim on life.

“Now, help me pick my outfit for the day.”

“Ok.”

Baby was more of a blue jeans, tiny shirt kinda of gal. But she did own a few dresses. I spotted a purple dress in her closet and instantly pulled out out.

“We could match.” I offered a small smile.

“I knew there was a reason we kept you around Blink.” She smirked.

She turned around to and started to strip and I blushed, throwing myself into the pillow to avert my eyes. Baby was comfortable with a herself, which I was glad for, but I swear sometimes she did this stuff on purpose. She shimmied into the dress and when I thought enough time had passed I looked up again. She was sitting at her vanity, tying her hair into little pigtails to match my puffs.

“Wanna return the favour?” She asked, holding out a makeup brush.

I nodded and quickly made my way over, kneeling by the chair so I would get to her face. Her makeup didn’t take nearly as long as mine. I kept it simply with a light purple eyeshadow and a dark purple cat eye wing. Baby never wore lipstick much so we just put on a light gloss. I stuck my tongue out in concentration as I evened out the wings.

“There, done.”

“Wanna go show off to the family?” She asked.

I nodded, grabbing her hand as we made our way to the kitchen. It was a little loud with Spaulding crinkling his paper, Mama watching a Tele Novela over his shoulder on the tv, an Otis cooking up breakfast. I wasn’t sure where Grandpa and Tiny were at the moment.

“We’ll don’t you two look perty.” Mama complimented.

“Thanks Mama” Baby did a little twirl to show off her dress.

“You look like a god Damn Girl Scout.” Spaulding said to Baby.

It was his way of attempting a compliment. He wasn’t very good at them. Worse than Otis actually.

“And what are you supposed to be?” He asked me.

“I’m the Prince of the purple kingdom!” I declared.

He let out a half huff, half laugh.

“Since when do prince’s wear dresses?” He asked.

I just shrugged, sitting down in my spot for breakfast.

“Your clothes seem to be fitting a little better sweetheart.” Mama commented.

“I blame Otis’s cooking.” I laughed.

It was strange always having so much food in the house. I’d grown so used to one meal a day, since forever. Otis made it clear I was free to eat anything in the house, and make requests on grocery day. Otis sent me a crooked grin over his shoulder.

“We’ll somebodies gotta cook around ‘ere” he teased.

Most of breakfast was in a comfortable silence as we all enjoyed the french toast and berries. Otis made eggs for everyone else, but I couldn’t stand them. He was offended the first time I turned him down, and I didn’t mean to make him feel insulated. I just couldn’t stomach eggs, they made me sick. I thought back to the first two months I was here, when I’d get sick so often after eating. My body wasn’t used to being so well fed. I think a gained about five pounds since I’ve been here.

“You’re with me today kid.” Spaulding announced as he got up to put his plate and coffee in the sink.

“Oh, ok.” I said.

I didn’t mind working down at the store, there was always something to keep busy. Rearranging things, cleaning the counters. It kept me busy, which made me feel helpful.

“Is Otis not working the gas station today?”

“Naw, I’ve gotta head into town to get some stuff to fix the damn shower. God Damn thing won’t stop leaking and it’s wasting water and money.”

I hummed, downing the last sip of my tea. I followed quickly after Spaulding so I wouldn’t be scolded for not keeping up. He gave instructions as we walked.

“You man the front, I gotta deal with this fucking delivery that’s a damn week late. I swear nobody gets shit right in this town.”

I chuckled slightly. He was always grumbling about something. It could be a perfectly fine day and he’d still find something to complain about.

“You got it boss man.” I said.

He stopped waking and rolled his eyes at me. I just shrugged and we made our way into the little corner store. The day would go by slow, as usual not many people came in. But as luck would have it, the little bell at the front door chimed. I looked up to see a girl who looked scarily like Darla. It almost made my heart stop, but I pushed it down. She was with a man, a little taller than her, jock type from the look of letterman jacket.

He looked around the store, pretending to be interested in random things.

“Can I help you sir?” I asked.

He finally looked my way, and I saw his body stiffen slightly and his nose scrunch up.

“What, is the pretty princess convention coming through town?” He jeered.

I frowned.

“Is there anything I can help you with.” I pushed forward, ignoring his Inappropriate little side comment.

“Yeah, this shithole got a manager?” He asked.

His accent was thick, possibly Georgian. Spaulding would be interested to hear this, people from out of town were easier as Otis explain to me. Less people to notice them missing.

“Sure, I’ll go get him.”

I hopped off my stool and ran off to the back of the store, finding Spaulding unpacking pallets of soda.

“Hey Cap?” I asked.

It was a nickname I’d taken to calling him, he didn’t seem to mind it.

“What the fuck do you want kid?”

It wasn’t hostile in tone, he just slipped swearwords into almost any sentence he could.

“Customer wants to talk.” I explained. “He and his girl are from out of town.”

“Are they now?” He said.

He placed the heavy tray of soda back down on the stack. He made a lead the way motion with his hand and I followed him to the front again. I lingered behind, leaning against the wall as I watched.

“What can I do ya for?”

“Wondering if there’s anywhere to get a car fixed around here. Damn thing broke down.”

“There’s a mechanic just up the road, but I could look at it.”

The man scoffed.

“Yeah, no thanks. I don’t want you anywhere near my truck.” He commented.

“That wasn’t very nice.” It slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“The fuck do you know kid?” He turned back to Spaulding, “ain’t child labour illegal?” He asked.

I crossed my arms over his chest.

“Darren, be nice, these kind folks are trying to help us.” The girl spoke up.

“Did I ask for your opinion?” He snapped at her.

Definitely not very nice. I kinda felt bad for the girl, like I had when watching my brother and Darla. Why did pretty, smart girls fall for jerks like this? I could never understand. I wish I could create a diversion, help her escape. But I knew the drill, they were a package deal, and they’d already seen both of our faces.

“Which way to the mechanic old man?” He asked.

Spaulding just pointed, but not towards the mechanic, no, toward the house. We’re Mama and Baby we’re back home waiting. I wondered if Otis had even gotten back from the city yet. I watched as he shoved passed the girl and out the door, letting it slam behind him.

“Thanks for the help.” The girl offered.

I gave her a tight lipped smile. About half an hour had passed and I went to take a break outside for some fresh air. I leaned against the wall near the dumpster and just kinda stared down at my feet. Clicking then together to get my stims out before going back to work. I heard foot steps approaching and they seemed heavy. I thought for a moment maybe Spaulding came to ask for help with something, but I noticed the boy from earlier.

“Hey you, kid!” He started.

He seemed angry.

“I’m almost 18 I mumbled” annoyed then he called me that.

It was different when it was my family, but I didn’t like strangers treating me like a child. I could hold my own. I wasn’t helpless.

“What sort of games are you and baldy playing Hmm?” He asked as he got closer.

“Don’t call him that.” I said.

“Or what? Is it gonna hurt your feeling sweetheart? Maybe someone should teach you a lesson, wearing a short little skirt like that and flaunting yourself around while your old man fucks people over.”

I finally looked up at him, rage burning in my eyes.

“What did you just say?”

“Called you a slut, cause that’s what you are.”

He grabbed my arm harshly.

“Where the fuck is the damn mechanic?” He asked.

I shrugged, apparently that was the wrong move, cause he squeezed tighter on my arm. I glared up at him. He went to put his hand in my face, and without thinking I viciously bit into his hand. I heard him let out a yelp as I bit hard enough to draw blood. He yanked his arm away, dropping his other one too.

“Stupid nigger bitch, you bit me!” He exclaimed.

Before I could do anything, his fist connected hard right at the front of my face. I heard a crack and almost instantly felt warm blood trickle down my face. I think he broke my nose. I stumbled back a little, catching myself on the wall. As I went to lick my lips, I could taste the blood, and something fell onto my tongue, I spit it on the floor to see it was one of my teeth. I starred at it for a second in shock. He certainly knew how to throw a punch, probably got into a lot of fight in high school.

“Hey, bitch im talking to you!” He said, wrapping his hand around my throat.

I guess the ruckus must have gained Spaulding’s attention, cause I grinned up at the boy as he squeezed my throat.

“The fuck you smiling about?”

Before he could get out another word, Spaulding reached around and slit his throat. I felt warm blood spray on my face and closed my eyes and mouth, making sure I didn’t get any of it where it shouldn’t be. I didn’t need a nasty infection from this impish oaf.

“What the fuck were you thinking kid?” Spaulding yelled.

I flinched slightly.

“Please don’t yell at me.” I muttered.

He sighed exasperated.

“He could have killed you.”

“But he didn’t.” I reminded him.

“Shit, look at your face, Otis is gonna be pissed.”

I adjusted my now crooked crown back on my head, and spit out a mother glob of blood.

“I’m fine Spaulding, thank you for saving me.” I said.

“Don’t ever make me do that shit again ya hear?” He said

“Yes sir, won’t happen again.”

That I was sure of, I wouldn’t make the same mistake next time. Being on my own here could have ruined me, if Spaulding hadn’t been nearby.

“Fuck!” He groaned. “Blinky help me get him into the dumpster.” He said.

I nodded, quickly moving to throw open the top of it. I wasn’t sure how much help I would be, that man was nearly twice my size. But almost everybody was bigger than me. I grabbed his legs and helped Spaulding throw him over the top, then slammed the lid back down. By the time the trash people came, in this hot, moist environment, he’d be well on his way to decomposing.

“Inside, now.” Spaulding said shortly.

He was mad, that much was obvious. I didn’t hesitate, quickly doing inside and slipping into the back office where we had all the paperwork. We kept the first aid kit back here. I sat on top of the desk. Spaulding came stomping in a few minuets later.

“Called Mama, told her in sending you home early for the night.” He explained.

I nodded. He bent down to pick up the first aid kit, before quickly throwing me a cold water he’d taken from the front. I took a sip, swishing it around in my mouth, then spit it into the plant pot in the corner. Before taking another and letting it slip down my throat. It was refreshing, I hadn’t even realised I was getting dehydrated. I sat back atop the desk.

“Let me see.” He said.

I opened my mouth, and he moved my face side to side with his hand on my chin.

“Shit Blinky, he got you good.” He said.

“Yeah, don’t think I enjoyed that very much” I chuckled.

“Nothing we can do about the tooth, and your busted lip with heal. But I’m gonna have to set your nose.” He said.

I nodded.

“It’s gonna hurt like a bitch.”

“Ok.”

I closed my eyes as I felt him touch the bridge of my nose. I winced a little. He didn’t even give me a warning before I heard it click.

“There, good as new. Now go head to the house and shower before Otis gets home, I don’t need that bastard on my ass about this. I’ll clean up the mess outside.”

“You sure you don’t need help.”

“Just get to the Damn house Kid.”

I nodded, running off toward the house. I was able to make it to the master bathroom before anyone saw me, I quickly stripped out of my clothes, knowing I’d have to burn them later. It was a shame, I liked this outfit. But they was no getting blood out of yellow, bleach or peroxide would just steal the dye. I turned on the water, waiting for it to heat up. Otis had yelled at me for this once, but what kind of psycho turns on the shower when they’re standing in it, the water that comes out first is always freezing.

I scrubbed away the blood, watching it go down the drain. I groaned as the adrenaline wore off. There was a small bruise forming from where his hand was, and the hot water stung a little when it hit my broken nose. I threw on a towel as I got out and looked in the mirror. The tooth to the left of my canine was missing. I suppose it added character. And if I ever made a friend I’d have a cool story to tell. I’d finally get to use the line “you should see the other guy.”

I opened the door and walked down the hall to my room. I slipped into one of Otis’s oversized band T-shirts and some old shirts Baby got me. I fixed up my hair, tossing it into one giant bun. Seems I made it just in time for dinner, cause I could smell the food from here. Otis turned around when he heard me say “what’s for dinner”

“I’m making spaget- Blink what the fuck happened to your face?” He asked.

He seemed shocked, but the shock quickly turned to anger.

“Tripped.” I shrugged.

I don’t know why I lied to him, I didn’t feel good about it. But I already got scolded by Spaulding and I didn’t really want to hear it again.

“Shit, Blinky how many times have I told you not to skip around everywhere. This is what you get.” He grumbled. “It hurt?”

“Not much.”

He paused and took a few step forward, grabbing my chin in his hand, and using the other one to open my mouth.

“Fuck, you’re missing a tooth.”

“It’s ok.” I said.

“How hard did you hit the ground you dumbass?”

It was supposed to come off as mean, but I knew him better now. He swore more when he was deflecting, trying to make it seem like he didn’t care.

“Think I might have cracked the pavement.” I joked.

“I’m gonna have to put you in a damn bubble I swear. Nothing we can do about that tooth.” He commented.

It was odd how he was just like Spaulding in that way. Two sides of the same coin with those two.

“Just set the table” he sighed.

“Ok.”

I would have to talk to Spaulding after dinner, make sure he kept our little secret. I didn’t want Otis finding out what happened today. He’d flip, and majorly so. If baby ever found out what that man called me, she’s also lose her mind. They were very overprotective in that way. Baby like a sweet, but scary aunt, and Otis the dad with a shotgun in hand at all times.

Baby greeted me by picking me up and spinning me around. I giggled, pleading with her to put me down.

“Shit, the fuck happened to you?”

“Tripped.” I lied again, it was easier this time.

She laughed loudly, and gave me a big grin.

“Didn’t think you could get any cuter kiddo, now look at that smile.” She said.

She always knew just what to say to cheer me up. Things were getting better around here and I hoped they continued like this. Yes, being a Firefly wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it was home. It was safe. And I was never gonna let anyone take this from me. I wouldn’t be without a family ever again if I had to kill every last person to keep it that way.

An: Despite being black, I didn’t use that word much. But house of 1000 corpses is a bit darker subject material so it felt appropriate to use here.

[chasmalvice]

this was actually really fun, THANK YOU FOR TAGGING ME INDIE i'll be doing this with my postman, who for reference is a middle aged intense introvert.

What is the character’s go-to drink order? (this one gets into how do they like to be publicly perceived, because there is always some level of theatricality to ordering drinks at a bar/resturant) generally speaking he usually just has coffee at home, since his job keeps him so occupied each day. but if he ever wants a quick pick me up, he might stop in to order a cafe serre if the coffee shop doesn't have a line. a fruity refresher if he wants to treat himself c:

What is their grooming routine? (how do they treat themselves in private) very poorly. he's under the impression that he's horribly ugly so he doesn't do anything special, just the bare minimum of bathing with soap, brushing his hair, his teeth, and wearing clean clothes (when he can)

What was their most expensive purchase/where does their disposable income go? (Gets you thinking about socio-economic class, values, and how they spend their leisure time) his occupation doesn't have pay, and income relies solely on donations (which he never asks for) so generally speaking not much. his lifestyle is very spartan in the sense it's bare, so he doesn't have much of his own. maybe his oil pastel set? or when he can manage to feed his heroin addiction LMAO

Do they have any scars or tattoos? (good way to get into literal backstory)  nope, clean as a whistle. he's very concerned about remaining unblemished.

What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances? (Good way to get some *emotional* backstory in.)  emotionally, he's the form of someone who has let trauma run rampant in their lives instead of trying to heal from it. so he cries a lot, but mostly when he's alone.

Are they an oldest, middle, youngest or only child? (This one might be a me thing, because I LOVE writing/reading about family dynamics, but knowing what kinds of things were ‘normal’ for them growing up is important.) he's an only child, which added to his sense of displacement in the world, and the loneliness that grew with him as he got older. instead of being eager to socialize like some only childs do, he leaned in a introverted direction and it impacted him harshly.

Describe the shoes they’re wearing. (This is a big catch all, gets into money, taste, practicality, level of wear, level of repair, literally what kind of shoes they require to live their life.) hmmm. they're just simple black shoes; sturdy, but not anything special. he wears them for function, as they have to be decent for the biking, running, and climbing he does. he never dresses for taste, just uniform and function.

Describe the place where they sleep. (ie what does their safe space look like. How much (or how little) care / decoration / personal touch goes into it.) mmm. very minimal, but very cozy. his bed is built into one of the walls of his bedroom, so it's like a pocket. save for that, and a few spare pieces of furniture, he doesn't have much else in there. no mirrors, no paintings, nothing that can reflect as he's scared of his own reflection. the bed is about the only good thing in there.

What is their favorite holiday? (How do they relate to their culture/outside world. Also fun is least favorite holiday.)  he doesn't have one :( maybe except. . . celebrating his boss' birthday? he's not keen on doing things for himself or spending the energy of celebrating something when he'll be the only one doing it. even if there were other people though he just wouldn't, because it would be too much for his anxious litttle mind.

What objects do they always carry around with them? (What do they need for their normal, day-to-day routine? What does ‘normal’ even look like for them.)  whenever he's at home, nothing. but whenever he's out, he has his mailbag and letters -- but also his sketchpad, charcoals, pastels, and kalimba. @weedthestampede YOU HAVE SOME INTERESTING OCS YOU SHOULD DO THIS

So my problem with most ‘get to know your character’ questioneers is that they’re full of questions that just aren’t that important (what color eyes do they have) too hard to answer right away (what is their greatest fear) or are just impossible to answer (what is their favorite movie.)  Like no one has one single favorite movie. And even if they do the answer changes.

If I’m doing this exercise, I want 7-10 questions to get the character feeling real in my head. So I thought I’d share the ones that get me (and my students) good results: 

What is the character’s go-to drink order? (this one gets into how do they like to be publicly perceived, because there is always some level of theatricality to ordering drinks at a bar/resturant)

What is their grooming routine? (how do they treat themselves in private)

What was their most expensive purchase/where does their disposable income go? (Gets you thinking about socio-economic class, values, and how they spend their leisure time)

Do they have any scars or tattoos? (good way to get into literal backstory) 

What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances? (Good way to get some *emotional* backstory in.) 

Are they an oldest, middle, youngest or only child? (This one might be a me thing, because I LOVE writing/reading about family dynamics, but knowing what kinds of things were ‘normal’ for them growing up is important.)

Describe the shoes they’re wearing. (This is a big catch all, gets into money, taste, practicality, level of wear, level of repair, literally what kind of shoes they require to live their life.)

Describe the place where they sleep. (ie what does their safe space look like. How much (or how little) care / decoration / personal touch goes into it.)

What is their favorite holiday? (How do they relate to their culture/outside world. Also fun is least favorite holiday.) 

What objects do they always carry around with them? (What do they need for their normal, day-to-day routine? What does ‘normal’ even look like for them.) 

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [37/?]

↳“Charlotte Brice: 7 years old. Yellow dress, pink shoes, white socks. Abduction, right in front of her mom.“ Amber Alert (2024) dir. Kerry Bellessa

Plot: A ride-share turns into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse after it follows a car fitting the description of an AMBER ALERT.

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Tyler James Williams, Kevin Dunn, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, Kurt Oberhaus & Katie McClellan

More catching up on reviews and I'm well aware this movie being included for a horror challenge is probably a total reach since the debate between straight-up thrillers getting labeled along horror is there but I felt like it. lol When it turned out the abductor was a serial child killer as well it feels less wrong to claim it as at least adjacent to horror cuz that was a slight shift in the narrative to make it a little darker. And well, I did also include Compliance this year, and this certainly has more thrills than that. Also, I just felt like talking about the movie. I didn't have a lot of expectations for it since besides the casting, it did seem like something you'd maybe watch on Lifetime but I was still curious about it. I didn't even realize this was a remake of a 2012 movie by the same director (I believe it was given the found footage treatment?? Had no idea about it) so that was interesting to find out. I'll say there were some plot choices that logically don't really work (I mean, the actual plot itself is a little unrealistic the whole time but it is a movie so lol) and it feels kinda slow in the middle. I think focusing on the main characters' personal lives the way they did kinda hindered the thriller part of the story because the tension gets lost. Also, it makes you kinda have issues with Tyler's character I would say cuz it sounds as if he's a flaky dad and he's choosing to be again but at least this time for a good reason. But I guess they figured he's such a charismatic actor, we'd be able to gloss over that fact idk :/ And then we get a monologue from Hayden later on explaining why she's so passionate about saving the girl that feels like a reach. So, like I said, the middle lags a bit. But I was drawn in at the beginning though. Hayden & Tyler worked really well together imo and kept me engaged, even when it was losing me a little. I've seen people say Hayden could have been better but I think she was perfectly fine. She's meant to be a little guarded in the beginning but I definitely felt her determination to find the little girl throughout. Katie McClellan should be given props imo cuz she really sold her heartbreak and rage over her kidnapped daughter in what scenes she had. Overall, the supporting actors were pretty good, if not possibly underused but it's fine. Not gonna lie, the last act was giving Lifetime vibes because I'm pretty sure they spend more time searching the abductor's house than actually having to confront him and the movie wraps up almost immediately afterwards. So, not a perfect movie by any means but it was a decent enough watch for the one time. Mostly because I rather like both the lead actors but hey, it could have been a lot worse so I'll take it. lol

[raileurta]

Storytime on how I was in my y/n era, and became a furry super villain with the Joker.

--By anonymous

So recently I just finished making my new partial fursuit it took me very long to do so, over two years to be exact. While fursuit making is a lengthy process and I'm always pretty busy with college and you know Gotham ect. It didn't't compare to the horrible task of needing to ship stuff. You know how hard it is to import stuff to Gotham?! Let me tell you how. Most people won't even touch our city with a ten foot poll, even disregarding that there was a 99.9% chance of it being stolen, or destroyed in an attack. The amount of shit I had to order repeatedly was SO STU I- I'm getting off track but I really needed to get that off my chest.

I was obviously really excited so I had the "brilliant" idea to go out fursuiting to "show off my new suit."

God I was such an idiot.

My fursona is fairly colorful with them canonically mostly wearing suits/vests. You see in Gotham if you even wear remotely colorful clothes you're going to be mistaken as a outsider or a rogue ; especially if you're wearing suits.

I'm a depressed college student that was running on 3 hours of sleep at the time, cut me some slack.

It probably didn't help that my fursona also was a skully. But my dumb ass self for whatever reason completely forgot about this. So here I was walking around with a pink vest covered in different animal skulls, a white undershirt, with lime green pants, brown dress shoes and white gloves.

I went to my favorite coffee shop because all Gothamites have a caffeine addiction we need to adhere to. Unknown to me at the time Joker was actually robbing a bank that was literally two streets over. The coffee shop workers were kinda wary of me but I didn't notice because people in Gotham acted weird all the time. So when I see the god damn JOKER about to drive down our street with tons of cash in his admittedly cool car I pull out the gun I was carrying. (It's Gotham if you're not carrying some level of self-defense you're an idiot) Apparently though everyone thought I was robbing the place and the employees started trying to in common routine give me the money in the cash register. Before I can explain that I'm not actually trying to rob them Joker sees me and I guess he thought I looked interesting. He then turns the car towards the shop and then proceeds to drive into the fucking coffee shop.

His car easily smashed through the glass windows and the wood furniture in the car's way along with two poor people who were on a coffee date.

I am just standing there staring at the Joker getting out of his car not sure what to do, scared out of my mind. So my brain filled purely with adrenaline thinks it's the best idea to try and shoot the Joker. With the gun in my hand I hastily raised the gun and tried shooting him. Keyword tried.

I would consider myself pretty decent with a gun. I have been hunting and frequently go to shooting ranges for five years. Unfortunately I got pretty lazy with keeping up my skills so I hadn't shot a gun in like 4 months. This means I was pretty out of practice. I also was you know sure I was going to die a horrible death, while in a fursuit that was obscuring my vision. That doesn't give people a stable level of mind/sight to successfully shoot something. Unless you are one of our useless cops without glasses.

So when I pulled the trigger I ended up missing the Joker and hitting a cop that was previously across the street coming up behind him and trying to shoot Joker himself . I only hit him in the shoulder and didn't kill him thankfully. Joker complimented my "sharp shooting" thinking I was trying to save him and with him liking my ✨ aesthetic ✨ he invited me to join him.

Me pretty deep in shock just agreed as I didn't want to be killed. After getting into the car with him he started to drive to his safe house I think. Before we could reach it though the other cops finally showed up, I was now in a high speed police care chase with the Joker. He handed me this bazooka looking thing and said to shoot the cops. Idfk what I was doing at this point and I was scared I was going to go to Arkham so I thought what the hell. I tried shooting the thing at the cop at the very front of the chase and you know what? I missed, again and the thing hit this truck holding some type of gas and exploded; killing all the cops in one go.

(My therapist is going to need a therapist)

Joker complimented my shooting again saying something like I was "putting the angsty bat kid to shame." I don't know what the hell he was talking about cause I was processing that I just became a mass murderer.

When we finally reached his safe house I was met with the Riddler, Penguin, and Scarecrow. They were all sitting at this large table that was covered in paper and various weapons.

Riddler was in the far left bent over a paper writing down something. Mumbling about different riddles he had to try out on the Batman.

Penguin who was on the right side of the Riddler seemed annoyed at his ramblings. He didn't look like he had any plans in front of him on the messy table.

Scarecrow was-

I honestly didn't give a fuck cause you know I was still thinking about how I'm a mass murderer now. Joker started talking about how I saved his bacon and wanted to introduce me. When he realized he didn't actually know my name he just looked at me expectantly. With all the rogues' eyes on my now I was feeling pretty pressured. (Social anxiety is a bitch) I said the first thing that came to mind at that moment. So with all the courage I could muster I proclaimed in the most crazed sounding voice I could do that my name is-

"The Skull Collecter."

Like what kinda drugs was I on?! What edge lord's type shit name is "Skull Collector." Though I guess it's slightly accurate since I do collect different animal skulls. Satisfied with my shitty name they asked what my deal was with the Joker and what I wanted with them. So too deep into this shitty situation I started to weave a tale about my backstory.

I said that I was once a regular average Joe with an interest in collecting skeletons. I became more obsessed overtime with my hobby until I eventually I "realized" how better animal and human skulls were when harvested by my own means. (Once again it was half true since I do like collecting then cleaning the skeletons myself.) So I started killing people in secret and taking their heads. Scarecrow told me he actually heard of me awhile back. I don't know if a god took pity on me for the sheer lunacy of my situation but apparently there was conveniently a maniac going around killing and stealing people's heads. Later through my own research I learned that the same guy died accidentally when trying to escape the police in Washington. Fell off a building apparently and died before the ambulance could reach the hospital.

I really really didn't want to get absolutely bodied by Batman and sent to Arkham if he followed the Joker's and my trail. So I made up some excuse about how I needed to go do something important at my "lair" and I had to go. Thankfully after a little more convincing I was free to leave. After I was a decent distance away I immediately took off my fursuit head; I then proceeded to have a complete utter mental breakdown.

Well that's chapter one! I want to do this fic in third person in the future if I complete it.

[smolvenger]

@holdmytesseract BESTIE HOLY SHIT HOLY HELL THIS IS SO GOOD AND SO HOT IM SCREAMING!!!!

Not wasting any time, you applied some decent make-up

If I was meeting Tomathy, I WOULD put on makeup and look as nice as I could!

A soft, cool breeze brushed past you; swirling your beige dress around your knees. The smell of rain hit your nose and some dark clouds hung in the sky;

Oh no...what if they get caught in the rain...and he has to dry her and take off her wet clothes and cuddle her for warmth ;)

He was wearing a dark blue suit. Black dress shoes shone against the wet pavement; suit trousers hugging his long legs and hips snugly - held together by a black leather belt. The matching dark blue shirt wasn't any less tight; tailored perfectly for his lean yet strong upper body and forcing the small buttons to hold on for dear life.

We love those slutty struggling buttons in this house! Is it hot in here or is it just me?

You bit your lip painfully hard; trying desperately to suppress the moan which threatened to slip past your lips.

Same!

Also...who's gonna tell YN the texts are about her? hehehehe

Then when he finally said it!!! And she replied by-

"I'm, uh, saving the car and riding you instead."

Me: :00000000000

And-

BESTIE WHAT THE EFF HOLY MOTHER OF GOD THAT WAS HOT! It was probably a miracle you don't write smut because you would become a goddess on earth with the power to weild us all death causing orgasms on the spot! It was the hottest thing I read that was never actually smutty recently! Someimes it's the suggestion of it that is as powerful as showing it and this is a case in point!

Wow! I am speechless! I could feel the tension and the love between them that wasn't said! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! For that previous ask, I think THIS is among my top faves of your works so far!!!!

A Masterpiece!

Could you please do tom x reader where they are friends to lovers? Maybe the pretend boyfriend that turns real? Smutty and fluffy?

Hide & Seek

Tom Hiddleston x fem!Reader

Summary: Tom asks you to accompany him to Ben's birthday party. On the way there, you get stuck in traffic. A misunderstanding reveals long harboured feelings and things come how they had to come...

Warnings: mutual pining, thirst, fluff, jelousy? a misunderstanding, smuttish/suggestive stuff

Word Count: 3,1k

a/n: You guys wanted it and I am a woman of my words, so... Here it is! 🫡

I hope you like what I wrote for you @huntress-artemiss . 🥰 And I hope that everybody else enjoys it of course, too!

Tags: @lady-rose-moon @muddyorbsblr @smolvenger @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @jennyggggrrr @stupidthoughtsinwriting @evelyn-kingsley @vanilla-daydreaming @loz-3 @fictive-sl0th @lovingchoices14 @lokidbadguy @icytrickster17 @lulubelle814 @mandywholock1980 @november-rayne @chantsdemarins @simping-for-marvel @lou12346789 @lokiforever @multifandom-worlds @hisredheadedgoddess28 @vbecker10 @jaidenhawke @km-ffluv @crimson25 @cakesandtom @buttercupcookies-blog @salvinaa @javagirl328 @dustychinchilla74 @frzntrx @coldnique

Masterlist °☆• Hiddles Masterlist

You heard the familiar 'ding' sound of your phone; announcing the arrival of a new message. With a hairpin pinned between your teeth and one hand in your hair, you quickly scooted over to your little make-up table, on which you had left your phone. Tapping on the screen, you immediately saw the message popping up.

'I'm here, darling. Are you ready? x'

You smiled, fixated your hair and quickly unlocked your phone; texting back.

'Almost. :) Gimme five mins, Tommy. x'

Not wasting any time, you applied some decent make-up, gave yourself a once over in the full-length mirror, grabbed the things you'd need and made your way towards the main door of your small, cosy house.

You had promised Tom - your best friend since you were teenagers, to accompany him to the birthday party of Ben. He didn't want to go alone - and you couldn't say no, of course. You never could say no when it came to Tom. Never. You'd anything for him. He was one of the most important people in your life. He was your sunshine on a rainy day. Your lighthouse in the raging storms. A safe haven to which you could always return.

A lot of people told you that this friendship wasn't going to last. After all, Tom was an actor. A famous actor. And you were just... you. But you proved them all wrong. The friendship lasted; survived every sharp turn, bump and crash on the way. A deep bond was formed; stronger than everything you ever experienced - and yet you were just best friends. Sure there had been opportunities to take this friendship to another level and turn it into something more, but neither of you took the opportunity.

You couldn't deny, though, that you had developed strong feelings for the handsome Brit over the years. Romantic feelings. How could somebody not fall for a man like Tom? He was a charming, kind, funny, talented, handsome gentleman with a heart of pure gold. You didn't dare to confess your feelings, because you didn't want to lose your best friend. Better have him as a best friend in your life than not at all, right?

So, the years flew by. Boyfriends came and boyfriends went. Just like with Tom. It was a heart wrenching pain whenever you met Tom's new girlfriend - and you hated it, but what were you supposed to do? All you wanted for him was happiness; but neither of you seemed to find happiness - at least when it came down to romantic relationships...

Another 'ding' of your mobile ripped you out of your thoughts. Shaking your head softly and trying to focus again; you opened the door and stepped out - only to almost stumble back inside.

A soft, cool breeze brushed past you; swirling your beige dress around your knees. The smell of rain hit your nose and some dark clouds hung in the sky; shielded the sun from shining down on you.

That wasn't what took your breath away, though. It was Tom, who stood not far away from you. Just a few meters; legs crossed, leaning casually against his black Jaguar with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his suit trousers.

Speaking of trousers... He was wearing a dark blue suit. Black dress shoes shone against the wet pavement; suit trousers hugging his long legs and hips snugly - held together by a black leather belt. The matching dark blue shirt wasn't any less tight; tailored perfectly for his lean yet strong upper body and forcing the small buttons to hold on for dear life. A tie and suit jacket in the exact same colour completed his look.

You swallowed a thick lump; had a hard time to control yourself and the rapidly beating heart within your chest. Luckily, Tom wasn't looking your way and didn't notice your distress. His gaze was directed to the street as he watched the cars drive by. The position showed off his ridiculously beautiful face; sharp jawline, high cheekbones - peppered with soft and fuzzy looking facial hair of his three-day beard. Tom's wild, blonde-brown curls had gotten so long; a hairsbreadth away from touching his broad shoulders. He looked like a prince, straight out of a fairytale book; combined with the perfect image of a photo shoot.

You bit your lip painfully hard; trying desperately to suppress the moan which threatened to slip past your lips.

It was insanely hot - and Tom didn't even notice the impact this had on you.

"Hey, Tommy," you finally greeted him; attracting his attention. Sure, you could've stared longer and admire the fine man he was, but you didn't want him to accidentally look and notice...

His head whipped around towards you; baby blues meeting your Y/E/C ones. "Hello, darling." A smile spread across his face, as he made his way over to you; giving you a hug. The hugs he gave his other friends didn't last quite as long as the hugs he gave you... You just didn't notice.

"Are you ready?" You nodded; smiling. "I was born ready. You should know that by now." You loved to tease him from time to time. Tom just chuckled; shaking his head. "I won't start now to recount the times you weren't ready. Let's go." You just giggled and followed your best friend to the car.

Being the gentleman the Brit was, he held the door open for you to sit inside his Jaguar. Once you were both seated, Tom started the engine and drove off towards the party.

Unfortunately, was the traffic on this fine Friday evening very bad; causing the both of you to get stuck. Like... Really stuck. Everything stood still. The little highway you were driving on was closed.

"Ugh, great... Now we'll be surely late to the party..." Tom gave you an apologetic look. "Apologies, Y/N/N... I should've taken the other route when I had the chance. Now it's too late... Can you text Ben?" He asked you, handing you his phone; gaze fixated on the cars in front of him. You shook your head, "No need to apologise, Tommy. You couldn't know. But yeah, I'm gonna text him." and unlocked Tom's phone as if it was your own. Not that you knew each other's password by heart... "Thank you, darling."

You tapped on WhatsApp, searched Ben's contact and entered the chat. Of course you tried hard to not read the last messages he received and sent to give your best friend some privacy, but when your eyes caught a glimpse of a text just above the text box you were writing your text in, you couldn't help but to look. You knew it was wrong, but before you were able to stop yourself, it was already too late and your gaze wandered...

Ben: So... You're gonna take her finally home then, right??

Tom: What, I- Ben stop that. I... I can't just do that. I don't think she'd want that... Me...

Ben: Friend... Are you kidding me? It's obvious she wants you.

Tom: You, uh, think so?

Ben: Know so. Shoot your shot, man, before it's too late...

You didn't have to read more. Swallowing hard, you stared at the messages for a moment. You knew exactly who Tom and Ben were obviously talking about... Chloe. A woman Tom had met on set a few months back. She was - well, is one of the costume designers and therefore saw Tom quite often. Someday, they started to talk during a break and well... According to Tom the sparks had been flying. He had told his best friend everything, of course - while you wished he hadn't. You tried to be happy for him - like you always did when he met a new woman, but... As much as you tried, your head never could win the battle against your heart. It was an undefeatable opponent. A invulnerable fortress.

You never met Chloe - and yet you despised her wholeheartedly. It wasn't fair, of course, but love had turned you into a monster.

"Y/N? Hey, Y/N/N."

You flinched and snapped out of your thoughts as Tom's soft velvet voice urged to your ears. "Is everything alright?" You blinked, nodded, "Yeah, sure. Sorry, I, uh, just drifted off." and sent the text. Giving him a fake smile, you exited the app and handed him his phone back. "Are you sure?" "Yep. Everything's good, Tommy."

You hated to lie to him, but you couldn't just tell him the truth now, could you?

'Hey, Tommy, I'm sorry but I spied on your texts and saw that one message, saying that you are going to obviously shag that bitch Chloe and now I'm kinda jealous, because it should be me instead!'

Nope, certainly not. But you also couldn't shake that thought of. It occupied you. A lot. Your brain thought about it non-stop; causing your heart to crack and shatter even more with every passing minute. You could not stand the thought of another woman in Tom's life. In his home. His bed. His heart.

You tried your best to put on a brave face, but your best friend wasn't blind. Neither stupid. He knew you better than you probably knew yourself...

At first the Brit didn't say anything. Given the fact that you clearly told and signalled him that you didn't wish to talk. But at some point, an undeniable, unpleasant tension started to built up between you both. Almost like an imaginary wall... It felt like every untold word, every unspoken feeling had pent up over the last weeks, months - years and were now about to culminate in the middle of an upcoming rain storm. Right here, right now; while being stuck in traffic.

Tom just couldn't take it any longer. He needed to know what had turned everything upside down all of a sudden. Why everything felt so wrong at this very moment.

"Y/N?" He asked you carefully once again. "I know you said everything is okay - and I feel that you clearly don't wish to speak to me, but-" "No, really, Tom. It's all good," you interrupted him once more; giving him another fake smile - and you could tell at the look of his face, that he had seen immediately through that fake smile. But before he was able to say something, you intervened; only digging the gaping hole in your heart deeper.

"Did you go on a date with Chloe?"

Tom frowned; was clearly confused of the sudden change of topic. "Y-Yes, but-" "Great. How did it go?" "Um, great, I-I guess, but why are you-" "Good. That's good. I'm happy for you Tom." You swallowed hard; feeling your heart scream in pain - but no matter how hard it hurt you, you just had to know what happened between them. You wanted to spare yourself the double gut punch. Might as well feel all the pain at once.

"But, Y/N... Why-" You chose not to leave him any space to question you and just get over with it. "Did you kiss her?" "W-What?" "Touch her?" "T-Touch her? Why would I-" "Sleep with her?" "I-" "Was she at least good in bed?" You kept on bombarding your best friend with questions. "Y/N-" "Was she, huh?" "Y/N, I-" "Did she made you cu-"

"Y/N!"

Tom suddenly exploded; screamed out your name and slamming his hands on the steering wheel of the Jag. He clearly had heard enough; couldn't listen to this any longer.

You went silent; didn't even dare to breathe for a second.

"I didn't sleep with her! I didn't touch her! Goddammit, I didn't even kiss her! Nothing happened between us! Nothing!" The Brit took a deep breath; trying to calm himself down again. You just stared at him; mouth closed shut.

"Yes, we met. Yes, it was great. But I wouldn't even call it a date. We talked and drank a glass of wine. Nothing more." You swallowed hard. "B-But, I-I thought you and Chloe were-" "A thing? No. We're not, Y/N." You blinked; were quite stunned at the sudden turnout of this situation - and once more was your mouth quicker to speak than your brain was able to think and so it came how it had to come...

"About who did you and Ben talk about then in your chat, if not Chloe?"

It slipped past your lips - and you immediately regretted it; afraid of Tom's reaction.

Tom's eyes widened to the size of plates; hands twitching to grip the steering wheel tight, while his cheeks turned beet red. The Brit had not thought about this conversation he had with his his friend - and now you knew.

"Shit, Tom, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to spy on your chats, I-I just saw it a-and was wondering about who-"

"You."

You blinked once more. "W-What?"

Tom turned to face you again; oceanic blue eyes meeting your Y/E/C ones.

Now or never, Tom thought.

"You, Y/N. We were talking about you."

You could've sworn that your heart skipped more than just one beat at his words. "M-Me?" You squeaked out; pointing at yourself. "Me?" "Yes. You. And the party today." Your eyes widened; jaw slacking in disbelief. "Y-You wanted to... Me?" Tom nodded; smiling nervously. "I always just wanted you, darling. No other woman on this earth is able to compare to you. My heart fell for you a long time ago. It belongs to you. Always has. Always will. I was just too afraid to tell-" Before he was able to finish his sentence, you had pulled him closer by the lapels of his stupidly sexy suit jacket and literally slammed your lips on his.

Tom was definitely shocked and overwhelmed at first, but he immediately relaxed; sighed in the kiss and pulled you as close as somehow possible with the car interior being quite a bit in the way.

All suppressed feelings and emotions finally broke free and melted into that very kiss. It felt like getting hit by an 18-wheeler truck and floating through heaven at the same time. It was a beautiful, chaotic mess, which the both of you enjoyed every second of - and tempted you to indulge into kiss after kiss after kiss.

You felt how your heartbeat quickened at the feeling of love and desire for the man beside you, as they were finally able to flood your body; veins pulsating with a dangerous mixture of endorphins and oxytocin - and Tom's musky smell, combined with the fruity blood orange and leather touch of his perfume didn't help at all. It made everything worse, without a doubt. Resisting Tom had been always difficult - but now that the chains were broken, it was impossible. And why should you stop yourself? There was no holding back anymore. The cards laid on the table.

You pushed Tom back into the driver seat; catching him by surprise. Your hand started to play with his tie; quickly undoing it. Tom's eyes watched your fingers tracing the buttons of his shirt; steadily wandering lower as he was swallowing hard. "Darling, w-what... what are you- Woah!" Tom had clearly anticipated that your hand would land at a place where he had often imagined it to be late at night, when he was all alone at home. But it didn't. You gave his belt a soft tug, but then moved your hand over his thigh and down to where the lever was, which allowed his seat to slide back; bringing even more space between him and the steering wheel.

Another thing the Brit hadn't seen coming - just like the next move you made.

Within the blink of an eye, you had slipped out of your high heels and elegantly swung yourself over; sitting on your former best friend's lap. It caused your dress to ride up your thighs - and Tom's eyes to widen. He literally froze in place; realising in which position you just brought yourself and him. You placed your hands on his shoulders, tugging at his suit jacket; trying to get him to shrug it off - what he did. "Y/N, w-what are you doing?" Tom knew of course very well what you were doing, but he needed to hear it. "What does it look like? I'm, uh, saving the car and riding you instead."

Tom's eyes almost popped out of his head at your bold words. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny that it stirred something deep inside him. And his dress pants.

"Darling, I-I don't know if we should do this here, I-" You raised a playful eyebrow at him.

"Oh, Tommy please... Don't be so shy now. You can't tell me that you never imagined doing this..." You leaned in closer; whispering into his ear: "Me. On top of you." The Brit couldn't help the moan which slipped past his lips. "I-I did, I-," he panted out; feeling one of your hands opening his belt; metal clinking. "See? Besides, the windows are tinted. Nobody's going to see this. Plus, we are stuck anyway, so... What are you waiting for?" You asked in a hushed voice; tracing your lips down his pulse point. "Touch me."

Another breathy moan escaped Tom's lips; big hands flying up to grab your bare thighs and working on slipping your dress even higher up your hips. His warm, slightly sweaty palms sent a shiver down your spine; nerve ends sizzling with desire.

"I-I've wanted this for so long, now, darling." Tom whispered; pressing his forehead against yours. "And now that I can finally have it - you... It's so surreal and- Oh fuck..." Tom's hands started to tremble; eyebrows slanting and mouth forming into a perfect 'o' as you lowered yourself on him. Only your lips messily entangling themselves with his seemed to bring him out of his haze.

"I love you, Tommy. I love you. I always have," you whimpered; body jolting with love and pleasure. His soft beard scratched the skin of your cheek, as he buried his head in the crook of your neck; lips marking you as his.

"I love you, too, darling. With all my heart. I'm yours." He lifted his head once more; glassy blue eyes gazing deeply into your soul. "Now let me love you. Let me make love to you." You smiled deliriously and raked your fingers through his long, blonde-brown curls. "I beg you to, Tommy."

And when he started to move, the world around you faded. All you could think and feel was Tom.