#I am FEASTING on just the CONCEPT | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

taintedcigs · 11 months ago

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— cowboy hat rule.

pairing: cowboy!steve harrington x fem!reader

warnings: smut, p in v, MINORS DNI!!!!, pet names, praising, kinda degrading but not really, a lil argument, dom!steve, rivals to fcking, swearing, good old bj for our good boy stevie! reader has a nickname 'sunshine' bc i didn't wanna do y/n sorry:(

summary: helping out mr. harrington in his ranch was supposed to be fun, but steve harrington was an asshole. an absolute pain in your ass that teased you, and you gave him the same energy back, always. so when you unknowingly wear his cowboy hat, he decides to teach you what exactly the cowboy hat rule is. (wc: 5k+)

author's note: this is just horny babbling. i have no idea how cowboy lore works so if im wrong pls just close ur eyes i tried to research but i couldnt find shit just pls i just want cowboy steve dick. and ofc no proof-reading bc im lazy as hell. no dividers ugly aesthetic bc of tumblrs f ass not showing my shit in tags SIGH.

also PLSSS LIKE + REBLOG + COMMENT TO SUPPORT ME MWAH ILY

When you told Mr. Harrington you’d be more than happy to help around his Ranch during the summer, you didn’t expect Steve to become a problem, but you were wrong, so fucking wrong.

A cocky cowboy who’s way too into partying and into his looks and his fluffy hair than you could ever imagine. That’s exactly how you’d describe Steve Harrington. Even though you so badly wanted to believe otherwise, wanted to disregard the rumors and the reputation that came with him. But, he made it so goddamn hard.

All he fucking did was tease you, complain. Order you around and act like you didn’t know how to do shit. And, you didn’t, but he was supposed to be your guidance, teach you. But all he did was grumble and give you that goddamned smirk.

Yet, you couldn’t fully hate him, there was a side of him he rarely showed you, one that cared, one that offered you rides—it was more of a mumble each night but you accepted nonetheless, one that ended up at your side whenever an asswipe bothered you at the bar, one that offered you a hand on your back when you were crying, he didn’t ask what happened, didn’t speak, just stood there, letting you spill out your guts. The two of you never spoke about these incidents, ever, because he acted like they didn’t exist, like he couldn’t bear the thought of being nice to you.

You were so fascinated by him, even though you’d never admit it out loud. He was charismatic, outright funny, and had a heart of gold that you only peered one layer of.

And fuck it, he was fine, annoyingly good-looking that he was a distraction to be around when you were supposed to be working, him with those sturdy denim jeans that cupped his ass perfectly, wide-brimmed cowboy hat with a creased crown, put perfectly on his head. Even though you’d much rather see his pretty hair falling on his face, run your hands through his smooth layers.

Usually, when it got as hot as it did today, he’d even take off that stupid shirt, feast your eyes with his glimmering chest, all hairy and glistening with sweat, broad shoulders as he ordered everyone around made you gulp. Like he is doing with you, right fucking now.

“Sunshine, get back to work.” Heat travels to your cheeks quickly, and that stupid nickname rolls off his lips so bitterly, the one he always called you just because you were all nice and smiley—even when he was being an asshole to you, something that grinded his gears, you guessed it was a foreign concept to him, being nice.

You were quick to shake off the hold he had on you, getting back on your feet as you stood your ground. “I am working! Just needed a second to breathe!” The lies rolled off your lips so simply that you wondered if he caught you staring. When he turned around to leave, you guessed he hadn’t.

“Asshole.” The insult leaves you before you can register how close Steve still was to you.

Turning head-spinningly fast. “What did ya say?” He spits, making you gulp physically.

He looks out of the world stunning when he’s mad, maybe it’s a toxic trait of yours but, fuck, the way his chocolate hues turn unrecognizable, that slight quirk of his brows, and the way his muscles flex in pure anger made you rub your thighs together.

Jesus Christ. He is getting into your head, and you hate that you think of him this way when he is so mean.

“Nothing! I’m just saying it’s really hot out today,” you hum, the sun rays hitting your face not making it easier on the heat that flame your cheeks.

He gives you a snort, all mocking once he takes a step closer, making you feel hotter if that is possible. “Well that’s what happens in the summer, darlin’”

Hand on the wall he tilts his head slightly, all with sass that has you rolling your eyes. “Or did you expect the weather to give Miss Sunshine some sorta special treatment?”

You roll your eyes, an act you always did that makes Steve’s jaw clench. “Oh, come on Steve! It’s really, really, hot, and the sun is all on my face!”

“Boo-hoo, princess,” he mocks, tipping his hat, almost as if to tease you further.

You scoff, getting closer to him. “Easy for you to just stand around in that big hat!” With a narrowed gaze, you cross your arms against your chest, like a brat, another trait that annoyed Steve even further.

Then, you beam again, and Steve knows no matter how much you hate it, Sunshine is absolutely the nickname you deserve, eyes glistening with happiness that it annoyingly even brings a glint to his pretty amber hues. His gaze unintentionally droops down to tour lips, so plushy and soft looking when it curls into that pretty smile that Steve wants to kiss you all over.

“Oh! Do you mind if I?” You ask all giggly, pointing toward his wide-brimmed hat, hand teasingly standing above his head.

He scoffs as if you had just asked him the most insulting question ever. “Not a chance,” he spits, now he crosses his arms in front of his chest, eyeing you with a dark glint in his eyes, one you couldn’t decide was full of annoyance or just pure desire.

“Mhmmm… okay,” you hum, feigning innocence for a second, before snatching it off his head with another hearty giggle.

Oh, what he would do to hear that on a loop, admire the way your lips stretched into the prettiest grin, brows quirked.

“Sunshine!” He chides, much rougher than he intends to, but you don’t pay attention to him when you place the hat carefully on your head, smoothing your hair.

You shrug, looking up at him with those doe eyes that have him melting, everytime, without fail. “Admit it, looks better on me.” You shrug, expecting him to agree.

Instead, he just offers you a deep sigh of breath, eyes almost widening when he realises what you just did. “Do you even—”

He huffs, hiding the obvious pink shade thats starting to color his cheeks, you really had no idea the hold you had on him, did you? “God, you city girls have no idea about anything, huh?”

Your brows furrow. “What?”

“Cowboy hat rule?” He asks with a tilt of his head, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest.

A teasing smile curves on your plushy lips as you push for more information. “What’s that?”

“Just give me the hat back,” he insists, attempting to mask the warmth that crept into his tone.

With a shake of your head, your defiance only grows, a glint of mischief dancing in your gaze. “Not until you tell me the rules.”

“Sunshine,” he warns, voice so grumbly that heat travels all over your body quicker than the sun burning you.

“Steve?” You hum with a flirty gaze, so teasing that Steve wants to fuck you right then and there, until he teaches you proper manners, until he shows you not to be a total fucking brat and not to roll your eyes at him, until he shows you that you’re his.

But, of course, he settles on a low grumble of, “You’re annoying.”

“You used to be more creative with the insults, Harrington.” Another teasing remark, and Steve rolls his tongue inside of his mouth.

With a smirk, he takes another step toward you, when your back hit the walls of the barn, only then you realise, he has you cornered. “You wanna know the cowboy hat rule, princess?” He asks all smugly.

Gaze meaner than he is, chest almost pressed against yours, voice so low that all you can do is slightly nod.

Your breath gets hitched in your throat when his face is mere inches away from yours, hot breath fanning against your cheeks, skin heating on the impact, that brattiness you wear as a mask quick to slip off when he’s all demanding. “You wear the hat, you ride the cowboy.” His tone is almost a growl, pupils blown wide, making you gulp, physically.

“What?” You blink, unsure of what he’s actually asking. Excitement jumping around in your tummy.

“You heard me. Wanna take me for a ride, Sunshine?” He is so goddamn close that you are sure he can hear the annoying tumble your heart does at the weight of what his words hold.

It makes you pause, gaze sticking on his, sometimes slipping away to his soft lips, almost to signal him of something, but all you can do is try to hide the embarrassment that burns your cheeks.

“Didn’t think so,” he scoffs, backing away just slightly.

His cowboy hat is too big on your head, tipping low over your eyes, possibly hiding your nervousness as you mutter, “What if I do?”

With a smooth motion, he flips it off from your head, holding it with his palm, away from you. “Get back to work, Sunshine.”

“I’m serious—”

“So am I, those horses ain’t gonna straddle their strap themselves, off. to. work,” he hisses, turning to leave.

You huff, heat still burning off your cheeks, more embarrassed than annoyed, yet you still don’t have it in yourself to let it go, you can’t let him have this. Win this.

Quick to snatch the hat back, “So the hat rule is, wear the cowboy hat, ride the cowboy, huh?” You mumble behind him, your voice failing you, yet you appear to be giggly, and Steve heaves a deep sigh of breath, before fully turning to you.

He halts a bit when he sees you once again, in his hat, tipped low, that stupidly addicting smirk gracing your slightly-open lips, hand on your hips, and all he wants to do is fuck you till you lose that attitude of yours.

“Stop,” he warns, taking a step closer to you but with a shake of your head you back away, and he sighs, loud and annoyed.

“Gimme that, sunshine!”

“Nuh-uh.” All teasing and bratty, and grating on Steve’s last nerve. You know this, yet you wanna keep pushing him, further and further, until he snaps, until he can’t take it anymore. You have no reason to do this, you’re supposed to hate him, think of him as an annoying asshole.

But the two of you are finally tethering on that line, the line between purely teasing each other out of spite, to teasing each other out of flirting, you know that, and you don’t wanna take a step back. “Prove it.”

You are all up in his face, and all he can do his roll his eyes, cheeks beetle red, frustration worn on his face. “Knock it off.”

You tut gently, crossing your arms in front of your chest. “Not until you—” Your words are interrupted quickly when he snatches up the hat from your head in annoyance, making you gasp when he discarded it easily.

“Get back to work!” His voice raises, and it makes you take a deep breath.

Shit, did you fuck this up?

“What?” You question, entire body feeling dizzy. He takes a step closer.

“You heard me.”

Another step closer, his breaths come out in short gasps, frustration taking over him. “Get back to fuckin’ work, before I can’t stop myself.”

He is close. Too fucking close, and you can’t help the way your gaze droops down to his soft lips, slightly parted open, downturned from frustration. God, you realize how hot he is when he is angry, once again. “F—from what?”

He hesitates, before licking his lips. This is it. He wants, no, he desperately needs you. Needs to put you to your place. Teach you what happens to bratty girls like you. Show you what exactly the stupid rule is. “From fucking you in this goddamn barn.”

You release the breath you’ve been holding back, feeling small, so small under his gaze. Mouth hanging open, and all you want is him to pin you against the wall, have you screaming out his name. “From making sure I show you how the goddamn cowboy hat rule works.”

Your back is plastered against the wall, his hands are by your side, you are caged beneath him, chest rising in anticipation. “Is that what you want, honey, think you can handle all of that?” He’s so smug, and you don’t know what overtakes you when he’s all in control like this, you wanna obey him, make him happy, proud, so you bite back on your insults.

His smirk is dangerously alluring, and you’re under his spell.

“Please,” you beg, heat finds your cheeks again, you hate the hold he has on you.

He barks out a chuckle, so mean, yet as equally hot. “Please, what? Speak up,” he spits, rolling his tongue inside of the roof of his mouth, lips wearing a smirk.

“Ruin me,” your voice is small, meek, yet it makes him groan.

You’re such a good girl for him, and he wants nothing more than to ruin you. Fully. Completely. Ruin you for every other man.

His head ducks down to your neck, leaving a sloppy kiss before leaning into your ear, his breath hot on your neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake. “Goddamit darlin’, you gonna be the death of me, huh?”

You don’t—you can’t answer, you’re speechless, rubbing your thighs together desperately, seeking some friction, a touch, anything.

He levels with you again, dangerous gaze on your lips, fingertips brushing against your cheeks teasingly “You know what I always wanted to do, sunshine?” He coarses lowly.

“W—what?” You ask with a gulp, lips twitching with need.

He gives you another grin, that asshole. The pad of his thumb slowly caressing your lips now, making you shiver with hunger. “Always wanted to put you to your place, you and that damn smart mouth, always runnin’ it for no good reason. I’d give you a good reason for those pretty lips, huh? Use it the way I wanna use it, fill it the way I wanna feel it,” he grunts like he said the most normal thing, yet you’re already squirming, wanting to open your lips, take his fingers in your mouth and suck on them, show him how much of a good girl you can be for him.

He has you on such a hold already, and you can’t complain. For someone who seemed to be annoyed—hell, even hated him a few minutes ago, you feel crazy, batshit insane, all you want is him.

His fingertips play with your lips all teasingly, pupils blown wide, the other hand caresses your hair so possessively that you melt into his touch. “You gonna be good for me sweet thing?”

He doesn’t have to ask you twice. “Y—yes, sir.”

Sir.

Godfuckingdammit. You don’t know the hold you have on him, do you?

He bites back on the moan that rumbles in his throat, instead settling on a, “Good girl.” Your puppy dog eyes glint at the praise, and he makes a mental note of it. .

“Get on your knees f’me, darlin’,” he grumbles, and you’re quick to obey, not minding the uncomfortable feeling of the wooden floors scraping your knees, or the fact that anyone might’ve walked in, the door was locked, and there was probably no one around yet Mr. Harrington might’ve returned to the ranch at any moment. But he made you feel safe, somehow.

You look up at him with those doe-eyes again, making him suck in a breath before he unbuttons his jeans and pushes them off his hips, boxers so tight around his hard cock that he grunts involuntarily.

Your eyes go wide the second his erection springs free, almost hitting the tip of your nose, red, angry and leaking with pre-cum, he lets out a chuckle at your expression before grabbing the base of his cock.

Same eyes, looking up at him all hungrily, Steve feels the way blood rushes quickly to his cock, making him harder if that's even possible, with a groan he runs the leaking tip across your lips. “Open up.”

Your hand replaces his quickly, and he runs his fingers through several strands of your hair, teaching you how exactly he wants you.

You open your mouth wide, just like he likes it, tongue giving his slit kitten licks, moaning at the taste of his salty pre-cum, wrapping your plushy lips around his thick head, and sucking the life out of him, determined, and feigning innocence with the soft gaze you held.

Head thrown back, heavy boots planted on the harsh ground, he lets out a low groan, stroking your hair all softly. “Look at you s’pretty like this for me.”

His hand wraps tighter around your hair, pushing you onto him, making sure you gag a little and that only spurs you on, making you whine around his cock, the sound reverberating through his chest. “Cat got your tongue, darlin’?” He chuckles all meanly.

“God, do you have any idea how many times I wanted to shut up that bratty mouth like this?” He asks with grunts leaving his open mouth, hand working harshly around your head, mouth feeling like heaven the more you bob around his thick length, struggling to take all of him.

“Those pretty lips are—mmpf, shit—better stuffed with my cock than being a spoiled lil’ city girl runnin’ her mouth, ain’t that right, baby?” You nod meekly, angelic eyes seeking for his validation before you flatten your tongue around the sensitive part of his tip, struggling to take all of him in your mouth. Earning guttural moans, eyes squeezed shut as he feels your soft lips wrapped around him again.

“Fuck, sweet thing.” You can feel his filthy grunts straight in your core, all low and lewd that you almost moan around him again, he puts one hand on the wall, helping himself to better move in and out of your throat.

He knows if you keep this up, he’ll cum right and there, and fuck, he needs that. But he needs to be inside of you more.

You keep up your stroking, now adjusting yourself properly to start licking and sucking on his balls. “Sunshine, you need to s—stop,” the words barely leave his lips, he so doesn’t want you to stop. But, he needs to cum inside of you.

Yet, you don’t listen to him as your movement speeds up, determined to feel his load warming your throat, make him proud, and your mouth bobs harder around his length, making him growl at you harshly. “Sunshine,” he warns, pulling you by your hair.

You’re quick to take a deep breath of air once he pulls you off, looking up at him with the perfect innocent eyes, your lips wearing the prettiest pout. “Was that not good for you, Stevie?”

Stevie. That nickname makes his head spin faster, all he wants to do is fuck you against those stupid rustic walls, have you screaming out for him, the whole ranch filled with your filthy noises, no one was around anyway.

“You kiddin’, sweetheart?” He gives you a chuckle, wrapping his hands around your jaw, pulling you off the floor.

“You were fuckin’ amazing,” he hums, leaning down to kiss you, tasing the salty semen on your tongue.

His hands are quick to travel along to your waist, fingertips finding their way onto your panties rather quickly, earning a gasp out of you. “Need to be in here first, honey.”

You nod, so quickly that you can feel him grinning into the kiss, his hands are everywhere, yours are more or less the same, quick to get rid of his top, to feel his toned chest in your soft hands, your top is sprawled right next to his, revealing your pink and gold bra at him, breasts peeking out just enough to have him groan, big hands quick to get rid of them.

He has you caged against the amber walls, back hitting the rough material, making you hiss. Your skin heats at the impact, it’s filthy, lewd, and so public, but none of you even care enough to break the kiss. He settles between your thighs, his pants drooped to his ankles, hands rubbing across your skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

The sight of you so easily submitting to him, makes his cock grow harder than he thought was possible, looking so ethereal that Steve forgets all about everything else. “Sunshine,” he breathes, hands fiddling with the hem of your panties.

“Mhmm,” is all you can muster, legs slightly open for him, and he almost feels possessive over you, it’s entirely stupid, but he looks so fucking alluring with those dark chestnut eyes, layered hair a mess, and cock weeping entirely with the thought of you.

His thumb runs over the seam of your pussy, just a glimpse of how his fingers are going to ruin you, and you pulse and clench against him already. Wet. Drenched. And all ready to take him. “You’re soaked,” he groans.

Leaning further into your ear, “is that all for me, honey?” he rasps, desperate, needing your confirmation.

Heat grows in your cheeks faster than a scorching day in July, and he grins, again, all cocky and proud. “Yes,” you admit meekly, and Steve’s quick to kiss your worries away.

“God, you’re so fuckin’ pretty like this,” he growls, swirling your wetness up and around your slit, almost toying with you, having you desperately mewl for him.

He can’t put his finger on it, what it is that draws him this much into you, but he’s hooked, so goddamn obsessed that he feels like an idiot, for being this much of an asshole, for acting like a grade school boy who’s pulling the pigtails of his crush. Like a stupid cliche.

“Stevie.” That nickname, again. Godfuckingdammit, Steve thinks. You have him so wrapped around your finger, it’s like a prayer, and he’s sure you’re not aware of it. And it drives him even crazier. “Please.”

“Talk to me.” His voice is low, lips now nipping at your neck, suckling, giving you all the marks you need.

“I need you,” you hum, eyes squeezed shut, desperate. His finger discard your panties and slide easily inside of you, your back is fully dipped into the well-worn walls with how good he feels, his thick fingers making their way in and out of your soppy cunt, whines leave your lips faster than you can comprehend.

“Ruin me, Steve, fully, completely.” You don’t know how those words leave past your lush lips, but your thighs ache with need, cunt throbbing for him and him only.

His eyes widen quickly, pure hunger quick to fill his veins, mouth hanging open, curses leaving his lips at how forward you are being. “Show me the cowboy hat rule, sir.”

Steve all but groans, mouth harshly on yours again, chests pressed together and you can feel how hard he truly is, rock stiff, and aching to be inside of you. The sheer size of how he feels against your thighs almost makes your eyes bulge again.

His fingers stop moving in and out of you, before you can whine, he spins you around so fast that you gasp loudly, hands immediately plastered on the wall, pleasure and excitement fills your tummy, but the fact that he’s seeing you all vulnerable like this is embarrassing enough that you try to close your legs.

He’s quick to stop you with a grin, rough hands landing on the back of your thighs, spreading them open while tutting you. “Nuh-uh. Don’t get all shy now, princess. Spread them open f’me.” You spread them a little, cunt throbbing with how close his fingers are.

He groans again once he fully gets a view of you like this, face down, ass up, your pussy slicked with your juices, at his mercy. “‘M gonna ruin you, honey, don’t you worry.” A dark chuckle barks out from his chest, sending chills down your spine, almost making you whine.

Fuck.

His hands are rough when he has you by your waist, bruising almost. Lining his cock in front of your slick core, he swipes the head of his reddened tip inside of you with one forceful thrust. Your plushy lips open slightly, stealing your breath away as you try to adjust to his size.

Shit, shit, shit, he feels even better than you fucking expected.

His cock splits you open, filling every goddamn inch of you. You don’t know how many times you thought this, but, shit, he’s as big as the gossip in this small town says he is.

His thrusts are slow, grunts so loud and heavenly that it spurs you on more and more. His weight on you, the bruising hold. You feel him everywhere. On your back, hips, and fucking inside of you.

“F-fucking, fuck!” he growls, leaving nibbles all over your shoulder and back, even with the fact that this was Steve, and he was rough and filthy, it was wildly intimate, so wildly intimate that you could feel your heart pounding inside of your chest.

“How are you this fuckin’ tight, s-sweetheart?” One of his hands travel up to your neck, roughly holding you down, hips slamming into you with such force that you cry out.

He watches the way his girthy cock disappears in and out of you, wetting himself with your juices, filling every inch of you. “Doin’ s’good for me, princess.” His praises are heavenly, making your chest swell with pride.

He moves inside of your soppy cunt with short thrusts. Completely bottomed out, thrusting against the same sensitive spot every time as his balls, heavy with cum grind against your clit, with each movement, making you cry out his name, babbles leaving your mouth. “Yeah, you like this don’t ya? Want me to ruin this slutty pussy, huh? Ruin it for every other men?”

You nod all dumbly, yet, it isn’t enough for him. He wants to hear you, have you scream it out. “Say it, sweet thing, fuckin’ say it,” he groans, coarse voice making tingles appear everywhere on your skin.

“I-I love it, Stevie, want you to ruin me for everyone else, mmpf,” you moan all fucked out, eyes rolled all the way back to your head, hips desperately grinding against him for some more friction.

He picks up his pace, fucking into you with reckless abandon.“F-fuck doll, won’t last if you keep runnin’ that dirty mouth.”

But his words just encourage you to keep going, gasps coming out in short breaths as you manage to drive him crazier. “All yours, sir, all yours.”

He grunts at that, one of his arms snaking around and under your hips to find a better angle, lifting you up so that he can fuck his cock deeper into you, make you feel how fucking big he really is. “That’s right, baby, it’s all fuckin’ mine.”

Hot tears spill down your cheeks, entire body burning with it. The slick sounds of his hips driving into you, your moans, his low groans are all that fill the room. So fucking filthy, and you can feel yourself clenching around him.

It’s all too much; his hands everywhere, the lewd noises he makes, how deep his girthy cock is bottomed out inside of you, making you feel every ridge. It’s fucking perfect, and you desperately need to cum.

And of fucking course, Steve can feel your pussy gripping him, so tight that he knows he’s gonna cum right after you do. “Gonna cum f’me, huh? Such a good girl,” he praises, again, knowing the effect it has on you and all you can do is gasp and weakly nod.

One of his thumbs quickly finds your clit, making your pussy throb around him in pure ecstasy, all the overstimulation enough to have you crying like a bitch in heat. “Give it to me, angel,” he murmurs, pressing open-mouthed kisses everywhere on your skin.

His movements pick up, padded thumb rubbing circles around your clit, the other hand landing on your nipples, twisting them while pumping into you, it’s all too much that it makes you sob and beg for him.

“Cream my cock, let me ruin you completely, darlin’” It’s all the confirmation you need as your orgasm builds and washes through you, body exploding with pleasure, spreading through your skin as you scream out his name.

Your pussy squeezes and pulses around his cock, and he fucking knows, he won’t last, not in the slightest. “S-shit, sweet thing, gonna make me cum with all those filthy noises.”

“Want that, honey, hmm? Wanna be filled with my cum? Show everybody in this town who owns ya? Owns this tight lil’ cunt?” He feels it, that pure hunger for you over taking him, coarse voice, dark eyes, like a man possessed. His fingers dig further into your skin as he desperately chases his orgasm, enjoying the sloppy sounds your pussy makes as he drives into you.

“P-please, Stevie, n-need your cum,” you weakly hum. And it fucking breaks him. Hips losing all rhythm when he spills his warm load into you, twitching inside of you once he pumps you full of his cum.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Sunshine,” he breathes, collapsing on your back, both of you trying to come down from the high. He slips free of you slowly, his cum dripping down your thighs, making him grin proudly.

“S-steve,” you weakly murmur, collapsing in his arms. He holds you down, slight kisses left on your back, delicate in a way you have never seen him before. Yet, the two of you don’t mention it, “let me take you home,” he mutters, a gentle hold on you that makes you feel warm.

“N-no.”

“No?” Intrigued, his breath gets caught in his throat, the look you give him is so sultry that the blood rushes to his cock in an instant again. Fucking fuck, what have you done to him.

“We still haven’t followed the rules,” you purr sweetly, causing him to raise his brows in excitement, tempting him further and further.

“The rule was wear the hat, ride the cowboy, wasn’t it?” You question with a slight grin, eyes lulled, still fucked out.

Your fingertips gently grazed against his chest, hairy and slicked with sweat, his sudden dominance fading when you were so quick to switch from begging to cum underneath him to gaining that flirty, giddy personality again. Already leaving him a mess. “Y-yeah,” he murmured, watching you hungrily, his cock already weeping again.

“Then, sit down and lemme take care of you, cowboy,” you ordered again, shuddering breaths leaving him in an instant.

Now you were going to ruin him.

Fully.

Completely.

And Steve couldn’t be more infatuated. You were truly his demise.

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fics #steve harrington smut #steve harrington imagines #cowboy!steve harrington

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daretoassume · 6 months ago

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how i counteract my negative beliefs.

over the years, i knew that i had lingering thoughts and beliefs that did not serve me. so, at the beginning of 2021, i started doing shadow work, which was very scary to me because there was a lot to uncover. i began to understand that those beliefs were programmed into me since i was a kid. i knew if i wanted to create my reality consciously, i had to let them go and change those beliefs. i did not deny that i had those beliefs. i acknowledged them so i could let them go.

like i said, i did shadow work first (which i still do every year so that i am always aware and can self-reflect on what needs changing). then i started doing affirmations, visualization, and commanding over the years. i do affirmations every morning right after my meditation. i feel them as if they were true while holding my chest with both hands. i always do my affirmations in front of the mirror and look myself in the eyes. sometimes it ends up as a whole conversation of affirmation, and i feel good the entire day.

next, i did visualization. since i love to daydream, i took that as an advantage but with full control. so i visualize myself with my desires showing up and getting into the feeling. "what would it feel like if my desires showed up?" i would try my best to feel my imagination in all my senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) sometimes it takes just a few minutes to get into that feeling but i stop right after i feel it, and continue what i am doing. sometimes i fall asleep while doing it.

lastly, there is commanding, which i mastered this year. since i have worked on my self-concept over the years, it is much easier to command my brain. now, if a negative belief comes up and i feel it, my body would fidget, and my leg starts to shake. the moment this happens, i always catch myself and tell myself, "hey, if this negative belief is true/possible, how come the positive belief is a lie/impossible when they are both neutral?" then i choose to command my brain with the positive belief or thought instead of being anxious about the negative belief. then the negative belief is gone!

because i am aware

that i have the power,

my imagination is real,

and i am deserving and worthy of everything i want in life.

if i understand those 3 things, then why choose to believe or have that negative belief? if i truly understand those 3 things, i would embody the feeling of my natural self which is my divine self. and if all beliefs are neutral, then i would choose to believe the one that serves me more. this is how i discipline my mind.

it's not about having no negative beliefs at all but having to counteract and always choosing what serves me more. my inner conversations are always me discipling myself and filing it with so much knowledge, love, and compliments.

"walk in the assumption that you are what you want to be. if you feast on that and remain faithful to that mental diet, you will crystallize it. you will become it in this world." ♱ five lessons: thinking fourth-dimensionally, neville goddard

you see, there are no "magic" techniques. it is only a matter of choosing the best for yourself. nobody will do this for you. if you are not willing to work on yourself, how will you experience change in your reality in ways you prefer?

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lurkingshan · 12 days ago

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Shan's Favorite Dramas of 2024

The year is wrapping up and I have forced myself to narrow down to a list of 15 (I tried 10 but the choices were too hard!) of my favorite 2024 dramas across genres and countries of origin. This is not every drama I liked this year (that list would be incredibly long), but these are the ones that inspired the most brain rot and really stuck with me.

At 25:00 in Akasaka (Japan, Gaga)

The mood and tone of this drama was just perfect, and I loved the way it explored the blurred lines and confusion that can result when the real and fake aspects of a professional relationship get all mixed up. Hayama was a great character and I loved his arc, in particular.

Cherry Magic (Thailand, Viu)

I still can't believe how much I loved this adaptation. A fantastic example of taking a work from another culture and translating it to a new context while not only retaining the core narrative, but even enhancing it. This show gave us what the Japanese version didn't--the resolution to the physical intimacy arc at the core of the premise--and retained all the charm of the original while adding new humor. And delivered one of the best romances of the year while it was at it!

Don't Care for an Old Man's Underwear (Japan, fansub)

Oppan, my beloved. Easily the best family drama of the year, loaded with excellent messages while (mostly) avoiding feeling like an after-school special. Makoto's journey to update his thinking with Daichi's help, and the mutual friendship that developed between them, is one of my favorite relationships of the year. I loved every character's story; there is something for everyone to connect with in this show.

Fangs of Fortune (China, iQIYI)

This drama was just so much FUN. A gorgeous feast for the eyes, a wealth of fascinating characters and relationship dynamics, and a fast-moving plot that you don't need to try too hard to understand. It was a great binge and Li Lun was easily my favorite villain of the year.

Gyeongseong Creature (South Korea, Netflix)

A gorgeous period piece set during one of the darkest chapters of Korean history, this one took me by surprise (I am usually not a horror girlie). The writing for this show had surprising depth and I loved its themes around family and loyalty and survival under fascism.

Knock Knock Boys (Thailand, Gaga)

My boys! I loved this show about a group of four queer men living together in a shared house, getting into mischief and supporting each other through school and work and relationship struggles. The show is funny and breezy but also manages to tackle some serious issues with grace while delivering two strong romances and my favorite coming out narrative of the year.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (South Korea, iQIYI)

Winner for best QL of the year, and a romance that will be sticking with me for a long time. Dohoe is one of the most honest and unflinching depictions of a an adult psyche shaped by childhood abuse that I have ever seen on my screen. It was healing to see him treated with such compassion and to see him and Juyoung find their way to a happy life together. An absolute must watch for all you angst with a happy ending fans.

Love for Love’s Sake (South Korea, iQIYI)

It's so hard to get a high concept premise like this right, but this drama did an amazing job with it. It's one of those shows where you can go back over everything that happened in retrospect and it all adds up, and I loved that the ending lent itself to so many different interpretations. One of the best watch experiences of the year.

Love in the Big City (South Korea, Viki)

Go Young, my beloved. This drama adaptation of the internationally successful novel exceeded my wildest expectations, and I am still a little stunned that we got the privilege of seeing it. It is, bar none, the most authentically queer show on this list, and a beautiful depiction of all the significant relationships in one young man's life. I will be rewatching it many times and keeping it close to my heart.

Love is Like a Poison (Japan, fansub)

A masterful blend of comedy, action, and romance, this drama about a lawyer with delusions of grandeur and the scam artist who decides to become his partner was a constant delight and gave us my favorite battle couple of the year.

Marahuyo Project (Philippines, YouTube)

I can't tell you the joy and relief I felt to get another high quality queer drama from the Philippines this year. And this one had such a great cast of characters, anchored by one of my favorite protagonists of the year in King. It's funny, it's romantic, it's touching, and as always for a JP Haboc production, it has an amazing soundtrack.

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat (Japan, fansub)

My girls! I'm still amazed by how much this drama gave us in its second season by expanding the world of the show beyond our two main characters to include so many other women whose stories were just as fascinating. This is the season where Nomoto and Kasuga really came into themselves and started building the life they want to have together, and it was a real joy to watch.

Tender Light (China, YouKu)

The way this show had me in a chokehold while it was airing! Visually stunning, incredibly well-constructed, and featuring one of the best performances of the year from Zhang Xin Cheng, it's an exhilarating mystery and a very touching story of the unusual bond between a student and the older woman who fascinates and terrifies him.

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (South Korea, Viki)

You know a drama is good when it has you deeply invested in a random topic you never thought you were interested in. In this case, that's the intense debate on pedagogical methods between the public schools and hagwons in Korea. Alongside delivering a great romance, this drama was passionate about teaching and it sucked me right in to the Korean literature lessons at the heart of the story.

Unknown (Taiwan)

No other drama inspired more brain rot in me this year than this story of a family rocked by changing feelings as the chosen siblings grow up. The loyalty and love and complex desire between Wei Qian and Wei Yuan is the heart of this story, and the drama did an incredible job of taking us along for the journey as things shifted and changed between them. I still think about them all the time.

Bonus: Favorite Classic Dramas Watched for the First Time in 2024

I am always catching up on an endless backlog of dramas alongside my live watches. Here are the best gems I finally watched this year.

Lost (South Korea, Viki)

I loved this deeply melancholy drama about two lost souls who connect unexpectedly. I finally pulled it up from my to be watched list because it shares director Hur Jin Ho with Love in the Big City (he did part 2 with Go Young's mom) and it sure feels like it! The characters are deep and complicated, the relationships are complex and carefully built, and it is hands down the best encapsulation of a failed marriage between two good people who truly loved each other that I have ever seen. It's heavy and not for everyone--mining the depths of human despair is kind of its thing--but if you like this sort of story it's world class.

Mouse (South Korea, Viki)

I was recently in the market for a good mystery thriller, so I finally watched this apparently very divisive 2021 drama--and if there's a divide I am firmly on the HELL YEAH side of the line. This drama had an interesting concept (that I will not describe bc holy shit spoilers, you should go in knowing nothing) that it unwound with remarkable patience and precision over 20 episodes. Its themes were strong and consistent, the lead characters were super compelling, the plotting and pacing and editing were unbelievably tight, the performances were incredible, and it made a lot of provocative points and ended well, feeling coherent and complete. It sustained my full interest and attention without any stumbles for ~25 incredible hours.

Mr. Sunshine (South Korea, Netflix)

Another one that's been on my watch list forever and finally got its moment when I was in the mood for a historical where ladies got to wield weapons alongside the men. And unsurprisingly, I loved it. Writer Kim Eun Sook is known for her big, glossy, epic dramas, and her style made a good pairing with a story about a rebel faction during the Japanese occupation of Korea. I really loved all the main characters in this show, and was moved by the complicated exploration of their loyalty (or lack thereof) to their homeland. This drama also has a very strong class analysis baked into its themes, which I very much appreciated. It was a traumatic watch, but in a way that felt right given the setting and the choices characters made.

The Miracle of Teddy Bear (Thailand, YouTube)

I watched this one on a mission and it was worth every moment. Nut is one of my favorite protagonists in any queer drama, and I thought the show made great use of its fantasy concept to explore some very real human experiences with depth and compassion. This show feels like an especially important counterpoint to the Thal BL bubble, and I recommend it highly for anyone who enjoys those dramas.

When I Fly Towards You (China, Netflix)

And we end on a light and sweet note, with my favorite coming of age romance that I watched all year. This drama was just lovely, and it will be a go-to rewatch for me for years to come. There’s something so comforting about a story where you start with the happy ending before jumping to the beginning, and just get to sit back and see how they get there. I loved all the characters in this and marveled at how it was never boring despite being decidedly low angst.

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catsteeth · 7 months ago

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Hii, I love your writings❤️ Can you write Podrick Payne and the fem reader? The reader is a Jon's twin sister, the Queen in the North. And Podrick has been in love with her for years, from the moment he first saw her. The reader is aware of the situation from the beginning, and when they meet again in the North at the end of the road, she notices once again how Podrick looks at her, but the only difference is that he is not a child anymore.☆

Growing Pains🍎

A/N: Thank you sm angel baby! Now this is what I AM TALKING ABOUT!!! Girl hell yes I can… I love this concept but I am going to take some liberties with the timelines and when Podrick is introduced in the story but let's all just sit back and have fun. You didn’t specify if you wanted smut but girls just wanna have fun so I did it anyway (there will be a cut off so you know when it's coming if you wanna stop reading beforehand) Hope you enjoy it and thank you for the request!! CW: SMUT MDNI, fuff, pining, mention of prostitution, mention of alcohol, fingering, grinding,

You had a hard go of it in life.

Being the bastard of Ned Stark and the twin of Jon Snow. Having the last name of Snow swayed every person's opinion of you. Except for one, Podrick. A squire of little influence. When he and his Lord Tyrion visited the North with the rest of the Lannister and Baratheon family, he found himself enamored with you.

At first he thought it was because of your fair beauty. Your skin had a glow to it, your eyes as well.

As the Stark family lined up to greet the royal family you and Jon were standing behind them. An embarrassment to the family but an open embarrassment nonetheless.

As you stood there, you studied all the knights and kings guard that stood before you and your family. You thought some of them were handsome but none captured your interest really.

That was until your brother Jon nudged you.

“It would seem you’ve an admirer, dear sister.” He teased as you looked and saw a shorter boy with short brown hair. He was certainly a squire. As your eyes met his he looked away

nervously.

You looked back to Jon, “Merely a boy, Jon.”

“Aye, as you are merely a girl.” He said with a smirk. You nudged him harder and gave him a cold and hard scowl, making him struggle to hold in laughter.

As Lord Tyrion descended from his carriage he stood beside Podrick while he waited for Robert and Nedd to be done with their reunion. However when he looked behind Nedd he noticed Nedd’s bastards giggling like children until Lady Catelyn shot them a glare that shut them up quickly.

However he also noticed how Podricks gaze was fixated on you. His face reveals how pathetically enamored he was with you. Tyrion chuckled to himself and then tugged on Podrick’s sleeve a few times until his attention returned to his Lord.

“Yes, my Lord?” Podrick asked,

“You are appointed to serve me, not Ned Stark's bastard daughter.” Tyrion said to Podrick in a teasingly scornful tone. “Is that who that is?” He asked his eyes to stay put on you.

Tyrion nodded, “(Y/N) Snow…” Tyrion spoke your name and to Podrick it sounded like poetry. He looked back over to you as Podrick mouthed your name back to himself. “A beautiful girl,” Tyrion said matter of factly.

“Yes, yes she is.” Podrick nodded, still unable to tear his gaze away from you.

“You know what they say about Northern girls?” Tyrion smirked as he looked up at Podrick,

Podricks gaze finally looked back to Tyrion with a confused look, “No?”

“Perhaps you’ll find out.” He said with a raised brow, making Podrick swallow hard.

꒰ ୨୧ ─

Later that night during the feast you and Jon were turned away from the dining hall. It would be an insult to the royal family if you two were sitting in their field of vision. Gods forbid they were to see a bastard while they ate a meal that your family prepared for them.

You were content to go to your chambers and wait out the feast before you’d sneak into the kitchen and eat whatever was left. But the plum tree had recently bloomed and it was too tempting for you to wait until the feast was over.

Normally you’d convince Bran to climb the tree to pick you some but you were alone. So you did the next best thing, convince the next man you saw.

“Hello, kind ser. Could I trouble you for just a moment.” You said to a shadowed form nearby that was approaching. As it got closer you noticed it was the boy that was staring at you from the courtyard beside Lord Tyrion.

“Yes, yes, my Lady, no trouble at all.” He said, stammering nervously as he walked closer toward you.

“I recognize you… I saw you today. You’re not a Northerner.” You said with narrow eyes.

“N-no, my Lady I am a squire to Lord Tyrion Lannister.” He spoke softly and sweetly, but again, nervously.

“Huh, not a Ser then.” You furrowed your brows, examining the boy in front of you. Unsure if you could trust him or not.

He shook his head, “And you’re (Y/N)... Daughter of Nedd Stark.” He was careful not to use the last name of Snow.

“I am.” You said strongly.

“W-why are you not at the feast my lady?”

“Lady Catelyn thought it might insult the royal family for me and my brother to be seated in their midst.” You explained

“Why would she think that?” He asked genuinely, couldn’t understand you being hidden from anyone.

“I am.. unsightly.” You tried to find the right word,

“I don’t think that is the word to describe you-”

“A bastard… to put it simply.” You turned your mind back to the task at hand, unwilling to discuss the matter further. You looked up at the plums ripe on the tree behind you. “But nonetheless a bastard gets hungry just the same as anyone else.” You looked back at Podrick hoping he would get the hint. “Can't reach it though.”

“Yes of course,” He said quickly as soon as he understood what it was you needed from him.

You giggled to yourself as you watched him struggle to climb the tree. Just as he was about to pick the best one, his foot slipped and he fell out of the tree, with tons of plums following him. “Oof!” He grunted as he hit the ground and was covered in plums.

“Oh!” You shouted as you ran up to him. You couldn’t help but laugh as you kneeled beside him, “I am sorry, I do not mean to laugh!” You covered your mouth trying to conceal your amusement,

He looked up at you with stars in his eyes, that could have been the fall but he was sure that you looked like you were made by the Gods themselves. “That’s alright,” He said softly with a dimwitted smile on his face.

You kissed his cheek as a token of your appreciation, when you did he thought he might die. “I thank you.” You said as you grabbed a plum from his lap, making him blush,

“Of-Of course my Lady,” He stammered,

You bit into the juicy plum, “I’m no Lady.” You stood and walked away.

However, that wouldn’t be the last time the two of you crossed paths.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

When Jon left for the nights watch and was to leave for Kings Landing with your sisters, Lady Catelyn made it clear she wanted you gone. So you went with your sisters, however in KingsLanding you worked as a handmaiden.

But this did just give Podrick more of an opportunity to fawn over you.

When given the chance, the two of you enjoyed each other's company.

On one occasion you and Podrick got drunk off of his Lord Tyrion’s wine when you were alone. You threw cherries across a room while Podrick attempted to catch them in his mouth.

Tyrion walked in when he heard the commotion and drunk laughter from the hallway. He could see the love in the drunk Podricks eyes clear as day.

He felt slightly responsible for Podrick and offered him a gift of experience. He took Podrick to a pleasure house where he said “If you’re going to take that bastard girl's maidenhead, you might as well know how to do it well.”

“We are only friends, my Lord.” He stammered nervously,

“Unlikely it will stay that way.” He said as he left him alone with the three women.

That wouldn’t happen in Kings Landing however. After the execution of your father you traveled North to your Brother Jon.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

Years later however, after a long and hard battle, figuratively and literally, you were an adored and respected figure in the North. So much so that you were named Queen.

When you caught word that Podrick was on the grounds of Winterfell you felt an unexplainable urge to meet with him again.

You saw him sparring with a man on the training grounds. You watched as this once frail and inexperienced boy fought with honor and precision. It made you feel a tightening in your stomach. You felt yourself losing your trail of thought as you watched him, until he noticed you.

“(Y/N)” He said with wide eyes, and then bam! His sparring opponent knocked him down while he was off guard, “Oof!” He tapped out, “Enough for today.” He hopped off the ground and ran over towards you, smiling,

You smiled back, “You look different. Well, but different.”

“You look the same.” He said catching his breath

You narrowed your eyes slightly as you smirked, “I’ll take that as a compliment,” He nodded, “It is.” His smile was almost contagious.

“Who taught you?” You asked, trying to distract from the compliment. “Brienne of Tarth, I’ve come into her service after Lord Tyrion.”

“An improvement.” You nodded, “You fight well.”

He bowed his head slightly “Thank you, your Grace.”

“No need for such formality.” You waved your hand in dismissal,

“Your Grace-” Someone of little interest to you at that moment spoke. Rushing you off to your regal duties.

You couldn’t say your goodbyes before being rushed off. Just like last time.

The rest of the day you spent thinking of him. Of how different things were now, how different you and he were, how much a man he’d grown into.

It was only until that night when you had the opportunity to speak to him once more.

꒰ ୨୧ ─

As Tyrion, Jaime, and Brienne finished a drinking game, Tormund came in an attempt to court Brienne but of course was unsuccessful. As he faced the rest of the table in a defeated sorrowful look, Podrick smiled at him.

As the Giant man left the table, Podrick looked back and noticed you. Once he saw you, his smile grew into a bigger and genuine one.

“Walk with me?” You asked and he of course nodded. Leaving the table in haste, making Tyrion smirk.

The two of you walked around the grounds, that now with everyone in the tavern was empty.

As you walked around, he noticed the very same plum tree that he fell from all those years ago. The tree hadn’t bloomed yet but, he thought back on that memory so often he couldn’t have been mistaken.

“Last time we were here you were here because you weren’t allowed in the dining hall. Now you own it.” He smiled at you, proud of your accomplishments.

“And you were in the dirt covered in-” You said teasingly with a mischievous smile.

“Plums.” He said matter of factly

“You remember?” You asked genuinely surprised.

“Of course I do, I remember how you laughed at me.” He said teasingly as he chuckled.

“I apologized!” You giggled,

“It’s alright, I liked hearing you laugh. And seeing you smile.” He smiled at you in a way that caused a heat to spread throughout your whole body.

“You’ve grown.” You couldn’t believe how much more bold and confident he had become.

“You’ve grown as well.”

“People tend to do that.” You teased,

“That’s true, and yet after all that time I couldn’t ever get you out of my head.” He thought about his journey and how often he missed you, “On our journey we always heard murmuring about you. The things you were doing. The wars you and your brother won. The triumphs and lows of it all.” He looked down trying to contain himself, “I thought of you often.”

You felt a heat rush over your cheeks, “You were always a considerate friend.” You rationalized, and paused for a moment before you looked over at him, “I thought of you often…” you smiled “As well.”

“May I ask you something, and truly I don’t mean to offend-”

You raised an eyebrow. “Well this sounds interesting, go on.” You said smiling,

“What of any… suitors?” He asked awkwardly,

You huffed a laugh and then shook your head, “No.” You looked over at Podrick who was already looking at you with a dumbfounded look, “What?” You giggled. “I apologize, I just find it hard to believe that.”

“Well I’d not lie.” You smirked,

“No, of course not. It’s just that you are…” He looked at you, “Mesmerizing.” He studied you for a moment, and then felt content to do what he had been meaning to do for so long, “You’ve always been mesmerizing.” He took your hand,

“What?” Your eyes narrowed as he kneeled in front of you.

“Ever since I saw you, I’ve never been able to release myself from this feeling. The way your hair shines, the way your eyes glow.” He looked up at you, at how beautiful you looked under that plum tree, in the moonlight. “Ever since you kissed me, even though it was just-” He reminisced on the memory for a moment, “A peck on the cheek,” He shook his head, “I couldn’t feel satisfaction from anything else. And what's worse is that- I don’t want to, I don’t want to feel satisfaction from anything but the satisfaction you bring to me. And ever since I have been back here the feeling is so much worse.” His grip on your hand tightened as he searched your eyes for a hint of your own emotions.

You shook your head, “I’m sorry.” You said, not sorry for not feeling the same but for not understanding your own emotions.

“I-” He looked down, confident he was defeated, “Forgive me.”

“No,” You shook your head again, “Forgive me.” You held his face in your hands,

“For what?” He asked, his brows furrowed in confusion, and concern that he’d just ruined whatever relationship you two had had for good.

“For ignoring my own feelings for you.” You held his face closer to your own, “I’ve been doing it for so long…” Your eyes were filled with a pining that you didn’t know you had, “Far too long” He leaned in even further, your eyes drooping slowly but not losing contact with him. Your noses brushing against one another. Your lips finally meet softly, hardly even touching. his hand came to cup your jaw as yours carcassed the back of his head. As you closed your eyes your lips parted slightly allowing him to kiss you deeper.

nothing had ever felt so right. You knew then that you were born for him and he was born for you.

♥️

he gripped your waist, pressing you closer to his own body. He walked you back into the tree so he could lean into you even more.

“Gods” You whimpered into his lips, “You’ve gotten strong-“ your hands gripped at the muscles of his arms over his chainmail.

“Is this alright,” He asked to which you nodded and continued to kiss his lips.

The kiss somewhat restrained at first was now unhinged and desperate. His tongue met yours and you did not fight it, no you welcomed it.

His hand traveled down your jaw to your breast, gripping at it through your bodice with hunger. He groaned into your mouth but soon enough he couldn’t restrain himself and his mouth traveled from your lips to your neck, to your breasts. They’d been a weakness of his for too long. “Gods” He groaned

“Tell me to stop and I will,“ His hand traveled up your inner thigh. His fingers, now rougher than they were before, stopped just before they reached your silk small clothes. His eyes looked into yours waiting for your que.

You looked at him, you ran your hand through his hair once more. His eyes met yours, desperate and hungry, no starving. You nodded at him, which made him smile and breathe a sigh of relief as his face returned to your breasts and his fingers began to run up and down the sensitive slit of your clothed cunt.

“Mmphm,” You moaned into his ear as his lips traveled over your cleavage.

His middle finger pressed against your hot damp entrance while his thumb moved in circles around your sensitive clit.

Your fingers dug into his shoulders as you whimpered from the pleasure. A pleasure so new. You’d used your own fingers or relieved yourself on a pillow before but this was different, a different game entirely.

You felt him grinding his arousal on your thigh as he moved your small clothes away, pushing one finger inside of you, slowly. “Ah!” You jolted towards him, grabbing ahold of his back pressing him closer to you.

He inserted another finger, pressing them deeper and deeper until they met your maiden head. His eyes found yours, and once again you nodded.

He kissed you deeply as he sunk his fingers into you. You gripped onto his hair and moaned out. As you moaned he bit your bottom lip. You held onto him tighter as the pain flashed across your body but was replaced by pleasure. “Are you alright?” you nodded, unable to find the words when he was pumping him fingers in and out you, “You did so well,” His eyes filled with love and adornment for you. But soon his lips returned to your neck and your breasts.

“Podrick,” You said breathlessly, “Pod?” You had to pull his face away from your breasts, though his lips wants to immediately latch onto yours, “I can’t,” You whined,

He pulled his fingers out of you and your hand away immediately,

“Not here,” You shook your head still trying to catch your breath,

“You’re the Queen, you can do what you please.” He said, half serious, wanting to rid you of your skirts and prove his love and himself there and now.

You giggled holding his face as he restrained himself for kissing you, “I want you to bed me in my chambers. Not here.”

“As you wish it, my Queen.” He smiled at you, and kissed you once more before rushing you off to your chambers.

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my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction · 3 months ago

Text

When Darkness Falls

Orestes x afab!Monster!Reader • Rating: 18+ pals Masterlist• ao3• want to be tagged? | request info • Kinktober 2024 Masterlist • Day 16: Public Sex

Summary: After Orestes and his men are captured by a strange group, the punishment seems unusual.

A/N: Thank you so much @thexsanctuaryx for beating and saving me as always! I don't know how my mind turned 'public sex' into this.

Warnings: Monster!Reader (werewolf-y), swearing, p in v sex, injuries, please let me know if I have missed a warning!

Word Count: 1850

Orestes winced as the guard pressed against his injured shoulder and forced him to his knees. His wrists were bound behind his back, so tightly that the rope was cutting off the blood supply to his fingers.

“You are accused of trespassing on our lands. From taking fruit from the Hylopius tree.” The man bellowed, he was dressed in dark blue robes finely woven. Seven others, presumably nobles and the jury, stood to his side.

“My men and I were lost, we took shelter from the storm. We did not know these were your lands,” Orestes tries to keep his tone strong and even, to keep his chin high as he answers. “We-”

“Ignorance is not an excuse.” He snarls. “You pillage, and take. But you are far from your Rome now. Your crimes will not go unpunished.”

Orestes breathes deeply. “Please, my men, they are innocent in this. I will take the punishment, if you let-”

“You are in no position to demand anything.”

“I am not demanding, I am-” The leader gestures with his hand and Orestes winces in pain as the guard presses against the wound in his temple.

“Your men fought back against our soldiers, they are as guilty as you are. I will cast punishment on you all.” He grins wickedly. “The Lycan’s Pit.”

The noblemen laugh.

Orestes is dragged to his feet and pulled from the room, “What, what is that? What do you speak of?”

The guards do not answer as he is taken into a large hall beautifully decorated in fine mosaic. The images of torn bodies and blood, of huge creatures with red eyes shaped like the beasts of childhood nightmares painstakingly crafted. There are rows of seats carved into the walls, the layout reminiscent of a small scale colosseum, able to hold around 50 people.

In the centre of the room was a circle pit that seemed to travel into the depths of the earth itself.

“They will feast on your flesh.” The leader laughs.

“Wait-” A loud gong of a bell echoes out, cutting off his words as he is thrown into the middle of the room next to the pit, he grunts, managing to get to his knees as the guards bring out thorned branches layered with silver chains. They arrange them around the outside of the floor, a barrier from the seats and Orestes.

“What is that?” He asks.

The nobles take seats as the guards stand to attention, more people flood in, all equally dressed in finery and sit.

“The Lycans cannot cross the barrier.” The leader laughs, like he was explaining a basic concept.

“I wonder who will join us today?” One nobel asks another.

“I hope it is Baral. He is the most vicious. I want to see him tear the roman apart.”

Orestes swallows thickly, pulling at the ropes. If he could just…

There is a low growl from the pit. A deep and terrible snap of teeth.

He freezes despite myself when a large clawed hand grabs hold of the side. It‘s huge, the palm alone bigger than his head, some kind of mix between a human and a wolf.

Slowly the creature pulls itself up and out, snarling with rows of sharp teeth and blood red eyes.

He wants to scream. But he can’t move, can’t think.

A hush falls on the nobles as the creature appears and stalks around to Orestes.

He seems to snap back to reality, and struggles to stand, to run, to defend himself, to-

The creature lunges forward and on top of him.

He closes his eyes, bracing for the sharp stink of ripping claws and teeth. But it doesn’t come.

He breathes deeply, raggedly, his heart pounding in his temples and slowly opens his eyes.

It’s dark, like he’s in a cave. It takes a moment for him to realise that the cave is fur. The creature seemingly, somehow draped over him to make a small tent like space.

He sits up a little, his shoulder brushing the fur. It’s soft and warm, moving a little with the creature's breath.

“Hello.”

He jumps, pushing himself back further against the fur and you giggle.

“I am sorry to scare you.”

Orestes blinks heavily, you’re sitting opposite him crouched with a large smile on your face. He can see your canines, larger than a person’s should be, and your eyes deep and red. But beautiful, oh so painfully beautiful.

You give him a little wave and he nods his head.

“They tied you?” Your voice is sweet and gentle.

He nods again.

You tut and carefully edge forward.

He swallows, sucking in a breath in spite of himself, you move like running water, swift and mesmerising, your body completely naked.

You watch him as you move, careful for any signs of distress like he was an injured rabbit in a trap.

You reach back and cut the ropes with your sharp nails that retract a little when you are finished.

“There you go.” “Thank you.” He mutters, staring bewitched as you move back a fraction but remain close. “There is a creature, a…”

You smile. He knows it’s you.

“Where are we?” He swallows, rubbing life back into his fingers.

“We are not where you were.”

“Am I dead?”

You shake your head. “We will have to return there, shortly. Here is just to talk for a moment.” You touch his temple, the gooey blood on his skin.

He flinches but doesn’t pull away when he realises your touch is gentle.

“Are you going to kill me?” He breathes, watching you intently. His heart is still beating fast, his muscles tingling with adrenaline. But he doesn’t want to run or fight, he wants… he wants to…

“No.” You smile, taking your fingers to your lips and licking off his blood.

“Why?” He asks without thinking.

You laugh lightly. “You smell… nice.”

“Nice?” His mouth twitches upwards, surprised.

You nod, leaning a little forward. “You don’t smell like food.” You whisper.

Orestes swallows. He can’t help himself, can’t stop himself even if he wanted to. He tilts his head and presses his lips to yours in a rush.

You lick into his mouth and he tastes his own blood on your tongue. He groans, lightheaded and needy as he presses himself closer.

He whines when you pull back a fraction, smiling. “You smell like a mate.”

Orestes nods desperately. “Please.”

“Do you accept me?”

He nods rapidly, pushing himself closer to you again. His cock aches between his legs, pressing against his clothing and begging to be freed.

“In any form?”

“In any form.” He mutters. “Please.”

You grin.

In a blink of his eyes, he is back in the mosaic hall, flat on his back. The nobles watching as the creature, you, lean over him, your teeth so close to snapping into the flesh of his neck.

He turns his head, touches your soft fur with his free hands. “Please.”

You let out a soft growl, the sound vibrating through his chest.

There’s some quiet murmuring from the crowd, anticipation as they think he’s about to get eaten alive.

With one clawed hand, you lightly dip under his clothing, ripping it in two clean down the middle.

Orestes gasps, biting his lip as you bow your head down and lick a broad flat stripe with your thick tongue. You start between his legs, rising up his body until you flick just under his jaw.

He groans, his eyes rolling back as he squirms under you, your strong form keeping him pressed down and at your mercy.

There are a few confused whispers, surprised at how he seems to be enjoying himself.

His cock is already painfully hard, throbbing in time with his rapid heartbeat. You nuzzle at his neck, your breath hot on his skin as you lay yourself fully over him, moving your legs and taking his length inside yourself.

Orestes gasps, moaning loudly as he sinks inside. He claws at your fur, trying to pull you closer as he shakes. It feels so good, liquid pleasure running up his spine as he fills you that practically paralyses him in place.

His cry of passion is almost indistinguishable from one of pain, and at first, the crowd thinks he has been split open.

You growl and he shivers as you rock your hips. It’s like you’re everywhere, touching him with claws and teeth and nails and hands. He can feel your lips on his thighs and stomach, fur and skin on his chest, both forms seemingly at once as you increase your pace.

It’s electric, addicting as you devour him; mind, and body, and soul.

“Yes, yes, please, yes,” he moans, uncaring of the many eyes watching him hurtling rapidly to his release. Your heat squeezes him, caresses him, lets him sink deeper into mind numbing pleasure.

“Please,” he sobs, he wants to call your name but he realises, painfully, that he hadn’t asked for it, instead he pulls at your fur, at your shoulders, at any part of you he can reach.

You snap your teeth and it sounds like a chuckle before you lick along his neck and drag your canines along his skin.

“My heart,” he whispers, his voice strained, “I’m, I’m close.” He doesn’t want this to stop, to ever end. But he can feel his body racing towards his climax like an unbridled horse. His hips buck, his balls tightened.

You rock faster, you slick running down and coating his skin as your warmth begs for his release. In this form, you need his pleasure desperately. Can only have your own as he experiences his.

He whines, crying out beautifully as his back arches. He comes loudly, shivering and sobbing as he empties into you, giving you every single part of himself.

Pleasure rushes along your veins, embeds in your bones and you howl, long and hard as you come with him.

You lick into his mouth, cradling him as he nuzzles against you.

“Foolish beast!” The leader yells, shouting for the guards.

One hurls a spear at you that clatters off your form as if it was a rain drop. But Orestes flinches.

And you snarl.

You turn quickly, jumping from him and barreling through the barrier that does absolutely nothing to stop you. You rip the guards and nobles to pieces in a matter of seconds, moving faster than they can fathom as they scream in terror. How dare they threaten him, your mate.

You blink, the rage dulling.

Slowly, you turn back to Orestes, worried for a second about your outburst until you see his soft eyes as he reaches out for you. You move back to him, nuzzling your face into his palm.

He kisses your nose, your cheek, licking some of the sprayed blood from your fur as you embrace him, laying him back down under you protectively.

“I did not ask for your name, my love.” He whispers softly and smiles when you mutter it against his ear. He repeats it slowly with undying affection.

Thank you for reading!

@pleasurebuttonwrites @raven-rk @campingwiththecharmings @alexxavicry @whatthefishh

@romanarose @strangerhands @saturn-rings-writes ho

@steven-grants-world @eyelessfaces @angel-of-the-moons @minigirl87 @lunar-ghoulie

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@ierofrnkk @have-you-seen-my-sanity

If you'd like to be taken off the tag list please let me know here

#orestes #agora #orestes x reader #x reader #orestes x you #x you #orestes x female reader #x female reader #orestes x f!reader #x f!reader #orestes x fem!reader #x fem!reader #my writing #fanfic #oscar isaac #oscar isaac characters

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coriphallus · 2 months ago

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DA: The Veilguard Spoiler review pt1 - Blood Magic

alright let's do this. let's write an in-depth review of veilguard. this will be long and this will be negative and i might eventually say some good things but everything i say will be undermined with a 'BUT'.

its now been around a week since i finished the game and had some time to parse my thoughts and this is why i didnt enjoy the game; NOT why you shouldnt.

so dragon age has a very special place in my heart and i am %100 the kind that has DAO as their favourite game. i have played these games religiously, and let me prefix this by saying i was not hyped for this game, i wont lie and say i wanted bw to succeed or i hoped the game would be good etc etc. if i liked the game, it would be a surprise. alas.

so theres multiple reasons for that, but the canary in the mine for me had been the announcement on blood magic, and yeah i was not shocked after DAI but i was still disappointed. so lets start with blood magic:

Blood Magic

DA lore has changed alot over time, and just like the media it took inspiration from (ASOIAF) i was under the impression that it used unreliable narrators deliberately, just as theyve poked fun at the concept with bethanys tits. it made sense then that the people telling these stories didnt know much about blood magic therefore they couldnt explain it fully but we've known some things for certain, from the text. blood magic uses blood as its source of power instead of lyrium (blood=life force), what constitutes as blood magic is open to interpretation (i.e phylacteries), multiple groups outside of the 'civilised society' such as chasind are not so staunchly against it, knowledge on it can be passed down from a mentor and that mentor usually happens to be a spirit. it can be used to enact control over people in a literal sense and thats considered by the narrative of all DA games to be more reprehensible than burning someone alive.

now i will derail this but i swear im going somewhere with it. i grew up in a country with majority white people, some blond, most with exposed hair who lived in big cities with cobblestone roads and snowy winters and starbuckses, and who would consider themselves westerners. some religious practices i know less about than most christians know about their holidays.

where my grandma lived was at the bottom of a high slope, and once a year when we went to visit her id see a thick trail of blood trickle down from the waterway to pool on her street, and at that dinner the family (and neighbours, sometimes) would bring a myriad of dishes and we'd feast. i would see butchers shops clean their curbs with buckets of water, mopping red tinted liquid down a drain. when i grew older and we were visiting my mothers village i watched the men subdue and kill a cow that we were going to eat that night. i watched them skin it and separate the meat from its bones, explaining what parts of an animal is used for which dishes because it was their craft and a young girl showed interest. as people we always live with the knowledge that our lives depend on death, whether it be a plant or an animal. existence is not moral and clean, and death is messy. getting blood stains out of a fabric once a month is the lived reality of more than half the human population.

i was not raised religious, nobody in my close family were, i didn't feel any sort of way when those men started to pray around the cow but i knew why they did it, even if it was performative for some, for the rest they had to show respect. the cow was meant to represent somebody you cared about, offering it in their stead symbolically. it needed to be respected, it needed to be butchered without pain. save from one serving of meat, as was tradition, were donated to the food banks.

now im sure some of you are thinking 'no matter how you slice it, its still a brutal act. made more brutal by the audience deriving some form of moral superiority' and yes, i used to think that too, because what is a religious practice for them is a show to me. but it is the norm where i grew up, and in the end a cow is dead regardless because we need to eat. and some people who needed to eat more than us got to eat too.

somewhere in germany news break out that some immigrants were practicing unethical and unsanitary butcherings, you see the footage of men in kufi and puffy pants and women covered completely in black sheets get ushered out by police. they shout some things in a foreign language, speaking the name of their foreign god. they show a censored room covered in blood and gore.

so i have to ask now, when you play veilguard and see venatori torturing and exploding a halla into a puff of red smoke which image does it bring to mind, what do you think of when you hear 'ritual sacrifice'? you may not have noticed this parallel but your brain sure did, as it has been noticing for your entire life and counting, the same reason you cringe at the barbarity of people consuming raw flesh, painting their foreheads with blood, killing animals you would pet. its alien, its gross, its wrong.

i cant play this game and take it seriously with its mask yanked off, gloating about its lack of nuance every step of the way. when you hit people red stuff comes out, red stuff bad. killing bad. murder bad. that it extends more sympathy to a fantasy deer than it ever allows for living breathing people of its universe, faceless and primitive.

in other DA games there were people over there somewhere who enslaved others, built their entire civilization on the ruins of gods they cannot comprehend, practiced bloody sacrifices and rituals that doomed the world for their own power, and even in their homeland they are nothing but canon fodder to be murdered and gawked at. their traditions, religion, entire culture is less than a set dressing, because whatever grosses you out are the bad apples, because the good ones cant be anything else and still derive sympathy from the audience.

and its true, you need to be an exceptional writer to make that work, especially if you dont have any real life experience to pull from. you need to stain your hands a little, and be prepared to be called dirty.

but i see it, i see those news reports everywhere i look in the game, i see the streets being cleaned and scrubbed so the tourists wouldnt call them backwards people, unclean, less than.

ive never played a game so repulsed by and is uninterested in its own universe than DAV, in every line of dialogue i can feel it trembling in fear. my companions tell me i dont need to watch a deer getting butchered, i can look away and proceed to electrocute hundreds of masked men some of whom are talking about comically evil things like patricide.

this has always been a point of contention in the medium of video games as the most prominent way to engage with the world has been through violence, and for me the DA franchise has always managed to tackle this by allowing its main character to be messy. yes, hawke cleaves thru countless faceless raiders but theyre also an illegal immigrant trying to get by with nothing to offer to the world than their violence. warden is deliberately recruited for that same violence, the only purpose of their existence is to fight as theyre made to shed everything else from their old life. and still, still you play these characters as they are allowed to grow, heal, carve out a little space for themselves where they can laugh and joke with their peers. it is juxtaposed to that darkness in their lives that makes those moments precious.

'what is good?' the games asked, and they answered 'doesn't matter, the world can be a better place with them in it'

veilguard asks 'what is good?' and answers 'you are.'

it doesnt matter whether blood magic is bad lore-wise (and that discussion is irrelevant to this decision made by the devs), because it needs to be narratively. like tabloid news the entire premise of the story is built on it. it needs to be inaccessible to and shunned by your party and rook because they need to be 'good' and in contrast, your enemies need to be 'bad'

and like dominoes it retroactively reframes the moral stance of every game in the franchise.

so, yes, i just laughed when i saw that announcement. i didnt know what else to do. but hang on to your knickers because it gets so much worse...

#tw: animal death #tw: animal cruelty #da:tv spoilers #personal #bioware critical #veilguard critical

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crystalskiesandcherrywine · 10 months ago

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The sound of the waves collide // Part One

Hello everyone, this is my first time writing. I just couldn't stop thinking about Feyd and how his story could have been different. So please don't be too hard on this. This is just the first part and I cannot wait to write more (smutty) chapters.

By the way, I cannot listen to Deftones without thinking of him.

______

Na Baron Feyd Rautha x Atreides!Reader

FxM

All feedback is welcome <3

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You are Paul´s sister and after his love match to Princess Irulan it is on you to marry Na Baron Feyd ratha Harkonnen. And while you fear the unknown, there is a feeling in your gut that it may be more right for you than anything else in the known universe.

Part One // Part Three // Part Four

1.209 words

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There was no turning back once the decision was made. You were destined to marry Feyd Rautha and bear his heir, the Kwizadz Chaderach. It meant leaving behind your home, your family and though you never expected to miss her, even the Reverend Mother who visited your family so often. All the time you had spent learning the ways of the Bene Gesserit, the education your mother had given you it seems like they could continue forever. Only now did you understand the sadness that flickered in your mother's eyes when you complained about the long hours of the voice rehearsing or the never-ending combat training. She knew, even before you were conceived, that they were counted. Time was almost an abstract concept to you - the passing of the day in your home, surrounded by the warmth and love of your family, was such a natural environment f, while your mother knew full well that you would leave them when the time came.

____

The news of your impending betrothal was so sudden and yet so expected. Paul's marriage to the Princess Irulan had been planned for some time and would take place in two weeks' time.

"We will travel to the Padisha Empreros home for the celebration." Duke Leto announced. You will also meet your fiancé there. A week after that he will take you to Geidi Prime".

You nodded briefly - there was no argument. And your pride would not allow it - after all, it would mean disappointing not only your father, but everyone in your family who poured their love, knowledge and kindness into your upbringing and training. But you couldn't help but notice a slight tension in Paul's muscles and jaw as he listened to your father speak.

As you left your father's hall, you took his hands in yours and let him out into the courtyard where you would be undisturbed. Lush green grass swallowed the sound of your footsteps and fresh sea air touched your skin. This palace was always your home and with Paul always at your side it felt like the most safe space in the universe. Not even the test by your Reverend Mother, the danger of the Gom Jabbar at your neck, the pain of the metal box she used could change that.

"Don't worry about me, brother"

"And yet I do. Feld Ruatha is a brave warrior, but he is not known for his kindness. Rumours of his violent outbursts are well known. And his concubines are said to be vile creatures who feast on human flesh and encourage him to take pleasure in the pain of others. Baron Vladimir has moulded him into a being without fear, but also without pity. He has passed the test as we have, and yet I am not sure he is truly human".

You felt a mixture of fear and anger rise in you.

"And yet my fate is sealed, as is yours. There is no way out, so let us not wish for one".

Suddenly, Paul pulled you into an embrace so tight it almost knocked the air out of your lungs.

"May your heart stay as brave as it is now, dear sister."

And then you cannot hold back the tears, feeling the sense of security and love that seems to escape you with every passing heartbeat.

___

The preparations for your departure are a whirlwind. Paul's belongings, his books and his swords are gathered, as are yours. When almost everything is packed, you find a small glass box with a tiny fir tree inside and a note from your father, "A bit of home to take with you". Carefully, you place the box on top of the things you have already collected. But then you decide otherwise and place it next to a smaller box containing your jewelry, to be transported to your cabin instead of the cargo.

Your brother's wedding to Princess Irulan attracts all the Great Houses to the Emperor's planet Kaitain. There are more ships than you can count, and even more navigators from the Space Guild, their faces covered with a sickly cloud of smoke from under their helmets. All of them dependent on spice. The one fabric that seems to bind all your worlds together. With Paul marrying the Irulan princes and taking over Arrakis, the Harkonnens could not simply be cast aside. So the Emperor made your match with his heir Na Baron Feud Rautha. Or so he thinks, and yet it was Bene Gesserit's plan all along. Princess Irulan seems to understand this too, for she sends for you the day after your arrival. You feel honoured by the invitation, but also a little nervous. As soon as you enter her chamber, you curtsy to her.

"Princess, thank you for the invitation"

"Please call me Irulan, as we are to be family for three days. Please join me for a walk"

You nod and follow her through the light-filled halls. Hers and your ladies-in-waiting follow close behind.

"I have a present for you," she says, her eyes twinkling.

You are not sure what to make of it. You are both familiar with the teachings of the Bene Gesserit, and you know that the gift is more than just that. You enter a small room with a single table and a small metal plate on it. "It is a book about the Harkonnen, their house and their planet Geidi Prime. You can find any information that might be useful." Your cheeks flush pink as you realize the meaning. Princess Irulan knows what her love match with Paul has cost you. That he should have been a girl to marry a Harkonnen and yet Lady Jessica decided otherwise and by disobeying her orders made you the one to live on the inhospitable planet.

"Thank you for your generosity, Irulan"

"There is nothing to thank me for," she says, leaving you alone in the room.

As soon as you have returned to your chambers, you will find Lady Jessica waiting for you.

"You are to meet Feyd Rautha tonight before the banquet."

"I understand."

"This is your chance to make the right impression. Remember, fear is a small death"

"Yes, mother."

A lush green dress has been laid out for you, with small gold clasps at the shoulders and tiny glass beads forming leaf shapes around the bodice and hood of the dress. As the dress reaches the floor, it still feels as if you are not wearing enough to protect yourself. As your ladies-in-waiting prepare your hair, you try to calm yourself. When all is said and done, your family is summoned to the Emperor's Hall - as soon as you enter it feels like your skin is on fire, you feel like someone is watching you and then your eyes meet a muscular figure standing at the feet of the emperor´s throne. He is more of a statue, perhaps, than he is a man - hairless, with trained muscles and contrasting black uniform and piercing blue eyes. Everything else seems to fade away, narrowed down to this moment, your heartbeat and the intense gaze of Na Baron Feed Rautha Harkonnen.

#feyd rautha #feyd smut #feyd x reader #feyd x you #feyd rautha harkonnen #house harkonnen #paul atreides #dune 2 #dune part ii #feyd rautha imagine #cannon divergence #arranged marriage

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beevean · 10 days ago

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It's really noticeable how vampires in NFCV are... so boring.

For getting all the main focus of the narrative at the expense of the heroes, the worldbuilding is incredibly lazy, to the point that they almost suffer from Twilight syndrome and don't even feel like real vampires. They're more like blood drinking elves.

Under a read more because this got long and picture-heavy. What can I say, I love my references.

1) Vampires don't bite. The only vampire shown biting is Dracula in one flashback.

(in S2E4, Godbrand leads the other generals on a drinking spree, but they are mostly shown dismembering humans with swords and claws, the closest thing to drinking being Raman pouring blood down her throat from a decapitated person.)

The need to drink blood to survive is an important plot point both in S2 and in the Styria subplot, and it is repeated that vampires see humans as nothing more than livestock, but we rarely, if ever, see vampires feasting on humans.

Hell, not only the Styrian council keeps blood in convenient chalices, which could still be justified by them living a decadent lifestyle (something something symbolism of how detached nobility is), but a starved Godbrand dreams of decapitating humans, not eating them. As I explained here, it is especially noticeable with Lenore, the "kind" vampire who owns a human slave. like. the topic of feeding on him or marking him as her property should have come up at one point, right? Or making her look "weird" for not wanting to bite anyone?

It would have been so cool if it became a plot point in the last episode. Isaac, naturally, refuses to deliver humans for Lenore to drink from, so her only choices once the reserves are run out are to either feed like a "real" vampire from Hector, who would gladly give his life for her because he wants to keep her with him no matter what, or starve. Hence, the decision to just commit suicide, as she would rather die than hurt the man she loves with her monstrosity. Instead, whatever she's drinking is portrayed as wine, and herself like she's getting drunk. Not a bad idea, as she said that she enjoys human food, but that tidbit went nowhere fast. Aside from this one scene, we never see one vampire eating food, not even her.

(I forgot, until now, that she says "we eat", and not "I" like I thought. With how she looks at the side, I'm almost tempted to think this is one of her uncountable lies, but for the sake of this argument, let's assume that she's being sincere)

In fact, nothing is done with the details of a vampire's general diet and their alternatives: the most we know is that Godbrand hates pig blood because "it gives him the shits". This is the only mention of the classic trope of a vampire drinking animal blood, a staple in works that aim to give moral depth to vampires. Lenore introduces the concept of eating human food not for nourishment, but for hedonistic pleasure, implying that vampires don't suffer any consequence from doing this and it's the equivalent of eating treats (which is a shame: it would have been much more interesting to see a vampire insisting on eating human food even if it causes nothing but pain. conflict? never heard of her). This contradicts what we see in the rest of the series, which is that vampires' idea of hedonistic pleasure is to simply, as I mentioned before, dismember humans. It could have, however, furthered Lenore's character as the "odd" vampire who prefers to indulge in human habits like that silly "diplomacy", perhaps even hinting at a resentment against her own vampirism which is another staple of the genre (indulging in shallow pleasures seems to be, for her, the only reason to live forever - an empty lifestyle for an empty person who might be easily pushed to suicide...), but once again, nothing comes of it until it becomes time for her to ragequit out of life in a way that feels less "I am disgusted at the monster than I am" that would have fit the previous exchange and more "weh i don't want to face the consequences of my actions :<".

The lack of biting was thankfully fixed in Nocturne, where vampires, here depicted as more bestial, are frequently shown eating in all of its messy glory, including a poor girl frequently victim of Erzsébet's hunger.

2) Turning is barely given lip service. In S2, Carmilla mocks Dracula for never turning his "pet", and since her backstory involves being turned by a "cruel old man", one can assume that this is expected of vampires, that they turn humans they fall in love with - if they don't, it means they just see them as toys. Which makes sense from a vampire's perspective: humans are inferior, and being turned is bestowing them a high honor. As she says,

But after that, the topic gets dropped. We don't know anything about any other vampire's past and how they have joined the ranks of the undead. There are no (living) sires and broods. The question "why didn't Dracula turn Lisa?", which could have spurned an interesting discussion about damning one's soul to selfishly cheat death, never gets answered, as Carmilla asked it only to make the Lord look stupid, and stupid he looks. And let's not even talk about that out-of-nowhere shot of vampire children skulls that rise all sorts of questions that the show does not bother to answer. This, too, was finally fixed in Nocturne, where Erzsébet turns Tera by forcing her own blood in her mouth, and we see the process in all of its uncomfortableness.

3) Vampires invoke God's name despite being outside of God's graces, which shows the lack of care in these details.

And I wouldn't think much of it, if S4 didn't also include that idiotic, lore-breaking scene of crosses being harmful to vampires not as a symbol of God, but because "it confuses the shit out of their brains". When you think about it, for a series infamous for its CHURCH BAD philosophy, you'd think they'd want to explore vampires' relationship with God and the Church, even in a "we're better than the stupid Christians" way. Even in the games you have oddities like Dracula declaring war against God, yet often including a chapel in his castle, that raises interesting questions about his own relationship with religion which were half-answered in Lament of Innocence. Again, this was at least mentioned in Nocturne, when Drolta can walk around in Emmanuel's church because his actions desecrated it.

And do I need to even mention that water-blessing zombie bishop that is the bane of my existence? Sure, God would absolutely lend His blessing powers to an evil vampire and her necromancer lackey! Sure, crosses upset vampires for """scientific""" reasons but holy water burns them because of divine intervention! Love how it makes all the time wasted on that asinine scene of vampires discoursing about running water hurt just a little more!

4) I simply don't get the feeling that vampires are dead bodies animated by some sort of demonic energy. The most we get is a general pallor - and even then, the vampires of color like Sharma, Raman or Morana have a perfectly healthy skin tone. Or, I don't know, Dracula and Carmilla getting blood in their sclera when particularly feral. If they can, apparently, eat human food without any consequence, it suggests that they have a functional digestive system and all (make of this what you will). Carmilla is shown being unaffected by the cold, implying that she has a naturally low temperature, but humans don't even flinch when touched by what are, by all means, walking corpses.

Hector being, apparently, able to smell Lenore before even hearing her (which logically should mean that everytime she invades his personal space it would give him the mother of all headaches, but I could chalk it up to clunky writing) could have been a hint that vampires reek of death and need to mask it by covering themselves in perfume; but of course, like many possibly intriguing details, it goes nowhere, because having our Ms. Fanservice stinking of rot and strong perfume would be unappealing.

and yes i am saying hector should have frozen his dick off while fucking lenore why do you ask. she didn't even drink his blood to warm herself up, i swear the basics of vampire sex 😭

5) A smaller nitpick before the main course: vampires sleep. They sleep exactly like humans, just during the day: Carmilla, Striga and Morana are implied to sleep in their own beds, and at one point Godbrand falls asleep on a chair. They even have dreams and nightmares. Again, I must stress: even Twilight scoffed at the legend of vampires sleeping in coffins, but not only that story took place in a modern setting, the catch was that they didn't sleep at all, which makes sense for a race of undead predators!

6) This one drives me up a wall: "vampire culture" is a farce. In S3, Lenore makes a whole show of gifting Hector a book about their culture, which he finds utterly fascinating because he didn't even know vampires had a culture in the first place.

Well, neither do I! What is this vampire culture? Social norms? Biting etiquette? Rituals of bonding and turning? What is this "philosophy" that he mentions, "conquer all the things" as implied in the "strength and power" conversation in the very last episode? Is part of vampire culture turning human children, as accidentally implied by the shot of kids' skulls? And what does the aforementioned scene about running water tell us, if not that not even vampires are all sure of what hurts them and what doesn't? Which would imply that vampires are left to fend for themselves by their sires and they have to learn about their own weaknesses the hard way, which is not a bad concept, but this contradicts the idea that vampires are an united society and some of them write down their knowledge! "It's not like we're given a manual for being a vampire" i dunno chief, you yourself seem pretty knowledgeable about ancient vampire history!

(incidentally, we see Hector reading a book in S4E2, which could have implied he's still interested in vampire culture but this time for the sake of playing their own mindgames, but we don't know what it's about and I'm not going to do the writers' job for them, afawk he was just chilling in his gilded cage)

The only "vampire culture" we see is that they essentially preserve human technology that would otherwise be lost to time.

What Lenore is flaunting here is a hypocaust. Which, while they were mostly used at the time of the Roman Empire, actually survived for longer in Eastern Europe than it did in the West, meaning that the Greek Hector should not be this surprised. Turns out, not all humans forget.

It was also kept lit by slaves, which raises all sorts of interesting implications about how the Styrian castle works. But naturally, we never see humans slaves being forced to keep the castle warm: that would make Lenore and her attempts to sell the castle as a great place to live in look bad, and Hector's gilded cage less dreamy for the people who believe he got a great deal.

And to briefly go back to the issue of confusing biology... why in the fuck would a castle of vampires, established to be impervious to cold, need a heating system? Are humans part of the castle? Who benefits from the heat, the same slaves that keep the hypocaust lit? They torture Hector in all sorts of ways, including dousing him in icy water, because they see him as little more than a stinking dog only kept alive because Carmilla needs him, but they bother to keep prisoners warm, wasting precious resources? At least I can see why Dracula would build a heating system for Lisa! This is just stupid! This was mentioned ad hoc to stroke the vampires' dick! "I keep telling you, we're not monsters" only because the writing is bending itself backwards just for you, Lenore!

But back to the main point. This could have been a very interesting topic of discussion, because this means that vampires are soulless parasites who can only vicariously benefit from humanity's ingenuity, unable to produce and only able to steal for themselves (much like they steal human's blood), arrogantly believing themselves to be superior but not acknowledging that they need those creatures they see as livestock! Even the comment that vampires "don't forget" could have a negative side, as it means that vampirekind is stagnant, stuck in the past, unable to move on! But no, they are simply framed as superior for their long memory, because they are so technologically advanced, unlike those stupid humans held back by the CHURCH BAD, that they can wear modern clothes and have electric lamps, ohhh, ahhh!

Vampires wear more modern fashion than humans in Castlevania (Alucard invented the V-neck), so there's more room to play with clothing periods.

Yeah, vampire culture is Alucard's cheap, tiddy-exposing V-neck shirt! And dazzling the backwards brown people humans in the spare time. Sign me in!

Incidentally, do you remember when Dracula was framed as being unique for being a man of science in a largely ignorant, religion-riddled world, to the point that it's the main reason Lisa approached him to teach her "real" medicine? And the main reason Alucard feels sorry for his father's madness, because he will use his massive knowledge for evil? And the main reason Isaac wanted to lay down his own life to save that of his Lord?

Yeah, neither do the writers. Dracula is only valued for his ancient "knowledge" by the people who care about him, and by S3 that same knowledge isn't even special anymore. I swear, Dracula is the third most hated character in the show after Hector and Trevor.

Speaking of Hector, he's by far the worst victim of this vampire idealization. He could have had an arc of him learning to love humanity over vampirekind, the same kind that did nothing but use him and hurt him even worse than humans did. He could have accepted that, despite its flaws, humanity can also be good, and the world overall isn't as black and white as he thought. Not at all. His lack of empathy towards his own species is never addressed if not to make him look stupid. Most infuriatingly, his character arc ends with him declaring that he has learned to appreciate "the value and the beauty of things (i.e. Lenore, the only thing he gives one singular shit about) that live longer than he does", keeping him stagnant and shooting in the foot S4's half-hearted attempt to dismantle this idolized image of vampires as a species. Appreciation for humanity's virtues? Not in my adaptation of Castlevania, which is all about the strength of mankind prevailing over evil!

6) Their powers! What a lack of imagination. What an embarrassment. Vampires are super fast and super strong, with sharp claws, and they are shown turning into bats and mist. Dracula, the most powerful vampire, can shoot one Hellfire. That's. That's it.

Really? This is the adaptation of a videogame series where the most wet cat of a vampire uses telekinesis to throw swords at people! There is a whole ass vampire who stole Dracula's castle through the power of reality-warping paintings! Ohh look how cool Carmilla is dashing around in her final stand, yeah well my Carmilla can turn into a giant naked lady riding a skull that cries corrosive bloody tears!

Where is the damn creativity?! Where is my True Dracula in all of his monstruous Dark Lord glory???

(as a miniscule kernel of positivity, I need to quickly praise Cho for outright weaponizing turning into mist, a power mostly used for evasion. And Sypha for weaponizing it right back, by freezing and shattering her. See, this is a creative display of power! And it's for one of the most wasted cardboard cut-outs of the show. riveting :V)

You know the worst thing? The vampire with the most vampiric traits... is Alucard. Alucard sleeps in a coffin, and even implies that it's more comfortable for him than a bed.

Alucard flashes his fangs and hisses the most to enemies.

Alucard reminds the Japanese not-twins in a spar fight that he's tempted to bite them and drink their blood. Alucard has a sword that he can swing around with telekinesis, more similar to Joachim's power than his own in SoTN. Alucard also shows an extra transformation in the form of a wolf.

Why is the dhampir more of a vampire than the vampires in this setting??? If we didn't see him casually standing in the sun, no one would be able to tell he's half-human! Why, is it hotter if he hisses and talks about his non-existant bloodlust?? It only makes the scene with the kids' skulls, where it's all but said that he keeps cruelly insulting Trevor and his entire bloodline because they kill "his people", all the more demeaning to his character! The whole point of Alucard is that he chooses his own humanity over his vampire side!!

I know that at this point I should give up all pretenses that this show has anything in common with the videogame series it stole its name from, but I am still utterly baffled that they took three protagonists - Trevor the vampire hunter who chose to help the same people that shunned him, Alucard the dhampir who chose to honor his human mother's wish to stand against his vampire lineage, and Hector the Devil Forgemaster who chose to forgive humanity and turn over a new leaf from his Devil-serving days - that in different ways represent the virtue of humanity, and pissed all over them in different ways to prop up their shitty elves! Because this is what vampires are in this universe: arrogant, smug, flaccid, incompetent dark elves that can't even make a proper threat but we are still meant to see as hot!

And that's really the thing. Vampires in NFCV aren't just as dull as dishwater and with a less defined biology than that of Meyerpires (the comparisons with Twilight aren't casual), but they don't stand for anything. Vampires are a prime concept for metaphors such as feudalism, illness that consumes you, the taboo of homosexuality, carnal desire, abusive relationships, feeling like "others" and "unwanted" by society, etc. Even Nocturne, NOCTURNE, one of the emptiest stories about vampires I had the displeasure of watching, uses vampirism as a metaphor for nobility and colonialism and the way they greedily suck away all the resources of the people they oppress! It's as subtle as a kick in the balls and it shatters what little original lore there was left, but the idea is there! It's trying to send a message!

What is NFCV's message conveyed through its decision to focus on vampires as a species, that humans suck? It certainly would fit the nigh-relentless cynicism of the show. Who cares about worldbuilding or consistent characterization? Just add some "deep", pretentious speeches about the evils of CHURCH BAD and how shitty humans are, and look how the praises for being Peak Fiction fall from the sky.

#anti netflixvania #long post #i love worldbuilding. fantasy worldbuilding drives me insane with the potential for creativity!#if you want to get deeper than the 'stupid' games. commit!#ngl finding references becomes addicting at some point #although i cannot remember a thing about nocturne and there aren't easily available scripts lol #my hatred will come with sources blah blah #despite all that effort i'm queuing this post for the morning because. idk. i prefer to yell at the clouds

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celaenaeiln · 1 year ago

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it is in my humble opinion that in a demigod child situation, Dick Grayson would be either a child of Ares, Athena, or Aphrodite. Athena and Aphrodite are pretty obvious, he's smart and he's charming and he's bloody terrifying. but Ares. Oh Boy Do I Love That Guy and here is why.

modern media portrays Ares as a misogynistic asshole. this is just untrue. Ares is the only male Olympian without a history of SA and in fact adores & respects women. he is the father of the Amazons and has the title "the god feasted by women" Dick Grayson (apparently) is perceived as a womanizer and cheater. That Is Not True At All. he loves and respects women.

Ares is often portrayed as being a force of nature, uncaring of the law. that is also false. he's also the god of rebellion and civil order, an ally of Themis, the goddess of justice Dick Grayson, yes he can be a feral little shite (and i say this with full adoration), he's still a police and stands for the people, he brings justice in both his day and night job

there's a common conception that Ares is a meatheaded guy who only likes war and violence. once again, untrue. you need strategy for war, Ares simply represents the brutal aspects of war but he's still a smart guy as seen with the Romans adopting Ares into Mars. not to mention, Ares understands that in war there are winners and losers Dick Grayson is often seen as ditzy or less smart than his siblings (especially Tim) when in reality he's a very capable and smart guy who understands that loss happens at times

Ares cares about his family, especially his mother. when two giants threatened his mother, Hera, he was the first to fight for her. i don't need to talk about how much Dick cares for his family right? i'll admit though, this point is less polished than the rest

as much as i love the PJO series, i HATE their characterization of Ares being a crappy dad. the reality is that he disobeyed Zeus to avenge his children in the Trojan War. he committed murder and was sentenced to trial for his daughter. The Amazonian Warriors. he may not be the best at affection but he's a caring dad Dick Grayson is not the perfect brother/mentor/father figure but he's trying and doing his best goddamnit. i'm sick of people saying he's not

anger is an essential part to Ares. anger is an essential part to Dick Grayson

there's a common portrayal of Ares and Aphrodite where Ares treats Aphrodite like shite. let's be honest, the goddess of love (a war goddess, by the way if you look up Aphrodite Areia) would not let herself be treated poorly. my personal belief on why this portrayal exists lies with the whole Hephaestus debacle in which i believe Hephaestus was the crap guy here but that's another topic i'd discuss with another shot I Do Not Care What You Say, Starfire and Nightwing Are Not The Shitty Relationship You Think They Are

in (i think) two different stories, it's shown that Ares can dance. it makes sense. footwork is important in battle. footwork is important in acrobatics. Dick Grayson knows what he's doing

in many myths, Ares is treated like crap by his siblings and although this is another half baked point, i feel like it's a bit common for Dick Grayson to be treated like crap by his loved ones

i love Ares and i love Dick Grayson and sadly they both have poor representation in mass media. thank you for listening, i am so fucking tipsy (maybe drunk actually) right now.

damn.

#i'm speechless anon #I LOVE this #dick grayson #nightwing #ares #greek mythology #thanks for the ask!#cl anon asks #cl asks

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streets-in-paradise · 11 days ago

Text

Feast of Champions

Gladiator (2000) Oneshot

Pairings: Maximus Decimus Meridius/The Spaniard x (Fem) Reader, (flirtatious friendship only) Haken x (Fem)Reader.

Warnings: captive man x kind lady captor (reader is the daughter of proximo), the spaniard speaks spanish despite neither spaniards or spanish existed then, trojan war metaphores and historical mistakes here and there ( specially in the few references to roman food I made with the info of the few legit-sounding recipes I found online.)

Summary: After his great performance, the Spaniard has rejected all the typical rewards for a champion. With the news of an upcoming trip to Rome and his intentions of winning freedom there reaching your ears, you offer to honor him with a small feast celebrating the best champions of the school in order to inspire them for the upcoming challenges.

Aware of your feelings for him, he expects to find you performing to tempt him with the idea of taking you as his wife after being liberted. However, the tensions between his own growing fondness of you and the wounds from his past reinforce his resistance. In a desperate attempt to solve the dichotomy, he hopes to counter strike by trying to bring you closer with someone he himself believes to be in a better position to make you happy.

Tags: @wildsaltair ( I am posting this one only because you wanted to see it )

Notes: Works as a continuation for Field of Practice, because I wanted to do one more oneshot with this concept despite I am not really turning it into a fic series.

Glossary: Puls - name of the fava beans and garlic porridge the gladiators are seen having in the film.

Savillum: ancient rome recipe for cheesecake, made of a ricotta-like cheese.

........................

Exactly as you predicted, the Spaniard became a huge success. A surprise since his very first performance, when nobody expected much of him. On the light of his raising popularity, your father found just one major problem with him and it was the lack of an act. He killed for the sake of it, giving quick deaths delivered with frustrated rage as mere means for survival. Like Achilles butchering the young men of Troy, an unstoppable force of destruction no one seemed capable of containing. Ironically distant from the Pelides, he proceeded with complete neglence for his fame. One man that was worth for an army, yet too occupied with the killing to work on the charm.

Fixable mistake on his part, because you have found his charm away from the arena. In the closed range of your home, from the very first moment he spared you an instant of his attention. Everytime you would remember he had once compared you to Helen of Troy observing the combats from some distant tower behind the great walls, you would fluster yourself with the memory. He didn't flirt with you back then, but knowing that didn't ease the effect it had on you.

He was Achilles in the battlefield and Hector in the city, A mindless butcher for the arena, a noble man offering you a cordial friendship ... the one who showed no interest in your beauty despite openly acknowledging it. The one making your heart beat stronger, because you weren't exactly like the spartan queen in what came to him. You couldn't help yourself from admiring him in ways you never did for other gladiators. What you had with him wasn't like your flirty friendship with Haken, treatment you would give him because his easy-going ways encouraged you for it. When the german would compliment you in return for receiving your praise, that would usually get you chuckling and following the game. Whenever the Spaniard did, you would become a flustered mess regardless of how innocent his comment could be.

If he would say your hair looked nice, you would repeat the hairstyle. If he would notice your soft approach of caregiver for the beasts, you would wander the cages of the beasts talking to those as if they were simple farm animals just to see if it would make him laugh.

There was nothing you wouldn't do to make him happy. Your heart was struck by the arrow of Cupid, causing a strong infatuation, and Proximo avoided to adress it for as long as he could. He quickly became aware of it, but it wasn't untill your behavior began to concern him that he decided to have that sort of talk with you.

Once the gladiator started following his indications, he won more than just the crowd. Your receivement was to embrace the victorious champion kissing both of his cheeks as if you would have conciously restrained yourself from trying his lips. The Spaniard had only smiled as if your enthusiasm was amusing to him, but your father could tell you would have clinged to that man with your whole body if it wasn't for his stoich ways creating a barrier.

Business aside, it was enough to raise concern about your fragile heart of wishfull maiden.

" I will arrange a reward for the Spaniard. " He was casually commenting to you in the intimacy of the prívate sections of the complex, where gladiators couldn't disrupt. " … Don't sneak arround this time if you don't want to stumble with what you shouldn't see."

The implications were clear regarding which kind of prize could be destined to the man, but the warning only got from you a skeptical chuckle making you abandon the focus of your writing practice on the foreign language you were learning to look up at him.

" He won't want a whore … Shall we make a bet? "

The proposal amused him, seeing that finding your correct predictions finantially wrecking some of his acquaintances had got you too confident on that matter.

" You are placing too much hope on that man. It is making you forget he is, after all, … a man."

You deviated the conversation strictly back to what it regarded the performance on the arena.

" He hasn't dissapointed, and let me remind you I was the onlyone who had faith in him from the start. Now that he is becoming famous, you would claim it was your idea to make of him a champion. "

He gave a few steps closer to you, untill being ríght in front of your work surface so you wouldn't avoid him when he would start to call you out.

" That's not what I mean and you know it … I watched you act like if you wanted to feel being his lovely wife welcoming him from war. I am aware of the particular ways you adopt with my men, but this is different. You are not playing to comfort him or yourself, you want to believe the fiction. "

From that point you decided to abandon the excercise, feeling the reproach falling on you with too much acuracy to keep pretending being occupated in something else and escape it.

" The difference doesn't matter, it's good for business and that's all you care about. How I feel about him concerns only myself. "

There was a shade of bitterness on your voice, dubitative search for his emotions of father on the matter beyond the calculative concerns of the slave master.

He gave you what you wanted, but allways in his particular way.

" After knowing where you come from ... Do you still want to fall in love with a gladiator? "

Your mother, he rarely talked about her. On his part, all you got to understand from how it happened was that he didn't experience it as an episode of enforced prostitution because of his fame as a gladiator. She was his lover as much as he was hers, and some form of genuine feeling bonded them despite the odd circunstancies for their passion.

" I am not like her, ... getting rid of the evidence before the husband would come back from war. If the campaigns of good old Marcus Aurelius wouldn't have been so long back in the day ... "

" She loved you as she loved me, if that wouldn't have been the case you wouldn't have end up working the nice farm in the villa of her eldery relatives." He interrumpted you right away, as scarce on details through the reminder as he could be. " You would have been placed where the illegitimate children go, to be picked up by a brothel and become a whore instead of the polite farm maid they ended up handing me."

He was correct: you were offered kindness and it was on base of that fact that your worldviews were so divided.

" ... Or a gladiator school. " You teased him in return. " Female gladiators are a curious oddity and in the moment they would have found out I was the daughter of the greatest gladiator in Rome, they wouldn't have resisted it. I would have been raised in a place like this, to become an amazon. The daugther of Mars on the arena. "

Lovely compliments to the treasured aspects of his complicated past weren't enough for you to get away.

" At least your mother knew my name before risking herself with me."

Remembering that you didn't even knew the name of the man sneaking into your romantic daydreams was quite an uncomfortable truth of the kind your father had no carefulness dealing with.

In a strange sense, his brutal honesty was a display of his affection that you didn't hesitate on returning.

" I am proud of you, as I am proud of our men. What I do for you is not an act. It's precisely because I know I could have been one of you that I want to do better for you all. I was given some light in my life, now it's my time to hold a candle and bringing it to you."

You took one of his hands with both of yours and gave him your sweetest grin, to what his voice became softer in the next advice.

" The Spaniard prefers to habitate in darkness and there is not much you can do about that."

You left your seat with an elegant bearing, feeling in yourself the charming effect of your first fruitfull conversation with the man back when he was even more of a stranger to you than then.

" The day we meet he said I reminded him of Helen of Troy watching the combats, ... he said I was beautifull and all our men find me charming. "

Pridefull as you were from repeating that statement, you still didn't manage to impress him with it.

He could easily guess what kind of first impression you would make for some gladiators, and the learnings of his youth only made the image more precise.

" You are the only woman arround who smells as one, a sip of fresh water in the desert. That doesn't mean you should take any encouragement from it. "

His realistic sight underestimated your patience. Even if you just happened to be the better presented woman of the place, that wasn't something to overlook. From the attention that would bring you, there was hope to build something real with the man you wanted.

" Rome wasn't built in a day, Pa ... And for a kiss of the Spaniard I would wait a lifetime. "

The mischievous energy in your tone and the little smirk at the end was an invitation for complicity, to what your father kept teasing you.

" That is easy to say, his is shorter than yours. "

The mean joke still managed to make you laugh, but you cutted his own chuckles with a hug.

" ... You care for me!!! You are thinking of my heartbreak if he dies!"

No matter how many times you would give him effusive affectionate gestures, it always would get him slightly surprised. You found it adorable, a reminescense of his corporal memory more used to predict attacks than caresses. He would tense for an instant, and you would ease him before squeezing tighter.

Proximo wasn't a man easy to catch giving himself in to softer emotions and with your filial love outbursts he used his cynicism as a shield.

"I am thinking that I don't want to load with the bastard of a gladiator because my own late acknowledged descendant couldn't find a husband before getting pregnant from one."

You released him and playfully patted one of his shoulders.

" Don't say that! The Spaniard is a gentleman, .. he would never do that! "

" I hate to admit it, but you are in the right. It could be worse, ... you could be chasing the german. Have no doubt that he would be responding, he loves the attention from beautifull women."

The disguised compliment was your shot to read between lines glimpses of support. Not for your cause, but for yourself as his contextually excentric-mannered daughter pointing to at least one of your virtues. There was little chance for him to calm your excitement anyways after letting you know that he was going to bring in the Spaniard closer to the intimate lounges in his property, even if it was for a conversation in which you had no place to wander. When the guards guided him in, your eyes followed the gladiator all the way through in hardly hidden adoration.

The Spaniard had strutted the place as if he expected to face more difficulties through the unusual call. Properly groomed and better dressed than he was on his early days at the school, he looked every day more handsome in your eyes. The sleeveless blue garment of common use you would see many other gladiators wearing had a different and somehow more perfect fitting for him, highlighting the blue of his eyes and the light glimpses of tanning in his skin. Despite you did miss a bit the messy beard, his lips looked even more kissable. You would have lied denying you thought of rewarding him with a full mouth kiss after the fight where his frustrated reaction turned him into a new favorite of the people.

You were more than entertained, you were amazed.

Distracted as he was with his own thoughts, he noticed you only an instant before getting inside and dedicated you a fleeting smile. A kind gesture, like a friendly salute that in any other would have been a mere courtesy. After Juba, you were the onlyone he would sometimes smile for. It would happen either as a result of your hard work cheering him up, or to let you know he was alright. No matter how stubborn he was, you were equally as persistent in the task of proving you cared for him and he got sort of used to it. At moments, you would get the rare impression that he would pretend neutrality as an active effort to not grow fond of you and that would only inspire you in the contrary direction. The more he would avoid it, the sweeter your concern displays would become.

When you finally saw him coming out from the talk with your father, you smiled to yourself noticing he was carrying a piece of armor. His claimed reward, you guessed, proving you weren't wrong about him.

" Strange preferences for your compensation, my friend. Most victorious champions would want at least a taste from one of the many pleasures denied for them. "

The teasing made him stop in his tracks and you smiled for him.

" You look like Achilles holding the new armour forged by Vulcan ... Who are you going to avenge with that? "

He knew that you had no idea of just how much accurate the mocking affirmation was, but it got you his attention.

" We will be going to Rome, as you warned me, for what your father wants to guide me and promote me so I would one day stand in front of the Emperor like he once did. "

The clarification was vague and from it you understood that he had decided it was the time to stop fighting for mere survival to focus on winning his freedom. You thought he was no longer self perceiving as a doomed prisoner and perhaps started to envision a future for himself.

Guided by the very little amount of factual knowledge you had about him, it was understandable for you to think he had found hope.

" THAT'S WONDERFULL!!! Take it from me, Spaniard: a man with your skill and charm will have no problem winning the crowd. " You couldn't stop yourself from inmediately encouraging. " Pa says the romans are more demanding because they are used to spectacles of a great magnitude that isn't experienced anywhere else in the empire, ... but you are something out of this world. "

He smiled to the praise and you followed the gesture looking at his lips.

" He is still not entirely convinced of that, but thank you. ... I only hope you remember what I told you about Rome."

" To watch out from the Emperor? Yes, sir! " You repeated, like a happy subordinate following orders from a general. " That would be no big deal, I would be too preoccupied for my champions to socialize during the games. "

He remained a bit skeptical and through his protective reasoning he let you know that he didn't ignore at all your daily activities.

" The scribe has been teaching you greek, the one foreign language that roman elites value. "

Lovely surprise painted in your semblance to that simple acknowledgement of you he revealed and you ended up telling more than what you should, going in details that shouldn't concern him.

" The original language of the Iliad, that I am learning for my own enrichment because now I have the chance." You began to explain yourself. " ... My mother was wealthy, but the people she sent me with weren't going to raise me like one of them. I grew up a fatherless child from an union they wanted to hide, so to them I was more like a freeborn servant they liked as family than a real relative. The owner of the villa taught me to read in latin because he used to say that is what distinguishes the civilized folk from barbarians. I think that is nonsense: Haken and Juba are more polite than many latin speakers and avid readers I meet. "

" Clever, ... you won't let the bright of the city blind you. " He praised you in return. " Your father was once a slave yet you remain the humblest of the family. How is that even possible? "

Whatever he spoke with your father inspiring him into asking further, you were thankfull of. Men rarely asked you about your own story, despite you were there to listen everyone.

"Meeting him changed my life, not just because I became suddenly richer. For me it was as if one day you would find out your father is Hercules and he has finished the twelve labours, so you can follow him for adventures. He is my hero, no matter how different we are, I adore him and I trully wish to make him proud. He didn't abandon me when he found out of me."

You gave a mischievous glance to the guards, indicating them to give you a bit of space to talk comfortably before they would guide him back where he belonged.

They did so, and you confessed yourself in a more mundane aspect of the experience.

" The change of enviroment was brutal ... Can you imagine, going from a farmhouse to a gladiator school? So used to cultivate life and you find yourself surrounded of death. Reading the epics was my way of adjusting to it, of trying to inmerse myself in the fantasy that you all incarnate."

Like it happened a few times before, a sudden yet unexplainable burst of laughter from him shifted the tone of your conversation. It was an odd habit of his that you finally felt in condition to interrogate him about.

" Why do you always laugh harder when I am being serious than when I joke with you?

" Sometimes I hear you speak and feel as if the gods would be pulling a bad phrank on me." He simply stated. " Not thinking your saids are meaningless or I find them a mock, but because we understand each other too well"

Incapable of fully comprehending what he meant, you chuckled and grabbed the piece of armor from his hands. After a quick examination, you smirked in approval and handed it to the guards so they would keep it save for him during an instant. Enough for you to take his hands staring at him with absolute delight.

" May I tempt you with one more reward, Spaniard? Not just for your results on the arena, but for your wise advice and attentive ears. I rarely find a good listener here."

His smile adquired a shade of cheerfull nervousy, as if something in him feared of your proposal despite he trusted in you.

" ... That would depend of which offering the lady of the house is about to make. "

Your chuckling evolved into louder laughter, surprised by the assumption.

" What kind of woman do you think I am? No matter how much they said Helen was a whore, she only slept with her oddly circunstantial husbands during her time in Troy. Men may die in front of me but I don't reward the champions with my beauty. "

He knew you have grown fond of the image he presented you with during the little game you played the day you meet. Seeing the charming effect you had in many of the other gladiators, he had said that in the parody of the heroic times they represented you played the role of the face that launched a thousand ships. From then, you never stopped teasing him about that observation.

" Very well, divine among women, because rejecting you puts me in a very difficult position none of us wants to be in ... What do you have for me? "

His use of the famous ephitet of the epics was a mere mock, a harmless participation of the inside joke he accidentally started, but you were melting for him regardless of how ilogical that was.

" To invite you for dinner, so for once you would be fed like a man and not as a beast. " You proposed, as friendly as you could because you didn't want to give him the impression of romantic hints in the invitation. " ... Besides, it doesn't have to be just you. I would invite Haken, I don't want him to feel displaced by your popularity ... And Juba too! He is your friend, another great champion, and allways so sweet to me. It would be a delight to count with his company. "

You were starting to stumble in your own words and he attempted to help you make it sense from what he interpreted on the petition.

" Let me understand this: you want us to have a feast of champions, ... a banquet like the ones given to the heroes of the trojan war? "

You nodded in agreement, relieved to have found a sensical explanation for what initially was an idea initially born from your wish to present him with new comforts as silent way to express your love.

" A more humble adaptation of the concept. I will even cook for you, because honoring my best gladiators with food made by other slaves is unnaceptable. "

He approved your mindset, coming to notice you had the sort of humble dignity and honor the place often lacked of.

" It sounds fantastic, but I believe your father would find it goes against the rules and you already risked a lot for the scribe."

" I stopped Pa from wasting resources: that slave was useless for fighting, but not worthless. " You defended yourself in the logic of the business. " He payed him incredibly cheaper and I am giving good use to his skills. If he eventually wants to get rid of him, selling him as a teacher to a wealthy family in Rome gives more profit than letting him die on the arena. "

As witness of your interaction with the man, he perfectly knew that wasn't your motivation. You had mercy of him and wrapped your feelings in a language convincing enough to please your father.Maximus was very proud of you for it and acted as your accomplice, never questioning your true reasons because it was a tacit understandment between you.

It was a hopefull relief for him to find in you a person of matching values, specially because you weren't limiting yourself to a quiet lamment for your surroundings but taking action in whatever way you could.

" You saved the life of that man, ... and I would gladly sit by your table If the master allows it. "

Signaling his moment to retire, he kissed the knuckles from both of your hands and you allowed him the permission in between non stop giggling.

It was nothing serious, he was just joking in the light-hearted way you often encouraged with the others, but following his style more inclined to keep proper manners for it. Seeing the kind of jokes you had with Haken made Maximus guess it wouldn't encourage you too much.

He had came to notice that you admired him, not in the way the crowd cheers for a gladiator, but as a lonely woman that fancies a man. It was an understandable reaction in your perspective, given that he had no way of crushing your hopes without revealing his story to you. As long as you knew, he was a lonely man in position of enjoying your company and he had a soft spot for you. Despite nothing you have done has had any explicit intentions of a romantical advance on him, Maximus would see the love in your eyes whenever your glance searched for his.

Remaining for too long near you was like being tempted with the promise of peace hidding underneath the mundanity of never ending combats without a purpose. He needed to be more cautious, but your unspoken complot with Juba to make him cling to life for a little longer was very much effective. While his gladiator friend kindly encouraged him to stay alive, you tried hard to make him enjoy of his cruelly prolonged existence and you often obtained brief success.

He couldn't keep affording it, not when the chance for revenge against Commodus was finally presenting itself. Temporally indulging in the comforting fiction that your innocent ignorance of his personal tragedy encouraged wasn't fair for you either. Precisely because you have made for yourself a little spot in his heart, he had to do better and make you see you deserved more than an infatuation with a doomed man whose ultimate wish was following his murdered family in the afterlife.

A cheerfull man who still had life to give and his whole heart for you was what a woman as lovely as you trully deserved. If he would have been captured as someone with nothing else to mourn for but the loss of his freedom, fighting to get it back knowing you would be waiting for him could have been the perfect deal. It wasn't the case, but you didn't know that and he couldn't be feeding that hope.

It occured to him that the best way to put you in the right path without breaking your heart or revealing his past was finding the right man for you, or at least the most adequate option available. From all the other gladiators, it was clear that you were closer with the german. Juba was becoming another close favorite too, but ever since he told you about his wife and daughters you had respectfully toned down the praise on him. In contrast, Haken seemed to love every instant of your attention and often played to impress you whenever you would catch him during trainings.

Energic and vivacious as his arrogance allowed, he was the onlyone finding some amusement in his enforced role. His crave for freedom didn't imply a complete disdain of being a gladiator. Only he felt comfortable enough in the cruel settling to be pulling jokes all the time and no shadows of the past seemed to be tormenting him. Haken was a man seeking freedom with the intention of living a plenty life, but he never stopped living.

If betting on a freed gladiator was an option you considered, that one was your perfect deal. In his empty life there was plenty of space for someone like you and he had a strong will to live. It was a convenient arrangement for your father as well, given someone so involved in the functioning of the school could be a good heir for his business. Maybe someday after his revenge would be concreted, when he himself probably wouldn't be there to see it, Maximus believed Haken could eventually be able to win his freedom. Considering how his carelessly individualistic attitudes contrasting with your kindness weren't an obstacle in your process of befriending him, he could guess you had better chances with him.

Despite his differences with the german made him suspect you were perhaps too good for him, that man had everything he himself wouldn't be able to give you. Seeing his act of rude bastard crash in pieces when you would softly reprimand him for being unnecessary mean to the weaker men made him suspect you would get something good out of him.

After falling to notice he had inpulsively accepted your strange invitation, Maximus decided he could use that to twist your expectations. He had no doubt that you would be trying to impress him as the maiden that seeks to catch a potential suitor of her wants, but he was one step ahead and would present you with another one instead. Intially, he sincerely thought you wouldn't get away with such insane idea, but he underestimated how much Proximo enjoyed of any reminiscenses to the glorious side of being a champion. For once, one of your weird occurences got him excited and invested. You two resembled a lovely family whenever you would pass by to consult him on the rushed planifications you were working on.

As expected, news about a trip to Rome to fight in the Colosseum and an upcoming previous celebration for the best champions of the school were of great interest for Haken. He looked foward it with increasing excitement, wishfull of the glory an honors. Humble and reserved, Juba initially showed to be disconcerted about being selected to receive a distinction. However, watching his friend work the ego of the german without any explanations for the sudden shift made him suspect he could be making him participant of some joke.

In his role of quiet observant, he eventually figured out the direction of his plan and subtly shared his mind at one particular ocasion in which the Spaniard returned to sit beside him after leaving you in company of his nearest contestant of the arena.

" You like her, but you push her away."

His friend remained in silence, to what he insisted from a more specific approach.

" He has been here for longer than us ... Don't you think that she would have tried it if that was her interest? "

To Juba's complicit chuckling, he found himself cornered to reply.

" What would you do in my place? Mine isn't a life anymore, just surviving and waiting. "

Unlike anyone else, he knew some truths that came from the deeepness of his heart. The longing for his wife and son, his hopeless crave for spiritual rest found only in seeing them again.

The reason why you had no future with him, why he would never be able of giving you back a sparkle of the light you brought to his life.

" You choose how to wait, and you can decide not to do it in agony. " The numidian adviced, with his usual comforting, wise-sounding calm. " She wants you to live again and that wouldn't damage you, ... unless ... "

He stopped himself for an instant, feeling the inquisitive glance of his fellow gladiator.

" ... Unless you don't want to find worthy delayments in the way. "

The Spaniard smiled, then turned his gaze at the scene he created.

" His only wait is the time of fighting that separates him from living free, and look how happy they are. "

They observed how Haken was bending down to hear you better on whatever you were telling him. His response lead to chuckling and after you playfully smacked his shoulder, he grabbed your hand to kiss it.

However, as soon as the interaction ended your eyes were back on the Spaniard. The lovely smile you showed him on your way out still managed to cause a subtle warmth of his stoich semblance.

Juba laughed harder that time, remembering to hold on untill you wouldn't be able to hear him.

It was hard, but Maximus had to admit to himself that he had no idea of what to do with you. He enjoyed your friendship, yet he feared you were expecting something more. Part of him was terrified to start getting accustomed, of reaching a point in which he would be wanting to hear your offer ... To give in, to one day realize he had fallen in love with you.

He desperately needed you to fall for someone else before it would be too late for him. The fate awaiting him in Rome was not of your business, all he would have for you there was a promise of protecting you from Commodus or any of his men. A direct meeting between you and the emperor was less likely than what his obsessive worry would make him suspect, but with a bastard like him he could never be sure of anything. You weren't naive or foolish, but your natural inclination to sweetly intervene in favor of broken men would turn incredibly dangerous in his presence.

If you managed to shake a few certainities on a centered man with a clear mind, his deranged and directionless enemy starved for affection he didn't deserve could find in you exactly what he wanted. Maximus was aware that any connection to him Commodus could find would bring him to you.

After a lifetime of treacherous crave for everything he achieved, the emperor wouldn't resist it. Coming to you with fake softness, like the snake he was, making you doubt of the stranger that told you nothing about himself and crushed your ilusions when your protection stopped being usefull. Pretending he was the one coming to rescue you from his lies, charming you with the acting of well spoken prince so you would make him the new target of your admiration.

For the good of everyone, you needed to arrive in Rome under the effect of another infatuation. He himself wasn't in the position of surrending himself to those feelings again, but the german was free of sentimental attachements and was going to need of a consolation prize once he would have realized the master didn't have the greatest aspirations settled on him anymore.

Once he finally convinced himself to be proceeding under the will to do the right thing, even Proximo seemed to have turned against his intentions with his sudden support. Not of your interest in him, but of his future as a champion, yet there was no doubt that could be potentially encouraging to you. The mere idea of his owner wanting him as a future son in law to teach in the business was amusing, but perhaps not impossible to envision for his enamored daughter.

The night of the party all three guests were adorned with tunics of a neat white after their respective proper baths, like house guests would following roman traditions. Like he did from the very first moment that he saw you, the general turned gladiator got from you once more an accidental sense of returned familiarity with the life he left behind. A taste of the human condition teasing him, inspiring him in what you believed was only about the search for his freedom from the emperor.

At the receivement on the halls of the master there were plenty of wonders to surpass the expectations, but one in particular captured stares ahead of everything else. Patiently awaiting for them at the center of the scene, you looked beautifull to the point of cruelty. With your lose hair perfectly styled, wearing a green dress of a carefully crafted asymetric cut that made the skirt fall slightly shorter in on leg and was leaving one of your shoulders completely exposed. An embroidered mantle protected it untill the excitement of the arrivals made you leave it behind and the rescued scribe right behind you acting like a manservant received it with a quiet smile.

Like never seen before in your modest ways of dressing, the strands of matching craft tied arround your waist to secure the fitting of the dress followed your figure with gentle accuracy. Feminine curves enhaced with decorum, but so easily distracting for the eyes of any man. Small glimpses of nervousy in your lovely face, and evidence of a subtle make up done for the ocassion, completed the confirmation from some of the early guesses the spaniard gladiator had.

At least from your perspective, that was all for him. For his eyes to wander lost and numb his reason like if he could ever be a suitor you would be in condition of catching. Seeing you made him feel flattered, even honored, but unworthy of such adoration. His words the day you meet fell short to the painfully beautifull spectacle you were providing, like a young Helen receving her suitors in Sparta.

Probably enraptured in similar observations, or circunstantially charmed in the surprise, Haken practically pushed him so he would be the one reaching you first. Juba didn't miss the move and limited himself to give a mocking glance to his spaniard friend reminding him on that of his warnings.

" This must be the highest rewarding ludus of the empire! Your looks alone are worth for a hundred more deaths by my hand, dear friend."

His praise made you chuckle, but you didn't delay in returning the gesture.

" And I can still see those huge muscles because we never find anything that fits you the way it should, but after all that is exactly what the crowd wants! We will have to protect you from the lust of the rich roman matrons, my germanic god."

From his seat at the head of the table, Proximo corrected with an autoritative mockery that in that image made him resemble the parody of a cheerfull king in the feast.

" For what? We know he is going to throw himself at the herd of screaming women."

The mischievous smile of the german left the matter dubious, not denying or comfirming anything to him untill directing a cheerfull excuse to you.

" ... You will always be my favorite. "

To a sweet look of yours with your arms stretched up, he catched you for a warm hug as salute and then kept playing with you even after you were released from his strong grip.

" Do a little show off for the invitees, let them see what their suffering pays for." He suggested in friendly mocks, taking your hand in order to guide a slow twirl. " That's a really nice dress."

A brief instant of amusing complicity with the others occured as he shared the sight for them, small truce with the spaniard with the mere object of sharing their impression.

" Very nice. " Juba agreed first, politely unimpressed. " … but I still don't see why all of this was done for three slaves. "

Vigilant through the whole interaction, the eye of the father was a more subtle threat than usual. The little indulgence of his men didn't upset him as much as that comment did.

" You are not simple slaves, you are gladiators. " Proximo corrected, serious as if he had been offended. " If you haven't learn the difference yet, Rome will show it to you. That's why she kindly prepared this exercise for you: those who don't like honors need to get used, and those who enjoy those too much need to keep their minds awake or perish for their blindness. "

Guessing himself as the target of the last attack, the german responded with more mockery.

" Are you giving up on finding her a husband outside the circles of old gamblers that frequent you? Perhaps you would have more luck offering her as prize for the last one standing. "

You were surprised by the daring joke, but your laughter was the facade of your eyes chasing the spaniard for a reaction. His usual silence had been prolonged for too long and you started wondering what he could be thinking of you, of the reward you pulled for him, and of the casually presented hipotetical situation implied in the comment. Whatever your father answered to the provocation of your friend defending his honor, you didn't listen for being entranced on the sight of the spaniard and the intensity of his blue eyes fixated on you.

He remembered his plan, and was still aware of his duty saving you from himself on the quest for justice that was his most intimate priority leaving no space for second thoughts. However, something didn't feel right in the jokes of the german adquiring a shade of truth. It was precisely what he needed, a promising first step for you two getting together so you could find a less disgraced fate for your affections, but giving up to those by himself wasn't as easy as he once thought.

After one more instant of silent contemplation, and careless as you were for the course of the conversation, he told you exactly what he wanted to say.

" Is this the beauty we must pay with blood? How many men have died so we will get here to be gifted with one peek at your fanciest looks? … And yet, now that I see you, I can't say it was all in vain."

Nobody saw it coming, except perhaps his confidant numidian, and it certainly managed to amaze you more than anything you had ever heard from gladiators in the mood of practicing politeness. Reminiscense of your inside joke that sounded too personal to be mere jesting.

Trying to escape the inminent flustered reaction that would leave you in evidence through the blatant contrast on your salute to the gladiator, you turned back for a neutral approach doing a general comment on his.

" The romans will not believe this, Pa. We have a hero of the epic times, he even speaks like one ..."

Wisely cooling you down with his cynicsm, Proximo ruined the moment with his unamused reception of your appreciation.

" Guide Achilles to take his seat and let's begin, finding you doing the cooking was already a feat."

You accompanied everyone stiffling a chuckle, not precisely because of the callout made to you, but to the performance of the spaniard as an angry butcher screaming with brutal honesty to the crowd he despised. While every man took his distributed position, the joke left an aftertought that you couldn't keep to yourself.

"Achilles and Hector must have made a pact in the Underworld because both wanted to reborn in you, Spaniard."

You weren't ready for the lovely smirk the polite praise, aparently directed only to his gladiator persona on the arena, had accidentally caused. Despite way more subtle than your friendly, yet shamelessly playfull teasing with Haken, the intimate understandment going on made it land differently.

"I am amazed you got time to lead the cooking and then work in your looks with such great detail in both tasks. I didn't imagine you as a perfectionist."

Heading in the opposite direction to claim your space in front of them, you responded with pleased mischievousness.

" You are not the onlyone who is full of surprises, ... and I got a great one for you. "

To a sign you gave, the scribe brought you back the mantle and you whispered him to help out pouring the wine from a nearby krater.

" Father wants to test as many uses as we can give of him, and I feel like one of those rich roman ladies with their educated greek manservants. For me this is also a testing exercise for the life in the capital, he will be evaluating my banquet manners." You explained for everyone, then subtly redirected your words to him. " I got you spaniard wine, turns out Pa keeps his storages well supplied. "

A quick look at the table showed how much effort you put on making them feel like free men having dinner in the house of a business associate. Roasted lamb, pork stewed with apples and even honey glazed mushrooms were on sight, among many other foods that wouldn't be normally destined to slaves. Breads of many types, kindly different from the one accustomed to be served with their usual Puls. No more fava beans, what everyone was thankfull of, but plates of cheese or fruit served instead. The small touch of a bowl with garum let Maximus know whoever you used to cook for before had roman tastes. He found a confirmation when you bragged a little bit about the Savillum awaiting them near the end of the meal, dish that you had to explain to the other gladiators.

You soon got them invested in a talk about the foods they remembered from their countries, telling on your part some food related anecdotes from your past in the countryfield villa. Proximo casually critiziced the guardians of your early years, claiming the owner of the place was an intelectual that despised the arena but liked bucolic poetry without having worked his fields for a single day of his life. He sounded very satisfied of having rescued you from them, but the Spaniard identified in his claims more than that arrogant relief of being your savior.

A certain cheer of knowing he would get to spend his old age in company of a daughter that admired him, since those intelectuals he cursed couldn't poison her mind against him. Despite he would never say it out loud, choosing to take you with him wasn't a mere act of rescue happening after he acknowledged your existence. Getting to be a father as an old man must have been a strange, late joy for him.

In his reproaches followed by reluctant indulgences there was proof that you were the only thing Proximo cared about more than riches. For once, the general turned gladiator could relate to his perspective.

As parents they got reversed fates: his master finding a daughter late while he himself had lost his boy too early. In the silly anecdots about you driving him crazy that your father started sharing for those who didn't got to witness many, Maximus found a strange remembrance for what he lost. While Juba felt somewhat encouraged by the context to tell you bits about his daughters, he couldn't speak of his son.

The weight of his memory renewed his strenghts, and he noticed Haken was getting bored at that point of the talk because he was probably the only man there who haven't been a father yet. He certainly mentioned to never have had a wife, and that was an excellent point to start planting seeds between the two of you.

" You are always very vocal about your chances to win the freedom we all chase. If you make it, you must start thinking in one. " He casually commented, a disguised advice. " There is no greater joy for the free man than going back home to find the smile of his lovely wife. No amount of paid company will give you that, the most experienced prostitute won't replicate the passion of a wife giving herself to you out of love."

The recommendation was very unexpected, specially because the german didn't want any kindness from his contestant.

" Who would have thought the Spaniard is a hopeless romantic? " Haken teased him towards you. " Is that why you like him?"

Being midly exposed left you out of options and you decided to escape with a joke.

" He may appear to the crowd as an unstoppable force of destruction, but he is the sweetest. "

Your father limited you on purpose becase he wanted to make a speech and bring back some seriousness to the moment. It was deviating too far of his own interests, which weren't the spread of sentimentalisms or watching you flirt with the Spaniard.

" One obvious reason why my sentimental daughter has convinced me of giving you this early show of what glory can bring you, it's because some of you simply won't make it … Not at least in your current conditions. " He began, airs of greatness coming from his past speaking for him. " Rome is not forgiving of the mistakes you three make surviving the province. In the sand of the Coliseum, magnificent beyond your wildest dreams, even your most trusted strenghts can morph into weaknesses. "

He made a brief pause evaluating the reactions before delivering his strongest conclussion.

" Being the strongest won't save you, going unnoticed is a death sentence from the crowd, and rabid butchering followed of insults won't impress them. You may think I am not to be trusted, but there is wisedom in my words you are invited to take. "

The three gladiators looked at their sides, silently attributing to each other every critic. Seeing that your father was about to scare them, you rephrased the intentionality of his speech.

" If of me depended, the three of you would find freedom in Rome. I watched you fight, mourn and laugh. You all deserve it, maybe more than anyone else here. " You suddenly interrupted, in a ceremonial yet comforting tone. " If I could, I would face the Emperor for you. I would beg the son of Marcus Aurelius to have one more mercy with this family and release my friends, the best gladiators I ever had the honor of meeting in my father's home."

The mere idea raised concern on the Spaniard. He knew that, for him and out of loyalty to everyone else there, you could be able of trying such reckless movement. You would do anything believing to be helping his cause, lovely infatuated as you were.

" I have no doubt that you would, that's why your father will have to keep you well surveiled."

He gave you a mischievously reprehensive look and you hid the reaction giving a sip of wine.

" It's good to know all of us count with your support. " Juba completed, with calm relief. " You said you don't like to play favorites, but the crowd does. "

" We are her favorites, but I got to keep her by my side the longest. " Haken pridefully corrected. " You see, she is like a good luck charm: the men she grows fond of always prosper. "

" There are exceptions, like this greek eunuch " Proximo mocked his superstitious talking by pointing at the scribe. " His only use is to keep her entertained as a companion. "

" He will prove himself to you, just like the Spaniard did." You defended the man, curiously glancing at the gladiator instead. " Blame me for having faith, but he deserves it."

The bright in your eyes left him no space for doubts, he knew you weren't really talking about the scribe. For as long as he was forced to endure more of Proximo's tecnical complains on the perfomances of his men regarding the challening tastes and demmands of romans, your reassuring expressions reacting to each remark eased the situation for him.

For as much as you bragged about the dessert you successfully prepared, or the wine you got in honor of his home, neither of those details were the biggest surprise you had in mind. Certain aspects of your planification escaped even your expressed saids to your father, who would end up as surprised as the guests of your table when you cheerfully announced you would bring entertainment for them.

Near the end of the meal, when everyone was quite saciated from food, drinks and conversation, you pridefully stood up as a follow up from the claim that kept the men struggling to guess what would be your next step.

" This is a home of performers, so tonight it is my wish to perform for your entertainment. " You sweetly informed. " Unfortunately for us, I am not instructed in many arts, but I will offer you the one I believe my finest. "

You looked at your father with a cheerfull smile, easing him and looking for his approbation in the same action.

" I have been told that, in Rome, people are fond of acts that tell stories. Gladiatorial spectacles are sometimes structured as stories that narrate the victories of the past for the glory of it. For this, I am going to enact a little tale for you in my singing. "

The introduction made you sound like you were about to become the master of ceremonies of your own act, to what you proceeded into a detailed narration.

" Going back long before Mars loved the virgin Silvia, when Aeneas was still in Troy, yet not remained there for too long. The ruse of Odysseus to conquer the brightfull city had worked, and the greek warriors awaited inside of the giant wooden horse. Undetected by the citizens they were, untill the doubtfull scheming of one among them put their feat in great risk."

Noticing the mood of the small audience, you saw the gladiators in attentive silence and a smile in your father's face. He looked almost proud, and that would only encouraged you.

" In slow, gallant pace, Helen circled the horse three times calling for the greeks. One by one, in her voice they heard the voices of their distant wifes. The memory of their loved ones torturing them, blessing them, invited them to expose themselves in risk of their own survival. Believing to be reuniting with his wife, one man responding to her and the so longed vengeance would have been ruined. "

Something had changed in the calm semblance of the Spaniard, like a sudden fright imperceptible enough for most. Seeing this shift inspired you to shorten the explanations.

" Far from seeking to torture you, I invite you to relax and find in my voice the call of your merriest thoughts. "

Taking a guess in what you were about to do, your father stepped aside. Curiosity kept him surveiling the scene instead of calling him to stop you because it showed him how much attention you have put listening to his tales, how you looked up to him. Being the master of ceremonies of her own arena, his girl had presented herself to perform like an entertainer.

It was adorable, so he could only allow you the creative freedom taking distance alongside the scribe.

Enacting the scene you had just narrated, you began to pace around the gladiators singing about a young wife waiting for her husband describing him between declarations of love and longing. Slow, but confident were your steps circling the table, and you gave yourself completely to the performance adding little seductive quircks through an acting. Juba, the onlyone you knew to be a married man, took it as your well intentioned try to comfort him and inspire him. Your approach of him was perhaps more modest an innocent for this cause, what he appreciated.

If they would have been the crew of hidden greeks, Haken was perhaps the one closer to sentence everyone else to a certain death falling for your act. He would follow it whenever your attention was back on him, clearly responding with cheerfull enjoyment. If your hand would give a brief caress to his cheek, he would grab it to keep it still for just a bit longer, then tilt his head following your way with a smirk. In direct contrast with him was the Spaniard, biggest challenge on the crowd, precisely the one whose cheer you craved for the most.

Unamusement wasn't the source of his gelid receivement, but pretty much the opposite. Conflicted feelings and the incredible coincidence had frozen him on the spot to contemplate you in awe. You knew nothing about him, but in the choice of an act to get his attention you touched the core of his heart. Like the autentical Odysseus of the scene, he resisted with prudence in awareness that his plan for vengeance would be ruined once he would have given in to you. Like Helen tempting the men with the echoes of their wives, you were offering him a second chance in life if he would just take you. The whole gathering was your subtle proposal to him, showing over and over how much of a great wife you could be once he would have obtained his freedom. With a voice as bewitching as your image, you were determined to charm him in particular. The flirty manners with rest were collateral, part of a performance to appear less obvious.

Trapped between his enjoyment of the dangerously ethereal beauty in the performance and the melancholy for his tragically lost love that you had accidentally evoked, he stayed still as emotions overwhelmed him. Lacking a response must have been frustrating for you, but instead of ruining the act with tears of rejectment released in advance you embraced the role even harder.

The last notes came out as you cuped both of his cheeks, tilting his head slightly upwards teasing a kiss that would never happen. His challenging composure, and the tension building up between you, strangely reminded of the moment you meet him.

Good timing in the humor of your german friend saved everyone.

" ... And they say she can't find a husband because of us! "

The choir of laughter and clapping iniciated eased the situation. With the room cheering for you, only your beloved remained silent.

Ríght after your little thankfull salute, you teased him about it.

" At risk of sounding reiterative, I have to ask … Are you not entertained, Spaniard? "

He smiled as if nothing had happened, trying to fool you and himself equally.

" Not more than you want me to be … I think the german cheered the loudest"

You smirked, then pretended to be offended by the neutral review.

" Even after I played the role you found me? Well, I guess I owe myself to my audience then."

You blew a kiss for Haken and he gave you a cheeky wink.

" My friend! If only I was a free man ... you would be suffering no longer. "

You laughed together, untill he pushed Juba a little bit just to be able to round you against him with one arm.

Proximo respected the artistic liberties, but the disruptive time had ended with your performance and he was ready to reinforce the limits.

" You must be drunk off your ass if you think I would ever give her away to you."

His voice reminded you of his presence and you rushed towards him with excitement.

" Pa!! Aren't you going to talk of my act? I didn't tell you about it so you wouldn't have an evaluation ready. "

Noticing you were awaiting with expectation made him more proclive to allow himself a cheerfull reaction even if his men were nearby.

" And when was I supposed to find out my girl is a songbird with acting skills? " He praised you right away. " I allways suspected that you could be more than the country peasant they raised you as. It runs in your blood … You are an entertainer, just like your father! "

Careless for anything else to his display of pride, you hugged him as he kept cheering out loud.

" We will get filthy rich!! Perfect the act, repeat it in a roman banquet, and you will get a herd of wealthy men bringing gifts. If the rumours spread far enough and your fame grows, maybe one day you may even perform for the young emperor. "

His observations got you in blissfull disbelief, so after releasing him you objected the too grandious ideation.

" I was just playing for my friends! I found my voice singing to entertain myself in the farm. You can't possibly think I can become that good."

Before he would get to reply, and faithfull to his strange compulsion, the Spaniard interrupted.

" Are you thinking of selling your own daughter to Commodus now that you found an exploitable talent of hers? That's low, Proximo. Even for you."

" My darling, he worries for me!! " You commented with delight getting your attention briefly back in him. " Fear not, I will explain him. "

Trying to sound as nice as you could, you revealed the small infidence he once made you.

" You know I don't like to critizice your business associates, so I tried to say nothing for as long as I could. Spaniard heard rumours in the legion … And that man? He is bad as disease. "

The reprobatory nod you gave was funny, but it didn't manage to convince your father.

" Why should we believe in him? He didn't even bother to tell us his name."

It was a plausible answer, but the gladiator had something ready for it.

" You don't have to, but there is wisedom in my words you are invited to take. "

Twisting the very own rethoric used on him earlier granted him a partial victory, and when you smiled for him from afar once more, the passion he only allowed himself to unleash through protectiveness found its correct outlet.

" Eres preciosa, … y no permitiré que ese hijo de puta te mire siquiera. "

Evidently impressed and slightly frightened, the scribe ended up exposing him.

" That's not something very appropiate to say about the Emperor of Rome. "

Making himself an echo of the collective surprise, Juba questioned him with increasing curiousity.

" Is his one of the seven languages? "

" Tell us what he said. " Haken followed. " I don't like his wicked grin, I could swear he is up to something."

The greek was all smiles seeing his skills were suddenly acknowledged.

"Indeed, I understand him … but I owe myself to my lady so you can ask her the full translation later. "

He was having a very particular little vengeance against the one who mocked him the loudest for his desperation at the arrival to the school. Perhaps encouraged by your protection, he mischievously showed off in front of the arrogant though whispering you the answer.

You eyes were open wide to the words he murmured, envisiong the meaning in the intense feeling that the original pronunciation gave you. According to your loyal accomplice, the Spaniard had said that he wouldn't allow the emperor, adressed in heavy curse words, to have even one peek of your beauty.

Shielding him with your lies, you mockfully repeated only the part in which he cursed Commodus so everyone could laugh and forget about it.

Was it merely a strong sense of protectiveness? Preventive jealousy? You couldn't possibly tell and it was driving you crazy. He spent the rest of the night being elusive of you, shielding himself in the extroverted nature of Haken so you could never approach him directly again like you have done before. Even his reserved best friend had became more talkative, or at least not subtly closed to your attempts of interact.

Progress made was completely lost, since he had shutted himself down again. Confused by the overal mistery that the man was, but at least happy for the good time you spent near all the other men, you could still say that your merry gathering was a success. Nice closure for one stage at the gateway for the biggest challenge of your lives: facing the great city. For them? The most brutal, and most glorious arena in the world. For you, it would be feeling small again fearing to stumble with the family of your mother. If she still lived, would you find her on the streets and not recognize her unless your father would be there to tell you? Those were things in which you prefered not to think about, or otherwise you would not be able to follow his excitement about leaving the province.

The success waiting for him, all the luxurious wonders of the capital, and your beloved gladiators proving their quality were merriest thoughts. And however, your wishfull thinking couldn't help going back to the same idea. A freshly freed Spaniard, triumphant despite his personal disdain for the emperor, finding his way in the capital. Carrying you in his arms to cross the threshold of his new home, that would be your home.

In the tangled mess of your fantasies you found at least one root of his strange behavior, and you couldn't believe how you couldn't see it before. The matter couldn't wait untill the next day, but you couldn't discuss it in front of your father, so you proceeded exactly in the way you have mastered.

Sneaking to the cages, even if it was a scandalous hour, so the guards will let you confront him before he would be locked up again. Seeing you arrive didn't surprise him, and having an accusing finger pointed at him even before privacy would allow you to be clear was enough to guess your motive.

" You have been trying to set me up with Haken the entire night … Why?? And don't dare to bring a man that has nothing to be with us into this again. "

He decided to defend himself being completely honest with you, even if that would expose you both to the uncomfortable truths.

" I did what a good friend does, helping you search a prospect seeing you started considering close to be liberted gladiators as a possible marriage strategy."

The callout hitted you strong, but you tried to save your dignity.

" That's absurd! And you clearly don't know him like i do, his jokes mean nothing. Haken won't be looking for a wife anytime soon."

Saying that, to change that, you just had to give him enough time behaving for him in the exact same way you would do for he himself would have been too provoking. It would have angered you, potentially exposing himself as well.

" But you think I will, … ever since you found out i want to win my freedom. You spoiled me so much tonight in order to prove me you could be a good wife. "

" Can you blame me for trying? After all, free men need wives. " You defended yourself. " Besides, you are very different from what one can expect from a champion. You rejected the pleasurable companies offered to you, and that persuasive little speech about the uniqueness of marital lovemaking made me guess you dream with finding a woman you can call your own. "

If there was a moment worthy of being direct, or at least teasing glimpses of his past to help you understand his attitude, it was precisely then. Knowing Rome was near meant for Maximus that, the less you would knew about him, the safest would be for you.

" Following me will keep you chasing ghosts, you are in love with a shadow. How can you be seeking to pursue a future alongside a man you don't know at all?"

His hands were holding your shoulders, more as a caress than a as a pressing grab, and he stared deeply into your eyes as he awaited for an answer.

It made you melt towards him, even if he seemed closer than ever to breaking your heart.

" Because every small discovering of him amazes me a little more, and every single day I wake up more in love than the night before. If I would have found my feelings completely denied, I would have desisted a long time ago. I can tell when I am not wanted, and I respect it, ... but everytime I think you are about to deny me you prove me otherwise. "

Your confused frustration was his fault, a mistake he had to ammend in the kindest way possible.

" Your are so close to make me love you, but I am not meant to have you. I can't afford this, neither it would be fair for you to take the load of treating wounds from my past. The tender flesh is still bleeding from a damage so deep they will never close. The german has only old scars, and sees a bright future ahead for himself."

The confession was stained by the cryptic phrasing surrounding it.

" Spaniard, you claim to be protecting me, but you are obsessed in speculating with other men's desires. You want Haken to fall for me arguing it's for my own good, you have this insane fear that the Emperor himself could want me if we ever meet because he is dangerous… How about you? Have you figured out how you feel for me?"

You took one of his hands and moved it close to your chest, pressing untill he would be able to feel the fastening beatings.

" Can you feel it raise for you? It's yours, even if I have no name for the only man that makes my heart beat like this. "

Intimacy as such was torture for the man in that context. Unable to respond, but craving to do so.

" You will get all the answers soon, I promise. "

The tranquilizing claim managed to make you smile, but it wasn't enough to satisfy your passionate curiosity.

" Can I get a kiss now? "

Your eyes searched for an answer in his face with wondering adoration and even despite the bad ilumination of the enviroment, he still found you lovely.

Gently cuping your cheeks to pull you closer towards him, he granted your wish for a kiss that was exactly as sweet and tender as he had imagined on how you deserved to be kissed.

#gladiator #gladiator 2000 #maximus decimus meridius #the spaniard #russell crowe #maximus decimus meridius x reader #maximus x reader #spaniard x reader

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sitp-recs · 9 months ago

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12 fics I’ve enjoyed recently…

Last year I did a short-lived “weekly rereads” series to spread love for old favourites that kept me afloat when reading new things became a struggle. I was looking for ways to stay active and contribute to the fandom with minimal effort, and I found solace in revisiting fics that I hold dear in my heart. This year, spring brought the @dronarryfest to pull me back into reading mood. Fandom is starting to speak to me again after a very long time, and the euphoria hit me with inspiration to write this short rec post for my recent reads. I am joining the party a bit late but on the off chance these escaped your radar, here are some fics I’ve really enjoyed during my catch up moment in February/March, and a few I’m planning to dive into next. It’s so nice to be able to write comments and rec blurbs again! What have y’all been reading lately?

HP fics:

Wet Leather by @lqtraintracks (E, 492 words) - Harry/Sirius

I live for LQT’s rare pair drabbles especially when it’s for my beloved Sirry because nobody writes this ship like them. The A+ characterization always takes my breath away: so much tension laced with yearning, it feeds my horniest deepest Sirry cravings tripping between guilt and absolution. This short is full of heat, want and sweet indulgence, with the usual tenderness underneath driving me up the wall and making me soft and hot for these two. Also, “my drenched little pup” excuse sir I’m??? 🥵

Nightswimming by @sweet-s0rr0w (M, 5k) - established Drarry, Dron, implied Dronarry

One of my instant faves this year, what a masterclass in tension building! As always, I’m so impressed by sweets’ short form. The brilliant banter and relentless sexual tension put me at the edge of my seat praying for MOAR. The atmosphere is so captivating I could feel the temptation on my fingertips, and have I even mentioned Ron’s spot on voice?? Superb bromance dynamics, late night drive aesthetics, an impressive amount of characterization within 5k and a teasing ending full of promise, come and feast!

Borrowed Time by @the-starryknight (E, 7k) - Dron + Harry

Another delicious Dronarry treat, now showcasing established Dron, body swap, the sexiest UST you’ll see today and an incredibly satisfying payoff. Once again Starry delivers peak romance with their “hot & sweet” trademark mixing compelling dialogue, witty flirting and uncomplicated smut full of want but also trust, understanding and intimacy. Forget the maddening anticipation, the domestic slice-of-life tone made me swoon - the characters are so clearly fond and familiar with each other it’s only natural for them to come together like this.

Heart to Hearth by @jtimu (E, 7k) - Drarry

This fic is a breath of fresh air and I still remember how excited I felt reading it for the first time. I’ll never get tired of seeing Harry get utterly horny confused at an attractive and carefully guarded Draco being competent at his odd yet surprisingly fitting job. Repairman Draco is indeed mouthwateringly efficient with his long hair and coveralls, and their tentative and awkward dynamics are just excellent. Love the subtle humour, the bits of repair magic theory and the earnest slow burn, with a smooth progression towards deliciously indulgent smutty times. Amazing concept, perfectly executed.

Long Haul by @wolfpants (E, 8k) - Drarry

Wolf is killing it lately, loved their Dronarry but this fic stole my heart with the long haul love premise. The image of their encounter - Harry holding his passport between his teeth, Draco with Muggle headphones around his neck - stayed with me the whole night. Harry loves flying and connects with NYC for the same reasons I do, so this fic spoke to me in a very personal way. I love everything from the title and bold flirting to the scorching hot and intimate smut with smooth daddy Draco! Not too long ago I prompted Florence’s “End of Love” for Wireless - unknowingly, Wolf wrote the NYC fic I’ve dreamed about when I thought of it 💜

Permanent by @citrusses (M, 14k) - Drarry, Dron

I’ve always been drawn to time travel and Citrus set up a thrilling, mysterious mood that’s impossible to resist. I was deeply intrigued not only by the plot but also by the complexity of these characters - a belligerent Harry with daddy issues and a saviour complex (yes pls!), edgy and focused Hermione, perceptive and kind Ron charming his way inside our hearts, and a lonely Draco trying to make sense of the plot, handle his feelings and find his foot in the post-war world. I loved being inside his mind - such brilliant characterization - and seeing the golden trio through his eyes. This fic has a wistful, melancholy tone mirroring Draco’s longing for Harry that hit me right in the solar plexus. It is also a great Ron study, and I’ll admit that made me fall even harder for Dron. Finally, it is tender and devastating as all good things are. A brilliant read and an instant favorite.

Dick Chicken by @oknowkiss (E, 15k) - Harry/Draco/Ron

Believe me when I say this is the Seinfeld AU you didn’t know you needed because you don’t wanna miss out on this. Hands down one of the most entertaining fics I’ve read in a while, this is hysterical funny, witty and steamy. The perfect mix of crack-y and casually horny vibes with a quirky Draco, a lovable and relatable Harry, and a hot Ron who’s 100% there for the ride, this chaotic trio will pull you into an unhinged journey and you’re gonna thank them for that 🤣 superb Harry pov, a warm and playful atmosphere that feels intoxicating, and a glorious shower scene followed by a fake orgasm competition. You’re heard it right. Run don’t walk!

Knot Your Average Coworkers by @thecouchsofa (E, 22k) - Drarry

Office romance is my kryptonite and I couldn’t stop giggling as I made my way through this wolf!Draco treat. I was instantly smitten with the charming characters, the delightful silly knotting jokes 🌝 and the good old oblivious friends/coworkers to lovers dynamics that always gets me. Pining Harry wooing Draco through cooking is SO my jam, the perfect mix of sweet comfort & unbearable UST that fills me with joy and anticipation while also wanting to smash their heads together “kiss kiss fall in love” style. Yum!

Cargo Case by @sleepstxtic (E, 23k) - Drarry

This was such an exciting ride, I love the inherent yearning & intimacy of break up/make up stories and this case fic kept me engaged and rooting for Drarry (and Pansy/Parvati!) the whole time. It was wonderful to see them not being antagonistic after a break up for a change - there’s delicious ust, fabulous Draco & Pansy brOTP, not to mention their super cool job. I was as invested in the plot as I was in the romance, and I’ve had a really fun time following them around. Undercover boyfriends for the win!!!!

Truth to Materials by @toomuchplor, lately (E, 54k) - Drarry

Another fabulous plor fic as per, this artist!Draco story immediately won my heart with the hilarious opening scene and the perfect combo of Draco’s “brazen gay” voice and Harry’s “bi panic” mind. What a delight! Love the clever dialogue, the mood so chaotic horny but the humorous tone making me giggle my way through the delicious loo sex scene. Unique premise, great pacing, fantastic cast and charming characterization - this fic is so easy to devour it doesn’t feel like a 50k journey at all. The story is great fun, very engaging but also delivering multiple tender and heartkick-y moments. It checks all my boxes including our king Ron Weasley putting a banana into Draco’s sculptural arsehole 🤣 what else could I ask for?

Skybound by @xanthippe74 (T, 61k) - Drarry

As a longtime fan of Ghibli’s movies, I was over the moon to see one my own faves adapted to fit the HP universe. This is the Howl’s Moving Castle AU we deserve, a light, enchanting and fun read with a lovely smooth Draco and a lovely earnest Harry making such a great pair. I love how Xan played with the original material making adjustments here and there, and giving life to Timpsy, the apprentice elf with a whole subplot involving mistreatment of magical beings. Very sweet and creative read!

Other fandoms:

a man—with human flesh by spqr (E, 14k) - Paul/Duncan, Dune

I love that this author writes for all of my favorite ships, I feel so spoiled! This is (yet another) banger following the 2nd Dune movie and a fascinating dive into Paul’s fractured mind struggling between his long-standing affection for Duncan and the intrusive thoughts under BG’s influence. So intense, vivid and thought-provoking. I was hooked from beginning to end and deeply immersed in this universe. Love me a fic about emotional implications and complications while delivering excellent character studies, this is the shit I live for right here 🤌🏼

Next up on my to-read list:

Home series by @hoko-onchi-writes (E, 22k)

In which Draco grows up hiding and finds out he doesn't want to do that anymore. And he doesn't want his son to hide, either. (…). In which Harry grows up in darkness, falls in love, fucks up, learns some things, and falls in love again.

Passing Stranger by @lettersbyelise (E, 53k)

Five years after the war, Harry, listless and depressed, stumbles upon Draco Malfoy playing the violin in an underground bar in Muggle London. The catch? Draco lost his memories five years ago. Ignoring his friends’ advice, Harry befriends an unwitting Draco, overlooking the fact that their mutual attraction might not survive if Draco’s memories return.

The Star Splitter by @oflights (E, 219k)

On a routine time travel assignment to the past, Draco stumbles upon 7-year-old Harry Potter and witnesses his neglect and mistreatment by the Dursleys. In the moment, there is only one solution, even if it goes against all his training as a Time Agent: he has to bring Harry back to the future with him. In which Draco burns his life down for the sake of his former school rival.

#monthly roundup #Sitp recs #it’s been so long since I wrote a rec post 🥺#feeling energized!

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vxredemption · 9 months ago

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The First Tear (1/3) by vxredmption(Warmund)

A COTL AU fanfic writing for @gorjee-art COTL AU (All properties, AUs, concepts, imagery, etc. go their respective owners.)

Silence. A steady but heavy footstep follows... then silence. The slow sunset over the great lands casted down onto one living hooded figure, standing near their lamb god as they swayed their adorned thurible, casting trails of ancient burning incense to attract those who have lost their way to the afterlife as it moved around around a ancient clearing. The figure had, for a time, considered his god to be living as well... but he knew that contradicts their achieved divinity all those years ago. He had accepted it... but now he feels his heart grow heavy with a longing that he took for granted. The hooded figure, Narinder, would soon try to make talk with his god for a hundredth time... hoping that this time they could at least see a sign that they have listened to them. "Today's harvest was well with your followers, Lamb... berries, cauliflower, pumpkins... the feast for this month will be plentiful and colorful." A pause... then a another heavy step is heard, with bells softly tolling about around the god's neck and ears. The Lamb God was still on their duties to see if there was any lost flock of the afterlife still present in the ancient grounds... finding nothing in one part of the clearing. They soon moved to another side, giving their chained censer a sway as to see if there were any souls yet to be guided by them. "The followers were as happy as they can be at end of the harvest day. Plans of great meals that even my sister, Heket, would be happy to make with great fervor... though Leshy could at least try some patience before interfering her work by going a handful of fish tearing them at their heads with glee as a... 'sample dish'." Narinder mustered a small smile, happy remembering the scene in detail with familial fondness... but that slowly faded as he only sees the Lamb God was still silent... once again being unnoticed for the hundredth and one time of this day. The grip on his shepherd staff tightened a little, once belonging to Lamb when they smaller and seeing it fitting to be "gifted" to them after their ascension, the wood creaking just a bit from what his mortal strength could offer. "I am sure that even such troubles, even after all these years, the familiarity of family is what helps the even the most lonesome beings to be feel loved." Silence... a heavy footstep... a jingle... silence again. Nothing more from the Lamb... that is until Narinder, who has spoken a normal calm toned voice to the Lamb as if they were his height, spoke a bit louder and rougher around the edges... signs of frustration and melancholy seeping through syllables and at the end of each inquiry. "Lamb... the one who I call God to... how much more can I take this? How many more times will my words go unheard to you? How much longer will I even get to see as much as to turn towards me to make even the slightest affirmation or disdain towards my attempts to speak to you? I was the One Who Waits... and the silence I have received from you makes me feel the same imprisonment all those years ago... only this time... I feel my heart beat up to my throat, my limbs no longer weighed by heavy chains.... only to be replaced with a weight a 100 times more painful: no longer seeing you smile."

End of Pt.1 (Hope this is good... otherwise, I follow this notion: Fuck it. We ball!)

#cult of the lamb #ascension of mercy - cotl au #artist mention #my writing #my fanfic #series

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maybege · 2 years ago

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Paz with no. 56 please 😵‍💫🥵 you’re amazing!! Thank you!!

Guess who is back, babes! After starting 2023 off with the trip of my dreams, I am finally back home and so so so excited to post this smut prompt. Thank you so much for sending in a prompt! I know it has been taking me a long time but I am honestly s proud of this one, even if it kind of got out of hand but it was a lot of fun to write and I hope you enjoy reading it. As always, let me know what you thought in a comment or reblog!

Annual Chances

Summary: Paz chooses you at the yearly festivities.

Pairing: Paz Vizsla x fem!Reader

Wordcount: 5.3k | Rating: E (18+ only!)

Warnings: explicit sexual content, consensual aphrodisiac, dom!Paz, sub!Reader, breeding kink, a whole lot of size kink, verbal degradation, creampie(s), implied cockwarming

Prompts: #56 “I’d like to breed you.”

masterlist | crossposted on AO3

“Get up, sleepyhead, the invitations are in!”

You sat up, startled from your sleep and still half away in your dreams. There, the sun was shining on your bare skin, warming you from the inside out as you watched Paz play with your children, their laughter echoing through your head even as you saw your friend. Even as the reality you wished for dissolved all around you.

“Chants, what the fuck?” you hissed, unhappy to be pulled from your dreams so early and so roughly.

But your friend did not care, he simply skipped through the doorway, settling down at your side as he thrust a piece of paper in your face. By the looks of him, he had probably been awake for hours already, his job in the healing wings demanding a rather flexible sleep and work schedule.

“The invitations are in!” he repeated, a wide smile on his face, “This is your chance to finally snag that warrior of yours.”

You sat up, trying to ignore how your heart sped up from the mere thought of him. “I won’t be snagging anyone,” you corrected groggily, fishing the piece of paper from his hand, “Besides who knows if I have time to attend ...”

“Oh no, we will not have that discussion at all,” Chants protested quickly, throwing himself you’re your mattress and just barely missing your shin, “You were moping for weeks when you missed your chance at last year’s feast and I am frankly too busy having fun to anticipate having to nurse you back to happiness.”

“I wasn’t moping,” you protested with a pout, “I was just … thinking.”

“About how much happier you would be if a certain warrior carried you off into the sunset, I know,” Chants replied easily and you chose not to discuss it anymore. Perhaps he was right … Who were you kidding, of course, he was right.

You had had a crush on Paz Vizsla from afar for a long time. As soon as your clans had joined together and he had arrived with the first warriors, you had had only eyes for him. And how could you not? He was a fine specimen of a man, tall, and broad, with a deep voice that send shivers down your spine and a laugh that made you wish for a future when you could see his face.

But, alas, your shyness and his high status in the covert did not work well together. You hardly got to see him alone, and sometimes, weeks passed when you didn’t cross paths no matter how much you wished for it. And even if you managed to see him, to be in the same room as him, you were too nervous to speak.

More than once, Chants had suggested that you use the annual matchmaking feast to shoot your shot. Every person of age was invited to the party and it was without a doubt the event of the year. After all, Mandalorians valued their foundlings above everything and any excuse to celebrate what was most likely going to be the date of conception for some future ones was welcome. Countless couples had found together at the feasts over the years and the thought that it could be the day when you and Paz joined was … intriguing, to say the least.

Only that you had been too shy to attend for a long time and when you had finally gathered the courage to go to the party last year, Paz Vizsla had not been there. At the time, you were convinced that he had already chosen someone as his mate and, much to Chants’ dismay, had vowed never to attend again.

But it seemed your friend would not take a no for an answer this year.

“I hate this,” you muttered under your breath, trying your best to ignore your racing heart. Was it possible to throw up from nervousness? Because you were sure you could feel your stomach doing somersaults in the confines of your body.

“No, you don’t,” Chants replied easily, taking a sip of his sparkling drink, “At least the food is great.”

“I could have great food at home.”

“Yeah but not with a view like that.”

Your eyes followed his and landed on a group of broad-shouldered warriors that talked with each other by the bar. Which was ironic considering they all had their helmets on.

That was why, as soon as you had entered the packed hall with Chants on your heels, you had fled to the buffet table. The chances were considerably low and it allowed you to at least try and calm the fuck down.

In the meantime, Chants was happy because your position by the buffet granted him the perfect view of what the covert had to offer.

You tugged at your dress, feeling constricted in the ridiculous gown your friend had talked you into.

“Don’t do this,” he said.

“Don’t do what?” you asked grumpily,

“Don’t self-sabotage,” he said calmly, “You are so scared of Vizsla rejecting you that you don’t even put yourself out there and –“

Your heart clenched, his pointed words finding their target. He knew you too well, or maybe just well enough because you had to admit he was right.

“And what?” you asked, shoulders slumping as you searched the buffet for something to catch your eyes.

“That’s Paz Vizsla coming our way,” Chants murmured, his elbow digging into your middle, “I think he’s coming to us.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” you mumbled, fishing another appetizer from the buffet, “Paz Vizsla would never come to us. He’s way too –“

“Way too what?”

You froze, slowly turning around and looking at the warrior before you.

Paz Vizsla was a huge man, imposing and intimidating even when he tried not to be and with a reputation that followed him from the battlefield to every place he went. It was rumoured that he had never lost a fight before and now that you saw him up close, taking in the sheer size of him, you had no trouble believing it.

“Way too, uh, busy?” you grimaced at how weak your voice sounded.

“Of the two of us, I’d say you’re the busy one,” he replied with a tilt of his helmet, “this is the first year you’re attending the festivities.”

“That’s not true,” you frowned, “I attended last year as well.”

The man in front of you hummed, as if in thought, and you took the opportunity to just … look at him.

Your eyes slid over his broad shoulders to his thick arms and large hands and you found yourself wishing to know what it was like to feel them on your body. Or in your body. Preferably both.

“I’m afraid I was not there for long last year. That would explain it,” he finally said, still looking at you. You wondered if he noticed your stares because he straightened up a little, clenching his fists and relaxing them and the veins stood out. Stars, how could one man be so attractive?

“You know what, I think someone’s calling me,” Chants suddenly said and you were embarrassed to find that you had completely forgotten he was right next to you. What kind of crush was this?

“Of course,” Paz said and you both watched your friend leave in silence, immediately swallowed up by groups of people.

The realization that you were both alone now came suddenly and unexpectedly and you felt your heart skip one or two beats. Because what were you supposed to say now? Here was the man you had been pining after for so long, here was your chance to say something, to impress him, to make him fall in love with you.

“Hello,” you managed to bring out, hoping that your smile wasn’t as wavering as your courage.

He chuckled, low and rumbly and you swore you felt it in your chest. “Hello, little one,” he greeted you, grabbing a small berry in his large fingers. You watched him bring it up and under his helmet, and your imagination ran wild.

Stars, what might it be like to kiss him?

“I, uh, I thought you found someone last year already,” you continued nervously, fiddling with your hands in front of your middle, “Did – did you find someone?”

He shook his head, “It was more about whom I didn’t find.”

“That sounds like you have someone specific in mind.”

“I do.”

“Really?” you asked, surprised at how close he suddenly was. You imagined being able to hear his real voice behind the helmet, “Wh-Who?”

“There are a lot of flattering things I could say now,” he stated, his voice not wavering for a second, “But to make a long proposal very short: I’d like to breed you.“

You thought you were dreaming. You were convinced you were dreaming.

“Me?”

“Yes,” he stepped closer, his hand reaching yours and you were hyperaware of how gentle his rough fingertips were against your skin, “you.”

“And if you were amenable,” he continued quietly, his fingers brushing over your knuckles, “I’d be also interested in courting you.”

You felt faint.

“Courting … me?”

He stiffened, shifting away from you and you immediately yearned for the return of his touch. “Only with your consent, of course,” he spoke, “Please forgive me, if I spoke out of turn, I thought perhaps – I thought you –“

“No, don’t get me wrong I’m,” you hurried to say, “I’m – this means a lot – but, uh, did you take a look around? There are so many wonderful people that you could be interested in and I am just … me … Why me?”

Your hand landed on his and you both froze, looking at where you were touching him. His skin burned against yours and you could feel his racing pulse underneath your fingertips.

“Because I don’t think of any of them when I make myself come at night,” he revealed with a growl and you swore your pussy pulsed at his words, “and I don’t think of any of them when I think about whom I want to raise my children with. I want you, mesh’la, very much so. Do you want me too?”

You could hardly believe your ears. Somewhere deep inside you, doubt was still hammering at your chest in worry. What if you had somehow misunderstood him? What if he realized what a mistake he made when you thought yourself safe?

But just as the worries seemed to creep up on you yet again, you caught yourself, just in time. You deserved happiness. You deserved love. And you deserved these things with the man who stood in front of you, who had told you how he felt for you. Who wanted you as much as you wanted him.

“Stars yes,” you breathed.

“What’s that?” he asked, his voice deeper than before, “I couldn’t hear you, little one.”

You nodded quickly, “I – I’ve wanted you for so long, Paz, I didn’t – I never, I never thought you’d think the same.”

“Well then,” he said, his helmet so close you could feel the cold of the beskar radiating onto your skin, “What would you say we go and make this semi-official, mesh’la?”

You grinned. This was a dream come true. Who would have thought that of all people Paz Vizsla, the one you had a crush on would return your feelings? His hand wrapped around your, completely enveloping your wrist and fingers as he tugged you through the crowd. You had always admired how people seemed to just make way for him wherever he went with an unconscious admiration and respect that he had earned. Now, following him as they parted for the both of you was thrilling.

The armourer sat at the end of the room, shadowed by her council as they oversaw the festivities.

“You want to leave us already?” she asked, tilting her golden helmet in acknowledgement.

You felt heady, clutching Paz’s hand like a lifeline. It was all so real now.

“I hope you will excuse us,” Paz said, “we found each other and I don’t want to waste any more time.”

“Stars know you wasted enough time pining after her,” Djarin commented from his place on the dais and that caught your attention.

Paz? Pining? After you??

The big man shifted next to you, seeming a little shy and you smiled. This was definitely something you would ask him about.

The armourer inclined her head and, from someplace you did not see, a goblet was brought to you. You knew the look of them well, the drink in it was given to every couple that found each other at the festivities. It was some sort of concoction that was rumoured to be especially potent for … you felt heat rise in your cheeks.

Paz lifted his helmet, just enough to take a sip and it felt forbidden to see the sliver of skin, to see how his hand dwarfed the precious metal. Soon, you would feel those hands on you, soon you could feel his skin against yours.

You were so enraptured by the sight of him, it took you a few moments to realize that he was holding out the goblet to you. “Would you like a drink, my love?” he asked you, his voice low and rumbly.

You nodded wordlessly, taking it from him. It tasted sweeter than you imagined, the liquid like honey on your tongue and causing a comfortable warmth in your belly. Almost immediately, Paz’s hand found yours and he dragged you away.

Everything was a blur. You did not see the people you passed, you did not take in the hallways you walked through. Paz was in a hurry and your laughter turned silent when you felt your need for him burn your veins. Was this the effect of the drink?

The hallways were completely abandoned and as Paz passed through the residential quarters, you found yourself curious about where exactly he was leading you.

You got your answer not a minute later.

“These are my rooms,” he announced as he punched the code into the keypad. The door swished open, revealing quarters that looked much warmer than you had expected. There was a giant bed with lots of blankets and pillows and the floor was covered in soft rugs. You could see his workstation completely overladen with files and plans and smiled when you spotted the invitation to the festivities at the very top of the pile.

Feeling his hands on your hips, you turned around with a smile, letting his hands slowly wander over you. His metal forehand touched yours and you took a deep breath in, relishing in the way your entire body seemed to warm at his touch.

“You have no idea how long I waited for this moment,” he whispered, his fingers slipping under the hem of your dress and slowly lifting it up. The feeling of his rough fingertips on the soft skin of your thighs chased goosebumps all over your body and you could feel a pang in your core.

“I never dared to dream,” he said, “that you could want me the way I want you.”

“I want you, Paz,” you whispered, your hands shaking with anticipation as you tugged on his shoulder pauldrons, “I always wanted you. Ever since I first saw you I knew it … if it would be anyone it would be you.”

“Good. Because for me it has always been you,” he hummed, sounding happier than you had ever heard him. He took a step forward and you gasped when you could feel his entire body press against yours, “Will you let me show you just how much I want you?”

You nodded, unable to find the words between sheer excitement and the needy pulsing between your legs.

In one quick movement, Paz had freed you of your dress and you hurried to step out of your underwear as Paz’s hands worked on the various buckles and clips on his armour. It was a flurry of movements, quickened by your desire for each other and suddenly you were both standing there, completely naked save for Paz’s helmet. But that was not what you were focussing on now.

“You’re – you’re really big,” you mumbled, taking in his girth. Stars you knew he was a big man but how was that supposed to fit inside you?

Paz chuckled, holding out his hand for yours and you followed his movements. You were both quiet as he guided your hand to his hard cock. “Your hand can hardly fit around me,” he marvelled, his breath hitching as his hand closed above yours. He started to move your palm with his and you watched enraptured as a few drops of precome started to bead at the tip.

Your walls fluttered around nothing at the thought of feeling him inside you and you shifted, swallowing nervously. Your chest brushed against his, your nipples hardening and out of reflex more than anything else did you tilt your head up towards him.

“I cannot show my face,” he said, clearly displeased with the rules, “Not now. Not yet.”

“But I’d like to kiss you,” you pouted, as you continued to stroke him, “I’d like to feel you.”

He hummed, taking a reluctant step back and you wanted to follow him before you saw where his hand went. Before you could say anything, the room fell into complete darkness and you stilled, trying to calm your heartbeat so you could hear what he was doing.

The sound of his intake of breath was unmistakable and you heard a thud, metal on wood, when you realized that he had taken off his helmet. You smiled. Of course. If you could not see him, he could take off his helmet and you could kiss him.

In complete and utter darkness, you reached out your hand only to find the warm skin of his chest. You smiled when his hand came up to hold you against him and moments later his entire body pressed against yours again. You could feel his reaction against your belly and his breath on your face and it was a miracle your brain hadn’t short-circuited yet.

Your noses brushed against each other and you smiled just before you could feel his lips against yours. Paz’s lips were dry and a little chapped but you swore you had never felt anything as heavenly. The kiss started out soft and careful as you got used to each other. But having him so close, the effects of the drink making you all dizzy, you couldn’t keep yourself from wanting to explore him.

You sighed against him and Paz used that to move against you, his tongue bushing over your bottom lip as his hand cupped the back of your neck, pulling you closer. He tasted sweet, just like the drink, and when his teeth closed on your bottom lip, you swore you were this close to coming just from having him close.

Lips moving against each other’s, you let him push you towards his bed, the mattress hitting the back of your knees. You squeaked, falling into the softness and scooted back until you could feel the pillows. Paz followed you, his body heat never leaving yours and when you arched your back, your chest accidentally brushing against his stubbled chin, he closed his lips around your nipple.

All breath escaped you as pleasure burnt through your veins. You just wanted him to touch you, to –

“Ready?” Paz asked you, kissing the spot between your tits. His hands slid up to the inside of your thighs and you were sure you had never been as wet as this moment. You nodded before you you remembered he couldn’t see you.

“Yes,” you whispered, hands finding his shoulders and you held onto him, “I’m ready.”

Paz made a noise at the back of his throat and you could feel him shuffling closer, his fingers rubbing over your folds and you gasped when they circled your clit. You were sure the mattress was already drenched with your juices and you inhaled sharply when you felt the head of his cock carefully part your folds.

He pushed inside you slowly and you gasped. “Stars,” you murmured, resisting the initial desire of your body to move away from him as your hands tightened on his shoulders. His head was not even completely inside you and your walls already felt like they were stretching too far. “You’re huge!”

“Not too huge, I hope?” he chuckled, pulling out carefully and leaving you feeling ridiculously empty. You could feel him pulsing against your folds, drops of precome mixing with your wetness.

You shook your head, wrapping your arms around his neck as you tried to find words. “I – Paz, what if you don’t fit?”

“Afraid your pussy is too small for my cock, mesh’la?” he teased you and you felt heat fill your cheeks at his words, the desire thrumming through you again.

At your lack of an answer, you felt him relax, his legs spreading beneath yours as his thumbs brushed over your sides. “Don’t worry,” he murmured, sweetly kissing your cheek, “I will make it fit.”

He pushed your legs up, his hands large on the soft flesh of your thighs as he pressed them to your chest. “Is that comfortable?”

His hips pushed forward a little and his shaft slid over your wetness. Something snapped in you. “Stars, just fuck me already,” you panted, trying to lift your hips closer to him which resulted in your claves landing on his shoulders for leverage.

He laughed then, a deep belly laugh, that made your cheeks hot and your pussy clench. “Paz ...!”

“I am sorry, sweetheart,” he chuckled, his lips brushing over your calf and you felt him shift between your legs, “I will make amends.”

And amends he made when his shaft parted your walls again, slowly but surely, pushing the breath out of your lungs. You were prepared now, for the inevitable feeling of being split apart and you took a deep breath, your blood singing with relief at having him inside you.

Paz groaned above you, his hips starting to build up a fast rhythm that had your hands bunching the sheets. You had never felt so full.

“Can’t wait to see your tits bounce,” he groaned, “to see your belly all round with my child.”

You moaned at the image, walls clamping around him. Nothing sounded better than having him

“I'm gonna fill you up,” he announced between groans, his bed shaking with how deep and strong his strokes had become, “I’m going to put a baby in you and if it doesn’t take today then it will take tomorrow or the day after or the day after …”

Lying helplessly underneath him, you couldn’t do anything but take it. Take his cock, take his words, take the kisses he gently pressed on your jaw and neck.

“Stars, you’re tight,” he cursed, leaning forward and pressing your legs further against you. Your muscles protested and you felt the knot in your core tighten.

“’s too much,” you panted, “please – I – I am so close I –“

“Come for me,” he encouraged you, his voice raw in your ear, “Come for me and I will fill you with my come like you deserve.”

You felt hot and cold at the same time and with Paz’s cock hitting a spot inside you that made you see stars, it was the closest you would ever come to an out-of-body experience, you were sure. You cursed under your breath, any thoughts leaving your head when all you felt was incredible.

You felt incredible.

“Good girl,” Paz’s voice got you out of your mindless state and you suddenly became aware that he was still very much moving inside you, shaft rubbing along your clenching walls as he seemed to get quicker and quicker until he buried himself so deeply inside you it almost hurt. The feeling of his come filling you was like an aphrodisiac all on its own.

“Oh fuck,” you murmured, your legs still shaking on his shoulders as he slowly pulled out, “That was –“

“Was?” Paz chuckled darkly as he rolled next to you, “I haven’t even started yet, sweetheart.”

You gaped at him, even if he couldn’t see it, “What?”

“What do you think they give us this drink for?” he asked, clearly amused.

“I – I don’t know,” you stuttered, your heart slowly reaching its normal rhythm again, “Heightened fertility?”

Paz hummed, his warm hand finding yours and squeezing, “That, too. But also for better … endurance.”

“Oh stars,” you groaned, “What have I gotten myself into?”

Both of you laughed at that and the happiness you felt threatened to burst out of your chest. The bed moved with Paz as he sat up, you could feel his arm brush against your shoulder and soon, his hand tugged on yours.

You followed his wordless instructions, trying your best to sit up. But his tugging did not cease until you understood what he meant. You raised your leg, attempting to straddle him and it was his other hand that gently held to your knee, guiding it over his lap.

It was impressive how in the darkness, Paz could still find your lips, pulling you in for a kiss. You could feel his heart beat in his chest and you were sure he could feel yours too. You wiggled your hips, causing him to groan against you. Your hands found the back of his neck, your fingertips playing with the soft hairs at the nape of his neck.

“I could get used to this,” you mused, quickly kissing the corner of his mouth and giggling when his hands cupped your tits, his thumbs swiping over your nipples.

“Me too,” he smiled against you, running the tip of his nose over your jaw. You wiggled again, feeling his cock harden between you and even with the mess of your combined juices spilling down your thighs, you felt ready to go again.

“C’mon, ride my cock,” he instructed, the teasing lilt to his voice betraying the grin that was undoubtedly on his face. You could feel his hands between you as he held his cock in position and you tried your best to raise yourself up high enough to sink down on him. But your body seemed to have different plans and the newly required effort to move reminded you just how much that first orgasm had taken you out.

His come served as lube as you sank down on him, your legs too weak to hold up any pretence of control as his cock speared you again. You whimpered, barely holding yourself up on his shoulders. Paz made a soothing sound, his lips on your temple as you tried to catch your breath.

“Go on,” he whispered, his fingers gently pinching your nipples and you mewled when he pulled on them ever so slightly, the pain giving your pleasure a new edge, “Work your pussy on my cock.”

“I can’t,” you admitted feebly, rocking against him. Your legs were trembling so much still and all you could focus on was how good he felt inside you, how stuffed you were, how deep he was.

“Paz, please –“

He did not do anything at first but you could feel his knees go up behind you and suddenly he was holding you by the hips. “It’s okay,” he soothed you, his fingers brushing over your skin, “I got you.”

Unable to say anything, you just let yourself rest against his chest, putting your head on his shoulder. He smelled of the woods and engine fuel and the pure warmth of him made your chest flutter. He got you.

You whimpered, hiding your face in his neck as he started to thrust up into you, bouncing you on him as if you weighed nothing.

“You take my cock so well,” he praised you, “What a pretty little breeding toy you are for me, sweetheart, how pretty you sound with my cock stuffed in that tight pussy.”

He had you bounce so strongly, the sound of skin slapping against skin couldn’t be overheard, and yet all you could hear was his panting breath in your ear, the quiet groans, the little praises. They made you clench even tighter around him and you tightened your hold on him.

Needing him more and more, you attempted to move your hips against his, trying to get your own rhythm going to get hom to move deeper. Stars, you needed him deeper.

“Oh, you’re much too weak for that, my love,” Paz teased you, his fingers tightened on the soft flesh of your ass before one hand came down in a slap, “Let me fuck you like you need, you can be as cockdumb as you want.”

You smiled, letting him take control again, and kissed the little spot behind his ear. There was a strange sense of happiness you hadn’t anticipated, in knowing that Paz really would take care of you. He would fuck you like you needed, fill you up like you wanted, and you didn’t need to do anything.

You just needed to enjoy it.

“Are you enjoying my cock?” he asked you breathlessly, “Does it feel good to be stuffed like you need?”

“Y-yes,” you brought out, embarrassed by how thin your voice sounded, “F-feels so good, Paz.”

“Tell me you want me to breed you,” he growled, his hips surging up in a particularly hard thrust, “Tell me you want my baby.”

You whimpered, the words stuck in your throat when you felt another wave threatening to send you over the edge. It was all you could do to hold onto him.

“Tell me or I won’t let you come,” he threatened, “Don’t you want to come, sweetheart? Don’t you want to be bred?”

His words made you want to sit up but Paz’s hold was as strong as ever.

“Pl-Please come inside me,” you burst out, not caring how your voice stumbled over itself, your despair to come too big to ignore, “Please, Paz, I want your baby, I – please come inside me.”

“I am going to breed you every single day if that is what it takes,” he growled, “Every free moment I have I am going to spend like this,” his finger rubbed over your clit, making you gasp, “Stuffing that pretty cunt with my come.”

Your gasp got swallowed by his kiss as his fingers worked their magic on your clit. “Come for me again, my love, let me breed you.”

And, as if all it would take were his words, you did. You clenched around him, biting your knuckles to keep quiet as you squeezed your eyes shut and tried to ride the waves of pleasure that washed over you.

“Good girl,” Paz groaned his hips stuttering, “My good fucking girl.”

The praise made you preen. His hands held you down on him and you could feel him filling you again, the sheer amounts of come trickling around where you were joined, squelching sounds mixing with your loud breaths.

“It feels so good,” you breathed once you felt like you could think straight again, “You feel so good.”

Paz hummed, his chest heaving against yours and despite the aftershocks of your second orgasm of the night still feeling prominent, you decided that this was your favourite moment. Here, resting against him, skin to skin, heart to heart, it felt like your world was finally complete.

“I think the drink is wearing off,” you murmured finally, “At least for me.”

“For me too,” Paz confirmed, his large hand settling on your lower back, holding you to him, “Though I am not quite ready to let go.”

“Me neither,” you sighed against him, closing your eyes to listen to his heartbeat.

“Don’t worry, though,” he said, kissing your temple, “We have time.”

#maybege writes #paz vizsla x reader #paz vizsla x fem!reader #smut

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