#John Sampson x original character

[soft-persephone]

Roughest Rough Drafts of a John Sampson Fic

No rating // WC: 1k, give or take. I didn’t count // masterlist // AN: rough drafts for a fic I’m working on. Can’t get the intro just right, so enjoy two options I didn’t go with! Stay tuned for the real one! // real one

ONE

Imani sighed, watching her breath form a white cloud of powdery condensation before her.

The apartment townhouse building felt intimidating.

She turned on her heels for a quick walk to clear her head or maybe she could—

“I know you not leaving already.” A low familiar voice called out.

“Hi Alex.” She said in defeat.

“Well don’t you look nice.” He appraised her with a nod, “to think all that hides under your dickies and carhartts.”

She huffed at his compliment, crossing her arms and refusing to give him the satisfaction.

Imani had gone all out on her outfit, as she would, anytime she had too.

She wore a silky bodycon number, not too tight or inappropriate, but that didn’t stop the curves of her hips, her thick thighs from popping or the dress complimenting the shape of her waist just as much. Her long white coat rested snugly on her shoulders.

She clutched tightly at her coat to ward off the cold.

“How could you think of leaving?” Elle huffed, interrupting their latest spat, “You have to thank all your new donors!”

“I already called them one by one,” she groaned, stomping her feet, “why do we need a party to do it all over again!

“Because it opens the door for more.” Ellen said smoothly.

“Oh is that how that works, now.” Alex said to her coily.

They leaned into one another sharing a brief but rather heated kiss.

She wanted to say something smart like, can you guys move so I can get inside or something like that, but her and Elle were past that level of pettiness. . . Maybe.

It was hard to tell.

Elle was so hellbent on focusing on her career, putting herself first, and emphasizing she didn’t need a man, but did a complete 180 once Alex came back into her life.

She couldn’t hate Elle for it too much. He’s nice looking and just an overall good man, more than a good father. Anything and everything. He was the total package.

They don’t really see eye to eye, but if Imani was being honest, that was more on your friend’s end than Alex, but she’s never cut any of her men some slack, and nothing you could say, or what anyone could say for that matter, will change her mind, but Alex pushed through that and made it work until she trusted him.

Good for him and good for her.

“You coming or you planning on staying out here all night?”

“Come inside Mani, listen to Alex.”

You huffed and rolled your eyes.

And then there was that.

Saving her energy she followed without a word, but on any other day for any other occasion, she would have made a big deal out of Alex telling her what to do and Elle urging her to listen.

“You guys made it!” Jonesy kissed her and Elle on the cheek. Alex held out a hand for him to shake, but Jonesy pushed his hand away, going straight for the hug.

“Oh we know each other better than that, Alex.”

“Uh, yeah.” Alex patted Jonesy on the shoulder, politely putting an amount of space between them.

“Your coats can go in this closet here.” Jonesy pointed, “Make yourselves comfortable. You all know your way around the place.” He flashed them with a smile and a slight wave, “I’ll let everyone know when dinner is ready.”

“Wow you look so nice!”

“Don’t you look pretty!”

“You really stepped out tonight girl!”

Imani was over it.

Everyone was being extra nice, treating her like some lost doe eyed soul. She’s gone to therapy, she’s dealing with it, and she’s even ready to move on. Everyone else needed to follow suit.

Imani was fine and tired of everyone treating her like she wasn’t.

“It’s just such a shame how he was murdered like that.”

You purse your lips at the random white man donor you purposely forget the name of. “It is.”

“But you used your grief and pain to start this foundation to give back to people just like him. I’m so glad to be a part of helping you reach out to the homeless in your community.”

You smiled and nodded as he went on his white savoir guilt trip rant.

“And without Detective Alex Cross, you never would have gotten justice or answers.”

Alex and Elle had made their way back to you to chat, not knowing that some stranger was throwing your trauma back into your face for shits and giggles.

“I’m going to get some air.” You gave them a tight lipped smile before making your way to the balcony.

“Fuck, I could use a smoke.” You muttered to yourself over the balcony, looking out that the city.

“Is that in reference to a ciggerette or something else?”

You peered over at the man who asked.

His out of date shoulder length hair and odd fitting white tux jacket trimmed in black made him stick out amongst the well polished crowd, but you were not going to judge him, especially when by looking at him, you could tell he had something you wanted.

“Depends,” Imani eyes him trepidly, “what you got?”

He only had one joint in him. Not ideal, but she would take what she could get.

It was a little stronger than what she necessarily wanted, but bigger can’t be choosers.

The tightening feeling in her chest subsided, she felt like she could finally breathe again.

She eyed the moon and what little stars were visible.

Thoughts of escaping to a secluded countryside intruded her mind.

“Hey I know you.” The stranger interrupted her short fantasy of escape. “You were the girl that was with that homeless guy.”

“He didn't die homeless!” Imani clipped, “he had a home”

“You can’t keep carrying that shit,” he ignored her outburst, “ he passed the joint once more and she took it gratefully.

He dug around in his mysterious pockets once more and pulled out a little plastic baggie. .

“Here,” he shoved them in her hand, “you need them more than I do.”

“There was some weed, mushrooms and. . . Pills? “What are these?” Imani held one up, the light of the moon made them glow. They were magic. She was sure of it.

“They’ll help the pain go away or it will show you your truth to deal with it yourself.”

“How can you be so sure?” Imani blinked, the pill still glowed in the palm of her hand. The magic hadn’t faded.

Before he could reply, a rich velvet voice called out, “ What’s going on out here?”

Stranger scurried off without a word.

Imani turned to face the new man, letting out a puff of smoke in the direction of the wind so it wouldn’t blow in his face and the smell wouldn’t linger.

He looked down at her casually, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets.

His neatly short cropped fro went well with the equally as neat beard on his face. He held a gaze of light disapproval she’s seen Alex give his kids when they were acting out.

Was he treating her like some child?

“I’m not afraid of you.” She called out.

“You should be.” He smirked lightly.

“What, you a cop or something like that?”

He took the joint out of your hand, putting it out on the rail before flicking it over the balcony.

“Aye, what the fuck!”

“Or something like that,” he eyed her, “detective.” He nodded his head as if contemplating, “close enough I think.”

He took the bag out of her hand.

Imani squinted in displeasure, but it wasn’t until half a beat later that she actually moved to stop them.

Shit. That weed was strong as hell.

She pushed through her foggy brain enough to grab at the material of his shirt.

“Give them back. I need those.” She wanted to say something more tactful, but her mind was loose, and now, whatever thought she had would fly out as is. “It’s not even illegal. I’m obviously not underage.”

“As much as I liked to believe that, I’m sure you got at least ten more years of being carded. Can’t be too sure these days.”

Her brow furrowed. Was that a compliment? That could be a compliment? Why was he complimenting her about how young she looked?

She fisted at the material of his shirt, a strange sensation probed at her wrists. What the fuck?

“Why are your nipples so hard?”

“It’s freezing out side.” Was the only explanation he gave as he pried her hands off of him.

She nodded, accepting his explanation, but then she looked at him and remembered he had a coat on, and after he just touched her, she now knew that he had on leather gloves as well.

“How are you cold if you have on a coat?”

“Get inside.” he motioned toward the door with his hand.

Imani’s drugs might be gone, but there was something comforting about his presence. His voice is low and warm, demands unobtrusive and somehow. . . Relaxing despite the reality of her situation.

Wait.

“Are you taking me to jail?” If not, can I have my drugs back?”

“If you behave,” he started slowly, “I’ll think about it.”

She grabbed his wrist as he stomped inside. He was walking so loud.

“Stop, everyone’s going to know if you keep walking like that.”

“You’re fine,” he huffed at her with a unreadable expression, “that’s your mind playing tricks on you. The weed is making you paranoid.”

“I’m not paranoid!” She hissed up at him. “Your just being too much of a cop.”

“Mhmm. Right.” He said nonchalantly before presenting you to Alex and Elle.

“Mani, where were you?” Elle brushed your shoulder with a hand. “You’re freezing.

“Seems you met John already.” Akex commented with a raised eyebrow, before dapping up your jailer.

“You know this man?” Imani couldn’t stop herself from blurting as she pointed up at John, as he was apparently named.

Her other hand tightly grasped his wrist as her arm was wrapped around his. He allowed her to stand closely into his space. She wasn’t exactly sure why she had to, but he was probably grateful for the warmth she was giving him, despite the fact he had a coat on.

Oh, perfect opportunity.

“Do you know why his nipples are so hard even though he has a coat on?” Imani questioned seriously.

Alex put a hand on his chest as he laughed.

“Aye,” John’s cool facade faded instantly, “keep your voice down! We're inside!” With his free hand he twisted your ear tightly and pulled.

She moved close to him to avoid the pain, letting her cheek rest against his chest.

He let out a short grunt of disapproval before switching tactics.

He pinched her side that was unguarded and vulnerable, making her jump.

Imani puffed as she nuzzled into his chest. He was warmer now, much warmer. Both hands free, she wrapped them around him, brushing her hands down his back to rest on his waist.

How muscles looked so hard and felt so soft will forever be a mystery to her.

“You both look quite close for two people who’ve only known each other for an hour and a half.”

That sounded an awful lot like. . .

“It’s been an hour and a half since we’ve been here?” Imani turned her cheek, letting the opposite rest on his chest so she could lay on him and still talk to Elle and Alex.

“No it’s been two hours for us.” Elle corrected. “John was late.”

Jonesy tapped a glass, getting everyone's attention, dinner was ready,

There was technically assigned seating, but in Imani’s current state, her dislike of her spot was not subtle. Luckily, she was not mean about it. Following John she sat next to him, scooting her chair to sit as closely to him as possible.

“I think I—“

“I didn’t take your seat, I just dragged my chair from over there to right here, scoot yours down.” Imani explained with a smile.

The woman gave her and John a look before taking her seat and scooting it pointedly away from them.

“This is not behaving.”

Imani straightened, her face drawing into a pout.

Dinner was chill.

You were so so hungry.

And so was John?

Imani unintentionally went plate for plate with John.. If he got extra of something, she got extra of something. At some point it became a mutual understanding, if he asked for someone to pass down a certain dish and put it on his plate, he’d put some on hers as well before passing it back up.

After all that, they both still had room for dessert.

The thought of dessert made her think of treats which reminded her of her drugs and the fact that the man she was sitting next to held them hostage in his pocket.

She reached over to his pocket to see if they were there, but he swiftly grabbed her hand and put it in his lap, leaving her to eat dessert one handed.

It was fancy and strange in structure but very delicious. Shemade a mental note of the flavors to recreate into a smaller Togo pastry one day for her shop.

“How long have you and John known each other?”

Imani squinted, dubiously confused, but she feel how her shoulder nestled against his and how John restraining her hand in his lap, may make it appear like they were holding hands.

Her head throbbed lightly, not quite used to the weed she had smoked hours ago. Her high subsiding and everything becoming a little clearer. For one, the way everyone was sneaking glances down the table at them.

“We met here, like. . . three to four hours ago.”

John nodded silently in affirmation before sharing a look with her afterwards and she had to thin her lips to suppress a laugh.

Because why would he just sit there like that and nod.

“You two seem,” the woman paused, twirling her fork, “closer than that.”

Imani and John shared another look and stayed silent, much to Elle and Alex’s dismay.

“You feel better.” John’s voice flooded Imani’s senses with something warm, warmer than the coat he was ushering onto her shoulders.

She scoffed softly, her voice losing its bite in her sober state, “I was always fine.” She huffed into the cold as they walked out the door. “Just a little high is all.”

“Little is understatement.” She studied the condensation in the air as it left his mouth.

He stood an appropriate distance away from her.

She wasn’t high anymore

TWO

Imani took a few bites of the pastry she just made. The presentation and look was exquisite, but her main concern was flavor. It looked elevated, but the texture was off, so the flavors didn’t quite matter.

She jotted down what she could try next time to improve on the current flaws, but if what she did manage to figure out flavor wise, she wasn’t confident in either. Maybe she’ll try ubbe or something with sweet potato, hell maybe both.

“Mani?”

Imani looked up from where she was standing. The little tall round table was littered with her note. She quickly stacked and sorted them out the way.

“Elle!” She beamed at her friend and embraced her in a warm hug, “what are you doing here at this time? Shouldn’t you be busy, paving a way for the youth in our community?”

“Oh stop,” Elle shook her head at her, “your work is just as important.”

Before Imani could continue with more pleasantries or continue the flow of casual conversation in an attempt to catch up with her friend, she noticed Elle staring at her.

She followed her line of sight to her jacket.

Imani swallowed without a comment schooling her features as she fight to stay still.

“You’re wearing Deonte’s Jacket again.”

“I work with a lot of college kids. They think it’s really cool when I wear this sort of stuff.” Imani hoped her smile seemed natural and not forced.

She crossed her arms into the oversized dickie jacket to calm her nerves..

Ignoring how Elle’s eyes sharpened as she looked her up and down, noticing her equally as oversized matching dickie pants.

“What are you wearing that’s actually yours?” Elle urged, She leaned into her, lowering her voice.

Imani averted her eyes away from Elle’s and crossed her arms.

“I was just thinking about him today and figured I wear this. I promise it’s nothing too serious.”Imani exhaled through her nose, taking a beer and looking in Elle’s eyes, hoping she was being understood, “I’m fine.”

Elle took the opportunity to look her over once more.

“Okay.” She nodded.

Imani thinned her lips.

[umi-teardrop]

(Based on the conservation I had with Zayn aka @ask-chubby-hamilton while asking them about the lore)

@ask-chubby-hamilton :

-1, 2, 3, 4! Counting every day, I been stuck in here… can someone help me get away? 5, 6, 7, 8! Time is just a hoax in a musically world of characters and historical jokes

Zayn - Creator/Anons:

-You must think that your dreaming

@ask-chubby-hamilton :

-Just tell me what your scheming

Evil Anon:

-You look like you’ve seen a ghost

Anons:

-But your lucky to have such amazing anons like us

@ask-chubby-hamilton :

-I’m scared to lose myself here

Anons/Creator-Zayn:

-But there is nothing to fear

@ask-chubby-hamilton :

-I can’t take it anymore! Is that an exit door?

Everyone( @ouioui-lafayettes-askblog , @ask-thomas-jefferson-1 , @ask-james-madison-stuff , @ask-general-washington , @ask-john-laruens , @askh3rculesmu11igan , @ask-aaron-burr1 , @ask-theodosia-blog , @mreynolds-ask-blog , @jreynolds-ask-blog-1 , @ask-susan-reynolds , @e-schuyler-ask-blog , @angelicashuylersaskblog , @peggy-schuylers-ask-blog , @samuel-seaburys-askblog , @that-876girl474 , @martha-manning-laurens-ask-blog , @ask-deborah-sampson ):

-Just your imagination! The exit Is your fixation door after door you find that it is just a chaotic hallucination! You try to find a way out… But your stuck here day after day inside a chaotic hallucinations

*music*

@ask-chubby-hamilton :

-A, L, E, X! I don’t know my past tell me if I’m real or I’m just a fake E, N, D, E, R!

The writing on the wall! The vowels and the consonants say save us all

@ask-thomas-jefferson-1 :

-You must think that you’re dreaming!

@e-schuyler-ask-blog :

-it’ll be okay believe me!

@askh3rculesmu11igan :

-You look like you’ve seen a ghost

@ask-thomas-jefferson-1 :

Your lucky to have what’s left of your sanity

@ask-james-madison-stuff :

-and some might call it tragic…

@ask-aaron-burr1 :

-when the fandom lost its magic…

@ask-chubby-hamilton :

-I can't take it anymore

Is that an exit door?

Everyone:

-

Just your imagination

The exit is your fixation

Door after door, you'll find that it's just a chaotic hallucination

You try to find a way out

But you're stuck here day after day

Inside a chaotic hallucination

(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

@ask-chubby-hamilton :

-Is it an amalgamation of my own fixation?

Door after door, I find that it is just a chaotic hallucination

I’m done trying for a way out

I'm stuck here day after day

Inside this choatic hallucination

Everyone:

-Just your imagination

The exit is your fixation

Door after door, you'll find that it is just a chaotic hallucination

You try to find a way out

But you're stuck here day after day

Inside a chaotic hallucination

Chaotic hallucination (oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

-End

[original song by OR3O from YouTube]

[brokedrawers]

FIREFLY ARTBOOK : A Visual Celebration of Joss Whedon's Swashbuckling 'Verse

A collection of stunning brand-new exclusive original art celebrating the TV series Firefly. An original glossy coffee table book bursting with brand new and exclusive art. The book includes over 120 pieces by professional artists, illustrators, concept artists, comics artists and graphic designers. The featured artists include Joe Corroney, Rian Hughes, John J Hill, Sandra Kamenz, Angel Onofre, Stephen Sampson (The Dark Inker), Liza Shumskaya, and Angel Trancon. From character portraits, faux book covers and poster concepts, to iconic scenes, wanted posters and renderings of Serenity, each artist puts their own stamp on the Firefly universe.

About the Author

Titan Books is one of the leading publishers of fan culture books tied to all your favorite shows, films and games, and a source for some of the best and highest quality genre fiction and artist monographs in the marketplace today.

Product details

Publisher : Titan Books (March 23, 2021)

Language: : English

Hardcover : 208 pages

ISBN-10 : 1789094097

ISBN-13 : 978-1789094091

Item Weight : 1.25 pounds

Dimensions : 9 x 12.25 inches

I have a piece in this new artbook brought to you by Printed in Blood. Sorry, I can’t post it until the book comes out March 23rd, 2021. You can pre-order now on Amazon. Click here.

[tasksweekly]

[TASK 175: SAINT LUCIA]

In celebration of December 13th being Saint Lucian National Day, here’s a masterlist below compiled of over 210+ Saint Lucian faceclaims categorised by gender with their occupation and ethnicity denoted if there was a reliable source. If you want an extra challenge use random.org to pick a random number! Of course everything listed below are just suggestions and you can pick whichever faceclaim or whichever project you desire.

Any questions can be sent here and all tutorials have been linked below the cut for ease of access! REMEMBER to tag your resources with #TASKSWEEKLY and we will reblog them onto the main! This task can be tagged with whatever you want but if you want us to see it please be sure that our tag is the first five tags, @ mention us or send us a messaging linking us to your post!

THE TASK - scroll down for FC’s!

STEP 1: Decide on a FC you wish to create resources for! You can always do more than one but who are you starting with? There are links to masterlists you can use in order to find them and if you want help, just send us a message and we can pick one for you at random!

STEP 2: Pick what you want to create! You can obviously do more than one thing, but what do you want to start off with? Screencaps, RP icons, GIF packs, masterlists, PNG’s, fancasts, alternative FC’s - LITERALLY anything you desire!

STEP 3: Look back on tasks that we have created previously for tutorials on the thing you are creating unless you have whatever it is you are doing mastered - then of course feel free to just get on and do it. :)

STEP 4: Upload and tag with #TASKSWEEKLY! If you didn’t use your own screencaps/images make sure to credit where you got them from as we will not reblog packs which do not credit caps or original gifs from the original maker.

THINGS YOU CAN MAKE FOR THIS TASK -  examples are linked!

Stumped for ideas? Maybe make a masterlist or graphic of your favourite faceclaims. A masterlist of names. Plot ideas or screencaps from a music video preformed by an artist. Masterlist of quotes and lyrics that can be used for starters, thread titles or tags. Guides on culture and customs.

Screencaps

RP icons [of all sizes]

Gif Pack [maybe gif icons if you wish]

PNG packs

Manips

Dash Icons

Character Aesthetics

PSD’s

XCF’s

Graphic Templates - can be chara header, promo, border or background PSD’s!

FC Masterlists - underused, with resources, without resources!

FC Help - could be related, family templates, alternatives.

Written Guides.

and whatever else you can think of / make!

MASTERLIST!

F:

Helen DeMacque (1958) Afro-Saint Lucian - singer.

Jacqui Boatswain / Jacqueline Boatswain (1962) Afro-Saint Lucian - actress.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste (1967) Afro-Saint Lucian / Afro-Antiguan - actress.

Angellica Bell (1976) Afro-Saint Lucian - tv presenter and radio presenter.

Nicole Fiscella (1979) Saint Lucian [Afro-Saint Lucian, Indian, Possibly Other] - actress and model.

Karlyn Percil (1979) Afro-Saint Lucian - instagrammer (karlynpercil).

Tara Edward (1987) Afro-Saint Lucian - director, model and Miss Universe Saint Lucia 2012.

Annaliese Dayes (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian, Afro-Vincentian, Afro-Grenadian, Afro-Barbadian / Afro-Jamaican - model, DJ, tv personality, tv host, and radio host.

Joy-Ann Biscette (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - model, Miss Saint Lucia Universe 2011, and Miss Saint Lucia World 2008.

Yasmin K. / Yasmin Knock / K-ass / Yasmin Knoch (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian / German - actress and singer.

Tara Edward (1987) Afro-Saint Lucian - model, director, and Miss Saint Lucia Universe 2012.

A.Dot / Amplify Dot / Dotty / Ashley Charles (1988) Afro-Saint Lucian - rapper, tv presenter, radio presenter, and DJ.

Nathalie Emmanuel (1989) Afro-Saint Lucian, English / Afro-Dominiquais, English - actress.

Ciarra Nevitt (1990) Afro-Saint Lucian, Afro-Jamaican, English - actress.

Roxanne Didier Nicholas (1992) Afro-Saint Lucian - model, dancer, and Miss Saint Lucia Universe 2014.

Angella Dalsou (1994) Saint Lucian - model and Miss Saint Lucia 2018.

Bebiana Mangal (1996) Afro-Saint Lucian - model and Miss Saint Lucia 2019.

Rosemary Mathurin (?) Afro-Saint Lucian / Afro-Jamaican - actress. 

Gabrielle Ryan (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - actress. 

Louise Victor (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model and Miss Saint Lucia 2017.

La Toya Moffat (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model, radio host, and Miss Saint Lucia 2016.

Francillia Austin (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model and Miss Saint Lucia Earth 2014.

Oneka McKoy (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model, tv host, Miss Saint Lucia World 2012, and Miss Saint Lucia Earth 2007.

Aiasha Tierra Rebecca Gustave (?) Saint Lucian - model and Miss Saint Lucia 2010.

Chrystal Rose (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - tv personality.

Annabel Rollins (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model and Miss Plus Size Universe 2019.

Nicole David (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - singer.

Chelsea Reject (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - singer.

Marie-Claire Frederick (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model.

Ayanna Irish (?) Saint Lucian, Montserratian, Jamaican, Barbadian, Panamanian - rapper.

Heather Noone (?) Afro-Saint Lucian / Korean - singer (instagram: swixxyheather).

Laura Beee (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - instagrammer (laurabeee_xo).

Tor (?) Afro-Saint Lucian, Laotian - instagrammer (_4en).

Nardia (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model (instagram: iamnardia).

Valene (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - model (instagram: stluciasfinest).

Cinelli (?)  Afro-Saint Lucian - instagrammer (themaneater_).

Kayla (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - instagrammer (amirahml).

Shika Chica (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - instagrammer.

F - Athletes:

Verena Felicien (1964) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Eugena Gregg (1966) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Nadine George (1968) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Philipa Thomas (1968) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Glenicia James (1974) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Vernetta Lesforis (1975) Afro-Saint Lucian - sprinter.

Michelle Baptiste (1977) Saint Lucian - long jumper.

Pamela Alfred (1978) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Perdita Felicien (1980) Afro-Saint Lucian - hurdler.

Beth Lygoe (1981) Saint Lucian - sailor.

Sherri Henry (1982) Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Erma-Gene Evans (1984) Afro-Saint Lucian - javelin thrower.

Geva Mentor (1984) Afro-Saint Lucian - netball player.

Levern Spencer (1984) Afro-Saint Lucian - high jumper.

Natasha Sara Georgeos (1987) Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Makeba Alcide (1990) Afro-Saint Lucian - hurdler.

Danielle Beaubrun (1990) Afro-Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Ellaisa Marquis (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Jeanelle Scheper (1994) Afro-Saint Lucian - high jumper.

Stephanie Devaux-Lovell (1995) Saint Lucian - sailor.

Qiana Joseph (2001) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Mikaili Charlemagne (2003) Afro-Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Roselyn Emmanuel (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

M:

Rick Wayne (1938) Afro-Saint Lucian - singer, author, and bodybuilder.

Joseph Marcell (1948) Afro-Saint Lucian - actor and comedian.

Leee John (1957) Afro-Saint Lucian - actor and singer-songwriter.

Paterson Joseph (1964) Afro-Saint Lucian - actor.

Trevor Nelson (1964) Afro-Saint Lucian - radio personality and DJ.

Andrew T. Lee (1968) Saint Lucian [Chinese] - actor.

Denys Baptiste (1969) Afro-Saint Lucian - saxophonist and composer.

Merwin Mondesir (1976) Afro-Saint Lucian - actor.

Bunji Garlin (1978) Trinidadian [Afro-Saint Lucian / Venezuelan] - singer-songwriter and producer.

Jordan Kensington (1981) Afro-Saint Lucian / Cameroonian - actor, tv presenter, radio presenter, songwriter, artist, and entrepreneur.

Cesár Sampson (1983) Afro-Saint Lucian / Afro-Trinidadian - singer-songwriter, model, dancer, and producer.

Dudley O��Shaughnessy (1989) Afro-Saint Lucian, Irish / English - actor, model, and boxer.

Monét X Change / Kevin Bertin (1990) Afro-Saint Lucian - drag queen, singer, and tv personality.

Rasta Marcus Theo (1991 or 1992) Afro-Saint Lucian / Afro-Dominiquais - model, singer, and personal trainer (instagram: m___nathaniel).

Joey Bada$$ / Joey Badass / Jo-Vaughn Scott (1995) Afro-Saint Lucian / Afro-Jamaican - actor, rapper-songwriter, singer, and producer.

DJ Cameo (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - radio host and DJ.

Boo / Ronald Hinkson (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - guitarist.

Arthur Allain (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - singer. 

Kayo / Kayo Guevarra (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - singer. 

Cairo Nevitt (?) Afro-Saint Lucian, English - actor, speaker, and personal trainer. - Trans! 

Lucian Jay (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - presenter. 

Aimran Simmons (?) Saint Lucian - pianist.

M - Athletes:

Bryan Mauricette (1946) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Earl Fraites (1953) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Sylvester Mittee (1956) Afro-Saint Lucian, British - boxer.

Cornelius Henry (1956) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Ignatius Cadette (1957) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Stuart Charles-Fevrier (1959) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Julian Charles (1961) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Kingsley Armstrong (1962) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Terrence Caroo (1964) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Ken Charlery (1964) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Les Ferdinand (1966) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Carlos Remy (1968) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

John Eugene (1970) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Warren Hackett (1971) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Éric Fanis (1971) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Ricardo Blanchard (1971) Saint Lucian - footballer.

Earl Jean (1971) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Edwin Ferdinand (1971) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Maxwell Seales (1972) Afro-Saint Lucian - sprinter.

Francis Lastic (1972) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Ivan Jean-Marie (1972) Afro-Saint Lucian - sprinter.

David Flavius (1972) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Maxime Charlemagne (1974) Afro-Saint Lucian - sprinter.

Titus Elva (1974) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Ron Promesse (1974) Afro-Saint Lucian - sprinter.

Zepherinus Joseph (1975) Afro-Saint Lucian - middle-distance runner and long-distance runner.

Dominic Johnson (1975) Saint Lucian - pole vaulter.

Francis McDonald (1975) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Danny Mitchell (1975) Saint Lucian - footballer.

Cyrille Charles (1977) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Guy George (1977) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Rio Ferdinand (1978) Afro-Saint Lucian / Irish - footballer.

Marcus Charlemagne (1978) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Alderman Lesmond (1978) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer and footballer.

Anton Ferdinand (1978) Afro-Saint Lucian / Irish - footballer.

Alvin La Feuille (1978) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Liam George (1979) Afro-Saint Lucian / Irish - footballer.

Alleyn Prospere (1979) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Cleaveland Simon (1980) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Darel Russell (1980) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Cornelius Butcher (1980) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Nathan Justin (1981) Saint Lucian - footballer and sprinter.

Giovanni Deterville (1981) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Jarvin Skeete (1981) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Leon Knight (1982) Afro-Saint Lucian / Afro-Jamaican - footballer.

Cletus Mathurin (1982) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Hanif Dolor (1982) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Alain Providence (1982) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Germal Valcin (1982) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Jamie Peterkin (1982) Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Enderson George (1982) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Rickson Augustin (1982) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Chabbie Charlery (1983) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Michael Husbands (1983) Saint Lucian [Afro-Saint Lucian, Unspecified White, Possibly Other] - footballer.

Shervin Charles (1983) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Darren Sammy (1983) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Cowin Mathurin (1983) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Garey Mathurin (1983) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Sergio Fedee (1983) Afro-Saint Lucian / Afro-Guyanese - cricketer.

Leon Legge (1985) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Troy Prospere (1985) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Andreas Willie (1985) Saint Lucian - footballer.

Xavier Gabriel (1985) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Hiram Hunte (1985) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Fabian Joseph (1985) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Iran Cassius (1985) Saint Lucian - footballer.

Darvin Edwards (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - high jumper.

Shervon Jack (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Cliff Valcin (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Zaccheus Polius (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Craig Emmanuel (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Randy Poleon (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Philip Ifil (1986) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Mervin Wells (1987) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Vernus Abbott (1987) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Bradford Worrell (1988) Afro-Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Keddy Lesporis (1988) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Caddius Emmanuel (1988) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Albert Reynolds (1988) Afro-Saint Lucian - javelin thrower.

Jahvid Best (1989) Afro-Saint Lucian / African-American - sprinter and footballer.

Johnson Charles (1989) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Junior Stanislas (1989) Afro-Saint Lucian / Macedonian - footballer.

Bernard Edward (1990) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Dalton Polius (1990) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Teran John (1990) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Lester Joseph (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Kurt Frederick (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Jamil Joseph (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Audley Alexander (1991) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Tremain Paul (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Pernal Williams (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Kevin Edward (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Pessius Polius (1991) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Marland Yarde (1992) Afro-Saint Lucian - rugby player.

Melvin Aurélien (1992) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Christopher Gibson (1992) Saint Lucian, English / Finnish - ice hockey player.

Melanius Mullarkey (1992) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Jonel Scott (1992) Saint Lucian - basketball player.

Troy Greenidge (1992) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Dominic Poleon (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Andrus Remy (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Chris Boucher (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian / French - basketball player.

Janoi Donacien (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

David Henry (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Zaine Pierre (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Jean-Luc Zephir (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Eden Charles (1993) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Myles Hippolyte (1994) Afro-Saint Lucian, Afro-Grenadian, English - footballer.

Jordan Augier (1994) Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Emmery Edward (1994) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Kieran Monlouis (1995) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Taryck Gabriel (1995) Afro-Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Malik St. Prix (1995) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Caniggia Elva (1996) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Jevick Macfarlane (1996) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Nick Joseph (1998) Saint Lucian - sprinter.

Chaim Roserie (1998) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Zacherinus Simon (1998) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Josh Solomon-Davies (1999) Afro-Saint Lucian / English - footballer.

Jayhan Odlum-Smith (2002) Afro-Saint Lucian - swimmer.

Patrick Wilson (?) Saint Lucian - boxer.

Sherwin Emmanuel (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer. 

Carson Millar (?) Saint Lucian - footballer.

Vic Charles (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - karateka.

Hollis Bristol (?) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Cassim Louis (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

Winston Mauricette (?) Saint Lucian - cricketer.

Decoursey Simon (?) Afro-Saint Lucian - footballer.

[soft-persephone]

Something Real

MDNI // E // WC: 9.5k // smut, oral (w receiving), glove kink?, hand kink if you squint, John talks you through it // masterlist // rough drafts // AN: I had a time getting this one started, but as hard as it was, I also had fun and I may make it a series. Who knows?

Imani rushed down the block, flying past the few pedestrians that were up at this particular twilight of dawn. 

Raw adrenaline coursed through her veins as each leg collided with the concrete below her feet, jolting her with such force to her goal. 

She snuck a glance behind her to see him catching up with her. 

Fuck. 

He was catching up with her. She couldn’t let him get any closer. Barely a minute ago he was nowhere in sight and now he was gaining up on her.

Diggin deep within herself, Imani mustered up whatever strength she could find in her body, grunting with force, she somehow gained speed. 

You train for this, she told herself. This is what you do, its who you are, no random fucker on the street is going to take that away from you. You were going to live and you were going to win. 

Just a few more seconds and she’d be at her shop, and she could finally escape. She would win and be free.

“Aye!” from the corner of her eye, Imani saw a blur of black wool rush past her to who was behind her.

What the?

Another man was rushing towards her, but she didn’t stop. Sheh couldn’t, but he was just as fast, going step for step with her. 

He slowed down when she did, reaching out to grab her, by the shoulders. Instead of her usual sloppy slow down, she collided face first into his chest.

“It's okay now.” his velvet tone flooded her senses, “you don’t need to keep running. We got him.”

Oh God.

Imani frantically tapped at his chest with the palm of her hand when she saw his friend in the dark wool coat handcuff the man running after you.

“N-n ugh- no.” she gasped for air, half choking when she couldn’t breathe in enough, “no.”

“Alex!” Elle waved him down, quickly shifting her attention once he started to jog over, “NO!”

“What do you mean, no?” Alex huffed shortly, the condensation of his breath filling the space between them as he shoved the man to the side, so he wouldn’t be near her, but he could still hold onto him. “We arrived here, just to see this man chasing a woman who looked scared out of her mind. We can ask him questions once we get downtown.”

“A race!” Elle explained, as she turned her phone around, so he could see she was livestreaming on instagram, “she was scared of losing a footrace.”

“A footrace?” The man holding Imani scrunched his face as he held her back some to look at hers. She nodded, her chest still falling up and down.

“I wasn't doing nothing!” The man finally spoke up for himself. “It's just a thing  Citrusly does.” He huffed, shaking his head, “you beat the owner in a footrace, you get free drinks for a month. She’s only here Tuesday morning’s  5am to 6am for it.”

Imani felt like she could breathe a little better once Alex uncuffed the man.

Alex’s expression shifted to something more guarded, but not quite pleased or relieved, slightly sorry, but only slightly. He uncuffed the man and pushed him. 

“Get out of here.”

“Fucking cops.” the man muttered, brushing off his clothes.

“I’m sorry about that. Are you okay?” Imani put her hand on his shoulder, looking him over as she would have done if the situation was dangerous, which it was not, but she had a business to run, and right now there were lots of phones recording them.

“I’m fine now.” He beamed at you. His body language shifting. 

“That's good.” she squeezed his shoulder lightly, giving him a polite smile, praying it didn't give him any ideas, “because of accidental arrest or not, I still won, so you don't get the one month discount.’

“Mani!” Elle scolded her, but she ignored it. 

“Are you kidding! I totally would have had it, if that man didn't tackle me!”

“He tackled you three steps away from the shop door.” You pointed at Alex’s cop accomplice, “this man didn't grab me until I stopped running which was at the shop door.” she waved her hands up as she finished proving her point, “You lost.”

The onlookers cheered and laughed, some going back inside and others going on about their day as you attempted to console a sore loser.

“Tell you what,” Imani put her hands together in front of her, “As an apology, because of my friend’s actions, I’ll give you a drink and a pastry today for free, on me.”

The man, Donnie, she just learned his name was, nodded. He had a sweet smile that went well with his light brows eyes and freckled face, a few spots on his cheeks much whiter than the rest of him. You would have been all over him in high school, but right now, you weren’t  so sure if you were up for anything with anyone.

“I’d really like it if I could also get,--”

“No more no less.” Imani interrupted with a playful smirk and a laugh. “That’s my final offer.” she licked her lips, ignoring how his eyes followed the movement. “Take it or leave it.”

She bounced back and forth on her heels, laughing softly and averting her gaze at Elle who looked at her like a disappointed mother. She ignored the smirk on Alex’s face and the coy look on his friend’s

“Alright.” Donnie relented, even taking a step back. When did he even get so close? She wondered. How did she let that happen? “But I'm challenging you again next Tuesday!” he pointed at her, smiling.

“I’ll always be here.” Imani opened the door for him and waved him off with one more smile. 

“Damn,” a rich voice called behind her as the door was taken out of her grasp and swung open wider, “mm mm mm, that was cold blooded.”

Imani huffed through her nose, praying she didn’t jump from how he startled her. 

“Right,” Alex chuckled, pushing past her in the shop. 

“Tell me what you’ll say if the same person asks you out on the same day every week, but you keep giving the same answer each time, and they can’t take the hint.

Imani shook her head and made her way behind the counter to make everyone's usual.

“Every Tuesday?” 

“And Mani’s too stubborn to actually say yes.” Elle Huffed, “He’s nic–”

Imani took the opportunity to raise the pressure of the steam wand to cut her off, blowing  a cloud of steam in front of her. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to cut you off.”

“I’m not falling fo–”

Imani did it again. 

“Will you–”

She did it again. 

“Sorry, I was actually making a drink  that time.” 

Imani placed it  in front of her. “This one’s yours.”

“Giving her a look, Elle took her drink and left to go to the usual table. Before you could ask Alex’s friend what he wanted, he was already following her.

“Does he—“

“He will eat and drink anything you put in front of him," Alex deadpanned with a hint of a grin. “He greedy as hell.”

Imani will always love her best friend Elle, but she was doing the absolute most, and so was Alex.

She  and her friend have been close since college. Truly the sister she’s  always wanted, so when she finally got the guy she’s been obsessed with since high school, it sucked that they didn’t get to spend as much time together as they used to, but Imani was a big girl, and she knows she can handle not being first in line anymore. 

She’ll settle for two.

But right now, number two was confused on why it was so important for them to meet the best friend, that was more of a brother, to the man her best friend was dating. 

“Just to be clear, I’m not the one in a relationship with Alex, right?”

“Mani!” Elle warned through gritted teeth. 

Imani raised her hands, backing off. 

“You are my family and you’re important to me,” Elle put a hand on Imani’s shoulder, “just like John is to Alex.”

Imani wanted to fold in on herself. 

She looked up at the ceiling to avoid Elle’s gaze.

“And as your family, I’d like to know where you have been in the last week. You weren’t answering  your phone and no one had seen you anywhere. Is it because of what comes up in two days?”

“No, I’m fine.” Imani shook her head,” I just needed some time alone with my thoughts. Is it healthy, probably not, but I know what I want, and I just needed to take that time.”

“So you're okay?” Elle asked softly. 

“I was in my apartment. I just chose not to pick up any calls.”

She playfully rolled her eyes and averted her gaze from everyone for a moment. They were all looking at her now, and she didn’t even know what else to say. 

Fuck, Elle for doing this to her. 

“Okay.” Imani hoped it didn’t come off as short as it sounded to her. All she could feel was her face burning and her ears muffling everything from how hot her head was getting. She shrugged off her jacket for good measure and took a large sip of her drink. 

“John,” he held out his hand, breaking the ice first, “Sampson.” He said as you shook it. 

“Imani.” She half smirked and  waved a hand in an obvious gesture, since Elle has done nothing but call it out every five seconds. 

“You have a last name, Imani.”

“Nope.”  She said, popping the p.

“It’s Lounds.”

“Like The Lounds Enterprise Lounds?” He raised an eyebrow. 

Imani smacked her teeth and leaned back, crossing her arms. 

“Now why’d you have to go and tell him.”

“So you’re his semi-estranged daughter he doesn’t like talking about.” 

“We’re not estranged.” She huffed, “I just make my own money.”

“And how’s that working out?” he chided. 

“John, don't start with her. Once she gets started, she won’t stop.” Elle smiled as she gave her input, failing to hide her smile as she did. Not quite a master at 

“Good.” Imani beamed, grabbing a cinnamon roll and picking it apart as she ate it.

“Aye,” Alex frowned, “you're wasting a perfectly good common roll.”

“It's a habit,” Imani said with her mouth half full, “it’s a test for texture. Jimmy taught me. I've been doing it all week and now, whenever I eat a pastry, I pull it apart .

Imani talked on, going into detail about texture and doughs and mouth feel as she watched John grab a muffin. 

Interesting. 

She laid out an assortment, just like she did when she met Alex here the first time. Who had a knack for picking out which one was the sweetest just by looking at it. 

Muffins could be sweet but they weren’t sweet like other things. 

“Slow down Sugar,” John brushed his hands of crumbs, “it ain’t going nowhere.”

“I’m sorry what?”

“It’s a nickname.” Elle mused.

“Sweet tooth.” Was all Alex said, focused on getting the rest of the cinnamon roll in his mouth. 

Well that explains it. 

“Why are you dressed like a  Gangbanger from LA?” 

Imani looked down at her clothes, picking at the fabric of her Dickies jacket and pulling the oversized sleeves over her hands. 

“They were Deonte’s.” She licked her lips before smiling slowly. “He was from LA and he did live that type of life at some point, but I- I think something happened and he used the last of his money to fly out here,” her chest used to feel tight when she talked about him. It used to make her shake and take her breath away, but now. . . Not so much, “so he was uh- I think that’s why he was homeless when I met him.” She nodded, feeling like that was enough for now. 

“I’m sorry I don’t mean to—“

“No, it’s okay,” Imani smiled softly, “I like talking about him.” She said in a half whisper, thinking of her long lost friend. 

No one said anything so she felt the need to interject, or rather Alex and Elle had heard all this stuff before, but the opportunity to show someone else Deonte as she  knew him, to share who he really was with anyone who listened, she’ll never pass that up. 

“He left that behind once he got here, I helped him get on his feet. . . let him stay with me. . .save up for a new place, but there wasn’t any need for that. We got so close and the housing market was shit, so I. . .  somehow, convinced him to stay with me.” She gently cleared her throat, “for good I think.”

“That’s when he started the nonprofit with you?” John graveled, his  interjection startled her. She blinked at him for a moment, remembering she had an audience. 

“Y-yeah.” She smiled. “How’d you know that?” She leaned forward, but kept her hands in the sleeves of the too big jacket, “people don’t usually know that.”

“I make it a habit to keep up with things that benefit my community.” he took a non communal sip of his drink before tilting his head and squinting at ut with a low short hum, “ You two did good work.” he shifted his attention back to her, “  You,  do good work.” 

Imani’s shoulders fell with a tension she didn't know was there. His dark eyes reflected a glimmer of. . Joy? A sort of complement of  reverence she didn’t quite understand. 

She searched his eyes, the feeling overwhelmed her, but she let it. She couldn’t stop the way she held his gaze and searched for more, eagerly taking as much as she could get in that moment, but then she realized what it was. 

He was proud of her, of Deonte and the work they did together, and the work she kept doing after his death. 

A feeling her father long since neglected to give her. A feeling she forgot she used to devote herself to once she removed herself from her father’s influence. 

“You don’t like saying thank you either, Imani?”

She inhaled sharply, leaning back in her seat. 

“I- I uh.” 

“Most people say thank you when they get a compliment.” He said casually, but there was something in the inflictions of his voice. How the colors of his tone would sway and flow across a spectrum like a musical scale. Going from something light and casually rich and pleasant to something low and imposing. 

A skill she’s sure he’s picked up to properly reprimand and deal with the criminals he may catch, but she was no criminal and there was no danger. 

So why use it so flippantly?

Her mind felt foggy, but she knew not to ask.

“Say thank you.” He took a sip of his coffee. Imani watched him intently, confused in her sudden stupor, her eyes following the micro movements of his face, his hand, soaking in the way the leather of his gloves creaked and strained with the movement. How his tongue darted to reach  the foam of  the latte that settled on the hairs of his upper lip, catching in his beard. 

“Thank. . You.” She averted her gaze, ignoring how tightly her legs were pressed together. 

“Leave that girl alone.” Alex drawled, breaking the spell, “she’s trying to have a heartwarming vulnerable moment and you keep messing with her.”

John rolled his eyes. 

“And you need to take some notes, so you can learn to do the same instead of bottling everything up until you explode, motherfucker.” 

Imani winced and let out an “ooh.”

“You gon’ let them gang up on me like that?” He glanced at Elle in mock offense.

“He’s right though.” She took a conspicuous sip of her drink. 

“Don’t do him like that,” Imani fiddled with the hem or her sleeve, feeling normal and letting her hands out of the jacket, “everyone grieves differently.”

“Exactly,” Alex held out his hand in a fist, not putting it down until she bumped it, “unh, that’s what I’m talking about. We gotta stick together.” 

 “Stick together as what?” John smacked his teeth. 

“Dead partner club.” Alex said matter of factly. 

Imani nodded in agreement. 

“I grieve different.” She said in a partially nasally tone and pitched her voice lower. “Huh.” 

“What?” Elle looked at Imani as if she was being an embarrassment, again.

“None of y’all listen to Kendrick?” Imani shrugged back.

“Is that hat an artist of some kind? Is he one of the rappers you like to listen to?”

“Elle, do not play with me,” Imani bristled. Because they’ve been friends for how long? And she still wants to act  brand new whenever she brings up the goat.

“See, this is why Jannie thinks you’re old and I’m not.”

Alex bit back a laugh, but John let it fly, not having to worry.

Elle shook her head, not taking the bait because you were in mixed company, but if it was only the two of you, she would have definitely taken it there. 

“Anyways,” she said pointedly, “I need a favor.”

Imani laughed through her nose. 

“Shoot.”was all she said, Elle already knew she’d do anything for her. 

“I need you to accept your invitation to Jonesy’s  dinner party with me and—“

“Ugh,” Amani loudly scoffed and downed the rest of her drink and grabbed her water, not looking up at Elle, “anything but that, Please.”

“It’s just for one night.” She urged, there will be lots of amazing people and you’ll even find more donors for your organization. It’ll be amazing for networking.”

“Okay,” Imani frowned, “fine fine fine.” She kept saying until Elle stopped talking. “I don’t care. I’ll just go.”

This was more than a hopeful answer for her. Ellle softly squealed. 

“You’ll like this one. I promise.”

“Please don’t,” Imani scoffed into her drink, “I don’t want you to be known as a liar off something like that.”

“I think that’s our cue to go to work.”

As Alex bundled back up and kissed Elle goodbye. 

Imani watched as John stood and fastened his coat. 

“Are you okay?” Elle brought her out of her daze. They were long gone and out the door but she was still looking out, “You seem out of it today?”

“Y-yeah,” Imani muttered into her glass of water, “just thinking about Deonte.” 

________

Fuck. Imani cursed to herself. 

Fuck fuck fuck.

She paced back and forth on the sidewalk. 

She hoped  her eyes weren’t too red. It was a bit ago and it took her a while to get here, so maybe it’ll wear off before dinner starts. She just needed to get over it by then. 

Her usual stuff was gone and she frantically kept calling her main guy until he was able to come through, but he had everything but what she usually buys from him. 

Going against her better judgment, she settled for what he had and it was way too strong and it felt way too different, and now everyone was going to know she was high and she’ll embarrass herself, and they’ll hate her forever. Then Elle wouldn’t  want to be her friend anymore, and her Dad will find out, and he’ll cut her out of his life and from the family forever. 

“Fuck!” She shouted into the night air, searching for some reprieve. 

“Mani?” 

“Oh,” she softened some at the sight of her friend, “hey.”

“Are you alright? I brought the gummies you left at my house.”

Oh right. 

She did ask for Elle to bring it. That’s where it was. 

But it was too late. She was already on some other stuff and she had to smoke it and worry that none of it stuck to her skin. 

“No, I’ll be alright without it, but thanks.” She took it and hid it in her purse, and that’s when she saw the little baggie of pills.

Fuck, she was screwed. 

In addition to T seeing her have a mini panic attack he have her the pills free of charge, insinuating she take them. 

“They’re real anxiety pills and shit. People use ‘em just to feel good, but you may want to see a Dr to actually get them prescribed. Let me know if you need something stronger or not as strong, and I’ll hook you up. Take care of yourself.”

Imani closed her purse. 

She’ll just wait until the weed wore off and she wasn’t high to take one, she might not even need it at that point. 

“Imani, let’s get out the cold and inside already.”

Huh?

Imani blinked. 

Alex and Elle were giving her odd looks at the door. 

“Sorry, I zoned out.”

She followed them. 

She needed to pull herself together. She’ll get busted at any point if she keeps this up.

“You guys made it!” Jonesy kissed her and Elle on the cheek. Alex held out a hand for him to shake, but Jonesy pushed his hand away, going straight for the hug. 

“Oh we know each other better than that, Alex.”

“Uh, yeah.” Alex patted Jonesy on the shoulder, politely putting an appropriate amount of space between them. 

“Your coats can go in this closet here.” Jonesy pointed, “Make yourselves comfortable. You all know your way around the place.” He flashed them with a smile and a slight wave, “I’ll let everyone know when dinner is ready.”

“WOW, you look gorgeous Imani!”

“Thank you.” Imani pretended to be flattered by the backhanded compliment. 

Since Deonte’s death she’s developed a nasty habit of wearing his clothes and adopting a lot of his personal style into hers. The extravagant more feminine outfits or even her own particular  style of streetwear was seen less and she wore more dickies and carhartt than anyone in her old circle  had ever seen in their life. 

“Are you planning on returning to the court anytime soon?”

“No, I left my tennis days behind me, I fear.” She chuckled lightly and moved on, making sure not to be rude.

Five more interactions and twice as many more comments about her long silky dress that hugged her curves and how the color complimented her skin, Imani felt like she had a little more control of her senses. A sense of herself had begun to return to her.

“Come here.” A velvety low voice resounded in Imani’s head, and a hand firmly grabbed her and dragged her into a half hallway half corner. 

Was that God? Some sort of Angel punishing her for everyone to see, making her an example of his divine punishment?

“What’s wrong with you?” 

Imani gasped  half a beat after he spoke, her eyes widening as she came face to face with John. 

He grabbed her face in one hand, his thumb and forefingers  slightly digging into her cheek as he moved her face up, down, and side to side. 

“Weed.” She managed to squeak through her squished lips. 

“You sure it’s just that?” He let her go, pulling up a little baggie in front of her face. 

“H-how did you?” 

“Don’t worry about that.’ He steeled. “Answer my question.”

Imani blinked, piecing together her thoughts to remember what the question was again. 

“I’m fi—“

“— no you’re not. Your friend asks you to come somewhere as a favor and you decide that’s the perfect time to get high.”

“That’s not it.” Imani hissed. “Let me answer.”

He held her gaze, but shut up. 

Good. 

“I smoke to take the edge off of being here, not to be out of it completely. Although sometimes, you do need to get that high.” She ignored the disapproval on his face and continued, “I left my usual stuff at Elle’s, so I made a quick irrational decision to take something  else, even though I knew it wasn’t going to go well because I refuse to be  here sober.”

“Doesn’t explain these pills.”

“They're back up—“

“They’re a crime.” Imani flinched at the bite in his voice. “I could arrest you just for having these. You already admitted they were yours.” 

“I just—“

“John, you made it!” Elle’s warm soft voice filtered out between them. 

“This is why we don’t bring you nowhere. Can’t show up anywhere on time. Don’t take your coat off and shit.” Alex shook his head, saying the last part lowly so no one around them could hear. 

John didn’t spare them any pleasantries and Imani must have looked as panicked as she felt, so much for being discreet. 

“What’s going on here?” Alex's expression fell, his brows drawing close and his mouth falling shut into a firm line to match John’s.

John silently flashed the bag of pills before stuffing them back in his pocket. 

“Your friend is high, out of her mind.”

“Is that why you said you didn’t need the gummies?” Elle turned to look her in the eye, but Imani turned, not wanting her to see the look on her face. But Elle stepped closer, gently grabbing her shoulders. 

Imani kept her gaze cast to the side. 

“Mani,” Elle whispered, “what did you do?”

“I called Tony and he didn't have what I wanted, so I had to take what he had and then he recommended these pills  he said  they was for anxiety or something like that because apparently he thinks I have it or that something’s wrong with me  and offered to be my unofficially psychiatrist or some  shit but then advised I see a real one if I took these and felt like they helped but I wasn’t going to take them unless the weed didn’t work which it isn’t so once it wears off I’m taking them but I can’t now because he took them so I—“

“Mani, breathe.” She sighed. 

 Imani hated that sound, and she  hated the look on her friends’ face even more. . 

“I’m sorry.” It spilled out of her mouth. “I just wanted to feel comfortable in my skin. I didn’t want to be here.  I just want. . . I hate how they look at me.”

“It’s okay, Imani.” With a tissue, she didn’t see her pull out her purse, Elle dabbed at the tears she wasn’t aware of, “let’s just get through tonight.”

“I’m sorry.” Imani urged, desperate to show her sincerity. . Her mind not letting her come up with anything more thought out, everything she was feeling felt messier and harder to describe. 

“I know, I know.”  Elle cupped both sides of Imani’s face and brought her forehead to hers. 

“Let’s talk tomorrow okay.” She gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and Imani gave her one back on hers. “No excuses, Elle added.” A smile pulling at the corners of her lips. 

“If I have to hurt Jimmy to make time for you to be with me this week , don’t get mad at me for it.” Imani smiled back. 

“And I won’t.”

Imani nodded, for some reason feeling better.

John didn’t look like he approved any more or less, and Alex’s face seemed unreadable to her. 

“Can I have my drugs back?”

“No.” John said seriously without missing a beat.

Imani rushed to him and pulled at the front of his shirt. 

“You can keep the pills. I just need the other stuff that’s in there.”

If she remembered correctly, there might have been some shrooms and a bit of weed left.

He pried her hands off his chest.  

“Are you seriously asking a cop if you can have your illegal substances back?”

“No, I'm asking a cop if I can have the  legal substances back that happen to be in the bag with the illegal ones.”

“You mean you’re illegal ones.”

“Please.” She stepped into his personal space and rested  her chin on his chest, craning her neck up as she did so she could look him in the eye.”Please can I just have the mushrooms back?”

“Oh just the mushrooms?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Yes!” Imani leaned back from him. Happily grabbing at his arms as they rested at his sides. 

“Well I’m that case,” He started to move  his hand  and Imani immediately stepped back to accommodate him,” no.” He shrugged his coat off his shoulders and straightened his blazer on his body. 

“John, don't antagonize her.” Elle lightly chided.

Alex nodded in agreement. A hint of amusement in his eyes. “Elle’s right, don’t antagonize her John.”

Imani slumped forward, letting her cheek rest on his chest as she pouted.

“What are you doing?” John said, too exasperated to even let out a sigh, ignoring both  Alex and Elle.

 His display of emotion was a delightful anomaly to Imani. How could he look so upset but nonchalant at the same time? 

“I’m not moving until you give them back.” She huffed through her nose.

“Then I guess we better get comfortable.” He murmured in a low peeved voice, flooding her senses with its bass and depth. She could listen to him speak forever. 

“Mani, no.” Elle hissed. “Get off him.”

“He has my drug—“

Alex lowered himself so he was at her level and could get in her face. “Get. Up.” He said through gritted teeth, his tone sending a chill down her spine.  

Imani  rose to stand straight, but she was not happy about it. 

He didn’t  leave her any room. She tried to step past him, but he took one forceful step forward, backing her into John’s chest. 

“Act like you have some sense.” He pointed in her  face. 

“No one told you to do these drugs and no one told you to bring them here. Be grateful John, or me, isn't  arresting you in front of your friends and dragging  you out that door.”

“I—“

He  wordlessly gave her a look, daring her to speak and interrupt him.

Imani shut her mouth.

“If you’ll do what I say, then you’ll do what he says, do you understand me?”

Imani nodded silently, not wishing to provoke him further. 

He patted her cheek and then backed up to take his place by Elle’s side. 

“You aren’t my fucking Dad.” She muttered under her breath. 

“What was that?”

“I said you aren’t my—“ 

“Dinner is ready!” Jonesy popped around the corner with a smile. 

On instinct, Imani plastered a smile on her face and shifted her body language to something casual that suggested polite conversation. 

“Thank you, we’ll be right there.” She slightly bowed her head. 

“Oh,” Jonesy paused, his brows raising, “when did you and John get so close?”

Imani was no longer resting onto his chest, but she hadn’t removed herself from his personal space. While she would no longer lay on him as he stood, she settled for resting her hands on his lower half, close to his pockets. 

She’s been attempting to ease them in his pocket and take her drugs out, but he either smacks her hand away or grabs it before squeezing very tightly until tears pricked her eyes, so she just kept them there in case there was a small window he wouldn’t notice her hand slipping into his pocket again. 

“We haven’t.” Was all Imani said, her smile unwavering. 

Adding to her amusement, John stayed silent behind her. 

She watched out the corner of her eye, as he discretely moved the bag from his pants pocket to the one  inside his jacket. 

Fuck. 

There goes plan A.

“Everyone to their seats.” Jonesy declared loudly, his voice filling the room before scurrying off with a terribly concealed grin. 

Imani was very familiar with dinner parties at Jonesy’s house. He was a stickler for order and had a flair for presentation, decoration, and all things that went into being a great hostess.

One of those things he never budged on and will always obsess over to every minute detail, is the seating arrangement. 

Childish as hell to some, and by some, mostly her, the seats were often set by a system only he understood, something about the structure to set up the perfect flow of conversation, so they never lulled and no one was ever bored. 

Imani had the same seat around the same people each night, but not this time. 

She was by John, Imani and Alex at a completely different spot by the head of the table. 

The fuck?

They were practically at the end. 

When Imani brought Elle, they were placed closer to the head but not there directly. Imani would be on the left and Elle would be on her right. 

She peered down the table to glance at Alex and Elle once more. 

He was on her right. 

Imani’s brain struggled to put the pieces together.

“Imani,” a blond woman who had a clearly younger and equally  blonde man stuck to her side. He fawned over her every movement, but the hollow glint in his eyes was off putting.

 A forced  display of desire? Or was he really that bad at hiding how much he hated the woman who was undoubtedly paying him to be here? “I heard you were investing in restaurants? What a cute adventure.”

“Not investing,” Imani took a careful sniff of her green beans before taking a bite, the accent of almonds in some type of balsamic glaze? Went really well together, a perfect way of combining flavor and texture, but the green beans were undercooked, making the dish crunch unpleasantly in her mouth, “I own a cafe and I’m slowly making my debut into the fine dining community here in DC. There’s this chef– Jimmy Raines, who reached out after visiting my cafe and trying one of my pastries. He—“

“So it’s true?” She smiled thinly, smirking, “you’re actually making food in these places? You aren’t just investing?”

“Well I, for one,  think it’s wonderful,” a brown skinned gentleman next to her interrupted, “Imani is truly exemplifying how she's the best of us each and everyday, and if she figured out a way to get income from her hobbies, then I say brava.” 

Imani gave Sharvesh a quick smile of thanks, but turned her attention back towards her plate. 

There was the option of Chicken or Pork Chop, and she went for both. 

The chicken was perfect, but the porkchop was dry, even more so  disappointing, they both were seasoned the same. The flavours were not too compelling, not even in a garlic powder onion powder way of simple and good, Only salt and pepper, but they weren’t that high quality in cuts that warranted such a simple flavor palette. 

They at least could have been basted or crusted in some type of herbs. 

The only good thing had to be the potatoes.

Fondant, to be exact. 

She made a mental note to ask Jimmy to teach her how to make them. 

“May you pass the potatoes down, please?” She had to have more, her stomach felt like it opened a portal and transformed into a bottomless pit that would never get full. 

Before she could put her fork down and take the platter, John had already reached for it, his arm more than long enough to reach over for it before she could. 

Wordlessly, he puts some on her plate for her before adding some more to his owne, 

Imani thanks him softly, and digs in, not wasting any time. 

“Can I have them back now?” Imani leaned towards him to whisper in his ear. 

“If you behave.” Was all he said in between bites of his food. 

Sighing, she takes another bite of her chicken. 

Sharvesh directs his attention towards her, ready to say or ask something else, as he takes the platter back, but John interrupts him. 

“You mind passing the chicken down here too?”

“Of course.” His shoulders drop some, but he complies, recovering with a quick smile. 

They were going dish per dish, plate for plate. If he wanted something, she also wanted that something and vice versa.

Dessert was atrocious and she couldn’t fight the indignant sound that came out of her mouth. 

It was some type of… peach cobbler inspired thing. . . Shaped cylinder made up of layers. The peaches were clearly canned, insipid, and flavorless, overwhelmingly covered in fructose. The layer of crust was dry and it fell apart in the mouth in the worst possible way. The only good thing  about it was the scoop of ice cream on the side. A terrible choice for the presentation, but at least something about it was edible. 

“Can I have your ice cream?” Imani said a little too loudly. The disgust in her voice is clear and easy to pick out  in her semi inebriated state. 

Imani was seconds away from loudly complaining, before John pinched her side faster than she could speak. 

John leaned towards her, and dropped his voice. “This is not behaving.” he hushly growled in her ear with more bite than she could physically comprehend. He wouldn't dare openly glare at her, but the threat in his voice made up for what his face could not.

She swallowed, ignoring the chill that ran down her side and the knot of warmth that quickly raced through her lower belly. 

Imani flinched away from him. Unable to fight the fear that he might do. . . Something. 

The look on his face and tone of his voice made her think of a look she remembered a mother giving her child in public one time. 

Apparently, she is acting out. 

“How was dinner? It was nice wasn’t it?” Elle questioned as they stood around once more for cocktails. 

“Don't ask a question and not give someone a chance to answer.” Imani scolded into her cup without looking up. “And then don't give your answer first.” 

“Well someone’s clearly sober.” Ellle half singed in a soft voice. “How do you feel?”

Imnai frowned, pondering.

“Upset. . . but not like, disappointed.” She licked her lips. It would be mean to say it out loud , but she couldn't fight the nagging voice in the back of her head. The thought of saying it, seeing her say it, and all the possible reactions of the words once she said them, were starting to become its own beast. The thought of not saying it at all begins to eat away at her and she now has to say it.

“Upset. . .dinner was, well it wasn’t terrible but it could have been better.”

“You and John practically ate half of everything?” Alex’s brows drew together.

“That was mostly potatoes and the. . “ She turned towards John who was scarfing down one of the “dessert cocktails, “what was the vegan dish?”

“Red pepper chickpea souffle’.”

“Hot hummus.” Imani nodded matter of factly.

“Definitely sober.” Elle said with a shake of her head and a smile.

“I’m sorry,” Alex interrupted, looking concerned, “are we just okay with Imani being rude as hell for no reason.”

Imani’s face felt like a child’s would if they’re parents told them no after they asked for ice cream. Her cheeks puffing in another pout.

“It's not on purpose.”

“She was raised to be emotionally unavailable and is learning to express herself emotionally.”

“Elle!” Imani said shortly in warning.

“She left her feelings wheel at home.”

Imani opened her mouth to defend herself, but quickly closed it in realization.

Elle was doing this on purpose. Why? 

“Ain't nothing wrong with trying to better yourself.” John interrupted out of nowhere. “The right way is always better than self medication.” he tossed his drink on the nearest tray as it went by. “But what do I know? It's not like I got a degree in psychology or anything  fancy like that.

“Nigga, done read two books sand thinks he knows something.”

Imani laughed, rolling her eyes.

They said their goodbyes and grabbed their coats, shuffling back out into the chill of the night air.

“Mani!” Elle called out.

She turned, the wind whipped at her face. The snowflakes falling into her lashes slightly obscured her vision,“Yeah?!” She called back.

“John’s taking you home.”

And he did.

“There are more things than drugs that can take the edge off” he was so close, his words rumbled against Imani’s face, pulling at something within her  and making her pussy throb. 

Her tongue felt thick as she licked her lips. 

“Like what?”

Like what included Imani’s bare  back to his still dressed chest, watching his leather clad fingers rub torturously slow firm  strokes against her clit. 

“Please. . . “ she whimpered, throwing her head back into his chest, her smooth bare  legs shamelessly spreading wider, straining against his pant legs. 

She attempted to grab his offending hand with hers to do something, anything, but he stopped her, restraining  her hands against her chest in a tight grip.

“I’m so close.” She tried again with a sniffle. His deft fingers found a way to circle the sensitive nub of her clit even slower, before sliding off down her lips and into the wet center of her pussy. He curled his fingers in an equally slow pace, fueling her desire and bringing her back to the edge. Driving her insane, but nowhere near what she wanted. 

“Look at you,” he trailed firm sloppy kisses down her neck before coming back up. Imani Relished the feeling of his lips. Craning her head back into his chest so he could trail them along her jaw. 

He pulled his fingers out of her pussy to hold her chin back, her arousal pooling between them on the bed and what was left of it on his fingers trickled down her face as his lips locked onto hers in a backwards upside down kiss. 

She keened into his mouth as he wantonly pushed his tongue past her lips to slide his tongue against hers. 

“I wonder what sound you’ll make after you taste yourself on my tongue.” He added another finger and started sliding them in and out of her at a faster pace. 

“Oh,” she softly let out. 

He brought his other hand to her clit, letting go of his cruel grip on her hands. 

She immediately brought them to his arms, squeezing tightly at his sleeves, but she wouldn’t dare stop him, not while she felt so good. 

His finger glided across her clit at a steady cruel pace. With each stroke of leather against her puffy nub she gushed around his other fingers that slid in and out  of her pussy. His thick long fingers were filling her up. 

“Look at you,” his voice was hot  and low as it brushed against her ear,  “all that talk, but you do just what I want you to.”

“Please,” she strains, somehow straining her legs wider. He responds by curling his finger into her, digging her out and hitting a spot she didn’t know was there. Her hips chased the movent, and he didn’t stop her, letting her fuck herself onto his hands.

“And you ask so sweetly” his rich dulcet tone was a song in her ear she didn’t want to end. She’d let it get stuck in her head forever. 

“You wanna cum for me?” He added another finger not waiting for her to respond. 

Imani mewled, blinking away a stream of tears as they stung her eyes. 

His words pulled at something within her. The desire had her body ablaze, but his request was adding a foreign feeling into the mix. Tinging her desire with another burning emotion that electrified her nerves and filled her with something akin to bashfulness or fear, but it was a fear colored with an excitement for more that she would never admit, unless  he made her, and something told her he could. 

He pushed down on her clit. 

She cried out against the movement, her hips jolting foward in shock, but pressing against his hands just as much, increasing the impending pressure, causing her to leak onto the hand that was sliding in and out of her. 

“Cum for me.” 

And she did. 

Her legs jolted and tensed, as she spilled into his gloved hand. 

Before she could let out any moan, he snaked his head around her to swallow any and every sound in a kiss, his beard danced against her cheeks as he did. The slide of his tongue on her matched the movements of his hand buried in her pussy as he buried them inside her, coaxing  her through her orgasm.. 

Once over, he eased from behind her. 

Imani layed back onto her sheets with parted lips. Watching with hooded eyes as John stood over her. 

She swallows the lump in her throat as she watches him enveloped his own gloved fingers  past his lips, lapping as much of you as he could off them. 

When he slid his hand out his mouth, something in his face changed, making her body flush with even more heat. The thin sheen of sweat  on her body started to burn, unable to catch up with her ever flowing desire and the man who caused it. 

He tugged roughly  at  his gloves and threw  them on her nightstand. 

Her hips dipped in the bed as she watched him unbutton his shirt, revealing the expense of flushed dark brown skin overflowing with a warm undertow of gold. 

She pant for  more, her tongue threatening to lathe out her mouth at the sight.

She needed her mouth on his skin. 

The smirk he gave her as he shoved himself out of his pants sent a jolt through her body. 

“Keep those legs open. I want to taste you.”

And taste her he did. 

Imani shoved at his head as much as she could, pushing with all her might, but he ignored her and latched his mouth on her more firmly, sucking hard at her clit. 

His bare hands felt even better, but she couldn’t take it. 

Her lips were sore and puffy and her clit was aching. 

Each push and pull of his finger inside of her brought another tear to her eye, and his mouth on her clit only made her keen and whine at the pain, but her pussy had other thoughts. 

What she registered as pain and too much, her body only felt an override of pleasure. 

Her legs strained open, pathetically begging for more and giving him easy access. She gushed and flooded his tongue with each cry, whine, and whimper. 

“Please, please, please. . .” Was all her brain would let her say through her cries of ecstasy and tears. 

“I’m giving you all I got baby,” he added a third finger, his voice against her puffy pussy making her squeeze each and every one of them, unbearably filling her up more than her mind could comprehend, “what more do you want.” 

He switcher from sucking on her clit to lathing it with his tongue. Swiping with slow firm movements. Her hips follows each one. With his tongue hitting her clit just right, his fingers stuffed snuggly inside her, and his beard scratching oh so pleasantly at her sensitive overstimulated skin, she came again without warning, 

He hummed against her, making the feeling that much more euphoric and that much more unbearable. 

He pulled his fingers out of her. As they slid out, they were followed by a hot sticky stream of her arousal. 

“You’re so creamy.” He kissed her inner thigh, smearing the mess she was making further along her body, 

He pushed his tongue in her, his beard scratching overwhelmingly at her pussy. Wet, sloppy sounds and matching slurps filled the room as he continued to eat her out. 

Imani clutched the back of his head, pulling at his hair. She’d had enough. She couldn’t take anymore and she needed to put a stop to him now or else he’d kill her. . She’d be surprised  if her knuckles weren’t raw and split in the morning from how hard she was pulling, but it only encouraged him, 

He moaned into her, making her whimper and lose her grip,

“Please. . “

She didn’t realize it until he was looking at her through her legs that she had came again. 

He looked half crazed. A hunger so deep and intense, she had to avert her gaze, but her eyes were  back on him once he made his ascent towards her. Without looking away, he crawled over her body. 

“Come here.” He said like velvet, leaning down, he trapped her in a hard kiss. Haunting her senses and  pushing against her further, swiping against her mouth more intently than he had the entire night. 

“Mmh,” she whimpered in between kisses. They were soft and keening. 

When she had made one particularly drawn out mewl his hips pushed against hers, causing his dick to smear precum against her lower belly. 

 “Mmmmm.” He broke the kiss in satisfaction. “Keep that up.”

He moved her to her side, putting one  of her legs around his waist as he settled behind her on his side. 

“You ready?” He smirked against her ear, kissing her right below it. His breath was hot. 

She shook her head into the sheets, straining her eyes shut in worry. 

If he wasn’t holding her, she’d collapse into the bed, and her pussy was worn out and tired. 

“Oh, you can take it. Don’t be like that.” The gentleness of his voice was in contradiction with the cruel way he rubbed his dick through her folds. Holding one hand at the base, he meticulously and cruelly swayed it from side to side before smacking it against her pussy and then repeating the action. 

“Mhm,”  she  whined in protest, “stop.”

“See, “ he ignored her, "you can,” he pushed inside of her without warning, “take it.”

Imani couldn’t remember the last time she felt so full. She couldn’t  remember the last time she wanted someone to fill her up. He was opening up a desire she forgot she had. 

He started with slow languid thrusts. 

“Damn, baby.” He moaned in her ear. “Damn—“

She clenched around him, making him swear. 

He thrust into her harder and she keened, her walks opening back around him.

“Just like that, keep taking it,” he graveled in her ear, “you take me so well.”

Imani mewled, squeezing tight against him once more. 

His hips snapped harder, pushing through how tight her pussy was holding onto him. 

“Fuck. . .” She moaned softly. 

His hot chuckle danced on her skin as she swore for the first time tonight. 

“You like that baby.” 

She let out a drawn out moan.

“You like when I tell you how good you're doing? Like when I tell you how good you take this big fat dick? That you let me fill you up like this? Dig you out?”

He licked his lips before kissing along her neck. 

His beard rubbed deliciously against her skin, the satisfying scratch heightening her senses. 

She let out a long string of incoherent noises, unable to talk back. 

He smirked into her  neck as he pushed her onto her belly, snapping his hips into hers at a grueling pace, her walks desperate to keep as much of him inside as they could. 

Without wanting, she snaked her hand around to grab his head and pull him closer.

“John.” She moaned.

His duck jumped inside her. 

“John.” She called out again. Her voice was soft and strained with need. 

A need for him. 

John had plenty of women who wanted him, who threw themselves at him, and sometimes it was women he may have wanted just as much, but he can’t call how many of them needed him. Not like this. Not this much. 

That wasn’t his style. That’s not who he was. That’s not how he got the name Two-John.

But tonight, he’d let himself be needed. 

But only for a moment. 

Mustering up the last of his strength, he thrusts into her harder, faster. 

She went limp under him. Her hand slipped out of his  hair and beside her head. Not taking any chances, he grabs her hands and refrains them above her head. Her pussy throbs around him and he makes a mental note of that. 

She whimpers, keens, and mewls, and shuts up.

Freeing him of thoughts of being needed. 

“You like it rough too?” He slowed down, thrusting as hard as he could with each stroke, letting her feel every inch from tip to base.

“Cum on this dick baby. Cum for me.” 

He enveloped her neck with his teeth, biting hard. She moaned  into his mouth and he moaned as he felt it vibrate in his lips. 

By some unforeseen power, she did. Imani came just when he told her too. 

She squirmed in his mouth. But as his hips slowly moved her through her orgasm as he also came down from his, she attempted to move her neck but he wrapped his hand around her throat as he bit her again,  squeezing firmly. His other hand grabbed at her hands, leaving her at his mercy. 

He let go of her neck, lapping at the intentions of his teeth before moving to her collar.

As her pussy painfully throbbed, snd the sting on her neck followed suit, an odd sensation like she was being punished washed over her as she settled down.

“John.” She called out again.

It seemed to pull him out of his trance. 

However, he didn’t move his mouth off of her without one final clench of his teeth. She whined, shuffling against his grip and the feeling of his dick softening and the condom inside her.

He peeled himself off her.

Imani felt an odd sense of Deja vu as she watched him with hooded eyes as he moved above her once more that night. 

His chest rising and falling heavily under a thick sheen of sweat. 

She had had one to match, her skin sticky as well, but she was so exhausted her lungs failed to rise and fall in her exertion. She only pant silently into the air. 

John was going to tell her he should go. 

Grab his clothes and make an exit.

But he couldn’t stare himself from her gaze. Those big brown eyes and puffy round cheeks, tugs at something within him he thought he buried  long ago, but if it did occasionally  come out it’s grave, he knew how to fight it back down into the pit where it belonged, but it wasn’t until now, after he came, did he realize he fucked up. 

“You got a bathroom?” He needs to focus on something. Focus on a task until he could find a way to leave you. 

“Other side.”

Her artsy open plan loft was off putting. 

There were no hallway walls. Every room bled into the other except for  the one extra room downstairs and the bathroom. 

He’s confident the single room above that looked over every  size of the loft, that also had no surrounding walls, was your bed. 

He grunted once he finally found the bathroom and the lined closet. Running warm water over it he made his way back. 

There were plants galore, art and other knick knacks  littered everywhere in an organized mess. An island? Oversized bar cart? Whatever it wasproudly displays an espresso machine and equipment and tools he didn't understand. 

If it’s a bar cart, it’s a waste to not have  a proper alcohol display, but to each their own. 

“If that’s your room upstairs than this is—“

“Yeah it’s Deonte’s room.” She interrupted him, fidgeting as he cleaned her up. He tried to look into her eyes and gauge where her head was at, but she kept averting her gaze. 

“Can we not talk about it?” The softness of her plea startled him. 

Reminiscent of a tone he’s heard Elle use ever so often with Alex, but not as headstrong or demanding. It was insecure, panicked, and vulnerable. 

He nodded, wordlessly climbing into bed. 

He froze as she instantly moved against him, cuddling into his side and wrapping an arm around his waist as he laid on his back. She snuggled up against him as if she belonged there, and for half a second, it felt that way. 

Unable to find an excuse, he stayed.

But as she  drifts to sleep, he keeps thinking what exactly he got himself into. 

Fucking a woman in her dead exes bed, a woman who hadn’t had sex with anyone since his death three to four years ago, sharing a moment he knew was just sex, but what did she think it was? 

But he remembers her other suitors.

 The way Elle complains when she blows off or intentionally ruins the dates she sets Imani up with.

How Elle makes side comments whenever she brushes off a guy who hits on her and asks for her number, and he settles, drifting into a sleep as deep as hers because if anyone wanted a relationship less than he did, it would be Imani Louds. 

He was sure of it. 

.

.

.

.

taglist: @megamindsecretlair @nerdieforpedro @blackpinup22 @kindofaintrovert @notapradagurl7 @unknownpinner @jedinightsister @m1sk1n3

@kemkem101 @savvysav1 @professionalm1sandrist

@bbyxgall @blackpinup22 @sweettea-and-honeybutter

@brattyfics @blowmymbackout @cherrypoppers1

if you notice any errors, please let me know. My brain hurts and i have no beta readers.

[megamindsecretlair]

Swweeeeeeeet lordy, this was delicious start to finish 🙌🏽😭 lordy lordy.

And im sorry 🤣🤣🤣 this made me howl

“Why are your nipples so hard?”

“It’s freezing out side.” Was the only explanation he gave as he pried her hands off of him.

I love the push and pull of em. But lawdt. Your characters stay picking at each other. I must know whyyy 👀

She reached over to his pocket to see if they were there, but he swiftly grabbed her hand and put it in his lap, leaving her to eat dessert one handed.

Chuz this let me know they go together so bad. And I love how everyone is juss like 🧐

Chuz they don't get it but I doooo 😭

Roughest Rough Drafts of a John Sampson Fic

No rating // WC: 1k, give or take. I didn’t count // masterlist // AN: enjoy! Stay tuned for the real one! //

Enjoy this random google photo as well.

ONE

Imani sighed, watching her breath form a white cloud of powdery condensation before her.

The apartment townhouse building felt intimidating.

She turned on her heels for a quick walk to clear her head or maybe she could—

“I know you not leaving already.” A low familiar voice called out.

“Hi Alex.” She said in defeat.

“Well don’t you look nice.” He appraised her with a nod, “to think all that hides under your dickies and carhartts.”

She huffed at his compliment, crossing her arms and refusing to give him the satisfaction.

Imani had gone all out on her outfit, as she would, anytime she had too.

She wore a silky bodycon number, not too tight or inappropriate, but that didn’t stop the curves of her hips, her thick thighs from popping or the dress complimenting the shape of her waist just as much. Her long white coat rested snugly on her shoulders.

She clutched tightly at her coat to ward off the cold.

“How could you think of leaving?” Elle huffed, interrupting their latest spat, “You have to thank all your new donors!”

“I already called them one by one,” she groaned, stomping her feet, “why do we need a party to do it all over again!

“Because it opens the door for more.” Ellen said smoothly.

“Oh is that how that works, now.” Alex said to her coily.

They leaned into one another sharing a brief but rather heated kiss.

She wanted to say something smart like, can you guys move so I can get inside or something like that, but her and Elle were past that level of pettiness. . . Maybe.

It was hard to tell.

Elle was so hellbent on focusing on her career, putting herself first, and emphasizing she didn’t need a man, but did a complete 180 once Alex came back into her life.

She couldn’t hate Elle for it too much. He’s nice looking and just an overall good man, more than a good father. Anything and everything. He was the total package.

They don’t really see eye to eye, but if Imani was being honest, that was more on your friend’s end than Alex, but she’s never cut any of her men some slack, and nothing you could say, or what anyone could say for that matter, will change her mind, but Alex pushed through that and made it work until she trusted him.

Good for him and good for her.

“You coming or you planning on staying out here all night?”

“Come inside Mani, listen to Alex.”

You huffed and rolled your eyes.

And then there was that.

Saving her energy she followed without a word, but on any other day for any other occasion, she would have made a big deal out of Alex telling her what to do and Elle urging her to listen.

“You guys made it!” Jonesy kissed her and Elle on the cheek. Alex held out a hand for him to shake, but Jonesy pushed his hand away, going straight for the hug.

“Oh we know each other better than that, Alex.”

“Uh, yeah.” Alex patted Jonesy on the shoulder, politely putting an amount of space between them.

“Your coats can go in this closet here.” Jonesy pointed, “Make yourselves comfortable. You all know your way around the place.” He flashed them with a smile and a slight wave, “I’ll let everyone know when dinner is ready.”

“Wow you look so nice!”

“Don’t you look pretty!”

“You really stepped out tonight girl!”

Imani was over it.

Everyone was being extra nice, treating her like some lost doe eyed soul. She’s gone to therapy, she’s dealing with it, and she’s even ready to move on. Everyone else needed to follow suit.

Imani was fine and tired of everyone treating her like she wasn’t.

“It’s just such a shame how he was murdered like that.”

You purse your lips at the random white man donor you purposely forget the name of. “It is.”

“But you used your grief and pain to start this foundation to give back to people just like him. I’m so glad to be a part of helping you reach out to the homeless in your community.”

You smiled and nodded as he went on his white savoir guilt trip rant.

“And without Detective Alex Cross, you never would have gotten justice or answers.”

Alex and Elle had made their way back to you to chat, not knowing that some stranger was throwing your trauma back into your face for shits and giggles.

“I’m going to get some air.” You gave them a tight lipped smile before making your way to the balcony.

“Fuck, I could use a smoke.” You muttered to yourself over the balcony, looking out that the city.

“Is that in reference to a ciggerette or something else?”

You peered over at the man who asked.

His out of date shoulder length hair and odd fitting white tux jacket trimmed in black made him stick out amongst the well polished crowd, but you were not going to judge him, especially when by looking at him, you could tell he had something you wanted.

“Depends,” Imani eyes him trepidly, “what you got?”

He only had one joint in him. Not ideal, but she would take what she could get.

It was a little stronger than what she necessarily wanted, but bigger can’t be choosers.

The tightening feeling in her chest subsided, she felt like she could finally breathe again.

She eyed the moon and what little stars were visible.

Thoughts of escaping to a secluded countryside intruded her mind.

“Hey I know you.” The stranger interrupted her short fantasy of escape. “You were the girl that was with that homeless guy.”

“He didn't die homeless!” Imani clipped, “he had a home”

“You can’t keep carrying that shit,” he ignored her outburst, “ he passed the joint once more and she took it gratefully.

He dug around in his mysterious pockets once more and pulled out a little plastic baggie. .

“Here,” he shoved them in her hand, “you need them more than I do.”

“There was some weed, mushrooms and. . . Pills? “What are these?” Imani held one up, the light of the moon made them glow. They were magic. She was sure of it.

“They’ll help the pain go away or it will show you your truth to deal with it yourself.”

“How can you be so sure?” Imani blinked, the pill still glowed in the palm of her hand. The magic hadn’t faded.

Before he could reply, a rich velvet voice called out, “ What’s going on out here?”

Stranger scurried off without a word.

Imani turned to face the new man, letting out a puff of smoke in the direction of the wind so it wouldn’t blow in his face and the smell wouldn’t linger.

He looked down at her casually, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets.

His neatly short cropped fro went well with the equally as neat beard on his face. He held a gaze of light disapproval she’s seen Alex give his kids when they were acting out.

Was he treating her like some child?

“I’m not afraid of you.” She called out.

“You should be.” He smirked lightly.

“What, you a cop or something like that?”

He took the joint out of your hand, putting it out on the rail before flicking it over the balcony.

“Aye, what the fuck!”

“Or something like that,” he eyed her, “detective.” He nodded his head as if contemplating, “close enough I think.”

He took the bag out of her hand.

Imani squinted in displeasure, but it wasn’t until half a beat later that she actually moved to stop them.

Shit. That weed was strong as hell.

She pushed through her foggy brain enough to grab at the material of his shirt.

“Give them back. I need those.” She wanted to say something more tactful, but her mind was loose, and now, whatever thought she had would fly out as is. “It’s not even illegal. I’m obviously not underage.”

“As much as I liked to believe that, I’m sure you got at least ten more years of being carded. Can’t be too sure these days.”

Her brow furrowed. Was that a compliment? That could be a compliment? Why was he complimenting her about how young she looked?

She fisted at the material of his shirt, a strange sensation probed at her wrists. What the fuck?

“Why are your nipples so hard?”

“It’s freezing out side.” Was the only explanation he gave as he pried her hands off of him.

She nodded, accepting his explanation, but then she looked at him and remembered he had a coat on, and after he just touched her, she now knew that he had on leather gloves as well.

“How are you cold if you have on a coat?”

“Get inside.” he motioned toward the door with his hand.

Imani’s drugs might be gone, but there was something comforting about his presence. His voice is low and warm, demands unobtrusive and somehow. . . Relaxing despite the reality of her situation.

Wait.

“Are you taking me to jail?” If not, can I have my drugs back?”

“If you behave,” he started slowly, “I’ll think about it.”

She grabbed his wrist as he stomped inside. He was walking so loud.

“Stop, everyone’s going to know if you keep walking like that.”

“You’re fine,” he huffed at her with a unreadable expression, “that’s your mind playing tricks on you. The weed is making you paranoid.”

“I’m not paranoid!” She hissed up at him. “Your just being too much of a cop.”

“Mhmm. Right.” He said nonchalantly before presenting you to Alex and Elle.

“Mani, where were you?” Elle brushed your shoulder with a hand. “You’re freezing.

“Seems you met John already.” Akex commented with a raised eyebrow, before dapping up your jailer.

“You know this man?” Imani couldn’t stop herself from blurting as she pointed up at John, as he was apparently named.

Her other hand tightly grasped his wrist as her arm was wrapped around his. He allowed her to stand closely into his space. She wasn’t exactly sure why she had to, but he was probably grateful for the warmth she was giving him, despite the fact he had a coat on.

Oh, perfect opportunity.

“Do you know why his nipples are so hard even though he has a coat on?” Imani questioned seriously.

Alex put a hand on his chest as he laughed.

“Aye,” John’s cool facade faded instantly, “keep your voice down! We're inside!” With his free hand he twisted your ear tightly and pulled.

She moved close to him to avoid the pain, letting her cheek rest against his chest.

He let out a short grunt of disapproval before switching tactics.

He pinched her side that was unguarded and vulnerable, making her jump.

Imani puffed as she nuzzled into his chest. He was warmer now, much warmer. Both hands free, she wrapped them around him, brushing her hands down his back to rest on his waist.

How muscles looked so hard and felt so soft will forever be a mystery to her.

“You both look quite close for two people who’ve only known each other for an hour and a half.”

That sounded an awful lot like. . .

“It’s been an hour and a half since we’ve been here?” Imani turned her cheek, letting the opposite rest on his chest so she could lay on him and still talk to Elle and Alex.

“No it’s been two hours for us.” Elle corrected. “John was late.”

Jonesy tapped a glass, getting everyone's attention, dinner was ready,

There was technically assigned seating, but in Imani’s current state, her dislike of her spot was not subtle. Luckily, she was not mean about it. Following John she sat next to him, scooting her chair to sit as closely to him as possible.

“I think I—“

“I didn’t take your seat, I just dragged my chair from over there to right here, scoot yours down.” Imani explained with a smile.

The woman gave her and John a look before taking her seat and scooting it pointedly away from them.

“This is not behaving.”

Imani straightened, her face drawing into a pout.

Dinner was chill.

You were so so hungry.

And so was John?

Imani unintentionally went plate for plate with John.. If he got extra of something, she got extra of something. At some point it became a mutual understanding, if he asked for someone to pass down a certain dish and put it on his plate, he’d put some on hers as well before passing it back up.

After all that, they both still had room for dessert.

The thought of dessert made her think of treats which reminded her of her drugs and the fact that the man she was sitting next to held them hostage in his pocket.

She reached over to his pocket to see if they were there, but he swiftly grabbed her hand and put it in his lap, leaving her to eat dessert one handed.

It was fancy and strange in structure but very delicious. Shemade a mental note of the flavors to recreate into a smaller Togo pastry one day for her shop.

“How long have you and John known each other?”

Imani squinted, dubiously confused, but she feel how her shoulder nestled against his and how John restraining her hand in his lap, may make it appear like they were holding hands.

Her head throbbed lightly, not quite used to the weed she had smoked hours ago. Her high subsiding and everything becoming a little clearer. For one, the way everyone was sneaking glances down the table at them.

“We met here, like. . . three to four hours ago.”

John nodded silently in affirmation before sharing a look with her afterwards and she had to thin her lips to suppress a laugh.

Because why would he just sit there like that and nod.

“You two seem,” the woman paused, twirling her fork, “closer than that.”

Imani and John shared another look and stayed silent, much to Elle and Alex’s dismay.

“You feel better.” John’s voice flooded Imani’s senses with something warm, warmer than the coat he was ushering onto her shoulders.

She scoffed softly, her voice losing its bite in her sober state, “I was always fine.” She huffed into the cold as they walked out the door. “Just a little high is all.”

“Little is understatement.” She studied the condensation in the air as it left his mouth.

He stood an appropriate distance away from her.

She wasn’t high anymore

TWO

Imani took a few bites of the pastry she just made. The presentation and look was exquisite, but her main concern was flavor. It looked elevated, but the texture was off, so the flavors didn’t quite matter.

She jotted down what she could try next time to improve on the current flaws, but if what she did manage to figure out flavor wise, she wasn’t confident in either. Maybe she’ll try ubbe or something with sweet potato, hell maybe both.

“Mani?”

Imani looked up from where she was standing. The little tall round table was littered with her note. She quickly stacked and sorted them out the way.

“Elle!” She beamed at her friend and embraced her in a warm hug, “what are you doing here at this time? Shouldn’t you be busy, paving a way for the youth in our community?”

“Oh stop,” Elle shook her head at her, “your work is just as important.”

Before Imani could continue with more pleasantries or continue the flow of casual conversation in an attempt to catch up with her friend, she noticed Elle staring at her.

She followed her line of sight to her jacket.

Imani swallowed without a comment schooling her features as she fight to stay still.

“You’re wearing Deonte’s Jacket again.”

“I work with a lot of college kids. They think it’s really cool when I wear this sort of stuff.” Imani hoped her smile seemed natural and not forced.

She crossed her arms into the oversized dickie jacket to calm her nerves..

Ignoring how Elle’s eyes sharpened as she looked her up and down, noticing her equally as oversized matching dickie pants.

“What are you wearing that’s actually yours?” Elle urged, She leaned into her, lowering her voice.

Imani averted her eyes away from Elle’s and crossed her arms.

“I was just thinking about him today and figured I wear this. I promise it’s nothing too serious.”Imani exhaled through her nose, taking a beer and looking in Elle’s eyes, hoping she was being understood, “I’m fine.”

Elle took the opportunity to look her over once more.

“Okay.” She nodded.

Imani thinned her lips.