#Jupiter tumbles

[matt0044]

My IDW Sonic Fancast Part 3:

I've had some rethinking about Surge and Jewel since I began rewatching Sailor Moon. But there are plenty of others I didn't cover before.

So... here we go:

"D.C. Douglas as Clutch The Opossum” - As a shady business man with a mug that just screams, "I'm bad news," a smooth and calm voice like that of Yoshikage Kira would be perfect. A cadence that would get people to let down their guard with him since he seems mean but sounds so refined. But like Yoshikage Kira, his dapper facade belies a heart of depravity.

Example:

“Michael Sorich as Nite The Owl” - While a live action role inspired me, Sorich’s performance as Woody in VR Troopers made me think of Nite. He’d be able to capture his jovial demeanor and would work brilliantly with the mounting horror of the Metal Virus in terms of mood shifts in the story.

Example:

“Amanda Celine Miller/Bennet Abara as Surge The Tenrec” - In Sailor Moon, Makoto Kino was kicked out of her school for defending others against bullies and is seen as a sukeban (delinquent girl) only for Usagi to find she’s good hearted. Amanda Celine Miller was a fan of the character and it shows in her performance as Sailor Jupiter’s new voice actress.

How would this shake out for Surge? Well, for me, I think Amanda’s smooth yet tough tone as Mako would lend itself well for the Tenrec when she’s unapologetically villainous. As if Mako really was the bad girl she was seen as.

However, in the event of Surge turning herself around, Amanda’s performance would be able to mellow out into something still Surge-y but also able to come off more heroic. A real punk if you will.

Examples:

“Derek Stephan Prince as Rough and Tumble” - Two for the price of one. Derek's voice for Impmon would fit Rough with his fast talking New Yorker voice. Given it's a Joe Pesci impression, it'd be a good callback to the wet bandits. Badabing-badaboom.

Meanwhile, the voice of Elgar from Power Rangers Turbo would be a perfect fit for the more slow-witted Tumble.

"Stephanie Sheh as Jewel The Beetle" - I feel like Sheh's performance as the ditzy Usagi Tsukino would transfer well into Jewel's neurotic sense of order as well as how she can get anxious pretty quick. Give it a bit of a nasally quality and it'd fit perfectly.

And that's that. Feel free to voice your agreements or disagreements.

[severeearthquakebanana]

Surprise surprise, i latched onto the tough girl dressed in green. Again. Lol Also this is gorgeous, i had to share🤩🤩

Sailor Jupiter!! Thinking of making my way through all of the scouts and redoing Venus from a few months ago

[deadsetobsessions]

Edit: thank you @tetranationaltortoise for pointing out that the Red Spot is on Jupiter instead of Saturn! Fixed it! You’re not nickpicking, you’re providing very appreciated constructive criticism (and a basic fact check I should have done lol) <3

Danny, as usual, hadn’t meant to become the local cryptid. Local being extremely relative, as his locality in this instance is… space.

He just wanted to have some relaxation time. He just wanted to do some homework, chill on Mars or something, and then call it a day.

This hero business was taxing and Danny took his breaks when he could. Take that, work-life balance! Just kidding, Danny had no work-life balance. His life is a mess and he's overworked.

What was it that Superman had said in that one interview?

“Evil never sleeps."

Apparently, that also meant Danny never slept either.

“Hrk!” Danny snorted awake, looking around wildly at the vast expanse of space to see what woke him.

….

Yeah, that’ll do it.

In front of him, merrily floating through space, is the battered remains of what used to be an asteroid and a mecha that’s a weird combination of Gotham’s vigilante hero, Batman, and Metropolis’ Golden Boy, Superman.

The vibrations of the collision had shaken Danny awake.

Danny got up, baffled as hell and half asleep still. He floated to the giant Bat insignia tumbling around, inching closer as he saw the- oh hell, that’s so cool, it’s a plane!- cockpit and the passed out hero inside of it. Danny clicked his tongue, the sound swallowed by the lack of air.

He shoved the plane closer to earth, passing it to a bewildered (and both beat up and stressed out) Superman, who did a double take at the glowing green boy chucking him the Toy-maker Batplane.

Danny had waved, blinked out of visibility, and had gone back to his nap.

After phasing inside the plane and nabbing a batarang from Batman’s pouch, that is. Danny will consider it payment for the clean up service he’d unwittingly signed himself up for.

And so went the first encounter.

——

The second time he met the so called Big Leagues, Danny had just come back from fighting Dan. He wanted a break, dammit, and if staring at Saturn’s gorgeous rings and gaseous formations helped him sleep better, then that’s what’s going to happen.

Then, a similarly green glowing Green Lantern “landed” to where he was floating curled up. Danny knew about Lanterns. Their council often tried to meddle in his court.

“Hello,” the Ring projected its Lantern’s words to Danny’s head. Danny tilted his head without looking at the Lantern. “I’m John Stewart. What are you doing out here, kid?”

Danny thought this guy had a nice, soothing voice. Powerful, as Latern tended to be, but infinitely kind.

Danny decided that this one wasn’t immediately on his shit list.

“Phantom.” He said, and the Lantern asked him to repeat it as the glow of his ring enveloped the halfa.

“Phantom. Are you lost, Phantom?”

“No, just dead.”

John Stewart paused. “…Dead?”

“I’m a ghost,” Danny raised his hands and phased it through the Lantern’s arm.

“Ah,” the man said, flustered. “Right. So… you’re just…”

“Hanging out.” As he talked to the Lantern, Danny had a rather amusing idea. He rotated himself- turned- towards Jupiter and pointed to the Red Spot. “That’s actually my grave.”

John Stewart paused. “I’m sorry…?”

“My grave. Don’t disturb it. It’s rude,” Danny lied through his sharp ghost teeth. “Your council disturbed my grave the last time they stopped by and it took ages to get it back right.”

The green Lantern shield enveloping Danny flickered as John Stewart went through the five stages of grief. To be fair, the council had last visited this solar system... a couple thousand years ago, so John was no doubt rapidly doing some mental math regarding Danny's age.

“The council disturbed your grave…?”

“Not that they knew it, those pretentious weirdos.” Danny pretended to be offended, just to see the struggle on John’s face as he debated defending the council or telling a dead child their grave didn’t matter. Because Stewart was a hero, he went with the latter.

“I see. I am sorry, on their behalf.”

“Eh, whatever. Just make sure they don’t do it again. So… what can that ring do?”

——

"Hi. Could you not litter in space, please?"

Wonder Woman whirled around, sword out and pointed at Danny.

"A... child? Who are you, child?"

"I'm not a child-! You know what, it doesn't even matter. See that?" Danny waved at the pieces of shattered meteor and smashed up alien tech floating outside of the watch tower. "Littering is not cool."

"How did you get in here?"

"I'm Phantom. This is kind of my neighborhood." Danny let his mouth run, sleep deprived and exhausted. "I'm dead, that's how I got in here. Could you not litter in my backyard, please?"

He had better things to do than cleaning after full grown adult heroes.

"Oh, you are the ghost child Lantern mentioned! I see! My apologies, the clean up will be starting in a bit." Wonder Woman slid her sword back into its sheath.

"Great. Nice meeting you. I'll stick around to make sure you young whipper snappers clean up properly."

With that, Danny sunk into the floor. After a moment's deliberation, he decided to take a nap in the floor vent.

——

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Danny jolted awake once more. Ancients, like mentor, like mentee. Robin stared at him, awkwardly wriggling through the floor vents.

"I'm taking a nap here," Danny grumbled. "What are you doing in the vents?"

"Me? What are you doing in the vents? I'm allowed in here!"

"Wonder Woman knows I'm here," Danny replied. She knows... probably? "I'm Phantom."

"Robin."

"So... what are you doing?"

"Knowledge is power," Robin intoned, clearly imitating the Bat.

Danny stared.

"... You're stalking the JL?"

"Information gathering!"

"Stalking," Danny concluded, ignoring Robin's grumble. "Yeah, okay. If you need help, let me know, I guess."

"I don't need help." Robin paused, tilting his head to the side like a particularly curious bird. "Unless you're up for some pranks? Green Lantern's been getting on my nerves lately."

Danny frowned at him. "I like John Stewart."

"You've met- no, not him, the other one."

"Oh. What do I get out of it?"

Robin reached into his belt pouch and pulled out... a bag of marshmallows? How the hell did that-? Ah, right, hammerspace.

"Oh, wait, can you eat this?"

"I'm dead, not tasteless. I love marshmallows, hand it over. I'll help out."

"Deal."

——

"I swear to god, Spooky, there's something in the walls. It's even creepier than you!"

Batman grunted. He'd stop Robin if he went too far and it started affecting Lantern's abilities on the field, but as far as the Dark Knight was concerned, the Green Lantern had it coming. Robins were vindictive on a good day. If Hal hadn't learned that from Dick, then Jason's retaliation was well deserved.

"Oh, maybe it's the ghost!" Hal said, looking around with his ring glowing.

"I thought John said he was a godling?" Diana polished her sword as she looked on in amusement.

"The boy." Batman grunted. "Not human, his pointed ears and green skin is proof of that. Did J'onn say anything?"

"Not yet."

"Whatever he is, he saved Batman. He's welcome in the Tower," Superman tilted back as his hearing picked up on Robin's and Phantom's snickering.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Down Home 1

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as non/dubcon, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: The world's most famous heroes walk into a small town diner and change your life.

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers

Note: Because of this.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. Thanks to everyone who reads this one and thank you for all your energy.<3

Love you all to Jupiter and back. Take care. 💖

It’s a slow day. Every day is slow out in Tumble Down. The township’s name tells the whole story. Everything there is in decline. It’s hard to imagine there was ever a time when the people weren’t tiny and forgotten in the hubbub of the bigger world. Since the mines closed and the canning factory was outsourced, it feels even smaller. 

Smaller isn’t so bad. It’s simpler. You all know each other’s names and faces. You say hi and how are you and do what needs to be done. Simple is, simple as. 

You here there isn’t much to do in most small towns. Not for fun or for work. You’re one of the lucky ones. You got a job down at the diner in your sophomore year. It helped pay for your daddy’s new engine and since then, it keeps you all afloat in the rising waters of disparity as they close in on Tumble Down. 

You hum to the old radio that sits on the shelf you make sure to dust. The speakers crackle from time to time and the signal gets wonky in storm season, but the music’s never bad. It’s the classic stuff that always played in your mother’s kitchen. 

You wipe down another table. Not because it needs it, just because it’s something to do. The day has been long and listless. Even the breakfast rush was lower than usual. 

Darnell, the cook, whistles along from the back. Everyone knows he isn’t as mean as he looks. He just likes his space. 

As you go back to the counter and lean on it, staring at the ticking clock, a roar cuts through the distance. You blink and look up, narrowing your eyes at the dusty country road outside. Wind rustles through the tall wheat in the field opposite and the noise rumbles closer and closer. 

A man pulls in a motorbike. He’s going so fast that he has to circle the gravel lot before he can slow down. It’s not Lenny and his prized Harley but another man on a more modern-looking mount. Not far behind, another motorcycle zips through and the riders straddle their bikes as the survey the restaurant. 

You narrow your eyes. You probably need glasses but you make do. The last time you got your eyes checked, you didn’t have enough for the frames. 

The one man wears blue and red, an odd helmet on his head. Not a helmet at all but a sort of mask. The other man has dark hair to his chin and a beard to match. He’s all in black but his left arm shines with gold ripples. Not a sleeve, an arm, made of metal. 

“Oh my lord,” you murmur in shock, “Darnell!” You holler over your shoulder, “you’re not gonna believe this.” You turn to the window as he pokes his head around, “not sure I do myself. Tell me my eyes aren’t lyin’.” 

He looks above your head, an easy task for the mammoth cook. He hums and swirls around his spatula. “Thems those boys on the news. The one that was in the old war. Grandad’s battle.” 

“I’m not going crazy with boredom?” You bubble. 

He snorts. It’s as close to a laugh as you get from him. You spin back and hurry around the counter to grab a pair of menus. Still, you don’t want to seem too eager. You put down the menus and fiddle with a napkin holder instead. 

The bell over the door jingles and swipe up the menus and turn. You really can’t believe it’s them. Yet, as Captain America removes his cowl, you’re certain. They look just like they do on the TV. Even with your sight, you can tell. 

“Hello, fellas, how are you doin’ today?” 

The dark-haired one, the Winter Soldier, glances at the other, his cheek dimpling, “well... we’re... uh...” 

“We’re doing great,” Steve Rogers answers brightly. “Starving. You guys serve bacon? My buddy’s dying for some.” 

“Um, yes, sirs, yes. Can I sit ya down?” You ask, hugging the menus closer. 

“Please,” the Captain accepts as the other man stays silent and pensive, his eyes wandering down to the coffee stain on your apron. 

“Just here,” you sweep away and wave them on with you. You stop beside the nicest booth and lay down a menu on each side, “have a seat.” 

They do just as you bid. The blond puts his cowl on the table and unhooks the shield from his back to lay on the far end of the seat. He smooths back the sweaty strands of hair as his companion stretches his metal fingers. You sway nervously by the table, twitching as you remind yourself how to do your job. 

“Well, can I get ya started with coffee? You look beat from the road.” You beam with the smile Mr. Welk says could outshine the sun. 

“Not just the road,” the dark-haired one mutters as he rolls his shoulder. The one that connects to his real arm. “I’ll take one, please.” 

“Can I get an orange juice, please,” the Captain asks. 

“Course ya can. I’ll be right back. You have a look at the specials and give it a think,” you bounce and spin around. 

You go to pour the orange juice and a cup of black coffee. Darnell lingers by the window. He only ever really appears to put a plate up but he watches the new arrivals. 

You bring their drinks and step back, clasping your hands behind you. 

“Did ya need cream or sugar for your coffee, sir?” You ask. 

“Black’s fine,” he assures. 

“No need for the sirs. Steve, Bucky,” Captain America insists, “we’re off duty.” 

“Right, sorry about that, ssss...Steve,” you correct yourself. “You need some more time?” 

“Think I’m decided,” Bucky intones, “what about you?” 

“Set,” Steve confirms, “I’ll have the sunny side up with toast and sausage. Can I get some fruit on the side as well, please?” 

He hands over the menu and you take it as you hold your smile. Your cheeks ache. Not because you have to force it but because you can’t stop. This is the most exciting thing to happen in Tumble Down ever. If Darnell wasn’t there, no one would believe you. 

“Overeasy, bacon, extra bacon too, and some french toast, and uh... home fries.” Bucky offers up the second menu, “please and thank you.” 

“Alrighty,” you preen, “I’ll put your order in.” 

“Got it,” Darnell growls over the empty diner. 

“He’s got good hearing,” you giggle nervously as you look between the men. “Ummmm, sorry, I’ll leave ya be.” 

“You’re not bothering,” Steve assures. “I can see you’re dying to ask.” 

He gives a gentle smile. 

“Nah, oh, gosh. I’m sure ya get it all the time. I don’t wanna be one of those,” you put your hands up. “Really, you all look like you could use the peace and quiet.” 

“Well, actually, I’ve been stuck with this meathead for days,” Bucky scoffs, “so please, I’d love to hear someone else’s voice.” 

You laugh again. They’re funnier than you expect. They always look so serious on the TV. 

“What... what are y’all doing here in Tumble Down? It’s a bit far from... anywhere.” You ask sheepishly. 

“Tumble Down? Is that what it’s called?” Steve scratches his neck above his stained collar. “Well, we couldn’t get a signal so we’ve just been riding through. Saw the sign down the way and figured we’d get a bite.” 

“He’s lying. He was falling asleep on his bike,” Bucky teases. 

“Sure,” Steve shakes his head. “Only ‘cause I’m tired of you.” 

You giggle again, “I thought y’all were friends.” 

“Friends, partners, cursed with each other, have your pick,” Bucky snorts. 

“He’s playing,” Steve says. “Look, we’re boring. Despite what you think. We’re a couple of old men bickering with each other. What about you? What about Tumble Down?” 

“Ah, nothing really, sir. Steve,” you squeeze the menus tight at the edges. “Nothing going on since the coal law and that. Everyone’s all but run out. All but us.” 

“Just you? Your family?” Steve wonders. 

“Jesus, Steve, nosy much?” Bucky says over the brim of his mug. 

“Sorry. He’s right. Like I said. Crotchety old man. I talk to the pigeons.” 

You laugh again, “oh my, you are a hoot!” You slap your thigh emphatically, “I’m still my ma and pa. It’s just the three of us. They need help with the animals and that.” 

“Animals?” Steve wonders, his posture shifting towards you. 

“Chickens, cows. They got a farm. Was my grandpa’s. And his ma kept it going after he didn’t come home from... well, you’d know more about that time than me, I think.” You give a forlorn look to the floor. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry about your grandfather. Great grandfather,” he corrects himself. 

“Lotta good men gone,” Bucky mulls grimly. 

“Yeah, my great granny said as much. I wouldn’t know though, but I heard the stories,” you dare to look at them again. “Sorry to bring up the bad memories.” 

“Nah,” Bucky waves you off casually. “I got this nifty arm outta it.” 

“And I got a shield so, you know, not all losses,” Steve chuckles. 

“I s’pose,” you agree. “I’m gonna check on that food for ya. You good with your coffee?” 

Bucky raises the mug, “delicious.” 

You nod and turn with a swish of your skirt. You go up to the window and look over the ledge. “How’s it going, Darnell?” 

“Going. I’m happy it ain’t Raylene here. She’s got a mouth on her, don’t she? Them sort don’t deserve that trouble,” he tisks. 

“They’re nice. And Raylene is too. She’s just... Raylene,” you say, “can I help with anything?” 

“I don’t wanna be rude but I’m tired of tellin’ ya to stay outta my kitchen. You know the grill likes to spit,” he shakes his head. “You go, I’ll let ya know when it’s ready.” 

“Alright,” you back away and turn back. 

Steve and Bucky lean over the table, their voices low as they chat. As you move around behind the counter, they both sit up and the former clears his throat. You smile as you take the cloth from your apron pocket and wipe the already clean counter. 

As the radio buzzes, you hum without thinking. Stevie Ray Vaughan’s smoky voice mingles with the emotion plucked through electric strings. Your dad’s a big fan. He has old tapes with concerts on them and even went to one himself. 

The bell rings and you nearly jump out of your shoes. You turn and scoop up the plates as you thank Darnell. He grumbles that he’s going out to have a smoke; his code for having a Tootsie Pop by the backdoor. 

You bring the meals over to the table and set them down before the men. Their gazes make you sweat. It’s all a little more intense with no one else there. 

“Thank you,” Steve says and Bucky echoes him. 

“Not at all. Anything else? Water? Ketchup?” 

“It all looks great as is,” Steve says, “you got a nice voice.” 

“Oh, really? Ha, I was just humming out of tune. Sorry if I was too loud.” 

“Not at all,” Bucky picks up his fork as he leans forward. He tilts his head. “You know this one?” 

“Sure do. It’s Fleetwood Mac,” you answer. “One my all times.” 

He grins and nods as he looks at Steve. Steve watches you with a smile of his own. 

“Do you sing?” He asks. 

“Me? Only in my shower or to the chickens. They usually hide in the henhouse then.” You tinkle with laughter. 

“Ah,” Steve nods. 

“But if... if ya really wanna suffer, I could try it,” you smile, “but uh, you know, Stevie Nicks, she’s one of a kind.” 

“I’ve had worse,” Steve says. 

You look between him and Bucky. You chew your lip and think. You follow the song as you try to recognise which verse it is. You squint and perk up as you catch your place. 

“You just let me know when you’ve had enough,” you say before you start. Not only can you tell your pa that you met the super soldiers, you can tell him you sang for them. It’ll be a nice bit of excitement for the dinner table. 

[edwinhuang]

An old Jupiter piece I did 5 years ago. Had her as my profile pic here on tumble for years

[c0ld0utside]

May i please request a merman (that has legs on land) that adopts a raccoon/possum hybrid kid

Went with the raccoon hybrid. I am so sorry these are taking me long.

Warnings: Mentions of family death, poaching(?, would people hunting mers count as that or??), mentions of dysfunctional family dynamics/abuse (not too in depth), technically kidnapping...all the fun yandere stuff.

Let's get into it.

-

Jupiter was a lonely, broken mess since he lost his pod. His mate, his parents, his siblings, his pup…gone. His tail was wounded terribly as well- to the point where using it felt like getting stabbed and cut all over again. He mostly just hid in a small hidden cove, eating the little fish that wandered in and the small hermit crabs he could snatch off the beach. It was his routine for days. Wake up, lie in the spot for hours, eat a little to get rid of the hunger pangs, lie back down, fall asleep. 

That is until one day he wakes up to the scene of a runty little racoon hybrid trying to catch a hermit crab. It’s a mess- the younger scrambling around and tripping over themself in the sand, pausing to look over at Jupiter to make sure he’s asleep. He quickly shuts his eyes, keeping them relaxed and letting out a deep sigh. Don’t mind me, fast asleep. Snoozing away…

He feels some sand land on him and flinches, but forces out a snort and shifts. Jupiter hears the little rascal giggle softly, then fall silent. Opening up and eye and peeking over his shoulder, he can see the crab making its way over to him. He doesn’t want to scare the pup- cub- but he doesn’t want them to starve, either.

Quick as a flash, he rolls over and snatches the hermit crab, ripping it out of it’s shell and offering it to the younger.

///

You let out a startled squeak at the movement, stumbling backward as the mer offers you the poor tiny crushed crab in his hand. In all honesty, you were just after it’s shell; A beautiful Murex that wasn’t too large or small. The mer frowns, red-brown fins lowering against the side of his head slightly. His scales reminded you of the dunes at sunrise and sunset- warm tones of red, orange and yellow with some brown. The mer chirps at you, starting to pull himself closer before freezing and backing into the water. …Okay. Strange. 

Confused hazel eyes stare at you, and he offers you the crab one more time. You shake your head, looking over at the shell instead. He seems to understand then and sinks deeper into the water. There’s a beat. Two. Then he moves forward again and offers you the shell. He’s like a wave- not knowing where he’s going or what he’s doing. Back and forth. Unsteady. 

“Thank you,” you say, the words coming out eager. You turn the shell around in your hands, thumb rubbing against the dull points and the rings. It’s a little yellow and pink from the sand and the salt. “It’s beautiful.”

The mer chirps at you again, expression softening in awe. Your ears flatten on your head and your tail twitches. “Can I help you?” Yes. You absolutely can. He just needs to get himself together first. 

His frills flare when you step away and he lets out a pleading sound, fingers digging into the wet sand. At first you think he’s hissing. Then he finally gets the words out. “Sssssstay,” he rasps, voice weak from lack of use. The actions have you retreating further when you finally notice the still-healing and scarring cuts on his tail.

Oh.

Maybe he’s asking for help? Well in that case, you just so happened to know about a certain coastal market that should have some ointments. “Wait here,” You tell the mer. “I’ll go get something that can help.” You scamper off to the markets and try to ignore the clicks the mer makes. 

The fastest way to the market is also the way that leaves you with the most scrapes and bruises. …You cut straight through the woods on a forgotten path and tumbled down a few short slopes, rolling right into the market. Ignoring the raised brows and looks you’re getting, you slip into the crowd and at least forty-five minutes later manage to lose the angry shopkeep with some ointment and a towel in hand. There was an awkward moment where you thought you got busted and played dead for a few seconds though you shove it into the back of your mind and press on. Right. Strange merman is more important. 

The trek back was exhausting to the point where you collapsed in the sand. Sand which was burning hot already…for some reason. You quickly scrambled back up with a yelp, running into the water to cool off your legs. Mere seconds later, the mer resurfaced, chirping urgently at you. “Agh-! Yeah, yeah, hi again.” You mutter as the mer moves closer to you. “I got you some stuff for your tail.” He takes the ointment you offer him and tilts his head at you before snatching the towel as well. “Hey! That was for me-”

You trail off as the mer crawls out of the water, quickly wrapping the towel around himself as he stands on wounded legs. Since when could merfolk do that? You had no idea. 

[...]

Months have passed since then and you find yourself returning to the cove, giving the mer (who’s name you’ve learned is Jupiter) some company. Most days it’s boring- helping him regain his voice and bringing him necessities. “Little one, please, you shouldn’t have to be doing this for me,” Jupiter murmurs as you set some clothes down on the beach. “And I already have clothes! This is too much.” He insists. “You can’t wear the same thing over and over again,” you point out. “And you need to practice walking. Now hurry up and get yourself dry so you can try those on.” Huffing a laugh at your bossiness, Jupiter drags himself onto the sand and grabs the towel. “[Name,]” he calls as he wraps it around his waist, “Do you have a family of your own?” You pause. You and your family had a complicated relationship. You all loved each other to some degree but physical and verbal disagreements along with weak, unstable bonds with your parents and siblings pushed you into leaving way earlier than most hybrids of your kind. You still had a nasty bite scar from your eldest sister. 

“Yeah. We don’t get along much, though.” You say, deciding on telling him everything and nothing. The sound of shifting fabric mixes with the lapping of the waves and the breeze in the trees. While you wait, you decide to look for shells again. “So you left?” He asks in disbelief. “Yeah. Shocking, am I right?” You reply, tail twitching in slight irritation. “But you’re so young,” Jupiter comments sadly, finishing getting dressed and pulling a shirt over his head.  “I’m not that young.” You scoff. “Then why are you so tiny?” He asks, tone so sweet it’s condescending. “Because hybrids of my species are small. Why are you so large underwater?” Jupiter hums. “Fair point. You can turn around now.” You shake your head. “Can’t, I think I just found a shell.” You pull a whelk out of the sand. “Scratch that. Definitely found a shell.”

“Oooh, that one’s nice.” Jupiter comments, peeking over your shoulder. He falls silent again. “Where did you put all of the other ones you found?” He asks. “There’s a harpy that I trade some of them to. I kept the ones I liked the most in a hollow but someone stole them.” You answer, making him frown. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.” You reassure, though he catches the smallest hint of bitterness in your tone. Which brings an idea into his head.

“I know a safe place for you to put them,” he offers, knowing exactly where to go. Jupiter had found a nice cave on the cliffside, one that was hard to leave unless you were a merfolk or an avian. That certainly caught your attention. “Show me.” Pleased by your eagerness, Jupiter helped you onto his back and swam off to the littoral cave. He didn’t mention that you would be staying there no matter what you said. It was a hard decision, yes, but you’ll understand in the end. Call him paranoid, but this world was so dangerous! Especially for a small thing like you. But it’ll be okay now, and he’s already made it all comfy and cozy. And it’s not like you’ll be staying there all day. That’d be cruel! No, no. He’ll take you out to go swimming and hiking and beach combing. Jupiter will even bring you back some books! Getting the hang of walking on land was the best thing he ever did in his opinion.

Now he can make his own little stall at the market. Now he can sell the shells you don’t want to keep for actual money, buy himself some fishing nets, and go on from there. What would you need the money for? No need to worry. Papa will take care of it all. He’ll buy you all the comforts you’d ever want.

[zumicho]

SEASON ONE: EP2 — RED FLAGS ALL AROUND

it smells like seaweed.

no, this isn’t the ocean. the indoor kitchen has a nice enough view.

it smells like soy sauce too. add sesame oil, tuna, mayonnaise, and pickled plums to the mix. osamu’s hands are busy — assembling and flipping, wiping beads of sweat off his forehead with the back of his palm, adjusting the MSBY baseball cap that neatly tucks his choppy summer cut away. he looks in his element. a chef? father of two? one of those. she makes a mental note.

the porch floorboards creak: a signal for incoming trouble.

bokuto almost tumbles into the doorway as nishinoya follows close behind, both faces plastered with ear-wide grins.

bo - pupils the size of jupiter - juts out his finger. “look.”

two ladybugs, perched on the pad of his pointer.

“what you missed out on.” noya quips. one climbs into her palm.

“where’s shoyo?” she asks him.

the two give each other an uh oh face, then they’re sprinting back outside, knocking over a few articles of furniture before leaving her with him again.

osamu: who was previously oblivious to her presence (whether or not he was faking, is an entirely different conversation). was scoffing. “got stood up?”

she’s rolling her eyes. “why do you ask? going to play knight in shining armor and go with me instead?” the corners of her lips tug.

he’s dumbfounded. or so it seems. whatever it is — the silence is making her nauseous. did he not expect that? was it too much?

“jeez, can’t take a joke? I don’t go for guys with buzzcuts.” that’s not what she wanted to say. his hair looks.. fine. nice, even. still: there’s nothing more satisfying than landing a blow to a man’s ego. especially when the chance waves itself in front of your face.

samu opens his mouth, but her date’s walking down the steps before he can snark out a reply. her attention is diverted. stolen. there’s an odd weight in his chest when her back is turned toward him.

he decides he doesn’t like it.

they’re exchanging a look. unreadable. he’s watching (involuntarily). she walks up closer, and for a moment — osamu freezes.

they’re going to kiss? when they just met?

her hand meets her hip.

“why are you wearing a tie to the beach?”

osamu is wrong.

kuroo goes pale.

author’s note: I’m aware the pacing for the last chapter was rough, there will be improvements trust 🤝 I tried writing this from 3rd pov how do we like?? I want this to feel like watching a show

GUESTLIST @causenessus @guitarstringed-scars @cloudybillows @s1ckntw1st3d @suna-rins-sunshine @hyenagoated @hibernatinghamster @yogurtkags @acowboykisser @yukatoraa @fishrene @iwaizluv @iluvmang @neoclb @kr1nqu @lvtilzs @wave2mia @zahrawr-writes-fanfics @bubooo @bectoshi @gra-eae @cr4yolaas @cloooudddy1 @jaynawayna @ryuverse @miliondollagirl @soulfullystarry @fiannee @yumiecheesecrackers @ast4rg1rl @eujoana89 @whenanafallsinlove @arraxthatsonjah @staileykout @kaiiibxby @miiyas @serossidechick @chososcamgirl @yuminako @diorzs @muyyie @krissiekris

[goatakiart]

Xavier Fluff✨️

Love and Deepspace

It's late night, there's not even one sound to be heard of, only the sound of the keys as you pull them out of your purse, you're going back home from a long day at work-- however it's not your door that you unlock.

You decide to surprise Xavier tonight, you could say you even missed him.

When you peek in and look around for him, you find him fast asleep on the couch.

"As to be expected..." You think to yourself.

As you move closer, you notice his phone screen is open. Out of curiosity, you move closer to see what he was up to.

His message app is open, your own chat specifically. He seemed to have been waiting for a text from you. You move even closer in hopes of reading the unsent message that's sitting above the keyboard.

Suddenly, Xavier grabs your arm and pulls you close. You gasp shocked with no time to react. The only thing you can do is lose balance and fall on him. He immediately notices it's you, and he softens his grip quickly.

"Oh, it's you y/n..." he seems to try to caress your wrist, but he only swiftly moves his hand away when he notices his phone is open. In embarrassment, he takes it and turns off the screen.

"...I seem to have dozed off."

You're still standing on top of him, a silly smile is painted on your face as you observe his features, causing you to get lost in thought.

He blinks and tilts his head till he notices what is going on in your mind. He flashes a warm smile and softly pushes a strand of hair from your face, placing it behind your ear.

"if I didn't know you, I would think I have something on my face..."

He says teasingly but still keeps his calm demeanor.

His hand stays still on your face before he brushes your cheek softly. You don't lose the opportunity to place your own hand on top of his and bury your face in his palm as you speak.

"Oh? And what do you think now, if you know me so well?" You say, teasing him back, eager to hear his answer.

"Let me think..."

Xavier slowly moves and wraps his arms around you, making you rest on him on the couch as you're both still sitting. His moves are elegant and caring, soft and delicate. He takes the blanket that was around him and wraps it around you both.

"I think you missed me enough to invade my home."

He says in a low whisper, the warm smile never leaving his face.

Your heart skipped a beat at the sudden exclamation, and you looked away to avoid him, even tho you liked this "confrontation."

He reaches out his hand, positioning it on your cheek once again, turning your face to look at him directly in the eyes.

"All the stars shone under the moon's gaze, nevertheless they are indeed all are cast aside at the sight of Venus and Jupiter. Awaiting for the dark veil of the night to tumble above every corner, just to see them again."

It's hard to understand his words sometimes, even when he's in the silliest mood or the most romantic one, he's still so ethereal, his eyes are like a starry night, he definitely has affected you with his metaphors.

"So, that means you missed me too?"

He raises his shoulders and snickers.

"You admit you missed me?"

He tightens his embrace around you and lays his head on your shoulder.

He's avoiding the question on purpose, he's always the one to avoid difficult situations.

You wrap your arms around his head and mess with his hair.

"I missed you as much as you missed me, Mister."

Xavier, however,  seems to be getting comfortable, as he's burying his face on to your neck, he begins to be unresponsive. You poke him, to wake him up, and make him speak up. He instead lays down, his weight pushes you to lay on the couch with him, his arms still wrapping you. He still has eyes closed and is about to sleep. One of his hands trails off from your back to your waist and finds its way to your own hand, he interlocks his fingers with yours.

You let out a sigh and you close your eyes, slowly you're beginning to fall asleep.

Many minutes pass, and Xavier must have thought you had already fallen asleep.

"I missed you too." He says. You can't help but smile. You look up and notice he's already looking down at you. He gets a little startled seeing you are still awake.

"Xavier."

"Yes?"

The smile on your face grows bigger.

"I love you." You say, without hesitating one second.

He gasps at the sound of your words and seems nervous. You notice a tint of pink on his cheeks. There's a small awkward pause, which, for a moment, makes you feel scared you ruined the moment. But he composes himself fast enough, and finally, he takes a deep breath and smiles back.

"I love you too, Y/N." Then he goes ahead and kisses your forehead lovingly before he lays his chin on your head. You hold him tighter, and he returns the gesture, as if you're both scared of losing each other.

You cuddle tightly and slowly fall asleep with the hopes you'll meet in your dreams, too.

[scoonsalicious]

Unwanted: Chapter 10, Uneasy - Pt. 2

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Fem!Reader

Summary: When your FWB relationship with your best friend Bucky Barnes turns into something more, you couldn’t be happier. That is, however, until a new Avenger sets her sights on your super soldier and he inadvertently breaks your heart. You take on a mission you might not be prepared for to put some distance between the two of you and open yourself up to past traumas. Too bad the only one who can help you heal is the one person you can no longer trust.

Warnings: (For this part only; see Story Masterlist for general Warnings) Language, bad jokes, Explicit Sexual Content Minors: GTFO; I don’t serve your kind here. (hand job, fingering, PIV), little bit 'o' dirty talk, coitus interruptus, Bucky being a dumbass, insecurity, thoughts of self harm, arguing, mentions of emotional affair, poorly translated Russian, Pocket giving Bucky more chances than he deserves, really.

Word Count: 2.5k

Previously On...: You made the mistake of watching Bucky and Jade spar in the training room. Needless to say, it was... intense, and you weren't the only one to notice. Looks like others in the Tower are taking bets on how long it'll be before Bucky cheats on you. He promises loves only you, only wants to be with you, and you want to believe his sweet words... you just cant shake the look of guilt that crossed his face when he realized you were watching him and Jade spar. Hopefully, he can prove his devotion to you with a little horizontal sparring of your own.

A/N: I'm sorry. Really, that's all I got for this one. Pocket's reaching her breaking point, but she's not quite there just yet; bare with her as she tries to deal. I mean, would any of us give up on Bucky fucking Barnes until we absolutely had to? I think not, lol.

Part three of this chapter is fairly short; I'll be posting it today, as well.

Banner By: The absolutely amazing @mrsbuckybarnes1917!

Thank you to all those who have been reading; if you like what you've read, likes, comments, and reblogs give me life, and I truly appreciate them, and you!

Taglist: (Please let me know if you’d like to be added!) @jmeelee @cazellen @blackhawkfanatic @les-sel @marcswife21 @buckybarnessimpp @mrsbuckybarnes1917 @erelierraceala @hayjat @capswife @itsteambarnes @jupiter-107 @marygoddessofmischief @sebastians-love @learisa @lethallyprotected @rabbitrabbit12321 @buckybarnesandmarvel @fanfictiongirl77 @calwitch @fantasyfootballchampion @selella @jackiehollanderr @wintercrows @sashaisready @missvelvetsstuff @angelbabyyy99 @keylimebeag @maybefoxysouls @crist1216 @vicmc624 @sashaisready

Bucky pushed you up against the hard surface of your bedroom door, his lips trailing fire along your skin as he kissed you with an almost animalistic need. You could feel the press of his erection through the fabric of your workout clothing digging into your stomach as you tilted your head back and let out a soft moan.

“Bucky,” you breathed as his hips rutted against you, “we should get inside.”

“Need you so bad, Pocket,” he grunted, fingers finding their way under your shirt and sliding along your already sweat-slicked skin. “Should be getting inside of you.”

“Mmm, clever,” you hummed as you reached behind your bodies for the door handle. You managed to awkwardly twist it open just as Bucky’s hips pressed particularly aggressively, sending you both tumbling through the doorway.

Bucky’s hands were on you before you could fully lose your balance, keeping you upright and supported as he led you both to the couch.

“Bed’s not that far away, Barnes,” you said in between kisses as you began pulling off your clothes.

“Too far away,” he countered, bouncing on one foot as he worked to tug off his sneaker. “You’re lucky I’m too much of a gentleman to take you right on the floor.”

You quirked an eyebrow at that. “Lucky, huh?”

“Remember the rugburn you got last time?” he asked, his smile positively predatory as he gently pushed you backwards onto the cushions, his hands reaching for the waistband of your leggings and pulling them down your legs.

“Touche,” you contended. The memory of your chafed skin certainly had put a damper on the otherwise delightful experience. You might have to talk to Tony about getting some carpet with a little more shag.

You giggled at the thought, causing Bucky to raise a questioning eyebrow as he helped you out of your sports bra.

“I was thinking we might need a better shag carpet for future shagging,” you informed him. His laughter quickly turned into a moan as you reached down into his shorts and took a hold of him, stroking his length.

“Shit, baby,” he groaned as he thrust his hips into your hand. “They didn’t make girls like you back in my day.”

You pulled him free from his bottoms and boxer briefs, taking one hand off of him to push the fabric down. “Thank God for that,” you told him. “You might have been tempted to dodge the draft, otherwise. Then where would we be?”

Bucky grunted, and you knew he wasn’t going to last much longer. “How can you make such horrible jokes and still manage to be so fucking hot?” he asked you with a grin.

You took your hands off of his cock, pretending to be offended. “Horrible?! My handjobs are only for people who think my jokes are funny.”

“Did I say ‘horrible’?” Bucky asked in mock confusion, reaching down to run his metal fingers through your waiting folds. The cold touch made your back arch as he inserted two fingers inside of you. “Coulda sworn I said hilarious.”

“Weak save attempt, Old Man,” you panted as he picked up the tempo with his hand. “Judges– fuck– judges allow it, you can put it in. God, put it in!”

“Gotta get you ready, doll,” Bucky grinned down at you. “Get you good and stretched.”

“I swear to God, Barnes, if you don’t start fucking me right now—” you words were cut off by a scream as Bucky took heed of your warning and pushed himself into you, until he was filling you completely. “Yes!” you shouted, relishing in the feeling of being so consumed by him. “Fuck, so good, Buck!” You began thrusting your hips, begging him to move within you.

“Fuck, sweets.” Bucky’s thrusts were hard and forceful. “Takin’ me so well, all with no prep. Making me so proud, the way you’re grabbin’ me. Feel like fuckin’ heaven!”

You reached your hands around his back, digging your nails into the strong muscles of his ass to pull him closer, as though you wanted to leave no space between your bodies. “So big, Bucky,” you moaned into his ear as you hitched a leg around his waist, allowing him to go deeper. “Never had anyone fill me up as good as you! Was fucking made for this cock.”

Your words drove Bucky feral, and like flipping a switch, his thrusts went into overdrive.

Between the sound of slapping skin and your wanton moans, you barely registered Bucky’s cell phone ringing. You paid it no mind as he pounded into you, completely ignoring it until you felt his pace falter. Looking up, you saw him reach over and grab it from the coffee table. 

“Come on, Buck,” you whined, “leave it. I’m sure Steve won't mind waiting a bit.”

Bucky looked from the caller ID to you, a combination of embarrassment and frustration on his face. “It’s Vix,” he said, fingers moving to the screen.

“Ignore it,” you told him, feeling the tide of your impending orgasm slowly slipping back out to sea. 

“It might be important,” he said, his voice sounding pathetic to your ears. 

“Barnes,” you warned, your voice low and icy. 

“It’ll just take one second.” He got up, pulling out of you with a slick sound, and you felt your vagina dry up and board shut, closing for business. He turned his back to you as he accepted the call. You didn’t even bother to listen to his half of the conversation-- nothing she had to say to him was important enough for this, opting instead to get up and go into the bathroom.

Your hands were shaking with rage as you tried several times to lock the door behind you before succeeding. You could not believe your ‘boyfriend’ had just pulled out of you, in the middle of sex, to answer another woman’s phone call. An image of his face from this morning flashed before your eyes as you turned on the shower– the guilt that seemed to cross his features when he had realized you were watching him spar with Jade. You’d been so quick to put it to the back of your mind, to ignore it, but now? After this? God. Was he thinking about her while he was inside of you? You turned the heat of the water up as far as it would go and grabbed your loofah, preparing to scrub the disgust you felt from your skin.

No. You heard Pepper’s words echo in your head– you can’t control what other people do, you can only control your response to them. And you were not going to fall into your old habits over this. You turned the heat down to a tolerable level and lathered your loofah with soap, needing to (gently, you reminded yourself) cleanse your body of the sweat, sex, and shame. 

As you were rinsing the soap from your body, you heard a pounding on the bathroom door. “Doll?” Bucky’s voice was muffled through the wood. “Doll, what’s wrong? Why is the door locked? If I knew you wanted a shower, I would have joined you.”

Was he fucking serious right now? You took your sweet time, not answering him as you finished your shower, toweling yourself off before you wrapped yourself in your robe. 

With a resigned sigh, you opened the door back into your bedroom, half expecting to find Bucky gone, perhaps to have Jade take care of erection she’d prevented you from finishing off. But he was sitting on the edge of your bed, his boxer briefs back on and elbows resting on his knees. He looked up when he heard the door open.

“Hey,” he said, standing and making his way toward you. “Sorry about the interruption. Vix just had some questions about the training schedule for the rest of the week. But that’s all squared away, so we can get back to it.”

You crossed your arms over your chest and glared at him. “You can’t seriously think that I want to have sex with you right now,” you said. Your voice was hard and impassive. 

“What?” Bucky looked genuinely confused. “Why not?”

You walked over to your dresser and pulled out a fresh pair of panties and leggings. With your back to him, you shimmied into them under your robe. “Call me crazy, but I kinda consider you stopping mid-thurst to take a call from another woman, my fucking nemesis, of all people, to be a bit of a mood killer.”

You heard Bucky sigh behind you, and you could just imagine him running his hand through his hair. “Pocket,” he said, “come on. Don’t be so dramatic. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

Your entire body stiffened at his words. Turning around slowly, you gaped at him. “Excuse me?”

Bucky held his hands palms-out, as if to indicate he wasn’t a threat to you. “You’re blowing this out of proportion. I was just taking a phone call.”

It took every ounce of control you had within you to not explode on him. You closed your eyes and took one, two, three deep breaths that did nothing to calm you. “You took a phone call,” you said, “in the middle of sex. With a girl who has been a problem between us since the moment she showed up. How do you not get that that is not okay? At fucking all?”

“God, I thought therapy was supposed to help fix your problem,” he said, “not make it worse.”

You blanched at that. “My problem?”

“Yes, your problem,” he said, voice rising. “I haven’t done anything wrong, but you keep trying to paint me out to be the bad guy. You make me feel like a fucking cheater when I’ve never even touched her.”

“You don’t need to touch her to be having an emotional affair with her, Barnes,” you said, voice quiet. 

“An emotional affair?” he barked out a laugh. “We’re just friends.” 

“Just friends?” you asked, incredulous. “I’m ‘just friends’ with Steve. Should I take a call from him when I’ve got your dick inside of me?” You watched in real time as Bucky’s expression darkened. You hated using his insecurities about Steve to make a point, but he was leaving you no other choice. You didn’t know how else to make him understand why he was hurting you so badly.

“That’s completely different,” he said through clenched teeth. 

You raised your chin. “It’s not different, at all, and you know it. If I stopped having sex with you to take a call from Steve, you would be livid. And honestly, I’m so disappointed in you for pretending like it’s not the same! That’s so disingenuous, Bucky.”

Bucky tilted his head back and sighed. “I feel like we’re going around in circles here, Pocket,” he said, voice heavy. “You keep getting upset, and I keep trying to reassure you, but it’s like you want there to be something going on between her and I.”

“I keep getting upset because you have no fucking concept of appropriate boundaries, Bucky!” you shouted at him. You startled yourself– you’d hardly ever raised your voice at him in anger. From the look on his face, it had taken him aback, too. “I shouldn’t have to be constantly telling you that your interactions with her are inappropriate for a guy in a monogamous relationship! It’s fucking exhausting, but every time I think we’ve made progress, you turn around and do something that makes me feel even worse!”

“Well, if I’m so fucking exhausting, then why are you even still with me?” he shouted back at you.

You stared at him, eyes wide. Was this it? Was this where he left you for Jade? Had you finally pushed him too far?

But his face immediately fell as he realized what he had just said. “Hell. Doll, I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry. I just… I don’t know what to do to make you feel better.” He took a step toward you, opening his arms, and you let him embrace you, though you didn’t hold him back. “I don’t know how to convince you that there’s nothing between her and I.”

You looked up at him. “Think of Steve,” you said. He narrowed his eyes as he looked down at you. “What I mean is,” you continued, “when you’re about to do something with Jade, ask yourself if you would be comfortable with me doing that with Steve, knowing how he feels about me. But instead of Steve being your best friend, imagine that he was actively trying to break us up. Like, would you be cool with me and Steve going off and forgetting about you in Central Park? Or would you be happy watching Steve sit on top of me during a sparring session while you listened to agents talk about it's just a matter of time before we start fucking?” You could tell by the way his arms tense around you that the very thought angered him. “Or if I decided that it was so important that I take a call from Steve that I just stopped having sex with you, even after you told me to ignore it. Don’t tell me none of that wouldn’t make you feel like absolute shit.”

Bucky blew out a breath and pressed his lips to the crown of your head. “You’re right,” he said sadly. “That would drive me insane. I’ll work on it. I’ll… I’ll try to think of Steve.”

You sighed. “I need you to do more than try, Buck,” you told him. “I need you to do it. Cause this, the way things are right now? It’s killing me.”

The look Bucky gave you then was enough to break your heart. You knew, you truly knew he wasn’t doing any of this on purpose, but he couldn’t keep falling back on his cluelessness as an excuse. Not anymore. Not when it was destroying you.

“Mne ochen' zhal', moya lyubov'.” I’m so sorry, my love. “I will do it.”

“Thank you,” you whispered, wrapping your arms around him and squeezing him. You were relieved that he was finally, hopefully, seeing where you were coming from, but at the same time, you couldn’t help but wonder how many more times he was going to put you through this. “I love you,” you said into his bare chest.

“I love you, too,” he replied. After a beat, he said: “So, I guess sex is off the table for this afternoon?”

You chuffed at that, then looked back up at him. “Seriously?" you asked, giving him a look. "Obviously, for now; don’t be stupid,” you said. “That doesn’t mean I can’t be persuaded to revisit the possibility later.”

Bucky smiled down at you. “I can work with that,” he said. “How about a movie, instead? I’ll take a shower, you grab some snacks from the kitchen, and we can watch whatever you want.”

“Mmm,” you said, feeling hopeful. “You will regret giving me that power, Barnes.”

<- Previous Part / Next Part ->

[emsfallingsky]

Venus & Asmodeus (Chapter 1)

Add yourself to the Venus & Asmodeus Tag list here!

Word count: 7k

Pairings: Jake au x female! reader, Danny au x female! reader

Warnings: 18+ content!!! MINORS DNI!!! Demon/ vampire/ fae sort of/ other worldly being shit...so there's going to be blood...lots of blood, gore, violence, rituals, blood rituals, demonic rituals, blood drinking, blood offerings, death, devil/ demon worship. -Alcohol, smoking, drug use, cursing, adult dancing/ strip club, mentions of prostitution

-Smut Including: M dom & F sub, kissing, making out, touching, unprotected sex, degradation, dirty talk, praise kink, biting, blood, period sex, edging, orgasm denial, choking, threesomes, orgies, hair pulling, fingering, oral (m & f), spanking, impact play, pain kink, knife play, spitting, angst, voyeurism and jealousy

The cold breeze whips around me. It wraps its hands around my skin while its teeth sink into my bare legs, chilling me to the bone. I instinctively grab the thin material of my black silk robe to pull around me, hoping to ward off the frigid air but it did little to suppress the shivers that wracked through my body. 

The alleyway I stand in is dimly lit from the help of one of the streetlamps across the street. It brightens the entrance, leaving the rest of the alley in almost pure darkness. Its light casts an eerie russet brown color along the stone wall, making the shadows that dance upon it appear watery--almost like they’re an illusion to the eye. 

I draw my attention away from the street and cast my gaze above me where I see the moon at its full strength in its cycle. Its light casts a halo around itself, adding its own light to the dark night sky. Distant clouds crowd around it, entangling and smothering its light.

A leaf clicks and tumbles down the street and the breeze moves the branches of the trees making its branches look like long skeletal fingers trying to pluck any sort of life it can grab back into their bare open limbs. 

I lean my head against the cold stone of the wall, which makes me cringe when I feel its bite against my skin. I close my eyes for a moment, in hopes to prepare myself for the night ahead of me. I can hear the subtle bass from inside the club and feel my pulse matching the rhythm. 

Right as I shut my eyes, I instantly opened them upon hearing the sound of the back door opening. The loud music from inside the club pours into the alleyway. I turn my head to the side and see Yesenia (or Senie as I like to call her) but around here, she is otherwise known as her stage name, Jupiter. 

She steps out of the threshold of the building, the door shutting behind her with a small click as it latches back into place, drowning out the music and making it sound muffled. 

Yesenia is dressed in similar attire as me and I watch her hands frantically reaching for the fabric of her own robe– an orange creamsicle color. The robe slides down a bit, exposing her slim shoulders and prominent collar bones that would make any nineties supermodel jealous. 

If it wasn’t for her immaculate bone structure that I always swore were crafted by the gods themselves, then it would surely be the long set of dark legs that seemed to almost glisten in the moonlight. In fact, I’m positive they actually were glistening since she always doused herself in body glitter before going on stage. Even without her heels on, she always seemed to tower above people.  

As she approaches, I catch a glimpse of the creamsicle lingerie she has hidden beneath her robe and a small smirk forms on my lips. I can make out her features more clearly as she walks to the middle of the alleyway where the dim light illuminates her face. I see her long, dark dreadlocks fall to her waist where gold cuffs are threaded into each lock. I take in her prominent, high set cheekbones and her plump lips which are painted with a thin layer of lip gloss. Her golden honey eyes glisten in the moonlight and I see she has on her typical makeup which consists of a honey colored smokey eye, long lashes and pink blush set along the apples of her cheeks. Even after knowing Yesenia for over five years, I sometimes am still struck by her beauty. I often think if I wasn’t a fellow dancer– let alone one of her best friends– I might risk it all just to spend one night with her. 

She walks closer to me; I hear her mutter a faint curse at the harsh weather before she flashes a quick smile which I return. She comes to stand beside me, and I see her hand reach into the pocket of her robe as she fetches out a carton of cigarettes and a metal lighter. She pops the cigarette between her lips and brings the lighter up to its end. I hear the flick of her finger over the lighter as she tries to light it but because of the wind, she seems to struggle. I sigh and playfully roll my eyes before I step to the side of her and cup my hand around the end of the cigarette to block out the wind. The end of the cigarette finally sparks, and I watch the cherry glow as she inhales and then slowly lets the smoke roll out from between her lips.

I come to stand back beside her against the wall and watch as her head falls back against the stone, her eyes darting up to look at the sky. “Full moon tonight huh?” Yesenia asks while passing me the cigarette. I pluck it from her fingers and see the faint stain of her lip gloss around the end before I pop it between my own lips. I inhale the smoke, feeling the calming effects of it enter my body and then slowly exhale while leaning my head back against the wall. “Guess so,” I say, my voice coming out a bit low and gravely from the smoke. I hand the cigarette back to Yesenia and see the soft curve of her mouth stretch up into a small smile as she turns her head to face me. “We’re gonna have a hell of a night then.”

“Don’t get me started,” I groan, clutching the robe closer against my skin as another gust of wind chills me to my very bones and whips my hair around me. 

“Don’t start with that. You know that it brings out the good customers,” she says, giving me a cunning smile, plucking the cigarette from between my fingers. 

“Trueee” I say drawing out the word, “but we also know it can sometimes brings out the bad.”

Yesenia playfully rolls her eyes and chuckles. “Well, we can only hope a rich prince comes in tonight and we can walk away with six months’ rent.”

I arch a brow her way and tilt my head to the side. “Now that would make my night worthwhile.”

“And even if that’s not the case and we do get some…handsy customers, that’s why our security is top notch and that’s why we have Steve working tonight.”

A soft chuckle escapes me, and I nod. “Thank god for Steve.”

“Thank fucking god for Steve,” she replies back. 

The door opens again, and I see Joe poke his head out, the wind blowing his brown hair over his face. “Venus! Jupiter! There you are! Jupiter you’re on in ten and Venus you have a private lap dance in fifteen up in VIP– God damn it's cold out here! Go on now, can’t have our two best dancers out here getting frostbite.”

The side of Yesenia’s face turns up in a smile and she drops the cigarette out of her hand, letting it fall into the gravel before stomping on it with her fluffy orange slipper that matches her robe. A small grin comes across my face at the sight, and I follow after her. 

She walks back towards the door, stopping just before Joe as she flashes him one of her brilliant smiles and places a soft hand atop his shoulder. “Do you really mean it? We’re the best dancers here?” The top of Joe’s cheeks turns red, and he smile softly at her. “Of course I do. You two are our seasoned veterans. There’s a reason why people come in here and ask for the two of you by name.”

Yesenia smiles up at Joe and kisses him on the cheek before turning down the hall to the dressing rooms where the music surrounds us and the familiar bass of it booms into my chest. I follow her down the hall after giving Joe a small nod but notice his gaze cast on Yesenia as she breezes down the hallway. 

Once behind the door of the dressing room, I watch Yesenia settle into her chair and grab her makeup bag. I settle myself beside her on my own chair and cast her a look. “What?” she asks, leaning into the mirror that runs the whole length of the wall as she starts to retouch her makeup. I let out a deep sigh and lean forward in my chair, propping my head on my hand as I continue to look at her. I can sense her getting annoyed but can see her trying to fight the smile that threatens to play on her lips. 

“Oh, I’m just waiting for you to stop teasing him and finally give in– I mean you’ve seen the way he looks at you right?” I say arching a brow. 

Yesenia rolls her eyes and sighs, as she grabs for her mascara and starts to apply it to her long lashes. “Oh, I know V, but it would be wrong.”

“And why’s that?” I ask, sitting back in my chair, crossing a leg over my other. 

“Because we work together.”

“So?” I say with a casual shrug. Yesenia lets out another sign and sticks the brush of her mascara back in her tube before angling her body towards me in her chair. “So, it would be wrong and not professional.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Oh please, let’s be real now. Is this what you would call professional?” I ask, waving a hand to gesture to the room where other dancers float in, retouching their makeup, adjusting their outfits or strapping on the eight-inch heels that I’ve become so accustomed to wearing. A small frown appears on Yesenia's face, “Is what we do not professional to you?”

“Oh, I didn’t say us.” I say pointing a finger between the two of us. “We’re fucking brilliant. I just meant all of this… It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, you know.”

“Oh, trust me I know,” she says, grabbing another brush from inside her bag. She fetches out an eyeshadow pallet and starts to blend some of the eyeshadow onto her lid. After a few moments she finally says, “he’ll live.”

I glance her way and give a small nod of my head. “Then let’s hope we all live through tonight.”

Just as predicted, The Inferno was wild and rampant with energy. Yesenia had left before me to the stage which left me a few minutes to get myself ready. I had given myself a once over in the mirror, before I stepped out onto the floor. I had dressed myself in my staple colors of red and black– a color combination I had been assigned at first but now had grown to love. 

I decided on a sheer red set that had lace that left little to the imagination. Running along the edges of it was black lace material and matching bows that fell between my breasts and the side of my hip bones where my black and red G-string was placed. I then chose one of my favorite dance heels. They were eight inches but nothing I wasn’t used to. They were all black except for under the toe box and along the back where it was red with black laces zigzagging through it, making the heel appear to be laced as a corset might be. 

At first when I was a baby dancer, I was shy, timid and often not a fan of having to reveal so much of myself but now I felt nothing but confident.  Every time I put on whatever set I had decided on for that night and let myself slip into a different persona of who I was, it left me feeling invigorated. 

 I had come to realize that while not only my dancing and my body, which to me was lackluster at best–even though Yesenia would often comment on my curves and how she was jealous of them–it was the energy I could conduct from a room. This sort of power I had over them. 

I started to channel that power into my movements even when I wasn’t dancing. I would walk with my head held high, my shoulders back and flaunt myself. There was a thrill in this game– this sort of power play that I wholly had control over. 

Most of the customers were wealthy businessmen who in their corporate lives had the upper hand but here, I was in charge. And something about having complete strength over myself and my body was true bliss.

In a way, my dancing is what made me feel the most powerful and confident. There was something so primal about letting myself go and not having to second guess myself when my body decided on what movements it would make. I think that with that, came a lot of trust with myself. If there was a move I was doing or wanted to do I would go for it whereas when I first started dancing, I let my mind get the best of me and I would look sloppy or a bit unsure and skittish. 

When watching other dancers, you could truly tell who the ones were who got the most out of it and who actually enjoyed it. But don’t get me wrong, part of that can be utter bullshit. 

For me and many other dancers, we didn’t go into this thinking, ‘oh yeah, this is fun and cute, and I just love to dance’. Maybe for some, but not for most. You go into this work simply because you need the money, and this was the best thing you could think of to get it. I know that was the case for me. 

I first started dancing because my day-to-day job was simply not cutting it and I wasn’t able to afford day to day expenses and had to scrape money together just to afford rent, ask friend or family for a few extra bills here and there or shit—I even would sell different services to men which now makes me cringe but at the time, I didn’t bat an eye to it. 

I know other dancers who started dancing straight out of high school to be able to afford things like tuition, rent or even to provide for their family and children. You hear the word ‘hustle’ being thrown around in clubs and that’s because this is what this work is. It’s all about the hustle. You make sure that when you’re going up on stage or doing a dance that’s one on one, that you give it your all because at the end of the day, it truly is all about the money you can rake in. Because if you go up there and your dance is sloppy or you look lazy, well then shit, you’re not going to go home with more than a few hundred bucks in your pocket, if that. 

There were some dancers who had a dance background and when watching them, you could see the subtle implications of that through their movements. I found it really interesting to see the different blends of dance shine through when it came time for them to perform. 

There were other dancers that were self-taught or practiced in a pole studio weekly to keep up their endurance and strength. Some of them trained specifically in pole and others had a variation of ‘club’ styled moves like freestyle, boudoir dance, contemporary or even aerial silks. I personally had dance experience in contemporary but then found a pole studio where I went and practiced. I mostly stuck to pole but loved freestyle and boudoir. 

I had always loved dancing from a young age. I found myself drawn to all different genres of music and loved to let my body take over and ride the wave of the music. I think now as I’m older and have been in this industry for a while, I can sometimes find it a bit hard to find the pleasure I once found in my dance. I think part of that is why I often went to the dance studio a few times a week because there, I was letting myself dance for me, rather than for others. 

My dance became my own sort of therapy. When there were days that were hard or I was going through something that was emotional, I would often end up at the studio. I was not often found of having to outwardly express my emotions or verbally expressing them but when I danced, I was able to convey everything that was on my mind and every emotion that I felt. I had lost count of the times I had gone into a dance and ended up crying at the end because I was finally able to feel those emotions and work through them. It was the one place where I could let myself be without any shame or fear and just be me. 

While the hustle is very much real, every night is different though. Some days you may walk out with a few thousand depending on who the customers were, their line of professor, etc. Other nights, it could be slow, and you may only end up with a hundred. It’s all a gamble at the end of the day but you come into this play with the hustle always in mind. 

Yesenia was a few years younger than me and the reason she started dancing was because her mother was absent for most of her life and didn’t really know this first thing about being a mother and her father she had never knew. She had a brother named Yasin who was significantly younger than her and whenever she talked about him, I could tell just how much she loved him. 

When she started dancing and all the money would instantly go to him or be spent on things that he needed. She was the main provider of that family. Once she started working at The Inferno and the money came in more consistently, she set up an account in Yasin’s name and put every extra dollar into it. She was the most genuine soul I had met in a long time, and she truly wore her heart on her sleeve, and I had nothing but respect and pure admiration for her. 

Whenever I would see Yesenia dance, I would find myself struck in awe at the way she moved her body along to the rhythm of the music. I could tell that she would fully sink herself in and let her body do what it pleased rather than what her mind was telling her. For me it was the same. I reveled in the music that surrounded me and let the beat of the music guide me. 

I know it can be bad to hear that your body is an ‘object’ but after I had gained full and complete power from it, I knew that it was a weapon. I loved sinking into a dance and watching the reactions of customers, knowing I had nothing but their full attention with the way they sat forward in their chairs, or their eyes gazed longingly and lustfully at me, knowing that they want me but I’m still in a way out of reach. It’s like riding a high of the strongest drug but for me the drug is simply the music and the way my body entangles with it. 

Having full control over my body was something I learned the hard way after working at different strip clubs in my younger days after some of the men would get a little too handsy and management would turn a complete blind eye to it and only have to say that this was ‘business’ and that they had to make money some way or another. Fucking pricks. 

The Inferno was a complete one-eighty to those places I had worked at before. It was a higher end club which meant that they had a strict list of rules and restrictions about who they let in as well as what ‘appropriate’ interactions meant between dancers and customers. For instance, customers are not allowed to touch a dancer while receiving a lap dance, only if the dancer guides their hands to their body while dancing or giving them the go ahead. But, if their hands drifted to certain areas without the dancer's consent, they were kicked out and placed on a blacklist. 

We had strict security guarding the mains doors as well as lined up against certain sections inside the building. They always kept an eye out on customers who may overstep boundaries as well as keeping an eye out on the safety and well-being of our dancers. Not to mention, if a dancer was giving a private dance, they always had a mic placed discreetly on them where a live feed was casted into the ears of one of the guards nearby in case they had to intervene if things went south. Safety was something that was a top priority for the owner, Jimmy.

Jimmy was a sweet older guy with a receding hairline which he tried to cover up with a horrible comb over, but no one would tell him that to his face. He always dressed the same, an expensive suit where his pot belly poked out the edge of his pants and a golden chain hanging around his neck where sprinkles of his chest hair could be seen. If you couldn’t see Jimmy coming, you could always smell him or hear him. He always wore strong cologne that mixed in with the smell of cigar which was often held between his fingers. He had a strong New York accent and at times I could make out the sound of his boisterous laugh at the bar as he mingled with his workers or customers even if he wasn’t in eyesight. 

At first when I met Jimmy, I was rather intimated but came to realize that he was nothing but a giant teddy bear with a kind soul. He would always bring flowers into the dressing room and place them on a dancer's vanity when it was their birthday, work anniversary or any sort of big accomplishment they had made. There was often a sweet note along with a fairly expensive gift which could be jewelry, new dance shoes– I mean hell I remember one time when he paid off one of my fellow dancers' tuition to get her through med school. 

It was the same thing with our security guards, while they obviously had to appear tough and have the whole ‘I could break your neck with one finger look’, they were all sweetheart’s deep down.

A knock at the dressing room alerted me that it was my time to make my way to the floor. I took another glance in the mirror, ensuring that I looked stage ready. My makeup was complete with a heavy black smokey eye with matching red lipstick. I had curled my dark hair into loose waves where it fell against my back. I deemed myself good and opened the door of the dressing room and was immediately met by the loud music, radiating through the space. 

I could faintly hear the sound of my heels across the floor as I made my way into the main area of the club but then it was lost to the loud music. I held my body high, exerting nothing but confidence as I strode my way through where crowds of people were gathered around poles, money in hand–or leaving their hands– as dancers worked the stage. The lights were angled onto the stage and flashed along to the music in various colors. 

I glanced over at one of the stages, seeing Yesenia working her magic, her long hair swinging over her back side as she rolled her hips against the pole. I smiled to myself and kept on walking, letting my hips sway back and forth as I passed different parties. 

I made my way to the VIP section where Tony stood in front of the rope blocking off the section and Enzo stood at the booth, keeping track of all the high-end or high-paying customers. They each greeted me with a smile, and I stopped to the side of Enzo before entering the section. I grazed a hand over his shoulder before he stepped behind me, seeming to appear flirty to any onlookers as he started to find a place to mic me. “What do we have tonight?” I asked over my shoulder into his ear. He leaned his face over my shoulder and whispered into my ear as I felt his hands slide up and down my body, trying to find a good place to discreetly place the mic. 

“Looks like you’ve got a private dance in the backroom, older gentlemen but doesn’t seem like he’s anything to worry about and if he is, I’ll know,” Enzo says with a wink. “I think after that, they just have you working VIP for the rest of the night.”

“Any customers I should keep an eye out for?” I feel Enzo’s hand stop on my hips and he gives a tug on them, turning me around to face him. His body towers over me and I see his green eyes rake over my outfit. If I didn’t know him so well and knew that this was his job, I would’ve slapped him for looking at me in such ways, but his eyes didn’t show an ounce of lust in them. 

I could see his brows bunch, looking like he was a bit frustrated as he tried to find a good spot. Enzo leaned into me, letting his body push against mine while his hands continued to wander. “I don’t mean to start rumors Venus but, I hear there’s some sort of prince here tonight,” he whispered into my ear. I silently cheered in my head and immediately knew that once I spotted Yesenia that I would indeed tell her she was correct in guessing that a prince had come to the club tonight. 

“What kind of Prince?” I asked. 

“Honestly, not a clue. Not a lot of detail was given but it seems to check out.”

“What makes you assume that?” I ask frowning. 

“He came here with his own fucking bodyguard V,” Enzo says, as he kneels down in front of me. I cock a brow as his eyes fixated on my G-string and I already know what he has planned.

“You’re fucking kidding, Enz. You’re going to mic me up there?” I ask, my eyes wide. Enzo looks up at me and the picture of his dark hair hanging over his green eyes, threatens a shudder through my body. Enzo had always been devastatingly handsome. 

“I’m sorry V, I think it’s the best I can work with tonight. You chose this sheer little piece and this bow here in the front is a good spot. May I?” He asks, holding up the tiny mic between his fingers. I roll my eyes and nod. “This might be the most action I’ve gotten in months,” I say with a laugh. I hear Enzo chuckle as he slips two of his fingers under the edge of my panties, right where the bow is. “Awe I’m flattered V but too bad I tend to bat for the other team. Sorry for getting your panties in a knot.” I scoff and give him a playful smack to his cheek which makes him flash a smile. I feel his fingers dig a bit into the fabric as he positions the mic and then with his other hand tapes it into place. 

Enzo stands up to his full length and peers down at me, licking his lips. “You know you sometimes make my job very…difficult.” I say, giving him a knowing look. Enzo smirks and leans a hand on the booth, scooting his body so his chest is pressed right against mine. “Oh, I know, V,” Enzo spoke into my ear, “but in case you were wondering, I still like to play.”

I felt my breath catch in my chest, hearing his words roll off his lips in a sultry tone. “W-what?” I ask, suddenly feeling a bit flustered. Enzo casts me a cunning smirk and whispers into my ear, “You know, I can always ask Chris if he’s feeling…open.”

My face must’ve given away my sudden shock because I then felt him place a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Hey, I’m just throwing it out there V, you don’t need to answer right now. Just think about it and let me know. And if not, then we can forget this conversation ever happened.” 

I stare up at Enzo for I don’t know how long until I finally look away. “Right um,” I swallow, “I’ll keep that in mind. I-I’m just gonna,” I say pointing a finger to the VIP section behind him. Enzo throws me a knowing look but doesn’t say anything as I begin to walk away. 

“Hey V, just think about it, oh– and don’t fart into the mic!” I look over my shoulder and flip him off before giving Tony a look that says, ‘please help me because I’m going to throttle your brother’. Tony just gives me a grin and then nods his head while holding open the rope that leads to the VIP section.

I walk into the VIP section where a few of my fellow dancers are. Some are entertaining small groups while they dance on a pole or in someone’s lap and others are merely chatting with foreseeable customers. The lighting in the VIP section is much different than the main floor. Instead of lights that flash various colors, the lights are turned down and are a deep shade of red. I’m not sure if Jimmy sometimes intentionally assigns me here because one of my staple colors is red but sometimes it feels purposeful. Maybe it's because I have now assigned the color red with confidence and pure power but whenever I’m in this section, it doesn’t feel like an act. All my movements feel strong and meaningful as if my body can relax. And maybe it is all in my head but sometimes I’ll catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and love to revel in the way the red lights seem to cling to my body, illuminating it in all the right places. Sometimes I get so lost in my dancing when I catch a glimpse of myself and the world drowns itself out and I realize that I am now not dancing for them, but for myself. Sometimes I get the most pleasure out of my dancing when I let my hands explore and linger on my own skin. 

I relax my shoulders and keep my head held high, exerting nothing but self-assurance as I saunter over to the back of the section. I make sure to cast alluring, inviting glances to any onlookers who happen to catch my eye as I step to the back where Aaron– another bouncer– is placed before a private room, concealed by a dark red curtain. 

I continue my path, my head on a constant swivel while I continue to give small smiles or a nod of my head. I am only a few feet away from the back but my steps falter slightly when I see a tall man with his back turned to me. He had dark curls, some of which laid down his back while the other half of it was concealed in a bun that rested on the back of his head. He wore a simple black shirt that clung tightly to his body showing off the muscles along his back and on his arms, which appeared to be crossed over his chest. Even with his back turned, I could not only see but feel how strong he was. I felt it lap over me like the crest of a wave crashing into the sea. 

His body bent forward a bit and it was then that I realized someone sat before him. I was unable to see who it was but caught sight of a hand, dangling over the armchair of the couch, loosely holding a glass of dark liquor. My eyes dance to the ring on one of his fingers. It has a silver band with intricate details and engravings. In the middle of it is a large onyx stone. 

My eyes continued to sweep upwards, and I noted the suit he was wearing. Red with a swirling black pattern. I feel my facade slip and my eyes narrow in on that very detail and it conjures different thoughts into my head. Did he know these were my colors? Was this purposeful? Is this to get my attention? 

These questions pelt into my head and I’m curious to know more about who this person is. I find it funny and rather shocking when I realize I want to go and learn more about this person when usually it is flipped and people come, wanting to know more about me. I know I should continue walking but my feet have stopped dead in their tracks. I should move…but I can’t. My body won’t allow me the privilege. 

My lingering gaze continues, and I see a sweep of long dark hair as the person shifts. It doesn’t appear to be as dark as the man before him and instead of curls, his hair is seemingly straight except for small waves that flow through it. His hair appears to fall just below his shoulder, and I can see how it moves with every movement of his head. I catch sight of the corner of his jaw and the side of his lips, the bottom one plump in comparison to the top. 

His mouth seems to move at a mile a minute, but I take note of the muscle jumping in his jaw and how his lips appear to be drawn in a straight line and when he does talk, it seems like he is talking through his teeth. Whatever the topic of the conversation is, it doesn’t seem to be going according to plan. 

I suddenly hear my name being faintly called from Aaron, but it sounds drowned out and I know it’s not because of the music. I let my eyes linger for a few more seconds before I hear my name again, this time more loudly. “Venus!” 

I glance at Aaron but can’t seem to pull my eyes away from the two figures before me. I focus my attention back on them and I can see the man who is sitting has stopped talking. Even with the music blaring, it seems like the room has now fallen deathly quiet. 

His lips are now drawn tight and when I glance at his hand, I swear I can see his knuckles turning white from his grip he has on the glass. I’m not sure if they were aware of my presence but now it seems like they are because the man who has his back to me, slowly turns and looks at me from over his shoulder. I feel my breath hitch as I take in his dark features. The slope of his nose juts out and comes down at a slant which seemingly points down to his pair of plump lips. They aren’t necessarily small, but they aren’t big either and seem to fit his face perfectly. If it weren’t for his breathtaking features that catch my eyes it his eyes. His eyes are dark, almost appearing to be black, not a normal black– solid black. 

The corner of his mouth turns up in a small smile and I can feel his eyes drinking me in from head to toe. His mouth parts open and I watch his tongue dart out and run along his bottom lip. He seems to be getting carried away, but he snaps out of his daze and his body shifts to the side. When he moves, I am finally able to see who sits before him. 

I already knew my breathing was growing fractured but now it was completely knocked from my chest because there sitting on the couch and slowly rising to his feet, was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. 

I greedily let myself drink him in. My eyes swept over every single detail of him, wanting to engrain every piece of him into my memory. I was correct in my assumed appearance of his hair and the shape of his lips that turned upward in the corners but seeing him as a whole was utterly devastating. 

He stood shorter than the other man before him and while I was able to feel the strength of the man even with his back turned, nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to the power that surrounded this man. I felt like my eyes were playing tricks on me when I noticed the red lights dancing across his olive skin, making it look like he was almost glowing. His long hair was pushed back to frame his face which while appearing round, still produced strong angles. His hand came up to his chin where his thumb swept along his sharp jaw which was dusted in a small layer of stubble, and I wondered if he too was analyzing me as deeply as I was him. I lifted my eyes up further and noted his strong nose that seemed to come down to a perfect point at the tip. 

This whole time I had been avoiding his eyes, but I finally let my eyes meet his and when I did, I could feel my blood start to swirl. The warmth traveled up my arms, starting with a tingle over the top of my hand before it snaked all the way up and wrapped itself around the back of my neck. Even though my body was burning hot, I somehow still managed to shiver.

His eyes too were dark and accented but long dark lashes that touched the hollow points under his eyes. The hollowness of his eyes made him appear tired, lifeless, hungry…starving. I caught a flash of something dancing behind his eyes that I couldn’t identify that set me on edge. My mind was telling me to be cautious, but my entire body felt like it was in a frenzy. 

For reasons unbeknownst to me, my hands started to curl into fists at my side as we silently stared at one another. My body felt like it was vibrating, and my feet were telling me to go to him– approach him. Go. Go, Venus. Go to him. I felt my feet start to move but I was only able to manage a step before I felt a hand gripping my arm.

“Venus! What are you doing? You’ve got someone waiting.” My head instantly snaps to the side, clearing me of the fog that settled itself around my mind. I look at Aaron and blink a couple times. “Sorry, I- I don’t know actually,” I say, shaking my head. 

“All good V,” he replies and then gently tugs on my arm to lead me to the private section of the VIP room. I look over my shoulder at the formidable two men, but my gaze quickly goes to the man in the red and black suit. I catch his eye and do a double take because if I’m not mistaken, his eyes looked red at first glance. When I look again, I frown and shake my head as they appear to now look normal, but I notice his gaze is lingering on Aaron’s hand wrapped around my arm. It must be the red lighting. My eyes are playing tricks on me. 

I walk the short steps to the section, the bouncer holding open the curtain for me and giving me a nod of his head as my feet stop just before the small step to the room. I suddenly stop, feeling a tingle at the base of my neck and traveling down the length of my spine. Venus, a voice–no–voices whisper into my ear. It’s faint but when I hear it, it feels like a phantom wind stirs the strands of hair at my side. My breathing hitches and my hands once again bawl up at my sides. 

“V? You alright there love? Do you feel okay?” Aaron asks, placing a gentle hand on my lower back. I look at his face and see his brows knitted together, his features washed in concern. I swallow and nod, “Yeah, I’m fine. My uh…my heels felt weird for a second,” I say, trying my best to sound convincing even though it doesn't sound believable even to my own ears. 

Aaron gives me another weird look but doesn’t comment. Instead, he just nods his hair and slides the curtain further open for me. 

 I step onto the step and take another glance over my shoulder at this mysterious man who has completely ruptured my attention and when I do, I see his dark gaze is set firmly on me. The corner of his lip tugs up in a smirk and he raises his hand clutching the glass up to me and takes a sip. I don’t have time to process what that could even mean before the curtain falls and shuts him out. All that I’m left with is that same tingling sensation traveling up the length down the length of my spine.

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[dark-elf-writes]

As soon as Nico is done in Camp Jupiter after seeing Percy, he goes to his brother to complain and whine. Zagreus knows when something is caused by his aunts and uncles being stupid nearly as well as he can tell his father is doing something stupid. Zagreus also pokes in on the quest to Alaska to think them for saving his boyfriend and meet his Roman sister.

God Nico breaking Hazel out of the underworld and Zag being their ultimate cheerleader. Like decades of Zag meeting with Hazel in Asphodel and trying everything he can to get her pardoned but he can’t and it is killing him. Then one day he’s on a run and she’s gone. He’s not too proud to admit that he panics. Bianca has the choice of rebirth and it definitely ached something fierce when she took it but he knows she will make it back the next two times she needs to make it to isle of the blessed. But Hazel? She should be as bound as he is. As trapped. There is no escape. He’s terrified he will be the one sent after her. He knows the defenses the best after all. He would be the to scour the underworld but… the order never comes.

What does come is his little brother, wild eyed and terrified as he tumbles out of a shadow rambling on about how he “fucked up bad this time zag but I can’t leave her gods how could I leave her she deserved more she needs out she-“

(He’s glad one of them got to escape. He’s glad she got to see the surface. Maybe she’ll find that horse she always told him about.)

He has a special interest in the quest to Alaska. Both because his other little sibling is headed for the place she died and because someone took Thanatos. He pops in more than a few times and gets to stay longer because dying isn’t exactly working for anyone right now even him.

[enehana]

Leave the memories where they belong, in summer songs. Orpheus, don’t look back, there’s someone else for you to catch.

Jason Grace x Reader

Female Reader/Feminine Pronouns

Orpheus by The Beaches

Piper broke up with Jason. And holy shit, did he love her. Sure, their relationship was built on fake memories and Hera’s manipulation, but Jason really did love her. His whole world came tumbling down when she left.

Why couldn’t Piper believe that he loved her? Why couldn’t she believe that what they had was real? What did he do wrong?

Jason couldn’t just sit around and wallow. He had to be useful. The legion at camp Jupiter needed him. Camp half blood needed him. He had to put it behind him, no matter how much he couldn’t bring himself to.

Then you came along with the turn of seasons. And Jason asked you out. Ice skating and hot chocolate. The things he didn’t have with Piper in the heat of their summer love.

So you became his girlfriend. You stood tall by his side, your unwavering loyalty shown off constantly like a flag.

But he always seemed to be distracted. You would catch him gazing at Piper and listening to the playlist she made for him.

Alone with Jason in his office at Camp Jupiter, you sit and watch him work in silence. His hands move elegantly across his desk, etching words into paper.

“Jason?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Have you thought about our future at all?”

“No.”

“How come?”

“Look, honey, I have a lot of important things to think about. I can’t always be focused on a possible future with you.”

“Piper isn’t going to take you back, Jason.”

Guilt flashed across his face, “it’s not like that.”

“Jason, I know you. I know you still love her.”

“I’m sorry,” he didn’t look at you.

“Stop looking back. I’m right here and I’m going to be with you always.”

He takes you in his arms, a tight, warm hug, “I’m sorry. I love you, I really do.”

“You will, Jason.”

Jason found much more comfort in the winter months. He stopped listening to Piper’s playlist. He pushed himself forwards with you instead of backwards to her. And he loved you.

[banana-pancake5]

Sisters a Dimension Apart Chapter 1: An Unexpected Rescue

———

“Leo never gave up on us, I’m not giving up on him!” Mikey yelled with his arms pushed forward and tears streaming down his face.

Casey had said something about him having magic hands and he was really really hoping he was right because if Casey was wrong… if Mikey couldn’t save Leo… no. He will save Leo.

His finger tips started to burn. He felt his ninpo pulsing through his body. Beginning in his heart, rushing up his arms, and finally surging through his fingers and out in the form of a glowing tear in the sky.

“Mikey whatever you’re doing… don’t stop!” Raph shouted from a few feet away.

Mikey’s memories of Leo all came rushing to his mind. Watching Jupiter Jim together way past their bed time as tots. How he would help when Mikey cut his finger. All of his huge elaborate birthday parties. His dumb skate board tricks that never worked. His confident smile. The constant puns and silly jokes.

He ripped the tear in the sky open even wider. The pain shot up his hands like every atom was set ablaze.

He felt Raph’s palm grip his shoulder. Then Donnie’s joined too. He felt the comfort and stability of his brothers’ ninpo surround him.

His skin split and cracked like he was being ripped apart, just like the portal he was trying so desperately to keep together.

The cracks traveled up his skin in an agonizing race to devour him completely.

Once the cracks reached his shoulders some of the burden was lifted by his brothers’ support. He felt as the cracks stopped in their pursuit and traveled on to other targets.

The portal finally took shape. He could see the other side. He could look into the dark, empty Prison Dimension. And just a few feet away was his fearless brother in blue.

“Leo!” Mikey let out a heart wrenching cry as he saw his brother turn over to face his family.

Leo made a pitiful noise that was presumed to be a laugh, “Heh, took you guys long enough.”

Leo reached forward. He reached with every bit of fleeting strength he had left. He reached toward his family he thought he’d never see again. He reached for the planet he had sacrificed himself for. He reached for the feeling of warmth and of safety radiating off his family.

Without missing a beat Raph summoned a construct arm and thrusted it through the portal. He gripped Leo’s arm like it was his only life line. But right as he began pulling Leo towards him, towards home, a sudden shadow loomed behind him… Krang Prime.

Donnie immediately jumped into action, summoning a ginormous Drill construct and sent it plowing into the Krang.

No way they were about to lose Leo again. They were too close.

The drill’s force pried Krang Prime off of Leo, hurling him into the abyss of the Prison Dimension. The knock back gave Raph just enough time to pull Leo through the threshold and safe onto Staten Island.

Krang Prime hurled himself toward the portal with an enraged roar.

Mikey stared him down, gave him his classic goofy smile, and closed the portal with a wink.

The second Leo had crossed through the portal, the turtle that had gripped his leg seconds before was sent tumbling like a rag-doll across Staten Island.

But no one had noticed.

Not even when Leo let out a scream of pain when her claws tore out of his leg.

They were all in shock. They had Leo back. He was alive. They did it. They beat the Krang. They were all safe.

Meanwhile, Leo was in utter agony. He had several broken bones, ribs, and probably a concussion or two. His leg was actively bleeding from the deep punctures caused by something that had just latched onto his leg literal seconds ago. His shell felt as if it had been smashed to pieces, glued back together, then ripped from his spine twenty times. The only taste in his mouth was from the blood that slowly dripped off his lip. He wanted to do nothing more than to lie down and sob for hours (except for the fact that the act of crying would be excruciating for his broken ribs), but hey, his brothers were here and he knew what that meant… show time.

He put on a goofy grin (Igniting every muscle in a fiery symphony). He held back a wince and a cough (which was harder than he’d ever admit), “ewwww are we on Staten Island!?” His voice rasped and the words ripped through his sore throat. But he showed no signs of pain. Because what else is the face man supposed to do? Let his brothers freak out because he’s half dead!?

Within seconds everyone was in a bone crushing hug with Leo stuck in the middle. Lucky for Leo all his bones were already crushed, Krang Prime saw to that personally. But that didn’t help the pain one bit.

They were all too busy crying over their precious rescued brother to even notice their long lost sister lying only a few yards behind.

“HAH LOSER, I WON!!”

Everyone slowly turned their heads to the cry of victory heard from behind them.

“TAKE THAT DEATH!! I WON. I BEAT YOU. IM FREEEEEEEE!! YA HERE THAT BESTIE?!?! I. GOT. OUT. AND YOU DIDN’T!! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHA!!!!”

A few yards behind them was another turtle, she was screaming out in a scratchy voice directed to no one at all. The turtle quickly delved into a howling laughter rolling across Staten Island with her hands clutching her plastron. The laughs devolved into hacking coughs before cycling back into the same manic laughter as before.

They really needed to process what in pizza supreme just happened, but it seemed like Leo had other plans.

Right after they noticed the hysterical turtle rolling around on the ground, Leo’s suppressed injuries caught up to him in full. He weakly tried to tug on Raph’s mask tails to alert him but only lifted a finger before promptly losing consciousness.

Everyone immediately focused their attention on Leo. Donnie started barking orders. Everything was moving so fast. Raph tore off a bit of his mask tail to dress the punctures in Leo’s leg. Donnie checked Leo’s pulse and then frantically started chest compressions with tears welling in his eyes. Everyone was shouting and rushing and the howling laughter and horrendous coughs from the stranger did not help.

Mikey just sat there uselessly trying not to freak out. The glowing cracks on his arms began to fade, leaving behind swollen bleeding cuts all the way up his shoulder. Every slight movement caused pain he couldn’t bear. He couldn’t help anyone. Even if his arms didn’t hurt he’d have do idea where to start. Leo was dying right in front of him and he could do absolutely nothing. It was torture.

A few moments later Donnie seemed to have stabilized Leo but the yelling continued. Now he was shouting something about a van into his broken communicator. Mikey had never heard Donnie this panicked, but not just panicked, Donnie sounded desperate. He wasn’t just barking orders, he was begging for the orders to be followed through. And Mikey couldn’t do a thing.

The constant background noise of howling laughter changed. It turned into a fit of coughs that didn’t circle back to laughs. It just got worse and worse then…

It stopped.

Raph and Donnie definitely noticed but didn’t change what they were doing. And Mikey wasn’t doing anything so… why not check on the stranger?

Mikey carefully stood up trying not to move his arms and approached the turtle on the ground.

And oh my.

Her eyes were closed as she lay there. Her breathes were small and shallow. There were huge scars trailing every inch of her body. Rapidly forming bruises and a few cuts scattered all over her body.

She must have just been in a fight.

Her plastron had a large crack by her right shoulder (kind of like Raph’s new one but bigger). Her shell, though Mikey couldn’t see much, looked like giant chunks were missing. She had little yellow spots on her shoulders and legs and a red spot next to each of her eyes with a large scar covering the left one. She had scraps of some sort of brown fabric wrapped around her legs and used as a belt and sash like his own. She had some sort of gauntlets on her arms and a black top going just under her plastron with a little orange thing on the left side that Mikey was too overwhelmed to think about.

He leaned over her head and looked at her. She was breathing, that was good, but it seemed a little wrong. Too shallow. Too quick. Then she just stopped as if she was holding her breath.

“Um… hey are you alright? You look pretty hurt maybe I could help—“

“Boo!” Her eyes popped open and she waved her hands like jazz hands.

Mikey stood there completely shocked as two large Krangfied eyes stared back at him. He froze. They just defeated the Krang. This couldn’t be happening. His eyes darted to the large gauntlets. It was part of a Krang mech. The orange symbol on the her black top was the symbol of the foot clan. He stumbled backwards. He fell to the ground and instinctively caught himself with his hands—

“AGHH!!” He let out an agonizing scream as his arms tried to support him. They buckled and collapsed immediately and he fell hard to the ground.

His brothers turned to see Mikey on the floor with terror and tears in his eyes. And to the right of him was a stranger, now sitting up, falling over, standing, spinning her arms in an attempt to balance herself and falling again. They had no idea what happened but they didn’t deem the other turtle a threat so Raph rushed over to help Mikey. Donnie was just clutching Leo’s hand with tears begging to fall. He couldn’t leave his Twin’s side.

Raph made it to Mikey and scooped him up from the ground, “What happened Mike, are you okay!? What’s hurt’n? Raph’s here to help ya.”

Mikey raised a shaky hand, he winced in pain as he did, pointing toward the stranger, who was now successfully on her feet looking like a toddler who didn’t know how to walk.

Raph looked but was still confused. Did that stranger hurt him? From the looks of it she doesn’t even know how to move! He looked down at Mikey’s shaking hand and noticed the awful blistering wounds. “Mikey your arms!”

Mikey lowered his hand and attempted to speak in a shaky, unstable voice, “I- I’m fine Raph, b- b— but her! She- she’s—“

Suddenly she was only a few inches away from Raph’s face. She was almost the same height as Raph perhaps an inch or two shorter. They met each other’s gaze.

Face to face with the eyes of Krang.

He hastily stepped back. The feeling of the Krang tendrils writhing on his skin flooded his senses.

She just looked at him with a playful grin, it was sickening. It was almost as if he was staring at Prime’s smug face again but her grin had less hate and malice behind it.

She beamed up at him and spoke in the same scratchy voice that had been screaming about escaping death only minutes ago, “HI! It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is… well I don’t even— HAHA!! I don’t even know my own name!! How funny is that!?” Her manic laughter came back in full only to be immediately stopped by a series of dangerous coughs. Her large gauntlets gripped her carapace as she was sent doubled over from coughing.

In the middle of her coughs she raised a hand to Raph.

Raph stared in horror at the hand raised to him. Was it an attack? What was she doing? Is she infected by Krang!? She has to be, she has their eyes! But where’s the tendrils? He couldn’t come to a single conclusion, but he held onto his baby brother as tight as he could. Whatever happened, she would NOT hurt Mikey anymore.

She looked up once her coughing died down and noticed her own hand still raised in front of Raph. “Huh, I thought you would’ve shaken it by now… do people not shake hands anymore!? Heh that’s kinda funny I look like an idiot now don’t I. Haha…”

“Wh- who are you?” Raph stammered in a shaky voice.

“Ummm hellloooooo? Did you not hear ANYTHING I just sai—“ she made eye contact with Donnie and abruptly stopped in the middle of her sentence. Donnie stared back from a couple yards away still clutching Leo’s hand.

Raph silently backed away and made his way toward his brother.

Donnie looked her up and down. He saw the scars, the gauntlets, the foot symbol, and the eyes. He felt the writhing tendrils crawling up his exposed shell. He remembered the agony from being ripped from the control unit. He blinked. Trying to form a single coherent thought.

“I WIN!” She said as she kept her eyes locked on Donnie.

“…what?”

She ran up to him in the blink of an eye, “I won. You blinked. That means I won.” Her face was inches away from Donnie’s. Her words came out oddly monotone, a stark contrast to seconds ago. Then, she straightened up and stood with a wild grin on her face. She made no move to attack. She just stood.

Raph moved beside Donnie with Mikey standing safely behind both of them. Raph was fully prepared to fight ten Krang before he would let anyone lay another finger on his brothers.

Donnie positioned himself over Leo’s body in a pathetic attempt to protect him.

Donnie’s thoughts were spinning and the sensations of slimy tendrils still seeped into every thought. Why wasn’t she attacking them? They were defenseless. If she were Krangified wouldn’t she have just outright tried to kill them? That’s what… that’s what Raph did when he was Krangified.

She dropped to a crouch in front of Donnie. Raph flinched forward, ready to pummel her if she made any moves.

“Soooo… whatcha doin’? Who’s the dead guy?” She asked as she stared at Leo’s unconscious body.

“He is NOT dead! What do you want with us?!” Raph snapped from behind. Though he looked to Donnie to confirm his first exclamation. Donnie offered a small nod and a grunt.

“Wooooahhhh chill out!! I’m not looking for a fight. Haha I’ve had my fair share for today! And from the looks of it you have too! Hah you guys look awful! I mean absolutely terrible!”

That came as a shock. Well not the part about them looking awful. But why was she here if she was avoiding a fight? Why didn’t she want to fight? Wasn’t she Krangfied? So why was she so different from Raph?

“Then what do you want?” Donnie asked because he was willing to do whatever as long as it kept them all safe. And he was genuinely curious.

“I would KILL to know what’s going on! Hehehe, kill get it because… well I don’t- wait that doesn’t even make sense?? What am I talking about!? HAHAhahahahaaha-” her laughs stopped abruptly. Her face fell to a serious expression, “What is going on though?”

Donnie had no idea how to articulate a summary of the past hours, especially with such short notice. It was hard to think at all when he was face to face with a possibly infected stranger.

She waited as his thoughts spun in circles. She just sat there breathing shallow breathes. It was strange, she seemed oddly patient.

He finally found a way to word everything, hoping that she’d leave once he explained, “Well… the Krang, an alien race—

“Oh yeah, I know the Krang. Heheh you thought I didn’t know who the Krang were! That’s hilarious!!”

“…anyway, they invaded earth,” Donnie spoke slow and careful, “we fought them. We managed to trap them back in the prison dimension,” his eyes flicked to Leo before he continued, “then you came…”

She hopped back to her feet in one swift motion. She looked down at Donnie and Leo as she responded, “Well, I have no clue what this ‘Prison Dimension’ is but… oh… “ her eye contact drifted off and her expression turned blank. Though her wide, frankly scary, grin quickly came back to her face, her eyes stayed unfocused and distant as she playfully shouted, “GOING DOWN!!” And promptly fell to the ground with a small salute before her consciousness completely faded off.

The turtles all let out a sigh of relief. They didn’t know what to do with her but at the moment they had much more pressing matters. Immediately the van skidded to a stop right beside them and Casey jr, April, and splinter rushed out. The three of them were stunned by the fifth turtle on the ground but focused their attention on getting Leo in the van.

They all loaded Leo into the van and quickly prepared themselves for departure, but Mikey stared at the fifth turtle. Were they planning to just leave her behind? She was clearly injured and needed help. So he spoke up, “what about her?” He said as he eyed her from the back of the van, “we’re not just gonna leave her here right?”

Raph was sitting with Mikey in his lap. He was the first to respond, “Why wouldn’t we? Didn’t she hurt you?”

“No! No she just… scared me. But don’t you think it’s wrong to just leave her here? She needs help!”

“She’s infected Mike…” Raph softly reminded

“We don’t know that! I mean yeah, she looked like she was, but she didn’t act like it! And if she was would you really just leave her to roam New York?”

Donnie chimed in from the back of the van where he had propped Leo’s head up on his leg, “As much as I hate to admit it, Angelo has a point, Raph. We can’t just leave her here, it’s too dangerous for New York.”

“It’s too dangerous for us! What if she attacks us when she wakes up!?”

Donnie thought for a second before coming up with his response, “I could use my tech to create a sort of quarantine in the Med Bay. That way she couldn’t roam free in the city and we would be safe if she attacked.”

Raph looked down at her, focusing on her numerous scars and already purpling fresh bruises, “Fine. But you better make sure she can’t escape.”

With that they dragged her into the van as well. Donnie examined her injuries and began tending to any he could.

The car ride back to the Lair was hectic and filled with frantic questions from April and many explanations from the conscious turtles.

Arriving was all a blur. They had brought Leo into the Med Bay and Casey immediately started an IV to give him much needed fluids and pain killers. Donnie darted off to the lab immediately to create the quarantine. Splinter stayed with Leo the whole time. April sprinted off to help Donnie. Mikey and Raph stayed in the Med bay chairs and watched their face man, their brother in blue, Leo. They watched his unconscious body hooked up to so many wires and tubes. They also watched as Casey perfectly multi-tasked taking care of Leo and the stranger all while working around Splinter.

This wasn’t the end, there were much too many questions left hanging over every one of them. No, this was just a preview of the change they would have to endure.

Masterpost // Ref for Vita

———

Boy oh boy this chapter was fun to write! I love writing insane characters >:3

I hope y’all enjoyed it!

Tag list: @jadetheblueartist @exhaustedwriterartist @cookiedoesart64

[boots-with-the-fur-club]

Chapter 1 of These Are Not Our Masks!

@daboyau

@iobsesswaytoomuch

@that-0n3-shr00mi3-guy

Let me know if anyone wants to be added to the tag list!

“This person clearly wasn’t media literate enough to truly understand the beauty of Jupiter Jim Pluto Vacation 4, so I graciously decided to school them.” Donnie puts a hand to his chest smugly.

Leo taps away at his phone with a smile on his face.

Donnie’s phone vibrates.

“Gasp! ‘Just because I have a five head doesn’t mean I know everything!?’ How do they know how big my forehead is!?”

Leo glances at a make believe audience with a smirk.

“Just block ‘em Donnie.” Raph advises.

“But then they win! And I have never lost an internet battle before!”

“What about that one time in the Atomic Lass forum?” Mikey comments.

“We don’t speak of that.”

Raph chuckles before something catches his eye.

“Hey guys! Shiny trash!”

The other three ooo at the prospect of something cool having been thrown away.

They all stare at each other for a second before sprinting towards the alleyway, shoving and pushing all the while.

So distracted, none of them notice the several figures rushing away further into the alley.

Leo swipes the item first.

“Ha! It’s mine-!” He pricks his finger and drops it out of surprise.

Raph snatches it up.

“Wrong! Raph’s got it! And he ain’t sharing!”

Leo pouts and holds his hand.

“No fair, that thing has it out for me! It bites!”

“It can’t bite, Leo. Masks don’t have teeth.” Donnie corrects, hand snaking up to try to get it from Raph.

“Oh is that what it is?”

The item is a metallic red with black, almost lace looking patterns. The sharp areas are constructed almost like some kind of warrior’s helmet.

Raph smacks Donnie’s hand away and raises the mask up high.

“Looks like it, and I told you, Raph ain’t sharing!”

“No fair! This is the coolest trash we’ve found in weeks!” Mikey whines, trying to climb up on his shell.

Raph picks up Mikey with his other hand and places him back on the ground.

“Spiky guy gets the the sharp mask thing! Those are the rules and I’m the spikiest guy here.”

A thought occurs to Donnie.

“Maybe I should take a look at it with my goggles.”

“You are such a sore loser.” Leo nudges him.

“You do remember pieces of the armor we’re looking for wound up in the trash, right?” Donnie raises an eyebrow.

“None of the pieces looked nearly as cool as this mask does.”

“For once, Leo’s right. It’s got the coolest color a turtle can wear.” Raph smirks as he places it on his face.

Donnie is less than enthusiastic at being called out despite their statements being mostly correct.

He swipes his goggles down and his heart nearly stops.

The mystics in the mask are at extremely high levels, but that’s not even close to being the biggest issue.

It’s spreading.

“Take it off.”

“Come on Donnie, red’s not even your color. How’s it feel being fab, big guy?” Leo comments, leaning on Raph’s arm.

Something squirms out of the sides of the mask.

“Take it off!” Donnie screams, reaching out.

Leo only has time for his eyes to widen before a fist suddenly slams into the side of his face.

He’s sent flying right into a wall where his shell painfully absorbs the blow. Most of it, anyways.

This is a harder hit than Raph usually ever gives so he was completely unprepared.

“Raph! Why did you do that!?” Mikey rushes over to Leo.

Donnie grips his tech bō tightly.

“R-Raph?”

His brother turns to him slowly before grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up.

Donnie struggles, hitting a hand against his arm.

Mikey looks back and gasps.

“Raph! Stop! What are you doing!?”

Raph cocks his head sharply to stare at Donnie, completely ignoring Mikey.

“Help Donnie, I’ll be fine.” Leo winces.

Mikey frowns but nods and goes back to them.

Raph sees him, looking with a calculated gaze.

He uses Donnie to hit Mikey with and sends them both tumbling to the ground.

They both groan in pain.

Raph moves faster than he should be able to at them.

Leo suddenly moves just as quickly, his odachis drawn and being used to block the next hit.

“Guys, I am definitely not going to be able to hold him back for long! We need to do something!”

Donnie comes to his defense, jabbing his tech bō into the crook of Raph’s neck and sending a wave of electricity through him.

Raph actually growls at them.

No.

It’s more of a roar.

The tendrils coming from the mask squirm like they’re in pain until Raph opens his mouth wide and bites down, chomping the bō into two pieces.

Donnie barely catches the half that wasn’t in his grip.

He stares down in horror at knowing that this could easily have been an arm, potentially his or Leo’s.

Mikey takes this opportunity to jump onto Raph from behind and tries pulling the mask off.

Raph slams him right into the wall behind them as hard as he can.

Mikey shouts in pain and slides down onto the ground when Raph moves away.

Leo goes back to having to keep Raph from hitting him and Donnie.

Things only get worse when a bunch of Foot Soldiers suddenly start rushing into the alleyway.

“Donnie. Grab Mikey.” Leo says so seriously that Donnie is caught off guard.

Donnie dives to avoid Raph grabbing at him and pulls Mikey close to him.

“I got him, but we need a way out!”

Leo looks at Raph and smiles unsteadily.

“I won’t leave you behind big guy, promise.”

Donnie wracks his brain for Leo to be able to keep that promise somehow.

“If you buy me time, I could try to get my battle shells to-“

“I love you guys, tell dad what happened!”

“What!? Leo-!” Donnie is interrupted by the portal that appears under him and Mikey.

Leo closes it right away, barely avoiding any of The foot getting to it.

Raph quickly gets fed up and starts coming after Leo again. There’s no opportunity for him to open another portal with both his brother and The Foot being so unrelenting.

His odachis get broken anyways when Raph grabs and snaps them like they’re two twigs.

Leo has no way of defending himself against the blows anymore except with his arms and dodging.

Raph’s ferocity and the sheer numbers against him leave Leo open to something grabbing his ankle.

He flails in the air before realizing what exactly wrapped around it.

The Foot stop attacking and even Raph seems more still as the looming figure approaches.

“Draxum! What did you do to my brother!?” Leo yells through gritted teeth.

He wants to wipe the smug look off the dumb sheepman’s face.

Draxum approaches Raph first, examining him like he’s window shopping.

Raph growls and looks ready to use his strong jaw against the helmet Draxum wears but seems held back by something unseen.

“He’s twitchier than I thought he’d be. No matter, the job has mostly been done.” Draxum observes.

“Stop pretending I’m not here! Tell me!” Leo insists, swinging in the air due to his angry movements.

Another vine approaches Leo, this one with a flower right in front of his face.

Leo stares at angrily and with confusion before it sprays him in the face.

He coughs as the pollen irritates his lungs.

“Ew, seriously!? Talk about….insult to….injury….” Leo trails off, the energy in his body waning.

His eyes slowly shut despite how much he doesn’t want them to.

When he wakes up again, both his arms and legs are held against a wall with thick vines.

He struggles heavily against them.

“You’re not getting out of there, turtle.”

Leo looks over at the source of the voice.

“Foot Recruit. They bump you down to prisoner guarding duty?”

She punches into the wall next to his head.

“No! I just came to relish in your capture.”

“Then why did you do that!?”

Foot Recruit removes her fist.

“Because you are always annoying but I’m not allowed to hit you yet.”

Leo tilts his head.

“Not that I’m complaining, but why not yet?”

She smirks.

“You’re going to be working for us, just like your brother.”

Leo tenses.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re a fool for assuming Draxum didn’t make more than one mask.”

“How many did he make!?”

“Are you too dumb to remember how many brothers you have?”

Leo struggles more violently.

“Do you even want us working with you!? You hate us! Let me go and we can go back to being enemies!”

Foot Recruit turns away.

“With me? No. Draxum and I are partners! You’ll working for us both, for the entire clan! We’ll get the rest of the Dark Armor in no time with you out of the way.”

Leo’s heart nearly stops.

Could Draxum have…?

He really, really hopes not.

Especially if he’s about to experience what it does.

Leo swallows nervously.

“You think Draxum sees you as an equal? You’re human. He’s trying to get rid of humanity. All that’ll happen is him using you or worse!”

Foot Recruit scoffs.

“I know what I’m doing and what you’re trying to do. Draxum warned me.”

“Warned you!? About what!?”

“What he made you to do. It made me see why you kept interfering so well. It also made me see that you’re only pretending to be so dumb.”

“I am not pretending! I swear!”

“Silence! There’s no escaping your destiny, turtle. You’ve already done so for too long. Be honored to be a part of the Foot Clan.” She walks off.

“No! Come back!”

Someone else takes her place in the room.

“I see you were trying to put my work to good use.” Draxum smirks.

“Your work? Trying to take credit for the less absent father in my life?” Leo fakes a cocky smile.

Draxum walks close to him.

“I would have been in your life if I knew you existed sooner, and if you hadn’t been fighting me this much.”

Leo immediately feels uncomfortable from this proximity.

“You dropped me off a roof! Am just supposed to believe you!?”

“Fair point, which is why I made these.” Draxum grabs his face.

Leo tries to thrash his head around but the grip is too strong.

“Don’t touch me!”

Draxum tightens his hold as one of his vines holds up a new mask.

The expression of it looked like both a tragedy and comedy mask, one half of each. It’s metallic blue with a square checkered pattern and red lines over the eyes.

It reminds him of a jester.

“I would prefer keeping your face unobstructed, but no matter. I’m sure the skills I gave you will triumph.” Draxum starts bringing the mask to his face.

Leo keeps struggling.

“Wait wait wait! Can’t we talk first!? You can try to convince me again! Or explain your evil plan! Don’t you want a nice evil monologue!?”

“I could, but I won’t give you time to stall.” Draxum places the mask on him.

Leo screams out as something feels like it’s digging into his skull.

Draxum takes a step back, arms folded over his chest while he waits for the yelling to subside.

Eventually it does and the vines finally release Leo.

He falls onto his hands and knees.

“I’m aware that Lou Jitsu has given you a name twice before. While he has immense physical prowess, names are not included in his talent. When I imbued these masks with some of my own mystic energy I corresponded commands with your true names. Artemis! Show me what you can do!”

Portals start appearing all over the place despite Leo not having his weapon.

He slides into one and Draxum’s eyes dart to each of them to try to guess which one he’ll leave from.

The moment he sees something come out of one his vine grabs it.

It’s just Leo’s fanny pack.

Draxum gets pummeled into by a blue blur that disappears before he can react.

It happens over and over again as Leo propels himself through different portals at high speeds.

Draxum sends out his vines again near every portal to stop him.

When one does catch him, he rips it apart and tosses it through another portal to hit Draxum in the eye.

While he’s distracted, Leo tackles him and goes for the throat.

“Artemis! Stop!” Draxum commands.

Leo barely stops with his fingers mere milliliters from Draxum’s neck. His breathing is heavy, but at the same time, it sounds like he was just itching to finish the job.

“Get rid of your portals.” Draxum orders.

Leo hesitates but the portals go away one by one.

Draxum smiles widely.

“Excellent.”

[ottpopfic]

Asteroids

---

Leo is alive, and Jason is alive. Because this time it stuck

And it continued to stick, for years

And Leo tried his best not to take it for granted, he would take Jason in any way he could. He loved him, he knew he did, he loved him back to life over and over again in his fool's errand. Leo didn't question why Jason did it back, he didn't really care as long as this time it just continued to stick

It was like an orbit, for years. Two asteroids in space, flying through the darkness around each other, unwilling to let go of their shared gravitational field because they were finally there together. It didn't matter if Piper was going to disown him from the pining, as long as it continued to stick. If all he could have was the orbit then Leo would take what he could get

Leo's anxiety spiked when he didn't know where Jason was. He knew he felt the same by the look in his eyes when he arrived back home to the Way Station. They shared a room, but not a bed. Jason always wanted to be touching him in some way. It became natural, the everyday norm, but Leo was too scared to jinx it by confessing. To tempt this hair's breadth of an opportunity that maybe this time the fates would just let him have him

He knew it wasn't healthy, he couldn't help it

They orbited for ages, but gravity kept pulling them closer with each rotation. It took them three years for their flight paths to finally crash into each other

It was close in time to when Jason died for the first time, when Leo was gone warning Camp Jupiter and the other man was on his quest. Jason is at Camp Jupiter and Leo had held the stress of it in his jaw all week, trying to distract himself through the sleepless nights. When Jason finally made it back to him it was with a rough landing

Leo was the only one awake, sometime around four or five am. He heard Jason hit the roof, and the Way Station tumbled the blond into the main room without much fanfare. The larger man lies on the ground outside the workstation with a groan

“Jesus Christ dude you good?” Leo asks, pulling his welding mask up and turning off the torch. Jason just rolls over onto his back to starfish on the ground and groans again

Leo takes a moment to get off his welding gloves and shut down the station, the last thing they need is a fire. It also gives him a beat to collect himself, he knows he's been a sleepless wreck. By the time he's done and turns back around Jason is watching him with lightning focus

“What?” he asks, whipping welding grime and sweat off his arms and face. Jason licks his lips

“Come ‘mer” he calls, and makes a grabby hands at him

“Did you hit your head again” Leo teases, but he goes to him anyway “What the hell was that landing?”

“It's like five AM” Jason mumbles, reaching for Leo and pulling him down onto the floor with him “I've been up since six AM yesterday, cut me some slack”

[read more AO3]

“Why are you flying if you've been awake eleven hours?” Leo asks concerned as he kneels down next to the blond “That can't be safe”

“I didn't want you to be alone tomorrow,” he says, rolling towards Leo like a flower following the sun “I didn't want to be without you”

Tomorrow, the anniversary of Jason's first real death. 

Leo feels his heart clench in his chest, the tension in his jaw makes it pop. The date he's been trying not to think about, that he was trying to overwork himself through. It's been six years and neither of them has ever handled it with much grace. And here Jason is, flying stupid from California to make sure they were together for it. To make sure Leo knows where he is

“Come on man,” Leo says instead of what he wants to say, pulling Jason into a sitting position by his arms “Let's get you to bed” 

“Come with me,” Jason begs, he looks a bit loopy from fatigue 

“Jase-”

“I was talking to Piper, about us,” Jason presses on, pulling Leo closer from where their arms are connected 

“What about us?” Leo lets himself go to him, ever in orbit, even as the hot lump of dread settles in his gut

“It's been years,” Jason pulls him onto his lap on the floor, Leo’s scrawny legs on either side of Jason's muscular thighs “We’re not going anywhere”

“How do you know that?” Leo hisses, worried that even talking about it could set the cycle in motion again. Because he knows in his bones if the world decides they still have to play prophecy, if it goes back to storm or fire, Leo would do it all again. He would keep trying, chasing instead of running for the first time in his life 

Jason trails his hands up from where they interlock, resting on Leo's upper arms cool and firm. He's studying Leo's face, that look of devotion back in his eyes. Because as much as Leo denies it, as much as he pretends it's not there; Jason speaks best through action, and his actions have been telling Leo that he loves him back for a long time.

It scares Leo, more than a little bit. 

“I don't,” Jason confesses “I don't know that. But we're here now?”

“Is that what Piper was saying?”

“No,” he grins, that one that shows a single canine and makes his scar pull attractively “She's back to cussing us out in frustration”

“So same old?”

“Same old,” Jason licks his lips again “But she mentioned something, about three being the lucky number. It got me thinking”

“About us?”

“About us”

Six years since the first death, three years since the last one. 

“What about us?” Leo presses, voice quiet like maybe this time something larger than them won't hear 

“That it's been so long,” Jason's gaze is intense on his face “That we’re still here. That we can have, more”

“More?”

“Leo” his hands are on his shoulders, solid and sure, he's getting lost in the possibility of those blue eyes “I want more, more of us”

It's the first time they've spoken about it, out loud. It almost blows Leo over.

He can't help it, Leo kisses him. Two asteroids in the same gravitational field, slamming into each other and becoming something new. A planet, a moon or star, it didn't matter as long as they were together

Jason clutches at Leo like he can't believe he's real, like that time when Leo had just gotten him back for good. His grip was tight and rough, first clutching at his upper arms, then pulling him in impossibly tighter by the waist until one hand made it up to the nape of Leo's neck to hold on. Leo opens wider, his hold on the other man's jaw pulling him closer as Jason groans 

When they reluctantly separate for oxygen, faces close and breathing the same air, Leo can feel himself trembling 

“Leo” Jason breaths “Leo Leo Leo”

“M’ right here” he breaths back, voice soft like it would break the bubble there in, tell the fates they broke spades, and Jason brings him into the next kiss as desperate as the first

They kiss like that for a while, trying to merge the shattered remains of their collision into their new celestial body together. Bruising grips on each other, mouths only separating to grasp for air. Leo feels drunk on the other man, the feel of him and the smell of heat lightning, the pattern of his heartbeat against his own. Alive and whole, safe in his arms. 

Leo eventually has to pull away as he overheats. He brings his face as far away as he can to pant out into the open air, the temperature of his breath is visible and fire licking up his face and into his hair. Jason isn't detoured, pressing his face into Leo's neck. He licks a long stripe against the femoral artery, nips under his jaw, and then presses his nose hard against his pulse point.

Leo’s being reeled back in my strong arms before he's done venting out the heat. He can feel how his internal temperature is scalding, but Jason acts like he's desperate to get broiled alive. He has one arm around Leo's waist and the other snaking up his shirt, hand splayed between his wing bones holding him as close as he can. Leo turns his face away to continue to try and pant out the heat, sucking the cooler night air into his lungs and letting his breath steam out of him. That just gives Jason more access to his neck, and Leo can't stifle the low moan that's forced out of him when the blond clamps his teeth around where his collarbone dips from his shoulder and sucks. 

���Jace,” he pants out, he's going to catch fire at this point “Jace, Jason please”

Jason whines again, one of the feral noises he does high and desperate, and goes back to nipping. Leo has to grab the other man by the hair to pull him back so he can let his face catch fire again, the only part of his body not flush with him. Jason doesn't look afraid, pupils blown wide and expression filled with awe. A few sparks of static dance between the strands of his blond hair, one inside his open and panting mouth. As soon as Leo stops smoking Jason is back to kissing him

“I'm gonna burn you” Leo whines into his mouth

“No you won't,” Jason says back just as close, the blind trust and longing make Leo moan into him

“You won't” Jason continues, kissing back down Leo's neck and towards his chest. Leo takes the opportunity to throw his head back and try and vent more heat “You won't, I'm always safe with you”

“Fuck, Jace”

“Gods, you're here” Jason pleads, his forehead pushing hard above Leo's heart. He can probably feel his rabbiting pulse against his face, he's still trying to pull Leo closer “You're really here like this , I'm not dreaming “

Leos folds himself over the curl of Jason's body, hand moving over his hair and neck and back, energy trapped in their dwindling momentum 

“I'm here” he pants “You're here too”

“I'm here,” Jason says back looking up to meet Leo's eyes but not taking his face off his heart. His cheek is pressed in against Leo's chest, eyes looking up and pleading. Leo smooths his hands through Jason's hair and then down the side of his jaw and back up again. The blond lets out a sigh and folds back into Leo's chest. His face pressed above his heart, breathing him in through his nose.

They stay like that for a while, curled and clutched close. Leo's hand in Jason's hair and Jason's face in Leo's chest, until Leo folds down to rest his forehead against the top of Jason's head, breathing him in in return

A single celestial body orbiting a gravitational pull. Together in the new planet of their own making 

[reyboris]

Astro observations

Aquarius moon maybe have a job in night. Moon represents how we feed, and how we sleep, so many people with aqua moon that i meet, have been jobs in night, like nurse, or police in stores, etc.

In the past (ancient greek, rome, babylon, etc) saturn was the planet more remote of the system (without telescopy) and for that, saturn had the more slow orbit or trayectoria.

Pisces (or 12th house) also represents the hidden talents. Like in vedic astrology jupiter rules sag and pisces. Sag represents travels in foreign lands, and pisces represents travel inside. Many people have, for example, talent for dance, or cooking, or teach, but they dont know. Pisces represents how our self is also a foreign land

PD: a few days ago i promise to send my astrology book in pdf, but idk how send pdf archives in tumbl.... (and sorry i wrote this without google translate, only with my little knowledge of english redaction, lol)