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bloodfromthewound · 1 year ago

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Animal Mother

Description: A trans woman with no future agrees to become a surrogate mother for a pack of supernatural creatures.

Rating: 18+

Warnings: breeding, pregnancy discussion, transformation, blood

Alice sat in a creaking chair in a musty, cramped office to sign her life away. It surprised her how easy it was. The woman before her, with thin gray hair of an elder yet the rippling muscle of a girl in her prime, smiled and showed Alice where to sign on each page of a thick stack of papers. It was a contract, and upon its completion Alice would no longer be her own person. Somehow it felt wrong to do it surrounded by ashtrays, filing cabinets, and stray food wrappers, but Alice wasn’t about to back down.

When she had finished with the last page, the woman shoved the papers into a manila folder and turned to an ancient beige computer on her desk to type away at it. “There you go, that wasn’t so hard was it?” the woman croaked. “I’ll just need to get you into our system and then you’ll be assigned your duties, room, and all that.”

“Yes ma’am,” Alice said without looking up.

Staring down wasn’t much better; her body awkwardly filled the chair around her. She was skinny where she wanted to be chubby and chubby where she wanted to be skinny, and if Alice looked at herself for too long she stopped seeing anything remotely feminine in herself. Thankfully she’d had the foresight to wear a hoodie and jeans that day, so she could collapse into boymoding for the time being.

The woman waved a hand. “Oh please no ‘ma’am,’ now that you’re one of us you can call me Cathy, Cat, or Ms. Berkshire if you really must.”

One of us.

The thought alone was enough to make Alice’s heart leap. She grabbed each side of the chair in her hands and squeezed until her knuckles were white. “Yes, Ms. Berkshire,” she said, still not looking her in the eye.

Ms. Berkshire typed with the flat of her fingers to not disturb her long, decorated nails. Each one had a small scene on it, which the woman had proudly shown Alice when she had first arrived. She only spoke again when asking Alice for her basic information.

When Alice gave her age, Ms. Berkshire whistled. “Twenty-one on the dot,” she said. “You didn’t waste your time once you cleared the age requirement, did you?”

Alice shrugged one shoulder. “I didn’t see a reason to. I don’t have anything to look forward to, and the benefits pay out as soon as I join.”

“If you joined only for the money, honey, there’s plenty of easier ways to sell yourself.”

If Alice had been the woman she dreamed, if she had been born how she felt, she might have agreed. Instead, she shook her head. “Not for a girl like me,” she said. “Nothing that’s better than this.”

That was enough to make Ms. Berkshire leave her alone until she’d finished entering Alice’s information in the computer. Once she finished, she took a swig from an old cup of coffee and smacked her lips. “Well, whatever kind of girl you are, we all appreciate you joining us,” Ms. Berkshire said, and extended a hand. “Welcome to the pack, may you bear us many children.”

…

When Alice had first gotten her hands on an information brochure for the pack, she had passed it off as a joke. It had advertised the group as a pack of supernatural humans living in among lonely hills and trees to keep to themselves. More than that, the brochure she’d gotten off her roommate had specified their desire for women who could act as surrogates for those who couldn’t normally carry a child.

Being someone who thoroughly lacked the parts necessary to carry a baby, Alice had been ready to throw the pamphlet away when she had noticed, in small text at the bottom, that the position was open regardless of gender identity or body. That alone had been enough to get her to call, and when the person on the other end had told her, quite enthusiastically, that trans women were more than welcome to be surrogates, she’d asked to know more.

It all seemed too good to be true at first. She’d have a considerable monthly stipend, free room and board, amenities provided, and on and on; all she’d have to do was get pregnant…somehow. The catch came when the recruiter who’d visited her apartment told her that, in no uncertain terms, the benefits would only continue so long as she bore children or otherwise served the pack. If either of those were no longer possible, they’d let her go and she’d back to step one.

Thinking back on it, Alice wasn’t sure what had gotten her to agree after that. To some degree it must have been the idea of radically altering her life that way. Without opportunities greater than being a middling barista or pretending to be a man in an office, a big change was appealing. So, she supposed, that’s how she found herself signing those papers and getting put into a black sedan to be driven to the pack’s compound.

Ms. Berkshire sat with her in the back of the car while a silent man drove them on narrow roads, over ancient bridges, and beneath massive trees to reach the home of the pack. For as talkative as she had been earlier, Ms. Berkshire kept quiet on the drive. That was more than fine for Alice, who amused herself by looking out the window and wondering if she’d ever be allowed to leave once they got her to the pack.

“You don’t have to look so glum,” Ms. Berkshire said, finally breaking the silence. “The paperwork is just for legal reasons. The pack is very nice, you’ll see, and you’ll find a wonderful donor among them.”

“Do I get to choose who I’ll, uh, be a surrogate for?” Alice asked.

“Not typically,” Ms. Berkshire admitted. “If compatibility will be a problem, you can have your contract nullified.” She patted Alice’s arm. “Besides, surrogacy doesn’t require you to be around the parent all the time. You will be more than welcome to keep to yourself between fertilization and birth.”

“I guess that’s good.” Alice pulled her arm away. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing I’ve done for nine months.”

“That’s the spirit!”

The car thankfully didn’t have to travel much further before it arrived at their destination. The pack’s home was located deep in the woods, and had evidently been refurbished from some sort of ancient castle. Its primary building sat on a hilled rise above the rest of the buildings, and all the compound was ringed by walls topped with razor wire. A river flowed around the buildings into a large lake at the center of the vast clearing among the trees.

Ms. Berkshire nodded to the defenses, noticing Alice’s staring. “More people in this day and age are accepting of the supernatural, but there are those who want us dead for one reason or another. This isn’t just any hideout, but a safe haven for all kinds of creatures.”

The car was stopped at a gate just past the trees where a cloaked figure checked all of their IDs. He gave Alice a long look but didn’t say a word before waving them on. Through the gate, the car crawled up a smooth path towards the compound’s walls. The driver stopped in a courtyard just beyond and got out to begin unloading Alice’s luggage.

Alice had been told to pack all she could, but in truth she didn’t have much to bring along. Most of what she’d ever owned in the world was still at her parents’ house, where she was not allowed to step foot in unless it was as a man. Everything else had fit neatly into a single large suitcase and an old canvas bag. The driver seemed almost embarrassed to hold them for her, so she took her own things to carry them herself.

It was still daytime, but the outer courtyard was deserted. Alice had heard that supernaturals didn’t like coming out in the day, but it still unnerved her the way it was so silent. Ms. Berkshire led her through a gate and into the inner courtyard, flanked by high towers overlooking a massive stone hall. She checked her phone, nodded, and put it away again. “You are assigned to a room above the great hall, number two-zero-two. You are not yet expected to present yourself in the great hall, so now would be a good time to rest.”

“Shouldn’t I get a key?” Alice asked.

“The door is already is synced to your fingerprint,” Ms. Berkshire said, then bowed. “This is where I must leave you and return to my office. I will visit occasionally, but your care is out of my hands. Do try to stay out of trouble, Ms. Glass.”

Ms. Berkshire didn’t look back as she got in the car and was driven away. Alice was left standing in the middle of the pack’s compound with her luggage in both hands and no one else around. Once the shock wore off, she heaved a sigh and entered the great hall.

The great hall was, to no surprise, a really massive hall with wooden floors, a huge fireplace at one end, kitchens to one side, and the rest of the room filled with tables, chairs, and cutlery. It, too, was deserted and Alice began to wonder if someone was playing an elaborate practical joke on her. Whatever the case, she shrugged and headed up a set of stairs beside the entrance that took her to the second story.

Unlike the hall with its decorations of art, tapestries, flags, and so on, the second floor was spartan. It contained only a single hallway that ran the length of the hall and a half dozen doors with room numbers on them. Room 202 was right near the stairs and sure enough, among all the rustic decoration and design, there was an electronic fingerprint reader on the handle. Alice pressed her thumb on the machine and heard the door click open.

The apartment was large, if sparse. It was more like a loft than anything else, with a single large room and a bathroom separated from the rest with a heavy privacy curtain. The floor was polished wood just like the bed frame, dresser, kitchen table, and other assorted kitschy furniture. Alice would have sworn she’d gone back in time were it not for the modern refrigerator and other kitchen appliances as well as the router next to the bed.

“Well, at least the place has wi-fi,” Alice groused to no one in particular.

She hopped up onto a bed larger than any she’d ever had and laid on her back. The bed was pushed against the back wall near the bathroom and had a window above it spilling light inside. There was a nightstand as well and, thankfully, a sticky note with the wi-fi password written on it.

Once she’d connected her phone, Alice checked her messages. She frowned upon finding out that she had nothing new, beyond a couple spam emails. It wasn’t like she’d told everyone she knew that she was going out to the woods to be a breeder for all time, but she’d have thought someone would have noticed she was gone.

After a bit of scrolling through the news in an attempt to find something interesting, Alice sighed and put the phone away. The air was warm and the castle rooms didn’t seem to have very good air conditioning, so she slithered out of her jeans and hoodie as fast as she could. Laying back on the big bed in nothing but panties and a bra, the sheets cool against her skin, was like heaven. So much like it, in fact, that Alice promptly fell asleep.

…

It wasn’t until sometime later that knocking woke her back up. Alice raised her head in time to see the room’s door open and usher in two strangers in identical brown robes. One—a tall woman with gray hair, round glasses, and thick thighs—was dragging the other behind her. The one being pulled into Alice’s room seemed to be a girl about Alice’s age with dark eyes, darker hair, and a short body equal parts chubby and muscular. The older woman shut the door behind them with a thump before shooting a grin Alice’s way.

“It’s so wonderful to finally see you here!” the older woman crowed. “My name is Harley, and I will be your pack mother.” She bumped the girl with her elbow. “And this is Mercury Hart. She is to be your first donor. While I go run a bath, why don’t you two get acquainted?”

Harley didn’t give either of the girls a chance to object, and hurried off past the curtain to start filling the tub. Alice sat up on the bed, suddenly conscious of being in her underwear, and waved. “I’m Alice,” she said.

The girl nodded. “I know, they gave me your file to read,” she said. “I’m Mercury. Did they tell you anything about me?”

“No,” Alice said, which was all she got to say before Mercury began talking again.

“Well, the first thing you should know about me is that I am a Beastling,” Mercury said, “or, I guess, that I’m trans. That isn’t as important, though. Do you know what a Beastling is? Well, if not, we are a species that can take the form of animals who blessed us from birth. Many animals can do so and so we tend to be a mix of creatures. I’m part bear and wolf and part bull and a bunch of other things.” She seemed out of breath, but didn’t even slow down. “There aren’t many of us left because we got hunted a lot so we need surrogates to help carry our children and that’s where you come in, so I guess that means we’ll know a lot about each other.”

Mercury had to take big gasps of air after she’d finished and rubbed at her eyes. “Sorry, I talk a lot,” she said. “My last mate told me it was annoying. Sorry. Let me know if it bothers you, please?”

Alice blinked a few times before shaking her head. “It doesn’t bother me,” she said. “I guess it’s good to know who the other parent will be.”

“Exactly!” Mercury grinned. “I want our baby to be the happiest kid there’s ever been, so I hope I can do stuff to help you while you’re pregnant. Will this be your first time?”

“Yeah, uh, definitely the first time.” Alice leaned in close on the bed. “My file said I was trans, right? Like, there weren’t any errors?”

“Of course it did,” Mercury said. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason.”

Harley pulled back the bathroom curtain in one sudden move and clapped her hands. “The bath’s ready,” she said. “We are running later than I thought, so hurry up you two. Unless Alice wants to break her contract, we’ll need to have her ready for the ceremony in the great hall as soon as possible.”

It took a moment before Alice realized that she really could refuse to go be made a breeder for the strange girl before her, but she dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come. The setup wasn’t perfect, but it was better than what waited her back at her dingy little apartment in the city. So, she was more than happy to slide off the bed and walk into the bathroom.

The room was almost as big as her bedroom in the old apartment had been, Alice noted. It had a large sink, thick cabinets on either side of a tall mirror, a standing claw tub, and what looked like some sort of pressure washer shower on the other side. Alice dipped one finger in the bath water and smiled when she found the it was still hot.

“Alright young lady, let’s get you in the bath,” Harley said. “This isn’t just to get you clean, either. You stink like the outside world, and a fair few of us can’t stand that stench. We’ll need to get you covered in Mercury’s scent before meeting anyone else.”

“Like, you want her to pee on me?” Alice asked.

The sudden laughter from Harley made Alice take a step back in surprise. The older woman patted Alice’s back while still giggling. “No, sweetheart, she’s just going to hold you in the bath tub until you’re good and covered in her scent, then I can get you two dressed, oiled, painted, and all that.” Harley looked Alice up and down. “Now strip before the water gets cold. You too, Mercury. We don’t have any time to waste.”

Alice reached up to undo her bra, but found that Mercury was already undoing the clasp. The girl’s hands were soft and moved quickly, sliding Alice’s bra off without missing a beat. When her hands looped in her panties, Alice made no move to stop Mercury from pulling them down.

For the first time in a couple years, Alice stood naked in front of someone else. Well, two people, but Alice tried to keep her attention on Mercury. She wrapped her arms around her pudgy tummy to try to let her future mate get a look at her boobs that flopped lazily away from each other and the small penis tucked away between her legs. Mercury, for her part, didn’t react in any negative or positive way, only nodded with something Alice hoped was approval.

The other girl didn’t hesitate in undressing. She unclasped the robe she wore and let it fall to the floor, leaving her naked before Alice. Her heavy bosom met the curves of her hips in one smooth motion that Alice couldn’t help but stare at. She blushed when it became evident that exposing herself had begun to make her sizable cock begin to stand on end.

They probably would have kept gawking at one another if it weren’t for Harley giving Alice a tap on the shoulder. She obeyed and climbed into the tub, embracing the warm water that rose up to her ears. Mercury followed soon after and rested against the far end. With a look from Harley, Alice pulled herself between Mercury’s legs and rested there with her head on Mercury’s chest.

“Is this okay?” Alice asked. “I mean, for getting her scent on me.”

Harley grinned. “It will do quite well,” she said. “Now, I will leave you two to get acquainted and all scented up. I’ll go prepare the other tools and with any luck we’ll still be on time for the ceremony.” She disappeared through the curtain again, and Alice was once more alone with Mercury.

Mercury’s heart beat softly beneath Alice’s ear. Her skin was smooth, and the small, dark hairs on her chest made it softer. Alice wrapped her arms around Mercury’s waist without thinking, and while it made the other girl jerk in surprise she was allowed to settle in. “Is this alright?” Alice asked.

“Yeah, I mean, I think so,” Mercury stammered. “Is this okay with you?”

“It is,” Alice said.

“You don’t have to do this too long if you don’t want,” Mercury continued. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything. I’m sorry, is this weird?”

“You apologize a lot.”

“Sorry.”

Alice giggled and looked up at Mercury. “You know I kind of figured that someone who was going to breed me would be more…forward.”

A patch of blush spread across Mercury’s chest. “Beastlings are so few that when a test found that I can have children I was told I needed to. My parents died when I was a kid, so if I don’t continue the line that’s it for our family.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Alice said, “I didn’t know.”

Mercury waved a hand. “It’s fine. Really. I barely remember them, the others here raised me and I didn’t think much of it. It’s just, well, I’m halfway through my twenties and it’s starting to feel more and more like it’s my job to continue on who I am, you know?”

“I guess that makes sense.” Alice shrugged. “My family kicked me out when I was sixteen, so for the past five years I’ve mostly been trying to get away from them. I guess I never thought much about continuing their legacy or whatever.”

“I’m sorr-” Mercury began, then shook her head. “I mean, maybe it will make you feel better to help continue my family’s instead? If that’s not…weird, or anything.”

The other girl’s heart was racing, so Alice took Mercury’s hand in her own and squeezed it. “It’s not weird,” she said. “I signed up for this because I didn’t want to be staring down whatever time I have left at dead-end jobs pretending to be a��to be someone I’m not. I’d rather help you make a family than make some bitchy lady’s coffee while she yells at me.”

That made Mercury giggle and she squeezed Alice’s hand. “That sounds like a good deal to me.”

Mercury helped Alice apply a few soaps to herself, which managed to scrub out whatever sweat and grossness had lurked in her tangled, curly hair for the past week. Then Mercury held her for a bit longer. It was supposed to be for the scent, Alice knew, but that didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate it. Then came a knock on the wall next to the curtain and they both scrambled to get out of the tub.

In the time since they’d gotten in the bath, Harley had set up a blanket on the room’s floor and spread out a large number of bottles around a large mixing bowl. She beckoned Alice over and Mercury followed so that they were both kneeling on the blanket. The cold air on Alice’s wet body made her shiver, but since Mercury didn’t ask for a towel neither did she.

“Now that you have Mercury’s scent on you, we can make you up for the ceremony,” Harley said. Her hands drifted over the bottles before coming to a large one covered in pictures of flowers. “Mercury, sweetheart, would you cover her in this first? It will prime her for the paints.”

While she grabbed the bottle, Mercury turned to Alice and smiled. “Is that alright?” she asked. “You can still back out of all of this if you wish.”

Alice shook her head. “I can’t go back, all I can do is go forward.” She raised her arms and smiled. “Lather me up, girl.”

Harley laughed and began to pour various colors into the bowl and mix them together. Some sparked, some smoked, and some reflected no light at all. Alice began to realize that not all of what she was seeing was natural, but that didn’t stop her.

While the paints began to mix into a color Alice’s eyes couldn’t decide on, Mercury squirted half the bottle she was holding all over her hands and began applying the liquid to Alice’s body. Her hands moved quickly, not daring to linger on any one part of her. Alice even had to grab Mercury’s fingers and press them to her breasts or else the girl would have ignored them entirely. That elicited a squeak from Mercury, which made Alice grin.

It took a while for Mercury to finish. Eventually Alice took the girl’s hands in her own and guided them, lest they leave parts unattended. She guided Mercury to gently cup her balls and coat her cock in the thin liquid, and showed her how to rub it all over her ass and thighs. By the end, the poor girl looked more like a tomato than anything else. Alice kissed one of her hands with a proud glee.

“Alright, now lay on your back,” Harley instructed. “This won’t hurt, but you may feel some weird sensations where the paint is applied.”

“Weird how?” Alice asked.

“You’ll know when you feel them.” Harley helped her lay back and set the bowl at Alice’s side. The older woman dipped two fingers in the mixture and began to apply it to Alice’s torso, beginning around her breasts.

Alice couldn’t see what was being drawn on her, but it felt like some strange sort of markings with the way Harley swooped and dashed her fingers around. At some point her entire chest went numb besides the occasional tingle like someone was pricking her with a hundred needles at once.

When she’d finished with that, Harley gathered more paint on her hands and trailed a line down towards the space between Alice’s bellybutton and her crotch. She began to paint more finely there, with small, precise movements that made Alice feel like someone was poking her with a stick over and over. It was unpleasant, but Alice was determined to stay still.

Mercury got up behind her and lifted Alice’s head onto her lap. Looking up at her, Alice smiled and Mercury returned it back. “This is so the changes will take,” Mercury said. “Without its magic, none of this would be possible.”

“What sort of changes?” Alice bit her lip. “Like…so I can have a baby?”

“You’ll see,” Mercury said, “but yes, for things like that.”

Harley added a few more touches to Alice’s stomach and then smiled. “All finished,” she said, and cleaned her hands on a small crimson cloth. Then, she produced two garments: a silver robe for Mercury and a cape of the same color for Alice. “Put these on.”

Alice started to pull the cape over her chest, but a look from Harley made her stop. Instead, she just let it hang from her back like the world’s nakedest super hero. Mercury, though, was quick to slip into her robe and cover herself up. She looked like she was going to cry from happiness in being clothed again, which made Alice lean in to give her a hug.

Everything finished, Harley helped Alice and Mercury up and led them out the door. The first thing Alice noticed when she’d stepped into the hallway outside was how loud it was. A rumbling din wafted up from the lower floor of the great hall filled with laughing, singing, and yelling; and all of it mixed with the smells of greasy food.

“You two will go to the center platform,” Harley said as she led them down the stairs. “You’ll receive your instructions there. Good luck, girls!”

Sure enough, in the time she’d been upstairs someone had set up a big round stage in the middle of the great hall. Despite the noise, it seemed like only a few dozen people were in the entire place; not enough to fill even a third of the tables. They were largely clustered around the stage, eating and drinking and laughing. Most of them looked human enough, but a few of the gathered beings didn’t look like people at all. As far as Alice could see, they ranged from people with cat ears to those who looked more like plants or movie aliens.

Almost everyone began to stare once Alice and Mercury were spotted walking down the stairs. They didn’t call out to them, thankfully, but instead watched in an oppressive silence. Had it not been for Harley in front of her, Alice would have run down the stairs just to escape the eyes. When she reached the floor and got to lead Mercury to the platform it felt like a mercy.

To her surprise, the platform was covered in blankets, pillows, and various other soft things. In the great hall with its ancient opulence, having a ready-made, modern bed raised over everyone stuck out. Yet, Alice was glad for a chance to step behind Mercury and avoid those who stared at her chest and below.

Once Harley had taken her seat, whatever ceremony lay in store began. The lights awkwardly installed high overhead dimmed and a spotlight was thrown on the stage. Another illuminated a woman walking among the tables before the stage in a golden gown. It shimmered as she moved and sparkled like it was made of starlight.

The woman was taller than all around her; taller than anyone Alice had ever seen. She had bright, almost white eyes and black hair which fell to her shoulders. When she strode towards the stage, Alice took an involuntary step back. The woman noticed and smiled with a mouth full of bright, white fangs all in a row as if they had been stolen from a shark.

“Welcome, Ms. Glass, to Castle Supernatural,” the woman thundered in a voice that had no use for a microphone. “We are very thankful for your decision to join us. I am Reine Mira, and I lead our merry band of misfits in this castle.”

Her comment got some laughs from the audience, and she waited until they had died down to continue. “While our recruitment methods for surrogates have become, admittedly, less conventional we still wish to honor you as we can, Ms. Glass,” Reine said. “As the world presses in on the supernatural on all sides and seeks to suppress us at every turn, the opportunity to invite a human to carry our next generation is a rarity. We hope we may honor the trust you have put in us.”

Alice found her throat caught a hold of anything she tried to say and held it back, so she only nodded and did her best attempt at a curtsy. For her part, Reine seemed to enjoy the attempt and clapped her hands. “Now, Ms. Hart, you have been instructed on what you must do this evening?” Reine asked.

Mercury carefully nodded, then answered, “I have, ma’am.”

“Then you may proceed if Ms. Glass gives you her approval.”

Beneath the bright light on them both, Mercury took Alice’s hand in her own and raised it to her chest. “Will you do me the honor of bearing my children?”

Every eye fell to Alice. She looked Mercury in the eyes and did not hesitate. “Absolutely,” she said. “Whatever happens, I have a far better future here than any place else.”

“Then lay back on top of me and we will begin,” Mercury said. In one motion she slid off Alice’s cape and let it fall to the stage floor. “You can trust me, I will not hurt you.”

Alice turned to face the crowd and Reine while letting her legs give out so she could fall back into Mercury’s waiting arms. Compared to the gentle touches before, Mercury’s grip on her was like iron, and there was no fear of Alice falling further.

Mercury’s hands, freed of their timidness, snaked down Alice’s midsection and towards her belly. There, her nails raked over the patterns painted on Alice’s skin. Whatever she did to them, the marks began to glow and heat, causing Alice to gasp.

The hands continued on their journey and cupped Alice’s crotch in one hand. The warmth spread down as well, enough that Alice’s cock began to raise itself to attention. Mercury not only didn’t stop it but encouraged her erection, stroking Alice’s hardness between her fingers. Alice squirmed in Mercury’s gasp and whined, but there was nothing she could do about the way her girldick eagerly stood at attention.

When Alice had reached full mast, Mercury changed tactics. Her fingers reached up Alice’s shaft and pressed against the sensitive head. The moans bubbling up in Alice’s throat were cut short as she felt her cock, impossibly, begin to fold under the pressure. Like a fire lit between her legs, Alice cried out as Mercury began to push her penis back in. The symbols on her stomach were glowing so bright that Alice couldn’t see beyond them to what Mercury was doing, only feel it.

She felt the way her girldick folded inward as if it were a jack in the box, and how the feeling of her balls hanging between her legs receded. There was a feeling like she came, but it emanated from every point on her body besides her crotch. The pain and pleasure mix caused Alice to double over, and Mercury had to dedicate her free hand to keeping Alice from landing on the stage floor.

At last Mercury’s hand met the base of Alice’s crotch and the burning subsided. The great, yawning lack between her legs caused Alice’s knees to buckle and she fell fully to the floor. Thankfully the blankets and pillows there softened her fall. She attempted to get up on her own, failed, and rolled over on her back.

Without the harsh glow, Alice was amazed to find that where a rigid girlcock had been was now, incredibly, a vagina. She reached down, grasping for it like she were looking in a cruel funhouse mirror. When her hands drifted over its—no, her—clit, Alice shivered. It was, somehow, real and very much hers.

Mercury offered Alice help standing up. “Now you see why the parts you have aren’t necessary to joining,” she said. “How does it feel?”

“Like a dream,” Alice said, doing her best to wipe at her eyes rapidly filling with tears. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Then don’t say anything.” Mercury kissed Alex’s cheek and giggled. “Just allow me the honor of giving you my child, if you so consent.”

Alice kissed Mercury back on the lips. “I do,” she said.

Some in the audience let out audible gasps and what Alice hoped were sounds of affection. Mercury carefully undid the cord keeping her robe together and slid it from her shoulders to drop to the floor. While Alice had gained a vagina, Mercury had gained a bed of thick, black hair across her arms, legs, stomach, and chest. Her soft girldick was gone and replaced with something far more animalistic, pink, and throbbing with a knotted bulge at the end.

Mercury reached for Alice and lifted her off the ground without trouble. Alice’s legs dangled in the air while Mercury positioned her over the large, dripping member and began to slide her down. Alice’s new cunt opened and eagerly took in Mercury’s slick cock while Alice curled her toes and pressed her face into Mercury’s fur.

The fur on the Beastling woman’s chest was soft and its smell thick with need. Alice could feel Mercury grow and change around her while she took inch after inch of dripping dick into her pussy. Mercury grew taller and her arms bulged into something closer to paws that gripped Alice’s round ass and gave it a nice slap. Alice was embarrassed how much it made her moan like a wild animal.

Once Alice had reached the base of Mercury’s cock, not counting the knot below, Mercury began to bounce her up and down on her member. Alice’s face burned. Her cunt was dripping wet and the sound it made when it hungrily took thrust after thrust of Beastling cock was the loudest in the room. Alice could only imagine the way she looked, naked and filled before the crowd while Mercury used her like a sex toy.

Mercury’s new throbbing member was so large that Alice’s clit rubbed against it with every motion. Each time she was thrust upward, Alice whined and shook in Mercury’s grasp. Claws dug into her back and each drop of blood was met with twice as much wetness from her cunt dripping to the floor.

When her orgasm came, Alice wasn’t ready for it. She didn’t just cry out, she screamed as if she’d been shot. Her arms and legs shook while she wrapped both against Mercury’s bestial body and held on. Pulses of desire and ecstasy pumped up through Alice’s spine and spread through her body. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes, but still Mercury pumped her cock into Alice’s shaking cunt faster and faster. She could only imagine the way her round ass looked to the crowd, jiggling with each of Mercury’s thrusts.

Alice’s scream was met with a howl from Mercury. The woman, the beast, grabbed Alice on each side with claws that sank deep into her skin and shoved her down on the thick knot lying at the base of Mercury’s cock. It wrenched itself inside, spreading Alice’s pussy every which way and giving her something else to moan about. Its thickness was far more than anything Alice had ever had inside her, but her new body welcomed and embraced the pain like an old lover.

Cum flowed into Alice’s cunt sticky and hot, pumping in her as needily as Mercury had been. It flowed deep into Alice and lit up the belly sigils once more, each one a different color. Alice saw stars, galaxies, everything at once. She slumped into Mercury’s embrace and let the woman seed her new womb. As far as Alice cared, her body belonged to the beast of a woman wrapped around her. She welcomed her cum and the children it would bring, panting and calling out affirmations of love for Mercury. If the Beastling understood, she gave no indication, instead only petting Alice’s back.

Excited murmuring came from the audience. Alice couldn’t see, with her head still to Mercury’s chest, but she could feel the way that the room’s mood changed to one of celebration. Harley and Reine came up and both began rubbing Alice’s back and petting her head and making excited noises.

“You did perfectly, Alice!” Harley exclaimed. “I haven’t seen a ceremony so successful in ages.”

Reine ruffled Alice’s hair. “You did well, Ms. Glass,” she said. “Thank you for the gift you have given us this night.”

While they talked, Mercury lowered herself to the bedding below and rested on her side, letting Alice look up towards the others. With Mercury’s cock still embedded firmly inside her, Alice could do little to move, but she didn’t mind.

“So I really did it, I’m going to have a baby?” she asked at last, looking up at the older women above.

“Yes, if tonight was any indication you will certainly bear Mercury a healthy litter,” Reine said, bowing her head. “We will help you through every step in the process, of course.”

Alice touched a hand to Mercury’s chest. After all the excitement, the Beastling woman had fallen asleep. Her animalistic body and long, snouted head rose and fell with each breath. Alice gave her a kiss right over her heart.

“Will I be having kids for others here, or just with Mercury?” she asked in a small voice.

Harley and Reine looked at each other, then back to Alice. “As your pack mother, it will be my job to help you give birth and figure what comes after,” Harley said. “This is the beginning of a long journey for you, and the rest can wait. For tonight, I suggest you enjoy yourself and a job well done.”

Reine pulled a blanket over them both, and Alice wrapped it tight around herself. She opened her mouth, shut it again, then nodded. “I can do that,” she said. “I think I’m going to like it here.”

“Wonderful!” Reine crowed, and gave Mercury’s side a pat. “We will leave you here. Rest well, and let us care for you.”

While the two older women went to attend to the gathered supernaturals, Alice smiled and looked down at Rein. She patted her belly. Mercury still throbbed inside her, but it was no longer a primal sensation; it was, instead, the beating heart of the life they would share. Alice closed her eyes and curled herself up closer to her Beastling breeder. It was a good night, and for that Alice was finally, truly happy.

#bloodfromthewriting #t4t breeding #nsft writing

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elvenbeard · 1 year ago

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Somewhere in Manila, 2078

“It is pretty nice here,” V said, and Kerry put his arm around him, pulling him a bit closer as he turned his head to look at him.

“C’mon, just ‘pretty nice’?” he asked grinning.

“Okay, it’s beautiful, breathtaking, astounding!” V said and Kerry chuckled, “You weren’t exaggerating.”

“And this is just the hotel! Wait ‘til you see the city. And the beaches! But we gotta drive a little to get to the better ones. Nothin’ beats the one in Tangalan anyway, but that’ll have to wait 'til next week…”

Kerry went on rambling about all they had planned, everything he wanted to show V, parties and events they could go to, the secret spots only he and maybe a handful of other people knew. Some of it all sounded quite adventurous, and V still struggled to imagine Kerry clambering through the jungle to get to some of these extra special hidden gems. But his excitement was downright infectious. Truly just adorable. V was relieved to see Kerry so genuinely happy again, too, the stress of the last weeks really had been weighing him down. Getting ready for this trip in the background had been his sole motivator for staying on top of the mountain of promo events for his album.

Just three more interviews before we can get on the plane. Just this one photoshoot, and then I can finally start packing my stuff. That one private show, that one industry party, that one red carpet, and then Lee can kiss my ass and we’ll fuck off across the Pacific.

Being here now finally, chilling at the hotel bar and recovering from the long flight, still felt somewhat surreal.

“… - and we really gotta go to Quinta Market later. Gonna cure your resentment to street food there once and for all.”

Kerry took a sip of his drink, then looked back at V, who had been watching him the whole time, a little tired and absentmindedly, but full of affection.

“What?” he asked, frowning slightly, but kept up his smile, the silver lines around his eyes and down his cheeks sparkling in the setting sun.

“Nothin’,” V said, “I’m happy you’re happy to be back here, is all.”

Kerry leaned over and gave him a quick kiss.

“I’m happy you’re here with me,” he said, “That’s all that matters.”

AAAAHHH. A little bit of behind the scenes rambling here!!!

I didn't forget to take a pic of my setup at least this time XD I set this up at Denny's pool (free of concrete thankfully), because there is little distracting Night City scenery in the background that would destroy the illusion of this not being Night City xD But admittedly, the setup was a little rushed bc I just wanted to do some fluffy pics. I could actually spend hours setting up my scenes with all the awesome props I keep discovering o.o

Also: I had Kerry's summer vibes outfit ready since early June, but just didn't get around to doing anything with it until two weeks ago, AND THEN I didn't have time to edit the pics because other stuff kept grabbing my attention instead xD

But there is more to come, I have a whole lot more summer pics ready, all incredibly fluffy... because I need some fluff and knowing they have this in their future waiting for them, while on the side I'm writing the most angsty fic with constant dread and setbacks and death looming on the horizon, you know XD

Dad Shirts by @pinkyjulien 💛 I love them so much, I want Kerry's shirt for myself irl, it's my fave of the tropical recolors, the colors and pattern are so nice... and suit him so well imo!!

Also this is totally the follow up to the road trip pics I posted last week. They drove to L.A., spent a day or two there, and then hopped on the plane to Manila xD

#cyberpunk 2077 #cyberpunk kerry #cyberpunk v #male v cyberpunk #kerry eurodyne #vincent ezaki #kerry eurodyne x v #otp: to bad decisions #shippy saturday #cyberpunk vp #cyberpunk fanfic #cyberpunk 2077 fanfic #virtual photography #my writing #my vp

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jiacast · 2 months ago

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World Tourism Day

Travel Guide: Manila, Philippines

Manila, the Philippines' vibrant metropolis, is a dynamic mix of old and new, with ancient Spanish architecture meeting modern skyscrapers and busy marketplaces coexisting with elegant retail malls. Whether you're interested in the city's rich history, eclectic cuisine scene, or vibrant culture, Manila provides an intriguing and comprehensive experience.

When to Visit:

The dry season (November-May) offers less humidity and rain, with cooler temperatures from December to February. The wet season (June-October) offers indoor activities like museums and shopping and is less crowded.

Top Attractions:

Intramuros: The historic heart of Manila, built during the Spanish colonial period. Visits include Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church, and Casa Manila Museum.

Rizal Park (Luneta): A sprawling park dedicated to José Rizal, hosting the National Museum Complex.

Binondo, The World's Oldest Chinatown: A vibrant neighborhood known for its Chinese-Filipino culture and delicious food.

Manila Ocean Park: An aquarium and marine-themed park offering a variety of activities.

Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP): Home to Filipino performing arts, hosting concerts, ballets, plays, and art exhibits.

Local Experiences:

Experience the Philippines' iconic jeepney ride for a colorful and affordable way to explore Manila. The city is a shopping paradise, with luxurious malls like SM Mall of Asia and bargain hunting at Divisoria Market and Greenhills Shopping Center. Enjoy local crafts, electronics, and clothes at these popular shopping destinations.

Food & Dining:

Manila is a hub of Filipino flavors, offering a diverse range of street vendors and fine dining options. Famous dishes include lechon, a traditional pig dish; adobo, a soy-braised chicken or pork dish; and halo-halo, a refreshing dessert made with shaved ice, sweetened fruits, jelly, ube, and leche flan.

Must-Try Restaurants:

Ilustrado Restaurant in Intramuros offers a blend of Spanish, Filipino, and international cuisine, while Barbara's Heritage Restaurant provides a cultural dining experience with traditional Filipino food and folk dance performances. Aristocrat is renowned for its Filipino comfort food.

Day Trips from Manila:

Tagaytay, Pagsanjan Falls, and Corregidor Island: • Tagaytay: 2-hour drive from Manila, offers cooler weather and Taal Volcano views. • Pagsanjan Falls: 3-hour boat ride through river gorge, ending with refreshing waterfall. • Corregidor Island: Historical island off Manila Bay, played a significant role during WWII. Guided tour of ruins, tunnels, and military barracks.

Nightlife:

Manila's nightlife scene is vibrant, particularly in Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Malate. It offers trendy rooftop bars, live music, and dance clubs. Poblacion, known for its hip vibe, features speakeasies, bars, and clubs. Resorts World Manila, a luxury resort and casino, offers sophisticated dining, theaters, and bars for a sophisticated night out.

Getting Around:

Manila's traffic can be busy, so leave additional time to drive. You can get about using Grab (the taxi service app), jeepneys, buses, or LRT/MRT trains. Local communities also have tricycles and pedicabs accessible for shorter trips.

Cultural Etiquette:

• Mano Po: Traditional respect gesture where younger people place elder's hand on forehead. • Bayanihan Spirit: Filipino hospitality, friendly locals, and helpfulness encouraged.

Shopping:

Divisoria is a popular market known for affordable goods, while SM Mall of Asia is a massive mall offering luxury goods, local brands, an ice skating rink, and an IMAX theater.

Conclusion:

With its blend of colonial history, vibrant urban life, and ingrained culture, Manila is a city of contrasts. Whether you're taking in the lively culinary scene or discovering the old-world elegance of Intramuros, Manila provides a diverse and colorful experience that will make for lifelong memories.

#writing #World Tourism Day #manila #philippines

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hoffstrap-yuri · 8 months ago

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To Have and To Hold

ao3 // masterlist

*Summary: Like a game of cat and mouse, Hoffman and Strahm continue their little ruse from DC. Just in New York this time.

*Rating: +18 for Explicit Mature Content

*Tags: Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe- Canon Divergence, Crossdressing, Crossdressing Kink, Slight Feeding Kink, Fluff, Smut, Fluff and Smut, Domestic, Domestic Fluff

*Status: Sequel/Complete (First Chapter of First Fic Here) (Second Chapter of First Fic Here)

Author's Note: So Hi. Here's the sequel people have been asking for to "In Sickness and In Health (Insurance)". Sadly there's no fraud in this one, but I wanted to focus more on them growing as a couple than them just being bickering accomplices so that's why there's more focus on one date. This is also for the anon on tumblr who clocked me for having a feeding fetish in seconds after I reblogged a "make an assumption about me" ask game. Also yay Perez cameo in this fic, because I love her dynamic with Strahm so much.

Hope you'll all enjoy this one as much as the last, and thank you for reading as always!

Click. Click.

“Stop.” Strahm looked over at Hoffman from across their desks

“Give me the answer to 5 across, and then I’ll stop.” Hoffman replied, continuing to click his pen. He didn’t lift his eyes off the paper in front of him.

“I’ve got something better.” Strahm slid a paper across their desks and Hoffman took a glance at it. He couldn’t make out the details so he used the end of the pen to slide the document closer to him. He looked over the paper and brought it up to his face.

“I don’t get it. Is this the answer to 18 down?”

“No dumbass.” Strahm’s face dropped and covered his eyes with the palm of his hand. “I got us a reservation to a place.”

“What kind of place?”

“An Italian place.”

“Sounds nice.” Hoffman crumpled up the paper and threw it back into Strahm’s lap. Strahm unfurled the paper and smoothed it out over the desk

“You told me you wanted me to buy you dinner back at the hotel a couple months back. I’m buying you dinner.” Strahm grumbled a little bit

“And you’ve only shoved your tongue down my throat about five times since then. So much restraint on your part, Agent.” Hoffman rolled his eyes, “What’s in it for me?”

“Other than free food?”

“Yes.”

“You get a free ride into the city and don’t have to deal with Manhattan parking?”

“More.”

“What more could you want, you idiot?”

“Give me something like that bathroom in Virginia and our hotel room after our meal.”

“You want me to get us a hotel and make a weekend out of going an hour away?”

“Only if you want to. I was referring to the more heinous things we did in those places.” Hoffman stood up and leaned over Strahm’s desk. Strahm forcibly expelled a breath through his nose and Hoffman sat back down with the satisfaction that Strahm had gotten the memo. He crossed his legs and picked his puzzle up in time so that when Perez strolled in, it looked like the two law enforcement agents hadn’t moved a muscle.

“Honestly, when do you two ever eat?” She asked, looking over at the partner she’s had for five years

“When I feel like it.” Strahm responded. He leaned in his chair and flipped through the manila file folders before him as Hoffman answered Lindsay with a shrug. Hoffman got occupied making calls to potential witnesses for interviews the rest of the afternoon, while Strahm was tasked with making a drive out to a crime scene.

---

Strahm walked through the door of the other man’s home. It’d become second nature to him to go back to the detective’s house at the end of the work day. Perez even joked that she never saw Strahm at their hotel’s complimentary breakfast and he brushed off her concern with a ‘we must just go down at different times’. He sat down on the couch that was like a second home to him and turned on the TV without so much as a second thought. Hoffman leaned against the door frame and watched his partner from a distance before Strahm felt his gaze squarely on him. He looked back over at Hoffman before saying,

“Come here.”

Hoffman walked over to the couch and sat next to the FBI agent, taking the other man’s arm and putting it around his shoulders. He asked Strahm, “What are we watching tonight?”

“General?”

“I’d rather die.”

“Fine. We could watch survivor…”

“What about that Law & Order show?”

“You don’t think we get enough of that at work?” Strahm scoffed

“I don’t get to see Mariska Hargitay at work every day.” Hoffman shot back

“Oh bullshit, I know you’re not looking at her.” Strahm looked down at Hoffman and at his lips. He was frustrated having this back and forth exchange with the detective with no end in sight but he needed the other man. He craved the feeling of Hoffman’s stupidly thick lips on top of his.

“You look ravenous, Agent.” Hoffman caught Strahm’s gaze and leaned further into his space.

“Just thinking of how stupid you’d look with a mustache. It’d only highlight how damn big your lips are.”

“Right, that’s definitely what you were thinking.” Hoffman leaned back. Strahm made a noise in the back of his throat from the lose of contact but made a face instead of admitting that he wanted the detective in his arms. “I’m going to bed. If you care to join me.”

“I’ll be there in a minute. Something caught my eye on the pay-per-view channels.”

“Just give me the money later if you decide to watch something.” Hoffman got up from the couch and walked off to bed without so much as another word. Strahm looked over his shoulder and watched Hoffman walk away. He flipped through the channels mindlessly for a couple more minutes before crawling into bed next to Hoffman. Hoffman felt the shift in the weight on his bed and wrapped his arms around Strahm before the agent could protest. Strahm rolled over just enough that he wouldn’t break the grip Hoffman had on him and shut his eyes. When Strahm woke up the next morning, Hoffman was already in the shower. Strahm rolled over to look at Hoffman’s bedside clock. 6:30. Lindsay was probably down at the hotel’s breakfast right now, or was on her way to get some coffee from Dunkin. While he thought about his partner, his other partner stood at the bedside before uttering,

“The bathroom’s all yours.”

“Thanks.” Strahm replied back before lugging himself up off the mattress and into the bathroom. He put the previous day’s clothes on the side of the sink and hopped into the shower. He stole a bit of Hoffman’s aftershave and rubbed it across his neck. Before stepping out of the bathroom he slung his clothes on and realized he was missing a tie. He walked back to Hoffman’s bedroom and sat next to the other man.

“Something I can help you with?” Hoffman looked him up and down

“What did you do with my tie from last night?”

“You got some food on it and I threw it to get washed.”

“You mind if I borrow one of yours?”

“Sure. Won’t Lindsay notice?”

“Not if we bury the lead.”

“I don’t know how much further we can bury before we seal our coffins, Agent.” Hoffman got up from the bed and walked over to his cabinet. He pulled the first tie he found out and threw it at Strahm, who clumsily caught it. He wrapped it around the back of his neck before Hoffman swat his hands away and tied it for himself. He pulled the knot tight as Strahm stared at Hoffman’s hands working with a speed he’d never expected from the detective. “Now hurry. Or else she might get to the office before you do.” Strahm thanked him quietly and scuttled off to his car. He turned the key in the ignition and sped off out of the alleyway. When Strahm got to work the minutes dragged into hours. Hoffman talked to him like they hadn’t been one brush of contact away from making out that morning and it was killing Strahm. He started clicking the bottom of his pen before Lindsay gave him a look. She knew under normal circumstances the clicking would’ve driven Strahm insane and Strahm seemed to notice her gaze. He stopped what he was doing and shot a look at Hoffman who seemed to relish in the fact his habit seemingly grew onto Strahm.

“Doing anything fun this weekend?” Lindsay asked Strahm, pulling her attention back to the computer in front of her

“When have I ever done anything fun with my time off, Linds?” Strahm scoffed

“Don’t know. Weather’s supposed to be good.”

“I’ll be sure to stop at the Central Park Zoo for you.”

“Thanks.” She took his sarcasm and slung it back at him

“You must have something going on then.”

“Just going to see my mom.”

“Tell her I said ‘hi’.” He nodded

“I’ll make sure to save you an empanada.”

“Is that your way of asking to leave early?” Strahm looked up at her

“Maybe. Could throw in a slice of tres leche.” She shrugged

“Just go.”

“No tres leche?”

“No, definitely bring me a piece.” Strahm scoffed

“See you next week Pete. Hoffman.”

“Bye.” Hoffman replied as Perez threw her stuff in her bag and left

“We could probably get out of here early too.”

“Could we now?” Hoffman looked over at Strahm, “And what would we do with all our extra free time?”

Strahm looked over his shoulder to make sure no one else was around before uttering in a low voice, “I could buy you a new outfit for our date.”

“Now we’re talking, Agent.” Hoffman grabbed his suit jacket and got up from his desk. Strahm followed with his case files in hand. Hoffman got in Strahm’s car and Strahm questioned him about it.

“The hell are you doing in my car?”

“It’s more efficient to carpool these days, Agent.”

“But what if Perez comes back and sees my car gone but you’re still here.”

“She’s not coming back.” Hoffman replied, “Now drive us to the mall and we can pick my car up later.”

“Fine.” Strahm backed out of the lot and drove them to the mall. While it wasn’t nearly as exciting as their first time shopping for a dress for Hoffman, he still had his fun teasing the agent with quick utterances about how his legs looked in a long dress he brought into the dressing room, or how tight a midi dress looked around his waist without ever going out to give Strahm a sneak peek.

“These two.”

“One.” Strahm said

“Two.” Hoffman bit back, “I know you can afford it and after all, this was all your idea.”

“Fine.” Without another fighting word, Strahm brought the dresses up to the counter while Hoffman looked at the various accessories by the registers. To the average onlooker, it probably looked like Strahm was buying the dresses for his wife while Hoffman was trying to pick out earrings for his bride. Strahm slung the bag over his shoulder and nudged Hoffman out towards the mall before Hoffman guided Strahm to another store.

“Seems like I’m getting low on my aftershave.” Hoffman remarked

“Wouldn’t know anything about it.”

“Right.” Hoffman rolled his eyes and picked up a bottle from the store. He stepped out a couple seconds later before his lips nearly grazed the side of Strahm’s ear. He whispered into it, “You know that bra you got me won’t work under my dresses.”

“So let’s get you something that’ll work.” Strahm replied as quiet as he possibly could. Hoffman walked off with a smirk as he dragged Strahm to another store. Hoffman threw a stack into Strahm’s arms and brought the other man up to the register to pay for it all. The cashier tried to strike up conversation with Strahm, saying how lucky his wife must be to have him out buying something for her. “Yeah. She is.” Strahm replied, not taking his eyes off the ever climbing total. He shakily handed his credit card over before getting the bag in return. Hoffman hummed in a twisted satisfaction as he practically pulled Strahm out of the store in his borrowed tie. “Think you’ve blown enough of my money for today here?”

“And if I haven’t?” Hoffman countered

“Then I would say you’re crazy.”

“To bad you don’t have the balls to say no to me.” Hoffman smirked. He saw a hallway in front of them and pulled Strahm around the corner before pushing his weight onto the special agent, pinning him to the wall. “Watching you squirm like this, Agent Strahm… does something to me.”

“Sadist.” Strahm scoffed

“If I’m so much of a sadist, what do you call it when your partner will use any phrase but the simple three worded one to get his feelings for you out? I think that’s pretty sadistic.” Hoffman growled at the other man. Strahm felt his face getting hot. So Hoffman had noticed his dances around saying the words ‘I love you’. He thought he was being slick about it, but if Hoffman noticed he must’ve made some unsubtle move in the past… Before he could give Hoffman an answer or a reasoning behind why he’d been avoiding those words, Hoffman pulled himself off Strahm. “Think about it, Agent.”

“Fine.”

“Good. Let’s go get my car.” Hoffman hummed and they walked back to Strahm’s vehicle. While Strahm was pulling away from the mall, Hoffman leaned in and kissed Strahm’s cheek. Strahm’s face turned a beet red yet again before realizing no one would notice their intimacy at 40 miles per hour. Strahm pulled into the lot of a fast food place quickly and kissed Hoffman square on the lips before driving back to the police station. “See you at home.”

“See you.” Strahm replied quickly and sped off. Strahm beat Hoffman to his house and waited at the patio door for Hoffman to come with the key. Hoffman strolled to the door and reached behind Strahm to unlock the door. He kissed Strahm’s cheek before walking into his home. Strahm followed suit and trailed behind Hoffman all the way to the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around the detective as the man reached for something in the cabinet overhead. Strahm then buried his face in Hoffman’s neck.

“Here I thought you only liked me with a bra on.” Hoffman reached behind himself to run a hand through Strahm’s hair. “Such affection from you, Agent… will tonight be the night you slip up and say it?”

“No.” Strahm makes a noise of disapproval in the back of his throat

“Saving it then for tomorrow?”

“You’re just egging me on.” Strahm replied, though it was mostly to himself

“And you seemingly fall for it, hook line and sinker.” Hoffman was quick to counter him. “Get out of my way, I’m trying to cook.”

“Fine.” Strahm peeled himself off Hoffman and sat in the living room, faced with the dilemma yet again of what was there to watch this evening. Hoffman brought a plate over to Strahm and sat down next to him before Strahm stopped on a movie. Something unremarkable and inoffensive for two grown men to watch. Hoffman got up at one point to throw their plates in the sink and grab a blanket from the other side of the room. Strahm looked up at Hoffman before resting his head on the other man’s shoulders

“You looked tired.” Hoffman explained

“Yeah. I am.”

“Then we can sleep out here.”

“Okay.” Strahm let his eyes close shut and woke the next morning to the sun pouring into the living room. Once again he was alone on the couch and cocooned himself further with the blanket now that he didn’t have to share. He heard the floors creak, more than likely from Hoffman getting out of the bathroom, but decided to wait until the detective came out to the living room. He flipped the TV on and watched a news channel for a second, waiting on the weather report. “Looks good…”

“I haven’t even shown you yet.” Hoffman peered around the corner with a slight smirk on his face

“No not you, I mean the weather. For tonight.”

“Good.” The detective stepped out and fluffed up the ends of his hair with his fingers. Strahm looked him up and down for a good while. “See something you like, agent?”

“I…” Strahm stammered, looking for coherent words rather than guttural throat noises. Hoffman’s smirk grew. He slipped his fingers underneath the bands of the garter belt he was wearing before using a free hand to pull Strahm’s gaze up to his eyes.

“Say something, hubby.”

“I… You look really good.”

“How good?”

“Like I could take you right now good.” Strahm replied weakly. Hoffman let go of his chin and sauntered away back to the bedroom, though he still seemed pretty smug as he did. He came back maybe ten minutes later with his face completely dolled up and his dress on. He posed at the entrance to the hallway, putting one hand on his hip and waiting for Strahm to say something before approaching him. Instead Strahm got up from his seat and met the detective, wrapping a hand around Hoffman’s back. He leaned in and pressed his lips onto Hoffman’s before pulling away.

“You smudged my lipstick, ass.” Hoffman used the tip of his thumb to clean up the edges of his lips. “I take it you’re ready to go then?”

“Yeah.” Strahm replied while getting his coat on. After Hoffman locked the door, Strahm held the car door open for his wife and Hoffman slid into the seat. Once Strahm gets in, he reaches over Hoffman’s lap and fumbles with the glove compartment to find the directions he printed out back at the police station. He puts his hand on the gear shift and Hoffman covers Strahm’s hand up with his own. Strahm looked behind them quick and pulled the car out of the alley before taking off towards Manhattan. Hoffman rolls the window down and Strahm takes a quick glance at the detective. His hair was getting blown back by the spring air while Hoffman looked absentmindedly out the window, but his grasp on Strahm’s hand was still tight. His legs were also crossed and Strahm could hardly take his eyes off Hoffman but returned his focus to the road as he realized it had been a second since he checked. It took every ounce of self control Strahm had not to cuss while driving into the city, and even more when looking for parking somewhere near their restaurant. When they were parked he let out one big, “Fuck.”

“Good boy.” Hoffman let go of Strahm’s hand and gave him a supportive little scratch under his chin, “Getting your anger under control.”

“Shut up.” Strahm turned away from his touch and Hoffman grinned. They got out of the car and Strahm held his arm out for Hoffman to hold onto.

“Thanks honey.” Hoffman kissed his cheek and latched tightly onto the arm. They walked along the sidewalk and dipped into the restaurant

“How many?” The host asked

“Reservation for Strahm… Peter.” Strahm replied

“Okay, give me one second and make sure your table is ready.”

“Thanks.” Strahm nodded before he pressed his nose into the top of Hoffman’s wig.

“Nuzzle me any harder, agent, and my wig will go flying off.” Hoffman said under his breath between clenched teeth

“Sorry.” He pulled himself off Hoffman as the host returned and grabbed two menus for the couple. Hoffman sat down and dramatically flipped the menu open as he crossed his legs under the table. “Get whatever you want.”

“Is that why you were being so stingy at the mall?” Hoffman asked him, not taking his eyes off the paper before them. Strahm just quietly scoffed while a food runner came by and dropped off a bread basket for the table. Hoffman looked up and stole two pieces immediately and buttered them. Strahm looked up and watched the speed with which the other man devoured the appetizer before him. Strahm wasn’t one to notice this normally. Hell when Hoffman was sitting next to him on their couch at home, he just kept to himself. Maybe it was the way he so publicly ate like a pig but Strahm pushed the basket closer to Hoffman.

“Aren’t you going to have some, Agent?” Hoffman asked, mildly suspicious of the other man’s intentions

“Yeah.” He took one slice and buttered it up, before putting it down on the side plate as the waiter approached the table. They put their order in and Strahm took a small bite from the bread. Hoffman stole another couple of pieces from the basket. The waiter came back with their glasses of wine and assured them it wouldn’t be much longer on the food.

“You keep looking at me like you have something to say honey. Just tell me what you want, perv.”

“Here we are.” The waiter stops by with two giant plates of pasta and puts it down on the table. Hoffman gives Strahm a look before taking a sip from his wine glass and takes a stab at a couple of noodles on the plate. Strahm starts picking at his meal, clearing off a decent amount in the time it takes Hoffman to finish his pasta.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing, I’m just getting full.”

“Bullshit, agent.” Hoffman scoffed

“That’s all it is, I swear.”

“And that’s why you’re pushing the plate towards me, like I’m going to eat it?”

“Might take it home for leftovers.” Strahm shrugged

“Pasta never holds up.” Hoffman pulled the plate closer to him and took a tentative bite from the plate before pulling it all the way over. Strahm swapped their plates and slipped off Hoffman’s plate towards the side. The waiter came back to check in and cleared the plate without much thought. Strahm grabbed a slice of bread as Hoffman twirled the noodles around his fork and brought it up to his lips. The FBI agent looked away quickly as some of the sauce sat on Hoffman’s lips. He reached across the table and used his napkin to clean his partner’s lips. “I can take care of myself, honey.”

“I know… just didn’t want you ruining the dress I bought for you.”

“Sure. That’s your motive here.” Hoffman eyed him up before deciding to tease Strahm a little. He took the front of his foot and wiggled it in between Strahm’s under the table. He saw Strahm shift his posture as his legs moved to the side and let Hoffman’s foot wander closer. With a guess, Hoffman lifted his foot up and used his tiptoes to put some pressure on Strahm’s crotch. The other man made a choking noise and hid his mouth in his hand, but Hoffman pressed a little bit more against the growing bulge in the agent’s pants. “Oh honey. What’s got you so bothered, huh? Is it my appetite; you know shoveling food into my face?”

“I…” Strahm started to say. He wanted to deny it this time again, but realized there was no hiding from Hoffman. “Yeah.”

“There, was it that hard to talk to me, your bride?” Hoffman scoffed, flipping his hair back against his shoulders as he sat so his feet would be crossed under the table. Strahm whined softly at the loss of pressure from Hoffman’s foot. “Now be a good boy and tell me what you want.”

“Just eat a bit more than you normally would.” He replied, “I mean… you’re eating for two.”

“Ah yes, how could I forget.” Hoffman smirked and called the waiter over and ordered a second plate of pasta for himself, “It wouldn’t do me any good to deliver a baby while I’m wasting away.” Strahm could only nod as the waiter dropped the plate down in front of Hoffman. He offered to get Strahm another bread bowl, which Strahm was more than happy to accept.

“This is really good. Have a bite, hon.” Hoffman held the fork out across the table and Strahm took it from the detective. He nodded and handed the utensil back to Hoffman before Hoffman continued eating. Hoffman let a sigh escape from his lips and rested his free hand on his stomach. “I don’t know how I’m going to finish this.”

“It’s only half a plate.” Strahm mumbled under his breath, “I’m sure you can find room in there.”

“I know I could, but…”

“But what?”

“I just don’t know how I could find room.”

“Come here.” Strahm huffed. Hoffman carefully slid from his seat and used a hand to brace his back as he got up. He firmly sat down on Strahm’s lap and looked into his partner’s eyes. Strahm’s hands rested on Hoffman’s hips for a second before turning him around on his knee, making Hoffman face the table. A hand spread across the center of Hoffman’s swollen stomach and Strahm used his fingertips to massage away the tension.

“Oh that’s it, hon.” Hoffman whispered, backing his ass further into Strahm’s lap. Strahm let out a weak noise as his erection rubbed against the fabric of his dress pants. His hands sunk further into Hoffman’s belly as he tried to keep his composure. Hoffman leaned back into Strahm’s chest and let himself get felt up by the FBI agent. He pulled his hair back all one way to make sure it was on Strahm’s shoulder as the other man worked at the tense ball of flesh. “Bet you could feel the baby kick if I really had one in there.”

Strahm made a small grunt of approval that came out as a ‘Mhm’.

“Hell if I eat anymore,” Hoffman started, “I might look like I’m carrying twins. You’d like that wouldn’t you, you sick fuck?”

“If I said I did?” Strahm replied quietly

“I might have to push you over the edge.” Hoffman peeled himself off of Strahm’s lap and went back to his seat across from his partner. He ate the rest of his pasta without much fanfare and pushed the plate away from himself before grabbing the dessert menu that sat on the center of the table. Strahm moved his seat closer to the table and hid his face behind the palms of his hands as Hoffman flipped through his options. “What do you think the babies would like, honey?”

“Why are you asking me, you’re the one with the cravings. Right babe?” Strahm teased Hoffman

“You’re right, honey.” Hoffman giggled like a school girl. As soon as he did that he scoffed under the ends of his wig. Who the fuck was that in his body just now that made him act like a ditz? When the waiter came back to ask about dessert Hoffman ordered tiramisu and two cannoli. He thanked the waiter as he returned and carefully slipped the bill over to Strahm. With a small ��No Rush’, the man walked away as quickly as he could. Strahm looked it over for a second and looked up at Hoffman. He was being obnoxious about it, but Hoffman sucked the cream out from the cannoli shell and used the edge of his tongue to clean the powder sugar off the center of his lips. He gave Strahm a knowing wink as Strahm buried his face back into the bill holder. Hoffman snaked his hand behind the envelope and tugged on Strahm’s tie, forcing him to look back at Hoffman’s gaze.

“Give your poor wife some of your attention, mi amor. Surely the bill can wait?” His lips curled at their ends and Strahm slid the bill aside, firmly placing his elbows on the table as he watched Hoffman. He hid his mouth behind his hands and kept his eyes moving, trying to avoid eye contact. Hoffman snaps his fingers in Strahm’s face and brings up a little spoonful of the tiramisu up to his lips. Strahm takes the bit willingly, only to hear a soft coo from Hoffman. “That’s it. You’re being so good.”

“Didn’t know you spoke Spanish.” Strahm muttered to himself, only for Hoffman to return Strahm’s self-deflecting barb with a smile. Hoffman finished his desserts and used a hand to brace his back a little as he leaned into his seat. Strahm slipped a couple twenties into the envelope and pulled Hoffman up onto his feet. He wrapped an arm around Hoffman’s waist and guided him out of the restaurant. His hand rested on the slight bulge in Hoffman’s dress, making the man look like he was a couple months along with a baby. Hoffman wove his fingers in between the spaces of Strahm’s and the couple strolled out of the restaurant, Strahm practically pushing Hoffman back to his car.

“Maybe I wanted to look around.” Hoffman dropped his voice back down to his normal tone and gave Strahm a look, “Or are you too impatient?” He knew it was risky, but Strahm pulled Hoffman into an alleyway and after making sure there weren’t cooks out on their smoke breaks, he pressed his lips onto Hoffman’s.

“I love you…” He moaned Hoffman’s mouth. Hoffman pushed Strahm off of him for a second before looking at him. Strahm opened his eyes and thought for a second about what he had said. He had dropped the big ‘l’ word while making out with a man behind a restaurant in New York.

And hell, he meant it too.

“I love you.” He repeated, this time a bit more quiet. Still loud enough for Hoffman to hear, but it was only for the other man’s ears. Hoffman pulled him back on top of him by the collar of his shirt and bit down on his lip as their kisses became less rational and more about the contact between them. Strahm ripped Hoffman’s coat off his shoulders and threw it to the ground, after which Hoffman wriggled out of Strahm’s hold to pick the garment up. Strahm rolled his eyes, but then remembered the credit card statement from that purchase and helped Hoffman clean the jacket up so the muck from the street wouldn’t ruin the jacket. After that was back in working order, Hoffman started to sprint towards the garage where Strahm’s car waited for the two of them. When they got into the corner where his Crown Victoria was, Strahm threw the jacket on top of the roof of his car and pinned Hoffman to vehicle. Strahm pressed his lips onto Hoffman’s neck and with a soft mewl Hoffman said in his falsetto,

“Say it again, Agent.”

“I love you.” Strahm replied. His voice was deep and guttural as he lapped his tongue at the skin of Hoffman’s neck like it was a spring in the middle of a desert. “I love you.”

“That’s a good boy.” He worked a hand through the back of Strahm’s hair before dropping again, “I have you wrapped around my finger, don’t I?” Strahm looked up sheepishly at Hoffman, his eyelashes accentuating his fondness for the detective. Hoffman made a quick ‘tisk’ with his tongue and said, “I need to hear it, Agent Strahm.”

“I’m wrapped around your damn finger. I’m your little bitch. Is that what you wanted?”

“More than enough.” Hoffman pulled the other man back on top of him, using his tie like it was a leash. He hooked a leg around the back of Strahm’s leg and used Strahm’s outer thigh to give himself some friction in his lace underwear.

“I need you.” Strahm let the words slip from his lips again with desperation. Hoffman used his hands and shoved Strahm off him before getting into the car. Strahm scuttled around to the other side of the car, turned the vehicle on, and flipped through the radio stations.

“And there’s congestion on the 495 as far as the eye can see bringing your commute home to about an hour…” The radio personality said as Strahm turned it off.

“All that time in the car.” Hoffman’s fingers were already trailing up in the space between Strahm’s pecs, “How are you going to make it, Agent?”

“Thank god we’re not in Midtown.” Strahm cursed under his breath, ignoring that his bulge was growing with every playful press of Hoffman’s fingertips on his chest. Strahm scanned the signs and picked the next accessible exit for him and looked for a garage that would be quiet enough for them. Strahm put the car in park and got out of his car before thinking to tell Hoffman what his plan was. He thought for a second before telling the other man, “Get in the back seat.”

“Okay.” Hoffman got out of the passenger seat and slid into the back. Strahm took his coat and laid it on the concrete before getting down on his knees, “Aren’t we moving a little fast there honey?”

“Shut up.” Strahm worked a hand slowly up the inside of Hoffman’s dress and kissed over the bulge underneath the loose fabric. Hoffman groaned softly and lifted the end of his outfit up so that his stomach was still covered, but his legs were exposed. Strahm grabs the waistline of his tights and when they don’t come off Hoffman’s legs fast enough his nails leave streaks in the fabric.

“Remind me to buy another pair next time we’re at the mall.” Hoffman muttered to himself “Come on.”

“I’m going as fast as I can.” Strahm growled back at his partner. When the stockings were down around Hoffman’s ankles Strahm kissed the inside of Hoffman’s thighs. He wrapped a hand underneath the meaty flesh as his teeth sunk in, sure to mark up his partner’s thigh. Not that anyone else would see these. This was for his eyes only. The way that Hoffman glared down at him as he took his time to service him, the love bites he left for himself later… it was all his. Strahm let a hot breath escape from his mouth and saw Hoffman’s dick twitch a little inside the silk panties he was wearing. Rather than free him, Strahm pressed his lips onto the skimpy waistband that almost dug into Hoffman’s thick hips before letting his tongue roam down to the seam on the bottom of the lingerie.

“I don’t think you are.” Hoffman pulled him back using a firm grasp on the strands of his hair

“Fine.” Strahm took the panties and slid them down to Hoffman’s ankles just above the leggings and in a swift motion found his mouth around Hoffman’s cock

“There we go. That wasn’t so hard was it?” Hoffman teased. His hand found the back of Strahm’s head once more. He awkwardly managed to get his legs hooked around Strahm’s neck and rested his calves on Strahm’s back. Strahm slid his hand under one of Hoffman’s ass cheeks and started to slow bob his head along the length of Hoffman’s dick. He pressed his tongue against Hoffman’s tip and looked up as Mark’s eyes were shut tight. Everything in cross-dressing man’s body worked against him. His legs getting weak, his eyes wanting to roll all the way to the back of his head, his mouth threatening to let a moan escape if Strahm’s mouth got any warmer around his cock. He hit the back of Strahm’s head lightly and shifted so his back laid flat against the ugly seats in the back of Strahm’s car. He arched his back a little before Strahm’s hand laid flat against the fat of Hoffman’s stomach and pushed him back down onto the fabric. Strahm continued to thrust Hoffman's dick deeper into his throat until it triggered his gag reflex. He pulled his mouth off for a second and Hoffman lifted his head up. He was so damn close and if Strahm didn’t finish servicing him he was going make Strahm regret it. Strahm looked at him with a slight smirk before wrapping his lips back around Hoffman. A couple more bobs of his head and Hoffman came into Strahm’s mouth.

“God damn…” Strahm coughed as he attempted to swallow every last bit of Hoffman’s cum. He pulled himself off of Hoffman once more, and Hoffman lifted his hand up to Strahm’s lip. He paused for a moment before wiping the last drop off the soft skin and brought his finger up to his own lips. He waited while Strahm sheepishly slid Hoffman’s panties back up his legs and did his best to adjust the tights so they wouldn’t trip the other man on the walk to the passenger seat. When he got Strahm’s undivided attention once more, he licked his fingertip clean and sucked on it. Strahm leaned in and kissed him, resting a hand on the side of Hoffman’s neck as he stood over the detective.

“Say it.” Hoffman demanded of Strahm. Strahm hesitated for a second before saying “I love you” one more time. Hoffman sat up in his seat and ran a hand across Strahm’s chest. “When am I going to hear it from you, huh?”

“When I feel like it.” Hoffman pressed his lips onto Strahm’s cheek and with a stiff finger pushed Strahm off of him. They got back into their respective seats and before Strahm took off he flipped on the radio once more. Traffic had cleared up, and they headed back to Hoffman’s house. Hoffman unlocked the door and leaned against Strahm as they stood in the entryway. “What do you want?”

“On the couch.” Strahm replied

“Oh. Can’t even wait for the bedroom?” Hoffman teased him, kicking his heels off with wild abandonment before stepping over to the couch. He sat down and Strahm sat down beside him. “That it?”

“No. Put your feet up.”

“Okay.” Hoffman raised an eyebrow and slung his legs over onto the couch. Strahm wrapped an arm around his shoulder and tucked Mark’s head onto his shoulder. “What’s this Agent?”

“That post-coitus cuddle I was looking for in DC.” Strahm said without missing a beat. Hoffman shrugged and sat with him while Strahm turned on the TV. He was pretty happy, but Hoffman wanted more. He could tell Strahm wanted more too. So to drive up the tension a bit, Hoffman rested a hand on the inside of Strahm’s thigh. When Peter seemingly ignored that gesture he worked his hand over in small circles.

“C’mon. I’m down for something.”

“What?” Strahm’s Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed back the dryness in his throat

“Let me be in control this time.” Hoffman hooked a leg over Strahm’s lap and sat there. He pulled Strahm’s dress shirt out from his pants and worked a couple of the buttons open. Next, he took off Strahm’s belt and threw it towards the kitchen, making sure to toss it in the opposite direction of the TV. Underneath him, Strahm turned the TV off. Whatever was on wasn’t getting him in the mood. Strahm lifted his head up to kiss Hoffman’s neck, and as badly as he wanted Strahm to kiss him, Hoffman pushed him back into his couch. “I said, let me be in control, Agent.”

“Fine.” Strahm muttered under his breath and let his hands rest squarely on Hoffman’s hips. Hoffman bucked his hips slowly up into the slight muffin top sitting on Strahm’s stomach. Strahm made a soft grunt as Hoffman continued to roll his hips up against him for a moment until he moved back a ways. He tugged Strahm’s fly zipper down and slid Strahm’s pants and underwear down far enough that he had easy access to his dick. Hoffman huffed as he realized what he wanted to do involved having to get up, but pulled himself off of Strahm for a second to slip his tights and panties off. He threw them to the side and plopped his full weight down onto Strahm’s lap once more. The man under him made a grunt noise as his body braced for the other man’s weight, and Hoffman leaned into him. He took his face and kissed it, snaking a hand under the bottom of Strahm’s open shirt.

“I thought I was the chubby chaser.” Strahm remarked dryly

“Didn’t say that I didn’t like people with a little… heft to them.” Hoffman responded in kind. His hand rested on Strahm’s stomach before working through the hairs that grew along there. “I’ve been quite restrained with you so far, Agent. So I ask you, are you willing to trust me?”

“Yeah.”

“I want to hear you say that you’re willing.”

“I’m willing to trust you.” Strahm sighed and looked up at Hoffman. Something so devious hiding in those eyes, but Strahm couldn’t put his finger on it. Hoffman groaned softly before getting up and walking quickly. He comes back with a bottle of lube and coats Strahm’s dick liberally before taking Strahm up his ass. Strahm let out a moan as Hoffman’s hole closed around his dick. “Fuck.”

“Like that, huh?”

“Yes.” Strahm continued to moan. Hoffman saw Strahm getting ready to move his hips so he moved his hands over the sides of his hips and applied a bit of pressure. He bucked up into Strahm furiously, riding his partner until he gave up. He saw Strahm’s eyes roll to the back of his head as he came quickly into Hoffman’s hole. Hoffman continued to thrust himself up and down until Strahm’s back slumped back into the couch. Hoffman pulled himself off Strahm’s dick, but stayed seated on Strahm’s lap for a second, putting Strahm's hands on his hips.

“I love you.” Hoffman ran the back of his finger along Strahm’s jaw and looked into his eyes. Strahm nudged Hoffman off of his lap and guided the other man’s stubborn body back into the position they’d been in when they first started sitting there. “You’re not going to say anything about that?”

“About what?”

“About me saying ‘I love you’.”

“It’s an honor.” Strahm replied dryly. He pulled Hoffman’s wig off and caressed his cheek with a careful hand. Strahm pulled a blanket over his lap, only for Hoffman to steal half of it for himself as they cuddled. A couple swipes across Hoffman’s shoulder through the night, a touch against Strahm’s chest… it felt comfortable. Strahm almost didn’t want the night to end, but when he felt his eyelids growing heavy he lifted the blanket up and stood. Hoffman tried to grab the blanket back but before he could Strahm tucked an arm under Hoffman’s legs and lifted him.

“Jesus.” Mark stared back at the couch before wrapping an arm around Strahm’s neck. “The hell are you going to do now?”

“Care you to bed, idiot.” Strahm said, making the move across the room and to their bedroom. He dropped Hoffman carefully onto the mattress and let out a deep sigh before lying next to his partner. Resting on his side, he leaned in and said “I love you… Dumbass.”

“I love you too, jackass.” Hoffman smirked as he kissed Strahm’s cheek before they both drifted off.

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theredwritingwitch · 2 years ago

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Soulmate Fic- Tune Your Soulwaves

Pairing: Tim Rockford x reader

Soulmate AU: Soulmates can tune a radio to the sound of their soulmate, can then communicate to each other through the airwaves.

Words: 1.4

Warnings: language, fluff!!!

Note: Little soulmate fic in honor of Pedro’s birthday!

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He braced his forehead against the steering wheel of his car. He could hear the chatter of police officers standing in front of the mansion’s doors beyond the yellow crime scene tape. He had walked the grounds and halls of the mansion many times over now, felt the broken glass as well as the soft loose petals of flowers crunch under the weight of his shoes. Droplets of fresh rain fogged his glasses, Tim didn’t care.

Notes were scattered about next to him in the passenger seat of his car. Open manila folders, black and white photos of suspects, and receipts for cooking ingredients scattered and fell off the seat to the floor. Tim looked down at the evidence he had compiled, unbothered to pick the notes back up and reorganize himself. Not tonight anyways. The bright lights of the cop cars glared down on him through the windows. Small droplets of rain slowly dribbled down the windows as more droplets spat down from the clouds above to the puddles below.

The night was only beginning and the detective was already done with the day. His brain was pounding through his temples just as his eyes seemed to tire themselves out with constant stain. Tim had leafed through multiple books, delicately handled piles and piles of knives, and dug his hands into some viscously scrumptious blueberry pie. But even after long hours of going over taped meetings and footage, he had nothing but boards of bottomless theories and trash cans full of shitty take out food.

The moon looked down on the poor detective as his long held breath huffed out of him. His case was far out of his grasp yet he still had a long night left of work to get done. But for a minute Tim wanted nothing to do with the case. Tim closed his eyes for peace just as a small tune of jazz music sang out on the car’s speakers. He opened his eyes and shifted his head from the wheel to the sound. Maybe he could get lucky tonight. Just a little bit of luck?

Resting his cheek to the steering wheel, Tim stretched his arm to the tuning knob. He listened carefully as the knob tuned in and out of the static between channels. The detective heard strumming of guitars, blurry static, salsa, loud static, sports chatter, mumbled static, and gospel.

“Come on baby, are you out there tonight?”

More mumbling chatter and static rang threw his car before he stumbled on the familiar hum. His fingers twitched as he reversed his roll and tuned back and forth till the humming became crystal clear.

“There you are,” Tim smiled as he sat up and scooted over to the radio, raising the volume so he could fill the space with something pleasant. “Always where I last left you.”

“Where else would I be?” your voice chimed out of the speakers and into Tim’s ears.

“I imagine you would be sitting in front of a fire, curled up with a book.”

“That sounds rather wonderful right now,” you murmured to him.

Tim smiled at the warmth of your voice, “If not that, then maybe at this late hour you're in bed, listening and waiting for some music to carry you off to sleep.”

“Staying up listening to the sound of your voice sounds more blissful.”

“You’re a sweetheart, have I told you that?”

“You’ve mentioned it once or twice,” you laughed as your voice went in and out of the radio. “So another late night huh?”

“As always. Same with you?”

“As always,” you mimicked him with a dry chuckle.

“So back to our guessing game?”

“Of course!” Tim laughed at your excitement. He had been guessing your occupation for some time, trying to narrow down who you were and where you were.

“Let me think then,” Tim put his car in gear and drove away from the crime scene. “You’re definitely not in any sort of government related work. But you are on the clock right now.”

“That is correct, detective. We both work the late shift apparently.” You couldn’t help but mock him a little.

Tim paused and with an elated smile he replied back, “That’s correct honey!”

“What’s correct?”

“I’m a—” the static returned to the radio drowning out Tim’s words and your own. Tim kept one hand on the wheel as he continued to drive down the dark roads, while his other hand re-tuned the radio.

“Did I get it right?” Your voice strained through the returning static. “You’re actually a—” jazz music and soon news chatter sounded through the radio. Tim refused to let up though as he continued to search the airwaves. Every so often, for a mere second or two, he would catch a glimpse of your voice through the radio. Excitement could easily be heard in your voice but the static returned every time Tim felt he was close.

“Come on baby, you can do it.” Tim begged for you through the persevering static. After many minutes of driving through rain and surfing through static, Tim’s hand began to cramp as your voice was lost in the airwaves. He slapped the top of the dashboard with a low yet agitated “damn” that took up the only noise in the car as Tim turned the radio off. He would just have to try again later tonight or even tomorrow.

After driving into an empty parking space in front of his favorite take-out restaurant, Tim rubbed his hands through his hair and over his eyes. Exiting his car and slowly dragging his steps into the restaurant, Tim was greeted with the sound of static playing on the radio. It sounded like someone else was having a hard time tuning their signals as well.

Tim called out to the server in the kitchen. He had been to the restaurant many times before, but always picked his orders up to go, never sticking around. Tonight he just wanted a little bit of company though.

You jumped back from tuning the radio and rushed to the counter quickly writing down his order before returning to the kitchen and back with his drink. You were jittery and bouncing about the place. Apparently you were in a better mood than him, which was obvious as he plopped down into his seat.

“Rough night?” you asked. There was a familiarity in your voice that made Tim pause and give you a good look up and down before he answered.

“Oh just some broken reception issues with the radio, you know.”

You agreed with a nod “Happened to me today too.”

“Really, you don’t look so sad about it,” Tim’s voice quizzed you.

“Nope actually, I figured out something pretty important about my soulmate today.”

A smile crept on Tim’s face, even if he was having a rough go at meeting his soulmate, he was happy someone else was finding theirs. “What’s that?”

“My man is a detective! Can you believe it? A real Private Investigator!” You broke out into a large bright toothed smile, “Too bad he seems a bit bad at it though, otherwise he would have found me already.”

Tim couldn’t help himself as he leaned back and laughed. “Honey, maybe his detective skills are better than you think, or maybe he just has some dumb luck every once in a while.” He certainly couldn’t believe his own dumb luck at the moment.

You looked at the handsome man questionably, “Suppose so? That could be a possibility. We all can have some dumb luck every now and again. Maybe even you could get lucky.”

“I think I have,” Tim whispered to himself as he watched you set his food and check down.

“Do you suppose you give out discounts for officers or maybe even detectives,” Tim slowly pushed his badge forward on the counter, watching you stop in your tracks and gasp up at him.

Your hands traced over the badge before saying “I think something could be arranged, maybe a meal or two could be on the house.” Your bright smile returned to your face as you looked into his charming chocolate eyes.

Tim smiled back at you as he leaned forward, placing his hands over yours, “You’re a sweetheart, have I told you that?”

“You’ve mentioned it once or twice,” you murmured as your detective’s lips brushed and then settled down onto yours just as a swinging jazz song came on the radio from the kitchen.

#Tim Rockford #merge mansion #soulmateau #Pedro Pascal

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cinnamonsikwate · 2 years ago

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Talokanil Clothing, Part Two

thank you to everyone who engaged with this post!

seeing more bts footage plus reading interviews and doing my own research has had me reevaluating some of my earlier assumptions, so here's a part two!

i've been sitting on the idea that the talokan plant is like a coconut (aka the tree of life in the tropics) equivalent to the talokanil for a while, but i wasn't sure if there was enough canon or real historical equivalent evidence to support this.

this post suggests that early talokanil clothing was made of the talokan plant's fibers. initially i was unsure about this bc i thought it was some kind of succulent, but then i came across this post suggesting it's a type of agave & suddenly everything made sense!

this gets long, but hear me out: agave is endemic to the americas and its variants hold historical and cultural importance in central america (pre-hispanic up to present). it takes a long time to mature, the exact length varying from species to species (hence the moniker century plant), and flowers and seeds only once before dying (radding 2012, 84-115). parts of the agave are edible, but its two most prominent uses are for fibers and alcohol production. two agave cultigens, A. fourcroydes (henequen) and A. sisalana (sisal) are known fiber producers, and are both native to the yucatán (trejo-torres, gann, and christenhusz 2018, 366-379).

another variant, A. americana aka maguey (although it seems the term maguey is can be used to refer to other agave species), also produces fibers that can be used for woven and non-woven textiles and even paper (hulle, kadole, and katkar 2015, 64-75), and is a species of agave that can be used to produce the alcoholic drink mezcal. A. tequilana is the sole agave species used to produce tequila (which i believe can be technically called a type of mezcal). both mezcal & tequila are distilled from the fermented, roasted "hearts" of the agave. the method to distill mezcal (and later, tequila) was introduced during the colonial era, likely by indigenous filipinos who arrived via the manila-acapulco galleon trade (walton 1977, 113-132).

pulque is the pre-colonial equivalent of mezcal/tequila, made from the fermented agave sap (many species can be used). its consumption was highly regulated & associated with religious rituals (escalante et al. 2016). described as a white, slightly viscous liquid, pulque does somewhat call to mind the liquid the shaman made from the talokan plant, although the latter was, of course, blue. this is a side note, but a mural in cholula, puebla, mexico, depicts a gathering of people purportedly drinking pulque. the production team may have taken some inspiration from this as well for the flashback scenes.

the goddess mayahuel is associated with maguey & pulque, as well as femininity & fertility (guzmán 2016). (i'm a bit confused bc wiki says she's aztec, but escalante et al. & guzmán don't give a specific indication. her name though is nahuatl-derived.)

so anyway! we have a wonder plant with cultural and religious significance that can provide both food and clothing, and may even be used in construction (including in composites)! it makes so much sense that the talokan plant is a type of agave, albeit of course one with properties that no irl species has.

i've read several hannah beachler interviews but i haven't come across one where she talks about whether or not there was more of the talokan plant. the rest of this post hinges on the assumption that the talokanil are actively cultivating the plant, or something similar (which i'll be referring to as talokanil agave from now on), so if later canon lore proves me wrong — well, i'll cross that bridge when i get there lol.

for additional context, since i'm only here to speculate on the materials used in-universe, this twitter thread here provides a breakdown as to the accuracy of the clothing styles of the talokanil vis-à-vis pre-colonial maya.

now that's done, let's get to the actual speculation:

i'm inclined to retract my previous assertion that coconut coir was used in the warriors' uniforms; instead, what i took to be coconut coir is probably talokanil agave. (although they could probably still use coconut if they really wanted to!)

when i wrote the first post, i didn't realize how many outfit changes k'uk'ulkan goes through during the talokan scenes, but from what i can tell of the textures, they could all very well be made of talokanil agave or even just regular maguey. while cotton was more associated with elites over maguey in irl pre-colonial mesoamerica (tremain 2020, 1-11), i haven't seen anything yet that would indicate that nobility wouldn't wear maguey.

i'd thought namora's ceremonial dress would be heavy but we see it in action in mabel's ig post and it's actually very light! iris van herpen, the designer, has said in an ig post that the cape feathers are made of silver-lined silk organza. underwater, the effect is something like seagrass or kelp moving with the currents, which is very pretty. when i look up silk in mesoamerica, many of the sites are, strangely, associated with the church of the latter-day saints, but one textile-focused website at least indicates that widespread silk production began and flourished during the colonial era, so i think we can rule out actual silk as the in-universe material for the dress. maybe very high quality cotton or talokanil agave (especially for the silver lining. unless it's vibranium!).

we also see one of namora's surface outfits used underwater in a bts clip from mabel, one which i thought would be too heavy to wear in the water. i mean, i guess, technically, you can wear anything you want underwater, but comfort is a different matter. in my previous post, i'd said i'd thought this particular dress and the others she and the handmaidens wore were made out of some kind of barkcloth, but, surprise, again, it's probably talokanil agave or regular maguey (agave sisal is resistant to seawater).

the twitter thread i mentioned above has some insights into attuma's ceremonial outfit, including that he's wearing a jaguar pelt. the talokanil could very well have some kind of coming-of-age ceremony where they go to the surface for the first time to hunt. or attuma could just be an adrenaline junkie lol. hammerhead sharks, jaguars — it's all the same to him. as for the rest of the outfit, i'm gonna say different grades of talokanil agave bc why not!

at different points in the film, namora and shuri both wear body jewelry primarily made of jade. iris van herpen has said that shuri's also has pearls and Spondylus shell beads (the orangey-pink ones). namora's doesn't appear to contain Spondylus but perhaps other precious stones (maybe obsidian?). that might indicate some kind of difference in status, or some kind of oblique reference to namora being a warrior, since obsidian was often used for weapons (saunders 2001, 220-236).

shuri's second talokan outfit has feathers on the back, reminiscent of the tail plumes of the resplendent quetzal (yes, as in the bird associated with quetzalcoatl, the aztec equivalent of kukulcan. this man is never beating the egocentric allegations 💀). however, the color is wrong. resplendent quetzals have primarily green plumage & only the males sport the iconic tail feathers. moreover, resplendent quetzals live in the highland rainforests, not the coastal areas. so i'm not sure if this means that the feathers are from a different bird species altogether, or, like namora's headdress, they are not actually feathers but fish fins. i haven't found a high-res enough photo of the outfit so i still can't be sure.

the rest of the outfit appears to be a mix of fabrics, heavier on top and lighter on the bottom. i'm intrigued that the bottom half is pants, because we haven't seen any talokanil wear anything similar. could this be a leftover from the cut scenes where shuri & riri were supposed to work on something for k'uk'ulkan, & this is an outfit she came up with herself? they might have given her the fabric & told her to go to town, which could explain why the design looks very different from what we've seen of talokanil fashion. i think riri also gets a different outfit but i can't find good photos of it.

now her scenes were cut from the final version of the film, but one of the talokanil extras posted some intriguing bts footage. her character was supposed to a scientist (likely from the cut scenes with shuri & riri). she's not blue & isn't wearing face/gill masks, suggesting her parts take place underwater.

her outfit is pretty unconventional compared to namora's or the handmaidens'. she appears to be wearing more plant life (probably some sort of kelp & seagrass, among other species i don't recognize), but the main body of her outfit looks strangely artificial. i'm not sure if this is intentional or if her final appearance was meant to be tweaked with cgi (the mesh underneath is throwing me off). i would like to say her outfit is probably mostly made of talokanil vibranium, but i'm not sure if that would be realistic in-universe (would that mean she is of high status? another relative of k'uk'ulkan perhaps? or does jade still mean more to the talokanil than vibranium, therefore her use of it doesn't necessarily indicate status?). in any case, she's the only talokanil we're aware of who eschews traditional clothing styles.

additional bts footage from jewelianna ramos-ortiz (the scientist) also show other talokanil who are dressed differently from the regular warriors we see. they aren't blue either, but we do see that they have on red body paint (which we have not seen other talokanil use). google scholar is being reticent but as far as i can tell, body paint in pre-colonial mesoamerica, when not in a funerary context, was associated with ceremonies or festivals. the latter likely used organic compounds such as cochineal or achoite (that's achuete/atsuete for us filipinos), while the former employed the toxic cinnabar (source). with the talokanil, it could really go either way; we don't know if they're as immune to toxins as they are to stab wounds. i'm not sure about the seawater resistance of either type of pigment though.

interestingly, they appear to be wearing the leaves of surface plants (none of which i recognize, unfortunately, even after some googling of native yucatán flora). their different manner of dress may indicate the nature of their role in talokanil society, though as to what that role is remains to be seen.

one funny implication though of practically everyone in talokan wearing talokanil agave is that shuri could've just taken anyone's clothes to re-create the heart-shaped herb, including the ones she was given 💀 but the talokanil still could've cultivated the plant in the past centuries such that the variant they use for clothing differs quite a bit from the original so it wouldn't work as well. like maybe they have a "drink this to save your life. for emergencies only" cultigen & a "for everyday life" cultigen lol.

aaaaand that's it! if you're still reading this, thank you! this was a fun research exercise, although i probably still missed a lot. this was practically a whole damn research paper lmao. let me know your thoughts!

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