#Milla Appreciation Day

[daresplaining]

Daredevil vol. 2 #48 by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, Matt Hollingsworth, and Cory Petit

I've written about this scene before, but I just keep coming back to it. Matt has just been attacked by Typhoid Mary, approximately thirty seconds into his second date with Milla. With the help of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, who are bodyguarding for him at the time, Matt manages to fight Typhoid off and get Milla out of harm's way. He brings her back to his apartment, where he can treat his injuries and Milla can get some breathing space to recover. As the evening progresses, they end up in bed together.

There are so many stories— heck, so many Daredevil stories— in which a scene like this would turn sexual. And there isn't anything inherently wrong with that, and there are certainly undertones here for anyone looking for them. But instead, Milla and Matt get into something much more somber: a direct examination of what they've just been through, and what Milla wants to do about it. The bed scene begins with Milla tracing her fingers over the scars on Matt's body while he tells her which villain gave him each one. The conversation slides into the exchange above. This is not long after Karen Page's death (a fact that will pop up in more emphatic ways later in the run). Milla has just been on two disastrous dates, the latest of which put her in direct physical danger. Matt is brutally aware of the kind of target he is putting on her by allowing her to associate with him, and now he knows that Milla knows it too. In previous relationships he might not have brought it up; before Karen's death, before Elektra's, before Glori's, he might have said nothing here, eager for love and brashly confident in his ability to be the hero and keep his girlfriend safe. But no matter how much he likes Milla, and no matter how desperately he might want this relationship— because he's into her, because he needs something pleasant and consistent in his messy life, because the guy rebound dates like it's his damn job— he has the wherewithal, and the honesty, and the fear to tell her that she should take all of this danger seriously and leave. He gives her that choice.

It's easy for us as the readers, with the benefit of hindsight, to say that Milla was foolish to ignore the warnings and to pass up this opportunity to get out of the relationship before it turned ugly. But what I think hits me so hard about this scene is her conviction, and her courage to push all of that aside and offer up the hope that this time, things might be better. Milla has not known Matt for long, other than by reputation, but she has already proven that she is willing to go to great lengths to protect him. She isn't easily frightened, and she likes Matt too much to let him go this easily. Look at the framing and pacing of this moment. Matt makes his long speech about the horror Milla has just been through, and how much he likes her and how little she deserves what she will go through by being around him, and how he can't imagine why she would possibly want to stay. It's a speech full of stutters and pauses; Matt is rattled and frightened. And then there are two panels of silence, in which Milla seems to consider him, and he seems to consider her (it's almost framed as if they are looking at each other, and while obviously that's not what they're literally doing, it does create the sense that an examination is taking place). And then Milla just snuggles in closer and gives her answer: "Because I'm quite fond of you." And there's immense power in such a simple, almost casual response. She has witnessed the danger. She has thought about the danger. She wants to hang out with him anyway because she likes him.

The final panel is beautiful, framing Milla's single line of dialogue. A breeze lifts the curtain on the open window. The walls of the bedroom are transparent, letting in a view of the city and the sky, as if they are lying outdoors, perhaps invoking that feeling of the sounds of New York coming into the room and shattering that illusion of spatial separation. In this moment, neither of them can know what is coming, but with her choice to stay, Milla has conjured a world in which they can both imagine that this kind of peace might be possible.

[kutpot]

[thedevotionaltour]

a (criminally quick) sketch of milla in red for today's milla appreciation day!!!

[experimentaldata]

Couldn’t let Milla Appreciation Day go by without more headcanons:

-Again, I headcanon her as a double social worker and theater major in undergrad (probably MSW degree also but that’s beside the point), and that she stays involved in community theater as a hobby.

-At some point this leads to a great conversation about bodies as weapons, as art, as…just bodies. Stuff. Things.

-I think in general Milla welcomes Matt’s philosophical and aesthetic side in a way others haven’t before. I think their relationship would be one of intellectual equals to lovers, so to speak. She pulls him out of the immensely practical of all his problems and issues and into the theoretical. It’s a sanctuary and it scratches an itch that has been there since his law school days with Foggy.

-Matt, in turn, welcomes Milla’s company. It’s refreshing. She’s been told all her life, directly or indirectly, that she’s a bit “too much”. Too extroverted, too intense, too curious, etc. He listens to her, really listens, and welcomes her passions, her thoughts on art, music, culture, social justice, even stupid tv shows. She finds her mask slipping. She hasn’t felt that in years.

-I have more thoughts but I’m real tired. Please talk to me about MattMilla anytime lol.

[cyanidespideycup]

Nearly forgot but happy Milla appreciation day!!

[typhoid-moi]

I'm so mad they fridged Milla in the comics. She's a badass and I think it's really interesting to see Matt interact with a non-powered blind person. I wish they'd used Milla in the Netflix show, so I put her in the fic I wrote about Matt as a young teenager, which is mostly about him figuring out his shit and making friends and hooking up with people (but not Milla.)

Am I selling this? Probably not. But if you're curious, you can read it here:

Peoplewatching

Matt is laughing a little at his own punchline, but Milla doesn't seem to find it funny. “OK, OK, wait,” he explains. “He was blind, too. Born blind. I probably should have mentioned that.”

“What was he doing teaching a blind kid martial arts, one-on-one, unsupervised?”

"I don't know. It was, like, occupational therapy. The nuns set it up."

Milla lowers her voice. “Was this guy a pervert?”

[aurorawritestoescape]

HALLOWEEN NIGHT

Stepdad Joel Miller x f!reader || 500 words

Summary: you’re about to leave home for a Halloween party but your stepdad has other ideas.

Tw: 18+ mdni, smut, step-cest, dub con but reader’s into it, legal age gap, perv!Joel, infidelity, unprotected piv (wrap it up), degradation, slutshaming, praise kink, daddy kink, swearing.

A/n: a brief and unexpected (for me too lol) visit from stepdad Joel. He won’t let me go I guess🫠 Happy Halloween, sluts (affectionate)🎃💕 dividers by @saradika-graphics

MASTERLIST || SERIES MASTERLIST

You’re hurrying down the stairs, wearing your Halloween costume - a top, a mini skirt with a tail and cute cat ears. Almost out of the door you hear your stepdad call your name from the living room.

“What?” you ask, peeking into the room.

He looks you up and down, brows furrowed.

“C’mere.”

“What?” You repeat, getting annoyed. “I’m late.”

You know it’ll take longer to argue with him so you do what you’ve been told.

He’s sitting on the couch and when you step up to him he leans forward and plants the elbows on his knees.

Your stepdad’s dark eyes slide over your figure and he takes a sharp breath.

“Lookin’ like a damn slut. As always.”

“It’s Halloween, Joel,” you grumble, rolling your eyes at the man.

“Seems like ya celebrate it every day, sweetheart,” he mumbles as his hand darts to his crotch and he starts palming it. You glare at him but already feel the tingling between your legs. He looks so hot wearing his white undershirt and worn out gray sweatpants.

When Joel’s free hand wraps around the back of your thigh you softly gasp and try to step back but he holds you in place.

“Shhh, little kitty, ‘s jus’ daddy.”

“Joel,” you plea, your mind screaming for him to stop while your body demands for him to continue.

“Gonna have fun tonight?” His hand slides up and up until it snakes under your skirt.

Your heartbeat is booming in your throat. You’re scared that your mom will catch you two but at the same time you’re trembling with arousal.

“Mmm— I — I don’t know,” your voice is shaky. “My friends are waiting in the car.”

“Hmm, what kinda friends?” You feel Joel’s warm fingers graze your ass and softly pinch your cheek. He’s looking up at you, his eyes obsidian.

“Just my girls.”

You’re barely breathing at this point.

The pads of his thick digits push between your cheeks and he massages your pussy folds through your thin panties from behind. You wonder if he feels how wet you’re. For him. For your stepdad. Oh god!

“Hngg — your girls’ll have to wait.”

His hand leaves your pussy and he leans back on the couch.

“Ya gonna ride this dick now. Don’t worry, I’ll fill you up soon. 5 minutes tops,” he’s telling you this as his hand pulls the waistband of his sweatpants down and he frees his hard cock. How the hell is he already hard?!

You open your mouth to protest, to reason with him, to tell him you don’t have time, that your mom, napping upstairs, can wake up any moment but his cock—

his gorgeous, stiff, leaking cock—

calling to you— Your pussy wants it—needs it.

You sigh and pull your skirt up before straddling Joel’s hips.

Your hand wraps around his girthy base and you line up his fat tip with your little hole. You’re soaking wet and your cunt is sinking down on it, easily taking his massive cock, while your eyes are locked. Your stepdad moans, his lids heavy with pleasure, before a smirk tugs at his lips and he mumbles,

“Happy Halloween—my little slut.”

Thank you for reading! Comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!<3

MASTERLIST || SERIES MASTERLIST

Tag list: @milla-frenchy @harriedandharassed @iamasaddie @nervousmumbling @bbyanarchist @stevie75 @puduvallee @auteurdelabre @mountainsandmayhem @senoratess @flamingochick55 @theoraekenslover @schnarfer @mermaidgirl30 @staywildflowahchild @yesjazzywazzylove-blog @evolnoomym @keylimebeag @joelmillerisapunk @pascaltesfaye @fruityreads @itwasntimethatdidit40

Stepdad Joel tag @megangovier @she-could-never

[milla-frenchy]

hello, my dearest Milla 🤍

with this ask I challenge you to write a ficlet (or anything bigger if you want) inspired by this screenshot:

may the writing muses be with you,

kissing you on your forehead (if you allow it not then just waving from the distance!)

The constant

0k5 | Javier Peña x fem reader | ao3 | Masterlist

Summary: Javi wakes up after a nightmare Warnings: 18+ mdni. Angst, piv. No age specified

a/n: thank you for the inspo, Aly 💛(smooching you, if you allow 😌), thank you @aurorawritestoescape for beta ing 💕

He woke up restless, sweating. Heart beating so fast and hard in his chest that he thought it was about to explode. And then he remembered his nightmare, his brain torturing him at night, making him recall insidiously the events he had faced earlier. As if the anxiety that had its grip on him all day wasn't enough, it had to come to him at night too. 

He felt useless. His job was useless.

He grabbed an ashtray and his pack of cigarettes from the nightstand, and lit one. Too bad about the nicorette. Migraine hit him and he pressed his palm to his forehead.

“Javi?” you murmured, voice sleepy.

“Shit, I’m sorry hermosa. Did I wake you up?” he asked, still haunted by the images swirling like ghosts in his mind, his gaze lost in the sheets he couldn't even see.

“It’s ok, baby,” you answered. You sat up and wrapped your arms around him, cheek resting on his shoulder. The warmth of your naked body against his, an attempt to get him back to you. 

You knew what was torturing him, you had lost count of his nighttime awakenings, mumbling in his sleep. 

He kept smoking, flicking the ash into the ashtray from time to time.

“I’m sorry,” he said again.

“Hey… don’t do that,” you replied, kissing his shoulder and tightening your grip around him. “I’m here for you, no matter what.”

His Adam's apple throbbed and then returned to its place, almost painfully.

“Javier,” you insisted.

The corner of his lip slightly twitched into a smile, as he heard you say his full first name to prove that you meant it. You were the only one who never made him roll his eyes, always knew how to act around him, instinctively.

“Tell me what you need,” you said, encouraging him.

He put out his cigarette and placed the ashtray back on the nightstand. “Need to forget,” he breathed, still unable to look at you, as if he hated himself at those moments. 

“Come here,” you said, hand tight on his bicep as you lay down on the bed and spread your thighs lightly. He positioned himself between them, his eyes finally plunging into yours. You brushed his cheek as he nestled his cock at your entrance. His tortured, haunted eyes fixed on yours, but not quite present yet. 

He slowly pushed in and the warmth of your cunt surrounded him. He frowned, as if he was fighting against the darkest part of himself to come back to you, mentally and physically. 

Your body responded to his length, his touch, and covered him with your wetness. Your fingers played with his hair at the back of his neck as he slid his arms under your shoulders. He moaned softly when he felt your body fully welcome him. 

You didn't take your eyes off him, watching his gaze changing and the anxiety leaving, as he was fucking you slowly, your clit already throbbing against his skin. 

“You’re my constant in this world, hermosa,” he had told you once. 

And each of those moments proved it to you a little more, night after night. You knew he would be okay as long as he would be against you, inside you. And so would you.

Javi p masterlist

Thank you for reading 🙏

Comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated ❤️

Follow @millafics and turn notifications on for fics updates

@littlemisspascal @pascalsanctuary @survivingandenduring

[happypedrohours]

Bouquets of Pedro Creativity Challenge

Welcome to our new Creativity Challenge for our next Happy Pedro Hours event! We're excited to see what you'll create! How does it work?

Send us an ask to pick a number between 1 and 26. You will be given a prompt made up of one Pedro character and one Valentine's Day themed prompt.

Create something based on this prompt: it can be a fic, a moodboard, even some art, this is a very inclusive event, anything artistic is a go!

It's up to you to decide if you want to create something fluffy, smutty or angsty. We just ask you that you tag your post accordingly, and that you have fun!

Post your creation between February 14th and February 16th during the Happy Pedro Hours Pink Edition event. Please use the hashtags #happypedrohours and #bouquetsofpedrochallenge so we can find and reblog your creation.

We hope you'll be inspired to create some beautiful things. Reblogs are appreciated to spread the word. Tell your artist friends!!

Bouquet list

💐1: Joel Miller & drive-in date by @evolnoomym

💐2: Pero Tovar & lingerie by @lotusbxtch

💐3: Clint & being sick by @pedrospookie

💐4: Marcus Moreno & enemies to lovers by @din-cognito

💐5: Frankie Morales & public proposal by @penvisions

💐6: Javier Gutierrez & someone has sworn off love by @milla-frenchy

💐7: Silva & bouquet giving by @savedyounine

💐8: Agent Whiskey & sex toys by @inept-the-magnificent

💐9: Dieter Bravo & PDA by @604to647

💐10: Ezra & speed dating by @rulexofxnines

💐11: Marcus Acacius & friends to lovers by @tateypots

💐12: Marcus Moreno & serenade by @joelalorian

💐13: Din Djarin & platonic love by @pedges-world

💐14: Fink & little black dress by @just-mj-or-not

💐15: Max Phillips & heart-shaped candy by @popcornforone

💐16: Din Djarin & late for a date by @hicanivent

💐17: Javier Peña & liquor-filled chocolate by @prolix-yuy

💐18: Dieter Bravo & dating apps by @aurorawritestoescape

💐19: Dave York & stood up on a date by @quinnnfabrgay-writes

💐20

💐21

💐22

💐23: Prince Oberyn & fake dating by @baronessvonglitter

💐24: Silva & forgotten anniversary by @beefrobeefcal

💐25: Ezra & homemade goods by @thepalaceofmelanie

💐26

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 (i guess)

okay. let's be honest. i have a huge problem with imposter syndrome, for years. no matter what i do and what the results are - my inner critic has her hands full. but this little beast @gothcsz tagged me in something i've been following for a while now and i finally came out from under the blanket.

i started writing as a kid. it allowed me to escape from reality. sometimes i wrote more, and sometimes i had a few years off (yes, i'm old!). now i'm back here.

am i proud of myself? sometimes. i've gotten used to the fact that what i like doesn't always please my readers. but i try to develop, learn new things and i love it when we meet somewhere halfway. i wish i could be more open to you, but it's fucking hard.

however i appreciate every second you spent reading what i write, thank you for every comment, every remark, every feedback. it's like a sign from the universe that there is life on the other side and i'm not crazy. ♥️

my favourite fanfics/oneshots from this year:

✤ General Marcus Acacius

nymph (series) if i am happy with something it is this. Marcus Acacius and Nymph. i like writing these two characters. they remind me of greek and roman myths that i read as a child. but despite everything there are times when it is hard for me to write it.

the favourite of gods (oneshot) I have no explanation for this. I was carried away by the moment when I wrote it. Am I the only one who is into the mythological, fairy-tale, mystical part of antiquity? Yes, I am bad at it. But I wrote it. And I like it.

✤ Joel Miller

the anniversary (oneshot) I never thought that something I experienced (I mean forgetting our anniversary, not sex with Joel) would be read with interest. I think I like it, although I sometimes get sad when I see a new reaction to this story in my notifications

broken trust [part 1][part 2][part 3][part 4][part 5] [epilogue] (series) this is something long that i didn't think i'd finish writing. i'm proud of it. i really like when female characters are independent and strong. that's how i wanted her to be seen. i know it's not perfect, but there are a few moments in there that i really like and i've been working on them for a long time.

short stories from life. (short stories) here I wanted to try something new, something between a series and oneshots. because sometimes there's an idea in your head, but you don't want to create a whole long story for it. did I succeed? it's an experiment. I'm testing it on myself. you're safe.

✤ Javi Gutierrez

inhale, exhale (oneshot) I know that many people who read this identified with it. Me too. I wrote with the thought - I wish there was someone next to me in moments like these, who would help me get through this. do I have tears in my eyes right now? yes, and I'm not ashamed of it. situations like this suck. (tw: panic attacks)

✤Javier Peña

you in my eyes [1][2] I started this recently, but I have great pleasure writing it. why did I put it here? because I like it. i can write this story for myself, that's okay too. It's something new for me, something that allows me to think differently.

and...

💔 a few ways to break your heart 💔 [masterlist]

❤️‍ broken hearts seek redemption ❤️‍ [ masterlist]

this really got to me. really. there are characters for whom angst is easy to write, and there are those for whom your heart breaks when you have to write something bad. I approach what I write quite personally, I know I shouldn't. breaking a heart was relatively easy, mending it - no. I survived it, and so did they.

I read these writers

People I follow, love, adore, and wish I could support every day because they're amazing, beautiful, talented, authentic, empathetic, open-minded, creative, and so much more. ♥️

@gothcsz @sanarsi @stylesispunk @mothandpidgeon @morallyinept @punkshort @toomanystoriessolittletime @604to647 @oonajaeadira @iamasaddie @auteurdelabre @milla-frenchy @alwayslurkinginthebackground @javierpena-inatacvest @notjustjavierpena @theetherealbloom @baronessvonglitter @insomniamamma @hiddenzev @joelmillerisapunk

If any of you would like to praise yourself, please do so.

PS. did I do it right?

[daresplaining]

Milla Donovan by Marko Djurdjevic

[kutpot]

[baronessvonglitter]

Wip Wednesday

thank you @myownwholewildworld and @penascigarette for tagging me 🦋

For starters, I have chapter 2 of "Law of Attraction" which will be ready to go Monday, wherein we learn a little more about the early days of reader and Javi's relationship:

From the moment you'd met Javier Pena, who sold drugs to your friends behind the football field bleachers during your senior year of high school, you'd fallen for his bad boy persona. Motorcycle, leather jacket, aviators, cigarette resting between pouty lips, perfectly groomed mustache. He looked like the saxophone solo from "Careless Whisper". And out of all the girls who flirted with him, you were the one he wanted.  He'd whisked you away on his motorcycle, bringing you home so late that your parents forbade you from seeing him. But nothing could stop true love, that's what you had with him. Javier saw you, made you feel seen. He listened to you, big brown eyes studying your every feature, compelling you to kiss him, to do things you ordinarily wouldn't have.

And a spicy part from "The Girlfriend Experience":

Oberyn's lips brush your shoulder, humming appreciatively at your pleasured reaction. "That's it, pretty baby, feel it." His fingers join Ellaria's inside you, stretching you further. You grasp the satin bedsheets in fervent need. Oberyn's gold rings at the base of his agile fingers are cool against your heated flesh.  You fuck yourself against their fingers, kissing him and then her, their free hands grabbing at your breasts, cupping your ass, the three of you moaning and sighing in unison until you come hard, and when you open your eyes they're kissing in front of you.  "Let's give him a little show," you whisper to Ellaria, tucking a strand of her curly jet-black hair behind her ear. "Give him something to pump his cock for.."

And last but not least, a Christmas fic about sleazy mall Santa Joel, who's gonna give you something to suck on, and it ain't a candy cane.. (thanks to @strang3lov3 for being my enabler)

Santa watches as you pass, cheap plastic beard hanging off, revealing gray scruff, his red suit wrinkled and stained. You track his gaze roving over your figure, fully concentrating on the jiggle of your ass under the short skirt you'd picked out in the hopes of getting a quickie. "God damn," you hear him mutter. "Merry Christmas, babygirl." he calls out. You glance back and see him pull the beard down, wiggling his tongue at you in a lewd manner.  Fucking sleaze. But your pussy is wet and throbbing, and this is the first bit of attention you've had all day. You respond by stuffing your tongue in your cheek and making a blow job motion. Santa licks his lips and subtly palms his cock over his fluffy red pants.

It's been a crazy post-Thanksgiving week but I am trying to get caught up with reading and tags and such. I promise I'll get to everything in due time ❤️

NPT for @almostfoxglove, @greenwitchfromthewoods, @itwasntimethatdidit40, @milla-frenchy, @evolnoomym, @inept-the-magnificent and literally anyone else who wants to show their wips 😉

[itwasntimethatdidit40]

Wip Wednesday

Thank you so much for the tag @cas-readsandwrites and @joelmillerisapunk ❤️

I have a little something for both challenges I am working on, please remember they are still unedited and something may change over time 👀

Boss!Joel for @yxtkiwiyxt "Never have I ever" challenge.

Pam was sitting at her desk as usual when you had walked in.  It was a few feet from the door of Mr. Miller's study.  A large, black, solid wooden door with a fine frame, one of those that seemed to lead to the rooms forbidden to poor commoners.  She had just looked up from the computer screen to tell you to come in, Mr. Miller was waiting for you, and then she was back to work. Pam was a woman in her 60s, blond hair perpetually pulled back in an elegant bun, a pearl necklace around her neck, cachemire sweaters in all pastel colors, silk blouses and matching skirts. She looked very neat, austere, you could swear you never saw her smile but heck, she was really very good at her job and had been managing Mr. Miller's impossible schedule for many years now. You had knocked on the door feeling your heart in your throat, thinking you were one step away from being fired. Joel's voice had bounced through the door, heavy and raspy "come in.” You entered trying to maintain a composure. “Good afternoon Mr Miller, you wanted to see me?”  He put down the papers he was perusing at on the desk and looked up at you. “Oh, it's you,” he said in a very calm voice. “The one who made me lose a lot of money.” Joel didn’t like to beat around the bush. “I...I'm sorry but the guy was too much of an asshole for me to take it.” You spat out. You knew Joel appreciated people who were standing their ground, so you tried to act bold and unapologetic. “Excuse me, should I care? You just made a thousands dollar check disappear.” He retorted. The calm that enveloped the room was unreal. You stood in front of his stately mahogany desk trying to keep your back straight and your shoulders back. Of course he didn’t care, he was an asshole too. And you were drooling over him since the first day you arrived. 

And a little tiny bit of Peña for @jolapeno 's "Dear-uary" challenge.

“I know what you’re doing” you hiss under your breath feeling your eyes stinging. Javier is a marble statue in front of you, his lips pressed together, his absent eyes not even looking at you, staring at a spot behind your shoulders, his arms abandoned along his sides.  He seems anchored to the ground as if he cannot take a step.  His last words to you still burn on your skin. An heavy silence between you fills the air of the room and makes it unbreathable.  “Fuck, Javier, talk to me,” you whisper angrily. You clutch his phone in your hands, so tightly that your knuckles are white from exertion, as if you were clinging to it to keep from falling off a cliff.  “You knew I was no good” he says sternly.

npt: @baronessvonglitter @aurorawritestoescape @milla-frenchy @probablyreadinsmut @gothcsz @almostempty @thundermartini @sizzlingcloudmentality @arcanefox207 and whoever wants do this ❤️

[alltheirdamn]

WIP WEDNESDAY

thank you for the tag @mermaidgirl30 xoxo 💛

okay, chapter 1 of diamond dolls will be dropping by the end of the week!! (finally, i know lol) so here’s a lil snippet…

**

“Come back at nine. You’ll be on stage tonight,” he offered, rising from his seat.

“What?” You balked. “You just told me you didn’t want to see me audition.”

Joel shoved his hands in the front pockets of his dress pants, his shoulders lifting slightly with a shrug. You waited for the other shoe to drop, for him to laugh in your face and shove you out the door. But there wasn’t a hint of sarcasm in his tone nor a look of deception in his soft eyes.

“I never ask my girls to audition,” he explained.

“Why? What if I’m bullshitting you?”

“I’ll find out if you are, but I got a feelin’ you won’t let me down.”

**

and….. because i’m so addicted to cowboy!joel…. there might be another one shot in the works….

**

“I really don’t appreciate your fuckin’ tone right now, Joel. Y’ain’t gotta take out your anger on me.”

Joel ran a hand over the scruff on his jaw, his eyes saturated like a pool of oil slick.

“Trust me darlin’, all I wanna do right now is take my anger out on you.”

“Really?” You challenged, crossing your arms over your chest. “Y’have one bad day and think that gives you an excuse to use me to make yourself feel better?”

“Keep pushin’ me. Ain’t gonna end well for you,” he warned.

You stepped forward, electricity crackling between your bodies. Joel’s anger surged through the air in the room, thickening the air as you sucked in a frustrated breath.

“I ain’t scared of you.”

Working at his belt buckle, Joel snapped the leather strap until it sprung free from the belt loops on his jeans. Gripping it between both hands, he prowled toward you, the threat looming behind every step.

“I know y’ain’t, darlin’, but you’re about to be.”

**

all my love always xoxo- V

NP TAGS!! @mountainsandmayhem @lotusbxtch @endlessthxxghts @evolnoomym @fruityreads @guiltyasdave @iamasaddie @katiexpunk @magpiepills @milla-frenchy @tonysopranosrobe @pedropeach @yxtkiwiyxt @strang3lov3

[sheltershock]

I was thinking today about how Sasha and Milla both got burned for using telepathy/mind reading on another person without their consent and I liked that it played out that way. I think realistically if you had the ability to read minds you’d also be traumatized by the thoughts/fantasies of others. Plus it adds more subtext in PN2 when Sasha scolds Raz for trying to bend someone else’s will to his own. Because that’s what he did when he was younger. Major props. Psychonauts is so good at subtext that’s why I love the writing, and it’s ability to be whimsical and silly but also realistic and gritty at times.

But then I thought about their constant psychic link. It’s cute, nice little relationship thing between them. However, when taking the mind reading trauma into account… that psychic link probably wasn’t easy. At least in the beginning.

I mean the last time they did any level of telepathy/mind reading it went so awfully that both of their lives changed trajectory in an instant. So the idea of doing that again in general must be terrifying. I’m sure they both decided to form that link, but even having known each other there could be that aching fear in the background that the other person might accidentally hurt them.

Maybe the link was a form of therapy for the both of them. And they might have not even shared/said anything over it for a while. It could have been strictly professional at first, reminders for meetings, information relay, communication in the field, etc. They’re both still a little tense though that they’ll accidentally share something unrelated.

Milla was probably the first of them to share something over the link that was non-work related. Something mundane, like appreciation of the view from her office, or a compliment of the music she can hear through the wall, or what’s being served in the cafeteria that day. Something simple. And he’d answer back and they’d continue with their day. The first thing Sasha would have sent over was probably observations, non emotional observations. Construction being done, new colors being painted, or saying it’s colder outside and to bring a jacket if she’s going to the Quarry that day. They get a little more confident after a while. They share things they know the other would like. They start having longer conversations. There’s more emotion. People can observe them smiling at seemingly nothing more frequently.

Once a little bit more comfortable they’re talking about what they did that weekend, Milla struggles to describe exactly what her experience was like the other night. She offers to share the memory directly. She can feel Sasha tense up on the other side. The conversation ends. The next day, he offers her to send it over. He’s spent the entire time preparing for it, telling himself over and over that it’s her, that she’s offering, that it’s probably fine. And it is. Milla’s delighted and they move on, though she checks to make sure he’s not hiding a bad reaction from her. They’re both fine.

But that’s one of the things she’s very aware of. Long stretches of time where Sasha won’t say or respond to anything at all. She can hear swears through the wall during this brief times, and he hardly ever leaves his lab either. She understands why, everyone has bad days. But sometimes he does reach to her, because she always offers an ear to everyone. But she always makes it a verbal conversation. She just can’t seem to push past the irrational thoughts that the source of his frustration might be her. That she’s not a good enough agent, a good enough friend, a good enough partner. And she knows that he’d never say any of those things… to her face. But if she would read his mind she’d know for sure.

And one day he asks again if he can talk to her, and hesitantly she agrees. Over the link. And she spends the entire time waiting, waiting for that dreaded Freudian slip. But it doesn’t happen. And he finishes his thought, and they both continue on, except Milla finds herself in tears in her office. And she finds herself reaching back over to talk some more.

Over time and each individual thought, memory and experience, they’re both confident and far less afraid as they used to be. Their fears aren’t completely gone of course, but it’s them, specifically. And they know where the other’s sore spot is, and are more than willing to provide a warning for anything triggering. They find themselves using their telepathy abilities with others from the newfound confidence. Projecting their own thoughts to another, but only one way though. Only in the other do they feel truly safe enough for a two-way mental link. And was preciously an isolating, vivid and painful experience is now one where they are never truly alone, and it’s peaceful and it’s comforting.

Just a thought.