#This image here was also two separate photos that I put together myself
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Charles Xavier in thr 1st Hellfire Gala this, Charles Xavier in the 3rd Hellfire Gala that, but what about:
Charles Xavier in the 2nd Hellfire Gala???!!!
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d0b6f29cff7065d6fca3cd51b1a1e744/c1226e37114529a7-77/s1280x1920/6a48b96e49fcd80ba675ab6504fa6fbc04186467.jpg)
My man is looking gooood~~~❤️🔥
X-Men Unlimited: Infinity Comic #53
#He only had one background appearance#in a digital side comic#And that's it!#But you know that would never stop me#This image here was also two separate photos that I put together myself#You won't find anything else that indicates his presence at this gala#charles xavier#professor x#x men comics#hellfire gala
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Some thoughts on Cara
So some of you may have heard about Cara, the new platform that a lot of artists are trying out. It's been around for a while, but there's been a recent huge surge of new users, myself among them. Thought I'd type up a lil thing on my initial thoughts.
First, what is Cara?
From their About Cara page:
Cara is a social media and portfolio platform for artists. With the widespread use of generative AI, we decided to build a place that filters out generative AI images so that people who want to find authentic creatives and artwork can do so easily. Many platforms currently accept AI art when it’s not ethical, while others have promised “no AI forever” policies without consideration for the scenario where adoption of such technologies may happen at the workplace in the coming years. The future of creative industries requires nuanced understanding and support to help artists and companies connect and work together. We want to bridge the gap and build a platform that we would enjoy using as creatives ourselves. Our stance on AI: ・We do not agree with generative AI tools in their current unethical form, and we won’t host AI-generated portfolios unless the rampant ethical and data privacy issues around datasets are resolved via regulation. ・In the event that legislation is passed to clearly protect artists, we believe that AI-generated content should always be clearly labeled, because the public should always be able to search for human-made art and media easily.
Should note that Cara is independently funded, and is made by a core group of artists and engineers and is even collaborating with the Glaze project. It's very much a platform by artists, for artists!
Should also mention that in being a platform for artists, it's more a gallery first, with social media functionalities on the side. The info below will hopefully explain how that works.
Next, my actual initial thoughts using it, and things that set it apart from other platforms I've used:
1) When you post, you can choose to check the portfolio option, or to NOT check it. This is fantastic because it means I can have just my art organized in my gallery, but I can still post random stuff like photos of my cats and it won't clutter things. You can also just ramble/text post and it won't affect the gallery view!
2) You can adjust your crop preview for your images. Such a simple thing, yet so darn nice.
3) When you check that "Add to portfolio," you get a bunch of additional optional fields: Title, Field/Medium, Project Type, Category Tags, and Software Used. It's nice that you can put all this info into organized fields that don't take up text space.
4) Speaking of text, 5000 character limit is niiiiice. If you want to talk, you can.
5) Two separate feeds, a "For You" algorithmic one, and "Following." The "Following" actually appears to be full chronological timeline of just folks you follow (like Tumblr). Amazing.
6) Now usually, "For You" being set to home/default kinda pisses me off because generally I like curating my own experience, but not here, for this handy reason: if you tap the gear symbol, you can ADJUST your algorithm feed!
So you can choose what you see still!!! AMAZING. And, again, you still have your Following timeline too.
7) To repeat the stuff at the top of this post, its creation and intent as a place by artists, for artists. Hopefully you can also see from the points above that it's been designed with artists in mind.
8) No GenAI images!!!! There's a pop up that says it's not allowed, and apparently there's some sort of detector thing too. Not sure how reliable the latter is, but so far, it's just been a breath of fresh air, being able to scroll and see human art art and art!
To be clear, Cara's not perfect and is currently pretty laggy, and you can get errors while posting (so far, I've had more success on desktop than the mobile app), but that's understandable, given the small team. They'll need time to scale. For me though, it's a fair tradeoff for a platform that actually cares about artists.
Currently it also doesn't allow NSFW, not sure if that'll change given app store rules.
As mentioned above, they're independently funded, which means the team is currently paying for Cara itself. They have a kofi set up for folks who want to chip in, but it's optional. Here's the link to the tweet from one of the founders:
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/5903a0b74585be2a746e6024ca68838d/16354619733da068-79/s540x810/e7b9892a7df9ecf41e36b59627268be69ca5e011.jpg)
And a reminder that no matter that the platform itself isn't selling our data to GenAI, it can still be scraped by third parties. Protect your work with Glaze and Nightshade!
Anyway, I'm still figuring stuff out and have only been on Cara a few days, but I feel hopeful, and I think they're off to a good start.
I hope this post has been informative!
Lastly, here's my own Cara if you want to come say hi! Not sure at all if I'll be active on there, but if you're an artist like me who is keeping an eye out for hopefully nice communities, check it out!
#YukiPri rambles#cara#cara app#social media#artists on tumblr#review#longpost#long post#mostly i'd already typed this up on twitter so i figured why not share it here too#also since tumblr too is selling our data to GenAI
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When his heart first skipped a beat [Obey Me! Headcanons]
Obey Me! Masterlist
--
Lucifer
"No," MC stood their ground in front of him. He narrowed his eyes and told them to move once more. "I'm not moving, you need your rest." They spread their arms out as if their body would be enough to stop him. "I'm going to take care of your brothers, you go to bed."
"Who do you think you are ordering me around? You don't have a pact with me," he lowered his voice in an attempt to intimidate them.
"Your friend," MC replied, not at all scared of him. Instead, they looked up at him with a look that made him want to take a step back.
He felt his heart squeeze and his eyes widened at the sensation. He shook his head. Perhaps the exhaustion was giving him heart palpitations.
"Fine," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "But once I wake up, things had better be in order."
Mammon
"I don't want to make a pact with him like this, Levi," he heard MC talking in the kitchen. He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to eavesdrop.
"I want my money back, MC," Levi whined. "If you make a pact with him you can force him to give it back to me."
"But forcing someone to do something isn't right," MC protested.
"If he forms the pact with you, then that's his fault!"
"But holding Goldie hostage?" Mammon's eyes widened at the thought of his credit card being found. He peeked around the corner, seeing MC chipping away at the ice block surrounding his precious card.
"Just do it, MC," Levi said with a roll of his eyes.
"I don't want to use Mammon like that," MC murmured, sadness evident on their face. He felt his heart squeeze at the sight of someone not wanting to treat him like the scumbag he is. Taking a deep breath, he sauntered into the kitchen. Maybe he'd let them think they'd form a pact with him just for Goldie.
Leviathan
"Hey Levi!" he heard MC's voice from behind his door. He rolled his eyes and shared a look with Henry 2.0.
"Password?" Levi called back, going back to gaming.
"I-I don't know it," he heard MC mutter. "I-sorry, I just wanted to see if you wanted to watch some anime from the human world with me?"
His fingers froze as they were keying out commands to his character. With a sigh, he paused the game and dragged himself to the door. He looked at them, expecting them to laugh at his face.
"Human world anime?" he questioned.
"Uhuh," MC grinned and held up a disc set. "It's my favorite one."
"W-wait!" Leviathan took a step back. "You like anime?"
MC tilted their head to the side. "Well, yeah?"
He gulped. His heart skipped a beat before pounding away heavily.
Satan
"Just put it on, MC," Asmo cooed. "I promise he'll love it."
"I don't know," MC sounded reluctant.
With a sigh, Satan looked up from his book to Asmo's closet where the other two were. "What are you trying to make MC do, Asmo?"
"Oh hush!" Asmo stuck his head out of the closet. "You'll see in just a second!" Asmo winked at Satan before heading back in. "Just wear it, MC! Please!"
He heard MC let out an exasperated breath of air followed by Asmo's cheering. Asmo sauntered out of the closet with a wide grin on his face, but when he looked at Satan that grin turned mischievous.
Satan narrowed his eyes at him. "What did you do?" Before Asmo could answer, Satan's attention was diverted to the soft footsteps of MC leaving the closet. His eyes widened, his heart skipped several beats to where he was wondering if he was dying, he felt a rush of heat spread across his face.
"Do they look stupid?" MC questioned, adjusting the cat ears they were wearing.
"They look fine," Satan answered quickly, burying his face in his book, but unable to read with the image of MC stuck in his face.
Asmodeus
He smiled seductively at the camera before hitting a snack. After the photo was taken, he hummed with content as he looked it over. Perfect angle. Perfect lighting. Perfect model. It was a perfect photo, but for some reason, he had no desire to post it on Devilgram. Not, his desire was to share it with one person.
"And send," he spoke, sending his selfie to MC.
It only took a few seconds before they responded.
MC: !!!!!
MC: It's not fair how beautiful you are!
Asmo chuckled before typing away.
Asmo: Let me see how cute you are <3
It took a couple of seconds before a photo popped up. Asmo let a snort come out. He hid his face with his hands from the rather unattractive noise that just came out.
He peaked at the photo of MC making the most unattractive face possible. He burst out laughing, his heart dancing about happily.
Beelzebub
He had just gotten back from practice and starving was an understatement. He was sweating, his hands were shaking, he felt nauseated, he felt like he was going to die from his hypoglycemic episode. He stumbled into the kitchen, searching desperately for food.
"Beel! Perfect timing," he faintly heard MC's voice call, but he couldn't see them. His vision was getting blurry. "Beel?" Their voice sounded concerned. He narrowed his eyes, trying to focus, but the hunger was becoming too much.
"Food," he managed to get out as he put most of his body weight on the kitchen counter. He was getting dizzy.
A couple of seconds later, he felt something press up against his lips. He opened his mouth and swallowed whatever it was. There was more. This time, he noticed it was sweet and he chewed it. It was crunchy.
His vision started to focus back. He looked down seeing MC frown up at him. They held a batch of cookies in their hands.
"Are you okay?" they asked quietly. Beel nodded his head, eyeing the other cookie. MC let out a breath of relief before they handed him another. He happily ate it, savoring the sweet taste. "Do they taste okay? I baked them just for you?"
Beel's heart thumped heavily. "Just for me?" he questioned with his mouth fool. He swallowed the cookies and smiled happily. "They taste amazing!"
Belphegor
"Belphie," he heard a distant voice call to him. Although, this voice didn't seem to be too distant, just in the realm of the waking. "Belphie, if you sleep here you'll catch get cold."
Belphie reached his arms out and tightly gripped the person shaking his shoulder. They yelped as he brought them close to him. His arms wrapped around them.
"Then keep me warm," he retorted. He buried his face in their chest. He froze when he inhaled. It wasn't the sent of his brothers, but someone else.
He peaked his eyes opened, seeing MC close to him. His heart thumped heavily at MC's bewildered expression. With a yawn, he sat up, acting like he wasn't affected by MC's scent. It was comforting, warm.
Diavolo
MC was sitting at his desk while he finished up some paperwork. He had expected to be finished with them by the time MC got there, but alas, here he was.
"Lord Diavolo?" MC questioned, drawing the demon prince of Hell from his work.
"Yes, MC?"
"Do you like being called Lord Diavolo?" He looked up at them, seeing them look off to the side, refusing to make eye contact with him.
"I suppose if I had friends, I wouldn't want them to call me Lord Diavolo."
MC pouted, their lips sticking out. "You don't consider us friends?"
Diavolo's eyes widened. A painful sensation burst from his heart, though he wouldn't call it unpleasant. In fact, he wanted to feel it again.
"I would very much like to consider us friends."
"Good, Dia," MC grinned widely at him, making his heart flutter once more.
Barbatos
He was looking everywhere for the human. Somehow, they had gotten separated at the market. Something had caught his eye and he wandered off, but he had a sneaking suspicion that the same thing also happened with MC.
"Help!" he heard the human screech. His eyes widened as he sprinted to where the scream came from. A demon was towering over their form, salivating at the sight of the human's soul.
With a flick of his wrist, the demon was sent flying through a wall. Barbatos grabbed MC's hand and dragged them away from the alleyway they were trapped in.
"Are you hurt?" Barbatos asked once they were a distance away. His eyes trailed over MC's form, looking for any scratches or bruises.
"No," MC mumbled, looking down shamefully.
Barbatos frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I..." MC sighed. "I ruined our trip to the market together, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize," Barbatos shook his head. "All that matters is that you're not injured."
MC gave him a weak smile. "Thank you, Barbatos." They paused for a moment. "Oh! That's right." They dug through their bag. "I bought this for you. It's not much, but I wanted to thank you for bringing me here today." Barbatos's eyes landed on a bouquet of lilacs. "They're flowers from the human realm! I was surprised to see them here."
Barbatos felt his cheeks heat up and his heart dance about. Lilacs, the flowers indicating the first sign of love.
Simeon
"And how have you been adjusting here?" Simeon questioned as he took a sip of his tea. He smiled kindly at MC. "I know it's been a couple of months now, but a lot has happened since then."
"It has," MC nodded. "To be honest, I was surprised to actually meet some demons and a couple of angels, I didn't know what to think. Humans have some pre-conceived notions on angels and demons, but seeing as I've never met one, I didn't want to let that cloud my judgment."
Simeon chuckled. "That's a very diplomatic way of seeing things."
MC shook their head. "I didn't do it to try and protect myself or get anything from any of you, I wanted to get to know all of you for who you are, not what you are. And after I got to know you, I wanted to be your friend!"
Simeon smiled brightly at MC, loving the feeling of his heart skipping a beat at their kindness.
Solomon
"Just hold still for a moment," Solomon warned as he glanced at his book. "Alright, let me just...." He trailed off into muttering the encantation. His eyes flickered off from the book to where MC was standing in the circle. "How are you feeling?"
MC blinked at him. Their eyes drooping shut. "Tired." Their knees buckled and they started to fall forward. Cursing, Solmon rushed forward and caught them in his arms before they could hit the wooden blanks below.
"Are you okay?" he questioned, manipulating their body so he could look at their face.
They gave him a lopsided grin. "Just need...some sleep. But the encantation should help with insomnia," MC yawned. Their eyes drifting shut. "But maybe not with relaxing, this is a bit...too much." MC turned and buried their face in his chest. "Protect me while I sleep?"
Solomon's face turned a bright red. He adjusted MC a bit so that he was able to hold them tightly against him. "Of course, I'll always protect you." He ignored the wild hammering in his chest, opting to look after his fellow human.
#Obey Me!#Obey ME#Fluff#Lucifer#Mammon#Leviathan#Satan#Asmodeus#Beelzebub#Belphegor#Diavolo#Barbatos#Simeon#Solomon#Headcanon
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through the lens ❀ l.jn
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/88990d08606aa1d7a21cd0ccd9612167/b4d98d8d7f5358e7-74/s540x810/529d89f62c7ecec42fef1d8ed95e87556d25655a.jpg)
❀ lee jeno x fem!reader ❀ genre - slow burn, smut/mature content, fluff (romance?), slight angst ❀ details - photographer!jeno, model!reader, college!au, shy!jeno but he aint shy in bed, strangers to fuckers!au ❀ word count - 8k (this is the longest thing ive ever written) ❀ warnings - nude modeling, swearing, oral (f/receiving), some sweet love makin’ ❀ brief synopsis - jeno asks you to model for his internship project, but little did you know, it was going to be a nude photo shoot.
❝ jeno was too shy to hold eye contact, but he stared at you endlessly through the lens. ❞
❀ a/n - hihihi this is author doie❀ ! im bad at writing smut so pls dont hate me ah ha lol i tried my best i also dont model/do professional photography so really apologize if i butcher any terms lmaoo the only thing i am is that im in college and im shy
Jeno had applied to almost a hundred internships and almost close to none returned with an offer, even after a whole month of waiting. He absolutely needed to start building his portfolio before the beginning of his senior year of college. The embarrassment of possibly graduating without any experience loomed over the desperate boy.
Photography had been more than a hobby to him, to the point where he wanted to take it seriously. His parents weren’t the most supportive of an Arts major, but that couldn’t stop him. Jeno saw the best through a camera lens. He had a special eye for beautiful moments and the impressing urge to capture it forever.
It was too late to change his major, if he wanted to graduate with all of his friends. If he wanted to be successful, he had to act on it now.
The swoosh! of a new email startled the sleeping boy. He stared at the brightly lit screen, reading the words over and over again to make sure it was real. Jeno was so enthralled with excitement that he scrambled out of bed to wake up his roommate, Jaemin.
He shook him so violently that the sheets fell from Jaemin’s warm body. “Dude! I got an internship!” He spoke with incredible glee, a wide smile couldn’t leave his face.
Jaemin groaned and had to hold Jeno by the shoulders to halt the boy from causing the room to spin. “Why--What is going on?” He dazely rubbed his tired eyes to blink at his giddy roommate.
The screen blinded Jaemin as it was shoved too closely to adjust. “Whoa--,” he pushed it away and shut his eyes, “--repeat what you just said one more time.” Jaemin held a finger up and Jeno grabbed it, jumping onto his best friend’s bed.
“I got an internship. Someone got back to me.” Jaemin returned the same excitement the moment he processed his words. He shot up in bed and hugged his friend tightly.
“Wo-w, dude! Congratulations!” The two boys hurried on their feet to cheer together. There was no concern for the rest of their housemates, only celebration that roared throughout the entire night.
+
Truthfully, Jeno had no recollection of applying to this studio. It could have been a random link on a job scouting website, but he couldn’t be more grateful. An internship was long overdue and Jeno had been itching to get some recognition for his craft.
“Hello, I’m Lee Jeno.” He bowed slightly at the receptionist, who had a stern stare that made him feel vulnerable. The first thing he noted about the office: white and minimalistic.
Jeno’s specialty was landscape photography. His aesthetics consisted of black and white filters, city lights, dark mood lighting, and background commotion. He enjoyed capturing chaos the most, a scene where more than one thing was happening. The only reason being that there was more to look at.
“Nice to meet you. The name is Lee Taemin, but you can call me what you please.” A young, lean man strolled his way towards Jeno with a wide grin and his hand for him to shake. Taemin was slightly shorter than him, but his stylish, expensive boots made up for his height. He had to be only a maximum of five years older than Jeno as Taemin appeared relatively youthful.
Taemin’s firm grip pulled Jeno along inside the studio. A small gasp escaped from Jeno which earned robust laughter from the older man. “I hope you can break out of your shell soon. There is no room for timidness around here, Mister Lee.”
“Please, you can call me Jeno.” He smiled, quite awkwardly at the beautiful man.
The tall glass windows, the concrete, gray floor, the white doors that lined the hallway, had to be all too predictable. Jeno envisioned this is what high class must look like. It was the pristine, bright feeling and the smell of vanilla that lingered distastefully. There was chatter behind the closed doors --- mainly directing, and high praises.
The only off-put was that photographers worked behind closed doors. From the few studios he has visited previously, photographers often worked in open spaces due to lighting fractures or the ability to roam more freely.
“I’m actually very ecstatic you signed up for the internship, since you do seem a bit on the younger side.” Taemin gestured toward the sofa in the middle of his massive office. Jeno sat across from him. Water was already placed on the glass coffee table that separated the two. A laptop was opened to face Taemin.
Jeno slyly rubbed the condensation from his palms on his jeans. Taemin’s stare bore deep into the shy boy, who had to break eye contact from time to time. “I know.” Jeno chuckled nervously, “thank you for getting back to me. I was really hoping to gain work experience through mentorship.”
Taemin nodded at everything Jeno was saying. His face being completely expressionless. Jeno sipped his water to regain moisture in his dry throat. Taemin was more intimidating than he was anticipating. “Sounds great. Happy to have you here. It might be a small business, but the experience is worth investing in. Every photographer who has come in and out of my building has found their forte. Let’s say, it’s eye opening.”
“That’s exactly what I was looking for actually.” As scared as he was of this mysterious man, he really enjoyed the comfort the environment radiated.
Taemin leaned forward and squinted at the screen. “I noticed in the portfolio you sent that you don’t have any portraits or any people, in general, in your photos. Do you have any works with people? Since this is a studio of fine art nude photography.”
Nude. Jeno practically choked on the last remaining spit he gathered. Taemin acknowledged the boy’s shocked reaction and tilted his head curiously, “you did know that I specialize in contemporary fine art nude photography, right?” Unfortunately, Jeno did not.
Jeno cleared his throat, “yes, of course. I wanted to challenge myself.” He had to lie, there was no other way to cover up his disbelief. This internship was the only hope left for him to gain something. Though, even the thought of shooting a naked body made him anxious.
He hated how timid he was. His friends and family say otherwise, mainly for the reason that Jeno automatically lit up behind a camera. In all honesty, he hid behind it. It was the only safe place that Jeno knew what he was doing. However when it came to real life situations without it, he lacked the confidence to be himself.
As ironic as it was, he hated being seen. He liked to be the background character in his own life, because the main character took too much of a toll. It could also be his deafening insecurities and lack of self esteem, but Jeno didn’t mind not being the center of attention.
“You like a challenge?” It was more of a statement rather than a question. Jeno caught a glimpse of the twinkle in Taemin’s dark eyes. “Then for your first task, I want you to show me that you can take on this role.”
Jeno scrambled for his phone to jot down notes. “Send me an emotional portfolio, model of your choice. They could be a friend of yours that you feel comfortable seeing naked. It must include a variation of headshots, full body, and body details. It must also be raw and unedited photos. I want to see if you have the eye for the art to capture these types of images.”
“When would you like it by?” He stammered, completely winded at the sudden project that unloaded on top of him.
“Next Friday, and you’ll present it to me here in person. Feel free to use this studio if you don’t have a place of your own with equipment. All you need to do is book a room with the front desk. Any other questions?” The sound of the laptop shutting caused Jeno to look up at the brilliance in front of him. He needed Taemin to help him succeed.
“Why do you take nude photography?”
Taemin was unable to stop the laughter that erupted into the room. “I don’t run a pimp business or sell soft core porn, if that’s why you’re staring at me so funnily. What I make is an art masterpiece, it has nothing to do with physical features or desires. It’s the pure emotion that clothing distracts from. Clothing conforms the model into an aesthetic, and while that works for editorials, it won’t be a consistent thing here.”
Jeno nodded understandingly. Overwhelmed and lost at words. He was unsure what he had gotten himself into. Where was he going to find a model on such short notice on such lewd conditions? He was really going to need to step out of his comfortable zone, in his photography and social skills.
Taemin stood up and extended his hand once more. “I take pride in my art, so I hope you, too, start finding that in your own.”
+
Jaemin held his stomach from the endless laughter, tears welling up in his eyes. “Nud-Nude photography? And you didn’t know?”
“Jaemin, keep it down.” Jeno whispered and cautiously peered around at the few people flooding into the small lecture hall. “I don’t want everyone in our club to misunderstand and think I’m some creep.”
His best friend straightened up in his seat and placed his hand on Jeno's slumped shoulder, “first of all, you’re a complete idiot for not researching. Secondly, it’s an art form. If you really got yourself a shady, rated R internship, I would’ve told you to drop it instantly.”
His spirits were slightly lifted, but he was still struggling with who he should ask to model for him. As much as he’s already seen of Jaemin, being his roommate, he honestly would rather leave the rest to imagination. Jeno wasn’t purposefully searching the room for a candidate, but he could not stop his eyes from drifting.
He spotted the most attractive side profile that sat two rows below him. He shook his head to make sure he was seeing her correctly. Peering around, he looked for another possible face to shoot. But oh god, how she caught his eye every time she even slightly moved.
You smiled happily with your friends by your side as your club’s executive board members introduced this year’s goals and events to attend. It had to be the smallest amount of alcohol still running in your system that caused you to giggle every time guys tried to turn around and hit on you.
“Why don’t you focus on our club members instead?” You smirked at the smug older boy, who had poorly attempted to grab your attention. “I think this information is important to you. These events could help you develop your social skills to be much better.” Your voice was barely above a whisper, but your girl friends scoffed by your side.
He got up in disbelief and quickly walked out of the room. There was a brief pause at the sudden movement, but the announcement carried on per usual.
Jeno impatiently waited for the club meeting to finally be over, so he could talk to you. The longer it dragged, the more his confidence was subsiding. “I’m heading to study, wanna come with?” Jaemin poked at Jeno’s knee.
“Yeah, but you can go ahead first. I need to talk to someone.” His voice was shaky and his throat went so dry. Jeno’s shifty eyes scanned the room, hoping no one saw how nervous he was acting.
Jaemin’s eyebrows lifted suspiciously, “who? I didn’t even know you talked to anyone who came today. Donghyuck and Renjun aren’t here---”
“--her, Jaemin... her. I’m going to ask her to model for me.” Jeno motioned his head. His heart beating faster at seeing a small grin appear on your face from a comment someone made.
Jaemin hummed, “good luck with that, bud. I’ve got two shoulders for you to cry on after.” The extra hint of sarcasm only made Jeno sweat nervously. He was seriously doubting his decision, but it wouldn’t be a challenge if he didn’t do it. He knew he’d regret it more if he didn’t just ask you.
Once the meeting was dismissed, you wanted to get out of the room before the heavy rush into the hallways. Unfortunately, a few frat guys pulled you into their conversation and chatted up a storm. Your friends played into their foolery, but you stopped paying attention when they asked for your numbers.
There was a faint tap on your shoulder and you turned to see who the culprit was. You didn’t seem to know him, because you would’ve remembered such a demeanor. His eyes were glued to the floor behind you and his shaky hands ran through his brown locks. His shyness was quite endearing, yet alarming since you weren’t sure why exactly he had approached you.
“Yes?” You asked curiously.
The moment Jeno heard your delicate cadence, he melted like a popsicle left out in the sun. He peered up, but quickly reverted his eyes to the white tiles when he noticed how beautifully you stared at him.
He counted his breathing to calm his rapid heart beat. He cleared his throat to introduce himself, “I’m Jeno. I’m a third year Arts major, um-- I was just--- I know we don’t know each other. I wanted to ask, uh-” Jeno was horrified at how he stammered over his own words. His cheeks burned with a red glow, and if he couldn’t look you in the eye before, he definitely couldn’t now.
“Hey, see you later.” One of the bulky frat guys called and you waved back weakly.
A guy who had been chasing you endlessly scoffed at the pitiful sight and smirked at you, “see you at my house tonight? Been missing you in my bed lately.”
“Thought you would’ve guessed the reason why I stopped coming around.” Jeno heard the sting in your remarks and the disbelief in the male.
You honestly could have left, Jeno knew that. But you stayed and waited patiently for him to finish. Jeno could tell how strong you were just by your intimidating aura that practically suffocated him by standing in close proximity to you.
You sighed and reached to grab your jacket on the folded seat, “look, Jeno. It’s nice to meet you and all, but I gotta get going.”
Shockingly, the shy boy reached out to stop you by your fingertips. His touch lingered before he dropped your hand quickly. “I’m sorry. Are you free this Monday?”
“Uh, that depends. If you’re asking me on a date, then I’m busy.” Rolling your eyes, you weren’t sure why you still stayed to listen to what this random stranger had to say. If it were anyone else, you would’ve walked away the moment he asked if you were free. However, you acknowledged his timidness and the courage he must have mustered up to approach you.
Jeno shook his head violently, completely in shambles from that type of misunderstanding. “Not a date. I need someone to model for my portfolio photos that my internship assigned. It’s actually very important to me because it’s the first internship that responded back to me when I had applied to so many a whole month ago. Basically, I really need this and you because I think you’d be perfect to take pictures of. Oh-- wow! That sounded very bad --- uh --- what I meant is that your facial proportions are perfect and---”
“I’m free Monday.” You cut off his endless ramble and gestured toward his phone. He handed it to you without any hesitation and you typed in your number. “Text me the time, place and what I should wear.”
“Oh actually, it’s a nude photoshoot.” Your eyes doubled in size, completely offended by that statement.
Jeno felt the sudden shift in the air and brought his hands up to block himself, “to be more clear, it’s a contemporary fine art nude photography studio. The pictures are pieces of art and to be seen as that only. I have no intentions or ulterior motive to sleep with you, see you naked or sell, leak your nudes for the profit of your body. But, I understand if you no longer want to do it because it sounds super strange now that I am explaining it.”
Your shoulders relaxed and the fist that formed unraveled. You exhaled deeply, “I’ll do it. We can talk more about it on Monday and I get to leave on my own accord if I don’t feel comfortable. We work on my conditions.” Picking up Jeno’s chin, he was absolutely petrified at the forced eye contact and your incredible, powerful gaze. He was mesmerized by the fire in your eyes, and if he stared any longer, he could’ve lost himself in them.
“Of course.” With that, you dropped his face and left without another look back. Jeno looked down at his phone and the new contact name, (Y/N). It had slipped his mind to even ask what your name was and he slapped his face in utter stupidity. “Do better, Lee Jeno.” It was a remainder to himself to, hopefully, be better the next time you two speak.
+
Monday, 3:03 PM.
Jeno paced back and forth in the brightly, lit white room. He was trying to find any blinds or curtains to cover the tall windows of the high rise building. It should not be too much of a problem, the extra lighting was a positive. Jeno was only worried for your comfort of the openness.
There was a soft knock before Jeno practically tripped to open the door. His breath hitched at the sight of your bare face. This time, you were the vulnerable one. Jeno only saw purity, yet impressed at how your tired eyes still managed to bid him a soft smile. He admired your uneven complexion, and the sparse moles that dotted your skin.
“Okay, so you want to see me naked now or later?” Filled with jokes, your voice was light and airy this afternoon. There was a bit of a contrast from the first time you two met. Softer, enchanting, almost ghostly.
Everything in the room was white. The mattress on the floor had a white comforter and white sheets. The backdrop. The walls. The hardwood floor. The only color was the blue sky that the tall windows let in.
“Here’s a robe. You can change in the bathroom.” Jeno scratched the back of his neck and his eyes wandered everywhere, but your’s.
“Would you be okay with me just taking off my clothes in here?” You saw the light tint of pink cover his face, and spread to his ears. You examined more of the shy boy’s embarrassed face, finally getting a really good look at him. Jeno was very attractive, and you could only imagine how beautiful he must look if he fully faced you.
Jeno fiddled with his camera strap, “only if you are okay with that.” Clearing his throat, he stood next to the window to give you some privacy. “I’ll go over what I plan on doing. I’m going to take photos of your face details, parts of your body, full body, and portraits. You can lay down on the bed and I’ll direct you in poses. Have you modeled before?”
He was scanning the bustling city below his feet. Cars zoomed quickly and crowds of tiny people flooded the streets. He brought his camera up to his face, not being able to resist the urge to capture such a thrilling sight.
“If Instagram counts, then yeah. Professional model gig would be a no. Nude photography is a definite no, unless we are talking about being filmed during sex.” Jeno chuckled, while also holding the camera steady and stealing a few moments to keep for himself.
For a strange reason, being naked for a non-sensual reason felt even more vulnerable. Laying on the soft fabric, you felt oddly exposed and slightly more reserved. You’ve had countless strangers see you naked. Men were sexually desiring to see a sexy picture. You were always lusted after, but this feeling of nakedness was special.
“Are you ready?” Jeno gulped, finally setting the camera down.
You hummed cheerfully. Your heart was leaping out of your chest as the boy shifted slowly to face you. As he turned, you noticed he had his eyes sealed shut, which caused a small laugh to erupt. “Jeno, you have my permission to open your eyes and to look at me.”
Holy shit, he was trembling with an inexplicable fear. The camera was slipping from his sweaty hands. His mouth was as dry as the desert. Jeno’s pounding heart was loud in his ears.
Jeno has seen his past girlfriends laying naked in bed, but this situation was too different. When he saw you laying there in absolutely nothing, he was overwhelmed, yet astounded at how graceful you appeared.
There was no exchange of words and no exchange of eye contact. He towered over your lying figure and shakily brought the camera to his eyes. He selfishly wanted to capture your elegance. Through the lens, he saw all of you: the curve in your eyelid, your curled eyelashes, the small mole next to your soft lips, the sharp color of your eyes, the way your hair frames your face.
This was the most beautiful sight he’s ever seen. You were comparable to the arts found in popular museums. Your body lines were enticing and an impressive shape. Your breasts pooled on your chest, the round nude nipple in the centers. Your details had to be sculpted by gods, who took their sweet time making you. You were a true masterpiece.
Confused, Jeno felt a huge mixture of emotions. Was he aroused? Was he infatuated? Did he just fall in love with a complete stranger? He recognized the same thrilled feelings he felt taking landscape photos. With each click, he grew more excited with how beautiful the photos were turning out.
“Sit up and rest your chin on your left hand. Lean your weight on your right leg.” Jeno’s direction was clear and firm. There was no evidence of a smaller tone he usually spoke in. Sitting up, you placed your elbow on your upper thigh to steady your chin. Jeno had already gotten down to floor level to you.
Without the camera that separated you two, it had to be the first time he faced you completely in such close proximity. There was so much to admire about Jeno. He remained concentrated on his craft, but it was actually very sexy to see his dedication. It was almost like he was a whole new person, like all the shyness drifted away.
Jeno couldn’t take his eyes off of you. It wasn’t simply your beauty that amazed him. Your confidence made everything easy. There was something about your blank stares, when he asked for an emotion, you portrayed it perfectly.
“Can we talk while you shoot?” Your sudden voice startled the photographer. He lowered his camera and his gaze automatically wandered off behind you, which didn’t go unnoticed. He nodded after a short pause and the shutter noises continued.
“Why did you choose me as your model?”
Jeno peeled away from the device, “because you’re you.” He didn’t even know what that statement meant. It wasn’t like he knew you before the first time he asked you to model for him.
The corners of your lips dipped down, drawing an evident frown. Click. Jeno loved that image especially. It was a simple way to get real, authentic facial expressions. He marveled at the photo, but registered the reason behind it. “I wanted to ask you the second I saw you. I just knew that I wanted you.”
“But you don’t know me.”
Jeno looked through the lens once again, welcoming a full view of your stunning attributes. He spoke in a low voice, “then, let me know you.” Click.
It would be the biggest lie to say that you weren’t aroused by Jeno at the moment. He was cool, without trying to be. He really did shine when he had a camera to work with, like a star to a dark night. While he had a distinct demeanor off the bat, you enjoyed unraveling the rest of him. He was, also, the first man you met that didn’t seem sexually driven by a naked woman in his presence.
You had to resist every urge to push the camera away and share the few seconds of his entire gaze before it wandered away. You wanted to rock his world, he was so innocent and beautiful. You wished to wreak havoc on him, have him show you how much he wanted you.
+
You anticipated an awkward photoshoot, but Jeno made you feel safe and comfortable. He made sure to adjust the temperature when goosebumps rose on your arms and when your nipples became painfully hard. He never touched you or came too much into your personal space. He always asked for your permission.
Nude modeling was a new experience for you, but you were surprised at how much you liked it. or how much you liked Jeno taking your photos. He sat next to you on the bed when you put on your articles of clothing and panned through several shots to satisfy your curiosity.
Leaning close, your head ducked to see the photos. A gasp escaped your lips when you saw just the first few. “Is that really me?” The pictures made you feel an abundance of emotions, you felt what they reflected. Sadness, melancholy, happiness, confidence. You didn’t know images had that much power to make you feel that, especially photos of you.
Jeno nodded, smiling so wide that his eyes turned to moon crescents. He was so in love with the results. He found respect for Taemin’s craft and he was right, he might’ve found a new forte to experiment with. “I can send you the photos digitally too, if you want them.”
“Maybe I’ll print them out, frame them, and gift it to every horrid man who has tried to flirt their way to my body since they want to see it so fucking bad.”
Jeno peered over and saw the tiny glimpse of pain in your orbs, “why would you give horrible people what they want?”
“So they can finally shut up and leave me alone. Plus, this is art and if I tell them it’s actually me, maybe it’ll change their minds to start treating me like it.”
He held his palm up and almost immediately, your fingers filled the spaces between his. “I’m going to need you to start treating yourself as fine art.”
“Keep taking more photos of me and I just might start thinking I’m Mona Lisa.” Your laughters blended nicely into each other. There was mutual mental acknowledgement of the happiness you were both feeling.
Jeno never let go of your hand, and there was a short moment of comforting silence where you two sat in each other’s existence. You were the one to break it, “are you doing anything after this?”
He shook his head. “Well then, you’re mine for the rest of the night. We’re going to pretend we’ve been close friends since first year and eat take-out on my bed because that’s what I need at the moment.”
+
“I know you respect my body and see this as an art form, but I’m genuinely surprised that you didn’t feel aroused at the slightest.”
Jeno didn’t even realize how much time had already passed being you. You two ate and chatted as if you’ve known each other forever, as if the friendship wasn’t established several hours ago. It felt safe and right, like you two belonged in each other’s existence and nowhere else mattered.
He felt warm inside from your hearty laughter and courage, like he was watching a painting come to life or a photo in movement. You were smitten over how endearing and complex he was. He was more than what meets the eye and that alone drew you towards him.
“Okay, I’ll admit,” Jeno paused to watch your reaction, “in the most respectable way, I was somewhat turned on. But! Before you trail blaze me for being just like every disgusting male in your life, I genuinely didn’t have any sexual thoughts during the photoshoot. That was all professional and it will continue to be like that.”
Getting up from your bed, your mind was working at lightspeed to process his confession. Jeno was fast to pick up someone’s personality, what stood out and what was kept hidden. He knew quicker than anyone else that you were not someone to offend because you were a strong, straight forward woman.
His personality breakdown went like this: you knew what you like, you knew you were going to get what you want, you enjoyed flirty banter (with people of your choice), you weren’t afraid to be blunt, or kick someone’s ass. You carried yourself with confidence that graced your every step, which makes anyone attracted to you instantly. Bold, confident, sexy had to be what came to mind whenever he thought about you.
Nonetheless, he really liked you as a person. He could pat himself on the back all day long for just approaching you, but he knew the real reason as to how this all happened. It was you saying yes to a stranger’s odd photoshoot. You made him the luckiest man in the world.
“Continue? Are you looking for excuses to keep seeing me?” You smirked and Jeno’s voice grew small.
“I--- uh, well,” there goes the nervous stammering, “I know the conditions were a one time thing, so I understand if you don’t want to do it again.” As the night had progressed, Jeno gradually began to hold eye contact and actually looked at you directly without the help of seeing you through a lens. This was the first time he broke it.
“Hey now, I’m messing with you, Jeno.” He had been sitting on your floor, at the end of your bed. You crawled on your elbows to reach him, and to hold his chin to face you again. Deja vu. “I’d love to get naked for you again, and again, and.. as many times as you want me to.”
He stared at you with his mouth hung open in disbelief. His eyes scanned your beautiful face to see your lips pull back into a mischievous smile. Gulping, he swallowed every ounce of courage he had left. “You don’t have to say it like that.” He tried to remove your grip, but it latched onto his hand.
“You’re finally looking me in the eye, sweet thing. I don’t think you realize how much I had been wanting that from you.” You caressed his cheek, rubbing small circles on his texture.
“What else do you want from me?” His implication sounded suggestive, even if his curiosity was innocent.
Your hot breath brushed against Jeno’s lips. “I can show you.”
Jeno, the one and only college guy who has seen your naked body in a non-sexual context. Jeno, the shy, sweet boy who appreciated and recognized you as a form of art. Jeno, the talented and skillful photographer, who consistently made sure you felt comfortable. Jeno, the only person in the world who you’d model nude for. Jeno, the dazzling character behind the camera who you wanted more than anyone else you’ve ever met. Lee Jeno.
He seemed like he was inching closer, already tilting his head to fit your’s. You smiled to yourself, seeing that your words were received well. Diving in, your lips swam together fervently.
The poor boy found himself lost in your enchanting, alluring gaze. He let the trance consume him, selfishly kissing the art he admired so dearly. A small part of him felt the guilt and confusion that began to rise. He wasn’t sure why he suddenly wished to feel your lips on his neck, or run his hands across your hot skin. He swore these thoughts were not present earlier.
A small pop! and Jeno held your shoulder to pull away. “I’m sorry, did I do something?” You asked, honestly concerned that you were taking more than you deserved. The least you desired was to hurt Jeno, who had been nothing but nice and sweet.
“(Y/N),” you could listen to your name roll off his tongue all day, “I feel somewhat guilty. I don’t want things to be misunderstood.”
“Which would be?”
“I don’t want you to think I coerced you into being my model just because I had intentions to sleep with you.” Jeno was already gathering his things, but you hopped off your bed and placed a hand on his chest. “Because that’s what it’s starting to look like at the moment.”
“Was that something you did though? Did you have those intentions?” Your stare bore right through him. The warmth of your hand relaxed his racing heart.
“Never, (Y/N), I would never do that to someone.” Your hand traveled down to grab his belongings and tossed it back onto the ground.
He silently watched as you took off your pants, and stood in front of him in your underwear. “Then, we’re fine. I know your intentions have always been pure. But truthfully, Jeno, seeing you focused while you worked sparked something in me. You don’t understand how aroused I got and how badly I wanted you to fuck me on that bed.” His hand trailed up your exposed thighs, finally touching your softness. “You’re the one guy I wanted first, and it’s been a long time since I’ve felt that.”
“I-- I don’t know what to say.” His cheeks revealed how embarrassed he was, but his dark, lustful eyes were telling a different story.
A smirk fell upon your face, “then don’t say anything.”
Jeno devoured you, inhaling the light hint of vanilla that still lingered. He hoisted you onto your mattress and kissed you like his life depended on it. His antsy hands roamed your free range, exploring, holding, gripping the parts he marveled over. Small moans from the back of your throat encouraged him to continue.
No one has ever kissed you with the amount of passion Jeno did. It was gentle, with enough vigor to cause your panties to dampen. It wasn’t sloppy, where previous guys had a problem of missing your mouth entirely and slobbered your chin.
His lips worshiped you, highlighting your good sides. Flashes of the photoshoot popped into Jeno’s head as he left purple marks on the places he loved capturing the most. He pushed up your shirt, exposing your chest to him again. His tongue circled around your hard nipple as he made sure to give the same amount of attention to each one.
Jeno knew he was too shy to hold your intense stare, but getting to know you during and after the photoshoot, he could see the softness in your gaze. He was, now, able to see all of you. The sight of you through the camera was addicting enough, so finally taking you all in was more than satisfying.
Your hands ran through his hair as he kissed down your torso. His thumbs hooked the waistband of your underwear, and peeled it off your body. You gasped as the cold air from your apartment grazed against your exposed figure.
Jeno paused to admire your glistening pussy, “would it be okay if you let me make love to you?”
Your heart burned, not out of embarrassment, but at how he still managed to ask you for your permission in the sweetest way. You rested your weight on your elbows, “no one has done that before, would it actually make me want to fall in love with you?”
“It wouldn’t be too bad. I have a lot of love to give and you look like a person who deserves all of it anyways.” Jeno’s finger ran over your wet slit and rubbed your clit slowly.
Your moans filled the room as the electric jolted throughout your veins. The wetness grew, seeping out of you like a waterfall. Jeno dropped down to his knees, and lifted your legs on his broad shoulders.
“Are you usually this wet, baby?”
Chuckling, you smiled at his bold choice in using pet names, “Just for you.”
He hummed, chiming at how he liked your answer. Spreading you open, his tongue met with your swollen bud that begged for his licks.
His tongue darted side to side, up and down and in result, your back arched in pleasure and a darkness clouded your mind. His name and mindless profanities streamlined their way out of you as Jeno ate you out in such a precisely delicious way.
Grabbing a fist full of hair, you pulled him closer, even if there was no more space to fill. Looking down, you two exchanged glances before he thrusted a finger into you. Your hips bucked harder as he eased in another one.
Jeno curled his fingers in search of your sweet spot and found it when a deep moan escaped your throat. His fingertips rubbed and pressed into your plush flesh, causing you to practically scream and squirm in his mouth.
He suckled your clit and fingered you simultaneously and quickly. The pleasure was overflowing and you released his hair to grip your sheets below you. Your legs shook and trembled as he had no caution to stop.
“Please, I’m going to--” you could barely talk due to your face contouring to the splurge of pleasure every single time Jeno rubbed your spot. “--to explode.”
He had to take back what he thought earlier in the day. This was the most beautiful sight he’s ever laid eyes on. The whole scene played like from one of his favorite films. It felt like he was giving his photos life. Your body twisted and turned, accentuating the curves of your lines.
Jeno had become painfully hard against the fabric of his jeans, but seeing you fall apart because of his minimal movements exhilarated him. “P-Please, don’t stop.” A breathy moan followed suit and your thighs tried to press themselves together. Jeno didn’t allow it, his free hand hooked underneath your left thigh to pull one side away from his cheeks.
Your high gradually grew so tall that it all eventually came cascading down. Your legs shook violently and sat up from the euphoria that took over you. Jeno prolonged your buzz and you screamed loudly, having to bite down on your fingers to stop yourself from angering your neighbors.
Jeno drank you up, letting your wetness cover his chin and drip down his knuckles. He pulled away, at last, and you took deep breaths to control your heavy breathing. It was like Jeno knocked the wind completely out of you.
He stood up and you saw the outline of his hard bulge straining itself through his jeans. The next scene was quite animalistic. You, still embodying your high, sat on your knees and unzipped his pants with your needy hands.
“Now, it’s your turn to get nude for me.” You whispered, tauntingly. Jeno groaned when you reached down and gently pulled him out. He stepped out of his clothing, all of it. His shirt was lost in the corner and his bottoms were scattered over your floor. Mirroring his actions, you took off your last piece of cloth.
Jeno was built. Though his biceps did not go unnoticed during the photoshoot, you were surprised at the lines of muscle that sketched his body. It made your mouth water, seeing his extremely hard dick stand against his toned abs. His red tip fell just below his navel. Jeno only kept getting better as the night continued on.
Pulling him closer, his hand found their way to the back of your head as you aligned your mouth to the wetness that spilled from his tip. “I want to make you feel good.” Jeno’s hoarse voice made your knees weak.
Peering up, you batted your eyelashes at him fondly. “Just a little taste?” You begged, having to hold his shaft with both of your hands because of his thickness. Your tongue was already stuck out, your hot breath causing the tiniest bit of sensation for him.
He nodded and his eyes were trained on you. He didn’t want to miss any second of your kitty licks. You flattened your tongue against his warmth, dragging it up to the top. The saltiness hit your palette as you swirled around his redness. “Oh--” Jeno threw his head back and bit his lip, “--lay on the bed now.”
You smiled sweetly and gave his member a quick kiss before reaching for a condom in your drawer. Jeno climbed onto your bed and situated the rubber comfortably. You laid on your back and he was fast to pull your legs around his waist.
He lined himself at your entrance and eased his tip in slowly. Squirming, you craved him to fill you up to the brim. He leaned down to kiss you, letting your tongue lap with his. It’s your hands with the mind of their own when they flew automatically to hold his face whenever you wanted to deepen the kiss. Then, Jeno stretched himself all the way in and he caught your gasp with his lips. He groaned, feeling the mess he created merely minutes ago.
His hips moved so easily with your wetness, but he went slow. Dragging out each pull and then, pushing himself back in roughly. “Jeno!” Your body jolted up the bed each time. His body fell over yours to hold you intimately, letting you bury your face into his neck. Your lips latched themselves onto his sensitive skin, painting a purple sunset.
Jeno’s arms snaked underneath your thighs as he pressed them to your chest, folding you almost into a ball. Your mouth hung open as he fucked you harder, rougher, deeper yet keeping the tempo rhythmically slow. At this point, you could feel his hits in your gut. Your weak hands gripped loosely around his strong wrists that held your legs down. “You’re pussy is so tight and holy shit---, you keep getting more beautiful.”
A familiar burning sensation set in your chest as you saw how concentrated his face had become. You were so fucked out that you could barely speak, “you—” his hips mercilessly slammed into you powerfully, enacting a low moan every time he reached your sweet spot. “—keep surprising me.” His actions came to a halt and he stared deeply into your soul.
You whined, wiggling your hips for any friction. He held them down into the mattress, knowing his grip was strong enough to leave a mark. “I told you, I was going to make love to you tonight.”
“I’ve already fallen for you.” You said breathlessly, tracing the side of his face and pecking his lips softly.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing to me by saying those things.” He whispered and pushed his entire shaft to fill you to your brim.
You yelped his name and gripped his shoulders, but he wasn’t done yet. “Show me how badly you wanted me the first time you saw me.” Jeno blinked at you in slight shock.
As he continued to hold the deep gaze, he kept pushing his dick further and further into you. He was balls deep, almost impossible to keep going. He fucked you without the need to pull out, just burying his cock deeper into your wet pussy. You exclaimed, moaned, cussed at every push. Holding the stare was more than enough to lose yourself all over him again.
Jeno was drunk with the image of your fucked out expression and every time the mixture of pleasure and pressure caused your eyebrows to crease and mouth to open release sensual sound. He had been trying his best not to come undone, to fixate another climax for you.
The feeling of you wrapping tighter and tighter around him drove him insane. “Give it to me, please.” Your muffled plead called for his release, but he could feel that you were close to your second.
Jeno sat up on his knees and pulled you into his arms where your thighs fell over his. You groaned at the empty feeling, though it was quickly replaced with a gratifying moan when he inserted himself again. Your arms dangled around his neck, foreheads touching intimately.
The fucking eye contact again, how could you get enough of it? You giggled, amused at how different Jeno was when he eventually opened up. He wrapped his strong arms around your back and thrusted his hips up into you. The way this man made you squirm, scream, and shake were nothing you’ve experienced before.
He smirked, placing a gentle kiss on your cheek when he went rampage on your pussy. “Not laughing now, are you?”
You whined in pleasure, brushing your fallen strands of hair out of his face. “Shut up before I make you.”
“Then I’d rather keep going.” Kissing up his jawline, you lead your way to his pout. His kisses intoxicated you with his passion and madness, like the most intense part of a symphony, or when the bass drops after a long build up in a song.
Jeno sped up, ramming up into your slick pussy over and over again. He even brought your hips down to match him, guiding you down as he went up. The headboard was knocked against the wall, your windows steamed up, cries of pleasure from the both of you created the ambiance, the smell of sex filled your lungs. Jeno reached between your bodies to furiously rub your clit to where it felt almost raw. It all sent you into the clouds, the familiar queasiness settled in your lower half.
Your eyes rolled back and your back arched, having to pull away from the desirous kiss with Jeno. “I’m cumming!” You announced before the tension unraveled, causing you to see absolute white. The second wave was much more uncontrollable, Jeno felt you squeezing radically around his dick as he tried to fuck you faster to prolong the feeling.
Your legs shook around his and your upper body went limp with pleasure. You reached the peak of the mountain and it came crumbling down underneath your toes. It was catastrophically enthralling, to the point where you physically felt something leave your body.
“Oh shit..” Jeno stopped his motions at the sight of you squirting over his lap. He pampered your torso with fluttering kisses, hoping to calm your spastic body. “...baby, are you okay?” He asked with a bit of concern of how lack of life you seemed.
This man just gave you the best climax in your whole life and he asked if you were okay? Regaining your senses, you sighed a small yes to reassure him that he didn’t actually murder you. Hopping off, you pulled the condom that restricted him.
He hissed when you cupped his balls in your palm. “Cum, my sweet thing.” You purred and Jeno’s hand pumped his member aggressively. You leaned in to help, sucking the tip and flicking your tongue over his slit.
His other hand gripped your neck, causing you to drip on your sheets. Jeno was panting and with every tug, it became louder. He seemed so desperate to release that it made you smile to be the reason behind it. “Can you lay down,” A grunt followed his question, “please.” He huffed.
“Because you asked nicely.” Smirking, your back hit the sheets and you opened your legs to give Jeno a view. He situated himself above your stomach, as he fucked his tight grip.
“I’m cumming---” He couldn’t look any more amazing. With a final moan, the white streaks streamed out in short sequences. It landed across your abdomen, over your nipple, and pooled around your belly button.
Bringing himself back to reality, Jeno stepped back to marvel you, his masterpiece. The white streaks coated your purple skin and your chest rose fast to catch your reality. Gazing upon your naked body, he was utterly infatuated with all of you. He was so in love with the sight of you that not a single photo could capture the beauty that you were.
Jeno pondered the thought of how merely a day changed a small part of him. You were life changing, addicting, an incomparable character that he felt like he’s known forever, and now, couldn’t live without. It was the taste of your juices on his lips, your sweet melodic music that was your voice, your daring smile that enticed him to never peel away from you. It was simply you.
He leaned down to rub his knuckles against your cheek, planting a lovingly peck on your forehead. “I’ll go start the water for you.”
+
Jeno anticipated the reaction of his mentor. He found himself at the same scene he was when he was first given the task. Taemin sat across from him, hunched forward to analyze his new set of photos on his laptop. Raw, unedited photos of you, your body, your details.
The hum of the air conditioning droned on, driving him mad. Jeno needed one reaction, but Taemin had been silent and expressionless for the past ten minutes. Whenever he did move, it was to click through to the next picture.
Suddenly, he shut it closed and stood right up. Jeno, panicked, did the same. Taemin stuck his hand out and Jeno hesitantly grabbed it, incredibly unsettled and unable to read the older man.
Taemin received it firmly, giving Jeno a good handshake. “Welcome abroad, Lee Jeno. I expect even more great things from you.”
Jeno registered his delightful mood switch and he was fast to follow up, “my photos, --- you --- like them?”
Taemin nodded generously, patting Jeno on his shoulder. Taemin reached up to tap his own eyelids. “What you can see, is very special, kid. You’re an artist and I’m here to recognize that for you. It seems to me, you can do more than take pictures of sidewalks.”
Jeno smiled happily, his eyes disappearing from joy. He couldn’t wait to tell you about it.
The rest of the week, leading up to Jeno’s appointment, had felt nothing short of blissful moments together. You and Jeno spent almost every waking minute together without the cost of your friends’ time. He walked you to your classes, some even being across the campus from his own. You accompanied him for meals, even sitting in his lectures to just be with him.
There were no words that established what you two had become to each other. Jeno wasn’t looking for that anyways, in fact, he somewhat liked the ambiguity. If only he could tell you how making love to you made him begin to actually fall for you.
You were never one to hold a serious relationship, but you found a small want for that festering in Jeno. It was hard to admit to yourself, but Jeno saw you for all that you were. He truly saw you, whether it had been through a lens or through his own eyes. He captured your rawness and you were able to find vulnerability around him.
He ran to you, where you sat in the lobby waiting for him to finish his meeting. Peering up from your phone, you noticed the beaming smile on the boy’s face. You couldn’t hold back your own grin, seeing him apparent with so much joy. “I’m guessing good things?”
“I got it, (Y/N)!” He jumped into your arms and you laughed at the sudden affection. “He loved my photos.”
“I didn’t doubt it for one second. You’re an artist, Jeno. You create masterpieces that make even someone like me, feel like art.”
Jeno hugged you closer to his chest, giving you a tiny squeeze. Pulling away to face you, his eyes examined your outstanding grace. You knew what he was already going to say, but simply wanted to hear him say it. “That’s because you are art.”
#lee jeno#jeno scenarios#nct smut#jeno smut#nct dream scenarios#nct jeno#jeno#nct dream smut#nct 127 scenarios#wayv#wayv scenarios#nct dream reactions#nct 127 smut#nct#nct dream imagines#lee jeno scenarios#kpop#kpop smut#kpop scenarios#kpop imagines#cznnet#nct u scenarios#nct u#nct 127 reactions#nct reactions#nct imagines#nct scenarios#nct au#nct dream scenario#nct dream
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Could I please request a yandere Vil with a female darling? Maybe they knew each other when they were kids, but darling wasn’t very pretty, so Vil used to make fun of her. But now many years have passed, she’s turned out to be beautiful and Vil can’t just let anyone have her
Absolutely!! I love this prompt too! I still think Vil has a lot of traits which make him fit both a yandere AND a bully! Since you said reader ‘wasn’t very pretty’, i’m going to go based on standard social media beauty standards (ew), which I think Vil was exposed to early on due to being a child star and all.
Pairing: Yandere!Vil Schoenheit x Female!Model!Darling
TW: Body Shaming, Yandere Behavior(s), Past Bullying
His gaze was as unnerving as it was harsh, never turning from her for the duration of their shoot. Even when he was called from the set to allow her to take solo shots, Vil did not remove his gaze from Y/N’s body.
“What’s the matter with you? You look so terrified!” Her manager asked as Y/N sat down to have her makeup changed. “It’s going to ruin the pictures!”
Y/N hummed apologetically but tuned them out as her mind wandered back to Vil. It was a surprise seeing him again after all that he had done to her years prior, back when they were only children.
When she was so happy about her brand new outfit, the one that her parents had made for her as a gift, Vil bullied her for her 'rags'. He didn't let up even when she cried.
When she was allowed to do her hair the way she wished, and she picked a new style, Vil sneered at her, telling her how much it made her forehead look large or drew attention to her nose.
He found so much joy in tormenting her, when she had done nothing cruel to him. Vil simply couldn't go one day without insulting 'Little Miss Ugly Duckling'.
She thought all of her prayers were answered when she was able to move away to the Rose Kingdom and attend private lessons. In the solitude of her home, she found confidence in herself, in the style that she enjoyed most and it showed.
Becoming a model had not been in her plans but with her mother's gentle encouragement to give it one try - she didn't see any harm in at least trying it.
Y/N had been so glad that she decided to try it; While the competitions were often too much for her, the fun that she had outweighed the stress. She was able to travel for photo shoots, meet people that she never thought she could meet- but that also meant- "Ah! Mr. Schoenheit! Hello!" The sudden shrillness of her manager's voice drew her from her thoughts, but when her eyes met Vil's - her blood ran cold. "How can we help you?"
"Please give me a moment to speak to my colleague about the coming shoot. The poses that are being requested may be...difficult for a beginner." Vil explained, his voice sounding as serene and beautiful as everyone said it was; But that hardly mattered to Y/N.
"I've done these poses bef-" Y/N began, attempting to explain that his aid was unnecessary, but her manager waved her words away, all to happy to cater to Vil.
"But of course! I'll let the rest of the staff know to give you both a few minutes!"
And with that, both the manager and the makeup artist left the two models alone.
"Who would have thought," Vil stepped closer to her, his gait allowing him to quickly approach her seated form. "That you would be sitting here? Little Miss Ugly Duckling."
"Don't call me that." She turned from him, looking into the vanity mirror to gaze at herself rather than those lavender eyes.
"Well, your manners are certainly the same." Rather than sneer, as she expected him to, Vil chuckled. There was an odd mirth in his voice as he moved to stand behind her, his hands coming to rest on the sides of the chair. "But I suppose you are more of a Swan now aren't you? You're welcome."
"Excuse me?!"
"You're only where you are now because of me. So many ugly and unflattering things you used to do. You moved away to clean yourself up. It's a good look for you - dedicating yourself to fit my image." Vil smirked down at Y/N in the mirror's reflection. His eyes practically glowing in a twisted kind of delight. "Such a good little swan."
"Now you listen to me, Schoenheit. I did NOT do anythiing for you, let alone change myself for YOU. You did nothing but belittle me and put me down all those years! You're lucky I had no say in this photoshoot because the last person I want to be around is someone like y-MMH." Y/N's angered speech was cut off as Vil leaned around the chair, forcefully sealing his lips over her own.
His hands shifted, pinning her arms down to the arms of the chair with just enough force to hold her but not enough to bruise her.
Y/N whimpered, rearing back against the seat but was unable to separate from the unwanted kiss. The feel of his lips against hers, the way they glided over hers, made her feel sick.
However, as Vil forced his tongue inside of her mouth and the sweet tangy taste of apples and limes, that feeling of disgust changed to a hazy feeling of content and comfort.
Vil pulled away slowly with a soft sigh, savoring the taste of her on his lips before he opened his eyes. That crazed light returned to his eyes as he watched the angry fire die out in Y/N's eyes, leaving her softly smiling at him.
"Now, you're never leaving me again, are you? " Vil purred as he moved to fix her make up himself. " We're going to be so happy together, you and I, no one else."
#Twisted Wonderland#yandere twst#Yandere Vil Schoenheit#TWST Vil x Reader#Yandere TWST Vil#Female Reader#Anon Ask
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Hiii love🖤 sorry for being so late in the game but I am ✨excited✨ for this. Thank you so much for holding this mini event;) I got Hirugami + fluff + jealousy + friends with benefit to lovers, with 2 & 13 aaand Sakusa + angst to fluff + enemies to lovers + kidnapped, with 43 & 7. If I misread the rules/anything please let my tired brain know ok;) lots of love bb!
Friends with benefits (Hirugami x reader)
Enemies to lovers (Sakusa x reader)
Hi Xave, I’m so so sorry it took me so long to answer this! It’s a bit short... but I hope you still like it.
I hope you are fine, safe and healthy! And thank you for sending in a request. ♥♥♥
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Valentine’s Day - Prompt Event | Masterlist (coming soon)
Pairing: Hirugami x reader (friends with benefits)
Warning: jealousy, friends with benefits to lovers, fluff
Prompts:
2. Kiss me again, like you mean it.
13. You can’t say you haven’t thought about it? I have.
Hirugami is your best friend. Back then, you were always close. You had the perfect friendship. The balance between the interactions was just right. You didn’t see each other too often that you got on your nerves, but you weren’t separated too long to miss the other one.
But a few months ago, everything got weird. To fall off balance. Because after graduating from high school, he invited you to a house party at a friend’s house. There you were supposed to celebrate your graduation when you two drank too much.
Somehow you ended up on your way home with Hirugami, in his bed, together with him without clothes, without distance. Only your warm bodies lay on each other while you whispered indecent things. You have slept together, crossed the line of friendship and made a step that only couples actually make. But you were just friends.
After this incident, both of you try to behave as always, but without success. It feels weird, kind of bizarre…
Two weeks go by, and again you move silently next to each other while you walk a big round with his dog. As always, he takes him off the leash when you arrive at the dog park and sit on the bench, watching him play with other dogs. Just you don’t talk like you always do. You only sit next to each other in silence, looking forward as you cling your fingers to the fabric of your clothes.
“Listen Y/n… I think we should talk about the incident a few weeks ago. Don’t you think?” With Hirugami’s words, your heart beats faster. It would be a lie to say that you didn’t like the night with him. Never would you have thought that Hirugami can be so passionate and loving, but also wild at the same time. You’d have expected him to be stiff because of his habit of making everything perfect.
“Yes? What do you want to talk about?” You ask hesitantly, while you still dare not look him in the eye.
“Okay, now that sounds weird, but… What happened after the party… that we… that we slept together… I know it’s wrong, but it felt great Y/n. I have caught myself in the two weeks now more often with the thought, how it would probably be if we would repeat this… So just as friends… without feelings.”
His words are very calm, hesitant as they come out of him, almost as if he wants to find the right words for such a wrong topic. And for the first time after these two weeks, you’re really looking him in the eye. You scan his embarrassed expression as he plays with the leash in his hand.
You notice how his cheeks are becoming more and more colored every second you stay silent. But his gaze remains serious. “I mean… You can’t say you haven’t thought about it? I have. I really have… a lot…” His eyes stay on yours all the time, never looking away.
Your heart is racing inside you, and you’re sure he can hear it now. But even though you’ve often thought about it, your head tells you it’s not right. Yet your words deceive you. “Sounds good. Just sex… no feelings.”
If you’d known how much you’d fall in love with him every time you slept together, every time you kissed, all those wonderful words he’d whispered to you with passion, you’d have said no to him loudly. Then the whole friends with benefits thing was one of your biggest mistakes.
The addiction to Hirugami, his touch, his bare skin, and his irresistible look made you fall in love with him every time he told you how beautiful you are. To fall in love with your best friend.
You quickly realized that you had to do something about it, distract yourself, and forget your love for him. Good, that at this time, an old school friend was single again and you two somehow ended up with a date. He would be perfect to distract your mind. At least that’s what you thought.
Because even though he’s really an incredibly nice man, and is handsome, all you have to think about is Hirugami. On his soft brown hair, these warm and beautiful eyes in the same color. Why do you have to think of him now, when you’re spending the evening with another person?
“Hey you know… I’m not feeling well today… can we postpone the evening to another time?” You’re lying because you know for a fact that you will not date him again.
Your old school friend looks at you a little worried, but then just nods and insists on at least bringing you home.
Hirugami knows he should only use the key for your apartment in emergencies. But that was one, wasn’t it? Because all evening you don’t answer your phone, don’t answer his messages or calls. He just wants to see if you’re okay and then leave.
But your apartment is empty. “Y/n? Are you at home?” he calls into your empty living room, but no one answers him.
Quietly he walks towards your bedroom, opens the door carefully to prevent you from waking up, if you were lying in bed. Yet your room is empty, just a few clothes scattered on your blankets. Are you just getting ready and are in the bathroom?
Through the living room, past the kitchen, he goes into the hallway to the bathroom, knocks a few times, and asks if you’re in there. Again there is no answer, the room is as cold as the rest of your apartment.
Sighing, his body moves him to your living room window, to the windowsill with the picture of the three of you. He, you and his dog. All three of you have fallen into the mud, and while you and his dog happily look into the camera, he desperately looks down on his clothes.
He doesn’t notice how the corners of his mouth pull upwards as he holds the image in his hands. The day was really nice, and when he thinks about it, every day was nice as long as he had spent it with you.
He still smiles as he puts the photo back on the windowsill, but his smile fades as he looks out the window and sees you there.
You’re not alone, a man is in your company, has his arm a little too affectionate to your waist while you both look at each other laughing. Hirugami’s chest contracts as this man gives you a kiss on the cheek and watches you with a wide smile as you walk to the front door. One last time you wave to each other before he turns around and goes in another direction.
Hirugami’s feelings play wild, he is angry and sad at the same time. His heart hurts and his thoughts are not clear. He knows why it bothers him so much. But he thought it wouldn’t annoy him that much if he saw you with someone else.
He thought he could hide his feelings. But it was foolish of him to think that the sight of you with another man would leave him cold when he loves you. And he was so sure that you also see more than a friendship in you.
Hirugami can hear the key in your door as you enter with a sigh. His gaze wanders from the picture to you, realizing your surprised expression.
“Sachirou, what are you doing here?” You ask confused before you close the door and approach him. “Why don’t you answer your phone? I’ve been trying to reach you the entire time.” He says with a somewhat too instructive voice.
“Why are you being so snappy? I was out wi-”
“Yeah, I saw it… With that guy down there. He’s not suitable for you, Y/n…” He interrupts you with a harsh tone, looking deep into your eyes as he reduces the distance between you. You stand one step away from each other, feel each other’s warmth.
“And you want to know... what or who’s best for me?” You laugh with a bittersweet undertone. After all, you know what your heart wants, which person would be best for you.
“I am.” His serious voice suddenly echoes in your ears, even though it is quiet, you hear his voice loud and clear. Only this two words make your pulse rise, your body tingle and your cheeks become warmer.
Unbelievably, you look at him, don’t dare ask him what he means when he keeps talking.
“I know we’re both more than friends. This friend with benefits thing wasn’t right. Either we’re friends or lovers. But if we keep this up, we’re both gonna get hurt. And I can see it in your eyes. I can see it in your eyes every time we kiss, every time we sleep together… You can’t tell me I’m the only one who has more than friendly feelings.”
It surprises you how his words can remain as calm as he says all this to you, while everything rages inside you. You’re about to ask him so many questions. Tell him so much, but instead only a quiet and brief tone comes out between your lips. “Then… kiss me…”
You see Hirugami’s eyes grow bigger; he gets nervous and all the calm leaves his body. How rooted he stands there, looking at you wordlessly as he brings all his courage together and bends forward, giving you an insecure, fleeting and incredibly short kiss.
Even though he kissed you a lot, this kiss feels different. He wants to do everything right, instead does everything wrong. Confused, your eyes met his. Have to avoid a small laugh at the clumsy sight that forms in front of you.
“Kiss me again. Kiss me like you mean it,” you whisper to him, take the last step towards him and never interrupt your eye contact. Your sentence suddenly gives Hirugami so much self-confidence, so much security, that you almost can’t finish it when his lips hit yours again. This time longer. Full with love and passion.
As if he were holding a treasure in his hands, he embraces your cheeks with his hands, buries his fingers in your hair, as his tongue strokes your lips to ask for permission.
Your kiss is getting more and more intimate, more fiery. None of you want to let go. But your red puffed-up lips separate when Hirugami suddenly releases from your kiss.
“I love you Y/n. Let me show you this,” and even before you know it, you are in his muscular arms, your feet no longer touch the ground as he lets you down on the couch and shows you his love openly.
Pairing: Sakusa x reader (enemies to lovers)
Warning: angst to fluff, enemies to lovers, kidnapping
Prompts:
7. I never thought I’d see you again.
43. How mad would you be if I kissed you?
It’s not always easy to work as a spy when your brother is the boss of the whole mob force. All they tell you is that you’re the little sister and you do not know what you’re actually doing. You’d only be there because Ushijima was worried about you.
Even more annoying that you are in the trunk of some people, gagged and tied up and don’t know where you are being taken. The confirmation for these idiots that you’re really not strong enough alone. Slowly the lid of the trunk opens, two men with guns standing in front of you. Dressed dark with disgusting faces. “Come on…” The blond-haired one hisses as he pulls you out of the car by your cuffed wrists.
You try to make a painful sound, but the tape that ties your mouth prevents it. With a jerk, the blonde man lifts you up, casually throws you over his shoulder as he walks along a bald gray hallway with his comrade.
They bring you into a damp, cold room made only of musty concrete and a flickering lamp. Roughly the blonde man takes you off, brings the steel chains to you to tie you with it, and removes the sloppy and much too firmly attached rope on legs and arms.
With a grin, he looks at your face, checks your body before he lets his hands off you and puts them against his hip. “As long as the boss isn’t here, we can do other things with her. Don’t you think, Bokuto?” The blonde man laughs mockingly while licking his lip.
But the gray-haired only stare at him awkwardly. Scratches his head and looks back and forth between you and him. “Atsumu… I don’t think Sakusa would be so thrilled if we did anything to her without his permission.”
Sakusa… You’ve heard that name before. Now it comes back to you. A few years ago, your brother wanted to make an alliance with him. For your two groups have long been enemies. Only the alliance never came. Because on the day of the meeting point, where you agreed to make an arms deal, the police came. Your people have died, so have Sakusa’s men. Both troops accused the other squad, no one wanted to admit that he had betrayed the others. To this day, you don’t know if it was one of your own men or one of Sakusa’s men. And even though you’ve heard so much about him, you’ve never met him personally. To be honest, you’d wish it had stayed that way.
Just as Atsumu wants to say something, the door opens and a tall, dark-haired man with raven-black eyes enters the room. He is pretty, almost like a model who would be booked for a canvas painting in the museum. But when Bokuto speaks to the man by his name, your blood freezes to ice.
“Sakusa, we prepared everything. No one saw us. So… what are we gonna do with her?” He asks, clearly intimidated by his boss, move one step backwards to observe what the dark-haired one is doing.
An arrogant look adorns his skin, while he touches your face with his latex-covered fingers, turns it a few times before he lets go and examines you again. “Well done, that should be Ushijima’s sister.” He says, still looking at you and continuing with his next sentence.
“You have the choice, princess. Either you talk, and tell me which one of you was that sneaky rat who snitched on us, or you don’t talk, we’ll torture you until you sing and then kill you. Ushijima won’t be pleased if your body comes back home piece by piece, right?” He hisses and looks at you expectantly, as if he wanted to hear a direct answer from you right now.
But you laugh bitterly. “One of ours? We didn’t betray you. We wanted to work together with you. Wakato… Ushijima really thought a lot of you Sakusa.”
To his astonishment, your voice is soft. You have no fear, despite all his words. Either you’re a really talented actress or you don’t care about your life. “Looks like you don’t want to talk. Fine…”
His gaze sweeps over to Bokuto and Atsumu. Nodding at the men, he turns away from you completely. “You know what to do.” With these words, he leaves the room, closes the door that might have helped you to freedom, and leaves you alone with the two men who will ruin your life.
But no matter what the men threaten you, no matter what they do, you don’t talk. You would never betray your brother, your own flesh and blood.
Sakusa never thought you were so stubborn. He is sure that after these two weeks, even the two men would have betrayed him to protect their life. For a few days he thinks about what he can do instead. What he can do to make you talk, because for some inexplicable reason, he can’t kill you.
In the end, it is Atsumu who gives him an idea he would not have thought of. He suggests that Sakusa pretend to love you. To have an eye on you. First Sakusa considers the idea itself absurd, but then thinks it is worth at least a try.
So he’s trying everything to make you love him and talk to him. He’s pretending to interrupt Atsumu when he’s trying to hurt you. Tell him he didn’t send him, just to free you from your shackles and bring you into the room next to his own. A huge room, beautifully decorated with a large and comfortable bed.
He gives you fresh towels, shows you the bathtub and shower so you can freshen up. Sakusa lovingly treats all your wounds. He always cooks you fresh food, makes sure that you regularly get enough to drink and enough vitamins.
Sakusa constantly brings you the biggest and most beautiful rose bouquets. Gorgeous dresses are more and more common in the room and fill your wardrobe. More often he stays with you for a while, telling you some stories from his past.
Shockingly, you also begin to like the closeness to Sakusa more and more. How you enjoy the conversations and ask him one or the other question. Often you catch yourself telling Sakusa about you, your childhood and the things you love.
You also tell him that you don’t really like all the roses he always gives you, because you prefer the little colorful field flowers, since they are available in all colors and shapes. They grow in all areas and no matter where they are, they just look beautiful.
He carefully notes your comment, promising that he will eventually take you behind the wood to the mountains, where there is a large meadow with wildflowers.
Too late you realize that you have fallen in love with him, that you also tell him about Ushijima, about his strengths and his fears. But you can’t undo your words.
You feel stupid when you stand next to the door, comb your hair and look in the mirror, and hear a conversation between Atsumu and Bokuto. “She’s so stupid, really thinks our boss loves her. Give her a few more days and she’ll chirp like a bird. She’ll tell Sakusa everything she knows.” Atsumu’s voice is like a knife in your heart.
The stabbing pain just doesn’t go away, gets even worse when the door to your bedroom opens and Sakusa steps in. Directly your eyes become glassy, and you want to hit him with your fists and throw nasty words against his head, but instead you just stand still, letting your tears touch the soft carpet on your feet.
He doesn’t need words to see what you want to say to him. He doesn’t need movements, because your tears are moving enough. Your lips only form a mute “why?” when Sakusa swallows the big lump in his throat and wants to reach for your wrists. But you’re just pulling away.
“Y/n...I really love you…” You hear the voice of the black-haired one, which only makes you look bitter. “Sure…” You answer crying and hate yourself for being so naïve. “I’m serious. It’s true, I wanted to play all this for you, but I really fell in love with you. In the person you are… Tell me how to prove it to you, and I’ll do it! I’ll do anything you want.”
“Then let me go home!” You interrupt him loudly and watch his face as his words fall silent and he stares at you with an empty expression. If he lets you go now, he’ll never see you again. If he lets you go now, Ushijima and his squad will find him and march in. More people will spill their blood. But if he lets you go now… Does he tell you in his own way that he loves you? Does he tell you in his own way that he’s serious and he’s sorry?
Then even Sakusa, too late, realized that he hadn’t come to you for a long time to get information from you, that he just wanted to come to you to spend time with you. “All right. Go.” He whispers quietly, his eyes on yours all the time as he steps away from the door and signals you that you can move.
“Down the stairs, first door on the right…There’s no one there, you’re free.” Are his last words before he sees your body running away from him and you are no longer with him. The space filled with so much life, so much love is now empty, just like his inner.
Time passes, nothing has happened. You are back with Ushijima, who in the meantime had turned a lot upside down to find you. You tell him everything you know and everything that happened. Yet you’re not attacked by Sakusa and his men.
On the contrary, Ushijima’s business is more peaceful than ever. No incidents, no attacks. Nothing.
You should be happy because you are back home, safe, but no matter what you do, his face doesn’t go out of your head and your heart hurts every time.
You don’t realize how one day your body drives you into the deep woods, behind these, to many gigantic mountains and a huge pasture with field flowers. It is beautiful there. The flowers grow like wild on the meadow, in blue, yellow, red, pink and many other colors.
They are big and small, dancing in the light wind, which puts a smile on your face. In love with this beautiful view, you sit on the soft lawn. Brush the grass with your fingers and breathe in the beautiful flower air.
“I never thought I’d see you again.” A familiar but painful voice makes your shoulders twitch. With big eyes, you turn around, looking at the handsome dark-haired man, who approaches you with an anxious smile and a large bouquet of field flowers.
You would like to throw so many things at his head, say unfriendly things, but other words leave your mouth. “How did you know I’d be here today?”
You see him thinking about whether he’s really telling you the truth or lying to you. He still stands several steps away from you, almost as if he didn’t dare to come near you. “You know, I was here every day with a bouquet of flowers… Hoping you’d be here, too.”
His words surprise you. After all, over two months have passed. Two months where he was here every day? Getting his hands dirty every day picking flowers, even though he’s so pure?
“I don’t know what to say, Sakusa…” Is the only thing you can say, because he overwhelms you with the whole situation. You find it incredibly romantic that he was here every day. You see in his gaze that he is really serious.
“You don’t have to say anything, just… Can you forgive me? I did nothing to harm you or Ushijima.” A small smile forms on your face as you knock on the grass next to you and signal that he should come to you.
First he hesitates, but then goes towards you and hands you the bouquet before he takes his jacket, puts it on the ground and sits on it. Full of joy, you smell the beautiful flowers, inhale the soft scent, before you look at Sakusa, who watches you with a warm expression.
“I forgive you if you eat an earthworm.” You say laughing and wait for Sakusa’s reaction. You know he would never do such a thing.
“Gross…” He just hisses, but you see him struggling with it, looking at the ground, yet always shove his gaze in your direction, hoping you tell him it was just a joke. Laughing, you put the flowers away, wipe your tears from your face as you put your hand on his back.
“Oh god Sakusa, that was just fun! Please don’t eat earthworms!” You see relief throughout his body as he puts his hand on his chest, where his heart is. “Oh god Y/n… I really thought I had to eat an earthworm. I almost had a heart attack.” He whines, listens to your laughing voice and the little “sorry” that comes out of your mouth and kisses his ears.
He is silent for a long time, just looks at you until you have calmed down and now look at him questioning. “What’s wrong?” You ask with a smile, but he just laughs back softly, takes off his glove, and covers your cheek with his naked skin. His warm look becomes serious, yet remains loving.
“How mad would you be if I kissed you?” His words jump on your lip, make your cheeks glow, but your gaze is teasingly. “I don’t know. Find out.” You whisper, as Sakusa’s voice quickly interrupts you.
“Oh, be sure, I will. And another thing… Call me Kiyoomi, pretty girl.” He breathes throaty as his lips meet yours. This time with proper feelings, real love.
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hanahaki disease pt 3
summary: hanahaki disease- a disease where the victim of unrequited or one sided love begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs. which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible if left. it ends when the beloved returns their feelings or when the victim dies.
a/n: i decided i’m going to be writing a fourth partt because i write too much lmaooo. lmk your thoughts and thank you so much for the support and comments i’ve been getting!
pt 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4
“spencer stop!”, my laughter filled the room as spencer’s fingers kept tickling my sides. i mentally cringed at my laugh, trying to close my mouth but failing. spencer’s actions stopped as he hovered over me, “are you going to say yes now?”. i shook my head no with tears in my eyes, spencer’s hands returned to my side. “okay stop stop stop! i’ll watch it!”, i said quickly.
“why are you crying?”, spencer asked concerned, his beautiful eyes staring into mine. i bursted out laughing as i clamped a hand over my mouth, trying to muffle my laugh. “i’m not crying, my eyes are just watery from you tickling me”, i managed out. “hey, don’t hide your smile from me”, he said grinning as he pulled my hand down from my face. his words made my heart burst. i groaned as i sat up from my position on the couch, my sides hurting from the torture they received.
spencer got the remote and put on ‘doctor who’. he put his arm around me as i cuddled into his side. this is wrong, i thought. he just thinks of me as a friend but then he acts like this around me. i felt spencer’s fingers tracing random shapes on my side. my chest tightened and my breath quickened. i felt like i could pass out, i never wanted this moment to end, i felt pure bliss in his arms.
unfortunately it did, that happened three months ago. i realized that night that i was in love with him, it wasn’t just feelings anymore. that was also the night the plant started growing inside of me. i spent the night at his house, baking cookies and watching doctor who together.
i had decided who i should put on my life support form. the noise of my footsteps climbing up the stairs filled the silent hallway. i cleared my throat, still feeling uncomfortable although i already coughed some petals out. i stopped in front of his door, softly knocking on spencer’s door. this plant is growing for him, he should be the one to decide. spencer opened the door, opening it wider once he saw it was me.
“y/n! you came”, his excited voice said, i stepped into his apartment with a smile on my face. his presence alone made my mood so much better. “yeah, we haven’t hung out in a while”, i said taking off my sweater and putting it on the couch. “actually i have something to talk to you about”, might as well get this over with.
“what is it”, spencer replied, coming to take a seat next to me. i stayed silent for a second as i chewed on my lip. i saw spencer’s eyes glance down at my hands, my eyes following his. i was subconsciously picking at the skin around my nails, something he said i did when i was nervous. i quickly stopped doing it and cleared my throat.
“it’s about the coughing. you said that i could tell you when i was ready, and i’m ready”, i started. i exhaled a long sigh as my vision blurred with tears. “i’m dying spencer, i have hanahaki disease”, i desperately blinked the tears away. it doesn’t matter how many times i cried, the tears just kept coming. his face remained expressionless as he just stared at me.
“i know”, he finally said. “after i saw you cough up a flower, i went home and researched everything i could about coughing up flowers. i was waiting for you to tell me”, i nodded my head as a tear slid down my cheek. spencer scooted closer to me and wiped the tear off my face with his thumb. “who do you love?”
my breath caught in my throat at his last question. i glanced down at my hands, should i tell him? i looked back up to meet his eyes, my eyes glanced at a framed picture he had of maeve on his book shelf. “that’s not important”, i finally said, my eyes returning to his. “the reason i came here is because there’s a surgery i can get, but it’s risky. there’s isn’t enough research done for the surgery to be a guaranteed success”, i said pulling out the manila folder from the bag i brought with me.
i placed the folder on his lap. his fingers reached for it, opening it to the life support form dr. lee had given me. spencer reached for the x-ray scans behind the first paper, eyes taking in the image. “red carnations are my favorite”, he said softly. yeah i know, that’s why they’re growing inside of me. “spencer, i want you to be the person to decide my fate”, i said reaching for a pen from my bag and giving it to him.
“i don’t think i can do this”, he said after a few moments, his eyes looking up to meet mine. i opened my mouth to say something but was interrupted when both of our phones ringed. i furrowed my eyebrows as i reached in my back pocket for mine. ‘new case. get here asap!’, penelope’s text message read. “look you don’t have to sign it right now, just consider it”, i said with a pleading look in my eyes, “please”.
spencer nodded his head and closed the folder. we both got into our separate cars and arrived at FBI headquarters. “alright, my lovelies”, said penelope as she entered the briefing room. the whole team had arrived and was sitting around the round table. “six prostitutes have been found dead in alleyways right here in virginia. they all have an extreme amount of stab wounds and their hair has been cut off”, garcia said cringing.
“six? why are we barely being told now?”, i said, looking down at the crime scene photos on my tablet. “the police don’t really care for prostitutes that die. they kind of just slip it under the rug”, morgan said in a disappointing tone. “why is he taking their hair though?”, emily added in.
“it could be for trophies, relive his crimes. we’ll be taking the cars over there”, hotch said in his usual serious tone. we all hopped onto two different cars, three of us in each. my eyes followed the scenery we passed on our drive. ah shit, i thought as i felt the familiar itchy sensation in my throat. i started lightly coughing, “ hotch can you please stop the car”, i heard emily say . i felt the car being pulled over and i hurriedly opened the car door.
i violently coughed onto the floor, getting down on my knees. i felt the lump come up my throat, the damned flower finally making its way out of my mouth. i heaved as i felt more coming out of my mouth, hurting and stinging my throat. i breathed heavily as i pulled back my hair. i stood up on shaky legs, using the car door for support. my thoughts ran a million miles a second as i saw that i coughed up more than the other times.
the last thing i fucking need is for this thing to get worse. i wiped the blood off my chin with my sleeve, climbing back into the car and shutting the door. “everything alright, y/l/n?”, i heard hotch’s voice say, looking at me through the rear view mirror. i nodded my head as i composed myself, emily looked back at me concerned. she’d never actually seen it happen, just heard me talk about it. we arrived at the springfield police department, where they provided a board room for us.
we ran through different theories but nothing seemed to make sense. there were two different types of stab wounds. “there’s two unsubs. one is the dominant personality which goes with the violent stab wounds”, i said looking at the crime scene photos on the board. “and one is the submissive, indicating the hesitant stab wounds”, spencer followed, coming to the realization i made. after talking to witnesses and coming up with theories, we figured out the unsubs were 36 year-old connor andrews and 17 year-old jackson gregory.
we were on our way to an abandoned warehouse, which was slap in the middle of the geo profile reid created. i felt the familiar tightness in my throat as i mentally cursed myself. you just had to go falling in love with your coworker, i internally scolded myself. we arrived to the warehouse, quickly getting out and forcing our way into the building. “put the weapon down!”, morgan’s voice boomed as we found the older unsub pointing a gun to the younger one’s head.
i suppressed my coughs and ignored the tightness i felt. “no! he betrayed me!”, the unsub connor andrews said as he held the 17 year-old against him, shielding himself with him. i felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my chest. it worsened whenever i took a breath in. my hand reached to touch my chest, trying to keep my composure. i somehow still managed to keep my coughs in, even though i felt like my throat was being ripped open. the world around me started spinning as i felt myself fall.
taglist:
@squirrellover1967 @thatsonezesty13 @yomama-umbridge @arttrash02 @ladydansblanche @shellbeerocks @skrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt
#spencer reid imagine#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid angst#spencer reid#matthew gray gubler imagine#matthew gray gubler x reader#mgg#matthew gray gubler#criminal minds imagines#criminal minds#angst
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Ok, It's Not Red. So What?
"Oh, It's Not Red" continuation
Welcome to the third part of my posts regarding Mochijun-sensei's official VnC artworks. This is just a continuation of the 2nd part (there will be no artworks to be discussed). I will just share some absurd ideas that I came up with after my realization (some may already be out there). If there's any chance that you stumbled to the prior post and decided to continue. I salute you brave warriors that assume I would mention anything that makes any sense. To those who have no time to read a post that only talked about Murr's eye color. Here's a summary: I realized Murr's right eye is not red.
Curious as to how did I come to this conclusion? Check it out here: Oh, It's Not Red (You may not read the first part as it isn't related to this. But if you want to, it's here: Regarding some of VnC Artwork this title is so uncreative)
As usual, a friendly reminder that best in writing is an award I never received. I'm not the person who could analyze, explain, or theorize things clearly. Please bear that in mind while reading. Photos are not mine, of course. Also, spoiler alert to be safe
Now that it's all said and done. Let's go ahead and talk about Murr.
By this time, we already know who is Murr. And I think we all agree that the cat is not just a cute mascot of the series. I bet that he would be a game-changer (yes, I'm putting Murr on a high pedestal). The question is: What do you think of Murr's role in the story?
After spending hours and hours of reading here and there, the common theories I found are:
1. Murr is Sensei (The Shapeless One)
Sensei is an observer. And where is the best place to observe? It's beside your subject of interest. Also, as his title suggests, he is shapeless, so maybe he could shapeshift into anything he wants. This sounds probable but, I do not lean on this much for two reasons.
Personal preference. If this is true, Sensei is weird, not terrifying. I mean, instead of doing scary and shady affairs during his free time, he decided to be a cat just to watch Noé.
Look at the image below closely.
Did you found Murr? No? Take a closer look at Louis. At first, I thought he was just reading, but his book has a weird shape. Where did I see that again? Oh, right.
Not yet satisfied? See this panel from the manga. This is after the first image's scene.
(Grandpa obviously has his favorites)
I think the cat Louis' holding is Murr. Thus, there's a panel where Sensei and Murr are together. That's the second reason I'm skeptical about this theory, folks.
Well, we also don't know. Maybe grandpa killed the cat so he could disguise himself as one.
2. Murr is a spy camera of Grandpa De Sade
It's a simple one. The theory goes like this: Murr's right eye connects to Sensei in whatever way. This panel is what inspires this theory:
(This cat really is suspicious, I bet he is one of the puppet masters of this arc along with Sensei)
This theory is what I'm more inclined to believe. I suppose the cat is working under/with Grandpa for their grand schemes. So, of course, he would report to Sensei the events that took place. Whether he is using his right eye or whatever means it is.
Going to my personal thoughts...
I guess that Murr was a kin of the vampire of the blue moon. He used the power too much, and thus he was rewritten from the inside. Alas, Murr became a cat! Why is he heterochromatic, tho?
Ok, kidding aside, there are two ideas I want to share.
1. Possibly Twins
Mochijun-sensei dropped the bomb in chapter 46. She gave us the idea that the theme of twins would be relevant in the story. Here is the page where Veronica mentioned the thing about twins:
Then three chapters later when Misha forced Noé to drink his blood and reveal his memory. Mochijun-Sensei dropped another bomb.
After seeing this, we speculated that Faustina and Luna are twins. I love that thought. Just imagine how complex the relationship it would be between the two. But if we think about it. What if this is just a misdirection? First, Mochijun-sensei makes us aware that the subject of twins is somewhat important. And while that information is still fresh in our memory, she dropped another bomb and told us that the blue vampire and the queen looked alike. Mochijun-sensei set this up so that we could connect the two easily.
All we know is that: Vampire twins are a symbol of bad luck, and Luna looks like Faustina. This is just me overthinking things, but what's life without competition. So, let's add three more names to the list that could be a set of twins.
Murr and Luna: Because why not? His left eye is blue. Also, Luna's left eye was never shown in the series. It's always hidden by her hair, maybe it's a different color.
Noé and Luna: Let's just say he is older than the series claimed him to be. Noé's memory started on the day that it snowed. I believe that Mochijun-sensei is keeping the timeline vague since it would reveal too much information. I mean, we don't know how long time passed from the day Noé was found by the old couple to the day Sensei brought him to the castle in the forest. Keep in mind that the vampire's growth differs for each person, as well.
Also, is the story the Noé and Sensei told trustworthy?
(How kind are this kidnappers that the kid was not traumatized? Also what's with the injuries. I don't much about slave trading in VnC world. But, if you're going to sell something you don't want it to have visible damage right. Sorry if the comparison sounds offending)
As far as I could tell, Sensei is shady, like really. Noé's memory is also not reliable. After all, someone out there may have the ability to manipulate memories. What if Noé was was born ages ago and was induced to sleep for a long time for whatever reasons?
Going back to Noé and Luna. Mochijun-sensei is giving us subtle hints of his association with Luna. I only saw Luna from one chapter, but I could say they are somewhat similar aside from the hair and skin(?) color (I will make a list later if I still have of time on hand).
(Child Noé and Luna both have similar haistyle, they have the "lid" as Mochijun-sensei called it. Their eyes are different tho')
Go on, read chapter 49, you'll see what I mean. Also, take note that at some panels (especially the ones where Noé is feeling extreme emotions), Noé's left eye was hidden by his hair or something. Who else out there that we don't see her left eye? Yup, the vampire of the blue moon (I have a weird feeling about Noe's left eye that I will share later) To conclude this, I think that Noé was not from this era. He is actually from the past and preserved in whatever way from whatever reason. And maybe he is actually the twin brother of Luna, seeing that they have a resemblance.
For now, I won't say that he's a reincarnation of Luna (I may change my mind later) as the timeline doesn't coincide. Besides, human Vani's reaction when Misha told him that there's a way to revive Luna is intense. Meaning he wants Luna to stay dead. I also believe that human Vani is hiding "something" he knows about Noé. So if Noé's a reincarnated Luna, there's no way human Vani would stay with him.
Murr and Noé
If you saw my previous post. I convinced myself that Murr's right eye's color is violet (the same shade as Noé's). That's why I decided to include them here. I have no definitive reasoning aside from their eye color and how Murr treated Noé in the series.
In the meantime, I'll write the scenario in my head. What if Murr and Noé are twins. Something happened when they were young, and so they were separated. Noé was somewhere we don't know yet, while Murr encountered Vampire Vanitas and Grandpa DeSade. Then the rest is history.
I swear I didn't expect it to be this long, at any rate, this would be to be continued here: Ok, It's Not Red. So What? (continuation)
Note: This is just a random theory, thoughts, assumptions, and/or head-canons. I wrote this to indulge my over-thinking self. Thank you for taking the time to read and understanding if I made any mistakes or post whatever it is you don’t agree on.
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Imagine Owen Grady proposing.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7e3101ca58401f62c18bc2379b780f77/02a5e03d47e9d209-13/s540x810/2166ea4b98b1d119412f9ffe256571f21c4428fe.jpg)
(No image used belongs to me)
A/n - Okay, maybe I got a little excited while writing this, but I have to say, I don't regret anything, because I loved writing it, and I hope you like reading it as much as I did. For context this happens more or less in February / March 2015, a few months before the I-Rex incident, and it also kind of happens in the DT universe, buuut, maybe when I'm writing on the series, I'll do a second version of it, but in the dinosaur paddock where y/n trains, idk.
This was requested by an anon, and I thank them again for making this request, it made me very happy, really. Thank you very, very much for that, and I hope you like it.
Enjoy~
Requested? Yes, by a wonderful Anon~
Summary: Imagine Owen doing a very romantic date with several surprises and asking you to marry him.
Warnings: You can die (of cuteness of course). Sex suggestion, and maybe it can trigger if you are like me and feel anxious when you can't see. Possible English errors.
Pairing: Owen Grady x Reader
Things you might find useful to know:
- The reader is female.
- The reader is 26 years old and Owen 31.
- This takes place a few months before the events of the movie Jurassic World 1
- Owen and y/n have been together for about 2 years.
- This somehow happens in the same universe as Dinosaur Trainer (maybe it's part of the official, or is like an alternative timeline, i have to decide yet).
Y/n = Your name
L/n = Last name
F/c = Favorite color
F/fw = Favorite flower
Words count: 5377
Taglist: If you want to be part of my taglist, please let me know!
(I hope I have put all the information, let me know if I forgot something)
After a long day at work, I finally arrived at my bungalow, where my faithful friend Kodi was waiting for me and came to greet me as soon as I opened the door.
- Hi buddy, how was your day? - He grunted and I pet him behind his ears. - Mine was the same, as always.
I put my bag on the couch and went straight to my room, and I was surprised to find a gift box on my bed, I was sure it wasn’t mine and it wasn’t here before, but I soon thought Owen left it there, since he is the only one who has the key to my house.
I approached the box and picked it up, there was a post-it note with something written by hand that said the following:
"I'll be there at 20:00, and if you can, dress in that f/c dress that looks very sexy on you ;)"
I smile when I read and a little laugh comes out of my nostrils, I open the box and feel my heart speed up when I see that there was my Polaroid camera that had been damaged and was now brand new, and in the box there was one of the first photos I took with Owen, where we were having a picnic outside his bungalow, in the photo we were both kissing while we both held the camera with one hand, and between us was Kodi and Red, I still didn't know how the hell we managed to get that picture. I looked at the small image for a few minutes with a smile and a tear escaped my eyes as I remembered that day.
I left the camera and photo on the nightstand and went to the bathroom to shower, I had a cold one because it was still hot and I wanted to cool off from a long day exposed to the heat of Central America.
After I dried my hair completely I did a high bun, and I wondered if I did makeup or not, and in the end I decided to do light makeup after brushing my teeth, I put on my favorite f/c dress which I can say was probably also my boyfriend’s favorite, and I put on my flat sandals that matched the dress. I looked at myself in the mirror for a few long minutes before I turned to Kodi who was lying on the bedroom floor.
- Hey buddy, how am I? - He replied with a small bark and wagged his tail which made a noise when it hit the ground. - Thank you Kodi.
I petted him and went back to the bathroom to keep all the things I had used, I organized the mess around my house a little bit and saw that it was still 10 minutes before Owen arrived to pick me up, I sighed deeply thinking about what I would do to wait for him. I looked at the camera on the nightstand and picked it up, analyzing it carefully. It was certainly the same camera, but I wondered how it had been repaired, looking almost like it was new. I put the Polaroid where it was before and I took the photo, I had several photos that I had taken with that camera, but this was definitely one of my favorites, and because of that I had left it with Owen. I also observed Red, he unfortunately left us a few months ago, and I couldn't help feeling a little sad to remember that, he was Owen's dog, but I had become attached to him too.
I left my thoughts when I heard the sound of the wheels of a car making noise on the gravel, and Kodi barks towards the door and goes over there, I immediately leave the photo on the nightstand and go towards the door and wait for the sound of the knock on the door, which didn’t take long to happen.
- Who is it? - I ask, but of course I already knew who it was.
- Hello miss, sorry to bother you this simple night, but could you tell me if y/n l/n is home? - I bit my lip to keep from laughing and thought about what I would answer.
- Hmm, I don't know, she has been very busy with work lately, I don't know if she is available. - I leaned against the door waiting for Owen to answer.
- And wouldn't she have some time on her busy schedule, even to go on a date with her amazing boyfriend? - I held back a small laugh in his pity and needy way, and took a deep breath before answering him.
- Hmm, let me see. - I got off the door and opened it, revealing Owen, who surprised me because he was wearing a gray coat with matching pants, and wearing a black shirt, and he rarely dressed like that. I crossed my arms before answering. - Well, I think she does have a little time.
Owen open a smile that melted my heart and showed his perfect teeth, that even after two years together it still made my legs look like gelatin.
- You're beautiful as always. - - I smile at him and feel my blood boil on my face, he then removes the arms that were behind his back revealing a beautiful bouquet of f/fw flowers, handing them over to me, which I picked up and smelled.
- They are beautiful Owen, thank you. - I approach him, grabbing the collar of his shirt so that he bends down and then I could kiss him, I feel him put his hands on my hips, bringing me even closer to him, crushing the flowers a little bit. It was a deep and long kiss, a kiss to kill the longing since it was a week since the last time we saw each other, even if it was little, I already missed him and his lips, but unfortunately we had to separate as soon as we needed air, he rested his forehead on mine and then I let go of his shirt I was holding up to that moment and put my hand around his neck.
- I missed you. - Owen whispered, still holding my hips, not allowing me to move away from him.
- I miss you too. - - He kissed me again, it was a smoother kiss and it didn't take long because Kodi interrupted us with a bark, making me jump with fright, which made Owen laugh.
- I think he wants us to go to our date soon. - Owen said and I laughed with him.
- I'll put the flowers in there, I'll be right back. - I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and enter my bungalow, leaving the flowers in a vase that I had in the kitchen, and when I leave I close the door saying goodbye to Kodi, and Owen takes my hand and guides me to the car.
- Can you tell me what the occasion is? - I asked Owen, and he turned to face me.
- Hum?
- The suit, you never wear it unless it is a very special occasion.
- Our date is something special. - I laugh at his speech, and shake my head.
- You know you don't need to dress up like that for our date, do you? I imagine wearing a suit must be hell, especially with the heat here on the island. You know I never cared about you wearing casual T-shirts and shorts. If we were on a date with you shirtless I wouldn't complain. - He laughed and scratched the back of his neck, was he nervous? He only did this when he was nervous, and it was difficult for him to do that.
- I know, but I wanted to do something special. - I stop and look at his green eyes and think for a few seconds.
- Am I forgetting something? What day is today? - He laughed softly before answering.
- No, you're not forgetting anything.
- Then why something so fancy? I think the only time I saw you dressed like that was at your sister's wedding. You know I don't care about simple things.
- I know baby, I just felt I should do something special for you. - He smiled and I looked at him suspiciously. - Oh, and you better use that.
He took a black fabric from his pocket when he finished speaking.
- What's that for?
- I want it to be a surprise.
- You are full of surprises today, aren't you Owen? - I cross my arms to him, which only makes his smile open even more.
- Come on, turn around. - He gestured for me to turn around, so I did and he put the blindfold over my eyes, preventing me from seeing anything in front of me. - Can you see anything?
- I don't think so.
- It's too tight? - He asked as soon as I touched the fabric, and I shook my head.
- No, that's fine. But where are you? - I look for him and then I feel him take my hand.
- Come on, I'll help you. - I hear the car door opening, and with Owen's help I get in and sit on the seat, and then the door closes, and a few seconds the sound of the other door opens and closes with the sound of the car starting.
- Where are we going? - I ask as soon as the car starts to move, I shake my head trying to look at something, but I didn't see anything, so I decide to turn my head to "look" at Owen.
- You'll already know.
- Hm… - I cross my arms and turn my head forward, leaning against the seat. - You know I don't like not being able to see, right?
- I know baby, but it won't be long, and I promise that nothing will happen, and if you stumble I'll catch you. - Owen placed one of his warm hands on my knee, stroking it gently to try to make me comfortable, I laugh at the last part he said and keep "looking" forward, not being able to see anything beyond the darkness was scary, and left me feeling very vulnerable, my vision was everything to me, and being unable to see, even for a few minutes, terrified me and made me panic.
- Can you turn on the radio? - I ask him and hear him murmur in agreement, he removed his hand from my leg for a few seconds and then the sound of the radio invades the car, the song was over and I didn't recognize it, but the next one that started playing I already knew, and it was one of the songs that I've been listening to a lot lately, it was Am I wrong, by Nico and Vinz, and I started humming along with the song. Other songs I didn't know played , and then I finally heard the car stop and Owen saying.
- We're here. - I mumbled an ok, and waited for him to open my door and help me out of the car, I couldn’t see exactly where I was, but I could see something luminous, Owen took my hand and guided me to the brightest place, and when he stopped he withdrew my blindfold revealing the big tree that was next to his bungalow, its branches were lit with several yellow lights, and right below the tree there was the picnic table with a red towel, where there was a small vase with some flowers, the same as the bouquet he gave me, and there were two small candles beside them. My mouth was open, impressed by all that.
- So, what do you think? - Owen asked me as he put one of his arms around my waist.
- Owen… this is… this is… beautiful, it's incredible. - I felt the air in my lungs leave me, that was so romantic and cute. I turn to face him and see him smiling. - Did you do all this? For me?
- Well, I had a little help. - He shrugged and continued smiling, which made me smile.
- Thank you Owen.
- No need to thank me, not yet, because this is just the beginning. - Owen removes his arms from me and guides me to the table, I sat down and he did the same sitting in front of me.
- Just the beginning? What else do you have to surprise me? - I raise my eyebrows in surprise and then look at him questioningly.
- Calm down, you'll see. - He winked at me which made me smile and made my heart melt. - Waiter!
- Wait, did you hire a waiter? - I was impressed, but when I turn to see the waiter my smile gets even bigger when I see my boyfriend's best friend. - Barry!
- Good night lady y/n, Mr. Owen, I am at your disposal tonight, what would you like to ask?
I looked at Owen who was also smiling, I realized that Barry was also wearing a suit, but it was a black suit with a white shirt, along with a bow tie, in addition he had grown his mustache and had a notepad, he really looked like the waiter.
- I thought of asking for the chef's special tonight. - Owen replied to the friend who nodded, I bit my lip trying to hold my little laugh, while looking at my boyfriend who didn't break eye contact with me and his smile had never disappeared.
- Uhum, it's a great request sir, it should be here in a few minutes. Want a drink to go with it?
- Champagne, please. - I raised my eyebrows at the choice of drink, I saw Barry nod again and write on his pad.
- I deliver immediately, sir. - As soon as he said that he went to Owen's bungalow.
- Champagne, huh? - Owen nodded, and continued with that smile of melting my heart and making my legs weak. - I still think I'm forgetting something and you don't want to tell me.
- Don't worry, you're not forgetting anything. - He put his hand over mine and drew small circles on my skin and I kept looking at his pretty eyes until Barry came with two glasses and a cold bottle of champagne, placing them on the table and opening the bottle and then pouring the liquid into the containers.
- The food should come in a few minutes. - Barry announces and Owen and I agree, and then the waiter enters the bungalow again, I take a sip of champagne and realize that Owen is still looking at me.
- What's it? Is there something on my face? - I say laughing because he is looking at me like that, and he laughed too.
- The only thing on your face is the most incredible beauty I've ever seen. - He puts his free hand on my cheek, caressing it, I give a small nervous laugh and look away, I feel my face heat up. His compliments still made me feel like it was the first time I heard it and because of that I didn't know how to answer it, but I think Owen knew that I was grateful for that, even though I couldn't say it in words, or I at least expected him to know that.
- Dinner is served. - Barry reappears with two plates in his hands, mine being my favorite food of all time, and Owen's was his favorite dish of course, steak with potatoes. - Enjoy the night, and anything just call me.
- Thanks Barry. - Owen and I talk at the same time and Barry leaves with a smile and sits in a chair by the lake.
- Jinx. - I speak at the same time as Owen again, causing us to laugh.
- Jinx! - The same thing occurs and causes us more laughter.
- Buttercup! - The fourth time happens, and I start laughing a lot about it, and Owen too, and when I calm down I hear the sound of a song start playing and look at my boyfriend, who was still smiling.
- Come and get your love? - I ask Owen and he nods.
- How about we eat our food before it gets cold? - I nodded, and so we started eating, we were silent, just the sound of music resonating, along with the rustling of the leaves on the trees and the sound of the water.
- Did Barry do it? - I asked, referring to the food.
- No. It was me. I just asked him to leave the food warm until we arrived. - Owen replied, and I mumbled an "hmm". - Is it bad?
- What? No, this is wonderful. - I speak as soon as I realize he looked worried and I put my hand over his and look him in the eye. - Seriously, this is amazing, and I don't have enough words to thank you.
His worried face disappeared as soon as I said that, and a smile returned to his face.
- Well, I'm glad you liked it. - He paused for a few seconds before looking at me in that malicious way. - And I think I know a way for you to thank me.
He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I bit my lip smiling.
- Better hold your pants Owen! - I hear Barry scream what made me laugh and Owen chuckled.
We continue to eat and drink, and when we're done and the song Dancing in the Moonlight starts playing Owen offers his hand and says.
- Wanna Dance?
- I would love to.
I accept his hand smiling and we both get up, Owen takes me a little farther from the table so that we have space to dance and not occasionally hit there. He put one of his arms around my waist, and with the other he held my hand and we started to dance, even if it wasn't exactly a slow song, but we danced anyway. One of the things that made me even happier is that today was a full moon, so it was very visible and bright, mainly because the only lights that were there were on the tree, so we were both literally dancing in the moonlight. I hummed softly when the chorus came, and I was surprised when Owen did the same, and about halfway through the song when the instrumental part came Owen spin me around and when we came back to the previous position he bends over pressing our lips sweetly, and when we split up we continued to dance slowly, the song ended and was replaced by December 1963. We danced for several minutes, listening to Hooked on a feeling, Sugar Sugar, Burning Love and Endless Love, the last of which Owen was humming softly close to my ear, which was making me shiver, but he stopped singing in the middle of music and then whispered.
- I want to take you to another place. - I look at him silently questioning where he intended to take me, and then he pulls the blindfold out of his pocket.
- Is this really necessary? - I ask, pointing to the black fabric in his hands.
- Yes. - I raise my eyebrows and he smiles. - Trust me.
I sighed and turned around so that he would put the blindfold over my eyes, and as soon as he checked that it wasn't too tight he took my hand guiding me to the car again, it took him a long time to get in the car and I suspected he was talking to Barry.
- Where are we going? - I asked as soon as he got in the car, and he gave a little laugh.
- If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. - He started the car and I crossed my arms.
- I'm curious, I need to know.
- You'll have to wait baby. - I rolled my eyes, not that he could see, I didn't really like to have to wait, and curiosity was eating away at me, along with that anxiety of not being able to see anything. Owen turned on the radio in the car where it was playing songs I didn't know, he also left his hand on my leg, making small circles on my skin. The drive took several minutes, and every second I was more curious to know where the hell we were, especially when he stopped the car.
- We're here. - Owen commented as soon as he helped me out of the car and withdrew my blindfold, and I came across the velociraptors paddock.
- Why are we here? - I asked as soon as we started climbing the stairs to get to the walkway.
- I thought you would like to see the girls, since it's been a while since you saw them, and I think they miss you. - He answered me as we continued up the metal steps.
- Of course I want to, but shouldn't they be asleep by now?
- I think they don't mind staying awake to see their mother. - I chuckled when he said "mom", it was an internal joke since I mentioned one day that he was Papa Raptor, so he started saying that I was the mother of the velociraptors.
- If you say. - We arrived on the walkway, I leaned on the railing and Owen put his arm around me and whistled, but nothing happened, I looked at him who whistled again.
- Come on girls, don't you want to see your mother? - He speaks with his Alpha tone, but at the same time begging for them to appear, which made me laugh when none of them did.
- Leave it to me. - I put my fingers on my lips to amplify the sound of the whistle, and in a few seconds I see Echo, who tried to imitate my sound, then Blue, Delta and finally Charlie appears. - Did you see?
- Traitors. - He murmured more to himself, but I managed to hear what he said, what made me laugh, he was still a little jealous when I managed to get them to pay more attention to me than to him.
- Hey, we are their parents, I'm sure they love us equally. - I caress his back and he looks at me. - And aren't you going to tell me that you didn't obey your mother just before your father?
- Yes, you are right. - He laughed and looked in the direction of the raptor squad, Delta and Charlie were making noises to each other as if they were going to attack each other, but nothing really happened, already Echo was still trying to reproduce the sound of my whistle, and Blue was attentively looking at Owen and me. - Delta, Charlie, stop it!
He had to snap his fingers a few times and whistle until they stopped and looked at him. I rested my elbows on the rail and started talking to them.
- Hey girls, how are you? Did you miss me? - They make some sounds that make me smile. - I missed you too.
Owen changes position and stands behind me, putting his strong arms around my waist, pressing his chest against my back, and resting your chin on top of my head.
- Did dad fight you a lot this week? - I feel Owen's chest quiver with his muffled laugh and the velociraptors make more sounds. I was sure Owen would say something, but he said nothing, and we were like that in silence, with the occasional sound that the raptors made, I looked up watching the beautiful starry sky with the big, bright full moon.
- The sky is so beautiful today. - I comment and Owen bends to stand at my ear.
- Not as beautiful as you. - I open a smile and close my eyes, enjoying the cool breeze that hit my skin, and after a few minutes in silence I say.
- Thank you Owen, for everything, it was an amazing night and I loved everything. - I turn to face him and put a hand on his cheek. - I love you.
- I love you too. - Our lips are moving in a deep and passionate kiss, those kisses that I wish would never end, but that unfortunately we had to stop at some point, but this time it wasn't because of the air, but because Owen slid one of his hands up to my ass.
- Owen! - I tap him on the shoulder as he laughs and smiles innocently.
- What?
- Not in front of the kids. - I speak laughing, putting his hand on my hip again and I hear the sound of the velociraptors.
- I think they want us to continue. - Owen said while lowering his voice with each word getting closer to my ear and slowly lowering his hand but I stop him from getting to where he wanted to go.
- I think they're saying, "Eww, mommy and daddy are kissing, how disgusting, stop it." - I tuned my voice to try to imitate a child which made Owen laugh.
- Okay, maybe you're right.
- But... If Barry has already left... we could go back to your bungalow ... - I suggest while playing with the collar of his shirt.
- I like that idea, however, I still have one last surprise. - I turn my attention away from his shirt so I can meet his eyes.
- One more? First you surprise me with my camera that had broken and was now fixed, in addition to my favorite photo, then you surprises me being dressed like this all stylish along with a bouquet of my favorite flowers, and then take me to your bungalow where there was incredible decor, with my favorite food and champagne, with background music and Barry as a waiter, sooo you decided to bring me here to see the girls. What else would you have to surprise me?
- Well, I can make a huge list of things that I could surprise you with, but… I was talking to all our daughters and son about this for a while, and I think we all came to a consensus. - Of course he was referring to the velociraptors, the dinosaurs I trained and Kodi, for us it is as if they were somehow our "children".
- Oh yes? A consensus among them all? - I ask curiously, it should have been funny that he kept talking to all of them to reach a consensus on something.
- Shh, don't ruin the moment, I'm trying to be serious here. - I looked closely at his face, and by his expression he was really serious, and then my smile fell becoming serious too, paying attention to what he was going to say.
- Y/n, I never thought in my life that I would have a serious relationship with anyone, I never thought that I would meet such a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, funny, courageous, kind, loving woman who could have stolen my heart like you, and after thinking about it a lot I made the decision that I want you forever in my life, that you are mine and that I am yours. - He knelt down and took a black velvet box from his coat, and when he opened a ring it was inside, I put my hands on my mouth and I could feel the tears starting to form on my face. - So, y/n l/n, I want to ask you if you would like to become Mrs Grady.
My voice was gone for a few seconds and my tears kept falling, so in the midst of sobs I managed to speak.
- Yes, oh my god, yes of course. - I hugged him so fast and tightly, that he almost lost his balance and fell.
- Hey! Careful, it almost made the ring fall off. - He spoke with a little laugh and put his arm around my waist, I move my head so I could face Owen and he had a big smile, we stared at each other for a few brief seconds when we slowly approached our faces and sealed our lips in a passionate, deep, full of affection and breathtaking kiss, I don't know how long that moment lasted, but I wish it would never end.
When we separated our lips, Owen gently took my left hand, sliding the ring on my finger, after he put away the small velvet box our lips met again, until we were interrupted by the sounds of raptors below us.
- Yeah girls, now it's official. - Owen told the squad what made me smile even more, and I looked at my finger to see the ring, it was silver and had small details carved into it, but what I found strange was that I had a familiar feeling about that ring, I was sure I had seen it somewhere before.
- I know you don't have a jewel like most engagement rings, but I know that you would like perhaps something more simple and sentimental than something extravagant.
- Wait... I recognize that ring, it... it is my great-grandmother's engagement ring... how did you get it? - I look at him and he scratches the back of his neck before answering me.
- When I was looking for a perfect ring, I called your mom to get a suggestion of what you would like, and she said I could use the ring that your dad used to ask her in an engagement that belonged to your great-grandmother. We all know you like these sentimental things, so I accepted her suggestion, and she sent me the ring. Not you… - I shut his mouth by sealing our lips, and I could feel him smiling during the kiss.
- Oh Owen… that… is perfect. I love you very very very much. - I say as soon as we split up, his smile couldn't be bigger, and of course I return him with a smile too. - Thank you.
- I love you too. And you're welcome, I just do what's best for my girl. - Our lips meet again, and again the velociraptors make a noise from below. - I love you too, I love all my girls.
He said, addressing the dinosaurs below us who were still watching us closely.
- And boy, don't forget Kodi.
- And boy. Even though he's kind of disobedient to me and…
- Hey! - I playfully punch him in the chest making him laugh.
- You didn't let me finish, I was going to say that I love him too. - We both continue to smile like two idiots that we are, and without realizing it we started to dance slowly there on the walkway, even without any music.
- We didn't even get married and we already have 8 daughters and 1 son. - I laugh at the thought of our dinosaurs and dog as our children, which in some ways wasn't wrong, since they were like children.
- Well, not that I want to have a real baby now, but we could do the process of one, you know… - Owen moved his eyebrows suggestively making me laugh, he ran his fingers through the zipper of my dress, threatening to open it.
- First let's put the children to bed, and then we go back to your bungalow and... we can see what can happen ... - I ran my fingers over the collar of his shirt.
- I can't wait for that. - He smirked and before I could stop him he hit my ass.
- Owen! - He left my side and started walking quickly down the walkway.
- Let's go girls! Time to sleep! - He gestured for them to go to the cage where they slept, he didn't need to repeat the command and soon they went. - And you come with me.
He gestured towards me and I bit my lip and crossed my arms.
- Oh I don't know... should I? - I teased him and didn't move from the place I was, but Owen approached me slowly with that look of "Do you dare disobey my orders?".
- Are you disobeying the orders of Alpha, miss? - He stood a few centimeters from me, with his arms crossed and looking "serious", I forced myself to look serious, but that was very difficult.
- Who said you are Alpha? - I asked him, not breaking eye contact for even a second, and before I could regret what I said he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. - Owen! Put me down!
- Since you doubt my authority as Alpha, I think I should show my domain over here.
I start to laugh and hear his muffled chuckle and he starts down the metal stairs, heading towards the car.
I think today would be a long night.
A/n - Hey, here we are again! I hope you liked it and that this is good. As always if you find an english error or find something confusing please let me know so I can fix it.
Until the next post!
- Ina -
Masterlist
#Owen Grady#Owen Grady x reader#Owen Grady imagine#Owen Grady x y/n#Owen Grady / reader#Owen Grady x you#x reader#x y/n#x you#reader insert#Imagine#Requested#Requested by anon#I loved writing this#Dinosaur Trainer#Barry#Barry Sembène#Jurassic World#Jurassic World x reader#Jurassic World Fic#Jurassic World fanfic#Chris Pratt#Chris Pratt Characters#Chris Pratt x reader#female reader#fanfic x reader#one of the best things I've ever written#now i need to finish my schoolwork
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Okay I really enjoyed this week’s episode! It set up a bunch of cool stuff that I can’t wait to see, and it was a fun watch. We got a number of desperately needed partner/Digimon moments, and we got some much needed Taiyama friendship action going on - as well as some other stuff I super appreciated (but still want more of). I’m so stoked for how the team is coming together.
We didn’t get a few things I normally would have expected, and I’m never quite sure if I feel that way because it’s truly missing or if it’s just that “this ain’t your momma’s Digimon Adventure” yadda yadda. I don’t think i’ll ever get used to Taichi being so serious in comparison to his 99 incarnation (but, I get the feeling he is more in line with original V-Tamer Taichi, so there’s that).
So not a slam dunk for me, but all in all, it was good!
I just took as many Taiyama pics as I could so why don’t we just knock one out of the way before we begin xD
They look so coooool all beat up and windswept
More below!
Sooo last week, the aptly named Eyesmon evolved into the equally well-named Orochimon. I always think “hydra!” (thank you Hercules) so initially my thought was that the plan would be for each of the kids to take out one head. Then I remembered, we only have six kids so far... and then I got a better look at it:
(this cap’s from much later but it shows the whole body so)
there was clearly one head that was significantly different from the others and appeared the most connected to the body! So the strategy was clearly lop off the central head because that’s what’s controlling the rest! A la VenomVamdemon only slightly less gross hahaha
Meanwhile back in real Tokyo, as Koushirou explains, the electronic pulse generated from this freaky Digimon’s battle is affecting anything digital, or even just anything that uses electricity.
Kaaaboom!
Our kids try to fight but it’s pretty obvious they’re out of their league. I did totally love MetalGreymon and Zudomon leading the charge together sort of. Because I continue to be a sucker for Taichi/Jou growth parallels! Anyway they both get knocked out and de-evolve so Taichi calls for them to regroup.
Aww piggyback
The way Jou carries Gomamon like an infant though ;___;
Sora and Garudamon lead the retreat, scooping everyone up and carrying them out of danger and omg look at Gomamon he looks so cozy gaaah
but not before Taichi realizes someone’s not with them... it’s Yamato of course... he’s just standing there... staring...
Why? Because “my little brother’s in danger in the real world!” That is adorable. Stupid but adorable.
Also stupid yet adorable... Taichi immediately runs to go get him. I have no idea WHAT his plan was but I am eternally grateful that he is such a dork because it gives adorable dorkiness like this:
and this
and ultimately this
pffffffftb
weregarurumon tries his best he really does
(no but really this is now my PREFERRED method of transportation for these two, one each tucked under WereGarurumon’s armpit and just dangling like that while he runs like crazy protecting his precious cargo... also look at Taichi holding onto Agumon’s arm the whole time eeeeeiiiii I love those detals it almost distracts from WereGarurumon’s expression of shock when they inevitably get shot and fall to their doom x’D)
yeah so everyone gets shot and falls to their separate dooms, and this was 100% just an excuse to put Taichi and Yamato alone together. The shonen action anime equivalent of “and there was only one bed!”
Jou continues to cradle Gomamon like his very own son
The kids wonder what to do and Jou has a cool moment here and there (like legit cool, where he acts all responsible)
... er, I did say “moment” :P
Meanwhile Koushirou is all cryptic and scary. That is his main job after all. You may think it’s to be the team brain, but it’s actually to make sure we viewers know just how terrible things really are so we can lose all hope of survival even though we already know they’re going to win x’D
I mean that is pretty scary tbh
Taichi breathes a sigh of relief. I wasn’t exactly surprised that he’s not running out to fight - even 99 Taichi usually understood when it was time for a strategic retreat. At the same time, maybe it’s just me, but I totally got the sense that he was scared in this scene. Not out of his head with fear, but definitely worried, I mean none of them seemed to have any effect on this monster earlier. It’s interesting to feel his tension.
“Yamato why did you just stand there in the street while we were trying to make our getaway?”
“Because... my little brother’s right in the center of danger back home... I can’t let this monster continue its rampage or he could get hurt...”
“Yeah man that’s all fine but I mean why did you just stand there in the street like an idiot I’m pretty sure you won’t be much use to your little bro if you’re steamrollered?!?!”
He looks so surprised that all this has been because of brotherly love. I can’t remember, is this the first Taichi’s hearing of Takeru? I know he wasn’t there when Yamato told Sora & co but maybe it was mentioned way back when they jogressed... Either way I wonder why he doesn’t say “I get it, I have a sister back home too that I’m worried about too.” Seems like a moment for bonding ya know?
That is the one thing I felt was missing here... we went through all the trouble of getting Taichi and Yamato alone together, and all that happens is Yamato confides something in Taichi that he’s already shared with the others. I mean, Taichi also shows his willingness to help Yamato and work together, and I think that is the important thing we’re supposed to take away, as Yamato’s all touched by it... but uh, for the most part I felt like not much happened in this scene, at least not that we haven’t already seen before.
Takeru’s phone, he’s waiting for a call from “oniichan” T-T my precious boy
And we actually get to see him!! His face!! His adorableness!! Ahhh Takeru I miss youuu!
Family photo! Parents’ faces not shown in the usual tradition of “divorcees in kids’ shows”! Also the tell-tale brothers are holding hands, but parents are standing as far apart as possible...
Meanwhile Taichi’s mom and sis are trying in vain to evacuate while their car flips out. Hikari sees an image of Orochimon broadcast on a nearby building and flinches away. No one else seems to notice it so maybe this is just her special ability like in 99 Adventure?
Traffic’s at a complete standstill and everyone’s electronics are going bonkers so Mama Yagami has them get out and head for the trains. Unfortunately this is what everyone else decides to do as well, and Hikari winds up like Simba in the wildebeest stampede, only there’s no one to jump in and save her so she tragically dies. :P
taichi: I see your ‘brother in danger’ and raise you one ‘dead sister.’
yamato: screw you
“You did great Mimi!!” A JOUMI MOMENT WE GOT A JOUMI MOMENT sort of okay but beggars can’t be choosers HE PRAISES HER (FOR STUFF HE WASNT EVEN THERE TO WITNESS THO LOL) AWWWW ITS SO CUTE
Then he remembers to praise his partner!!! All by himself! (Finally!) Gomamon’s so happy! It was so unexpected and he’s ecstastic!
Piyomon instantly gets jealous!!!! It’s so adorable!!! Sora is quick to reassure her that Garudamon is indispensable.
“And I’m the prettiest, right Mimi?”
“When you’re Lillymon, anyway.”
“D:”
lol the return of Mimi only appreciates Lillymon’s sense of fashion tickles me. an essential Mimi characteristic
Tentomon shyly and awkwardly tries to wring a compliment out of Koushirou too. It works, Koushirou is quick to tell Tentomon that he’s super cool as AtlurKabuterimon. I will be honest though, I wanted him to fail, just because we need to let these kids actually develop!! Their arcs are over so quickly! It took 99 Koushirou 52 episodes to be able to say “I love you” (I think it was “thank you” or something in the original Japanese but the point is he was being super honest and vulnerable at long long last). Imagine what an important moment this would have been if Tentomon’s “and me?” had been met with “huh? uh uh... I was thinking about how to defeat Orochimon... what are we talking about?”
That is something I continue to miss, not just with Koushirou but with everyone... their personal weaknesses just don’t really feel like weaknesses the way they did in 99 Adventure. And I’m just wondering why? For me, that was a driving force of what made 99 Adventure really great. It wasn’t afternoon special “stories with a moral” type drivel, because what they learned in the moment still had to build upon, and they would fail again, and learn again, and become their best selves slowly. And they’d risk a lot in the meantime. It was powerful to ten-year-old me. We are at ep 17 now and by this point in 99 Adventure, we’d had tons of scenes like that. I keep thinking “okay it’s early, we’ve got time!” but at this point it’s not so early anymore! But comparing with 99 Adventure is also a useless effort and I continue to choose to enjoy this show as its own separate thing and believe there’s still lots to come.
Taichi expresses his willingness to fight alongside Yamato even though as Yamato warn’s “it’s gonna be totes yabai”
Taichi: “I eat yabai for breakfast”
Yamato: “smiles”
jokes aside... the way Yamato smiles at Taichi is so cute! It’s hesitant, but once it’s there it doesn’t waver. He’s clearly starting to get used to relying on Taichi for backup, at least, and it’s no question that he feels friendship for him and the others, he’s just reluctant to admit it. The question is how all this will hold up when the situation’s reversed.
I LOVE this particular cap, Idk, there’s something about the sheer determination on Taichi’s face and the trust in Yamato’s as he looks back at him while they ride Garurumon directly into Orochimon’s line of fire... Fizz I think you’re reading too much into the animation. DON’T MESS WITH MY DREAMS OK I KNOW THESE KIDS BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF
obligatory Best Boy cap
Suddenly, in the real world, the fight is broadcast on the screens!! I was expecting this to happen every time a screen flickered, but once it did, I was like wow!! they’re going to let the whole world in on the secret of the digital world already!? and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that
BUT... that’s not what happened, maybe. Because so far the only ones who for sure are seeing these images of Digimon and the Chosen Children are Hikari and Takeru. No one else reacted to Orochimon and Mama Yagami doesn’t go “hey, that’s my son!” We could argue no one noticed because they were busy evacuating like maniacs, and Mama Yagami was busy looking for Hikari on the ground and not looking up at the screens. But it feels impossible that someone wouldn’t notice! So my current theory is only Hikari and Takeru can actually see these images... at least for now.
The fight rages. Meanwhile, the others soon catch up, as the only reason they were separated in the first place was to let Taichi and Yamato have a Moment. One thing I really liked though was Sora more or less leading the charge to join Taichi and Yamato. I want more of “second in command Sora” now and forever. (My personal headcanon since I was a kid was always that if something happened to Taichi, Sora, not Yamato, would take over. Tri did not go that way though :P)
Burning eyes of courage!!
They beat Orochimon by taking off his central head, as predicted. Then they all go and take a nap in the street. It is full of d’awww.
Gabumon and Agumon mimicking their partners’ body language always get’s a mega d’awwwww
Taichi: “That was yabai!”
Yamato: “I warned you it would be.”
Taichi: “Yeah, but we made it somehow!”
Yamato: “... smiles”
Uggggghhhh I can’tttttt with these two
Like Koushrou, Yamato is totally whipped by Taichi’s smile... oh dear... my heart is pulled in two directions... Taiyama... Taishirou... “my number one my number two...” (anyone else remember that dumb song there used to be tons of love triangle amvs on youtube set to it...)
I mean just look. look at Yamato looking at Taichi. he can’t make himself look anywhere else. ToT
Sora and Piyomon also win Adorable Award of the Day.
Honestly everyone gets it... I apologize for not having any cute Tentomon resting on Koushirou scenes capped! It’s because they drew Tentomon’s head freakishly big and I just couldn’t do it bahahaha but they were cute too
And that’s the end of... oh oh wait, did you think the battle was over? YOU NOOB. xD
every veteran Digi fan was not at all surprised to see this countdown appear and what looks like yet another bad guy evolution next week. Also next week...
... looks like Takeru’s finally going to join us!! Yaaaay! Very dramatically too it seems!
We got a glimpse of Hikari in a similar moment BUT... I’m not convinced Hikari will truly be joining us. She was separated from her mom and is clearly going to have a Digimon interaction of some sort like Takeru, but I think this is “eighth child” build up, one because the current ending theme is completely Takeru centric, and two because it just makes sense to me that Takeru would be Crisis One and Hikari will be Crisis Two. Idk of course it’s just a hunch.
Fizz before you said Hikari was killed in the stampede I WAS KIDDING
kidding about children dying??? OMG Y’ALL
maybe though Hikari’s swept away by those people, gets her Digivice, then is promptly captured by... idk evil Digimon, or shady government officials? More likely, she gets her digivice and helps but keeps it a secret and plans to show her brother when they reunite... we’ll see!
This ep I give 8/10!!
Ending with one more cool Taichi cap from next week’s trailer!
#digimon adventure:#digimon adventure 2020#digimon adventure reboot#digi spoilers#fizz watches digimon 2020#digimon
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Also since i imagine it would go very differently, MC inviting Runa to meet her parents (and whatever anxious angst that idea conjures in Runa) including the meeting?
Written by @shootingstarwithagrudge
Runa’s hair shone brilliantly in the sunlight as I watched her through the window at the front of the Cafe. This was always my favorite way to see her, when she thought no one was looking and could really let all her walls down. Her face was calm and serene even as she picked at her nails, obviously nervous. When I had first brought up the prospect of meeting my parents, Runa had paled at the thought. But after explaining to her that once we were married, they would be her family too, she began to warm up to the idea. I think deep down inside, the thought of having a normal family that didn’t try to manipulate her at any cost, was extremely important to her. I make my way through the cafe door, and Runa quickly turns her attention to me.
“What were you even doing in there? Physically sewing a new outfit to wear?” Even with her eyes narrowed I can tell she’s only slightly annoyed. More from nerves than anything. I’ve come to know Runa’s defense mechanisms pretty well by now. Even though she had come so far from the angry waitress I first met, she still depended on her walls when she was feeling nervous.
“Sorry - I saw this beautiful creature through the Cafe window, and I just had to stop for a moment and admire her” I give her my most disarming smile, which only gets me an eye roll.
“Yeah, OK. Dork.” Her words are a little sharp, but she has the slightest shade of pink to her cheeks as she says them.
“You think I’m a dork? Just wait until you meet my parents” I laugh. My parents were the epitome of average. Their most prized possession being a complete set of encyclopedias from the eighties. And the idea of them finally meeting this wild and fiery woman I was in love with, brought me so much joy.
“Yeah…” Runa replies with a far away tone. She’s been stressing pretty hard over this night, so I remain quiet until she’s finished. “I just hope I don’t say anything dumb. I’m assuming since you’re such a nerd, they’re probably pretty smart for a couple of humans.”
“Runa, they’re going to love you. Just be the amazingly charming woman I fell in love with.” I give her a cheeky grin and she scoffs.
“I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, babe… charming not being one of them.” She quickly falls in step with me as we make our way through the bushes separating our two worlds.
After a few minutes of walking in silence we reach the only bus stop walking distance from the Cafe. Luckily I don’t have to explain too much of how public transit works since Runa was more familiar with the human world than most magicians. And other than the two exceptionally ripe travellers that decided to sit a seat over from us, our ride is supremely uneventful. As we finally approach the stop in front of my parents house, I’m overcome with giddiness. It’s like two complete polar sides of my life were finally merging. Not being able to contain my joy, I audibly squeal as we exit the bus.
“Oh my god. How did I fall in love with such a nerd?” I turn to face Runa prepared to give her back a little lip, but the look on her face was one of pure affection. I feel myself immediately blush as I take her hand in mine. She smiles at me before taking a deep grounding breath.
“Well, it’s now or never.” She let’s out with an exhale as we make our way towards the front door. A part of me was a bit surprised at just how much their house hadn’t changed. I guess since so much in my life had changed, I inexplicably expected theirs to have as well. I can hear the tv as we reach the front step and I laugh. Nat Geo was on. Too perfect. I give Runa one last reassuring smile and swing the door open.
“Mom! Dad!”
Just as expected, Mom was in the kitchen preparing a veritable feast. I could tell she’d been cooking all day by her slightly frazzled appearance, but she still looked amazing. She makes a beeline for us before I can say another word.
“Willem! You’re offspring is here!” She yells towards the direction of the study before bringing me in for a bone breaking hug. “Oh, honey.. We have missed you.”
“Missed you too, Mom.” I left out with a laugh.
“Hey there, Cupcake!”
Dad walks in with a newspaper in one hand and an old mystery novel in the other. One I’ve personally seen him read at least 20 times. When I turn to give him a hug, I catch Runa’s eyes and she looks like she’s about to burst with laughter as she mouths the word “Cupcake?” to me. I narrow my eyes and she chuckles. I look up from Dad’s hug and motion to Runa awkwardly.
“Mom, Dad this… is Runa.” With the smile that reaches my face, it’s pretty transparent how much I love her. Dad and Mom both excitedly make their way over. Shaking her hands, and topped with the ever so awkward hug. My heart swells with the image of them three together. My two worlds colliding.
“Runa, dear. It’s so nice to meet you!” Mom gushes. Runa gives a nervous laugh before Dad claps her on the back in total Dad manner.
“So, Runa! That’s such an interesting name! Runa. Where does it come from?” Runa’s eyes go wide as my Dad waits for an answer. She looks to me before trying her best to answer coherently.
“Uh.. W-well M-mr.. ah-. M-Mr. Wellem.. Uh, sir.”
She pauses and tries to center herself. Taking a long, deep breath, she opens her eyes looking slightly more centred. I look down to find her doing her finger exercises.
“Uh.. So.. Runa was my Great Grandmother’s name, actually. She was the only other one in the family born with pink hair.” My parents eyes go wide at that and Runa immediately realizes her slip up. She pales slightly, swallowing hard as I subconsciously try to figure out how I’m going to explain this. But before I can even respond, both of my parents start laughing.
“Oh, she’s a funny one, Cupcake. You better hold onto her.” Dad waggles his finger at me as he shakes his head.
Runa finally releases the breath she’s been holding, and I let out a nervous laugh.
“Haha - Yeah, Runa here is a regular card.” I playfully clap Runa on the shoulder, pulling her closer.
“Y-yep. Th-that’s me. Ol’ hilarious Runa.”
My parents are still laughing as they lead us towards the dining room. I give Runa a smirk and she rolls her eyes, taking my hand. She stops abruptly though when we reach the armour with all my childhood photographs. My breath catches while I wait to see which photo has caught her eye.
“Oh my gods, babe.. Is this you!?” She holds up a particularly embarrassing picture of me from my 4th grade Science Fair. I groan loudly. “I mean. Of course it’s you! Look at my cute little dork being all nerdy and cute.”
I laugh at her unique choice of affections, and take the picture in my hands. I can’t believe my parents still had this thing framed. My completely out of control hair, white lab coat and over sized goggles made for one of the nerdiest sights to ever exist.
“Uh. Yep. Let’s just put that back where it came from.”
Runa laughs as I quickly put the photo back. I look up to meet her eyes, and her smile has turned so fond that I immediately blush. She leans in for a kiss, which I gladly return. My heart so overwhelmed with joy, I was almost certain it would burst all over my Mom’s hard cooked meal.
“Come on, let’s go before your human food gets too cold to tolerate.”
Runa takes me by the hand and leads me the rest of the way down the hallway and into the dining room. Mom had done such a beautiful job at setting the table that it almost felt as magical as something we would set up at the Cafe. I quickly take a seat across from my parents with Runa seated next to me. I point out all the tasty foods she should try and realize this probably looked a little weird to my parents, but they make no indication as such, so I continue.
“So Runa.. what part of Europe are you from? I’ve been trying to pinpoint your accent, but it’s so unique.” Dad’s question catches us both off guard. Runa’s eyes growing wide as she looks to me. Shit. I had totally forgotten I’d told my parents in my first letter that I was in Europe. This was something neither of us had a prepared answer for.
“Uh, Runa is actually from a town not too far from here, Dad. She just happened to be spending a bit of time in uh.. Belgium.. while I was there.” I spit out the response so quickly, without giving it much thought, hoping it would suffice my Father’s curiosities. He hums in thought before speaking again.
“And how did you like your time in Belgium Runa? How was it there?” I can tell Dad is just trying to be friendly by getting to know her, but I can see the fork shaking in Runa’s hand while she tries to think of an answer.
“Um.. it was nice? Very uh .. Belgium-y? And they had really good… waffles?”
Her answers come out more like a questions as she tries to remember any facts about Belgium. Lucky for us though, Dad doesn’t pry any further and goes back to his roast duck. I can hear Runa release a sharp exhale with a chuckle. Obviously glad to have dogged that bullet. I meet her eyes and mouth the words ’I’m sorry’ which she immediately waves off.
As the dinner goes on, I can’t help but just sit back and watch. When I had first realized my feelings for Runa, I never in my wildest dreams thought she’d be sitting here, in my childhood home, at the dining room table where I used to color, eating a human dinner, with my extraordinarily human parents. The ring Runa gave me sparkling in the dim light. The pink glow bringing me out of my thoughts as it catches my eye. It looked brighter somehow. Warmer. And as I catch Runa’s face, it comes to my attention that the ring was feeding directly off of Runa’s emotions. She was happy. Exceedingly so. She had a family now. And that was all I could ever ask for. I run my finger across the small jewel before trying my best to jump back into the conversation, which had taken an odd turn into laundromats. I laugh, knowing deep down inside that this was everything I could have ever wanted. I was more content than I had ever been, and I had no one but Runa to thank for that.
#Anonymous#lovestruck#women of lovestruck#runa amberthorne#runa x mc#sweet enchantments runa#se runa#sweet enchantments#fluff
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dunno if i’ll be able to finish this. but so like dabihawks au where like. dabi does his research aka when he was touya he was with his dad once during the whole takami thief thing and met keigo. flash forward he doesnt believe a thing about this hero hawks. sees him for the fabricated person he has become. and eventually hawks sees dabi for who he really is and was and like vigilante-ish dabihawks. bits about the au and the snippet i wrote under the cut.
cause this shit gets LONG af
hawks feels fake. doesnt rlly know who he has even become
the commission kinda forced a lotta habits out of him and completely molded him into who they want him to be
he barely even finds his name to be anything more than a stranger’s name at this point.
anyway so dabi p much knows who he is. does his own digging. and kinda puts some pieces together and sees how fake hawks is
hawks barely even knows if he shows any genuine emotions at this point. he’s kinda at a breaking point where he cant recognize himself and separate keigo from hawks. feeling like hawks has just swallowed him whole
he does show genuine things though. sometimes says or does shit out of line but he tends to have obedience beat into him even if he sometimes has a bit of a mouth on him. it’s mild tho
at the start of dabi working w hawks, hawks was very careful
it kinda progressed into keigo coming out more around dabi even though it was in bits and pieces
anyway dabi puts two and two together and realizes him and hawks are pretty similar and instead of seeing him as a traitor (though he’s sure that he’s not 100% on their side) he sees him as someone who can fit in with the misfits and he can p much fully convince hawks to ditch the bs
so the confrontation happens (see ending snippet) and hawks is like wtf just happened
and p much eventually there’s some tender moments between dabi and hawks and hawks ends up explaining how used he’s felt
he has been molded into the perfect obedient soldier; maybe sorta kinda explains that the commission is having him do double agent duties and instead of reacting badly dabi is p receptive and doesnt just try to kill him. instead he can see how badly hawks wants to break out of his cage and fly free and he deeply feels for that and knows how that can feel and is like aight well fuck them
so hawks kinda double agents on the commission??
and he does end up meeting the LoV and like sees how human they are
but also he’s like damn son but okay i dont agree w everything
and dabi is like yeahhh same ??? idk they are a means to an ends for me but also not lmao
and then there’s some dabi spilling his guts as they get closer and get more intimate and very much boyfriends
and hawks is so livid and he cant help but fuck around with endeavor the next time he sees him. and like he’s just so much more distant to him. he can’t begin to wrap his head around it. and he’s so broken that like.. the one person that he saw as his true hero. that “saved him” is a horrible person behind closed doors
the one person who he was inspired by and agreed to join the commission’s forces for is just horrible
there’s just a lotta solidarity between hawks and dabi and a lotta shared anger and hurt
and they’re boyfriends and it’s great but also like hawks isn’t a horrible person
neither is dabi ??? i mean listen they’ve both killed ppl. they probs will continue to kinda do it. but it’s always just horrible ppl
like listen killing ?? not great folks??? but also like idk man..
they also def leave kids outta this 10000%
anyway p much they end up ditching the LoV too. try to get some of them outta that shit. like toga who has become like a sorta lil sister for dabi in a way
they both just feel so horrible and gross seeing kids get into that shit
also like the girl needs some HELP. some therapy and rehabilitation idk
idk i love the morality shit with the LoV but might not play with it too much here
anyway they end up doing their own thing and the commission is quick to denounce him and just ruin his image
and try to kill him lmao they made him a perfect hero which could be a perfect villain and if he isn’t working for them he’s working against them (i mean he is) and needs to be Stopped Permanently
anyway here’s the snippet. my single brain cell that helped write this has left my body:
At this point, Hawks wasn’t so sure he was even real. His existence felt fabricated. Each smile or joke carefully placed. Each movement was calculated. He didn’t act out of line. His interviews were carefully thought out months in advance if not lies that he himself began to believe after years of telling them. His penthouse had just enough “personal” touches that when he had a spare moment to invite someone over it actually seemed like it could be a home. Hawks’ original motivations were squashed and were pushed aside unless they created an interesting story. His natural mannerisms that came with his mutation quirk were learned to be suppressed. Hell his own name sounded like a stranger’s to his ears. That is if anyone even knew it.
“Is there anything real about you, hero,” Dabi spoke. His back wasn’t fully to Hawks, left side presented to him as he set a framed graduation photo down and fully faced the winged hero. Dabi stuffed his hands in his pockets and tilted his head to the side some, waiting for an answer. Hawks snorted and gave him an unamused look.
“I’m as real as they get, hot stuff.” He kept a casual air about his words, hands spreading out in surrender. “Not sure what else you expect.”
Hawks was on edge, but he wouldn’t let the villain know it. They were supposed to be meeting soon, but once again the villain pulled something unexpected and had been waiting for Hawks in his own apartment. Hawks’ feathers twitched slightly, sharpened edges ready for the command if it came. Dabi leveled him with an unimpressed stare. There was a moment where their gazes met in an intense battle, though Dabi’s look softened as he broke out in a lazy grin.
“Y’know... You might be just as much of a mystery as I am, Pretty Bird.”
“I think I’m a pretty open book myself.”
“I think you like to let people think that.”
“And I think you’re just trying to fuck with me. Can we just get to what you came here for? I had a looong day and kinda wanna get some food and some sleep.” Hawks punctuated his words by stretching his arms up high before shedding off his coat, goggles, and headphones. He tossed the coat over the back of his couch and dropped the gear onto the end table. He hoped Dabi would just drop this whole line of thought, take this as some sort of submission, and be satisfied enough to leave.
Wrong.
“Oh, we can get to that later… You, on the other hand, are much more interesting.” He moved closer, hands coming out of his pockets as he crossed the room to stand a few feet from Hawks.
“I’d love to be a great host and entertain you, but unfortunately I wasn’t expecting any guests today.” Hawks crossed his arms and watched Dabi carefully, eyes narrowing some in challenge.
“That’s too bad. You know, I’ve been doing some research on you. I don’t quite think you are who you say you are, Hawks.” The winged-hero tensed just ever so slightly before forcing his muscles to relax some. He didn’t like the way things were going. While Dabi’s fire was his ultimate weakness, he’s sure that he’s fast enough to put a sharpened feather to his throat and end this all here and now than Dabi would be if he wanted to put the spy to an end.
“And who do you think I am then, Dabi?” He raised an unruly eyebrow. His primaries ached to shoot out and end this, poised at the ready.
Dabi blinked slowly, bright turquoise eyes disappearing for a moment before shining under heavily lidded eyes. His grin stretched a bit wider, tugging on where healthy skin met the grafts.
“I think you aren’t the hero you put out there… Or the person you say you are. You like to say a lotta nothin’ don’t you?” Dabi stepped closer and Hawks’ fingers twitched but his arms remained crossed.
“I think you like to pretend to be this airhead bird. Like to use that name. Like to look like you’re the perfect little hero... You’re good at it, too. You aren’t though, are you… Takami Keigo.”
Hawks had a primary feather in each hand, on pressed to Dabi’s throat. It pressed in just enough to draw some blood from the marred skin grafts. He could feel the heat radiating from Dabi’s skin and particularly from the small flames in each of his palms, but the villain made no move to use it against him. He just continued to grin.
“What’s the look of surprise there, Birdie?” Dabi purred.
“How do you know that name?” He demanded, crowding further into Dabi’s space.
“Like I said, I did my research. Now unless you want to end up on the crispy side of cooked, I’d ease the fuck up,” Dabi’s voice took on a slight bite towards the end and his grin lessened. “And here I was going to tell you that you can meet the boss finally. Thought you might be real League material.”
Hawks instincts and mind screamed to press the sharp feather further or at least hold his position, demand answers. His judgment told him to ease off and soften the feathers once more. Hawks didn’t move too far from Dabi, though the primary feathers in his hands softened and returned to his wings. The heat radiating off Dabi died down along with the flames in his hands. Steam left his skin as he killed the flames.
“Much better… We don’t want any incidents like that when you get to meet the boss, right? You’re lucky I’m a lot more patient.” Hawks wasn’t sure what this was all about but didn’t argue with him on that point.
“Glad to see your fake little hero persona is starting to crack.”
#long post#dabihawks#dabi#hawks#todoroki touya#takami keigo#dabi is a todoroki#dabi is touya#my writing#speaks#bnha au#bnha#boku no hero academia#mha#my hero academia
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Colin MacGregor: A Portrait
The cover artist for Doomed & Stoned in Scotland shares his craft and journey.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/33882205e6b90532a64f20727d2a1e3b/722b1e95119855a2-98/s540x810/b1eb425c91a18e91597147de8516a61154f17363.jpg)
Last month, Doomed & Stoned revealed its latest survey of the heavy underground by zeroing in on the Scotland rock and metal underground, with our usual anchor to doom metal and stoner rock, but showcasing several genre blenders to boot.
We assembled an enthusiastic team of musicians, artists, and local media types to help us vet each of the submissions so we had the most authentic picture of the Scottish scene's character, as well as a listening experience of the utmost excellence.
Doomed & Stoned in Scotland by Doomed & Stoned
We're thankful to each of the bands who participated, and especially grateful for the enthusiastic participation of Colin MacGregor, whose striking dark, rich colors on canvas of an ancient druid captured the spirit of the project so succinctly, and inspired many a casual peruser to give the 40-band compilation a good and thorough hearing.
Following is a virtual gallery of his work, with commentary by Mr. MacGregor himself, from Colin MacGregor Maker Art. (Editor)
SELF PORTRAIT IN RED (2009)
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9x6” acrylic on board
This is pretty much how it all began.
I was living in a flat in the centre of Edinburgh with next to no furniture, no television, no internet connection (no landline!) or working radio, I had to think of a way to keep myself occupied in the evening when I wasn’t working. This is when I found a box of 20 small acrylic paint tubes I’d bought years before and never really used, along with about 5 paintbrushes of dubious quality.
Using a photo from my rather poor mobile phone at the time, I set about creating this painting on a piece of board that I had.
The colour comes basically through how I see people I meet, depending on circumstances. This is how most of my early paintings were executed.
THOMAS BLACKLOCK “THE BLIND POET” (2013)
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20x16” acrylic on canvas
This one was painted for the then bar manager of a long-gone Edinburgh pub called The Blind Poet, and the portrait is of Thomas Blacklock, of the aforementioned moniker, who lived in Pear Tree House for most of his life and was an influence on both Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns, despite losing his sight as a child through smallpox.
The painting itself I don’t have much recollection of as I’d had extensive knee surgery at the time and was on quite a number of strong painkillers, but safe to say this painting led me to my first paid commission, where I produced two more paintings for Pear Tree House, one of which is still on display in their basement bar.
This one and the largest of the three, of Andrew Usher II, are currently in storage, I believe, in the south side of Edinburgh.
MAGGIE (2014)
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12x9” acrylic on canvas
This was painted for my friend who was moving from Edinburgh to Bremen. She wanted something to put in her new home and also something to mark our friendship so I painted this in about 3 days.
It’s also quite rare in my canon as it actually has a bit of background in it, usually my backgrounds are just solid black.
This colour was actually quite difficult to get right, and it was applied in very thin layers and built up gradually, which is why I think it has quite a diffused, soft image overall.
ARANCHA (2017)
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12x9” acrylic on canvas
This one is of my girlfriend and is based on a photo I took of her whilst walking through a park in Amsterdam. The photo itself was quite blurry as I took it on the fly whilst walking, but her face ended up on the whole in focus so I thought I could get something out of it.
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There is a second version of this painting which is done in very pale pink and white paint, which was a bit of an experiment, but I kind of liked the challenge of doing something different
DAVID BOWIE (2016)
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12x9” acrylic on canvas
This was painted within two weeks of the announcement of his death. I’d painted a few musicians before this one but they were all plain black and white, whereas this one actually had colour in the eyes, something a bit different to my usual stuff.
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/b28c1d8ccad6b0fd0532a93c2c96451a/722b1e95119855a2-dd/s540x810/78bc8348501291a7d3233a79e576e3c4d7a4401c.jpg)
It was also the first painting I’d done by painting the canvas black first and drawing the basic shape on in chalk, something I’ve only done again once, and that was the recent Druid painting.
FRANK ZAPPA (2019)
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12x9” acrylic on canvas
As mentioned above, this was actually started in 2016 and sat in various states of… started-ness, for around 3 years.
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The painting actually spent most of its life as a scribbly mess of marker pen and gun-metal grey paint, and was almost scrapped entirely until I reassessed it in October 2019 and decided to attempt to salvage it, which I’m glad I did really as it’s been used on my business cards and as the “face” of the exhibition it was included in!
LEMMY (2019)
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12x9” acrylic on canvas
I actually started this one, along with Frank Zappa, back in 2016 but the pair of them languished in various states of unfinishedness for a long, long time due to a variety of circumstances.
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I eventually got them both back out of storage and managed to find the focus to finish them both in time for a week-long exhibition in Bannerman’s Bar, Edinburgh, which also featured Wraith, Cronos, Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, Nick Cave, David Bowie, Mark E. Smith, the aforementioned Frank Zappa and a rendition of the Xenomorph from the Alien movie franchise. This exhibition coincided with a Bismuth gig which had been organised by Bailey Junior, who was instrumental in dragging me out my block and getting these completed.
CRONOS (2019)
15x11” acrylic on canvas
Bailey Junior approached me with the idea of producing a poster for an upcoming gig he’d organised with a heavy doom band from England called Bismuth, expecting a fairly quick Photoshop effort.
I hadn’t painted in a while maybe a year or two, having suffered a drop in confidence and not being able to find the time or motivation, but I’d long wanted to create a poster which was almost entirely in paint, rather than digital text over the top, so this proved to be the spark needed to push myself into painting again.
Loosely based on the Ancient Greek myth of Cronos and partially based on “Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan'' by Ilya Repin (1885) it took two or three evenings to complete. The text for the poster was hand painted on separate canvases and then put together using Photoshop to give the impression it was a completely painted poster. The only thing not painted was the Scapegoat.tv logo which was added later, just before the gig took place.
OZZY OSBOURNE (2019)
12x9” acrylic on canvas
This one was really, really quick. Probably about 2 ½ hours from start to finish, maybe 3 at a push. Painted roughly about 7 days before I was due to open my first exhibition at Bannerman’s Bar, it was a last-minute decision, but turned out really great.
The acrylics were almost used like watercolors here, being as there were large light areas and deep, deep blacks.
I’m especially proud of the mouth area, it really has an almost 3D effect, something I rarely managed to get right.
WRAITH (2019)
16x12” acrylic on canvas
This was the second collaboration with Bailly and Scapegoat.tv after the Bismuth gig. This was designed for Japanese band Friendship but sadly due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 the gig was eventually cancelled.
The painting itself was based on a number of different sources for reference for cloth, lighting and the hand gesture. I’m not actually that much of a fan of painting hands to be perfectly honest.
The painting itself is currently still in Bannerman’s Bar. We were planning to hold another exhibition for all the paintings in the Bismuth gig exhibition again, but the day after putting them all up Lockdown began and the pub had to close, so I’ve not seen any of the exhibition paintings in person in about a year now.
Hopefully things will change soon.
MIKEY LAWLESS (2020)
12x9” acrylic on canvas
This one was painted in the first week of January 2020 for Mikey’s mother after Mikey himself sadly passed away from cancer just days after the new year began.
I think it took me roughly about 11-12 hours from start to finish and ended up being the only painting I completed that year, despite the coronavirus lockdown and other things happening.
DRUID (2021)
16x16” acrylic on canvas
And so it brings us to this one, again it took a nudge from Bailey to get me kick-started enough to unbox the paints again, and it took a bit of time to get started.
I’m not going to lie, after over a year of being nowhere near a paintbrush and canvas I was nervous and unsure if I could even do it, but once the canvas was primed and the blue paint started drawing out the shapes it started to come together.
It took about 4-5 days, give or take, spaced over a number of evenings, to complete and use references from a number of different sources.
The blue colour was chosen as a representation of Scotland in general, trying to capture the colour of the Saltire, but also evoke moonlight.
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#D&S Presents#Colin MacGregor#Colin MacGregor Maker Art#art#stoner art#Doomed & Stoned in Scotland#Ozzy Osbourne#Lemmy Kilmister#David Bowie#Frank Zappa#Wraith#Cronos#Doomed and Stoned
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18 from the kiss prompts with winnix
Kiss Prompt (Winnix ~1700 words)
Title: Nice Work if You Can Get It
Pairing: Winters/Nixon
Rating: Teen w/ some vaguely described sexy bits
Notes: Thank you lovely anon for the prompt. I’m placing this behind a cut because it’s long-ish and tagging the fabulous @anthrobrat for always listening to me when I’m on my obsessive Winnix bullshit. Inspired by that iconic photo (you know the one), which Tumblr won't let me post for reasons I don't understand.
18. kisses where one person is sitting in the other’s lap
By the time Dick joined them on the balcony, they’d been drinking for a solid seven hours and looked like it too. Speirs was slumped Lipton-ward on the settee, his body sprawled so languidly that Dick wondered how he kept from oozing down onto the stone floor. Harry was settled deep into the chair opposite Nix, his arms dangling over the sides and his head moving in constant, lopsided waves among all three of them, while Nix, well.
Nix was just his regal self. Same generous smile; same kind, dark eyes. Balancing a bottle of wine on his thigh and resting one boot on the opposite knee, he looked like he just belonged there, like a sovereign gazing proudly upon the vast beauty of his Alpine kingdom.
“Here you are,” Dick said as he approached them. “The neighbors have started to complain.”
Harry laughed. “What, this little tea party?”
“Some gang of officers behaving like rowdy sailors on shore leave,” Dick said. “I said, ‘that can’t be my staff’. Figured I’d better come see for myself.”
“Well si’down, since you’re here”, Ron slurred. “Stay awhile.”
The rest of the guys echoed him, a chorus of “Yeah” and “Come on”, oblivious of the fact that there was nowhere for him to sit. Dick’s eyes swept over the empty bottles strewn haphazardly across the table, the misty mountains in the distance, and landed on Nix, whose lips fluttered in the briefest smile as he sat up straighter in his chair and dropped his eyes to the armrest in invitation.
Their bodies slid together like magnets, Dick perched on the arm of Nix’s chair, Nix’s arm draped around the back. Though they weren’t actually touching, it struck him as deeply intimate and mundane at the same time, sharing a chair with Nix in the same way they’d shared everything else. Everything they had, everything they’d clawed and scrabbled for, every victory they’d won, it all belonged to both of them. There was no separation.
The guys laughed and drank, laughed and drank. Dick faded into the background, now and again turning his head toward Nix to murmur a question into his ear, which he’d answer under his breath in a voice reserved for Dick. “Is Lip drunk?” “Hard to say.” “Did Harry piss himself?” “No, that’s champagne”.
“Come on,” Harry was saying, holding a bottle in his outstretched arm. “Have a drink with us, Dick. Major. Major Dick.” He was so busy laughing at his own dumb joke that he didn’t react when Nix wrapped his arm around Dick’s waist and pulled him down to his lap.
“Who, this guy?” Nix said. “He’s been drinking all day. Look at him, he can’t even sit up straight.”
Dick was indeed struggling to regain his balance, trying in vain to keep some measure of distance between them. He figured he must look ridiculous, wedged between the chair’s arm and Lew’s right leg. And then he remembered that the war was over, and that everyone was drunk, and that Nix was his… Nix was his. For a little while longer. He gave up the fight and settled in, settling his arm around the back of the chair, his back against Lew’s chest. Lew’s hand on his hip. Lew’s voice in his head.
“Don’t you ever stop working?”
Everyone else was in the barn celebrating the success of Pegasus and doing their part to nurture the Special Relationship. As he’d listened to them from the attic of the farmhouse, Dick felt the anxiety slowly leave his body, felt the relief pour in on deep, full breaths of cool night air. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep for hours yet, so he’d opened his Infantry Field Manual and begun reading it over again, committing its maneuvers and tactics to memory.
At first he’d thought Nix was just stopping by for another refill from his dwindling stock, but he didn’t even glance toward Dick’s footlocker as he climbed the steps and slowly crossed the room.
“Don’t you ever stop working?” he’d asked, like he’d been sent on a special mission to distract Dick, disrupt his routine and impose a new world order on his life. Like he’d been doing since the day they’d met.
The protest Dick mounted was perfunctory at best, just rolling his eyes as Lew perched himself on the edge of the desk, knees wide, blocking access to his papers and books and every other trivial concern. But it was Dick who first made contact, sliding his palms up Lew’s thighs to take him by the hips and pull him down to his lap, and it was Dick who thrust his tongue into Lew’s mouth as vulgar images flashed through his mind, all the other places he would put his tongue if given the chance. The far reaches he’d touch, the depths he would plumb.
And as they began the mindless grind, the desperate rocking of their hips against the hardness swelling between them, it was Dick who finally broke away, breathless, to say they should stop now or they’d have a mess on their hands.
“Yeah,” Lew chuckled, his voice dark and low, scraping his teeth along the taut muscles of Dick’s throat. “That’s kind of the point, Valentino.”
“I know, but - “ Dick sat back in his chair and looked down at the wrinkled shirt tails he’d yanked from Lew’s trousers. “Not like this.”
The suddenness with which Lew stood and began righting himself, tucking in his shirt, finger-combing his hair, made Dick worry briefly if he’d done something to offend him.
“What’s going on?” he asked cautiously, but Lew just gave him a confused look, like he’d missed something very obvious.
“Well aren’t we going to your room?”
It was the first time they made love in a proper bed, the first time they undressed completely and felt the warmth and surprise of each other’s skin against cool cotton sheets. It was the first time it occurred to Dick to call what they did ‘making love’, and not just opening a release valve and blowing off a little steam. And it was the first time he dared consider that maybe he’d known all along that they were never going to be just friends, that while they were running up mountains and memorizing sand tables and jumping out of planes, maybe they were also falling in love.
When it was over and he was lying there with Lew sprawled heavily across his chest, tracing aimless designs across Lew’s shoulders with his fingertips, Dick couldn’t help but think:
A fellow could get used to this.
And then a fear gripped his heart, a warning so loud and insistent that he couldn’t ignore it, couldn’t shut it out. He knew that he couldn’t get used to it; that he mustn’t let himself. He spent the next week trying to forget what it felt like to hold Lew in his naked arms, to press his lips to the mark on his brow, faded now to a pale streak, white like the tail of a comet.
That felt like another lifetime now, with the sun setting behind the mountains and turning them black against the darkening sky. Time passed like wine flowing from the mouths of those bottles they kept tipping to their lips, drops spilling from the corners of their mouths, down their chins, wiping them away with the backs of their hands. Mirth rolling from their eyes and sweeping over him in warm waves, and Dick felt a little drunk on it himself, on their happiness and relief.
The night air grew chilly. Their laughter subsided to restful sighs and mumbled curses, and Dick felt a truth settle in. Looking around this circle, into the drowsy, grinning faces of his friends, he knew that he loved them in a way that he would never love anyone else.
“Alright Captain,” Lip said finally, struggling to pull Speirs to his feet. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“Captain. Carwood,” Ron mumbled, like the words were marbles rolling around in his mouth. Lip took his wrist and hooked his arm around his neck, wrapping his other arm around Ron’s waist.
“Oh Carwood, my Carwood,” Dick heard Ron saying, his face buried in Lip’s neck as Lip led him carefully across the balcony.
He looked at Nix, amused. “Are we that obvious?” he murmured. Nix just looked back at him, a smile spreading slowly across his face.
“Hey Harry,” he asked after a moment, his eyes still on Dick. “Think it’s time to call it a night?”
“And leave you two unchaperoned?” Harry sunk lower in his chair, stretching his legs across the table, boots crossed at his ankles. “Unlikely.”
Nix just shook his head faintly, raising his shoulders in a tiny shrug. Harry’s chin fell to his shoulder and his face went slack. Within a minute, his breathing had deepened to gentle snores.
“What about you,” Dick asked Nix. “How are you feeling?”
“How do I look?”
Dick’s eyes swept down his stubbled face, his rumpled collar. “Like you’ve been rode hard and put away wet.”
Lew chuckled at that, pulled Dick closer. “Well,” he began thoughtfully, taking a deep breath and sighing it out again. “I think I might have a few more laps in me yet.” His eyes were almost black in the dim light as he gazed into Dick’s. “Kiss me.”
Dick didn’t even check to see if Harry was still asleep. Cupping the back of Lew’s head, he dropped his chin, tipped his head to the side, and felt Lew’s mouth, firm and wet and sweet, pressed to his.
He could barely make out the jagged edges of the mountains against the sky as he moved in to kiss Lew again, and he didn’t chase it away this time, the thought he couldn’t help but think.
A fellow could get used to this.
#kiss prompts#winnix#the balcony photo#lap kissing#lewis nixon#dick winters#ron speirs#carwood lipton#harry welsh#band of brothers#band of brothers fic#by me
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first impressions
We’re gonna backtrack in their timeline a bit. Just have the normal Bring Your Werewolf Girlfriend To Meet The Family stuff. Yeah, totally normal. (CONTENT WARNING: abuse mention) -
We sat in our car, parked in front of the strange house, and I silently stared out of my window to regard it. Nothing about it looked particularly sinister or out of place in the slightest, it was simply another house on the street. There were two stories, a welcoming shade of sky blue with a white trim, the small lawn was perfectly green and mowed. If I had searched for stock photos of a suburban home on the internet, there would be countless versions of this house plastered all over my laptop screen. The entire image was meant to be calming and inviting. But this was the place where Nadya grew up. Where she spent most of her childhood in fear of her brother with no one else besides clueless parents to protect her. I hated this house. And we were about to spend the entire weekend in it.
I gripped the steering wheel in a white knuckled grasp for an entirely different reason than my loathing of the building. My jaw clenched as I prepared for what was about to come. Without turning to look at Nadya, I spoke, “You’re sure about this?”
“I have to do this, Jay.” Nadya answered.
“You don’t.”
“They’re my parents,” Her tone wasn’t as sure as the words she was speaking, “If I don’t at least try... then I know I’ll regret it.”
I finally turned to look at her beside me in the passenger seat. Nadya’s expression matched the apprehension and dread I sensed coming off of her, but she still managed to look determined. Her eyes implored me to trust her. Of course I would trust her no matter what. I also found it endearing that she was willing to put in this much effort to reconnect with her parents, even if I was certain that they didn’t deserve a daughter like her.
“Okay.” I relented with an exhale and threw a wary glance at the house again.
“Are you nervous?” Nadya asked curiously.
My gaze shot back to her with a frown. “No.”
She raised an eyebrow at me, not fooled by that lie in the slightest, “You are.”
“You’re nervous, so I’m nervous.” I deflected.
While that wasn’t a completely untrue statement, she still saw through it. Nadya studied my face for a few short moments before an understanding dawned on her, “You’re scared to meet them.”
I broke eye contact and focused back on the steering wheel, releasing another sigh, “Well, like you said, they’re your parents… a part of me still wants them to like me.”
Nadya’s hand reached out and wrapped around my wrist, gently pulling my hand away from the steering wheel and up to her lips where she placed a kiss to the back of it. My eyes locked on to hers yet again while her lips began to caress my knuckles and I felt my muscles slowly relax. I would miss being so candidly affectionate with her while we were here. I knew it would only be for the weekend, but I was already dreading having to keep my urges to touch her and kiss her whenever I wanted in check.
“I’m sure they’ll like you.” Nadya offered.
I gave her a grateful smile, “Maybe they’ll like me as your friend.”
She lowered my hand to cradle against her chest and pursed her lips, “I guess we’ll find out on Sunday…”
I sensed her anxiety spike at that sentence and it made both me and my wolf restless. Nadya truly didn’t have any clue how her parents would react to them knowing that she was a lesbian, that her and I were together, but she was adamant about telling them before we left. Until then, I couldn’t give anything away about her or us.
“Think you can pretend that you aren’t in love with me for a few days?” She asked with a small sly smile.
My head tilted to the side, resting on the seat of the car, and I continued to gaze at her. It was always far too easy to get lost in those warm brown eyes of hers, especially when they caught a single ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds like they were right now, “I hope so. I’ll try my best, at least.”
Her sly smile grew into a full grin, her cheeks flushing, “Maybe start by not looking at me like that.”
I felt my face grow hot, as I hadn’t noticed I was doing it, and I forced myself to look away. Then I realized this moment in the car with her would be the last place where we wouldn’t have to hide until the weekend was over. Like a magnet, my eyes found hers again, soaking up every bit of her that they could without apology, making sure I had enough of her memorized to keep myself satiated for a few days. There was just one more thing I needed to get me through it.
“I probably shouldn’t kiss you like this either,” I muttered as I leaned in.
The sensation of Nadya’s softness against my mouth seemed to slow time itself around us. My senses zeroed in on her, the rest of the world dimming like a dying fire, turning into an unimportant muffled buzz at the back of my mind. Her taste and her warmth pulled me in, pulled me closer to her as my hand reached up to tangle in her hair. The rhythmic thumping of her heart skipped a few beats and her lips parted mine in a silent plea for more. I was eager to give her whatever she wanted while also indulging in what every instinct inside of me was aching for.
Our passion was just as easy to get lost in as staring into her eyes. Maybe even more because soon it wasn’t just my surroundings that became forgotten, it was our reason for being here. If it were up to me, we would stay in this car until we had to break away for breath, then I would drive us far away from here where Nadya wouldn’t have to worry about a family that didn’t love her like my pack and I could.
But I knew that’s not what Nadya wanted. Not yet at least. So I had to be the one to pull away from her and bring her back from the intoxication that was consuming the both of us. She tried to follow my retreating lips and I couldn’t resist giving her one more soft peck before severing all contact.
Nadya blinked at me a few times to shake herself out of it. Her fingertips touched her own lips with a small smile, almost like she could still feel mine, “Yeah… probably not like that.” she uttered breathlessly.
I couldn’t hold back a crooked grin, “You think you will be able to pretend you aren’t in love with me for a few days?”
She released a quiet scoff and lowered her hand, “I can’t make any promises.”
I noticed her eyes kept shifting down to my mouth like she was fighting the urge to kiss me again. I leaned further away from her in the hopes of lessening the temptation. As much as I wanted to tease her, this would not be the place for it, “Are you ready?”
Nadya took in a very deep breath, holding it for several beats, and then releasing it in a sigh that nearly trembled, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Okay,” My hand squeezed hers in encouragement, silently promising that this wouldn’t be our last touch this weekend. I would find ways to remind her I was by her side, even if I had to sneak affection like some love-struck idiot teenager, “Let’s go.”
We got out of the car and I went to the trunk to retrieve our bags. A part of me hesitated to grab my duffle once I slung Nadya’s pack over my shoulder. I was fairly certain I wouldn’t need it, and if I got caught with it somehow, that would result in a completely different level of awkwardness, but I would feel too vulnerable without something. I did a quick glance over my surroundings, making sure there were no witnesses, and then opened the secret compartment in the trunk to pull out a handgun. After subtly checking the loaded chamber and making sure the safety was on, I slipped it into my bag and buried it in my belongings.
I looked up as I was rearranging things to see Nadya come into view. She looked into the trunk when I zipped the bag up and met my eyes again in a way that confirmed she knew exactly what I had been doing. I offered an apologetic wince, but didn’t remove the gun. Nadya didn’t say anything despite her disapproving expression. A part of me wanted to put the gun back, I really didn’t want to bring a weapon like that into her parents’ home, but I hadn’t survived this many years being hunted without being a little paranoid. I suspected Nadya understood that, which was why she kept quiet.
“It’s just in case. I don’t plan on using it.” I explained.
“I know.” She said with a simple nod, then gestured for me to follow her, “Come on.”
With the duffle’s straps in my hand, I pulled it out and shut the trunk. Every step closer to the house made my nerves prickle under my skin, almost as if my wolf wanted to protect both me and Nadya from the people inside. I had to remind myself that her brother was thousands of miles away, deployed overseas. With any luck, he’d get blown to bits and I wouldn’t have to worry about doing it myself one day.
Nadya didn’t bother knocking on the front door of the house. I suppose it was her house after all, but I was slightly thrown that I wouldn’t have the few moments to prepare myself that waiting for her parents to answer would have given me. She noticed my hesitation at the threshold and offered an encouraging smile.
“You’re gonna do great.” She promised quietly, briefly grabbing my wrist to pull me inside.
“Sure…” I mumbled under my breath.
“Mom? Dad?” Nadya called into the house, “We’re here!”
Towards the back of the house, I heard a running faucet suddenly shut off. The kitchen, I suspected. Then I heard someone else stir from a separate room, perhaps an office, soon followed by two sets of footsteps approaching us in the living room.
I cautioned a glance around, appreciating the fireplace and how surprisingly warm the atmosphere in the home was. A collection of picture frames rested on the mantle and I caught a glimpse of a much younger looking Nadya in one of the photos. I smiled to myself as my eyes lingered there, but it quickly faded when I saw Ruben standing next to her. He couldn’t have been older than sixteen in the picture, but I still wanted to tear his throat out. I forced myself to look away and took a deep breath to snuff out my short rush of fury.
A middle aged man, Nadya’s father, arrived first. The lines on his face that framed light blue eyes seemed to give him a permanent stern glower, even his grin did little to soften it, and his teeth were so perfect and white that it would put the Kincades’ flawless smiles to shame. His light brown hair, that was more salt and pepper at the sides, was gelled and styled almost formally, and he wore a button-up shirt as white as his teeth tucked into khaki slacks. Even the way he carried himself was professional.
He noted my presence, giving me a quick once-over and sizing me up. It wasn’t a very welcoming feeling to be scrutinized on the spot, but I stood my ground and allowed him to inspect the stranger in his home that was accompanying his daughter.
“Hey, dad.” Nadya greeted, pulling his attention away from me.
I watched Nadya’s father inspect her in almost the same manner as he had inspected me. Then I realized it had to be a long time since they’ve seen each other. Maybe it’s even been years.
He gave her another smile and a nod, “Good to see you, sweetie.”
It puzzled me when there was no attempt at an embrace. I hardly expected anything over the top, but there was a noticeable awkwardness between parent and child that I’ve never witnessed before, and certainly never experienced myself. My father would have wrapped me in a big hug as soon as he saw me, called me ‘pup’, and kissed the top of my head. At first glance, I would have never guessed these two were even related.
Before I was able to dwell on it any further, Nadya���s mother entered the living room. Long black hair, with only a few streaks of gray here and there, fell smoothly down her shoulders and to the woman’s mid back. Her eyes were the same warm brown as Nadya’s were and her skin tone was several shades lighter than that, but still noticeably darker than the fair skin of the father. It took me a moment to place the woman as a Native American.
Nadya shared more facial features with her mother than her father. The eye color, of course, but also the nose and cheekbones. Nadya’s mother also had a natural softness in her expression, just like her daughter did, one that made me more at ease in the strange home.
The reunion between mother and daughter was warmer than with her father, “Oh, I’m so glad you’re finally home.” Nadya’s mother cooed with a smile, grabbing her daughter’s hands and leaning in to place a kiss on her cheek.
“Me too, mom.” Nadya said. Her muscles were still tense, but I watched her relax a fraction under the comfort from her mother. Then Nadya turned to me, “This is my friend, Jayde.”
The word friend made me cringe internally, and I could hear a subtle fluctuation in Nadya’s voice when she spoke it that told me she didn’t like it any more than I did, but I still stepped forward and offered my hand, “It’s nice to meet you both.”
Her mother shook my hand first, “Nice to meet you too, I’m Winona.”
“Richard.” Her father said next, giving me an almost delicate handshake. Feeling a little offended that he held back, I squeezed his hand firmly and watched his brow perk up a centimeter.
A tiny bit of rebelliousness didn’t stop me from being polite and pleasant, “Thank you for inviting me into your home.”
“Please, it’s our pleasure.” Winona replied, then noticed the bags I was holding, “Here, I’ll show you where you can put your things.”
Nadya reached for her bag, I handed it to her and followed Winona towards the stairs. Nadya followed close behind me, but Richard remained in the living room. I felt his eyes on me through my entire ascent up the stairs and had to resist the urge to throw him a scowl. He was very unsure of me. Maybe it was my appearance that threw him off. I was a bit rough around the edges, even cleaning up couldn’t hide the scars and my unintentionally intimidating resting expression. If I had done something to deserve it, I could let it go, but I’d hardly done anything to arouse suspicion or mistrust yet, so I was a little annoyed.
“You can stay in Ruben’s room while you’re here.” Winona told me once we reached the top of the stairs.
I should have expected that, but the sentence made my stomach drop and the rest of my body recoil in utter disgust beyond my control. I tried to recover when Winona looked over at me, “Oh, that’s okay, I can sleep on the couch just fine.”
“No, you’re a guest here.” Winona insisted. She saw that I was about to argue further and put a hand up, “He hasn’t been home in a long time, I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“Jayde can take my room and I can take Ruben’s.” Nadya offered.
“No.” I replied, probably too quickly and too firmly. Both Nadya and her mother looked a little taken aback by my intensity. I forced an easy going smile and relented, “I’ll take his room. Thank you.”
Winona brushed my behavior off rather easily, “Or course. Why don’t you two get settled and come downstairs so we can figure out where to go for lunch?”
“We’ll be down in a couple minutes.” Nadya confirmed, “Thanks mom.”
Her mother gave her a smile and squeezed her upper arm as she walked past us to go back down the stairs. As soon as her mother was out of sight, Nadya looked at me with deep regret. She must not have thought they would just offer up her brother’s room so easily, even in his absence. I simply shook my head with a small smile to ease her worry and made my way to the room Winona had motioned towards as Nadya reluctantly disappeared into her own room.
While I have never met Ruben, his stench still made me want to retch. There wasn’t anything objectively bad about it, I suppose, but it was so heavily ingrained into his room and all I could picture was his grin in that photo with Nadya. All I could imagine was that story about her confronting him for the first time in this very room and him nearly strangling her to death because of it. I eyed every wall, thinking, Was that where he shoved her? Where he threatened to take her life?
I did not want to touch a single thing, didn’t even want to set my duffle bag on the neatly made bed. The only thing I could do was stand in the center of the room and silently seethe. After a few long moments of trying to calm myself down, I just dropped my bag on the floor where I was standing, kneeling down to retrieve the weapon I had stashed inside of it.
“I’m sorry.” Nadya suddenly said behind me, causing me to look over my shoulder at her standing in the doorway, “I thought maybe they would let us stay in the same room or something. Guess this isn’t really like a high school sleepover…”
“It’s not your fault, Nadya.” I assured her quietly, focusing back on rifling through my bag, “It’s not like I’m actually gonna sleep in here anyway.”
“Still… you shouldn’t have to be in here.”
I looked behind me at her again, this time in shock. After a couple of confused blinks, I retrieved my gun, tucking it into my waistband to conceal it, and stood, “You shouldn’t have to be in here.” I corrected, walking over to her and gently leading her away from the room with my hand on her back, “You shouldn’t ever have to set foot in that room again.”
“I’m fine, Jay.” Nadya told me.
Surprisingly, her tone didn’t suggest otherwise, “So am I. Don’t worry about me.”
“Says the girl with the gun hidden in her pants.” She countered with a lighthearted grin.
I matched her expression, “Exactly.”
As soon as we arrived back in the living room, Richard spoke up, “Have you ever been to the city, Jayde?”
“You mean San Francisco?” I assumed and he nodded, “I can’t say that I have.”
“Perfect. I know an excellent deem sum place.” He didn’t wait for the others to approve before he retrieved a coat and made his way towards the front door, “Maybe we can even show you around a little afterwards, since you’ve never been.”
“That sounds great.” I agreed amicably, “Should we drive together or separately?”
“Oh, together.” Richard answered, like that should have been the most obvious thing, “You never want to take more than one car into the city if you can help it.”
“That congested, huh?”
“Some days it’s worse.”
“That’s usually why I try to avoid highly populated areas.” Too many people meant too much traffic, too much traffic meant no easy escape routes, no easy escape routes meant capture or death. I usually avoided big cities at all costs for this very reason, but surely I could convincingly act like a human for a few hours with Nadya’s family. I doubted San Francisco will be teeming with hunters.
He chuckled, “Very smart of you.”
I glanced at Nadya while we were walking out the door as if to say, Did you see? I can get along! Her response was an amused, yet encouraging, smile.
Richard owned a very well kept Cadillac. There wasn’t a single scratch on the black paint, its surface so spotless that its reflections were crystal clear, and the interior smelled of fine leather, which was more comforting than I expected it to be. Nadya sat next to me in the back with both her parents in front, making me feel better to be so close to her.
Most of the car ride was spent in a silence that wasn’t exactly comfortable. The closer we got to the cluster of tall buildings in the distance, the more tense my body became. I ran through all kinds of different scenarios, ranging from me completely blowing this entire visit to being jumped by hunters and having to figure out a way to get Nadya and her family to safety. The skyscrapers looming on the approaching horizon was a sight to behold for sure, but all I could see was a death trap.
As I was lost in my own anxious thoughts, I felt the barest brush against my pinky finger. I risked a quick glance at my hand that was resting on the seat in between me and Nadya to see her pinky subtly reaching for mine. When my glance traveled up to her face, she was silently staring out of her window, giving no indication that she was doing such a thing, besides the hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.
The small touch was significant in calming my nerves. I wanted nothing more than to take her hand in mine and pull her close, but I settled for sticking my finger out to caress her back in recognition. We were able to stay like that for a while, until we entered the city itself and Richard finally spoke up again, yanking me out of Nadya’s orbit.
“There are lots of amazing places to eat in the city, I have a few favorites to stop by on my lunch breaks, but we only go to this restaurant for special occasions.”
The sound of his voice made me reflexively pull my hand away from Nadya’s, but I was certain he didn’t notice. “You work in the city?”
“Yes, at my family's dentistry.” He answered while navigating the narrow streets, “What do you do for work, Jayde?”
I expected this to be a question, but I still struggled with an answer that wouldn’t give too much away. All of the overwhelming noises of the city outside weren’t helping, “Um, well, I’m a security guard of sorts.”
“A security guard, huh? What do you guard?”
“If I told you that, I’d have to kill you.” I replied humorously in hopes to deflect on the topic and I was relieved to hear some amused laughs.
“Sounds like you’re bound by an NDA.” Richard mused.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“You’re gonna love this place we’re going to, Jay.” Nadya spoke, changing the subject, much to my relief, “The food is so delicious and there’s an amazing waterfall indoors.”
“Yes, it’s the perfect place to bring someone you want to impress.” Winona added, casting a smile over her shoulder at me and Nadya.
Maybe it was mostly meant in jest, but I couldn’t help feeling a little encouraged by it, “Speaking of impressing people, I hope you guys don’t mind me cooking dinner for you tonight.”
“Oh, you cook?” Winona asked excitedly.
“She’s an amazing cook,” Nadya jumped in with the same amount of enthusiasm, “She put together this beautiful dinner for our first- uh, for the first time we hung out together as friends. It was over a campfire and she cooked for everyone that was there. It had to be the best meal I’ve ever had.”
Winona thankfully didn’t seem to catch Nadya stumbling over her words and nearly mentioning our first date. Instead, she looked impressed by her daughter’s praise for my talent, “Wow. In that case, I can’t wait to taste what you have planned for us.”
“I hope you’ll enjoy it.”
Richard announced our arrival when the car came to a stop in front of one of the seemingly endless tall buildings in this city. I reluctantly got out of the car and tried not to get vertigo from looking up at the gargantuan structures all around me. The one we were about to enter wasn’t the largest one by far- actually, its size could be deemed modest compared to the others, but it still stretched several stories up, apart from a couple of wings branching off that only appeared to be about five stories.
I hadn’t realized how much the inside of the car shielded me from the cacophony of sounds and smells that assaulted my senses. Car engines, sirens, crowds, all flooded my hearing. There were far too many scents to name, almost all of them terrible enough to taste on my tongue, but I hung on to the ones that didn’t make me want to cover my mouth and nose to avoid gagging. Like the scents of restaurants serving food carrying through the wind. And the comforting scent of Nadya as she inched closer to me.
I met her gaze to see her studying me with a concerned frown. The corners of my mouth perked up to reassure her that I was okay. It was only a little overwhelming. I’d get used to it eventually.
We followed her parents into one of the shorter wings of the center and my line of sight was immediately drawn to the impressive glass ceiling. It rose up as high as the building, letting massive rays of light pour in and reflect off of the spotless tiled floor. It made the entire interior of the building look incredibly open and lively, almost like we were outside and not confined to a space. Then I noticed a square in the glass ceiling that was dropping a waterfall down into the center of everything, a glittering shower that looked enchanting in its own right.
I couldn’t hold back a grin at how beautiful this was. It calmed whatever anxiety was lingering in my head. “Wow…” I mumbled as I continued to stare.
Nadya playfully bumped my shoulder with hers, “Pretty cool, huh?”
“I see why you would bring people here to impress them.” I agreed with a nod.
“Wait until you taste the food.” Richard said with a proud look on his face.
The four of us sat at a table close enough to the waterfall that I could feel the occasional spray of mist on my arm. The food itself was well deserving of all the praise it had been given, every bite was as fulfilling as the last and I soon found my plate becoming empty. Small talk was the only kind of discussion around the table and I was trying my hardest to maintain a pleasant face despite the fact that it was starting to get unbearably tedious. That is, until a particular question from Richard made the remnants of my food suddenly inedible.
“So, Jayde, what does your family do?”
My jaw clenched for a moment as I reached for my glass of water, “My sister is a computer technician.”
“And your parents?” He pressed curiously.
“Dad,” Nadya said in a soft warning tone.
“It’s okay.” I told Nadya and cleared my throat before addressing her father, “They passed a long time ago.”
“Oh.” Was all he said, though he looked slightly embarrassed.
“That’s terrible.” Winona sounded more empathic, her hand coming up to her chest, “What happened?”
“An accident. I was sixteen.” I answered curtly.
Her head shook, “I’m so sorry for your loss, I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you.”
You have no idea, I wanted to say sarcastically, but bit my tongue, “It was hard, but it was also a long time ago.”
“The accident… Is that where…?” Richard pointed at his own face, around the areas where I had scars on mine.
“Some of them, yes.” I answered truthfully.
“Some of them?”
“Jayde was in another accident.” Nadya chimed in quickly, “That’s how we met. I was treating her at the hospital.”
Richard’s eyebrows raised in surprise and he looked back at me, “You don’t have much luck with cars, it seems.”
“More like I don’t have much luck with people.” I corrected him with a smug grin, “I’m actually pretty handy with cars.”
“Are you?” He asked in a patronizing tone.
My eyes narrowed slightly, “I was an apprentice to a mechanic for about six months a few years ago. I was in that shop all day, every day, and he taught me everything personally. I even still have the bike he gave me and I take care of it as well as the people you pay to take care of your Cadillac.”
Richard’s eyes narrowed back at me for a few long moments. I could tell he was trying to make me back down for the snide comment, but I held my ground and didn’t break eye contact. Just when I thought the tension had grown too thick, he let out a laugh. It still sounded a bit strained, but it lightened the mood once more.
“Well, maybe I’ll ask you for some pointers then.”
I bared my teeth in what could barely pass as a smile, “I’d gladly give them.”
Then Richard directed his attention to his daughter, “Since you mentioned it, Nadya, how are things going at the hospital? At school?”
The sudden change in topic caught Nadya completely off guard. She had been so focused on covering for me that she must not have predicted that this question would arise, at least not here, because I was fairly sure that her father knew she was no longer attending school in person or working at the hospital. His tone and expression, one of a scolding parent, confirmed that suspicion.
Nadya slowly sat up straight, her whole body frozen, and her mouth hung open as she tried to form words, “Uh, well, things have changed a bit…”
I shot Richard a contempt glare for making Nadya uncomfortable, but it was like I no longer existed to him in this moment. He was only focused on his daughter, staring her down for an explanation. Why he chose to confront her here in a public place, and in front of me, was even more puzzling. The only reason I could think of was public humiliation as a form of punishment. That thought made a quiet growl rumble at the back of my throat.
“I’ve noticed.” He said with a flat smile.
“Richard…” Winona pleaded under her breath.
He didn’t take his eyes off of Nadya, “She knows how much I’ve invested to get her into that school. To help her pay rent, utilities, whatever she needs. And suddenly she’s no longer there anymore?”
“I’m still going to school, Dad. I’m still learning.” Nadya’s leg started to bounce with nerves underneath the table, “Listen, I got an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. It’s a doctors without borders program and I’m helping people that really need it. I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do… but I had to leave to do it.”
“It’s true, I’ve been with her the whole time.” I couldn’t stand by and leave Nadya fumbling to defend herself. I absolutely hated the way Richard was looking at her, the way he was making her feel with the overbearing posture he was exuding, “When she isn’t working, she’s studying. No one works harder than your daughter.”
After a brief glance at me, he continued his interrogation, “How come you didn’t talk to me about it first?”
“It was a last minute thing. I felt like I could make that decision for myself.” Nadya answered with a more confident tone, though her anxiety still pulsed off of her with every heavy heartbeat.
Just then, a waiter arrived to clear any empty plates. The momentary distraction allowed me the time to reach under the table and place a comforting hand on Nadya’s thigh without getting caught. I brushed my thumb across her leg a few times and felt relieved when the bouncing stilled under my touch, her body relaxing. Her hand came to rest on top of mine, but then the waiter left with a stack full of dishes and I forced myself to pull away from her before her parents could notice anything. Even though every cell in my body screamed against it, I couldn’t risk outing Nadya before she was ready.
“We’ll talk about this more at home.” Richard stated as he motioned for the check.
I didn’t even bother to hide my eye roll. It took more than a little will power not to snap at him. Just because Richard was her father, didn’t mean he could speak to her like she was a disobeying child. Especially when it wasn’t Nadya’s fault that she had to leave school. It was mine. Realizing that I was witnessing one of the consequences to dragging Nadya into my life made my shoulders start to slump in shame. I wanted to redirect Richard’s ire away from Nadya and towards me more than anything.
I tried to distract myself with some of the sights we ended up driving through, it was a beautiful city after all. All of the colorful houses and overly steep hills were something whimsical and unique to see, everything so mismatched, but it surprisingly fit cohesively. I listened patiently as I was told about this place or that, appreciating the history involved and nodding along like an eager student. Despite being such a large and crowded city, San Francisco had a handful of peaceful looking spots where you could pretend you weren’t in a concrete jungle.
One place in particular, that we visited at Nadya’s request, looked like something plucked straight out of ancient Rome. A small artificial lagoon surrounded a massive dome structure, flanked by Roman style columns and trees dotted here and there to make it look like it had sprung up in the middle of a forest. The lagoon reflected the whole scene like a mirror, giving the illusion of two separate worlds being connected at the edge of the water. Small clusters of tourists followed a trail around the lagoon that even went under the dome and I wanted to see it up close just like they were.
I followed Nadya and her parents as they led me down that path, feeling more at ease with the scents of a tiny piece of nature. I could see why Nadya wanted to show me this place. It was gorgeous, and I soon found myself getting so enthralled by everything that I was lagging behind a bit to appreciate it all at my own pace.
Then we arrived at the central rotunda. The underside of the dome was the most notable. It stretched well over a hundred feet up, the design reminding me of a honeycomb, and the acoustics echoed voices and footsteps in a way that almost gave me the urge to sing. The dome itself was held up by several columns, each had a statue of an angel of some sort perched on top and looking down at the witnesses to their beauty.
I must have looked like a little kid, staring straight up with an expression of awe as I slowly shuffled around underneath the massive work of art. This was worth coming into the congestion of a big city to see. The only thing that pulled me out of it was the sound of a camera shutter. My gaze shot back down to look for the source and I saw Nadya giving me a sheepish smile after she lowered her camera. I hadn’t even known she had it, but I suppose she secretly stashed it in her shoulder bag the same way I secretly stashed a gun in my waistband.
“I couldn’t resist.” she stated in her defense.
“I don’t mind.” I told her with a beaming grin and looked back up at the dome before quietly saying, “It’s a bit romantic, isn’t it?”
She nodded, “That’s why it’s my favorite place in the city.”
“I’m glad I got to see it.”
“Me too.” Nadya stepped closer to me, filling all of my senses with her presence, and then I felt her fingers lace with mine.
My eyes darted around in case her parents were nearby. They weren’t anywhere to be found, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t suddenly appear from around a corner.
“They went back to the car.” She told me, “They’ve seen this place about a thousand times already.”
Her words filled me with relief, finally allowing me to enjoy some bit of contact with her. I didn’t know how anyone could ever get sick of a sight like this, but I was grateful for their absence nonetheless, “Good.”
“Thank you, by the way,” Nadya said, caressing her thumb over the back of my hand. When I gave her a look in question, she elaborated, “For what you said at lunch. I was worried he wasn’t going to believe me.”
My hand squeezed hers protectively, “I hated the way he was talking to you.”
“I understand where he’s coming from though.” She gave me a sad smile, “He’s done a lot for me and it’s like I just up and left.”
“But that wasn’t your fault at all.” I pointed out.
“No,” Nadya agreed with a shake of her head, “But we can’t exactly tell him that without explaining why. And that isn’t an option.” When that made the weight of my guilt feel heavier, she gave my hand a gentle shake, “Hey, I can handle this. I promise.”
“I know you can, Nadya.” I said fondly.
She looked at me in adoration, the warmth in her brown eyes nearly glittering with the love she had for me, and I felt my heart swell. Suddenly nothing, not even the impressive architecture around us, couldn’t compare to how gorgeous she was. I would be content to stare at her for the rest of the day, everything else be damned.
Then Nadya took me by surprise yet again when she leaned in to press a kiss to my lips. The incredibly bold action made my muscles freeze up, but I was soon soothed by the familiar feeling and had to fight with every fiber of my being not to deepen it. It was over far too quickly, but it would have been too risky if we had indulged ourselves any more than that.
Nadya pulled back and looked at me, her expression becoming smug and amused, “I thought I told you not to look at me like that.”
“You’re killing me.”
She bit her lip playfully, bringing my hand up to plant another peck on my skin, and then backed away from me until our contact was severed. My chest pinched, but the smile on her face kept it from stinging too terribly, “Let’s get back.”
I was less uncomfortable when the awkward silence in the car returned because the butterflies in my stomach were still fluttering like crazy from the brief kiss Nadya gave me under the giant rotunda. Actually, I was glad to not have to engage in many words, for my mind to be free to replay the memory over and over. I couldn’t wait to hold her tonight when I planned to sneak into her room.
By the time we returned to the Bishops’ house, the sun was starting its descent into the horizon. I could also sense the growing tension in the family, understanding full well that Richard planned to confront his daughter yet again while I was occupied with cooking the dinner I had promised. No part of me wanted to leave Nadya alone to that, but she gave me a confident nod after I hesitated to exit the living room. After a few moments of a fleeting glance between us, I disappeared to the back of the house.
As time went on, being alone in the kitchen and watching over our cooking dinner while Nadya talked with her parents in the living room started making me more and more uneasy. But then I remembered her insistence that she could handle it. I believed her when she said that, but it just didn’t feel right not being by her side. At least I could distract myself with cooking. My role as chef tonight was one of the few things I was comfortable with.
The back door to the house came into the kitchen and it suddenly opened. My first instinct was to tense for an attack, reach for the gun that I had stupidly hid back in my bag upstairs, but I quickly calmed myself at the casual movements of the man entering the house. An intruder wouldn’t come into a home like he lived in it.
The young man was probably a few years older than me and I heard the clinking of dog tags around his neck. Military. When he saw me, we sized each other up curiously. There was something familiar about his features that wasn’t easy to place right away. After a moment, I realized that I recognized the face. I had seen a younger version of it in a picture on the mantle above the fireplace. A large and dark pit formed in my stomach when it finally clicked, swirling like an abyss, waiting to claim a victim. This was Nadya’s brother. Everything that she told me about him came back into my mind with a rush of blood and the blackness of the pit turned into roiling fire.
“Oh,” Ruben said, sounding disinterested, “You’re the friend.”
“I didn’t know you were going to be here.” I replied, grinding my teeth and desperately trying to keep my rage under control.
He shrugged with an infuriating smirk, “Don’t feel too bad, I didn’t tell anyone. I heard my kid sister was coming home and I just had to surprise her.”
Ruben’s words utterly disgusted me. I was certain he knew damn well that Nadya would be terrified to know that he was here. The sickening smile on his face made it obvious that he took pleasure in that. That’s when I noticed something slightly odd about him, besides the obvious. He certainly shared a lot of resemblance to Richard, but there was very little of Nadya and hardly anything resembling Winona. Where Nadya’s brown eyes were warm and comforting, his blue ones were cold and cruel. Where Winona’s face was calm and inviting, his was calculating and standoffish.
I listened for the family a few rooms away. They remained deep in conversation and were most likely oblivious to Ruben’s presence. There was still time to kick his ass out.
“I don’t think she would enjoy that.” I said, turning to face him completely. “Maybe you should leave.” My expression let him know that it wasn’t a suggestion.
Ruben’s eyes narrowed as he studied me for a few seconds. Then he scoffed, “What did she tell you?”
“Nothing.” I continued to stare him down, “I just know a douche when I see one.”
His lip twitched in anger and he took an aggressive step towards me. Ruben’s eyes sparkled with cruelty. It was the polar opposite of what I had grown to love in Nadya’s eyes, that sparkle being something I’ve never seen even a hint of in her. He couldn’t even outwardly hide his intentions for the world and it was shocking to think that someone so closely related to her could be this much of an asshole. Just standing this close to him, feeling the bad energy he exuded, made wolf under my skin bristle.
His body language practically oozed arrogance. “Nadya is a little confused about some things. She’s messed up in the head. Maybe think about that before you believe every dramatic story she tells you.”
My fury spiked when he mentioned her name, his words wearing what little patience I had even thinner. “This is the last time I’ll say it. You need to leave.”
Ruben’s grin was both chilling and enraging. “This is my house. The only way you’re getting me out of here is if you make a huge scene and something tells me you don’t wanna do that.”
I hated to admit it, but he was right. I didn’t know him enough to tell if he was bluffing or not, but my instincts told me he was serious. If a scene broke out, then that would ruin everything Nadya was trying so hard to mend, putting her in more stress. On the other hand, Ruben would force her to relive the trauma that she thought she escaped. I wasn’t sure which option was worse for her right now. If Ruben had to stay, then I could protect her from him. As long as I’m here, he wouldn’t get anywhere near her.
The moment of silence ended with me swiftly wrapping my hand around Ruben’s throat and shoving him against the pantry. I held back slightly so the impact he made against the cupboard wouldn’t alert the others. My hand squeezed and a huge part of me just wanted to break his goddamn neck right here and now. Everyone would be a lot better off. But then I would have a body to deal with. Not to mention, I would have killed Nadya’s parents’ son right under their roof. Doesn’t really make the best first impression.
“Listen to me,” I growled, low and menacing, right in his face, “You stay as far away from her as possible. You don’t look at her. You don’t talk to her. Matter of fact, she no longer exists to you anymore.” Each slow word I spoke was dripping with all the rage I felt towards him. “If you break any of these rules, I will kill you. Do you understand me?”
The sudden fear I smelled coming off of him nearly threw my wolf into a frenzy. This pathetic thing in my grasp was weak and all I had was hatred for it. I wanted to rip him apart for everything that he did to her. I wanted to squeeze the life out of him and watch that cruel light of his flicker out. The last time I wanted to kill someone this badly was when I watched my father die. Raw fury made my skin tingle, my body shake, and I could tell my eyes began to shine, but I didn’t care as long as it got my point across.
Ruben’s horrified expression took me in. He didn’t react to my words in any other way, so I shook him roughly, “Do you understand me?”
When I saw him struggle to nod, I released my grip. Ruben scrambled away from me, desperately gasping for breath. Maybe I’d get lucky and that would scare him enough to run. “What the fuck are you?”
“Your worst nightmare.” I answered and turned back to cooking dinner. As soon as I let him go, I felt my eyes fade back to their usual color. Regaining my control, yet still feeling the burning rage within me.
“I’ll tell them-”
“Tell them what?” I cut him off with a dangerous look. “Nobody will believe a damn word out of your mouth.”
Ruben stood staring at me for what felt like minutes. No doubt trying to calculate exactly how many choices he had in this moment. My hard, unwavering glare reminded him that he didn’t have many if he wanted to come out of this in one piece. I may not kill him tonight, but every bone in my body, every instinct and impulse I had, wanted me to end his worthless life. Ruben’s days were numbered.
The moment passed with him unable to come up with anything to say or do other than try to move past me. I immediately knew I couldn’t let Nadya see him before I got the chance to warn her. My hand reached out, grabbing a fistful of his shirt to stop him in his tracks, “Go outside and come in through the front door.” I ordered, shoving him backwards. He scowled at me, but did as I commanded.
As soon as Ruben went out the back door, I moved out of the kitchen and made my way to the living room. Nadya was still talking with her parents. A part of me felt bad for interrupting, but I had no choice. “Nadya, can you come help me with dinner for a minute?”
Nadya must have seen something in my expression that caused her to give me an odd look. Thankfully, her parents seemed oblivious. “Be right back.” Nadya told them and got up from the couch to follow me.
Once we were in the kitchen, Nadya asked, “Is everything okay?”
I ran a frustrated hand through my hair, turning to her and reaching to hold her hands in mine. “I want you to know that if we were anywhere else besides here, I wouldn’t have let this happen. And I am so sorry.”
“Okay, now you’re freaking me out.” she replied hesitantly.
“Ruben is here.”
All the color drained from her face as her expression went blank. “He, um… he’s supposed to be overseas.” Nadya’s voice was hollow.
I gently raised my hands to cup her face. “Listen to me.” I said softly. I might’ve even felt her temperature drop. Her eyes were bright with fear. “You are safe. I’m here and I will not let him do anything to you, okay? You just say the word and we’ll come up with an excuse to leave.”
Nadya gripped my forearms tightly and shut her eyes. She stayed like that for a full minute while she controlled her breathing. Thinking that my presence was helping, I rested my forehead against hers to let her know I wasn’t going anywhere.
“We can go.” I eventually said again. “We should go.”
“No,” Nadya shook her head, leaning back to look at me. “No, I can’t leave yet. Just- please stay close to me.”
“I won’t leave you while he’s here.” I promised.
Dinner was almost ready, so Nadya stayed with me until it was finished. I waited and listened, but it was almost ten minutes before I heard the front door open and close. Who knows why it took Ruben so long to just walk around the house. It made me nervous. I started thinking of ways to sneak upstairs for my gun.
“Did you talk to him?” Nadya asked quietly.
I nodded, “Tried to get him to leave, but he wouldn’t without making a scene. He’ll behave though. I made sure of it.”
“You don’t know him.” She warned.
“Well, I threatened to kill him, so,” I shrugged, plating some of our dinner.
“You did what?”
Her outright shock surprised me. I thought that would make her feel better. “I told him to stay away from you or I’d kill him.”
“Why would you say that?” Nadya’s voice became a frantic whisper, “You don’t know what Ruben is capable of when he’s pissed off.”
“Nadya, I can handle him. I didn’t just piss him off, he’s afraid of me. I doubt he’ll try anything.” Ruben likes to prey on people that he thinks are weak. He didn’t scare me, therefore he had no power over me. In time, Nadya will learn that she is more powerful than he ever was, but until then, I could deal with him to protect her.
“Jayde, don’t underestimate him.”
She was still staring at me with a mixture of disbelief and fear when we heard her mother call to us, “Nadya! Your brother is here, come say hi!”
Nadya finally tore her gaze from me, grabbing my shirt sleeve and tugging at it to get me to follow her. I couldn’t hold her hand, or put an arm around her, or even stand too close while we were here, but I wouldn’t leave her side. Hopefully my presence will keep Ruben in check. As much as I wanted to kill him, I didn’t want it to be tonight. But he had to know I meant it or he would never take me seriously and that was dangerous.
We got into the living room and as soon as Ruben saw me, he took a subtle step back. Good. Remember your place.
“Look who wanted to surprise us.” Winona said pleasantly.
“Wasn’t expecting you.” Nadya forced her fear down rather convincingly, though I could still smell it all over her. I guess she knew how to suppress it around her parents. Years of practice being under Ruben’s threats conditioned her.
The rage started to boil up again, making my skin tingle. I took a deep breath to settle my fury, making sure to keep my eyes down as much as possible. It was one thing to show some of my true nature in front of Ruben as a scare tactic, but I wasn’t sure their parents would react well to my eyes glowing.
Ruben addressed his parents even though he made it sound like he was answering Nadya. “Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve been home.”
“What a nice time for you to come visit.” Winona mused, “How'd you get the time off?”
I’d had about enough with the pleasantries. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Oh,” Richard chimed in like he had forgotten that I was there. “This is your sister’s friend, Jayde.”
I stepped forward and reached my hand out to shake with Ruben. He looked at me warily, but accepted my handshake. I gripped his hand hard enough that he had to suppress a wince. It was another reminder of what I told him, but instead of cowering like I expected, Ruben’s eyes burned and he squeezed back with all his might. The human’s strength hardly even registered, so all I did was smirk.
“Nice meeting you.” I told him coldly and he nodded.
All throughout dinner, I could feel how scared Nadya was sitting beside me. Even placing myself between her and Ruben did little to relieve her anxiety, it lingered in the air around her like a thick invisible cloud. Knowing and feeling what she was going through certainly made me lose any appetite I had. I wanted to reach under the table and place a comforting hand on her thigh like I did at lunch, but there were no easy distractions to hide behind. The best I could do was a subtle bump of my elbow to hers, hoping that reminding her of my presence would help. Nadya bumped me back in recognition.
I could also feel Ruben’s growing fury while we ate. Every few minutes I would throw a glare in his direction, but his jaw was set in such a tight clench that I was anticipating the sound of his teeth breaking any minute. Winona and Richard didn’t seem at all concerned with Ruben, despite him not bothering to hide the mood he was in, and I recalled that Nadya told me what an angry kid he was when they were growing up. This kind of behavior was normal to their parents. Which just made me angrier. I should’ve just killed him.
I couldn’t even focus on the conversations happening at the table. Richard and Winona praised me for the food I made and that was all I reacted to, giving them short responses to loosen my clenched jaw. It was so obvious that Ruben wanted to test the boundaries that I set for him. I was silently warning him not to, but the guy was just too fucking stupid and arrogant.
Towards the end of dinner, Ruben stood up, “I’m gonna go for a smoke break.” He announced, coming around to our side of the table, walking behind me, and placed a hand on Nadya’s shoulder. The pat was swift, and even gentle, but Nadya still froze like a statue under his touch. Then he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I’m happy you’re here, Nadya.” before continuing on his way.
Every cell in me ignited with a fire that burned hot enough to frighten me. Every muscle had suddenly tensed to the snapping point. I actually started to see red and immediately looked down because I knew my eyes were definitely shining.
No way. No fucking way was he getting away with that.
“Excuse me.” I growled, getting up a little more aggressively than I intended, causing the chair to screech backwards loudly.
“Jay,” Nadya started, but I was already gone.
Ruben wasn’t out back, but I caught his putrid scent. It led down the neighborhood, behind all the houses. I followed it. He was smart enough to know there was going to be repercussions for what he did and I was smart enough to know that he was probably setting a trap of some kind. I didn’t give a single shit. Didn’t even care that I hadn’t gone upstairs to retrieve my gun first. As soon as I saw him, I was going to beat him to death. Ruben couldn’t stop me no matter what he had planned.
In his bad attempt at an ambush, I found him pressed up against the side of a garage behind one of the empty houses on this street, tucked in the shadows. My hands gripped his shirt before he could react and I pulled him away from the brick wall only to slam him against it with enough force that must have cracked his skull. Not enough to kill him or knock him out. I wanted to take a little bit of time with this. Ruben grunted, just barely keeping his footing. As I held him up and pulled a fist back to smash his face in, I heard a click.
The barrel of a handgun was resting on my chest. “Not expecting this, huh?”
I stared down at it, then back up as his smug face. There was a moment of silence and I scoffed at him. My hand quickly snatched the wrist holding the gun, slowly forcing the barrel up towards the sky, and I squeezed with all my strength. The iron vice I had on Ruben was too tight to allow him to pull the trigger. After a moment, with even more unrelenting force applied while he was struggling against me, I heard and felt a pop in his wrist. Ruben let out a cry in pain and had no choice but to release his weapon. The gun clattered on the ground and I tore him off the wall again, shoving him into the alley hard enough that he fell.
“Not expecting that, huh?” I mimicked his tone. Leaning down, I picked up the gun. Ejecting the cartridge and the loaded bullet, tossing them all in different directions. Ruben didn’t deserve a quick death. “What did I say to you?” My rage was still prevalent. Bad enough that I started to feel some of my bones shift. I was dangerously close to turning. I haven’t been this close to losing control since my first few full moons.
Ruben sat before me, clutching his wrist and looking pissed as ever. “You’re not gonna kill me.”
“I am.” My growl sounded.
“Jayde!” Nadya appeared, breathing heavily and scrambling to place herself between me and Ruben. “Jayde, don’t do this!”
I stared at her, completely dumbfounded. “What are you doing?”
“Whatever it is you’re about to do, I am begging you not to.” She held a hand out like she was prepared to physically stop me if she had to, her eyes were so frantic and terrified that all I could do was stare at her blankly. Seeing that I was distracted, Nadya looked over her shoulder. “Go.” She ordered Ruben. He went to say something, but she wouldn’t let him. “Just go!”
Ruben hesitated for another moment, but shot up and stumbled away. I continued to stare at Nadya. Not understanding. It was jarring enough that my anger started to fade, allowing me the control I nearly lost. “Why did you do that?”
“He’s my brother, Jayde.” It didn’t even sound like it was Nadya who said that.
“What?” I said in disbelief, “He’s your abuser. He put his hands on you right in front of me after I told him not to!”
“This isn’t as black and white as ‘he’s the bad guy and needs to die’, Jayde!” She was trying to keep her voice down so no one would be alerted by our argument. “Think about the consequences!”
“I did!”
“No, you clearly didn’t!” Nadya took a deep breath, frustrated tears running down her cheeks. “I appreciate you trying to protect me, but you just almost murdered my brother in the neighborhood we grew up in, four houses from where our parents are wondering what the hell is going on. Don’t you get it?”
It made my stomach flip every time she called Ruben her brother. I didn’t know how she could claim him like that, but I understood what she was saying. My rage got the better of me. The timing couldn’t have been worse and I played right into Ruben’s scheme. I relented with a loud, groaning sigh. “I get it. I don’t really agree, but I get it.”
“That’s fine. Just think more, okay?” I nodded and Nadya moved closer to me, placing one hand on my shoulder while the other cupped underneath my jaw. “Now, are you alright? Did he hurt you?”
“No.” I reassured her as she was inspecting my face, “He can’t fight for shit.”
“He also holds grudges.” She warned, dropping her arms.
I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous concept of Ruben being a formidable enemy, “He doesn’t scare me.”
A small, sad smile came across her lips. “That makes one of us.”
My heart seized and I looked at her regretfully, “I’m sorry I didn’t stop it.”
“What could you have done without making a scene?” Nadya pointed out to make me feel better. It didn’t. “It’s okay, he’s done worse.”
That definitely didn’t make me feel better. I pulled her in for a hug and Nadya eagerly accepted it. I shut my eyes and held her as tightly as she held me. Her scent and her warmth calmed my restless and vengeful wolf, soothing what remained of my rage. Finally, I felt her body relax and melt against mine as she buried her face in my neck. I continued to hold her for as long as she needed to remind her that I was here and she was safe.
Nadya reluctantly disentangled herself from me and wiped at her stray tears. “Come on, we gotta go explain to my parent’s that you had a reaction to an ingredient in the food or something.”
“Okay.” I said with a sigh and followed her back to the house.
#ocs#original characters#original writing#original story#My writing#my ocs#cw: abuse mention#cw: abuse#oof this was a doozy#more parts to come for sure#this plot point is proving to be the most difficult one for me so far#also this is post Jayde coming back after Nadya thinking she was dead for several months#feeling what its like to lose people and having Jayde back makes her feel like she needs to try and be closer to her parents#because 'you only get one set' and she knows Jayde would give anything to have her parents back#so Nadya feels like its her responsibility#but darlin its ok you dont have to ur dad sucks#anyway enough rambling pls enjoy#Jayde#Nadya#Jayde pov
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“What a long, Strange Trip It’s Been”
The Don’s banishment to Mar-a-Lago and on Twitter has created a welcomed silence. Yes, he is going to do everything he can to stay relevant and make as much noise as possible. His battle with Mitch McConnell for the soul of the Republican Party will ramp up. Let me stop there. How can two people without souls fight over the soul of anything?
What I am trying to say here, is that this is the time for me to hit the exit ramp. This will the last piece of OMFG.
Is that a wince I hear? A collective sigh? A Thank God, as finally, the guy has found a way to separate from demon Don?
To my readers, I implore you: Please don’t do anything drastic, as I don’t want to have to carry another burden.
For many, The Don’s loss of the election and banishment has been sort of an exorcism. (if you at some point you spewed green bile, don’t worry, as it was a natural biological process that helped cleanse you of all the poison you absorbed).
As you can tell from my writings, I have had my own obsession with The Don. During these past 4 years, he has inhabited my daily life like an aching tooth. I watched way too much news. I raved and ranted. I used the phrases “Is this outrageous, or what?” and “Can you believe this shit” as often as “Hey, how are you?”.
My co-workers saw me coming and walked the other way. My wife told me if I didn’t shut up about The Don she would leave me. (Well, that’s not exactly true, but I’m sure it crossed her mind!)
Thank God for this blog. I don’t know how I would have survived without it.
As the Grateful Dead sing in ‘Truckin’: What a long, strange trip it’s been.
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Two impeachments, a Russia investigation, an insurrection-yes, an insurrection cause by the “Big Lie” that the election was stolen and that Joe Biden was not a legitimate president, “shit hole” countries, “good people on both sides,” separation of children from their families, a Muslim ban, attacks on the LGBT community, violations of the Emoluments Clause, endless lies, levels of corruption unseen in the history of the presidency, embracing of White Supremacists, deregulating of environmental policy, fake news, the press as the enemy, the promulgation of conspiracy theories- the emergence of QAnon, dismantling of government agencies, using the Department of Justice for his own means, a level of sociopathy and malignant narcissism never seen in the White House and a wannabe demagogue who did everything he could to dismantle our democracy. Did I leave anything out?
His handling and politicizing of the pandemic, which has caused an unfathomable 500,000 deaths to date, was the result of a genocide of neglect that has caused inconceivable suffering. In a fair and just world, he should be prosecuted for his heinous inaction and promotion of false narratives and complicity in the unnecessary death of tens of thousands.
Witnessing the competence and transparency of the Biden administration has created hope in me. A world in which the pandemic is under control, the economy rebounds, issues of social justice are faced head on and policy that reflects the need to genuinely address inequality and institutional racism seems possible. A humane plan and path to citizenship for Dreamers and other immigrants seems more reachable.
Climate change, the defining and existential issue of our time and the world’s future, is finally front and center.
How we confront the increasing polarization and rise of domestic terrorism is a daunting challenge. How we ensure voting rights are protected in the face of egregious attempts to thwart them is a battle over whether we remain a country that is represented “by the people and for the people.”
So much work needs to be done. We can not rest. We must resist the temptation toward complacency. We need truth, honesty and kindness to be our guiding forces.
It feels so strange to be writing these last words. During the 4 years of this blog, I wrote 244 pieces and people from over 100 countries visited it. (Even from Russia and China!) I so much appreciate the time you spent reading. I hope I was able to make you laugh (or cry) about the absurdities of what we all endured and lived through. I hope my perspective created new insights and ways of thinking about The Don and his psychology.
Some may be wondering what I look like so I will pull up the curtain and reveal myself.
Others may be wondering what new project awaits me. Frankly, who the hell knows, but writers must write, so I’ll wait for it to reveal itself.
I want to give a special shout out to the unsung superstar of the blog, Jinnifer Douglass, who was responsible for the design and creating all the amazing photos. She is a wizard. There was nothing I asked her to concoct that she could not create. When I would receive her email stating “All set,” I would click on the site and break out into a smile or outright laughter, marveling at the photos. And for those of you who skipped the writing and just reveled in the photos I forgive you. As they say, sometimes a picture is worth a 1,000 words.
Also, thanks for your comments and acknowledgements along the way. Anyone out there that wants to write me a goodbye note (a love letter?) I welcome it. Be well and fight the power.
Thanks for joining me on this crazy journey as “What a strange trip it’s been.”
And one more thing: The Supreme Court voted 9-0 to allow his taxes to be released. So Don, maybe they’ll take some of the tax money you owe to build a wall on the golf course and turn it into a prison!
And now for one of my favorite photos:
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/569bb1323beca0970ef3f9e83ba52c8c/b8b15e84caa05804-90/s540x810/6cea4fac13541760e457d9f3370d74d844d8ec24.jpg)
Note from Jinnifer: It has been an insane past 4 years. Working on this project with Jerry was equal parts horrifying and hilarious; every week it was something new (and then some). Putting together these pieces of Photoshop satire brought me an absurd kind of joy. I am sad that this blog has come to its end, but I am glad that the mechanism which portended it was our very own democratic process at work. Jerry usually wrote roughly about 1 article a week, and each article had around 4 custom pieces in it- meaning I have created over 800 works of factual farce in our time working together. Some days it feels like we just started this blog yesterday, and other times it feels like 20 years ago. Truly a bittersweet undertaking, but one I am proud to have been able to contribute to. I know Jerry’s next creative venture, whatever it may be, will be pointed and, no doubt, funny to boot. Here are some of my favorite photos, 1 for each year of his, well, whatever you want to call it!
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/5497b396ed2f05697e90eca0af45a305/b8b15e84caa05804-5f/s540x810/db6ba005ce9f4052cfbc6e91837d2b507cd20464.jpg)
2017
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/ee7e4f9b16eef943cdceb5a6bb04b8bf/b8b15e84caa05804-3e/s540x810/b943adbb2681b4b24517ff5d3cbcd37d2b35fae4.jpg)
2018
![Tumblr media](https://64.media.tumblr.com/f205a4c622e0ea14d2d0f2640f26e96e/b8b15e84caa05804-b6/s540x810/282960e77aa15719dc6bf29eff4fa4eaff24f7a4.jpg)
2019
2020
At the time we started this project, web developing was my main profession, but in the years that have since passed I have decided to focus more on my (decidedly more serious, haha) photography work. If you’re interested in checking it out, I’d be grateful if you’d stop by http://www.jinyc-photo.com
from WordPress https://ift.tt/3suXy67 via IFTTT
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