#also hope you enjoy all the Matt I provided

[tylerrnol]

ty’s favorite music videos (in no particular order) → seize the day - avenged sevenfold 

so, what if I never hold you / or kiss your lips again?

(for @sunset-striptease-redeux)

[chaithetics]

Sweeter Than Honey

Pairing: Matt Murdock x f (afab) plus size reader Prompt: Smutty fic w/afab bi plus size reader & Matt Murdock. The smuttier the better! Word count: 4.2K Warnings: 18+ MDNI, smutty-smut-smut! I think this is the smuttiest thing I've ever written. Language warning, I think! No physical description other than reader being plus size. One reference to reader being bi. Established relationship. Not proof or beta read. I A/N: I'm so excited to share the 2nd Fics for Palestine fic (you can learn more at that link)!!! A massive thank you to @thatesqcrush for donating to PAL Humanity! I really appreciate it, and hope you enjoy it! I hope everyone else enjoys this Matt fic! I did write half of this loopy on pain meds and fuelled by sleep deprivation so be kind lol! I've had a pretty cursed week. Comments and reblogs are always welcomed and appreciated! 🫶 P.S. Keep doing what you can to support Palestine! It's all important, whether it's donating, contacting your local and relevant political reps, sharing and engaging with resources and posts, showing up to local events etc. Here is a post I made with free things to do from home to help Palestine. Much love 🖤❤️🤍💚 Gif by @cellophaine

The city that never sleeps at night, is still humming with life. That’s all out of focus as you’re sprawled out in bed, enjoying the soft pitter-patter of rain against the windows of Hell’s Kitchen, it’s lulled you in and out of sleep throughout the evening. That and the body of the devil of Hell’s Kitchen. 

Matt and you had spent the afternoon inside, making love, cuddling up on the sofa watching some television and listening to the audio description voiceovers. After an early dinner of takeaways that had been delivered to the apartment’s doorstep and possibly another orgasm or two, Matt had then left for a patrol. 

The rest of your evening had passed pretty quickly with mindless activities and chores and now you were in bed. Dozing in and out of sleep, you’re well aware that your sleep wouldn’t be unbroken until you had the warmth pressed against you that only Matt’s body could provide. There was something about how it felt to have his strong arms around you to be his little spoon and how he’d press kisses against your neck and shoulders as he’d start to enter and then later on leave sleep. 

It wasn’t long after your next yawn and long blink that you heard the telltale signs of Matt’s body quietly but still audibly entering the apartment. It was impressive, he was a fox of a man but he also moved in such a fox-like manner, it was sneaky, elegant, and careful, you’re sure that to those against him, it felt sly and quick too. 

You blink a few more times before you see his figure come into the bedroom, he’s walking fine, which kind of surprises you, his senses are spectacular but he was never gifted with super healing or anything, he had to suffer and bear the pain just like everyone else. You immediately smile as you see him come in. He quickly strips off of his vigilante gear and shoves it away and then walks to the bed. 

He crawls on the bed until he’s close to you, he plants a kiss on your plump upper arm and then starts to trace his fingers along it, trying to feel any freckles or moles that he maybe has missed a previous night and is yet to commit to his memory. It’s something that might’ve made you feel a tad insecure years ago, once upon a time but now, you just take it for the peaceful moment of love that it is. “How was it? You don’t look like a wounded warrior tonight.” You tilt your head slightly to look at him, you can’t help the feeling of contentment as you move a hand of yours to run through the soft and now sweaty hair on his head. 

“Quiet. Barely petty even.” He says as he moves so he’s leaning more on top of you, resting his chin on your chest. You hum in response, it’s a bit surprising but you’re not complaining, he’s home earlier which is perfect. It might be hard to believe but sometimes there are even quiet nights in New York, somehow. “You didn’t have any gentlemen or lovely ladies come over to take my place and keep the bed warm while I was gone, did you?” He asks playfully as his fingers feel the soft material of your nightgown as his hand runs along your full hips. 

“No, not tonight.” You reply with a small chuckle as you look at his handsome face, taking in how each feature of his looks in the dim light. 

“That’s good because I missed you.” He says in that voice that immediately makes your cheeks heat up and you can’t help but feel every filthy thought you’ve ever had about him floating around in your head at this moment. 

“Is that so?” You ask in a whisper, you try to keep your voice even but it cracks with a bit of need and you know he hears it. He would’ve sensed it by now. “Of course.” Matt lets out a small breathless chuckle his expression morphing into a wider grin as he runs his hand down to your thick thighs, caressing gently with the midnight whispers of what’s to come. You watch his handsome face, taking in the expression, how there’s a playfulness in the quirk of his lips but there is also concentration etched into his brows and highlighted by the dim, evening light. Your eyes drop to watch his hand as you feel his rough, calloused hands gently push the hem of your nightgown up to more of your stomach. You don’t even realise you’re holding your breath until his fingers feel your now bare upper thighs and he squeezes them, you let out a short breath and quickly inhale again. Matt was absolutely in love with you and your body, he worshipped you, exactly as he should. You were a bit surprised that after the day you’d both had and then him coming back from a patrol he was already ready to go but as your cheeks heated up, he could be completely insatiable at times but you didn’t have a single complaint. “May I, darling?” He asks. “Yes, now…” You whisper with a smile to match his growing one. “Good, I need you…” He lets out a small groan as he moves so he’s now hovering over you as he spreads out your thighs and gets between them. He runs his fingers along the sensitive skin of your plush thighs. Matt brings his head down and leaves a trail of warm kisses inching up your thighs, you inhale and let out a little moan as you feel his hot breath on you and his soft, warm lips. You move your hand to touch the top of his head and run your fingers through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp as his kisses trail up higher and higher, getting closer to your core. He moves a hand up to lightly squeeze the beautiful love handles you have, he’s been enchanted by you from the very first beat of your heart that he could hear. He’s obsessed and his senses could just drown in you, he will happily shut out the rest of the world and all the responsibilities, codes of ethics and Catholic guilt that haunt him just to be fully focused on and overwhelmed by you. His hand that isn’t squeezing you moves up to get closer to your sweet hole. “You’re so perfect… So beautiful…” He says in a husky voice between the thigh kisses he’s showering you with. Matt’s fingers tease around your folds, more on the furthest parts of your vulva he can feel your arousal, he can smell it. He’s barely touched you but you’re already so needy and ready for him, he grins like the devil he is and his fingers edge closer to your core, he expertly teases his fingers through your slick folds. When he feels your juices and just how turned on you are, a deep groan leaves his mouth and you see his hips instinctively press into the mattress for a moment. You let out a gasp, it never takes him long to get you slick like this, just a few words and that infamous cocky grin that’s a frequent fixture on his face in the bedroom. You run your hands through his hair a bit more urgently now while he keeps teasing you with his digits, his fingers becoming coated in your juices. “Already soaking wet…” Matt teases in the sexiest tone you’ve ever heard, you let out a barely audible and desperate whimper, just needing more. You need more of him, as you watch Matt lift his hand away for a moment to bring it closer to his face. You watch him with heavy-lidded eyes as he licks it up, at first it’s slow and then he sucks the taste of you off his fingers more quickly and he moans. 

“You always taste so good, sweetest thing in the world…” He says as he then moves his hand back down and fingers now circle your sweet hole, teasing you and you let out a whine as you just want to swallow him up now. “You taste so good, and you’re just so wet, baby… That pussy is just begging to be licked…” He groans, a neediness in his voice that’s just as equal to the need burning inside of you. “Please, Matt…” You whine out, your nails scratching his scalp a little bit more roughly. You need him, every muscle in your body is craving to feel his sensual touch, each inch of your skin needs to feel his body and you just need to be filled by him. 

He quickly pushes his index finger in and you moan out. He closes his eyes as he slides it in and out, enjoying how your velvety walls swallow him, focusing on the other-worldly feeling of your body and the sweet musical moans each thrust of his fingers pulls out of you. You’re his soft and sexy instrument, singing out the most melodic tune. You moan out and tug his short hair as he keeps pumping his fingers in and out, he lets out a groan as he feels more and more of your juices. He slips another finger in, you’re that wet it slides in so easily and he groans at the feeling of how you just swallow that finger up and you moan yourself at the the fuller feeling it gives your hole. He can’t help it, he was right in his earlier statement, your body is just begging him to dive right in for a taste, he can’t resist it anymore, so he continues to pump his fingers in and out, pressing them in deeper and moving them at a faster pace as he brings his face closer to your core. Matt trails his tongue along the edge of your core, lightly running it along your folds as he moves his thumb to circle your sensitive little bud that is just begging for his attention. 

His tongue glides amongst your folds and he moans against you as his fingers keep pumping and his thumb circles more lazily against your bundle of nerves. He moans against you and the simple vibrations of that make your body shake slightly and you moan out as your breathing becomes more shallow from the pleasure. “You make me feel so good Matt.” You whine out as you buck your hips up to meet his mouth and fingers more. That simple movement drives him more wild and he pumps his fingers more intensely making you moan. He starts to move his tongue more through you and eagerly laps up between your folds, his tongue brushing against your clit. He’s savouring the sweetness of your pussy like he’s a man that’s been absolutely starved, that he hasn’t eaten in forever and he’s never had a meal as decadent as this, that he’s never even dreamed of something so delicious and perfect even though his face had been buried between your thighs only hours ago, not weeks, months or years like you might imagine with how eager he was. 

Matt licks your clit, circling it with the biggest need to pleasure you, he needs to devour this divine feast in front of him. He groans as he thinks about how he’d happily spend the rest of his life in this exact position, pleasuring you exactly like this. He needs to make you come, he’s feeling himself becoming harder and harder the more he thinks about making you come and feeling it on his tongue, his face, and being able to taste it. The feeling of Matt’s fingers curling inside you more makes you groan and your eyes widen as he sucks on your bundle of nerves and then hums, his mouth constantly going between lapping you up, licking and sucking on your clit. You’re getting closer and closer, you pull on his hair more and whine out loudly, you can feel the start of that incredible high kicking in. “I’m so close- I’m gonna-I’m gonna come Matty…” You frantically cry out as your eyes squeeze shut and your back arches as you tug on his hair, making you groan, he keeps licking and circling your clit and thrusting his thick fingers into you as you become undone and cry out as you release directly onto his fingers and tongue. You shake slightly as you come down from that high, your body overcome by pleasure and your sensitive spots becoming even more sensitive from release. Matt’s fingers move at a more gentle pace that pulls out another soft moan from you as you take some deep breaths. Matt licks you up, taking in each drop of your juices that he can just so he can treasure them on his tongue, let the flavour become a permanent memory for his mouth. One might think he’s licking you clean and while it’s a bit overstimulating his tongue is gentle, he isn’t done with you yet. He needs more of his sweet treat first before he can even think of moving on to having another part of him buried deep inside of you. He needs to make you come again first. You moan, and keep your eyes closed as all you can do is try to focus on your breathing, something you’re only able to do for four seconds, at the most. And you’re immediately back to only being able to focus on the feeling of his tongue working you through it. How it just makes you more aroused and wetter, you can’t help but think about how wet is mouth and chin must be, how they’ll glisten with your juices when he does pull away. “Matt…” You whisper and moan as you tug his hair lightly. “Come on baby.” He whispers against you before slowly licking through your folds again, the hand that isn’t slowly fingering you, moves up to your round stomach to caress it lovingly, almost reassuringly. “Just give me one more, please?” He asks as your cheeks heat up at that and you let out a little chuckle between moans. “It’s not going to take long for that.” You groan out as you feel his tongue apply more pressure to your hypersensitive bud. 

“I know.” He whispers cockily against your clit which makes you shiver. Of course, he knew. What didn’t he know, he was a sexy human lie detector, one conveniently buried between your legs right now. 

You’re feeling a bit overstimulated at the strokes of his tongue, but it also feels incredible as he keeps swirling his tongue, circling and sucking on your clit. He sucks a bit harder like his life depends on it as he applies more pressure with his mouth and also presses his fingers a bit deeper into your hole. You’re soaking him but he can’t help but moan against your core at the feeling of your needy, overstimulated bud and how your slick walls keep swallowing his digits up with each movement he makes. 

Matt sucks a bit more hungrily as he can tell from your heartbeat and breathing that he’s brought you right back to the cliff again and you’re not even moments away from being pushed over into another release. God, he loves working you up like this and you love it too. One hand is tugging on his hair, becoming rougher with each calculated lick of his and your other is up to the other side of the pillow, tightly holding it, digging your nails in as you moan and feel that feeling of an orgasm building up again in your core. Your hips buck more into his face as you moan and your back arches as you whine out, your eyes roll back as the warm waves of that sweet release overcome you. Any and all tension in your body leaves as his tongue laps you up through your release. He was so obsessed with the taste of you, it was so much better than any cheap beer that Josie’s could serve on a hot night, sweeter than any honey that’s melted on his tongue. 

His hand gently caresses your hip, tracing along an imaginary map as he licks you through the high and cleans you up with his mouth. He groans and comes up, leaving his second home for a moment. 

“You taste and feel so good, I need to feel you more, I need to be buried in you.” Matt pants out as he moves up so that his hips are closer to yours and his face is hovering just inches against you. His voice is needy and low, if you were standing up and not already lying down on the bed you would’ve melted into a puddle. “Mm… Let me feel you deep inside, fill me up, Matty.” You whine out quietly as you run a hand lazily through his hair and place the other on the back of his shoulder. “My fingers weren’t enough were they?” He asks as he moves each of your legs to wrap around the back of his waist. “No..” You whine out as you look at him with heavy lids, running your fingers through his soft hair. “Mm, say my fingers weren’t enough.” He whispers and your cheeks heat up. “Your fingers weren’t enough Matty, didn’t make me feel full enough baby.” You moan out as you feel him press in. He groans at the feeling, he slides in slowly but easily with your two recent orgasms and just how soaked you are. He takes a shaky breath as his eyes close and he feels your body adjust to his entry and how your walls swallow, tighten and clench around his member. 

“Mmm…” You moan out as your head falls back further into the pillow, Matt groans and starts to slowly move his hips against you which draws out a chorus of groans and moans from both of you. He caresses your plump thighs while moving and goes on a journey of kisses starting with your full cheeks to your soft jaw and along your sensitive neck, he groans and smirks at the way you moan when he gives those spots attention. His kisses are soft and sensual as he caresses and wraps his arms around you while he rocks in and out. “So perfect for me every time, you know that right? So perfect, and you swallow me up, and your body… I don’t need anything else.” He says and you feel his breath and each word tickle against your collarbone as he thrusts in and out. Your cheeks heat up and you groan as he thrusts in deeper and you feel yourself clenching around him, swallowing him up more with each perfect movement he makes. You love him, you love how he feels, how he makes you feel, you love who he is as a person and you love his body. Matt’s body presses closer against yours, flushing your bodies together, chest to chest, his forehead leaning against yours as he rocks in, his arms wrapping around, pressing your head closer ever so lovingly. He always loves this cuddling position, that makes your bodies feel even more like one. He moves deeper into you, enjoying this as he presses a soft kiss against your lips but he can’t help it. Your body is too goddamn perfect. Every bit of self-restraint leaves his body at the way that your perfect pussy keeps clenching around his thick member, he wanted to make this last, to fully bask in it, but when you clench around him like that, tug on his hair and moan like that he can’t help it. Who could? He groans hungrily and starts to move his hips quicker, the pace becoming deeper and more intense with each movement and he groans at the feelings. God, you feel incredible. He’s never felt so good with someone like he does with you, he knows it sounds silly but he’s convinced that your bodies were sculpted to perfectly fit together. There’s no other explanation. He groans and his eyes close as he pants thinking about it, he can hear your heart rate increasing at the change of pace. You’re so perfect. You whine out at the new depth and pace, tugging on his hair as you bite your lip. Your fingers dance across his back as you scratch it with each deep thrust of his that pulls a moan out of you. He has you feeling completely full and you can’t help but gasp out at the loss with each time his hips come back. 

“You always feel perfect, you squeeze me just right…oh…” He groans and bites his lip, his arms wrapped around you move slightly so that he can cradle your head more and caress your forehead as he pounds into you. His groans are deep and just show you how much pleasure he’s in. You whine out and claw his back more, you’re sure that in the morning when you shower with him, there will be faint red lines on his back from your hands. The thought about that turns you on more as you keep scratching and moaning. You were flooding him as he kept moving deeper and deeper, each snap of his hips pulled more moans from you and he was groaning and when you clenched around him he’d sometimes let out a little hiss. 

It felt so good, too good, it shouldn’t be possible for two bodies to be able to bring each other this much pleasure. Yet there you both were in the bed you shared doing it anyway. Matt’s body kept moving at a quick pace, he was fumbling any form of control he had over making this last, his hips were quick but now he was thrusting into you more deeply and frantically as your room became filled with the noises of your bodies meeting and all your moans. 

Matt needed to chase his high now, he was too close and he knew it was going to happen in mere seconds, not minutes. He keeps driving his hips into you as he cuddles against you, you’re tugging on his hair and moaning against his neck, sucking on it when you’re not too overwhelmed to cry out. You keep tugging against his hair and moaning, you can’t read his body as well as he can read yours for obvious reasons but you know he’s getting closer, his breathing is shallow and his hips are moving intensely and starting to sputter. Matt groans loudly and kisses you hotly, pushing his tongue in and dancing with yours as he groans and swallows up your respective moans as his hips keep frantically moving to thrust in and out of your sweet, sweet hole until he gives his last groan against your mouth and releases, deep inside of you. He’s so loud and his eyes snap shot as he’s overcome with the feeling of that release. The warmth of his come floods you and he keeps his lips pressed against you softly as his body stills and after a moment, he pulls his lips away. Matt caresses your forehead as he pants, pressing a gentle kiss there. “So perfect.” He whispers before pressing another. You pant out and kiss his jaw. Nobody made love like Matt did, nobody could ever fill you the way he did and take you to absolute pleasure like that. He was perfect and you press kisses against his jaw in between your pants as your heart still races. He’s still inside of you. Jesus Christ, he’s still inside of you. You groan at that thought and then Matt presses a long and gentle kiss to your lips, his lips are so warm and soft. You smile as you look up at him, there’s some sweat on his brow and in his soft hair and your cheeks heat up as you can see some of your juices still glistening on his mouth and chin. 

He’s smiling widely as well, it’s not a devilish grin but rather a happy, content smile. He loves you, words aren’t needed. He pulls out after a moment and then lays back and pulls you carefully into his arms to rest your head against his chin and he closes his eyes. “You’re sweeter than honey.” He whispers as his hand gently caresses your cheek. 

“I guess that’s lucky for me.” You breathlessly whisper while trying to catch your breath. 

“No darling, I’m the lucky one.” He says as he pants and presses a warm kiss to the side of your head. You smile and that and you both let out a small chuckle as you cuddle more into his warm body. You might’ve not had a taste of him tonight like he did of you but he’s equally sweet as honey you think.

[ribread03]

Matt Sturniolo Head cannons

matt sturniolo x reader, use of y/n, head cannons, what I think it would be like dating Matt

warning smut talk at these bullets ◈

AN: so this is the first thing Im really putting on the internet that is from my brain lol. I've posted edits on my TikTok that's a fan page for them ri.bead03 (shameless plug here lol). But I hope you enjoy this and even if you don't I still think this is going to be fun lol.

◆ Matt really likes the outdoors so he takes you on hikes and on picnics all of them time just the two of you and nature. Taking you out to public places aren't really his thing.

◆ He loves being around you when your comfortable with who your around and seeing the true side of you. He loves hearing your true laugh and when you smile and show off your teeth.

◆ He really likes cats. All animals really-cats, dogs, fish, deer- but cats really stick out to him. you like to think it's because he relates to them and how sometimes they like to be around people and sometimes they just sleep the day away and don't see anyone at all.

◆ He loves to cuddle. He just likes to be touching or hugging you at all times. It doesn't matter what time or day or where you guys are at he's always asking you if he can hold your hand or hug you.

◆ He cant cook and you think its the cutest thing ever but he hates that he cant provide for you even tho he does in more way than one.

◆ He is always asking to talk and tell you about the way he is feeling and wanting to know what is going on in your life as well. He always wants to know why your upset or why you could be mad at him, wanting to know what he can fix about something he is doing.

◈ Matt is a switch in bed, he loves being the top and having you become a moaning mess unraveling beneath him

◈ Matt loves when you take over in bed becoming possessive and telling him what to do.

◈ Matt loves when you squirt. He loves when you make a mess with your juices praising you when you do. "you did so good for me y/n" "God you're such a good girl I could cum again just from you squirting around me"

◈ When you are the dom to Matt he loves when you ride him, he loves seeing your tits bounce as you ride him. You telling him to hold him orgasm as you ride to your high.

◈ Matt loves when you scream his name, it makes him crazy.

◆ Matt loves driving you around and taking you from store to store, even if he stays in the car he refuses to let you pay when you go out. He is always handing you his card saying "no limit" "go crazy babe". He loves to spoil you rotten.

◆ When Matt goes out to film a Friday video he always makes sure to text you when they get to the parking lot, when they start and stop filming, and when they are on the way home.

◆ (if you read) Matt loves going to the book store with you. He likes the calm atmosphere and calming smell of books. He's always buys the ones you touch even if you put them down he's asking " are you sure princess? I don't mind getting it." He will always take the books from you and carry them around the store for you and all the way out to the car as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN pt. 2: Ok I hope you guys liked that lol. also if you want any of these kinda turned into a fic I will try my best with that lol. let me know what you think, if anything could be improved and what not. OKAY BYE LOVE YOU! thank you for reading :) :)

[kaiannae]

It is time- (Or: It Has Begin XD)

Greetings, my dear readers, it has been quite some time. First and foremost I would like to assure you that yes, I'm alive, and no, I have not abandoned my writing. But, I HAVE been distracted by somehing in the last few months, and I think its time to reveal it. I made a game! And not just a game, a Shadowgast game. I would like to present to you:

Beacon Run.

Ko-Fi This game begun its existance as a homework project for a game dev course I took about a year ago. I was supposed to implement a simple chase and pickup game and I thought, "Why use some random sprites when all I can imagine is small chibi Caleb chasing small chibi Essek around while Essek is trying to nom beacons?"

This idea lit a fire in my brain, and I just had to implement it but I had a very short time for the assignment. Iended up implementing something very simple, but I just couldn't let it go afterwards and vowed I was going to finish that small game and get it out for the fandom to play.

It has since been rewriteen, refactored and recoded several times, until I had something workable to show others. This is the place to mention the major contribution the people fo AIFL had on this little game. As I was maing this game, I shared its early stages with the server, and people have been kind in thier enthusasm, gave me ideas and provided invaluable criticism and feedback. They kept me motivated and kept me going through the lows of frustration one gets when coding. I got @bumble-b-goode 's permission to use their designs for the Weezards and drew my own sprites using that as inspiration. I ended up creating most of the assets for this game. Drawing the art assets took quite some time and I've learned a lot in the process.

Beacon Run not big or complicated as a game. In essence, is a tribute and a love letter to the Critical Role community and the CR crew. To the people who brought to life the Mighty Nein and have shared, and continue to share their stories with us on a weekly basis throughout the years. For Liam and Matt, who have weaved the tale of two broken wizards mending each other into better people, and keep their children of ink and paper alive for us to enjoy. The game: You as a player, are randomly assigned a little wizard to play for each match, so you can play as Essek or Caleb. The board dimensions and obstacles and even the flooring art are randomized for each match so each match is different. Your goal: to collect as many Beacons as you can during the allotted time, and end up with more Beacons than your rival which is the other wizard played by the computer. You gain projectiles over time, which are fake Beacons you can throw at the other wizard. If hit, the rival wizard is stunned for a short time, and drops several of his picked up Beacons for you to gather. However, beware! The rival wizard can also shoot you and stun you for a short while, and make you drop beacons as well. (You might notice that Essek gets stunned by sour lemon Beacons, while Caleb gets stunned by hand-knitted wool Beacons XD) In addition, when the rival is hit, he may drop a Magic Abeyance Bead which contains a Chronurgy spell. if you pick it up, it will provide a short time bonus for the match. In short, the game is a small, cozy game, made out of love for the wizards and the fandom, and I hope you'll enjoy it! I it still in the late stages of testing and development, as the feedback players provide is invaluable and lets me find bugs, add ideas and content suggested and tweak the mechanics to make it more enjoyable. So I would very much appreciate feedback, suggestions, con-crit etc. I would be happy to head what you like about it, what you think needs tweaking, ideas of content to add.... you name it! (Note that currently, the game does not work on mobile. I am planing to revamp the input system and add touch suport for mobile in the near future) Also it is worth mentioning that as I fix bugs, add content and tweak things, I upload new versions of the game so its worth following the Devlog and updates. The game is avaliable for play in the embedded player on the page, and also available for download to play offline (Though you might need to redownload it with every new version as I don't have an auto updater for it.)

In addition, if you like my work, feel like enabling me to make more of these or just want to buy me a coffee, It is always very much appreciated as it sure helps me stay afloat! Tip Jar

So, I hope you forgive me for my lack of writing for the last few months. I really wanted to get this out. I am trying to keep writing in my spare time, but the muses haven't been with me lately. I hope that now that this is out I can finally get my mind off it XD Stay tuned!

[cleanyoman]

Keeping up with the Kitties (Updated)

-free-

a unique and cozy napping furniture with a touch of nostalgia.

The kitties, who have become the beloved pets of many households, have found a new home in the frame of a retro television set. This new addition to your gameplay not only gives your furry friends a cozy spot to nap in, but it also allows them to feel like the stars they truly are. After all, cats are often the main characters in their owners' lives and deserve the royal treatment.

This unique napping furniture not only provides a comfortable spot for your kitties to rest, but it also adds a touch of nostalgia to your home decor. The retro television set frame is a perfect fit for the furry stars of your household, giving them a sense of importance and belonging. With this new addition, your kitties will surely be the envy of all their feline friends and will bask in the extra attention they receive from their owners.

I created the first version of this during the 2020 lockdown when I was learning to make custom content (CC) for my own gameplay. It remains my most downloaded CC to date and was what got me hooked on making and sharing more. Since then, I have significantly improved my skills, and creating this new and improved TV cat-napping furniture has been a way to gauge my progress. I hope you and your sims enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed making it.

Happy Simming!

10 Maxis Match textures

Hand-painted Spec Maps to make shiny things shine and matte things.… not.

Custom-made thumbnails (for the first time)

Slots for your belongings are available in various sizes.

Optimized for laptop users! - Only 300 polygons.

Could possibly also be used by small dogs - I haven't tried, so please let me know if you do!

And as alway free download on CurseForge;)

[arcandoria]

Virtual Photography Process

I got an ask that I posted by accident before being ready, so I'm going to make this a post I suppose fmdlksg Anon was asking about my Reshade Preset for Cyberpunk and what my VP process is, so here it is!

Anon, I don't quite have a VP process. Not in a trademark way anyway. My VP varies wildly across the years and generally speaking I just go with the vibe I feel at the moment!

I've had phases where I would barely do any post-processing at all and only rely on heavy Reshade, I had phases where I'd do some minor color tweaking and add a lot of effects like dust and sparks, and my current one where I do pretty much all my color tweaking in post-process and only really use light Reshade to sharpen the image and make colors pop a bit.

My current Reshade is a tweaked version of a friend's preset. I have an average rig, don't have any Fancytracing, so Reshade is mostly there to sharpen the image, deepen the colors and try to compensate for my GPU's limitations. I forgot to use Otis DOF for this example, but nowadays I don't use any Reshade DOF, and rely only on Otis'. I also only use Otis lights because I can control what each light does a little better than AMM lights, but I used AMM lights a lot when I first was VPing.

It's when the game's closed that I have my fun with colors!

I do my coloring on RawTherapee, which is a free Lightroom. Mostly I make use of the Film Simulation, sometimes layering multiple, sometimes using only one.

I then move to Photoshop which is my last stop and my "correction" phase. I have a huge library of actions and gradient maps I paw around for any last coloring (specially making shadows more matte and less defined), tweak contrast/brightness, and add some blurring and noise (beloved).

I probably have actions/gradient posts reblogged on my repository blog (@halkuonn), I can't point you to a single place because I've been dragging these around for over a decade and across at least 3 computers...

Honestly, don't get too attached to a single workflow with your VP. VP is art and art is meant to be a creative outlet, if you start putting too many rules and step by steps on your personal workflow, you'll probably get frustrated fast.

My current workflow is way lengthier than how I took some of my older VP, but that's because I feel like doing it. I don't necessarily feel like it's better or worse, it's just a different way I've been doing stuff and having fun with VP.

This is from 2022 - I wasn't using Otis Freecam, relied on AMM Lights, and did some mild/low post-processing - things like making the shadows a little bit more purple with Color Balance, and adding A LOT of blur manually because I didn't know how to use any of the DOF shaders. I was using Pinky's Preset back then.

This is from 2023 - the fuck it we ball era. This has like... 0 post-processing. I wasn't using Otis DOF (I don't think it existed yet), but I was already using Otis Lights learned to use the DOF shaders. The only thing I was doing for post-processing is add Noise and slap my signature (which this one doesn't even have lmao). I already had a new Reshade preset from my friend, but didn't really tweak any of it.

From this year! I still wasn't using RawTherapee a lot, but it was the start of my "I'm going to do everything in post-processing" era, with shadows not as dark/contrasted and everything a bit hazy.

So yeah! Don't stress about having a single workflow, or the best workflow, or even the most appropriate Reshade. For me the less I try to be biblical about my VP process, the more I enjoy taking it, and in turn the more satisfied I am with the results.

If you want more of a tutorial, I can try?? doing one?? but really the only thing I have been consistently doing with my VP all these years is slapping some extra blur and adding Noise on PS.

Hope this helps or at least provides some software recommendations / process ideas though!

[caapsiizzereads]

I lvoe how a majority of the jamie tartt fic readers/writers are swifties, so i was wondering if you wanted to write a fic based on labyrinth? One of them has a tumultuous relationship with romance and doesn’t know how to react to a good partner and the possibility of falling in love again but ultimately ending up embracing it. Love your fics!

I ALWAYS want to write a fic based on a Taylor song. This one is for all of my self-sabotaging girlies. Also, anon, congrats and thank you for being my first request! Hope you like this🫶

You never bring the guys that you’re dating to your friend gatherings, but this is a special occasion. It’s your best friend’s boyfriend’s birthday this weekend, and he’s a huge Richmond fan, and you know you will get some major brownie points if you bring Jamie with you. Well, also, Erin insisted that you have to bring him “while he’s still here.”

God, this is embarrassing. You and Jamie met less than a month ago and have only been on a few dates.

“…You totally don’t have to–”

“No, no, sure! I’ll come! I love meeting fans,” he grins cockily.

“I regret this already,” you sigh.

—

“He seems nice,” Erin says when you get the chance to talk alone.

You shrug. “I guess he is.”

Jamie meets your eyes across the room and smiles at you.

“I think he really likes you,” she gives you a suggestive look.

You roll your eyes. “We’ve been, like, on three dates.”

“It leaves him with what, two more?” she jokes. She knows how it goes for you. You go out with a guy a few times, have a good time, and then dump him before it can turn into something else.

—

You’re on your way from the party when you notice Jamie sparing you careful glances, like he has something on his mind but second-guesses saying it.

“What?”

“I’ve been talking to Matt, and he, uh, mentioned a guy named Owen,” he starts cautiously. You sigh loudly. “You can totally tell me to fuck off, it’s none of my business…”

“It’s fine. You can ask if you want. It’s not like it’s a secret or anything.”

“So, what’s the story there?”

“We met when I was in my third year of uni, two years later, we got married, lived supposedly happily for three more years, until he cheated on me.” You say it all so casually, like you’re just reciting some story you’ve told many times before. “And then had the fucking audacity to say that I had changed too much. But what really happened was that I was making more money than him, and he couldn’t fucking deal with it.” Okay, now you sound petty. “Anyways, fuck him.” The resentful tone of your voice lets Jamie know that this was as much as you are willing to talk about it. You leave out the part where you really loved the guy, and you haven’t been in even a remotely committed relationship ever since.

—

You don’t really care much about Jamie knowing about your shitshow of a marriage, it’s not like it matters anyway. If anything, maybe he won’t be as surprised or disappointed when you inevitably cut him off. You like him: he’s cute, he’s funny, he’s pretty, and you enjoy your time together. You’ve never had any complaints about the quality of the time that you provide for your dates either, so by the end of the day, it’s a fair trade.

Except that Jamie doesn’t seem to get the hint at all. He keeps asking you out and somehow every time manages to make you say yes. He keeps finding new ways to make you laugh, keeps remembering all the little things he gets to learn about you, keeps finding his way into your embrace. It’s so easy to be around Jamie that your attempts to say no become more and more inauthentic.

So here you are, coming back from your seventh date in as many weeks. That’s the record amount of time you’ve kept a guy around in the past two years.

“The weather is nice, let’s take a walk,” you mock. “Let’s take a walk my ass!” You’re grumbling as you and Jamie make it inside your house soaking wet from the pouring rain outside.

“How was I supposed to know?!” He tries to defend himself.

“By the sound of the fucking thunder!” You throw a towel at him.

“I thought we were gonna make it in time!” He takes off his sweatshirt and starts drying himself. “You could’ve talked me out of it!”

“Oh, so that’s my fault?” You’re not really that mad, more like just annoyed, but if Jamie wants to argue, you can argue. He’s grinning at you. “The fuck are you smiling about?”

“I’m sorry!” He raises his hands defensively. “But you’re, like, really hot when you’re mad.”

This fucker. And he’s standing there half naked and wet. “Oh, you’re gonna regret saying this.” You close the distance between you and smash your lips on his.

You keep pushing him backwards until his knees meet the bed and he plops down on it, looking up at you with his eyes dazed. You take a second to appreciate the view, and it gives you this weird feeling inside.

Uh-oh, you’re fallin' in love

—

It’s all fine, all good. You have it under control. You are not catching feelings for Jamie Tartt.

Even when you do, and it scares the shit out of you.

Jamie has been a constant presence in your life for almost three months now. And he’s always so patient, and considerate, and attentive. He starts asking you more questions, wants to really get to know you, emotional baggage and everything, and it doesn’t seem to bother him one bit. He never asks of you anything more than you can give, never makes you feel like you’re too much or not enough.

You’re lying on your couch with Jamie on top of you, slotted between your legs with his head on your chest. You’re absent-mindedly running your fingers through his hair while you’re watching a movie. Predictably, forty minutes into the movie, he’s dead asleep. You know that he’s been very tired this season, with all the travel and extra matches and practices that playing in the Champions League requires. Honestly, you were surprised that he can make as much time for you as he does, considering all of that.

You let him stay like this, trying not to move your body too much, until the end credits roll and half of your body goes numb. You gently shake him awake, and he looks adorably sleepish. You tell him that you should move it to bed because it’s late anyway. He furrows his brows for a moment in surprise. He’s never stayed over like this before, only if you were having sex. He’s definitely not going to complain, though. He makes his way to your bedroom, and by the time you’re out of the shower, he’s already asleep again. Or at least half-asleep, because when you get in bed next to him, he still snuggles closer to you.

You lie awake for another hour.

In the morning, you wake up first and, quickly disentangling yourself from Jamie, get out of bed.

Jamie notices that you’re acting weird: your smile is tense and you keep looking away, but he doesn’t comment on it. Eventually, he gives you a goodbye kiss and leaves for practice. The moment you close the door behind him and he’s a safe distance away, you let out a loud groan.

Oh no, you’re fallin' in love again

—

You’ve been ignoring Jamie’s calls for two weeks now. There hasn’t been a single one in two days, though, so maybe he just finally gave up. You can’t help but feel a little bit disappointed, but what right do you have? It was your choice. You’ve been wrapped in your cynicism for so long that you no longer know how to just let yourself be happy again. You tell yourself that you’re better off, and probably so is Jamie.

Your doorbell rings, and when you open the door, you don't know whether you’re relieved or uneasy to see Jamie standing at your doorstep.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“You don’t pick up your phone.”

“Yeah, I…” You don’t actually have any logical explanation for yourself.

“You don’t need to explain.” He collects himself. “I’ve been trying to give you space. But I think it’s becoming too much space for me.”

“Jamie–“

“No, wait. Let me say something. And if you still want me to leave, then I will.” The remorseful look on your face was probably enough of a giveaway of what you were about to say. Well, here goes nothing. You nod at him to continue. “I am in love with you. And I don’t care that you think you’re a mess or whatever. I mean, so am I, but you don’t seem to mind either. You’re fucking amazing. And I will tell you that every day, if you want. No, I will tell you that every day, whether you want it or not. Just let me stay.”

The following silent seconds might be the longest in Jamie’s life, but then you pull him in and kiss him breathless, and it was absolutely worth the wait.

You’ve been lying awake for a few minutes now, thinking back to the previous night. You’re facing away from Jamie, but chances are he’s still asleep, you still have time to flee. You don’t want to, though.

As if reading your thoughts, Jamie speaks up. “I know you’re awake.” Here goes your escape plan. He softly runs his fingers along your back. “Stay with me.” He places a kiss between your shoulder blades. “Please.”

You take a deep breath and turn to face him. You’ve seen Jamie in the morning many times, but it was never like this. He’s never looked so vulnerable and unsure. You don’t want him to look like this. You gently brush your fingers against his cheek, and he leans into your hand before taking it in his and kissing your knuckles.

It’s been so long since you’ve really felt something for the person next to you, since you’ve let yourself feel something for the person next to you. You forgot how nice it is, how good it feels. That it doesn’t always have to end in hurt. Maybe if Jamie can offer you his heart like this, then you can trust him with yours too. You want to. This realization feels like letting out a breath you have been holding for years.

“Where would I go? We’re in my bed,” you smile, and Jamie huffs a laugh of relief. Alright, then, let’s give it a shot. You lean in and kiss him.

Oh, you’re fallin' in love

[uselessgirl87]

Outsider No More by Useless-girl

Note: The Teen Wolf & Cyberpunk 2077 crossover you didn’t know you needed! :D Obviously, I’m a huge fan of this game (did many playthroughs already and still not finished) and I fell in love with its world, so at one point I started thinking about how Derek and Stiles would fit in it, what kind of characters they would be. So this is what I came up with and hope that you’ll enjoy this little detour into this world. Also, see more info in the end notes! ;)

Fandoms: Teen Wolf, Sterek, Cyberpunk 2077

Characters/relationships: Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale, Cora Hale/original female character, Erica Reyes/Vernon Boyd, Lydia Martin/Jordan Parrish (mentioned), Isaac Lahey, Theo Raeken, Alan Deaton, Matt Daehler, Scott McCall, Viktor Vektor, Liam Dunbar, Mason Hewitt, Brett Talbot, Kate Argent (mentioned), Gerard Argent (mentioned), Talia Hale (mentioned), Peter Hale (mentioned), Sheriff Stilinski (mentioned), other Hales (mentioned)

Rating/category: explicit,Teen Wolf AU, Cyberpunk AU, Sterek, alternate universe, canon and non-canon elements, slash, M/M, aged up characters, no werewolves, human Stiles, orphan Stiles, netrunner Stiles, mercenary Stiles, streetkid Stiles, BAMF Stiles, tattooed Stiles, bottom Stiles, human Derek, top Derek, nomad Derek, clan leader Derek, hacking, betrayal, revenge, action, violence, cursing, blood, gore, found family, family feels, pack feels, getting together, falling in love, romance, love, emotions, wit, sarcasm, light Dom/sub, light BDSM, smut, handjob, blowjob, gay sex, rough sex

Summary: In the unforgiving underbelly of Night City the “survival of the fittest” law applies more than anywhere else. After his father’s death, Stiles Stilinski has been working as a netrunner/mercenary to stay afloat. But when a gig goes wrong, he finds himself fleeing the city from more than one of the notorious and very deadly gangs of NC. Due to a favor, he soon ends up with the feared and respected Hale nomad clan. It is led by the charismatic but broody Derek Hale, who at first isn’t too happy about letting a stranger into his close-knit family, but still provides shelter to Stiles, who in turn is not too keen on experiencing the nomad lifestyle. But with time both men’s perspective changes about things – and each other.

Disclaimer: This is a product of my imagination and was written only for entertainment and fun. I don’t profit from this fanfiction and I mean no harm or disrespect against any real person, culture or custom that might appear in the story. All original pictures or edits and fictional characters used in the story belong to their respective owners and credit goes to them.

---------------------------------- To read the story on AO3, click HERE! Illustration by Useless-girl.

[daresplaining]

Mattea Murdock, the Daredevil Drummer of Philly

In celebration of the forthcoming new Spider-Punk: Arms Race series (not to mention Hobie stealing scenes in "Across the Spider-Verse" last year), I wanted to finally write up my long-overdue overview post on Mattea Murdock! If you haven't read her introductory run yet, check it out here.

Mattea truly stands on her own in the wide canon of alternate universe DDs. She is a female Daredevil, she is Latina, and she somehow managed to escape Marvel's NYC gravity and base herself in Philadelphia, where she defends its citizens from violence and exploitation. Hobie and his self-styled Spider-Band encounter her in Spider-Punk (2022) #3, when they make a detour to fix the busted Spider-Van. They are all immediately-- and correctly-- impressed.

Mattea: "Yo, Kam!" Hobie: "Wait, you know each other?!" Kamala: "Duh! You think I wouldn't know the Daredevil Drummer of Philly?" Hobie: "You're a drummer too?" Mattea: "Best in town." Hobie: "Oh man, my friend Gwen is a pretty dope drummer too. I think y'all would definitely get along." Mattea: "Hope they're ready to get outplayed by a pretty, blind girl." Spider-Punk vol. 1 #3 by Cody Ziglar, Justin Mason, Jim Charalampidis, and Travis Lanham

I talked a little about her killer character/costume design when she was first introduced (I was a fool; of course she's blind), and my love for her look has only grown. It's badass, distinctive, and it slots her beautifully into Hobie's punk rock world while still evoking that trademark Daredevil image (red, sticks, pointy bits...). Her irises are red, which is a visual choice I enjoy in more heightened, fantastical DD stories/art styles, and I think it works for Mattea. Heck, I could even imagine them being colored contact lenses she's chosen to wear for the aesthetic. Also, one detail that wasn't in the previews is the fun little laughing devil face on the back of her jacket (I'm not punk rock enough to get the reference if it is one, but it reminds me of Darkdevil):

Of course, always a big priority for me is Daredevil's power-set, and Mattea provides a quick primer on her unique perspective, mostly focused on hearing and the radar sense:

Mattea: "What? You think just 'cause I'm a blind girl, I can't see? Echolocation, my abuelas used to call it. But it's more intimate. Instinctual. Can hear a kick drum from ten blocks away. Can see it too. If I think hard enough, I can even see what the garage it's being played in looks like." Hobie: "Yo, are you doing it right now?" Riri: "She's definitely doing it right now."

This is not my favorite description of Daredevil's powers, nor-- to be honest-- a particularly informative one. She can gather spatial information through walls...from ten blocks away? I also never love an overuse of visual language in any explanation of these powers, especially as it's implied that Mattea, like Matt, is completely blind. Surprisingly, no direct mention is made here of the hypersenses as a whole, beyond the reference to hearing a kick drum from ten blocks away. Even her hearing doesn't receive that much attention in the story overall, which feels like a missed opportunity for such a musical character. Her blindness, too, is pretty much irrelevant to the story, and never comes up again. But I do LOVE that she uses the term "echolocation", though is still very clearly the radar sense, in all its vague, undefined, semi-magic glory.

And visually? This is great. I'm always a fan of the cross-hatching visual, especially against a black background, and artist Justin Mason doesn't go too overboard on the detail, which is another preference of mine. And thematically, I love the ways in which Mattea's drummer identity is tied into her superheroics-- not just for laying a beatdown on bad guys, but also for channelling and enhancing her echolocation/radar sense. One of my favorite scenes in the comic is when she plays a drum solo on a roof edge to scope out the Kingpin's lair. I'm willing, in that moment, to ignore any gripes about radar sense irregularities out of respect for the coolness and thematic heft of the concept. I mean, this rocks:

Mattea: "Come on, show me the good stuff."

At the end of the day, though, this is not a Daredevil comic and Mattea is not the main character. Plus, it's only five issues long, and introduces a bunch of other new characters as well. There was only ever going to be room for the creative team to offer a cursory introduction, hopefully generating enough interest to prompt these characters to appear again in other comics. In that, I think they fully succeeded with Mattea; we get a cursory sense of her powers (or at least, enough to show that they're the normal DD set), her personality (delightfully cocky, playful, tough, fearless), a few hints of her backstory, and some truly kickass fight scenes. There's a bit of suspension of disbelief required to believe she can use drumsticks as a stand-in for billy clubs (unless her drumsticks are made of something really hefty-- and hey, maybe they are), but this is Spider-Punk. Hobie killed Norman Osborn with a guitar--twice. It's not about realism, it's about style.

Mattea: "Been waiting for this for a long time, Fisk. Real long time." Fisk: "I'm going to break you, li'l girl--AWGGH!" Mattea: "Big, strong man who sends out his band of wackos to push over people too weak to fight back." Fisk: "Wouldn't get too cocky, girlie...you're not the only one who's fast! I'm gonna hurt ya. A lot. Then I'm gonna kill ya. And I'm gonna love every second of it. You know, this is the same look you had when I had your old band clapped a few years back. I like it. Brings out your eyes--GAAAH!" Mattea: "There's something you need to understand about me, papi. I'm not the kinda girl who goes down without a fight."

I can't wait to see more of Mattea and learn more about her, her world, her friends, and her enemies. In particular, she seems to have a history (possibly romantic?) with this world's Kamala Khan, and I would love to see more of that relationship. While Mattea Murdock clearly has a lot in common with Matt Murdock, she also seems happy to be a team player, unlike Matt, and I really enjoy that. Though I guess it's not that surprising a distinction. After all, every drummer needs a band.

[evilhal0]

⭐️HELLO EVERYONE⭐️

I am happy to say that starting on August 1st, I’ll be opening my first ever sticker shop though Kofi and (perhaps also) Etsy!

These are the first few designs I will be selling but there are surely more to come! From OC’s to fanarts, I’m selling a variety of stickers that I hope you guys will enjoy! Please share with your friends!

‼️INFO‼️

- All of these stickers are Matte and waterproof!

- this is my first time making and selling stickers but I will try my best to provide the best customer support that I can if there are any issues!

- I’m selling the stickers for $3 each!

- I am making these homemade with my own materials and printer!

- I’ll be giving a little gift to the first 5 people who order as a thank you!😉

- if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

- I’m making a ping list so if you want to be added on! Please let me know in the comments!

[missacidburn928s-heathenhideaway]

LUNATIC III

Summary:

Halloween night at Sins.

Notes:

Hello Heathens! This chapter is hella long! As I was writing more and more just kept getting added that made sense and so I kept it in. I thought about making it a 2 part but decided to hell with that! This chapter has been one of my favorites to write so far and I hope you enjoy it as well. *Fair warning: There is knife play as well as a little blood play in this chapter. There be some torture as well. ALSO...Sex work IS real work. If you can't get with that, please kindly leave as this fic is sex and sex worker positive :) Happy Reading!

Banner by @cafekitsune Divider by @unowakot

“Come one! Come all! To Sins Debaucherous Carnival!” Your voice proclaims across the entryway, out into the autumn air where a line has formed as far as around the corner. The video continues, your voice entrancing the waiting patrons. 

“Tis Hallows Eve and the night is young. Prepare yourselves for a night of raucous fun! From spooky sexy skeletons, to our sirens sensual song, let your darkness be your guide as you travel the sins of the flesh we provide. Muahahaha.” 

The team, having decided to celebrate, take in the entryway and swarm of bodies as they make their way to the main stage, where your act for the night is set to begin.

The atmosphere in the club is a bit darker tonight. The lights are dimmer and the wait staff look ghoulishly delicious, in varying shades of death. They arrive at their booth and settle in, anxious to see what you have in store for the audience tonight.

El Tango de Roxanne begins to play as the curtains open and a lone red spotlight centers on a single bed. The only other light comes from a lone window, in which the shadow of a well built man can be seen.

The spotlight fades to dimmed stage lights as you enter stage left followed by August, the perfect partner for this tango of tortured love. You're dressed in a skin tight black dress with a slit up to the waist on one side. Hair loose and wild. Dark smokey makeup adorns your face as matte black stiletto nails dipped in crimson grace your fingers. August is clad in a maroon button down, black slacks and gray suspenders. Hair disheveled and a scowl on his handsome face.

Clearly an argument is happening and as the song progresses and builds the fight turns violent. You pull a switchblade from your garter and point it at August. He scoffs, determined that you wouldn't have the balls to cut him. He takes a step too close and you lash out on instinct, slashing his pectoral, ruining his shirt as blood quickly rises to the surface. 

He looks down in disbelief at the minor flesh wound. He reaches for you as you try to back away, catching your dress and ripping it from your body, exposing the black laced lingerie beneath. He tosses it to the side as you stand in shock for only a moment. That pause was all he needed to reach up and intertwine his fingers in your hair, pulling you in close to his body to dominate you with a kiss. 

You lose yourself in his power, succumbing to the scorching chemistry you’ve always had. You cant let him think he’s won once again. The time to take your power back is now. You have places to be and people depending on you. Without wasting another moment you climb him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders, providing yourself enough leverage to bite down on his neck, taking him by surprise yet again. 

He walks forward until he can slam you against the wall, pinning you with his hips, dislodging you from his throat. You stare up at his darkened blue eyes, panting as you lower your hands to the bulge in his slacks, palming him once before undoing his button and zipper. Pulling him out, you give his thick length a couple strokes, spreading his leaking precum down his shaft. 

Wrapping your legs around his waist you pull him close as you tilt your hips and use your body weight to turn you around, his back now against the wall. He grabs the globes of your ass so you don’t fall as he pulls your panties to the side, allowing you to impale yourself on his rigid cock.

You begin to grind and ride him hard, unleashing all your pent up hurt and anguish on his impressive body. You hate that you ever let yourself love this man. One who thinks he can own you and control your every move. No more. It’s time for this little witch to fly. 

It's a volatile seduction of limbs and flesh. Your claws rake down his chest as he tries to get his dominance back but is thwarted by your overwhelming need to consume him. Your other hand gripping his hair and holding him where you want him as you devour his mouth.

You end up allowing him to take you to the bed. He lets you remain on top, enjoying the view. As your climax nears you wrap your small hands around his thick neck and begin choking him. He doesn't resist as he is on the precipice of his own release, that is until you both reach your end and you add pressure to his windpipe. He tries to buck you off but his efforts become weaker the longer he is deprived of oxygen until he loses consciousness. 

You remove yourself from his prone frame, fix your panties, grab a dress from the closet, and check yourself in the mirror on the wall before heading to the window. You throw it open, kissing the stranger on the balcony who pulls you through. He leans down to grab a bag at his side and proceeds to cart you away into the night. 

Lights fade to black and the audience bursts out in uproarious applause.

Your favorite reusable bottle, full of ice cold h2o, is placed in your hand by Walter as you catch your breath backstage. You gulp down the cool liquid as he pushes a sweaty strand of hair behind your ear.

“That was intense, Bug.” He caresses your cheek, running his thumb along your bottom lip as you remove the bottle, capturing an errant drop of water, returning it to your tongue. “It looked like my brother's black soul left his body when you both came.”

You feel arms wrap around you from behind. “It practically did.” August confesses to his brother as he lays a light kiss on your neck. “Granted it’s an emotionally charged number as is, something was certainly different tonight.” 

He backs up and begins removing his bloodied shirt, exposing his hairy, muscle bound torso. “I wonder if it had anything to do with you being told that the Avengers had just been seated at the booth you had permanently set aside for them.”

“Ah, yes. Earth's mightiest have taken a liking to our little Nyx.” Walter looks down to see you shooting daggers his way. “Seems the reverse can be said. Wade must be losing his mind.” They both laugh.

You take the washcloth from August's hand before he can clean his chest, drop your panties, step out of them and proceed to remove his spend from your body. “You know how I am. A glutton for all things that bring me pleasure.” You toss the cloth back to August. “Thor proved himself as mighty as to be believed and I would be lying if I said I didn't want a taste of them all.” You shrug.

“I know you well, darling. Always on the hunt for the one thing that may finally quench your thirst.” August imparts, as he places your right hand on the damp blood still staining his chest. “I also know that look in your eyes. You’re looking to lose yourself tonight. Need the release subspace brings.” He lifts your chin to catch your hooded eyes. “Been in control of everything for too long getting ready for tonight's carnival. Fuck, you had me practically bowing at your feet on stage.”

Walter cages you in against his brother. “Usually we’d drag you back to your suite and take you apart until we get you nice and floaty.” He kisses your shoulder. “Then I’d run you a bath and bring you back up to the land of the living.” He runs a hand up your thigh. “But I don’t think we’ll be enough for you tonight Ladybug.”

He looks at his brother, having one of those silent conversations they’re known for, before they both take a step away from you. “Let’s see how well these heroes can handle our favorite little hellion.”

Your bottom lip starts to protrude. August grips your chin quickly between his thumb and forefinger. “Don’t even attempt to pout, Darling.” He presses a soft kiss to your lips. “If they can’t provide you with what you so thoroughly need, you know where to find us. We’re only ever a call away.” 

He releases you and sends you on your way out to the main room with a swat to your ass.

“Give em hell, Bug!” Walter shouts followed by laughter as the door closes behind you.

You find the team with ease, clearly enjoying themselves and the libations your faithful staff have provided. It’s a sight to see them with relaxed postures and smiles abound. As you saunter over, you can’t help but notice the power emanating in waves off of the two former assassins, book-ending Steve.

As if sensing your presence, or quite possibly your arousal coating your skin, Bucky glances your way, tracking your movement to the table. “I see you all are enjoying yourselves.”

“Nyx! Just the woman we were drooling over.” Tony jests.

“Your performance did have me salivating.” Thor raises his large stein. “The control in which you have on your body is to be admired and I would not balk at a chance to explore it yet again. Perhaps to test its boundaries this time.”

“Always the charmer, Odinson.” You smile in his direction.

“Down puppy. Let the rest of us get a chance before you go in for seconds.” Clint barks out.

“Speaking of.” Tony interjects. “I know we just watched you have a good ol time up on stage. You look fantastic when you come by the way.” He winks. “But are you up for a little playtime this evening? Or are you too busy running the joint?”

You wriggle your finger for Tony to come closer. “Oh I’m done for the night. My staff has everything under control. I’m not leaving the premises, so if anything goes wrong they know where to find me.”

“And where will that be, doll?” Buck asks, locking eyes with you.

“In the Sanguine Suite of course.” You say nonchalantly.

“The blood suite.” Natasha quirks a brow. “That sounds like a party waiting to happen.”

“You’re welcome to join me.” You stare her down. “Only if you promise to bring you sharpest knife and the White Wolf with you.” 

“So the name isn't just a clever moniker.” Bucky states.

“Well it is clever, but no, it is certainly more than just a name.” You bite your lip.

“So the woman who derives pleasure from pain also likes to get bloody in bed. Giving or receiving?” Nat, having gotten up from the booth, asks of you. 

“Depends on my mood really.” You graze a finger along her collarbone. “I’ve already drawn blood tonight though.”

You notice Bucky approaching you both from the side. “That could only mean you are looking for a little hematic release then.” You nod your head. “We can certainly provide that for you, doll.”

“I won’t make it easy on you Wolfy.” You declare.

“Wouldn’t dream of it any other way.” He responds.

Nat leans in and gives you a sensual yet dominating kiss. Making your brain melt and your insides go gooey already. She pulls away, holding you steady as you sway on your weak legs. “Lead the way Malyshka.”

With a quick look to the table, you spot Steve with a wide grin on his face. “Have fun, dollface. Don’t worry bout us. I’m sure we can find something to entertain ourselves with.”

“Everything is on the house tonight. So please do enjoy yourselves. And if I don’t see you before the mornings light, I bid you a blessed Hallows Eve.” You grab Bucky's metal hand with yours and link your other arm with Nat’s as you begin your trek back to your personal suite.

“Welcome to my home away from home. Honestly I spend more time than I would like crashing here.” You let them in. “If I’m not out satisfying my thirst for vengeance, using Tartarus for it’s intended purposes, I usually work so late that I’m too tired to make it to my loft. Plus the bed is fantastic.” 

“Looks it.” Nat agrees. 

“Have a look around. Make yourselves comfortable. Get acquainted with the space. I'm still a bit of a mess from my performance. Sticky with sweat, among other things. I’m just going to wash the night away so the fun can begin. I’ll leave the door open. You’re more than welcome to join.” You give your most innocent smile, mischievous eyes giving you away.

Nat wastes no time following you into the bathroom. “Here let me.” She runs her fingers up your arms, pushing the straps down as she reaches your shoulders, letting the dress fall to the floor. She looks down and quirks a brow. “Your panties seem to be missing. I distinctly remember you leaving the stage with them on.”

“Everything about August is large. Down to the size of his loads.” You state. “Not to mention, the viscosity. I didn't feel like walking around with it slowly trailing down my thighs, so I did a quick cleanup and decided to air dry.” 

You smile sweetly at her as she reaches around and unclasps your bra with one hand. “Let’s see if he left anything behind shall we.” Her dainty fingers traverse up your inner thigh, slapping each one to get you to spread them, before sinking her middle finger to the knuckle into your dampened folds. 

She pumps her hand a few times, crooking her finger to reach all the good spots, making you weak in the knees already. Pulling out she raises her wet hand between you. “Well would you look at that, it’s all you.” 

“Thor can’t stop talking about how amazing she tastes.” Bucky speaks from the door frame. “Is it true, doll?” 

Nat licks her finger clean, moaning as your essence coats her tongue. “Fuck that’s good.”

“Guess I’m going to have to find out for myself.” He steps into the bathroom. “Turn around. Hands on the counter and present that dripping little cunt for me, doll.”

You easily comply, bending over the counter, ass high in the air, weeping pussy on full display.

He stands behind you, catching your eyes in the mirror before lowering himself to his knees. Placing his hands on your hips, the cool of the metal soothing your heated skin, he leans forward and runs his thick tongue slowly from clit to slit and back again. “I don’t think his words did you justice, doll. If I’m not too careful, I could find myself addicted to your taste on my tongue. I think I may be ruined already.”

You remain in place and just whimper at his words. “Someone is feeling subby.” Nat mentions. “She hasn’t moved an inch since you commanded her to present for you.” She looks at Bucky.

“That what you need tonight, doll? To surrender? Feel that loss of control?” Bucky asks.

“Yes.” You whisper out. “Yes, I just want to float away.”

“We can provide that for you.” Nat states. “Let’s set some guidelines before we begin.” You and Bucky both nod. “Good. We can go over them while you shower if you still wish to do so.”

“I do. Muscles are still tense.” You reply.

Bucky starts the shower, checks the temp, lifts you up and places you inside. “Wash up, but leave your hair dry if possible please.” He hands you a hair tie from around his wrist for you to do so.

“Okay. Now. Let’s clarify what is happening here.” He starts. “You want to partake in a scene where Nat or I…”

“Both.” You quickly squeak out.

He chuckles. “Where Nat and I Dom you. Is that correct?”

“Yes.” You nod.

“Great.”

“Anything specific you would like to have happen? Safewords?” Nat asks.

“I use the traffic light system for scenes. Simplest for all parties to remember.” You lather up your body. “And I do have a certain kink in mind that I would love to have utilized if you're comfortable with it.”

“Which kink would that be, doll?”

“I think I have an inkling.” Nat teases.

“Knife play. If getting a little bloody isn't an issue for you.” You look at them. “I wouldn't be opposed to being tied down at your mercy either.”

You watch the tent rise further in Bucky’s jeans. “I can most certainly accommodate that for you.” He twirls his favorite knife around his fingers.

“This is going to be fun.” Nat responds. “Anything else?”

“No that’s pretty much it.”

“Great. Now hurry up and rinse off.” Bucky states as he goes to grab a towel. “You’re to dry off and wait for us to call you into the room.” He pulls you to him by the back of your head and kisses you for the first time, allowing you to taste yourself on his tongue. “Marks?”

“Nothing permanent please.”

“Understandable.” He kisses you once more and heads back into the room to set up. Nat places a light kiss to your lips then follows.

You’re standing, wrapped in a towel, waiting impatiently for your admittance back into your bedroom.   

Måneskins I Wanna Be Your Slave starts playing from the bluetooth speakers hidden throughout the suite.

I see they took the time to inspect the space before play. They seem to have done this together before. I’m curious how this will all pan out. Lucky for them I’m not feeling too bratty tonight.

“Alright, Doll. Time for you to come on out.” Bucky projects just loud enough to be heard over the speakers. “Leave the towel behind.”

You drop the towel, take a deep calming breath to sooth the anxious, excited energy coursing through your body and step into the room. 

The lights have been turned to their sensual setting. I see they found the control center. I’m not surprised. They are both assassins after all.

Nat steps up to you, ghosting a hand down the center of your torso, surveying your inked skin and stopping just above your mound. “Sit on the edge of the bed. Hands, palms up on your thighs.” 

She steps aside as you make your way over to your king size bed, noting the red rope tied to the normally hidden hooks in your headboard. You seat yourself on the dark gray silk sheets, letting the cool fabric calm your heated skin as you place your hands on your thighs, eyes cast to the floor on instinct.

“Would you look at that Bucky.” Nat casually states. “I didn't even have to instruct her to keep her head down. What a good girl.”

You feel the warmth radiating from your center, bump up a notch at her praise.

“I knew she would be the perfect little sub.” He replies. “All that control. All of the time.” He lifts your chin up with his metal fingers. “That bratty attitude. The need to fight back. Make ‘em earn your submission.”

You catch the glint of his switchblade as he twirls it in his flesh hand. “When in reality you're just waiting for the right Dominate. Or two. To come make you feel safe enough to just give in.” He runs the knife down your stretched throat. “Am I right, doll?”

“Yes, Sir.” You whisper out.

“Good, girl.” He presses the edge of the blade in just enough to cut the skin and a small well of blood to seep out before he removes it completely. “Now. You're going to take those dainty little fingers and undress us.” He instructs. “Every piece of skin you expose you will kiss. Understood?”

You nod your head. “Yes, Sir.”

With surprisingly steady hands you reach forward, sliding your hands under his shirt pulling up as far as your seated position will allow. He bends forward and allows you to pull his shirt off the rest of the way. You toss it to the side as he returns to standing, being sure to follow his command and lay gentle kisses to his flesh.

You glide your hands along his abdominal muscles, enjoying the tickle of his happy trail against your palms as you make your way to his waist band. You undo his belt, leaving it open as you pull his zipper down, allowing his pants to drop to his ankles. You admire the generous dick print straining against his boxer briefs, demanding to be released. You tuck your fingers in the elastic band and drag the fabric down his thick thighs, licking your lips as the thickness of him is exposed, a drop of precum glistening on the tip.

“As tempting as that pretty mouth is, I’ll have to try it out another night.” Bucky tells you. “You're doing such a good job. Be sure to treat Nat with the same care.”

“Yes, Sir.” You watch him take a step back to allow Natasha to stand before you, as he goes about removing his boots.

You repeat the same process to remove her clothing. Allowing yourself to indulge in the feeling of her soft, supple skin against yours. You took your time peeling her red lace bra down her arms, mouth watering at the sight of her exposed breasts. Your anticipation has been ratcheting with each kiss you’ve placed upon her silky skin.

As you go to remove her matching thong, you can’t help the small smile that teases your mouth at the sight of the dampened fabric. You chance a look up at her face. “All your doing Malyshka. You can go ahead and be proud.”

Your smile widens as you pull the wet fabric down her legs and take in the small triangle patch of red curls pointing you towards her exquisite pussy. 

She runs a finger along your bottom lip and pulls your attention back to her face. “Lay back on the bed sweet girl. Head resting on a pillow, arms up by your ears.”

You place yourself in the requested position and wait on bated breath as you feel the bed dip on either side of you.

You watch with bated breath as they both take a hand, securing you to the ropes attached to the headboard. They make the knots tight enough to feel, but able to quickly be released if the need arises. You also notice the amount of give you’re provided with allows for some movement while still remaining securely locked in.

You legs remain free, which you are thankful for as Bucky leans down to give you a deep sensual kiss, groaning as he sucks your bottom lip into his mouth before sitting back up to reveal Nat holding a Wartenberg Pinwheel to your right. “What’s your color, doll?”

“Green.” You sigh out as you clench your thighs together.

“Great.” He ghosts his flesh hand down your torso, stopping to pinch your left nipple. “I’ll let Nat have her fun with these beauties.” He pinches the other nipple so that both are now standing at attention. 

He trails his fingers down your belly until they graze over your mound, surpassing your slick soaked folds and teasing along your inner thighs. “I have my eyes set on decorating another set of anatomy.” You watch as he picks up the blade sitting beside him, running his thumb along the sharp edge.

While you are mesmerized by the way the light reflects off the polished silver, Nat takes the opportunity of your distraction to run the pinwheel down your chest with just enough pressure to have you gasping out. “You're a responsive little one. This is going to be even more fun than I thought it would be.”

“This is going to be quite the sensory overload for you.” Bucky states as he teases the knife across your inner thighs. You want to squeeze them, but doing so would take away all the tingly sensations the cold steel is providing you with.

Sensory overload was a correct assumption on Buckys part. You nerve endings have come alive with each passing graze from each instrument. There’s a hitch in your breath as Nat begins to circle your areolas, skirting fully across your nipple with some added pressure every once in a while. You close your eyes, tilt your head back and just let yourself bask in the torturous teasing.

As soon as you find a sense of peace, the temperature of the scene gets taken up a notch. Having had his fill of teasing Bucky asks you once again. “Color?”

“Green, Sir. So green.” You hum out.

With a quick flick of his wrist, he creates a shallow cut along the meatiness of your inner thigh. It’s small, just barely breaking the skin, not enough to leave a scar but enough to leave you reminders of this night for days to come. You squeak out at the sudden jolt of pain.

Bucky leans forward, running his tongue along the small trickle of blood seeping from the fresh wound before latching his mouth around it and sucking a bruise into the flesh surrounding. You’re really turning into a mess now. You try to squeeze your thighs together but he just places his shoulders taut so they stay in place. 

Nat consumed by the sinful display in front of her, applies more pressure to the pinwheel playing beneath your breasts, leaving some marks of her own as she take a nipple into her mouth and bites down as she teases the tip with her tongue.

If you were a mess of sensations before you're a catastrophe by now. Whimpering and panting as you give in to that lovely pleasurable pain.

Bucky tilts his head back, admiring his marks on your left thigh for a moment. “Color?”

“Still. Green.” You whimper out.

“Perfect.” He then proceeds to repeat the same process to your right thigh as Nat switches to your neglected nipple. Each one ignoring your very aching pussy.

You're experiencing the sweetest torture, on the verge of begging one of them just to touch your pulsating cunt. You swear your heartbeat and clit have synchronized.

“Mmm, look at the mess you're making, doll.” Bucky states as he sits back on his knees. “Your sweet little pussy is just drooling all over these silk sheets. Got me hard as a fucking rock over here.” He squeezes the base of his cock and looks over to Nat. “I wonder how wet you’ve made Nat.”

“There’s only one real way to find out.” She responds, moving closer to your prone frame and throwing a leg over your chest, leaning forward, placing her hands on either side of your waist, allowing you to witness her soaked pussy and damp thighs.

“So, wet.” You whimper out, wishing you could run a finger along her folds.

“Go ahead and give it a taste, Malyshka. Show me what that tongue can do.” Nat requests. “I know I’m going to get myself a snack. Let’s see who lasts the longest.”

“Yes, Miss.” You quickly reply, as she backs up and places herself practically on your chin. As soon as she settles you get to work, licking her essence off of her folds before sucking her swollen little nub into your mouth, humming and creating a powerful combo between your vibrations and suction.

“Oh, fuck your good at that.” She moans out, distracted by your talents until Bucky touches her cheek, reminding her of her current challenge.

That was all she needed to lower her head and get to work unraveling you with her tongue. She refrained from using her fingers, wanting to add on to your desperation to be filled. Your tongue was on another level and she was having a harder time than she believed she would trying to get you to the finish line first.

It was time to pull out your nifty little party trick that has had many a vulva owner losing themselves on your tongue.

You can feel her thighs begin to tremble as she tries to keep it together and not cross the finish line first. This spurs you on further, the need to taste her orgasm on your tongue stronger than the need to find release yourself. 

She lifts her head from between your thighs and lets out an uncontrollable moan as she stills above you. You feel her slick coat your tongue and trickle down your chin as you revel in besting the Black Widow. Her cum all the sweeter on your tongue. 

“ Fuck that looked intense.” Bucky states, checking in on a panting Nat. “Need a minute?”

“I’m great.” She replies. “She’s more talented than I expected that’s all.” She spanks your juicy cunt. “With that out of the way I can focus on paying her back.” 

Bucky spreads your thighs wider, allowing for better access to your leaking hole. He runs his dick along your folds, coating himself and teasing your sensitive clit. “I’m going to have to aid you in that Nat. I can’t stand another minute not buried to the hilt in this gorgeous pussy.” 

He notches himself at your entrance and slowly pushes in, splitting you open, inch by inch on his thick girth. “Fuck your tight, doll. Little lips stretched out, hugging me so tight.”

Nat leans forward to get a closer look, fascinated by the sight. As Bucky begins to slowly thrust in and out, eliciting sweet moans to spring forth from your throat, she lowers her head down and teases your clit with the tip of her tongue.

“Oh, Fuck!” You shout at the added wet sensation.

“Shit! Keep that up Nat. She’s squeezing me even tighter the more you do those little circles. She’s so close to coming undone.”

Wanting you to feel as good as she still is, she doubles her efforts on your little nub, deciding to add just a little suction with the flick of her tongue. That was the right decision because seconds later you're screaming out both their names as you're coming all over Bucky’s cock and her tongue. 

“That’s it. Soak my cock, doll. Such a good girl for us. Coming so pretty. Making all those sexy noises.”

Nat slides off your waist and heads over to your toy drawer as Bucky removes himself from your quivering channel.

“No. Want. More.” You whine out. 

“Oh you’re getting more, doll. Believe that. I’m not finished with you yet.” He places his hands on your hips and turns you over onto your stomach, hands crossed as your wrists are still bound.

  I knew there was a reason for the extra give.

Nat returns to the bed, placing herself in front of you, leaning against the headboard as Bucky scoots you back and lifts your ass in the air, spreading your knees to hold your weight. You notice she has pulled out a vibrator from your collection as you watch her tease herself before you.

“Color?” Bucky asks.

“Green. Very Green.” You reply.

“I’m not going to go easy on you. I’m too on edge at this point for that. Use your safeword if it gets to be too much.” 

“Yes, Sir.” You arch your back, lifting your ass higher as you feel a hand smack down onto the flesh and squeeze. 

“Fuck just look at that ass jiggle.” He smacks it again and then slams his length inside you. Wasting no time setting a lethal pace.

As his dick works it’s magic, carving out your insides, you watch as Nat matches his pace as she fucks herself on your toy. It doesn't take long for your next orgasm to hit. Not as big as the one prior but still toe curling to say the least.

You’re unsure how much time has passed as you continue to come on Bucky’s dick over and over again. Nat is thoroughly enjoying the show as she has gotten off twice more herself.

You notice the tempo of Bucky’s thrust becoming erratic. “I’m close, doll. So close. This tight little snatch just feels to fucking good wrapped around me.”

“Please.” You beg.

“Give me one more and I’ll give your a creamy treat. C’mon babygirl.” He smacks your ass and fucks you harder until your losing yourself once again, clenching around his dick so tight he’s barely able to pull himself out.

Somehow he manages to remove himself and kneel as close to Nat as he can get. He furiously pumps his cock until he unleashes his load all over Nat’s swollen pussy. Leaving quite the mess. 

“I’m going to release your arms and I want you to clean up every drop of our cum with your tongue. Good girls help clean up the messes they make.” He tells you.

He releases you and you get to work relieving Nat of the semen coating her lips. The combined taste of them is unique and you find yourself at a loss when not a drop is left. You lift your head, open your mouth, sticking out your tongue and showing you didn't miss a drop. 

“Such a good fucking girl.” Bucky praises you. “Come here. Let us massage and clean you up, doll.”  

You’re cocooned between them as they alternate between soft caresses and massaging your sore muscles. It’s just the type of aftercare you were needing. It’s interesting to see such hard individuals being so soft with you.

You feet safe and floaty, just as you had set out for. 

Your bliss is interrupted as Declan, one of your security team, knocks on your suite door to inform you that there’s an issue in Talia's room. 

You throw on your stilettos and a silk nightgown that reaches midthigh and head off towards the play rooms. Upon entering the room you find a man being restrained by Cassidy against the wall as Talia sits teary eyed and curled up in a ball on the bed. A sheet draped across her form.

“What happened here?” You address Cassidy. 

“He requested some rough and tumble but forgot his manners. No matter the transaction. No means No. When Tal resisted he gave her a good smack. She ran for the call button and managed to tap it before he began choking her out. That’s how I found him and restrained him until you could arrive. Sorry for ruining your play time.”

“No worries Cass. My needs were already met before I was summoned. If anything you shortened my come down. It’s no matter. I’m sure this will provide more than enough extra stimulation for the night.”

“Everything alright in here?” You hear Bucky’s smooth baritone at the threshold of the door. You turn to see him standing next to the good Captain. 

“It will be. Once I teach this spineless man a lesson.” You smile ear to ear. “You’re free to watch, if you're into that sort of thing. Be warned. It will get messy.”

“Doll, our mess is still slicking your thighs. And down your neck as well.” He steps forward and runs his flesh finger along your clavicle, collecting the accumulated crimson along the way. He places the finger against his tongue and licks your essence clean. You moan watching him consume you so thoroughly.

“Guess getting messier is of no matter than.” You steady your breathing. “Now keep yourself out of my way unless called for. You good Sir are distracting me from my business.” 

“As you wish, doll.” He pulls Steve into the room and takes a seat with him on the love seat placed near the bed.

“Cassidy. Bring the rule breaker to me and escort Talia to the door. One of the girls will accompany her to the back rooms so she can be assessed. You are to remain at the door on guard. No one is to enter without my explicit permission. Understood?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He goes to do as he is told. You stop Talia on her walk to the door. “Anything I need to know before I begin?”

“He’s prideful. Boasts about his physique and title. He also has a wife and children.” She reveals.

“Wonderful. Thank you. That will be all for tonight. You are to take the next week off. And don't worry about pay, I will comp you for the days including the full for tonight’s holiday pay.”

“You’re too good to us Nyx.” She claims.

“You deserve it.” You remind her.

She leaves the room and you saunter over to your victim. "Since your actions have impeded my post orgasm high. I must let you know that I will be especially vicious tonight."

The scumbag scans your body and lets out a scoff. “You think I’m scared of you.” His eyes travel to the Winter Soldier sitting stoic next to Captain America. “Plus the good Captain is somehow here. There is no way his righteousness would let you harm an innocent man. I did nothing wrong. The little whore loved it.”

Steve just chuckles and shakes his head. Normally the man would be right, but one thing people seem to forget about him is that he is still a man. Not to mention that he always looks out for the underdog and the misfortunate as there was a time before he became America’s Golden Boy where he was treated as less than. 

While the waste of space spewed his ridiculousness you took the time to retrieve the dagger hidden behind the headboard. As the last of Steve’s laughter rings out you have your arm wrapped around the d-bags throat and the dagger pointed at his groin. Resting nicely against the exposed skin, one wrong move and things will get bloody.

He stiffens as you nuzzle his cheek. “It’s funny how you think he’ll save you when this is my establishment and he is my guest. Now as much as I want to redecorate this room in your blood, it is one of our busiest nights of the year and frankly we need the room. So here is what is going to happen.” 

You drag the dagger along his skin in a lazy playful fashion, grazing his dick along the way. “You my little piggy are going to sit nice and pretty, legs spread while I crave the word ‘Abuser’ into your ribs.” He begins to try to fight your hold and you squeeze his throat tighter. “Uh uh uh asshole. You broke my rules and marked up one of my girls. It’s only fair I return the favor. Now be a good boy and take your punishment or else I’ll have to ask the supersoldiers to hold you down.”

“Fuck you bitch” He spits out.

“Mmm. Wrong answer.” You quickly cut his inner thigh. “Strike one. Let’s try that again. They get deeper per strike. Now are you gonna be a good boy and take your punishment?”

“Your fucking crazy.” He seethes.

You cut him again, slightly deeper and closer to his groin. “Never claimed to be sane. I’m a product of my upbringing. As I’m sure you are as well. Last chance.”

“I’ll never submit to a whore.” He answers.

You deeply sigh. “Arrogance truly gets you nowhere.” You slice him nice and deep, quickly soaking the sheet in his blood. “Neither does false bravado. James, would you mind lending me a metal hand here.”

Bucky stands up, cracks his neck from side to side and makes his way over to the bed. You exchange a look before he proceeds to grab the man by the throat and pin him down to the bed with his metal hand. With the other he raises the arm closest to you and pins it above his head, exposing his ribs for your punishment.

“I was going to do this quickly and send you off to your banishment. But you just had to play a tough guy and now I’m going to take my sweet time.” You begin to cut the A right below his armpit, as he starts to scream. “Oh honey. Scream to your heart's content. The room is soundproof. No one to hear your sweet sounds of agony but those of us in the room.”

As promised you take your time carving out his scarlet letters. A sense of calm passes over you as you zen out while doing your task. You don't even notice the two sets of eyes that gaze upon you in awe with a haze of lust. The blood lust has taken over and you can't help but clench your thighs the more crimson is set free. 

You finish the last letter, leaning back to admire your handy work before slapping the prick awake. “Rise and shine asshat! Where’s your phone?”

Delirious he mumbles out. “In my pants pocket.”

“Steve be a dear and fetch that for me will you.” You turn to watch him rise from the couch, a noticeable bulge tenting his slacks as he retrieves the phone for you and walks it over. “Thank you Captain.” You take the device. “I’ll be sure to show my gratitude in full momentarily.” You lick and bite your lip.

“Take your time, doll. I’m not going anywhere.” He pulls your lip from between your teeth and turns to head back to the couch. 

You shake yourself out of the lust haze to finish your task. “Thank you James for lending a hand. You may return to the couch with your Captain. Don’t want you accidentally attached to my message. I’ll only be but a minute more.” 

You place the device in front of the man’s face, unlocking it. You quickly turn on the camera and snap a few photos. You send a copy to your private server as well as messaging his wife, close friends, family and co-workers the photos along with a text that reads: I chose to break the rules at Sins. Therefore I’ve been branded and banned herein.

You walk over to the door and open it, getting Cassidy’s attention. “The trash is ready to be taken out now.” You tell him. “As always, make sure he understands the parameters of his banishment.” You step aside to let him in, watch as he grabs his discarded clothes from the floor and lifts him up into a fireman's carry, uncaring of his comfort as he marches him out the door and down the hall toward the exit.

Shutting the club back out, you walk over to the music controls along the wall. You scan the selection until you land on the perfect song for your current mood. “Dirty Pretty” by In This Moment begins to play, your hips swinging along as the beat drops in.

You turn towards the supersoldiers, holding court, manspreading on the couch. You're still riding the blood high from inflicting your punishment on the waste of air that broke your rules. Steve is still sporting a rather sizable bulge in his slacks and you’re dying for a taste of the Golden Boy who clearly has a dark side.

You saunter over to the couch, keeping eye contact with the blonde adonis, you hike your dress up to your hips and sink to your knees, between his spread thighs. “I can’t think of a better way to show you my gratitude than to have you spilling down my throat Captain.” 

You reach forward and undo his belt and zipper, reaching in to pull his large member from the tight confines. The tip is already messy with precum, unconsciously you run your palm up and through the fluid, making sure to coat his length with it on the way down. 

He instinctively tilts his hips up at the feeling of your hand wrapped around him. He holds his breath as he watches you lean forward and take him to the back of your throat in one slippery stroke. “Fuck” He grunts out as you swallow, muscles contracting around his girth.

Bucky observes the two of you for a couple moments before his aching balls get the better him and he pulls his own cock out. He can still smell your slick mixed with his fresh precum as he wraps a hand around the base and gives himself a couple pumps. 

As you increase your efforts, Steve’s large hands encasing your head as you bob up and down, he gets up from his seat. He kneels behind you, pulling the back of your dress up even higher, until he sees your drooling little slit. 

“I didn't get to fill this perfect little pussy up earlier, doll.” He spread your cheeks wide, admiring the view. “Wanna fuck you so bad baby. Need to make sure you’re leaking me for days, doll.” He growls out.

You slowly pull off of Steve’s cock with a soft pop and look over your shoulder. “Yes, please. Leave me nice and full, Sir.” You reply.

“This is going to be quick. I’m still sensitive from earlier and this pussy just feels to fucking good.” Bucky states and he pushes his way inside you, holding still for a moment to catch his breath.

“You should feel her mouth. He throat game is fucking deadly, Buck.” Steve states as you lick him from base to tip before slowly sucking him back down your throat. “I’m close to bustin’ myself.” He groans out.

You’re feeling nice and full, spit roasted between the two best friends. The lustful haze of contentment is slowly making itself known, once more and you let out a moan, thinking about how hot you all must look right now.

Spurred on by the clenching of your cunt, Bucky draws back and slams himself deeper within you. Adding a slight grind to his hips as he sets a brutal pace. This has you practically screaming around the dick lodged down your throat. The vibrations of your vocal chords setting Steve into a frenzy as well. He grabs your head, holding it steady as he fucks your face like your his own personal fleshlight.

It’s quick and dirty. The room fills with the sounds of skin slapping, groans, moans, and occasional sounds of you choking on Steve’s dick.

You feel Steve begin to thicken in your mouth as his hips become erratic. You have but a moment before your nose is buried in the blonde curls of his pelvis and you feel the first spurt of his cum hit your throat.

As you’re moaning and swallowing the large load, Bucky grips your hips tighter, slamming inside of you as far as he can go and burying his face between your shoulder blades as finds his own release. You can feel his cock twitch as each rope of his seed coats your walls.

He brings his metal hand down to your neglected clit and starts making little circles, whispering how good you fucking feel squeezing his cock as he fills you up, until your coming undone on his cock once again tonight.

He pulls out and admires his cum leaking from your abused hole before pushing it all back inside of you. “Mmm this pretty pussy might just become my new addiction.” He kisses your back and then moves to sit back on the sofa.

Wrapping a hand around your hair, Steve gently pulls you free from his length. He maintains eye contact as he wipes himself from your chin with his thumb, placing it in your mouth for you to clean when he is finished.

“Seems all of her is addicting.” He pulls his thumb out, watching you lick your swollen lips for any missing drops. “I’ll just have to make sure to get my fill whenever possible.” He pulls you up onto his lap and kisses you. Tasting himself on your tongue. “Let’s go get you cleaned up. You’ve had a long night.”

He lifts you up into a bridal carry and stands from the couch, following Bucky out of the room towards your suite. Uncaring that his belt and zipper is still undone. Thankfully his softened dick made it back into his pants at least. 

Along the way you run into Trixie on her way to meet a client in her playroom. Steve nods his head at her as you pass, resulting in her giving you a wink and mouthing ‘I want details’ before you turn the corner.

Upon reaching your suite, Steve places you on the counter in your bathroom as he proceeds to run you a bath. Checking that the temperature is to his liking, he lifts you up and places you both in the large soaker tub. You’re lounging, chest to chest as he gently washes your back with his large hands. Caressing your skin and making you melt all the further.

If I’m not careful I could get used to this. Would that be so bad? Being all of theirs? I at least have to try the others out first right?!

[heyidkyay]

I guess I’ll take this pain, instead of your name |

Part Twenty-Six

A/n: Hey! Finally giving you 26 alongside some answers! Not sure how I feel about this part just yet, it was difficult to write but I hope you enjoy it all the same:) Let me know I suppose!

Summary: In life, things changed. The boys you'd once grown up with were men now, and famous ones at that. The type that toured the world and had millions of adoring fans.

The five of you shared a shit ton of history. But you also shared a lot of mixed emotions for one of them in particular, a certain drummer.

Warnings: Lots of feelings, swearing but should be expected this far in, mentions of toxic relationships

Masterlist

And wouldn’t you just’ve guessed it. Ross was sat waiting on the steps of the villa for me when I finally returned. He watched me as I stepped out of a cab and ambled my way up the long drive, a cigarette pinched between his steady fingers.

It was quiet. Had been since I’d left Alvaro at the hospital.

I’d wandered around for a bit, unable to do much else other than think. He’d really given me a lot to think about. 

But then my migraine had started back up again and I’d suddenly felt sick to my stomach, I’d had to have this little old lady, working a stall, phone for a driver for me whilst I’d kept myself from spewing into the bath of a nearby fountain. It hadn’t been my finest moment but I’d made it back to the villa alive and the throbbing pain in my skull had dulled somewhat on the drive over. 

Ross was watching still as I walked closer and took perch on the step beside him, thankful for the small amount of shade the roof provided us with, the heat was doing nothing for my remaining nausea. He didn’t say anything for a long while, nor did he offer me a drag or a smoke of my own, which I wasn’t too fussed about. But even if I had been, I couldn’t have brought myself to ask, the sickness still there but getting easier with each deep breath I took. 

“Sent the lads out once we realised you were missing.” He murmured to me, eyes trained on the pebbled drive lain out before us.

I’d forgotten about them, the boys, in my hurry to escape. Just needing to unwind, desperate to forget, to get away. Matty had been asleep still, the others dotting about on their own. George… I had no idea, so I simply shook away the thought. 

“Knew you’d be back soon enough though.” Ross went on, taking a longer drag when he realised I wouldn’t be adding much to the conversation. “How’s the head?” He then asked me, changing the subject completely.

I swallowed, toying with a loose thread on my cardi. “Nearly chucked up in this pretty fountain down by the old town, gave the locals a right show.”

He didn’t laugh but I saw the corners of his mouth turn upwards, so easily amused by my sufferings. “Probably thought you were hung to hell, out on the piss ’til morning.”

I hummed around a tiny smile, tugging on the thread and enjoying the way it unraveled for me. “How’s the album coming?”

If Ross was surprised by my question he didn’t let it show, merely tilted his head then shrugged a shoulder lazily. “It’s not. Matt’s mind is elsewhere and G is… well, G is being G.”

That familiar guilt throbbed in me again, a reminder.

“Can’t be helped though.” Ross sighed, flicking away some remnant ash. “Can’t force this shit. It comes or it don’t.”

We were swept up by a breezy quiet then, both of us lost in our own heads. I kept finding myself opening my mouth to say something though, once, twice, then three times. There was this heated little knot of anxiety balled in the hollow of my ribs and someone just kept on tugging at it tighter and tighter until I finally begun to feel it fray and splinter.

“I kissed George.”

Ross’s head snapped in my direction at having heard my muted admission, but my eyes were trained still on the lit cigarette he held in his hand as though he’d forgotten it was even there. “What?”

But I knew he’d already heard me.

“You kissed George?” He breathed out once I made no move to repeat myself. 

I hummed again, swallowing down past the ache in my throat as I clung to my cardigan tighter. I glanced up at him when he didn’t say anything more, he was just staring back at me with these huge surprised eyes. I’d’ve smiled, it wasn’t every day you got to witness something like that, but couldn’t dim my anxiety.

“You kissed George.” Ross said again and I blew out a soft sigh whilst I let him internalise it. “When?” He asked me, unblinking. 

“’S’mornin’.” I mumbled in answer, those fraying threads of anxiety polluting the rest of my body now, like maggots infecting a soldier’s already dirtied wound. 

“Jesus Christ.” Ross breathed, shaking his head, and then he dragged a heavy hand down the length of his exhausted face. I suddenly felt like a chastised little kid getting ready to get told off. But Ross was better than that, he never rebuked the actions of the rest of us unless we took it a step too far- ‘Live and learn’ he’d often spout like the wise old man he truly was. “Explains why he had the face of a slapped arse then, don’t it?”

My brows rose but I didn’t push his reply. I didn’t want to know any more.

“What a way to start a holiday, hey?” He then added and we both had to laugh a little at his words, even if they were more depreciating than other. We shared another sigh and I watched on whilst he took one final drag before stumping the butt out, he glanced over to me after.

“I’m guessing the kiss is why you disappeared then?” Ross questioned, head tilted slightly as his eyes found mine. The smile I answered him with was wet and watery, and he could only lift an arm out towards me. “Oh, B…”

I let out a scoff of a cry at his pitiful words and fell limply into his side, feeling so incredibly lost. So stupid.

“It’s okay.” I heard him murmur above my head, both arms curling around my broken self to hold me better together. “It’ll be okay.”

Because it had to be, right?

—

I’d gone to bed after my impromptu sobbing session with Ross. How the man had yet to get sick of me and my onslaught of tears was beyond me- but I was thankful for it nevertheless. Especially when he brought a decent cuppa and a couple of biscuits to my bedside after.

That’d been a long while ago now though, long enough for the biscuits I hadn’t eaten to have gone stale and the tea discoloured and cold. I laid there, still, staring up at the ceiling. 

When I was little I used to paint stars up there with strokes of my eyes, imagine dark blue hues and gradient purples surrounding planets and glowing suns. But then I’d grown up and the dark had crept its way in, drowning my pretty stars in its shadows. 

I could still picture them sometimes though, mostly back when I’d been curled up in bed with George. I’d see them. Dimmer than the years before, but there, twinkling. They’d long since abandoned me again though. All I saw now was a blank ceiling staring back at me.

I sighed, forcing my eyes away from it and out towards the window where the sun had since set. I questioned how another day had so quickly slipped past me.

The boys had since returned too, I’d heard them stumble in an hour or two ago. Maybe even three. They’d wanted to check in, I’d seen their shadows dance beneath my closed bedroom door and heard their muted arguments. But my guess is that Ross somehow waylaid them, because they hadn’t pushed any further than that. Although, my phone had buzzed a couple dozen times.

It was somewhere on the floor, settled on the pile of clothes I’d stripped out of.

Quiet now though. The villa, I meant. My mind not so much. I still couldn’t work out for the life of me what the fuck I wanted. Scared and too fucking afraid to come to an actual decision. I didn’t want to be hurt again, but I also knew that either way I could be. So, I either push George further away and end up breaking my own heart, or risk everything and just have him do it for me, for the hundredth time.

Too many fucking thoughts. Too big a decision to make.

I wanted to bury myself in my pillow, burrow further away, but I could feel a headache coming on and so, in hopes to avoid it, I peeled myself from out under the safety of my covers and over to the door, figuring that a decent brew might just do the job.

The house was dimmed as I made my way down the stairs, only the outside porch lights were still on, though I could hear murmurs of movement as I passed by the guys’ rooms.

I kept the kitchen light off when I made my way over to the counter, instead opting to use the fridge as a lamp whilst I worked my way around the kettle, nicking one of the many Russian caravan teabags Matty so liked.

It was nice, down here alone, bare feet sliding across the chilled tiles as the evening air crept its way inside through the French doors. Peaceful almost. Once the tea was made I figured I’d make my way out there too and so I did, settled myself under the familiar peach tree I’d taken to seeing as it’d been a few days since I’d had the opportunity to hide out underneath it. 

I could see the ripples in the pool from here, as well as the shorts some of the boys had left out to dry, three pairs of them all slung over a sun-lounger, a damp puddle beneath. I sipped away at my tea and felt myself longing more and more for a cigarette, I hadn’t had one since the night spent with George, and even then it’d hardly been a drag. 

But what I wouldn’t do for another.

A small sigh escaped me and I settled my teacup down to the side so that I could pull my legs in closer, knees tucked up under my chin as the wind danced over my bare skin.

“What would you do then, hey?” I heard myself whisper out into it, eyes casted upwards towards the so-called heavens. “Probably wouldn’t say much. Just sort my mess out for me, yeah?”

I blew out a tiny wet chuckle, knowing I was dead right.

It was nights like these that I just found myself talking to him, my dad that is. Not often but enough. On days when things felt heavier, harder.

It had been a long time since I’d last done so. That fact alone also reminded me of how much time had passed since he’d been gone. Been gone longer than I’d ever known him. We’d never had enough time. But that was just life, wasn’t it?

I vividly remember the day he passed. I’d felt it long before they’d ever even told me. Sat on the bottom step of the staircase, phone pressed tightly to my ear. I’d felt it. I’d known something had happened. But he’d been at the hospital and she’d been there with him. So I’d phoned, and she’d said everything was fine. But I’d known. I’d felt it deep down. Something had shifted.

It made me wonder now, here in this pretty little garden, how many times a heart could shatter before it stopped letting you put it back together. Too many pieces lost in the explosion. Not enough parts to make it work the same.

My dad’s death had taken a few too many pieces, I think. The rest had just followed.

Now, he wasn’t much of a gambler, my old man, but I knew that he’d bet a pretty penny if he was here right now on my next decision. He’d always had a way of knowing my next move before I’d ever even thought it. Wise in his own way and not the traditional sort. Hated school but loved anything that could keep his hands and mind busy. Could read people better than he could most words. 

I was wired in a similar way.

And I couldn’t stop myself from wishing then that he could only hear me so that he’d just tell me what I was going to do next. 

It was hard, not having him here.

“You ever think they look back?”

My head jerked upwards like a horse dislodging a fly at the unexpected voice, only to find George stood there by the door, bare foot too with his hands tucked into his pockets. I gaped for a brief moment before I swallowed down my surprise and followed his nod over to where the stars were twinkling high above.

“Maybe.” I replied, unable to help myself.

George hummed and stepped closer, down off the step he was tittering on. I wondered how long he’d been there. “Always loved them though, you have. Remember you dragging me out into the fields late at night to watch them years back. Only ever loved London in the day because at night they were too hard to spot.”

I exhaled the heaviness I felt weigh on my chest. “They give me hope. Let me pretend that things last.”

“What d’you mean?” He questioned, both our voices far too quiet. Too careful. There were lines being tread now. 

I shrugged a single shoulder, chin digging deeper into my shin as I stared up at the well-lit sky. “They die, don’t they? Just like us. Give the illusion that they’re permanent, that they’ll never fade out. But they do, we just don’t see it. Don’t realise that they’re all just dying millions of miles away.”

“Biblical that.”

I snorted at his dry response, a soft sound I couldn’t quite help. “Far from.”

He merely hummed again, then took another step closer drawing my attention, I dipped my head once and then looked away when he pointed down to the ground beside me. I focused on keeping my breathing even as he settled there, stretching his legs out before us.

“Where’d you disappear to then?” After you kissed me… George questioned after a minute.

I wet my lower lip and let a hand slip from where it’d been curled around my leg to toy with the tea I’d brought out with me. It’d gone cold.

“I walked around for a bit. Just thinking.”

“Ah.” He replied, a very George like reaction if I did say so myself. So monosyllabic. “Anything good?”

I huffed a small amused chuckle, wrinkling the cup’s dark liquid. “Did I think of anything good?”

“Hm.”

I shook my head, flicking away the wetness I’d gathered on my fingertips. “Dunno. Not really. Just had a lot on my mind.”

“Thing with thinking, is that it’s dead useful, but only sometimes.” George retorted and I glanced over to find him fidgeting with the grass beneath us. “Most days I just wish everything would shut up. Gets too loud and I can’t even escape it, you know? ‘Cause it’s all in my head.”

I did know.

He looked up and caught me staring, gifted me the tinniest of smiles from beneath shadowed eyes and dark lashes. “Seen any shooting stars whilst you been out here then?”

I returned the sentiment, eyes lingering on the curve of his lips, remembering…

“No, but you know me, luck’s never been very fortunate to us.”

George’s gaze drifted between my own. “I don’t know about that,” He said, voice velvety and low. “You seem to do alright on your own.”

I scoffed a quiet laugh. “Yeah, if you could call it that.”

George’s elbow nudged my side. “Come on, look at what you’ve got. A job you love, people you love, smile of an angel.”

I nudged him right back, mostly in retaliation for that last comment. Charmer, just like Nana had always claimed.

“Oh yeah, can’t complain me.” I joked, mind stuck on every bad thing that’d ever been thrown at me. And though I tried not to let it show, he still knew. 

He knew me better than I knew myself. And vice-versa. I’d almost forgotten that fact about us.

George was turned better towards me now, his stance a little more open, and in the haze of the moonlight I caught sight of his eye, my head shot out to really see it.

“Oh God,” I gasped mutedly, hand reaching out towards the welt on his face before I could think better of it. “Did I do that?”

George just laughed me off, hand catching mine before I could touch the injured eye, my attention snapped down towards it, though he didn’t release me. “It’s not that bad, just raised a bit, like you said it would. Go down in a day or two.” He assured and I could only mutter another quiet sorry before he was shaking his head at me and smiling. “It was an accident- and even if it weren’t, it’s the least I deserve, innit?”

He laughed whilst I simply scowled. “Don’t say that.”

“What? It’s true, ain’t it?” George replied, “Been so shit to you. Never fucked up more. So I wouldn’t blame you for it even if you did choose to batter me.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you, George.”

“Like I did you?” He quipped straight back, hard eyes trained on mine now, “‘Cause it’s the truth. I fucking promised no one would ever hurt you again, all those years ago. Remember that? And look at where we are now. I’ve broken that promise nine times over.”

I let go of a heavy sigh, “G, you haven’t-”

“The fuck I haven’t! I have! I have. And do you know what’s worse?” He asked me, hand still cradling mine, hold soft and gentle. “I have the fucking nerve to sit here and ask you to forgive me, to take me back.” He scoffed at himself and my breath caught when he finally dropped my hand. “The things I‘d do to take it all back.” He muttered deeply, clucking his tongue as he shook his head.

“I wouldn’t want you to.” I told him honestly, my reply surprising both him and I.

“How can you say that?” He looked back at me, his expression pinched.

I shrugged, casting a long glance out over towards the pool. “‘Cause you can’t take it back, can you? So there’s no real point in trying, or stressing about the things we’ll never be able to change. Life is shit, you deal with it.”

George released a shaky breath and dragged a rigid hand over the back of his head. “I really messed you up, didn’t I?”

That made me pause. It was too close to the truth. 

“No more than anyone else did.”

The sound that escaped him then shocked me to my core and my head snapped back over to where he was perched beside me, tears in his eyes, mouth strained to keep any other sound like it from falling out. He wouldn’t look at me, just kept on shaking his head. “And that’s what kills me.” He breathed, voice tight, cheeks hollowed. “God. That’s what fucking kills me.”

I didn’t know what to say. I could only stare at him, wind caught on the lump in my throat. 

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him cry, but I knew it’d never been like this.

“George-” I whispered out, unable to utter much else, but he just shook his head again, rubbing at his eyes.

“Nah, it’s fine.” He sniffed, chuckling at himself whilst he worked his jaw to keep from outwardly crying anymore. “It’s- well it’s like I said, ain’t it? No less than what I deserve. Fuck. I’m just so sorry. So fucking sorry. And I’m not sure if I’ve even told you that yet.”

“You have.” I reassured him in a croaky whisper, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. “You did.”

“I want to take it all back. I just want to do it all over.” He choked out, trying so very hard to avoid my gaze, to not let me see him cry. “I want so fucking much, but, there’s not much point in wanting, is there? I can’t take it back, I can’t make it make sense. And I can’t tell you how much I wish that I’d never fucking let you go in the first place. That I’d ever let myself fuck up the best thing I’ve ever had. No fucking point, no use!”

I untangled myself from my position to reach out towards him, fingers catching the side of his face like they had that very same morning. My mind flashed back to him in my bed, my lips against his. I forced his face towards me, coaxing him, “Look at me, will you? Just look at me. I need you to see. Okay? I need you to look at me and see the mess that I’ve become, the mess that I’ve always been, yeah? Because neither of us are fucking perfect, G, and, sure, you might’ve messed up, you might’ve hurt me, but that doesn’t just make me stop loving you, okay? That doesn’t erase our past and make everything that we’ve ever shared just go away. Alright? I need you to know that. I need you to understand that no matter what happens from here on out, that you will always be apart of my life. I need you to know that. I just- I need you to, okay?”

His dark and watery eyes were flitting back and forth, left then right, between my own, blatant shock staring me back in the face. I had to tell him though, he had to know. He had to.

“You hear me?” I shook his head in my hands and he raised his to cover my own, he nodded at me, just barely, and let his fingers rest against mine. My eyes were locked on his, I saw every emotion he’d ever felt flit through those brown eyes, because we were like magnets, George and I, when we collided nothing else on God’s green Earth could pull us apart, and in that moment I wanted it to always stay that way. With him beneath me, the stars in his eyes.

My forehead was pressing against his before I’d even felt myself lean in, knees hooked over either side of him, pressing deep into the soil. His hands stayed with mine, but his eyes were hooked on me so intensely that I had to let my own fall close. His fingers interlocked with mine. I felt his breath tickle my skin.

My heart ached like a hole that had been torn through my chest and it felt as though we were floating, far from the villa and its peach tree, from the Earth and all its noise. Like we’d just gone and switched the entire planet off.

I heard his swallow. And fuck, he was so shaky it almost felt like holding onto my very own earthquake.

“I’m right where you left me, Birdie.” George murmured into the blank space between us, that inch of air that separated us. And those words just rendered me helpless.

And who could really blame me? Blame me for being drawn in again. For reaching out and cupping his familiar face, for trailing a careful thumb over the curve of his cheek to the corner of his mouth. 

He made me so irrational. Made me forget. Had me faltering above him, even when I had the upper hand here, made my lips part on their own accord just as his nose lightly brushed my own. I couldn’t waste another second debating with myself, looking for answers that ceased to come; I slid my hand to the back of his neck and let him draw me in further, pausing only slightly for just a second before my lips found his.

It felt like coming home, kissing George. So familiar, with a vague sentiment of relief. The kiss was slow and delicate, probing almost, like we were both still trying to get over the fact that it was even happening. This kiss so unlike the one we’d shared before.

George responded in kind, let his lips fall open even more to savour it, his hands diving to my waist, fingers pressed into my sides.

I’d pictured this, made up so many scenarios in my head over the span of the last year that it was hard to rationalise the how and the why. But it was happening and I couldn’t bring myself to stop it, to pull apart. 

George was so tender this time around and I welcomed him in when he ran his tongue searchingly beneath my own. The softness of the kiss had me falling further into his embrace, and he didn’t even bat an eyelid, simply held me up. Like before. His touch grew more needy, fingers digging deeper into my waist when I pressed my chest up against his, teeth grazing lightly over my bottom lip enough for me to let out a soft moan, a moan that he then swallowed whole.

And it was then that I felt so overwhelmed, wanting more. Needing more than just this. But I couldn’t bring myself to shift any closer, to have him lay back, to lose myself in the madness that was him. His hands slipped to my hips, fingertips skimming the edge of my top, touching skin, it was that which made me stiffen, pull away.

I was breathing heavily, as was George when he quickly dropped his hands and allowed me to create some much needed space between us again. My head swimming.

“We can’t.” I attempted to say and he nodded, eyes taking in everything they could of my face. I must’ve looked a right picture as I inhaled shakily above him. “Not like this. I- we need to talk.”

George nodded again, I watched his chest rise and fall, watched him rub his lips together. Gaze trained on me.

“We can’t.” I whispered again, but I no longer knew who I was speaking to. 

“We can’t.” He parroted me, seeming to really understand the words now. He inhaled sharply and then glanced down. “But if we can’t, then you’ve really got to get off my lap now, B.”

I followed his gaze and blinked, realising my position. “Shit, yeah. Yeah, sorry.”

George blew out a faint chuckle, watching as I rolled off him. Warier still whilst rearranging himself, as though he was scared to take another wrong step. “No need to say sorry, always enjoy a lapful of you.” He gifted me a kind grin. “But you are right. We should talk.”

Talk. It felt like all we’d done since the night of my birthday is talk. We were talking and talking, saying an awful lot without saying much at all. But I had no idea where to start here.

Thankfully though, he did.

“I ended things.”

The air in my lungs froze as I moved to inhale, never having expected that to be the thing he’d start with. A truth, yes, but one I hadn’t thought he’d admit out loud, let alone to me. 

“You did.” I breathed, blowing the stilted air through my nose as I fought not to let the ground shift beneath me. Talk, we were finally talking.

“And I was a fucking idiot.”

I scoffed out a surprised laugh, “You are.”

He smiled at me, but it was hastily replaced by a melancholy I hadn’t much seen on him before.

“I should’ve just spoken to you. I realise that now, but I was so fucking lost, B. Like, I could hardly even think, let alone open up about how I was feeling.” He murmured to me, hands clasped tightly in his lap, I watched them whilst he watched the sky once more. “I was too scared. I was a fucking coward. And when I left, I realised I couldn’t go back. ‘Cause that look you had on your face.” He shook his head, inhaling deeply, “That look…” He blew out the breath. “God, I’d never hated myself more.”

I didn’t say anything in return. Whether it was due to my surprise at the pair of us finally hashing things out, or something other, I couldn’t be sure. 

George continued on and I was confused by his next question, “You remember the week before it?”

I just had to nod, “Vaguely.” 

It’d been a normal week, him in the studio, me at work. Hadn’t seen much of each other but he still came home each night, we fell asleep together. Like always.

He huffed then sucked in a cheek, chewing on his lip in thought, eyes stuck on the horizon. “I’d leave early morning, walk around for a bit, then end up in the studio and not leave ’til late. I couldn’t sleep at night, so I’d just lie there with you. If I caught a couple hours then I’d be able to plaster on a smile for you, the guys. But my head was properly fucked. Couldn’t stop thinking. Phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Ended up drinking just to get through the days. All ‘cause I felt fucking sorry for myself.”

It didn’t make much sense. But I couldn’t bring myself to ask or to look away, sure that I’d see something in his next movement that would fill me in or maybe hear it in his words.

He toyed with the grass. “Mum phoned me a couple times before that week. She showed up the Friday before everything went to shit.”

I gave a slight nod again as I took it in, understanding a little better now. It explained his mood. How quiet he’d been. I’d reckoned he was just tired, drained from constantly working the way he did. But if his mum was involved, then I had no idea what could’ve gone down. Nothing good though. 

“I’d always kept her at a distance since we’d left Manchester.” He went on to say, “We spoke when needed, saw each other when she asked. Mostly for my dad’s sake though.”

But I already knew all this.

“She turned up that Friday ‘cause I’d kept on dodging her calls. No warning. Just turned up out of the blue. And I was mainly just thankful that she’d managed to catch me on the way out, instead of at the flat with you. Didn’t want you to see her, her to see you.” George admitted quietly, eyes flicking towards me for a split second before darting away again. “No clue how she’d known where to find me either, but she’d driven all night- or so she claimed. And I felt as though I owed it to her to hear her out, so we walked on over to that little cafe on the corner of our road and she told me she couldn’t take much more.”

I frowned. “Take much more of what?”

“Me.” He laughed, a hollow sound that made me still. “Had enough of me, of the papers, the headlines. People back home. She was embarrassed apparently. And I could understand somewhat, the drugs she’d never liked, the drinking too excessive, but then she reckoned she’d been told a couple stories, yeah?”

Confused, my frown only deepened. “Stories?”

He licked at the flesh of his lip, my eyes tracked the movement then dropped down to where he was drumming his thumb on his kneecap. He wouldn’t look back at me. 

“Stories. Just, gossip, you know. From the locals back home.” George stated, gaze jumping from one thing to the next. But never landing on me. “She’d hurt her hip the year before and so she’d stopped working remotely, decided to ease her hours down so that she could take things a bit easier. Dad seemed all for it when he’d let me know, having her back home. But, that meant she was actually there and I reckon that’s why people took note of her. She hadn’t been around much since the band started but you know how them lot are, they like to talk. To stick their noses in everybody else’s business but their own, wanted word on us lot down in London. If we were really making it big.”

George rolled his eyes then swiped a tongue across his front teeth. It angered him, irritated him when people felt as though they deserved to know the ins and outs of his entire life. He was a private person for the most. And I knew it agitated him more for the fact that his mum had been involved.

“What stories, George?” I asked, heart in my mouth. Because I already knew, didn’t I?

He worked his jaw, thumb still tapping relentlessly away. I wanted to reach out and still the movement, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t bare to move.

“What stories?” I prodded again, firmer this time.

“About Matt and his family, him using. Rehab. If I were the same way. You know.” George replied hurriedly, jaw still tightly wound, and I titled my head at him wanting to hear the rest of it that was bound to come. “She said some vile things, yeah? And, I don’t know. I just, it, they pissed me off. I didn’t want to stay sat there and listen to her rant, just let her go on and fucking on-”

I cut him off. “What else did she say, George?”

He closed his eyes and then slowly turned his head towards me, I saw the guilt swimming in them when they reopened, the pain, the anger. “They told her all there was to know about you. They told her all about you, Birdie.”

Suddenly my tongue was too heavy to sit comfortably in my mouth and my eyes were stinging in time to match the swelling of my throat. They’d told her about me. And I wasn’t stupid enough not to realise exactly what that meant. What had been said. I knew what they all thought of me, what they’d always thought ever since that fucking night. Knew that they still let him walk around free, that they listened to his tales, to his lies. That they whispered about my mum, the neglect, the things I’d supposedly done to have survived living in that poor house. George knew I knew too. That’s why he’d been so reluctant to say. That’s why he’d-

“That why you fucking walked out then?” I spat at him, my anger misplaced but I didn’t care. I didn’t care that he’d been the one to hold me through most of it, didn’t care for his previous claims, because he’d left, hadn’t he? And this was the fucking reason. 

George opened his mouth to speak, brow pinched, but I didn’t let him get a word in edgeways.

“What, was it too much for your big rockstar image then? To have a girlfriend as fucked as me? What, were you suddenly embarrassed, George? Did your mum make you finally see sense? Reason?” I laughed bitterly and moved to stand, to walk the fuck away from him and all the emotions he pulled so effortlessly out of me, but a firm hand caught my wrist and I snapped my gaze down towards him. “Don’t grab me like that.”

Immediately George released me and he looked apologetic for a brief moment, but that anger was still there and that only sent my guard up more. 

“You know fucking better than that!” He retorted heatedly, “Don’t just section me off with the rest of them, yeah? ‘Cause you know I don’t deserve that. I was fucking there! I never left. I was there through it all. And never once did you ever or have you ever embarrassed me! Not you, not your life, not your fucking story! So just don’t, eh. Don’t go and say shit like that to me. Not when we both know that it’s the furthest thing from the truth.”

“Then what am I supposed to believe, George!” I shouted back at him, tears welling in my eyes, hands fisted to keep from lashing out, to keep from breaking completely. “Because how can I not assume that, when you’ve treated me exact same way they have! When you pushed me out and fucking left without even a warning, without a reason! Tell me, what am I supposed to think!”

“I left to fucking protect you, you daft cow!” George shot back, bewildered with his face so open. “I left because there was no other fucking way to keep you safe from the rest of the fucking world! I left ‘cause she threatened to tell people, to sell it all to the tabloids or whoever the fuck would listen, if I didn’t get my act together, if I didn’t-”

“If you didn’t leave me.” I finished for him. 

All the fight seemed to drain out of the two of us then. George’s head dropped in acknowledgment and I pressed my lips tightly together as I casted a blurry glance out over the rest of the garden to keep from outwardly sobbing. If I cried now, I didn’t know if I would ever stop.

“And you listened.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, rubbing at my strained eyes, the headache that had been tittering was a full blown minefield now, exploding across the length of my skull. “You listened.” I repeated and heard the way my voice cracked, how dry my throat felt. 

“Of course I listened. There was nowt else I could do! You were fine being in the background, watching us. You didn’t want anything else! If I’d’ve let her leave, she would’ve told everyone. She’s fucking spiteful if nothing else, can’t stand to see me happy, would be better off seeing me skint on my arse and working in a factory than have any of this. This life. She hates it!”

“And what does she think of me now, hey? Must reckon I’m some cheap skank dirtying you up, dragging you down with me.” I scoffed at the very thought, but mostly because it felt much too close to the truth. I had been dragging him down with me and it hurt to realise that he’d probably be better off never having even laid eyes on me. 

He pointed a finger towards me hotly which counteracted the way he shook his head so sadly. “Don’t say shit like that, okay? ‘Cause I know exactly what you’re thinking. I know it, because I know you. Not once have you ever, ever made me feel that way. When I’m with you-” George blew out a breathy laugh, “With you it’s like there is no one else. Don’t you get that? Didn’t you see the fucking state you left me in? I was a mess! You were the only thing ever keeping me on track. How can you not see that?”

“George, look at where you are!” I argued with him, “Look at the life you’ve built for yourself. The places you’ve been, the people you’ve met! And yet here you are, still sat with me, a florist who can hardly tie a ribbon, a girl sick beyond help, asking for another chance. You could do better, George, you know it. ”

“Fuck you.” He was angry again, but more sad than angry this time, his nose flared and his eyes were cut towards me. “Nah, honestly fuck you for saying that. For thinking it at all! ‘Cause I’m the one who left you, B. Not just once, no, not just fucking once, but twice. Twice! I should’ve manned the hell up! Pulled myself together and been there for you after that accident. Not walked away when you needed me most and left you in that ambulance! On your own! With fucking strangers there instead of me! Me! I’m not the one who deserves better, Birdie, that’s all you.”

He chuckled, though not one full of humour. One of mourning regret, the kind that seemed to catch you dizzyingly and make it so you couldn’t make any other sound. I stared at him, chest rising and falling with each trembling breath.

“And what life would I actually have if hadn’t been for you, eh? What life?” George added, prodding further, and I saw that he was crying too, silently like me, eyes shinning with unshed tears. “Because if I remember rightly, it was you that gave this all to me. You who walked in and changed everything.”

“How the fuck did I do all this then?” I laughed, more of a broken sob than anything else though, shaking my head at him with a pitiful smile. “How is this all down to me!”

“You don’t see it, do you?” He whispered to me quietly in reply and it made me realise how loud we must’ve been, screaming at the top of our lungs. “You’re the one who gave me the boys, the band. You’re the person who gave me a fucking escape, Birdie. ‘Cause you might claim to be screwed up, B. But I’m exactly that, only twice as bad.”

“You’d have gotten here in the end, G. You’re too talented not to’ve.” I told him in a defeated tone, too tired to continue on with this pissing contest anymore, to scream and shout and claim to be the worser person. He’d left me. And yeah, he’d left me more than once, but who could blame him? Who could honestly put up with the likes of me? “We all make choices and, yeah, the ones you’ve been making as of late have been shit. But we live with them. We learn. You’d’ve made something of yourself, George, with or without me.”

George sighed heavily and forced his head back to stare up at the dark night sky, whilst I wiped helplessly at my tear stained cheeks and the wetness which clung to my chin.

“But I did it with you, B.” He finally spoke before he released another breath and dropped his head down to look back at me. “And I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world. I did it with you. I did it all for you. So that me and you could leave that fucking town. So that I could keep my promise.”

My heart broke just as his voice did on that very last word.

“I love you. And I don’t care how long I have to spend proving that to you. But if it takes me the rest of my fucking life, then I’ll do it without complaint. Because you are it for me, Birdie. I’ve lived without you, and I didn’t like it much. You are the only thing I need.”

I stared at him. 

“What about your mum, the fans?” I voiced the hushed question into the otherwise silent garden.

He licked at his lower lip and I watched the way his eyes flickered when he sucked in another long breath. “That’s down to you. I can’t protect you from the world, I should’ve listened when you told me that all those years ago, but I’ve learnt now. And maybe, maybe I’m scared too. Maybe I’m terrified to hurt you all over again, or for you to just give up on me. But I’m asking for a chance, and with it, I’m prepared to give up everything else.”

I cocked my head at him, confused. “What do you mean? Give what up?”

“This.” He told me plainly and I knew, my lips parted and I could only shake my head in return.

“No. No, I’d never ask you to do that, and fuck you for even thinking I would.”

George reached out to me then, hands carefully taking my forearms, an attempt to soothe me. Like old times, I thought. I wondered if he thought the same, or if it was just instinctual.

“You wouldn’t have to ask, B. And I’m not asking you to. I’m telling you now that I don’t care what I have to lose. This? This life? It means nothing without you in it. It means nothing if you aren’t here to share it all with me. I’ve lived it. I suffered through it, felt nothing but fucking regret.” He murmured and it was then that I felt the first few drops of summer rain. “A chance. That’s all I’m asking for.”

“A chance.” I mimicked, blinking at him from under wet lashes whilst raindrops came down heavier around us.

“Just a chance.” He assured me before he wiped the dampening hair from off my cheek, hands resting either side of my face. “That’s all I’m asking for.”

Part Twenty-seven>

[utilitycaster]

💙💜

Which character is not as hot as everyone else seems to think?

We've talked about this in DMs anyway but OTOHAN. She's physically attractive I suppose, although that's 100% from official art and absolutely not from initial description (perhaps that's just me, but Matt described her as having eyes like a bird of prey, and somehow the image of her in my head has always been. does anyone remember the weird turkey pictures of Ole Golly in Harriet the Spy (the book). Is this too weird a pull? Did I make it up because I can't seem to find an online image? Unclear.) But point being before the official art came out I was not imagining her as attractive, even. And then there's personality. Like, yeah, you can say someone is hot based on just a physical image without knowing them; this is how celebrity works. But when you've only one got one singular physical image and it doesn't really match your mind's eye which isn't terribly attractive, anyway and then there's no personality but...I can't even say zealotry because we literally don't know anything about her motivations other than raw murder. I can't even enjoy the inherent eroticism of the sword. Anyway. If you want hot middle age women villains why not og Delilah before she became a loser, or Raishan's human form, or Ripley, or Avantika, or Vess deRogna, or Liliana. If you just want hot middle age women with a propensity for violence why not Deanna with Jerry the Goat. If you are specifically interested in the "milf" archetype (Otohan is not a mother, so this is rather telling) then might I suggest Veth, who is not middle-aged yet but she is a mother and she is super good at violence. All of these women have hopes and dreams and personalities and aren't a blank dull slate to project upon, as I personally am entirely unattracted to the latter. Anyway hopefully this also fulfills one obligation to either @playerkingsley or @whirlingbadger who asked about "mischaracterized"; Otohan is a polarizing figure with many who agree with the above as well but she is also wildly mischaracterized as hot and interesting when she is at best depicted as attractive and deathly (and deadly) boring. She bored everyone to death; the sword just got in front of her.

Which character is way hotter than everyone else seems to think?

Eshteross. I fear we moved on too soon when he died. Everyone in Bells Hells wanted a slice of this hot old orc man when he was doing his sword practice, and also he was community-minded and loyal and devoted. More generally you know that post that's like "hobbits have it all figured out, farmers market high as shit, why are people horny for elves"? This is true but also might I suggests orcs. Elves are overrated. Why are people's fantasy lithe hairlessness. This is a very narrow beauty ideal and I reject it. We, as a fandom, and dare I say, a society, need to be hornier for orcs.

I'm going to go watch candela and the inbox remains closed and will for much of the rest of the day but there are two more asks that have the exact same two hearts and I will be providing two more separate answers as well as another mischaracterization answer, and possibly making an eye appointment although I'm inclined to think the hearts just look super alike on my computer.

[zemi-noelle-art]

Your LPS customs are soooo amazing!! Like genuinely so inspiring 😭 I wanna get into it but I have no idea how!!

Thank you so much!!! that really means a lot! And I'm really honored to hear I've been inspiring people with my work<3 I can provide some tips on starting the hobby if that helps! this'll be based on my own experience though of course! I can firstly say that getting into LPS customizing was pretty simple for me, because I already had most of the supplies I use for other projects, and it was only a matter of getting the bases themselves to paint on. Of course I have the LPS I grew up with but I didn't want to ruin those lol. I use those blank bootleg LPS bases they sell on amazon. You can also use authentic LPS but I'd recommend making sure you're not painting over a rare one like a big 5 or Savannah Reed first lol. A good starting point is to draft out the design you want on paper/digitally to see what kind of custom you want to make. for me I use digital templates and paint over them in my art program. Templesta on DeviantArt has some really good ones! For paint I use acrylic. Get a teeny tiny paintbrush for detail work along with a couple other sizes as well and those should be all the basic supplies you need to start! You can also get more complex with it and use chalk pastels, water color pencils and glitters too. Get creative! see what supplies you can use to take your customs to the next level. As a tip, make sure to water down your paint and do multiple thin layers. Patience is key because that paint is not gonna want to stick to the base at first. A lot of the actual painting process does come down to practice and a steady hand.

If you want to seal your customs which isn't necessary but gives them a nice finish, I recommend Liquitex high gloss varnish to seal the eyes. There are some good matte varnish sprays out there but I recommend doing your own research on those, as they can be resin based and therefore need a bit of caution and prep to handle. I personally use Mister Super Clear matte spray to seal the base of the custom, and I always spray outside with gloves and a respirator.

And though I have done sculpting I don't consider myself well versed enough to recommend supplies for clay but I've heard Green Stuff and Apoxie sculpt are good clays to use, but be sure to do your own research on those as well.

The monster high doll customization community is a good place to look for material research! A lot of the process of the face-up is pretty similar to painting LPS. That's actually what got me into customizing in the first place; I just watched a bunch of Dollightful, Enchanterium, and Moonlight Jewel's videos and said to myself "Wait a minute, I could do this with LPS!" I also of course recommend watching other LPS customizer's videos to see the process of how they make their customs, and show them some support as well! Pumpkinscustoms Is a really big inspiration for me and HelloStudios, Mr. Crazy Ray and LPSCobalt have really good videos on making customs.

And once again, if you don't wanna dive right in you can just draw them, whether using a template or not to see if you like the process and the design! You can even make a bunch of designs digitally and once you feel ready to tackle a real custom, start there! ahaha I didn't know I'd be writing a whole-ass Essay but I hope all this helps!! Thank you for enjoying my work!

[theobscurepotato]

Dear Yuletide Writer 2024

Dear Yuletide Writer:

First off, thank you! I hope you are as excited about your assignment as I am to receive it. Hopefully the lateness of my Yuletide letter didn’t panic you too much! I enjoy a wide variety of fic, and these are truly some of my favorite canons, so really you can’t go wrong...but if you are looking for a spark of inspiration, I hope this letter provides it.  

General Likes/Dislikes: 

Things I love in a Yuletide fic: M/M, UST, hurt/comfort, banter, happy endings. When I look at the canons I chose, one consistent theme is that they all end on a note of hope, yet the characters I chose within these canons don't always get to experience that. I think, more than anything, what I would love to see is a chance for these characters to catch a glimmer of it for themselves (or for each other, in the canons where I've selected a pairing). 

Things I generally don’t like in a Yuletide fic: AU’s set outside of the canon setting (coffee shop, etc), MPREG, graphic gore, body horror, unhappy endings. That being said, if you have a wild idea that goes against these, these are definitely more loose guidelines than DNW’s. 

___

Coldfire Trilogy

Damien Vryce/Gerald Tarrant Not sure if there will ever be a Yuletide where I don't request CFT fic. I do write frequently for this fandom, but just because I write in a certain style, please don’t restrict yourself to my “usual” topics. For this canon especially, I’m excited to read what you want to write.  I’m starting my millionth re-read of the trilogy, so I am excited to read anything set either during canon, or a post-canon fix-it. Give me all the banter. Give me all the UST. Give me Gerald Tarrant doing something kind (while doing mental gymnastics to justify it to himself as FOR SELFISH REASONS ONLY). Give me Damien forgetting to agonize over what GT is and just enjoying a moment with him (bonus points for him Prophet!fanboying). Give me physical contact of some sort between them, give me the soul bond! I ship these two hard, but I am happy to read pre-slash/gen.

Dimension20: Escape from the Bloodkeep

Leiland (Kraz-Thun) I watched Escape from the Bloodkeep 2 months ago(?) and once I was done, I immediately restarted it and watched the series again. Bloodkeep has some of my favorite Dropout cast characters, but of course it was Matt Mercer’s Leiland who stole the show for me. Someone on Reddit summed up Leiland as “All that dark power and regal lineage turned into a benny hill skit” and in response I can only say, that’s exactly why I’m here. I am happy with both pre and post-canon fic, gen or shippy (and not picky on ship). I’d really love to see Leiland navigate how to be Leiland, and not Kraz-Thun, and getting more comfortable in the “evil” found family he has created. Galfast Hamhead, while not requested, is of course 1000% welcome in any story.  Yoroiden Samurai Troopers (Ronin Warriors)

Shuten/Rajura

This was my first real fandom, well over two decades ago now, and Shuten/Rajura was my first ship. I definitely carried a binder plastered outside with the Masho chibi from Amanda Swiftgold’s page and stuffed to the brim with too much printed fic from Mink’s Yaoi Cake archive. This was a rare ship even then, and I am absolutely fine with gen, and fics that include all the Masho. I would of course love a fix-it fic, but I am open to exploring missing canon scenes also. I would enjoy a fic either from Rajura or Shuten’s perspective that grapples with their encounter out on the tracks, and that sprinkles in some of their shared complex history. Feel free to bend canon details in terms of what the armor enables. 

Uprooted

Solya/Marek These two have taken up residence in my brain and will not leave me alone. They truly enable each other in a way that is absolutely toxic, but I would love a fic that lets them attempt to do better by each other. I would prefer that Marek lives in your fic, whether that means exploring pre-canon events, or a missing scene during their story, and I would definitely enjoy a fix-it (just think of the hurt/comfort possibilities!) where they get to figure out their version of a happy ending. How do they navigate a world where they both wield less power? Would they be able to make their peace enough with that to carve out something new? Or would they chafe against that lack of power, and it would be that struggle that entwines them further?

[dante-winning-archive]

DmC: Devil May Cry Thoughts

So I finally decided to experience the DmC Reboot, and my overall verdict is: Not As Bad As I Expected. 

I took notes, so let’s break it down. This is over 3 pages in a doc btw, so buckle up I guess. Hope it was worth the wait.

What I Liked

Level Design

This is probably the game’s biggest strength. Great amount of variety, and the atmosphere of each level was great. 

Limbo is a really cool concept. 

The twin’s special abilities (like Dante’s grappling hook type weapons) made for some really cool platforming. 

The typography really works in this game. Like, words and phrases appearing in the environment to taunt Dante or just provide additional flavor to whatever is happening. Very comic book. 

The Bob Barbas boss battle had a really cool neon techy aesthetic, which isn’t something I would have expected for this game. Neat!

The game show levels leading up to Lilith’s boss fight were cool too! 

The Succubus boss battle made really good use of the environment. 

Enemy Design

General demon mobs are automaton-like, which is pretty neat. I’m not a fan of that sort of aesthetic, but I respect the creative direction. 

All the bosses had decent variety in terms of design and battle mechanics.

Item/Weapon Design

I think this was another pretty strong point for this game

It’s a small thing, but the designs of the orbs were nice.

Rebellion’s shape shifting is neat. Rebellion doesn’t really have any cool powers like Yamato does in the mainline games, so it was nice to see it do something besides being a big sword. 

AQUILA IS SUCH A COOL WEAPON

Ebony and Ivory were pretty, but didn't seem particularly useful what with all the other weapons Dante had at his disposal.

Misc

Combat looks dynamic and satisfying, and I can see the influence it had on DMC5’s combat. 

The voice acting is good

Occasionally, it was genuinely funny

The Vergil gameplay at the end? INCREDIBLE. 

The music was good. Nothing really stood out to me, but it did enhance the game. 

What I Disliked

Lilith

I really hated her character design. And I’m not saying it wasn’t effective character design, or that it was bad. I just personally didn’t like it. 

Her weirdly pulled skin, the corset piercings, the way her skin bunches up around the tops of her gloves… ugh. 

And maybe that’s the point! I’m probably supposed to find it offputting! But I hated looking at her. 

Pregnancy is a really intense squick of mine, so all that was just no! No! No! No! 

I wish I could unsee her boss battle

Minor Design Complaints

Dante’s DT design was a little disappointing, especially considering how well designed everything else is. 

Yamato’s design was also lackluster. 

Misc

The fatphobia was disappointing but not surprising, especially considering the year this was released. 

Mundus sex scene… ew

The sniper abortion scene wasn’t as shocking as I expected it to be, but it sure was there

The way Vergil pronounces Yamato lol. Ya-MATT-o

Pronouncing Mundus differently was a little weird. The mundus amungus…. 

Mundus’ boss fight was uninspired. Wow, a giant statue trying to squash Dante on a platform. Never seen that one before.

A lot of this game has a ‘gross’ factor, which I’m not really into. That’s just personal preference, because I do think it mostly works in context. Just not my thing. 

Characters:

In general, I found the characters to be pretty one-dimensional. 

The Twins

The two of them working together in Mundus’ tower, one in each world, was really cool. If you’re going to have twins in a setting with two worlds overlapping, having one in each is (chefs kiss). Being able to play as both of them to achieve the goal would have made it even better. 

I really enjoyed the scenes they had together, but there just weren’t enough of them. 

It was nice seeing them share physical affection (in the form of a mutual shoulder pat)

But “I loved you, brother” just didn’t have the emotional impact I wanted it to have. 

And the issue is really… they’re strangers. They may be brothers, but they barely know each other. Their relationship just didn’t get as much attention and buildup as it should have. 

Vergil

He’s so friendly and helpful sounding at the beginning, it was kind of cute. 

But it is revealed he’s pretty cold and calculating, willing to sacrifice Kat because saving her wasn’t worth the risk to him. 

His mad hax lol 

give him his hat back, cowards

Even though he was carrying Yamato around, I wasn’t sure he could even fight until the very end. He just seemed so weak. The thing about the twins is that they’re equals on the physical level. IDK, it was just weird to see a Vergil that didn’t fight. 

honestly, a way more interesting character than Dante.

Dante

A devil-may-care character that learns to give a shit? Always a classic. 

As unnecessarily edgy as he seems, his poor coping mechanisms make sense for how he grew up. 

Kat

An assault survivor, because of course she is. It’s just disappointing. Was it necessary? Was it??

Overall, she’s fine. No real strong feelings about her. 

Despite having a ‘role’ (guiding Dante through Limbo and helping him escape it), her job could have been given to Vergil and the game would have worked fine. Maybe even better. 

Sparda and Eva 

Having Sparda outlive Eva and be responsible for hiding the twins was an interesting choice. I also like that we have confirmation for what happened to him (eternal torture). 

I would have expected an angel and demon to be a power couple, but they seemed to have been beaten pretty easily. For plot, I guess. 

The Story

I wasn’t really all that invested, tbh. There’s nothing wrong with the story, but at the same time there isn’t really anything notable about it (except Vergil’s bit). 

It’s a hack n’ slash, so I’m not expecting a masterpiece, but it was pretty one note.

WHY is there a war between demons and angels? Where did the Nephilim come from, how many were there, what role did they play? More importantly, why should I care about any of this? 

The twins avenging their parents should have felt like… like taking on a mantle to continue their cause, and I really didn’t get any of that. There wasn’t any weight of legacy. And the main games handle that so well. 

Overall, I just felt like there wasn’t enough emotional impact, especially between the brothers. There wasn’t enough time to really grow to care about the three protagonists, imo. 

Dante's character arc is... learning to give a shit, I guess, but even then, his decision to be the protector of humans feels really out there. Did he really show that much growth throughout the game for this declaration to really feel deserved? Rewarding?

Likewise, Vergil's shift from revolutionary to would-be king is equally abrupt. Like maybe the entire point of it was to be out of left field, but from a storytelling standpoint... an out-of-nowhere twist like that just doesn't feel rewarding. Having more time with Vergil as Dante throughout the course of the game, to have a subtle buildup so that when you look back and say 'the signs were all there and I missed them', that would have been really good. Like, disregarding the fact that any fan of DMC knows Vergil is going to abandon everything for power.

Vergil’s gameplay and story at the end was a lot more compelling than the rest of the game combined. It’s literally the only thing I’m interested in learning more about. 

Final Thoughts

The game was… alright. Not as bad as I expected it to be, but I’m not sure I would call it good, either. There were a lot of really interesting concepts that just didn’t reach their full potential. The ‘hard’ elements like design and combat were there, but the characters and story were lacking. Making a DMC game heavily influenced by the Divine Comedy is a great idea! 

I think that there are two things that really held this game back. 

Making it a DMC game. As its own thing, it could have been really good. Could they have told a story based on the Divine Comedy with twins named Dante and Vergil without stepping on DMC’s toes? Probably not. But with some changes, it could have worked.

The marketing. I didn’t see it in real time, but we’ve all heard of the weirdly homophobic marketing for this game. And I think that really soured people’s opinions of the game. Still does, tbh. ‘Dante is not a gay cowboy’ as if that isn’t his entire appeal….

Anyway, I don’t think it quite deserves the hate it gets. If you go in knowing you’re not getting a ‘real’ DMC game, it’s not bad. 

Rating: 5/10