#and comparison is the killer of passion

[oorangesoda]

Found old art of mine from like 9 years ago… never give up folks cause god damn what was I doing back then

[xxsycamore]

❝ CRADLE ❞

╰┈➤ Soon after you've had the "baby talk", Shingen already seems to be thinking ahead - but not all his thoughts are so innocent.

Shingen Takeda/f!Reader • rating: E (MDNI) • tags: Breeding; Mentions of Pregnancy; Nipple Play; Dirty Talk; Hand & Finger Kink; Body Worship • wordcount: 595 • masterlist

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ request by @writingwhimsey <3 thank you!

IKEMEN BREEDING SEASON - Prompt 5. Imagining you pregnant

"I'm glad that you liked the cradle. I can already see you gently rocking our child to sleep."

The very moment Shingen gave you a brief pause from kissing you breathless, you knew he had something to say. Another killer line perhaps, something awfully flirty or downright naughty, just anything that will make your heart skip a beat as he knows best.

Instead, he brings up the cradle. And somehow, the result is the same.

It's only been a handful of days since the baby talk. Your relationship with Shingen has been nothing but dynamic from the get-go, and yet still, the butterflies in your belly now can only be compared to the ones from those early days. Suddenly there's so much to be talked about. It's no wonder how the late-night talks have turned into comparisons between what childrearing looks like in your head versus that of Shingen's. The modern ways versus the old-school. The shocking lack of baby cradles in Sengoku times, at least as you know them. The passionate declaration of Shingen that he'll definitely make one for your future baby.

Future baby. Yet there it is, standing in your peripheral vision; the wooden cradle he presented you with tonight, just a couple of days after you first mentioned the peculiar piece of furniture.

"Of course I would." You take Shingen's hands in your own, for a good measure before they get up to no good feeling you up and preventing you from focusing on what you want to say - and then you place a kiss on each one. "You were the one who made it. And you did a great job, too."

You linger on his right hand a little longer, with purpose. You can see Shingen's eyes darken with lust as you take his thumb into your arm just briefly, provoking him.

"I can see that you're already imagining things, Shingen…"

Shingen smirks, but the raised corners of his mouth soon relax into a softer smile, and it stays there, even as he disrobes you. He finds you wet and willing between your legs - which grants you a quick look with those intoxicating ashy eyes, capable of expressing things dirtier than his mouth does - but still prefers to toy with you before sinking his arching cock inside you.

"Oh, I've been imagining things alright. You'd be surprised exactly how much I've been imagining things."

You decide to be bold, as if carried by your instincts which are telling you that you absolutely must have him tonight. Silly thing considering he's got the same plans in store for you. Yet still, you raise one of your legs up his shoulder, beckoning him, seducing him.

"Tell me more…"

Shingen wets his lips and gladly complies.

"I've been imagining you with child. The way I'd wake up to you every morning, slowly becoming aware of all the little changes. Be assured, princess, I will notice. Your body that I came to know better than my own, how could I fail to notice it becoming more beautiful? Your belly swelling up with the life we created. Your bosom filling out."

The last part he whispers against your chest, his voice becoming muffled as he darts out his tongue to wet your perky nipple. Your own mind gets creative, imagining how much Shingen will enjoy your swollen breasts, and your belly, and then you trail off to all the parts of you he worshipped and the ways in which he'll worship them when…

"Please make it true, Shingen. I need it."

And so does he.

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @kimi00twin @g-kleran @thesirenwashere @devonares @galaxyprison   @starshards26 @thewitchofbooks @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @ikemenlover24 @mcofthemansion @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 @lovely-bubb1es @aria-chikage @babyblue0t7 @rhodoliteschaos @shrimpy-kitsune @nightghoul381 @xbalayage @lucyw260 @kittygrimm88 @lokis-laugh @natimiles @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf @groovylita @raeraeks @ethereal-blossom Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[luizd3ad]

Music Notes | Barty Crouch Jr x Reader

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ࣪˖⤷ .𖥔 ݁ ˖ ࣪ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 ˖ ⤷

Pairing: Rockstar!Barty x GN!Rockstar!Reader WC: 3,471 CW:  Soulmate AU, Rockstar AU, 2010's AU, use of Y/N, mentions of anxiety, swearing Author's Note: This is one of those fics where I'm my own target audience but if you read this I really hope you like it. Also I feel like Pandora get kinda out of character at the end but I just idk I felt like it was necessary. Summary: You meat your soulmate during the best summer of your life.

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Everyone is born with a symbol of something that you and your soulmate(s) will have in common along with their initials, and when you look into their eyes for the first time your soulmark is supposed to tingle. 

The symbol could be literally anything, it could be related to your career, a hobie, a passion or in your case all the above. For as long as you could remember you've had a music note and the initials BCJ on your wrist.

But for the longest time you were confused by your soulmark, you weren't really interested in music. I mean you liked listening to it as much as the next person but not enough to make it your soulmark.

That was until you were twelve and you met Jade. She was just so outgoing and bubbly, she made friends easily, she'd walk into a room and demand attention without even trying and she soon started showing you all these bands and artists you'd never heard of. Jade changed everything for you, she showed you a side of music you didn't know existed. And all of a sudden, you were hooked.

You became so inthralled by the music that the initial next to the note paled in comparison, you hardly thought about your soulmate because as far as you were concerned music was your soulmate. 

When you were fourteen Jade introduced you to Sammy. Sammy was a pretty shy, and quiet kid but once he was comfortable he'd talk your ear off for hours. That's how he continued to expand your love for music. Not only did he tell you about more bands and artists that ranged outside of the emo, pop punk scene, but he showed you shows, concerts. 

You, Jade and Sammy would go to any show you could. House shows, backyard gigs, if there was a guitar riff and a mosh pit the three of you were there. And that's how you met Pink.

Now Pink’s real name was Floyd but he liked being called Pink. Which you always thought was funny considering he was the strong, silent type, so the name completely contradicted his personality but he liked David Bowie so who were you to judge? Pink was your tipping point. He was a beast on the drums, you and Sammy would sit there and listen to him play all day. Which somehow led to Pink convincing your little group that you guys could make a band, a killer band at that.

And surprisingly he wasnt fucking wrong thus ‘Fighting Pixies’ was born.

C. Summer of 2012

It was the first day of Warped Tour and you couldn't be more excited. You were so excited that you didn't even care that you were in some random arena parking lot sweating your ass off in Utah. 

Not only was this Fighting Pixies first year playing Warped Tour but you were on a main stage you were going to be playing on the same stage as the bands you grew up listening to. To say the feeling was surreal would be an understatement. This is what you, Jade, Sammy and Pink have been working towards for years, you guys were finally playing the festival that you would go to every summer. 

Walking out of the bus you started making your way to the catering tent by yourself since the rest of the band left you behind because you were apparently in Pinks’ words ‘taking too goddamn long’. You roll your eyes at his words thinking how it's bullshit that they could just leave you like that, when all the sudden you collide with someone. 

“Oh shit I'm so sorry dude.”

“You alright mate?”

You and the mystery person that you just basically assaulted said at the same time. Finally after gaining your balance you look at your victim. 

“Siri?” You say raising your eyebrow when he finally looks your way with a big smile on his face.

“Oh shit Y/N! How are you? I havent seen you in fucking ages!” Sirius yells while bringing you into a hug, you hug him back laughing then pulling away.

“I've been good. I haven't seen you since you, Rem and James came to one of our shows. Is he here?” You ask, looking around hoping to catch sight of Remus.

“No not yet, he's back home with Reg, Lily and Harry. But they'll be joining us for the last few shows.”

You couldn't help but let out a little laugh. “Baby's first Warped Tour? I like it, gotta start them young.”

Sirius laughed at you, the two of you then continued on your way to the catering tent. Luckily with no further incidents.

You and the rest of Fighting Pixies met Sirius a few years ago when he collabed on a song with you guys, you also had gotten to meet James a few times during the recording process. You hadn't met the rest of ‘Beyond London’ yet, but James had made it very clear that you and their bassist, Pandora, would become fast friends. 

But you hadn’t heard much about their guitarist, Barty, except in passing from mutual friends. Sirius would complain about him sometimes but in typical lead singer fashion Sirius had a tendency to be dramatic so you never really took anything he said about Barty to heart.

Eventually you and Sirius got to the catering tent. You found your band, James and a girl you recognized as Pandora sitting at a table together. 

“Well if it isn't the second best drummer on Warped Tour.” You say with a teasing smile sitting across from James. James just laughs and shakes his head. While pink has a small smug look on his face. 

“What? So Pink’s the best drummer on tour?” James raises his eyebrow at you with a goofy smile still on his face. 

You laugh and shake your head. “No, not even close, Angelo is clearly the best drummer here. Have you heard Motionless in White’s breakdowns?” Pink then glared at you while scoffing. What? Someone has to bring his ego down.

After a few hours of making fun of each other, hanging out, watching a few bands sets and getting to know Pandora (who is literally the sweetest person ever) you and the rest of your band had to go back to the bus to get ready for your set in a few hours.

You got to get into the shower after Jade so after your shower and skin routine you walked out into the common area plopping down at the table so you could start to get your hair and other things done. 

“Dude when you were in the bathroom Sirius came over and brought Barty, dudes funny. You missed out.” Sammy said, sitting down next to you eating a bowl of cereal.

“Damn. Well I have a whole summer to run into him at some point.” You shrug, getting all your stuff out to get ready.

You actually really wanted to meet Barty based on what little you had heard about him over the years, the fact that he was one hell of a guitarist, and you'd never admit this to anymore but you were really attracted to him. Based purely off the pictures you've seen of him.

You had a lot of respect for him as a musician, you could recognize the emotions that he put into each riff, solo, hell just a strum and you could tell what he was feeling.

A part of you found it frustrating that after all these years of knowing Sirius and James you had always seemed to miss Barty, sometimes by literal minutes.

The rest of your band had met him in passing, never more than a ‘hi’ or ‘hey’ but still they've met him. 

So you couldn't help but be a little frustrated at the fact that for one of the only times that day where you weren't around your band they actually got to hang out with him. You don't know why it bothered you so much, I mean you couldn't even be upset with anyone in particular. It's literally no one's fault. So why did it bother you so much?

Eventually you and the rest of Fighting Pixies found yourselves waiting backstage to go on when you felt a tap on your shoulder. You turned to see your new favorite blond girl. 

“Hi Pandora. What's up?”

“Hi. I just came to watch the beginning of your set. I won't be able to stay long, by the time you lot get off we'll have just started our set.” Pandora explains with her signature tooth rotting smile. 

“Aw thanks, I was actually planning on heading to your guys' set when we're done here.”

“Yes, you should!” Pandora stood up straighter with a sense of excitement and urgency about something you didn't understand, but you just thought that it was Pandora being Pandora. 

You had heard over the years that she would do or say things that didn't make much sense to really anyone so you chose to just brush it off.

“Oh I also wanted to give you theses.” Pandora says while handing you two rocks.

You take the rocks confused with a raised eyebrow. “Thanks, but what are they?”

“The orange one is citrine and the pink one is rose quartz. They're meant to bring you good luck, just put them in your pocket and they'll do their job.” Pandora says with a knowing type of smile, that once again confused you but you just nodded and put them in your pocket choosing not to question the blond.

“Y/N come on, it's time to go.” One of the stage hands says passing you your guitar. You just nodded, putting the strap over your head.

“Well I hope you like our set and I'll see you at yours.” You chuckled a little as she just nodded.

You would think after all of these years of doing this you'd be used to it at this point. That you would be used to being on stage, that the anxiety of fucking up would be gone but it didn’t go away, lessened yeah but not gone. 

You also never really get used to people singing lyrics that you wrote or helped write, especially when the words were sentimental to you at one point, but it was kind of nice to know that those words are sentimental to others now too.

You wouldn't trade this for the world. You were lucky and you knew that, so many people would kill for this chance so you didn't take it for granted.

Thirty minutes later you and your band mates were running off stage sweaty and high off adrenaline with big smiles on your faces’ your first show at your first warped tour was beyond amazing it was fucking perfect you were convinced nothing could top this feeling.

You started to make your way to Beyond London’s set. The rest of the band had other sets or people that they wanted to see so you went your separate ways for the time being. 

Eventually you made it to the stage Beyond London was playing at. You had stopped a few times to talk to people and take pictures but luckily not too many people stopped you so you made it when they started to play their last song.

After all the years you had known Sirius and James you had never actually got the chance to see them play. To say they were amazing felt like the understatement of the century. 

James looked like he was in his element on the drums, Pandora was so focused on her bass but that didn't stop her from swinging herself around, Sirius had basically every person either swooning because of his looks or crying because of how beautiful his voice was and then there was Barty. 

Just the sight of him alone made your heart skip a beat, you had never seen such raw emotion while someone played the guitar. Once your eyes landed on him you couldn't, you wouldn't, look away. The way he moved, how he would throw his head back every so often, sometimes you could see his jaw clench, you could tell he put his all into the music. You had never seen something so amazing. So perfect.

The song ended and they all started to make their way to the side of the stage you were on, Barty sayed a little longer then his band mates throwing things like his picks and set lists into the crowd. 

You were brought into a bear hug and spun around by a very sweaty Sirius. You shrieked and tried to push yourself away from him to no avail.

“Sirius Black if you don't put me down right now I'll make sure you never play another show again!” You screamed threatened while continuing your best efforts to get away from your sweaty attacker. Suddenly you hear a gasp and you're put down very quickly, almost falling while Sirius scoffs and mutters something about ‘Some people’. 

Pandora came to your rescue making sure you’re okay. You were about to scold Sirius for almost making you fall, but he was already out of sight. Pandora turned you around to have you look at her. 

You looked at her very surprised with your eyebrows raised. “What is up with the manhandling right now?” you laugh slightly awkwardly. 

“Do you still have the crystals I gave you?” Pandora asks with a serious face completely ignoring your question. 

You furrowed your brows and nodded still very confused. “Considering you gave them to me a little over an hour ago, yes. I know we don't know each other very well but have some faith in me Pandora.” You once again laughed a little trying to ease the little tension that seemed to form.

Pandora just smiled at you and hugged you and whispered. “I'm so happy for you two.”

You pulled away and looked at her once again beyond confused. “What-”

You were then interrupted by James yelling over to you. “Y/N, come meet Barty, finally.” Pandora kept smiling at you and then she just nodded at you encouragingly. For what felt like the hundredth time that day Pandora confused you and you once again just chalked it up to Pandora being Pandora.

While making your way over to the three men that stood in a little circle probably talking about the show that they just put on, you were hit with a sudden wave of anxiety. 

Why were you anxious? You had been fine (other than the major confusion you went through with Pandora)  so why does it feel like your heart is going a mile a minute.

Sirius and James are facing you while Barty’s back is towards you. As soon as you're in arms length Sirius wraps his arm around your shoulder pulling you close to him.

“Barty, this is Y/N. Y/N, Barty.” James says motioning between you two.

“Hi, it's nice to finally-” You cut yourself off when you looked into his eyes, feeling a tingle on your writs.

Your whole life you've heard stories about what meeting your soulmate felt like. How all of a sudden everything seemed less important. How you would only want to focus on that person. How you'd feel like you had a new meaning to life. Honestly you thought it was all bullshit. 

But now you knew that, that was all an understatement. 

You finally felt like you were home, like everything would be okay. It felt like breathing for the first time. 

You could play a million more shows, meet your idols, win a fucking Grammy and nothing would compare to what you were feeling when you met his eyes. And based on the look on his face, Barty felt the same way.

“Hi.” You whispered still in a shocked state.

“Hi, angel.” Barty said softly with a love sick look on his face, your heart skips a beat at the nickname and you can't help but smile. He suddenly moved his eyes to Sirius and glared at him. “You'll move your arm if you know what's good for you, Black.” 

Sirius moved his arm away from around you and put his hands up in surrender, you actually forgot Sirius and James were there let alone that Sirius had an arm wrapped around you.

You hadn't thought about your soulmate in years. You didn't ever think you'd meet them, and a part of you didn't really care if you did honestly. As long as you had your music and friends you were fine, that's what you thought at least. It was crazy how in one moment that whole mindset could change.

Now you couldn't imagine a life without Barty. You didn't want to imagine a life without him. 

For so long music was your number one priority, you didn't care about much else but now this person that you just met became your number one. It felt insane and crazy but you couldn't help it and a big part of you loved it. 

You and Barty found yourselves sitting in Beyond London's tour bus talking during the almost eight hour drive from Salt Lake City to Denver. You two just talked about your lives, childhoods, things you loved, things you hated, everything. 

He told you about his Father who you now hated almost as much as Barty. Barty had the biggest smile on his face when you told him how you felt about his father in extreme detail after the stories he told you.

Eventually you both noticed the buses pulling into a new arena parking lot while the sun was rising. Both of you knew you had to go back to your bus now, you had sets and meet and greets later that day. You needed some kind of energy. 

Barty with a cheeky smile insisted that you just join him in his bunk, you just responded with an eye roll and a ‘You wish’ which earned you a ‘You have no idea’.

Barty ended up walking you to your bus, you and him stood outside of the bus talking and stalling, not wanting to leave each other yet.

“Barty, I have to go. We need to get some sleep.” You were looking down at your hands together knowing one you needed to let go but not wanting to.

“I know angel, I know.” He gave you a sad smile as if he would never see you again. 

Barty was often scared that all of this was just a dream. That one day he would wake up back in his fathers clutches and his life as a rockstar was just a dream, it always scared him. But now in his mind it wasn't only his life as a rockstar at stake but you and that now terrified him. He had admitted this to you while you were talking that night so you didn't blame him for being hesitant. You just hugged him trying to reassure him.

“You can come over when you wake up Barty. Don't hesitate, I don't care if I'm awake or asleep. I just know that if you stay we're not gonna get any sleep.” Barty pulls away from you with a smirk and raised eyebrows, you just hit his chest and roll your eyes. “Not like that. I just mean we'll stay up talking.”

He just laughs and kisses your forehead. “I know what you meant, angel, just like teasing you is all.” He pulls you against him resting his chin on your head. “Is it bad to say I'll miss you? Even if I know it's just a few hours.”

“It's not bad because I'll miss you too.” You whisper against him. 

After a moment he pulls away again looking down at you he moves his hand to hold the side of your face, cressing you cheek with his thumb. You leaned into his touch with a small smile on your face looking up at him.

“You are now the most important thing in my life now, my angel.” He's looking deep into your eyes, not a hint of lies or regret in his words.

Barty started to lean down with a sense of hesitation, you just nodded and smiled at him letting him know it was okay. You could feel butterflies in your stomach while your heart started to race. The moment your lips touched you felt electricity run through your veins. You never experienced such an amazing feeling, you were two puzzle pieces finally coming together. You already knew Barty was your everything but that kiss solidified it. It made it real in the best way possible, you knew you couldn't ask for a better soulmate.

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[deadg1rlw4lking]

Movie Night

Summary- yours and Charlie’s movie night gets heated

Warnings- Minors DNI, smut, p in v, first time, inexperienced Charlie x experienced reader.

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Friday night meant movie night for you and Charlie. He’d always been a huge movie nerd and would take the opportunity to share his favourite movies with you, telling you random facts at every chance he got and over explaining the plot whenever you expressed confusion. But you wouldn’t have it any other way. There’s something so endearing in his eyes when he’s passionate about something and you could never get enough of it.

So when Charlie told you his roommate Robbie would be out and it’d just be you two in their shared apartment tonight your mind couldn’t help but stray to more than just movie watching. Being Charlie’s first relationship you still hadn’t done much more than the occasional make out, he seemed nervous around the idea of having sex and you didn’t want to rush him. However this didn’t stop you from putting on a pretty matching set on underneath your lounge wear, just in case.

——————————————————————

You couldn’t help but flinch closer to Charlie and pull the blanket covering the both of you closer as the masked killer snuck up on another unsuspecting victim. Charlie had chosen the first Stab movie for tonight since he was a huge horror fan, you however were not. You didn’t understand how he could watch such a gruesome movie without even flinching.

As he stared on at the screen you decided to divert your attention elsewhere, pulling one of his hands into your lap and examining it as if it were a piece of art. You traced the lines on his palm up to his long fingers. His hands were much bigger than yours, it made your stomach flutter slightly just at the comparison. You were pulled out of your own little world by Charlie awkwardly clearing his throat, looking over at him to see his gaze fixated on how close you had brought his hand to your core, your face flushed and everything suddenly felt very warm.

The warm feeling only grew stronger and he hesitantly placed his hand on your upper thigh and slowly began to caress his thumb back and forth. Just the slight confident action towards you turned you on more than you could imagine. His gaze had turned back to the movie now but you could barely sit still with his thumb grazing against your thigh.

You reached your hand up to his thick brown curls and tucked it behind his ear so that his neck was on display, his face still straight on towards the tv, focused on the movie. Determined to find some relief you slowly began to plants small kisses along his exposed neck, causing his breath to hitch slightly in his throat and his hand on your thigh to slightly squeeze. You took this as encouragement and began to kiss his neck with more passion, slightly sucking on the skin causing it to go red. He began to let out slight whimpers at your touch, shifting slightly in his seat.

You move one of your hands to burrow in his thick hair and the other to bunch at his loose shirt as you lowly whisper, “Is this okay?” against his neck before going back to kiss at the tender exposed skin, as he replies with a small whine before letting out a quiet breathy “yes”. His reaction to your touch only made you grow hotter and more eager, you needed more. You pulled away and shifted in your position to straddle his lap, his hands immediately shifted to your waist and you again bury your hands in his hair. His face is flushed a light pink and his lips are slightly parted in awe as you sit down fully straddling his lap feeling his clothed erection against your hot core.

You lean in and pull him into a heated kiss taking the lead and guiding him slowly against your lips. His hands roam your torso and thighs as yours tug slightly as his hair and you continue to kiss each other deeply. Your hips subconsciously begin to grind against his clothed bulge seeking some kind of relief to your discomfort, he begins to let out slight whines and moans against your lips at the friction.

Everything was starting to become clouded with pleasure when you hear keys turn at the door, you pull away with confusion “I thought you said he wasn’t going to be home?” Charlie seems just as confused as you are “fuck, he said he was” he replied slightly out of breath and clearly annoyed. As the door handle turned you were reminded of your positioning and quickly got off of Charlie’s lap returning to your position next to him and bringing the blanket over the both of you to cover the noticeable erection in Charlie pyjama pants just in time as Robbie walked into the living room. “Oh cool the first stab movie”he exclaimed before sitting down in the chair next to the couch and making himself comfortable, completely unaware of his surroundings. You see Charlie glaring at his best friend as you can’t help but let out a quiet giggle at the situation.

You try to calm down from moments ago and focus on the movie however your mind and body couldn’t seem to calm down, frequently shifting in your seat and running your hands up your thighs. After about 15 minutes you had grown frustrated. Shifting again in your seat your hand accidentally grazes Charlie’s upper thigh, he lets out a quiet whimper as you realise he’s still rock hard under the blanket from before. His gaze meets yours with a slight embarrassed and frustrated look, you can’t help but salivate at the thought of him still riled up from your slight interaction. You discretely bring your hand over to his bulge under the blanket and softly begin to palm him through the fabric of his pyjama pants, his body slightly shudders at the contact again and begins whimper quietly.

Moments later the credits begin to role on the screen as if answering your prayers. Robbie lets out a groan and exclaims “fuck I’m exhausted, I’ll see you love birds in the morning” before slowly walking to his room. Charlie’s lips couldn’t be on yours quicker as he pulls you back onto his lap replacing your palming with a slight grind of your hips against his core, you moan at the relief and kiss him deeply. His new found confidence was extremely attractive his every touch making you wetter by the second. The kiss is hot and needy the rhythm of your lips matching that on your hips.

He slightly pulls back and stares at your torso then looks back to you anxiously, you instantly pull your loose top over you head to reveal your delicate lace bra, Charlie groans at the sight of your chest and aggressively kisses your cleavage you were shocked at his sudden boost of confidence, this was the same boy who was nervous to hold your hand just last week. You tip your head back and pull at his hair at the contact shifting your hips against his wildly. When he pulls away to again look at you and the mark he’s left you pull his shirt over his head, to be met with his surprising toned chest, running your hands all over his torso and strong back.

Your lips find each others again and both of your hands roam each other wildly, as you try to shift your positioning so that you’re lying beneath him on the coach. You begin to tug at the waistband of his plaid pyjama bottoms eager to get them off but struggling, to help you out he stands quickly pulling them down alongside his boxers to reveal his hard red cock as you quickly pull down your shorts and panties. He stands over you for a moment admiring you, eager for real ease after what felt like centuries of foreplay this evening, you whisper “please Charlie, I’m on the pill” your voice needy and your body hot before he again brings himself over you.

He kisses you deeply again cupping your face in his hands. You guide him to your entrance and help him slowly slide into you, he moans against your lips at how perfectly he fits inside you, your back arches off the coach slightly at the full pleasurable feeling. You slowly move your hips so that he can find a rhythm, sinful whimpers and whines leave his lips mixed with moans of your name as he repeatedly slams into you. You again bury your hands in his hair and your mind is clouded by the pleasure.

You know he won’t last long being his first time however your stomach knots at the pleasure approaching your release, moaning his name and tugging harder at his thick brown hair. His thrusts begin to get more and more sloppy and his whimpers grow louder and louder as he approaches his release. Sinful moans mixed with the repetition of your name echo throughout the room as you both ride out your releases.

[justrainandcoffee]

Mercy (Arthur and Tommy Shelby) + (Luca Changretta x fem!oc)

Summary: Who's that tall black woman entering the Garrison without asking permission? Arthur Shelby felt something when he saw her. She was looking around, when finally she saw his blue eyes. "Who are ya?" he asked. "Mrs. Changretta," she answered "and you're the one who killed Luca."

Warnings: None.

Words: 1.7k || I'm sorry if I didn't capture Arthur's voice perfectly. It's hard enough to write in other language 🙃.

Over a year ago.

One of her friends was trying to comfort her. Kelly was a dancer in the same place that Aveline sang and the same as her, she was a black woman.

Rumours were too loud to be false. And that explained his disappearance. Aveline was walking to her home when she first heard it.

"Luca Changretta is dead."

"He was betrayed. A mad man killed him."

Luca was dead. Aveline felt her heart breaking in thousand pieces but she refused to believe it. Anyone but Luca.

Next time she heard it was at her workplace. She was leaning against the counter when one man said to the other that the Changretta clan were part of the history now.

"Arthur Shelby."

"The peaky blinder?"

"The eldest one, yes. He shot him."

Her eyes filled with tears. Luca was an assassin and she knew that probably deserved to die, but it didn't mean that it hurt less.

"I'm going to England," he had said to her their last night together "I have business with certain family. But I'll return to you, amore mio."

Aveline smiled at him, while Luca kissed her bare shoulders. "Will you be alright?"

"Of course, Linnie. As always. My sweet Linnie."

They made love once again. That same night Luca gifted her his pocket watch and a brooch made of gemstones. "So you can remember me," he said. "You know, beautiful lillies are Italy national flower and when I saw this brooch I thought it was a perfect present for you. You're a beautiful flower."

She kissed him. Months later, Aveline still could feel his lips over hers and his tongue in her mouth. Luca was as passionate as dangerous.

That was the last memory she had of him.

Now

Birmingham has nothing to do with New York. It was cloudy, cold, rainy and full of mud. And in comparison it was really small. You could hide in New York but apparently not in Birmingham.

Small Heath was almost empty. Very few people pay attention to her.

"Where's the Garrison?" she asked to a man who was selling milk.

"Two blocks away, ma'am. But be careful, not good people."

"I know. And I appreciate your help, sir."

Arthur was smoking and drinking whiskey waiting for Tommy who was dealing with new partners and Michael. Their cousin was starting to be a nuisance and they tolerate him only because of Polly.

Some men were drinking there as well, minding their own business.

The door opened again. This time the person who entered was a really tall woman. Arthur looked at her. Her slim and yet curvy figure was covered by a purple dress. Her gloves were black as her hair. And Arthur could say that she was a pretty woman but most of all, he was impressed by her height. Taller than him, for sure who was the tallest of the family. So different from his wife. The black woman talked quietly with the barman and he pointed to Arthur who gulped.

He stood up when she walked towards him. He wasn't used to see people taller than him. He had to lift up his head to look at her.

"Good afternoon," she greeted.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. How can I help ya?"

"Are you Arthur Shelby?"

"Indeed, ma'am. The owner of this foockin' bar. Who are ya?"

The black woman extended her hand and Arthur took it "Aveline is my name. I'm from New York… and I'm Mrs. Changretta."

A cold shiver ran through his spine. Luca Changretta was married? That killer bastard had a woman? How could Tommy ignore that? Arthur could see Luca behind his wife smiling triumphantly at him.

"Did you really think that you could kill me without consequences, Shelby?" He imagined Luca bitting his toothpick and smirking. "I just sent you my beautiful black angel."

Arthur blinked, still confused. Luca Changretta had a woman and she was there, probably, to kill him.

"May I sit down?"

"Sure, yeah. Yes." Arthur moved the chair and helped her. Then ordered the barman to bring her a glass of gin.

"How can I help ya?" He asked seconds later when they were alone once again.

"I need answers. I really need answers." Aveline touched the glass but didn't drink. Her long fingers grabbed it, feeling the coldness of it. "Why?" Now her dark brown eyes were looking at him.

Arthur drunk another glass of whiskey before answering. "He killed my little brother. My Johnny boy. Then he tried to kill us one by one. I had to."

"You talked as you didn't have another chance."

"I foockin' didn't. It was him or us."

.

"Who's the woman Arthur is talking to?" Tommy Shelby arrived at the pub and saw his brother talking to a woman he had never seen before. The barman shrugged.

"No idea, Mr. Shelby, she came in and asked for Arthur they're talking since then."

From the distance, Tommy studied his brother. Arthur clearly wasn't flirting with her, he wasn't trying to seduce her. Arthur was uncomfortable, but the question was why.

The leader of the Peaky Blinders walked towards them. He put his cap inside his pocket and approached the lady.

"Who are you?" she asked confused by his attitude.

"Don't you know who am I?"

"Should I? I have no clue who the hell are you, sir, but I'm talking with this gentleman."

"He's my brother," interrupted Arthur. "The one in charge: Tommy."

So that was Thomas Shelby? Aveline stood up slowly and looked at him. He barely surpassed her breasts. She saw his blue eyes trying to reach hers, so Aveline lowered her head facing him. "Good afternoon, then, sir."

But Tommy wasn't a man who could be easily intimidated, not even for a tall woman. Why was she so tall? So he didn't apart his eyes from hers. The woman barely blink.

"She's Changretta's wife," Arthur said looking at the table. Only then Tommy stared at his brother and then at the woman again. "Luca Changretta in any case," clarified.

Tommy wasn't sure about it. He investigated. He really did it and as far as he knew, Changretta was a single man. Too busy for love, for a woman. "I need proofs," he said.

"What makes you think that I'm going to show you some proofs apart from my words? Do you want me to prove you that I knew him and that I loved him with every inch if my body? Luca was everything to me."

"He was not married."

"Not officially. Look at me, Mr. Shelby. I'm nothing but a black woman, do you know the atrocities I have to hear day after day? The things his family said to me! But Luca… he was different. We didn't married officially because it's forbidden, because in the eyes of the law I'm less than person. But we did married. Alone, just him and me. I became Mrs. Changretta one cold night after a particularly bloody massacre. I didn't approve it, but I always accepted Luca the same way he accepted me. I'm Mrs. Changretta. Like it or not."

Tommy lit a cigarette. It didn't seem to him that the woman was lying. Only a wife could talk that way of a man like Luca. What she wanted, then? Money? He offered her a cheque but Aveline cursed him.

"I came here because I needed to talk to Arthur Shelby. His name crossed the ocean. Of course, the hero who killed the monster."

"Not a hero, ma'am. Just a man. I won't ask for your forgiveness, this just our job."

"I don't believe in forgiveness. I don't believe in mercy. And considering your job, I don't think you believe in it either. Don't worry about that."

Aveline studied the eldest brother. Unlike the other one, he looked defeated. She imagined Arthur Shelby like a knight in a shining armour. Brave, arrogant, despicable. Instead, he was nothing but just a man. Probably haunted by his own demons. Amazing that he was the one who killed her Luca. Her poor Luca. It seemed he was more willing to talk until Thomas Shelby appeared, now it looked like he was looking for his permission to open the mouth. Tommy Shelby was clearly in charge.

"Then, if you already talked to Arthur and if you don't want money. Maybe what you want is protection, a shelter… I know a woman in London. She works helping women in need. Her name is Rose Solomons…"

"Ya foockin' kill Alfie!! Ya don't want two widows, thanks to the Shelbys, together, Tom."

"Oh, another one. What a nice hobby. Killing husbands must be a nice entertainment." Aveline, snorted.

"Same hobby as Luca. Ask John's wife what she thinks about it." Tommy replied.

"The same wife who run away from your family with the kids? That one? Esme Lee-Shelby, nice woman… she wants you dead."

Tommy chuckled, "I see you did your job."

"I'm a Changretta, do not underestimate me. But, I'm not a killer. My hands are clean and so is my soul." Aveline closed her eyes just for a few seconds. "Do not fear me. I'm harmless. I'm just a singer and now I'm just delivering a message."

"What's the message?"

"The blood of Luca Changretta will chase you. From now and for the next decades."

"All Changrettas are dead," affirmed Tommy Shelby.

Aveline smiled at him, "Wrong. There's still one. Augustus Caesar Changretta my son. His son. Named after the founder of the Roman Empire. Fascinating, don't you think? Maybe he'd found a new Italian empire. It'd be interesting that in the future a tall black man appears in front of you claiming vengeance for a father he never met."

Their last night together, Luca and Aveline had made a baby. The boy was a little over a year old now. The kid was protected by a person she trusted very much.

Aveline stood up and walked through the pub until she reached the door.

"I don't have anything else to say. Good afternoon, a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shelbys." She was ready to leave but stopped for a moment "Do you know what Italian word Luca taught me first?"

Arthur shook his head and Tommy just looked at her.

"Vendetta."

[scooby-snacs]

Marauders Modern Sport/Activity Edition 101 Comparison

did anyone ask for this? no. am i going to haphazardly tell anyone in a random post on a very mundane Saturday anyway? abso-freaking-lutely.

James Potter - ICE HOCKEY

he makes the calls, he keeps the team together in the dressing room. he’s the first one on the ice and the last one to leave. he power skated in his youth to know his blades more like an extension to him. through losses and wins he keeps it upbeat, he knows when to call it. he pulls the fancy spins the quick turns the digging and battles at boards and around the net. he’s always the first to pass rather than going in for a one timer. he gets nearly triple the amount of assists than he does goals, not because he can’t get the shot and the buzzer singing from the net, but because he doesn’t need the stats. He’s here to play, as a team not as a sole person.

SIDE NOTE: see CONNOR MCDAVID

Sirius Black - ICE HOCKEY

he knows his edges, he can weave and spin with the best. He’s the one to pull a stop out of nowhere and go scrambling in the next direction. likewise he isn’t afraid to be a hard hitter to smash an opponent into the boards to pull a man off his teammate at the net. he looks after the team, he’s the big brother- the protector and the defender but sometimes he does it a little to well and finds himself spending more time than necessarily helpful in the sin-bin. he’s the brutality of the sport, but also the art of it. he energized the team by getting them going when they’re down and has a killer slap shot. he might not call the plays on the ice, but he’s the one to keep the plays alive.

SIDE NOTE: see QUINN HUGHES

Remus Lupin - COURT VOLLEYBALL

great setter, always calculating the game, and trusting his players to get the ball across the net. able to land the last hit and direct to the available uncovered sections across the court. likewise a very powerful and well-aimed serve could be the end all to the game. he controls the game how hard they hit and how fast the pace. it’s delicate but not outwardly so unless he makes it such. he likes the control it gives him, that he makes decisions, that he has choices.

Peter Pettigrew - GOLF

high points are a blunder and he likes the high stakes game. it’s the type of sport where the goal is to play less to win. which is just Peter’s speed. likewise it’s something recreationally that allows him to mess around in a golf cart and take the boys out for a Sunday afternoon with some refreshments like beer in the cooler and take part in a more domestic game of it that he would lovingly refer to as “whack-&-dash”

Regulus Black - FIGURE SKATING (ice dancing) & BALLET

was in ballet as a child until he came to the realization that his feet didn’t have the natural arches that better yourself for the sport, late into ice skating it soon became more apparent that he could still retain his artistic routes but ‘wow’ on the ice much like Sirius. he was naturally gifted at knowing his blades, they were like a second extension to him. He felt like he lost an arm when he was without them. he primarily did solo routines, due to his shorter stature and weight, partnered routines never moulded well with him, he was better on the ice alone. for him to succeed with a partner on the ice they would have to be willing to grant him the female counterparts roles, as that is what he was accustomed to skating and doing- he tried training for lifts but his size left him lacking. He was strong and brilliant in his spins and corrections working endlessly for perfection.

Barty Crouch JR. - SOCCER (eurpoean football)

in it to win at whatever cost. cleats to his shins when kicking, nasty wipe outs and grass stains on his arms, legs and cheeks from diving for the ball. He would be the first to go down screaming from another teams missed kick, and the first to be jumping in during a scrum. he’s all passion and fire on the field. deadly fast and deadly accurate not only by his aim- but not particularly showy about his skills. there’s no fancy dribbling and passes. he keeps it simple, from player to player passes and then the ball to the net. strong believer in the KISS method (keep it simple stupid)

Evan Rosier - COURT BASKETBALL

he would be tall, not the one to run up centre but to always pass the ball for another more able body could take the shot. Calculating and accessing as he changed positions on the court to always be open. It would be delivering sneaky elbows and trips to opposition when the refs attention was otherwise turned to keep his lane free so others could send the ball to him. he wasn’t be afraid to take the penalties and do the dirty work to get was needed completed.

Lily Evans - COURT VOLLEYBALL

she would have a powerful serve and instead of setting the pace of the game and setting the plays at centre she would be a hitter at the net or a power hitter from the back. she would leap for the balls with scrapped knees from slipping pads and go down hard every play. She would throw all hands in and be the first to leap at her teammates in an eccentric hug at the end of each set. Deadly focus to win but having a blast getting there as she did her part.

Marlene McKinnon - BASEBALL

it’s competitive and it’s often summed as a male only sport. She would in her youth have been on all-boys teams, likely having the hardest curveball and be an excellent pitcher. I could see her having deadly aim and accuracy when at the mound. when batting she’d recklessly abandon herself to the thrill of going base-to-base, and always going for a base steal. no hesitation and full trust in her team to do what needed to be done to win. she’d be ruthless.

Pandora Ollivander - GYMNASTICS

particularly the artistic gymnastics. since not only is it an exceptional art form but it requires and represents a very unique set of talent and strength to compete. it can be beautiful, but it can also be very hideous at times come competition and rulings with its ridicule by others. it’s countless repetition on getting your holds and your standings right and your balancing on the precise on falling or rising. it is an all stakes sport, which I think captures her well. (also a very small willowy blonde with long blonde hair doing flips and switches from beams and poles…)

SIDENOTE: see SIMONE BILES

incase it wasn’t obvious I’m quite the hockey fan, every other sport I know only preliminary knowledge about from highschool and college lol. anyway cheers!

[bullet-prooflove]

StolenMoments!Series - Part One: First Date - Vostanik Sabatino x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @novamariestark @words-and-seeds

You try not to like Sabatino, you really do. He's a spook, a CIA Officer, a master of manipulation but there's just something about him that captures you. You know that the outcome of that last mission weighs on him, you can see the regret in his eyes when he talks about Brendan Broake’s death.

Murder is what you’d thought when you’d first encountered him under his alias.

Accident is what he had told you in the aftermath.

You believe him, despite yourself.

When he’s not wearing a persona, he’s captivating. He talks with his hands, the left side of his mouth quirks up into a smile, his accent is sharper, more defined. It’s a far cry from the alias he was using when you first met him, an insurance adjuster called Roger who simply spat out the word lawyer.

“I heard you had to cancel a date tonight for this?” He says as he sits beside you in an unmarked car, watching the building across the street.

You’ve been here for a couple of hours, keeping an eye on your target. He hasn’t done anything more interesting than pass by the window a couple of times with a glass of top shelf whisky in his hand. In comparison the two of you are now eating Chinese from white take-out boxes with chopsticks.

“Sam and Michelle are trying to set me up with a teacher friend of theirs.” You tell him, your eyes fixed on Sidorov’s window.

“I’m guessing you weren’t looking forward to it.” He says, digging through the noodles in his box in search of the chicken.

“Trust me I much prefer being here with you tonight.” You utter, grimacing as Sidorov lingers in front of the glass with his robe open. “I never know what to say when they ask what I do for work…”

“Because if you say law enforcement, they either lose interest or they get a little too interested.” He summarises, nodding knowingly.

He’s been there, he was DEA before he became an operative for the CIA, he’s met his fair share of badge bunnies. They’re good for a night but anything more than that and they start to get a little crazy.

“I had a guy take me home to show me his murder wall once.” You reveal and suddenly his interest is piqued. He tilts his head towards you.

“O.J, JonBenét Ramsey or Jonathan Luna?” He asks because he’s been on the receiving end of the first two before and the third is more of a personal favourite, he’s listened to it recently on a true crime podcast.

“Technically two of those are already solved.” You remind him and he almost spits out his food because there’s not a person in his very small circle who knows who Jonathan Luna is, despite how weird the case is. The fact you do…

It makes him like you just that little bit more.

“Jonathan Luna’s not solved.” He protests, pointing the chopsticks at you. “There’s not a chance in hell that was a suicide. You can’t convince me otherwise.”

The edges of your mouth twitch up into a smile and his gaze meets yours. A blush creeps up his cheeks because he’s just betrayed a part of himself, shown you something that he’s passionate about. You want to explore that a little, hear his thoughts, his theories. You want to hear all about those true crime podcasts you know he listens to.

“It was The Golden State Killer.” You respond to his earlier question “Before they caught him.”

Boring, he thinks. Every man and his dog had a theory on that one before Paul Holes had managed to track down the killer. He is curious though…

“Was he close?” Sabatino asks, picking up his soda from the cupholder and sipping through the paper straw.

“Not even a little.” You laugh and he shares a smile with you because he gets it entirely. He’s lost count of the number of parties he’d attended before he turned CIA, where people would literally assault him with their theories. It’s a hazard when you’re law enforcement.

“I can’t even keep a plant alive let alone a relationship.” He confides in you, before gesturing between the two of you. “This is probably the best date I’ve had in years.”

“It’s in my top three.” You say with a humorous lilt. “Stuck together in a car, eating Chinese food while we wait for Sidorov to finish fucking his mistress. It’s dinner and entertainment.”

He laughs then, it’s a rich, warm sound that resonated through his body. It catches him off guard because for the first time in a while it’s genuine. He’s used to pandering to other people, making them feel comfortable, it’s part of his job. However, sitting here with you tonight, it’s the most real he’s been with another person in a long time.

“I guess the second date will have to make up for it.” He says, setting the takeout container on the dashboard before he wipes at his mouth with a napkin.

“Oh, you think there’s going to be a second date, do you?” You tease before setting your own little white box onto the panel so you can hunt down the carrier bag. He pulls it out with a flourish before holding it open for you. A clean stakeout space is a happy stakeout space. He waits for you to deposit the trash before he fastens the bag, and he tosses it in the back seat before he turns his attention back to you.

You’re an attractive woman, he thought that the first time he met you but it’s more than that. There’s a connection between the two of you, an undertone of something. He finds himself slipping back to the person he used to be, the man beneath all the identities. He hasn’t been that person in a very long time.

“I’m kind of liking the vibe we have, aren’t you?” He says dipping his head so that he can meet your eyes. “And I can promise you that I don’t have a murder board at home, that’s strictly for office use only.”

“You’re serious?” You ask him and he smiles.

It’s his real smile, the one that no one else gets to see. You can tell because his eyes crinkle at the edges.

“Yea.” He says quietly as he leans in a little, his gaze lowering to your lips. “There’s an Italian place not far from the Boatshed. A little dinner, a little wine, we can get to know each other better.”

“You can tell me about your true crime podcasts.” You murmur as he reaches out, his thumb ghosting over the apple of your cheek. The scent of his aftershave floods your senses, something woody with a citrus undertone. His nose trails along the length of yours and you tilt your chin up so that your mouth brush over his.

You’re surprised by how soft his lips are, how tender he is with his kiss. His thumb chases along the line of your jaw and already you know you’re falling for him. And that’s ok, because he’s falling for you too.

“Sidorov’s on the move.” Sam’s voice comes across the radio. “Back exit.”

The two of you break apart reluctantly before pulling on your seatbelts.

“Tomorrow night.” He promises, his gaze focusing on the road ahead as he starts the engine of the car. “We’ll do it tomorrow night.”

***

The second date never happens.

Instead, the two of you end up sharing a cigarette outside of the Boatshed. He lost a friend today; a partner and you can see how much it devastates him. It’s in the way he pinches his brow when he strides outside to get some air, his hunched shoulders. He’s barely keeping his shit together.

“I have to go to Washington tonight.” He tells you wearily and you nod your understanding. You’d heard they were setting up a taskforce to bring down Sidorov, you know he has to be there. That even if it was a choice he’d still go. You didn’t like Synder, but he deserved better than being shot to death on a basketball court.

“Nik.” You say his name and his head inclines towards you.

Your fingertips brush over his cheek and he raises his hand, clasping your palm to his face. He closes his eyes for the briefest of moments, savouring your touch because he knows it’s the last time he’s going to feel it.

“I’m sorry we missed our moment.” He says, his lips brushing over the hollow of your wrist.

“Yea.” You whisper with a sad smile. “I am too.”

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[gaffney]

Wait SAY MORE about junior year Ducks. Who is on Varsity vs. JV in your mind?

OK SO i got this ask but i also got another asking which issues i could see the ducks having in junior/senior year so i’m just gonna combine them!!

for me, the people making varsity would be adam, julie, guy, ken, fulton & charlie because (imo) they've always had the most potential

i like to think imagine adam would struggle with the fact that this may be a repeat of freshman year, however i do think because he has more ducks with him it’d be an easier transition this time around. i’d also love a storyline where has to deal with old varsity members who he knew in freshman year (who were in their sophomore year/now their senior year) who still feel like he betrayed them and don’t want to trust him. maybe a player who’s on the same level as banks and gives him an actual challenge for ~star player. would also love the return of the hawks (larson and/or mcgill) in his personal life because i’ve always felt like that was an unfinished storyline

one thing i’ve always appreciated about the ducks is that it’s a mixed team of boys and girls, with everyone on equal footing. connie, julie, and tammy have always been just as good as the rest (or even better). and it worked really well at the peewee level! but if we’re being realistic… as they get older, i feel like physical differences might start to have a bigger impact. especially in contact sports like hockey. in d3, we already saw connie getting knocked around pretty easily because she’s fucking tiny in comparison to some of the dudes. hell, they even alluded to it in d2, when dwayne had to rescue her by lassoing the opponent. so yeah, i think it would make sense to have separate teams to ensure everyone’s safety and fairness… and eden hall definitely has the resources for it. it’d be awesome to see a storyline for connie where she came to terms with this (and this mostly being the reason she didn’t make varsity) and then decide to team up with linda to petition for a women’s team at eden hall. this would most likely cause friction with julie, however, who is playing on a mixed team’s varsity and doesn’t want to give that up–but, as a goalie, is also in a slightly different situation because she isn’t getting the brunt of all the physical plays. this would actually be a really cool fic to read… if written with respect ofc. i don’t wanna see any misogynistic or transphobic bs

for guy, i think he’s a great technical player. he’s above the average, but he’s also just kinda… there. he doesn’t have adam’s single-minded focus & talent, or charlie’s tenacity & leadership insight, or jesse’s killer instinct, or even something that sets him apart like fulton’s slapshot or kenny’s fluidity on the ice. something that always catches my attention is guy basically going “we all played like shit” and connie retaliates with “no YOU did that, i played hard” which was 100% a line they threw in to make us aware of the fact they’re (still) fighting. but i like the headcanon that guy joined the ducks (district 5 at the time) because he wanted to have fun with his friends, and it turns out he’s actually pretty good, but he doesn’t actually have that a lot interest in the sport itself. he could struggle with the fact that he doesn’t have the passion that other people may expect from someone with his skill

with kenny, i think he’s a great player and deserves a varsity spot no doubt, but i would honestly just love more insight as to why he quit figure skating to play hockey in the first place 💀 like is it a cultural impact vs financial stability kind of thing? tibbles says “i convinced him hockey had more of a future” which might be true. does kenny ever end up regretting choosing hockey? we will never know… because even the creator of tmd did not care to give him a narrative and i think that’s bs. i would also love a kenny & tammy intro, where tammy was the opposite and decided to choose figure skating over hockey

fulton would continue the storyline they scrapped in d3: who is he without his fellow bash brother? i love bash bros but i’d love to see him realize that he is his own person and that whatever future he sees for himself–whether that’s in hockey or something else entirely–he doesn’t NEED portman there to be a great player and defenseman. in turn portman would feel Some Type Of Way that fulton got picked for varsity and he didn’t, but this also makes him determinated to improve on his own too. give them some friction but in the end they realize that they don’t need each other on the ice to grow but want to be in each other’s lives anyway

and then there’s charlie… let’s take away that c!! i’d imagine varsity already has a captain and charlie has to settle for not leading the charge for once (tho he’ll get it back in senior year imo). i just want him to build a better relationship with hockey and have fun without the pressure of trying to fill a certain role or weird attachment issues. but i also think i’d like most of his drama to just not be hockey/team related (other than trying to placate everyone now that there’s a clear divide) but let him deal with his daddy issues

i think russ would essentially be fine still playing for jv bc by this time he’s realized he doesn’t wanna go pro and has found something else to occupy his time. dwayne is just sad the team doesn’t get together a lot. the rest… idk. luis is too busy with mindy/being a perv and averman & goldberg are too busy being annoying and/or sabotaging the team i guess 💀

[lucy-the-demon]

Lucy goes on a ramble about character designs and how Harveys character design sucks in comparison to others

Hear me out.

The best character designs in my opinion are designs that tell you something about the character, very few times deviating from that actually work

Let's start by comparing Raymond to Harvey Both work in an office of some sort, they're similar looking, but Raymond has more personality and looks way better then Harvey (in my opinion)

Raymond is a smug villager from animal crossing, they're charismatic, snarky and full of themselves.

Harvey Is there.. but let's talk about what little personality i can see with him. He's anxious, he's quiet but he's apparently kind and extremely patient

Theirs a reason why people were in love with Raymond in 2020, overrated or not the character is well designed.

When i look at Harvey, I see a serial killer or a creep, intimidating perhaps, not an anxious guy who's sweet and extremely patient with everyone. His older designs looked more like that than the final design.

When I look at Raymond, I see a snarky charismatic, office worker. Which is exactly what he is

And Sdv has great character designs,

Like Shane he looks disheveled, he looks tired, his hoodie has holes in it and it's stretched out implying it needs to be replaced, it's been overused. his hair is oily, it implies that hes messy and doesn't care about himself which is exactly what he is. It's amazing character design, it's absolutely fantastic and it makes me absolutely go feral

Sam is another great example, his collar stands up, showing he's rebellious, his clothes look like something a rock star would wear, but his color palette is bright and welcoming which makes him look friendly and approachable, charismatic even, which is exactly who he is, he's very friendly to everyone he meets it seems.

I could go on forever about all the great Stardew valley character designs (Elliott, Sebastian, Maru, etc..) but we dont have all day.

I'm very passionate about character design if you can't tell.

But Harvey's character design says nothing that explains his personality, it says nothing, it shows the opposite of kind, patient and friendly, he looks intimidating to me, I don't think that's what concerned ape was going for when he made him as I said his older designs portrayed that anxious patient and sweet personality more than his final design does.

This really is a shit post and a half but I don't know what to say really, i just wanted to talk about character design and how Harvey's character design isn't very good. In my opinion at least

Disclaimer:

Even though I don't like Harvey, I won't shame you for liking him as a character, I like to poke fun at fans of Harvey but that's just it, just poking fun. It's a joke, I like to make jokes but whether they're funny or not is up to you, but this is a genuine thing I feel, that his character design doesn't reflect him as a character and it doesn't make him feel approachable or friendly to me, he freaks me out really and scares me away. His character design poorly reflects his personality to me at least.

The artists of this fandom do better work reflecting his character with than the game itself does despite the poor design he was given, but that's just the magic of art style and expression it's probably hard to reflect his personality despite the design he has. It can be done, I've seen people do it very well but sadly the game did him dirty I'd say at least in the design category. No offense to concerned ape though, most of this game is very well done and absolutely beautiful, honestly i could never do pixel art as well as he can and i won't even attempt it honestly, I'll stick to my mechanical pencils and paper to sketch and my tablet to digitalize it.

But that's all really I gotta say here, I'll see ya later..

[littlesparklight]

Some thoughts and comparisons about Achilles, Troilus - and Polydoros.

Some basics first: In the Iliad, Polydoros - here still Priam's youngest son, but of Laothoe, making him Lykaon's full brother - dies during Achilles' rampage after he's gotten his new armour. Troilus, always the son of Hecuba but either the son of Priam or Apollo otherwise, insofar as we have any indication of when he dies, probably dies early/ier in the way. He's not at all attached to the death of Patroklos or Achilles' reaction to that event.

So, potentially you have one of the youngest sons of the Trojan royal family dying one in the beginning, and one at the end.

Again, in the Iliad, Troilus is described as "hippocharmes" - that is a chariot fighter, basically. The implication is that he is old enough to participate in battle. Polydoros, however, isn't just Priam's youngest son, but young enough his parents didn't want him on the battlefield and he sneaks out onto it that one day when it's the most dangerous to have done so.

However, basically all of our surviving material until very late portrays Troilus not as a warrior, but as a child. Pre-teen at best, murdered, and not on the battlefield, potentially armed, but as fleeing, unarmed, into Apollo's/his father's temple. Troilus' murder is the murder of a child, and a gruesomely violent one at that, with additional mutilation of the corpse. The only potential reason given is that some few fragments of surviving sources imply Achilles was sexually interested in Troilus and was rejected.

Polydoros' death in the Iliad is the opposite of the passionate fury that hacking apart an unarmed, at most pre-teen child is. He's killed in passing, with no particular emotion or even note of the killing from Achilles himself. (Instead, the killing of Polydoros, who was basically playing, merely running between the warriors and showing off his speed, incites Hektor to his and Achilles' first and aborted confrontation.)

Considering Polydoros' age, and the pathos given to his parents wishing to keep him from the battlefield, one could think there would be more focus on his death in the text. But there isn't. Much like the human sacrifice of the twelve Trojan youths on Patroklos' funeral pyre is passed on exceedingly lightly, as if those twelve humans were nothing but a few more animals that Achilles have already sacrificed on the pyre, Polydoros' death is passed over extremely quickly.

The Iliad works hard to soften some of Achilles' most gruesome actions in his grief-fuelled rage. It's too much for this text, for its "hero", even when the Iliad lets him do these things. That stands in sharp contrast to the violent death this other young son of Priam gets by the hands of Achilles. A death some scholars think is implied behind Priam calling Achilles' hands "child-killing", despite the earlier attempt in the text at smoothing out Troilus' death into a battle-field one of a warrior old enough to be there.

Polydoros might as well be Troilus' shadow/double in a way, their deaths diametrically opposed in nature and point of time in the war but connected by the killer and their similar ages.

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

“MaXXXine” movie review

Short review:

As a love letter to horror and B-movies, I can’t hate it. But still, I can’t deny that the script felt very uneven.

6.5/10 (okay, I’ll be nice and round it up to 7/10)

Long review:

I have a feeling that Ti West is a huge fucking horror/B-movie/grindhouse nerd. Because as someone who loves shitty horror movies (I say that affectionately), this felt like a love letter to the genre. It’s weird, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie about Hollywood that is centered around horror movies. Usually, if a movie is about glamorizing Hollywood, it’s about the more “refined” genres like musicals or dramas (La La Land comes to mind). So I really appreciate the movie’s focus into this side of Tinseltown.

While I’m on the topic, this whole movie feels nostalgic. Of course, it’s obviously trying to replicate the 1980s aesthetic. But as someone who grew up on horror, you can feel the love that the creators have for the genre. I mean, there’s literally a character who’s a horror nerd in the movie. So I can’t hate this film on principle. For all its shortcomings, I can’t hate it because of the passion behind it.

Now, I’m not saying this was a bad movie. It’s definitely entertaining and manages to hold your attention from beginning to end. It may not be a scary film, but it’s oddly mesmerizing to watch. The movie is so slick and stylish that it hooks you in, and the mystery behind the killer is enough to keep you engaged.

If I had to make a comparison…forgive me if this is too obscure, but it feels like the Phantasmagoria games. Those games may be cheap, cheesy, and not very well written, but they’re oddly engrossing because of the style. Same with MaXXXine, the style/direction is truly the highlight of the movie.

All that being said, I can’t lie. The movie does fall apart on one major aspect; the story. Even though the movie keeps you hooked in with its campiness and style, the story doesn’t really hold up. If I had to pinpoint what the main issue with the story was, it’d probably be the unevenness of the plot.

The movie has one theme that they repeat over and over; do whatever it takes to become a star. Maxine is a pornstar who wants to be an A-lister, so most of the movie is about her struggle to be taken seriously. And that’s completely fine as a premise! The problem is that when we get to the final act, the story abruptly shifts into a different theme. When we figure out who the villain is, the theme is suddenly about the evils of pornography, horror, and Hollywood. That Maxine is a corrupt soul who has turned her back on God, yadda yadda yadda.

Again, the morality angle is not a bad premise. In fact, I liked how the movie deconstructed this trope by setting up the villain as a Satanic serial killer, only to be revealed as a Christian fundamentalist cult. It’s a nice reversal of the evil cult trope. The problem is that it doesn’t work with the rest of the movie.

Let me explain it like this. When the movie revealed who the killer was, my reaction was, “Wait, did the story just change? We’re doing THIS now?” Before the villain reveal, I legitimately thought the killer was going to be some failed actress or the #1 actress trying to protect her spot. Yes, I know that’s too close to the previous movies, but still, that’s what it felt like the story was building up to. So the final act ends up being both the best and worst part of the movie. It’s the best since it’s the most exciting section of the story. It’s the worst since it highlights just how disconnected the climax is from the rest of the movie.

But even with the climax not being justified by the story, the rest of the movie still feels uneven. There’s not enough focus on the actual serial killer. There’s too much focus on the private investigator. The flashbacks to Pearl don’t really go anywhere, especially since the climax has nothing to do with Pearl. Maxine is sorta just reacting to the events that are happening around her, not really knowing what to prioritize. The Christian fundamentalist stuff, which was just background noise for most of the movie, is then suddenly the focus of the climax.

So yeah, the story needed a lot of editing. It’s too meandering and listless that by the time you get to the climax, it feels unearned. Which is a shame since the movie is well made. Anyways, I’d recommend at least seeing the movie once, especially if you’re a horror movie buff.

[maverick-werewolf]

NEW NONFICTION BOOK - Sabine Baring-Gould's The Book of Werewolves, Annotated and Translated

Big announcement, just in time for Halloween! This source is useful not only on werewolves, but on many other subjects as well, including general shapeshifter legends and more.

Originally written in 1865, Sabine Baring-Gould's The Book of Were-Wolves is still considered among the best of sources in the field of werewolf studies, as well as folklore studies and the occult. A passionate dive into the folkloric and real history of werewolves, witches and sorcerers, and even madmen and serial killers, Baring-Gould takes a scientific approach to "proving" the reality behind werewolf legends. In doing so, he discusses werewolf legends across history, with particular focus on Scandinavia and the Renaissance / Early Modern eras, and even discusses other shapeshifter folklore from around the world, as well as providing trial accounts of famous killers such as Gilles de Rais. This book is a must-have for scholars in multiple fields and anyone interested in the history of the werewolf legend. The editor's contribution of annotations and translations provide further context to Baring-Gould's work, but his words in themselves are unabridged and uncensored from his original text.

This fully annotated edition of Sabine Baring-Gould's The Book of Werewolves includes:

Academic critique, comments, analyses, and comparisons to modern scholarship

Explanations of folklore and historical context

Translations of quoted passages

Bibliography and list of other helpful reading

Fully formatted and edited manuscript (with table of contents) updated to modern standards

Click here to purchase on Amazon.com, available in ebook/digital, paperback, and hardback!

If you haven't seen it, also be sure to sign up for my free newsletter if you want to keep track of my work, be the first to stay informed, and get free monthly folklore facts (werewolf facts, vampire facts, and more) in your inbox! You'll also get a free full short story and a long preview of my most popular work, the nonfiction book The Werewolf: Past and Future, for subscribing.

Website --- Patreon --- Wulfgard --- Werewolf Fact Masterlist

[astrxlfinale]

"NOW NOW ... we might have come off on the wrong foot ... but listen, listen -" and Caelus gets no choice but to listen as Billy's arm reaches for his shoulder's, a firm grip pulling him close up, cheek to cheek as a phone would be brought up between them; ". . . I have a hunch, a good great hunch. . . that deep down we might share artistic preferences. . ."

He would have said cuisine h o w e v e r would believable would that be coming from someone who couldn't eat the same way other, slightly more humanoid individuals did ? Art was therefore far better suited, finger tapping to unlock the screen before flickering through a couple of folders, one after the other, before revealing the golden mine that was a wide array of pictures of Monica.

Oh . . . M o n i c a !

Long legs, this summer's bathing suit collection, splashing in water as she'd sport a tempting, sweet bikini - that's right, bikini, that sculpted out flawless curves, a gorgeous curve of a bare him there she'd sit beaming under - what one could assume - was the sun (of course, it was a photoshoot and she was simply posing, but oh, to be at the angle of the sun admiring the fruits and gifts of a gorgeous, stunning woman ). Luscious, blonde locks draped over her shoulders, the bikini top doing the world a favor as it'd contain what was best left to fantasy.

". . . behold . . . M o n i c a. . ." Billy introduced, finger flipping through several other pictures, all showing off the long legged blonde in a beach setting. Each picture had a different bathing suit or bikini, sometimes in water and sometimes simply stretched out on a sunbed. There'd be a longing, loving sighs coming from the android there his frame would melt against Caelus' own. Had it not been for him he surely would've fallen to the ground; ". . . The Greatest Bombshell Alive. . ."

Being locked by the onset of passion was a familiar dance. A soul that's bound for glories manifested by their excitement. There's a selective taste of such matters that either garner the Trailblazer's approval or his raw disinterest, but Billy happens to fall underneath the former. It was hard not to imagine a smile playing upon the guy's face. Through an imaginary eye, that's exactly what is being perceived as the merry glint of a phone's glow sets up before them. Right now is a time to STUDY.

"I've always pictured myself as a touch of a visionary." Caelus muttered, content in being a witness compared to a thunder-catcher. "So if that soul of yours is stirring up some intuition--" The Trailblazing soul within grins gallantly at the thought! "Show me what'cha got."

New Eridu seemingly had a new cove for him to explore, and in comparison to the bitter opportunities of hollows, why not let Billy's personal collection serve as a welcome reprieve? Initially the newest 'Agent' believed that his gunslinging 'companion' here was someone who thrived in the mechanical. Hot rods, a good Harley, something that held a fiery engine and intended to become a conqueror of all distance, all underneath skilled hands. However, the golden magnanimity before him introduces a different set of killer curves.

For an instant, that jaw of Caelus's dropped as those golden eyes flared in recognition. A hot-blooded soul could never deny the wonder before their eyes! How the sight of a pristine beach served as merely a canvas, all for the sunlit angel to parade upon those sandy grounds to dance with poses.

"Mama mia.." He rightfully adds in, leading to that mop of silver hair to lean closer to the screen.

Studying.

That coat clad arm of this Nameless would find a similar anchor of support, grasping Billy's shoulder as they'd simply marvel. A muse who directs the pages, where the gleaming stir of the camera's life and its omnipresent lens turned angles into advantages. Even the delicately made clothing, sturdy in support, yeah imaginative in the way it hugs adds to the raw appeal. Just seeing the holy light above rained down upon her, casting all hollowed shadow away in lieu for this, to let such a scene persist says more than enough.

"Monica.." He mindlessly mouths. A soft flex of the throat follows as a stir of color tinges his face, as a inspired thirst for knowledge suddenly grips him like a blight. Holding the title such as The Greatest Bombshell was certainly no small feat. No. The raw energy that pictures alone could incite says more than enough!

Beauty.. Pure and simple.

Determination would thrust Caelus into action, splitting his attention away from the screen (with great reluctance) as the android is faced.

"Tell me more. Maybe it was just one hellish mishap in the wrong direction. Let's spin the record back a song!"

A new Monica appreciator was discovered.

@avaere

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

THE SECOND ACT (LE DEUXIÈME ACTE) (2024)

Starring Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Louis Garrel, Raphaël Quenard, Manuel Guillot, Françoise Gazio, Régine Mondion, Valérie Vogt, Hélène Alexandridis, Max Nicolas, Thémis Terrier-Thiebaux, Laurent Nicolas and the voice of Kim Barrouk.

Screenplay by Quentin Dupieux.

Directed by Quentin Dupieux.

Distributed by Diaphana Distribution. 80 minutes. Not Rated.

Screened at the 2024 Philadelphia Film Festival.

French auteur Quentin Dupieux is known for his surreal sense of humor and artistic vision. For example, his film Deerskin, which played at the Philly Film Festival a few years ago, was about a talking jacket which convinced his owner to kill just about everyone in a small French town. Smoking Causes Coughing, which also played at the Film Fest a couple of years ago, was about a group of superheroes who are forced to go on a mental health retreat. And then there is his early film Rubber, which is about a killer tire.

For Dupieux’ latest film – which opened the Cannes Film Festival this year and is making its US debut here – was supposed to be his attempt at normal filmmaking. In fact, it is teased as a kind of by-the-books romantic comedy.

Of course, Dupieux would never be some humdrum as to do something normal.

Early on in The Second Act, the actors who are playing the main roles start breaking character with regularity, to the point that the actual film plays second banana to the arguments and conversations that the actors start to have.

There is a lot of funny dialogue in there, but honestly the film’s gimmick loses interest long before the movie is over – and this is an abnormally short movie (80 minutes) which also pads its short running time with a minute-to-two long tracking shot of the camera gliding over some tracks right before the credits.

Dupieux tries to add some interesting wrinkles to the affair. We find out that the film-within-a-film is supposed to be the first film ever both written and directed by AI. And then the whole concept of reality flips over upon itself, with the scenes we have seen of the actors breaking the fourth wall also coming into question as we learn that much we have seen which seemed to be the actors talking may also have been acting, as many of the things that appeared to be reality are far from where things are seeming to end up.

It's a mindfuck of a movie from a filmmaker who is known as something of a provocateur. (Stories of people walking out of the Cannes screening seem to be a badge of honor to Dupieux.)

Still, unlike Deerskin,which was exceedingly odd throughout but had a nearly perfect climax, this movie seems to just go on and on long after the audience loses interest, even though, like I said, it was a very short film.

The climax here honestly pales in comparison to an earlier and nearly parallel scene in the film. This previous scene was way more shocking than the ending, which honestly felt a little anti-climactic repeating the same idea in a much more muted way. (Also honestly, neither version of the scene makes much narrative sense.)

In the introduction to the screening, the speaker from the Philadelphia Film Society suggested that he hoped that we would like the film, although he thought Dupieux may prefer for us to hate it. However, The Second Act doesn’t really inspire nearly that much passion in either direction. It’s a marginally entertaining film that essentially doesn’t really work.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: October 20, 2024.

[rey-jake-therapist]

Hey! I wasnt talking about referring to you at all in my last post. It was the Twitter X “experts” who keep saying bUT wHat aBOUt her husband in every haladriel TL. I appreciate your posts and insight too ☺️!

Oh fine, thanks for letting me now ! :D

I was a bit worried because I said something about Galadriel's desire for power not enough hinted at in the show; but you proved my point wrong, it was just not "right in the face" and it's just as good !

This obsession with Celeborn is really making me dislike the guy, while in fact I truly want to see him come back at some point. I think Celeborn has to appear in ROP, especially now that Galadriel has this history with Sauron (something that didn't exist in the books). But the lore-bros acting as if this dude was somehowessential to the plot while he was created only because Arwen didn't need a biological grandfather, and Tolkien didn't want Galadriel to be a Virgin Mary figure... It starts to get on my nerves.

I don't mind Celeborn being boring, I actually WANT him to be boring. And I want that, not to mock him or make nasty comparisons with her explosive relationship with Sauron, but because sometimes, "boring is good". In the show Dexter, the protagonist has a love story with Rita, a woman who was abused by her ex husband, who treated her horribly ; the relationship she has in the show with Dexter is very appeasing for her, precisely because it's "boring", or "normal" if you prefer. She doesn't want drama and passion anympore, she got enough of it. Of course it's very ironic, because Dexter is a serial killer aka anything but normal LMAO but she doesn't it at this point, and that's how she says she feels about their relationship.

I think that could be the kind of relationship that Galadriel could have with Celeborn : something that would stabilize her, soothe her, make her feel safe, aka the opposite of what her bond with Sauron makes her feel. He wouldn't need to be around her all the time ; Galadriel has to remain free and independant, she needs no husband to "tame her" ! But he could be her "safe place", a husband who will never judge her, never slutshame her for falling for Sauron when she didn't know who he was, who won't be able to understand what she goes through but will be willing to listen if she wants to talk... a true partner !

[catiuapavel]

I think the best way to experience Oz and Ozma's relationship is from Chaos route to Neutral route to Lawful route because it feels like you progressively dig into the layers of their relationship

Chaos route presents their relationship as a codependent one though mostly on Oz's part. He seems to cherish and idealize Ozma.

He goes as far as to project his feelings on Denam and Catiua, openly comparing himself to him.

And boy, does he project.

However Ozma appears strict and shuts him down. Still the route portrays a fun complicity between them as they seem to enjoy teasing Denam (about the torture his father endured).

During Neutral route, Oz is slain in Boed Fortress, early in Chapter 3. Ozma takes the role of the mourning sister, and, in turn, her feelings for Oz are put in the spotlight. And it's clear that this codependy is mutual when Ozma considers them to be two halves of the same soul.

Now it's Ozma's turn to draw a comparison between their relationship and Denam's and Catiua's. But unlike Oz, it's no jest and while she likens herself to Catiua, it's only to differentiate their feelings and emphasize that her love for Oz and the grief she feels after his passing is beyond comparison.

Ozma's behaviour is self-sacrificial, borders suicidal even. Usually driven by duty, the reason she defends Phidoc castle in Neutral route isn't because she's ordered to so that Lanselot may escape. She's staying behind to face her brother's murderer and avenge him, and she intends to die doing so.

Ozma can't consider the possibility of living without Oz. In hindsight, the differences in their death quotes on chaos route already hinted toward this:

She thinks only of reuniting with Oz in death whereas he is stricken by grief, but immediately looks forward to celebrating the death of her killer. This leads me to think Oz could go on living without her (albeit not without heartbreak).

Now Lawful route subverts our expectations and gives their relationship a complicated twist. We learn of Ozma's former betrothal to her current fiancé's brother whom she believes died in prison after assassinating their father, but is in fact alive (and innocent). We also learn that Oz knew all along and worked alongside Balxephon to hide this from her.

His apparent dedication to Ozma, as it's depicted on Chaos route, now appears rather superficial if he's willing to plot against her like this.

More so, Oz seems to resent Ozma for the love she bestowed onto Hobyrim and the passion with which she fought to have him saved. In contrast, he doesn't seem to mind her current arranged betrothal to Balxephon (most likely because he respects Balxephon and knows Ozma's heart isn't in it). He's both controlling and punishing her.

Lawful route also gives us a timeline in which Ozma's trust and confidence in her brother are shattered by the realization he was in cahoots with her fiancé who lied and used her.

Throughout chapter 4, Ozma struggles with the pain this betrayal has inflicted on her and with the persistent love she feels for him still. After all he's done, her Chapter 4 death quote expresses relief that she may see him again.

CODA Episode 4 develops this facet of their relationship further. Although Ozma confronts her feelings about her fellow commanders, Balxephon's and Lanselot's betrayal, and above all Oz's, she hopes to see her brother change his ways and live a long life.

On the other hand, Oz reveals just how depraved his feelings toward her actually are. He relishes the opportunity to see her in pain and unashamedly admits to it.

In the end, I don't think Ozma ever fully understood her own twin brother. She turned a blind eye to so much of what he did and so much of who he was. She thought of him as half of her soul and still showed she knew so little of that soul. There is a real tragedy behind it.

To discover their bond in order of Chaos - Neutral - Lawful is to be given one side, then the other, and to see the superficial before gaining some thorough understanding of how different these two are, and how different their love for one another is.

Personally I first play through Lawful then Neutral and finally Chaos, but I like to reflect on their relationship from this perspective nonetheless.