#and i'd better not see one after this ask!

[anqelrafe]

— ୨ৎ bsf!rafe showing your date what he was missing out on.

synopsis: after getting stood up by your date, your best friend decides he's gonna show him what he could've had. authors note: i'm honestly not sure how i feel about this but i wanted to get something out before i lose motivation. anywayss, enjoy!!. . .♡ content warnings: not proofread. a little rushed cause i'm tired lol. contains smut, mdni. unprotected p in v. dirty talk. oral f.receiving. fingering. praise. on call during sex.

rafe laid on his bed, his head resting comfortably on his pillows with his arm draped lazily over his eyes. he had been listening to you talk about your day for the past hour, just barely listening to bits and pieces. he was really only waiting for you to skip to the lunch date you were supposed to have that afternoon, but you were so stuck on the topic of wanting to try out a new lip combo—whatever that was. so he decided it would just be quicker to just ask you himself.

“what about that date?” he cuts you off mid sentence, moving his arm from his eyes to peer over at you while you leisurely span around in the swivel chair at his desk. “with uhh...what was his name? ayden?” your glossed lips pull into a frown, stopping your spinning “andrew,” you correct, your finger twirling around a loose thread on your shorts. “and it didn't happened. he never came”

rafe's eyes shifted to yours, an annoyed furrow in his eyebrows forming at your admission “you mean that asshole never even showed up?” he scoffed, now fully sitting up against the headboard.

“nope,” your murmur, shifting in your seat “not only that, but he texted me an hour later to tell me he didn't feel like coming.”

“what a pussy,” rafe muttered under his breath, pushing his greasy hair away from his forehead as he tried to suppress an eye roll. he hated it whenever someone wasted your time or let you down. he always thought any guy who you even batted an eye at was incredibly lucky. “he just doesn't deserve you then. n i already told you that you were too good for him. don't know why you don't listen to me. you need to go after guys who would treat you better.”

your lips purse, tilting your head sideways as you toy with the polish on your manicured finger. “uh huh. and who would that be, hm? you?”

“yes.” rafe’s answer is almost immediate and without hesitation. he had no shame, no remorse, no fear. he was straightforward and honest to a fault. “i’d never let you down, you know that. and i'd show you what your date should've done.”

your fingers stop picking at your nail polish, your lips pulling into a thin line. you knew rafe was a good friend, he always had been. but boyfriend material? you weren't so sure. you've seen the way he's run through girls like t-shirts; and you refused to be one of his discards. “rafe—” you started, but he cut you off, waving his hand dismissively.

“nah, nah. don’t ‘rafe’ me. i’m serious. you don't wanna date me? fine. understandable. but at least let me help ya out. y'know, as your friend. i could be uh...setting a standard or...whatever you wanna call it. i could give you a better time than he would've.”

you weren't stupid, you knew what rafe was trying to do. it's how he got all of the island girls to flock over him─manipulation. but was it really manipulation if you wanted it too?

‎ ‎ ─── ✷ ⊹ ࣪

“you taste so fuckin' good. shit — you're drippin for me.” rafe groaned, his eyes trained on drenched folds before they locked on your face, watching the way it contorted in pleasure with every swirl of his tongue against your clit. “feel good, yeah?”

you were only able to force out a few incoherent sounds, the overwhelming pleasure making your brain fuzzy. any guy you've ever slept with never offered or made the slightest effort to eat you out like this. so the new sensation of rafe's tongue had you seeing stars and gasping beneath him. “c'mon, i asked you a question, i want actual words, alright? i want you to tell me how good it feels. and look at me when i'm taking t'you.” rafe spoke against your sex, the vibration of his words making your hips twitch.

“mngh....y-yes.” you breath out, forcing your eyes open to lock to his, “feels good...s'good.” you whimper, glossed lips parting as you stare down at him.

“mmh, there ya go, that's my girl. when i ask something i expect a real answer, yeah?” rafe murmured as two of his long fingers easily slipped into your soaking hole, pulling a mewl from your lips and making your back arch off the mattress slightly. “fuck baby, you're perfect — s'fuckin tight.” he groaned, watching the way your narrow pussy sucked in his fingers, a ring of your slick coating the base of his digits. “y'been giving this pussy to amateurs i bet. don't worry though..i'll stretch ya out real nice.” rafe murmured, wrapping his lips around your clit, sucking on the sensitive bud, your eyes rolling back while his fingers moved in slow, deep strokes, finding the spongy spot that made you cinch around his fingers.

“mgnh...fuck, rafe. i—” you gasp, hands fisting the sheets under you, your words being punctuated by rafe purposely humming around your clit, the vibration making your hips twitch. “mmh yeah i know, pretty girl. gonna cum, yeah? go on baby...make a mess f'me.”

his hands squeeze your thighs as they start to tremble, a loud whine falling from your lips as your orgasm hits, your cunt fluttering around his fingers, glossy eyes squeezing shut. rafe groans against you, lapping your juices as he helps you ride out your orgasm. “yeah, that's it, baby...good girl.”

you felt completely boneless, muscles trembling and skin buzzing all over as you slowly try to come down, catching your breath as he pulled himself up to hover over you, his hand tapping your trembling outer thigh “open up f'me baby.”

your eyes flutter open, thighs shaking as you slowly let them fall open. your eyes half lidded as you stared up at him. rafe groans softly at the sight before him, positioning himself between your legs and slowly slid his leaking tip up and down your glistening lips, teasing your clit slowly.

“fuuuck” rafe groaned as he started to slip his twitching member into your leaking cunt, his eyes fluttering at the sensation of him bottoming out. “shit baby, you're so fuckin' tight...suckin' me in s'good” rafe grunted, his hips starting to snap against yours as he drove his cock in and out, watching your lips part and eyebrows furrow in pleasure.

your head falls back onto the mattress as you mewled beneath him, your lips opening but no words leaving your mouth, already too cock drunk to form any coherent sentences. “bet you needed this, hm? needed this pussy taken care of s'bad, you just had to be fucked by your best friend — you like that, don't you, baby? you like your best friend's cock stretching you out?”

before you could even process what rafe said, the sharp, jarring sound of your phone ringing pierced through the air. the loud and harsh sound causing rafe's eyes to snap up in annoyance, his grip on your hips tightening. “fuckin' christ — who's calling?”

with your brain slowly working to catch up to the situation, the persistent ringing of your phone seemed to finally sink in. your hands fumble around as you search for the phone, eventually finding it. glancing at the caller id, your eyes flutter in surprise, and you let out a whimper, forced to keep your eyes open as rafe's hips continue their relentless rhythm. “w-wait,” you stammer, struggling to catch your breath as you see andrew's name flash across the screen. “i — shit — i need to-”

“answer it.” he ordered, smirking down at you as he watched the name flash on the screen. “let him know your best friend's takin' good care of this pussy.” rafe murmured, noticing the hesitance in your expression.

“wasn't a question.” rafe grunted, taking your phone from your hand without any consent, his thrusts getting rougher as he answered the phone, putting it on speaker. “mmh, y/n's busy. fuck— y'know you're really missin' out though, man. this pussy's a fuckin' dream.” rafe spoke between breathy moans, the sounds of skin slapping and both you and rafe's moans clearly heard on the other end by andrew. “hear that? s'the sound of quality pussy, she’s sucking me in so tightly. bet you wish you were me huh?”

“hey, what is…” andrew's voice comes through the other end of the line, his words trailing off when he realized who he was talking to. “rafe?” rafe's smirk only widens at the sound of the obvious confusion and uneasiness in andrew's voice. “uh huh..” rafe groaned, “fuck man, she's takin' my dick so well; she even makes the prettiest noises f'me wanna hear?” the condescending, almost faux sympathy in rafe's voice was clear, it was obvious he was getting off on this.

he angled the phone closer to your face, making sure the sound of your lewd, almost pornographic moans and whines were clearly heard over the phone. “mmh yeah, all those pretty sounds just for me. but i uh— fuck, she might need to call y'back, man. gonna fill this pussy up soon.”

true to his word, rafe led you through four quivering orgasms after he hung up, letting himself go after your fourth one, his hips stuttering as his cock twitched, his warm liquid spilling inside of you.

“that definitely wasn't our last time...pussy's mine now.” rafe breathed out, collapsing next to you.

taglist 🪽: @bunbun-3 @drewscoquette @untitled10351 @rafesweetie @meetmebehindthemallrafe @supercutelovergirl @drewswife @plaidcowboy @missquantic @rafesdiorperfume @minitarayummy @this-one-weeb @akobx @mystianqel @lacebambidoll @dolletebun @milamilkie @ch6rm @rafesprecious

[aliceramblez]

Telemachus x Goddess of Joy!Reader (HCs)

pairing: epic!Telemachus x fem!reader

tags: fluff, childhood friends to lovers, telemachus is a dork, athena ships it, flower language, and some lore for the actual goddess of joy

artwork by Gigi on YouTube!

It's all happens one day when you're still very young.

After a particularly stressful day working alongside your sisters to please Lady Aphrodite, you can't handle the pressure anymore, so you travel to the island of Ithaca to clear your head.

It doesn't register in your brain that you've been crying until you hear a boy's voice calling out to you asking if you're alright. It's a mortal, obviously—a boy who appears to be your age, at least physically.

“Why are you crying?”

“I... I'm tired of trying to make others happy. I just want to be the sad one for once.”

You know you aren't supposed to mingle with mortals, so you keep your responses vague in hopes of satisfying his curiosity while not giving too much away.

But it wasn't like you were lying—as Goddess of Joy, you are expected to bring happiness to the hearts of everyone around you—Aphrodite included—, and it can sometimes take a heavy toll, especially since you haven't been using your powers as long as other Gods have.

The boy stares at you for a moment before running off somewhere in the field of flowers you've been sitting in, only to come back with both a small puppy and a pink peony in hand. He hands you the flower with a smile.

“My mommy says it's okay to be sad sometimes, so don't beat yourself up over it. I think this one would look pretty on you, though!”

You take the flower, give it a look over, and then turn back to the boy with a smile of your own. That's when the puppy leaps on top of you and starts slobbering you with kisses, much to the boy's dismay but your delight.

Since then, you decide to pay Ithaca visits more frequently whenever you aren't busy, successfully meeting up with the boy again and again to play.

You finally learn who he is—Telemachus. The prince of the land and son of Odysseus, progidy of Athena. Whenever he talks to you about his father, you can see the pain in his eyes of having to be sitting around waiting for a man who may never return. You decide to use your powers once in a while to help cheer him up.

It isn't until his thirteenth birthday that he finds out who you are.

“You're a Goddess, aren't you?”

It catches you by surprise, but it's not unexpected. Telemachus is smart, so it wasn't like he wouldn't find out eventually. After revealing your true self, all he does is sit down and listen, just like he did when you met all those years ago.

“I'm sorry I never told you. I... I liked being your friend without the pressure of a title between us. I didn't want you to treat me any differently.”

Telemachus doesn't do anything other than pick up a flower from the field you're both sitting in. A purple orchid which he tucks behind your ear with a smile, making you stare in awe.

“Goddess or not, you're still my best friend! I'd think you'd know me better than that by now.”

“Haha, I do... what even gave it away?”

“You're always showing up outta nowhere and people seem much happier whenever you're around, but like, in a super quick way! Besides, there's no way someone so pretty isn't a goddess...”

It's immediately clear that last part wasn't meant to come out because pink is now covering Telemachus' cheeks, causing you to flush as well.

More years go by and you begin to share stories with him about the Gods in Olympus—how Zeus is a womanizer, Poseidon looking scary but actually being a secret softie, and of course all the beef you have with your ‘boss’, Aphrodite.

He's always so eager to listen to whatever you have to say because of his dream of becoming a noble warrior, and will also comfort you whenever you're in a bad mood.

You try doing the same when more years pass and there's still no sign of his father. You offer to use your magic to help, but he says all he needs is a friend willing to listen, so that's what you become.

Whenever the suitors are giving him a hard time, you use your powers to make them be as sickeningly sweet with one another as possible, that it sometimes looks like they're in love. You and Telemachus get a crack out of it every time.

It's you who goes to find Athena when Telemachus is fighting Antinous, begging her to come help because there's really nothing you can do on the matter. She really doesn't need much persuading, though.

You can only thank the Gods that he's fine all things considered, but seeing him all battered up with cuts and bruises all over his body breaks your heart. You're immediately by his side with a washcloth and fresh clothes so that the wounds don't get infected despite his protests.

“I-I'm fine, really! Ow!”

“You will be fine once you stop moving!”

Athena chuckles in the background as you turn to her. She's giving you a knowing smirk, causing you to look away with a blush adorning your cheeks.

Once they start their training together, you're there cheering him on from the sidelines, which kinda backfires because according to Athena “we don't need any distractions”. You apparently fall under that category, and Telemachus is covering his face all the time but you swear you can see red on the tips of his ears.

Once Odysseus finally returns home, you're surprised to see Telemachus make his way to you as you're sitting in your usual spot.

He sits beside you and seems to be fiddling with something hidden in his robe. You can't see what it is from your angle.

“Aren't you going to spend time with your father?”

“He's with my mother right now. Something tells me they're going to be a while...”

“Right, I almost forgot. She must be overjoyed! But... are you okay? I saw what happened in there and...”

“Hey, I'm okay. Athena's training paid off. I'm tougher than I look, ya know?”

He then proceeds to comically flex his muscles with a wiggle of his eyebrows, causing you to laugh at this adorkable human being. You thank the Gods that you were born in the same time period as him, because now you can't think of a life without him in it.

That's when you notice the nervous fidgeting again and he's even started to advert his gaze after the little joke he pulled off. It's strange considering he's never been the shy type—when he's got something on his mind, he'll speak up no matter what.

“Are you sure you're okay, Telemachus?”

“Y-Yeah, I'm fine! I just... wanted to give you something. As a thanks for everything you've done for me.”

And before you can say anything, he's pulling out a flower from behind his back and placing it behind your ear. You can only barely register what it is before it's out of your sight: a red rose.

“You're the most amazing person I've ever met. A-And not just because you're a Goddess! You've always been there for me even when I don't ask you to, and have my back no matter what. You're just really nice, and funny and kind... I-I..”

You can't take it anymore and before your mind registers what's happening, you're already kissing him.

As you pull away, both your faces are as red as tomatoes and you can feel the smile on your face turning large and goofy. Giggles erupt from you both.

“I love you...”

“I love you, too...”

“And I love how long it took you two lovebirds to admit it.”

Athena's owl is gazing at you both and it almost sounds as it's chuckling while you two hide your faces in each other's shoulders.

Coming to Ithaca was the best decision you could've ever taken.

[fadedmunson]

wild horses | p. pascal

pairing ; pedro pascal x fem!reader :p (reader speaks some spanish)

summary ; cute lil fluff with the one & only mr pascallllll oooooooooo

warnings ; some suggestive comments (?) basically fluff

a/n ; AHHHHH finally writing for the loml after what feels like forever (i KNOW y'all saw that snl special cmonnnn)

"nena, come to bed please," pedro whines underneath atleast 3 blankets

"inna' minute i promise," you answer mindlessly, you eyes still glued to your laptop on your table

work was being such a pain in the ass right now, you nearly contemplated just shutting off the computer and quitting your job. sure, it's not luxurious or the most fun, but the job lets you work remotely so you can be home, which is wherever you and pedro are

today, home is his house in la. the sun is setting on the west coast and it peaks into his bedroom, creating a golden shade of yellow that spilled into the linen sheets he was laying on. his arm glimmering in the warm sunlight as buried his head into the fluffed pillows.

pedro was pretty jetlagged from just having gotten back to LA after doing the snl 50th anniversary, so you didn't complain or question him when he asked demanded you to come over once his plane landed. you agreed with an exception, he lets you get some work done. easy, right? right? WRONG

you forgot how much he loooooves to distract you

pulling up a chair beside you to pepper your cheek and exposed shoulder in kisses, toying with your idle hand and rings while telling you how pretty your nail polish is, braiding small pieces of your hair and reminisce about all the people he talked to in the city, saying 'fuck it' and just fully picking you up from the office chair and throwing you over his shoulder into the room, smacking your ass as you squeal and giggle for him to put you down

"and pedro is ready to finish her off," he exclaimed in a faux announcer voice as he walks over to his bed

"cariño please show mercy!" you plead, writhing in his arms, but his grip just gets tighter

"nuh-uh, you can't escape. now, for my final move; the smackdown knock-out!" you squeeze your eyes shut and yelp as he alabama slams you into the soft comforters before flopping right next to you.

you open your eyes and blink a couple times then turning your head to see him innocently tucking some of your hair behind your ear and interlocking his hand with yours

"hey pretty," he whispers while he kissing your knuckles and palm

you smile softly, taking your other hand and scratch his scalp before replying "hi handsome."

he scoots a little closer until his head is right on your shoulder, hiding his whole face into your neck

"how'd i do on my sketch? hope you were watching," he asks while wrapping his arms around your waist and you visibly see him untense more if that's even possible

"oh of course i was, how could i miss out on ronaldo? he was the sexiest brother in my opinion." you teased while caressing his arms around your waist

he lifts his head up a little "careful sweetness. if i didn't know any better, i'd say you have a crush on me." he playfully warned

"pfffffttt, as if!" you say before scooting down to be eye level with his face.

you press a kiss to his nose, the both his now slightly flushed cheeks, his forehead, the corner of his mouth, and hover over his lips before suddenly pulling away

"god im so tired!" you dramatically moan and let out a loud yawn

pedro grabs your entire face and crashes his lips into yours, completely melting into each other

his hands find solace on your waist as your hands gently grab face, feeling the stubble tickle your palms

you pull away first and you see a little pout forming on his lips

you have no idea why but it makes you completely smitten when he does that, so you give him what he wants.

tiny little pecks all over his face, the last one being accentuated with a short little 'mwah' before you pull away and see his eyes closed and a wide ass grin

"wanna watch fanny and alexander?" you gently ask while tapping your fingers on his neck

his eyes shoot open and instantly find your face

"god, i love you so much" is all you hear as he topples all his weight on you in a crushing bear hug, leaving you breathless and full of laughter

[btsugarush]

I'd Hate To Say it | pjm (teaser)

summary: when you return home from studying abroad, you come to find your former best friend, jimin, has made drastic changes to his life that could put him in danger or behind bars forever.

pairings: drug dealer jimin x fireader.

warnings: smut, violence, fluff, blood and gore, ex best friend jimin, gang member!jimin, tattooed/pierced!jimin, long hair!jimin, use of guns/knives, mentions of self harm, mentions of abuse, alcohol abuse, drugs, drug addiction, angst, murder, strong language, 18+, minors dni.

word count: 796

author’s note: yes yes, I’m getting back into my writing and I’ve finally posted at least the teaser to this fic lol.

Your heart beats heavily against your chest as you finally hear Jimin’s door unlock, the brunette appearing on the other side as it opens. He looks uninterested to see you, an annoyed expression on his face. “What’re you doing here, y/n?” He says dryly. You take a deep breath before you speak. “Is it true?” You ask softly.

Jimin leans against his door frame, a raised eyebrow as he waits for you to explain what you mean, but you don’t. “Is what true?” He urges you to go on. “What everyone is saying… that you– that you have something to do with that boy getting murdered.”

Jimin squints before his dark orbs survey the hallway to make sure no one is around. It was almost like he thought you were setting him up, but regardless of your estranged friendship, he still knew you better than that. Once he made sure the coast was clear, he pulled you by your arm inside his apartment and slammed the door closed. “What’s everyone saying?” He questions.

“That you, along with your little gang associates, had something to do with that shooting that happened in Busan last night.” Jimin scoffs, letting go of your arm. The brunette walks around you, running his fingers through his hair in distress. His back is turned towards you, and he stands in silence for a moment before turning to face you.

“Do you believe them?”

You’d be lying if you said you didn’t. It was time to face the painful truth; Jimin was no longer that sweet boy you used to know. “I don’t know what to believe anymore, Jimin. I mean… since I’ve been back I’ve barely recognized you. You’ve been into a lot of reckless shit, and now you have murder attached to your name? It doesn’t seem too far-fetched anymore.”

Jimin scowled at your insinuation. “Then I guess you got it all figured out, don’t you? Just call the cops now if you’re so sure, y/n.” He pulls his cell from his pocket, reaching out for you to take it. “Go on, take it.” He beckons. You shake your head, refusing the phone. “I didn’t come here to prosecute you, Jimin.” You speak softly. “I came here hoping that it wasn’t you… but I can read you like a book still, and I know you had something to do with it.”

The brunette makes a ‘tsk’ sound. “So what if I did, y/n? Are you gonna rat on me?” He takes a step closer to you, the look in his eyes intimidating; but no matter how hard he tried to instill fear into you, he was still Jimin. “No… but you should turn yourself in. I don’t wanna see you go down like this, Mochi.” You utter the nickname you used to call him when you were kids.

This softens the brunette for a mere moment before he finds himself enraged. “Don’t. Don’t you fucking call me that. Don’t you fuckin’ pretend to give a shit about me. Not after you left me behind.” He grits his teeth, pointing his ringed finger in your face.

“I never left you behind,” you push his finger away, glaring at him. “I had goals, dreams to achieve. I couldn’t be stuck in this dead end life like–”

“Like me?” He cut you off. “Say it, y/n. Say like me.” He pushes. You shake your head, taking a step back from the brunette. “I’d hate to say it, but you’re a lost cause. I should’ve never come here. If you wanna ruin your life forever, that’s fine by me. I’m done caring.” You turn to exit, but Jimin isn’t done guilting you. “You never did.”

This finally boils your blood, and you whip around to face him. “I’m not the one that stopped reaching out, you did!” You remind him. You were tired of being the one to blame for your fallen friendship with Jimin. The phone worked both ways, and he was the one that stopped answering your calls, and calling altogether. “I am tired of being blamed, I am tired of your coldness towards me. I don’t know what the hell you wanted from me!”

“I wanted you to stay!” He snaps. “But you left and I was all alone! I needed you, y/n. I needed you and you fuckin’ left me…” his voice cracks, and for the first time since you’ve been back you see a glimpse of the old Jimin in his eyes. Soft. Innocent. Lost. “I… I don’t know what to say…” your voice is gentle. Jimin finds his composure, shaking his head. “I don’t need you to say shit,” he spat. “You wanna know if I killed that kid? Yeah. I did it.”

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Captain's Orders 2

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, controlling behaviour, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: The Captain takes it upon himself to change your life.

Characters: Steve Rogers

Note: Ugh, here we go.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

Steve, Captain, First Avenger, whatever you should call him, follows you down the stairs. You're overly aware of his presence. You're confused by it.

You got in one argument on the internet and now he's here? What the heck is wasting his time online for? Doesn't he have a life? He did tell you to get one after all.

"I got it," he dips around you as you get to the bottom. He pulls back the fire door and you eye him warily as you step through. Once more, he's on your heels. He gets the front door too.

You cross your arms as you come out into the sunlight. He shades his eyes with his hands and sighs, "nice day, isn't it?"

You roll your tongue around before you answer, "yep."

"I saw a shop around here--"

"It's expensive," you say.

"I said I'd treat you--"

"Why?" You turn on him and stop in the middle of the sidewalk. You cringe and seal your lips. You steady yourself. "Sorry, I'm not trying to be rude. I got your message loud and clear. You didn't need to come and make sure. Is that why you came?"

"I will explain. Smoothies first." He insists.

You huff, "I know who you are but this is still kinda scary. How did you even find me?"

"You know who I am," he shrugs. Your chest swims with nerves. You nod and turn down the pavement.

"What'd you eat today? You should try some Vitamin C in the smoothie. Get a protein booster." He offers.

You're slightly irked by his advice, mostly the assumptions behind it. You wet your lips and bite back on your retort. You are not a combative person. You never have been. He was right on that front. You settle for a lot of nonsense.

You notice the stray glances in your direction. Not yours, his. People stare at him like fawns, wide-eyed and frozen in place.

"So, what did you have for breakfast?"

"Steve-- Captain-- What would you prefer?"

"We'll get to that too," he says smugly. His answer unsettles you further. He's so certain and you are entirely lost. Not to mention, embarrassed.

"It doesn't really matter what I ate," you say.

He points you ahead of him, down the walkway to the shop door. He once more opens it and sees you through. You enter and look around. The amount of booty-lifting leggings and bulging biceps has you shrinking down.

You stare up at the menu and try to piece together how to order. You get a base and a boost and then there's all these bobas and vitamins? This is too complicated.

"You have any recommendations?" You ask. Maybe that will appease him.

"Sure, I'll get you my usual. You wanna find a table?"

"Can do," you mumble and walk away.

You sit in the corner and cradle your chin in your hand. You tap your lip and blow a soft raspberry. There's a woman staring at you from her group of friends. Her assumptions would be kinder than Steve's. He's here to lecture you in person, not take you on a date.

He sits across from you and sets down a cup filled to the brim with sickly green. You shouldn't complain. You're not exactly eating gourmet. You thank him and reach for it. He stretches his hand over the top.

"You shouldn't put your elbows on the table. It's rude." He reproaches.

Your frown then sit up, dragging your arm off the table. You can't make yourself apologise. He so easily picks out your every flaw.

"You gonna try it?" He watches you.

You hesitate but bring the straw to your mouth. You sip and your cheeks pinch. It's bitter yet tangy. How?

"Mm, good," you lie."

"You get used to it," he says.

"Can I please know why I came home to you in my apartment?"

He grins and looks down. He pokes his tongue into his cheek.

"You don't get out much," he lifts his eyes.

"Yeah, you were right about that," you squirm and put the cup down. You clasp your hands in your lap.

"How old are you?"

You chew your cheek before you answer, "twenty-three."

"Mhmm, and you don't have any schooling? Not formal?" He wonders.

You put your eyes down, "no. Can't afford it."

"Huh, from what I gather, lots of students work their way through these days."

Your heart sinks.

"Couldn't get accepted either," you mumble. "That's my own doing. So no need to say it out loud."

Your shoulders slump and your eyes glaze. This is humiliating. It's like having lunch with your mom. Not that she ever did much better. Still, she picks you apart like a chicken leg.

"You should sit up. Bad posture won't feel good as you get closer to thirty," he girds.

You suck in a deep breath and sit straight. You scowl at him, "I got your point, alright? I already feel terrible. Is that what you want to hear?"

"No," he tilts his head. "I want you to try. I want you to do better."

"What does it matter to you? You don't know me."

"It matters to me because I can make you better," he says. "You said you don't get opportunities. That everyone else has everything handed to them, so my hand is open. I'm giving you what you're looking for."

"Huh?" You shake your head gently and furrow your brow.

"No rent, no work, none of that."

You blink and cross your arms. What is he talking about?

"Here's the deal. You get a free ride and all you have to do is follow my rules. I promise you, everything will be better. No manager, no loud sister, no bills."

You narrow your eyes, "and what do I have to do?"

"I said as much, live by my rules."

"Oh," you purse your lips.

You have this rotting feeling in your gut. He's not saying something. There's no reason for him to do this. Over one little spat on a forum.

"Is this how you save people, Cap?"

"I prefer Captain," he spreads his shoulders wide.

"Right. Captain. What if I can't live by your rules? You think I'm lazy--"

"Unmotivated. Complacent. Apathetic. Not lazy," he corrects you.

"Sure, but why... me?"

His eyes twinkle thoughtfully. They are very blue. You were so focused on yourself, you didn't notice... him. He's forged like a statue. His eyes are bright, his features made even more handsome by his beard and his grown out hair. And you are in your work uniform. A mess.

"Chance, I guess." He shrugs. "I mean, think about it, what else do you got going for you?"

You stare at the table then turn your sights through the window. You issue a soft sigh. You put your elbow on the table and he tisks. You quickly pull it back and wiggle your foot anxiously.

He's not wrong. You have absolutely nothing. You don't see yourself getting too much further than minimum wage and a shit apartment. You are being handed this, are you going to turn away what you always envied? An easy out.

"What does it... mean? What happens if I agree? What are the rules?" Your questions bubble out.

He combs his thick fingers through his hair, "the rules you'll learn. First, you're coming back to New York, so I can supervise you. Then, we start. You get into a regimen; exercise, clean eating, routine."

You flutter your lashes. This is absurd. You scoff.

"You're joking. You're mocking me. You're--" you cover your face, "I get it now. I almost fell for it."

"No," he reaches across and pulls your hands down. You flinch at the warmth of his touch, the roughness of his skin. "I'm not. Look."

He retracts his hold on you and you fold your hands over your chest. He reaches into his jacket pocket and slides out two cards. He lays down the thick paper.

"I have two return tickets. For me and you. Tomorrow at noon."

"Tomorrow-- huh?" Your eyes round.

"I'm serious. You better get serious too. You'll be twenty-four soon. Then twenty-five. It's not too far before thirty comes knocking," he taps the tickets.

You're not like him. You're not going to stay young. You're not amped up on super goo. You're only human.

"Or you can do what you always do. Nothing, then blame everyone else."

It's like a slap in the face. Shame and anger. Hurt. Doubt. He's right, it's time to grow up. This isn't an opportunity you get very often. In fact, you don't think many others have been given the same chance. For once, you won the lottery.

"I'll try it." You say.

"No try. You commit," he retorts.

"Alright, I'll... do it."

"You'll do it, Captain," he corrects you.

Your insides wriggle at that. You ignore it.

"I'll do it, Captain."

⭐

Static scratches in your ears and skull as you enter the apartment. Alone. Stunned. As if a mine exploded in your face. In a way, it sort of did. Your online griping finally caught up to you. That and your real-life failure.

Shea is in the living room. She gets up on her knees and smirks at you. "Aw, where is he?"

"Who?" You blink, not processing her question.

"Captain America, duh," she scoffs. "Come on, you really sent him away?"

"He's... busy." You go to your bedroom door and the couch lurches with her weight.

"Hey, you can't just not tell me why he showed up. You didn't say anything about knowing Steve fucking Rogers."

"I didn't?" You open your door and she follows you into your room. You face her and block her from going further. "Shea, please, I need to be alone."

"Why? You're always alone. It's why I'm so surprised you have hunky blond heroes showing up for you. Taking you out for a smoothie," she taunts.

She was listening. He was right to go somewhere else.

"It wasn't... like that. Look. I'm..." you back away and sit on the foot of your bed. You're dizzy. You really said yes. You're entirely sure to what. He kept it all a bit too vague. "I'm moving out."

"What? Why? But--"

"Yeah, er, yeah," you stutter as you build a lie in your mind, "he was here about a job. Long shot. I forgot I even applied."

"Wait? You're going to work with the Avengers? Doing what?"

You look at her, "paperwork."

"Paperwork?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Wait. How am I supposed to find a new roommate? When are you leaving?"

You rub your cheeks and stretch them as you drag your fingers down, "tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" She shrieks.

"Yeah, it's... they move fast."

"All the way to New York?" She blusters.

"Please, Shea, I need time to think."

"Yeah, me too!"

"I'll figure out rent for you. I don't know," you hold your head in your hands.

"Well, you don't seem very excited," she snorts.

"Shea!" You sit up with a snarl. "Stop. Alright! I need you to get out so I can pack."

"Don't yell at me--"

"I'm not..." you lower your voice, "yelling. I'm... trying to figure this out so please. Later."

She rolls her eyes and stomps out. "Donna!" She hollers and you get up to close the door behind her.

You stomp back to your bed and take out your phone. You almost can't remember work or all the BS there. You swipe through the search results and tap on the first that isn't sponsored: National Museum, Virtual Exhibit. You're brought to a page with a familiar face. Steve, with no beard and shorter, lighter hair. The infamous war hero.

You flip through, reading about his history, chewing your thumb. You stop at the part about the serum; 'This enhancement gifted Rogers with superstrength, heightened sight and hearing, improved resilience, and quick healing, among other capabilities.'

You rock nervously. That's a bit intimidating. You're not that stupid. You know he's a strong guy, almost invincible by the news stories, but you just never paid that much attention. Never thought of it. He protects people, right? But what damage could he do if he wanted to hurt someone?

Your phone vibrates. You flinch at the sight of his name. He made you take his number before you left the shop.

'I'll pick you up at 10. Wiil need to check-in for flight early.'

You send back a thumbs up. He's quick to reply.

'Is that a yes?'

You huff.

'Yes, Captain', you key in.

[gaypirate420]

I love your vastayan!reader oneshots! I never see vatayan reader inserts so it's always a treat when I see them!

I'd love to read more! Whatever you got! I'm not picky :)

Nyah! Kitty be upon ye!

Sunbathing// Viktor

Pre-S1!Viktor x gn!Vastaya!reader.

Summary: You got comfortable in the new place.

Part one. Part two.

Fluff.

Viktor got into the Academy to study, he had to leave the undercity and of course you went along with him. He found a small place in Piltover, near the Academy, it was enough for you two although he felt it was too cramped for someone of your nature but you haven't complained, how could you? Anything was better than to keep living in the undercity and Vitkor was supporting it all by himself.

His classes were done for the day, one hand holding his cane and the other a small plant. He found them a rather nice and discreet decoration for the apartment, although he didn't like it when you would stare at them like you were going to pound at them and break them.

The small sound of keys jingle echoes through the hall, he pushed the door open.

"Koťátko! I'm home, sweet one." Viktor calls for you, taking off his shoes and coat at the doorway.

"Koťátko?" He calls again, there's no sound on the kitchen, the bathroom lights are turned off and the bed that's ungracefully out of a room for itself was empty.

The student walked further inside, letting down the plant. After a couple of steps he finds you, laying by the window, completely asleep. The sunlight is hitting your fur so beautifully.

The position you're in makes his back hurt just by seeing you, he knows your feline body and elasticity can handle such postures and stretches. It was mesmerizing, something so simple as you laying down.

A soft smile creeped onto his lips at the sight of your peaceful face and flickering ears, noticing how your feet paws twitched every so often. He slowly kneels down in front of you.

It warmed his heart, he's never seen you so comfortable, he tried for many years, blankets, pillows, you name it, but it seemed the sunlight was what you needed. You both needed it, fresh air, sunlight, better food and warm water to shower, it's just been a couple of months, it's still the "honeymoon phase" but he feels like he finally had everything he ever wanted.

The young student cups your face, his thumb bopping your nose, a soft pawing to his arm was the only reaction you gave before your eyes fluttered open.

"Hi, love..." You mumbled sleepy, your toe beans curl as you stretched. Viktor chuckled quietly, his fingers disappearing into your soft coat of fur.

"is this what you do while I'm gone? Just sleep under the sun?" He speaks softly between an amused laugh. You yawned and meowed at him.

"I cook and clean around...I deserve a little nap, dear." You murmur softly, closing your eyes as you melt into his touches. Viktor smiled softly, his hand moved from your stomach to your face, his finger stroking the fur under your chin, you immediately turned into a puddle, purring softly and leaning onto his hand.

"But on the floor?" He asks softly.

"it's very comfortable, you should try it." You murmured between purrs.

"Unfortunately I don't have fur all around my body, I don't think my back would appreciate me sleeping on the floor." Viktor speaks quietly with a soft chuckle, you smiled and giggle softly, nodding at his words.

"Wouldn't you like to nap on the bed?...with me?" He asks, a soft hint of pink creeping on his cheeks, you meow softly and sit up quickly, your tail swaying around with your movements.

"That sounds better than the floor."

Viktor with reader:

[babyjinsu]

[r/Unsent_Unread_Unheard] i will never tell you this, but she looked too much like you that night.

PAIRING ⟢ wonbin park x fem!reader

GENRE ⟢ reddit au, oneshots, written, angst

CW ⟢ cheating, wonbin lowkey blames you for his action lol, cheating again

SYNOPSIS ⟢ a cheater expresses his guilt on r/Unsent_Unread_Unheard.

💭 this lowk pisses me off because i hate cheaters more than anything but ugh if wonbin cheats on me i fear i'd close my eyes and shut my ears because damn... thats ok baby

[r/Unsent_Unread_Unheard] i will never tell you this, but she looked too much like you that night. posted by u/park1 • 19h ago

i wish i could undo everything that happened that night. i wish i could go back, make a different choice, a choice that wouldn't change trajectory of my life, be a better man, be the man you want, be the man you need. be the man you and your mother think i am. but i'm not, and i can't anymore, and it's fucking me up alive.

i can't and i will never, ever, ever tell you this, but i have to let it out somehow, someway. i'm scared that if i don't, i'll come to hate myself, and then you. i'm so fucking sorry, oh my god, i'm so sorry. i'm so sorry.

i was drunk. the lights were shining too bright and they were burning my eyes, much like the liquor was. i was drunk, i had way too many drinks than i intended to and it was tasting spicy at the back of my throat. i was drunk, but i wasn't wasted. i wasn't stumbling or stuttering—wasn't blacked out, wasn't far gone. i said yes when my friends asked if we wanted to go for a kbbq after this, i knew what i was doing, i knew what i was getting myself into.

...but she looked TOO much like you. she had that long hair you didn't want to cut because you kept it for so long, and i swore she wore the same shade of blush as you did. but i bet hers was the cheap one. her smile was like you too, her lips were full and her teeth was nice, and she was standing by our table and her height was like yours. i could tower over you easily, which means i could see the top of her head too. but you would never wear what she wore. it was fucking skimpy and slutty and ugly. you would never, i know you wouldn't. you're a fucking angel.

but it was dark and late and i was stupid. and my friends were stupid too because they didn't yell at me, or slap me that she wasn't you! they should've told me that her face was nothing like yours, that you're prettier. they didn't tell me that her eyes weren't the colour of yours. they just laughed when she sat on my lap and served me more drinks. they laughed when she said i was good looking and that she'd love to see what's underneath. they let me believe that it was okay. that it was you.

but it wasn't oh my god. it wasn't you because you wouldn't be in a place like that. i realised it wasn't you when she wrapped her legs around me and it didn't feel the same. it wasn't you because you wouldn't have let me kiss-- or make out with you like that, especially with tongue and spitting involved, and you wouldn't let me lay on a bed with outside clothes on. you're too lovely for me to hold you until your skin's bruised.

oh my fucking god it just hit me again.

why did i think it was you again?? what the fuck. my angel wouldn't let me rip off clothes like that and you didn't giggle that loud. yours is like a melody to my ears. baby i satisfy myself with the sound of your breathing. that whore's laughter was like the sound of a fork against a board. i let my hands and my lips and my tongue wandered places they should've never gone. i let her touch me and pull me onto some cheap rat smelling motel's bed. i would never let your pretty skin even touch an unworthy fabric.

your hands are softer, and your skin smells like baby's powder even after your little jogging session. she smelled rotten and cheap. you would sulk when i tease you, but she encouraged me to call her all sorts of names. i would never do you like that baby.

but she lets me... and you never. you've always been so firm about waiting.. that love to you, isn't lust and it's sacred. sex isn't just something given lightly and that we need to get married for me to indulge you whole. i can't wait that fucking long, pretty. are you just as selfish as i am..?

so it's your fault in a way.. it's your fault for riling me up and making me wait way too fucking long. your "someday" will never come, and the time will never be right with you... your unwavering and childish belief that love alone is enough. it's not angel. a man has his desire...

but for you i was willing to wait. i told myself that i'm okay with waiting, that i respected your values, and whatever it is that your parents taught you about love. but i want you so badly. i want you in ways that require me to take off the fabrics from your body. i want you to scream my name and tell me to slow down and take it easy. i want to feel every inch of you and be inside you. i want to imprint and mold your insides. i want you more than mere words and cuddle sessions.

so please don't blame me for being a little too drunk and lonely and missing you more than i could stand and letting that turn into something ugly.

i love you so much, i swear on that pretty. it's just one night, that's all. one night that happened beyond my senses. i didn't even remember it all. it was fun while it lasted, but i regretted it, and i swear i will never ever ever do it again. i won't tell you this—i'll bring this to my grave. i'll let it rot inside out, let it fester, let it eat me alive until there's nothing left of me.

you won't forgive me and i can't have that. i can't lose you so i'll pretend to hold you like these hands weren't gripping on some girl's waist. i'll kiss you on your cheek as if these lips haven't touched another's. i'll listen to everything you have to say as if these ears never heard the moans and screams of another woman. i'll hold you like i never lied and ruin everything. i'll continue to be the man you think i am.

💭 in all seriousness would u let someone as fine as wonbin cheats on you... like where can u get that face

[pnwander]

quick & easy lightroom walkthrough or: shooting through dirty double-paned glass, and other hardships.

I'll tell you! (Original post here.)

✱ KIT Panasonic GH5 + LEICA DG 100-400 with rubber hood for shooting through windows.* ✱ SHUTTER 1/125 sec ✱ APERTURE f/6.3 ✱ ISO 1600

*I use this one. It works for me, but it's a little tricky. It was a gift, and I think if choosing for myself I'd find something easier to get on and off.

WHAT'S ALL THIS, THEN? It was cold outside, obviously. And the flickers bolt if I try to open the back door, so sometimes I'll post up in front of my dining room window and just get the best shot I can. I do this less and less these days, now that my arthritic hands and I have heated gloves. The 'after' photo is a brand new re-edit using better tools than were available when this was shot. I was never happy with how it looked, before now.

under the cut: EDITS

✱ Detail: Sharpness & Noise Reduction My main problem here is sharpness. The photo is in focus, but because I'm shooting through a thick storm window, I've lost that tack-sharpness I really want, and I have a whole bunch of noise to contend with. This would always be the case, but worse depending on the camera you're using, and in my case this was two generations ago - the GH5. I have tested window shots with the GH7, and they're a lot cleaner.

That being said, the trick is to always, always, always use masking along with sharpening. Like, a lot of masking, just so much masking, so that you avoid sharpening an already-noisy background. In Lightroom, you can hold down down the ALT key while using the masking slider to visualize exactly what is being sharpened.

I'm choosing to leave the background noisier than I prefer, because even if I mask out the background, as I increase noise reduction, I lose detail in the edges. Leaving some noise in the feathers also preserves that sense of sharpness, generally.

This is a matter of personal preference and priority in your edits. I've had students absolutely hammer their photos with denoise and like it that way, and that is totally their call. I like it sharp.

Note: you could also do the sharpening/noise reduction at the end, after all your other edits, so that you have a better sense of how much you still need after toning. That's often my preference. I probably went backwards here only because I've edited this image before and had it pre-loaded in my brain.

✱ Tone Dehaze is the real MVP here. You could go even harder than I have on -blacks/+clarity/+dehaze, for a dramatic, crushed look. I decided to strike a balance between the soft darks I prefer but the clarity absolutely needed to make this look less smooshy. And my curve is pretty gentle.

Before toning and after:

(You can see that I've also done some color grading. But because that part is entirely personal preference, I'm skipping it here.)

✱ Selective Adjustments With a photo as flattened as this one, I always want to add some depth to it with masking. I have just three masks in this case:

1. The tree was blown out, detracting from my subject and looking, frankly, unrealistic. So I've darkened this on its own, so that my subject will stand out.

2. Contrast, texture, and clarity to bring out the detail in the feathers; a touch of saturation because the global color grading I wanted took away slightly from the bird's natural coloring. I want this on a mask, and not globally, because I do not want to exacerbate the noise in the background, or the texture of the leaves and snow.

And 3., to make the flicker really pop, I've got a 'spotlight' mask

...which is working together with a light vignette to draw the eye to the subject. You could also create an asymmetrical vignette with an inverted -exposure mask, if you needed to.

All together now...

And that's it!

As always, please feel absolutely free to send any questions to my ask box. I try to watch for comments and questions in the tags, but sometimes they get missed. And if there are any other edits you'd like to see, let me know!

Find my other walkthrough here.

[paladin--strait]

soulmates part 6

luke hughes x reader

tw!!: angst, use of y/n, reader can be depicted as any body shape/size, female reader. this story moves kinda fast, since I want it to only be a couple of parts long. this is a complete work of fiction. I am in no way saying or implying that these people act the way they do in the story. I am open to any sort of constructive criticism! thank you!

series masterlist here!

-

i wake up in between jamie and trevor, sweating. i sit up, looking around and realizing it's still late at night as a random movie now plays on the tv. i carefully untangle myself from their arms and legs, trevor's snores filling the room as i step out.

i carefully make my way downstairs, my throat dry and in need of hydration. i cough, but it's covered by my shirt, making it quieter. i step down the wood stairs, the boards creaking below me.

i walk into the kitchen to grab some water, soothing my dry throat. once i turn to go back upstairs, i notice a dark figure standing at the end of the dock. i squint, recognizing the fluffy hair underneath the beanie that sits on their head. i silently make my way outside, walking down the dock. my feet pattering as i step. the figures head never turns, but i can see them tense, they know i'm there.

"quinn?" i whisper, kicking off my slippers and moving to sit beside him at the edge of the dock, our legs swinging off the end. "what are you doing out here? it's cold and dark, you'll get sick."

he's silent, until he speaks. "i always called you sweetheart."

"what?" i ask, tilting my head in confusion. "what are you talking about?"

"luke. he calls you sweetheart. that was my thing." quinn says quietly, his gaze never leaving the water.

my expression drops a little, remembering he overheard my conversation with trevor and jamie earlier in the hallway. "quinn..."

"how did you not see it?" he whispers, his tone filled with hurt and almost anger. "y/n, i love you. i love everything about you. the way your face crinkles when you smile, the way your whole body trembles when you laugh, the way you cheered me on at my games, the way you would come over when i was feeling sad to put your arms around me and make me feel better. everything about you, i love."

"i'm sorry quinn..." my face drops the more he talks, along with my heart. i truly never knew he felt this way, and my heart is filled with guilt. "why didn't you tell me?"

"i didn't tell you because i didn't even know what i was feeling until deep into our friendship. it would've ruined everything, and i'd rather keep you as a friend over losing you completely." quinn says, finally looking up to make eye contact with me.

"quinn, i don't know what to say...this is all so sudden." i shake my head in almost disbelief. "one second you're telling me how much you want me to be with luke, and now you're telling me how much you love me. i don't know what you want me to do."

"i don't know what i want you to do either." he says, looking back down at the water. "but i know one thing, i can't control what you do or who you love. all i want...is to see you happy." his voice trembles as he speaks, and i'm left speechless.

i look down at the water as well, trying to find the right words. my mind and heart are filled with confusion and guilt. if i had known quinn liked me so much, things could have ended so much differently, but i didn't know, and now my heart pounds with a fear like feeling. normally at a time like this, i would ask myself what quinn would do, but i can't ask myself that this time.

we sit in silence for what feels like hours, until the silence is broken. a hurt "i'm sorry." fills the air, our heads snapping to look at each other after we spoke the same words. my eyes are wide when i see his face, his face is red and swollen, eyes tired and sunken in. i wasn't able to see it earlier, but since the could have moved away from the moon, his hurt face is illuminated by the moonlight.

"quinn..." i whisper, my heart breaking as i see the state of my best friend. "what's happening to us..." my voice cracks, a tear slipping down my cheek.

his head shakes and his hand slowly raises, carefully wiping away the stray tear. "please don't cry..." he whispers back, "i'm sorry, this is all my fault."

"but it's not, quinn." i say, placing my hand on top of his as it lingers on my cheek. "i should've seen. i should've known how you felt. we were together everyday, rarely apart, and i never noticed...i feel terrible."

he looks into my eyes and i stare right back. it's like we're both searching for something. his eyes filled with regret, and mine filled with guilt and confusion. my heart pounds even faster when i hear his next words. "i'm sorry, sweetheart."

ah, there it is. the nickname he gave me the day we met.

i can feel my lip tremble at the word, my eyes welling with tears. i just want things to go back to the way they were, but i don't think that'll ever be possible now. my chest hurts, desperately holding back tears. but he whispers once more, "it's okay to cry..." and the dam breaks, sobs racking my body as my shirt dampens from my tears.

before i can even process what's happening, i feel a strong pair of arms wrap around me, pulling me close. "listen to me, i want you to be with luke. i can see how happy you are with him, and that's all i want for you. i want everything to go back to normal, because i see how much it hurts you, and it only hurts me more. i'll get over this, i'll be okay. we'll be okay..."

i lean against him as he speaks, my tears soaking his sweatshirt. after a while, my sobs settle down, and i'm left a sniffling mess. he wipes my eyes with the bottom of his sleeves, "why don't we go to bed? yeah?" he stands, helping me up and putting my shoes back on me.

he carries me upstairs, the silence hanging over us. he walks me to luke's room, pulling me into a tight, warm hug before he opens the door for me. i step in, watching as the door shuts quietly behind me.

i look at luke's sleeping form on the bed, and smile softly. i kick off my slippers, getting into the bed with him and snuggling up beside him. he grumbles, his brows furrowing. "y/n...?" he whispers.

"i'm here, lukey..." i whisper, feeling his arms wrapped around me. we lay in silence, my mind constantly drifting back to quinn and i's conversation as luke sleeps in my arms, my fingers slowlt raking through his curls.

i don't know if i just needed a good cry, but i somehow feel a sense of peace, like everything really will be okay. maybe when i wake up in the morning and walk downstairs to eat breakfast with everyone, it'll have just been a bad dream.

[wisteriasymphony]

How are you so articulate ? Asking as someone who desperately wants to be more articulate . Yes I do read books

Treat it like vocabulary is going out of style. Read a book and find a word you've never heard in conversation before, sometime so specific or stuffy nobody bothers with it anymore. Take it. Write it down, stick it in a post-it note on your wall. Never let go of it. It's yours now. The ultra-specifics may be hard to use, but they're evocative—The chances you get to use them are worth it!

Act like being misunderstood is the worst thing that could ever happen to you. This seems to often be a common skill for people with ADHD (which I'll admit I have been told I have a severe case of), but that doesn't mean it's a neurosis worth gatekeeping. You can overexplain yourself with quantity or with quality, often even both. Quality is where your steel trap of words come in: There's always a better way to say something, and you can and will find it.

As for more in-depth things, I'd say it's always worth a shot to look into whatever resources are available to you about rhetoric and rhetorical devices (yes, up to and including all of the ones that are just greek prefixes and suffixes stuck together. they're all quite lovely).

Hammering it over your head that you have to read classics specifically feels like old news, so I'll say that while it's nothing you have to do right now, those tend to be chock-full of the great words and great phrases, and after you've developed your hunger to a certain point you're probably going to want to seek them out anyways. —But by no means are you limited to just Shakespeare or whatever other things they never assigned you in high school! Tailor what you look for to your own tastes!Plus, there's a million more authors out there, Brazilian and Japanese and Vietnamese and Iranian, etc. I'd say Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is totally worth checking out if you can, and I'll get back to you once I've read enough Álvares de Azevedo to recommend things lol!!!

Anyway, tl;dr is: Vocabulary is both a treasure you collect and a muscle you flex. I think the most important part might just be the exercise and practice. You can even do this by writing! Stick it in a google doc nobody but you has to see and just write bullshit and write bullshit and read between sessions of writing bullshit and then edit your bullshit and then write more... and eventually you'll start to get a better sense of what you want and your writing and speaking will reflect that.

[antivancathedral]

Been thinking after I got an ask about it as to why I like Mercarllamorte Rookanis so much and the sort answer is that I love torture

The long answer is more complicated and kind of central to my Rook (Adrian) specifically but I thought I'd talk about it in case anyone struggles to rationalize the decision to choose Treviso as a Shadow Dragon

On a personal note, Adrian feels a little bit abandoned by his city. He doesn't have the same love for Minrathous that Neve has for Dock Town. Especially as an elf, he's always felt like an outsider, often looked down upon by the members of his same economic class as a result of his adoption into the Mercars. And although he doesn't find the Mage classes all that trustworthy, I think he would feel that they'd at least want to protect their own territory, for lack of better terms. And to be sent away by the Shadow Dragons for his choices, and not so warmly welcomed back, I think a small part of him, underneath all that actual rationalization, would tug his heart towards Treviso a bit more.

And then there is Lucanis. I think Rook would feel that Lucanis needed him most, whether that was true or not. Lucanis telling him to go where he felt he was needed would make him feel, for perhaps the first time, that he was given real permission to make a choice. Between that and Treviso not having a real army the way the Capitol does, it would feel easier in the moment to make that choice. And he would feel, when he saw Lucanis so happy to see him, that he made the right one.

All this to say that the devastation of arriving in Minrathous would be so, so potent. Rook arriving to see people he knew hanging is horrible, Adrian being dark skinned and elvish especially. To know that the faith he put in the mages was misplaced, that the Shadow Dragons (who had, for all intents and purposes, claimed to not need him) needed him after all....

And Rook of course would know that there was no good choice, that if he had chosen Minrathous then Treviso would face the same devastation, but it doesn't take away the sting of Neve's anger, or the bitterness of the Shadow Dragons feeling betrayed at his abandonment when he had felt the same thing after the venatori incident. He would feel devastated that his presence alone had turned the tide so much, and an overwhelming panic at the idea that he had somehow ended up so important.

And he would know in his heart that he would make the choice again, if only to see the relief on Lucanis's face.

[the--firevenus]

The missed opportunity of this fandom to not make an au of baby Terry being Bruce child and last of the Batfam addition

HEAR ME OUT. I KNOW THIS IS VERY FANON AND OOC... BUT CONSIDER THIS. IT'S FUNNY. AND FUN.

In the au Terry exist via clone made by Cadmus or something ala Conner Kent, but instead of mix DNA with someone, it's purely Bruce's DNA, and maybe some enhancement (maybe actually mix with someone but idk, put that in the clipboard) .. But here the catch, somehow the existing of this tube baby caught in the wind and he was rescue by the Batfam (don't asked me the logistic, stick with me, this is brainstorming session)

But, unlike the usual test tube kid or whatever. Terry is just a human baby, a child. Sure Bruce had taken care of Damian when he's young but not this young. And technically? Terry is his son?? Right?? Logistically???? If he raise him? Even tho he also technically a clone??? Whatever. Put that on the clipboard.

Que in the shenanigans, Bruce that was like thinking he's a veteran of taking care of kids by now, suddenly fubbling and start at square one of parenting again cuz THIS IS A BABY... Sure he had took care of other people baby for a bit, learning how to change their diaper and make baby formula... But that someone's else's kid and he only took care of them for a while... THIS IS NEW.. NEW BABY... WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO DO!?!?!? (some part of him was kinda happy to take care of Terry that young cuz he never got the chance to do the same to Damian)

Que Dick kinda amused seeing Bruce looked like the same guy that first adopted him, clueless of parenting (even tho that's not true) and unsure, I think he'd help Bruce around when he had the time, buying baby formula and diapers, or maybe offer to cover Bruce's patrol shift once in a while (you think you've seen Bruce being sleep deprived juggling his vigilante life, his playboy sona life and being a dad of 6+? THINK AGAIN. the new baby had him PASSED THE FUCK OUT whenever he can. Plus man is old. You can't blame him for no longer as agile as new parents are)

I think Jason (if we assume this au is Jason and Bruce relationship being better) would be like "I'm only here to see the baby", and he did, but he also told Bruce to go nap "you look like me after lazarus pit old man", in my head Jason I'd a great babysitter cuz he had helped Roy with Lian, he knows his way, kinda, while talking to the baby as if it's a big man, "listen when you're older, I'm your favourite okay, and I will taught you All the things B didn't want you to do >:)"

Felt like Tim would be the most experienced in the "clone but also not really" department cuz... Yk... Probably advocate any health check if Bruce asked, he may experience with it on someone older in age but Terry is a baby, they need plan if things goes sour and Tim had plans if Bruce need backup. With that said, I like to think when he hold Terry up in his arm, he's suddenly the most over protective brother ever, "I only have this child for a day but if anything happen to him, I will kill everyone in this room and then myself" (and he meant it 100%)

In my head Damian would be the one that felt the most conflicted of Terry existent, on one hand.. Yes they technically share the same blood as the Waynes, but he also so used of being the youngest one, suddenly he felt his position threaten even tho he's aware this baby can't even defeat him even with 100 years of training, he scowl at the baby in Bruce's arm, unpleased of this newcomer that threatening his heir position,,, then baby Terry hold Damian hand and how the tiny baby hand can only hold one of his finger.. " He is so weak father.." "that's because he's still little.." "he's useless.... I shall be there to train him stronger when he's of age." ( "in the meanwhile I will protect his soft bones")

Alfred when he saw baby Terry was a bit stunned, he looked just like baby Bruce it's actually insane but also endearing. Suddenly he smile so fondly remembering the day when Thomas and Martha show him then newly born Bruce to him, so soft, so fragile, so innocent untouched of the cruelty of the world. He found himself promising to do his duty to this new Wayne the same way he said to Thomas and Martha the day Bruce's born.

[hattersrambling]

Dress up?

DRESS UP?

He had to fight so hard to suppress the rage that brought up. It's like asking why Joker dresses as the Joker. He WAS The Hatter, one two one two and through and through. 'She doesn't know any better,' he tells himself. He can't snap at her and ruin everything he'd worked so hard to salvage. But seeing her softened features, so much less angry and stressed... it helped calm that fiery anger. Taking a deep breath after a moment, he finally speaks.

"Y-Yes, I... I suppose you could say that. I'd like to take as much of Wonderland with me everywhere I go as I can. I AM The Hatter. In some ways more than others, of course, but nonetheless, it's just... who I am."

He peered at the overgrowth covering the castle doors to see if they'd relented at all. He was bearing his heart out here! And she'd made a very deep confession she never would shev admitted otherwise! Surely that would do SOMETHING, wouldn't it? Even if it didn't... he wouldn't mind spending the rest of eternity here by her side.

The Hatter listened. He wasn't often very good at that, but he'd try his best. He takes the opportunity while her eyes are closed to kneel in front of her, not minding if his slacks get dirty.

"Well... no, no one's mind can be perfectly sunny every day, but... without the clouds, would we truly appreciate the beauty and warmth of the sun? You unfortunately cannot have light without shadows, positivity without negativity... Even in Wonderland. But that's okay, my love. Wonderland will always be waiting for you. It can't be gone forever, no no, it will always be in your heart at the very least. If you miss it, and find yourself unable to dream it... Then read it. Watch it. Draw it! Just thinking about it calms me, imagining the tea party, fine china clinking, birds singing in the trees a faint teapot whistle..."

He softly took her hand again, placing it on his cheek, savoring the warmth as he returned the action and did the same to her.

"Wonderland can be enjoyed in so many ways. Please, don't fret, my darling Alice... Wonderland will always be SOMEWHERE. It can't be nowhere, now can it? Maybe your true Wonderland is just..."

He didn't want to say it. He didn't. He didn't want to admit it. Not to her, not to himself, not to ANYONE. But he had to if he wanted to have any chance at saving her and their possible friendship.

"Maybe your Wonderland is something as simple as relaxing, snuggled up in Joker's arms..."

[nobilisseoblige]

[ 21 QUESTIONS ] The effort to learn about others goes a long way! Just don’t overdo it.  

there were a lot of gallant gentleman, and many spirited ladies all throughout the party grounds. each had their own charm, and many of them seemed confident in every piece of themselves. once such man stuck out to morgan, upon which the tactician began to note small details about him. his orange hair was slicked back, his shoulder back, and a polite smile for those who looked for him.

before the lad knew it, he was making his way to where the student stood in a rare moment of isolation from peers. "excuse me, there. you're the black eagles student ferdinand. i mean- i know because i've seen you in a few of my classes is all... anyway-" morgan paused for a minute, gathering himself and preparing a few questions in his mind.

"do you have any insecurities? how do you get to stand so confidently? is there some kinda ritual for that? i mean, i'm not really asking for myself, but you seem quite put together so and i thought i'd like to know how-" boy, he sure had been talking for quite a while. were these too many questions, was he breaking some kind of conversational taboo? it sorta felt like it when he looked at ferdinand's expression. right, just one more! "oh, hey, since it's valentine's day, what kind of traits are you seeking in a suitor?"

Morgan was it?

"Morgan." there was no need for an introduction, he already knew who this young man was. in fact, he had always exuded a sort of aptitude for studying the likes of which impressed Ferdinand deeply. it was rare to ever see him without a book in hand, spinning ink into intellect like his mind and heart were one. now, however, there was a different tint to the light that he emitted—particularly now that Morgan stood alongside edelgard as a match and partner for the night. "very pleased to speak to you at last! you and I both seem to have floated the same circles, but our boats have passed in the horizon."

his eyebrow piqued, noting that Morgan's penchant for the truth still rang clearly, as he began to probe Ferdinand with question after question.

"may I ask, are you interested in me and mine?" perched on his lips was a haughty grin, and sparks of pride for more reasons than one. "should we take a walk about the gardens?"

Ferdinand Von Aegir had no intention of chicanery. but after guiding Morgan under the stars, he began to wonder if, for better or for worse, this match would have been better than the one Morgan was set up with.

"to the first. no. I don't." not necessarily a lie. frankly, he tired of laying low in a grave, with broken bones and broken pride. he was not the kind of man to wallow in limbo.

"to the second, because I know my greatness will exceed me." Ferdinand raked his bangs, locks flipping triumphantly.

"to the third, you must say as you mean, and do as you say. a ritual I dedicate myself to is announcing my name and my intentions with enough transparency to use it as a looking glass. I am Ferdinand Von Aegir. and I certainly know my worth."

and to the last, he laughed. a full-bodied, effervescent laugh. "I need to be candid with you, before this proposition that I am about to make. edelgard is my eternal rival. but I do not find it untruthful to inquire."

"if I said you and yours, would you take me on a date instead of edelgard?"

[blacktabbygames]

Are you aware that Hero is a very beloved voice in the fandom?

i'm just glad i've never seen a single hero//narrator post

[akiss-from-a-rose]

Any sort of childish comebacks muttered under breath were brushed off easily by Aaliyah. Rather than comment on it, she simply nodded. "You don't want to get to know me," she said easily. "I rarely want people to get to know me. It's an intentional design, Bri. I'm not asking you to trust me as a person because, well, you probably can't. I'm not even going to ask you to trust me, period, if you don't want to." She shrugged. "But I've accepted this position in the clan, and I intend to do it to the best of my ability. You can, at the very least, trust in that."

Aaliyah simply shook her head. "I won't argue about this. Think whatever you like about how I handled the situation. I am not responsible for stopping Jacob Sullivan from being a fucking imbecile until his imbecilic brings him in front of the Council on trial. I am responsible for making sure that the vampires within the clan do not do something that they could regret." She rolled her eyes, unable to help it. "You could pick up that six foot tall linebacker and punt him like a football before he so much as thought about electrocuting you, should you put your mind to it. Yes, yes, witch magic is the root of all evil. They made monsters and wreaked havoc and likely, totally, upset the balance of things for centuries. They're the fucking worst, we all hate them, I'd ban them from my club if I didn't enjoy taking their money so much." She waved it off. "You have the ability to siphon that magic and use it, too, along with the fangs, the speed, the strength, the senses, the durability and fast healing and all the other benefits we get."

Her head tilted to the side. "Does that concern you? To be a thought of as a murderer? I'm sorry you were told that, about living a life that belonged to another, but it's not really true. Even if it is, there are a thousand little instances every single day with every single person on the planet where that same logic of 'you took someone else's place' could be applied." She frowned. "I cannot begin to understand how the coven works, why they work the way they do, what they are or aren't willing to sacrifice for their own. As for my sire, that doesn't matter. It was years ago." She preferred not to think about the woman, if she could, or to at least try to think of the kinder things from that time. She remembered a conversation she'd had with Ken, about things being easier here than they were outside of town. She still stood by that, but perhaps they could be easier still.

"No, I don't think that. If you'd listen, you would have heard that the question was for you. I am a monster, don't be mistake," Aaliyah said, her eyes as cold as steel. "I don't want you to ever forget that, Brielle. I'm practically an angel compared to what I was, but that doesn't change anything. And I know better than to underestimate humanity. They're more plentiful than us for a reason. They've hunted us since the beginning of our existence, and they've done a damn good job of it. Physical advantages mean nothing if they've trained themselves to combat your weaknesses. It's careless to underestimate them, to look down on them, to coddle. And you do coddle. It's very sweet that the two of you look after each other, but you're up in arms if someone even breathes wrong in Ben's direction. I have known him for years. We have a mutual understanding. Let that be the end of it."

Aaliyah nodded. "We can. Let that be the end of this, too. Resting places are different depending on the location, the tradition of the people. But it doesn't matter." She looked at Bri, impassive. "See? Aren't I a bitch? But I'd offer the same to Veronica Bishop as I'm offering to you if she'd take five minutes to have a conversation instead of attempting to steal my liquor and destroy part of my club." She knew Shrek was a movie. She really didn't give a fuck. Instead, she pulled a pack of cigarette's out of her back pocket and took one out, sticking in her mouth. "Would you have just stepped out and actually had a conversation, or would you have been all mopey?" Anger was an emotion that's easier to work with than sadness. Aaliyah handled it better. "I'm sorry you didn't get what you asked for. I don't think I need to tell you that's just how it goes, sometimes. But, yeah, I mean it. I think I've proven that I really don't give a shit when anyone complains, and you're allowed to walk away at any time. You don't even have to come at all. But the offer's there." She felt mildly chagrinned, but she covered it up, lighting her cigarette inside and taking a drag, smoke pooling out of her nose. "Tuesdays, in the afternoon. We can chat while I do bookkeeping." She started to walk outside, needing to see how her auction was going. "Have a good night, Bri. Try to enjoy it."

"Um actually," She muttered under her breath, as she snuck a peek Aaliyah's way, not bothering to actually point out how saying 'that doesn't exactly sound like you care' is opinion and not a fact though. Not after she was called a fucking nerd in a nearly endearing sort of way. The corner of her lips tilted up ever so slightly at the sentiment. Though any semblance of a smile fell just as quickly as it appeared when Aaliyah carried on. "No, I don't know you, just as you don't know a thing about me. Though, your whole don't give a shit routine, doesn't exactly make me want to?" She countered. Her gaze moved back to fixating on the crowd out on the dance floor as she admitted quietly, "I have enough people in life who may or may not be genuine. I'm not really up for having to decipher another one. Just as an FYI."

"That's bullshit!" She scoffed under her breath as her gaze snapped back toward Aaliyah's. "I had already stopped and if you truly cared about making sure the starving vampire controlled herself then why not tell the one person antagonizing said vampire to shut up? I wasn't going to bite Frankie. Not after Poppy had stepped in. I might have shoved Jake, but you can't tell me he wouldn't have deserved it and, last I checked, pushing someone over isn't against any accords," She huffed. "So the coven advisor's sister gets special treatment? The witches are nepotists, is that it?" She could feel the anger rising in the back of her throat at the hypocrisy of the situation, but when Aaliyah said 'He was acting out of fear' any bite to her words were replaced by blatant distain. "Fear? The six foot white boy whose built like a linebacker and can fucking electrocute people with his bare hands was acting out of fear over what? A teary-eyed 5'6 brunette decked head to toe in pink?" She asked, as if clarify, despite knowing the hypocrisy of the situation all too well at this point. "The witches are the ones who created us, weren't they? That's what it says at the Historical Society. A coven sought power and immortality, so they invented a whole other species. It was witch magic that trapped us in the Emerald Hotel and the Rec Center, wasn't it? And it was witch magic behind pretty much every hellscape the Catalyst put us through over the past two years and, yet, we're the ones to be afraid of?" She lifted a brow up at Aaliyah as she found her jaw tightening even more in resignation. "Because we have fangs, we have to suck it up and wait to get back at them strategically, because we're the ones who have to prove we're not a threat? Okay."

"You know when I came back from the dead, a witch called me a murderer," Her voice dipped into a low murmur as her gaze fell once more. "They told me I was living a life that belonged to another, and, yet, when the pretty blonde supreme died, the entire coven voted to kill someone on her behalf. She was the leader. They 'needed' her, while I was a different story. And you wonder why I don't see a point in a caring anymore. We're always going be the monsters and, the more we treat ourselves differently from the humans and the witches and the fae and the wolves who can't control themselves either, the more we're all going to believe it too."

"I... I'm sorry your sire was a piece of shit. Truly. I can't imagine what that was like. But, my sire murdered me and the left me on my own. So, let me ask you something, from someone whose been trying to figure it out by myself- do you honestly think that your advice would suck more than the trial and error I've already been enduring?" She asked her genuinely, because if getting help was truly worse than wasn't this all futile anyway?

"Are you for real right now?" Her expression twisted into a look of horror as Aaliyah actually laughed before her. "Or maybe you really are a monster," She shook her head in disbelief. "Humans aren't weak and I would never dare act like they are and, if you ever have, then you are the weak one for needing to make someone feel small so that you can feel tall. He doesn't need anything from me. But, we protect each other, because that is what a partnership and love is. I didn't think I'd have to tell you that and I'm not fighting anyone's battles for them. I'm defending the man I love and I know he'd defend me too if someone called me a name to his fucking face and, if you do it again, then we will have nothing else to say to one another." And she meant it. While, she was willing to accept that Aaliyah and her might never see eye to eye on certain issues, if the woman before her truly believed that humans were inferior, then she was no better than any other prejudice asshole in this town who considered vampires to be freaks.

"We can agree to disagree. Death is a part of life. We all experience it eventually. But, those skulls in the wall are sad because no one cared about them enough to give them their own resting place and you're really not helping your case right now when that roommate of mine is a vampire and a clan member who likely needs your help even more than I do," She pointed out. "It's a movie." Though now that she thought about it, Aaliyah might be more similar to Lord Farquaad than Shrek, though she wouldn't say that part outloud on the off chance the woman actually googled it.

"I didn't plan the party," She muttered under her breath. "And the word people is plural, implying that there is more than one. One would be a person and, yes, I know I'm a fucking nerd. Though, I'm sorry you what? If you wanted me to step out of the booth you could have just asked. It wasn't as if I was going to carry on this long of a conversation through a screen door anyhow and I didn't ask for any of this. I wanted a small funeral themed birthday party between me and two of my friends two years ago in celebration of my new life and as a fuck you to the exe who killed me. Only they forgot until now when I was surprised with this and... if you mean it when it comes to helping me, then... I'll try it. I'm not saying I won't complain, but I'm not against hard work. Though, if it doesn't work, I'm allowed to walk away and I mean it when I say no more insulting Ben in front of me. Trying to piss me off, isn't tough love. It's being a dick and I'm not going to put up with that kind of shit."