#and peppermint striking first. Honey

[bourbontrend]

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[3cremepie3]

Peppermint Mocha

. Synopsis - After striking it gold you end up becoming Nami’s assistant. Well, it turns out there are a lot of perks for “working for her”.

. Warnings - 18+, cursing, public sex, power advantages, body fluids, mentions of poverty and wealth

. A/n - First part of my OP series. Thank you for reading Luffy and a Nami Drabble are next! Please read them in order or you’ll be incredibly confused. There might be some grammar mistakes in here but idc.

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“Peppermint mocha latte two extra sugars and two extra creams, light on the ice.” Take my card it’s half off on Wednesdays with the promo.” The card was already laid on her desk ready for you to take. This gave her more time to stay wrapped up in her phone. She the social media manager was probably looking for new trends. 

You wanted so desperately to say Hi to her. Nami Swan one of your idols was right in front of you! She must’ve got you mixed up with someone else. But you happily marched down to the Dunkin in the building lobby and received her order. 

You walked through the vast hallways and you were almost back to her secluded office. Then a woman rushed out of the door in front of you. In her hands was a box full of office supplies. She dropped a ruler and you were quick to help her by picking it up. 

“Thank you.” She smiled at you. “The janitors always were the nicest. I’m only sad to leave y’all,” she frowned. “Are you getting a new job,” you inquired. “Yes, I have no other choice. I can’t handle her anymore she’s crazy.” Can’t handle who?” It was your first day at the company and there was already trouble. “You’re a beautiful girl so soon you’ll understand.” But please before you go give this note to Swan.”

You took the note from her still concerned but it was too late to worry about it she went down the flash elevators and by now she would be lost. Not like you had any time to worry either Nami was still waiting. “Here you go ma’am just as you asked.” 

You sat down the coffee and the note the mysterious woman wrote for you. “Thanks, Kalifa I need it since today’s a long ass day.” She sighed before finally looking up from the screen that captivated her. “Who are you and why are you in my office?” She looked you up and down wondering how she could even mistake you. “My bad sweetie I thought you were my assistant.” 

“It’s okay no problem,” you smiled. “If I’m not mistaken she left you this letter.” You pointed to the letter you left on Nami’s desk. “The god-forsaken letters I’ve got 4 of this month,” She sighed. 

She took a sip of her coffee while reading. “We’ll looks like I’m out of an assistant for the 4th time this year. That’s a record of mine,” she chuckled. Who in their right mind wouldn’t work for you?” Oh honey 24 others!” They always leave after realizing the extent of work that we do. They think it’s just sunshine and rainbows. Then the documents and endless coffee orders come.” 

“And im stuck with no two weeks notice.” Wow I’m sorry about that Miss that is so unprofessional. If I worked here under you it would be a dream come true! Your eyes lit up at the thought. “But you do work here other wise you wouldn’t be in my office.” 

“But I’m just a janitor that doesn’t count for much.” So you really want to work here huh,” She asked. “Yes it’s been a dream of mine forever I loved your guy's toys.” Well, you are already in my room now and I have no assistant.”

“Why don’t you just fill in until I can get another one?” But I’m not trained in that position I wouldn’t want to mess up.” Don’t worry about it I’ll teach you the ropes. Come on just say yes it’s more fun than cleaning after all these people who already have ocd anyways.” She finished up her coffee in between words giving you extra time to think about things. 

“Yes,” you squealed. “Okay then let’s go back downstairs then. My coffee order is wrong.” Oh no, I’m sorry,” you frowned. “It wasn’t your fault it was those idiots downstairs.” Nami stood up towering past you into a door in the corner of her office. It opened up to a second lobby this one was empty and adorned with wooden statues.

“So pretty!” You marveled while feeling the handcrafted piece. “Franky made those he’s an expert carpenter.” Wow, the Frankie! He’s an icon  I remember watching him on TV when I was younger.” 

“How old are you sweetheart you say that like it was a while ago?” You arrived past all the wood displays and into a private elevator. It was small and only big enough to fit about 3 people. It felt even more suffocating with Nami so close to you. 

Her perfume smelled nice like tangerine and tulips. “I’m 19 about to be 20,” you bragged. “Wow if only I was that young again,” Nami laughed. “Well, how old are you?” 

“Don’t you know it’s rude to ask a woman her age,” she scoffed. “Sorry ma’am.” I’m only joking I’m 40 honey about to be 41,” she groaned. “You don’t look a day over 20,” you gasped. “Haha don’t flatter me,” she blushed. She walked out of the elevator after it landed on the first floor. 

“It’s not flattery I’m serious,” you trailed after her. “Wow, we got here quick.” You were already approaching Dunkin. Nami speed walked ahead of you irritated about her coffee. “Camie.” She yelled out at a green-haired employee who was behind the counter. “How many times do I have to tell you liquid sugar.”

“I can’t even drink this without having to swirl it around because nothing dissolved.” You’re lucky I like you or I would fire you on the spot,” she spat. Nami had a temper on her that you didn’t want to cross. But she was hot when she was mad the way her eyebrows furrowed and her cheeks turned red was probably the closest face to the one she would make while degrading you. 

“Stop y/n,” you spoke aloud. “What was that,” Nami asked. “Nothing!” You straightened up god you were gay! “Really you look a little funny,” she teased. “I’m fine!” Okay if you say so. You know what Y/n let’s just go I’m tired of coffee because a certain someone always gets my order wrong.”

You heard the other women working at the cafe laugh at Nami’s joke. The green-haired girl smiled too embarrassingly. “Where are we going, Ma’am.” You asked following after the sound of Nami’s pumps. You were too distracted by the gold carvings along the marble floor to look up. And by the time you did you bumped into someone. 

“Are you alright honey?” You looked up to see no other than Nico Robin. “I-I I’m f-fine,” you blurted. “I’m sorry oh my god are you hurt anywhere?” I wouldn’t forgive myself if you were.” You checked for any scruffs on her. 

“I’m sure she’s fine Y/n,” Nami interrupted. “Nami’s correct I received no damage,” Robin agreed. “That’s good,” you huffed. “Is this one of your friends Nami?” She’s my new assistant starting today! Isn’t she just lovely?”

“Yes at first I thought she was a janitor.” You looked down at yourself humiliated that you forgot to take off your uniform. “Yeah, it’s a new policy my employees can wear whatever they please.” You sure it’s new,” Robin interjected. “Before I could’ve sworn I saw one of them wearing vibrating panties.”

Nami scoffed crossing her arms. “While that’s her business I couldn't do anything to stop her.” You could if you were the one controlling them.” The whole time they bickered you stood there in between the two of them. “Ahem,” you coughed. “I thought we were gonna leave.” 

“Oh yes let’s go Y/n maybe I’ll pick you up a pair of those panties since they’re a part of our uniform,” she smirked. Nami walked off and waved bye to Robin who gave you a warm smile back. “Eeek,” you squealed. “I just met Nico Robin!”

“I’m not getting the hype Y/n.” She’s one of the most important people in this company! She’s also one of the dreamiest,” you drooled. “I can’t disagree with those statements.” Nami rolled her eyes. You guys made it outside of the lobby now you stood waiting while she called for her car back from the valet. 

Her driver opened up the door for you both and you hoped in the back after her. “Where going to the mall drop us off at the side entrance,” she instructed. The driver shook his head and started off. You looked out the window of the unfamiliar area. You had of course heard of the MerryGo corporation but you had never set foot around the boogie area. 

Even with your Sunday best on people could still probably tell that you were an outsider. “Why did you want to work at our company Y/n?” Your guy's toys saved me when I was younger I want to spread that joy to other children.” 

“Aww, that’s so sweet.” Thanks, it was hard to find any work so I had to settle on being a janitor.” We are in high demand this year well at least you got promoted.” Yeah, I would’ve never expected this.”

“And another question. Are you a lesbian I got some vibes back when you talked about Robin?” You laughed at her randomness even though you could tell she was serious. “I’m sorry! It’s just that was sudden but no I’m Pansexual.” Oo so you like a bit everything,” she assumed. 

“Yeah pretty much!” Why wouldn’t I when there’s so much beauty in the world.” Tittes,” she responded. You both chuckled as she gave no context. “And pussy,” she added. “Even though you gave nothing I understand.” Women really are top tier.” 

After what felt like hours of talking about tits you arrived at the mall. “Let’s stop at Nordstrom first.” You walked over taking her purse to unburden her. “There’s no need for that.” I have to start acting like your assistant somehow.”

“I’ve done nothing so far.” Well then okay thanks for taking my bag those cross bodies do dig into your shoulder a bit.” I know that's why I use backpacks they’re immature but so cute.” Well, there’s some of them in Nordstrom maybe you’ll see something you like.” 

“I hope so,” you cheered. You guys walked into the store a sales assistant quickly followed after the both of you. “Hello is there anything you’re looking for in specific today?” Yes, we need form-fitting button-down tops.” Okay, right this way!” You followed after the lady through rows and rows of mediocre clothing. 

Nothing was catching your eye you had a peculiar style. A style-only thrift store with random selections would fuel. “What about this one Y/n? You can even wear it without a bra and it’ll still give you lift.” She held it up to your chest. “It’s cute.” You shifted around wanting to get out of the store. 

“You know I can tell when you’re lying right.” Her face dropped. “I’m sorry I just have a very different style from typical office wear.” Hmm okay, so what do you like?” You took this time to pull out your Pinterest. “If only I had an app like this when I was your age I would’ve saved so many fashion disasters.” 

“There’s a store I think you’d like it is across the street, however.” I don’t mind walking.” You were so excited since Nami had great fashion taste. Her tight business set and tall pumps gave her such a sexy secretary look. “Look both ways before you cross the street.” She held out her arm which blocked you from walking further. 

You must’ve been too busy staring at the way she strutted across the crosswalk because a car almost ended you. “Thank you I definitely was not paying attention.” God, please don’t tell me my assistant is an airhead.” I am not,” you pouted! You jogged across the remainder of the sidewalk. 

You and Nami arrived at the boutique she was talking about. The display windows were filled with intra-quit blouses that spilled off the tall mannequin figure. “Wow, it’s perfect!” I knew you’d like it,” she smiled. 

You walked in and explored like a child in a candy shop. “Y/n over here.” She called you to their formal wear section. “Pick up whatever you want I’ll be waiting in the dressing rooms for you,” she instructed. “Okay.” A sales clerk helped you further holding the large amount of shirts you picked up. 

Finally, once you were done you moved everything over to the dressing room. “Wow this is like all those movies,” you giggled. “What do you mean? Nami looked at you confused. “Like the type of dressing room in movies. Where the bride finds the dress that’s the one.” 

“Oh, I get it well welcome to luxury.” A woman stepped in with the both of you. “Hi I’m Perona I’ll be your seamstress for today.” Her cold hands ghosted over your arms spreading them out. You stood there for a couple minutes getting measured. You giggled every time she got too close you couldn’t help it. 

The only time someone had been this close to you was when you got kissed. “You’re so sensitive Y/n,” Nami teased. “I finished measuring it’s time to try out what you picked.” I picked up so many Ms. Nami can you pick for me?” Sure how about that skirt with the ruffles.” Perona handed you the skirt. At first, you were nervous to undress in front of them but they assured you that they had seen it all before. 

Luckily you had worn some decent panties today. “Cute panties I love the cherries,” Nami complimented. “Stop looking,” you blushed. She laughed a bit at your timidness. “You’re too cute sweetie now let’s see that skirt.” 

It was a perfect fit but one thing bothered you. “It’s like a belt so cute,” Nami pointed out. It was so short your ass almost hung out. But after twirling around in the mirror you did realize you looked amazing. 

“Is it too tight,” Perona asked? “No, it’s good.” I’m glad you’re such a cool boss Nami. Any other office place would fire me on the spot if I was wearing this.” There are pros to working for me,” she mentioned. Perona handed you some other skirts most of them being what Nami picked for you. 

You realized one thing. She liked to see you in skin-tight leather. You even got a matching body suit and jacket set. “I look like a biker.” Your hands traced up the zippers that went from your bust to your ass. “It’s so hot in all this leather,” you groaned. Nami got up and started towards you. “That’s why you have these.” Her hands unzipped your body suit. The breeze immediately hit you sending goose bumps up your spine.

“Biker chics are the hottest,” she joked. “And so are businesswomen,” you blurted. Nami was right in front of you her hands ghosting your waist. “Wanna know who’s hotter than a biker chic?” Sure.” A naked one,” she admitted. “Why don't I help you strip down, she offered. Her legs rubbed together ever so slightly awaiting your response. “Come on let the girls breathe,” she smirked. “Can you do it for me my hands are broken all of a sudden.” 

“Of course anything for you.” Her hand dragged down your stomach then it bunched up the remainder of the body suit. She pulled you closer to her so close that she could feel your rapid heartbeat. Your eyes darted anywhere but hers as she pulled your shirt up.

A hiss fell from your lips as both her hands wrapped around your shoulders to your back unloosing your bra strap revealing your tits on full display. “Fuck,” she mumbled. “I could take you right now if there wasn’t that woman and the ghost of nosy employees watching.” 

“Ugh I hate pda,” Perona groaned as she walked in. “If you have enough money to buy all this you have enough money for a damn hotel.” She was right and Nami knew so too but she was Nami. “Shut up bitch I’ll give you 5 thousand right now if you give us some alone time.” She stepped out of the room accepting Nami’s offer. 

“I need a taste of my new assistant.” Now you understood what Kalifa the frantic woman you met earlier was trying to relay to you. As soon as the door closed Nami began to palm at your tits. She massaged the soft mounds like they were freezing and needed to be warmed up despite how hot your body was becoming. You felt the need to strip from the other layer that held your heat. That being the panties she complimented earlier. A string of your wetness followed them to the floor.  

Her leg that was adorned with her nylon stockings went in between your thighs rubbing against your drooling pussy. “This is the best day ever,” you moaned. Nami’s lips wrapped around yours silencing your excited pleas. The kiss was hot and intoxicating enough for you to not realize that she backed you against the wall. You were sure to smudge the mirror with your body that now glistened in a layer of sweat. 

Your arms tugged at Nami’s blazer until you pulled it off. Her hands worked on her skirt and yours went to her tight polo pulling it over her head. You messed up her neat curls but she could care less. She had her new meal right in front of her. She had you someone who was untainted by the MerrryGo company. So she couldn't let you go. She kissed you again giggling into your mouth. 

The beef she had with Robin was mostly one-sided but she still couldn't help but to brag about this lay later. “What is so funny,” you asked. “The fact that Robin was right. Don't worry sweetie this time is so different I want to keep you.” And it seems like you need me.” She was right about that you were ready to pounce on her. She held your hand and led you to the couch she just watched you try clothes on. 

She patted her lap and you sat on it. Her hand wrapped around your throat knocking out any of the airflow that you barely had before because you were choked up by her beauty. “Wanna try something? As my assistant, you need to be adventurous.” Sure, you gulped”. Get on top of the couch and spread your legs.” You hesitated but she gave you a reassuring look. 

You did as you were told and she quickly followed you her mouth meeting your clit as the couch dipped at her weight. Even after the first stroke of her soft muscle, you felt like you could collapse. But you stayed grounded as you would never want this experience to end in a million years. One of her hands slipped from your waist and into her own underwear. She began to play with herself in time with the many moans you were letting out. 

“Ah that feels good,” you cried out. Her tongue inserted your fluttering hole that kept spurting out your arousal. “You taste so good, she mumbled. “I can eat you forever my sweet girl.” Her praise was definitely mending your ego as well. It had been so long since someone was this nice to you. She took care of you well not spilling a drop of your cream.

“I paid for this you can be as loud as you want.” She was right but you still could imagine what the employees were hearing. So your moans were held back. That was until she inserted a finger inside of your inviting entrance. You practically screamed at the sudden and calculated move. “Ms. Nami ahh that feels so good. To good fuck! You exclaimed as she moved faster. Her pretty face and hair were sure to be messy as she was so sloppy in pleasuring you. So was her pussy as she began to scissor herself focusing on her sweet spot. 

Her moans sent vibrations into you further bringing you closer to the edge. Your legs couldn't take it anymore you were going numb. Your back arched sending you down onto the seat of the couch. Nami’s mouth followed you not latching off. “So go damn hot.” You turned around admiring the sight of the woman that was about to come undone just from eating you. 

She looked up her eyes meeting yours. You could feel her smiling as she came undone wetting the cushion underneath her. Two of her fingers curved inside of you bumping against your sweet spot. Your eyes rolled in the back of your head from the pleasure. “Do I really feel that good?” Yes! You were quick to respond not having any more breath left to say anything. 

She knocked the air out of your lungs. And as you came you became a light-headed hyperventilating mess. Your eyes closed tightly together as you rode out your orgasm on her greedy tongue. Flashes of what Kalifa said went through your mind. But you couldn't afford to care after you just got the best head of your life. 

“Y/n you okay?” Yes, you exhaled.” Your head was banging as there was no blood flowing into it. Nami helped you to get redressed and you walked out of the dressing room. Employees stared at you both obviously fucked up girls. Perona even laughed as Nami paid for your items. You knew the store was a boutique but damn the clothes were expensive.

Not to mention the 5 grand Nami promised to pay her on top of everything. “Jesus.” You winced after seeing the total was 12 thousand dollars. “This is little money for me sweets Don't worry about it.” She swiped her black card and paid with no problem. Her arm was still around you helping to lead your shaky body. “Wanna pick up your actual uniform or do you want them sent to your house like the clothes.”

“What do you mean actual uniform?” The vibrating panties, she reminded you.” I thought that was just something Robin made up.” Nope, they are the real deal.” That and my peppermint mocha are something you'll be hearing about often.” 

[anni-garcia]

The Best Remedies for Pregnancy Nausea: Finding Relief with Stomach Drops and More

Pregnancy is an exciting journey, but for many women, the early stages can be marred by morning sickness. While it's a common experience, the constant nausea and queasiness can make even the happiest moments feel overwhelming. Finding relief becomes a top priority, and luckily, there are several pregnancy nausea remedies that can help you manage the discomfort. From natural methods to specific products like Stomach Settle® Nausea Relief Drops, there are options for every mom-to-be.

Understanding Pregnancy Nausea

Nausea during pregnancy, often referred to as morning sickness, affects up to 70% of pregnant women. It typically starts in the first trimester and can last throughout, though the intensity and duration vary for each woman. For some, it’s a mild inconvenience, while for others, it can become debilitating. Finding remedies that are safe and effective is crucial for maintaining a healthy pregnancy and enjoying this special time.

Morning sickness is usually triggered by hormonal changes, particularly the increase in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and estrogen. Though it’s called morning sickness, the nausea can strike at any time of day. While some women experience it only in the early weeks of pregnancy, others continue to deal with nausea well into the second or even third trimester. This is why many women are constantly on the lookout for the best nausea relief to manage their symptoms.

Natural Remedies for Pregnancy Nausea

When you're pregnant, it's important to be cautious about what you put into your body, which is why many expectant mothers prefer natural remedies. Here are some popular options that have helped many women settle an upset stomach during pregnancy:

GingerGinger has long been celebrated as one of the best pregnancy nausea remedies. Whether you opt for ginger tea, ginger candies, or even fresh ginger added to meals, it can provide soothing relief. Ginger helps to ease nausea by promoting digestion and relaxing stomach muscles. It’s no wonder that many products, like morning sickness candy, incorporate ginger as a key ingredient.

PeppermintPeppermint is another tried-and-true remedy for nausea. Sipping on peppermint tea or sucking on peppermint lozenges can help settle an upset stomach and calm queasiness. The soothing properties of peppermint make it a go-to remedy for pregnancy nausea.

LemonThe fresh, zesty scent of lemon can help reduce nausea. Many women find that sucking on a lemon or drinking lemon-infused water can be incredibly effective. Lemon ginger drops, like Stomach Settle®, combine both lemon and ginger for a powerful nausea-relief combo. The natural acidity of lemon, paired with the anti-nausea benefits of ginger, makes it a popular solution among pregnant women.

AcupressureSome women swear by the use of acupressure wristbands, which apply pressure to specific points on the body believed to relieve nausea. This method is based on traditional Chinese medicine and has gained popularity as a safe and drug-free way to manage pregnancy nausea.

The Role of Stomach Drops in Nausea Relief

One of the most convenient and effective remedies for pregnancy nausea is using stomach drops. Products like Stomach Settle® Nausea Relief Drops combine the power of ginger, lemon, honey, and B6, providing a gentle yet effective solution to soothe your stomach. These drops are designed to settle an upset stomach quickly and naturally, making them a perfect option for pregnant women who need relief on the go.

Unlike other nausea remedies that may be difficult to take during a wave of nausea, stomach drops are easy to carry and use. Simply pop a drop into your mouth, and you’ll start to feel the calming effects almost immediately. They come in flavors like Lemon Ginger Honey, which not only tastes great but also targets the root cause of nausea.

Why Choose Stomach Settle®?

Stomach Settle® has become a trusted name in nausea relief for good reason. The brand combines natural ingredients known for their anti-nausea properties, such as ginger and lemon, with the added benefit of B6, which has been clinically shown to reduce nausea in pregnant women. Whether you're dealing with morning sickness or just need a general solution to settle an upset stomach, these drops are an excellent option.

In addition to being effective, Stomach Settle® products are convenient. Many women find that keeping a pack of morning sickness candy or nausea drops in their purse, car, or bedside table is a lifesaver during pregnancy. The compact, portable packaging makes it easy to have relief whenever nausea strikes.

Other Remedies to Consider

While stomach drops can be incredibly effective, they are not the only solution available. Here are a few other tips to manage nausea during pregnancy:

Eat Small, Frequent MealsEating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day can help prevent nausea. Empty stomachs can exacerbate feelings of queasiness, so try to keep snacks like crackers or fruit on hand to nibble throughout the day.

Stay HydratedDehydration can worsen nausea, so it's important to drink plenty of water. If plain water doesn't sit well, try adding a splash of lemon juice or sipping on ginger tea.

Get Plenty of RestFatigue can make nausea worse. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and taking time to rest when needed.

Avoid TriggersCertain smells or foods can intensify nausea during pregnancy. If possible, avoid strong odors or foods that tend to trigger your symptoms.

Final Thoughts

Pregnancy nausea doesn’t have to be something you just suffer through. With a range of remedies available, from natural solutions to effective products like Stomach Settle® Nausea Relief Drops, you can find the best nausea relief for your needs. Whether you’re looking for a simple stomach drop or trying out home remedies like ginger and peppermint, there are plenty of ways to settle an upset stomach and enjoy your pregnancy to the fullest.

[theserenebean]

The Serene Bean

Espresso Yourself

Stable Stance take it black Kick in the Teeth a subtle chili flavor Hit from Behind coconut Cross Strike salted caramel Overhead Block peanut butter cinnamon Grasping Block marshmallow coconut Mountain Punch orange zest and almond Upper Hand butterscotch Spinning Kick hazelnut, marshmallow, caramel Pressure Point peppermint Armed and Dangerous chocolate Shadow Blend dark chocolate

It's Never Too Latte

Change Your Mind pumpkin spice Try Again white chocolate pomegranate Learn Something New peanut butter rose Make a Plan apple cinnamon Run Away marshmallow chocolate with graham cracker crumble Apologize rose, cherry Forgive chocolate, coconut Call for Help strawberry vanilla Begin hazelnut Begin Again hazelnut with caramel Take a Lunch raspberry pomegranate Come Home french vanilla

Milking the Bit

regular almond coconut soy

Plain Old Vanilla vanilla... we told you twice now Chocolate Infinity chocolate milk with cocoa powder and chocolate shavings If You Caramel salted caramel steamer with a hint of almond Butterscratch butterscotch and cinnamon with white chocolate shavings Too Cherry cherry flavored steamer with whipped cream and a cherry on top A Little Bit Nutty almond and hazelnut topped with graham cracker crumble Berry Fondue strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, white chocolate shavings Citrus With Us orange Strategically Placed Banana Peel banana, coconut, vanilla wafers

All Goes Smoothies

Mix in your chosen energy drink to make it go Too Far for an additional 2.50 hours of learning your lesson

In the Rain blueberry, cranberry, pansies Kumquaterie kumquat, lychee, lemon soda Only Dreaming blackberry, cantaloupe, coconut Nightly Vigil cocoa, blueberry Undue Harm avocado, rose, lemon soda, a hint of wasabi Meddling Mango mango, banana, raspberry Wanted Dead or Alive strawberry, coconut, rose Hit and Run cherry, lime, almonds To the Bitter End cocoa, banana, rose Ugly Cry cocoa, almond, caramel First Watch strawberry and mango The Greater Good blackberry and lime

Only a Teas

Add cream to any blend for an additional 0.15 of your journey.

All teas come with honey, request to leave out

Blue in the Face creamy blueberry lotus blend Honking Handshake rooibos blend with marshmallow root and cocoa Medicinal Laughter chamomile-mint topped with pea blossoms Jump Scare a creamy cinnamon brew under a light floral white tea He Who Smelt It a sharp citrus blend with cornflower and a hint of sage Set the Clock Back lotus, chamomile, elderberry Trap Door lily-rose tea with basil and almond Funny Face a creamy honeysuckle elderberry blend with notes of licorice

Sandwichcraft

Earth roast beef on ciabatta; cheddar cheese, mushrooms, onions, creamy garlic sauce Wind cucumber on rye; avocado, white beans, vinaigrette Water duck on sourdough; swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, blueberry marmalade Fire chicken on ciabatta; red peppers, mozzarella cheese, mango habanero aioli Void four cheese blend on rye; tomato, light pesto

Just Desserts

A Better Tomorrow blueberry muffin Small Surprises cranberry fritters with orange glaze Second Love 3 chocolate eclairs Lost and Found slice of kumquat meringue pie The End of All Things slice of kahlua cake with chocolate glaze

[blxckdragonfly]

River (It's Coming On Christmas) (Darkness Finds You Drabble #6)

(Song: "River (It's Coming On Christmas)" by Ellie Goulding.

Pairing: Chris Motionless & Lycia Winters "Pronunciation of her name-- Lai-shuh" played by Ana De Armas)

Word Count: 3,118

Warnings: Slight mention of grief, minor smut on the page and fluffiness.

Synopsis: After returning home from "The Touring The End of The World" tour, Lycia takes it upon herself to make sure that she and Chris have a wonderful Christmas home in Scranton.

And we're back! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, here's a little drabble with Chris and Lycia to make you feel the cozy vibes. Also, meu amado means "my beloved" in Portuguese. Enjoy. x Tiger)

Lycia and Chris’s Home: December 25th, 2023– Scranton, Pennsylvania. 

I wake up in bed that I share with Chris. We have been home from a grueling but super fun tour, Chris and his band, Motionless In White had headlined the “Touring The End of The World” tour with Alpha Wolf, Knocked Loose and After The Burial. I, on the other hand, have been taking photos of all the bands during the entire tour but I’m happy to just be home with Chris and our two black pugs, Fang and Luna. 

I open my eyes and stretch slightly in bed, being careful not to wake Chris as I look out the window and I see that it has started to snow outside and I smile. The first snowfall in Scranton always has such a special place in my heart. It’s as if the world has turned into a serene wonderland, blanketed in pure beauty. I adored the way the delicate snowflakes dance in the air, their ethereal presence turning the ordinary landscape into something magical. 

It's coming on Christmas

They’re cutting down trees

They're putting up reindeer

And singing songs of joy and peace

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I gently arose from the bed, my senses attuned to the tranquility that fills the room. I tiptoe over to the window, careful not to disturb Chris, who lays sprawled across the sheets like a slumbering rockstar that he is. With a soft sigh, I watch as the snowflakes melt against the warm glass, leaving tiny droplets that shimmer like diamonds. 

A mischievous grin plays on my lips as an idea strikes me, I know how I could make this snowy morning even more magical for Chris and myself. Slipping on my cozy robe and fluffy slippers, I creep out of our bedroom and make my way downstairs to the kitchen. 

My eyes sparkle with excitement as I gather supplies: mugs, hot cocoa, marshmallows and a jar of homemade peppermint syrup. I silently hum a tune as I prepare a tray laden with treats for a winter’s day. The anticipation of surprising Chris with a delightful winter morning treat makes my heart skip a beat. 

With the tray carefully balanced in my hands, I make my way back upstairs, eager to share this special moment with Chris. As I enter our bedroom, the sight that greets me warms my heart. Chris is now awake, his tousled yet fading purple hair falling over his brown eyes as he sits up in bed, blinking sleepily. 

“Good morning, love,” I whisper, my voice filled with affection. I set the tray down on the bedside table, the aroma of vegan hot cocoa and peppermint filling the air. “I thought we could have some hot cocoa in bed.” 

A soft smile tugs at the corner of Chris’s lips as he takes in the scene before him. 

“You really know how to make mornings magical, honey,” He says, his voice still husky with sleep. 

I join him on the bed, snuggling up against his side as we both reach for our mugs of steaming hot cocoa. The scent of chocolate and peppermint mingles in the air as we take our first sips, savoring the warmth that spreads through our bodies. 

Chris places a soft kiss on my temple and strokes my caramel brown hair, his eyes meeting my yellow-green hazel ones. 

“Merry Christmas, my beautiful Lycia,” He whispers. 

“Merry Christmas, Christopher Cerulli,” I reply as I wrap my arms around his neck, my forehead resting on his. 

Despite snuggling in Chris’s tattooed arms, I feel a pang of grief as I remember that this will be another Christmas with Marcus being gone. Memories of Marcus and I exchanging gifts suddenly come racing to the surface, his laughter in my ears. 

Chris senses my sudden change in demeanor and gently squeezes my hand, his brown eyes full of concern. 

“Hey, you okay?” He asks softly, his voice filled with genuine care. 

I take a deep breath, my heart heavy with the weight of my past, I look into Chris’s eyes and I smile, grateful for his unwavering support. 

“Yeah, just a flashback,” I replied, my voice tinged with sadness. “Marcus… He loved Christmas too, that’s why the holidays are hard for me sometimes, you know? That’s all.” 

But it don't snow here

It stays pretty green

I’m gonna make a lot of money

I'm gonna quit this crazy scene

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

Chris nods in understanding as he pulls me closer in his arms, my head resting on top of his chest as I try to blink back tears. He rests his chin on top of my head. 

“I know, baby,” Chris murmurs into my hair. “But remember, you’re not alone in this. I’m here for you, always.” His voice is filled with so much love and empathy that it brings a sense of comfort to my heart. I take a deep breath, allowing Chris’s words to sink in. 

Yes, Marcus would always hold such a special place in my heart but I also have found love and happiness with Chris. Together, we have built a life with a deep connection that I never thought has been possible after losing him. 

As the snow continues to fall outside, I feel a renewed sense of strength and gratitude for this moment. I lean up and I press my lips against Chris’s, savoring the taste of hot cocoa on his mouth. In that simple act of affection, I find solace and a reminder of the love that surrounds me now. 

Chris’s tattooed fingers caress the back of my hand and the intricate moon design tattooed on my wrist, moving up to the scars from heroin needles from when I used to shoot myself up with heroin, which nearly cost me my life when I was mourning Marcus, to the red inked snake and flowers tattoo on the outside of my left forearm as we lay there, finishing up our hot cocoa. 

“So, how about I make a lovely vegan breakfast for the two of us? And then we’ll go outside and enjoy the snow?” Chris whispers. 

I grin as I place a soft kiss on his tattooed neck as I whisper into his skin: “That would be perfect, baby.” 

Together, Chris and I spent the rest of the morning in each other’s arms, our conversation filled with laughter. The snow continues to fall outside, blanketing the world in a serene wonderland. After a scrumptious breakfast, we grab our jackets and hats from the closet. 

As we walk outside, the cold air meets our skin, causing us both to shiver ever so slightly. Chris wraps his arms around me, pulling me close into his body as we step out into the snowfall. The world outside is breathtaking, a pristine blanket of white that covered the ground, and each snowflake caught in the streetlights, shining like diamonds. 

Chris and I venture out into the snowy landscape, hand in hand, and build a snowman. My giggles echo in the quiet winter air as I smooth the snow around the snowman’s body, giving it a round appearance. Chris, with his own tattooed hands, adds a carrot nose and two coal eyes. 

As we step back and admire our creation, a warm and content feeling washes over us for a few moments until I make a snowball and throw it straight at Chris. Laughing, Chris dodges the snowball, catching it with one hand as it hits him straight in the chest. 

“Oh, it’s on, honey,” He challenges, his brown eyes sparkling with mischief. I grin, my eyes alight with excitement. I scoop up another handful of snow and aim for Chris’s head. 

He ducks in time, causing me to miss. But I’m quick on my feet and soon a snowball fight erupts between us, snow flying in all directions as we laugh and dodge as we race through our backyard. 

While I’m looking for Chris, he hides behind one of the trees in our yard, waiting for the right moment for me to walk by so he can run up and tackle me into the snow. I wriggle and giggle as Chris starts to tickle me, trying to get away from his strong arms that hold me down in the snowy mound. 

“Chris, you’re so mean!” I exclaim, my voice muffled by the snow beneath me. 

He chuckles, “Yes, but it’s all in good fun. You know I can’t resist.” As he rolls me onto my back and smiles softly as he brushes some snow off of my face, his hand caressing my cheek. 

“I love you,” I whisper, my eyes glistening with tears of laughter and happiness. 

“I love you too,” Chris replies, his voice filled with warmth and affection. He leans in and kisses me lightly on the lips, our tongues meeting in a sweet, passionate embrace. 

The snow continued to fall, blanketing the world around us. As we lay there in the snow, our bodies entwine, I turn to Chris, my eyes fill with unshed tears. 

“I just… Thank you for being here with me. For loving me the way you do and helping me heal. I don’t know where I’d be in this life without you,” I sniffle quietly, wiping away the tears that have finally escaped. 

Chris simply smiles at me, his love shining for me in his eyes as he looks at me. 

“You’re my world, Lycia,” He whispers, brushing the hair away from my face and wiping away my tears with his thumbs. “I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.” 

I look up at Chris, my eyes brimming with gratitude as my fingers trace his tattooed jawline and neck, the lyrics of “Saturday Night” by Misfits and the winged coffin tattoo staring back at me. 

I wish I had a river so long

I would teach my feet to fly

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I made my baby cry

“You truly are my everything,” I murmur. “And I can never, ever repay you for all that you’ve done for me.” 

Chris smiles, his gaze never leaving mine. “There’s no need to repay me, honey. I’m just glad to be here for you, to love you and support you through everything. You know that.” 

I feel my heart swell with love and gratitude as I look into Chris’s eyes, filled with a depth of emotion that I have never experienced before. I know that I’m truly lucky to have him by my side, helping me heal and find happiness again. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him close to me as we continue to lay in the snow, smiling and kissing softly. 

As the sun begins to set, casting a warm glow over the snowy landscape, Chris and I slowly stand up together and he leads me back towards our home by the hand, we both stand in the doorway, our snowy clothes clinging to our bodies as we shiver from the cold. 

“Let’s get changed and warm up,” Chris suggests, holding out his hand to help me inside as his voice becomes slightly seductive. “Maybe I’ll even make it worth your while.” 

I can't help but giggle as I lean in to brush my lips against Chris’s. 

“You always know how to make things worth my while, babe,” I reply, my voice filled with warmth and affection. 

As we walk inside together, I can feel the warmth of the fire radiating from the fireplace and the scent of winter spilling into the room. Chris leads me toward the stairs, his tattooed fingers still holding onto my hand. 

“After you, my lady,” He teases, his eyes sparkling with mischief and love. 

I bite my lip, a playful smile on my face as I respond, “You’re always such a gentleman.” 

I playfully swat his arm before skipping up the stairs, the sound of my laughter filling the air. As we reach the top, I turn back around, my eyes fill with desire as I look at him. 

“I need you to take care of me, baby. Make sure I’m warm and safe,” I whisper seductively, my words sending a shiver down Chris’s spine. 

He tried hard to help me

You know, he put me at ease

And he loved me so naughty

Made me so weak in the knees

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

Chris’s heart races at my words, his desire for me growing with each passing moment. He can feel his body tingling with anticipation as he closes the distance between us, his eyes never leaving mine. 

“Always, my love,” He responds, his voice husky with desire. “I’ll take care of you in every way possible.” 

With a surge of longing, Chris crosses the remaining space and captures my lips in a passionate kiss, our bodies pressing against each other, the heat between us rising as our tongues danced in an intimate tempo. The taste of me on his lips ignites a fire that burns brighter with each passing second. 

Breathless and full of need, Chris pulls away, his hands cradling my face gently. He gazes into my eyes, searching for any hesitation or doubt, but finds only desire mirrored back at him. 

“Mmm. Let me warm you up, baby,” He whispers seductively, trailing kisses along my jawline and neck, making me sigh as my arm wraps around the back of his neck. He smiles against my skin, his tongue sweeping the pulse point on my neck. 

As we continue our passionate embrace, Chris’s hands slip underneath my clothes, his fingers exploring my delicate skin and tracing my fox and deer antler tattoos. My breath hitches, my body arching towards his touch, my heart pounding in my chest as his fingers trace the curve of my neck. 

Lost in the moment, I return Chris’s kiss with equal passion, my hands running through his short hair, my red nails scratching against his scalp, sending shivers down his spine. My lips tasted of snowflakes and sweetness, as well as the bit of chocolate and peppermint from our hot cocoa in the morning, our bodies moving in a rhythm that echoes throughout the house. 

Chris continues to explore my body, his fingers tracing the contours of my hips and my phoenix tattoo, his palms cupping my bottom as he lifts me onto the bed, seeing the fire of passion and longing, mirroring his own. 

“God, you’re so fucking beautiful,” He says with a low growl. 

I'm so hard to handle

I'm selfish and I'm sad

Now I've gone and lost the best baby

That I ever had

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I moan as I look up at Chris, who’s now shirtless, my eyes filled with a mix of arousal and vulnerability. I feel a blush spread across my cheeks as he continues to explore my now bare body, I watch as he continues to trace my phoenix tattoo on my hip. 

“Are you sure you can handle me, baby?” I breathe out, my voice breathy and seductive. Chris smirks, his eyes never leaving mine as he unbuttoned his jeans and slips out of them. 

“I can handle anything you throw at me, honey,” He replies, his voice husky with desire. I bit my lip, a playful smile on my face. 

“We’ll have to see about that, then,” I responded. 

With that, I push him back onto the bed, straddling him and smiling seductively. My eyes sparkle with mischief and desire as I lean in to kiss him, our bodies pressing lightly together, creating a heat of our own. 

Chris groans, his hands cupping my face as our kiss deepens, his tongue playing with mine. His hands roam my body, my skin warm and soft, the contrast of the cold from outside only heightens his need for me. 

After a few moments and our last remaining clothes are taken off, I take control of him, bringing the head of his length toward my entrance and sliding myself down. We both let out soft moans, Chris’s eyes closing as his hands move down to my hips, guiding me as I move on him. 

“Chris…” I breathe as I close my eyes, my head leaning back in pleasure. Chris smiles as he keeps our momentum going, his hips hitting me in the best way possible. 

“Does that feel good, baby?” He whispers, his voice filled with seduction. I nod as I rise up and down on him. 

“God, it feels incredible, meu amado. Don’t stop,” I sigh as I keep our pace going in a slow but passionate manner as I continue to drive us both to the edge of climax.

As we finally come to a stop, I collapse on top of him, my head on his unfinished haunted house chest tattoo, our breathing heavy as we pant against each other. 

Oh, I wish I had a river so long

I would teach my feet to fly

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I made my baby say goodbye

“This is the best Christmas that I’d ever had,” I whisper with a giggle as I look into Chris’s soft brown eyes. “I love you so much, Christopher Cerulli.” 

Chris strokes my caramel brown hair as I lay my head on his chest, my breaths slowly evening out as we bask in the afterglow. He smiles and reaches up, gently brushing his fingers against my cheek. “I love you too, Lycia. And I promise to always take care of you, babe.” 

I lift my head and kiss Chris softly, my eyes sparkling with happiness and contentment. “You always know how to make me feel cherished and loved, Chris. Thank you for sharing this Christmas with me.” 

Chris pulls me closer, his tattooed arms around me and keeping me in a warm embrace. “I’m just glad to be with you. No matter what happens, I know we’ll be okay as long as we have each other.” 

We lay there for a while, enjoying the warmth of each other’s bodies, and the comfort we find in each other’s embrace. Eventually, I sigh and snuggle closer to Chris, my eyes flickering closed as sleep claims me. 

Chris kisses my forehead and settles in for the night, wrapping the sheets of the bed around us to keep us nice and warm as he feels happy and content as he drifts off to sleep too, his arm still possessively around my waist as he does every night, our hearts beating together as one. 

It's coming on Christmas

They're cutting down trees

They’re putting up reindeer

And singing songs of joy and peace

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

[let-the-dream-begin]

Sins of the Flesh: Chapter 1

Prologue

Read on AO3

Edinburgh, 1850

Jamie rolled his eyes as he left the print shop, trying to drown out Geordie’s droning voice, still audible even after he shut the door. He straightened his cap and adjusted his hand on the leather bag he had strapped over his shoulder. He could have laughed; if his sister knew she’d sent him away from the farm for a printing apprenticeship only to begin distributing seditious pamphlets on the side, she’d smack him silly.

A hundred years had gone by since the rising that his great-grandfather was killed in, and still he wouldn’t rest until the English were out of his country, never to set foot on his land again. He’d be Laird Broch Tuarach if not for the massacre of Culloden. And instead he was working a printing press, miles from home, while his sister and her crippled husband fended for themselves.

The anger in his heart would not soon fade, if ever.

His first stop was the baker, then the bookshop, then the butcher. All loyal readers of anti-English sentiment. He passed the pamphlets over folded in books, hidden under blankets in baskets that he’d ask to be filled with bread or meat. Jamie’s slight of hand had gotten better and better over the years. He made jovial, coded conversation while others went about their day, blissfully unaware.

It all gave him a strange thrill.

The apothecary was next on his list of traitors. He tipped his hat at the smitten lasses that waved at him, winked at wee laddies darting through the streets. He pushed the door open and the bell jingled. There was a woman standing at the counter in a striking, deep emerald green dress, pagoda sleeves revealing black gloves, neckline all the way up to her hairline, where a bonnet began. Hanging off her left wrist was a black parasol, matching her gloves. This woman could not possibly have been native to Edinburgh, or perhaps to Scotland at all. She was speaking quietly to the man behind the counter, a basket in front of her that she intended to have filled. Upon hearing her voice, he was made even more certain that she was an outlander. She spoke like a Sassenach.

“Ah! Mister Fraser!” The man waved jovially. “I’ll be with you shortly. Allow me to fill the lady’s order.” He gave a bow of his head to the woman, and she curtsied softly.

He could see not an inch of her skin, at least not from behind, but there was something elegant in the way she carried herself.

“Thank you, Sir.”

God, her voice was like honey.

Her head turned, and Jamie fought the urge to stare. A black veil was attached to the front of her bonnet, covering her face. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and was immediately struck by her eyes. They were honey as well, literally, in color. And they seemed to glow, shining through the black lace as if it was not there.

“Mistress.” Jamie bowed deeply, removing his hat. He stared at his feet for several seconds, his heart pounding.

Christ, she was beautiful.

Even through the veil he could tell. She was sculpted like fine china, a delicate brow over those haunting, enchanted eyes, lips full and pink. He peered up hesitantly, and the woman curtsied in return.

“Does something ail you?”

Jamie blinked up at her, still in his ridiculous bow. “Pardon?”

“Are you ill? Or hurt? Or someone you know?”

Jamie stood up, nearly dropping his basket of bread and meat.

“Oh. Oh, aye.” He’d nearly lost his head for a moment, completely forgetting what shop they were in. “My stomach ails me at times.”

“It’s recurring?”

“Um, aye. Sometimes.”

“Have you come for peppermint tea?”

“Ehm...I wasna sure what I’d come for, to be candid.”

“You’ve had no relief from this pain at all?”

“Nah. Come fer it today.”

“I see. Well you should ask for peppermint tea.” She nodded curtly. “If it’s a flatulence issue that could help. But if it’s anything more serious I’d need to examine you.”

Jamie’s throat ran dry, and he felt his eyes bug out of his head. “Pardon me?”

The woman actually laughed, rather giggled at him. An enchanting sound. “Forgive me,” she said, still laughing. “I failed to introduce myself. I am Lady Grey.”

Jamie’s heart sank. She was someone’s Lady, and he had no right for that to disappoint him. He was likely more than far beneath her station at any rate. She seemed far too fine for this tiny shop, for all of Edinburgh.

“James Fraser.” He bowed his head. “Pleasure to meet you, My Lady.”

“The pleasure is mine, Sir. In any case, I’m a healer. I can help you if you need it. Is your pain ever accompanied with fever?”

“Uh, no,” he said quickly. It would soon become very difficult to keep inventing symptoms if she continued this line of questioning.

“Any lumps or swelling in the abdomen?”

“No.”

“Is it sharp or dull?”

“Rather, ehm, dull.”

“Alright. Likely just flatulence, then.”

The shop owner returned then with a small bundle that he placed in the Lady’s basket. She pulled a coin purse from her skirts and paid the man. It was then that it occurred to Jamie that perhaps she was no one’s Lady at all. The black, the gloves, the veil…

“Are ye in mourning, Mistress?”

She dropped the coin in the shop owner’s hand and looked at him sharply.

“If I was?”

“My apologies,” Jamie stammered. “That was beastly rude of me, My Lady. Please forgive me.”

“Why do you want to know, Mister Fraser? What would you say if I told you I was?”

Jamie gulped painfully. “I’d...I’d offer my condolences. Most heartfelt,” he said. “And I’d pray for peace to your weary heart.”

Her face changed imperceptibly, one delicate brow arching. “Anything else?”

He blinked dumbly, his mouth agape before he had the sense to snap it shut. Was she...provoking him? Inviting him?

“I...I’m not sure I understand, My Lady.”

She let out another giggle, this one sounding more like a hum. “Such a funny boy.”

He had no idea why those words felt like a blow to the gut, substantiating the stomach pains he’d just falsified. How old could she have been, smooth as porcelain, to think him none but a silly lad?

And yet, he could not disagree with her. He was acting like an utter moron, had been since he’d laid eyes on her.

It was as if the damnable woman had put a spell on him.

She lifted her basket and turned away from the counter, thanking the shopkeeper. “Remember, peppermint tea.”

“Aye, My Lady. Thank you.”

“Where do you live? I’d like to check on you next week, make sure it’s working. If it doesn’t, you likely have bigger problems.”

“Ehm…”

“Out with it, please, I have other patients.”

“The print shop,” he stammered, almost against his own will.

“Good. Next Tuesday?”

“A-aye, Mistress.”

She brushed past him, and he caught a whiff of something herbal, earthy, floral, and intoxicating as she did.

“And you’ll do well to separate your raw meats and cooked bread,” she said, a hint of scolding in her voice as she eyed his basket with nothing short of disgust. “That may even very well be what has you ill.”

“Aye, Mistress.”

“Good day, Mister Fraser.”

“G’day.”

And with a jingle of a bell and the snap of her black parasol, she was gone.

Jamie blinked in utter bewilderment; he’d never accidentally become somebody’s patient before.

The shopkeeper chuckled, and Jamie snapped out of his reverie, having followed her down the street with his eyes.

“Smitten wi’ the elusive Lady Grey, are ye, laddie?”

Jamie chose not to answer, placing his basket on the counter.

“She’s been here before?”

“Only once, last week,” the shopkeeper explained, taking the basket behind the counter and effortlessly slipping the seditious pamphlet out from under the goods and into the sleeve of his coat. “Seems to me she’s just arrived and will be here at least once a week to replenish supplies for her patients.” He rolled his eyes at the word.

“What? Ye doubt her abilities?”

“She told me she studied healing in the East,” he said. “Sounds like hokum to me.”

Jamie said nothing.

“If yer next question relates to her husband, I canna answer.” The man shrugged. “She was dressed near the same last week. She speaks o’ him as if he lives, but dresses as if he doesna.”

Jamie nodded. “None o’ my business anyway.”

The man snorted. “No, it isna. A farmboy wi’ ink on his face has no business ogling after a gem like that.”

Jamie felt himself flush head to toe, swiping at his face stupidly, not at all sure where said ink was on his face. The man laughed, not cruelly, and leaned over the counter to slap Jamie on the back.

“Dinna fash, laddie. Every man’s got to make a fool of himself to a lass at some point.”

“Aye,” Jamie cleared his throat. “I suppose.”

And yet, that night, Jamie’s dreams were filled with images of honey eyes and a honeyed tongue.

In the shop, he’d seen stray, wild curls poking out of her bonnet, and in his dreams she removed the bonnet, tossing it away so he could at last see her free of the veil, and wild, untamed curls cascaded past her shoulders. He ran his hands through it, and imagined that was what running his fingers through a heavenly cloud would feel like. She unbuttoned the unreasonably high collar next, and her creamy neck exposed itself to him inch by inch. He wanted to touch her, wanted to touch her everywhere, but her eyes kept him locked in place. They were glowing like candles, burning him below the belt. She slowly peeled off her gloves and tossed them over her shoulder.

Just when her gown lowered to show the swell of her beautiful breast, he awoke.

He was covered in a thick sheen of sweat, and he was hard as a rock.

Damn his dreams for giving him enough to rouse him, yet not enough to finish the job.

Or perhaps damn her. It was almost as if she’d entered his mind and forced those visions on him. The spell her eyes cast on him in the dream felt too real to be entirely dreamt.

He abused himself to the thought of her scolding him in the print shop, the thought of tasting her beautiful lips, the thought of seeing beyond the swell of her breasts, seeing beyond the wide skirt she wore. He’d seen women in states of undress before, but never had they roused him as much as the mere thought of Lady Grey as such.

As he spilled his seed onto his own stomach, he felt shame burn him to his very core.

She could still very well be married to a living man.

But had she not tried to provoke him? Get him to say more about her potential widowhood?

Needless to say, Jamie’s stomach was tied in knots over the inevitable arrival of Lady Grey to his home next Tuesday.

[mandoalorian]

Pain Is For The Living [Javier Peña x F!Reader] - Chapter 1 (SMUT)

Summary: Sex work in the heat of 1980’s Colombia was never going to be a walk in the park. Especially not when you had a crush on your number one client, agent Javier Peña. You’d been warned about him and his reputation, but after one very specific incident that would change your life forever, you find yourself attached to him like never before and you’d do anything to make him yours. Even if it means endangering your own life.

Warnings: 18+ SMUT (male receiving oral), allusions to sex, reader works in a brothel, PTSD, anxiety, panic attack, mention of drugs, guns, character death, typical Narcos themes.

Word count: 4000>

Series Masterlist

*reblogs appreciated! Ko-Fi in bio if you want to support me!

It was the hottest summer in twenty years; or at least that’s what the weather lady had told you when you were getting ready for work this morning. 

You’d been searching for your best friend Rosa all over the brothel, asking your colleagues if they’d seen her anywhere. They all shook their heads or shrugged their shoulders before disregarding your presence completely so they could get back to their conversations. You understood their cold nature to a degree. You were new and fresh-faced in Bogotá, and this sex work was the only thing paying your rent. Sometimes you got the feeling they didn’t like you, but you did your best to shrug it off. The manner of your job wasn’t an easy one, that’s for sure. But Rosa had been with you from day one. Not only was she your only friend, but also, she was a mentor, and she taught you everything you needed to know about being a successful sex worker in the heat of Colombia.

You finally found Rosa outside the brothel, leaning against the brick wall, her sunglasses perched on the curve of her nose. Immediately something felt off. You couldn’t put your finger one what exactly it was, but everything about Rosa’s demeanor concerned you. The cigarette that she held between her fingers was almost completely puffed out, with just a noticeable pink lipstick stain on the foot of the filter paper. You stood next to her and leaned against the same wall, by her side. You noticed her shoulders relax a little at your presence, but Rosa still didn’t say a word. It was strange. She was usually bubbly and talkative, eager to tell you all the gossip she had learned from her clients. 

“Peppermint for your thoughts?” you asked Rosa, diving into your pocket and bringing out a carton of peppermint candies. As you waited for her response, you placed one on your tongue and sucked on it longingly. You’d been working long hours and it was the first thing you’d eaten all day.

“In a minute,” she said, dismissing the sweet and wiggling her finger in the air. She huffed and narrowed her eyes, watching the busy roads intently before taking one final drag off the cigarette. She stumped the end out and threw it away, but the cigarette that was once in between her lips was now replaced with her thumb as she nervously bit at her nails. “Has Limón  come by today?” she asked you eventually.

You knew the cab driver. He’d frequented the brothel a number of times. Rosa often had a lot to say about him until suddenly, she just didn’t.

“Not that I know of,” you replied innocently, but something still felt so incredibly wrong. “Rosa, is everything okay?”

Rosa’s head snapped to face you, and for the first time you noticed the fear strike in her honey coloured eyes. She sighed and pursed her lips together, before raising her hand and cupping your face. Her thumb grazed the height of your cheekbone and she finally smiled. But it wasn’t like her usual smile. It was soft and— sad.

“Of course,” she told you. “Nothing to worry about.”

And you knew better than to push Rosa, so you decided to leave it at that.

Silence with Rosa was comfortable. You both observed the bustling streets of Bogotá. You were thinking about the simpler things in life, like whether or not you could afford the luxury of canned spaghetti hoops in advance of this month’s rent payment, or where in the brothel you’d left your signature lipstick. Rosa, on the other hand…

“He’s an agent you know.” She announced suddenly.

You furrowed your eyebrows together. “Who? Limón?”

Rosa let out a bark of incredulous laughter, and you assumed as such. “No no, not Limón. I’m talking about Peña.”

You felt your cheeks warm up at the initial mention of his name, and you tried to fight back a smile. You had to keep cool in front of Rosa. Sure, the whole brothel knew about your crush on your client but only Rosa’s opinion mattered to you. “Javier?” you quizzed, as if you needed to question who Peña could possibly be.

Rosa rolled her eyes playfully and you stifled a laugh, realising how silly you sounded. “You’ve got it bad huh?” Rosa acknowledged and you felt a flush of shame creep upon your cheeks. “It’s okay. When I first started out I had countless crushes on my clients.” she confessed, and her revelation made you feel somewhat better about yourself.

“How do you know that… about Javier?” you wondered out loud, biting your lip and trying to sound as casual as possible. You’re the girl he’d been fucking with for the past two months and he hadn’t dared open up to you about a single personal detail in his life. Truth be told, that’s what made him different from the other guys. So if anyone was to know anything about the man, it should be you. Why wasn’t it you? You couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy that your beautiful best friend was seemingly omniscient. “Have… have you been sleeping with him?”

Rosa frowned apologetically and smoothed out your hair. “No honey. I wouldn’t do that to you,” she promised and you nodded your head slowly. You had no reason not to believe her but she still hadn’t answered your question. Just as you went to prod her further, she opened her mouth. “But be careful. Crushes on clients can be dangerous. You never really know who you’re working with. Javier has a… reputation amongst the brothels in Bogotá.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat… a lump that you didn’t even realise you were holding back. “He seems nice. Respectful.” you admitted with a slight shrug of your shoulders. You’d be foolish to dismiss a word of advice from Rosa, but warning you about Javier…? You knew him better than that. You knew him. You had every inch of his body memorised. You could spot his scent from a mile away. You knew he was a good guy.

Rosa hummed slightly before squinting at an oncoming truck that was pulling up outside the brothel. “Speak of the devil.” She muttered.

“Javier!” you couldn’t help but beam excitedly. You quickly turned to face Rosa. “Could I borrow your lipstick? I lost mine and I-” Out of nowhere, Rosa pulled out her pink lipstick and passed it to you. You took it willingly and gave her a quick hug of gratitude. “Thank you.” you mumbled into her neck before pulling away. 

“Be careful!” Rosa called after you as you ran back inside the brothel and into the lobby where you’d wait for Javier.

Be careful. You chuckled a little at her words. You had nothing to worry about. You quickly applied your lipstick with as much precision as possible and checked your hair in one of the many mirrors. Your heart rate picked up speed the second you saw him enter the lobby. Today, he was wearing one of his trademark colourful button down shirts - this one, a pale yellow colour that was comparable to the sunshine. He was frowning, just like always, but the bright colour on him radiated an air of enlightenment.

He looked around the lobby in search of you, and when his eyes finally landed on you, he immediately felt at ease. You waved him over with a smirk and he took off his aviators, hanging them in the v of his shirt. His eyes were beautiful, like the deepest shade of cocoa. You made an unfortunate habit of getting lost in them at any given moment.

“Hi Javi,” you cooed, placing the palm of your hand on his chest. “You’re early today.”

“I can’t stay long,” he grumbled. “Have to get back to the office. Can we make it quick?”

You tilted your head curiously. “What do you have in mind?”

Javier brought out his wallet and handed you enough peso’s to cover an easy blowjob. He looked up at you, hopefully, with an adorable sheepish grin on his face. You took the money from him and nodded your head before taking his hand and guiding him to your room.

It was the room he’d grown completely accustomed to the past few months. He knew his way around. He was comfortable. He closed the door behind him and immediately worked at undoing his belt. You glanced over at his payment that you’d discarded on your dresser and thought long and hard. You really liked Javier. Enough so that you felt weird about taking his money. He was different to the other guys. You fucked men because they were paying you, but you fucked Javier because you liked it. You wanted it. Every second he wasn’t with you… you only craved him more.

Too lost in your own thought, you’d forgotten the man of your dreams was standing by the door waiting to get sucked off. He cleared his throat awkwardly and your head snapped in his direction to face him, your eyes going comically wide. You felt embarrassed that you’d left him waiting and quickly paced over to him, kneeling down and unzipping his denim jeans. He was already hard, judging by the familiar shaped imprint against his thigh.

“Everything okay?” he hummed as you pulled out his cock. His question turned into a slight garble as soon as your fingers graced his leaking head. You gathered his precum and rubbed it along his thick length and his eyes immediately snapped shut.

“Yes. Why?” you asked innocently before pressing a kiss to his slit. You looked up at him through your eyelashes with wide doe-eyes.

“Looked like something was preying on your mind.” Javier muttered, scrunching his face up in pleasure as you licked a stripe along the base of his cock. You extended your hand to massage his balls and you continued to pump at his length.

“Isn’t that why you’re here?” You beckoned further. “To let go?”

“Fuck,” Javier hissed. “More.” he pleaded and you quickly obeyed, wrapping your lips around his head and pushing his cock deep into your mouth. You felt his body tense up and he threw his head back against the wooden door. “More!” he choked out.

You hollowed your cheeks and sank your lips as far as you could go, so his groomed pubic hair tickled the tip of your nose. Tears began to prick your eyes and you pulled off him quickly to gasp for breath. Javier was heaving and panting too, and you took a second to look up at him and lick your lips. He was so perfect, a thin sheen of sweat glistened along his collarbones, only just noticeable under the dim amber lights of your room. Before he could catch you staring like a hopeless lovebird, you reattached your lips around his cock and finished up the blowjob, feeling more than satisfied when his ropes of cum spilled into your mouth.

Once his cock softened enough to tuck himself back in, he zipped up his jeans and redone his belt but not before helping you stand. Meeting respectful guys like Javier Peña in your line of work was a rarity, that’s for sure. Still you couldn’t help but think about Rosa’s words as you watched him smooth out his shirt. No visible police badge. No signs that he was an agent. To say it irked you was an understatement. How did she know he was an agent? There wasn’t a chance he told her… not when he was so secretive with you. You’d been fucking him for two months now and you didn’t know a single detail about his life. You didn’t know where he lived, or how old he was, or if he had any siblings. Rosa might have been your best friend, and she swore to you that she wasn’t sleeping with him on the side, so how did she know?

Of course, it could’ve easily all been bullshit. She could’ve been scheming a way to get you to fall out of love with him. Nobody likes a cop. You couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard you tried, but you knew for sure Rosa would never want to hurt you. You were annoyed for letting yourself get so irrational. You just wished… you wished that he’d talk to you. Treat you more than just some whore he got to use at his own beck and call. Your stomach twisted when you realised that was exactly all you were. A fool facing the wrath of unrequited love. You sighed and grabbed his jacket from the bed.

“Thank you,” he said, taking his jacket and swinging it over his strong forearm. It was too hot outside to wear. You nodded in acknowledgement but didn’t say anything.

For the first time since meeting Javier Peña, you had let yourself get hurt, and for no good reason either. You couldn’t confront him about it. You couldn’t tell him no matter how much he asked you. You just had to suck it up and get over him. He was a client and that was all he could be. Nothing more. Rosa was right. Falling for your customers was a dangerous deal.

“You’re my favourite, you know.” Javier announced, his voice low and heated. You locked your eyes on his. 

“What?” you asked, completely taken aback. 

“You’re my favourite girl,” he clarified with a small shrug, as if his comment wasn’t life-changing. Just like that, you were once again putty in Javier Peña’s hands. Your determination to get over him lasted all of five seconds. Before you could reply, he took a step closer to you, breaking any distance and placed a hand on your cheek. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering against your skin noticeably longer than usual.

You weren’t mad anymore. Your feelings for him were restored just like that. Your eyes were wide as he pulled away from you and licked his lower lip. You felt like you were melting over the sweet menial gesture. You wanted to say something - anything. You wanted to pull him on top of you and crash your lips against his. But no matter how hard you tried to say something, no words came out. All you could manage was a shy little smile. It was the same smile that made Javier’s knees weak. He squeezed his hand into a fist to resist the urge of kissing your perfect lips and instead readjusted his sunglasses. You ducked your head down shyly and opened the door for him.

“Stay safe.” he uttered.

The same two words he told you after every visit. Stay safe. It was almost as if your client had a genuine care for you. You nodded in affirmation and offered him one last smile before he left the brothel and headed back to ‘the office’. Do agents even work in offices? You wondered.

You paced around the corridors of the brothel to find Rosa, wanting to return her lipstick and also tell her about Javier. You were excited. He really said you were his favourite girl. Out of all the girls, you were his favourite. To say you were beaming was an understatement. 

You caught her speaking to Javier as he walked out the brothel front door and you felt an anxious knot in your stomach tighten. It was hard to make out from the distance, but by the looks of it, Rosa was crying. The conversation was only brief, and Javier nodded along to whatever she was saying, before handing her a card and leaving for good. You officially had questions. You went to push through the crowds of people but a man much taller and larger than you placed a hand on your shoulder and pushed you back.

“Whoa,” you stumbled. “Can I help you?” He made some crude gesture with his fingers indicating the type of sex he wanted with you and you couldn’t help but scrunch up your nose in disdain. “Yeah okay,” you agreed with a small sigh. “Just a second though, I have to find someone. My room is 20 if you would like to wait for me--”

“No,” he growled, pinning you against the wall. “Now.”

You glanced behind his shoulder searching for Rosa but she had evidently already disappeared. 

“Okay.” you huffed, pulling yourself out of his grip and leading him to your room. You supposed you could tell Rosa about Javier after you’d dealt with this guy.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

He’d left about ten minutes ago, and you were just finishing up in your room, getting ready to clock out of work and call it a day. The brothel lobby was often loud and bubbly, but the second you heard all the muffled chatter stop, you knew something was up. You pulled your purse over your shoulders and locked your room before walking down the corridor. As you approached the lobby, you heard loud footsteps and yelling. The second you stepped foot in the main room, you saw the man Rosa had been asking you about earlier in the day, and your heart sank.

“Where the fuck is she?” Limón shouted. He and another man paced around in circles. It had gone quiet because the men had the other girls, your colleagues, pressed against the wall, holding guns to their heads. Your eyes widened in horror and you immediately brought your hands up in the air to surrender.

“Are none of you whores talking? Where the fuck is she?” the other man hissed. 

“La Quica,” — so that was his name — “Shut the fuck up. You’ll draw unwanted attention.”

They hadn’t noticed you yet. There was still time to escape. But your feet were frozen to the ground. How could you dare run away and leave the girls here, unable to fend for themselves?

Limón pressed the handgun to Martzia’s head. “Where is she?” he spat.

“Who?” Martzia gasped.

“Rosa!” Limón bellowed, clocking the gun in anger. “Where the fuck is Rosa?”

“I- I don’t know!” Martzia cried. She was visibly shaking in terror. All the girls were.

“Bullshit!” Limón snapped back, and within a second, he pulled the trigger and Martzia was dead on the floor.

On impulse, you looked away, but you’d already caught an eye-full. Martzia’s blood was not only on the wall behind her, but it was on Juliet too, who was now a whimpering mess. Taking a deep breath, you mustered up all your strength to look back at the girls. Most of them had their eyes closed and their tear stained cheeks glistened under the dingy lights.

“You. Shut the fuck up.” Limón  growled before moving over to Juliet and pressing the gun against her head. She choked out a sob and apparently that was enough for Limón to pull the trigger on her as well. You slammed your hands against your mouth and let out an incomprehensible noise. That got Limón and La Quica’s attention. La Quica grabbed you and pinned you up against the wall so you were only centimetres away from Martzia and Juliet’s limp bodies.

“How long has that bitch been standing there for?” Limón asked angrily and La Quica shrugged his shoulders. Limón pulled on your hair so he could get a good look at your face. “Hey La Quica this whore must be new. Haven’t seen her around before. Nice ass too.” He smirked, wrapping his hand around your neck and squeezing it. “Do you know where Rosa is?”

You didn’t. But neither did Martzia and that had got her killed. Even if you did know where Rosa was, you wouldn’t give up that information. You couldn’t. Your heart was slamming against your chest and when you felt the handgun press in between your shoulder blades you thought you were going to pass out right then and there.

“Limón.”

It was her. It was Rosa. You felt the handgun slowly slip away from your back as both Limón and La Quica turned around to face your best friend. When you were certain they weren’t looking at you anymore, you turned around too so you could take a look at Rosa yourself. When your eyes met hers, you saw her face soften.

“Rosa!” Limón hissed, running over to the girl. “Tell me it isn’t true. Tell me it wasn’t you.” Limón grabbed on to Rosa and began to shake her. “My apartment was fucking raided, Rosa. A kilo of coke, gone. They know. They know we’ve been chauffeuring Escobar.”

You were baffled. We? She’d been helping chauffeur Pablo fucking Escobar? You shook your head in disbelief, praying it wasn’t true. She’d been lecturing you about the dangers of your job when she’d been doing the most dangerous thing of all. And how could she not tell you? If she had just told you… maybe you could’ve helped her. Maybe you could’ve done something. It couldn’t be true.

“I called the cops,” Rosa confessed, her voice emotionless and her face stone cold. “I called the cops and they put me through to the DEA immediately. I met with an agent. I told him everything I knew. I ratted you out Limón, and you should thank me.”

Limón raised his hand and slapped Rosa across the face. “You bitch!” He shouted. “How could you do this to me Rosa? How could you fucking--”

Then, a gunshot.

The sound was blinding and everything went in slow motion. You swore that your heart stopped beating as tears streamed down your face. You screamed as you watched her body fall to the ground.

“La Quica you fucker! You killed her! You killed Rosa!” Limón cried out in anguish, grabbing his friend by the shoulders. “What the fuck man! What the fuck!”

“She confessed,” La Quica huffed, trying to calm his friend. “I know you liked her but she’s a fucking whore, Limón! She made her mouth go. She’s the reason you had the fucking DEA sniffing out your apartment. We’re not only in trouble with the cops but if Escobar finds out… shit man. I’m scared.” 

Both La Quica and Limón were visibly freaking out. They had put their guns away at least, but they were pacing around in circles again and shouting at each other. But you couldn’t hear a single thing. You couldn't see anything... just the blur of their bodies. You couldn’t smell and your fingers felt numb. You felt like you were falling. Your chest was tight and your heart was broken.

“We have to run Limón, three fucking gunshots. Three dead bodies. The cops have probably already been called.” La Quica informed Limón as he helped coach his friend’s panicked breathing. You looked down at Martzia and Juliet’s bodies on the floor and then your gaze followed over to Rosa’s body. As the men scrambled out the brothel, you fell to your knees and crawled over to your best friend.

“Rosa,” you whispered, tears streaming down your cheeks as you picked up and cradled her body in your arms. Her blood was all over you, and you felt like you could throw up at any second. “Rosa please. I- Rosa. No no no what… What did you do Rosa?” You chanted your best friend's name and cried into her body.

What did she do?

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[thehierophage]

Holy Day Meditation for 4/10/21 e.v. - The Feast for the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law

April 10, 2021 æ.v. Dies Saturnii, 

☉︎ 20° ♈︎ : ☽︎ 4° ♈︎ : ♄ : Ⅴⅴⅰⅰ 

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. 

The Feast for the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law, The Greater Feast of Saint Swinburne, The Day of Aleph, The Day of the Fool 

Hebrew Letter: Aleph 

Numerical Value as Letter: 1 

Numerical Value as Word: 111/831 (Aleph+Lamed+Peh / Aleph+Lamed+Peh [fin.]) or 117/837 (Aleph+Lamed+Vav+Peh / Aleph+Lamed+Vav+Peh [fin.]) 

Meaning: Ox. 

Thoth Card: The Fool (Atu 0) 

Alternate Title: The Spirit of Aethyr. 

Image: 

Correspondences: 

Tree of Life Path Association: Key 11 - Chokmah to Kether (from Sephira 2-1) 

Astrological Sign: - 

Element: Air 

Egyptian Godforms: Hoor-pa-kraat, Mout, Shu, Tefnut 

Geomantic Figure: Those of Airy Triplicity 

Gemstones: Topaz, Chalcedony 

Perfumes: Galbanum, Pinus, Gum Arabic, Mastic, Anise and all fresh odors. 

Plants: Aspen, Peppermint, Lime, Linden, Pennyroyal 

Animals: Eagle, Man (Cherub of Air), Ox 

Colors: 

King Scale – Bright pale yellow 

Queen Scale – Sky blue 

Prince Scale – Blue emerald green 

Princess Scale – Emerald, flecked gold 

The Secret Instruction of the Master:

Know Naught! All ways are lawful to Innocence. Pure folly is the Key to Initiation. Silence breaks into Rapture. Be neither man nor woman, but both in one. Be silent, Babe in the Egg of Blue, that thou mayest grow to bear the Lance and Graal! Wander alone, and sing! In the King's Palace his daughter awaits thee.

Mnemonic:

Truth, laughter, lust: Wine's Holy Fool! Veil rent, Lewd madness is sublime enlightenment.

Recommended Text for Meditation:

Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX, Cap. 3

The Book of the Law Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX

as delivered by XCIII = 418 to DCLXVI

III

1. Abrahadabra; the reward of Ra Hoor Khut.

2. There is division hither homeward; there is a word not known. Spelling is defunct; all is not aught. Beware! Hold! Raise the spell of Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

3. Now let it be first understood that I am a god of War and of Vengeance. I shall deal hardly with them.

4. Choose ye an island!

5. Fortify it!

6. Dung it about with enginery of war!

7. I will give you a war-engine.

8. With it ye shall smite the peoples; and none shall stand before you.

9. Lurk! Withdraw! Upon them! this is the Law of the Battle of Conquest: thus shall my worship be about my secret house.

10. Get the stele of revealing itself; set it in thy secret temple -- and that temple is already aright disposed -- & it shall be your Kiblah for ever. It shall not fade, but miraculous colour shall come back to it day after day. Close it in locked glass for a proof to the world.

11. This shall be your only proof. I forbid argument. Conquer! That is enough. I will make easy to you the abstruction from the ill-ordered house in the Victorious City. Thou shalt thyself convey it with worship, o prophet, though thou likest it not. Thou shalt have danger & trouble. Ra-Hoor-Khu is with thee. Worship me with fire & blood; worship me with swords & with spears. Let the woman be girt with a sword before me: let blood flow to my name. Trample down the Heathen; be upon them, o warrior, I will give you of their flesh to eat!

12. Sacrifice cattle, little and big: after a child.

13. But not now.

14. Ye shall see that hour, o blessed Beast, and thou the Scarlet Concubine of his desire!

15. Ye shall be sad thereof.

16. Deem not too eagerly to catch the promises; fear not to undergo the curses. Ye, even ye, know not this meaning all.

17. Fear not at all; fear neither men nor Fates, nor gods, nor anything. Money fear not, nor laughter of the folk folly, nor any other power in heaven or upon the earth or under the earth. Nu is your refuge as Hadit your light; and I am the strength, force, vigour, of your arms.

18. Mercy let be off; damn them who pity! Kill and torture; spare not; be upon them!

19. That stele they shall call the Abomination of Desolation; count well its name, & it shall be to you as 718.

20. Why? Because of the fall of Because, that he is not there again.

21. Set up my image in the East: thou shalt buy thee an image which I will show thee, especial, not unlike the one thou knowest. And it shall be suddenly easy for thee to do this.

22. The other images group around me to support me: let all be worshipped, for they shall cluster to exalt me. I am the visible object of worship; the others are secret; for the Beast & his Bride are they: and for the winners of the Ordeal x. What is this? Thou shalt know.

23. For perfume mix meal & honey & thick leavings of red wine: then oil of Abramelin and olive oil, and afterward soften & smooth down with rich fresh blood.

24. The best blood is of the moon, monthly: then the fresh blood of a child, or dropping from the host of heaven: then of enemies; then of the priest or of the worshippers: last of some beast, no matter what.

25. This burn: of this make cakes & eat unto me. This hath also another use; let it be laid before me, and kept thick with perfumes of your orison: it shall become full of beetles as it were and creeping things sacred unto me.

26. These slay, naming your enemies; & they shall fall before you.

27. Also these shall breed lust & power of lust in you at the eating thereof.

28. Also ye shall be strong in war.

29. Moreover, be they long kept, it is better; for they swell with my force. All before me.

30. My altar is of open brass work: burn thereon in silver or gold!

31. There cometh a rich man from the West who shall pour his gold upon thee.

32. From gold forge steel!

33. Be ready to fly or to smite!

34. But your holy place shall be untouched throughout the centuries: though with fire and sword it be burnt down & shattered, yet an invisible house there standeth, and shall stand until the fall of the Great Equinox; when Hrumachis shall arise and the double-wanded one assume my throne and place. Another prophet shall arise, and bring fresh fever from the skies; another woman shall awakethe lust & worship of the Snake; another soul of God and beast shall mingle in the globed priest; another sacrifice shall stain the tomb; another king shall reign; and blessing no longer be poured To the Hawk-headed mystical Lord!

35. The half of the word of Heru-ra-ha, called Hoor-pa-kraat and Ra-Hoor-Khut.

36. Then said the prophet unto the God:

37. I adore thee in the song -- I am the Lord of Thebes, and I The inspired forth-speaker of Mentu; For me unveils the veiled sky, The self-slain Ankh-af-na-khonsu Whose words are truth. I invoke, I greet Thy presence, O Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

Unity uttermost showed! I adore the might of Thy breath, Supreme and terrible God, Who makest the gods and death To tremble before Thee: -- I, I adore thee!

Appear on the throne of Ra! Open the ways of the Khu! Lighten the ways of the Ka! The ways of the Khabs run through To stir me or still me! Aum! let it fill me!

38. So that thy light is in me; & its red flame is as a sword in my hand to push thy order. There is a secret door that I shall make to establish thy way in all the quarters, (these are the adorations, as thou hast written), as it is said:

The light is mine; its rays consume Me: I have made a secret door Into the House of Ra and Tum, Of Khephra and of Ahathoor. I am thy Theban, O Mentu, The prophet Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

By Bes-na-Maut my breast I beat; By wise Ta-Nech I weave my spell. Show thy star-splendour, O Nuit! Bid me within thine House to dwell, O winged snake of light, Hadit! Abide with me, Ra-Hoor-Khuit!

39. All this and a book to say how thou didst come hither and a reproduction of this ink and paper for ever -- for in it is the word secret & not only in the English -- and thy comment upon this the Book of the Law shall be printed beautifully in red ink and black upon beautiful paper made by hand; and to each man and woman that thou meetest, were it but to dine or to drink at them, it is the Law to give. Then they shall chance to abide in this bliss or no; it is no odds. Do this quickly!

40. But the work of the comment? That is easy; and Hadit burning in thy heart shall make swift and secure thy pen.

41. Establish at thy Kaaba a clerk-house: all must be done well and with business way.

42. The ordeals thou shalt oversee thyself, save only the blind ones. Refuse none, but thou shalt know & destroy the traitors. I am Ra-Hoor-Khuit; and I am powerful to protect my servant. Success is thy proof: argue not; convert not; talk not over much! Them that seek to entrap thee, to overthrow thee, them attack without pity or quarter; & destroy them utterly. Swift as a trodden serpent turn and strike! Be thou yet deadlier than he! Drag down their souls to awful torment: laugh at their fear: spit upon them!

43. Let the Scarlet Woman beware! If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart; if she leave my work to toy with old sweetnesses; then shall my vengeance be known. I will slay me her child: I will alienate her heart: I will cast her out from men: as a shrinking and despised harlot shall she crawl through dusk wet streets, and die cold and an-hungered.

44. But let her raise herself in pride! Let her follow me in my way! Let her work the work of wickedness! Let her kill her heart! Let her be loud and adulterous! Let her be covered with jewels, and rich garments, and let her be shameless before all men!

45. Then will I lift her to pinnacles of power: then will I breed from her a child mightier than all the kings of the earth. I will fill her with joy: with my force shall she see & strike at the worship of Nu: she shall achieve Hadit.

46. I am the warrior Lord of the Forties: the Eighties cower before me, & are abased. I will bring you to victory & joy: I will be at your arms in battle & ye shall delight to slay. Success is your proof; courage is your armour; go on, go on, in my strength; & ye shall turn not back for any!

47. This book shall be translated into all tongues: but always with the original in the writing of the Beast; for in the chance shape of the letters and their position to one another: in these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine. Let him not seek to try: but one cometh after him, whence I say not, who shall discover the Key of it all. Then this line drawn is a key: then this circle squared in its failure is a key also. And Abrahadabra. It shall be his child & that strangely. Let him not seek after this; for thereby alone can he fall from it.

48. Now this mystery of the letters is done, and I want to go on to the holier place.

49. I am in a secret fourfold word, the blasphemy against all gods of men.

50. Curse them! Curse them! Curse them!

51. With my Hawk's head I peck at the eyes of Jesus as he hangs upon the cross.

52. I flap my wings in the face of Mohammed & blind him.

53. With my claws I tear out the flesh of the Indian and the Buddhist, Mongol and Din.

54. Bahlasti! Ompehda! I spit on your crapulous creeds.

55. Let Mary inviolate be torn upon wheels: for her sake let all chaste women be utterly despised among you!

56. Also for beauty's sake and love's!

57. Despise also all cowards; professional soldiers who dare not fight, but play; all fools despise!

58. But the keen and the proud, the royal and the lofty; ye are brothers!

59. As brothers fight ye!

60. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt.

61. There is an end of the word of the God enthroned in Ra's seat, lightening the girders of the soul.

62. To Me do ye reverence! to me come ye through tribulation of ordeal, which is bliss.

63. The fool readeth this Book of the Law, and its comment; & he understandeth it not.

64. Let him come through the first ordeal, & it will be to him as silver.

65. Through the second, gold.

66. Through the third, stones of precious water.

67. Through the fourth, ultimate sparks of the intimate fire.

68. Yet to all it shall seem beautiful. Its enemies who say not so, are mere liars.

69. There is success.

70. I am the Hawk-Headed Lord of Silence & of Strength; my nemyss shrouds the night-blue sky.

71. Hail! ye twin warriors about the pillars of the world! for your time is nigh at hand.

72. I am the Lord of the Double Wand of Power; the wand of the Force of Coph Nia--but my left hand is empty, for I have crushed an Universe; & nought remains.

73. Paste the sheets from right to left and from top to bottom: then behold!

74. There is a splendour in my name hidden and glorious, as the sun of midnight is ever the son.

75. The ending of the words is the Word Abrahadabra.

The Book of the Law is Written

and Concealed.

Aum. Ha.

Love is the law, love under will.

[starkerforlife6969]

Starker, Winterspider, To be a Widow

A continuation of @wandering-night19 ‘s iconic au. Peter’s past three husbands have all died under suspicious circumstances. Detective Stark was convinced that pretty Peter had something to do with it, but more and more lately, Peter’s dangerously loyal butler Bucky has become his prime suspect..read the OG post here thank you for letting me play with the masterpiece world you created.

part two here

TW: mentions of death, murder, obsessive love

 Tony can’t get it out of his head. 

The piercing blue of Barnes’ eyes, the tight coil of his muscles and the silent way he swept into every room. Trailing behind Peter, an ominous shadow, an attack dog. 

But not an attack dog. Because attack dogs had masters, and Tony wasn’t sure that Peter was in control. Wasn’t sure that Barnes had a leash. 

“Come on,” Tony hisses to Steve, as the two of them trudge down the large gravel drive back down to their car. The air is bitter and cold and the sky an ugly grey hanging low over them. “You know something’s going on here.”

Steve shakes his head. “His alibi checks out, Tony.”

“You’re telling me that Barnes didn’t strike you as at all off? He seemed perfectly normal to you. Three husbands, Steve. Parker’s not even twenty-five.”

They get to their car, and Steve pauses with his hand on the door. “I like facts, Tony. Innocent until proven guilty, isn’t that the law?”

“Then lets prove him guilty. A background check on Barnes, is that too much?” Tony resists the urge to grin at Steve’s look of consideration. He reigns it in. “Just to double check. Just to make sure.”

Steve is nothing if not thorough. He hums, but shakes his head. “Nat determined the cause of death as cardiac arrest.”

“Hey,” Tony quips, sliding in on the passenger side. “We all make mistakes.”

***

“I don’t make mistakes.” Natasha says calmly, and Tony sighs.

“You’re telling me that there isn’t even a one percent chance you could be wrong?” 

“No.”

“Nat-”

“I think you’ll have to give it up. Barnes didn’t have a record, did he? Commended soldier. Respected.”

“Three. Dead. Husbands. Why does no one seem to hear that part?” Tony groans into his hands.

She gets up and shrugs. “Some people have lives that really are that tragic. Maybe instead of tormenting Mr Parker, you should be giving him some sympathy.” 

“Or,” Tony murmurs, mind whirring as he thinks, “I just need to get a better look at the house.”

***

He tries to be ready for the sight of Peter. Tries to prepare himself so he won’t be blindsided like he was last time. And the time before. He tries to make his pacing look nervous, instead of investigatory, as he glances surreptitiously over the decor of the dining room. The huge mahogany table, the impressive candle centrepiece, the numerous portraits all over the walls. 

Tony drags his hands over the wallpaper. Hidden doors? Maybe. 

It feels like the portraits are watching him. Is it possible that-

“Detective Stark,” comes a lovely sigh, gentle and musical. 

Tony turns, and there he is. Peter Parker. A vision in bleeding crimson and garnet slippers. “Mr Parker.” He says, trying to inject as much warmth into his voice as he can. It’s a relief, that Barnes doesn’t slink in behind Peter. Tony had received enough of a death glare as the butler had shown him in. 

“You’ll have to forgive me,” Peter murmurs, sitting down at the table near where a silver tray is laid out. “I wasn’t inspecting visitors. I’m not in my mourning attire.”

Tony takes his cue and sits adjacent to Peter at the head of the table, watching as he arranges two delicate tea-cups. “Mourning attire?” He mutters, still feeling the paintings watching him, “people still do that?”

Honey eyes meet his, earnest and sad. “I do. I’ve had a lot of practice with grief in my time, Detective. Something you were keen to mention the last time you came into my home.”

Tony winces. 

Peter deflates. “I’m sorry, it’s been- trying. Would you like some peppermint tea? It’s been calming my nerves.”

Tony politely declines, but looks over Peter anew. Translucent skin, dark smudges under his eyes. “Are you doing okay?”

“Feeling frayed, that’s all.” The boy admits, putting on a brave face. “But enough about me. Was there something you wanted, Detective?”

“We don’t think Mr Osbourne’s death was an accident, Mr Parker. We believe foul play was involved.”

Peter’s plush pink lips part in surprise, and a tiny hand comes up to his chest. “Oh,” he whispers, looking like a Victorian poster for fainting couches, “I suppose I should have guessed you were considering that option given last time, but...the coroner said it was-”

“New evidence has come to light.” Tony lies smoothly. Peter’s tea-cup trembles, the peppermint tea sloshing dangerously towards the lisp. “We want to assign you one of our best detectives.” Here, he smiles winningly. “Me, of course. To look out for you.”

“Oh, oh, there’s- there’s no need for that.” Peter murmurs, “I have-”

Right on cue, silent as a panther, probably as deadly as one, Barnes steps into the room. 

His face almost looks as blank and stoic as usual, but Tony can read people better than that. There’s something there, in the thinly pressed line of his lips. Something angry. 

“Bucky,” Peter beams, all the tension leaving his body, beckoning Bucky in easily. “I was just- Detective Stark, thank you for thinking of me, but Bucky here has always been marvellous at keeping me safe.”

Bucky comes to stand behind Peter’s chair, hands clasped tight in front of him. He says nothing, but his eyes are boring into Tony so hard it almost hurts. 

The detective goes for charming. “I’m sure your old butler was enough before, Peter, but we really insist on you having one of us with you at all times, if possible. As a precautionary measure. Your past three husbands have all been targeted, it’s possible that the real target has been you.” 

Peter looks stunned, before his expression turns to dismayed. “They wanted me? So, it’s my fault that-” his teacup shakes in his hand, and Barnes reaches down smoothly to lift it out of Peter’s grasp and onto the tray. Tony watches, gleaning as much as he can as Barnes stills Peter’s shaking fingers, squeezes once: reassuring. 

Barnes’ eyes look distressed, concerned, lov-

No. Tony thinks, stomach dropping, ice seeping into his veins. He looks between the two of them, as Peter sniffles and dabs at his big, haunting eyes with the edge of a handkerchief, a frail, beautiful thing with such a tragic romantic history. And Barnes behind him, tall, silent, deadly, woven with such power, protective and providing and- jealous. 

This case, for all its intrigue is no different from the most common. Love, obsession, jealousy. 

“That’s awful,” Peter hiccups, unaware to Tony’s colossal realisation. “I’d feel just- just awful if that was the case, Detective. Of course. Of course, whatever you think is best. I have- I have many spare bedrooms. Bucky, you could make one of them up for Detective Stark, couldn’t you?”

“With pleasure.” Bucky hums, but his jaw is locked. 

Tony waits until Bucky has gone, before swallowing hard and looking at Peter. “Is there somewhere we could talk?” He murmurs, “privately?”

Peter looks surprised, eyes still shiny with tears. “We’re alone, Detective.”

“Your butler-”

“I have no secrets from Bucky,” Peter says firmly, “but he’s gone upstairs to make up one of the bedrooms for you.”

“No offence, Peter, but I don’t believe that for a second.” Tony stands up and offers his hand. “Please.”

Peter looks up at him, breath tinged with awe, before slipping his delicate fingers into Tony’s grasp. 

***

The library has a solid door with a gold latch, no paintings hanging, and the walls are all brick. 

Tony checks the door once more as Peter drifts over to the fire. The flames lick heat along his crimson form. His pale skin, the deep red, Tony’s not sure what to make of him. It’s an arresting sight. 

He wants to feel that skin. It looks smooth and soft. Wants to hear that lovely voice sigh his name, he wants-

He wants all of the boy. Completely. And he thinks that most men who meet him do. There’s something about him. It drives men to madness. It’s driven Barnes to madness. 

Stephen Strange, Justin Hammer, Norman Osbourne, they’ve all just fallen in love. And now Tony thinks- he thinks maybe Peter loved them too. And that’s the part Barnes couldn’t take. 

Tony thinks if he looks into those honey eyes too long, if he let himself give into temptation to press just one kiss-

He thinks he might go a little mad too. 

“When did you meet Mr Barnes?”

“Oh, James and I have known each other forever,” Peter hums, wrapping his arms around himself, silk robe fluttering from the heat of the flames. “Since I was a boy. Before he went off to fight. He’s highly decorated, you know.”

Tony frowns, scanning over the book titles on the shelves: The Miracle of Al-Zahrawi catches his eye for a reason he can’t place. “So, childhood sweethearts kind of deal?”

Peter frowns, tumbling hickory curls spilling into his milky face. “We’re like family. He’s the only family I have left now.”

“And you never...”

“Detective,” Peter turns to face him, framed by firelight, “I think you’re beginning to insinuate and assume again. You were wrong last time and you deeply hurt me. I’d like not to be hurt again.”

Tony nods, affected by Peter’s voice and eyes and being. “Sure.” He mutters. “Tread real gentle, I get it.” There’s another book that snags in his peripheral. Understanding IDEF Statistics. Tony points to it, cocking his head. “Eclectic reading list.”

Peter’s voice is confused. “Most of them were passed down.”

“Back to Barnes- you don’t suspect him, then? The only person always with you, your only family, your only friend. First husband, Stephen Strange: gone. Hammer, gone. Now Osbourne.” Tony turns back to face Peter, who’s eyes are wide and expressive and confused. “Car accident, helicopter accident, heart attack. You don’t think there’s any possible way Barnes had something to do with it?”

“These are- are tragedies!” Peter exclaims, backing away. “Horrible tragedies and-and James has helped me through every single one. You don’t know him. I know him. He would never-”

“He loves you.” Tony says, matter-of-fact, “do you know that?”

Peter falters. He looks weak and small and delicate. Like a strong breeze wouldn’t just put out the fire. “He’s...we’re...family.”

Tony softens. He gentles his voice. “It’s not your fault, Peter. He...he loves you. Probably thought they weren’t good enough for you. Thought he was looking out for you.”

The boy screws his eyes shut and shakes his head. His beautiful curls toss this way and that. “Stop it, Detective. I don’t- I don’t like this. I don’t think I want you here- I want you to leave.”

Tony feels frustration well up inside him. “Peter, this will keep happening! You’ll never be happy, he’ll never let-”

He doesn’t realise he’s striding over until Peter topples backwards, grabbing a book off the shelf and using it to shield himself, like he’s preparing to be hit. 

Tony stops. The gleaming cover with the title: The Tragedy of Mendell Stromm. 

“I’m not...” he gets to his knees, and realises he’s shaking. Peter blinks up at him, long lashes framing eyes of sunlight and amber. “I would never hurt you, Peter.” He whispers. His voice feels all choked up. “There’s something...you’re...something precious.”

Peter makes a little noise from his throat, like an endangered, trusting animal. He lowers the book, and edges across the floor towards Tony. 

“I look at you...” Tony whispers, fisting his hands, “it’s like a kind of madness, Peter. I know other people must have felt it when looking at you. I know- I know Barnes is crazy on you. He’s dangerous. I can see it. I can see things, I can read people, I’ve always been able to read people. I can-”

He stutters to a stop. Peter’s soft hands, god they’re just as soft as he imagined, cup his face. Smooth over his goatee. So close, he can smell the scented lotion on Peter’s skin, can see flecks of diamond in Peter’s eyes. Absolutely precious. “It’s okay, Anthony,” he soothes, so giving, even in his grief. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” And he wraps his arms around him. 

Tony buries his face into Peter’s chest, soothing fingers running through his hair. Peter massages his scalp, and hums a melody Tony can’t place. But it’s beautiful, enchanting, just like Peter. “I’m sorry,” Tony hisses, shaking his head, tears staining Peter’s silk clothes. “I-it’s not- it was just a heart attack. I don’t- Barnes’ record is clean, I’m just- maybe I’m mad.” 

“No,” Peter promises, kissing the top of Tony’s head. “You’re just trying to do your job. Keep people safe. Uphold the law.” Peter pulls back, a tiny smile on his face. “I respect that. I appreciate that.”

This close, he’d barely have to lean- he feels crazy, driven almost to insanity with this craving, to feel those lips-

Peter blinks, breath hitching, and he leans forward, just for a second, and presses a quick kiss to Tony’s lips before pulling away like a butterfly, barely landed on a flower.

It’s heaven. Tony captures those lips again, kisses him, and Peter opens up, and it’s so damn addictive and heady and-

The door of the library rattles. 

The two pull away from each other with a start. Peter immediately gets up, brushing himself down and Tony follows suit. He looks at Peter (a lovely, lovely pink) who nods at him, and Tony heads to the door. 

Peter slots the book back into it’s place on the shelf, and Tony slides open the gold latch to let Bucky in. 

It’s as he’s pulling open the door -

The Tragedy of Mendell Stromm

Understanding IDEF Statistics 

The Miracle of Al-Zahrawi

They all spark suddenly, hard, in his head. Obsession cleared only for a moment. Mendell Stromm- Norman Osbourne’s first wife. IDEF, the International Defence Industry Fair that Hammer made an appearance at each year, Al-Zahrawi, one of the world’s first neurosurgeons. 

It’s not Barnes at all, it’s-

The door opens, and Bucky stands there. He takes one look at Tony’s face and grabs his arms before Tony can run. 

Suddenly, there’s a sharp poke to his back, a knife, or, knowing Peter, some ornate dagger, pressing warningly into his flesh. 

“Oh, Tony,”  Peter’s lovely voice sighs, “so clever. Isn’t he clever, James?” Peter noses along Tony’s neck, cool breath fanning into his ear.

Bucky grins, teeth sharp but not feral. Tony sees. Barnes does have a master. And now, Tony does too. 

part 2 here 

Tagging: @clevermuffinalmondpeach @professional-benaddict @thisgirlisastarker @literallyjustdrawingrefsandideas @avengerscollection @myloshinobu @starker-stories @sweeter-than-starker @starkerislife @goldenmogar @starker-prompt-dump @itsrachael @2moonsandsaphael @firefandoming @prettyboiistarker @sofia1926 @silkystark @mauvalencia @plueschpop @starkerbby

[barrysjumpsuit]

the dark side - jj maybank x shoupe’s daughter, ch. 1

w/c: 1.9k

summary:  catherine shoupe has the perfect life. when she gets hired by heyward to run groceries, she has a new coworker - jj maybank. as the deputy’s daughter, she can’t help but hate him. but when jj decides to bring her to the dark side and woo her over, cat not only has to hide her activities from her father, but also hide who she really is.

warnings: none for this chapter

a/n: i’m super excited for this! making it up as i go.... posting may be slightly delayed/irregular since i’m busy with working and moving but who knows i’ll probably waste my time and work on this more than i should

---

Cat’s feet and back ached, and the sun felt good on her cool skin as she stepped out of the overly air-conditioned grocery store she had been in since they opened that morning. She sat down on a bench in a shaded area between the store and a coffee shop, resting and enjoying her fifteen minute break.

The same thing. Every day, five days a week. Cat would be the opener for the grocery store, getting there at four in the morning and working until ten. It was smaller, a hippie fresh market type of place with fresh produce and organic products. Very Kook-y. It drew tourists and locals alike, as well as a bunch of people her age, working for grocery delivery services.

Morning shifts in the summer were nice because they drew more of the local crowd. The working class, like her, though still kooks. Moms grabbing their groceries after dropping their kids off at school, working professionals stopping by for premade sandwiches or donuts for their coworkers. That particular morning, her dad had stopped by for his own lunch and spent entirely too long chatting with her.

Cat enjoyed seeing people, asking them about plans for their days. She often suggested the best surfing spots and restaurants to the non-locals, while striking up easy conversations with the regulars that frequented the market in the mornings. After work she often took her brother out to the beach. It was her mission this summer to teach him how to surf. In the evenings, if her dad wasn’t working, she would help her mom cook dinner and they would have a big family meal. It was repetitive, but perfect and full of things and people she loved.

After her fifteen minute break was up, she went back inside, but her manager pulled her aside before she returned to her checking lane.

“Hey, Catherine, come see me in my office?” Mrs. Lee’s voice rang out. 

There was a brief nervousness that made Cat’s stomach roll over, but it quickly vanished once she saw the smile on the store owner’s face. “So you know Heyward, right?”

“Of course,” she answered, smiling at the thought. She knew the man and his son well - they were always in and out, buying groceries for their customers. “He’s awesome. What about him?”

“He and I are partners now,” she continued, obviously excited about the development. “He’s looking to hire some new people to deliver groceries. I know you love being out on the water and talking to people, so I figured I’d ask to see if you were interested. It’ll come with a bump in your pay, too.”

“Yes!” she said, perhaps a little too eagerly. “I’m definitely interested. Does he want an interview?”

Mrs. Lee laughed. “He said if you were interested, you’re on board automatically. He knows you’re a good worker. I’ll call him and let him know and get back at you, okay?”

“Sounds good! Thanks, Mrs. Lee,” Cat said, smiling back at her before leaving her office.

Going back to her checking lane was almost bittersweet, knowing that lane three had been hers for almost two years. As soon as she flipped her light back on, a local came through, eagerly starting up a conversation and letting Cat know how his son was doing in the summer little league baseball series.

After she got off, she cranked the AC on in her car and began the drive home. The place was flooded with tourists, the summer season officially in full swing. She lived right off the main strip, which was fun and convenient, but could get annoying when anyone and everyone was there. 

“Hey Cat!” her brother greeted her as she got home. He was sitting on the couch, watching TV.

“Hey Tyler! Want to go out for ice cream later?” she asked, and he nodded excitedly. “I’ll make us some lunch then we can go after that.”

“Okay!” she heard him respond as she jogged up the carpeted steps. She walked past her parent’s bedroom and then into hers, kicking off her shoes and changing into flowy shorts and a basic tee before going back downstairs to make lunch.

The rest of the day was pleasant and uneventful. After they ate lunch, she took Tyler to the ice cream place two blocks away. He got birthday cake while she got peppermint, enjoying the cool sensation on the hot day. They walked on the beach, her brother talking nonstop about the video game he was playing, while Cat smiled and faked listening.

She was really listening to the sound of the waves lapping at the store, and the voices of those who lounged on the beach. Some were playing in the ocean, some were playing games in the soft sand. 

Her father was off work at six, so once they returned home, it wasn’t long until her mother got off work and they started prepping dinner. Cat’s mom was laid back, always smiling, which she loved. She left her work at the office, unlike her father.

Being the daughter of a sheriff’s deputy was odd. Cat didn’t mind it. There were rules in place, of course, but she hadn’t any urge to break them. There were people from her school out doing drugs and drinking most nights of the week, but Cat had never touched any of that. She had a curfew, but she didn’t really mind it.

Her dad got home right before dinner was ready. He pulled Cat towards him, kissing the top of her head before kissing her mom on the lips. “How are my ladies this evening?” he asked, grinning. A patch on his uniform read Shoupe in bold letters, and he was still fully clad in his uniform.

“Pretty good,” Cat answered, stirring the sauce that was simmering on the stove. 

They made light conversation until her dad went to change out of his work clothes while Cat and her mom set the table and plated up dinner.

“How was work, Cat?” her dad asked when they were sat down and eating.

“It was good. The usual. But, I got a new job!”

“Oh?” her mom asked, taking a sip of wine and raising her eyebrows. 

“Heyward and Mrs. Lee are working together now, and Heyward needs runners. So he wants me. I get a pay bump too.”

Cat was smiling, but it dropped when she saw her dad’s face. Her mom noticed too, casting him a glare, and he spoke. “That’s great, honey. But be careful, okay?”

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Her father hated her going near the Cut. Not that she had much reason or urge to, but she knew it could be rough down there. He often worked down there, on the south side of the island, and constantly told stories about shoplifting Pogues and underage drinking. “Dad, it’s Heyward’s. It’s basically Figure Eight.”

“I know, I’m just saying,” he said, raising his hands in surrender.

“Can you take me on the delivery boat sometime?” Tyler asked, luckily rerouting the conversation.

The issue was luckily dropped, but Cat still felt bad. She didn’t know why - she was seizing the opportunity, something her parents had always encouraged. Cat had been working ever since she was old enough. Her father always told her, a good work ethic is the most important thing you can have. They were urging her to save up for college, and now she was essentially being promoted.

Mrs. Lee had texted her during dinner. Heyward wants you to start tomorrow! Meet him at 9, wear whatever you want.

She responded to the text before settling down in bed with a book. At ten, before she went to bed, her father stepped into her room after knocking softly on her door.

“Hey, dad,” she said, and he walked over to sit on her bed. Cat pulled her feet up to give him some room and put her book down on her nightstand.

“I’m happy for you, Cat,” he said, smiling at her. “Just be careful, okay? With all the boat traffic now and going everywhere… Heyward’s a good guy. I trust him.”

“I will, dad. You know me. I grew up on the water.”

He smiled again. “Yeah, you did. Have fun tomorrow, okay? Good night.”

“G’night, dad,” she said as her father stood and left the room.

---

Cat woke up early, not used to getting to sleep in since she usually was at the grocery store before dawn. Her parents had already left for work, leaving Tyler in front of the TV as normal. She made a smoothie before changing into shorts and a t-shirt. 

“Bye, Ty!” she called as she left the house at 8:30, closing the back door behind her before heading to her car.

It was about a 20 minute drive to Heyward’s from her house. When she got there, she quickly located him on the dock, filling a gas can. As she stepped onto the dock, he gave her a wave, and quickly hurried over.

Heyward gave her an impromptu ‘training’. How to read the orders, how to use the boat’s navigation. It was simple, and she knew most of the people who had put in orders for that day. “Right now I have two people who shop and two of you who run and deliver together, each day,” he was explaining. “Here’s your work shirt, I don’t give a damn what pants you wear as long as your ass isn’t hangin’ out.”

He thrust three t-shirts of different colors towards her, each with the Heyward’s logo printed on it before taking her into the office to discuss her pay and scheduling. Since she was already in the system, it went by quickly, and she ran her printed schedule to her car and slipped into her new work shirt before returning to the dock. 

“There’s those sons of bitches getting back now,” he said, waving at two people who stood on a white boat pulling up to dock. “Catherine, go ahead and start carrying over the groceries in the cooler over there, time for your first run.”

She went inside the small building and started pulling bags out of the ice, full of produce and goods from her store. She noticed Heyward’s son, Pope, standing on the boat, and he held out his hands to take the bags from her to load.

“You working here now?” he asked, and she nodded. Cat had always liked Pope; they went to the same school until high school. He was quiet and witty, which she appreciated, and they had even sat together at lunch one year.

As soon as she finished handing Pope the groceries, she took his outstretched hand and climbed onto the boat.

“Hey Catherine!” she heard Heyward call. She turned to see him, grinning at her. “These are your new coworkers. Have fun.”

Pope grinned at her, but Heyward said coworkers. Plural.

A blond boy came into her line of sight, smirking. Cat’s heart sank as she recognized who it was, and she considered getting off the boat, but couldn’t bring herself to move or speak. It was someone she hadn’t seen in quite a while, and she was okay with that.

JJ was the first to speak up, his voice smooth and cocky. “Hey, kitty Cat, long time, no see.”

---

taglist:  @letsgofullkook @stargazingstarkey @sortagaysortahigh @jjsmentalpolaroids @ims0golden @jjmaybcnks​ @shawnssongs​ @queenk00k @broken-jj​

[savedbybangtan]

Smell the Roses

Summary: A woman living alone in the city makes a new friend, Jin.

5,503 words

Warning tags: smut, dubcon, mild stalking, possessive, unprotected sex (wrap it up yall)

                                           Smell the Roses

Burgundy anemones kissed the pink daffodils that lined the deliberate furrows of lilacs. The blue sky was without blemish this golden afternoon and all was still, except for the babbling brook located through the forest. The organic perfume of these fields clung to her sun dress that flowed around her, making her seem as if she was a flower herself in this patch.

It was good to take a rest from the city life. Alice never worried for the four-hour bus drive it took to get here. She never minded paying for the $5 two-way bus ticket to find some solace from her city. The 600 sq ft apartment she lived in seemed like a cage. She often humoured that she felt she was in a prison, or trapped in some over glorified tower like Rapunzel looking down at the busy cars from her closet sized balcony whenever she felt lonely. Even if she were to leave her self-acclaimed cage to go to work, it would feel as if she was in a zoo and that she was merely changing exhibitions.

Not here, however. When she got off the bus and separated from the crowd, meandering the long walkways and getting lost in between the trees to find these patches, she felt free. She felt like she was in the wild - in her natural habitat. She could finally think. Sometimes, when she was lucky, the sublime would strike her, and she would be inspired to write poems or create a new waterpainting.

Today, at the far corner where the pink roses lie, something catches her eye. There seemed to be a sphere of lavender behind the roses.

Beyond the roses was grass and the other side of the fields before reaching the border of trees lining this cleared patch. She did not normally walk through that area because it was a little further, but she did not want to regret anything when she gets into her bed tonight, so she skips along the perimeter to take a closer look.

It isn’t until she near this edge when she realises that there were no lavender petals, but a pastel purple head of hair – a head also containing lips, a nose, and eyes that waver staring at her in shock.

Letting out a small yelp and scooting away from Alice, the person, a man, clutches onto his basket.

Too shocked to respond, Alice just stands there, gawking at this beautiful man. It was no wonder that she had first mistaken him for a flower. He is beautiful. Pink, lush rose petal lips, long youthful cheeks, arched eyebrows, and the most achingly innocent pair of brown eyes jumped out to her before she mentally addresses the firm broad shoulders and clavicles visible through his white button-up.

Realising that it’s only a girl, and his own for a matter of fact, Seokjin relaxes and stands to his full height, towering the perpetrator. “What are you doing here?” He asks sternly.

Her reverie of the perfect man was broken when he spoke. Realising her rudeness, she responds quickly, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you! I wanted to take a look at the flowers, but I hadn’t realised someone else would be here…”

Her stammering softened Seokjin. “So, you really don’t know that these fields belong to someone?”

She had been coming here for almost a year and never saw anyone, but then again, the flowers were always well kept, and grass kept low.

For a long while, they stand in silence, barely hearing the river scream somewhere in the distance as the awkwardness is too loud.

“Don’t talk much, do you?” He laughs. It is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. That is when it hits her. He’s Jin of BTS. Those crinkling eyes and the high-pitched laughter were the giveaway.

It’s strange seeing celebrities in person. You tend to forget that they can’t fit in your pocket in real life. This was not the time to fan girl, however, so she compartmentalises this information.

How did he manage to always have her at a loss for words? “I’m sorry for trespassing, I will leave immediately. It never occurred to me that I had been trespassing.” She turns to walk away but Seokjin grabs her arm.

“No, wait. Please, I didn’t mean to tease. I’m perfectly fine with you being here.”

Alice is still in shock that he had touched her. Her cheeks flush thinking about how his large, yet delicate, hands wrapped around her small forearm so easily. It would probably wrap around her neck with the same ease.

Jin took this lack of response and her gaze at where he grabs her as him overstepping a boundary. He releases her and continues. “Sorry,” he offers with a blush. “I’ve actually known about you coming here from the beginning. I’ve… been watching you.” You would mistake his melodic voice and downcast eyes for aloofness and comfort, but his ruby neck and ears betrayed his embarrassment at revealing such a thing.

He bows, putting his back parallel to the floor suddenly. “It’s nice to meet you finally. In the past I was never able to speak to you, but I am now.” Seokjin wishes he were able to introduce himself sooner, but filming schedules, the reason why he is in this country in the first place, would not have allowed it.

She bows towards him, too. “It’s actually nice to meet you, Jin. You’re really sweet to have let me come here even though I must have been so rude.” They both straighten their backs to look at each other in the eyes.

“You know my name?”

It had casually slipped off her tongue like milk and honey without her meaning to. “Y-Yeah… you are a celebrity,” she replies matter-of-factly.

“I just meant- I didn’t think that such a rare flower would have known my name so well.”

“Please, don’t compare me to this beautiful patch.”

“I can’t. You’re more beautiful.”

Alice was tired of being the only one being embarrassed. Her clammy hands wring her dress in an attempt to dry it only for them to moisten again. “It takes one to know one. You’re the flower with the petal lips.” She could not finish her sentence looking into his eyes, so she squats neatly to rub the petals of the pink roses between her index finger and thumb. “They look softer than this.”

As quickly as the blush disappeared, it comes back. His ears were burnt. “I would say the same for you.” He squats next to her, looking at the vista of plants intertangling with one another in the soft spring breeze.

“Please, you look like you actually have a skin care routine. Yours are definitely better compared.” She laughs to herself.

Suddenly, he grabs her chin gently, so she can look at him. What she sees are dilated pupils donning shyness within the windows. Multilayers of lust, question, and social anxiety dons his. “Let’s see whose lips are softer,” he muses with a devious smirk.

“Wha-?”

Seokjin firmly presses his lips against hers. Sparks flew behind her eyes while his face in this position contemporaneously blinds her. Alice closes her eyes lest she suffers eye damage. Her lips kissed his mouth back; the chilled zephyr reminiscent of winter kissed her exposed skin; spearmint kissed her nostrils; and the soft smacks kissed her ears. Something is missing; the realisation breaking her out of her reverie to mentally unpack what is happening.

She doesn’t even know him.

When she reaches up to push at his chest with an arm, he grabs her wrist in an iron vice, not letting her move it from where it suspends near her face.

With a sigh, she opens her mouth into the forced kiss and is disappointed when he does not use his tongue. She initiates it by licking his lips, demanding entry with her second feeble attempt of regaining some control in the situation.

Abruptly, Seokjin uses her wrist to drag her forward so she would fall messily into the neat flower bed. Her face lies right in the middle of where two beds were divided. Gold tulips frame the left side of her face and the fuchsia roses she originally trudged toward frame the right. Directly above her are the baby breaths and even beyond that are a sea of pinks, violets, and oranges, swirled together to create a kaleidoscope effect.

The sky is no longer blue but orange, and she soon is not able to focus on it as the assailant eclipses her view when he looms over her. The plants and soil are still warm from the sun, but a cold air chills her bones until Seokjin ensnares her with his warmth. The golden afternoon is quickly coming to an end with the setting sun.

With no warning, he leans down to kiss her again, which she willingly returns. The floral waft of perfume is soon replaced with peppermint and musk as he takes over her very being. She has no thoughts, no words. All she feels is the stuttering stream betraying her arousal lubricating the thighs that she unconsciously rubs together. Her head is empty.

Until it isn’t. Seokjin’s hands manages to snake up her sundress and rips the scrap of lace that are her panties off in one motion – all too fast.

“Ahh!” she pants in half anger half arousal.

Noticing the way her eyebrows knot, he immediately finds her clit to gently rub her back into the act. It does not go unnoticed, the way she opens her legs further for his assault.

Her whines and moans both encourage and nauseate him until he could not handle it anymore.

His left hand cushions her head and steers it for the kiss while his right hand slides to her bottom, crawls toward the back of her knee in a ticklish journey, and abruptly pushes it backward so her body is folded in half.

He leans up, leaving her cold, so he can look at the mess he’s made. Or the mess that she has made.

She is dripping even as he is no longer touching her. She basks in the way that this specimen looks down at her arousal, in the late daylight. An incandescent glow crosses his face in the low light giving the scene a bluer tint.

For a while, she only stares at the way he stares at her entrance. Seokjin licks his bottom lip with an expression that makes her think he is about to devour something. She bucks her hips and whines, and this was the only thing that would break his intent stare. “Do you want to continue?”

Perplexed, she gets up on her elbows and cocks her head at him, wondering if he is seriously asking at this point. She licks her lips, an unintentional taunt towards the man who still has her leg pressed against her belly. “Fuck me.”

His belt is unbuckled in mere seconds and the hellish confines of his pants and underwear are yanked down enough so that his erection springs free. “Yeah?” He asks her, never breaking eye contact, “you want me?”

“I want you so much.”

“Get on your hands and knees. Face down.”

She springs to action. Dizzy with lust, she can’t help but to breathe and smell the roses conveniently beneath her.

She inhales a sharp breath to prepare herself for the monster cock, but weeps when she does not feel the girth sliding in her.

It takes two strokes to realise that it was his middle finger. “No, I want your cock,” she pants, turning to look him in his eye to understand his intentions. He is sat on the floor with either of his feet on the side of her body. His unoccupied hand rests on his knee.

He doesn’t stop, or even looks at her face.

He only pauses for a minute to suck her essence from his finger. “So good,” he whispers to himself.

When the finger enters her again, it is cold from saliva. She scoots her entire body away from him involuntarily. “Sor-sorry, it was a little col-AH!”

Two fingers reach her insides in one slow motion. Quickly finding her g-spot, he continues the piercing motion. Liquid run from her entrance down her thighs watering the grass below.

It gets even colder as the sun really hides from their view somewhere behind the trees as if it is giving them some privacy, or too shy to be present in such bold acts. Bold… what she refuses to stop really is indecent, but she can’t help but to turn into putty in his hands. She shivers thinking about this situation.

Jin watches her shiver and spots the goosebumps all over her ass. He switches his position so he is hugging her from behind, acting as a blanket. His mouth being so close to her pale skin, he could not help but to mark her. Like a barbarian, he seeks to claim her in every way. His lips pucker even as he pulls the skin from her neck between his teeth. He lost count of the iterations of hickies placed on her neck, cheek, back, hips, and hips, especially when she begins to shake uncontrollably.

“Ahn…” she moans sweetly in between tears what Jin hoped to spring from the intensity of it all.

He does not stop pumping his fingers until she scoots away from his grip signaling her oversensitivity.

Three heartbeats pass and she sighs deeply, pulling her dress down embarrassed but glad that he cannot see her red face. He had just seen her most intimate part, but now she feels shy. She was trying to bring the hem down to her knees when she thought she should have said something.

“U-Um… I….”

The words that she are unable to speak are cut off by the sound of material ripping. Judging by her cold behind, she realises he just ripped her dress off her body.

Something hot, hard, and heavy presses against her core.

It seems his cock was made for her, the way it fit in between her folds. He rubs the tip languidly along her slit, spreading the moisture that was quickly building.

“What’s wrong? I thought you said you wanted this. Why are you trying to get dressed?” Jin taunts.

Suddenly, Alice pushes back and engulfs him in her heat in one motion. Moaning hysterically from the stretch, she tries to maintain her composure even though he was rearranging her insides with the pace she set for herself.

Jin kneels completely still, allowing her to ride him unperturbed from the back. The act was too erotic for him to interfere. Her plump butt slams against his crotch eliciting a cry from her and a grunt, that was slowly becoming a moan, from him. Thighs meet thighs like clockwork. Alice selfishly sought her own end with her fast and shallow pace. However, with the strokes not being long enough, Jin was not near his own pleasure. He truly just wanted to imprint in his mind the image of her using him as some sex toy while she humps like some rabbit.

Her walls clench down on him suddenly. He snaps out of his reverie and notice her falling off the precipice of another orgasm, so she slows down from fatigue and the knotting up in her stomach.

Still, she moves at slow pace.

Jin places his large hands on either of her shoulders. She is pressed into the ground while her butt is still connected to him in the air. The arch gives her less mobility but stabilises him more.

Relentlessly, he pistons into her. Alice’s head snaps up to look back at him and the sight leaves her breathless. His exposed forehead is riddled with stray strands of hair. Even though the sun is long gone, his body glistens with sweat and his blown out eyes focus solely on her. Those hooded bedroom eyes looking back at him in awe proves to be the final blow. He continues rutting into her even as he orgasms. The hot liquid and strokes make her climax as well.

Apart from the owls and crickets, the only sound that could be heard are their breaths drawing in and out of their throats. The afterglow under the moon iss almost magical.

After about fifteen minutes pass, the couplet stirs.

Jin pulls out of her heat finally and Alice stretches. He fixes his pants quickly and stands to help her get up. Alice looked back at where she laid and found that the flowers were still intact, which was kind of amazing since she never saw herself as particularly light.

“Hey, I can take you home,” Jin offers, making Alice bring her attention back to the situation at hand.

Finally realising it was night, Alice looked at her phone and found that there would only be one more bus coming for the day, and it wouldn’t be for another two hours.

“That would be great.”

Another problem, he had ripped her dress in the back, which wouldn’t have been so bad if she still had panties. She picks up the tattered material that was carelessly thrown aside and puts it in her pocket. Litter always had bothered her.

She holds her dress during the walk deeper into the estate. A large house that was only visible once passing through the trees comes into her view. He presses a button on his keys and a grey Jeep sounds and lights up the driveway. He opens her door and helps her to climb inside. This is when he notices her problem. He gasps and blushes but covers it with a cough.

She puts her address in the GPS and they head to her place. Before he pulls off, he grabs one of his hoodies from the backseat and abashedly hands it to her. She accepts it and puts it on quickly, thankful that it fell just above her knees. “Thank you.”

“Sorry, I got carried away earlier.” He glances at her, taking his eyes off the highway for a few seconds to show the sincerity in his eyes. “How much were your clothes? Let me repay you.”

Alice laughs nervously. “Actually, this dress was thrifted for fifty cents and I can’t remember how much my underwear was, but don’t worry about either.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, but you really should be more careful when having sex in the future. Not all girls will be as easy going as I am when it comes to that.” Or as easy to sleep with for the matter, she suddenly thinks, degradingly, to herself.

“I’ve never done something like that. I really don’t know what came over me, but I’m sure I won’t be having sex on a whim like that again.” Not after experiencing her.

“Please, don’t try to lie. You were too casual in doing it. You don’t expect me to believe you don’t normally do this, now do you?”

“What? Destroy clothes?”

Alice tries to deadpan but ends up laughing. “No, I mean having casual sex.”

He laughs now too. “Believe it or not. It’s not my job to convince you, but my answer is no. This is my first-time having sex in the open like that, and for a ‘first time’ too.”

She decides she will believe him. “Okay. Well, what were you even doing in this country?”

“I just really liked the house since we shot a video in there before. I always said I would buy it.” Jin half lies. Sure, the house was nice, but what was even greater was Alice. He saw her in the garden smelling some flowers when he took a break in the woods in between scenes. He made sure to keep himself concealed as he watched her gently sieving through the grass and leaves for ladybugs.

The conversation during the three-hour drive was refreshing to him and only deepened his obsession over her. She was just as sweet as she looked and felt. So much so that he hardly realised that they were already so close to her apartment complex.

The GPS cuts off his sentence with a monotonic, “You have arrived at your destination.”

He is shocked into silence, staring at the small screen.

“Well, thanks for this ride. I know it was kind of far for you, so I will accept this ride as repayment for ripping my clothes.” She grins and opens her door to jump out.

All at once, she feels a vice like grip on her forearm. She spins her head back in surprise and question.

“What’s your number,” Jin asks.

She smiles sweetly at him and Jin gulps.

It was great that he already knew where she lives now, but he wants to communicate with her too.

She licks her lips, obviously uneasy with his grip. “How about this,” she ventures. “Give me your number, and I will text you.” She pulls out her phone for him to input his information, which he does, making sure to check over everything.

She smiles at him and then she is gone, disappearing into the entrance.

Jin could not be happier. During the ride he talked about touring and she talked about her job, giving him a bunch of information that he can use to find out more about her.

He could not wait until she texts him. He checks his phone for messages on the way to his home while he drives.

Nothing.

He checks it again when he pulls into his driveway.

Still nothing.

He checks as he gets ready for bed and brushes his teeth.

No new texts from any unsaved numbers.

He begins to wonder if he ended up still making a typo, but he is sure that he would not have done that. Glancing through his notifications one last time, he turns off his bedside lamp and turns to go to sleep. Maybe in the morning she will text. Maybe she is playing hard to get.

Only, a text never came the next morning, or the next day at all. He eagerly anticipated it during the first two weeks, having to talk himself out of waiting around her apartment to catch her on her work commute.

Three weeks had to pass before he found himself driving to her city to find her. He knew where she lived exactly and the security in her building wasn’t very good. The rope and duct tape in the plastic bag on the backseat rustled with every turn he makes towards her county.

Meanwhile, during those weeks, Alice was so embarrassed about the situation that she could not bring herself to press the send button on her simple “Hi” text that was composed that very night. At first, she didn’t want to seem desperate, but then she started to imagine things, like his look of lust as he gazed at her form slamming back at him may have been mistaken. Maybe it had been disregard or disgust. Or, the look could have been purely lust and he wanted to use her as some sex doll while he was in the country.

Overall, she had been completely embarrassed about the whole ordeal, so she didn’t text Jin at first.

Three weeks later, she does her laundry and finds a huge sweater in the dryer. It no longer smelt like him, but at least it was clean. She looks at the tag, wondering if she should iron it. She almost drops the fabric reading the brand’s name on the label. This simple brown hoodie must have costed a fortune. With sudden urgency, she picks up her phone.

Hey, I washed the hoodie you loaned me! I can mail it to you. What is your mailing address?

It was by pure luck that Jin did not get caught in some car accident. He reads the text dozens of times, sure that it was Alice.

Needing to hear her voice, he calls her back instead of replying via text.

“H-H-Hi, Jin!” She tries to say nonchalantly after she answers.

“Alice…” He waits for her to answer, wanting to hear more.

“Yes?”

“I’m about five minutes away from you. I can pick yo- it up.”

“Wow, are you stalking me?”

Jin’s nerves prick at him until he hears her sweet laughter, signalling that she was merely joking.

He laughs, too. “Yeah, I just couldn’t wait to see you and you took so long to text me. I got worried.”

She laughs even more. “No really, are you guys doing something else in this city? Promo?”

“No. I’m here on vacation. I was just checking on somethings.” He turns into her parking lot and makes his way towards the elevator in her building, noting that no key is needed to park, or get into the building. “What unit?”

“Huh?” Alice is caught off guard. “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll come down to you. Rustling is heard on the other line already, signalling that she is moving.

“Alice, I’m already here. Just tell me.”

Silence on the other line.

“What? You don’t trust me enough? Think I’ll break in?” He laughs mirthlessly. He’s desperate for this information.

“No!” She says a little too loudly for her liking. “It’s the fourth floor… 412.”

With a smirk, he presses the button on the elevator.

After living on her own for so long, Alice had quickly discovered the joy in being nude. Less laundry, comfort, no need for A/C, all reasons why she just doesn’t normally wear clothes when she’s home. So, she only had about two minutes to find and put on her robe before she hears a quick rapping on her door.

“Be there soon!” She walks toward the door and tries to wrap it as good as possible. She opens the door to find Jin dressed in black sweatpants, a black hoodie, and simple tennis shoes. His hair hung low on his face, obscuring his eyes a bit. “Hi,” she pipes – unable to quelle the wide smile on her face.

“Hey,” he says, taking the hoodie she shoves in his arms. He’s already seen every inch of her, so why is the slight cleavage enticing him so much? It was easy to see deeper into her robe than she wanted with his height.

“Sorry for not contacting you earlier… I even forgot that I had it.”

Her speaking brought his eyes up to her plump, glossed lips. With eyes downcast, Alice does not even have the chance to register his blatantly staring.

“I hope it wasn’t a bother to wait.” She glances up at his face, questioning his silence just as he lifts his eyes to hers.

“It wasn’t a bother at all. Honestly,” he lies again. “but can you tell me some directions while I’m here?”

“Sure. Where are you tryin-“ a door down the hall opens loudly. Alice is now suddenly aware that her door is still open and Jin is outside. She pulls him inside quickly, not sure if the person coming out was her ex-boyfriend. She cannot wait until her lease is over so she can move for good.

When she closes the door, she presses her back against it in relief that she was inside before anyone had seen her or her visitor.

Opening her eyes, she sees Jin is looking at her, in a way she would take to be confusion. In reality, he was trying not to pounce on her after staring at her legs when he realised just how short the robe was. It stops just below her hips. “Sorry,” she starts to explain. “Nosey neighbours,” she explains with a nervous chuckle.

Jin swallows air. Her neck nor collar bones show any evidence of their last passionate embrace. He wants to change that.

He slowly stalks to her, crowding her against her door.

She lifts a hand suddenly to his chest and shrinks away from him. “Where did you need directions to?”

Her lip gloss made her lips seem like rubies. Opal sclera made her ebony pupils shine more. Enchanted, he crowds her again, this time putting his arms on either side of her head.

Looking deep into her eyes, framed with obsidian eyebrows, he answers, “your heart.”

If not for the fact that he was so gorgeous, she may have noticed the corny comeback and rolled her eyes, but for now, she could not move. Her mind told her she shouldn’t be letting him use her for sex, but her body sang a different song. He bent his head to take possession of the rubies, immediately deepening the kiss to something sensual.

Knock. Knock. Knock!

“Ali! I know you’re in there, slut! Do you have any of my folders? I’m missing something important that I need for work.”

The two are stunned in place. Alice shakes in fear and Jin reads the situation to the best of his abilities. He straightens and moves to open the door. Alice quickly grabs his large wrist to stop him. “No! You never brought your work here so stop asking! I don’t have anything!”

“Whatever,” was his simple reply after a few moments.

Alice does not let go of a breath she hadn’t realised she held until she hears his footsteps indicating his retreat.

“Does he always do that?” Jin asks.

Alice snaps her head towards them. Of course, he wouldn’t be interested in her now. She has too much baggage. “Not really,” she admits with downcast eyes, hopeful that he isn’t perturbed.

Jin gets off of her completely. “And that’s your ex?”

She nods her head and looks away.

“You’re not safe here…” he ventures.

Shocked that he was not disgusted, she looks back up at him. “Jake wouldn’t actually do anything. He’s all talk. Sure, he’s annoying, but I don’t feel unsafe. However, I do plan on moving as soon as my lease is up.”

“When is that?”

“In three months.”

She can almost hear the gears turning in Jin’s head as he says, “Come live with me. I don’t like the idea of you being here.”

“That’s sweet of you – really, but I can hold my own. I don’t need some saviour. I will move in a few months and I will be fine. It might not sound like it but I’m sure Jake loves me.” It was way too early for him to ask that, but she is sure it came from a sincere place.

“I know it may seem sudden, but I’m serious. I have a lot of space for you.”

“No, really, I couldn’t.”

Jin sighs in frustration but ends up looking at her warmly. “My offer will always be open.”

“Thanks for your concern,” she means. She opens the door she was just leaning on. “Thanks for stopping by!”

Jin gets the hint that he was kicking her out, but she looks so distressed that he doesn’t fight her on it.

He nods curtly at her and exits with his hoodie.

After she locks him out, he immediately looks left to where he heard Jake’s footsteps go.

Finally, Alice could let the tears fall. They pour in clumps like diamonds, sad that she so quickly ruined a new possible relationship. She was always a handful in some way. Always too much for the small hands of the men whoever took any interest in her.

She weeps on the daybed that served as her couch in the living room. The rose print wallpaper being her only witness to the mess she presents. Will she ever find love? It is hard to let work fill that empty space in her heart for companionship. Her parents never approved of her career choice, or sense of fashion. They always sought to worsen her depression whenever she tried to rekindle their relationship. So, their mode of communication was restricted to short phone calls once every few months. Her siblings had lives of their own and her apartment did not allow pets. Finally, on top of all of this, she sucked at making new friends due to her social anxiety.

She had not known how long she silently wailed in self-pity until her phone rang indicating a new text.

She reads it thinking it was her ex who had gotten a new phone just to mess with her again, but it wasn’t.

Jin: Hi cutie. This smells amazing. What fabric softener is this?

Jin inhaled the top deeply just as he puts it on his freshly showered body.

Alice: Its an eco-friendly brand, I’ll send you the link!

Alice: [Link]

Jin: Thanks, it smells like you.

Alice thought back to when his face was so close to hers earlier. Was he referring to that?

Jin: I know I just saw you, but can we have coffee tomorrow? Lets meet at that coffee shop on your block.

Alice: I love them! Sure!

Jin: Great. See you at 11 <3

Alice smiles sweetly down at her phone thinking that maybe some men’s hands are large enough.

                                a/n: Since high school, my favourite writing style had been descriptive. This was always my vice when writing narratives; however, since the sensory overload would sometimes take away from the story. So sorry if that happens here! I want to make an excuse that this is purely smut and aesthetics, but I plan on having a part 2 :( This is my first time ever posting with this style so I’m really nervous.

Update: the first time I uploaded this, I didn’t realise the a/n wasnt copied too, but this was it. I also realised that I had some serious verb agreement and tense switching errors. I apologise for this too. You can really tell that I write these on the verge of falling asleep. 😅

[artnerd1123]

AFW playlists

undercut are some song lists for the world/various characters! this thing updates with every change of the wind, so chances are there’s gonna be new music whenever y’all decide to check. hope y’all enjoy! and don’t judge the music too hard ‘^^

A Familiar World Playlist (for both storyline stuff w/ bonus world vibes)

I Lived (One Republic)

How Far We’ve Come (Matchbox 20)

Mashup 3 ft. Clarity, Don't Wake Me Up, Alive, and more... (Josh Geating)

The Great Divide (McClain sisters)

Home (Phillip Phillips)

Team (Lorde)

Unity (Alan Walker)

We Don’t Know (Dan Book, Dylan Stevens)

Mothers and Fathers (Dom Fera)

See You Again (Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth)

Home (Machine Gun Kelly)

Youth (Daughter, cover by Daniela Andrade and Dabin)

Grave Digger (Blues Saraceno)

A Sadness Runs Through Him (The Hoosiers)  

Kids (MGMT)

Good Grief (Bastille)

Viva la Pompeii (Coldplay & Bastille)

Circus of the Dead (TryHardNinja)

Cradles (Sub Urban)

I’m So Tired (Lauv, Troye Sivan)

We Are One (Vexento)

Trippy Love (Vexento)

Monody (TheFatRat ft. Laura Brehm)

Forbidden Knowledge (Pyre OST)

Eyes Half Closed (Crywolf)

Roots (Unknown Brain)

Grandfather Clocktower (Klippa)

Control [Instrumental] (Halsey)

Possible PMV song for the whole thing:

Colors (Halsey)

Aiden

Brightoak Theme (AQW)

Safe And Sound (Capital Cities)

Brand New (Ben Rector)

Path To Glory (Pyre OST)

We’re Going Down (Fall Out Boy)

I Have Made Mistakes (The Oh Hellos)

So Alive (Goo Goo Dolls)

[redacted for spoilers]

[redacted for spoilers]

[redacted for spoilers]

[redacted for spoilers]

[redacted for spoilers]

The Kids Aren’t Alright (Fallout Boy)

A Sadness Runs Through Him (The Hoosiers)  

Kids (MGMT)

Roo

Peppermint Cats (SharaX)

Simply Silphy (SharaX)

Red Balloon (Charli XCX)

Better When I’m Dancing (Meghan Trainor)

INVADER (Snail’s House)

Faded (Alan Walker)

What About Us (P!nk)

Home (Machine Gun Kelly)

Youth (Daughter, cover by Daniela Andrade and Dabin)

A Sadness Runs Through Him (The Hoosiers)  

Kids (MGMT)

Good Grief (bastille)

Journal

Cool (Jonas Brothers)

Applause (Lady Gaga)

Window Down Days (Levi Hummon)

High Hopes (Panic! at the Disco)

Sucker (Jonas Brothers)

I’m Still Standing (Elton John)

Grand Ceremony (Pyre OST)

Zero (Imagine Dragons)

In Case You Don’t Live Forever (Ben Platt)

Last Hurrah (Bebe Rexha)

Young and a Menace (Fall Out Boy)

Migraine (Twenty One Pilots)

Epoch (Savlonic - TLT remix) 

Keep It Together (Mystery Skulls)

Wilson (Fall Out Boy)

Start Again (One Republic)

Let You Down (NF)

Monster (Imagine Dragons)

Home (Machine Gun Kelly)

Youth (Daughter, cover by Daniela Andrade and Dabin)

Kids (MGMT)

A Sadness Runs Through Him (The Hoosiers)  

Good Grief (Bastille)

Roots (Unknown Brain)

Ruffy

Spider Dance (Undertale OST)

Moonlight (BlackGryph0n & Baasik)

Be Kind To Yourself (Andrew Peterson)

New Soul (Yael Naim,Tik Tok Remix)

Trees (Twenty One Pilots)

Superhuman (Juventa ft. Kelly Sweet, Culture Code Remix)

Human (Christina Perri)

Kids (MGMT)

Seraph

Pearl’s Theme (Steven Universe Soundtrack)

Thursday (Jess Glynne)

Perfect (P!nk, clean version)

Overwhelmed (Rachel Platten)

Sunday Best (Surfaces)

Crystal Kingdom (Legion Mix)

Arms Outstretched (Griffin McElroy)

Chocological (Mili)

Imagined Flight (Mili)

Birthday Party (AJR)

Dark Side (Kelly Clarkson)

You Don’t Know My Heart (Rachel Platten)

Over My Head (Echosmith)

Believe Me (Skrux)

Human (Christina Perri)

Narcissistic Cannibal (EarlyRise)

Pompeii (Bastille)

Wide Awake (Katy Perry)

Habits [Stay high] (Tove Lo, Hippie Sabotage Remix)

Happy When I’m Sad (Jonas Brothers)

Ghost Town [Chill Trap] (Veorra & The Tech Thieves)

Lost (Illenium)

Alone And Sublime (Mother Mother)

Everything I Wanted (Billie Eilish)

Stitches (Shawn Mendes)

Beating Me Up (Rachel Platten)

Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson)

King Of Anything (Sara Bareilles)

The Irony Of Choking On A Lifesaver (All Time Low)

Home (Machine Gun Kelly)

Youth (Daughter, cover by Daniela Andrade and Dabin)

Good Grief (bastille)

I’m So Tired (Lauv, Troye Sivan)

Evangel

Lucky (Lucky Twice)

Money (Poppy)

Lovefool (The Cardigans)

Megalo Strike Back (Meltberry Cover)

Again (Kira, ft. Rachie, Remix Cover)

Copycat (Gumi Vocaloid, English)

Monster (Cascada, Remix)

Happy Days (Maika) 

Very Good Bad Thing (Mother Mother)

The Monster (Eminem ft. Rihanna)

Monster (Kira, ft. Gumi Vocaloid, English)

Primadonna (Marina and the Diamonds)

Queen (Stephen Jerzak)

Do It All The Time (IDKHOW)

Batman Evolution (The Piano Guys)

Rainbow Factory (Chaos remix) (honestly the song in general works :V)

Close Your Eyes//In The Next Life (Kira, Kim Petras remix)

Grandfather Clocktower (Klippa)

Nettles

basically anything off the Pirates Of The Caribbean soundtrack works

Knights Of The Sea (Pyre OST)

Mantis Lords (Hollow Knight OST)

The 7 Seas (F-777)

Master Of Tides (Lindsey Stirling)

Ride (Twenty One Pilots)

Ghost (Confetti) 

The Guardian of Angels (NIVIRO)

Don’t Come Back Here (KIRA ft. Rachie)

Where We Started (Lost Sky ft. Jex, NCS release)

Willow Tree (Rival x Cadmium ft. Rosendale, NCS release)

Insecurities (Jess Glynne)

Trade Mistakes (Panic! At The Disco)

Nightmares (All Time Low)

Seroo (Seraph x Roo)

Night Lights (Levi Hummon)

Speechless (Dan + Shay)

Peer Pressure (James Bay)

If My Heart Was A House (Owl City) 

Someone You Like (The Girl And The Dreamcatcher)

I Do Adore (Mindy Gledhill)

Honey and the Bee (Owl City ft. Breanne)

Uptown Girl (Billy Joel)

Give Me Your Hand (The Ready Set)

Perfect (P!nk, clean version)

Brave (Sara Bareilles)

Sky Full of Stars (Coldplay)

Cannonball (Kiesza)

Rather Be (Clean Bandit)

I Don’t Care (Ed Sheeran)

Mine (Phoebe Ryan)

Clarity (Zedd ft. Foxes)

We Found Love (Rihanna)

Astronauts (Rachel Platten)

I Wouldn’t Mind (He Is We)

Anchor (Mindy Gledhill)

Superman (Rachel Platten)

Nerd Bfs (Journal x Alex)

Something Just Like This (Chainsmokers/Coldplay)

Kelp (Aiden x Nettles)

Meant to Be (Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line)

Accidentally In Love (Counting Crows)

Fine By Me (Andy Grammer)

Run To Me (Coffee) (from the Home OST)

Wonderland (Natalia Kills)

Paper Rings (Taylor Swift)

Only Human (Jonas Brothers)

Plant Life (Owl City)

For The First Time (The Script)

[bobasheebaby]

Penny Prompts

1 “If I take it off, NAME wins.” “Sweetie, every night you don't kill him/her in his/her sleep, he/she wins.”

2 “Woman, you are playing with forces beyond your ken.” “Yeah, well your Ken can kiss my Barbie.”

3 “NAME, what did we say about being a nicer friend?” “Thank you.” “NAME, what did we say about being a gullible weeny?”

4 “I'm not signing a prenup.” “All right, NAME, listen up! You sign anything he/she puts in front of you, because you are the luckiest man/woman alive. If you let him/her go, there is no way you can find anyone else. Speaking on behalf of all men/women, it is not going to happen, we had a meeting.”

5 “What am I supposed to do?” “Err, keep your mouth off other men/women.”

6 “So you have a song stuck in your head. It happens to everybody.” “Well, I'm not everybody. I have an eidetic memory. I should be able to remember what song this is, but I can't. Something's wrong with me.” “I told you if we were patient, he'd/she’d figure it out for himself/herself.”

7 [Person a knocks on NAME’s door three times] “Who do we love?” “NAME.” [Knocks 3 times] “Who do we love?” “NAME.” [Knocks 3 times] “Who do we love?” “NAME.”

8 “NAME 's mad at me, and I'm not clear why.” “Okay, were you talking before he:she got upset?” “Yes.” “That's probably it.”

9 “Ignore them, NAME. They're just jealous because they'll never have a relationship as good as ours.” “Isn't this when he/she says "bazooka" or something?”

10 [looking at caller ID] “Ooh, looks like I'm gonna have sex tonight.” [answering phone] “Hey, baby...” “His/her right hand is calling him/her?”

11 “Doesn't he/she know you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?” “He/She doesn't have a boyfriend/girlfriend he/she has a NAME.”

12 “What kind of teenager did you think I was?” “Slutty.” “Easy.” “The word is 'popular'.”

13 “Once you open the box it loses its value.” “Yeah, yeah. My mom gave me the same lecture about my virginity. I gotta tell you, it was a lot more fun taking it out and playing with it.”

14 “Is that all you have? Shop-worn tidbits like ‘talk to him/her’ and ‘let it go’? Gee, NAME, life's given me lemons, what should I do?” “Well, you could shove them somewhere.”

15 “More Halloween candy. Didn't you just buy a bunch of it yesterday?” “Oh, yeah. That's gone. It's a rough month when Halloween and PMS hit at the same time.”

16 “I don't believe it. What's gotten into him/her?” “Oh, maybe a couple of virgin Cuba Libres that turned out to be kinda slutty.” “You didn't.” “Hey, you do your experiments, I do mine.”

17 “Come on, we are not old, boring people. We can do better than this.” “That's true. How late did we stay up last night?” “Almost 1 am.” “Damn straight almost 1 am. And we weren't even watching TV, we were watching Netflix like the kids do.” “Yeah. Is it a comedy, is it a drama? Nobody knows!”

18 “You gotta help me get my arm into my sleeve.” [Eyes closed] “Okay!” “Is that my arm?” “It doesn't feel like an arm.” “Then maybe you should let it go.”

19 “Who do I speak to about permanently reserving this table?” “I don't know, a psychiatrist?”

20 “Why would you buy peppermint schnapps?” “Because I like peppermint, and it's fun to say schnapps!”

21 “You wanna turn yourself into some sort of robot?” “Essentially, yes.” “Okay, here's my question: Didn't you already do that?”

22 “I would ask you to find some way to suppress your libido.” “I could think about you.” “Whatever works.”

23 “We cover ourselves in body paint and then we get on this big canvas and do our thing.” “Woah, that's kind of a big step for a guy/girl who only recently agreed to take his/her socks off.”

24 “He’s/She's only been here a day and a half, and I'm seriously considering alcoholism as a new career path.” “Hey, I talked to him/her for five minutes yesterday, and I've been half bombed ever since.”

25 [To NAME’s dog] “Bark once if you need me to call PETA.”

26 “NAME, that's not what boyfriends/girlfriends are for. Although you don't use them for what they're for, so what do I know?”

27 “Don't you dare knock!”

28 “Don't you think if a man/woman was living with me I'd be the first one to know about it?” “Oh, sweetie, you'd be the last one to know about it.”

29 “Good morning, slut!” “What?” “Oh, please! I recognise the walk of shame when I see it. All you're missing is a little smeared mascara and a purse with panties wadded up in it!”

30 “They're gonna get beaten up at that club.” “They're gonna get beaten up at Walgreens.”

31 “Holy crap on a cracker!”

32 “And then you put it back, compromising the rest of the onion rings.” “Aw honey, the buses don't go where you live do they?”

33 “What's up, buttercup?”

34 “And what kind of doctor removes shoes from asses?”

35 “Really still can't talk to me?”

36 “This is banana bread.” “This is a door knob.”

37 “Oh, I don't know. I don't want to manipulate him/her with sex.” “Oh, sweetie, that's what sex is for.”

38 “I'm a little low on cash.” “How much you got?” “Nothing.” “How can you walk around with no money?” “I'm cute, I get by.”

39 “And this is also not the right time. Do not propose.” “What?!” “I know that face. That's your proposed face.”

40 “Don't come to the hospital. We're headed home.” “Oh, that was fast. Did she sneeze the baby out?”

41 “NAME, will you marry me?” “Oh my god, yes!”

42 “Is this the stuff you want me to try on?” “No this is the stuff I want you to throw out. Seriously, don't even give it to charity. You won't be helping anyone.”

43 “If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?” “Well, not to steal from the bible, but turning water into wine sounds pretty good.”

44 “Oh, my God, you’re about to jibber jabber about jibber jabber.”

45 “I love him, but if he's broken, let's not get a new one.”

46 “We can't keep explaining everything. Read that book we gave you.”

47 “You know deep down inside, NAME’s a nice guy.” “The problem isn't what's on the inside. It's the creepy candy coating.”

48 “Um, you know it's kinda early. Do you wanna maybe come in for some coffee or something?” “Oh gee, its a little late for coffee isn't it?” “Aw, you think coffee means coffee. That is so sweet.”

49 “The thing about tomatoes, I think you will really enjoy this, is that they are shelved with the vegetables but they are technically a fruit.” “Interesting.” “Isn't it!” “No, I mean what you find enjoyable.”

50 “Do or do not do there is no try.” “Did you just quote Star Wars?” “I believe I quoted The Empire Strikes Back.”

51 “You can't let him/her get into your head.” “It's too late for me, my head is his/her summer house.”

52 “Well, while they're acting like teenagers we could do something grown up.” “Ooh, you mean like a museum?” “Yes, like a museum but anything else!”

53 “NAME’s being reasonable.” “Yeah, it's freaking me out. I'm gonna go.”

54 “Oh, my God, he/she won't stop.” “How does he/she keep coming up with new ways to be annoying?” “Nobody knows. That's why he’s/she's number one.”

55 “I love you.” “Who cares?”

56 “You're okay with an experiment where you have to answer awkward questions about your innermost feelings?” “Yes.” “Please can I do it with him/her, please.”

57 “Don't be like that. You two need to talk this out.” “Yeah, because you sound really funny.”

58 “I really thought he/she was going to say ‘let it go’.”

59 “Honey, you don't have to thank me every time we have sex, sweetie.”

60 “I finally realize I don't need to be famous or have some big career to be happy.” “Well what do you need?” “You, you stupid Poptart.”

61 “What are you saying? That I'm using my body to get dinner? That I'm some sort of Chinese food prostitute?”

62 “I was unstoppable. I was on fire. It was like my mind and my body were totally connected, like athletes must feel when they're in the zone.” “Again, it was miniature golf.” “Admit it, you're a little turned on.” “You can't be this proud.” “Why not?” “Because I beat you.”

63 “How do you not know how to use glue? Did you ditch pre-school?” “Yeah, but only because I was dating a second-grader.”

64 “Come on. How can you be sad when you're going home with all five foot six of this?” “You think you're five foot six? That's funny.”

65 “Look, I'm telling you I've done it. I clearly remember the cow standing up and then a cow on its side.” “Were you drunk?” “I was sixteen and in Nebraska, what do you think?” “I think you're the one who fell over.” “Well that would explain why the sky was also on its side.”

66 “I need to go back to dating dumb guys/girls from the gym.”

67 “We'll take you to the mall to get it done.” “Why? I can do it right here.” “Really? You have a piercing gun?” “No. All you need is a needle and an ice cube. I've done it, like, a dozen times.” “Oh, I don't know.” “Oh, come on. I'll be gentle. Let me take your ear virginity.” “This party's weird.”

68 “So is that it? Are we engaged?” “Yeah, I think so.” “All right.” “What's wrong?” “I'm not sure. It just feels a little anti-climactic.” “Yeah, it kinda does, doesn't it?”

69 “I promise next time I get married, it won't be a joke. It will be for love ... or money.”

70 “I don't understand, exactly how did he/she get any friends in the first place?” “We liked NAME.”

71 “Here, have some pizza, sweetie.” “You know I'm lactose intolerant.” “I know; I just need you to stop talking.”

72 “So, what do you think?” “I thought it would be a little more ... just more.” “I'm not even sure why we were out of breath.”

73 “I mean I was on fire. I was in the zone like an athlete.” “Sweetie, I beat you at this, too.”

74 “Well, I can't eat like a ten-year-old all the time.” “You're dating somebody! Who is it?” “What? What are you talking about?” “You only watch what you eat when you're afraid you might have to take your shirt off.”

75 “So I'm like a bran muffin?” “What? No, that's not what I'm saying.” “No, that's exactly what you're saying. I'm the boring thing you're choosing because I'm good for you.” “What does it matter? I'm choosing you.” “It matters a lot. I don't want to be a bran muffin. I want to be a cinnabon, a strawberry pop tart. Something you're excited about, even if it could give you diabetes.” “Sweetie, you can be any pastry you want.”

[raccoonmooon]

the poison, drunk

Dipping my toe into writing! Have a WTNC fic!

Post pledge ending, the hunter does not tell anyone when they leave Lunaris. The hunter's sister (who is a hunter herself) acquires a lingering injury, and decides to take the time off to visit her sibling. Instead she finds a mystery, and a town full of people who's help she will need to solve it. 

categories: angst, hurt / comfort, eventual happy ending, maybe the hunter can have a little redemption arc, as a treat, two hunters, divergence from canon epilogue | pairings: August / F!Hunter, Finnzra, Finnzra / nb!Hunter | fic rating: explicit | content warnings (this chapter):  canon-typical violence | word count: 1,635  |  read on AO3 

Chapter 1/?  | i'll send a storm

chapter summary-  A hunt goes wrong, Finn makes tea badly

...Seven...eight...nine heartbeats and a roll of distant thunder filtered through the trees, closer than she’d prefer. Rowan scanned the forest in front of her, the full, newly risen moon illuminating tall conifers scarred with layers of claw marks. She moved with a renewed confidence in the direction her senses were pulling her.

Keane huffed "That glare might leave demons shakin’ in their boots but it’s not gonna turn the storm." The weatherbeaten old witch was scarred as the trees they were passing through, with glinting eyes under bushy grey brows. "We’re ending this night soaked to the bone no matter how fast we trot."

He kept pace regardless, heavy boots muffled by the thick layer of pine needles and other decaying detritus that made up the forest floor. The air felt just as padded, pregnant with the approaching thunderhead. She ducked under a branch with tufts of cinnabar orange fur stuck in the bark.

"I’d rather finish the job before the clouds steal our moonlight Enforcer. Wasn’t exactly a short hike up here and now we’re in the beast’s territory it’s not likely to give us a night to wait out the weather."

It had, in fact, taken them just over a week to track the creature here from the rustic little town she’d been assigned to the last three years. A harsh winter had drawn it down out of it’s remote stomping grounds and into the range of people. And even with the arrival of spring, now that it knew easier prey was a short flight away, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t come back.

"Eh, least the wind’ll keep it grounded" he growled "An’ how many times have I told you to call me Keane?"

Rowan huffed a laugh in response, letting the discussion rest. For a while the only sounds were increasingly frequent peals of thunder and the susurrus of trees in the storm’s downdraft drowning out their breath and footfalls.

She slowed as they approached a clearing cast in darkening moonlight, and let her hand fall to the handle of her axe as a four-legged figure padded into view. The barbaric semblance of a human face snarled at them out of a thick mane of matted red fur. The over sized body tensed and threw massive leathery wings up into an obvious threat display, while a tail tipped with a chitinous, scorpion-like stinger lashed behind it. The manticore crouched back, sizing the distance and preparing to leap.

Rowan readied her axe, flashing silver in a burst of lightning that briefly threw the clearing into sharp relief. The ground was littered with shredded wood and scattered carcasses in various states of decay, the smell of which failed to entirely drown out the musty scent of the beast itself. Beside her, Keane visibly centered himself and the air took on a biting chill as an icy mist rose in the clearing and his eyes were overtaken by a cold light.

They moved apart swiftly as darting fish, and the creature’s massive bulk landed in the space now between them with an impact she could feel in her teeth. Keane drew its attention with a flashy burst of spiked ice to its face.

"Well this fellow’s scarred as an old tom isn’t he?" the witch laughed as the beast whipped around to face him with a snarl.

He was indeed, the shaggy lion’s pelt marred with dozens of scars, and the heavy wings were ragged at the edges. But Rowan was focused on the tail, which she ducked out of the way to avoid as the creature spun. Segmented red chitin leading to a wickedly curved tip coming down from the bulbous final segment. Both of them had little vials of the anti-venin potion she’d prepared for the trip, but that didn’t guarantee they’d be fast enough to get it down if struck, certainly not without permanent damage. So it remained the manticore’s deadliest feature, and her first task was to remove it.

Keane continued to back away as he threw another volley of ice at the thing. Rowan waited for it to pull back its tail to strike, near parallel with the ground, and brought her axe down between two of the segments as it sprung back up, neatly splitting the top few from the rest and sending them spinning uselessly through the clearing.

The manticore turned back on her with outstretched claws swung wildly in her direction and an earsplitting yowl louder than any cat she’d ever had the misfortune to hear.

She called back to Keane, "About as subtle as a tomcat as well yeah?" It bared leonine teeth at her in an angry hiss, three rows on top and bottom, and prepared for another swing.

Rowan jumped back, rather than to the side, the thick mane would deter a blow to the neck, and its face was the next best option for a clean kill. But rather than the swipe of claws she expected, it took a flying leap over her head, knocking her down with its hind paws, bouncing off the massive pine behind her and flapping some twenty meters up a tree on the other side of the clearing. It clung to the bark with straining claws and the approaching storm whipped its mane around its face as it roared down at them, fully pissed off.

She pulled herself back to her feet, coat flapping around her calves, and unholstered her flintlock pistol, it was out of range no matter how well she aimed.

"Can you do something about that?" she shouted over the wind at Keane.

The witch focused up at the tree and some ways below the yowling beast, a pale mist settled around the bark. After a few moments there was a great cracking sound, loud as a gunshot, and that part of the tree shattered, the top half with the manticore on it tilted towards them, seemingly in slow motion.

"TIMBER!" Keane shouted, darting farther away from the falling tree, Rowan ran backwards in the opposite direction, trying to keep her eyes on the manticore, trapped by the falling branches. Her boot hit something that crunched and she felt a sharp pain in her calf, she looked down horrified to see the manticore’s envenomed stinger at her feet. Fuck.

She needed to take the antivenom now but the tree crashed to the ground between her and Keane, and five hundred kilos of manticore began flailing to try and free itself from the branches pressing it to the ground. There wasn’t time. Rowan leapt forward, running along a thick branch to the trunk where she could get a good look at the beast, it saw her approach and let out a final unnatural yowl that abruptly cut off with the crack of her pistol.

The manticore went limp just as Rowan’s leg gave out, she landed tangled in branches and pulled the little vial from the leather pouch at her waist. She could hear Keane calling for her as she ripped the stopper out with her teeth. She downed the bitter, red liquid in one mouthful, and things started to get a bit blurry as the sky finally opened up, instantly drenching her.

OOO

Far away, moonlight poured through a kitchen window as Finnegan Kazimir struggled to make a cup of tea. Which one was it he’d seen Ezra reach for after a hard day in the shop? The blue and yellow tin that smelt of mint and earth? Finn was unsure, he didn’t often pay attention to such things when Ezra was in the room. The kettle screamed, and decision made he pulled down the tin and yanked the horrible thing off the heat.

Sitting at the little wooden table he watched what should have been the cheery gold of the tea, warp to a sickly yellow in the shadowed light, spreading in tendrils through clear water like poison through-

Finn shut his eyes and thought of the bright life of his love upstairs, warm, safe, close, and too distracted by fresh grief to make himself the cup of tea darting thoughts told Finn he wanted. He settled and let each moment pass as the tea steeped, time would fix this, settle wounds into scars that could be ignored like a scrap of purple fabric in a box.

OOO

Ezra stared up into the rain pounding on the window and felt cold imagining where Maro might be. He wanted to run out into the night and find them, bring them home and find a way to undo the curse they’d drunk down like it was the only option. But there wasn’t a way to undo it, there was nothing he or Finn could do, and their love was going to die alone in the cold after everything they’d fallen in love with had been stripped away. He shivered.

The creak of the bedroom door drew him out of his thoughts and he watched Finn approach the bed with distant golden eyes and a cup of tea steaming in his hands. Ezra found a smile for his love.

"You didn’t have to do that" he said.

The vampire crawled into bed beside him and slid the cup into his hands, wrapping his own tea warmed palms around Ezra’s and holding them against the gentle heat as he leaned in to press a kiss to his forehead in lieu of a response.

They settled against each other and Ezra took a sip of the tea, a lovely calming blend with strong notes of peppermint and chamomile, drowned out by far, far too much honey, even for him, with unstrained leaves swirling about. He tucked a more genuine smile into Finn’s neck "It’s perfect, thank you." They curled closer together and listened to the rain.

[rhapsoteainbrew]

Moscow Mule from David’s Tea

Prep: 212° water, 5 minutes steep, honey Verdict: ★★★★★ 5/5 Favorite!

I had to rewrite this review three times, bumping up my star rating each time. The more I sipped, the more I liked it. At first, I didn’t think this tea would be anything special hot. I thought it was meant to be iced, but it’s December and I have A Thing about trying teas hot first, so I assumed I would write a review with disclaimers that it’s probably better iced. 

It is probably better iced, but it’s damn good hot. This ginger-based herbal tea is supplemented with lemon balm, peppermint, and cucumber to replicate the classic, refreshing cocktail. And boy, does it succeed! Even hot, even with no carbonation, this somehow still tastes just like a moscow mule. 

The ginger taste is most predominant, though the mint creates a smooth aftertaste. While the other flavors can’t be tasted on their own, you can tell they’re working hard behind the scenes to blend seamlessly with the ginger and temper its sharp taste into a more refreshing, smooth tingle. 

The aftertaste is really what wins me over. The longer I sit with the taste on my tongue, the more I think, “wow, this is good.” 

I’m sure this would be wonderful as a nice pitcher of iced tea—with maybe a dash of seltzer water to make a tea pop, if you’re missing that fizz. All the same, I like this as a hot tea more than I expected. It strikes the perfect balance between tingling and refreshing that truly evokes this signature cocktail flavor. 

If you’re interested for when the weather gets warmer or to keep you company all winter long, make sure you buy soon while this summer seasonal is still in stock. 

[tss-grimmverse]

Chapter 2: Gloxinia

it doesn’t mean much

it doesn’t mean anything at all

the life i’ve left behind me is a cold room

Virgil stirred to wide-eyed awareness twice in the night, both times because he thought he heard doors opening. But he was too exhausted to get up and check, and reluctantly settled down after the adrenaline wore off.

The third time he opened his eyes, the sky outside his bedroom window glowed an early morning blue and he desperately needed the restroom.

Groaning, he grabbed his hoodie from where he’d slung it over the headboard the night before, pulled it securely around him, and padded across the hallway. Once finished, he tiptoed cautiously into the main room, finding it exactly as he had left it the night before.

Was he still alone? If the sounds he’d heard were Logan coming in super late, at best the dude was probably still asleep.

Hell, I should still be asleep, Virgil thought, wandering blearily into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, more out of curiosity than actual hunger, and let out a surprised laugh.

“Holy troll shit, that is a lot of jelly,” he murmured, pulling out a jar to read the label. Crofters Organic.

Oh.

That explained the postscript.

The sound of front door opening and closing startled him to his feet. Virgil hastily replaced the jar, lining it back up next to its dozen or so neighbors.

Closing the fridge door, he looked over the counter and found himself face to face with the most gorgeous person he’d ever laid eyes on. His heart stuttered. The newcomer dumped a keyring on the counter…shit, this was Logan?…and adjusted a pair of half-moon glasses.

“You must be Virgil,” he said in a deep, tranquil voice, stepping out of a pair of worn athletic shoes.

Virgil made a croaking noise that tried to become a greeting before getting stuck halfway down his throat.

Logan swept through the apartment, disappearing into the furthest room and reemerging with a towel. Sweat glistened on his bare chest, bark dark and beech smooth, and sparkled in black hair braided into a dozen wavy rows against his scalp. The guy had one of those sculpted, solid builds, all broad, lean planes and bold, sensual lines. An artist’s dream to shade; a little awkward to hug.

Virgil swallowed hard, forcing his poor gay eyes away.

Somehow between the normalcy of the apartment and the weirdly formal note, he had forgotten that Logan was half faery; half Court Fae, in fact, if his looks were any clue. Such faeries were, as a rule, heartbreakingly beautiful.

Upon closer examination, his non-human heritage was obvious. Ears that swept up and back to points on either side of his head, clearly visible to Virgil’s changeling gaze. Frost white streaks that twined through his braids. And those fae, prismatic eyes: the irises an explosion of frost and indigo and smoke that coalesced into a deep slate gray.

Eyes that gazed a little too deep, burned a little too wild behind his glasses.

Virgil knew he ought to say something, but his addled brain had forgotten how to operate his mouth.

“Apologies for my unkempt state,” Logan said as he patted himself down. “I always do my running in the morning before it gets too hot.”

“Uh…yeah,” Virgil muttered, wrenching his gaze from smooth muscles and a graceful sweeping collarbone to Logan’s stormy eyes, so striking in that dark face. “No, I mean…that’s cool.”

Eloquent, Virgil.

Logan eyed him impassively.

Virgil became abruptly and painfully ashamed to be dressed in nothing but ratty boxers and a faded hoodie. Maybe he could just escape into my room and put pants on or would Logan hate me for being rude but maybe he already hates me for being half naked in the living room what the hell is wrong with me…

“Do you drink coffee?”

Logan hung the towel over one of the dining room chairs and swept past Virgil into the kitchen. A trace of that elusive teal scent from the night before followed in his wake, nearly making Virgil swoon. Even his voice was sexy: dark and ocean blue, pleasantly filling the room without being loud.

Kelpie’s mane, Virgil, get your shit together. It’s not like you’ve never seen a hot black dude before.

He pulled his hoodie more tightly around himself.

“Uh, yeah,” he belatedly answered Logan’s question. “Coffee’s great.”

“Personally I like tea.”

Oh. Well, Virgil did usually manage to say the wrong thing.

Logan pulled a Keurig machine from a bottom cabinet and set it up on the counter.

“Herbal, preferably,” he added, “though I have been known to enjoy a good Earl Gray from time to time.”

“Earl Gray.” Virgil forced a chuckle. “You Captain Picard or something?”

His Rennie family had all been very fond of Star Trek, which was the only reason Virgil knew anything about it.

Logan, however, frowned.

“I am Logan Ursae.” He adjusted his glasses. “I assumed the Youngstown Grimms would have at least informed you of my name before sending you here?”

Virgil wasn’t sure if he was being mocked or if the guy was just that literal.

“I meant, like, the Star Trek character, dude. Obviously I know who you are.”

Logan’s mouth twisted and he turned back to the Keurig.

“I’m afraid I am not at all knowledgable about popular human entertainment. I find most of it trite and shallow.”

Virgil scuffed his bare foot uneasily over the carpet. Usually he preferred people to speak their minds instead of fucking around…but this guy took that philosophy a bit far.

He did write that stick-up-the-ass note.

“Do you know that proper peppermint can be frustratingly difficult to procure unless one grows it themselves?” Logan said, once again ignoring the awkward silence that had fallen.

Or maybe Virgil was the only awkward one, as usual.

“And it cannot be grown from seed, only cuttings.”

Virgil made a noncommittal noise, unsure if Logan was even expecting a response at this point.

Logan held out a box of flavored coffees, packed side by side and seemingly organized by color.

“Um…hazelnut if you’ve got it,” Virgil muttered. “Should I, like, help or whatever?”

“Nonsense, you are my guest. Plus my kitchen is not large enough to accommodate two people comfortably.” Logan waved a graceful hand as he filled a copper kettle. “I will start our drinks, and then perhaps we should both get dressed for the day.”

Virgil flushed and pulled his hoodie closer, aware once again that he’d galavanted out here in his underwear and worse, Logan had noticed. Had he seen Virgil ogling his bare chest?

Was that why he kept prattling on about tea?

He’s probably already decided I’m weird and creepy, he’s just waiting for the right moment to call me out…

“Why even have a coffee maker if you don’t drink coffee?” Virgil asked, and then flinched. He had a bad habit of masking his anxiety with belligerence.

It was why people tended not to like him.

Logan’s mouth quirked as he centered a mug under the Keurig. “You are not the first changeling I’ve taken in.”

He brushed past Virgil again (that scent, gods, Virgil’s brain swooned again), heading towards the back bedroom.

“Go and change while I shower,” he threw over his shoulder. “Then we can properly acquaint ourselves with one another.”

With that, the door clicked shut, leaving Virgil alone with a gaping mouth.

“Bloody redcaps,” he muttered, yanking a handful of his faded purple hair. ‘Acquaint ourselves’, my gay ass. Said with a straight face. How the fuck is anyone that oblivious?

“Naughty, naughty thoughts, changeling.” Remy’s amused smirk and sunglasses were just visible from his cabinet’s half-open door. “You’re lucky the Bear’s not a telepath.”

Virgil, flushing, made a rude gesture in the brownie’s direction and stalked to his own room, slamming the door. He then leaned against it and exhaled, his heart still throbbing unsteadily in his chest.

Logan was…not what he had expected.

Virgil wasn’t sure what he had expected, after reading that note from last night. Certainly not some hot nerd with a gorgeous runner’s body and a quiet, self-assured aura, plus a bit bossy, and damn, why do I find that kinda hot?

Remy’s taunt came back to him and he groaned, covering his face. They were naughty thoughts; thoughts a changeling like himself had no business entertaining. A beautiful half-faery deserved far better than a former thrall who’d done the sorts of things Virgil had done…

Plus you haven’t made the best first impression, have you?

Virgil thunked his head against the door, realized he’d been wool-gathering like a moron for several minutes, and went to change clothes. He took a little time to comb his hair and rub a little patchouli oil behind his ears. He wished he owned something nicer than ripped black jeans, faded band t-shirts (mostly metal), and one bulky, black plaid hoodie.

He hated that it suddenly mattered.

When Virgil emerged, Logan had already returned to the kitchen, dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a plain black polo that clung rather unfairly to his arms and torso, and…Virgil almost chuckled at the sight…a blue striped necktie.

Somehow, he made it work.

“Sit where you’d like.” Logan poured hot water into a galaxy mug without turning around. The Keurig spat the last of its sweet smelling contents into a second mug, and Logan carried both to the table.

Virgil sat, feeling self-conscious as Logan passed him his coffee.

Because now the half faery clearly expected them to talk about things.

Virgil hated talking about things.

“I imagine you have questions,” Logan stated without preamble.

“I…guess?” Virgil took a shy sip and winced as it burned his tongue.. “I mean…they didn’t tell me much about you back in Ohio,” he admitted. “Only that you have some ability to hide changelings from other Fae, and that’s why I’d be safe here.”

Logan stirred a generous dollop of honey into his tea, tasted it, grimaced, and added another spoonful. Virgil stared, morbidly fascinated that anyone so doggedly serious would want their drink that sweet.

“My ability to hide you is actually a byproduct of what I am, rather than anything I do.” Logan explained. “Simply put, even as a half-blood, my Court magic burns strong enough to mask yours. A proper Court faery could hide you far better, but finding one who wouldn’t immediately turn you back over to your master would be…”

“Impossible?” Virgil shivered.

“Improbable.”

There were a million questions Virgil probably needed to ask, since he was stuck here. But as usual, his mouth refused to cooperate.

Logan eventually got up to fry a couple eggs and fix some toast, prompting Virgil to ask about the fridge full of jam, which sparked a passionate one-sided rant about fruit spreads, organics, ethics, and the superiority of Crofters that spared Virgil the need to do anything except nod with wide eyes until breakfast was over.

(He was permitted to taste the sacred jam, and had to admit that it was pretty good).

“We will need to pick up Nicodemus this morning,” Logan stated once they’d finished eating and carried their plates to the sink.

“We?” Virgil echoed, choosing to focus on that rather than on who or what a ‘Nicodemus’ might be. He slid his plate into the soapy water as Logan washed, almost dropping it when he accidentally brushed Logan’s forearm. The half-faery’s skin was smooth and pleasantly cool.

“I do not think it safe for you to be left here alone for long periods of time, at least not at first. Therefore you will need to accompany me on errands. I suggest we take thirty minutes to digest and then be on our way.” Logan paused, and turned to properly face Virgil. “If…that is agreeable to you?”

Virgil’s dislike of being ordered around must have been visible on his face. He schooled it to neutrality and cleared his throat.

“Yeah, whatever.”

Good impression, Virgil, come on.

“I mean, I don’t have anything going on until classes start in two weeks, so…you know, whatever you need to do is cool with me.”

Great. Now stop rambling, idiot.

Logan nodded and swept past again, down the hall, and then his bedroom door was closing firmly behind him again. Virgil huffed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Definitely not a man of excess words.

Or, and I’m just spitballing here, he thought wryly as he meandered back to his own room. Maybe he hates you already.

Gloxinia: love at first sight