#and they're both impossible to photograph

[kisakis-boyfriend]

any juice for baby boy shinichiro?

when ppl put him with a partner who is taller, extremely attractive and just generally insanely out of his league...ive seen some ppl write this exact trope for both male and female readers and omg its so satisfying for the soul. + his friends reacting to how the fuck did shin pull a big dick supermodel. godtier trope

nsfw but genuinely do what you prefer either way!! love to read everything you put out, regardless of the contents or characters haha

♦️

Author's Note: I made the reader a literal model because I really like that idea, hehe. HCs + scenarios filled with plenty of sub Shin getting his entire world rocked, just for you, anon! 😜

Pairings: Shinichiro x male reader

Warnings: Male model!reader, dom/top!reader, sub/bottom!Shinichiro, risky sex, sixty-nine, size kink, mild hand fetish

• Who would ever think that Mr. Handsome who visits the local mechanic shop was actually dating the shop's owner?! No one, clearly

• Customers whisper amongst themselves after you and Shinichiro step into the office in the back, and, if they're lucky, they might catch a glimpse of you two locking lips

• Or a glimpse of your strong arms bending Shin over his own desk. They try to avert their gaze once they realize that you're about to pound the store owner's brains out right then and there

• On many occasions, he's had to take off work the next day because his legs have become jelly… and if you really feel bad for him, you'll give in when he sniffles “You'll need to take care of me while I recover :(”

• It's not any different when your lovely partner comes to visit you at work. Photographers can be impossibly picky some days, and when you pose for hours in little to no clothing for, yet another, underwear ad, it is nice to see your lover's smiling face walk through the door

• Shinichiro brings you lunch—made by his own hands, of course—complete with a note or doodle. And when he doesn't cook, you'll jump at the opportunity to leave the studio for a lunch break together

• The crew at the studio are always annoyed at how long you're gone, but what they don't realize is that more than half of your "lunch break" is just you and Shinichiro banging in the public bathroom

• Shinichiro isn't short, though when he stands next to you, he sure feels like it… you're nearly a foot taller than him (or more) and quite muscular to boot. And yes, you will use these facts to tease him

His arm stretches as far as it can, but it's just not enough to reach the item he needs on the tippity top shelf. He calls out to you for assistance, and you stroll into the room, grinning mischievously as the gears turn in your head.

“Aw, shorty can't reach it all by himself?”

Shinichiro pouts, “I'm not short, you're just too tall! …But I do need help getting that down please…” he relents.

“Of course.” to his surprise, he's suddenly lifted up by his waist, now at the correct height to reach what he needs. With embarrassment quickly setting in, Shinichiro snatches the item then stammers for you to "put him down, now!"

He thinks himself safe when his feet touch the floor again, but it's only for a second. As quickly as you let go of his waist, you spin him around and plop him on top of the counter. The blush dusting his cheeks begins to show as you still tower over him, even now. His eyes slowly close as you kiss him—eagerly pushing your tongue past his lips and pulling a few moans out of him.

…aaaand just like that, you pull away and leave. Leaving behind a lightheaded mechanic with a newfound throbbing sensation between his thighs.

• If it's not obvious yet, I do think Shin would have a bit of a size kink. Maybe he doesn't realize it until he's actually with you, but it's definitely there

• Someone larger than him, laying their weight on his back while a massive cock fills him so much that it creates a stomach bulge? Yeah, that's the good shit 🥴

• I just had an image of 69'ing with Shinichiro pop into my head… ugh

Wrapping your lips around his pretty dick while he struggles to take half of yours. His tip is leaking already, and you gladly accept everything that drips out and onto your tongue.

Shin arches his back, enjoying all of these sensations; your hot mouth around his cock. Your cock pushing further and further into his mouth. Your hands spreading his cheeks apart and–

“Mmgh~ babe, please…”

“Please what?” you ask, popping off his dick long enough to ask a question that you already know the answer to.

A groan echoes within his throat, garbling the words attempting to escape through his lips. “D-do it… I can take it.”

With a serious fire lit within you, you suck his cock deeper into your mouth. Gently, at first, a finger eases its way into Shin's hole, making him arch deeper and dig his nails into the skin of your thighs. Soon after that, a surge of cum surprises you, shooting down your throat as you're forced to swallow it. Poor baby is apologizing when he hears your choked moaning… he didn't mean to cum yet, you just made him feel so fucking good 🥺

• He looooves having your hands on him~

-> Hands holding his waist while you slide into him. Breath heavy and right in his ear, whispered words of praise and how fucking tight he is

-> Hands connecting with his as you pin him down and steal (yet another) kiss

-> Hands working their magic on his erection. Both hands wrapping around his cock, milking more out of him like a relentless living fleshlight

-> Hands combing through his messy hair after a ride in the town. Detangling the knots as best as you can before he takes a shower

-> Hands on his lips, sliding into his mouth while you coo “Good boy~”

-> Hands scissoring his hole open. Making his knees wobble as you take it nice and slow, rhythmically pumping in and out with your thick fingers

-> Hands wiping tears from his eyes on your wedding day ❤️

• Uh um, yeah… moving on 😵‍💫

• Now, since you're a model, Shinichiro has gotten some unwanted attention from random strangers and paparazzi. It's mostly when you're seen together, but some fans have even shown up at his shop just to ask if you were there 🤐

• You're very quick to tell anyone off though. Polite, if possible, yet stern all the same. Because gods help any person who's dumb enough to lay a hand on your man, or even make him uncomfortable in the slightest. All of your muscles aren't just for show

• And, as a model, you have been known to pull a few strings. Only a few times. But you were able to have Shin as a guest for a few magazine covers or spreads

It's hard to act professional when his beloved is basically nude—nothing except the brand's boxers to cover that thang that makes Shinichiro squirmy and wet.

The photographer wants some rather intimate shots of Shinichiro sitting on your lap, facing you. The makeup on his face does help hide the growing blush, but to you, as you sit merely inches apart—it's quite obvious.

You also notice the semi-boner underneath his own set of boxers… you have to remind him that this is a professional setting, and he needs to calm down or you'll both get in trouble. But honestly, how can he? Even staring into your gorgeous eyes would be enough to turn him on!

Gently, you rub his back and whisper to him “Keep it together here, and I'll give you a private show later tonight, ok?” To which Shinichiro enthusiastically shakes his head, nearly making himself dizzy.

Oh, the things you do to him later~

• Now, about his friends and family……… yeah they have no idea how the hell Shin is dating you

• They don't mean it in a rude way either. It's just, you're literally actually a model… you're insanely attractive, handsome, breathtaking, kinda fuckin rich?, and so on and so forth. So, what made you choose to stay in Shinichiro's hometown (save for business trips and vacations) as opposed to, oh I don't know, living in some mansion or beach house surrounded by other models?????

• Every single time, your answer is the same: “Because I love him and want to spend the rest of my life with him”

• Yes, your career is important to you, but you can travel when need be for that. Shinichiro Sano lives here, and you're not willing to give him up

• As siblings do, Shinichiro's younger ones definitely make fun of him for being with someone way way waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy out of his league. But it's all in good fun. Besides, they're also protective of him, and make sure you know that, if you ever break Shin's heart, they'll break a leg or two :) (especially Izana… that guy kind of scares you… except he's also a sweetheart once he realizes that you also care about his brother)

[ilminnestrone]

Angeal Hewley.

Angeal Hewley, the child who learnt too early that things like money, toys and food are scarce commodities. That if you buy that fabulous wooden sword from the carpenter, you might not have the money to buy bread. That if you eat more than one slice of said bread with your dinner, you might have to skip breakfast tomorrow. Whose father taught him that values like loyalty, respectability and honour are also scarce commodities that you can't afford to diminish or lose, because they're not easily earned back.

Angeal Hewley, the boy who soon learnt that health and time are scarce commodities too, when the same father fell ill in order to buy something beautiful, powerful and ultimately superfluous to make him happy: an equal exchange, a life for a life-taker, a death for an instrument of death. Happiness, however, was not part of the deal. Tears, however, he used all of them, and never cried again.

So Angeal Hewley, the young man, began to think that everything around him was a scarce commodity. Opportunities and failures. Victories and losses. Friends and foes. Leaving for Midgar meant holding on to the scarce commodity that was Genesis; joining the army, not losing the privilege of his time. Missions were a way out of poverty. Returning victorious was a way out of dishonour.

But he couldn't afford to waste even his days off sleeping in and lazing around. Every free minute was hoarded for the lean times. Every hobby was a way of saving for later: cooking a meal in advance for the bad days when even chewing seemed an insurmountable obstacle; growing plants so that when the time came for them to bloom, there would be something pretty to look at; taking a photograph to remember happy moments when in times of misery.

He couldn't waste kisses on people he'd never see again. Pleasure was a scarse commodity too, lovers just another beautiful thing not to be overused for fear of rusting or scratching them: the rare times, their satisfaction came first, and he was happy with the leftovers, as if it were impossible to enjoy both equally. “Live a little,” someone told him, while he was still buried inside them; but what if he had wasted a little life in doing so?

Angeal Hewley, the man who wondered if love was a scarce commodity when he discovered there were two men he wanted by his side. Who wondered again as he became more father than teacher to a boy too young to play in the war. That he was certain that innocence surely is, when he saw him kill for the first time and saw him realise that it was anything but a game.

Angeal Hewley, who would discover that unspoken words cannot be saved for later. Who  hoped to the last that even pain was a scarce commodity, as he watched the man he had grown up with rotting before his eyes, and the mind of the only other companion he had ever had fading day by day: the day he realised that his body and mind were degrading, he hoped that his suffering might lessen that of Genesis and Sephiroth. Who prayed that death itself was a scarce commodity, when he asked Zack to kill him, and that his sacrifice might spare that of others.

It turns out that if there is one thing that is by no means a scarce commodity, it is the greed of the masters.

[loveandleases]

I actually forgot asking you this XD

So imagine a type of personality - like a shy, sweet, easily flustered MC, maybe in pastel or cozy comfort clothes / A badass, take-no-shit-from-no one MC with the combat boots, jacket and tight jeans. (Stay with me here)

Then the ROs discover (whether through online, insta post or just a friend msging) one of those black and white model pics - and it's soft!MC being hot, sexy and a 'status fatale' (gender neutral way of femme fatale? ;; closest description I can get at 4am) vibe OR badass!MC being classy, elegant and fabulous in a fancy, charming way? How would the ROs feel seeing that?

(and just so Cam doesn't get jealous of another photographer took this photo - let's say the photo was taken by a mutual friend of MC and Cam, who is also a photographer, is happily dating/engaged/married AND is totally doing this to tease both MC and Cam 🤣)

Feel free to decide if this is in rela or not :3 enioy~

Lol, where you playing Fields this late!? Status finale really has a ring to it~ (lets do crush stage!)

❤️Cam - He was just doom scrolling when he saw the photo, it took him less than a minute to recognize MC. Dressed up like that. They look hot and he is definitely pouting. Pouting and screenshotting the image for future...inspiration? Yeah, yeah inspiration. He needs to do a new shoot anyways. He will try and beat around the bush about it, why MC took the photo, why they didn't tell him. Then he will just say that as your bestie, you owe him a shoot. That is totally how this works. He needs to be allowed to capture you in the same way...this isn't for selfish reasons. He will get flustered, looking at the photo again. MC captured in a different way, its thrilling to him. When MC gives him a questioning glance Cam will stutter pretend he has something to do. That friend who took the photos is going to get a very rude wake up call, because Cam wants all of them. Very gimme gimme gimme.

💙 G - They get strangled on their tea, smacking themselves on the chest to try and catch their breath. G was just looking at the recent clothing line coming up, knowing they needed to get something nice to wear to see their parents. What they didn't expect was to see MC, clothes hugging their body, the look in their eyes made G's skin heat. Had they seen it before? Those eyes looked so alluring and yet, G can't remember if this is the first time they've seen it or not. G will be annoyed that they enjoy how MC looks, that it does more than make them think about MC. A thought they will try to knock out of their head as soon as it pops in. They will bury the emotions as deep as possible, after they look at the photo a few more times. No matter how much they hate to admit it, they always thought MC was attractive. With a bitter taste in their mouth there is one thought in G's mind, I wasn't the only one who thought so.

💚 Kara - Too cute! She's screen shotting, sending MC a text. "Why don't you ever take cute photos with me?" She was serious in her question, though she ensured to send a few emojis to come off as playful. Granted Kara's online presence is high, these photos she would keep to herself. Just like she did with the memories of when she would spend time with MC when they worked together. There's nothing wrong with thinking your sibling's ex-fiancé is attractive, sweet, funny. Especially when they're your friend. There's no underlying meaning as to why Kara makes the photo her background...none at all.

💛 M - They had seen the photo when scrolling, just something to break up the time between when they waited for their editor to reply back. M had tossed their phone behind them, and hopefully somewhere that they could find later. Their face bloomed with a blush, one they covered under their palms, face pressed so hard against the desk that it would likely leave a mark. They might have squealed appreciatively at the photo...maybe...possibly. To them it almost seemed impossible to be MC, they never looked like that before. Maybe that's why their so flustered, because they looked different. Should they ask MC about it? Damn it....why are you so....in a maid costume though? Alright...time to find their phone.

💜 Isaac - They try to ignore that feeling in their chest, the one that is telling them they like what they see, they want to see more, want to be around MC more. In fact they go so far as to close out the page and try and push the image from their thoughts. Which is easier said than done. MC looks good, great even. So good that it's leaving Isaac feeling like they should have saved that damn photo. That worries them, this feeling of wanting to hold on to them, even just a fraction. They'll make a flirty remark later on when they see MC, because that's what they do, a nice little cover. Flirt and feign ignorance. Ignorance of what they feel for MC, of the potential there.

🖤 Ardent - Damn, color him impressed. In fact color him more than impressed. Who knew the person he sees fighting to keep their eyes open, dressed in pjs, hair all messed up when its time for rent could look like this. Well....to be honest Ardent thought MC looked good like that too, but he will deny it. He thinks MC looks hot, too hot. Unfair really considering he doesn't get to see MC all dressed up. Ardent would be a bit annoyed, because why does the people who get to photograph MC get to witness how good they look and not him. That picture is coming with him, across the hall where he will annoyingly knock on the door until MC answers, and he will make a quip about if you're making such good money modeling he will want more rent. (just to get under mc's skin) "Ya know what, I need a decoy date. Mom's coming in down. Call it a favor? Or..I'll even let you skip out on next months rent."

[sitp-recs]

i bet you've seen this one plenty of times before, but:

can you rec some drarry fics where jealousy is an important motif? it can be infidelity if they're an established couple, or just getting with someone else while the two of them are dancing around one another. would be great to see recs both where harry is jealous and where draco is jealous. i prefer a happy ending, but i'll be grateful either way.

since i'm here let me also say i admire what you do, your incredible ability to recall and sort through so many stories. this fandom is lucky to have you! <3

Hello friend! Thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate it ❤️ here are some fics centered on jealousy. I did a few other lists for this trope over the years, you can find them here, here and here.

Jealous Harry:

Hourglass Heart by @bixgirl1 (E, 5k)

It only happened once — depending on how Harry counted.

Utterly Yours by @lazywonderlvnd (E, 6.5k)

Draco gets back at Harry for his late nights as an Auror by flirting with the new Arithmancy professor. Harry's not usually the jealous type, but he has his moments.

Intention by @the-sinking-ship (E, 7k)

Harry really ought to listen to whatever Ron is saying, but it becomes impossible to focus when a familiar figure across the pub curls his fingers around another man’s tie. And when that man leans in with a wolfish smile, Harry sees red, and all he can think is mine.

on the divine agony of longing by @flimsi (E, 25k)

Speaking to Draco is like poking a beehive - and Harry is a glutton for punishment. In which Harry makes some serious blunders and then tries to fix it. Somehow.

Around You Moves by ignatiustrout (E, 29k)

Harry knew Draco was gay when he invited him to move in. He’s never had a problem with this. So why does he feel so weird about Draco bringing men home all of a sudden?

Two to Lie and One to Listen by @fluxweeed (E, 84k)

It’s weird when Hermione announces that she and Ron have broken up. It’s weirder when this is followed by the revelation that she’s already moved on—and the new object of her affections is Draco Malfoy.

this heaven of mud by @garagepaperback (E, 94k)

A love story told in two somewhat unreliable parts, over six years. Featuring secret shagging, to friends, to the 'how is it fair for someone to say your name like that' sort of friends, to, finally, someone you could call a home.

Grounds for Divorce by Tepre (E, 122k)

Malfoy finds a coin. Harry finds a letter.

Jealous Draco:

Packing the Flat by marguerite_26 (E, 6k)

Months after their explosive break-up, Draco insists Harry return to their flat to remove his belongings.

Don't Stop It Before It Begins by mischieviolet (E, 19k)

“I don’t understand how this is of any concern to you, Malfoy,” Harry said, crossing his arms over his chest. Draco blinked at the use of his last name, something that Harry only used with him in jest these days. “I’m merely spending time with my Auror partner, who is from another country, and has no one here. I would do the same if it were you.” “It’s not me though, is it?” Draco all but shouted, unable to stop himself.

The Partner, The Rival and The Very Big Case by oceaxe (E, 24k)

When Harry and Nott are paired up to go undercover as fake boyfriends, Draco is disappointed not to get the assignment. It's just professional jealousy that's making him feel so upset. Obviously. He's engaged to be married to Astoria, after all.

(The Piece) I was Missing All Along by lauren3210 (E, 30k)

Draco and Harry have been flatmates and best friends for years, and Draco thinks life is just perfect that way. But when something comes along and threatens to take all that away, Draco has to decide what it is he really wants, and just how hard he's going to work to get it.

Make Me a Headline (I Want to Be That Bold) by @dictacontrion (E, 31k)

Draco never expected to see Harry doing that again. Especially with someone else, in a grainy photograph that's landed on his desk one Monday morning.

Nights With You by @the-sinking-ship (E, 58k)

Draco is mortified when moments prior to departing for the most anticipated destination wedding of the year, he is cruelly dumped. But when he learns that Harry Potter has, at long last, split with his horrible boyfriend, Draco is certain his luck has changed.

[nanabansama]

dysfunctional

Hello! I am once again thinking about the yugi twins. Don't mind as nanabansama rambles on...

Specifically, I was thinking about how rough their relationship has been since the beginning! The relationship becomes very tragic when you step back and examine the entire situation.

(Before we go any further, note that I am a "Tsukasa Truther" meaning that I believe almost every Tsukasa is the same person. This means I believe 4th Birthday Tsukasa, Red House Tsukasa, and the one that came back are all Tsukasa. The only one I'm willing to bend on is "Tsukasa-kun", the one haunting the school in the changed world, but even then I'm inclined to believe it's still Tsukasa.)

anywho... the earliest Tsukasa we know was always resented by his dying older brother.

I find this really interesting. Amane is jealous and thinks Tsukasa is the "lucky" one, which is kinda true, isn't it? He lucked out and wound up with zero health complications. If I was Amane, I might feel frustrated, too. Not that it's Tsukasa's fault either, but...

I really like how, even when Tsukasa and Amane were alive together, and there was no doubt either was a fake, it wasn't going right! It's possible it's never once been going right, at least not since Amane was old enough to realize the innate difference between himself and Tsukasa.

You could maybe argue they were happy on the night of their 4th birthday, but Tsukasa still left that night thinking Amane hated him and was happier without him.

Even the instant Tsukasa came back from the Red House, Amane wasn't sure if he was real. While he had good reason to doubt it was Tsukasa, I think it's interesting how he couldn't wholly enjoy his brother coming back without feeling like something was...wrong.

Then Amane is burdened by this suspicion up until and after their deaths, while Tsukasa has firmly believed Amane hates him since he was 3-going-on-4 years old. And it's impossible to say how long that actually is at this point, haha.

There's something really sad about how Amane longs for the past, back when his relationship with Tsukasa didn't seem all that complicated, yet Tsukasa is on a completely different page because of something Amane did that he might not even remember anymore. And on top of that it doesn't help that Amane killed him, almost cementing Tsukasa's suspicions that Amane hates him...

I feel I don't need to touch much upon their strained relationship as ghosts, so I want to jump to the changed world. This Amane grew up without Tsukasa and is clearly miserable because of it. His preoccupation with making everyone happy by exploiting the supernatural proves this: no one happy with their life would do that unless they miss someone dearly. Yet we saw what happens when he gets to grow up with Tsukasa: they both die. Amane can't accept Tsukasa as he is and Tsukasa doesn't think he'll ever be loved. They're completely dysfunctional and every single scenario ends in ruin.

...well, I guess we still haven't learned what happens in a world where Amane Yugi died before he turned 4. Somehow I get the feeling things might've gone better there, but nonetheless very tragic. There's a good possibility Tsukasa might've eventually found some other way to use the supernatural to bring Amane back, though.

Looking at the photograph in Ch. 119, the parents both look pretty pleasant. They both appear to be smiling while Amane isn't, implying they took it better than he did. You could possibly argue Mrs. Yugi is wearing a neutral expression, but it looks more like a smile to me. Personally, this tells me that they both took Tsukasa's disappearance better than Amane, so the only ones Amane is really making happy are himself and arguably Tsukasa. It isn't difficult to imagine a brotherless Tsukasa meddling with the supernatural too, especially since he already did that in the original timeline.

Anyway... am I really here to argue that the Yugi Twins are completely hopeless? No, of course not!! Even though that is basically what I'm doing. BUT I really do believe they might eventually work this out, just as of right now it's looking really bleak. As we can see by the fact we are at 119 whole chapters now, it's taking a long time to mend their relationship and will probably take a lot more, if it ever works out.

While the changed world feels like Amane going a few steps backward, it might actually be progress. And even before the world changed, when Amane believed Tsukasa was a fake, I think that was an important step towards mending their relationship, too. If they can just confront their issues with each other properly, maybe they can finally move on with their lives and find peace. Who's to say! 👻 Thanks for reading.

[ghcstao3]

Hi

Could I ask for artists Soap doing vampire Ghosts portrait so he can see what he looks like for the first time in years, to then flash forward in time when people no longer use silver in mirrors or cameras and vampire Soap and Ghost get their picture taken together (they place it with the portrait of ghost).

The last time Simon has seen himself was... a very long time ago. Not properly since he was turned, even as beautiful as the portrait Johnny had painted of him was.

It still wasn't... him. His figure; his flesh. His knowledge of how he'd grown into a man in spite of the curse of immortality and the thirst of blood has only been boiled down to masterful strokes on a canvas for centuries.

Simon shouldn't complain, but sometimes there's a certain… longing. He shouldn't complain, but he feels miserable thinking that he can't reciprocate Johnny's favour, not when Simon's own talent isn't found between brush and easel.

But, as time passes—technology advances. Resources available to humankind expand impossibly so, and soon... soon those barriers to existing freely, existing normally, are lifted. When silver becomes inefficient for use in the things that prevented Simon—and Johnny, for that matter—from seeing the individuals they've become, it’s just short of miraculous, it seems, for souls as old as they are.

This realization, this new sort of freedom however small, the discovery is groundbreaking for the pair. It's exciting, more so than anything has been for them in the past few decades.

It happens in the dead of night, as they wander emptied streets as per their regular routine. Their usual exploration.

Sitting in the display window of a shop selling furniture of all kinds, is a mirror. Nothing unusual, of course, if only they had walked past and hadn't seen two figures in its reflection. Simon and Johnny share a glance and wide, fanged smiles, before they're pressed up against the window and toying with reflections they never thought to have the chance to see properly ever again.

Puddles and glass and all sorts of occurrences could never compare to this experience.

They both have the same thought, as they pull stupid faces and pull their lips upward to look at the teeth they'd been forced with. And it's a stupid venture, really, the next morning to go out in dark clothes and with covered faces—but it's worth it, to find a photographer, to have their photo taken without fear of themselves never appearing.

It's worth it, to have something to admire on their mantlepiece, next to the portrait of Simon. It's worth it if only to see how they slot so perfectly together, not having to force imagination upon the details that only one or the other could observe.

Sure, there are times that Simon (and Johnny) wish for their humanity to be returned—but if they should become so lucky with technological advances to ease the burden of their vampirism, then maybe that occasional yearning for mortality doesn't have to be so loud.

[isagrimorie]

in case you still were unsure, the photo of the three female convicts is definitely AI! a few things i can list without thinking too much cause im a sleepy fella:

-the tattoos are all nonsense

-they would not have access to heavy makeup, hair styling products, and the hours of free time those looks require if they were in prison uniforms (they're not really, they're in tight orange t-shirts because it's "sexier", but they wouldn't all be wearing them if it weren't MEANT to be a uniform)

-there are a ton of supposed convicts in the photo with no security around

-the bench is just full of sexy convicts, and none of the legal staff that should be there

-theyre practically identical feature-wise, it would be nearly impossible for them not to be related; if this clickbait video contained a set of relatives being sentenced together, they would be using that fact more explicitly, as part of the bait

-if you watch the video they aren't there

-the "camera" is a weirdly high, glossy quality with an artistic angle and framing. it is not composed like a normal courtroom photograph

-it also can't be a painting, both due to the first reason listed (an artist of this caliber would paint real dang tattoos), and because this would be a several hundred dollar art piece commission & this is a cheap clickbait video someone edited from footage they don't own

-if you look through that channels videos you'll probably find a thumbnail somewhere that you CAN recognize as ai, and from there you can see all kinds of similarities to ones like this where you couldn't

ai art is definitely 'improving', but beyond just visual flaws, critical thinking and research can still help a lot with identifying it as it advances (but i know that's kind of a pain in the ass for most people lol, im just autistic and overanalyze everything anyway, figured i may as well lend that trait out to others who need it)

Thank you for validating my hunch! I thought they were too alike and had the plastic sheen of a CGI character at its second pass!

Honestly disturbing. Because we know technology improves and I hate where it’s going.

[takaraphoenix]

GUESS who discovered Neckz 'n Throats in the year 2024 and got mildly obsessed with the whole concept? (And amazed at the fact that this fandom has its own whole AU going on.)

So have a tiny little tease of my upcoming Stetopher Neckz 'n Throats AU, where Peter is the CEO, Chris is a photographer, they're happily married... and Stiles is pretty much the most sought-after model on whom both Peter and Chris may or may not have professional and personal crushes on.

Neckz 'n Throats 'n Mates, coming to an AO3 near you on October 28th!

--

Peter scowled when he saw that his office door stood open, a dark hair of head on the chair opposite his desk. Lydia knew better than to let strangers into his office, both because he was the boss and also because he was the Alpha. What was going on with Lydia? She was usually better at meeting his needs, she wasn’t his right hand at Neckz ‘n Throats for nothing, after all.

“Mister Stilinski, I presume,” Peter barely contained his irritation.

The person on the chair got up and turned toward him. “Please, call me Stiles.”

Peter stood frozen, his eyes widening as he took the young man in front of him in. Those impossibly big, honey-whiskey brown doe-eyes with the long lashes that painted beautiful shadows onto his cheeks, enchanting moles dotting his face in patterns like stars in the sky, over the side of his face and down the span of his pale, tempting neck. Peter would recognize him by any of these features separately, but seeing him, in person, every aspect that he had marveled at in close-up pictures before? It felt nearly unreal to the Alpha. Broad shoulders, long limbs, a slender built. Long legs that Peter only rarely got to see in the pictures, wrapped into temptingly tight skinny-jeans.

“…Are you going to shake my hand, or do you need another moment?”

Peter’s attention snapped back to the boy’s face, a mischievous grin spanning oh-so wide on those pink lips. Stiles was still holding out a hand, presumably since he had introduced himself. Clearing his throat embarrassed, Peter took the offered hand to shake.

“It is a true pleasure to meet you, Stiles,” Peter’s voice was a low purr. “I have a job interview scheduled right now, but I’m sure it can be pushed back for whatever brought you to my door.”

“I’m your interview,” Stiles looked at him amused. “Mieczysław Stilinski. That’s my legal name.”

Oh. Well, that left Peter at a rare loss for words. And then he let go of the boy’s hand, lifting one finger up to indicate he needed a moment before stalking out of his office to find his secretary sitting in front of it at her desk with the smuggest smirk possible. Lydia had known. Lydia had known that she hadn’t set him up with a nobody, but with Stiles.

“Stiles,” Peter hissed. “You got me an interview with the Stiles. And you thought it appropriate to mark the appointment under his legal name, which nobody, including me, knows, and don’t give me a heads up? I would be angry if I weren’t so impressed that you got this interview in the first place.”

“I expect a raise,” Lydia chimed, smile all sharp teeth and blood red lips.

[rainbowsky]

Hello Rainbowsky,

I know, hiking CPN can be washed by saying WYB went to Inner Mongolia to see the shooting location for his upcoming movie and may be went on hiking when he had free time.

But, WYB who never posts more than 1 personal picture in an entire year, decided to post his hiking pictures even when the picture location matches with the shooting location of XZ and there were heavy rumours of him visiting XZ.

Also, he went to Japan and other places for seeing shooting location but he did not post pictures from there. People are also saying that if it was for movie he will not spoil the location before movie releases.

Rainbowsky, what do you think?

Hi Anon,

It's true that there are people trying to wash this whole Inner Mongolia thing. It just goes with the territory. In fact, the bigger and stronger the CPN, the harder people work to wash it.

However.

Fake, fan fiction, CPN.

It's not really washable. In part because there's not enough information available to independently verify or debunk anything, sure, but also for all the reasons everyone's been discussing lately.

The location

DD's filming locations are not known at this point. Somehow (and I can't possibly express how thoroughly impressed I am by this) the film set has been so totally locked down that nothing has leaked from it, to the degree that no one even knows for sure that the project is currently filming, or where. So people claiming he was there for filming... that's speculation.

The film synopsis solos are relying on to wash this CPN talks about the character we'd presume to be DD's (it's the only young man mentioned) being from "the heart of" the Great Khinogan Mountains.

The Wulanhada volcano park that DD was photographed by is not anywhere near that area.

We don't know exactly where GG is filming so we can't get too carried away about it, but it's pretty disingenuous for people to claim DD was there for filming when it's not anywhere near where his character is supposed to be from, and the terrain around the volcano park is totally different from the terrain where DD's character is from (would probably not make a good stand-in location for that region).

Wulanhada volcano park, left - Great Khinogan Mountains, right

Of course it's not impossible that he was there for filming, but given what little we know (the same information solos are trying to use to wash this), it seems unlikely.

It's also possible he went there directly from Beijing, but that's a 5 hour drive at minimum, so wouldn't likely have been a day trip. And DD isn't going to post a photo of himself at GG's filming location, he's going to post one that says what he wants to say while still maintaining plausible deniability. This volcano park is perfectly situated to provide all of that.

Aside from that - as turtles have already pointed out - why would DD share photos from the area where he's filming, when this film has been so very locked down until now? It doesn't make any sense at all. Keeping locations secret is what's been protecting this film from leaks and stalkers.

The content

It's pretty interesting that we've seen enormously popular photos from GG (his birthday post has over 33.7 million likes, while the Xiao Zhan Studio birthday photos post is at 4 million likes), featuring him hiking in the wilds and hanging out in campground areas, and then we get something similar from DD who, as you said, rarely shares personal photos anymore.

They both seem to be very outdoorsy lately!

For two people who - according to solos - are 'trying desperately to get out from under the tyranny of this delusional CP', they sure are making some big mistakes about how to appear to be very different people living very different lives...

His and his B&W Leicas

His and his credit card iPhone cases

His and his Gucci lion head necklaces

Yeah, they're really putting in every effort to shake this 'reputation destroying', 'horribly toxic' ship! 🙄

More on that here.

The timing

This is the biggest thing, and in my opinion what we should be focusing on the most. Because as far as I'm concerned, this post is a statement - a very loud and clear one.

DD is being (yet again) attacked with these horrible, laughably false (like, seriously - the photos are clearly of a woman who is much shorter and smaller than DD) rumors about him attending a concert with a particular actress, and suddenly the supertopic for that 'CP' is shut down and we get photos from DD that point to a totally different CP. One that he's supposedly trying to 'shake off'.

Then we see him partying it up openly, publicly, at a concert for his dear friend Da Zhangwei. Not even wearing a mask, so everyone is free to fully identify and photograph him.

It seems to me that DD is sending a pretty clear message:

I'm not dating an actress, I'm with GG

I don't need to disguise myself as a woman to go see a concert

And this is exactly what happened last time these kinds of inflammatory rumors were circulating about him with that same actress. People were claiming that the actress was wearing the same bone necklace as him (with a blurry photo where the necklace couldn't even be seen), so GG released footage wearing a Gucci lion head necklace that DD had previously worn for a race.

GG and DD don't fuck around.

So while I'll tag this with my regular "the mysteries of yizhan" tag that I use for all candy/CPN, there really is no mystery here at all. DD is fed up with this bullshit and won't stand for it.

In fact I was just saying to a friend the other day that the biggest mystery I have about GGDD these days is, how do solos manage to remain solos? They have access to the same information we do. 😅

[piratefishmama]

Can we talk about Steve being a vampire for a sec though, this impossibly handsome and rich young man, who's parents are supposidely well respected people but yet are never seen or heard from, he lives alone in this mansion of a house void of personality or emotion, and he's just... lonely.

He's there, all on his own, has been for years, lonely. Sometimes he tries to interact with people, sometimes he tries to reach out and be part of the community but he struggles to fit in, humans are weird, school is awful.

Robin is the first person who really vibes with him, he tells her while high as a kite on several weed brownies at a band dork party she dragged him to (he's VERY out of place) and she laughs and mocks a dracula "I vant to suck your blaaahhdd" impression that has them both on the bathroom floor in stitches, before Steve's sitting up straight faced "i actually do wish to suck your blood, thanks." Silence follows, very long stretched out silence,

And then they're back to giggling like idiots.

and because it's a band dork party, thats where Eddie "I brought the weed brownies" Munson finds them, giggling over drinking blood and maybe his whole world kinda tilts cause oh hey the local cryptid is here cause lbr Eddie would just know somethings up, he'd have looked into the harringtons years ago out of the adhd I MUST KNOW urge and found nothing but a history of Steve harrington's face in random year books and photographs dating back centuries.

He's really not trying real hard to hide to be honest. He's just a soft awkward boi who drinks blood sometimes okay? Cut him some slack.

[omgkatherine01]

Fallen Angel: Chapter 2 - The Shelby

Series Masterlist

Chapter 1, Chapter 3

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x female reader

Please comment, like and share

Viktoria's heart raced as she faced the Shelby brothers. She'd read about them, seen their faces in old photographs, but nothing could have prepared her for the reality of their presence. Thomas Shelby's piercing blue eyes seemed to cut right through her, while Arthur's barely contained energy made her want to take a step back.

"I can explain," Viktoria started.

Thomas held up a hand, silencing her. "Ada," he said, his gaze never leaving Viktoria, "a word. Now."

Ada hesitated, glancing back at Viktoria with a reassuring smile before following her brothers into the hallway. Their hushed voices carried faintly into the room, and Viktoria strained to hear.

"...can't just bring strangers here, Ada..."

"...needs our help, Tom..."

"...could be a spy..."

Viktoria's heart raced as she tried to make out more of the conversation. She knew her situation was precarious--a stranger from the future, suddenly appearing in the midst of one of history's most notorious criminal families. She had to be careful.

The voices in the hallway grew louder, more heated. Suddenly, Thomas Shelby strode back into the room, his icy gaze fixed on Viktoria.

"Right then," he said, his voice low and controlled. "Let's hear it. Who are you really, and what are you doing here?"

Viktoria took a deep breath, weighing her options. The truth seemed impossible, but lying to Thomas Shelby seemed even more dangerous.

"My name is Viktoria Wilson," she began, her voice steadier than she felt. "And I… I'm from the future. The year 2019, to be exact."

Arthur barked out a laugh, but Thomas's expression remained unchanged, his piercing blue eyes studying Viktoria intently.

"The future," Thomas repeated, his voice flat. "And how, pray tell, did you manage that?"

Viktoria swallowed hard. "I don't know. I was in a cemetery in 2019, and I… I don't know, I sort of made a wish. To be far away. And then suddenly, I was here."

Arthur scoffed. "Tommy, you can't possibly believe this nonsense."

But Thomas held up a hand, silencing his brother. He took a step closer to Viktoria, his gaze never wavering. "Prove it," he said simply.

Viktoria's mind raced. How could she possibly prove she was from the future without changing history? She reached into her pocket, pulling out her smartphone. "This is a phone," she said.

Thomas's eyes narrowed as he examined the sleek device in Viktoria's hand. "That's no phone I've ever seen," he said, his voice laced with skepticism.

Viktoria pressed the power button, but the screen remained dark. "It's not working now, but in my time, these are everywhere. They're like… portable telephones and computers combined."

Arthur snorted. "Computers? What the bloody hell is that?"

Ada stepped forward. "Tommy, she's telling the truth."

Thomas took the phone from Viktoria's hand, turning it over in his own. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "If this is true," he said slowly, "then you know things. About the future. About what's to come."

Viktoria hesitated, acutely aware of the dangerous territory she was entering. "I… I do know some things," she admitted cautiously. "But I don't think I should tell you. It could change history."

Thomas's eyes narrowed. "Change history? Or change the future?"

"Both," Viktoria said firmly. "The things you do… they shape the world I come from. If I tell you what happens, you might make different choices. And then the future I know might never exist."

Arthur laughed incredulously. "Tommy, you can't be taking this seriously. She's clearly off her rocker."

But Thomas held up a hand, silencing his brother. He studied Viktoria intently, his piercing blue eyes seeming to look right through her. "You know who we are," he said. It wasn't a question.

Viktoria nodded slowly. "I do. The Shelby family. You're… you're famous in my time. Infamous, really."

Thomas's eyebrows raised slightly at that. "Infamous, eh? And what exactly are we infamous for?"

Viktoria hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "For being… clever businessmen. And for your influence in Birmingham and beyond."

A ghost of a smile played at Thomas's lips. "Clever businessmen. That's one way of putting it." He turned to Ada. "And you believe her story?"

Ada nodded firmly. "I do, Tommy. You should have seen her when we found her. She was completely lost, terrified. And look at her clothes, that strange device. She's not from here, that's for certain."

Thomas was silent for a long moment, his calculating gaze never leaving Viktoria's face. Finally, he nodded slowly.

"Alright," he said. "Let's say, for argument's sake, that I believe you. That you're truly from the future. What do you intend to do now?"

Viktoria felt a wave of relief wash over her, followed quickly by a surge of uncertainty. "I… I don't know," she admitted. "I need to find a way back to my own time, but I have no idea how to do that."

Thomas considered this, his brow furrowed in thought. "And in the meantime? You can't exactly wander around Birmingham dressed like that. People will ask questions."

"She can stay here," Ada interjected quickly. "I'll find her some proper clothes, help her blend in."

Arthur scoffed. "And what are we gonna tell Polly, John and Finn?"

Thomas shot Arthur a sharp look. "We'll tell them the truth. Or at least, enough of it."

Thomas turned back to Viktoria, his expression unreadable. "You'll stay with us, for now. But understand this--you're under our protection, which means you follow our rules. No wandering off, no talking to outsiders about who you are or where you're from. And most importantly, no meddling in our affairs."

Viktoria nodded quickly, relief flooding through her. "Of course. Thank you, Mr. Shelby."

"Tommy," he corrected, a hint of amusement in his voice. "If you're to be staying with us, you might as well use our names."

"Right. Tommy," Viktoria repeated, the name feeling strange on her tongue.

Ada stepped forward, linking her arm with Viktoria's. "Come on, let's find you something more suitable to wear. Can't have you walking around looking like you've stepped out of a moving picture."

Ada led Viktoria upstairs to her room, chattering excitedly about finding her some proper clothes. As they climbed the stairs, Viktoria could hear Thomas and Arthur's muffled voices from below, clearly still discussing her unexpected arrival.

Once in Ada's room, the other woman began rifling through her wardrobe. "You're about my size, I think," she mused, pulling out a deep green dress. "This should do nicely. And we'll need to do something about your hair…"

As Ada fussed over her, Viktoria's mind raced. She was grateful for the Shelbys' protection, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd just stepped into the lion's den. These weren't the romanticized characters from the stories and shows she knew--they were real, dangerous people.

"Ada," Viktoria said hesitantly, "I appreciate your help, but… are you sure it's safe for me to stay here? Your brothers, they seem…"

Ada paused in her rummaging, turning to face Viktoria with a knowing smile. "Dangerous?" she finished. "They are. Make no mistake about that. But they're also fiercely loyal to family and those under their protection. And right now, that includes you."

Viktoria nodded, not entirely reassured. "It's just… I've read about them. About the things they've done."

Ada's expression softened. "The stories don't tell everything, you know. My brothers… they've done what they had to do to survive, to thrive in a world that would have crushed them otherwise." She paused, her eyes distant. "But they're not monsters, Viktoria. They're men, with all the complexities that entails."

Viktoria nodded slowly, processing Ada's words. She knew she'd have to be careful, to walk a fine line between gaining the Shelbys' trust and avoiding getting too entangled in their dangerous world.

As Ada helped her into the green dress, cinching the waist tightly, Viktoria's mind wandered to the problem of how to get back to her own time. She had no idea how she'd ended up here, let alone how to reverse it. And the longer she stayed, the more risk there was of her presence altering history in ways she couldn't predict.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Ada," came Tommy's voice, "a word."

Ada shot Viktoria an apologetic look before slipping out into the hallway. Viktoria strained to hear their hushed conversation, catching only snippets.

"… keep an eye on her…"

"…not a prisoner, Tommy…"

"…just being cautious…"

The door opened, and Ada re-entered, her expression a mix of exasperation and resignation. "Tommy wants to speak with you," she said to Viktoria. "Don't worry, I'll be right there with you."

Viktoria's heart raced as she followed Ada downstairs. Tommy was waiting in the parlor, a glass of whiskey in hand. His piercing blue eyes swept over Viktoria's new attire.

"Better," he said simply. "Now, sit down. We need to talk."

Viktoria perched nervously on the edge of a chair, Ada taking a seat beside her. Tommy remained standing, his gaze intense.

"I've been thinking about your… situation," he began. "And I have some questions. First, what exactly do you know about us? About our business, our plans?"

Viktoria hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "I know you're involved in… various enterprises. Betting, protection, politics. But the details, the specifics--those aren't clear. History remembers the broad strokes, not necessarily the day-to-day."

Tommy nodded slowly, seeming to consider this. "And what of the future? What becomes of us, of Birmingham?"

Viktoria felt a chill run down her spine. This was dangerous territory. "Mr. Shelby--Tommy--I can't tell you that. Even if I wanted to, it could change everything. The future I know might never come to pass."

Tommy's eyes narrowed. "Or perhaps it ensures that it does." He took a step closer, his voice low and intense. "You say we're infamous in your time. That means we succeed, doesn't it?"

Viktoria swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Tommy's gaze. "Success is… relative," she said carefully. "And the future isn't set in stone. Anything I tell you could change the course of events."

Tommy studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, unexpectedly, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Clever girl," he murmured. "You're right to be cautious. But make no mistake - I will find out what you know, one way or another."

Ada shot her brother a warning look. "Tommy, don't threaten her. She's under our protection, remember?"

Tommy held up a hand, placating. "Not a threat, Ada. Just a fact." He turned back to Viktoria. "Now, tell me--how do you intend to get back to your own time?"

Viktoria felt her throat tighten. "I… I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't exactly plan this trip. One moment I was in my time, the next I was here. I have no idea how to reverse it."

Tommy's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing her face for any sign of deception. Finding none, he took a long sip of his whiskey before speaking again. "So you're stuck here, then. Indefinitely."

It wasn't a question, but Viktoria nodded anyway, her hands clasped tightly in her lap to hide their trembling. "Yes, I suppose I am."

Ada leaned forward, placing a comforting hand on Viktoria's arm. "We'll figure something out," she said softly. "In the meantime, you'll stay with us. Right, Tommy?"

Tommy remained silent for a moment, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. Finally, he gave a curt nod. "For now. Until she can find her way back."

The front door was heard opening and closing. Arthur stepped into the room, "They’re back."

Tommy looked at Victoria. "Time to meet the siblings and our aunt."

Viktoria's heart raced as she heard multiple footsteps approaching. She smoothed down her borrowed dress, suddenly acutely aware of how out of place she must look, despite Ada's efforts to help her blend in.

The door swung open, and three figures entered the room. A tall, wiry man with a mischievous glint in his eye, a little boy who couldn't have been more than 10 or 11, and an older woman with sharp features and an air of authority that seemed to command the room.

"Well, well," the woman said, her keen eyes immediately zeroing in on Viktoria. "What do we have here?"

Tommy stepped forward. "Pol, John, Finn--this is Viktoria. She'll be staying with us for a while."

The woman--Polly, Viktoria assumed - raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And why, pray tell, are we taking in strays?"

Tommy shot Polly a warning look. "She's not a stray, Pol. She's… a friend of Ada's. From out of town."

Polly's eyes narrowed, clearly not buying the explanation. "A friend of Ada's? And how exactly did you two meet?"

Ada jumped in quickly, "We met through a mutual acquaintance. Viktoria's new to Birmingham and needed a place to stay while she gets on her feet."

John, the wiry man, grinned and stepped forward, extending his hand to Viktoria. "Well, welcome to the family then. A beautiful friend of Ada is a friend of ours. I'm John. This little rascal here is Finn," he said, ruffling the young boy's hair.

Viktoria shook John's hand, trying to keep her nerves from showing. "Nice to meet you both," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

Polly, however, was not so easily swayed. She circled Viktoria slowly, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. "And what exactly do you do, Viktoria? What brings you to Birmingham?"

Viktoria's mind raced, trying to come up with a plausible story. "I'm… a writer," she said, the lie coming to her suddenly. "I'm researching for a novel about life in industrial cities."

Polly's eyebrows raised slightly. "A writer? How interesting. And what kind of novels do you write?"

"Historical fiction," Viktoria replied, thinking quickly. "I try to capture the essence of different time periods, the way people lived and worked."

Tommy interjected smoothly, "Which is why she's staying with us. We're giving her an inside look at life in Small Heath."

Polly's eyes narrowed, darting between Tommy and Viktoria. "An inside look, eh? And how much of an 'inside look' are we giving her, exactly?"

"Only what's necessary, Pol," Tommy said firmly. "Nothing that compromises the family or the business."

Polly pursed her lips, clearly not entirely convinced. "Well then, 'writer,' I hope you find our humble abode…inspirational." Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

Viktoria swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "I'm sure I will. Thank you for your hospitality."

John clapped his hands together. "Right then! Now that introductions are out of the way, how about a drink to welcome our new guest?"

Tommy nodded. "Good idea, John. Viktoria, what's your poison?"

"Oh, um… whiskey, I suppose," Viktoria replied, trying to remember what people typically drank in this era.

Tommy's eyebrows raised slightly, but he nodded approvingly. "A woman after my own heart," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. He poured her a glass and handed it over.

Viktoria took a small sip, trying not to grimace at the burn. She wasn't much of a whiskey drinker in her own time, but she knew she had to play the part.

As the family settled in, conversation flowed more freely. John regaled them with a story about a bar fight he'd gotten into the night before, while Finn listened with wide-eyed admiration. Ada chatted with Viktoria, asking her questions about her "writing" and her life before coming to Birmingham.

Polly, however, remained watchful, her sharp eyes never straying far from Viktoria. As the evening wore on, Viktoria could feel the weight of Polly's scrutiny, and she knew she'd have to be extra careful around the family matriarch.

As the clock struck ten, Tommy stood up. "Right, it's getting late. Ada, why don't you show Viktoria to the spare room?"

Ada nodded, rising to her feet. "Of course. Come on, Viktoria, I'll get you settled."

As Viktoria followed Ada out of the room, she could feel Polly's eyes boring into her back. She knew she hadn't fooled the older woman, not completely. But for now, at least, she had a place to stay.

Ada led her up the narrow stairs to a small but tidy room. "It's not much," Ada said apologetically, "but it should do for now."

Viktoria smiled gratefully. "It's perfect, thank you."As Ada turned to leave, Viktoria called out softly, "Ada? Thank you. For everything."

Ada paused in the doorway, her expression softening. "You're welcome. Try to get some rest. Tomorrow's likely to be… interesting."

With that, Ada closed the door, leaving Viktoria alone with her thoughts. She sank onto the narrow bed, her mind reeling from the events of the day. Just this morning, she had been in her own time, living her normal life. Now, she was trapped nearly a century in the past, surrounded by one of the most notorious criminal families in history.

Viktoria's hand drifted to her jacket resting on the bed. She diged into the pocket, where her useless smartphone sat. She pulled it out, staring at the dark screen. It was her only tangible connection to her own time, and now it was nothing more than a useless hunk of metal and glass. She sighed, tucking it back into her pocket. She couldn't risk anyone else seeing it.

As she lay back on the bed, Viktoria's mind raced with questions. How had she ended up here? More importantly, how was she going to get back? And what would happen if she couldn't?

The sound of muffled voices drifted up from downstairs. Viktoria strained to hear, catching snippets of conversation.

"…can't trust her, Tommy…"

"…know what you're doing…"

"…dangerous game…"

Viktoria's stomach churned. She knew she was walking a dangerous line. The Shelbys had taken her in, but their trust was fragile. One wrong move, one slip-up, and she could find herself in serious trouble.

She tossed and turned for hours, her mind unable to quiet. When she finally drifted off, her dreams were a chaotic mix of past and present--smartphones and horse-drawn carriages, skyscrapers and smoky factories.

Taglist:

@esquivelbianca, @inalovesrabbits-blog, @memariana91, @thoughtfuldonutdragonherring, @smellyzcat, @sysymei

[number1villainstan]

watching The Landscape Framed By Kozue (episode 14) and, huh, Juri&Kozue parallels anyone?

-The Shadow Girl play for this episode (waitress advertising food and drinks, doing her job, while the man who's the only one in the car claims he doesn't want anything, and then Utena says "So ignore her" and he immediately orders a drink and sandwich) makes me think that maybe this is about Kozue wanting to return to the idyllic "sunlit garden" as much as Miki does, which is also supported by those sepia-photograph flashbacks she has earlier in the episode. Furthermore, when Miki offers her a milkshake before the duel, she claims she can't drink something that sweet, but after her duel she asks Miki to make a milkshake for her--and the milkshake has been set up as the symbol of childhood innocence for this episode. Even more so: the duel song for the episode is about a "time machine," and the fourth lyric is "taking me back to my innocent childhood days".

-So if Kozue wants to return to her idyllic "sunlit garden" nostalgia-tinged childhood, but claims she doesn't, then why is she pretending she doesn't want it? Because she thinks it's impossible. And Juri's whole thing (as we all know) is wanting something (the miracle of Shiori returning her lesbian love) but believing it's impossible, and coping with that dissonance by denouncing the thing she actually wants (trying to disprove the power of miracles). Which means that Kozue and Juri are using the same unhealthy coping mechanism to cope with two different problems.

-In another vein: both Juri and Kozue seek power within the systems of Ohtori, power that would normally be denied to them on the basis of their gender. Juri is on the Student Council, dresses in a uniform much closer to the 'boy's' than the 'girl's'*, and is shown to be able to dismiss teachers on her own authority--she has gained systemic power. Kozue has not gained systemic power--instead, she assumes a 'cool' persona, and uses sex, femininity, and that 'cool' persona to gain an more informal influence with people that do have systemic or formal power (e.g. Kozue walking off with Akio in the Akiopocalypse arc). In this case, Kozue and Juri are using different tactics to deal with the same issue of being denied power or autonomy on the basis of their gender. And furthermore, they're both seen as somewhat 'deviant' from Ohtori's ideal femininity for their efforts.

*I very much read Juri as a butch transmasc lesbian, or something close to that, but in the Utena Weekly thread it was stated that in the 90s a woman in power performing masculinity was seen as just trying to fit in with the boys/doing what she had to do to gain power, which is why I list Juri's masculine presentation here.

-Both Kozue and Juri call the person they're most closely associated with (Miki and Shiori, respectively) 'innocent', although with somewhat different connotations. Juri calls Shiori innocent in relation to the idea of lesbian love, in the sense Juri doesn't think that Shiori understands/is capable of understanding Juri's emotions towards her. Kozue calls Miki innocent (maybe not outright, but it's implied that that's what she thinks of him) in the sense that he refuses to grow up and see the world for the cruel place it is (in Kozue's eyes). Both of these instances draw on the idea that 'innocence' is a state of not knowing something important: innocence as ignorance as well as--or perhaps even more than--blamelessness.

-In addition, both of the people they call 'innocent' often do serious harm because of their ignorance. Shiori's torment of Juri is very deliberate harm, but it hits worse than Shiori realizes because of Juri's hidden feelings. Miki is less deliberate in the harm he causes, but his Madonna/whore complex and the misogyny that surrounds that still hurt those around him (i.e. treating Anthy like an object, refusing to see Kozue as a person).

So we've got: Kozue and Juri using a similar coping mechanism to deal with different issues (denying that they want something because they feel it's impossible to obtain, miracles for Juri and a regression to the Sunlit Garden for Kozue), using different coping mechanisms to deal with the same issue (Juri tries to gain formal power and Kozue informal power to deal with their systemic powerlessness), and using the term 'innocent', meaning 'ignorant', to describe the person each of them is obsessed with. A lot of these character parallels come from the patriarchal nature of their setting and the idealization of things which should not be idealized, like people or the childhood you don't remember quite right. Both Kozue and Juri attempt to reject the norms that surround them, but both of their rejections are incomplete, which is why neither of them have left yet--they still have deconstruction and disentangling to do before they're capable of walking away from Ohtori.

[meowzfordayz]

when they're athletes — shinobu, kyojuro, sanemi, giyuu

Author’s Note: disclaimer that ~my sport (growing up) was gymnastics 😅, but heyyy my ex played basketball?! 🤪

when they’re athletes — shinobu, kyojuro, sanemi, giyuu

Kocho Shinobu x Reader, Rengoku Kyojuro x Reader, Shinazugawa Sanemi x Reader, Tomioka Giyuu x Reader

Word Count: ~1,300

CW: explicit language, mild sexual content

Suggestion Fulfilled: Imagine Sanemi, Giyuu, Kyojuro, Shinobu (but really you can imagine whoever) being really good at sports while in school/university, so good they're probably popular af and team captain. I imagine Shinobu and Kyojuro playing baseball, Giyuu playing basket and Sanemi playing soccer hehe I love the idea of a s/o being there to support them, maybe someone that's not as talented/popular (cheesy but I'm a sucker for clichés) who gets embarrassed when they win a match and just run to them to kiss them in front of everyone! 

~faqs, image~

I ended up choosing diff sports than the prompt suggested, mostly bc Idk a lot about a lot of sports 💀

Anywho-

Onward! 😆

(college au btw)

Diver ?? 💧

Lokwey struggling to think of a sport where you can be both short + weak 🫠

No hate to Shinobu, but it’s literally canon that she isn’t ~especially strong 😅

That being said, she’s so elegant and precise and fast

+ brave, so she would totally be awesome w/ 10m (33ft) diving 😍

You go to all of her meets, and only feel a lil envious when she waves @ you from the bubbling warmth of the hot tub

Like, do you feel like flinging yourself off a 10am platform?

No 💀

But do you wanna join her in the hot tub?

YES 😌

You’d also be 100% willing to pat her down w/ a fluffy towel in between each incredible dive 🙃

You’re her #1 photographer/videographer

She uses your vids to study her form + improve her technique

Her coach has actually patted you on the back before 👍

“Thank you [y/n], Shinobu’s lucky to have you!”

11/10 Shinobu (lovingly) embarrasses you whenever she makes it on the podium

Heart hands in your direction, and your direction only 🫶

Will shout your name if it’s a smaller meet 🗣

There’s no escaping the swivel of amused, endeared glances 🫣

“THAT’S MY WONDERFUL PARTNER!” 🗣🗣🗣

Bonus? She def has a towel w/ your face on it

Will occasionally make a (subtle) show of patting her breasts + butt (w/ aforementioned towel, ofc) 😇

#fuuuck 😏

—I’ll actually do baseball hcs for Kyojuro, bc Ik ~stuff about baseball (I think) ⚾️

You have a poster that consists only of photos of his ass in his scrumptious baseball uniform 😌

Do you bring it to every game?

Maybe

Do you receive glares from parents w/ young children?

Yes 😬

Do you care?

Not particularly 😃

Kyojuro pretends to be embarrassed, but he’s also totally pouted post-game about, “While I appreciate my favorite person attending my game, where was my favorite poster?” 😭

If he’s invited somewhere post-game, then he always invites you to join

Do his teammates tease him?

Of course 😆

Does he mind?

Not at all❣️

Do you mind?

A little, but it’s hard to feel too self-conscious when he’s squished happily and hot into your side, one hand feeding you fries off his plate, the other intertwined sweaty and content w/ yours 🍟😋

Kyojuro 11/10 has a fanclub (not started by him, but by the swarm of—mostly—women who religiously attend his games)

Surprisingly (bc let’s be positive for these hcs lol), they’re relatively accepting and supportive of you

Sure, you might be known as Kyojuro’s Partner™ (nobody’s bothered to learn your name)

After all, they’re there to see him, not you 🤪

But w/ the constant grins, waves, hearts, and winks directed toward you (by him) throughout his games, it’s impossible to deny the position you hold in his life ❤️‍🔥

And his fans would rather be on his good side aka respect you than upset him

When you’re absent from a game, he’ll more often than not be asked, “Kyojuro !!!!! Where’s your partner ????? Are they okay?! Tell them to feel better soon!” 🥺

Bonus? He likes when you smack his butt and leave your handprints in the dirt and dust on his pants 😂🥰

GYMNAST

—I am biased (as an ex gymnast heh), albeit men’s gymnastics is pretty diff from women’s

—But come on 😤

—The man already goes practically shirtless in canon, so why not have him do a sport where he can still be mostly shirtless ????? 🤠

Sanemi’s tough, fearless to the point of recklessness (thank fuck for his strict, supportive coaches), and muscular af

Absolutely an all-arounder

He’s got the power for vault and floor, the strength for rings, the precision and agility for parallel bars and high bar, and the balance for pommel horse — plus #endurance for days

Prob excels a tad more on vault, floor, p bars, and high bar (more dynamic/high energy), but he’s still ART to watch on any event 😍

Could care less about his scores — he just wants to have fun doing dangerous stuff 😎

Ofc, he’d be pissed if he lost by a slim margin 😑

But if he obvi won or obvi lost, then he’s more chill

Like: “Cool, what’s next?”

Makes him enjoyable to watch bc he focuses primarily on performing entertaining/thrilling routines

Not a stress ball about results or perfection

When he does win a medal/trophy, he gives it to you for safe keeping 🏆🥇🥈🥉

If you don’t want it, then he offers it to someone else from the meet that he admired

“Awesome double double on floor bro”

“Sick landing on vault dude”

“Your flexibility is insane”

—How realistic is his offering-his-medal/trophy-to-another-competitor? Not super realistic (at all 😆), but it’s the thought that counts, and this is fanfiction teehee

LOVES bringing you to the gym

If you’re also a gymnast, then he totally tries to teach you men’s skills, and ~demands to be taught women’s skills

Is salty af when they’re much harder than he anticipated 😒

If you’re not a gymnast, then he’s surprisingly patient w/ you

Is happy to teach you basic skills, or just set up a cozy, safe spot for you to watch him practice 🤍

Will occasionally pretend to fall/mess up bc he lowkey adores you fussing over him

If it will get him kisses, then he does not care about maintaining his angry, buff facade 😌

On that note, his teammates know better than to even fake flirt w/ you

Sanemi will legit growl

And if his shirt was on before, well, now it’s off 😶

And his abdominals, pectorals, everything are no joke 😵‍💫

On the flip side, you don’t have to worry too much about ppl fawning over him (despite his looks + constantly breaking university records w/ his scores), bc 99% of the time he’s so damn glower-y/unapproachable 💀

Bonus? When they get too thick, he lets you pick off his callouses #oddly satisfying 😂

Dancer

—I was originally going to do Rock Climber!Giyuu hcs, but decided I shouldn’t indulge myself too much 😅 (I rock climb 🧗🏻‍♀️)

From tap to jazz to hip-hop, salsa, and a lil bit of ballet, Giyuu’s fluent in most genres of dance 🕺🩰

Even w/ niche genres, he’s able to learn combinations fairly quickly

Doesn’t consider himself particularly ~swaggy, but you swear he slips into a diff persona when he’s on stage

Aka, he’s 110% swaggy 😎

Joined the university dance team as a freshman, and was co captain by sophomore yr 👌

Ironically shy about dancing in ~general public, but encourages you to let loose when you go clubbing

He swears you’re better (at dancing) than him, but you suspect that has something to do w/ how most of your dancing together involves grinding 🫢 (as well as adorable dancing-in-the-kitchen-@-2am 💙)

That being said, if a dance circle forms, and you ~gently push him into the center (while ignoring his look of betrayal ☹️), then he will be devastatingly smooth and beautiful w/ whatever move he pulls off 😍

Has been scouted by professional dance companies, but is committed to finishing his degree first

Your future matters to Giyuu as much as his own, and signing professionally would be a huge change + opportunity that he isn’t willing to make/take unless you’re on board 🥺

And dw, he would never resent you if you weren’t ready

As much as he loves dancing, he cherishes you equally — prob more 🥰

Doesn’t mind ~intimate dances, but communicates openly and immediately w/ you about them

He doesn’t want you to get the wrong idea about the months long project he’s working on that involves him shirtless ~most of the time 🙃

And he highly values your opinion, so including you in choreography sessions, rehearsals, etc is special to him 😁

Doesn’t like using social media himself, but is totally comfortable w/ you running his Instagram 📱

You always choose the best photos from photoshoots, treat his followers to the occasional thirst post 🤤 (that only you, his dear partner, could ever come up w/), and reading NSFW DMs from random ppl in his inbox somehow makes him adore you more 😆💘

Bonus? He’ll frequently drape his dance team jacket across your shoulders — he appreciates knowing you’re warm AND wearing his name 😇

[animehouse-moe]

Link Click Season 2 Opening & Ending Explained

Praise be the powers that be that allowed the original musicians behind season one's electric performances return to double down on their work for this new season (and even collaborate on them!). Of course, they're not the sole attraction as stunning visuals and incredible solo efforts weave two very different and unique stories for this opening, which I'd love to explain here today.

Vortex - JAWS

This opening is incredibly interesting for countless reasons, but arguably the best is that it's a solo effort that incorporates the unique experience and background of its talented creator, Somei Sun (who you can find here). Seriously a very cool endeavor that starts with Somei's forte of CGI in an incredibly uncanny-in-a-good-way scene of a teddy bear floating upward.

This sequence very quickly sets the tone for the opening at large as the theme of the reversal of time appears from the very get go. Even with things as simple as the lighting changing from our quick look outside of the arcade the bear is found in.

Even further than that, the first time we see Cheng Xiaoshi is under this water that the bear is floating up from within. Very clear symbolism for drowning and being forgotten (alongside a few other key objects that will play into this season).

Soon after this we transition the silhouette of a character obscured in darkness and surrounded by vibrant colors, with various photographs surrounding them. When you slow it down, it's all but obvious that this is Cheng Xiaoshi, and is meant to signify the loss of his sense of self, and the weight that he ascribes to the actions and alterations of the past that he's introduced.

The whole idea of Cheng Xiaoshi being lost and fumbling for where and when he belongs, stumbling through all these pasts and people, is really well exemplified through this frustratingly good cut here.

Of course Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang represent Yin and Yang, so what would a sequence about Cheng Xiaoshi being lost in his many pasts be without Lu Guang seeing all the different versions of Cheng Xiaoshi (and even potentially teasing some new ones). Incredible work here, especially with the idea of Lu Guang being "correctly" oriented in time, just instead being frozen in it compared to Cheng Xiaoshi's violent by comparison reversal.

And the whole idea of Lu Guang appearing in a mirror? That's returning from fracturing? And that at the end of this sequence Cheng Xiaoshi appears again? Incredible symbolic work to summarize their relationship and how they exist both within and separately from each other.

Of course, it only keep getting better as we begin a descent into an incredible collaborative effort between animator and musician. First, we start with this sequence of a a child reaching out to the viewer while a larger hand engulfs them from behind. This is then followed up with a teddy bear erupting into a monster.

The trick here though comes from this incredible scene. This moment of Cheng Xiaoshi going back in time to attempt to save all of those close to him (and a few "others"), but being unable to reach them he begins his downward spiral through the flow of time once more.

It forces viewers to pose the question: which way is the right way? Is this the story of Cheng Xiaoshi clawing his way back from the depths of the Abyss, fighting backwards through time to create the present that he desires so much? Or is it his descent into atomization that fractures himself and Lu Guang into fragments of the past?

Whichever you see, it's impossible to not view it as an incredible sequence when paired with the music from JAWS that reverses as the flow of time switches. From start to finish it's a stellar opening that puts it on par with some of the heaviest hitters for this year.

The TIDES - Fanka, JAWS

This ending is a little more straightforward in its storytelling, as Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang are detectives that guided by Qiao Ling through an abandoned mansion to find something. In that sense it's rather literal, but the imagery shown and story told is more implicit.

Take this first still from within the mansion. A painting that shows a man and a woman together, obviously meant to display the closeness the two have.

The pair appear through Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang's exploration of the mansion quite often, and in very interesting and leading layouts.

The idea is that the woman is depicted as beautiful, the apple of the man's eye. A Saint that exists in opposition to his more devil-like existence. Someone that exists across from the man, so close yet so far away.

Regardless, through their exploration, they find figures of the man and woman with their hands reaching out for each other, and once their hands touch a secret door opens up. Through this secret door they find what could only be a time machine.

If the pieces weren't clear enough, this ending is all about one man's love for his (presumed) wife, one that he lost before himself. One that he could not give up, that he could not forget. A wife that he loved so much he would dare to defy time for. It's a really lovely and interesting story to tell from an outside perspective such as Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang's. Not stronger or better than the opening by any means, but still a very solid ending that tells a unique story.

[charlidos]

Since I'm going through everything about Viggo & Orlando anyway, I might as well bring out the gossip that used to surround them. I don't put a lot of trust in blind items from Ted at E!Online and it's impossible to know if he actuallly had any real intel, or if it was just idle gossip about popular celebs. But it does say one thing for certain: that this was something people talked about back then (in 2004, mostly). That it wasn't just the "Viggorli tinhats" talking. And that, in itself, is interesting.

And I think it's beyond doubt that it WAS Orlando and Viggo that he was talking about here. Regardless if the gossip was true.

From 2004:

We still need to zero in on Grimy Gus and Harland Fuss (or as they're known to their most secretive of buds, Gussy 'n' Fussy). G. 'n' F. have been on location recently. Well, one of them has, at least. Don't think too many folks know that Fuss has joined his good bud Gus for a little mattress messin'. Look, I'm the first to give a hearty shout-out to two guys who want to do what they want, sexually speaking. But when both--all right, make that one--of these men go to great lengths to make the public believe he's bedding down with rising supersweet starlet Eartha Bertha, well then, I get a little pissy. Although it sure was romantic when Gus 'n' Fuss went to such a Secret Service-defying to-do while Gus was out of the States (in a film-friendly environment) making his latest butch-it-up celluloid job. Public lobby and elevator trips at the sumptuous Springtime Suites hotel with Fuss 'n' Eartha were arranged. Photographers just happened to be around, sorta the same way Rock Hudson lived his whole fake life. But I'm getting terribly off the point here, aren't I?

At this time, Orlando was (very) publically dating "starlet" Kate B, and Viggo was filming History of Violence (playing a "butch" character) in Canada. And they were both at the Toronto film festival that year, where this supposed secret romp happened. Also, the nicknames seems to refer to the whole "Prissy elf" and "Filthy human" thing they had going on the set of LotR. And during LotR PR, there was very inane gossip about Viggo seeing L, a woman around O's age, but that they broke up because V didn't care about his personal hygiene. If you look at gossip rags from around 2002-3, it was mentioned a lot...

So yeah, no doubt that it's O, V and K referred to. It's generally considered a "solved" blind. Again, doesn't mean the gossip is true.

In 2010, Ted mentioned HF again, just around when Orlando got married. In this one, there's no mention of "Gus", so of less interest to me. It's all about HF being bi, and how he and his newly wedded wife got hitched because they both needed a career boost (and HF needing a "beard"). A whole lot of nothing really. But again, quite obviously referring to Orlando.

More interesting to me, but also a bit more confounding, are some questions answered around 2009/2010:

Dear Ted: Since you dusted off the old Harland Fuss B.V., can you give us an update on his relaysh with Gus, please? Are they still together? If not, who broke up with whom? And who is Fussy seeing on the DL, then, if not Gussy? —Agusta Dear Gus Who: Long over, babe. Too bad, too, because they were way too hot together, but it was always more of a short-term (very) steamy hookup sitch. Neither dude expected a serious relaysh to come of it, just sex, sex and, oh yeah, more sex. Dear Ted: This is a question about an old blind item that I don't expect you'll answer but I thought I'd give it a shot. Are Harland Fuss and Grimy Gus still together? —Silver Dear Oldie: No. Nor were they ever. Dear Ted: Has Viggo Mortensen ever been a B.V.? I absolutely love him, and he did spend several years with those B.V.-worthy Hobbits in Middle Earth. Did they rub off on him? —LOTR Lover Dear Viggo Go Go: Oh, yeah. One of my (and readers') all-time favorites!

Again, quite clear this blind item was about Orlando and Viggo. This idea that they were just meeting to hook up, short-term (not sure if it's short term as in short meetings, or if it's short in terms of how long this relationship went on), feels a bit off for these two. But it fits that they lost touch (as per Orlando himself) sometime after 2008 or so. And what do I know, really?

No one but them knows. I'm just here, speculating wildly and letting my imagination run free.

(And I looks like I need to keep posting about them - until I've completely exhausted the subject. Or myself. Or tumblr.)

[mybworlds]

Chapter 2: The Wedding

Pairing: joel miller x f!reader (no use of Y/N) | Rating: 18+ Minors DNI | W.C.: 2.8k

Summary: Your life sounds perfect: you live with a perfect man, you live in your dream house, you do the job you love, you don't miss anything, except love and passion.

Warnings: no use of Y/N, use of you, reader is a photographer, reader has no physical descriptions except hair (no type or color) long enough to hold on to, unspecified age gap, Joel and reader are two cheaters, for a while. Smut, use of pet names, dirty talk, masturbation, unprotected PiV but the first time, creampies, comeplay, oral (both f and m recieving), exhibitionism, size kink, personal use of an unspecified sex toy. No outbreak here. Let me know if I missed anything!

Before to leave, thank you for your likes and reblogs ❤️🫶

Masterlist

follow @mybworlds and turn on notifications to get notified when I post new fics

Thx for the dividers @saradika-graphics

Taglist @harriedandharassed

Saturday is a thankfully sunny, warm day. The bride and groom are celebrating their wedding at Fire Island National Seashore, it's two hours away from New York City, but at least they're paying you an extra to enjoy a wonderful place like that and they've even paid a hotel room since they've already announced the event won't end until 1:00 am. That's fine for you, I mean not that you had anything else to do since Patrick told you he would be out for the weekend for business purposes. I mean, you are also out for work and therefore it is okay.

The bride and groom are two very handsome guys, you can tell they are in love, happy. You take a lot of wonderful shots and you can't help but be happy about it because you know that, when they will receive their pictures, they can't help but be thrilled as they remember that wonderful day with a big smile and watery eyes. You also take some shots of the guests, the location, the wedding arch, the venue, everything is wonderful.

At some point in taking shots, you realize that you have also framed someone you never thought you would see there again which is the mysterious and charming stranger from the bar, you don't exactly know how to behave as you didn't leave each other in a very civil manner, in fact you almost had a hysterical reaction. Maybe this is the right opportunity to apologize for your behavior or maybe you can pretend you didn't see him!

You decide to ignore him and continue working, too bad the stranger turns out to be the groom's best man and therefore you necessarily have to take a picture of him as well the moment the ceremony almost ended, so you can't ignore him anymore. You wonder why you are behaving this way, it is absurd, he is a guy like any other why are you avoiding him?

The wedding party is wonderful, organized down to the smallest detail with a lot of care, you photograph everything and then you make sure to choose the best shots, you will propose therefore to the bride and groom and make a nice digital and paper photo montage if they want it; even the food is great, everything is beautiful, but there is that persistent discomfort you feel toward the stranger. Evening comes and you're still walking around with your beloved camera attached to your neck and your finger ready to shoot, people are dancing, drinking, having fun, you're smiling too. It is impossible not to smile at such an event.

Suddenly, however, someone pushes you and you to prevent your camera from breaking, you turn around suddenly falling backwards, some people look at you, someone laughs and then someone offers you his hand to help you get up, a hand which you immediately grasp as you stand up, when you look up at this someone who extended his hand, you realize that it was the stranger who helped you. Your eyes meet again and this time you have a chance to observe his dark brown eyes, this time you feel like a thrill running through your body, “Well, we bump into each other again!” the stranger exclaims with a smile.

“Yes, sort of.” you say in an evasive tone and immediately you let go of his hand to look at your camera that is not broken or is still working.

“Nice shot!” the man exclaims looking at the screen of your camera, the subject of your shot is him, but it was an involuntary shot this one due to the fall.

“Um… well, this was not an intentional shot.” you admit looking at the small monitor ‘I've taken better ones.’ you add as you look up at him. He nods, “'m I in the pictures too?” he asks you.

“Of course, you're the best man!” you exclaim, lowering your gaze and clearing your throat.

“Can I get you a drink?” the stranger asks you, “Oh, forgive me! 'm Joel,” he introduces himself by extending his hand to you, you look first at him and then at his hand, which you shake by introducing yourself in turn. He smiles, “Would you like to?” you nod “Well, then this way.” he adds making a hand gesture in following him.

You have a drink, actually more than one, and your initial awkwardness toward the stranger begins to give way to curiosity and a desire to get to know him, no longer escaping him, and only then do you notice his strong southern drawl. You are sitting on one of those two-seater hanging garden chairs, “How d' you know the groom, Joel?” you ask him, sipping another glass of champagne.

“We were friends in our school days, even though we've taken differen' paths we remained close friends, y' know, we have dinners once or twice a week, barbecues and things like that,” he tells you.

“You look like the barbecue guy,” you say smiling at him.

He smiles shaking his head, “Yeah, huh?”

You nod smilingly, “Well,” you place your glass on the lawn next to the small chair, “I bet I can tell who you are by looking at your hands.” you add looking into his eyes.

He gives you a small grin that causes a wrinkle to appear at the side of his mouth “All right,” he agrees, stretching his hands out, which you grab this time. He has very large hands, big calloused fingers “Judging by your calloused fingers I'd say you play,” you smile at him “guitar?”

“Yes, you guessed it right.” he replies wrinkling his forehead in an amused expression “What else?”

“Well, from the little cuts and scratches I'd say you do a manual work, am I right?” you ask again smiling at him and this time seeking his gaze without avoiding his dark eyes.

“You sure we haven't met before?” he asks smiling at you.

You shake your head smiling again, “Yeah, I'm sure.” you reply “I meet a lot of people in my job, I would have remembered.” you add.

“And why is that?” he asks you slightly losing his smile.

“I don't know,” you reply shrugging your shoulders “some people stick in my mind, I don't even know why.” you add “Well, we were talking about your work, so I guessed right?” you press him.

“Yes, I run a small construction company where I work myself.” you smile “I didn't think my hands said so much 'bout me!” the man exclaims with an amused air.

“Yes, you knows the length of our nails, the nail polish people choose…. It's fun, it's a way of getting to know each other without saying so much.”

“I like that, what 'bout you?” Joel asks by reversing the positions of your hands, “What you think your hands can tell me 'bout you?” you observe how small they are compared to his.

“I don't think they say much,” you answer in a whisper, “Well, maybe there is one thing-- I'm sorry about the reaction the other day. I had some thoughts and I reacted very badly.” you add tightening your lips and looking him in the eye "Sorry, I'm not usually like that."

“So how'd ya?” he presses, sustaining your gaze.

“I'm a photographer, I'm widely satisfied with my job,” you start to answer looking at your hands in his own.

“No, no, no.” he interrupts you making you look up “You, not your job. Who are ya?”

Breathing deeply, not knowing what to answer, you tighten your lips.

“D' ya wanna me to tell you?” he presses you again, you look at him surprised and he continues “You are a person deeply in love with your job to such an extent that you confuse the professional with the person.”

“Now you are also a psychologist!” you exclaim, shaking your head.

“And you're getting angry because I get the poin', aren't ya?”

“You had to be a psychologist!” you retort making to release your hands from his grip, but he is quicker because he doesn't let you free to get up and walk away “Let go of me or I'll scream.” you say in a timid whisper.

“Honey, everyone is inebriated. Maybe the only ones left sober are just you and me.” Joel promptly retorts, “Why are you so afraid that someone might read ya?” he adds as he gets too close to your face and pulls your hands up to his chest level, in that position he almost seems to want to engulf you, and a strange feeling makes its way inside you.

Fortunately, or unfortunately you don't know, your phone rings and he is forced to let you go, you take the opportunity to get up and take a few steps away from him, it's Patrick.

“Hey,” you say almost out of breath.

“Hi babe, everything okay? What's taking so long to answer?” he asks you.

“Um… it only rang twice,” you reply wrinkling your forehead.

“Really?! Well, it seemed so much more! Whatever, it doesn't matter, the important thing is that you answered. How's the wedding going?”

“Good, there are a lot of interesting people here,” you reply, striving to maintain a neutral tone.

“Are you very tired?”

“No, no,” you reply simply.

“Honey, I hear you a little tired, maybe you should rest,” Patrick says thoughtfully.

“Yeah, I'll go in a little while, 'm almost at the cake cutting and then I'm going to sleep.”

“All right, text me as soon as you're in the room. I'm already in bed, so I'll find your message in the morning. Love you, baby.”

“A kiss.” you interrupt the call with a half-smile.

“Who was the nursemaid?” Joel interjects coming up behind you smiling provokingly.

“No.”

“Was mom checking to see if you answered?” he urges.

“No, it was-- never mind.” you reply shaking your head and putting the phone back in your pocket “We should get back to the party.” you add turning your back on him.

“Sure, go ahead and hide behind your camera.” he chides you, you roll your eyes, but decide not to respond to his provocation.

Soon the ceremony ends with the cutting of the cake and the distribution of the wedding favors, you don't fail to take pictures of the bride and groom, the cake, the groomsmen, the fireworks organized by the groom's relatives, the wedding arch, and then the photo of all the ceremony participants with the newlywed couple. Now your evening's work is truly over, it's time to go to bed.

When you are finally at the hallway where your room is, you are joined by Joel who passes you by half a step “Oh, but look we have rooms next to each other!” he exclaims.

"Oh, cool," you say rolling your eyes using a bored tone of voice.

"You snore?" he says raising an eyebrown with a little smirk on his lips.

You roll your eyes “Are you an irritating guy or is this a behavior you reserve only with those you don't like?”

Joel reconsiders and turns back to you, “Actually it's an attitude I have only toward those I like, and you intrigue me quite a bit.” he responds by placing a hand on your bedroom door as you look into his eyes feeling almost engulfed by his figure again.

“Maybe this pick up technique works with others, but not with me,” you retort, but his strong scent of cologne and whiskey is beginning to envelop your senses making your head almost spin.

“Shall we bet?” he asks you.

“What?” you retort, but he surprises you by kissing you on the lips “No!” you exclaim by shirking and slapping him across the face “Don't do that again.” you add in a trembling voice.

He in response, kisses you again, you suddenly lean your head against the door and make to push him away, but he takes your hands pinning them between his without stopping kissing you, it is a sweet kiss, but one that stuns you completely. No one, not even Patrick, has ever kissed you like this first passionately then slowly, languidly. His tongue gently caresses your lower lip and even this gesture causes shivers down your spine and an strange desire reverberates inside you. He almost crushes you against the door without ever detaching his lips from yours, it is only now that you feel all his power, a languid pleasure growing inside you.

You cannot, you must not give in.

“Joel…” you say pulling away from his lips and turning your head to the side “We can't.”

You feel ridiculous, you certainly can't.

“Why? We're two full-grown adults,” he retorts.

“I don't like you.” you reply quickly “And now get out of my way.” you add quickly pushing him away getting him taking two steps back, then you swipe your card to enter the room and before he can reply, you close the door. You lean against it and hear a few moments later the opening and closing of another door, a sign that Joel left.

You slide against the door, it is not true you don't like him, he is a very attractive man, his hands firmly holding yours, his body crushing you, you breathe deeply, luckily you brought your sex toy with you which loosens that strange worrying languor that had made its way into you, but the closer you find yourself to the climax the more the image of your man fades to be replaced by that of man definitely older than him, with a strong southern drawl, a strong scent of whiskey and cologne, it can't be that you are imagining this stranger whispering profane words in your ear, you can't-- and yet your mind is playing this nasty trick on you by making you come violently, you barely manage to stifle a scream of pleasure, afterwards you throw the sex toy across the bed and stay with your legs spread apart and your head abandoned on the pillow, not even when you are alone at home have you ever come like this. You are really out of your mind, you'd better sleep!

The night passes agitatedly, from the beginning you stared at the ceiling for a long time with your eyes wide open and then you hear outside the ocean kissing the shore several times, then you turned over several times from side to side, slept, but then woke up again and fell asleep only to wake up again. The birdsong that morning is almost a panacea for you, you can get up and occupy your mind with other thoughts, you look out and see that the sky is dotted with dense, dark clouds, a sign that it is going to rain and that you need to leave as soon as possible, you immediately call Patrick apologizing for not calling him last night, but you tell him that you collapsed because of a severe migraine, but you are better now. You also warn him that you will be back in the late afternoon, he also returns in the evening, he tells you, then you say goodbye and hang up. You think you told him a lie it is true, but after all it is a tiny white lie.

When you come down with your small bag, you see in the distance the bride and groom who are having breakfast, they look dreamy and happy, when they see you they greet you warmly and then warn you that they will come to the store to see their full photoshoot. You bid farewell with a big smile and good luck of much serenity and happiness. The wind is also quite strong, a sign that you really need to hurry up and leave or you'll be stuck there. You open the car and put your luggage in the passenger seat, close the door and then go to the driver's side, you start the car, but the car won't start, “Fuck.” you blurt “Start, come on, move.” you mumble still trying to start the engine again. Nothing.

“Maybe it's a battery problem.” says a voice outside the car, it's Joel, leaning against the door of your car “G' morning.” he greets you.

You place your head against the headrest, then turn back to him “Do you have any solutions, genius?”

“Either 's the battery or maybe 's a problem with the battery terminals.” he replies to you as he walks over to the hood “Open up lemme see if everything is properly connected.” he continues.

“I thought you worked in the company, not as a mechanic.” you reply by raising the lever so he can look in the hood, then get out of the car.

“Indeed, but my brother's car never starts so on more than one occasion I helped him.” he tells you as he props the hood of the car against the hook “Everything looks fine to me, my brother's car usually is a problem with the cooling system or the solenoid, but here…” he comments aloud as he continues to touch the engine parts.

“Please stop touching, I don't want you to break it!” you exclaim nervously getting out of the car and approaching him.

“Don't worry,” he looks into your eyes for a moment, “I've never broken anything and 'm not going to start with you, honey.”

“Can you tell why from the first moment you saw me you call me that?” you ask him, crossing your arms under your breasts.

“If you mind, I have many other petnames I can give ya.” you shake your head “Shall we have breakfast? I'm starvin'.” he continues, you are about to say no, but he adds again "I can take you, but I'd like to eat first."

“Actually…” you're about to say.

“I promise I won't kiss you,” he says again, raising his hands in surrender with a small smile.

You smile too, “It's not that, it's…” you say, but you don't know how to go on and so you tighten your lips while scratching your forehead in a nervous gesture “I don't know.”

You are totally losing your self-control, you don't know why this stranger is causing you these reactions, why he makes you feel so attracted to him and at the same time why you almost want to run away from him. Interrupting that stream of thought, there is a first flash of lightning followed by a clap of thunder, Joel calls out to you laying a hand on your shoulder “Let's think about your car later, in the meantime let's go back inside and wait for the storm to go,” he says, as a first drop of rain begins to fall, you reluctantly pick up your luggage, Joel does the same, and head back to the hotel.