#ava is next to her in the cell

[meet-me-in-the-pouringrain]

idk what Melissa Schemmenti could be doing rn but i know she’s being an absolute twat about it and honestly. Love that for her. She’s probably on top of the world!

also fuck the chiefs. GO BIRDS!

[mariclerc]

Dad duties | cl16

Summary: where you meet an adorable dad and his little girl at the beach. Warning: none, just dad!charles, a little emotional, instant crush and FLUFF, pure fluff.

a/n: Hii, a long time ago I was thinking about doing a story about what Charles would be like as a single dad... Something crazy, I know, but I hope you like it!! Let me know if you want a part two of this <3

Part 2 Part 3

Sun gleams off the turquoise water, gentle waves lap at the shore. You walk along the beach, toes sinking into the warm sand. Giggles suddenly catches your attention, you turn to see a little girl, barely a year old, with bright eyes and a head full of messy curls, crawling determinedly towards you. She reaches you, grabbing a handful of your sundress. You smile, kneeling down to her level.

“Hey there, little one. You seem a little bit lost.”

The girl babbles happily, reaching for your sunglasses. You chuckle and gently remove them, placing them on top of your head.

A shadow falls over you. You look up to see a tall, handsome man with kind greenish eyes and sun-streaked hair... He looks slightly flustered.

“Oh god, I'm so sorry, that's my little escape artist Ava, come here to Papa munchkin.” He smiles apologetically.

Ava squeals and reaches for him. He scoops her up effortlessly, her tiny giggles filling the air.

“Don't worry, she's adorable! How old is she?” you asked.

“One year old, going on a hundred!” He winces as Ava grabs a fistful of his hair. You can't help but laugh. “Ouch, sweetie that hurts!” He says and Ava giggles.

“Looks like she has you all wrapped around her little finger.”

“Definitely.” he chuckles.

He introduces himself as Charles, you tell him your name. To your surprise, the conversation flows easily, you learn he's a single dad, the love and devotion evident in his gaze as he talks about Ava. He opens up about his complicated relationship with his ex (Ava's mother), the challenges of dating as a single parent. You listen intently, impressed by his honesty and dedication to his daughter.

“You seem to be doing a great job, Charles. And that's impressive, you know, how hard you work and try to be the best every day for her.” you smile.

Ava snuggles closer to him, burying her face in his neck.

“I manage to do a good job... It's definitely a handful, but she's worth it all.” he smiles.

A comfortable silence settles between you. You steal a glance at him, then quickly look away, cheeks warming. You sense a similar flicker of something unspoken in his eyes.

“Well, maybe I should let you get back to building sandcastles with your princess.” You say with a bit of haste.

“Actually, I was wondering... Would you maybe, I don't know, maybe... Want to grab some ice cream with us sometime? Ava loves company, and frankly, so do I.” He speaks hurriedly.

You feel a flutter in your chest. This unexpected encounter has taken a sweet turn. “I'd love to. Thanks!” you smile.

Ava lets out a delighted squeal, as if sensing the possibility of ice cream, You and Charles giggle at her reaction.

“Great! How about next Saturday? Same place? How does that sound?”

You nod. “Sounds perfect.”

He smiles, you can see how the corners of his eyes wrinkle, something very cute for you. “Perfect... Ehm, here! Write down your number and I'll write down mine.” He says as he takes out his cell phone to give it to you and you take yours out of your beach bag to hand it to him.

You wrote your number on his cell phone with the name of: "y/n the life-saver 🎀". When he finishes he gives you your cell phone back and you see that he has registered himself as: "Charles the handsome dad 😋" you can't help but laugh at the name.

“Well, then I'll write to you to keep in touch... Handsome dad.” You say with a giggle and he blushes.

Ava yawns, nuzzling deeper into his embrace.

“I think someone's getting tired.” you giggle while looking at Ava.

“She probably is. Sand and sunshine can be exhausting for little ones.” He says and then smiles a little. “This was unexpected... But so nice.” he says quietly.

“Yeah, definitely nice!” you say meeting his warm gaze.

A blush creeps up Charles' neck as he finally pulls back slightly.

“See you next Saturday then, Y/N, it was nice to meet you!”

You smile. “It was also nice to meet you both!”

He nods, a goodbye lingering in his eyes. Charles walks away, cradling a sleepy Ava in his arms, you watch them go, a warm feeling spreading through you. This chance encounter has blossomed into something promising, and as you turn towards your car, a smile lingers on your lips. The beach seems a little brighter now, filled with the promise of sunshine, ice cream, and maybe, just maybe, something more.

Suddenly, your phone buzzes in your pocket. It's a text message. You pull it out, expecting a message from a friend, but your heart skips a beat when you see the name displayed on the screen - Charles the handsome dad 😋.

Charles the handsome dad 😋: Ava just fell asleep. She kept asking for "y/n." Any chance you have a favorite ice cream flavor? Trying to win some brownie points for Saturday afternoon.

A laugh escapes your lips. He's charming, that's for sure. You quickly type a response.

y/n the life-saver 🎀: Chocolate chip cookie dough, always! And tell Ava I said goodnight. See you on Saturday cha!

You hit send and a warm feeling washes over you. This unexpected encounter has taken a delightful turn, and with a giddy anticipation for saturday's ice cream date, you turn back towards the ocean. The waves seem to whisper a promise of something exciting to come, and you can't wait to see where this newfound connection might lead.

***

The cheerful clinking of spoons against ice cream sundaes fills the air. You sit across from Charles at a brightly colored table, a giant chocolate chip cookie dough sundae melting in front of you. Ava, nestled comfortably in a high chair, digs into a kid-sized strawberry sundae with a look of pure bliss.

He chuckles “Looks like someone's enjoying their treat.”

Ava lets out a happy gurgle, a smear of red adorning her cheek. You laugh, you leaned towards her to wipe her cheek.

“She's definitely got a sweet tooth.” you say while wiping her cheek.

Charles takes a bite of his own sundae, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Just like her dad. Thanks for the recommendation, this cookie dough ice cream it's fantastic!” he smiles.

“My pleasure, I'm glad you both like it.”

Ava reaches out, grabbing a stray piece of cookie dough from your sundae. You laugh, helping her bring it to her mouth.

“Careful, little one, that's a big bite!”

Charles watches the interaction between you and Ava, a smile playing on his lips.

“You seem to have a way with kids.” He says softly while looking at the two of you with adoration.

You shrug. “I guess so, I have a younger brother, so I've had my fair share of practice.”

The conversation flows easily between bites of ice cream, you learn more about Charles' life as a single dad, the challenges and rewards that come with it, he talks about his passion for racing, a twinkle in his eyes as he describes his dream of one day competing professionally. You share your own dreams and aspirations, surprised at how comfortable you feel opening up to him.

As Ava starts to get cranky, signaling the need for a nap, you suggest taking a walk along the nearby park. Charles readily agrees.

A comfortable silence settles between you. You both steal glances at each other, the unspoken attraction hanging heavy in the air. You reach the edge of the park, the familiar beach stretching before you.

“Looks like we're back where it all began.” you blush slightly.

“It does, doesn't it? Funny how things work out.” he smiles.

He stops walking, turning to face you. Ava lets out a whimper in her sleep, prompting Charles to gently bounce her in his arms.

“This was... so nice, I mean, this sweet afternoon and last week at the beach, it's very... Unexpected, but very good.” He says quietly with a smile on his face.

You meet his gaze, your heart fluttering in your chest.

You smiled. “I also liked it! Ava's such a sweetheart, and you seem like... a good guy, a really good and nice guy.”

He smiles back, a genuine warmth radiating from his eyes.

“I, uh... I was wondering if maybe, sometime next week, you'd like to have dinner? Just the two of us, after Ava's asleep?” He says with a bit of hesitation.

Your stomach does a nervous flip-flop, but a wide smile stretches across your face.

“I'd like that very much Charles.”

A wave of relief washes over Charles. He leans forward slightly, his eyes searching yours.

“Great... In that case, how about I give you a proper goodbye this time?” He says with a bit of flirtation in his voice.

Before you can respond, he leans in further, his lips brushing softly against yours. The kiss is brief, sweet, and filled with unspoken promise.

Ava lets out a startled gurgle, breaking the spell. Charles pulls back with a laugh, a blush creeping up his neck.

“Looks like our little chaperone wants to get home.” he chuckles and blushes.

“Seems that way.” you giggled while blushing.

He walks you back to your car, Ava snuggled contentedly against his chest.

“Text me when you get home, so I know you made it safe. And maybe, just maybe, you can tell me what your favorite dinner is.” He says while blushing a little.

You laugh a little bit. “Don't worry, you'll be very well fed.”

He smiles, a hint of something deeper lingering in his gaze. You wave goodbye as he drives away with Ava, a warmth spreading through your chest. The unexpected encounter at the beach has blossomed into something exciting, and as you watch the sun disappear over the horizon, you can't wait to see where this new path might lead.

[pinkthrone445]

hiii!! can i please request melissa x reader, where they are secretly together and at the holiday party ava hosts for the teachers melissa gets jealous when someone starts flirting with the reader

smut please and some comfort

-I owe it all to you-

Pairing:Melissa Schemmenti x Reader

Gender:Soft, Smut, love

Warning:Mention of cheating, Smut

Summary: You and Melissa were in a secret relationship, you show how much you know her when you help her calm down after a jealous attack.

Hiii, thanks for the request! I'm back to work now, so it's probably going to take me a little longer to write than before. Thank you for your funny and supportive comments, they make my day ❤️

Soft sheets, protective hugs, sweet caresses on your skin, sweet whispers of love, crazy night of passion, legs intertwined, soft snoring by your side, hug around your waist, her body close to yours spooning, simple perfection.

And then, a distant sound calling you to wake up from the perfect morning you were having. You lazily opened your eyes and reached for your cell phone to stop the alarm, only it wasn't your cell phone that rang, it was from the beautiful woman who was hugging you and sleeping next to you. Carefully you turned in her arms to face her and began to give her little kisses to wake her up, the redhead started laughing and hugged you tighter, hiding in your neck with her eyes still closed

-"Mel... I need to get up, or else you're going to have to take me to work and they'll see us together..."-You whispered and she let out a groan

-"5 more minutes like this"-she whispered against your neck and you laughed

-"Fine, but turn off that whiny alarm please..."-You replied and when she let go of you to turn to turn it off, you took the opportunity to get out of her grip and quickly got up from bed

-"Hey!"- The redhead screamed, looking at you a little disappointed that you had gotten up but smiling to see you naked and with your body full of marks that she had made the night before.

-"Eyes up her sweetheart"-You pointed to your eyes and she nodded, smiling arrogantly

-"Oh, I'm well aware where your eyes are, but I'm well aware where your other beautiful body parts are too. I'm admiring those right now..."-She replied and you laughed, shaking your head-"Can we have a quickie? To start the morning off right..."-Melissa tried to convince you with her beautiful green eyes, but you shook your head and looked away looking for what to wear

-"No matter how much I want to, it's going to get late... Can I wear one of your shirts? No one will know it's yours because I don't fill it out like you do and it looks different on me because you have bigger boobs...-You asked and she nodded, she loved to see you wearing her clothes at work, it was like saying you were hers even though others didn't know.

After getting dressed, you said goodbye to the redhead to go to work.

A few minutes later, Melissa and Barbara arrived together, always sharing a car to spend and pollute less. You greeted them both, as if you hadn't spent the whole night at her house and woke up next to the redhead. Mel started looking for her breakfast things without finding her cup for coffee, when she was about to ask, she saw that you were using it with a big smile on your face, so she didn't say anything and grabbed your cup to make herself a coffee.

-"I thought you would come with us this morning sharing the car, I was surprised when Mel said that we would not pick you up because you were not home because you had not spent the night there but somewhere else..."-Barbara commented in a suggestive tone and you looked sideways at Melissa

-"Yeah... I was at a friend's house" - You replied without giving it much thought

-"And all your friends fill you with marks like you have on your cleavage?"-Barbara commented and you blushed more without knowing what to answer making the two women laugh.

While the three of you were having breakfast, Mel sent a message to your cell phone saying that you had left your bra at her home, after reading it you laughed and blushed a little avoiding looking at the redhead, who was using her cell phone and acting as if nothing had happened.

-"It's that your 'friend'?" - Barbara asked again, and you laughed without answering.

After the long day of school, you went to see Mel in her classroom, to confirm if the two of you would go to the party Ava had organized, when the redhead confirmed it, you greeted her and went home to get dressed.

The atmosphere at school, once the kids left, was a completely different thing. The lights were down, they had rented a bar for drinks and another for food, there was a dj and some lights for the dance, all held in the gym.

Where did the money for that come from? You had no idea, what you did know was that Ava looked very happy to finally put her name on something, the 'Avafest' she called it.

When the doors of the gym opened, you adjusted your tight dress a little and walked in to see how several teachers danced and ate. Your eyes scanned the crowd looking for a certain redhead, when you found her, you smiled to see that she was already looking at you. Melissa was wearing a green dress that hugged her in all the right places next to her leather jacket that you loved so much. You were about to walk towards her until another of the teachers pulled you aside to talk to you and have a few drinks, you only managed to give her a delicate and discreet smile at Mel before you went with the other teachers.

All night long you wanted to join her without making it too obvious, but they took your attention away from her again and again. You felt the redhead's gaze on you, but you couldn't do much to go with her without drawing attention to yourself.

The whole school knew you were single, as your relationship with the redhead was secret, so there was no reason for them to stop flirting with you, especially now that there were no students present. 

One of the teachers, who was very aware that you liked women and who had a couple of drinks on her, invited you to dance. At first you accepted because you didn't see anything wrong with that, but as soon as she started touching your body too much and getting very close to you, you started to feel uncomfortable. You looked up to find some excuse to get out of that situation, but when your gaze met the redhead's, your heart contracted at how upset she looked. Her hands were clenched at her side, her brow furrowed, her cheeks red and her eyes narrowed, she was jealous and you knew it. She didn't like it when they flirted with you, let alone when they were touching you the way they were now. When the teacher behind you played with the hem of your dress, Melissa retreated angrily from the gym into the hallways to try to calm herself down. You quickly pulled away from the teacher and walked out of the gym looking for the redhead.

Jealousy in Melissa wasn't something you liked to see, it wasn't the typical jealousy that made you end up in bed with her mercilessly devouring you all night, Melissa's jealousy was a big trigger to her insecurities, she had already been cheated on once while she was married, who assured her that you, being northing more than her secret girlfriend, you'd still be faithful to her when a better opportunity presented itself.

As you ran after her, you found her in the teacher's room trying to get a bag of snacks out of the machine, which wasn't working very well and wasn't helping the woman's anger. You carefully approached her and took her hand as she was about to hit the machine with her fist

-"Mel..."-You whispered behind her and she sighed turning to look at you, her eyes were red as if she was about to cry. Gently, with your free hand you caressed her cheek and she closed her eyes leaning on your palm-"I'm here, I'm with you...I want to be with you and no one else..."

-"I know, I'm sorry for running away, I just don't like to see  them flirt with you or touching you... Like if you were single" - She muttered without opening her eyes and you laughed

-"I don't like to be touched either... But in their defense, I AM single..."-You replied and she rolled her eyes walking a little away from you. Taking advantage of the distance, you locked the door to the break room and sat down on the counter looking at the redhead-"I'm single, but I'm yours..."-You smiled and began to pull your dress up to your waist under the woman's intense gaze

-"What are you doing?"-The redhead asked, walking up to you and standing between your legs

-"I know you... And I know you want to mark me so they know I'm yours, so they keep their hands away from me... Do it"-You suggested and the redhead smiled, in seconds her lips were on yours, desperate but loving, eager to try you again, eager to feel you close again. You carefully wrapped your legs in her, pulling her closer to you, her hands gripping your bare waist and she squeezed you tightly. You knew how Mel was, on occasions like these when she was jealous, she needed to have her time to feel you fully, to kiss every part of you, to engrave your body in her mind and engrave her kisses on your body, but it was only a matter of time before someone noticed that you were no longer there and went out to find you and interrupted you-"Melissa... We don't have much time"-You whispered and she nodded biting your lip, easily lifting your body off the counter for a few seconds and taking off your underwear and then leaving you sitting again. Melissa's kisses moved down from your lips to your jaw and then to your neck, as her hands forcefully massaged your thighs. Small moans escaped your lips, but the redhead gave you a warning look to keep quiet. With her long fingers, Mel parted your outer lips smiling at the skin of your neck as she felt how wet you were. Her full lips began to leave kisses and marks from your collarbone down, even between your breasts, they were very visible marks with the dress you were wearing but they were also easy to cover for when you had to teach the next day. You bit your lip hard as you felt the redhead's fingers part your walls and entering you, her cold rings only added to the pleasure when they touched your skin as the redhead had stuck two of her fingers completely into you. After she covered you with marks, the redhead kissed you again with strength and passion as her fingers went in and out of you. Only a few seconds had passed and your walls were already contracting against her, Melissa always knew how to touch you to be melting for her in a matter of minutes, playing the right moves, touching the right places, in addition to the adrenaline of the moment, only added to your desire. When the redhead began to caress your clit with her thumb without stopping pumping inside you, the spasms began, and seconds later, you came on the redhead's fingers kissing her hard to hide your moans.

Mel kissed you for a few more seconds as you recovered and hugged her. Then she withdrew her fingers from you and licked them smiling at you with a smug face making you laugh.

-"Better?" - You whispered almost airlessly

-"Much better. You look so gorgeous, I love you so much" - The redhead replied without realizing it and you blushed, it was the first time she said it. You couldn't contain your smile and kissed her again

-"I love you too.."-You whispered against her lips.

After a few more kisses, Melissa helped you arrange your clothes and remove her lip gloss from your face and then go back to the party together.

As soon as you entered, the dark lights and loud music surrounded you again.

While the music was playing, you took the opportunity to stay close to the redhead listening to how the remix of Black Eyed Peas the Time sounded on the speakers, you jumped next to her dancing, smiling and singing to her while she smiled and sang next to you.

Everyone else took that interaction as normal, except for Barbara who was watching you from afar, who had seen the redhead's anger, how you ran after her and how, when she came back, Mel's mood had completely changed and your body was full of marks that were noticeable even with the low lights. Everything started to fall into place when she saw how the redhead smiled at you and looked adoringly as she sang "I had the time of my life, and I never felt this way before, and I swear this is true and I owe it all to you". Tomorrow she would have a long conversation with her best friend, but today she would let her enjoy herself.

[jumpywhumpywriter]

Drugged Hero Whumpee used as Party Favor at Villain's Party part 9

Warnings: living weapon whumpee, drugged sedation, torture, blood, medical whump, restraints, aftermath of torture, forced betrayal, friend pitted against friend

"What are you doing?" Shadow snapped. Fear leaked into her voice.

"Planting a tracker. Can't have my prized possession running off before my experiments are finished." Archenemy smiled wolfishly, a hunter with the trophy of a lifetime as he brought the blade to her arm. "Don't worry, it'll only hurt for a few minutes. And with your gift, you'll get over it... eventually."

The first slice across her forearm wasn't too bad, Shadow just gritted her teeth against it. But everything after that was pain. Pure pain.

An agonized shriek tore loose from her chest as Archenemy slowly cut deeper into her skin, taking his time and splitting the layers of flesh one by one with meticulous care and precision.

Shadow started thrashing and struggling, but there was nowhere to go, she was strapped down too tightly. She screamed her throat raw as the scalpel sliced through muscle tissue, yanking against her restraints hard enough to bruise and chafe her skin.

It felt like her arm was being dipped in lava -- the pain was excruciating, setting every nerve alight with it.

Shadow's blue eyes flicked over Archenemy's shoulder to lock with Ava's. Ava held her gaze, though Shadow could have sworn she flinched sympathetically as she let out another ragged wail of agony. But it was probably too much to hope for from the living weapon.

The seconds ticked by with no end in sight, everything was just pain, pain, PAIN. Sweat dripped down Shadow's forehead, and she felt something small and round like a marble being pressed in the wound and tucked deep into the center of her arm -- it felt like it was nestled against the bone itself.

She was gasping and panting for breath when Archenemy finally closed the wound with a few stitches, but it was hardly a relief. The pain stayed there, lodged inside her, like fire in her flesh.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it? You took it like a champion," Archenemy cooed, and patted Shadow's cheek mockingly.

Shadow tried to speak, but only a shallow rasp of air came out, her throat and vocal cords ruined by all the screaming. She was ashamed to feel tears of agony rolling down her face, and she squeezed her eyes shut to avoid seeing Archenemy's face any more. She just focused on surviving from one second to the next, breathing through the blazing pain.

She gave up, kept her eyes closed and didn't fight when she felt the leather straps being taken off, the typical cuffs being put back on her wrists and ankles. At least the brutal muzzle stayed off, the tiniest comfort.

Shadow stayed limp and lifeless as she felt herself being picked up by who she knew had to be Ava, because Archenemy would never do such dirty work as taking a mangled body back to a prison cell.

Every wound throbbed horribly, both the ones she got from the earlier fight with Ava and the fresh one in her arm. Shadow groaned weakly as Ava slid her off her shoulder, setting her down on the mattress on the floor.

"Open your eyes," Ava coaxed softly. "I need to make sure you don't have a concussion from earlier. Not that you won't heal from it anyway, but Archenemy prefers I keep an extensive log of injuries sustained by captives. For the records." But Shadow didn't care to, couldn't bear to see her friend seeing her like this. Didn't want to see Ava's reaction.

"Go away and let me rest," Shadow wheezed. It was barely more than a whisper on a breath of air, squeezed past her bloody throat.

"Do you really want to make this harder for yourself?" Ava's voice scoffed in disbelief. "You just took a serious beating. Just because you'll heal, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt in the meantime. I'm allowed to give you some painkillers to help you rest."

"And whose fault is it I need painkillers in the first place?" Shadow retorted with a cough. She didn't expect it to elicit a reaction, but she felt Ava recoil slightly as if stung.

"You did this to yourself," Ava said quietly, though she sounded sad... and maybe even a little guilty? "If you had come willingly, I wouldn't have had to intervene. You shouldn’t have tried to attack Archenemy.”

“Yeah, well, if you had helped at all – kff – maybe I would have won.” Shadow broke off into a bout of wheezing coughs, swallowing the blood in her throat.

“...You know I can't do that.”

“But you can. That’s the stupid part,” Shadow hissed. “Archenemy’s put some crazy illusion in your head that you can’t do anything without his approval. But you are alive, you are capable of making your own decisions. You don’t need to cater to his every whim. Has he ever given you a gift? Hmm? Anything other than what's necessary solely for survival? Sounds like he doesn't care a whole lot about you if he only puts the bare minimum amount of effort into keeping you alive. You are a tool to him, and he will never see you as anything more than a useful asset. He’ll dispose of you as soon as you stop being valuable.”

“You’re wrong,” Ava instinctively blurted. “Archenemy is trying to make a better city. He says that once we win the war against the corrupt heroes, the city will be at peace. Then everything will be right again.”

Shadow finally cracked her eyes open, peering dizzily up at Ava. “War doesn’t determine who is right… it determines who is left,” she rasped quietly. “Just… think about that, at least for a little while. See if it changes your perspective.” Then she reached out a shaky hand and gestured meaningfully. “Now. You said something about painkillers?”

It almost looked like a genuine smile twitched at the corners of Ava’s mouth as she rolled two red pills into Shadow’s expectant hand. Shadow didn't have water, so she used the blood that had pooled in the back of her throat to swallow them. One minute later and her limbs started feeling heavy.

“...There was a sedative in there too, wasn’t there?” Shadow slurred drowsily with a groan.

“Sorry… but you need rest to recover. And I know you well enough to know that you'd stay up all night and run yourself ragged trying to find a way to escape.”

“Darn right… I would have…” Shadow’s voice faded into a mumble as the tranquilizer took over, plunging her into unconsciousness.

Just have to say, I think using someone's own blood to swallow pills is probably the coolest and most metal thing I've ever come up with to write. We can all agree on that, right? 😂

⏪️ Back Next ⏩️

Masterlist

@scoundrelwithboba @lumpofsand @isikedmyself878 @iamheretohurt @fleur-a-whump

@ay5ksal @otterfrost @sausages-things @i-don't-know-sal @lavenderhousesposts

[sunny44]

Old vs new

Pairing: Lewis Hamilton x daughter

Warnings: none, just fluff

Summary: When Lewis is bored in his house and decide to do a instagram live with his daughter.

This is a request

It was a sunny afternoon and I was bored in the house, my wife was with her sister and I was at our house with my daughter who was doing something in her room and then I had the idea of doing an Instagram live witch is something I usually don’t do but since the fans lives Ava I thought it was a good ideia.

I called Ava saying to meet me in my trophies room and when I press the button to start the live, Ava entered the room and she sit in my lap and we immediately created a buzz as fans tuned in to witness our live.

"Hey everyone, I've got a very special lady here with me today," I said to the phone and Ava smiled and waved at everyone. "As you guys already now this is my daughter Ava. And she’s already in go kart to be the next Hamilton.”

Mia giggled, her eyes lighting up as she playfully jabbed, "Yeah, Dad, you're not as fast as you used to be. You're like, ancient in F1 years!"

The comment sparked laughter from Lewis and his audience. "Ancient, huh?" he responded, feigning shock. "Well, I might not be as young as I was when I started, but I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve!"

Ava’s eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, I've seen your tricks, Dad. I've also seen your old races on TV. Vintage stuff!"

The banter continued as they reminisced about Lewis's early days in racing. He recounted stories of his breakthrough races, while Mia giggled at the outdated racing gear he used to wear. "Hey, don't laugh too hard! Those suits were cutting-edge back then," Lewis protested, feigning offense.

Mia, her voice dripping with mock seriousness, quipped, "Yeah, sure they were, Dad. Just like those ancient cell phones you used!"

The playful teasing exchanged between father and daughter endeared them to their audience even more. Amidst the jokes, Lewis shared the valuable lessons he learned from his journey – the hard work, dedication, and resilience that drove him to become a champion.

"You know, Ava" Lewis began with a thoughtful expression, "racing isn't just about speed and trophies. It's about determination and pushing yourself beyond your limits. That's something you'll need to remember when you're the next Hamilton in F1."

Mia's eyes gleamed as she leaned closer to the camera. "Oh, I'll remember, Dad. And when I'm on that track, I'll make sure to remind everyone that the Hamilton legacy continues!"

Their connection was a beautiful blend of admiration and camaraderie. As the conversation flowed, Lewis turned the tables on Ava. "You know what, Ava? I think it's time for a challenge. How about we have a karting race this weekend? Old vs new!"

Ava's face lit up, excitement radiating from her. "You're on, Dad! Just remember, I've been practicing!"

As the live session drew to a close, Lewis shared his pride in his daughter's aspirations. "I'm not just her father, but also her biggest fan. If she chooses to step into the world of racing, I'll be there every step of the way."

The Instagram Live ended with promises of the upcoming karting showdown and a grateful farewell to the fans. Lewis and Ava had not only shared their love for racing but had given the world a glimpse into the genuine bond they shared – a bond that would undoubtedly continue to flourish as the next generation of the Hamilton legacy began to unfold.

[sukisheadlights]

PROTECTIVE TENDANCIES!

tmrminho x wckd!oc

summary: she took care of him all these years in the maze. But will she be there for him when he needs her outside it?

story: maze runner masterlist

rory’s voice mail 🎧: Sooo I'm not that well versed in the lore (that is a sign for re-watch + re-read I know) either way I haven't made any mistakes as far as I'm aware of but incase I missed anything, let me know <3 love you, say it back!

SPOILERS AHEAD OBVIOUSLY

Sadira spins around in her chair as the dark blue light reflects off her glasses; before coming to an abrupt and screechy halt when she hears him yell through the computer screen. She quickly turns and looks over the multiple cctv screens around her in search of minho, until she finds him. Eventually. She messes around with some buttons around her until the 'griever' as the gladers called it, slows down. She sighs and leans against the chair having succesfully saved him the third time this week.

Sadira could confidentaly say that she was the youngest at w.c.k.d. She was 16. She could tell you alot of things, except for what she does in the abnormally technologically advanced building all day. There isn't exactly a job description for saving the asses of the friends you've made through a screen who don't know you even exist. Infact, that probably hinders the consistent experiements being thrown at these children who are her age, heck— some of them are even younger.

Sadira knows that the only reason she isn't in that maze is because she's the daughter of Dr. Ava Paige. I guess even being an adopted daughter has it's own advantages.

That's why she's so careful when she saves the lives of the gladers, if ava finds out both her and the reckless gladers she watched over are doomed. Boy this would be tough to explain if she met them in person, how would she even act around them? Thankfully she doesn't have to worry about that yet. Right?

When Ava turned her away and banished her from coming to w.c.k.d for 'safety reasons', Sadira was MORE than curious on what her 'mother' was hiding. So naturally, when she called her back urgently she ran through the multiple maze like hallways of the building in search of Ava like a mad woman. Maybe in her own way, w.c.k.d was her maze and cage too. just in a non-life threatening sense. for now.

She walks towards the prison cell looking holding room as she stands next to the woman she calls her mother not looking through the window just yet; she should have, maybe she could have ran instead of walking straight to her demise.

Instead she stared gaping mouth at the other girl who happened to step into her peripheral vision. "You remember teresa, yes?" Ava announced loudly, her words ringing colder than the white lights above their head. Sadira could only nod in response; who the hell was inside that room?

"Unfortunately my love, it would be unwise to get into details here. But teresa recently found her way back to w.c.k.d, back to us. And she has been working with us in your absence. It is with a full heart that I can tell you that you will be learning hands on how to talk to a test subject today. Do not worry child, rest assured, you will be safe." She spoke again as teresa walked away, her tone laced with something unfamiliar which, looking back— could have only been something poisonous. "Go on." she nudged again as Sadira walked into the plain white chamber which, looked even sadder from the inside.

She turned around as the door closed behind her and this, mystery inmate. Her heart dropped to her feet. It was him. He was here. Nonetheless, she approached slowly and sat down infront of him. He looked...Terrible.

"Hello," She said blandly, but internally she was nervous as ever. But if she showed it, Ava wouldn't let her talk to him again. How would she help him out then? She should probably slow down but the difference in his character was unsettling.

He didn't say anything in response and only watched her intently, or dazed. She remembered how his eyes looked in the maze, even if they were facing near death every second of the day. And then she noticed how dead they looked this very moment, when this was the one time in life he was truly protected. She looked towards the one-way mirror hoping she was looking directly at Ava. That's when he scoffed. "They can't save you in here."

She looked back at him, eyebrows raised and all. "What would I need saving from, Minho? You won't hurt me." She said confidentally, but not in the sense that she knew he wouldn't. Well, still in that sense but she only showed Ava what was on the surface. Confidence in the sense that she was hiding her fear.

Minho ofcourse, knows that even if he wanted to kill her this very second he would be unable to, considering the shitload of drugs he was put on. She's pretty, it's a shame she's on the wrong side of all of this, he thought.

"Don't wanna talk? that's alright. We'll get you to one of these days Minho. Time is on our side." the words spilled out of sadira's mouth leaving a bitter after-taste. she didn't like talking to him like this, but if she even let Ava catch on to the idea that sadira had...once grown fond of the boy infront of her? she would have lost her chance. for what exactly? she's not entirely sure herself.

silence engulfed the small white room as she watched the nervous bob of his adam's apple before promptly getting up and leaving.

That night, without much shock. She was kidnapped. "Oh, it's just you lot." she said calmly, looking at the faces of thomas, frypan, newt, and gally. All the idiots she saved multiple times. Well, except for frypan— he was always a sweetheart.

The point is, she wasn't intimidated. Instead she laughed when they tried to threaten her. Then, she asked them to untie her and much to everyone's surprise, they obliged.

Not wanting to leave them high and dry Sadira explained everything to them. How she saved their lives, How she knew them, How she saw teresa, And about how she spoke to Minho. She then warned them that as a 16 year old saving them to those small extents was all she could have done and that it would be unwise to redirect their anger from w.c.k.d to her simply because she knew.

She also agreed to get minho out, but that was a given. The only condition she set down was freedom from Dr. Ava Paige. Who she had the displeasure of calling her mother. They sat on the floor that night and all the gladers and Sadira in unison decided the best plan to get minho out of that hellhole. And they settled.

On Gameday, Sadira offered to walk with Janson and pointed out how something looked suspicious with teresa and her guards. Inevitablly, Janson approached the disguised gladers and it was there that they grabbed her as she sneakily snatched janson's all building access card. She was with them under the ruse of a hostage, just so that Ava doesn't get suspicious and look too closely.

When they found out Minho was moved, it was only because of Sadira and another test subject that they could pinpoint Minho's exact location.

However, she should have probably thought to warn him in some way that she was on their side. Maybe then Minho wouldn't have mistakened her for the enemy and slammed her into the wall once they did find him. ouch.

The escape after that was mostly smooth sailing, there were no losses and only minor setbacks. But those don't matter enough to be mentioned here. [Authors Note: I didn't have it in me to kill off newt so don't blame me] Ofcourse, Sadira almost dying while protecting minho doesn't fall under minor setbacks but she would have done that for any glader.

When she woke up in the 'refugee' a few days later, minho was the first person she spoke to. The conversation flowed much more smoothly when her formerly alive mother (that was fun to find out) wasn't watching over them, she joked. And he laughed. And she thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world. So she made him do it again, and again, and again. Until she finally realised she couldn't get enough of it.

They moved fast. From touches, to kisses, to something more. But it was never in the sense that it was too much to handle, Instead it was in the sense that they had waited too long for each other and that they were desperate for this. Needy, even. Which was insane considering he barely knew her. Oh well.

First Kisses and First loves are obviously difficult post-apocalypse but hey, atleast it makes one hell of a story.

[totowlff]

chapter four — distance education

➝ nobody said that learning remotely was easy

➝ word count: 2,9k

➝ warnings: smut, d/s dynamics, masturbation, use of toys

➝ author’s note: i know it wasn't what you expected, but i hope it's what you wanted.

The sun was shining brightly over Melbourne that morning. The movement in the paddock was intense, an indication that this would be a day of intense activities on the track. However, Toto's good mood was not due to the conversations with George and Lewis or the positive prognosis for the sessions that would take place later. It was because he received, early in the morning, a good morning message from Ava.

Contrary to what he would have liked, she had stayed working in London. He even tried to convince her to go with him, but Ava refused, stating that the distance would serve Toto's learning process and she hoped he would take it seriously. And by taking it seriously, she meant that he should completely control his sexual desires and impulses.

It was simple in theory.

But, in practice, it was the biggest challenge of his life.

It started during the flight to Australia, when Ava sent a photo of a drawer full of lingerie and babydolls, stating that she was undecided which one to wear for their next meeting. With his lower lip between his teeth, he typed that he didn't mind that, since he knew she would look wonderful in all of them.

“Wrong answer”, Toto thought, as he stared at the photo Ava had sent.

In front of a mirror, her face was hidden by her cell phone, giving all the attention to the babydoll made entirely of lace that showed off all her curves, leaving practically nothing to his imagination. Letting out a heavy sigh, he typed out the first compliment he could think of before looking back at the image, practically mesmerized.

— Buying new pajamas? — someone asked next to him. When Toto looked up, he found the mischievous smile of Frédéric, who had the newspaper he was reading on his lap.

— Huh?

— Is that babydoll for you? — the team principal rephrased his question, pointing his head at the cell phone screen, where Ava's photo was still in display. Staring at the image again, Toto felt his face heat up.

— No, no, I'm not buying anything — he replied quickly.

— So you're just watching porn, got it — Fred said, before letting out a laugh, making Toto flinch, feeling his cheeks even hotter than before.

— It's not porn, it's just a photo.

— Very sexy by the way…

Noticing that the Frenchman was still staring at the image of the woman on the screen, he tried to hide it, preventing him from seeing more. It sounded counterproductive, but Toto couldn't help but feel a certain anger when he thought about Ava getting the attention of other men. It was a selfish feeling, not to say naive, since he knew the possibility of a dominant having several submissives, but Toto wanted him to be the only one in her life.

— Who is she?

— Who are you talking about? — he returned the question.

— The woman, who is she? — Fred insisted.

— Nobody.

— Your new girlfriend?

— What if she is?

The Ferrari boss smiled.

— Consider me surprised since no one has entered that ice heart of yours in years — Fred said — I think the last woman you introduced me to was your sister and that was almost ten years ago.

Toto rolled his eyes.

— You really are an idiot.

— That means you have a girlfriend, then — the man murmured, before looking to the side — Christian, did you know that Toto is dating?

Turning his face, he noticed that Christian Horner was heading back to his seat on the plane. He was returning from another trip to the bathroom, courtesy of the food poisoning he had arranged to disturb him during the flight. However, his indisposition did not prevent a sparkle from appearing in his eyes, as well as a malicious smile.

— Does he? What's her name?

— It doesn't matter to you — Toto murmured, while a new notification from Ava flashed on the phone’s screen. That made him quickly take the device in his hands, expectation growing in his chest — Actually, it doesn't matter to both of you, I shouldn't have said anything.

As if realizing he was anxious, the two team principals laughed.

— Apparently she's a good catch — Christian murmured, as he sat in his seat — Is she younger than you? Be careful not to bore her with your old man things, women don't like that.

— Old man things?

— Yeah, things old people do…

— Like shooting at plates in the English countryside? — Toto questioned, a certain irritation crackling in his voice. Christian narrowed his eyes, his lips pressed together for a few seconds.

— Like being an asshole on a plane — he said, before muttering a curse under his breath and turning around, walking quickly towards the bathroom. Toto's eyes met Frédéric's, who was shaking his head.

— You two are completely insufferable — he muttered.

Rolling his eyes, Toto simply closed the partition between his cabin and the plane's aisle. After taking a deep breath, he turned his attention to his phone, which still had Ava's notification shining on the screen. Unlocking the device, he came across a new photo of her, this time, with an even more daring piece. With gold details that resembled the reflections of the sun on sea water, the fabric did little to cover her nipples and pussy. “Do you think this one is better?”, the caption of the image asked him.

Before he could type the answer, a video appeared on the screen, his eyes widening at the sight of the thumbnail, his cheeks unbearably hot. Running a hand through his hair, Toto shifted uncomfortably in the armchair, without taking his eyes off Ava's tour of the piece, revealing the completely open back with a giggle.

— Maybe I'll use it while I suck you, so you can have a privileged view — she asked in the video, with a suggestive tone — Can you imagine seeing my pussy dripping with lust in front of you, begging for your cock inside it? Tell me what you think, little boy.

“This woman is going to kill me”, he thought to himself, putting down his cell phone and finding a not-so-subtle bulge in his pants. As he covered himself with the blanket he had been given by a flight attendant hours before, Toto couldn't help but be impressed by the power Ava had over him, even though she was hundreds of miles away.

And it had only been the beginning.

There hadn't been a day that she hadn't sent him a provocative or suggestive message. The photos of Ava's lingerie collection were already accumulating in his private folder, as were the videos and audios, all with a domineering tone that made him think about taking off his own pants and taking the matter into his own hands once and for all.

— You can't, Toto, you can't — he repeated to himself one night after dropping the phone on the bed, the image of Ava's new skirt, the back of which was made of buckles on a transparent tulle, shining on the screen. He had given his own pleasure into her hands, and that meant it was no longer up to him to decide about it.

The worst thing about it wasn't the distance or the maddening lust, but rather that all it took was one stern look from Ava for him to confess every time he had touched himself without her permission. And the consequences would be brutal, he was sure.

It was that context that made the arrival of Friday and the free practice sessions a real relief for Toto. In that situation, all he needed was something to occupy his mind, other than the impressive amount of lace and satin pieces that Ava had in her closet.

After waving to a circuit employee and taking a selfie with a boy waiting near the structure set up for the Mercedes, he entered the space with a smile. Saying a cheerful good morning to the catering team and making a joke with one of the engineers who was having coffee there, Toto headed to the small office set up for him.

Dropping his carry-on bag onto the table, he had just sat down when his cell phone began to vibrate in front of him. When he picked up the device, Toto felt a shiver run through his body when he read Ava's name on the caller ID, along with the word FaceTime. “What does she want now?”, he asked himself, before touching the green circle.

— Good morning, little boy — Ava's teasing voice sounded through the cubicle. Taking up practically the entire screen, her face had a sweet, almost innocent smile.

— Good morning, ma'am — he replied, pausing for a few seconds as he remembered the time zone — Good evening, I mean.

— How are you? Excited for today's sessions?

— I'm fine, ma'am. Excited may be too much, but yes I am looking for it.

— That's good — Ava murmured.

— What about you?

— I'm fine too — she replied — Just a little bored.

— Bored? — Toto said, giggling nervously. Ava nodded, the shadow of a smile on her lips, neatly painted a shade of pink.

— Yeah. So I decided to do something.

— To call me?

— No — she laughed — I called you to show you what I'm going to do.

Toto didn't have time to ask before Ava walked away from the camera, revealing that she was wearing only black satin lingerie, with no lace or any transparency. Running a hand over his forehead, he couldn't help but feel a familiar shiver run through her body as she climbed into bed, neatly dressed in black sheets. Above her fabric, the silver glow of something slightly curved caused the air to catch in his lungs.

— Ma’am…

— I know you've spent the last few days thinking about what it would be like to be inside me for the first time. I know you thought if it wouldn't be better to just ignore everything and fuck your hand while imagining you're here — she said, opening her legs dramatically. If the panties didn't allow Toto to have any glimpse of Ava, the opening in the middle of it allowed him to see her pussy — Isn't that right, little boy?

— Yes, ma'am — he murmured, mesmerized by the arousal that oozed from her folds and shone in the soft light of the room.

— I thought you might have an aperitif, you know? Since you're so far away from me but you want to touch me so much — Ava said, with a devilish smile on her face as she picked up the silver object next to her. The constant buzzing made Toto conclude that it was a vibrator.

— Ma’am…

— Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have my body to yourself for one night? — the words dripped like honey from her lips as Ava slid the flat tip of the toy down her inner thighs — Being able to touch me without any restrictions or rules? Feel my heat completely surrounding your cock? Hear my moans in your ear, begging you to go faster, harder, to fill my pussy with your cum?

Ava's narration drew those scenes almost automatically in Toto's mind. Her eyes full of desire and her lips parted, as if in a silent request for him to speed up, for him to give her what she wanted. And Toto was willing to give whatever his mistress wanted, even if it cost him his own sanity.

Bringing the vibrator close to her pubis  itself, Ava's eyes closed momentarily, a heavy sigh escaping her lungs, as if the promise of something good was on the horizon. And Toto never wanted so much to be the person who made her feel good.

— Yes, I did — he replied, as the silver tip of the toy drew slow circles on the upper portion of her pussy — I always think about how to please you, ma'am.

— If I told you to satisfy me now, what would you do, little boy? — Ava asked, her eyes squinting at her cell phone as she slid the toy through her own folds.

Toto shifted in his seat, feeling his cheeks getting even hotter. At that point, he didn't need to look down to know that he was hard from that completely explicit image of Ava, coupled with her words and teasing.

— I would start with your breasts, ma'am.

— Do you like my breasts? — she asked, with the shadow of a smile on her face.

— Yes, ma'am. I love them.

— And what would you do with them?

— I would kiss, lick and suck your nipples until they were hard — he replied, as he saw her hand move up her torso towards her bra, squeezing the soft skin. The air was trapped in Toto's lungs, his eyes analyzing that scene that seemed to have come from one of his most erotic dreams.

— And then? — she grumbled softly, moving the toy up and down against her labia minora, as if teasing herself.

— I would slide my mouth along your skin until I reached your pussy. And I would take my time to discover everything you like. I would discover the ideal rhythm, the position of the tongue, whether you like me to use my fingers or not…

— Yes — Ava sighed, her tone almost revealing vulnerability.

Faced with that scene, Toto had the impression that pleasure was the place where she stripped herself of titles and rituals. And seeing her like that, so absorbed in the sensation she was causing in herself with the vibrator, made him place one of his hands over the bulge in his pants, as if that could help alleviate the unbearable lust he was feeling.

That was Ava's effect on him.

— Would you make me come with your tongue, little boy? — she murmured, her eyes meeting his through the screen.

— No, ma'am. You deserve more, much more.

Ava smiled.

— What do I deserve, then? — she asked defiantly, the tip of the vibrator resting firmly against her clit, her eyelids fluttering with the pleasure coursing through her body.

— My cock, ma'am. You deserve to feel him inside you, filling you and making you moan with pleasure. You deserve to enjoy the best I can give you.

A whimper escaped Ava's lips as she slid the vibrator into her own opening, rubbing the chrome tip against herself.

— Would you be gentle, little boy?

— Would you like me to be gentle?

She smiled, inserting the toy inside herself with a moan.

— Fuck — Toto murmured, his hand squeezing his own member under the fabric of his pants, as she arched her back, her eyes closed tightly.

— This… Yes, fuck, yes — Ava whimpered, her legs shaking as she sped up the toy's thrusts. Forcing herself to open her eyes, she found Toto's image on her cell phone, witnessing that scene practically frozen, as if any word or movement could ruin what was happening.

And in that split second, she shattered.

He was sure he could have accompanied Ava and cum in his own pants like a teenager from what he had just witnessed. Seeing her writhing with pleasure was something sublime, perhaps more pleasurable than anything she had ever given him behind closed doors.

It was the effect Ava had on him.

She was still catching her breath when Toto finally broke the silence.

— Ma’am?

— Hm?

— Would it be my turn now? — he asked, his voice sounding a little too naive.

Suddenly, Ava sat up in bed, one eyebrow raised.

— What made you think you would have your turn?

Toto blinked.

— Ah, well, I just made you cum…

Ava let out a giggle.

— Little boy, you're so innocent — she said, in a condescending tone — First of all, you saw me cum, you didn't make me cum. They are two different things.

— But I guided — Toto tried to argue.

— You watched, little boy — Ava interrupted him abruptly — And that's different from guiding, something you wouldn't do since I'm the dominant one here. Secondly, I think your insolence is reason enough for me to deny your request.

— Ma’am, I just…

— You questioned my intentions and wanted to take a place that doesn't belong to you.

— Please, ma'am...

— Have a good day, Toto — she said, before ending the call.

Staring at the screen in shock, he couldn't believe what had just happened. The best minutes of his life had turned into the worst in a matter of seconds, and the blame was solely on his anxiety to please Ava.

— Holy shit, Torger — he muttered to himself, running a hand over his face.

Suddenly, a knock on the door made Toto adjust himself in his chair, inviting whoever was outside to enter. A few seconds later, Bradley's face appeared through the crack.

— Ah, you're there, Toto — he said — I thought you hadn't arrived.

— I just got here, Brad — he answered, still feeling his cock painfully hard inside his trousers — Any problem?

— No, no, I was just in a room next door and I heard a strange noise.

Toto felt his hands get cold.

— Strange noise?

— Yeah, like a whining or something. I thought it might be someone with a problem, but I didn't find anyone...

— There must be a television on in one of the briefing rooms, no?

— I think it's difficult — Bradley replied with a small smile.

— Why?

— I don't know if any of the televisions here have access to porn.

Toto blinked, his stomach dropping.

— Well, check it anyway. We never know if we are going to be victims of a virtual attack or something like that — he managed to say, trying to hide his own discomfort.

With a nod, Bradley closed the door.

And Toto was sure that he had barely escaped.

[pedropascalsx]

Sooner. {Frankie Morales x F! Reader.}

Summary: Frankie has been your flight instructor for the past eight months and offers to drive you across state lines to your flying test. The only problem is you get to the hotel and there’s only one bed.

Warnings: Some angst, mutual pining, some flirting, friends to lovers, masturbation, accidentally caught masturbation, strong language, oral (f) receiving, fingering, p in v sex. some fluff.

Word count: 3500 exactly.

Authors note: Happy Valentine’s day to my sweet, LJ! I love you to pieces and I hope you enjoy this fic written for you. @prolix-yuy

“Thank you,” you murmur to Frankie as he effortlessly glides onto the freeway, “I’m so nervous that I’d probably crash trying to get to the damn test.”

His warm chuckle floats in the air as he lightly shrugs his shoulders, “Ava is with her Mom this weekend and I always twiddle my thumbs until she’s back. It’ll be nice to be a little distracted.”

“She’s a lucky girl,” you say with a smile, focusing on the photo of them hanging together hanging from his mirror. She is his double. Curly brown hair and big beautiful brown eyes and that very same dimple that makes an appearance when he smiles or gets a little flustered.

“Trust me I’m the lucky one!” He beamed before lightly squeezing your knee, “And you don’t have to be nervous by the way, you’re an incredible pilot and I’d go as far as saying the best student I’ve ever had. I have nothing but faith that you’ll be incredible. You’ve just got to believe in yourself a little more.”

You giggle quietly at his praise before responding with some of your own, whilst attempting to ignore the way your stomach did somersaults at his touch, “Well, the student is only as good as their master. So thank you.”

He hums back as you fiddle with the stereo of his truck, settling on a station blasting some Whitney Houston and you quietly drum your fingers across the smooth plastic of the dashboard. You sit in a quiet silence for the next hour, enjoying the music and watching the day quietly shift into night and taking in the sights of the sunset playing out in front of you.

“Do you want to find somewhere for dinner before we get to the hotel or order room service? Early start tomorrow. So you need a good meal before bed.”

“It’s up to you.” You insist. “You’re driving so you’re in control, Mr. Morales.”

“There’s a diner about ten minutes ahead.” He says with a large smile spreading across his cheeks. “Prepare yourself for the best pancakes you’ll ever have in your life.” The dimple that makes your heart stutter makes an appearance on his cheek and you chide yourself for the feelings that it stirs up in your chest.

God he’s attractive. Like really attractive. When he first greeted you on your first flying lesson you thought you were going to melt right then and there. And over the past 8 months you’ve found yourself slowly growing attached to him. He quickly became your friend and you started to talk and text outside of lessons but you’d suppressed the deeper feelings that you found yourself having for him out of fear they weren’t returned.

“Pancakes sound great,” you eventually responded as you pulled back from the daydream you’d been sucked into.

You glance back over at him. He’s focusing on the road ahead, his aviators resting on the bridge of his nose, that gorgeous dimple still completely visible and the little grin on his face paired with the gorgeous pink skyline making the perfect background makes your heart flutter. You instinctively reach into your pocket and retrieve your cell phone to take a few pictures and he chuckles loudly in response.

“What are you doing?” he asks with a slight twist of his lips.

“You look… nice,” you reply sheepishly, “And it’s about time you updated your facebook picture. The photo of the fish is getting very old, buddy.”

“You been snooping through my pics?” he asks whilst pulling into a spot in front of diner and you feel your cheeks get hot with embarrassment.

“I-uh..” you start to stammer and he laughs again.

“Relax. I’m just teasing. Plus it’s not like I haven’t had a look through yours.” He admits as he pushes open the driver's door.

You swallow hard at his admission and follow him into the small diner, letting him lead you towards a small booth in the back.

“I caught that fish you know,” he announces as he slides across the leather seat, “A catfish. It’s my tag. Back from my military days. My friends still call me it.”

“Really? Why catfish?” You ask with a smile.

“Whiskery beard,” he says whilst rubbing the adorable patches in his beard, “Never finished puberty.”

“I think the existence of your daughter disputes that.” You giggle back and he laughs with you. “So pancakes?”

“Pancakes.”

You sit back and listen to him share some stories about his days in the military. He briefly talks about an event that happened in South America that made him wake up and really sort out his life. And how the death of one of his friends made him realize that he couldn’t spend the rest of his life skating past all the shit he was drowning in and he checked himself into rehab within 48 hours of being home.

He split amicably with his ex and once he was working full-time again, Ava worked in with him and her mom went back to school to finish up her degree. He was doing better than he ever was and you couldn’t help but feel extremely proud of him.

You insisted on paying the cheque which he reluctantly agreed after you argued it was only fair since he drove here. But he insisted that breakfast would be on him in the morning and you rolled your eyes and tutted loudly as you bounced out towards his truck.

“Hotel is roughly an hour from here,” he announces as he switches on the ignition, “And the flight test centre is maybe fifteen minutes from there. Good location.”

“Let’s go,” you say excitedly as your strap on your seatbelt.

He hums along to the radio as he navigates the roads with ease, you can’t help but steal the occasional glance at him. You think back to those first few weeks and how far you’ve come and how grateful that he was the one to get you here. As difficult as it had been, as distracting as he could be, he was the perfect teacher and you truly hoped he’d stay in contact long after your test was complete.

“You’re very quiet,” he says with an inquisitive tone, “Tired? Or are you nervous about tomorrow?”

“Not tired,” you admit, “But yeah, I'm definitely nervous. Just reflecting and thinking about some things.”

“Easier said than done but try not to overthink. I really mean it when I said you’re an incredible pilot. It’s been a pleasure to teach you, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, Frankie.” Your chest feels all warm and fuzzy at the endearment and you remind yourself that he has never once indicated that he sees you more as a friend. Out the window you see that the pink sky has faded into a dark blue and darkness surrounds you on all sides.

Before you realize you’re there Frankie is pulling into the very full parking lot of the hotel and driving into what looks like the only free space.

“Sold out Lady Gaga concert a few miles from here,” you inform him as he raises an eyebrow at the amount of cars around.

He grabs both bags from the back and tuts at you when you try to wrestle yours from him.

*

“But we booked this room months ago,” you say trying to hide the upset in your voice, “I have the confirmation right now.”

“I know,” the receptionist says without a care in the world, “It was double booked. You booked on our website and they booked it on our partner site before we were able to update.”

“So if we booked it first…why isn’t it our room?” Frankie asks before you have a chance.

“We reviewed the booking. They got the two bed suite as there are four of them and two of you. We were able to move you into a smaller room and we will refund the difference to the card it was booked with.”

“Fine,” you say with a reluctant sign, “If sharing one room is okay with you?” You turn to ask Frankie.

“As long as you don’t snore.” He quips back.

The receptionist checks you in and hands you both a keycard before rattling off the fire exits and the number for reception if anything is needed. You follow Frankie into the elevator and let out a sigh.

“We didn’t need any fancy hotel suite,” he says with a shrug, “Shower and sleep. That’s all we’re here for.”

You nod in agreement and exit the elevator, heading straight towards your assigned room.

You swipe the keycard and take a few steps into the room, peering into the bathroom on your immediate left before making your way into the bedroom and you feel your heart stop .

“Only one bed.” He murmurs from behind you.

“I’ll take the couch,” you reply with a sharp nod of your head.

“Like hell you will,” he spits out from behind you, “You’re not going to get a half decent night's sleep on that shitty thing and you need to be

well rested for tomorrow's test. I’ll take the couch and I'll let you pay for breakfast in the morning. No arguments.”

You turn on your heel and roll your eyes at him, “Fine. I’m so sorry, Frankie.”

“Don’t be sorry, sweetheart,” he says with a fleeting touch of your cheek, “It's just one of those things. We’re adults. We can cope with it. Do you mind if I take the first shower?”

“Go for it,” you say as you take your bag from him, “I’m gonna order a few drinks from room service as room temperature water doesn’t appeal to me and switch on the TV.”

“I wouldn’t say no to a Dr Pepper,” he says before disappearing into the bathroom.

“Got it.”

The sound of the shower being switched on makes you groan. You had chosen a suite because the bedrooms were on opposite ends to each other and no matter how hard you try not to be, you almost find yourself extremely affected after being in close proximity to him. So you figure now is your chance.

Arousal had been pooling in your panties since you first climbed into his truck several hours ago. The guilt you felt at needing release with him just a few feet away being beaten out by the aching in your core.

You comfortably place yourself on the centre of the bed and hike your dress up over your hips, dipping your fingers into your panties and dragging some of your slick up towards your clit before circling it gently.

Your mind drifting to the thought of his hands. His large rough and capable hands. Honestly you couldn’t count the amount of times that you’d lost focus in lessons because you’d been so distracted by watching them and wondering if they’d be as skillful in other ways.

You lifted your hips from the bed and quickly removed your panties before going back to rubbing your clit, letting his name quietly fall from your lips as you did so.

*

Frankie switched on the shower letting it heat up as he tidied up his facial hair, clearly up the loose scraggly hairs in his head and trimming his moustache so it didn’t tickle his top lip so much.

He lifted off his shirt and let it fall to the floor before scanning the room for some towels. “Shit,” he murmured as he realized they must be in the bedroom. He forgoed putting his shirt back on and reached for the door handle and turns it slowly, his cheeks burning red at the unexpected sound of you moaning his name as the door cracked opened.

*

“Frankie,” you mewl as the tips of your fingers rub your bundle of nerves a little quicker, your eyes slamming closed as the pleasure builds until you’re almost at the edge.

“Fuck.” Frankie grunts as he watches your slick fingers disappear into your cunt.

You freeze and groan out loud. An apology lingers at the tip of your tongue and before you can croak it out, you feel the bed dip beneath you as he kneels on the bottom.

“You were thinking about me? I heard you moan my name” he says as you slowly open your eyes with your fingers still buried deep inside your pussy.

“Yeah,” you admit before biting down on your lip, “I’m so sor-.”

“Don’t apologize,” he orders before reaching down and pulling your hand away from your pussy, “Only reason I wanted to shower so quickly is because I’ve been half fucking hard all day because of you. Been needing to jerk off so badly.”

Slowly he pushes one of his thick fingers inside of your needy pussy, “So fucking tight,” he snarls as he starts to pump it in and out. “Jesus. The amount of times I’ve fucked my fist after a lesson because you’ve driven me insane, baby.”

You keen and clench down around him at the new endearment, and he lets out a soft chuckle, “You like that huh, baby?” he asks with a grin on his face. “Fuck, can I taste you?”

“Please,” you squeak out a little too quickly and you squeal as he immediately buries his face in pussy. His finger remains inside of you as he licks at your clit, lapping at you like a man starved. Slowly he resumes pumping his finger as he sucks your clit between his lips, doing something magical with his tongue as you writhe underneath.

“Oh, fuck,” you moan, an endless stream of pleasure filled moans echoing around the room before you lose control, “Wanted you since I first saw -ahhh- you.”

He groans into your pussy, and you’re certain you feel his mouth curl up into a smile before he resumes his delicious assault on your bundle of nerves and sliding in a second finger.

“Thought about your hands,” you admit before moaning his name. His fingers start rubbing up something wonderful inside you. It doesn’t take long until he works you up to that edge, your mouth unable to spill any word that isn’t his name up until you choke out that you’re gonna cum and that’s when he decides to increase his already earth shattering efforts and you clamp around his fingers so hard that you’re certain it must hurt.

“So fucking tight,” he grits out against your pussy, his moustache tickling your overstimulated bundle of merced as he does do. Slowly he withdraws his fingers from inside of you and brings them up to his mouth, watching you watch him with wide eyes as he sinks them into his mouth. Sucking them clear of your slick and groaning in delight as he does so.

“Fuck,” you moan as he pulls them out of his mouth, “I want you to fuck me.”

“Yeah,” he asks as he runs his fingers through your slit, “This pretty little pussy all needy for my cock?”

“Please,” you beg as he presses his thumb against your clit and draws a few lazy circles, “I need it.”

“I think you can ask nicer than that, baby.” He teases with a grin.

“Please, Frankie,” you moan as he works your bundle of nerves, “Please give me your cock.”

“Good girl,” he coos as he pulls his thumb away, “You wanna ride me? Bounce up and down on my dick whilst telling me those thoughts you’ve been having about my hands?”

“Yes,” you gasp as he shifts off the bed and starts to undo his pants. Pulling his boxers off at the same time and chuckling at the gasp you let out at the sight of him.

Even he’d admit that he’s impressive, thick, uncut and long. “Take off your dress and come take a ride,” he orders before sitting himself up against the headboard.

You comply immediately, stepping off the bed and ripping off your sundress and freeing yourself of your bra.

You straddle him slowly and he pulls you into a possessive kiss, the taste of you lingering on his mouth as he tongue battles against yours. One of his hands guides your hips and he positions himself so you can sink down onto him.

“Frankie,” you moan as he stretches you open. Slowly you sink down inch by inch. His rich tone fills your ears as he gives you endless praises as you fill yourself with him. His cock throbs inside of you as he stretches out your walls. He waits patiently for you to get accustomed to the size of him, giving you gentle kisses and more praises. You slowly start to move, making sure not to rush the pace. His hands explore your body as you begin to find your rhythm.

“Tell me,” he orders, “Tell me what you were thinking when you should have been listening?”

“Frankie,” you moan as his hand slaps across your ass, “So many -fuck- so many things. I-I wanted to drop to my knees, suck your cock whilst you were in the pilot seat.”

“Yeah? What else?”

“Thought about you slipping those thick fingers into my panties and making me cum as I recited what every button on the panel is for. Thought about you fucking me in hangar before and after every lesson.”

“You should have said something,” he grunts before bringing his hand down on your ass again and moving it across your hip to make you move faster. “If I knew you wanted me too, I would have fucked you ages ago.”

“Didn’t realize you wanted this too,” you admit as he grinds up against that spot inside of you again. “Gonna cum,” you garble as he starts to fuck up inside of you, taking control and making sure to hit that spot everything. Your whole body stiffens as you clamp down around him, pleasure consuming your every sense as you come hard on his cock.

He wastes no time switching the position when you’re coming down from your high, guiding you down on your back and placing your leg over his shoulder so he can fuck into you even deeper.

“Give me one more and then I'll cum,” he grits out as he thrusts in and out of you, his thumb finding your clit again as he does so. “So fucking pretty,” he spits out as he watches you writhe beneath him. “Feel so fucking perfect.”

His pace is hard and fast and like nothing you’ve experienced before, the thickness of him still makes you gasp as he continues splitting you open. “Rub your clit for me,” he orders as he pulls his thumb away and places that hand on your other hip, your finger snakes down your stomach and you play with your bud of pleasure as directed, “Such a good girl,” he grunts out as your walls flutter around his throbbing cock.

“Gonna cum,” you choke out again as your third orgasm threatens to sweep through you, “Frankie,” you manage to mumble as it washes through you. His pace getting even faster and he fucks you through

your orgasm.

“Where?” he snarls as his pace gets a little sloppy.

“IUD. Fill me up,” you beg from under him.

“Yeah? You want me to fill up this perfect pussy? Maybe I’ll do it again in the morning as well. Have my cum dripping out of you during your test.”

“Come for me,” you plead as he continues to shred up inside of you.

You clench around him hard and he lets go with a grunt of your name, you cunt milks him dry with each thrust. His lips capture yours one more time before he pulls out and rolls over next to you.

“That was… wow,” he says with a chuckle before kissing your shoulder gently.

“So much better than just my fingers,” you reply with a giggle.

“God, if I’d have known sooner,” he says before wiping his forehead, “Couldn’t see a girl like you going for a guy like me.”

“What?” you ask completely bewildered, “Frankie, you’re fucking gorgeous. I’ve wanted to fuck you from day one, I’m serious.”

“Probably best that we waited until I’d finished teaching you,” he says after a few minutes of comfortable silence and before getting up.

“Going to switch off the shower, and get something to clean you up with” he says sensing your confusion, “We can shower in the morning.”

He runs the washcloth under the shower before running the rag across his cock, wets the rag again and switches the shower off. You’re still lying patiently as he rounds the bed and he gently runs the cloth through your folds. “Get into bed, baby,” he orders and he throws the cloth onto the dresser, and climbs in beside you.

He wraps his arms around you and pulls you closer, “Thank fuck for double bookings,” he murmurs into your ear and you giggle in response.

Sleep comes quickly and comfortably. More comfortably than it had in a while.

[winniethewife]

I made you my temple, my mural, my sky (Johnathan Levy x reader)

Warnings: Implied Age gap, angst ending in fluff.

Words: 738

They were fighting again. She was tired of the fighting. It felt unfair, he had so much more experience, He having been married and divorced, this being her first serious relationship. He wasn’t even sure why they were fighting, what started the fight, was he just used to fighting? Is this what he thought love looked like? She gave up and left the room in tears. He takes a moment, has a cigarette break before going to join her in the other room.

“I sit and watch you, I notice everything you do or don't do, I feel like I’m analyzing your every move, waiting for some inevitable betrayal.” He says softly as he leans on the doorway. She’s looking out the window as she sits on the couch, her chin in her hands.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for…You're so much older and wiser and I…I don’t know what I’m doing…” She looks over at him, she can see the tears in his eyes. She feels guilty, maybe the fights are pointless, maybe she’s just missing something. She lets out a soft sigh and moves over so he can come sit with her. He doesn’t move. He runs his hand over his beard and tilts his head to the side.

“If it's all in my head tell me now, That, I’m looking for something that isn’t happening. Tell me I've got it wrong somehow.” He says, the slightest bit of fight still in his voice, but most of it was heartbreak and assumptions. She runs her hand along her arm and shakes her head slightly.

“You can’t be more wrong Jon. I don’t think I could leave, even If I wanted to. Every day I wait by the door like I'm just a kid, for you to come home. Everything I do, I do it for you, I feel like my every waking hour is in dedication to you.” She looks up at the celling. “But none of it is enough is it?”

“Honey I…god I’m an idiot.” He half laughs, half sighs in exasperation. “You do some much for me and I act like it’s nothing. You lay the table with the fancy shit, polish plates until they gleam and glisten, Take care of Ava, you do everything… While you were out building other worlds, where was I?” He shakes his head before walking over sitting down next to her, leaning over, putting his head in his hands. She puts a hand on his shoulder and softly squeezes him.

“Jonathan, you know I love you. I don’t want to leave you. I don’t want to be begging for footnotes in the story of your life. I just…I feel like I’m taking up too much space or time.” She says softly. He sits up and looks at her. A soft sad simile on his face.

“How can you stand to be around me? I’m always assuming the worst about us, like I expect it all to go up in flames at any time. As if everything is just a time bomb, I just assume it will go to shit…” He leans back resting his head on her shoulder, She instinctively nuzzles into his mess of curls finding comfort in his scent.

“You’ve spent a long time thinking everything was okay and wonderful and great to have the worst happen. I don’t blame you for thinking that way.” She says as they curl up together on the couch.

“I always thought you assume I'm fine, when I’m so obviously not.” He grumbles softly. She rubs circles in his back as she holds him close

“What would you do if I told you that, I think the same way? That I’m just…damaged goods to you.” She asks. He takes her hand in his.

“My love, if you’re damaged goods then, I am far beyond repair.” He chuckles softly. She takes his chin in her hand and turns his head to look into his dark eyes with a loving look on her face.

“Just a couple of broken toys no one wants to play with…” She leans into kiss him, her soft lips against his as he scoffs slightly at her remarks.

“Likely story.” He mutters against her lips.

“Would you rather I try to fix you? Believe me, I could do it…I think…I know how.” She moves her kisses from his lips down his neck….

“That…Just might work.”

~

Series Masterlist

[smokestarrules]

hi, huge fan, 45 + avabea perhaps? hehehe :3

45. pretending to hate each other au

/ /

“Oh my fucking god. Vincent,” Ava snaps, dragging him into an adjacent room. “Why is she here?”

Vincent sighs, taking his arm out of her grasp with no small amount of exasperation. “Ava,” he says, tone placating, “you know why she’s here. She’s an asset to the company and she’s good at her job. If we could’ve gotten anyone else, we would’ve gotten someone else.” He shifts on his feet, which is never a good sign. “Ava, listen—”

“What.” 

“She’s going to be sticking around. That’s non-negotiable right now, and—” Ava sighs. “—I just need you to be civil. Please,” he says, eyes tired behind his stupid-looking spectacles. 

“Look,” Ava snaps, “I’m always civil. It’s her who always—”

“Ava.” 

Ava knows she’s loveable, is the thing. She’s pretty sure Vincent kind of thinks of her as the daughter he never had, or something equally as shudder-inducing as that. It’s that which makes him soften, visibly, as she continues to glare at him. He reaches out to touch her shoulder. “Ava…” 

She snorts, crossing her arms. “Fine,” she snaps, looking away, “but I don’t want to speak to her.”

“You won’t have to,” he replies, instantly placating, shoulders slumping in obvious relief. “Your specialties don’t line up in any way, and you have no reason to be called on in today’s meeting. It’s just a few weeks,” he says, and Ava hangs her head back, letting out a groan. “Just a few weeks, and then she’ll be gone again.”

Ava doesn’t much like the sound of that. She stalks out of the room without another word, making her way next door where the meeting will be taking place. She’s one of the last to arrive, and the object of her protests is already here. 

She meets Beatrice’s eyes, sitting down across from Ava’s own seat—on purpose, she’s sure—and Ava sets her jaw. Beatrice rolls her eyes in response, a sharp, cold response, and there’s that thrill Ava’s always chasing. She’s not at all required to not look at her and so she doesn’t even try, content to study Beatrice and only Beatrice as it drags on. Throughout the entire meeting, Ava doesn’t pay attention to a single word anyone else says. 

Under the table, her leg bounces, restless. Her hands drum on her lap, unable to keep still in any semblance of the word. 

Just a few more minutes. 

/ / 

“Ava—”

“Shh, you’re going to get us caught!” Ava fastens a hand over Beatrice’s mouth, relishing in the frown she gets in return. This one’s much more real; much nicer to see, too. It’s only been a few days since she saw her last, but that’s far too long.

“I’m going to get us caught?” Beatrice pulls away from her hand, leaning against the wall of the closest she’d been dragged into with an unimpressed look. “You’re the one ensuring that we both disappear at the same time. Very suspicious.” 

Ava thinks that’d require any of their coworkers to have more than one functioning brain cell but she doesn’t say that. 

“Look. Even if someone does find us, they’re just going to think that you finally gave into my charms,” Ava says convincingly, shaking her head. “They’re not going to even consider the idea that we’re working for someone else.” 

“Into your what?” 

“And even if they do think of that,” Ava goes on, ignoring her, “which they won’t, by the way—” she raises her hand to Beatrice’s cheek, delighting in the way that, despite Beatrice’s protests, she still leans into the touch. “Then we just go. We’ve got plenty of evidence already, these next few weeks are just wrapping it all up in a tidy little bow.” She grins, sharp and ragged, and watches the way Beatrice’s gaze darkens, eyes dropping lower. “Sometimes it’s more fun to be sloppy, you know?” 

Beatrice’s brow furrows again, but she doesn’t move away. Her own hands creep up Ava’s back to her hair, tracing lines of heat across her spine. Ava’s nose brushes against hers, heart skipping a beat. She darts her eyes back up once more, relishing in the unfocused state, and then, finally, leans in properly like she’s been wanting. 

The kiss is softer than she would’ve expected, but that’s not at all something to be disappointed about. Ava’s other hand comes up so she can cup both of Beatrice’s cheeks, pressing nearer, as close as she can manage. Beatrice is warm against her in a familiar, calming sort of way. Ava’s missed her so much. 

They both break away momentarily to breathe, and in the interim Beatrice hisses, “Fine. But any consequences will be on your head.”  

Ava just giggles, utterly uncaring, and pulls her in again. 

[kilfeur]

Ok déjà les deux premières images, pourrait être leur séparation ou bien justement solidifier leur union. Et vu que Janai brûle les racines, ça pourrait être la mort d'Amaya ou bien le fait que quelque chose arrive à la graine et du coup ça se répercute à l'endroit où elle l'avait gardé. Et n'a d'autres choix que de brûler les racines signifiant la perte de l'avenir de son royaume .

Les prochaines images sont Callum et une créature, Callum semble être seule mais vu qu'on voit justement Rayla sur la dernière image. Je suppose qu'elle finit par le rejoindre pour l'aider. Par contre j'ai l'impression qu'elle porte un collier de lune cette créature, ça me fait un peu penser à Ava. Peut être que cette créature garde la tour céleste !

Ezran qui réconforte justement Zym qui sont sans nouvelles de Zubeia. J'imagine que Soren et Corvus sont justement partis à sa recherche. Et la deuxième image où Ezran est sous la pluie avec Opeli, ça pourrait être à propos de ces fameux principes défiés. Donc curieuse de voir ça, concernant Ezran .

La tour céleste semblait plus petite en largeur après j'imagine que c'est plus petit à l'extérieur, grand à l'intérieur. Avec pas mal d'elfes célestes, par contre ce que tient Stella, c'est la prison d'Aaravos ou c'est autre chose ? Et la dernière image fait très cérémonie, soit c'est la couronne ou bien la lame de nova (voir même les deux). Soit c'est autre chose peut être lié à l'arcanum de l'étoiles.

Et Karim qui a la couronne même si je la trouve différente par rapport à celle de Janai. Et la graine semble subir quelque chose, Karim a du sang sur les mains. Donc soit celui de sa soeur, Pharos, Miyana mais le plus possible serait Amaya. Et c'est peut être ça qui cloche justement avec la graine !

Okay, the first two images could be their separation, or they could be solidifying their union. And given that Janai burns the roots, it could be Amaya's death or the fact that something has happened to the seed and it's affecting the place where she kept it. And she has no choice but to burn the roots, meaning the loss of her kingdom's future.

The next images are Callum and a creature. Callum seems to be alone, but Rayla is seen in the last image. I suppose she eventually joins him to help him. On the other hand, I have the impression that this creature is wearing a moon necklace, which reminds me a little of Ava. Maybe this creature is guarding the celestial tower!

Ezran comforting Zym, who has no news of Zubeia. I imagine Soren and Corvus are out looking for her. And the second image, where Ezran is in the rain with Opeli, could be about those famous defied principles. So I'm curious to see what this means for Ezran.

The celestial tower seemed smaller in terms of width, but I imagine it's smaller on the outside and bigger on the inside. With lots of celestial elves, but is what Stella's holding the prison of Aaravos or something else? And the last image is very ceremonial: it's either the crown or the nova blade (or even both). Or something else, perhaps linked to the star's arcanum.

And Karim has the crown, although I find it different from Janai's. And the seed seems to be undergoing something, Karim has blood on his hands. So either his sister's, Pharos, Miyana, but the most possible would be Amaya. And maybe that's exactly what's wrong with the seed!

[thoraeth]

Words: 2830

Summary: Everything seems ready to take the Challengers' new technology to the next level. However, the only way to move forward is coming to terms with the past.

Chapter5(P.1) - Clockwork

<CH4(PT2) CH5(PT2)> | Read on Ao3

The sun rays of a new morning cast their dim light over the boots and uniforms scattered on the floor.

“Daisy daisy give me your answer do

I'm half crazy all for the love of you…”

Buggy lays on Ava's chest, breath slowing down into tiny clouds on his lips. He indulges in the familiar humming, in the comfy feeling of her fingers running through his hair. 

“You really like that one, uh?” he yawns.

“Yes. It's quite sweet.” 

Struggling, the pirate rolls next to her. 

“Damn, these beds are too tiny. We're joining modules tonight.”

“Are we?” Ava laughs. “Couple of weeks ago you didn't want to share a boat. Is this… a change of plans?”

“Maybe. Sort of. I gotta admit it: you've dragged me into something interesting and now I wanna see what else is there.” 

With a gentle rustling of sheets, the jester brushes his toes along her legs. 

“Wouldn't be the first time your follies click with me, after all...” he adds.

Ava sits up, smiling softly. “In Fugu we’ve got hundreds of stories about pirates: deranged creatures who roam the world, only caring for ale and adventure. Lives so full… Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine I could click with one of them.”

The blue-haired man reaches out to cup her cheek, when Ava’s nose wrinkles up and one big sneeze catches her off guard.

“Ew!”

“It’s getting colder, isn't it?”

A sudden knocking makes Ava and Buggy turn their heads towards the doors.

“Oi! You guys awake? Open up!”

Leaning against the corridor’s wall, Romi is shouting in a slurred voice. She massages her nose under the round lens, a box in her arms.

It seems like an eternity, but eventually a messy blue mane appears behind the sliding doors.

“About damn time.” The Captain says, squinting her eyes. 

She stares at the men blankly, wondering whether or not he's wearing a bedsheet. Must be another hallucination from the horrible hangover that's ravaging her, just like the sneezing blanket next to the window.

“I had the fire alarm restored!” She continues. “I’m telling you, jester: move a single bolt on my ship and I’ll fly your ass to Karai Bari!”

A heavy box lands in the man’s arms as Romi digs her fingers into her temples.

“Here’s some winter gear. It's already snowing and we're not even close to Karakuri.”

“Never heard of that.” Buggy shrugs. “Well, thanks and see y-”

The blanket sneezes again. This time it's loud and clear.

Romi looks around the room, perplexed, when she meets Buggy's guilty look and everything gets plain as day, even for her intoxicated brain cells.

“Ok…I guess I’ll leave you guys to, uhm, whatever this is.” she says, adjusting her glasses slowly.

The Captain turns around and walks out of the room with a cunning smile on her face. 

“This is one hell of a 164!” She chuckles, stumbling under the deck's light arches.

As the hours pass, a thick fog rises over the Grand Line. The Challenger comes out of the Belts, sailing across the dark waters under a storm of chunky snowflakes. On its weather deck, the crew is wrapping up in white camo suits.

“We take the icebreakers’ path to Karakuri, then dock at the farest end of the harbor.” 

Romi turns the Drifter on and gives her orders.

“Meg,Torres, Allen, you're hiking team. Go straight to the lab's ruins. If the machine is still there, we take it apart and bring it aboard piece by piece.”

As the engines hiss louder, the Captain raises her voice. “Buggy, Ava, you're on supply duty: we need fuel and components for the assembly-lines.”

“Two-sided?” the blonde asks, shivering.

“Yes, as in the blueprint I gave you. Now, go and be discreet.”

The anchor drops in the water with a low grumble and everyone zips their collars up, ready to disembark.

“First time in weeks we set foot on land and it had to be winter wasteland.”

Buggy frowns at the map in his hands, stumbling in the snow repeatedly.

“I had never seen this much before!” Ava giggles, kicking up the snowdrifts on their way.

“You what? I can't hear shit with these things on.” 

Tugging on her sleeve, Buggy pulls her close, reaching for the soft collar that's covering Ava's face. 

The woman jumps back, though, hands clenching on her suit. 

“No! Someone will see them!”

“You ain't exactly in a bikini, doll, it's kinda hard to see any…Oh, you mean the teeth.”

“They may think I'm a fishman. What if these people… were hostile?”

“Hostile! Why, ‘cause you're grocery shopping?” Dramatically, Buggy leans over the woman. “Are you afraid they'd go tell Meara you’re, god forbid, having fun?!”

Ava chuckles, playing with the puller of her zip.

“Take it easy! No one knows you outside your stinky island. It's a good thing.” The jester gently presses his forehead against hers. “And speaking of which: since there is someone on this team with a worldwide known face… you better be prepared to do the talking here.”

“Are you serious?!”

As the two of them keep arguing and plunging their feet in the snow, the town square appears before them. 

The fog is gradually lifting, revealing little shops and chatty people all around.

“Apologies. Coming through.” 

A stiff voice startles the two foreigners and their eyes widen at the sight of a tall iron doll. 

It is approaching at a painfully slow pace, rocking in jerky movements. 

“It’s an automaton! Just as Romi said!” Ava whispers, excited.

The town of Karakuri is indeed swarming with dolls, robots and mechanical animals who seem to be busy helping the locals with their chores.

After some wandering around the square and its unusual residents, the two stop in front of a rundown shop. The place looks almost abandoned; no one in sight behind the broken windows.

Ava steps in first and a soft chime comes from the ceiling. 

“Umh…good morning.” 

“Good morning, customers. Your faces are not registered as you may not be from Karakuri Island. Please, identify yourself.”

Jumping out of the shadows, a squared robot reaches Ava’s feet. It wobbles on its tracks, circling the woman and beeping persistently. 

“W-w're shipbuilders from Water 7. We stopped for r-replacements and supplies.”

They’ve rehearsed that story for hours, and yet Ava’s sweating. “What if Karakuri robots can read minds?” She thinks as a tiny blue beam starts running up and down her body.

“Water 7, shipbuilder. Female. Five foot two. Blonde hair. Green eyes. Sharp teeth.” 

The robot hasn't finished scanning Ava, when she steps out of its light. “What do you care about my teeth.” she states in a cold voice.

“Distinguishing marks are part of my protocol, customer. Please keep still.”

“I have a damned piece of metal in the middle of my face, what more do you need?”

“Stop it.” Buggy growls, underneath his hood. He briskly nudges his companion and shoves a scribbled piece of paper on the robot’s front camera. 

“We cast off in an hour, can you pack these quickly or shall we go elsewhere?” he insists.

The robot bleeps something about completing its protocols but a human voice shuts it up, echoing from behind a wall of boxes.

“Ugh, get to work, you stupid can! Ya gonna lose me another sale.”

Downhearted, the automaton unleashes its mechanical arms to gather the ingredients on the list. 

Ava, however, goes roaming around the shop in search of that raspy voice.

Peeping out of a stack of bags, she spots a wrinkly woman standing by a mechanical firefly: the granny is curved on a compact mirror, drawing shapes on her eyelids in the dim light.

“Ya foreigners never seem to get it, uh? Just ‘cause they’re speakin’, doesn't mean they’re thinkin’.” She grumbles as Ava gets closer. “Ya walk in with a harpoon through your head? Robo-clerk beeps bops and settles ya bill.  That's all.”

“Mh, I see.”  

Leaning over the old woman, the blonde’s attention gets caught by some black powder in her hand. “Do you… sell this, by any chance?”

The granny nods and points at a wooden box on the ground, filled with small round tins. 

“Oh, these are perfect!”

Ava runs back to the counter, hands full of tins whose label reads ‘herbal pigment’. 

She puts her loot down and pays for their shopping by shoving a bunch of Berry banknotes into the Robo-clerk. 

“Deliver to pier 32, as fast as possible. Have a nice day, madam!” She shouts happily, then drags her companion out of the shop.

The two steps in the freezing air outside, but once they're far from the crowd, Buggy plants himself in the middle of the street.

“You almost got us in trouble.” 

“And yet, all's well.”

“Well my ass. Stop giggling like an idiot, what the fuck is that?”

With her hair blowing in the wind, Ava is holding a tiny box in front of the man's face. He snatches it and unscrews the flat lid, struggling in his thick gloves.

“I saw the shop owner doing her makeup with it, just like you do.” 

Both lean closer, observing the black powder in the container: it’s slightly shimmery in the daylight, a deep black with blue and purple reflections.

“Herbs should be safer than charcoal, right?” Ava adds softly.

Buggy grabs the shortie by the waist and sweeps her off her feet for a moment.

“That's fucking great!” He laughs. “Actual makeup, God, I can't believe it! Didn't they have coloured ones?”

“Shoot, I didn't ask!”

“Nevermind. Best gift ever!”

He shoves the box in his pocket and rests his arm on Ava’s shoulders as the two go back to exploring the small town. 

They idly walk amongst little houses and market stalls, commenting on the automata around them. 

After a while, Ava looks up at the pirate:

“We'd better return to the ship, we've been wandering for a while now.”

“I'm not done yet.”

“Did we skip something from the list?”

“Yes, your gift.” he mutters happily.

“You don't-”

“It has to be fucking grand, like a platinum tiara or something! That is, if there's anything valuable in this place...”

“A tiara? Who am I, Princess Shirahoshi?” Ava laughs.

“C’mon, it's flashy! You'd rather get a necklace? Earrings? A ring, maybe.” 

Suddenly, Buggy's attention is drawn to the main street. “I could make an honest woman of you.” he continues, absent minded.

“As if we hadn't literally met at the altar. It takes an honest man to make an honest woman, you know?”

The jester brings the woman's hands to his lips, a sinister light in his eyes. 

“We must be hopeless, then.”

Before Ava could say another word, he's gone.

The pirate hides behind a stream of people who seem to be headed towards a tall building, the town hall. As the crowd gets nearer, Buggy notices that a number of guards and marines are patrolling the area attentively.

All citizens are asked to get in line in front of a sturdy automaton and, in turn, they place Berrys and shiny objects inside a small vault built into its torso. 

Stealthy, the jester moves away from the crowd and sneaks around until he reaches the building's backyard. 

The windows there are dusty and chipped, and yet he manages to spot a wooden chest, filled to the brim with gold and jewels; only a young marine to guard it. “Ka-ching!” Buggy grins, ominously. 

His pinky travels from his palm to a creak in the window and, one after the others, the pirate's fingers all creep inside the room. They open the window slightly and let his arms, legs and torso in too. 

As the cadet paces back and forth at the door, the jester’s pieces smuggle behind the chest, unseen. Or so he thinks.

“Intruder alert. Launching safety recount: two billion, three hundred thousands…” 

As the chest snaps close, a loud cry descends from the ceiling: a mechanical snail, like Buggy’s never seen before, is glowing red and shouting numbers full blast. 

“W-who's there?!”

The young marine searches the room trembling, gun at the ready, when a hooded figure jumps out of nowhere and knocks her off. 

Buggy doesn't even have time to think, before the room’s doors slam open and a multitude of guns’ barrels and white uniforms comes pouring in.

“Hands up! You’re under arrest in the name of celestial dragons.”

The pirate steps back from the unconscious marine and turns around, slowly raising his hands: he's surrounded and a massive man is pointing a rifle at him. 

“Take that hood off his face.” The officer shouts. “And you, keep those filthy hands where I can see them.”

A short soldier approaches and Buggy notices it is made of scuffed metal. His cold claws pull his hood away and the fuzzy blue hair bounces out. That and his big, round nose.

“You better pray Private Tin Head here is better than that.” the jester growls, hinting at the cadet on the floor.

“I know that nose.” the officer squints his eyes as a nervous buzz rises through the soldiers.

“What is an Emperor doing in this area?”

“This is a disaster. They can’t live to tell they saw me here, it’ll all go to fucking hell…” Buggy breaks into a cold sweat. “That’s what you get for playing prince charming, idiot!” 

Tension is bolting through his body as he's ready to burst in a million pieces.

However, just as he's about to snap apart, the sound of a familiar voice in the distance weirds him out: a short woman dashes through the soldiers, sobbing loudly.

“Don’t shoot! It’s just my husband!”

“Step back, miss. How did you even get here?”

An agitated Ava emerges from the crowd along with two mechanical cadets.

“My husband went missing and your…men helped me find him!” She whines, big tears streaming down her eyes. “He needs his pills, please!”

“Cadets, debrief.”

“Foreigners, shipbuilders from Water 7, sir.” one explains in a flat, neutral tone. “Here for replacements and supplies. Male went missing. Six feet two, blue hair, blue eyes, big round nose. On pharmacological therapy.”

“Hey!” Buggy shrieks outraged as the blonde runs past the big officer and clings to him.

“He’s convinced he’s the Clown Yonko. He was never the same after the incident…Please, sir, let us go back to our ship.”

All soldiers put their arms down, looking at one another confused, but the officer is still aiming straight in front of him. 

“Nice acting, miss, but I still don't buy it. You're under arrest too.” 

“Let your soldiers scan him, then.” Ava replies, cold. “Wasn't the Yonko a former warlord? You must have datas, somewhere.”

The officer grunts his orders to the automata in the room and flickering light beams fall on the blue haired man. After a long moment, the verdict arrives:

“No match found. Height, eye color incorrect.”

Ava squeezes Buggy a little tighter.

“Can we go now, sir? I'm taking him straight to our doctor.”

“Friggin’ foreigners, just wasting our time.

You two, get them out of town. Now!”

In a blink of an eye, Buggy and Ava are kicked out of the building and escorted by the two mechanical cadets. The pirate has put his hood back on and keeps staring at Ava, the same face he'd made for a cat with five paws.

As soon as they reach the foggy woods and the automata march back to the village, both snap at once:

“What. Was. That.” 

“You tried to steal from Celestial Dragons?!”

“Only a few coins! It was supposed to be your gift, anyway, so…your loss.” Buggy shrugs.

“I want nothing but a little gratitude for saving your ass.”

“Shouting from the rooftop that I'm a lunatic loser? Oh, and those fake, fake tears. What happened to miss ‘I'm scared to talk to people’?”

“She didn't want to go to jail!” Ava cries out. “On that note, I hope they won't find out about the robots.”

“Why, what did you do to them?”

“Well, I mean, if they're speakin’ doesn't mean they're thinkin’, right? I saw their power buttons and… took the opportunity to scramble the local archives a bit.”

“Don’t worry, we'll be gone soon.” Buggy smirks, “You’re right though, your smart ass deserves something.”

A gold necklace appears before Ava's eyes, dangling from the jester's fingers. 

She takes the jewel in her hands and runs her finger along the round pendant.

“It’s a locket!” she exclaims, gently snapping it open. “Wait, why is there a portrait of a man?”

“What do I know? Must be that cadet’s sweetheart. I took the necklace from her neck.”

“A stolen gift, uh? Thank you.” Amused, Ava sighs loudly.

She keeps fidgeting with the jewel at her neck as they walk away in the freezing wind.

“If they both fit...” she thinks. “I could finally take them with me.”

[george228732]

Fylass In Wonderland - Chapter Eleven - Domains of the Heart (TW: MENTIONS OF MENTAL DISORDERS)

The trees were Crimson Queens, and the path was filled with red roses; the first things Fylass and Dolly were able to see in this place, that seemed to be the edge of Wonderland, or, well, the end of the Wonderland that Fylass was determined to keep going for, since they could clearly see villages on the distance, but the kid had enough of walking to get here; they maybe didn’t notice it, but their feet were hurting to no end, from all of that running from the regulars’ hold, or from running from Genesis, or for walking down an entire kingdom just to get here. "...This is it… I can see the castle…" Fylass said, and indeed, the Card Castle was there, looking oddly similar to a castle on the skies that was home of a certain cloud queen they know well thanks to a visit they had.

"...I think I know who the Queen is…"

"Eh? You do, best friend?"

"...I got a feeling I know who she might look like… But we better figure it out-... Wait, who’s there?"

There was an individual right next to the other two, and they seemed to be painting white roses red with small paint brushes, if that even made sense. Fylass tried to focus on seeing them properly, and they realized their identities, as they noticed the kids as well.

"Oh? Who’s there?" One of the individuals said, as they ran towards Fylass cheerfully. The kid tried to walk away, but was eventually reached by the individual, only to confirm their suspicions on who they were....

"Hello there, pal! How are you today?" Said the individual…

"...Twilight… You are here too."

"And you know my name? That’s lovely! And you’re the club too?! That’s amazing! The Queen has been looking everywhere for you! She would be so happy to see you at last!" Twilight said; he seemingly was one of the Queen’s servants, and he also seemed like someone with not too many brain cells on their head. 

"Er, Twilight Knight? Why were you going faster than light?" The second guard said, as they approached to the knight, and Fylass realized it was Verin.

"Oh! How are you doing, child? What are you doing here in the wild?" Verin said, in rhymes.

"Uh… Hello there?"

"Greetings as well, possible them!" She said, as she realized Fylass’s Club eyes, and the last individual came to see the area. 

"Alright, alright, what are ye doing around here? You should be painting the flowers, not wandering around to see some kid that is probably just lost." The last knight of the group said, and… 

"Ava?"

"Hm, you know my name, that’s unusual, anyways, what are you looking for-... Club?!" Ava realized who they were talking to in the first place; the individual The Queen was looking for for a while at this point. "Dear lord! You finally appear! Although I don’t see the knights I commanded, where are they?"

"Huh? Knights? I didn’t see any knights around here…"

"Hm… That’s odd… Did they get stuck drinking tea back at the Hatter’s house or something?" Fylass seemed to know what they were talking about, and considering their conversation, Fylass could only expect the best results, and that they did escape the area they were stuck in.

"...Oh well, not that it matters now that you’re here. Let me escort you to the castle." Ava said, as the other two knights were staring; one with joy, and the other with slight concern, and Dolly, hidden behind Fylass, was nervous, and Fylass knew why; to be honest, they were nervous too, but they had to find a way home, and The Queen seemed to be the only individual that could help, but knowing who she might be, Fylass only could hope that she was on her good side today…

"...Sure…" Fylass said. "Come on, Dolly, let’s go…" Dolly was nervous, but she grabbed Fylass’ hand, and went step by step with them, and the knights, to the entrance of the Castle, only to see a gate that blocked the way, and it was locked.

"Er… Twilight Knight, use the key to open the gate."

"...Uh… I think it’s in Dull Glass now… I accidentally dropped it behind one of the couches, and I couldn’t find it…"

"Oh come on…"

"...Is it this key?" Fylass said, as they silently told Dolly to give them the key they found in Dull Glass, along with those strange papers they found along the candles. 

"...Yes, it is the one… Thank god you had it…" Ava said as they took the key away from Fylass, and opened the gate, and afterwards, the door of the Castle was opened, and it was beautiful, even though it could be confusing, with only seeing colors of black and red in left, right, and center.

"Wow… I’ve never seen so much red in one place only…"

"...Our Queen has… interesting tastes…" Twilight said, trying to be as nice as possible.

"Well, if I am being honest to you, Club, this Castle has always been like that since the beginning, and we know that thanks to one of our soldiers, that kept living for years and years, approximately 90,000 years old." Fylass found some sort of familiarity to those words, but it was sure that they hadn't heard something that specific before, but at this point, anything might be possible.

The three knights, along with Fylass and Dolly, used the nearby stairs of the Castle to get to the top floor; Fylass tried to check the other places of the castle, but the other knights wouldn’t let them do that, although it was clear that Twilight Knight would be more than willing to do so. Each floor seemed to have a certain theme though, having a different color and aesthetic. The first floor had a dark blue aesthetic, with a locked door, and a spade symbol above; the second floor had a purple aesthetic, with another locked door, and a diamond symbol above; and the third floor had a golden aesthetic, with yet another locked door, and a club symbol above it. 

"...Could you please let me explore the Castle, please…?"

"I am sorry, Club, but we can’t let you do that, since you need to meet The Queen first." Fylass and Dolly were really nervous, but they tried to have a straight face for it, for obvious reasons, and after a lot of steps, the group got to the top floor.

The end of the stairs led to a red room that had some furniture fitting for the area, and a red door, with the heart symbol above. 

"Could you give me the key of red? I don’t want to be left on read." Verin said to Ava, trying to convince them to give her the key to the door.

"Alright, I guess it is your turn on this one." Ava did give her the key to her to open said door, and she seemed happy, thankful even, for some reason. The key was inserted on the door, and opened side by side, to reveal a set of hallways on the sides, and on the center, a red throne with golden frames was in place, right in front of a window that showed the night sky that seemed to never end. Fylass was impressed, and they would’ve taken a better look to their surroundings, if they didn’t notice someone sitting at the throne, drinking a purple-ish liquid from a well polished cup of tea.

Her looks were beautiful, with a red and black dress on the sides, a golden crown, hair with the same colors as the dress, and a small wand with a heart shape on the end of it; it was clear who she was though, when she opened her eyes to see the group, revealing eyes with irises red as crimson, and white pupils with the shape of a heart.

"Oh, you are here, have you finished painting the roses red?" She said, with a voice as gentle as could be, but still managed to send chills down Fylass’ and especially Dolly’s spines; Dolly, deep down knew that this was necessary for her best friend to find their home, but she couldn’t help but being nervous, at the point where she didn’t even dare to speak up.

"Negative, Queen, but the reason for that is that we finally have found the person you have requested us to look for." 

The Queen, seemingly curious to see what they were referring to, looked at the other two individuals standing beside the knights, and kept direct eye contact with Fylass, and she realized who was right in front of her.

"Goodness Gracious! The Club is right in front of me! This is more than I was expecting from you!" The Queen declared. "Go on! I would ask for you to leave, since you did a great job-..." She seemed to notice the doll right behind Fylass. "Oh, who are you, little girl?"

"T-This is Dolly, Her Queen…"

"Hm, okay. Guards, could you please escort her out of the castle? I will be talking with the Club for a little while." 

The knights quickly obeyed her orders, and did as such, with Dolly slowly getting out of the room, with a sad, and nervous face, since she knew that they might not meet each other again, since Fylass will probably just go home, and not see her again…

The door closed behind her, as she and the knights left.

"Oh, I have been waiting for AGES to have a talk with you, Club, you have no idea…" The Queen said.

"...I-It’s nice to meet you at last too, Queen Somnia…" Fylass knew who she was, since they saw her before, and yet, they knew that this Somnia wasn’t the one they remembered; from what they’ve heard from this adventure, she isn’t the nicest individual…

"...You know my name, you surely have manners, hm?" Fylass couldn’t tell if that statement was made from kindness, or malice, but they were too nervous to try and ask. 

"Either way, you have permission to wander towards my place; I will prepare a dinner for us to speak more calmly, for I have manners to discuss with you, after all of this time." Queen Somnia spoke again. "I’ll see you in a couple of minutes." Fylass saw her leaving to a specific room on the left hallway, and at this point, they weren’t going to follow her.

"...Guess I’ll have to wait for dinner if I want her to help me find a way out…" Fylass thought, as they silently left the area, to explore the right hallway.

Many doors on the sides, but Fylass wasn’t able to open them; they didn’t seem locked but if the door was fused with the wall; many drawers and more on the hallway, but Fylass never dared to get close to them, for they feared they might break something. They were anxious, but also sad, since they couldn’t even say goodbye to the people they’ve known in this land; even if they weren’t the ones they remembered, Fylass still holds them deeply into their heart.

After a while though, the little penguin could catch a glimpse of a door that wasn’t closed, leading to a dark room. Fylass thought that it would be a way out, somehow, so they took a peek in; only to see piles and piles of paper on the ground and walls.

"...What…?" Fylass didn’t want to enter the room, but at the same time, they felt lured in, like a hug from a creature made of ice, with a sense of warmth in that land of frosted cold, so they entered.

The darkness was almost palpable, with a sense of dread lurking in the pitch black room that seemingly had no end; voices whispering unintelligible nonsense, like a toddler trying to say their first words to their parent; after that, more steps were made towards the darkness, as a sound of someone seemingly banging something towards a wall, as Fylass saw blue-ish feathers scattered on the floor, along with what seemed to be little drops of blood, as they heard a voice; their voice, crying painfully, somewhere on the room.

"W-What is happening?! Why is this replaying-" Fylass suddenly found the end of the room, as they managed to see another medical report on the wall, and this time, everything was readable.

"The following is an early observation that I, XXXXXX XXXXX, made on your child, Fylass Paragon Astralio, after the recent termination of xxxxxx xxxxx, two weeks ago, which was a very hard investigation due to the lack of motivation the child had when trying to get out of his room, but this is what I found:

The patient is going through a severe case of hysteria, along with depression with symptoms like constantly changing mood, painful crying, among other unnerving issues. The problem went worse however, since this last week, the symptoms have gotten from seizures with unknown origin, banging his head towards a concrete wall at the point of it starting to crack, to plucking out their own feathers in fits of rage.

Amongst all of this, he seemingly is going through symptoms very similar to the ones of lunacy and schizophrenia, since from what I could gather from his words, he was hearing XXXXXX's voice everywhere he was looking. The last day I tried to check on him was even worse, since they were starting to play around with knives along with some other dangerous equipment in the kitchen, and somehow managed to pierce through the walls of it.

This is not mocking matters anymore, XXXX XXXXXXXXX, since this plan of yours is starting to become something incredibly disturbing, and I know perfectly what is going to happen and you, sir, don't listen to me, although you never do, sadly.

What can I only hope for, is that you act fast. In all regards,

XXXXXX XXXXX, Mental Health Department."

Fylass stood still, and immediately after, they felt as if their body shut down, falling face flat on the floor, and the last thing they were able to hear was a soft giggle, and footsteps coming near them…

Dolly was now outside, feeling sad, and at the verge of tears, for seemingly losing their best friend, and was about to leave. "Maybe Dolly could try to go to the circus to feel better…" She said, but she quickly heard someone coming towards her. It was Lucid.

"...Huh? Porcelain man? What are you doing here?"

"...Where’s Fylass?"

"...Well… they’re up there, with the Queen…"

"...Oh no, we need to act fast."

"...What do you mean? We’re the only ones here."

Dolly didn’t seem to realize something, that there were people below Lucid’s hat, so Lucid took it off to reveal small versions of Chaos, Kurabe, Fettuccine along with a small mirror, Mikuto, Pleiades, Blossom, Genesis, Damian, Fela, Soliera, and the Cheshire cats.

"Oh. But wait, what’s going on? Dolly thought that-"

"Listen, we need to act fast, the world is shattering, and we need to save Fylass before it’s too late."

"W-What?!"

"...I understand that you might be confused on the matter, doll, but it’s best if we keep on going before the clock ticks." Said another voice behind Lucid, and when Dolly took a peek to see who was the one talking, she realized that it was Singularity, along with Wisp, the latter not wanting to speak.

"...Dolly doesn’t know what happens but… If her best friend is in danger…"

"...Dolly will save them."

@ilikesillythingswooo

@avathestarwarrior

@that-fanperson-meg

@theflutteringdreameater

@the-chaos-axolotl

@moon-mage

@wyverewings

@stardustshimmer

@loaflovesdoodling

@lostsoulau-ask

@floweyjoestar

@galakianexplosion

@kachikirby

@den-of-the-blue-dragon

@mossyriverrocks

[lyledebeast]

I just finished my yearly rewatch of Ava DuVernay's Selma (2014), and in honor of both MLK Jr. Day and the film's 10 year anniversary last year, here are three reasons why it is my favorite biopic.

Well-paced, tight storytelling

DuVernay's choice to focus on Dr. King's actions surrounding the 1965 march for voting rights was a good one. Too many biopics focus on multiple events in the subject's life and thus sacrifice their individual importance. This deep dive into a single initiative allows room for the obstacles and anxieties King faced as well as his eventual triumph. It also leaves room for other characters to shine, which brings us to my next point.

A humanizing portrayal of Dr. King

It should come as no surprise that David Oyelowo's performance as King is also my all-time favorite depiction of a historical character. He delivers a full range of emotions, ranging from fury to frustration to even shame. The film does not shy away from the personal costs of activism, which is another reason I love the choice to cut off the timeline before King's assassination in 1968. He gave a lot more than his life to the cause of civil rights, and he has some hard conversations with his wife (also brilliantly played by Carmen Ejogo) about that. We see not only his relationship with Coretta but also with his fellow activists. The scene he shares with Ralph Abernathy (Colman Domingo) in the jail cell is probably my favorite in the film, though it's hard for me to pick one, as you'll see.

Effective use of dramatic tension and atmosphere.

I have watched this film on MLK Jr. Day at least half of the ten years it has existed, and the bomb that kills the four little girls while they are discussing hairstyling techniques on the stairs inside their church always shocks and chills me. I can't think of another scene in a film that better conveys the pervasive unsafety Black people faced in the Jim Crow south. There is no lack of violence in this film, but it is more tense and less bluntly brutal than that in older civil rights films like Mississippi Burning (1988) and Ghosts of Mississippi (1996). Before Jimmy Lee Jackson's murder at the hands of state troopers in Selma, he narrowly avoids a similar fate at the hands of Selma's sheriff. When Jackson (LaKieith Stanfield) confronts the sheriff in defense of his grandfather, Annie Lee Cooper (Oprah Winfrey) draws the sheriff's attention to herself by hitting him with her purse. That she offers herself up to humiliation and injury to save him from something worse makes his later murder all the more devastating. Violence is always anticipated in non-violent protests, of course, but the atmosphere of danger that pervades these scenes makes them hard to watch even after many viewings.

I could go on and on about this amazing film, the cinematography, the music (which is the only aspect to get the awards attention it deserved), the way it started so many great careers . . . maybe one viewing a year isn't enough.

[percy-eats-souls]

Yall, it is time.... For Percy's backstory!

Ava Percy was a normal teenager working at a restaurant. Sadly, she was fired because one of her coworkers accused her of stealing. (Which was a lie)

She went home that day and was greeted with the sound of her parents fighting. Suddenly the argument ended as both parents turned to her, they wondered why she was back so early, and she broke the news to them.

Her father was now yelling at her and told her to pack her things and leave because she had been nothing but a disappointment to them, Ava Percy looked over at her mom to get him on her side, but her mother just turned away.

The days turned into weeks; she was on the streets trying to find somewhere to live yet again. All of a sudden, a van drove up to her and the person inside asked if she needed help, she accepted but...this person wasn't going to give her help.

She suddenly smelled chloroform and passed out cold soon after. Once she woke up, she was in a padded cell and had a patient gown on. After a while a scientist came in and started to drag her out to do experiments on her.

As the weeks and months passed, she continued to change...her head was replaced with a TV, and she looked robotic and had a tv cord attached to her that looked like a tail of sorts. Ava Percy wasn't herself anymore. Ava Percy then noticed that in the cell next to her that there was a robot, she looked really pretty, she wondered what her name was.

Then a few hours go by, and another person was put in the cell in front of hers, a clown of sorts, they looked so colorful, it was different compared to all the monotoned colors around this place, she should make friends with them too.

[saunteringvaguelydownwards]

🐛 🐛 🐛 Talking about WiPs, here's some little guys

Yes, more love for the works in progress! 🐛 Great WIP (go comment)

MCU - F I R E F L Y by SheDreamsByDay (tumblr?) There is so much going on in this fic, but here's the super CliffNotes version: set right after the end of the Hawkeye series, Kate is lonely, Yelena is out on missions, but they start chatting over the phone and become each other's anchor. They get together when Yelena gets back to town, and start trying to take down Red Room 2.0 with the help of Clint and fam, Yelena's parents, Natasha, Wanda, and Shuri. This one is so fucking intense y'all, and has eaten my brain in the best way. I pretty much mainlined the first 24 chapters in 3 days. I mentioned in a comment there that this is a stunning example of the quote "You’re in love with her, here’s the best part: she loves you more than her own life. Here’s the worst part: she loves you so much more than her own life." The things these two are willing to do for each, how far they'll go... There's drama, there's action, there's so much angst and trauma, it can get really dark in places, but the author is very good about putting warnings at the beginning of each chapter about what comes next. Updates regularly every Sunday, and the author replies to pretty much every single comment.

~

SG - Evil by @thingsanddreamsandstuff Metallo!Lena from the Mxy episode decides that Kara is to blame for her pain and suffering in life, so she hops dimensions to try to kill her. Kara decides that the best way to deal with this (and also the fact that her Lena isn't talking to her) is to go to Other Lena's prison cell in the DEO and become talking buddies. Very angsty, lots of great conversations in various configurations of Kara, Lena, Other Lena, Lex, and Alex. Like, some truly eviscerating lines that make you wince by proxy. According to the stats there's only one chapter to go, was last updated in May, and in the notes of the latest chapter she said the next/last chapter was already partially written, so maybe some comment love will help.

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WN - can i get your house key? by @piratekane OMG THEY WERE ROOMMATES! Avatrice college AU where Ava comes crashing into Bea's life (literally) and decides to never leave. Bea's got serious issues thanks to her fucking parents, Ava is sweet but kinda oblivious, and once again these two have taken up residence in a pine forest. The chapters don't follow a strict linear progression, there's time jumps in between. It's more like a series of moments, until later when they're starting to get their shit together. Again, according to the stats there's only one chapter left, and was last updated a week ago, so very much an active WiP. Plus I think GK and I have been buddies since like LJ or something, so give my pal some love.