#but I don't know the results yet but I am looking forward to them

[fionnalovesanimeboys]

It was heartbreaking to see the third year students who weren't selected to the summer tournament like they didn't had much screen time or they were just simply there and that's it but it still makes me sad for them :'(

[nkogneatho]

"𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔" - 𝐉𝐉𝐊 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐂𝐍

—cw: gn!reader, tooth rotting fluff, smoking in geto's, suggestive

—wc: 1k+ #Tip me here

—a/n: Tell me what your favorite one. Scn=scenarios. not proofread.

#mlist #whoreclub #liawot smau #taglist

𝐆𝐎𝐉𝐎 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐔

Satoru has a very strong obsession with sweet things. You were surprised how your boyfriend not had diabetes yet.

"Aren't you worried that your teeth might fall off?" you questioned him, as soon as you came out of the sweet shop with a white polythin bag in your hand. You went to buy him the mochi he likes so much, as a result of losing your bet.

"Don't worry. You know I am the strongest. So is my teeth, baby" You rolled your eyes at the comment. It was annoying enough that you lost the bet, and he was now just getting on your nerves acting like a hotshot. Your mind couldn't help but wonder how he would act if you mess with him. Taking a step forward to the sidewalk, you left your boyfriend behind. He followed you like a puppy as he always does. Toru noticed the noise of plastic wrapper. When he skipped two steps ahead to face you, what he saw was you chewing his desert.

"Hey!" he frowned cutely.

"Quite tasty," a subtle smile on your face, internally laughing at his reaction. Oh but you were stupid. You really thought he would let this go? Your boyfriend scanned you for a minute and then—

*kiss*

He caught your lips, tasting the faint relish of the chocolate syrup on your lips. He pulled back after a few seconds, leaving your body stunned on the sidewalk.

"You were right, baby. It is quite tasty." You were taken aback. You never new your first kiss with him would be like this.

"Toru wha—"

"In fact, I love it. I think I wanna taste more." You couldn't help but blush at the suggestion.

𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐔𝐑𝐔

Geto never shared his cigarettes with anyone. But with you, it was different.

"Ugh, this is the worst," you groan in frustration.

"Chill out. You can cover it up by the next month," suguru comforted you. He lit up the cig and took a whiff.

"But how can they just ignore all my presentations? I think they were pretty amazing. Don't you think they were amazing?" you looked at him in hopes he'll take your side. He did.

"Okay first of all, it was surreal, sweetheart. And second of all, forget about it because your lovely lovely boyfriend is here," you laugh to which he shoots you a confused look. "What? am I not lovely?" He probably didn't get that you were laughing because how cute he sounded. Not because he wasn't lovely. He was. He was the loveliest matter of fact. Suguru pouts and looks away, taking another drag.

"ah fuck it. Gimme that." You take the cig from his hand. You can feel the tip slightly wet. "We are indirectly kissing haha," you laugh, eyes closed to smoke it. When your hands fall down with cig, you could feel a body moving closer, and a set of lips locking with yours. The bitter-cold taste of mint tobacco flavor on your tongue. When you opened your eyes, Suguru had already taken the cigarette from your hand, which completely when unnoticed by you. Maybe you were too busy feeling his lips.

"Indirect kiss, my ass. I want to kiss you directly. Ya got that?" He is adorable, getting pressed over some unserious thing you said.

"Got it. My lovely boyfriend.

𝐅𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐔𝐑𝐎 𝐓𝐎𝐉𝐈

Toji was straight forward. He didn't like beating around the bush. But when it came to you, he suddenly became a highschool teenage girl from a rom com who's so nervous that she unknowingly comes off mean to her love interest.

You found it adorable. The little things he did subconsciously that you found so adorable. You remember once you told him how you found sausages cut in octopus shape cute. So now you caught him making the same cuts, while he cooks breakfast for you, in his apartment.

"Wow. A grown scary looking man making cute shaped breakfast. Aren't you too old for that?"

"Shut up, babe. Ya know they're f'you. D'ya want me to poison them?" He shot a glare to you.

"Meanie," you frowned. You took a step to the stove, watching the sunny side up egg turning into an eclipse in the pan. "Uhm, Chef Toji," you called. "Your eggs are burning." You watched him place the knife on the chopping board, hastily rushing over towards the stove, turning it off. Toji sighed. But he heard someone laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Aw, aren't you a adorable little thing," you wiped away the tear from all the laugh. "It's hard to believe you're an assassin." You looked over at the counter with the octopus sausages, so perfectly cut. "Only good with blades, are you?"

The smile on your face slowly started fading as you found the big hunky man moving closer and close to you until there was no step for you to take back. Until your back hit the wooden cupboard. Toji ran his emerald iris on your lips. But before you could hide them away from him, biting it in, he captured them. Toji pushed his tongue past your lips, making your legs jelly.

"Not just blades, 'm also good with ma' lips." The attitude you had earlier, evaporated all of a sudden. Toji leaned to your side. "Wanna see what else 'm awesome at?" he whispered in your ears, totally making you lose your usual smug self.

—Reblog for part 2 🤍 :)

Tags: @eros-lives @milophiliac @denji-star @bbytamaki @thebrokenkitkat @his-saiko @loml-riri @aztecbrujeria @mwagii @kitashousewife @sugies @mrsackermannx @lilitudemon @wobblewobble822 @tohokuu

[deadandphilgames]

A note from Daniel (new epilogue from You Will Get Through This Night)

Thank you for reading This Night. Writing this book in 2021, while sitting locked down in a lightless basement apartment for months, had a certain self-fulfilling irony that was not lost on me.

In many ways, I wrote this book for not only my past self that I wish could have known these things when I needed them most - but for the guy sitting in an incredibly uncomfortable, hunched, t-rex-esque position typing, that needed it right then. Like many of you, I thought those particularly fun couple of years were a temporary inconvenience, that I wouldn't have to age the book by diving into. And here we are. I hope you enjoyed that new chapter about resilience and whatever the hell a 'polycrisis' is. Turns out certain global events do have an additional effect on our mental health - it's understandable that you may try to power through it and pretend it never happened, but we all deserve to take whatever time we need to honestly process how life makes us feel. I hope you're doing alright. My journey of reflecting honestly on my own life experiences and lifestyle while writing was …like spontaneously punching yourself in the stomach. "Wow. I really live like this? That is apparently not conducive to a healthy mind. Oops. Guess I'll go touch some grass." I'm happy if that made this a more entertaining read occasionally.

Even now, I find myself continually re-reading the book in those small moments of first emotional reaction to situations where I now at least think "Wait - what was I supposed to do here? Right. Not catastrophise." If this is you - that is fine. You are not expected to perfectly memorise this book or retain all knowledge you hear in life. I know I don't. If you're ever sat next to me in the emergency exit aisle of a plane, know that you may be required to physically throw me out of the door in order to inflate the slide because I was busy during the briefing, imagining how my life would have been different if I actually had the nerve to dye my hair black that time in school. I am at peace with that.

It was honestly terrifying for me to try and mine the content of my life to try and actually illustrate advice for people that may really need it …for me to honestly look at the balance between joking about my mental health, and really getting real. Hey - if your attempt at opening up via some humour comes out a bit offensive, you still get points for at least putting it on the table. That's progress.

This is not a book about me. I am here just as an example of terrible behaviour that you have permission to have an inappropriate public transport snort at, and as a writer who has repeatedly not finished traditional 'self-help' or scientific study books for being dry, unrelatable and preachy. I just hope you found this moist, identifiable and accepting of all of your beautiful flaws. So many flaws. I often worried if any of the material was maybe obvious, or something you could stumble across on the second page of Google - then I had a small moment of honesty with myself contemplating my own ignorance, commitment to procrastination, attention span …and the fact that factually just 0.63% of all people searching online, ever bother clicking to the second page of results. If you already knew some of this, good for you. Honestly. You must literally be happy with yourself. I'm just looking in the mirror and trying to do something for the 99.37% of humanity that spend their lives never successfully researching how to not lay awake at night fantasising about their doom. Look forward to the upcoming pocket size book of 'offensively self-destructive jokes' by Dan - or 700-page memoir of my yet un-girthy, mostly unremarkable life so far if that's what you're really looking for.

Perhaps the most terrifying result of releasing this book into the world, has been coming face to face with those of you that have read it. For in these moments, all of my protective self-deprecating persona comes crashing down in an instant when someone says this book made them feel better. Hearing that this book was the first time they finished anything tangentially related to self-improvement, or that just one thing they read was a new perspective on a part of their life they needed, makes me feel my mission in life is already complete. Seeing it be recommended by bookstores amongst all the other choices, hearing that people have shared it with their therapists or had it suggested to them by a professional, is an unbelievable seal of approval that I appreciate. I am so inarticulably grateful to have been given the opportunity to do anything that could make your life easier, more peaceful, more enjoyable. I've met people who annotated this book with post-its, told me they listen to audiobook exercises on their commute - and even a few people that have had illustrations tattooed onto them as a symbolic reminder of a message.

All of this puts that year of typing like some kind of infinite monkey at a typewriter into perspective. I'd do it all again. Mostly. It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the guy whose name is printed on this book, and I just hope that reading it helped you, as much as writing it helped me.

Love and good luck.

- Dan

[alice-after-dark]

Vox as an Abuse Victim

So here is that massive Vox post I promised, a day late for...reasons. I swear I have been working on this post for days, even before that StaticMoth discourse influx in my inbox.

After making my post about Vox and Angel and reading @deeply-unserious-fellow's post about a similar topic, I thought it might be finally time to make this post. Most people who have seen my content know how I typically portray StaticMoth. I have mixed feelings about Valentino at the best of times and outright dislike him at the worst. But frankly this post isn't actually about him (well, mostly). It's about Vox and why I am really hoping that Viv keeps the angle of Vox being an abuse victim.

TW for domestic abuse, physical violence, implied sexual abuse, abusive relationships, gaslighting/victim-blaming, and other canon-typical triggers. Contain abusive StaticMoth.

Honestly? The primary reason I hope she keeps it is because it would make him an even more complex character and bring attention to a criminally underrepresented group: abuse victims who are also bad people.

As pointed out in the post I tagged above, the world has become obsessed with this idea of a "palatable" victim, the poor suffering cinnamon roll. An abuse victim is expected to look like a victim. You're supposed to instantly feel sorry for them and want to protect them...but that's not so easy when the victim is someone who also hurts people, is it? It's not so easy to pretend they didn't do bad things too...but they are still a victim. That does not change just because they are a bad person. And thus it becomes complicated and interesting. Because it's not so easy to root for the victim when they're also victimizing others, especially when those others are people we care about...like Angel Dust. At the bare minimum, Vox is doing nothing to stop Valentino from abusing Angel or any of his other employees. Having Vox be a victim of the same abuse that Angel Dust suffers (at the hands of the same abuser no less) and yet also being someone who enables Angel's abuse creates a very complicated situation.

In a most media, the discovery of a mean/bad person being abused is frequently portrayed in a "well, they were abused so you can't be mad at them anymore" kind of light. Like "see? They're just an asshole because they were being abused! Now that we know, they're suddenly a good person!" Except that's not how it works. Someone can be a bad person and also be a victim. And even if them being an asshole was the result of their abuse, those behaviors and the consequences of those behaviors don't just vanish. They still hurt people and frankly I would riot if it came out that Vox was being abused by Valentino and then everyone in the show just up and forgave him for being an asshole. Like...no? He would still need to make up for his own shit and actually work towards being a better person. I like this character because he's an unapologetic asshole. If making him a victim takes that away, then that would be such a missed opportunity.

In fact, one thing I find interesting is that I definitely believe that Vox would have no problem admitting to being a bad person, but would rather fight an exorcist alone than admit to being a victim. His ego won't allow for it. He would probably laugh in your face and call you delusional while literally having a broken screen. Because he can't admit it, even to himself. He would see it as a sign of weakness and that's not acceptable to him (side note that being a victim does not make you weak, that's just what Vox's toxic mindset tells him). While I am fairly certain that he would have moved on from most 1950s mindsets since he is all about the future and progress and moving forward, toxic masculinity is still very much a thing today and I can definitely see him embodying it in some aspects, like needing to appear strong and in control at all times (and Hell's power hierarchy definitely encourages this mindset, so...). Fuck, even now in fucking 2024, men still have a hard time being taken seriously as the victims of abuse. Unless of course you fit a certain mold.

Angel Dust is the perfect example of this. He is a palatable male victim. He's effeminate, he's funny, he's friendly, he's caring, and we actively see him miserable in his suffering. Despite being in Hell just like the rest of them and having been a former mafia member and clearly able to stand on his own two feet it combat, his victimhood is constantly on display and the audience wants to protect and save him. On the opposite end, Vox is shown in a position of power that is constantly reinforced. He's an Overlord, he's manipulative, he's cruel, he's greedy, and he enables abusive behavior from others. He is not a palatable victim, which is why it's perfect.

Now let's get into what I believe is the actual evidence that this dynamic could still be present.

Something I see people commonly say is that Vox being abused by Valentino doesn't make sense because why wouldn't Vox just fight back? He could just shock Valentino into next Tuesday? And to these people I kindly say fuck you. Because while physical strength can be a factor in abuse, it is very rarely the thing that keeps the victim from leaving. Abuse, even when physical, is heavily psychological. It's like telling a victim "well, why didn't you just leave?" It's not that easy. Abusers tend to target those with low self-esteem and it's made pretty clear that Vox is a very insecure person (I feel the need to point out that having an ego and having high self-esteem are not the same thing, in fact having a big ego is typically a side effect of very low self-esteem). It's entirely possible that Vox makes the conscious decision not to fight back because he's afraid of what will happen if he does. He's afraid Valentino will leave. We know Valentino is just as mentally and emotionally abusive to those around him as he is physically abusive and we have actively witnessed him playing into Vox's insecurities and mentally messing with him (specifically in the events leading up to "Stayed Gone").

So let's talk about the scene leading up to "Stayed Gone," because I also see Vox's behavior towards Valentino here used as justification for why it's not possible for Valentino to be abusing Vox. Full disclosure, I myself in the past have even thought that it demonstrated them being mutually abusive towards each other, but have since changed my opinion after reading more takes and doing further analysis. Having rewatched this scene many times now, I have some observations.

There's a small moment that always caught my attention when I watched this scene because I wasn't sure what it meant, but looking at it in the context of this post, I think I can see a possibility. When Vox goes to see Valentino, he approaches the doors and they are opened for him by Valentino's servants. Vox pauses in the doorway, glances at them, then continues on inside.

What was the point of this moment? It seems out of place. Surely Vox has gone to Valentino's room before? Surely this door opening thing isn't new? And looking at Vox's face here, he looks...concerned? Like...they might hear what goes on inside? And he maintains that expression even as he enters the room, like he doesn't like that those two are out there and might hear them.

It also makes the entire situation feel so routine. Like Valentino is upset and these girls just expect Vox to show up and take care of it. And the scenes prior to this also sets it up as a normal occurrence. Vox rearranges his entire schedule to deal with Valentino, like he absolutely expects this situation could take up the rest of his day. And Valentino clearly doesn't listen to Velvette in this regard as she had to call Vox to come deal with Valentino despite him wrecking her department. Her comment even further establishes this as normal when she tells Vox that Valentino is "up in his tower, waiting for a flat-faced prince to calm him down." And when Vox arrives? "FUCKING FINALLY!" All of this sets up a standard situation: when Valentino is upset, it is Vox's job to calm him down and make him feel better. Valentino is a full grown adult and yet he has made it someone else's problem to manage his emotions.

Then of course we have the classic moment of Valentino literally throwing his glass at Vox only seconds after Vox has arrived. And this has to have been a conscious decision, because right before that, he throws his first glass on the ground before demanding another. So if he wanted to just break something, he didn't need to throw it at Vox, but he did. And I definitely don't think he cared if Vox got out of the way or not. But how easily Vox moves aside tells us that he fully expected to have things thrown at him and was ready for it. Now, I do believe that Valentino would throw shit at literally anyone when he is mad, but the key here is that Vox, his supposed friend, on-and-off lover, and business partner, is not exempt from this behavior. He even breaks Vox's phone when he realizes Vox is not paying attention to him. He has no qualms breaking Vox's property just to soothe his rage (I would also like to point out that he fucking obliterated that thing; just how hard did he fucking throw it?!).

Something in this scene that did initially throw me as I was writing this is that Vox doesn't seem particularly afraid of Valentino. Not the way we see Angel is when Valentino gets angry. We also see him actively get angry with Valentino, get in his face, and manipulate him. In the past, I believed this behavior from Vox to have established their relationship as mutually abusive. However, after reading yet another post from @deeply-unserious-fellow, I realized that everything Vox does here is only in direct response to Valentino's tantrum.

So let's go through some things here. When Vox initially tries to tell Valentino he can't go to the hotel, Valentino straight up ignores him. Does not respond to Vox's words, completely carries on like he didn't even speak. From this point on, Vox takes an entirely different approach to the situation. He manipulates Valentino into thinking that not shooting up the hotel is his idea and even offers further appeasement in the form of shooting his own employees as a method to satisfy Valentino's temper. I admit to initially viewing this as Vox being abusive, but frankly, when your options are being manipulative or letting your business partner go shoot up a hotel that houses the literal Princess of Hell, yeah, I'd take the manipulation route. Because, as I pointed out above, Vox cannot actually control Valentino. He tries to give him an order and is completely ignored. And even when he does successfully manipulate him, he still has to appease him in some capacity.

Now, there's also something here that is often played for shits and giggles, but I'm taking it 100% seriously right now. Many people point out that Vox's screen gets brighter when he gets in Valentino's face. Valentino is a moth demon and after Vox does this, he seems to be dazed for a moment, enough for Vox to rapidly switch back into manipulator mode and does his thing. It seems to have snapped Valentino out of his rage and I literally can't help but think that Vox has learned this as a defense mechanism. Valentino can't see very well, so it's very likely Vox's hypnotism doesn't work on him, so Vox had to find other ways of manipulating him and calming him down when he's in one of his rages.

Something I also want to point out is that it is made very clear through a single solitary moment that Valentino is in no way afraid of Vox. When he tells Vox about Alastor, Vox screams in his face, manhandles him, and Valentino just...pushes him off and saunters away, grinning like the cat that caught the canary. He doesn't even look upset or concerned when Vox grabs him. He just...laughs it off...like he knows Vox won't actually hurt him. Because I genuinely think Vox won't. Later in the episode, we hear Valentino's voicemails to Angel Dust and how he's emotionally manipulating him, telling him he can't really get better. I wouldn't be surprised to find that he's given Vox a similar treatment, especially considering that it's obvious Valentino knew what kind of reaction he would get out of Vox by bringing up Alastor. And sure, he brushes it off with a kink joke, but in all seriousness, why did Valentino keep Alastor's return from Vox? We know Angel has been at the hotel for a little while and Alastor has been involved with it as of a week prior to the beginning of season 1, so why suddenly bring it up? It's almost like he was specifically holding onto this information, waiting for the perfect time to use it that would be the most beneficial to him.

There's also another little scene that always caught my attention. It's when Valentino is getting pissed about the shadow construct that Angel Dust is flirting with.

Valentino starts getting pissy again, demands Vox's attention, gets annoyed when he doesn't get it, then immediately switches to mocking and confident when Vox starts bitching about Alastor. Like...he's so fucking proud of himself for getting Vox all worked up over Alastor. Like it's some kind of game for him. Riling Vox up and messing with his emotions is fun for Valentino. Alastor dredges up some real shit for Vox and Valentino exploits it. And from here on, he just keeps egging him on. Now, I'm pretty sure "Stayed Gone" would have happened with or without Valentino, but the point here is that he is definitely playing with Vox's emotions here.

As for the not being afraid aspect, again, Valentino hasn't actually threatened him with something that truly scares him. I don't think he's afraid of what Valentino could physically do to him. It's more likely to make him mad than anything else, even if he doesn't fight back (he'll probably go take out his anger on someone else). The thing about Vox is that we see that he does not like to appear weak in any capacity and I think this extends well into his own psyche. If he admits, even to himself, that he's a victim...to him, that's admitting weakness and he just can't do that. So Valentino's not abusing him, they just had a fight. He didn't hit back because he's in control of himself and he knows he could totally toast Valentino. It's Vox's own fault for pushing his buttons when he knew Valentino was mad. It wasn't rape cause he never said "no".

TLDR: Vox can be both an asshole and an abuse victim and it would be a really interesting aspect to his character as long as the show does it right and doesn't scrap his assholeness to make him a more palatable victim. Show him being a victim and also victimizing others. Show him not wanting to accept that he has been abused. LET PEOPLE BE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH FEELING SORRY FOR HIM.

(that's all for now, I have literally been working on this post for days and I'm exhausted)

[dresshistorynerd]

This is kind of random, but would it have been a struggle for a big busted women to wear fashionable silhouettes in the medieval era? I’ve heard some costume historians discuss that there were forms of bust support, but most of what I’ve seen pre-1500s seems like it would have been a nightmare for any ancestor with a similar bodytype to wear. Am I just from a line of women doomed to horrible back pain? (On the flip side of the situation, I’ve found corsets and stays to be rather comfortable, so that’s not a problem)

As a fellow big boob haver, I have good news for you! There were pretty good Medieval bust supporting garments and I have tested one of them.

With sturdy fabric, tailoring and lacing you can create pretty good bust support. Lacing was popularized first in 12th century in form of bliaut, and in 14th century tailoring became standard for everyday garments. I don't know how well bliaut supported the bust, but since it doesn't fit super snugly, I assume it doesn't distribute the weight of the boobs as well as tailored supporting garments and therefore isn't as supportive. I'm also not actually sure if there was proper bust supporting garments before that, I haven't looked into it. I know Romans bound their breasts with cloth wrapped around the chest, so maybe that technique continued (at least for those who especially needed it) till lacing and tailoring became a thing. For more about how supporting garments developed in Europe through history, I have a post about development of lacing, which coincides pretty well with that history from 12th century forward.

Personally I have experience with Medieval Bathhouse dress, which was used in the Germanic Central-European area roughly in 14th to 16th century. It's called the Bathhouse dress because most depictions of it are from bathhouse settings, but there's depiction also in bed chambers and other contexts, so I think it's pretty safe to assume it was used more generally as an undergarment. It often had separate cups for the boobs (see the only extant garment left of it, the so called "Lengberg Castle Bra"), but not always. Unlike most other undergarments at the time, it was sort of a shift (the lowest layer) and a supporting garment combined into one.

I sewed my own recreation of it (with some alterations because I made it for my everyday use, not as a historical recreation) and did a post about my results, where I go deeper into the history of the garment too. I didn't construct it very well and I did an error in the design of the back, which cause the strain of the shoulder straps to focus too much on very specific spots in the back panel, which eventually made the fabric there break too many times. (There were some other smaller design flaws too, like the waistline is lower than my natural waist so it rose and wrinkled annoyingly.) I did use it daily (except when I washed it) for a fairly long time though and it was super comfortable and helped a lot with back pain (and shoulder pain caused by use of modern bras). I hate that I've had to go back to modern bras because I haven't had the time to remake it yet. (I'll probably make a follow up post once I get around to it, where I go through the issues of the first version and how I addressed them in the next attempt.) Well fitted and shaped bodice which is then laced does surprisingly much even without any additional reinforcements.

I haven't made a Medieval kirtle (though I will some day), but it was the more widely used Medieval supporting garment, which eventually replaced Bathhouse dress in the area where that was used. Kirtle is worn over a shift, but it broadly works similarly. Kirtles could be front, side or back laced depending on the time period and how the Kirtle was constructed. Multiple layers of kirtles could be used and looser overgarments (like houppelande) were often used on top of it. Kirtle was used by everyone, including men, but for those who didn't need bust support, it's purpose was mainly to create the fashionable silhouette. Here's three depictions of kirtles from 15th century. First unlaced, but has lacing on the front, second close up of the side lacing and third shows nicely how both front and side/backlacing shaped the bust.

Morgan Donner is a costumer, who focuses a lot on Medieval costuming and has a big bust, so while I haven't personally tested the supportiveness of kirtle, she certainly has. The kirtle bodice part needs to be patterned to accommodate the breasts by giving it round shapes and the kirtle needs to be a little too small so there's room to lace it to fit well. Lining also helps to reinforce the fabric and make it more firm and supportive. Here's Morgan's pattern from the tutorial in her website and how the kirtle eventually fits for her. (Also look at the handsome boy in his handsome matching outfit.)

She also has a video relating to the same kirtle project, where she explains her method to pattern a kirtle specifically so it's supportive for big bust.

In 16th century more stiffness was added to kirtles, first with very stiff lining and then with boning, but that doesn't necessarily add to the bust support, rather it just allows the kirtle to shape the bust and the body in general more and better support a heavy skirt. Firm fabric secured snugly with lacing is already very good at distributing the weight of the boobs to the whole torso.

In conclusion, at least since 14th century people with our body type were not doomed to eternal back pain and even before that some ways to help with it were probably used.

[jeidafei]

Hi, DGM fandom! I'm jeidafei. You may have seen me in Kougeki-scans' scanlation of D.Gray-Man.

I know Kougeki releases have been delayed for these past few chapters. And people have taken to releasing their own translations on Reddit and MangaDex as early as a few days after the Japanese release. We at Kougeki have asked people to wait if they could. People have told us to, basically, go d*e.

And of course, you are perfectly entitled to say so. You are perfectly entitled to release your own translations and not wait. After all, we at Kougeki are just fans of D.Gray-Man, similar to you. We have zero claim over the series.

I normally stay out of the fray when it comes to quarrels with these 'snipers' until now. When I saw the quality of the translations some of these people are putting out.

(Specifically, Chapter 250 on MangaDex)

Japanese is a difficult language. D.Gray-Man is a difficult manga to translate due to its ongoing status, complex nature and plot twists. I have made mistakes myself that others have pointed out. I have my own interpretations that might be different. I readily forgive mistakes I understand are due to the complex Japanese grammar, and the confusing mysteries of the D.Gray characters.

But these are not it. These are just blatant laziness and lack of basic knowledge of even the most recent developments in D.Gray-Man. Or even simple logic. These are the results of people dishing out sub-par work quickly just to get the most exposure possible.

So while we wait for Kougeki's version, I am going to point out these egregious mistakes. We need transparency so that going forward, you can make your own decisions on whether it is speed or accuracy you are looking for.

The original Japanese text says "7,000 years ago" (七千), not "17 years"（十七）. A difference any beginner Japanese learner would notice. Even most D.Gray-Man fans without Japanese knowledge would probably realize something is off based on what we know of the story so far.

The original text says "Do(es) the passion/sentiments run so deep, you must reincarnate into a human who resembles Nea?" (the word 'regret' is simply not there). I think 'passion' or 'sentiments' are more compatible here, considering earlier theories about Tyki, the Noah of Pleasure.

Jasdevi is saying they were at their limits anyway and wouldn't be able to keep restraining Apocryphos for long. When Wisely orders them to dispose of Apo, they scream "Oni!" (Demon) which is quite similar to "Onii-san" (Elder brother), but most people would probably know which one is more fitting in this scenario, even without Japanese knowledge.

When Desires asks Wisely if he is just going to set Apo free like that, Wisely explains that this way, Apocryphos (not Desires or Wisely as in the translation), can keep searching for the Heart for them. Again, basic story knowledge.

Wisely didn't say "Fine, enough already"; this bubble is a continuation of the earlier bubble, spoken by Desires. Together, he is saying "Wouldn't you just spit it out already!?"

In Japanese, many words sound the same and the meaning can only be determined by context or the Chinese characters (kanji) used. In this case, "kikai" can mean either "machine" (機械) or "opportunity" (機会) or "strange" (奇怪), among a dozen others.

Yes, it's difficult, I know. But, you see the kanji. You know the context. I'm sure you can take a guess.

There are a couple more minor mistakes (ones that don't impact your understanding of the story too much). But I'm just going to leave you with one more, the most conspicuous mistake:

The chapter is named "Curse's End" by this translator. Actually, it's the opposite in Japanese. "Owaranu" is a form of "Owaranai" which means "not ending", which fits the revelation of this chapter by Wisely that their 35-year curse has yet to come to an end.

So, there you have it.

As you can see, I'm not shaming people for not being as fluent in Japanese. Not everyone can dedicate almost two decades to learn a language. As I have pointed out, most of these mistakes are rookie-level, and should have been picked up in double-check if that someone is familiar with D. Gray-Man at all. With these nigh unforgivable mistakes, even Deepl and Google Translate are more accurate.

This is a matter of someone not giving enough of a sh*t, plain and simple.

I'm also not gatekeeping scanlation whatsoever. I'm just pointing out the mistakes and actual text because the fandom deserves to know. With the localization drama going on, it proves faithfulness to the actual text and accuracy matters.

Of course, anyone has the right to put out their translation. And I have the right to point out whether they can be trusted. I'm not passing judgment. I'm just providing evidence so the bystanders can decide for themselves.

Lastly, from the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone who has supported the work of Kougeki Scans and waited for our release. I apologize for the delays. We're working on the latest chapter and will release 249 and 250 very, very soon.

[buckcurls]

Hiiii! In the interest of having fun and getting ready for the new season, let's do a poll of what we're looking forward to seeing with each of the characters!

I am going to focus on one main character per week and looking at my calendar just now, I can get this done with all of the mains by the time the show comes back on 9/26!

First up, we have Bobby! We don't know yet what will happen with him, but what do you want to see the most? What are you looking forward for his arc in season 8?

In the interest of keeping this poll series active and fun for everyone, I ask anyone who reblogs it to please refrain from negativity about arcs or characters unrelated to the poll about the person it is focused on! We all love this show and we're all excited for it to come back. So let's have fun with it!

Also could you all let me know if you prefer I tag this with only the character the poll is about versus all of them even though they are mentioned in the options? For Bobby, I will just do the main 911 tag and him, but if you have any suggestions for how I do this going forward, drop me a message!

[sunnynwanda]

The Game: Part 2

Part 1

Warning: manipulation, cat-and-mouse vibe, electricity used for restraining (I have no idea how to phrase this). Let me know if I've missed anything.

It's been 72 hours since Villain's capture, and Hero was on the verge of insanity. The sudden loud fits of laughter at any time of day and night and, as a result, the lack of sleep were getting the best of them. Besides, their mind was buzzing - they were curious about why Villain had made no attempts to escape yet.

Villain looked ecstatic in the most twisted way possible. Hero could not, for the life of them, figure out why. They were locked up in a cell with thick bars that they could never bend. Even if they were strong enough to do that, the electric current would leave them paralysed for a significant amount of time and would alert Hero. They had no reason to be this smug and satisfied.

"For the love of god, shut the fuck up!" They slam their fist against the wall right outside the cell, exasperation colouring their voice delightfully. "For once in your life, stay quiet!"

Villain's grin is so broad Hero expects their goddamn face to crack open. It's the fourth visit that Hero has paid them this afternoon, after a long sleepless night and even longer morning. "Aw, you love my laugh, baby!"

"I fucking hate you," Hero retorts, eyes blazing. They can test the bitterness of the lie on their tongue. "And your cackling laugh."

No, they don't. They don't hate Villain. Not in the slightest. They do hate how insufferable they can get, though.

Villain snorts, shaking their head. They take a step forward, and Hero's expression twitches for a moment. Villain's tone is cocky, almost mocking. "You love this."

You love the game.

"Stop. You better stop." Hero's warning flies right over Villain's head as they step up close to the bars, wrapping one hand around one and allowing electricity to course through their body. The hair on their arms stands, their fingertips buzzing with excitement when their hand reaches through the bars, ghosting down Hero's chest.

"Y-you're absolutely deranged," Hero's voice is quieter now, their concern evident in their furrowed brow as they glance at the hand travelling down the front of their body. "But, you're not a mad scientist."

"Oh?" Villain tilts their head to the side, smirking as they await Hero's explanation. Their long fingers reach Hero's belt, hooking into it to drag Hero closer with a sickening smile. They lick their lips, the action seeming to capture Hero's attention.

Hero's throat is drier than the dessert. They inhale deeply through the nose, their lips remaining sealed shut.

"What am I then? Mmm?" Villain moans out, eyes rolling into the back of their head as they slide their hand around Hero's waist, fingers digging into their flesh before gripping their belt again.

"You're just mad," Hero snarls, entirely done with their bullshit. Whatever this act is, it's still an act, and they will be damned if they fall for it. They push Villain's hand off them, feeling its shameful absence almost instantly as they back away. "Without the science part."

"Wanna bet?" Villain muses, their voice dripping with honey. It's unsettling and eerie - it sends a shiver down Hero's spine despite the bars separating them from their nemesis. They step back, winking at Hero before trailing towards their bed.

Hero shakes their head with a sigh as they retreat into the office, trying to ignore the lingering memory of Villain's hand on them.

Villain chuckles, twirling the tiny key between their fingers as they lay on their ascetic bed. They cannot wait for the night to arrive.

It's pitch black in the corridor, with no light penetrating the tiny window under the ceiling. Villain takes a deep breath to contain their excitement as they sneak along, their back pressed to the wall. They can't make out anything in the total darkness, instead counting their steps. Once they get to the general area, they use their sensitive palms to detect the change from stone to glass. Villain feels for the keyhole and, upon locating it, pulls out the key they stole from Hero's belt. They glide in and start searching for a switch when the lights flash on, illuminating the entire laboratory and Hero, sitting on one of the tables with their hands crossed over their chest.

"Holy s-" Villain jumps, clutching their chest with an exaggerated gasp, earning a chuckle from Hero.

"Hello," they smirk, satisfied with the effect. Villain's alarmed look brings more pleasure than they expected. "Did you think I'm that stupid?"

Villain quirks an eyebrow at them, tempted to say yes solely for the noble purpose of annoying Hero into oblivion. They shake their head with a wide grin. "No, you're worse."

Hero huffs, sliding off the table and taking a - hopefully - intimidating step towards Villain. "You think I didn't figure you wanted to get me worn out? So I would lose focus and miss you stealing the key?"

"Well, why did you let me take it then?" Villain counters, their expression becoming unreadable. They can't deny Hero is smart enough to understand they would not remain in the cell for that long had they not had a secret agenda. And an agenda they have. They need that goddamn device.

"Wanted to see what it was that you so desperately wanted," Hero explains, maintaining a calm demeanour.

"Apart from you?" Villain fails to keep the words from rolling off their lips. Hero appears unamused, so they sigh, raising their hands to indicate surrender. "Okay, fine. I want that little thing over there. So, let me take it, and I'll be out of your hair."

Hero follows the direction they are pointing in, and their jaw all but drops. "OD-8? As in, the deadly nerve gas with unknown effects? Are you insane?"

"I thought we had established that..." Villain trails off in an attempt to seem nonchalant. "But I really want it! An-and I can promise not to use it on you?" They plead, going so far as to muster up a puppy-eyed look.

"Do you think I'm a complete idiot?" Hero snorts, unimpressed by both the promise and begging. "No way in hell."

"But-" Villain looks nothing short of a kid deprived of their favourite candy. Hero would laugh if they didn't know better.

"No buts. And no way you're getting it." They cut, their voice devoid of emotion. Villain's face falls, causing Hero to sigh. They rub their eyebrow for a moment, thinking. "Fine. You can take one can of paralytic. That's the only thing I can offer you."

Villain's eyes light up immediately. Hero chuckles, handing Villain the promised can and ushering them out of the lab. They take the key back and make sure to lock the door before turning to face their nemesis.

"Now, get out of here before I change my mind," Villain darts up the stairs with a jump in their steps, and Hero starts to doubt their decision. They knew succumbing was not the best bet, but their dimwitted genius needed something to play with, and they felt safer choosing what to give them.

A part of them suspects that was what Villain had initially wanted and that they are going to end up paralysed and kidnapped in the upcoming days in retaliation for the arrest. But, as long as they get a good night's rest and Villain's stupid cute laugh, they don't mind it all that much.

And the game goes on.

Part 1

A/N: I seem to have a problem with the tags for some reason... If I fail to tag you in this, I'm sorry 🙏 If you happen to read this, let me know what you think. Thank you!

Love you 💛

xo Sunny ☀️

Masterlist

Taglist: @marvellousdaisy @alltimelowing @lateuplight @surplus-of-sarcasm @betwist @excusemeasibangmyheadonawall @enemies-to-idiots-to-lovers @miaowmelodie @thatonerandomauthor @hhabaddon @burningoutlikeicarus @daemonvatis @weepingcowboywolfbat @thelazywitchphotographer @kaiwewi @soul-of-a-local-bard @pigeonwhumps @aflyingsheepnamedrose  @thatneptune @ohwellthatslifesstuff @worldsfromhoney @thiefofthecrowns @crow-with-a-typewriter @qualityrabbitsoup @stargeode @villain-life @villainsblood @whumpific @glassthedumbass @silviathebard @misskowe @ayeshaturnedtoashes4444

[xo-cod]

OP plz i am o b s e s s e d with all the bg!Simon stuff u put out bc it's just so *g o o d*, it's my Roman Empire fr fr ✊😔😩🖤

On that note,, I'd love to see the 141 as their whole security team esp when popstar's made it really big, so reader needs /all/ the big burly men protecting her 🫣

-🔒

this was so cute!! i write this au just for you and the two other people that enjoy it frfr 🥹🩷😙 lmk if you'd like a more in depth version! :")

the way bg!ghost would see you getting anxious at the sight of his team. he might be the most biggest but his team certainly do not lack their own respective height and muscles 😮‍💨🫶

his first thought would be to immediately calm you down, he knows they all can look incredibly intimidating together

"s'ok, they're with me alright?" ghost's voice is gentle, soothing as he speaks to you

he needs a clear word to see how you are and where your head is at and when you start to warm up to the team, he's right behind you

soap, gaz and price are dressed in formal wear just like ghost, their muscles all but bulging and straining against their shirts.

a range of weapons are strapped to their waist, hidden discreetly under their blazers

each of them donning a pair of sunglasses, standing tall in their stance

you can feel ghost's hand touch the small of your back and usually under any other condition, you would've taken the time to appreciate how good it felt against you

but a set of three different eyes analyses your every movement, your breath held as you await the criticisms but there is none

to your surprise all three men crack a small smile, each one different yet almost tender in their own ways

"easy sweetheart, we're just here to help" gaz's voice is gentle, calm, trustworthy.

"yeah, you won't even know we're here hen" soap is next, removing his sunglasses as he takes a cheeky smile at you

"you'll be safe with us, we're here for your protection" price's voice is soothing, his deep voice echoing pleasantly in your ears as you take in all three men carefully

and once you get acquainted with them, you get along with all three fairly quickly

cue ghost getting jealous when you start going to them instead of him :(

but they're seriously intimidating, sometimes without even trying

whenever a supporter wanted a picture or an autograph, all four men were stiff and rigid around you. like four impenetrable walls, caging you inside safe and soundly

it was a nightmare to even use the bathroom alone

whenever someone calls your name, all four men snapping their heads so worryingly fast you'd fear they get whiplash with the way they turned

if paparazzi was harassing you, they'd just need one collective look from the 141 to back off immediately

the dominance each man exudes is different and dependant yet potent, you can tell they don't mess around with their job and the tasks they've been assigned <3

also when someone attempted to try and throw something at you, resulting in said object hitting ghost's broad chest and bouncing off to the floor in front of his feet. the man barely flinching through it all as he looked back up to the person who threw it.

ghost's eyes burning behind his balaclava, taking an intimidating step forwards

soap and gaz immediately grabbing the man by his arms, barely using any of their strength to restrain

"now you've gone and done it, huh" price chuckles but it's not the one you're accustomed to. no, this one was was sharp and cold. this meant business

and for all their hard work you, of course, spoil them. which also turns soap and gaz into little children opening presents when you get them something they had been dying for, pouncing on you for a hug

price chuckling and telling you that you didn't need to do this but you obviously bought something for him too. his heart melting as he looks back and forth from his present and then to you. bringing you in for a gentle hug and a forehead kiss

ghost watching with a roll of an eye but a hint of a chuckle, his eyes on you the whole time. though he thinks he's being neutral, you note how his pupils dilate when he's by you

for a look that's only reserved for you only, "that's my girl"

[crescencestudio]

๋࣭⭑ Devlog #42 | 6.25.24 ๋࣭⭑

tis the season of Kayn

HAPPY SUMMER!!

Hope you're all doing well and keeping cool <3 I know for me it's started getting to.... the Hot Season. To celebrate the start of Hot Girl Summer (and the beta route going live), I of course had to draw the hottest girl, Kayn.

we must stay cool brothers

Now that we've paid respect to The Hot Girl, let's get into the devlog!

Writing has been fun this month. A lot of it has been dedicated to Etza edits and writing Kuna'a's route. We're getting to about the halfway mark with Etza edits, so we are definitely chugging along!

Sneaky peeky of a recent edit

For Kuna'a's route, I said I wanted to have his first draft complete or almost complete by the next devlog, and I'm VERY PLEASED AND PROUD to say their first draft is In Fact almost complete! This is, of course, the very, very first draft so I'll be going back in to flesh some scenes out here and there and rizz him up even more. But I'm happy with the fact that at least the very base draft is done ^^

This month, I did quite a bit of drawing actually! I finished rendering two of Kayn's CGs, meaning 8 out of their total 9 CGs are finished YYYEEEAAAHHHH!!!!!

it feels so good to see the ending cg titles ouuggHHHH

Because Fenir's beta will be going out soon, I wanted to make some headway on his CGs. This month, I ended up finishing 3 of his CGs and sketching two. I'd really like to get 5-6 of his CGs finished so that it's a similar amount to Kayn's beta, so here's to praying!

baby girl

I also finished Senja's (they/he) sprite and base expressions. His outfit was designed by very talented bestie @saffein-e so please thank them for doing god's work o7

Finally, this past month we worked mostly on Kayn's beta route and getting Fenir's beta route ready for Patreon access!

If you'd like to try out Kayn's beta, you can get access to it if you subscribe to my Patreon (tier Hydra). Beta access to Kayn's route will close as soon as Fenir's beta goes up which will be early July, so if you want to experience Kayn's beta, definitely make sure you subscribe before it ends!

Player feedback for Kayn's route so far has been really positive, which has been a relief, especially since Kayn's route is the first one I wrote so is arguably the roughest (I have a big soft spot for it and like it, but I'm obviously Biased). So I hope you're all looking forward to it!! <4

beta feedback: so real

I also have started the voice acting sessions for the characters, which is EXTREMELY EXCITING!! That's the last asset I need basically, so the fact we have finally entered a stage where we can start recording is crazy. Our current session is for Kayn's route, but in the coming months we'll be moving to the next routes similar to how beta-testing is going :')

Aside from Kayn's route, I've also been working on coding Fenir's beta route. Rereading his script and he's... a cutie, I'll admit. So I hope the Fenir fans are excited for his route to enter the beta phase!

LET'S.......... GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Last thing, but I also ran a poll on Alaris's release, basically asking whether you all would prefer a full or segmented release. The results were basically 50/50 LMFAO and that's the vibe I've been getting in general. So while I don't want to solidify anything yet, just let it be known that Alaris may end up having a segmented release, where the first four Central routes are released first, and the Fae routes a bit later. I'll see how I start feeling as the year goes on and where Alaris stands, but thank you all for the support and understanding for the poll <3

I was pretty busy this month, so I didn't have too much time to do market research :cries:

But............

I did see the new Haikyuu movie..................... And I am the biggest Haikyuu fan. Quite literally if you want to know everything about who I am as a person and creator, watch Haikyuu and you will understand who I am to my deepest depths.

obviously I had to draw baby

But aside from that, I want to give one last shoutout to our Hot Girl Summer cross-promo! If there are any games you haven't tried out in this little set, I highly recommend giving at least 1 or 2 of them a peek! All of the games are so charming and have some similarity to Alaris, whether it's a personality mechanic, hot Fae, or a fantasy/ adventure story :')

Links to each game can be found on the Alaris Game page under the magic and mystery otome section!

I'm pretty happy with the progress we made this month. While there's still a lot to do, it's satisfying to see Alaris come more and more to life with each month. See you all next month with hopefully more exciting progress!

[dduane]

I have only finished writing the first draft of my first novel so I'm nowhere near considering the legal side of writing yet but I'm curious, so if you don't mind me asking I got two questions:

1) Do laws forbidding writers from reading fanfic of their work go over to other mediums, like visual novels for example? Or let's say I wrote a script and was lucky enough to get it produced as an animated short, would these laws still pertain to it? Or do stories outside the written medium have a completely different set of laws pertaining to them?

2) If an author writes a standalone and reads fanfic of said standalone, then goes on to write a series completely separate from their previous work with a different world and cast can the fanfic author still sue if they detect similarities? Even if their fanfic is attached to a completely different story?

Sorry if these questions are weird and rambly, it's 1 AM over here.

Let me clarify this. These aren't laws that I've been following: they're self-designed rules, based on the current legal realities obtaining in the markets where my IP is known and on offer.

Re 1): Written or not written—drawn, sung, or performed as interpretive dance for all I care—work created with consent in one's own universe must have come about with underlying binding written agreements in place. Without such agreements existing, viewing work in any format that's based in one's own universe will inevitably expose one legally. If I write a graphic novel and people write fanfic based on it, I will not read their fanfic because it could expose me legally to claims that further work done in my IP was based on their fic. Ditto if I write a script and it gets produced, and people see it and write fanfic about it, I won't read that fanfic either. The medium doesn't matter.

Re 2): If I write what for the time being is a standalone novel and read fanfic based on it, and then write a completely different series per your description, can a fanfic author still sue me if they detect similarities? Even if their fanfic is attached to a completely different story?

Well, if they've got the money, and depending on where they're located (for national laws differ), sure they can. The suit may well be sourced in confusion, or malice, or both, but they can. And the suit may in due time be lost or thrown out of court for being frivolous, but no matter how the cards fall, it's going to wind up costing you, the writer, a fair bit of money to get shut of it. A year's worth of your earnings? Two years' worth? Five? And what will be left of your career at that point?

The whole situation is better avoided by not reading any fanfic based on your work. In any format. Any time, any place. Period.

What's workable, and legal, and safe, is the following approach to derivative works from the IP owner's point of view.

Let's say that (for example) a producer or playwright approaches me and wants to adapt So You Want To Be A Wizard as a stage play. If that happens I have them get in touch with my agent, my agent proposes a license fee for allowing them to do this, and draws up a contract with that person essentially stating that they have my permission to adapt my book. Once that contract's in force (meaning it's been signed and money's changed hands), it's perfectly safe for me to look at those people's material written in my universe, because we're both bound by a concrete agreement on how the creative process will go forward and how the results will be used.

Or alternately: Let's say that some writers I know think it would be fun to write Young Wizards stories, and when I hear about this, I say "Okay, let's do a YW anthology." And I talk it over with my agent and then we call in a crowd of writers whose talents I trust and whom I think would be interested in taking part. Those interested all sign contracts with me that say they've got my permission to create those works using my IP / in my universe, and to get paid for them. My side of those contracts stipulates (as seems fair) that, if they invent something particularly cool while working in my universe, I retain the right to use and expand on that concept or language at a later date if I like. (If they have a problem with that, that's their call: they don't have to sign the contract or be in the anthology.) And I can obviously now read all this work and have it, legally speaking, be perfectly safe for me.

But let's try looking at the situation from a different direction. I open my ask box one morning and find that someone's stuffed the idea for a Young Wizards short story into it, also saying, "And I'd like to publish this as fanfic, if it's okay with you." Without an agreement in place, without my permission, this person has forced me to look at material which potentially infringes my copyright. But that doesn't matter in terms of my immediate legal options, because fanfic is also conditionally protected by copyright. (This is a complex situation, but this article deals with some of it, and links to more discussion.)

My first urge is to simply delete the thing and pretend I never saw it. But unfortunately Tumblr's records of my web accesses will now contain proof that someone logging into my account, from my computer (or iPad, or phone...) has opened and viewed that ask. Should I ever wind up in court with this person, their lawyers will have demanded that data from Tumblr and will use it to prove that I had access to their client's idea.

So now—assuming they've actually gone ahead and done this writing and publishing—I have to get hold of my lawyer and have them contact Tumblr and get that person's identity and contact info from them, so that they can be sent a cease-and-desist letter. I hate having to do this, but evidence that you have not been defending your copyright can be used against you.

Now let me be blunt. Like most writers, I'm not wealthy. And the simple business described in the paragraph above could cost me a month's income or more in billings from the lawyer. What am I supposed to eat, next month, while I'm trying to write? ...It's a good thing I like ramen.

...Though if I was wealthy, things could get much worse.

Let's say that in an access of utter pre-caffeine idiocy, and a weary desire to be nice to a clueless innocent, I just tell that person in the ask box, "Okay, fine, knock yourself out... just don't make money from it and don't do it where I'll see it." And they say "Of course, I'd never want to cause you trouble, your fiction has meant so much to me..." And then some kind of gloriously indescribable series of events occurs that somehow or other raises the Young Wizards series' profile way higher than it is at the moment, and makes its originator even a little bit rich and famous.*

...And a year or two or five later, in these increasingly litigious times, that person from the ask box who was so nice and said they'd never want to cause me trouble... suddenly starts having second thoughts. ...After all, I've got all this money now, and without their contribution, maybe it would never have happened, right? Don't they have a right to some of that? It's only fair!

You can just hear the thought processes, because we've seen this play out elsewhere before now. "Come on, she'll never miss it. She's probably got a castle in Ireland with solid gold toilets by now. She's got a TV series in the works, and when that comes out she'll have lots more money. She'll never miss a few thousand [ / few tens of thousands / few hundred thousand...] out of that!" And shortly they're on the phone to some lawyers, and the tabloids, and Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, with claims that the Young Wizards series in the works is based on their idea. In fact, they can prove I not only read it, I gave them permission to write in my universe!

...And suddenly Hulu/HBO/RandoStartupStreamingNetwork has stopped taking my agent's calls.

(sigh) So, as I said above: just don't read fanfic based in your own universe, mmkay? You'll thank me later.

*Without the universe's originator then suffering some kind of toxic ethical shift after the fact. (shrug) Stranger things have happened.

[crystalxwitch]

Hands - W. Maximoff

Summary: Wanda helps you get ready for the Halloween party in more ways than you previously hoped for.

Pairing: WandaMaximoffxreader

Word count: 3k

Tags: This is a 18+ story, minors DNI / smut, fingering (r receiving), praise, top!Wanda, slight choking, lots of neck kissing because hot

"Look at me." Her fingers grab your chin, turning your face around to look at her. "I can't apply lipstick if you look the other way, y/n."

You don't actually know how you got here, laying on her king-size bed on the upper floor of the sorority house. The only thing you can remember is Wanda grabbing your hand and shoving you inside her bedroom as she walks in on you hopelessly trying to apply your makeup for the Halloween party.

Now you lay underneath her, only wearing a lacy white dress that she lent you for the occasion, insisting on you to wear something else than the boring black cape from last year.

"Firstly, you're more of an angel than I am, y/n. Secondly, I order you to wear it tonight, so there's no space for complaining here."

"Sorry." You mutter, the answer rolling off your tongue way too quickly.

A pathetic habit you somehow only showed in the presence of her. Wanda always had this effect on you, the moment you laid eyes on her in the common room. Her red hair shimmering in the light at that moment is still burned in your mind.

But who could blame you if they knew that you had the most gorgeous girl hovering above you. More specifically, a girl wearing only a see through red blouse, the material tempting you with the simple movement of it against her soft skin. Wanda isn't in her costume yet, the black-red dress placed over the chair in front of her desk. Her devil costume with the additional small horns to it. If one can even call it that, as it is practically only a shred of cloth. Your trail of thoughts dissolves into thin air as her thumb runs over your bottom lip. The roughness of her skin against your soft one sends a shiver down your spine.

"Shit. I messed up." Wanda subconsciously narrows her eyes, leaning a bit forward as she removes the over-painted lipstick. "Hold still."

Her perfume washes over you, the proximity overwhelming your already scrambled brain. Forced to stare at her, not allowed to hide yourself from her addicting beauty, your eyes move over her face. Faint freckles' dottle her nose. Moving your gaze further down, your heart beats faster at her slightly parted lips. Her teeth worry her bottom lip, seeming highly concentrated on her task. She looks beautiful like this. Up-close, Wanda is even more breathtaking than admiring from afar.

Attention drifting further down, your eyes halt at her hand. Black nail polish highlights her fingers, but you like her silver rings even more. Wanda never steps out of her room without them, practically wearing them every hour of the day. You don't understand that obsession, but in the end you don't mind it. Her rings seem to draw your attention to her hands every time you lay eyes on her.

But each time she somehow feels your gaze lingering on her, her emerald eyes catching yours from across the room. A silent glint in them the moment you avert your eyes and hide your blushing cheeks.

"See something you like?"

Your shocked gaze flickers to her face, being caught in your not so subtle staring. Not again. You actually thought that she wouldn't notice, too focused on removing the lipstick on the bottom of your lip. Now lying flat on her bed, trapped under her questioning eyes, you only want to flee the scene.

She shifts a little, resulting in a change of balance. The previous position of the redhead sitting above you on her knees that made your head stay clear is now gone. Instead, she settles herself on your lap, the fabric of her jeans brushing over your naked thighs.

Wanda licks over her bottom lip, not removing her thumb off your lip, but instead lets it rest there. "I have seen you staring at my hands every time we talk, nervously fiddling with your sweater. I guess that could just be a minor coincidence, but we both know that that's not the case, isn't that right, malishka?"

Your throat runs dry, her tone laced with fake pity electrifying a spark between your legs. You take in a deep breath, feeling like you can't breathe around her anymore. What is she doing to you? Instead of answering her, you continue to stare at her with wide, innocent eyes.

"Don't you think I've noticed the way you get all flustered around me, eyes darting to my hands while they get a little darker." She teases, the corners of her lips tucking into a devilish smirk.

"I can only imagine what dirty thoughts run through that pretty head of yours, innocent dreams that grow all more desperate the longer you stare at them."

Everything she says is the truth, and she knows it, only highlighting her amusement as you try to control yourself. If your racing heart isn't evidence enough for it is sure is the faint blush spreading over your face. Wanda enjoys toying with you, debating about how long until you would give in.

"I'm sure you imagined my fingers running through your hair, caressing your lovely face with my fingertips." As if underlining her statement, she runs her fingers over your jawline, tingles following her movements. "Mhm, but that wouldn't be enough for you, right?"

Is this a dream? If so, you pray to every god that you wouldn't wake up any time soon.

"Wanda." You breathe out, thoughts racing in your mind.

Is she only teasing you out of boredom, or does she truly mean it, wanting you just as much as you longed for her.

"Yeah?" She smiles, tilting her head to the side and brushing her thumb over your cheek. "What is it, darling?"

Wanda watches as your pupils grow wide, dilated with lust, as her thumb runs over your bottom lip. Ever so barely, she pushed her finger inside, a small sigh passing your mouth. Willingly, you part your lips wider, your breathing becoming irregular as her finger touches your tongue.

"You want my fingers?"

She moves her hand down your neck, over your breast and down your waist. You remain silent, not trusting yourself to speak. Her fingers rub small circles over the inside of your thigh, enough to send another wave of desire through your body, but not enough to satisfy your needs. If so, it only increases the discomfort between your legs, feeling your panties getting wetter with each second.

Her emerald eyes bore into yours, her teeth sinking into her soft lip as she tilts her head to the side. Tingles shoot through your body, her fingernails digging into the soft flesh of your thighs. The grab isn't painful, the silent message in her actions telling you to answer her question.

"Yes."

She leans down, lips crashing together with passion. Immediately, her tongue brushes inside your mouth as her hand touches your clothed pussy due to the force of the movement. You whimper, hands sinking into her mass of hair to hold yourself at bay. But Wanda doesn't let you. With a forceful push, she grabs your wrists and pins them down above your head. As she leans back, you try to chase her swollen lips, not able to let her delicious kisses go just yet.

"Not there." She groans, dark eyes scanning your face. "You let those pretty hands where I put them, alright?"

You let out a shaky exhale. "Yeah."

"Good girl."

A smirk plays around the corner of her mouth, licking over her bottom lip in thought. Hands remaining above your head, she abandons her hold on them again. Slowly, she straightens her back, attention drawn to her fingers as they move teasingly over her body. Awestruck and in trance, you watch her fumble with the buttons off her blouse. You heavily gulp as the silk material slips off her shoulders, revealing a red lace bra. Her hardened nipples pressed against the thin material, begging for attention.

"What goes on in that head of yours?" Wanda grins, a knowing glint in her eyes as she innocently runs her hand over her chest. "I doubt that you have never seen a half naked girl sitting on top of you."

"Never a girl as beautiful as you." The comment mindlessly slips out of your mouth, following the movements of her hands. Your eyes are drawn to it like moths to a flame. "You're the prettiest girl I have ever laid eyes-"

You press your lips shut, realizing the words passing your lips the moment her faint chuckles reach your ears. Wanda watches your already pink cheeks turn to scarlet. In moments like this, you hate the way her presence pushes your mind on autopilot, not comprehending your words when it's too late to hold back.

"You're adorable. Sometimes too adorable for your own good, sweet girl." Wanda pushes her hair over the shoulder, settling her knee between your thighs and hovering above you. "Sweet girls get rewarded, you know?"

Her fingertips ghost over the place where you need her the most, barely touching you. Wanda abandons her hold on your neck, lips moving towards your ear. You shudder, her hot breath fanning over your skin as she whispers sweet poison into your ear.

"There? You want me to touch you here?" She voices out breathy, smiling lazily. "I can't read your mind, you need to use those pretty words."

You feel dizzy with want, chest heaving as her thumb ever so barely flicks over your clit over the fabric of your panties. "Y-yes."

"You have to ask me nicely, or you won't get it at all."

"Please, Wanda. Touch me."

Wanda hums, clearly satisfied with your answer. Kissing you with unsatisfied desire, she thankfully shuts up your stuttering. Not able to keep up with her, you sink into the mattress, letting her ravish you the way you always dreamed of. But now it is reality, the girl of your guilty nights of pleasure moving above you in a desperate dance.

You can't handle the faint touches anymore, whimpering as her fingertips touch you, but it's not enough. Nothing seems to be enough. "Inside. Please, I need you inside me."

Wanda disconnects your lips, the movements of her fingers stopping altogether. "You're literally such a sweet little angel. Asking me so nicely, begging for attention. It makes me want to ruin you."

Before you can beg for her to do something, anything to ease the discomfort between your thighs, she pushes two fingers into you without warning. You gasp, holding back to not move your hands from your place on the mattress, too afraid to have a little taste of pleasure only to have it snapped away again. Instead, you squeeze your eyes shut as her grunts dill your ears. But as you feel a cold feeling against your skin, your eyes snap open again at the unfamiliar sensation. Quickly, you realize that it must be one of her many rings adoring her fingers.

"W- Wanda.. Your ring." You try to communicate your thoughts through uneven pants, miserably failing as your words drown into a mess of moans.

She doesn't even seem to care or truly doesn't notice it, continuing her fast pace. Pleasure blooms inside your stomach. Wanda curls her fingers inside, hitting the sweet spot with each thrust.

"There! That's the spot.. Please, don't stop."

And she doesn't. Wanda seems to pick up her punishing pace even more, fucking you so hard that your body moves up and down the bed. In the heat of the moment, her hand grabs the front of your dress. Your eyes widen before you can hear the ripping sound echoing through the room. Cold air hits your chest, not wanting to wear a bra under the already tight dress.

You eye her with a scolding expression, noticing her satisfied glimmer in her eyes. "Ups."

"That was my costume!"

"Stop whining. I'll give you another one later." Wanda shuts you up, her other hand coming upwards to squeeze your breast. "This was definitely worth it."

You want to roll your eyes at her, but her mouth moving down to seal her lips around one nipple catches you off guard. Her tongue runs in circles around the spot, switching between sucking and licking over it. Your breathing grows heavier, the simultaneous stimulus multiplying the increase in your stomach by a thousand. Ever so quickly it becomes too much, the touch nearing the edge of painful pleasure.

"It's too much, please." You squeeze your eyes shut, tears burning in the corner of your eyes. Your stomach burned, something building up inside you at an enormous rate. "Wanda, slow down."

Moving you by the throat again, Wanda shakes her head as she continues to move her fingers in and out of you at a forceful pace. A painful nip at your lip electrifies a groan, gasping as she flicks her thumb over your clit. She starts sucking on your neck, teeth never far behind her lips. You squirm, your hips rolling against her hand subconsciously as her fingers massage you just right.

"You will take it, every fucking thing I give you. A desperate girl dreaming about this for far too long deserves every single ounce of attention that I'm willing to give her." Wanda breathes harder, sounding as aroused by all of this as much as you are. "And I'm willing to give you so much, sweet girl."

You suddenly feel shy under her cocky stare, biting down on your tongue. How could she know about your state of feelings already? You thought you were subtle with it, too embarrassed to face the truth that she was too perfect for you. The laughs of a few girls still ring in your ear, catching you gawking at her during the last pool party. The sight of her black skimpy bikini top is still etched in your brain, not leaving your mind for the following days.

Her thumb and forefinger grab your chin tightly. "You can pretend all you want, y/n. I can see the mess you're making on my hand."

You blush at her words, but you can't deny it,  feeling the wetness run down your thighs and on the bed, ruining the sheets in the process. She chuckles dryly at the sight of you, legs spread apart with your lips parted in a silent moan, unable to close your mouth. Her pride swelled, not removing her attention from your eyes that nearly rolled back in your head. She makes it her goal to let you see stars, needing to control herself to not reveal the same feelings she has for you as you have for her.

Wanda isn't someone who likes to talk about such stuff. Let alone topics surrounding her emotions. Nevertheless, it would be a lie if she said that whenever you shyly turned away from her, you lit a perk of interest deep inside her heart.

"You have no idea how often I imagine you like this, dripping down my hand while you make those sinful sounds." She whispers, pressing open mouth kisses down your throat and painting your skin with bruises. "I hate the way the other girls look at you, practically undressing you with their eyes."

"But they can't wish for someone who they can't have. You're mine now, malishka. And one thing you must know is that I don't like to share my belongings."

You want to protest. Uphold some kind of self-respect. But her raspy voice and the promise of being hers let every word on your tongue go down the drain. You never thought that Wanda would even pay an ounce of attention to you, the silent girl with her unusual outburst of shyly rambles in the most inconvenient moments.

Feeling your wall clench hard around her fingers at her words, Wanda's smile only widens. A devilish glint in her eyes, her thrust become harder while your legs slowly begin to twitch harder around her. You are about to come, dancing on the edge and threatening to fall. But Wanda is there, teeth sinking into her lip and holding you still around the neck.

So you let yourself fall.

Her name echoes inside the room, sounds becoming blurry as your eyes roll into the back of your head. Wanda swallows your cries with her mouth, letting your hands sink into her hair without protest. You breathe hard against her lips, stomach flexing as you slowly calm down.

Drunk on pleasure, you lean your head back against the cushion. A shaking hand holds on to her shoulder, your legs trembling as the aftershocks rock through you. Wanda slowly moves her fingers out of you, a deep sigh leaving your mouth at the empty feeling.

"I always wanted to make you scream like that. I doubt that I have to worry about any girl's temptations to follow you around anymore, judging by the volume of your screams."

"Wasn't that your plan all along?"

She only grins, moving her fingers towards her mouth. Before the redhead can taste the evidence of the event off her skin, you grab her hand, moving it towards your face. Parting your lips, you gently take her  fingers into your mouth. Wanda lazily smiles down on you, her pupils dilating even more, if that's even humanly possible.

"That's it. That's my girl."

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for slowly ghosting a fwb instead of confronting him when I found out he's been stalking people again?

He (twenties, M) and I (twenties, X) knew each other from college. He's genuinely a fun guy. Also, a cis person being into you as a nonbinary person (as your gender, not despite it) in a non-fetishy way is frankly too powerful. So yeah, we started talking more some time after graduation, and it turned into a digital-only friends-with-benefits situation.

I was wary of him in college, but willing to give him a second chance. It was an open secret among our friend group that he'd stalked a couple of people he was into in college -- resulting in court ordered therapy and a restraining order and everything. I was still mentally/emotionally recovering from an abusive relationship years prior that the ex stalked me after for a few years. So you can see why it was a big deal that I gave this distant friend another chance, willing to get as close to him as I did. I guess I thought that like, the therapy had worked?

Well, fast forward to us being close after college. He doesn't know that I know about his previous two times getting nearly expelled for stalking people. I have not told him anything about my years-ago abusive relationship, but it's possible he has some awareness of it due to mutual friends. I kept firm with a boundary that he will have no more specific geographic information about me than my city, and he's certainly never learning my address. He has no way to know about my more "personal" social media like Tumblr. I am protecting myself.

But a few months into us being fwb and having fun and me repeatedly asserting my boundaries regarding irl interaction. He complains to me that someone is claiming that he's stalking them. I casually ask about the situation, assert that yeah what he's doing is shitty, he should stop, and it does sound like stalking (even though he insists it isn't). We never talk about it again.

He started showing up in my trauma nightmares, and suddenly the second chance I gave him seems like a terrible idea. So, over the next few months, I make a planned retreat. I respond less frequently, less promptly, and with less emotion. I planned out my strategy by the week to look like a natural loss of interest, or a natural "got busy with other stuff."

My logic is that he clearly has not learned to stop stalking people. I am not willing to continue exposing myself to that personal risk. But I am also not willing to say "I refuse to remain friends with an unrepentant stalker." I'm afraid that if I do that, he will get the wrong lesson: that he needs to never admit to any other friend what he's done, or else he'll lose them. The right lesson obviously would be: don't follow people to their houses after they've cut contact and don't send them letters asking whether they're living alone again yet, what the fuck. I am afraid that if I tell him why I'm ghosting, he will simply never talk about this pattern ever again, thus removing the ability of future friends like me to make informed decisions about who they're spending their time with.

We're now one year into when I fully ended contact. I did not block him. I still get two texts a week from him -- sometimes "are you okay" sometimes life updates, usually just "hey". He has made no indications that he has visited the city where I live, thank god. I have not explained to any of our mutual friends what I did. I have not talked to anyone, not my therapist not my spouse, about what I did. I am not going to speak to him again, but I am not going to block him, because I need my cutting contact to look natural.

So yeah. AITA for not making a bigger deal of his continued stalking of other people? In my mind I'm protecting myself, and reducing the likelihood he'll start hiding his nature from future friends, so this way they can be informed and protect themselves as needed. But AITA for lowkey ghosting him instead of having a serious conversation about his behavior? I know he sucks. I just don't know if I also suck.

What are these acronyms?

[19joo]

It took me a while (like, years haha) before gathering the courage to post this. I've been writing but I don't usually post them publicly. If anyone here has read til the end, please let me know how I did. >_<

Our Last Night

[MCxJake]

"Do you really have to go?", I asked Jake as he is preparing to leave our hideout and run from his pursuers.

He sat in the bed beside me, leaned in closer, and took my hands. "It's gonna be alright. I'll come back as soon as I can. Once we get this over and done with, I'm never leaving your side again. I promise." He gave me the most reassuring look he could. I can only do nothing else but sigh. I know him too well now to see the uncertainty he's trying to mask from his eyes.

We both knew at this point that a desirable outcome is far-fetched. Nevertheless, I chose to hold on. I needed to. Otherwise, I won't have any other reason to keep going.

It's not that I didn't see it coming. I just hope things had never gone to this. Now that Hannah is safe and sound, all that's left is Jake's freedom.

After the Duskwood ordeal, Jake told me everything I needed to know about him. Apparently, we live in the same country, which is currently being ruled by the most corrupt set of government officials. It all began with Jake discovering a sketchy deal between a certain governmemt official and a foreign pharmaceutical company, which turned out to be our country's president. One discovery led to another, and now their organization has obtained a concrete proof that this heck of a useless corrupt "leader" has manipulated the election results.

It was all going so well. Jake's discoveries has been made known to the public. People were enraged, and started demanding justice. However, this government is a difficult group to get involved with.

We are now fighting for our freedom, and we have never been this close. We worked so hard for this. I am willing to do anything, but losing Jake is just a price I just couldn't afford to pay.

Before meeting everyone, I was merely existing. I've been going through the motions for as long as I can remember. I waited everyday for my life to end, because I couldn't end it myself. My body felt like an empty shell moving on its own.

I remember just blankly staring at my bedroom ceiling, contemplating between getting out of bed or going back to sleep again. I reached to my phone and scrolled at the piling messages I haven't replied to in weeks when I received that text message from Thomas. I don't know what got to me, but the urge to reply at his message was strong. When I saw how desperate they were on trying to find Hannah, I decided to sign myself up. Better do something worthwhile for once in my life, I thought.

As we went further, I noticed things gradually changing. I couldn't point out exactly when, but days eventually stopped being as monotonous as they used to. For the first time in ages, I had something to look forward to. The hollow void inside me began to be filled up with a sense of purpose, most of which I can attribute to this hacker who, for some reason, I began trusting with my entire being despite not being able to know a lot about. I don't know how he did it. He is so enigmatic, yet familiar. Despite everything, I never really felt the need to know everything about him. That must have been me going crazy — but I didn't care. When it came to him, things need not to make sense as long as they felt right. I never connected with anyone else the way I did with him.

The day he went into hiding from his pursuers was the day I fully realized can't live again without him in my life. Right then and there, I was finally able to genuinely want something for myself. We could have stopped upon finding Hannah, but I want him to be something more than a stranger I met in the pursuit of trying to save another. I want to be by his side. At the back of my mind, I knew this madness would likely be the death of me, but I'd happily accept my fate if it meant I could be with him.

Damn it. I feel so powerless.

"Maybe this wouldn't have happened had I not been too greedy. Maybe this is me being punished for trying to get what I can't have." I sobbed. "It's not too late, Jake. We can still back out now." I pleaded.

"Don't be hard on yourself. I chose this. It's my fault you got into this mess. I know I might regret this, but I won't ever forgive myself for not even trying to fight for you — for us." His pleading eyes met mine as he pulled me into a tight hug. "Trust me, please?"

He kissed my hand. "Our time is running out. I have to go."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

[666writingcafe]

An Outdoor Argument

AKA: The Girls Are Fighting

"Barbatos called. He wanted to let you know that he was on his way over here. Apparently he's set up a television interview for you tomorrow morning."

"When is he due to arrive?" I ask.

"A couple hours. I'll get his room set up in the meantime."

"That can wait. We need to talk." Lucifer gives me a weird look.

"Is that really necessary?" I nod, and he begrudgingly sits in the patio chair beside me.

"If it's about the way my brothers behaved this afternoon--"

"It's not that." I sigh. "I know you're upset with me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Classic move from Lucifer: deny, deny, deny.

"Lucifer, we both know that isn't true." I lean forward in my seat. "I just want you to be honest with me. It's all I've ever asked from you." Jaw clench.

"I am not one to tell you what you can or cannot do, but I think you're allowing yourself to become way too distracted. You're the future Demon King, and yet you can't even get through a day's work without feeling the need to jump out a fucking window."

I will admit, that wasn't one of my finest moments, but I couldn't very well waltz out of my office and risk getting caught. I have Barbatos keep a close eye on me for a reason; otherwise, nothing would ever get done. Completing paperwork has always been a drag for me. I can never focus long enough. My mind wanders too much.

Lucifer, on the other hand, seems to relish in it. He'd be content being locked in his office with a few bottles of Demonus and cursed records playing in the background. Doing paperwork soothes his mind from the constant screaming that occurs inside. That's why I give him as much of it as I am allowed to.

But that's beside the point.

"At the end of the day, I'm still a demon. I can only resist temptation for so long before I start to feel twitchy. You can relate to that, can't you?" Eye twitch.

"I just think you should be acting with a bit more decorum, that's all."

I can't stop the laugh that escapes out of my mouth, nor can Lucifer help his eyes narrowing in frustration.

"This isn't funny, Diavolo."

"Oh, I disagree. It seems as though you expect me to believe that you and your brothers have never been distracted and failed to complete your duties as a result."

"I know that my brothers are not the best at finishing assignments. No matter how hard I try, I can never seem to get them to behave--"

"And what about you? I can recall a couple of times that you've turned in something late because you were preoccupied with other things."

"At least I came back to it when I was done."

"And I will do the same when I return." Crossed arms. "How does my desire to spend time with MC differ from you and your brothers?"

No response.

I sense someone hiding in the shadows. Interesting timing on their part, seeing as this conversation pertains to them.

"You know, I think that you're jealous. You don't like that MC and I have grown close. It bothers you."

"You're free to do what you want. It's not like I can stop you." A dismissive tone. He's trying to keep his composure.

"You're one of my closest friends, Lucifer. I hate seeing you like this."

"Don't." He's getting close.

"Just tell me what's wrong. I want to help you--"

"Will you stop?!" Lucifer's chair scrapes on the concrete as he jumps out of his seat, his eyes flashing with anger. If I can just push him a little further...

"Tell me the truth."

"You want the truth? Fine. I am so sick and tired of you getting everything you want. I've had to bust my ass to get a mere fraction of the respect that you receive, and all you had to do was to be burn into fucking royalty for everyone to throw themselves at you, begging for the chance to fulfill all of your desires." I stand up from my chair, gently pushing it back behind me.

"Do you see me as competition, Lucifer?"

"How can I? Just by making your presence known, you've already won before anyone else even has a chance to play. There is no competition to be had."

I knew that Lucifer was pretty insecure as a result of his sin, but I had no idea that I was one of the reasons why. I mean, he's Lucifer Morningstar, once the most revered angel in the Celestial Realm. He has just as many admirers as I do, if not more.

"May I remind you that MC was practically head over heels for you from the moment they first saw you? You didn't even have to say a single word to them. I, on the other hand, was on their bad side for a very long time. The only reason they reached out to me the last time was because they didn't want to worry you unnecessarily. I had to get them to trust me before we could even be on friendly terms, let alone romantic ones."

"You still got to them before I did."

"Well, if we're talking about engaging in bedroom activities with them, so did most of your brothers."

"I'm not worried about them." I really shouldn't say what's on my mind right now. For one, it would be a much lower blow than my previous statement, and I don't like hitting below the belt. Also, we do have an audience, and I don't want them thinking less of me.

Then again...

I recall a conversation I had with MC while they stayed with me at the castle, one that occurred early on during their visit. Among other things, they mentioned that they hated feeling like they were a mere object incapable of making their own decisions.

I wonder...

I step closer to Lucifer, who's currently glaring at me.

I'm going to be profusely apologizing for this.

"Are you afraid that I'll fuck them better than you ever can?" Lucifer clamps his hands on my shoulders.

"MC is mine!"

"Lucifer Morningstar!" MC emerges from the shadows and storms over to us, making Lucifer let go of me in shock. They're pissed.

"MC, I--"

"Sit down." Lucifer hesitates. "Now." The power of their pact makes him do as he's told. Once he's seated, MC grabs both sides of the chair and leans over Lucifer rather closely.

"How dare you." Any anger Lucifer had on his face is replaced with immense fear. "I ought to punish you for breaking your promise."

"I'm sorry." The apology comes out so softly that I can barely hear it, but the regret on his face says it all. He knows he's fucked up, and he appears ready to accept whatever punishment MC has in store for him.

Question is, will they?

MC stares into his eyes, appearing to contemplate their decision. The tension between them is intense. Part of me feels like looking away in order to give them privacy.

"I accept your apology." MC gives him a quick kiss before leaning slightly back and tilting his head up. "And for the record, I don't like to choose." They let go of the chair and walk away from him, intent on heading inside.

A simple yet determined glance in my direction has me following close behind. Once we're away from prying eyes, MC turns to me and simply states,

"Well played, Diavolo." I shrugged. "Did I pass whatever test you decided to spring on me just now?"

Perhaps Solomon is right. They are too smart for their own good.

"Hold out your hand." MC extends the hand with the crest of the Sorcerer's Society on it out to me, and I gently grab it, positioning my free hand so that it hovers over theirs.

"I, Lord Diavolo, Demon Prince and heir to the throne, grant you, MC, Solomon's apprentice and future sorcerer, the Star of Gratitude." Once the star appears on their skin, I squeeze their hand softly.

"Thank you for not hurting my friend."

[50calmadeuce]

Ch. 18: His Apartment

Warning: Mention of miscarriage. Some chapters have sex.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Top Gun: Maverick world, trademarked by Paramount Pictures Corporation. I do not claim ownership of the characters and the world that I am borrowing.

The story and situation I am creating are a work of my imagination and I do not ascribe them to official story canon. This work is for entertainment only and is not a part of the storyline.

I am not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story, but I do hope it gives you happy thoughts.

These stories are my own, so please do not take them and use them for yourself without my permission. If you see them somewhere else, please let me know. :)

Dressed comfortably in lounge pants and a tank top, your hair casually tossed up into a messy bun, you exuded an air of relaxation despite the evening's events. The feel of the cool floor beneath your bare feet grounded you as you moved around your Jake's apartment, a simple but profound reminder of how he lived. Approaching the microwave, you reached out to retrieve the bag of freshly popped popcorn, the warm, inviting aroma wafting through the air, promising a moment of solace and a break from the day's complexities.

Your laptop, with its screen glowing softly, awaited you on the small table, a beacon of normalcy in the midst of swirling emotions. Settling into the chair, you made yourself comfortable, propping a leg up as you casually tossed some popcorn into your mouth. The familiar, salty crunch offered a small, comforting pleasure. With a deep breath, seeking a distraction or perhaps a semblance of routine, you began to scroll through your email. The digital missives provided a window to the outside world, to responsibilities, offers, and communications that demanded attention but also allowed a momentary escape from the personal turmoil left in the wake of the night's events.

You glanced at a couple of work emails out of curiosity to catch up on what was happening. Just as you were about to reply to one, the sound of a key jingling in the door caught your attention, prompting you to look up.

The door swung open, and Jake entered. He cast a glance your way while shutting the door behind him.

"I find myself apologizing quite often," he began, tossing his keys onto the kitchen counter.

You stayed seated, quietly watching him while taking a sip of the tea you had prepared, which was resting on the table. After taking a sip, you carefully set it back down on the table.

"Christ, Y/N, say something!" Jake blurted out. "If you're seeking a divorce, just say the word. If you wish for things to return to how they once were, please, just tell me!"

His plea, raw and unguarded, hung in the air between you, a tangible expression of vulnerability and uncertainty. For a moment, you allowed yourself to fully absorb the weight of his words, understanding the depth of his concern and the fear that perhaps, despite everything, you might be contemplating a distance greater than either of you could bridge.

Taking another moment to gather your thoughts, you finally broke the silence, your voice softer than before, yet firm in its resolve. "I don't want a divorce, Jake." You paused, allowing the words to sink in, hoping to alleviate the immediate fear that had prompted his outburst. "What I want is for us to work through this, together. Yes, there are challenges, and yes, we both have our own fears and insecurities. But I believe in us, in what we have. It's not about going back to how things were; it's about moving forward, learning from these experiences, and growing stronger as a result."

Rising from your seat, you approached Jake, the distance between you closing with each step until you stood before him, the warmth of your presence a silent reassurance. "I don't want an easy life if it means not having you in it."

Extending your hands, you clasped his, creating a moment of connection and togetherness, and met his gaze. "There's something about us. When we love, we love deeply." You paused for a moment. "However, if there's one lesson I've drawn from the last four years, it's that we're incredibly poor at communicating when we're in pain."

You bit your bottom lip, a move you knew always had an effect on Jake, feeling him tense in response.

"Darlin'…" he whispered, his voice low and husky.

The intensity in his eyes reflected a mix of emotions—regret, love, and a renewed sense of hope sparked by your words. You held his gaze, the connection between you almost palpable, a silent conversation of fears, hopes, and promises unfolding in the space between.

"Jake. I understand that up there, it's all about you and making it through, but down here, it's about us, and we need to focus on that. I recognize we've spent four years apart. I understand we're trying to navigate our way through this, but honesty is crucial between us." You extended your hand, softly laying it on his chest. "I love you, Jake, but this marriage isn't just about you or me. It's about us. I've had my own wake-up call coming here." Maintaining eye contact, you asked, "What if something were to happen to you?"

A confident grin appeared on his face. "That's an easy answer. Nothing will. I'm the best there is."

You let out a sigh. "I'm glad you have that confidence as a pilot, but what about as a husband?"

The question seemed to catch Jake off guard, his confident grin fading into a more contemplative expression. For a moment, he was silent, the weight of your question hanging in the air between you. It was a side of the conversation he hadn't fully considered, the shift from his invincible pilot persona to the vulnerabilities inherent in being a partner in a relationship.

He took a deep breath, his gaze still locked with yours, conveying the seriousness of his realization. "As a husband, I guess my confidence isn't as bulletproof."

"What if I had died from that horse that kicked me?"

Jake's expression shifted at the mention of the hypothetical scenario, the color draining slightly from his face as he processed the gravity of your words. The thought of losing you in such a sudden and violent way seemed to cut through the layers of his confidence and bravado, exposing a raw, vulnerable side of him that was rarely seen.

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing as he searched for the right words. "I... I can't even begin to imagine going through something like that," he admitted, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. "Losing you would break me in ways I can't even articulate. You're not just my wife; you're a part of me, Y/N."

Jake stepped closer, his hands reaching out to gently cup your face, ensuring you were looking directly into his eyes. "The thought of something happening to you and not being there to protect you, or worse, not having the chance to say goodbye..." He paused, struggling to continue, the depth of his feelings evident in the moistness gathering in his eyes. "Honestly, there was absolutely nothing between Sierra and me. She's completely off her rocker. I've always been faithful to you."

You lifted your hand and gently placed it over his, closing your eyes to soak in the warmth of his touch. The world around you seemed to fade away, and all that mattered was the feeling of his fingers intertwining with yours. You let out a soft sigh, relishing the comfort of his presence.

You opened your eyes, and met his. There was a softness in his gaze that made your heart flutter. "What?"

Jake's eyes sparkled with a mix of affection and something deeper, a vulnerability that he rarely showed. "It's just..." he started, his voice soft, filled with an emotion that seemed to dance on the edge of his words. "You did that lip thing. You know what that does to me."

You felt a surge of confidence, a sense of power and excitement flowed through your body knowing you had the ability to elicit such a reaction from him. "What lip thing?" you asked, feigning innocence.

"The way you bite your lower lip when you're nervous or unsure," he explained. "It just...it just drives me crazy."

"Oh, really?" you questioned, a playful spark in your eye, as you released his hand. He then placed his hands on your hips, drawing you closer.

You could feel the heat radiating from his body, and you couldn't help but lean in for a kiss. As your lips met, there was an electric current that ran through you both.

You could feel his tongue darting in and out, seeking entrance to your mouth. The kiss deepened, and you couldn't help but moan softly into his mouth. His hands slid down your back, pulling you closer to him.

The feeling of his body against yours was intoxicating, and you couldn't help but wrap your arms around his neck. The kiss deepened, and you could feel the passion building between you both.

His hands slipped down to your ass, pulling you even closer. You could feel his hardness against you, and it made you moan even louder.

As the kiss ended, you locked eyes with him. "Jake. We're not finished talking," you stated, lowering your arms to rest your hands on his chest.

"I know," he said, his voice husky with desire. "But I can't help it. You just do that to me." He leaned in for another kiss, and you couldn't help but give in to the passion between you both.

As the kiss deepened, you could feel his hands roaming over your body. He cupped your breasts, squeezing them gently. You moaned into his mouth, and he took that as an invitation to continue.

His hands rested on your hips, pulling you closer to him and he gently ground against you.

The sensation was intense, and you could feel your body responding to his touch. "Jake," you gasped, breaking the kiss for a moment.

"Yes, darlin'?" he asked, his voice low and husky with desire.

"I want you," you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

"I want you too," he replied, his hands sliding down to the hem of your shirt.

You softly took hold of his hand. "Not here." Guiding him, you led the way to the bedroom.

Once there, you turned to him, your eyes filled with desire and anticipation. You extended your hand to the zipper of his flight suit, grasping it firmly before beginning to slowly draw it downward. You could feel the tension in his body as you moved, and you knew that he was just as eager for this moment as you were.

As the zipper reached its endpoint, you released it, letting the suit fall open to reveal him dressed in a black t-shirt and boxers beneath. Taking a moment, you admired his form before gently taking his hand, leading him to the end of the bed. There, you softly pushed, guiding him to sit on the edge.

As he sat, you took a step back, allowing yourself to take in the sight of him. His eyes were filled with desire and anticipation, and you could feel your own heartbeat quicken in response. The bulge in his boxers sent a chill down your body.

Gently kneeling down, you reached for his boots, skillfully untying them before removing both the boots and his socks, setting them aside.

You then ran your hands up the legs of his flight suit. Your hands glided up his black shirt, then moved to his face, tenderly cupping it as you drew him closer for a kiss.

The kiss was slow and sensual, filled with passion as your lips moved against each other in a dance. You reached up, carefully pulling down the top part of his flight suit further. Next, your hands found the hem of his t-shirt, and you began to slowly lift it upward, pausing your kiss just for a moment. As soon as the shirt was lifted over his head and tossed aside onto the floor, you resumed your kiss, reconnecting with the same intensity.

"Mmmm," you moaned into his mouth, your hands roaming over his chest. You could feel the muscles beneath your touch, and it sent a shiver of desire through you.

Ending the kiss, your gaze, heavy with desire, locked onto his green eyes, a silent exchange of longing between you." I want to see you," you whispered, your voice a soft declaration of desire. You reached for the hem of his boxers, gently pulling them down as Jake lifted up from the bed to help you.

His cock sprang free, standing proud and hard. You couldn't help but let out a soft gasp of desire as you took in the sight of him. His cock was long and thick, the head swollen with desire, a small drip of precum glistened on the tip. You reached out, gently wrapping your hand around it, feeling the heat and hardness of him. You slowly stroked him, your eyes locked on his face as you watched the pleasure play out across it.

"Oh, god," he groaned as he fell back onto the bed, his hips moving in time with your hand.

You could feel the heat and hardness of him as you stroked him, your hand moving up and down his length.

"Oh, fuck," he groaned as you continued to stroke him.

You could feel the tension in his body as you continued to stroke him, but you could tell he was holding back. You knew he thought about your needs first during sex.

"Y/N. I need you," he moaned as you continued to stroke him.

You smiled as you kneeled between his legs, dangling from the end of the bed, and took his cock into your mouth.

"Oh, god," he groaned as you took him into your mouth. You felt his cock twitch as you sucked on him, your tongue swirling around the head of his cock.

You slowly worked your way down his shaft, taking him deeper into your mouth. You could feel the head of his cock hit the back of your throat, and you continued to suck on him. You could feel the tension in his body, but you knew he was holding back, so you continued to suck on him. Going deep and gently stroking his balls.

He moaned your name.

"Yes, Jake?" You asked, quickly releasing your mouth from his cock, but quickly continuing to suck.

"I need you. I want to feel you on me," he pleaded in a desperate way. Not the normal Jake way.

You stopped and looked up at him. "Why?"

He tilted his head to meet your gaze, a depth of emotion surfacing. "Because I need you. I need that connection," he confessed.

In that moment, the realization dawned on you: these intimate moments were the only times Jake revealed his vulnerability, the only times he truly opened up. And you were the sole witness to this side of him. No one else.

You stood up, his eyes glued to yours as you slowly took off your shirt and threw it on the floor. You then hooked your thumbs into the hem of your lounge pants and slowly pushed those down. Jake gasping when he realized that you wore nothing underneath. You stepped out of the pants and slowly climbed over his body that laid on the bed.

As you positioned yourself over his cock, he reached up and placed his hands on your hips, helping you guide yourself onto him. The both of you moaning as your body took him in.

"You're so tight," he groaned as you slowly began to ride him. "Why is it always different with you?"

He was right, you acknowledged to yourself as you felt his cock stretching your walls, and it felt incredible. You slowly began to move your hips, his cock sliding in and out of you.

"I don't know," you moaned as you began to ride him harder. "It just feels so good."

He groaned in response as he reached up and cupped your breasts, squeezing them gently and making your moan. "I love the way you feel on me," he moaned as you continued to ride him. "It feels so good."

You couldn't help but agree with him as you continued to ride him. You could still feel the tension in his body because you knew he was holding back.

"I want you to cum, darlin'," he said as he placed his hands back on your hips to pound into you harder. "I want to feel you cum on me."

"Oh god," you moaned as he began to pound into you even harder, his cock hitting your spot with every thrust, the pleasure building inside of you.

"Cum for me, darlin'," he said as he continued to pound into you harder.

"Oh, god," you moaned, as the pleasure continued to build inside of you and your body started to tense up. "I'm going to cum."

"That's it. Cum for me, darlin'," Jake encouraged. "Cum for me," he repeated as you continued to ride him harder.

You couldn't hold back any longer and you screamed out his name as your body tensed up and your orgasm crashed over you. You pussy clenching his thick cock.

"Fuck, darlin'," he groaned as he continued to pound in to you. "I'm going to cum."

"Cum for me, Jake," you moaned as he continued to pound into your pussy.

"Fuck, darlin'," he groaned as his body tensed up and his cock twitched up inside of you, sending another spasm through your already spent body.

You collapsed on top of him, his cock still buried inside of you. You could still feel the heat and hardness of him as he still continued to twitch inside of you.

You laid there for a moment, your body still tingling from the orgasm and then looked at Jake, who's eyes were closed, but he had a smile on his face.

"I love you, Jake," you said as you kissed his chest.

Opening his eyes, he reached up and cupped your face, his green eyes looking into yours. "I love you too, darlin'," he said as he kissed your forehead.

You slowly lifted yourself off of him, his cock slipping out of you with a wet plop. You settled down beside him, feeling his arms envelop you in a comforting embrace.

Out of the quiet, he suddenly said, "The squad and I leave Friday."

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