#but also hashtag relatable gif

[mousegard]

Holy shit you were right those symphogears sure can lesbian

I'm eight episodes in and I'm in love and can't wait to see how it goes. And then see how edelgard makes it more insane

got another one!

if you're enjoying it now just wait til you meet pink edelgard in season 2 and blue edelgard in season 4

[thebrideofreanimator]

mfw things i post publicly on the internet are seen by other people on the internet

[edna-skiffens]

I am soooo angry and expect an apology after I just spent all weekend binge watching and falling in love with this show to find out it got cancelled before season 3. It’s just not right

THE WILDS 2.06 | 2.05

[vhaos-chaotic-writing]

(TFE) Starscream being a parent to the Terrans

Hear me the frag out - I've been watching the series (I'm rn at the 11th episode) and I'm loving it. It's a good show! I just fell in love with the found family trope, the Terrans are so damn adorable and when I saw Starscream (even when it was for just like 3 seconds) I went apeshit.

(★ ω ★)

And of course - I need to write about my favorite character taking the role of a parent because I can't just keep with the Hashtag and Starscream father-daughter scenarios!

WARNING: Fluff! Megastar, Starbee and Opstar hinted (yeah), Starscream being a parent even when he denies being it. Headcanons on how seekers act (?) Long ass post ngl

So, imagine Starscream was given the opportunity of 1) Not being locked up again, 2) Stay with the Malto family and 3) In general the opportunity to show he can have a change of spark just like Megatron did.

Why was he given the opportunity? When Optimus and Megatron saw how Hashtag and Starscream bonded after that near to death experience with the Dweller, and the sole mention of either Starscream leaving or being taken back to G.H.O.S.T HQ, had Hashtag begged to not take away Starscream, hugging him tightly and said seeker also get in a defense stance as he held back the young terran, both former leaders finally accepted and, after talking with both the Malto family and G.H.O.S.T (who begrudgingly accepted the situation), Starscream was welcomed into the Malto family's home.

Of course - conditions were placed on the table: Starscream was not allowed to leave the Malto family's territory without any type of vigilance and had to help around in the family. With a few complains and groans, the seeker accepted, smiling as Hashtag celebrated happily.

Aaand from there on, the seeker started to show how he was taking a parental role with the young terrans, as if it was natural.

Of course, the first one to recieve this treatment was Hashtag - the young terran was nearly always with Starscream, talking his audial off about anything and everything. But the seeker didn't mind. Of course, he still made some snarky comments here and there, but from time to time was invested in whatever his daughter Hashtag told him about. Hell, one time Optimus saw how Starscream gently snuzzled his helm against Hashtag's, optics closed as he... purred? And Hashtag was all happy, smiling and giggling at the small affection before she left with her siblings to another class with Bee.

Seekers snuzzled their sparklings. It made Optimus' spark giggle.

"I... thought you weren't one to snuzzle another bot."

Starscream yelped to then hiss at Optimus. "You saw nothing, Prime!" And quickly left to lock himself inside of the barn.

(. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

Next ones to start bonding closely with the seeker were Thrash and Twitch. Twitch started to try and get better at her flying abilities and was often asking Starscream to teach her more - and Bee accepted since, well, he couldn't fly and the seeker was perfect to teach anything related to flying. The young femme terran always seemed to smile brighter whenever the seeker praised her for having done correctly her training and, even when the seeker always procalimed not liking hugs... hugged her back if she gave into her bursts of affection. With Thrash it was different - the young mech terran seemed to look after the seeker to find comfort whenever Mo, Robby, Dot or Alex were not around. And Megatron once got to hear Thrash and Starscream talk.

And Megatron has never heard Starscream speak so... softly to someone else before.

"It's just - I still sometimes feel like... we do not belong! And... and I'm scared Optimus and the others are going to be disappointed in us. That we are going to fail... to our small family." The young terran confessed, hugging his legs against his chestplate, sitting by the seeker's side.

Starscream gently wrapped one arm behind the terran to pull him close. "You shouldn't feel bad for feeling like... you are not enough. It is quite normal."

"Really?"

"Yeah - I've always felt that way back with my old team, and even back at my original home in Cybertrone." The seeker explains, to then look down at the terran. "But, be easy with yourself, Thrash - you are doing more than I've ever done or any of us have done. You do belong somewhere - to earth, to your family. You are doing an amazing job at becoming a greater Cybertronian-terran."

"You... really think so?". And it seemes like Starscream affirmed silently, as Megatron heard Thrash giggle and when he peaked a little, he found Thrash hugging Starscream. "Thank you, dad - I mean, Starscream!" and soon the terran left when Mo called for him, smiling brightly.

Starcream... chuckled. His optics held such fondness it made Megatron blush. He forgot how beautiful Starscream's calm expression was...

(✿◠‿◠)

On days later - Bee has been witnessing a silent bonding between Starscream and Nightshade, the latter following Starscream whenever he was going when none of them had tasks to do or anything in general to do.

Has also catched the seeker telling stories about Cybertron and Vos, his original home, to Nightshade and the other terrans. All the young terrans held surprised and awe expressions on their faceplates - and Bee saw just how truly happy Starscream seemed to speak about his culture and about their old home.

And has even seen Starscream aid Nightshade inside of their lab, teaching them new things and do, just like he has done with Hashtag, Twitch and Thrash, gently snuzzle his helm against the terran's.

"I'm proud of you, Nightshade." Oh, the sight made Bee's spark twirl.

(｡･∀･)ﾉﾞ

Starscream won't say it out loud, but his spark always feels warm whenever Jawbreaker acts as a small protector whenever Optimus or Megatron visit the family. The terran has seen how Starscream becomes tense and more irritable whenever either former leaders are visiting.

"Can you please stop being a hard to deal bot with and speak with me?" Megatron asks, following Starscream who keeps his helm up, arms crossed over his chestplate.

"I ain't going out on a small walk with you, I have better things to do!" Starscream said, finally turning to look at the bigger mech.

Before Megatron can say anything else, Jawbreaker is already between them, arms wide open as if protecting Starscream.

"Jawbreaker?"

"S-Starscream said he does not wish to speak with you!" Jawbreaker said, forcing himself to stand strong. Megatron was a little bit confused, but was soon frozen at seeing Starscream smile warmly, placing a servo on Jawbreaker's helm.

"My young knight." The seeker said jokingly but fondly, and the young terran smiled proudly as he looked up at the seeker. Starscream's smile disappeared as he looked back at Megatron. "So! If you are done being a dense mech, leave! Hmph!" The seekers turns around to keep walking, not before taking Jawbreaker's servo and the terran happily followed him. Like a sparkling does following its carrier or sire...

＜（＾－＾）＞

"Daaad!!!" A chorus of happy cries are heard as 5 terrans hug the seeker.

"W-what did I told you about calling me that?!" The seeker complains as the young terrans laugh cheerfully. But the seeker smiles fondly and tries to hug all the youngs as he gently snuzzles his helm against any helm he can reach, forgetting the three mechs who were watching the whole thing.

Oh, to say at least, Optimus', Megatron's and Bee's sparks were in love with the father-children scenario.

Vhaos out!

[solar-wing]

⚣ 5+1: TikTok Trends 🤳🏽

⚣🤳🏽 A/N → I kept seeing all these couple trends on TikTok and it made me think of how Jason would react to these very same trends with his boyfriend...so I wrote it. tee hee WARNINGS: established relationship | social media trends | relationship goals | fluff/comfort | jason's had enough |

⚣🤳🏽 Summary → Five times Y/N did a social media trend/prank on Jason and the one time the vigilante finally got his boyfriend back.

⚣🤳🏽 Words → 3.7K

REBLOGS & replies are greatly appreciated, please! 💛

⚣ ENJOY 🤳🏽

Social media is an interesting thing with a variety of uses. You could use it to connect with old friends from high school and college, remembering the good ole days. It could be a place to connect with other people in specific communities so individuals could find those they related to and shared similar views and interests with. More than ever, it could be used to spread activism and political messages.

For Y/N L/N, it was a place for him to display his loving and chaotic relationship with his boyfriend Jason Todd.

They both had very different relationships with social media.

Y/N was a whirlwind of hashtags and filters, a living embodiment of the digital age. His phone was an extension of his hand, scrolling through endless videos and GRWMs where they were always running late for whatever they were getting ready for.

The boy took his college studies seriously, but the thought never not crossed his mind that he could become a full-time content creator if he wanted to. Ask any of his friends or especially his boyfriend, the dude was a walking meme who kept hundreds to thousands of reaction pictures and videos on his phone which is something he successfully managed to get his boyfriend addicted to as well.

No seriously, it had gotten so bad that Bruce had to reach out to Y/N to see if he could get Jason to stop or at least delete the photos from his phone. Apparently, in their family group chat, his boyfriend had taken to sending some very targeted and specific images.

It was fine until Bruce said something about Jason being reckless or something and risking lives, and his boyfriend responded with some interesting images and a very petty caption.

Jason: this u?

It was safe to say Bruce was less than amused, though apparently everyone else found it hilarious. But, sadly Y/N had to inform the billionaire that he wouldn’t be able to get his boyfriend to stop even if he tried and that he was also a victim of this new ordeal.

Bruce was confused until Y/N showed him a picture Jason sent him after Y/N refused to come cuddle him because he was studying for a midterm.

Jason: get ur ass in here now or else...respectfully

This was the exact fun and chaotic energy Y/N wanted to share with the world on social media and TikTok. But, Jason had a different relationship with it than his boyfriend.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jason was a firm believer in a simpler existence, preferring face-to-face conversations over likes and retweets. He possessed a refreshing aversion to the constant buzz of notifications and the pressure to document every meal or outing.

His only exception was Twitter, where he could voice his unhinged and questionable thoughts freely without raising suspicion or judgment because it was…well, it was Twitter. 

However, that did not stop Y/N from using his poor and innocent lover in his little TikTok exploits when he wanted to.

The first one was something innocent, at least in his eyes. He and Jason were in their shared apartment near Y/N’s campus. They were lying together on the couch, with Y/N parallel to the piece of furniture while Jason sat up properly with his boyfriend’s legs over him.

He was silently reading a book while Y/N pretended to scroll through social media, fidgeting now and then when Jason would accidentally tickle his feet while unconsciously rubbing his feet. Then, the sneaky little man would pull up an audio from TikTok of a man’s voice, talking as if they were on a Facetime call.

At first, Jason didn’t think anything of it when he heard the ring from his boyfriend’s phone and he knows that he frequently calls his parents or friends. Besides, Jason knows almost everyone that Y/N knows so it definitely wasn’t out of the ordinary.

So why the fuck did he not recognize that voice that was speaking on the other end of Y/N’s phone? More than ever, why was it male?!

The second he heard the random male voice ask his boyfriend why he was smiling like that, the phone was snatched out of his hand and Jason was prepared to threaten extreme bodily harm to whoever was on the other side of that phone.

So imagine his confusion when was looking back at himself.

When he noticed the recording button at the bottom, he looked toward his boyfriend who was trying his best to hold in his laughs and was doing a terrible job. Y/N made sure to snatch his phone back though so Jason couldn’t delete the footage.

Jason allowed it though despite his annoyance, seeing Y/N happy and laughing always trumped over any negative feelings he was experiencing. However, he did give his boyfriend a nice gentle lesson about what happens when he plays with the vigilante’s jealous side.

It ‘twas not gentle though, not one bit.

And Y/N was a little fucker who never learned his lesson. Proud of it too.

The second time wasn’t even a week later after he’d seen a new trend going around the clock app that he just knew he wouldn’t be able to resist.

“Might be a little bit controversial but get ready with me while I give you my reasons on why cheating on your significant other is okay in certain scenarios.”

In under 5 seconds, the bathroom door shot open after the apartment sounded like a large predator had come running through it. Judging by the very unamused look Y/N was receiving, it may have been just that.

Y/N had to do his best not to laugh (or moan) at the image on his phone’s screen of a hulking, pissed-off Jason standing over him as he watched his skincare in silence. He knew his followers were going to get a kick out of this, probably detailing the filthiest things their horny little minds could cook up in his comment section like the little horny bastards they were.

Though, Y/N would be no better.

Jason still didn’t say anything, continuing to stare down at him like an angry parent who’d just been embarrassed in church by their child.

“Um, can I help you?” Y/N asked, desperately holding back the smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

Jason’s dark hair fell over his forehead, his white streak hanging lazily between as his eyes narrowed down at his smaller boyfriend, his large, intimidating arms crossed over his chest. Y/N had to take a large breath to calm down the fluttering in his stomach.

Why did his boyfriend have to be so hot? The world was not fair.

When Jason continued to not say anything, just staring silently at his lover, Y/N decided to finish his skincare in silence while checking to make sure his video was still recording.

When about five minutes passed and neither of the boys said anything, the taller and larger male started to become slightly confused. Why wasn’t Y/N saying anything? He wasn’t crazy, knowing exactly what he heard until a lightbulb went over his head and he realized what was going on.

Once Y/N finished patting his face with sunscreen, he looked up to his boyfriend to see him with a now slightly less peeved expression and more of a smug, amused look.

“What?”

“You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“I think I’m quite hilarious actually.”

Jason didn’t say another word before turning on his heel, slowly walking out of the bathroom back towards the kitchen with that damn slutty walk of his. Seriously, why was the universe so unfair to Y/N? Then again, he definitely wasn’t complaining.

But, just because Jason realized what was going on didn’t mean he was going to just let the harmless prank go so easily. Y/N would be reminded once again how petty his boyfriend could be in the worst ways possible.

There really should be a hotline or emergency number for guys whose boyfriends decide to tease and edge them for over an hour. These crimes should not go unchecked!

Anyways…Y/N still didn’t learn his lesson. Third time’s a charm.

By this time, Jason had become well aware that Y/N would not stop using him in his little videos and pranks, so he figured if you can’t beat em, join em. He got his own TikTok account and only followed his boyfriend while also doing his best to keep up with whatever trends were going around, especially with couples so he could stay one step ahead.

This proved very useful, as when the ‘Water’ song by Tyla became a trend all over TikTok, Jason was more than aware of what his boyfriend was trying to do when he noticed from the corner of his eyes him recording him, pretending like he was just watching the videos.

Ah ah ah, gonna have to try harder than that, babe. Jason didn’t even budge like he was going to look, not like he would’ve either way.

But, he was NOT prepared to come home one day to find his boyfriend with his tripod set up, starting the countdown timer to record a video. The second the video started recording and Jason realized what song was playing, he didn’t waste a second before running and tackling Y/N out of the camera view before he could even hit the first beat.

He didn’t care if he fell for that one, those moves were for Jason’s eyes only. Something else the vigilante was going to have to remind his boyfriend about.

But, at least when Y/N looked at the footage, he realized he finally had something to post for that trend where people ran and tackled their significant others to that Barbie Girl remix. He’d always wanted to do that trend but hadn’t met Jason yet, so he was a bit too single to do it.

The fourth time was something also a little bit simple, less of a prank and more of Y/N just being a little shit that went looking for trouble.

When Jason was once again in the kitchen cooking, with his usual tank-top and jogger combo, Y/N thought it a perfect opportunity for him to get some revenge on his boyfriend since the gargantuan male always found it funny to slap Y/N on his butt hard as shit. Vengeance was needed.

So, when Jason wasn’t looking, Y/N walked into the kitchen positioning his phone in another spot so it could see the entire action, knowing if he tried to be sneaky, the vigilante would still catch on to him and turn around. He walked up behind him and gave his boyfriend a little hug as usual and a kiss on his back, something the towering male pretended not to be giddy at.

However, his sweet, tender moment was interrupted when he felt a medium-palm land on his ass with a precision aim, leaving a tingling sting behind.

“Payback!” Y/N decreed, already turning around and running for their shared room.

When he went back and looked at the footage later, he had to admit, the view of Jason turning around slowly as Y/N scurried away was very amusing. Especially considering he layered the video with the Wii Sports fencing music as his mammoth-sized man stalked after him like a predator cornering its prey.

His vengeance did not last long.

By this time, Jason had become somewhat of a regular presence on Y/N’s TikTok account, and all of his followers wanted more content with the two of them together.

So, after a long time coming, Y/N had managed to successfully convince Jason to do a video with him on camera. They decided to do the Alphabet challenge, something Y/N thought he’d have an easy win at.

He was not prepared for his boyfriend's extensive vocabulary. “Are you ready to start, honey?” Y/N started sneakily, thinking his boyfriend wouldn’t catch it.

“Bet you thought you were slick, huh?” Jason replied with his usual smug look.

“Can you be any less smug?” Y/N said with a playful eye roll.

“Don’t act like you don’t like it.”

At that point, it was almost like they weren’t even doing a challenge, but rather doing their usual relationship banter back and forth that just happened to be getting recorded. The longer it went on, the more chaotic it became, both boyfriends pulling the absolute wildest sentences they could think of out of their mouths to throw the other ones off.

“Suck my ass.”

“Turn around”

He’d also underestimated Jason’s lack of shame and vulgarness.

“Explain how you get a body like that?”

“From fucking whiny little pretty boys like you.”

Oh.

Yeah, he should’ve thought this one through a little more.

They’d managed to go through the whole alphabet at least three times, going from bantering back and forth to Y/N reciting lines from movies he could both think of, to Jason reciting lines from some of his favorite books. The smaller man at some point figured he could start using lines from pop culture and trends to throw his colossal boyfriend off. However, he was absolutely not prepared for him to quote the Rachel voicemail, word for word, knowing how much that whole message always made him weak.

“This is for Rachel you big, fat, white, nasty-smelling fat BITCH.”

Why did he have to put so much emphasis on the ‘bitch’ part? He threw in the towel there and let Jason have it, swearing victory on their next face-off.

Now, Y/N didn’t think it would go any farther than that. He figured he would keep making videos pranking Jason and that now and then, the vigilante would begrudgingly join in.

Oh, he was wrooong…

Frankly, Y/N should have known Jason was playing a prank on him the second he called him by his actual name instead of one of his pet names. The vigilante always got upset at him when he used Jason’s actual name instead of babe, baby, Jaybirdie, love, or even just simple Jay.

So, when Jason was not only calling him by his name but refusing to touch and or kiss him at all. Y/N absolutely should have figured something was up.

When Jason got over his initial awkwardness of physical touch in their relationship, that meant became a touch-clingy animal. Whether a hug, hand holding, cuddling, or even simple finger grazes, he needed them all. And kissing, if Y/N ever even dared leave their bedroom, let alone their apartment without giving his giant teddy bear of a boyfriend a kiss, he basically committed the ultimate sin.

So, imagine his surprise when he wakes up and leans over to give his Jaybirdie his kiss, and the big lug rolls over to the other side of the bed before his lips can even get close. Never mind the fact that he woke up and Jason was not cuddling him, hugging, or even just touching him for the matter.

But, he figured Jason was just out of it, discombobulated after waking up or something, and needed a moment. Then, when he was getting ready for his classes and making breakfast, Jason came out and Y/N plated his food for him while grabbing some juice from the fridge.

“Thanks, Y/N.”

Immediate strike two.

Y/N immediately turned around to his lover who was slowly eating his food, rather than inhaling it like he usually does which is why Y/N always has to make extra because the man is still hungry after the first plate. He gave him a weird look and just shrugged it off like he was hearing things, continuing to fill up the glass of juice before handing it over to the vigilante.

“Thanks, Y/N.”

There it was again. Okay, so he wasn’t imagining shit.

And, now that he was thinking about it, Jason was acting really weird. He didn’t come in and hug from behind like he does when Y/N is cooking. He hasn’t made one lewd sexual joke all morning. Heck, he’s barely looked towards the smaller male since this morning.

“You’re welcome. Is everything okay?”

Finally, Jason looked up at him, but it was with a straight face instead of his usual small smile or even the smirk that he always seemed to carry.

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know, you just seem like you’re upset about something. Did I do something to make you mad?” Y/N asked, suddenly feeling very vulnerable and uncomfortable. He was not used to this behavior from Jason. It was almost like the beginning of their relationship when the vigilante wouldn’t be very guarded against him because he didn’t trust him yet. A feeling he was very happy to forget.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. Are you okay?” Jason asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just worried about you, I guess. You seem quiet.”

“I’m good, Y/N. You don’t need to worry about me.” Jason said, going back to scrolling on his phone while eating.

“Oh, okay,” Y/N said softly, looking down at the ground and feeling very out of place all of a sudden.

On the other end, he didn’t realize how much it was KILLING Jason on the inside to keep up this ruse. He was just about ready to fold and call it quits this morning when he turned over and avoided his boyfriend’s kiss.

Now, he felt absolutely disgusted and horrible at how hurt Y/N looked. He planned to wait it out until he got back from his classes, but he knew right at that moment he wasn’t going to be able to make it that long. He underestimated how much seeing his boyfriend upset would affect him.

“Alright, well, I’m gonna head to my class now. Text me if you want to meet up for lunch.”

“Okay,” Jason said, not saying anything else which he could see was visibly confusing Y/N even more.

He knew that Y/N didn’t like to push because of Jason’s boundaries, always rather giving him space than crowding him and trying to force him to tell him what was going on. It did nothing to help alleviate the guilt he was feeling.

When Y/N came over to try and give Jason a hug and goodbye kiss and Jason visibly moved away, the vigilante wanted to kill himself right at that moment at the wounded expression all over the boy’s face, who just moved to grab his bag, keys, and phone and damn near ran for the door. That was a clear strike three for the college student.

Absolute shit Jason felt like.

When he heard the front door open and slam, he immediately jumped up, grabbed his phone, and ran after his boyfriend who was booking it towards the stairs.

“Y/N, wait.”

When he made no moves to slow down, Jason had to pull out the vigilante moves to catch him since he was nearly out the complex door.

“Baby, stop. I was just messing with you,” He said, grabbing his boyfriend and planting kisses all over his face.

“No, that’s not funny. Get off me you jerk,” Y/N said not making any move to push Jason off which the vigilante smiled at.

“I’m sorry, but now you know how it feels,” Jason showed Y/N his phone that had been recording the entire interaction, “Payback,” He declared, clearly mocking the smaller boy.

Y/N rolled his eyes before heading back inside with his boyfriend who showered him with love and kisses for his prank but made fun of him the entire time. And it didn’t stop there.

Jason did scare pranks, couples challenges where they had to answer questions (his favorites were the ones that came with punishments like dunking each other’s head in water or getting hit with a pillow), and more.

It was the reaction memes all over again.

But, there was still one challenge he hadn’t come across yet that Y/N did and was more than ready to do on his boyfriend.

They were currently sitting in the car, spending a day out together since Y/N's load from his classes was light and there weren’t any cases Jason was working on with himself or his family either. They were parked in a parking garage outside a shopping center, having just come back from shopping and grabbing some food inside when Y/N set up the camera.

“Babe, what are you doing?” Jason asked while stuffing his face with the freshly baked pretzel bites they got.

“Saw this new couple challenge on TikTok and wanted to do it,” He said, setting up the phone mount and adjusting it so it had him and Jason in full view.

“So, I saw this new challenge where couples are asking their partners random questions about each other and seeing who knows more about the other. So me and my husband are going to do the same thing and I’m going to start.” Y/N said into the camera.

The moment it came out his mouth, Y/N could see the initial surprise on his face turn into a small smile, but he didn’t say anything or question him, so he kept going. As he did his best to think up random questions to ask Jason, he kept referring to him as his husband, increasing the smile to a shit-eating grin the longer it went.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Y/N asked.

“I’m your husband now?” Jason asked, turning to him with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, is that a problem?” Y/N asked with his own raised eyebrow.

“Absolutely not,” Jason said, not saying another word as Y/N ended the video. He pulled out his phone as they finished their food and Y/N showed the original challenge that everyone was doing, agreeing with him when he called the guy from the original video a complete idiot.

But, he definitely noticed Jason not being as discreet as he thought he was, immediately noticing Jason’s browser on his phone being pulled up to engagement rings.

Oh boy.

☀️ | Jason Todd/Red Hood | ☀️

☀️ | Masterlists | ☀️

[nasa]

Space Craft! Make NASA-Inspired Creations for World Embroidery Day

It’s time to get crafty with some needle and thread. At NASA, we hope to inspire art of all kinds. To highlight #WorldEmbroideryDay on July 30, we want to know: does our imagery inspire you? Show us your art and we may feature it on social media.

How?

Search for a NASA image that inspires you. Here are a few places to get you started: Hubble, James Webb Space Telescope, Ocean Color, Landsat and Earth Observatory

Create. Over the years, we've seen a growing number of embroidered pieces that showcase our organization's research, especially with needlepoint.

Share your creation, along with the image it was inspired by, on social media using the hashtag #NASAEmbroidery. We will share selected pieces on July 30 for World Embroidery Day

Why?

NASA imagery has many functions. From studying distant galaxies to tracking ocean health, our scientists use these images to not only monitor our home planet, but better understand life beyond our solar system.

Embroidery is an ancient craft that has experienced a revival over the years. It involves decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn.  Have you recently taken up embroidery? What images are you inspired by? We’d love to see it.

Image Resources for #NASAEmbroidery Inspiration

NASA Images 

Hubble Image Gallery

NASA’s Ocean Color Image Gallery

James Webb Space Telescope

Landsat Image Gallery

Create and Share Your #NASAEmbroidery

Take a picture of your piece and upload it to Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr or Facebook. Make sure you use the hashtag #NASAEmbroidery so we know that you are taking part in the event and make sure that your privacy permissions allow us to view your post.

If the piece catches our eye, we may share your work on NASA’s main social media accounts as well as theme-related ones. We may also feature your art in a NASA Flickr gallery and our Tumblr pages. We’ll contact you directly to grant us permission to feature your work. You can follow @NASA on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for embroidery creations, which will be featured from July 30-Aug. 1

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[scienceandshitpostsdaily]

Dan this is the gay sex website what do you expect at this point

Why I Don't Want Kids

[astrophileous]

LOVE BUGS MASTERLIST

Pairing: Derek Morgan x Female Reader

Synopsis: You and Derek Morgan have an arrangement. At work, your relationship is strictly business. Under the sheets, it's all about pleasure. Nothing more, nothing less. Until, of course, your feelings start to get involved. Your situation is complicated enough without the unexpexted predicament that suddenly befalls upon you. But with a maniac serial killer on the loose, will you ever get the chance to make everything right?

Warning(s): 18+ NSFW SMUT CONTENT, alcohol consumption, serial killers, graphic depictions of violence/injuries/blood/murder, cursing, violent uses of guns and knives, unplanned pregnancy, mentions of abortion, kidnapping, etc. (please see each individual part to know more about the complete list of warnings)

Status: Completed

All of the parts from Love Bugs can also be found under the hashtag "love bugs" on my profile.

Criminal Minds Masterlist

Author's Note: Hellooo and welcome to the masterlist for Love Bugs! This is the very first derek morgan fic I've ever written and the very first time in my life I took a shot at writing smut lol. Pls be mindful of the warnings for this series, including the ones listed in each individual part below. It's also worth mentioning that even tho the main pairing for this fic will be derek morgan x reader, it's also got a lot of bau team x reader undertones in case you're wondering why the scenes between derek and the reader are lacking in some places. Aside from that, I hope you still enjoy this little piece of indulgence I've written and pls pls pls don't forget to give your support by liking/commenting/reblogging. Thank you!

Part 01

Part 02

Part 03

Part 04

Part 05

Part 06

Part 07

Additional materials:

You catch Derek talking to your pregnant belly

Overprotective Derek

Sex reveal party

Derek lifting your bump (like the TikTok trends)

When you're nearing your due date

Derek loves to see you waddle

The song that plays on your first dance, on your wedding day

Derek teaches his son to talk to his unborn sister

Pregnancy pillow and jealous Derek

Video of Little Bug meeting Baby Bug for the first time (submitted by the lovely @thisgirlisonfayeeer ❤️)

Derek gets jealous of not having bug-related nickname (or, your daughter's first word)

This series is completed. Requests are open for blurbs/headcanons/etc. You can send me an ask for the requests or even if you just want to gush about the fic. Thank you for reading!

[martian-astro10]

Tarot/Astrology GAME

You can ask a simple question and then get that question answered through tarot. The question can be related to anything, love life, career, etc, be precise and straightforward. For the tarot, let me know your initials, some facts about yourself (favourite colour, series, book, etc)

You can send your d1 and d9 and ask me anything in regards to your spouse or married life. The answer is gonna be short and precise.

You can send your d1 or d10 and ask anything in regards to your career, the answer is gonna be short and precise.

you are allowed to ask ANY ONE, not ALL, only ONE of the above (I've written that the answers will be short but you all know I'm a yapper so the answer can end up being long as well)

Only charts generated through "farfaraway.com" will be accepted, any ask containing chart from any other website will be deleted.

RULES

Followers only

No anons allowed

Reblog this post with the hashtag "martian-astro10"(and then tarot/d9/d10, according to what you've chosen) for ex- if you've sent in your d9, you'll put the hashtag- martian-astro10_d9

Also reblog my master list

If you've chosen tarot, add this emoji with your ask "🔮", if you've chosen astrology, then add this emoji "🪐"

Read the rules and instructions carefully, and send everything in one ask, asks that do not follow all the rules will be deleted immediately.

I expect (demand) a feedback

Be polite and kind (I won't add what I expect when I say be "kind" cuz you all are fully functioning adults and should know basic manners, if you don't, then you're too young to be on the internet anyways)

Some....stuff?

I'll start answering questions from tomorrow once my exam gets over, so probably tomorrow evening, do not rush me and be patient.

People who've been following me for a long time and frequently engage with my astrology posts WILL be prioritised.

I won't be able to answer everyone so keep that in mind. Especially for tarot, if I do not vibe with your energy the answer just won't come to me and I would rather not lie to you all.

If you follow me after seeing this game, your ask won't be answered, I'm sorry but this is really an appreciation for all my long time followers.

I hope all the rules are clear, if not, let me know

Status: CLOSED

[0hmanit]

Some old tweets from the official Rain World twitter account that I find interesting

It seems that FP's overseers had a larger range, and could appear in outskirts. It also could be possible that they're were to guide you instead of Iggy. And after looking enough, this next gif confirms that:

This led me to the original forum post, have a nice read

The account retweeted a possible scrapped room? (2016)

Old rooms and a rare early look of the room SU_B04! (2014) I can't post them all, but if you scroll here you can find more screenshots of early Outskirts rooms. It's also so unbelievably funny to me that the old account was basically obsessed with using #slugcatlife in almost every Rain World related post (same with Videocult's account). It's a shame they removed their old bio and stopped doing that, because I think it's gold.

Can we bring it back please? I'll start using #slugcatlife just for the fun of it

If you're more interested in posts about Rain World's inspiration, thanks to the RW discord server I found this reply.

Another legendary slugcatlife tweet

Looking in the hashtag results in old fanart, screenshots and Videocult tweets. Like this early look of the White Lizard:

Or this gif of the noodleflies:

A couple of more honorable mentions: The room above Early DLL AI Cool decals

And FINALLY, these goofballs^

[zepskies]

hi! so I had a question, how long did it take you to build a following on tumblr? how long have you been writing for spn as a whole (I assume you started with it but I’m not sure I meant when did you start writing on the app mostly) and do you think it usually takes as long as it did for you for other people? (I hope the wuestion made sense)

Hi there, lovely anon!

Oh, these are great questions, and I'm happy to answer. I'm going to be referencing this post, as someone asked me a similar question.

I also talk a lot about my beginning fanfic/coming to Tumblr experience and building a following in this interview I did with the @idlingintheimpalapodcast.

That being said, here's how I got started in SPN fandom and on Tumblr, and 6 Tumblr Tips related to how I've tried to grow my blog:

Learn How Tumblr Functions

Create a Tag List

Posting Schedules, Announcements, and Sneak Previews

People are Visual (Use Images & Design Elements) + shoutouts to blogs I looked to for inspo

Support Your Fellow Writers! Reblog/Comment on What You Read & Enjoy

When I Do Get Engagement, I Reply to Comments and Reblogs

Deeper dive below the cut:

Writing for SPN & Starting on Tumblr

To be honest, I'm a bit late to the party when it comes to Tumblr. I've written for many different fandoms over the 15 years or so I've been writing fanfic, but I've been writing for Supernatural in particular since around 2015. I wrote on platforms like Fanfiction.net, and later I moved over to Ao3.

I dabbled with Tumblr starting in 2021 while I was working on a Billy Butcher x OC story for the Boys (And So It Goes). But after watching the last season of SPN, I got the SPN bug again, so I started dipping back into the fandom.

But I wasn't really that active on Tumblr until January 2023, when I wrote my first soulmate AU series for Dean Winchester, called Never Say Goodbye (Dean x soulmate!Reader).

That started a very fun journey for me in the Tumblr world, engaging with people and making friends here with awesome people! 💕

Now, here are a few tips on what I've learned in building my following. You don't have to do exactly what I did. This is just my advice based on my personal experience here:

Tip #1: Learn How Tumblr Functions

Everything has been a process of trial and error. I have a professional background in content and social media marketing, so that knowledge has helped me a lot with some elements I'll get into later.

But it took me time to learn the Tumblr landscape. I had to figure out:

Why it's important to reblog -- not just your own work in replying to people's comments, but what you read and enjoy. It's what makes Tumblr go 'round.

The different mobile vs. desktop views and functions.

How to format my posts and use hashtags that would best optimize my fics and posts, based on the most followed tags in the fandom I was writing for.

How to create design elements, like banners, dividers, and headers that matched my aesthetic and the fandom.

Make sure my blog is easy to read, visually, and easy to navigate, technically (links to my masterlists, series masterlists, tag list, my fic library side blog, Patreon, etc.).

I'm still adjusting all these things now and then as I figure out new ways to keep readers engaged, and make my blog as easy to navigate as possible.

Tip #2: Create a Tag List

A tag list is a list of blog users that request to be tagged in your upcoming fics. (See this post on tips for formatting tag lists and optimizing hashtags on posts.)

Some authors don't do tag lists anymore because they find it a hassle (and it can be), but even if you're just starting out, advertise your tag list -- I suggest at the end of a fic and in your bio, your masterlist, and/or navigation page. It will get more eyes on your posts, and hopefully more engagement.

I used Google Forms to build up my tag lists because it's easy to use and it creates a Google spreadsheet for you based on the responses you get (an idea I got from another writer who was doing the same thing). You can also create more sheets within the file to organize the responses by character, for example.

On my tag list, I gave readers options to choose which character they wanted to be tagged on based on the fandoms I write for. I also created tag lists for new series to go with the series masterlist. Like I said above, I created spreadsheets for each of these lists within my tag list form master sheet.

Now, you don't have to do it exactly this way. There are many ways to keep track of a tag list.

Some people may think my approach is too much work, but this was very successful for me in building up my tag lists and increasing my following. Staying organized is key! 🤓✌🏽

I have since created a side blog @zepskieswrites for people to follow with notifications on, since my character tag lists are full.

Tip #3: Posting Schedules, Announcements & Sneak Previews

When my blog started to gain traction from my first SPN series, I knew I wanted to post consistently to keep people's interests. For me, this meant once a week (sometimes more if the mood strikes me), to keep that momentum going. YouTube vloggers do the same thing for this reason. They have a set posting schedule and give announcements.

You don't have to post once a week. You don't even have to have a set schedule. That's just what I did last year to increase engagement, but also because I love to write, I was getting inspired, and I made the time for it!

Remember that writing and sharing your work and being a part of the fandom on Tumblr is supposed to be fun! At the same time, what you get out of something depends on how much time you have to put into it.

Basically what I’m saying is, I’ve put a lot of time and energy into my writing and my blog, but only because it’s been very fun to do it! 😉

Now, going back to being consistent. It can help you! When people know they have content waiting for them by a certain timeframe, and they see that you stick to that deadline, they're more likely to tune in and engage with your work.

Of course, real life comes first, always, and things can derail you, but on the whole I make sure that I keep my word when I say I'm going to post something. Tumblr has a scheduling feature that allows you to schedule posts ahead of time, which I use on a daily basis. That can help you as well.

To try and generate buzz around new stories, I give writing updates or announcements, often with sneak previews, and the dates when I plan to drop the upcoming story. When I'm writing a series, on each chapter I give a preview of the next one, so I can try to keep people invested and waiting for the next chapter.

Tip #4: People are Visual (Use Images & Design Elements)

A huge element of successful content and social media is visuals. The first thing people are often drawn to when they look at a web page, an ad, or any kind of digital content is the picture -- and any other visual elements. Then they look at the title/headline, followed by the rest of the story.

This is why I always lead with the title of the story/headline and a GIF or image at the top of the post for a story. Draw readers in with their eyes to the visual, and then the content. I now create my own design elements, including story headers.

When I got started here on Tumblr, I also took a closer look at how other popular blogs I admired were organizing their masterlists, formatting their stories with banners, dividers, tags/warnings, word count, creating tag lists, and more -- both to create their blog aesthetic and to make it easier for readers to enjoy their work on different levels -- the content itself, and the visual elements.

Shoutouts to some of those writers I looked to, who have a lovely blog aesthetic and organization: @luci-in-trenchcoats @deanwinchesterswitch @deanbrainrotwritings @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior

Form and function is a balance, and they should work together. For example, there are some design/post formatting elements that are getting popular now on Tumblr that I personally don't vibe with, because I think it takes away from the reader's experience.

Like making the entire post or story in small case. Readers that have trouble seeing small fonts won't want to read this.

or making everything in the story lower case. this just bothers me for grammatical reasons. guarantee i will be turned off from reading. 😂

Also, most people browse Tumblr on their phone rather than on desktop. (About 62% according to current Semrush statistics.) So certain things that are small in your desktop version will be even smaller on mobile.

If you have a custom blog design, some design elements may not transfer well visually on mobile vs. desktop, and vice versa. So you'll want to check both versions to see how it looks, and possibly make adjustments.

Now, this isn't to say you have to become a graphic designer if that's not your thing. There are plenty of people who share their lovely designs for free, as long as you make sure to credit them if you use one of their banners, dividers, etc. Check out @cafekitsune and @firefly-graphics, for example.

Some of them even take requests. Just make sure to check their bio to see if they state whether they're currently taking requests or not. (This also goes for writers on fic requests.)

Tip #5: Support Your Fellow Writers! Reblog/Comment on What You Read & Enjoy

This is part of the fun when you start truly engaging with the fandoms you love.

Likes are cool. Comments are wonderful. Reblogs with comments are awesome, because not only do they get that engagement/feedback that they can reply to, but the reblog helps your fellow writers get seen. And while they aren't obligated to, they might be more inclined to do the same for you.

You'll also start to develop relationships within your fandom community. This is how I've made many friends and gained new readers on Tumblr -- by reblogging, sharing, commenting on what I liked about the fics I read. 💜

I try my best to support my fellow writers, no matter how new or how popular they are. Just because a writer has a bigger following, doesn't mean they appreciate feedback any less.

Feedback gives us writers energy and fuels us to write more. It can lead to more inspiration, and to continue the series you might be so invested in.

So if I took the time to read something, if I enjoyed it, I'm usually reblogging it and sharing my thoughts, even if it's just a gif or a couple of lines, or a long raving review. 💖

Tip #6: When I Do Get Engagement, I Reply to Comments and Reblogs

Along with supporting my fellow writers, engaging with the lovely people who read my work is just good fun! It's the best part of sharing my work on here and on Ao3. And it lets them know that you value and appreciate them for taking the time to comment and/or comment in a reblog. 💓💓💓

I hope these tips are helpful! Now, to answer your last question...

Do you think it usually takes as long as it did for you

[to build a following] for other people?

Interesting, but the truth is, I'm not sure. My knowledge of content and social media marketing has probably given me a leg up, I think, even though it took me a while to learn the Tumblrscape. I've also been writing fanfic for a long time. Long before I ever heard about Tumblr.

I've spent years studying literature, creative writing, and screenwriting, and putting it into practice. I've spent years writing for other voices besides my own, outside of the fanfic world. Like anyone else, I can only go by what I've learned, my own instincts, my frame of reference, and what I want to write about next.

Like anyone else, I can only hope that what I put out there vibes with people and touches them in some way, enough that they feel comfortable letting me know what they thought about it. 💜

In the meantime, I'll just keep getting inspiration from this guy (and other characters):

[purpdrawsthings]

Never gonna give you up~

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊𖥸

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚✩ ⋆｡˚ ✩ ➳

┊ ┊ ┊ ✫ ➳

┊ ┊ ☪⋆ 𖥸

┊ ⊹ ➳

✯

Creative Control - SMG4

00:52 ━━━━●───── 01:56

⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻

ılıılıılıılıılıılı

ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ : ▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮▮

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION

Before we get started, I'd like to address some important before we get in the thing =3

WHAT I DO NOT ALLOW

Asks for donations

Yes I have answered some asks regarding this, but I seriously cannot donate.

I do feel sorry, I genuinely do. But, I should be honest that I can't donate, therefore, I ask for people to not spam my ask box with donations

NSFW

Obviously huge no-no sign for me. I want this place to be as clean possible.

Any mentions of controversies, etc

Keep this place happy for all of those stuff. I'll only talk of it if it's terrible, but I'd like to keep this place not walking with negativity.

I'd prefer to be quiet about it.

Okieeee that's about all =3 let's get along with the thing~

Hello hello! Welcome to my introduction post =]

It has seem that you have stumbled across my profile! Good job, =D

I'll get on with the intro, my name is Purp! Call me Purp! Don't try and confuse me with my oc called Purp hehe-

I am a Muslim that currently lives in a hot ass place called Malaysia 🇲🇾

My fav color is Purple is you can't tell 👁👄👁

I am artist, animator and overall, just a chill person who wants to make content that people would enjoy =3

I sometimes draw lore, and also stuff with blood! But not that often =]

Here's my sona ^^

I will mostly do SMG4 content but I'll try do other content for fandoms I'm also in!

Such as...

Among Us

Murder Drones

The Amazing Digital Circus

And etc =D

I have also written a couple of stories, like my book in Wattpad called "Purp's backstory"

Do go check it out! It delves into the story of my oc Purp's traumatizing past... That's fun =]

I have created a couple of aus such as...

The Seven Gods AU [ Among Us ]

The Unknown AU [ Among Us ]

Lost AU [ SMG4 ]

Brainwashed AU [ SMG4 ]

Circus Showman AU [ SMG4 ]

The Brainwashed AU is probably the most known here!

I tend to be on the neutral side of things like stating my opinions and mostly staying away from controversial topics.

I love drawing my fav artists! You can see them in follow section =]

Please do not share anything negative here! I want it all to be good.

Please do not speak anything negative about my own opinions, I am extremely sensitive and I get overwhelmed easily.

I have school! So I will not be as active from Monday to Friday.

I will go absolutely BONKERS if someone makes fanart. Please do please do please- /jk

OCS that belong to me will sometimes have a hashtag for themselves! Here's some.

Purp : #Purp's Purp

GSP : #SMG4 GSP

Here's are my socials! If you see a version of me, or any form of copy on any other social media, that ain't me.

Twitter : @Purp_IsSus

YouTube : @PurpIsSus

Amino : @PurpIsSus

Reddit : u/Purp_1456

Wattpad : @PurpIsSus

I do have Discord but thats private =]

I have a couple of tags that you can explore for specific stuff =3

For brainwashed au content, it's this hashtag =]

#SMG4BrainwashedAU

For asks specifically at the au, it's this one =3

#SMG4BrainwashedAUasks

For all asks that I've answered, look at this hashtag kayyyyyyy?

#Purps silly questions =]

For characters that are related to the au/have been featured/shown, this is the hashtag

#Brainwashedau!smg4

#Brainwashedau!smg3

#Brainwashedau!MrPuzzles

Anddddddddddddd that's about it for now. If you want to ask any questions, feel free to go and ask me on my ask box =D

And with that, I'm out =3

While you're on that, have some art heheheheheheheheheheheh

[safaristylez]

WELCOME TO MY BLOG ! ! !

hi ! my names safari . but you could also call me mint , saturn , coral / cora , iris , or clover ^_^

@walktwomoonz my big autism account. sigh

genderfluid lesbian , taken by my lovely wife fizz (˶ˆᴗˆ˵)

i am a system!!! ( anti endo ) if its not me posting then there will be a signoff ( example : —💜 / [name] )

feel free 2 interact or send asks or ask 2 be friends!!! i love making friends ^_^ ion bite ( DNI darkship / proship , endos , nsfw , basic dni criteria )

{ HASHTAG LIST UNDER THE CUT }

i love my friends so so much!!! @bioparanormal ( matching !!! LUV U BIOOO platonic we arent fuckign dating) @isthisatragedy @anodiak @godofautism @concordiawhole love u guys !!! ^_^

hyperfix / spinterest GO!!!!!! ( bold & italics is spinterest, bold is hyperfix, italics is like ? big interest , normal text is casual interest )

homestuck, animatic battle, roblox myths, last life, lucky ☆ star, regretevator, starters ( movieunleashers ), 3rd life, sburb.exe, scott pilgrim ; takes off, greek mythology, etc !!

multifandom artist i love ta draw la la la yahoo yippay hee hoo

THANKS FOR READING , BUH BYE ☆⌒(> _ <)

cant believe u stayed for my hashtags but here u go

‧₊˚ ☆ yaptastic .ᐟ : my textposts

‧₊˚ ★ my art .ᐟ : my art obviously…. Heh

‧₊˚ ☆ other posts .ᐟ : other types of posts

‧₊˚ ★ i <3 my friends .ᐟ : my friends stuff or posts relating to my friends

‧₊˚ ☆ reblogs .ᐟ : HONESTLY TAKE A WILD GUESS

okay buh bye for realzies now

[kfcmurderchicks6]

KFCMC6 introductory post

Hi gang my name is Carmen and this is my main/multifandom tumblr page. I plan on posting more here because i need to start drawing and interacting with fandom spaces again.

Some hashtag stuff about me

Im 15 dont be weird. I like to draw (i take requests 😁) and I like to share other artists’ work. My page will probably be like 40% art related stuff once i actually start posting. Im self taught and ive been drawing for 10+ years.

I also write occasionally but i almost never finish anything, but my ao3 is the same user as on here if youre interested in reading any of the things i have completed.

My interests include;

Mouthwashing

Kimi ga Shine

Heathers

Newsies

Falsettos

Of Mice and Men

Bistro huddy

The matrix

My whole universe of ocs that ill definitely post on here on some point

+others that i cant remember rn

Follow me guys im really really awesome

[strange0-0storm]

Hey uhh... I just wanted to talk about the fact I posted my first art on Tumblr and I can't find it in the related hashtags (it was smg4 and smg34) there are a few other people that have the same problem I won't say that I have a great art but the fact that it only got one like made me depressed (I just want senpai to notice me lmao)

I think I've noticed this happened too a couple people, I hate that tumblr isn't pushing your posts, sometimes algorithms SUCK. Seeing posts on tags are so weird and I hate how it's not showing up for you :(

ALSO HELP SENPAI. THATS A NEW ONE

HI HELLOOO‼️‼️👋👋👋

[markie-baby]

𝕸𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝕸𝖞 𝕱𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖐🌹𝖕𝖙.1

"If you keep up with me, I'll keep coming back. If you do it too good, I'm gonna get attached. 'Cause it feels like heaven when it hurts so bad Baby, put it on me I like it just like that..."

Nasty - Tinashe

♡ Pairing: gangboss!lover!bm x black!fem!reader ♡ Genre: fluff/smut/thriller/multilingual ♡ Word Count: 14959 ♡ Content Warnings: language, gang-related violence, highly explicit sex scenes, drug use, mentions of drugs, appearance and handling of guns, poisioning ♡ Summary: You’re an introverted sexless woman, content with the quiet rhythm of your life as a remote social media manager, your world small and controlled, centered around your Koreatown apartment. But one Friday night, your vibrant best friend Sasha drags you out of your cocoon and into the pulsating heart of a local club. Among the flashing lights and throbbing music, your eyes lock with Matthew Kim, the notorious luxury club owner whose reputation as a ruthless crime boss precedes him.

♡ NSFW Warnings: overstim, fingering, sweat, tipsy sex

~

"𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕡𝕦𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕕𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕡 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗…𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦."

The snug Koreatown apartment envelops you in a lavender-scented calm, a peaceful escape from the lively city outside. Vanilla candles softly flicker, casting a gentle glow over the diverse decor. Your face is lit by artificial light as you skillfully handle hashtags and engagement metrics, crafting online personas with expertise. You’ve been on the computer way past your working hours, but there was something tranquil about the quiet of your apartment, the light sounds of your fingers tapping the keyboard, that often kept you from venturing outside.

Tranquil that is, until you're rudely interrupted by the abrupt swing of your apartment door, in bursts Sasha Rivera, your roommate, best friend, and complete opposite, a whirlwind of energy and disorder.

"Mi amor, aqui estoy!" she exclaims in her alluring Spanish lilt, barely stopping for a breath.

Sasha's presence filled the room, her larger-than-life personality electrifying the air around her. She was a walking embodiment of the vibrant Koreatown nightlife, her curly brown hair as wild and untamed as her spirit.

"I've got a move for tonight!" Sasha purred, tilting her head to the side, her doe-like eyes rimmed with dark liner. "What do you say a little dancing?"

The mischievous glint in Sasha's eyes was matched only by the playful quirk of her lips as she awaited your response. She had a way of making even the most mundane activities feel like an adventure, and tonight was no exception.

As you considered her proposition, a rush of conflicting emotions flooded your senses. On one hand, stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing the heartbeat of Koreatown's nightlife was undeniably tempting. On the other, the thought of navigating the crowds, the loud music, and the unfamiliar faces made your heart race with apprehension.

Sasha seemed to sense your hesitation and took a step closer, her hand reaching out to gently grasp yours. "Trust me, my little hermit," she murmured, her voice low. "I promise you won't regret it."

"I don't know, Sash," you waver, your fingertips hesitating above the keyboard as you concocted a lie. "I'm swamped with work right now."

"Tonight's different, " Sasha's tone was low, laced with something that bordered on desperation, her fingernails drumming on the back of your chair. "And it's eight o’clock on a Friday, you're just giving yourself busy work at this point."

You sighed heavily. She was annoying but also right.

"Well, tonight’s the anniversary of Eclipse opening, and some important people showing up for the bash."

Your attention is immediately drawn, your instincts tingling when Sasha mentions the exclusive Korean club where she works as a bottle girl.

"Important like... influencer important?"

Sasha's eyes gleam mischievously. "Even better." She leans in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Think LA's elite, movers and shakers, and the club owner is also gonna be there."

You shut down your computer, intrigued by the mystery that shrouded the owner of the club, someone you had only heard whispers about. Rising from your seat, you link arms with Sasha, a sense of curiosity bubbling within you.

"Alright, you've caught my attention. Lead the way," you say, with the desire to see your curiosity through.

Excitement bubbles in your stomach as Sasha ushers you into her bedroom. The room is a study in contrasts: soft, draping purple curtains frame a floor-to-ceiling window that offers a breathtaking view of the cityscape, while the brown sugar-scented air mingles with the heady scent of jasmine from a nearby vase. A queen-sized bed, piled high with plush purple pillows, beckons invitingly, its silky comforter spilling onto the floor like a cascade of spilled wine.

"Alright, chica," Sasha turns to you, her hands on her hips, appraising your cozy attire. "We've got our work cut out for us." She opens the closet doors to reveal a treasure trove of daring silhouettes, all squealing for attention.

"You are definitely wearing these," Sasha declares, handing you a pair of strappy platform stilettos in a dangerous shade of sangria. "These will make your legs go on for days." You eye the shoes warily, but Sasha's commanding gaze brooks no argument. With a deep breath, you slip them on, your toes curling as you adjust to the unaccustomed height.

Next, Sasha selects a form-fitting little black dress that skims the curves you usually keep hidden beneath oversized hoodies and baggy bottoms. The fabric clings to your body like a second skin, accentuating your hourglass figure and hinting at the delights beneath.

"You're a goddess, my little hermit," Sasha breathes, admiring her handiwork.

You stand in front of the full-length mirror, transfixed by the seductive stranger staring back at you. Your long braids fell perfectly at your sides, expertly styled by Sasha's skilled hands. The glistening peach color of your lip gloss made your lips into an alluring sight. As you take in your reflection, you can feel a surge of newfound confidence coursing through you; like an electric current, crackling and sizzling with excitement. You can't help but smile as you run a hand over the sleek fabric of your outfit, feeling every curve and contour accentuated by the form-fitting dress. You feel like a completely different person, and it's dangerously exhilarating.

~

Your heart quickens its pace as you both emerge from the Uber, enveloped in the sultry, seductive glow of Koreatown's neon lights. The atmosphere crackles with vitality, the bass pulsating through the streets and resonating deep within you. Entwining your fingers with Sasha's, a smile tugs at your lips when she gives your hand an enthusiastic squeeze, her anticipation radiating off her.

"I can't believe I finally got you to come out here," she says with a hidden squeal in her voice. “I’m so proud of my little hermit.” Her French tips pinched your cheeks.

“Not without much convincing,” I scoffed. “And I will leave if things get too crazy.”

“Ugh, fine.” She released your face from her grasp. “ Hopefully, that won’t happen and you’ll never want to leave.”

As you make your way to the velvet rope, you can't help but notice the lingering glances from those around you, drawn to Sasha's magnetic presence like moths to a flame. She's in her element here, her hips swaying to the rhythm of the music, her eyes alive with anticipation.

The bouncer, a hulking mass of muscle in a sharp suit, gives Sasha a nod of recognition. "Sash," his voice is a deep rumble that seems to vibrate through the sidewalk. "Who's your pretty friend tonight?" His eyes studied your form closely, too much so.

"This is my bestie," she pulled you closer, guiding you both past the line and into the club. “So keep focused on your job and keep us safe.”

The moment you step inside, the world seems to melt away. The music envelops you like a lover's embrace, the strobe lights illuminating the room in a kaleidoscope of sensual hues. Bodies writhe on the dance floor, their movements liquid and hypnotic. The air is heavy with the scent of perfume, and hookah smoke, and you can't help but feel a thrill of anticipation course through your veins.

"Welcome to Eclipse!" Sasha exclaims, her voice brimming with excitement.

You let her lead you through the sea of bodies, her grip on your hand the only anchor in a sea of chaos.

"Tell me more about this Matthew guy," you say, leaning in close to be heard over the music. "He's the owner, right?"

Sasha's eyes darken, her excitement replaced by a brief flicker of apprehension. “Yeah," she says, her voice laced with equal parts intrigue and caution. "That’s not the only thing they say he is though."

Your curiosity piqued.

"Matthew Kim is not just a club owner," Sasha begins, her voice lowering as if sharing a forbidden secret. "Apparently, he's a crime boss."

Your eyes widen at the revelation, the thrill of danger mingling with the heady atmosphere of the club.

"Not only that, but the leader of The Red Lotus," Sasha continues, her tone tinged with a mix of admiration and wariness. "The Red Lotus has its fingers in everything, from drugs to gambling, and Eclipse is just the tip of the iceberg."

“So why doesn’t anyone rat on him?” You raise a brow. “Ya’ know, catch him in the act?”

Sasha scoffs. “Well it’s not that easy I’m sure. Also, The Lotus protects the K-Town community and its businesses from rival gangs like the...Black Snakes-think they're called..? They may do some shady shit, but they keep the old folks safe.”

“Yeah, by muscling in on them I bet.”

“Hey!” Her defensive tone takes you by surprise. “My boss Jiwoo is allegedly mixed in with his shit too; she hires the bottle girls, but, she's pretty fucking cool. Besides, I'm sure they’re not all bad.”

Her loyalty to her boss piqued your interest. You let the topic drop, not wanting to sour the mood.

As the night progresses, your surroundings blur together in a swirl of flashing lights and pounding beats. Sasha seems to be a regular here, as she effortlessly navigates the crowded dance floor, guiding you expertly through the throng of bodies. Hips grinding, hands in the air, you succumb to the infectious energy of the club, all your inhibitions melting away like sugar on your tongue.

As you sought a moment of respite, the cool touch of the metal bar against your back offered a fleeting sense of grounding amidst the pulsing chaos. Across the dance floor, in the VIP section, a man's gaze locked onto yours with unwavering intensity. Standing tall and exuding an air of authority that seemed to envelop the space around him, he commanded attention effortlessly.

His features were like finely chiseled marble, sculpted by an expert hand. A sharp jawline cut through the dimly lit club, accentuating his polished masculinity. Black hair, meticulously styled, and sleeked back. A few strands of hair dangled freely over his forehead, adding to the mystery.

Beside him sat a slender woman, in a dark sapphire dress that contrasted her pale complexion, the white mink draped around her shoulders adding a touch of opulence to her ensemble. Her elegant presence was a striking contrast to his imposing figure. With dark waves cascading down her back and tailored attire enhancing her sophisticated aura, she exuded poise and intelligence. Her perceptive gaze seemed to assess every detail with keen precision.

Next to her was another woman, petite in comparison. Her blonde, short hair styled in a spiked updo. A studded black leather jacket hung off her shoulders and her heeled boots shimmered against her exposed legs, she projected an image of unyielding resolve and unwavering loyalty.

Completing the quartet was another man. His calm demeanor and contemplative nature stood out amidst the vibrant energy of the club. Dressed in classic attire that hinted at quiet dignity, he exuded an air of understated confidence that added depth to their group dynamic.

As your eyes met those of the enigmatic man across the room, his penetrating gaze ignited a primal fire within you, sending a surge of desire coursing through the skin between your thighs. Suddenly, all you cared about was knowing who he was.

"Hola!" Sasha appears at your side, startling you out of your reverie. "Are you deaf, chica? Let’s go get some dranks!"

Reluctantly, you tear your gaze away from the enigmatic stranger, allowing Sasha to lead you to the bar. As she orders a round of shots for both of you, you can't help but feel a sense of disappointment at leaving the eyes of enigmatic man behind.

"Girl, you good?" Sasha asks, handing you a shot glass. "I was tryna tell you something, but you were in a daze."

"I don't know," you reply, downing the shot in one gulp. "I saw this guy in the VIP section and he just…fuck."

Sasha catches your eye and arches a knowing eyebrow as she notices the object of your conversation.

"Goddamn, fuck indeed," she says appreciatively. "I don’t know who he is, but let's be real. He's probably some rich jerk who thinks he can have any girl he wants in here."

“Yeah, you probably right.”

“That is weird though,” she sucks her teeth after downing her shot.

“What?”

“You see that woman with the leather jacket?” She raises her pink nail in the direction. “That’s Jiwoo. That’s my boss.”

Your eyes widen in surprise as you return your gaze to the VIP section. There she was, looking comfortable and natural amidst the opulence of the upper crust.

"That's Jiwoo, your boss?" You ask, trying to keep the surprise out of your voice.

“Yeah,” Sasha shrugs, a glint of admiration in her eyes. “Don't know what she’s doing there though. I kinda recognize the chica in the blue dress. I see her here from time to time. I see the other shorter guy more often when Jiwoo’s here. I think his name is Joseph—or something. But that guy that caught your eye… I’m not entirely sure.”

You watched as Jiwoo laughed at something the other woman said, throwing her head back in genuine amusement. Her body language around Matthew was relaxed, comfortable and from what you could see, respectful. They had an easy rhythm amongst them. Jiwoo leans in close to the man you'd been ogling earlier. A chill runs down your chest as you remember his intense gaze.

"Hmm," she says with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Let's crash their little party."

Momentarily taken aback, you stare at her, your heart pounding in your chest. "A-Are you serious?"

Sasha merely raises a perfectly arched brow at you. She reaches for another shot, downing it in one swift motion before she shoots you a daring look. "Why not? The worst that can happen is they'll ask us to leave them alone."

“Or...You could get your ass fired.” You raise a brow.

“Impossible,” She shrugged confidently. “I’m Jiwoo’s favorite.”

Throwing caution to the wind, deciding to go along with Sasha's audacious plan, you down another shot for good measure before following her lead towards the cordoned-off area where the handsome stranger and his companions resided.

The VIP section of Eclipse was even more decadent up close. The plush velvet couches were in stark contrast to the cold metal bar stools where the regular patrons sat. Gold accents glitter under the flashing neon lights, adding a touch of opulence that was absent in the rest of the club. Large, ornate bottles of champagne and liquor adorned the tables, evidence of the group's extravagant taste.

As you ventured closer to the enigmatic man, his allure seemed to deepen, casting an even more intoxicating spell upon you. His dark eyes exuded a lethal charm that ensnared your gaze, causing your heart to thunder recklessly in your chest. Amidst this magnetic pull, you couldn't ignore the subtle glances from the other members of his crew, their watchful eyes adding an undercurrent of tension to the already-charged atmosphere.

Sasha gave you a little nudge, her wide grin infectious as she boldly approached. "Jiwoo," she bowed cheerfully, catching the attention of everyone in the VIP section. “Good Evening.”

Jiwoo’s fierce gaze softened at her approach, a small smile playing on her lips. “Sasha, my number one bottle girl,” she acknowledged, her gaze flicking to you with slight curiosity. "Who is this?"

"This is Y/N," Sasha introduced you casually as if crashing into a VIP section was a daily occurrence. "Y/N, this is Jiwoo, my boss."

You offered a shy smile, bowing slightly in acknowledgment, "Nice to meet you, Jiwoo." Your voice felt small in the grandeur of the VIP section.

“Nice to meet you,” Jiwoo said, her gaze appraising as she took in your appearance. The corner of her mouth twitched upwards in a subtle sign of approval.

"Good evening, Sasha." Jiwoo was cut off by a smooth, baritone voice made you turn your attention toward the man whose gaze had entangled you earlier. His eyes flickered over to you, carrying a spark of curiosity. "And who might this stunning lady be?"

Sasha nudged you slightly, urging you to respond. Swallowing down the lump in your throat, you mustered up every ounce of courage within you and met his gaze confidently.

"I'm Y/N," you introduced yourself smoothly, extending your hand out for a shake. He rose from his seat, towering over your body. The height difference almost made you gulp.

"Y/N," he echoed softly. There was something indescribable about the way he said your name — like you were the only person in a sea of people — that made your heart skip a beat.

"This is Matthew,” Jiwoo introduced, her gaze moving between the two of you with a spark of interest. "He's the owner of Eclipse."

He extended his hand, his grip firm yet gentle. His touch sent an electric jolt through you, heat spreading up your arm. His lips curled into a knowing smirk, clearly picking up on your reaction. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

You couldn't believe it. The man who had been haunting your thoughts ever since you laid eyes on him was none other than the infamous Matthew Kim. The leader of the Red Lotus Syndicate, the most powerful and feared organization in Los Angeles. You felt a sense of fear and excitement wash over you as he held your hand in his, his gaze never leaving yours. You could feel the intensity of his stare as if he was trying to undress your very thoughts.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," you managed to say, trying to keep your voice steady despite the butterflies in your stomach.

“생각도 하지마,” The woman in the blue dress raised her voice in Matthew’s direction.

Your heart pounded furiously in your chest as you pulled your hand back from Matthew's grasp, heat creeping up your neck. You didn’t speak Korean but knew enough to tell that the woman's words were a clear warning, yet there was something about the way Matthew looked at you that told you he wasn't quite ready to heed it.

"So-min," he said, his tone firm yet undeniably smooth. His gaze didn't waiver from yours, even as he addressed So-min. “진정해. 그냥 친구가 되고 싶은 것 뿐 나쁜 의도는 없어.”

Suddenly, a ripple of alarm passed through the heated atmosphere as Joseph shot up from his seat, his eyes locked onto a group on the dance floor. He muttered something under his breath, his face grim as he approached them. Matthew glanced in the direction Joseph had gone before he looked back at you. He nodded at So-min and Jiwoo, a silent cue that had them also leaving their seats.

"I apologize for the interruption, ladies," Matthew said, standing to his full height. “Do you mind keeping these seats warm for me? I just had an old friend walk in.”

His question hung in the air, a challenge and an invitation wrapped up in one. His gaze never left yours, his dark eyes glittering with unspoken promise and danger. You couldn't deny the thrill that coursed through your veins at his words, making the hairs on your skin stand at attention.

Surprise flickered across Sasha's face but she quickly recovered, grinning broadly as she slid onto the recently vacated couch. "Oh don't worry about it," she said in a voice dripped with confidence, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "We'll be sure to take good care of the section until you come back."

Matthew chuckled lowly, his gaze flickering to Sasha's before returning to you. "I'm counting on it," he said, his voice carrying a hint of challenging amusement.

With that, Matthew turned and followed after Joseph and the others. The tension that had hung heavy in the section dissipated slowly as they disappeared into the crowd, leaving you and Sasha alone.

"Well shit," Sasha said with a low whistle, "things just got a whole lot more interesting, didn't they?"

"You can definitely say that," you ask, sinking into the plush couch, trying to calm your pounding heart. "I can't believe that's...Matthew."

"I don't think he could believe what he was seeing either," She wiggled her brows and leaned forward, a smirk playing on her lips. "I think he likes what he saw, no?"

A flush crept up your neck and you tried to brush off her teasing with a casual punch to her shoulder. "He's just the owner of the club. I'm sure it's part of his job to be charming."

"He's just the club owner who happens to be one of the most powerful men in all of LA," Sasha said dryly, rolling her eyes. "And who was giving you bedroom eyes nonstop."

"I thought you said he was just some rich guy who thinks he could have anyone he wants?"

"That was before I knew it was Matthew," she raised a brow. "And apparently, girls throw themselves at him all the time, but I haven't heard of him actually dating anyone. Kinda reminds me of a certain girl I know…"

"...really?" You were in disbelief.

"Yeah, probably because of the obvious rumors," she shrugged. "Or because -and you didn't hear this from me..."

You leaned in closer.

"He has a huge dick." She choked back her laugh. "Like huge huge. You think you can handle that, sis?"

You choked on your saliva as the thought raced across your mind.

You couldn't ignore the thrill that coursed through you at her words; the charming, mysterious, and well-endowed Matthew Kim, a single man..? You knew better than to let your heart get ahead of your head. Matthew Kim was a man shrouded in danger and mystery, but to think he found you interesting, it made a chill run up your thighs.

"I'm just going to enjoy the view and the free drinks," you shook your head. "That's enough excitement for one night."

"Fine," Sasha relented, raising a glass. "To enjoying the view and the company of good friends."

In the background, the DJ cranked up the volume, and the beat of a new song pulsated through the club, drowning out any further conversation. The crowd roared with renewed energy, and the dance floor swelled as couples and groups alike surged toward the center of the club.

"Come on!" Sasha grabbed your hand, her eyes alight with excitement. "Let's rejoin the party!"

You hesitated for a moment, still reeling from the bizarre turn of events. But you reminded yourself that you were here to step out of your comfort zone, to experience something new. With a deep breath, you let Sasha drag you onto the dance floor, surrendering to the intoxicating rhythm of the music and the pulsing energy of the club.

The hours passed in a blur of blur sensations: the intoxicating scent of smoke, and perfume; the strobing lights, flashing like gunfire in a neon warzone; the press of bodies, hot and sweaty against yours, as you and Sasha danced with abandon to the throbbing bass. After several songs, you and Sasha retreated to the bar, parched and panting, to catch your breath. You downed a glass of water, the cool liquid quenching your parched throat.

"So, what do you think so far?" Sasha shouted over the music, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

You grinned, feeling more alive than you had in years. "It's...intense," you yelled back, "but I'm having a great time."

"Good! Told you you wouldn’t regret it," Sasha said, leaning in close to your ear, "Safe us a spot at the bar, I need to use the restroom."

You nodded, your heart pounding in your chest, and watched as she weaved her way through the crowd, her body moving fluidly through the sea of ​​bodies.

As you waited, you people-watched, observing the varied crowd that filled the club: the twenty and thirty-somethings, out for a night of carefree fun; the suited businessmen, loosening their ties and letting off steam; and the couples, varying in age and appearance, who danced together as if they were the only ones there.

Suddenly, a hand captured you out of your thoughts and slid down your lower back; you spun around, expecting it to be Sasha. Instead, it was Matthew Kim himself.

The silk fabric of his button-up hugged his muscular frame snugly, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his fully tattooed forearms. His piercing eyes locked onto yours, a glint of intrigue igniting within them as they bore into your own.

"I hope I didn’t scare you," he said, his voice low and smooth. He moved closer as he spoke, the heady scent of his cologne enveloping you.

"Not at all..." You stuttered, your heart pounding against your ribs. His proximity was disarming; it felt as though all the noise and chaos of the club were suddenly muted.

"I wanted to apologize for leaving so abruptly," he continued, "but... business called."

He inclined his head, his eyes flickering to the dance floor before returning to your own. "May I have a dance?"

He extended his large hand, an unspoken invitation in his gaze. You hesitated for a moment, thoughts of the precarious situation you were in flashing through your mind. But, bolstered by the alcohol and the pounding music, you pushed your reservations aside and nodded...

“Yes, I'd love to.”

With a wave of anticipation and trepidation, you placed your hand in his. His grip was firm but not constricting, the heat of his skin searing into your own. Without another word, he guided you onto the dance floor, expertly maneuvering you through the throng of bodies. The press of his body against yours was intoxicating, his every move in sync with the pounding music.

“You’re incredibly gorgeous,” he said, his breath warm against your ear.

“Thank you,” you blushed, breaking eye contact. “You're quite handsome yourself. I would have never thought that you knew how to dance.”

He chuckled lowly, his hand on your waist sliding lower, pulling you even closer. “There are many things you don’t know about me.”

"I may know more than you think," you teased, unable to resist the urge to flirt with him. You could feel the tension between you mounting, the electricity crackling in the air.

His eyes flashed with intrigue. "Is that so?" he said, his voice a low rumble. "What else do you know about me then?"

As the song changed, the beat picking up, he pulled you closer, his body flush against yours. You swallowed thickly, your throat suddenly dry.

"Well," you cleared your throat, "I know that you own this club, and that you're... notoriously dangerous."

He chuckled, the sound sending shivers down your spine. "That's a good start," he murmured, his hand drifting lower, resting on your hip. "You don't seem to scared of me, though."

You couldn't deny the thrill that coursed through your veins at his words, making the hairs on your skin stand at attention. "I'm not," you replied, your voice barely above a whisper. "I guess I'm just brave enough to take a risk."

His gaze darkened at your words, his grip on your waist tightening slightly. "I like that," he said, sending shivers down your spine. "Risk is something I've learned to appreciate."

The intensity in his voice was unmistakable, and you shivered, goosebumps erupting on your arms. This man was dangerous, you knew this, and yet, in this moment, you couldn’t care less.

"I find it intriguing," he said, his tone filled with gentle teasing, "that you're so nervous around me when you were dancing so freely out there. You seemed so fearless."

“Who said I was nervous?” you hesitated.

Matthew threw his head back and laughed, and in that moment, he seemed more human, more approachable. “Stubborn, I like that,” he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But a horrible liar."

The song ended and melded into another, the beat slowing down, and the strobing lights softened, casting the room in a hazy, intimate glow. Matthew's grip on your waist tightened, guiding you in a slow, sensual dance.

"I'm not lying," you insisted, your voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just...surprised."

"Surprised?" he echoed, his lips curling into a smirk. "Why is that?"

You swallowed thickly. "I guess I didn't expect you to get...this close," you confessed, your cheeks burning hot.

"Is that so?" he murmured, his gaze flickering to your lips. "Well, I must admit, I didn't expect you to be so...alluring."

You could feel your heart pounding against your ribs, his words sending a shiver of anticipation down your spine. "Alluring?" you echoed, your voice barely audible over the music.

Matthew chuckled lowly, his breath warm against your ear. "Yes," he said, his voice sending shivers down your spine. "I couldn't take my eyes off you tonight."

You swallowed thickly, heat rising in your cheeks. "I noticed," you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.

The tension between you was palpable, the electricity crackling in the air. He leaned in closer, his plump lips brushing against your ear as he spoke, "I want to get to know you better."

You could feel your heart pounding in your chest, your hips trembling as he gripped them.

“I-”

Your confession was halted by the appearance of one of Matthew's bodyguards, a burly man with a granite-like face. He approached Matthew and whispered something inaudible into his ear. At his words, the subtle amusement faded from Matthew's eyes, replaced by a hard glint that you hadn't seen before. His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath the smooth skin.

"Seems I need to leave again," he said, his voice a dark timbre that seemed to echo the abrupt change in his demeanor. "Let me take you back to the bar and have the bartender get you something."

"No, it's fine," you interjected, putting a hand on his arm, and feeling the taut muscle underneath. "I'm sure you have important things to attend to."

He turned to you, and the intensity in his gaze softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut this short." His grip on your hand tightened, his fingers warm and reassuring. “But I promise I’ll come find you later and make it up to you.”

With that, he pressed a kiss on the top of your hand and disappeared into the throng.. You watched him as he moved; his confident stride was both hypnotic and intimidating, a testament to the authority he wielded. He joined Jiwoo, So-min, and Joseph, their expressions grim. They spoke in hushed tones, their voices barely audible above the music. You could see the tension in their bodies, the subtle shift in their postures as they prepared for whatever awaited them.

You felt a sudden chill, a sense of foreboding washing over you. You couldn't explain why, but you had the feeling that things were about to change, that the events of tonight would have an impact on your life in ways you couldn't yet fathom.

As you stood there alone in the middle of the dancefloor, your heart pounding in your chest, you couldn’t help but feel a mixture of arousal and apprehension. Your panties feeling hot against your skin. The club swirled around you, neon lights casting a sensual glow over the gyrating mass of bodies on the dancefloor. You absentmindedly played with the lobe piercing in your ear, a habit you reverted to when nervous. The music pounded relentlessly in the background, the deep bass reverberating in your bones as you searched the sea of faces for any sign of Sasha.

Taking in the pulsating energy of Eclipse, you felt the rhythm sway your body. A familiar beat swept over you; it was Sasha's favorite song. An involuntary smirk tugged at the corner of your lips, knowing how she loved to own the dance floor whenever this tune hit the speakers. Suddenly, a hand gently clasped your elbow.

“Can I have a dance, beautiful?” A raspy voice from behind made your head turn.

You made eye contact with a man who wasn’t Matthew and was dressed more casually than most of the other party-goers. He had a wiry build, chiseled cheekbones, and a mess of untamed hair that somehow suited him. His smile didn't quite reach his cold, calculating eyes, and you got the faint whiff of cigarettes from him; like he just came from a smoke outside. The cuff of his jacket wasn't pulled down properly, giving you a peak of the black snake tattoo wrapped around his wrist.

You blinked as you turned to face the man, not immediately recognizing him. His smile was warm, but something was unsettling about his gaze that made your stomach dip with unease. "I... I'm sorry, I don't think so," you stammered, trying to pull your arm away.

But the man's grip tightened, his fingers digging into your skin. "Come on, darling," he purred, his voice like sandpaper against your ear. "It's just a dance."

You hesitated for a moment, glancing around the club. Most of the other patrons were lost in their own worlds, oblivious to your discomfort. Sasha had yet to come back, leaving you alone with the stranger. Your curiosity getting the better of you, you reluctantly allowed the man to lead you to the dancefloor.

You allow the man to lead you deeper into the dancefloor, reluctantly stepping into his arms as he pulls you close. His body is warm and firm against yours as he moves expertly to the beat, his hands skimming over your waist and hips in ways that make you uncomfortable. Your skin prickles with awareness under his touch, and you try not to squirm as he grinds against you. The music throbs around you, the bassline throbbing in your chest and filling your ears with its insistent rhythm.

The stranger's breath brushes against your neck, his words warm against your skin. "You smell incredible," he whispers, his breath tickling your earlobe. "What's that scent?"

You pull back slightly, trying to see his face without breaking your rhythm. Up close, his eyes linger on yours, and you feel the heat of his body through your clothes. "It's just my perfume," you mumble as sweat begins to bloom on your skin.

"Sweet yet sinful, just like you." His eyes darken, and he smirks. "I can see why he likes you."

The man's words send a shiver down your spine, and you attempt to step back, but his grip on your waist tightens. "Huh? W-What do you mean?"

“I’m sorry you had to get involved,” he smirked. “But Matthew had this coming.”

Before you could protest, you felt a sharp pain behind your back where his hand rested; like a pinch deep in your skin. Your eyes dart behind you to see a small syringe poking out your lower back.

“What the fuck?!” You pushed the stranger back and pulled the long needle out from your skin. “What the fuck do you just do?”

“Gave your boyfriend a message: he isn’t as all-powerful as he thinks. The Geondal never gets this close with beautiful women like you—you must be special.” He smirked, wiping some of the blood on his pants before he discarded the needle on the floor. “Snakes always slip through the cracks.”

And with that last warning, you stared blankly at the man's face as he disappeared into the crowd.

You felt a creeping sense of panic wash over you as realization dawned on you. This wasn't just any club; it was known for its underground activities and shady dealings. And now, here you were, alone and feeling drugged. Frantically, you looked around for Sasha, hoping she would return soon and save you from whatever was happening. But she was nowhere in sight. No one seemed to be paying any attention to you at all. Panicked, you stumble and make your way back toward the safety Matthew’s VIP booth, your haphazard navigation guided by the dimly lit sign above. Your vision was a blurry pastiche of colors and shapes as you clung to the armrests of the velvet seats, your legs threatening to buckle beneath you.

"Sasha," you tried to mouth out her name, but your voice was more of a whisper lost in the cacophony of club music and laughter.

The strident beat of the music seemed to amplify in your ears, each thud echoing like a hammer against the inside of your skull. Trying to take a few stabilizing breaths, you slid down onto the plush cushioning, where you collapsed against the soft velvet material, its coolness offering fleeting relief against your heated skin.

Suddenly, there was an intrusive hand on your shoulder, fingers digging into your flesh with coercive insistence.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” the bouncer's voice boomed. “If you’re going to be this intoxicated, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.”

Just as you were about to protest, the intrusive grip on your shoulder was pulled away. Turning your head with difficulty, you saw Matthew’s imposing figure towering over the bouncer handling you.

“Is there a problem here?” Matthew’s voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority that made the bouncer immediately step back.

“She's intoxicated, sir.” The bouncer stammered, his eyes flickering nervously under Matthew's intense gaze.

Matthew dismissed him with a nod of acknowledgment, his gaze now falling onto you. “I'll take it from here,” he stated firmly.

You looked up at Matthew from your slumped position against the booth cushions. The dim club lighting softened his sharp features, and despite your state of disorientation and fear, you couldn't help but be drawn in by his charisma.

“Y/N,” Matthew's voice pulled your focus back, his tone quieter now, almost gentle. "Can you hear me?" His words carried an undercurrent of worry that you found uncharacteristically endearing.

“Yes...” Your voice trailed off, the single syllable sounding more like a sigh. You blinked up at him, your vision swimming as you tried to focus on his face.

With a careful hand, Matthew helped you sit up straighter against the plush cushions. His touch was firm yet gentle - a stark contrast to the callous grip of the bouncer. He seemed to examine your face intently for a moment before his eyes narrowed, a flicker of something dangerous passing through them.

"Who did this?" he demanded, his tone no longer gentle but edged with authority.

You tried to focus, wracking your fuzzy brain for a coherent thought. "A... man... on the dancefloor...” you trailed off, your eyelids heavy with the potent drug coursing through your veins.

Matthew's jaw tensed, his hand clenching into a fist. The change in his demeanor was palpable, his aura practically crackling with barely restrained fury.

"What did he look like?" he ground out through gritted teeth, always keeping one hand firmly on your shoulder, as if afraid you might slip away at any moment.

Your vision swam as you tried to focus on his face, the words tumbling clumsily from your lips. "I... don't know. He had a…snake tattoo on his wrist.”

Matthew's forehead creased into a frown, his knowing dark eyes making contact with the bouncer. “Do a sweep. We’re closing an hour early tonight.”

Matthew's forehead creased into a frown, his dark eyes taking in your pale complexion and dilated pupils with a growing concern. "Alright," he murmured, the pads of his thumbs brushing against your heated cheeks as he gently cradled your face. "I got you."

With a fluid motion that belied his size, Matthew scooped you into his arms, carefully cradling you against his broad chest. The scent of his cologne - a warm blend of cedar and sandalwood - wafted around you, lulling you further into disorientation. As Matthew strode through the pulsating crowd towards the private elevator with you in his arms, he caught the eye of his right-hand man, So-min. Her eyes widened at the sight of your limp body in his arms.

"도대체 무슨 일이야?" She asked, her gaze flicking between you and Matthew.

"Black Viper." Matthew's jaw clenched at the thought.

"씨발." So-min's lips curled into a sneer, her eyes hardening. "How the hell did this happen?"

"We'll find out," Matthew said, his voice low and dangerous. "I want everyone who isn’t on the main quest list searched on their way out. And no one leaves until we've questioned them all. Have Jiwoo look for Sasha, and I want Joseph to put heat on the security. When we find him, I’ll break him."

So-min nodded, her expression grim. "응, 건달."

"And get the medic up here, now." Matthew's voice carried an air of finality as he stepped into the elevator.

The doors slid shut with a soft hiss, cutting off the din of the club. In the sudden silence, you could hear Matthew's steady heartbeat, strong and sure. The world around you seemed to blur as the elevator began its ascent, and you clung to the solid warmth of his body, his arms holding you firmly against him.

You weren't sure how much time passed before the elevator doors opened again, revealing the lush interior of a lavishly appointed apartment; a guard standing by the doors bowed his head respectfully as you were carried past him.

Matthew carried you through the expansive space, your eyes struggling to take in the opulent furnishings. As he turned a corner into a bedroom, you felt your breath hitch in your throat. The walls were painted a deep red, and the furniture was made of dark, polished wood. The floor was covered in plush rugs, and there was a large window that overlooked the glittering city below.

You felt your eyes begin to shut, the drowsiness overtaking you finally, but you fought against it, forcing yourself to stay awake. Matthew placed you down gently on the bed, the cool silk sheets caressing your skin. You looked up at him with heavy-lidded eyes, taking in his handsome features. His dark eyes were filled with concern, and his lips were set in a firm line.

"Shit, just hold on, help is on the way." He sat down on the bed, his large frame engulfing the space.

With a shaking hand, he brushed one of your braids away from your face, revealing the fear in his eyes. "You're going to be fine, I promise." He whispered, his voice laced with desperation.

As the room spun around you, Matthew's face was the last thing you saw before succumbing to the darkness.

~

ou awoke in a daze, your mind foggy and your body heavy. You felt a dull ache in your bones, and your mouth was dry as sandpaper. Blinking slowly, you tried to focus your eyes on your surroundings. As your vision began to clear, you realized you were lying in a large bed, the sheets soft against your skin. The room was unfamiliar, and your heart raced as you tried to remember what had happened.

A movement on the edge of the bed caught your eye, and you turned your head to see Sasha moving slightly in her sleep, dressed in sweats that were clearly twice her size. A frown creased your features. How did she get there?

As if sensing your gaze, she stirred and opened her eyes.

"Y/N!" Her voice was loud as she clenched you in her arms. "I'm so happy you're okay! I'm never letting you out of my sight again!"

"Sasha..." Your voice was a hoarse whisper as you struggled to sit up, your muscles protesting the motion. "What happened?"

"You were... poisoned," she said, her voice taking on a hard edge. "Black Viper."

“The Black Viper..?” You felt a chill run down your spine at the mention of the notorious gang. "How did you know?"

"Matthew told me what happened," a heavy sigh left her mouth. "Or I kinda forced him to."

"You, forcing the crime boss to tell you something? Really?" You almost chuckled at the thought of your best friend, standing mighty at five foot four, yelling at a man who could crush her with his bare hands.

"Hey, when it comes to my best friend's safety, I'll do anything," she gave you a playful nudge. "I'm glad you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if..." her voice trailed off as she fought back tears.

You pulled her into a tight embrace, the two of you clinging to each other for a moment as the gravity of the situation settled in.

"He's not so bad, you know. That Matthew,” she said through choked tears. “He cares about you."

You frowned. "We barely know each other, Sash."

"But he does care," Sasha insisted. "He was so worried when he brought you up here last night. He stayed by your side until the doctor came to check on you. I don’t I think he even slept."

"Where is he?" you asked, your voice sounding more confident now.

"He's been in his office since last night," she gave a heavy sigh. "Last time I checked, looking very angry while on the phone...I think last night might've fucked business up for Eclipse for a little while."

Heat crept into your cheeks as you recalled the brief moment in his high-rise suite; his big hands gently caressing your skin. "I don't even know what to say to him..."

"Well, if he's smart, he won't let you out of his sight for a while," Sasha winked, but her voice held a hint of steel. "I don't want anyone coming for you. I won't stand by while that happens."

"I'll be careful, Sash," you replied, trying to keep the amusement out of your voice at her protectiveness. "I should probably go thank him."

You eased yourself off the bed, your muscles protesting as you straightened up. Sasha was at your side in an instant, her arm wrapping around yours to offer her support. "Take it easy," she instructed. "Your body was under a lot of stress last night."

"I can't sit here all day," you sighed. "Not when there's a man to see and...other work to be done."

"Well, go easy and work your way up to it," she continued, her tone fierce. "Do NOT push yourself."

"Yes, mother," you joked, earning a playful slap on the shoulder.

"I'm serious," she warned. "Now come on. I'm sure you have a crime boss to get back to."

You nodded and kicked back the covers, your body feeling stiff but otherwise stable. Slipping on a pair of slippers, you tentatively made your way out of the room and towards Matthew's office. As you neared the heavy wooden door, you could hear his raised voice coming from inside.

"No excuses. I want answers." His tone was low and dangerous, sending shivers down your spine. "I want to know how the fuck a Viper got in, and how the fuck he was able to get behind that bar."

"Matthew," Joseph's voice was measured. "We already looked at the surveillance cameras. He couldn't have gotten that far ahead with you looking down at the main dancefloor. No one sneaked past us either. Unless you're implying-"

"Someone here let him in." Matthew growled. "Everyone needs to be questioned."

"And you just wanna risk pissing off our business partners?" His right-hand man challenged him.

"Well then they can kindly fuck off."

There was silence after Matthew's response.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Somin's voice interjected, "two of the security guards we have on file didn't report in at the end of the night. We need to track them down."

"...And bring them to me. You're in charge of that, Somin."

Suddenly, a set of footsteps from the other side of the door padded forward and you rushed to hide in the hallway bathroom, pushing open the handle and hiding within the tub and pulling the shower curtain over yourself. You watched through the thin veil of the curtain the shadow of the guard's feet appear right outside the door and making their way further down the hallway.

As the guard's shadow faded and their footsteps were no longer audible, you opened the curtain slowly and crawled out of the tub, opening the door and taking a peek outside.

There was no sign of the guard.

"So...Ricardo wants to fuck with me all of a sudden?" You heard Matthew continue from the other side of the door.

"He had no part in this. When we sent a hitman to his place, he didn't know it was us," Joseph reassured. "So if this was a revenge hit, someone else in the cartel is responsible."

Matthew gave a heavy sigh, the leather of the couch creaking as he changed his position. "What about who the fuck poisoned her?"

"Wasn't that hard to track him down," Jiwoo's voice was heard. "The idiot wasn't even hiding out that far from Eclipse after the incident. He's all yours when your ready."

Matthew let out a frustrated sigh. "씨발 뱀..." He paused for a moment. "Jiwoo, start working on getting some answers out of our new friend. Let's see if he really is a Viper or just another rat."

"응, 건달," she responded before the sound of a door opening and closing was heard.

There was a moment of silence, before Somin spoke up again, her voice softer now. "What about her?"

"Her?"

"The woman."

There was a pause. "I'm not going to let anything happen to her. She's under my protection."

"You're gonna try and keep her away from the shitshow we deal with on a daily basis?" Joseph questioned incredulously.

"I might put off on meeting anyone, 6th Street gang and Mafia alike." He muttered, an air of finality to his tone.

A heavy sigh was heard. "But the big meeting is in a couple days and with those sons of bitches out there on a power play..." Somin's voice rose.

"I don't give a fuck." Matthew's tone was low and dangerous. "I'll take care of this Viper shit first, then I'll worry about the rest."

"And then?" Somin pressed.

"Then, she'll forget all about it." Matthew's tone left no room for argument. "And go back to her normal life."

"You sure that's what you want?" Somin asked softly, her tone tinged with concern.

There was a long pause.

"I'd kill a motherfucker a hundred times over," Matthew grumbled under his breath, "before I'd let anything happen to her."

Your heart skipped a beat, and heat rushed to your cheeks. You bit your bottom lip to suppress a smile, despite the situation. It was comforting to hear the feeling was mutual.

"Are you sure? She seemed like-" Joseph tried to get through to his boss, but he silenced him with a cold glare.

"Drop it," he snapped.

"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled, putting his hands up in defense.

Matthew fell silent, and for a moment, the only sound was the ticking of the clock on his desk. "Just... keep an eye on her for me, alright? And Sasha, too. I don't want them getting mixed up in this any more than they already are."

"응, 건달," So-min responded.

"Of course." Joseph reciprocated.

"You both have your assignments, now leave me." Matthew commanded.

Sounds of movement emanated from the room as Matthew's trusted advisors collected their things and headed to their designated jobs. The heavy wooden door closing loudly with a gentle thud behind them.

You heard Matthew exhale, his breath ragged. A muted thump resonated through the floorboards and you guessed it must have been his head hitting his desk.

For a few minutes, the only sound you could hear was his heavy breathing, your own racing heart, and the steady ticking of the clock.

After the minutes dragged on, it felt like hours, you worked up the nerve to grab the door handle and push the door open, the squeak of the door announcing your presence.

Once the door was open, you saw Matthew lifting his head from the table, his eyes slowly looking up from the grain and finding the owner of the hand. Matthew instantly sat up, his strong muscles shifting and rolling beneath the black silk shirt.

"...Y/N," he whispered, his dark eyes fixed on yours, "you're awake."

Before you could respond, he was on his feet, striding across the room to where you stood.

"Yes, I'm okay," you reassured him. "Thanks for...everything."

"Good," he hummed. His intense gaze never leaving yours. The richness of his cologne engulfed you as he reached up to brush a loose braid behind your ear, his fingertips lingering on your cheek. "And don't thank me

"Does that happen often around you?" you blurted out, wincing at the words as they left your mouth.

He let out a hollow laugh. "More than I wish. I guess I should've been paying attention better."

Matthew's eyes held an unfathomable emotion, the familiar anger and tenderness that you remembered from the club, but also something that shifted closer to fear.

"You'll probably forget it in a month or so." He shrugged, nonchalantly.

You stood silent in front of him, the memories flooding back to you in small fragments - The feeling of his touch, the darkness that crept into the edges of your vision, and finally, the fear.

"Matthew."

The man froze in place, his hand dropping back to his side. Your body shuddered as the feeling of the needle sticking into your flesh invaded your mind.

"I...think I need to sit down," you sighed, closing your eyes briefly, holding back tears.

Moving at once, he took your hand, leading you to a seat. He sat next to you, a distance still between you. As if gauging to see how close was too close for comfort.

"Look, I don't know what kind of shit you get tangled up with every day," you began, "but I didn't ask for that." You took a breath, mentally crossing your fingers, and opened your mouth to speak, "If I'm in danger, or if I'm ever in danger because of my connection to you, I'd want to know."

Matthew's expression darkened, the tension returning to his shoulders. "Give me some time to handle it. And I'll explain-tell you everything. I promise."

Silence hung heavy in the air, and you worried you had crossed some unspoken line, your body trembling with fear.

"It isn't always like that," he finally replied, his voice strained. "Things have gotten out of hand in the past year, but it isn't going to happen again. I won't let it."

A lump formed in your throat, and you swallowed it down, choking on your words.

"I understand," you nodded, your hands wringing each other in a nervous tic.

"I'm sorry, so sorry for what happened," he took your hand and squeezed it, pulling it towards his chest, "But I'll make sure you're safe, no matter what it takes."

The memory of Matthew's arms around you, as he carried you out of the club, sent a shiver of anticipation through you. You shook your head, trying to clear the thoughts from your mind. He was a dangerous man - a powerful criminal. And yet, you couldn't stop thinking about him. His words echoed in your mind, his deep voice sending shivers down your spine.

I'll make sure you're safe, no matter what it takes.

You had never felt more drawn to someone than you did to Matthew. And yet, you knew you should stay away from him. You were just another woman caught up in the chaos of his life, a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of things. But that didn't change how you felt.

The sound of your name pulled your attention back to the present, and you noticed Sasha was standing by the front door, ready to leave. You nodded, giving her a weak smile.

"I’m okay," you said softly, reassuring both her and yourself.

As you climbed into the car, your thoughts drifted back to Matthew, and you wondered if you would ever see him again. A part of you hoped you wouldn't, knowing the danger of being close to him, but another part of you couldn't help but hope otherwise.

You let out a heavy sigh, settled into the plush leather seats of the car, and closed your eyes as you tried to clear your mind. As the car pulled away from the curb, you had no idea what the future held, but you knew you couldn't dwell on it now. All you could do was focus on the present and try to move forward.

So..." Sasha said, breaking the silence. "What are we going to do?"

You opened your eyes, looking over at her. Her expression was grim, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"I don't know," you admitted, "but I'm sure Matthew will figure something out."

Sasha nodded, letting out a sigh. "I hope so." She paused, looking at you. "I really do."

You nodded, unsure of what to say. The weight of everything that had happened hung heavily in the air between you. You knew it would take some time before you could fully process it all, but for now, you just needed to rest.

~

A month went quickly by, and just as Matthew promised, things went back to normal. Sasha never came back to work at Eclipse and started working at a boba cafe in Santa Monica. You went back to work and tried to forget about the mysterious crime boss who saved your life. Tried. His dark eyes and chiseled features were etched into your memory, and every night when you closed your eyes, you saw him. You felt the heat of his touch, the weight of his gaze, the passion in his words. It was impossible to forget the man who had captured your heart and awakened a desire within you that you never knew existed. You never thought you'd hear from him again.

It was a quiet evening, the sun beginning to set, when your phone rang. You glanced at the screen, not recognizing the number, and answered it.

"Hello?" Your voice was hesitant.

"It's Matthew." His deep voice sent shivers down your spine.

"Matthew?" You swallowed, your throat suddenly dry. "Is everything okay?"

He let out a humorless laugh. "No. Not really. I need to see you."

"See me?" You glanced around the room, as if expecting him to appear out of thin air.

"Don't feel forced to," he reassured. "Just say the word, and I'll have you escorted to me safely."

There was something about his voice, the way he said the words "escorted to me," that sent a shiver of anticipation down your spine. You couldn't deny the pull you felt toward him - the desire to be close to him, to hear his voice, to feel his touch.

"Hm," you hummed, considering your options. "What time were you thinking?"

"Now."

"Now?" Your heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing him again so soon.

"Yes." His voice was firm, unwavering. "I'll have one of my drivers pick you up."

Before you could respond, the line went dead. You stared at your phone, the screen going dark.

You knew you should say no - that this was dangerous, that he was dangerous. But you couldn't help yourself. You wanted to see him again, even if it was just one last time. You took a deep breath and looked at the time. It was still early enough that you could get ready before the car arrived. You stood up, grabbing your purse, and headed out the door.

As you waited for the car, your heart raced, adrenaline coursing through your veins.

After what felt like an eternity, a sleek black car pulled up to the curb, its tinted windows obscuring the driver from view. You hesitated for a moment before opening the door and climbing inside.

"Hello?" You greeted the driver, a man in his thirties with brown hair and kind eyes.

"Good evening," he nodded, his voice professional. "I'll be taking you to Mr. Kim's office."

You nodded, settling into the plush leather seat. The car pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic. You took a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves. You had no idea what to expect when you arrived at Matthew's office, but you knew it would be anything but ordinary. You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself as the car began to slow down. You could see Eclipse up ahead, the neon sign illuminating the darkness of the night. Your heart skipped a beat as the car pulled up to the entrance, the sound of music and chatter drifting from within.

The driver got out of the car and opened the passenger door for you, giving you a polite smile. "We're here," he said simply, gesturing for you to exit the vehicle.

You stepped out, the cool air brushing against your skin. You took another deep breath, trying to calm the racing of your heart. You glanced around, seeing the usual lineup of people waiting to get into the club. You turned to look at the driver, who was waiting patiently for you.

"Ready?" He asked, his voice laced with amusement.

You nodded, swallowing hard as you followed him toward the entrance. You were greeted by a large, muscular man who was standing guard by the doors. He gave you a polite nod and stepped aside, allowing you to pass.

You walked through the doors, your heart racing as you entered the club. The music was loud, the bass pounding through the air. The lights were dim, casting everything in a hazy glow. You looked around, seeing people dancing and drinking. A sea of bodies swaying to the beat lost in their world.

"This way." the guard motioned toward the familiar set of discreet elevator doors.

You followed him, feeling the eyes of everyone in the club on you as you walked through the room. Your pulse quickens, the nerves building inside you as you reach the familiar set of elevators. The doors slid open, and you stepped inside, your heart racing as they closed behind you.

ou took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing of your heart as the elevator rose. The music was muffled, but you could still hear the faint thump of the bass. You glanced at the guard, who stood stoically by your side. His expression was unreadable, giving nothing away.

You felt the elevator slow and come to a stop. The doors opened, revealing a long, dimly lit hallway.

"He's in his office," the guard said simply before stepping out of the elevator.

You nodded, swallowing hard as you followed him down the hall. You could feel the tension in the air as you approached the heavy wooden door at the end of the corridor. You hesitated for a moment before reaching out and turning the handle, your pulse racing as you entered the room.

The first thing you noticed was the smell of expensive cologne and the gentle rifts of RnB music. The room was dark, illuminated only by a few dimly lit lamps. The walls were lined with bookshelves, filled with old, leather-bound volumes. A large mahogany desk sat in the center of the room, its surface covered with papers and files. A plush leather chair sat behind it, facing away from you.

"Matt?" You said softly, unsure if anyone was even in the room.

"I'm glad you're here," a deep voice came from behind you, the sound of it sending a shiver down your spine.

You turned around to see Matthew standing there, a glass of whiskey in one hand and his phone in the other. His appearance was a stark contrast from before; his hair was un-styled, his silk button-up replaced with an oversized graphic tee, and his dress shoes replaced with black Nike slides. You were taken aback by how much more relaxed he seemed compared to the first time you met him. It was...cute.

"I wasn't sure if you would come," he said, his eyes locked onto yours.

"I wasn't sure if I would either," you admitted, a nervous chuckle leaving your lips.

He smiled softly, taking a sip of his drink as he approached you. "It's good to see you again," he said, his voice low and husky.

You felt your pulse quicken as he stopped just inches from you, his presence overwhelming. You could still see the faint bags under his eyes.

"It's good to see you too," you breathed, swallowing hard as you looked up at him. "You look very comfortable. I thought you'd look-"

His gaze was intense, his dark eyes searching yours as if trying to read your mind.

"Relaxed?"

You nodded, your heart skipping a beat.

"Something like that," you muttered, heat rushing to your cheeks.

"Hmm," he hummed, the corner of his mouth quirking upwards slightly. "That makes two of us." He held out his glass of whiskey. "Care for a drink?"

You nodded, reaching out to take the glass from him. Your fingertips brushed against his as you did, sending a shiver down your spine. The faintest hint of an intoxicating scent lingered on his skin - a mixture of the smoky aroma of whiskey and something that was uniquely him.

"Thanks," you murmured, bringing the glass to your lips.

The amber liquid burned as it slid down your throat, warming you from the inside.

"So, tell me what happened."

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair as he took a seat in his leather chair. He motioned for you to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"A fucking shit show, that's what happened," he said, his voice laced with weariness.

"Well, start from the beginning," you urged, crossing your legs as you leaned forward to give him your full attention.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts, pouring himself another drink before beginning his story.

"There was a Viper gangster who took out my friend Hwall. Miguel is his name. He's one of the most loyal employees, and Miguel is definitely not someone I'm going to forgive lightly."

Matthew's grip on the crystal tumbler tightened, his knuckles turning white.

"Then he took Hwall's threads and waltzed right into Eclipse," he scowled, taking a sip of his drink. "Bribed one of our newer hires with money to let him. Easy fucking bribe."

You looked at him, taking in his appearance. You could see the fatigue in his face, the weariness in his eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, the weight of everything resting heavily upon him.

"You weren't even the original target," he continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "He was after Somin; was bitter about a recent deal I had her make with a street gang setting up to partner with the Vipers. Unbeknownst to his leader."

Your heart dropped to your stomach, and your blood ran cold. You felt a pit open in the center of your chest as you processed his words.

"So you went after him?" You asked, trying to keep your voice steady.

"Yes." He met your gaze, his eyes dark and filled with anger. "Jisoo found him hiding out not that far from Eclipse. He made it too easy."

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"What happened then?" You asked, your curiosity getting the better of you.

"Told us everything we needed to know. And it helped that he was scared shitless for his life," he looked down at his slightly bruised hands. "Then I had my way with him."

You swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. You weren't sure if you wanted to know what "his way" entailed.

"I gave him the poison option, like how he did you," Matthew said, his voice low and menacing. "He chose not to take it. So I broke his fingers."

You sat in silence for a moment, processing what you had just heard. Your heart pounded in your chest, your palms growing sweaty as you tried to keep your emotions in check.

"Matthew," you whispered, your voice barely audible. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head, his gaze fixed on you.

"Don't be," he said, his expression unreadable. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. No one hurts the people I care about."

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. You weren't sure what to make of them, but the intensity of his gaze sent shivers down your spine.

"So," you quickly change the tone of affection. "He was really a rat after all, huh?"

His eyes darted up at you with newfound interest.

"Definitely a rat," he smirked and let out a modest chuckle. "So, what did you expect me to look like before you came over?" He raised a brow in curiosity.

"Y'know," you shrugged, trying to sound casual. "Button-up shirt, clean slack pants; the usual gangsta look."

"The usual 'gangsta' look?" he echoed. "You're cute."

You looked up at him through your lashes, trying not to get lost in the pools of his brown eyes.

"Well, that's how they always dress in the movies." You took a sip of the whiskey, the burning sensation down your throat warming you from the inside.

"It's true. Most people in my field are more... traditional. But I like to mix things up every now and then. Keep 'em on their toes. Y'know?"

You nodded, the heat in your cheeks spreading throughout your body. You couldn't help but notice how sexy he was. The way he carried himself with confidence, his sharp jawline, the dimples in his cheeks when he smiled, his tattooed muscular arms...

"I'm glad you like it." His eyes watched you intently, noticing the way your eyes took him in.

"I do," you said softly, meeting his gaze.

His expression softened slightly, his lips curling into a smile.

"Good," he said, his voice low and husky. "I'm glad."

You felt your heart flutter at the sound of his voice, and you shifted in your seat, trying to compose yourself.

"I'm glad I came to see you," you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

He raised his glass in response, taking a long sip of his drink. "So am I," he said, his eyes never leaving yours.

You swallowed hard, your heart pounding in your chest. You were captivated by him, unable to look away. You wondered what it would be like to be with him, to feel his lips on yours, his hands roaming your body. The thought sent a shiver down your spine, a heat spreading throughout your core.

"So," you distract yourself with your whiskey again. "If you're such a "businessman", where are all your guns?"

"Who said I didn't have any?" He teased you with a raised brow. "In this business, you gotta be good at hiding things. I have two at my sides right now."

"Where?" Your interest is piqued.

Matthew smirked, glancing down at his waistband, and running his long fingers over his crotch.

"My weapons dealer call 'em 'dick-sleeves.' Got them for me as a gag gift."

You felt your cheeks flush at the mention of the word, especially when his had a reputation as infamous as his.

"Do they...do anything?"

He chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down your spine.

"It shoots when I pull the trigger."

Your curiosity got the better of you, and you rose from your chair, closing the gap between you.

"Can I see it?"

Matthew looked up at you, his gaze darkening. "Depends. Do you trust me?"

"What kind of question is that?" You try to banter, using humor to diffuse the heavy tension between you. "Obviously not. Considering I'm here with a crime boss late at night and alone."

"Ouch." He grinned, pressing a hand to his heart. "I'm not that bad. But then again, I might as well ask that myself. What brought you back here?"

You let out a small sigh, your eyes darting to his full lips.

"Foolish curiosity."

"Mhm...Is that so?"

Suddenly Matthew's large hands were at your sides, lifting you up, and a surprised gasp left your mouth as he placed you gently on the desk. You met his gaze, your heart pounding wildly in your chest.

Never breaking eye contact with you, you watched as one of his large hands slipped under his waistband with a torturous speed. It wasn't long until he reached his zipper, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. You could feel your pulse quicken as the anticipation built within you. And then, with a slow movement, he pulled out a large silver-plated pistol, engraved with intricate lotus designs and dark ebony inlays.

Inches from you, he held the muzzle of the cold weapon, the warmth of his hand breath skipping over the cold surface of the weapon. You admired the way Matthew effortlessly flicked the safety on and off with an excited grin. It terrified yet delighted you.

"This was a gift from my father," he whispered as his hot breath caressed the muzzle.

You hesitated for a moment before reaching forward to touch the glistening steel. As you expected, it was cold to the touch. You could feel the curves of each design beneath your fingers, and you breathed heavily, your heart racing at the thought of having a loaded weapon in such proximity.

"Gave it to me before he was murdered a few years back."

You looked up at him, noticing the pain in his eyes. It was clear this was a touchy subject for him, but he continued, a hint of emotion lacing his words.

"Was 'supposed to give it to me when he handed the family business over to me. Whenever that was originally gonna be," he scoffed.

"It sounds like you meant a lot to him," you whispered, running a finger down the length of the barrel, taking in every detail.

"I like to think so," he breathed, his eyes never leaving yours.

There was something electric in the air, something different between the two of you. An intimacy, the tension thick. With the memories, the grief Matthew repressed began to resurface, and he subconsciously grasped the handle tighter, as if the weapon could ease his pain. You chewed your inner cheeks in an attempt to fight the wetness. A thick, heavy silence filled the air as you both got lost in your thoughts. And then, slowly he placed the weapon down at your side, reached forward, his large hand cupping your cheek. You could feel the calloused ridges against your soft skin, sending a shiver down your spine.

"I want to ask you something," his deep voice was barely above a whisper, his intense eyes locked onto yours.

"What is it?" You blinked, fighting the growing attraction that coursed through your veins, bringing the dull ache to the surface, right above your heart.

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing, a smirk working his way onto his lips.

"Can I kiss you?"

You knew you shouldn't let him, but there was something in the tension between you, the hunger in his eyes. You couldn't bring yourself to say no. Instead, you nodded, your heartbeat quickening.

"Please," you breathed, leaning in, desperate to feel his lips on yours.

Before you could even comprehend what was happening, his mouth was on yours, hungry and needy, making your knees go weak. Your tongues danced together, his taste intoxicating, filling your senses. You gripped the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer, unable to get enough.

You had been longing for this ever since the first time you met. And now here he was, his strong arms around you, his masculine scent surrounding you, his delicious kisses filling your head with thoughts you had been desperately trying to suppress.

You pressed yourself against him, eager to feel his body against yours, needing more than just a kiss. His hand moved to the back of your neck, his fingers entwining in your curls, pulling you closer, and his tongue explored your mouth. You kissed him back eagerly, savoring every moment, your entire body aching for him.

Before you could graze his skin with your own, he pulled away, causing a sigh to leave your lips. It was a mixture of gratitude and frustration that he hadn't continued with his obvious seduction. His deep brown eyes searched yours, his heavy breath matching yours as if to tell you that this was hard on him as well.

"I'll ask you one more thing," he breathed, his voice barely audible as he gazed at your body. "Do you want me to have one of my drivers take you home?"

You nodded, feeling a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. He leaned down, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispered.

"Or," he said, his voice low and husky. "Do you want me to show you how much I want you?"

You shivered at his words, your breath quickening as you felt the warmth of his body pressed against yours. You could feel your heart racing, your pulse quickening as you gazed into his dark, drained eyes.

"I..." You swallowed hard. "You look exhausted, though. Maybe you should rest."

"I haven't been able to rest for the past month," he sighed. "My mind has been occupied with work, the turf war, and...you."

Your brows raised.

"I'll be able to rest," He looked down. "Once I have you."

You shivered once more, the hairs on the back of your neck standing. You opened your mouth as if to say something, only to close it when you realized you had nothing to say. Instead, you bit down on your lower lip as you contemplated his request.

You couldn't shake off the fear of mixing pleasure and pain, pleasure and death, and pleasure with the uncertainty of his motives and moral compass. After all, he was a criminal, but it's not like you weren't also living a life of misbehavior yourself. He's a powerful, handsome, fascinating businessman...criminal you correct yourself, who obviously had wealth; power, and a beautiful, young woman falling at his feet. A deep blush covered your cheeks as you looked up at him through your lashes, meeting his dark gaze.

With you out of words to answer, Matthew filled in the blanks for you:

"You're nervous," he chuckled. "When was the last time somebody touched you?"

Gathering all the remaining dignity you had left, you mutter a response before turning your eyes to his hands.

"It's been...years."

His hand found its way to your chin, lifting it up to look upon him again.

"Do you want me to fix that?" his tone is soft, teasing, yet slightly dangerous as he waits for an answer.

A small nod from you is all he needed to continue. "Come with me." His voice beckons you forward, leaving your seat behind and walking towards him as he guides you towards his office door.

"Let's take this to my bedroom."

With your stomach doing little backflips in anticipation, and your legs moving forward, Matthew leads you into his black marble staircase.

The smell of crisp chilled wine, candles, and bourbon wafted through the hall as the clicking of the vintage clock on the wall signified his excitement was just as audible as the sound of your elevated heart thumping hard and fast in your chest. As Matthew reaches for the handle of his sleek bachelor suite, he wastes no time swiftly pushing it open and grabbing your wrist. The door swings shut, and as it does, his lips capture yours into a greedy, heated kiss. Matthew kisses you so hungrily that you begin to tremble against him.

His movements were tentative yet desperate as he gently walked the two of you back to the soft plush bed. When the back of your knees buckled upon the edge, you eagerly clung to him, an effort for support; Matthew was practically towering over your physique.

"I promise I will be gentle," he mumbles against your lips.

You gasp as his hands hold firmly to your hips. Matthew smirked triumphantly before parting your legs and carefully lifting your hoodie over your head, and then your unclasped shorts button. One by one, articles of clothing revealed themselves, like a grand reveal, so methodical and precise. Once your pants had hit the tiled floor, his slender, veined fingers traced around the elastic band of your underwear, their slow movement inching them down with deliberate caution.

Your breath came short and quick, the air surrounding you feels electrifying. Matthew presses a kiss between your thighs as your heels dug into the plush bed sheets. A moan escaped your lips as the pressure subsided and your panties were removed. Slowly, ever so slowly, Matthew pulled himself away from you, leaving you standing there in nothing but your bra.

Standing back up straight, Matthew licked his full lips as his hungry gaze trailed across your body, seductively, hypnotically.

"God, you're so beautiful," he whispered, his deep tone sending shivers down your spine.

A gasp escaped your lips as you watched him take peel his shirt off his body, full exposing his fulling tattooed arms and chest to you for the first time. Biting your lower lip, you admire the sharp muscly V that trailed down his abdomen, leading to his generous length concealed behind his basketball shorts. Your palms and fingers ran along his hard, flat, firm belly and feeling him quake and shiver. Using your small, delicate thumbs, you started feeling along the outlines and grooves of his tattoos, tracing your way up his stomach and chest until you cupped his handsome, sun-kissed face. Staring into each other's eyes once more, yours hooded by thick fluttering lashes, Matthew reaches behind you and unclasped your silk bra.

As your breasts heaved in their naked state, Matthew guided you higher onto the soft plush mattress, your long neck laid exposed, the natural curve of your back pressing against the sheets.

Both of your chests heaved with need, breaths hot as you felt like gravity was pulling you together, desperate for him to touch you. It was a struggle to keep your mind intact. Your inner thighs began dripping wet with an anticipating need to feel his length. Before you knew it, he had dropped his pants, followed shortly by his tight black boxers, sliding them off his lean frame.

"Just relax," Matthew growled through his crooked grin, his sultry voice echoing through the room. His hair perfectly framed his face, framing his sharp jawline like a frame holding an ethereal work of art.

As his shaft twitched and grew hard before your eyes, a breathy "holy shit" escaped from your lips. Using the underside of his thumb, he wiped his bottom lip, tilting his head curiously. With amusement in his eyes, he reached over into the nightstand table, where he began digging around for a condom.

"You ready?" he asked in a concerned tone.

Before you could even think or process your thoughts, a nod spills out, your quivering thighs pulsating in dire eagerness. With his warm, calloused fingers, Matthew slid the silky smooth plastic along his large length, only pausing for a brief moment when he had gotten the task done. Pulling himself closer to your entrance, the sound of his shaft rubbing along you was enough to cause yourself to tremble and shake like a virgin.

An intense and tingly pleasure you had forgotten existed pulsated inside your core and began to gather in intensity. However, before the real fun could begin, Matthew's mouth quickly found your pebbled dark nipples. Tugging and playing with your buds, goosebumps erupted across your darkening skin.

"It's taking everything in me," he breathed, a crooked grin tugging on his lips. "not to dive into you right now."

"I-I think I can manage."

"Oh, really?"

Pleased with your answer, Matthew rubbed his length along your throbbing heat. You hadn't been this wet in a long, long time, yet as he hovered over you, his hips instinctively rolling forward into yours, the walls of your cunt gripping him, so that it could consume all of the moisture. You gasped as he tenderly explored you, inch by tortuous inch until he was fully inside. Rendering you utterly discombobulated and senseless, you heard the clicking of his jaw, breathing so heavily it warmed your ear. It wasn't until he found the bottom of your folds, where your most intense caverns resided that you noticed the overwhelming tension around you.

In silence, with every few thrusts, his large, muscular arm would wrap securely around your waist, pulling your body so close. Instant gratification washes over the two of you as Matthew quickly begins his rhythmic dance, while his arms placed at both sides of your head— holding himself up, and dipping down to steal a greedy passionate kiss.

The way his chiseled waist and his veined abdomen flexes as he pumped himself into you almost had your eyes rolling back in your head. Shamefully, he brings one of his hands down to massage and tease your enlarged clit, sending a surge of pleasure cascading all throughout your body. You let out a seductive and rather unladylike grunt as your breath tickles the side of his neck.

His pace became rhythmic, strong and penetrating as the buildup for his peak quickly approached. Your legs and core grew weak, and he realized that you were on the cusp of losing yourself all over his manhood. Taking a finger and massaging your clit, he pushed you to the brink, burying himself into your wet opening, to the hilt.

"Matt!" You screamed in pleasure as the shock waves exploded over your body and swept through you. He captured your lips into a wet, sloppy kiss as he continued his relentless thrusting, faster and harder than before.

His hips snap back and forth as his grip tightens on you.

He kissed your neck, his teeth scraping against your skin. "Mhm," he mumbled. "I'm not done with you yet."

The mixture of his thrusts and your wetness became sloppy, driving you insane.

You leaned on your elbows to cup his face, biting your lip.

"Please..." You shook your head in disbelief, sweat dripping down your skin.

"You gonna cum for me again?" he asked through clenched teeth.

You couldn't even hold yourself together at the point and resorted to clinging onto him, fingernails digging into his back, shaking. "Mh-mhm..."

There was a desperation in your tone; it made his skin tingle with each trembling little squeal.

"Keep those pretty legs wide apart for me," he groaned, throwing his head back, his hips stuttering as he gripped the backboard and pounded into you in an unrelenting pace.

You were on the verge of tears at how good it all felt, and your toes curled hard.

In the background of the muffled music, you heard a string of explicit curse words spill from his mouth. You trembled, and as if right on cue, the muscles in your core contracted, the second orgasm hitting you like a tsunami wave, the very core of your being, sent into absolute bliss.

Shuddering into his ears, "O-oh my g-od!" left your lips between whimpers.

You fell limp on the bed as he continued, your energy and entire being almost depleted, drained by the explosive double orgasm. Despite this, you found it cute how he was fighting off his own, and the way his eyes would clench whenever your soft, slick flesh made contact with his. As the erotic pulses rocked your body, Matthew dug his hands into your ass and pulled you onto him, snapping his hips into your still, quivering heat.

Your moans drive him into a frenzy, and he pumped mercilessly into you.

With each roll of his hips, he let out a groan, his fingers dipping between your bodies and seeking your pearl, where he rolled it, coaxing another orgasm from you. He could barely talk through his breaths. "Cum with me," he whispered, his fingers slipping up and down, along with his penetrations. Your breaths intertwined as you both fell from the ecstasy, neither knowing whose is whose at this point.

And Matthew slumped over you, gently stroking and rubbing the side of your body.

"Thank you," he whispered as he gingerly pressed his lips to yours. You exhaled in pure awe.

The room fell silently, except for the syncopated rhythm of the two of you inhaling and exhaling, a dance of passion and gratification. You were speechless, trembling with excitement as your skin dewed and hairs prickled.

With lust-glazed eyes, his sultry voice spilled from his mouth, making a delightful moan against your ears, tickling your skin. "Can I...propose something to you?"

You nodded, relinquishing yourself to whatever words he chose to deliver.

"Wake up next to me every day and I'll give you the world. If that's what you want."

Your eyes sparkled as you shook your head again. "Matt." Your breath shuddered in disbelief, a trembling whimper creeping from your lungs. "Are-you serious?"

He laid beside you, his eyes never leaving your heaving frame, the sight causing his cock to grow. Sliding down the length of your body, his torso enveloped yours, warmth radiating off of him. He was all muscle, and your heart pounded at the sight. And then his eyelashes met your cheek, kisses trailed from your collarbone. You trembled at the feeling, desperate to cling to him, though exhausted.

"I'll protect you with my life, love," his lips traveled from your neck to your chest, and you released a pleasurable sigh. "But I know that I can't just let you go either."

His tongue licked the corner of his mouth, followed by his glistening teeth that bit down on his bottom lip.

"You need my protection," he said softly, his voice nearly a whisper, though as loud and piercing as a gunshot wound. "And I need you."

~

𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖚𝖊𝖉...