#but we're really fucking exhausted so we have to go somewhere

[foxstens]

should go on holiday soon. but Where

[yandereunsolved]

✗ ❛ Yandere Five Hargreeves (S1) ❜ ✗

Clicking off the last light, you wish the department store a peaceful night. It was your best friend during the weekdays. The boisterous speech of irritated moms and angsty teenagers was replaced with pure silence. No exhausted cashiers or store emergencies due to shoplifters or disgruntled higher-ups.

It was almost daunting. Taking the last shift and closing as the manager made it seem like the world had ended. It was like you got a picture-perfect frame for the all-consuming feeling of being alone. You almost enjoyed it, if it weren't for the reminder that this was real life and tomorrow would be just as noisy as the last.

You take out your extra pair of keys and secure the right one as you walk towards the exit doors.

"Question?" A slightly high-pitched, younger male voice inquires.

You whip your head around to see the outline of a pubescent boy standing near some mannequins.

"Hey, kid. You can't be in here. It's past closing time. Take yourself and whatever other sneaky friends you have and go home." You state dismissively. You really don't want to have to call the cops again because of some moronic teens.

You are frozen for a moment as the kid appears right in front of you. It was like some weird magic trick.

"Damn it. You don't remember me. You haven't met me yet." The kid mutters to himself as he paces around you. "It's me, Five." He urges. "Question, remember. You have to remember me. You have to remember us."

"Hey, we need to get you—"

An unexplainable force pushes you onto the tiled floor. Before you are able to groan, the kid, Five, wraps his arms around you, and suddenly you are halfway across the department store. Not even given a second to process the commotion, you are tugged along by Five. Shots ring out, and you try to pull yourself out of his grasp.

"Wait!" You hiss. "What the hell is happening!?" You snap while crouching beneath the rack.

Five stares back at you incredulously. His expression spells out 'excuse me, dumbass?'

"Shit. We don't have time for this. We're partners, like in the future. Some bad shit happened, and we ended up together. Got that? All caught up? We have to go now."

He yanks you up and tries to do his weird teleporting thing again, but gets hit with some weird bullet. It causes him to seize and fall to his knees. You risk a glance up to see two armed people in masks heading straight towards the both of you. You can't breathe.

"W-What?" You squeak out in panic.

You drop to the ground near him as your breath quickens. The air around you smells so stale, like it's depriving you of oxygen instead of giving it to you. You clutch your chest in a futile attempt to calm yourself. One moment turns into two, and you hear nothing going on around you.

A sneak peek, and the intruders are frozen. You turn your gaze toward the floor and see that Five isn't moving an inch. There are no smells—putrid or refreshing. There seems to be no air, but your chest is still moving. There is nothing but this moment. 

"Completely alone. Frozen in time. I can freeze time!? What the fuck? This is like... I can do this?" You whisper-shout to yourself. Why are you whispering? You can shout as loud as you'd like. "Fuck yeah!"

Another bullet rings out.

Okay, perhaps yelling isn't okay in accordance with freezing time.

The same pair of arms drags you under the check-out counter. You take a moment to catch your breath and smile. Police sirens blare from somewhere outside. You hear the intruders scramble to retreat and escape.

"You haven't gotten any smarter." Five mumbles wistfully as he leans against your shoulder. "I've found you again. Question, my baby. Stay with me a while. Stay."

He finally has you again. Clever darling, thinking you can use your past to hide from him. He'll just have to start all over again. He can do that, and not even time can keep him away from you now.

[gladiatorcunt]

MARLBORO REDS - ANAKIN SKYWALKER

cause good men die too, so i’d rather be with you

summary: mechanic dilf!anakin x gender neutral kindergarten teacher!reader

wc: 8.4k

cw: “soft” dark content, made padme’s death vague on purpose, anakin has the vibes of a married father of 4 hitting on you while you’re waiting on their table at olive garden, daddy kink, anakin imagines killing someone, MALE MASTURBATION (the most graphic fantasies are skull fucking and anakin kinda hoping you’ll tear when he puts it in), bra mention (reader does have a fem style but i’m nb so that’s how i see it and men can also have a fem style), it’s not mentioned but anakin is going through cigarette withdrawals, anakin’s canon typical inability to be in a healthy relationship, possibly predictable plot twist (?), i wanted to be a lot grosser, anakin is 42 and he’s depicted as such, age gap (reader is in their early 20’s), this takes place in the U.S.

requests are open (read the rules first)

block & move on if uncomfortable

do not repost or translate!!

The exhaust fumes transported him for a moment, somewhere tropical with a cigar in one hand and a tit in the other as a wet body slid adjacent to his. His hard-earned vacation went up in flames as a shrill car horn hunted down his eardrums. Anakin snapped out of it and stared through his brittle bangs with dead eyes. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, how to act like a normal human being one of them. 

"Alright, that should be everything. Since we just needed to rotate your tires and do an oil change, we're looking at about 142 dollars."

"Thank you so much, I'll just go pay at the front desk. Have a good one!"

Anakin sighed and gave a half assed wave that she didn't even see. He has nowhere near as much spunk as he did back in the day, but his energy is always shot to hell long before he sees his last customer of the day. Luckily it was just a routine maintenance type of thing, he would've just bashed his head in with a wrench if it was anything more. 

Puddles of blood trot after said customer, he’s amazed that they can drive so well considering they have a bullet in their head. 

There’s no bullet or rivers of blood in actuality, but a man can dream. 

His knee joints creaked as he got out of his squatting position. He groaned from the effort while smearing his fingers in more grease trying to wipe them off on the pants of his overalls. The whole workshop smelled like garbage and he probably smelled even worse. His trusty grease rag was subsequently discarded on top of his portable tool tower. He noticed that a tub of lighter fluid was on its side so he prevented that big mess waiting to happen and screwed the cap shut, picked it up, and set it back on the shelves in the storage room. He had to remember to leave one of his employees a post-it notifying them that they were almost out. 

His sleeves were shucked up his soft muscular forearm to check his watch. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets like moles in a whack-a-mole machine when he saw the time. 

SHIT! 

It was 4:30, the time he's expected to be at Alderaan Apples Elementary to pick up his twins. He didn't have the time it would normally take him to drive 20 minutes back to his place for a 10 minute shower, and then drive 30 more minutes to be at his kids' school. He normally didn't work that late, since he owns the shop he can choose his own hours. But Anakin lost track of time obsessing over work and now he'd have to embarrass his kids by showing up covered in it. Their teacher would probably be there to chew him out, but in his defense this really didn't happen all that often. 

That teacher being arguably the biggest reason why he hated that they’d see him looking how he did right then. They're awfully pretty, with a chest that he's pictured slapping and sucking while their thick ass recoils from bouncing on his uncut cock. They had just moved to their average sized town at the start of the year, they told him at the parent teacher conferences at the beginning of the school year. Something about yearning to get away from their lackluster small town but also being too afraid to venture out into any kind of big city on their own. 

They were making the cutest little gestures when they were shyly talking his ear off too, shifting their thighs together as they swayed and never letting their eye contact stray too far away from their freshly polished mary janes. Anakin was very careful about remembering everything he could about Luke and Leia's first real school year. Hell, he was more scared than they were. But there was just something in the way this new teacher did their best to soothe any worries the kids might have. 

"It's okay, we'll be going on this new adventure together. And I'll do my very best to be there for you every step of the way. I hope you can be brave and look after me too!"

Luke nodded timidly but with a newfound sense of determination. Leia shouted an affirmative, being more extroverted in comparison to her brother. 

Their teacher was young, somewhere in their early 20's. Most likely having flown into town right after getting their degree. It made something in his gut swirl and simmer, imagining their delicate finger tracing his crow's feet and tugging on the gray in his hair. Their head nestled gently in between his squishy pecs, some of his muscle definition was lost with age but he had a feeling you'd like how much the slight softness of his belly highlighted the muscle underneath. 

The cliche apples in the blouse their teacher was wearing seemed to have Anakin in a trance as he zoned out. He grunted in acknowledgement when he needed to and slipped every form and newsletter he was given into his satchel. When it was time to head home, Luke and Leia clung to their teacher's legs. Anakin rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and bent over to pry them off. He explained how sorry he was, being a single dad meant that whether or not he meant to, the kids still looked for a mother figure. 

He'll never forget the way your eyes widened by a fraction, flicking up to make eye contact with his feigned nonchalant stare. You seemed.... happy to hear that he was single. But that could've just been an old man getting wrapped up in the delusions that he still has it. 

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Mr. Skywalker. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how hard it is to do what you do everyday, but let me just say that I think you're doing an excellent job."

He thinks you'd do even better. 

By the time he had finished reliving that fond little memory, he could spot the street sign for the street the school was on. Ruffling his hair, he made a sharp right turn and slowly pulled into the parking lot. His black chevy truck performed beautifully like always so he gave her a solid pat on the hood. He turned on his heel, immediately seeing his children hugging either one of your legs. He was only 10 minutes late, it wasn't any better but he would never make his kids feel like he abandoned them. He never wanted them to go through what he had gone through when he was their age. 

He adjusted his collar and made a last ditch effort to wipe his fingers off on his clothes. He heard a  quiet cough. He shot his head up to catch your unamused eyes. A wry smile appeared on his face as he jogged over to you. When he reached  the three of you, he immediately crouched and placed a hand on Luke and Leia's shoulders. 

"Dad's really sorry, okay? He just lost track of time but he rushed over here as fast as he could as soon as he realized what time it was."

Luke peeked out from behind your leg, "Like the Flash?"

"Yes, Luke, like the Flash." Anakin chuckled, slowly opening his arms wide in the hopes that his kids weren’t too mad at him. 

Thankfully he was instantly overwhelmed by two bodies slamming into him, almost knocking him onto the ground and tumbling down the concrete steps. Luke was clutching onto him so tightly and Leia was giggling up a storm. He stood up and gently ushered his kids into holding one of his hands so they could stand beside him. 

He cleared his throat a few times before finally addressing you. 

"I'm so sorry, I don't know if you overheard but work was really hectic today and I didn't want to waste more time cleaning up. Please just think of me how you did before, I won't look like this tomorrow."

You sighed, shaking your head with a small smile. Your blouse had a floral pattern today, blue covered in peonies and apple blossoms. Your pants were some kind of plaid thing but you make them work so well. Anakin had  to actively keep his eyes from eye fucking your wide hips and oggling the expanse of your butt in the tight pants. Just thinking about how little must be left to the imagination made his cock ache in his overalls. But he restrained himself, he was going to ask you out when he was in a much better and.... cleaner state. He pushed the thoughts down and settled himself down with daydreams of the near future. 

"It's alright, Mr. Skywalker. I understand your situation, so long as it doesn't happen frequently and the children don't have to wait too long, we won't have a problem." You gently admonished the older man, not hiding the protective tone in your voice but still looking up at him with bashful warmth in your eyes. 

Stars, the way you were already so protective over his kids made him even harder. He briefly wondered how you'd be with their younger siblings. The image made his heart flutter and a wide smile stretched his lips. He shuffled from one foot to the other, praying to whatever God is out there that he's able to hide his boner in his baggy overalls. He still had quite a few years before he even wanted to think about having the birds and bees talk with the kids. He adjusted his overalls quickly and reached out a greasy rough palm to you. 

"I swear this won't happen everyday, thank you for being so kind. I definitely won't forget it." He murmured with a wink that was open to interpretation. 

You bit your lip as you leaned forward to slip your smooth palm into his. A sharp shiver traveled up Anakin's body and butterflies erupted in your stomach at the contact. You clicked your heels together and shook his hand, the weight of it made certain kinds of thoughts pop into your head that you'd rather not deal with at the moment. 

Reluctantly Anakin pulled his hand away, making sure it lingered more than was necessary or appropriate. He put his back to you and double checked that Luke and Leia had one hand in each of his and their other hands on the strap of their backpacks. Luke had one with planets on it while Leia had one with dinosaurs. He looked down at their feet to make sure that they were going slow and steady on the steps. They reached the bottom of the steps and walked across the parking lot to Anakin's truck. He opened the back seat, lifting Leia first and waiting for her to settle in before nearly throwing out his back bending down again to help Luke in. He buckled them up and made sure their seatbelts were fastened properly. He took a few steps back and gingerly closed the backseat door on Luke's side. His back was screaming at him on the trip around the back of the truck, it especially burned when he haphazardly threw his door open and climbed up into the driver's seat. 

The drive home was the same as it was everyday. Leia excitedly told her father all about every single detail of her day and Luke needing less coaxing to talk about his as the school year progressed. Luke was upset when they ran out of apple juice at lunch because that meant he had to have grape. Leia bragged about the rock she painted during craft time. Anakin listened intently, no matter what kind of depraved shit he felt for their teacher, he wanted to take extra care that both of his kids felt heard and appreciated at the end of the day. He responded with jokes and questions to keep them talking, it distracted them from realizing how long the drive was to the house.

They pulled into the house's garage half an hour later. Anakin was about ready to collapse into a pile of bones in his recliner. Luke and Leia ran like bats out of hell through the door and up the stairs to their bedrooms. He could hear the sounds of them putting their backpacks on their hooks and unzipping them to go through the jungle of papers they stash in them. 

The fridge was fresh out of Dr. Pepper so Anakin grumbled and got a can of bud lite from his locked minifridge on the counter. He managed to make it to the couch before he let himself fall face first onto the cushions. 

The pitter patter of tiny feet bounding down the stairs yanked him from sleep so he sat up and leaned his cheek against the arm of the couch.

"Dad! Dad! Dad! Look!" Luke blurted out, shoving some kind of paper in his dad's smushed face. 

Anakin grimaced but made himself sit upright. He reached out and took the paper from Luke, holding it at a good distance away from his face and at a downwards angle so he could read it properly. 

"What's this, buddy?"

"It's a paper for the party, Dad! The Valentine's day one that's um.... this Friday, i think.” Luke nervously wrung his hands in his striped shirt as he spoke. “I want to get something for my teacher too…” 

Anakin rubbed his shaved chin as he read the paper. Luke was right. It was a newsletter informing parents about the Valentine's Day party each class would be holding on Friday. There would be no working or classes and instead every class would have an all day party for both the children and their parents. Students were allowed to bring any snacks of choice, but they had to bring a box of valentine cards for their class and give one to every student in their class.

"That must be nice, having no school for a day. Well, i'll be there on Friday and tomorrow we can go to the store and get the supplies for you and your sister." 

“And we can get something for my teacher?”

“Of course Luke, that’d be a very nice thing to do for them.”

"Okay! Thanks, dad, love you!" Luke cheered, bouncing on his feet and kissing Anakin on the cheek while giving him a second long side hug before running back upstairs. 

The next day the Skywalker family was back in the truck on the way to the biggest local supermarket in the area. It wasn't too far, just in the next town over. They could've gone to the smaller store back home, but the kids liked having options and liked car rides that were like little road trips. (Why they hated the longer drives when they were to school but liked them in situations like this, Anakin could sympathize. 

Anakin shut the radio off when they pulled into the large parking lot of the supermarket. He put his car in park and turned the engine off. The wind chill smacked him right in the face as soon as he stepped out of his seat. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms to warm himself up and walked over to get Leia and Luke out of the car as quickly as possible without freezing his ass off. They did the standard routine of holding their dad's hands while they crossed the parking lot. Anakin was telling them to look both ways to watch out for any cars that were coming as they walked along the crosswalks. Mercifully they weren't in the cold long before they entered the store.

The bright white LED overhead lights made Anakin want to pass out but he followed closely behind the kids that were already running themselves ragged all over the place. He reminded them what they were here for and his arms were pulled to their breaking point all the way to the card aisle. There were so many options of valentine card packs. There were Bluey ones, Spiderman, ones that looked like the cootie catchers you fold and pull apart, et cetera. 

Luke ended up choosing Spiderman ones that came with pencils. Leia chose a kitten design for her cards. 

Anakin almost fell asleep on the ride home. He let the kids pick out drinks from the little displays in front of the registers so they were miles away in sugar rush land. He made a note to pop a couple ibuprofens before he went to bed. Some days are easier than others but since his wife passed away when his kids were newborns, he’s never known what it was like to be able to depend on someone else to always be there to help. His childhood friend Obi-wan stops by every so often to stay over, his mom and step-dad babysit when he stops being stubborn, but that’s once in a blue moon. The sunset casts light onto the sunspots and hair on his arms. He rolled both of his sleeves up because his body typically runs hot and global warming making the temperature 65 degrees in the middle of February does him no favors. 

The McDonald’s they drove through got the kids happy meals wrong three times, something that was clearly a sign of the apocalypse. 

He had to remind Luke and Leia not to run too fast as they clammored out of the truck with his assistance and bolted to the front door. Anakin sighed his millionth sigh of the day and clamped a hand on Leia’s head to steady her as he searched his rusty old keyring for their house key. His steady hand inserted the key into the lock, ushering his kids inside with his free hand while he pushed the door open. His long legs moved at a sloth like pace, Leia and Luke ignored him and shot up the stairs like two little rockets.

“Guys, slow down. Marshmallow feet, remember?” He reminded them and leaned around the corner so they could hear him, shaking his head in exasperation when all he gets in response is a couple “Okay, dad!”s. 

The white and orange ibuprofen bottle stored in one of the many dark wood cabinets over the fridge beckoned him with a come hither motion. He’s little more than a slave to his baser instincts so he dutifully heeded the call. The cabinet creaked when he cracked it open but he couldn’t give less of a fuck as he dove for the pill bottle and shook out a few orange pills. He exhaled in relief in a way that would suggest he was smoking weed when his adams apple bobbed as the pills hit his stomach. 

With that mindless task out of the way, Anakin slowly journeyed up the stairs to get Leia and Luke ready for bed. He kept a stern eye on them to ensure they brushed their teeth, used their mouthwash properly, and washed their faces. After the kids completed their bedtime routines, he tucked them into bed while humming a lullaby Obi-Wan had taught them when he held them as infants. He gave them their time to say goodnight to their mom, Luke looked at the glow in the dark stars on his ceiling when he said it and Leia clutched her stegosaurus plushie when she whispered her goodnight. 

Anakin didn’t contribute but he warmly kissed his twins on their foreheads and tucked the corners of their comforters around their shoulders. 

His heavy work boots thundered against the hardwood floor of the hallway as he walked out of their room and down the carpeted stairs to the den. He unhooked the buttons holding up his overalls on his shoulders and shimmied his ruined overalls down to his ankles. His hairy thighs expanded as he stepped out of them so he could kick them to the other side of the room. He was left in only his boxers and a white tank top that would never be white again. So he flexed his arms as he took that tank top off too. Grease stains were all over his body but he could at least take a shower now. 

His boxers joined the towels from yesterday’s shower on the floor as his soft cock flopped out. He gave it an absentminded stroke that injected something molten into his bone marrow. He bent over to reach the faucet and turned the water on. The shower didn't start until the water babbling over his thick calloused fingers was hot enough to cook a lobster in. 

He rolled his shoulders back as he stepped into the shower. His mouth dropped open in a silent exclamation and his neck popped as his head lolled back. The onslaught of boiling hot water pin pricked his skin in a pleasure-pain sort of way that made his thoughts temporarily quiet down. 

His cock gave a couple twitches but Anakin elected to wait until he had at least washed his hair before he rubbed a much needed orgasm out. 

3-in-1 shampoo that smelled like some dior cologne was all up in his hair, his hands unhurriedly glided through his short-ish soapy strands. He angled his head back and let the lather he had worked up be drowned out by the shower head. He grabbed his vanilla & shea butter body wash and let the spout rest against his glistening pecs as his fingers curled around the stocky bottle and squeezed. The smooth liquid spurted out over his pecs and dripped down his body. He reached his hands right up under the steady stream and soaped up his pecs, ghosting his thumbs over his puffy nipples before spreading his hands out and spreading the soapsuds all over the rest of his body. 

Squelching sounds echoed off the shower floor as Anakin widened his stance. His right hand was subconsciously traveling closer and closer to his half-hard cock. He had worked so hard, finally being able to relax and luxuriate in the silence made the blood in his body migrate further south. 

A certain teacher flashed through his mind, his head whipped down in shock to discern how greatly his flushed cock swelled up faster just at the single image of his kids’ kindergarten teacher. 

An aurora borealis of fantasies swirled in the air. 

You’re kneeling on a pillow (he would be at serious risk of getting more brow wrinkles if you had to touch the harsh dirty floor with your bare skin.) and bobbing your head up and down the fat cock making a bulge in your cheek. Your sparkling eyes have this glazed over look to them as he anchors his hands on the back of your head. He widens his stance and bullies your throat with his heavy cock. You squeak and sputter but you take it like such a good pet. Your plump lips slide off of his meat a couple inches but before he can do anything, you’re groping his taut ass as you wiggle your head down to the base of his cock. Your eyes flutter shut as your brain shuts off; your nose is buried right in his musky bush. His face scrunches up in the best kind of pain, but he locks his gaze on the way your eyes roll back when he begins to skull fuck you.

Thank god for oral fixations. 

“Gonna let Daddy soak this warm throat pussy?” Don’t worry, he knows you can’t exactly use your vocal chords properly at the moment. So he nods your head for you, deepening his thrusts into slow sharp jabs. 

He’d baptize you in cum if you let him, your skin would look so pretty and glossy covered in it. He’d help you wipe it off after he cements the image of your eyelashes sticking together in his mind. 

Now he’s grabbing your love handles while his cock builds his dream home in your guts. Your ass shakes back against his hips as you try to steady the phone in your hands and face it towards the overhead. He grabs your hair in one fist and gently tugs your head up so you can pay attention properly. He didn’t go through all this just to let you hide away from him. In a perfect world, the kids would be staying with his mom so you’d be more than welcome to lose your voice.

The vision in his mind shifts to you being on your back, hands trembling trying to hold your legs as close to your chest as possible. You’re looking up at him like he was born in the center of the sun. He’s looking back at you like you’re the moon made flesh, eternally encapsulated in his sea of stars. Anakin smiles triumphantly but with a heady passion in his gait that threatens to burn his lungs to ash, coughing them up over your open heart. 

“You’re doing so well puppy, that’s my brave baby.” He coos and pries your hands off your thighs finger by finger. 

Once your hands are free, his larger ones ardently seek out yours like a dog going after a bone. The rough texture of his digits feels like an uncomfortably pleasant caress as they lace together with your own. He doesn’t look at anything else; can’t think of anything else when you make the cutest little watery gasp as his cock humps along the crack of your hole. The red tip of it gets caught against your outer sweet spot as if trying to give your crotch small pecks. His eye wrinkles crinkle when his smile widens and he offers a breathy laugh. 

He squeezes your hands tightly as he wraps a hand around his cock and directs it to its northern star. Your nails digging into his knuckles don’t distract from your hole stretching itself wide to suckle at his encroaching length. 

And if in the shower he spilled into his feverishly fucked fists at the concept of crimson liquid mixing with cum to make a pink swirl where your bodies meet, you’d never know. He thumbed at the glans under his cock tip as he came down from his high, skirting a fingernail up a vein on the side and wishing he was mouthing the space between your shoulder blades; preening your white feathers with his scratchy tongue. 

The next couple days were gone with a couple of blinks. He never deviated from his routine; wake up, wipe off the drool on his face, get kids ready and take them to school, go to work, clean up, go pick kids up from school, help with whatever work 6 year olds would have, put them to bed, jerk off in the shower till his legs ache, fall asleep on his stomach with his the right side of his face smushed into a pillow. 

He did find some time to put together a teacher’s appreciation basket for you. You more than anyone else deserved a few something somethings on a day meant to represent love. The gifts were packed nicely and neatly in a vintage wicker basket wrapped in a red gingham bow and covered in see through red plastic wrap. Your reaction would regrettably have to be viewed from afar, but he’d know how to move forward depending on what adorable expression you had all over your face.

The night before the party, Anakin allowed Luke and Leia to stay up a smidge later than normal so that they could get all of their things ready for the party. Anakin’s special present slept soundly in the seat next to his in front of his truck. An additional gift from Luke was tucked inside along with an item from Leia who had insisted on it when she found out Luke was getting you something.. The basket being hidden away for the time being allowed him to focus completely on helping his children with their gifts at the coffee table. 

Luke’s eyes were droopy as he wrote down the names of his classmates in the hearts made to look like Spiderman’s mask in his cards. He inserted  most of the pencils in the intended slot on the left of the cards by himself before he slumped against Anakin’s arm and weakly pushed the pile of cards towards his dad. Anakin chuckled as he ruffled Luke’s fluffy blonde hair and teasingly whispered that he didn’t know a boy could be so sleepy. His son blinked at him as if to say how unfunny his dad was before yawning and snuggling further into his father. 

Anakin pushed the rest of the pencils into the card slots and sealed all of the cards with red heart stickers. He lifted his head to look across the glass coffee table to check in on how Leia was doing. For how fiery his daughter was already at such a young age, she wasn’t immune to getting tired before 8:30. The signature buns on her head that she loved begging him  to do for her had loose hairs poking out of them because of how Leia had buried her head in her arms. 

Anakin blew a breath out in fond chagrin as he easily reached over the table and delicately removed the pins holding the buns in place. He fluffed out the hair that fell down so her scalp wouldn’t feel weird when she woke up. 

He hoisted Luke up in one arm and Leia in the other (something they were getting a bit too big to continue doing) and slowly but surely deposited them on the couch. He snatched a white plush blanket from the linen closet and settled it over them before turning back to the massive amount of paper cards on the table. He finished the last of Leia’s cards a short while later. He sorted the cards into orderly piles and put them in sandwich bags that he took to the kids room so he could put the bags in their backpacks. 

Anakin came back to the living room as he tried to shoo the sleep away by digging his knuckles into his eye sockets in a lazy rub. He opened the cabinet and took out a package of pink frosted sugar cookies with red heart shaped sprinkles, a pack of capri suns, and a tupperware bowl full of mini brownies. With a long drawn out yawn he set the snacks out on the counter so that he would remember them tomorrow morning. He got a set of paper plates and a sectioned set of cutlery in case you needed any extra. Maybe you’d give him one of those corny gold star stickers as a thank you. 

Friday morning was ushered in by  two children risking their dad’s life by flopping on his stomach with all the strength they had while he was sleeping. 

“OH FU-“ He shouted before he remembered who was in the room and gently rolled them off of his stomach. “What exactly do you two think you’re doing?”

 "It's time to wake up dad, we're gonna be late for school!" Leia said with a dismayed look on her somewhat chubby face. 

Anakin looked away and meekly mouthed a 'sorry' as he looked at the led clock that he had forgotten to set an alarm on. 

Fuck, not again. 

He sat up in bed and hunched over; his head buried in his hands. Luke and Leia crowded around him as they tried their best to comfort their father, giving his back light pats. He let them pull his hair so that he'd look up at them. He smiled in gratitude and crawled out of bed as quickly as he could to get the day started. 

He made a comical sight; hobbling around the floor with his ripped jeans pooled around his feet as he raced to get his kids ready for school in time. His belt was a fairly new black leather piece that he'd been keeping for a special occasion, but the anxiety of the morning made him grapple with getting the buckle in place. Once that was done a shameful amount of time later, he shoved his clothes to the side in his closet as he searched for a nicer, more "classy" dress shirt. Anakin gnawed at his bottom lip and eventually decided on a black silk button up that matched his belt. He crouched, chanting in his head that he hoped he wouldn't tear a muscle, and chose a pair of italian leather slides that his mom had gotten him for Father's Day a couple of years ago. The bathroom mirror held back no punches when it showed Anakin the state of his head. He crossed his fingers and smoothed back his hair with the tiniest glob of gel; the water he splashed on his face would have to do some serious charity work. He could only hope that you liked the naturally unkempt but not too unkempt kind of look, a striking sort of ruggedness. 

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad..." Luke droned, understandably fed up with waiting on his dad to deal with another one of his mini mid life crisis episodes. 

"I'll be right there Luke, hold on a second, please."

Anakin gave into his son’s begging and let him brush his teeth with the birthday cake flavored toothpaste today. Even though the dentist moaned about how hard it was to clean out when they introduced it to Luke at his last appointment. His Spiderman toothbrush played a jingle meant to sound like the theme song when Luke did his 2 minutes of brushing. Anakin stood protectively behind him as he spit in the sink, his hand hovered over his head so he wouldn't hit it. He took Luke's toothbrush and ran it under the water before he put it back in the clear organizer next to the faucet. He poured the recommended amount of mouthwash from the bottle and passed the lid that acted as the cup to Luke. Luke grimaced but he tipped the cup up so the blue liquid would pour in his mouth, he swished it around and then spat it out too. He sipped from the glass of water that was handed to him and proudly beamed at his father.

"Good job, Luke. I'm so proud of you." Anakin congratulated him, Luke was still finicky about floss so today would not be the day that he attempted to get him to use it. 

Being a parent means knowing how to pick your battles and what time to schedule them. 

Anakin brushed Luke's hair and fluffed it out a bit like a surfer (how Luke likes it). He grabbed his son by his underarms and lifted him off of the step stool. The mirrors in their house were still a bit too high for his kids to see properly so for now the stools had a purpose. He would be sad when they no longer needed them. 

Anakin quickly dipped into the twins room to grab their backpacks. He had already gotten them dressed after he got out of bed earlier. He helped Luke put his on and then repeated the same process with Leia. Her toothbrush made a loud roar when she finished brushing, and she had a fit of giggles in response. His daughter preferred straightforward mint toothpaste so morning routines really weren't that much of a struggle with her. Once she put the glass of water down on the sink, she eagerly turned her back to her dad and pointed at her loose hair. Anakin saluted as he began shaping her hair into the buns she loves so much. He reminded her not to mess with them too much or they'd fall apart, and she always responded that she knew that already. 

They got in a single file line on their mission out the door. Anakin nabbed the containers of snacks and briefly freaked out wondering if he lost the cards before he remembered that they were in the kids' backpacks. He double checked if his keys and wallet were in his pockets, and to his relief everything was where it was supposed to be.

Well, mostly everything. He'd never forget about you, don't worry. 

He put his phone on do not disturb before tossing in the front seat next to his along with the basket already sitting there. 

Anakin told Luke and Leia to buckle their seatbelts as he inserted his key into the keyhole and started the car. He heard them buckle up and waited for the tell tale clicks before putting his car into drive. They had to leave than some of the other kids in their school would have to since they lived farther away, but because it was so early the twins could only yawn and hold onto the other twins' booster seat. Anakin thanked the cosmos and turned the radio on but kept it a low volume; Frank Sinatra's rich voice was the best company on a drive like this. 

The school entrance was abundantly decorated. A large white banner along the front entry archway announced the festivities. A flurry of red, pink, and white ribbons hung across the ceiling of the lobby. Every door had hearts representing the students in their class covering them, the kids's names scrawled in their own messy handwriting with cheap crayons. 

The door of your classroom was the last one on the left. You kept a bottle of hand sanitizer in front of it because you were very particular about hygiene, a trait that served you extremely well in your job. Luke and Leia pointed out where on the door their hearts were as they waited for you to open the door. The Skywalker family were the first ones there so Anakin wasn't sure if it was okay to just drop in on you unannounced. He wished that you would drop on him unannounced. He cradled his gift basket  in his arms as if it were a fragile baby.  

A few minutes later, your heels were heard clacking against the tile floor. The silver door knob jiggled before it stopped moving and the door took its sweet sweet time opening. Your head poked out and your face brightened when you saw who was at the other end. You sunk down into a squat, putting your hands on your knees as you addressed the children. 

"Why, hello Leia; hello to you too Luke. You're a tad early, but you can go ahead and hang your backpacks on the hooks in your cubbies. I haven't finished setting everything up, so you can sit down on any of those chairs at the front of the class." You greeted them and shook their hands before pointing out where they could sit. 

The twins obviously sat together. You didn't have assigned seating in your class, and you felt that Leia and Luke would be more comfortable sitting together during their first year at school. It wasn't guaranteed that they'd be in the same class next year. You were too sensitive to try to separate them. You cried a lot because of how scary school was when you were in their place, so you couldn't imagine being the cause for any tears your students shed.

Anakin was once again too caught up in studying your outfit. You had on a fitted shirt with a cardigan on top, it had thin strings that could unwind with no effort from him if he reached out and just pulled.

But that could wait. 

The kids scattered off to choose their seats. Your classroom had three circular tables with five small red chairs. Each chair had a small blanket on the back with a valentine's pattern. The table at the front where Luke and Leia were sitting had heart shaped placemats with a lace trim that looked like it should've been a doily, but in a… good way. You had red and pink plates on the smaller table next to your desk, as well as clear forks and spoons that looked like they had confetti inside of them. You figured that the parents would bring all of the refreshments and you didn't know what your students would want; you thought that the safest bet would be to hang back. 

Anakin did the most he could to soften his gaze when you straightened up and automatically locked eyes with the older man. He clocked how you instantly glanced down at the floor for a split second. You adjusted your collar, for some reason, and gave him the world’s smallest smile. Anakin was so certain that if he leaned in close enough, he would be able to hear your heart racing at the same accelerated pace as his.

 Some say that means it’s love. 

You fluttered your eyelashes, “Hi, Mr. Skywalker, thank you for coming. It’s always a pleasure to see Luke and Leia, but i’m glad that you could be here for them”

“Believe me, no one’s more happy about me being here than I am.” He blurted out without thinking, ‘Uh, I brought some snacks and drinks for everybody.”

You took in the capri suns and the desserts as your smile grew. Your hand curled around his bicep subconsciously, “Oh my gosh, that’s so nice of you! I’ll just put those over the-“ 

You couldn’t even finish your sentence before Anakin sauntered past you to put the food down on the table next to your desk. He placed the frosted sugar cookies down first, followed by the capri suns and brownies. 

He turned to face you and his shirt seemed to tighten over his chest as he rested his hands on his hips. His fingers flexed absentmindedly, like they wished they were gripping something else. 

“I can handle it, sweetheart. I’m 42, not 72.”  He chided you, strolling back over and chucking you under the chin; you were cute if you thought you’d be lifting a single finger the entire day. 

The way you nearly fell head over heels trying to fix your assumed faux paus was even cuter, “No, no- I- I didn’t mean anything- I just- Y-you look very capable to me, sir.” 

If your brain would let you, you would rip your face off to hide from your big mouth. Why the hell would you tell the much older father of two of your students that you think he looks “very capable”? WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO CALL HIM “SIR”? 

Anakin scratched his chin and decided that he’d let you off the hook with no more teasing from him. That’s a lie though, he was confident that you could take whatever he gave you. 

“Careful, don’t stroke my ego too much or I'll have to stroke yours. And please, I'd hate to have to remind you again, my name’s Anakin.” He was flirting a little too shamelessly for where you were, but he was still thinking with his upstairs head and guided you to a back corner. 

“I actually got you something myself, but uh,  if it’s all the same to you, I'd wait to open it until you’re nice and snug at home.” 

He gladly took a short walk to your car with you and helped you set the basket down safely in the trunk. He told you to stand back as he slammed the trunk door shut; slapping it for good measure to make sure it was properly closed. 

The two of you returned to your classroom and like the good little helper Anakin wanted you to know he could be, he helped you greet the incoming parents and students. He even took any concessions they brought and put them with the others

By 8:15 everyone you expected was in your classroom. A few kids were without their parents so you asked some of the other students to invite them to enjoy the party; a party’s no fun alone. 

At some point around 9:00 you had the stray daydream of Anakin pinning you against the wall outside of your door as he savagely plundered your mouth with his teeth and tongue. Finger shaped bruises and a promise to ‘see you at home, baby’ would keep your usually freezing cold body warm. You glance at the man out of the corner of your eye to see that he was already staring. He looked like he wanted to teach you a lot of things.

Whatever that meant. 

The morning half of the day consisted of the cafeteria delivering breakfast and watching a couple of movies that the class voted on. The Lego Batman Movie was first (a unanimous decision), and Wreck-it-Ralph was picked after that (some kids wanted to watch the minion movie like always but you were secretly happy that they weren’t the majority.) 

Lunchtime was when you decided to let the students have the snacks, they were welcome to go down to the cafeteria with a guardian if they wanted actual food but they didn’t have to. You weren’t surprised when none of the seats became empty. 

Anakin had to wrench the small plastic chair away from his ass before he winked charmingly and speed walked to the snack table to help you. The air between the both of you had inexplicably become charged with insurmountable tension. The chaos didn’t give you much chatting time so you could only glances and brush your arms together; how accidental those touches were was up for debate. 

Especially when he needed to get through to the plates and forks behind you. 

“Sorry, let me just squeeze past you.” He whispered in your ear, his big hands using your waist to steady you as he pressed his back flush against your chest. 

In the blink of an eye he was gone. The invisible hands chained to your skin remained. You fanned your face with one of the cheap paper plates as you floated back to your body and got a hold of yourself.  

You looked over at the Skywalker trio to see Luke and Leia point at you as they tirelessly tug on their dads sleeves until he caved. You saved him the trouble and went to them, bending down so you could hear the twins properly.

“Do you two need something? I could see you making a fuss over here.” You teased. 

“Dad forgot to give you our presents….” Leia mumbled and Luke nodded sharply. 

Your eyes widened, “Oh! You didn’t have to get me anything, but the day’s not over yet. You can give them to me now.”

“I did not forget, Leia.” Anakin shook his head, fidgeting in the uncomfortable chair. “They’re in the basket Dad brought, and your teacher has it in her car outside, okay?” 

You nodded and confirmed their fathers words, “He’s right. I didn’t know that there were things from you and your brother in it too but it’s safe and sound. I pinky swear.” 

Two much smaller pinkies met you halfway and wrapped around yours. The Skywalker twins giggled as they turned it into an impromptu arm wrestle competition and beat you easily. (You felt they were going to snap your finger off if they kept tightening their hold so you bowed out.) 

Anakin watched with hearts in his eyes and his head propped up in his hand, his eyes crinkled at the inherent domesticity of the act. 

Luke and Leia agreed to call their exhibition match a draw. 

The sun had already set by the time you got home. You were so tired that you nearly dropped your keys down the stairwell; you didn’t want to spend your night fishing them out of the grass.The wicker basket in your arms was at risk of falling too but you got your door opened and you crumpled on the loveseat.

 “Oof, I should probably get this sorted out now or I'll just forget about it.” You said as your body protested you moving a single inch from your sunken spot. 

You grabbed your emerald green pair of scissors and cut the top of the plastic wrap off.The wrapping  squealed as you tore it off the rest of the basket. You peered into it and thankfully it looked like a run of the mill teacher’s appreciation gift; for a valentine’s day it was a little strange but since it was from Anakin… you’d slip on your rose colored glasses. 

There was a medium sized teddy bear, a couple three wick candles; your favorite was the one that smelled like the conversation hearts candy. There was also a custom made box of chocolates from the bakery you frequented, and three burgundy roses that you trimmed properly before dropping them in the vase on your kitchen island. 

The ‘world’s best teacher’ stood out like a sore thumb but it made you smile anyway. 

The teddy bear was incredibly fluffy and bubblegum pink; it’s holding a sparkly red heart with the word ‘princess’ sewed in hot pink thread in the center. You swept the fur away from its black eyes so it could see. The bear was pretty cute, and you had a problem handling your stuffed animal addiction, so you headed to your bedroom and laid it down with the rest of your plushies. 

You yawned and your mouth stretched like a goldfish when it does the same thing. The strings of your red cardigan came undone by your hands and you let it slide off of you and hit the floor. Your pink ribbed top joined it when you gathered enough energy to give a damn and move your arms. 

Your white bra was so plain but like hell if it didn’t make the man palming himself over his jeans rock hard. The kids were sound asleep in bed and the walls were thick so he could be as loud as he wanted. But this particular session wasn’t about achieving some grand climax. No. He just wanted to take things slow tonight. If he happened to gradually tumble over the edge along the way, he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Anakin loved you, every inch of your body would soon be blissfully aware of that. 

The miniscule camera in the dot above the i in Princess loved you just as much. 

The fire that would wait to invite itself in for a surprise visit until you had left for work loved you more. 

a/n: i had this in the drafts for a bit but i was having a moment so i didn’t post it until now. happy valentine's day 💞

[lunarriviera]

[overthinking about blorbo follows] [quasi-spoiler for uts s2 e3] look okay so here's the thing. shen yi is an insanely gifted classically trained painter who now lbr spends most of his working life sketching holdup mugshots off of grainy cctv footage, an occupation that at this point for him has to be boringly straightforward. maybe once in a while there's a cool serial murderer and he gets to come up with a way to reconstruct an entire person's body from one molar, or invent some new shrimp colors or something. then he goes home and paints his fucking heart out all night and for what, who is seeing it? who is seeing him? (and don't say du cheng bc i love him but we all know he probably wears black because he's red-green color blind.) so here he is, showing his canvases in a little group exhibition and trolling quietly amongst the clueless spectators, and no one even knows who he is because he's not showing up at the gallery opening in a suit du qing poured him into, clutching a glass of room-temperature champagne. instead here's someone standing the correct distance away from the canvas and you can practically hear shen yi's invisible antennae go sproing. idek who this charismatic pointy-faced guy is yet, maybe he's under the skin's answer to sheev palpatine but the point is, no one who can see what shen yi is doing talks to him about his work. so when weasel man says "he's a genius" and shen yi gives that tiny smile that's so frail it's almost invisible— he gave that smile one time before in s1, remember? when du cheng says "it could be that shen yi is wrong—but that's impossible, so we're crossing that one out." it's a beautiful little character note from tan jianci bc very likely shen yi isn't even aware he's doing it. maybe he's even telling himself "oh please how dare this guy, who does he think he is, clement greenberg"—shen yi who literally set fire to his ambition in the service of honing a moral compass so ruthless and unbending you could set greenwich mean time by it. but somewhere down in there, always—inside any person who chooses a life devoted to making things—is the desire for those made things to be seen.

who was the last person who said "he's a genius" not about his police work but about his painting? the last person who looked carefully at all of his values, hues, lines, shapes, gestural movements, mark-making, brushstrokes, depth of field, play of light, and really saw what he was doing, enough to be critical of it? when you're a working artist and someone sees you well enough to critique you intelligently? the pleasure is breathtaking, frankly on a spectrum with the erotic. (you could also argue he's smiling ruefully at the declaration that the painter's having become a cop is what ruined his work; when shen yi possibly thinks: you know nothing, it opened up everything for me. but i'm not so sure about that. because did it? has it? do we know that?) tl;dr weasel man is holding out an opened box of fresh turkish delight and it remains to be seen whether shen yi is going to faceplant into it. but i for one could not blame him. it is exhausting to have an enormous part of your psyche be all but completely invisible for years on end.

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

Hi Aneta! May I request something with Joel Miller with either "I can't live without you" or "the only way i know how to describe what i feel around you is home. i feel at home." (or both hehe) thank you!!

Hello, sweetie. I hope my scribbles bring you some joy. Thank you. ❤️ i'm sorry for all mistakes

warnings : a few bad words, a mention of sex, a little angst but fluff at the end

prompts list here

Tears welled up in your eyes, your throat constricted so much that you couldn't swallow, but you stared at him stubbornly. The air was heavy. All the words spoken, mostly by you, circulated somewhere between the two of you.

A spark was enough to ignite the powder keg you and Joel were sitting on. Now you just had to decide how hurt you should come out of this confrontation.

"I can't give you what you want..." Joel spoke up, not even looking at you, just somewhere nearby, clearly overwhelmed by all this "I can't give you what you really deserve."

"Bullshit!" you hissed "You're talking nonsense, Miller."

"I'm too old for this, and you..."

"Oh, here we go again." you shook your head, smiling as if you knew exactly what he would say "Joel, people in Jackson don't give a damn about how old you are, or me, or what we do and who we do it with. Don't bring up that argument, because it's lame."

"You don't understand..."

You took a deep breath, because you knew that this man was slowly pulling you to a place where you could explode. You had known each other for a long time and had been through a lot, but when it came to talking about what was between you, that's when the problem arose.

Joel was distant, he didn't like talking about emotions and feelings. You respected that, because that's just how he was. You didn't want to change him. However, when you showed up in Jackson and your life was finally a little more stable - everything changed.

You didn't have to fight for survival every day anymore, and threats didn't lurk around every corner. You both became closer, just like that. And then, on that stormy night, you found yourself in his bed. 

You had the impression that you had both been waiting for this for a really long time. The closeness of your bodies, his cock buried so deep inside you that you knew you would still feel it a few days later, your lips thirsting for each other... 

And then Joel took a step back again, and your head was a fucking mess. You didn't know what you had done wrong, what could have made him pull away from you again. It was driving you frustrated.

"I never expected anything from you, Joel." you started, trying to keep your voice calm even though your heart was beating hard in your chest. "But I care about you and you're important to me. More than anyone else. I can't live without you, Joel. And it's driving me crazy that I don't know what's between us."

"We're friends..." he mumbled quietly, resting his hands on his hips and still avoiding your gaze, too afraid that when he looked at you he wouldn't be able to give you up.

"Friends don't fuck three times in one night."

Shit! He had that night in his mind again. Your body was so wonderfully soft and warm, your quiet moans filled his head. Just the memory made him feel like his body remembered the pleasure of being inside you perfectly. You were his death.

But you no longer had the strength for it. Emotional exhaustion took over you and your desire to explain what had happened between you.

"Fuck it." You mumbled, shrugging, "I'm tired, Joel."

He gave you a quick look. All the will to fight had fled from you, you seemed so small and weak. Powerless.

"I'll talk to Tommy tomorrow. I'll ask him to find me another apartment. I don't want to bother you any longer." you added in a quiet voice, and Joel was sure that his heart had stopped "I think it's best for us. I don't want you to feel trapped by me or anything... I can't pretend that it didn't mean anything to me... I'm sorry that I got you into this."

You wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. You wanted to close the door behind you and let the night hide your tears that wanted to leave your eyes so badly. Joel's presence and his silence only hurt you more.

"Don't do this. Don't leave."

His voice stopped you right by the door. It was so quiet that you thought that you imagined it yourself. But then you heard his voice again, this time clearer.

"Don't leave me, because I don't know how I'll survive this. You're everything. You always were, and you always will be."

You squeezed your eyelids shut, letting a few tears flow down your cheeks. The movement behind you meant that Joel had come closer to you, but he didn't have the courage to touch you. He was standing close, though, you could feel it.

"I'm afraid of losing you, of letting you down. When you're close to someone, it hurts even more."

"You don't want to lose me, but you're doing everything you can to make it happen, Joel." You spoke quietly.

"I don't deserve you, baby, I know that. The only way I know how to describe what I feel around you is home. I feel at home. I'm sorry I let you down like this..."

You turned slowly to face him. Brown, soft eyes stared at you with such intensity and hope that you felt like they were looking straight into your soul. You hesitantly touched his cheek, Joel closed his eyelids as if your touch was a relief to his aching body.

"You've never let me down." You whispered. "I just want to know that we're in this together. I don't expect big words, I want you."

"And you have me. God knows you've had me for a long time, babe... I was just scared as hell that you wouldn't want me."

"The only thing I don't want is to hear such bullshit." You replied, and Joel's lips curved into a small smile.

He leaned down and brushed his lips against your forehead, strong arms wrapped around your waist and you snuggled into Joel's chest.

His scent, his warmth, it was your home. The best you've ever had, the only one you've ever known. 

And you were his.

[luvyeni]

LONELY; LEE MINHO

pairings. softdom!minho x touchedstarved!reader

wc. 1k+

warnings. oral (f receiving), unprotected sex, praise kink, breeding kink

this was a request but i can't find who sent it, it must've been deleted. i'm not good at angst but i tried.

lee know constantly being away was starting to get hard, especially during tour.

—

you knew what you were getting yourself into when you entered into a relationship with lee know, but it still didn't hurt any less when he was super busy.

like recently he started touring once again, flying from country to country, doing what he loves.

he recently returned from singapore, having a few days off in korea before he had to go back in the air to head to japan.

he was so exhausted when he came home, and all he wanted to do is rest by himself and take care of the cats before he had to go, and being the person you were, you didn't want to bother him, so you let him be.

but you couldn't help but crave his touch, not even sexually (even though you wanted that too), but you just wanted to be held by him.

"love, have seen my phone charger, i'm packing my bag for tomorrow and I need my extra charger?" you pointed to the dresser.

"thank you." he put it in his bag. "i can't believe we're going back to japan, it's crazy I feel like we've been there a hundred times."

he then went on rant of how many more countries they had to go, and as he went on, you couldn't help but start to tear up, you just want him to stay home with you.

"and then we- whoa what's baby what's wrongs?" he put his things down, rushing over to the bed. "are you sick?" you shook your head no.

"what is it?"

you felt so embarrassed for crying, but you couldn't keep it in anymore. "i really want you to stay, i miss you so much, i wanted to just touch you and be with you when you came home, but you wanted to be alone, so i didn't want to bother you, but now im gonna be alone again."

lee know felt bad, he knew you craved physical touch a lot due to things in your past. he didn't mean to shut you out these past couple days, he was just so exhausted he hadn't even noticed.

"my poor baby, i've been neglecting you haven't i?" you sniffled, nodding. "you just wanted to be loved and touched, and i haven't been a good boyfriend, im sorry." he cupped your face, wiping your tear stained cheeks.

he pulled you into a passionate kiss, his soft lips made your entire mind go fuzzy. he pulled away noticing your new state, your eyes glossed over. "my pretty baby, i got you." He pulled you into his lap.

he left little kisses along your shoulder blade. "i..i w..want you." iou whimpered. "i..i want you to touch me, please."

normally he would tease you, and make you beg for his touch, but he could tell you were not in the right headspace for this. "okay baby, lay down for me." you crawled out of his lap, laying on your back.

"good girl."

he kissed down your tummy, to your waist. "p..please."

he pulled your pants and panties down, tossing them somewhere in the room. "so pretty love." He kissed your thighs.

"you smell so fucking good princess." you wiggled your hips, but he stilled them with one hand. "i got you princess, i got you."

he gave your clit a little kiss, before licking a strip down your folds. "m..minho." you fingers ran through his hair, tugging at it as he ate you out.

"you feeling good princess?" his finger prodded at your wet hole. "so wet." He slid his finger inside, licking your clit, adding more stimulation.

"i..i'm g..gonna cum."

"g..go ahead, cum whenever you want princess." he added another finger, speeding up his process.

your eyes rolled to the back of your head, thighs shaking as you came on his fingers. "good girl." He kissed you, essence still on his lips, making you moan.

"c..cock, w..wan' your cock." you were a mess, head in the clouds... lee know thought you were a adorable, babbling mess.

"want my cock? okay, you can have it." he pulled his sweats down, underwear too. he stopped you from touching him , cooing at you when you whined in frustration.

"relax baby this is about you, it's all about your pleasure only today." he touched your cheek once more. "let me handle it."

he positioned himself at your hole, wasting no time, pushing inside you. "fuck baby you're so tight."

he slowly pulled out, before slamming back in you. "s..sso b..big!" he gave you another kiss to the temple. "im so -shit- im so sorry for neglecting you." he thrusted slowly inside you.

"i know you hate when i leave princess, i hate leaving you, wish i could take you with me." you whined because that's all you could do.

"keep you by my side at all time for motivation before a preformance, fucking you in the hotel room after the preformance." he tugged at your nipples.

"you're clenching around me fuck, you're gonna cum again? go ahead cum, be my good girl and cum." he began to pick up his pace.

"lee know- fuck! " with a scream of his name, you came around his cock. he rode out your high, feeling himself about to cum also.

"shit! i'm gonna cum- im cumming." you felt his cum paint your walls white, thrusting three more times, riding out his high. "good job, you did such a good job princess."

he pulled out of you, you whined at loss of contact. "im hear baby, i'm still here."

he waited for you to come down, smiling as you looked him in the eyes. "you're back." he caressed your cheek. "let's get you cleaned up."

you grabbed his hand, stopping him from moving. "no, please let's just handle it in the morning, i just want to cuddle with you." he nodded; laying next to you, wrapping you in his arms.

"i really am sorry, i didn't mean to ignore you, i was just so tired,i hadn't noticed." You nodded. "it's okay."

"never be afraid to tell me you need me okay? even if im tired, i will always make time for you, okay? i love you." you kissed his lips softly.

"i love you too."

he kissed your forehead, pulling you even closer if that was possible, and that's how you spent the rest of the night, in each others arm, enjoying each others presence in silence.

©️LUVYENI

[pedge-stuff]

accident (pedro pascal x gn/m!reader)

poll winner! eat up, 54.5% of you. (and, thank you!) if you wanna influence the next thing too… my asks are open…

a/n: same vague universe as “marked," as always.

summary: he can’t lose you.

——————————————————————————

You're kind of a sight.

Hunched in the hospital hallway, in your Calvins and socks and nothing more. The Emergency Room of New York Presbyterian is dangerously overcrowded, people streaming in and out of curtained-off rooms emitting beeping alarms and low moans. 

Some nurse had fixed a sling across your shoulder, tucked an industrial icepack against the pulsing swell of your collarbone, wiped some blood from your face and side and hands, and then left you on the bed. Your phone is gone— laying somewhere on the Brooklyn Bridge, probably.

It hurts. Really hurts, now that shock and adrenaline have given way to a bone-weary exhaustion. No drugs yet, haven’t even been seen by a fucking doctor— the pile-up was extensive, whole ER crowded with bloodied and bruised passengers.

Seems like it's just your collarbone that's broken. At least, it feels broken. The nurse touched it, hissed, and muttered something about an x-ray before he was off running towards an urgent-sounding beeping down the hall. Pain radiates up and down your left arm.

Over an hour now, just sitting on a cot in the hallway. The dinner should be half over by now. You wonder, halfheartedly, how mad Pedro is. How long he waited outside the Museum of Natural History before giving up and going into the charity benefit by himself. Oscar and Elvira were supposed to be there, so at least he wouldn't be completely alone. But, still. You couldn't give him a heads-up without a phone.

Eyes closed against the bright fluorescents, you attempt some deep breaths, concentrating on the bite of the plastic ice against your bare skin. No idea when they’ll let you leave, but you’re fantasizing about going the fuck home. Seems like maybe a lot of things need to happen between now and then.

“— there, fuck.” A familiar voice, close.

Blinking, you wonder for a second if you are hallucinating. A familiar head of brown-and-grey curls is bobbing and weaving down the hallway. You catch flashes of the emerald suit that was hanging on the closet door this morning, fresh from the dry cleaners.

Pedro may as well be floating, with the speed he reaches you. How the hell?

You barely have time to register his presence before there are warm hands on your cheek, your neck, the back of your head. 

"Oh, thank god. Jesus christ." Pedro is looking you up and down frantically. You realize you don’t really know what you look like right now. Covered in goosebumps, cold and a little numb and very exposed. Possibly a little bloodier than the last time you saw him.

“What are you doing here?” It is the only question you can think to ask, though it feels like a really stupid thing to say.

He busies himself with kissing your face. Panic-stricken, feather-light things, all along your brow line and the bridge of your nose. Your cheeks are still cradled in his large palms.

When he pulls back, Pedro's eyes are glossy. His mouth opens and closes, like he doesn't quite trust himself to speak, dragging in a shaky inhale. "Baby I’m your next of kin. The police called and said you'd been in an accident. Said you were at Presbyterian, couldn't tell me how serious it was, if you were still—" Voice cracking, he squeezes his eyes shut, slow tears trailing from the corners of his eyes.

Your cheeks are suddenly cold as he pulls back to scrub at his own. "Sorry," Pedro whispered. "I was really fucking scared. Jesus. The Uber was driving so slow, and I was worried that we would get here and it would be too late. Or that it was already too late, and I didn't even know."

It is your hand to cup his cheek, with the hand not currently strapped and elevated. "It's okay. I'm okay, we're okay. Everything is okay." You brush a thumb across his cheekbone.

"You're not okay," he sniffs mournfully. Suddenly, Pedro pulls back, looking you over again. "What's the damage?" There is a frantic quality to his examination, eyes wide, brow furrowed.

“I think my collarbone’s broken, otherwise just cuts and bruises. Seatbelt did it." He hisses, inspecting the sling without daring touch it.  "I don't really know what's going on— it seems like some people got really hurt." 

You remember, at the last second, to act 27 though you very much feel 17. Square your throbbing shoulders, alert. It’s something you are maybe a little too conscious of: the jailbait soulmate.

It lasts all of ten seconds— a replaced hand in your hair tips you forward, gently, until your forehead is pressed against his starch-shirted stomach. Warm fingers rub the nape of your neck, migrate down the length of your bare spine.

Involuntarily, you shiver. "Baby, where are your clothes?"

"I don't even know, at this point. The nurse was supposed to bring back like a gown or something, but that was over an hour ago." Before you've finished speaking, he is shrugging off his suit jacket, careful as he drapes it over your slung shoulder.

Your brain is slowly catching up to the absurdity of the circumstances. "Pedge, did you leave the dinner?"

He gapes at you. "Of course I left the dinner, are you insane?"

"You were supposed to be speaking!"

"You are in the hospital. There is nothing more important to me, sweetheart, and no way in hell I would stay at that stupid dinner knowing you were here." You pull yourself away, reluctantly and slow, to sit up. Pedro thumbs your jawline, tilting your head up slightly, so that you meet his eyes.

"I love you," he says softly. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you. I don’t want to know.”

Chaos continues around you. Other patients are waiting for other nurses, crowded on other cots, with other broken extremities. But none of them could possibly be as lucky.

At your insistence, Pedro gingerly takes a seat beside you on the bed. Your legs bump where they hang off the side. Pressing your uninjured side against his, you sit, and wait.

Still half-naked and exposed, unmedicated, exhausted, but at peace.

[askhakukusanagi]

Dear Mr. Kusanagi,

Please elaborate on the nature of your curious relationship between yourself, Mr. Kamurai and Mr. Ishibashi.

Sincerely,

Ritsu Shinjo

I assume you're recording, right..?

Ah... well... haha, at least if you ever decide to make a podcast of all this, you'll have for a good episode, huh?

Kamurai...

It's hard, to call someone a friend and to know it was your own fault, and to become someone unspeakable for them. But, who am I to talk about his reactions when they were deserved?

On top of that, he's become lazy. He's smart, we all know he is, but he should really be using the one braincell he keeps running to think of insults, and use it to maybe use his power to his advantage.

But, truthfully, I'm jealous. If I was in his position, I'd hopefully have enough sense to do everything in my power to show appreciation for all he's found himself with. I could never hate him. Somewhere deep down, I still admire him. In his prime, he was one hell of a King. Maybe I was the one who ruined it. Maybe I should be the one to take the weight of all the names they sling at him. The man who made the tyrant.

We're more alike than I wish we were. We run. We look at our problems, and we flee from them. He's no less a coward than I am, if you get to thinking about it. Only I left, and went somewhere to be useful.

I'm not ready to face him yet. Not when there's a good chance he'd just fucking kill me.

And then there's Tohma.

I miss him.

He got me out of Frostheim. In a selfish way, I wonder if it was hard for him to push for my removal. Even so, my replacement was... perfect, really. He can handle what I never could, and put up with what broke me. And he's strong. It's like he's made for this. Handsome face and resilience to match... who better to stand by the king?

I'm jealous. I wish he'd stand by me instead.

But, this is better for him. Jin is better for him. His criminal record was pardoned by the king, and he was taken for what he was. And, he gets to live luxury and make his own path in his new house. He's better there than here, even if I worry about how tired he looks, and how... what's the word. How fragile he's become. If he doesn't stop enabling Jin, he's the one who will suffer for it.

It actually scares me a good deal. If he dies of exhaustion... he'd-... he'd likely-... I am not strong enough a man to handle that.

I want the best for him. But, the best isn't here. The best isn't me, nor is it Jin.

Maybe we should switch again.

Subaru would be so good to him.

For: @ritsu-shinjo

《Please go check them out!! They're absolutely gifted, and I love interacting with them so much. Mun appreciation post. They're putting me through it right now while they're GMing and I am loving every second.》

《I slipped a few references in there for them :p》

[therewasatale]

just hold on

On Ao3.

"Just hold on, we're getting closer to my hideout."

His maker's voice sounded worried - he felt worried - and it made his skin crawl.

"Geoffrey?"

"Just get us somewhere dry." The ex-hunter snarled; his right hand trying to hold the piece of wood in his side stable, while he was holding onto the Ekon with his left. Each step felt like knives stabbing and pulling deeper in his body. His blood slowly seeping away.

His fingers dug deeper in the Ekon's coat and he ignored the crackling fire from behind them.

It has been raining non-stop for three days at least. The cold raindrops flowed through his hair, down his neck, and into the depths of his now ragged coat.

Narrow streams flowed past their feet, their shoes sometimes splashing into the dirty puddles.

For a couple of minutes, he was able to swallow his pride, and let the creature hold him up with one arm.

"All right. I got you." Reid, concentrated, and as carefully possible, tapped into his abilities.

They disappeared into to shadows.

And behind them the flames engulfed the warehouse building, along with the bodies of the dead Vulkods inside.

Dawn drew near, they both felt as they walked along the Dock Streets. The gray rain clouds began to fade as the sun crept higher and higher on the horizon.

Finally, they found the red door, and Reid easily opened it - leading to a quarantined room. He still didn't let go of McCullum, his arm was still under his and he took care to step at the same time as he was.

"This way."

They reached the worn-down bed and McCullum let himself be lowered down on the dirty mattress.

"For God's sake pull it out." Grunted the ex-hunter. The pain helped. It made his mind sharp. He knew that since he was turned, he was able to survive a lot and that piece of wood won't be enough to kill him.

"Then on three I --"

"Don't talk, just do it!" He barked back.

It probably impaled his liver - not like he was using it anymore. However, being in this mess was his own fault; or so he thought. "Fucking Vulkods, and their strength."

"All right then, one, two --"

The painful yelp filled the room, and it made a couple of sparrows to flew away from their hiding spots from under the near rafters.

Blood gushed out from the deep wound.

"Fuck! You said on three!" McCullum's fingers gripped into the metal of the bed frame, denting it. It wouldn't kill him, but he still needed to time to get used to the pain of the much deeper and uglier wounds that he could endure as a vampire.

"And you told me to do it."

"Fuck you!" But there wasn't really anger in his voice. He gritted his teeth and focused; the darkness flowed out from the deepest parts of his wound and knitted it close. With that, the pain faded away. "Shit!" McCullum sank back to the bed.

"Good job."

"Shut up." His pride was whole again as well.

"I will leave you soon, but first, can you tell me what happened in that building?"

"What do you think?" McCullum scoffed and tried to rub the exhaustion out of his eyes - the pain went away, his hunger remained. "I just followed the scent of rancid blood and found monsters."

"And you went against three Vulkod, all by yourself?" It was Reid's turn to let out a scoff. "If I wouldn't know you, I'd think that you want to get yourself killed."

"You don't know me." The ex-hunter pushed himself up to standing, his eyes gazing right into his maker's. "You do not know me! Just because you put this curse on me, you don't funking know anything about me!"

Reid waited for a couple of seconds. "Maybe it was true before," He was almost completely got used to arguments like these. "But I've turned you, and since then we have this connection, and while I can ignore it - I'd rather make sure to watch over you and the others instead."

And it was the truth, wasn't it? The truth that made McCullum swallow from its weight.

Even after everything the Ekon in front of him cared for him. Genuinely cared - hell, he was worried.

Over the days and weeks, he tried to not pay attention all those feelings that weren't his. And push down the urge to be next to his maker.

He wanted to hate this connection with every part of his being, but he couldn't. Knowing that someone was out there and cared for him, even after everything, it made his soul relax a little. This shook him up his core, and made him question all those answers he thought he knew about the vampires - about his enemies.

"Fuck off." McCullum turned his face away, and focused on the pitter-patter of raindrops against the dirty window. "I can handle myself; I've already told you, leech."

"Leech. Yes. You can call me Jonathan considering everything but --" Reid knew this blind stubbornness too well – he let out a tired sigh. "Very well, in that case I won't bother you from now on, Geoffrey." He took a step away from his progeny. "I better hurry back to Pembroke; morning will be here soon and I don't think the rain will last much longer to keep me safe either."

McCullum watched the Ekon's back as he walked to the door. His hand curled into a fist; his finger dug into his palm - he had to hold himself back from calling after his maker.

"Have some rest, and please, take care." Reid glanced back him, as always, he still had that friendly smile that tied a warmth knot in the ex-hunter's stomach.

The door closed, and McCullum waited, when he was sure his maker left, he let out a long sigh. "You too." His legs gave in, as he fell back, the bed creaking under his weight. "Jonathan."

[abysskeeper]

You know, I thought I'd feel...more towards this. I remember the despair of election night 2016 and the few weeks after. It's not really there now. It's just exhausted resignation and grit teeth determination as we go again.

And there's a thousand things I could say. Anger still exists here somewhere, lurking below the depths. So does sadness, and desperation, and contempt. But what good will any of that do in this moment? All of what I want to say will be flung around in the ensuing months anyways.

So I'm sitting at the busstop waiting to go to work and...I think I'll donate some more to Palestinian and Ukranian charities. I've done it periodically, and now that my vote didn't do anything, it's all I have left. It sucks our election effects so much more beyond us...but here we are.

I think I'll write today, to remind myself I can still create. They can't take that from me. My words still matter, and art will be one of the most important things we have in the near future.

I think I'll call my parents today. The conversation won't be easy, they didn't want this anymore than I did, and this is going to make a personally hellish year even harder moving forward. But we'll figure it out, like we always do. We have each other, and it'll be important to hold onto family moving forward, no matter what shape it takes.

And I think I'll finish buying my friends' Xmas gifts too. Support to small, minority-owned businesses is going to become a necessity now more than ever. Besides, my friends need cheering up as much as I do, and it's good to remember there are still things to look forward to, however small.

All that to say...there's still some good. By god there's still some good and you're going to have to find it. Find it and sink tooth and claw into it and do not fucking let go. Do not let anyone take it from you.

We're all going to need it.

[arealphrooblem]

Sisyphus

The realization crystalizes in a second, like the heat lightning that flashes in the air that night, as the Hero holds the Villain over the parapet of the roof. They've both been here before: triumph and steely-eyed surrender.

Sometimes the roles get reversed, and its Hero dangling from the roof top, air struggling through the Villain's tight grip on their throat.

Sometimes it's not a roof, it's a boot pressed on the shoulder blades, or a set of iron bars between them. And it doesn't matter how this fight ends, they will both be here again, in some form or another.

So instead of drop kicking the Villain off the roof and letting them scramble to get their jet pack started, Hero sets them gently back onto the concrete, steadies them with a hand on the shoulder as Villain gets their balance.

"Can we call it a night?" the Hero asks.

The Villain stares for a long moment, as if Hero had unzipped their human suit and revealed themselves as a little green alien.

In the next breath they wrap their long fingers around the Hero's neck and shove them back towards the door to the rooftop. The Hero's head slams painfully against the steel. One of the Villains many knives replaces their hand at the Hero's throat.

The Hero offers no resistance, limp as a rag doll.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Villain hisses, their face in shadow.

"It's a well documented fact that you're an engineering genius so . . . not stupid at all," the Hero wheezes.

"And yet you expect me to believe you're surrendering at the height of your victory."

Their face is shrouded in shadow, so Hero can't tell their facial expression, but the Villain sounds deeply offended. Hero struggles to put into words the clarity that had hit them so hard a minute before.

"Aren't you tired?" they finally say.

" . . .What?"

It bubbles up then, and Hero feels like a soda can that someone shook up.

"We're both out here, week after week, kicking each other's ass in this one massive continuous stalemate. And for what? Neither of us get anywhere. You have an evil plan and I stop it, repeat ad nausuem. Meanwhile the world keeps going down the toilet and nothing ever changes. We're like fucking Sisyphus out here. I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. Aren't you?"

A long, excruciating moment of silence follows this. Hero waits for cuffs or a stabbing, a boot to the shoulders, the normal end to their fights. Maybe it is juts them, maybe the Villain loves these fights and could go on forever.

Maybe Hero needs to quietly disappear to a beach somewhere and never look back.

But to Hero's surprise, the knife falls away from their throat. Then Villain twists and leans against wall beside Hero, shoulders almost touching. They sigh, long and deep.

"Yes," they say softly. "I am tired."

They stand there like that for a little while, the silence turning from tense to comforting. Eventually Hero's stomach growls and they remember they had skipped dinner because of Villain. They push themselves off the door before turning around and opening it. The stairs loomed beneath them, bathed in dim, yellow light.

"Do you like pizza? I want pizza. There's a really good place still open on the corner of 5th."

They take a few steps down the stairs but hear nothing behind them. Looking over their shoulder, the see the Villain hovering at the doorway, their face finally illuminated and uncertain.

"This is a trap," they say flatly. "I won't make it down those stairs before you cuff me or tranq me."

Hero rolls their eyes before "Look, I'm getting pizza. You can either follow me and get free food, you can eat in your lab, sad and alone. It's up to you."

They turn their back to the Villain, probably for the first time, knowing how easily it would be to get shoved down and break their neck. After a few more steps they hear more echoing after them.

Hero smiles and waits for Villain to catch up.

[thatfreshi]

"You Better Tell Me" (Uni AU P. 5)

You get invited to the rooftop for a smoke sesh with Shadowheart and Gale

tw - weed (reader does not partake), athletic injuries, hints at grooming

@justporo

Soon after, the group fizzles out, starting with Shadowheart saying she doesn't want to be late to church. You weren't really expecting the whole religious thing with her, but hey, if it floats her boat. Gale says he has to meet with Mystra about his thesis project, and Lae'zel heads back to the room, leaving you free to do whatever you want.

So, you spend the day walking around looking for your classes, getting used to campus, finding the cozy places to study. The library is extravagant, filled with books from the past century, with a full online database. You even stop by the pool, which is full of swim team athletes preparing for the upcoming season.

After walking around all day, you come back to the dorm room, exhausted. Shadowheart however, is leaving.

"Oh, Tav! You should come with me! Gale and I are having our weekly smoke sesh. You don't have to smoke, but we like to chill out and talk about all the shit we've heard recently."

Without even really thinking about it, you put down your bags from the bookstore and follow her out the door.

"I thought we couldn't smoke on campus?"

She smirks, leading you to the staircase.

"Well, that's the nice part of being best friends with one of the RAs, their master keys work on the roof door."

As if on cue, Gale shows up behind the two of you.

"Good evening."

Fumbling with his key ring, he opens the door for the two of you to get onto the roof. It's a little chilly this high up. The lights of the city are apparent over the edge of the roof.

"You got Tav to join us?"

"I guess so. We're just cool Gale, we have to accept it."

The two laugh as Shadowheart takes a small plastic baggie out of her tote bag. Like clockwork, the two get to work rolling.

"You want one?"

You shake your head at him.

"No thanks. Honestly just hear to listen to all the gossip."

"See, I knew I liked you."

Shadowheart smiles, taking out her lighter.

"So, what do you want to know?"

You're all sitting on top of one of those electrical boxes, one that clearly isn't in use anymore. You hesitate, knowing you probably will get weird looks for your question.

"Lae'zel... what happened to her leg?"

Gale sighs, and Shadow goes to pull up a video somewhere in her camera roll. The two don't speak, instead showing you a video of a track meet from the previous year. You watch as Lae steps the wrong way, taking a nasty fall, the video picks up the scream she lets out on the track. Gale is the first to speak up.

"She fucked up her entire leg. Started as a sprained ankle, but she tried to keep going. Ended up tearing up her hamstring, and eventually tore the connection between her leg and her foot. Couldn't walk for months."

"Lae'zel doesn't like to talk about it though. She was supposed to be in the Olympics next year, but no amount of physical therapy has worked. As much as she pisses me off, I feel bad talking about it sometimes. Her whole family is full of famous athletes, and now she can't even play her sport anymore."

You weren't expecting the conversation to get so sad so fast, but it is tragic. The idea that you spend your whole life working towards something, and you can lose it all so fast.

"That fucking sucks."

Almost immediately changing the mood, Shadowheart lets out a gasp.

"Wait. Okay before I show you all this: Gale, Tav and Astarion fucked."

His eyes immediately fill with shock.

"I'm sorry. You, and that man, had sex? When?!"

"Ugh, last night. It was stupid and complicated, and then this morning I screamed at him."

"Yeah, and then he left crying. I don't think I've ever seen him cry."

The guilt bubbles back up again, unsure if you did the right thing. Before you can ask the group why they all hate him so much, Shadowheart shows you a paparazzi picture.

"Apparently this was taken earlier today. Looks like somebody's mad at Daddy, boohoo."

You almost ignore her mocking tone. It's Astarion and Szarr in the photos, having what looks like an intense argument at an outdoor shoot.

"You think he'd figure out how to stop complaining by now."

Gale takes another puff, coughing a little.

"Why are you guys so mean to him?"

Shadow almost doesn't know how to answer you.

"I mean, you've met him. He's just some rich kid piece of shit Tav."

"You should've seen him, at the party."

Gale perks up.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, the whole thing just makes me feel sick. Like something isn't right, but I don't know what. I met one of the other models, Aurelia, and she was being super cryptic and scary."

The two are fully staring at you now.

"And I met Szarr. He's a full-on creep, gave me this weird kiss on the hand. It was gross, but Astarion? He was like tense. I don't know, it just felt wrong."

"Yeah, but Astarion's been modeling for like six years now. I'm sure he knows the industry well enough to avoid people if they're truly bad people."

It's clear Shadow has made up her mind, but you're still not so sure. Before you can say anything else, she's trying to look at Gale's phone.

"Who are you blushing at?! Is there some lover I don't know about?"

He snatches his phone from her.

"Okay, I'll tell you if you stop trying to take my shit. I may or may not be seeing someone, as of today. BUT, she wants to keep it private for now, so no you can know!"

"Come on, please! I'm your best friend."

"As soon as I can, I'll tell you. But for now, please respect her privacy."

Shadow dramatically rolls her eyes, taking another hit.

"Fine, but as soon as I can know, you better tell me!"

The three of you talk about some other random stuff for the next hour or so. Within that hour, the photos of Astarion and Szarr are wiped from the internet, much to Shadowheart's disappointment. You tune out for a lot of the conversation, thinking about just how much shit you've already gotten yourself into. Although, you'll most definitely be back for next week's smoke sesh. Besides, you need all the help you can get with just how wild this place seems to be.

[thebunnycruise]

Less of a question and more of a comment, Im sorry if its in the wrong spot lol, I just had to say this. I promise it’s not a hate comment, and sorry for the length.

I have never in my life seen something that has made me feel so physically ill. I feel genuinely sick reading this, and mentally exhausted from it. I have never read anything that has ever made me want to do something about these topics so badly. I hate this comic, and feel every fiber of my body crumble that I can’t do anything to help these women. It’s such an uncomfortable and painful feeling to see such heinous acts being done to people who i know are just down on their luck and never deserved this. I hate to sound cliche, but this was the eye opener of the fucking century.

You should be proud of your work, you’re doing something that I haven’t ever seen work as effectively and as potently as this.

One question I guess; I unfortunately can’t donate, but what else could us readers do? This comic destroyed me and I’m genuinely desperate at this point to see some happy ending come out of this, and I don’t know what I can do.

Thank you for this question! And sorry for ruining your mood, I think... TL/DR: Giving a shit is free. I recall this one lady being interviewed by a local news reporter regarding her views on the homeless problem in her neighbourhood, and she said something that stuck in my mind: "The more I have to [pick up] human feces, the less empathy I have." I think that one comment really hit home why we're at this point in society. People connect with the characters on the Bunny Cruise because we see their backstories, how they got to where they are, what they've lost along the way, what they dream of for the future, and how they've suffered in trying to reach for that dream. But, even though we know the guy OD'ing on the sidewalk passed out in his own sick must have had a life, have dreams, it's not something we think of in the moment. The difference between the Cruise and real life is that the girls have each other to support them through it, but we will walk over or side-step the heroin addict on the sidewalk without a second glance. That "mentally drained" and "physically ill" feeling is the cognitive dissonance talking. It's when we're forced to confront an perspective that challenges our way of thinking, or in this case, face a fear that perhaps the only difference between us and 67, 10, the twins, or that guy on the sidewalk, is just pure luck. For a lot of us, this is something very uncomfortable, and it's much easier to put it out of our heads and move on with our lives. And politicians take advantage of this fear and apathy far too often. Famously, Mark Sutcliffe (Calling you out, asshole), the recently elected Mayor of Ottawa, campaigned on zoning land for more large, single-family homes rather than more compact, affordable housing. He called it "preserving the community and keeping it safe", but we all know what that really means by now. Or they will call for increased police spending and promise to be tougher on crime (which Sutcliffe also did). Because having bad luck or being neglected and abused by capitalism is a crime now... I think the easiest thing to do, is to just think about it, and speak up when the issue comes up. All too often, things like homeless shelters, affordable housing projects, and safe injection sites, don't get built because people don't want to think about the people living on the fringe of society. But the thing is, people with nowhere to go have to go somewhere.

I donate to a women's shelter because I've worked with women fleeing violence in the past, and it's an important cause for me. I also realize that I am in a very fortunate position to be able to pay rent and have a little left over to put toward charity work. But speaking up and spreading the word is free. The next time someone wants to veto a safe injection site project, speak up against them, ask them what millionaire real estate firm is lining their pockets. Vote for that city councilor campaigning to build shelters and affordable homes. Have a relative who says "the homeless deserve what's happening to them"? Shut them down, ruin that christmas dinner. They sound like a dick anyway.

It's not much, but I think if we can all treat our fellow humans a little better instead of kicking them to the curb, we can make a bit of a difference in the world.

[dosnotoevsky]

topic of rant: the unnecessary hatred that "toppers" get

don't even get me started on the whole stereotyped notion that people have towards students who are nailing it, esp in a brown household and society.

1. Do you understand what a 9 CGPA is? THAT TOO IN ESTEEMED GOVERNMENT UNIVERSITIES??? THAT TOO, THE MAIN CAMPUS??? no. You don't. you also don't know how a 9.0 is generalized in a middle class Indian household. it is excruciating that you keep running your arse against sand paper and when nobody takes interest in knowing how much you scored and you go and show them on your own, they be like "I knew you could do it" like?????? 😃 YOU DID NOT KNOW IT. WHILE I WAS STUDYING YOU KEPT COMPLAINING HOW I DONT HELP YOU WITH THE HOUSEHOLD CHORES AND JUST KEPT MYSELF BUSY WITH MY BOOKS. YOU DID NOT KNOW SHIT FAMILY. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK INTEREST IN MY ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS DO YOU KNOW THE RESPECT IVE GAINED IN THE EYES OF THE BEST PROFESSORS AND HOW THE WORST ONES KEEP TARGETTING ME??? but you knew it.

2. I keep seeing these reels wherein the so called influencers act like "toppers" (BECAUSE THEY CAN ONLY ACT LIKE ONE) and do the stereotyped scene of how toppers lie about how they're studying. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE EVIL EYE THINGY? ITS BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE THESE INFLUENCERS WE DONT BOAST ABOUT OUR SCHEDULE BECAUSE IT SCARES US BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE INDIANS AND SOMEWHERE IN OUR HEARTS THESE KINDA SUPERSTITIONS ARE DEEPLY-ROOTED. Aur kahi toh tumlog "Nazar shit is real" kehke cool ban jate ho what happens to y'all while talking about this??? Fucking hypocrites.

3. It is appreciable if you work hard on yourself and rise from say, a 4 gpa to an 8.5, in Desi terms, "zero se hero banna" BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HERO BANE REHNA IS AN EMOTIONALLY DRAINING JOB?? NO.

4. "Are tum to B.A wale ho." NAHI, HM WO LOG H JINHONE APNI POTENTIAL KE HISAB SE APNE INTERESTS KO CONSIDER KARTE HUYE EK CAREER CHOOSE KIYA WHERE WE'RE NAILING IT. unlike you, jo drop leke kuch naa ukhaad paane ke baad bhi "at least I tried" bolke pvt colleges me admission leke ek 8 bhi nahi laa pate. unlike you, we don't regret our choice, unless it wasn't your choice iykyk.

5. "But nobody forced you to throw yourself into too much study." Sis, unlike you, we're actually trying to improve ourselves and manage to at least excel at one good thing. unlike you, we're actually doing something to make our lives better. unlike you, we don't whore around the campus and club during the entire semester only to cry during exams and give excuses based on baseless criticism of the "toppers" of whom we're just insecure and jealous because they're actually good.

6. It is exhausting. The entire process. Esp when you don't get appreciated enough. This feeling of insecurity and envy is everywhere among everyone we're surrounded with. People think we must be proud. But even if we are, is there something wrong with it? They are ready to criticize us the moment we suffer a minute downfall. Remember Shylock's monologue from The merchant of Venice? Replace the Jew and Christian words with topper and average/below average students. It's that deep. If mocking us behind our backs and bitching about us when some of us are really kind and try to mingle with you, help you out - gives you peace, so be it. But please do not stereotype our efforts like that. Do not spread anymore negative emotions towards us. It honestly doesn't help any better.

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #317: BUSINESS AS USUAL

May, 1990

Guest-starring the Amazing Spider-Man -- -- But not for long!

Okay. That almost makes all the "Guest-starring the Amazing Spider-Man" cover captions worth it.

Can't believe Peter Parker, Spider-Man is going to die in an Avengers book.

Well, it is the 90s. He's better off dead in space.

Zing.

Anyway.

Last times in Avengers: Nebula accidentally broke the universe in an attempt to gain unfathomable power. The Avengers and special-guest Spider-Man fix the universe. Then, chase her to her spaceship but find that her prisoner Starfox has already freed himself and zonked out Nebula and her crew.

And then the Stranger bursts through the wall, very mad at Nebula.

Perhaps because her media footprint is unfathomably bigger than his in modern times. Or maybe because she stole a thing from him.

Both equally likely.

The Stranger really did just OH YEAH through the hull of the spaceship like the Kool-Aid Man.

Good thing for vague sci-fi technology that keeps all the air from rushing out.

Then again, all the heroes that need to breath have air buckets on their head.

Show of hands: who would be broken up if Gunthar the Rigellian died of no air?

Actually, the best part of this being the start of the issue is that Nebula is STILL zonked out by Starfox's pleasure power so she's smiling and not treating any of this seriously.

Spider-Man tries to tell the Stranger about the pleasure power zonking. But he first pulls continuity receipts and reminds the Stranger that they met in Marvel Team-Up #55.

The Stranger remembers but doesn't care. So he fucks off with Nebula someplace where there's less interruption.

The Avengers and special guest Spider-Man all take a moment to reflect on how little a shit the Stranger gave about them. Like they were nothing to him, what with his cosmic might.

Which is definitely the exact case.

Thor: "Mayhap, to a being of such enormous powers, our presence was unimportant." Sersi: "It was almost... demeaning." Spider-Man: "Well, I get de-meaning of it. We're good enough for him!" Captain America: "Be that as it may, troops -- we've got a job to do!" Spider-Man: "innocuously slinking back home, maybe?" Captain America: "We have to find out why the Stranger was so intent on getting Nebula!"

... Do you though?

You saved the universe. You were nearby when Starfox saved himself. Nebula will be less of a problem in the Stranger's custody. That's space justice. What more do you have to do here?

That aside, love this exchange.

Having Spider-Man around certainly does add something to the banter.

Cap asks Sersi to try to psychically scan the Stranger but she puts her foot down.

She's still exhausted from scanning the world and also holding that communications room together and Cap wants her to poke around the brain of a cosmic being?

Captain America: "All right then, I understand -- but if you are going to be an Avenger, we'll soon have to gauge the extents and limits of your abilities!"

Well one limit is not poking around the brain of a cosmic being.

He has a point though.

Sersi's powers are less straightforward than a lot of Avengers.

She's psychic: but how psychic?

She can transform matter but what are the limitations on that? Can she just transform anyone the Avengers fight into pigs? Could she polymorph Thanos? Or does it only work on mooks?

Anyway, the Avengers rush toward trouble and...

Hey, you remember last issue how the space Quinjet was dwarfed by Nebula's spaceship?

Well, Nebula's ship is dwarfed by the Stranger's.

He's a big cosmic man and he needs a big cosmic ship.

(Big in this case is estimated by Spider-Man to mean the size of Argentina.)

Spider-Man: "Uhm... Listen, guys, much as I'd like to invade a ship roughly the size of Argentina... shouldn't we reconsider, or plan a comprehensive strategy... or run and hide somewhere?" Captain America: "This is all in a day's work, son. If you're going to be an Avenger, you'll have to learn to deal with the unexpected!"

To which Spider-Man thinks "Okay, the unexpected I can deal with... as long as I'm expecting it, that is..."

Cap makes plans for the Avengers and special new recruit Spider-Man to be ferried across by the fliers, while Iron Man stays behind and makes sure all of Nebula's henchmen are secured.

But before they even leave, they're interrupted by the Stranger not taking kindly to them even thinking about barging into his house/spaceship.

He sends over a robot called Blockade. Who has his one and only appearance in this issue.

Like his name suggests, he's here to put up a stern hand and tell the Avengers to stop getting involved.

And on top of the robot telling them to kindly fuck off, the Stranger even astral projects and doubles down on the message.

Avengers, kindly fuck off. The Stranger has this handled.

Captain America tells the Stranger that they can't leave until they find out what the Stranger wants with Nebula.

The Stranger really does just want the Avengers to kindly fuck off because instead of pulling the 'nunya bizness' card, he exposits.

That or he's a comic book character who secretly loves any excuse to spill the tea.

The Stranger reveals that Nebula stole from him. Which we knew but the Avengers didn't. Not that Cap is surprised. This is the most in-character crime he could have heard Nebula was accused of.

But she specifically stole from his homeworld, while he was gone doing whatever the Stranger does. And his homeworld is so well-hidden and so well-guarded that nobody had ever heisted him before.

Nebula is like Space Black Cat. Was like. I think modern Nebula, because of the movies, has a skillset more tailored towards assassination.

But back in the day, Nebula ran with a crew of pirates and was a super-duper space thief.

It was thanks to her best minion Gunthar, who is a Rigellian and not a penguin, that she was able to strike while the Stranger was gone. Rigellian tracking tech, yo.

Although, despite him being essential to this heist, Nebula isn't afraid to claim credit for herself for this bit.

And what Nebula stole was "the most powerful weapon in the multiverse."

Which I'd guess was the Ultimate Nullifier or the Infinity G- oh wait, we haven't revealed how powerful the gems are yet.

But Infinity is still the word to throw around to make things sound important.

Because she steals the Infinity Union!

Which is three devices mooshed together which combined can channel "all forms of ambient energy into the user!"

Hey, the Stranger, why do you have this? Why does it even exist?

Like, the Ultimate Nullifier and the Infinity Gems have gotten explanations for why they're even a thing. But why build three devices and then smoosh them together to control all ambient energy and then just leave it in a storage room somewhere? Why?

And this Infinity Union really didn't have any staying power or maybe it got overshadowed by the Infinity Gauntlet in a couple years but the Union doesn't even have it's own page on marvel wiki.

(I do like that the Stranger's homeworld is so unfathomably huge that it takes Nebula and Gunthar two hours just to cross the room to get to the Infinity Union.)

Also, while Spider-Man's silly jokes were appreciated last time, he's apparently running thin his welcome.

Jokingly comparing an Infinity Union to the teamsters causes the Stranger to call Spider-Man an idiot. And when Spider-Man jokes that it sounds like a rerun that they're saving the universe right after saving the universe, Thor tells him, hey bud, this is serious time.

Meanwhile, Iron Man and Starfox have finished interrogating the zonked out Gunthar, who has given them basically the same exposition about the Infinity Union.

Iron Man: "But what does Nebula want with such a weapon, Gunthar?" Gunthar: "What she has always wanted, Earthling -- ultimate power -- and the attainment of her goal, the chance to create ultimate entropy -- the death of all there is!" Iron Man: "That's insane! It would wipe her out, too!" Gunthar: "That is not my concern -- I only serve my mistress in being the sole player in this deadly gambit! If any other than Nebula touches the device, it will annihilate this entire sector of space!"

Hang on. Nebula's goal is to wipe out all life?

I call bullshit.

For one thing: Why would she want that? Thanos wanted something like that at various points. Because he thought it would make Death want to smooch him. He had personal reasons for doing what he did.

Nebula is going around telling everyone she's the granddaughter of Thanos. Later, it will turn out, that she's lying for clout.

But every Nebula appearance (discounting the Kang Nebula, since we've reached retcon territory on that) has had her want power for the sake of power. She wants conquest.

When she accidentally broke the universe, instead of being thrilled, she was annoyed that she was close to achieving infinite power and now had nothing to use it on.

Is this a swerve? Byrne deciding in his last issue to just change directions? Or did Fabian Nicieza add this in when he finished up this issue? Is Gunthar an idiot?

Let's assume Gunthar is an idiot.

Stupid, dumb Gunthar.

Anyway, Iron Man leaves Starfox to watch the stupid, dumb prisoners and flies off to go warn the Avengers not to touch the thing.

Do you not have radios? Communicators in some fashion? You're wearing a computer and Vision is a computer. And you can't just ring him up?

Get your shit together, Stark.

In the medical-science section of the Stranger's "continent-sized spaceship" (so Spider-Man was way off when he thought it was only the size of Argentina), the Stranger continues to be annoyed that Nebula's brain is still zonked.

Medical crystals! What, is this Kryptonian tech?

Because of the zonk (the pleasure zonk) from Starfox, the Stranger can't probe Nebula's brain for where she hid the Infinity Union.

And he knows her intentions for it are bad.

Also, weirdly, the turning off the universe plot is relevant here. All the energies gathered by the compressor have been absorbed by the Infinity Union. So if Nebula uses it, she'll become even more infinitely powerful than she already would have.

I guess that links the stories together.

Considering all the build-up was for the compressor, this part of the plot feels rickety. It feels almost like we're in a post-script season. We had this story about Spider-Man helping the Avengers when the universe goes all photo-negative and now we're in a different but linked plot.

Him joking about going from the universe being at stake to the universe being at stake, feels a little self-aware in that light.

The Stranger tries a stronger PSYCHIC PROBE on Nebula's ship but all he accomplishes is causing agony to the Avengers. Even Vision. And his brain is a computer.

This is apparently a bridge too far for Captain America.

Captain America: "Enough is ENOUGH! Anything that is wanted that badly by people like Nebula and the Stranger shouldn't be had by either of them! It's our responsibility to find this Infinity Union before they do -- and once we find it -- destroy it forever!"

I'm not sure it IS the Avengers' responsibility. The thing is the Stranger's and he did have it pretty well under lock and key. Well, before Nebula stole it.

Hm. Maybe do destroy it.

Iron Man shows up to back up Cap and explain that the Union is booby-trapped to blow if anyone other than Nebula touches it.

So Cap tells the Avengers to split up to cover more ground that way. But if you find the Infinity Union, don't touch it!

... Hey. Do they even know what it looks like?

They're going to search an entire huge spaceship and not even know what the thing they're looking for is?

Great plan, Cap.

Spider-Man is getting a little nervous about what he signed up for.

Spider-Man: "Sure is one heckuva way to spend my first hour as an Avenger! The really scary thing is that these guys play for keeps each and every day! Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is a little more used to your common type of thugs. Like Doc Ock or Hobgoblin, or geez, even Leap Frog! Saving the planet as an appetizer, then the universe as a main course is a little out of my league! Well, they say the cream rises to the top so maybe it's time to curdle up and hide!"

Quite a bait and switch this story is pulling. Insisting Spider-Man would be a perfect Avenger in one issue and then having him second-guess it the next.

I did dimly realize that obviously Spider-Man didn't become an Avenger in this era. But one can't be faulted for hoping.

Now, that's a What If? I'd like to see. What Ifs Spider-Man joined the Avengers for this story and for the one where Monica Rambeau joined.

But despite Spider-Man not wanting to be involved, he turns out to be the best guy to find the Infinity Union. It's so dangerous that it's setting off his spider-sense and by playing hot and cold with the headache it gives him, he's able to find where the thinger is hidden.

He can't figure out how to open the door so he just rips it open.

Despite Cap telling him not to touch, Spider-Man worries that the Stranger or Nebula might stumble in and find it before he can get the others so he tries to snag it with a web-line so he can drag it without touching it buuuuut

I guess he activated Gunthar's trap card.

Looks like Spider-Man is super dead now. We'll have to bring in Ben Reilly early.

Meanwhile, back on Earth in Manhattan, Quasar arrives at the Avengers Construction Site.

I legit forgot that he was sorta one of the core members right now.

Even Quasar comments on the fact that he's been so busy in his own book that he hasn't done a lot of Avengersing.

Quasar sees that not as much construction has happened as he's expected and weirdly the Avengers Sub-Basement is pretty abandoned. John Jameson and whoever else apparently ditched between issues.

But Jarvis is in the communications room... a communications room? That one communications room is still hanging off the PolyDyne building.

Anyway, Quasar goes to see Jarvis in a communications room, where Jarvis explains in brief where the Avengers are. Before the monitors explode in their faces.

Since it makes the same SHEEKAK noise, this is probably Spider-Man's fault.

Looks like Jameson was right. Spidey is a threat AND a menace.

This extended Spider-Man story guest starring Avengers ends next time. But our next time is back over to Avengers West Coast for a weird fill-in which is also technically part of the arc Byrne was setting up before he left.

Follow @essential-avengers for more fun times. Fun not guaranteed. Offer void where prohibited. Like, comment, reblog, and whatever else. But only if you want.

[simping4villains]

I got a request for more Phinks content, so here y'all go! Hope you like it!

Warning: Sexual content

~~~~~

Our original plan had failed.

   As soon as we got to the special event island, we were stopped by one of the game's creators and beamed to one of the main cities. Shalnark decided that it would be best for us to find somewhere to rest tonight and regroup in the morning.

   "Come on," he said to us. "There's a place up the road where we can rent lodging for the night."

"So, now what?" I asked while we walked. "Can we still go through with the rest of the mission? We don't have the boat anymore."

He rubbed his chin as he thought. "I guess for now we'll just play the game until we can find another way off of the island."

"What he means," Phinks clarified, "Is that we'll steal whatever cards we need in order to get the treasure. That's what Fei and I did before."

"Right," Shal agreed as he pushed through the front door of one of the city's brick buildings.

The decor inside was very old and rustic-looking. I noticed that there were cobwebs wrapping around the chandelier that hung in the center of the room. There was a small cat-like man sitting in one of the lobby's plush chairs, reading a book. He smiled at us as we came in, hopping up to run behind the counter.

"Hello! What can I do for you folks?"

"We'd like to rent six rooms, please," Shalnark answered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid I've only got three left."

"Should we go somewhere else?" Franklin asked Shal.

"No, no, we can just pair off—you and Kortopi, Phinks and y/n, and me and Feitan."

   I had a feeling that since I always paired up with Phinks and Feitan for missions, Shalnark would probably have me room with one of them. I guess I should have been relieved that it was Phinks he'd picked. I was still pretty sure that Feitan hated me.

   We grabbed our keys from the man behind the counter and climbed the stairs to our shared room. It was simple and rustic, just as the lobby had been. The only furniture we had was a beat-up writing desk, a nightstand with a dusty lamp, and a bed just big enough for two.

   "God, I'm fucking beat," Phinks said, throwing his bag down and flopping onto the mattress.

   "One bed," I said. "Guess we're sharing?"

   "It's either that or one of us sleeps on the floor, and it sure as shit ain't gonna be me."

   "Alright. I think I'm gonna run down the hall to the bathroom to change."

   "Yeah, I guess I should probably change too," He said, standing up and pulling his shirt off.

   My eyes nearly bulged out of my head with how shocked I was. This man clearly didn't care if I saw him half-naked. And honestly, he had nothing to be ashamed of. Sure, his incredible strength came from his nen, but he still had the rippling muscles to match it. I hadn't meant to stare, but. . .

   "What, see something you like?" He smirked.

   Shit.

   "Fuck off," I snapped and left the room as quickly as possible.

   I could tell by the heat in my cheeks that I was blushing at being caught and I didn't want to give him a reason to keep teasing me. It wasn't even like I was really attracted to Phinks or anything, I was just caught off guard. That was what I kept telling myself as I regained my composure.

   When I came back to the room, he was already in bed with the covers pulled up to his chest—which was still bare. He turned when I entered.

   "Jeez. Took ya long enough."

   I frowned. "You don't always have to be such an ass. I mean, would it kill you to relax for once?"

   "I'm trying, but I had to wait all night for you to put on your massive tshirt."

   I lifted the bottom of it to reveal my shorts. "These, too."

   He threw his arms up. "Christ, forgive me. Those must've taken forever on their own."

   "You're a real dick, you know that?"

   "Yeah, whatever. Get your ass in bed. I'm fucking tired."

   "Fine."

   I climbed under the covers with my back to him and he turned out the light. After an exhausting day, it didn't take long for us to fall asleep.

*****

   I was jolted awake by a sharp kick.

   I sat up, ready to defend against whatever intruder had attacked me, but it was only Phinks and I in the room, and he was still asleep.

   He must've moved a lot in his sleep because he was sprawled out over the majority of the bed, his elbow was digging into my back, and he had taken most of the blanket as well. I tried to take the blanket back, but the force shifted his body a bit and he ended up kicking me again.

   I yelped and kicked him back, giving him a massive shove to move him back onto his side of the bed. He woke up and was immediately pissed.

   "What the hell are you doing?"

   "You're taking up too much of the bed!"

   "Well, you don't need to get physical!"

   "You kicked me first!" I yelled, going to shove him again.

   He caught my wrists. "No I didn't!"

   "Yes you did!"

   "Well, I didn't mean to!"

   "Whatever," I said, breaking out of his grasp. "Give me the blanket!"

   I enhanced my aura as I went to yank the blanket back from him and ended up pulling him along with it. He caught himself with one arm on each side of my head. We both froze.

   I looked down at the way our bodies were now pressed together. My face suddenly felt hot again, but I couldn't run this time.

   Phinks chuckled. "Well, damn. If you wanted me so bad you could've just said so."

   "Shut up! This was an accident!"

   "Oh, really? Cause I don't see you shoving me away."

   "I could say the same for you," I pointed out.

   His cocky grin dropped. "Well—I just—that's because I. . . shut up."

   As if my comment made him fully realize the position we were in, he moved to get off of me. Without thinking, I reached out to stop him, wrapping a hand around his arm.

   He looked back at me. "What are you doing?"

   "I don't know," I answered.

   It was the truth. It was like my brain and body had stop communicating. I was moving without any control. I hadn't even had the idea to snake my hand up his chest and into his hair, but it happened anyway.

   "Do you want me to stop?" I asked, tugging lightly at his golden locks.

   His lashes fluttered ever so lightly at the sensation. "No," he breathed.

   I guided him into a kiss. Our mouths moved together, tentatively at first, but before long we both melted into it. He slid an arm beneath me and held me tighter so that my body arched against him. I couldn't help but let out a small gasp at the action. Phinks used the opportunity to catch my bottom lip between his teeth, pulling a moan from my throat.

   "Oh, you like that?" He teased.

   "Shut up."

   "You can admit it if i'm turning you on."

   I enhanced my aura and flipped us so that I was straddling him. Before he had a chance to recover, I dipped down and bit his neck.

   "Fuck," he hissed, tilting his head back to give me better access.

   I laughed against his skin. "I'll admit it when you do."

   "Well, don't hold your breath. There's nothing for me to admit."

   I sat back up to cock an eyebrow at him. "Really?"

   "Really."

   He was a fucking liar. I could feel how hard he was beneath me. If he was going to play hard-to-get then I'd just have to drag a confession out of him.

   "What's this, then?" I asked, rolling my hips against him.

   He sucked in a breath, trying to keep his composure. "I don't know what you're talking about."

   "This." I repeated the same action.

   He couldn't stop himself from groaning that time, letting his eyes flutter shut for a moment. "Alright, fine. You're turning me on. You're a fucking smokeshow. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

   I affectionately swiped my thumb over his cheek. "It was. Thank you."

   "Don't you have something to say to me?"

   "I said 'thank you.'"

   "You aren't going to tell me how bad you want it?"

   I shrugged. "Meh."

   "Oh, fuck off." He laughed. "You're such a brat."

   He grabbed my hips and started rolling them so that I moved back and forth on his length. With only a few thin layers of fabric between the two of us I could feel every inch—and god, he was right, I did fucking want it.

   He changed the angle of my hips, shifting all of the friction to my clit. My hands shot to his chest when I felt a jolt of pleasure run through my body. I gave him a warning look, but he just flashed me a cocky smile in return.

   "What's wrong?" He slid one of his hands between us, stopping where I was most sensitive. "Is it this?"

   He started rubbing circles over my shorts. I bit my lip, trying to hold back a moan. I didn't want to give Phinks anything else to feed his already inflated ego.

   He laughed again, shaking his head. "Aw, come on, you don't have to hold back for me. It's all yours as soon as you tell me how bad you want it."

   I didn't say anything—hell, I couldn't have opened my mouth without moaning.

   "Fine, if you're gonna be stubborn. . ." He pushed my shorts and panties aside to run his fingers through my folds. "Fuck, you're soaked."

   He found his way to my clit again, sending another shock of pleasure through me. I couldn't hold back my moans this time.

   He smirked. "Yeah? Does that feel good?"

   "You're such an ass," I said, but it did feel good. He'd barely touched me and I could already sense a coil of pleasure beginning to tighten in the pit of my stomach.

   He chuckled. "And you've got a terrible poker face."

   He dipped a finger inside of me, then another, slowly scissoring them. He forced another moan out of me when he curled them over an especially sensitive spot. I tightened my grip on his chest, digging my nails into his skin.

   He drew in a sharp breath, pulling his hand away. "Fuck, are you trying to make me bleed?"

   "Don't stop," I whined.

   I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. I hadn't wanted to seem so needy—so desperate for his touch. I thought he'd end up teasing me for it, so I was surprised when he flipped us back over and gave me exactly what I wanted, ripping my shorts and panties off in one move before thrusting his fingers into me at an even faster rate. I threw my head back, arching my back and curling my toes. Phinks took the opportunity to give attention to my neck, planting kisses along my jaw before he made his way up to my ear and nibbled on the lobe.

   "Are you getting close?"

   "Yes," I breathed.

   "I'll let you cum," he murmured, "if you admit that you want it."

   "Want what?" I asked, feeling the coil in my stomach continuing to tighten—the tension threatening to explode at any minute. I thought if I stalled then maybe I wouldn't have to say it.

   He quickly proved to me that that strategy wouldn't work as he moved to pull his hand away again. I grabbed his wrist.

   "Wait! Alright, fine. I do."

   "Do what?"

   "Want it."

   He pressed his thumb to my clit, moving it in slow circles. "Want what?"

   "Y-Ah-You."

   His fingers curled over that same sensitive spot again. "What do you want from me?"

   I was so close. I needed it. I just had to say it.

   "I want you to f-nngh fuck-I want you to fuck me."

   "Oh, that's what you want?"

   "Yes."

   He stopped teasing me with such a slow pace, pumping his fingers faster and making quicker circles over my clit. I could feel the coil of pleasure tightening again. Every movement was working me closer and closer to the edge.

   And then Phinks murmured, "Then you'd better hurry up and cum for me already."

   If my mind weren't completely numbed by the intense pleasure I felt, I would have been pissed that THAT was what pushed me over the edge. But as my orgasm washed over me, I was too dizzied by a blissful fog to be upset, unable to focus on anything but melting into the mattress. I was so distracted by my high that I failed to notice that Phinks had gotten undressed. I didn't realize it until we were making out again and his erection brushed against the inside of my thigh.

   His hands moved under my shirt, pushing it up to guide it over my head. While I was sat up, he reached around to unhook my bra, using our proximity as an opportunity to suck on my neck. I thought he'd lay me back down once my bra was off, but instead he pulled me into his lap so that my legs were wrapped around his waist.

   "Damn," he said as his eyes raked over my body. "You're a fucking dime, you know that?"

   "And you have such a way with words." I moved my hand between us to wrap around his length, moving it up and down at a torturously slow pace.

   He groaned as he let his head fall to my shoulder, pressing his hand into the small of my back so that I was forced closer to him.

   I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corners of my mouth. "Something wrong?"

   "Yeah. Quit teasing me like that."

   "Like what?" I asked, playing dumb.

   "Don't act cute. You know what you're doing."

   "What do you mean?"

   He laughed and pulled back to look at me. "You're really gonna do this? After you were practically begging for me to fuck you? Now you're gonna just sit here and play your little games with me? You're really asking for it."

   "I think you're all talk. And besides," I leaned in so our lips were nearly touching. "Who said I didn't still want it?"

   It was like my words had lit a fire inside of him, calling him to action. He grabbed my thighs and lifted me up, lining himself up with my entrance. I slowly sank down on his length until I was resting on his hips.

   "You okay?" He asked, rubbing my thighs.

   "I'm good," I answered. "How are you doing?"

   "Oh, i'm fucking fantastic." He said before catching my lips in a kiss.

   I wrapped my arms around his neck so they rested on his shoulders, giving me the extra bit of leverage I needed to lift myself off of him, just to sink back down again. He groaned against my lips, grabbing my ass. I repeated the motion, building a faster pace. It didn't take long for Phinks to take over. With his grip on my ass he started rocking my hips to meet his thrusts. The whole thing felt incredibly intimate—our arms wrapped around each other, our lips exploring every inch of skin they could find, and our small gasps and moans that filled the air with each movement.

   "Phinks," I breathed when the sting of him stretching me out was gone, replaced by the feeling of pure pleasure.

   "What is it, babe?"

   "Harder."

   "Harder? Shit, I don't wanna break you."

   "Please. I need it," I begged.

   "Fuck, alright. Anything you want. Hold me tighter."

   I braced against his shoulders and hooked my ankles together around his back just in time for him to lift me off of the bed. He carried me to the other side of the room and pinned me up against the wall.

   "You'd better hang on," he said before pulling his hips back and thrusting into me harder than before.

   I threw my head back and moaned, digging my nails into his shoulders. It only encouraged him to go faster. He was ramming into me with so much speed and force that I worried we might break through the wall.

   "You like that?" He asked, gripping my thighs so tight I was sure he'd leave bruises. "You like it when I'm rough like this?"

   "Yes," I whined.

   "You like it when I fuck you nice and deep?" He rolled his hips on an especially hard thrust so that his strokes rubbed over my g-spot.

   The sensation made my back arch off of the wall so that I pressed my body into him. My hands shot to his head, tugging at his hair as I nearly screamed in pleasure.

   "God, yes! Don't fucking stop!"

   He nipped at my neck, repeating the same movement. "That's it. Just like that, baby. That's my good fucking girl."

   He kept fucking me like that, relentlessly abusing my g-spot until he forced another orgasm out of me. I screamed out his name, desperately clawing at his skin. He gave a few more erratic thrusts before spilling inside of me, burying his face in my neck and panting next to my ear.

   Once we'd both recovered a bit, he unhooked my thighs from his hips and set me down. When my feet hit the floor, my legs wobbled beneath me and I nearly fell over before he caught me in his arms.

   "Whoa there, easy."

   "I'm fine," I told him.

   "See, I knew I'd end up breaking you if I gave you what you wanted."

   I rolled my eyes. "Fuck you."

   He smirked. "Again? I'm not sure you could handle another round so soon."

   "God, I hate how cocky you are."

   He just smirked and pressed a kiss to my forehead before moving to my ear. He dropped his voice to a low, teasing tone. "If that were true then you wouldn't be full of my cum right now."

   "Fuck off," I snapped. I could already feel it running down my leg.

   He laughed, knowing he'd won. "Come on, I'm tired as hell after all that."

   We both cleaned up and got dressed before climbing back in bed. As soon as I was under the covers, Phinks scooted up behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me against him.

   "What are you doing?" I asked, inching away a bit.

   "Trying to spoon you. Will you just quit fighting and let it happen?"

   I gave in and tried to relax in his arms. Before too long his breathing became slow and deep, telling me he'd fallen asleep. I closed my eyes and focused on the comforting warmth of his embrace, falling asleep to the rhythm of his heartbeat.