#cursed shore cuties

[heyitsrink]

Quick sketch of my favorite trio in Liveships. I got the vibe that Jek is big into hugs and requires them daily. I also imagine that this triggers Amber's need for personal space and sends Althea into a bi-panic every single time.

[bruh-myguy-what]

Can I request Crosshair with "sorry, that was my first kiss." "i could tell." "...." "i'm kidding!" I don't imagine any of the Batch have ever kissed someone before. 🤭

Jealous Much?

Pairing: Crosshair x Fem!Reader Warnings: Massive fluff, Crosshair being a cutie pie and not understanding his own emotions because he's silly, light cursing, nothing other than that really Word Count: 2.2K Summary: After running into a "Reg" in the halls of Kamino, Crosshair hears something he doesn't like and it bothers him. A/N: I really liked this prompt for Cross and I've actually not written anything for him yet, so this was fun! Thanks for request precious anon! I hope it was what you were looking for when you sent in the request!

Requests are currently closed until I finish the ones I have in my inbox!

Don't forget you can also support me on ko-fi! If you like my writing, you can always just give me a little tip to help me continue my work!

_______________________________________________________

"Mesh'la~" A clone trooper called after you with a smile, "Why don't you stop hanging out with those defective boys and come hang out with real men, huh? I know you miss me~" He teased, mirthfully, as he blew you a kiss.

While you found the trooper's antics amusing, evidently none of the other Batchers had. Crosshair hissed a snide "filthy reg" under his breath as he took your arm and positioned himself between you and the other man. Hunter rolled his eyes with an exhausted sigh, Echo shrugging when Tech looked between you and the other clone. "What precisely does he mean when he says 'I know you miss me'?"

You only chuckled and shook your head in reply but flinched a little when you met Crosshair's sharp eyes. "W-What?" Your voice was hushed as it passed through your lips, almost as if you were intimidated by him.

The sniper simply lifted a brow at you, the tattoo over his eye elongating. "You didn't answer Tech." He answered with his coiled voice, toothpick moving over his thin lips. Was he serious? Why did it even bother him? You knew very well he had more contempt for the regs than even the others did, but for him to care so much about why the other trooper mentioned you neglecting him was odd- even for Crosshair.

You shrugged unhurriedly, eyes wide, as if you'd been caught in a speeder's headlights. Glancing toward the others to see if they were as confused as you were, but instead noticed they were also staring at you- waiting for a response. Tech adjusted his goggles on his face while Hunter rested his weight onto one of his hips, arms crossing over his broad chest. Echo blinked at you, and Wrecker tilted his head curiously. "What, seriously?" Was all you could summon as you looked at them all in amazement. "Is it really that big of a deal to you guys?"

"Well," Tech began simply, glancing at Hunter, "yes."

"Seriously?!" You shot back, your voice filled with offense then huffing out loudly at their insanely meddlesome behavior.

"Seriously." Crosshair's whispery tone upset you and the glare you sent him scarcely made him shift. "So, are you going to keep us waiting...or?"

"For kriff sake..." You muttered as a hand ran across your face, bitterness lacing your breath. "Fine! I made out with him once while we were at 79s on shore leave, are you happy now?" Your answer stunned them and they once again shared of look amongst themselves. "Stars. Karking fools, not everything is your business." Breathing out an annoyed sigh, you forced past them and fled into your bunk room.

"It would seem we have upset her," Tech noted after a beat of silence, to which both Hunter and Echo gave him a disapproving glance. "What? I am not incorrect. I am merely stating a factual examination as I have observed the situation."

"Stow it, Tech." Echo growled with a fatigued voice, pushing past him as they all began striding back to their own shared bunk room. Crosshair, however, lingered; eyes still eyeing where you had disappeared further down the hall. Why was it bugging him so badly to know that you had kissed that reg? It felt like gnawing in his chest like a wild nexu was bitting him.

He loathed it.

Why wouldn't it go away?

"Cross?" Hunter's deep voice broke the taller clone out of his thoughts and he looked over at his brother who was standing in the doorway. "You coming?" He questioned, a raise to his brow as he scrutinized him.

Nodding, Crosshair joined the others in the room with a faint 'yeah' and flicked his toothpick aside.

The night went on without much more discourse about your "adventure" with the reg but Crosshair couldn't get the idea out of his head and he was increasingly becoming cranky. Far more cranky than usual. The trooper was practically seething at one point while taking apart his rifle for the fourth time, griping to himself and shoving the pieces together sharply. "Any harder and I think you'll bust it, Cross." Echo comments, stepping over to his bunk to lie down.

"Shut up." The sniper hissed grouchily, driving a piece together especially hard and pinching his finger. He cursed under his breath spitting out his toothpick and placing his finger in his mouth to numb the ache.

Hunter chuckled at the exchange, "Listen, if you're so bothered by her kissing that reg, why don't you go make up for lost time and stop making the air so sticky with your angst." The man lounged in his own bunk, twirling his vibroblade around nimbly.

Crosshair prickled at the remark and turned to look at Hunter with a dangerous glare. "What do you mean by that?" His voice was low and lethal as he spoke, daring his brother to repeat himself.

"I believe you heard him well enough, did you not?" Tech piped up from his workbench, accommodating his goggles to look over at Crosshair. "However, if you were not clear on his meaning, he was proposing that you go and kiss her to make your intentions apparent."

Crosshair's nasty glower slowly landed on his intelligent brother and narrowed even further, his brow now raising in challenge. "What in the galaxy are you idiots going on about?"

"Well, you want to kiss her, don't ya?" Wrecker chimed in with a careful voice, making sure he was following the conversation correctly. Echo suppressed a laugh at Crosshair's dumbfounded expression at his larger brother.

"Of course, he does, Wrecker," Tech replied in Crosshair's stead with a matter-of-fact tone, restarting his work on whatever gadget sat in front of him.

Crosshair growled, stood up from the crate he was sulking on and lurked out of the bunk room into the hallway. Gritting the toothpick between his teeth, he groused to himself again, brown eyes traveling in the direction of your door. Hunter's comments persisted in his mind about going to you and...

But Crosshair barely considered the thought and waved his hand in the air as if he could swat away the notion. There wasn't any way in all the galaxy he was going to show up at your door like some loser with a crush.

The tall sniper rolls his eyes and then blinks in shock as he finds himself in front of a door. Your door. "What the hell?" He murmured to himself in bewilderment, eyes narrowed as if the door could give him an explanation.

He stood there for a surprisingly long time, debating with himself mentally; attempting to figure out what to do. Knocking on the door would require him to follow through with something he could easily make a fool of himself with, or...he could turn away and continue to seeth in jealousy over you being with other men.

Jealousy?

Wait...

That had just struck Crosshair.

It was the first time the idea of him being jealous truly passed his thoughts, though it made sense...the sentiment lingering in his chest corresponding to the word flawlessly.

He was jealous.

Aggravatingly so.

He hated to admit it. The thought made him feel...vulnerable; as if you have power over him in some way. But if he considered it in more depth, you did. Secretly he had been admiring you for months, amazed at how you took his brazen nature in stride and followed thoroughly alongside his banter. It startled him, pleasantly, when you first quipped back at him so effortlessly- his brothers typically being the only ones able to handle their comebacks well enough to leave him in silence. However, within weeks with the group you had smoothly grinned at him and shot back as if his offensive mood hadn't phased you in the least. He'd found himself gravitating toward you after that, interested in why you were able to tolerate him so well, wondering if he could push you further or cross a line that would make you furious; to which he uncovered nothing. The only thing he'd encountered was your gentle nature, sparked by sass and a smirk that made his heart race.

A whooshing sound startled him back to the present and he was met with your face. "What the hell are you doing out here, Crosshair?" You asked with a bothered expression.

Apparently the decision had been made for him. He was fully aware that if he turned around now he'd never live it down and would seem like a coward. He'd also have to deal with hearing about you kissing other regs which irked him even more than the idea of his brothers teasing him for being a wuss. So he rested his weight on one of his hips and smirked at you, flicking his toothpick past you. "You seemed annoyed back there, sunshine." He chose to go the route of antagonizing you, his more preferred form of communication; especially when breaching a matter he felt out of his depths to manage.

You rolled your eyes, infuriated. "That's because you and your idiot brothers were being assholes. It's none of your business what I do in my free time."

"What if I want it to be?" Crosshair heard himself speak before he could stop it but he chose to remain steadfast in the face of your changing expression.

Your raised brow and slow hand gestures implored him to continue as if what he said was unfinished. "And so what if you did want that? I'm not your-" Then it hit you and a blush rushed over your cheeks.

The clone stood there and he could feel his hands trembling, uncharacteristically. He wasn't predisposed to anxiety, none of his brothers were, but now he felt as if his heart were going to leap out his chest and through his armor directly into your hands. Silence continued to linger between the two of you with only the narrowing of Crosshair's eyes as a reaction.

"You..."

"Don't flatter yourself too much." Crosshair interrupts with a roll of his eyes, trying to fight off the embarrassment that started to creep up his own cheeks.

A smile began to form on your face, much to his dismay. "Crosshair...are you saying you're...jealous of that reg?" You were testing your luck and you knew it, he was never this clumsy in conversation with you but you couldn't help yourself when you caught the reddening of his cheeks.

"Stow it or I'll walk away right now." He hissed hatefully and crossed his arms over his chest, making no effort to move. While Crosshair despised the feeling of floundering he felt in the moment, he also found it...exciting. He was caught desperate and nervous in the sight of someone he cared for and your smile was stunning.

You chuckled at his expression, his face turning away from you to look down the hall where he'd come from. "You are jealous!" The triumph on your face was simultaneously aggravating and charming to the sniper, his trained eye taking in every detail even from his side glance. "I can't believe you're jealous because I kissed some reg, what are you a school girl? Little Crosshair feeling jealous because I kissed someone el-"

Your taunting was cut off quickly by the taller man as he covered your mouth with his; your eyes blowing wide. It was inelegant, awkward, and hurried but filled with an unexpected sweetness. You could feel his hands shaking as they held your face gently, his eyes squeezed shut. Scarcely given the chance to kiss him back before he pulled away, you grumbled in disappointment.

Crosshair stepped back out of your personal space with a dark blush across his cheeks, avoiding your eyes as he cleared his throat. He'd never felt so overwhelmed by emotion in all of his life and for him to act upon them in such a physical way left him tense.

"Crosshair..." You whispered his name with a grin, blinking a few times to make sure you were still in reality, not one of your many dreams. He peeked up at you momentarily and you could tell he would rather be shot by a blaster bolt than acknowledge that he'd just kissed you but you disregarded the look and stepped back up to him. "I'm gonna have to teach you how to kiss properly if you're going to want to keep doing that, ya know?" You teased softly.

Crosshair still denied any eye contact with you, missing the sweet expression on your face. "Th-That was my first kiss, so I don't know what you expected." His voice came out hastily by the end and had a bite to it, but you only chuckled at his shy behavior and kissed his cheek.

"I could tell." You joked lightly, a wise grin on your face.

Crosshair whipped his head to look at you, his glare fierce at your comment; which is what you had anticipated. You smiled up at him warmly and his heart leapt at the sight. Turning away from your captivating expression quickly, you hug him, resting your head against his chest plate.

"Wait! I'm sorry! I was just kidding!" You laughed at his pouting, knowing that you'd never let him live down the shade of red his face had gotten; even if just between the two of you.

[euphoricfilter]

Devil That I Know: The Prologue

Pairing: Demon! Jungkook x Human! F. Reader

Genre: Fluff || Smut || Angst || Demon au || Non-Idol au || Yandere au || Reincarnation || Strangers to Lovers

Summary: It's a shame how refuge will become your downfall.

Word Count: 3.3k

Tags/ warnings: mentioned death/ murder, sacrifice, sexy demon jungkook who has 4 arms, jimin is just mean (for now), the start of the yandere and just taehyung being a cutie

Notes: she’s back! and better than ever, new and improved, my baby <3 even if you’ve read the old version of dtik, i recommend reading again!! there has been a few added elements + way better writing!

devil that i know masterlist || my other stuff

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

[a little death]

[1859]

Death seemed to have found solace in your shadow. Slithering around your ankles and chewing up any unfortunate living being you came across; acting as a parasite, touch of your fingers sticky poison. The rawest form of hatred radiating off your skin into the world, a curse. 

A simple wish for the price of a life, and maybe this was the universe’s sick joke, that you’ll live to suffer while the rest of the world carries the burden of a small selfish wish.

Maybe death has found home in your sorrows, wretched sadness, anguish, ugly ugly emotions cradling you like a mother would her child. Truly pitiful comfort where anger is useless.

It must have been almost a year ago your misfortune had truly started, foolishly leaving a life you never wanted. Though you suppose you never really had a choice, this day was inevitable when you were the odd one out, a leech, a pitiful child– not that that mattered at all to the man who was the starting point of your resentment. 

A wish for a life that was solely your own. A wish you never thought had been too big of an ask, leaving fragile hope in the hands of fate, praying that the world would take pity on your wilted soul. 

Now, freedom was a day’s journey away. Coastline so close yet so far away, a new life, one you’d been dreaming of since young, slipping through your fingers like dry sand– every step forward, the sea pulling away until you’re chasing after sodden dreams, leaving you stranded at the shore. 

Life looked like a damp cell in a run-down village, barely holding on; dependent on trade, though only one other village thrives in this area, hours away– over the mountain. Trips far and few with the horses they have, produce barely worth a piece of gold. 

The true situation of the village should have become apparent at their panic of unexpected visitors. Accusations spat your way, your own life flashing before your eyes, only for your friend to bear the brunt of their temper. No one of them had thought to hear you out, their words like venom, because in their eyes you’d come to spy on their village, a lie that would ruin you. 

You weren’t like them; and so you’d become an easy target. 

Secrets locked behind closed doors, lies fed to those clueless of what really happened when the sun falls over the horizon and the world is shrouded in darkness. 

Corruption was everywhere, the world so unfair, where fickle human emotions consume those greedy enough to sell their souls for power, for something more, anything to get out of their awful little lives. 

If you told a lie long enough, if you yourself believed in it, then surely it must be true. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

You’d never expected your first encounter with death, you suppose no one really does. And in your months of solitude, locked up against your will, you’ve learnt you can’t change the past. No matter how many tears wet the dry ground, how much you scream, how much you pray to anyone listening, the past will forever be how it is and you can’t change that. 

Regret is an awful emotion, a million ‘what ifs’ consuming your mind. What if you and your friend had chosen the village over the mountain? What if you had never decided to leave? What if you had traveled alone?

If things had been different, minute details that could have changed the whole course of your life, then maybe your friend would still be alive. Maybe you’d have found the coast, hair windswept as you stand on the deck of the boat, life that of a bird; free. 

You could never see much out of the small window of your cell, rare that the sun would dare poke its head in to say hello, never there to kiss your cheeks red, or warm frozen toes.

The nights had started to get colder, the few seconds you got to see the outside world through the open door is enough for you to know the leaves had begun falling off the trees. Dusty path blanketed with reds and oranges, footsteps harder to hear on the few days you’re fed– never more than what’s left over from the village men. 

The second time death had chosen to lurk was when a crisis had become of the village. Their crops rotting, black mold greedy in the way it had chewed through their livestock. Animals sent from the gods, lay dead on the ground, useless when their harvest season was right around the corner. 

“An evil spirit has cursed the lands” 

You’d wondered how you’d escaped the clutches of death a second time. But your purpose had become apparent when you’d heard whispers of the demon that lived in the mountains. A ruler of this very land.

Rumors carried by the wind had told you that he’d become restless, that the townspeople needed a sacrifice to sate his growing rage. They couldn’t go a season without crops, and none of the men dared push their wives forward as the gift. 

And so you, had been the sacrifice. The true purpose of them keeping you locked up and alive, was to act as their gift for the one that lived in the mountains.

Human fear is often the scariest, compassion absolutely destroyed, empathy non-existent. 

That’s why you don’t find yourself begging when you’re woken up one morning, cold water a shock to the system. Adrenaline useless as it pumps through your veins. It doesn’t take long for you to grasp the reason one of the village boys had come to see you so early, the sun barely having woken herself. 

You cough, wiping your wet face with the backs of your hand. Eyebrows creased into a frown as your eyes flit over to the entrance of your cell. 

“Get up” 

He mustn't be much older than you, pretty lips turned down into a prominent frown that you have to will yourself not to scoff at. Because really if anyone should frown as though the world were against them, it should be you. 

You don’t move, a dangerous game you’d been playing since you’d first arrived in the village. Because if you acted as though you didn’t understand them, language not your own, then you’d keep a little bit of your freedom. Ignorance covered as misunderstandings; actions out of spite, simply accidents. 

The boy tuts, door to the cell creaking, almost yanked off it hinges as he strides towards you. He’s rough as he grabs onto your arms, pulling you up from the sorry excuse of a bed. You pull your arms from his grip, skin prickly with pure hatred. 

“Change into these” he shoves a pile of clothes into your arms, tattered underwear falling to the floor.

If you had any shame, maybe you’d be a little embarrassed as he turns around, arms crossed over his chest. Though it seemed that any lick of shame that dared plague your mind, was consumed by anger as you yank your clothes off—Wringing your wet hair out, rolling the bottoms of the pants up. 

You flinch at the sound of another voice, “Jimin, are you almost done?”

The village boy turns around, eyes raking over your body, “Almost” he calls back. 

You eye the open door as Jimin steps out of your cell, “Don’t even think about it” 

It’s uncomfortable how tight he ties the ropes, hands bound behind your back where one mean tug from Jimin could send you tumbling face first into the floor. 

And it’s infinitely more uncomfortable how the whole village seems to gather, the chief parading you down the split path of people like a prize as Jimin watches your back.

A gift sent from the heavens to save their village, to save their people. Ironic when months ago everyone had been cursing your existence, asking why they should keep you locked up, why you hadn’t died beside your friend. 

It takes almost a day to hike up the mountain on foot, they may have thought of you as their sacrificial savior, that didn’t mean they were willing to waste their resources on you. 

Sweat tickles the back of your neck, hair clinging to your skin uncomfortably. You’re tired. Moments away from your legs giving way, willing to let the sun melt your skin and bones until you become one with the earth. Summer sun still clinging onto the sky before the seasons truly change.

The world takes pity on you as you stumble over your own feet, almost headbutting Jimin’s back as he stops. Your heart is in your throat as reality sets in, the rumors of a demon true. It didn’t look like anyone lived here; picket fence damp, old in a way that bugs had chewed through the wood.

Your eyes settle on the sign that hangs from a tree branch– “Jeon”. 

Jimin grabs the thick rope of the bell, muscles in his arms flexing as he announces your arrival. 

The shred of hope that you held in your heart shatters when you hear the crunch of footsteps. Silhouette of a man wandering through the archway of trees behind the fence.

You think he looks more like an angel than a demon, hair a fluffy mess, almost cute in the way he almost trips over his sandals. He catches himself before he can fall, stopping in front of Jimin on the other side of the gate. 

He places a hand over his heart, taking his time in catching his breath– and you can see Jimin’s patience wearing thin, heel of his boot tapping against the grass. Face etched into a permanent scowl that you can only assume is your doing.

You wet your lips at the sound of the boy’s voice, deeper than you’d expected, “Hello, how may I help you?” 

Your eyes fixate on the mole sat at the tip of his nose. 

“Are you the demon that resides here?” Jimin tugs you forward, heavy hand falling on the back of your neck. 

“Oh–” the man’s eyes widen, running a hand through his hair, “No, he’s inside” 

You peek over his shoulder, path veiled by trees, dark abyss waiting beyond the rotted gate. A world that looked so far from your own, a little secret hidden between the trees.

Jimin hums, “Here” he pats your back, “A delivery from the village” 

You dig your heels further into the ground as Jimin’s fingertips trail over your back, silent warning to do whatever you’re told. Maybe a cruel little goodbye, because the both of you knew that you might not ever make it out of there alive.

He waves at you as he starts his descent down the mountain, sadistic little smile of his face.  

Now would be a good time to run, though you wouldn’t know where to go. You suppose anything would be better than this. Maybe if you begged nicely the demon would kill you painlessly; maybe listening to your cries of mercy. Granting you an easy death so you could finally rest. 

The demon’s friend slips through the fence, “Do you understand me? Are you okay?” 

You nod. So many words hanging on the tip of your tongue, though you don’t seem to know what to say first. 

“I’m Taehyung” he tells you, smile fragile as he moves to take a look at your bound wrists. “May I?” he asks, and you turn to give him better access to your back. 

“What’s your name?” 

You swallow, wetting your dry throat, “Y/n” 

“Jungkook is really nice, I’m sure he’ll let you stay for a while” 

It’s weird how even as the ropes make a dull thump against the damp ground, you don’t feel any more free than you had when you’d been bound. 

Opening the gate, Taehyung motions for you to step inside, letting you follow him down the path and into the open area. Your eyes wander over the courtyard, freshly fallen leaves the color of a sunset scattered across the grass. Stood through the archway of trees stands the heart of the house. 

Without knocking, Taehyung pulls the door open. Intricately crafted table sat in the middle of the room.

He sits at the table like royalty, posture that of a king– clothes that of a nobleman. He looked younger than Taehyung, book held by one hand ever so elegantly, really he could be mistaken for a royal if it weren’t for the inky black snake that peeks out of the sleeve of his shirt. 

You try not to linger on his extra pair of arms. Breath catching in your throat when they fold over his stomach. Entirely unhuman, something you’d never seen before.

His eyes flicker over your face, turning to Taehyung with his eyebrow raised. You flinch as he shuts his book, full attention now on you and his friend. 

“Who’s this?” 

You feel the embarrassment lick up your spine as he takes in the way you’re dressed, warm blush surely flushing your cheeks pink. Both of your lives so dramatically different. 

Taehyung clears his throat when you don’t say anything, “This is Y/n” 

“Does she understand us?” Jungkook asks, curious eyes meeting your own. Taehyung turns to you, nudging your shoulder with his elbow. 

“I do” and Jungkook hums, a little taken aback with how formal you’d come off. 

“Why are you here?” there’s no malice in his voice, simple curiosity. Something you hadn’t been expecting. And you wish he had just shouted, unexpected understanding strange when you had prepared for the worst. 

Taehyung grabs a pillow from under the table, fingertips barely grazing your back as he helps you sit opposite Jungkook. 

“I’ll make us some tea” Taehyung smiles. A whisper for him to stay stuck on the tip of your tongue as he wanders further into the back room leaving you alone with Jungkook. 

Your eyes stay trained in your lap, picking at your nails, fiddling with the hem of your shirt; really anything to keep you from having to look into Jungkook’s eyes. 

“I asked a question” he reminds you, “why are you here?” 

“I’m a sacrifice. A gift from the people in the village of the east” 

“A gift?” he urges, utterly enraptured by the mind of humans. 

“Their land had been cursed, or so they say” you meet his eyes, “this is an offering for you to save the land, to sate your anger. That’s all I know, no one ever spoke much around the cell they kept me in” 

“Cell?” his eyebrows raise, curious.

You hum, “It is nothing but rumors, but they say the king wanted people like myself dead, the chief had told his people I’d come to spy on them. That my life would be of use, so they let me live” 

“Is that so?” Jungkook falls back, holding himself up by his arms, “Taehyung hadn’t told me such rumors were going around” 

You open your mouth, a question that’s been playing on your mind since a child put to an abrupt stop when Taehyung wanders back into the room. Teacup and delicate little porcelain plates balanced on a wooden tray. 

“Thank you” your voice is barely above a whisper as your fingers delicatly take hold of the cup. 

“So–” Taehyung starts, taking a seat beside you, “are you staying with us?”

Your hand flies to your mouth, a lame attempt in covering a cough as your eyes meet Jungkook’s. 

“Please? I could always use the extra help” Taehyung continues, arm slung over your shoulder, “What do you think?” 

Jungkook raises an eyebrow, head tilting in question. It’s strange how far you can get lost in someone’s eyes, how for some it’s ever so easy to nitpick seemingly insignificant changes in expression. Maybe it had been a self-defense mechanism, a means to survive, but you’d always felt you’d been good at knowing how people felt, knowing where to build a wall, draw a line, anything.

Jungkook was a strange being, how what lies beneath his gaze is unattable no matter how long you search.

Jungkook’s eyes gave no indication as to how he felt about you. Expression eerily neutral that even if you were to ask him how he felt, his tone would be of no help. Someone so in control of their body and mind, someone above that of natural human nature; and you suppose thats only fair considering he weren’t a mortal like you or Taehyung. 

“You guys do whatever you want” Jungkook picks up his book, touch gentle as he flips back to the page he’d left. 

You turn to Taehyung, “If it’s okay, then I don’t mind staying” because living a life secluded from the world, protected by the rotting gate at the end of the path, was a safer way to live than travelling alone with no place to call home.

And as long as Jungkook held no resentment towards you, letting you live a life of peace, even if only for a fleeting moment—then maybe you’d hold onto that last selfish little sliver of hope. 

Taehyung takes ahold of your hands, the prettiest smile gracing his face, “You must be exhausted. How about a bath? You’ll have to wear some of my clothes until I can make you some–” 

“Tae” Jungkook laughs, “Slow down, you’ll overwhelm her” 

Taehyung’s fingers intertwine with your own, tugging you to stand.

You turn back to Jungkook before Taehyung can drag you out of the room, “Thank you” you call out to him.

He waves you off, thumb running over his bottom lip, “It’s nothing” and really it wasn't, he already housed one human, what was one more? Not when like Taehyung, you’d been betrayed by your own kind.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

“Have you heard of any rumors circulating the village?” Jungkook asks his friend, Taehyung running a hand through his hair. Having left you to wash up and change before he would show you your new bedroom.

“Rumours?” Taehyung’s head tilts a little.

Jungkook hums, “About the king” 

“None” he shakes his head, “Only whispers about bandits raiding the outskirts of the capital” 

“Nothing about any spies?” 

Taehyung’s tongue runs over his bottom lip, back straightening slightly as he gazes down at Jungkook. “Is this about Y/n?” 

Jungkook sighs, “Something’s happening in the east, don’t go there from now on” 

Taehyung nods, “I’ll keep an eye on her, just in case” 

“I doubt there’s a need. The two of you are quite similar” Jungkook hums, “Just make sure she’s comfortable, that’s all I ask” 

“And you?” 

Jungkook pushes himself to stand, “Nothing much will change around here” 

Taehyung’s role in Jungkook’s life hadn’t been a coincidence. And as much as it felt like Jungkook was the one helping Taehyung, demons were a little more selfish than that. Sure, Jungkook gave Tae a second chance at life, but that was only because he wanted something from him. It all worked out in the end, Jungkook made his first friend and Taehyung lived comfortable. 

You, however, Jungkook hadn’t seeked you out. You were handed to him by the graces of hell, destiny walking you up this mountain. Adorably strong-willed, though perhaps too trusting of the very being that could bring you to your downfall.

Jungkook was anything but a saviour, everything he ever did was only to with his own wellbeing in mind. But you, you were the one thing that he hadn’t planned. An anomaly thrusted in his face, how could he turn away his gift from the world?

Your desire for freedom was endearing, the human will to live something Jungkook found utterly intriguing when all the world seemed to do was fuck you over. Naïve hope disguised by a hard exterior, pitiful in the way the world had rejected your mere existence. Something Jungkook was more willing to use, arms curling around your fragile existence.

Because as much as you thought of him as your refuge, he knew that he would become your downfall.

[enquire]

Kismet

I imagine anyone following this series could probably guess who I was doing next. Yep, it's Utsuro. This one was kind of interesting. I'm not super sure about the markings (they might be a little too complex? still thinking about it) and his hair was a pain to translate into pony form for me. No clue why he gave me more trouble, but I might end up changing that aspect later because it still feels a little off to me. Also, the markings are sort of part of his cutie mark, kind of like how Luna's is. I kinda wanted to give the vibe of his cutie mark being invasive/changing him. Like his coat has been symbolically tainted or burned from it. He always had some spots and freckles, but after he got his mark, the darker markings + patches/shadows over his flanks and legs appeared.

Anyway, let's get into things...

Kismet was an ordinary earth pony who lived with his family somewhere in Equestria. Like most ponies, he was excited to get his cutie mark, and curious about what it would be.

When an oddly foreboding black mark appeared on his flank one day, strangely accompanied by several new markings, at first, Kismet was just as overjoyed as any former blank flank would be.

However, as time passed, it became clear that Kismet's cutie mark was unique, to say the least. Because no matter what kind of trouble came his way, somehow, it would pass him by completely unharmed.

Good fortune and success followed him wherever he went. Kismet prevailed whenever he attempted anything, and those closet to him were often granted the same blessings.

Soon, everypony wanted to have Kismet around. In the beginning, Kismet was happy to suddenly have so many friends. But eventually, he began to realize that nopony wanted his companionship because they cared about him or enjoyed spending time together.

When a team wanted to win an important game of hoofball, they invited him. When his town's mayoral election came around, the two candidates fought for his support. And the few friends and family Kismet had cared about slowly began to treat him differently.

It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that Kismet came to see the mark as a curse. Once he realized the fortune tied to him was the root problem, he tried everything he could think of in order to make it stop. But no amount of bad luck charms or attempts to control it himself affected the endless good luck.

In the end, Kismet gave up entirely. He left his hometown behind, and started covering up his cutie mark and going by various aliases during his travels. (His current being "Sunset Shores," and using a cutie mark belonging to somepony too distant from him to have the identity theft be an issue)

He tried a few times during this period to start new lives for himself. But inevitably, his good luck would start affecting things around him and the ponies he had met. And in the end, the connection would be made between the two, and Kismet would quietly vanish.

Being alone was somehow more tolerable than being lonely while surrounded by others. So Kismet simply drifted from place to place, not making connections, and never allowing anyone to really get to know him.

On a few instances, his path led him to several other outcasts. Ponies who had nothing, were failures, or had nopony to trust or rely on. Kismet couldn't help but see himself in them. And the ways in which his fortune changed those ponies' fates were some of the only times Kismet ever felt anything positive about his mark.

Though after the connection was made, and things began to deteriorate, Kismet would disappear again. The gratitude and reverence was overwhelming. That being said, he never regretted them, and eventually, he came to realize that somewhere along the way, one pony whose path had crossed his was different. There was one pony who he had helped, who had seen what he was, and yet still saw him before any of the rest.

Perhaps that is why she, and she alone, was able to find him again. After traveling halfway across Equestria, the two of them met once more. And so, Kismet no longer travels alone.

Also, above are examples of what it looks like when he covers up his original cutie mark.

Right: "Sunset Shores" with Clover Shore's cutie mark. Left: Blank flank version. (he doesn't always bother with replacing it)

Last few notes: Kismet's fortune is probably a little different given the universe and how cutie marks work. It still makes his life miserable but doesn't necessarily completely drag the meaning from everything. At least not quite to the degree divine luck does. Just a *bit* less intense but still a curse.

And there isn't a despair cult, world-ending tragedy, nor any killing games in the works here, so there's that too...

[stomach-bugg09]

HIIII ok so ive been loving all ur works, and i was just wondering if u could do a lo’ak x reader?? maybe like they’ve been fighting their feelings for each other but now as they’re learning the way of the water they just can’t resist each other anymore?? maybe like a late night talk by the beach??

summary: best friends, that's all they are. or, at least that’s what [y/n] keeps trying to convince herself.

lo’ak x fem!reader

a/n: thanks so so much for the request! it’s short and sweet, full of fluff. hopefully you enjoy. feedback, reblogs, and reqs are always appreciated.

warnings: major fluff, best friends to lovers, the result of mutual pining, cutie patooties

tags: @pinkhotdogsfr @eywas-heir

kiss her, you fool !!

the beach was silent that night, the waves calm as they brushed against the shore in a consistent manner. it was rather peaceful, the soft sound of the ocean harmonizing with the breeze.

but, peace could only last for long. threaded into the sounds of the waves crashing came quiet laughter, muffled by hands clasped to each other’s mouths in order to shut each other up. if you were genuinely curious enough to track down the mysterious noises, you would not be shocked to find a pair of teenagers hidden together behind a rock next to the tide pools.

there sat [y/n] and lo’ak, their faces flushed from the laughter they attempted to keep down, although it was clearly a struggle based on their breathless voices.

“lo’ak,” she hissed, trying to push her grin off of her face. “quiet! you know your father will not react kindly to us being out here.”

he rolled his eyes, dropping his head backwards to stare up at the star-lit sky. “does it even matter at this point?” he wondered aloud. “i mean, i don’t think i can disappoint him any further than i already have.”

“nonsense!” she huffed, leaning towards him with a soft smile. “i’ve seen the capabilities of your stupidity, lo’ak, and there is far much more that you could do. trust me!”

he chuckled at that, causing her to feel a pang of pride for making him laugh. “well, aren’t you just a wonderful friend,” he teased with a shake of his head.

at that word, she wrinkled her nose, but quickly willed the expression off of her face. “you do need someone to keep you on your toes, boy.” [y/n] looked away and towards the dark horizon, silently cursing at herself. she needed to stop. stop thinking of him like that.

the girl’d been fighting her feelings since before they left the omaticaya clan, before they left their home. thanks to her history with the sully family and the lack of her own parents after their deaths during a raid, she had quite enough resources and evidence to use against neytiri and jake, eventually convincing the pair of protective parents to let her join.

growing up alongside the sully siblings, even before her parents’ death, led to a very close relationship with the youngest son. she couldn’t help it—he was charismatic, full of energy. it was captivating, really, even when they were just toddlers.

she just wished it hadn’t led to her teenage years being full of heartbreak because her best friend only saw her as.. well, a best friend.

by pulling herself away from the conversation, the two faded into an unfortunate and awkward silence. it was just too damn bad that boys at that age were far too scared of making any sort of move without being one-hundred percent confident that it wouldn’t end badly, and even so, they still hesitated!

so, as an attempt to reel her back in, the boy cleared his throat. damn it, he cursed himself silently when the girl continued to stare outwards at the beach. naturally, he did it again. because he’s stupid. still, no luck!

by the third time, [y/n] turned around towards her best friend, eyebrow muscles furrowed in concern, laughter becoming apparent on her facial features. “are you okay?” she questioned, a smile slowly crawling its way back onto her lips.

almost immediately, his face flushed. “oh, yeah. ‘m fine!” he swallowed, his voice far too high pitched. “just something in my throat.” at that, he coughed again as if to convince her, although this time it sounded extremely artificial.

“right,” she trailed teasingly. “because, if you need water…”

“[y/n], don’t even think about it,” he warned sternly, immediately pushing himself to his feet.

“too late!” she cried joyfully, her tail pulling up and flicking against his ankles. unfortunately for lo’ak, she was weirdly strong, and the rocks were weirdly slippery thanks to the high tide earlier in the evening.

laughter burst from her throat as she watched lo’ak land backwards in the water, barely avoiding the splash. when he resurfaced, he looked less than amused. “you should have seen your face!” she mocked, tears coming to her eyes as she couldn’t catch her breath.

“shut up, [y/n]!” he huffed, but even he couldn’t ignore the entertainment of the moment. “and now who’s being too loud, huh?”

“i’m sorry,” she panted, wiping tears from her eyes. “you just don’t understand! you looked so shocked even though you knew exactly what was coming—ah!” she shrieked, feeling her weight go unbalanced thanks to a tug at her leg.

soon enough, the floated in the water with lo’ak.

when she resurfaced, he held a laugh in his throat at her expression. “please don’t murder me.”

“too late!”

now, if you ignored the sounds of laughter earlier, you would most likely be pissed at the fact that they got even louder. and this time, if you were just too angry to stay in bed, you would definitely not be shocked at the two teenagers who tackled each other in the waves, practically water-boarding the other. but, the moment that you saw the amount of enjoyment in their eyes, only the most soulless creatures would continue to scold them for it.

“[y/n]!” the boy cried, hands going up in defense. “please, please! mercy!” he called, the salty water clouding his vision. immediately, he felt her strain release, only leaving the girl sitting on top of his chest, a prideful grin causing a deep sting at his defeat.

teasingly, the girl flexed her arms. “who’s the champion?” [y/n] joked, sticking her tongue out at him.

he could only stare at her silently, though. his breath was slowly increasing, composure finally restoring. and yet, he still couldn’t speak, words stuck in his throat at he stared at the girl sitting on his chest.

“lo’ak?” she questioned after he hadn’t reacted in any way, shape, or form. that was very much not like the lo’ak she knew. he was always a sore loser!

you only have one chance, a voice deep within his head whispered to him, his eyes flickering to his best friend’s lips. only got one chance… he took a breath in.

kiss her, you fool!

and so, he did, his arm reaching up and gently bracing her neck. he sat himself up with his other elbow, leaning against it to give him a bit more leverage. and so, their lips came together, greeting each other with a yearning they both had been fighting for years.

and it was the best moment of [y/n]’s entire life.

[clownery-and-fuckery]

For the wip ask game, Tech and 501st babysitters and the really long modern au title lol

OH I LOVE BOTH OF THESE FICS.

Tech and the 501st babysitters is a little fic I'm writing heavily based on this fantastic fic by KellyBelly!!!

In this fic, during a mission with the 501st (no one is dead, Echo still joined the Bad Batch) Tech is separated and placed with a group of regs, they fuck around, find out. The usual.

Tech is cursed, the only real explanation I have is Jedi magic, but its great!!!! So, the 501st have to watch him while Anakin and Ahsoka try figure out WHAT the hell happened and how to fix it.

Chaos ensues, they try to keep it a secret, Tech is absolutely adorable. They're all horrible babysitters(lovingly) and they have a great time!!! Here's a snippet!!!!:

"What are you doing?" Fives can't help but laugh as he watched.

"Rex said holding him would calm him down!" Tup all but whined, holding the sniffling baby to his chest as he rocked them.

Fives snorted into his hands as his poor little brother struggled to hold the kid properly.

"Maybe if you hold 'im right," Jesse chimed in unhelpfully, standing up and stretching his arms. "Alright, give 'im here—"

Jesse wrestled the baby from Tup's hands, and nestled him calmly in the crook of his arm. "You have to support the head," He explained. "And make sure he's comfy- see? Isn't that better?"

The baby finally calmed, sniffling and yawning as he settled. "There we go," Jesse cooed, nodding to Tup. "Take the goggles, before he gets too comfortable –"

Fives watched them take the goggles off, and Jesse smiled wide. "I'm a natural at this," He gloated, smug. "You losers dont know the first thing about—"

Something dropped, and Jesse jumped, losing his hold for a brief moment. The whole barracks sighed as the kid began to shriek again, completely startled.

Jesse winced. "Whoops?"

Babysitter 501st has my heart and soul. So does little baby Tech (he's only a tubie here)!!!!!!

And the long title is: "Distraction- It Wasn't Meant To Be a Full-time Job" which is QUITE the mouthful 😭 it's a three-chapter fic that focuses on Tup, Hardcase and Dogma!!!! And, coincidentally, Fives and Jesse, too!! They're cuties <3

The description is:

"In which Fives made a life changing decision while he mourned his twin, finding life in three kids he swore he wouldn't get attached to during shore leave.

Jesse called bullshit, and ended up dragged along for the ride."

And that'll be coming.... eventually. I'm in the process of it rn. I just love Tup, and I wanted to give him a little spot in the Modern!AU 😭

WOW this got so long. I'm so sorry!!!! But I hope this answered your question >:]

[mr-imagin8ion]

Mixed Breeds comics 1996

A great tip for making the comics more legible: it helps if you click on the eye (👁️) in the top right of the screen.

In the story "Dancing in the Mouse", Muffin's dance causes her to get taken by a civilization of dancing mice. In "Fitz the Snowman", Fitz replaces himself with a snowman counterpart; and in "The Cutie Curse", Bearl and Muffin aim to un-cute themselves to stop the flattery.

In the story "The Bearl Necessities", the family encounters a man in a bearskin coat. In "Nearer My Dog To Thee", Brunswick uses his guard dog power to make the town safer. In "The Cat or The Egg", Muffin tries to hatch an egg.

In "Room by Roof", Bearl and Muffin rebuild a pig's house. In "Columbia, I Need Ya", Muffin falls in love with Columbia. (Debut of Nancy.)

In "FeynmanBoot", Bearl and Muffin reboot Mr. Feynmanbot into a showman.

In "Down the Shore", the family goes on a beach vacation! In "The Day the World Stood Flat", Bearl and Muffin encounter a flat earth; in "Election Defection", the duet become campaign managers for candidates running against Mayor Baugo; and in "Hello, Dolphin", the duet meet some hyperintelligent dolphins.

In "Show Dog Show", Bearl and Muffin enter a dog show.

In "Paint It Spain", their friends have to convince the duo that they're taking a trip to Spain. In "The Money Pit", the duo land in a dump and encounter a very corporate rat.

In "Dress Distress", the town becomes stuck in their Halloween costumes. In "The Cat Club", Bearl discovers Muffin attempting to get into a cat club.

In the very special storyline "A Very Postnie Christmas", Bearl and Muffin invite Postnie into their house after he gets lost...

...but later on find his real home.

Original strips: January 1996, February 1996, March 1996, April 1996, May 1996, June 1996, July 1996, August 1996, September 1996, October 1996, November 1996, December 1996

[inkedtae]

orange tree ⇾ knj, kth. [M]

𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 ⇾ ares!namjoon x mortal!reader (f.) x apollo!taehyung

𝑔𝑒𝓃𝓇𝑒/𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 ⇾ greek god au, established relationship (w/namjoon), smut, pwp, filth, poly au, 18+

𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇�� ⇾ he built you a pathronon but you would like to expand its patrons… at least just for the evening.

𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉 ⇾ 7.4k

𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ⇾ dom!namjoon, tattooed!namjoon, silver mullet!namjoon, dom!taehyung, blonde mullet!taehyung, sub!reader, a lil bratty!reader, rough sex, public sex, outdoor sex, angry sex, unprotected sex (wrap it to tap it), humilition kink, size kink, pain kink, jealousy, threesome, overstimulation, degradation, double penatration (in one hole), exhibitionism, voyeurism, multiple orgasms, oral (m. and f. receiving), deep throating, cockwarming, choking, manhandling, body worshipping, pussy worshipping, basically reader worshipping, pussy slapping, cum eating, clit biting, spanking, teasing, begging, spit play, breath play, breast play, pretty much an ungodly amount of filth :)))

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇'𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝑒 ⇾ i’m a hoe :))

❧ banner by ⇾ @kimtaehyunq​ (thank you so much friend~)

❧ beta’d by ⇾ @nottodayjjk​ and @uhgood-dooghu​ (a million thanks to these cuties~)

❧ le playlist

⟶ commission for @jamaisjoons through ChangesWithLuv, supporting BLM

Beyond the holy village of Barthes, within a meadow of sun dropped marigolds, you lounge topless underneath an orange tree. Cool winds cut the late summer heat. The breeze hardens your nipples and prickles your exposed skin with goosebumps. Hair tousled, you bite into another orange slice. He did not care for citrus, until he tasted your lips. Then, he planted you an orange tree. He promised you good fortune and a long life. 

“You will want for nothing,” he told you. “Just, behave.”

Behave. A word he’d used often with you. Jaw tense, he’d hiss the warning while fondling your breasts or cupping your sex. When he is furious, he is boundless. He fucks like a titan, remnants of a gracious god completely withering away. Tight grips, rough pounds, and seething threats that promise such painful pleasure, Kim Namjoon is a red hot planet of sexual destruction. So angry, so lustful, he serves you a cockful of discipline and then some. You are helpless. To his wrath, you are subjected. But, you don’t mind. The truth of the matter is, your body is always alive when buried under his. 

“You’re a minx,” a deep voice states behind you. 

You sit up, fruit juice trailing down your arm. Lips in a pout, you gaze up at the tall man behind you. Blonde hair, symmetrical face, sharp collarbone, broad chest and - he smirks - and, oh so sinister. How could a delicate smile be so devilishly sincere? And he brands you a minx… what does this handsome man know of you? How long has he been watching? Swallowing your bite thickly, you try and fail to fathom his beauty.

He pushes himself off the tree trunk and circles around you. His eyes dance around the thin, red blanket, the array of fruits, and braided loaves by the wicker basket before trailing up your exposed legs. A shiver snakes around your curves. The way his eyes devour you makes you think he did not stumble upon this hideaway accidentally. Namjoon took extensive measures to ensure no one would. No, this man knows. He must. Why else would he not question your presence alone under the only tree? He accepts it, expects it. 

Pushing your sticky arms around your breast, you attempt to somewhat conceal yourself and ask, “Are you a traveller?” 

He shakes his head. The wind plays with his hair the moment the sun emerges behind heavy clouds. Its natural glow lights up his figure, in all its holy glory. Well-toned, pierceless, inkless, chiseled features are all too accurate to be human. He is pure. There is very little scarring on his skin as well. He looks down right angelic, prophetic, utterly godly. 

Has Namjoon really entertained your fantasies? You first made the suggestion off hand, completely innocent in your phrasing, until his face fell. Stone fierce gaze slicing through your soul, you couldn’t help but describe an ocean’s worth of desires involving more than one man by your side. You were fucked to tears against the tree until it’s branches were bare and the ground was covered in ripe fruit and loose leaves. You thought that would be the end of it. But now, as you carefully stare at the god while he shamelessly sips on your near nakedness, you wonder just how wrong you might have been. 

“Have you come to watch?”  

“To worship.”

Your arousal slicks your thighs. Pressing your legs together, you suppress the giddy shivers that caress your spine. Though excited, you really can’t believe Namjoon did it. It was a joke but, scanning the sun god’s frame once more, you’re glad he didn’t take it that way. Face flushed, you lie back in your previous position. On your side, breasts on full display, you toss your hair aside. As your lips part to question the details of his intentions, you catch a familiar silhouette by the sea, in the distance. Flickering your gaze between the two men, you wonder if this new god was sent to test your loyalty or limits? The figure nods. You smile.

Attention returning to the golden god, you ask, “Apollo, is it?”

“Taehyung,” he corrects.

“Is that the name you prefer I scream?”

He pauses. Those mismatched eyes widen at your intrepidity. Dazed in confusion, he scans your frame once again, as if reprocessing your presence. He’s underestimated your wits, you realize, but the newfound understanding in his eyes reassures you that it won’t happen again. Good. He’s a quick learner. 

Quirking a brow at the blanket beneath you, he asks, “May I?”

You nod once. He licks his lips twice, bites on the bottom one, then seats himself beside you. On his side, bare chest on display, he takes in the scenery from this new angle. Flowers bloom under a peachy dawn, and the vast fields of greenery wither to sandy shores where the sea waves as a way of greeting. His cocky stare lingers on your boyfriend before settling back to your little shrine underneath the orange tree. It’s a parthenon all on its own, with you as the center of its divinity. This detail seems to intrigue him more than it should, but you assume it might also have something to do with being watched. 

Taking his hand in yours, you feel the dimming warmth of the setting sun. Who’s manning the chariot, you wonder, and would he be willing to let you ride it? Your bones tremble beneath your flesh at the impression of a distant growl. Oh, right. You almost forgot Ares can read your mind. Being something of a soulmate, he’s connected to you in ways other gods are not. Another growl slices through your thoughts. Jealousy sounds so good on him. Hearing his frustrations, knowing he’s enjoying the way you indulge, flusters the anxious bundle of nerves at your core. 

Taehyung chuckles. Inches away now, his hot breath fans over your cheek. Fingers trailing up from your hand, along your arm then to your neck, he wraps his hand around your throat. He presses his thumb in the divet just under your chin, teasing a choke but never actually going through with it. You wonder what Namjoon must be hissing by the sea. What kind of curses is he throwing? Just picturing his furious eyes and cliffed jaw tickles the pit of your stomach. 

“You’re precious,” Taehyung whispers, lips pressed against your chin. “I understand why he hides you from us.”

Us? Olympus knows of your blasphemous citrus temple? Usually, this kind of revelation would grant you a lightning bolt to the heart and an eternity in Tartarus. Only this wakes something different in Taehyung. His breath shallows, erection pokes at your thigh. He’s aroused by the idea of worshipping someone as powerless as a mortal. Or perhaps, you wonder as Taehyung nibbles on your skin, he simply adores displaying his power. Either or, you decide to make the most of what your Ares has granted you. Gaze finding his broad frame again, you let out an exaggerated gasp. 

Namjoon flinches. However, it isn’t until you press your body against Taehyung’s that he cringes. He shifts his weight, fist clenched by his sides and you swear you can see steam hovering over his head. Namjoon is livid. But, Taehyung is oblivious. Too consumed by your pleasure, he tightens his grip on your throat and trails his open-mouthed kisses down to your breasts. Nipple between his teeth, Taehyung groans in hunger. Tongue teasing, he licks to play, not to soothe any of the stings. Your toes and legs hook around his waist. Hips rolling, you tease a preview of what you have in mind.

Taehyung shifts half an inch away though. You know it’s not because he didn’t enjoy the gesture, the throb against your hip reassuring you just how much he would really enjoy it. It still hurts your pride, however. Twinges of humiliation taint your soft features. He offers half a smirk as a means of comfort. 

“He told me you’ve got quite a mouth.”

Is that an excuse or explanation? In both cases, it’s weak. He traces your face, fingertips so soft you almost forget the indirect rejection. Charming, his tiger starved gaze reflects hints of amusement. You’re easy prey, a fact that crumbles your courage. He is not here to coddle your pride, to serve the goddess of this naturous parthenon, but rather to obliviate it. A pitiful pile of pleasure is all he wishes to make of you. Though, now you wonder, is he doing this because he wants to, or because he’s ordered to? 

Eyes darting between Apollo and Ares, you swallow thickly. The wondrous glow in Taehyung’s gaze makes you pause. Perhaps you’ve been too hasty. Perhaps they were both counting on that. The humiliation returns ten fold and prickles your skin upon realizing how careless you have been. Too quick to show your keen interest in devouring a different dose of daylight, you did not make Taehyung work as hard as he should’ve. And knowing that must have been what Namjoon was expecting only festers your heart with anger. This isn’t an opportunity to indulge, you conclude, but to reprimand. The both of them want to sip on your submission. The role of a meek mortal amuses them more than it should. It turns you on more than it should. So, you pull away more than you should. 

Laying back on your elbows, you redirect your gaze to the sky. You can feel both pairs of eyes studying you. Taehyung props himself up on his forearm and looks over at your suddenly calmed features. It’s almost as if you’ve never exchanged a word at all. 

“Funny,” you restart, all cards hidden this time. “He never mentioned you.” 

Angry, confused, perhaps both, Taehyung stares. He blink, blink, blinks before he fully registers what’s been said. You can feel Namjoon’s delight though. The pride he has in the way you sassed a rival resonates deep in your core.

As you shimmy out of your dress, Taehyung finally scoffs a chuckle. You attempt to ignore the way it lights your soul with desire and focus on Namjoon’s silhouette. He looks closer, lurking by the tall grass, though still near the sand. Fully naked, you try to school your features and pretend you don’t notice the way Namjoon’s jaw clenches while Taehyung’s falls slack. Your hands rests on Taehyung’s bare thigh long enough to make him shudder and your boyfriend growl. It’s almost all too easy to push Namjoon’s buttons. He hates it when you do something simply because you can. 

“You abuse your power,” he always tells you. 

And, with a smile, you always reply, “I don’t abuse anything, Joonie. You just can’t refuse it.” 

Taehyung seems to prove this statement now, falling prey to the way you toy with him. Half focused, you’re paying enough attention to him to feel his frustration. Displeased with the way you have your eyes glued on the god of war, Taehyung huffs and inches closer. 

“Do I need to plant you an orange tree?” he teases. Well, he attempts to anyways. The resentment in his tone seeps through instead. 

You bite back a smirk. “You can try.”

His eyes flash with annoyance. Chewing on the insides of his cheeks, Taehyung raises a brow. It’s hard to tell what he’s thinking, but you can safely assume he’s highly debating it. His eyes shift around the tree the two of you currently lounge under. Sparing you a glance, he scoffs. Perhaps he doesn’t think it’s worth it, you wonder. It’s no matter to you. All it really means is more time spent frustrating him, teasing him beyond- 

The ground crackles, splitting open with the presence of new roots. Bare branches rise and twist around the orange tree trunk. The deep green leaves sprout. Then, ripe figs bloom. They dangle closer to you than the oranges do. You don’t have much time to really admire them, however, as a loud rumble rattles your bones. The sound is enough to snap your fearful eyes to the seashore. Namjoon is gone. 

Shit. Have you taken this too far? Namjoon did plant this tree for you. He had never so much so as looked at another mortal. His allegiance, devotion, and adoration has been declared to you on more than one occasion. You are all he ever sees, thinks, breathes. Swallowing thickly, you mentally call him back. It’s all in good fun, you try to convince him. A quiet hum from the other side of the line is enough to soothe your anxiety. You lean back into the other god.

Taehyung couldn’t be less concerned. Instead of searching for Namjoon, as you seem to be interested in doing, he latches his lips onto your shoulder, a single hand cupping your breast. You gasp. Taking this as an encouragement to continue, Taehyung trails a wet arrangement of open mouthed kisses along your neck. Lips pressed to the shell of your ear, he hisses, “Quite a fucking mouth, indeed.” He digs his fingertips into the flesh of your breast and continues, “Might need some good dick to keep it in check.”

The thought is appealing. So much so, that you cannot help the way your eyes widen and glisten with interest. Having his cock shoved down your throat while he growls at the sheer sight of it alone has compelled your undivided attention. But, Namjoon’s rage still scratches at your bones, warning you against playing too much. 

You scoff. “Who says I don’t already have that?”

Taehyung does not reply. Not a smirk graces his lips nor breath escapes him. He simply leans in for a kiss. You find yourself giving in all too quickly. He slides his hand down to cup the space between your thighs and you cannot find it within you to push it away. In fact, you spread your legs further apart and tell yourself it’s reactive. The jolt of your hips up into his hand though… that might’ve been calculative. 

But the simple gesture of rolling your hips into his palm has shown all your cards once more. He reclaims the power, pulling away from the kiss and your sex. He clutches onto your hair, a deadpan expression the only means of emotion now. In huffing silence, he yanks on your hair, guiding your head down to his crotch. You hiss, the gesture proving more pleasurable than painful as you feel a fresh rush of your wetness further stain your legs. 

His silk skirt, pinned up and hanging from his hip by an arrowed, gold pin, lies in a disarried pile beside him. His huge cock is all that stands before you. He’s thicker than Namjoon, but, even with its impressive length, it does not compare to your boyfriend’s size. Taehyung is massive, but Namjoon is monstrous. 

Your mouth still salivates all the same. Tip oozing precum, Taehyung shoves your face against his balls. His thick scent rolls your tongue out. Heavy in lust, he mostly smells of lemons and cream. You’ve always adored citrus… Namjoon knows this well. And though you expected to feel your boyfriend’s anger at this revelation, all you feel on the other side is emptiness. You wonder where he’s gone. 

Or, at least you attempt to wonder. The moment you feel the impression of Taehyung’s weighty balls against your lips, all your thoughts dissipate. You swirl your tongue around each one before dropping them in your mouth. Suckling, drool dripping, your enthusiasm cannot be hidden any longer. Moaning maniactically, your eyes roll back.

Taehyung gasps and hisses. The peak of his groans, however, surfaces when you wrap a hand around his thick cock. You were ready to start pumping until you realized a single hand barely even covers half of him. Both hands wrapped around his length now, you twist and drag them up and down. Every so often, you tighten your grip a bit and let out a throaty moan. He shudders each time, legs trembling from your attention. 

On your knees, with your ass up high for any onlookers to easily see, the wind lashes at your heat. You squeal, then pull his balls out of your mouth to spit on his cock. The thick wad makes it easier to pump him. Brows furrowed, he runs a hand through his golden hair and shakily sighs… then his sight sets on something behind you. He smirks, white canines a dangerous nod to his power. 

A familiar hand rests on the small of your back, the other landing a harsh smack on your ass. You scream and fall forward onto Taehyung, face fully buried in his cock now. He laughs heartily, running a hand through your hair as a weak excuse for comfort. 

The hand behind you does not stop after one smack. It goes in for second, then third, and before you know it, your ass is burning with stings and pussy wetter than the ocean behind you. The pain ignites something viciously erotic, cradling your heart enough to make you whimper. It’s the idea of being used, you assume, and it only makes you perk your ass up higher. 

His raspy scoff makes you shiver, spine tingling with excitement. He gropes onto your ass and grunts, “Don’t try to be a good girl now.” 

Tangling his fingers in your hair, Namjoon uses this harsh grip to shove your face further against Taehyung’s crotch. He pulls back and tries again, making sure your mouth engulfs his friend’s cock this time. 

“You want to suck his cock, huh? Then fucking suck, you little slut,” he growls.

Your face flames with embarrassment. You can’t even bring yourself to meet Taehyung’s gaze. He merely laughs through a moan, leaning back on his hands as he watches you choke on his cock. You really can’t take him all in one go; you haven’t even found a way to take Namjoon in a single motion. But, your boyfriend couldn’t care less. He pushes your head down and keeps it there. Your jaw aches, throat burns, contracting around Taehyung’s thickness enough to make him throw his head back. Tears spill and spill and you foolishly think this will be the height of his punishment. 

Then, in he goes. 

“Such a wet little bitch,” Namjoon hisses as he pushes his cock into your pussy. 

You let out a strangled whine against Taehyung, much to his pleasure, and attempt to spread your legs, but Namjoon keeps them in place. They’re barely a hip’s length apart. The pain prickles against your pussy’s wall, making you gag a sob around Taehyung’s cock. The pressure of Namjoon’s huge dick behind you and the weight of Taehyung’s in your mouth trembles your posture. You shake under the intimidation and it doesn’t help at all that Taehyung’s dick is suffocating you. 

Namjoon pulls your head up the moment he fully enters. Gasping, you try to catch your breath. You inhale deeply each time, worried Namjoon will shove you back down on Taehyung’s cock without warning. Instead, he gives you a quick moment to breathe, ramming in and out of you like he’s riding a stallion. 

Taehyung, eyes half-lidded, admires the way you drool and babble all over yourself. You heave, holding his gaze long enough to realize he’s mocking you, tongue out and breathes exasperated. Then he laughs and Namjoon laughs, and your pride shrivels up. Dignity on the brink of shattering, you try to avoid his gaze, biting your lip to swallow your moans as Namjoon works his way in and out of you. 

But Taehyung will not have any of that. He nudges your wet chin back to him and teasingly pouts. “Is baby embarrassed?” he asks, tone more menacing than that taunting gaze of his. You glare at him, but he doesn’t seem fazed. Cupping your chin, Taehyung squeezes your cheeks to pucker your lips. “Answer me,” he seethes. 

Parting your lips, you’re about to confirm his statement when Namjoon grunts behind you. He  thrusts his hips particularly harder this time and your balance crumbles. You fall over Taehyung. He catches you with his lips, his hand trailing from your face to your neck and gripping onto it like he owns it. 

Namjoon is displeased. With a growl, he snaps his hips up, balls shoving their way in you too. Your teeth knock with Taehyung, causing him to grunt and glare at the god behind you. You watch him stare your boyfriend down while tightening his grip on your neck. He goes to say something, a curse judging by the placement of his lips in his teeth, but Namjoon pulls you out of his grasp before Taehyung can even get a syllable out. 

Replacing Taehyung’s hand with his own on your neck, Namjoon pulls you back up against his chest. His other hand wraps around your waist. Lips to the shell of your ear, he hammers into you and whispers, “Don’t go forgetting who you belong to.”

You hold Taehyung’s hard stare. His face reddens, cheeks drawn into his mouth as he glares. You whimper, pouting and nodding to Namjoon, but neither one of them seems convinced. Taehyung’s brows raise as if you’ve given him some sort of sign, and Namjoon’s hissing warnings against getting carried away. 

“Better not say his name.”

Out of sheer spite, you part your lips to utter the other’s name. However, the word is consequently pounded right out of your mind the moment it emerges. Neither god gives you another moment to develop a reply at all as they battle for your attention. A part of you wishes that each of them simply takes turns, but you already know how useless that would be. Neither one of them will be willing to wait and watch. Namjoon already slipped himself in, the act of watching being too distant for him. 

And it seems to be the same for Taehyung as well. He can’t sit still, can’t just watch you get ravished by someone else. You catch the annoyed twinkle in his eye darkening every time Namjoon makes you scream. Swallowing thickly, Taehyung shifts so that he’s lying by your knees and pulls the plump, upper flesh of your pussy apart. Then, smirking, he dips his head in and enthusiastically sucks on your clit. Teeth grazing, he bites and nibbles, drawing the most high-pitched squeals out of you. Your fingers tangle in his hair, pushing his face further against your pussy. 

Namjoon huffs a groan against your cheek. Pounding in full force, he loosens his grip on you a bit. Your hips jolt forward, Taehyung’s teeth clamping down on your clit. You cry out, both hands back over Namjoon’s arm. The god by your knees did not escape unscathed either, his lips slightly bruised from the hit. He drags his gaze up to you, glare deadly. 

Guts twisting in ecstasy and guilt, you whimper and shake your head. “Sorr-” 

Your apology clinches in your throat as Namjoon tightens his grip on it. “Shut the fuck up, you filthy whore,” he grunts into your hair. 

Taehyung catches onto Namjoon’s sly gesture quickly, hungry eyes aflame for vengeance. “Keep her still, or I’ll fuck her into the ground.” His deep voice tickles the swirling pit of your stomach. So rich and raspy, his dulcet voice guides you closer to your orgasm than you’d be brave enough to admit. 

Subsequently, Taehyung relatches his lips to your clit. Namjoon swallows enough of his pride not to shake him off again. And you shudder as high doses of ecstasy creep over your nerves. It pumps your veins with excitement, anticipation and sheer joy. Even when they’ve mocked you and used you as a pocket pussy- a set of holes, you cannot deny how horny it makes you for them. 

Namjoon huffs your name in your ear, whispering about your tightness, about how he knows how fucking close you are. “Baby is gonna cream,” he mockingly coos. “Do you want him to taste you? Are you that much of a slut, you want another man to taste you? He’ll get addicted.” Namjoon grunts thrice before continuing, “But you already know that, right? You want him addicted. You want him to worship that little cunt of yours, hmm?”

“Yes, yes, yes, oh fuck yes!” you screech. Whether it is in reply to his questions or simply a reaction to the dual assault of your pussy, you’re not quite certain. But, Namjoon is. And he’s irate. Shaking with anger, his pounds reach a pace unknown to gods, even Taehyung raises an impressed brow. 

Your next intake of air cinches somewhere in your throat. You try to scream, to cry, to make some sort of sound as your cum rushes out of you. Gushing, slouching, your pussy makes enough noise that your mouth doesn’t need to. Both men fall victim to it - to you - anyway. Squirming in Namjoon’s hold, there’s very little you can do. Your mind is foggy, vision blurry, but it doesn’t stop either of them. A distant clash of throaty moans fill the fields, though you can’t register much of that either. Your ears are ringing too much to hear more than your own heartbeat struggling to keep up. 

Taehyung growls, his hands constantly knocking against Namjoon’s. Your dazed gaze falls to meet his. Eyes blazed with sexual frustration, he claws at your hips and pulls you forward against him. Namjoon, however, keeps a strong hold on your waist. Your torso’s his for the taking. He grabs hold of your chin and whips your head back to him. 

“You look at me when you cum,” he seethes. “Or you won’t cum at all next time.” 

Half a breath escapes you in response, but it seems to be half a breath too late. Namjoon emits a raspy groan so sinister it would be a crime to simply call it a growl. He roars. You feel the vibrations of the sound in your spine, another dose of your cum rushing through you. Then, all too quickly, he lets go of you. It takes his hands off your chest for you to realize your legs gave out long ago. You instantly fall to your knees. Taehyung is quick to catch you in his arms. Lips inches apart, Taehyung looks ready to share some of his oxygen with you when Namjoon orders, “Turn her around.”

Taehyung glares over your head. Gulping, his lips twitch in a fake smile as he lifts you. You, however, cannot let him give in that easily. Besides, nothing is better than angering the god of war. His stubborn, victory-bound heart will not rest until you submit to him over Taehyung. And, throwing you into the enemy’s arms does not seem like he’s trying hard enough to win, to discipline you. So, after Taehyung turns you around in his lap, you press a passionate kiss upon his lips, slipping your tongue in for good measure. Taehyung snakes his hand between your legs too, fingers playing all too much for you to stay silent. Between kisses, you sneak a glance at Namjoon, finding Taehyung already doing the same thing.  

Towering over you, skin inked, nipples pierced, muscles flexed and slick with sweat, Namjoon huffs. His jaw is locked, a gesture you’ve learned isn’t at all meant to be comforting. With his cheeks sucked in and a brow quirked, Namjoon jerks himself off to the sight of you so openly defiant.

“Open your dirty mouth,” Namjoon orders through gritted teeth. “I need to clean it out.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes, his fingers ceasing their movements as he cups your sex instead. “So dramatic,” he teases, earning a cold stare from Namjoon. 

You resist the urge to giggle, having to choose your battles carefully. Taehyung has already gotten too much attention anyways, you decide. Pushing his hand away from your pussy, you ignore the wet kisses Taehyung peppers upon the nape of your neck and gaze up at Namjoon with your mouth open. 

He bites his lip to keep from smirking. And, with a loud, chest drawn groan, he releases his load all over your chin and breasts. The warmth of his cum sets your skin ablaze. It feels just as thick as it tastes. Licking around your face, you try to swallow whatever you can get. A little smile breaks out on Namjoon’s face, swelling your heart with pride. 

However, Taehyung isn’t as moved by the gesture as you are. He tangles a hand in your hair and pulls your head back against his shoulder. “That’s enough of that,” he breathes over your face. Then he wipes the rest of Namjoon’s cum off with the pad of his thumb and pecks your lips. He rubs the cum into your nipples, teasing them between his thumb and forefinger. 

You almost forget Namjoon's presence. That is, until he grabs hold of your ankles and yanks you right out of Taehyung’s hold. With a loud gasp, you’re on your back, legs spread and Namjoon at the center. He gazes lazily down at you, like handling your body is a casual passtime. There is something glittering within that suspicious ease, however. Something cocky, angry, and terrifying. Hand around your neck, Namjoon jerks you off the floor and shoves you back into Taehyung’s arms. 

The golden god catches you with a grunt. He draws his brows together in confusion, silently questioning Namjoon. He parts his lips, but your boyfriend huffs, cutting him off. Namjoon grabs you by your bicep and turns you around to face Taehyung. 

After making sure your legs are spread and straddling the other god’s waist, Namjoon seethes, “The simplest instructions.” His warm tongue darts out to lick the shell of your ear. Between nibbles he continues, “You can’t even follow the simplest instructions. That can’t be easily forgiven anymore, baby.”

You’re not quite sure what he means, considering he’s never punished you in this position before. Usually, being on top is a reward. He grants you a sliver of control, consequence free, when you’ve been well-behaved. This level of generosity is a rarity. However, as Namjoon pushes you further into Taehyung, with you wrapped around his torso, you begin to wonder what kind of punishment you’re in for, and which one of them is administering it. 

Of course, these thoughts are fleeting as Taehyung’s fat cock prods around your pulsing hole. Sparks of bliss set to flames the nerves bunching around your clit. You shudder each time he brushes his tip against it. Petting your hair back just to grab it, Taehyung breathes a chuckle into the crook of your neck. He licks and sucks on your delicate skin like you belong to him. And for a split second, you almost think you do. The sweet, wet kisses and the way he eases into you only just has you forgetting that Namjoon is standing over you, watching as another god worships.

With a smack, your memories jolt back. The sting of both cheeks makes you all too aware of his presence now. You cry out, falling over Taehyung clumsily. The spank hit so hard, so fast that it even has Namjoon hissing from the impact. Even still, he smacks you again and again and again. “You still have no idea what you’ve asked for, do you?” he questions. 

You thought you did. You hoped you did. But, as Namjoon spanks you with added force, you realize just how right he is. You whimper into Taehyung’s shoulder. He’s kept his cock warm in your tight, clenching hole when Namjoon begins to get vicious with his spanks. Chuckling and mocking you in whispers, Taehyung finds your suddenly all too obedient state entertaining. It flames your face with shame, your entire body caught between wanting another serving of cock or slaps. He imitates your whimpers, coaxing more tears out of you before hissing, “If you had any real shame, you’d get off my cock and go suck your boyfriend’s.”

“She’s a fucking slut,” Namjoon answers, landing another slap to your tenders cheeks. “Why’d you stop fucking her?”

Some humanity flashes in Taehyung’s eyes as you nuzzle your face against his. He mutters something incoherent, along the lines of, “She can’t handle it.” 

“She can!” Namjoon grunts as he finally rubs your pain buzzed ass. A shaky whine escapes you and tickles Taehyung’s ear. “You can take it, right, baby?” he asks, digging his nails into your flesh. 

You whine in agreement. It’s not enough. He needs to hear you say- scream it. Grabbing a handful of your hair, he peels you off Taehyung enough for him to get a good look at your face. He folds his hands under his head, smirking at the sight of you so shattered by pleasure of being in pain. Face flushed, wet, cum stained and eyes innocent, your features fold in raptured anguish. 

Namjoon roughly kneads your right cheek while pressing the length of his cock against it. “Can you take the fucking like a good girl?” He mockingly coos. It juts a chorus of shivers down your spine. 

You squeeze tight around Taehyung at the thought. He rasps your name. Namjoon growls lowly, rubbing himself against you as he warns, “You’re not gonna make me ask you a third time, are you?” 

Taehyung shifts his hips, cinching your breath at your throat from the stroke of friction. Why did he have to be so big, so pretty and hot staring at you like that? Why’d you have to go tempting gods you know you can’t keep up with? You regret angering Namjoon, realizing that jealousy is the worst power trip you can feed a god. They both want to watch you fall apart, crumble into a pile of bones. Tears spill at the thought, pussy aching around a cock too big to adjust to. Every nerve feels so sensitive, so overused, yet you need to cum again. 

No. You can’t take it. But, you’ll be damned if you tell either of them that. And as Namjoon lays another sharp smack on your cheeks, tingling with pain, you circle your hips around Taehyung’s and cry out a broken, breathy and utterly desperate, “Y-es!”

Taehyung grips onto your hips, pulling you half out. You expect to be plunged onto his cock with a new degree of force, but find another one attempting to squeeze in as well. Namjoon’s monster cock pushing into your pussy alongside Taehyung’s. Your jaw drops, eyes roll back as that viciously delicious stretch strangles your soul with bliss. He enters you slow, but sharp, knowing full well that the both of them cannot fit. 

Neither cares. Both gods create a quickly speeding rhythm of thrusts into you. Body jolting forwards, breasts shaking over Taehyung’s face and ass bouncing against Namjoon’s hips. He hunches over you to groan your name in your ear, voice husky with lust and dominance. He repeats the word like a prayer. Every syllable drips slow out of his lips like thick molasses when his voice reaches such depth. 

You try to lean back into him, but Taehyung keeps you in place with the tight grip on your hips. “Stay still,” he grunts against your nipple. Then, he sucks on it, teasing the little nub between his teeth. 

You moan a little too loud at Taehyung’s ministrations for Namjoon’s liking. Both hands locked on your ass, Namjoon pushing your cheek up and against Taehyung. You lose whatever balance you had weighted on your arms, falling flat against the sun god with a squeal. His cock fully plugs into you and when he tries to thrust up against you once more, Namjoon growls, “Both of you stay still.”

A shiver tickles your spine with the wind. As Taehyung kisses your neck, you attempt to sneak a peek at your boyfriend over your shoulder and push your ass back into him. He’s sweaty and huffing. The peachy sunset behind him halos around his muscular frame. He’s so pretty when he’s mad, all those veins lacing his inked skin like little spider webs. His gaze finds yours, that annoyed look intensifying in his eyes when you wink at him.

And though it was completely innocent, it still switches something off in Namjoon. He shifts his tight grip on your ass to the small of your back then, all at once, presses down onto it with the entirety of his strength. A series of loud cracks elicit from your spine like the fire of a gun at the start of a race. And away go his hips as he rams in and out of your too full pussy. 

Screams and sudden sobs pour out of you and onto Taehyung as the both of you get shaken by Namjoon’s force. You know your back isn’t broken, blown out maybe, but definitely not broken. You just didn’t think this would be the result of his jealousy and anger. Did he think you were mocking him with that wink, with Taehyung? Perhaps some mocking did occur with Taehyung around, but he’s always liked your snarkier side. He tells you to behave because he knows you won’t and adores it when you don’t. But, maybe you did take it too far, and give into Taehyung too much. You really wish you can say, with all this overstimulating and teasing and taunting, that you regret it all. 

Only, you don’t. 

Clutching tighter onto Taehyung’s shoulders, your tears fall as freely as your broken moans. Namjoon smacks his hips over your ass, pounding your pussy like it’s just you two here. It’s not as though Taehyung is lying under you, obsessing over how tight you are and just how amazing you smell. 

“You know why he’s so mad right,” he questions quietly, voice strained. When you shake your head, he chuckles and whispers, “Because he knows how much better I make you feel.”

The whimper that leaves you was by no means a response to whatever Taehyung was going on about. Though he gives it to you great, he doesn’t compare to your boyfriend. You suppose Namjoon knows this too, somewhere within that deep connection you two share. Still, he holds you further down against Taehyung, practically melding your body into his, and thrusts at an ungodly speed just as he did when he caught you sucking Taehyung’s cock. 

You’re not sure either of them understand the load of pleasure they are washing over you. Taehyung has his giant cock stationed in your pussy with his tip pressing continuously against your g-spot as Namjoon’s monstrous cock jabs at it again and again. 

Body trembling, voice broken, you squeal, “I’m- ahhgh I’m gon-na cuu-uum.”

“Me too,” Taehyung husks in your ear. It has you clenching tighter. 

Namjoon scoffs through a moan. “No, you’re fucking not.” 

“But, Joon-”

A harsh smack against your ass silences your protests. “You know what to do when you’re close,” he grunts.

Yes, you do. But there isn’t much time to beg. You have two huge cocks in you and if he thinks he can coax some sort of plea- 

“Fuck,” you cry as he spanks you again. 

“ASK!” he roars, hands on your back just to make it crack all over again.

Drooling, whimpering, eyes rolling, you somehow find it in you to hold back your orgasm long enough to beg, “Please, fuck, just let me cum! Please, please, Namjoon!” 

“Just fucking let her cum,” Taehyung grunts. 

Namjoon snakes one of his hands up your spine, hips still ramming into you all the same, and latching onto your hair. Slowly, he peels you off of Taehyung and holds you against his chest. You screw your eyes shut in an attempt not to cream both their cocks. 

With his lips at your ear, he whispers, “Look down at him.” After forcing your eyes open and down at Taehyung, who looks all too pleased with your ruined state, Namjoon orders, “Thank him for a good time.”

Panting, lips a spitty mess, you whimper, “Thank you for a good time.” 

Taehyung rubs your thighs. “She’s just as fun when she’s a good girl,” he hisses to himself. 

Namjoon chuckles, wrapping his free hand around your throat. “You’re my best girl either way,” he whispers to you. The praise makes you shiver, your orgasm almost slipping right out of your control. 

“Please let me cum now,” you cry. “Please, I need it.” 

Taking a deep breath of your scent, Namjoon peppers little kisses along your jawline. “Shall we all cum together?” he asks before nodding to Taehyung. The sun god’s hips jolt back to act and soon each one is back to taking turns to smash your already too sensitive spot. 

You nod energetically. Truthfully, you don’t care if either one of them cums, just as long as they let you do it now. 

Taehyung shifts one of his hands further up your hips, his thumb working fast and small circles over your clit. You’re quaking, head thrown back against Namjoon’s shoulders, eyes rolling and screwed shut when Namjoon orders you to look at him. You force them open enough to watch a wicked swirl of power and lust gleam in his eyes. With a single breath, lips hovering over yours, he whispers, “Cum.”

Your vision spots black before failing all together as an extreme dose of ecstasy floods your senses. Their growls collide with your breathless screams in a cacophony of pleasure with each shot of cum they fill you with. And you return the favour, coating each cock with more cum than you think you’ve ever offered. In and out, they still go, desperate to leave you dripping with the impression of both of them for days. 

Namjoon spits in your mouth a bit and chuckles quietly when you still find it in you to swallow it. “You just had to be a fucking brat, hmm?” he groans as both his and Taehyung’s thrusts slow down. “Are you satisfied now?”

You hear his words and think that maybe you are processing them, but you really can’t find enough of your voice or energy to respond. Heaving, you know your body gave out well before he even got you in this position and blew your back out. You don’t even realize that you’re slobbering all over yourself until Namjoon licks it all away. Only little whimpers and whines manage to reply to him. It only strengthens that power blown look in his eyes. 

Taehyung suddenly pulls himself out of you. Or rather, Namjoon pulls you up and off his cock. Then, he stands up on his knees and presses a soft kiss to your mouth, despite Namjoon’s annoyed groan. “And thank you for such a great evening, my-”

“She’s not yours!”

You watch through somewhat blurry vision as the two gods glare at each other. Taehyung then glances over at the fig vines laced around the orange tree. With a smirk, he nods. His hands fondle your breast one more time before he grabs what little clothes he came with. Then, with the sun, he’s gone. 

Basking in the glow of the moon, Namjoon slowly pulls out of you. His touches are now all too gentle to even register, or maybe your skin is simply still on fire from such a rough fucking. Either way, he’s careful in how he handles you now. Cradling you to his chest, he helps you lay down. He kisses your forehead and mutters, “Take a deep breath.” 

You do so. Again and again. When you’re breathing somewhat regulates, your mind finally catches up with where you are now. Resting in Namjoon’s arms, his silk skirt draped over your body like a blanket, you gaze up at the stars. 

“He planted figs,” Namjoon mutters.

You shift against his chest before shrugging. “He did.” You’re not sure why that simple detail seems to tick him off so much. They’re just figs. 

“Do you still like oranges though?”

It suddenly clicks in your head. His anger translating into worry. Does he really think that you’d give him up for Taehyung? He should know you well enough to know he’s your world. And if you weren’t so sore or weak, you would have gotten up and picked the ripest orange and shared it with him. Instead, you turn in his lap, suppressing the urge to hiss at the sparks of pain running up and down your back, and press a soft kiss to his lips. 

“I love oranges.” 

He fights off a smile, but relief reflects in his gaze. “I’m sure they love you too,” he mutters like he hasn’t told you so before. 

It all doesn’t matter too much anyways. He’s yours and you’re his. No other god, no matter how many times they stop by, will change that. This is, after all, your orange tree. 

note; please do not leave hate towards me or any other readers. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my work without my permission.

[levisgirll]

hi cutie! 💖🥺

i got request for u because i know you'll make an awesome work 🥺 what about Levi's marriage proporsal headcanons/fic? i just thought he will be so sweet~ :D

you don't have to do them if you don't want to!~

take care mina, have a good day 💖🥺✨

𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐢'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧

text: Heya An 🥺 tysm for your sweet words and for this amazing request!! and I would GLADY do this request :,) (i rlly hope you like it 💖) Also have a great day!! and make sure to take care of yourself, love you! ✨. this really gave me feels writing this i-

synopsis: Levi has decided to propose to Y/N after such a long tough journey and finally out of the walls. The end of the battle and the war. He wanted to live outside the walls with his only special Y/N. How will he proposal Y/N though? And how will he act?

soft & cute fluff, modern au ♡ —

Finally...Levi is going to do it 'Today'. No more backing away. He had it all planned out and everything. Why was he still...hesitant?

"I wonder how Y/N will react....will they even like the ring I got for them..?" Levi said as he was hold the ring box and looking at it.

'Wait....Will they even say yes?' He put it back on the drawer and start pacing around.

'Ugh...I cant believe this...I am actually being nervous? Fuck...I find killing 40 titans at the same time way easier than this...so much for used to being called humanity's 'strongest' solider'. Fucking hell.'

He stopped, and turned around. 'No...If I don't then someone will take Y/N away from me.' That got him back up and he finally took out the ring box he had there for a month now. He will do it. Today.

Levi is such a private man and he loves that only between you guys. Not really a big fan with bringing everyone together and all, he couldn't even think words clearly when he looks at you and stutters, so how will he do that with EVERYONE here while proposing and saying what he thinks his ‘cliché’ speech? Hell no.

He wanted it to be so special. He wanted to remember this memory and grave that in both of your minds. He was going to propose to his lover this evening.

He had the idea already figured out, and it took him around a month to prepare it and get it perfect. He was doing this all while seeing you everyday, and had to try and hide it from you. Which kind of made you a bit of suspicious. He would usually go out during the afternoon to that 'same' expensive ring shop and stand there for 3 hours trying to pick the perfect ring.

"Um...Sir, I can help you if you would like?" The retail assistant would say as she approached Levi who had such a serious look, as if he was making a life or death decision. "No. I need to pick this, cant be someone else." He would say and his eyes glued to the collection of beautiful rings. He takes a long time to buy that ring just for 'you' that day. Nothing but full of his love all poured into it as he finally picked one.

He called up the people to set up and get ready with the preparation today at 10pm.

After he hanged up, he went to his contacts and pressed 'My Dearest'.

Y/N picked up, “H-Hey Love, how are you hm?" Shit. Why did I fucking stutter, I hate my life. He would say cursing himself under his breathe.

You picked that up, and started to chuckle which made his heart flutter. "I'm alright love! Just out with Sasha and Christa shopping....Is something wrong?"

Levi: "No. Can I see you tonight at 10pm? I will pick you up." Please say yes for this....

"Hmm...Yup sure! See you then, Love you!" You said that so cheerfully that he wanted to see you 'now' and hold you.

"Great. I love you too Y/N." He said that and he was holding his phone so tightly. This is it.

It was 10pm, and Levi has picked you up. You looked so amazing and beautiful to him, that he just stood there and gazed at you so lovely, losing his focus.

You started to blush, "Levi..." you said as you waved your hand at him.

"Oh...Um...You look gorgeous." Fuck Levi why do you keep messing up, I haven't even take them there yet.

Levi then took you to one of the top 10 hotels that they had, but this one was special. It was a beach resort hotel! When you both got in to check in, everything was made in glass, sparkling everywhere. But you were the one sparkling beautifully to him.

"Oh my god Levi...I did not expect this! If you told me we were going to a beach resort I would have dressed up so pretty."

“Tch, dont be silly. You are already pretty.." He said that as his cheeks had a faint red blush.

As you guys checked in, you sat and laid on the bed on your back. “Hmm, so what is the occasion Levi?" You go straight to the point which got him off guard. Of course you would ask.

"Nothing, Just that I remembered you wanted to come here so I decided to take us both here today" His heart was now racing. He was actually going to do it. You looked outside and saw the beautiful beach shore.

“Oh lets go check it out!!". You got excited and got up from the bed.

“No! Not now...lets get comfortable and change. I even bought you a gift. If you want to wear it...and we can head to the beach shore, Hm? Ill see you there.”

Weird. Levi would always go to places with you and he has always waited for you, but today was different.

As you changed to the outfit Levi bought for you, you went towards the sliding glass door to open it and stepped outside to find Levi.

As you stepped outside and wore the sandals that was there, you headed  towards the beach shore which was kind of dark. Not much lights.

“L-Levi..!!” You yelled out, a bit nervous. As soon as you called out his name, lights started to brighten as you were approaching the shore and you see beautiful decorations that was hanged up, full of beautiful roses, lilies and others that were glooming with the light.

You see Levi standing by the shore, and he turned around. “Y/N.”

He called out your name instead of ‘love’ which meant that he was serious.

You started to get worried. What's going on? You stopped and stood beside him looking at him.

“Remember...When we first saw the ocean...and first stood at the beach shore.” He said that as his grey eyes were looking at the waves that were driven by the wind so calmly.

“Yea...I do remember it clearly. It was one of my best moments.”

He continued. “We...won, and some of our comrades survived, but...we did it and got through it and I am glad you are here alive with me.” He started to sound....sad? “I never expected this new lifestyle and to be honest, I am glad I am living it with you by my side....You.” He stopped and turned around to look at you. “Stood by my side till the end Y/N, and believed in me, but...not only that but you also saw me as a human being while everyone thought I was heartless. You gave me hope, and you started to make me feel that I deserved to be loved, and I don't think anyone would have made me feel like this if it wasn't for you.”

You stood there so startled, you eyes started to widen. Is Levi really saying this all...? You knew he was a bit talkative with you only but, this....this is different.

Levi then took out what looked like a seashell..? He was looking at it then, handed it over to you.

“Oh wow, this is so pretty!” You said amazed by how it looked and you looked back at Levi.

“Levi, Thank you for your sweet words...I am so happy hearing that from you.” You said while holding on to it, you couldn't stop smiling.

Fuck just say it Levi. “Y/N, I know I have been the hardest to love....so I want to recreate this beach shore memory with asking you something....”

As he was saying that you noticed the seashell, could open? So you did that...and you saw a beautiful diamond ring shining. You froze.

He held your free hand with both of his warm hands and caressed it, “Y/N, will you...m-marry me?” He said that as he looked directly to your eyes that was open up.

Silence. This made Levi worry so much. He looked down but then noticed tears dripping, which made him look back at you so quickly and you started tearing up as the wind started to blow your hair and the ocean waves crashing.

“Yes...I want to be your Mrs. Ackerman. I want to live the rest of my life with you!!” You said that while crying and this made Levi panic, and he quickly hugged you, covering you with his muscular arms and....he started to cry with you too.

“Y/N, thank you. I won’t fail you, I can’t wait to have moments like this for the rest of our lives.” He went back, and looked at your beautiful face, and proceed to kiss your forehead so lovely.

“Y/N!!! Levi!!” You both got startled and looked to the other side and you saw...all of your friends!

“Oh my god....guys!” You saw everyone from Levi’s squad including Hanji who was screaming out your names and all your friends started to run towards you guys.

You then noticed, the whole beach shore started to brighten and you saw beautiful wedding decorations hanged up, heart balloons, a huge long table filled with delicious savory, desserts and drinks while soft jazz music started to play.

Connie and Sasha rushed with celebration poppers and popped that to everyone and confetti's were all over both of you and everyone started to laugh including Levi.

He actually rented out the whole beach shore just for this special occasion to make a special experience, and even planned a surprise celebration after that with all of your friends.

This went on for what left like forever, and everyone headed back after congratulating both of you and you both went to your beach resort room.

You guys did not sleep that night and actually stayed up together talking about how this special evening went, about the future while holding hands, being cuddled up and leaving each other soft kisses throughout the conversation.

Now, everytime you think or even go to the beach shore, you think of Levi’s amazing romantic proposal. This man really took a long time figuring this out and wanted it special cause you deserved that.

And, whenever you look at his steel grey gaze, you saw the love he had for you, and you saw your soon to be husband that you will spend the rest of your life with.

ᴏᴋᴀʏ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ʟᴏɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs ᴀɴᴅ it ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴡᴀʀᴍᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇʟᴛᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ !! ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅs ᴛʜɪs ᴄ: IF ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇʙʟᴏɢ! ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴏ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ 🥺 ♥

[genderfluid-insomniac]

"A Great Vacation" ~ dolphin trainer!Hawks x reader

words: 1.9k

A/N: I am on vacation now when we happen to see dolphins at the place we're staying which happens to be called "Hawks Cay". I can't get this 5'8" blond glorious birdman out of my head but make sure to social distance and wear masks when you're on vacation!

The wetsuit clung to your warm skin, the water dripped on the concrete and you put your arm through the sleeve, shivering at the cool fabric. Adjusting your wristband, you locked your locker with your things in it and headed over to the pool where the rest of your group was.

While you were on vacation there was a local sanctuary for dolphins and other sea animals, taking the opportunity to sign up for a dolphin experience that benefitted both you and the dolphin who’d been rescued from severe injuries. As much as you were very excited to see the dolphins, your instructor was quite attractive and you probably looked ridiculous avoiding any and all eye contact when he was addressing the group.

This name tag he wore said Keigo and he was absolutely stunning. He had bright tousled blonde hair with piercing gold eyes and you could see his toned body through his wetsuit. His personality was so carefree but cautious when it came to safety with you and the dolphins and his smile made your blush darken to a crimson, you really couldn’t think straight at all around him.

The worst part was, he noticed. And would flirt back. When he was handing out the wetsuits for the group and going over prohibited items on someone while in the water, his gaze flicked to yours every couple of seconds and winked. Smirking subtly when he caught you blushing or dropping your gaze away from him.

It seemed like he enjoyed teasing you specifically for who knows what reason and of course who were you to stop him. Keigo handed out wetsuits and was double-checking everyone’s sizes when he saw you slightly struggling with balance trying to put a leg through.

“Here, let me help! These things can be tough at times,” Feeling his arm around your waist as he steadied you, holding the side of the wetsuit for you as you were pressed up against his bare back.

The one thing you failed to realize when he walked over was that he made sure everyone had their suit on before his in case of any problems (which apparently was you). You could feel his toned stomach and abs against your back, the heat from the sun not helping with the situation, and noticing his muscles flex when he reached down.

Meaning, this gorgeous flirty man was only in a swimsuit behind you who was purposely trying to fluster you, who only wore a swimsuit trying to get their suit on under their bathing suit. You must be in heaven, that’s the only explanation. Blushing you made a noise of agreement as you were able to put your leg through,

“T-thanks for the help.” Hearing his chuckle and whisper, “No problem. Happy to help, cutie! I’m so excited to teach you today” While you wanted to say something your mind disagreed, making you completely speechless in the process, and managed to come up with only two words.

“Me too,” Brandishing a smirk and hugging your waist before letting go and walking off, his head still tilted towards you as he showed off his tattoo on his back. Pair of red wings that stretched out to his elbows and midway down his back, seeing the shading shift when his shoulder blades moved.

You had just met this man and you were helpless. Hearing his smooth gentle voice call out to his coworker, “Rumi! Get your group ready to go in the water and tell Dabi to stop scaring the kids with sea monster stories!” muttering curses under his breath.

Fast forward to now where you all were wearing life vests and in the water with two of the dolphins and Keigo. “I know at times it can be scary to try new things, but awesome job getting in the water, even if it’s a bit cold” You all laughed awkwardly and waded your arms around you, catching the dolphins coming up next to him and splashing him.

His absolutely infectious laughter was music to your ears as he shielded himself with his arms and splashed them back, blowing the whistle and signaling to them that they won and to stop. Still laughing he turned to your group, locking eyes with you, and addressed the group.

“These guys are very playful so don’t be too surprised if they have some fun!” Getting a chorus of laughs from the rest of the group but another blush from you and you laughed along as well.

“Okay so, let’s start! This girl here is Tundra and this is Sara, they both grew up together when get got caught in some nets and washed up on shore a few miles away from here.” His smile charmed the audience as he ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair, continuing the story.

“Tundra here loves to play around but she’s super friendly. Can you guys wave to her?” You all waved to the dolphin next to Keigo, smiling and murmuring excitedly when she waved back. Your instructor looked very happy, giving a fish to her.

About half an hour passed as the time was ending when something you didn’t expect was announced, “So to end our memorable experience, let’s thank your friends here and give them some love. Each of you will give one of our friends a kiss.”

Your turn came up and you swam towards the dolphins and Keigo, deciding that you’d kiss the dolphin that you liked the most, burying the thought that you would rather kiss the attractive blond instead. Trying to fight a blush coming up when you were in front of him,

“Hope you’re not too cold in the water because I’m more than happy to warm you up.” He motioned the one you chose and guided your hands with his and held your hip to his to keep you from falling. You felt a bit braver and decided to go for it.

“I’d rather kiss you than the dolphin, Keigo.”

“I’m more than happy to grant that request after the show, Y/N”

With that you held the dolphin's mouth and placed a quick kiss on her mouth, swimming back trying to play it off like nothing happened, but something told you the rest of the group had caught on that something was going on between you two. but didn’t seem to mind.

You all waded back to the platform near the dock while the two other trainers joined Keigo, one of them being a beautiful woman with long white hair tied into a brain laughing at her other coworker who looked unhappy to be completely soaked.

He had short black hair with burns on his face with many piercings shouting something at both of them to stop laughing at him, threatening to push him into the water. You laughed quietly as you saw them call all the dolphins over and give them fish, blowing their whistles.

They flipped in the air, crashing down into the water and performing certain tricks, and coming back for fish. Everyone applauded when they finished and you started to head over to the changing rooms, ready to take off this cold wetsuit. Passing by the two trainers and seeing them motion you over.

“So you’re the one who has Takami’s attention! Nice to meet you! Name’s Rumi! The burnt one is Dabi.” You stifled a laugh at her statement as he punched her arm. “It’s nice to meet you both! I hope it wasn’t too noticeable,”

“With Takami, it always is but you’re good. He’s generally very charismatic with others but we’ve never seen him blatantly flirt with someone!” Someone called them over and waved goodbye to you Rumi jogging over and Dabi begrudgingly walking over as well.

Smiling, you shook your head and went to get changed, stepping up the ramp while thoughts buzzed around your head. As you reached the door to the changing room, a hand touched your shoulder and saw none other than Keigo himself. Already changed out of his wetsuit and into his bathing suit, sporting some loose necklaces and red earrings.

“Hey, I can help you change if you want. I know those things are hard to get out of, especially after you get wet.” Smirking as he eyed you up and down before quickly switching expressions, “That is if you want to, it’s completely okay if you don’t though.”

You couldn’t help but smile at the way he nervously played with one of his earrings, still being his adorable self. “Keigo, I’d gladly love help. Knowing me, I’ll probably need it.” He laughed with you, leaning against a wall as you went in to get your stuff.

This was actually happening. This amazingly gorgeous man was actually into you.

Getting your stuff you opened the door to see him smile and tilt his head towards the nearest bathroom. As you walked, you couldn’t help but get a bit nervous about this but you were more excited than anxious.

The door closed and you felt his hands on your waist as you put your stuff down. Turning around to meet his gaze but you were stopped as he tightened his grip on your waist, pulling you back into his body. Keigo placed kisses on your neck, reveling in the sighs you gave in response.

He placed pecks on your neck, sucking and biting certain spots, humming when you relaxed your neck on his shoulder. “Mhm, dove you are so gorgeous. I could barely do my job when you’re there in that skin-tight suit, and I’m not going to lie when I say I'm excited to see this off you.”

“Then why don’t you find out?” He pulled the zipper on your back down, hearing the sound of it slowly descending and feeling the air brush against your bare skin. You began to pull your arms out of the sleeves while Keigo pulled the tight material down your hips and caressed your legs.

Your breath hitching when he ran his hands over your thighs, whispering under his breath how soft and perfect they were. Lifting your legs out of the pants and standing there only in your bathing suit, moving closer to Keigo and putting your arms around his neck, kissing him softly.

Happily returning the kiss, he nipped your bottom lip and ran his hands over your figure. You opened your mouth letting him in, his tongue brushing against yours and moaning softly. His lips were so soft and warm, weaving your fingers into his blond wiry hair.

A phone went off and Keigo broke apart quickly, “Ignore it, I want you so fucking bad, Y/N.” “So do I, Keigo.”

A few seconds passed as his phone again, groaning, he stepped back, keeping his hand around you and answering whoever was calling him. “Yep…. yeah, I’ll be right there.” He frowned and kissed you again, slipping you a piece of paper.

“Gotta go, dove. Text me, we’ll finish this later~” Quickly escaping out the door and winking, leaving you a flustered giddy mess. This was turning out to be a good trip and it would only get better.

[bangtan-gal]

Sailing on Clouds

Johnny Seo x Fem!Reader

Captain!Johnny Fairytale!AU Pirate!AU

Word Count: 2.6k

Warnings: angst, fluff, messed up relationships, mentions of past abuse, almost deaths, death

A/N: there will be no part 2

You were certain you hadn’t gone to sleep on a boat, but when you opened your eyes, you were greeted by a wooden ceiling and the ground gently rolling below you. With a groan, you sat up and struggled to adjust to the dim lighting. Sounds of waves slapping against solid surfaces were loud and the ship rocked wildly. You could faintly hear voices shouting at one another. 

You were given no time to figure out where you were or how you got there, because light slanted through the dim room. Wood creaked and heavy boots stomped along the floor. You whirled around and pursed your lips as a man shuffled through boxes. Then his eyes moved beyond the boxes and locked. A weak smile stretched over your lips as you tried to come up with an excuse. 

He didn’t even give you a chance to talk as his fingers dug painfully into your upper forearm and he dragged you up the stairs with him. You kept spluttering, random bits of words falling from your lips but you didn’t come up with a single sentence. You shielded your eyes from the light as you stood in the middle of the ship, surrounded by rugged men. 

“Cap’n!” The man holding you shouted. You cringed and tried to move away from his loud voice. “I found us a stowaway!”

You followed your captor’s gaze and watched as a tall man walked towards. Unlike the rest of the men around you, he wasn’t rugged or dirty. He had a handsome face with full lips, a sharp jawline, and dark, mischievous eyes. Nerves started to bundle in your stomach, worse than before as you looked around. You stood in a sea of bandanas, funky looking hats, eyepatches, and gold teeth. 

These weren’t sailors.

They were pirates.

The Captain stopped in front of you, his eyes running up and down your figure. Something stormy was brewing in his eyes behind the amusement. He looked his thumbs through his belt loops and motioned for the man holding you to let go. You rubbed your arm, sending a glare his way and then turned back to the man in front of you.

“Now how’d you get on our ship, dearie? We’ve been at sea for five days and haven’t seen you once,” he purred. His voice sent rivets running down your spine and the way he leaned closer didn’t help either. 

“Must be rather good at hidin!” Someone from the group shouted. It wasn’t remotely funny, but laughter roared through the men and even the Captain chuckled a bit. 

“I—” you paused, your thoughts racing desperately. Then you frowned. Your mother.  “I am really sorry, but I haven’t been here this whole time. You see here, my mother is this really powerful witch and she kind of randomly does these kind of things and calls them ‘tests’. I’m sure I’ll be gone in an hour… or a couple days. Who knows.”

Laughter picked up again after your explanation. The Captain leaned back and let out a scoff. He circled you like some predator and your skin prickled. He stopped behind you and you stiffened as his mouth was pressed against your ear. His warm breath tickled the hairs on the back of your neck and sent cold shivers along your nervous system.

“That’s unfortunate dearie, because where I’m from we burn witches at the stake,” he whispered. Then he grabbed your wrist and started to drag you away. You fought against him, a bad feeling roiling in your gut. You watched as men moved around and a dusty plank was thrown against the edge of the ship. 

“Wai—”

He nudged you towards the plank until you were on it.  It tremored underneath you and creaked. Your breath caught in your throat and you stared at the sparkling blue water. It was gorgeous, but you weren’t the best swimmer.

“I’m sure it was by pure magic that you landed in the bay dearie, now I hope you like freezing water,” he chirped and then his eyes darted past you to the water. A wide grin appeared and his teeth were shockingly white. “Oh look at that! A Kremefluse!”

Something clawed angrily at your stomach and it definitely wasn’t hunger. Kremefluse were nasty creatures with millions of legs and even more teeth. They were too small to attack ships and large boats, but small fishing boats and unfortunate swimmer were an easy snack. There was no way to outswim them either, they could go over a hundred miles per hour and were super agile.

Basically, you were dead.

“Hey, please, I swear I’m not ly—”

You were cut off as a cheer started to erupt among the madmen around you.

“Let the witch drown! Let the witch drown!” 

He grinned at you.

“Considering you got a little cutie waiting for you, I won’t tie your hands,” he said. You glared at him, but it disappeared once he shoved you to the edge of the plank. Were these people seriously this sadistic? “Jump dearie, anytime now.”

You pursed your lips and looked over your shoulder.

“It’d be easier if you just pushed me,” you mumbled. He rolled his eyes and then carelessly stepped on the plank. It leaned down under his added weight. His hands pressed against your shoulder blades and then he pushed you.

This was a test from your mother, just like all the others. The thousands of other test you’d done, in different places, with different scenarios, and different people. If there was one thing you learned, it was how to be quick on your feet. Your hand wrapped firmly around his wrist and with the momentum the two of you already had, the both of you tumbled into the ocean.

There was a moment of peace underwater, but that all vanished when you popped up above the surface and saw the monster moving towards you. The Captain was sputtering beside you and the men above you were screaming orders at one another. The two of you made eye contact for a quick second, his full of surprise and something close to joy and yours narrowed into slits. 

Then you were tugged down as the tentacles wrapped around your legs. You took one last deep breath, your hand tightening around his wrist as the two of you were dragged off. Your ears popped as the water raced around you and the creature sped through the water. No one really knew if Kremefluses ate you or if they just dragged you off. That was what scared you the most: racing into the unknown, getting dragged by a terrifying sea creature, and connected to a complete stranger who was completely ready to let you die. 

He was pressed closer to you as the speed picked up. His face pressed against your shoulder. As seconds turned into minutes you felt your lungs start to burn. You pressed your three fingers against your palm and crossed your index over your thumb. Your lips were cold when you pressed your fingers to them. 

The water around your head turned to air. Then you remembered the pirate beside you and although he seemed cruel and your mother always taught you to get revenge, you couldn’t. He was human, just like you. You did the same motion and pressed your hand to his mouth. His eyes flew open and he breathed in deeply. 

Your fingers grew cold and you lost track of time. Small fish and turtles zipped past you. The creature swam around a group of jellyfish and scared a herd of whales out of its way. Finally, it started to slow down and then it came to a stop. It’s tentacles loosened and the creature turned on you, head tilted and blue eyes wide. It seemed surprised to find you alive and then it made a shrugging motion and swam away. 

Real air filled your lungs as you popped above the surface. He paddles beside you, black hair matted to his forehead. You were exhausted from just the two spells and willingly let him drag you towards the shore. The two of you collapsed against the warm gray sand. Your breathing was shallow.

As you lifted your head, you frowned. You knew this place; actually, you knew it too well. This was your mother’s island, your home. You cursed under you breath as you scrambled to sit up.

“We have to go,” you hissed. You grabbed his hand and forced him to stand up. He was just as dazed as you, but he followed willingly. 

“Did you save my life back there?” He asked as the two of you stumbled along the sand. You pursed your lips, thinking about how you were probably going to have to try and do it again. 

“I couldn’t just let you die.”

       He went silent and you were grateful for that. If this was one of your mother’s tests, you had to get the hell out of here before she found you. This had been one of her newest lessons: teach you how to embrace the “dark side” of your powers. You’d refused and this time you had a feeling that if you did, both of you would die.

You stopped once you were by a grove of trees and searched through them, trying to find the raft. The boy followed behind you, not exactly being helpful, but his presence helped you stay somewhat calm. 

“Who are you?” He murmured out of the blue. You looked back at him and then stepped away from the bushes you were trying to look over.

“Y/N, but that’s not really important right now,” you huffed, pushing past him and trying to find anything that would like remotely like a raft. Sweat started to form on your hands as you struggled to find it. This wasn’t good. You needed a way off the island and you needed it fast.

“It is if I’m supposed to properly thank you for saving my life,” he retorted and then stopped in front of you. He held out a hand and you begrudgingly took it, rolling your eyes as you shook hands. “I’m Johnny.”

“That’s nice,” you said sarcastically, “now, we need to find a raft before my mother comes and tosses our blood about like flower petals.”

He raised his eyebrow, not seeming to be aware of the danger at hand. Then he turned to the ocean, eyes scanning the horizon. You continued looking, but kept an eye on him, unsure of what was going through his head. Johnny looked over his shoulder at you and then winked. He whistled. It was loud and clean and seemed to cut through the land. 

“You’re not the only one with a little bit of magic in your pocket,” he explained at your expression. “I’m Captain for a reason: my ship always comes back to me.”

Part of you was skeptical, but your gaze still hopefully looked over the horizon, waiting for the wooden terror to come zooming over the waves. And then there it was: on the far horizon you saw the vague shape of a ship. It grew closer with ease and there were the black masts and the head of Medusa. It came to a stop about twenty feet out and then a little boat fell from it and zipped through the water. 

Johnny grinned at you.

“Well, off we go,” he murmured, holding out his hand to you. You shook your head and backed away. 

“You can go… but if I go with you, I’ll put you in danger,” you sighed and then nudged him towards his escape. He frowned at you and marched back over to you. 

“You said we’ll die soon and I’m not going to leave you here to get slaughtered,” he huffed. You stared up at him, your heart started to pound. No one ever cared about you, the witch’s daughter. They all thought you deserved to die along beside your despicable mother.  But still, you shook your head and closed your eyes.

“I have a better chance of surviving if you’re not here,” you whispered and pressed your hand over his heart, staring at him. You willed him to leave and never come back to look for you. “I can protect myself.”

For a second he seemed persuaded, his eyes glazing over as your wishes filled his head. But it was broken when a shill shout of joy filled the air and then a loud cackling. You whirled around, eyes widening as you mother walked along the shore, her eyes focused not on you, but on the man behind you. You stepped in front of him, forcing her attention onto you. 

“MY dear daughter!” She called, “I see you’ve brought that insufferable man straight to my clutches.”

“No I didn’t, he’s leaving unharmed,” you snapped. She raised an eyebrow at you and then laughed again.

“Honey, I’ve always warned you.”

The ground beneath you rumbled and you stumbled backwards, making sure to keep Johnny behind you. Fire was swirling around your mother and it felt like you swallowed all your courage. She was stronger than you. 

You looked at the boat and then back at Johnny.

“Please go,” you whispered. He shook his head, his hand finding yours. 

“Duck!” He shouted, grabbing you and tumbling to the ground. Heat blazed over you and you shook, fear starting to creep like ice along your body. You looked up to find your mother gone from her spot. You hurried to stand up and found that now she stood behind you, merely two feet away. Once again her focus was on the Captain, malice and curiosity burning in her eyes. She approached him and you grabbed her hand before she could touch him.

“Mother, please,” you begged. 

She glared at you.

“Your patience for humans will always surprise me.”

She waved her hand and you were thrown away. You rolled through the water and pushed up, gasping for air. She stood over Johnny and you didn’t even realize you were crying as you screamed at her to stop. You struggled through the water towards them as her hand started to close around his throat. Desperation filled you as you scooped up a handful of wet sand, muttered the incantation under your breath, and threw it in their direction. It landed by Johnny and then he disappeared and your mother stood over a plume of black smoke that quickly dissipated. 

She glared at you.

“He tried to kill you and you still save his life?”She shrieked. You shook in your spot, your vision starting to swim. “You even cry for him! I’m trying to protect you and teach you our ways and you reject me. Humans will always let you down!”

Your mother marched through the water towards you, her hand wrapping around you wrist. Pain whirled through your body and you sobbed again, your head dropping. Heat started to race through your body and her grip on your wrist only seemed to become harder.

“Most of them have rejected me and let me down,” you cried, “but that doesn’t mean they deserve death.”

You bit your lip, struggling to meet her gaze.

“And he was the first person who ever really cared for me mom,” you whispered.

Her eyes darkened and the heat that was spreading over your body became unbearable. Then it all disappeared and everything around you faded into darkness.  You faintly heard a loud shout coming from far away but then you were gone.

And in your place sat a small tree.

[pinelife3]

The Silence of the Girls

Pat Barker’s newish (August 2018) book The Silence of the Girls (TSOTG) recounts the final months of the Trojan War, as told by a slave woman. The obvious companion piece to TSOTG, and the key text Barker is responding to, is The Iliad, but Barker doesn’t pull out the way Homer did:

The Iliad only covers a few weeks in the last year of the war and does not include the famous Trojan horse or the actual defeat of Troy: at a high level, The Iliad covers Agamemnon’s lady troubles, the plague, Achilles’ sulking and decision not to fight, the death of Patroclus, Achilles’ return to battle, the death of Hector, the abuse of Hector’s body and Priam’s visit to Achilles.

TSOTG covers these events (also starting in media res - more on that later) from the perspective of Briseis. Our protagonist, formerly the wife of a king, was taken during the sacking of a city neighbouring Troy and was given to Achilles as a prize - like all of the women in the Greek camp, she is a slave. Barker and Briseis continue on after the burial of Hector to include the fall of Troy (no mention of the horse though...) and the rape and destruction which followed including the fate of Astyanax, the Trojan women being handed out as prizes, and the Greeks eventually setting off to return home.

I mention the famous events from the Trojan War above, but in TSOTG most of these happen off screen (out of our protagonist’s line of sight) and are reported to us as gossip spreading around the Greek camp. The reader is stuck in the camp with the women and doesn’t see any of the excitement and action on the battlefield (except for when Briseis climbs on the Myrmidon ships to see the battlefield in the distance). The reader is also privy to a lot of ‘girl talk’ amongst the women as they discus their experiences with the Greek soldiers: who’s pregnant, who’s beloved, who’s in favour. So despite hitting the same broad plot points, we are kept away from the iconic set pieces of the war, and instead get a tour through the backrooms where women do laundry, pray, and heal the injured soldiers. 

When we studied Wide Sargasso Sea in high school, it became part of an interesting conversation on high-lit fan fiction: Jeans Rhys reveals the mysterious mad woman in Rochester’s attic, and she shows us how he drove her mad. More than a hundred years after Jane Eyre was published, Rhys, a Dominican author, chose to get into it with one of the stodgiest pieces of English literature out there. She introduced new themes of colonialism and undermined Rochester as the Byronic hero. I don’t think anyone will read Barker’s text that way - Homer’s works and the Bible are so canonical that referencing or interacting with them feels like it doesn’t count as fan fiction (has anyone ever argued that Paradise Lost was fan fic?). Because Barker is a serious author with a Booker Prize on her shelf, they call TSOTG a ‘retelling’ rather than fan fic, but what is more fan fic than recounting a famous story from another character’s perspective? 

For reference: Stephanie Meyer has done this twice to her own novels. She retold Twilight from Edward’s POV in Midnight Sun and wrote a gender flipped version of Twilight called Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined. From Wikipedia, it seems like a pretty straight-forward find and replace job: Life and Death tells the story of 16 year old Beaufort Swan who moves from Arizona to Washington to live with his dad - on his first day at school, he meets the beautiful and mysterious Edythe Cullen... 

^^ It’s fun to laugh at Twilight but remember this: Bon Iver recorded a song for the soundtrack. The New Moon soundtrack also featured Death Cab for Cutie, Thom Yorke, Grizzly Bear and a bunch of other bands with legitimate indie credibility (Pitchfork still gave it a 5.4) - why did they agree to be on this soundtrack? They must be getting approached for this kind of work all the time and New Moon’s budget was not huge - only $50 million so it’s not like they would have been offering obscene cash. Probably a mystery for another time...

Most of Barker’s works deal with war in some capacity. The only other book of hers which I’ve read is Regeneration. In that book, Barker riffs on historical figures, places, events, and literary works as she explores the impacts of WWI on returning English soldiers suffering PTSD. There are a lot of complicated ideas moving around and bumping up against each other - it’s like she’s playing a 20 string guitar or jamming out on a 40 piece drum kit or something: she’s just super masterful and it’s a good read but also interesting to look at how she achieved it technically. It’s a super satisfying book to explore and think about and probably my favourite war book (maybe tied with Slaughterhouse 5).

In TSOTG, she’s still interested in war, but now she’s looking more closely at the impacts of war on women. In a way, TSOTG seems kind of blunt and stupid in its handling of war compared to Regeneration. Barker is so focused on proving that women had it bad during the war and trying to deromanticise the Greek warriors, that she depicts all the men (except Patroclus and Achilles) as childish brutes: they’re capricious and proud, they’re rough and inconsiderate, they take offence easily, they eat messily and they drink too much. We never see them in action on the battlefield, so the one thing they’re good at is hidden from us: we don’t get to admire their magnificence but when they die, the women make fun of their shriveled cocks. Of course, we see this through Briseis’ biased eyes (fair enough given her situation), but what she reports of their behaviour is pretty bleak. No one has a rich interiority: they just fuck, shit and fight. It seems like Barker’s argument is that the men must be assholes because they rape their slaves. But we know that’s not how it works: the men raped their slave women because that was the cultural norm but beyond the raping they were average guys. In fact, the raping and slaving made them average. Not heroes, not assholes. Just 1100BC guys.* 

(*This isn’t ‘boys will be boys’ - if anything it’s historical relativism. I’m not saying it’s average because they were guys, I’m saying it’s average because it was a long time ago. Remember, Jesus was a radical thinker with all his wacky ideas about compassion and love - and he was still more than a 1000 years away. The Greeks were very advanced in some ways, but their culture relied on slavery - at a point you need to accept that that was their normal (bad by our standards, yes) and engage with them on their own terms otherwise you’ll never get anywhere in a conversation about their values.)

Barker retells this astonishing passage from The Iliad about three quarters of the way through TSOTG - just to set it up, Achilles killed Prince Hector and has been desecrating his corpse (dragging it behind his chariot) as vengeance for the death of Patroclus (Achilles’ closest friend). In ancient Greece, it was believed that you couldn’t pass on to the underworld until you’d had a proper burial. Beyond being disrespectful, the abuse of Hector’s body torments his family because it means Hector cannot pass peacefully to the afterlife. Growing desperate, Hector’s father King Priam has snuck out of Troy and come to the Greek camp to beg Achilles to return Hector’s body:

Priam found the warrior there inside ... many captains sitting some way off, but two, veteran Automedon and the fine fighter Alcimus were busy serving him. He had just finished dinner, eating, drinking, and the table still stood near. The majestic king of Troy slipped past the rest and kneeling down beside Achilles, clasped his knees and kissed his hands, those terrible, man-killing hands that had slaughtered Priam's many sons in battle. Awesome - as when the grip of madness seizes one who murders a man in his own fatherland and flees abroad to foreign shores, to a wealthy, noble host, and a sense of marvel runs through all who see him so Achilles marveled, beholding majestic Priam. His men marveled too, trading startled glances. But Priam prayed his heart out to Achilles: "Remember your own father, great godlike Achilles - as old as I am, past the threshold of deadly old age! No doubt the countrymen round about him plague him now, with no one there to defend him, beat away disaster. No one - but at least he hears you're still alive and his old heart rejoices, hopes rising, day by day, to see his beloved son come sailing home from Troy. But l - dear god, my life so cursed by fate ... I fathered hero sons in the wide realm of Troy and now not a single one is left, I tell you. Fifty sons I had when the sons of Achaea came, nineteen born to me from a single mother's womb and the rest by other women in the palace. Many, most of them violent Ares cut the knees from under. But one, one was left me, to guard my walls, my people  the one you killed the other day, defending his fatherland, my Hector! It's all for him I've come to the ships now, to win him back from you - I bring a priceless ransom. Revere the gods, Achilles! Pity me in my own right, remember your own father! I deserve more pity ... I have endured what no one on earth has ever done before - I put to my lips the hands of the man who killed my son." Those words stirred within Achilles a deep desire to grieve for his own father. Taking the old man's hand he gently moved him back. And overpowered by memory both men gave way to grief. Priam wept freely for man-killing Hector, throbbing, crouching before Achilles' feet as Achilles wept himself, now for his father, now for Patroclus once again, and their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house.

(Not sure about this translation but it’s the best I could find online)

So this scene plays out beat for beat in TSOTG, and it’s very moving and well done (well done by Homer originally - and Barker renders it well too), but Barker wants to make it about the women so in response to Priam’s famous line ‘I kiss the hands of the man who killed my son’, Briseis thinks: "And I do what countless women before me have been forced to do. I spread my legs for the man who killed my husband and my brothers.” Is she an asshole for thinking about herself in this moment? I understand what Barker is trying to do: elevate the suffering of the women to the same platform that the men have always had. But this is graceless. It’s not a competition. 

Another element I found frustrating was the suggestion in TSOTG that the Greeks regarded Achilles’ close bond with Patroclus as unusual - characters are scornful of Achilles’ relationship with Patroclus and make snickering jokes about them being gay. This is disappointing because I am sure Barker did her research and therefore she must know that ancient Greece was probably more accepting of homosexuality (at least between men) than society is today. The only whisper of controversy around their relationship was the ancient equivalent of the ‘who’s the bottom?’ question: the Greeks would have been curious about who was dominant and who was passive, but wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow at Patroclus and Achilles being together.

Frank Miller also choose to make his ancient Greeks homophobic in 300 and Alan Moore, always happy to play the expert, was quick to point out the mistake:

There was just one particular line in it where one of the Spartan soldiers—I'll remind you, this is Spartans that we're talking about—one of them was talking disparagingly about the Athenians, and said, ‘Those boy-lovers.' You know, I mean, read a book, Frank. The Spartans were famous for something other than holding the bridge at Thermopylae, they were quite famous for actually enforcing man-boy love amongst the ranks as a way of military bonding. That specific example probably says more about Frank's grasp of history than it does about his grasp of homosexuality, so I'm not impugning his moral situation there. I'm not saying it was homophobic; just wasn't very well researched.

Anyone with even a passing knowledge of ancient Greece would be familiar with their permissive attitudes toward homosexuality. Why did she choose to do this? I know she’s not homophobic because Regeneration sensitively observed the suffering of gay men, for example that minor speech impediments (lisps, stutters) manifested in men who were repressing their homosexuality. I don’t understand this choice from a woman who wrote maybe the best war book of all time.

TSOTG wraps up with a reflection on memory and the stories people want to hear:

I thought: Suppose, suppose just once, once, in all these centuries, the slippery gods keep their word and Achilles is granted eternal glory in return for his early death under the walls of Troy...? What will they make of us, the people of those unimaginably distant times? One thing I do know: they won’t want the brutal reality of conquest and slavery. They won’t want to be told about the massacres of men and boys, the enslavement of women and girls. They won’t want to know we were living in a rape camp. No, they’ll go for something altogether softer. A love story, perhaps? I just hope they manage to work out who the lovers were. His story. His, not mine. It ends at his grave... Once, not so long ago, I tried to walk out of Achilles’ story - and failed. Now, my own story can begin.

Through the sickening dramatic irony, I can pick out three points Barker is trying to make:

Achilles looms large, but Briseis is her own person and deserves her own story

This is the untold true story of what really went down during the Trojan War - the people aren’t ready for this heat but I, Pat Barker, will bring it to them regardless

This isn’t a love story, but if it were, it would be the authoritative and definitive Trojan War love story

Point 1: Briseis deserves her own story

As I mentioned earlier, TSOTG begins in media res - meaning unlike in Troy, we don’t see what the gang was doing before the fighting kicked off, the catalysts of the war, the journey from Greece, etc. The action begins mid-way through the war, mid-way through a day, mid-way through a battle as our protagonist, mid-way through her life, peers over the parapets watching the Greeks disembowel her countrymen. So TSOTG begins as Achilles enters Briseis’ life and ends just as he leaves it - it begins in media res because no one would want to hear about her boring ass life before incandescent Achilles walked into it. Briseis is most interesting when she’s talking about Achilles, watching him from afar, describing their awkward encounters, analysing his behaviour - sure, the story is from Briseis’ perspective, but she’s always looking at Achilles. Is Barker arguing that we should care about Briseis outside of Achilles? She can’t have it both ways! She can’t complain that no one cares about anything but Achilles and then tell a story centered around Achilles, make Achilles the most interesting character and - in a particularly weird move - allow him to narrate some chapters in the second half of the book. 

Point 2: This is the grittiest telling of the Trojan War that readers have ever had to grit their teeth through

The suggestion that this is ‘the untold true story of the women of Troy’ is totally bogus - exploring what the Trojan War cost women has been done. Euripides wrote the The Trojan Women in ~415BC, some 600+ years after when the Trojan War is estimated to have taken place (if it took place at all). It’s a tragedy which focuses on the Trojan women (Hecuba, Andromache and co.) as they process the death of their husbands, and learn what their fate will be (i.e. which Greek they will be gifted to). As with TSOTG, the action happens off-stage, out of the women’s line of sight and is reported to them by men as they come and go from the stage. It is a relentlessly horrible play: the centerpiece is the murder of Hector’s baby son Astyanax (Odysseus throws him from the walls of Troy) and the women’s response to this terrible news. 

It seems like Barker also takes issue with modern narratives glossing over the rape, slaughter and slavery that occurred during the war - but even Troy (by no means an unromantic movie) makes these elements pretty explicit:

In the clip above, the Myrmidons have brought Achilles the newly enslaved Briseis in case he would like to rape her. The slavery and rape threat elements are there. Is Barker saying that she wants to see the rape? Does this scene somehow read as romantic because he chooses not to rape her? Rape is being used more and more, especially in TV, as a way of creating realism in fantasy shows - and people do seem to have an appetite for it (see: Game of Thrones, Outlander). So her suggestion that modern audiences want a sanitised version of the war doesn’t work for me. 

Point 3: This isn’t a love story. It’s about rape. But also... don’t you just love Achilles?

Quoting from Briseis’ final words again:

No, they’ll go for something altogether softer. A love story, perhaps? I just hope they manage to work out who the lovers were.

Sounds pointed. Barker is implying someone out there got the lovers wrong. It can’t be Troy because they went with the Achilles/Briseis angle too, so is she referring to Madeline Miller? Miller’s 2011 novel The Song of Achilles is a love story focused on Patroclus and Achilles (disclosure: I haven’t read it). As I mentioned earlier, Barker, going against all evidence we have about ancient Greece, chose to make her Greeks homophobic. She does touch on Achilles and Patroclus’ famous intimacy, but frames it more as some kind of preternatural closeness which goes beyond brothers or lovers. In Barker’s defence, Homer never explicitly said that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers, but the suggestion of it is certainly part of the canon. I had a high school Classics teacher who scoffed at Troy because she thought Achilles should have been banging Patroclus instead of Briseis. 

Also: since we’re talking about a ‘rape camp’, were there really many lovers?

For a feminist take on The Iliad, this book has some weird gender politics. Achilles rapes our protagonist - a lot. He’s childish, he has mummy issues, he’s abrasive and fussy - but we want Briseis to win him over! We want Achilles to notice her. He’s so magnetic, even if you write him as a spoiled pig, he’s still Achilles. He’s the coolest guy in school. He’s the rower with big shoulders. He wears his hat backwards. He comes to school on Monday with a black eye. He doesn’t know anything about computers. He says he likes Hemingway. He smells good without deodorant. His socks never stay up. If you walk beside him in a hallway, you can feel heat radiating from his body. His pouting and brattiness play into his magnetism somehow. I honestly think Barker might have fallen into the same trap as high school girls throughout history: we just love a bad boy. Want a glimpse into the terrifying mind of teenage girl? When I was 17, I dumped my high school boyfriend because he wasn’t enough like Achilles or Hector. People are romantic about the Trojan War, but that doesn’t mean they want a love story. 

[inkblxtrefxrmed]

Olympian Aesthetics                                                        

(repost, don’t reblog!)

Malva

APHRODITE / LOVE.

laughter-loving, sweet smiles, dressed in silk and satin, flower in their hair, sees the world as a runway, unapologetically sexual, the sea washing their ankles, in love with love, stirrer of passion, cunning concealed by painted lips, secret daggers, doves, revolution in their kiss, delighting in the waves, flirtatious winks, strolling along the beach, staring wistfully from a balcony, this is how to be a heartbreaker, wants to be adored, gets turned on by danger

APOLLO / SUN.  

glitz and glamour, art galleries, turning the volume up, being made of gold, neatly-organized music sheets, notebooks filled with poetry, bathing in the sunlight, the powerful urge to create, collecting vinyl records, beautiful cover of wonderwall, playing multiple instruments, tasting like sunshine, healing touch, speaking in prophecies, smile mingled with wrath, shunning lies, sporting shades, hanging out at music festivals with their friends, sleeps naked, arrow to the heart, paint brushes, probably has a tinder account

ARES / WAR.  

armed for battle, wants to raise a dog with their significant other, soft spot for children, gives piggyback rides, scarred body, blood on their hands and face, willing to fight the world for the ones they love, fights against injustice, warm hugs, well-worn combat boots, boxing gloves, bandages wrapped around bruised knuckles, fist raised in protest, ignites revolutions, fear is a prison, more sensitive than what their tough shell would have you think, exhausted, damaged goods, force to be reckoned with, red roses, curses under their breath

ARTEMIS / WILDERNESS.

keen sense of a hunter, freckles like constellations on their skin, piercing eyes, dishevelled braid, moonlight peeking through the shadows, the calm of the forest at night, lying on the grass and staring at the stars, mother doe and her fawn, protecting their kin, the moon shimmering on a still lake, quiver full of arrows resting against the bark of a tree, running with wolves, bonding whilecircled around a campfire, not being much of a people person, arrow hitting a target, popping egos, patience on 3%, touches heaven and returns howling

ATHENA / WISDOM.  

discerning gaze, unreadable face, quiet museums, owl perched on their finger, armour that intimidates, eye for architecture, plays the sims for the sole purpose of building houses, studied the blade while everyone else was busy getting laid, big fan of logic, loves brain teasers, ancient buildings, sweaters in neutrals and cool colours, hair done up, can kill you with their brain, heads to the library often to research, sharpened pencils, abs that can cut steel, stoic statues, pottery classes

DEMETER / HARVEST.

soil-covered hands, smile that can bloom flowers, skin loved by the sun, being the mom-friend, can lift you and your friends, flowers kept in the pockets of overalls, takes pride in their beautiful garden, speaks to their plants, leaves rustling in the wind, stalks of wheat, picking fruit, greenhouses, heart as strong as a mountain, values simplicity, daisies dotted across a collarbone, curls crowned with flowers, folded pile of sweaters in warm hues, pulling out fresh-baked bread out of the oven and the smell wafting through the air

DIONYSUS / MADNESS.

drunk shitposter, on their sixth glass of wine before you’ve even finished your second, seductive smirks, untamed curls, rich fabrics on dark skin, sleek-furred panthers, theater masks, stage productions, receiving a standing ovation, rose caught between their teeth, being the baby of the bunch, wild parties that last from sundown to sunup, creeping vines, inspiring loyalty, grand opera houses, masquerade balls, rolls of film, shattered chandeliers with broken glass scattered across the wine-spilled floor, pouring champagne into flutes, lives for the applause

HEPHAESTUS / CRAFTSMANSHIP.  

the calloused hands of someone who knows labor, sweaty brow, flame burning in their eyes, inventive mind, broad shoulders, steampunk goggles, nuts and bolts stored away in little boxes, ashes, striking a match, blueprints for future projects, fixing up a busted up car and giving it cool upgrades, wrestles with bitterness, work boots have seen better years, wrinkled plaid shirts, iron melted in blazing fire, huge jackets, crafting masterpieces, greased-stained overalls,fascination with robotics, pain is fuel, stack of weaponry, even their muscles have muscles

HERA / MARRIAGE.  

resting bitch face, dressed to the nines, cows grazing on a pasture, cool rain, loving and hating fiercely, hand clutching a string of pearls, large chandelier with glittering crystals, plays the sims for the sole purpose of killing off their sims, romance to realism, pictures of the sky while flying on a plane, files that under fuck it, downs glasses of wine as they relax with a scented bubble bath and netflix, like their selfie or you’re grounded, knows 57 convenient ways to murder a man, dark eyes that penetrate your soul, marble and gold

HERMES / MESSENGER.

devil-may-care smile, always up-to-date on the latest technology, will steal your french fries, does it for the vine, shitposter, puts googly eyes on everything, meme hoarder, long drives on the highway, ma and pop diners, spontaneous road trips, folded maps, fingers dancing across the keyboard of a laptop, shooting hoops on the basketball court, chatting up strangers as you all journey to your own destinations, goes jogging in the morning, mixes redbull with coffee, menace on april fool’s, hoodies and sneakers

POSEIDON / SEA.  

storm with skin, colourful coral reefs, waves crashing against the shore,stroking the soft fur of a cat, their heart pounding as their horse’s gentle trot speeds into a gallop, tousled locks, clothes smeared with paint, owns several sketchbooks yet always yearns to own more, leather jackets, fondness for diy projects, handwriting that flows across the page, nimble fingers playing the strings of a violin, velvety singing voice that haunts your dreams, mood as ever-changing as the sea, the roar of a motorcycle, compass with a spinning arrow

ZEUS / SKY.  

thunder in their heart, running on coffee, flash of lightning, natural charisma, eloquence, badass in a nice suit, aficionado of history, force of nature, lenny face, nightmare-filled nights, proud arm around their lover’s waist, high-rise buildings, planes soaring through a cloudless sky, technician on the piano, maintains order, strong handshake, juggling multiple events on their busy schedule with ease, expensive watch

Tagged by:  @littlexbluexflame

Tagging: @gxthic--days @spittercastequeen @sewn-cutie and anyone else

[felineisafoolwithapen-blog]

The Cat and the boy

Warmth was not something I was generally accustomed to, though on the rare occasions I found a warm day in the blasted ice lands, I certainly don’t plan on spending them outside. Yet here I was, dragged from my safe hovel of darkness, into bright terrible light. Sitting on the shore of the local river, the shade of a cluster of trees protecting fair skin from the harsh sun, while normally a terrible time it had its perks this time around. Namely a perk by the title of kiwi, oh how eager I had been to agree to an outing with the prince of desires, and while true I hated going outside, watching the shirtless pet prance about in the water, laughing, shouting, and overall being oh so terribly adorable, ‘twas well worth the punishment of the sun, more than once I had to avert my gaze, lest I cause myself another nosebleed. I did however have a delectable idea, despite my aversion to the sun, I often came to the particular spot during the night, enjoying the peace, quiet, and inherent darkness, thus meaning I knew the paths well, even in the ones less walked, ones that go undisturbed for entire weeks. Giving a lazy grin I stood and winced at the sun before calling out “Oh Kiwi darling” the ever-calculated purr giving my words the desired effect, slow and deliberate seduction. The boy, for the most part, had managed to tamper down his blush, though red still held to his face with every word, though looking over from his place in the water his own grin gave evidence to his delight. I tilted my head to the side as I curled my fingers in a come-hither motion. As he swam to the edge of the earthen ridge I knelt down, while opting to keep my clothing on, even despite the heat, I had been convinced to wear at least shorts and a T-Shirt, it did come to a surprise that my legs and arms were smooth, not a stray hair left, and at the time I had very audaciously made the suggestion that I was smooth all the way through, which had the delectable boy blushing all over again, though now I motioned behind me, the thicket of woods opening into sparse pines and dense woods “Care to do some exploration?” at the odd look of almost accusation I grinned deviously “It’s equal part to show off some of Feline’s favorite spots and to get you alone” Kiwi gave a small laugh, though it was clear he was unsure if I was joking or not, perfect, I adored that look, to be fair I adored every look kiwi gave though.

I offered a hand to help Kiwi up, to which he naturally took, and with little strain, I hoisted him from the water, another surprise he had learned was that I was not nearly so weak as I appeared, despite having a lithe body I could pick him up and carry him easily, after brushing imaginary dust from his shoulders, fingertips lingering on his collar for several seconds more than need be, I gave a small grin, before spinning and sauntering onto the path, tossing an extra sway to my hips, I knew he was watching, I reveled in such knowledge. The stroll was lovely, even in the cursed daylight, the path could look like a fantasy painting on a good day, rays of sunlight fluttering through the foliage, a breeze soft enough to bring scents of the pines to one’s nose, sounds of nature surrounding us, truly it was a sight to behold, and one that easily moved to a secluded dead end, one where privacy was the forefront of the mind.

Kiwi took notice quickly, and red heated his face just as quick, while a devious grin spread, he opened his mouth to speak but a forefinger pressed to his lips silenced him quickly, “Shhh shh, needn’t use words my sweet little prince” I teased, his blush spreading but his eyes oh by the moon his eyes filled with lust, need, Desire. It took very little force to press him backwards, until his bare back touched the base of a large tree, my eyes lowered to his and my lips curled up in delight, leaning down slowly, I felt his breath hitch, and it took every ounce of willpower not to claim his lips, though I knew better, the buildup is what would have him squirming, whining, begging, for relief and my chosen method was to tease and taunt. Lips pressed to the pulse in his neck, drawing a shudder from him, pressing open mouthed kissed down to his shoulder where I nipped, canines leaving the faintest red mark against his skin, gasping softly his fingers pressed to my chest lightly, an amused huff escaped me as I moved up once more, butterfly kisses until I touched his jaw, grazing my teeth up until I held his ear in my teeth, pressing down softly until I got the quiet mewl I desired, and then down I went again, fluttered lips moving to his throat, biting down hard enough to get a soft cry from him, before kissing the flecks of red I caused, soothing him with soft words and gentle kisses. The boy was already a right mess in my grasp, his fingers were tugging at the loose-fitting shirt covering my chest, my own fingers dancing up and down his sides, drawing patterns with the stray droplets of water that decorated his bare skin.

Rather quickly a soft sound pulled from his lips, grinning deviously as I pressed my kisses below his ear “What was that Little one?” I purr darkly, electing a shiver from him, oh how I reveled in the shiver, my desire was pulsing behind my eyes and I knew the boy would be able to tell if he dared a glance to my gaze. “Please” he whimpered and by the moon I felt my resolve crack “Please what my little pet?” I murmured breathlessly “Please Feline” snap oh by the moon not exactly what I was looking for but I couldn’t help it any further, he sounded so, innocently devious, so needy, so wanting. In a fraction of a moment my lips pressed to his with disparity, one hand tangling in his still damp hair, the other curling around his hips to press them to mine, gods of old he was already hard, though to be fair as was I. The kiss was hard, passionate desperate a mash of lips and partial to teeth, tongues pressing to each other feverishly as his fingers dug into my shoulders, he was whining, perhaps I was as well, I wouldn’t be able to tell I was focused on ensuring what was Mine stayed Mine and that meant moving my hands to his waist to pull away from him, soft huffs of breath escaping me, I felt heat in my face, I’m positive I had red on my cheeks, though Kiwi’s entire face was bright with flush. I gave a grin, promising oh so much more when I had the Sweet prince alone, all to myself.

I stepped away slowly as I nodded down the path we came from “well come now Cutie” I purred keeping my eyes to his “Feline desires to see you swim some more, it’ll please me so very much” Kiwi managed to give a slow nod as he moved to follow me, though I slide one arm around his waist, pulling him against me “Later I’ll even show you my favorite place for ice cream” He perked up considerably at the promise of sweet treats, I could only smile as I swayed down the earthen path, smelling of pine and desire.  

[bluerene]

river, part five [starx]

...it’s been a while, y’all.

Sorry about the long, long wait. For those of you who sent me sentence prompts, I’m sorry, I needed to take a break to focus on this, but I promise I’ll finish everything that is in my inbox. Thank you for your patience!

And if you were waiting for part five, well, here it is! All the parts are linked here since you’ll probably need a recap. The final chapter will be pretty short and sweet, so hopefully it’ll be up within the next week. As always, all my love to @fireflyxrebel and @mysticalmeowler because y’all are unbelievably supportive AND share my feelings regarding this ship. Also @lightdusk96 , who never fails to cheer me on through the worst of writers blocks. I hope you guys enjoy this <3

bless, 

blue 

She looked gorgeous bathed in moonlight.

Is that cheesy? It sounds cheesy. But it was honestly the only thing I could think when I arrived at the cove.

Starfire was already there, sitting near the shore, a purple drawstring bag beside her. She hugged her knees to her chest, drawing lines in the sand while she waited.

She waited. Somehow, that felt like everything.

I turned off my bike, kicked down the stand, and made my way over to where she was seated.

“Hey,” I said, offering her my hand, “pretty dress.”

It was. Who knew Starfire would look so good in blue? Not to mention all the skin I had never seen before. Her legs, her arms, her neck - completely bare, save for the studded band she wore around her bicep.

“I thank you. Your attire is nice as well.”

Weird, I’d never heard her say something so monotonously.

“You don’t think the mask looks goofy without the rest of the suit?” I gestured to my button-down, expecting a smile in return.

Starfire pressed her lips together and glanced at my bike.

She sighed, “we are going somewhere?”

“Is that a problem?”

Translation: did I do something wrong?

She smoothed out the pale blue hem of her skirt and shook her head, “I was unaware of the location change. My outfit may not be considered appropriate for -”

“There’s nobody you need to impress tonight, cutie. I promise. You look amazing.”

She smiled then, briefly, before returning her gaze to the sand, tracing squiggly shapes quietly.

“Everything alright?” I asked, joining her on the ground.

She sighed again.

“No. But I do not wish to spoil this evening by burdening you with the things that concern me.”

“Starfire- “

“Red X,” she cut in, lifting her face, “you do not need to pretend to care. I am content with this ‘date’ commencing as planned. We will eat and talk and go our separate ways and continue to battle as we always have.”

My stomach dropped. What? Where was this coming from?

“Okay. Fine.”

“I thank you.”

“We don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to. I’m sorry I sprung it on you without warning.”

Starfire shook her head.

“That is not what this is about.”

“Wanna tell me what it is then?” I snapped, “Because I have no idea what changed in the last ten hours. Did you come to your senses? Did you realize I’m not what you thought you wanted?”

My stomach dropped when she didn’t say anything.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I hated everything.

“That answers that, I guess,” I muttered, “I’ll see you around -”

She grabbed my arm before I could leave, holding me in place.

“It is not about you,” Starfire hissed, her eyes flaring, “it has never been about you. I tell you time and time again that I do not care about what you think. I see the good in you. And X’hal, Red X, despite your tantrums and the obvious obstacles between us, I like you more than I care to admit -”

Yes.

“But it has been an awful day, and I cannot bear to put up with your meaningless flirtations while I remain conflicted over my feelings.”

“Meaningless?” I echoed, prying her fingers off of my sleeve, “You think I showed up here, risking everything, for something that was meaningless?”

“I only meant -”

“I kissed you, Starfire. What did you think that was? A joke?”

God fucking damn everything.

I stood up to brush sand off the back of my pants, “I’m calling it a night. I’ve got stuff to do and I don’t want to waste your time with my ‘meaningless flirtations’.��

Starfire pushed herself off the ground and yanked me back.

“Why is it that Earth boys cannot stop running? Listen to me, for one moment you stupid clorbag,” she growled.

I’m sure I don’t have to describe how hot that was.

But like, it was hot.

“I apologize if I offended you, but I have already said that I like you, and if you are still unsure of where I stand, I will clarify that I have feelings for you, so perhaps instead of tending to your wounded pride, you will do the shutting up and prove that your words are not empty”

And if that wasn’t enough, she pushed her fingers under the bottom of my mask and lifted it to the bridge of my nose, closing the distance between us.

I did what any sane guy would do.

I kissed her back with everything I had. Her hands gripped the collar of my shirt, keeping me impossibly close while I held her hips against mine.

Despite the frustration that was there, she kissed me slowly, teasingly, pulling away to brush her mouth on mine gently before capturing my lips again. I ran my tongue along her lower lip, breaking the kiss when she giggled.

Ah, there she is. Beneath the angry-eyes and snarly-face, I could still feel the warmth of her touch.

“Is this okay?” I asked quietly, resting my forehead against hers.

She breathed slowly and nodded, loosening her grip on my shirt. “It is more than okay. I am sorry I doubted your feelings for me. I did not mean to hurt you.”

“It’s fine. I was acting like an asshole anyway.”

Starfire frowned and dropped her hands, “correct, but I should not have assumed the worst. I have had...an unpleasant day, and I took my feelings out against you unfairly.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?” I asked, letting go of her waist.

“It is alright, I know you had something planned for us tonight, I do not wish to ruin it.”

“Starfire,” I said seriously, taking her hand, “what’s wrong?”

I sat and tugged her down beside me, leaning back on my palms.

“Go on,” I probed.

She shifted uncomfortably and ran a hand through her hair, gazing out into the bay.

“I am confused about my feelings,” Starfire confessed, “because I am still in love with Robin.”

“Okay.” That wasn’t much of a surprise.

“But I have thoughts about you. And it feels as if I am betraying him by pursuing those thoughts. We have already drifted so much, and I fear that this will only distance us further.”

“Is that all you fear?” I asked, “or are you worried that being with me will ruin your relationship with him forever?”

Starfire’s eyes widened.

“I do not mean - x’hal, I am not waiting for him to come back to me, X, I swear I am not using you to -”

“Hey, shhhh, calm down,” I touched her arm gently, ”that’s not what I’m trying to say. I just think some part of you knows that any kind of relationship with me will threaten your relationship with him. And for that matter, the rest of your team. I mean, where do they think you are right now? Another late flight?”

Starfire turned pink and looked away.

“I informed Raven we were going on a date,” she said shyly, “but Cyborg and Beast Boy think I am trying to avoid Robin.”

Wait, what?

“I’m not gonna get cursed for taking you out, right?” I asked, inciting a giggle from her.

“Raven does not usually do curses, but there are not many boys I have gone out with, so I suppose we will have to wait and see,” she replied, smiling.

“Reassuring, cutie,” I said, shaking my head, “so, you’re confused about who you like. Or what you feel. That’s why you’re in a mood?”

“No,” she said miserably, propping herself up on her elbows and straightening her legs, “Robin and I had an argument.”

Ahhh.

“I’m sorry,” I said awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“It is my own fault. I have been distant for a while now. Today...it was simply the breaking of something bigger.”

“You can talk about it if you want. I don’t mind.”

Starfire tilted her head.

“Would that not be inappropriate? As I am on a date with you?”

I shrugged, “no point in following through with the stuff I planned if you aren’t in the mood. I brought food and blankets on my bike; let’s lay it out here and have a picnic.”

A smile spread across her lips slowly. “I did not know you could do spontaneity.”

“Hard to be in my line of work without a backup plan. And for the record, cutie, you don’t know much about me at all.”

She tucked her hair behind her ears and cleared her throat.

“I am hoping with can change that.”

I pushed myself off the ground and walked over to the X-Cycle .

“We’ll see.”

Dinner still felt fairly warm. Definitely hot enough to eat. I unpacked the food carrier, grabbed a blanket and a couple of the battery-operated candles, and the bag with my suit in it.

“You came prepared,” she commented, floating for a moment as I spread the blanket beneath her.

“Always am. Here, start turning these on. There’s a switch at the - yeah, perfect. Put them wherever you want. I brought fizzy cider too. I wasn’t sure what you preferred to drink, but I’ve never seen anyone say no to cider from - “ don’t say the restaurant name, you idiot, “ah, anywhere.”

“That is very sweet of you. For the record, my favorite drink is mustard.”

Ewwww. I shuddered.

“Like the condiment?”

Starfire laughed, clasping her hands together, “it is tangy and smooth and reminds me of the traditional faglaga juice from my home planet.”

“Right. Sure. I’ll take your word for it.”

Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Perhaps you will try it with me one day? Or we can share your favorite drink?”

“Could be fun, if I ever make it past the taste of mustard in my mouth.”

She shoved me gently - or what I assume was meant to be gently - into the sand.

“Ow!”

“Oops,” she said airily, covering her mouth to conceal her smile, “it is my bad. May we now eat?”

“Way to change the subject, cutie.”

“It is a skill I have attained mastery of.”

I gestured at the to-go boxes that sat on the blanket.

“Hope you like Italian.”

She did. Enthusiastically, though I’m not sure if that was genuine or just Starfire being her astoundingly kind self. It’s crazy that there’s even a difference there to consider.

We talked about everything and anything, inching closer and closer together until she was leaning against me. I told her about the cities I’d been to, the sights I’d seen, and the music I listened to. She talked about growing up a princess (go figure, right? Of course she’d be a literal fucking royal), her adjustments to life on Earth, and her hobbies, none of which were very surprising to me. I didn’t push her for many questions about her time as a Titan. I don’t know if that’s because I thought it would make her uncomfortable, or because I didn’t want to hear it, knowing that in all honesty, I would be a liar if I said I didn’t want that life.

Starfire, to her credit, didn’t push back either. But every now and then, she’d get this sad, faraway look on her face.

And me being the dumbass I am, opened my mouth to ask her about it.

-

“So what’d he do?”

I lifted my head from X’s shoulder.

“Hmm?”

He nudged me gently, placing a hand on the curve of my waist and running his fingers along the soft blue fabric of my dress.

“Boy Blunder. Whatever he did, it’s bothering you. So talk to me.”

I stared at him curiously.

“Why do you wish to know so badly?”

X shrugged and turned his gaze to the breaking waves that lapped against the shore. Stars glittered on the horizon, the bright shine of Vega casting a glow through the patch of clouds above us.

“I wanted to make this night good for you,” he said finally, “because it’s the one real chance I’ll get to be in between what I am and what you want me to be. I’m not a thief and you’re not a Titan. We’re just two people. And as long as you’re keeping this...thing to yourself, you’re going to be all sigh-y. Which would ruin your memory of this moment.”

X tilted his head and dragged his hand up my side to touch my chin.

“We can’t have that, can we?”

I blushed and looked down.

“C’mon, beautiful.”

His fingers intertwined with mine and I automatically moved closer to him, snuggling against his form. His touch soothed me. I had never expected it to feel like anything other than electricity, but there was a sense of peace that warmed me when he touched me like this.

I did not mean to make the comparison in my head, but at the time, I almost felt like I did when I was with Robin.

“Did you know that Robin and I have never been an item?” I asked, gazing up at the sky, “I am sure you did not. Most of the city believes we were or are together. Most of the Titans do as well.”

X waited patiently, lacking the usual quips he readily delivered so often. I pushed on.

“What you all do not know is that when the Titans were in Tokyo, Robin told me that...that a hero is all that he is capable of being. And emotionally, there are no openings for attachments beyond friendship.”

If I sounded bitter, it was unintentional.

“We have not been the same since. It has been a challenging year. We do not talk or spend time together in the same way we used to. And as of late, with my usual distance from him and the sneaking off I have conducted, it seems his patience is broken.”

X pressed a hand to my back, stroking it comfortingly as I pressed my lips together, voice wavering.

“We had an argument today,” I whispered, “I do not even recall why it began or who initiated it, but he was so angry. I have never ever seen Robin so furious or hurt. And the things we said...X’hal, it was terrible.”

“I’m sorry, Starfire,” he said quietly.

“Nothing he said was untrue. I wish he had spat lies in my face, but X, he was right. I have been selfish and cold with him lately. I have furthered the space between us. I am killing our relationship slowly,” I said miserably.

He drew his hand higher along the column of my spine, pausing at the base of my neck to bury his fingers in my hair.

“My mom had hair like yours, y’know.”

I froze, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.

“It was long. And thick. She always kept it tied back when she was working, but my dad loved it when she wore it open for him.”

“X…”

“My parents were the worst couple ever. They loved each other enough to share a house and a kid, but that’s about it. Dad used to fuck side-girls whenever he could. He got wasted every other weekend. Then Mom got sick and called it quits. She kicked him out and bullshitted a thousand lies so she could spare him the pain of watching her go through treatment. And so that she wouldn’t have to struggle through their broken marriage while she recovered.”

He turned his head and looked at me, dragging his hand to my jaw to hold my gaze to his.

“It’s crazy, the things people do to protect themselves and the ones they love. Not so different from what you’re doing with Bird Boy.”

I stared at him openly, tears filling my eyes.

Red X leaned in, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip.

“Beautiful,” he said simply, removing his hands and lying back on the ground, crossing his arms beneath his head, “I’m sorry if I said too much, you wanted honesty so I figured - oomph!”

I tackled him, squeezing his hips with my knees as I caged his body with mine. I gripped the edge of his mask and rolled it up to his nose, pressing my lips to his cheek gently before cupping his face and bending down to kiss him deeply.

He brought his arms to my waist, the thin fabric of my dress barely protecting my skin from his searing touch.

Everything felt too warm, as if the fire inside me had swelled to the surface of my body. He tasted like the cake we shared, smooth and buttery. Chocolate lingered on his tongue.

I shifted my hips, blushing when the movement resulted in a low groan escaping his lips. With wide eyes, I did it again, smiling when he panted.

“Cutie, I don’t think you know what you’re doing- ” he choked out, digging his fingers into my hips to steady me.

“I am learning,” I purred. 

He closed his hands around my wrists and sat up, attaching his mouth to the hollow of my throat.

“You usually keep your neck covered, right?”

I nodded.

“Good.”

I gasped when I felt him bite me, running his tongue over the mark to soothe the sting of his teeth.

X pulled away, gauging my response.

“Ah...too much?” He asked sheepishly.

The spot on my neck was still pulsing. Heat coiled in my stomach.

This was all so new.

“Not at all.”

He licked his lips and descended again, tickling my skin with his nose while his mouth explored me.

I snaked a hand between us to grip the collar of his shirt, dragging my fingers lower to undo the first button. Then the second.

I brushed my hand against his chest, marveling at the feel of it. He was smooth and soft, save for a few patches of puckered scars.

He flinched when I pressed my palm to his heart.

But I could not focus on the way he froze for the moment or the fact that his kisses had become greedier, dipping closer and closer to the neckline of my dress.

I was not thinking about the way he squeezed me closer, or the panic in his eyes when he finally pulled away to stare at the placement of my hand beneath the fabric of his shirt.

Because as soon as I touched him, I felt his heart beat faster. It quickened under my fingertips. It reminded me of the way I felt when I was around Robin.

And I realized at that moment, whatever doubts I possessed for X had vanished.

“What is it?” He snapped, clearly discomforted by my scrutiny.

“You mean what you said,” I said softly, meeting the eyes of his mask.

X pursed his lips.

“Yeah, we discussed this already, Starfire,” he said impatiently, “what about it?”

I shook my head.

“No, X, I can feel your heart. You truly mean what you said. You care for me.”

He flushed.

“We all have soft spots.”

“Not in this manner. Do you realize what this means?”

“It means I like you, cutie.”

“It means we have both developed the true feelings. How am I to treat you in battle? How are we to partake in a...relationship?” I closed my eyes and sighed, “I fear there is no going back.”

“Who said I wanted to go back?” He challenged, closing his palm over mine, “why is it all or nothing for you? Why can’t we work in-between?”

“Do you really believe we could be happy and successful in that place? To hide and lie and run around in the shadows?”

His grin thrilled me.

“Seems to me you haven’t minded sneaking with me these last few days. It’s not forever. It’s just until we figure out what we want. Does that sound so bad?”

“You would be the boyfriend to me,” I mumbled, “I could never oppose such an idea.”

“Boyfriend, huh? I was just thinkin’ friends with benefits - oof!” His cheekiness dissolved into laughter as he crashed into the sand.

I waved my fist threateningly.

“Clorbag.”

“Kinda your clorbag, though.”

His hand shot out and gripped my waist, tugging me on top of him.

“Since you copped a feel, do I get to as well?”

“I do not find your humor amusing in the slightest,” I said haughtily, rolling my eyes, “it would be wise to resume kissing me or risk further injury.”

I am pleased to say I did not think of Robin once  X covered my mouth with his. In fact, lying in his embrace on that vacant stretch of beach, I found myself filled with unbridled joy, the likes of which I hadn’t truly felt in a long, long time.

There was something comforting in his promise of an ‘us’. Knowing that although there would be challenges, he was willing to try. I did not know if our actions were the right ones, nor did I expect anything to come of what was unfolding between us. 

Later, Raven would express her anger with me for vanishing after my fight with Robin. Her gaze would fall on the marks along my neck and the candles around her room would flare white-hot. Beast Boy and Cyborg would share their concerns, curious about where I had been. And after I escaped to my room, Robin would knock on the door and apologize for his words, disappointed with himself and with me. And I would forgive him because I would still be warm from the evening I had spent out. My heart would quicken, and I would be confused because I would not know which boy was causing the stirrings in my chest.

But that is later.

For the moment, for this moment, the lies and deception have been worth it.

When we finally parted, I remained curled in his embrace, gazing up at the sky in all its wonder.

We made small talk. I did not mention his mother or father or the fact that he had opened up to me so easily. He kept his mask folded at his nose, unwilling to push it higher, but not wanting to seal his lips for the evening.

A loud buzz from his pocket reminded me of the outside world and the threat of what we were doing.

He cursed and glanced at the screen of his phone, reluctantly wiggling out from under me to write something.

“I’ve got a drop-off,” he said quietly.

I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest.

“You are leaving?”

“In this case, I don’t have much of a choice.”

I wanted nothing more than to remind him that was untrue. That he did have a choice, that what he was doing was wrong, and he was worth more than this.

But there was a determination in the corners of his smile. Finality in his grip.

So I let him go.

He promised me he would be safe and that it was an essential trade. He even told me he would be protecting the city by making this deal.

I helped him clean up the mechanical candles and blanket, packing them away in his bike while he retrieved his suit. He awkwardly asked me to turn around while he changed into it. I obliged him, only glancing when I was unable to resist the sight of him shirtless.

X hooked a leg over his bike and looked at me, holding out a hand.

I took it, allowing him to tug me over to his side.

“I’m sorry, cutie. You know I have to do this.”

“Be well,” I whispered, gripping the front of his suit and leaning in to kiss him gently.

He pulled me against his body, curling his arm around my waist.

“Again. Soon.” He breathed, lifting my hand to his mouth. His phone buzzed insistently, halting him as he kissed my fingertips.

I placed my hands on the sides of his head and pulled his mask down, snapping it beneath his jaw.

“Good luck.”

He nodded and kicked away the stand that kept his bike upright, revving his engine and taking off into the night.

I did not return to the tower immediately. Instead, I slipped off my shoes and raised the hem of my skirt to my thighs, wading slowly into the cool tides. The glow of the moon lit the waves as they lapped against the shore. The sand felt silky beneath my bare feet.

It felt ethereal. I did not feel quite as lost or confused as I had in the days before. I could not bring myself to be afraid. Not yet.

Not while I still tasted X on my tongue and felt his arms around my body. Not while the memory of his honesty was still fresh in my mind. Not while I could still feel his heart pulsing against my palm.

I flexed my hand and brought it to my chest, closing my eyes as I felt the even thudding beneath my skin.

I felt found.

[misssolitudesmusicblog]

My Music for October 2022

Dear Tumbler,

Happy Halloween! I hope that my monthly music blog finds you well and thriving. Hope everyone has had an amazing spooky season, I know I most certainly did. My dog Prudence definitely gave a spook this month when she wasn’t feeling too well and had me thinking it was a goodbye. I am happy and relieved to report that she is doing better. My dog is elderly and has been with me for 14 years. I hope next year to throw her a quincenda for she has been my best friend and most loving companion. Anywho my October was filled with many festivities with family and friends. I am so thankful for the time I got to share with them. I definitely look forward to the holidays with my family and friends. Thank you to all who have been following me this year and have given the time to listen to the music that has resonated within me. As always here is the link to my music for the month of October:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/52lBmq9VrxWiGq6Z6POS12?si=a32cc9f741d04b27

without further adieu coming in at number…  

55. Shore Story by The Mars Volta

54. Relax/Divide by Hail The Sun

53. Little Trouble Girl by Sonic Youth

52. Dear Prudence by The Beatles

51. Psycho Killer by Talking Heads

50. Feeling Myself by Wolf Alice

49. Therapy pt. 2 by Robert Glasper, Mac Miller

48. La Unica -Sprite Limelight by Kali Uchis

47. Miss You by Oliver Tree, Robin Schulz

46. Pink + White by Remi Wolf

45. Yes I’m Changing by Tame Impala

44. Growing/Dying by The Backseat Lovers

43. Call Off The Bells by The Early November

42. Cruel Melody by Black Light Burns

41. Heaven, California by Honey Gentry

40. Halloween by Phoebe Bridgers

39. Crystal by Stevie Nicks

38. Forget Me Nots by Patrice Rushen

37. Sabor a Mi by Eydie, Los Panchos

36. Little Dark Age by MGMT

35. Vampire Girl by BOYO

34. Midnight love by girl in red

33. Drive by Deftones

32. Talk To You by ALEXSUCKS

31. Songs About You by Sunbeam Sound Machine, POPPONGGENE

30. Body by Glume

29. Witches by Alice Phoebe Lou

28. Oh Kalhome by Jack Stauber

27. Porno Witch by Devil’s Witches

26. Sisters of the Moon by Fleetwood Mac

25. Fox’s Dream of the Log Flume by mewithoutYou

24. Fear by Current Joys

23. Sex-I’m a by Lovage, Mike Patton, Jennifer Charles, Nathaniel Merriweather

22. Xerces by Deftones

21. Careless Whisper by Eagles of Death Metal

20. Meet Me on the Equinox by Death Cab for Cutie

19. Change Acoustic by Deftones

18. Haunted by Beyonce

17. Test by Bedroom

16. Venus In Furs by The Velvet Underground, Nico

15. Seven Devils by Florence + The Machine

14. Uninvited by Alanis Morissette

13. Come Undone by Duran Duran

12. Spiders by Junglepussy

11. Shirt by SZA

10. Surround Sound by JID, 21 Savage, Baby Tate

9. Rainbow Signs by mewithoutYou

8. Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) by Deftones

7. Randall Flagg by Surf Curse

6. Dolce daydreams by Monica Riskey

5. Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett, The Crypt-Kickers

4. I Put a Spell on You by Sylvia Black

3. Black Magic Woman by VCTRYS

2. Soledad by Bomba Estereo

1. The Chauffeur by Deftones

Well folks that’s all the music that made my October. Wishing everyone Happy Holidays and a great rest of the year. 

Sincerely,

Miss Solitude