#daniel kaluuya imagine

[thesecretcornerintheroom]

Pairing: Oj Hayward x Black female reader

Warnings: Rated R for sure 18+, Thigh ridding, praise kink (some fluff if you squint)

Word count: 3,234

The plot: Y/n is Friends with the Haywards and has a crush on Oj who decides to give her a riding lessons.

Click here for part 2💋

“What do you mean horses scare you?” Em as we walk into the house with groceries. She said, laughing and slamming the groceries down on the table. “Me and horses don’t get along. I was at a fair once and-“ Your words were Cut short. Hearing heavy footsteps coming down the steps, you saw Oj in one of his old hoodies, his sun-bleached blue jeans filled out very well by his thighs, and his cowboy boots…. The only thing missing is the hat. Oj came back into the Room, skin glistening from being in the sun. He grabbed a water bottle out of the grocery bag. ”I need you to help me wash some of the horses, and Lucky needs-“ I knew it was coming any time OJ needed help with the Ranch; Emerald always has something to do. I wonder what the excuse would be. “Wow, you know what? I would love to help, but I have a thing to do for a nice little date tonight. Can you help me? Yeah, it might make her get rid of her fear of horses,” Emerald said, running out the door.

Before you knew it, you were in the barn with your arms crossed, standing awkwardly to the side, looking at the horses from afar. “Come here,” was all you heard from Oj, who was now brushing the horse.” “Ain’t no need to be scared of them. Horses are like big dogs,” he said. Still brushing the horse, he noticed you were inching closer to him, and lucky, slowly but surely, he grabbed your arm and pulled you closer to him slowly, making sure not to scare you.“When I was a kid,” he said, touching your waist. You forgot how to think as he shifted himself behind you. You could feel his rough hands on your hips.his chest against your back as he slowly edged you forward to the horse. Your body was hyper-aware, aware of what was going on. Your body was stiff, but your legs were still working. “I had to help my dad give birth to one, and I was so nervous I was only like ten he said. His voice was rough due to his whispering. You could hear the twang in his voice, making goosebumps rise on your neck, as he slid his warm hand down your arm to wrap his hands around yours to inch towards the horse. “It was a mess. Emerald was crying cause she thought the horse was dying. My dad tried to stay calm because the horse would come in one of our worst storms in years. That same year, I lost my mom, and all I kept thinking was, what if the horse loses his mom?” He said, his voice burning, his body tense like he wanted to cry. “I ran upstairs, threw on my shoes and jacket, and ran downstairs. “Come on, Dad,” I said as we bolted to the barn to help the horse. “My hand was now touching the horse's nose, my eyes not breaking eye contact with the brown horse in front of me, who was very calm and still. “We helped the horse give birth, and we named it Lucky. You're petting Lucky right now,” said Oj. His voice was making the hair on my neck stand up. I could feel his lips brush my ear as they formed into a smile. He was causing me to gasp in surprise and turn to him. “Oj, that’s so sweet,” I said, hand trembling. I was too caught up in the moment to notice how close our face was. He nodded at the horse and backed away, leaving me some time alone with luck to pet and connect with him. It’s safe to say I’m not scared of horses anymore.

“Y/N, y/n, you okay? You looked spaced out,” said Emerald, who handed me a drink. Emerald had made her a special drink she called “the lucky” because whenever she makes it, someone “gets lucky and does it.” (It is just strawberry lemonade and rum). “So when you gonna tell my brother you like him so he can get a life she said, Now sitting down beside me on the floor,” causing me to choke on the drink causing me to stop on my words. “What made you say that,” I said now with a sting in my throat and watery eyes. “I saw it in your eyes the first time we met, and also, you didn’t fall for my flirting,” causing me to giggle. “You are so full of yourself, and I don’t think I will say anything. He's quiet and reserved. I’m loud and bubbly. I wouldn’t wanna make him uncomfortable,” I said, sipping the sweet drink that had a bite. “My brother has been like that my whole life, but I'll say he has to tolerate me. I'm his sister. But my brother, don't just deal with anybody,” she said, sipping her drink. Causing me to listen intensely.” What do you mean by that-”

“What you all pick” said OJ, interrupting our conversation. Oj had on one of his t-shirts and some shorts and sat on the floor beside me. “ Jeepers Creepers, y/n never seen it,” said Emerald, stuffing popcorn in her mouth. “Really, but you don’t like scary movies, “said OJ, looking at y/n. He looked you in your eyes, confused. “I’ll be fine you said, handing your cup to him so he could have a sip. Oj is not a drinker. You’ve only seen him drink beer every blue moon. But you noticed if you hand him any drink you were drinking, he’ll take a sip, or if your eating food and you offer him a piece, he’ll eat it and then rate it, which you find hilarious. “Hmmm, 7/10,” he said, sipping the drink. “Excuse me!! My drink is a 10/10, and You wouldn't know cause you haven’t felt the magic of the lucky special,” causing me to giggle and him to sigh.

We watched the TV. At first, you were watching Jeeper Creepers, the two weeks of siblings running away from the human bug, the truck being scarier, and following the siblings; before you knew it, your eyes were heavy. You could hear Emerald snoring beside you. “You sleepy,” said Oj. “Yeah, I should be heading home. You said, starting to get up.” It’s late, you can stay here, take my bed. I’ll put Emerald in Dad’s old room, and I’ll give you something to sleep in. “Okay, I said, not fighting with him. My eyes were heavy, and I would rather feel a warm bed than be on the road for 20 minutes to get home.

Oj turned the Tv off. We left the popcorn and snacks downstairs. Oj carried Emerald to his dad's room. Once he placed Emerald in bed, we went to his room. You noticed his room was reasonably clean; nothing was out of place. You saw paperwork on the desk, the bed, The plaid comforter. “Here u go,” He said, handing me one of his old faded shirts and a pair of boxers. Thank you. I said, yawning. I went into the bathroom to change. I looked at myself for a minute in the mirror. This will probably be my first and last time in one of his shirts. It was white and had a faded logo of the ranch name on it. It was a little baggy on you. It fell loosely to your thighs. His boxer shorts were too big and kept falling off your hips, so you decided not to wear them. You noticed Oj putting some clothes back in his drawer, his shoulders and back muscles tensing. “Thank you,” you said just standing there, causing Oj to turn around. “Mhm,” he said after staring at you longer than usual and returning to his drawer. “You know you can tell me what you’re thinking,” y/n said, her drink and the sleepy feeling getting to her. “I get you don’t get much to say. I wish I were more like you sometimes, but if you ever have anything you want to say, I’ll listen”. Oj looked at you with a look of confusion. “I know. Listening has always been my strong suit. Growing up on this ranch, I had to listen to orders and take instructions, and with a sister like mine, I had no choice but to listen, he said. Before I knew It, I sat on his bed, legs crossed, and we talked without interruptions. We talked about his childhood, his dealing with the loss of his dad, and how sudden. that was. The room was filled with conversation, head nods, laughter, and engagement. “Okay,” you said so what’s your type you ask curiously. His eyes looked at the floor like he was thinking, then he looked at me. His eyes focused on me, and he stared at me awhile. “I don't have one,” his voice said. His voice was deep, which caused me to shiver internally. His words said one thing, but his eyes said something else. So you dont like what Emerald type I said, joking. I'm convinced that Emerald didn’t even know her type. If they were easy on the eyes and had a pulse, that was enough. ”I like what catches my eye,” he said, his eyes drifting away. “Why don’t you ever go on double dates with Emerald.” He asked, confused. “Dating has never been my thing. I love hanging out with friends and family, and I don’t particularly appreciate having to pretend I’m something I’m not till I’m comfortable with the person.” I was talking, thinking about all the bad dates I've been on or having to have a can-do spirit personality when the date was boring. “I don’t wanna have to pretend.” Between the conversation, I went from sitting on his bed to facing him sitting on the corner of his bed. His eyes were looking at me intensely. He was leaning in closer to me, hanging on every word I had said. Without a second thought, he stretched his hand out slowly to me, afraid he was going to spook me, and lay his hand on my thigh. “You don’t gotta put on a show for me.”

You became very aware that one hand was on your thigh, and the shirt he had given you fell perfectly in your lap to cover up enough of your body and leave rest to the imagination. You looked at him, feeling something turn in your stomach as your skin became hot. Without a second thought, you leaned forward and kissed him. The kiss was firm. His lips felt soft, and his hand slowly went from my thigh to my neck as he squeezed lightly, causing me to moan. OJ was leading the kiss, and I was following. You slowly wrapped your hands around his neck, bringing him closer to you. This caused him to let out a low grunt while kissing you, causing him to pull you into him while he was sitting on the chair. “Should I sit down?” I said, now in his lap once I sat on my leg On either side of his leg in the middle.

“You need to teach me how to ride,” I said, now feeling my hot center on his leg, which was adding the perfect pressure. I started to move my hips slowly and surely on his leg while kissing him. The kiss became more feverish and quick while I was driving my hips against his leg. I let a moan slip out of my mouth. His hands are now gripping my hips. “You gotta hold on tight, and you lead, and they’ll follow you.” He said, now locking eyes with me. The room that was once filled with conversation and laughter was now filled with something more serious; the remark was thicker in the air. As y/n looked back into his eyes, her eyes felt heavy as she started to move her hips back and forth slowly. Feeling tension building up in her hips and her core, she let out a gasp, causing Oj to grip her hips tighter and help her with movements of her hips on his thigh. “Uh-huh, just like that,” he said as he told me as he tightened his thigh, causing you to moan. He kissed her as another moan almost escaped her lips. My clit was now throbbing as I moved my hips back in forth. I could feel the wetness forming on his leg more. As I thought the sensation started to build in my legs, his hand went from my hips, now moving up to my waist, and my shirt was now rising as he went to touch my

Breast caressing and pinching my nipples caused me to inhale sharply, feeling that nerve goes down my spin he looked at me and removed the oversized t-shirt from me while I was still moving my hips, feeling the friction on my clit he was now kissing my neck nibbling licking leaving a tingly sensation. HIS hands grabbed my boob and licked my nipples. He seems to be taking his time with my nipples licking them, biting them, sucking them, causing me to bite my moan. As I grind into his hips, I feel his leg dampen more. My movements became more erratic, moving my hips and feeling my legs shake more. Knowing I was going to cum soon. “Uh uh,” he said grabbing my hips, “I want to be in you. I want to feel you, and I want to see you come on my dick. okay?” He said, his voice stern now, looking at me. “Okay,” I whisper. He was breathing quicker, trying to calm down.

Lay on the bed for me, and don’t touch yourself, he said. Now, lifting me off his leg, I could feel the cold air hit my body while my wetness ran down my leg. He placed me on the bed. Once he stood, he started to get undressed, and I took every part of his body in. He was thicker but also toned. You could tell from his physique he worked in nature, lifting, pulling, and tending to the ranch. Once he removed his underwear, his dick came from his boxers hard and ready. Ready for me, he started to climb on the bed, skin glowing in the dim light in his room.

As I lay down, I closed my eyes, trying to catch my body and thoughts. Is this happening? This isn’t a dream. Am I doing this with him? Oj?. I felt him climb on top of me. Are you okay he said his voice softer. If you want to stop, we can. I opened my eyes, knowing, looking into his eyes, that I was where I needed to be. His eyes were so big you always adored that about him. Whatever he didn’t say, his eyes always did. The hard part was knowing what he was thinking.

I’m okay I said, now looking at him with his shirt off, his skin still glowing. The light lighting over our bodies caused me to look at how his chest and shoulders had light stretch marks, causing me to smile. I lifted my hand, and my fingerprints glided across the skin's texture. Feeling the heat from his body under my fingertips caused him to shiver. He leaned his head down and kissed me. My senses were indeed heightened. His lips were soft, and his kiss was warm and slow. I could feel the air feeling my body as his hand rubbed my body. His hands felt amazing on my body. He had the type of hands that were slightly rough from working outside. He started to kiss my neck and the feeling he was giving felt amazing.

All the atoms in my body felt like they were moving. You could also feel him hardening on your thigh as he slowly moved against your thigh; you let out a moan as he bit your neck and rolled his tongue over your skin. “Please, I need you,” you said as you put your hands on the back of his neck, my hand moving down his back with my fingernails slowly dragging across his skin, causing him to moan and shake his head. He stops moving his hips with one quick motion, and he puts himself inside of you. Forcing you to gasp and him to grunt. You just basked in him being in you, the fullness he gave you, the throbbing and the heat. You were now focusing on him as he was now taking deep breaths.

“It’s been a while,” he let out a chuckle. “Then give me what you can you said, making him lock eyes with you. Before you knew it, he was slowly rolling his hips toward you, meeting your hips with a rhythm, causing you to moan. “You are so beautiful he said. “You know what he said?” “Yeah, you said meekly, more focused on the feeling more than anything. You could feel your stomach tightening, and your mouth opened slowly as you released your breath. “I need better than that he said as he snapped his hips into me, causing me to moan loudly.” YES, YES, you said. Now, he was picking up his speed. All you could feel was him going in and out faster. You could feel your legs start to shake, and you could feel yourself clenching around him. “Uh-huh,” he said, now more comfortable as he went in and out of me faster. My finger slowly dragged my nails down his back, causing him to grunt. I felt his hand wrap around my thigh to bring my leg up as he sank into me more, causing me to moan and close my eyes, my hand going from his back now trying to grab anything his arm, the blanket, the pillow. Y/n felt her wetness running down her legs on the sheets and her thighs. She truly wasn’t going to make it, and she knew it. The only sounds in the room were moans and grunts and our skin smacking together. “You getting there? I know you are he said in a deeper voice, causing me to moan in response. “You look so pretty coming undone for me…cumming on me” My eyes now closed as moans fell from my mouth as my hands grabbed the sheets around me. “Please, please, please,” the words falling into my mouth were slurred. Before I knew it, Oj's hand had both of my hands above my head pinned down, his other hand now rubbing my clit. “Cum for me, cum for me. I know you got it, good girl,” he said. His tone was so patient as he was ushering me through my orgasm. before I knew it, I was cumming on him and his fingers, and it felt like a haze had fallen on me.”Fuck” he said, panting as he pulled quickly. I soon felt something warm hit my stomach. The bed rose as the weight left the bed. “You okay,” he said, now rubbing your stomach and in between your thighs with a warm rag. You opened your heavy eyes. “Thank you for the lesson,” you said with a smile.

[fandomnerd9602]

Spidypool and Aracknight would start a friends group with Spiderpunk because they hate racist and the government aracknight both personalities loves exploring different cultures and thinks racism is just stupid and was backstabbed by the government and Spideypool was a secret government test tube baby and is also a mutant so his hunted down along with other mutants they'd definitely get along with Hobie

Hobie: you know what’s the worse?

Y/N: the government

Aracknight: the establishment

Y/N: did we just become besties?

Hobie: nah. we became mates!

Aracknight: wanna rock out to The Who?

Hobie: you all just read my mind!

[shivieroy]

i have an embarrassingly long list of actors that i wish would work together

[couldntsave]

thinking abt gwen and hobie and what his community means and meant to her, how cool she thinks he is, how kind, how fucking smart. she ADORES hobie, dude. she thinks he's the coolest ever. he's her best friend, right alongside miles. she'd do just about anything he asked and considers him the best person she knows

[soft-persephone]

No Good For You: (After All This Time)

Avery (Laz Alonso) x Fem!Reader

MDNI // M // WC: 8.4k // warnings: lying, emotional abuse, phycological abuse, GASLIGHTING, mentions of blood, light violence // masterlist

AN:// Daniel Kaluuya is Louis Denton idk why. That’s who it is to me. And this is the closest to DDE I’ll ever be. Enjoy!

“Personal items in here.” You slowly put your stuff in the little plastic box.

“Seat four.” The guard looked at you funny, silently exposing how perplexed he was of your visit. The question and look everyone in your life gave you.

“How do you know this man?”

You stared for a moment. Frozen.

He was so big.

How? When?

Sure he was never short. He wasn’t scrawny either, but this large massive man who looked off into the distance with an anger-fueled disappointment, looking nothing like the boy with the prettiest brown eyes and most charming smile you’d known.

But the way he slumped in the seat and how his eyebrows furrowed across his head, that was a look you were familiar with.

You sat down, looking at his head. His hair was cut so low, but his curls wouldn’t look right on his head. Not now.

Something in your heart pulled, missing his boyish grin and too big for his head ears that matched.

In a way, he grew into the big head of his.

He grabbed the phone with a huff, barely looking at you. “Do I know you?”

You slowly held the plastic phone to your ear.

“Surprise.” You weakly croaked, your voice unexpectedly cracking, making you feel raw and exposed. It was supposed to be nice. Sort of. A little mockery of an almost fond but distant memory. An ode to the relationship you once had. He was behind a big thick glass, but the small rush of fear of messing up something in front of him still pulled at the strings of your entire being, threatening to send you into a frantic spiral.

He slammed his hand on the glass a little too harshly, making a guard shout, but he ignored it. His eyes grew wide, the pupils reflecting the light, starting to sparkle in the pools of dark brown that surrounded them. His eyebrows shot up and his bottom lip stuck out in an almost pout.

He said your name.

It was a plea, a prayer, a greeting, and a promise all wrapped into one.

You methodically placed your thumb in the glass where his palm resided. Fighting the itch under your skin, the crawling of your nerves and the lurch at your stomach, all the things that created a crashing wave of desire to touch him.

His hand pushed against the glass harder as if it would make it disappear, but his eyes were still on you studying your face, unaware of what his hand was doing and urging you to look at him.

But you couldn’t.

Not now.

It was too much.

Plus, you already had your look.

“A lot of people know you're here.” Was all you said. You lifted your finger, slowly tracing the outline of his hand, imagining the warmth of it.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I’m sure word traveled fast.” A confirmation of your warning.

His face started to revert to an expression you couldn’t read. It was a face that filled you with fear. A face that haunts your nightmares.

“I made a phone call for you.” You sucked in a shaky breath before letting it out.

He blinked repeatedly. His eyes flutter over your face.

“You didn’t have— thank you.”

You huffed.

Well, now you were the one who was stunned.

You examined how his face softened. How it pleaded with you, confided in you. His cool demeanor shifted to something of soft reverence, a casual devotion of. . . a fondness for you.

You wouldn’t call it love.

“I go to therapy.” You licked your lips. Starting to tell him what you really wanted to say.

You ignored his face. You never knew what was real with him if he meant it or if he was up to something. Because even in jail, and more vulnerable than he has been in his entire life, you’re sure he’d find a way to use you. To suck you dry for what’s worth of your life and carry around what’s left, owning you and leading you around like he did everything else.

Like you’ve let him do before.

You pushed away the evil little voice in your head that sounded too much like him.

What once was a voice of your youth turned into a voice of a man you didn’t know that well, but the fear was the same. The underlying terror still raced through your veins.

You closed your eyes. Fighting it.

“I started to go for the nightmares.” You said it matter of factly. Your voice soft. You didn’t have to explain when. He knew it was sometime after.

“That’s good.” The warmth of his voice washed over you, deep, rich, and comforting as always.

You absentmindedly licked your lips.

“I thought that was my only problem. That if I got to the bottom of those,” you looked him in the eye, but now it was him who was avoiding eye contact with you. His hand focused in yours. “But I-“ you stuttered. When had you comfortably placed your palm on the glass? When did you start to crave his affection?

“I was wrong.” You focused in his face, willing yourself to hold strong to what was real and not the world he was creating. The world he wanted to suck you back into.

Him.

“It’s you.” You said it softly like you loved him because maybe some part of you did, but that might not have been real, so you have to work hard to ignore those feelings, even if they overwhelmed every other sensation in your body, mind, and soul.

“Your voice stayed in the back of my head. The lying, gaslighting, and manipulating,” you paused, waiting for him to look at you, pleading him. Because you need to see his face when you say this. You need to. It was the whole point. The only reason you found the courage to come. “It almost broke me.”

“You’re not broken.” He turned towards you slowly. His face taught and haughty. He was always taller than you, but now he looked larger than life. Like something you could never beat. “And I didn’t break you.” He leaned in. His eyes were cruel and leering.

“I tried to free you.” He spat, “because you like it. You liked the blood, you liked the violence, you liked the money.”

You liked me.

He didn’t say it.

But you both knew he didn’t have to.

“Because it’s our blood?” You sneared at him. “Don’t start that bullshit with me. Not now. Not after all this time. I can make another phone call just as easy as I made the first one.” You threatened. “You pick.”

He smiled, leaning back in his seat.

“Look at you,” he praised. “Guess something I taught you stuck.”

Your heart skipped a beat, almost rising in your throat. Your stomach fluttered but you just as equally started to feel sick, but neither physical reactions of protest stopped the rising heat in your body as he bit his lip as his warm words washed over you, filling you with a desire, however unwanted it may be.

“You really have changed.” He continued. His eyes scan over you as if he could confirm it, as if he could see every memory, thought, and day you’ve had without him up until now. “But you haven’t changed in the way you think you have.”

“Sounds funny when you're the one stuck in here.”

“But I look so good on you,” he ignored you, his voice dropping into something low, filled with honey, decadent and rich, “everything you are.” He licked his lips, “is because of me. Yeah you go to therapy to deal with all that dark shit, but you don’t see all the good I caused you.”

“You d—“

“Let. Me. Finish.” His eyes seared with a heated anger.

You swallowed but otherwise didn’t say anything. Backing down, but refusing to cower in front of him.

He sat there. Silently watching you, waiting for you to break, but you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t dare give him the satisfaction.

He let out a breath. As if he was happy you didn’t break. His face going back to something sweet and sticky with adoration.

“Look how you carry yourself, huh?” He waited for you to say something, but you only bit your lip. Your face was set in something neutral, but slightly apathetic.

You looked a little hollowed out, your eyes too big, and slightly tired, but the nightmares were the cause of that. They eluded you for so long, but with the news of him in jail caused them to come back.

“You can come here, look at me while I’m on my knees and put your foot on my neck. You can smell anyone’s bullshit from a mile away and you got more money than anyone else, at whatever fuck ass job you ended up in.”

You ignored him, thining your lips.

“You can handle buisness because of me, take care of yourself because of me. . . He put his forhead in the glass with a sigh, “and now, you’re the one taking care of me.”

“I think it’s time for me to go.”

A lie.

You both new that if it was a revisit visit, you’d have been gone ages ago.

But you did your part, and you said your piece.

But it was far from over.

You left before you could regret it.

-

Your crossed your arms with a shiver.

You wore a skirt and a sweater. It was good enough when the sun was up, but you did not expect it to get this cold once the sun started going down, and you did not know you were going to be outside at this hour.

You huffed. The white cloud of your breath made you feel worse. A slow shred of panic started to rise underneath your skin.

The email told you to come at this building at 6:30 and here you were. For some reason the door was locked.

Who does that? Who makes a meeting at a closed building? And when you called the number on the application, nothing.

A guy was walking towards you. A key in hand.

Is this a dorm?

You’ve never been on this side of campus, so you don’t really know. However, you didn’t particularly care at this moment either.

He was so pretty. His short curly hair looked so soft. He was tall, brown skin, there was barely any light around, but somehow his eyes seemed to sparkle. He grinned at you, drawing your attention towards his lips. Thick and so soft. You also wanted to touch them and for them to touch you.

“Hi.” His mouth twisted into a cheerful smirk.

“Hey.” You said small giving a polite smile, before looking back and forth in the direction of the sidewalk. Where was the for you were supposed to meet?

For some reason that made the stranger laugh.

“Are you not here for the job?”

“Wha?” You turned back towards him in suprise. “Sorry,” you cringed at the situation, but also your self, “I just thought you were some guy.”

“Some guy,” he scoffed with a smile, brushing his own shoulder, “well I thought I looked fly this morning. I guess I’ll dress to impress next time.”

“My bad.” You excused, “I’m just cold.”

“Some way to treat the man responsible for getting you the job you so desperately need. A guy willing to help you out of the kindness of his heart.” He ignored you, unlocking the door.

You huffed in relief after following him inside.

The dorm room common area was warm. The tips of your fingers tingle a little too harshly as they warm up.

You paused with a thought.

“What makes you think I’m desperate for this job?”

“Look at you,” he waved his hands downward at you, “look at the weather? You could have emailed and we could have rescheduled.”

“It’s not my fault you scheduled this meeting at a building that locks it doors after five and your,” you looked at your watch, “five minuets late.”

“But you were what, 15 minuets early?” The change in his tone was off putting. Like he was mocking you somehow, but his smile and demeanor held no other evidence.

He took a step towards you, and you took one back to keep the distance, but he only took another step, crowding your space, lowering his face only a few inches above yours.

“You were 15 minutes early, not accounting for the walk here. I was late, and you still stayed. And it’s freezing cold outside.” His voice was low and icy. It sent a chill down your spine. His mouth curling into a barely concealed snarl.

“Can we start the interview?” You tilted your face away from his, silently begging for him to stop. But you couldn’t bring yourself to tell him.

“In Progress.” he turned on his heels.

You followed, pursing your lips.

“That's my roommate over there. Don't mind him.

He led you to his room. Something in the back of your brain was screaming at you. The whole thing starting to feel wrong.

He plopped down at the seat of the shared desk in the room.

You looked over to his roommate in a chair in the corner. He gave you a small nod and a wave, going back to whatever he was doing.

He didn’t seem all that comfortable in the little chair. His bed was flat against the wall and the space it normally lay on, held a white sheet on the wall, with a camera in front of it.

“You bring the stuff?”

You brought your backpack around from your shoulder to your front. Pulling Out your license, social security card and all the usual askings from a job. He scanned each one, sending it form the printer to the computer and stored the files away. You casually looked around as he documented each one.

On the desk were blank plastic cards, some had words, some didn’t. Various sets of different states were on them with different places for a photo, a stack of little blue squares were next to it blank in the center where a ssn would go.

The makeshift photo set up started to make a little more sense.

The hairs on the back of your neck bristled and not from the cold.

You turned toward him with your mouth open, but you stopped. What would say? What could you say?

“Here,” he interrupted you from your spiraling thoughts, handing you back your papers, “don’t touch anything.” He chided after.

He didn’t seem to notice your reaction, or maybe he didn’t care, more concerned with you leaving it all alone.

You put your papers back in your bag, thinning your lips to hide your dismay.

“When do I start? Where will I be working?”

This got you a winning smile. Why? You remained unsure.

“Give me your phone.”

You handed it over with a huff.

“There,” he handed it back to you, “you have my number. When I call, answer, and we’ll get started. After that, we take it from there.”

“This isn’t professional on any level.” It was a statement.

“Look, we all have our side hustles,” he gestured around the room, “but that has nothing to do with this work study program, aight?”

You nodded.

“I guess, I’ll wait for that call then.” You put your bag on your shoulder, ready to walk out the door.”

“Uh-uh,” he stood, putting his hands in your shoulder to stop you, “where are you going?”

“Home.” You squinted in confusion.

“Not like that, you're not.” He walked over to his roommate's closet and pulled out a hoodie and some sweatpants, throwing them at you, “here, put these on.”

You held them with a frown.

“But these aren’t yours.” You complained, “these belong to—“

“Maurice doesn’t mind sharing.”

You looked over to Maurice for reassurance that it was okay. He slowly nodded. His mouth opened to say something but after quickly looking at his roommate, he stopped.

You huffed with disapproval as you pulled the pants on over your skirt. And quickly shimmied into the hoodie.

The instantaneous sensation of warmth dissuaded any thoughts of doubt in your mind.

Maurice wasn’t as tall as his roommate, so they weren’t ridiculously baggy on you. That made you feel a little better. You quickly walked around. Peering into different corners and nooks of the room.

Thinking you were just being nosey, He put his hands on your shoulders, gently but firmly ushering you out the room.

“I was looking for a mirror.” You smacked your teeth and defended yourself.

He took your back pack and slung it on his shoulder. You didn’t necessarily let it go, so it wasn’t an easy process, but he more than forcefully tugged it out your hands, standing up straight. There was no other opportunity for you to snatch it back as he stood over you.

“What are you doing?” You groaned, at your breaking point.

“I’m walking you to your dorm. It’s dark outside and it’s a long walk.”

You blinked.

“Lead the way.” He ordered, and you reluctantly obeyed.

The walk wasn’t so bad.

You could gratefully cross your arms as you walked. Shielding yourself as much as you can from your new. . . Boss, you suppose he is now. A stranger in a new budding professional relationship he was ruining at every turn.

He walked too closely to you, refusing to start a walking pace faster or slower than yours, if you sped up, he sped up, if you slowed down, he slowed down. When you needed to stop and tie your shoe, he patiently waited for you to finish without complaint.

Despite his amicable walking behavior, you wish conversation with him was just as easy.

“I’m Avery,” he introduced, “by the way.” He quickly added after when you only nodded.

“I know what your name is. It was on the application and on the job board with the phone number, it’s in your email, and you told me on the phone call for what’s supposed to be an interview.”

“But you hadn’t said it.” His tone accusatory, making the air feel all that colder.

“Maybe if you set clearer professional boundaries, then you wouldn’t have to be doing this now.” You shrugged.

“I was going to introduce myself.” His voice was clipped and even, but it didn’t hide the scowl that almost appeared on his face “You interrupted me.”

“I really didn’t.” You laughed, more out of a sick amusement for striking a nerve with him. Glad to be getting on his nerves as much as he had been getting on yours.

“I was,” he stepped in front of you, not letting this go, “I said Hi, and I was going to do the whole dance,” he held up a finger, “I’m Avery with the student ran work study program,” he held up another finger, “you were going to introduce yourself, and everything would have went like normal.” Saying his side and apparently satisfied he turned on his heels and started walking.

You rolled your eyes and followed him.

“But it’s your fault it didn’t go that way.” He blamed, apparently not done.

“Oh, so it’s my fault now.”

“Of course it’s your fault,” he said it casually, almost a little too matter of fact for your liking, “instead I saw you were freezing cold and had to get you inside as soon as possible. . . It threw me off”

“Well I’m sorry for ruining a standard interview procedure by patiently freeezinf my ass off and expecting you to show up on time.”

“You should be.”

With more persuasion then what should of been needed, you sent him away. Insisting you didn’t need anyone to walk you to your actual dorm room. That if you somehow died from the front door outside to your own dorm room door, he could watch it on the news with everyone else.

Later on, he called and you answered.

You picked the time and place, this time around.

The common area in the library, at 11:00 you originally instead on an earlier time, but Avery likes to argue over everything. You settled for 11:00 just to get him to shut up.

“Some meeting place this is.” He had a paper cup in his hand, shaking it by your ear to get your attention. A few people turned towards him with frowns and glares, but he didn’t pay them any attention.

“Will you lower your voice,” you smacked his hand that held the cup to your ear away, keeping your voice low, “this is a library.”

You narrowed your eyes at him.

“For somone who complained about meeting earlier, you look wide awake and well rested to me. You don’t look like someone who just woke up and hates mornings.” You said tersely.

“Who said I hated waking up early?” . He took a seat next to you, “I just have things I need to do early in the morning. Things that I don’t cancel for anyone.”

“Fine.” Was all you said in response to that, not really caring.

“So let’s get straight to business,” he pulled up his back pack into his lap, pulling out a neat crisp envelope, “this is yours,” he started to explain.

You opened the envelope, taking a peek at it as he talked to you.

“So, I don’t have anything for you as soon as expected, so it’s gonna be a little while,” he explained further.

It was $500.

You swallowed, deciding to listen to him, unsure of how to react, but the relief that washed over you was there. You could finally get your books without figuring out how to pay for them. All of them. All at one time. . That way what money you did have left could go to whatever else you may need without worry.

“So here’s a, down payment or a type of deposit, to hold you over, until I can get you a real job,” he explained further.

He looked better in the daytime. His hair looking even softer. His face glowy, but you still couldn’t get over his eyes. You were equally enamored with the way his mouth moved as he talked, but what came out of it annoyed you too many times to count, ruining your infatuation with them, but you’d happily settle for looking into his eyes as he talked.

“So is that enough?” His eyes were on you as he talked, but they also darted to some random kid who zoomed by on a skateboard. You weren’t as shocked because you were always here and that guy did that at this exact time of day everyday.

If someone talked too loud or moved too closely, his eyes would absentmindedly follow them.

“Yeah it’s enough to buy my books with, so I’m not too worried about the rest of things later. I can wait. I’m good with any job.”

He stopped talking after you responded. His eyes lock with yours. The casual mirth in them seemed to dim into something serious that didn’t match his smile.

“Will you stop looking at me like that?” He accused.

You scrunch your face in confusion, but otherwise, you didn’t look away.

“Like what? What are you talking about?”

He looked aghast, almost offended. But he didn’t say anything about how he felt, licking his lips before pulling another semi-serious face.

“I��m looking you in the eye because that’s how conversations work? People tend to make eye contact with whoever’s speaking with them.” You waved your hands up as you explained, thoroughly confused by his confrontational energy.

He huffed. Not responding, he pulled another envelope out his bag and handed it to you.

“You need more than just book money.”

He stood up, fully frowning, but refusing to look at you.

“Just wait for me to give you another call. Aight?”

And he left, not waiting for your reply.

You looked into the envelope. $800.

What the fuck were you going to do with $800? Why is he just handing you so much cash?

You put both of them in your bag with a huff.

As irritating as he was, he was considerate. You hoped this wasn’t the money he had been paid to run this program. Something in you just knows how he doesn’t feel too nice about debts and people that owe him anything.

The last thing you ever wanted to do was owe Avery anything.

You got another call about another way too late meeting.

7pm.

You were irritated, but you showed up.

“There she is.”

Avery was wearing a suit, or maybe it was tux, or maybe, a fancier suit.

It was hard to tell.

Whatever it was, he looked nice.

You were back in his and Maurice’s dorm room.

“Here,” he wasted no time. he handed you a stuffed garment bsg, “put one of these on. I got a lot of different sizes, so one should fit.”

“I’m working now?!”

“The early bird gets the worm, right?”

“It’s not early.” You muttered.

You looked around before opening your mouth, but before you could ask he was already pointing, “Bathroom’s inside. That corner over there.”

You gave him a tight lipped nod. More out of being shocked and confused than irritated, usually because of him, an occurrence you were both used to at this point.”

Dim light aside, the bathroom was fine. Not the disaster you feared it would be.

Freakishly annoying behavior aside, Avery was neat.

The dress was black, very simple, but you wore it well. It looked fancier on you.

“This one fits.” You moved to put on the heels he told you to bring.

“Wait wait wait wait,” he stopped you, “that one fits perfect, but you need to size down one. It’ll look even better.”

You stood up straight. “What kind of job is this again?”

“Easy,” he held up his hands, “it’s not my call okay. I just know you need to size down.”

You sighed, going back in the bathroom.

It was too tight.

You didn’t like it. It exposed to much, it threatened to roll up your thighs, but you tested it, taking a few steps back and forth. Your breast felt too smushed together and kind of hurt.

But what really upset you was the exposed panty lines.

You’d have to take them off. . . And you don’t want to, but you had to.

So you stalked, pacing around in the bathroom for no reason.

With one final sigh, you opened the door.

“Can you hand me my bag real quick?”

“Why? Just put the dress in and come out.”

“Hand me my bag! Just throw it over!”

“We’re going to be late if you keep this up! If you have it on, just get out the bathroom and put the damn shoes on!”

“Hand! Me! My! Bag!”

He smacked his lips.

Scowling, he threw your bag towards you.

“You’re an asshole.” You said sweetly before closing the door.

You walked out.

“That was fast.”

“I never said it would take long. I just said hand me my bag,” you rolled your eyes, “ you made a big fucking deal out of it, so,” you ended the sentence open endedly, putting on your shoes with one hand.

He paused for a moment, looking at you.

“You changed your hair.” He stuck his tongue in his cheek, attempting to hide the pout on his face.

You averted your gaze, blinking a few times to hide how fast you looked away from him.

“I wanted to. I like looking nice.” You attempted to sound stern, to say it with some sort of attitude but you lost it half way, more thrown off by his sudden change in mood.

“Let’s go.” He gestured toward the door with his head, grabbing your coat for you to put your arms through.

He led you to a car already waiting for you both outside.

There was a man in the car, making your freeze, but Avery paid you no mind, forcefully pushing you forward into the car.

“Im Louis Denton, nice to meet you.” he politely introduced himself, holding out a hand for you to shake.

You took his hand reluctantly, but not too much so, you didn;t want to be too rude. His demeanor not holding any alterior motives from what you could sunrise off of an initial meeting.

“I’m sure you have more than a few questions, but I’d be more than happy to answer them before you get started on your job tonight.”

They were brothers, not by blood, but that didn’t stop them from being so close.

Louis was very obviously so not like Avery. He was. . .calm, even headed. You assumed he was the type of guy who never raised his voice, not even if he was angry. Something about him and the way he explained everything, persuaded you to stay.

He was darker,than Avery, his undertones cooler. Much Shorter, and less athletically built, but he had a presence about him. He carried himself just as highly, but he was cooler about it. He didn’t run as hot.

You still weren’t happy about it, but you stayed.

“This is your new boyfriend.” he handed you the photo. You thumbed over it, now uneasy about it all over again. It all felt too real too soon.

“Look,” Louis, leveled with you, “ we aren't expecting you to sleep with this guy, but if it gets to that point, I promise you we’ll be there to stop him. We won’t let him do anything to you that you don't want to do. That’s not what we need your help with.”

“But you still need to show him a good time.” Avery interrupted. “He needs to believe that you want this and you’re into him or everything falls a part.”

“She seems like a smart and capable girl. She can figure that part out on her own.”

Avery glared at his bother, but ultimately relented, letting it go.

You took your coat off, the car hot.

“I just have to get him to this hotel?” you flipped through the papers that held the address.

“And this hotel room, the person at the desk already knows what’s up, so you just have to pretend to get the room.”

You nodded biting your lip.

“You’ll be fine.” Avery attempted to comfort you, but something about it seemed off and distant. His tone sounding a little too harshly. “This guy already likes you. You're his type. Your looks do half of the work for you, and you have some things in common with him, so try to hone in on what those are, and everything after that should come naturally to you.”

The car stopped.

Not wanting to drag this out any longer, you made to leave out of the car. Avery grabbed your arm pulling you back.

“Leave your coat.”

“Leave my coat? No!” you jerk your arm back towards yourself. “Why would I leave my coat?! Its fucking freezing outside!”

He looked to the ceiling, rolling his eyes so dramatically, you had the fight to fight the urge to slap him while his guard was down.

“Will you please, do as I say for once without arguing with me?” He pleaded, earnest.

‘I just want to know why it's so important I leave my coat!” you yelled continuing to argue because being vague doesn’t do anything to deter you to do what he says.

“Leave the fucking coat!” He yelled.

“Why!”

“It makes you vulnerable!! He’ll think you’re cuter because of it!”

You blinked. Stunned.

‘You make” you started lowly, his words confusing you to the very core of your being, “no fucking sense.”

He scowled, about to say another thing, probably something just as stupid as before , but you interrupted him.

‘You never make sense, and its so fucking annoying. I’m so tired of all your fucking mood swings, your weird attitude, your lies, “ you went on and on, at some point you don’t even know what’s coming out of your mouth. Just everything he’s put you through and made you feel comes out. The euphoria of it overwhelms you, consumes you. In your sudden fervor of frustration, anguish, and nerves until it’s all out and your were huffing with the exertion of it, “I'm so sick of all of it.”

His nostrils flared, his face pulled taut in anger. He twisted his mouth open, ready to unleash some form of hell onto you, most likey to say something even stupider than he has the entire night so far, but he didn’t get the chance.

“Hey,” Louis said your name in an even tone, causing you both to turn toward him, “leave the coat.”

Your face fell, almost in to a pout,

Frowning, you exited the car into cold.

This guy wasn’t so bad. The stranger you needed to lure in somewhere for some reason.

He had tan brown skin and a kind smile. It didn't go with his striking face and jet black hair. Thick as it fanned across his face onto his shoulders in a wavy raven halo.

He was even nice to be around.

“Your’re even cuter in person!” he popped in front of you with a grin from ear to ear.

“Where’s your coat?” he laughed, the sound of it reverberating around in your brain. The echoes of it resounded like the aftershocks of a bell, ringing in your mind.

“I was too excited to meet you. I accidently left it at home.”

“Well, we need to fix that.” he held out his arm, waiting for you,” you stood, almost forgetting what you were here to do. You wrapped your arm in his, letting him lead you to his car.

“We can get you a coat, and so much more!” He mused, looking down at you,“let’s have some fun.”

It took you a while to figure out that this guy likes to impress girls with money. That maybe his one and only move had been buying things, showing off shiny fancy things and cars, and going places.

You've, declined his offer, for five separate spontaneous vacations in the first hour of meeting him, convinced he’ll change your mind, and at some point you'll either end the night or start an entirely different day in another country.

“You picked out a long baby blue pea coat. The cut of the coat was unique and the color made you happy. The warmth it provided made you even happier. 100% cashmere, Mr rich stranger insisted.

He’s told you his name, but you keep forgetting.

You stopped to look at something in the window for one second. No longer and no less.

The sparkle of some random diamond twinkled in your eye.

“Did you want those? What is it?” it was like he had a sixth sense for when you wanted something.

“Oh, nothing, I–”

“-- ah-ah-ah,” he grabbed your hand, practically dragging you into the jewelry store, “I saw you. There's something in here you want, and we won’t leave until you get it.”

“I. . .didn’t” you insisted, pouting.

“You're adorable.” he smiled, “please, it’s all I want from you. Please.” he begged, smiling.

You tried to hold back a smile but failed.

“I’m not adorable.” was what you said first, “and fine. I’ll find smething, if you wnt me to have it so bad.”

“Of course.” but you both know he was lying.

“I like these.” you pointed at a pair of diamond earrings.”

“Are you sure?” the sales woman asked. You wee thrown off by the question, scrunching your face.

“I think something more dramatic would suit you, one sec” she walked away and came back with a similar pair that was much much bigger.’

You swallowed intimidated by the size.

“Yes!” Your date exclaimed next to you, those would be so perfect. You must get them.

“Let me try them on first.”

And you did, and then you accidentally found a necklace you liked, then he insisted on getting one that he liked on you to go with it. And then he declared you needed a bracelet to match.

As you walked out the store you had several bags, filled with empty boxes, jewelry cleaner and more diamonds on your body than you could dream of.

The idea of wearing all this money in such flashy way made you feel slightly queasy.

“Where should we go next?”

“Well, . .”

You sold them this story of a hotel youve always wanted to go to. Something about the music, the fancy restaurant nearby, the live band being one of your most favorite musical ensembles. Something wistful and dreamlike.

His eyes widened at the middle of your lie, buying it completely.

“Then we shall go there!” he happily declared taking your arm in his towards his car.

It was all so fast.

Drinking, eating, and enjoying the music. He was so easy to be happy with. You wanted to believe the lie for his sake. The thought of deceiving him now felt too harsh. He didn’t deserve it.

You both laughed as you missed the place to scan the keycard. You weren't that drunk, just so. . .something else. You weren’t sure. You both spilled into the door with a fit of giggles. Your bags from all the shopping had already been brought up.

“Grab him.”

“Whu- what's going on?”

Louis stood in front of you.

“Sit.” was all he said.

You sat on the bed a little confused.

You watched as Avery threw the man on the floor. A sick grin on his face.

“Not happy to see me, Raime. Thought we were friends.”

“Please, I'm sorry. Just let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”

“Oh Raime, buddy.” Avery took off his suit jacket, throwing it on the bed. He rolled up his shirt sleeves, “I don’t want nothing to do with her. Its just you and me.”

Quicker than you could process, he had hit raime in the face. The sound was a wet dull thud. You sucked in a breath. You fisted the sheets in your hand to keep them from shaking to badly, everything in you was screaming, but you kept your mouth shut.

‘Hey,” Louis stepped in front of you, obscuring your vision. “Put in your banking information. Dont pay attention to that.”

His steady calm tone was unwavering. What you once felt as a comfort now sent an eerie chill down your spine.

“Uhm, okay.” you took the phone with shaky hands, you silently typed in your numbers, the sound of Avery’s fist hitting Raime resounded on the walls of the room. Raime’s cries of pain grew more dull with each one. His screams morphed into low desperate groans of protest.

“You know what you have to do if you want me to stop.” Avery huffed before spitting on him. He wiped his mouth, smearing the blood on his hands onto his face.

‘Fuck.” he swore to himself. He blinked for a moment, looking at his hands, and then the blood on his shirt.

He swore again.

He looked at you, inhaling sharply with a sniff, his face blank. The glow in his eye transitioned into something cruel, something you couldn’t quite decipher.

“Hurry that shit up. This is an easy one.”

Avery nodded at him, breaking eye contact with you.

“You,” Louis poitned inyour face, “Don’t look at him. Look at me.”

The thud of Avery’s fist started to make Raime sound wet, sometimes accompanied by a crack or even weirder sharper thud.

Your tongue felt too thick in your mouth.

“Breathe.” Louis pulled out a pack of gum, offering you some.

You shook your head, taking in a shaky breath in your mouth before letting it out.

‘That's right,” Louis encouraged you, “just like that, in and out, keep looking at me. Don’t look at them.”

You weren't calm, but you felt like you could finally breathe again. However, your hands wouldn't stop shaking.

“You're a smart girl. You don’t need me to tell you not to look.”

“Please.” Raime’s voice ws barely a whisper. Low and broken as he gargled it out before coughing up a patch of blood.

“You know what you have to do to make it stop.” Avery sniffed harshly.

“Fine, please, anything please.” Raime weekly held up his hands.

Avery fished a phone out of his pocket, throwing it into Raime’s chest.

He stood over him, staring him down as he struggled to grab a hold of it.

The room was full of nothing but Raime's groans and Avery’s huffs from exertion .

You stole a quick glance at Avery as he was silent.

Splatters of blood rested on his brow, the smear of it on his cheek from earlier. His shirt surprisingly, wasn’t that bloody, but nothing could hide the amount of it left on his hands.

“Will you do me another favor?”Louis asked, taking your attention away from him.

You rose your eyebrows at his question.

“Do what you can to calm him down.” He handed you $500.

You took it, unsure and confused.

“You did good.” He patted you in the shoulder. “Take care of yourself.”

And with that he left.

Avery was now slumped in a chair. The phone now back in his hand.

His eyes were shut, but he didn’t seem relieved or glad that it was over, or happy to have gotten whatever it was he wanted in any way.

You stood up, not really sure what your next move was.

Two men pushed by you grabbing Raime nand dragging him out.

You went into the bathroom to grab a washcloth. You dowsed it in hot water. It stung your hands, setting your hand ablaze as the prickly sensation tingled along your skin. You blinked, you could feel it and it hurt, but for some reason, you didn’t move it.

Avery sniffed, making a loud obnoxious and quite disgusting sound you’ve hated hearing You were tired of hearing it, but in this rare moment you thanked him for it. It brought you to your senses.

You turned the water off, wiping away the phantom tears that wouldn’t fall from your eyes. No matter how much you wanted to cry, the tears refused to fall.

By the time you made it out the bathroom, all the evidence of what just happened was gone. The only shadow of that horrific hazy dream you wanted to push far into the depths of your mind, was covering Avery’s hands, it was smeared across his face.

You swallowed as you approached him. Still sitting in the chair. He was glaring into space at nothing and no one in particular, his gaze hard and frightening.

Tentatively, you brought the cloth to his face, careful not to burn him.

He flitched away from your touch, making you jump just as abruptly. His gaze slowly transitioned into something more familiar to you, something more annoying than violent to you.

You breathed through your nose in relief.

A sensation of happiness threatening to run through you. Through the cloud of anguish and confusion you were feeling.

He was still there.

“What are you doing?” He scolded you.

“Just . . . Let me do this.” You pleaded earnestly. Too tired to fight.

You wiped the blood off his face, it was starting to stick, but it eventually came off, taking more than a few tries, but after it was gone, it was like new lines of it appeared, were you making it worse?

The more you wiped, the more blood seemed to appear on his face.

You made a small squeaking sound, but it didn’t seem to set him off. He didn’t say something snarky or irritating. His expression was something soft. His eyes slowly dart around your face like you weren’t breaking down more and more as the seconds went by. Like you weren’t experiencing a raw terror through every sensation of your body.

He brought a hand to your face, slowly caressing your cheek, leaving trails of something cold, dark and sticky on your face, making you freeze.

“Breathe.” Was all he said, but it didn’t sound so calm and soothing like when his brother said it, it sounded sweet and sinister, his voice dripped in honey, disguising its venomous intent.

Your throat felt a little tighter.

“It’s gone,” he moved his head from side to side, proving it to you.

You brought a hand to his head a little too harshly, almost slapping him as you did. He winced with a tisk, but didn’t complain about it.

You moved his face around some more for your own conscience.

Once you were finally satisfied, you found your ability to breath easily again, without anyone’s help.

You let your hand stay there.

Tracing one of his eyebrows with your thumb.

Then you had a thought.

Taking your chance, you put your hand in his hair. Caressing it, massaging it through your fingers, once you were satisfied, you slowly scratched his scalp with your nails, rubbing his head in circular motions.

He closed his eyes with a hum.

Something nagged at you when he did.

“Your eyes sparkle.”

You said it out loud like you weren’t talking to him. Soft and low like you were talking to yourself. You didn’t look at him directly when he sharply opened his eyes once more. They were wide as he blinked in confusion.

“What’s so special about these earrings?” He changed the subject. Thumbing at the diamonds and covering with them with blood.

“They remind me of a pair a woman had on, in this old movie my mother loved to watch when I growing up.” You looked at your hands, fiddling with the washcloth.

He took it from you, silently demanding your attention.

“I only smiled at them because they reminded me of her.”

“Well they look good on you. You should wear more diamonds.”

“Too many people died for a useless pair of earrings.” You bit back. Not sure why the diamonds made you angry.

“And even more people have died for the next pair I’m gonna get you.”

“That’s not funny.”

“Am I laughing?” He glared up at you, wiping the blood off his hands without looking. “Come here, you got somethin’ on your face.”

“I am here.”

“No,” he grabbed your arm, pulling you into his lap, hard, “your not.”

He laughed as you scrambled off of his chest, sitting up as quickly as you can to put distance between you.

Somehow you were still snug against him, straddling his lap, he slid his hands along your body, resting his palms on your ass. He squeezed it though your dress, his nails digging harshly into your skin.

You dug your nails into his shoulders in response with a surprised yelp. He only licked his lips as he watched your face change.

“Stop.” You cried.

He immediately let go, letting his hands rest on your hips to keep you steady. Perhaps from falling over and breaking your neck.

“Have you. . . Done this before?” You suddenly asked.

He moved a stray hair from your eyes, letting his hand linger on your face. He swiped the pad of his finger up and down from on cheek to. You blinked in confusion before you realized he was wiping a tear from your eyes.

“First time.” Was all he said.

“This blood.” He picked up the stray towel. Wiping harshly at your face, a steep contrast from his attitude before, from the sweetness in his tone and the gentleness in his gaze, “is on your hands as much as it is on mine.”

You sucked in a breath. Almost falling with it.

“N-no it’s not,” you stuttered, “y-you did that. Not me.”

“But you led him here,” he leaned in whispering in your ear, letting his lips grace softly at your neck as he continued, “you lied to him.”

“No. . .I—

“What did you think was going to happen after you brought him here, huh?” He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer into him. Your throat feels tight and your chest heaved. He nuzzled his nose along your neck, letting his words fan across your skin, “I don’t go to your school,” he kissed your neck.

You swallowed, gasping as he did. A wave of an undefinable emotion washed over you, or perhaps it only felt so because you didn’t want to acknowledge them for what they were, what they are.

You squeezed at the fabric of his shirt, desperate to cling onto reality.

“I don’t fucking know, Maurice,” his words grew sloppier as he mouthed slowly up your neck, dragging his lips on your delicate skin, “you knew I was lying.”

“No, I didn’t.” That you could say firmly. That you knew.

“Look who’s lying now.” His lips felt too hot on your cheek. Each kiss on your skin felt like it left a mark , burning you. You tried to move off him, having enough, but you couldn’t, his arms too snuggly around you. His hold on you too tight.

“No.” You shook your head.

“You took the money.” He grinned, resting his forehead on yours. His breath smelled like mint and whiskey. “You could have acted on every part of yourself that said this wasn’t right. You could have listened to every thought of doubt that crossed your mind.”

“It’s- it’s not me. It wasn’t me.”

“You’re a part of this.” He said definitely, “this is your mess too.”

It felt like your heart stopped. You put a hand to your chest trying to breath.

“Avery.” You choked, desperate for him to get help.

He inhaled and exhaled loudly, grabbing your hands, squeezing so tightly you winced.

“Just, breathe.” He scolded. “You're fine.” He inhaled, then exhaled.

It wasn’t long until your mind caught the pattern. Your body’s natural inclination to survive overrode the emotions warring inside of you.

On your last exhale, he parted his lips, leaning towards your face to touch yours with is. You tilted your head as much as you could, pulling away.

“Let me kiss you.” he pant.

You shook your head.

“I’m not a bad person.” You trembled.

“Of course your not a bad person.” he tisked. “I’m not a bad person.”

“You are a bad person.”

“If I’m a bad person,”He leaned in to kiss you, “You are too.”

[hamiltonforpowerpoint]

Shout Out to Daniel Kaluuya and Brian Tyree Henry for feeding lgbtq+ nd blk ppl not once but twice.

Imagine OJ Haywood and Hobie Brown meeting 😭

[babyboiboyega]

Can y’all imagine Tish on hot ones? Pls

I’m watching Daniel Kaluuya’s and I’m in tears- I can only imagine Tish’s ass on there 😭

[sincericida]

Andrew Garfield and Daniel Kaluuya attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City.

[morphsbyjake]

Hayden Christensen, Anders Holm, Daniel Kaluuya, Ross Butler, Emile Hirsch, Adam Brody, Avan Jogia, Andrew VanWyngarden, Josh Hartnett, Lucas Till.

Which are your favorites? Daniel Kaluuya is getting pretty thick in real life so it’s easy to imagine him even bigger. Ross Butler would look soooo hot with some extra weight imo. And Hayden Christensen is an all time fave.

[goodolreliablejake]

I'm finally watching Jack Saint's video on Wonka, and I gotta say, it's really putting things together about the characters that are changing my perspective...

As a child, I gravitated to the character of Willy Wonka as portrayed by Gene Wilder because of his combination of melancholy and imagination. I really related to that feeling of the world being harsh and cruel and unyielding and wanting to create a sanctuary where you could live out your dreams, safe, if disconnected from the world.

Then as I grew, I couldn't deny the problematic element of his role as industrialist, capitalist. And I think I waved it off by basically saying "well, this is a story that is ignorant of that problematic element, that buys in too fully to the romantic image of the industrialist, which I don't believe in but which doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the story."

But now I see how intrinsically tied these two elements are, and how together they paint a picture of a very dark and tragic character. Willy Wonka is the tragedy of the sellout. He's a misanthrope that hates the world, but he's willing to perpetrate its worst crimes for the personal freedom of pretending he is separate from it. He is hidden and free in delusion, cut off from the world, and he hurts and exploits for the privilege.

I know this is a really random pull to compare it to, but... I can't help but think of the ending of Daniel Kaluuya's character in the Black Mirror episode Fifteen Million Merits. He hated the cruelty, the falseness, and the exploitation of the artificial, profit-driven world he was trapped in, but in the end even his rebellion was something that could be commodified and co-opted by the system. And he decided that it was a worthwhile deal to give himself the illusion of freedom. He sacrificed the real woman who was kind and funny and gave him an origami penguin made of trash for the solitude of a larger cell with a penguin statue.

Does seeing the cruelty of the system inspire solidarity, or does it drive you further into alienation?

[thesecretcornerintheroom]

1 Month

Part 2

Pairing: Oj Haywood x Black female reader

Warnings: Bondage, Angst, Yearning 😂 (so y'all, this is part 2, and it took me a while to figure it out I hope y'all enjoy 💕)

Word count: 22752

HA SO THE LUCKY SPECIAL WORKED said Emerald. I knew some weird shit was going on. He stopped grunting all the time and being grumpy, she said, laughing. “Can you shut the hell up?”I bit at Emerald. “You said you needed my help”. My tone was embarrassed partially by how loud she was and second by her statement. I haven’t seen Emerald in a month; a lot has happened, like a weird alien lingering around their farm. “That’s why you haven’t been coming around,” said Emerald as she leaned in. Her lashes touched her eyebrows with anticipation as her smile widened. Her gaze held my eyes with amusement and curiosity“damn, it was that bad. Should have fucked with me,” causing me to let out the loudest laugh. We’re in a dinner, drinking our milkshakes and sharing a fry, reviewing her research about this alien and the ranch. “What was so funny?” I heard his voice, and everything stopped, the laugh spilling out my body, the old music that blared through the dinner. I knew that voice, that deep country voice. I turned to see OJ; he was looking at Emerald and me. His body was more buffer, and his skin was glowing from sun exposure. He wore an old faded t-shirt, and his dark blue jeans faded from working. His gaze went from Emerald and fell on me. For once, I couldn’t read them well. It’s not like I ever could. OJ didn’t have a lot of facial expressions. I had to look back at Emerald, hoping she would save me. “I was telling her about that weirdo we met from the camera store,” said Emerlaed in a charismatic tone, “Angel,” said Oj. “yep,” we both said in unison. “Mhm,” he sat beside Emerald. “Alright, back to business. What the fuck is this over our ranch, and why is it here,” said Emerald noticing a shift in the room.

“Bye em be. Safe,” I said as she exited the car to walk into her new women of the week house. Emerald will still attend her bootie call even when supernatural things run around. Yeah, she said, walking away. “I’ll get you tomorrow, I assume,” said OJ passive-aggressively. She stopped and turned around, you assumed correctly, causing me to giggle as OJ drove off. I could feel the tension setting in. Who knew a 5’4 girl who Yaps with a loud voice was keeping the tension at bay? “So, how lucky will I be to see him in commercials?” I said, trying to make small talk. I can feel OJ‘s body tense, his eyes on the road. “He is supposed to be in a beer commercial” in about two months. “OK, well, that’s good. That’s exciting. I can’t think of the last time Lucky was in” before I could finish my sentence. He cut me off; “where have you been?” His eyes didn’t leave the road, causing my body to heat up. “I texted you and called you,” but there was no response. The only person you respond to is my sister for this:” I can tell you wanted to say more, but Oj never Said more. He only talked when he felt like talking. Oj saying this much was shocking to me. “I got wrapped up with my job, and between working and stuff, it has just become a lot.” I said my words, fumbling, trying to come up with any excuse for not calling or texting him back. Lucky listened to the excuse and turned the radio up. “there is something on your mind, the way you look at me.” I don't know if it was the singer's voice filled with concern and yearning or the old band playing behind the singer's voice. Maybe it was the lyrics or how Oj's jaw flexed as he tried not to talk. Still, I felt the tension rise in the car, and my body turned to jelly. The silence and this song were going to be the death of me.

Once we arrived at my house, everything looked the same: my porch light was flickering cause it needed to be fixed. The radio was turned off, and now we were in silence before I could say anything.” how long has your light been out?”

“ since last week, but I don’t go out often, so it hasn’t bothered me. I responded. “My tool kit is in the back, and I’ll fix it”He said. As we got out of the car and my feet hit the ground, I was grateful to feel the earth. My legs were still tingling, and the air was thick as OJ grabbed his toolbox, and I went inside. I decided talking wasn’t the best option. “Okay, okay, y/n, while he fixes the light, get yourself together I scrutinized myself as I went into the fridge. I noticed the lemon bars I made for a hot summer night. I grabbed some without thinking, one for me, one for him. When I walked back to the front, my light fixture was now fixed, and Oj was heading to his car. “OJ!” you said with a worried tone. He turned around, putting his toolbox in his trunk. You looked at him, and your eyes said, please stay hoping he would understand. You sat on your porch steps with your plate in your hand, holding the sweets you made.

“You want a treat?” You said, voice thin, scarred of what he’d say or want to say. Oj stopped and looked at me for a long time, his face unreadable. He walked up to me slowly and sat down. His body was big in stature as he sat at the top of the steps, His legs stretched to the bottom steps, and the air felt warm and heavy with him near me. He grabbed the sweet off my plate and took a bite. I looked at him, wondering what he’d say about my newest lemon dessert. “9/10,” He said. “Gasps,” I said, “that’s a 10/10, And you know it?” I said, grinning, voice heavy. He looked at me, smirked, and took another bite. I saw the custard form on his lip, quickly replaced with a swipe from his tongue. Oh, that tongue, his eyes glistened “to tangy.” He said maybe more powder on top. I shook my head, mentally nodding, “Oj has no vices but one, and that’s super sweet pastries,” I giggled. Leaning away, he looked at me. One pastry was now gone.

“Oj, I’m sorry, but I should’ve been honest. I haven’t called or responded to you because I was scared My mom and dad are gone my siblings live across the country. All I have is you and Em; I don’t know.” My heart beat in my chest, and my body was overwhelmed with the truth. Oj was looking at me. “Mhmm,” he said as he looked at me. I could feel the tension. It felt like a balloon was going to pop. I stood up, grabbing the plate. “Do you wanna come inside,” I said, standing up and looking down, trying to grasp at my sanity. Oj looked up at me as he rose. I felt the dynamic shift; he was towering over me. He speaks with eyes, that’s for sure. He looked at me and then at the door. He shook his head yes.

Once inside, I went straight to the kitchen and dumped the pastry in the trashcan. “I don’t have any friends said Oj. All I have is the ranch Em and you and now, Angel said. Oj crept over to me slowly, each footstep holding weight. He looked down at me and placed his hand on my cheek. I closed my eyes. Oh, how I missed his warmth. His hands were rough; his hands felt like work. His hand went to the side of my neck, his thumb slowly rubbing my neck, titling my chin up. He lifted me and placed me on the dining table, my mouth open from shock. He kissed me quickly. The kiss was feverish and fast. His lips tasted of vanilla and zest. He was kissing me like he was making up for lost time, grabbing my legs, and pulling me closer to him. “But I'd rather have you like this than a friend he grunted out” as his lips left my mouth and worked his way down my neck, leaving kisses above my breast.

In this summer heat, all you had on was a tank top and shorts, his hand roaming my body and still on my neck. He pulled me in closer. “I don’t think I can get any closer.” he removed my tank top. “Uh-huh,” he said as he placed his lips around my nipple, causing me to arch my back. My fingers found the nape of his neck, diving into his kinky curls. “Oj, please, I purred,” his tongue circled my nipple, his tongue sending shocks through my body. My legs wrapped around his waist, subnconsily pushing my body backward from the dealing of pleasure. The plates and table decor fell over with a clatter. Clank as so of my cups hit the floor. His hands gripped under my thighs and lifted me, causing me to yelp. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, giggling as he walked me to my room.

He placed me on the bed. “hold still, " he said with a smirk. As I lay on the bed, my body felt vulnerable. I could feel his fingertips dancing on me, going up and down. I felt a thumb swipe over my spot with my jeans on, causing me to gasp. His hands slowly trailed to the button of my shorts. As the button popped, I could feel He pulled down my shorts off my leg.his hands slowly rose to my waist, dragging his hands back up my body, leaving me in my panties that were red. “A month. I’ve thought about you for a month,” he said, removing his shirt. “I thought about that night you slept over.” his tone was calm. His toned body was showing, and his skin glistening in the dimly lit room. His muscles flexed as he removed his belt, jeans, and underwear. Once free, he grabbed my hands, placing them above my head. He stopped and looked at me in my face. “ for a month, I missed you, your laugh, your warmth,” his tone dripping with sincerity. His face observed every piece of me, soaking me In like this. I got so lost in his eyes I almost didn’t feel the leather wrap around my wrist. “ Oj,” I said, breaking eye contact and looking at my wrist. His belt was now tied around my wrist, his buckle at the front on full display, shining in the light, and I was shocked looking at him. Oj looked at my wrist. “just say no,” he said. He looked at me, and I knew he meant it.” I’m okay,” I whispered.

“A month,31 days, you stayed on my mind. I kept thinking about what I would do and how I would kiss you, he said, rubbing the side of my thigh slowly. So I’m going to show you what’s been in my head for 31 days,” he said, kissing me earnestly. His hands find my clothes clit and start playing with it, causing me to have gaps in his mouth. He grunts in my mouth as he speeds up with his finger over my clit, causing me to squirm. The feeling felt so Good but so far away. “please, please,” I said as I thought about the feeling between my legs. The feeling growing inside of me, but my panties were stopping the feeling. “Uh, uh, I know you got it,” he said, his southern drawl in my ear as his finger moved over my clothed clit harder.I felt my wetness start to drip past my panties.

“common be good for me.” He said. The wetness between my legs grew. My panties were becoming wet, and my voice became ragged.” Please, please, uhh,” I said, my core tightening, the feeling going through my body. “Your thighs are shaking so much,” he said, “cum for me.” The wetness pooled in my panties, causing me to come undone. My sight was hazy, my breath shallow, and I put my tied wrist around his neck.I looked him in his eyes, and I knew at that moment I couldn’t run anymore.

From him or my feelings in that moment, my hands tied draped over the back of his neck, I pulled him down to me, his full lips feeling out mine, causing me to sigh in contempt as I kissed him. I wrapped my legs around his hips, my clothed member now grinding against him. His caused him to grunt, stopping my hips with his hands. He pulled down my panties and threw them across the room. His finger trails up my calf and my inner leg. As it reached my core, I felt my eyes close with anticipation. His finger swipes between my folds before they enter his two fingers, entering me. Letting out a gasp from the heavy breathing in the room and the wet sounds of him fingering me, his two fingers going in and out of me at a slow, poisonous rhythm. OJ was breathing hard as he looked down, eyes locked on my pussy. “You seem ready for me,” he said as he looked up at me. I opened my eyes and shook my head. Oj positioned himself in between my legs and pushed in with a demanding force, causing me to moan in satisfaction. His lips met my neck as he nibbled and kissed, teasing his hips, moving slowly, still moving with force, his hips snapping, meeting the rhythm of my hips. He bites my neck, causing me to yelp. “I missed you he said” “I missed you too” the words flowing out of me, my body melting like butter. “A month,” he said as he snapped his hips, causing me to moan, words falling from my mouth, “I’m sorry, ugh, please.” as you arched your back, you felt him hit the spot inside of you that will have you undone soon, I won’t do it again” you said feeling the wetness pool in between your legs as he enters you his rhythm now becoming more frantic his hips bucking into yours with more meaning then you can describe. You could feel the wind leave your body; your eyes closed, your hands still clasped wrapped around his neck as your breast bounced to the rhythm Oj was setting. You felt your thighs begin to shake as he started to hit that spot again. Your eyes began to water, your moans fell out of your mouth, and your stomach began to tighten. Oj started to moan, and his thrust became more sporadic. As Oj lowers himself, you feel him on your body more. Your chest now touches both of your warm skin, hot and dripping with lust. You felt Oj grab your leg and raise it higher. He soon was bucking his hips desperately. Your eyes began to roll as the moans kept falling from your mouth as your body tried to rise off the bed. “no more running,” he said with a grunt as he captured his lips with yours. Your body spasmed as you released, feeling the sheets damping beneath you. “Oh fuck” said Oj as he pulled out quickly and came on your pelvis area. As both of your breathing slowed down. His body is towering over yours, now removing the belt buckle from your sore red wrists. “Let’s get you cleaned up,” OJ said.

[thealogie]

I think Daniel Kaluuya and david would be perfect in an Othello production! can you imagine dt's sly frenetic energy matched with dk's towering, rock-steady intensity? Manifesting this

Their styles/dynamic would work so well and Daniel Kaluuya is a movie star with bigger Hollywood star power than DT but I’m afraid London producers/directors would feel that because DT is just so special to the London theatre scene that’s still a bit of lopsided casting. I disagree to be clear but I’m afraid he’s going to keep getting asked to to do titular roles only.

[luckygurllex]

I find it insane that Hobie Brown is voiced by Daniel Kaluuya, at first, I thought he was voiced by Idris Elba for some reason, like let’s be real for a second, if your like me and have issues, you’d think 💭

This ⬆️ could voice this ⬇️

Not did I even think it was this man here ⬇️

Like imagine voicing a character so good that ppl don’t even recognize your voice, he is the real mvp for that right there

[heyyjudetheobscure]

I love sci fi that doesn't feel the need to explain anything. you don't need to know where that thing came from, fuck you. imagine a fucked up fictional SNL sketch and watch Keke Palmer be a dirtbag lesbian for a while and you'll feel better. worldbuilding is for chumps. get in, loser, we're getting internet-famous, and we're kidnapping the off-brand geek squad dude and a profoundly depressed arthouse director to help us do it. Daniel Kaluuya will also be there, being stoic and beautiful, and everyone he meets will expect him to be able to verbally communicate with horses -- what more does a movie need?

[destinyc1020]

Imma be honest tom and timmy combo sounds a little boring to me, I understand why people want to see the duo to see film twitter fall apart and fandoms sort of lose their minds but I also feel like fandoms just recycling the same 5 people timmy, tom, austin, JE and paul mescal like sometimes I feel like thats all people know.

Like give me something with jeremy pope and austin butler , or where is the tom and kelvin harrison jr do a musical film, or any other person who isnt white like ashton sanders, dev patel brian tyree henry, kofi srirobe , cory hawkins like lets expand outside of the same 5 people. Fandoms and film twitter just feels like a sea of white people like we need to bring in the POC love, Imma be honest some young POC actors have been killing it in terms of acting and have outsihined alot of the peoples white faves.

Like I feel a white actor can deliver one mediocre performance and boom they are loved and become it boy status whereas this its never the same for POC actor who are constantly proving themselves and will never be seen as "it boy" ( like white supremacy in hollywood and in fandoms really make it seem there are only 5 good white actors its kinda sad no offense)

its like I can Imagine a better duo or at least lets get tom to partner up with ncuti gatwa in a fun charismatic buddy film.

Imma be honest tom and timmy combo sounds a little boring to me

I mean, I did mention other actors in there too in my list Anon!! 😅

I just always mention Tom and Timmy because it seems like they're already buddies on some level, and their fandoms are both huge, and I just think it would be funny (and box office GENIUS) to put them in a film together and watch the internet EXPLODE!!! LOL 😂

but I also feel like fandoms just recycling the same 5 people timmy, tom, austin, JE and paul mescal like sometimes I feel like thats all people know.

I mean.... No offense, but the latter 3 actors you mentioned have JUST started to really make their shine in Hollywood, so Idk if I would necessarily count them in your list of HW "just recycling the same 5 people" since they've barely just started getting more lead roles on the big screen. Jmho... 🤷🏾‍♀️

Fandoms and film twitter just feels like a sea of white people like we need to bring in the POC love, Imma be honest some young POC actors have been killing it in terms of acting and have outsihined alot of the peoples white faves.

No I agree with you girl! I know what you mean....

There are tons of POC that are killing it in the industry. John Boyega is a personal fave of mine 😊, Daniel Kaluuya, Damson Idris, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and yes....even the fallen Jonathan Majors... All VERY good actors who are very promising imo.

Like I feel a white actor can deliver one mediocre performance and boom they are loved and become it boy status whereas this its never the same for POC actor who are constantly proving themselves and will never be seen as "it boy" ( like white supremacy in hollywood and in fandoms really make it seem there are only 5 good white actors its kinda sad no offense)

Girl, you know this is the US we're talking about here. So if POC actors aren't getting as much shine, then unfortunately, that's due to systemic racism. It's also due to the fact that it seems as though the heavy fandom world (especially for ACTORS) just doesn't seem to be as big in the black community as it is in other racial communities? I mean, correct me if I'm WRONG, but it seems like in the black community, girls are probably more likely to be going crazy stanning a music artist over an ACTOR. 👀 Whereas girls in other racial groups tend to go hard on the stanning of not just music artists, but also actors as well. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's just something I've picked up on over the years....

[lyledebeast]

I finished Us this morning, my least favorite Peele film going into this rewatch. I enjoyed it more this time; knowing the twist that comes at the end made "good" Lupita Nyong'o much more interesting to watch. Her performance as Red continues to be the most captivating part of the movie, but I was able to appreciate other performances more on this watch. The film's main drawback in comparison to the other two: no Daniel Kaluuya. But I don't know where they would have put him because Winston Duke is perfect as Gabe, and I can't imagine anyone else playing him. He and Shahadi Wright Joseph made a hilarious comedy duo and kept the movie from being too scary, which I appreciated. I also love that Elisabeth Moss got to play a completely and delightfully demented character for once. Good for her!

I've started Nope now, and I'm already kind of in love with both Haywood siblings. Can't wait to finish all three and have more comparative thoughts!