#even tour guides taking tourists to watch

[poirott]

Kenneth Branagh's Hercule Poirot filming in Venice

Branagh was spotted filming his 3rd Poirot film, A Haunting in Venice, riding on a Venetian gondola, on January 8 2023. Film crew was recording the scene from boats ahead, while a crane with a camera/sound equipment flew towards Branagh. The footage taken by lucky Tiktok user luigibrugnaro (titled "Hercule Poirot filming in Venice") shows Branagh gesticulating at the crane (giving it directions?).

Source: @luigibrugnaro on Tiktok, photo by Shutterstock (via DM)

[banj0possum]

Okay hear me out: yandere harpy. The reader is on a hike or something and he notices them and is immediately enamored. He grabs them and keeps them in his nest and because it's so high up they can't get down on their own 😳

Lovey Dovey

Harpy x GN Reader

CW: kidnapping, stockholm syndrome

first day back from my hiatus and were already on some more sweet sweet terato ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡ ive never written a harpy before but by golly ive been wanting to for a while! thank you smallcactus22 for requesting!

🪶 All you wanted was a fun adventure away from work, a breath of fresh air after being trapped in a colorless cubicle for god knows how long.

🪶 You wanted, no, needed a vacation. You looked through the many websites that showcased lovely tourist spots like beaches and retreats, all either a little too shady or way too expensive.

🪶 One caught your eye though, an ad for a hiking trip across a mountainous landscape filled with lush greens and lovely pink flowers, it was pretty affordable too. You immediately booked a spot on the hiking trail and wrote up a letter to your boss that you'd be on vacation for a few days.

🪶 When you finally came, you were already enamored by the scenery. Everything was a pink and reddish hue from all the petals that fell from the trees. You saw a person holding up a sign that said, "Hiking Trail!" and quickly ran up to the group of people supposedly taking the same hike as you.

🪶 The tour guide explained the history of the trail, it sounded more of a legend or myth however, with him speaking of an ancient race of humans with the ability to fly.

🪶 You thought nothing of it, probably just a part of the place's culture or something, you then followed the rest of the group to start the hike.

🪶 You couldn't help this uneasy feeling of being watched while on the trail, like there was something following you as you continued along the red path surrounded by pinks and blueish greens. It was probably a wild animal or two, you were in a forest after all.

🪶 On the other hand, Kalva could do nothing but watch you from the dense flora he was perched within. He's seen humans travel through the harpy infested woods before, all of which were uninteresting as a dried leaf on the ground.

🪶 So when he laid his eyes on you, it felt like an arrow to his chest. He was taken aback by how cute you were, so soft, so graceful. With the shawl you had on he would've mistaken you for one of his kind if it were not for you walking alongside other humans.

🪶 The harpies were very weary of humans, especially tourists. Only the few that have grown up near the mountains know of their existence, one that is protected lest danger falls on them like the old dragons of legend that was wiped out by greedy humans who thought of themselves as divine saviors in a world of evil.

🪶 Even with all these thoughts swirling in his head, he thought you were different. You didn't look at all like the other tourist who were babbling to themselves about who knows what with their funny black bricks that sparked now and again. They were so clumsy and ditzy compared to you who was just admiring the scenery around you, truly in the moment unlike the others who only cared for a nice photo or two.

🪶 After about an hour, the group stopped at a rest stop to take a break, you kept watching the flora dance and sway as everyone else drank and rested their feet. You treaded deeper into the pink forest, making sure to keep the rest stop in sight.

🪶 Just then you hear rustling from above, a large shadow gliding past you from overhead. You would think it was a bird if not for the size of the shadow. The shadow circled around you, as the shaking of the leaves above grew louder and louder.

🪶 Now your uneasiness is back tenfold, your heart racing as you frantically look around.

🪶 There was nothing there however, and you breathe a sigh of relief before turning to go back to the rest stop.

🪶 You yelp as you are, however, met with giant yellow eyes staring at you. You trip on a tree root and fall on your butt as a man half covered in feathers stared at you, penetrating your very soul.

🪶 You try to scramble away but the creature keeps walking nearer and nearer, his head cocking to the sides like that of a bird.

🪶 Your back meets with a tree as you're left in the mercy of this massive birdman in front of you. You feel tears starting to form in your eyes as a taloned hand reaches to your face.

🪶 You were surprised at the gentle touch you felt on your face as Kalva wiped your tear away, cooing softly.

🪶 "uhm...hello there?" you mutter.

🪶 "hello..." He replies in a raspy but quiet voice.

🪶 "Wh-who are you?" you ask, the tension in your body dissipating as you get more comfortable with him, well not really comfortable, just a little less tense as you were before.

🪶 "My name is...Kalva..."

🪶 "Kalva..I'm (Y/N).."

🪶 His pupils dilate at the sound of your name. He mutters it to himself like a word he wished to remember.

🪶 He sniffs at you, all over your body and clothes, focusing then on your bag. You reach inside and take out some crackers you packed for the hike and gave it to him. He was confused at first, never seeing a seed or insect like it, but was then greeted with a wonderous sensation of sweet and salty. He squawks happily, nuzzling his head into your chest, making you a tad bit surprised and unsure of what to do now that a bird man creature thing is cuddling you in a forest. You placed a hesitant hand on the back of his head and started petting him, he started cooing very softly, that must mean he's happy.

🪶 You then hear the tour guide call for everyone to continue on the trail, you greet Kalva goodbye and try to walk away when you're suddenly grabbed by your shoulders and lifted up. You yelp and scream, asking to be put down but the harpy ignored your pleas and flew high up into the mountains.

🪶 Oh what a day it was for Kalva! He knew the little human was the one! They fed him, they preened him, just like a good mate would! He must have been very good as his courting! Of course, his little mate couldn't have seen it from down below, but they surely would have if they accepted him so quickly right afterwards!

🪶 Finally they reached his perch atop a tall mountain. It was a giant circular hut of some kind made of branches and lined with colorful flowers and leaves. Inside, his nest was filled with cotton of the softest kind, only the best for his mate! Little baubles and shiny trinkets hung from the curved ceiling and trinkled softly as they shook. He placed them down as they shook in fear at the height.

🪶 Kalva landed next to them cooing and chirping comfortingly, don't worry my lovely! You won't fall from here! I will protect you!

🪶 It was like this for days; you trapped a thousand miles high in a nest you can't escape from otherwise the harpy would find you and carry you back. He would leave for hours at a time, offering you food and small gifts he's found he thought you might like, some of them things left behind by other tourists like a water bottle, a book, a hat and a few others.

🪶 At night, he'd pull you into a warm embrace under his wings. He can't help but stare at you as you snore peacefully under him.

🪶 Of course you were frightened to the core the whole time, but you tried your best to explain to him that you weren't his mate and that you needed to go home, but he kept insisting that you two were meant for each other, for him to coddle and fed you and you to love and preen him when he returns home.

🪶 He dreams for you both to have chick of your own, the idea of coming home to the happy chirping of little hims and yous gave him a happy giddy feeling.

🪶 After a while you figured getting down on your own wasn't an option and Kalva was your only hope in returning to the familiar world below.

🪶 You started talking to him more, books he would bring home, you'd read to him, food collected would be shared between you two.

🪶 And somehow, throughout this whole process, you managed to grow quite close to the man.

🪶 He understood English more, now collecting other foods like stolen snacks from tourists instead of bugs and wild fruits he'd usually eat.

🪶 You found yourself missing his company when he was away. He'd chirp happily as you rushed to hug him as he lands in your shared nest after a hunt.

🪶 Soon enough, he'd trust you to explore the mountain's peak outside of the nest. There was a lovely little lake next to his abode with a tree bearing red fruits. In the distance you could hear the faint calls of other harpies.

🪶 All you wanted was a fun adventure away from work, and you were given more than what you've bargained for, a glimpse into a hidden world of creatures far beyond your imagination, with one of them being your very loving mate.

and as a bonus, Kalva doodle for yall <3

[faeriekit]

New In Town (dp x dc)

ALRIGHT! 👏🏽 A prompt. (Or, well. A premise.) I’m schtealing a lot of worldbuilding from @mediumsizedpidegon‘s post here so bear with me please.

The Bats, however they catch wind of Amity, catch wind of Amity Park. Of course they do. Amity Park has a very distinct presence— Or, well, a lack of a presence. It may have an abundance of documented weirdness online, from folk stories to abandoned livestreams to concerning details in expats’ online blogs.

But there is no online evidence of Amity Park that leaves Amity Park.

So. What is a family of detectives to do when confronted with the need to gather physical evidence? Road Trip, baby!🏄🏽‍♂️🚗🚞🚡

Everyone hops in the car/Batplane and makes their way to Amity Park; they make hotel reservations, ring up the only reasonably rich enough people to even touch their social circle (the Manson family, and Vlad Masters, apparently), make an itinerary for all the documented tourist stops to hit up while in town off the town website, and prepare themselves for whatever dimensional weirdness is causing a complete tech blackout on the town and an inability to be found by satellite.

They get about ten feet into Amity proper when they meet the first local.

His name is Danny. He’s nice! Affable. He looks a lot like any other Wayne sibling, actually, if a little on the younger side. He notices it’s their first time in town. Do they need any help getting around?

Best way to get information is to ingratiate with a local, so...sure, why not? They get a free tour guide, Danny gets to show off his town; they see all the sights, like the local burger joint, the school, the Manson home, the town hall, the city proper. They’re having a clothing swap in the temple parking lot, actually. You should go check it out!

For whatever reason, it’s all...Punk? Goth? There’s a couple of lolita dressed tossed in, and some crocheted things. Everyone has a trunk out their car, eyeliner, and at least two piercings in their face; everyone here seems to know each other on a personal level. Well, small towns are small towns. Whatever.

Danny isn’t deterred by their reactions. If they want, there’s the movie in park tonight! If not, they can catch dinner, though; their hotel restaurant closes at 8pm sharp. (He just...knows this off the top of his head?)

They split up. Some of the family people watch at the restaurant. Everyone is...weirdly courteous to them. A little standoffish. But not at the Wayne name, just at...them being there.

The people at the park find out they’re watching The Night of the Living Dead. This would be much more normal if the park wasn’t also clearly the cemetery, in the middle of July? Which is. Why? It’s not even for any holiday or special time of the year? It’s just...clearly a movie night in the summer? There are little kids here, playing among the gravestones while their parents set out blankets and snacks. Why is this considered a family event??

Well. At least Jason has fun.

Everyone goes to bed and reconvenes in the morning. When they wake up and roll out for the day, Danny manages to find them again, this time with two new friends, bright and chipper in the morning. There’s a farmer’s market today! Everyone’s worked really hard on this week’s harvest; don’t they want to see?

...Sure?

And the longer they’re in Amity Park, the more they begin to realize how convenient it is, that they’re ferried around so easily; that there’s immediately a local who takes a liking to them, that there’s always something else to do; how suspicious it is that no data can get in or out of Amity now that they’re in it, or how they can’t seem to get close to any of the more suspicious parts of town they want to infiltrate. The town is entirely closed to outside influences. The fashion trends are strange and foreign. They only eat things grown in the area, by people they know, and it’s all sort of...green. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone knows where to go. Who to talk to. The superstitions— make no wishes, step on no cracks, wear no large jewelry, cross no shadows of any person (living or dead, apparently), speak to no one without full view of their eyes. 

But nothing seems dangerous— not until a few of them try to investigate Axiom Labs, a subsidiary of the otherwise national Dalvco company, and are met to the face with a blaster that uses tech they’ve never seen, by a red fighter in an ultra-synthetic suit.

Overnight, the extremely polite and welcoming town becomes a hostile entity to fight their way out of.

[reveluving]

cold little kisses ; yandere!singer x reader

summary: Omar's love knows no bounds.

warnings: s~mut (minors DNI!) & tooth-rotting fluff!

a/n: I LOVE @oncomingnight 's OCs to BITS, but Omar has been haunting me for DAYS. OP if you're reading this, hi!! Quick question; is the man in the original post like someone someone? ‘Cause he now comes to mind whenever I think of him ✋🏼😔 Hope you don't mind me giving this sweetheart a go! ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ

'But like the greedy man he was, he never stopped. Not even when the two of you returned to his cabin.' ;

Smut includes: unprotected sex (p in v), cockwarming, slight teasing & marking, drools & sweat, body worship, soft!dom!Omar!

Omar believed you were God's gift at its purest form, and to be the luckiest son of a gun when you bestowed before him that very day?

Absolute miracle.

There was no way he could have wiped the lovestruck smile off his face every morning, waking up to you in your most vulnerable.

The extravagant sight of Quebec was already a treat as it was, enjoying the spot with his wife was another. He was more than content to watch you marvel at the snowy night, eyes twinkling in the fairy lights as the snowflakes fell on you like an extraordinary being blessing the Earth, but that would be unceremonious of him.

“Omar, look.” You gasped for the umpteenth time tonight, bending down at the line of the nation's quintessential souvenirs, handcrafted in ways that would surely grab the attention of first-time tourists. Those familiar with the renowned singer were kind enough to leave him and his beloved be, going only as far as taking a picture of the two from a distance to share on their social media later and rake in OMGs or any other forms of awe.

That, and many were smart enough to stay away, having witnessed the more intimidating side of him online at the mere mention of you in manners that never sat right with him.

“Would you like that one?” He asked, his deep voice never failed to send shivers down your spine.

“Omar, we already have so much.” You raised the bags in your hands, plus motioning to the majority that he had offered to hold. Brows furrowing a little in a way that you feel guilty that he has to play tour guide for you, no matter how many times you have visited.

“Well, who else is going to beautify our new bookshelf, if not you?” He chuckled, languidly walking over to stand next to you. He briefly surveyed the souvenirs through the glass, only for his eyes to flit towards you within seconds, prompting your face to burn, despite the chilly air hitting you, “We're buying it.”

Omar ducking his head was a telltale sign of him wanting to steal a kiss, but rather than feeling his lips on yours, he pecked the cold tip of your nose. Embarrassed by the affectionate display in public, you hid your face in his chest, your giggles vibrating through him.

That didn't stop him from showering you with more, planting kisses after kisses on the top of your head while he rested his free hand on the small of your back.

But like the greedy man he was, he never stopped. Not even when the two of you returned to his cabin.

Your eyes were brimming with tears, glassy to the point where you couldn't pinpoint the nature on the other side of the window beyond silhouettes. Your mind was no better, your brain already in the midst of turning mush in favour of him prodding your cervix.

He cooed at you, akin to a delicate flower if not for the way one of his hands gripped at your ass tightly. Blunt nails leaving marks for him to appreciate in the next sunrise. His other hand lightly held the back of your head, leaving you no choice but to stare back at him in a drunken haze.

Omar welcomed your drools and tears dripping down his chest, occasionally leaving damp marks on his shirt, all unbuttoned but barely removed from his shoulders. The half-disheveled look on him was a sight to behold, the oh-so-put-together-singer nowhere to be seen.

You felt full, and you were full, the stretch around him evident when bouncing you up and down his cock required his aid. You would've fallen back or sagged in his arms if not for his own holding you snug against his chest. Although, that didn't mean he wasn't seconds away from losing himself into the feeling either—falling back into the velvet seat with one arm around you, chest heaving in shallow breaths and skin covered in a thin layer of sweat.

His body akin to a Greek God, created to worship his one and only with loyalty, riches and silk, and protect you from the dangers of humanity alone, or even the unforgiving weather that occured beyond the safety of his luxurious cabin.

Lost in the way you squeezed him each time he rolled his hips, he surged forward, wrapping his lips around one of your pebbled tits. You instinctively wrapped your arms around his neck, pressing his face further into your breasts as he shamelessly looked up at you through his lashes.

“Omar…” You hiccuped, brushing your lips against his forehead, moving your hips when he stilled you for a moment. It felt sickly sweet. something only he had the privilege of—of your body and soul, “Move, please…”

He couldn't say no to you, not now, not ever, even if he wanted nothing more than to listen to your pretty voice and hold you real close.

So long your lips, your mind, your you—could do nothing more than reciprocate his own desires, he'd only stop at his own expense when hell freezes over.

˚ · . f i n . · ˚

» Bonus HC from the train pic on OP's post:

I love the thought of Omar, with his reading glasses as he writes the lyrics of his upcoming song on a journal and casually drinks his coffee. But he's also watching his beloved play a one-player card game in front of him with a warm smile. UGH.

» deadass could not help it. this is one of those 'if I don't do something about it, no matter how short or quick it is, I'll sure as hell think about it for a LONG time.' ksjslsksls ;; tagging @firefly-graphics for the gorgeous divider ♡

[lunajay33]

Am I Good Enough

🩸🖤♟️🍷

Summary: You were on a solo trip to Italy taking a tour of an old castle when everything changes, but will this random guy accept you for who’s and what you are?

Pairing: Alec Volturi x human f!reader

•Masterlist•

Taking a trip to Italy was a last minute decision, firstly needing a break from my boring life and for some reason Italy always just called to me, like there was something waiting there for me

After a long tire some flight I finally landed in Italy, stepping out into the hot heat, waving down a taxi before anyone else could cut infront of me, only traveling with my backpack for easy travel, I told the driver to take me to Volterra, only an hour drive from the airport, seeing pictures of it on a guide and thought it would be a beautiful start to my trip

Finally we arrived in volterra, I paid and now standing infront of this beautiful castle, the town was fully stone built, it was beautiful unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, as I was walking down the street I got stopped by a woman, her hair luscious, he skin was flawless, her eyes so beautiful even though they must be contacts since they were such a rich red, her smile enticing

“Hi there you seem like a girl who’d love a good tour and I just so happen to be showing the castle right now for free! Does that interest you at all?” Her voice was so melodic like she was a siren I was pulled in nodding immediately watching as her smile grew, I followed her to the castle like a puppy meeting up with a group of other tourists

She led us through the castle not stopping to tell us about anything interesting we passed, finally we got to a set of big wooden door that looked like they weighed a ton but she pushed them open with ease, there beyond the doors was a huge room, marble and tile covered every inch, three thrones sat on the pedestal further back in the room, where three men sat seemingly looming over us all, others stood around the room watching us like they were ready to pounce, the doors behind us slammed soon hearing the first scream of many, it was a blood bath as the people dressed in black went from person to person until I was the only one standing

“It seems we missed one brothers and sisters”

“I’ve got her” a tall man said as he started right for me before he was stopped by the older man that sat on the throne

“WAIT” his voice boomed through the chamber, everyone stopping to look at him

He got up off the throne seemingly weak as he glided over to me

“Dear child it seems someone here has been waiting for you for a long long time” he smiled as he turned to a guy who was the most ethereal beautiful person I’ve ever seen, everything about him lured me in, he eyed me the same way and in an instant he was infront of me

“My Lord are you sure about this, she is my mate?”

“Yes child she is your other half”

“But she is human, this can’t be”

“It was meant to be, don’t over think this, it’s the best gift the universe could give you”

“Come we must talk” he said as he led me back out through the doors, silently walking through the vast halls until we finally made it to a huge room decorated in black and ruby red, books covering the walls

“Sit” he demanded as he gestured to the bed

“You haven’t said a word this whole time you must be in shock” he said sitting opposite of me on the bed

“No……surprisingly I’m the calmest I’ve ever been, but I still don’t know what’s going on”

“I must admit you are cute, most beautiful human I’ve ever seen” his words made the blood rush to my cheeks making him smile

“I’d say the same for you but I don’t quite think you’re human….right?”

“You’d be right my rose, we are vampires some much older than others but we rule over the vampiric world, we enforce the laws so the humans don’t become suspicious about our kind”

“Then why are you telling me, why didn’t you just kill me like everyone else in the room”

“Some of us vampires have special powers, the one that talked to you was Marcus one of our lords, he can sense the bond of those who are mated to each other, he could sense that we are meant to be with one another” my heart was racing fast, I was sure he could hear it

“Mates? That’s…..are you sure I mean I’m just a human am I good enough for you?” His eyes softened for the first time

“We will figure this out this isn’t the first time a vampire has been mated to a human, I just got lucky enough to get such a diamond”

It’s been a month now and it’s been well……amazing I didn’t get a lot of alone time with Alec seeing he had a lot of guard duty but when he’d wake me at night so I could curl up to him as he held me, sometimes he’d leave cute notes in the books I’d be reading that always got my heart beating, sometimes leaving red roses on the table for me whenever he had to work late, he made me feel like a goddess, giving me a love I’ve never thought I’d feel before…….well until today

Walking into the library to grab another book hoping to find something more intriguing than the books Alec had collected over the years

Looking on the second balcony I stopped when I heard voices on the main level, Alec always warned me of some other vampires, newer to the Volturi that may not have a reign on their blood thirst as the older vamps, as their voices got louder I recognized them as Jane and Demetri

“You seem more cruel than usual Jane, something the matter?” Demetri asked, I stood completely still as I listened to the conversation

“Alec won’t stop going on and on about that….that rat, complete filth of a human, I mean what fates put them together, she’s just a lowly human, I could kill her in a second and her life would mean nothing”

“Jane don’t be so harsh have you even spoken to her, she’s quite the girl, she’s perfect for Alec”

“No human is good enough for Alec” she scoffed before she stormed out, the doors slamming behind her, I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding

My heart felt like a ton of bricks, maybe I wasn’t enough for Alec I mean it’s been a month and we haven’t moved past just holding each other in bed, or a little pec on the check, maybe I’m over thinking everything but there still that nagging at the back of my mind that Jane might be right I mean she’s his twin she knows him best

I ditched my journey to get a new book and headed back to Alec’s and I’s room hoping to just clear my head and try and forget about this gut wrenching feeling

I threw myself down on the bed when a voice shocked me out of my fleeting moment of peace

“What seems to trouble you amore?” I shot up in the bed looking across the room to where the voice came from seeing Alec sat on the couch looking beautiful as ever

“Oh umm it’s nothing just tired” in a flash he was kneeled infront of me at the side of the bed, his hands holding mine

“Amore you know you can’t lie to me, I hear your lovely heart race everytime, now tell me”

“I just…..I don’t know, I feel sometimes that I’m not everything you need we haven’t even kissed yet and i know the others think this too”

“My love, you are everything I have waited for, you calm me down when I feel my anger rise, you thaw my cold dead heart, and for the other I haven’t kissed you yet because I wanted to take this slow for you, I’m quite into courting if you haven’t noticed, this is special so I’m enjoying my time with every little moment” he smiled running his thumb over my hand soothingly

“I….I love you Alec, and I know I can have my doubts sometimes but I really do, you’ve made me feel more loved than I ever have before” I said placing my hand on his cold cheek

“I love you to my angel, and I want you to never worry about my I devoted love for you, nothing with ever change than no matter if your human or a vampire, I’m yours till the end of time”

More alec oneshots are on their way

Story inspired by @kimi240302 Alec story go check it out!!

[tightsweatyclothes]

With two days left to her sentence, Daphne thought she could finally go free, but now she has been caught trying to communicate using unauthorized channels with a group of customers while taking them on a tour (she raised her eyebrows slightly at one of them, thinking she was a friend from school), and for the rest of the sentence she has to wear a heavy punishment helmet, so that her sight and hearing are permanently under control. Now she has to repeat the same actions, the same gestures as she leads the groups listening to the audio guides around the gardens, but blind, deaf and constantly disoriented by the lights and sounds which blare at her on the inside of her helmet, wearing an especially heavy collar and suit with extra dense and inflexible padding designed to make every movement frustratingly difficult. Even so, each movement she makes out of line is rewarded by a squeezing at her collar and wrists and ankles, and an extension of her time.

The sweltering and itching dark is far worse than the standard uniform, and each time she paws at the collar, at the helmet, at the suit, trying to scratch the gnawing itches, trying to loosen the catches or zips a little, she is punished by the collar. Even after work, the helmet never comes off, and she is expected to find her way back to the dormitory before curfew where her sleeping cage awaits, or have her sentence extended.

A year later, and she still has a month left to go, unable to get her time down no matter how she tries to stay in line, no matter how she tries to perform the actions expected of her even while blind and deaf and constrained by her own suit. She breathes as deeply as she can in the suffocating dark, trying to ignore the deep and crawling itch she cannot scratch, trying to ignore the tickling sweat which will not stop, trying to focus her mind on remaining docile and elegant while tracing out the tour path which has been seared into her memory, trying to ignore the throbbing at her bladder, the tightness at the throat which has not left her for a single moment since the start of her sentence. Distracted, she takes one more step forward than prescribed, and the punishment leaves her whimpering in agony, much to the amusement of the foreign tourists. The taunting AI voice announces to her another extension to her time, punishing her again for the growl of frustration she lets out as she watches her promised freedom slip further and further away.

[saeist]

there was one thing ticked off your bucket list this year and that was going out the country with your long time boyfriend, itoshi sae.

sae was able to bring you along to spain for this season's soccer tournament. he even went as far as getting you a schengen tourist visa just so you can stay with him until the tournament finishes

and with that, today was your official first day in spain.

luckily for the both of you, sae had an extra day to spare before training. so being the boyfriend he is, sae took the responsibility of being your tour guide and show you around the city he lives in, madrid.

sae took you to all his favorite spots to spend his leisure time if he had some and even took you out on a lunch date at his favorite 5* michelin restaurant.

after exploring the city, you two find yourselves in the busy streets of puerto del sol. there were so many stores and vendors out and about. there was something so endearing hearing sae talk to the locals as you two do your little touristy things such as getting a romantic portrait drawn by some artist on the street.

on the way to the local park, sae spots a florist and buys a bouquet of flowers for you just because.

"¿cuánto por estos?" (how much for these?) you hear sae ask, while pointing at the selection of premade bouquets up on display. you tug on his arm, protesting about how he already spent so much today. sae simply shushes you and continues to converse with the vendor.

"para tu amante?" (for your lover?)

"sí, tomaré esto para mi amante" (yes, for my lover) sae says, wrapping an arm around you. almost like he was showing you off to the old lady selling flowers. she smiles widely and says something in spanish that you obviously didn’t understand.

"ya que ustedes son tan lindos, ¡les daré esto por la mitad del precio!" (since you guys are so cute, I'll give you this for half the price!)

you look up at sae to see him blush a little.

"¡oh! realmente no tienes que hacerlo..." (oh! you really don't have to...) sae says sheepishly, rubbing the back of neck.

the old lady simply laughs and hands you the bouquet of flowers sae picked.

"you are very lucky" she dotes, giving your hand a squeeze. you look at sae to see him smiling down at you.

"muchas gracias" you chirp, looking between the vendor and sae. the vendor laughs and waves goodbye as you two walk away.

"que el verdadero amor que comparten hoy se fortalezca a medida que envejecen juntos!" (may the true love you share today grow stronger as you grow older together!) you hear the old lady yell out from the distance.

the day finally ends when you and sae walk back to his apartment complex.

"so did you have fun today?" sae asks, giving you glance as you two walk hand in hand in the busy streets of madrid.

"is that really a question?" you raise a brow at him, nudging his shoulders. sae laughs, his insides feeling like mush that he finally has you with him. he was no longer alone in spain. no more long distance. no more late night calls, no more timezones. no more.

sae suddenly crouches down in front of you. you take a look around your surroundings to see some bystanders watching the scene unfold before their eyes.

"what are you doing?"

"just get on"

"is this the sae itoshi being romantic?" you tease, cheekily wrapping your hands around his neck as he hoists your legs up. sae smirks at your reaction.

"only for you, mi amor"

[thefrogdalorian]

Across The Stars

Word Count: 5815 Rating: MATURE 18+ MDNI Summary: Your riduur, Din Djarin, whisks you away to Naboo to enjoy the Festival of Love celebrations on the bountiful planet. While there, you reflect on just how much the formidable man, who chose you to be his, truly means to you. Content Warnings: Non-graphic smut, vaguely suggestive scenes but the acts/body parts aren't explicitly described. Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day friends! In my head, this fic takes place in the same universe as A New Dawn. As you can tell, the yearning was intense this year so things got a little steamier than I expected when I sat down to write this. But I actually quite enjoyed writing such scenes lol, even though I don't really consider myself a smut writer, especially not for x reader fics. The urge hits once every few months and (un)luckily for you it coincided with Valentine's day hehe. Anywayyyy, really hope you enjoyed this one, would love to know your thoughts. Thanks as always for reading!

✯ My Masterlist ✯ Read on AO3 ✯

For the first few months after you had begun travelling around the galaxy with a Mandalorian, you had felt somewhat self-conscious about how many eyes he drew. No matter which planet you visited, it appeared that people were unable to avert their gaze away from him. You understood it, to some extent. After all, Mandalorians were feared throughout the galaxy for their formidable fighting ability, their ruthlessness and deadly accuracy. 

Before you began travelling with Din, you would probably have joined the throngs of people who gawped at him. You certainly had the first time you had laid eyes on him, when he strolled into the run-down cantina where you worked, seeking information for some shadowy figure’s whereabouts. Fortunately, you had intimate knowledge of the location the lead would take him to. So you had joined him to guide him and simply never left. 

He used The Child, who you would eventually discover was named Grogu, as an excuse to keep you around. Din had offered you a job as his caregiver as he desperately needed one for when he was off capturing his bounties. But you always knew – even back then, long before you had confessed your feelings to each other – that he genuinely appreciated your company too.

After a while, the self-consciousness you felt when walking around various planets with a Mandalorian gave way to feelings of bitter jealousy. You hated that others got to look at him, with his broad shoulders and confident swagger. How dare they look at the man you placed above all others with their undeserving eyes? Such feelings of resentment threatened to consume your entire being. 

Everything changed after you and Din had confessed your feelings for each other. 

Now, there was no jealousy, no possessiveness. You were secure in the love he showed towards you, revelling in it and relishing every moment when he took the opportunity to remind you of how deeply he adored you. Since that fateful day when your relationship with Din had changed permanently, there had been no such feelings when you stepped out with him. So, when Din had whisked you away to Naboo, on a trip to coincide with the Festival of Love which was famously celebrated on the bountiful planet, there were no lingering negative emotions. Just immense pride and contentment that this man was all yours. 

As you strolled through the wide main street towards the Theed Royal Palace, where you would enjoy a guided tour, many of the townsfolk and tourists alike were dazzled by the presence of a Mandalorian on their planet. You watched with a small smirk as they stopped and stared, excitedly pointing at the gleaming Mandalorian who was strolling down the streets as they chattered enthusiastically in hushed tones. Such an experience would once have irritated you, perhaps you would have even snapped at them. Now, though, you were secure in the knowledge that no matter how many people looked in his direction... ultimately, it was you, not them, who was beside him. No one ever else would get to know The Mandalorian in the same way that you did. He had chosen you, and you alone, to be by his side for the rest of your lives. 

You had long known that Din only wanted you, but it had recently been confirmed with the vows you had sworn together – the riduurok. You had promised to be one when together and parted, to share all and to raise warriors. It was a solemn Mandalorian ritual which had cemented your commitment to one another, and you liked the fact that it was not an intensely formal experience. You and Din had woken up one day in the cabin you shared on Nevarro and decided that it was finally time to take the step. By nightfall, you were riduurs. 

If your marriage wasn’t already enough, to prove your commitment to each other, the strong arm that snaked its way around your waist certainly was. You sighed happily when a gloved hand settled on your hip before Din drew you into his side. Such a move only served to further underline your commitment to each other for any onlookers. It was clear that The Mandalorian was taken. And he belonged to you.

Being on Naboo, in the bustling, beautiful city of Theed, already made you feel as though there was something magical in the air. A palpable electricity, perhaps. But glancing over at the broad, handsome man in all of his glistening, unpainted beskar’gam glory as he held you close to him made you feel positively dizzy with glee. You knew his actions were as much for your benefit as it was for his. Din knew how shy you had felt about being in public with him at first, so he always made a point of drawing you close. Yet, you also knew how much Din loved holding you in his arms. There were days when he could not keep his hands off you, which was sometimes problematic when a certain green child was running around. 

Din was always an attentive father though. He had once told you that The Child was his only priority and you knew that while Grogu’s wellbeing was still of paramount importance to him, somewhere on the way his capacity for love had expanded to include you, too. You hoped that Grogu was enjoying his time with Peli Motto on Tatooine. When planning your trip away, there had only been one name on your list who the pair of you trusted with your child. While you knew that Grogu could be a handful sometimes, you were certain that he had more than met his match in the eccentric mechanic of Mos Eisley Hangar 3-5.

Being away from the little boy for a few days was surely difficult for Din, and you knew holding the only member of Clan Mudhorn in his presence close to him was for his comfort as much as yours. Despite his initial shyness, Din loved to show everyone that you were his by placing his hands upon you when you were in public. His tight hold on your waist conveyed a strong message to the people of Theed: this Mandalorian was taken. No amount of staring or gawking on the part of any passersby would ever change that fact. 

✯✯✯

Your first day on Naboo had been a complete whirlwind. There had scarcely been time to breathe. After your tour of the Theed Royal Palace was complete, rather than staying in Naboo’s capital, you and Din took a transport to the small oceanside city of Kaadara where you had spent your first evening. Din had felt that, while stunning, Theed was a little too crowded and filled with tourists for his liking. Although you had both enjoyed spending a few hours there strolling in the sun, mesmerised by the architecture and stunning decorations that adorned the trees and buildings to commemorate the ongoing Festival of Love, spending time in such a bustling city had been incredibly draining for the pair of you. 

Kaadara was equally stunning and slightly more secluded, although it was still heaving with tourists. You had not seen much of the city the previous evening, it had been almost nightfall when you arrived at the shuttle port and well after when you finally reached your lodgings. As much as the two of you had wanted to take advantage of the fact you were alone, without a certain unruly green child to distract you, in a beautiful hotel room… you had been much too tired to use the luxurious sleeper for anything other than getting some much-needed rest.

And it was a decision that you certainly were not regretting as you sat on the private oceanside terrace of one of the numerous outdoor cafés which dotted the beachfront of Kaadara the following morning. You felt well-rested and able to appreciate the moment. You knew that the pair of you would have plenty of opportunities to make up for lost time during the rest of your trip. Plus, your early night had meant that you had been able to watch the sunrise over the beach together, hand in hand. It had been a perfect moment, Din’s beskar’gam glinting a mesmerising array of oranges and reds. 

With your plates cleaned, the two of you were enjoying a few minutes of calm before making your next move. The secluded nature of the terrace meant that Din had been able to remove his helmet to enjoy a meal with you, a luxury that you were not often afforded as you travelled around the galaxy together. Even savouring food was a gift the pair of you were rarely afforded, with your busy lives and energetic child to raise. You sat there, utterly entranced by the handsome man before you. Your riduur. You admired Din’s strong side profile as he gazed out across towards the ocean. His strong nose, scruffy facial hair and long eyelashes were a feast for your eyes to match the feast of Nubian delicacies you had just enjoyed for breakfast. You adored looking at the way his curls wafted in the breeze, his tan skin perfectly in keeping with his surroundings. 

“I like it here,” Din mused as he took a sip of caf. “But there are a few too many people here for my liking. What do you think?”

“I agree, Din,” you nodded. “I’m guessing our final destination is somewhere more secluded?” 

Despite your hopes, Din did not fall for your subtle prodding for answers. You knew he was much too experienced thanks to a life of bounty hunting for that. Since leaving Theed, Din had been tight-lipped about your ultimate destination. All you knew for certain was that you were only staying for one night in Kaadara. Only your riduur knew where you would remain for the rest of your trip. 

After leaving the café, the two of you took one last stroll along the beachfront before you returned to your lodgings and collected your bags. Despite you insisting on helping to carry them, Din refused. Instead, he shouldered the weight of all of the heavy bags by himself. It was a feat made all the more impressive by the fact he held them in one arm and hand, to keep one hand free so he could lace his gloved fingers with yours. You beamed at him, wondering if he had any idea just how much you adored him. 

Since Din had revealed you were leaving Kaadara, you had fully expected that the two of you would head to the shuttle port where you had arrived only the previous evening. Instead, you gave Din a quizzical look as he led you away from the city centre, towards the city’s industrial quarter. You were even more confused when it appeared that Din was leading you towards a small, dilapidated building. You gave Din another questioning look, but he just shrugged and pushed the door.

It was not what you had been expecting at all. The rundown, forgotten building appeared to be a parking garage, with a vast array of speeder bikes and other vehicles parked up against the dull, grey walls. You watched with amusement as the Gungan who had been sitting on a chair, almost fell off it at the sound of the bell attached to the door, which signalled your and Din’s arrival. You had never met one before, but Din had explained the unique history of Kaadara to you. It was a city where Gungans and humans had lived side by side, where the locals had welcomed interactions with the native Gungan population rather than discriminated against them and exiled them. 

The peculiar, yet endearing, character soon recovered, and greeted you:

“Wow! Heyday ho, welcomen!” The Gungan chirped. “Me've never seen a real Mandalorian, me'm honoured to meet yousa!”

“Nice to meet you too,” Din nodded. His greeting was friendly, but he was keeping his distance from the Gungan. You could imagine him rolling his eyes under his helmet, finding this sort of attention embarrassing. 

“Yousa hair per da speeder bike?” The Gungan asked. 

“Certainly am,” Din confirmed. 

“Okeeday! Followen mesa, sir,” the Gungan jabbered as he beckoned Din to follow him.

You lingered by the door as the Gungan showed the bike to Din, who examined it by running his gloves over the saddle and handlebars, appraising the quality of the craftsmanship. You bit your lip, admiring the way his hands roamed over the surface. It had been several days since Din had touched you like that and you hoped you would have an opportunity tonight. His hands could be so soft and tender, even though they had been responsible for so many destructive acts throughout the galaxy. Before you could get lost in your thoughts any further, Din concluded the transaction by tossing the Gungan a bag of credits.

You watched, transfixed as Din pushed the bike out of the garage, his muscles barely straining despite its enormous weight. You followed him out of the building, bidding farewell to the Gungan as you went. 

“A speeder bike?” You questioned, raising your eyebrows in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Din nodded. “Quickest way to get to our destination.”

“I’ve never ridden one before,” you confessed nervously.

“It’s fine, cyare,” Din reassured you, placing a hand on the small of your back. “You just have to sit behind me and wrap your arms around me. Do you think you can do that?”

You nodded eagerly. Being in such proximity to Din was an intoxicating prospect, one that immediately sent a shiver of desire coursing through your body. You were on fire for him. Although it was just the two of you on this vacation, it scarcely felt as though you had truly enjoyed a moment to yourself in private, where you could act on your desires. You knew that was precisely how Din had planned it as he wanted to show you as much of the planet as possible during your short time here. But with such a gorgeous riduur, it was hard not to yearn for his touch. You almost ached with want. So, the speeder bike seemed like a perfect compromise. Wrapping your arms around Din sounded like a dreamy way to spend the rest of the afternoon as you hurtled to your next destination. 

You practically moaned in delight when you straddled the speeder seat, as your cheek came to rest on Din’s firm back, just underneath his broad shoulders. Your arms easily wrapped around his waist. For a man so vast, his waist was surprisingly slim compared to his shoulders. It was a contrast you loved, and this position in particular gave you a prime opportunity to take full advantage of his physique. You felt the safety and security of his enormous frame, with the softness of the man beneath the beskar as your arms rested around his narrow waist.

You squealed with delight as Din fired up the speeder bike and began hurtling out of the city. Although you found yourself somewhat sad to leave Kaadara behind, it had been a beautiful location after all, you couldn’t deny that you were excited to head for a more secluded location. It was a city which already attracted tourists in their droves, but thanks to the ongoing Festival of Love that coincided with your visit, the streets had been bursting with people. You knew that Din would be just as eager as you were to head for somewhere more secluded. By journeying elsewhere, away from lots of people, you hoped that Din would be able to relax and switch off fully. Your Mandalorian rarely seemed to be able to rest, it was in his nature.

The many breathtaking sights of Naboo whizzed past as you and Din hurtled across the planet on your speeder bike. You relished the warm skin you could feel below the layers, never tiring of feeling your Mandalorian in your arms. A gentle sigh left your body as you appreciated not just the feeling of Din in your arms, but the beauty of your surroundings. You passed breathtaking rolling hills, each one covered in lush green grass and a variety of flowers. There were several lakes and towns with beautiful domed architecture which took your breath away.

You and Din had made storming progress, save for one moment when he had to slow down and then stop entirely for a particularly unruly herd of shaak lolloped into your path. You did not mind the inconvenience though, despite Din’s grumbles, delighting in the fact you were able to gaze at the peculiar beasts so closely. As the hours passed, you still had no way of guessing your ultimate destination, but you trusted that wherever it was, Din had chosen a perfect setting for the final days of your vacation. Already on this trip, you appreciated his consideration and all the thoughts that had gone into planning such a vacation. You couldn’t believe that it could get any better than this.

Although your journey felt as though it had only taken a few minutes – you were so enthralled by the various sights and sounds that time had seemed to pass at a rapid pace – several hours later, you finally made it to your ultimate destination. 

“Welcome to the Lake Country, cyare,” Din finally said, when the speeder’s pace had slowed enough that he could be heard.

You were stunned that Din had gone to such lengths to bring you here. You had heard whispers of how beautiful the lakes of Naboo were, how secluded and isolated they were, their location nestled between the most beautiful hills. Instantly, you saw that the rumours were correct and found yourself immediately in awe of your surroundings. It was the most stunning place you had ever been, not least because of the stunning man who you had travelled here with.

Din dismounted the bike first, offering you a gloved hand to help you off the saddle. The hours of riding should have taken their toll and caused you to seize up, but a combination of your beautiful surroundings and handsome companion had done wonders for your joints. You had no aches and pains. Din grabbed your belongings and headed towards the building he had brought you to. You followed Din, admiring his broad shoulders and gleaming beskar as you went. Even from behind he was a sight to behold. 

When you finally glimpsed your immediate surroundings, you were awestruck by the opulence of the lodgings Din had selected, even slightly embarrassed as you considered how expensive it must have been. You knew that Din worked hard and the New Republic paid him handsomely, not least because of how skilled he was at his job, but you still felt slightly embarrassed that he was splurging on you. As if he could detect your slight hesitancy, when the man behind the desk turned to get your keys, Din addressed your unease.

“Relax, cyare. We can afford this,” Din whispered, comfortingly.

“Are you sure Din? I can’t even imagine how much this cost,”

“Good job you don’t have to,” Din nodded, bringing his hand to the small of your back once again.

You sighed, knowing that you should not allow such a small thing to ruin such a perfect vacation. You wanted to appreciate every second. You glanced around the reception, with its marble floors and wide, floor-to-ceiling windows which led straight to the lake just by the hotel, you found your shoulders relaxing slightly. Appreciating the sounds of the birds chirping, the leaves rustling in the slight breeze and the water lapping around the side of the lake only relaxed you further. You trusted Din entirely, with every atom of your being. If he said that you could afford this and wanted you to have a good time, then that was precisely what you would do. 

After the man behind the ornate oak desk handed you the keys, you and Din made your way upstairs to your room. Once again, Din refused all of your offers to help him with the bags. You rolled your eyes at him affectionately, he could be so stubborn sometimes, but you knew his heart was always in the right place.

As soon as you stepped through the door to your suite, you heard Din remove your helmet from behind you. But you were too transfixed by the sight before you to turn to face him, despite how much you yearned to look at him after so many hours of hiding his handsome features behind his helmet. 

You were standing in the most incredible room you had ever seen, with a breathtaking view of the lake outside. Your eyes should have been awed by the pristine water just outside the window, but instead, you found your gaze focusing on a bouquet of beautiful red flowers which was standing on the ebony table with the intricately carved base which sat just in front of the windows.

As you got closer, you realised it was a bouquet of Millaflowers, a local flower plucked fresh from the meadows of Naboo. The red blooms of the flowers took your breath away as you stood before them, shimmering in the late afternoon sun. You reached out to caress the soft petal between your thumb and forefinger.

“They’re beautiful, Din,” you sighed in appreciation. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, mesh’la,” Din replied, his voice low as you heard his heavy footsteps approach. “Beautiful Millaflowers for my beautiful riduur,” Din whispered as he snaked his arms around your waist, nuzzling kisses into your neck. 

There were so many incredible sights which lay just beyond the confines of your room, stunning beauty that you had been determined to see until the first touch of Din’s lips against your skin. Now, nothing out there seemed as appealing as the prospect of getting the gorgeous man, who was ardently trailing kisses down your neck, into the luxurious four-poster sleeper a few paces away.

“Din, the lakes,” you murmured, in a feeble attempt to stop his ministrations. Outstanding beauty was abundant just beyond your room, you knew that it would be a waste to miss enjoying such a landscape by giving into your desire for each other. 

“Later, cyare,” Din whispered as he spun you around in his arms so that you were facing him. 

With one look in those brown eyes, darkened with lust, you knew that resisting any further was not an option. The lakes could wait, Din seemed determined to have you, and who were you to deny him what he wanted? Your riduur banished all further protestations which lingered on your tongue by capturing your mouth with his plush lips. You moaned softly and Din pulled away, his chest heaved from kissing you so eagerly. You noticed, with a smirk, that his lips were already swollen, such was the ferocity of your kisses.

“Dank farrik, I want you so badly,” Din breathed. You could tell that he was struggling to contain his desires, not least because of the hardness you felt trapped between your bodies. 

“Then take me, Din,” you whispered, biting your lip as you extended the invitation to him.

The giggles that had started when Din scooped you up into his strong arms and carried you across the room to the sleeper, soon vanished. Your lighthearted yelps and shrieks turned to lustful gasps and moans. Din had delicately placed you on the luxurious sheets and wasted no time as he began showing you precisely how much he desired you. He worshipped your body with his mouth, attentive to your every moan, listening carefully to your reactions which dictated precisely where he placed his fingers and tongue. Din dove into his task as though he was a starving man, with all the care and dexterity that had served him so well during his many years as a bounty hunter…

✯✯✯

Later, you were grateful for the breeze which wafted into the room through the opened windows. It cooled your entangled bodies as you lay there in the afterglow. Din was wrapped around you as tightly as the vines, which could be found in the thick undergrowth surrounding the lake and periodically crept up the stunning stone buildings that were so characteristic of the town. The croaking and chirping of the animals outside merged perfectly with Din’s even breaths, it was a much-needed moment of peace after such a hectic day. When you had cried his name out one last time in ecstasy, Din had finally allowed himself to join you. He chanted your name as though it were a sacred prayer. Then, he had gathered you against his chest, your head resting against his strong, broad warmth which you almost wanted to engulf you. You had watched with a smirk, from your position on his warm, firm chest as his lids had grown heavy. Although you wanted to enjoy your evening with Din and make the most of your time here, you could not begrudge him some rest. He had certainly earned it, not just for his exertions between the satin sheets of your four-poster sleeper, but also in planning such a thoughtful trip. 

✯✯✯

Plush, soft lips that placed a tender kiss on your forehead roused you from the slumber you had unintentionally fallen into. Apparently, you had joined Din in a peaceful, much-needed nap to regain your strength after your earlier pursuits. Your eyelids fluttered open, to see the strong nose and soulful brown eyes of your riduur staring back at you. If he didn’t stop looking at you like that, you feared that the two of you would leave the Lake Country without having seen anything except your four-poster sleeper. Then, Din leaned in to capture your lips with his, his warm breath hot against your face. You smiled against Din’s mouth as your lips brushed against each other. You giggled softly in the early evening light as his facial hair tickled your face. Recently, he had begun to keep his whiskers a little longer, allowing the scruff around his jaw to grow out. It was a sight you adored, your heart swelling as he pulled away, allowing you to admire his more distinguished appearance, as the patchy brown hairs were now smattered with grey. 

“So handsome,” you breathed, cupping Din’s jaw with your hand and gazing at him reverentially.

“Cyare,” Din warned, his eyes dark with lust again. “If we don’t stop…” Din trailed off, swallowing thickly. “I can’t keep my hands off you. We won’t see anything of this town…”

✯✯✯

Although it was a few hours later than you had anticipated, you and Din had finally made it out of your lodgings. You had made various attempts at leaving the sleeper, only to find strong arms and large hands hungrily pulling you back into his embrace. Finally, you had insisted on leaving the satin sheets and Din’s arms in order to use the fresher. You had thought you had gotten away with it. You were confident of it, in fact. That was until you switched on the shower.

Your thoughts had been quite innocent as the sight of a real shower had been too much to resist. You were so used to the unsatisfying sonic of your cabin on Nevarro, that the prospect of washing yourself in a real shower had been too tempting for your resolve. Apparently, imagining your naked form underneath the hot jets of a real shower had also sparked something in Din and he had soon joined you, delaying your departure further. You had to admit it had been well worth it, though. 

When Din had eventually left you alone long enough so that you could finally put some clothes on, the two of you enjoyed a peaceful dinner on the private terrace which was attached to your room. You were not used to such luxuries and once again felt almost embarrassed, but Din had reminded you not to worry. 

Your lips curved into a smile when you remembered the way he had looked into your eyes and said so earnestly:

“I want to take care of you, ner riduur, and treat you to the finest things in the galaxy. You deserve only the finest things in life.”

Although you had called for dinner slightly later than you had initially planned, thankfully the staff had been happy to accommodate you. Having dinner brought to you was a luxurious experience. Clearly, the hotel was used to entertaining the galaxy’s elite. You were not used to being made to feel so important and were initially embarrassed, but with Din’s soothing presence by your side, accompanied by his kind words, you struggled to feel anything except relaxed.

Now, the two of you were strolling towards one of the more secluded lakes so that you could take a swim together. Although the town was already relatively quiet, you and Din wanted to relax away from anyone else. You hoped that he would be able to remove his helmet, but you were not expecting it. You would never push him to make such a move, respecting his adherence to his Creed entirely. 

The various lakeside creatures were chirping in the warm, breezy air. You sighed in contentment and squeezed Din’s free hand tightly, delighted that you could feel his skin on your own. He carried a small basket in one hand and held your hand in the other. Din was dressed down in cotton clothing, without his beskar’gam, save for the helmet. Despite the clothes’ intended loose style, the material still hugged his frame and accentuated a feature you loved so much: his broad shoulders. 

It was the final evening of the Festival of Love celebration, a culmination of several days of festivities and various people were milling around the secluded town. Although Din’s helmet was still drawing eyes from the various couples you passed, they were not as piercing as the gazes you drew when Din was dressed in full beskar’gam. It was exhilarating to be surrounded by so many people who were equally as in love as the two of you, strolling around the lakes and enjoying each other’s company, just like you and Din. 

Before you met Din, you weren’t sure whether you believed in true love, or soulmates. To be honest, you still weren’t entirely sure even now. However, you knew that if either of the things existed, Din was your answer to those questions. There was not one day that had gone by since you had confessed your feelings for each other that he had not made you feel all of his love. You knew that you were the most important thing in the galaxy to him, alongside Grogu, of course. There was not one place he would not travel to for you, likewise you would follow him anywhere. You had never doubted the depth of his devotion to you. If you thought about it for long enough, it could almost reduce you to tears. 

Fortunately, before you could fully break down into tears over how much you loved your incredible riduur, the two of you finally arrived at the lake. Despite the sun having set several hours ago, it was an incredibly humid night on Naboo and you were eager to dive into the cool waters. You hastily began removing your outer clothes to reveal your swimwear and heard the rustling of Din behind you doing the same. You were so caught up in undressing yourself, that you were stunned when you turned around to be greeted by the sight before you.

“Din, your helmet…” you murmured, shocked at his appearance. You had not heard his helmet depressurise, the last thing you had been anticipating was that his brown eyes would be peering back at you. 

“It’s fine, cyare. We’re alone,” Din reassured you, dismissing your concerns. “Besides, it’s as dark as Malachor out here. Even if someone were to happen upon us, they wouldn’t be able to see anything.”

You nodded slowly, accepting his explanation. Adhering to Din’s creed was important to him and it was something that always lingered in the back of your mind. If he was ever rendered an apostate on account of something he had done for your benefit, you would never be able to forgive yourself. Fortunately, you had no more time to dwell on that depressing thought and the importance of his Way, as Din turned on his heel and dived into the cool water below. He shrieked slightly at the coldness, before emerging and pushing his wet curls away from his eyes.

“What are you waiting for?!” Din yelled, encouraging you to join him.

You ran up to the lake’s edge, giggling as you went. The laughter was halted abruptly as the coldness of the water shocked your body, as though needles pricked every inch of your body. The shock dissipated as you resurfaced, but you were still keen to locate your riduur in the lake and feel Din’s body next to yours. You sighed contentedly as Din’s strong arm snaked around your waist and pulled you in close to him. 

✯✯✯

After swimming to your heart's content, you and Din cuddled up together on a blanket by the water’s edge. Your head lay on his bare, muscular chest as his arms curved around and under your body, resting together on your waist. Every few minutes, he would drop a lazy kiss somewhere on your face. You were certain you had never been in more beautiful surroundings in your entire life. It was far after dark now, but every star in the entire galaxy seemed to be burning brightly above your heads. You sighed happily as the twinkling stars were joined by a throng of fireflies glinting around the lake. You could faintly make out the lapping of the waves and the silhouette of the hills all around you. Everything was perfect. 

Somehow, it was about to get better.

It seemed that Naboo had one final surprise for you. It was a surprise that was initially an unwelcome one, as the explosions startled you at first. Sensing your anxiety, Din placed a protective arm around you, drawing you further into his side as he placed a soft kiss on your temple.

“They’re just fireworks, cyare,” Din murmured against your skin. “To celebrate the Festival of Love.”

You relaxed then, appreciating the moment. You wanted to commit every moment to memory, every juncture where your body touched Din’s. The chirping and croaking of the creatures, the water lapping against the lake’s edge. The technicolour sparks that rained down across the valley on every side. Your jaw hung open in wonder as you looked up, across the stars and the fireworks.

You were certain that you had never felt so happy and loved in your entire life. 

[madhatterbri]

Where You Belong | K.M.

Summary: Kol doesn't like the two of being broken up. He reminds you where you belong.

You looked at your watch and sighed. Another date had no showed. You cursed under your breath. All the secret meet ups you had with him seemed like a waste now. This guy was one of the good ones. He was a lawyer with a love for animals and history. Importantly, his family was nowhere near New Orleans.

"Kol got another one?" Your friend asked while wiping the bar down. They were closing for the night. After another no show, you decided to hang out with her and walk her home.

"Yeah. I thought I had outsmarted him but he has spies all over," you whined while rubbing your temples in frustration. You turned to see a man staring at you from outside the closed bar. He looked away when your eyes locked on to his. "Perfect example but at least that one sticks out like a sore thumb. I can't imagine how many are participating in my tours,"

Your tour guide career is how you met Kol Mikaelson. At first, he was sweet and constantly flirted with you. He would take your tours once a day no matter the weather. At the end of one tour he asked you out. You said yes and the rest led you here.

"Have you tried talking to him?" Your friend asked over her shoulder while counting the money in the register.

Your eyes widened at her in disbelief. Talk to the man that wants to ensure you are a spinster once you are old. The same man that acts before thinking and loves to cause mayhem. You would have a better conversation with a wall.

"Talk to the man that will go hours covered in blood? The same man that has caused my dates to either leave town, never talk to me again, or go missing?" You asked while using your fingers to count. "Sure let me just walk over to his family's place and speak to him,"

"I think you should. You have to set up boundaries with him," she replied. Boundaries. That is something he knows nothing about. "You are allergic to cats so being a crazy old cat lady isn't in your future. Let's get out of here,"

The walk to your friend's place consisted if her hyping you up to talk to him. The guy from earlier followed you. At least you knew the two of you would be safe. Some of the tourists around here could be a little aggressive when drunk.

You started asking the guy questions about your current situation. You felt it would be rude to not include him. He must not have been much of a talker because he didn't answer.

"Have a good night. Talk to him. Maybe you two can come to some sort of agreement,"

"Yeah, sure, come on Bob. I'm not dating this one so please don't report her to Kol," you shouted at him.

Your friend snorted and walked inside her apartment complex.

Thoughts zoomed through your mind on how to deal with the jealous ex-boyfriend. During your time together he was always so possessive.

You should have known you would never date another person in New Orleans again. No. There was no way you were going to think like that. He had to let you go once and for all.

"Come on, Bob. We are going to your boss," you announced and made your way to the Mikaelson home.

"Kol Mikaelson!" You yelled while looking for him. You walked down hallways until you saw him at his favorite place. He sat at a desk in his room. An opened book and alcohol in his hand to busy himself on the Friday night.

"Darling, must you be so loud? Hope is sleeping," he groaned in annoyance. Another night of babysitting duties while the others go on another killing spree adventure. You walked to him and immediately saw the blood on his collar.

"Wonderful. Blood on your shirt. I guess this one gave you some hassle about wanting to date me," you wondered. "He had a family you know,"

"The bloody fool still has a family. He isn't dead," he countered while feeling insulted. The man had given Kol some trouble before a broken nose cleared up their misunderstanding. "Besides he couldn't even win a fight,"

"A mortal couldn't win a fight against a thousand year old vampire? The shame that man has brought on all mortals,"

"You belong here, my love. I am never going to stop. Even if I have to kill one hundred men,"

[mr-bas00nist]

Can we get more botton Chris Redfield x top male reader?

They just got married and are on their honeymoon and just enjoying relaxing and fucking. Reader just being a horny man and just fucks chris anywhere even if people are around, like taking him into a bathroom that's near by a pool or something, going on a hike and reader fucks chris against a tree, maybe Chris's friends are calling him but he has to act like he isn't getting his guts rearranged

Thank you 🙏🧎🏾‍♂️

Dirty Thrills

Eating this up

CW: Public sex, rimming, praising, choking, blowjobs and overstimulation

You and Chris had recently gotten married, the wedding was gorgeous and filled with your closet family and friends. Lots of laughs, cake and fun. You and Chris had spent awhile deciding where to go for your honeymoon. You then mentioned somewhere hot and and beautiful, Chris immediately thought of how much he had always wanted to go to Greece.

So here we were. The resort was gorgeous and had an incredible view. It was great, but, you began to get insatiable. Chris couldn’t get your hands off of him. Whether it be a hand on his hip, chin or neck. You were so horny for some reason, it was a new side Chris rarely ever saw from you. Usually he was the needy one due to his long missions.

You and Chris were currently enjoying a nice hike. You guys had a tour guide that you broke off from due to your appetite for him. You couldn’t resist. Chris had his hiking shorts on and they kept rolling up his thick muscular thighs showing off his ass. His shirt was tight around him, one button undone letting you see some of his pecs. You had to have him.

His backpack was set against a tree just as yours was. His shorts were pulled down enough you could get to his hairy ass. You spread him, licking long stripes up and down. He had his hand shoved against his mouth as he rut against you mouth. His lips were parted and his eyes were crossed. He was so close but he didn’t want to cum, it would be way too intense, then he’d scream and alert any unfortunate fortunate passerby.

You noticed his reluctance and smirked as you shoved your tongue deeper into the bundle of nerves squeezing his thighs tightly. It hit him like a train. He desperately gripped his mouth as his legs buckled. He was basically propped up only by your face. He let out heavy groans and breathes as he pulled his hand away from his mouth.

You stood up grabbing your cock out your pants as you lined yourself against his slick hole. “God- please, sweetheart, not right now, not yet-“ you shoved yourself in with ease as he whimpered a loud ‘daddy’. You giggled as you put your hand over his mouth. “Don’t want anyone to hear us do you sweetheart?” Chris quickly shook his head.

You smiled as you began fucking him against the tree. You looked around carefully making sure no one went by. Although you didn’t really care about getting caught, being fucked against a tree in Greece wouldn’t look good on Chris’s perfect reputation.

Chris’s moans began to increase in volume again as he gripped the tree tightly. You pulled his hair as his back arched making it easier for you to hit his special spot. “Oh go-“ before Chris could even finish his words a wave of pleasure crosses over him. He began tearing up as you continued to pump your cock back and forth into him chasing your own high.

“S’ to much….” Chris cried out, the fact you guys were in public going completely out the window. You began to get that familiar coil in your stomach, the feeling of his hot wet walls around you getting you so close. “I’m gonna cum baby, gotta stay quiet for me…” You whispered as Chris put his hand over his mouth nodding.

With a few final pumps you let out a hefty groan as your cum seeps into him. You both panted for a moment before you heard the sound of chatter. You quickly pulled your pants up and his. You and Chris were sitting awkwardly on tree trunk and log as you waved at fellow tourists.

You looked over at Chris relived as you watched your cum drip down his thighs. He gave you a glare as you smirked.

“looks like we gotta get home.” You teased.

[vhstown]

hobie brown x you headcanons

— hobie x gn!reader (established relationship)

warnings: brief mentions of violence (?) + politics (just his own), fluff

note: set in the multiverse + reader is aware of the spider-society (though has an ambiguous role). i rly wanted to write hobie without the bad boy possessive energy haha 💀 a bit ooc as always he's a tough one lol (kind of too detailed to be hcs but we roll)

Hobie is very much secure in your relationship. Even if it's less established than your typical one, he doesn't get jealous or uncomfortable when he sees you around others. It's more amusing to him than anything, observing how you interact with people. He enjoys watching you in silence with the occasional witty interjection, and he likes listening to you speak even if it's not with him. He's one of those people who immediately decide whether they trust someone or not, and he's trusted you since you met, even if there was, and still is, incessant bickering.

The bickering is endless, by the way. Even when you move past friends (a lot faster than you realise), he's always on your case. You've been trying not to pick up on his speech patterns, but it's almost impossible considering how nice it sounds to hear the accent roll off his tongue. When you accidentally bust out a "wagwan" he can't contain his laughter, nearly doubling over at the way your face was stuck in embarrassment. He makes it a habit to rub it in your face now, teasing you by talking to you like you're from Camden; the way he talked to you before was just the tip of the iceberg.

Hobie isn't hesitant about touch at all. He's always touching you in some way or another. Whether it's his arm slung around your shoulders, his chin on the top of your head or even holding your hand, it definitely draws some attention when a near 7ft punk (though he's not bound by the label of height, according to him) is hovering around you like a giant flashing accessory.

And the man is shamelessly 'gross'. He'll kiss you even with your morning breath or after you've just eaten. Whenever you put something on your lips, no matter if it's lip balm or whatever you like to wear, he's always just waiting to mess it up. Hobie's a tease if anything too, pinching you unexpectedly just to see the flash of a pissed-off expression on your face. You've made it a habit to not give him that satisfaction, but he doesn't need it. Everything you do is more than enough to amuse him, even if he does try to kiss you hanging upside down, scaring the ever living hell out of you in his attempt.

When you're cold, he's always trying to warm you up by rubbing his hands over your shoulders and arms (though his sarcasm is more than enough to set you on fire sometimes.) It is pretty cold in his universe, so he's used to it (#1 denier of the cold; punks don't get cold.)

Hobie is known for being firm in his beliefs. He's an unapologetic anarchist, and while he doesn't shout about his political beliefs every second, you can see it in the way he acts. Even if you're not as bent on it as he is, you have to respect his commitment. You're one of the only people he tells about his universe, his experiences, what he lives for. It's refreshing in comparison to his spontenaeity, and while you don't see him much differently after he opens up, you realise that Hobie is one hell of a person. He's your person, (as much as he denies being confined to anyone or anything.)

And he's not afraid to involve you. Whenever you're in his universe, he takes you places like you're a tourist, no matter how used to the area you are. Hobie isn't exactly the most informative tour guide (and he takes any opportunity to bash corrupt political figures and tag up their campaigns), but it's the thought that counts. He loves showing you the little untouched nooks and lesser-known streets, hopping fences and swinging you over barbed wire to show you the real Camden. The culture, history, people — it's all Hobie. He lives in Camden, through Camden, and he wants to share it with you. No authority could ever supercede that.

What he also lives through is the punk scene. If it isn't obvious from his appearance already, he's always jamming on his guitar. If you ask what he's playing, he says he doesn't know yet. He's always coming up with something new; it's like there's an itch he needs to scratch whenever a new sound comes into his head, whether he's humming it, tapping it or strumming it on his guitar.

And he's good at it, his fingers gliding over the strings like it's a language he's fluent in, playing a half-formed chorus with shouty lyrics that don't exist but you can already hear (probably something to do with rebellion.) You like listening to him play, that familiar, addictive feeling coursing through you, the vibrations of the guitar never ceasing to strike you with awe. You wonder what it's like to hear him play at an actual gig (you'll find out soon when he sneaks you out for one; you won't be disappointed.) It's one of many things to admire about him. What he won't admit is that, more often than not, he's playing for you. Even if you're not exchanging words, the glances and music between you make the unfinished feel whole.

The man loves his guitar too. If he loves anything in this world, it's you, sure, but his guitar is also up there (can you blame him?) If he's not playing he's always idly tracing the stickers with his fingers, re-tuning it, whatever. It's a damn cool guitar, but a part of you might just be a little jealous of the musical instrument that's basically a part of him at this point.

That is, until the two of you are getting caught onto. Your more-than-friends relationship is pretty obvious, but when it starts interrupting with Hobie's Spider-society "duties", among his other anti-society antics, the both of you have the potential to fall into big trouble. It's not like he cares – leaving was in the back of his mind from the start, and it only fuels your bickering and crude gossip. Whatever happens, you know you've got Hobie, even if an entire multiverse of Spider-people actively reject you. You don't need to belong anything, nobody really does, he keeps telling you, but you're sure that if there's nothing else, you belong with him. You two against the world, so to speak. And your previous jealously completely fades when Hobie says something to you: you were both in an alley, hiding during a mission you weren't supposed to be on.

"You think they'll kill you for it?" you asked him jokingly, building up the mirth of the conversation as usual.

"If they kill me," Hobie starts, donning a sarcastic grin. "I want you to have my guitar."

It seems guitar lessons are an added bonus to your relationship — right after hiding from Miguel and Jessica, of course.

🕸️💫🎸

thanks for reading my self-indulgent rant lol. asks are open but not taking requests atm. feel free to comment (tho can't reply rip) love ya have a good one — if u liked this reblogs r appreciated <3

read the rest of my atsv headcanons here!

[faketrex]

We have reached the end of these cakegate bodyswap shenanigans. I hope you enjoy this final part! The whole thing will be up on my AO3 page... eventually.

Thank you kindly for reading and liking and reblogging and making me smile in the tags!

...

SHARING A SLICE... part 6

RWRB, rated T, 1000 words (this part).

(click here for part 1) (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (part 5)

...

After brunch, they visit Tower Bridge.

“Over there is the Tower of London.”

“That’s where they locked women up when they didn't pop out babies fast enough for the king, right?”

“Exactly right. Did you know they kept an elephant there, too?”

“What?”

“They fed it bread and wine. I'm sure you’ll be shocked to learn that it died.”

“Y’know, I almost feel like I should cut you some slack. All that inbreeding obviously messed up your brains.”

Henry smiles. It probably looks great to the paparazzi.

After Tower Bridge, it's the Tate Modern, followed by St Paul's Cathedral, Hyde Park, dinner, and then Kensington Palace again for the night.

Yeah, it's a stunt, and yeah, Alex doesn't really get to look at the art or visit the sites, and yeah, he has zero say about the itinerary, but it's not terrible. Henry's not awful company.

By the end of the day, Alex is exhausted. Henry seems just as tired. On the one hand, they’ve convinced the public they're best friends and maybe reached a personal truce. On the other hand, it's twenty-four hours post-caketastrophe and they're still in the wrong fucking bodies.

“We can't stall any longer.” He's watching Henry pace back and forth in front of the windows with the ugly-ass curtains. “I have to go back tomorrow. Well, I mean, you do. You as me.”

Henry doesn't respond.

“How long do you think it’ll take one of us to get arrested for spying? My money's on less than forty-eight hours.”

“I need ice cream,” Henry announces.

“Music to my ears. Lead the way.”

They settle on opposite sides of the kitchen island and eat their ice cream in a half-peaceful, half-melancholic silence.

“Despite the uncanny aspect of it all, I have to admit this hasn't been horrible,” Henry says eventually. “They don't often let me play tourist... and I never get to fabricate pseudo-historical nonsense for a mouthy American.”

Alex nearly fumbles his cone. “Wait, you made stuff up? When?”

Henry shrugs.

“Come on. It was the elephant, wasn't it? I knew there was no way–”

“I assure you, the elephant was real.” Henry taps on his phone and spins it so Alex can see. “He even has his own Wikipedia entry.”

“Elephant of Henry III,” Alex reads, bending closer. “What the fuck.”

The smug expression on Henry's face – Alex's face – and the way he licks his ice cream makes Alex's stomach flip over strangely. His neck feels hot. There's melted ice cream dripping onto his hand.

Without breaking eye contact, Alex slides his free hand over the countertop and rests it on top of Henry's.

“Hey, don't spook, okay?”

His words have the opposite effect. Henry's eyes widen and his shoulders tense like he's getting ready to bolt, but Alex just tightens his grip.

“Maybe... close your eyes?”

“Alex–”

“Suit yourself,” Alex murmurs. As he leans in, Henry takes a deep breath, then closes his eyes. There's a nervous crease between his brows. "Okay. Here goes nothing.”

He mashes what's left of his ice cream against Henry’s face.

“What the hell, Alex?”

So much for that idea.

“Shit. I was thinking maybe the ice cream... after the cake... and I was touching your skin, so...” It doesn't make as much sense out loud as it did in Alex's head.

“You don't–” Henry sputters.

“Listen, I honestly wasn't trying to get back at you for the tour guide shit, I hoped it would fix–”

“No, no, I was wrong, I thought you–”

“What?”

“Alex, don't...” Henry laughs under his breath and reaches out to flatten a sticky palm against Alex's cheek. “Don't spook, alright?”

Before Alex can complain about the mess, Henry brings their lips together in a soft, vanilla-flavored kiss. Alex's stomach flips over again. He closes his eyes. Like this, it's easy to forget he’s kissing himself – and it’s still Henry, isn’t it? It's Henry, kissing him. Henry, kissing Alex.

The kiss is cautious, like Henry's expecting rejection; Alex leans into it anyway. Henry's hand smears ice cream onto his face and the edge of the counter presses into his ribcage, painful, but he wants it. It's shocking how powerful the want is when he hadn't even noticed it before.

Alex slides one hand up Henry's cheek, into his soft hair, and feels – he opens his eyes.

“Well, fuck.” Have Henry's eyes always been so blue? They hadn't seemed that blue in the mirror. They're kind of beautiful.

“Hello,” Henry says. “I'm back? You're back. Are you?”

“I guess. When did you come up with that plan?”

“I – plan?”

“You figured it out? Curse-breaking kisses or something? Wasn't that–” Alex stops. Henry hasn't pulled back from his awkward lean across the counter. From bizarre-but-true personal experience of less than sixty seconds ago, Alex knows for a fact that it's an uncomfortable position.

“If you'd like, I could pretend that it was part of a plan,” Henry offers quietly. “I've got plenty of experience pretending.”

If it's not the truth, though, Alex doesn’t want it. “Nah, no need. Don't get me wrong, it's weird if you don't want any credit for getting us back to normal again, but whatever.”

Henry's incredulous laugh makes Alex feel like kissing him again. “Covered in ice cream is normal for you?”

“Hey, chill. We're having a fucking moment.”

“A fucking moment, truly,” Henry echoes, mocking, but his smile is wide and happy.

“I'm not used to being covered in cake, trading bodies, being covered in ice cream, or kissing princes.”

“No?”

“But I've been branching out lately. Expanding my horizons, y’know.”

“I see. And now you know what to do if any one of those things happens again, I suppose?” Henry squeezes Alex's hand where they're still twined together.

“Yeah,” Alex agrees, squeezing back and leaning in. They've got more to figure out here, but right now it's his turn. Henry kissed him, so now he needs to try it for himself. Simple. “Let me show you. It's a piece of cake.”

...

[totallyjustabunchofhocuspocus]

Fic Preview

A sneak peek of the next chapter of Come Away, O Human Child

The sun hangs low over the horizon, the red and orange light turning the ocean waves a shimmering golden hue that he can’t stop staring at.

The air is hot and humid, even with the salt-spray breeze rolling in off the water, but he just leans back on the beach, digging his toes into the sand and soaking up the heat with a grateful sigh. He was so cold earlier. The beach is strangely quiet, the crash of the waves and the cry of seabirds overhead the only sounds. Strange…even on the slow days, the beach is always crowded. It’s the height of tourist season—there should be music, laughter, voices. Sara and her siblings should be out splashing in the shallows, advertising the guided reef tours their pod gave during tourist season. Yet, when he turns to look up the beach, he can’t even see the bar. He’s…alone?

God, he’s so tired. He flops back in the soft sand, throwing his arm over his eyes to block out the gleaming Peruvian sunset, letting the residual heat from the day leech the last of the chill from his bones.

“Beautiful place. I see why you loved it so much,” a voice says beside him. The sudden intrusion should startle him, should have him jack-knifing into a sitting position, but he just hums softly and listens to the waves tumble onto the shore again and again. The voice is…not familiar, exactly. But known. He’s safe.

Safe…why wouldn’t he be safe?

There’s a grumbling groan, the barely-there whisper of sand shifting in between the crash of the waves, and a shadow falls over him as the stranger—no, not a stranger, is it?—sits down beside him. “Hell of a thing you did. I knew you’d be strong enough to wield it. But still a hell of a risk—not many would take it.”

Images flash through his mind at that…blue-green flames leaping up towards the sky, a surging swirl of violet and gold light surrounding him, the strange certainty that he was being granted a chance to stop something horrible from happening. Given a chance to try, though it was incredibly dangerous.

Given a chance to try, even though it would hurt him.

“Had to,” he mumbles, finally moving his arm and blinking up at the stranger.

The gleaming sunset light bouncing off the waves casts the man in deep shadow. He catches only a glimpse of salt-and-pepper hair under an old cowboy hat, a shine of familiar violet in the stranger’s eyes. He squints, trying to remember where he’s seen the man before. They have met, he knows that. They know each other quite well, don’t they? Or…or maybe the stranger just knows him?

Buck closes his eyes again, too tired to worry about it. He’s safe. He knows he’s safe.

“Of course you did,” the man chuckles. He sounds almost…proud. “That never changes, not in any possibility. You both have such big hearts, and they’re never treated gently—she always guards yours as best she can, but you give so much of yourself.”

He frowns as the breeze off the ocean turns a little cooler, burrows his bare feet deeper into the hot sand. Over the crashing waves he hears a new sound, a steady beeping. “I have to go back,” he mutters, his nose wrinkling in distaste at the thought. Even with the wind, it’s still so warm on the beach. It’s so cold back…back somewhere else. So cold, and there’s something missing—something’s missing, and he doesn’t want to face it. But… “Mads n’ Eddie’ll be worried.”

His sister and Eddie are close; he knows they are. More hazy, half-formed images flash through his mind: Maddie holding his hand and staring down at him with teary eyes; Eddie telling him they were there, they had him, and he was going to be okay. Of course he was. As long as he had Eddie and his sister, everything would be fine. But he needs to go back. He needs to…wake up?

He hears the man get to his feet and opens his eyes again, watching quietly as the stranger tucks his hands into his pockets and stares out over the water. The beach has grown darker, colder, the weird beeping sound growing louder by the second.

“We’ve…met before,” he says, slow and soft. He frowns again, shivering in the growing darkness. “Haven’t we?”

The man lets out a rueful chuckle. “Of course. I knew you the moment you existed.” He turns and squats down beside Buck, tilting his head. “I’ve done what I can for you, kid…it’s up to you now.”

Buck’s frown deepens. “What’s up to me?”

The stranger who is not a stranger smiles and stands, holding out a hand to help Buck up. Hesitantly, Buck takes it, finds himself pulled to his feet with surprising strength. “The possibilities.”

*

Hollow.

He wakes up in a hospital bed, IV lines and monitors hooked up to him in what seems like a dozen different places, and all he feels is hollow. He wakes up alone, blinking slowly as he looks around, taking in his surroundings, but all that registers in the gaping, shivering emptiness that sits in his chest where his magic should be. He thought he’d dreamed it, dreamed that when he reached for his power, nothing responded. He thought it couldn’t be real, that he was imagining the icy darkness where warm, golden light had always been.

Hollow.

There are healing runes sketched on his arms and legs, peek over the edge of his hospital gown when he peers down at his chest. He recognizes each one, can see the glow of their power in the dimly lit room…but it doesn’t feel the same. The magic is dim, distant—as though there’s a thick, glass wall between him and the power that has been a part of him for as long as he can remember. He reaches for it, tries to touch his magic, to push it out into the runes that look like they are almost at the end of their charge. Nothing happens. He reaches, and there is nothing to reach for. He takes a deep, shaky breath, his heart stuttering in his chest. The blankets are warm, threads of familiar, silver magic sparkling in the scratchy fabric. He would know his sister’s magic anywhere, but he can’t feel it. Trembling, he places his hand on the blanket over his stomach, feels the warmth of the fabric, but not Maddie’s power—not the silver glow that has always, always meant safety and warmth and love.

Hollow.

He can’t feel her. Their magic has always sparked off each other whenever they’re in proximity. Silver and gold, warm sunshine and cool moonlight, two parts of the same whole. He runs his fingers over the blanket, catches the soft glimmers of Maddie’s magic on his fingertips and cannot feel her power. Another trembling gasp and he squeezes his eyes shut, reaches again for his magic. There’s nothing there. Nothing. It doesn’t feel like it has the few times in his life he’s drained his magic enough to even notice, doesn’t even feel like the horrifying way his magic refused to obey him in his encounters with the Fae who holds his deal. There is an aching, cavernous emptiness inside of him—cold and hungry and…

Hollow.

[sol-consort]

Do you think in reverse, any of the alien races also tried those tips on befriending humans? Aliens bragging online how they totally rizzedd up a human with ridiculous advice, humans are just like "lol silly little guys" and humor it happily.

Are we bringing the "loser high elf with a human obsession" trend in here from my other blog? Because I am fully down to making a loser friendgroup of aliens who are creeps towards humans as much as they are endlessly curious.

And yes, oh definitely yes they are bragging online about tottally rizzing up this new shiny species who stumbled their way into the stars.

A turian posting on his twitter about how he's been assigned with a human in C-SEC, how he has been studying a lot of human rituals by watching Hollywood movies and reading mammal herd behaviours, not realising humans are categorised as predetors.

It's a long thread of him describing his "successful" attempts and encounters with the human.

He followed the human to lunch and made sure to eat next to them since the extranet articles talked about the importance of eating together in human culture.

Except the human was a messy eater and the turian's food ended up getting contaminated, resulting in the turian having a coughing fit, throwing up, passing out and waking up in the emergency care.

-

A salarian saw this thread and left a very long comment mansplaining human behaviour and how the turian was absolutely wrong and an idiot. The two of them argued back and forth in the comments during the turian's stay in the hospital.

Resulting in the salarian claiming he could befriend a human much faster and easier than the turian's pathetic attempt. Leading the turian to daring him to post it.

So he read any books he could find about human evolution and history. Confident that he could apply them on the next human tour group coming to Sur'kesh.

Human primitives loved climbing trees, correct? And Sur'kesh has lots of trees! Their closest relatives are in apes huh? The salarian knows just what to do with this information.

Imagine with me, you're a human tourist in an alien planet, following the polite salarian guide in the front and taking pictures of the lovely view. You're having a wonderful time.

Then out of nowhere, comes another salarian who stops in front of the whole tour group. The tour guide seems confused and you wonder if this was preplanned or not.

This random salarian begins speaking to the entire group very slowly as he states the fact that there are a lot of trees around here. Asking if anyone would like to join him in climbing one as a mutual show of trust and friendship.

You raise your camera as you watch this salarian who's worked in a bio lab all his life, struggling to climb one tree and very slowly making progress. When he reaches the top, he is reminded of the fact oh, heights and gravity exist, this is so much more terrifying than he thought it would be.

Now he's stuck on the tree, and the salarian tour guide is dialing up security to both come and get him down but also kick him out before he causes a human diplomatic incident.

The salarian's terrified at the top like a scared kitten. You climbed a lot of trees as a kid, and this one isn't even that tall, so you climb up there and offer to carry the salarian down, which he enthusiastically accepts.

Everyone is taking pictures and smiling, the tour guide is relieved that an incident was avoided.

Then the salarian in your arms, reaches into his pocket says he has just the thing to thank you with, kind human.

He takes out. A banana. Offering it to you.

The pictures and videos of him doing that end up on the galactic news the next day, you get word that the human ambassador Udina wants use this incident to demand compensation and sanctions on the salarians offensive gesture to a human tourist. The salarian government is very apologetic and panicking, ready to throw credits at the problem to solve it.

But you post a video on your social media laughing it off and saying it's fine. Putting an end to the incident before it escalates.

-

An asari sits in her office as she looks over the latest galactic news, the salarian's pathetic attempt at befriending a human that resulted in a diplomatic incident.

She sips on her coffee, a human delicacy, as she finally decides where she wants to spend her once-a-year break.

Booking the nearest ticket to Earth, she thinks, befriending humans cannot be that hard, right?

She has seen many humans in Thessia. She even talked to one once when they asked her for directions! Sure, she never really befriended any before, but they can't be that different from all the other species. After all, an asari can get anyone wrapped around their finger if she tries hard enough.

Landing on Earth, she realises just why it was called the blue planet. The sky is very blue, almost aggressively so and the sun here hurts to look at, unlike the gentle one in Thessia.

There are so many humans around, not a sign of a single alien in sight. All of them walking with a purpose, some taking their animals to a stroll and oh wow that dog is bigger than any varren she has ever seen, how did that human tame it?

Some give her a pacing glance, and others are indifferent to her. She keeps trying to strike up a conversation but everyone just declines and say they're busy or in a hurry.

Strange, the humans on the citadel are much more friendly. An asari could walk up to a group and demand their attention just like that, why are the ones here so different?

Eventually she spots an older woman, ah yes a human Matriarch! Just perfect. She goes to the elder woman sitting on a bench while feeding the pigeons.

The woman smiles, wrinkles in her face from a life full of happiness, greeting the blue lady. The two of them sit together and have a talk, the old woman is very patient and understanding with the asari as she explains that this is just how humans are, how the ones on the citadel are a very select view who are enthusiastic about aliens.

The asair is stunned to learn that this woman is merely 78 years old, yet she holds so much wisdom and charm. They spend the entire day talking and watch the sunset together.

By the end, the old woman apologises for having to leave, saying her grandkids are visiting tonight and she must go back home. But she will be here tomorrow if the asair wants to continue the chat.

Day after day, week after week. The asair keeps meeting up with her snd talking, about nothing and everything, life and its meaning, the sky and its colours, love and its sisters.

The asari asks if the old woman has her spouse in her life still, the old woman smiles, full of melancholy as she shakes her head no.

Reading on human mating rituals, the asari starts bringing the old woman flowers, red in colour and varied in shapes. A box of sweets that the old woman kindly declines because of her blood sugar, yet the asari doesn't give up and comes the next day with a box of dark chocolate.

By the end of the month, the asari brings her final gift to the old woman. A small red box that fits perfectly into her balm. The old woman has to put her glasses back on as the asari opens the box to be able to see what's inside.

Getting on one knee, the asari opens the box to present a shiny ring inside, she asks cautiously if she'd like to come back with her to Thessia to live the rest of their lives together.

The old woman smiles, the asari grew found of her smiles, so gentle and warm. Reaching with her shakey hands, she takes the box and admires the beautiful ring inside. She chuckles with delight at the flattering implication as she puts the ring back in the box and hands it to the asari.

Patting her head, the 78 human woman tells the 600 asari woman to go find a young girl her age to marry. How she basically sees her as a granddaughter.

The asari comes back home with a newfound hatred for Earth, attempting to cope with having her heartbroken by a single human who hasn't passed their first century yet.

[thenixkat]

Mundane AU!Laios thoughts

Note:

Probably contains spoilers

Mundane au= no magic and no fantasy 'races' (like... little people are a thing, they exist in reality, some people just have dwarfism. The elves are just skinny racist and xenophobic Europeans like? And there's already parralells made with the demi humans so if I do anything the orcs are Afro Native and Kobolds are somewhere African or Arab. And for the ogres... gigantism is a thing that exists in real like and totally a teen girl would just wear some horns.)

Thoughts:

The Toudens are European-born. From somewhere cold as hell, really isolated and conservative, that's close to some mountains, that's racist towards the local indigenous people.

(The sibs, but especially Laios got chewed out about some shit and has been trying to be better, slips up every now and then but takes criticism well so long as folks tell him what he did/said wrong).

Local weird kids put off vibes that the rest of the village didn't like, Laios and Falin grew up bullied and ostracized. Falin got sent off to schooling in the big city and later to a university in Italy where she met Marcille.

Laios dropped out of high school and joined the military as soon as he was able to b/c he wanted to get the hell out of dodge. Served for a few shitty years b4 just... deserting and backpacking across Europe just straight up homeless and working whatever odd jobs he could find. Man was going through it. Wound up in the same city where Falin was studying at a university in and decided to visit her. She took one look at him and refused to let him just go back to what he was doing, so Laios started couch surfing with her (very much against dorm rules but he looked terrible and Falin wasn't about to let anyone stop her from making sure her brother has a roof over his head and food).

Eventually, she takes him with her when she does a work-study in the USA for her ecology degree and they ended up staying/Falin kinda maybe sorta dropped out and got a job with a vet near where she was doing her work-study.

Laios and Falin are technically illegal immigrants but they're white so no one really questions their citizenship (their working on getting citizenship/papers)

Laios gets a GED. Does some self-study from Falin's textbooks and online stuff but that's about it for his schooling.

Laios definitely, like, lives in Falin's basement. Falin is the primary breadwinner in this household, Laios is aware of this and has learned to accept it even tho he would like to take care of his baby sister and sometimes feels bad about not being able to. They used to share a room in a cheap apartment but after building up enough savings they managed to buy a suspiciously cheap house in a rural town bordering a reservation and not far from a national park.

Laios still works odd jobs, mostly physical labor and stuff where they won't ask for a degree. Has worked retail, where his customer service was trash but he's darn good at just stocking and shelving shit.

Met Chilchuck while working retail, Chilchuck introduced him to the concept of a union which Laios thinks is really neat.

The town where the Touden's moved has a sizable population of people with dwarfism, Chilchuck is a notable member of the little person community in the area. The Touden's go to Chilchuck for help with paperwork (they pay him a small fee) and he doesn't ask too many questions about why they don't have this or that piece of documentation.

Laios enjoys doing citizen science and bird watching. During the tourist season, he runs a small wilderness guide giving campers and hikers tours in the local national park.

There's a hermit that lives in the national park illegally (Senshi) that Laios and Falin made friends with. They love his cooking.

Laios is active in the online furry community. He does commissions, mostly of digital and physical art or people's fursonas and vore stuff. He does great ferals, and decent anthros, but his human art is not good (he's working on it).

Laios is decidedly chubby in this, his weight goes up and down depending on the season and how much physical activity he's doing. But ever since he reunited with Falin, she's been making sure he doesn't skip meals if they can afford to eat. And ever since he met Senshi he's gotten heftier since he loves that man's cooking.

[smolvenger]

i know u have been feeling stressed and hopefully this might make u feel better but for a request steve rogers x reader and theyre on their honeymoon

Hi there nonny!!!

Awww, I love that! Steve is the sweetest cinnamon roll so of course we have to write it!!!! This is so sweet, I have to!!! I hope you like it and it's accurate enough, it's my first time writing for him!

No warnings, just tooth rotting fluff!

Honeymooning with America's Ass, Steve Rogers, would include...

Poor boy has never flown before so you have to arrange the details. Once you are packed up and ready to go, he is fascinated by a modern airport. You have to hold his hand so he doesn't get lose because he likes looking in all the shops and different restaurants!

You finally get in and he gets nervous when the plane takes off so you laugh and hug him. You go "darling...you fought Red Skull, but a plane going up makes you scared?!" teasingly and kiss his cheek.

It's a long flight so you show him how to watch movies and play games on the little device thingies that are on airplens and he stays awake the whole time playing on it.

So then you guys...spend the honeymoon in ITALY!!!!

You go around to see such tall, ancient buildings. Far more ancient than Mr. Brooklyn has ever dreamt. At one point, the tour guide calls this building young since it was built in 1673 and he just stares dumbfounded!

But Steve would pick up Italian quickly. He likes calling you Italian terms of endearment like "mia/o carino/a" or "mia/o angelo/a" to make you smile.

Of course, he has to start the day by cuddling you! Though he is too excited to get up and can only take so much cuddling- like an excited puppy!

He remembers enjoying Italian places in Brooklyn when his mom and he would go to celebrate something. So he loves trying Italian cuisine. Telling you stories about his mother- and about how much she would have loved you.

He always holds your gelato like a gentleman <3 As tempted as he is, he never takes a bite of yours, he wants his new spouse to enjoy them.

However, at one point, a pickpocket creeps by you and grabs your wallet. You let out a shout and gasp as he breaks into a run.

Boy did that asshole make a mistake considering your supersoldier hubby.

Steve just fucking BOOKS IT. The pickpocket turns around and gasps. He tries to run, but Steve gets closer to him in a few steps and decks the guy until he falls easily, kicking him until he's flying like a soccer ball through the air. He then grabs your wallet throws the pickpocket to the cobbled ground and returns your wallet.

You go to all sorts of incredible art museums. Steve himself loves to doodle and when you take sitting breaks, he tries to make little copies of them. You put his hand gently over his and lean into his cheek as he does, holding his free hand.

Of course, since a lot of Italian people tend to have darker hair, they make huge eyes at his blonde locks. Some even try to flirt with him, but he quickly pushes them aside to give you a hug or flash them the new wedding band, assuring you with small kisses. There are smiles and looks of jealousy- the incredibly handsome blonde man is your husband and yours alone, as you are his.

He talks to and befriends everyone. Old ladies in cathedrals praying and kissing their crucifix necklaces. Children running around streets and jumping sunburnt into the sea. Fellow tourists in wide hats and billowy shirts. Chefs of mom-and-pop shops with rosy cheeks and loud, boisterous voices and stories in every dish.

It only makes you love him more.