#fleet week nyc

[gneebee]

Norman - Fleet Week

Source bigbaldhead

[fdrlibrary]

During WW2, rosters of the US Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard leaped from fewer than 500,000 to over four million. Recruitment posters, like this one by Frank Sanfilippo, were designed to attract volunteers. See more online: https://fdr.artifacts.archives.gov/objects/15586/want-action

Follow along throughout 2024 as we feature more #TheArtOfWar posters from our online collections.

[runningpinoy]

Best Nine: 2023

[mostlysignssomeportents]

How I got scammed

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/05/cyber-dunning-kruger/#swiss-cheese-security

I wuz robbed.

More specifically, I was tricked by a phone-phisher pretending to be from my bank, and he convinced me to hand over my credit-card number, then did $8,000+ worth of fraud with it before I figured out what happened. And then he tried to do it again, a week later!

Here's what happened. Over the Christmas holiday, I traveled to New Orleans. The day we landed, I hit a Chase ATM in the French Quarter for some cash, but the machine declined the transaction. Later in the day, we passed a little credit-union's ATM and I used that one instead (I bank with a one-branch credit union and generally there's no fee to use another CU's ATM).

A couple days later, I got a call from my credit union. It was a weekend, during the holiday, and the guy who called was obviously working for my little CU's after-hours fraud contractor. I'd dealt with these folks before – they service a ton of little credit unions, and generally the call quality isn't great and the staff will often make mistakes like mispronouncing my credit union's name.

That's what happened here – the guy was on a terrible VOIP line and I had to ask him to readjust his mic before I could even understand him. He mispronounced my bank's name and then asked if I'd attempted to spend $1,000 at an Apple Store in NYC that day. No, I said, and groaned inwardly. What a pain in the ass. Obviously, I'd had my ATM card skimmed – either at the Chase ATM (maybe that was why the transaction failed), or at the other credit union's ATM (it had been a very cheap looking system).

I told the guy to block my card and we started going through the tedious business of running through recent transactions, verifying my identity, and so on. It dragged on and on. These were my last hours in New Orleans, and I'd left my family at home and gone out to see some of the pre-Mardi Gras krewe celebrations and get a muffalata, and I could tell that I was going to run out of time before I finished talking to this guy.

"Look," I said, "you've got all my details, you've frozen the card. I gotta go home and meet my family and head to the airport. I'll call you back on the after-hours number once I'm through security, all right?"

He was frustrated, but that was his problem. I hung up, got my sandwich, went to the airport, and we checked in. It was total chaos: an Alaska Air 737 Max had just lost its door-plug in mid-air and every Max in every airline's fleet had been grounded, so the check in was crammed with people trying to rebook. We got through to the gate and I sat down to call the CU's after-hours line. The person on the other end told me that she could only handle lost and stolen cards, not fraud, and given that I'd already frozen the card, I should just drop by the branch on Monday to get a new card.

We flew home, and later the next day, I logged into my account and made a list of all the fraudulent transactions and printed them out, and on Monday morning, I drove to the bank to deal with all the paperwork. The folks at the CU were even more pissed than I was. The fraud that run up to more than $8,000, and if Visa refused to take it out of the merchants where the card had been used, my little credit union would have to eat the loss.

I agreed and commiserated. I also pointed out that their outsource, after-hours fraud center bore some blame here: I'd canceled the card on Saturday but most of the fraud had taken place on Sunday. Something had gone wrong.

One cool thing about banking at a tiny credit-union is that you end up talking to people who have actual authority, responsibility and agency. It turned out the the woman who was processing my fraud paperwork was a VP, and she decided to look into it. A few minutes later she came back and told me that the fraud center had no record of having called me on Saturday.

"That was the fraudster," she said.

Oh, shit. I frantically rewound my conversation, trying to figure out if this could possibly be true. I hadn't given him anything apart from some very anodyne info, like what city I live in (which is in my Wikipedia entry), my date of birth (ditto), and the last four digits of my card.

Wait a sec.

He hadn't asked for the last four digits. He'd asked for the last seven digits. At the time, I'd found that very frustrating, but now – "The first nine digits are the same for every card you issue, right?" I asked the VP.

I'd given him my entire card number.

Goddammit.

The thing is, I know a lot about fraud. I'm writing an entire series of novels about this kind of scam:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865878/thebezzle

And most summers, I go to Defcon, and I always go to the "social engineering" competitions where an audience listens as a hacker in a soundproof booth cold-calls merchants (with the owner's permission) and tries to con whoever answers the phone into giving up important information.

But I'd been conned.

Now look, I knew I could be conned. I'd been conned before, 13 years ago, by a Twitter worm that successfully phished out of my password via DM:

https://locusmag.com/2010/05/cory-doctorow-persistence-pays-parasites/

That scam had required a miracle of timing. It started the day before, when I'd reset my phone to factory defaults and reinstalled all my apps. That same day, I'd published two big online features that a lot of people were talking about. The next morning, we were late getting out of the house, so by the time my wife and I dropped the kid at daycare and went to the coffee shop, it had a long line. Rather than wait in line with me, my wife sat down to read a newspaper, and so I pulled out my phone and found a Twitter DM from a friend asking "is this you?" with a URL.

Assuming this was something to do with those articles I'd published the day before, I clicked the link and got prompted for my Twitter login again. This had been happening all day because I'd done that mobile reinstall the day before and all my stored passwords had been wiped. I entered it but the page timed out. By that time, the coffees were ready. We sat and chatted for a bit, then went our own ways.

I was on my way to the office when I checked my phone again. I had a whole string of DMs from other friends. Each one read "is this you?" and had a URL.

Oh, shit, I'd been phished.

If I hadn't reinstalled my mobile OS the day before. If I hadn't published a pair of big articles the day before. If we hadn't been late getting out the door. If we had been a little more late getting out the door (so that I'd have seen the multiple DMs, which would have tipped me off).

There's a name for this in security circles: "Swiss-cheese security." Imagine multiple slices of Swiss cheese all stacked up, the holes in one slice blocked by the slice below it. All the slices move around and every now and again, a hole opens up that goes all the way through the stack. Zap!

The fraudster who tricked me out of my credit card number had Swiss cheese security on his side. Yes, he spoofed my bank's caller ID, but that wouldn't have been enough to fool me if I hadn't been on vacation, having just used a pair of dodgy ATMs, in a hurry and distracted. If the 737 Max disaster hadn't happened that day and I'd had more time at the gate, I'd have called my bank back. If my bank didn't use a slightly crappy outsource/out-of-hours fraud center that I'd already had sub-par experiences with. If, if, if.

The next Friday night, at 5:30PM, the fraudster called me back, pretending to be the bank's after-hours center. He told me my card had been compromised again. But: I hadn't removed my card from my wallet since I'd had it replaced. Also, it was half an hour after the bank closed for the long weekend, a very fraud-friendly time. And when I told him I'd call him back and asked for the after-hours fraud number, he got very threatening and warned me that because I'd now been notified about the fraud that any losses the bank suffered after I hung up the phone without completing the fraud protocol would be billed to me. I hung up on him. He called me back immediately. I hung up on him again and put my phone into do-not-disturb.

The following Tuesday, I called my bank and spoke to their head of risk-management. I went through everything I'd figured out about the fraudsters, and she told me that credit unions across America were being hit by this scam, by fraudsters who somehow knew CU customers' phone numbers and names, and which CU they banked at. This was key: my phone number is a reasonably well-kept secret. You can get it by spending money with Equifax or another nonconsensual doxing giant, but you can't just google it or get it at any of the free services. The fact that the fraudsters knew where I banked, knew my name, and had my phone number had really caused me to let down my guard.

The risk management person and I talked about how the credit union could mitigate this attack: for example, by better-training the after-hours card-loss staff to be on the alert for calls from people who had been contacted about supposed card fraud. We also went through the confusing phone-menu that had funneled me to the wrong department when I called in, and worked through alternate wording for the menu system that would be clearer (this is the best part about banking with a small CU – you can talk directly to the responsible person and have a productive discussion!). I even convinced her to buy a ticket to next summer's Defcon to attend the social engineering competitions.

There's a leak somewhere in the CU systems' supply chain. Maybe it's Zelle, or the small number of corresponding banks that CUs rely on for SWIFT transaction forwarding. Maybe it's even those after-hours fraud/card-loss centers. But all across the USA, CU customers are getting calls with spoofed caller IDs from fraudsters who know their registered phone numbers and where they bank.

I've been mulling this over for most of a month now, and one thing has really been eating at me: the way that AI is going to make this kind of problem much worse.

Not because AI is going to commit fraud, though.

One of the truest things I know about AI is: "we're nowhere near a place where bots can steal your job, we're certainly at the point where your boss can be suckered into firing you and replacing you with a bot that fails at doing your job":

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/15/passive-income-brainworms/#four-hour-work-week

I trusted this fraudster specifically because I knew that the outsource, out-of-hours contractors my bank uses have crummy headsets, don't know how to pronounce my bank's name, and have long-ass, tedious, and pointless standardized questionnaires they run through when taking fraud reports. All of this created cover for the fraudster, whose plausibility was enhanced by the rough edges in his pitch - they didn't raise red flags.

As this kind of fraud reporting and fraud contacting is increasingly outsourced to AI, bank customers will be conditioned to dealing with semi-automated systems that make stupid mistakes, force you to repeat yourself, ask you questions they should already know the answers to, and so on. In other words, AI will groom bank customers to be phishing victims.

This is a mistake the finance sector keeps making. 15 years ago, Ben Laurie excoriated the UK banks for their "Verified By Visa" system, which validated credit card transactions by taking users to a third party site and requiring them to re-enter parts of their password there:

https://web.archive.org/web/20090331094020/http://www.links.org/?p=591

This is exactly how a phishing attack works. As Laurie pointed out, this was the banks training their customers to be phished.

I came close to getting phished again today, as it happens. I got back from Berlin on Friday and my suitcase was damaged in transit. I've been dealing with the airline, which means I've really been dealing with their third-party, outsource luggage-damage service. They have a terrible website, their emails are incoherent, and they officiously demand the same information over and over again.

This morning, I got a scam email asking me for more information to complete my damaged luggage claim. It was a terrible email, from a noreply@ email address, and it was vague, officious, and dishearteningly bureaucratic. For just a moment, my finger hovered over the phishing link, and then I looked a little closer.

On any other day, it wouldn't have had a chance. Today – right after I had my luggage wrecked, while I'm still jetlagged, and after days of dealing with my airline's terrible outsource partner – it almost worked.

So much fraud is a Swiss-cheese attack, and while companies can't close all the holes, they can stop creating new ones.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to post about it whenever I get scammed. I find the inner workings of scams to be fascinating, and it's also important to remind people that everyone is vulnerable sometimes, and scammers are willing to try endless variations until an attack lands at just the right place, at just the right time, in just the right way. If you think you can't get scammed, that makes you especially vulnerable:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[justaballoffluff]

I visited the Intrepid with my mom today, and despite the pain, I had a genuinely good time

[communicationthroughlyrics]

She Had Other Plans

You were a successful leader of a criminal empire. Your girlfriend was a successful tease, especially when you are halfway around the globe.

PT. 2

AN: I hate my mind sometimes. I just stew and stew and can't get an idea outta my head. So here is one of them. And this is my first time using one of those text message thingies, so yeah. And before yall ask, yes. there will be a part 2. 😂

TW: smut, daddy kink, strap-on sex, teasing, mentions of murder, mob!boss reader, uhhh yeah. Think that's it.

Word Count: 3.6K

In your line of work, you were away from home constantly. You traveled the world, helping to fuel people's darkest and most deceitful habits, for profit. Exploitation, power, and retribution were your specialties. Your heart had grown cold, at least to those on the outside, which was a necessary trait for your survival. You maintained your polished, playgirl public image well, a successful young business magnate, and you dabbled in philanthropy and charity to keep your reputation to the public clean.

Meanwhile, in the underbelly of society, you were ruthless, ensuring your legacy was cemented even if you departed this godforsaken world. You had climbed the ladder of power with precision, leaving a trail of the broken and betrayed beneath you. It was a world where trust was as fleeting as the morning dew, and everyone had a price. Those who worked for you closely would say you were calculating and charismatic, while those on the wrong side of the line knew you as being one step ahead, making your power felt through silence, vengeance, and detachment.

You had single-handedly become the largest mob boss in the United States, and that quickly spread into other countries, building relationships across the globe. Some were built on trust and loyalty, others on fear and mutual benefit.

Business had called you away to Malta, where you had to bury an up-and-coming threat to your growing kingdom and quell any unrest in your distant ranks. It had been a stressful week, albeit a successful one. When the phone call came across that ushered you away to the Mediterranean, you had been in the middle of…other business. Personal business. Having been teasing your girlfriend all day long, you had finally pushed the sexual tension to a head. The brunette had been panting and begging for you, dressed in lingerie that cost more than most people's cars.

When the call came through, you had left her with explicit expectations as to how she would need to handle her sexual fever in your absence. No touching. No teasing. Most importantly, no whining. That was your number one rule. Begging? Yes. Whining. No.

She had tried her damndest to get you to finish what you had started, but you knew this had to be taken care of expeditiously. So, you left a lace-clad goddess in your shared room while you literally left to murder someone. The following night, she began to push your buttons. She knew your limits, and experience taught her just how far she could push you to get a reaction, one that would benefit you both.

Wanda was 'conveniently' caught outside of your NYC penthouse, leaving in a barely-there skirt with a leather jacket and the pair of black Louboutins you had just bought her. The stocking-clad legs that were strutting out of your building, you knew should be wrapped around your waist, while you had her favorite strap buried to the hilt in her drenched pussy, or wrapped around your head as you mercilessly took out your workday frustrations on her.

However, you were 4,000 miles away, watching photos roll across your social media of the 'mystery woman' who had been able to bag you. You knew she was doing this on purpose, trying to flaunt what you walked out on 12 hours ago, leaving her a babbling, flustered, drenched mess.

Your hand tightened around the phone, your jaw clenched so hard it hurt. Your blood boiled with a mix of anger and desire. You had given her an order, but she had chosen to ignore it. The thought of her walking around like that, looking like that, for anyone else to see made you want to rip out the throat of every man on the street. You had been looking forward to coming home to her, to teaching her a lesson she'd never forget. But now, it looked like she had decided to bring the lesson to you.

She flew under the radar for the next two days, and you were thankful. You missed her greatly, and you wanted to show her just how much when you got home. You were willing to let the wardrobe choice from the other night slide, just to have a night of wanton passion in the penthouse, no punishment, no edging, no teasing.

She had other plans.

You were in the middle of a meeting when your phone started to buzz incessantly in your slacks. This was a meeting you had to focus on, but the constant vibration indication yet another text had been sent was slowly chipping away at your resolve to stay sharp for this meeting. You had told her not to contact you during work hours unless it was an emergency. Looking at some of the texts, you knew this was no emergency. No matter how desperate she made herself sound.

You growled at the phone, knowing she wouldn't respond to any more texts from you. She was playing a game of cat and mouse, and you had a boardroom full of sharks waiting for your undivided attention. You slammed the device down, your eyes narrowing as you turned back to the table. Shutting the phone off, you knew that when it turned back on, you would be greeted with a disaster.

The meeting couldn't end fast enough, you wanted to call her and put her in her place, but the meeting ran long, as you and your new alliance couldn't quite come to an agreement for goods and services rendered.

Finally, after what felt like hours, you had come to an agreement, so you quickly and curtly nodded in everyone's direction, gathering your suit jacket and flinging it over your shoulder as you swiftly made your way down the hall to your waiting car, turning your phone back on as you approached the outside doors.

You climbed into the back of the black Town Car, opening your messages to see some pictures from your girlfriend, taken at obscure angles- her clad in a new lingerie set. You knew it was new, they were a color she hadn't worn before, a navy blue number that stood out against her tanned skin. The photos had been sent with no accompanying text, which was unlike her. Usually, she'd write something teasing, begging for your attention. But these were just…there. They were like silent pleas for your dominance, your authority. You groaned at the images before you, each more provocative than the next.

What made your pulse spike was the Snapchat notification from her. She had just sent you a video. Then there was another. She continued to send you videos until she had reached a total of 11. Knowing these would not just be an ordinary snap, you slipped a headphone into your ear while you opened each video, in the order you received them. The first was her dancing on the pole you installed in the corner of your room, the familiar sound of 'Skin' playing in the background as she worked her hips and taunted you through the phone.

The last video was the final straw. Your most fundamental rule.

She sent you a video of her, sprawled out on the bed, her features were flush, and her chest was heaving. She was still clad in her racy new lingerie, and it was then you noticed it was crotchless. Your mouth went dry at the thought, as her hands made their way up and down her body. Your knuckles turned white as you gripped your phone, the scene before you becoming too much. She buried her fingers knuckle deep in her wet heat, pornographic moans coming through your earbud as you watched her pleasure herself.

You had told her explicitly, no touching herself. You had promised her that when you returned, you would take care of her needs. You had been looking forward to it, to watching her come apart in your arms. But here she was, in your own bed, disobeying you. The betrayal stung, but the sight of her was like a siren's call. You felt a storm of emotions, anger, desire, and something…more. It was a feeling that hadn't surfaced in a long time, something you weren't quite familiar with.

You boarded your jet and tried to calm the storm that was brewing deep within you for the 13-hour flight home. The images of her playing with herself, the thought of her ignoring your command, it was all you could think about. You felt a mix of anger, arousal, and a hint of something else that you hadn't felt in years. She was a challenge, and you hadn't had one a challenge in a very long time.

You tried to distract yourself, completing some work on your phone, trying to read articles about New York politics, but nothing could distract you from the inferno that was building up inside you. Each passing moment brought with it a new wave of desire, the images of her writhing in pleasure burned into your retina. You had to admit, she knew exactly how to push your buttons, and she had just pushed the biggest one of all. You slammed your phone down in frustration, crossing your arms as you peered out the window to the clouds below. After three hours of 'distraction', you finally fell into a restless, lustful slumber.

The flight seemed to drag on forever, but when you landed at JFK, you were more than ready to deal with her. You texted her, telling her to be home, naked, and waiting for you. You didn't care if she had plans or not, she'd learn to prioritize your commands. You had a feeling she was going to be a handful, but that was what you liked about her.

You stalked over towards the waiting convoy of blacked-out vehicles that were waiting to take you home. The sound of your dress shoes echoed through the private lobby to your elevator, as you impatiently waited for the cabled car to come down from the top floor, watching the numbers descend from floor 98 to you, on the third garage floor.

As you stepped into the elevator, you could feel the anticipation building. You were going to show her exactly who was in charge, and what happens when she breaks the cardinal rule. The doors closed with a satisfying 'ping', and you ascended to your penthouse, your mind racing with scenarios of what you would do when you saw her. The elevator doors parted, revealing the sleek, marble floors in your home, the baby grand piano tucked in the corner, and the twinkling New York skyline a backdrop to what carnal acts were about to take place. You turned on your heel, making your way to the furthest room in the house, your bedroom. As you made your way down the corridor to the bedroom, you noticed the doors shut, but a glow came from underneath them.

Your heart rate quickened, your hand hovered over the doorknob, and you took a deep breath before pushing the door open. She lay on the bed, huddled to one side, peacefully sleeping with a book in her hands. She looked innocent, but you knew better. You strode over to the bed, the floorboards giving a slight creak under your weight, but she didn't stir. Carefully, you plucked the book away from her, running your thumb over her nose to wake her up.

"Ragazza monella," you spoke softly, your pent-up frustration leeching into your normally collected voice.

Her eyes snapped open, revealing the deep pools of green that had captivated you from day one. She looked up at you with a lazy smile, not a hint of guilt in her gaze. "You're home," she purred, stretching her limbs like a cat in the sun.

"I see you couldn't wait for me," you said, your voice thick with unspoken accusation as you threw your phone to the side.

Her smile didn't waver. "I've missed you," she replied, her voice a low, seductive purr that sent a shiver down your spine. She sat up, letting the blanket pool around her waist, the hoodie she was wearing you instantly recognized as one of yours.

"I gave you an order, Wanda," you said, your voice low and menacing.

"And I chose to ignore it," she replied, her eyes never leaving yours.

Her audacity was like a drug, and you felt yourself growing more and more crazed at the sight of her. She knew the consequences of her actions, yet she reveled in them. "You know what happens when you don't follow orders," you growled, your hand sliding under the soft fabric of the hoodie to cup her cheek.

Her smile grew wider, and she leaned into your touch. "Do I?" she challenged, her voice a breathy whisper.

With a swift move, you had her pinned down on the bed, the fabric of the hoodie riding up to expose her lingerie-clad body. "You're going to regret this," you warned, your voice dark with desire.

"Am I?" she questioned, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Your hand trailed down her body, tracing the curve of her waist to the apex of her thighs. "You're already wet for me," you murmured, feeling the dampness between her muscular, toned thighs.

"I'm always wet for you, Papi," she emphasized your pet name, knowing how much you adored her calling you that.

Your eyes narrowed at her insolence, and you felt your ego swell with a mix of anger and desire. "You know the rules," you reminded her, your voice a mix of steel and seduction.

"And you know I love to break them," she whispered, her voice a seductive dance in the quiet room.

You grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head, your grip firm but not painful. "This is your last warning," you murmured, your eyes dark with lust and promise of punishment.

Her eyes searched yours, looking for any signs of relenting, but she found none. Instead, she felt a thrill run through her body. This was what she had been craving, what she had missed in your absence. The power play, the delicious tension between your dominance and her submission.

"What's it going to be?" she asked, her voice a challenge wrapped in velvet.

Without a word, you yanked the hoodie over her head, leaving her in just the new lingerie set. The room was filled with the sound of fabric tearing as you ripped away the crotchless part of her underwear, exposing her glistening folds to the cool air. She gasped at the sudden exposure, her body arching into yours.

"You're going to learn your place," you said, your voice a low rumble. You leaned down, your mouth capturing hers in a bruising kiss that claimed ownership over her. She moaned into your mouth, her body responding instinctively to your touch, her legs wrapping around your waist as she pulled you closer.

The kiss grew more intense, your tongue invading her mouth, demanding submission. She met your dominance with her own passion, her teeth grazing your bottom lip, drawing a bead of blood. The taste of it made you growl, and you deepened the kiss, your hand sliding down to squeeze her ass.

Finally, you pulled away, breathing heavily. "You're going to get what you asked for," you warned, your eyes dark with lust.

Without another word, you flipped her over onto her stomach, her ass in the air, begging for your attention. You smacked her once, watching as the skin turned pink. She moaned into the pillow, her hips moving back, silently asking for more. You didn't disappoint, your hand coming down again and again, leaving a pattern of red across her skin. Each slap echoed through the room, punctuating the sound of your heavy breaths and her whimpers of pleasure.

You felt your own need growing, and you were glad that you had opted to change into her favorite suit with a strap-on surprise. You knew she was close, her body shaking with each smack, and you couldn't wait to watch her greedy pussy swallow your new toy whole. You slid your hand between her legs, finding her wet and ready. You whispered, "You're going to come for me now," and thrust two fingers inside her, curling them in a way that made her scream into the pillow.

Her orgasm hit her like a tidal wave, her body convulsing around your hand. You didn't stop, though, continuing to fuck her with your fingers until she was begging for mercy. Only when she was trembling did you pull away, standing up to remove your clothes.

When you were naked, you climbed onto the bed, the new dildo standing at attention. "You've had your fun," you said, your voice a low growl. "Now it's my turn." Her eyes widened at the sheer girth of your chosen method of punishment.

"I…I don't think that will fit," she whined, her lust-blown eyes boring straight into yours.

"Oh, it will. You remember your safeword, correct?" you nibbled down her neck as you settled between her legs.

"Yes," she moaned, her back arching against you.

"What is it?"

"Cl…clementine," she stuttered, her body wiggling and writhing beneath you.

You nodded as you slammed into her without preamble, her body accepting you with ease. She screamed your name, her legs tightening around your waist as you began to move. Each thrust was punctuated with a smack to her ass, leaving her skin stinging and her pussy clenching around you. You knew she liked it rough, she was addicted to the pain, but you were going to give her more than she had bargained for tonight.

This was your domain, and she had forgotten her place. You were going to remind her, over and over again, until she was nothing but a quivering mess beneath you. Until she understood that no matter how much she tested you, she would always be yours to command, to punish, to pleasure.

You slammed into her, the sound of your hips slapping against her filling the room. The dildo stretched her to her limits, each inch driving deeper until she was crying out for you to stop. But you didn't. You knew she could take it, knew she craved the pain that came with your passion. The bulge from the tip of the toy poked out her abdomen with every thrust, you pressed down on her stomach where it was appearing, causing her to arch further into your touch.

Her moans grew louder, more desperate, as you picked up the pace. You watched the way her body moved underneath you, the way her breasts bounced with each thrust, and the way her ass cheeks clapped together. You felt yourself getting closer, your strokes becoming more erratic. You reached around, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at you. "Who do you belong to?" you demanded, your voice a low growl.

"You," she whispered, her eyes glazed over with pleasure.

"Say it louder," you ordered, giving her another smack on the ass.

"I belong to you!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from the moans that had escaped her mouth.

"Beg to cum, amore," you growled in her ear, nibbling down the shell.

"Fuck," she moaned out, her eyes briefly fluttering open before screwing shut again.

"Not until you beg," you reminded her, your voice like a whip crack in the quiet of the room. You could feel your orgasm building, the muscles in your thighs tightening with each powerful thrust. Her cries grew more desperate, her hips moving back to meet yours, pushing herself onto the dildo with a fervor that was almost painful to watch.

"Please," she finally begged, her voice breaking. "I need to come."

You smirked, feeling the power surge through you. "That's all you got, baby?" You taunted, increasing the speed and force of your thrusts. "After all that, the teasing, the videos, this is how you show me you miss me? This is how you show me that you need Papi to make you feel good?" She whined and squirmed beneath you, her body shaking with the effort of holding back her climax. "Beg harder," you whispered, leaning down to bite her earlobe.

Her voice grew more frantic. "Ple…please, Papi," she gasped. "I need to come, I need you to make me come."

"You can do better than that," you grabbed ahold of one of her legs, pulling it over your shoulder as you continued the relentless assault on her swollen, leaking pussy. You leaned down, resting your other hand on her throat, gently applying pressure as you picked up your pace. "I said to beg for it, so fucking beg for it," you whispered, your breath hot against her skin.

Her eyes snapped open, the green orbs locking onto yours, filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "Fuck me harder," she pleaded, her voice strained. "Make me cum, Papi."

The sound of her demanding sent you over the edge, and you slammed into her, the erratic thrusts as you came only spurring her pleasure further. You felt her pussy tighten around the dildo, her walls pulsing as she climaxed hard, her body shaking beneath you. You didn't stop until she was limp, her cries of pleasure turning into breathless gasps.

You continued to work the toy into her, slowly building her back up.

"I didn't give you permission, amore mio," you looked down at her, panting as her chest heaved.

"I know," she panted back, "but I had to make sure you knew how much I missed you."

You couldn't help but smirk at her audacity. She knew how much power she held over you, how much she could push you. "You're going to pay for that," you whispered, your voice a dark promise.

Her eyes lit up, and she bit her bottom lip, egging you on. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

[pickingupmymercedes]

Through the night - Lewis Hamilton

Part of 1K Jukebox Event

song: Through the night - Maeta (ft. Free Nationals) - @goldenroutledge

pairing: Lewis Hamilton x Reader!

genre: angst

wordcount: +2k

As always, I'm open for feedback, come say hi!

______________________________________________________________

It was always like this with Lewis—his world moved at a million miles an hour, and I was just trying to keep with the pace.

The late-night texts, the spontaneous flights to wherever he happened to be racing that weekend, the stolen moments between races.

It was thrilling, sure, but sometimes it felt like I was chasing a mirage. He always just that little bit out of reach.

I met him in a professional setting—an interview, of all things. I had questions prepared, but the moment I sat across from him, the only question that ran through my mind was how someone could look that good in person.

I played it cool, of course. But it didn’t take long before things blurred past professionalism, past boundaries.

One look across the room, one lingering touch after a handshake, and it was on.

Our whirlwind situationship was fast paced. And no clear lines, no definitions. Just feelings simmering beneath the surface, ready to boil over.

I never really knew what to expect with him, and that was the catch.

As I sat waiting for him in a suite in NYC, watching the sun dip low over the horizon, I felt that familiar mix of excitement and frustration building.

It had been like this for months, us meeting when his schedule allowed, me rearranging mine to fit into his.

The moments we had were raw, passionate, like we were both trying to forget the world outside that room. But they were always fleeting. We never talked about what we were, where this was going.

Hell, I didn’t even know if he ever thought about it at all.

And he was late, as usual. I was used to it by now, but that night it was bothering me more than it should.

I stared at my phone, waiting for the text that said he was on his way, or maybe one saying he had to cancel because of some last-minute commitment. It could go either way with Lewis, and I had learned to live in that uncertainty.

But I was starting to wonder how many times could I drop everything for him without knowing if he’d do the same for me?

And just as I was about to convince myself to leave, my phone buzzed on the table, and his name flashed across the screen.

Lewis: Be there in 10.

A sigh escaped my lips as I tossed the phone back down. Ten minutes. Enough time to get my head right, I guess.

I stood up, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling window that looked out over the city. The city lights, from that up above, glittered like a postcard, but I couldn’t appreciate it really.

I was too caught up in my thoughts, in the question that had been gnawing at me for weeks now. How do I know what he’s feeling?

I shook my head, annoyed with myself. What kind of question was that to ask someone like Lewis? The man wasn’t even mine to ask him anything.

We weren’t exclusive. Hell, we weren’t even defined. Yet here I was, feeling some things I hadn’t felt in a while—things I wasn’t ready to admit out loud.

I turned when I heard the door click open. Lewis walked in, his usual confidence radiating from him, though there was a softness in his smile when he saw me.

"Hey" he said, his voice low and easy. He closed the door behind him, shrugging off his jacket.

"Hi" I replied, forcing a smile. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to shake off the nagging thoughts in my head.

He walked over to me, his hands finding my waist almost instinctively, pulling me in for a kiss.

It was familiar, his lips soft but demanding, like he was trying to remind me of why we did this—why we kept coming back to each other. And for a moment, I let myself melt into him, forgetting everything else.

But then, just as quickly, the doubts crept back in.

I pulled away, looking up at him, studying his face. “You’re late” I said, trying to keep the accusation out of my voice.

Lewis shrugged, his hands still resting on my hips. “You know how it is. Meetings ran longer than expected”

I nodded, but I wasn’t satisfied. I stepped back, putting some space between us. "Yeah, I get that. I always get that."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly catching on to my mood. “What’s going on?”

I hesitated, unsure of how to even start this conversation. It wasn’t like we did this—talk about feelings, about where we stood.

But I was tired of feeling like I was the only one trying to make this work.

I bit my lip before finally speaking. “Do you ever think about this?” I gestured between us. “What we’re doing? Where it’s going?”

He looked taken aback, not expecting the question. "Y/n, I thought we were just… I mean, we have fun, right?"

Fun. That word felt like a slap, even though I knew it was true.

We did have fun. But that wasn’t enough anymore.

He sighed, running a hand in his arm, clearly trying to find the right words. "You know how my life is. It’s crazy. The races, the press, everything. It’s hard to just drop everything."

“Right” I countered, my voice firmer now. "I get it, your life is on a different level, but I need to know you’re in this, that I’m not just a convenience."

He took a step toward me, his hands finding mine. “You’re not a convenience, Y/n. You know I care about you.”

I shook my head, frustration bubbling up again. “Then show me. I need more than just stolen seconds. I need to know you’re trying too.”

Lewis exhaled, his eyes searching mine. "I’ve been doing this for so long, living my life on the road, never really staying in one place. It’s been a while since I had to balance things."

I could feel the sincerity in his words, the weight of his own struggles, but I needed more than just words. I needed action.

"Try" I whispered. "Just try. Show me you can make time for me. That you’re not just caught up in your world."

He pulled me closer, his forehead resting against mine. "I’ll try. I’ll figure this out." he said quietly.

I pulled back slightly, looking up at him. His words hung in the air, sincere but somehow fragile, like they might blow away with the next gust of wind.

"You’ll try" I repeated, a bitter edge creeping into my voice.

Lewis frowned, his hands still on my waist, but I could feel the tension growing between us. “I just need time to figure things out.”

I let out a sharp breath, stepping out of his hold, needing space to think. "Time? We’ve had time, Lewis. Months of it. And yet, every time, I’m here waiting, rearranging my life for you."

The frustration bubbled up, and I couldn’t stop it anymore. "Do you even think about me when I’m not around? Or is it just convenient when I’m here, fitting into whatever gaps you have?"

His face tightened, his jaw clenching slightly. "You know that’s not true."

I shook my head, feeling the doubt clawing at me, stronger now. "But I don’t know that, Lewis. I don’t know anything. What if I’m just something you enjoy when it’s easy? "

He looked like I had just punched him in the gut, his eyes narrowing as he processed what I said. "You’re not just some casual fling to me, Y/n. I wouldn’t keep coming back if that’s all you were."

I crossed my arms, not fully convinced. “Then why does it feel like I’m the only one making sacrifices? I need to know that I’m not in this alone.”

There it was—the raw truth that I’d been holding back for too long. The truth that maybe I wasn’t the only one doubting where this was heading, but I was definitely the one who needed more than what we had now.

For a moment, Lewis was silent, his eyes searching mine. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and careful. "I know I’ve been selfish. I haven’t had to think about balancing my life with someone else’s in years. But I want to learn how to do this with you, Y/n."

I held his gaze, trying to read him, trying to figure out if this was something he could truly follow through on or if it was just more words.

And I hated that I was doubting him. I hated that I couldn’t just take his promise and believe it.

But how could I? This had been my life for months now, living on the edges of his, always waiting for when he had time, for when he wasn’t in a whirlwind of commitments.

He squeezed my hands gently, his expression more serious than I’d ever seen it. "You’re not just something on the side. I’ll show you."

I searched his face, the sincerity there pulling at me, but the doubt lingered. I wasn’t sure if I could just trust that things would be different now, but I had to give him the chance to prove it.

I sighed, nodding slowly, though my heart was still heavy with uncertainty. "Words aren’t enough anymore."

He nodded, pulling me close again, his forehead resting against mine. "I’m not going to lose you." he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.

I closed my eyes, leaning into him, feeling the warmth of his breath against my skin. "Rendezvous" I murmured. "Make me feel like I’m part of your life, not just something on the side."

______________________________________________________________

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[equallyshaw]

to regain what once was | oc hughes sister x hughes brothers.

background: Abigail 'Abby' Marie Hughes - now known best by her stage name: Gail Marie is a 21-year-old professional theater actress, having been performing professionally since she was 7 years old in Toronto, Ca. After Jack and Luke followed Quinn to Michigan she ventured off to NYC to live with her grandparents, which was supposed to only be a temporary summer stay, for an intensive she'd book a year prior. After that, she booked a chorus role in Annie the Musical, then booked youngest Fiona in Shrek! the musical in the NYC run before landing the pristine role of 'Matilda' in Matilda the Musical. Therefore, her grandparents took the initiative of becoming her legal guardians in order to keep her in NYC and her pursuit of claiming Broadway by storm. All the while, her brothers never dared step out of their hockey gear and come support her, as she had back in TO as much as she could in between her hectic schedule, student by day; and professional by night. So when the drafts came and went, as well as debuts came and went, she stayed in New York not daring to celebrate them when they hadn't been there for her. What hurts the most is that she yearns for the way they speak about each other in the media as well as how her parents spoke about them, because that's all she wanted more than anything in life.

Yes, I know the queen ellen and jimmy would never allow this but this is obvious fiction.

italics are flashbacks. Non italics takes place after the passing of their grandfather, unless otherwise marked. little brother is translated to, ach sheli.

warnings: swearing, family member passing.

word count: 7.8k.. longer than i anticipated lol

After:

It was not always like this, Gail thought as she swirled around her pre-show honey lemon tea. Peonie flowers stood tall on her dressing room counter, freshly delivered before the show by her now-late grandfather. She winced biting back tears as she thought about the past week and all that it had entailed; fights, tears, slammed doors, breakdowns, and broken hearts. Five individuals had come back into her life right as it was truly becoming special, though warranted; she absolutely hated having them in her home. Her home which had been for some time now, was with her grandparents. It was never with the home she was born into, never with those siblings and doting parents who spoke highly and sweetly about one another in the media. It was never with those who had never reached out to her on her own milestones and wins, never those who came to see her wished her happy birthdays or cheered her on when she learned how to skate, or the ones that let her score on them over and over again before she realized she hated the sport and everything that came with it. She hated the sport of hockey for taking away her brothers, and her supposed best friends, hated that it took away her parents, and hated that it had stolen everything she had known. She lost her childhood to the sport and her family.

_

The Hughes family sat around, listening to the will being spoken out loud. It was a bright and sunny, cool 75-degree day in New York City. Gail stared at the brown wooden desk in front of her, her leg shaking up and down like a manic. Her mind raced with thoughts, raced with notes from the night before, and raced with the last few fleeting moments she had had with her Pa. She hadn't heard her Ma call out for her, "Gail!" Her grandmother said from across the table. She swallowed, looking around at who was supposedly her family, and then she looked towards the lawyer. "You are left with 45% of..." She tuned him out and waved her hand not caring to listen. The meeting came and went, Gail the first one out of the room. She pushed the door open to the law office and took in the fresh air of Greenwich New York. She sighed, running her hands through her dirty blonde almost brunette hair. The past month had been hell. She'd lost her out on a leading role that she had worked her ass off in auditions and callbacks, one that would have surely set her up for a Tony nomination, she had lost out on a role in an upcoming musical movie and this. This. She'd lost her best friend and Pa, her most trusted and adored father figure. "Sweetie." She heard Ellen walk out of the law office reaching for her daughter, but she quickly moved out of reach. Ellen had been having a hard time coming to terms with how distant she was being towards her and the rest of the family. It was hard for the family to come to terms, and accept that Abigail was no longer Abigail, and she was no longer a pushover. "Its fine Ellen." Jimmy said walking out, and the two of them plus the brothers watched Gail begin to walk down the street.

_ Ellen, Jimmy, and the brothers had just arrived at The Hughes estate in The Hamptons. Gail was nowhere to be found, as she had been in the middle of a matinee when she got the call that her Pa was growing fainter. "Do I fly? Do I drive?!" She said as she whipped off her wig, wincing at the glue tearing off. "You can drive." Her Ma answered, and Gail quickly went to call her longtime boyfriend, Nick. She made it three hours later, her leg fidgeting up and down like a manic. "He's gonna be there." He reassured her over the course of the ride, but she had a hard time believing it. By the time she had made it to the estate, she didn't bother to look in the direction of the three boys who were out on the lawn chatting. She jogged inside the house, whipping open the door and trying to see if she heard any voices. "Ma?" She called out, walking into the kitchen. Luckily that's where her grandmother was, along with Jimmy and Ellen. "Ma." It felt like the world fell off her shoulders, seeing her grandmother. It felt like Ellen had been hit by a freight train. "Gail." Her grandmother said wrapping her arms around her granddaughter, "Pa is upstairs." And now it was Jimmy's turn to feel like he had been hit by a freight train.

•

Gail hummed, warming up her voice, going through her pre-show rituals. She hadn't been this nervous for a show in years, but there were a few people here tonight that hadn't been since, it's honestly too sad to think about how long it's been. She heard a knock on her door, "You good G?" She heard her co star, Casey question as he leaned against the doorframe. Gail nodded, saluting him with a smile and the mug of her lemon honey tea. "Break a leg." He called out before he ran off for places. She set down her mug, looking at herself in the mirror and did a once over, before deeming that she looked good.

She made her way out of her dressing room, and walked down the hall, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath her. She continued her pre-show hum and made her way to her place for the top of the show. She looked up at the ceiling, saying a little prayer towards her Pa, and then closed her eyes. The music began, and the crowd immediately relaxed and clapped along to the beat.

•

"Gail?" Ellen asked for confirmation and the girl nodded. "How long?" She questioned, and Gail genuinely had to think about it. Ellen could tell it had been for some time, "About 8 years." Gail responded, and Ellen sniffled. "So much has changed." She hummed, and Gail snickered. "You could say that Ellen." She snapped, and Ellen quickly looked towards her. "Why are you calling me that?" She questioned and Gail rolled her eyes. "You think that after you dumped me at Ma and Pa's house 10 years ago that I'd still call you that? You think I'd call you 'mom' when you sure as hell haven't been one for over 10 years?!" She questioned, "You dropped me off and never looked back. Too worried about their precious careers?! What about me? What about my career Ellen, huh? What about me, what happened to me!" She said raising her voice, both of them shocked at the words that were coming out.

Ellen stood up as the peanut gallery listened intently from beside them, "You forgot about me, your daughter, incase you forgot!" Gail said through strained tears. Ellen felt her own tears begin to form but was subdued due to anger.

"You think I don't regret it? Do you think I don't regret not being more involved? Y-" Gail cut her off, "You signed the papers! You're the one who signed your rights away!" She said fully screaming now. "You think I don't know? You think I don't know what you guys did?" She said furiously in a strained voice. "You think I wouldn't hate the very people who brought me into this world, only to get rid of me when I didn't follow in your footsteps? You think I would have sat idly by?"

•

Gail and Casey walked toward one another before turning towards the audience, as they performed their second-to-last duet - crazy rolling. The two ended on a high note, holding one another in their arms, and were met with enormous cheers and claps. They had no time to spare and were quickly off the stage. Quickly changing for the finale, the two took a brief moment with one another before getting to their spots. "oh my god Gail!!!!" Casey said bringing her in for a hug, realizing just how emotional she was. She was on the verge of tears before their final duet, which would result in her character's death. It would also be her final performance on this stage with this incredible cast and crew before she headed off to a faraway place and one that held such promise for her and her career. "You're gonna absolutely kill it Gail, I promise." Casey encouraged as he pulled away to embrace a tiny bit. She nodded, not looking at him directly. "No need to cry now." he teased and she giggled, knowing she was about to sob on stage. She nodded, looking up at Casey and giving him a smile. "Thanks for being the best partner this run." she beamed and he smiled widely, pulling her in for one last run. "Now move so I can fix my makeup." she joked, pushing him away. He playfully saluted her before running off to the other side of the stage, for his final position. Casey walked on first, as Gail followed suit into their positions. The opening music for the reprise of your song, began.

"Look at me Satine..why else live for love?" Casey spoke, as Gail began to sing. She turned a bit, looking back at Casey and felt the tears beginning to fall. Casey gave her a look of encouragement and gloom while staying in character.

•

Gail turned towards Ellen and everybody else who stood there stunned by what she had to say, "The minute you walked into my house, the very home that I have grown up in the past 10 years, yo-you act like nothing has changed. You act as if I am still the 10-year-old little naive Abby! Im not and haven't been since you put me on that train and never looked back." Gail said through stubborn tears, feeling her heartbeat thud in her temple. Ellen went to say something, but Gail held her hand up. "You act like this prodigal mother and parent in the media and in life, but you- you and him are so far from it." She finished, walking out of the living room away from everybody.

•

She jogged onto the stage, hugging Casey tightly at the top of the stage, before taking their bows. Casey stepped in front of her, bowing and earning a chorus of applause. He turned back towards her, holding out his hand and she smiled widely taking it. He took a step behind her, letting her have this moment. This will never get old, she thought. She bowed, giving a kiss to the crowd before bowing once more. Gail stepped back, connecting her hands with Casey and another actor, and they all did a bow together. Casey and David who plays the Duke in the show, pushed her in front of them once more for her to have a moment with the crowd. A Producer on the show walked out from left stage with a bouquet of roses and Gail quickly brought her hands up to her mouth in shock. She clasped her eyes shut, feeling tears rush out. "Thankyou!" She sobbed, pulling the producer in for a hug. Turning back to the crowd now, Gail placed a hand on her chest saying the words 'thankyou' to the crowd over and over again, and then towards the cast. She shook her head when the director came on stage with a microphone and desperately tried to flee toward the rest of the cast who only shook their heads.

"We have been incredibly lucky to have Miss Gail Hughes grace our stage for the past year, putting everything that she had into every performance. We couldn't be more thrilled and excited, to see what she has been tirelessly working on and prepping for. It'll be a joy to watch her from this side of the pond, gaining the hearts of each person to see her do what she does best. Gail, good luck on your next journey and break a leg!" the director said and she smiled widely, pulling him in for a hug. She waved a bit more to the crowd, and then the curtain came down.

•

"You knew Q?" Jack questioned after Ellen and Jimmy explained everything. Once Gail had left the house with Nick, the two were swarmed with questions from Jack and Luke. Quinn shrugged, and their parents turned towards him. "You knew?" Ellen asked and Quinn nodded timidly. "Wh-when?" Ellen asked, and Quinn smiled. "When she was nominated for her role in Matilda at the Tonys. She was 13 at the time, but she knew who her parents really were. Grandpa and Grandma." He responded, and Jack began to pace. "And then, she said in an interview with Andy Cohen that they were her parents, not you guys. She said that she had been living with them for years at that point, that was I wanna say in 2020 before Covid. But she said that she hadn't seen you guys in years. Then everything clicked." Quinn expanded and Luke's mouth was agape. "You didn't want to say anything?" He asked stunned. "You guys don't know the full thing." Jimmy said, and Jack was furious.

"What the fuck?" Jack said walking into the connected living room, hands dragging through his semi long locks. "In order to benefit her career and her future, she came to live with grandma and grandpa. It was meant to be temporary as we got you boys settled in, and then things just worked out the way that it was and, then she got Matilda and we couldn't take her away. She needed to stay." Jack cut her off, "You shipped her off in order for you guys to focus on us? What kind of fucked up shit is that?" He asked, angry.

Jimmy held his hand up, "We did it to benefit all of us. And grandma and grandpa welcomed the idea and believed in it enough to do it." Jimmy explained, and their grandmother shook her head. "Don't Jim." She began, and all the boys whipped their head towards her. "You did what you believed to be best for her, but you really didn't know. You didn't know that she needed her parents. But why wouldn't we say yes? What would happen to the life she had just begun to build herself? What would happen? We couldn't let her passion, talent and love of theater go down the drain to watch pucks after school." She paused beginning to walk out of the kitchen, "If you think we welcomed it Jim, you are mistaken." She finished before disappearing upstairs to check on her husband.

•

As soon as Gail exited the stage, she turned towards a few of the ensemble cast members who had become close friends the past year and pulled them in for a huge hug. "I can't believe it's over." Gail sobbed as the other girls wiped their tears. The girls and Gail, slowly made their way over towards her dressing room. "One last post show picture!" Martha one of the dancers gushed, and Gail giggled softly. She sat down in her chair as a hair and makeup artist, came behind her and gave Gail a small frown. "Don't you start crying Matilda!" She scolded causing the room to laugh. Matilda slowly began to take off her wig while Gail took off her jewelry. "Oh can you grab my phone, Marie?" She questioned and as soon as Gail turned on her phone, she was flooded with messages. Her brothers and her now had a group chat, and they texted her during the intermission and now after the show finished. "Im gonna kill them!" She growled, and then showed the girl's the pictures they had taken throughout the second act. "I even told them, they couldn't do that!" she mumbled, texting them back. She then texted Nick, that in 30 minutes that he could bring her brothers and parent's back stage. In the meantime, she'd be doing her rounds of goodbyes.

Around 45 minutes later, Gail walked back to her dressing room and heard the familiar laughter of her brother, Jack. She walked through the doorframe, and everybody's heads turned towards her. She saw flowers in her dad's arms as well as Quinn's. "Oh my goodness, you didn't have too!" She said bringing her hands to her chin in surprise. "Ofcourse we had too!" Quinn grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, to which she turned into a full hug. "You absolutely killed it dog." Jack smiled widely, pulling her in for a huge hug. "Thankyou." She smiled, and then turned towards Luke still surprised by how much taller he was. "Amazing, amazing job." He smiled pulling her in for a bear hug. "Thankyou." She beamed. Her parents brought her in for hugs and then found her spot next to Nick's, as it was second nature. "You make your rounds?" he questioned looking down at her, and she nodded feeling tears prick her eyes once more. He noticed and placed a soft kiss to her temple, and he could feel her relax a bit. "Are these from grandpa?" Luke asked softly, and she nodded. "He would send them every week when he came for the Sunday Matinee, and he made-made sure to do one for my final performance." She said through tears, looking at the grand bouquet of peonies. "They're gorgeous." Ellen smiled, "He gave me my love of peonies at a young age, and he's never let me down all these years." She hummed thinking back to all the times he had waited for her in the lobby after every show he had come to. His matinee show was a tradition he started dating back in 2012 with Annie. "He started to bring them with Annie, every week when he'd come for a matinee, even through Covid he came." She said smiling softly and looking at the flowers. The Hughes family all looked at one another, and again realizing just how much they'd missed out on her life and blossoming career.

•

Gail sat outside on the private beach, that lined her grandparent's backyard. Her knees were pulled into her chest, as she looked out over the Atlantic Ocean. She hadn't been up here since she took a week off back in March for a small vacation. It had been four months since then, and it seemed like a lifetime ago. Between auditions, workshops, and every show she did during the week it seemed like a blur. She didn't hear footsteps behind her, but she felt the sand that lightly brushed her as somebody came up behind her and sat down next to her. She looked over, not believing her eyes. Her eyebrows creased, "Quinn?" she questioned softly, and hearing her say his name for the first time in years made Quinn's eyes swell with tears. "Hey lovie." he whispered, and pulled her in once he saw tears swell in her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her, as he pulled her into his chest. He silently cursed and berated himself, as he thought about how much of a coward her was for not reaching out to her. She had Instagram, he knew where she lived most of the time and could always contact their grandparents. "Im sorry." He said as his voice cracked, and she sobbed even harder. "Im sorry I never said anything, im sorry I never reached out. Im sorry I let you down when you didn't deserve to be. You didn't deserve any of this, and I hate myself for allowing all of this to happen." he said through tears. Gail cried harder, into his chest as she heard the words she had begged the universe since she arrived at her Grandparent's house. "Quinn." she said softly, she pulled a bit back to look at him. She placed a hand on his cheek, trying to get him to look at her. "I don't think I can ever forgive myself, Gail." He sobbed, clasping his eyes shut. Hearing those words, broke her heart.

"Quinn." she said softly again, and he reopened his eyes. She swallowed, "I have hated you and the three of you since you didn't come to my first opening night. I have wished you three nothing but pain and loss because that was how I took it as a child. A fucking child, who all she wanted in the whole world was her brothers again. Yet, she never got them. She got brick walls, unanswered birthday messages, no invites to the lake house, and congratulations on my own milestones as a child." She paused ripping her hand away from his cheek, and Quinn swallowed tensly. "I have waited for those words since I was 12 years old...but now? I deserve a whole hell of a lot better, than that. Than this. You expect me to forgive so easily, after being ghosted all these years? My life and childhood have never been mine and now that im an adult? That's mine, all mine. My peace and healing do not deserve to be rocked because somebody wants to be a big brother now." She paused once more standing up. "I expected way more from my best friend growing up, but I've learned to live with disappointment because I was given disappointment from a young age." Gail finished before beginning her descent down the shoreline. Quinn watched through bouts of sobs, that ripped through his whole being.

•

Before Final performance. (August, 2023. One month after passing.)

"So..this is you really leaving?" Jack questioned softly, as he and his two brothers walked into the NYC apartment that she had shared with Nick the past year. Gail nodded, as she finished taping a box shut. The brothers couldn't believe that she was finishing her run in New York, and then heading out to West End to begin production in Hadestown. She would be originating the role of Eurydice in the first run in London, from February 2024 through August 2024 with the possibility of an add-on of dates. "Yeah, it's been a long time coming actually. We've been itching to get out of here for a while, and then London opened up and we couldn't jump at the opportunity quicker." She smiled as Nick smiled from across the room. "Oh wow." Luke said. Jack and Luke had been hoping that they could have built a relationship with her while they were in Jersey. "Yeah." Gail said awkwardly, "Congratulations though. You're gonna do amazing." Quinn encouraged and Gail gave him a small smile. "Well uh, did you guys get the tickets I sent over?" She questioned, picking up her glass of ice water. The brothers nodded, "Good good. They were hard to get so im glad you guys can come." She said with a grateful smile. "Anybody wanna get some pizza? Could use a break." Nick interrupted and Gail gave him a thankful look, and the brothers nodded. "Good, know a spot just down the street." Nick beamed, grabbing ahold of Gail's and then they were out.

•

It was only a few days later when their grandfather passed. Gail had been asleep on the all-year-round porch couch, with Nick. Ellen came down frantically, and Gail knew as soon as she was shaken awake, that she knew the reason why. She quickly cried out, as Nick sat up and pulled her into his chest. Ellen found Jim in the kitchen, as they listened to their daughter - who really wasn't their daughter in a way - cry out bone-shattering cries. The three brothers all made their way downstairs at the sound of her cries and then found their parents in the kitchen consoling each other. Gail stood up pushing herself from Nick and wrapped her arms around her self. Trying to give a slick of comfort to herself. Nick placed a soft hand on her arm, but she pushed him away. "NO!" She screamed, anger flaring from her. Nick took a step back, not appreciating the look of hatred in her eyes. But he knew it wasn't personal. Gail flung open the door that led to the kitchen and living room and hurried past her siblings and the parents she no longer considered hers. "Ma!" She called out, jogging up the stairs, and looked for her Ma. "Gail dear!" She heard from Ma and Pa's room. "Don't go in the extra room please, don't go in there." her Ma whispered, as she pulled the dirty blonde to her chest, who at this point she considered a daughter. Gail sobbed into her Ma's arms, as her Ma continued to whisper those few words. She didn't need the young girl to see her father figure being transported away from the place that they had called home for over ten years now, and one that she considered her childhood home.

•

Gail had been outside on the swing for hours that her Pa had put up as soon as she came to stay with them, all those years ago. She swayed slowly as the wind came off the ocean, with much curiosity and bitterness. Her brothers and parents had watched from the living room with her Ma and Nick, for hours now. Waiting for her to come in and say something, or grab something to eat. But she sat there, much to their dismay. "Im going out there." Jack announced as he stood up, annoyed at the fact that nobody had attempted to get her inside, besides Nick who failed miserably. She wouldn't let him five steps past the door. Jack opened up the door and shut it as softly as he could. Gail turned her head to her side but did not look back to see who was there. Wary footsteps came toward the girl, and Gail looked up as Jack came up next to her. "Hey, Gail." He said softly, and she sighed turning to look back at the pool, garden, and the ocean just past their white gate. "Can I sit here?" He questioned, to the spot next to her on the ground. She didn't give him a response, which he took as a win.

"Do you wanna know when the first time we noticed you weren't there?" He questioned, looking at the girl. She did not respond, and to be frank she could give two shits. "Well, I was 15 and Lukey was 12. You would have been 14, and finishing your run with Matilda. Lukey fractured or broke his finger, I can't quite recall and I remember watching him go down from the bench, it was a little scrimmage we were doing with some of the neighborhood kids and the first thing that Lukey said to Ellen was, "Where's Abby?" and he kept repeating that, even as we brought him home. All he wanted was his sister, and to be honest- so did I. I wanted you to be there because I wanted somebody to give me a hug and remind me that Lukey was going to be ok. I had to settle for Q who just so happened to be visiting from Vancouver. But all Lukey wanted was to hear your voice, and to reassure him that he was going to be ok. He never said it nor any of us did, but you were all our favorite sibling. You were our sister, whom we wanted to protect. We still do, but he wanted his favorite protector and the one person who knew exactly what to say. And when Ellen went to call Grandma, she was already calling Ellen. You had cracked your head open, after falling on some ice in Manhattan." And now all Gail could do was flash back to that moment, when it had happened. She didn't remember the ambulance ride but she remembers waking up in the children's hospital with her Pa, who was holding her hand, and her Ma was outside calling Ellen. She remembers crying out for Ellen, all she wanted was her mom in that moment. All she wanted was her mom, dad and her brothers telling her that she was going to be ok. That her 9 stitches on her temple, were gnarly and that they had had many over the year with out her. She remembers vividly crying into her Pa's arms that night, wishing that she was with them. But she knew deep down, that she was with her grandparents for a reason. Her parents no longer wanted her, she thought for the first time that night. For the first time in a year and a half, she felt abandoned by her parents and her brothers. She no longer felt welcomed or loved by the ones who gave her her name, and existence in this world.

"That night I wept. I wailed and I sobbed and I screamed to the universe, in that exact living room." She began turning towards Jack, who now had looked at her. "For the first time that night, it had sunk in that my own parents and brothers had abandoned me. They had cast me aside because I didn't skate or play hockey. For the first time, I felt as if I had no family of my own. It was the first time that Ma and Pa had become terrified, and believed that I was never going to calm down. Which believe me, in that moment of realization I believed I would never stop crying, or screaming. But do you know the first things you said?" She paused, waiting for a response. He shook his head and she made a tsk noise. "You said and I quote, "Do you wanna know when the first time we noticed you weren't there". The first time are the two key words Jack. It took you over a year to realize that I was gone, missing.!" She screamed at the now frightened boy. She stood up, "For over a fucking year, I waited for two birthday wishes, I waited for a phone call or a response to the messages I sent through grandma and grandpa!" She screamed again, and Jack felt tears sting his eyes. "And YOU! YOU don't get to cry!" She screamed, lowering her face towards his, as he wiped away his tears. "From what I recall, YOU were the selfish one! You were the selfish one who made us move!" She screamed at him, and the peanut gallery inside were frozen in their spots listening to her. Jack continued to look at Gail, with his features full of guilt. "I hate you Jack, I hate you! I hate you for making them give me up! I hate you for asking to go to Michigan! I hate you I hate you I hate you!" She screamed as her chest rose up and down, quickly. Rather too quickly for Jack's liking. "You did this Jack, all of it." She finished, before making her way toward the gate door and she was off to the beach.

•

Gail stood at Laguardia Airpot with Nick, and the two were saying goodbye to her family and a few of their friends. Jack was the first one to pull her in for a hug, whispering a few words of encouragement. Luke was next doing the same and lastly, it was Quinn. Quinn pulled her in tightly and whispered, "You're going to do amazing Lovie, we can't wait to hear all about it." and then the two pulled away. Next was Ma, and Gail had been dreading this moment, "I love you so much Ma." She whispered through tears and her Ma sniffled. "I know sweetie, Ill be over as soon as I can." Her ma whispered back. She pulled away a few inches, and her Ma pinched her cheek just a bit and then kissed her forehead. Next was Jim, who pulled her in for a bear hug. And for the first time since she was a child, it felt warm and inviting. "Break a leg, Gail." he hummed causing her to smile softly. "Thankyou, dad." She responded before pulling back and then shifting towards Ellen. Jim wiped away a few tears, as Ellen pulled Gail in for a hug. "Im gonna miss you so much sweetie, I'm always here if you need anything." Ellen spoke softly and Gail nodded, "Thankyou, Mom." she whispered back and Ellen's heart broke at the word. Ellen sniffled, pulling back to look at Gail. She placed a soft hand on her daughter's face, and Gail nodded through tears. To which Ellen broke down, she pulled her back in tightly, and now both females were crying. Jim looked towards his boys who also had tears in their eyes, as they watched Gail and their mom hug. "I'd like for you and dad to visit as soon as you can, I'd love to show you London. It's quite the city and - and I'd love it if you two could come for my opening night." Gail said softly and Ellen nodded profusely, she'd be doing everything in her power to be there and would make sure her sons would be there as well. To hell with the season, Ellen would argue. "We'll be there, I promise." Ellen said as they pulled away, and Gail nodded. Before Gail could step away, Ellen wiped her daughter's tears and Gail sniffled. "Well, uh we should be going." Gail said looking back at Nick and he nodded, "Have a safe flight!" sounded around them as the two waved one last time. Nick took ahold of Gail's hand as he rolled their carry on suitcase and her carry one bag into the airport.

•

Last but not least, it was Luke's turn to attempt a breakthrough for Gail. Nick was currently loading up their car, getting ready to go back to New York. She was currently standing at the edge of the backyard, looking out at the waves coming in. She did not know when she'd be back, and was savoring each and every moment she got with the ocean. Luke stepped up next to her, and Gail looked up at the tall giant. She caught his eye and she quickly looked away, swallowing hard. They stood there in silence, and for some odd reason, she felt as if she had to be the one to say something first. She looked up at the curly-haired boy and hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Ach sheli." she began with an old Hebrew nickname she used to say as a child. He looked down at her, and she saw the instant tears in his eyes. "Lovie?" He questioned softly, and she couldn't take it anymore. She pulled him in for a hug, and he stood there stunned for a brief few seconds before wrapping his arms around her. The two of them sobbed with one another, holding onto each other for dear life. Jack was not wrong about Luke having once felt that way about Gail, and how she was everything and more he looked up to and looked to for everything he did in life. "I know I should have said something, all of us should have. I know they'll never be an excuse for what we did, ever. Truth be told, you should never forgive us because of what we did. We turned our backs on you when we should have fought them to bring you home. Even if you would have been home 2 weeks out of the year, we should have screamed and jumped and thrown every tantrum under the sun to bring you home. We should have brought you home, and we didn't. We passed up every opportunity to do so and ignored you for years because we were cowards and naively thought you were better off without us. Nobody to bring you down or take time and attention off of you." he paused sniffling, as she sobbed into his chest. "You deserved so much more, and im sorry none of us ever said a thing. We knew it to not okay, but it was our fault for not saying anything. You don't know the number of times we begged mom and dad to bring you home. And them never listening, and us not understanding why, so we fought even more." she pulled back, "Wait what?" She questioned softly and his eyebrows crinkled, "What?" He questioned back. "You-you guys fought? But why didn't you call me back? Why didn't -" Luke cut her off by pulling her into his chest again, "Because we were stupid, we were young and so immature, that we didn't think twice about calling back. Like I said, Jack and I specifically were idiots. We should have said something, we should have. And im sorry we did not." He said wiping his tears away, and she pulled back looking at the grass beneath them. She pulled back completely, her arms coming to her chest. She looked up at Luke once more to find him staring down at her, "I - I have to go Luke." She said stepping back and then began her way towards the car where Nick was waiting. Luke watched her go, feeling his chest ache as she walked out of not only his but the rest of the family's life once more.

•

It was a week later, when she heard a knock at her and Nick's Condo door. She stood up from the couch, and made her way over and without looking through the peephole she swung her door open. She did not expect to see Ellen and Jim at her door, let alone a week later. She swallowed harshly, and felt tears begin to sting her eyes. "Hi Gail...can we talk for a bit?" Ellen asked hopeful, and Gail breathed in heavily before opening up the door further. The two walked in, inspecting the industrial-looking two-bed room and two-bath condo in lower Manhattan. "We uh, we thought we'd come by before the reading of the will tomorrow." Ellen announced and Gail shrugged, heading over towards the kitchen to make another coffee. "What's with all the boxes?" Jim asked looking around the living room. "Oh. Im uh, Nick and I are leaving for London in about a week. My final performance is two days before that." She said and the two of them were confused. "Ive taken a lead originating role in London, rehearsals start in a month and then premiere in the new year." she explained with a slight shrug. Ellen and Jim looked at one another, "Would you like any water, tea or coffee?" Gail offered and the two shook their heads. Gail nodded, adding some creamer in her cup and headed towards the small den, off from the kitchen and living room. "SO, what can I do for you guys? she questioned, sitting on the plush chair that stood next to the window. "We uh wanted to come by and talk, we never really got a chance while up state so we wanted to check in with you." Jim said and Gail nodded. "I uh I am not sure where to start but we want to apologize to you. We know there will never be enough words or the right words to truly say how much guilt and regret we feel. We knew how much the boys missed you as kids, and for awhile there we thought it would get easier not having you there with us. We truly believed that at the time it was the right call, I know your Ma would agree. The original time period we sent you was what you needed to grow your craft, but you should have come straight home after that. Or one of us should have come to stay with you for your runs. To see you this weekend, so broken and so angry and full of hatred broke my heart. And as a mother, you never want to see your child feel that and especially not have it be directed at them. Im so sorry sweetie." She said beginning to cry, and Jim quickly put a hand on her back to comfort her. Gail felt herself begin to feel bad and did not like the fact that she was crying in front of her.

"If we could go back and change things we would, we would do it in a heartbeat." Jim said and Gail nodded. "Yet it doesn't change the fact that you weren't there and you didn't know how much I needed you. I needed you and you weren't there. And I wish you could go back and change what you did, you betrayed me and gave me up when you didn't have to!" She said growing irritated, "You didn't have to sign guardian rights to them!" She added setting down her coffee on the table before her. Shaking her head, she stood up and stood in front of the window. She heard Ellen sob quietly as guilt, and despair coursed through the older woman. "My childhood as never mine. It was taken away early on and now, this is my time. I have healed from many things but I still have so much to sort through still, and heal from it." She paused turning around and facing them. "And as much as I hate myself for saying this, but I think I need you guys to heal that part of me. Heal my childhood wounds that haven't been fixed because I needed you guys with me to do it. Even if it's from half way across the globe." She finished and Ellen quickly stood up to hug her daughter. Gail was stunned for a brief few seconds before returning the hug. A few seconds later, Jim stood up and Gail quickly opened up her arm for him to join. Pa would be incredibly happy, Gail thought.

•

The next few months were hard work, but in the end they would prove to be worth it. Her brothers and her had a heart to heart before she left for London. They added her to the brothers only groupchat and the family one, and had plans to come out to London before the show ended next August.

February 10th, 2024 could not have come quick enough Gail thought. Now here she was backstage getting ready for opening night, in her dressing room. She could not wait for the audience to see the show, it was truly one of the most magical casts she had been a part of in her career thus far. She knew for certain that Nick, Ma and her parents were there, and she was incredibly happy that they were there, to begin with. They had kept their promises to come.

_

The lights went out and Gail felt like she could finally breathe, as she leaned into her costar and love interest in the show. The two of them hugged one another as the curtain closed, and she felt bittersweet tears fall. "You okay?" He questioned as he heard her sniffled and she nodded. "Yes and no, but it's the first show that my Pa hasn't been at and it has really sunk in now." She said through a small chuckle. Her costar pulled her in for another hug for some extra comfort, before the two of them were heading off stage to get their hair and makeup off. As soon as she entered the dressing room, she saw a grand bouquet of peonies sitting in front of her mirror. She let out a small sob, as her hair and makeup artist came to help her take her wig off. "You okay Gail?" She questioned pulling the girl in for a hug, somebody had gotten her peonies and she wasn't sure who.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she stepped into the lobby and was met with many cheers by some family and friends of the cast, and the cast members themselves. Her understudy came up and hugged her tightly. She was grateful to have this particular actress understudying her because she knew the show was in great hands. "Oh my god, thankyou!" She said taking the bouquet of roses into her hands and hooked them into the crook of her elbow with the other bouquet. "Thankyou for a fantastic first show, it was such an honor to do it alongside you guys." She beamed looking around at the cast. After a few minutes, all of them began to disband and make their way either out of the theater or towards, their loved ones.

Gail looked around for her family and was shocked to see big foot with curls standing there. her eyebrows creased when she recognized the two others who were standing with her parents and Ma. Luke noticed her first, his face lightening up which caused everybody else to turn towards her. She brought a hand to her mouth to cover her shock. "Oh my god, hi!" she said as she was pulled into a hug by Jack. Nick took her flowers from her, and Luke pulled her in for a hug. Next was her dad, mom, Ma, and finally it was Quinn. "Oh my goodness, not more flowers!" She said taking them from her Ma. "We had too! We couldn't come empty-handed." her mom mused. "Im still trying to figure out who might have sent these, there was no note." she said referencing the peonies. "It was us." Jack spoke up and her eyebrows furrowed, "Wait! But don't you guys have games...." She trailed off remembering. "That's why I saw posts saying you guys were going to be absent for a week.. I should have known!" She said realizing that they had taken time off to see her show and spend a few days with her before flying back out. "Ofcourse we had to see you perform Gail, we've missed out on way too many openings and closings, so we had to be here, and with Nick's help, we were able to get tickets." Luke said and she turned towards Nick who only shrugged. She turned back toward her family, something she thought she would never call them again.

She never thought she'd be standing in the same vicinity of them again. Yet, here she was and she was truly grateful. She couldn't believe that they had gotten this far together, and only wished her Pa was there to witness it all in person.

_

@gailmarie: to the one that helped make all my dreams come true, to the one that came to my matinee each week and to the one that made me a Hughes- Thankyou for everything my Teo.

89.2k likes, 1.4k comments.

oh my god.....if you've read this till the end I love you 🫶🏻 pls like and reblog if you enjoyed, it would mean the world !!

also this has been sitting in my drafts for a month now, and thought it would never see the light of day lol

[uniformsetc]

Fleet Week 2024 NYC

[sexyzuka]

Kiba's Uptown Girl

Pairing: Kiba Inuzuka x Reader

Word Count: 13,335

Content: 18+ Smut MDNI, fem!reader, modern!au, boruto era kiba, fem!receiving oral sex, hair pulling, fingering, scratching and biting, standing doggystyle, creampie, watersports, exhibitionism, mentions of blood, surgery/medical references, references to real people/places, pet names 

Summary: For your anniversary this year you and Kiba decide to take a trip back to your home country. He’s never been to New York City before, and you can’t wait to show him all of the best parts of Manhattan. For your first date of the week you decide to bring him to Central Park to show him the “greatest view” that the city has to offer. Will you be able to control yourself around him? You’re in a public space, so I sure hope so! 

Writer's Notes: While listening to the song “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel I had the idea to write a fic where Kiba and his girlfriend visit the city. I’ve lived around the NYC area for most of my life, so I wanted to create something that incorporated a little slice of home. I was inspired by my trip to Central Park last weekend and included some of my photography within this fic. (You gotta love that extra dash of realism!) This chapter ended up being way longer than I intended, but I just had so much fun throughout the course of writing it, I couldn’t stop myself. I hope you enjoy!

Kiba looks around at all of the signs surrounding you with a confused expression on his face. He didn't even have to say a word before you responded with, "We're taking the 1 train. C'mon, this way." You could hear a familiar tune echoing throughout the corridors of the subway station. There were a few musicians set up nearby, belting out a harmonious tune while reenacting a few scenes from a particular music video you were very well acquainted with. "Are we going uptown or downtown?" "Uptown," you respond without a modicum of doubt in your voice. "Heh, I guess you're a real uptown girl," Kiba responds with a smug assuredness in his tone. "Oh hush, you." You could already tell where this conversation was going the second he uttered those words, the chorus of the nearby performers no doubt spurring on his unusually quirky behavior today. "Y'know, when you're walking you're looking so fine-ine-ine," Kiba began in a singsong voice, "and when you're talking you just know I love it when you say you're mine-ine-ine." Kiba knew how much you loved the classics, and he couldn't help himself but tease you whenever the opportune situation arose. Two could play at that game though, no one knew the lyrics to your favourite songs better than you. "Despite your appearance, you're not so tough," you jest back at Kiba with a rhythmic cadence, "just because you're in love with an uptown girl." "Someday when my ship comes in, maybe you'll understand what kind of guy I've been," he says as he twirls you around the subway station. After he catches you in his arms you share a rather short but passionate kiss. You so fervently wish that this fleeting moment could last longer, but you realize that the two of you have drawn in quite the crowd of your own with your display. As the awareness of the situation sets in you hastily straighten up your clothes a bit and give a silent nod to the musicians, one of whom flashes Kiba a thumbs-up before going back to performing.

It had been many years since you visited your hometown, but you still remember how to get to your favourite destinations without consulting a map. Kiba knew how excited you were for this trip, so he made sure to clear his schedule well in advance. You were quite far from Konoha, the trip taking almost an entire day because of the extended layover in Chicago. Couldn't be helped, you thought to yourself, O'Hare is always a hot mess. At least they didn't lose our luggage this time, you shrug to yourself as you briskly grab your suitcases off of the baggage carousel.

After finishing up the final leg of your journey you and Kiba checked into a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. You were used to commuting from Jersey, but you wanted Kiba's first trip to the area to be an unforgettable experience, so you didn't mind spending the extra ryō. No expenses were to be spared, after all this is your anniversary celebration.

Your circadian rhythm was altered because of all of the travelling, the unrivaled enthusiasm circulating your core powering your insomnia with a fervent vigor. But while Kiba was losing his battle against jet lag you eagerly typed away on the notes app on your cell phone, writing up a list of everything you wanted to do  with him tomorrow. You could scarcely contain your excitement, your heart fluttering as you envision the pure joy and festivities to come.

Your sleep schedule was always a bit unconventional, but it meshed well with Kiba's unpredictable shifts at work. Sometimes Kiba would have to respond to calls in the middle of the night or wee hours of the morning. "It's hard being this popular," is what he'd usually say before heading off to patrol the precinct. He took pride in his work, and Kōtarō acknowledged Kiba as one of the top officers in Konoha, so there was no way he would ever shirk his responsibilities to Konoha. But for this next week  his only responsibility was to you, his girlfriend, and he always kept his promises.

You glance over at the clock next to the bed, choosing to do that instead of looking at the time on your phone because you couldn't resist sneaking another peek at Kiba cuddling Akamaru in his sleep. 5:30 PM. It would be just before sunrise if you were in Konoha right now. Normally you would be sleeping right now, but your anticipation for all of the exhilarating adventures to come put your brain into overdrive. The only thing that could quell your frenzied thoughts was, rather unfortunately, snoozing right now, so you had to make due with some maladaptive daydreaming for the main course this evening.

"Mmm..mmhm... princess..." you could hear Kiba mumbling softly in his sleep.

I wonder if he's having a good dream tonight, you chuckle to yourself as you walk over to the windowsill. You open the curtains with a light touch, endeavoring to be as quiet as possible so as not to awaken your company. The late October sun was already setting over the horizon, a serene twilight beginning to overtake the skyline. You could see the faint twinkle of a few stars glitter in the sky interspersed between the blinking headlights of the planes making their arrival into the city. The familiar hum of their engines was a sweet, nostalgic symphony to your ears.

You spend a few good minutes taking in the view of the Manhattan skyline, tracing the reminiscent shapes of the nearby buildings with a wistful yet pensive glance. It feels so good to be back home, you muse to yourself before delicately closing the curtains and returning to your seat.

As the moon begins its conspicuous journey across the night sky you carefully rock yourself back and forth in the office chair, your musings coming to life in bright and flashy colours. "Oh and I just have to take him here," you say to yourself in a hushed tone as you type away on your phone. "We can't forget about Grand Central Station or Bryant Park either. I don't think the big Christmas tree is up just yet, but he'll definitely want to see Rockefeller Center."

The hands on the analog clock above your head move steadfastly as the minutes melt into  hours. Being completely enraptured by your fantasies of the days to come, you didn't notice the moon bidding you farewell as she quietly dissolved, taking with her the boisterous yet somewhat serene cacophony of early morning traffic. The loud blaring of a nearby siren snaps you out of your contemplative trance.

You look over at the clock again. 7:00 AM. You were honestly surprised with how fast time seemed to evaporate from your grasp, marching on with a cold indifference. You two only had so long in the city, and you wanted to make the most of it. At the very least, Kiba was asleep for these past few hours so it didn't feel like a total waste. Still, you didn't want to squander even a second of precious time with your love.

You shift your focus back to your phone, reviewing the itinerary you drafted up with a revitalized sense of purpose. Nothing would stop you from giving Kiba the best week he's ever had. The only inquiry that stubbornly endured, floating in your mind with a gnawing persistence was what to start with.

"Hm, I guess we could kick off our trip with the Empire State Building. Or is that too blasé? Once you've been in one big building, it's like you've seen them all. We could drop by the New York Public Library, but I don't think he'd appreciate the classics as much as I do. And I could definitely see him complain that the lion statues out in front should be replaced with sculptures of dogs instead," you bring up a hand to your mouth to suppress a chuckle trying to escape as you think of Kiba grumbling and moaning about how a giant statue of Akamaru would look way cooler than some lame ass lions.

"And what are you giggling about over there, princess?" you hear the sleepy baritone reverberate through the room with a candid sense of curiosity.

"Oh, it's nothing," you chime back while your efforts to stifle your laughter prove to be futile.

"I don't know about that, it looks like this is an issue I'll have to investigate further," Kiba remarks as he gets up from the bed and saunters towards you. "Looks like I'll have to bust out one of my secret techniques today."

"Don't tell me you're-"

Kiba blurts out a brisk, "Tickle no jutsu," before you're able to respond. His light and feathery brushing on your flanks sparks an unstoppable electric current that pulsates through your neurons and stimulates your body with a fiery zeal.

"S-stop it," you manage to babble after succumbing to the onslaught of his galvanizing touch, "You win, you win."

"Tell me what I win," Kiba proclaims with a little wink, still closely holding onto your body with his brawny arms.

"A taste of my secret technique," you simper as you turn around slightly, angling your body so that you have a clear path to your target. You then press yourself closer to Kiba while standing on your tiptoes and sink your teeth down into the flesh of his neck with a firm but coy ferocity.

You can feel a groan resonating in his throat, the vibrations tickling your incisors, but you decide to not relent, instead doubling down on your efforts by dragging your nails coquettishly along his back.

A thrumming moan caresses your eardrums with a melodious echo as you continue your assault on his unsuspecting hide. You relish in each tantalizing frequency escaping from his lips.

"So frisky first thing in the morning, I like it," he manages to whine out in a frail attempt at maintaining his composure. You're very well acquainted with all of his erogenous zones, so you're beyond confident you could devour his entire heart right now if you wanted to. But giving him a small taste of these humble hors d'oeuvres, a tantalizing sampler of promiscuity, would only fuel his voracious appetite further and more intensely as the day dragged on, so you decide to relinquish for now.

You pull your lips back from his neck as you say, "Just wait till the main course tonight." You couldn't help but be kittenish when you were engulfed in Kiba's embrace like this. The demure front you put up around others came crashing down whenever the two of you were alone, or rather, almost alone.

You hear a faint sniffle from the other side of the room. As you turn your head and shift your gaze you see Akamaru yawning as he lazily scratches his floppy ears with his back paws. Akamaru was just as much your family as Kiba was, so there was no question about him joining you this week. That did mean, though rather unfortunately, that you'd have to be a little more PG than you had anticipated and hoped-for.

"But before that, how's about you and I get this party started?" You shift your focus back to Kiba, flashing him a smile as you gently place your hands around his shoulders, your fingertips making tiny circles as you stroke his skin with a tender softness.

"A party? I'm more interested in a private show," he protests as he looks into your eyes pleadingly.

"We didn't travel to the other side of the world to spend the whole time in a hotel room, Kiba." It's true you would love to spend more time cooped up in this room with him, but you weren't going to let yourself give in to the temptation. There would be plenty of time for promiscuity after you ticked off everything on your travel bucket list. Who knows the next time you'd both have the opportunity to visit Manhattan, especially considering Kiba's hectic work schedule.

"Such a tease. You sure know how to rile a guy up," he responds in a cheeky tone, "But that will only make my dessert this evening that much sweeter."

"Dessert? Don't you think you're jumping the gun a bit there, hon?"

"Oh, so you wanted to do gunplay this weekend? Sorry, the TSA wouldn't let me bring my usual  fare with me, something about it being a misdemeanor in this jurisdiction."

This man. This incredibly foolish man.

"It," you start laughing a bit as the words escape your quivering larynx, "-it's a figure of speech, Kiba. I wasn't literally talking about a gun."

"I totally knew that. Yeah, I was just testing you. Ahahaha.... haha... ha." Kiba couldn't hide his crimson cheeks from your omniscient glance this time.

"Anywaysss," Kiba flounders, attempting to change the subject before he has to admit that he misspoke, "what did you want to do today, princess? I know you used to be a local 'round here."

You were so engrossed in the absurdity of his previous remarks you needed to take a few moments to compose yourself before answering.

"Let me go grab my phone real quick," you say as you give Kiba a short but sweet parting kiss on the cheek before being released from his embrace.

You open up the notes application on your phone and start scrolling down, contemplating about which suggestion would make the most sense. There were no doubt an endless plethora of things to do in the city, but you wanted to make your first outing together an unforgettable adventure.

"Wow, you really came prepared!" Kiba guffaws as he sees you attentively scrolling down the list of options you find yourself feverishly perusing through.

"You know me. I've never met a list I didn't like," you say pragmatically as you push up the bridge of your glasses with your index finger.

It was true, you were always planning ahead. It gives you peace of mind to write down your musings in order to collect your thoughts. The myriad ideas floating in your consciousness at any one time were overwhelming, so writing was the best way for you to make some sense of the bedlam. It was rather amusing when you thought about the stark contrast between your erudite approach to life versus Kiba's passionate resilience and adaptability. He may not be as well-learned as you, but what he lacks in book smarts he makes up for in determination.

"Hm," you hum to yourself as you sort through the possibilities prancing through your mind, the pirouettes of whimsy filling your imagination with dozens of scenarios playing out like a theatrical performance on a Broadway stage."How about? No, that won't do."

"Oh, what won't do?" Kiba asked as he shot you an expectant gaze.

"I was thinking of taking you to the New York Public Library or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but I don't think they allow dogs," you glance over at Akamaru as you say those final words.

"I don't know why not. Akamaru's better behaved than most people," Kiba huffs with a shrug as he acquiesces.

"Yeah, but I definitely don't want to stir up any trouble. Oh, I got it!" you clap your hands together when a bolt of inspiration smacks you with the most glorious divination.

"Why don't we stop by Central Park? There's tons of space there for Akamaru to run around, and there will be plenty of other dogs there."

"We came all this way just to see a park?" Kiba asked incredulously, a baffled tone that reeked of innocent cluelessness.

"It's not just a park," you respond with a snarky chide, "It's the park around here. Trust me, you'll thank me later."

"Well, how could I possibly say 'no' to that? C'mon Akamaru, let's get ready to go!" Akamaru bellows out an excited howl as he jumps up and dashes over to Kiba's side.

Hand in hand you and Kiba leave your hotel room, ready for an exciting day out in the city. The morning sun's rays glistening in the dew drops that cover the scattered blades of grass poking through the slabs of sidewalk beneath your feet. Even in this veritable concrete jungle that you used to call home there were a handful of reminders that nature flourished just outside of the city's borders. Today, though, you were going to experience the majesty of the wilds from the comforts of your old stomping grounds.

"Before we head over to Central Park, let's pick up some breakfast," you suggest while looking up at Kiba.

"Sure, what do you recommend, princess?" Kiba responded with a smile on his face.

"We have to get bagels." you reply instantaneously, almost as if you'd rehearsed the line beforehand.

"Bagels?" The change in his voice's inflection exposed his lingering uncertainty.

"The freshest and most delicious bagels you'll ever eat,"  you reply while tugging on his jacket ever so slightly, trying to nudge him into agreement. He could sense your insistence on the matter, so he chose to abandon any attempts at protesting. You did concede by promising to stop by a pet store first to pick up breakfast and some treats for Akamaru before you made your way to your favourite bagel shop.

"Can I have a taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a sesame seed bagel? Toasted, please. Hold the ketchup." you holler out your order to the worker behind the counter. They give you a tacit nod and get to work on your breakfast.

Kiba, impressed by the innate skill with which you ordered, had a perplexed look of confusion on his face as he read the menu to himself.

"What is a bagel with 'lox'?" he asks while pointing to a picture on the laminated paper in front of him.

"Lox is salt-cured, smoked salmon. If you want something less salty I'd recommend the nova lox," you respond while gesturing towards the display cases in front of you.

"I never would have thought to try cream cheese and smoked salmon together. You sure do have some silly customs, princess." Kiba glances up from the menu to meet your steely gaze.

"Hey, don't knock it till you've tried it," you reply with a subdued grin, trying to subtly goad him into action.

"You know what? Maybe I will try it. Hey mister, give me one of those lox bagels."

"You have to tell him what kind of bagel and if you want it toasted or not," you whisper to Kiba covertly, so as not to draw too much attention from the other people in the shop.

"What kinds of bagels are there?" Kiba responded with a puzzled expression on his face.

"So many different kinds, you've got sesame seed bagels, onion bagels, egg bagels, french toast bagels, cinnamon raisin bagels..." you prattle off the list you'd committed to memory years ago when you used to work in a bagel shop, "and we can't forget about the everything bagel."

"The 'everything bagel'?" Kiba said with an emphasis on the second word, a questioning tone in his voice.

"Yes, it has a bunch of different toppings. It's one of my personal favourites," you say as the reminiscent taste of the culinary delight tickles the basal ganglia in your neocortex.

"Sounds good, I'll have those of those everything bagels with lox, sir," Kiba calls out to the worker across the counter.

"Toasted, please," you respond without a moment's hesitation. "Trust me," you murmur in Kiba's direction, "you'll thank me later."

After grabbing breakfast you gluttonously unwrap the foil around your glutenous delicacy and devour it in a few bites. "Best bagels in the whole damned world. You can't get them like this anywhere else," you mutter under your breath.

"Wow, this is actually pretty tasty," Kiba says while enjoying generous mouthfuls of his bagel sandwich with gusto, "So you really got to eat like this every day when you used to live here?"

"Mhm. The food was just one of the many perks of living close to the city," you recall as you look up at Kiba while he finishes his breakfast with a few final chomps.

"The tap water here is also divine," you continue on as you feel the familiar and distinct taste of the scrumptious cocktail on the tip of your tongue.

"Oh, what makes it better than the water back in Konoha?" Kiba says as he promptly brushes some crumbs off of his cheeks.

"It might not be kosher, but there's tiny crustaceans called 'copepods' living in the water. They make it extra delicious," you muse as you bring your hand up to your chest with a dainty flourish.

"Crustaceans?" You could see the hamster wheel in Kiba's head spinning extra rapidly as he repeated the word back to you.

"Y'know, like shrimp? Think of it as getting an added bonus on top of the hydration, a special little treat."

"Aren't shrimp bugs?" Kiba responds with a mildly disgruntled tone in his voice.

"No, they're not. Besides, it's extra protein," you chuckle as you flex your arm to show off your biceps, "I thought you were all about bulking up. Or maybe I'll be able to bench more than you if we stay here long enough." You look over from your muscles to Kiba as you see a glint of fire ignite in his eyes.

"Is that a challenge I hear, princess?" The playful yet amorous undertones in his voice can't  help but make you smile, the most presumptuous grin overtaking your countenance.

"You never turn down a challenge, I hear." The self-satisfied look on your face as you realize that you just beguiled him into implicitly promising to stay hydrated is priceless.

"You're damned right I don't. Now hand over that water," Kiba says as he reaches for the bottle in your purse. He takes the biggest gulp imaginable before letting out a boastful exhale.

You judiciously choose to withhold the fact that the water in the bottle he just drank from isn't NYC tap water, instead lightly tugging on his jacket to grab his attention.

"C'mon, let's take the subway to Central Park. I can't wait to show you around," you beamed affectionately in his direction.

"Alright, princess, lead the way," he said as made an exaggerated motion with his hand, sweeping across the stretch of space in front of you with an affable cheerfulness.

You intertwine your fingers with his as you lead the charge to the nearest subway station. You already have your credit card out of your wallet and in your other hand, ready to tap the both of you in without hesitation. A few minutes later and you pass through the Times Square turnstiles with a lithe airiness.

"Times Square is way more impressive at night. We'll come back here later," you assure Kiba as you gently pull on the arm of his jacket, leading him confidently to the 1 Line.

Kiba looks around at all of the signs surrounding you with a confused expression on his face. He didn't even have to say a word before you responded with, "We're taking the 1 train. C'mon, this way."

You could hear a familiar tune echoing throughout the corridors of the subway station. There were a few musicians set up nearby, belting out a harmonious tune while reenacting a few scenes from a particular music video you were very well acquainted with.

"Are we going uptown or downtown?"

"Uptown," you respond without a modicum of doubt in your voice.

"Heh, I guess you're a real uptown girl," Kiba responds with a smug assuredness in his tone.

"Oh hush, you." You could already tell where this conversation was going the second he uttered those words, the chorus of the nearby performers no doubt spurring on his unusually quirky behavior today.

"Y'know, when you're walking you're looking so fine-ine-ine," Kiba began in a singsong voice, "and when you're talking you just know I love it when you say you're mine-ine-ine."

Kiba knew how much you loved the classics, and he couldn't help himself but tease you whenever the opportune situation arose. Two could play at that game though, no one knew the lyrics to your favourite songs better than you.

"Despite your appearance, you're not so tough," you jest back at Kiba with a rhythmic cadence, "just because you're in love with an uptown girl."

"Someday when my ship comes in, maybe you'll understand what kind of guy I've been," he says as he twirls you around the subway station. After he catches you in his arms you share a rather short but passionate kiss. You so fervently wish that this fleeting moment could last longer, but you realize that the two of you have drawn in quite the crowd of your own with your display.

As the awareness of the situation sets in you hastily straighten up your clothes a bit and give a silent nod to the musicians, one of whom flashes Kiba a thumbs-up before going back to performing.

"Well, that was fun." The pheromones were practically radiating off of Kiba's skin at this point. You could feel their brilliant presence circulating through the air, ensnaring you in a covert trap from which there was no easy escape. The only thing keeping you grounded right now was your ever-increasing embarrassment, accumulating at catastrophically high levels.

"C'mon, weren't you gonna show me that park?" Kiba's voice cuts through the awkwardness like a hot knife through the butter of your soul.

"It's not just that park." You would be more exasperated if you weren't so grateful for this man's severe lack of decorum. This brief reprieve from the embarrassment was fortunately enough for you to strengthen your resolve.

"It's called Central Park, and we should get going before we miss another train," you implore as you clutch Kiba's hand in your own once more and motion towards the nearby staircase with a beseeching look.

"Alright, let's do this!" Kiba exclaims as he jubilantly scampers throughout the station, holding onto your hand tightly as you approach the platform together.

"We're going to get off at 72nd Street," you instruct as you walk onto the train with Kiba, Akamaru shadowing you both, closely in tow.

"You know where you're going, right? I'll just be following you anyways. Ha ha ha," Kiba roars as you shake your head with the slightest hint of reproach. Although, could you have honestly expected anything else from this man? His unbridled confidence touched every aspect of his life, and that included his faith in you, his girlfriend. It honestly was a nice change of pace, him letting you take the lead for once and giving you the opportunity to take him along for a wild ride.

As the brakes of the train car screech and the incomprehensible garble of the conductor flowed through the airwaves with a thick discordance you look up at Kiba to let him know that this is your stop. You hop off the train with a buoyant leap and guide your love through the station and onto the street.

"Alright, it's just a few blocks down this way," you say as you turn to the right, your voice filled with an unrivaled exuberance.

"Y'hear that, Akamaru? We're almost there!" Akamaru lets out an excited yelp as he ambles alongside Kiba.

The lavish hues of the foliage take over the scenery as you draw closer to your destination. Splotches of yellows and oranges dotted the landscape with their wistful presence, a beautiful yet melancholy reminder of the transitory nature of life. As the seasons change in an unrelenting cycle so do the myriad creatures that call these woods home. No doubt there were new generations of fauna living here since you last visited, but the unabating feeling of wonder you experienced every single time you entered the park was the same as always.

"And here we are," you announce as you sensually extend your hand, sweeping it across the air with a fluid and rhythmical motion.

"W...Wow," is all Kiba manages to stammer out as he takes in the sights of the park. You could hardly blame him for being awestruck, you were the same exact way the first time you visited Central Park.

You did want to make the most out of the limited daylight hours, especially this time of year, so you volunteered your hand to him once again. Seeing you summon him with such a genial expression was enough to snap Kiba out of his trance. You interlaced your fingers together as you began your late morning journey, a grandiose gala that was sure to bewitch and delight.

You're greeted by an enormous pergola with a plethora of plants twisting and tangling every which way as they adorned the top and sides of the wooden structure. You stroll under splendid architecture with a light step, the cool breeze caressing your cheeks with its slithering zephyrs. It was a mite frigid this time of year, but you always preferred the chill of autumn over the scorching heat of summer.

As you pass under the tendrils trembling in the wind you turn to Kiba and tell him, "Before we go any further you have to put Akamaru on a leash."

"What? Wait, why?" You could hear consternation in the timbre of his voice.

You point over to a nearby sign with a cautious finger. "DOGS MUST BE LEASHED" was printed in bold, capitalized letters. "Sorry, it's just customary around here to keep your pets leashed."

"Akamaru's not just a pet, he's family!" Kiba protests reluctantly before begrudgingly acquiescing.

"I know, I know. But we don't want to get kicked out by a police officer," you shrug as you hand over the leash you prepared in advance.

"Who do you think you're talking to, princess? There's no way they'd arrest me!" Kiba proudly exclaims as he lets out a roaring laugh.

"They can and will in this jurisdiction. I don't think Eric Adams will appreciate an officer overstepping his authority."

"Who?"

"The mayor of New York City. He used to be a NYPD police captain. He's not as lenient as Kōtarō is, so I wouldn't press your luck." You shake your head as you let out a disheartened sigh.

"Alright, fine. Sorry Akamaru, I'll make it up to you later," Kiba says as he hesitantly attaches the leash to the crimson collar around Akamaru's neck.

"I was going to keep this a surprise for later, but there's a big area where Akamaru can run around freely. We just have to make sure he's on a leash when we're walking on the pathways," you offer up your condolences to Kiba with a hushed sigh.

"Sweet! How's about we go there first then?" You can feel the enthusiasm in Kiba's voice as he perks back up, almost instantaneously.

"Hah, I had a feeling you'd say that. Well lucky for you we're pretty close to the area. C'mon, let's go this way," you say as you start jogging with a sprightly sprint. Kiba, infected by your vivacity, energetically follows along with Akamaru by his side.

You make your way to a fenced in clearing where dozens of people are playing with their pups, each engrossed in their own spheres of jubilation. The microcosms before you serve as a testament to the bond that each human shares with their pet, their precious and irreplaceable family members.

As you enter the field with Kiba you unhook Akamaru's leash from his collar. Kiba hollers out a brisk, "Let's go, Akamaru," as he runs across the grassy meadow with reckless abandon.

You decide to sit down on a nearby boulder and watch the two of them frolic together, your heart filling with joy as each passing second ticks by. You're not sure how long they spend playing together, and you honestly wouldn't care if your entire day consisted of this. The bliss you feel from watching your love as happy as he can be is all you could ever ask for.

The sun continues its journey across the sky, its rays filling your cheeks with a radiant warmth as it illuminates the world before you. You see Kiba and Akamaru scampering in your direction, drawing closer with each mirthful stride. You hear the damp earth squelch under their treads as they make their way to your side once more.

"Whew, what a workout," Kiba pants as he plops down next to you on the boulder. "I think I'm about ready to move onto the next area now. I got all of my cardio in for the day."

"We'll have to leash Akamaru again. Are you okay with that?" you ask Kiba while tenderly nudging some of the long, slightly moist strands of dark brown hair stuck to the sides of face.

"Yeah, I think we've had our fun for today. Right, Akamaru?" As Kiba looks over to Akamaru he's greeted by a spirited bark.

"He wants to see more of the park too," Kiba petitions with an imploring pout.

"Alright, if you insist. Let's get going then," you announce as you stand up, brushing the accumulated dust off of your clothes. "There's some beautiful architecture around here that I'm dying to show you."

"Sounds good to me, your explanations can make even the most boring slabs of rocks appear cool," he clamorously laughs as he fastens Akamaru's leash once more.

Oh yeah, you made the right decision by not taking him to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today.

You leave the field hand in hand with Akamaru by your side, directing Kiba's attention to the marvelous statues decorating the nearby surroundings.

Kiba feigns understanding when you attempt to explain the meaning behind the art. As you start elucidating him about Ludwig van Beethoven's life and renowned works Kiba responds with, "Well if this song is supposedly super famous, why is it called 'Symphony Number 5' instead of 'Symphony Number 1'?"

You make a mental note to scratch every museum off of your itinerary once you get back to the hotel. You were an absolute fool to think that for even a fraction, an iota of a second that Kiba would appreciate the masterpieces, the veritable magnum opuses of all time, in the same way that you would. It was best to enjoy those treasures on your own time.

This was fine, though, you each had your own interests and were your own person. It wasn't healthy to lose your own sense of self and personality when you were dating someone else, so a part of you was actually grateful that you shared many differences with Kiba. A core tenant of intimacy is being able to appreciate the idiosyncrasies and distinguishing characteristics of your partner without being engulfed by them.

"And over here is the Naumburg Bandshell, it's a famous amphitheater where free classical concerts have been performed for the last century," you say as you point towards the magnificent building standing before you.

Kiba tries his best to appear as though he understands what you're trying to explain, but you could see that his focus was waning. You decide to change things up a bit as you offer up a scintillating panacea to the humdrum afflicting his psyche. "Hey, why don't we walk down by the water next? The Bethesda Fountain is simply gorgeous, and there's a great view I'd love to show you."

"I've already got a great view right here," Kiba says with a conceited smirk on his face.

"Oh hush, you." You squeeze his hand with just enough force to let him know you didn't appreciate his jest.

"But yeah, that's a great proposition. That's my princess for you, she's always got the best ideas!" Kiba's eyes beam with a sparkling effervescence as he looks over at you.

As you make your way closer to the Bethesda Terrace, a procession of horse drawn carriages pass in front of you. You can see that Kiba is mystified by the strange occurrence, his mouth agape as he stands there speechless by your side.

"Oh yeah, I guess this is your first time seeing a cavalcade like this in person. Horses aren't as widely used in Konoha, after all." You look over to see that Kiba's eyes are fixated on one particular carriage nearby. A gorgeous white horse is at the fore of the carriage, lavender and cream coloured flowers adorning the vehicle with an unparalleled vibrance. The velvety seats enticing you with their plum flavored splendor.

"C'mon tiger, you don't even want to know how expensive a ride in one of those is," you say as you gently tug on Kiba's arm before continuing, "Besides, there's a more private location I wanted to show you."

That was all Kiba needed to hear. Without missing a beat he turns around as you walk down the enormous flight of stairs to the bustling plaza area.

You're welcomed with a surprisingly euphonious cacophony consisting of the hubbub of folks peddling their wares, musicians ardently strumming their instruments, children playfully skipping and exploring their surroundings, and other captivated tourists such as yourselves. You see a married couple taking their wedding photos next to the Bethesda Fountain. The sight can't help but put a smile on your face as you fantasize what your own wedding day with Kiba will be like.

As you promenade around the fountain with a leisurely gait, admiring the elegant and opulent Angel of the Waters statue, you squeeze Kiba's hand ever so slightly to grab his attention.

"This fountain right here? It commemorates the opening of the Croton Aqueduct. Back in the 1800s it was a pretty big deal since the aqueduct brought the first fresh water into the city."

"So it's because of this lady that you guys have bugs in your water?" Kiba inquires with an amused look on his face.

"For the last time they're crustaceans, not bugs. But yes, she's a symbol of the healing power of clean and fresh water." you say as you shake your head in exasperation.

"What's her number? I'm sure Shino would just love to meet a bug lady," Kiba jives as he tries to repress the laughter inextricably building up in his core.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that," you utter in a hushed tone as you continue your voyage around the plaza.

You're greeted by a positively resplendent lake as you finish your trek in the piazza. Verdant hues of green bounce off of the water's surface and nuzzle the cones of your eyes with their virid embrace. Dozens of couples are sitting in rowboats, enjoying their own little slice of heaven as the autumn breeze cavorts indiscriminately throughout the park.

You take a minute to appreciate the view before Kiba offers up a suggestion, "Do you think they allow dogs on those boats?"

"Sadly, they don't. But we can always come back here another time. C'mon the best is yet to come. I need to show you my favourite spot," you assert as you haul Kiba away from the pond, breaking his enchantment with some help from a quick peck on the cheek.

"At least we can walk around the Loeb Boathouse on the way. Actually, we'll have a pretty good view of the rowboats once we make it there." It's true, the vantage point that awaited you was a glorious and secluded perch, an oasis of peace and tranquility that persisted despite being surrounded by the chaos of the city.

After passing the boathouse you signal to Kiba to take a left turn onto a dirt path. It's a rather unassuming route, in fact it barely resembled a pathway at all. Kiba shoots a perplexed look in your direction, but he's met with a nod of assurance that assuages his lingering doubt.

"We're almost there," you assure him in a comforting tone.

As you shrewdly climb over the winding tree roots, employing a moderate amount of astute judgment with each step you take, you feel Kiba's grip tighten around your hand as he catches himself before almost tumbling to the ground. You help him maintain his balance before letting out a lighthearted taunt, "Looks like you'll be the one falling for me today."

"You got me there. You win this time, princess." He would normally be a little more miffed at your teasing, but today was a special occasion.

"Anddd, we're here," you proclaim as you push away a few stray tree boughs, clearing your line of sight with an upbeat flourish.

The view that awaited you filled your very soul with an incomparable ebullience, the likes of which you hadn't experienced in years. The vibrant flora, dyed with a multitude of vivid pigments, evoking an insipid sense of both wonder and despondence. The neverending cycle of death and rebirth reflected in the simple elegance of the humble vegetation that dotted the landscape before you.

Why must life always be at its most beautiful right before it ends, a silent inquiry floats in your mind as you admire the leaves fluttering in the zephyrs. Or maybe it's because life ends that we can appreciate the transient resplendence that envelops all living beings.

The dichotomy of the lush trees juxtaposed with the skyscrapers off in the distance gives you chills. The tops of the buildings kiss the afternoon sky with their steely indifference, in stark contrast to the rich verdure, an effluence of life and vitality holding on with a tight grip. It was still early into the season, and the blissfully unaware plants around you exuded an infectious zest for life.

"Wow," is the only thing Kiba manages to murmur as the two of you stand together, enjoying the view.

"Why don't we sit down and enjoy some lunch?" you suggest as you rustle in your bag for the bentos that you prepared last night during your bout of insomnia.

"I'd love to, princess!" You can hear the excitement in Kiba's voice as he graciously accepts your offer.

You elegantly place a blanket down, gingerly putting the bento boxes on top of it before standing back up and beckoning Kiba to come closer. As he draws nearer you reach out your arm, placing it around his back and pulling him in so that you can plant a smooch on his cheek. How many seconds did you leave your lips there? 10? 30? Time has no meaning when you're spending it enraptured by your lover's presence.

Kiba put his arms around your waist, embracing you with a lascivious greediness that you were all too familiar with. As you draw your face back and look into his glistening eyes you could see the salacious undertones in his visage.

You finally had a moment of respite from the crowds, the throngs of people that were an irrefutable fact of the city, so why not give into temptation a little bit?

You lead the charge by placing one of your hands behind Kiba's head so you could push his face a little closer to your own. You then seductively press your lips against his with a passionate fervor. He returns your efforts in spades by forcing his tongue into your mouth, tickling your gums at a rhythmical pace. He traces the outlines of your teeth with his tongue while bringing one of his arms up further on your back so he can squeeze you closer to his chest.

You can't help but let a few erotic moans escape from your core as you desperately try to hold onto your sense of propriety. You are in a public park, after all.

Kiba then releases your lips from his own so that he can redirect his attention to your neck. He knows how sensitive you are there, and he can't help but arouse your lust by using his expertise regarding your intimate intricacies against you. After a brisk crack of his neck he swoops in with a carnal ferocity and begins sucking and nibbling on your neck.

You can barely contain yourself at this point, choosing to relinquish any remnants of discretion you had left. Your nails vigorously claw at the skin of his back, leaving scarlet marks in their wake. He reciprocates your zeal by pressing his canines into your soft and supple flesh with enough force to draw blood. You could feel the dizziness that accompanied the sensation of blood loss overtake your consciousness, you find yourself drifting helplessly in the red sea of emotion. Kiba pridefully stands at the helm, navigating your vessel any which way he sees fit.

You absolutely loved the feeling of being putty in Kiba's strong hands, loved it when he molded you into the breathtaking muse of his deepest desires. The varnish that you cloaked yourself in most days was all too easily expunged by his charisma and inexplicable charm.

As Kiba continues to gnaw on your neck the burning pressure building up inside of you becomes unbearable. You can't stop yourself from whimpering out his name, "Ki-kiba."

He temporarily stops the assault on your neck to whisper in your ear, "I love it when you say my name, princess."

At this point you were seeing shimmering stars in your vision, an aural migraine consisting of squiggles waltzing amongst the leaves in an unrelenting deluge. It couldn't be helped, every time Kiba stimulated your corporeal desires you could feel the frenzy overtaking your psyche. There was nothing that could be done, so you might as well enjoy the ride.

Kiba returns his focus to your neck once more, this time channeling his energy into sucking rather than biting. You could feel the damp sensation of his saliva as it mixed with the droplets of your blood. Audible slurps mixed with the canorous howls of pleasure saturated your eardrums and satiated your indecent cravings with the sweetest ambrosia.

As he releases your skin from its prurient penitentiary he takes a minute to admire the rather huge and splotchy hickey you were now sporting. "Good," he simpers with a self-satisfied grin, "Now everyone will know that you're spoken for."

Kiba always did have a thing for marking you, and honestly, you were into it too. Wearing his love and adoration for you on your very flesh was such a turn on. If you weren't in public you might have asked him to partake in a little mid-afternoon watersports with you, but that could be saved for later. Oh right, you were in public.

As soon as the thought crossed your mind you heard the footsteps of someone approaching, no it was two people. Another couple saunters past Kiba and you, causing you to hide your flushed face by pressing it into Kiba's chest. Kiba chuckles a little bit when he sees how flustered you are.

"You're so fuckin' cute when you blush." You could hear a guffaw vibrating in his chest as he said those words.

"S-s-shut up," is all that you manage to stutter out.

You honestly wish you could stay like this forever in his arms, but you were unceremoniously interrupted by the rather embarrassing rumblings of your stomach.

"What's that, princess? Don't tell me you're hungry." The lighthearted jest deepens the crimson hue that was overwhelming your cheeks. You aren't able to give a response to Kiba because of your current predicament. Instead you choose to bury your face even further into his chest.

After around a minute or so like this Kiba gently takes a step back and crouches down a bit so he's closer to your level. "Whaddya say we have some lunch, princess?" he asks in a mild and soothing tone. You're able to squeak out a meager, "Mhm," as you shake your head in accordance. 

You sit down next to Kiba, cozying up next to him as you hand him one of the bento boxes. As he opens it up he has the biggest grin on his face.

"Wow, you made all this just for me?" he remarks smugly, already knowing the answer to his rhetorical question.

Another "Mhm," escapes your lips as you try to avert your sheepish gaze, a sincere but futile attempt at modesty. The man knows everything about you, there's no reason to be so timid right now. Maybe it was because there was an audience right now, but the other couple was on the far side of the boulder, and they were too busy making out to pay heed to anything else. You were merely giving yourself excuses to not give into your temptation.

A quick bite to your bottom lip helps you snap out of  your daze. If you were going to make your move, this would be the perfect time. You can't let your reservations hold you back, not on today of all days.

"Hey Kiba," you manage to blurt out, "do you want me to maybe... feed you?"

"Feed me?" Kiba repeats with an astonished yet pleased look on his face, "You're damned right I want you to feed me." After a short pause he follows up with, "Wow, you're being so forward today, princess. Gotta say, I'm digging the vibes."

That sassy leer on his face was all of the affirmation that you needed. You could already tell what he was going to say before a single word was uttered from those gorgeous lips of his.

"Alright then," you instruct Kiba as you grab your chopsticks and pick up an octopus weiner, "say 'Ah.'"

"Ahhh~" the whimsical manner in which he responds can't help but make you chortle a smidge as he chomps down on the flavorful morsel that you so diligently prepared earlier this morning.

A few more bites and now it's time for the rolled omelette. You made today's batch extra sweet because you know that's how he likes it even if he swears to the contrary. You intersperse some white rice in between his mouthfuls of omelette to mix things up a bit. The next thing on the menu is a delicious salad you tossed together with some walnuts, almonds, and cranberries. This is always Kiba's least favourite part of lunch, but you purposefully added a few different textures in there so he won't protest as much as usual.

To your surprise, he gobbles everything down with a voracious  appetite, savoring every crumb of food, even the grains of rice. If only he'd clean his plate like this when you were back at home.

"Mmm," he moans with a euphoric expression on his face, "my compliments to the chef."

"Now are you ready for your dessert?" you seductively wink as you proposition your man.

"There's more?" he responded with a curious inflection in his voice, "Of course I'm fuckin' ready, let's go, baybee."

You let out a flirtatious giggle as you hold up your index finger to your lips. "Shhh, it's a secret. You'll just have to wait and see what I have in store."

"Ugh. You're such a little vixen, you know that?" he shoots back at you, emphasizing his frustration at your provocations.

"Yeah, I know." You stick out your tongue, your index finger perched on your chin now while you relish in your brattiness, "It'll be that much sweeter the longer you have to wait, trust me."

"So fuckin' naughty," he shakes his head a bit, but his genuine intrigue stops him from complaining too much.

The dearth of objections emboldens your resolve. You decide to give another saucy response to Kiba, "If you're a good boy today, I'll add a little cherry on top of your dessert."

"Now you're talkin' my language, princess," he says as he reaches over to claw at the skin on your exposed thighs with his sharp nails.

"But first, I think it's time for my lunch." You were so caught up with feeding Kiba you completely neglected to eat any of your own bento.

"How's about I reciprocate 'n feed ya, then?" Kiba stressed his syllables in the word "reciprocate," trying his hardest to pronounce the word correctly. You appreciate his efforts, even if he sounds a tad silly at times.

"I'd love that, actually," you reply while handing your bento box over to him.

"Alright, here comes the train say 'choo choo'." Kiba lifts up some of the rice along with one of the octopus weiners with the chopsticks and brings it closer to your mouth.

You respond with a "When leaving the train, please watch the gap," in a robotic voice before taking a bite of the culinary creation. With your mouth partially full you chuckle, "Sorry, it's a Jersey girl thing."

"I'll never get tired of your silly jokes, even if I don't quite understand them. Oh, what's this? It looks like you got a little something over here, let me just..." Kiba says as he leans in and licks the corner of your mouth, pressing his tongue further and further in with each passing second. It looks like what you're actually hungry for today isn't on the menu. You let yourself give into the temptation as you run your fingers through his luscious locks and return his kiss with a passionate and fiery reckless abandon.

You leisurely cuddle with Kiba from the comfort of your secluded refuge for quite a long while before deciding that it's about time you make good on your promise. He's spent this past hour playing with your hair while periodically sniffing it, massaging your shoulders gently, and dragging his nails softly over your thick thighs, occasionally licking your neck when the mood strikes.

You wish you could stay like this for eternity, but there's still more you want to show him, so you muster up the motivation to pack up your empty bento boxes as you turn your body slightly to face him.

"I think it's almost time for dessert, you in?" you enquire with a salacious beckon of your finger.

"Hell yeah, I'm in!" Before you knew it the blanket and bento boxes were packed neatly away into your bag. If Kiba had a puppy dog tail it'd be wagging with so much unbridled enthusiasm that it would very well knock you right off your feet and into the lake. Thankfully, the only dog you had to concern yourself with today was Akamaru. He spent the past hour napping closeby, curled up a meter or so away from Kiba.

 "Let's get going!" you exclaim as a sudden wave of confidence washes over you and you pump your fist into the air triumphantly.

Hand in hand once more, you lead Kiba back to the clandestine pathway and out to the main road. You take a few turns before arriving at The Ramble, a section of Central Park that you absolutely adored because of its rustic and scenic charm.

There were so many winding paths to choose from, it was hard to decide which one to follow first. You knew the general direction that you wanted to go in, so you let lady luck be your guiding light as you arbitrarily turned left then right before making one final left at the fork in the road. The beauty of Central Park was that all of these paths were connected, so there were no wrong decisions to be made.

This endless maze of wonder fascinates you to no end. You could easily spend all day traversing these meandering trails, engrossed in the splendor of nature. No doubt you would leave fulfilled and fully satisfied after a long walk through these woods, but you had a guest today who was not as easily gratified. As you pass over a quaint wooden bridge you're greeted by the comforting sounds of flowing water from a nearby brook.

You decide that this is the perfect time to slow down your pace a bit before coming to a standstill, Kiba mimicking your stride and stopping by your side as you bring his attention to the gigantic boulder standing before you. 

"Race you to the top?" you ask as you glance over, looking for affirmation despite already knowing what his response will be.

"Oh it's on, princess." Kiba answered without a moment's hesitation. You could see his body stiffen ever so slightly as he begins to prepare himself for the sprint of a lifetime. You loosen your grip on Kiba's hand as it tenderly floats away.

You ready yourself by inhaling slowly through your nose and out through your mouth before lightly slapping your cheeks with your hands. You tense up the muscles in your legs and core, shifting your focus from Kiba to the finish line. You spiritedly call out a "3, 2, 1.... GO!" and with that you're both off.

You can see Kiba being extra flashy on purpose, jumping from the nearby tree branches no doubt in an attempt to impress you. You decide to concentrate your efforts on finding the shortest path to your destination, being mindful of the obstacles in your way. You easily hop over the small rocks jutting out of the ground, a few steps to the right and you're able to avoid that low hanging tree branch. A counter clockwise 45 degree turn and the home stretch descends upon you with a breakneck velocity.

As you take the last steps before you reach your goal Kiba drops down from a nearby tree bough, swiping victory out of your grasp with one final, vehement thud as the full weight of his body lands on the rock with an impressive amount of force. He vigorously throws his hands up to do a little victory pose while you take a moment to catch your breath.

"You," you take a second to inhale before continuing your statement, "You win, Kiba."

"Of course I win. Now where's my prize?" Kiba nudges you as he shoots you an expectant gaze.

"Right here," you say as you leap up to give him an affectionate hug. He catches you in his arms and hoists your legs up so he can princess carry you. You place one of your arms around the back of his neck, resting your hand on his shoulder blade. You then close your eyes shut and pucker your lips before you're greeted by the unmistakable feeling of his lips fondly pressing against your own. After a few seconds he begins to slide his tongue into your mouth, filling it once again with his succulent saliva. You can't help but squeal with delight when one of his hands finds its way to your breast, stroking it with a rhythmical tempo.

You can feel the heat build up inside your core once again as Kiba continues to fondle you while you squirm in pleasure. Oh, how dearly you wish that he would go one step farther right now. You can feel a wet spot begin to form in your crotch as he continues his onslaught. No, you couldn't let your wanton desires get the best of you, not in public. But there was still that part of you that wanted this to not only carry on, but escalate into something even more licentious.

As you wriggle in Kiba's arms you manage to free yourself from his smooches long enough to let out a, "Ki-kiba, we're still in public! What if someone sees us?"

He withdraws his troops when he hears your feeble cries of protest, responding with a "Sorry, you're just so fuckin' cute, I can't help myself."

You flash a superficial pout at him as you try to redirect his attention by saying, "You know what else is cute? This view. Take a look over there."

You could see the lake from earlier poking through the gaps in the lush vegetation that surrounded you. There were still a decent number of couples enjoying boat rides together, but the sun was past its apex in the sky and the slightest tinge of twilight began to overtake the sky. The brilliant yellows and oranges vibrate with a staunch temerity as they hang onto the trees for dear life while the cool autumn breezes assails their stalks. The handsome architecture of the buildings in the distance made for a lovely sight when compared with the contrasting abundance of nature filling the foreground.

"I don't know if I'd call it 'cute,' but the view sure is nice," Kiba replies before shifting his focus back to you. "But the best view? It's right here in my arms."

"Oh stop, hon. You're making me blush," you chirp as you unsuccessfully try to conceal your flushed cheeks with your hand.

 "Awww, don't cover up your pretty little face from me. C'mon, I wanna see all of my girl." Kiba flashes you a warm smile that makes it feel as if you're melting in real time, disintegrating into a puddle of emotions.

If a stranger saw you right now you'd probably die from the sheer embarrassment.

It takes you a while, but you're finally able to give Kiba a response that will both satisfy him and rescue you from your current predicament. "See all of me? Well we better get going if you want that wish to come true."

That was all you needed to say. Kiba lovingly brings your legs down so you can hop to the ground. You then grab his hand with a precise and swift motion before intertwining your fingers together once more. With great haste, the two of you continue the last leg of your journey.

"Alright, so you're going to absolutely love this final location." Just thinking about the breathtaking view from the top of the castle you were planning on taking Kiba to sends a shiver down your spine.

"As long as I'm with you, any place is amazin'." You could hear the sincerity oozing out of his voice as he spoke those words.

"So, where I'm taking you is actually the second highest point in all of Central Park. The building there was designed to be a lookout tower, and it was even used as a weather station at one point. It's hard to explain how incredible the Belvedere is with just words, but you'll understand what I mean when you see it for yourself." You do your best to explain about Belvedere Castle without letting it slip that it's actually a castle. You know that Kiba will absolutely lose his mind and start calling you 'princess' incessantly when he realizes the truth.

As you approach the Belvedere and you're able to catch glimpses of its stony façade you brace yourself for the inevitable comments that are sure to follow. You could almost see the neurons in Kiba's brain firing extra hard when he comprehends just where you took him.

"Is that... a castle?" The incredulous tone in his voice was like a mellifluous symphony to your ears.

"Yes, yes it is." Your reply is filled with a smug self-assurance, growing stronger by the second.

"Princess, you just brought me to a castle? I can't believe my princess brought me to an actual castle. I don't know what I was expecting, but this was not it." Kiba, paralyzed by his bewilderment, holds his hand up to his dazed face, too stunned to do or say anything else until he hears your voice. "Yup, welcome to Belvedere castle, the pièce de résistance of our date today."

You take a second to admire the flabbergasted look on his face before continuing, "C'mere, you gotta see this view!"

You pull Kiba a little closer to your body, guiding him to the lookout area. "Over there is Turtle Pond. There are five different species of turtles that call this pond their home. Some of the turtles are actually former pets and are considered invasive species. It's not winter yet, but when it gets colder out the turtles burrow into the mud at the bottom of Turtle Pond."

"So you guys have turtles and bugs living in the water here?" Kiba was able to shake off his befuddlement with some assistance from your long-winded explanations. For once, your propensity to being unnecessarily verbose came in handy when it came to dealing with Kiba.

"For the last time they're not bugs, they're crustaceans!" You would be more upset with Kiba if you weren't so relieved that he was back to his usual self.

"Anyways, wow, now I know why you were hyping up this park so much. It's absolutely stunning. Almost more impressive than me, ah hah ha. Almost." Kiba let out a roaring, boisterous howl as you can't help but smile at your boyfriend's rather stale and contrived witticisms.

"Y'know what would be even better though?" Kiba releases his hand from yours and starts stroking the hairs on his chin with a glint in his eyes.

"Hm?"

"If we snuck up to the top of the castle and had our own private viewing session," Kiba said while giving you a lewd wink.

"But what about Akamaru?" you reach for any excuse to not give into the temptation.

"Akamaru will be fine by himself. Won'tcha, buddy?" Akamaru barks out a somewhat tired yet affirmative yelp. He lazily meanders over to a corner next to the castle and curls up in a comfortable position.

Drat. There goes your only valid excuse.

"Well that settles that." You could see a wicked grin forming on Kiba's face. "May I have the honor of one final dance with my princess this evening?"

You hesitantly extend your hand once more while shaking your head languidly in consent.

"But how are we going to get up ther- '' Your words are cut short by Kiba promptly sweeping you up into his arms, deftly maneuvering your body until he's princess carrying you yet again.

"You don't have to worry your pretty little head about that. I got it." A boastful roar erupts from his chest as he effortlessly cavorts around the castle to the back side, all while holding onto you with a virulent amount of hubris. A few confident leaps later and you're both on the roof of the castle.

He carefully puts you down, but only after passionately kissing your neck in the same spot where the dappled mixture of ribald reds and indecent purples endure with a risqué persistence. A stifled moan escapes your lips during this debacle with debauchery. Kiba's keen sense of hearing is omniscient, there's no way you can lead him astray while you're mewling like a cat in heat.

"Damn, you weren't kidding. This has gotta be the best view in this whole damned park." Kiba ogles at your body through the rectangle he's made with his thumbs and index fingers, pretending as if he were a famous artist getting ready to paint his muse.

"A little to the left, anddd perfect." A sly smirk emerges on his face as he slowly undresses you with his intense stare, deliberately and unhurriedly devouring your scrumptious curves with his eyes.

If there was any time to act, it would be now. You decide to discard your dignity and throw any remnants of your sense of decorum off the rooftop and into Turtle Pond as you offer up a flirtatious, "I know what will make this view even better."

"Oh, and what's that? Pray tell, princess." The sultry tone in which he says those words makes your heart flutter in pure, unadulterated ecstacy.

"Y'see, I'm feeling a bit stuffy in this dress," it's true you were feeling hot and bothered, "I could use a little help if you don't min-"

Before you could finish your proposal Kiba was already clawing at the tulle on your poofy halter dress, untying the straps with an unparalleled, feral intensity. As the straps haphazardly fall to your sides Kiba ravenously lifts the skirt portion of your dress over your head with one hasty but fluid motion. The rose gold garment is then unceremoniously tossed to the side as Kiba shifts his focus to your lusciously appetizing bare breasts. You never did like wearing bras, especially when there wasn't that much that needed support anyways.

"No bra again, princess? I love to see it. Or rather, not see it." Kiba begins to suggestively lick his lips as he rubs his hands together while emitting a mischievously naughty growl.

As your dress cascades to the ground next to you, let out a hedonistic chortle as you tempt Kiba with a, "Ready for your dessert, sugar?"

"D'ya even have to ask? Of course I'm ready," Kiba snarls those words in your ear as he slithers his hand down your body, stopping at your pelvic region. "I think there's just one more preparation we have to make first."

You place your own hand on top of his and guide him as he hooks his thumb under the waistband of your panties, stepping out of them gracefully as he yanks at the flimsy cotton with a carnal brutality. He brings the cloth up to his face to take a whiff before flinging them off to the side with an unrestrained fervour.

You then take a few steps back so you can perch yourself on a nearby wooden crate. You beckon to him with an alluring gesture, your index finger slightly twitching from all of the excitement. "This evening we'll be starting with a mouthwatering vegan friendly delicacy, followed up by the most delectable creampie."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" The inferno burning in Kiba's eyes scorches through every fibre of your being with its intensity, leaving a wasteland of charred and overloaded neurons in its wake.

"It sure does. Bon appétit, mon amour."

Kiba strides over with a heightened sense of purpose and bellows out a brisk, "Itadakimasu!" before shovelling his tongue into your quivering folds. With a gluttonous gusto he begins to greedily lap up your juices, savouring every drop. You whine in pleasure as he swirls his tongue in messy circles around your clit. The warmth building up in your core overtakes your sense of judgement as you helplessly squirm under the weight of his tongue, your panting becomes more audible by the second.

Kiba magnanimously decides to offer you a short reprieve when he temporarily halts his bombardment on your labia, looking up at you for confirmation, "You ready for the second course, princess?"

You're not quite able to form complete sentences right now, but you are able to give him a brisk nod along with a bashful, "Yes, pleaseee."

This time he brings his hand up to your trembling lips, stroking them with tender caresses as he expertly works his tongue into your vaginal opening. His fingers instinctively find your clit without hesitation, a light but purposeful touch that stimulates every cell in your being with an electrifying impulse. You have to admit, his dexterity is honestly amazing. No other guy you've been with before knows your body the way Kiba does.

You can feel the heat radiating throughout your entire body as Kiba continues to slurp up your slick, the fluids from your body intermingling with his saliva and morphing into a crude concoction of lustful desire. As you feel the indescribable pressure begin to build up, your whimpers begin to compound until you find yourself uncontrollably moaning his name.

"Kibaaa." The syllables escaping your lips are the sweetest honey, the most delicious topping on his dessert that he could ever ask for.

He pushes his tongue in deeper and deeper, every moan that he hears encouraging him to explore more of your cavern. He also stealthily increases the pressure he's applying against your clit the more you squirm. After all, every action must have an equal and opposite reaction, it's a basic principle of physics that applies even to this situation. You can't blame him for responding the way he does when you can't even think straight right now, your mind overrun with lascivious cravings.

"Kiba. Kibaaa," is all you manage to cry out as he takes a brief pause to reply in kind.

"Mmm, say my name again, princess. It drives me absolutely wild."

"I'm so close, Kiba, please don't stop." The urgency in your voice ignites an infernal blaze that can't be expunged until Kiba witnesses your full and complete satisfaction firsthand. A real gentleman always pleases his lady first.

Kiba nods to you in acknowledgement as he takes a moment to lick your juices off of his fingers before pressing his face down once more into your succulent folds. The sensation of his tongue massaging your clit causes the pressure inside of you to build up to critical levels. You don't know how much more of this you can handle before you pass the point of no return. While brushing your clit with measured strokes Kiba brings up his hand one more time and slowly inserts two fingers into your vagina. He steadily increases the frequency of his caresses, tickling your sensitive walls with a sublime proficiency.

"Ahhh, ahhh. Mmm." is all that you're able to mumble.

As his pace quickens, so does your breathing. You're holding onto the last shred of your composure with a single frayed thread that is dangerously close to breaking. All it would take is one final push and- you were unable to complete that thought because at that very moment Kiba pulsated his fingers against your G-spot. Again, there is it. He keeps on pressing up against it. The stimulation becomes too much to handle. You can feel the pressure overpower your senses as you let a tsunami of euphoria wash over you.

Kiba, feeling your throbbing vagina twitch around his fingers, knows that his task is complete. He lets out a "gochisousama deshita," before lifting up his face up to meet your gaze, enjoying every bit of your blissed out expression.

"So good..." you exhale as you feel a wave of peace fill envelop your soul, swathing it with an incomparable serenity.

"I love it when I get to see you like this," Kiba says as he brushes a few strands of hair out of your eyes. "Nothing makes me feel better than making my girl feel like the princess she is."

"Hehe~," you chuckle as you hold Kiba's hand against your cheek, etching this moment into your memory. This was definitely the best place for your first date in the city.

As you push yourself off of the wooden crate you were using for support, you offer up one final suggestion for the evening, "Round two?"

"You don't even have to ask, princess. Let's do this." Kiba moves his hand from your cheek down to your waist and tenderly spins you around so that your rear is facing him. He always was an ass-man. While other men tended to focus on your breasts, or lack thereof, Kiba was all about the "finer things in life." He couldn't resist digging his claws into your behind and taking small nibbles whenever he gave you rim jobs. Seeing him appreciate your assets so enthusiastically thrilled you to no end.

But a rim job wasn't on the menu for today. That's right, there was only one dessert that would sate Kiba's wolfish hunger. The most passionate dessert that a couple can share. And what's more romantic than sharing some creampie while admiring the New York City skyline as the sun sets over the horizon?

"You ready, princess?" You could hear Kiba shuffle around a bit before being greeted by the familiar feeling of the fur trim of his jacket as it brushes against your ankles.

"Fuck yeah, let's do this," you exclaim as you give him a thumbs-up. You weren't able to see his expression since you were facing away from him, but you can imagine the smug look on his face as he slides his rock hard dick into your warm and inviting pussy.

You were already unbelievably wet from your orgasm, so his cock slides in with relative ease. As soon as his dick enters you, a feeling of exhilaration radiates throughout your entire body. With each thrust it feels as if your souls are resonating with each other. The connection you feel when your bodies are this close together is beyond compare, there's nothing else like it in the world.

A few more gyrations of his hips and you become putty once more in his hands. You can feel your essence being molded by the passionate thumps from his cock. Your vagina quivers with excitement as it welcomes every inch of his member into its drenched oasis. The air around you is filled with the squelching sounds of Kiba's dick as it explores your private grotto with reckless abandon.

Kiba periodically quickens and then slows down his pace in order to keep you on your toes. He knows that the variation will drive you absolutely bonkers, and he wants to hear you beg, plead him for more. He purposely slows down the frequency of his thrusts just so he can hear you say it. C'mon aren't you going to say it?

"Kiba," you whimper while holding onto the wooden crate in front of you, "I need more. Give me more. Faster."

And there it is.

"As you command, princess," he happily obliges. Oh, if only you could see his face right now.

Kiba hastens his pace, thrusting into you with a tremendous amount of force. His dick pounds on the inside of your walls as they sway with delight. It feels so good to have him inside of you, especially without a condom. The unrivalled feeling of his dickhead brush against your delicate walls enthralled you beyond words. The sensation of his penis twitching inside you when he came was the greatest feeling in the world.

Normally you'd have to worry about carrying protection with you at all times, but since you were sterilized earlier this year that was one less thing you'd have to concern yourself with. It also meant you could afford to be more spontaneously promiscuous, which drove Kiba absolutely feral. The first night you had sex after recovering from surgery was one of the most passionate lovemaking sessions the both of you ever had. Kiba could see how comfortable you were in your own body after your hysterectomy, and that turned him into a savage, untamed beast when the two of you were alone.

But here you are now, totally not alone. In the middle of Central Park. Fucking your boyfriend.

What have you become? Where was the demure and studious girl who would rather spend her evenings at home instead of galavanting around with a jock who can't even pronounce the word "etiquette", let alone practice it? Have you no shame? I guess you must have tossed that aside when you first started dating Kiba. He always did have a way of bringing out your undomesticated side, you were a girl who secretly wanted to embrace her inner wildcat and just go berserk from time to time. And what's wilder than exhibitionism?

"Umph," you hear Kiba moan from behind you, "I'm getting close, princess."

This was always your favourite part of having sex with Kiba. The moment where your vagina milks him, absorbing every last drop of his cum. This time you felt a little different than usual, though. How long has it been since you last peed? Hours? You did go at the bagel shop, but that was during the morning.

Oh gosh, you think to yourself, he's totally going to make me squirt today. Fuck, I can't believe this is happening to me.

Kiba continues to thrust into you as you feel the intense pressure of your full bladder compound on top of the heat building up inside of your pelvis. Every time he brushes up inside of you, your muscles begin to clench involuntarily. You inch closer and closer to losing control with every gyration of his hips. He slaps your ass a few times before continuing his thrusting.

Kiba then grabs the back of your ponytail so he can bring your neck a little closer to his mouth. When his canines tickle the hickey on your neck you're no longer able to restrain the torrent of warm urine, letting a golden shower rain down on Kiba's jacket. The sensation of wetting yourself sends you over the edge and your walls begin to instinctively clench up as a surge of ecstacy ripples throughout your entire body.

Kiba then lets out a tremendous groan as his dick twitches inside of you and begins ejaculating sticky cum into your vagina, filling it up to the brim. A bit of his cum oozes out of you, mixing with a few droplets of piss as the medley of immorality slides down your legs, a remnant of your grievous sin.

You can hear Kiba exhale deeply as you slowly turn yourself around.

"Sorry about your jacket, I didn't realize until it was too late that I hadn't peed since the morning and-"

Kiba picks up his soiled jacket from the ground and sniffs it with a satisfied look on his face, "Mmm, smells just like my princess."

He puts a hand on your shoulder as he says, "Don't worry about it. I'll just have to use my dynamic marking on you when we get back to the hotel."

No matter how indecent you thought you were, you could always take solace in the fact that Kiba had you beat. This man was always full of surprises, and you couldn't deny that you loved him, not in spite of his degeneracy, but rather for it.

As you pick up your clothes strewn about the castle's roof Kiba quips at you one last time, "So since you drank the water here does that mean your piss had bugs in it?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? Shrimp aren't bugs, they're crustaceans."

You can hear his roaring laughter echoing with that self-assured arrogance that you loved oh so much, even if you'd never admit it. We can't fuel his ego too much now, can we? 

----- The End -----

[chalkrevelations]

I've been trying to put my finger on why I'm resistant to the idea of BostonNick as representative of this whole idea of ephemerality that's been floating around about Only Friends, and the beauty of relationships that change us even though they're temporary, and this couple in particular being "ok" to end apart, and why I've been so gd melancholy this week about the fact that logic and branding practically dictate that this is the couple who ends the show separately, and I think I've finally figured it out: It's because that's all Boston has ever been allowed to have, both metatextually and within the narrative.

Ephemerality in his relationships isn't new - until Nick, it defines his relationships. All he has left of any of his relationships are the photographs that - until Nick - he's only ever hidden in his darkroom/closet. And as much as he's framed that for himself and others as being about NYC, it's also the reality of a life in the closet, of not being able to let himself be known, of not being allowed to let anyone know him, of having to hide who he really is. So it doesn't feel deep and meaningful for this to be just one more fleeting relationship, to be more of the same, it feels sad. It makes me wonder if Boston ever gets to keep anything or anyone, even now - especially now - that he's living this relationship with Nick out in the open, colored by blues and greens, on rooftops surrounded by growing things under the wide-open sky, instead of in his closed, windowless red-lit darkroom with its little locked boxes where he keeps the mementos of all his dead-end, ephemeral relationships. Does he ever get to even try out what it would be like to keep someone or something?

And tbh, I feel the same way about the idea of an open relationship and Boston's promiscuity, even though I suspect that's not a popular opinion. No, I don't like what it says if all of our openly promiscuous characters find love and happiness and fulfillment by finding monogamy, but at the same time, I don't know that we have any real indication that Boston actually is naturally - rather than situationally - non-monogamous and promiscuous. When does he get the chance to try something he hasn't been forced into?

[bronzemettle]

How do your big teams like the Justice League or Avengers work? Do they have set rosters at any given time (ie, "in 2016, the Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Captain America, She-Hulk, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Thor, and Hawkeye"), or is it a Justice League Unlimited situation where just about everybody is a member and they get assigned into little squads for their missions?

The Avengers is a single team with fairly high turnover of people joining and leaving or taking extended breaks. You could give a set roster for it, which would usually be under 40 heroes in total, but what that roster is would vary every few weeks, not year-to-year. That being said, it wouldn't be a faux-pas to call someone "an Avenger" who has been on the team frequently but isn't currently, so the boundary isn't totally hardline, and it's all treated p. informally. The Avengers like to think of themselves as a family.

The Avengers is usually based out of the Avengers Mansion in outer NYC, but they often work closely with SHIELD and will sometimes use Helicarriers as mobile headquarters, as they were doing in Sokovia when the Terrigen Reactor exploded in early 2014 ("A-Day") leading to the temporary disbanding of the team and creation of the Sokovia Accords and Nonhuman Registration Act. The Justice League started out p. similar, but after the launching of the Watchtower station in 2011 they expanded drastically with other new infrastructure into a formally much larger and more organization-like entity, with a triple-digits number of heroes, supported by a large and well-paid staff of mostly unpowered specialists in various fields, deployed into operation squads of usually under a dozen per mission (unless things get really hairy), and of course able to call on each other for backup as needed.

The Justice League does not by default trade intel with or operate alongside any goverment organizations or law enforcement. It's not a rule against it. They will contact authorities (such as Jim Gordon) often. But it's always case-by-case judgement and need-to-know.

As a result of this autonomy and their large membership roster, the Justice League operates multiple bases scattered in different places besides the Watctower, including the Gotham Clocktower (home of the Birds of Prey), the Hall of Justice, the Detroit compound, Happy Harbor, the Secret Sanctuary, and Mars Refuge. These bases are connected via Zeta Tubes, and a combination of that and the fleet of Javelin spacecraft on the Watchtower can quickly deploy squads nearly anywhere on the planet (and a few other places).

There is also an even larger collection of heroes and some civilian allies designated as Justice League Associates, the JLA. This includes other teams like the Titans, Outsiders, and Birds of Prey, sidekicks and supporting heroes to JL members, and some standalone heroes who just don't quite fit. Helena Bertinelli, for example, was kicked out of the Justice League proper for starting to kill again, but once she stopped killing again was in time allowed back under the wider JLA label instead. John Constantine has never been on the Justice League, but is recognized as JLA.

[bradshawsbaby]

I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the Intrepid, but it’s a retired aircraft carrier turned museum here in NYC. Tonight, they hosted a flight deck screening of Top Gun as part of their Fleet Week events.

I had been looking forward to this event for over a month, but wasn’t sure if I would actually be able to attend tonight considering today was my aunt’s funeral. However, I made the last minute decision to go for it as a way to honor my aunt’s memory.

She loved things like this! When I was growing up, she used to take me to movies in the park and on dinner cruises in the city all the time. I know if she could have, she would have loved to do something like this. So even though today was hard, I’m really glad that I did it ♥️

[runwayrunway]

A New England Planespotter In...England (And Scotland)

So I've just gotten back from two weeks in London, almost directly beneath one of the arrival paths to Heathrow. One weird thing about being in London was that...my home airport, Logan, is big, sure, lots of international flights, but it's weird in that it's only a hub for three airlines, one of which is domestic. Being sandwiched between NYC and Newark does that to a place. So we get a pretty small selection of airlines here, all things considered.

Heathrow? Literally while taxiing from the runway to the gate I saw us go past an Air Mauritius and a Royal Brunei Airlines plane (and I didn't have my camera out to take a picture!). On the way out on my way home I saw a RwandAir plane (and it was at an angle behind me where I couldn't get a picture of it either!). I saw multiple A380s a day from British Airways and Singapore Airlines, and even a 747 flying for Korean Air Cargo went overhead! (747s never fly to Logan.) I saw THAI, Air India, TAROM, Air Serbia, and the full complement of gulf carriers - which I expected - and China Southern Airlines, which I somehow didn't.

Hey, wait, is that tailfin...

There she is! (I was so happy to see her that I think I startled the person sitting next to me.)

There were of course the usual faces as well - Delta, American Airlines, and even JetBlue now flies to London. I didn't see any full-size FedEx planes, but I did see a FedEx Feeder ATR 72 (at least I think it's a 72) at Edinburgh Airport.

(she was quite far away and the image is inevitably very crunchy)

A few other cargo airlines more typical of Europe were parked nearby her - DHL, Maersk Air Cargo (in the old Star Air livery), West Atlantic, and whoever that is at the end - the livery feels so familiar, actually, but there's no wordmark and half of me thinks it's a wet lease that hasn't been painted. If anyone remembers what's on the tip of my tongue, please do tell me.

While entirely expected, I also enjoyed seeing little Loganair ERJs around in Edinburgh. They're so short! I was arriving in an A320 and even then I had to wait until I was on the ground to take a decent picture that wasn't half cut off by the plane I was actually in.

I don't know enough about Loganair's routes to know what they actually fly to Edinburgh, but a tiny part of me was sad I didn't see any of their littler prop planes. I have a huge soft spot for the Britten-Norman Islander, the first prop plane I ever got to fly on, which Loganair operates two of. Among their uses in the fleet is operating the shortest scheduled route in the world, which lasts around a minute and is about as long as the runway I landed on when I took all those pictures. I won't pretend it's not on my bucket list. (To be fair, I am also legitimately interested in the archaeological sites on Papa Westray...just maybe not interested enough to take a longer flight to see them.)

These aren't all the airlines I saw, but the rest I'm saving for other days and other posts. Still, there is one more type of airplane I saw which I think I have never actually seen in Massachusetts. When I was at Edinburgh I heard this bizarre loud thing that sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before and looked up and saw what I thought was a C-130. Then I realized it was actually an A400M with its weird scimitar propellers. As far as I'm aware this is the first airlift plane I've seen in person that wasn't a static display and it's definitely the first plane I've seen that sounds like that. I also got to see my first ever helicopter that wasn't a tiny little general aviation thing in the form of a Chinook going right over my head at...really not that high, but it didn't have its transponder on so I couldn't tell you more exactly. Is that a thing in London? Airplane-sized military helicopters at low heights over populated areas with their transponders off? I don't remember ever seeing that before but I suppose it has been a while. It was very, very strange.

And that's a non-exhaustive list of the things you just don't get to see in Boston! I will definitely talk about some of these airlines in full someday, but some of them I probably won't. I at least had a lot of fun pointing at airplanes and going "wow...".

[levans44]

Damage Control - Chapter 1

She’s never going to a Stark party again.

9:54 pm, Yesterday

He had lured her in the same way he always does, with sparkly words and false promises of an “intimate gathering.”

“C’mon, it’ll be real small. Promise.” Tony Stark’s sly smirk crawled through the phone, soft jazz and the rustling of pre-party preparations filling the background. “Exclusive guest list, VVIPs only. You know me! Plus I think Brad Pitt’s coming. You like Brad Pitt right?”

From all of the commotion behind him, she could already visualize the state of his mansion - extravagant bottles of champagne lined up along sleek bar tops and 40ft limos pulled up on his shiny marble driveway, ready to greet a dazzling guest list that would put NYC’s 1 OAK to shame.

Yeah. Intimate gathering her ass.

She snorted, rolling her eyes “Tony, you and I both know that’s bullshit.”

“No, seriously! Apparently his kids love me and are dying to get a signed mask, I mean who wouldn’t-”

“-you know that’s not what I meant.”

“So you’ll come?” She opened her mouth to refuse, then closed it, hesitant to give him a straight answer. This bastard knew perfectly well what he was doing. He was waving the guaranteed sophistication of a signature Tony Stark party in front of her face, and no matter how much she told herself not to, she knew she’d end up chasing after it like a dog every time.

She let out an exasperated sigh, head hitting the back of the couch with a ‘thud’.

“I don’t know Tony, Anne’s been up my ass all week about finishing the Times Square write-up, which is your fault by the way.” She poked the air with an accusatory finger.

Working under SHIELD’s Damage Control division had its ups and downs, but it was no easy work having to cover for the Avengers and the wreckage they left after every battle. Just this past month, a battle on 45th street between the team and the Kree had only lasted 20 minutes, but had caused her weeks worth of paperwork and overtime. Handling a million lawsuits, mending financial deficits, and approving blueprints for reconstruction, she couldn’t remember the last time she went to bed before 3 am.

“Hey, Squidward attacked us first! Something about the Avengers being the first step toward world domination.”

“Well, you should have killed him and his friends when you had the chance, cause thanks to them, I now have a 30-page writeup to edit” she glanced down bitterly at the open computer in her lap, glaring at the document in scorn.

Tony chuckled through the speaker. “So come to the party, it’ll help take your mind off things.”

Despite her annoyance, she appreciated the familiar sincerity in his voice — Tony had always been somewhat like a father figure to her away from home.

Miles from her family living in a tiny New York studio, she met Tony her sophomore year of college working as a nervous intern for Stark Industries. A few summers later and she was promoted to the grand title of personal assistant, attending boozy galas and benefits alongside New York’s famed billionaire.

At the time, she wouldn’t have missed his parties for the world. It would have been weird if she had, considering how most people her age spent their Friday nights in lines for dingy clubs with overpriced drinks. Her Friday nights were spent on private flights to Amsterdam or Paris.

But alas, she slowly departed from the fleeting materialism of her youth, and took off in search of a job where she could step away from the spotlight for a while. She landed her current job at Damage Control under Anne Hoag, an old business partner of Tony’s, and had slowly lost memory of the glamorous Stark parties over the years. Now, the opportunity to revisit that time in her life had arrived at her doorstep, all wrapped up in a pretty package, daring her to refuse.

Tony’s smug voice interrupted her thoughts, sounding satisfied with her long pause. “Great, knew you’d say yes! 11 PM tonight, don’t let me down Manhattan.”

Before she could protest, Tony had signed off with a click. He left her with a surprise there, using that nickname; she couldn’t even remember the last time she had heard it. The origin story for that nickname was a long one, but it had essentially started when she accidentally fixed him a Manhattan instead of an Old Fashioned (but really, what was the difference?). As much as she had been annoyed with Tony for using it back then, she had secretly grown fond of it over the years. Hearing it now struck a nostalgic chord in her that made his offer a bit more tempting.

Shutting her laptop, she let it flop down on the couch next to her. She let out a small sigh, surveying her cold, empty apartment. Dishes piled up in the sink. A small pile of laundry she’s avoided folding for weeks. When was the last time she had dressed up for anything, let alone for a fancy party? Massaging her neck, she let out a low groan, feeling a dull ache throb in her shoulders as she dragged herself sluggishly to the shower. Maybe she did need a few hours to destress.

One night couldn’t hurt, right?

5:31 am, Today

Fuck, everything hurt.

Her head pounded behind her eyes, blinding light shining through the windows.

What time was it?

Ugh, whatever it was, it was way too early. Draping a heavy arm over her eyes, she desperately trying to shield the light from her eyes. Why was it so damn bright? Her tiny apartment barely got any natural sun.

She rolled over to the edge of the bed, squinting up to realize that her alarm clock wasn’t on her bedside table. Instead, it was replaced by a greek-looking marble statue and a plant instead. She didn’t own any fucking plants. Frowning, she smoothed down the front of her sheets, feeling the luxurious satin glide against her palm and realized she wasn’t in her bed. This wasn’t her room. Last night, she had left Tony’s party early with… fuck.

Her stomach gave a sudden jolt as she frantically turned to the space to her left. She let out a sigh of relief, finding it empty. She ran a slow finger over the neatly folded corners, not a single fold out of line, before she sat up in the bed, clutching the expensive sheet to her chest as she took in the unfamiliar room of the Avenger’s compound. She’s made some questionable decisions in the past, but this beat everything else by a mile. She dragged her hands down her face exasperatedly, letting out an internal groan. She was used to handling shitty situations: wrecked buildings, stranded helicarriers, and alien hostages.

But how on earth was she going to handle this?

She thought about leaving a note, but the idea of trying to find a pen and paper in this gigantic space intensified her headache. Maybe a voicemail but… she didn’t have his number. Great. Where was her damn phone anyway?

Another jolt of panic ran through her before she remembered that it was probably in her purse… which was somewhere downstairs. She hadn’t managed to keep track of it after, well, how quickly shit escalated last night.

Snatching up her dress from off of the floor, she hastily pulling it over her head and stumbled out of the wooden slide door. It revealed a long hallway, mostly empty save for a few giant, expensive-looking paintings. She clambered down the nearest staircase she could find, her heels sliding against the sleek glass and scraping the back of her feet.

The second floor of the Avenger’s Compound was a huge, not to mention bright, open lounge, equipped with a bar, pool table, a meeting room, and probably a million other facilities that she couldn’t afford to stay and gawk at right now.

Spotting the steps leading down to the first floor, her only way out of this mess, she started to scramble toward it.

“Going somewhere?”

A smug voice called from the kitchen countertop. She jumped, sleep suddenly cleared from her eyes, swiveling around to see Tony slumped over the countertop, cradling a glass of water in one hand and an aspirin in the other. What was he doing at the compound so early? She felt a flicker of pity at his bed head and dark circles, but then again she would’ve given anything to be getting over a hangover instead of being in her shoes right now.

On his smug, exhausted face was a shit-eating grin, stretching the dark lines beneath his eyes, eyes that told her that he remembered everything from last night. That he remembered… shit.

She let out a small gasp.

“Tony,” She jabbed an accusatory finger in his direction. “You cannot tell anybody.”

His grin widening, he shrugged, feigning innocence. “Tell what?”

Oh, he’s gonna play that game? With a hangover?

She groaned, dragging her hands down her face. “Where is he?” She asked quietly into her palm, praying that Tony would give her a straight answer.

“Who, loverboy? He wasn’t in bed with you?”

She jerked her hands away from her face in disbelief, raising her voice “Tony-”

“Relax, relax,” he chuckled, clearly enjoying her torment. “He’s probably out running his daily fucking marathon or something. Should be back soon.” A pause, before he added with a devilish smile.

“Guess you didn’t tire him out enough last night.”

“Tony, I swear to god.” She rolled her eyes and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Ok. At least God gave her one thing. Seeing as he wasn’t here, if she leaves now she’ll be able to avoid one awkward conversation.

She sighed, running a hand through her no doubt messed hair as she tried to gather her thoughts. “Have you seen my purse?”

Twisting around in his stool, he lazily pointed to the couch, sat in the middle of an appallingly clean living room. Swiveling back around, he winced as if the movement made him dizzy.

Serves him right.

Snatching up her purse from its spot on the expensive leather futon, she made her way to the stairs and down to the first floor, away from what seemed to be the most humiliating moment of her life.

Tony’s mocking voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Where you headed?”

Her eyes fluttered closed, questioning why she hadn’t poisoned the man the countless times she had brewed him coffee or freshened his drink.

Taking a breath to compose herself, she turned around slowly, putting on the most neutral expression she could muster.

“I…” She stalled, trying to dig as far down her mental vat of ‘excuses to get out of shit’ as she could.

“I’ve got a client meeting.”

“Really? On a Sunday? Must be some damn important client.”’

Well, shit.

Tony must have sensed her desperation as he tsked, leaning forward on the table.

“Come on, I gotta tell him something, Manhattan”

“I…” She spent another moment trying to come up with a decent enough excuse, fumbling with the clasp on her purse, before giving up altogether, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“Just… just make something up for me, ok? I-I gotta go.”

“Go where?”

She whipped around, bug-eyed, stomach dropping through the floor at the man standing at the top of the stairwell. Biceps bulging through a ridiculously tight workout shirt, sweat glistening down his neck as he tilted his head back to take a swig of water, and god, did this man ever take a break?

She realized she had been ogling while he watched her expectantly, so oblivious to her horror.

He swallowed his water, neck flushed pink, before giving her a rather shy smile.

“Hi.”

She barely responded with a curt ‘hello,’ unable to meet his innocent eyes. This has got to be the world’s most pathetic walk of shame, she thought—she’d crawl into the nearest hole if she could.

The unbearable silence between them was suddenly broken by an overdramatic cough from behind her.

“Well, this has been delightful to watch, but this superstar’s got to catch up on his beauty sleep.” Tony slid off languidly off the stool, yawning dramatically as he stretched.

Oh, so now he wants to leave?

Glancing back in their direction, he winked, looking straight at her.

“Gosh, what a night, huh?”

She felt her face burn a deep crimson, and couldn’t even bear to check what hue of red Steve’s face was.

As Tony shuffled upstairs, she heard Steve clear his throat. Out of the corner of her eye, he started to take a hesitant step toward her, glancing down at his feet.

“So… about last night.”

Fuck. 

She’s never going to a Stark party again.

Damage Control Masterlist

[athena5898]

Our Demands

The resignation of Eric Adams

Following months of barbaric brutality from the NYPD, we demand:

From federal investigation, to emboldening his police forces to attack protesters, the disgraced Zionist mayor is not fit for NYC.

2. The disbandment of the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group

The SRG is a notoriously violent rapid response group of the NYPD tasked with policing protests, best known for its violence, misconduct, and racial bias.

3. Shut down NYPD’s office in occupied Palestine

The NYPD regularly coordinates with the zionist occupation to surveil Palestinian, Arab and Muslim New Yorkers from its office in occupied Palestine.

Statement on Emergency Action to Flood Manhattan for Lebanon

Tonight, the NYPD unleashed the full force of their violence against New York’s Palestinian, Arab and Muslim communities in an attempt block us from protesting the United Nations as the General Assembly commences this week. WOL leader Abdullah Akl was violently arrested and sent to the hospital tonight. Dozens of others were also brutally attacked by SRG officers who clearly targeted Muslim youth leaders, as the unit serves to criminalize Black and Brown communities.

Thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets today after “israel” massacred over 500 people in Lebanon on Monday. As the US demonstrates its barbaric support for the genocidal Zionist project and opposition to it grows worldwide, the NYPD has escalated its brutality against our movement.

Our community is subjected to extreme state violence in a clear effort to deter the people from righteous dissent as our taxes and politicians fuel a genocide and regional war.

While Adams undergoes investigation for corruption, his police force terrorizes us on our streets. The NYPD has spared no expense to expand its surveillance and policing capacity for the hoard of incoming leaders of a world complicit in the genocide of Palestine. The NYPD is deploying a fleet of armored SUVs, drones, helicopters, riot cops, and undercover cops. These events serve as a reminder of the shared technologies and tactics of oppression among colonial forces, from the NYPD to the IOF.

Despite the immense aggression, our community persevered against police brutality. We broke past the barrier of the NYPD’s “frozen zone” fortifying the UN and reached the Zionist consulate as Butcher Benjamin Netanyahu plans to address the United Nations General Assembly this week. There, we affirmed our intentions to return on Thursday and honored the memory and martyrdom of Marcellus Williams — a Black man executed Tuesday night by the police state in Missouri — with a reading of his poem for the children of Palestine.

The heightened level of NYPD repression is a continuation of the Demographics Unit in the so-called “War on Terror” era of the early 2000s. This police violence cannot be reformed, but rather must be confronted. We have seen horrific violence unleashed on the people of Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon too. We have seen officers use all means of violence to crack down on our movement against the genocide of Palestine. However, the steadfastness of our people in the face of annihilation serves as our guide. We must come together to embody that spirit and hold the NYPD accountable for its brutality.

We call on all Muslim and Arab community organizations and leaders in New York to adopt our demands as the bare minimum required for any means of accountability from the police force which has subjected us to such extreme harassment, surveillance, and violence for decades.