#got that “I said we were acquaintances to be polite because I didn't think you liked me that much and now you're mad at me” thing going on

[kittenbukkits]

Love going to therapy only to come out worse on the other side. Trying desperately to get the depressed and anxious parts of my brain to shut the fuck up so I can go over what we said logically, but unfortunately for me all I'm getting is "well logically he was saying that you're weird, unpleasant, and desperate and people can sense that so that's why they don't want to be friends with you, and also maybe you just aren't the kind of person who's supposed to have friends and you should just get used to being the person your anxiety wants you to be. Which is to say alone." When what he really probably said is "It sounds like you're trying really hard to make friends the way outgoing boisterous people make friends, which just might not be a good fit for you or the kind of people you want to be friends with. You might need to take some time to learn how you're most comfortable in social situations and how you'd like to interact with people before jumping straight in to trying to brute force friendships." Which honestly still sucks because I'd like to feel less like I'm completely alone in a room full of people I'm (hopefully supposed to be?) friends with sooner rather than later.

[lynnlovesthestars]

"Let me show you how this will benefit you".

For @ask-althaearoserun ❤

Pairing: Gortash x fem!OC (Althaea).

Genre: smut.

Warnings: dub-con (kinda since there's coercion), unprotected sex, fingering, oral fem! recieving, possessive Enver, improper use of throne and throne room, edging, orgasm denial, improper use of golden gauntlet, creampie, slight dumb-fucking, rough sex overrall.. if i missed anything let me know. author regrets nothing. Kind of semi-public sex. Slight power-play, implied ownership. spoiler for act 3.

Synopsis: He's got a proposal she can't refuse.

WC: 4.7k

AN: hello, it took me a while to get through this piece for Skull but a month later i finallydelivered it. With her consent I'm posting it- since her OC is out protag tonight-. Nevertheless let me know what you think, lots of love, lynn.

Wyrm's Rock was obnoxiously calm as they reached the bridge that allowed them into the fortress. 

"Lord Gortash is expecting you, please make your way to the audience chamber." The steel watch repeated and repeated until they had stepped past the doors of the audience hall. They were surprised that they’d let them in so easily, yet they obliged seen their insistence without questioning too much the new rules of the fortress. 

The audience hall was packed with royalty and steel watchers as Gortash was idly eyeing the door, awaiting for the last invited guests.  

Them. 

Enver had insisted on having them attend, not only to let them know who they were going against and the power he held, but also because he had heard so much about Althaea. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet the infamous slayer that took down Ketheric, though his first glance at her left him genuinely confused: he knew he could have her wrapped around his gauntlet before even getting to speak with her and her companions. 

She was small, clearly a nuisance, compared to him and his grandiose presence in the room; in a normal setting, she would have passed unnoticed, but in the middle of royalty, she stood out. 

Nevertheless, his focus was on the ceremony- though Karlach and her troupe didn't agree. The tiefling was furiously throttling towards him, seething and burning. He knew that the steel watch would not have been enough against her, and that it would have sent the wrong message to the masses present at the ceremony, 

“A moment please, my friends- an old acquaintance has come to pay her respects." He mused as he took a step forward, descending the stairs. "Please, Karlach, come say a proper hello.” He said with a smile painted full of faux friendliness. His voice was clearly sweetened for the audience they had as he stepped towards her himself. 

“My respects? You are lucky I’ve agreed to not shove my boot up your-” Karlach roared before he interrupted her with distaste. 

“Ah how I missed your colorful turn of phrase.” He twirled his hand dismissively. “We must catch up as soon as I’ve had words with your little friend.” He uncaringly ignored the tiefling and glanced towards Althaea with dark eyes, clearly hiding something behind them. 

“As for you, I shall congratulate.” He gave her a small bow of his head. “Thorn’s defeat has not passed unnoticed; shall I say thanks to that Netherstone you carry and for your astonishing fighting abilities”. He said with his honeyed voice. “Pleasure to meet you” He gave her a small bow with her head, politeness first, persuasion later. 

He had wondered how she’d rudely introduce herself, telling him to fuck off or hells knows what, yet the moment she opened her pretty mouth, she sounded anything like the gruesome descriptions of her persona he had heard. 

“The pleasure’s all mine, Lord Gortash.” She put up her best smile, concealing her mild disgust at the closeness with him. She could feel the bile forming in the back of her mouth already. 

“I believe we have something rather important to discuss.” He pressed his hands together and cracked his fingers, readying for the extenuating and boring conversation they were going to have. “Indeed” She nodded, looking at his movements in case he’d rush a movement.  

The conversation went on between Gortash trying to gauge how much they had known and Althaea respectfully grunting and nodding as he went on and on. 

It felt for her as if he was trying to stroke her mind as he spoke, keeping her in the loop of the conversation yet leaving behind chunks of information he didn't want to reveal yet. 

It was only at the end that he finally seemed to take a step closer to his objective, finally poking at their only protection against the absolute. 

“That prism of yours won’t last indefinitely.” He said sternly while he crossed his arms apprehensively. “Next there's the grand design. Though I suppose that if we come to an agreement, this fate can be avoided.” He concluded in a smirk. 

“What do you suggest?” She quickly ignored the emperor in her head as she replied with a shake of her head yet standing tall and confident in front of him, not allowing him to believe he had the upper hand against them. Enver seemed entertained by her stance, so insignificant yet so annoying in the bigger picture of his plan. He had two choices: either squish the fly or get the fly on his side, and he was a mastermind at the end of the day. 

“Well, the brain won’t respond to new commands as soon as it is done with its current ones. Then it will be free to do as it wishes, and that would be rather unpleasant.” He pointed arch and clever. “And once it’s freed I doubt we’ll ever be able to bring it under control again.” He smacked his lips together as he threw a glance at Althaea- that was now at the center of everyone's attention. 

“I still don’t see where you are going” She lied, seeing behind his mask of politeness. He wanted something. He had that look in his eyes that reminded her of how her father would look at her before he'd try to make a move to overpower her, and she wanted to throw up right there and then. Yet she knew she had to do this: for the sake of her friends, for the sake of the city, and possibly for the sake of the whole coast. 

It was almost as if his words were calculated, trying to catch her in like a spiderweb set up for the next victim, and his sweet- almost sincere words, where the honey he bet would get her to agree. As if admitting having made a poor alliance would have somewhat fixed all that there was wrong with the situation.  

“They say a brittle alliance can never be mended; it is bound to break.” He intoned as if he had rehearsed those words countless times. “Orin is unreliable, and with Ketheric gone, she will want the stone for herself” He simply explained axiomatic. “She only cares for blood, and mine and yours are positively delectable right now.” There was the threat.  

Orin.  

He would betray her if he needed- and he hoped the merry troupe would agree. He was the better way anyway. Giving Orin all that power would have created devastation and unleashing the brain would waste all this gracious power he was about to grasp at. 

No one was fitter to sit ahead of Baldur's Gate like the adept of Bane. 

Nevertheless, Althaea didn't budge. If he wanted something he had to say it out loud, in front of everyone in the room. “I suppose you are right, but I still don’t see what you are trying to say” She huffed.  

“I can’t let that happen, I don’t want to destroy this city, I want to steer it to its glory." He trailed off with another of his sly smiles. “I have a proposition for you” He finally advanced, looking at Althaea first before addressing the rest of the party. 

“A divine oath, sworn and unbreakable. I shall do no harm to you, nor you to me." He propositioned. "You'll slay Oring and with all three of the Netherstones we’ll rule Faerun as kings.” He spelled each of his last words as if they were the best promise he had for them, a vision of success and glory that everyone would run for. “No more than kings- gods. We'll rule as the absolute.” He hyped himself with his own words, as the taste of power already floated in his reach for him to snatch. 

“The only absolute here is my no.” She said firmly trying to ignore the same feeling he had, the need for power. 

His eyes muted, as if he had a new challenge to accomplish, he had set his mind on. “Oh dear, I didn’t know I had to convince you.” He lowered his voice, while his eyes stared daring. “I shall do so once we are done with the ceremony then.” He dismissed them just as quickly as he had with Ketheric before he left him to his demise. 

The ceremony was painfully boring as all the honors had to be made, introducing the most relevant figures in the room and witnessing the tadpoled Duke proclaim Gortash archduke. Althaea could swear even her tadpole was squirming in boredom as the time went on, but there was something about Gortash as he politely entertained the crowd that made her cheeks grow warmer. He'd occasionally made sure to take glances her way, not even attempting to conceal them as the event formally came to an end and their debate resumed. 

It had been a long and extenuating conversation up to that moment, the more Althaea and Enver would bicker, the more the room would feel warm, and with Karlach's occasional comments, the tension was over the top. 

The two were figuratively at each other’s throat. It was a battle of wit, and whether Althaea would end up accepting it or not was up to Enver’s skills. 

She couldn’t deny the allure of the man, and she knew it was better to stay on his good side rather than his bad side. 

“This won’t end well, mark my words” Karlach remarked with a scoff while Enver had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. 

“I understand your concerns, my old friend, but allow me to demonstrate why you made the right choice.” He purred again, as if he had not tried to reason with them already. He couldn't help but notice Althaea's reaction, her frame shivering when he lowered his voice at last. “You should focus on finding the impostor in your camp” He dismissed Karlach with the useless information of the vanished druid as his eyes fell on Althaea again, already undressing her with his eyes. 

"Let me show you how you'll benefit from this deal" He stepped closer to Althaea, making sure his words were low enough to caress her skin only. 

She could even smell his thoughts as they floated in the room, between them, just like the polite dislike she felt towards him, inviting her brain to stir towards the thought of being bent over the throne, her legs spread for Gortash as he rolled his hips. 

If his point was to get her aroused, he was doing way too good for her wellbeing. 

“Let them out” Enver leaned forward and ordered with a whisper that was so rough she could have mistaken him for a rabid animal. A long shiver ran down her spine as she obliged.  

It took her a moment to convince them it was safe, that she was going to be okay, and he was not going to hurt her, his mind had said so, his body had said so, and she knew he had better intentions than murdering her right there, or so she hoped. 

“Where were we?” He asked, smiling as soon as everyone stepped out and the doors closed behind her. 

“The benefits from the deal.” She raises an inquisitive eyebrow at him, wondering where he was going with his words and his behavior. She could tell he had other plans that didn't involve much talking and she hated that she wanted to find out what those plans were. 

“Ah yes” He circled around her as if she was his prey and he was about to devour her, the tip of his gauntlet traced her jawline, gently tilting her head as if he wanted her to follow his gaze. “The benefits” He hummed as he was again in his original place. “Follow me, dear.” He offered his hand like a gentleman for her to take. “Let’s take a seat.”  

She was dizzy by his words as she accepted his hand and followed him promptly, still trying to keep her composure as they had to come to some sort of compromise. She had to keep up the polite mask, ask for the right things and leave. 

When they came close to the red lined throne, she was quick to catch up eased when Enver roughly gripped her hips and sat her in his lap, as if she was his pretty toy for everyone to see as he sat there regal.  

She tried to keep her composure even though she could feel her wetness starting to seep through her now soaked panties, not too far from Enver’s thigh. “So, the benefits?” She smiled expectantly as she tried to ignore the redness of her cheeks. 

“Well, let's start with a special seat for you, dear.” He purred as he hooked his arm under her legs to properly seat her in his lap, her legs dangling off one side of the golden throne, where she knew she could admire the hall in its whole beauty. She hummed as she didn't dare to look around yet. 

“Don’t you like the view?” He teased as he guided her head towards the entrance to the room, from where she could see every corner of the hall. He made a particular effort in being delicate as she manhandled her, making sure she couldn't miss a chair even if she tried to look away again. 

Earlier she didn't notice the tapestries hung on the high walls, setting the scene for the countless events that were held there. 

“It’s pretty, but it’s not enough” She shrugged faking disinterest. 

“Isn’t it?” He asked curiously as rested his gauntleted hand on her thigh deliberately. The cold gold almost stung against her warm skin as it inched way too close to her pussy. She had to focus on the deal and get out of there, she thought, she had to sort this out and leave. 

“How about this?” He purred as his index finger made its way towards her soaked underwear, running a finger over her clothed heat. He let out a rough hum as his fingertips drenched just as quickly as she refused again.  

“Not enough, sorry” She pushed her legs closed and tight, as the blush on her cheeks made her even more appealing at Enver's eyes. 

He didn't retreat as he brushed the tips of the gauntlet on her tight, still reminding her where she was sitting and how sensitive she was to his touch. “You don’t have to be afraid of me.” He whispered as he made sure his lips brushed against her ear. 

It didn't take much for her to smell the pungent scent of cheap cologne and sweat, quickly taking over all her senses. 

One arm of his quickly wrapped around her middle, supporting her back as his slender fingers quickly spread her legs and moved her underwear to the side before diving ring-deep into her folds.  

He let out a low, dark groan as her pussy clenched around his index finger the second it slid in. She was so wet for him, and he was so eager to see her crumble in his arms. The shallow whine she indulged in sounded like poetry to the man. 

His thumb took its time to find her clit, gently teasing her sensitive nub. His skilled movements were leaving her breathless as she had to keep herself from moaning his name out loud whenever the pad of his finger would bring her so close. 

“I suppose this is a good reason then?” He vexed her teasingly as he stopped on his tracks, waiting for her reply eagerly. 

She was leaning against him just enough so she wouldn't lose balance as she gasped. Her body was still taught as if on the verge of a cliff awaiting to be pushed off, yet she was kept there, tense. 

She shook her head no, the smallest hint of sanity left in her had pushed, reminding her that she couldn't give it all up for an orgasm, right? 

“Ah, pity” He huffed as he quickly slid out his fingers, uncaring if it would stimulate her too much, leaving her gasping and empty, though still in his lap. She almost begged him to not retreat, the newfound need was already enough in her eyes for him to grasp at as he tsked. 

"Need further reasons?" He asked wickedly as he undressed her with his eyes. He could already imagine how her shirt would tie nicely around her wrists as he pinned her down and he made sure she could feel his thought deep down her bones. 

His eyes wouldn’t leave hers for a second, whenever she tried to look away, he’d gently grasp at her chin and bring her attention to him again. She could feel her body heating ever more under his skillful touch as he couldn't help himself but to feel her again, basking in the moment he allowed another finger to enter her, and he stole a soft mewl from her lips. 

This time he was quick, hurried, abrupt as his fingers plunged and grasped at her breath, and just as quick he took his fingers away from her cunt, leaving her just at the cusp of her orgasm again. 

“Please-” She let out as she begged to come, she could feel her orgasm so close, yet so far, just a few pumps away, although those ended up being denied to her. 

“I apologize, I suppose that’s part of the deal, if you’ll accept of course” He whispered before he languidly brought his fingers in his mouth. He was so undeniably sexy, looking at her from under his dark lashes as he sucked her juices off his pads, the wet sound of his lips swallowing her was sending Althaea over the edge. “Ah how I wished you had agreed.” He sighed as he made sure he'd lick each finger clean. “I would have been delighted to taste this lovely juice directly from the source.” 

She swore her eyes rolled at the back of her head just at the thought of his tongue taking a fat lick down her pussy, drenching his stubble with her wetness, and the way he had been swirling it along his fingers looked like a promise she might have been desperate enough to accept. 

“Unless you need more, of course.” He noted sultry as he made no effort hiding what he was alluding to. 

She hesitated. She wanted to reason, to ask what the accord would have stipulated, yet all she could focus on was the ache between her thighs and the need to be filled before she’d miss the chance.  

She nodded as she gripped the edge of her skirt with a blush she couldn’t hide. He hummed satisfied as he quickly secured his arms around her, holstering her frail body and setting her down on the flush throne. 

Quickly and uncaring he tore her panties away from her skin, and spread her pretty legs, revealing her sopping pussy to him. 

He fell to his knees brazenly, bringing his face close to her heat, humming at the sight of her wetness dripping onto the chair.  

His hot breath hitting her naked and dripping core right before his plump lips met with her cunt in a lazy lick, collecting her arousal on his tongue. A filthy growl escaped his lips as he dived between her legs, dedicating his attention to her needy clit, having her whole body shake under his tongue as pleasure overtook her senses completely. 

No one ever remotely made her squirm with their tongue the way Enver was doing just about now as he traced figures eight on her swollen bud, her legs shaking as he guided them around his neck, resting them on his back and being totally engulfed face first in her pussy. 

His finger soon joined, swiftly plunging into her core with ease. It was like she was losing control of her own body as he pumped his digit in her, hitting right where she needed it as his tongue eagerly swirled and licked her like a hungry and desperate man sitting in front of his last meal, devouring and dipping in her folds like a madman. 

Althaea could barely keep her mouth shut as she wailed his name like a forbidden grace as a second finger slid in, his low moans reverberated through her as she sucked him in, clenching around his digits hungry for more, hungry for him. 

He licked her, kissed her, savored her, every centimeter of her throbbing warm pussy getting him high off her, the most euphoric he’s ever been.  

He pumped his fingers in her cunt insatiably as she could feel it build up, the familiar knot as her muscles tensed up, feeling the heat rise and her legs shake. Then when she finally could taste her orgasm on the tip of her tongue, he stopped again. 

He looked at her almost feigning innocence as he cleaned his drenched stubble with his fingertips. He popped each one his mouth again, before sitting up and leaning forward in front of her. 

She looked and felt so small under him as he towered menacingly above her, and even more when she noticed his erection aggressively pressing against his trousers. 

He couldn’t help but laugh at her wide eyes, stealing a scoff from her. She turned away, her cheeks already bright crimson from the heat coming from her own body, the embarrassment just doubled up on her.  

“ ‘suppose you like what you see?” He tantalized as he grasped at her chin, and harshly turned her head towards him. 

She nodded a bit dazed from the fast movement as she was still slouched on the throne, legs wide open for him; before they could both line more words, he was on her again. 

His lips trailed down her neck, peppering her skin with sloppy open-mouthed kisses as he mumbled praises against the hot flesh he was ready to devour. His body pressed heatedly against hers, his fingers hungrily digging in her skin as he earned a guttural moan from her. 

“Accept and all of this will be yours” He rasped as he pressed his clothed hard cock against her cunt, grinding just enough to tease her and ease a bit his erection. 

She knew what she was about to bargain with, yet her senses were taken over by her thirst, desperate for release. “Make me come and I’ll accept.” She purred as she bit her lip, almost drawing blood as eager as she was. 

He tilted his head, still holding tight to her chin as he considered her offer. “Don’t know” He shook his head, not breaking eye contact with her. Though she was completely disheveled- half naked and slouching, she still didn’t lose her confidence. He liked it, she was breathtaking. 

She was bold in her movements as he pushed away his hand from her chin and grabbed the collar of his button up. “Shut up and kiss me already.” She pulled him down as she sat up, making him space on the throne again and making sure she was straddling him comfortably. 

Her legs perfectly draped over his lap as she pressed her warmth against his cock. She relentlessly held to his collar as their lips collided in a rough kiss.  

His coarse lips felt scorching against her sweetness, taking over her senses with the aggressive and pungent taste of cheap wine and sweat. The second she tasted it, she knew she was not going to be able to give it up for anything. 

He didn't get undressed, nor did he undress her more than her panties that were already missing, he simply quickly untied his pants and freed his cock. He was strong and the way he was holding her and guiding her on top of his cock was proof of it- just making Althaea more eager to be filled. 

The cold of the golden gauntlet was just the tip of the iceberg as her body was so eager and close already. He had tortured enough, yet the way he pulled her up to have better access to her pussy, made her even hornier than before. 

He was quick in sinking into her cunt, loudly and rough as he manhandled her effortlessly. “So tight, doll” He grunted as he dug his fingers in her soft flesh, stealing a strangled moan from Althaea’s loose lips. 

She was lucky the chatter from outside was loud enough cause, if that was what he could coax out of her with one blunt thrust, she didn’t dare to imagine how she’d keep her lewd sounds unheard. 

She stretched so nicely around him as he filled her to the brim, he didn’t wait for her to adjust before he’d start moving.  

He did a good job hiding it until then, but he was dying to fuck her senseless. Looking at her tossing her head back and moaning his name sent a rush of adrenaline down his body to his cock as he mercilessly slammed into her. 

One hand quickly snuck under her shirt, sloppily grabbing her breast and teasing her nipple as he could feel her already inching closer to her first orgasm. 

The way she rode him drove him insane, unable to form sentences from time to time while the only thing he could do was use his hands to guide her, gripping her ass and helping her to keep some speed as she choked on her words.   

All that could be heard was the sound of ragged breath and skin slapping as she tried to meet his speed. He had her wrapped around his cock so consumed as his movements did nothing but make her mewl and sub for him.  

She didn’t have the power to question how he did it, but his hips met with her in such an electrifying way as he rolled deep in her.  

With one deep thrust he had her eyes rolled back as he rammed her and fucked her till exhaustion. 

“You’re mine” He rasped as the words mindlessly fell over his lips with a possessiveness neither expected. “You understand?” He demanded as he suddenly slowed down, his thrusts hitting deeper, till that sweet spot that made her toes curl and her stomach flutter. 

Y-Yes” She mewled as his nails once more found her hips, pulled her down and closer to him 

“Say it” He ordered as he deliberately let go of her hips, allowing gravity to harshly let her collide with him. “Who do you belong to?” He grabbed at her chin and guided her face towards his. 

Her eyes were dilated, her mouth slack as she fucked herself on his cock desperately. “Yours” She wailed as her hips twitched frantically.  

“Say my name, doll” He rasped as he could feel her cunt ready to milk him as he waited for her reply.  

“I-I” She moaned as she could feel her orgasm pull over her. “B-belong” His hands gripped at her hips again, helping her come as he met her movements. “E-enver” She croaked and sobbed as she could barely hold on to herself anymore, the pleasure rippled under her skin uncontrollably, like a tidal wave pulling her in and out as she gushed over his cock. 

His lips hungrily met with hers again as she sobbed a moan against them, his movements were sloppy just like his kiss as he let his own intense, reckless, arrogant orgasm was over him.  

He carelessly came into her cunt, enjoying the view of his cum filling her to the brim and spilling on her legs. His words were a faint buzzing as she could barely feel her spine and leaned against him, yet she didn’t care anymore. 

She had already fucked up when she accepted and there was no way back. 

No way back from being fucked silly on a throne. 

Just an handful of minutes later she was standing next to her companions, the closest she could get to presentable as his cum dribbled down her thighs as she sealed her deal with Enver, that smirked at her. 

“I, lord Enver Gortash, in the name of Bane, swear I shall do you no harm, and we will rise together over Toril as a roaring sun” He smiled boldly at her, as he offered her his hand, waiting just for her to take it. 

[trashcanfanfics]

Jason Todd is Video games by Lana Del Rey coded.

Please, Please I beg !!! Write a Jason x reader fanfic based on video games by Lana Del Rey.

Special the lyrics “he holds me in his big arms, Drunk and I am seeing stars”

PLEASE PLEASEEEE

-🦇

just listened to the song and I can see it, i think i missed the mark a little but i kinda like it

You watched Jason sit on the couch, playing some game you couldn't care about, sipping on a soda. He looked so focused but he glanced at you out of the corner of his eye and smiled. Your cheeks heated up at being caught. Jason looked back at the screen. He pat the space next to him, inviting you to sit next to him. You sat and leaned against him. He was playing some shooter game. Typical.

"You wanna go somewhere tonight?" He asked, not looking away from the game. You hummed in response. You couldn't imagine any other place other than right then and there. "There's a gala Bruce is going to. I've been invited." That made you blink.

"Thanks for asking me in advance." Your sarcasm didn't go unnoticed. He finished the round and looked at you. "So nice to have plenty of time to find something to wear and plan." He rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't planning on going really," he noticed your furrowed brows and lifted his hand to smooth them out, "I just thought of taking you if you wanted. We could go shopping. My treat." That made your stomach drop. Him spending money on you makes you feel weird.

"I don't know..." You looked down and then back to him. He looked relaxed, like your answer didn't matter to him. Or that he didn't care what you two did tonight, as long as it was the both of you. You sighed. "Okay." He smiled and stood up. You hoped you could find something that'd look okay.

~*~

The room was filled with dazzling people and you'd never felt more out of your element. Jason's arm was holding your own, it grounded you somewhat. He leaned in to whisper in your ear.

"You're doing great." He lead you over to Bruce. You'd never officially met, just heard things about him. You had mixed feelings about him based on Jason's stories. Jason introduced you and you shook Bruce's hand. He was with a woman who was easily the most beautiful woman you'd ever seen.

"This is Selena." Bruce gestured to the woman. Jason mentioned her too. She and Bruce had been dating for a while and she's been good for him. That's what Jason said, at least You smiled and shook her hand too. She smiled back and gave your hand a gentle squeeze.

"A pleasure." Your throat was dry and you looked from her to Bruce, who was assessing you. "I've heard a lot about you both." His smile widened, all politeness.

"I hope you won't hold it against me." He had practiced humor and polite laughter. You recognized the same way Jason smiled at someone he wasn't very acquainted with. Distant, but agreeable. Your smile hasn't left, perfectly in place as you gave your own small chuckle.

"Good things. Mostly." You were doing good in this interaction but you could feel yourself start to sweat under the scrutiny of Bruce Wayne. It felt like he could see everything about you. You wanted to find a less populated corner and breathe for the first time since you got here. As if he could sense it, Jason politely excused you both and lead you to the refreshment table.

"You alright?" You nodded then shook your head. "Do you want to leave?" You wondered why you even agreed to come. Jason said he wasn't planning on coming until he thought of being here with you. Maybe it was because he asked. You couldn't really refuse him if you wanted to.

"We've only been here half an hour." You looked down. "We haven't even seen all your family." He huffed a laugh, putting a hand on your shoulder. He leaned towards you, not close enough to kiss, but enough for your conversation to be private.

"The only person I needed to show face for was Bruce." He smiled at you and your heart fluttered. He was beautiful with that playful glint in his eye. You know you'd do anything for him. You'd give him your left arm on a silver platter if he wanted. "And I did already. He won't miss us." He winked at you and you felt your knees go weak.

"It seems like a waste of these new clothes to not use them." Your comment made him pause. He leaned closer, his smile glinted in the light. Your eyes were drawn to it, and, subsequently, his lips. You could tell he was thinking of something. "What's your plan?"

"Just to go home and bake cookies." He laughed slightly at your expression. "You could always wear those at another event." He shrugged and leaned away. You missed the closeness. Part of you wanted to pull him back and kiss him for real. You blinked and raised your eyebrow.

"Where would I even wear this?" You pinched the fabric at your collar only to let it go. He watched it fall back into place and raised his hand to smooth it down. Your breath hitched. He smirked.

"It might look better on the floor, really." His eyes shot back up to meet yours. "My floor, of course, but if you really want to undress here I won't say anything." You felt your face heat up and he laughed. You gently hit his chest.

"Shut up, oh my god." You laughed as he smirked again. He looked at you with a soft look in his eye. "Alright, lets go." With that he grabbed your hand and lead you out into the hallway and to the exit.

~*~

Your fancy clothes were off and you both were in sweats. The kitchen smelled like chocolate and fresh baked goods. One more batch in the oven to go. A soft song plays in the background as you and Jason sway to the music. You're in his arms and it feels like you're drunk on his affection. You look him in the eyes and lean in, he leans in too and your lips finally meet. Its soft and loving. He kisses you like you're the only thing he's ever needed. The kiss deepened and you pulled back for air, his lips following yours. He groaned at the loss. You smiled and gave him another kiss.

Everything you've ever done was for him. You hummed with the song and you both continued to sway. He held you tighter, inhaling your scent and giving your cheek another small, lingering kiss.

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Would it be okay to make requests for arranged!reader or you're burnt out with that verse? I miss that special type of angst that was in arranged verse ngl

Bruce watched from a distance and frowned slightly.

Harvey was a busy man. Presumably he had a LOT more to do than traipse after you while you planned a PR thing for him but here he was. Samplinng food you picked and pretending to be interested in flowers and entertainment. But it was clear, not matter how hard he tried to hide it, that what he was REALLY interested in was you.

He hovered near you. Hanging on your every word. Opening doors and pulling out chairs. A perfect gentleman. If you weren't married already, Bruce would have thought he'd be proposing any second.

And it made him want to punch the guy in the mouth.

Still. To your credit, you didn't seem to be... encouraging anything. Just being polite. You even seemed a little... baffled. It would have been funny if it didn't make him feel a little guilty. You were a beautiful woman. You should be used to this sort of attention.

Men behaving like idiots and fawning over you. Practically rolling over for belly rubs and begging for treats at your feet. Instead you'd been cloistered away and treated like a prize cow. And the man you'd been sold to had treated you like just another employee at best- and the only man you'd ever had sex with you'd done in a pitiful act of defiance because he (your own husband's masked alter ego) was the only person to make you feel remotely safe.

Of course, you knew things Dent didn't. Namely that your husband was Batman and that your Father and Falcone had informants everywhere. So. When you tripped over a carpet and stumbled and Dent steadied you, his hands lingering a little too long and his gaze lingering too long on your lips... your alarm was palpable, even from across the room.

"Y/N there you are," Bruce said, looking up from his phone as he strolled across the ballroom. "I was waiting in your studio forever-"

"Did we have-"

"We had a date," Bruce reminded, smiling indulgently, "you were going to show me what you've been up to with the Sisters and then we were going to get some dinner."

"Oh, shoot-" you huff, checking your watch, "I got involved and I lost track of time and-"

"It's alright sweetheart," he said, reclaiming you from Harvey and steadying you on your feet, "you didn't hurt yourself?"

"No harm done," you tell him, "Harvey kept me from becoming acquainted with the floor."

"Thank you," he said, tucking you against his side. Subtly reminding Harvey, and anyone else who might be watching that you were spoken for. That this was being done because Bruce ALLOWED it. NOT because you had designs on Harvey.

"It would be a shame if Y/N hurt herself after she did all this work for the benefit," Harvey said, face heating.

"I think," you cut in, cutting between the two men before they could start a full pissing match, "that we've done almost everything we can do for the day here."

"Oh?" Harvey said, "I thought,-"

"The string quartet is running behind and it looks like rain. I'd hate to have them set up just to get rained on," you fret. "I'll have my assistant meet with them tomorrow while I meet with the Auction house."

"Perfect," Bruce declared, kissing your head, "It's too late to see the sisters but just in time for our reservations. I'll get your coat. Then I want to show you the necklace I saw. I think you'll love it." And before Harvey can say more, Bruce lead you away. Making it clear that his wife was his wife and no one was going to be allowed to simply flirt with her.

[starwarsmum]

Day 6 sees a return of my very first AU! Alfred's Appreciation Party now has a chapter two: That's Mine

@maribat-calendar-events

Marinette collapsed onto her chaise longue and breathed a large sigh of relief. Her exams were finished and she had a glorious Christmas break to enjoy. She had completed all of her Christmas commissions and made all of the gifts for her friends and family.

“Girl, I hope you're ready to get your party on!” Alya called out, bursting into Marinette's room. When she didn't get a response, she dropped onto the end of the chaise longue. “Come on, Mari, everyone's going to this party and we deserve to let loose.”

“I just want to sleep,” she grumbled. She perked up when her phone lit up, a message from Damian coming through. Typing back enthusiastically, Marinette didn't notice Alya creeping up and reading her screen.

“Oh, is that your American beau?” The reporter asked, eyes glinting behind her glasses. “He's planning on visiting? That's perfect! When does he land?”

“He said he'll be ready to spend time with me tomorrow,” Marinette said with a warning in her voice. Alya harrumphed and pouted at the other girl. “Als, we've literally only seen each other in person one other time, don't you think it's important for us to get some time alone so that we can make sure we still mesh?”

“Fine, but if he's not getting here until tomorrow, that means you're free to come to the party tonight!” Alya looked far too pleased with herself and Marinette groaned goodnaturedly. “Girl, we are getting our best dance clothes out and giving all our friends heart attacks with how good we look.”

_ _ _

Damian threw his suitcase onto the bed of his hotel room and turned around to leave immediately. His room was part of a suite with three other bedrooms as Dick, Jason and Steph had all come along to Paris with him. 

“Where's the fire?” Steph said as she lounged on a sofa in the living area of the suite. “Don't you wanna relax a little before you see Marinette, tomorrow?”

“Tt, it is none of your business what I plan to do with my evening,” Damian retorted, checking his hair in a mirror and straightening his outfit. He had selected a dark green shirt and was wearing his most comfortable jeans. It was smart whilst not being too stiff and he was determined to make a proper acquaintance with Marinette's parents.

“Oh, I see, you've got a date and you don't want us to crash it? Too bad because, as the youngest son of a billionaire we have to be careful. Which means no solo excursions. So sad,” she said mockingly, stretching as she smirked at him. 

“I am an adult, I will not be treated like a child,” he sneered back at her, but was stopped from leaving by Dick, who frowned at him disappointedly. “Grayson, move aside so that I may exit the hotel.”

“Steph's got a point, baby bird. We're in a different country and you have a pretty famous face. If you really can't wait until tomorrow to see her, I'll walk you over to the bakery myself, okay?”

“Tt, I suppose you are the least offensive of my options,” Damian admitted begrudgingly. He probably would have argued further but it would delay his reunion with Marinette so he let it slide. 

By the time they reached the bakery, the evening had plunged into darkness. He knew that the Dupain-Chengs were staying open later in the days leading up to Christmas as it was one of their busiest times of year, so he merely entered and joined the queue of people.

“Hello, what can I get for you?” The woman, who had to be Marinette's mother, asked politely before looking up at him. But before he could respond, she gasped and a more genuine smile broke over her face. “Mon dieu, you are Damian, correct? Oh, Marinette is going to be beside herself when she finds out you have arrived early! Oh, but she's gone out this evening, I'm afraid!”

“I…had not anticipated her being busy,” Damian said, blushing lightly. He was even more embarrassed because Dick was still present, not wanting to leave until he was sure Damian was safely tucked away for the evening. “At what time are you expecting her return?”

“Oh, not until tomorrow at the earliest,” Sabine said, giving him an apologetic smile. “Her friend, Alya, insisted that they go to a party at a local under-eighteens club. It's very popular and goes quite late, so she planned to stay at Alya's place tonight.”

Damian thanked the woman for her time and ordered a dozen pastries at her recommendation. But he scowled the entire way back to the hotel and snarled at Steph when she made a cutting remark about being sent away so soon.

“His princess is in another castle, unfortunately,” Dick said sadly. He launched into a quick explanation of the situation and Damian did not like the look that passed between Steph and Jason.

“To the club!”

_ _ _

When Damian finally got past the ridiculous queue outside of the club he was assaulted by the noise and strobe lights. He could hardly step into the building for the writhing bodies, presumably dancing to said noise.

Given that Jason had forced his presence at the event, Damian allowed himself to be privately grateful that the large man helped to part the crowd. He scanned the outer edges of the room, looking for Marinette, but did not find her. 

It was Steph who found her, dancing with one of her friends. Damian was frozen when he caught sight of her; her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, the tip of which swayed hypnotically as she moved in time to the music. In the next moment he catalogued what she was wearing and felt heat blaze up his neck and across his face.

She was clearly dressed to move, a pair of simple black flats on her quick moving feet. His eyes swept slowly up from there, taking in her bare legs until the skirt of her dress obscured the view. The dress was both simple and flattering, a camisole bodice matched with a skirt that flared pleasingly. It was black but clearly had glitter imbued in the fabric somehow because it shimmered in the lights.

He could hear Jason and Steph laughing at him but he didn't care. She was a vision, and he had been fortunate that he had arrived early so that he could see her. When the song ended, she fanned her damp face and leaned in to tell her friend something, and then slipped away towards the bar.

People seemed to part for her, in spite of her slight build and Damian felt jealousy building at the heads that turned her way as she passed by. Squaring his shoulders, he began moving across the room, taking a more roundabout route so that she would not see him coming.

It took extra time, but he was gratified to see that she was facing away from him as he approached. His self congratulation was cut short when he saw a young man invading her personal space. He was leering down at her, and Damian held in a snarl as she folded her arms across herself in discomfort.

He didn't bother listening to whatever the cretin was saying, instead stalking up behind her and slamming a hand onto the bar and making them both jump. He snaked an arm around her waist and met the other man's glare with one of his own. He leaned in close to the intruder and growled in his Robin voice.

“That's mine,” he snarled, refusing to break eye contact until the man backed away and beat a hasty retreat. He watched to make sure he wouldn't have to deal with him again before turning his attention to the gorgeous creature in his arms. 

“Damian?” She squealed, turning to look up at him but not breaking his hold on her. He was pleased when she threw her arms around his neck and let her pull him down into a kiss. It was shorter than he would have liked but she pulled away with a huge grin. “You're here early! Oh my god, you have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

“It pales in comparison to my own joy,” he assured her, speaking the words in her ear for only her. She giggled before kissing him again, fingers threading into his hair and angling his head to deepen it.

They probably would have remained like that indefinitely if his annoying siblings hadn't felt the need to interrupt. The kiss broke when Jason cuffed him on the shoulder hard enough to knock him sideways, making an obnoxious comment about public indecency.

After that, Marinette was swept up in hugs from the others and Damian had to bite back the disappointment that they were not alone. Before too long, they were approached by several other people of around his age, all of whom apparently knew Marinette.

“Shall we get out of here?” Marinette shouted up to him, a smile on her face and a literal bounce in her step. He nodded, smiling back at her, and followed her toward the exit. His hand was clasped in her smaller one and he felt like it was the only thing that really mattered. 

Much to his annoyance, his family and a few others followed them out and began talking about getting something to eat. They ended up trekking to a 24-hour restaurant and getting two booth tables next to each other. Damian sat in a corner of a booth so that he was facing towards the other one, Marinette tucked into his side.

“I can't believe you got here early, you're so sneaky!” She giggled, playing with his hands. Had it been anyone else, he would have been annoyed by her constant movement and touching. But as it was Marinette he understood because he wanted to keep touching her to reassure himself that it was real. “How did you even find us?”

“Your mother let me know that you were out for the evening, but Todd and Brown are the ones who located the club she mentioned. I had hoped for a more private reunion, but it appears I was not destined to get my wishes.”

“Speaking of, it's nice to meet you, Mari’s boy,” the brunette with red hair tips and glasses said. “I'm Alya, this is Nino,” she jerked a thumb at the dark skinned boy sitting next to her, “Adrien,” the thumb moved to the blond sitting behind her, “that's Chloé,” she changed to a forefinger, pointing to the blonde seated next to the previous one, “and Kagami.”

The final girl with black hair cut in a severe bob dipped her chin at him before lacing her fingers with Chloé's. 

“I am Damian, this is my eldest brother, Richard, Stephanie, a family acquaintance and that behemoth is Jason, though you may call him whatever you choose. The more derogatory, the better to be frank,” he said pointing at the three in turn.

“Call me Dick! It's so nice to meet you all,” Dick chirped excitedly, grinning at the young adults around him. They all smiled at him, those sitting with him offering their hands to shake.

“So, Damian, what are your intentions with our Marinette?” Alya asked abruptly, making said girl splutter and blush, though Jason howled and slammed a hand down on the table. He and Dick were taking up an entire side of the other booth and Damian shot them a glare.

“Was it ambiguous? I intend to date her,” he said flatly, ignoring Steph who cooed at them. Marinette shot him a pleased grin, however, so he relaxed slightly.

“Isn't that going to be kind of tricky, what with you living in America?” Alya shot back, eyes narrowing. “She deserves better than someone wishy washy, or someone who isn't serious about a relationship.”

“Alya,” Marinette hissed, dropping Damian's hand and leaning forward to glare at the young woman. “Please don't embarrass me and Damian in front of his family.”

“It's not embarrassing, Marinette,” Alya said sassily, rolling her eyes. “If he's serious about dating you, I'm sure he won't mind a few questions.”

Jason snorted and Dick smacked him, not wanting Damian's temper to explode. But Damian understood Alya's desire to only have the best for Marinette, and sought to soothe her concerns.

“I would not have come to Paris if I were not serious in my pursuit. Marinette is a wonder, and I do not intend for the distance to prevent my courting of her,” he stated, resting his hand on her hip and squeezing.

An awed silence followed this statement and it looked like Dick had to physically restrain Jason from applauding.

“Perhaps someone can explain to me why you look familiar, Damian,” Kagami said at last, turning in her seat to scrutinise him. “I feel as though we have been acquainted previously, but cannot place why.”

“Tt, it will be because we have competed in international tournaments prior to this,” Damian clipped out, eyes shifting away.

“Ah, of course, three years ago, number fourteen, Damian Wayne of Gotham. You were a worthy opponent and I would not mind testing my blade against you once more, but you have not participated in international competitions in some time.”

“Hold on, did you say Wayne, Gami?” Chloé tried to keep her voice level before turning in her seat to stare at Damian. “I don't know whether I should be offended that you're not using Le Grand Paris during your visit.”

“Oh, we are, we're just using Steph's name so that we can relax more,” Dick said cheerily. “We always do it when we're not traveling for business, it makes things a lot easier if the press doesn't catch wind.”

“Want to fill the rest of us in, Chlo?” Alya said drily, eyeing the visitors with interest. “I'm guessing you're famous in Gotham, but why would Chloé take it personally that you weren't staying at the hotel?”

Adrien gave Marinette an apologetic look before speaking. “Not just Gotham, Alya. You're looking at some of the children of Bruce Wayne, billionaire and co-CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Honestly, I should have recognised them too, Felix has had enough meetings with their other CEO that I should've recognised Dick at least.”

“You collected another rich kid, that's so funny, dudette,” Nino chortled, tapping his fingers on the table. “What is it about you that rich people find so fascinating, and can it be copied? I wouldn't mind being surrounded.”

“What, I'm not enough for you, bro?” Adrien said, sounding hurt. 

“Dude, my guy, you are the best friend ever and I wouldn't trade you, but there's a difference between having one very good friend that has money and becoming family to a rockstar, the romantic interest of at least three nepo-babies and managing to find one of the meanest people in the world and turning him into putty,” Nino deadpanned, looking at Marinette with a mix of exasperation and fondness.

“Damian's not mean,” Marinette said immediately and with no small amount of hurt in her voice. Jason barked out a laugh and Marinette turned her disappointed eyes on him. “That's not very nice, Jason! Damian is wonderful, creative and thoughtful, and nothing you say will convince me otherwise.”

“Oh jeez, is this how you felt when I called you a ‘very good friend’, Mari? I'm so sorry,” Adrien said jokingly. “I thought we were besties, Nino? Do I really mean so little to you?”

“Why would he apologise for calling you a good friend?” Damian asked, eyes narrowing at the blond. Marinette slumped in her seat, face buried in her hands as Alya and Chloé began to giggle.

“It isn't important anymore,” she groaned, blushing to the roots of her hair. Damian raised an eyebrow at those around him, torn between pressing the matter to satisfy his curiosity and giving her the privacy she obviously wanted. 

“He'll find out eventually, girl,” Alya said between giggles. When Marinette merely groaned again, she seemed to take that as permission to proceed. “I'm going to preface this by saying that they are, in fact, only good friends now, but Mari used to have a crazy crush on Adrien here. And Captain Oblivious here had no idea, went around telling everyone what amazing friends they were.”

“Ah, unrequited love,” Jason said dramatically. “The heart was made to be broken, as they say. I'd like to say you found a good one eventually, but since you're dating Demon Spawn…”

“Oh, it wasn't unrequited,” Chloé said airily. “Adrien was just dense in the extreme. You should have seen the party these idiots threw when they started dating. It was ridiculous.”

“Utterly ridiculous,” every other Parisian chorused before bursting out in laughter. The Gothamites merely looked at each other confused until Chloé stomped a foot and muttered darkly. 

“Now that you've thoroughly embarrassed me and dragged out my dating history, can we move on?” Marinette complained, avoiding looking at Damian.

“Hun, we've barely touched on your twisted dating history,” Alya said, making the Gothamites look at her questioningly. “Luka Couffaine, anyone?”

“Why is that name familiar?” Steph asked, trading puzzled looks with Dick. 

“He's an up and coming guitarist,” Marinette said, although she was blushing again. After a moment, Jason gasped and pointed at her accusingly.

“Luka Couffaine as in headlined with Jagged Stone earlier this year, Luka Couffaine? His son, Luka?” Jason was looking at her like she was insane. “You dated Jagged Stone's son, presumably dumped him, and he still treats you like a niece?”

“Why would Jagged treat her like a niece?” Adrien asked in bewilderment, and Marinette made a panicked face at Jason while making cutting motions across her neck. “She's not even all that close with Luka anymore.”

“Because she designs for him?” Dick said, completely oblivious to the very obvious ‘shut up’ cues Marinette was giving the group. 

The group went silent for all of a minute before Adrien whispered, “Marinette Dupain-Cheng…MDC…” and the tables erupted in shouting and expletives. Chloé was the one who finally got them to shut up.

“Oh my god, I can't believe that our good friend Marinette, the fashion designer, who won a Gabriel competition, was offered an internship with my mother, and designed for Jagged Stone the first time she met him, turned out to be his secretive fashion designer. Using her own initials as a pseudonym. Truly, she is a master of stealth.

“Can we talk about the actual surprising revelation that Damian Wayne, Gotham's Ice Prince and the latest rich sap to fall to Marinette's charm, did a dance video to the goddamn bread song?” Chloé demanded.

“Wait, you've seen the video?” Dick asked in a wounded voice. “Lil D, Mari's friends have seen it, why won't you let us?”

“Sending the video to Marinette was an unavoidable risk and I had no control over who she showed it to,” Damian said severely. “The only outcome of you viewing the video is mockery and I will not subject myself to that needlessly.”

“Damian, the video is adorable, how could anyone mock you for it?” Marinette chided, intertwining her fingers with his. He harrumphed and lifted their hands to kiss the back of hers. “But as long as you don't want them to see it, they won't get it from me.”

Damian smiled at her and ignored his family's protests.

[christopherisfoive]

Echoes

A/N: This is something that I would imagine to be a part of a bigger series but then again I struggle to write long term stories lol. Maybe at some point. Really just a snippet to get the gears going lol.

(Bang Chan x reader)

I never thought something I looked forward to would become so bitter. No room left for a sweet feeling any longer. Standing here off to the side with my group on stage waiting for final announcements to be made so that we can escape this awkward tension. I look toward Lea one of my favorite people in the world and her eyes meet mine. She reaches down and grabs my hand in hers. Both of us taking in big deep breaths.

"Well, I'm glad that we showed up late to avoid the mingling before the show." I sighed as she spoke. Usually we would be the first ones here jumping at all opportunities to catch up with everyone. Especially them. "Even if we were here before, we would still be completely ignored," Kat mumbled next to us. She looked over giving me a small smile, letting me know she was on my side.

All of this was my fault. Every hard stare. Every throat cleared in passing. Although was it? I was involved sure, with the rumors, that are undeniably false, in my eyes at least. It ruined my chances at a lot of opportunities and relationships. Staring to my left across the stage he stands there with the boys. Bang Chan, leader of Stray Kids. I make it sound a little silly but he is a very important person. To everyone and to me.

My mind goes back to the beginning of all of this. I had met this trainee over at SM named Donghae. He was very sweet and polite while making conversation, introducing himself to me. I would speak to him every now and then at events in passing.

I always saw him as a great acquaintance that I got to know. I would have never said we were anything more than friends and not even very close. "Donghae how are you doing today?" He smiled at me and clasped his hands together. "Much better now that we've gotten to speak." A nice warm and innocent smile that I had grown to really appreciate. Things did change after that.

At one of the award events Donghae came up to me and pulled me aside away from the girls. "Where did Y/N go? We have to go find our seats."

I followed him to the back of the room, not expecting a change of events that would affect my career for time to come. I remember the loud speakers and the chatter of people surrounding us. The nerves on his face and some sweat beading from the top of his forehead. I had a small smile on my face as he spoke.

Then I felt it slowly falter.

"Donghae, I-" I didn't know what to say. More like I knew what it was but I just didn't want to. Only because I knew that it would be what he didn't want to hear. I also heard something that I did not want to, so would it make it even? That is surely a silly way to think right? Thinking. I feel like I have been thinking for an eternity and he is standing right in front of me.

I played with my fingers, trying to not meet his eyes. I looked around for an escape but I didn't have one.

I coughed a bit hoping to get the words out. "That is very sweet of you Donghae but I just..." I closed my eyes and bit my lip. His eyes sparkled a bit and then they became dim in seconds. He knew. "I am sorry but I am not interested, I am really trying to focus on the group. I really want to put my all into this you know?" He looked down kicking his feet a bit. "It's fine Y/N, I understand. Sorry about that.

"Oh no you don't have to-" He walked away not waiting for another response.

I felt a small nudge to my back. I blinked a couple times remembering that I was standing on stage with a tons of our peers. I followed behind Lea walking towards the front of the stage to descend the steps as everyone began to leave.

As I was about to step down I made a sudden stop and almost tripped over myself. Bang Chan next to me and the rest of stray kids behind him. "Be careful guys we wouldn't want to get on her bad side." He smirked and proceeded to walk on off the stage. His lost boys following behind him. The last of them, Felix, gave me a sincere look of concern.

I sighed and walked down to the girls. "What an ass."

"Yeah its a good thing you never got involved with him." I force a laugh looking around again. He still thinks ill of me because of what I did. They all do. Lea noticed me becoming more aloof and linked her arm with mine. "You know he doesn't know the whole story right? It would take a village to get all of these people to understand. Why try?"

I would try in hopes of clearing my name. These people's opinions were important to me for some reason. Was it so wrong that I wanted their attention? I wanted his attention?

[captainshurley]

Baby I'm not alright, but I'm okay (Part 2)

Cash Wheeler x f reader

Previous chapter

"Her name is y/n" he said with a sigh. "Don't make me regret it." - said David.

"I'll try," Dan thought to himself, and went back into the house, where it was already getting hot.

As the times went by people began to slowly leave the hospitable Harwood house.

During the evening y/n had time to meet a few new people. One of them introduced himself to her as Phillip. Most of their conversation, if you could call it that, was about himself and what he thought was right. Generally, the girl doesn't mind that sort of thing, but this particular guy crossed the line between interesting storytelling and nerdiness. Most of the time y/n just made a very interested look and nodded in the right places. He didn't seem to need anything else. He talked and talked and talked. He couldn't stop. At one point, it even felt like he hadn't been able to express what he was thinking to anyone for a long time and so he was saying all this y/n. From time to time, he touched either the girl's shoulder or her arm, but her body's reaction was scalding and very unpleasant goosebumps running from the point of touch all over her body. Phill, he himself had asked to be addressed that way, didn't seem to notice it, or didn't want to notice it.

As for y/n herself, she reasoned that it was better to have this kind of company than to stand around the bar all night alone or annoying her best friend. Occasionally she felt someone's eyes on her, but looking around she couldn't find who was looking at her. Scanning the crowd over Phillip's shoulder to amuse herself in some way, y/n saw the familiar profile of a good-looking guy she'd met just inside the doorway of the house.

To be honest, this guy was totally not her type. He seemed to be too easygoing, flirted a lot with different girls, was often the center of attention. Basically, doing all sorts of things that y/n herself would never do.

"What do you think?" for the first time that evening, Phillip asked the girl's opinion on something.

Y/n was a little confused, because while she was looking at the guy in the center of circle of girls, she had completely stopped listening to what Phill was saying.

What saved y/n from an uncomfortable situation was the phone vibrating in her pocket. The screen lit up with "Captain Kirby".

"Sorry, I have a work call. It was nice chatting" apologized the girl with a polite smile and walked through the people to the exit to the backyard.

"Yes, Captain, I got it. I'll be there. Have a good night" the girl closed her eyes, pressed the end call button and tucked her phone back into her pocket.

"Nuisance call?"

A male voice from behind made y/n jump. She hadn't heard the door to the backyard open or the footsteps behind her.

"Just a work call. Boss called to give an assignment for tomorrow" she turned to face the man who came out and smiled friendly "I'm y/n, by the way. We met when you were out on the street."

"Daniel. Nice to meet you. Saw you bored at the bar until Phill kept you company."

"Yeah... Kind of... And no, I wasn't bored, I just prefer to keep people entertained and I hardly know anyone here except the owners or Phillip" the girl tried to justify herself.

"Well, now you know me too.  And I'd love to keep you company, so you don't get bored." Daniel did his best to be charming and make the girl feel comfortable.

"Oh, don't be, I'll be leaving soon. Got some work tomorrow" tried to refuse the man y/n as gently as possible.

"By the way, what’s your job and how do you know the hosts?" decided Wheeler inquired. David had mentioned that she was Maria's best friend and a friend of Harwood himself, but Wheeler hadn't met her before. Not at parties or at the shows Harwood sometimes invited his friends to. Or he hadn't noticed.

"I work as a police patrolman. David is an acquaintance of my brother's, and we met a long time ago when I stopped by my brother's house. With Maria, we hit it off quickly and got along. What about you? Are you a friend of David's? I thought he mentioned a friend of his named Dan. Wait a minute... That's your portrait on the wooden artwork on the wall next to the bar. You must be that 'friend from work'."

Dan grinned "Yes, I guess it's me. I hope David only said nice things about me." Wheeler rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Y/n for some reason made him a little nervous and feel less confident. He definitely likes her. Quite beautiful in appearance, but also very modest and closed off for some reason. Harwood had mentioned earlier that she'd had a rough time lately and maybe that had affected her, Daniel supposed. "You look beautiful, by the way."

The compliment made the girl's face redden, "Thanks. Yeah, sure, just the good stuff. Blood brother and that kind of thing.” She fell silent and hesitated a little “I'm sorry, but I really have to go. Maybe I'll see you somewhere else, Daniel. Have a good night" began the y/n already saying goodbye.

"Wait, give me your phone number? I'll text you tomorrow and maybe we can go out" tried Wheeler and already pulled out his phone, because usually girls gave him their number without much thought.

"Sorry, but no. I have a lot of work and not much free time" again, not for the first time during the evening, y/n felt ashamed for refusing someone, but that's how he thought it would be better, well, or at least at least honest enough. Not to give false hope.

She smiled sweetly at the man one last time and turned around to leave.

Wheeler was amazed at how quickly their conversation ended. Almost every time he left a party either with a girl, or at least a dozen new numbers in his phone of girls who were always willing to keep him company. But not this time. Yes, he had a few phone numbers added to his phone this evening, but this kind of rejection crossed everything. Still in mild surprise, he slowly put the phone in his jeans pocket and hummed. "Looks like an interesting quest. And I'm going to go on it" he thought and went back to the party. He couldn't remember the rest of the evening the next day.

As y/n drove home, the moments of the past party were replaying in her head. And often, it was the last conversation that replayed in her head. In person, Daniel seemed a little different to her, not like he was around the other people at the party. Yes, he was still trying to flirt with her, but he wasn't being too forward. And, unlike Phillip, he wasn't trying to convince her of anything or talk only about himself. I wondered when the real Daniel had been.

Y/n pulled her phone out of her pocket and decided to google her friend. She doesn’t know his last name, but she knew he worked with David, so it was through him that she had to search.

"Cash Wheeler, hah. Current IWGP, AAA and ROH Tag Team Champion alongside with Dax Harwood. Interesting" she thought. There were quite a few pictures on Wheeler's Instagram with blood, lot of photos from backstage, with David, and many other people. A couple of times there were even photos with Phillip with some strange caption under it. Wheeler was smiling in many of them, but he looked rather arrogant. There were also some photos with people she was once shown by her older brother, who was a big fan of wrestling, including Japanese wrestling. Last year, Daniel even posted a picture of him apparently messing up a football field in Jacksonville, Florida with friends. On Twitter, Wheeler was constantly getting into conflicts with fans. Y/n snorted unhappily at what she saw in front of her. Arrogant, testy, scandalous and clearly loves to grab the attention of the people around him. Gross.

She had read a couple articles and she thought Daniel was a much more interesting and more serious person than he showed himself to others. But maybe he's trying to create a nicer public image of himself this way. Y/n had no way of knowing when Daniel was showing his true colors.

Next chapter

[sketchfanda]

A Little Moxxie Love:Stella's Hubris

Now call her a shallow, sadistic, vapid self absorbed harpy bitch (which she certainly was but few if any would have either the spine or the balls to say that to her face) but if Stella was chocolate, she'd certainly eat herself. Case being the absolute sadist glee and pride she felt in this little master plan of hers, as she sat lounging in the room of the hotel she'd booked tonight for herself and a very special guest. One she would very much take satisfaction and sheer glee in dominating and destroying. Dare she think, she might've been actually getting aroused (not horny, that's the commoner way).

Now why you might be wondering, well I'll try and keep this short, plenty of you are more than familiar and acquainted enough with the ongoing soap opera strife involving Stella, her husband and said husband's Imp boytoy. Suffice to say, and this is an understatement, she was pissed, not to mention sick and tired of the fact that the damn owl, if he had to go cheat, had to do it with an imp of all hell's natives!! Now sure she could just divorce his ass or hell just have him killed but then she had a stroke of genius, so she thought. She'd get payback by finding and banging some Imp's little brains out, thus ensuring the best lay of his measly little life and of course proving herself the more desirable Goetian.

Hey don't look at me like that, you expect me to make any sense of this swan's logic? It made about as much sense as the fact that for some reason their parents thought it'd be a good idea to arrange a marriage between the 2 despite the fact it clearly wasn't working out and that Stolas maybe might have been a closet case? But the point is she that she had gone and made these arrangements to have some imp brought to her at this little secret exclusive hotel for a night of passion. Which she was going to have filmed and photographed for her personal pleasure of course.

Hearing the sounds of the door opening, footsteps and a muffled voice, the fowl woman (pun intended) grinned as she got up from her lounging, looking herself in the mirror with a little narcissistic affection and admiration at the lingerie she got for this occasion. Just because she was going to bang some rando imp didn't mean she couldn't look fabulous after all, stepping into the boudoir as she beheld her lucky prey. Tied up with a burlap sack over his head as she pulled it off revealing it to be Moxxie of all people. Now I know what you're thinking but doubtful she even cared to know which imp Stolas was seeing so it was purely coincidence she got Moxxie snagged because that's how his luck is going here.

The gagged imp was clearly none too pleased, his muffled ranting pausing soon as he laid eyes on her. Going stiff as a board as he began to put the mental gymnastics together as to who she was but not so much the why he was here. Not helping the fact that for as much of an evil bitch energy she was giving off, Stella still did radiate quite a sexual charisma which wasn't helped by the ensemble she was wearing that just screamed made to get a dick hard. Or the rather sadistic twinkling gleam in her eyes as she sensually laughed at his reaction, leaning in close to caress one talon under his chin.

Stella:"Well I do have to rather admit, far as imps go? You're certainly not too hard on the eyes, rather dashing and handsome in way, cute even. Consider yourself a very lucky and blessed little one then because tonight, you have the luxury of sharing my sexual company this evening. We are going, and honestly, why play it polite, fuck and it's going to be fun....for me, I assure you."*The demon swan bitch queen all but reassured her captive beau for the evening, making it clear to him what her intentions were. Undoing her outfit enough to expose some of the more intimate, down right naughty sexy portions of her body before him. Taking delight in his reaction especially when she could the distinct bulge forming in the crotch of his pants. The mere idea she was enticing enough to coax Moxxie into getting an erection a very fine boost to her ego, as well as fuel to her own libido of course.*

With that said of course, the Goetian deviant woman decided she'd had done enough stalling and set to sate her carnal appetite, a nice cold dish of sweet revenge in the form of fucking her own imp boi toy. Running her talon down along to undo his bowtie and unbutton his shirt, licking her beak at the sight of quite a nice body for such a runty imp before she came to stop at the fly of his pants. Undoing it as she knelt down to have herself a better look see at the toy she would be playing with before she found herself getting quite a shock. Eyes shocked wide, beaked mouth agape as before it sprung out and stood quite the impressive length and girth she'd ever witnessed given whaetever prior sexual experience she had before and during her marriage to Stolas.

Stella:"W-well....certainly not a runt where it counts hmm?"*Trying and failing to sound nonchalant and unimpressed and really how could she? Thinking what the absolute fuck, was it possible for any imp to be so big or was Moxxie just some sort of mutant?!!*"W-well let's see if you're experienced enough with it to please someone like me, little man...."*Her bravado clear as day as she nervously grasped and stroked his shaft in her hand, feeling it twitch and pulse with every massage of her feathery palm and fingers. Uusing her free hand to undo the binds and restaints on Moxxie, after all it wouldn't do to not least let her gentleman for the night please her to the best of his abilities if he was tied up.*

If her hubris hadn't already been coming to bite her in her feathered and sexy avian ass, the moment she'd let him loose was pretty much it. She wasn't sure how or why it'd managed to come to play out like this but Moxxie was pretty much dominating her and she found herself loving it. Her brain and body alike becoming hit and overwhelmed with such unreal sensations of mind numbing sexual pleasrure she never thought imaginable and yet she was feeling it. Gripping and biting the sheets for her infernal life as the imp had her currently her pinned down, taking her from behind in the prone bone position.

Their bodies naked and contrasting one another as the imp's crimson red compact form flexed its quite surprisingly built muscles, his pelvis a blur as he thrust and pumped his cock away into the sloppy wet pussy of the snow white swan noblewoman like a jackhammer. His massive golfball sized nutsack smacking her clit as the bed creaked and shook from the intense force of his rutting as Stella could only make what could be described as some bizarre blend of the cries of birds in mating mixed with a porn star as she got railed by a well endowed co-star. The vindictive spiteful bird losing all sense of pride and arrogance, even forgetting what reasons she had for arranging this liaison or the fact she knows she shouldn't be enjoying this. To think a mere imp could give her so much pleasure, someone of her stature and pedigree in high society and what's more, she was loving each and every single damn second of it.

To think her parents could've gone and maybe gotten her this, this absolute unit stallion of an imp as her persona pleasure butler or something instead of marrying her off to a closet case!! She could've been getting laid around the clock and forgotten all about that nonsense about image, class and sophistication!! Fuck it she would gladly forgo trying to get all of Stolas' assets and fortune just to be a sex slave for this stud!! Wait was she really thinking that?

Of course she damn well was as she cried and howled for Moxxie to not stop, to use her as he saw fit and reduce her to his personal sexual plaything!! Make her his pretty little erotic songbird as he continued to fuck her relentlessly, no doubt the imp hitman was driven to try and meet whatever high standards the Goetian woman had unaware that he'd pretty much exceeded them the moment he penetrated her and took control. Her cries of calling him master and daddy in between her whorish, wanton moans as he put her body through a variety of positions she'd likely never experienced past the vanilla basics or whatever sort of sexual education her parents had provided her. Which knowing some nobles was basic as fuck which was pretty ironic given the rumours some extremely rich types were said to get up to behind closed doors according to movies like eyes wide shut but hey Stanley Kubrick was a weird fuck like that.

The Swan demon woman had especially found she rather relished the sort of positions that made her feel degraded, the sort fitting for the bitch in heat that she had been reduced to such as the mating press or doggy style. Even during the shifts where she was on top, such as cowgirl, she felt more like she was simply showing off for her new imp Daddy as she posed erotically for him and flashed her sensual assets before him. Making it known to him that he had her absolute devotion and belonged to him, mind body and soul as the pair went at it with their scandalous rur long into the night. By sunrise Moxxie had made his leave, the lady killing charmer limping slightly, exhuasted yet proud at the job well done at an unexpected mission being accomplished while Stella liad in the remains the demolished bed, smiling in a sexual coma made possible only by such an alpha male.

Some days after this secret liaison, Stolas was pleasantly surprised to find Stella had mailed him the divorce papers with her signature, much to the confusion of him and his brother in law as she didn't even include any terms granting her the majority of assets per the prenup agreement in their marriage. Just 5050 with equal custody shared between them in regards to visitation and parental supervision of Octavia and that was that. Millie meanwhile was quite surprised herself when she answered a knock on her door to find the swan herself on the other side with suitcases in hand. Of course one explanation later of course and the kinky shortstack wife of Moxxie knew her man's natural sexual charisma went and worked its magic once more.

[larissa-the-scribe]

Terrarium Lights 3.4

Previously on Terrarium Lights: Gail got plot-twisted and now she's trying to do something to help about it. (Next part >>here)

Most of the other customers had already moved on, so the café was largely empty by the time Gail made it in.

Mrs. Mary Seward saw her as she came in, and waved at her.

They knew each other due to the annual festival held at the lighthouse, and because the Sewards had recently started attending Gail's church—though perhaps it was better to say that they were familiar with each other rather than knew each other. They had talked some, and were vaguely filled in on each others' circumstances, but they were little more than pleasant acquaintances who got along well at after-church lunches.

As such, Gail was both surprised and unsurprised that Mrs. Seward came out to serve her personally, instead of the worker that… did not seem to be there at the moment, actually. Odd. They typically made a point to employ some of the youngsters from the surrounding area.

"How are you doing, Mrs. Goffrey?" she said cordially, pulling a pad of paper out of the front of her apron and smiling pleasantly.

"The good Lord made the sun," Gail replied, sitting down at a hopefully private table further in the corner, "and it's shining as it ought. So I reckon I'm doing well. How about yourself?"

"Busy," Mrs. Seward laughed. "We've had to cut down on some of the days we have extra hands about the place, so it's a bit heavier on us. But business is good. Speaking of which, anything I can get you?"

"One coffee, please," Gail said, "black, no sugar. And if you have any fruit pastries, I think that would go with it well."

"Coming right up," Mrs. Seward confirmed, jotting down things on her pad. She whisked herself away to the kitchen, and left Gail to wonder how on Earth she was going to be able to learn what she needed to. Over-thinking was something she took pains to avoid, but at this precise moment it looked more like she hadn’t done any thinking at all. Another prayer, it seemed, would be in order.

Beside her, she noticed that Samuel had made his appearance, materializing through the doorway as if he had just walked in. He waved at her tentatively, then stuck his hands in his pockets.

Gail nodded at one of the other seats at her (admittedly) small table. Inwardly, she wondered how well she'd manage to deal with a sensitive conversation to someone she didn’t know very well, plus an involved spectator that only she could, but well, it would be rude not to invite him. Besides, it would rather cut down on time (and an elaborate game of mailcarrier) if he could just hear what was going on, himself, and not rely on her second-hand summaries.

He hovered near the table but didn't take a seat.

The last customer (presumably belonging to the one remaining gearmount out front) carried their cup and plate to the kitchen counter, and left with a merry jingling of the café bell.

It wasn't long before Mrs. Seward returned with one of her fruit dumplings and a cup of steaming coffee.

"There you go," she said, sliding the plate onto the table. "Made fresh this afternoon."

"Thank you, Mrs. Seward," Gail replied. The smell of warm dough and fruit—mango, she'd guess—mingling with the strong, bitter smell of the coffee struck her stomach with the force of realization: she hadn't brought any extra food, and she was hungry after having walked this far. "It looks delicious."

Mrs. Seward smiled politely. "Thank you."

Gail patted the table, indicating the seat across from her. "Sit, get off your feet a bit. There aren't any other customers here, and if any new ones come in, you'll see them fine."

Mrs. Seward hesitated.

"How about this," Gail said, "I order one more of the dumplings, and you get a snack out of it, too."

Mrs. Seward coughed a surprised laugh. "I couldn't take your money for food for me to eat in my own café."

"Nonsense," Gail retorted. "I couldn't ask you to sit and share your valuable time with me and not reimburse you fairly. We don't get time to talk often, and I haven't had much opportunity for socialization or chatting with Michael gone."

"Well…" Mrs. Seward sighed. "I suppose that's true. And if I need to get up and working, I'll be able to get back on my feet right quick."

"Of course. I wouldn’t dream of keeping you longer that you’d want."

Mrs. Seward’s smile felt less polite and more genuine. "I'll be just a second."

Gail exerted a great deal of self-control and did not scarf down the entirety of the (thankfully large) dumpling before Mrs. Seward got back.

"Ahhhh." Mrs. Seward sank down into the seat opposite, thin cheeks flushed from the warmth of the ovens in the kitchen. "I will admit, sitting down does feel nice."

"You seem to be quite hard at work," Gail agreed. "Why are the part-timers off-duty?"

"We're needing to save a bit more money just now," Mrs. Seward said, slicing into the dumpling neatly.

Gail was already several forkfulls ahead of her. "Oh? Is the lighthouse not doing so well? Repairs of some kind?"

"No, all of that's going well," she said. Now that she was sitting down and eating, her early reticence had dissipated. "Something else happened that is quite a miracle, so I'm very grateful for it, though at this exact moment it's a bit difficult."

"Oh?"

"Well, it's all a bit strange, but a close friend of my son's showed up again after having gone missing for six years, and we've been needing to pay the doctor to be here regular, since he hasn't woken up for the past three or so weeks."

Gail nearly spat out her coffee. Apparently, she had not needed to be concerned about information.

It, belatedly, occurred to Gail that if something big and surprising had happened—such as a young man appearing at the lighthouse one day—she would likely have had more trouble avoiding the topic than not. She bit down onto her fork with enthusiasm and general gratitude.

Wait.

"Your son?"

"You’re familiar with the annual remembrance festival, right?" Mrs. Seward replied, giving her a quizzical look.

"Well, yes," Gail replied. "We've only been attending since a few years ago, but yes. A festival of remembrance for those lost at sea, and for those brought home again, right?"

Mrs. Seward chuckled a bit, taking a delicate bite of her neatly sliced up dumpling. "Well, it actually isn't specified where they were lost. Your son was lost at sea, though, wasn't he?"

"Aye. David."

"We lost our son six years ago, but it was under unknown circumstances. The next year we wanted to give something back to the community that helped us through such a difficult time, so, in honor of him and those around us who we knew who had also suffered losses, we started the festival of remembrance."

"O-oh." Gail found she didn't have much of an answer.

"But, well, we still haven't found our son. We may never." She pushed her fork slowly into the dumpling, contemplating it. "But, again, we never thought we'd find his friend again, either, so there may be hope yet."

Previous

Next

[theskee]

I don't really do politics on my blog or social media, for a lot of reasons. This is the the space I carve out for myself where I take a breather because myself, my friends, and my partners are all very politically active. But I woke up this morning and just. There's something incredibly nauseating about all of this. Of feeling like there was no good choice. Of feeling in my gut, that this is precisely what was going to happen. In my adult life, as I've become more and more leftist, I have believed that no matter who is in power, that we have a responsibility to be critical of those people, the system, their decisions, and to do whatever we can to push those people and that system to work for the world around us as best we can. Through local action. Through protest. Through whatever means are available to us. And that part of that is voting for the conditions we want to do that work under. Yesterday evening before I went to the polls I stopped in a vape shop and for the first time in months, I saw my favorite employee there. I've seen him lots of times, I'm a nicotine addict, but I don't always catch him. He's sweet and kind and we talked about travel once. He told me he a while back, he's Palestinian, come to the US. He told me because I said my grandparents used to travel a lot and bring me all kinds of things back, a vintage sweater from a consignment shop in Venice made of rainbow silk, and water from the River Jordan.

He was so excited to talk to me at the time, about his culture. How he was born in Palestine, raised in Jordan, and how he'd just come back from visiting family in Jordan. He gave me a keychain he brought back from Jordan, not knowing at the time that I collect keychains.

And he was there last night.

When I came in his face lit up. We hadn't seen each other in a while, and there's something so heartwarming about being a regular. He chatted with us and then asked me, point blank: "Who are you voting for?" with this look of apprehension I'd never seen him wear in any of our prior interactions over the years I've been going to that shop. I generally make a point to not talk about who I vote for with people outside my immediate and trusted friend group, and very rarely will I discuss politics with acquaintances, most especially in their place of employment. I was taught that it's a personal and private choice, who you vote for, and that it's better to not talk politics with people who are on the clock, for their own sake. I knew, because of the state I live in, that who I voted for as an individual wouldn't really matter. I live in a staunchly blue state. But just the same, I said to him: "It's a horrible situation. There's not really a good choice here, is there? Where it matters... The commitment to stop sending aid to Israel didn't happen, and it should have. Either way, our tax money is still going to funding genocide." He got tense and said to me that many people had come in that day, declaring they were voting for Trump. He said that he'd tried to talk to these people about Gaza. "I tell them there are over 50,000 dead, most of them women and children, women and children are being targeted, it's horrible, and who gave Israel the weapons? But none of them wanted to listen."

And I felt so fucking afraid. So heartbroken. Looking him in the eye and seeing the horror of the day he'd had playing out in his gaze as we made eye contact. I broke my personal rules and I told him, at the very least, who not be getting my vote: "No. I won't be voting for Trump. I would never." My girlfriend and I were the only people to listen to him yesterday.

Waking up this morning to give my kid their medication, I checked up on the election results and was... Unsurprised. But it still feels bad. I don't think there was any outcome that would have felt good this morning, but it still feels... So fucking bad. And I don't blame third party voters, I don't blame people who abstained, I understand the reasoning behind it. I would never begrudge people that choice. I think that it's an important part of all of this, that people did abstain, and were vocal about why. For whatever difference it makes. Politics don't happen Once A Year and I can only hope that people, whether they abstained or voted, don't make that the only action they take. There is still a genocide happening in Palestine. There are still systemic issues in the US that are killing people. At the border, in the prisons, across the states... More than ever, we need to be a community, and we can't lose hope and fall to apathy and sit behind our keyboards complaining about who, what, or why, casting blame and aspersions at the people around us. We need to take care of each other. We need to listen to each other and be more united, not more divided. Maybe some people would consider that sentiment to be naive or too idealist, but I refuse to be a doomer about this shit. People as individuals can't do much at all. But people as a collective can effect change. Maybe only small ones at first, right outside their doors, but it's better than nothing. And that's a start toward having something worth having.

[starpros-sunshine]

OK FOLLOWING UP ON THE BARD THING i think eichi definitely invited wataru to perform at a noble party before. because they'd usually have musicians and so? so ok picture this. it's eichi's birthday so his parents want him to hold a ball and he usually thinks those are annoying but then he gets an idea. make it a masquerade (for the drama). invite wataru as both a performer And his partner for the ball. he's an actor! and everyone is of course impressed by wataru's performance but they're even more impressed because the always polite but unreachable tenshouin heir is expertly dancing with a masked stranger (i love the fact that eichi's specialty in his profile is ballroom dancing). and then they're annoying and overdramatic in public together but no one can figure out Who That Is

and also i know you said that shu was a tailor but i think it would be funny if he also were a noble (his family is also of high standing in canon i think) so he can be there to judge eichi. harshly. i havent figures out yet how to make him besties w wataru but ! it can work

!!!!

This got soooo long again so this is once more put under read more I am so sorry

The idea with the Masquerade comes up while Eichi complains to Wataru about his parents pretty much forcing him to throw a ball for his upcoming birthday (they already planned the whole thing and didn't reallly give him a choice in the matter) and how much of a hassle he thinks that is because of all the superficial politeness between people that everyone knows are gossipping about each other behind each others backs and how sick he is of the pretending to be well acquainted with these people he's talked to maybe once or twice and all the ladies that wish to dance with him and that want to suck up to him because of his families wealth and how really this is all just one big farce to "save face". So Wataru suggests "why not make it a masquerade ball" to spice things up a little bit maybe, take some of the stiffness out of it. And Eichi says he wants to invite Wataru because what's a public event without proper entertainment? Wataru agrees of course and they come up with all of these overly grandiose ideas and scenarios (most of them are utterly absurd. One they genuinely consider involves Wataru pretending to kidnap Eichi and causing a scandal (Eichi woud miraculously reappear the next day and they'd gaslight everyone into thinking that never even happened and all the people are just imagining things)).

Wataru mentions that he'll be gone for an evening to play at the noble's ball to the elderly inn-keeper couple over dinner and they make a really big fuss about it and tell him to dress nicely and to watch his manners because "Remember, you can't just drop from the ceiling with those high society people like we let you do it here they're very sensitive about manners you have to make sure to watch your manners!" and for a minute he wonders how it got to the point that his landlords started to treat him like they personally picked him up from the street when he was a child.

I like to think he met Shu when he was out on the street doing a little street performance to earn some extra money for himself and Shu, the way that he is, came by, looked him up and down, and then started a conversation with him about music as an art form and that somehow turned into a philosophical discussion and at the end of that they each went their own ways with the knowledge that there was a new friendship formed that day.

And maybe he's the one that sews Watarus clothes for the ball because if you spent most of your life as a traveling bard living hand to mouth from your music you won't really have the money for fancy clothes (Eichi still insists on paying for Wataru here because he wouldn't need to spend so much money on fancy ballgowns if it wasn't for him in the first place and also he just wants to treat Wataru to something nice and sees this as his chance seeing as Wataru declines most gift offers me made before). Wataru tells him about the entire thing and Shu scoffs because dislikes Eichi (still need to come up with a way to explain that disdain but I will come up with something trust me!) but his parents force him to be there too so "he might as well" (it's obvious he still puts in a lot of care "because of his pride as an artists" (because Wataru is his friend and he wants him to have something nice)).

Shu only has to be there because his family guilt trips him into going and he doesn't see the point in opening that can of worms again ("We already let you pursue your foolish dream of sewing clothes like a commoner this is the least you could do for your family.")

And then at the actual event he's in some secluded corner together with some other people who only attended as a mere formality because they also do not like the Tenshouin family but they have to be there because they're important and aristocrat politics are weird that way I suppose.

Meanwhile Wataru does his usual thing and charms everyone with his beautiful beautiful voice and his elegance and charm and oh he is so agreeable as a performer. Eichi has to handle the usual "pleasantries" (nothing pleasant about those tries) and he exchanges the one or the other suffering glance with Yuzuru when nobody pays attention that just screams "God when will it end". Yuzuru shoots him back a look that conveys the exact emotion of "my condolences" and then he goes on to look for Tori who's 1.53m figure has disappeared in the group of people and when he finds him he's talking to a gentleman that's about a head taller than him and the mask obscures his face but judging by the hair and the slight "animosity" between them he's talking to Tsukasa, so Yuzuru decides he's in good hands and leaves to do his own thing. (do they know they're talking to each other? Who knows! But they'd probably manage to start bickering either way.)

And eventually it gets to the actual Ball bit of the Birthday Ball Event where they actually dance (there's an actual orchestra there now and they play very lovely music). And almost everyone asks to dance with Eichi at least once. Eichi does not want to waste his time and energy on these people who are just interested in him for his money so he always makes up something about being preoccupied or a little tired or something that gives them no other choice but to back off. Suddenly Wataru appears behind him and does a little "boo!" and Eichi didn't expect that so he startles and almost drops his glass and tells Wataru not to do that anymore at public eventshas while Wataru has to stiffle a laugh because he thinks Eichi is cute when he pretends to try to be firm with him. After he's done with his "scolding" (you can barely call it that. he was very soft on Wataru.) Wataru asks him for a dance this time and he's very chivalrous about it - he goes all out really - he kisses his hand and offers him a rose while he does a little bow and asks if he "may have this dance with the lovely star of the evening" (and oh Eichi wants to kiss him so bad right then and there but in a room full of people that are worse than a committee of vultures that is very much not an option). Of course he agrees and they move to the dance floor and suddenly a Lot of eyes are on them because Eichi Tenshouin, whom a good chunk of pursuers have already given up on - because let us be real. It will never happen. The man hasn't shown interest in anyone at any moment in time and lives together with the Himemiya heir and his butler as far removed from the rest of the aristocracy as one would be able to - is waltzing with this masked stranger and it becomes very obvious very quickly that Eichis constant declining of dance offers was not for a lack of expertise because those two look breathtaking together.

Eichi actually dips Wataru once and some people wish they had hired an artist to paint the scene (because I'm a sap and wataei is beautiful I don't care I'm being self indulgent here)). And they talk but nobody can understand what because of the loud music and they curse the orchestra - which is still playing very lovely music (it's heavenly really) - for it.

After their dance is over Eichi goes back to declining every dance offer he gets with the excuse he's exhausted and needs to rest a little before he can dance again (the "I don't wish to dance with you" is implied and in the room but most people chose to ignore it to spare their ego and decide to take him at face value) and Wataru disappears to somewhere, nobody really knows where but somehow he's nowhere to be found. Until he sneaks up to Eichi a second time and does the whole "Boo!" thing again and Eichi almost drops his glass yet another time and as he turns around to "scold" Wataru again Wataru shushes him and takes Eichis, who is more confusedd than anything by now, hand and sneaks out of the ballroom with him.

Eichi asks where they are going and Wataru doesn't answer he just keeps walking and Eichi decides to just trust the process and suddenly they're on the Balcony again, not a cloud in the sky and the only sounds to be heard are the muffled instrumentals from the orchestra that started playing their next piece. The only lightsource being the moonlight reflected by the new years snow. And Wataru turns around, he's not wearing a mask anymore, and he does his little bow and kisses Eichis hand, hands him a rose he had appear from nowhere - a white one this time - and does his entire "May I have this dance with the lovely star of the evening" spiel again. It's the same routine really but it's different somehow. More intense. Because he says it with more sincerity than he did when they were around more people. And Eichi doesn't even have to reply before he finds himself whisked into this waltz yet again, somehow in the leading position. And then they dance and they dance and it's just the two of them, the stars as their only witnesses. And as the orchestra finishes their piece and the music fades out Eichi dips Wataru again and they kiss and it is so sappy and they are so so so so sappy.

They stay out on the balcony a little while longer but they retreat back inside rather timely seeing as it is still january and the night and as the following consequence of those two circumstances actually pretty cold and they'd both rather Eichi not get sick (he already got Watarus coat but then they'd also both like it very much if Wataru also didn't get sick either so they migrate back into the empty, dimly lit hallways of the mansion rather quickly)

(meanwhile at the actual ball people have noticed Eichi missing and started to ask questions, poor Yuzuru has to repeatedly tell people Eichi probably retreated into his quarters already, seeing as it is rather late and he was rather tired "Please excuse the young master for his failing in notifiying the other guests, he told me he didn't wish to interrupt the nice atmosphere and preferred to leave unnoticed".)

After the festivities died down Yuzuru and Tori go to check up on Eichis room because he's been gone without any notice and it would probably be useful to know if their kind-of-roommate just went away to fool around with that strange bard man they've been seeing sneaking around their mansion from time to time that Eichi seems to be oddly fond of or if the should actually be worried about his well-being. After they knock and get no reply Yuzuru just opens the door and he and Tori are both greeted with the view of Eichi asleep in his bed and next to him the also seemingly fast asleep figure of Wataru who's braid got considerably more lose during the course of the evening and who's also seemingly wearing some of Eichis sleepwear.

They both decide they have seen enough they do neither need nor wish to see more. Yuzuru, who has been in this situation before doesn't even have it in him anymore to react in a specific way. He just lets out this big sigh because he doesn't get paid enough for all of this as he directs Tori out of the room. Tori who has not been in this situation before has a Lot of questions now because he doesn't know this man but he's apparently closer to Eichi than most other people and he doesn't know how to feel about that but happy is probably not it.

(The following day Eichi has to listen to a (rightfully) disgruntled Yuzurus passive-agressive-yet-somehow-still-very-polite-sounding-Yuzuru-complaints about him just disappearing like that and leaving it to Yuzuru to take care of his mess (Eichi promises him to make up for it and that if Yuzuru has any favour to ask he's very welcome to come to Eichi about it). Tori really wants to ask about the strange man Eichi was so involved with but between not really getting a word in while Eichi and Yuzuru are talking and not really knowing how to take the exceedigly good mood Eichi is in (he's had "A very nice evening". With utmost certainty it was for reasons other than him actually enjoying the mingling witht the high society at social function he was obligated to host, Tori guesses), he kind of clinks out here and decides to simply take matters into his own hands when he gets the chance.)

[riorsonxaden]

One thing that makes me laugh is when people have said that in Azriel’s bonus chapter, the part with Elain, made them uncomfortable, e/riel’s will say we can’t handle kink or what should we expect of a 500 year old man. Azriel’s bonus chapter wasn’t even kinky. Silver Flames wasn’t kinky either. If anything, Manon & Dorian’s sex scenes in Empire of Storms and Kingdom of Ash were more kinky than Silver Flames and that bonus chapter. What made people uncomfortable was the lack of depth and romance. Azriel’s self shame and how he kept talking about Elain felt like some purity kind of thing, if that makes sense, was weird. (I don’t know how to explain it in words but it makes sense in my head). Azriel is supposedly in love with Elain, but if you take away the sexual attraction/lust we got nothing. Nothing about if he had actual romantic feelings for Elain, about her as a person, what he knows about her other than she likes to bake and garden and she’s beautiful.

E/riel’s say they’re close friends and have a deep connection, but we didn’t get anything about that. Not if they had deep/meaningful conversations or spent a lot of time together. It’s in literal text that it had never gone anywhere beyond glances and brushes of their fingers. If Elain was trying to be a spy (like e/riel’s love to claim) we would have also gotten something about that. And the necklace was a generic gift. It was superficial. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have given it away. The necklace wasn’t anything deep.

“Azriel and Elain want each other,” all I got was Azriel wanted her out of lust and jealousy and we don’t know if Elain wanted him out of lust/as a rebound for Graysen or if she actually has romantic feelings for him. We didn’t get her pov so we don’t know. Azriel didn’t stand up to Rhys or say that he’s starting to develop romantic attraction to her. If he told Rhys that (or alluded to having genuine feelings), I’m sure his brother would’ve been more understanding. There were some people who actually shipped e/riel, but after reading the bonus chapter got completely turned off from it. I think that’s saying something. Sorry for the long ask and rant.

putting my response under the keep reading cause it's long

I agree with your points. Yeah acosf, it wasn't kinky i don't believe it was ever intended to be it's just more adult and more sexually forward then the rest of acotar. There's dirty talk but that's not really kinky. Manon and Dorian's scenes in EOS/KOA you know they were up to kinky shit cause the text leads into it. Yeah it's not going to be as detailed as acosf because the entirety of tog is young adult. If it was adult we'd all need cold showers after every Manorian sex scene lmao.

Azriel was never in love with Elain. Never. It's never stated that he even has a slight romantic thought towards her. He literally just wants to fuck her thats it. End of story. Rhys even asks him this in Az's bonus chapter and Azriel hadn't thought beyond that night nor the political implications or anything. He just wants sex. Mind blowing concept but romance and sex are not mutually exclusive. You can fuck someone without being in love or without any romantic feelings whatsoever. Nesta slept with many Illyrians didn't mean she was in love with them. Helion has like nightly orgies doesn't mean he wants to date them. Sex is sex. It's not that deep.

From the context of EVERY acotar book, it seems to be that Az and Elain are just acquaintances, they're not that close. He, like the rest of the IC see the surface of Elain and nothing more. I hate that necklace for so many reasons let me tell you nonnie. First, the meaning behind a frozen flower. It's stuck in time just like that. Never growing, never learning. Which is literally what Elain is doing. Him giving her that necklace says to me that he's okay with her being like this. Never growing and finding herself the way Feyre did and Nesta was in the process of. I also hate it cause of the regifting. Sir, my guy, why are we doing this? You're suppose to be the male who doesn't need to resort to poetry and shit yet you're regifting a necklace? okay.

Azriel doesn't stand up to Rhys because he knows he's right. Risking so much, wanting to kill Lucien and leave Elain feeling like a part of her is missing til the end of her days. And for what? to get his dick wet? His view point when it comes to Elain is selfish. Regardless of how she feels towards him. Like you pointed out we have zero clues if Elain just wants sex or if she's crushing and possibly wanting a romance. If it was the later I feel so bad for her she deserves better than some male who doesn't want the same.

If Elain and Azriel were to be romantic in the books everything would be different. His bonus chapter he would've said something about his feelings, their friendship and flirting would be on page for the reader to see this. But it's not. Sorry not sorry. E/riel is a fanon ship and it will always be a fanon ship. That's not a bad thing. There's a lot of amazing fanon ships out there. For some reason alot of, not all, but aloot of E/riels seem to think their ship being fanon is a bad thing.

It's wild because no one is telling them they can't ship it. Just that it's not a canon endgame. Before acosf and the infamous Az chapter I thought, in a fanon sense, the pairing would be cute. I never thought they'd be canon. Not once. But since that bonus chapter it just gave me the ick so bad that I had to leave the ship behind.

Don't apologize for the rant! Please rant away!

[swamp-world]

Xads what's a reasonable response if you had to leave across the country frantically in 2020 because of covid and had to store a bunch of stuff with an acquaintance but then when you finally got back 18 months later you found that a box of your stuff was missing and then you asked them about it and they said it wasn't there and they have no idea where it went but it didn't just vanish into thin air and it had stuff that you like. Actually liked and wanted but you gave up on it. But then a year after that a different acquaintance reached out to you and said they'd found a bag of your stuff and you fumbled meeting up to pick it up before they left town for the summer so you figured it'd just happen later but then you lost your phone so you didn't have their number and couldn't ask them and had no other way to reach them and had a different phone number for like six months and never heard from them again after that but then you finally find a way to get in touch with them like another 18 months later and ask if they still by any chance have that bag of stuff or left it in town with someone else and they say no actually they threw it out because they hadn't heard from me again and you're too busy being polite and apologizing for losing your phone and not being in contact and now you can't actually say "I get that you didn't hear back from me but we were at the same school and still had mutual contacts and that was my only pair of decent dress shoes and athletic shoes and the last gift i ever received from my aunt who I don't speak to anymore for Big Reasons but still miss and I just think it's a little tucked up that you didn't try reaching out again through anyone even though you knew I was in town before throwing it out six months ago and I don't have fucking money for athletic shoes and there was a family heirloom in there" because you know it's my own fault for not reaching out sooner and maybe it's just an unreasonable expectation for other people to have and my standards are just skewed because my roommates and i are still holding onto a box of stuff for someone who never even lived in this place but it would be fucked up to get rid of it without at least letting him know. I don't know what's reasonable and not reasonable here.

[spandexspangles]

Y'all I had the most surreal unsolicited fundraising call today. No, sorry, it was two calls. I'll explain.

I was at work a little after it opened, off the clock, having just finished talking to an acquaintance about a potential partnership event. It is very chill, with just 7 other people near me. My phone rings, I step away for a moment to answer. As one does. Guy starts talking real chummy, sounds like a politico. And the thing is, my work hosts fundraisers for politicos sometimes (including this week!) and so I'm thinking it's someone calling about that for a second, and then he says "will you help us on our mission to make America great again?"

Screeeeeeeeeeech. Surely not.

Me: I'm sorry, who is this?

Dude: oh. [Annoyed pause, followed by cheerful yet menacing robot voice] This is Name, and I'm calling you because we want to thank you for your upcoming donation. I see in the past you've donated $500 to the cause of patriotism-

Me, briefly worried that maybe my bank had been hacked but then remembered I'm poor, so would have definitely noticed $500 leaving my account: Wait, what?

Douche, VERY snippily: Excuse me, I'm speaking.

Me: WHAT. [Laugh] Did you just chastise me for interrupting your pitch begging me for money, for the FUCKING Republican party??

*At this point, it's worth mentioning that I work in a queer bar. So seven heads whiplash in my direction upon hearing these words*

Broheim: It's incredibly rude to swear! 😠😠

Me, just barely not laughing: I don't give a good flying fuck what you think is rude, I hope you die. Go fuck yourself.

Butthurt: garbled noises that I didn't quite catch because I hung up on him.

So, funny enough, right? I walk back to everyone, but not 20 seconds later, my phone RINGS AGAIN. SAME! NUMBER! Everyone yells at me to answer it. I oblige.

Me, using my aggressively chipper/ditzy voice that I will use for the entirety of this convo: ✨️Hello? ✨️

Gross dude: So we maybe got disconnected before, I'm sure you just drove through a tunnel.

Me: Oh! Nope! I hung up on you. 🥰 [Puts phone on speaker, in accordance with the frantic handwaving of my coworkers]

Determined guy: Well you said some very rude things to me. And I do apologize for saying you should go put in a tampon. But in my defense you'd wished me dead, so that's fair.

*Everyone including me just drops their fucking jaw. Apparently, that's what the garbled noises were as I was hanging up on him. I don't think I've heard that used as an insult in real life since like, the 90s? Deep cut.*

Me, maliciously and immediately determined to fuck with him even more: Oh, I didn't mean YOU! 😇 ...I meant your entire political party. But I could see how you'd misunderstand. I'll be super duper glad when y'all just fade away. 💖

Fundraising oaf: so I'm calling today to encourage you, as a patriot, to keep Kamiiiila Harris out of the White House-

Me: oof, that's embarrassing. She's the Vice-President and you don't know how to pronounce her name? Come on, sugar pie, that's just silly.

Broseph: I know how to say her name! 😡

Me: Hey so I wanted to ask- is this like, an effective fundraising technique for you? Like you call someone, scold them, say shitty misogynistic things to them, get hung up on, call BACK, be rude some more, and then, what, they give you money? Like how many donations have you got doing that?

Slimeboi: We believe it's important to be our authentic selves! 🤡

Me: ...so none then.

Guy who is starting to regret his choices: ...This election is the most important one ever! The Democrats have done a terrible job with-

Me: Oh I agree!

Dumbfuck: Really?

Me: Absolutely! They need to do a way better job at not being spineless and actually get back to proper progressive valu-

Idiot: The criminal Democrats are going to destroy the country! 😤😤😤

Me, speaking over him: You're begging for money for a guy who tried to overthrow the government. And he's a convicted felon!

*I cannot emphasize enough that while I have been quoting more or less verbatim in this recap, the following line is EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID*

Simp: I'd rather vote for a felon with a heart of gold than a-

I desperately wish that I knew what he called Harris just then, but alas, that was the moment wherein I and the people surrounding me lost our collective minds and started howling with laughter.

Between gasping for air, I told him to have the day he deserved, and hung up on him. We waited to see if he would call a third time. Alas, no. I am so, SO glad this happened in front of people, because I would have assumed that I'd hallucinated it. My manager asked if I was going to call and report him. Absolutely no way. I want that guy doing all their fundraising calls.

[ashtraythief]

Thank you so much for writing all of that out. I love how horrified you were at the waitress taking your friends food, and the stink eyes people gave you when you said you were going to the toilet. I was laughing out loud. You are living such an interesting life, I’m so jealous! I never thought about how big the culture shock would be so it was really interesting to read. I imagine you were also thrown off by how little we walk and the fact that we need to drive everywhere we go, haha.

Have you ever had any really bad experiences when interacting with Americans? I ask because my parents are from a third world country and they once got asked by an American if they knew what a TV was before coming here, haha….. But your from Germany. Surely people couldn’t be that bad?

I'm very glad I made you laugh!

I have been very fortunate to have the opportunities to travel and go abroad for school and work. But it is also nice to be home!

And yes, I was absolutely horrified at the lack of walking. And the lack of sidewalks. I never had a car in the US, so I did a lot of walking (people looked at me really strangely and I rarely met other people unless they were walking their dogs) and I took the bus a lot. For which several of my American acquaintances also looked at me weird. (I did not live on one of the major Metropolitan cities, which I think is important for context here 😅)

I did have a couple of weird comments like that, actually. I was asked whether I knew Mariah Carey. But I guess it's difficult to anticipate which artists made it to Germany. One of my roommates was flabbergasted that I didn't know Tim McGraw when I knew so many other musicians so I had to explain that country never made it to Germany. One guy asked me if we had salt. Which was super weird but he was a weird guy who grew up very sheltered. But overall, most people know enough about Germany to realize it's considered a first world country, see German cars, so the privilege was definitely there. There was a weird time though where everyone who knew a little German wanted to show off their language skills and a couple of frat boys told me they had a rocket launcher in their pants. No idea why they learned that phrase in German, but there we were.

I think my worst experiences were arguing about politics lol. Everytime someone told me Obama was a socialist, I almost blew a lid. I managed to mellow over time but those first few years were rough 😅

I'm really sorry your parents faced these prejudices, that's really fucked up. My pasty skin definitely protected me from that. I hope you don't have to deal with that anymore 💙

And to answer your follow up ask, I still consider Germany my home. I never considered myself particularly German (the whole punctuality thing? Does not apply), but the longer I'm away from home, the more I realize how German I am 😅 I think I could probably live in another country for a long time, but I do enjoy going home and if possible, I'd like to go back at some point.

[burikumu]

PRECIOUS EXTROVERT ADOPTED ME DESPITE HAVING THEIR OWN FRIEND GROUP.

Had a Thanksgiving Mass and Luncheon event from my review center.

My usual group of acquaintances didn't come! I thought that they would because we were talking about it last time. I asked one of them if they were already at the designated place and they said, "I thought no one would come so, I didn't go. It's a shame I didn't ask you earlier! I thought I'd be alone."

I understand the situation and left it at that. I still attended the event accepting that I'll be with people I'm not fully acquainted.

I went in and people are still at the lounge area. There's another group of acquaintances I saw that i'm not really close with BUT the most extroverted of them all saw me, waved, got me a chair and let me sit beside them!

I know most of the extrovert's friend group, they were my classmates from previous years/ internship.

When we were able to sit inside the venue, of course I let the extrovert's friend group first. The extrovert walked beside me and told me to join them. I don't want to break their friend group so, I asked if, "Is it ok for me to join you?." The extrovert of course, happily agreed.

The extrovert has a lot of friends/acquaintances but more closely to 2 friends within the group. I'm acquainted to the other one because of internship and i was introduced to the other one by the extrovert at the beginning of the review.

Since they were a lot, we had to use 2 different tables. I'm glad the 3 of them (extrovert and their close friends) sat with me. So, the 4 of us were on a different table while the rest is at the table behind us.

-----------

The 3 were talking about visiting the place of extrovert after the event because they had nothing better to do.

The extrovert also invited me to go but I declined a lot of times. My excuse is that I don't have the money to travel but the extrovert said it's no problem cause we will only be staying at their house.

Well, I actually wanted to go but I feel kind of out of place because we all are not that close after all even if they were friendly enough to have me included. I think I'll make the atmosphere awkward if I went.

The other friend even offered to drop me off the terminal nearest to my house when we'll be heading back. I politely declined since I won't be going.

After the event, I thanked the extrovert for inviting me but I wouldn't be going. I bid them bye-bye and to have a safe trip.