#gotta be exposed to things and gain experience

[nkogneatho]

SANTA'S CUMMING TO TOWN

—fushiguro toji x fem!reader

#TAPE NO 1 OF 'Tis the Season to be Naughty

—cw: breeding, santa kink (idk bruh i am all high and horny), mention on pregnancy, prone bone, raw sex, spanking, dirty talking, nick names. (art creds: yy6241 on ig)

—a/n: 1.2k words of everything that is wrong with me

Christmas wasn't particularly the most awaited time of the year for Toji. You on the other hand? You made sure that your place looked like the Christmas Spirit threw up garlands, trees and cute lights all over.

"Can you pass me those lights?" you ask Toji who was hanging the pinecones on the tree.

"Tell me why we're doin' this again?"

"Because it's Christmas. It's the season of joy. Oh, by the way," you gently step down from the table that helped you a gain a foot to put on the decorations, "gumi's friends are coming tomorrow so make sure to dress up as a santa."

"What?" He is stunned. It's not that he doesn't like kids but to have all their excited eyes on him would give him quite the stage fright.

"Please Please Toji. I know you don't like this kinda stuff but gumi was so excited the other day to see santa."

"What's in it for me?"

"You want a bribe for dressing up to make your son happy?" Your arms fold against your chest and you look at him with a poker face.

"Of course. That little brat gets spoiled way too much by you. When's my turn?"

"Toji. It's either the santa costume or the shark costume and dancing on baby shark for an hour"

*GASP*

"Hope ya know Santa doesn't like you, sweetheart." He walks away after giving you a nasty look. You know he doesn't mean it. He is cute when he is all pouty.

The party felt like forever. You send Megumi off to Shiu's place with his son and his mom. They were gonna have a sleepover. Megumi was a raging introvert just like his father so him having a best friend was a big deal for you.

"So the dishes are done. The extra party hats are in the cupboard, the floor is clean and y—" You stop your moving feet and look at the view in front of you. "And Santa hasn't left yet."

"Well...I still have one bad girl on my list. Thought I'd take care of that." He steps closer. The heat emitting from his body already reaching to hug your skin.

"But I've been your good girl, haven't I?" your doe eyes flutter at him, your fingers curling his white faux beard.

"Nah sweetheart. You've been so bad. You've barely paid any attention to me all month. Don'tcha think ya should get punished for that?" His grainy voice grazes against your neck. You try so hard to come up with a quick witty answer to turn this into a wholesome conversation but that was down the drain the moment he put that thing on. You were never into the whole santa thing until now. All blame goes to the man underneath the costume.

"P-punished?" You clear you throat. "Like?" You wait for an answer but you don't get one. Well, at least not in words.

Toji picks you up bridal style and walks to the cozy mattress next to the christmas tree and the gifts.

"Gonna give you a full experience, doll."

Everytime you fuck, Toji's always the one to get undressed first. He is too impatient to feel you against him. But tonight, you're the only one getting undressed. Your dress pools on your stomach as calloused hands hike it up.

"Toj—"

"tsk tsk. address me properly, naughty girl."

"Santa! Need you inside me.

"Heh. Not so soon, darling. Gotta punish you first." In a split second, you're turned on your belly, face pushed against the pillow. Toji inhales a sharp breath watching your exposed ass. A quick spank is landed on your them, making your husband hard as your plump skin bounces.

"Look at'cha. Such a slut. getting all wet with just a spank? what you gon' do when santa fills up your hole, doll?"

*spank*

"Ah! Fuck. I am so sorry, Santa. I promise I'll be a good girl f'you" you mewl.

"Promise? ight. Let's test that." You hear him shuffle. His fingers unbuckle the comically large belt and tugging down the pants just enough to expose his throbbing cock. He pumps it a few times before slapping the precum covered tip on your butt cheeks, the slight wet feeling on your skin turning you on even more. Toji grabs a cushion and settles it between the floor and your stomach so your pussy is easily visible. It's shameful. You know you're so wet that it's traveling down your thigh and drenching the cushion.

You feel his cockhead rub against your slick, opening the folds.

"Shit. She's dripping, sweetheart. Don't even need to stretch ya tonight. You ready for Santa's cock?"

He doesn't even give you a chance to answer before he is slowly forcing it in your pussy. Emerald eyes not even blinking for a second out of fear of missing even a single frame of the way you swallow him.

"Fuuuuuck!" you cry out at the stretch.

"Attagirl. Took it all in once. Keep it up and I might take you off my bad list, baby."

He starts off a few gentle strokes to get you used to it all before he puts his arms on your back, pushing you further against the mattress as he starts pounding into you like an animal.

"Fuckfuckfuck fucking god! I love your pussy. You feel so fucking good. Ughhh"

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Santa, pl—please. You're so big."

"I know, baby. But—ugh—you're takin' me sooo well. Fuck! Yeah, baby c'mon. Grind that ass on my cock. Yeaaaah just like that fuck!"

"G-gunna cum, anh anh ffu—ngh," you cry and your tears are soaked by the pillows. In another second, you're coming undone on his cock, screaming his name.

"Good girl. Good. Fucking. Girl." Each word enunciated with a deep plunge in your shivering pussy.

"You've been such a good girl. Santa's gonna give you a gift." Toji picks up his pace again, rolling his hips faster, the faux beard chafing your shoulders as he is putting all his weight on you, all his instincts telling him to breed you.

"Gunna give my sweet doll the greatest gift. You better take it all. 'm gonna make sure your pussy does. goddaaaamn nghh—" A few more deep thrusts and soon he is losing his composure, cumming and painting your insides with his thick leak.

"You better return the gift in nine months doll." You're too fucked in your brain to even register what he said.

The next morning you're not even making eye contact with Toji, too embarrassed to accept you were turned on by something so innocent. Good thing Megumi comes by the door running, helping you avoid the situation for a little longer.

"Aww come here, my boy. Did you have fun at Uncle Shiu's?" He nods. His little arms coming to hug you.

"So what gift ya got brat?" Toji asks the little sea urchin.

"I got a pink tiger with a red color bow. He is the best. I named him Yuuji." You chuckle, wiping the drool from corner of his lips. "And we ate fortune cookies."

"ohh! what did your cookie say?"

"It said Santa will bring a little sister next year." Blood rushes to your cheeks, your face heating up at the little boy's innocent comment, sounding completely sinful after scenes from last night play in your head. You bite the insides of your cheek.

"Mhm. Hope he does, babe." He kisses the top of the boy's head and then your temple. Yeah he is not the Christmas kinda guy. But this might be his new favorite holiday now.

[aingeal98]

I haven't read any comics w Jay in them, but all I hear about it is that they're a bland nothing character made only so they can advertise Jon as queer. But since YOURE a fan of JayJon and one of the realest people on this site, i dont think that's v accurate (the bland part, at the very least) and I'm curious about what they're like :3 (also the panel they chose for the poll is not flattering at all T.T why does Jon look like that)

Awww thank you! I can't promise they're everyone's taste, and I understand people's hesitation due to the double whammy of Tom Taylor and Jon Kent, and initially when Jay was introduced I didn't have any interest in them at all. What got me intrigued was the ongoing Secret Six run, which is a book absolutely chock full of messy gay drama. And that got me to go back and deep dive into Jayjon.

The basic summary that I can give as propaganda is that Jay is a seventeen year old anarchist who successfully convinced Jon Kent to go along with his plan to overthrow a dictatorship. He's much more active a partner than a generic love interest, and in a lot of ways he's helping Jon define who he is outside of "Superman's son." Despite being created by Tom Taylor, the more comics Jay appears in the more it becomes clear that he's not a two dimensional sweet supportive love interest. That boy is a Hater. It's literally one of my favourite things about him.

(And also I think people saw Tom Taylor's name, Jon Kent as the protagonist, and Jay's pink hair and made a whole bunch of assumptions about him and Jayjon that lumped them in with Tim Drake and Bernard under the "DC doesn't care they're just throwing these heroes with random boring gay love interests" take. Which I disagree with especially when it comes to Jay tbh.)

But to understand my own personal love for jayjon, as someone who doesn't really care about male characters in general, you gotta understand the third part of this messy triangle: Nia Nal aka Dreamer. Spoilers for everything involving the three of them below.

Her backstory is written in Bad Dream: A Dreamer's Story but basically Nia is a half alien trans girl who grew up in a hidden alien sanctuary in America, until her powers manifested and she left and after some drama and tragedy, she became a hero. She shows up in Jon's Superman run to help Jon and Jay out because of future visions she had in her dreams. Why? Well now we get deep into Jay.

Jay Nakamura is a refugee from Gamorra, an Asian Island nation located in the Pacific. His mother used to be president of Gamorra, but when her successor was elected he turned the island into a dictatorship and began experimenting to create metahumans. Jay was tortured and experimented on, gaining the power to turn intangible. He fled and made his way to America, where he began running an underground news site attempting to expose the news mainstream media ignores, such as the Gamorran refugees. Jon during this run is struggling with the weight of being Superman and what kind of hero he wants to be, and decides to help Jay and the Gamorrans. They fall in love, kiss, and end up saving Gamorra with Nia's help. It's very Tom Taylor as in the ideas are interesting but he's limited to everyone getting an uncomplicated happy ending. Luckily, the characters aren't limited to his run. So instead of being a simple happy ending, things get a lot more complicated.

Then comes the one two whammy of Suicide Squad Dream Team and Absolute Power, which is a terrible comic for Amanda Waller but a great comic for Jon, Jay and Nia. Really enjoyable if you pretend Waller is possessed by an evil magic force the entire time. In Suicide Squad, Waller assembles a team in order to infiltrate Gamorra and take control. She blackmails Nia into being a part of the team first by threatening to expose her hometown of aliens to all of America, and later on by holding the life of her family hostage so that she does Waller's bidding. This leads to Nia using her powers to get the Suicide Squad into Gamorra, where they then assassinate the president.

... Aka Jay's mom.

Nia does end up flipping sides and helping Jon in Absolute Power after he's possessed by Braniac, but despite that Jay still despises her, and understandably so! Jon is caught in the middle between this girl he likes who he knows is a good person, and the boyfriend he loves who understandably hates her. And on top of that his fear of his powers being used to harm others came true and he is NOT coping well after his first time being possessed. And also Nia seems to be crushing on him.

So we come to Secret Six, which three issues in is just gay drama from top to bottom. You've got Deadshot and Catman for old man yaoi, Jon Jay and Nia all forced to work together and full of messy emotions, and Black Alice who was also part of the team who killed Jay's mom but is far less openly remorseful compared to Nia.

And thanks to all that, I've grown very fond of Jon/Jay/Nia. Trans girl who's OK with killing certain assholes vs Anarchist gay guy from a discriminated minority vs Jon Kent liberal flirting with leftism while also dealing with superpowered trauma. It's a powder keg and an entertaining one!

Bonus reading list by bobbinalong on twitter. And bonus extra fun panels.

^^ Guy who is definitely doing OK and his boyfriend who definitely does not feel personally responsible for calming him down

They're very gen z and the Tom Taylor does shine through at first but I still enjoyed them a lot. Secret Six is one of the current ongoings I'm loving and need more of. Might not be everyone's cup of tea, but definitely mine!

[strayheaven]

TENNAAAAAAA

ch3&4 spoilerss ↓

THE FUCKING LIVING ROOM TV FEELING LIKE HE'S A PART OF THE FAMILY WHEN HE GAINS SENTIENCE IS SO 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💯💯💯💯. the way tenna is uncomfortably familiar with kris..... one-sided familial relationship is a fucking crazy dynamic to have. the way he seems like he's trying to connect with kris about the divorce as a shared experience when it's just so exposing to kris in front of others. and the way he apologizes for stuff as if he, too, aided in the divorce (what the fuck was in the pipes?? my bf said nubert as a joke lol but there's gotta be something there. i first thought he electrocuted kris by accident (considering kris played with the power cable) & toriel and asgore fought about that as a stand-in for bigger problems but tenna took it personally). i love the way that he presents the video game playing as part of the show because it was still treated as being done in front of the audience but it had the comfortability of playing games on the couch with friends/family, so the awareness of the audience starts to fade away & just be, like, tenna's quirk to mention. and the lighthearted narration was more like an older family member guiding a much younger one through a game they've played before (which is what i read as tenna instinctively playing the role of asriel)

& kris' frustrations with how intrusive the soul is feels like it says everything that needs to be said with how they must feel about tenna. he absolutely wedged himself into kris' family, which is what the player is doing to kris' relationships when you get to limit the ways they can react to people. kind of goes back to wondering who, exactly, is creating the options that you get when you talk to anyone in deltarune — personally, i'm thinking that it is kris expressing whatever control they can over the player as part of the tug of war between the soul and kris. & tenna likes kris but doesn't think they like him back! which is how it feels to play deltarune!!! that chocolate syrup bottle was so violent!!!!!!!!!!!!!! + bf and i totally sat and listened to kris playing piano in noelle's house for the whole thing, so going into the soundtrack and listening to the 'concert for you' song was very direct. idk if it's used in the end of ch4 anywhere but they set it up so that you want to listen to them play piano and get to know kris and they do not want that

and constantly being on display & being aware of an audience, never feeling like you have privacy? anything kris engages in being watched, while playing video games helped them forget that because they got to play the role of the soul controlling a video game character? aaaaughhhhhbbhjhjhj tenna has the same dynamic with kris that the soul does im BLOWING UP i was not EXPECTING THAT

[asksythe]

FGO Fes 2024 "CHALDEA Treasure Hunting" Oberon Edition Experience Video (Earphones recommended / Low volume recommended) Original Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dElTAHf0m0

Disclaimer: the translation is rushed, so there's probably room for improvement. I'm just posting this here for personal keeping since similar videos have been taken down from Youtube in the past.

Note: The context for this part of the event storyline is that Ritsuka is sent on a treasure hunt for a lost Holy Grail (as it goes) by Goredorf. She gets to choose one among several servants (Aesclepius, Takasugi, Tiamat, etc...) to go with her. Only one though. This video is the Oberon choice. Yes, it is very otome game-esque. 😁

--TRANSLATION--

Come on an unforgettable adventure with me, the Fairy King Oberon!

“It’s a steam town!”

You…you’re a 20th-century kid, aren’t you?

You should be used to this kinda thing, shouldn’t you?

Ah, well, I get how it can be so exciting. It’s just as consumeristic as your era, but this atmosphere does have a certain romance to it.

It’s an era focused on industrial design that exposes its mechanical insides.

It really is the strength of humanity to imagine such a contradictory world.

Ritsuka Choice 1: “Thanks for taking me here.”

Ritsuka Choice 2: “You really are a dependable partner!”

What are you on about? Of course, I am! With such an invitation as yours, I, Oberon the Fairy King, will spread my wings and come flying your way!

Ah, my time really has flown though. Would you be able to bend the rules a bit? What shall we do on this chance adventure! Gotta look your best though, eh! 😉 Now then, according to this steam clock, there happens to a Blessed Holy Grail located underground! If we find it, we’re bound to get a bunch of QP, am I right? Let me repay my debt to you!

However, for this city looking so mechanical, there really are a lot of stairs…Not a single elevator to be seen! Well, let’s just get over with and go down. If only we could fly, but as you know my wings are a mere decoration. Perhaps I should ask DaVinci to make me some, then? Ah no, [rest of question to self not very audible]

Ritsuka Choice 1: “Oberon…! Wait!”

Ritsuka Choice 2: “I can’t see anything!”

Uh…did you say something? Sorry sorry, my attention must’ve drifted elsewhere.

Oh…our faces must be close, aren’t they?

Are you alright?

Man, you should look at your face! It’s a shame it’s so dark. If I had a camera, I would’ve taken a picture. Oh no, I meant nothing by that. Really though, it’s just I’ve never seen your face like that. It’s not your nerves in battle, nor the fear of death! Don’t look at me like a child there…ah, never mind. Putting it into words just takes the fun out of it.

More important than that, it’s that the two of us are alone down here. No fearsome enemies to be seen. Just us two enjoying a trip on this road together. The path seems to get narrower from here. Grab my hand and let’s head in! Don’t get too far from me, okay? Come on, give me your hand.

It’s really dark now. This must be the lowest level. Just one way to go now. I think it should be quite simple now!

Mm? Hmm? That’s what? From the back? Oh no, something unexpected happened again! Quick, Master!

This is a stubborn one! And it’s gaining on us to boot!

Ah the light’s starting to come through! Keep going!!!

There’s no way forward!

Get down, Master! Your hand!

Master and Oberon hold onto each other as they fell down.

To the bottom of the deep, deep darkness they went.

Sigh…the artist drowns in his art. Good grief. Who would’ve thought the road would be destroyed. Well, guess I’m just used to falling. It’s just a little [something] more than usual now.

O-----www.. Ah Master, are you alright?

After all that, there are an unbelievable amount of flowers here, aren’t there? More than enough for a lifetime! Flowers are always blooming somewhere you know? Water. Sun. Flowers. Bugs… Green. It’s all a cycle.

Yep, that was me who set the grail there. Let me know when you go an adventure, okay? Ah, the request itself was true! It’s just…you weren’t as calm as I thought you’d be so it didn’t go exactly as planned. Today is a very blessed day for you. That’s import-

Marine Nemo: Captain! I found Oberon! [We found him!]

Prof. Nemo: I believe Oberon is continuing to reject our transmissions~

Capt. Nemo: Ah, we finally connected! Oberon, is Master alright? When you went down, our signal got cut off.

Oberon: Oh my, I didn’t know about any of that! Master is alright and has even taken a Holy Grail! It’s no problem at all!

Eng. Nemo: ‘n that case, get yer ass back ‘ere already! After that, spill yer guts! Nurse Nemo: If either are injured, I can attend to you, so please feel free to ask.

Capt. Nemo: Everyone! Be quiet for a moment. Oberon, Master, above all else, I’m glad you’re safe. I really do want you to take your time to enjoy the town. If you would be so kind, could you take some photos for future reference? There must be so many vehicles in the Steam Town, certainly.

Oberon: Yep! We’re happy to bring souvenirs to you, Captain! After all, we gotta lift the engineer’s spirits too eh!

Eng. Nemo: I-It’s not like I’d want a motorbike or anything! Well…I have been thinkin’ ‘bout some extra parts for my Penguin Potter, so…

Oberon: Okay then! I’ll be right on the lookout for it! Well then, see you at Chaldea then.

Bakery Nemo: I’ll be baking a warm basket (of bread) for you then!

Oberon: Well right then. Let’s go back to the surface and let’s stroll around the town til the sun goes down! So messy and covered in grease and full of all kinds of shady shops it may be though. They’ll all become beautiful memories though. After all, as long as there are unknown worlds about, that means there are wonderful adventures to be had, right?

[luxsmall]

For anyone who feels dumb like your brain has gotten smooth over years of depression/drug abuse/ed/etc like yours truly ✨

Do NOT stress you can feasibly gain back most of your brain power, I did, it's no big thing honestly you just have to get to it, don't wait too long tho

Exposing yourself to longer form content is a good start if you're really struggling and reading a book sounds like an impossible task. For example I started by watching YouTube essays, start with the shorter ones okay I'm not talking 3h deep dives, and SIT THERE, actually watch it. This is gonna be really uncomfortable at the start because attention span is low but you'll get there, trust. Increase the length of the types of essays you consume over time, watch recordings of speeches etc, get into actually complicated stuff over time.

Start taking notes and actually learning from the content you consume. Be critical of what you watch in your notes, write down what you like, what sounds suss, research the sources etc

For reading there's no real secret, you've gotta read. My personal technique is, I have a rule and I stick to it : 1 page per day MINIMUM, okay 1 page seems super low, but that's exactly the point, it's easy to achieve and realistically you're not gonna stop at one page, I often find myself unable to stop before the end of a chapter but at least I go into it thinking "this is gonna be easy, just one page". 1 page is 2 minutes or so and you've got 2 minutes to spear.

Now when you get into the habit of reading again, please pick up interesting books that'll bring you knowledge and make the cogs turn, I've got nothing against a good smut here and there but that's not really the goal here, we wanna gain back our brain not get hornier

Give your brain breathing room, sit with your thoughts, and actually think about your days, what you've seen and learned, write it down maybe journal a little. No headphones, no music, no noise, just you.

You're probably not gonna be on top everyday, that's okay over time it'll get easier, I fall back often but now I can read and sit during movies again, focus and learn much easier.

Btw gaining back your brain might get you access to your lost memories, I've found that out the hard way, especially during journaling.

(I am not a health care professional of any kind btw this is just my experience, if your doctor tells you your brain's cooked, maybe it is idk)

[melocherie]

i used to be in the iaptbap discord server at its prime and i just gotta say things were NOT pretty 😭😭 back then i was a minor and didnt interact that much but,, some things that were said always came off wrong to me. as mentioned there was def a lot of explicit jokes and even an nsfw channel?? (it was locked for 18+ but still weird when you know minors are in the server) especially since it would somehow leak back to public chats and minor me was exposed to that. i remember there being this one competition or something where noor would write a comm for whoever put on the best ted talk analysis of her story like 💀💀. and she would favor people who were desi which i kinda get yk sharing cultures and stuff but it was to a point where they would get special privilieges. it was all a blur but the biggest thing i remember was a huge fight between a fan and noor. i unfortunately do not remember what it was about as it happened overnight and messages were in fact deleted. both parties did do wrong but lavenoor ended up leaving her OWN server as a result, leaving ownership to one of her most "trusted" or "loyal" fans. no, she didnt really say sorry directly in any way, it is so similar to the post that she made addressing her allegations. i thought it was super weird for noor to leave her own server and not take accountability or control (shocker). sorry for dummping this on your blog!! i just wanted to personally share my experience with lavenoor as i was in the discord server when it was most active and noor was interacting with fans. there were other quotev authors in the server too, but they don't wish to be involved in this situation so i wont state their names

oh  no  no  you’re  fine!  don’t  fret  about  the  length  ——  ultimately,  i  want  more  people  to  talk  about  noor  and  the  things  she’s  done,  and  if  it’s  more  comfortable  for  others  to  share  it  anonymously  through  me  then  so  be  it.  but  goodness  gracious  this  is  a  whole  lot  of  unpack!

in  my  opinion,  having  an  nsfw  channel  in  an  all-ages  server  isn’t  strange  since  most  nsfw  sections  only  exchange  vaguely  raunchy  messages,  artwork,  memes,  and  the  like  rather  than  straight-up  porn.  especially  given  there  is  mature  content  in  iaptbap  (which  ought  to  have  been  better  tagged),  i  think  the  inclusion  is  totally  fine  under  the  assumption  the  moderators  took  the  necessary  precautions  to  keep  the  channel  away  from  children  (creating  an  nsfw  role,  locking  it  to  18+,  etc.). 

however,  naturally,  that  shouldn't  ever  seep  into  the  general  chat.  there  is  a  reason  it’s  separate.  i  expect  from  someone  who  regularly  talks  about  how  early  exposure  to  adult  material  harmed  them  to  protect  minors  in  a  space  they’ve  created.  but  it  is  however,  par  for  the  course  from  a  child  groomer.  shame  on  them.

(also,  the  iaptbap  discord  server  has  locked  all  invites  for  the  time  being.  charitably,  the  mods  might  be  stressed  about  the  situation  but  given  they  haven’t  made  a  proper  statement  addressing  noor’s  disappearance?  can’t  say  i  don’t  find  it  weird.) 

second,  it  baffles  me  how  easily  noor  asks  people  to  write  analyses  of  her  own  work.  i  myself put  a  lot  of  care  into  my characters,  their  story,  and  symbolism,  but  to  ask  my  followers  to  put  in  the  work  deconstructing  it?  multiple  times  even,  given  you  have  to  write  a  brief  sentence  analyzing  your  favorite  character  to  gain  a  marriage  role? it’s ridiculous.

i  don’t  know  noor.  i  don’t  know  what’s  in  her  heart.  but  with  the eyes  and  brain  within  my  skull,  i  can  see  ego  and  a  lack  of  faith  in  her  audience.  consistently,  i  see  her  endlessly  praise  the  work  she  does  while  complaining  her  fans  don’t  appreciate  the  effort  enough.  how  dare  you  dumb  down  beau  into  being  a  furry  whilst  i,  the  author,  do  the  same! 

if  not  to  boost  your  self-esteem  and  identify  followers  who  "genuinely"  care  about  your  work,  why  urge  your  audience  to  carefully  pour  over  your  writing?  yes,  art  invites  you  to  engage  with  it,  but  in  a  silent  way.  deconstructing  a  work  is  my  way  of  giving  the  author  something  in  return  for  the  brilliant  piece  they  have  shared  with  me.  it  is  audacious  and  cheap  to  ask  me  directly  for  that  present. 

i  apologize  if  i  come  out  as  huffy  and  conceited,  but  this  garbage  really  irritates  me  as  a  fellow  writer.  treat  your  audience  better,  asshole. 

i  can’t  speak  on  the  remaining  ask  because  this  leads  into  unqualified  territory  for  me.  i  don’t  feel  comfortable  definitively  saying  noor  is  racist  but  there  things  she  says  which  quirk  my  brow  (like  saying  winter  white  has  “curry  fever.”)  i’m  vaguely  aware  of  the  server  drama  through  her  second-hand  account  of  it  but  it’s  not  really  something  i  can  speak  on  since  this  is  the  only  surviving  evidence  of  it.   

again,  i  know  first-hand  of  her  ego  and  such,  but  it  genuinely  shocks  me  it  took  until  she  was  outed  for  grooming  for  people  to  notice  how  strange  she  is. 

[jujumin-translates]

[A3!] ★ Main Story | Act 14 - DREAM CATCHER | Episode 18 - Young Thief

Hato: Okay, so that’ll be the extent of your work, Rurikawa-kun. Does that seem manageable?

Yuki: It won’t be any problem.

Hato: Haha, dependable as ever. Glad to have your help.

Hato: Everyone in the office got super fired up when they saw Kataoka-san’s work. When you’re exposed to top-notch work, you just can’t help but be affected by it.

Hato: I think there’s a lot to be gained from actually getting involved and not just watching, so let’s keep up the hard work.

Yuki: Yeah.

Yuki: (The work itself is the same as what I’m used to, but there are way more requests and points to take note of than usual.)

Yuki: (Each and every one of them makes sense and connects to a specific detail.)

Yuki: (I looked up Aiko Kataoka-san beforehand, but you don’t really get a good idea of what they do until you actually come into contact with their work.)

Yuki: (It’s the same old universal designs, but with a lot of attention to detail and elements with more of an edge.)

Yuki: (They’re really proud and confident in their own designs and they play into that… It really is amazing.)

Yuki: (An opportunity like this is rare, so I’ve gotta steal everything I can from it.)

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Yuki: …

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Flashback*

Review: “The costumes had that same stable feel they always have. But don’t you think that as Yuki Rurikawa’s become more established as a creator, his costumes have started to lack a bit of surprise and unexpectedness?” 

Review: “Maybe I’m just noticing it more after seeing Yua Troupe. I guess it’s just inevitable when you have the same designer do things every single time~.”

*Flashback end*

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Yuki: (Unexpectedness, huh. But I…)

Yuki: (I also have confidence in my designs.)

Yuki: (Looking at them objectively, the costumes for our debut performance all fit the concept of everyone being the lead, and it’s something that definitely fits the current Summer Troupe.)

Yuki: (That’s why…)

*Knock on door and door opens*

Banri: Nice work. Omi made a chiffon cake.

Yuki: Thanks.

Banri: Busy with your part-time job, huh?

Yuki: Duh. But it’s a great learning experience, and there’s a huge difference in what I can gain from seeing how someone works up close, so it’d be a waste if I didn’t give it my all.

Banri: Ahh, I getcha. Like how there’s a huge difference in the amount of information ya can get between just watchin’ a play and actually actin’ in a play with someone.

Yuki: It’s hard not to be inspired by what kind of beliefs they have about design.

Banri: Seems like your whole “challenge” thing was a great idea.

Yuki: I’d say so.

Banri: But it’s gotta be nice havin’ a room to yourself. I wish Hyodo would just go and fly to the U.S. or wherever for a week.

Banri: Anyway, since I know you miss the guy you’re always fightin’ with, I’ll trade places with ya, Yuki.

Yuki: Haha, very funny. It’s actually nice being able to focus without him around.

Yuki: Besides, you’re the one always starting fights, so I’m sure you’d miss him if you didn’t have him around.

Banri: Good one.

Yuki: Isn’t it?

Banri: Anyway, ain’t it almost time for him to start doin’ stuff over there? Why dontcha talk to him?

Yuki: …

[ ⇠ Previous Part ] • [ Next Part ⇢ ]

[lestappenforever]

sorry if this is gunna sound rude but i rlly am so dam exhausting seeing lestappies throw charles under the bus

like if u like max more thats def fine and is ur right as a fan but treating charles like hes a noob who wont get anywhere in the sport as long as max is there is rlly .. smth i gotta say

if u don’t believe in him then pls just ignore him lmao dont go hype him up only when he ‘helping max’ win the championship it’s rlly so sad to see that their support relies on max like how tf does that work lmao 😭😭

anyway saw too many ppl (leatappies) shit on him this break it’s rlly exhausting when hes not rlly part of the conversation but they like to trash him anyway 🤷

Hi anon!

Not really sure why you felt the need to start this off with "if this is gonna sound rude", unless you're accusing me of throwing Charles under the bus? But if that’s not your intent (I sure hope it isn’t), then you're all good.

I'm really sorry that's your experience. I'll be honest and say I can't relate to that at all because I am yet to see a single Lestappen enjoyer throw Charles under the bus or mention him the way you're explaining, for which I am very grateful. So it seems like some of you follow and/or otherwise get exposed to the wrong blogs and posts, which really sucks.

But, and I cannot stress this enough, it is your responsibility to create a Tumblr experience for yourself that you enjoy. There are tools easily available to you in order to do that, such as the blocking and the blacklisting features, and it’s up to you to make sure you use these however you see fit to ensure you don't expose yourself to blogs, posts and takes that you don’t agree with and that you don’t want to see. If you see something that negatively impact you mentally or emotionally, then you need to do your part in ensuring you don't come across that blog or post again. If you don't, you're going to keep seeing things that impact you negatively and upset you, and that will be nobody’s fault but your own.

Every single driver, and that includes Charles, has a lot of people out there who actively and vocally dislike them. And some of them love making their opinions known. That's just how it is, and that's never going to change — that's just the case for every single sport out there, and it is definitely not special, or worse, for F1 or certain drivers. Knowing this, it's up to you to ensure you don't get exposed to those people if they upset you in any way, shape or form. Tumblr isn’t going to do that for you, so you have to do it yourself.

You're never going to change somebody's mind about a driver they dislike, and there’s no point in even trying. Just like I'm sure nobody else could ever change your mind about your favorites and the drivers you dislike.

So the very simple and very effective solution here is to use the block and blacklist features as often and as much as you need, and create the kind of Tumblr experience you want for yourself. And that is entirely up to you.

Remember, Tumblr is supposed to be fun for you, and you need to do what you can to ensure that's the case. You don't owe anyone on this platform anything — just like nobody on this platform owes you anything.

Please be proactive here, my dear anon. You will gain nothing and only end up having an unnecessarily bad time if you’re not, I promise. And you don't deserve that. ❤️

[bookwyrminspiration]

It’s the way elves literally aren’t smarter than humans for me. Like, knowing more doesn’t make you smarter — not really, anyway. All it does is make them more knowledgeable. I know it’s said in the books that they have higher IQs or something… but it doesn’t really make sense? Idk maybe I’m not making much sense, but elves just don’t really seem smarter than humans.

Of course, part of that is that these books are being read to humans and is written by a human, but I think it would’ve make more sense if elves just prioritized the subjects they learn in school as having to be taught the way they do, and the subjects humans learn are like spoon-fed to them at a young age so they do seem smarter than the average human.

I don't remember if it's ever explained in a straightforward manner how, exactly, the elves are smarter than humans, but I think the general idea Shannon was going for was that the elves are smarter as in like...quicker processing, better memory, pattern recognition, etc. They understand, process, and implement information at a faster rate than humans, making them smarter. They're the gifted kids but an entire species

That's why "the slowest elf can still trump a human--even one with no proper education. (book one, pg 24). That's also where Fitz brings up how Sophie is so far ahead in her classes and has skipped so many grades. She's just mentally superior to all of them, which is attributed to her being an elf. However, being better at processing and recognizing patterns and things doesn't make them better if they don't implement their capabilities properly, if that makes sense. They have a higher capacity and average for intelligence, but they're still capable of making mistakes and misjudging things and everything else humans are.

And you're right! One of the things humans are frequently made fun of for throughout the series are their beliefs/understanding of the world, like Fitz calling the theory of relativity dumb and saying Einstein was wrong. Humans aren't as technologically advanced and also are a different species! They'd have no reason to know or believe that light leaping is possible and that it doesn't require infinite energy because humans can't do it and human science and knowledge is based on observation; humans have no one to observe who can light leap. They're not dumb because they don't know those things. Humans are actually doing pretty well based on the knowledge they have, and I don't think they should be judged based on knowledge they don't have and that elves are actively trying to keep from them

It's a little ironic that the elves are like "wow can't believe humans have such inaccurate beliefs about mythical creatures" (e.g. bigfoot) when they are the ones who have done out of their way to hide said creatures from humans and make sure they don't know the truth. They have completely separated their worlds as much as possible and then look down on humans for not having technology intrinsic to elves? Humans figured out their own things, it just didn't fit in with what elves saw as what they should be doing. Like nuclear weaponry. I am not saying it's a good thing but it's an example of what I'm taking about.

OH! I think I've got it. Maybe. Humans and elves are both smart, but in different ways and with access to different sets of information. Elves may have a natural advantage, but that's more to set Sophie apart from her peers than have a huge species wide impact. And because human intelligence isn't elven intelligence, elves don't value it and look down on humans without realizing that the humans could do the same thing to them for their own beliefs and customs.

though you are right that the book being written by a human with humans in mind, the characters are going to sound human! humans are supposed to be able to relate to the characters, and if they're mindbogglingly smart then there's going to be an unwanted disconnect. i think every writer can also attest to finding themselves in situations where their characters are smarter than them and they have to try and figure something out, and when writing a series where the species is naturally smarter than yours that gets hard!

it's an interesting conundrum that doesn't get brought up often in the series, so thanks for bringing it up!

[thatsalrightprettymama]

The Wonder Of You

A/N: Thank you @theinvisiblecapricorn for your request! Sorry it's a little late, but this is my first time writing a smut scene lol. I hope this is what you meant, and that you like it! It is the longest piece I've ever written, but I'm not too sure that's a bad thing haha. Something about the prompt just really got me to write haha. I really hope that you enjoy it and like it! I tried editing it as best as I could, and it's also not really proofread much. Constructive criticism is always welcome! If there's anything you feel that I left out of the warnings that should be added let me know!

Warnings: Smut and Fluff, Insecurites ,Angst,

 Following Elvis up to his room, your nerves intensified knowing what was to come. That after dating him for a year, and months of teasing touches, you knew you wanted to fully give yourself to the handsome and sweet southern gentleman that’s swept you off your feet. You unconsciously give his hand a squeeze as you two finish the last few steps, once of the stairs though Elvis uses your intwined hands to pull you to him for a searing kiss. His soft velvety plush lips pressing into yours before swiping his tongue along your bottom lip, asking for permission. Giving it, he deepens the kiss, sucking on your lip as he breaks away from your mouth. “You’re everything I could ever want mama.” He tells you, his deep voice gaining a slight rasp, as his heated blue eyes gaze into yours. His words causing your cheeks to burn and heart to swell. He kisses you again before he continues to lead you to his room. The steps familiar but the experience new, you continue till he has you against his door. Grabbing your soft hips, he presses you against the door as he kisses you again. Your full chest pushing against his as you meet the kiss and feel his left-hand trail over your dress to your ass, groping it through the fabric. Causing you to gasp into the kiss, and goosebumps rise on your skin, before he slowly breaks apart. Blue eyes storming darker with a hungry lust as he watches you stare up at him, chest rising and falling with your breathes. Elvis loved seeing that he could affect you as much as you got him. “You gotta tell me now, if you want this Y/N, or not. It’s fine if you don’t darlin’.” He sweetly tells you in his raspy voice, making sure you wanted this, and you did. You knew you loved Elvis, and that you finally wanted to fully give yourself to him.

            “I want this Elvis, I want you.” You shakily tell him as heat continues to pour into your core as nerves and excitement flow through your veins. You watch him smile and suck on his bottom lip for a moment before he kisses you and opens the door behind you. Breaking the kiss, he backs you slowly into the bed during a series of searing kisses as you tried to focus on unbuttoning his shirt. The mattress hitting the back of the knees causing you to land on the bed with a soft thud, you look up and the only thing that flashed through your mind was that Elvis, your normally sweet and handsome steady, looked like sin. His eyes filled with a lust full fire as he gazed down at your body, his dark hair slightly tousled, pink lace shirt opened exposing is firm chest, and the bulge in his pants. “God, you look so beautiful baby, but I think you’re wearing too much at the moment.” He tells you as his eyes rake down your body, cheeks burning from it before he bends down kissing you as his hands trail over your dress. Bunching the fabric in his large hands he helps you take your dress off, leaving you in your thin white bra and lace underwear. Never having anyone really see you like this before; you start to feel vulnerable as Elvis’s eyes rake over your body. Flustered you go to cover yourself with your arms before Elvis stops you. “You look divine doll; I can’t believe you’ve been hiding a body like that from me. “Elvis tells you, his deep raspy voice affecting you more, as he kisses you grabbing your hips. His large hands feeling like hot coals as he backs you up on the bed, his body looming over yours.

            You shakily take you hands and finish un-buttoning the rest of his shirt, the lace fabric sliding off his lean muscular torso as he breaks away from your lips to start trailing kisses on down your neck, light pleasure filled sighs falling from your lips as he marks you. You lightly trace your hands down his torso, exploring his chest before he presses his clothed hips into yours. You can feel his bulge press against you as he continues to suck and nibble on your neck. Slowly he slides one of his large hands from your hip down to your thighs. You bite your lips as you feel his fingers inch closer to your panties. You feel his chuckle vibrate against your neck as you gasp as you feel his fingers slide past the lace and start teasing your folds. Feeling how wet you already were as he finds your clit and starts to rub it. “Does that feel good darlin’?” He teasingly asks you as light moans fall from your lips. You bashfully nod, enjoying the feeling of his long finger play with you. “I need your words darlin’.” His firm voice gently tells you as he starts to slow his movements, causing you to gasp out your answer. “Ye-Yes, it feels good.” Your checks burn deeper as you answer before moaning again as he picks his speed back up. “Good baby, I wanna make you feel good.” Elvis tells you, smiling as he takes his mouth away to gaze at you. Deep hungry blue eyes watch your face as you gasp and moan, enjoying the way your eyes roll as he starts to use his other finger to tease and play with your tight hole. Your walls tight around his long digit, making him bite his lip as he feels how tight you and thinking of how you’re going to feel around him. “God you’re so tight darlin’.” He moans out watching you as he plays with your pussy. Enjoying how flustered his words make you.

            Wrapping your arms around his shoulder, you hold onto him like an anchor as you feel his finger. While you had touched yourself before, it never felt as good as this. “Oh Elvis.” You moan out before closing your eyes as you feel him slip another finger into you. You feel a faint burn as his long fingers start to scissor you, but the pleasure they bring causes you to ignore it. Moaning your hips start to lightly move, your body reacting to the sensation. “Mhmm you look so beautiful like this.” Elvis compliments before deeply kissing you, swallowing your moans as he adds more pressure to your clit as he scissors you. Your fingernails lightly dig into his broad shoulders as the pleasure within you builds. “Mhmm think you’re getting close.” He teases as he feels your walls flutter around his fingers. You moan louder as you feel pleasure build up inside you, your wetness coating his fingers as he brings you closer to the edge. “C’mon doll, let go.” His raspy deep voice urged before the band finally snapped. Your orgasm washed over you, the feeling completely euphoric. Stronger than anything you had ever made yourself feel. Elvis helps you ride out your orgasm before he slips his hand out of your panties, before leaning back and standing on his knees. Panting you lean on your elbows and watch him undo his belt and start to take his pants and boxers down. You can’t help but notice how big he was, causing elvis to smirk at your reaction. His cocky side coming out for a moment before he leans down and kisses you. He presses his body against yours, grinding his cock against your wet lace panties. Letting you feel how hard he was against you, the sensation causing you to moan but also causing nerves to flair up again. It was really happening; you were going to go all the way with Elvis.

            As he continued to grind against you, you moaned as you felt him kiss your neck before trailing down to your chest. His plush lips exploring before he take a nipple into his mouth, causing your nails to dig deeper into his shoulders as he started to suck and tease your nipple. You feel the lace stick to you as you get wetter, moans falling from your lips as he pops your harden nipple out of his mouth before giving the other his attention. Releasing your nipple, Elvis looks up at your face before kissing you. You feel you face burn as he slides your lace panties off, leaving your completely bare to him as he breaks the kiss. Instinctively you go to cover yourself when he grabs your hands to stop you. “Don’t try to hide darlin, I wanna see all of you.” He tells you staring into your eyes as you lightly nod and relax your arms. Watching Elvis’s blue eyes rake over your body, you can’t help but start to feel beautiful seeing the way he looks at you. Leaning down on one arm he kisses you as he strokes his dick before lining up with you. “Are you sure you want this Darlin?” He asks you, blue eyes hungry but caring as he watches your face, looking for any fear or doubt. “I’m sure Elvis, I wanna feel all of you.” You breathlessly tell him as you wrap your arms around his shoulder, feeling the head of his dick press at your entrance. “Mhmm alright darlin’ it might hurt a little, but I promise I’ll take care of you. I’ll make you feel good darlin’.” He tells you before giving you a tender kiss, feeling him slowly press into you, you gasp into the kiss feeling him stretch you.

            Elvis gently kisses you as he pushes more of himself into you, the burn becoming more prominent as he fills you up more. “You’re doing so good for me mama.” You hear him gently rasp out as tears build up as he bottoms out. “God you feel so tight mama.” Elvis groans out as you tight walls hug him.The feeling completely foreign and uncomfortable, but there was still pleasure that made you want to continue. As he stills inside you, letting you adjust to him, he gently wipes your cheek and asks, “Are you ok darlin? Is it too much?”. He gently asks as he stays still, tender care shinning through the lust in his blue orbs. “Mhm I’m good baby, just so full.” You moan out as the burn begins to fade some, making you want to feel him move. Elvis smiles at your answer, and when he feels your hips instinctively wiggle, he slowly starts to drag his cock against your walls as he pulls out some before gently thrusting back. Your throw your head back as you moan, your legs tightening against his hips as he slowly fucks you. “You feel so good Y/N, I can’t believe you’re mine.” His deep voice groans out as he bites his lip, blue hooded eyes taking in the sight of you as he gently rolls his hips. “Oh Elvis, feel so good.” You struggle to moan out as mind numbing pleasure starts to take over, the burn long forgotten as you dig into his shoulders. “I love the way you sound, the way you feel.” He tells you, his deep voice adding to the juices on his cock as he leans down and starts to nibble on your neck. Feeling his teeth scrape against your neck, as his plush lips press against the skin sucking, causing you to whimper as the pleasure increases. Your mind fogged by all the feelings as he continued gently drag his cock into you.

            He follows his previous path from your neck to your ample chest, biting and sucking one nipple as one hand gropes and plays with the other firmly but gently. Causing you to arch your back, pressing your chest against his face as pleasure took over. You moan and whimper as each touch, each nipple, and each thrust pulling that band inside you tighter. While his fingers had felt amazing, his cock felt so much better. You couldn’t describe the pleasure coursing through your veins as he sustained his rhythm while exploring and worshiping your body. You couldn’t think or speak as you got closer to the edge, everything feeling so intense as your orgasm builds. Feeling your walls tighten around his cock, Elvis lets out a sinful groan before his soft plush lips kiss you deeply as his hands dig into your hip. “Mhmm mama, god you look so beautiful like this. “ He groans out before adding a bit more force to his thrusts, but still keeping the same pace. “Are you gonna cum with me darlin?” He rasps out causing your cheeks to burn as you nod, his new energy make his slow thrust hit you hard. With a loud moan you feel the band snap and a strong orgasm wash over you after a few more thrusts of his hips. You try to imprint the low sinful moan of your name Elvis lets out as he stills in you, and you feel his warm cum paint your walls. You both stay still in your position as you pant and come down from your highs.

            After a moment, Elvis slowly slips out of you, causing you to wince slightly as he did so. He turns and falls on his back next to you before he stretches an arm and pulls you into his side. Laying your head on his chest you listen to his heart and breathing as you take in the moment. “I love you Elvis. “ you tell him quietly, breaking the silence after you’ve calmed, staring up at his blue eyes. “I love you too Y/N, I really do. “ Elvis tells you tenderly as he stares into your eyes, the arm around you rubbing your side soothingly. “You’re my best girl.” He tells you before giving you a gentle kiss. You two stay like that, laying together gently kissing and cuddling till you fall asleep. Waking up the next morning, Elvis was so sweet and tender with you. Trying his best to help with the soreness you felt, he ran you a bath and tried to pamper you some before he had to go meet Sam Phillips.

            Unknown to you that day at Sun Records, Elvis was smiling like he won the lottery. “What’s got you grinning like a fool?” His bassist asked as he walked into the studio causing him to chuckle. “Oh nothin’, Just havin’ a good morning.’ Elvis tells him happily as he grabs his guitar and tunes it. “Oh come on, it’s gotta be something good. “ The bassist quips smiling as he watches Elvis. Before he can answer Sam Phillips walks in and teases, “He’s twitter-patted. That’s the smile of a man that’s asked a big question.” Causing the other guys to chuckle and whoop as Elvis shoots Sam a raised eyebrow. “What makes ya say that Mr. Phillips?”  Elvis asks, a very faint blush appearing when he thinks of you and marriage. “I told ya to call me Sam. Also, cause me and Becca saw you and Y/N at Jim’s Place, I wanted to go over and say hello, but Becca said by you’re look it was a special date. “ Sam answers as he sits on a piano bench. “So how’d it go?” Sam asks looking at Elvis as the other guys join in. “Well, it wasn’t an important date. I just wanted to take Y/N out somewhere nice with the remaining of my signing bonus.” Elvis answers as he scratches the back of his head. “Though I am gonna marry her. She’s gonna be Mrs. Y/N Presley.” He tells the room with his eyes lighting up as the boys playfully tease him. Sam lets them have their fun for a few moments before breaking them up.

            “All right, time to get goin boys! We’re wasting precious recording time.” He tells them with a smile as they all nod and finish setting up as he goes to the recording booth. They spend the next few hours recording before Sam calls it a day. The boys all pack up there stuff and leave Sun Records, Except for Elvis. Knocking on Sam’s door, Elvis pokes his head in. “Mr. Phillips, can we talk?” Elvis asks him softly causing the older man to look at him before nodding. “Yeah we can talk son, and also how many times have I told you to call me Sam?” Sam tells Elvis as he watches the young man walk into his office and sit in front of him. Wondering what the amazing singer could want to talk about. “What’s on your mind EP?” The older man asks after a moment of silence. “Well it’s about what you said earlier, about me and Y/N.” Elvis begins nervously, biting his lip before continuing, “You were kinda right, It was an important date, I was gonna ask her. “ Sam watches as the young many slides his hands through his hair thinking before speaking again. “I chickened out, and I just. I need some advice. “ Elvis finally admits looking at the older man for guidance before adding, “I’d ask Daddy, but he’s end up telling Mama and Y/N would find out.” Sam chuckles before telling him, “Yeah that wouldn’t be good when planning a proposal.” Sitting up in his chair he smiled at the young boy before telling him. “Don’t do over the top, but make it special. It’s gonna be a story she’s gonna tell everyone. Including your grandkids. Also make it special to you two. Don’t do something nice or fancy because that’s what’s hot in Memphis right now, do something that has significance to your relationship. “ Elvis nods and listens to his words, taking mental notes before Sam asks,” Can you think of any special place to ya’ll on the top of your head?”

            Elvis pauses and thinks over the pass year with you. All the memories and places, yet one oddly sticks out. Handy Park. “Yeah that park of Beale Street, one night me and Y/N were leaving Club Handy. We were walking through it cause she said she didn’t wanna go home yet. Under one of the street lamps when we were talking, I saw her and it just hit me that I loved her. That’s when I knew I loved her, that she was the one.” Elvis tells Sam, and the older man can’t help but smile at how his face lit up as he talked. “There you go then. Plan something and ask in Handy Park.” Sam tells him with a smile. Standing up Elvis thanks and hugs him, shocking Sam, before leaving the studio. Already coming up with ideas and thinking of the ring in his drawer.

            The next few days, your relationship continued as normal. The only things changing were you feeling closer to him, and some kisses ended up more heated. Well that was until you went with Vernon and Gladys to watch Elvis perform at his next show. Sitting in the crowd you smiled, happy to see him perform again having missed his last performances. While you knew that girls in the crowd liked Elvis, I mean you couldn’t blame them, you hadn’t expected their reactions to be so much bolder. You couldn’t believe how alive the crowd became as the music started. With wide eyes you watched as they rushed the stage and threw their bras and panties onto the stage. Wrapping an arm around you and patting your shoulder, Gladys leaned over and told you over the screams., “You know my bewbie loves you Y/N, don’t think too much of those girls.” You glance at her and give her a small smile, thankful for the small act of comfort. Swallowing a lump you try to watch the show for a few more minutes before you excused yourself to the restroom. Making your way through the crowd you get to the small bathroom in the back. Closing the door, you walked to the sink to splash some water on your face to try to calm you.

            Wiping your face, you glanced at yourself in the mirror as you heard the faint screams of the crowd roar behind the door. The more you stared at the mirror, the more your insecurities sank in. Elvis was perfect. He could have any of those beautiful thin girls in the crowd, why was he with you? I mean you couldn’t blame those girls for reacting like that, Elvis was devilishly handsome, and you couldn’t fault Elvis for following his dreams. It just hurt, because how could you compete with all of them? It wasn’t long before you felt tears well up in your eyes. Leaning your head back you took a deep breathe in, trying to stop yourself from letting go and crying. You didn’t want to ruin anyone’s night. After taking a few more moments to collect yourself, you left the small bathroom and headed back to your seat. You watched the rest of Elvis’s set trying your best to ignore all the girls. As Elvis got off the stage, you went with Gladys to see him backstage. Despite your feelings you couldn’t help but smile when you saw him standing there talking to the guys as he sipped on a bottle of coke. “Oh Bewbie! You did another amazing show!” Gladys exclaims as she walks towards him, taking his attention away from the band. Smiling he hugs his Mama while smiling at you over her shoulder. “Hey Mama! I know the crowd was on fire tonight!” Elvis exclaimed, still hyped from the show, as he lets her go and walks over towards you. “Hey baby.” He tells you as you give him a hug before leaning up for a quick peck. “Your Mama’s right, you did amazing.” You tell him smiling as you let go of each other.

            You quietly stay near Elvis and Gladys as you all stayed backstage for a moment to wind down from the show. After awhile Elvis starts to notice his best girl seems a little..off. “What’s the matter darlin’? You ok?” Elvis asks you as he wraps an arm around your shoulder. You nod and give him a small smile. “Yeah I’m fine baby, must be getting a little tired.” You lie to him, ignoring the look Gladys gives you, and not noticing Elvis face briefly turn down. “Alright doll, and we’ll probably be leaving in a little bit. Let the crowd ease some.” He tells you before kissing your head. For the reminder of the time there he keeps his arm around you, holding you close. The back of his mind itchin’ to know what’s wrong with you. Elvis doesn’t try to see what’s wrong until you two are alone in the car. After a few minutes of driving away, he asks again. “Y/N, baby what’s botherin’ ya? I know you ain’t just tired. I know my girl.” His deep voice full of concern as he glances at you from the drivers seat. Not wanting to burden him with your insecurities, you try to brush it off again, “Elvis it’s nothing to worry about. “ You tell him softly looking away from him and out the window. “It is somethin’ to worry about when it’s got my best girl down.” Elvis tells you firmly yet keeping his concern showing in his voice. “Please baby, tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it. “ He tells you trying to coax you as your emotions build up. “You can’t fix me being fat Elvis.” You finally spit out, closing your eyes to keep the tears from falling, shocking him as his eyes widen slightly. Before he could say anything about your abrupt answer you continued. “You can’t fix that I’m not as thin as those other girls, you can’t fix that I’m not as pretty as they are, you can’t fix that you deserve better than me.” Your voice shaking with unshed tears as you vulnerably answer him. “Oh Y/N darlin’: He coos in his southern accent as he pulls off the road and parks.

            Turning off the car he scoots over in the seat to get closer than you. Gently he takes his hand and turns your face to him. “C’mon look at me Y/N” He gently coaxes you to open your eyes, staring directly into his loving ones. “I don’t know where all of this is coming from darlin’ but ain’t a lick of it is true.” He tells you as he gazes into your eyes as he continues, “You are gorgeous, and those girls could never compare to you. I couldn’t deserve better than you, because I don’t deserve you.” Each word tugging at your heart as you listen to his words. Sniffling you go to say something before he cuts you off. “I love you Y/N, and I don’t know why you love someone like me, but I’m so glad you do. “ He tells you making the tears finally fall, and without missing a beat he softly wipes them away as he pulls you into him. “Shh now don’t cry darlin’. I don’t know how you can’t see how beautiful, amazing, and wonderful you are.” He tells you as he gives you soft kiss on the head. “But you’re wrong, I can fix it doll. I’ll fix it by loving you everyday, by reminding you that you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on, I’ll spend my whole life doing anything to fix you feelin’ that way about yourself.” He tells you, making you fall in love with him even deeper. “I love you Elvis.” You tell him as you move your head from his chest and stare up at him with watery eyes. “I love you too Y/N.” Elvis tells you softly as he wipes the rest of your tears.

            You two stay like that for a moment before you feel Elvis move. Leaning back you watch as he digs in his pocket before giving you a rare nervous smile. “I had something different planned out for this before our dinner date next week, and I know I should probably wait till then and not do it here on the side of the road.” Elvis begins to tell you as he grabs something in his pocket and starts to pull it out. As he pulls out and starts to open a little black box, you feel time freeze as you watch him. “But I can’t let you go on without realizing how much you mean to me. I love you Y/N, I have ever since that night in Handy Park all those months ago. This past year has been the most amazing of my life between meeting you and getting signed. For once in my life everything is fitting together. I know it won’t be easy, but I promise you I’ll do everything I can do to get you to see yourself through my eyes. “ Elvis tells you, staring deeply into your eyes with each word as he holds the ring box open in front of you. “Will you marry me?” He finally asks as tears start falling again as you nod. “Yes! Oh Yes!” You excitedly tell him before you throw your arms around him and kiss him.

            Smiling widely he chuckles as you two break apart from the kiss, before he takes your hand and slips the simple, yet beautiful diamond ring on your finger. Glancing at the ring you can’t help but smile and feel elated. “Oh Elvis it’s perfect.” You swoon as you stare at it, causing him to smile as he holds you to him. “I’m glad you liked it, I was so worried I’d picked out something you’d hate.” He nervously tells you with a smile causing you to giggle. “Elvis you could’ve asked me with a paper ring and I’d still have said yes.” You tell him honestly as you look away from your ring to him. “Yes, but my best girl deserves diamonds,”  He tells you before kissing you gain. You two stay on the side of the road, in your own little world, for a few more moments before Elvis scoots back over to the driver’s side. Kissing you one last time he starts the car, and begins to drive you two back to his house to tell his Parents. The whole ride back you couldn’t help but think of how lucky you were to have Elvis and be in love.

[helplessly-nonstop]

Laughing Gas Confession (L. Hemmings imagine)

I’ve been working on this fix for quite some time but since Luke decided to realize a new album, I finally managed to gain motivation to finish this fic! Anyway reader gets their wisdom teeth pulled and this is the results! Tagging my girlie @wrestlingfae

WC: 2352

-

Wisdom teeth. The bane of any person’s existence if they ever had the displeasure of them coming in. Truly the only thing a person could ever gain from them coming in might be the humerus videos you capture while on laughing gas. My experience however? A little less humorous and a lot more exposing.

“Come on, you’re being a baby about this, just go to the dentist and let them pull the wisdom teeth, you’ll feel much better!” Luke insisted as he shut the door behind us. I groaned as he continued to pester me about setting up a dentist appointment to remove the nightmares pressing against my jaw.

“Luke, I have no one to bring me home! They’re going to use laughing gas and I can’t drive while high.” I retorted, beginning to put away the groceries, only to press my fingers against the hinge of my jaw as the ache began to grow more painful. He stared at me with a disbelieving look then he exclaimed, “I’m off tour, I can take you! I mean, we’re best friends, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Take each other to the dentist, make sure you don’t ruin the Uber driver’s car flooring with vomit.”

“Okay, that was one time! That’s what you get for giving me Chipotle while I’m hammered. I mean, technically, me puking on that guy’s floor was your fault for letting me drink with Cal. You know he always encourages me to do bad things.” I insisted, handing him the milk to put away. He sighed, clearly realizing that I had won that point, and returned to our current argument, “Just let me take you. I swear, I won’t record you. I’ll just make sure you get there and back, safe and sound. Okay?”

We stared at one another for a while before I sighed, muttering, “Alright, fine, just make sure that I get there and back without breaking a bone.” His blue eyes sparkled at my agreement before he kissed me on my forehead then launched into making dinner as I dug through the freezer in search of an ice pack to press against my jaw. At least I’d finally get rid of these stupid wisdom teeth.

My appointment was set for tomorrow and dread was beginning to set in. Laughing gas loosened your lips and things that should remain a secret had the chance of slipping out. I was sitting on my bed, considering other options to pull my wisdom teeth without using laughing gas but ultimately came up empty. Unfortunately it seemed that this was the only way. Of course, I could have asked any of the other guys to take me to the dentist, but I feared that would hurt Luke. I just hoped that I could keep my secret locked away from even the grasps of the laughing gas..

“Today’s the day,” Luke crowed, bursting into my room, “C’mon, it’s time to take out those nasty wisdom teeth of yours!” I groaned and ducked my head beneath my pillow once again as I grumbled, “Why? Why did it have to be me to be cursed with a morning person as a best friend?” He flopped on my bed then lifted my pillow away from my face as he replied, “Balances out your night owl habits. Now come on, I bet you’re dying to get those bastards pulled.”

“It’s like you’re excited to see me suffer through recovery. Sadistic fuck. Alright, go, I’m getting dressed.” I muttered, shoving him off my bed. He groaned as he hit the floor then gave a small wave as he shut my bedroom door behind him, leaving me alone for the time being. I quickly changed and stared at the clock as I began to process what could happen.

Today was the day that I would risk the chance of exposing my love for my best friend of many years. What would I even do if I let it slip? Would he hate me? Would he reject me? Would he feel the same? So many thoughts raced through my head that I didn’t even notice that Luke had reentered, holding a hairbrush out to me. He cleared his throat and I glanced up with a sheepish smile then accepted the brush as he asked, “You need your shoes?” I looked around my room briefly and pointed to the stray pair of sneakers hiding beside my dresser before finishing brushing my hair.

He handed me my shoes and ran a hand through my hair as he assured me, “There’s nothing to worry about. They’re gonna take good care of you.” I smiled up at him and quickly pulled on my shoes before heading out the front door, sighing at the Los Angeles heat. We settled into the car and I stared out the window with a small sigh, prepared to finally get my teeth pulled.

“Hey you’re gonna be okay, there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve been to this dentist before, they’re really good.” Luke assured me, patting my hand. I smiled briefly then stared out the window, knowing damn good and well whether the dentist was good or not was at the bottom of my worry list for today.

We arrived at the dentist in fifteen minutes and I savored the knowledge that we wouldn’t be together while I’m high on laughing gas for too long. He guided me inside and I spoke to the nurse running the front desk while Luke investigated the assortment of pamphlets that were splayed across their wall. Settling back beside him, I gripped the arms of the chair, terror beginning to set in. What would happen as soon as I exited the exam room? Would I expose the truth? Could I prevent a secret from spilling out?

Long fingers slid over the top of my hand and I jerked out of my panic as Luke gave a tight squeeze. He smiled and assured me,”Hey it’s okay! I’ll be right here when you’re done, okay?” Just a few words and my heart began to settle. The nurse entered the waiting area then glanced up from his clipboard, calling my name. My best friend waved a hand towards the exam area then chirped, “A new life awaits you. One without pain.”

The words echoed in my head as I settled in the chair and the dentist coached me through how to breathe in the laughing gas before a haze settled over my thoughts. The operation was a quick procedure and the pressure of them removing the four monsters that evolution cursed us with was nothing compared to the relief I felt.

The nurse was kind enough to help Luke with guiding me to the car and I pressed my cheek against the cool glass of the window, poking my cheek to feel the gauze stuffed in my mouth. He swatted my hand away and chided, “Don’t do that, you’ll make it hurt worse later.” I pouted at his warning then mumbled,”You’re no fun, Luke. Why you gotta be a buzzkill?” He chuckled at my whining and ruffled my hair as he replied, “I’m not being a buzzkill, I’m saving you from yourself.”

We managed to go through the drive through without another incident of me being a disaster, which I’m sure he was thankful for. He tugged me out of the car and urged, “Come on, let’s get you inside, silly.”

“You know, I love you so fucking much, Lukey. Like holy shit.” I mumbled, leaning into his chest. He laughed as he guided me into the living room then replied, “I love you too. We should really get you laid down before you pass out on me. Doctor said by the time you got home, you’ll be about ready to sleep.” I smiled softly at him as I landed on the couch and insisted, “No, not- not like a best friend loves their best friend. I love you like a boyfriend and girlfriend love each other.”

His eyes widened at the statement then I began to lay down on the couch as I mumbled, “Prolly shouldn’t have said that but ya know how it is. Easy goes the truth you want most exposed. The subconscious is a strange place, Luke.” He gave a shallow nod and turned out of the living room then returned with a blanket, draping it over me as my eyes began to close. Long fingers brushed my cheek briefly then I heard him murmur something to me, but the pain medicine was beginning to settle in.

When I finally came to, I was still curled up on the couch, with a blanket curled around my shoulders and a pillow clutched to my cheek. Glancing around, I realized that Luke had disappeared from the living room, leaving me to nap by myself. I groaned, pressing a tender hand to my jaw, then mumbled, “Ah fuck, right. Wisdom teeth are gone.” I pushed off the couch and stumbled into the bathroom so I could pull the bloody gauze from my mouth. I moved my bottom jaw briefly, only to regret the decision as pain struck. I groaned and clenched my eyes closed, hoping that the agony would settle down.

“Hey, you’re up. You want something to eat? I made soup.” Luke asked, leaning against the bathroom doorway. I turned at the sound of his voice and questioned, “How long was I out?” He hummed at the question, glancing down at his phone screen as it chimed, then replied, “About four hours. Not a bad nap. Come on, let’s get some food for you.”

As the week progressed, I noticed Luke had become distant. He moved away when I leaned against him, particularly when he was texting which was never an issue in our friendship. We often flocked to one another when we were chatting with friends and even potential love interests so it was strange for him to shy away.

When I entered a room, he would leave just seconds later, as if he couldn’t stand the thought of standing in the same area as me. What had happened when my wisdom teeth were pulled? Had my behavior while dealing with the pain really drove my best friend away? Or worse, did I tell him my biggest secret while I was under the influence of laughing gas and pain medicine? And if so, how long would our friendship last?

I allowed his strange behavior to continue unquestioned for another week, hoping that it was a mere coincidence that he was acting so strange so soon after my wisdom teeth surgery. But I finally caved on demanding what his problem was when I tried to hug him, only for him to sidestep me.

“Was there- did I do something wrong? Because if I did, I’d really like to know what’s causing you to act like this towards me.” I asked, stepping forward to try and meet his eyes. He turned on his heel and ran a hand through his hair before he grumbled, “So that’s why you didn’t want me to take you to the dentist. Because you were afraid of telling me the truth while you were under?” I raised an eyebrow at him and began to ask what he meant, only to pause when his words sank in.

“Oh my god, I didn’t. Please tell me that I did not say what I think you’re saying that I said.” I rushed out, not caring if it had made any sense. He flickered his gaze up to me then he snapped, “How long? How long have you been hiding the fact that you’re in love with me?”

“I’m kind of hoping that’s an optional question to answer.” I admitted, twisting my fingers together. He whipped to face me and shouted, “Goddammit, this isn’t a fucking joke to me, so quit deflecting and tell me what I want to know!” I flinched back at his anger then demanded, “Why are you so pissed that I didn’t tell you that I’m in love with you? I have a right to hide things, Luke! It’s not like you feel- never mind, just let me take my medicine.”

He stepped in front of me and held a hand up as he said simply, “Finish what you were going to say. You know me so well, tell me what you were going to say.” I glanced up at him then murmured, “It’s not like you feel the same anyway.”

“But how would you know that? You’re dismissing me before you even give me the chance to tell you how I even feel! You think I’d take just someone to the dentist? I mean- fuck! I wish you’d just let me tell you how I actually feel instead of acting like I wouldn’t give you a second of my time. I’m in love with you, dammit!” he shouted, chest heaving. My jaw dropped as we stared at one another, silence settling over our living room, then he drew in a deep breath, hissing,”I wasn’t going to confess like this. You just riled me up so fast, dammit.”

“You're in love with me?” I croaked out, surprise taking over my anger. He drew in a deep breath, as if he was preparing to give a giant speech, then he whispered, “I’ve been in love with you since high school. I just thought that you only wanted to be friends.” I cupped his face and he leaned into me, pressing his forehead against mine then I mumbled, “I thought I never stood a chance. That’s why I never made a move. I was terrified of what would happen if you didn’t feel the same.”

“Two halves of a whole idiot on the same thing, I guess.” he replied, giving a small smile. I giggled and asked, “Would my other half give me a kiss then?” He gave me a gentle kiss then assured me, “The second that you’re all healed up, I’m going to kiss you so fucking hard.”

“You better keep that promise, pretty boy.”

[tokoyamisstuff]

Tender Ch. 1 - Loki x Mute! Reader

Summary: Even though Loki doesn’t understand why the new member of the Avengers should be kind to him of all people, he doesn’t want you to stop either.

Warnings: Loki being depressed, the Avengers being kinda mean, mentions of Torture and Death

Words: ~2100

[Story Masterlist] [All of my Works]

All eyes were on him again.

As soon as Loki would step inside, the previously lively room would fall completely silent. Well, it’s not like he wasn’t used to being the involuntary kill-joy...

Usually, the God of Mischief craved attention, may it be positive or negative - most of the time being the latter. But lately, after months of having all those distrustful and hostile glares piercing holes into him, he’d rather wish for the ground to swallow him whole.

“Umm, so...I gotta go.” Natasha was the first one to flee the unpleasant atmosphere, not even putting the energy into mutter anything else than a cheap excuse on her way out. Clint wordlessly followed her close after, but not without shooting the Odinson one last, spiteful look.

Loki on the other hand was picking on his hands, a nervous habit he had inherited from his mother. As much as he tried to avoid meeting their eyes, the tensioned aura they were emitting making him feel close to breaking down completely - but he would never give them the satisfaction to witness this, he swore to himself.

And yet: Maybe he should just leave. Disappear, forever.

Although he’d never admit, Loki had grown very tired of his life following this stirr path, unable to diverge into a new direction. Everything he did would ultimately bring death and destruction upon mankind, inflicting fear in the hearts of all people.

His whole existence was based on being condemned to fail - just for others to reach their ‘glorius purpose’.

“Great” Tony scoffed. “Now they’re gone. Well done, prince of nothing.” Steve cut his friend off, clearing his throat very exaggeratedly.

The god still hadn’t moved from the doorframe of the conference room, while all others were already sitting on the oval-shaped table. He didn’t got what all that fuss was about. If Steve didn’t insist him to attend this emergency meeting, he’d just have gone about his usual business and avoided everyone as good as he could.

“C’mon, brother” Thor sighed, well knowing that if his brother was to stay in the team, it would ultimatively drive a wedge between them. All that pressure in the air was straining for everyone, including himself. 

Tony on the other hand was pretty chill about everything, aside of being passive-aggressive. This was probably due to their similar coping styles.

Even though his near-death-experience back when he stopped the Chitauri was still eating on his mental health, he’d prefer glossing over it with stupid jokes and overly confident behaviour. “No sassy remark today, Reindeer Games?”

Stark was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed as he rose an eyebrow on the god, who only muttered a hoarse “No...not today.”

Yeah, it was kind of his style to break the unsettling silence through puny comments or self-glorifying speeches, to distract from his own insecurity.

But right now, he was just so damn tired.

Of this planet and it’s people, as well as the humiliating circumstances he had to dwell in. The fact that he was a prisoner at the Stark Tower, amongst his worst enemies. Being forced by his brother to keep up this meaningless act, as if he’d ever be seen as a team member or ally - when in reality, he was but a slave to the people he once ought to reign.

Just like back on Asgard: Never one of them, never belonging. No way to break free - for his true self was something to be loathed.

However, first and foremost the one thing he was especially tired of was himself, for he couldn’t get out of his own skin. Not only could he never be considered a hero, let alone be redeemed.

After all the atrocities he had commited due to Thanos’ torture and the tesseract’s influence,  now that he woke up from that naive dream of power stilling the emptiness in his dark heart, there was nothing left for him - other than to be haunted by his crimes until the mercy of death would overcome him.

“Well” Steve began, slamming his palms on the desk to attract everyone’s attention. “As you all know, we are welcoming a new team member today.”

“They all know?” Of course they wouldn’t let him in on such sensitive information. Not that he minded either way - one Avenger more or less, it didn’t matter how many people hated him in here.

“Please, come on in.”

Loki cleared the entrance when he heared Tony’s words, turning around in anticipation of another dull creature like the Hulk to torment him - but his calm demeanour dropped completely at this unusual sight:

“Y-You?!”

That was simply not possible! The last time he had seen you was almost a year ago, and you were on the brink of death at that!

“For everyone that doesn’t know yet: Her name is Y/N Y/L/N. She is one of the victims HYDRA experimented on, and they succeeded in forming an artificial mutant.”

Steve went on and on explaining about your powers, but Loki’s head had already turned on autopilot, the only thing he could concentrate on being how the hell you of all people ended up here.

All these months, he was desperately trying to get any information about you, all of his hints ultimately leading him to dead ends - and in the end, tragically believing in your imminent death.

The memories were still painfully vivid in his mind: It was his first mission together with the Avengers, at a HYDRA hideout with most likely no civil survivors.

Actually, he had planned to make his escape right when the others engaged in a fight, wandering the hallways of what resembled a torture chamber rather than a laboratory.

On the walls were several instructions, about a serum that might cause a human to mutate if they were exposed to unbearable stress - pain being the most effective method, apparently.

Yet instead of finding anything useful for his personal gain, he found you: A  beautiful woman, yet emaciated and lying in a puddle of her own blood. At first he thought you to be dead just like the others - but as soon as your faint whimpers drang to his ears, he burst the cell you were trapped in open, rushing to your side immediately.

“Shh...” the god scooped you up from the cold stone floor, wrapping his cloak around your broken body. “Everything is alright now. Your savior is here.”

Loki gasped as he felt your hand stroking his cheekbone, even through all your pain and weakness wanting to bid your hero this due respect.

“Hel...you humans are such fragile creatures...” Loki muttered under his breath, cursing his own lack of talent when it came to casting healing spells. “Hang in there, look at me!”

Your eyes were teary and bloodshot, yet not less fit to bring across a message no words ever could: Incredible gratitude, and admiration.

He could tell you were close to passing out when your hand left his face, falling limp to the side. But he held you firmly in his arms, not once stopping to utter sweet words of encouragement as he made his way to the ship, leading you into safety.

“Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one man?”

Those were the words he once directed at Black Widow - but only now he understood her attempts.

Saving one person could never make up for all the lives he had destroyed - and yet he knew that for you, it would mean the world none the less.

In one way or another, with your life at his mercy, he began to finally grasp the preciousness of life, and doing everything in one’s might to protect it.

“Reindeer Games” Tony tapped on his shoulders, making Loki wake from his pondering. “I’d appreciate if you didn’t scare her away on the first day already.”

Oh.

Just now he was noticing his own grim expression, having towered over your much smaller form this whole time with furrowed brows.

“My apologies” was his firm response, but you only shook your head, trying to tell him it was not a big deal.

So this was what you looked like when you’re not imprisoned, he realized when he took in your physique.

Much to his pleasure, all of your wounds had seemingly healed, and you finally gained some much needed weight. Like this, you looked so much more healthier - and most definetly even more bewitching than he remembered you.

If people had let him know, would he have visited your sickbed, aiding you towards health again? Who knows...

Yet somehow, he dwelled in the thought of you being able to lead a happy life now that you were free - which made your decision to seek out the Avengers in wish for more battles even harder for him to accept.

“You are incredibly strong, Lady Y/N” Loki spoke firmly, everyone else rolling their eyes at his usual exaggeration - but you knew he meant every word. “Be sure of my eternal respect.” 

The God of Lies’ eyes widened in excitement when you directed a warm smile at him, knowing for sure that this one was genuine. It wasn’t like those fake smirks the other Avengers gave him out of politeness, or the mocking laughs when they were making fun of or excluding him.

No - that one was just pure affection. And it left him in awe.

“Thank you for saving me back then” you signed, just for Loki shooting you a puzzled look.

“What, I thought the all-tongue knows every language?” Tony yelled, as inconsiderate as always. Thor was quick to explain on his brother’s stead, him still being deeply invested with you. “Every spoken one, yes. ASL is not one of our fortes.”

Usually, Loki had always been a quick thinker. But right now he was to bewildered by your appearance that thinking straight was out of the question.  

What language were they speaking of? And why have you not been saying anything up until now? Maybe his presence was making you uncomfortable, after all? Should he leave on your behalf?

To make it easier for him to understand, you rolled down your turtleneck, revealing the unsighty scar that covered your whole throat.

There were not many people bold enough to come close to the God of Mischief without warning, yet suddenly you simply took his hand and slowly led it to your neck.

How could you be so naive and offer someone like him such a vital spot?! He’ll never get the human philosophy...

And yet, the flabbergasted god hesistantly let his hand run over the scar, while you opened your mouth to no avail - for 11 months already, no tone would leave your vocal cords.

“I’m incredibly sorry...” Loki whispered with a sorrowful tone, while the others just stared in disbelief. “If only I was able to heal this wound back then...”

What a puny god he was...and an even more pathetic wanna-be-hero at that...

He would try to take a few steps back, but you took a hold of his hand, squeezing it with both of yours, that cheerful smile not faltering in the slightest.

“Please, don’t be sad. I’m only alive thanks to you!” Bucky, whose cousin was mute as well, translated what you were signing for Loki. His tone sounded quite irritated, not fitting those meaningful words. “I only wanted to join the Avengers because I want to be just like you. You’re my idol!”

Those words touched him deeply, igniting a flame inside of him he thought long to be defunct. Was it hope?

Of course it was not nearly enough to pull him out of that deep, dark hole he felt trapped in for as long as he could remember - yet somehow, he now felt that it was not impossible to escape.

While the others were cringing at your declaration, making jokes about ‘choosing wrong idols’ or would plainly not believe Loki to have a positive effect on anyone, the two of you would just stare at each other in silent admiration.

Shyly, you signed yet another word for him - and this time, Loki would know what you mean from pure intuition. 

He smiled.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Loki was able to smile again, just thanks to your heartwarming welcome. And he was still blissfully unaware about what effect you could have on him, if he was brave enough to let you close.

One thing was sure: You literally had him wrapped around his finger from the very start.

[txemrn]

Did your MC struggled with either her body image or her emotions after giving birth? Was it difficult for her to get back to her old self?

Hey, Anon!

Thank you so much for the thoughtful Ask!

Before I answer...

Postpartum is such a delicate time period that unfortunately is painfully ignored here in America. We feed women delusional optimism, that having a baby is sunshine, rainbows and unicorns, and while yes, babies are a precious gift, we gotta get real! We shame women who may have negative thoughts during and after their pregnancy. We have a lack of resources to help them. Most women who deliver in the hospital are given ONE postpartum appointment @ six weeks, and they lack proper support at home. For working women, maternity leave is anywhere between 6-12 weeks, often times not paid.

Luckily, it's being talked about more... but it's like a small leak: it's not enough, and healthcare is heading in the WRONG direction. When there is that big of a shift in your life, and I'm talking your chemistry, your anatomy, your physiology, your social spheres, your responsibilities, then of course, there will be a struggle to get back to "normalcy" (there is no going back, only a new normalcy). Some women make it look flawless and others are trainwrecks. But, let's get one thing straight: this is a HUGE change for every. single. woman. Regardless of age, race, culture, education, religion, disability, etc., the struggle is REAL, and I believe here in America, we are creating the struggle by creating unrealistic expectation for our moms, attributing to their mental health, and for some, it will affect the care of their baby.

Pregnant Tatum...

She really struggled emotionally and mentally DURING the first 20 weeks of her pregnancy (keeping her bump a secret for most of that time). It's true what the say: Ignorance is bliss. Sometimes knowing too much can rob you of your joy.

But, she was proactive about this: 1) she had an honest conversation with her colleague/doctor that she was gonna need something for anxiety; 2) she has a wonderful husband who knows her so freakishly well, and before this surprise ever happened, he knew she would probably not handle pregnancy well; luckily he's a great listener, and he's very realistic; 3) she reached out to her closest friends who were already moms for support.

Postpartum Tatum...

She knew stretchmarks, loose skin and a poorly-toned belly were part of the game. She knew she was going to lose her hair, her nails would become brittle and her skin would age. She knew that panty liners would become part of her daily life if she ever wanted to sneeze or cough again. She knew the 25-35 lb weight-gain would not disappear when the baby was born. She knew her breasts would chap, blister and bleed, not to mention lose their volume and tone.

"But when you see your baby, it'll be worth it."

Now that she has gone through the experience herself, she has 2 words: bull. shit. Now hold on; don't come for me. Tatum would gladly lay down her life for that precious one; but guilting a woman for being honest about her experience is bullshit. "Oh, quit your whining; you got a baby." Come. On.

Because she sought out support before the sudden change in her life, the initial rough moments of motherhood were few and far between. She has her low moments still where she feels absolutely inadequate as a mother (mom shame is REAL), as a wife, and as a physician. She gets frustrated with the size and shape of her body, sometimes too embarrassed to even expose herself in front of Ethan. Not to over simplify the "cure", but when she starts taking care of herself, that awful voice of self-hate goes away.

The journey into motherhood is quite the challenge, and Tatum experienced it first hand. She still believes it isn't for everyone, and every woman deserves to make that choice for herself. Motherhood was unexpected... but knowing how perfectly baby Ramsey fits into the family, she is grateful for how everything fell into place at the right time. And the love that she has for that little one is indescribable, not to mention that her love for Daddy Ramsey has grown exponentially.

Thank you again for including me on this Ask! I cannot wait to explore in more detail the Ramseys becoming parents.

[mydekuacademia]

nsfw alphabet for tenya iida?

Sure!

C, D, K, and T found here

A: Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Hes very by-the-book with aftercare. He'll get you a glass of water, wipe you down with a washcloth, make sure you're comfortable, but he's not the best with the more intimate aspect of aftercare. He definitely gets better with it over time

B: Body Part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner)

He loves your face and hands. Face because he adores your expressions, and hands because he loves loves LOVES holding them

on him, maybe this is overplayed, but he likes his legs. Not necessarily his calves, but overall. He knows theyre strong and hes proud of it

E: Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

No experience whatsoever lol. He used to be such a straight edge student that he didnt even consider having sex until marriage, but after the Stain incident, he loosens up a lot. Its slow going, but he gradually accepts his desires and gains some experience with you

F: Favorite Position

Doggy, cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, 69, honestly p much anything. The straight edged ones are always the kinky ones

G: Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc.)

99.9% of the time, hes completely serious. The only time he wont be is if he had a very stressful day and wants to let loose with you. Even then, he isnt cracking jokes or anything

H: Hair (How well-groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

Extremely well-trimmed and shaped. To Iida, it's just another part of good hygiene, so he really really prefers to keep himself well-groomed. Even if you prefer more hair, he probably wont budge

I: Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

So intimate like holy shit. Hes constantly caressing your cheek and brushing your hair aside and peppering small kisses along your exposed skin. His first priority is to make you feel loved, so it's rarely just mindless fucking

J: Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

He only masturbates maybe once a month, and only to take care of the biological need. He doesnt have the highest sex drive, so its not a huge thing for him

L: Location (Favorite places to do the do)

Bed, mostly. He has a reputation to uphold as the class rep, so he wont risk having sex in a place you could get caught. Absolutely no common room or empty classroom. The most adventurous place hed be willing to try is a locked closet, but even thats a big maybe

M: Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Seeing you really embody what a hero should be, healthy communication, when you show passion for anything, and if you help him wrangle the class. That last one especially 😎

N: NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Watersports or scat, gunplay, knifeplay

Theres not too much hes 100% against tbh

O: Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

He prefers receiving over giving. At first, it was because he was insecure over his lack of knowledge of how to give oral, but when he learns how to do it, he realizes he generally just prefers receiving. That doesnt mean he wont eat you out/suck you off like his life depends on it tho

P: Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

Hes Sonic, hes gotta go fast. He is at least gentle about it tho

Q: Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Hes fine with them. He knows hero life is busy and there isnt always a chance to take your time, so hes totally chill with quickies

R: Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)  

Totally down to experiment with kinks and fetishes. As stated before though, he wont be risky with locations or try any of his 100% nos

S: Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

He'll last as long as you can go. You last for 2 rounds? Okay. 5 rounds? Hes still good. Only 1? Thats fine.

U: Unfair (how much they like to tease)

My god, Iida can tease the hell out of you when hes in the mood. His favorite way of doing so is restraining your hands and making you watch as he strokes himself. If hes feeling nice, he might put a vibe on you while doing so

V: Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

He likes to whisper in your ear during sex. He doesnt moan or grunt a lot, but mans will talk to you p often

W: Wild Card (Random headcanon)

He lowkey wants to have an orgy with the dekusquad, but he'd absolutely never say so

X: X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

Hes b i g and thicque. Definitely over average and girthy enough that its a complete necessity to really prep you every time

Y: Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Not really that high tbh. He enjoys sex, but he doesnt often actively seek it out. He'll have sex with you if hes bored or wants physical affection or if you want it

Z: ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

If he really went for it, he falls asleep pretty fast. Otherwise, he can stay awake for a long time

[low-budget-korra]

Lets talk about Korra (again)

i already made this analysis, and it was well received but i dont know, i wanna do it again. Why not right? My english is better now than was when i made that analysis so i think  this one will be better written

What a way to introduce a protagonist. This line and this scene tell us everything we need to know about Korra at that time and everything she knew about herself.

In book one Korra is a 17′s old teenager who have no idea how the world, how life is outside the training center she grew up in and had been locked up since ever. So she is not only naive but have lack of social skills

Oh, and not everyone who lack’s social skills will act like Zuko and Azula okay? Korra can be confident, expressive and outgoing and still have problems when it comes to social skills.One thing dont exclude the other.

“I’m the Avatar and you gotta deal with it” did you guys notice that only for that line we can see the entire opposite on how she treat her role as avatar in comparisson with Aang? And im not here to judge because is two very different contexts.

As far as we know, Korra grew up without friends or romantic partners. Of course, she had her training partners but i believe that they are just that. 

So her entarely perception of herself was around her duty as Avatar, she didnt have personal life, she barely was Korra...She was The avatar and thats that.

So she came to Republic City, it was a mess. 

Its funny to see that she have no touch when it comes to simply talk to people, i guess when you grew up away from society, this happens. And yes, she is cocky and had to learn that people arent there to somewhat please her, and she learned that quicky. 

Thats why the Pro Bending was important for her character, not only for training but also as means of socilization.

Now lets talk about the villains: Amon and Tarrlok

The two of them represents two differents threats to Korra. Amon represents a threat to her duty as Avatar while Tarrlok represents a threat to Korra as a person.

In episode 4 we have what i still thinks is the darker episode from TLOK. In this episode Amon ambushes Korra in the final moments... Even knowing that they did their best to make Amon’s power and control be non-sexualized as possible still...He have her down on her knews, totally helpless and he even invades Korra’s personal space by touching in her face forcing her to look at him. He didn't have to sexually touch her to violate her.

And right after, the fear in Tenzin voice when asking what happened after seeing her laying in the ground like that, and how Korra is sobing in his arms teeling him how powerless and helpless she felt. I mean...Oh, and she keeps terryfied by him until he takes her bending.

Tarrlok in the  other hand doesnt do much different from his brother and started to harass Korra because he cant take ‘no’ as a answer when Korra didnt wanted to join his task force.

Whats interesting is that if it wasnt for Tarrlok harassement and maniputation, Korra wouldnt have joined his task force and wouldnt have confronted Amon and wouldn't have gone through that terrible encounter.

The thing is that Korra is caught right in the middle of a politcal power dispute over the city, something that she for sure wasnt prepare for it. And both Amon and Tarrlok woud hurt or kill her without think twice about it if that means gain  power. And that was exacly what happened

Tarrlok tried to manipulate her and keep her on leash where he could, and when his tatics didnt worked anymore he alreay had a plan B. Yes that whole metal box in that cabin in the middle of nowhere was made especifically for her and maybe Tenzin if he also get in his way.

In the end Korra lost the physical battle against both but won the ethical battle also against both. She was the responsable for expose both of them as corrupted and hypocrites. But at what price? Amon was able to remove the bends of the Avatar. And without them, how could she be the Avatar?

Remember that her entirely conception of herself was built around her duty as Avatar, be the avatar. After all, everything she was, everything she'd trained so hard for, had been destroyed in minutes. Thats why i still strongly believe that she was thinking about killing herself at the end, nobodys goes all sad and crying to in front of a clifft without thinking about jumping from it. 

But she, i think given up the idea and just sit and started to crying when Aang appeared and help her, giving her bendings back in one of the best scenes of the show. So after have everything solve and still managed to get the boy she was in love with, things where great and she “move on”

In that first half, Korra is unbearable. Everything she learned in Book 1 how to be more mature, less spoiled and all, was thrown in the trash and she was the same "child" of the book one only worse.

Until I stopped and realized that I was also unbearable and childish like this when I had my bad phases of anxiety and depression, as defense mechanism and keep people away. Returning to Korra, and if this way of acting of her was nothing more than this defense mechanism?

Because guess what, i dont think she “move on” from all that happened in Book One that fast, and for add more drama she discovered that was her father idea of keeping her locked up training in that training center we saw in book one and not traveling like avatars before her. No wonder she felt betrayed. And for adding even more drama, people still keep treating her like child, so she was despered for some validation. Something that she found in her uncles arms but she was betrayed by him after.

In the end, Korra again goes through a traumatic experience when she has her connection with past lives destroyed. We see how it affected her when she apologizes to Tenzin, through tears. And Tenzin, as the excellent master he is, tries to motivate her to face Vaatu again (now merged with Unalaq, her uncle) and again she saves the day even after go throught a traumatic event

In the final moments, we see the innocent decision to reconnect the world of spirits and the world of men. And we also see Korra and Mako permanently end their turbulent relationship.

Book 3 begins in a more mature, we see all the characters being presented in a more mature way and it seems that Korra now has overcome everything that has passed. We have the relationship between Korra and Asami deepening as well

In Book 3, called "Change" we have a great sacrifice from Korra. Her life goes down a notch when she decides to save the new airbenders from Zaheer and the Red Lotus, the only villain until now that really threat her life since their sole goal was to kill the avatar.

Korra won again but this time victory costed way too much. Yes she save the day again but now she was  physically and psychologically defeated. It was too much, she broke.

Book 4 begins and we only saw Korra in the final minutes and she is unrecognizable. We see that, once proud and courageous avatar, in someone depressed and cowerd. We never have saw Korra like that, even when she was afraid of Amon she wasnt like that.

Korra is afraid of being the Avatar again and her fight against PTSD is still one of the most sensitive, responsable and honest representation of Mentall Issues that i saw, and it was before this subject gain more space on media. It was before people started to give attention to this

I also think that she was having flashs from her other fights and not only the one against Zaheer.

Another thing I think is worth mention is that Korra took 3 years to feel safer and re-embrace her duties as Avatar. It was not 3 weeks or 3 months, it was 3 years. And anyone who suffers from some mental illness knows very well the stigma that is, the fight that is, because everyone wants you to be well faster as possible  when the truth is that many times you spend years fighting against this.  And this is a pressure that falls on you.Imagine, seeing all your friends moving forward while you continue "stock in the same place"?

Only after Korra confronts Zaheer, I think that was a way to show her coping with the trauma, she improves to the point of returning to be the great Avatar we know. I personally still struggles with this scene because put the victim in front of her agressor may not be the best idea but i understand that she needed to see that he was just a man and not the invencible monster her mind was telling her

One of the lines that stuck with me the most was in the TLOK version of the ember island players, the one that made a recap of the show before the finale. When Korra said “I was so naive” just before we watch her narration of her journey, we can feel pain, sadness and strenght. Janet was amazing in the way the delivered this line.

And this fucking quote i saw here on tumblr still is the goat: “The Last Airbender is a story of a boy who becomes a god. The Legend of Korra is the story of a goddess who becomes a girl "

And I still get really pissed when someone comes to talk shit about  Korra because she is such an incredible heroine and her journey is also so incredible.

The story of how life can be hard and unfair, how it can hurt and paralyze, but there is always a reason to move on. We should always move on.

Korra is definitely not weak, quite the opposite, she is one of the if not the strongest heroine I have ever seen. Korra inspires overcoming 

[siren-dragon]

Cultural Studies -- The Cat Returns fanfic

Hello again, guess who wrote another one-shot! Anyway, this prompt came to me (along with several others, lol) so I decided to write something for it. Also, big thanks to everyone who enjoyed my first story. Also, Haru’s outfit is based on the yukata from the Love Nikki game and I may draw something for this story at a later date. Anyway, please enjoy!

AO3 story link    Tagging: @mysticsoulgirl

Prompt: Summer Fireworks Festival

=======================================================

Though the Sanctuary, and by extension the Cat Bureau itself, experienced many a visitor wishing for assistance with one thing or another- it wasn’t exactly a stationary place. True, anyone could follow Muta from the Crossroads and through the twists and turns of Japan’s alleys to locate the entryway arch, but that wasn’t truly the Bureau’s physical location. Anyone who was in need could find the Sanctuary entrance, all they had to do was merely look for it. So, while Baron was not unaccustomed to a variety of clients (even if the quantity seemed to have diminish over the years), it was always a study in new cultures when a guest appeared. Even when the cat figurine made a point to be open and courteous to a visitor, there were often a few things he gained new knowledge of.

“A fireworks festival? I’m afraid I’ve not heard of such a thing before.” He spoke, handing Haru a now size-appropriate cup thanks to the Bureau’s magic.

The dark brunette offered a small word of thanks and a bright smile before continuing. “Really? Oh, they’re great fun. Originally it was started as a festival for the dead; to mourn the lost one while celebrating life. But nowadays it’s just a fun activity to watch while eating festival food with friends.”

“Did I hear someone mention food?” Muta spoke, closing the front door behind him. “Hey Chicky, you bring any snacks with you today?”

From the upstairs balcony came a snort of displeasure. “You ever think of anything aside from your stomach,” Toto drawled, rolling his eyes at the cat’s one-track mind.

“What was that birdbrain?!”

“Oh, come on, think of a new insult piggy-cat!”

Before the fight could escalate anymore Haru, now a more convenient size for Baron’s home, rose from her seat on the sofa and lifted a bag where the scent of sugar and fresh fruit wafted throughout the room. “If you two are going to fight, then Baron and I will eat this by ourselves- including the mulberries I got special for you Toto.”

Both cat and crow immediately silenced themselves before tossing a glare at the other, “You got lucky, big chicken.”

“Sure thing, marshmallow.”

Baron sighed, taking out the necessary cutlery before Muta decided to forego the use of utensils. “Muta, have you experienced such festivals in the Human Realm?”

“What festivals?”

“The fireworks festival coming up this weekend,” Haru clarified as she handed Toto the collection of mulberries she brought.

It was here that the ex-con feline grinned, “oh yeah. Gotta love summer festivals in Japan with all their fried food and sweets. Best time to be a cat.”

Toto snickered, “why am I not surprised; you only think from your stomach.”

“Shut up!”

“There’s also games where you can win prizes and some shops as well. And at the end there is large fireworks show everyone watches to celebrate the summer season.” It was here that Haru’s excited smile seemed to dim slightly, “I was going to go with Hiromi, but she has a family reunion to attend. And my Mom will be out of town during that weekend- so I’ll just be watching it from my house.”

As a figurine being made out of wood, anything associated with fire was typically something Baron tried to actively avoid. And while he would deny it fervently later onto a rather smug looking Muta and Toto, the slightly disheartened expression on Haru’s face sent a rather unpleasant sensation through his chest sent nearly all thoughts of self-preservation out the window. It reminded him of their previous adventure in the Cat Kingdom; with her clad in a fine, pale-yellow gown and wearing a look of absolute despair despite it having been her so called “wedding day”. And so, it was not 2 seconds later that he found the words tumbling from his lips without any kind of second thought.

“Perhaps we can accompany you to this festival instead, Haru.”

That certainly caused the brunette to stare at him in surprise, yet a spark of joy danced within her caramel eyes. “Really? You guys would want to go with me?”

“Hey, if there’s food then you can count me in.” Muta shrugged, finishing his slice of chiffon cake.

Toto nodded, “I’m sure it’d be a great experience; what with the lack of clients to the Bureau.”

Haru beamed brightly with sheer delight, “Thank you everyone, I’m sure you all will love it!”

When Haru had finally left for the day, a definite spring in her step, Muta couldn’t help but turn a sly grin to his fellow feline. “Well, that was rather generous of you to volunteer us for something you didn’t even know about till 30 minutes ago.”

“I’m not sure what you are inquiring Muta. It was quite clear that Miss Haru was looking forward to this festival and it would be unbecoming of a gentleman to allow her to merely remain home alone and miss the event entirely.”

Toto nodded, “I have to say, I agree with Baron on this one. But I don’t think it was that difficult to persuade you after that melancholic expression crossed her face.”

Baron gave a displeased frown to his colleague’s rambunctious laughter, which did nothing to hide the slight tint of pink beneath his cream-colored fur. Honestly, since when was chivalrous behavior become a source of mockery? And yet… the sight of Haru’s joyful smile was more than worth it.

“So, are you going to wear a yukata?”

“A what?”

That answer only made the hefty white cat laugh louder.

 ======================================================

“Muta… are you quite sure that this garment is placed on correctly.”

“If the picture is anything to go by, then yeah. Besides; you can’t wear a suit with tails to a summer festival- you’ll stick out too much.” The large cat answered, glancing down at the newspaper advertisement in his hands before looking back to his much shorter friend. “Hmm, I think that’s right.”

“You idiot, tie for the sash is supposed to be in the back.” Toto commented, taking the advertisement with his beak to compare the image to Baron’s new attire. “See, there isn’t a giant bow in the front.”

“Okay first, it’s called an obi and second, stop butting in birdbrain!”

“I wouldn’t have to if you knew what you were doing, fluff-ball!”

Baron was going to attempt to silence their bickering before the sash about his waist loosened slightly causing the robe to flutter open and expose part of his chest and collarbone before the ginger feline took hold of the garment’s sides and quickly held them closed. He briefly wondered if it would perhaps be better to merely wear his typical suit before a knock sounded on the door- halting Muta and Toto’s argument. The crow quickly flew toward the door and swiftly opened the door to reveal Haru. She too was clad in a traditional yukata of navy blue with ivory and cream-colored stars swirling around a crescent moon at the hem of the dress before continuing upward. The sash wrapped around her waist took on a pale blue color while the right sleeve of her dress shifted colors; with the stars now dark and the fabric white shade. Though her hair was cut short, it was still pinned back by a blue, yellow, and orange silk flower with the latter two colors matching the shade of his own fur. To be perfectly honest, she looked quite breath-taking.

“Baron are you wearing a yukata?” She grinned, noticing his change of attire immediately which only made the statuette cling to the folds of the loosened robe all the more tightly. “I didn’t even know you had one!”

“Well, Muta saw fit to inform me this is the traditional attire for a summer festival so it is a recent addition to my wardrobe. However, I seem to be having a bit of trouble actually dressing.” He answered, unable to prevent the sigh from leaving his lips at his current dishevelment.

Haru giggled, placing her small bag on the sofa before approaching him. “Don’t worry, it’s always challenging for a first-timer. Here, you just need a little bit of adjusting…”

Despite his attempt to remain calm at the innocent offer, Baron couldn’t help the heat rushing to his face as Haru approached and began shifting the obi about his waist he had attempted to tie on earlier. He still kept his hand clenched about the folds of the yukata as Haru expertly straightened the robe, to which he gave her a very grateful smile. Soon he was now properly clothed, even wearing the haori properly before Haru stepped back to admire her handy work (though Baron felt a slight twinge of disappointment at her shift away from him). “There we go, a perfect fit.”

“Thank you, Haru. And may I say, you look lovely as well.”

She beamed at his reply as she moved to retrieve her bag. “Thanks Baron. But if you wanted to wear a yukata, I could have helped you find one.”

Muta shook his head, “that would have ruined the surprise Chicky. Plus, nothing was more amusing than watching Baron try to put it on.”

“As always, your assistance is greatly appreciated Muta.” Baron replied dryly, remembering the past hour where both his friends tried to guide him in how to wear the clothes.

As they walked through the archway of the Sanctuary, Muta walked ahead of them now on all fours while Toto took to the skies. However, as soon as Baron exited alongside Haru, he grew till he was once more a head taller than the dark-haired young woman instead of a foot-tall figurine. But the fact that his feline appearance remained gave Haru pause- knowing most would not really take the appearance of a half-cat man kindly (even if people believed it to be a ridiculously realistic mask). But it seemed her thoughts were rather evident on her face, because Baron was quick to assuage her fears. “Do not worry Haru, there is a spell in place masking my real appearance. You are the only one who can see the truth.”

“I didn’t know you can use such spells, Baron.” She asked curiously.

He nodded, offering his arm to her which she gladly accepted. “Yes, though I am afraid they are only temporary. But I thought this would make our evening engagement far more enjoyable without any disturbances from bewildered onlookers.”

“It’s no trouble at all, actually I think it’s a good idea. It does make me curious as to how your disguise looks.”

Baron paused and gestured to the glass window of a shop they were walking past, “see for yourself.”

Turning to the window, Haru looked at Baron’s reflection nearly jumped in alarm upon not seeing the familiar feline characteristics she had come to cherish. Instead, the face of a young man who looked a few years older than herself gazed back at her from the reflection. His hair was a light tawny blonde the same shade as Baron’s fur, perfectly coiffed to suit the Creation’s usual debonair attire. Where once fur and whiskers existed was now fair skin and a rather amused smile taking in her slightly bewildered expression. Yet despite the disguise, Haru took comfort in the fact that Baron’s eyes were still the same shade of mint-green.

“That is rather impressive, if a bit shocking at first.” She laughed a little nervously.

Baron frowned, “does it bother you too much?”

“No, it’s not that,” she answered with a shake of her head before beaming up at him. “I just prefer you the way you are, that’s all.”

It was the second time in the past few days that Baron found his words failing him once again at her kind, yet honest words.

 ======================================================

Perhaps the first thing that caught Baron’s attention were the vibrant banners illuminated by dozens of lights and lanterns. The street was lined with colorful booths, each hosting a different attraction as friends and families traveled back and forth to every single one. It was a rather jarring change from the peace and quiet of the Cat Bureau, but as he glanced down at the excited grin on Haru’s face as she enthusiastically explained each booth’s function, Baron couldn’t help the pleased smile drifting across his face. “So then, what would you recommend we do first?”

“Food, I’m starving!” Muta cried from about their legs before he bolted down the street, causing several people to laugh at the rather large cat obviously following the scent of frying food. “Takoyaki, here I come!”

Haru laughed, “well, food always is a good choice. Though we’d best pace ourselves, festival food is great, but not exactly healthy.”

“Then I shall follow your lead, Haru.” Baron added, glancing around briefly with a bit of confusion drifting across his face, “I must admit, I thought a fireworks festival would have more of that particular attraction.”

“That happens at the end of the night, mainly because it’ll be darker and it’ll give us a chance to see most of the booths before we have to find seats to watch the fireworks. But we’d best find Muta before he manages to pilfer too many snacks.”

Baron chuckled, “I think it’s more of his charming attitude that wins him such favors.”

Haru couldn’t help but laugh at that, and judging from the faint cawing above their heads, Toto heard it as well. “Well, we’d best hurry before that charm gets a bit carried away.”

The couple soon found their way further into the festival and managed to find Muta, who looked rather smug at having charmed a piece of taiyaki from a group of teenage girls. True to her word, Haru managed to procure a few treats for them all to try, ranging from takoyaki to kakigori to some onigiri before they walked to where Toto waited upon a nearby but isolated tree. Muta had nearly claimed all of the takoyaki while Toto took a liking to the plain onigiri and the roasted chestnuts Baron was eating. Though Baron was not overly found of the deep-fried food, he couldn’t deny that the kakigori Haru offered was quite delicious.

As the sun soon sank below the horizon and the sky turned dark with the coming night, many people started moving away from the bright lights of the festival stalls to await the oncoming fireworks display. “We don’t really want to be too close to all the larger crowds, so we’ll stay on the outskirts instead.” Haru informed them, taking a seat beside the grass. “And I wanted to thank you guys again, for coming with me.”

“Nonsense Haru, this was most enjoyable and we were happy to accompany you.”

“Even though you had to forgo your suit?” She replied with a teasing grin.

Baron gave a slightly sheepish look, “I will admit that dressing did pose quite the challenge, but well worth the effort.”

“Even still, thank you for being such a good sport about it. And I’m glad you had a good time.” Haru chimed happily, turning to look at the ever-growing groups awaiting the final event of the festival. “Hopefully we’ll be able to see everything with so many people…”

“Well, we merely need a seat with a view; and I believe I may have a solution.”

“What do you mean by that?”

The ginger gentle-cat only offered her a hand with a secret smile, “Just trust me.”

At the familiar words, Haru rested her hand upon his and watched as the world around them seemed to stretch upward as her height plummeted to its usual size whenever she visited the Bureau. Toto then landed beside them, offering a place upon his back with Baron holding on tightly the Stone Creations black feathers and Haru wrapping her arms about his waist. Once they were situated on the now gigantic crow, Toto rose high into the air (though not before snatching Muta in his claws much to the large cat’s displeasure while muttering something that sounded like “always a showoff.”) before gliding through the evening sky.

They were only flying for a few minutes before a high-pitched whistle sounded only to be followed by a large explosion of white and gold lights as the fireworks show began. Haru watched in silent amazement as they soared the atmosphere as each of the colorful illuminations danced around them like falling stars. She a joyful laugh at sheer sight of the fireworks show from a literal bird’s eye perspective, “alright, now this is a view.”

“I must agree,” Baron added, though it was hard to hear over the sound of the fireworks.

Moving her head forward, Haru placed a gentle kiss upon Baron’s fur-covered cheek before leaning to rest her cheek against his back. “Just for the record, this is the best fireworks festival I’ve ever been to.”

And for the third time in Haru’s presence, Baron found himself at a loss for words as a pleasing warmth started to overcome his face. Yet as he turned to watch the brilliant lights display with the young woman beside him, he had to admit that it certainly was an enjoyable evening.