#her former associate and her man working together

[wistfulpoltergeist]

Amadeo Goldfield

Son of Elon Goldfield (filthy rich real estate developer and investor). A gorgeous young man of high origin trying to cut ties with his influential, oppressive family by setting up his own business. Awfully cheap Victorian house on the hill seems like a good start.

Dr. Mark Stonefall

Professor of Psychology, war veteran and member of the Parapsychological Association, investigates the paranormal with his loyal army pal and assistant, Jason. Author of several works on telepathy and extrasensory perception.

Gloria Heartaway

Mark's ex-girlfriend and therapy couch for a short time after the war. They graduated together from one faculty, yet Gloria is skeptical and finds parapsychology all fake, has strong belief in scientific methods and medicine. Mostly deals with trivia problems of high society wives.

Jason Analu

Former soldier and war veteran, Mark's flatmate and assistant. His family came from a lineage of (Sulani) healers and shamans, making him curious about his friend's research.

Elliot O'Brian

Wonder boy, a young man who beat the telepathy test giving 90% correct answers. While the world admires his abilities, his own family wishes him dead. Simply because you can't hide anything from Elliot. A cook from some small pizzeria who dreams about opening his own restaurant.

Pani Freya Burana

Hereditary witch, Tarot expert and medium who speaks with the dead through automatic writing. She lives in her own world of occult and believes she was born to give the living a well-deserved magic kick (for a small, almost insignificant fee of a few thousand). Author of ten books on how to open a Goddess within you and one on how to buy all your Goddess wants but can't afford.

Mr and Mrs Rogers

Servants in Hillhouse, strange pious, somber siblings who look after the mansion as their parents did before them, and their grandparents before that… They know that the house is haunted and the only way to avoid being cursed is to leave before dark, stay loyal and do their bids solemnly.

Hecate Moreno

15-years old Russell's half-sister, left by their father to Russell's care. Her mother died in a car crash when she was five. After Mr Moreno married a prosperous journalist and TV hostess and had three more kids with her, he lost any interest in his older kids as a painful reminder of his stressful past. Hecate is a grim, angry teen with a heart filled with dark thoughts and an irresistible appeal to horror movies. The only person she truly cares for is her brother. Secretly, she dreams about Russell turning into a vampire and eating up all their happy, successful family. She'd buy popcorn to watch that.

Russell Moreno

The plumber.

[uhzuku]

╰─▸ ❝ 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢’𝐦 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫. ❞ ──── 𝐟𝐭. 𝐰. 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠.

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and more, everything I ever searched the stars for…” he whispers in your ear through a pleased sigh, “I love you.”

𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦: honkai star rail | 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: welt yang/reader, past nanook/reader | 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: nsfw ; minors dni | 𝐰/𝐜: 3.12k.

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: age gap, creampies, previously established relationship, reader and welt have been together five years pre-caelus and have known each other at least fifteen, oral sex ( fem receiving ), riding, choking ( male receiving ), marriage proposals, reader catching feelings.

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 !! — @sangokokomis.

𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐬: kinktober 2 <3 also sorry but i suffer from can’t-do-pwp-bc-i-love-plot disease

— 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐦𝐞 !!

Out of thousands upon thousands of years, so few men and women had met the Aeons in comparison to those that did not. Even fewer were selected by the deities to live closely with them — and many, many years ago, you yourself been chosen for such an opportunity. 

As a priestess of destruction, you’d had many long days to accustom yourself to the personality of your deity, far used to the occasional outbursts and fits of rage that could turn to silent ponderings within moments. You’d seen hundreds come and go, less than a dozen stay, and had long acquainted yourself with his many lesser followers. That being said, it had also been several long years that you’d been sent away from your official post by him, destined to infiltrate those which sought to destroy his plans, and those several years had been filled with nothing but annoyance. You missed your home, missed your Aeon, and you missed your former work. Life as Nanook’s high priestess was a good one, and life in his bed even better — but now you were on the Astral Express, feigning a life as a crewmember that a lesser associate of yours had long killed all while wearing her face thanks to the magics of Phantylia. One of the Express’s leaders had been attracted to the silly girl, and because of that he’d now fallen victim to your own charms and wiles, which was why he was serving you even now. 

Your head falls onto the back of the couch behind you, your glass of wine held in one slightly shaky hand as Welt Yang buried his face between your spread legs to taste the slit between them. Your eyes remain closed and your breathing deep and easy as you bask in the attention he was lavishing you in, and with a soft sigh you lift your glass to your lips and take a sip. 

When you’d arrived here, the girl whose face you’d stolen was still in the early innocent stages of a romance with the man, and you’d more than taken up the mantle she’d desired and had captured his heart and his cock with nothing more than a few wicked games veiled with false sincerities, so overall the fact that they’d not fucked yet was benefactory to your cause; Aeons knew what would have become of you if Yang had felt suspicious over his ‘lover’ because you clenched your cunt differently while he was inside it than the woman he was actually in love with — that being said, playing the part of a virgin when you’d not been one for centuries had been hell. 

Still, you’d played your part beautifully. 

The ways in which Welt Yang touched you were far different to the touches of Lord Nanook; where your Aeon could be vicious and cruel, a man at his core who sought blood and bruises, Yang was gentle and soft, preferring a romantic setting over one of chaos. You hated it at first, feeling lazy at how simple it all was, but eventually after a few years you came to enjoy it; the next many years spent hiding in plain sight as your Aeon commanded would only consist of suffering if you yourself felt that Yang’s lovemaking was such, so why not enjoy it while you could? Kafka had also advised that you find a bright spot in wherever you were located; she’d been in a handful of  ‘missions’ similar to these — and despite how well you knew her to be able to lie, you trusted her. So far she’d given you no reason to think otherwise. 

“Eager tonight, Mr. Yang?” you ask softly through a smile, finally breaking the silence that had only been punctuated by the wet noises of his talented mouth on your cunt while spreading your legs further apart ever so slightly. You feel him grin against you before tossing one of your legs over his shoulder, managing to worm his way closer to you as you knew he liked. 

“I’m always eager for a taste of what only you can give me,” he replies, murmuring the dead woman’s name like she was his god. You ignore it, humming softly and trying to calm your racing heart as his tongue rolled expertly over the thousands of nerves between your legs. The urge to buck up into his face was growing stronger than ever, and your grip on your glass tightens almost enough for it to shatter. 

Welt moans against your cunt, drunk off of the taste of you, and you let out a soft noise that has him doing exactly what he’d done to coax it out of you the first time. One of your hands rushes down to bury itself in his hair, fisting around a handful, and he moans into you again as you submit to your own urges and start rolling your hips up into his face. Your wine sloshes in your glass as you squeeze your eyes shut so tightly that tears start to spring up, and you whisper out curses and pleads as a spot in your belly starts growing tighter and tighter, and he changes nothing — an experienced lover, Welt knew just what he was meant to do. 

With a sharp wail, the leg over his shoulder curls around his head and holds his mouth to your cunt, your body spasming as you squeeze him. His eyelashes flutter slightly as he relishes the feeling of your thighs pressing in tightly around him all while continuing to taste you, and one of his hands comes up to rub small circles on your skin as you cum for him. 

After a moment, the feeling slowly fades and the afterglow kicks in. Standing up, Welt takes your wine glass from you carefully, helping you finish drinking what wine you had left as he also assists in removing your robe and baring yourself to him. As the last dregs roll into your mouth, he captures your lips in a kiss, and you can taste yourself on his lips before your juices blend with the wine. A few stray droplets escape your mouths and begin running down your chin and throat before rolling across your bare breasts, and Welt is quick to swallow what’s in his mouth to chase them with it, his tongue flicking out to capture each droplet before finally closing on one nipple. You whimper softly, weak cries falling from your kiss-swollen lips as his tongue curls around the sensitive bud. 

“Bed,” you whisper quietly, and he grunts against you in agreement. The two of you make your way over to the bed you shared, Welt kicking off his shoes hastily as you abandon your robe on the couch completely. 

He nudges you gently and you fall back onto the thick blankets, pretending to be offended as you prop yourself up on your elbows, and he laughs as he unbuckles his belt and lets his pants fall to puddle on the floor. Your gaze falls upon his cock, hard and weeping, and your lip darts out to wet your lips before you spread your legs invitingly. His brown eyes darken a few shades and he tugs his shirt up and over his head before taking his rightful place between your thighs, his thick length slapping against your cunt as you’d both desired as he begins kissing you again. 

A soft pressure makes itself known as he slips a hand between the two of you and begins pressing his cock inside of you; you just close your eyes and relax into the mattress as the ever so familiar feeling of him filling you washes over your body. The two of you wait a moment, basking in the feeling and allowing your body to adjust before wrecking each other as always. 

“I love you,” he whispers through a smile, and you laugh a little to yourself. 

“I know,” you reply, and it’s enough for him as he begins to gently move, rolling his hips against you in a soft rhythm he knows you enjoy. Soft sighs and moans fall from your lips as he drives himself deep inside over and over again, an ever familiar fire building in your belly as he slams against your sweet spot over and over; the bastard had memorized its placement a long time ago, much to your shock. 

“Yes, yes — fuck, please!” he moans above you, his eyes squeezed shut from the feeling of being inside. You lock your legs around his waist instinctively as he slowly picks up the pace, letting out sharp cries of pleasure. You don’t notice him open his eyes, nor do you notice him gazing down at you in adoration as he brings you closer and closer to the edge or the excited glint in his eyes as he grips your waist and rolls the two of you over so you sit on top of him — but you don’t have to have noticed any of these things to know what he’s wanting as he bucks his hips up into you. 

Lofting yourself up, you keep pulling up until the tip of his cock pops out and only brushes against your hole before dropping back down all at once, gasping as you’re filled and then shivering at the loud, shouted moan Welt lets loose; Aeons, you hoped no one heard. Last time he’d cried out like that while the two of you were fucking, Himeko had burst in in a panic with her weapon in hand, thinking he was under attack, only to find you with your wrists and ankles tied to the top bedposts so you’d be completely spread openand Welt balls deep inside you. 

Breakfast the next morning had been interesting. March and Dan Heng hadn’t understood why things were so awkward, but thankfully hadn’t commented on it. 

“Fuck, that’s good,” you whimper, lifting your hips and slamming them down on him over and over again. You can feel the tight grip Welt has on you, one hand on your waist and the other squeezing your hip, and you catch your bottom lip between your teeth and bite down a little as the tightness in your  belly grows. “Fuck, ‘m close — W-Welt!”

“Y-Yeah, I know — c’mon, sweetheart, just a little more!” he moans, his eyes rolling back a little as he fucks up into your dripping hole. His nails dig into your skin as you slow the manic bouncing to a deep grind that smashes his fat tip against your cervix, causing you both to let out equally deep cries of pleasure. He curses again, and you grab his shoulder with one hand while wrapping the other around his throat, choking him. His hips stutter up into you instinctively and he lets out a strained groan, but other than that he has no reaction to it. 

“You shouldn’t trust me so blindly, Mr. Yang,” you purr softly, gently tightening the grip you have around his neck. He lets out a gasped moan and tightens his grip on your hips, a blissed out grin on his face and a flush on his cheeks, and laughs a little even while his air is restricted.

“And why not? You’d never hurt me, Mrs. Yang,” he gasps, and your eyes widen as your grip loosens in shock. Breathing heavily, he looks down at you hopefully through sex-mussed hair with a bright smile.

You ask shakily, “D-Do you mean-?!” and he nods. 

“Yes. It’s been five years of bliss with you at my side, so marry me,” he begs softly, his eyes warm and genuine. “Marry me, take my name, let everyone know that I’m yours and you’re mine.”

“Everyone — Everyone already knows you’re mine, Welt,” you whisper truthfully, heart racing. You’ve both stopped the carnal movements you’d shared before, still connected in the most intimate ways, but still as your mind raced as fast as your heart. A proposal? Was he absolutely insane? 

Were you?

Marrying him would be an unbreakable cover. You’d never be questioned, no one’s thoughts of your loyalty to the Express would ever falter. Should there ever be a suspicion of a traitor in the midst of the crew, you’d never be considered — the wife of Welt Yang, a traitor? Impossible!

So… why were you hesitating? Your Aeon wouldn’t give a damn and demand you take this opportunity, Phantylia would mock you for your hesitance, Blade would call you a fool for not jumping for it, and Kafka —

Well. Maybe of all your secret allies, Kafka would actually understand. Despite the exterior mask she shrouded herself in, the woman felt strongly. It was not a ‘maybe’ — she would understand. 

You may have been a priestess of the Destruction, but you were still a priestess. Marriage was a vow more sacred than any other save a life debt, even to followers of Nanook. You’d blessed more marriages in your many long years than you could possibly remember, as well as the children that followed — whether these marriages be of love, stratagem, convenience, arrangement, or any other means. The bond between spouses was something you dared not tamper with. 

But would he suspect you if you said no?

You’d managed to ease more of your own personality into that of the girl you’d hidden as over the last many years you’d been on the Astral Express and during the three in which you’d been in a relationship with Yang. You’d ushered her ended life into a new era as a woman, helped her personality grow beyond the grave, and you couldn’t thank your past self enough for the insight to do so. If Yang had proposed when you’d first arrived amongst the Astral Express Crew, the girl would have cried and said yes immediately, full of excitement that overflowed into every action she made, a reaction very unlike the one you were having right now. Now you’d made certain the come across more subdued and less explosive, and better yet you’d had a trailblazing expedition that Himeko and Welt both considered traumatizing ( a few people died, who the hell cares? ) to the girl who used to be. 

You’d jumped on that opportunity as quickly as a viper strikes its prey with a killing bite. Why were you not greedily snatching this one up as well? What was happening to you to make you falter in such a way?

“You — You don’t have to say anything now, I know the proposal is sudden,” Welt mumbles softly, averting his eyes. 

You’d been quiet too long. 

“Don’t bother,” you reply, watching him wince. Smiling, you say, “Yes. I’ll marry you,” and watch him light up. 

“You will?” he asks, smiling serenely, and you nod through a soft smile of your own. 

“I will. I’ll marry you, I’ll take your name — and should we consider it, I’ll bear you a son,” you promise quietly, as is the oath of marriages amongst the Destruction ( though changed ever so slightly; you’d learned over the years that Welt Yang was no man desiring strictly obedient partners — a child would have to be a decision you both made in his mind ).

For some reason, the thought of using any child you share with him doesn’t present itself in your mind as another means of cover or of digging your claws deeper into the Express. 

Welt just laughs. “Son, daughter, both or none — I don’t need any children, only you.” Your eyes start to water a little at that, surprising you; when you’d attempted to make such a promise to the Aeon you served, his reaction had been vastly different. 

You were glad the room was dark enough for him not to notice — hopefully. If he does, he doesn’t say anything, and you appreciate it. 

He sits up and presses his lips against yours in a slow kiss, blatantly conveying his love for you in every movement. More tears well up. You ignore them. 

“Welt,” you whisper against his mouth, and he pulls back a hair’s width. “Make love to me.”

His eyes, soft and gooey in the meagre light like melted chocolate, gaze up at you with an unhidden adoration that makes some part of you inside ache. What was this feeling? You’d been feeling it more and more lately, and you didn’t know why. 

Hmm. Perhaps matters of the philosopher.

The two of you resume your previously abandoned movements, this time slower and more rhythmic, imbued with the romance that Welt so openly craved. He moans soft utterances of your name and declarations of love that make your heart suddenly sting. You cannot return them, you aren’t meant to, but Aeons above… you want to. 

You can feel yourself teetering over the edge, Welt able to make you cum like even Nanook had never managed, and you fight off a sudden rush of tears as he whispers his love for you yet again as he fills you up, his thick cum a hot weight inside that has you following suit quickly. He holds you through your orgasm, fucking you through it as well even as it sends him into overstimulation, and as you finally come down he pulls out, watching the way his thick spend dribbles out of your messy hole before laying down beside you, content. The two of you could bathe tomorrow morning, for now you were both too tired. 

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and more, everything I ever searched the stars for…” he whispers in your ear through a pleased sigh, wrapping his arms around you, “I love you.” His hands, rough from use over his many years, toy with your own, and you close your eyes and bask in the feeling of him lacing your fingers together. 

“And I you,” you murmur softly, eyes slightly wet as he nuzzles his face into your neck and begins to ease into a deep sleep, and as you glance over to where your phone rests on the bedside table. A harsh light fills the room as the screen lights up with a message, likely from Kafka, requesting an update before she made a move on Herta’s Space Station; Welt, ever-trusting, only hides his face in your neck as you slowly reach over with a trembling hand and turn the phone face-down. 

You sigh, staring up at the ceiling as your fingers toy with the hair at his nape without you even realizing it. His breathing has evened out, and he’s clearly asleep — content and happy in your arms while also with you in his. You look down at him, then sigh again. You’d been doing that a lot lately, Aeons knew why. 

“Sorry, Mr. Yang, but I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”

𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 © { 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 } 𝐛𝐲 𝟒𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐒. 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐲, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭.

[blasphemous-lies-and-deceit]

sneaking away to a hidden corner to share a secretive kiss

"This is such bullshit."

"I know," Michael answered, his pleasant smile never budging. Gerry shifted restlessly at his side, glad that he had Michael's arm tucked in his. Otherwise he would have hauled ass hours ago.

It was fine that the person he loved the most in the world was tied to the Archives and the Eye, and he himself was deep in debt to an evil old bitch and thus also roped into the whole mess. He had accepted all of that. The day to day was decent, especially once he and Michael left at the end of the day to spend the night together, which he could easily call the greatest moments of his life. He could handle the field work involving dangerous books or people- he could handle himself, and had a reason to make it back safely. Even the occasional Institute drama that made its way into the Archives, he could deal with it.

But he could not stand being forced into a suit to stand around and please the Institute investors at some stupid fundraiser dinner.

There were so many people in fancy suits and dresses, crowded into the ritzy hotel ballroom Elias had rented for the evening. It was hot, and crowded, and Gerry could feel judging eyes on him, like he was holding a flashing sign saying "I Don't Belong Here". His shoes hurt his feet and his jacket was too tight in the shoulders and the food still hadn't been served. The night was dragging in the worst way, and he hated all of it.

The only relief he had was Michael, somehow looking perfectly at ease in the uncomfortable situation. And gorgeous. Simply gorgeous. Unlike Gerry, he fit so well into his dark blue suit, eyes bright and sparkling, hair pulled back so his curls spilled down his back. Gerry wanted to plaster himself to him, press him up against a wall and ravish him, take that sweet bland smile off his face and replace it with wide-eyed pleasure. And the knowledge that he couldn't, not for several hours, was unbearable.

"Ah, here he is." Gerry tensed when Elias pushed through the crowd, approaching them with a horribly delighted smile. A small stuffy-looking man followed him. "Gerard, it's my pleasure to introduce you to a former associate of your mother."

'Fuck you,' Gerry thought as hard and viciously as he could, and caught a slight wince from the Head of the Institute. It seemed that Gertrude's suspicions about her boss were correct, but he didn't have time to think about that. The other man, who's name he didn't bother to catch, was stepping forward with his hand outstretched, and he reluctantly took it, woodenly smiling at his enthusiasm.

"I'm so glad to make your acquaintance," he gushed, hand clammy as he vigorously shook Gerry's. "Your mother's passing left such a hole in the rare book collecting community. Elias tells me you've inherited her stock. Will you be continuing her work?"

"Not...really?" Gerry mumbled, feeling horribly awkward and deeply uncomfortable by the mention of his mum. He knew just from the way Elias was smiling that he'd done this on purpose, setting up this situation just to watch him squirm. Fucking bastard. "Not really interested in collecting them, exactly."

"We've actually discussed liquidating Mary's collection," Michael spoke up smoothly, tugging Gerry closer to his side and out of the grasp of Mary's enthusiastic former client. "If that's something you're interested in, we can certainly discuss the sale at another time."

God fucking bless Michael, Gerry thought in relief, slumping against his side. He was taking control of the conversation, saving Gerry's ass with his confidence, and that was so unspeakably reassuring.

"Oh." The stranger's face fell dramatically. "That's such a shame, Mary worked so hard to compile all those books."

"I'm sure they will be far better off in the hands of someone else," Michael said placatingly with a surreptitious squeeze to Gerry's arm. "Someone who is more suited to care for them than we are."

"Well, in that case..." A nearly lustful look slid onto their conversation partner's face, sending a chill down Gerry's spine. "I'd be more than happy to-"

"Um, Elias?" Rosie appeared at Elias' elbow, distracting him from their conversation he'd been watching like an engrossing tv show. "Gertrude has Peter Lukas cornered again, I think you should intervene."

"Oh, damn," Elias sighed as he turned away to focus on the problem. Gerry felt a hard yank on his arm, and let himself be pulled back by Michael, who dragged him away from the conversation before anyone could notice. Michael towed him to a corner next to the window, where the long curtains shielded them from the rest of the room.

"Come here," Michael whispered urgently, pulling Gerry close and cupping his face. Gerry eagerly shifted up onto his toes to accept his kiss, full of warmth and comfort. "Are you okay?"

"I am," Gerry assured him, sighing against his lips. "I am. Because of you. Thank you for dealing with that asshole, I never know what to say to guys like that."

Michael sighed as well, his breath gusting across Gerry's face as he touched their foreheads together. "I wasn't sure...I know we talked about it, about what to do with your mom's stuff, but-"

"You were perfect," Gerry assured him, stepping closer to wrap his arms around his middle. "I don't want it to go to him-"

"Absolutely not," Michael agreed with a smile, tucking Gerry close in their private little corner. "We're a good team, aren't we?"

"The greatest." Gerry buried his face in Michael's chest, rubbing his cheek against his smooth tie. All of his nerves had melted away, leaving him happy and warm in Michael's embrace. "I think I'll keep you right here for the rest of the night."

Michael laughed. "But we'd miss Gertrude tormenting Elias and Peter Lukas," he protested, even as he leaned down to kiss Gerry again. "She might need us as backup."

"She's fine," Gerry dismissed immediately, sinking his fingers into Michael's hair and pulling him into a deep and very-wanted kiss. He could keep Michael there for the rest of the night, just the two of them, their own private oasis all to themselves, to kiss and bask in each other's presence. That was all that he wanted, and he would take it for as long as he could.

[blushweddinggowns]

A Deep Dive into the Munson Marriage: Just Who is Steve Harrington?

By Fredricka Keith

The world has somehow been sleeping on the end of an era. The notorious bachelor Eddie Munson is married. But how did it happen? Who did he fall for? Surprisingly enough, those questions were very hard to answer, despite Munson’s past predilection to be an open book. 

He has been uncharacteristically tight-lipped about his new beau. Tight enough for the majority of his fans to be just as shocked as the general public at the new announcement. Even so, Steve Harrington hasn’t managed to stay completely out of the public eye.

The thirty-three year old has a dismal social media presence, but lucky enough for us, his husband and sister are much more giving. Though Eddie’s Instagram and Twitter mentions of his husband were quickly found to be useless in getting to know the man, despite the number of posts associated with his name. It probably shouldn’t have been surprising, considering how they were nearly all nonsensical compliments, written straight from his stream of consciousness. 

His sister, Robin Buckley, was better, especially considering that she’s been using the same Instagram account since 2012. Through her, we received a little more insight on the man. He had a penance for camping and exercise, often ready and able to drag both his sister and husband with him. According to a Birthday celebration post in 2017 it was mentioned his favorite movie is The Thing (1986) and his favorite cake flavor was southern caramel. 

As for his own career, Robin’s BrotherBartender hashtag was of some use, at the least showing us that the man was capable of creating gorgeous drinks, with a long past career in bartending. But that was it, the only information that was up for grabs.

While the newly Steve Munson has been to a number of events with his husband, he still remains an enigma. The only thing his red carpet showings have proved was that the former Harrington was a master at directing attention away from himself, and his husband was incredibly protective of his privacy. There have been many interviews cut short due to questions he found unacceptable, which was a brand new behavior for the star. His days of being an open book are officially finished. 

But the plot thickens. 

While neither Steve nor Eddie are open for insight, a thorough background check did reveal some interesting information. Surprisingly enough, marrying a rockstar was not Mr. Buckley-Munson’s first experience with the upper echelon. 

Through anonymous inside sources we were able to find that the Harrington last name was familiar for a reason, outside of Steve. His parents, celebrity lawyer Richard Harrington, along with his estranged ex-wife, Adriana Harrington, made headlines in 2012 due to their contentious divorce.

For those not in the know, the two C-list celebrities are most well-known for their continued campaigns against the LGBTQ community, as well as Richard Harrington’s unsavory choice of clients. Harvey Weinstein, Jeffery Epstein, Mitch McConnell, along with his earlier aid work on the OJ Simpson trial. 

His mother, Adriana, while not directly working with some of the most despised men in the country, is famous in her own right. The fifty-one year old has nearly two hundred followers on Instagram, her posts consistently centering around the sanctity of marriage, pro-life advocacy, and bible quotes. 

With this in mind, it is extremely hard to see how their son ended up in not only a gay marriage, but with someone who is flagantly against every single thing they stand for. Though after reaching out to his parents for comment, the picture of how they came together becomes more clear. 

Richard Harrington initially denied all allegations of having any children with his previous wife, despite direct evidence to the contrary. That was until Adriana Harrington settled the score, posting a series of photos of what appeared to be a young Steve Harrington alongside his father. Along with a caption reading: It doesn't surprise me that a liar would lie about his own son. But unfortunately, yes, Steve Harrington was ours. 

Though when asked for clarification on her own relationship with their son, she did not hesitate to reiterate that she had no regrets regarding how their relationship ended. 

“While I wish Steven had taken the tough love he was given to improve himself, I can not say that I’m surprised that he has turned out this way. It’s unfortunate that his deviant behavior has escalated to the level of making a mockery out of the institution of marriage, but that is out of my control. All I can do is rest easy knowing I tried to give him the best life possible. Him throwing that chance away is not of my concern.”

It was an odd choice of phrasing, considering how “throwing” his life away equated to marrying a multi-millionaire. When asked just what tough love she was referring to, she clarified: 

“Steven was given a choice to get help for his affliction or be completely on his own. He chose to be completely on his own. Whatever happened after that choice is a reflection on him. Not me.”

Though when further pressed on just when Steven was given this “choice” she only mentioned that he was “of age” but admitted he was still a teenager at the time of his disownment. 

When asked for comment after Adriana’s claims, the Harrington firm provided the following information:

“Richard Harrington has not spoken to his alleged son, Steven Harrington, legal name Steve Buckley-Munson for nearly fifteen years. While his name is present on Mr. Munson’s birth certificate, the biological relationship between the two has never been confirmed. Considering Adriana Harrington’s past history of infidelity, it is quite likely that there is no actual relation between the two men.

With that acknowledged, Mr. Harrignton would like to reiterate that he has no ties to Steve Buckley-Munson, Edward Munson, Corroded Coffin, or their label Virgin Records. He is a dedicated family man whose loyalties lie with his new wife, his two beautiful young children, and his clients. Those areas are where his focus will always be, first and foremost.”

It is a wonder that such a well-matched duo could ever end in divorce. But their answers only led to more questions. How could Steve Buckley-Munson have a sister if he was disowned as a teenager?

From the last chapter of this (finished) fic!

[fabseg-creator]

Miraculous AU: Fifty Shades of Gold (Chloenette) [MATURE]

I've made a full collection of sketches of Marinette and Chloé intimate moments (but it's in a Fifty Shades of Grey style 👀).

It's the continuity of my previous sketch: Chloenette "Special Lesson" (Mature too).

It happens in an AU (dark and sad) [Mature content, No kids allowed]:

The AU: Fifty Shades of Gold

Marinette and Chloé are the co-main protagonists in this AU.

Marinette and Chloé are both 18 years old (but their civilian clothes are generally identical to their canon clothes).

Kwamis and Miraculouses don't exist.

-Marinette Dupain-Cheng:

Marinette is just a girl with a normal life but with some complications: she fails her romances with boys.

She is actually the Paris' best fashion-designer. She became famous in this speciality thanks to Gabriel (but the man suicided because of not accepting his wife's death).

Marinette is in a bad mood: she has lack of inspiration for creating dresses and clothes and she is no longer in couple with Adrien (despote they were lovers since

Adrien becomes baker (the Marinette's job with her parents) while Marinette has been promoted employee at the Gabriel brand by Audrey Bourgeois. It's a profession swap !

The Gabriel brand was beginning the path to the bankruptcy and Marinette felt the burnout until a certain blond girl comes to become candidate as top-model on replacement of Adrien who wouldn't be model anymore).

-Chloé Bourgeois:

Chloé is was a aristocrat girl turned into an escort-girl who has issues with her mother. Her father, the mayor, is deceased. After the latter's death, a saddened and desperate Chloé fled the Grand Hotel when she was 14.

Chloé secretly joins a business of prostitution as a escort-girl, call-girl and dominatrix. Following the next years, Chloé was fallen to the anonymity. Sabrina, Alya, Zoé, Adrien and Luka are the only ones who managed to keep in connection with the former spoiled brat.

She keeps her "job" secret from the public.

Her boss from her "business" is in fact: Cerise Bianca, a famous actress who make fortune by playing and producting movies. In clandestinity, the latter works in a proxenetism network under the identities of Lila Rossi, Volpina and Chrysalis (in association with a certain Cash and his mobsters) and her movie career had been launched on that. This girl is just recently become the new director of this" business" after the Cash's arrest.

At her difficult return to civilian life, Chloé becomes the top-model of the Gabriel brand by her mother (despite the issues Chloé has with her). Zoé is the one who convinced the mother and the half-sister to make a deal.

Chloé's promotion saves the brand.

But now, the blond girl must familiarize with Marinette (despite their opposite natures).

-The synopsis (hypothetical):

Marinette, a notorious fashion-designer and employee of the Gabriel fashion brand, lives an unlucky situation: Adrien breaks up with her in reason of her workholic time from her employment. He warned me he will see her again when she will really a time for him.

Meanwhile, the brand is in financial difficulties. Next day, Chloé comes to the brand's office for see Audrey Bourgeois, the former's mother and current the Gabriel's owner. Chloé receives here a "second chance": a promotion for working as model. A commercial (where Chloé appears) is released and the brand marketing is relaunched.

When Marinette finds out that, she is astonished. After three/four years of no contacting, she decides to see her. At their reuniting, the two young adult women will learn, by the decision of Audrey, an unexpected surprise: the two girls must work together as a business duo: Marinette is the designer and Chloé is the muse.

Marinette and Chloé go on a business trip. And during this trip, they take the time to familiarize each other. Together, they talk about their respective issues, difficulties, love problems, secrets and their similarities. That makes the two partners more closer each other and they begin to fall in love each other. But Marinette later realizes a unimaginable secret from Chloé: the latter had experienced a doubtful but enduring "profession" as prostitute during previous years. Their relationship will turns into a "game" Marinette never personally known and the bluenette will understands what Chloé lived during these last years.

-Their relationship:

In the past, a teenage Chloé was a bully and a teenage Marinette was one of the latter's victims.

After Chloé's Daddy's death, Marinette tried to express condoleances to the blond girl but the latter was already gone in a runaway. The bluenette was worried about her fallen rival being disappeared for some weeks.

Marinette went in date respectively with Luka, Nathaniel and finally Adrien (the boy she loved and finally dated).

Chloé realized "some tasteless adventures" with unknown people during her doubtful activities.

Chloé was going to lose interest to the life until her family contacts her again for offering a new departure.

When Marinette and Chloé met first time each other since a long time, they are both uncomfortable. Later, they learn to know each other (despite their coworker status).

They fall in love each other during their business trip (and they sleep together).

At their return, when Chloé makes Marinette aware the former had worked in a procuring group as dominatrix, their relationship turns into a sadomasoshist relation (they will mainly practice that in the Red Bedroom). Marinette consents to experiment BDSM sessions with Chloé. The bluenette plays the submissive while Chloé is the dominant.

The blondie feels guilty to bring her partner to that game.

The playlist:

The list of sketches at the bottom presents scenes with mature content [PG-13/R?] (No kids allowed):

Chloé "teaching a special lesson" to a topless Marinette

Marinette and Chloé in the bed after one of their "sessions" in the Red Bedroom

A weeping Chloé realizing about her situation: she hates her actual life, her dark job and herself

Two Kiss scenes/Two contrasts:

Dominatrix Chloe and a naked Marinette kissing together (Light, Love, Exaltion)

Marinette recomforting a tearful Chloé with a kiss (Tragic, Sadness, Sorrow)

[sjsmith56]

A Better Choice

Summary: AU one shot. The Avengers are matched with charities to help increase donations over the Christmas season but no one seems to want to be associated with Bucky, until the PR person finds an organization willing to work with him.

Length: 3.6 K

Characters: Bucky, Amanda (PR person, not described), cameos by Sam, Steve, Natasha, Tony, Wanda and Alpine.

Warnings: Tony is flippant, Amanda thoughtlessly offends Bucky, references to Bucky’s past as Winter Soldier and assassin, Bucky feeling isolated and unliked.

Author notes: In this alternate universe Thanos was defeated in Wakanda. Bucky was brought into the Avengers after being part of that battle. Tony forgave him for killing his parents after being shown proof of the torture that turned Bucky into the Winter Soldier and they are civil with each other, although still not quite comfortable together. Steve still handed the shield to Sam, wanting to step back as he and Natasha became a couple. Vision wasn’t killed, as the Mind Stone was successfully removed and destroyed. This all takes place within a couple of months, ending on December 22, 2018. Slightly Christmas themed.

🍂 🐈 🎄

It had been a warm fall, one that the older folks often called Indian summer. Usually only a week or so in length this month-long session of warm hazy days and crisp nights made the October foliage glow in the sun’s rays, lulling people into believing that it would be a mild winter. In New York’s Union Square Park many people took advantage of the weather by flocking to the grassy areas exercising, visiting, napping, and even enjoying some romantic times with their loved ones. As Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes strolled through the crowded park the current Captain America grinned at the number of people using the beautiful day to be physically affectionate in public.

“To be young again and not care if people see you making out,” he grinned as they passed another couple with their lips locked together. “Those were the days.”

Bucky glanced at the latest people to catch Sam’s attention and grunted in response. “They would have been arrested for public indecency in my day,” he noted. Sam’s reaction to that statement prompted him to make a disclaimer. “I’m not saying it’s unacceptable in this day and age but seriously, some of them take it too far. Like they need to get a room or something.”

“Sure, Grandpa,” joked Sam, then he stopped and pointed towards the object of their search. “You want to tell them?”

Not even 20 feet away from the sidewalk a blond man and red-headed woman were pushing the boundaries of what Bucky referred to as public indecency. Approaching the pair, the two men waited, not saying anything until the woman smiled mid-kiss.

“I think we’ve been found,” she mumbled, then opened her eyes and looked up at the two men whose shadow crossed over them. “Yup, Steve, we’re busted.”

The former Captain America pulled away from Natasha Romanoff and looked up at a smiling Sam and scowling Bucky. Grinning at them both he leaned back, seemingly not bothered at being found in this position.

“Guys.” He greeted them with a small salute. “What’s up?”

“Seriously?” asked Bucky. “We’ve been calling both of you for almost an hour. You couldn’t take the call or text us back?”

“We were busy,” replied Steve. “You’re only young once. Why do you look like the assistant principal did when he caught you and Moira McGuire in the sports equipment room?”

“Okay, first of all he didn’t catch us in the room, he caught us coming out of it,” replied Bucky, exasperated. “Secondly, it was the janitor’s closet, not the sports equipment room and he only heard us because I knocked the mop down. He asked who was in there and we came out.”

Steve began to chuckle then leaned towards Natasha. “He knocked the mop down because Moira touched him in a special place.”

“Steve!”

Bucky glared at him, making the other three laugh. In a huff he turned around and walked away, leaving Sam to deal with them. Offering his hands to help them up Sam waited until they were standing.

“We have a meeting,” he said. “Something the PR people want us to do as the Christmas season descends upon us. Sunshine over there doesn’t want any part of it.”

“What is it exactly?” asked Natasha, holding hands with Steve.

“Don’t know but he already doesn’t want to do it.”

“Oh my god, it’s both Captain Americas and Black Widow!” exclaimed someone.

Suddenly, they were surrounded by fans, clamouring for autographs and selfies. Bucky watched with an impassive face from a distance. Despite him being pardoned and accepted as an Avenger he rarely received public acknowledgement. Natasha always said his resting bitch face kept him isolated from the public. He never disagreed with that assessment. While he waited his cell phone vibrated and he pulled it out of his jacket.

Tony: Cap2 isn’t answering his phone. Have you found Stasha?

Bucky: Yes, in Union Square Park. Right now, they’re dealing with fans. 🙄

Tony: Meeting is in half an hour. Can you hurry them up?

Bucky: 🤷🏻‍♂️ I’ll try.

With a sigh he advanced towards the small crowd around the other three.

“Tony wants you guys to move it,” he announced. “Meeting is in half an hour.”

Steve looked at him as if that wasn’t going to be possible. With a shake of his head Bucky began walking back to the Avengers Tower, leaving them to make their own way. Striding back the short distance he entered the tower, nodding at the security guards on the main floor.

“Mr. Stark is looking for Captain Rogers and Miss Romanoff,” said one of them.

“Found them, told them to get here,” he replied, as he walked past the desk to the elevator.

While he waited for the elevator, he heard laughter behind him and watched as Steve, Natasha and Sam entered the building. Steve looked towards him as the doors opened.

“Hold the elevator,” he asked, as they came past the security desk. He waited for Natasha to enter before him. “Made it. You could have waited at the park. It didn’t take that long.”

“No point to me being there,” replied Bucky. “No one wants my autograph.”

He looked up at the display while the elevator sped up to the common room at the penthouse level. As they walked into the space it was obvious everyone was waiting for them as everyone was already there.

“At last,” announced Tony. “Thank you for coming as quickly as you could.”

He looked directly at Bucky as he spoke, as if it was his fault the others were late. Biting his tongue Bucky sat on the couch beside Wanda, resting his hands between his long legs. Fixing his gaze on the coffee table he didn’t make eye contact with anyone. Wanda gently touched his arm, and he heard her voice in his head. Having been part of HYDRA herself she could empathize with his feelings.

“We know you’re not responsible for them,” she thought. “Tony isn’t sure what the meeting is about, and he doesn’t like being out of the loop.”

Turning towards her Bucky raised his eyebrows, but Wanda just smiled kindly at him, then nodded towards where a strange woman was standing.

“Who is she?” asked Bucky, still connected telepathically.

“Avengers PR, I think,” replied Wanda. “She’s pretty closed off due to fear. I can’t read her.”

“Everybody I want to introduce Amanda Weston,” announced Tony. “Amanda is with the PR department for the Avengers, and it appears they have arranged something for us to take part in.”

With a flourish he turned the floor over to her and she stood in front of the group trying to appear confident.

“As you know the reputation of the Avengers took a hit after Agent Romanoff released the HYDRA files as it also showed SHIELD’s dirty laundry to the public,” she began. “You regained some of that reputation after defeating Thanos. However, there is still a way to go before the public is back to the levels of support seen before the capture and rehabilitation of Sergeant Barnes.”

Bucky felt his cheeks burn at her referencing him, as if he was the reason behind the drop in support for the organization.

“I thought we weren’t going to be referring to the inclusion of Bucky into the Avengers in that way,” stated Steve, his eyes focused on the woman. “He is officially the longest serving PoW in history and that was confirmed at his hearing where he was provided compensation for the criminal way in which he was kept prisoner due to the collusion of high-ranking government and military officials as well as receiving a complete pardon. You make it sound like he didn’t deserve to have the life that was denied him.”

Amanda looked a little flustered, glancing at Tony for support but he let her dig herself a deeper hole.

“Of course, you’re correct,” she stammered, then looked at Bucky. “My apologies, Sergeant Barnes, for not being more supportive about your rescue. By all accounts you are a valued member of the Avengers who has shown his bravery several times since you were welcomed into the organization.” He said nothing, still feeling exposed to the judgement of others. “It’s been suggested that it would help the Avengers if the team members became involved with some charitable organizations, especially with the holiday season approaching.”

“We already have charities we’re involved with,” stated Tony, looking defensive as he stood with his arms crossed. “What exactly are you proposing?”

“Most of the current involvement has involved either monetary donations, or low-key support at charity galas and the like,” said Amanda. “We would like to see something more active and visible.” She had a stack of folders in her arms, with people’s names on them, and distributed them. “I’ve taken the liberty of matching you up with charities that have already expressed an interest in pairing up with certain individuals. You would spend time with the organization, doing actual work, as outlined in the folders. We would send a photographer or a film crew to document your time with them, then they would use that in their holiday season publicity to help solicit donations.”

“How long are we doing this for?” asked Steve.

“Just until the new year,” she replied. “Although if you enjoyed it and wanted to maintain the relationship that would be entirely up to you.”

Bucky looked at her, as there was no folder given to him. “What about me?”

“Ah, yes,” she stammered again. “Unfortunately, we were unable to match a charity with you. I’m still working on finding you one.”

With a scowl he stood up. “Let me know when you finally bribe a charity to allow me to be associated with it.”

As he stormed out of the meeting, she tried to call to him and apologize, but he was already gone.

“I’m sorry, I really did try,” she said to everyone else. “Christmas season is when a lot of these charities get a majority of their fundraising done and they really want someone who seems… more in tune with the holidays.”

“You know that he feels isolated by people’s prejudices about him, right?” noted Natasha, her tone a little hard. “Doing this without making him feel included just feeds that isolation.”

The woman spread her hands in resignation, not sure what else she could have done. She had only been with the Avengers PR team for a few weeks and was disappointed with herself that she had already managed to offend not just Barnes but other members of the organization. It hadn’t been her intention at all, and she wasn’t sure what to do about it.

Over the next few weeks, Amanda scoured the internet for more charities, trying to find one that would be willing to have Bucky Barnes as their Christmas helper. It seemed like they were keen on having an Avenger, until they heard it was him. Then they backed away, unwilling to be associated with him. Just as she was about to give up any hope of finding the right fit, she received an email, asking if the offer still stood. The charity in question had another celebrity lined up but their first session with them didn’t go so well and the person decided to cancel the agreement.

At first, Amanda was going to forward the email then second guessed that approach and printed out the email from the organization. Stepping out of her office she took the elevator up to the residential floors of the Avengers Tower to look for Barnes. When she didn’t find him in his apartment or in the common area, she asked Friday for help in locating him, learning he was working out in the gym. Heading to that floor she entered the gym, finding him alone, running on the treadmill in just a pair of shorts and runners; music blaring so loud that he didn’t hear her enter. Words didn’t do justice to the sight of Sergeant Bucky Barnes, shirtless, and for a moment she forgot why she was there, as she stared at the man. Then he noticed her and stopped running, glaring at her as he grabbed a towel and draped it over his shoulders, covering up the sight of his broad and muscular build.

“Friday, lower volume,” he barked, then looked at her. “What?”

Hesitantly, she approached him. “I found a charity for you,” she said, holding out the printout. “The celebrity they lined up cancelled and they want you to help them out.”

He smirked, before taking the sheet from her. “So, they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?”

“Please, don’t say that,” pleaded Amanda. “I feel terrible about not having something lined up for you at the meeting. I’m so sorry I offended you with how I worded everything. I’m not the most confident person and this is my first PR job. To be honest, I really admire you. After everything you went through to still want to help people is pretty cool.”

He read the printout then looked at her. “There’s no one else? I’ve never done this sort of thing before.”

“I think you could do a lot of good with it,” said Amanda. “I mean, you’re all badass and everything. This could really show your softer side and they don’t mind who helps them, right? They don’t know who you are. You’ll just be the human that takes care of them.”

He read the sheet again, then breathed out audibly. “Alright, I’ll do it,” he said. He shrugged. “Thank you for the apology and for not giving up. I know I can seem rude or distant a lot of the time but it’s hard not to be when people think I’m still him.”

She gave him a shy smile. “I’ll check in with you in a couple of weeks to set up the shoot. We’ll make you look good; I promise.”

He smiled back then she turned around and left the gym as he watched her walk away, thinking she was kind of cute. He read the email again and smiled. This might not be so bad.

📺

News segment on local news broadcast, December 22, 2018.

Spotlight on Local Charities

Tonight, we’re visiting the Alley Cat Initiative, a local charity that not only takes care of stray or feral cats and kittens but also helps prepare them for adoption with loving families. The organization, which has been active in the Brooklyn area for the past ten years, found itself the recipient of some extra help this holiday season with the attention of one of the Avengers, known more for his previous occupation. Cassie Evans has the story.

“He’s infamous, and often comes across as menacing and unfriendly. But nothing could be further from the truth when you witness this Avenger with the cats and kittens he helps look after.”

[Scenes are shown of Bucky Barnes, identified by a banner at the bottom of the screen, arriving by motorcycle at the Alley Cat Initiative, a cat shelter in Flatbush.]

“I started with the organization about a month ago,” said Bucky, as several kittens were perched on his shoulders, while he cradled another in his arms. “We were encouraged to work with a charity that needed our help, but no one wanted to be partnered with me. It hurt, you know, because I’m just a guy with a past that I’m trying to make amends for. Then ACI offered me a chance and I’ve been here just about every day since then, minus the days I’ve been on a mission.”

“That’s right, Bucky Barnes, a man who was once one of the world’s most feared assassins, is now happily helping this organization by cleaning litter boxes, hand feeding orphan kittens, and even giving feral cats the first baths of their lives.”

[Scenes are shown of Bucky replacing cat litter, gently feeding a newborn kitten with a milk-filled syringe while cooing to it, patiently brushing out the long hair of another cat, and filling up a sink with warm water before lowering a hissing, spitting cat into it.]

“My metal arm is kind of an advantage when I’m handling feral cats because their teeth and claws don’t hurt me,” smirked Bucky, as he was shown giving a yowling cat their first bath, a necessity to remove fleas from their fur. “Even my right hand, when it gets clawed up, is healed by the next day and I can take the pain, easily. I modulate my voice to be softer and lower, and that helps calm them down. Within a few days they’re accepting my touch better and learning that people can be kind. I’ve even adopted one of them for myself.”

“This pretty kitten, Alpine, named for her snowy fur, and blue eyes, is deaf. Found under a dumpster, she bonded quickly with Barnes at ACI, and he is teaching her to respond to sign language, which surprisingly he is adept in. Adoption fees are assessed on a cost recovery basis, as the organization is non-profit. Any shortfalls have always been covered by donations. Since Barnes became involved with the organization, they have posted images of him working at their shelter in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn on their social media accounts. Those images have become a big hit, generating many likes and increasing interest in adoptions, and donations to the organization.”

[Scenes are shown of Bucky signing to Alpine to stay off a counter, using a cat toy while playing with her, then other images that have been on the organization’s Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts. He is also shown being approached by children, as he shows them how to stroke a cat.]

“They do a lot of good here.” Barnes stroked Alpine, while another cat on the back of the chair he was sitting in bumped its forehead against him. “All of the cats they take in are spayed or neutered, receive all their shots, and get fully assessed before being put for adoption. There are some that are too wild to go into a home so they have set up a sanctuary for them where they can live safely. The sanctuary is one of my favourite places to sit and think about things. The cats trust me and allow me to be there with them. I feel welcome at the Alley Cat Initiative and plan to stay on as a volunteer for as long as they’ll put up with me.”

“The staff at the Alley Cat Initiative are thrilled with Barnes’ dedication to his volunteer role. In fact, he has become one of their more dedicated volunteers and has already garnered Volunteer of the Month status for December. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with the organization, please contact them by the means shown at the end of this segment. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be working alongside one of the more well-known Avengers. This is Cassie Evans, for WSNY News.”

[The contact email and phone number of the Alley Cat Initiative was shown for about ten seconds.]

🎄

Amanda looked at Bucky, seated next to her with Alpine in his lap, as they sat with the others in the Avengers common room. He looked back at her, then squeezed her hand.

“It was good,” he said. “I’m happy with it.”

“You did good, Buck,” said Steve.

“Never thought you would be a cat lady,” smirked Sam, who ducked when Bucky threw a cat toy at him.

“Well, the whole program did really well,” said Amanda. “Avengers participation seems to have had a positive effect on donations to all the charities. They all tagged us, which generated more hits on our social media accounts, with many positive comments. Thank you for making me look like I knew what I was doing when I proposed it.”

“Alright, enough patting each other on the back,” said Tony, somewhat impatiently. “The staff Christmas party starts in ten minutes. Manchurian Candidate has cat hair all over his suit and needs to take care of that. Amanda Hug and Kiss did a great job and we’re glad to have her working for the Avengers.” Nobody moved and he rolled his eyes. “Come on, we have a party to get to.”

The others stood up and drifted over to the elevator. Amanda stood up but Bucky touched her hand, making her stop. He watched as the others entered the elevator car then he stood up and faced her.

“Thank you,” he said, sincerely. “They ended up being the best fit for me and even though I wasn’t their first choice I think I was their better choice.”

“Well, I think you’re my better choice,” she replied, still holding his hand as she looked up at him. “Are we making our relationship known tonight?”

“It’s only been a few weeks,” he smiled. “But I’m willing if you are. Alpine likes you and she has good taste.”

Leaning over, Bucky brushed his lips over hers then took Alpine back to his apartment, coming back with the hair removal roll. Handing it to Amanda he waited while she ran it over his jacket and pants, then took it from her hands and gave her a better kiss, wrapping his arms around her. They went over to the elevator and waited for the doors to open, then stepped inside. Holding hands when the doors opened on the party floor they stepped out to the sights and sounds of a Christmas party already in full swing. When people noticed they were holding hands they received several acknowledgements via a raised glass. Looking up, Bucky noticed a large sprig of mistletoe above them and chose to honour it by kissing Amanda in a way that would leave no doubt that they were a couple. It was Christmas, he had a girlfriend, and for the first time in a long time, felt like he belonged to something bigger and better than himself.

One Shots Masterlist

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Please comment and reblog if you enjoyed this one shot.

[shouts-into-the-void]

I'm rewatching Elementary (the other British Sherlock Holmes series lol) and I really think more people need to talk about this series.

Some of the many great things about it:

Watson is an Chinese-American woman and former surgeon turned sober companion

Demystifies Sherlock's deductions and takes great care to show that he and his friends/associates are equals, something that Sherlock himself points out frequently

Doesn't play Sherlock's drug addiction for laughs, and instead uses it to showcase how much work goes into getting and staying sober and the way it effects your entire life

You know how everyone always says they want a show where queer characters just exist without it being their entire personality or driving the narrative? This is that show

Ms. Hudson is a trans woman whom multiple cis men are stated to be madly in love with

One of the cases involves 2 different polyamorous couples, and Watson is directly stated to be unhappy in traditional, monogamous relationships

Watson also adopts and becomes a single mother, something that is shown to be strictly positive

Several characters have disabilities and chronic illnesses, including Gregson's 2nd wife Paige, who has MS and one of Sherlock's love interests Fiona, who is autistic

There is an episode titled "A Giant Gun Full of Drugs"

One of the later main characters takes very violent revenge on the man who kidnapped and raped her, and when she comes back after evading capture the police captain is literally like "Long time no see, lol, what attempted murder"

There is never any romantic tension between Watson and Sherlock just because Guy+Girl+Close Relationship must equal romance, and even when it's joked about it's usually to point out how ridiculous the idea would be. I personally interpret their relationship as queerplatonic as Watson moves an entire continent so they can stay together when Sherlock has to leave the country, and Sherlock is instantly ready to change his life around, make the house safe for kids, and co-raise her son when Watson expresses the desire to adopt. Also he names a species of bee after her.

That's not even all of it, but those are my favorites lol

[midwestmade29]

Collaboration 🤠

Part 1

This story has been a month in the making! It’s a collab between @madhatterbri and myself that came together randomly one night. It was (and still is!) amazing to me how quickly and easily we were able to come up with something so awesome together! This story has pieces of us both in it and we are so excited to finally share it with you all 🖤 ✧ @madhatterbri's masterlist can be found here ✧ My masterlist can be found here

Disclaimers: Cursing, intimidation, threats, unprotected sex, angst. Read at your own discretion.

Word count for part 1: 1,831

GIF credit: @cardinalbiggles

Divider by: @saradika-graphics

Stay tuned for part 2 🙂

This is 100% pure fiction.

Your past follows you around everywhere you go, but a certain cowboy tries to help you heal from it...

Over the last few months, you had settled in to your new role on the production team with AEW nicely. You finally felt like you were coming out of your shell, finding your way around the production truck and backstage all while getting to know the rest of the team and the wrestlers! There was one person that you hit it off with right away, Hangman Adam Page. He was one of the first people to introduce themselves to you and the kindness he showed you was like a breath of fresh air! Whenever both of you had a free moment, you often found yourselves laughing and smiling together. If you weren’t mistaken, sometimes it felt like he was flirting with you too! Hangman loved to see you flustered and he enjoyed making you squirm a little with his words. You’d never admit it out loud, but you loved the way he looked at you and how easily he made you blush.

Every interaction you had with Hangman you tried your best to keep on the down low in fear that your ex might see you two together. Swerve Strickland wrestles for AEW too and even though you were no longer together, he still liked to keep a watchful eye on you. At work you lived with your head on a constant swivel, always looking over your shoulder for him or one of his associates. Swerve is a master manipulator, fiercely intimidating, jealous, and always delights in destroying your psyche. His words are always demeaning and harsh, well thought out and always packing a punch! All the awful things he said to you during your relationship live rent free in your head, the wounds they left on your heart have never healed. His most recent strike was when word had gotten back to him about a conversation you were having with The Young Bucks backstage. Hangman was the topic being discussed, The Bucks attributing his recent change in demeanor to you! “We haven’t seen him smile like this in a long time. Whatever you’ve been doing, keep it up Y/N! He’s a good man and deserves to be happy,” Matt expressed. As your exchange went on, you swore you saw someone emerge from behind a nearby storage crate and hurry away. The smile you had on your face was now replaced with worry!

“Boss! Boss!” Prince NaNa called out. “Y/N, and those Bucks! Th-they were t-talking about the cowboy a-again!” he tried to spit out in between his attempts to catch his breath. Swerve didn’t speak, just kept his icy stare on NaNa as he explained the conversation he overheard, sparing no detail. “What are you going to do about this, boss? You’re not going to let her get away with this are you?” Swerve only smiled a wicked smile at his associate, no words spoken as he walked in the direction where you were standing, Prince NaNa not far behind him. You were looking over your notes when you felt a shift in the atmosphere around you. Your body tensed up when a familiar voice uttered your name from behind you, “Y/N. So, I hear you’re into cowboys now, huh? A former champion at that! You trying to fuck your way to the top or something? I think your sights are set a little high with that one. The man will get tired of you just like everyone else has and ride off on his little pony in search of his next plaything. You’re damaged goods, baby. Don’t ever forget that.”

It had been two weeks since your last encounter with Swerve, but his words still echoed through your mind. You were doing your best to ignore them, at least for tonight since it was a big night for Hangman. His championship match was set to be the main event for Dynamite, and you had promised to celebrate with him afterwards if he was able to win the belt! He made his way down the ramp while you watched on a monitor backstage with a huge smile on your face. The crowd was incredibly into the match, chanting “cowboy shit!” in support of Hangman throughout the whole thing! He was clearly the favorite to win, and he almost had it in the bag until his opponent landed an exceptionally stiff clothesline on him that left Hangman completely dazed in the middle of the ring. You stared at the monitor in shock, whispering a silent prayer to yourself that he was okay! Your heart sank when Doc Sampson slid into the ring and immediately began examining Hangman while everyone around you gasped when the replay of the incident was shown again.

Once Dynamite was off the air, Hangman was taken back to medical for further evaluation. One of your fellow production team members agreed to take over your final tasks of the night so you could go and check on him! You were practically running as you made your way to him, dodging all obstacles and people that were in your path, not caring who saw you in your panicked state. After taking a deep breath and knocking on the door, you opened it and saw Hangman sitting up on the table while Doc Sampson checked him for a concussion. “Wow, Doc! I must’ve really taken a hit to the head. I think I see an angel,” Hangman teased. His smile was radiant as you walked over to him, it helped ease some of your worry, but you knew it wouldn’t go away completely until the doctor gave Hangman the all clear. “Well, how is he doc?” you asked with your eyes locked on the cowboy. “No concussion, but he’s going to be feeling the effects of a hit that hard for a while. I recommend taking a week- maybe two off to recuperate. He’s got some cuts I need to bandage up too.”

Even Doc Sampson couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as Hangman continued to tease you, “Still have your little headset on and everything! Do you always rush to check on all the wrestlers, or am I just lucky? I don’t know about you Doc, but I think someone has a soft spot for the Hangman!” You swatted his chest playfully and he grabbed hold of your hand before you were able to pull it away. The doctor excused himself from the room when he noticed the way you both were looking at each other. Hangman held onto your hand, lacing his fingers with yours and something inside you hoped that he would never let it go! You could tell he was about to say something, but before he had the chance, the door swung open and hit the wall with a loud thud.

When your brain registered who the intruder was, you immediately pulled your hand away from Hangman’s and took a step back. Swerve sauntered into the room, eyeing you and the cowboy before breaking the silence, “Well, what have we here? A patient and his little nurse, how cute! Looks like I interrupted your exam. It’s a shame what happened out there, cowboy. Almost like those hits were stiff on purpose!” It was obvious Swerve’s presence made you uncomfortable, and Hangman took notice. His voice was dripping with annoyance when he responded, “Y/N is just making sure that I’m okay, and unless you’re here to do the same, I think it’s best if you and that Dollar Store prince leave.” Prince NaNa was standing guard at the door and whipped his head around when he heard Hangman’s comment, but he knew better than to say anything! Swerve made his way closer to you which caused Hangman to stand up protectively, but he stumbled a little when he suddenly felt dizzy. You placed your hand on his shoulder encouraging him to sit back down and it was obvious that it triggered Swerve!

“You gotta keep better company, Hangman. It doesn’t bode well for you to surround yourself with someone so…promiscuous. I think Ms. Y/N here has been everyone’s flavor of the week at some point,” Swerve spoke meticulously, making sure each word got under Hangman’s skin. It was a job well done when he jumped off the table again and immediately got in Swerve’s face, “You watch your mouth, dumbass! I already gave you the chance to leave once and you didn’t take it. This is my final offer for you to leave on your own without having my boot shoved up your ass!” You watched as both men stood with their faces mere inches from each other, neither one of them daring to back down. Prince NaNa’s words echoed through the room as he warned his boss that someone was coming and that they needed to scram before someone sees them. Swerve remained cool and collected, offering Hangman a warning of his own, “You don’t wanna fuck around with this mogul, cowboy. You have no idea what I’m capable of. Enjoy Ms. Y/N’s services.” He laughed manically as he left the room.

After that night, Hangman started to pick up on things more and more. He could tell how tense you would get whenever you heard Swerve’s name, how nervous you appeared to be when you were talking to him at work, and how often you looked over your shoulder. Whenever he would ask about the situation with Swerve, you blew it off or changed the subject. You just couldn’t bring yourself to burden Hangman with the details about your tumultuous past! Every time you looked at the cowboy, you could feel yourself falling for him more and more, which terrified you. Even though you tried your best to push him away, Hangman still stuck around. He was starting to feel like your safe place, like someone you could trust. Hangman proved that he felt just as strongly about you as you did him the night he kissed you. While you still couldn’t wrap your brain around why this cowboy stuck around, you were sure glad he did. You’ve been to hell and back, but Hangman was giving you a taste of Heaven on earth.

He does whatever he can to show you that he’s worth trusting and he refuses to give up on you even on the difficult days. He takes his time with you, showing you grace and giving you patience because he knows you deserve it. Despite his best efforts, there were moments when the voice from your past would creep in and feed you lies. There were days where you kept him at arm’s length even when you knew it wasn’t warranted. One day he left you astonished when he whispered against your lips, “Y/N, I got you. Please, give me- give us a chance. Let me take care of you and show you how wonderful you truly are. No matter how many times you push me away, I will always stand firm. I’m not going anywhere, Y/N. I’ve got you.”

[saulweissberg]

availability / @theodoranowak setting / the local country club golf course; wednesday, july 17th, around six pm.

“ah, there you go! nice swing.” saul complimented after theo cracked the golf ball across the greensward. the sun was still high enough in the sky to give off a sweltering heat, but as two high powered attorneys, neither would be caught dead playing hooky and golfing on a weekday morning. well, at least saul wouldn’t, mostly because his schedule was so busy lately that he barely had time to shave before work, let alone sneak away for a quick early morning golf session. with theo and isabel working as senior associates under him, and with help from micah, his firm had more clients than ever before. he’d hazard to say he was downright successful, but saul knew better than to count his chickens before they hatched. at any rate, he was successful for suburban illinois, but he’d probably never reach the esteem of his former firm, wlrk. that was something he was coming to terms with. the market was smaller, but divorces happened anywhere and everywhere. that was the best part of their specialty: they were pretty much guaranteed job security, and saul was running the show now. having theo as part of his legal team just propelled them into further success.

they still needed to enjoy themselves, though. golf wasn’t his favorite sport—especially since his third ex-wife’s older brother was a professional golfer and hated saul—but he was better at it than tennis, and it was practically required for any blue blooded man to know how to do both. besides, it was the first time he really got to spend some time with his pseudo-cousin since she arrived in blue harbor. after theodora finished her turn, saul set up the tee and positioned himself alongside the ball, holding out his arms stiffly as he lined up the club. with a swift motion, he swung the club and connected it with the golf ball, sending it flying into the air and curving to the right. his hand flew to his forehead, shielding the golden afternoon light from his eyes as he watched the ball land far ahead. turning to theo, he grinned and pumped both fists in the air. “yay!” he gave a light laugh and moved over to their golf cart to find where their respective golf balls had landed.

after a beat of silence, saul raised a brow as he regarded theodora. “so, how are you finding blue harbor?” it was sort of funny how she was the third brunette he knew back in new york that had found her way to the small midwestern town, but this time, she had asked to come work for him. though he had a stable staff with isabel, micah, and his secretary, he would’ve been insane to decline her. not only did she have nepotism on her side—the weissbergs and nowaks had been family friends for generations—but theo had a remarkable record and he wouldn’t turn down the help when his firm was steadily growing. more lawyers, more clients, it was simple math! that, and he had known theodora since she was a baby. he supposed he owed it to her, out of some familial-like obligation, and he could understand cracking under the weight of her family name. she needed an out, and while saul had his misgivings about blue harbor, it was the perfect place for someone to start over, just like he had three years ago. “i’m starting to think the entire island of manhattan is moving here. my first ex-wife, then my second, and then you? micah, too.” he didn’t count thalia, since blue harbor was her hometown. “either that, or you’ve all banded together to destroy me. i wouldn’t count that out for terry, but you and cassie? i’m hurt, teddy. just hurt!” he joked, mirth evident in his smirk and the sparkle in his eyes.

[neondiamond]

🌸 Recently Read Fics - April 2023 🌸

These are all the amazing fics I read over the past month (from shortest to longest). Don’t forget to leave kudos and comments to show the authors your appreciation if you read any of these! 🤍

🌸 Rainy Days, New Adventures by @greenblueish (1k, G)

After a bad day, Louis decides to take a walk in the park where he meets a special man with a special little companion.

🌸 His and Hers by @hellolovers13 (1k, T)

It's just a blanket, it shouldn't make Harry freak out like this.

🌸 Do You See What I See by @allwaswell16 (2k, T)

Harry may or may not be rescuing stray animals as an excuse to see the very hot local veterinarian.

🌸 Changing Weather (For Worse or For Better) by @haztobegood (3k, M)

Five times it's raining and one time it stops.

🌸 Just a little taste by @lunarheslwt (3k, G)

Harry is a vampire that comes home one night, grappling with the darkness that comes with being one. Louis offers him unwavering love, acceptance and the one thing he needs but is reluctant to ask for; permission to bite for the sake of comfort and safety seeking.

🌸 Things Unsaid by @londonfoginacup (4k, G)

Where you have a tattoo of the first thought your soulmate has when they see you.

🌸 There’s More Than Meets The Eye by @faithinwalls369 (4k, NR)

Loving from afar left room for wonder, absent embarrassment and an eradication of stuttering. Falling at one's feet, metaphorically or physically is thrown into the mix, when Niall and Liam play cupid’s arrow, throwing a blindfolded Harry and Louis together. Chemistry isn’t Niall’s chosen subject, but when sparks fly, it’s something he should consider.

🌸 some time to borrow by @sun-lt (8k, T)

In which Louis breaks his arm, Harry buys a car, and they do what they can with the time they have.

🌸 Station 28 by @justahappycloud (10k, G)

Some people meet by accident. Two unassuming worlds that weren’t supposed to even graze each other clash, and in an unexpected twist of destiny, they fuse into one. It’s destructive. It’s life changing. It’s, unequivocally, a complete and utter mess.

Darling, you are my favourite accident by far.

🌸 Keep Driving by @dedtobeginwith (11k, M)

Louis works as a driver contracted through the local cancer institute. All of his clients are associated with the hospital—mostly patients and their families heading home. One rainy afternoon, he picks up Harry.

🌸 Somebody’s Got Your Trainers On (It’s You) by @greenblueish (28k, E)

The one where, after two years, paediatrician Harry returns to Silver Street Hospital and with it to paediatric nurse Louis' life.

🌸 saw some things on the other side by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed (61k, M)

When Louis moves into the mansion he’s inherited from his great grandfather, he has a plan that consists of three things. One, he’s going to finish writing the next novel in his series. Two, he’s finally going to get over his ex-fiancé. And three, while battling writer’s block and having to resist the urge to kill off the main character in his books – the hot detective based on his ex-fiancé – he’s going to restore the mansion to its former glory.

Unfortunately, Louis’ plan doesn’t take into account the fact that instead of writing murder mysteries, he will find himself in one.

🌸 another friday night by @wabadabadaba (73k, M)

Louis Tomlinson thought signing to BMG would mean he would be free to make his own choices.

He should have known better.

Tasked with getting a public girlfriend, Louis decides to try his hand at finding the right woman himself. From the moment he met Lennon Adair he felt a connection with her but he had no idea how deep that connection would go.

🌸 And What If I Were You by @jacaranda-bloom (109k, E)

For Louis, will losing his sight give him the clarity to realise what is right in front of him?

For Harry, will losing the love of his life give him the strength to finally open his heart?

And can they find their way back, before they lose each other forever?

A story of love. A story of loss. A story of fighting for each other, no matter the odds.

[romanreignsistheonlydaddy]

Resist and bite: part 1

Roman Reigns x Piper (OC)

I put it all in one and added to it.

My wattpad: crimsonprincess74

Warnings: violence, angst, romance, teleportation, errors I may have missed.

Word count: 2.3k

Tag list: @reignsangel444 @acknowledge-reigns @mindfulofmani

___

Romans POV

Seth was once one of the nicest people I knew but the moment he laid eyes on piper his attitude changed. I tried to read his thoughts but he had me blocked. It slowly got worse over time until the day Piper got away and Seth killed the servant girl.

Piper had come rushing to my apartment looking for a place to hide from Seth and I knew if I had gotten involved Seth would come after me as well but I felt bad for Piper. I let her inside and showed her where she could sleep. "Thank you Roman! I really appreciate this!" She smiled.

"Piper, we need to leave in the morning..Seth won't stop until he finds you and now that I've helped you he'll be after me to!" I said

"Where are we gonna go?" She asked.

"I have a friend. We'll be safe at his house for a While until we figure out what to do" I said "get a shower, get some sleep. We have an early start"

No one's POV

Seth had realized Piper was gone. His apartment was a wreck from his destroying everything she owned in a blind rage. "FIND HER" he yelled. "sir we don't even know where she could have gone!" Joey Mercury yelled back.

Seth looked around at the rubble and noticed a small notebook. Pipers address book. Opening it he saw a name he recognized. "Roman? She's friends with Roman?! How did you not know this?" He yelled.

"Sir I don't invade people's privacy!" Joey said.

"Well maybe you should START!!" Seth said pointing his finger into Joey's chest on the last word as he walked to the kitchen island. Joey rolled his eyes at how childish Seth was being.

"What's so important about this girl anyway?" Joey asked.

"She is the key to time!" Seth yelled "right now all I can do is bend it. If time is unlocked there is no limit as to what I can do!" Seth said, his tone growing more irritated. Joey still rolled his eyes. Greed. That's all this was about was Seth's own greed.

Piper's POV

I was so incredibly glad Roman had let me in. I almost didn't think he would. I brought a few things with me for the night. If he hadn't let me in I hadnt figured out what i was gonna do but thankfully I didn't have have to cross that bridge. I went into the bathroom to get a shower, taking my shampoo and other toiletries out of my bag along with a set of pajamas, took my hair out of the pony tail I had and turned the water on. I stepped in the shower feeling the hot water flow over my aching muscles and relaxed into it. The heat felt good. Being able to clean myself felt good.

Flashback

"Did I say you could shower?" Seth yelled.

"I'm sorry I just wanted to be clean! I've worked all day and I'm sticky and sweaty!" I sobbed.

Seth pulled his hand back and slapped me across the face "you can bathe when I say you can! Do I make myself clear?!" He yelled , walking out of the room.

I fell to the floor, my head in my hands trying to hold myself together. The torment this man has put me through was beyond inhumane and I had to get out of here.

End flashback

I remembered a lot of things I would rather forget. The shower washed away the dirt but not the horrible memories. I heard a knock on the door and jumped "Piper? Are you ok?" Roman asked.

"I'm fine!" I yelled back.

"I'm gonna be in the other shower so make yourself comfortable when you're done!" He yelled.

"Thank you!" I yelled back.

Romans POV

I wanted to run in there and scoop her up not caring that she was naked but after what she had just been through I knew it was a Bad idea. Piper was beautiful. How Seth could treat her so horribly I would never understand but Seth has always been hot headed and greedy.

Being his former partner I knew things about him no one else did and that gave me and by association Piper and advantage over him.

I went and got my shower And grabbed the towel off the rack, wrapping it around my waist and walked out into the hallway. I saw Piper in the kitchen looking in the fridge in nothing but a towel. I tried not to stare but it left little to the imagination. Piper was beautiful. Curves, flawless skin, beautiful big brown eyes. I would love to see more. She looked up from the fridge and stared back at me also in Nothing but a towel and bit her lip "like what you see baby?" I smirked.

"Yes! I mean no i-" she stammered "I should go. I'll see you in the morning. She said walking to her room and shutting the door.

I could kick myself right now "good job idiot! Probably scared her off!" I mumbled leaning against the wall. I sighed heavily "I should get some sleep! Maybe things will be better in the morning"

I laid down in bed and shut the light off.

"Roman" I heard a woman's voice whispering and at first thought I was dreaming. "Roman" I opened my eyes And saw Piper had the bed side lamp on in the room "Piper? Are you ok?" I asked.

"I can't sleep. I don't feel safe sleeping alone. Can I sleep in here with you?" She asked. Without hesitation I pulled the cover back for her. She didn't try anything she must've just needed someone else's presence in the room. What the fuck did Seth do to her?

Romans POV

I woke up the next morning with piper snuggled into me and my arm wrapped around her. Her hair was scattered all over her pillow and her face and I had t realized when she came in but she only had underwear and and a top on. She really felt safe with me. I don't know what Seth had done to her but whatever it was it must've been awful.

I slowly pulled my arm off her as not to wake her and got out of bed. I grabbed a pair of sweatpants out of the drawer And headed down stairs to make breakfast. It was gonna be small because we had to leave soon but it would at least be enough to get food in our stomachs.

I grabbed some eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns and decided to make breakfast burritos. Quick, eatable on the go. Perfect! I finished cooking and made the burritos and went to wake up piper but she was already at the bottom step when I reached it "good morning" she yawned "I smelled food!"

"Yeah I made breakfast burritos!" I smiled holding up a plate with some on it. "A man that can cook? That's hot?" She winked at me. I made a Mental note.

"We need to get dressed and head out soon" I said.

"What's the rush? If they were gonna find me here wouldn't they have by now?" She asked.

"Seth is sneaky and he'll make you think he doesn't know when he Actually does" I said

"Yeah I know" she said looking away. She put the burrito down "im not hungry anymore. I should go get ready"

When I find out what all that bastard did to her I'll tear him limb from limb myself!

Piper's POV

When Roman said Seth was sneaky it triggered bad memories. Things I thought I had buried but it seemed they were coming back to the surface. Things that would awaken horrible things inside of me that I never wanted to come back. The pain i felt from remember became to much and I stated sobbing uncontrollably.

I heard the door fly open and out of reflex I jumped because the room wasn't what it was before. It wasn't until I heard Romans voice that I realized he wasn't Seth and I wasn't going to get beat.

His strong Arms wrapped Around me "it's ok baby girl! I'm here! Shhh you're safe!" His words soothing and as deep as his voice was it made my body relax.

"Hey I know this may be a lot to ask but what happened with Seth? If you don't wanna talk about it it's fine and I'll be here when your ready" he said gently rubbing my back.

I sighed heavily "I saw him murder the servant girl because she protected me. I was under the bed but she told him I was with you. He picked her up by her hair and in last act of defiance she spit in his face. He told her she'd never know if I was safe or not and snapped her neck and threw her to the side before walking out of the room. How he didn't think to look under the bed I'll never know but after he left I got out of there and ran here"

"Piper I'm so sorry! I had no idea" he said hugging me.

"There's more... A lot more I'm just not ready yet" I said.

He leaned in and kissed my forehead "when you are I'll be here" he smiled at me.

Romans POV

In that moment I wanted to kiss her so bad but she was vulnerable and I wasn't gonna take Advantage of her. Eventually I would tell her how I felt but right now wasn't the time. I don't know how, why or when I fell in love with her but I had and seeing her cry because of Seth broke my heart. I wanted to protect her but I couldn't.

The sound of glass shattering broke me from my thoughts. A brick landed in the floor with a note. I picked it up and read it "I see you!"

"We have to go NOW!" I said running to my room and grabbing my bag and shoving everything I could into it. Piper had done the same before running down the hall "Roman where are we gonna go? There's literally no where!"

"There is!" I smiled "you see this?" I pointed to the ring on my finger "watch!"

I stuck my hand out and spun my Arm in a circle creating a portal "go! It's ok" Piper looked at me hesitantly but went through as I followed right behind her before closing the portal. The sound of honking busses and taxis filled out ears "where are we?" Piper asked.

"London!" I smiled "welcome to the UK!"

She smiled back at me "it's beautiful! How did you do that?"

"An old friend taught me" I smiled "speaking of which we're late to meet him! Come on, let's go!"

She followed close behind me walking up the steps of what looked like an old office building "this place looks deserted! Are you sure this is where we're going?" She asked.

"If we're trying to hide from someone do you really think drawing attention to ourselves is a good idea?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Point taken" she said

"Roman! Hello my old friend!" I je as Rd a familiar voice say.

"Steven!" I said giving him a hug.

"And who is this lovely young lady!" He smiled.

"This is Piper. The one I told you about" I said

"Pleasure to meet you Piper" he said giving her a hug. His cloak also hugged her freaking her out a little bit "does the cloak always do that?" She asked.

"The cloak of levitation is a finiky thing. The fact that it hugged you is a good sign!" Steven smiled. "Come we have much to discuss!"

He led us down a long hallway to another part of the building. The kitchen is in there if you're hungry but the staff have dinner ready usually around 630pm. Breakfast is at 730am and lunch is at 1230pm" he said

"A schedule? I like it!" Piper said.

"The staff will show you to your room or rooms whichever you prefer" he smiled.

"Room" we both said at the same time.

Steven smiled a knowing smile "very well"

His staff led us up the stairs and to a room with an old wooden door "Dr strange will see yoi downstairs in 45 minutes, to go e you enough time to get comfortable and any other activities you require"

I looked at piper and winked. Her face got bright red. The butler walked away before we walkes into the bedroom together and sat down on the bed. She looked at me with a smile. I cleared a strand of hair out of her face before resting my hand on her face, rubbing her cheek with my thumb. Without even thinking I leaned in and kissed her and she immediately kissed me back. I pulled her onto my lap, running my hands down her back and grabbing her ass. She moaned into the kiss before reaching for my bun and releasing it letting my hair fall down. She seemed to like my hair down better because she grabbed a handful and deepened our kiss. *Knock knock* the sound at the door made us pull apart instantly "who is it?" I asked

"Sir Dr strange will see you now" the butler said.

I looked at piper "we'll finish this later" I said giving her one last kiss and putting my hair back into its bun. She got off my lap and I got up before yelling to the butler "tell Steven we're in our way down!"

[broodwolf221]

dadw prompt! #12 from the 50 kisses prompt list: Sneaking away to a hidden corner to share a secretive kiss. + fenders :D

thank you jazz! this was so fun /u\

@dadrunkwriting

690 words

As always, the day ended at the Hanged Man. Fenris wasn’t quite sure when the tradition had started, or when it’d shifted from a simple let’s get something to drink to an actual tradition, even amongst the non-drinkers in their group, but it was nice to have something to look forward to. He drank, of course, but never too heavily - he did not want to lose himself in a crowd like this, after all, but the ale was cheap here, affordable even when he had lost the last several hands of Wicked Grace.

Varric was winning tonight. Typical, really, although usually he could hold his own and sometimes Isabela took the pot. Anders rarely won and over time the bets drifted lower, the game becoming friendly rather than competitive. Sometimes the mage couldn’t spare the coin and didn’t play at all, but none of them begrudged him that - he had the clinic to attend to, after all. Surely there were costs associated with that.

He rather suspected that Varric spent a considerable amount of his winnings supporting the clinic, but he never could confirm as much. Nor, he thought, could Anders, which was likely the point. An anonymous donation to the clinic or new supplies suddenly showing up felt different than being handed coin by a friend, and the former was far more difficult to turn down.

Over time, a new tradition had risen from this one, although it was not a group activity. Fenris stretched and excused himself, clapping Hawke on the shoulder as he passed and waving off Varric’s idle protestations. The dwarf just wanted him to lose again. Merrill waved goodbye to him before Isabela claimed her attention by leaning heavily into her and he hid a grin by turning away from them. He may not approve of the blood mage, but he couldn’t help but be a little touched by her insistent generosity, her gentle nature seemingly at odds with her manner of fighting. A contradiction he had once found suspicious and had eventually grown to accept, for all of them had their contradictions. This new tradition was one of them.

He took a deep breath as he left the pub - the city didn’t always smell the cleanest, but it was certainly fresher than the cramped, humid air inside the Hanged Man. He slowly worked his way back towards the mansion he’d come to occupy, although halfway there he ducked instead into a narrow alleyway and waited. It did not take particularly long. “Were they suspicious?” He asked as the other man slotted into the alley beside him, their arms brushing as they stood side by side.

“I doubt it. Played my last hand and it was miserable.” Anders laughed quietly and Fenris smiled to himself, turning to face the mage - then shifting so that he was bracketing him against the wall, his laughter fading into a soft gasp. Fenris glanced from his eyes to his lips, watching Anders’ tongue dart out to wet them before he pushed forward.

They kissed hard, with a fierce demand, hands seeking out points of contact to draw them closer together. Fenris bit Anders’ lip to feel the shudder of his moan between their mouths.

An argument had brought them close together, a tension building that Fenris hadn’t been able to identify until Anders drew near him before turning away sharply. Realizing what he had been letting slip away, he’d grabbed the mage and kissed him. That one experience had led into this happening several times a week, and Fenris idly wondered when he’d stop having them meet outside the mansion.

For now, this was enough. He pulled back to see Anders’ eyes dark and wide, searching his for a time before a small, wry smile crept across his lips. “Next time, then?” Fenris nodded before kissing him a final time, then stepping back.

“The alley closer to the docks,” Fenris said. “You leave first next time.” He watched as Anders nodded, pulling away from the wall and straightening his robes.

“I’ll be there,” he said, grinning before making his way clear of the alley and back to his clinic.

[sofarfarout]

experiment start

Full Name: Clockwise the Artificer

Goes by: Clockwise

Nicknames/Aliases: old man(by Cold Steel), Rustbucket(by Cold Steel)

Gender: male

Pronouns: he/him

Sexuality: asexual

Marital status: single, not interested

Age: 53

Birthday: April 14th

Species: born an earth pony, mechanical augmentation makes him functionally an alicorn

Occupation: artificer

Past occupations: horologist and clockmaker

Alignment: Lawful Good

Family: Greasemonkey(father, deceased at age 49), Chug-a-long(mother, deceased at age 74), Nitty Gritty(younger sibling, age 48), Mila Minute(younger sister, age 41)

Relationship with family

Greasemonkey: died when Clockwise was a young adult in an accident at work, they were close and enjoyed messing around with machines and trinkets together

C: "Father was always a busy stallion. Always working, whether it was in his shop or at the factory. He saw beauty in machinery and I'm always grateful to him for sharing that with me."

Chug-a-long: was close with his mother and especially liked riding the train with her, had a shared love for mathematics

C: "Mother and I often enjoyed doing puzzles together. She was very adept at sudoku and while I wasn't bad myself, I was never as fast as her. She told me that numbers simply made sense to her. They were absolutes and did not change. That stick with me for whatever reason."

Nitty Gritty: were never that close but don't really have bad blood either, just went about their lives separately, envy each other's abilities

C: "My sibling and I are near polar opposites. They are a wonderful artist, seeing the world in all these...fantastical hues. Their work is something to behold. I, on the other hoof, seem to lack that color."

Mila Minute: was once very close with his sister but has grown increasingly distant over time, Mila no longer associates with him

C: "..."

Other relationships

Cold Steel: former student that grew disillusioned with his mentor's ideals, believed his views to be naive and childish

CS: "Holier-than-thou? No. But I am holier than you, old man."

Distinguishing physical features

-gangly build, mostly legs with a slim torso

-about half his body is composed of brass augmentations

-very large ears, comparable to a donkey or mule

-tears in left ear

-straight profile, face is neither dished nor aquiline

-eyes are sharp, almost diamond shaped

Cutie Mark: a large gear shaped clock with a smaller gear to the side

Special talent: tinkering, specializes in industrial revolution era technology

How he got it: repaired his family's most prized heirloom, a 17th century pendulum clock, got his mark later than most at age 14

Personality: brilliant, cautious, contemplative, eloquent, empathetic, enigmatic, gentle, idealistic, indecisive, kind, logical, mawkish, meticulous, nervous, passionate, passive, private, reclusive, selfless, unassertive, warm-hearted, wise

Greatest Strength: sensitivity and kindness

Fatal Flaw: difficulty opening up about his own struggles, prone to isolating himself and dealing with his troubles alone

Likes: meditation, math, crabapple jam, antiques, birds(especially owls), tidying up his workshop, hot chocolate, foals, harps, tinkering, whistling

Dislikes: public speaking, being rushed, the smell of gasoline, smartphones, being called a robot, arguing/debate, gardening, sports, heavy metal music, thunderstorms, dirty jokes

Fears: death, clowns, failure

Clockwise is a brilliant artificer working selflessly to unify flesh, metal and the arcane to improve the lives of all creatures in Equestria. He's very passionate about his life's work and spends most of his days tinkering away in his underground workshop. Being rather shy and a workaholic, Clockwise doesn't get out much and is prone to isolating himself and unintentionally pushing others out. Despite this, he's quite sensitive to the plight of others and will not hesitate to use his inventions to help another. He's something of a bleeding heart despite what his metallic body may suggest. This has come back to bite him more than once, most notably with his former apprentice, Cold Steel. A young Cold Steel had come across the fantastic brass pony one day and begged to be taken under his wing, though Clockwise didn't need much convincing after assessing the colt's talent. For years, Steel studied dutifully under Clockwise, eager to learn as much as he could, until Steel's bitterness and anger overtook him. Cold Steel believed his mentor had gone soft and grew to find his ideals and beliefs antiquated. After a heated, though one-sided argument, Steel left his mentor behind, never to return.

Any questions or additional information you want me to add? Don't hesitate to comment!

Bases- box-of-ideas on dA

[dankusner]

OBITUARY

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON

Country music superstar, A-list Hollywood actor

LOS ANGELES — Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma, died Saturday.

He was 88.

The country music superstar and A-list Hollywood actor died at his home on Maui, Hawaii, family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland said in an email.

McFarland said Kristofferson died peacefully, surrounded by his family.

No cause was given.

Starting in the late 1960s, the Brownsville native wrote such classics standards as “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” “For the Good Times” and “Me and Bobby McGee.”

While Kristofferson was a singer, many of his songs were best known as performed by others, whether Ray Price crooning “For the Good Times” or Janis Joplin belting out “Me and Bobby McGee.”

He also starred opposite Ellen Burstyn in director Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore , starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 A Star Is Born and acted alongside Wesley Snipes in Marvel’s Blade in 1998.

Kristofferson, who could recite William Blake from memory, wove intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and tender romance into popular country music.

With his long hair and bell-bottomed slacks and counterculture songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new breed of country songwriters along with such peers as Willie Nelson, John Prine and Tom T. Hall.

“There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Nelson said during a November 2009 award ceremony for Kristofferson held by BMI.

“Everything he writes is a standard, and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”

He was a Golden Gloves boxer and football player in college, received a master’s degree in English from Merton College at the University of Oxford in England and turned down an appointment to teach at the Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., to pursue songwriting in Nashville. Hoping to break into the industry, he worked as a part-time janitor at Columbia Records’ Music Row studio.

At times, the legend of Kristofferson was larger than real life. Johnny Cash liked to tell a mostly exaggerated story of how Kristofferson, a former Army pilot, landed a helicopter on Cash’s lawn to give him a tape of “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” with a beer in one hand.

Over the years in interviews, Kristofferson said with all respect to Cash, while he did land a helicopter at Cash’s house, the Man in Black wasn’t even home at the time, the demo tape was a song that no one ever actually cut and he certainly couldn’t fly a helicopter holding a beer.

In a 2006 interview with The Associated Press, he said he might not have had a career without Cash.

“Shaking his hand when I was still in the Army backstage at the Grand Ole Opry was the moment I’d decided I’d come back,”

Kristofferson said. “It was electric. He kind of took me under his wing before he cut any of my songs. He cut my first record that was record of the year. He put me on stage the first time.”

In 1973, he married fellow songwriter Rita Coolidge and together they had a successful duet career that earned them two Grammy awards.

They divorced in 1980.

He retired from performing and recording in 2021.

Sinéad O’Connor slams old pal Kris Kristofferson for toxic masculinity

Sinéad O’Connor – aka Magda Davitt, or Shuhada’ Sadaqat – is back on Twitter with a vengeance these days and has since shut down her account.

Over the weekend, Sinéad sent out a number of pleas from County Wicklow regarding her missing 14-year-old son Shane, who thankfully was found safe and sound on Monday morning.

Even the police got involved, and when Shane was found “safe and well,” Sinéad tweeted “alhamdulillah,” Arabic for “praise be to God.” (You’ll remember that she converted to Islam last year.)

The 52-year-old Sinéad also let the world know about a long-ago fling with the singer/actor Kris Kristofferson, who’s now 82.

A fan of Sinéad’s on Twitter shared the true story of how Kristofferson came to Sinéad’s aid in the days after she shredded a photo of the Pope on "Saturday Night Live" in 1992, and faced the wrath of an angry nation afterward.

Not long after, Sinéad was one of the featured performers at a Bob Dylan tribute concert at Madison Square Garden, and the crowd booed lustily.

Kristofferson was sent to the stage by the organizers to take the visibly upset Sinéad off, but instead, he told her not to let the “bastards get you down.”

So with Kristofferson’s words of encouragement, she continued, singing a capella about injustice and war, and he was the first one onstage afterward to give her a hug.

The aforementioned fan, Audra Williams, shared the story on Twitter in the context of the new Gillette ad that’s whipped up so much debate.

Williams tweeted, “The recent Gillette ad has started/furthered a lot of conversations about what alternatives to toxic masculinity look like. This is it.” Underneath the tweet was a photo of Sinéad being comforted by Kristofferson onstage during the Dylan show.

Sinéad, using her @magdadavitt77 handle, offered her take on the fan’s opinion and it was pretty surprising, not to mention crass.

“I would not agree Kris wasn’t toxically masculine. He took full advantage when he got the chance and then immediately turned nasty once…” and we won’t go on given that we’re a family site.

She ended the quote with the hashtag #NoHeroOfMine.

Sinéad further elaborated on Monday morning.

“In case my use of the words ‘took advantage’ [in] an earlier tweet might be misconstrued I wish to make clear that in no way, shape or form was I in any way sexually assaulted by Kris Kristofferson. And that the one time we did have sex, it was consensual.”

Sinéad seems to have made quite an impression on Kristofferson.

He wrote a song 10 years ago called “Sister Sinéad” in which he called her a “bald-headed, brave little girl.” Guess the feeling isn’t mutual.

[jadelotusflower]

Lois Lane costume appreciation (Part II, seasons 6-7)

Part I (seasons 4-5)

Part II of my Smallville retrospective, focusing on the Superman colour scheme as it relates to Clark and Lois, and in particular how Clark often wears red and blue (and the blue shirt/red jacket basically becomes his costume in these seasons), while Lois is often wearing or associated with the missing piece of the Superman puzzle - yellow.

I've identified three main instances where Lois seems to be costumed in yellow - the first is when she's in investigator/journalist mode, the second when she has a non-Clark love interest (which symbolises her future destiny with Clark, as all of these prior relationships help her discover what's not right so she knows when it is right), and third when she and Clark take a step forward in their relationship (even if it's often followed by two steps back).

In season 6 we start spending a lot more time at the Daily Planet with its iconic gold globe, and interior decorated in blue and yellow/gold:

Now, gold isn't exactly yellow, but I do think gold is adjacent thematically - especially as we get into the later seasons where the show doesn't rely as heavily on the primary colour palette. We're out of high school and the pseudo-college year, on our way to the more mature later seasons. Gold is a metallic form of yellow, and while Smallville High and the Talon both heavily featured sunshine yellow, given the Art Deco style of the Daily Planet we move to a burnished gold for the more adult world Clark is moving into.

Gold kryptonite also shows up in season 10 (and I'll go into what I think the meaning of that may be when we get there).

In 6x02 Sneeze, we not only see Clark make a significant step towards becoming Superman by developing his super breath, but Lois make a significant step towards her destiny as a reporter. Clark’s sneeze blows the barn door hallways across town, where it lands by Lois and ignites her journalistic intrigue, and by the end of the episode she’s had the story published and decided it’s the career she wants to pursue.

In 6x03 Wither, Lois meets Oliver Queen for the first time, and there's no yellow but she does wear a gold headpiece as part of her Maid Marian costume (your face, madam!), and we get the blue gown and that helpful Talon decor in the background to remind us that this will be temporary. Oliver is an important relationship for Lois - arguably the only other man we see Lois genuinely fall for in the series, and we'll get hints of yellow throughout.

In 6x04 Arrow, Lois once again wears yellow as she's on the trail of Green Arrow and gets the front page of the Inquisitor coining his name (also check out the binders on the right and the desk items below her). At the end of the episode Clark is very protective over Lois once he finds out that Green Arrow is Oliver, so continuing our tradition of Lois wearing yellow in an episode when she has a new love interest that Clark isn't happy about.

She wears this outfit again in 6x05, Reunion, as she and Clark work together again to track down a murderous former classmate of Lex and Oliver's, and where the window placement is on point.

We once again get Lois and Clark in complementary t-shit/jacket combinations, with Lois's yellow as the missing piece to Clark's red-blue. There's also some excellent blocking in this walk and talk, as Lois and Clark each move from the foreground to background as they go down the hall, one taking the lead then falling back, and then switching again. They're a team, even when they're arguing.

6x10 Hydro is iconic as Clark and Lois's first kiss, but Lois also starts off the episode in red and blue with yellow on her bag (over Tom Welling's directing credit no less). Funnily enough Jimmy is also wearing yellow in this scene (a mustard shirt he wears a few times this season) as he and Lois plot to expose Green Arrow's identity.

Lois also wears a red top with what looks like yellow piping during her attempt to catch Oliver in the act as Green Arrow (although it's under a white jacket during the actual kiss scene).

Then at the end of the episode, when Lois tells Clark how much she enjoyed the kiss with "Green Arrow" she's back in block yellow, with a red mug to boot (and blue couch/wall). This episode is a significant step forward, as it's clear Clark enjoyed that kiss too (thank you Tom Welling for your direction in that scene!).

A small one, but in 6x11 Justice, we see Lois's jeans have yellow crown decals on the rear (oh, the mid-2000s!). Lois will wear these jeans several times this season.

The next big Clois moment is 6x13 Crimson i.e. when Lois and Clark get dosed with red Kryptonite and make out. The interior of the box the red-k lipstick comes in is yellow, and the cover of the mix cd Lois makes is red yellow and blue. Was it heavy handed? Yes. Did I appreciate it? Absolutely.

In the aftermath Lois wears a yellow jacket (and the jeans with the yellow decals). At this point Clark knows that without inhibitions he wants to - ahem - "kiss Lois" - and we get the sense that she is starting to develop genuine feelings for him - or at least becoming more aware of them. Also note the yellow in Clark's blue plaid in this scene.

In 6x21 Prototype, Lois wears yet another blue shirt-yellow jacket combo (seriously, how many yellow clothes does she own?!?), tracking down a childhood friend whose been turned into a weapon by Lex. Now, Wes isn't exactly a love interest, but we do learn that he was Lois's first kiss, so I'd say it counts in the tally of Lois wearing yellow to show her future with Clark even when there's romantic tension with someone else, and also her destiny as an investigative reporter (in the first image she's about to expose a corrupt senator, in the second she's intent on finding the truth about Wes.) Clark's concern for her in the latter scene is also very sweet.

In 6x22 Phantom and 7x01 Bizarro, we get the opposite in a yellow shirt blue jacket, including of course a scene with Clark in his red and blue. In these episodes Lois is determined to expose Lex's crimes, so definitely fits into the pattern of Lois the reporter in yellow.

We also get some nice interaction between Lois and Clark at the hospital, where Clark chooses not to tell her about Lana's (apparent) death because it might be too much given Chloe's condition.

7x01 also features Bizarro Clark hitting on Lois - he has all of Clark's memories and actually makes some astute observations ("I know you're looking for a guy who doesn't play by the rules.")

Of course Lois thinks this is actually Clark, and the kindness he showed her at the beginning of the episode is reciprocated as she forgives him for manhandling her, chalking it up to grief over Lana. As much as Lois likes to bust his balls, she also shows enormous grace over his oft-times strange behaviour (proof of "other [times] I think you know me better than anyone" from season 5). She may not know the circumstances or his secret, but most of the time Lois understands Clark at his core in a way I'm not sure any other character does.

In 7x02 Kara they are back in parallel costuming - I mean, look at these two!

This episode is also a major step forward in Lois's journalistic career, and also closer to Clark's secret even if she doesn't realise it - she finds Kara's spaceship and is pretty cool with the idea of aliens, even if she's intent on uncovering the truth.

At the end of the episode when she's offered a job at the Daily Planet, she's in this coat which is yellow-gold, and from this point we start seeing Lois move away from the more casual jeans-tshirt-jacket combo to more professional attire (Clark will catch up to her in season 8), and from light and/or bright yellows to metallics/golds.

As seen in 7x05 Action, where Lois is once again on Lex's trail even when her boss tells her not to follow the lead. That boss is Grant Gabriel, and the two also engage in some unfortunately flirting later in the episode. In the first part I said I didn't mind Lois with AC or Oliver (I enjoy Lois/Oliver in particular, and their continued friendship) and think it makes sense she would be attracted to both of them, but I HATE her relationship with Grant and don't think it makes any sense at all. It's a relationship devoid of reason, chemistry, and purpose.

In 7x07 Wrath, we're briefly back in bold yellow under her business jacket as she and Grant flirt some more. I usually don't care for criticism of Smallville Lois that she's not enough like the iconic Lois because she can be a bit messy and makes mistakes - because that's the point, she's isn't the iconic Lois Lane yet, she's unformed, she's a work in progress just like Smallville Clark is. But I just think she's savvier than to get into a relationship with her boss, and honestly I think she would peg (heh) Grant as kind of shady? He's so clearly shady! There is precedent I guess - she went out with serial killer/hitman Graham, but that seemed like an aberration, not a pattern (and it was one date). Lois stringing him along but never actually giving in to his overtures in order to find out what he's hiding would have been a much better subplot imo.

The hotdog is also a nice touch though (Superman II reference?).

Other than challenging her, Grant also doesn't fit the pattern of men Lois is attracted to - he's not a particularly good person, their banter is painful rather than stimulating, and while he is in a position of power, he exercises it in a way that usually annoys Lois rather than impresses her. Honestly, they should have nixed Grant's character altogether and put Lex in as editor of the Planet much earlier, giving Lois a better entry point in hiring her to keep his enemies close, and her subplot of the season could have been investigating him from the inside.

As it was, this episode is where Lana gets Clark's abilities and immediately goes insane with them, including blasting into Grant's office and injuring Lois in the process. We see her brown and yellow bag again in the hospital scene.

In 7x09 Gemini, Lois's supply of yellow clothes has seemingly been exhausted, because she's back in the metallic gold top from 7x05. This is the episode where she's forced to write an expose on Lex (again, this could have worked if he was the editor! We didn't need Grant!). Lois is now fully enmeshed in the Daily Planet, so this ticks both the boxes of journalism and other relationships for the presence of yellow/gold.

However it's the last we see of this top on Lois (I think Chloe does wear it or a similar one in a later season).

This is the end of her relationship with Grant, who we learn is actually a clone of Lex's brother Julian, but he's dead an episode later and this entire subplot was pointless. We don't even know if Lois finds out about Grant's death, and other than a throwaway line in 7x11 she never mentions him again, so I don't think she ever really loved him or that he can be counted among her serious relationships.

Speaking of 7x11 Siren, Oliver returns wanting to rekindle his relationship with Lois, but when she discovers he's Green Arrow she ends it for good. This is one of thew few times we see Lois in a print rather than a block colour, and looking closely yellow is incorporated into the pattern as she tearfully tells Oliver she can't handle the dual-identity life and "share [him] with the rest of the world". Dramatic irony in that's exactly what she will do with Clark, but at this point in her life, with Oliver, it's not a choice she can make.

Later, Clark comforts her about her fears - "Just because someone's life has great responsibility, doesn't mean your life has to take second place" but Lois doubles down on her fears that "[she] will always be left behind".

They are both talking about Lana and Oliver respectively, but foreshadowing their future together, when Lois will be ready to accept and live that double life because they will share a destiny, and she'll trust that her relationship with Clark won't end in heartbreak like she's sure her relationship with Oliver would have.

In season 10, when these fears resurface, Clark tells her "you're not in my way, Lois. You're by my side."

The last one is 7x16 Descent, where Lois and Jimmy are working together to uncover the truth about Lionel's death and she is back in a yellow top for this milestone of the show. She wears this the entire episode, including being shot and locked in a freezer by Lex's minion, and then saved by Clark.

That's it for these two seasons, and actually the last time Lois wears yellow for a quite while as we more into the later seasons which are darker both tonally and in the visual storytelling.

[especiagusto]

honeymoon - zoro x tashigi (r18)

A translation of honeymoon by especiagusto.

honeymoon - english ver. - especiagusto - One Piece (Anime & Manga) [Archive of Our Own]

zoro is clueless and tashigi is anxious but they are perfect and cute together this is a translation from portuguese of my own work.

tashigi took off her traditional japanese wedding dress. it was weird to have such a quiet night in the hotel by the sea after two days of the celebration that brought together both sailors and legendary pirates, agreeing to put their differences aside to eat, drink and dance for the wedding of the former navy captain and the first mate of the king of the pirates, monkey d. luffy. the course of history had been changed forever, affecting everything in the world like an invisible force. tashigi felt the change in her heart and, even though he was who he was, she couldn't suppress the feelings that surfaced for zoro after all that time. she had always felt some attraction towards him, but how could she fall in love with a pirate, an outlaw? apart from the fact that she caused him discomfort, she knew why, but never really understood it until she heard the swordsman's entire story with his childhood friend. “i’m not going to tell you anything about it!”, zoro shouted that day when they met secretly “to drink”, she had called him herself. after a few sips, zoro did tell her everything, and tashigi realized she was about to cry. she tried to get drunk soon too, hoping to feel a little more comfortable despite the sad story, but the alcohol only made her show that shameful drunk side, and zoro attempted to comfort her in a very odd way. he wasn't delicate at all, but tashigi saw through him, sensing his intentions. that man had a wonderful heart and… damn, that only made her feel more attracted!

proposing a “peace agreement”, tashigi asked him to meet her again... quite often. at the beginning, zoro suspected it, but that wasn't the point after all. the new era had already impacted the entire world, beyond the reach of the navy or the now shattered world government. what could the captain do with him, and what harm would it do to have a drinking partner? he didn't understand what she intended by this, but deep down, he knew she didn't mean him any harm. he had some sympathy for her, despite her horrifying physical resemblance to kuina! he could try to ignore it for their sake, right?

everything after that happened rather quickly after tashigi's proposal. starting to meet her frequently, zoro hardly associated her with his childhood friend anymore. the more he got to know her, the more he saw her as just tashigi, a friend who could be really nice and… pretty? he had never thought much about any woman, never had anyone caught his attention like that stupid cook who “fell in love” almost instantly with any woman. xoro had been so focused his entire life on being the best swordsman in the world that, even after achieving his dream and helping luffy become the king of the pirates, he felt uncomfortable as if something was missing. it was the lack of something other than glory and the crew, which was difficult for him to think about because he knew little about things like romance. maybe he wasn't good at it, but being close to tashigi soon made him realize that his body reacted in ways that made him feel like a complete idiot when he was around her. especially when, so drunk that she couldn't be helped, she approached him and wrapped her arms around his neck. it gave him such an unique sensation down his spine.

through letters with his former crewmates, especially (and strangely) rrobin was one of the people who advised him the most about everything he needed to understand about a relationship between a man and a woman. how could that woman know so much? he had no idea, but all her advice had been useful. in the end, the practice was much less complicated than the theory and when the two kissed for the first time, they both simply knew they wanted to be together “forever”. a silly cliché, but these were their honest feelings. that's why it didn't take long for them to get married, and even though she left her position at the marine, tashigi was happy. she was listening to her heart, as it said it was the right thing to do, because zoro was the man of her life.

a huge man, shirtless, sleeping like a rock on the bed decorated with petals to welcome the newlyweds. he had thrown himself onto those thin sheets without the slightest ceremony, falling asleep after drinking. my god, he could have controlled himself a bit! tashigi puffed out her own cheeks, but soon relaxed her face. she couldn't stay mad at him for long.in her nightgown, she cuddled up to zoro and, overcomed by tiredness, soon fell asleep.

~

past the midnight, zoro woke tashigi up while trying to hug her quietly. subtlety was not his thing at all, plus even while she slept, the former captain was beyond alert. before she even opened her eyes, tashigi hit him in the stomach with her elbow and zoro groaned in pain. she jumped up on the bed, her elbow feeling sore. he was a wall of muscle, after all. yes, it was zoro who was there with her… tashigi realized that she had barely become his wife and had already hurt him for something that was supposed to be such a natural thing to do!

“zoro, I’m sorry!”, tashigi said, with a tearful voice. she was a bit scandalous. "are you alright?"

“yeah… i'm fine...” zoro exhaled heavily. “i didn’t mean to wake you.”

tashigi felt her face burning with embarrassment. she hugged him and patted his back, as if she was trying to make up for her bad reaction.

“i’m sorry,” she repeated, suddenly realizing it still was the middle of the night. “well… i didn’t think you’d wake up at such time.”

“shall we go back to sleep then?”, zoro asked.

she moved even closer to him, their faces the smallest distance apart. she was quite excited all of a sudden, a funny warmth taking over her body.

“do you know that… i’m sleepless now?”, she said, touching her lips to his lightly, just to encourage him. the teasing had an immediate effect, and soon zoro was leading the kiss at an increasingly intense pace. it was surprising how well they did that now, unlike at the beginning of the relationship. inexperience brought insecurity, but practice made everything better, and tashigi thought if it couldn't be like that with sex too… now that they were married, that would happen. she was a little “prepared”, but she felt anxious. what would that be like?

it looked like she was about to find out. right now, zoro was on top of her. her heart was beating so fast, and she clung to him to find some stability in the midst of the yearning.

a louder sound than she would have liked came out of her mouth when she felt… “that hard thing” pressed against her intimacy. she was blushing much more than before, embarrassed that she had moaned loudly for something like that. it was like the room was spinning. she was nervous, yes, but she also didn't want to stop. “zoro…”, she said, seconds before her husband fell asleep on the top of her, immediately snoring again. annoyed, tashigi pushed zoro away and slept facing away to him, frustrated. "you're an idiot…"

~

in the afternoon of the next day, as they walked holding hands through the city, a window caught tashigi's attention. a lingerie store that looked very inviting, and soon she wanted to buy one of the sets. it was a red lace lingerie, so provocative that it could only be worn by a married woman like her! of course she had brought the most beautiful lingerie for the honeymoon, but she was dying to buy that particular one.

tashigi practically dragged him into the store and left him at the entrance. “wait here!” she said excitedly, before disappearing with a saleswoman inside the store. zoro looked around, feeling like he definitely shouldn't be in a store where there were only women, but he quickly felt comfortable enough to doze off… standing up! the girls who passed him giggled. he was a very strange man.

after waking up, zoro started walking around the store to avoid getting bored, and soon he felt his head spinning from seeing so many different colored lingerie. most were so small and looked uncomfortable. zoro couldn't understand why women chose to wear pieces that looked so complicated and he wondered if tashigi had come to buy something like a thong, a tiny panty that couldn't be pleasant to wear at all. as a husband, he felt the urge to protect her from anything, even uncomfortable panties! agitated, he tried to find his wife, but he managed to get lost even in small places. when an attendant finally realized he was lost and took him to tashigi, she already had a bag from the store in hand.

“what were you doing?” tashigi asked, pretending to be angry. she had told him to wait at the entrance precisely because she knew how easily he got lost!

zoro shrugged his shoulders and the two left.

“what did you get, huh?”, he asked as they walked, without letting his concern show.

“it’s a surprise”, tashigi replied, her cheeks red. “you’ll see… if you don’t fall asleep like yesterday…”

oh yes. zoro remembered falling asleep in the middle of an… important moment. they were kissing on the bed, when suddenly everything went dark. “my bad,” he said.

tashigi approached and kissed his cheek as a way of showing that he was forgiven. it was a bit embarrassing to do that in public, but she could allow himself some things. she had just gotten married!

“s-stop staring, you weirdos!”, zoro shouted, red as a pepper when a group of people who passed by them giggled and looked at the lovebirds mischievously. tashigi held his arm to make him calm down, but secretly she was happy that he was so protective. the couple walked around the city a little more, had an afternoon snack at a cafe and returned to the hotel to watch the sunset on the balcony. the view was perfect, but it soon faded into the background. it was as if nothing else existed when they kissed. tashigi's hands caressed his green hair lightly, and zoro's hands ran down her back. panting, she buried her face in his chest and said she was going to take a shower.

anxiously, tashigi put on the red lingerie she had bought and a robe over it. zoro took a shower after her, and as she waited for him in bed, she realized that she couldn't stay still for long. she was still deciding what position she was going to be in to surprise zoro when he turned off the shower and tashigi realized that she didn't have much time left. she was so desperate that she was startled by the sound of the bathroom door closing. zoro stood in front of her with just a towel hanging from his hip, watching her as she probably looked pathetic.

“everything good here?” he asked.

“g-go out there and come back again!”, she shouted, seeing zzoro staring at her with a clueless look. "no... never mind."

tashigi hided her embarrassment by hugging him when he sat on the bed. “ah, you smell good,” she murmured, looking discreetly down. there was nothing under that towel, oh god.

zoro asked her to look up and surprised her with a kiss, pulling his wife closer to him. tashigi sat on his lap, facing him, holding his face with her hands. as they kissed again, he slowly lowered her robe, revealing the red lingerie she had bought that afternoon.

she expected anything but for zoro to look at the outfit and think out loud that it was the color of luffy's outfit.

“can you not think about him now?!”, tashigi shouted. she shouldn't have expected anything from him, that idiot! she turned her face away to show that she was upset, but he was learning better and better how easy it was to melt her heart again. zoro kissed her neck and laid her on the bed, and suddenly tashigi couldn't take her eyes off him again. no man was as handsome as him, nor attracted her as much with just a stare. her hand went down his muscular body until she untied the towel, leaving him completely naked. tashigi could hear her own uneven breath and her body getting hotter and hotter, bringing him closer to kiss him. zoro tried to undo the bra a few times with just one hand, but of course he didn't have the slightest skill, not succeeding even with both. he looked extremely disappointed, as if his pride had been hurt, and tashigi held back a laugh as she opened it herself, shy when her breasts were bare. it was the first time they were seeing each other “that” way and the first time they would do “that thing”… the first time in their lives. tashigi was a little worried that he was as inexperienced as her, but zoro was trying his best to please her. she felt his care in every kiss he gave her body and how he held her, sighing and encouraging him to continue. his warm mouth sucked her breasts, moving down to her belly, surprising her when he began to use his tongue on her most sensitive spot. it felt so good that tashigi could no longer keep her voice down, her moans echoing throughout the suite. every minute, the desire to feel him inside of her increased, and she had to stop him so that the two of them could finally feel pleasure together. she was being too spoiled.

cautiously, zoro forced himself onto her. she was so tight it felt like he might not be able to get in, but soon after he was completely inside her. tashigi arched her back and had a pained expression. that scared him a little and he didn't know what to do. his pen pal “counsellor,” nico robin, had written that it was good to be “as gentle as possible” and that women's first times could hurt, but he really was worried that it would be more painful than tashigi could handle.

“it’s okay…”, she gasped, her hands on his back. In just a few minutes that same back would be covered with her nail marks.

“doesn’t it hurt?” zoro asked, unsure whether he should start moving or not.

“n-no…” she didn’t sound convincing at all. “well, a little, but… hey, don’t take it off!”

zoro entered her again, just waiting for “new orders”.

“slowly…” asked tashigi, groaning when he started to move. “a-ah…”

the swordsman felt goosebumps in a way he had never felt before; It was weird but good. it seemed like he could finally understand men “addicted” to women, like sanji and so many other perverts he had met. the combination of that interior that envolved him with her voice and movements could easily drive anyone crazy. sometimes zoro's mind threatened to go blank, but he focused on not letting himself get carried away for now. he didn't know why he took all of robin's advice so seriously, considering she wasn't even married, but she certainly knew what she was talking about on how to please a woman. one of the most important lessons was that “a good husband does not finish before his wife”. according to robin, it was a rule as old as humanity. she was probably lying, but since everything had gone well so far, zoro tried his best to follow everything precisely.

unlike him, tashigi was completely surrendered, feeling on cloud nine. she was an anxious and perfectionist person, always tense wondering if any detail was out of place. almost nothing had gone according to her plan, but for once, she didn't feel bad about it. an intense heat took over her body, which made it contract completely, followed by tired relief. it was incredible. with a sigh, zoro rested his face on her shoulder, and she felt him pulsing inside her. both their heads spun. with the last of his strength, he moved to the side, panting. he was about to fall asleep, until…

“i love you”, tashigi said, smiling with her red cheeks. it was the last thing he saw before falling asleep for good, but not before saying that he loved her too. she sighed when he started to snore; zoro was really hopeless, but it wasn't like she had much to complain about. she was absolutely happy.