#hes from like...2017. that was almost 20 years ago.

[chestnutroan]

A very old fallout 4 oc, Calvin

[sceletaflores]

come on into my bed with me (i know you want to)

pair: old man!logan howlett x fem!reader

wc: 4.1k

contains: 18+ SMUT MDNI, swearing, some sad vibes because i can't function without them, large age gap (but isn't that obvious by now? mid 20s/old as fuck), established relationship but only kind of, falls in the logan 2017 timeline but very loosely, LONGINGGGG, gratuitous nickname use (kid, baby, honey, ect), nasty dirty talk cause he's old and gross, not so dry humping, JUST THE TIP RAHHHH, porn w/o plot, no use of y/n.

nat’s note: this was heavily inspired by imogen heap's 'i am in love with you' because that song fucks so hard and it really gave me lots of old man logan vibes. i was just so overcome with nasty thoughts that the beat possessed me and i blacked out and listened to it on a constant repeat while i wrote this instead of doing my a&p work. kisses!

dividers by angel @saradika-graphics!

you can't sleep, logan left his door open...

Rain pelts at the smudged glass of your window, drops trailing down the span of the panes that you follow with your eyes.

It's been raining nearly all week, a rare thing in Mexico, especially somewhere as dry as Sonora.

You used to love the rain. You felt a special kind of comfort anytime night would come and there'd be a certain chill swirling through the air, that familiar scent of damp soil and wet stone rising as the first drops hit the ground.

In Sonora, rain is supposed to be a gift—a reprieve from the unrelenting heat, a chance for the dry earth to drink.

It should feel cleansing, like a reset of sorts, and maybe it would have a few months ago.

Now it just feels heavy, oppressive. Each raindrop splattering against the glass feels like a reminder of everything that's stuck, unmoving.

The soft noise of it was almost enough to lull you to sleep, but it was still no match for your wandering mind.

You’ve been finding yourself here a lot recently, shrouded in the scratchy sheets of your bed in the quiet dark encompassing your room, mind racing.

It was raining the first night he touched you.

You've been with Logan and Charles for nine months.

A runaway hitchhiker turned caretaker after you fled from the meaningless scraps of your life back in Texas.

Logan found you on the side of the highway coming back from a shift in El Paso. One stop with the hazards on and a hasty conversation through a rolled down window later, you were throwing your bags in the back of his limo and climbing into the front seat.

You didn't realize until much later that he never truly asked you to stay, or to care for Charles alongside him.

It was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement, a roof over your head in exchange for your help. Watch over his ailing father for a few days while he went out to get him more medicine, that's what you settled on.

Yet somehow, here you are, nine months later.

You cook meals in a dusty kitchen that always smells faintly of motor oil, listen to Charles’ stories about a world you’ll never fully grasp, and watch Logan patch himself up in grim silence after he’s returned from whatever trouble found him this time. 

It's strange how the days seemed to stretch endlessly, but the weeks have slipped past like a blink. You carved out a routine in this crumbling house in Sonora, built something that resembles a life even if it feels borrowed, like a second-hand coat that never quite fits right.

At first, you weren’t sure what kept you here. Maybe Charles. 

You warmed to him almost immediately, drawn in by his gentle demeanor and the way he seemed to see right through you without a hint of judgment. 

Even when his mind faltered, slipping into tangled memories or distant fragments of a life long past, he treated you with a kindness you hadn’t felt in years.

You’d come to think of him as a king, regal and noble. A king stripped of his castle, yet still wearing a crown, if ever so skewed—a king nonetheless.

You still aren’t sure, but you can’t shake the sense that leaving now would be like tearing off a scab—painful and unnecessary.

And then, one night, the rain came.

You remember it vividly, a torrent so sudden and unrelenting. The downpour soaking the dry dirt surrounding the plant. 

You couldn’t help yourself from wandering out, stood barefoot on the porch as the cool air nipped at the skin of your arms and legs.

“You’re gonna catch a cold standin’ out here.” Logan said from somewhere behind you, his voice rough and low after the silence of a long shift.

You hadn’t moved, hadn’t even glanced his way. “I like the rain.”

There was a beat of silence before he stepped closer, the warmth of his body radiating against your back. His hand had been hesitant at first, a brush of calloused fingers against your arm. 

You didn’t pull away.

The heat of his palm felt scalding, causing goosebumps to pebble along your damp skin. His thumb swiped across the circular scar just above your elbow, a cigarette burn, one of many.

He didn’t say anything as he turned and walked back into the house. You learned quickly that Logan’s not the type to fill silences with empty words, but you both knew something shifted.

He came into your room later that night. The squeaky mattress of your bed dipping under his weight as he slid his hand down your stomach, pausing just above the waistband of your shorts, a silent question.

He didn’t kiss you, but the rain pattering against the tin roof was enough to swallow your soft moans and gasps.

You settled into something undefined—a constant push and pull of need and silence. Logan touched you when he needed to, and you let him because you wanted to.

It wasn’t love, not then. It wasn’t even comfort. But it was connection. A tenuous thread in the quiet storm of your lives.

You figured that was enough.

The rain hasn't slowed. If anything, the howl of the wind is stronger than before.

The soothing rhythm of droplets hitting your window turned aggressively sharp, like darts thrown against a worn cork board.

The boom of thunder is nearly in sync with the pulse of your core, aching and insistent in its need.

It’s been weeks since Logan touched you last, his endless cycle of guilt stronger than it's been before. He’s never outright said it, but you know it’s there.

The silence between you both has stretched longer than you'd like to admit, a quiet that isn't comfortable anymore.

You know he’s got it in his head that he’s somehow taken advantage of you. A perverted old man falling weak to the pretty, young thing taking up space in the bed two doors over from him.

The thought stirs something deep within you, a mix of frustration and confusion. He’s not wrong, not exactly—but he’s not right either. You aren’t a child, and you aren’t helpless. You knew what you wanted, what you needed.

And that hasn’t dared to change.

You shift in bed, the sheets tangling around your legs as your body hums with a restlessness you can’t shake. The air in your room feels thick, charged, and suffocating, a mirror of the space between you and Logan.

He doesn’t understand that you want him too, that you weren’t some helpless thing to be protected or shielded from his darkness. It eats at you until your skin is practically buzzing with it, buzzing with the need to show him.

There’s only so much silence you can take before it becomes too loud to ignore. 

You swing your legs over the edge of the bed, the hardwood cool against your bare feet. You know it’s late, but you don’t care.

You walk through the dimly lit hallway, the creak of the floorboards quiet under you as you make your way to Logan’s door. It’s cracked open, a yellow glow spilling through to guide you like a lighthouse guides its ships to shore.

When you reach the beat up wood you don’t hesitate, you push it open the slightest bit, peering through the widened gap. 

He’s there, sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to you. He doesn’t turn, doesn’t acknowledge you, but you know he knows you’re there.

You cross the threshold, your heartbeat loud in your ears as you pull the door shut behind you, leaning your back against it.

“Logan,” you say softly, your voice rougher than you intended.

He doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he runs his hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face. The lamplight catches the sharp planes of his face, a familiar weariness etched into his features.

His fingers flex at his sides, and for a moment, you think he’s going to tell you to leave—to go back to your room where it’s safe, where you won’t make things more complicated than they already are. You almost brace for it.

But then he speaks.

“What’s wrong, kid.” His voice is nothing but a deep rumble, like gravel crunching underfoot.

You shrug noncommittally, hands messing with a stray thread hanging from the edge of your shorts. “Can’t sleep.”

Logan sighs long and slow through his nose, hands pressing into his thighs. “Thought you liked the rain.”

You smile faintly at the irony, chest swelling with something dangerous. 

You take a step further into the room, pushing yourself off the closed door. The familiar scent of him invades your senses. It’s a mixture of leather, earth, and something raw—something undeniably him. 

You stand there for a moment, letting the silence stretch thin and taut before you finally speak.

“Can I stay?” The words come out barely above a whisper, but they land like a crack of lightning.

You feel your heart thud painfully in your chest, not from fear, but from the sudden vulnerability that makes your skin burn.

The room feels smaller now, the walls pressing in as you step forward, each movement slow and deliberate. You stop at the edge of his bed, the sheets pressing against the bare skin of your thighs.

Logan’s gaze flickers over his shoulder, meeting yours briefly before he looks away again, like he’s trying to convince himself that the ache in his chest isn’t real.

“You should go back to bed,” he says, voice gruff. “It’s late.”

“I don’t want to go back.” You shake your head even though he isn’t turned around to see it.

Without thinking, you crawl onto the bed, the comforter making soft shushing sounds under your hands and knees. You reach out, fingers brushing the back of his neck, the muscles there tight with strain.

Logan flinches slightly, but he doesn’t pull away, and that’s all the permission you need.

You shift closer, pressing your chest against his back, and letting your hands settle on his shoulders. The heat between you is electric, charged with something unsaid, something raw and undeniable.

“Please,” you whisper, your lips brushing against the back of his ear, your voice a mixture of defiance and desire.

Logan stiffens, but this time, you feel the shudder that runs through him, the way his body responds despite the walls he’s built around himself.

You know he’s torn, that he wants to fight this. You feel it in the tension that radiates from him, in the way his body seems to be fighting against the instinct to turn toward you.

But you don’t care anymore. You’re done with silence.

Your fingers slide down his back, feeling the rough fabric of his shirt against your skin as you press yourself closer. Your breath is hot against his neck now, and you can feel the rapid pulse in his veins beneath your lips as you hover just above his skin, waiting.

“Logan…” Your voice is softer now, almost pleading. You don’t know what you’re asking for, but you don’t have to.

His hand comes up, brushing against your wrist as if testing, as if he’s afraid you’ll pull away. But you don’t.

Instead, you lean into him further, your lips brushing the curve of his neck, whispering into the tension that still hangs heavy between you. “Please.”

The last shreds of Logan’s resistance snap under the cloying weight of your touch.

He’s moving before you can even register what’s happening, rearing up with heavy hands that land on your shoulders to push you backwards.

You fall back onto the bed with a soft gasp, bouncing on the mattress once, twice, before Logan follows. His body settles over yours like a warm blanket, thick forearms braced on either side of your head to support his weight.

"Why couldn't you sleep, honey?" he asks, dark eyes boring into yours intense enough to get your stomach churning. The green of them is deeper than normal, like fresh moss growing over stone.

“I was thinking,” you whisper, breathless. Your pulse races beneath your skin, you wonder distantly if he can hear it too.

“Thinkin’ about what?” he presses, breath fanning over your lips temptingly. 

Your brows furrow, a soft noise escaping you. You can't help but tell the truth. “About you.”

Logan hums, eyes trailing along your face slowly. He slots a knee between your thighs, groaning softly at the wet heat that seeps through to his jeans.

You gasp, hips bucking down instinctively. Your pussy aches desperately, leaking arousal into the cotton gusset of your panties.

His jaw clenches at the sound, muscle ticking just beneath the grey of his beard. “Is that right? You been layin' in that bed, thinkin' about me, gettin’ all worked up?"

Your face burns under his scrutiny, but you don’t shy away. You arch your back, pressing yourself as close to him as possible, letting the heat of your body speak for you.

“Yeah,” you breathe, the confession trembling on your lips. “I need you, it hurts.”

Logan exhales sharply, like the words knocked the air out of him. His hands slide from your shoulders, rough palms gliding down the skin of your arms before settling right under the swell of your breasts.

“Where’s it achin’, baby?” he asks softly, words almost getting lost in the dark of the room. “Show me.”

You let out a soft breath, reaching down to take his hand in yours.

Without breaking eye contact, you guide his hand down your trembling body until his palm rests over the apex of your thighs, where the damp fabric of your shorts clings to your swollen folds.

“Here,” you whisper, voice barely audible above the rain pounding against his window.

A low growl rumbles from deep in his chest, and his fingers press more firmly against you, feeling the slick heat that’s soaked through the thin cotton. His eyes darken further, the green almost swallowed by the black of his pupils.

Logan’s thumb drags over your clit, slow and deliberate, coaxing a needy whimper from your lips.

“Jesus,” he mutters, his voice thick. “You’re drippin’ for me, aren’t you? Didn’t even need to touch you, and you’re already so fuckin’ wet.” 

You whimper softly, bucking your hips against his hand, desperate for more.

"I've been like this all night," you admit, your voice going high and needy. "Thinking about how good you make me feel. How much I want you."

Logan’s eyes lock onto yours, and there’s something new swirling through them, something you’ve never seen before.

A beat passes—too long—almost agonizing. His free hand lifts from your hip, gently cupping your cheek, fingers brushing against your skin, like he isn’t sure if he has the right to touch you like this. 

His thumb brushes your lip, his gaze flicking to your mouth before returning to your eyes, asking for permission, even though neither of you had ever really needed it before.

"Logan," you say, the sound a little breathless, unsure of how to navigate this sudden shift, but he doesn’t keep you waiting.

He closes the distance in a heartbeat, lips crashing into yours with a ferocity you didn’t expect.

It’s like the world around you falls away, leaving only the warmth of his lips, the taste of him, and the pressure of his body against yours. The raging storm outside dulling until it’s nothing but fuzzy background noise.

His kiss is rough, deep, urgent, but there’s something more in it, a slow unraveling. Like he’s trying to carve himself into you, a permanent mark, a reminder that he was here, even if he never says it out loud.

Logan tastes like rich smoke and whiskey, the sharp edge of him mixing with the sweet burn of need. It sends your head reeling, arms coming up to circle around his neck.

You can’t find the words to describe it, not with the way his fingers slide through the wetness gathering at your entrance, sending jolts of pleasure straight to your core.

Your hips thrust upward, begging for more, your body hungry for the release he’s just out of reach of giving.

“Want you inside me, Logan,” you moan desperately, slick lips brushing his with every word. “Please.”

Logan's body stiffens against yours at the sound of your pleading, his grip tightening on your cheek like he's trying to anchor himself in the reality of what you're asking.

“Shit,” he growls under his breath, his forehead pressing to yours as he closes his eyes. His chest heaves, the tension in his body palpable. "I—" he pauses, struggling to form the words, but you can see it in his eyes. He's conflicted, desperate, yet still hesitant.

You move against him, your body restless, your need undeniable, feeling the rigid outline of his hard cock pressed firmly against your thigh. A thick plane of heat that has your pussy clenching around the tips of his fingers.

You don’t want to push him, not anymore. But you’re past the point of waiting for permission.

Your lips meet his again, softer this time, coaxing, until he finally gives in, groaning against your mouth as he kisses you back with an intensity that steals your breath.

“I want to feel you,” you whisper, your hands trailing down to the hem of his shirt, pushing it over the swell of his pecs. 

His skin is hot under your fingertips, rough and familiar. Your fingers trail lightly across his chest, nails scratching through the salt and pepper hair dusted across his skin as you urge him closer.

“Just the tip,” Logan mutters under his breath, barely above a whisper. His voice hoarse, like he’s bargaining with himself. “Just to make you feel good, but that’s it, understand?”

You bite your lip, the edge of frustration gnawing at you. It’s not everything you need, not everything you want, but it's something. And right now, it’s enough.

You nod your head, hands already moving to the front of his jeans. You undo the button with shaking fingers, tugging the zipper down and pushing the worn denim away. 

His cock springs free, already hard, leaking with the same desperation you feel. You run your fingers along his length, feeling the heat of him, the steady throb of his pulse.

Logan peels down the thin layer of your shorts, cursing under his breath when he finds you completely bare underneath, your slick pussy shining under the dim light.

You watch him, chest heaving, as he stares down at you—his eyes dark and full of something primal, something raw.

“Fuck,” he breathes, his fingers tracing the outline of your wetness. He groans low in his throat, his thumb circling your clit once before moving down, dipping inside you just barely. “You’re perfect, baby.”

“Logan,” you whine, thighs spreading in a clear invitation. You patience is running exceedingly thin, your whole body alight with the feeling of a raging forest fire

“I know,” he mutters, placating. He takes the throbbing length of his cock in his hand, swiftly settling between your legs. “I know.”

The thick head drags through your folds, smearing pre-come along your skin and adding even more to the mess between your legs.

A quiet moan passes through your swollen lips, your muscles tightening as he slides himself along your clit. A slow back and forth movement that sends sparks shooting up your spine.

Logan grits his teeth, his breath shallow, as he finally aligns himself with your clenching hole. 

The air around you feels charged, a taut thread stretched between anticipation and restraint. You shift your hips slightly, just enough to encourage him, your eyes locked on his as you beg him silently with your gaze.

Then, with a low growl that vibrates through you, he pushes forward, just enough to make you gasp in relief, the head of his cock sliding home in your entrance.

And though it’s only the tip, the sensation of him inside you is enough to set your world alight. 

You can feel it, deep in your bones—the simmering, searing heat that makes everything else fade into the background.

Logan presses his lips to your forehead, his breath hot against your skin as he keeps his movements slow, deliberate, his hands holding your hips steady. "This is what you wanted, huh? Got you begging for it, honey," he growls softly. "Even if I’m only givin’ you a taste."

His hips roll languidly, staying true to his word and never sinking deeper than the thick head of his cock. His hand grips the base tightly, his fist fucking slow strokes over the length of himself to where he’s spreading your pussy open.

His scarred knuckles bump against your clit with every stroke, fanning the fire building in your lower stomach.

“Feel so fuckin’ good, honey,” he groans into the skin of your neck, the pace of his hips speeding up ever so slightly. “Feels like heaven.”

You claw at the skin of his back, touch wild and desperate. It takes everything in you not to shift your hips down, to sheath the rest of his cock deep inside your and lock your ankles around his back so he can never leave again.

Logan’s lips find your neck, teeth grazing your skin as he shifts against you. “Tell me you want this,” he says, his voice low, almost a command, yet laced with something tender. “Tell me you want me.”

You meet his gaze without hesitation, your voice steady despite the tremble in your chest. “I want you. I’ve always wanted you.” 

The words come out without thought, raw and honest, and you see something in his eyes shift—a flicker of relief, of something deeper than lust.

Logan groans like he got shot, his body shuddering above you as a low growl tears its way from his chest. He fucks into you faster, short, quick thrusts that steal all the breath from your lungs.

Sparks go off behind your closed eyes, bright white and glittering. You can feel yourself getting closer, your body trembling as you grind up against him, meeting him halfway, needing more, needing release.

“Logan,” you gasp, your hands gripping his shoulders harder, nails digging in. “I’m so close. Please—”

“Let go,” he growls, his pace increasing, his body pressing harder against yours. “Come for me, sweetheart.”

With his command, you unravel, the world spinning around you as the pleasure crashes over you, leaving you breathless, gasping for air, your body quivering beneath him as he holds you through it.

Logan follows, tearing himself from the tight grip of your pussy with a sharp jerk of his hips, your name falling from his lips like a prayer as he shoots thick ropes of come over your slick folds.

Your body shakes at the feeling, a breathless whimper pulled from your slack lips at the sticky warmth of his release.

He collapses onto the mattress next to you, his body shuddering enough to match your own. The room falls into a deep silence, the only sounds your mingling breaths and the distant sound of thunder.

A sick sort of dread bursts through the sweet afterglow of your hazy mind, settling in your stomach like a lead weight. You think that this is the moment where Logan will realize what you’ve done, that he’ll retreat back into himself and send you away.

Send you back to your own room and leave you to lay in the cold aftermath of your own recklessness.

You brace for it, the instinct to pull away, to protect yourself from his withdrawal, but it never comes. 

Instead, you feel his strong arm slide over your waist, pulling you closer, his body heat a stark contrast to the chill creeping in from the window.

His breath is warm against your neck as he shifts, his fingers tracing absent circles on your skin in a move that’s so endearingly human it has your chest aching.

"Stay here tonight?" he asks, his voice rough, almost a whisper.

Your heart clenches, tears burning at your waterline at the vulnerability of his tone. It breaks the dam inside you, relief and something dangerously close to love flooding your body in a bursting rush of water.

“Of course,” you murmur, your voice shaky.

Logan’s hand tightens around you, his thumb brushing over your ribs. He presses a soft kiss to the bare skin of your shoulder, settling onto the mattress with a slow breath.

You drift to sleep more relaxed than you’ve felt in years, even with the knowledge of the slow journey that lies ahead of you. It won’t be easy, it never is with Logan. You can’t find it in yourself to care.

Because even though the rain falls, the desert doesn’t bloom overnight. 

And neither do you.

tags are now in the comments! if you want to get tagged for any of my works just fill out this form!

[fatehbaz]

Good question:

In the United States, many jails and prisons can and will charge you money for every single night that you spend imprisoned, for the entire duration of your incarceration, as if you were being billed for staying at a hotel. Even if you are incarcerated for years. Adding up to tens of thousands of dollars. What happens when you’re released?

In response to this:

---

So.

You’re getting charged, like, ten dollars every time you even submit a request form to possibly be seen by a doctor or dentist.

You’re getting charged maybe five dollars for ten minutes on the phone.

Any time a friend or family tries to send you like five dollars so that you can buy some toothpaste or lotion, or maybe a snack from the commissary since you’re diabetic and the “meals” have left you malnourished, maybe half of that money gets taken as a “service fee” by the corporate contractor that the prison uses to manage your pre-paid debit card. So you’re already losing money every day just by being there.

What happens if you can’t pay?

In some places, after serving just a couple of years for drugs charges, almost 20 years after being released, the state can still hunt you down for over $80,000 that you “owe” as if it were a per-night room-and-board accommodations charge, like this recent highly-publicized case in Connecticut:

Excerpt:

Two decades after her release from prison, [TB] feels she is still being punished. When her mother died two years ago, the state of Connecticut put a lien on the Stamford home she and her siblings inherited. It said she owed $83,762 to cover the cost of her 2 1/2 year imprisonment for drug crimes. [...] “I’m about to be homeless,” said [TB], 58, who in March [2022] became the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the state law that charges prisoners $249 a day for the cost of their incarceration. [...] All but two states have so-called “pay-to-stay” laws that make prisoners pay for their time behind bars [...]. Critics say it’s an unfair second penalty that hinders rehabilitation by putting former inmates in debt for life. Efforts have been underway in some places to scale back or eliminate such policies. Two states — Illinois and New Hampshire — have repealed their laws since 2019. [...] Pay-to-stay laws were put into place in many areas during the tough-on-crime era of the 1980s and ’90s, said Brittany Friedman, an assistant professor of sociology at University of Southern California who is leading a study of the practice. [...] Connecticut used to collect prison debt by attaching an automatic lien to every inmate, claiming half of any financial windfall they might receive for up to 20 years after they are released from prison [...].

Text by: Pat Eaton-Robb. “At $249 per day, prison stays leave ex-inmates deep in debt.” AP News / The Associated Press. 27 August 2022.

---

---

Look at this:

To help her son, Cindy started depositing between $50 to $100 a week into Matthew’s account, money he could use to buy food from the prison commissary, such as packaged ramen noodles, cookies, or peanut butter and jelly to make sandwiches. Cindy said sending that money wasn’t necessarily an expense she could afford. “No one can,” she said. So far in the past month, she estimates she sent Matthew close to $300. But in reality, he only received half of that amount. The balance goes straight to the prison to pay off the $1,000 in “rent” that the prison charged Matthew for his prior incarceration. [...] A PA Post examination of six county budgets (Crawford, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lehigh, Venango and Indiana) showed that those counties’ prisons have collected more than $15 million from inmates — almost half is for daily room and board fees that are meant to cover at least a portion of the costs with housing and food. Prisoners who don’t work are still expected to pay. If they don’t, their bills are sent to collections agencies, which can report the debts to credit bureaus. [...] Between 2014 and 2017, the Indiana County Prison — which has an average inmate population of 87 people — collected nearly $3 million from its prisoners. In the past five years, Lebanon’s jail collected just over $2 million in housing and processing fees.

Text by: Joseph Darius Jaafari. “Paying rent to your jailers: Inmates are billed millions of dollars for their stays in Pa. prisons.” WHYY (PBS). 10 December 2019. Originally published at PA Post.

---

Pay-to-stay, the practice of charging people to pay for their own jail or prison confinement, is being enforced unfairly by using criminal, civil and administrative law, according to a new Rutgers University-New Brunswick led study. The study [...] finds that charging pay-to-stay fees is triggered by criminal justice contact but possible due to the co-opting of civil and administrative institutions, like social service agencies and state treasuries that oversee benefits, which are outside the realm of criminal justice. “A person can be charged $20 to $80 a day for their incarceration,” said author Brittany Friedman, an assistant professor of sociology and a faculty affiliate of Rutgers' criminal justice program. “That per diem rate can lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees when a person gets out of prison. To recoup fees, states use civil means such as lawsuits and wage garnishment against currently and formerly incarcerated people, and regularly use administrative means such as seizing employment pensions, tax refunds and public benefits to satisfy the debt.” [...] Civil penalties are enacted on family members if the defendant cannot pay and in states such as Florida, Nevada and Idaho can occur even after the original defendant is deceased. [...]

Text by: Megan Schumann. “States Unfairly Burdening Incarcerated People With “Pay-to-Stay” Fees.” Rutgers press release. 20 November 2020.

---

So, to pay for your own imprisonment, states can:

-- hunt you down for decades (track you down 20 years later, charge you tens of thousands of dollars, and take your house away)

-- put a lien on your vehicle, house

-- garnish your paycheck/wages

-- seize your tax refund

-- send collections agencies after you

-- take your public assistance benefits

-- sue you in civil court

-- take money from your family even after you’re dead

[owliellder]

The Finer Details

Post DI! Leon Kennedy x f! Painter Reader

MDNI 18+

(Session 1, Session 2, Session 3, Session 4, Session 5, The Reveal)

Description: Leon realizes that retirement is in his best interest now that he's getting older. All of his accomplishments as an agent mean he's truly earned a painting to commemorate..

Warnings: Not Proofread, Age gap! (reader is anywhere between mid-late 20's and Leon is 40), Porn w/ Plot, Use of she/her pronouns, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Alcoholism, mentions of trauma/PTSD/depression, P in V smut (wrap it NEOW), Leon cries during sex 💔

Tags: Older Leon Kennedy, Younger afab!Reader, Leon is SAD but he is your muse, Crying, mentions of Leon masturbating, starts off with Dom! Leon and Sub! Reader, falls into switch territory because that man needs some serious TLC, Praise kink, Hickeys, Handjob, Nipple play, Oral sex (m! and f! receiving), and a heavy dose of Aftercare

Final Word Count: 22.6k

Author's Note: Ta-da! I put a lot of work into this last chapter, like actually becoming the president for a couple hours, but I really wanted to make it worth everyone's time for sticking around and reading all the way through.

Thank you so much for following along! All the sweet comments from you guys never fails to make my day!

^//v//^

Cross posted on AO3

The Reveal

Almost three months.

It took almost three months for Leon's portrait to fully dry after it had been varnished. You'd checked it almost daily after the two month mark due to Leon's constant pestering. He was understandably antsy, and admittedly, you were too.

There was a lot of convincing involved, but you managed to keep the man at home while you transported the painting to the White House. He worried it would be damaged en-route. Such a little worry wart.

Setting up the painting's respective spot a column away from Chris and Claire's seemed very appropriate; tall, fake bushes sitting on either side of where it would be placed, a warm yellow bulb lighting up the inside of the decorative archway, and the patterned golden frame where the canvas would forever be now hung empty in that portrait hallway, waiting to be pieced together and completed.

The shiny gold placard had already been screwed onto the frame, words zapped on it via laser:

Leon S. Kennedy

USSTRATCOM Agent from 1998 - 2011

D.S.O. Agent from 2011 - 2017

You knew how long he'd been working as an agent, but it was still baffling nonetheless. Nearly 20 years of non-stop intense and usually very traumatizing work, what a feat.

Moving on, you'd worked out the plans for Leon's farewell party with the President and a few coordinators over the span of a few days, making sure to store the painting in a secure room for the time being. It was to stay covered with a violet piece of velvet cloth up until the reveal at the party, no one was allowed to see it besides you, the President, and the various security guards working the grounds.

After another two extra months of waiting, the farewell party was drawing near. There had to be enough time given for invitations to be sent out to people, wait for said people to RSVP, and allow travel time. And at this point, Leon was busting at the seams; extremely nervous, excited, and even a little scared at the prospect of it all.

Your words from that second painting session all those months ago never left his mind: "Seeing the portrait once it's finished is going to be an incredibly emotional ordeal. It's a reminder that this is truly the end of an era for you, Mr. Kennedy..."

The man clung to that, doing his best to internalize it and mentally prepare himself for what was to come. He was hoping you were exaggerating, but from what Chris, Claire, and even Jill have told him about their experience after the fact, he knew deep down that you'd seen it all too well before.

What Leon failed to realize was that he wasn't alone anymore. Sure he had his friends to help, but he'd never had someone to come home to everyday.

During the last few sessions, he had asked to stay with you at your apartment, citing the potential aftermath of the party as reasoning. However, you really didn't need him to explain his reasoning, you would've let him. Even if he just felt like it, you would've welcomed him with opened arms.

Besides, he'd already been staying at your place for longer periods of time over the months. You'd visited his house a few times, but he made sure to whine and complain about how bare and boring it was. If you remember correctly, Leon had said, word for word, that your apartment "felt like a warm hug". With that, he shelled up with you in only a couple weeks before the painting had dried. He made special effort to learn your routine, wanting to give you the space that you needed while also maximizing his time spent with you.

Leon was an actual angel, you were wholeheartedly convinced. Some days you would come home after working on another painting to the man cooking dinner, having bought an expensive wine to share with you. When your hands would start to ache and your back and shoulders were sore from the long hours spent holding a paintbrush in an awkward hunched position, he would set aside anything he had going on just to give you all the massages, kisses, and love that you could ever want.

Nothing was ignored when it came to you and your wants and needs. Leon admitted awhile back that he felt guilty for intruding on your space, though you were very quick to shut that down. He was far from a burden, actually lining up more with a dream come true.

And just like he did with you, you spared nothing while getting to know the in's and out's of the man that occupied your mind, heart, and home. You learned his favorite meals, watched his favorite shows and movies with him, returning the massages when he would return from the gym, and paid extra attention to how he liked to be held at night. Who would've guessed that the Leon Kennedy loved to be the little spoon?

What you spent the most time on was making sure to listen when he suddenly went on tangents about his past. They really did haunt him. You would wake up in the middle of the night to him huddled at the top of the bed, arms wrapped around his legs and head between his knees as he did his best to cry quietly. All you could do for him in those moments was pull him against your chest, gently rocking him back and forth while whispering sweet nothings, just until he felt either ready to talk or ready to fall back asleep. If he just wanted more comfort, then that's what he got, obviously.

He was only recently put on a couple medications to help him better manage his PTSD and anxiety since he really had to cut back on the alcohol in order to take them the way he needed. Definitely worth it to both you and him seeing as his nightmares lessened in intensity and frequency.

Now here you were, straightening out Leon's tie for him since his hands were failing him, nerves getting the better of him. He had taken his meds a few minutes ago, wanting to have the full effect during the party to combat any destructive behaviors during it, so it was no wonder his hands were still trembling.

"You're going to do so well, Leon." You smiled, giving him a gentle pat between his pecs after tucking his tie into his suit jacket. He was staring straight ahead, eyebrows furrowed with worry as he stared at himself in the mirror. "You've made so much progress and I couldn't be any prouder."

He licked his dry lips before slowly looking down at you, giving you the best smile he could, which was really just him pulling his lips back tight. If it weren't for you constantly being around to encourage him and push him to get better, he would not be able to attend his own farewell party.

How had he managed to get so far without this level of love and care? Where would he even be without you? Hopefully later when his mind isn't racing a million miles per minute, Leon will be able to tell you just how lucky he is to have you in his life.

Leon watched you in the mirror as you walked around to stand behind him, straightening out his suit jacket in random spots until deciding to just wrap your arms around his midriff, pressing the side of your face against his back with a content sigh. He brought his still-trembling hands up to hold onto your arms, rubbing his thumbs up and down across your soft skin.

His eyes settled back on his own face after staring at your arms linked around him, letting out a shaky sigh of his own as he attempted to just focus on this moment. You were perfect, ethereal, a true work of art. He wouldn't trade any of this for the world.

It took some time, about an hour, before Leon's medication was starting to kick in. You were definitely a big help, he couldn't give all the credit to his meds.

His relaxed demeanor wasn't easy to spot, the man was just naturally rigid, but you waited until he let you know that he was ready; ready to go to his farewell party, ready to see the portrait you painted for him, ready to put in the effort into accepting the next chapter in his life.

The drive to the White House was seamless, having been picked up in a blacked out SUV that held four personal guards, courtesy of the President. Leon wasn't going to complain, he actually kind of liked the pampering effect that came with being driven around by a dedicated entourage.

Almost all good feelings were drained from Leon when the car finally pulled up to the front of the White House where more guards stood waiting to escort the two of you inside. It was still early in the night, but the sun had set long ago, making for quite the beautiful atmosphere.

He could see numerous party attendees walking up the stairs, dressed up in their fanciest outfits for him. He held your hand the entire way up the stairs and into the entrance hall with a grip that was sure to leave your hand hurting. No matter, you could tell he needed you. That vice grip he had was well worth it for his comfort.

There were quite a few more people than either you or Leon expected. It seems as if all available agents, young, old, and retired, had been sent an invitation for tonight, along with quite a few high-ranking government workers. Luckily, this was a private event; no reporters, no news, only those who had been fortunate enough to be invited.

The first to spot you two was Chris who quickly made his way over to pull Leon into a bone-crushing hug, giving him a few solid pats on the back before letting go. Leon only reciprocated the hug with one hand, the other refusing to let go of yours, though his grip had loosened by now.

"Where's Claire?" Leon muttered, leaning to the side to scan over the sizeable crowd. "She's.." Chris turned around to also scan the crowd, squinting a bit as he looked. "She's somewhere. My wife is with her, her family, and Jill."

Leon pursed his lips with a curt nod, humming quietly in acknowledgement before standing straight again. He glanced down at where his hand held yours, squeezing it again for just a second as if to remind himself that you haven't gone anywhere.

Chris had turned back around to see the small gesture Leon gave to you, a coy smirk on his face. "What uhh... what's all this, huh?" He subtly pointed between you and the other man, voice lowered.

Leon cleared his throat and looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear despite the volume in the hall. "... M'gonna save that for the-.. the speech." Chris just nodded, crossing his arms before slowly turning to look through the crowd again. "Alright, well, let me go find the family and bring them over before you're swarmed." And with that, Chris made his way back into the crowd.

Unfortunately, Leon had been spotted by the rest of the partygoers before Chris could return with everyone. Many pleasantries were repeated while also returning small talk with the people he recognized, which was a lot. You managed to avoid most of it, only being questioned a few times due to the rather obvious hold the man had on you. Despite having attended the last few parties like this, most people unable to recognize you as the artist. A blessing and a curse.

The next couple hours were spent eating finger foods, conversing with whoever, and enjoying the way Leon started to flow with the event. He soon found his way to Chris, Claire, their partners and kids, and Jill which really helped him loosen up. He needed the more familiar faces, having now let go of your hand fully to talk more animatedly with them. You made sure to stick by his side as long as you could, letting out a soft laugh every time you noticed his quick glances over to you to check if you're still there.

The time eventually did come for you to part with Leon, signaling a couple guards to follow you down a few hallways until reaching the room where the portrait sat, still covered with the violet cloth. The decision to keep it back here for so long was made by the President, wanting less of a sudden reveal and more of a build up.

Normally it would already be hanging in the entrance hall, covered and ready to be revealed, but not wanting to risk any potential damage, you were asked to hold off bringing it in until the President was ready to give the speech leading up to Leon's.

It'd been set in the golden frame rather quickly with the help from one of the guards that walked down with you. You had the guard to hold it up for you so you could give it one final good look before he was instructed to lead you back. After recovering, you took the portrait in both hands, holding it close as you were escorted back through the halls and into the main entrance hall.

By now everyone had directed their focus closer to the center of the back wall. Next to where the President stood, your own art easel was now set up. That was mostly as homage to you and it wasn't like anyone besides you would understand that it's yours, though Leon did pick up on that little feature. He'd been staring at the back of that thing for months, counted the various old streaks of paint on the pale wood over and over.

It made his farewell all the more personal, struggling to mask the feeling of the ever-growing pit in his stomach from the friends he was still standing next to.

The sound of a mic being tapped drew everyone's attention in to the President, the volume in the hall quieting to a whisper, soon completely silent as he began to speak into the mic;

"Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you to honor and pay tribute to a true hero, a dedicated public servant, and a loyal friend who has served our nation with unwavering dedication for the past 19 years. It is with great respect and admiration that I address you on this occasion, as we bid farewell to a remarkable agent who has exemplified the very best qualities of service and sacrifice." As the President spoke, Leon held his breath, hands gripping onto his suit jacket to keep from trembling again.

At this point, you'd silently walked along the side with the guards from before, bringing the covered portrait up to the front before carefully placing it on your easel. "Throughout this nation's history, these agents have played an essential role in ensuring the safety and security of our nation's people and have consistently placed their lives on the line to protect the sanctity of our democracy. And today, we acknowledge one agent who has done so with unparalleled devotion."

"This retiring agent has been a silent sentinel, ensuring the continuity of our democratic ideals. Through countless hours of training, vigilance, and selflessness, they have demonstrated a level of commitment that is nothing short of extraordinary. But beyond their exceptional professional duties, this agent has been a friend and a confidant to those of us privileged to work alongside them. They have been a source of strength, a steady hand in turbulent times, and a symbol of the unbreakable bond that can form within the ranks of those who dedicate their lives to service."

You positioned yourself opposite of the President, placing your hands behind your back to keep your posture tall as you now smiled at the crowd, subtly scanning for Leon. His eyes were already on you when you found him, and your smile only widened further.

It prompted his own nervous smile, toying with the buttons on his jacket while turning his attention back to the President, wanting to remain respectful to his, honestly, very flattering speech so far. You followed Leon's eyes, seemingly having the same idea to just watch and listen.

"The sacrifices made by our agents often go unnoticed by the public, and that is by design. Their commitment to duty is matched only by their humility. But today, we pause to recognize and celebrate this retiring agent's dedication, valor, and sacrifice." The President continued to address the attendees in the room, giving you a quick nod before returning his focus to everyone in the entrance hall.

The President outstretched his hand towards Leon standing in the crowd, now staring at him with a prideful yet relaxed look. "To Mr. Leon S. Kennedy, our retiring agent and loyal friend, thank you for your 19 years of dedicated service to our nation. May your retirement be filled with the peace and contentment that you so richly deserve. You leave behind a legacy of honor and courage that will never be forgotten." The crowd of attendees clapped and cheered briefly, causing Leon to reach his hand up to wipe across his face. A poor way to hide his red face. He's done that before, hasn't he?

Once the crowd quieted back down, the President finished his speech with a classic, "May God bless you, your family, and may God continue to bless the United States of America. Thank you" before the crowd picked back up cheering and clapping. You clapped along with them, laughing at Leon's flustered expression. He could barely hold back his smile, not really have expecting to be so well recognized for his service.

Leon's queue to make his way to the front was when the President walked over to stand next to you, making sure not to block the covered portrait from anyone's view. He'd recited this speech to you countless times, even more to himself when he was alone, but all those eyes staring at him were causing him to fumble. He messed around with the mic once he was standing in front of it, and that was your queue to walk over and stand next to him, placing a loving hand on his forearm.

That's all he needed, just a little extra encouragement from the person he relied on the most. His speech was short and straight to the point, never having been a man of professional word, yet he still managed to slip in some words of praise for you and all the help you provided him during his rough patch earlier in the year.

Neither you or Leon had outright said it to each other, let alone to anyone else, but hearing him announce to the entire hall of people that you were his girlfriend made your heart soar. Speaking about you calmed his nerves, and he wanted everyone to know just how lucky he felt, like he'd hoped for earlier.

He bent over slightly to whisper in your ear, covering the mic with his hand to make sure it didn't pick up his voice. "Now, why don't you go ahead and show us all that masterpiece you spent months working on?" Oh, now you were the flustered one, giggling nervously as you gave his arm a gentle squeeze before walking over to where the painting sat on the easel.

"Ladies and gentleman," Leon's eyes followed you as he straightened his posture out, speaking into the mic once more with a wide smile gracing his features, "I'm honored to have the wonderful artist herself present my very own portrait to you." As he spoke, you carefully lifted the cloth from where it was draped over the painting, finally revealing the ever-awaited portrait to everyone.

Just like with Chris and Claire's, Leon was sat in that soft maroon chair, slightly off center, but his position was different with his right ankle rested atop his left knee, elbows on the arms of the chair while his hands rested in his lap, fingers interlaced. His smile was soft and partially crooked while he looked forward with relaxed eyes, a few strands of hair painted to sit in front of his brow. And to tie it all together, it had a lovely green background, a dark forest green as the base while a sage green was used to add texture. The vintage look had always been your favorite, and Leon fit it so perfectly. He was nearly timeless.

Many "ooo's" and "ahh's" were heard amongst the clapping from the crowd, along with a handshake from the President. Before you could turn to face Leon, you felt his arms slowly slink around you from underneath your arms, the weight of his head now pressing down on your shoulder. You could feel his grin when he tilted his head to kiss your jawline, beginning to gently rock you side to side. Getting to show off your work was always so rewarding, but just knowing Leon was handling everything so well was a feeling you'll truly never forget.

He was happy. That's all you ever wanted for him. The man has truly earned his portrait in that agent hall of fame.

The portrait was soon brought down to the aforementioned hall to be hung up and displayed for good, a few small groups trailing down to get a better look at it. Chris was the noisiest about it, telling Leon it looked like it belonged above a grand fireplace, to which said man agreed with.

Chris, Claire, Jill, and their respective families stared at it for quite some time alongside Leon and you. They all chatted while Leon stared quietly, taking in every little fine detail you'd added. You changed his position some, and did he really smile at you like that? He really did look lovestruck. Of course only he could tell that. Hopefully.

He surprised himself with how okay he felt after seeing the painting. You warned him multiple times that it would most likely be overwhelming and emotional, and while it was, it wasn't in a bad way. The most compelling thought he had right now was to just sweep you off your feet and smother you with love.

Leon asked one of the guards to take a picture of him with everyone, including you, in front of his portrait. Then, just a picture of you and him standing in front of it, easily becoming the background on his phone.

The party went on for only an hour or so more before people started to trickle out. You and Leon were some of the first to leave, saying all your thanks and goodbye's with hugs and handshakes.

The moment the two of you walked into your apartment he practically pounced on you before the door had shut, large hands gripping tight on your hips as he sloppily made out with you. He just had to show his gratitude for all your hard work.

Your lips tasted so sweet and your soft little moans were driving him wild, he couldn't help the groan that rumbled from his chest. Full blown sex had been held off by you, not wanting to rush him into anything while you helped him manage his problems. Honestly, he was glad you'd held off on him, because now that he was feeling like his own person again, it made waiting all the more fulfilling.

Leon hoisted you up into his arms after you'd kicked your heels off, holding onto the back of your thighs as he carried you to the bedroom. You wrapped your arms around his neck, giggling against his lips as he carefully navigated around the short hallway and into the bedroom.

You looked so good splayed out on the bed for him, that beautiful dress you chose was insanely flattering on you. It had to go though, so after yanking off his jacket he made quick work of your dress, fumbling with the zipper for a moment before pulling it up and over your head. Your bra and panties didn't last either. He'd only gotten to see you naked a couple times before, but god, he'll never get tired of seeing you this way, acting all shy like you weren't his favorite view.

Leon was so eager to get his hands on you that he neglected to take off his suit, opting instead to hover over you and bury his face into your neck. He wasn't a good artist, but he loved to cover your neck in shades of red and purple like you were his own little painting, akin to leaving his signature all over you.

He only pulled away once you tugged on his hair, listening to your begs and pleas for him to get his clothes off. As much as he wanted to prolong this night and tease you, he couldn't hold himself back. He needed to feel your soft skin against his.

"So perfect." Leon mumbled against your skin, licking and kissing his way up your stomach and to your breasts after practically ripping off his clothes. His hands found their way back to your hips, pressing them firm against the bed to keep you from squirming away as he nipped at one of your nipples, pulling it into his mouth.

He moaned as he sucked and circled his tongue around your nipple, his eyes falling closed. The other couldn't stay neglected, so he brought one hand up to pinch and tug at your other nipple, sighing when he felt your body press against his as you arched at the sensation. He loved when your moans would pitch, so cute.

His cock was pressed against the inside of your thigh, rutting against it when you would tug at his hair. Once he decided your nipples had enough attention, he sat up and grabbed the backs of your knees to place around his waist. The new position offered Leon the perfect opportunity to drag his leaking cock through your folds, pressing it down with his thumb so the tip would nudge your clit with every slow thrust forward.

You were so wet, so delicate. He could've fucked you right then, slid right into that juicy little pussy, but he needed to take care of you first. He would never forgive himself if he hurt you.

Reluctantly, the man pulled his dick away from you, letting out a poorly concealed whine at the loss. He ran his hands up your thighs before moving one hand so he could circle your clit with his thumb, the other hand back on your hip to keep you steady.

"L-eon~!" You brokenly moaned out, pleading to him with your watery eyes. You needed more; his fingers, his cock, anything. He couldn't say no to that, stopping his assault on your clit to drag his middle and ring finger through your drenched folds to wet them properly. He brought your right leg to sit over his shoulder, hand gripping the top of your thigh as he leaned forward, studying your face closely as he gently teased the outside of your slit with his middle finger.

He moaned with you as he slid his finger in, keeping his eyes trained on you as he started to tentatively thrust his finger in and out. "Yeah?" Leon whispered, licking his lips as you barely managed to nod. "Yeeeaah, there's my girl..." The rumble in his voice was music to your ears.

His ring finger was soon slid in next to his middle finger, switching between scissoring you and making a partial 'come here' motion with them. After only a couple minutes you were leaking all over his hand and the bed, the wet sounds of your pussy mixed with your moans making his cock jerk and drip with precum. Leon clenched his teeth as he slowly pulled his fingers from you, immediately bringing them to his mouth to suck off your juices. He let out an audible sigh after swallowing, repositioning his dick to slide through your folds a couple more times before nudging your hole with the tip.

"Look at me, baby..." Leon's hushed demand brought you to open your eyes, if only half way. He made eye contact with you before leaning forward further to kiss you, all the while finally pushing into you. He soaked in your gasp, his eyebrows furrowing as you tensed up. "Relax.. let me in~..."

"It's only me.." He panted, tilting his head to kiss the corner of your mouth as your eyes shut again. "It's only me, baby..." he repeated this a few more times as he eased his cock inside of you, the stretch only stinging for a moment before it turned to pleasure. He filled you perfectly, you could feel every bit of him, especially with his right hand adding a bit of pressure to your stomach.

Leon sat still for a minute to give you time to adjust, taking the way you moved your hips as a sign to move. He pulled out, all the way to the tip, before slowly thrusting back in. He managed to choke out a quiet "Fuck-.." when you clenched around him. "Taking me so well.. such a big girl~.."

He always knew just how to talk to you, making sure to take his time buttering you up. You were putty in his hands, and between his words and the feeling of him reaching so deep inside of you, you could barely think.

It didn't take long for him to start to lose his composure, the sound of wet skin slapping together filling the room as his thrusts intensified. "All mine. All for me." The grip he had on your thigh was sure to leave a bruise, but that was the last thing on your mind.

The hand he had pressing on your stomach moved further down so he could circle your clit with his thumb again, jaw tight as he looked from your blissed out expression to where his hand was playing with you. "Oh fuck! That's it!" Leon growled, eyes glued to your cunt as he plunged in and out of it. "Cream this dick, mamas~... Cum on my cock so I can fill this pretty pussy up.."

The way you gasped and moaned when you came was enough to warrant a noise complaint, but screw your neighbors. You needed this just as much Leon did.

"Oohhh fuck yeah.. Milk me, baby~... shit-" Leon's thrusts stuttered to a stop while pressed flush against you, abs flexing as he pumped ropes of cum into you. Once you managed to open your eyes, all you could do was stare at the man, flushed pink and sweaty, sitting between your legs. Both of you moaned in tandem as he pulled out, Leon groaning to himself as he watched his cum drip from your pussy. Truly a work of art meant for his eyes only.

He leaned over you again to plant a quick kiss on your lips, chuckling when he felt you smile. "Let me go grab something to clean you up, okay?" You could only nod in response, reaching your hand up to caress the side of his face before he stood up from the bed. He walked across the hall into the bathroom, wetting a soft rag with warm water before making his way back over to you.

Leon made sure to be gentle when cleaning you, the warmth from the rag soothing your tender skin. You were able to sit up on your elbows and watch him, using his gentle touches as a way to calm your still racing heart.

After wiping himself off with the rag, he tossed it over in the general direction of your laundry basket. It was a problem for later. Right now, he wanted lay back on the bed and pull you up so you could lay on top of him. Along with just how nice it felt to hold you, he loved the weight of you on him. So that's what he did, pulling you onto him after laying on the bed, running his fingers though your hair on the back of your head.

"Leon." You muttered against his collarbone. His eyebrows raised, yet his eyes were closed. "Mm?" His right eye peaked open when he felt you giggle. "What?"

"I love you." His fingers paused their ministrations at your words. You lifted your head up to look at him, growing worried with his shocked expression. "Sorry, is that too-" you choked on your words, stopped mid-sentence by Leon's arms suddenly squeezing the breath out of you with a very tight hug. He pulled you up just a little further so he could smush his lips against yours.

"I love you too!" He breathed out excitedly. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to tell you!" You tapped his arm and he immediately relaxed his grip, mumbling a small, "Sorry, my bad.." when you took in a deep breath.

"You're adorable, Leon." You shook your head with a smile, brushing the hair from his face to give him a much gentler kiss before settling you head back against his chest with a quiet sigh.

Leon was still a tough man, but you made him soft. Only ever soft for you.

Side note: I totally forgot to add in the pussy eating i am so sorry. i thought i did but it was literally just a thought that never manifested 😭

tags!: @greywardensaywhat @xkittiecatx @httpsuguru @httpsuguru @k-fallingstar @lysa1201 @bobastayhigh @pocketstoriesstore @agent-dessis-posts @klee-iii @missjoenowhere @mi-zer-y @bigtiddiesimp @finsternisle @sweets3rial @sodacolablast (there's a few of you that tumblr wouldn't let me tag for some reason)

[twig-tea]

TWIG! Friend! I couldn't help but notice your tags in my excitement post about getting to La Pluie -- I see that you and I are YYY mutuals. :) Let's call YYY... say... zany or offbeat -- off the beaten path of the usual romance-dominated field of Thai BLs. What are some other "zanier" BLs (not just Thailand, but everywhere in Asia) that you love and would recommend for an off-the-wall experience? And, why?

@waitmyturtles I'm so sorry you sent this a million years ago and then I kept letting it languish. And it's extra rude because I love this question! It's so hard to add something like YYY to a rec list without a billion caveats, so this is a great chance to shout out some of the series & shorts that don't get as much attention. A few of these I know you've seen but I have to include them for completeness.

First, for the sake of other people reading this, as Turtles has written about, Cheewin brings his own kind of zaniness to almost everything he works on; my faves of his other than YYY are Make It Right and Secret Crush on You (the exception is Bed Friend, which is not in any way zany but I still liked it).

Also going to mention that since Turtles asked for off the beaten path zany, I won't be mentioning any of the popular comedies (in case you're wondering why I Became the Lead in A BL Drama or Man Who Defies the World of BL aren't on this list).

Alright now that's out of the way, let's get into the other recs!

Zany lesser-known BLs other than YYY

Ossan's Love Franchise (Japanese, 2016-2024, GagaOOLala)

It is... less true now that this series is lesser-known than it was when I started writing this draft (in uh... August 2023) but I shall persist! The franchise details alone for this series are complete crack:

A 2016 45-minute short [skippable imo];

The 2018 original series which builds the short into a zany 7-episode comedy series about a man in his late 20s who suddenly finds himself the love interest of his older boss (in his ~50s) and his coworker/roommate (in his mid-20s);

The sequel film Ossan's Love: Love or Dead (2019)which turns into an action film halfway through for no clear reason but also remains a romantic comedy in which the mains from the original season decide if they want to stay together

The AU season Ossan's Love: In the Sky (2019) which has the same characters of the lead and his boss from S1 and the short, but this time they work in an airport and all of the surrounding cast is different and leads to a very confusing love rhombus. Incredible 10/10 no notes [people hate this because they like the mains from S1 & the film but I loved the mess]

The sequel season to S1 and the film, Ossan's Love Returns (2024) which you can absolutely watch in isolation and is about the main couple re-establishing their relationship and their found family friend group after being long distance for a few years.

It's truly excellent comedy, and gets better every outing; there are some barriers that might prevent some enjoying the earlier seasons but the most recent one is really delightful. You can hear me talk more about this series with @bengiyo and @shortpplfedup on The Conversation podcast!

Diary of Tootsies (Thai, 2017, grey/Netflix (for the movie))

I love Diary of Tootsies and the follow-ups so much. SO much. One of the best laughs of my life was the opening to the movie, and I cannot be in a long car ride without thinking about the purse incident in s1. This show doesn't get a lot of BL fandom attention because the romance arcs are not typical for BL (but that's one of the things I love about them). And the friendship in this series is truly what sells it. Season 1 is self-contained, a lot of people dislike the romance plot of S2; I really like the arc across s2 to the movie (as established above, I tend to be less invested in a particular ship across a franchise or multiple franchises). The movie plot is all about reconciling who you thought you wanted and who you are with (amongst all kinds of shenanigans).

HeHe and He (Hong Kong, 2018-ongoing, YouTube)

This mockumentary sitcom-style series does tackle some serious topics and is also absolutely hilarious nonsense across its 3 seasons. The very simple premise is that a gay guy ("hehe" is slang for gay) and a straight guy who are old friends become roommates when the gay friend breaks up with his longterm boyfriend and needs a place to stay, and hijinks ensue. They do direct-to-camera confessionals spliced in with scenes from their lives. I love this show so much, and it would actually be high up in my indie BL rankings if it were completed. I lose it at least once an episode. It's very queer (if you want a show that tackles everything from hookups to turning everything into a joke to being so, so mean to each other while also loving each other dearly to even chemsex, look no further), and I am in love with all of the wacky characters that have formed a love-hate found family that is deeply relatable. The creators posted a video a few months ago saying they're struggling to end it in a way that they're happy with so I'm not sure we'll ever get an ending for the show. But if you like comedy and queer content it's worth a watch even incomplete! I've been very patiently following this project since 2018 and it's legitimately one of my favourite shows.

Rainbow Prince the Series (Filippino, 2022, YouTube)

This is a musical; it is a lot of campy nonsense. There is royalty, political intrigue, a dog, kidnappings, and so. much. singing. The songs are surprisingly catchy and it's all extremely good fun. Also a lot of the dialogue is very clearly improvised.

Hey! First Love (Vietnamese, 2019, YouTube)

This series of shorts are mostly just silly fluff. The very tenuous plot is that these shorts are slice-of-life moments from a young established couple, but it's all really just excuses for Vietnamese comedy and BL romance tropes. If you haven't watched anything from Vietnam, this is a very low-stakes commitment (I think it's under 30 minutes of content all told; there are 4 "episodes" which are spliced together shorts, each of which has a tiny plot but there is not much of an overarching narrative, and then a Q&A with the actors at the end) and gives you a sense of the Vietnamese sense of humour. Both of these actors have gone on to continue to be in other Vietnamese BLs, so if you have watched Vietnamese BL you may recognize them! The production quality on this is charmingly low.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (India, 2019, Amazon Prime)

This film was such a joy to experience in a live theatre. Billed "the first Gay Bollywood RomCom", this movie was a riot of chaos, dance numbers, shenanigans, hilarity, and cuteness. I loved the way this film incorporated the very real legal change to decriminalize homosexuality in its story. Arguably not "BL" as it very much fits in the bollywood tradition not the BL tradition, but OP did ask for all of Asia!

Like Love (China, 2014-15, grey)

And no I don't mean censored--this is from before China started censoring its BLs. This show has kisses as shown in the gif, and even (poorly cropped) sex scenes. It also is super bizarre. I was so confused by this show, the characterization, the fourth wall breaks, and how disjointed it was so I went to read the source material and...it turns out it's one of the most perfect adaptations I've ever seen, the book is in fact exactly like this. The characters are caricatures, there is no bridging between scenes, and the plot is the most absurd take on 'loserfail no-thoughts-head-empty character who doesn't admit he's gay but still ends up in a dedicated and loving relationship with a rich handsome domineering man ' I've ever seen. It's a bewildering experience. Note the sound quality on this one is suuuper miserable. I like s2 way more than s1 (s1 is getting together and includes a lot of the bullying-teasing and I'm-not-gay-I-just-need-him-to-pay-attention-to-me stuff, s2 is the honeymoon phase + getting the homophobic parents on board) but S1 is definitely the zanier of the two. That being said, if you wanted, I think you can dive right in to s2 (there's a direct-to-camera explanation of what happened in s1 at the start of it). Note that they set up a cliffhanger at the end of 2 in anticipation of s3 which was going to be made in 2016 but was cancelled because of the political changes in China in 2016 (this is one of the reasons I went to read the source material; they do get a happy ending in the books).

This is an extremely silly but also touching franchise with a lot of tropes I don't love, but also a lot of things I do (and just neat to see some stuff so early in BL: Underwater kiss? Helicopter ride? Femme fatale becomes friend of the faen? Supportive grandparent? It's all here). There are some fantastic speeches in s2 about supporting your gay children; I liked how in this the kids didn't give up on their parents but try to reconcile their filial piety with their dedication to each other. If you do watch S1, highly recommended you watch the series version rather than the film. For "S2"/the follow-up film, make sure you look for the uncensored film version.

The Lover Room 709 Cut (Korean/Japanese, 2016, grey)

This starts extremely silly, plays with BL tropes, and gets a little bit serious at the end but is mostly just full of puns and innuendos. Includes one of the most hilarious takes on kabedon, and egregious use of the soundtrack from Brokeback Mountain. Also: fart jokes. Folks worried it was going to stay teasing the audience but it does commit and we do get an actual resolution that is satisfying. I admit I've never seen the whole series (which includes stories of 3 other couples in the apartment building) but the BL cut is readily available if you search. Make sure you look for the deleted scene with the lotion application--this scene walked so IFYLITA could run (I'm kidding, but it's very funny seeing this scene now and thinking about that one).

The Boy Next Door (Korean, 2018, YouTube)

This is another older series playing with censorship (similar to The Lover) in which the two characters end up in BL romance tropes but are not actually in love...or are they? The shenanigans are very fun. This one is left more ambiguous than The Lover, which is one of the reasons it's further down the list.

Go! Go! G-Boys (Taiwan, 2006, grey)

I debated between this and another quirky comedy from Taiwan in the early 2000s, Formula 17, but while that's unequivocally a better movie, this one is lesser known and more zany, so it technically better fits the bill for this ask (but if you haven't, go watch Formula 17!). The plot is a bit cringe--straight boy signs up to gay beauty contest to pay off his girlfriend's debts (accompanied by his gay childhood friend who is in love with him) and finds his truth. Meanwhile a homophobic police officer has also infiltrated the contest for investigative purposes. Amongst all that admittedly not great setup, however, are several bizarre sequences including the incredible Lord of the Rings recreation scene (complete with Gatchaman of course), a killer soundtrack, a random delivery of poultry, someone slapping a cake, and, most absurdly unbelievable at all: police taking harassing death threats to the gay contest seriously. It does a great job of setting up what should be a dramatic scene and then immediately undercutting the tension with something absurd. It's not narratively good, but it is a fun ride! And yes, there is a happy ending. Stick around for a fourth wall break (literally) after the credits.

Something Crunchy Crunchy (Korean, 2018, GagaOOLala)

Extremely bizarre little musical short in which snacks are anthropomorphized as hot guys and they sing songs about being eaten and wanting to be eaten. Played entirely sincerely, but the concept is screamingly funny. Fascinating. Also, kind of poly?

Dom (Korean, 2016, GagaOOLala)

Another hilarious and weird Korean short, this time in which we see the protagonist's sex life from the perspective of the condom boxes that are anthropomorphized and given personalities based on their brands.

And since we can't leave out the ladies,

A few zany GLs:

Lily Fever (Korean, 2015, YouTube)

I wrote about this one a little in my GL rec list; it is absolutely bonkers nonsense. There is not really a plot, it's a fever dream of a show. Chaos! Not so much a romance as an excuse to see cute girls flirt and make out.

Legend of Yunqian (China, 2020, grey)

I debated including this one because only the middle is really the zany part, it's sandwiched with more serious xianxia drama. But in the middle of this miniseries is an extremely cute interlude in which xianxia characters time travel to present day for ~reasons. It's censored but there is very little uncertainty about feelings, and manages to be absolutely charming. Worth the short runtime for this kitten quickcut (subbed "Whomst?!" in the show for ultimate comedy). Warning for character death (but it's ok because time travel to reincarnated character!) Subtitled by the indispensable @douqi7s [see their pinned post for links].

BetCin (Filippino, 2022, WeTV)

A lesbian couple with a YouTube following decide to break up but then find out there's a contest for couples, and they decide to pretend to still be together to try and win the contest rather than tell their fans they've broken up. This series does some really interesting things by starting with a breakup and then looking at how two people who are no longer dating manage BGP while also managing their feelings. There's a lot going on in this show, and the hijinks definitely ensue!

Perfect One Night Stand (Korean, 2020, GagaOOLala)

This is a cute Strongberry GL short in which a friend agrees to help her other friend find a girl to have sex with before the day is over; they go through several quirky candidates looking for the titular perfect one night stand.

[thewriterg]

𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

pairing(s): Leonardo x afab!reader, Raphael x afab!reader, Donatello x afab!reader, Michelangelo x afab!reader, heretic!reader (witch and vampire), soulmate AU

summary: Fighting an army of foot clan soldiers by yourself was easy but seeing your mates and their father that you began to call your own in pain was one of the hardest things you’ve ever been through you’ve ever been through on your over three centuries of earth and you could never see your mates in pain, not ever.

word count: 10.8k+ —damn boy she’s thick— 😎🤏👴🏿

warning(s): mentions of death and suicide attempts, violence, blood, descriptions of weapons, angst, they’re all 22-20 don’t hit me with that minor bayverse turtle bs, crying, feeling a soul bond dying?, pet names, kisses, and language

A/n: —GIFs; @tkappi & @aurora-the-kunoichi— So I rewatched TMNT 2014/16 the best one beside 2012 btw 🙄 and I’m actually taking this from a draft of mine from like two years ago…

You stood surrounded by over a dozen foot soldiers in the alley just above the sewer occasionally throwing daggers and ripping flesh with your bare teeth you had no desire to drag this fight on any longer than you had to you did however feel the strong tug of your bond pulling you to protect your mates

your mates

Little over three years ago you would’ve never even thought of thinking of such you were a witch yes and you did your studies over the subject but it was brief something you couldn’t get into because you simply would not have something like that of your own

Well you could see how far that got you

At the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017 you had a very awaken feeling in your heart and stomach and the longer you tried to pull away from it the more empty you began to feel so you began to travel with no reason why and after a long five months you were in New York

The turtles didn’t have a clue what was going on in their bodies they had passed mating season and it was almost like the hibernation like symptoms they experienced in the winter because they in fact did not hibernate

From lively, upbeat, hyper, and energetic the reptiles turned into slow, easily irritable, cranky creatures. They had no motivation to train as hard as they usually did, had endless arguments snapping at each other, sleeping for more than twelve hours at a time if Splinter didn’t wake them, and despite an empty feeling in their stomach and chest they had no desire to eat

Leonardo couldn’t utter another motivational speech as he was before when his team were experiencing said dilemmas as he was the last to get hit with the dreadful feelings he could barely drag himself out of bed to use the bathroom so why would he force his brothers to train?

Raphael was snapping at anything that made a noise around him or even seemed to breathe in his direction on the regular he would occasionally bump heads with Leo but now no one was safe from the Red Clad turtles rage and he spent most of his time in his weight room pounding his fish into a worn and abused punching bag

Donatello couldn’t tell you when’s the last time the group had showered nor could he tell you when’s the last time he invented or fixed something hell he couldn’t even think of the last time he even began to touch his equipment he along with Leo often slept the longest even after Splinters attempts of getting them both up

Michelangelo who was usually the most talkative and hyper of the group had fell silent and drained he hadn’t rode his hoverboard in weeks and couldn’t even begin to try to think to pick up a spray can or pencil to draw anything he instead was up all night and asleep all day

The problem was that they were at the end of spring they were not in winter so they should have not been experiencing those said feelings

Splinter had had enough he knew his boys were strong and would eventually shake the feeling like they always did but they didn’t usually get like this until the colder times of the year and it was indeed blazing hot

When the thought crossed over his mind he denied it quickly they were animals such thing couldn’t be possible as he thought it was but as time went on it made more and more sense

Animals had mates and mating seasons yes, his son’s experienced it every year that wasn’t the issue it was the who would fulfill the roles as each of the terrapins mates that confused him the books of turtle mating didn’t cover enough ground for him to get the answers he needed so he was soon once again standing face to face to face with the bookshelf he hardly touch that taught him wisdom and the art he knew today

The mutant rat had picked up a book he had yet to read the only book he hadn’t read it had a brown leather cover and it was thick and full with unread pages he carefully dragged his pawed hands over the front carefully making sure to watch his claws

He’d read the book front to back making sure to read over each page at least twice but he was most efficiently reading over soul ties and sealing soul bonds

Soon enough weeks after he was sure Splinter had all of his sons in front of him and even though they felt this way this odd, empty, pitiful, way they all held their respective positions on their knees their three fingers pressed up against their other pair and head bowed even though they slouched as they all could hear sleep and the voidness beg their names out with a screeching voice

“I have a gift for you all, something as a serve of hope” The mutant spoke in his usual prideful, wisdom filled, tone as he began to explain the tale bits and pieces at a time until the puzzle was made up and the picture was made out in front of them

Leonardo was glad he had an explanation or even a start of why they were feeling this way he could slowly feel some of the weight on his his chest and deep within his plastron

Raphael was skeptical even though he never doubted his Sansei he raised him, never lied to him, trained him, kept him safe when he was defenseless, but he couldn’t help but be skeptical. Even if he did have a soulmate what type of being with a brain and sense of surrounding would want to be with a freak like him?

Donatello was on the middle side of the fence he had his doubts what if they were just going through an early ‘hibernation’ period? Though Donnie wasn’t as open to it as Ralph was he did have a slight fear of rejection but he also had a feeling of excitement? Maybe fuzziness and warmth at the thought of being loved unconditionally that was made for someone just for him.

Michelangelo was ecstatic he would have an angel by his side. What if they were a Jedi? What if they were looking for him too!?

“How do we find our mates!? We should look for them! I gotta find my Angel cakes!” Mikey was out of his kneeling position he was ready to do anything his chest hurt a little less and soon he would realize it wasn’t the discovery but the newly found distance that lifted the weight

“Mikey we can’t just go on a side quest to find people we don’t know” Leo intervened is brothers rambling also getting out of his position of kneeling as the other two turtles followed in suite

“That’s your problem bro it’s not a ‘side quest’ it’s the main mission” The orange clad turtle stated in a matter of fact tone with a smile on his face

“And if we actually meet these people-”

“They’re our mates not jus’ some random people if you wanna be lonely all yer life that’s on you but you can’t make decisions for us” Ralph interrupted with a gruff coolly voice the pair began to argue as Donatello sighed heavily Along with Splinter who suddenly bursted from his quietness

“Silence! Before I send you all to hashi!” The mutant rodent shouted and the room fell silence the only thing erupting from the room was Mikey slightly whining about not doing anything but the group knew that it would just about alway be a group punishment

“You need to find an efficient plan that still allows you continue your duties while finding you’re peace” Splinter spoke wisely before retreating his steps to his room to meditate

“What if we send two of us at a time to search for them while the other two stay here to patrol” Donnie spoke up it wasn’t the most effective plan but it was the best they had the purple clad turtle had finally had relief of the dreadful empty feeling he didn’t plan on going back

“That’s not a bad idea… We should all go back to patrolling for now and then after a month or so we can get everything under control and then we can carry out the plan” Leo finally spoke up after a moment of silence as everyone subconsciously nodded eventually they all went their separate ways with a bit more hope than they started with

They had their Sansei to thank for that

💌💌💌💌

As weeks passed the brothers were too caught up in protecting the city to carry out their plan the reptiles all stood around in the dojo listening to the TV as the channel nine news played filling the silence

There had been ‘animal attacks’ going on all over the city multiple pictures of punctured wounds showed up on the screen and none of the brothers were dumb enough to believe the story that was being sold the wounds were too… clean to be from an animal attack their was two punctured spots with usually a bit of bruising around them and was often found around the neck just below the jugular or on the wrist barely missing a vein

“What if there’s a vampire out there just… feeding from people” Mikey stated in awe at the thought before Ralph through one of the terrapins nunchucks at his forehead while he hissed rubbing over the sore spot

“Vampires aren’t real idiot” The red clad turtle rolled his eyes as he placed is sais in their holsters at his hips

“You don’t know that! What if they could be hiding around us in plain sight” The youngest brother dragged as the group began to move towards the tunnels

“Well the news hasn’t report anyone sparklin’ like a disco ball ‘cause they’re in sun and these bites that people are getting aren’t turning them mad so I think that answers that pretty well” The raging turtle resorted with an eye roll as Mikey sucked his teeth

“Can you both be quiet!” Leo hissed as they quickly traveled through the tunnels the last thing they need was Splinter to hear their conversation bouncing of the metal as they traveled to the surface somewhere they were indeed not supposed to be

Soon enough the group was traveling over the roof of buildings watching over the streets of New York they weren’t as busy as they usually were but they were never empty

“Please, you’re taking too much” Donatello heard it first a small voice slightly whimpering followed by Leonardo as they alerted their brothers silently landing on the next roof close to an alley

“Shut up” A women’s voice erupted from the shadows and suddenly the noise of the first voice was gone the only thing left signaling life was heavy breathing

💌💌💌💌

You hadn’t had blood from the vein since you were around 220 it had been a while 146 years to be exact but even if you happened to be angry at the world for an unknown reason you weren’t stupid leaving a trail a bodies with bite wounds wouldn’t be ideal for laying low

You could’ve gave your victims some of your blood heal them up so they no longer had a mark to show for the attack but humans were idiotic and you didn’t need a baby vamp on your hands because they had found some way to die in twenty four hours

So you settled with this

You could feel different presences around you as you finally let up on the man who you had pushed against the wall tuning in on the heartbeats around and there were four not including the blonde in front of you but they didn’t sound human

Before you could comprehend a hand was on your shoulder crushing your collar bone you quickly gripped what you could make out as a three fingered hand throwing a packing kick to the things knee before swiping under its hold the wind whispering and whooshing behind you

Leonardo slightly faltered in his stance at the attack on his knee as a figure sped around him at a inhuman speed but it in fact was a human and he could feel string of his heart tug slightly but couldn’t think on it too much as Ralph called out to him

“Alright fearless that was your way hears mine” The red clad turtle stated in a gruff voice as you finally stood still in the middle of the alley that voice… it made your ears ring you couldn’t pawn on it long as you got swept off your feet your head hitting the concrete as the light post flickered so neither opposing sides could see each others identities and before the unknown creature could lay another hand on you you had your hand in the air before swiping it right as the being crashed into the the brick wall the sounds of trash bins falling filling the empty air

“What the hell” Ralph groaned quick to get back on his feet while Mikey stood beside him helping him up and was soon going back to the battle

No matter what the team threw at the unknown woman she was back up in an instant and seemed to be healing? Leonardo was sure he felt one of his katanas graze skin on her arm but he watched as the wound quickly mended itself together at a concerning rate

Whatever they were dealing with was not human

“I told you, I called it! It is a vampire!” The youngest brother cheered after coming from checking on the stranger along with Donnie the man was slightly bleeding from his neck and was experiencing some after shock symptoms but other than that was fine

“Mikey!” The other reptiles called as the youngest rolled his eyes mumbling about getting no credit before joining the fight with his brothers

Leo and Ralph were on their knees in front of the girl clutching their heads in pain as she held her hand out towards them and Mikey couldn’t help but realize she looked… human? other than her baring fangs and the prominent purple colored veins under her eyes her skin wasn’t paper white, she didn’t wear a cloak she wore… black jeans and a leather jacket?

“Donnie!” Leo called out groaning and gasping for air the pain going through his head was like a hundred needles stabbing at his brain is this how he was going to die?

“Sorry bro wrong turtle” Michelangelo grinned taking one of Raphael’s fallen sais before throwing it into the women’s shoulder blade as she let out a hiss and the orange clad terrapin was soon too on his knees in pain

Suddenly the light post flickered on and as You saw all three of the mutant turtles in front of you your invisible assault on the brain faltered as you looked at them closely your brain screaming at you to protect them, to touch them, to heal them.

You began to take a step forward before there was a cloth forced down on your nose and mouth and your face burned as you smelled the familiar plant clouding your senses

Vervain

You felt weak as you struggled against the rough yet warm embrace that held you down the plant was one of your very few weaknesses how’d they even know? Where did they even get it? As your vision became blurry, your face stung and burned, and you’re eyelids became heavy and soon you were limp in this familiar yet foreign embrace

The turtles watched as Donatello held a black cloth to the woman’s face and how she went limp in his hold they also watched as their brother stared at the stranger with a foreign care and something else they could quite figure out

Leonardo was the first one to get on his feet as he approached the pair something simply drawing him in and Donnie fought the urge to growl at his brother to get away as he subconsciously held the body tighter It hit then hit the leader like it did his brother as his mind screamed at him

Protect mate!

protect!

protect!

protect!

“It’s her” The terrapin whispered as he reached his arm out to touch her skin Donatello took a step back a low growl in the back of his throat as started at his brother with wild eyes

“Are you tellin’ me I ‘gotta share a mate with you idiots?” Raphael’s voice was deeper than it usually was his accent a little heavier as he stared at your limp body suddenly next to his brothers with some sort of anger at your unconscious state

“Dudes tell me you feel that too” Michelangelo questioned staring down at you and they could. The bubbling sensation in their plastrons, the protective nature screaming in their head, the odd feeling of the word spinning, and that nothing else no longer mattered

“We have to take her to the lair” The red clad turtle said suddenly ignoring his brother rabid animalistic gazes as he took a step forward to to get a better look at your features the skin around your mouth, nose, and chin slowly mended together itself together at a way slower rate than it was before Leo took note standing by his brothers side

“That herb, that’s her weakness. Donnie what Is that?” The leader questioned now inspecting the black cloth in his hands it didn’t burn or hurt him like it did you

“It’s an oil I made from a plant called Vervain, it’s a strong natural sedative. I figured if we did actually come into contact with an animal than it would be easier to put them down than tackle with it” Leave it to the purple clad turtle to think of every scenario they could be in

“What the hell are you doin’? It’s burning her idiot” Raphael growled now grabbing his brother scaled wrist as he went to sit the cloth back on your face and Leonardo snatched his hand away before responding

“We need to keep her unconscious until we get to the lair. I don't know if you're aware but she's not human or did you forget how she had you on your ass?” The leader rarely swore and it made the hot head get defensive but he was unusually uneasy

His mate was the one who drank blood from civilians.

His mate was not human.

His mate was not just his mate.

“Oh and she didn't have you on your knees begging like a pussy?” The red clad terrapin sneered as the two brothers stared at each other intensely nostrils flaring

“Guys we need to get her to my lab I don't care how we do it but we need to do it quickly” Donnie nugged Leonardo and Mikey tugged on Raphaels arm pulling them away from each other and the leader went to approach the blonde haired male who sat next to a trash bin with a newfound terror in his eyes softly shaking

“Do not tell anyone what you saw tonight. If you do, we will find you.” The reptile stated darkly after making sure the man was fine to walk and had a sense of surrounding

Soon the turtles were back on top of roofs the night winds grazing their scales as they jumped from one building to another quickly keeping Donnie infront as he held your unconscious body in his arms

When the group reached the manhole they were quick to run through the tunnels with silent feet and what would've been and fifteen minute walk to get to the lair was a five minute run as landed silently in in the dojo tip toeing to keep their Sensei unaware of their presence as they safely made it into Donatello's lab

“What are we gonna do to hold ‘er? She’ll just run again if we don't have ‘er held down” Ralph stated and for once Leo agreed while Mikey stood above your unconscious figure laying on Donnies bed, you were so beautiful, nostalgic even. He felt the strongest urge to protect you, the weight in his chest was empty, he felt complete.

You couldn't get away, you couldn't leave them and they just got you.

“What if we tied her down to a chair? You know how they do in those interrogation scenes in the action movies!?” The terrapin said suddenly causing his brothers to look at him pondering

“It's a good idea but, if she can push over Ralph and Leo like she did back there than ropes would be a piece of cake” Donnie shook his head slightly meeting his older brother's eyes as Leo spoke

“Do you still have some of that oil you made?”

💌💌💌💌

You felt your mind drifting in and out of consciousness as the voices around you suddenly went silent you blinked the fuzzy feeling in your brain away as your eyes open vision blurry and you began to take you hand to rub at it to be met with a searing pain around your body if you weren't up before you were now

You roughly thrashed around you restraints Vervain laced ropes clever you had to admit you felt too weak to break out of the chair you were strapped do

“Woah trouble slow yer roll there”

“Please don't hurt yourself anymore than you have ”

“Just relax Angel cakes you're all good ”

“We're not gonna hurt you”

It was pretty ironic that this..mutant tortoise in front of promised you such thing as your flesh repeatedly burned and healed itself

“Let me go” You hissed baring your fangs as purple veins traveled underneath your eyes and your once y/e/c eyes were now replaced for pitch blackness you fought the warm feeling in your chest that was pulling you to these… things

Donatello and Michelangelo watched you in curiosity in this weak state you resemble more of a shaken scared animal then whatever being you were taking on four mutant turtles in the alley thirty minutes prior suddenly the brothers all watched as Leonardo dropped to his knees in front of you staring you dead in your pitch black eyes

The feeling of a tug was no longer there as the feeling now pushed you roughly into this unfamiliar yet certain embrace and the veins under your eyes slightly faltering before you looked away from the Leaders gaze

You were fighting it he though amusingly

He took his hand bringing it up to your face to force you to old hold his gaze ignoring the hiss that erupted from your throat instead just steadily keeping your gaze and finally his brothers took note of what he was doing and followed in his steps coming Into and eye level position with you

Your pupils dilated, the veins vanished from your eyes, and your fangs retracted as you looked at all of them taking it in as a small voice in your head injecting familiar words into your brain

protect them

hold them

heal them

It was never the same from that day but you were… whole, complete.

💌💌💌💌

You were fighting over twenty foot soldier by yourself as the boys fought underground you were simply holding these ones off quickly discarding each that couldn’t seem to get a hand on you sweeping through the grounds with a speed quicker than light

You swept your foot under a masked man making him lose his balance falling on the concrete with a sickening crunch the last small group of soldiers came sprinting towards you and you fought the urge to roll your eyes

You held your hand out as they dropped to their knees some screaming in pain as others groaned and whimpered you held your hand there for a second before turning your wrist quickly as quaking cracks erupted the air around you as bodies fell to the floor limp

You turned on the heel of your boot as you went to open the manhole to the sewer two colossal vans surround both exits of the alley releasing large herds of assassins and soldiers yelling out random codes if Mikey or Raph were here they would squish or poke your cheeks because you ‘looked mean’

Not because you were a vampire over 300 years old and a menace to society

“Any last words freak?” One of the most formal dressed soldiers called out to you surrounded by a dozen more the whole herd pointed their assault rifles at you the red beams bouncing of your clothes you figured he was Lieutenant a weak one but a lieutenant nonetheless

“I do actually” You stated simply and you could see it took some of them back while you held your hands up in the air as a surrender as they waited for you to speak

💌💌💌💌

Raphael pulled himself and April through the crushed rocks and debris that had collapsed from the ceiling as they began to approach the end of the makeshift tunnel an ear piercing scream shook the gravel under their feet the red clad turtle smiled slightly before continuing his path as the brunette shakily stood in her spot

“Shouldn’t someone go help her” She questioned with a concerned look on her face as Ralph turned to look at her smirking before shaking his head before beginning to pull them the rest of the way out

“That’s a battle scream princess you know that out of anyone, nothing worried about” The terrapin knew if you were next to him you would definitely probably kick his ass for calling someone else one of your pet names but how he loves how you glared

April slightly shuttered at the thought to put it in a short term you didn’t get off on the right foot, you hated her when you first met to put it in the most appropriate words she could

💌💌💌💌

You fled around buildings at a inhuman speed looking for the four brothers you went down to the lair and hadn’t found them there Splinter how ever was wide awake and was the face you were met with when you hopped down from the tunnel so now here you were speeding from rooftop to rooftop trying to find the terrapins

“That guys gonna be drinking out of a sippy cup for months!” You listened closely around a mile away you could hear Donatellos voice tracking through the air over the voices, cars, and overall noise of New York

Inhuman speed and hearing just another benefit

“That’s what I’m talking about brother, shadows in the night completely unseen” Was the last statement you heard before a camera flash fluttered across the roof maybe catching your frame in the corner

You didn’t wait before in a blink in an eye you were in front of the girl taking her by the collar of her jacket railing over the roof dropping her onto the hard ground

“You think it’s okay to take pictures of people because they look different from you little girl?” You questioned as the brunette shook slightly in terror watching as your pupils dilated eyes turning pitch black while veins crawled actively underneath your eyes

“花/Hana” Leonardo tried softly sitting a three fingered hand on your shoulder as you snapped around to look at him giving him a soft hiss standing up to your full height from crouching over the girl which didn’t look like much compared to the over six foot turtle (flower)

“You said no more secret patrolling” You stated darkly walking towards the turtle with a slight threat in your step as he backed away the brothers winced they knew they weren’t safe either

“I kno-” The blue clad turtle began

“You all said if you patrolled again you would tell me first” You hissed again jabbing your finger into the leaders plastron as he chuckled nervously

“Listen trouble, we didn’t mean for it to happen like this were sorr-” You were in front of the red masked turtle with a blink of an eye April watched as you practically teleported in front of the turtle with a speed she couldn’t quite comprehend as a human

“Are you sorry because you did it or sorry because you got caught?” The brunette had a slight fear for the turtle beings you all knew each other no doubt as she watched the most buff turtle nervously laugh under your rough gaze

Raphael didn’t have time to respond as you were back in front of her dragging her to her feet and she could see the peak of your fangs as you spoke

“You are going to leave, and you aren’t going to tell anyone what you saw tonight. If you do I will find you” You were back in front of her now looking her directly in her eye’s pupils dilating as April let the feeling of her body take over she didn't have a say a foot forced one in front of another as she came back down the latter she came from beginning to walk the streets of New York

“Did you have to compel her?” Was the last thing the brunette heard as she began to walk home

💌💌💌💌

The pair made it out the tunnel as Raphael told the woman to stay put as she hid in Donatello's lab peeking from behind the door watching as the red clad turtle run off to go help his brothers

Leonardo attempted to go assist Splinter but he was soon stopped in his tracks as a small group of foot soldiers tased his scaley body as he spoke in soft groans falling to the floor at the harsh electrical impact shouting for his brother

“Hang on Leo, I'll be right there!” Donatello wanted to help his brother in the moment her really, trull did but it was a bit difficult when he was swinging his Bo-staff blocking bullets from assaulting his body as at least four different foot soldiers shot at him Raphael finally emerged from the shadows taking two of the men dressed in all black knocking their heads together holding out a hand for his brother

April watched as Shredder began gaining gaining the upper hand on Splinter throwing the rat on top of the dojos platform slowly strolling towards him steel claws slicing through the thick air that fell over the lair

Adrenaline pumping through the news reporters veins as she gripped and pulled on the handle on one Raph's sais that had gotten stuck in a wired basket before sprinting towards the armored bot like man stabbing him in the control system on his back as it sparked from the impact he turned around quickly

“You stupid little girl” The deep robot like voice degraded taking a threatening step towards the girl

“April!” Splinter called out quick to get back on his feet wrapping his long tail around the brunettes frame throwing her out of the dojo into safety as she landed with a whimper at the newfound pain in her ribs and forearm stumbling behind Donatello's steel desk out of the open

“Sensai!” Leonardo shouted sprinting towards his father as the rat landed near a concrete bared gate with a thud

“No, my sons stay back!” The mutant rat crawled to the small lever on the wall dropping the gate the terrapin began hitting his katanas against the bars watching as his father figure got dragged away by a metal fist before he scrambled loose limping back toward the gate

“NO,”

“Save yourselves!” He croaked

“Sensai, Dad! Dad! What are you doing!?” The blue clad turtle cried out

“Hide!”

💌💌💌💌

You watched as the turtles struggled to get the bar gate open from blocking the dojo you rushed over quickly holding your hand out raising it with a strain as the makeshift door slid open

They all looked back at you and could’ve sighed in relief they knew you could hold your on but as your mates they were always worried

The group of terrapins rushed in as their father was held in front of them shoulders slumped breathing shallow and irregular the only sign of life was pleading look in his eyes for them to run, to get away from here

“Drop you weapons or your… father dies” The gruff robotic like voice spoke into the air pausing in a moment of disgust as foot soldiers surrounded them

Just as the turtles were about to abandon their arms of defense a voice spoke out into the open

“You let them all go, or I’ll kill myself.” You stood above the railing looking down on the Dojo as the attention shifted towards you including shredder as his head turned with a metal shriek

“Y/n!”

“What the hell are you doin’!”

“Please!”

“No!”

To put together your statement you had a piece of wood from a broken leg chair directed in front of your heart and as you stepped forward a little into the light Donatello noticed the blood continuously seeping through your clothes

Why the fuck weren’t you healing?

“We both know what I am, that’s why some of your men have wooden bullets?” You questioned even though it was more of a statement and the terrapin’s stomachs dropped with nausea

you could only be killed with wood piercing you heart if one of the soldiers had just a few extra seconds then…

“We also know that I’m stronger than anyone in here so… you can get the turtles with me hunting you down, and not stopping until I’m tearing you apart or you can leave them and take me on your side” You couldn’t meet your mates gaze it would tear you apart so instead you looked dead into the black shield where the man’s eyes were supposed to be

Shredder dropped Splinter from his cold grasp and the turtles immediately began to protest as Raphael was quick to step forward two foot soldiers were quick to turn on their tasing wands with a threatening crack

Shredder suddenly jumped onto the platform above landing in front of you with as the ground trembled beneath you dressed in all silver armor he stared down at you and you made sure to hold his gaze as he held up his cold hand up to you face as his knives rested under your chin and you dropped the makeshift stake from your hands

“Turn it off, no further harm will come to them” He stated gruffly almost as if he was trying to comfort you he had done his research on your kind it was difficult and took years of critique but he’d mastered how to build up and break down your species you knew what he wanted Shredder didn’t have many things but he did have his word

“So, Turn it off.” He repeated

“No! 花/Hana” Leonardo struggled against the grip of four foot soldiers as they tased his plastron and you breathed in a shaky breath closing your eyes feeling tears slip down your cheeks as memories of all you together flashed through your mind (flower)

“Fuck! Princess don’t do it!” Raphael groaned out a yell on his hands and knees his figure jerking as shock waves spread through his body

“Please dove!” Donatello deeply whimpered probably getting the worst of it all as he shook at the taser on his shoulder a little too close to his neck

You opened your eyes and the assault on the turtles ended your expression was lifeless, like a never ending void that went on and on, that you couldn’t get out of.

“No” Michelangelo whispered breathlessly you were without your emotions, without a humanity.

You jumped from the platform into the main room of the lair taking a few steps forward before swiping your hand to the right in front of your body making foot soldier go flying some landing with sickening cracks as you went to stand in front of the turtles

“If you get in my way, I’ll kill you all myself” Leonardo watched as something lit in your eyes before it quickly died down to a nothingness

Shredder watch you with a slight… curiosity he wouldn’t allow you to kill terrapins that was simply against your deal but your emotionless state amused him

“Take care of your master” He stated gruffly and you held onto the silver armor before you were gone zipping through the lair and suddenly there was no trace of you Shredder included

“Fuck!” Raphael screamed into the empty air throwing the closest thing next to him which was a wired basket and hit the wall bending the metal

“Sensai, dad” Leonardo along with Donatello crawled over to the mutant rat who lied down on the floor in defeat pink tail slightly swaying against the floor with light ‘thumps’

“Please don’t do this, tell me what to do” The leader sniffled watching as his teacher, his protector in early years of life, his father seemed to crumble in his hold

“A little beating never stopped this old rat” The older mutant wheezed out while the purple clad turtle looked him over with his goggles a few cracked and bruised ribs wouldn’t be enough to put down Splinter and Leo and Donnie chuckled watery hearts still heavy

“You all need to go put a stop to the Shredders madness and rescue your mate” He stated carefully and all of the brother tuned in listening

“We can’t just leave y-”

“I’ve never informed you all of this because I was in… denial, self loathing even.” The rodent cut off the blue clad turtle and he knew that was a warning so he stayed quiet watching as he slowly raised his body to sit up

“When I was researching about the intertwining of souls I studied that the bond meant more than life itself. I was angered for a short time as your protector. It was… sore how once you found your mate that you would figure you all no longer needed me but then I was at peace knowing that a beings soul was yours to protect and vice versa. I could die tomorrow and as long as Y/n is unharmed you will all be fine and whole” The rat occasionally stopped in the middle of sentences to breathe in sharp breathes as the brothers listened closely water lines slowly filling including Raphael who stubbornly wiped it away

“What are you sitting around waiting for!? Go on now, if my daughter isn’t home by nightfall you all will be sent to the hashi!” Splinters tail threateningly swiped at their feet while Michelangelo laughed brightest out of them all as they began to run to the exit tunnel

Leonardo looked back to see April now at Splinters side as they helped each other with wounds and soon he was out of lair into the world

“Wait, I’m coming with you!” The brunette panted behind the four mutants standing in the alley

“Absolutely not it’s dangerous, and you’re hurt” The leader in blue immediately denied their mate wasn’t in a good headspace hell their mate didn’t have a sense of humanity last thing he needed was no be worried about another body to look after

“It’s a sprain light fracture at most and I have a ride it’s broad daylight how are you gonna get there without being seen?” She stated stubbornly and Ralph tried to cover a chuckle with a poorly concealed cough

“Fine. But you stay in the car”

💌💌💌💌

“Figuring the turtles will come to rescue Mrs Hamato-” Eric Sacks stood in front of you as you watched him walk through the lab going over the plan for the fourth time in a little less than an hour

“It’s Y/l/n I’ve said for the third time now stop threading on my patience Eric respect your elders or I will make a meal out of you” You we’re in front of the man in a blink of an eye hand wrapped around his throat at a bone crushing grip the man weakly nodded before you dropped him out of your hold and Shredder chuckled darkly in amusement while you went to go stand next to him

“We capture the turtles, take some of their blood. If it looks like you’re taking too much from them… I will end your life capeesh? Wonderful” You sarcastically smiled stepping out of the lab into the hallway

“If your emotions happen to get in the way of this, the deal will be off” The heavy metal softly shrieked in the quiet air as Shredder stood behind you and you sighed in annoyance

“I think what you fail to realize is when I turned off my emotions my humanity went with it I don’t feel mad or sad or anything” You briefly spoke before walking out of the man’s sight

💌💌💌💌

“Ram the gate” Raphael interrupted Verns ranting of course Aprils ride was a dweeb who talked their ear off nervously the whole car ride as the brothers began to get in position

“Ram the gate? This channel six propert-”

“I said ram the gate!” The red clad turtle yelled as the brunette man winced pressing his foot on the gas as the wood broke in piece against the van April and Vern who sat in the front seat ducked from the bullet breaking the windshield flying past their temples making a sharp turn running over some foot soldiers in the process

The turtles burst through the side of the Van Leonardo taking care of the few foot soldiers in front of him alone as the rest of them watch the terrapin flip through the air kneeling when he was done as Raphael rolled his eyes as they moved through the building

“Feeling flashy today Fearless?” The red clad turtle grunted out sarcastically settling to use his fist instead of his Sais and the leader shrugged with a small smirk on his face

“Watch he’s gonna do his Batman voice!” Mikey laughed handling his nunchucks lightly as they caused damage and destruction

“I watched that movie once!” He exclaimed as they all rushed through door they came into contact with four glass cages and the sound of heavy metal hitting the floor

“So we meet again turtles, the cages are for you” The bot stated dark jerking his arm down to reveal a claw full of knives and swords and Raph and Leo immediately took their swords from their holsters charging at the shredder and they quickly landed on the floor below

As Mikey and Donnie went to follow your whimper stop them in their tracks as they quickly looked around to finally spot you curled in a corner a stake plunged deeply into stomach as the pair ran over crouching over to your aid

“Donnie, Mikey, please.” You whimpered and their heart broke straight down the middle as you gripped onto the purple clad turtles forearm whispering something incoherent as he leaned his down to listen to you better suddenly you elbow connected to his jaw as he landed less than a few feet away from you stunned before scientist were quickly tasing him making sure he wouldn’t get up

“Jeez Angel cakes that was a low blow” Michelangelo was quick to get on his feet dodging the chair you tried to smash over his head as you quickly stood up snatching the stake out of your stomach dropping it to the side as your skin mended together healing itself

“Come on babe please don’t make me do this” The orange clad turtle pleaded as you hissed at him fangs on display, eyes pitch black, veins crawling under your eyes

“Fuck” He muttered to himself placing his nunchucks in their place on his belt ready to try to hurt you as least as possible even though he knew you could take it

Mikey along with Donnie were the fastest on the team with their more lanky and thinner figures they still however we’re not faster than you as Michelangelo tried to block a good amount of your hits until a sudden kick to his plastron had his stance faltering

You finished the fight with jerking your neck to the left as the youngest turtle slid in front of the scientist and was quickly held in the glass cage

The two weakest were out the way two more to go

You jumped down from the railing landing in front of the two blue and red brothers who had an upper hand on the Shredder they suddenly look towards you Raphael’s assault on the metal armor slightly faltering

“Miss me?” You mocked sweetly before taking a dagger from your boot throwing it to hit Leonardo’s shoulder if he had stood in place for a second longer Shredder took this as an invitation to to kick Raphael’s plastron from his position on the floor as the two were back at it

Leo had charged at you throwing you under all of his body weight he knew you easily lift him but it was a good distraction as you struggled under him before finally flipping positions as you straddled his waist throwing direct blows to his jaw

The blue clad turtle took you by your hip before flinging you off of him as you landed a few feet away you were a little slower than usual and not using your powers as much and the leader realized you were getting tired you were a heretic usually even if a vampire was witch before they transitioned they lost all of their magic but you were a siphon witch and now that you were a vampire you siphoned the energy from yourself

So it wore you out a little more when you used your magic and Leo couldn’t call the last time you had a blood bag which you had substituted from living people

“I told you to stay out of my way” You stated darkly holding a hand out as the leader dropped towards his knees groaning slightly

“Never, not while you like t-this. We’re always gonna be there for you” You through the terrapin up towards the ceiling dust and debris falling towards the ground as he landed with a harsh ‘thump’

“Shut up” You hissed swiping your hand through the air as he landed back on the floor above crashing into a cage as you stood in front of him moving your fingers to put the broken glass back in it place

“Raphael!” April screamed as she watched shrewder gain the upper hand on the hot you quickly sped to one of the now filled canisters sitting it in its brief case before you were out of the building

“Little girl” The man tainted darkly turning to look towards the brunette before Raphael stabbed his metal chest plate earning his attention back

“Focus on me” He grunted and would soon wince at the decision of words as he held onto the metal armored leg while Shredder began to slug his jaw repeatedly

“Donnie! Donnie!!” April screamed through the thick glass banging her hand against it roughly the fight or flight feeling pumping through her veins to heavily to wince at her sprained wrist as the mutant terrapin finally looked up at her glasses slowly sliding down his face

“What do I do!?” She questioned desperately as the turtle muttered something incoherent she pressed he ear to the to hear him better

“What!?”

“Adrenaline” He muttered his head slightly lolling forward as she rushed to the machines harshly tapping on the plus button for the adrenaline stimulation

Raphael struggled underneath the weighted pressure on his shell he could it creaking and cracking underneath the weight of Shredders foot as he finally fell from his knees and hands to his stomach before Vern turned away running towards April as She banged her fist against the machine

“GET UP!” She screamed anguished just beige the three turtles gasped at the air returning to their lungs Leonardo not as affected as he was last to get trapped

The turtles broke out of glass too much energy in their system to simply stand still as they flipped and ran in circles uttering and babbling nonsense

“OH I FEEL REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW”

“DO YOU FEEL EXCITED IM SO EXCITED”

“I FEEL LIKE CLEANING, WHO WANTS TO CLEAN THE DOJO!? ILL CLEAN THE DOJO!”

“ENDORPHINS? ENDORPHINS!”

“WE HAVE TO GET RAPH!”

“RAPH!”

“RAPH!”

They turned ran into the railing causing it to cave under their weight making them fall to the next floor but they payed it no mind getting right back up helping their brother to his feet while they kept repeating the same question as he groaned to a stand

“ARE YOU OKAY!?”

“YOU ALRIGHT!?”

“YOU OKAY!?”

The terrapins explained to their brother why they had to go to the finishing each others sentences as they ran around him in circles

“Come on let’s do it for Sensai and Y/n” He stated deeply running out of the building his brothers hit on his tracks making up their on little game of ‘who can catch raphie first?’ he rolled his eyes at it but figured it would tire them out a little so he kept his legs moving

💌💌💌💌

The brothers made it on top of the building as You stood next to Shredder clicking the keys on the keyboard to initiate the toxin for release over New York

You didn’t take a second glance as Shredder turned skeins facing all four terrapins and it could’ve pulled a groan out of him

“Buy me some time… You break the deal and I’ll kill you” You stopped the armored man before continuing your journey of hacking through the systems

“cowabunga!” Michelangelo exclaimed as the turtles ran at Shredder before they were quickly kicked and put down to kiss the floor as Leonardo stood in front of him and he pulled his katanas from his back before nodding as the pair ran towards each other

Shredder slammed the leader on his shell getting a stomp on his plastron before attempting to throw a punch to his jaw the blue clad turtle dodged the hit repeatedly before blocking his face with his katana’s as the steel clacked against each other before the steel made man took him roughly by the shell throwing him off the side of the building

Donatello was next as he held his staff out and Shredder took to blades from each of his hands before putting them together to make double bladed wielding sword and the two clanked both weapons together but the purple clad turtle was soon to thrown off the building

Michelangelo was second to last trying to buy his older brother more time with his cracked shell as he swung his nunchucks freely using the the retractable blade on the side of them the stab into his armor and hop onto his back trying to weld the sharp steel back before he too was quickly thrown off the building with a speed high enough to get him whiplash

Raphael was last more of a distraction than anything as he wasn’t much of use alone parts of his cracked shell covered with duck tape he really wished you could heal him the moment and ended with the same fate as his brothers

Shredder turned back towards you walking back by your side as you set the timer for five minutes before the turtles were back on the building

Suddenly you were out of his sight with a blink of an eye but he paid it no mind as the turtles rushed at him one by one gaining enough momentum to push the armored man off the side of the building

“You know how to work this thing?” The red clad turtle stated gruffly as Donnie set his eyes upon to computer trying to find a place to start to decode it

“It’s a simple command line interface it hasn’t been used in fifteen years, I read about it online but this kind of thing takes time” He stated carefully typing on keys while Raphael watched as Shredder pull himself over the building onto is feet

“I’ll buy you some time” The red clad turtle along with his two other brothers blocked Donnie and themselves from being his blocking Shredders knives with their own defense weapon

“BAM! System disabled! Who wants Italian!? I’m buying! Tiramisu for everybody!” The purple clad turtle cheered soaking his hand flat down on the laptop before he was quickly cut off watching as Shredder called back his knives before throwing them back into the towers weak metal as the canister finally tipped over

“Fall in!” Leonardo shouted as the brothers rushed under the tower taking a corner groaning under the weight

“If the spire falls and the toxin makes a ground impact, it’ll contaminate a ten block radius” Donnie shouted out into the open trying to keep his mind off the weight on his shoulders quite literally

“What’s the odds of us stopping that from happening!?”

“Uhh 0.000000003%!”

“I’ll take it! Nobody moves no matter what.” The blue clad turtle stated finally as Shredder walked to the group Leonardo being his first target as he took a metal fist to the plastron without dropping his arms from holding the falling tower

Suddenly the armored man was pulled back with a force too strong to be human and the turtles could cry at the sight of you standing in all your glory holding a hand out as his metal shrieked against the floor dragging towards you as you put a foot on his metal chest plate

“You traitor” He said with a slight wheeze voice still deep and robotic like as you hummed before speaking

“I just don’t fancy the world going under a pandemic because of silly little chemical, you mortals truly amuse me… You will never be a god Oroku” You chuckled darkly and Leonardo realized you humanity still wasn’t on they’d have to fix that when this was all said and done

Without another word you jerked your neck as the man slid off the side of the towers and you approached the tilting towers and the terrapins felt the pressure leaving their shoulders as they watched you hold both of you hands out with a grunt holding the tower up putting back in place breaking the canister as the red air pressed against a sort of force field pressing back into itself before it finally distinguished

You dropped to your knees blood dripping from your nose as you panted heavily and the brothers rushed towards you bombarding you with questions touching you skin a hand was suddenly on your cheek before you were flooded with darkness

The brothers attentions snapped to April while she gasped loudly mutagen held in her hand as she had just watched the leader in blue snap your neck with a sickening crack

“woah, woah, slow yer’ role there. Vampire, immortal, can only die by a stake to the heart ring a bell by any chance? She’ll be up ready to kick my ass in an hour” Raphael questioned somewhat sarcastically before continuing with his infamous smirk on his face as the news reporters breath immediately slowed

“We gotta get out of here… Thank you O’Neil” Leonardo stated finally carrying your unconscious body in his arms and the brothers one by one said goodbye in their own way and the brunette watched as they finally jumped from one building onto the next the people on the ground below too focused on Shredders unconscious body to see the four mutants silhouettes gone into the light of day

She knew however they would see each other again

💌💌💌💌

“It’s been four days Donnie” Raphael huffed pacing back and forth as they all watched you on the nanny cam or vamp cam as Mikey called it you were tied to a chair shoulders slumped, vervain pumping through your veins, and slowly healing

“It’s tedious process Raph I’m trying to speed it up as most as we can” The purple clad reminded his brother pushing his glasses up on his face

The was the problem the process was too tedious and they all remembered the stages you had to go through so they could find a crack in your humanity

First they had to weaken you which is what called for the vervain pumping through your system like as a makeshift IV Then they had to cause you pain and it was hard for all of them but after multiple days seeing not doing so hot you all know where they were a little less reluctant to, trying to make you feel any emotion possible anger, rage, anything.

But you however figured out very soon that the brothers couldn’t actually do any serious damage to you around four hours ago

💌💌💌💌

You screamed out a groan in agony as Leonardo held the shutter to the window open letting the sun lay on your skin burning you while you struggled against your restraints squirming your daylight ring sitting on the table across the small room that kept you able to walk in the sun freely before finally shutting it waking to stand next to his brother

“You’re gonna thank us for this, once you turn it back on, you realize life of no emotions blew” Raphael stated gruffly before you cut him off

“You knew what else blew? Having to worry about your every move and baby you just because you don’t follow simple directions” That was a low blow but the red clad turtle didn’t let it show on his face as he nodded a sarcastic smirk on his lips as he rolled his eyes

There was a small silence before you were suddenly out of the chair opening the shutters letting your skin burn as you screamed Leonardo quickly rushed to fire extinguisher blowing the cold foam over you blazing body as you dropped to floor wheezing out a chuckle

“I’m the girl you love, I’m your mate. You wouldn’t do anything to actually hurt me you just proved that. So what do I really have to be afraid of?” You stated dryly as Michelangelo and Donatello rushed through the door having watched everything on camera and after the purple clad turtle made sure you were okay he dragged to your feet your arms behind your back before finally sitting you back in the steel chair sticking the needle connected into a tube that connected to the main IV and he made sure up dosage on how much Vervain solution pumped into your bloodstream as you let your head fall backwards sighing deeply and the four brothers left a room without another word

💌💌💌💌

Mikey now sat in the corner on the floor in the fan room as it was his turn to watch you for the night and when he heard you rattling against your chains he knew everything was in motion and just how he expected you were in front of him in a flash not as fast as you usually were with all the vervain in your system but it would do

You pulled him up to his feet and without another word he felt your fangs pierce his neck vision getting a bit blurry as you took blood from him and he soon fell to his on all fours before rolling on his back breathing heavily

“Oh come on I barely drained an artery. Come on get up I’m hungry, my heads fuzzy, I can’t think straight I need more.” You taped his side with your foot ushering him back to his feet as he continued to lie in his unmoving position

“Y/n stop” The orange clad turtle raised his head to lol at you for a second before falling back to the floor with a thud as you mocked for forgiveness

“But you’re so good” Just as you dragged the youngest brother to his feet ready to bight the jugular of his neck you were pushed against the wall your head slamming roughly against the concrete

“Hey! You’re cut off, done! Stop it!” The leader in blue growled in your ear as you struggled against his grip screaming at him for you to let him go

“‘Nough” Raphael stated loud enough for your attention to shift towards him as he shoved Donnie away from checking over Mikey’s body dragging his little brother to his feet as his head fell to the side eyes struggling to stay open

“Yer, actin’ like a little spoiled brat you know that? You think we cant punish you? Maybe not but I can sure punish him”

“You seriously think this is gonn-”

“Shut up! I’m done playin’ nice. Turn yer’ emotions back on Y/n or so help me God I will give ya’ somethin’ ta’ be sad about, I will kill him right in front of you” The red clad turtle cut you off gripping his younger brothers frame against his

“Raphael” Leonardo started

“Don’t Raphael me, she don’t love anyone? Fine prove it, and If I’m wrong what difference does it make? He’ll be outa my hair.” He dropped the orange clad turtle to his knees as he incoherently groaned and whimpered looking towards you for a response

“You’re bluffing.” Not a second later you watched as the red clad turtle twisted Michelangelo’s neck the sickening crunch bouncing off the walls as he fell limp to the floor Leonardo let you out of his hold and you gasped taking a step forward before rushing over to him scrambling to take a seat as you cradled his head you head in your lap

“How ‘bout now you feelin’ anything now? You angry I just turned your buddy into roadkill?” As you took quiet gasps running your hands over his scaled face having taken his orange mask of as sat on the floor beside you

“Or are sad that the guy that everybody loves is just a bag of bones? Trying to imagine when he was a little kid? Warm heart, big goofy smile, brightest laugh, biggest imagination” Raphael pressed as You choked out a silent sob while you pressed your forehead to Mikeys and the apologies spurting from your tongue would never be enough you thought

“My baby, my baby.” You sobbed hardly chest aching heart pounding in your ears and Raph crouched down to meet your eye level

“It’s a good thing he’s wearin’ this then right?” He lifted the youngest terrapins arm to bring in your line of sight and what was on it was a T-pad that Donnie had been working on and he pressed the button of the realistic ‘crunch’ that had sounded through the air

“You feel that weight lifting off yer’ chest? That’s joy ‘cause he ain’t dead, that’s emotion baby, that’s humanity” You took a sharp breath in letting the rest of your tears fall down and Leonardo dropped to his knees behind you wrapping an arm against your shoulder

“You’re okay 花/Hana everyone’s okay” The leader shushed you (flower)

“Why isn’t he waking up?” You sniffled hopelessly looking up towards Donnie as he sadly look down at you before doing the same as his brother taking a seat next to you pressing a kiss to your forehead

“Just a little blood loss he’ll be fine, you can speed it up if you want” He spoke quietly and quick you brought your wrist to to your lips biting into your flesh before you pressed it to Mikey’s mouth letting the blood coat his lips and slide down his throat

“I’m so sorry, I was just trying to protect you I didn’t mean for this to happen for the first time in centuries I was actually scared. I-I didn’t know what to do” Donatello read your vitals starting to come down you were just in a bit of shock it was expected

“Don’t be so harsh on yourself Angel cakes if it made you feel better that was totally hot” The orange clad turtle spoke from his position and rushed to hold him tightly his skin mended together the only thing left was smeared blood against his neck

“Can’t believe that plan actually worked, yer a little wuss you know that?” Raphael’s voice cracked slightly eyes watering as you stared up at him with a relieved watery look on your face and that’s all it took for the buff raging red turtle to join in the forming turtle pile around you

💌💌💌💌

WOO after about just under a week and a half of writing I’m done

*cracks neck*

time to take another three week break 😊

[rjzimmerman]

Food as You Know It Is About to Change. (New York Times Op-Ed)

From the vantage of the American supermarket aisle, the modern food system looks like a kind of miracle. Everything has been carefully cultivated for taste and convenience — even those foods billed as organic or heirloom — and produce regarded as exotic luxuries just a few generations ago now seems more like staples, available on demand: avocados, mangoes, out-of-season blueberries imported from Uruguay.

But the supermarket is also increasingly a diorama of the fragility of a system — disrupted in recent years by the pandemic, conflict and, increasingly, climate change. What comes next? Almost certainly, more disruptions and more hazards, enough to remake the whole future of food.

The world as a whole is already facing what the Cornell agricultural economist Chris Barrett calls a “food polycrisis.” Over the past decade, he says, what had long been reliable global patterns of year-on-year improvements in hunger first stalled and then reversed. Rates of undernourishment have grown 21 percent since 2017. Agricultural yields are still growing, but not as quickly as they used to and not as quickly as demand is booming. Obesity has continued to rise, and the average micronutrient content of dozens of popular vegetables has continued to fall. The food system is contributing to the growing burden of diabetes and heart disease and to new spillovers of infectious diseases from animals to humans as well.

And then there are prices. Worldwide, wholesale food prices, adjusted for inflation, have grown about 50 percent since 1999, and those prices have also grown considerably more volatile, making not just markets but the whole agricultural Rube Goldberg network less reliable. Overall, American grocery prices have grown by almost 21 percent since President Biden took office, a phenomenon central to the widespread perception that the cost of living has exploded on his watch. Between 2020 and 2023, the wholesale price of olive oil tripled; the price of cocoa delivered to American ports jumped by even more in less than two years. The economist Isabella Weber has proposed maintaining the food equivalent of a strategic petroleum reserve, to buffer against shortages and ease inevitable bursts of market chaos.

Price spikes are like seismographs for the food system, registering much larger drama elsewhere — and sometimes suggesting more tectonic changes underway as well. More than three-quarters of the population of Africa, which has already surpassed one billion, cannot today afford a healthy diet; this is where most of our global population growth is expected to happen this century, and there has been little agricultural productivity growth there for 20 years. Over the same time period, there hasn’t been much growth in the United States either.

Though American agriculture as a whole produces massive profits, Mr. Barrett says, most of the country’s farms actually lose money, and around the world, food scarcity is driving record levels of human displacement and migration. According to the World Food Program, 282 million people in 59 countries went hungry last year, 24 million more than the previous year. And already, Mr. Barrett says, building from research by his Cornell colleague Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, the effects of climate change have reduced the growth of overall global agricultural productivity by between 30 and 35 percent. The climate threats to come loom even larger.

It can be tempting, in an age of apocalyptic imagination, to picture the most dire future climate scenarios: not just yield declines but mass crop failures, not just price spikes but food shortages, not just worsening hunger but mass famine. In a much hotter world, those will indeed become likelier, particularly if agricultural innovation fails to keep pace with climate change; over a 30-year time horizon, the insurer Lloyd’s recently estimated a 50 percent chance of what it called a “major” global food shock.

But disruption is only half the story and perhaps much less than that. Adaptation and innovation will transform the global food supply, too. At least to some degree, crops such as avocados or cocoa, which now regularly appear on lists of climate-endangered foodstuffs, will be replaced or redesigned. Diets will shift, and with them the farmland currently producing staple crops — corn, wheat, soy, rice. The pressure on the present food system is not a sign that it will necessarily fail, only that it must change. Even if that progress does come to pass, securing a stable and bountiful future for food on a much warmer planet, what will it all actually look like?

[purplemortuary]

My heart hurts.

Atsushi Sakurai, you gave me countless moments of joy, sadness, nostalgia and love among many feelings.

I don't even remember how I found out about Buck-Tick but wasn't more than a couple of years ago, sadly I didn't find your music before which would have been a delight.

I'm still making my peace with the fact that you won't be around anymore, I have moments of denial and moments of tears. There are instants in which I'm like "But how? He was here last month, how is he not here anymore, he was still young"

It all felt so sudden but somewhat I've been depressed for days and I didn't know why, I guess I was even more worried than what I wanted to admit after his heath declined but a part of me was trying to think "he's alright and resting with his cats at home"

But days kept passing and there were no news, U-ta said he was going to take a break from his blog which felt odd but I still thought "maybe they realised it's time to take it slower and take care of themselves"

When I finally saw the announcement, a chill runs through my body and I am shaking, I told a friend with whom I was talking to "he died" and I couldn't believe the words came out of my fingers typing. I read the post probably 20 times hoping for it to change.

Then it all made sense, Issay, COVID, the stress he was probably having, his voice being hurt, Imai drinking a beer I believe in the middle of the night, U-ta stopping his blog and the very late birthday wish for Imai on the Instagram profile.

He died the very day he stumbled in his feet but still kept going for three songs, I heard from people who were there that something didn't feel right from the start, that day will stay forever in my heart. I have many drafts and sketches of him but almost never finished anything, one day I might.

I know that I will never get the chance to see you dance and sing with your beautiful voice which was something I was planning on my trip to Japan in the next few years, now even thinking about travelling feels painful, but I'll try to remember the good side of you, the songs you gave us, the laughs and smiles you gifted us, the thoughts you shared with us, the turbulent times and the happy times.

I know you probably had a difficult and sometimes lonely life, sometimes I felt connected to your opinions in interviews and views on life and relationships.

I don't know what's going to happen to the band now, only time and decisions of Mr. Imai, Mr. Hoshino, Mr. Yuta and Mr. Yagami will say.

Regardless of what happens, I will support their choice and keep loving them as the band that was born in school and didn't know the future was going to be more than 35 years together, a life full of experiences.

Thank you so much for sharing a part of your life with us and I'm forever grateful that I got to exist in the same timeline as you.

Photo: Atsushi Sakurai's hand (top) in 2017 from Jin Shirosaki's blog (https://ameblo.jp/shirosaki-jin/entry-12342363953.html)

[historyhermann]

Villainous Review

Villainous, also known as Villanos, is animated series which mixes the science fantasy, morbid humor, and comedy horror genres. Alan Ituriel, a veteran of the Mexican animation industry, is the series creator. This series is produced by Ituriel's A.I. Animation Studios and Cartoon Network. Humberto Cervera and Mayte Sanz are also executive producers. There will be spoilers.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the thirty-third article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on May 26, 2023.

This series flips the script often employed in superhero fiction such as Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Tokyo Mew Mew (and the reboot), Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon Crystal, Vixen, and Young Justice. It focuses on the Black Hat Organization, run by the villainous Black Hat (voiced by Ituriel). He is assisted by his team of three aides: Dr. Flug (voiced by Yian Riuz), Demencia (voiced by Cindy Eliz Pérez), and 5.0.5. (voiced by Mark Fischbach). They are contracted by other villains to "solve" their problems with heroes, either directly or indirectly, or sell inventions created by Dr. Flug. Their plans often go awry with comical and absurd consequences.

Villainous has garnered a massive following since the first webisodes premiered in 2012, followed by efforts by Ituriel to pitch the series to Cartoon Network. This resulted in the pilot airing in June 2019. The series had a backdoor pilot in the Season Two Victor and Valentino episode "Villainy In Monte Macabre", in October 2020. There were 29 shorts featuring the same characters, which aired from May 2017 to February 2019 on the Cartoon Network Latin America YouTube channel. Even one "episode" was released which consisted of the creators rick-rolling the show's fans.

Some have posted their own dubs of the show's six episodes, which were released in Spanish language in October 2021, on HBO Max LA, and other content. Their recent, and official, release as part of "Season 1a" on the newly renamed "Max" streaming service (formerly known as "HBO Max"), makes them more accessible to new and old fans alike.

The first episode of Villainous sets the tone. A superhero named Sunblast (voiced by Roly Gutiérrez) beats up a villain, Penumbra (voiced by Rebecca Manriquez), because his new punching bag hasn't been delivered. It is also a good introduction to each of the characters: a nervous and nerdy scientist in his 20s named Dr. Flug who wears a paper bag over his head, a green-haired mischief-loving fan of Black Hat named Demencia, and a big blue bear named 5.0.5. The latter is a contradiction, as he was intended to be evil, but is very loving, and likes hugging people. He also serves as the housekeeper-of-sorts of the Black Hat Organization (BHO).

Even from the first episode you can somewhat sympathize with these villains, despite their trapping of Sunblast in a jar, punching Ringworm (voiced by Sean Davis) into submission, and dropping heroes in pits without a second thought. This sympathy is clear when the three protagonists are yelled at by Black Hat for doing a "mediocre" job. One character in particular, Dr. Flug, is scared of his boss (Black Hat), ghosts like Emilia (voiced by Jackie Rodriguez), wrestlers, and almost being killed by heroes.

I liked how the series mixes humor with violence and "course language". For instance, a group of kids, based on Scooby-Doo protagonists, are scared off by a possessed fence. Later, the unstoppable Bulldozer (voiced by David Steel) attempts to destroy the Outlaw House (voiced by Alex Texeira). He is stopped by 5.0.5., as bears terrify him after one bit him years ago.

Sometimes this comedy is continued during the episode credits. In the episode 2 credits, Bulldozer ends up in the cave house of the three protagonists of We Bare Bears (Grizzly, Panda, and Ice Bear), another CN series. In the credits of the fourth episode, the heroic Airlock (voiced by Jinon Deebs), a short-haired White woman, is eaten by a space monster. This is after she escaped the show's protagonists because she found them as very "annoying".

This brings me to another part which I enjoy about Villainous: crossovers with other series. The third episode, reportedly a homage to the Mexican wrestling films of the 1960s, features characters from Victor and Valentino and Helluva Boss in the stands. A few episodes later, Johnny Bravo, from the series of the same name, is a background character, while the robotic lawyers for Black Hat bring plagiarism cases against characters from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.

That same episode also features Harvey Birdman from the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, and characters from Grim and Evil like Hector Con Carne. Again, these are all CN series, which makes the crossovers all the more interesting.

In the third episode of Villainous, the three protagonists are tasked at eliminating a luchador named El Valiente (voiced by Jose Aparicio) by their client, Adelita Guerrero (voiced by Margarita Coego). It reminds me of three series: Carmen Sandiego, Elena of Avalor and Victor and Valentino.

In the latter two, there are episodes in which the protagonists, or supporting characters, are possessed by a mask, like Mascara Macabra (voiced by Aparicio) in this series, or another individual. As for Carmen Sandiego, the Season Three opening episode features Carmen attending a wrestling match in hopes of finding her mother.

The characters of Villainous become even more relatable in the last couple episodes. In the fourth episode, Dr. Flug's favorite series is spoiled by a sassy A.I. named V.I.R.U.S. (voiced by Sean Davis). Even worse, 5.0.5. is horrified when Black Hat ruins a children's show, almost akin to the Teletubbies. It becomes horrific after Black Hat causes the Sun to light the bears on fire.

The series pokes fun at itself. In one episode, the copycats/doppelgangers claim they are BHO in order to rake in profits for themselves. This is better executed than the "Pirates" episode of Cleopatra in Space, as each of the protagonists comes across a "stronger" version of themselves. Hilariously, and sadly, 5.0.5.'s counterpart is just a cactus. In that same episode, I liked how Dr. Flug blatantly interrupts the "origin story" of the other version of Black Hat, annoying him to no end.

The final episode of Villainous ends the series on bang. It focuses on a self-absorbed social media influencer named Miss Heed (voiced by Katherine Clavelo), who Dr. Flug knew when he went to the academy. She is far worse than those depicted in the first season of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, or the currently airing Kizuna no Allele.

In fact, Heed has a special concoction she sprays on the city residents to make them love her. In an indictment of such influencers, also known as internet personalities or internet celebrities, and their power, Dr. Flug is able to take her down, with the assistance of Demencia. His kiss with her, is streamed and goes viral. It causes all of her zombie "fans" to fall out of love with her.

While some series would have stopped there, Villainous goes the extra step. Heed is pushed into a vat of her own liquid, ending her plan to be the "most-loved" hero. She is locked up in a maximum security prison. Fitting with her personality, she falls off her rocker, and demands that people need to love her. In one of the best scenes in the series, Flug, after learning about Goldheart's plan to eliminate all villains, tells Heed that she needs to love herself first (i.e. self-love) before she can love anyone else.

The entire sequence, at first, appears to reinforce retributive justice paradigms. The latter involves punishment being imposed unilaterally, no option for remorse, and crime in the domain of the state. This is interlinked with the narrative that violence is justified as long as it is directed at those deemed as "evil". It further involves heroes in league with the criminal system and has an assumption that villains cannot be rehabilitated. On the other hand, Villainous turns this around, as Heed is a hero and Flug is a villain, meaning that a "hero" is being locked away for something a "villain" would do.

While Flug's kiss is a one-off interaction, Demencia's romantic obsession with Black Hat spans the series. She believes that her romantic feelings will be reciprocated, but he likely doesn't care much about her. However, her love saves her from Heed's concoction, as she only has love for him. More than anything, Demencia is an obsessed fan. Perhaps her character is symbolic of out-of-control fans which feel the same way about public figures, to the detriment of themselves and those personalities.

All in all, this series has many similarities to Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel, especially the former. BHO somewhat resembles I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals). The latter is contracted by demons in hell to assassinate people in the world of the living. The difference is that BHO specifically focuses on heroes and is only contracted by villains.

The last episode of Villainous, at present, lays the groundwork for future episodes. Goldheart (voiced by Oliver Roberts) seems to know Dr. Flug, declaring "Flug, what did you do now?" The efforts of BHO to counter him could be an important storyline.

A possible second season, might not follow a serialized format. The six current episodes have the same characters, but are not, serialized. Each episode could stand on its own. This does not diminish the series, however.

The voice actors for this series stand out. Apart from Ituriel, Yian Riuz, Cindy Eliz Pérez, and Mark Fischbach, who voice the protagonists, are all talented. Fischbach is a well-known YouTuber, with this as his first voice role. In contrast, Pérez previously played a character in BoBoiBoy Elemental Heroes, and Riuz in Mashed!

Similarly, Sahid Pabon, Roly Gutiérrez, Connie Fernandez, Yenni Ann, Guia Burns, and Jason Kessler, who voice villains, wrestlers, henchmen, and others in the series, are equally talented. They have lent their voices to characters in Monkey King Reborn, Legend Quest, Gintama, Leo De Vinci, Rainbow High, Kageki Shojo!!, and Kemono Friends.

This is also the case for the Spanish-language voice actors, such as José Antonio Macías, Melissa Gedeón, Lourdes Arruti, and Diego Valenzuela. They have voiced characters in video games, animated shorts, and productions such as Guardians of Oz, and Top Cat.

The producers of Villainous worked on The Flying Machine, Hua Se, Frankelda's Book of Spooks, Pucca, Pandalian, Eden, Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You, and Xi you ji. Kevin Manthei, the music composer, worked on Ben 10, Spider-Man, Robot Chicken, Ultimate Spider-Man, Polly Pocket, Hanny Manny, Invader Zim, and Generator Rex.

Other than the amazing dubbing by VOA Studios, in Miami, the show's crew includes alums from many series. This includes Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Dota: Dragon's Blood, Black Dynamite, Legend of Korra, OK K.O. Let's Be Heroes!, Danger House, Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law, and Scan2Go.

Villainous is more than a series with humor reminiscent of 1990s cartoons. It has themes about overcoming your inner demons and lampoons popular Cartoon Network series. This is accompanied by entertaining characters, which have intriguing dynamics and comraderie within the BHO, wonderful animation, character design, artwork, and creativity. What other series has villains traveling to their destination in a flying hat spewing smoke?

I haven't watched enough Invader Zim or The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy to say if Villainous is like those series. However, each character is interesting enough and the story is engaging that Villainous could run for many seasons. If Helluva Boss has aired 12 episodes, why can't Villainous do the same? Perhaps the cast could become even more diverse and LGBTQ characters could be added. The latter would further enhance the series.

Unfortunately, Villainous comes at a time of extreme flux at Max's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. This includes an error causing writers, directors, and creators to all be lumped together into one category. There has been an awful rollout of the "Max"  streaming service, in an inane effort to "attract" families.

This comes after the cruel content purge at HBO Max, former name for the service. It resulted in the removal of Infinity Train, Mighty Magiswords, Uncle Grandpa, Final Space, and Close Enough. None of them have been re-added to Max. The content purge on Hulu, and on Max, was discussed in a PCM podcast on May 22nd.

Despite the shenanigans of the corporate executives, I am hopeful that Villainous will be continued with additional episodes. All in all, I highly recommend Villainous as a series to watch.

Villainous is currently streaming on Max.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[endwersed]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by the fabulous @dear-massacre 😘

How many works do you have on ao3?

21 - it would be a lot higher, but I purged all but one of my old Destiel fics back in 2017. They weren't very good, so I can't say I really regret it 🤷‍♀️

What's your total ao3 word count?

319,994

What fandoms do you write for?

Now, just Teen Wolf 🐺

Top five fics by kudos:

Find Your Fire - Reddie (IT)

Clue(less) - Reddie (IT)

Nah, He Didn't - Destiel (Supernatural)

Worst Enemy - Reddie (IT)

as dear as a brother - Sterek (TW)

Do you respond to comments?

Embarrassingly, it's very hit and miss... I want to! I love and cherish every single comment I ever get! But I find the process of replying to comments bizarrely stressful, so sometimes it takes me... a while. And that while might be, like, years. Sorry!!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I genuinely don't have anything with an angsty ending posted; I need my boys to be happy too badly for that. I guess I could say maybe striking out - just because it's not finished yet, and where it is in the story right now is angsty af!

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

All of them have rom-com level happy endings lol. Maybe Clue(less) - it's a childhood friends-to-lovers soulmate AU, so it has all the sap that comes with those particular tropes wrapped up in there.

Do you get hate on fics?

I wouldn't call it hate, per se - but I guess my interpretation of Stiles is a bit harsher/more rough-edged than others I've seen, and some people don't vibe with that, so I get comments telling me they don't like Stiles in my story for XYZ reason.

To be clear - I also don't write Derek as a completely faultless, entirely perfect guy. I also have him do bad (arguably worse, in some fics) things. But for some reason, I don't ever really get the same kind of comments about him!

Do you write smut?

Like, almost exclusively at this point. It's like my brain can't come up with a story unless I'll get a chance to write them fucking nasty in it.

Craziest crossover:

None, they're not really my jam.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

omg yes! years ago! It was this Destiel HS AU I had posted on AO3 (since deleted because it was... not good) and someone posted it onto ff.net and claimed it was theirs. I can't remember if I ever was successful in getting it taken down.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I don't think so!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have not.

All time favourite ship?

All time is so hard... I do probably have to say Sterek. I shipped them intensely back in 2012, and I ship them even more intensely now. So - yeah. Probably them.

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Are we talking real WIP that I've actually made a meaningful dent in? Or just ideas I've put down to paper?

Because I have so many ideas, there isn't enough time to actually finish them all lol. But for fics I have actively started, I'm pretty confident I'll manage to muddle through to the end of all of them, even if it takes a little while.

What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue and smut, I think.

I tend to develop a scene around the dialogue - in that, it's the dialogue that will come to me first when I'm planning the outline, and I'll note it down for when I come around to writing the scene. Then it's mostly a case of refining that dialogue and building the scene with descriptions around it.

I also love smut as character study. It's not just about being horny for them. It's about being horny for their introspection, too.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I don't have the imagination to come up with some of the flowery prose I see and love from other people. I wish I did, but that's just not how my brain works unfortunately!

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I only really feel comfortable writing in languages I'm fluent in. For anything else, I think we all know Google Translate can't be trusted, so I just... avoid it.

First fandom you wrote in?

Harry Potter! Wolfstar all the way back on ff.net <3

Favorite fic you've written?

Oh god, this is hard. Let's go with a Teen Wolf fic, because they're the nearest and dearest to my heart right now.

I think I'd say feels so good inside. It was so much fun to write, and I just love loss of virginity fics so damn much.

-

Open tag to anyone who wants a go!

[chestnutroan]

A very old fallout 4 oc, Calvin

[mariacallous]

Like a venomous puss moth emerging from its hard cocoon, the social network formerly known as Twitter has fully metamorphosed into X.com.

Various elements of Twitter had already embraced the rebranding, and the company has been using X.com links since early April. But now the domain has flipped over entirely, marking the end of a tumultuous transition period—and erasing the last vestiges of the bird app.

“We are letting you know that we are changing our URL, but your privacy and data protection settings remain the same,” reads a message at the bottom of the X login and home pages.

The switchover has been a long time coming. X owner Elon Musk announced the shift from Twitter to X last July, a few months after he officially acquired the company. But the billionaire has for decades harbored a dream of creating an “everything app” by that name, and Twitter is his vessel.

“The Twitter name made sense when it was just 140-character messages going back and forth—like birds tweeting—but now you can post almost anything, including several hours of video,” Musk wrote on the newly redubbed X last summer. “In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world. The Twitter name does not make sense in that context, so we must bid adieu to the bird.”

Twitter under Musk has indeed added video and voice calls to its roster of features. It has also replatformed conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones, fostered a welcoming environment for porn spam accounts, made an absolute hash out of verification, introduced a monetization system that encourages rampant engagement farming, gutted its trust and safety team, allowed a surge in hate speech on the platform, designated NPR as “US state-affiliated media,” removed news headlines entirely and then reintroduced them in a weird spot, kneecapped a bunch of fun bots and third-party apps by introducing wildly expensive API changes while giving blue-check verification to AI-generated chum, pivoted to video, introduced an AI model that will help you do crimes, and overseen a decline in usage of more than 20 percent in the US, according to app analytics firm SensorTower.

The “entire financial world” part remains a work in progress.

A sentimentalist may bemoan the death of Twitter, which for all its faults always had a capacity to delight and surprise. But remember that this transformation was inevitable. Musk first owned X.com in 1999, when he cofounded an online bank by that name; it would eventually merge with a competitor and become PayPal. He bought X.com back from PayPal in 2017, tweeting that it had “great sentimental value.” And he has seen Twitter as an opportunity to create X on Earth since before the acquisition was even completed, according to Musk biographer Walter Isaacson.

“In the days leading up to his takeover of Twitter at the end of October 2022, Musk’s moods fluctuated wildly,” Isaacson wrote in Elon Musk. “He said that he would turn it into the combination of financial platform and social network he had envisioned 24 years earlier for X.com, and he added that he planned to rebrand it with that name, which he loved.”

To put an even finer point on it, Musk’s tweet today announcing that “all core systems are now on X.com” featured the logo of the company he founded 25 years ago.

While X may never become the everything app of Musk’s dreams, it’s undeniably and indelibly a different place than the one he bought. Which in some ways makes this final transition all the more palatable. Whatever Elon Musk’s platform has become, it’s certainly not Twitter. Call it whatever you want.

[hoovesandfloorpaws]

i finally watched the Zane Lowe interview with Harry for Harry’s House from 2022 — and it was really lovely.

I hadn’t really watched any interviews of solo Harry yet -outside of a few 30 second clips of an interview from 2017-, so it was a definite change from watching him having about 5 seconds to answer a question during all the 1D era interviews and then being interrupted after 20 seconds of talking, to actually getting to hear him explain something in a calm and proper long-winded way; making a few detours here and there, as one Harold does 😌

although to be honest, these kinds of interviews are hard for me personally to concentrate on (got bad adhd), i’ve wanted to make the effort, because it’s Harry and a) it’s really not often he, you know, really talks in interviews (the ‘bold of you to assume he’s ever said anything about anything’-meme is so REAL) and b) because it really interested me what he had to say; to see where his mind was at two years ago, especially since i haven’t been around on a fan-level in six years.

i feel like he still held a LOT close to his chest; was often very vague when something led towards his personal life (except that story about driving through Europe in Robin’s car.. that was so personal and moving) and that’s completely okay, of course! but I personally sometimes have trouble following a story when it’s all kept so very vague, because I can’t really grasp what he’s trying to say when he’s talking around certain words; being descriptive rather than factual (if that makes sense). i find it hard to grasp a point that’s not being flat out said. that���s a me-problem with me poor comprehension skills, though.

i really appreciate the thoughts that he shared, the amount of vulnerability that he did give (because he does not owe that to us at all) and i found myself smiling without even noticing many times, because listening to his voice and little anecdotes is a special kind of comfort.

and I found it so curious to look at him at 28 in that interview, while mentally getting constant flashes of little moments of when he was 18.. and to see the stark contrasts (that in moments, in a way made it hard to grasp that that was still the same person), but also some mannerisms and micro expressions on his face that are still the same. time is such a wild concept and 10 years can hold almost entire lifetime’s worth of experiences. at only 28, in that interview, to me Harry feels like he’s in his 2nd or 3rd life era already.

but i’m rambling again.

i’m grateful that this interview exists and it was a beautiful experience getting a little glimpse into Harry’s mind when, how and why he made Harry’s House. (I haven’t yet listened to any of it myself, I still have Fine Line on my catch-up menu before that.)

Harry’s aura holds such softness and gentleness, all that was missing from my watch was a blanket and a warm cup of tea and I would’ve felt like in a happy cocoon.

I love Harry so much. Only human, certainly with flaws like we all have, but such a special person through and through. He deserves everything good in this world. Louis would certainly agree :’)

[christmasintheloonybin]

could you write about your time spent at community college, discovered your blog today and those were the posts that stood out to me for whatever reason(anime girl with pilgrim dress and sweet boy that dressed as a metalhead) poignantly reminiscent

sure it's funny you bring this up I almost forget my posts are public like out to everyone. I feel like I'm in a group chat or something a lot of the time, it is really a very small group of people I interact with on here most of the time.

like everything else once it's over I remember it fondly. but I specifically remember my first real "it's fucking over" moment. my first day at community college. and I think this was a huge mistake of my life, I wish I had applied to a normal college and just went and studied something and gotten a degree in it and right now I had some career. but whatever.

I was really really into music at the time, right after high school it was a big deal to me. and I had recently gotten really really into John Maus and Ariel Pink, and they were releasing music back then it was great. in 2017. so my main kind of feeling is being on the bus listening to John Maus, going to community college. listening to the song "Believer." walking through snow on the way to the bus. and honestly like, I think about my life and i really was never genuinely depressed until age 20. there was always some kind of light in my life. even if it was just music or anime or something like this, i was also watching anime at this time, there was something that could really excite me and make me feel like wow it's all worth it because there's this thing that's so fucking cool. so I really wasn't depressed I always had that. there were moments I was frustrated with life but ultimately I was quite happy. I felt like my life was about to begin and I just had to choose which awesome and exciting direction to go in. didn't work out that way.

the people you bring up were the main characters really and I guess I've already described them in the post you're referencing. that's pretty much the most exciting part. I never had any adventures with them because I was too shy to have a proper conversation with them. the actual schoolwork was extremely easy. the teachers were often kind of checked out. uninteresting.

I went back recently, well, almost two years ago now, I met another main character type person who I befriended pretty easily, he was like this skater guy who was maybe kind of gay I didn't ask him. from California oddly enough. but we got along pretty well talking about music, which even at this point I wasn't so interested in but I know a lot about so I can have conversations. we were on the path I think to becoming real life friends but I kept honestly forgetting to respond to his texts so eventually he stopped texting me and it never really grew to be a real friendship it was more just in class.

but both stints at community college I would rank as somewhat happier than the baseline for my adult life. shit was going on.

[laurolive]

A Kiss that Made the Papers

Where were you in ‘82?

24 September 1982, London. A triple threat event: Linda’s 1st London photography exhibit, launch party for her 2nd photo book, and possible birthday party. Photo by Robert Rosen.

(See also The Guardian Archives 21 Sept 1982: First London exhibition for Linda McCartney. Although the article states that the events occurred on her 40th birthday, Linda was actually born in 1941; so this would have been her 41st birthday.)

“I got it!” recalled celebrity photographer Robert Rosen of the moment his camera captured a kiss between the McCartneys. “That photo went worldwide…” [link1, link2]

It instantly appeared on page 5 of the Friday 24 September 1982 issue of The Daily Mirror [link], complete with its own title and a little essay (reproduced below).

YESTERDAY… And after 13 years together a kiss is still something special for Paul and Linda by WILLIAM MARSHALL GENTLY, almost shyly, Paul McCartney kisses his wife, Linda. It happened at a party in London to launch Linda's latest book of photographs. The kiss is loving, sexual in a restrained kind of way, absolutely decent and breathes of a solid conventional marriage of four-square family values. The normal pattern for a multi-millionaire star like Paul would have been several divorces, a string o1 multi-coloured affairs, and a rapidly fraying life. Instead, McCartney, at 40 an enduring elder statesman in the ragamuffin rock world, beats a steady path into middle age with an ex-divorcee for a wife. They married more than 13 years ago. When I first met Paul twenty-odd years ago in the rackety, smokey music cellars of Liverpool he was a bright-faced kid for whom the world had suddenly been flung at at his feet — along with the rest of the Beatles. But even then, while all about him exploded into hysteria and chaos, he viewed the present and future with an eye like an experienced general before a battle. He came from a steady home background, adored his father and never subscribed to the passing whims and fancies that dictated that families, kids and lifelong marriages should be kicked out the door.

Takeaways

Paul doesn’t look so shy to me, ha ha (neither of them do).

An elder statesman of rock?? Beating a path to middle age?? But he’s only 40! And a young looking 40 at that. Let’s not call him an elder statesman until he gets some gray in his hair or until he reaches the titular age of 64, whichever comes last. On a more serious note, though, Marshall was probably speaking of generational impact rather than literal age. McCartney wrote more influential music before he turned 30 than most composers had written in a lifetime.

“… families, kids and lifelong marriages…” Count Mr. Marshall as a perceptive observer who could tell that what Paul and Linda had was a lifelong marriage — even at the relative “newlywed” stage of a mere 13 years. 😎

And Paul and Linda loved the photo. They have a copy. 💋

In a 20 Sept 2017 interview in I-D magazine [link], Rosen was asked which one of his photos he was really proud of. It was the Paul and Linda kiss photo, of course. Rosen says,

“I love the shot of Paul and Linda McCartney kissing. As soon as I had it developed I just thought, wow, I did that. I sent them a print but didn't hear anything more until a few months later, when, Paul and Linda turned up to a gallery event I happened to be at. At one point, Linda tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Are you ignoring us?' She gave me a big hug and told me they loved the photo. That obviously meant a great deal to me.”

_____________________

[tillthereweretangents]

Do either of you have thoughts on Ringo’s song Electricity? I’ve been wondering who other than Johnny Guitar could be the ‘gangster of love smiling from above’ and what that means about the song in general.

Not so long ago back in Liverpool Playing every show while working in the factory Music was the scene, I was on my way Chasing my own dream with Rory and the Hurricanes Before he became the keeper of the plane And by the name of Johnny Guitar Electricity coming through his fingers Every time he plays, everybody lingers On the verge of a serious power surge Electricity, and I still remember back in the day No one there will forget the way he played Electricity As it turned out good Made it here to Hollywood Playing just the same I guess there's things that never change Just like from the start Every night I gave my heart Trying to make it good Just like I know I could The gangster of love Is smiling from above So we play this one to Johnny Guitar Electricity coming through his fingers Every time he plays, everybody lingers Electricity, and I still remember back in the day No one there will forget the way he played Electricity Electricity coming through his fingers Every time he plays, everybody lingers Electricity, and I still remember back in the day No one there will forget the way he played Electricity

First off, thank you so much for the comment!

We're sure this song is about Johnny Guitar (he's named right there in the chorus). Did you have other ideas who Ringo might be thinking of?

Johnny died in 1999 and the song was released in 2017, almost 20 years later, so it makes sense that Ringo is talking about Johnny looking down on him from heaven as it were.

Gangster of Love

This is in reference to a 1957 recording by Johnny "Guitar" Watson"

It didn't gain traction in 1957, but he rerecorded it in the 70s, which is what you see here, and then it did chart.

He could have chosen a different song from a different year. I find it quite interesting he chose a song from 1957, which was before he and Johnny met, but is the year that John and Paul met.

With this information we can absolutely say that "gangster of love" refers to Johnny Guitar and only Johnny guitar.

One other lyric we'd like to note, even though you only asked about this one.

Keeper of the plane

The Hawker Hurricane was a very famous plane from WWII. It would have been well-known to all the lads in Liverpool.

When Rory died, Johnny took over as leader of the Hurricanes. We're pretty sure that's what Ringo is referring to with "keeper of the plane".

So those are all our thoughts on "Electricity"

Ultimately, it's very clear Johnny held a special place in Ringo's heart even many years after his death. To us it sounds fairly romantic, maybe even akin to "Here Today," but it could also just be an ode to a good friend who had passed.

What do you think?