#his allure is his divorced energy

[lady-starkiller]

modern au crozier fumbling both sophia and fitz has to be among the top ten category 5 francis crozier moments alluded to around the university

[luv-elixir]

❧ Body Electric ☙

Stepfather Leon S. Kennedy x reader

Word count : 7.4K

18+ Content warnings : Stepcest, manipulation, power imbalance, naïve/insecure reader, age gap, corruption, c*m-fetish, slight size kink, slapping, spitting, degradation, stepdad!Leon, stepdaughter!reader, reader has a tiny electra complex. (Slight mentions of reader being verbally abused by mother along with mommy/daddy issues.) Porn with plot.

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION! I DO NOT CONDONE ANY OF THE ACTIONS WRITTEN BELOW; ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IS PURE FICTION AND FANTASY!

Summertime was always a weird time for you.

When you were a child, your parents would just send you off to a camp to avoid dealing with you for a while, and when you were sent back home, you’d hide in your room while they fought for hours on end.

Even after they got divorced, the arguments seemed to never end. A constant battle over who would have the responsibility of caring for you all summer finally being settled when your grandmother offered to take you in until the season was over.

Now, as a university student, you would be spending your summer at your mother and her new husband, Mr. Kennedy's, home.

Interactions with both your parents had been scarce when you started university. You simply just didn't have the time or energy for them to berate you with your hectic schedule. It was no surprise to hear your mother had been dating; with your father getting married a few years prior and her having a few boyfriends here and there, you couldn’t bring yourself to care about her love life. You did start caring when she told you she was engaged.

It came as a huge shock when you finally met the mystery man.

He was handsome.

Everything about him was striking; he was an Adonis, simply too beautiful to be human. So beautiful that you nearly forgot your mother was right there and that the only reason you met was because he was to marry her.

How could your mother draw a man like him into her iron-clad grip? He was charming, caring, attentive, conscientious, and frankly too good for a woman like her, or anyone for that matter. Leon Scott Kennedy was simply too good to be true.

You truly had no idea how they had gotten into a relationship. Hell, you didn't even know your mother wanted to get married again. It was all a huge question mark for you. The only thing you were sure of was his name, age, and your affinity for him.

The wedding happened exactly three months after you met. You knew it was wrong, but you couldn’t help the sinful thoughts you had as they married. He just looked so handsome in his suit that you couldn’t help but fantasize about his big hands touching you, ignoring the wedding band tying him to your mother.

Laying in bed that night, furiously rubbing your aching clit, you moaned his name and thought of how you wished he was yours instead of your mother's. But more importantly, you tried to pull your head out of the clouds and make yourself remember that it would never happen.

Little did you know that all those countless nights you spent fantasizing about him, he was thinking of you too. It was his fucking honeymoon and he couldn’t stop thinking of you. Jerking himself off, thinking of your alluring face and delicate body. He couldn’t resist using the image of a little beauty like yourself to get him off, even while the beauty’s mother slept right beside him…

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You are so fucking naive and clueless to not realize how obvious you were being with your crush on your stepfather. It was clear as day to any man who had ever been lusted over that you liked Leon more than a stepdaughter should.

Of course Leon knew; he knew from the moment he saw that shyness show up in your beautiful eyes when he first introduced himself that you had a crush, and damn, he is more than happy about it.

Every time his precious stepdaughter and his wife left home he would snoop through his sweet angel's room. It started out small—just quick peeks, leaving everything alone—but overtime it began to escalate.

Leon only does it because he cares; he wants to make sure his precious baby is happy and isn’t getting into any trouble. At least that was his justification. He knew you were quite a covert girl; being raised Catholic and raised by sanctimonious (hypocritical) parents, you were never one to step out of line, fearing the wrath of your parents. Being sent to an all-girls Catholic school, your interactions with boys and men had been few and limited; he was sure the only friends you had who were boys were your family members. You were hardly ever allowed to go out without the supervision of your mother, but it still didn’t hurt to check. After all, you are now one of his responsibilities.

When Leon would go through your drawers to see the clothes you hid from your mother that you bought at cheap second-hand stores, knowing that she would scream and berate you for owning a skirt that goes above the knee, he would imagine how beautiful you must look in them and how happy you must be wearing something you truly liked, even if you could only wear it in the safety of your room; it made his heart flutter.

His favorite thing to do in your room was to read your diaries. He thought it was so adorable how you kept every single one that you’ve ever had. It was a big invasion of privacy, but you didn’t even bother to hide your most recent one, and he just couldn’t resist. Reading them was exhilarating; learning more about you and what goes on in your little head made him feel closer to you. Leon just wants to know so he can protect you better, understand you better, and learn to love you better.

He thought it was adorable how you’d write about almost every interaction he’s ever had with you, like the time he bought you your favorite singer's vinyl records and a Polaroid camera after you asked your mother if you could buy them yourself a few days prior and she refused to let you. You jumped into his arms, hugging him with all your heart and giving him infinite ‘thank you so much, Mr. Kennedy’s." It was the touchiest you’ve ever been with him, and your perfume lingers on the shirt he has tucked away, refusing to wash your scent from it.

One of Leon’s favorite diary entries of yours was the one where you first met. He loved it so much that he snapped a photo of it just so he could read it whenever he wanted.

February 1st

I just got back from dinner with mom and her fiancé, Leon Kennedy <3 I called him Mr. Kennedy all night even though he insisted I call him Leon cause I got so nervous and just couldn’t look him in the eye. He was so freaking handsome, he has the prettiest eyes. I never thought a man could be so handsome. It’s not fair how mom has him, she doesn’t deserve him. Gosh he’s just so handsome, I wanted him to just take me in his arms and kiss me like in the movies !!! I hate that his heart belongs to mom, how come she gets to have a man like Leon instead of some ugly fat bald dude ?? I know it’s so wrong but I can’t help but like him, he was so nice to me tonight my heart is still pounding. He even gave me a nickname ! He said I look like a doll and called me doll face more than my name, gosh my heart is fluttering just thinking about it !!! If anyone finds out I’ll just die, this is so so so wrong but I can’t help it. I know he’s going to be my stepfather but I want him to look at me with his pretty eyes, I want him to hold my hand, I want him to be the one to hold me, I want him to say I love you to me, I want to be the one marrying him instead of my contemptible mother !!! I know it’s perverse and dirty but I wish he wanted me instead of her.

Leon loved it. He loved seeing the vicious, possessive, dirty side of you.

What he loved even more was reading your entries about how much you wanted him to love on you, even if it was rather on the innocent side. Just something about you writing down your fantasies made his cock stir, reading things like-

May 26th

I’ve been with mom and Leon for 2 days, my stuff is all moved into the house and it basically looks the same.

I saw Leon <3 and mom through the kitchen window while I was reading in the backyard kissing and he had his hand on her neck but then she yanked it away and rolled her eyes before leaving. If I were her I’d let him do what he wanted to me. If I knew how to french kiss I’d do it with him all the time, let him wrap his hand around my neck while I sit in his lap and just french kiss for hours. All my friends have done it before but I’ve only gotten the tiniest of pecks. I know it’s sinful to like my stepdad but fantasy never hurt anyone ??

-Leon would teach you how to french kiss and so much more.

Digging through your panty drawer, his eyes widened. Instead of seeing your usual cotton underwear with cute patterns, he instead saw a pair of lace white panties with a pink bow at the bottom of the drawer as an attempt to hide it away. This was clearly meant to be a set of sorts. He felt his heart nearly burst as he sifted through your bras to get to the bottom, only to find the matching white lace bra with a pink bow in the middle.

Why the fuck did you have these?

Was there someone you were going to wear them for?

He needed answers and he needed them now. He hadn’t read your diary yet so he hoped that the answer could be in there. Snatching it from your desk, his eyes frantically scanned through the pages until he found what he was looking for.

June 3rd

Mom let grandmother take me out shopping with her and I had a really good time !! I do miss spending summers there but getting to see Leon makes up for it hehe :) I really do wish mom would let me see grandmother more often though. She took me to the mall and she got me a bikini and a pair of actual proper lingerie !!! I know it might be weird for her to buy me that but she told me every girl needs a proper pair and mom would kill me if I asked her and I just wanted to have something to make me feel pretty even if no one knows I have it. It feels good to be a little more normal, it sucks that all the other girls get to show off their pretty swimsuits and wear pretty lingerie while i look like a chump in my stupid one piece bathing suit and stupid cotton underwear and ugly bras. Mom says it’s gross to have these things even though I saw the receipt from a lingerie store on the table right before her honeymoon, what a hypocrite. I had to sneak it in wearing both the bikini and bra under my normal clothes haha, I’m even wearing my new garments as I’m writing this. I think I’ll even change into my bikini in a little bit just for fun. It was a good day :).

Jesus you are so fucking cute

Relief washed over him instantly, but his heart cracked. You're such a beautiful girl, and you didn’t even know it. He saw the way boys and men would look at you; he even saw the jealousy in your own mother's eyes. How did you not know that you were drop-dead gorgeous? With beauty like yours, you could wear rags and still be the most beautiful thing to walk the earth. You looked exactly like a doll, you didn't need lingerie or bikinis to be pretty.

Leon knew from reading all your journals that the reason you felt this way was because of your upbringing; your parents weren’t exactly ones to instill confidence but preferred to tear you down and keep you in a constant state of vacillation so you’d have to constantly rely on them.

A notification dragged him from his thoughts—a text from your mother saying that you’d both be home in 5 minutes—as he began to clean he kept thinking of how beautiful you looked in your pretty lingerie and how he would be getting to actually see you in it soon.

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This was absolutely perfect.

The moment the words left your mother's mouth, Leon felt the blood rush to his pants. When he glanced at you sitting on the sofa and saw you squish your thighs together, he knew you felt the same heat too.

It was like the stars aligned; your mother would leave for her close friends bachelorette party week abroad in Mexico and leave you and Leon all alone. Fate was truly on both your sides.

Until he heard your mothers voice say-

"You could always spend the week at your father's if you don’t want to stay here with Leon, honey. We can drop you off the night before I leave. Would you rather do that?"

Fuck, maybe you would say you wanted to be with your father.

"No, no, it’s alright. I want to be here with all my stuff and adjust to the new house better; I'm still getting used to it."

Another wave of relief washed over him.

“Okay honey, are you okay with that Leon?”

“Oh, yeah, of course. I’ll be working most of it anyway.”

A lie, he would immediately call the DSO to tell them he’d be taking the entire week off.

Leon glanced at you once again to see you looking at your lap trying to hide the smile forming on your pretty lips.

This week he’s finally going to make you his.

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Your poor heart was about to pound out of your chest. Leon had taken your mother to the airport three and a half hours ago for her flight, and all you could do was pace around Leon’s home. What was taking him so long to come back? Chalking it up to airports being a pain you continued pacing. Knowing you and Leon would be alone for the week made the feeling of anxiety coursing through your veins increase.

You tried your best to look nice, taking the time to make your hair look pretty and putting on more makeup than usual now that your mother couldn’t tell you to wipe it off. Rebelling even more, you put on a cute sundress that would send your parents into cardiac arrest if they were here to see you wearing it.

It really did feel nice to doll yourself up.

Finally, when you finished and looked at the large mirror in the hallway to admire your work, it hit you. You were doing all this for your own mother's husband. You did this to impress your stepfather. What the hell is the matter with you? This is wrong, and dirty, and nasty. Even if he wasn’t tied to your mother why would ever want a puny girl like you?

Damn it, you should’ve just spent the week with your father and stepmother, even if you’d be miserable. You’d probably just be a nuisance to Leon anyway; he’ll probably just spend the week avoiding you. God, why didn’t you just bite the bullet and go to your father's? You should’ve never agreed to stay the week, it was doomed from the start.

Being so drowned in your thoughts you only heard the door being unlocked when it was too late…

CRAP

“Hey doll, I’m back from the airport!”

The door is about 1/4 open.

CRAP CRAP CRAP

What can you do? Running to your room won’t work; the staircase is directly in front of the door. Hiding isn’t worth the risk of getting caught and looking more stupid than you already do. You don’t know the house well enough, so if there is a blind spot where you can sneak off to so you can quickly get changed, you definitely don’t know it.

Too late.

Leon is now standing two and a half feet in front of you.

Nervously smoothing the bottom of your dress, all you could do was look down at his shoes as his eyes practically burned holes into you.

“Wow. You look very nice today.”

You felt your face get hot as embarrassment washed over you. Is he mocking you? His voice didn’t sound mocking but you never know. Even if he is you can’t just stand there like an idiot!!! Say something, anything!!!

“Thanks, Mr. Kennedy.”

You mentally slap yourself.

Was THAT really the best you could do??? At least you didn’t stutter. Raising your head, you finally meet his eyes and see how sincere they are.

“I’ve told you hundreds of times to call me Leon sweetheart.”

He won’t admit it out loud to you yet, but he secretly loves your formality. He gets a little rush every time you call him “Mr. Kennedy” and “sir”. His wife raised such a polite young woman, he can’t wait to see what else he can get you to call him.

“Are you hungry doll? I’ll order or make you whatever you want.” He has his very big hand on your shoulder rubbing soothing circles on your skin and you feel electricity all throughout your body.

“I’m okay right now Mr. Kenn- Leon. But thank you for offering.” He moves his hand to rub your shoulder and you want the moment to linger as long as possible.

“Okay doll, I’m gonna go take a quick shower.” His very big hand leaves all too soon, “After I’m done I’ll meet you in the game room so we can do something fun tonight, you okay spending some time with me sweetheart?”

You felt a jolt of excitement at his offer, “Okay, I’ll be waiting there for you!”

With one last smile to one another you both head your separate ways.

You felt so happy that Leon wanted to spend his time with you instead of just going out or staying in his room to avoid you, you knew it was wrong to want his attention but you just couldn’t help it. He was the one who offered, and you were raised to always be polite and accept invitations, your parents only had themselves to blame. Why should you care about her feelings when she’s never cared about yours? After all it was your mother’s choice to leave her husband all alone so she could have her fun, so why shouldn’t you indulge yourself and have your own fun too?

During your epiphany, Leon was in the shower stroking his cock, thinking of you standing there in your pretty little dress, looking more vulnerable than a deer in headlights. It took everything in him not to push you to the floor and stuff your tiny pussy full of his big cock. He wondered if you had your regular Sanrio cotton panties or your lingerie on underneath?

He imagined your little whines and whimpers, saying how he’s too big and won’t fit so he only fucks you with half his length until he can stretch you out more, how sexy you would look riding him. Thinking of how you’d shyly guide his hand to wrap around your neck as he fucks you into oblivion.

Did you even know the effect you had on him? he thought of you every second of the day. he saw your angelic face everytime he closed his eyes, had constant dreams of you. He thought of how much happier he’d be if you had been his bride instead of your mother. Hell you’d probably faint from embarrassment if you knew even a sliver of his fantasies about you.

Wrapping a towel around his waist Leon couldn’t help but smirk as he thinks of all the things he would be doing to his precious stepdaughter tonight.

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Sitting cross-legged on the floor, trying to shuffle a deck of cards, the TV played an Impractical Jokers re-run softly in the background as Leon finally came downstairs.

Swallowing the lump in your throat, secretly admire how good he looked. He wore gray sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt that clung to him deliciously tight, showing off his muscles beautifully. Having felt self-conscious in your dress and the sun having set, you changed into your sleep shirt and shorts while Leon was gone, and he loved it. Your thin pajamas hugged your figure so well that he had to look away before his cock hardened.

Now all he had to do was execute his plan. First he’d put in a scary movie (a classic way to get a girl to cling onto her beau), gain your trust, and finally he’d fuck the shit out of you.

“Hey doll, thanks for holding up,” Reaching over to turn off the lamp, he cheekily smiles at you “What do you say we watch a movie? I know a good scary one I think you’d like.”

Nervousness crept into you as you toyed with your shorts, “Oh I’ve never really seen a horror movie before, my parents have never let me… but I want to watch it though!”

‘A night of firsts’ Leon thought. “I’ll put it on, it’s an older movie but it’s a classic. Why don’t you come up here and sit next to me sweetheart?” He patted the spot next to him on the sofa, “Don’t want you to be all by yourself down there.”

Shyly, you got up, Leon gently grabbed your hand and sat you next to him. You hadn’t been this close to him since he bought you those gifts a couple weeks ago; you nearly forgot how he was even more handsome up close and personal. Picking at your fingernails, you waited anxiously as the movie began. Putting his arm around your shoulder, he somehow made you get even closer to him, his cologne and shampoo invading your senses. Rubbing his hand up and down your arm, he could feel the goosebumps forming on your soft skin.

25 minutes had passed, and you had practically molded yourself into his side. The movie was scary, of course, but you couldn’t blame snuggling into Leon on just being scared. You knew exactly what you were doing, and as long as Leon was okay with it, you’d keep doing it. This was your only opportunity to get a taste of what it was like to be with him, and goddamn, you were going to take it.

When a jump scare happened you let out a small scream and hid your face in his neck, clinging to him tightly. The cogs turned in Leon’s brain; everything was going according to plan.

Sliding his arm down to your waist he held your head with his other hand, “You scared baby?”

Your heart beat faster at the pet name, “A little bit…”

“You shouldn’t be sweetheart,” He caresses your face. “I’m right here to protect you.”

His breath was fanning your face; you were so close to him that you could see every beautiful, unique detail that marked his skin.

The lump suddenly comes back to your throat.

“You’re so angelic,” he tugs you even closer than you were before, “look just like a doll.”

Blush spreads across your face, kissing the palm of Leon’s big hand you sheepishly put one hand on his chest and the other on one of his big arms, tracing gentle circles with your small fingers. “Do you really mean that Leon?”

“Course I mean it baby,” placing you on his lap, he made sure to position you so you’d feel his hard cock under your cunt, “most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

A tiny smirk appeared on your lips, “More beautiful than my mother?”

His cock was pulsing hearing that come from your pouty lips.

“Especially more beautiful than her,” you began pressing tiny kisses to his jaw, “can see the envy in her eyes every time she looks at you.”

And with that he dove in and kissed you. It felt electrifying as he slipped his tongue into your hot mouth, pressing it as deep as he can go. You whined when he pulled away, quickly giving him a small peck.

"Fuck, doll face" he sighs, scattering gentle pecks on your neck, “You like how I kiss you, hm?" his big hands wander down to your ass, giving it a firm squeeze and making you moan.

"A-ah, Leon," you whimper, his hands not leaving your ass. Leon just smirks and pulls your body closer to him. He leans down to kiss your lips once more, but it was rougher. He wraps his arm around your body, tugging you firmer, while his other hand cups your cheek. Leon’s in control of the kiss, you just try your best to keep up with him. You whined once again when he pulled away, a string of saliva connecting you both together.

“You finally got a real kiss, and now you can’t get enough, can you, dirty girl?” He wiped the spit from your lips with his finger, placing it in his mouth to taste both your mixtures. Your cheeks were flushed red from how turned on you are for him.

“Let’s continue this in the bedroom nasty girl,” picking you up bridal style he carried you up the stairs,“gonna need more room to do what I want to you.”

Making a beeline for your bedroom, upon entry giving you a chaste kiss before guiding you to stand between his legs.

“Be a good girl and take my cock out.”

You just nodded your head, obeying him immediately. You'd done some research, so you weren't as naïve as you had been before, and you were hoping he'd give you the chance to show him what you learned. Leon began removing his shirt as you began to scoot down, by the look of an evident bulge, you could tell his cock was gonna be big. Leon watches you with hazy eyes, petting your hair softly.

You felt your heart rate go faster from the thought of seeing his cock right in front of your face. Quickly tugging his sweatpants and boxers down his hard cock slaps against his stomach and bobs forward, the thick tip smearing your cheek with his precum.

Leon reaches for your face to wipe it off but you grab his wrist and lower it. Your mouth is watering. He’s so thick and long, how was he supposed to fit in your mouth let alone your pussy?

With no plan at all, you leaned forward and enveloped the head of his cock between your pretty lips. He hissed at the sudden contact, your tongue tasting his precum beading at the tip. It was a little salty, but hearing Leon’s deep groan of pleasure, you’d learn to love the taste.

You released his length for a moment with a pop and spat on him, watching your saliva trickle down his heavy cock. Taking your small hand you pumped it up and down, spreading your spit all around his fat cock.

“Holy shit! Where the hell did you learn to do that, doll?”

You blushed, letting out a small giggle, and licked his tip, “Watched a porno, wanted to learn how before I did it to you.”

Opening your mouth to slip his cock back in before he could respond, you tried to take as much of him as you could. He moaned, eyes fluttering closed as you eagerly began to suck his cock. His grip in your hair tightened and the tinge of pain had you gushing into your panties. You whimpered around him, clenching your thighs together to help ease the pressure between your legs.

He let you suck on him, lathering his member in your spit until you reached the point where you couldn't handle anymore of his cock in your mouth.

"C'mon angel, try to take more of daddy in that slutty throat," He growled, you choked but did your best to relax your throat to allow him to fuck your mouth. Your panties were soaked and sticking to you, having your handsome stepfather use your throat as he pleased was a turn on.

"Look at that. Bad little girl aren't you? You're my bad, naughty girl." Leon mocks, watching tears drip down your cheeks.

You sucked him off like your life depended on it, slurping and moaning around his big cock. Using your hand on what your mouth couldn’t reach to try and make him cum.

"Fuck my love, you're doing so damn good. Sucking your Daddy's cock so good." he moans, hand still gripping your hair, encouraging you to take him deeper once again. The gagging sent shivers down his spine.

Saliva continuously dripped down your chin, "So messy for your daddy, my baby" he suddenly pulled out, leaving you a panting mess before him.

Lifting you in his arms he tenderly kissed your forehead, "Did such a good job sucking me off angel, always knew you were secretly a whore. Love how sloppy you are, can’t wait to teach you how to deep-throat me."

Your body shivers from how deep and alluring his voice sounded, “Anything for you.” you practically moan, quickly you pressed a kiss to Leon’s nose and tried to wriggle out of his arms.

Confused Leon gently put you down, sat back on your bed, and waited to see what you were going to do. “Keep pumping your cock!” You quickly went over to your dresser and grabbed the Polaroid camera he got you. He almost had a heart attack hearing what came out of your mouth.

“I want you to cum on my face and take a photo of it. Is that okay with you?”

Leon practically snatched the camera from you, “Shit doll, didn’t know you were this nasty. Hurry up and suck me off so I can fuck you after this.” he quickly pushed you to your knees.

He shoved your head on his cock, becoming impatient. He just wanted to feel your tight mouth on him again. His free hand tangled in your hair once more as he started to push himself further in your mouth. Your eyes instantly teary as he reached your gag-reflex, making your throat burn. Looking down at your pretty face made his self-control snap and he lifted his hips up, forcing his whole cock down your throat. Two more thrusts and he pulled out, his hot cum spurting all over your face.

Snapping two photos on the camera he placed the three items on the floor and lifted you up on the bed, "Open that pretty mouth again for me, my love." You instantly do what he tells you, allowing him to spit in your mouth and without being told to, you swallow happily.

Gathering his cum on your fingers you happily lick them clean, “I’ll be right back, I’m just gonna go wash my face real quick!” and Leon waits patiently, stewing in anticipation.

Re-entering your room Leon saw that you ditched your pajamas and now only wore the lingerie he found in your room just days ago.

You truly are the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen.

"C’mere baby girl, come here." Leon coos and pulls your body close to him. You straddle his lap, feeling his cock beneath your folds. He wraps his strong arms around you, his face inches from yours. He clutches your throat with one hand, squeezing it.

He presses a sloppy kiss to your swollen lips, "Ready for me to finally fuck you, my baby?”

You nod your head the best you can. "Please, want it so bad daddy"

"You think you can take my cock?"

You hate how flustered he can make you. You only nod and lean in for another kiss, letting Leon take control of it once again.

“I can take it. Promise I can.”

“Okay doll,” he nips at your jaw, “just gotta prep you first.”

Prep?

Every coherent thought leaves your mind as you watch him unclip your bra, exposing you to him. Before you can cover yourself, Leon snatches your wrist with his hand and shoots you a warning look before kissing and sucking at your sensitive breasts. Holding onto him as he laid you on your back, you waited to see his next move.

His hand cups your panty-clad cunt and you jolt, panicking at the sensation your legs closed on instinct, Leon growled, "Open your fucking legs or I’ll leave right now..."

You whimpered, startled by Leon’s tone as he pushed them back open. Leon smiled, pecking your lips quickly, "Be a good girl, doll..."

Feeling you up, he stroked your clothed pussy with his fingers softly. Your little hand reached for his free one, putting his pointer and middle finger to your lips you began to suck on them. He pressed his fingers harder on your cunt, specifically on your cute little clit making you moan around his digits.

"You feel good, angel?" Leon asked softly as you nodded, feeling relaxed you kept your legs open no longer needing Leon to help keep them spread. But Leon was going too slow and you were starting to get frustrated.

"M-more..." You quietly begged him, making him chuckle darkly. Leon could see your hips thrusting up harder into his hand, wanting more friction as you became more desperate.

"Such a cute doll, aren't you?" Dazed, eyes barely open, mouth slightly gaped, a little drool from when you sucked his fingers in the corners of your sweet mouth. ‘She looks so fuckable.’

He was tempted to just shove his fat cock inside your tight virgin cunt and make you take it, no matter how much it hurt, and he would have if it was anyone else. But you aren’t just anyone; you're his stepdaughter, his precious baby who deserves to have her pussy fingered and eaten out, so he pushes the thought out of his mind.

Leon just wants to fuck you stupid, "Let's get these off you..." Taking a look at your cunt, he noticed your panties had a wet spot on them that seemed to be getting bigger.

"Look at that, baby... So wet..." His fingers touched the wet patch, feeling the stickiness on his fingertips, he bent down, "Fuck, you smell so good my love..."

Leon took off your ruined panties and he could feel the hunger devour him right then and there. Saliva gathered in his mouth, a voice in his head telling him to just dive in and eat your little cunt like it was the last thing he'll ever have.

So he listened.

Leon dove in without a warning, his tongue collecting the juices that seep out of your cunt as you screamed, "L-Leon!!!"

"So sweet. Taste so fucking sweet..." He growled as he sucked the puffy little nub in between his lips, softly biting it and making you thrash underneath him, arching your back as you called out his name, "You're just a little skank, aren't you?"

"N-not a skank, Leon! Feels... Feels w-weird..." you whimper and grab onto his hair, Leon didn't stop sucking, licking, he gave his all as you felt tears starting to form in the corner of your eyes.

"Just a dumb fucking bitch. Nasty little slut that loves how her stepfather plays with her pussy." He collected his saliva inside his mouth and spits on your cunt, making you more of a mess as his fingers roam your entrance.

Without a warning his fingers start ramming inside you—moving them rapidly up and down, hitting the spots you didn't even know existed. You couldn’t think straight, not when he spat on your cunt and made you know how good it felt to have your pussy doted on. You were crying, wanting him to slow down but despite it hurting, you still wanted more.

He moved his tongue and fingers in sync, rubbing your swollen clit at a fast pace trying to get his good girl to cum as fast as he can and repeat the process over and over again. Leon wanted to make the bed drenched with your cum.

Leon could feel your walls clenching on his fingers, restraining his movements he knew you were close. Then he went harder and harder, pressing down on the puffy nub as you screamed, the tears on your face evident.

"You gonna cum, aren't you, babydoll? Are you gonna be a good girl for me? You deserve this so much, baby. Watched you for so long, been dreaming of this day since I met you" He slaps you across your face, savoring the moment, "That's right, doll... Let the whole neighborhood know how good I'm making you feel. Show daddy know how much of a whore you are."

Leon’s right, you really are a slut.

Stars clouded your vision. The knot in your stomach made you feel like you were going to pee, feeling it coiling in your belly, it grows bigger and bigger.

Suddenly something so unexpected happens that shocked you both. Leon can feel the gush of stream hitting him as you twitch in his grasp, moaning so loud he knows the neighbors will hear it. The clear stream of liquid told its tale and Leon knows exactly what it is.

"L-Leon!" your thighs shook frantically as you cried, he could only smirk seeing you squirt all over his hands and mouth.

"Good fucking girl," he gives a few gentle slaps to your aching pussy "Gonna make you my own personal porn star, doll face. Bet you’d fuckin’ love that."

You just stare at him with heart eyes. Grabbing the back of his head to make him lean down, you licked from his chin back up to his lips so you could taste yourself.

Leaning back he kisses your forehead, “It’s going to hurt a little more cause you have such a tight cunt, but I’ll go slow. I promise,” he says with furrowed brows.

You loop your arms around his neck, and nod, hoping that the he can see the adoration you feel for him in your eyes. Leon nods back stiffly as his eyes flit to your lips before kissing you hard, once again. Though this time, while his lips are on yours, one of his hands reaches between you both, gripping the base of his cock. He rubs it between your folds, the tip brushing against your clit making you moan, high pitched and sweet into his mouth. 

You brace yourself for the stretch of his big cock. When he finally bottoms out, you gasp, your nails digging into his shoulders where your hands were rested. He hisses, and your brows furrow with worry when you feel the tiny pricks of blood oozing out.

“I’m sorry,” you panic, tears prickling your eyes from both the pain of your hymen breaking and the fear of hurting him. “Are you mad? Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you, I’m so sorry,” you softly cry.

Here Leon is, balls deep in the wettest, tightest pussy he’s ever had, and you’re asking him if he’s mad at you. As if a few little fingernail scratches could actually hurt him. He laughs a little, trying not to move before you’ve adjusted to him being inside of you. “You could punch me in the face and I’d still adore you. I’m fine,” he says as he pecks your nose.

To make you forget about it he leans forward and groans, wrapping a hand around your throat as he starts slowly fucking you. "That’s my good girl," he chuckles, hearing his balls slap against you, "taking this huge dick like a whore."

"Yes, yes, r-right there daddy! Hurts so good!" his words were made you blush red, turned on from the way he was spoke to you. You love it — you love surrendering yourself to him, letting him do whatever he wants with your body, loved to let him use you like a sex toy.

"Yeah? My little bitch loves how I fuck her hard with my cock?" You don't even need to answer because he can feel it. He sees his cock protruding against your stomach, your pussy too little to accommodate his big dick.

The hand that was once wrapped around your neck moves up to your face as he forces two fingers inside your wet mouth.

Your eyes roll back, choking as he went past your gag reflex.

"It’s s-so big," you mumble around his digits, your saliva coating his fingers as you swirled your tongue around them. “Love it so much,”

"Dick too big to fit inside this little cunt. such a little baby I’ve got here." He gives a light slap to your puffy clit, “Can see it moving in your stomach, babydoll. My cock is the only one you need. Know it hurts but you’re gonna take it like a big girl, yeah?”

You quickly reply, pussy clenching, "Yes, just p-please don’t stop," you say through his fingers, batting your eyelashes.

His lips curve up in a smile, loving how cute you said that, "Mhm, 'course you love it. My little cum-slut can't get enough of her stepdads big cock."

You two were a hot, moaning messes. Looking up at him pathetically Leon’s cock throbs at the sight of you all used, your face flushed. "Want to cum, sweet girl?"

Wanton moans filled the room as you nodded your head.

“Only way I’ll let you is if you tell me what I want to hear," he squishes your cheeks together, “Wanna hear you say that this is your daddy’s pussy and that you belong to him and him only. Say it and I’ll make you cum, babydoll.”

Your cunt squeezes him tightly, you love how he only wants you for himself.

“M-my pussy is daddy’s, and I o-only belong to him!”

He slaps your cheek harder than he did before and soothes you with a sloppy kiss.

His thrusts gets rougher, pounding right into your sweet spot before he sends you to a hard, body-shaking climax. Your vision blurs, seeing stars as your pussy squirts your cum onto his dick. "There we go, baby. Cum on daddy’s cock – fucking little minx!."

You only have the energy to moan, brain dead at the staggering orgasm.

He comes undone right after, hot strings of cum coating your tight walls. Pulling out, he groans when he sees both of your mixed cum oozing out of your cunt and onto your comforter.

Leaning down he places his long fingers in your messy pussy, shoving his cum back inside.

"C’mere, my love," he plants his hands on your stomach and lays you on his chest, kissing your hairline.

You both lay still for a couple minutes, catching your breath. You listen to his heartbeat come back to a steady pace as he rubs your back and shoulders up and down, kissing your head every once in a while.

“Did I hurt you, sweetheart?” Leon says breaking the comfortable silence.

Nuzzling further in his chest you hold him tighter, “M’fine Leon, just sore.”

You hear his heartbeat quicken again.

“Did such a good job baby, thank you for letting me do this to you.” He tugs your head back, pressing a long kiss to your swollen lips.

You feel your heart stop as he moves you and gets up from your bed. You grab his hand and he lets out a small laugh, giving it a kiss, “M’not going anywhere doll, just gonna put my pants back on and get you some clean panties.”

A small smile spreads across your face, relieved he wasn’t leaving you all alone. When he comes back he holds you as tight as he can without suffocating you.

Holding his jaw, he can barely hear you whisper a scared “Thought you were gonna abandon me.”

You’d never have to worry about him leaving you.

“Wouldn’t dream of it doll face” he squeezes your throat, “I’m never letting you go, whether you like it or not...”

[love-minor-poltergeist]

Hello Ghost! First of all, I just want to say I fell in love with your writing and use of words (they’re simple but they carry a strange energy -in a positive way- with them)

Second of all, can I request what would be like to be in a platonic relationship with King Dice and Devil would be?

A/N: Ahh this compliment means a lot!!! 

I tend to fret over how to phrase certain things. It feels really reassuring to hear that about my work! Please do forgive me for taking so long to get to your request, and please do not be afraid to reach out to me to make any adjustments!!

A side note: I wasn’t quite sure which portrayal of the characters you would’ve preferred, so I did my best to borrow traits from both the game and the show!

┍━━━━━♥♠♣♦━━━━━┑

Platonic! King Dice Relationship Hcs:

Oh, boy. Between his job as Inkwell Hell Casino’s manager, The Devil’s right hand man, and media darling, a day off for King Dice is as rare as a blue moon. Both of your schedules hardly ever align, leaving you to not hear much from the man until maybe about a week or even months. 

And yet, the minute the two of you do find the time, it’s as if only a day has passed by. Thanks to years of maintaining and polishing his public appearance, King Dice is able to pick up where you both last left off with ease. He’ll gladly recount any gossip or this month’s paramour– going into every scandalous detail and relishing your raucous laughter as he goes on about some poor schmuck that tried to roll his dice, if you could catch his meaning. 

Granted, if you’re the less talkative type, it’ll throw him for a loop in the first stages of your friendship. He’s so used to coworkers, reporters, and adoring fans clamoring to speak to him– desperate to know him that he’s forgotten what silence was like. Of course, once he’s past that stage and grown comfortable, it turns out King Dice could happily speak for the both of you. So much so that there are times you think the man just loves the sound of his own voice. 

He does, but that’s besides the point. 

Time spent together is usually over the phone.  With the aforementioned work schedule and a paparazzi that’s so eager to stir the pot if Dice so much as breathes, he’ll usually cold call you while he’s poring over paperwork– eager for someone normal to talk to lest he go mad. 

The conversation doesn’t end when he’s done with work, either. He’s most certainly the type of person to walk about his office, phone in hand and the earpiece tucked against his shoulder while he idly walks around. 

Being famous has its perks. King Dice would use his popularity and status to share some of the high life with you. Oh, he’s gotten a gift from some overpriced luxury brand or a pompous admirer? Babes, you could probably use it more than he can– sell it, keep it, he doesn’t mind either way. You want the chance to try out the food from the new exclusive restaurant in town? Get your things, he could make a reservation for dinner for the two of you in thirty minutes.

While the allure of the glitz and glam of fame is what he’s used to, King Dice can’t help but feel oddly sentimental over the small gifts or gestures you send his way. You once won a little teddy bear with a purple tie from the carnival, and when you proudly presented your gifted trophy, he’ll huff and roll his eyes; his chalk-white face steadily growing pinker by the second while his lips wobble between a frown and dorky little smile. He’s too old for that!

He’s a liar. He loves it. Dice has a little shelf where Bear Dice lives on. Any imp that touches it will immediately get a fancy dress shoe rammed into their ugly mug. 

Listen, he’s a lovely friend to have, but he’s brutally honest. Even when it’s inappropriate to do so. Dice values the truth and expects you to be as honest with him. 

“Doll. I respect you, but you dress like a middle-aged lawyer going through her third divorce.”

┕━━━━━♥♠♣♦━━━━━┙

┍━━━━━♥♠♣♦━━━━━┑

Platonic! Devil Relationship Hcs:

Truth be told, the fact that you’re still alive and not some soulless husk is proof enough that The Devil likes you. You’re one of the few souls unafraid of him and one of the even fewer that don’t annoy him. 

Can and will appear in your home unannounced. There are countless times where you’ve woken up in the dead of night to loud crashes in your kitchen, where you’ll find the demon raiding your fridge (you’re out of milk, by the way). Or during the times when you find yourself drifting in and out of sleep, chest tight and lungs fit to burst. You slowly open your eyes– 

Only to be met with the distorted face of the Devil. Eyes wide, hollow, and pupils blown out as he stands over you in bed.

You now made it mandatory for him to announce when he’ll be coming over. Bastard still keeps it ominous as possible by only leaving notes as warnings. 

The Devil hates it when people try to touch him yet he has no qualms invading your personal space. He’s used his height to intimidate people for so long that it just becomes second nature to lean over you or stand uncomfortably close. 

Speaking of said height, he’s a complete shithead about it, too. If the Devil feels like you’ve talked enough, he’ll just take his hand and envelop your entire face. Bite him and he’ll curse you out. 

Vulnerability is a weakness that others can take advantage of in Hell. Though the demon does enjoy your presence, he can’t find it in himself to let himself be sappy or sentimental. Any sweet gestures are almost always followed by some insult to mask his true emotions.

Think that one incorrect quote meme/textpost from a while ago: “I missed you. I thought your lil’ ugly ass went and joined the soul circus.” 

The Devil can’t help but feel frustrated with himself for feeling his traitorous heart flutter whenever you casually refer to him as your friend. He’s got all the power in the world and is free to do what he wishes with it, but it could get lonely at the top. 

All too eager to offer to kill anyone that even slightly inconveniences you. You may snort and try to laugh it off, but the blank stare that he gives you in return can’t help but unnerve you. He’s not joking. 

He’s an enabler at heart and will encourage you to be irresponsible, consequences be damned. If anything, you’re probably going to have to be the mom friend here.

┕━━━━━♥♠♣♦━━━━━┙

[kakiastro]

Astrology Of Leonardo DiCaprio

Using whole sign system

Chart ruler

Leo is a Libra rising with his chart ruler Venus in Scorpio 2h. Leo is very private, he very charming but probably also has an intimidating aura with Scorpio. I feel like there’s more to him that meets the eye. Libra makes him really sweet but there’s a lot of depth to him that you probably don’t see until you get to know him on a deep level.

Stellium

A stellium is when you have planets in 3+ same sign and house

Leo has 2 stelliums: 1h and 2h

He has his Moon, Pluto, Mercury, Uranus in Libra 1h.

Libra Moon 1h- he wears his heart on his sleeve, he’s able to show his emotions easily, popular among women, really close to his mom, seen as beautiful, popular among public(moon also rules over public) may be really indecisive with his emotions; he feel this way one moment and feel differently another. This may especially be true with relationships.

Pluto 1h- like I said earlier, he may be intimidating or intense, he could also be mysterious and have an alluring aura to him, since it conj his moon, this makes the ladies attracted to him or at least curious about him. Pluto conj moon is not an easy aspect to have, actually any Moon-Pluto aspect is intense. I don’t know Leo family background but I’m sure he grew up in a intense environment especially when it came to familial relationships like parent divorce/separation, but this just one example.

Mercury Libra 1h- he can connect easy with people. He’s definitely a charmer; yeah he’s a flirt 😅, mercury 1h; people want to talk to him about everything! He can’t make his mind up for nothing lmao don’t give him either this or that option cause he’s going to look at you like this 🤷‍♂️😕.

Uranus 1h-listen this man is unpredictable, you never know what he’s going to do next, he’s going to keep you on ya toes. Lol. he may change styles or in his case, different movie roles. Conj mercury, this aspect gives me mad genius vibes😅, people don’t understand him or that’s probably how he feels. Knows many but don’t mess with hardly any type of vibe.

In his 2nd stellium; He has Sun, Mars, and Venus Scorpio 2h.

Sun- sun is fame and public recognition. People are/was obsessed with him, especially during his 90s era, he was the IT boy at one point. His sun in the 2h, 2h is beauty.

Venus- Venus in 2h and all he’s ever dated were models, 2h rules over models. Astrology is real😅. He tries to keep his romantic relationships private but it conjunct his sun so unfortunately for him his relationships will always be the topic in the media lol. Plus he has a Libra stellium so his relationships is a topic. He has Gemini (media)5h(dating) ruler mercury in Libra 1h. Also Venus -Sun aspect means you’re seen as gorgeous to the public.

Mars Scorpio - for an actor this is a good placement, he can easily transform into his characters with ease. Since it conj his Sun and Venus, he could be really ambitious. When he set his energy to something, he’s going for it.

Mc and 11h

He has Mc in Cancer with Saturn here. He’s seen as respectful and kind as public image goes. As an actor, he’s known to play roles dealing with family drama or women/relationship based such as Titanic, what’s eating Gilbert grape, Wolf of Wall Street. Being the lead role suit him since Saturn is here but even if he decides to do supporting than he still captures the attention of an audience.

Neptune(movies) Sagittarius conj North Node(lesson, fate and destiny), you can say he was born to be an actor or some sort of of creative. He has 11h(society and mass public) in Leo. Leo in this house indicates mass fame

Asteroid Fama

Fama (408) means fame or famous.

He has that in Gemini conj south node(pass live, early life lessons). He was famous in previous lifetimes as well. This can indicate early childhood fame as well, which he was a childhood actor.

His 7h and Juno

Juno (3) represents our ideal partner/marriage, what we are loyal and devoted to

His 7h is in Aries. He’s seen as a leader to other people, really ambitious, bold.

Now on a romantic level, he may be attracted to strong willed women, ambitious like him. I know he’s known for dating younger women, Aries is considered the baby of the zodiac, it’s the first sign. So I guess you can say this placement manifested in him liking younger women. Also his 7h ruler(mars) is in the 2h, like I said earlier, he loves his models lol. He also has Chiron (wounded healer/teacher) here as well, he’s also going through his Chiron return at the moment; it makes sense on why his relationship has been the focus lately. Chiron is the painful lessons we have to learn in this lifetime so I would say, he needs to learn how to heal them relationship wounds and actually find out what he wants from a partner.

His Juno is in Pisces conj Jupiter. Juno was Jupiter wife in mythology. Lol. He needs to find someone who he can connect with on a spiritual level, he may end up getting someone from different country and culture from him with Jupiter here.

I know he’s really into environmentalism activism and his Juno and Jupiter is in the house that rules rules natural environments.

Longterm transits

Saturn Pisces 2.5 years

- it will be in his 6h and conj his Jupiter and Juno! I expect him either involving himself with more activism projects, meeting his future partner and actually settling down or he’s going to have a health wake-up call; maybe all 3 things, we’ll wait and see lol

Pluto Aquarius for 20 years

- it’ll be in his 5h. 5h rules over acting, fame, creativity and children. Curious to see how his fame and acting career going to go. I’m guessing he may take on daring roles that’s out there. Unexpected child perhaps? These are just predictions. Let’s see he’s in his late 40s now right so by the time this transit is over, he’ll be in his 60s then he’s going into his 2nd Saturn return!

Lunar Nodes

North Node Aries/South Node in Libra for 18 months

-NN conj natal Chiron 7h. Ya, he’s going to have to learn to heal those wounds, nn is going to push him too but it’s for his own spiritual growth

SS conjunct his libra stellium, things from pass life and early lessons are going to brought up and slap him in his face lol

Very transformative years for him

I hope you enjoyed this post and make sure to check out my other celebrity post in the pinned post on my page; thank you!

[hwnglx]

To finish off the maknae line can you also do a reading for tae’s fs?

taehyung's future spouse based on tarot, take it with a grain of salt

what kind of a person is his future spouse?

devil, knofc&7ofsw, 6ofsw&queofw, 8ofc&queofsw

this person has a very dark and alluring aura to them, perhaps they wear a lot of black or have darker hair. there's something very sexy and seductive to them and they exude very mysterious energy. i'm getting major scorpio vibes. in alignment with the scorpion nature, they have a tendency to hide behind a strong and cold facade when facing other people but crying behind closed doors. there's a lot of restraint and secrecy when it comes to showcasing weakness, though they feel and also love very deeply. although they aren't much older than taehyung, it seems like life keeps testing them and especially in relationships, they're someone who's already experienced a great deal of disappointment which resulted in them closing off their heart for a while.

what kind of a relationship will they have?

kingofsw, kingofcrx+7ofw&10ofw, knofsw&empr, sun&lovers, hieroph

damn where do i start. this relationship will definitely not be all peace and rainbows all the time. i see a lot of problems when it comes to openly showcasing their emotions, as well as moodiness affecting their bond. especially taehyung seems like he'll be prone to have difficulties understanding their standpoint sometimes and get defensive too quickly whenever they argue. there's definitely a need for him to mature more before he goes into this relationship and i see the two of them having many ups and downs for a long time, perhaps even on and off for a while. however, his fs will be exceptionally persistent in their efforts to keep the relationship alive. they do seem to have a very kind and nurturing nature deep down that will showcase itself as time progresses. once they overcome their hurdles, they'll gain clarity and be able to enjoy a beautifully harmonious relationship as well as teach each other many valuable lessons.

what is their current energy like?

kingofp, kingofw, 6ofsw, strength, herm, highpr&4ofw

there is a big possibility this person has already had another husband before, whom they recently divorced. i get a lot of disappointment and difference in future plans which caused them to move away from this man. they're incredibly strong though, so despite spending most of their time alone, they've been enjoying and using this chapter in their life to introspect and gain more knowledge on themselves. it seems like the marriage caused them to lose touch with their inner voice and intuition which they're now glad they've been able to recover. i very much get the feeling that it will take a while for this person to meet taehyung since there's still a lot of growing that needs to be done on both their parts.

[fratboykate]

No! Papi! Don’t look at the buzz cut, look at me *dangles pocket watch in a hypnotizing motion* repeat after me: you neeeed to give us bgau 5yrs after snippet. Flo’s hair is still attached to her head. Everything will be fine

But also Netflix needs to get their shit in gear. Good luck bending them to your will

Y'all are so ridiculous lmao. Here's 2.5k words that are probably equal parts angst and domesticity. This is five years post divorce.

///

Yelena sits at a high-end restaurant, sharing her table with a captivating black woman whose radiant smile and crown of ebony curls exude a natural beauty. Their laughter fills the air, a reflection of the deep intimacy and ease that comes with dating for over a year.

With her effortless charm and resilience, Monica Rambeau instantly captured Yelena's heart. The subtle lines on her face tell a story of strength forged through life's trials. What binds these two together goes beyond words. Yelena and Monica share a profound understanding of each other's pain and trauma, an unspoken connection that weaves their lives together. They both carry the weight of loss, have walked the path of military service, and possess a disciplined nature. Yelena's enigmatic allure and sharp intellect fits in perfect harmony with Monica's indomitable spirit and boundless compassion for others. Yelena, often guarded, finds solace in Monica's unwavering support, while Monica draws strength from Yelena's fierce loyalty. They innately understand each other's pain and trauma, creating an unspoken bond that allows them to build a fulfilling life. Together, they’ve envisioned years overflowing with love and commitment. Yelena and Monica have decided to embrace the long haul, fully invested in creating a future, and ready to weather any storm that comes their way.

Yelena takes a delicate sip of her vodka sour, the liquid tang dancing on her tongue, and she can't help but burst into laughter at the absurdity that came out of her partner’s mouth.

"Nic, you did not say that to a four-star general. I don't believe you."

"He was so stunned he didn't even know how to respond."

"And you still walked away with the case assignment?"

"Absolutely. Once he realized I had him cornered, he had no choice but to give in."

Their laughter fills the air, their connection crackling with energy and warmth. But the moment is interrupted when Yelena's phone buzzes in her pocket, pulling her attention away. She retrieves it, glancing at the urgent text message that flashes across the screen: "Emergency at the Bishop property."

"Sorry," Yelena apologizes, her focus shifting entirely to her phone as she begins to type a response.

“Everything okay?” her girlfriend asks, concern etching her features.

A reply message pops up, and Yelena's skin drains of color. Swiftly, she rises from her seat, retrieves her wallet, and drops a few hundred in cash on the table.

"One of Kate's crazies broke into the house while she was there.”

"Oh my god! Is she okay?"

"I don't know. I need to go handle this."

"Yeah. Yeah, of course," Monica replies, her worry evident.

Leaning in, Yelena gently presses her lips against her girlfriend's, a tender farewell.

"I'll be home as soon as I can."

Monica cups Yelena’s face with her hand and delicately caresses her cheek with her thumb.  

"Please be safe."

"Always."

Yelena steals one final kiss before rushing to the door. 

---

The flashing red and blue lights of patrol cars cast an eerie glow, reflecting off the sleek facade of the mansion. They pulse with a sense of urgency as a few dozen members of Yelena's security team and police remain scattered around the premises. Yelena arrives quickly enough that they haven't even driven the intruder away yet. Her eyes lock onto the disheveled figure in the back of the patrol car, his face marked with bruises and tears mixing with snot as they stream down his cheeks.

Yelena's steps boom against the driveway's paving bricks with a determined cadence, underscoring the fury simmering within her. She marches purposefully towards the spot where Clint Barton, the man responsible for overseeing the night shifts, engages in conversation with another guard. The sheer intensity radiating from Yelena is palpable, causing the other bodyguard to grimace, excuse himself, and hastily retreat from the impending storm.

"What the hell happened?" Yelena demands, her voice tight with anger.

"I'm not sure. It looks like the guy broke in through the back, near the guest house.”

"What do you mean you're not sure? Check the damn footage."

"Ma'am, that camera has been down for over a week. Records say we put in the repair request, but the techs haven’t come yet.”

An irate growl builds in Yelena's throat.

"So we have a blind spot, and instead of assigning someone to cover it until it's fixed, you simply left it unattended?"

"No, ma'am. Kaplan has been back there for days, but he went on his lunch break."

"And no one replaced him?"

"We're down two men today, so we didn't have the bodies. There's a flu going around. Richards and Lang called out sick."

“Then you call the office and you have them pull from somewhere else! We have guys on call for this specific reason. You don't leave this property or team short. EVER. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am. I did try to..."

Yelena's focus is abruptly shattered as another body collides into hers with unyielding force. Even before she lays eyes on Kate, she catches a whiff of that familiar perfume, stirring unwanted nostalgia and longing inside her. It's been far too long since they've been this close, yet the effect remains undeniable.

Kate clings to Yelena with a desperate grip, seeking comfort and security in her arms. The blonde adjusts her position within Kate’s arms, turning to face the younger woman directly. Their eyes lock. The instant blue and green meet, it’s as if a dam has burst and a torrent of sobs spills from Kate's trembling form, the weight of her emotions breaking through the surface.

"Hey…Hey…You okay?" Yelena's voice is tinged with concern, her gaze searching for answers.

“I heard your voice. Inside. I heard it…You came.” Kate manages to utter between tears, her voice filled with relief and vulnerability.

“Of course I came. Of course.” Kate's grip tightens around Yelena. Yelena responds by enveloping the brunette in her arms, holding her closer with tender strength. "Is Eli on his way?"

Kate's head shakes against Yelena's chest, tears staining the fabric of her shirt.

"He's in Edinburgh. He's on set, shooting the sequel to his stupid alien movie until June.”

Yelena lets out a sigh.

"I'm calling in more bodies, at least until he comes back. You'll be safe."

Kate looks up at Yelena.

"Can you stay?" Kate asks, her voice soft and small. “Please."

Yelena hesitates for a moment while surveying Kate’s distressed face. With a resolute nod, Yelena reaches out and tenderly takes Kate's hand in her own, their fingers involuntarily intertwining as if guided by an invisible force. Neither of them notices the subtle gesture, too consumed by the moment's graveness and the need to protect and be protected.

With their hands entwined, they move forward, stepping across the entryway and into the house's safety.

---

Yelena steps inside the house, her first time crossing its threshold in five long years. Memories of joy, pleasure, and heartache rush back. It looks different now, the decor changed, but familiar elements still evoke a bittersweet sense of nostalgia. The space is both foreign and strangely familiar, leaving Yelena with conflicting emotions. She's somehow trapped in a paradox. She feels a sense of displacement, like a visitor in her own past, yet there’s also an undeniable feeling that she somehow belongs here, even after all this time.

As Kate settles on the couch, her body curled up protectively, Yelena gracefully lowers herself to a squat, positioning herself at eye level with the younger woman. Their eyes meet, and Yelena's concern deepens.

"Are you okay?"

"I turned around and he was...there."

Kate’s voice trembles as she responds. Yelena shakes her head almost imperceptibly, regret and guilt shadowing her expression.

"Kate, I'm so sorry. This should've never happened. It's my fault. I haven't been checking in on your team enough. I dropped the ball. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Kate's response is immediate, her voice filled with conviction as she counters Yelena's self-blame.

"It is. I take full responsibility, and if you decide to find other security options, I completely understand."

A soft sigh escapes Kate's lips, and she reaches out to gently touch Yelena's arm.

"I'm not sure how many times you're going to make me say this, but I’ll say it again…you're the only person I trust with this.” Kate’s words carry a reassuring sincerity that resonates deeply with Yelena.

"A guy just broke into your house under my watch."

"Not yours. Not specifically."

"You know what I mean."

Yelena's attention drifts towards the kitchen, her eyes catching the telltale signs of a panicked struggle. The scene sends a surge of rage coursing through her veins. She clenches her fists, her jaw tightening as she imagines the terrifying encounter that took place in this very spot.

The remnants of a halfway-finished meal sit abandoned on the counter, a stark reminder of the interrupted peace and normalcy that once filled the room. The scattered utensils and overturned chairs bear witness to the chaotic confrontation between Kate and the intruder. Yelena's mind races, trying to piece together the sequence of events that unfolded, her protective instincts sharpening.

"Were you making dinner?” Kate nods. "I'll make you something."

"It's fine. I'm not hungry anymore."

Yelena refuses to accept Kate's dismissal.

"Something small. Tell me what you want. I’ll make it for you."

The faintest of smiles tugs at the corner of Kate's lips, but her refusal remains steadfast.

“Yel, I’m really not hungry."

They both fail to register the intimacy of the nickname Kate used. Yelena looks at Kate with concern, her brow furrowing slightly and leans closer.

"That chicken strawberry salad you like?” Yelena suggests, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “You always have stuff around to make that."

A small chuckle escapes Kate's lips offering momentary respite from the tension that hangs in the air.

"That's what I was making."

Yelena's smirk widens into a playful grin as their eyes lock in a lingering stare.

"You're nothing if not a creature of habit, Kate Bishop. I have to make a call first and then I'll get on it. Okay?"

With a silent nod, Kate accepts Yelena's offer. Yelena rises, her movements purposeful, and takes a step back, turning towards the living room and kitchen meeting point in the open floor plan. She retrieves her phone from her pocket, her fingers moving swiftly to dial a familiar number. Her voice remains steady and focused as she brings the phone to her ear, masking the underlying emotions.

"Hey...yeah. Yeah. Things are fine...mostly. Yeah...No. I'm probably not coming home tonight. I have to...I have to stay...I'm sorry. There's a lot to deal with over here. I'll make it up to you...I know. I love you too. Bye."

When Yelena turns, Kate's energy feels different, almost palpably so. The call catches her off guard and her previously softened demeanor shifts. At that moment, her body tenses up, and her expression becomes guarded. The realization that Yelena has a partner, someone she didn't even know existed, hits Kate like a punch to the gut. It leaves her feeling unsettled, a mixture of surprise, confusion, and maybe even a hint of betrayal.

"I didn't know you were with someone. I don't want to make it awkward or get you in trouble or...I don't know."

Yelena thought she had walked away far enough for Kate not to overhear her, but her voice must have carried more than she anticipated. Yelena's lips subtly curl upwards as her eyes meet Kate’s.

"You're not."

"You can go. I don't want to keep you from...anything."

Yelena shakes her head as she removes her blazer. In a familiar motion, she neatly drapes it over the back of a nearby breakfast stool, a ritual ingrained in their shared history. It's a small, seemingly insignificant moment, yet it carries a weight of familiarity and comfort between them. The sight evokes memories of countless evenings spent together around that same kitchen island, engaged in deep conversations that stretched late into the night. During those quiet moments, their connection blossomed as they shared their dreams, fears, and secrets with one another. The kitchen became a sanctuary, a space where they could be completely forthcoming and vulnerable, finding serenity in each other's presence. The years now seem to fade away, transporting them back to a time when their lives seamlessly merged into one. Despite the circumstances and the distance that has grown between them, it’s evident that old habits die hard for these two.

"She's used to it. You're not the only one of my clients who has a crisis every so often."

"Right."

"And I think I should also say ‘congratulations’." Yelena points at the giant engagement ring on Kate's hand. "That's an impressive rock.”

"I designed it."

"Wouldn't expect anything else."

Kate's gaze drifts downward, fixated on her thighs. After a moment of silence, she finally speaks.

"I guess we both found our people."

It's easier to say this than to admit the weight of the secret that Kate carries. Merely a week ago, Kate called off her engagement with Eli before he left to shoot his latest film project. The ring on her finger remains, a constant reminder of another failed relationship. It’s a symbol of a shattered commitment she's not yet ready to confront. It's easier to keep it on, avoiding the questions and judgment that would follow its removal.

"I guess we did...I'll make you some food."

Kate nods in gratitude, silently thanking Yelena for the familiar tradition of the blonde making food for the younger woman in moments of turmoil. As Yelena skillfully maneuvers around the kitchen, Kate watches her with a hint of admiration. The clatter of utensils, the sizzle of ingredients, and the rhythmic sounds of Yelena’s cooking fill the air, creating a soothing soundtrack that drowns out the worries of the world. This cocoon of domesticity temporarily shields them from the chaos and uncertainty that looms just beyond the door.

[emper0rs]

⊠   ID    .   .    .   LOADING   ››   [   WALTON   GOGGINS   /   FIFTY3   /   CIS   MAN   /   HIS   &   HIM   ]   apex   city   is   pleased   to   introduce   COOPER   STERLING.   they   have   been   living   on   THE   TOP   PLATE   for   twenty   five   years,   serving   as   a   BOARD   MEMBER   &   CANDIDATE   COMMUNICATOR,   MERCY   ORGANIZATION   the   JERK   WITH   A   HEART   OF   GOLD   has   a   repuation   for   being   a   combination   of   INDUSTRIOUS   &   DECIETFUL   traits.   fitting   for   someone   reminiscent   of   cecil   stedman   (   from   invincible   ),   nick   fury   (   from   marvel   ),   &   revolver   ocelot   (   metal   gear   )   prior   to   embarking   on   any   errand,   they   find   solace   in   listening   to   the   song:   THE   MAN   WHO   SOLD   THE   WORLD   by   david   bowie.     

[           ✦           ]    𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶      .  .  .  .     basics.

birthname:  cooper sterling nickname(s):   "coop" -- but he may smack you.    codename/callsign:   the emperor character label: jerk with a heart of gold occupation: ex field agent, ex mercy mail person, director ( candidate communicator ), mercy agent babysitter age    ,    d.o.b:   fifty3    ,     october 20th gender    ,    pronouns:  cis   man    ,     his/him species:    human abilities:    none

[          ✦          ]    𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶      .  .  .  .    appearance. 

ethnicity:   white nationality:   american languages:   (   fluent   )    eng    asl span color    ,    hair:   grey color    ,    eyes:   blue height , weight:    5′10″    ,    -    lbs. (    +   )    positives:    strategic , resourceful , loyal , dedicated (   -   )    negatives:    distrustful , overprotective , pessimistic , blunt

[          ✦          ]    𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶      .  .  .  .    other.

western    zodiac:   scorpio mbti    type:  istj    ,     the   logistician.   prefers   solitary   activities   and   small   group   interactions,   gaining   energy   from   time   spent   alone   or   with   close   friends.   relies   on   their   senses   and   concrete   information   to   understand   the   world   around   them,   prioritizing   practicality   and   attention   to   detail.   when   making   decisions,   they   prioritize   logic   and   objective   analysis   over   emotions,   seeking   fairness   and   efficiency.   values   structure   and   organization   in   their   external   environment,   preferring   to   plan   ahead   and   follow   through   on   commitments.   known   for   their   reliability,   responsibility,   and   strong   work   ethic. tropes:   tbd

[          ✦          ]    𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶      .  .  .  .    backstory.

POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: ALCHOLISM, IMPLIED CHILD ABUSE, DIVORCE

.  .  .  .    CHILDHOOD.

cooper's   origins   trace   back   to   the   depths   of   apex,   where   his   father   worked   away   at   the   reactor   while   his   mother   held   a   position   as   a   secretary   at   sentinel   electric,   stationed   on   the   top   plate.   the   stark   contrast   in   their   workplaces   brewed   tension   within   the   sterling   household.   despite   his   father's   honest   labor   at   the   reactor,   the   allure   of   the   top   plate's   glamour   cast   a   shadow   over   their   lives.   his   father   sought   solace   in   alcohol,   deepening   the   family's   turmoil.

the   turning   point   arrived   when   the   reactor   malfunctioned   when   cooper   was   just   thirteen.   miraculously,   they   escaped   unscathed,   albeit   now   houseless.   leveraging   her   connections   on   the   top   plate,   cooper's   mother   secured   temporary   housing   through   a   deal   with   a   realtor.   however,   his   father's   reluctance   to   leave   the   bottom   plate   prompted   his   wife   to   make   a   difficult   decision:   to   depart   with   her   child,   leaving   her   husband   behind.

for   cooper,   the   separation   was   a   bitter   pill   to   swallow.   despite   strained   relations   with   his   father,   he   was   still,   well    ---   his   father.   transitioning   to   life   on   the   top   plate   proved   difficult   for   a   young   cooper.   he   found   himself   ostracized   at   school,   often   returning   home   bearing   the   scars   of   bloody   battles   against   schoolyard   bullies.

.  .  .  .    JOINING MERCY

eventually,   cooper   realized   the   toll   his   actions   took   on   his   mother   and   resolved   to   mend   his   ways.   rejecting   the   path   of   his   father,   he   pursued   education   and   explored   various   career   avenues.   yet,   the   confines   of   the   top   plate   for   a   half-educated   kid   limited   his   options,   compelling   him   to   find   a   compromise:   cooper   worked   as   a   steel   miner   below   and   decided   to   make   it   to   the   top   plate   by   dinner.   mom   wasn't   happy   but   it   was   the   best   he   could   get.

years   later,   an   opportunity   arose   when   his   mother   presented   him   with   a   pamphlet   from   an   upcoming   organization   named   mercy,   offering   prospects   of   a   military   career   with   superior   benefits.   driven   by   a   desire   to   alleviate   his   mother's   stress   and   provide   her   with   a   better   life,   cooper   enlisted.

rapidly   ascending   the   ranks,   cooper   distinguished   himself   as   a   field   agent   within   the   esteemed   task   force   "foxtrot,"   a   beacon   of   resilience   for   mercy.   however,   a   mission   gone   awry   led   to   catastrophic   consequences.   trapped   and   exposed   to   a   corrosive   gas,   cooper   lost   most   of   his   team   and   nearly   lost   his   life.   in   the   aftermath,   he   was   demoted,   his   body   covered   in   synthetic   skin,   save   for   a   scar   near   his   mouth — a   constant   reminder   of   his   lapse   in   judgment.

as   cooper   grappled   with   his   demotion,   mercy   underwent   seismic   shifts   with   the   emergence   of   project   genesis.   foxtrot   disbanded,   and   the   organization   embarked   on   a   new   era   of   transformation.   due   to   the   synthetic   skin,   cooper   was   ineligible   to   take   the   solaris   serum   out   of   fear   that   the   serum   would   do   more   harm   than   good.   he   felt   his   shine   fading. 

too   young   for   tactical,   cooper   was   stuck   as   a   gofer   for   the   division   for   several   years.   he   made   friends,   shook   the   right   hands,   and   somehow   turned   his   demotion   for   the   better.   cooper   has   been   on   the   board   of   directors   for   fifteen   years   and   since   then   he's   been   the   candidate   communicator.   they   believe   with   his   status   as   an   ex-agent,   he   would   be   able   to   sympathize   with   the   agents   better. 

.  .  .  .    PERSONALITY, HEADCANONS.

cooper   embodies   a   commanding   presence,   exuding   an   air   of   authority   and   competence   that   demands   respect.   he   has   a   sharp   intellect   and   strategic   mind,   always   several   steps   ahead   in   any   situation.   he's   composed   and   rarely   reflects   any   turmoil   he   may   be   feeling. 

there's   a   grit   and   determination   to   coop   that   reflects   his   past   life   as   a   field   agent.   he's   a   man   of   action   and   unafraid   to   get   his   hands   dirty   to   achieve   his   objectives.   his   loyalty   to   his   team   is   unwavering,   willing   to   make   tough   decisions   and   sacrifices   for   the   greater   good.   despite   his   gruff   demeanor,   he   harbors   a   deep   sense   of   responsibility   for   those   under   his   command.   he's   trusts   instinct. 

he's   got   a   good   blend   of   cool-headed   pragmatism   and   a   no-nonsense   approach.   he's   a   formidable   force   both   on   and   off   the   field. cooper's   straightforward   nature   can   sometimes   border   on   being   overly   direct.   he   doesn't   mince   words   and   tells   you   what   you   need   to   hear,   not   necessarily   what   you   want   to   hear.   while   his   intentions   are   well-meaning,   his   approach   can   come   across   as   artificial   or   forced   to   some.

 his   mother   is   still   alive   but   resides   outside   of   apex   city,   while   his   father's   whereabouts   remain   a   mystery   since   his   departure   during   cooper's   adolescence.   cooper   has   experienced   marriage   once,   to   his   beloved,   yet   their   union   ended   in   an   amicable   divorce,   leaving   him   somewhat   skeptical,   deeming   their   relationship   "too   good   to   be   true."   together,   they   share   a   daughter   who   has   aspirations   of   becoming   an   agent   like   her   father,   despite   cooper's   staunch   opposition   to   the   idea.

[audreydawson]

— basics ♡  

full name: audrey savannah dawson

nicknames: auj & belle (given to her by her father)

gender: cisfemale

pronouns:;  she/her

sexual preference: heterosexual

birthdate & age: april 12th ; 25

birthplace: newark, new jersery

zodiac sign: aries

currently resides: fairford, wa

— appearance ♡

face & voice claim: sydney sweeney

height: 5′3

eyes: blue

hair:  medium brunette / blonde (dyed)

— personality traits ♡

traits: generous, attentive, alluring, kind-hearted, gentle

fears: not being seen as a good mother, clowns, spiders, snakes, letting others down.

hobbies: crafting, gardening, interior design, cooking, pilates, calligraphy, dancing, make-up art, video gaming

skills: organizing, baking, self-care, planning, home care, sewing

— relationships ♡

mother: june dawson

father: colton dawson

siblings: four older brothers

children: four-year-old son, elijah colton & 3-month-old ellie mae.

— favorite things ♡

ice cream flavour: chocolate chip

food: southern staples, italian, mexican.

time of the day / night: afternoon

season: winter

holiday: halloween & christmas

animal: dogs

color: pastel pink

scent: vanilla, lavender, strawberry, peony, sugared berries, bombshell by victorias secret

musician/band: paramore, blink-182, avril lavigne, britney spears, pat benatar, beyoncé & meghan trainor.

— misc. ♡

bad habits: not getting enough sleep, nail biting, skipping meals, sleeping in makeup, letting people take advantage, over indulging on luxury items, not realizing toxic relationships.

a cherished item: a sapphire ring from her great grandmother

random fun fact: she used to do tv commercials as a kid

random fun fact 2: she'll only wear daisy by marc jacobs for perfume

( contains mentions and hints of parental abuse of a child, potential toxic relationships and pregnancy)

— bio ♡

Audrey was born the last child, she wasn't expected at her mothers age but she wasn't a surprise either because her parents had always talked about having a little girl one day and when Audrey was born, she was everything her parents imagined her to be. As she got older her mother put her in dance classes to wear off her energy but didn't realize she was going to be top of her class in it and would go on to win state and regional championships. All through out high school she was classified as a 'do it all' girl, she was captain of her swim team, cheerleading team, dance team and prom queen.

As she got older however, her brothers pulled away from her, seeing her as the apple of her parents eye seeing as they handed her everything she ever asked for in life. However, the youngest of her brothers remained close to her that was until her parents filed for divorce after her mother had cheated with her fathers best friend. Audrey was fifteen when she and her mother moved to Fairford, her father seeing it be best he raised the boys but however still made sure his daughter had everything she'd need but the mother getting nothing which gave Audrey's mother a bad taste in her mouth towards her daughter.

After High School Audrey went immediately off to college to get her business and financial degree, that was when she met a slightly older man, not by many years but still enough to catch Audrey's eye. She got pregnant with her son at twenty-one years old, the man had decided his career gain was more important so Audrey gave birth to her son, alone. She had been a single mother and still graduated with honors at the top of her class in both areas of her degree. A few years passed, she was out one night and had met the same man that had left her years earlier, had a one night stand and had become pregnant again with the same man's child, she gave birth to her daughter three months ago and while she was pregnant opened her own cookie shop and bought her own house in the suburbs. Both of which her dad helped her out with, giving her lavish gifts and spoiling his grandchildren is the way her dad makes up for sending her off when she was just a teenager.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

ex-boyfriend(s), baby daddy, best friend, open for any connections!

[crimsontroupe]

❝ people often claim to hunger for truth,   but seldom like the taste when it’s served up. ❞ - @ardenssolis

The thought of it makes him smile. But the smile that surfaces on Adonia's lips is somehow very divorced from the one he usually flashes at people - even towards his companion during long evenings. It is filled with something else, something old and ancient. The secret of this plane and many others, swirling energy that gives and takes.

In that moment it is so easy to see how something masquerades still being human can falter. It is not malice, but a glee known only to beings that will continue to exist for too many years. The glee, joyful glee of a creature that will return to its form once slayed and retain all memories still. This selfsame creature will remember his friend, even when the King attains a new form. Ozymandias will not remember him, but Adonia will always remember Ozymandias. Adonia will always remember the Sun. With him he keeps vows of creatures old and new. "Truth is a complicated matter for many."

Adonia will remember whispered secrets, too. As one who has made a pact with the Land, he will serve as its pillar and foundation. Scales of balance and justice, sword of the righteous. In another life, would they be enemies? In another life, would the Sun blot out the sky and swallow the Earth?

He will live to know. Secrets for him to keep. Secrets for him to share, millennia from now. He tents his hands, amused by something else that crosses his mind.

"My dear friend, even I have a fraught relationship with it. I ran from truth and responsibility once, and now I am sworn to uphold many things that the foolish me of yesterday thought he could gracefully evade.

The truth is bitter, but not rotten. Many willingly take the fruit upon their hands, gripping at it so strongly that it taints their arms with its juices. The desire to know is admirable, do you not agree? And as they squeeze every last drop out, it consumes their minds. It shatters reality as you know, rewrites itself. Permanent. Indelible. Immutable. It towers over both Men and the Gods."

Oh bitter grapefruit, will your seeds be poisoned too?

"But it has never stopped them from the desire to understand and know. I assume you are not immune to its sweet allure either, Ozymandias. The truth leaves you drunk, the truth cuts you open like a knife.

It is why we obfuscate it. We cannot lie, but we can simply elect to not tell you the whole picture. Weave the story in a way where you could figure the way out of a thick, dense forest by yourself... but we will not lie about which way is out. Many get lost in the maze of their minds. Many simply decide to return home. Many die, and some decide to stay.

Eventually the dawn upon it: that which they sought all along. A reward for their troubles, a glimpse of what would destroy them. What is your desire, dear friend of mine? Will a man like you frown upon knowing all of the truths of the world - or simply embrace it like a long lost friend?"

What will your answer the next time we meet be, I wonder? For now, the Eldest enjoys much desired company. "Tell me about the joys the truth brought you. And if you can spare me another story, then speak to me about the grief it too causes. We have time. We will always have time."

[whatsupbomb]

🧐Who is your destined partner based on Sun/Moon in your natal chart 🧐

❗PART 1️⃣❗

For male partner, look at your Moon

For female partner, look at your Sun

I will use exaltation planets of Moon/Sun signs

Check persona chart of exaltation planet for more information about your partner, meeting with him and who'll introduce him to you

ARIES (Sun): lots of energy, charismatic and funny, unstoppable and dangerous, people are afraid to step over his head, he has lots of resources he wants to share with the one, family man, doesn't like parties even though he has lots of friends who invite him to get loose, his friends are less considerate than him, he takes life too seriously and you will teach him to enjoy it, might be very melancholic and depressed while meeting you wearing cool colour clothes

TAURUS (Moon/White Moon Selena): romantic at heart, very observing and attentive, businessman who leads people to success, likes animals, very compassionate and helpful, high intuition, expert at love magic, will lure you into his trap just by looking at you, you will be "under his thumb" during your marriage. He'll make you his slave. You won't realise that you've stopped respecting yourself during this relationship. Love won't last forever with your partner, but you won't be able to divorce because of love magic your partner's put on you

GEMINI (Proseprina/North Node): very clingy and annoying partner, he'll put lots of responsibility on your shoulders, he'll make you do everything for him, you're much more adapted to life than him, you'll be his teacher in life and help him find his soul path. People will think of you as the perfect couple. Your partner will have no friends. He will steal them from you. Together you'll make your old dreams come true and start living your life to the fullest. You'll wait forever for your partner because of his family that doesn't let him date people like you. His family won't like you because of dumb reasons like age gap, for example

CANCER (Jupiter): very abundant and lucky partner, has lots of opportunities in life, hides family problems behind the mask of ignorance and disgust, wears the latest trends, lies about his talents and resources, parents are probably divorced or ignore each other, they don't pay attention to your partner, he wants you to take care of him like you're his parent, likes to put people in their place and cuss them off, he wants to control your life, very jealous and paranoid, desire for power makes him unable to solve family problems, your kids suffer a lot seeing you two arguing, your partner will cheat a lot at the beginning of your relationship

LEO (Pluto): reclusive and apathetic, very mysterious and alluring, he attracts lots of partners into his life, his parents take a leading position at work, spoiled and whimsical, favourite child in the family, doesn't see his own flaws, causes lots of suffering to you by not speaking about his problems, hates the opposite sex because it doesn't meet his expectations, friend to many people, he wants to impress people in higher positions, he likes to pamper himself, spends lots of money on his family, attached to his parents, they tend to intrude into his personal life, he feels ashamed of them

VIRGO (Mercury): clean freak, self-obsessed, ignorant, people are impressed by him, they want to see him more and more, his clothes always look perfect, good at fashion, you can ask him for any advice because he likes to listen to people, pretty-looking, thinks a lot, regrets his past, wants to leave a mark in this world, likes to be surrounded by his friends, always on the go, might forget to pay attention to you, many people want him, strict daily routine, doesn't know how to relax, parents put lots of responsibility on his shoulders, they're very traditional, he doesn't like sharing his thoughts, actions mean much more to him than words, it's hard to win him because he has lots of admirers, into sports

[sushi0989]

Pick Me If You Want To (part 3)

Summary: Set in the early 1950s, you are an aspiring photographer that is currently working at a toy store until you make your big break. During a surge of Christmas shopping, you are first met by Wanda Maximoff, a mother of twin boys and married. She leaves her gloves, which gives you the opportunity to meet her again. She takes fond of you, and you of her, but her messy divorce with her husband, Vision, risks the custody of her twins. Does she continue your blossoming relationship or fight for her kids? Based on the movie Carol

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

Warnings: smut and explicit content, don’t read if you’re under 18! 

Word Count: 6k

A/N: After this chapter, I think it’s going to take me longer to get content written and published because I want to take my time with writing and making sure that it’s good before I post. Enjoy reading! <3

You and Wanda arrived at a rundown motel in Ohio to stay the night. You wished you had the ability to drive so that Wanda didn’t have to exert all of her energy, but alas you did not. Despite appearing a bit ragged on the outside, the interior of the motel was quaint and surprisingly polished. You dragged your ratchet luggage to the front desk while Wanda effortlessly tugged hers along since all four of her wheels were working properly unlike yours. She found your clumsiness adorable as she attempted to conceal her giggles while you struggled.

The old man at the front desk, however, was not amused by your failure at picking up your luggage as he found it frustrating since it was not that hard to maneuver. As the two of you reached him, he already filled out most of the form. You took notice of his posh demeanor even though this had to have been at most a 2-star motel. Who does he think he is? He wore a light blue dress shirt with a black tie, his shiny bald head was his most striking feature. His peppered gray goatee was thin and his thin-rimmed glasses were held together by tape in the middle.

“I have a two-bedroom suite on level 2 room number 3. Could I get your name and the number of nights you plan to stay?” he asked with little civility due to his irritants for your lack of professionalism. Wanda took notice of the man’s behavior and responded in the same manner.

“Wanda Maximoff and one night is enough. And why don’t you get some manners and help my friend with her bag instead of silently judging her?” Wanda huffed and raised an eyebrow. After he wrote down the information, the man cleared his throat and walked around the desk while muttering something under his breath that you couldn’t quite catch. He assumed that you lacked the knowledge of rolling your bag by the handle, but then he noticed that one of your wheels was broken and understood why you were struggling. 

Wanda laughed at him, not making any attempt at hiding it this time. You couldn’t help but laugh with her and the two of you walked past him to get to your room. The man gave up and carried the luggage up to your room instead of dragging it along the carpet. The still night allowed your giggles to echo into the atmosphere, but it eventually stopped as you neared your room. Wanda unlocked it with a key the man, who was struggling with lifting the bag up the stairs, gave to her in the lobby. 

There was nothing too alluring about the room, it was quite average. The two twin beds, both an interesting orange color with stripes, had a few feet of space in between them. There was a window next to the front door with curtains that matched the color of the bedsheets. The bathroom had the basics: a shower, toilet, sink, and soap. You were surprised there was toilet paper as well.

“I expected worse,” you admitted with a pleasantly surprised expression as you took in the room. You heard the man’s heavy panting get louder as he neared your room, practically stumbling when he placed your luggage inside. 

“That’s what happens when you make assumptions without doing a bit of digging,” Wanda teased, the man rolled his eyes and muttered “Merry Christmas” as he left. She quickly shut the door while you flopped back into the bed nearest to the bathroom, claiming it as yours. 

“If I’m feeling this tired then you must be exhausted. You should get some rest,” you told Wanda who opened up her bag and pulled out some pajamas. You watched as she dug through to look for something, her eyebrows furrowing in concentration and her teeth nipping at her bottom lip. 

“I will, I want to take a shower first, but I can’t seem to find my towel,” Wanda continued rummaging through her bag, but you understood by her huffing and puffing that she must have forgotten to pack it. “Here, let me get mine out of my bag,” you insisted and rose from your bed. Wanda assured you she brought it even though you both knew she didn’t. “Oh, please it’s no big deal. I’ll take a shower in the morning and I’m sure it’ll dry by then,” you waved her off as you easily found your towel in your luggage.

You handed her your light purple towel and she hesitantly took it with a sigh, there was nothing she could really do; either accept your offering or try to find a rag in the cabinet that would most likely be moldy. 

“Thank you very much,” she smiled with gratitude and you nodded back, her smile bringing a shiver up your spine and fluttering in your stomach. It was something about that dark red lipstick that made you go crazy. No. You can’t let her get to you or else this is going to be another Steve situation where you’ll end up breaking her heart. Besides that she is a soon-to-be divorced mother of two children, you definitely aren’t ready for that. But her lips.

Wanda blushed when she saw you staring her lips up and down, but then you got flustered when you realized that she caught you and quickly turned away. Neither of you mentioned it, so Wanda made her way into the bathroom but caught a glimpse of you smiling at your thoughts. 

While Wanda showered, you could hear her humming some songs you had never heard. It was pure bliss to your ears as you laid on the bed staring at the ceiling. How were you falling for this woman so quickly? A woman. You would have never thought you would be head over heels for a woman in this day and age. Sure, you’ve had some crushes on girls, but you would brush them away since it was taboo. But with Wanda, there was something more alluring about her. Maybe it was the fact that she seemed to reciprocate those feelings back to you.

The way she comforted you when Steve left was something you were so grateful for, but that is what was sending you to your tipping point. You knew that this wasn’t just you craving her touch, but also her heart. Right now, however, you needed to make sure you were also there for her. She’s in the midst of a heated divorce with her husband and about to lose her husband, so you couldn’t take advantage of her vulnerability. If she wants to get closer, then she will have to make the first move. 

“Go with the flow,” you muttered to yourself as you pulled at your fingers.

“What was that?” Wanda hummed as she stepped out of the bathroom, your towel wrapped around her body and steam infiltrating out of the bathroom. Her body was moist and glistening from the excess water, her hair sopping wet with water dripping from them. You were speechless. You immediately covered your eyes out of respect. 

“God, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to stare,” you quickly apologized which earned a chuckle from Wanda. “Oh don’t worry you can look. I’m covered up, am I not?” she teased and bit her lip seeing you fluster at her response. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” you continued to ramble. “Please, would you think I would come out like this if I was uncomfortable?” she questioned, but you didn’t answer.

“Well, the answer is no. I forgot to bring my clothes with me into the bathroom,” she stated as she walked over to her bed where her pajamas were neatly folded. You gradually lowered your hands from her face and glanced at her state. Damn, did she make your towel look so good on her. 

She picked up her clothes and scuttled back into the bathroom and you sighed. Trying to not make the first move was going to be extremely difficult for you. 

Your thoughts began to wash over one another as sleep loomed over you. You were completely passed out by the time Wanda was out of the bathroom. You were lying on your side in fetal position on top of your sheets. Wanda quietly walked towards you and gently pulled the folded blanket over you and made sure it covered your whole body. She watched as you nuzzled your head deeper into your pillow and let out a sigh when you cuddled the blanket for warmth. 

Wanda ingrained this moment in her mind and quietly left the room in search of the motel’s telephone which she spotted near the stairs that led to the first floor. She dialed a phone number and stood patiently until she heard the line connect.

“Hello?” a groggy voice answered. “Vision, let me speak to the boys,” Wanda requested with a hushed voice. “They’re already in bed, Wanda. It’s nearly 11 pm,” he replied with annoyance. Wanda bit her lip, she just wanted to talk to her children and wish them a Merry Christmas since she didn’t get the chance to in the morning.

“Vision, please,” Wanda didn’t want to beg, but she missed her boys. She wanted to see their faces lit up as they unwrapped the train set she had ordered. The train set you recommended. 

She heard Vision sigh as he stepped away from the phone. “Hello?” a high-pitched tired voice answered. “Merry Christmas, Tommy! Is Billy with you, too?” Wanda’s heart warmed hearing the voice of her child. She yearned to hug them and kiss the tops of their heads.

“Yeah, I’m right here, Mom,” Billy replied also with a tired voice. Wanda smiled to herself listening to them, she imagined them standing there half asleep rubbing their eyes.

“How was your Christmas? Did you enjoy the train set?” Wanda asked. She knew they would love it because they were into building things and using their imaginations, just as she and Pietro would also do as children.

“It was so cool! We played with it all day, thank you, mom!” The two of them responded at the same time, making Wanda chuckle. The cool wind outside began to pick up causing Wanda to shiver.

“Okay boys, go to bed. I’m sorry I woke you. Be nice to your dad and grandparents and I’ll see you both when you get back,” she said sternly trying not to let her voice break. The twins said their ‘I love you’s’ and hung up the phone. 

Wanda sighed as she went back to your room and silently shut the door once again. She turned off the lamps that lit the room and got into her own bed facing you. She stared at you as she dozed off as well, your peaceful expression being the last thing on her mind as she fell into a deep slumber once her exhaustion hit her.

The morning sunlight seeped through the cheap curtains of the hotel room and shined directly into your face. As you became aware of your surroundings, you could hear the birds singing outside filling the atmosphere with their beautiful tunes. You opened your eyes facing away from the window so you wouldn’t blind yourself.

A faint rhythmic snoring caught your attention, so you turned around seeing Wanda sprawled out on her bed still sleeping soundly. One could easily disregard it, but the room was so quiet that you couldn’t help but take in this moment. You didn’t find it to be obnoxious, unlike Steve’s. His snores would start deep in his throat and wake you even when you’re blacked out. You eventually convinced him to get diagnosed with sleep apnea and he had to learn some breathing exercises to lessen them, but they still persisted and now you could proudly say you can sleep through a train passing by.

You figured you should get up and take a shower now before Wanda does so that you guys could hit the road as soon as you could. You stretched your back once you sat up on your bed and saw your towel draped on a chair sitting in the corner of the room. You were reminded of Wanda’s after shower figure: wrapped up in your towel, red hair dripping wet, body shining from the condensation of the steamy shower, and now you were going to use that same towel.

You picked out a casual outfit to wear so you could be comfortable on the drive and you quietly slipped into the shower as to not wake up Wanda. You let the shower run for a minute so the hot water would come through, and it relaxed your body as it hit your skin. Wanda left her shampoo and soap sitting on the side of the tub, so you figured it would be okay to use it for yourself. The smell of peaches was pleasant, you could only imagine how it would smell on Wanda. As you finished up, you rubbed lotion on yourself before putting on your clothes.

The cooler air of the room was a punch to the face, but you received another punch when you saw Wanda’s backside completely bare, only wearing her undergarments. Thankfully she didn’t notice you come out of the bathroom drooling at her appearance, so you stumbled back into the bathroom making sure you gave no indication you exited in the first place. 

Wanda heard the click of the bathroom door and quickly turned around only to see no one there. She briskly put on her black slacks, a blue blazer over a white blouse, and tied a red ribbon around her neck, and knocked on the bathroom door to let you know that it’s okay to come out. 

“Don’t worry I didn’t see anything,” you stammered as you walked out of the bathroom trying to be nonchalant about the situation. “Are you saying I look bad with no clothes?” Wanda faked being hurt with an exaggerated gasp, but you took it literally.

“What?! Of course not! I didn’t say that! You look grea- I mean, you look perfectly fine,” you replied defensively but bit down on your tongue to try not to embarrass yourself more. “I’m just teasing you, darling. Enough of that, we need to hit the road if we want to get to Chicago by tomorrow tonight,” she exclaimed, resuming packing up her clothes.

You decided to leave your towel out and laid it across the back seat of the car to let it dry. The old man from last night was replaced by a younger-looking man who seemed to be much nicer. He was happy to assist you in taking your broken luggage into the car without any hesitation. He insisted that the two of you try out the breakfast that the motel provided to their ‘esteemed guests’ in the dining hall. 

“I felt so esteemed last night by Mr. Baldyhead,” you muttered under your breath as you and Wanda walked to the breakfast bar. Wanda snorted when attempting to suppress her laughter at your comment. There were more people than you had expected. 

You gathered eggs, a couple of pancakes, and strawberries onto your plate and took a seat at an empty table towards the center of the room. Wanda was still eyeing the bar, so you waited to begin eating until she came. A man with sleek combed back hair in a suit gave a sly smile at you from the table seated at the table next to you. You reciprocated by giving a shy smile back and he proceeded to get up to introduce himself. 

“The name is Loki Odinson, lovely to meet you two ladies,” he held out his hand in front of you and you brought up yours to shake it. “Nice to meet you as well, my name is y/n, '' you replied with a timid voice.

“What is a beautiful young woman like you sitting here all alone?” he inquired as he turned his head to see if anyone was with you. “I’m not alone, my friend is still gathering some food,” you pointed at Wanda who was now on her way. She had a confused look when she noticed the mysterious tall man, and he looked over at her and nodded in understanding.

“Hello?” Wanda said to the man with her eyebrow raised, “Do you need anything, sir?” He took a few steps back over to his table, “No, no, I just was making small talk with y/n over here. What brought the two of you here?” he asked, obviously wanting to continue the conversation. He must be alone and bored, so he’s just trying to keep himself busy, that’s what you told yourself at least.

“We are actually heading to Chicago, this is just a pit stop for us,” Wanda explained as she relaxed once she realized the man was harmless. She took notice that you had been waiting for her before beginning to eat, so she lightly kicked your foot to get your attention to tell you to eat. 

“I’m headed there, too! I’m actually a traveling salesman so this is my daily life to go from one place to another,” he exclaimed with excitement. He continued to explain how he first acquired his job and what he’s doing now as you and Wanda listened intently to him, finding his outlandish stories entertaining.

“So when my dad kicked me out of the house, I went down a really dark path and got roped up in some illegal schemes. The big boss guy of this cartel wanted me to go undercover and infiltrate their rival to steal this gem that originally belonged to him, and since I was new, no one would suspect me of being a double agent. Anyways, it didn’t go over well because my brother, who works for the authorities, caught both cartels and, me being his brother, he let me go. That led me to discover my passion for sales marketing and exploring cities, so here I am now!” He concluded his very long story.

“You were part of a drug cartel?” you asked in disbelief. This guy definitely talked way too much to be a part of a cartel, somebody would surely shoot him in the face to get him to shut up. “I know it may seem crazy at first, but I assure you it’s no lie,” he laughed, but you and Wanda looked at each other with wide eyes. 

After talking to the man for another twenty minutes, and him attempting to sell you some magazines, the two of you finally got up from the dining hall. 

“I need to make a phone call to Monica, why don’t you go get settled in the car and I’ll meet you there,” Wanda touched your shoulder and you nodded, trying to ignore the tingling feeling of her hand on you. 

“Hello Monica, how’s it going?” Wanda spoke into the phone. 

“Vision came by my house looking for you. He was drunk and I told him off. I also might have told him you were going to Chicago with y/n,” she said hesitantly. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he won’t do anything, Wands,” Monica tried lightening the mood, but the pit in Wanda’s stomach said something otherwise. “He’s trying to take full custody of the boys, Mon. He’s gonna poke and prod through any little misgivings of mine he can find to make sure of it. And I don’t want him getting his hands anywhere near y/n. I’ll call you when we reach the next stop, thank you for everything Monica,” Wanda hung up the phone and took a few deep breaths to collect herself.

There was no way he could find anything that could sway the judge in his favor. She was their mother for the love of god. What kind of monster takes a mother away from her children? 

Wanda entered the car and forced a smile at you which you didn’t think much of. You two finally left the small Ohio motel and were back on the road. This time you wanted to ask Wanda more about her life story since you spilled all of yours leading up to the first pit stop.

“Oh well, my parents were quite well off thanks to my grandparents. Their marriage was arranged so all of my life my twin brother, Pietro, and I had to endure their bickering on a daily basis. He was and still is, one of my best friends. We would run off into the woods to this little pond that was so clear that you could almost see the bottom where the crabs would crawl. We’d spend most of our time creating imaginary worlds and pretending we were in the old wild west or flappers in the 1920s or knights in the renaissance. Those are the memories that outshine the terribles of my childhood,” she smiled as she reminisced, you were leaning the back of your head against the window watching her while listening intently.

Her smile faltered, a sad one replacing it. “When my parents tragically died in a freak accident when we were 10, Pietro and I had to move in with my mother’s parents. Living with them was nice, but they couldn’t handle us so we were shipped off to separate boarding schools. Pietro went to an all-boys one while I attended an all-girls one. Being without him really… sucked. My first few months there were miserable until I met Monica. She became my bestest friend and we still are to this day,” she let out a slight chuckle and you smiled with her.

Wanda glanced at you for a moment as she contemplated her next statement. “She was also my first love,” you raised your eyebrows and bit the insides of your cheeks. Your assumptions from earlier were correct then, but it still hurt to hear it out loud. 

“Interesting,” you replied and turned away to look out the window, making Wanda furrow her eyes at your sudden change in demeanor. You knew you had no right in being mad at her, they obviously weren’t together anymore. But you couldn’t hide your slight jealousy, and Wanda thought it was a bit endearing that you cared so much.

“Anyways, so the two of us were together for a few years until we realized it wasn’t meant to be, but we stayed very close friends. My grandparents arranged for me to marry Vision because it would be a good step for our family businesses since his family was a rival to mine, but we went on a few dates before we settled on the engagement. Being married to him was nice at first, and then we had the twins, and then things went downhill from there I suppose,” Wanda shrugged her shoulders and sighed. 

You were now feeling guilty for your rude behavior, so you put your hand on her leg to show your sympathy. “Sorry for being rude right there,” you apologized and Wanda assured you that it was okay. 

Wanda knew you might be wary of answering her next question, but she figured after spending over twelve hours with you on the road the two of you had grown quite close. You already had ripped out a fart which signified you were already pretty comfortable around her.

“How did you meet Steve?” she pressed her lips together when she felt you tense up against her even though your side was barely touching her. 

“We met through a mutual friend and we hit it off pretty well. My friend set us up on a date after seeing us connect so well the first time we met, and then it just blossomed from there. He and I worked well for the first year we were together, the honeymoon phase is what people call it I hear. We were two people madly in love, but he just never matured as time went on. He always expected me to make breakfast or do his laundry out of my love for him,” you explained while pulling at your fingers. You felt fine speaking about him for once, you didn’t feel guilty anymore for breaking up. That was all thanks to Wanda and her assurances.

Wanda nodded in agreement, she knew by how you were that you loved being independent and striving to meet your dreams without anything or anyone weighing you down. Steve was dead weight to you achieving your aspiration of being a photographer. He didn’t even have the decency to get you a good camera.

“Well, I’m glad you broke things off with him because he obviously didn’t know how to treat you right. You are a lovable person, don’t think twice about that,” Wanda gestured for you to come closer to her, so you pressed your side up against hers and relaxed your posture.

Wanda placed her right hand on her lap trying to get you to place yours on top, and you took the hint and inched yours slowly but surely up to it. Wanda smiled when feeling your grip tighten around her hand. You felt safe with her, that you could trust her words. As the car ride went on, you fell asleep, your head resting on Wanda’s shoulder and she didn’t make an attempt to shrug it off. She enjoyed the feeling of you on her. 

The next motel was much nicer than the last one, even the workers were much nicer than the bald guy. It was late in the afternoon when the two of you arrived, the both of you starving only having had breakfast in the morning. Once you both had settled, you suggested you go to a nicer restaurant for dinner which Wanda immediately agreed to, both deciding to wear fancy dresses to blend in. The two of you snuck into the fancy five-star hotel across the street and nonchalantly chatted to not draw attention.

The waitress asked for your room number and name, “Maximoff, room 623,” you answered without hesitation and Wanda gave you a knowing look. “Right this way, Mrs. Maximoff,” the waitress gestured and led the two of you to a table with two chairs.

You were in the mood to really satisfy your tastebuds, so you chose to order lobster. Wanda looked at you wide-eyed, but you gave her a cheeky smile with a wink, so she ordered filet mignon. As the two of you waited for the food, the conversation came so easily between the two of you. Effortless. 

“You sang very nicely in the shower this morning,” Wanda commented while taking a sip of her red wine. You raised your eyebrows, “I didn’t know you were awake. I would’ve shut up if I had known I was too loud.”

Wanda waved you off, “Oh please, I enjoyed it. It was almost as good as the first time you sang to me.” You blushed, but the wine in your system gave you a newfound sense of confidence that urged you to continue the banter. 

“If you liked it so much then why don’t I sing you to sleep tonight?” you suggested seductively with a smirk. Wanda was a bit thrown back that you countered back, but she wasn’t complaining. She liked this side of you. 

“I wouldn’t mind that,” she replied with a low tone, biting her lip at the thought. 

When the bill came, you told them to place it on the tab and the waitress nodded quickly. Wanda laughed so hard to the point she snorted which caused you to laugh at her. It was a nice moment, one you wish could last forever. 

The two of you were buzzed, giggling all the way back to your motel room and it only continued once you were there. Wanda pulled out a bottle of champagne from her bag and popped it open, the cork leaving a small dent on the wall. This caused you to roll on the floor with laughter, you each took swigs straight out of the bottle which only added to your drunken state.

You were both sitting on the floor right next to each other leaning your backs against one of the beds. “Are you going to sing to me now?” Wanda inquired with her champagne bottle pointed at you. “Well if you insist, M'lady,” you replied as you cleared your throat. 

The only lyrics you could remember at the moment were the song you had sung to her while playing the piano. This time as you sang, you stared into her enchanting emerald eyes, your gaze never wavering from them so she knew every word was directed at her. 

“Everybody loves somebody sometime. And though my dreams were overdue, your love made it all worth waiting for someone like you,” as you finished the song, you noticed Wanda leaning forward, so you did as well. Her lips slightly puckered out and her eyes were closed, so as you neared her, you closed yours and anticipated for the moment your lips were in contact with hers.

Even though you were expecting it, the feeling was completely different than what you had expected. She was the light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel you had been lost in your entire life. You always thought Steve was meant to be it, but no, he wasn’t. You were completely wrong and now you had your answer.

Wanda’s lips were soft but also overwhelmingly persistent at trying to savor every little bit of you. Your hands were gripping her waist, slowly massaging it as her hands rubbed your neck. The alcohol made your actions clumsy and less methodical, it was more about rushing to get to what you had been craving for quite some time.

One of her hands caressed your bare legs and slowly made its way up to your dress. You shuddered, but you wanted more. You tugged her arms to get her up onto the bed, unzipping her dress from behind and allowing it to fall to the ground when you had her stand up. 

Your eyes met with Wanda’s hungry eyes as she turned around, she launched at you crashing your lips together once again as if she was a breath of fresh air after drowning at sea for so long. She pulled down the straps of your dress, allowing it to fall as well, both of your chests now bare. The back of her legs felt the bed behind her, and so she allowed herself to lie back onto it.

You climbed on top of her, your legs straddling her torso, and you continued to kiss her lips passionately. You trailed kisses down her jaw to her neck before settling on a point of her neck that caused her to sigh deeply. She guided your hands to feel her chest, and you obeyed, allowing your hands to sensually massage them. 

“Please touch me,” she pleaded, letting out another sigh. You trailed your mouth and latched onto her nipple and your tongue circled around them. You allowed your hands to glide on her stomach and down to the band of her underwear, tugging them down. You gave the same attention to her other nipple and Wanda couldn’t hold the moan she was trying so hard to suppress.

Your tongue made her feel like she was jelly, each kiss you gave held so much passion and love that she had been craving from the first time she had spoken to you. The glint in your eyes told her all of the potential you had hidden within you, and now you were expressing it to her. 

You continued your kisses down her stomach, her back arching with each one from the sensitivity building up inside of her. You kneeled at the edge of the bed and pulled her towards you by her legs. You kissed her inner thighs up until you were met with her core which was radiating heat. You gave a languid lick on her sensitive center and she tried squeezing her legs together at the feelings, but you forced them apart by putting them over your shoulders.

“I’m not done with you yet,” you retorted with a smirk and Wanda grabbed the sheets into her hands to brace herself for what was going to come next. You latched your mouth onto her clit, giving slow circles with your tongue to tease her. Her moans were soft, but you knew she wanted more, so you then slipped one finger inside of her causing her to gasp. 

You pumped your finger in and out slowly while continuing to lick her clit, and the feeling was becoming all too much for Wanda, but you persisted. You felt her grinding her hip to create more friction and her hands were pushing the back of your head into her more. You added in a second finger making Wanda whimper, but she hadn’t asked you to stop yet.

You felt her walls clenching against your fingers, so you went faster. She cursed obscenities which only motivated you more, you curled your fingers making Wanda let out one last moan originating from her gut. You slowed down and took your fingers out of her, licking up the juices she released making sure not to add to her sensitivity.

Her legs were shaking and you knew she was exhausted already from the car ride. You crawled up onto the bed next to her and she cuddled up to you, her head tucked into the crook of your neck. She leaned in and kissed you, tasting herself in your mouth. “All I asked was for you to sing to me, but you really outdid yourself with that,” she whispered against your lips.

“Maybe I just wanted to listen to you sing to me,” you chuckled as you pecked her lips and pulled the sheets over the two of you. Wanda furrowed her eyebrows, “Hey we’re not sleeping yet, I still haven’t gotten my turn with you.”

She seductively bit her lip as she threw the sheets off of you and straddled you. “I’m not gonna stop you,” you smirked and she leaned down and kissed your neck, not even attempting to stop the sigh that escaped your lips. You knew this was going to be one long night that you were going to never forget.

When the two of you woke up in each other’s arms, you dreaded getting up, you just wanted to lie in that position forever, but it was time to hit the road again. You freshened up in the bathroom while Wanda said she was going to go check out in the lobby. 

“Mrs. Maximoff, right?” the woman behind the counter confirmed. Wanda nodded her head and the lady gave an envelope with her name written on it. “It came by this morning for you,” she explained and Wanda frowned as she tore it open.

Wanda’s heart dropped, letting out an audible gasp as she marched her way to the car where you were putting in the last of your things. You saw Wanda’s face and you furrowed your eyebrows at her. “Wanda? What’s wrong?” you questioned, but she was completely frantic at the moment.

“Where’s my suitcase? Where’s my fucking suitcase?” Wanda kept shouting as she dug through the trunk. She found it and pulled out a revolver and your heart literally stopped. “Wanda, you’re scaring me,” you said, but she continued to march over to the room that was right next to yours from the night before it and slammed it open. You trailed behind her.

That’s when you saw Loki standing in his sleepwear with a set up of cameras and audio recorders located right at the shared wall with your room. Wanda was furious and pointed the gun at him. “Where is the tape?” she demanded and Loki gulped the frog in his throat.

[luv-elixir]

❧ Body Electric-prelude ☙

Stepfather Leon S. Kennedy x reader

18+ Content warnings : Stepcest, manipulation, power imbalance, naive reader, age gap, corruption, dumbification, c*m-fetish, slight size kink, slapping, spitting, degradation, stepdad!Leon, somewhat yandere!Leon, stepdaughter!reader, reader has a tiny electra complex. (Slight mentions of reader being verbally abused by mother along with mommy/daddy issues.) Porn with SLIGHT plot.

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION! I DO NOT CONDONE ANY OF THE ACTIONS WRITTEN BELOW; ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IS PURE FICTION AND FANTASY!

Summertime was always a weird time for you.

When you were a child, your parents would just send you off to a camp to avoid dealing with you for a while, and when you were sent back home, you’d hide in your room while they fought for hours on end.

Even after they got divorced, the arguments seemed to never end. A constant battle over who would have the responsibility of caring for you all summer finally being settled when your grandmother offered to take you in until the season was over.

Now, as a university student, you would be spending your summer at your mother and her new husband, Mr. Kennedy's, home.

Interactions with both your parents had been scarce when you started university. You simply just didn't have the time or energy for them to berate you with your hectic schedule. It was no surprise to hear your mother had been dating; with your father getting married a few years prior and her having a few boyfriends here and there, you couldn’t bring yourself to care about her love life. You did start caring when she told you she was engaged.

It came as a huge shock when you finally met the mystery man.

He was handsome.

Everything about him was striking; he was an Adonis, simply too beautiful to be human. So beautiful that you nearly forgot your mother was right there and that the only reason you met was because he was to marry her.

How could your mother draw a man like him into her iron-clad grip? He was charming, caring, attentive, conscientious, and frankly too good for a woman like her, or anyone for that matter. Leon Scott Kennedy was simply too good to be true.

You truly had no idea how they had gotten into a relationship. Hell, you didn't even know your mother wanted to get married again. It was all a huge question mark for you. The only thing you were sure of was his name, age, and your affinity for him.

The wedding happened exactly three months after you met. You knew it was wrong, but you couldn’t help the sinful thoughts you had as they married. He just looked so handsome in his suit that you couldn’t help but fantasize about his big hands touching you, ignoring the wedding band tying him to your mother.

Laying in bed that night, furiously rubbing your aching clit, you moaned his name and thought of how you wished he was yours instead of your mother's. But more importantly, you tried to pull your head out of the clouds and make yourself remember that it would never happen.

Little did you know that all those countless nights you spent fantasizing about him, he was thinking of you too. It was his fucking honeymoon and he couldn’t stop thinking of you. Jerking himself off, thinking of your alluring face and delicate body. He couldn’t resist using the image of a little beauty like yourself to get him off, even while the beauty’s mother slept right beside him…

Ahh first real post !!! Hope you enjoyed this little prelude before we get to the real thing <3 once again this is a work of FICTION and I understand it is not everyone’s cup of tea. More lighter (and darker) fics will be posted soon - Luvie <3

[luverofralts]

Post Arkhelios

Once Roman had left the safe house, Abe was expecting Wanda to arrive to escort him and Theo to safety, wherever that could be found in Arkhelios. He’d initially been supportive of Roman leaving to see if he could help with getting things back to order in Arkhelios, only to later realize how exposed he was on his own. Maybe it would have been better to stay hunkered down in the outskirts of Arkhelios with Roman. It had been too tempting though to make sure their families were okay. What good was hiding if Nathan or Lucy were being attacked or killed? At the very least, Roman could check in with Lucy and bring back information on just what was happening.

In the end, it had been neither Roman or Wanda who came for Abe, but Roman’s weird pink friend...or was she his enemy or rival? Abe could count on one hand the number of students Roman had met overseas who might consider him a friend. Still, she had helped him teleport with Theo into the thick of things in Arkhelios. She had been looking for Roman, but seemed willing to settle for his boyfriend and son.

If Roman was checking on Lucy and Nathan, there was still one family member left to check on if this was truly the end of Arkhelios. Abe, Theo and Adriel decided to make one more stop before joining Roman.

Abe stood on the doorstep of the house he’d grown up in, not sure of what exactly he was seeing. Someone had quickly placed police tape across the lawn, as if the house itself wasn’t warning enough to stay away.

The living room didn’t even seem recognizable. The wallpaper had been torn in several places, and the smell of decaying meat and stagnant pools of blood was enough to make Abe gag. He felt like a bad son for not keeping in touch with his father, or being around to prevent whatever had happened, but he was just a teen, going through his own considerably overwhelming problems.  He’d always complained with Lucy about how their dad was probably on a beach somewhere with his mistress, driving a sports car and ignoring his kids as part of a midlife crisis. This...this was something else.

Inside, Abe could make out three figures hovering around the bookcase his dad had become obsessed with. Two of the figures could maybe be identified as Tabitha Durant, and Abe’s father Ian. The third figure made Abe’s skin crawl just seeing it. He’d never seen any creature like it before.

Clearly Adriel had though. She took one look at the scene before her and spat out several words that were clearly profanity in a language Abe didn’t understand. With a vague promise that “this will be sorted out”, she disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Abe and Theo alone with whatever was living in his old family home.

Whatever that creature was, it was clearly gaining power from the destructive energy that had plagued Abe’s old house since the death of Abraham Helios. All of the weird mumbling, or long vacant stares his father had done before the divorce suddenly made some kind of sense. Even Abe himself had felt the pull more than once to linger at the bookshelf, entranced by the sudden feelings of overwhelming anger and despair.

Well, at least the secret of the alluring bookcase had been solved, even if the solution baffled Abe. Entombed within a secret room behind the bookcase was a small, badly sewn patchwork teddy bear. The bear sat on a pedestal, generating a cloud of energy that the otherworldly creature had been feeding on. Bloody hand prints adorned the wall surrounding it, chilling Abe where he stood. Were those the hand prints of his father and Tabitha, or of some other nightmare currently lurking in his family home?

Abe found himself being pulled towards the now exposed bear despite every instinct telling him to run far away from this house and never return. His father and the other creatures in the living room were blocking him from approaching the bear directly, but Abe could see enough of it to see that it had been hand sewn. Since his own time in this house feeling the call of the bear, Abe had become somewhat proficient in sewing, and could reasonably assume that this bear had been made by a beginner. The stitching was too uneven. It looked as though someone had tried their hand at embroidery as well, though he could only make out the first two shaky letters from this distance.

“T...h...maybe an e or a?” he whispered to himself. This small noise got the attention of Tabitha, who took a step closer to Abe menacingly.

“Theo,” she hissed. “Dorhack!”

The terrifying creature beside her looked amused, but didn’t seem interested in engaging with him. Neither Ian or Tabitha seemed interested in leaving the side of this monster, or stepping a foot in any direction that took them away from the bear.

Just as Abe was starting to plan an exit strategy from this house of nightmares, Theo began to fidget in his arms. Fidgeting soon turned into crying, and Abe set him down on the floor to try to see what was wrong, using the couch as a potential shield. To his surprise, Theo began emitting a red glow, fueled probably by the sudden psychic pull Abe could now feel coming from his son. The pull felt similar to the siren song of the creepy teddy bear, but the feeling was the exact opposite. Instead of despair, Abe felt warm, and hopeful.

The red glow soon sparked into radiating waves of what Abe assumed to be magic. They encompassed the entire house, spread across the lawn, and lit up their small corner of Arkhelios like a fireworks display.

Ian and Tabitha hissed like vampires being consumed by daylight, writhing in agony as the air shimmered around them.

The creature was suffering too. A strange light enveloped it, and seemed to be casting it forcibly from the room. Abe had no idea of how to gauge the emotions of whatever was being propelled away from him, but if he had to guess, it hadn’t been expecting this development. If Abe ever saw it again, he got the distinct feeling that it wouldn’t be as curious or as passive as it had been today.

In all the excitement, the cursed teddy bear had fallen from its pedestal. That bear and that room had been the source of the corruption of the Chun family home. With whatever had been feeding off of it gone, the house almost felt normal again. Well, psychically normal anyway. The physical damage was extensive enough to warrant just tearing the house down and salting the earth so that nothing else could live here again. With no one blocking his way this time, Abe cautiously picked up the bear from the floor and examined it.

It looked somewhat old, but not old enough to be an antique. He looked at the leg where he had seen the embroidery before, and could barely stifle a gasp when he read it. It said Theo. His son had just started glowing, which had banished the monster, but how had someone known about his infant long ago enough to make this bear? Was that why Tabitha and his dad were always shouting Theo’s name?

He scooped Theo off of the floor where he had been hiding and checked him over. The glowing had stopped, and he seemed to be perfectly fine. No one could have guessed that he had triggered a supernatural light show just a few minutes ago. If the last few days hadn’t been so crazy, his family would probably never believe this story.

His family....

Embarrassment swept over Abe when he realized that he had made a very simple mistake about the bear’s origins. The bear was much too old to have foretold his son’s existence. There was an easier answer that should have been his first thought. His son had been named after his half-brother, Hunter Bellamy, who had been born Theo Helios. Abe had spent long hours talking with his mother about the child she had given birth to in her teens. She told him about her father’s cruelty, of trying to hide their son’s existence from Launce and the hopelessness she felt having to bury this painful experience from everyone. Elaine had made this bear for her son, and poured all of her sorrow, anger and fear into it when Theo had been taken from her. She had carried it into her adult life and hidden it somewhere safe. Somewhere she could grieve her pain while still keeping it hidden from the outside world. Even as she married and had more children, the bear still hid locked away, always reminding her what she had suffered. All of her pain had been twisted by that terrifying creature into fuel, pulling everyone nearby into madness as they struggled against years of repressed feelings, and adding in fears of their own.

Abe looked at what remained of his father. Both Ian and Tabitha were still moving, and had been somewhat healed by the elaborate light show. He wouldn't go so far as to say that they were alive, but they did look healthier than before. They looked and moved just like Narcissa Soileh, who always looked to be hovering between life and death. It wasn’t ideal, but Abe was relieved not to have lost his dad forever. He’d been angry with him for not helping him when he was pregnant, or waiting on news of Roman’s brush with death, but clearly his dad had a good excuse for not being there. Now that Abe knew that, maybe having a zombie dad would be better than having a dead or missing one.

Theo began to cry in his arms and Abe began rocking him to settle him down. Was this event Theo triggered why the Bellamys were so afraid of him? If anything, the release of negative energy from the doll had been more of a symbolic gesture on Theo’s part. It was Abe and his mother who had worked through their feelings together, and talked openly about Elaine’s teenage years, lifting the stigma and secrecy about Hunter. Naming his son after his half-brother, and watching Elaine’s face as she held Theo had been healing for them, and probably weakened the power the bear produced. The core of the original energy from Elaine had been replaced by love and acceptance, and all Theo must have done was push that last bit of negativity away with all the love he’d been given. That certainly wasn’t a threat to the Bellamys. Then again, Abe had been the one to talk to his mother, and name his son, so it should have been him who banished that horrible creature, not Theo.

That was a thought for when he was back home again though. For the moment, getting out of his nightmarish old house and back to safety of his family was the priority.

[jeonggukookies]

too young || three

summary: jungkook tells you the truth about his “daughter” and the girl’s mother

word count: 3,003

genre: parent!au, single dad!jungkook fluff/angst/slow burn

one || two || three

“Jungkook, look!” Lifting your head up from your book, your eyes watched Jules drag Jungkook into your direction. You bit your lower lip to stop yourself from laughing as he and Jules stumbled onto the light blue checkered blanket. “Wow! Small world, am I right?”

“Indeed,” you joked. 

Jungkook was wearing a long-sleeve yellow button up with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His shirt was tucked into his ripped light jeans. His outfit matched Jules; she was wearing a white t-shirt with yellow checkered shorts. For the first time in forever, her hair was down. 

“Do you mind if we join you?” He asked while Jules put her hands together and gave you a begging look. He ran his left hand through his brown hair as his other hand held a large picnic basket. “If not, it’s cool.” 

You let out a small laugh and rolled your eyes at his attempt of being a cool guy who didn’t care. “I mean I suppose if I get something from the basket.”

“Yay!” Jules cheered as she sat down right away across from you. “I’m glad the three of us are having a picnic.” 

“What are you reading?” Jungkook as he sat down. He put the basket lightly in front of him and opened the lid. He gave you a teasing look. “Let me guess: E. L. James?”

“I’m sorry to disappoint.” You lifted the book from your lap to show him the cover of the book you were reading. It was a graphic novel that documented a life as a refugee escaping the Great War. He stared at your book for a while before taking out the first container out of the basket. “Not what you expected?”

“I don’t know actually.” He opened the lid of the container, revealing chocolate covered strawberries. “I mean, I don’t really know you.” 

“You will soon,” Jules whispered under her breath. She shoved a strawberry in her mouth. “Soon.” 

“What was that, kiddo?” Jungkook asked as he grabbed hand sanitizer and squeezed some onto his hands. 

“Nothing.” Jungkook then started parting Jules’s hair into three sections and began braiding her hair. “I’m eating strawberries.” 

“Who taught you how to braid?” You asked, getting a strawberry from the container. Once you tasted it, you knew you couldn’t stop; they were that good. “I feel like you can braid better than most people.” 

He laughed, and just like Jules’s laugh, it was like hearing the most precious sound ever. You just wanted to listen to it over and over again, and you would never get tired of it. “I asked Jin to teach me how to braid when Jules started living with me, but then I taught myself how to do the fancy ones.” 

Trying to hide your confused facial expression, you closed your book. Jules didn’t always lived with Jungkook, and he had moved and changed his job in order to fit around Jules’s schedule. Did that mean Jungkook and Jules’s mother were divorced? Did her mother suddenly not want her anymore?

You watched as Jungkook carefully and gently braided Jules’s hair without hurting her. “I wish I knew how to braid.” 

“You don’t know how?” Jungkook asked as he grabbed the brown hair tie from his left wrist and wrapped it around the end of Jules’s braid. Again, he put santizer onto his hands and then reached to grab a strawberry. “You never learned?” 

“I’m just really bad with my hands,” you said without thinking. 

“Oh god,” Jules mumbled as Jungkook bit his lower lip, trying not to laugh. “What does that mean?”

“That’s not what I meant.” You let out a laugh. “I just couldn’t braid, so my mom or my friends would always do it for me.” 

“Maybe one day, I’ll teach you.” Jungkook offered. Jules gave him a ‘what is this’ kind of look. You watched Jungkook nudge her, and Jules got back to eating the strawberries. “Perhaps, I’ll be the teacher, and you’ll be the student.” 

Before you could reach for another strawberry, Jungkook reached for one and handed it to you. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you like them,” he said. “Jules and I made them.” 

“They’re delicious.” Jules smiled and patted herself on the back.  

“Do you like coming to the park to read alone?” He asked. 

“I’m fine by myself.” You shrugged. “Even if I didn’t want to be alone, I couldn’t invite someone. No one would want to come just to be with someone who’s reading.”

“I just think you haven’t found the right person for that.” Jungkook’s alluring eyes met yours. He was looking at you as if he was trying to look into your soul and understand what was going on in your head. “I know you said you were okay with being alone, but don’t you feel lonely sometimes?”

You knew that he asked with concern and wonder, not with the intent to hurt you, but somehow, it did hurt a little. You never thought too much about it, but you were amazed he could read you that easily. 

“And what makes you think that?” 

“I mean, you’re reading a book alone where someone is seeking asylum in a new foreign place, and I just had this feeling,” he explained. “Do you feel like you’re alone?”

You didn’t like depending on anybody else, but there were times where you did feel alone, even when you surrounded yourself with a bunch of people. You just distracted yourself away from that feeling by talking to other people. The feeling of loneliness eventually does go away, but it eventually did come back. It was just a cycle you had to deal with. 

“Way to go, Kook,” Jules gritted through her teeth. “You know how to make a person feel good about themselves.” 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to be nosy or anything. Or sad. I wouldn’t want that on you.” 

“I’m fine, really. I’m just thinking.” Jungkook was practically a stranger to you, yet you felt comfortable enough to share personal information with him. Your feelings towards Jungkook were changing. You knew that you started to like him and trust him. “I think that’s why I wanted to work in a school environment. I’m able to connect with a bunch of people who have different stories, so it makes me feel less lonely and alone. And I want to help them, so they don’t feel like that.” 

“Did you feel like that growing up?” He asked.

“I mean, a little.” You thought about your childhood. “I was an only child, and I didn’t have a big family. I grew up with my parents and spent a lot of time at school with some friends, so when I wasn’t with them, I did feel alone. But I knew there was always someone there.”

“I get it.” Jungkook gave you a small smile and reached your shoulder to rub your upper arm in soothing circles. His touch felt like a thousand bolts went through your system. It was like he made your senses stronger. “Thank you for being comfortable enough to share that. Especially with me.” 

He had the kind of energy where you felt like you were at home; you felt comfortable, safe and at peace. You were so used to being that type of person that you weren’t used to seeing other people like that too. As much as you didn’t want to admit it, you needed that. “Thanks Jungkook. For listening. For not judging.”

“Are you always that brave?” He teased. “Like I’m glad you trust me and all, but you took a risk by telling me. What if I run away this instant and tell the whole world how you felt?”

”Ha.” You released another laugh. “My mom owns a casino, actually.”

“Oh?” He said, not getting your point. “You go to casinos, and that’s why you like taking risks?”

You rolled your eyes and playfully shoved him. “She told me to always take the chance even when I’m afraid and don’t know. She didn’t think I would want to lose what I could have had,” you explained. “I took the risk to tell you, and hopefully you don’t run away from me.” 

He smiled. “She’s smart.” 

Jules then cupped her hands around Jungkook’s ear and whispered into his ear. She was terrible at it as you heard her ask, “Jungkook, when are you going to do it then?” 

He looked at you and said, “Monday.”

___

That following Monday, you looked up from your laptop once you heard a knock on your office door. 

There, at the door, Jungkook, in a cotton candy blue long sleeve button up and white pants, had a bouquet of purple Alstroemerias in his left hand. He gave them to you, and before you could say anything, he asked if he could cook you dinner at his house on Friday night. 

You didn’t have to say anything. The smile on your face was your answer, and Jungkook knew it.

“I took the risk.”

“Are you glad?”

“Hell yeah.”

____

“Yeah, so I actually can’t cook.” You were with Jungkook at his home theatre room. You two were lying on your sides, facing each other under the big pillow and blanket fort that Jules was still setting up. Just like kids, you three were having a sleepover.

“I can tell,” you joked as you looked down at the leftover pizza on the paper plate that outside the fort. You arrived earlier than what Jungkook told you, and he tried to rush you into the theatre room. As you went into the room, you saw the pizza delivery guy come to the door with a box of pizza in his hand. You kept teasing him about it as you both ate the pizza. “It’s okay. I like it still.”

“Jules, do you want to join us?” Jungkook asked.

“I’m still setting this whole fort up, Kook!” She yelled from outside the fort, adjusting the sheets above your head. "I’m almost done! One more thing!"

“Do you guys always make forts?” You heard loud footsteps run towards the other side of the room, and the lights are turned off. Then, a switch is turned on, and you looked up to see stars through the blankets and sheets. "Fancy."

“Probably every other weekend.” You nodded. “Just to keep things interesting.”

Jules then got into the fort and laid between next to you and Jungkook. Jules then wrapped her arms around Jungkook's body. He laughed, rubbed her back and quietly sang her a soft lullaby. You couldn't help but to smile at how precious they both were.

"How's work?"

“Bearable,” he joked. "I get to see Jules in the morning and after school now, so I'm glad."

Despite the fact that Jungkook forgot to pick up his daughter, you knew he cared about her deeply. There was no way he couldn't. He took the time to learn to braid her hair, sacrificed his career and always made sure she was okay.

"Look at you being a cuddler."

“I like you a lot, ya know?” You let out a small giggle.

"I sure hope so," you teased back. “The pizza really shows.” 

“I want to get to know you better.” Jungkook began asking questions. He didn't ask you the simple things like  your favorite color, food, movie or any of small talk. He knew he could always ask those later. Instead, he asked you questions that made you think and see what kind of person you were; he really wanted to get to know you and how you see life. He asked questions like lyrics that stood out to you the most, what you thought your purpose was, your worst habit and more.

You told him that you always wanted to help kids. To you, kids were special, and you wanted them to be on the right path as they grow up and develop their own ideas. You wanted them to be in a safe environment, wanted them to learn and be happy. You thought your purpose was doing that: making others live happy and shaping their lives, so they choose the path to do something great.

Jungkook told you that he had a similar purpose. He told you that he thought his purpose was to make art with words and sounds; making music was perfect for him. He loved the idea that people turned to music in times of happiness, sadness, needing of comfort and more, and he wanted to make all kinds of music that people could turn to. It was a small thing, but he believed he could help people.

You liked that about him a lot. He wanted people to be happy, just like you did.

"Do you think your purpose changed with Jules in your life?" You asked. “Do you think it shifted towards to Jules instead of your career?”

He looked down at Jules who was peacefully sleeping in his arms. "A little. I still make music, but I still want the world's happiness for Jules. I guess it’s having multiple purposes in life."

You couldn't help but to ask him. “Why does she call you Jungkook?”

He raised his eyebrows, scrunching them together. “Because that’s my name? Is she supposed to call me Martin or something?”

You rolled your eyes causing him to smile at you. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

He took a deep breath, and his facade of being happy and a joker came off. He became serious. “Ask me what you really want to know.” 

“Why doesn’t she call you Dad?”

"Because I’m not her dad." He started stroking the back of Jules's hair. "I thought you knew that."

"What do you mean?" You tilt your head, confused. “How would I know?” 

“I just thought Jules would have told you by now, or you looked into her file at school.” He started to explain. “"When I was growing up, my family was close to Jules's mother's family. They had a daughter about four years younger than me. Her name was Sarah."

"That's Jules's mom's name?"

He nodded. “Jules looks just like her. Brown hair, hazel eyes, and the dimples.”

“Same personality too?” 

“I think she’s more like you.” He chuckled, having a small smile on his face. “Jules has a big heart, is smart and knows what she wants. For her age, she’s not afraid of anything. Sarah wasn’t quite like that. She struggled a lot in school and really was more of a follower than a leader.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Right, but I think it just led her to make the wrong choices. She partied a lot, argued with her parents and wasn’t responsible. I was like her older brother. I had to take care of her and made sure she was coming home at night, alive and breathing.”

“So what happened?”

“Sarah told me everything. Seven years ago, she told me the night before her graduation that she was pregnant.” He paused. “But she didn't know who the Dad was. It was a one night stand." 

You felt bad for Sarah already, having to raise a child at such a young age and all alone. Although Jules seem to not mind about not having a Dad, you felt bad that she never had the opportunity to meet him. She was left with a lot of questions not answers.

“I already graduated university and had my own career ahead of me.” Jungkook continued his story. "I didn’t do much, but I tried and helped Sarah here and there once Jules was born. I bought diapers, paid for babysitters and visited like once a month and on birthdays.”

“You did that even though you didn’t have to.” 

“I cared for the both of them.”

“Where is she now?” This story could go anywhere, and you weren’t prepared at all. Did she become an alcoholic and was deemed unfit to parent Jules? Did she leave Jules? Did she just give Jungkook a baby and walked away?

He took a deep breath. “A couple months before you were principal, Sarah was on her way to pick up Jules and got into an accident. Nothing could have been done to save her.”

“How did you get Jules then?” 

“Jules didn’t have any other family but her uncles, and in Sarah’s will, she entrusted me to be Jules's guardian."

"Oh, Jungkook." You knew Jungkook adored Jules, but it wasn’t the life he planned or wanted; it just happened. “I’m so sorry.”

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Y/N." He kissed the top of Jules's head and held her a little tighter. "I'm glad Jules is in my life, but there are some days where they are harder than others."

"I mean, that's still a big adjustment." Jungkook agreed with you. "You had a whole life already, and now you’re living a life you didn’t think you were going to live.”

“It wasn’t something I wanted to choose, but there was no other choice.” He sighed. “Life is crazy and works in mysterious ways.” 

“You asked me if I felt alone.” He nodded. “Do you feel like that?” 

“Sometimes when I am lost and confused,” he answered. “I have the boys, but sometimes, I don’t know what I’m doing with Jules. I feel like it would have been better for Sarah to raise her, and I wouldn’t have to be hard on her sometimes when she misbehaves.”

“You’re just doing your job,” you assured him. “She loves you and knows you love her.” 

“But on good days, I’m glad I have Jules. I know then I’m not alone.”

“But you still miss what you had before.” 

“Missing my old life won’t change anything. It’s not going to bring me back my old life or bring back Sarah. It’s better just to move on,” he said. “Besides, I’m really happy with what I have now and Jules. And I am definitely happy that I met you.”

[whopooh]

Thoughts about Miss Fisher and Antony and Cleopatra

I saw Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra from National Theatre on Youtube the other week, and I really want to talk about the parallels between Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and the play – since this is the Shakespeare play that is most referenced of all in the show. Having finally seen the play, I want to explore this a bit!

Antony and Cleopatra is very present in MFMM. In “Ruddy Gore”, when Phryne challenges him to perform, Jack quotes lines about Cleopatra from the play for her and to her: 

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale  Her infinite variety: other women cloy  The appetites they feed: but she makes hungry  Where most she satisfies. 

It’s beautiful and so fitting to Phryne, and to Jack’s view of Phryne, and the way he speaks the last line is amazing (it also stops perfectly before the quote starts talking about “vile” things). Later, in “Murder in the Dark”, Phryne tries to persuade him to dress up as Antony to complement her Cleopatra in the masquerade. Jack replies with another quote from the play, suggesting he would then become “The triple pillar of the world transform'd / Into a strumpet's fool” – one of the harsh characteristics of Antony being in Cleopatra’s thrall. Phryne dismisses the charges, pointing out that he is rather a single pillar, and has been for rather too long. (Especially poignantly put since he has only been divorced for a few hours at this point, which Phryne doesn’t know.) Finally, when they find the corpse in "Murder à la Mode”, Jack quotes a line from the play after Phryne has shown him the pearl: “He kiss'd, – the last of many doubled kisses, – / This orient pearl”, rather suggestively apostrophing the closeness between them (the pearl is a token of love sent from Antony to Cleopatra) and at the same time making a cunnilingus joke. Phryne smiles and diffuses the tension by pointing out that even Mark Antony probably wouldn’t want to kiss that pearl (which has just been used as a murder weapon).

So, you want me to perform, Miss Fisher?

For a reference, then, this is used unusually consistently.

Why? I would say that it’s used in several ways. Most easily, it’s a way to show the depth of Jack (he is more than “just a copper”, he knows his Shakespeare) as well as of Phryne and her flirting  – which also shows how well-matched they are. It brings out the sensuality of Phryne, and the energy between Phryne and Jack and how it could become much more, by bringing out the likeness to one of literary history’s famous love couples. But most of all, it interests me how the play simultaneously works as a parallel and a contrast to the duo we are watching – and how that says so very much about what the show is doing.

Antony and Cleopatra, National Theatre (Sophie Okonedo and Ralph Fiennes).

The parallels are many. Most strongly resonating is, I think, that both are love stories about adult, mature, accomplished, and independent people, who happen to find a strong passionate love in an age far from the teenages of Romeo and Juliet. They are capable, they have their own lives already before they meet – and then they meet someone they feel passionately about, and that love is depicted as so very tangible and real. Both Cleopatra and Phryne offer sensuality, pleasure, and fun to a person usually ruled by duty. Cleopatra is famed for her beauty, but also for her cleverness and capability (even if Shakespeare downplays that part, I’d say), and Phryne is as beautiful as she is clever. They are not afraid of “what people think” and very alluring to a man of honour who is used to follow the male order of the army and the police, accustomed to carry an “armour”. Antony and Jack are both competent, handsome, and worth to be admired. They are bound by duty, and by promises.

And this is where the contrasts take over from the parallels – because what is made of this are two very different things. Antony and Cleopatra, despite all the love, will end in tragedy, because love overrules duty. Antony will lose everything because he abandons the duty-bound ideal for pleasure and love (and a lot of horniness, to be frank), a chosen path that cannot be allowed in his world. [Note: It is very clear, though, that the characters around him still admire and love him, both his allies and his enemies; they simultaneously seem to feel he has gone astray and admire him for what he was.]

But this is not the case with Jack and Phryne. MFMM is not a tragedy, and the development of the plot shows us (and Jack) that a man can choose sensuality and love without losing his dignity. To go along with Phryne and her shenanigans is not to lose the path of duty, but a way to both complement and enhance it. Where Shakespeare’s play puts the male and the female as a kind of opposites, where the struggle between them threatens to bring the male down, in MFMM it is a mutually beneficial meeting.

“To be or not to be Mark Antony, that is the question.”

It is really notable in MFMM how the “norm” on the male/female division is challenged and proved to be unnecessary. We have all noted how Phryne and Jack have traits that traditionally are seen to belong to both genders, and they are mixed up in a great way. Phryne doesn’t lure Jack away from something, she is not dangerous or allowing lust to override rationality. Rather, with Phryne the creators have taken what could have been that, and completely upended it, filling it with so much humanity, care, and interesting traits. Phryne is utterly female, but she is not female in a way that is opposite, dark, threatening, or alluring like a siren. She may look like Cleopatra, but she is no Cleopatra.

And by this I don’t mean to downplay the power of the character Cleopatra – she is interesting and there are many nuances also in her, of course. But she is still depicted as the downfall of an honourable man – the fact that he follows her is his flaw, taking away his bravery and leadership to instead disastrously follow her lead: “My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings, / And thou shouldst tow me after: o'er my spirit / Thy full supremacy thou knew'st, and that / Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods / Command me.” 

This is not what Phryne does. She is not here to apologize, but she is also not here to be someone’s flaw or downfall.

In Antony and Cleopatra, the talk about male and female, and the threat of them becoming mixed or swapped, is really overt. More than once, Antony is depicted in female terms and Cleopatra in male, and since the outcome is tragic, this has the potential to be seen as a bad thing [the power of the characters, despite the tragedy, can also say the opposite, that it can be seen as a good thing but in the wrong world, but I’ll use the first line of thought here]. One example is this description of Antony: “he fishes, drinks, and wastes / The lamps of night in revel; is not more man-like / Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy / More womanly than he.”

And this will be my final point here, that this mixture of gendered traits is a parallel with MFMM – but in MFMM this is unanimously depicted as something good. The fact that Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries in this sense isn’t anything like (for example) Antony and Cleopatra is its real strength, and a place where the show feels so incredibly hopeful.

“Come on, Jack, Just one gaudy night,” Phryne says, echoing Cleopatra’s “Come, / Let's have one other gaudy night” in the play.

Oh, and one more point! In the play, when Antony is going to war, Cleopatra helps buckle him up. In the show, Phryne helps to unbuckle Jack, or at least his tie, at the masquerade. That is such a fun parallel, and we get to see Jack a bit dishevelled – but again, this never compromises him, and when they need to chase a murderer, he is instantly ready to work.

*

PS. I would love to hear your thought about this! Please feel free to both agree and disagree or pick out other parts of the parallel!

*

[aloysiavirgata]

The Way That Light Attaches To A Girl

Title:  The Way That Light Attaches To A Girl

Author: Aloysia Virgata

Rating: PG (language)

Timeline: Season 1

Summary:  Maybe she’s not so bad, this gingery little doctor.

Author’s Notes:  Mulder reads Cicero and finds the method of loci tool useful in honing an eidetic memory. Also, the timeline of this show is absurd. Per canon, the Pilot is in March of 1992. But here it’s March of 1993 because...I just can’t, honestly. Thank you to @perplexistan for reminding me that I wrote this in 2013, and talking me through the timeline.

*** It's been a long December and there's reason to believe Maybe this year will be better than the last I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself To hold on to these moments as they pass - Counting Crows *** It’s gritty outside, gritty and gray with a rime of salt on everything. There are pockets of rotten snow for him to kick, slushy and satisfying against his heavy shoes. He pulls his coat tighter, feeling like a hard-boiled detective in a pulp paperback, thinking this would be a good time for a cigarette if he still smoked. His divorce papers were filed this time last year, just like his parents’ had been a couple decades back. The ink had scarcely been dry on the marriage certificate when they realized they didn’t know each other and changed their minds. It was the same time Diana left him and his - their - files for whatever the fuck had summoned her across the sea. Paperwork, as ever in his life, was all that remained of these experiences. If this were really a detective story, he thinks, stepping over a soggy Washington Post, a tall cool blonde would have walked in through the frozen mist and into his arms. Someone lithe, with red lipstick and half-lidded violet eyes. She would look like Veronica Lake and speak in a low, compelling voice, urging him to do brave and outlandish things to thwart the Nazis. He’d wear a fedora, buy a mink stole for the blonde. They’d drink martinis and make love in dark hotels smelling of leather and intrigue. But he’s not living in a dime-store novel, he’s living in Alexandria on Christmas Eve 1993 (“The New Age of Angels,” claimed Time magazine, somewhat cryptically) and is eager to turn the last page in his calendar. Mulder knows it’s symbolic only, that his Eurocentrism is showing, but he still watches the ball drop on TV. Last year he’d kissed a woman in a bar and gone home with her too, but doesn’t think he’d remember her face if he saw it. He hasn’t got the energy to entice a stranger this year, and Scully’s hardly his type. He shouldn’t be sleeping with coworkers anyway, it’s never worth the trouble and the FBI is full of people who are paid to do nothing but sniff out secrets. Besides, he is now 32 years old which is really about time to start getting your shit together even if your baby sister was abducted by aliens at Thanksgiving. Mulder generally holds the holidays in low regard. He pauses to watch a small flock of cats at an upended trash can, feasting upon pungent things like battlefield ravens. One of the cats glances at him sidelong, narrowing round yellow eyes as though Mulder has designs on the gray thing it’s gnawing at. He holds his hands up to show the cats he wishes them no harm, keeps walking. Scully had offered to drive him home but he thanked her and caught the blue line, the clank and rattle of the train making him feel like some variety of normal businessman. Maybe people thought he was a banker or a Congressional staffer, going home to a twinkling Douglas fir and a mantle hung with stockings. Nine months and a broken condom can, in many circumstances, result in a whole new person. But it’s been nine months with Scully and she’s still her own woman, though Christ knows Mulder’s tried to remake her in his own image. She’s trudged alongside him through graveyards, military bases, bad diners, and one memorable night in Pennsylvania where she had captured a frantic bat in the hotel lobby. (“Do you want to wait for it to take human form before I release it?” she’d asked drily.) Through all of it she remained disbelieving and supercilious, leaving him vexed. She’d chirped “Merry Christmas, Mulder” at him, assuming that he celebrated Christmas and was capable of merriment. He was afraid Scully’d bring in a little Charlie Brown tree for the office, ornaments smooth and shining as her earnest face. She is skeptical in all the wrong ways and probably has the Michael Bolton Christmas album on her stereo at this very moment. She probably has eggnog in the fridge and will drink it without rum. She probably likes fruitcake and ham with pineapple rings on it. Mulder, going home to the shadows of his apartment where he might listen to Pink Floyd and nurse his resentment with three fingers of whiskey, feels justified in his scorn. A couple loaded with gifts pushes past him and he nearly loses his balance on a patch of black ice, clutches at a lamp post. He gazes up at the endless sky as snow begins to fall again. (Scully’s probably delighted by the prospect of a white Christmas, probably whistling a few bars of the song as she puts on a green sweater.) But he’s being unfair, isn’t he? For all her tattling back to the higher ups, she’s never tried to present herself as an angel. Her primary fault is in not being Diana, not being a tall dark moon goddess. Being pretty rather than beautiful, being frank rather than alluring. He’s seen her smoking a couple of times, discovered that she says “Jesus!” a lot so that she doesn’t say “fuck” or “shit.” This amuses him; he thought the blasphemy would be worse. He knows Scully watches what she eats but turns to carbohydrates and wine in times of stress. He found out she was sleeping with that asshole Jack Willis, which really threw him for a loop because Scully has a schoolteacherish quality that led him to presume premarital abstinence. He thinks of her in that first motel room, her smooth back beneath his hands, her panic turning on some masculine caveman switch. It’s been a long year, perhaps she could be his type after all despite her sensible underwear. She’s attractive enough if you like that sort of Hibernian look. He can tell she’s a bit awed by him and he could manipulate that to his advantage. Mulder walks the last slushy block thinking impious thoughts about Catholic school uniforms and playing doctor. The honeycomb tile of his building is muddied, layered with fragments of leaves and footprints. A radio blares something about Barbra Streisand doing her first live concert in twenty years. Mulder shakes his head and imagines his mother on the Vineyard, frothing with excitement. “Merry Christmas Agent Mulder,” says Leo, the maintenance guy. Leo’s got some kind of intellectual disability that Mulder hasn’t bothered to diagnose, but he’s always quick to replace a kicked-in lock or a shot-out window, and Mulder therefore regards him as a master craftsman. He gives Leo money every year at Christmas. At present he’s attacking the hallway sludge with an ancient mop. “Merry Christmas, Leo.” He gets his mail, sorting through it as he ambles to the elevator. Bill; bill; Playboy; Christmas cards from his doctor, dentist, and insurance agent; coupons; a thick manila envelope from the divorce attorney. Mulder rolls it all into a bundle and shoves it under his arm. He’s fumbling with his keys when the elevator deposits him on the fourth floor. There are wreaths on most of the doors in his building, a handful of mezuzas. Number 42, as usual, conforms to no given standard. He stops when he sees Scully leaning against his door. “Um,” he says. “Hey.” She waves her fingertips, looking uncomfortable. She’s holding a cardboard FedEx envelope. “I forgot to give you this before you left.” “Okay,” he says, uncertain about the idea of Scully on his turf. “Hang on a sec.” He makes sure the packet from the lawyer is hidden, though she’s probably heard the whole story. He knows what the talk is. They all act like he’s John fucking Douglas, like he can guess what number they’re thinking of based on how they part their hair. He’s a sideshow act, the guy who can think like John Roche and Monty Props. A freak. Scully turns to slouch against the wall while he jiggles the latest lock open, wishing there were a convenient place to stash a can of WD-40. “So, uh, come on in, I guess.” She turns, walks under his arm as he hold the door open, and stands in the entryway. The door clicks shut behind him, a final sound. Mulder puts his mail on the kitchen counter, tossing his coat over it. “You want anything to drink?” he calls to her, unsure if he can make good on the offer. What the hell does Scully drink? Tea? Zima? He’s got a few beers in the fridge, his wife’s wine is long finished. “No, I’m good.” Her coat’s draped over her arm when he comes back out, and he hangs it up for her. He notices that she’s wearing jeans with a navy cable-knit sweater, no tartan in sight. Her boots are dark and practical. Mulder shrugs off his jacket, loosens his tie out of its regulation noose. “Here, sit down. There’s, uh, the couch is right over there.” His couch is the atramentous green of algae, appearing black in the close room. “So what’s up?” She holds out the folder to him. “I realized I had this when I got home and since it’s a three day weekend, I wanted to make sure you had it. I thought it might be important.” Scully sits down close to the edge of the couch, much of her weight on her knees. She presses her hands together between them after Mulder takes the envelope, bouncing a little bit. He looks at the return address and groans. Arlinsky, that idiot from the Smithsonian. Mulder’s got enough credibility issues without this nutcase on his tail. He tosses the envelope on his cluttered desk for later perusal. Scully, as the messenger, looks apologetic. “Bad news?” He sits next to her, why not? “Nah, just…you know. The usual.” “Ah.” He watches her do a quick scan of his apartment. He has nothing to be ashamed of, she can look around. Mulder removes his tie completely now, untucks his shirt and leans into the corner of his couch. “So I’m surprised you’re here, Scully. I got the impression Christmas was a…thing. For your family.” He waves his hand vaguely, as though families are something he read about in a Margaret Mead article but never fully understood. Something closes in Scully’s face, which intrigues him. Discomfort usually comes with a good story, but he’ll tease it out of her later. She scratches her elbow, stalling. “I’m going to go by my parents’ house tomorrow.” “Not tonight? No big Scully celebration with stockings hung by the fire and cookies for Santa?” He has picked these ideas up from Oxford and Christmas music. Santa would probably prefer a cold longneck and some nachos. “My sister’s coming in tomorrow, she’s staying with my parents so they’re getting everything ready tonight. My younger brother and his family too, they’re getting in late.” Scully looks faintly guilty for this wealth of relatives. Which one of them are you avoiding, Dana? “Fun,” he says in a tone that he hopes is not sarcastic. Scully shrugs, picks at the cuff of her sweater. “Yeah, it’ll be good. I’ll get to see my niece and nephew. What about you? What are you doing?” “Oh, just…you know. Laying low.” He’s meeting up with the Gunmen for Chinese food and bootleg video games from some Japanese guy they know, but he’s not ready to tell Scully about them. In part because she might want to meet them and would end up charging Frohike with a sex crime. “Sounds good,” she says in a non-judgmental tone. “I could use some down time myself.” “Job wearing on you?” Going to wimp out and request a transfer? She puffs a breath of air out, pushes the tip of her tongue to her top lip. “No. Well, I mean, it’s hard. We travel so much, I didn’t do that before and it’s taking some adjustment.” Mulder drapes an arm over the back of the couch, wishing he could take his pants off and order a pizza. But he wants to know more about what drives her; Diana left him wary of unknown quantities, and this is his first opportunity to peer into Scully’s head. “Yeah, I guess they mostly shipped the cadavers to you before, huh? When you were doing doctor things?” He sees a slight narrowing of her eyes at this, the implication that she’s not a doctor now. The fact that she took it as an insult means it’s a vulnerability. “Mostly.” He decides to push it, being as he has home field advantage. “How come you decided to stop practicing medicine?” Scully sits up straight, her palms on the tops of her thighs. “I didn’t realize I had.” Prickly. “Oh, sorry, no offense. I just….you left your residency to join the FBI, right?” Faker, he knows her career trajectory down to the day. “My work as a Special Agent has always revolved around my background in forensic pathology. I just felt…called to the FBI as the place to best put those skills to use.” Called, religious imagery. Interesting. Her reply had a rehearsed sound, it’s something she’s repeated numerous times. Who gives her grief about being an FBI agent? A younger brother wouldn’t, would probably look up to that. Mom or Dad, most likely, though it could be one of the older siblings. He’d put his money on Dad or big brother based on the cold formality of her words. Both men are in the military, she’d speak to that. And big brother wasn’t mentioned as being in town, so Dad it is. He throws her a bone for revealing so much. “I’ve heard nothing but commendations.” “Thanks.” The appreciation seems genuine. “So what about you, Mulder? Why….this?” Scully holds her arms out like an orchestra conductor. The gesture encompasses his desk, the groaning bookshelves and fading newspaper clippings. Area 51, Reticulans, ectoplasm, and jackalopes. “Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible,” he quotes. “Feynman.” Scully knows her physicists. “It’s the perfect con, really. I figured out a way to get the federal government to pay for my hobbies.” He hopes that will satisfy her, but knows better. “Why is it your hobby?” Ah, Scully. You little investigator, you. “I’m a lousy knitter.” She smiles. “Because of your sister?” He steeples his fingertips, taps them against his chin. It’s tempting to blow her off, but he considers the implications of her presence. There was no reason to bring that letter by; she could have called and he could have told her to round-file it. She’s trying to build something between them, she’s looking past his annoyance with her assignment and he’s not going to slap her hand away on Christmas Eve. “Hold that thought,” he says. Mulder goes to the kitchen for the beers and the churchkey magnet stuck to the freezer. He checks for food, but a cursory examination reveals that Scully is going to have to make do with some brews. She’s peering into the fish tank when he returns, scrutinizing the inhabitants. “I think one of your mollies is pregnant,” she says. “That spotted one.” “Yeah, they’re prolific little cannibals. Here, Scully. Have a drink.” He holds the bottle out to her when she turns, watches her hesitate for an instant before accepting. “Thanks,” she says. “Though I probably shouldn’t.” She pops the lid off when he’s done with the opener. Takes a long drink. “So,” he says, returning to his seat on the couch. “Why do I spend my time looking for ET and yetis, right?” Scully rolls the bottle between her palms. “It’s hard for me to understand why someone with your abilities chooses to use those gifts this way.” Once she rides out this dogleg, Mulder thinks, she’ll go far in the Bureau with her careful diplomacy. “When my sister was…taken, it was the first time that none of the authority figures in my life had an answer. Not my parents, my teachers, the police…no one could tell me what had happened. Years went by and there was still no solution. People stopped thinking about it, you know? They just acted like she was gone and that’s all there was to it.” “But not you.” Her voice is gentle. “I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that this was a question with an answer, even if no one wanted to delve deeper into what that answer was. I became, well, obsessed with the idea that there were all of these mysteries out there with answers that people were uncomfortable finding. So when I found the X-Files…” He glances sidelong at his partner, her nutmeg freckles and her cinnamon hair. “Isn’t that what you were doing already, though? Solving impossible cases?” He shrugs. “They weren’t impossible. They followed a pattern if you knew what to look for. But what I do now, no one wants the answer, Scully. That’s the real challenge.” “You caught Monty Props. Props, Jesus, that case is legendary! I want to understand, I do. I see what you’re saying about the challenge, it does make a kind of sense. But when I think about the people you stopped…” She shakes her head. She doesn’t get it. But she’s trying instead of dismissing him. That’s something. “That’s just it. Your reaction, it’s…look. Serial killers, they’re sexy. The public loves them. Everyone wants to be Bill Patterson or, or… Jack Crawford, right? People still read about Jack the Ripper, they practically turn these psychopaths into folk heroes. There will never be a shortage of people wanting to do what I did.” Half the beer is gone in his next swallow. Scully looks thoughtful, her thumbnail at the damp corner of the label on her bottle. “So this is like, what? Like a martyr thing? If you walk away from the limelight for this then it makes up for never knowing what happened to your sister?” She turns her head to give him a level gaze, her eyes so blue and clear they seem artificial at times. He’s been called worse than a martyr, but somehow it stings. “Martyr? That’s condescending.” “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m sorry. I just, I guess it’s hard for me to understand what you hope to gain. What all this means to you in the end.” Mulder’s had enough of her analysis. “I’m not like you, I don’t crave approval.” It’s her turn to look stung. “I didn’t mean to pry.” He sighs. “Your questions aren’t unfair. It’s been a hard year.” “I heard.” There’s sympathy in her tone and he tries not to resent it. “Listen, Scully, I know you didn’t ask for this assignment and you’re doing your best with a bad hand. It’s just hard to share a career I’m passionate about with someone who pretty clearly thinks it’s a waste of time.” Scully sets her beer on the coffee table, resting her elbows on her knees, her hands cupped around her chin. Mulder props his feet up next to her bottle, patient in the silence. There are deep shadows in the room, illuminated by the ambient streetlight through the curtains, the cool blue aquarium lamp. Puddles of light leak from the kitchen, but they barely stain the rug. Scully looks like a Hitchcock girl, white and pure, untouched by the surrounding gloom. She reminds him of Ingrid Bergman or Greta Garbo, her good bones and heavy-lidded eyes. “You know,” Scully says, muffled, “Pathology’s hardly the hottest specialty in med school. It’s not really seen as a place to make a career.” “The malpractice can’t be bad though, right?” She rolls her eyes. “You spend years of your life learning to care for the living and use it to examine the dead. People have…opinions about that.” This had not occurred to him, and he says as much. Scully sits up and settles back into the couch. “And to then take that to the FBI, well…” Full circle to the truth. “Lots of grief for that?” She shrugs. “From some more than others. My dad, he – look, Mulder. I’m not saying we’re in the same place or have the same ideas or that we’re both noble misunderstood renegades. I am not trying to oversimplify anything. I’m just telling you that I know what it’s like to care deeply about something that other people don’t necessarily understand.” She looks defensive after this, takes a fierce swig of her beer. Mulder eyes her up with a new appreciation. “I guess I just figured all doctors sit on pedestals.” “If so, some of the pedestals are much higher than others. I know you don’t like me, Mulder. Or at least you don’t like our partnership. We may never be friends, I realize that. But it’s been three quarters of a year, you have to let your guard down if we’re going to work together. I want what you want, answers to these questions.” He smiles at her. A real smile, and thinks that it’s been a long time since he’s done it. “But you still think I’m spooky.” Scully smiles back. “Absolutely. And I still don’t believe in aliens. Or yetis. Or missing time or vampires or Nessie. But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe there are answers.” He scratches his chin, five o’clock shadow rough on his fingertips. Maybe she’s not so bad, this gingery little doctor. “I did say I wanted a challenge.” “You did at that.” She returns her bottle to the table, then turns to face him. The aquarium provides a ghostly backlight, her hair gleaming like rubbed copper. He holds this image of Scully in his mind until it is indelible, then tucks it away to remember her by. The Rhetorica ad Herennium advises sensory encoding to aid in recall, and so he places her in the sunlit portrait gallery of his memory palace. Scully stands, crosses the room to take her coat from the rack. “I’m sorry the letter wasn’t good news.” Mulder gets up to join her. “It’s okay.” He squints when she opens the door, the hallway so bright it hurts his eyes. “Thanks for bringing it by.” “Okay, well, I’ll see you on Monday, I guess.” She seems hesitant to go. She probably feels sorry for him. “Thanks for the drink. And the company.” “Go,” he says. “You don’t want coal in your stocking for oversleeping tomorrow.” She laughs a little, then takes his hands in her small white ones. She gives them a squeeze. “This is going to be okay, Mulder.” He thinks she might be right, squeezes back. She lets go of him, walks out and turns right. He locks up behind her, her perfume still lingering on his side of the door. Diana’s not coming home. It’s time that he moved on.