#his tanned skin really contrasts with the light color

[zoominsainz]

We all know the black fireproofs look really good but could I make a case for the white fireproofs?

[sleepyjuice]

Omg imagine everyone outside watching the fireworks but you and JJ are fucking in his room and the lights from the fireworks illuminate him beautifully through the window 😩

PHEW!!! i have a few filled requests sitting in my drafts but i had to write this and get it posted today for the 4th! thank you pookie for this!<3

warnings: 18+!!! unprotected p in v sex, creampie, think that’s it!

“Ah, fuck, JJ, they’re gonna hear us.” You spoke between moans, face smushed into JJ’s pillow as he slammed his cock into you from behind, the loud sounds of skin slapping against skin (even louder than usual in this position) filling the room.

His grip on your hips was tight, his rings cool against your skin creating the perfect contrast to soothe the slight burn from his grip.

“It’s loud as shit out there, baby, the whole fuckin’ island lightin’ off fireworks right now, no one’s gonna hear us.” He assured you, not stopping his movements as he spoke, his voice shaky from his relentless speed.

He was right, it was loud as fuck outside. Fireworks had been going off for at least an hour now and they would surely continue throughout the evening, so you two weren’t missing much.

You didn’t plan on sneaking away with JJ, but apparently he did. Something along the lines of how you were “struttin’ around in that thin ass bikini all damn day.” But you had no complaints.

“I’m close, Jay, oh god.” You whined as his cock continued to hit that perfect spot inside of you, your stomach tightening by the second.

“Yeah? Let me see that pretty face.” He breathed, his hands quickly sliding up your waist, cock still deep inside of you as he flipped you around so you were on your back and you were looking into each other’s eyes.

He had only stopped his movements for maybe three seconds, quickly continuing where he left off, his strong arms planted on both sides of you head as he kept himself up, his abs contracting with every thrust. He was so fucking hot.

Through glossy eyes, you took a moment to really take in the sight of JJ above you. His blonde hair and tan skin was perfectly illuminated by a multitude of different colors that seeped in through the window from outside, fireworks in the distance as well as many that were much closer sparkling in the night sky. You were a done deal.

“Shit— I’m coming, don’t stop, don’t stop…” You whimpered, your orgasm exploding through your body, similar to the fireworks just outside the window.

Your pussy clenched hard around his cock as his thrusts grew more and more sloppy by the second, his gaze transfixed on your face, flushed cheeks and parted lips as a sequence of soft curses and moans fell from your lips as he fucked you through your orgasm.

“God, you’re so perfect, takin’ my dick so good. Fuckin’ Christ, gonna cum, baby.”

That was more than enough to bring him to his end as well, stilling inside of you as you felt his thick cock twitch, his balls now wet with your cum pressed against your ass as he bottomed out and released inside of you, long hot spurts filling you up.

He grunted loudly as he spilled inside of you, slowly thrusting his cock inside of you a few more times, fucking his cum deeper into your pussy.

You gasped at the feeling, not missing the loud squelching sounds made from his movements, a pool of both of your releases dripping out of you once he finally pulled out.

You were panting, your naked chest rising and falling rapidly as you worked to catch your breath, properly and perfectly fucked.

“Shit,” JJ breathed, dipping his head to kiss your swollen lips sweetly before leaning back and grabbing a towel to clean you up.

“God bless America, ain’t that right?”

“JJ, shut the fuck up.”

[neiptune]

ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?

c/w: 11k wc, SUGGESTIVE, summer romance, strangers to fwb to lovers, eren is a surfing instructor, overall it's just a light and hopefully enjoyable story full of sea, conflicting feelings & newfound friendships! it's been a minute since i published anything but i'd love to come back with part 2 if you guys enjoy :)

i've read i wish you would by @meowzfordayz so many times i eventually got inspired to write my own lil summery piece 🤍

PART 2

Eren doesn’t think anything of it.

He’s used to being watched as he runs back and forth by the shoreline, salt drying on his tan skin and surfboard faithfully tucked underneath his arm.

He’s used to drawing the interest of girls, women and some men whenever he hangs out at the beach cafe with his friends. Eren actually gets a kick out of the thrilled glances he receives as he travels from thick towels to colorful beach umbrellas, in search of strangers bold enough to take part in a volleyball match against his team.

But it’s the third day, your yellow towel is always in the same spot and he finds himself glancing back at you more often than not. You’re a tourist, most probably from the city. It’s clear from how you shield yourself from the sun and the way you keep attempting to brush the sand off your legs with a frown he finds comical. You’re a reader, if the thick book you carry around in that straw bag is an indicator. You’re also alone, he’s never seen you in the company of a friend or a relative. Or a boyfriend.

Somehow, you manage to pique his interest, if only for the smile you grant when meeting him halfway to give back the ball Sasha’s serve has conveniently thrown too far away. As he watches you walk back to your towel and right as he manages to catch the brief glance you shoot him from over your shoulder, Eren thinks he just needs the right chance to try his evergreen luck once more.

Fortunately, the perfect opportunity comes earlier than expected.

He’s fresh out of the water, one hand running through brown locks rendered thicker by ocean salt. The pace is cheerful as they walk towards the cafe, hungry as ever after what felt like hours on end of catching waves, adrenaline slowly flowing out of their bodies and heart rate calming down. Eren spots you right away, suddenly so distracted he doesn’t reciprocate Jean’s playful shove nor does he wince in annoyance when he flicks his forehead.

You’re sitting across from Connie and Sasha, polite smile that turns into laughter at what’s most probably one of his friend’s lame jokes. Despite Jean’s yo! that loudly announces their presence, it’s Eren’s the face your gaze flickers to. The smile is still there and wouldn’t it be unkind of him not to return it?

“Man, I’m so hungry I could eat a horse” Jean is absolutely oblivious to your presence and ungracefully lets himself fall down onto one of the rattan stools.

“Burgers are on their way” Sasha pushes her plate of fries towards him and he thanks her with a grin so bright it’s blinding. Her hair is still wet from the lazy swim she took shortly after they arrived at the beach, auburn hair drenched in enough red saturation to contrast with her magenta bikini. 

“I don’t think we’ve met” Eren hasn’t let his eyes shift from your features, so relaxed while witnessing his friends’ antics. You lazily return your attention to him once more and, with a pleasant squeeze of his stomach, he senses the anticipation. Is this encounter so casual, after all? Or is everything going exactly how you’ve been wanting it to? Either way, he’s more than fine with it.

“We haven’t” you reply with a sweet smile, offering a hand he oh so easily envelops in his.

Connie introduces you and your name rolls off from his tongue with a fond inflection already.

“She’s gonna spend the summer here and doesn’t really know anyone—” he interrupts himself to land a protective slap to the back of Jean’s head. He’s been choking down way too many of Sasha’s fries.

“She was asking for some advice on what to do, where to go” Sasha takes it from there, flashes you a smile “so we invited her to join us tonight”

“And I already said I don’t want to intrude” you shrink in your seat a little and Jean scoffs at your demeanor, a lazy wave of the hand to brush your concerns off.

“It’s cool. The more, the merrier”

“Besides” Eren worms his way into the conversation “you’re gonna need reliable allies if you want to survive in the wild”

Genuine amusement settles at the corners of your lips while you take note of the jovial glint in his mirth gaze.

It’s exactly what you must look like to them, you think while trying to decide what to wear for the impending night out. An outsider in need of some guidance, the right companionship not to feel too lost while attempting to navigate the pathetically lonely summer ahead of you.

The simple truth is that you don’t really mind being on your own. This was a last minute, impulsive trip you had booked without thinking too much about it. You sort of wanted to get accustomed to the quieter life, idyllic days puncuated by late brunches, ocean waves crashing against the shore, the familiar rustle of pages of your favorite books, perhaps a movie or two while comfortably snuggled in the big, soft bed your small vacation rental came with.

All you’re actually after is a peaceful summer but sure enough you don’t mind meeting a person or two, nice people you can have a chat with at the beach instead of spending hours on end listening to true crime podcasts. You don’t mind having an excuse to finally put on something other than your sleeping shorts, pull out the only lipstick you have carried with you halfway across the country and actually spend some time outside of your room.

You definitely don’t mind having the chance to get to know hot surfer boy either, pretty much the embodiment of any summer romance trope a girl could think of. Doesn’t take a genius to understand that he’d be the main character in each individual one.

Attractive? Check. Charming? Check. Residing on a remote island in the middle of the ocean? Check. Eats, sleeps and breathes just to flirt with anything that moves? Most probably, check.

And although romance is definitely not what either of you are after, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have some harmless fun.

Isn’t that what summers are for?

That’s the thought you carry with you as you approach their table at the bar, a confident smile hopefully concealing the slight tension in your shoulders. In the end, you opted for a striped blouse and a simple, white denim skirt.

Connie enthusiastically chirps your name and Eren, who is seated on the outer edge of the booth seating, makes room for you right away. The space is cramped enough for everyone to be basically leaning against each other and you think it’s not exactly a coincidence that your thigh has to be flush against Eren’s in order to fit in the booth.

“You have to try this, it’s amazing!”, Sasha grins while gently pushing her drink towards you, the glass leaving a trail of condensation on the mahogany table. You lean over to take a small sip from the green straw. It’s a classic piña colada, the frozen blend of pineapple and creamy coconut a little too sweet for your liking.

“Think I’ll go with a moscow mule” you smile an apologetic smile and she just shrugs, unimpressed.

“I second that” a gentle yet unfamiliar gaze meets yours, copper mug raised in a metaphoric toast “I’m Armin, so nice having you with us tonight!”

“Thanks, Armin” with a soft chuckle you introduce yourself as well.

They’re such a diverse group but manage to fit amazingly well together, you find. The common denominator is genuine friendliness, there’s not an ounce of fabrication in the kind tone used to direct questions your way, each and everyone of those present genuinely curious and determined to make you feel included.

“You can’t be serious” Connie’s nose scrunches in a displeased grimace “books? Tv shows? Is that seriously what you’ve been doing?”

“I’m technically on vacation” your weak attempt at justifying yourself is laughed at.

“A great reason not to stay indoors the whole damn day” Jean downs his third beer of the evening and points a finger in your direction “consider yourself under our wing from now on”

“Not sure sweating under the sun while jumping after a ball matches my idea of fun” you give him a skeptical albeit playful look.

Sasha, three piña coladas in, slams her fist on the table .

“That’s exactly what I tell them every summer!”

“No one forces you to play like, ever” Connie smirks her way “wish you’d spare us the agony of having you on the team actually”

“He’s kidding” Armin is quick to chime in, alarmed by the childlike astonishment suddenly filling Sasha’s big brown eyes.

“What’s your idea of fun, then?” a deep, warm voice pulls you away from the funny scene taking place in front of you.

“This night is fun” you smile, gaze finally meeting sage eyes that have been so intently focused on you throughout the evening. Your leg is still shamelessly pressing against his, more of an intentional touch than a forced one. The amount of warmth radiating through his jeans is enough to send a shudder down your spine.

Eren mirrors your smile.

“We’re fun people” he concedes “what else?”

You pause, pensive for a moment. It’d be great to actually be the mysterious, secretly entertaining stranger from the city he’s probably picturing but the sour truth is that you own a boring, quite ordinary personality.

“Reading at the beach instead of my bed?” you crack another smile, met with a chuckle and an eyeroll this time.

“Ever tried surfing?” despite the amused expression, it’s clear he’s not mocking you.

“I literally live in Tokyo”

“Not even on vacation? As a kid? Ever?”

It’s cute, the authentic shock painting his features. So you smile again with a slight shrug.

Eren clicks his tongue.

“I’ll teach you. You’ll never be the same again”

This time it’s you who’s laughing as he frowns.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just trying to picture how many girls you must’ve said that to”

Slightly taken aback, he offers half a smile.

“I don’t need to say that to girls, I’m actually an instructor”

“Right, so they come looking for you anyway”

“What’s this sudden interest in how I get girls?”

You innocently cross your ankles underneath the table, which causes your leg to press against his a little more.

“Not sudden”

Another boyish smirk splits across his face as he leans slightly closer, a dangerously inviting scent enveloping your senses already. He’s not even wearing any cologne.

“Seriously, come take a look tomorrow” Eren pauses for a second, intentionally, eyes travelling down to the soft curve of your lips “I usually make it fun, or so I’m told”

Sulking in your seat, you playfully raise your eyebrows because this is a game two should play.

“Does that mean you’re not gonna show me your place tonight?”

Without missing a beat, Eren fakes a pensive hum, magnetic gaze shamelessly lingering on your lips again.

“I might. If you promise to come take a look tomorrow”

He’s not one to be intimidated and, as a matter of fact, he has been fighting the urge to place a hand on your thigh for the entire night.

You huff, newly found boldness courtesy of the second moscow mule and the thrill of the unknown. Surf is something you’ve never been interested in and you sincerely doubt all the women telling him how good of a teacher he is weren’t simply after the same thing you are being offered right now. But if a little stroke of the ego and some acquiescence will get you what you want, which is for him to finally just touch you, would you really be dumb enough to miss the perfect opportunity?

“Fine. I’ll stop by” you concede but whatever he has to say in response gets harshly sucked in by Sasha’s sobs.

The invisible bubble that had shortly enveloped you both suddenly bursts with a pop as you redirect your attention to the rest of the party. Jean seems genuinely horrified, Connie is just laughing with literal tears in his eyes as he watches Armin whisper comforting words to their friend.

“What the hell did you say to her?” you’re slightly surprised to hear the protective annoyance embedded in Eren’s tone, especially when you thought he’d just laugh the whole situation off.

“Nothing!” panic makes Jean’s voice squeaky and Connie only laughs harder, slamming a hand on the table.

“She thinks the ocean has dried up!” he can barely spell the words out before erupting in another fit of laughter right as Sasha’s desperate sobs increase in volume.

“Sash, I promise nothing has happened to the ocean” Eren attempts to gently take one of her hands and move it away from her face but she just harshly slaps his fingers away.   

“I don’t believe you!” she wails so heartbreakingly Armin deems wise to catiously hide what’s left of her drink behind one of Jean’s beer bottles.

“Sasha” you softly chime in and perhaps it’s because your voice is still unfamiliar that she looks up, puffy eyes and blotchy cheeks “I just got back from the beach, with a gift” it takes everything in you not to laugh as her eyes widen in shock when you pull out a glass of water from underneath the table.

“Special ocean water, just for you”

“How did you get that?” before you even have the chance to come up with a believable answer, Sasha gasps so audibly a few people turn around to look at your table “are you a mermaid?”

Connie is howling with laughter at this point, as Jean slaps a hand to his mouth to no avail. Eren just sighs.

“Why do we let her drink every time?” he mutters under his breath.

You ignore each and every one of them as you inch across the table, palms facing upward.

“You can’t tell anyone” the conspiratorial whisper is what probably gets her as she leans over in turn, absolutely amazed while inspecting your wet fingertips.

“Guess it’s time to take her home” with a sigh of relief, Armin finally relaxes in his seat.

“Your turn” Connie grins mischievously at Eren, who just rolls his eyes.

“I could use a hand” his lips conveniently brush against the shell of your ear as he pretends the sudden proximity was nothing but a natural consequence of his standing up. You follow suit with a soft smile and so does Sasha, who refuses to let go of your hand.

“We’re not like this all the time” Armin looks exhausted and something tells you he’s usually the one responsible for keeping tabs whenever things get out of control. It suits his kind nature, or at least that’s the impression you get after spending a few hours with him.

“Will you come to the beach tomorrow? I’d really like to continue that conversation about confessional poetry” and so you smile at him, no ulterior motive besides the genuine pleasure that comes with meeting a new potential friend with interests so similar to yours.

Sasha impatiently pulls you by the hand as Eren balances her body against his, an arm around her waist to make sure she stands.

“Yeah” warmth radiates from the tired albeit gentle smile Armin offers you “I’ll bring my Robert Lowell book”

“Remember what I said” Jean scoffs impatiently as Connie waves goodbye with a pestiferous grin glued to his face “our wing. Fun summer. No more indoors”

“Aye aye, captain” you chuckle.

“Let’s go!” Sasha tugs at your blouse twice and Eren has to literally keep her from collapsing on the floor when she clumsily stumbles upon her own feet.

You gently untangle your hand from her grabby fingers and secure her arm around your shoulders, careful not to fall yourself as she suddenly leans in to press her nose to your cheek.

“Your hair smells like the ocean” she mumbles dreamily and you can’t hold back the giggle that bubbles from your throat while you help her out of the bar, Connie’s chuckle the last thing you register before stepping out in the humid hair of the night.

“Everything okay over there?” Eren can’t help but smile when he glances in your direction, sincerely amused by the way his friend is all over you.

“Absolutely” your smile is intended for Sasha instead, who is walking pretty much blindly since her undivided attention is still focused on something that’s entirely different from the sidewalk. With a careful brush of your thumb, you clean off some of the smudged mascara underneath her eyes.

“Maybe someone should’ve stayed with her” you discreetly whisper over her head.

“She’ll be fine. I’ll tuck her in, make sure she wakes up with water and some painkillers nearby” Eren meets Sasha’s gaze and laughs when she grins widely at him.

“You’re my best friend!” she cheers so loudly you jump a little “the best Eren I know!”

“I’m the only Eren you know” he gently flicks her forehead, fingers barely grazing her skin.

You chuckle again, too caught up in the moment to realize how disarmingly nice and attentive and attractive he actually is.

Sasha is not steady enough on her legs but you can barely feel the weight you’re supposedly sustaining, Eren most likely doing the majority of the work. He hums and distractedly mumbles reassuring nothings in response to his friend’s incessant nonsense, still more amused than annoyed. When you reach her apartment at last they both insist you step in with them, Sasha being particularly excited at the thought of showing you her seashell collection (“it’ll make you feel at home!”) but you kindly refuse and watch as he quite literally drags her inside while she enthusiastically waves and promises to visit you the next day. Whether she means to come by your place or dive underwater, you can’t tell.

Because of what you’re wearing, sitting on the sidewalk is a hard pass. Still, Sasha doesn’t live far from the beach, much like basically every other island resident. You don’t mind waiting outside, not when you can hear the faint sound of crashing waves and the brackish breeze gently ruffles your hair.

It’s relaxing, really, getting to quietly stand by as everything else drifts before you. Couples taking a stroll by the shore nothing more than dark silhouettes barely discernible from where you’re standing, an old man slowly pushing a gelato cart and then stopping to take a break, groups of friends loudly making their way through the street as some bystanders direct them glances expressing disapproval.

“Hey” Eren materializes next to you out of thin air, a smile tugging at his lips when you wince “want one?”

With a small nod, he indicates the ice cream cart. You smile back.

“Ah, no, thanks. Is she okay?”

Something passes through his handsome face, some sort of indefinite emotion gone before you have the chance to even fully notice it, the apology remaining tucked up in the corner of his mouth.

“Out like a light. C’mon, I want one, we can share”

He doesn’t give you the time to decline again. You just have to promptly follow him not to fall behind as he marches towards the vendor. They seem to know each other: Eren calls him uncle Katsu and the older man seems delighted about the encounter. He asks if his favorite customer wants the usual but Eren glances at you, amusement conquering his relaxed features once more.

“Nah, she wouldn’t understand. Give me something more tourist friendly”

Brows furrowed, you open your mouth to protest but you’re cut off by Katsu’s boisterous laugh.

Sullen, you end up with a butter pecan cone Eren lets you hold more than a fair amount of time for two people who are supposed to be eating equal amounts of ice cream.

“What’s the usual?” you grumble and he grins walking beside you, hands shoved in pockets and pace comfortably slow.

“Pineapple, with chunks”

“Nice” the attempt at playing off your skepticism as nonchalance fails miserably.

“You’re gonna try it eventually, I’m just giving you some time to get accustomed to the wilderness first”

With a huff you pass him the cone, trying to ignore the pleasant flip of your stomach at his words. Is he assuming you’ll hang out more than just this once?

“You really like living here” it’s a sincere observation that just slips out, past all the casual facade you’re trying to keep up.

Eren shrugs but there’s fondness in the way he looks at the ordinary street ahead of him.

“I do. Can’t imagine myself anywhere else”

The affection vibrating in his tone makes you bitter. You never experienced that sense of belonging, not to a place, not even to your own family. The only person who’s ever been the closest at becoming home has let you down so violently, so suddenly, your scarred skin is still having a hard time healing itself.

Eren peers down at you, taking in your pensive expression. He wonders why you look so gloomy all of a sudden, if your friends ever call while you’re busy spending your days all by yourself on the other side of Japan. He wonders why you’re here on your own.

“What about you?” his tone is light, poised between genuine curiosity and the urge to elicit a shred of actual information “how come you’re staying here all summer?”

The gloom dissipates so abruptly it hardly looks natural.

“Ah, my rich parents agreed to pay for the vacation so why not take full advantage of their kindness?” you shrug with a smile that hopefully covers up the lie well enough. His furrowed brows indicate that he’s not fully convinced but genuine intimacy and heartfelt confessions in the middle of the night are not what you need nor what you want, therefore it’s only fair to batten down the hatches.

“So, where’s this place of yours? Far from here?” you jokingly ask with a light shove of your shoulder to his arm.

Eren pauses for a second, seeming so taken aback you feel your face getting hot with embarrassment.

“You actually want—”

“You don’t—”

Both of you look at each other with furrowed brows, until he stops in his tracks.

Fuck.

“Uh” you let out a nervous chuckle “I’m so sorry. That was weird of me, I don’t know what I was thinking. Probably stood in the sun too long today. Anyway, I can totally walk myself home, don’t feel obligated to—”

He too laughs but, again, it’s not to poke fun at your pathetic little self.

“Not much of a talker, huh?” the playful glint in his eyes only contributes to embarrass you further, so he promptly softens his tone “I should be the one apologizing. I just thought you wouldn’t want to, you know, after Sasha and everything”

You blink a few times, candidly confused.

“No? I mean, I like Sasha. I like all your friends” it’s the unexpected truth, one that makes him smile.

For a split second, he considers asking if you like him too, even if your willingness to let him take you home already speaks volumes. But why would he? If Sasha getting absolutely plastered and almost throwing up on you wasn’t enough of a turn off, Eren should just shut the fuck up and savour the opportunity he’s been waiting for ever since seeing you at the beach for the first time. He’s been picturing the pretty creases of that blouse on his bedroom floor pretty much the entire evening.

“I’m just a few blocks away” therefore he smiles that attractive smirk of his, right before taking one last bite of the crumbly cone in his cream-stained hand.

“Don’t feel compelled to—”

“You look beautiful right now” Eren cuts you off abruptly, words dying in your throat as you look back in shock “the whole night, actually. The last thing I’m feeling is compelled” his noses scrunches slightly, as if feeling nauseated by the ridiculous assumption alone.

Another beat passes before you allow your lungs to deflate with the release of a breath.

“Okay” you mutter, still dazed by the sudden, straightforward flattery.

Eren’s smile grows in softness this time. An entire second is spent thinking that smile suits him more than the confident smirk of a moment ago.

“Okay” he says back.

When he arrives at the beach the next morning, earlier than usual, he spots you right away. You’re sitting on your yellow towel and seem engaged in a heated discussion with his best friend, both of you interrupting the other with a frantic gesturing of hands.

Eren stops for a second, surfboard planted in the sand for good measure, one hand on top of the other as he just takes a moment to observe you. His mind travels back to the slight disappointment swallowing the convenience of waking up with an empty spot next to him, the sun bleeding through the shutters because he’d forgotten to close them. How could he had remembered with your fingers running through his hair and the goosebumps blossoming on his forearms?

He didn’t have the time to explore you like he had intended to, he couldn’t take his time because you were so eager and it was surprising how impatient Eren found himself to be in turn, how rapidly you adapted to each other. He even remembers genuinely enjoying the short, embarrassing incidents that came with growing accustomed to such a sudden yet highly anticipated proximity: your head bumping into his while straddling his lap, him knocking over the lamp from his nightstand, airy laughs swallowed by each other’s mouths.

Little to no foreplay was needed, the memory of your fingers closing around his wrist to confidently guide his hand between your legs still pulsing in his mind. He barely got the chance to kiss you, nowhere near as how he would’ve liked to, his lips being hastily reclaimed everywhere else.

He’s not even sure why he’s still lingering there, uncertain. Eren’s had countless one night stands before but once both parties got what they needed none of them were really there to hang out again, certainly nowhere near his friends anyway. He’s had longer affairs with tourists, mutual attraction and harmless fun lasting from days to weeks, his conquests eventually recognizing Jean or exchanging a few pleasantries with Connie. But this has never really happened. He’s never made plans with someone before even getting to the point of having them in his bed, for the next day no less. He’s never frowned upon waking up alone and he’s definitely never chuckled while barefoot in his own kitchen, the messily scribbled note you had tucked underneath his french press in hand.

Your coffee sucks.

You didn’t even bother to wash the mug abandoned in his sink but still you made sure he’d wake up to a freshly brewed serving anyway.

Eren’s never truly liked any of his one night stands enough to frame them as potential friends in the long run and so it was a little unsettling, the feeling that you were just about to change that.

“Can you believe they deemed this as lazy writing?” Armin’s finger skims across the page he’s holding open, underlining a particular verse “now the hot river, ebbing, hauls its bloody waters into holes; a grain of sand inside my shoe mimics the moon that might undo man and creation too”

You hum, appreciative.

“It’s the absence of flowered language. Nobody liked reading about raw trauma and dramatic events but at the root of hypocrisy is always fear and low self-esteem” with a little shrug, you smile “essentially, they were a bunch of assholes”

“You can’t truly appreciate poetry if life scares you” for some reason, Armin’s words make your insides twist for a second. You remember one of your favorite Anne Sexton’s poems and its brutal honesty: suicides have a special language, like carpenters they want to know which tools. They never ask why build. It felt dangerously similar to how you were living.

“Enough of this unsettling realness” Armin closes his book with a loud thud and gently places it between your bodies, on your soft towel. You wonder if he’s noticed your sudden gloom or if he just genuinely wants to talk about something else. “Anything fun planned today? I know Jean can be insufferable but we do have some cool activities around here” he smiles.

“Eren wanted me to check out his lesson but I’m not sure surf could ever be my thing” the smile you return is shy, because you don’t want to sound ungrateful nor make the conversation weird. It’s pretty evident that you’ve spent the night with him, if only from the hickeys scattered at the base of your throat. Armin has just been nothing but a gentleman, too polite to even stare at them.

Once again, he doesn’t even falter at the mention of his friend’s name.

“Still, you should give it a go! I used to think the same and now I can’t go a day without riding a wave. Even when I’m not on vacation, if the weather’s nice enough I’m here as soon as I’m done working” he grins.

“I never asked what you do, by the way”

“I’m a copy editor in a publishing house, mainly work from home but sometimes I travel to Tokyo. Leaves me a lot of freedom, really. What about you?”

You hesitate. But he’s looking at you so candidly, head slightly tilted to the side, that you can’t find it in yourself to lie.

“I’ve been laid off a few weeks ago, actually. I was a winemaker at a pretty famous winery in town”

Armin lets out a slow whistle.

“That sounds so cool!”

You chuckle.

“All I do is monitor the maturity of grapes, oversee the process and place orders”

“I’d love to visit once you start somewhere else. I’m sure it’s gonna happen in no time” he places a warm hand on your shoulder and briefly squeezes it. You’ve never experienced the kindness of a stranger, not at such a high level anyway. As you thank him with a touched smile, for the first time this impulsive vacation doesn’t feel like just a way out anymore.

“I suggest you two sit closer to the shore, the first group of the day is gonna be here soon” a playful voice interrupts your chitchat and you look up to find a familiar figure silhouetted against sunlight right before your towel. A flash of embarrassment seems to take over his features for a few seconds as he takes notice of the now very much noticeable marks on your skin. But then he just smiles that friendly smile of his, one that tells you there’s a chance of not letting any potential awkwardness stand in the way of what could become a harmless friendship. You appreciate the maturity.

“Wanna help me out?” Eren then looks at Armin, who’s squinting his eyes in attempt to stare back.

“I’ll keep her company. Maybe later, with the kids”

“You’re pretty special, he never skips the chance to hop on a surfboard”

As you get up and start collecting your things, Armin’s book secured underneath your arm while he helps you out with the towel, you briefly glance at Eren with half a smile.

“Let’s see if you’re good enough to convince me to get on one in the first place”

He rolls his eyes, feigning exasperation.

“Just watch me”

And so, you and Armin look at each other with an equally amused smile, the complicity over a moment so simple warming your heart.

While sitting there with him, feet sunk into where the sand is cool and damp, you observe Eren with genuine curiosity. The variegated group he’s handling consists of ten people, it’s most probably not their first class as everyone seems to already know what to do.

They’re going over what they’ve learned until now, Eren repeating instructions out loud and nodding proudly as his students comply. Two girls, friends by the looks of it, keep asking him to help them position their bodies better on the surfboard. When the blonde one fails to properly stand up and her foot theatrically slips, with an exaggerated grimace she begs him to support her weight as she tries again. With Eren’s hands on her hips, she succeeds in hopping up with a form so perfect you can hardly hold back a scoff. Armin chuckles beside you.

“It’s pretty much always like that”

“No way” you mock “that’s crazy!”

“I mean, it’s kinda part of the job to go along with it” he shrugs.

Does he think I’m jealous or something?

“You didn’t have to stay” there’s softness in your tone, just to make sure he doesn’t take it the wrong way, but he blushes nonetheless.

“It doesn’t happen as often to me” the spluttering makes you giggle. You’re not blind: he has arms, he has abs, shoulders wide enough to well pique one’s interest and a smile so sweet he’s probably the favorite instructor of more than one student.

“I find that hard to believe” the implied compliment tints his cheeks with a richer pink and he runs a hand through his fair hair to conceal the embarrassment.

“But I didn’t mean it like that” you decide to put an end to his misery “I just meant, feel free to go ride some waves”

Armin shakes his head.

“I have the entire day to do that” he smiles “and no one else likes to talk about books with me”

“But your group is great. You guys seem pretty close”

“We all grew up here, I’ve known Eren since kindergarten and I met everyone else along the way. Some of us you didn’t meet actually, like Christa and Mikasa”

“They don’t live here anymore?”

Armin sighs, plants his heel in the sand a little deeper.

“Yeah, they moved for college and never really came back. They prefer the city”

You can understand that, to be honest. You grew up in a small town near the countryside and although it’s not nearly comparable to an even smaller island, you remember the primal need to run away, driven by the firm belief that there’s surely more to explore, better ways to live and opportunities to seize in the big city. Back then, Tokyo felt like a dream. An endless pool of magical possibilities.

“You probably think it’s insane, wanting to stay on an island that only comes alive a few months per year” Armin’s gaze is lost across the ocean, so you look ahead too. Eren’s group is in the water now, paddling in and taking off on the foam that propels colorful surfboards onto the waves. Most of the students previously warming up by the shore succeeds in remaining upright, cheered on by those who have either been less brave or simply not balanced enough.

“No, I think wanting to stay requires a lot of love. I never had that for the place I grew up in”

“And are you happy now, in Tokyo?”

You force your lips into a smile, not daring to look him in the eyes.

“Yeah, I’m happy”

Another cheerful fit of screams has you both returning your attention to the group challenging the ocean, one particular figure paddling perpendicular to an exceptionally big wave, angling his take off perfectly to the left before popping up and digging the inside rail of his surfboard into the water. Knees bent, he’s a sight for sore eyes as he beautifully rides along the vertical center of the wave, the sun complimenting his tan skin.

“Showoff” you snort and Armin laughs.

“Let’s go get a drink, Sasha makes a killer frozen lemonade”

“Sasha?” you ask, surprised.

He nods.

“She should be on shift today”

“She works at the cafe?”

Armin smiles.

“Her family owns the cafe, actually. She just helps out in the summer, whenever she can catch a break from the internship she’s doing”

And sure enough she’s actually there, all smiles and cheerful pitch behind the counter.

She turns ecstatic as soon as the spots the both of you, calling you by your name with such warmth your cheeks hurt a little from how wide you’re smiling already.

“Hey! How’re you feeling?”

You and Armin sit on the rattan stools opposite to the counter and she leans over with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Amazing, whoever left that ibuprofen on my nightstand has my endless devotion”

“T’was Eren’s turn to take you home” Armin shoots her a good-natured glare, which elicits her silvery laugh.

“I don’t think he was too bothered about it” Sasha’s intentionally looking at you and her grin has your cheeks grow hot.

“Leave her alone, make us some frozen lemonade” Armin gently grabs her chin and directs her attention to him.

“Oh come on, none of Eren’s special friends ever hangs out with us, I want some details!”

“Sasha!” he hisses as you shrink in your seat, head hanging low in embarrassment “you can’t remember this but she’s been nothing but caring last night, they both took you home”

“Armin, there’s no need to—” you mumble but he shows no sign of having heard you.

“It’s none of our business what they do” he grumbles, letting go of Sasha’s chin “now, please, lemonade. Before I die of dehydration”

She juts her bottom lip out, sullen, eyes back on you.

“I’m sorry, I was just curious. Don’t get me wrong, I’m actually happy I get to finally spend some time with another girl”

You shake your head with a soft smile.

“Please don’t apologize. You’ve all been way too kind to me”

Truth is, the fear of being seen as nothing but their friend’s easy fuck has been nagging at your brain. Especially since deciding you actually, really like them and wouldn’t mind tagging along if they’ll have you. And, of course, if Eren isn’t bothered. The last thing you wanna spend your summer doing is imposing your presence to a group of childhood friends just because you’ve had sex with one of them. That’d be gross.

“Here, it’s on the house” Sasha slides two tall glasses of frozen lemonade across the counter.

Armin grabs his with a sigh of relief, the creaminess of his drink rapidly decreasing in quantity as he gulps it down quickly. You carefully mix it with your straw, then have a first taste and have to keep yourself from moaning.

“I’m gonna need ten of these” you mutter and they both laugh. It’s genius really, the idea of combining the consistency of a milkshake with the tanginess of freshly squeezed lemonade.

You end up staying at the cafe to keep Sasha company while she prepares orders and entertains you with the latest gossip concerning people you don’t even know. You wonder where she gets all that energy from but you also think it suits her, that bubbly aura she so effortlessly carries around. If customers smile a little brighter and leave generous tips, it’s probably thanks to her never ending friendliness: she remembers their names, special orders and always offers free ice cream to kids. She even has special ice cream for dogs.

After a while, Armin leaves to help Eren with his next group of students, as promised. They’re all children this time, so you doubt they’ll bring them into the water: the whole class consists in some training by the shore, Armin and Eren patiently showing them how to paddle and corretly stand on a surfboard over and over again. When what you can only guess are some heated protests erupt, they patiently allow the kids to practice some paddling as close to the shore as possible. You catch glimpses of Eren’s smile and hear his laugh when two kids start splashing him with water, deaf to Armin most probably attempting to draw their attention to the lesson once again.

Eventually, he’s forced to surrender too, as one particularly agile kid climbs onto his shoulders and demands to be carried around. The whole class turns into nothing more than a game session and you find yourself smiling.

After each kid is collected by their corresponding family member, Armin doesn’t waste any more time and he swiftly grabs his bigger surfboard to jump into the ocean once more, finally free to chase waves at its own pace. Eren seems to hesitate, lingering by the shore for a moment, looking around as if searching for something. Then he turns around fully, seemingly scanning the cafe and meeting your gaze although, from that distance, you’re not completely sure he’s looking at you specifically. You’re quick to redirect your attention to the pasta salad Sasha has recommended.

“Ah, here comes the athlete” she pulls a face “let’s see how many wraps he’s gonna down, last time it was three”

“Hello, ladies” the familiar voice is so close you feel a shudder run down your spine as memories from the previous night resurface. He’s leaning on the counter, body facing you and arms crossed showcasing swollen biceps you’re surprised are not carrying any signs of the crescents you very clearly remember being a consequence of your tight grip.

“You’re dripping on my napkins” not nearly as dumbstruck as you, Sasha shoos him away with the impatient push of a hand. In response, Eren shakes his head like a dog would after getting a bath, splashing both his friend and you with ice cold water. She flips him off.

“You’re an ass”

“Will you make me one of your delightful wraps if I behave?” he grins like a child while taking a seat next do you.

“One?” Sasha skeptically raises an eyebrow.

“Make it three”

You chuckle as you meet her knowing look, which causes him to turn to you. He’s even prettier up close, salt already drying on his smooth skin, cheeks slightly flushed.

“So? Opinions on getting started with the best sport in the world?”

Pensive, you bring a forkful of pasta to your mouth.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go”

You had half an idea of teasing him by suggesting Armin be your instructor but the way he quite literally beams at your words forces you to shut right up.

“I’ll pick you up later this afternoon”

“Pick me up?” you frown, confused.

“This beach is way too crowded, there are better places to go”

“So considerate” Sasha loudly places a plate in front of him and Eren just rolls his eyes.

“You don’t even know where I’m staying” trying to swallow yet another lump of awkwardness, you keep your attention on the now almost empty bowl in front of you.  

He huffs, brushing your concern off by gesturing vaguely with a hand.

“I know where all vacation rentals are. Of course, if you wanted, you could make it easier for me”

A funny sound comes out of Sasha’s nose and this time you go along with her demeanor with the raise of a brow.

“If you want my number, just ask” the challenging words roll off your tongue playfully, you don’t really think anything of them.

But much like every other time you thought you had him cornered, he simply looks up from his plate and plants those resolute eyes in yours without so much as a hint of hesitation.

“I want your number”

Why your heart picks up its pace as you both let a beat pass while staring at each other, you don’t really understand. Nevertheless, as the corners of his mouth upturn in a smile with yet another one of Sasha’s scoffs in the background, you think it’s convenient that he’s pretty much doing all the work. Because of course you want his number too.

The place you rented is nothing more than a small beach cottage and while Eren doesn’t exactly live in a penthouse, his house is bigger and way cooler than yours. A mere 100 yards from the beach, it comes with a colorful, eclectic exterior and cute double doors opening out to the porch where he keeps his surfboard, a lounger, one whimsical sign that reads it comes in waves and a small table with two chairs. You don’t really have a porch, just three steps that lead to the front door, which is where you’re sitting while you wait for him to come pick you up. Your straw bag is resting at your feet, filled with the few things he recommended you to bring: sunscreen, a swimsuit, water, all wrapped in a towel. It’s later than you had anticipated and you nervously wonder if he’s actually gonna show up, how long it’s gonna take before you’re done. How ridiculous you’re going to look.

And then he pulls up by your little house with the peeling white paint, window rolled down and one arm gracefully hanging out a silver pickup truck. The two surfboards stored on the bed are reflecting the late afternoon sun.

A light honk has you standing up, his warm smile so wide you can guess the excitement shimmering behind those dark sunglasses.

He pushes the door open for you, so you rush to the car and climb onto the passenger seat. Eren barely gives you the time to fasten your seatbelt before his foot is on the clutch pedal again: his hand swiftly moves the gear shift to the left and then up and the accelerator pedal is pressed down way more harshly than needed.

“You do know that this is probably going to suck, right? I have no idea what to do” you anxiously shift on your seat, to no avail because your back remains glued to it.

Not bothered in the slightest by the ungodly speed he’s driving at, a genuine laugh slips out of him.

“It’s gonna be amazing, I’ll teach you everything you need to know! Plus, I’m taking you to one of my favorite spots, consider yourself lucky” he glances at you with a toothy grin and you let out a panicked sound.

“Look ahead!”

Eren laughs again but complies, not a care in the world or so it seems as he sprints through roads that are way too narrow and bumpy and lacking concrete for him to be driving like that.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, why’s my coffee so bad?”

It’s the first actual semblance of a reference to the previous night. You swallow.

“Too bitter. Coffee shouldn’t be too strong, aggressive and off balance. It definitely shouldn’t have just one flavor either”

“Just like wine?”

Surprised, you just stare at him until he cracks another smile.

“Armin told me. You’re kinda cooler than what you come across as”

Eren fakes a groan when you smack his shoulder.

“I just meant” he refrains from looking at your scowl “you don’t really do yourself justice. All that talk about tv shows and books and spending the summer alone—”

“Those things can be cool too. Sorry, not all of us feel the need to live and look like olympic athletes” you cross your arms, stubbornly averting your gaze from his handsome profile to look ahead like a cross child. That’s how you miss a smirk he promptly suppresses.

“I wasn’t trying to offend you. I really do think you’re cool, regardless of your career”

A beat passes before you reluctantly eye him again.

“You’re tolerable, I guess”

The laugh he lets out is so genuine you have to fight back a smile yourself.

His good mood remains seemingly unaltered throughout the ride, lithe fingers absentmindedly drumming on the steering wheel as he strives to make conversation. By the time you arrive at the secluded beach he’s chosen for your first lesson, your nerves are calm enough for you to be actually excited about what’s to come.

The beach is nothing less than a little slice of paradise, sand so white it almost looks fake and turquoise water so inviting you can’t wait to jump in. For the first time, the island presents itself as something other than an overpriced magnet for seasonal tourists: it’s raw in its beauty, so quiet it’s hard to believe you’re not the only two people currently on an uninhabited piece of land in the middle of the ocean.

One thing you’re learning quickly is that Eren is scarily good at easing unnecessary tension. Perhaps it’s because he never seems to feel any, always so relaxed and ready to handle any unexpected circumstance or setback. Sure, he’s outgoing enough for people to easily like him but there’s something about the genuine smiles he offers to everyone, in the attentive care he reserves to his friends. Despite his well-trained figure and intimidating good looks, his touch is gentle and at times timid. He blushes just like everyone else if you trace the line of his jaw with sweet kisses and emits pleased hums when you run your hand through his hair.

You can tell this isn’t something he has set up to lure you back into his bed: how could it be, with that child-like excitement embedded in the instructions he’s giving you? You don’t even feel self-conscious nor ridiculous wearing the wetsuit he’s brought for you, he’s that great at making it fun and keeping it professional. Well, mostly professional.

For the nth time, you jump up with your feet planted and arms out to your side, stabilizing yourself and feeling the breeze flow through your hair as your personal instructor hums.

“Again” he demands and you huff.

“Are we gonna get into the water eventually? I feel like it’s been an hour of this!”

“It has been an hour of this. Now, do it again”

With a pout, you lie belly-down on your longboard once again. You practice your paddling motion once again and then place your palms on the flat of the board just below your chest. In one quick motion, you push your body up with your arms and tuck your feet up and under you. You had started by getting up to your knees first and then bringing up one foot at a time, but you have gained more confidence over the endless minutes spent practicing the same movements over and over again.

“Look at that. You’re a natural” he finally grins, letting some warmth leak through the all too serious facade.

“Thanks to a good teacher” you smile back and he rolls his eyes, barely refraining from uttering a cocky comeback to your obvious statement. He steps closer, calloused fingers gently placed on your hips and warm breath suddenly ghosting over your cheek.

“Don’t spread your legs like that” he mumbles, his own foot gently pushing from behind your left ankle to guide your foot into a better position “this might feel comfortable but it actually makes it harder to control your movements. Balance is always side-to-side, never front to back”

You comply quietly, the sudden closeness leaving your mouth dry. What the hell? It’s not like you weren’t on top of him just a few hours prior. What on earth could be making you so nervous, like some damn bashful teenager?

“Eyes up” Eren gently grabs your chin to lift your head up “always look in the direction you are going”

His other hand is still on your hip, your skin burning so much at the contact you’re positive his fingers are going to leave a mark somehow.

As he lets you go, you’re left so cold you actually shiver.

“Okay! Let’s take it into the water” he gets down on one knee to secure the leash around your ankle, the pads of his fingers grazing your skin once again sending an electric buzz throughout your veins. What the fuck.

Perhaps he senses your weird bodily reactions because he stands up again and motions you to take your board with the impatient wave of a hand. He has his surfboard too, although after seeing what he’s actually capable of doing with it, you doubt it’s gonna be used to ride an actual wave.

“Just get comfortable first, see how it feels” when you’re both waist deep into the ocean he holds your board for you, helping you lie on it again and chuckling when you slip right off a few times.

“You shouldn’t laugh at your students” with a grimace, you try to hold on to it by curling your fingers around the edges. He untangles your grip immediately, one hand gently pressing on the small of your back to keep you balanced on the slippery surface immediately after.

“Never do that, your hand’s gonna slip off and you’re gonna slash your chin open” a subtle teasing is still laced into his tone, so you roll your eyes.

“Okay. I can do this” you mutter, as determined as ever not to fall off the stupid thing again. You haven’t even started yet.

“I know you can” he sounds so goddamn sincere it’s a pain to refrain from glancing in his direction and actually focus on what you’re supposed to do.

With a deep breath, you start paddling around and although you drink your fair share of water in the process, after a while it starts feeling more natural. Your board planes across the waves, nose slightly up, your feet rightly positioned with your toes grazing the leash string. You paddle with long, deep strokes, and Eren keeps shouting instructions and encouragement even if you stray too far from him.

Adrenaline starts circulating in your system and your confidence gets a boost the first time you manage to pop up and shakily cruise on what’s probably the smallest, insignificant wave in recorded history for three entire seconds before slipping back into the water.

But you shout your astonished cry of victory nevertheless and Eren smiles so widely, so proudly, you let excitement cloud your senses and quite literally jump into his arms. It’s not embarrassing, not even when you realize what you’re doing, because he hasn’t tensed a second and is actually hugging you back, happier than ever for the smallest of accomplishments of someone that’s not even him. Of someone he barely even knows.

“Let’s go” you mutter and actually have to take a poorly balanced step back because he’s not, by any means, the one breaking the impulsive hug “I wanna do it again”

This draws an airy laugh, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“You’re already hooked, aren’t you?”

“I just can’t believe how good it feels!” you beam, absolutely euphoric “hate to admit it but maybe you had a point”

“Yeah, that happens a lot”

“People being skeptical whenever you say anything?”

Eren huffs and then inches closer to brush some wet hair away from where it’s sticking to your cheeks and forehead, his touch pleasantly cool on your heated skin.

“Me being right” he doesn’t let go of your face, seemingly conflicted about whatever is going through his mind. Oh, he looks good like this, like he belongs to the sea and the summer and whatever beautiful scenery he may be surrounded by. He just fits in. He’s like a tanned Apollo peering down at you, if his hands weren’t on you it would be alarmingly easy to think he’s just a figment of your imagination.

The adrenaline rush still hasn’t worn off, perhaps that’s why you crack a smile.

“Anything else you feeling right about?”

The self-discipline Eren has to exercise not to kiss you knocks the wind out of his lungs for a moment. Because what would become of him if he’d let himself yield to a temptation he doesn’t even completely understand yet? It’s just day two of knowing you.

Get a grip.

“I think we’d be good friends” it’s not lying, he tells himself. It’s just telling a partial truth. And he wishes so badly not to notice the disappointment that flashes in your eyes for a second, as you take a wobbly step back and force another smile on your pretty lips.

“Totally, I agree”

Eren clears his throat and runs a hand through his disheveled hair, which he hasn’t tied back like he had in the morning.

“The sun is about to set, I think you’ve trained enough for today. Let’s head back”

“Can’t we stay a little longer?” you peer up at the sky, only then noticing the soft orange hues painting it “just ten minutes. I haven’t been anywhere this quiet in a while”

“Ten minutes” he agrees and straddles his surfboard, hands pressed on the surface in front of him as he looks up as well.

You imitate his position and sit on your board as well, reveling in the gentle way the waves are lulling your body.

Eren thinks you look beautiful like this, eyes shut and facing the setting sun, features relaxed and hair wet. He can easily see himself dating you, someone who has already won his friends over and whose touch he seems unable to stop craving. But what would be the point? He’s all too familiar with what being an islander means. It’s a fluid state of being, his existence nothing more than a fleeting detail in the lives of those who come and, inevitably, go.

Insularity is painfully romanticised and although most times he gets a kick out of the benefits that come with belonging to a place so distant from the mainland, he also realizes the downsides.

You won’t be here when the days will get shorter and tourists will fly back to their dull lives. You won’t witness the way leaves turn a deep shade of crimson and fall from the trees of his beloved cedar forest, you’ll never take part in one of Connie’s notorious christmas parties nor you’ll taste the Kansai-style ozoni Sasha always brings to their new year’s dinner.

And so, Eren will just keep doing what he does best. Remaining nothing more than a fleeting detail in someone else’s summer.

“Thank you for doing this” your voice snaps him back to reality. He cocks his head, confused.

“I didn’t do anything”

You smile with a little, timid shrug.

“You were up early, training group after group and still took the time to indulge me. I can only guess how tired you are, let’s head back”

He’s not tired. He’s so not tired, he would gladly spend the rest of the evening sitting on a surfboard in the middle of the ocean just talking to you, apparently. Perhaps one of his students’ boards collided with his head?

Eren notices your subtle shivering and clicks his tongue on the way back to his car. He carries your surfboard too and secures it on his truck once again, right next to his. He then undoes the tab at the back of your neck, pulls it down and unzips it to help you out of the wetsuit, patiently waiting on the other side of the car while you get out of your wet swimsuit and slip back into the white sundress you had on earlier that day.

“All done!” you walk around the vehicle, eager to climb onto the warm passenger seat once more. But Eren sees the goosebumps blossoming on your arms and another shudder is enough to inch forward to keep the door of his car locked. You turn around to look at him, a questioning look on your face.

“Come to my place” he blurts it out before he has the chance to stop himself. Your brows knit.

“Why?”

“You’re obviously cold and my house is closer” Eren does his best to play off his tension as sense of practicality “just take a shower, warm up and then I’ll drop you off. I swear I’m not gonna try anything, it’s not—”

“Okay” you interrupt his pathetic rambling and he blinks back the surprise.

Oh.

“Okay. Good. Let’s go then” Eren clears his throat and opens the door for you.

It feels a little weird to be honest, but you’re not uncomfortable as he drives back to his place. This is probably the last time you two will hang out anyway, so what’s the harm in accepting a friendly offer, especially when you can’t seem to stop shivering?

“So… what d’you do once summer ends?” the quietness is slightly unsettling, so you take it upon yourself to make some small talk. He glances at you, no panicked reaction elicited this time as he’s driving more carefully.

“My family has been in the fishing industry for decades, I mainly help them out and try to catch whatever job I can handle from home”

“Do you ever travel? Like, to cities”

Eren huffs out a laugh.

“Yes. You think I’m some kind of savage?”

“No!” heat crawls up from your neck to your cheeks “of course not, I didn’t mean—”

“Relax, I’m kidding” he grins “my college was in Osaka. Lived there four years, got my degree, came back”

“Which degree?” still a little flushed, you avoid his amused gaze.

“Mechanical engineering”

“And you’re not offered engineering jobs?” there’s outrage laced into your tone.

Eren just shrugs.

“Yes. But they all require my presence in an office on the mainland”

You don’t say anthing, mainly because you don’t want to risk blurting out another poorly phrased sentence. It would come out all wrong, it would sound as if you’re looking down on him.

Eren senses everything that’s sitting behind your silence and he’s not bothered. His personal life is not really any of your business and although he understands you mean well, yours is an opinion he’s heard way too many times before. It’s a topic not even worth discussing, least of all with someone he’s barely just met.

When you arrive at his place, your hands and feet are ice cold, your hair painfully frizzy. He asks to give him a second and disappears into the bathroom, rattling sounds coming from behind the closed door making you smile as you hop onto the kitchen counter and take a look around. The small living room is messier than it was last night, or maybe you simply didn’t have the time to really look around on your very first entry to the house.

He comes out of the bathroom with a folded drying rack filled with clothes in his arms (I forgot I was drying laundry in there) only to disappear into his bedroom once more, the sound of closets being harshly opened and closed alongside what you can only guess are wardrobe doors slamming against the wall makes you chuckle.

“What are you doing?” amused, you have to shout the question from where you’re sitting.

He comes out of the room with arms full once more and directs you a quick smile before heading back to the bathroom.

“Fixing you towels and something to wear, that dress won’t do!” he shouts too, which makes you giggle.

“Don’t give me your clothes!”

“They’re clean!”

You laugh again, shaking your head.

Eren finally walks into the kitchen, seemingly exhausted, all the way to the counter you’re sitting on.

“Okay, the bathroom is more guest-appropriate now” a small smile tugs at his lips and you notice the wet stains on the front of his black shirt. Has he cleaned it?

“Thanks” you mutter, a sudden, small lump of uneasiness you can’t seem to swallow.

“I’m such an idiot” he snorts “you must be thirsty. Water? I also have orange juice somewhere, or maybe iced tea”

Right as he takes a step to walk past you and towards the fridge, your body moves on its own accord and your fingers instinctively grab the hem of his shirt. Eren stops, surprised gaze flickering from your hand clenched around the fabric of his clothing to your face.

“I’m sorry, Eren” your brows knit in a frustrated frown “I didn’t mean to come across as judgmental, or worse, an elitist asshole”

You exhale, unable to sustain the look in his eyes. “It’s not my place and definitely none of my business. But please know I really didn’t mean—”

“Fuck” he curses under his breath, cutting you off abruptly “you’re making it very fucking hard for me”

Disoriented, you cock your head.

“I’m making what hard?”

Eren plants his palms onto the counter, on either side of your hips, body inching forward. He’s biting the inside of his cheek, forehead dangerously close to be leaned against your own. You can’t resist the urge to gently nudge the tip of his nose with yours, an insignificant gesture that somehow has him sucking a sharp breath in. You’d love to giggle, the teasing question does kindness turn you on? dancing on the tip of your tongue but then his tongue is peeking out to wet his bottom lip a second before he leans forward and traces the soft edge of your neck with the tip of his nose. His mouth follows along somehow, not quite kissing your skin but certainly grazing it, anticipation having your breath quicken.

“You said we should be friends” you whisper, regretting it right away. Eren emits a frustrated huff, breath hot on the neck his parted lips are still gently exploring.

“I said we’d be good friends. And we can be” he places his hands on your thighs, a touch so incandescent the thin fabric of your skirt may as well not be there at all “friends who do this” and just like that he finally closes the gap between you two, capturing your lips in a burning kiss that draws a sigh of relief as you pull him closer. He tastes like the ocean, the strands you have buried your fingers into not as soft as the night before, rendered dry by the salt he still hasn’t washed out.

Eren is an eager kisser, right as his grip on your thighs tightens his tongue is languidly slipping past your parted lips with a satisfied hum vibrating in his chest. Head tilted into yours, he kisses you so hard you think your lips might bruise, he kisses you until you start getting dizzy from the lack of oxygen and he does too, although he wouldn’t mind challenging something as silly as the chance of his organs shutting down if it meant keeping his lips moving against yours and having your hands cradling his face.

You break apart first, a panting, breathless mess when you rest your forehead on the curve of his shoulder. He relaxes the grip on your legs, chest heaving with the depth of his own ragged breaths. So long for self-restraint.

“I meant it” he whispers and you find it in yourself to lift your head and meet his gaze “I didn’t invite you here to—”

“Lure me back into your bed?”

Eren senses the playfulness laced into your tone and smiles.

“Yeah”

When he attempts to take a step back, you wrap your legs around his waist to keep him in place. Except he doesn’t offer any resistance, allowing you to effortlessly pull him closer until he’s flush against the counter and the tip of his nose grazes your cheek.

“I know” you mutter, honest “and I appreciate that. But, if you’re down, I’d really like to take that shower with you”

A beat passes.

Two days of knowing you and Eren thinks you hold all the right tools to drive him absolutely insane already.

PART 2

[riotwritesthings]

Hi hi 👋 love your writing, pink, winteriron?

thank youuu! I hope you like this!

(now taking prompts for pride month)

Fading Pink

WinterIron, T, 650 - Fluff

~

“Tony.”

“Mhm.”

“Tony. Angel.”

“Mm!”

A low, rumbling laugh makes its way to Tony’s ears as cool fingers trail down his spine.

“Doll face,” that warm voice says, warmer than the sun still soaking into his skin. “Tony, sweetheart, if you don’t wake up already I’m eatin’ your dinner.”

With another grumbled hum Tony finally lifts his head from his crossed arms, blinking sluggishly against the bright golden light.

Ah, right, he’s on a beach, sprawled out on their giant blanket and supposedly working on his tan. He must have fallen asleep at some point after Bucky had headed back into the biggest rental house Tony could talk him into for the trip. Their own little slice of paradise, at least for now.

It's been nearly perfect, but Tony can always find something to complain about.

”You abandoned me,” Tony pouts, narrowing his eyes at the dark shape sitting beside him, casting a shadow over him.

"Someone had t’make us some food," Bucky returns, and Tony can tell he’s grinning by the tilt of his head, “an’ we both know you weren’t gonna move.”

“I’m photo-”

“You are not photosynthesizing,” Bucky interrupts with a huff of laughter, and Tony grumbles as he buries his face in his arms again. “I really will eat your food,” Bucky warns, but he’s absently brushing the hair away from the nape of Tony’s neck.

“Five more minutes,” Tony demands, his voice a petulant whine even as he arches up into the wonderful contrast of Bucky’s cool skin against his.

“Are you tryin’ to roast yourself out here?” Bucky asks with another soft laugh.

“Like a rotisserie chicken,” Tony agrees as he flops over onto his back and stretches lazily. He smirks as Bucky’s eyes drag down his bare chest to stop on the tiny black swim trunks sitting low on his hips. “I hope you appreciate this,” Tony says as he bends one knee up, letting his thighs fall open just a little wider, “I’m only wearing the shorts because you like tan lines.”

“I do like 'em,” Bucky agrees with a thoughtful nod and now his chilled metal fingers are following the path of his eyes, down Tony’s stomach to trail along the waist of his shorts. “But apparently,“ he continues, ”there was th’ alternative of you not wearin’ these. So it’s a real win/lose situation for me.”

Tony laughs, and then laughs harder when Bucky’s fingers dip ticklishly beneath the fabric, pulling it up to inspect the line of his tan. “Now go back to touching my head,“ he demands, shoving lightly at Bucky’s hand without any real intent. ”that felt amazing. So refreshing.”

"‘Cuz I’ve been inside," Bucky says with a roll of his eyes, but reaches up to brush the hair off Tony’s forehead, “in th’ AC, where our dinner is waitin’ on us. C’mon.”

“And leave the sun?“ Tony demands even as he lean up into Bucky’s touch, ”The sun is my new best friend.”

"Well your new best friend burned me,“ Bucky says and Tony laughs at the memory of his skin flushed an angry red before he’d fled inside earlier. ”Stop,“ Bucky complains, poking him in the forehead.

”Sorry, sorry,“ Tony says, still laughing, ”but I told you to start slow, you have to woo the sun.“

”Woo me,“ Bucky grumbles, letting himself be pulled down beside Tony on the sandy blanket.

”Gladly,” Tony says and reels him into a kiss, dragging his thumb along the warm curve of Bucky’s cheek. His sunburn has already healed to just a hint of color, like a lingering blush, and Tony kisses him until the sun has vanished into the water.

“Dinner is still waitin’,“ Bucky points out eventually, but his fingers are still creeping beneath the waist of Tony’s shorts.

”Let it wait,“ Tony says and presses his lips to the fading pink over the bridge of Bucky’s nose.

[attollogame]

hi! i went to look for physical descriptions of the ROs but the link isn’t working. is there an alternative link?

No but I can help you here!

Pariah

Pariah is 5’5” with an athletic build to their body, mostly honed from all of the physical exertion their night job requires. Most often they wear riding gear (leather jacket, cargo pants, biker boots; basically attire appropriate for someone who rides high-speeds on a motorcycle) with a black motorcycle helmet that has red lights within it. The helmet is modified to allow Pariah to discern things at night, and also to withstand Pariah’s own powered abilities. Pariah also carries two sickles strapped at their waist. Their powered ability is shadow manipulation.

Without the helmet, they have short cut curly brown hair, tanned skin, brown eyes, and a scar on their chin. Here’s an excellent visual of them drawn by the talented @phanosis !

Vasilisa

Vasilisa stands at about 5’11” with another athletic build to her body, again honed by her career as a detective for the C.A.P.D. She usually wears a white dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves, black jeans, timberland boots (closest I can describe them) and on occasion will have a black blazer on. Very often seen with a coffee in hand because her sleep schedule is as atrocious as anyone’s in Attollo. Her powered ability is emotion manipulation. 

Vasilisa has blonde hair she keeps tied back, pale skin, and blue eyes. She has a beauty spot under her one eye. Here’s an excellent visual of her drawn by the talented @exotic-inquiry !

Suha

Suha stands at 5’8” with a softer build. Her employment as a judge for the Crowes Court and her role in her own fashion business often keeps her quite preoccupied and on the go. Suha is a Muslim, and therefore wears a hijab. Her role in fashion means she dresses incredibly well, often preferring higher-brand clothes lines that are both comfortable and befitting of her personality. She prefers lighter colored clothes, as it contrasts the gloom of Attollo, even though her personality itself is quite serious. Suha’s powered ability is botakinesis, or plant manipulation. 

Suha wears cat-eyed glasses and has dark skin and brown eyes. Here’s a stunning drawing of her done by the talented @artsyaprilmr !

Operator

Operator stands at 5’7” and has a very lean build coming from his amazing ability to forget to eat half the time. He’s rarely seen without his black face mask and blue tech glasses, which enable him to see the ongoing of the city even when mobile. He usually wears a black turtleneck and black jeans, as well as sneakers that should really be changed in at some point. He does wear gloves as well when outside of his dwelling in the Under City. Operator’s powered ability is tech manipulation… among other things.

He has auburn curly hair and blue eyes beneath the glasses, as well as pale skin. @exotic-inquiry also did some lovely art of him (he is a little guy) !

Sysba

Because Sysba is gender selectable, their appearance does tend to change depending on which you select, although not by much. Overall, though, Sysba is a very flamboyant being that dresses in a way they feel expresses themself best. They stand at 6’ all forms, with a toned form they somehow managed to retain despite their disastrous eating habits. They prefer colours like red, black, or white for what they wear, and they prefer fabrics like satin, velvet, or silk. Sysba often wears heels for the benefit of standing an extra few inches above everyone else. They also indulge with a lot of jewellery, including necklaces, earrings, nose rings, etc. Because they are an entity, their powers extend far beyond what most do; shape shifting, manipulation, and power absorption are a few of their abilities. If they could get out of Attollo, they would be travelling quite swiftly too. 

In all forms, their hair is black, their eyes are black, and their skin is a very sickly pale color. In male form, Sysba has short cut hair, in female form it comes in the form of a bob cut, and in the non binary form it’s short cut as well. The very talented @retconomics has art of them here, @phanosis was generous enough to draw them in their more ‘natural’ form, and @redjack even kindly made a 3d model!

DW

Standing at 6’4” with a more built tone, one could say, due to his line of work (you don’t run a criminal organization without some intimidation on the side). Dreamwalker dresses very business-like in all aspects of his arrival, including in the dreams (although he did play dress up for those because it was fun for him). He prefers dark dress shirts, dress pants, and well-polished dress shoes. He wears a signet ring on his right hand. His powered ability includes dream manipulation and an ability to directly harm a sleeping individual through their dream, as seen with MC. He usually warps his features in dreams to make him indiscernible. On occasion, he wears a red scarf when not wearing a high collared shirt. 

Dreamwalker has dark brown, almost black hair with a slight curl to it. His eyes are a glowing gold with no discernible pupil unless you’re very close, in which case you will see it as a darker yellow color. He has a notable scar on his neck from a knife wound, and dark skin. The talented @bleruh drew art of him here (check out their operator as well!), as did @retconomics here and @/kill-a13 here among many others :)

[new-tella-us]

Seduce Me Situations

Cause I'm bored!

It's an easy one today. What color do the boys think Mika looks best in and why?

James- Black, Gold and Red. Gold is James's color and black and red are vibrant, high contrast colors. (Fun fact, this is canon from James' Episode!) Though as a bonus, I think James would just prefer whatever is higher in contrast, so for canon Mika who is generally lighter skinned, black brings more contrast but for someone like Iridessa who's dark skinned, white would look better. I think my Mika could go either way.

Erik- Red, Pink, Purple. Red is Erik's color. Pink and Purple are very feminine colors that can also represent bashfulness which (according to the bible wiki) is what Erik prefers in a lover. Purple is also a very royal color so if Mika's feeling a little bold that day, a royal purple would look great according to Erik.

Sam- Anything honestly. I don't think Sam has a strong preference. Maybe he'd lean more to green, that being his color and all, maybe even browns as he might like neutrals/earthy tones, but I don't think he cares that much. What I think he would like are muted tones. He's a simple dude, really bright or vibrant colors would possibly not be his thing. Plus he just thinks Mika looks good in anything really.

Matthew- Baby blue, yellow, and light colors in general. The blue is obviously his color but more than that, he was raised around blues and yellows his entire life. If he's not sick of it (and his yellow jacket and blue shirts says he's not sick of it) it's his favorite combo. But he also like pastels and vibrant colors and specifically on Mika who's tanned skin and dark hair make them stand out even more. I think he also just likes contrasting colors.

Damien- Pastels but specifically pastel yellow or pastel purple. He finds himself drawn to cuter colors in general so pastels was a must. He likes purple as it's Mika's default color and the color he associates with himself other than black. He also likes yellow as that was the color he associated with his mother. Damien is probably the only person who wouldn't prefer Mika wear the color he's associated with, black. Damien himself barely wears black. It's a little bit a self-loathing issue and as he slowly unpacks that, he would slowly see the appeal of black but would still prefer pastels.

[findingnemosworld]

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 - 𝐱𝐚𝐛𝐢 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨

・𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬

( 𝐈’𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐱𝐚𝐛𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐲 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐞𝐱 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭? )

𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭, 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩 ( 𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 )

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐢 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥, 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬.

( boss me around papi )

The drive home from work was eerily silent, so much so that he could have sworn he could hear the gears inside of her mind turning, she did not look him, opting to avert and keep her gaze on the window all the while he remained focused on the road and yet, all he can think of was her less than soft gaze earlier during the party they had attended, especially when she saw him conversing with one of the female coaches for the women's team, she'd kept a faux smile whilst he blissfully continued chatting with the female coach unaware that his date for the night, the women he genuinely cared for was close to committing actual murder.

They walk into their shared home, the aggressive sound of her heels against the marble floor was a clear sign that she was less than elated by how the night went - heaving out a sigh, he loosens his tie before walking towards the liquor cabinet to pull out the bottle of wine along with a glass, he pours the right amount of crimson liquid into the glass to down the entire thing in one gulp, he then makes his way to the bedroom just as she stepped out of the bathroom dressed in one of her nightgowns, the one he loathed the most due to how facile it affected him, the stark contrast of the color against her tanned skin sent blood straight below, and coupled with the way she looked at him, he knew he was definitely in for a long night.

" Querida " He murmurs, discarding the bottle and glass onto the small table in the corner before he walked up to stand behind her, she had avoided his gaze entirely, instead spreading the body lotion across her skin as leisurely as she could whilst she looked directly onto the mirror. " Querida " he says with a more clear tone, lowering his head to nuzzle against her shoulder. " Are you not going to speak to me? "

" You had no problem happily chatting with the female coach, maybe you should go over to her house " She retorts with a sarcastic smile.

He resisted the urge to chuckle, they'd been together for nearly three years and yet she had always been jealous of the fact that he was accessible to many, even if he had reassured her more than once that she was the only woman in his heart. " Querida " he sighs, pressing open mouthed kisses to her neck which had elicited a soft moan out of her lips, " Let me show you how sorry I am then "

He helps her up, turning her around to face him; at first she avoided his gaze until he hooked his digit under her chin to lift her face up. " I am sorry " he said with a gentle voice, leaning in to press a feather light kiss to her forehead causing a whimper to escape from her, " I am sorry I wasn't paying attention to you " he adds, pressing a few kisses on both her cheeks, " You're precious to me querida, so precious you don't even know "

" I was really hurt! " She says with a small voice, " I know it's your job and I trust you but ... it felt like you got along with her more than you did with me "

He pauses, finally realizing why she was irked, it wasn't the secret that a few people were surprised, and some had even questioned why a young woman like her would be completely content with dating him given their stark age difference, yet she never made him feel like it was such a prominent hurdle, if anything - she was the sweetest woman he'd meet, going out of her way to make him feel comfortable after work, and even going as far as to help him out when he needed her. " Aingeru Gozoa ( Sweet Angel ) " he cooed, stroking the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs.

" I love you " She murmurs with a pout, " And sometimes I think, maybe you're better off with someone close to your age "

He shakes his head profusely, " Never, never ... you know why? "

" Why? " She asks with a soft tone.

" Because not a single woman out there was able to capture my heart entirely the way you did " He admits, one of his hands sneaking around her waist to tug her closer while the other rested on the back of her neck. " Let me show you " he closes the distance between them, gently capturing her lips in a soft and featherlight kiss that held an undertone of passion in it, the gentle collision coupled with how facile his tongue had darted into her mouth was enough to elicit a muffled moan he effortlessly swallowed while he maneuvered her towards their bed, deepening the kiss of a brief moment before he pushed her onto the bed.

Her gaze widens, pupils blown entirely by the overwhelming arousal coursing through her veins, his lips curve into a charming smile, as he deliberately and leisurely spends his precious time in removing every particle of clothing in his way until he was fully bare, the length of his cock prominent and demanding attention, she averts her gaze, her mouth salivating which elicited a chuckle from him. " All in due time nire neska gozoa ( my sweet girl ), be patient " he tuts, crawling on top of her, his hands reaching to help remove the nightgown off of her bare body, her nipples hardened from the chill air in the room whilst her pussy clenched around nothing, entirely slick with the arousal she felt. " You're so perfect " he whispers in awe, dipping his head below to capture her lips in a kiss, " So perfect to me "

She could only a muster a whine which transformed into a moan when his lips trailed down to her neck, " Please " she whispers, gasping when he gently bit down on the spot behind her ear and soothed the red mark with his tongue, " Fuck " she tilts her head to grant him more access with his hands caressed her skin, setting her nerves ablaze up until his hand effortlessly snuck between her legs.

" You are mine, the same way I'm yours " He murmurs, slithering all the way down to situate himself in front of her slick pussy, his blown pupils looking directly into hers. " All mine " he whispers, before pressing his tongue over her pussy walls, the sensation elicited a half moan half whine from her, her digits grip the bedsheets almost instantly. " Such a good girl " he murmurs pressing soft kisses on her inner thigh, he then dipped back into her pussy, thrusting his tongue inside of her walls which caused her to gasp and squirm all at once, his hand flattens across her abdomen to keep her in place whilst his tongue effortlessly moves inside of her slick walls.

" Xabi " She whines, " Please " her back arches off of the bed. " Oh My God! " she cried softly.

He folds her legs, his eyes remaining solely on hers while his tongue toyed with her pussy akin to a maestro strumming an effortless tune composed of soft moans and inaudible gasps that erupted from her lips, it wasn't arduous by any means; he knew her like the back of his hand - knew exactly where he could hit her properly to incite the pleasure from her, he crawls back up to her with a dazed expression and murmurs. " You're the only woman I want querida, never forget that "

His kiss felt different this time, more passionate and coupled with the way she could taste herself on his lips was more than enough for her to boldly take the lead this time by using whatever force she had to push him onto the bed, situating herself on top of his lap, his hands grip her waist for a mere moment before one of his hand crept up to her back resting over her spine, " Querida " the pet name parts his lips in a strangled moan, " I love you so much, I love you more than you'll ever know "

Her heart flutters, a soft smile adorns her lips before she dips her head to press soft, featherlight kisses onto his neck inciting a deep growl from him. " I love you too " she whispers before sitting up to guide the length of his cock inside of her pussy walls, both of them releasing a gasp in unison. " Oh God! " she whines.

" You feel so good querida " He cooed, one hand toys with her breasts while the other crept up to wrap gently around her throat. " You were made for me " he adds with a low growl, " So soft, so perfect ... and all mine "

She whines in response, " Touch me " she murmurs, " Please "

His thumb pad circles over her clit, with a smile across her lips at the way she immediately responded to his touch. " You like that? you like when I touch you "

" Yes ... " She sighs, " Fuck " she whines, her eyelids were tightly shut. " It feels so good " she throws her head back, " so good "

" You're going to cum? you're going to cum for me baby " He said with a soft voice, " cum all over my cock baby, come on ... I can feel it, you're squeezing my cock " he grunts.

" I'm going to cum " She nods furiously, soft whines continue to escape her lips. " Fuck, I'm going to cum "

" That's right, cum on my cock " He encouraged her, nuzzling his face in her neck. " Cum baby " he murmurs.

The knot inside of her lower abdomen explodes as she cries out his name in pure euphoria, " Fuck ... Fuck " she whines, wrapping her arms around his neck. " Please, please " she swallows the lump inside her throat, " Can I ...? " she gasps, unable to formulate her words.

He pulls back and caresses his damp cheek, " What's the matter baby? "

Her glossy eyes, " I want to ... " she bites down on her lower lip, " I want to suck your cock, please " she pleads.

" Oh querida!! " He cooed with a soft smile, " You're so cute " he helps her off of him, then sits at the edge of the bed.

She wraps her petite hand over his cock, inciting a hiss from him which transformed into a soft moan the minute she wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock, slowly taking as much as she can inside of her throat, he throws his head back and sighs; his digits thread through her locks. " That's a good girl " he cooed, " keep going " he sighs.

The sound of her lips sloppily moving up and down, coupled with soft muffled moans that escaped her lips sent waves of pleasure across his body, his cock twitched inside of her throat and he instinctively thrusted forward, spilling ropes and ropes of cum inside of her throat, " Fuck " he sighs.

She lapped as much as she could of his arousal, then she pulled back with a soft smile, he pulls her up into his arms. " You're my heaven and you're my hell " he whispers, " I'm never leaving you " he pecks her lips. " I love you querida "

" I love you too " She smiles.

[alrighties]

WHEN EVERYTHING FEELS LIKE THE MOVIES,

📹 : RED CREEK PRESENTS ... # ALRIGHTIES. featuring : foster dasgupta ... a mercurial documentarian using his camera to capture intimacy he can't quite feel, haunted by a melancholy he puts to film but never truly reconciles.

 YEAH, YOU BLEED JUST TO KNOW YOU'RE ALIVE.

more information under the cut.

📹   ︰   BASIC.

name:   foster   arjun   dasgupta.    nicknames:     foz, goop.    date    of    birth:   february    14th    1997.    age:     twenty7.    gender:     cis   man.    sexuality:   bisexual.    place    of    birth:   detroit,   michigan.    place    of    birth:   red   creek,   michigan.    parents:   roy   and   cecilia   dasgupta,   both   murdered   during   a   home   invasion   in   2005.    education:   university    of    southern    california,   ba    in    cinematic    arts   :    film  and    television    production.   american    film    institute    conservatory,   mfa    in  cinematography.   occupation:   manager   @   tba video store,   freelance   videographer,   amateur   filmmaker.

📹 ︰ PHYSICAL.

hair:   dark   brown naturally,   medium-length bottle blonde at the moment. eyes:    deep-set   and   hooded,   with   a   thoughtful,   slightly   distant   gaze.   dark   brown,   warm   and   steady,   contrasting   subtly   with   his   tanned   skin. height   &   build:   six   foot,   one   inch   tall.   lean,   with   toned   arms   and   a   wiry   build. dominant   hand:    right. clothing   style: a   mix   of   oversized   hoodies,   thrifted   band   tees,   flannels,   and   loose-fit   jeans,   sometimes   slightly   cuffed.   tends   toward   darker   colors— charcoal,   forest   green,   navy— with   occasional   pops   of   deep   red   or   maroon.   worn-in   converse   sneakers   or   old   combat   boots   complete   the   look,   and   almost   always   seen   with   a   canvas   backpack   slung   over   one   shoulder for filming equipment. prominent   features:    piercing,   contemplative   gaze,   slightly   crooked   smile,   and   a   dimple   on   his   right   cheek, a laceration scar from upper left arm and a puncture scar of his left palm. 

📹 ︰ PSYCHE.

mbti:    entp   —   the   debater. enneagram:    8w7   —   the   nonconformist. moral   alignment:    ??? astrology:   aquarius   sun,   aries   moon,   gemini   rising. habits:   filming   random   moments   of   daily   life,   constantly   looking   for   something   to   keep   him   occupied — whether   it’s   tinkering   with   his   camera,   making   mental   notes   for   scripts,   or   brainstorming   scenes.   starts   projects   on   a   whim   and   sometimes   drops   them   just   as   quickly.   watching   old   and   obscure   movies   on   full   volume   even   if   it's   3   am.   quick   to   deflect   serious   conversations   with   humor   or   changing   the   subject. quirks:    intense   eye   contact   when   genuinely   curious   or   interested,   rarely   looks   away   until   he's   satisfied   he has   understood   you.   flips   his   lighter   open   and   closed   even   if   he's   not   lighting   anything.   quick   with   his   words   and   equally   quick   to   throw   out   a   devil-may-care   grin,   as   if   nothing   really   bothers   him.   has   a   habit   of   adding   small,   seemingly   random   sound   effects   when   narrating   his   own   ideas   aloud.   bounces   his   knee   or   drums   his   fingers   when   he’s   restless,   which   is   often. hobbies:   filmmaking   and   cinematography,   especially   capturing   fleeting   moments   and   turning   them   into   mini-documentaries   or   short   films.   experimenting   with   different   film   techniques   and   styles,   from   lo-fi   to   retro   effects.   collecting   vinyl   and   obscure   band   posters,   usually   from   garage   sales.   hitchhiking   to   get   footage   or   seek   inspiration   in   unexpected   places.   people-watching   at   diners   and   coffee   shops,   seeing   if   he   can   guess   their   " story. "   journaling   in   rough,   half-finished   sketches   and   ideas   for   future   films   or   characters.

personality:    thrives   on   spontaneity,   always   diving   headfirst   into   new   experiences   and   challenges,   often   without   considering   the   risks.   quick-witted   and   persuasive,   able   to   talk   his   way   into— and   out   of— almost   anything.   a   thrill-seeker,   energized   by   pushing   boundaries   and   going   against   the   grain.   fiercely   independent,   valuing   his   freedom   above   all   else,   yet   often   feels   a   pull   toward   others,   seeking   the   buzz   of   connection   even   if   it's   fleeting. tends   to   avoid   dealing   with   emotional   vulnerability,   often   using   humor,   charm,   or   physical   intimacy   as   a   way   to   keep   things   light.   deeply   confident,   but   in   private   moments,   there's   a   quiet   insecurity,   a   need   to   feel   valued   and   irreplaceable   to   the   people   he   lets   close.   incredibly   adaptable,   with   a   knack   for   reading   situations   and   changing   his   approach   in   real-time.   thrives   in   chaos   and   has   little   patience   for   routine   or   predictability,   seeing   them   as   constraints   on   his   creativity.   easily   bored,   often   moving   from   project   to   project   or   person   to   person   in   search   of   the   next   big   idea,   the   next   thrill,   or   the   next   muse.   charismatic   and   magnetic,   with   a   way   of   drawing   people   in,   even   if   he   doesn’t   always   stick   around   long   enough   to   let   them   stay. music taste: [ click here ]

📹 ︰ PERSONAL HISTORY.

[ REDACTED ]

📹 ︰ CREATURE FEATURE.

creature   feature  is   a   psychological   horror   youtube   webseries   created  by   foster   dasgupta   and   produced   with   the   help   of   red  creek  high   school’s   av   club from 2013 to 2015.   the   series'   official   youtube  account,   creaturefeature0214,    presented   as   foster’s   personal   account,   chronicles   materials   from   a   set   of   vhs   tapes   that   he   recovered   during   an   exploration   of   the   thorne  house,   as   well   as   the   increasingly   bizarre   events   in   his   life    through   vlogs    while   restoring,   converting,   and  uploading   materials   from   the  tapes. the   series   was   instrumental   in   creating   a   modern   mythos   around   red  creek's  boogeyman,    presenting   the  figure  an  almost   omnipresent  supernatural  being   (   similar  to  slenderman   )  rather  than  just  a  serial  killer.   creature   feature   also   presented   real-life   testimonies   from   red  creek's  residents   who   were  alive   during  the   1999   murders   to   add   realism,   then   combined  with  fictionalized  accounts.   majority  of  the  cast   of   the   series   are   also   members  of   the   local   community,   mostly   foster's  friends ( lmk if u want ur muse to have worked with him for this ). creature   feature   also   employs   transmedia   storytelling   through  other  platforms   such   as   twitter,   fake   websites,   reddit   and   other   media   to   deliver  a   narrative  that  can   only   be   completed   by   scavenging   the   internet,   calling  1-800  numbers,  contacting   e-mail   addresses   with   automated   messages   and   going   through   rabbit   holes   to   piece   it   all   together. creature  feature   was   often   either   believed   to   be  true   by   watchers   or   attracted   obsessive  ARG   players   during   the   time   they   were   uploaded,   developing   a   cult   following   as   their   subscribers   tirelessly   waited   for  future  updates.   however,   its   authenticity   was   later   debunked   when   foster,   a   high   school   student  at  the   time,    provided   an   interview   about   the  series   shortly   after  the  final   entry   was   uploaded   as   he   needed   to  move   away   from   california   for   college.

📹 ︰ HEADCANONS.

01. moved to red creek with aunt when he was eight yrs old after his parents were killed in what was ruled a home invasion, though nothing was taken and the killers were never found. foster suffers from dissociative amnesia from what happened, unable to recall anything from that night. set for life with the insurance payout, but barely touches it— unless necessary. 02. his father was a wildlife documentarian, so foster kind of developed the same love for film— except his usual subjects are people. always seen with a camera wherever he went as a kid, just filming anyone and everyone. has a collection of his own short films, but the ones that were made before high school are mostly stupid and just for fun. then he started taking it more seriously with creature feature as well as more serious shorts that were then submitted to film festivals and competitions. 03. after getting his mfa, foster had a film that did well in the indie film circuits, won some prizes for it, but eventually moved back to red creek for lack of inspiration. currently, he's working at the video store, but also doing side videographer gigs like filming for local commercials, weddings, etc. but he's hoping to get that inspiration and start obsessing over making a new film soon ... who knows, maybe the next one will be horror film.

[cefalodankovsky]

Kaeya and pierro shared design leitmotifs and possible in game connection

Spoilers until Caribert, no Fontaine exclusive content is discussed.

Before anything I must make clear that I’m comparing Kaeya ´s standard outfit and the Pierro design from a winter night´s lazzo, I won’t use direct images from leaks but i have compared Pierro ´s skin color to the other Harbingers using leaked character explorations and beta designs.

There is something that has bugged me since winter´s night lazzo; and that thing is the shared leitmotifs between pierro and Kaeya, While the fandom has discussed at length if Pierro could be Kaeya ´s father or other family member, I too want to analyze the similarities between the designs, how that could connect them in game, exploring popular ideas and even proposing some of my own on the way.

From top to bottom I will point out and explain in more depth all the similarities I found, using these two images as reference and to make everything more clear.

- Differently colored hair strand matching each other’s hair color. This is quite interesting because all other Khaeniahns we’ve met so far have blonde or a light hair color, making Kaeya the exception, But the fact that Pierro also has a blue strand in his other wise standard hair means that either Pierro ´s hair was originally blue and turned white due to aging, making them both exceptions to the known Khaenriahn genetic traits and possibly connecting them as family. That white hair is a result of abyssal corruption, which would make sense as Pierro has had most likely more abyssal exposure than Kaeya, which would explain Kaeya ´s strands. Or we could reverse this and propose blue or darkened hair is a result of abyss influence, while this might sound outlandish at first, abyssal influence in game has been mostly shown by darkened colors like blue or purple, the only issue would be why Kaeya has had more abyssal exposure than Pierro. This could also be just a way to connect them visually.

- Half of their face covered, seems to be an homage to king irmin the masked king. The three Khaenriahn characters that share this trait have some connection to royalty (Royal knight, Royal advisor, Descendant to The regents that usurped King irmins ´s throne)

-Fluffy scarf? (I don’t know what to call it) in contrasting colors. I must note Kaeya ´s design is prominently asymmetrical, both as a way to create interest and to contrast his conflicted and divided thoughts. (In fact one side seems to represent the abyss with the strand, eyepatch, and the fluffy covering similar to an abyss mage, and the other his loyalty to Mondstand, with the Favonius matching cape and what seems to be a lovelock, a hairstyle used to show their loyalty to someone or something)

-Diamond shaped space in their outfit near their chest, possibly just a way to invoke the diamond shape in their designs , the shared motif of Khaenriah.

-Similar Lapels in their coat with the same shape that reach their torso, a central piece on both of their designs. Can’t really llly tell if Pierro ´s is just one lapel or two lapels and the upper one is hidden in the fluff (Like Kaeya ´s lapels on his left side)

-Star in the middle of their torso

- Shared color scheme but reversed in key places

-Comparatively darker skin to other Characters, Clear in Kaeya ´s case, harder to see in Pierro. Comparing Pierro ´s skintone to other harbingers its clear he’s at the very least visibly darker, even in some leaked design exploration where he sports a coat more similar to Dainsleif´s and a lighter skintone that first thought. The date of the designs are unknown and neither is if they are final but even then the skintone is darker (second image, pierro is the first circle, dottore the second and Columbina de third ) I also must note that while Kaeya is darker skinned, its also known he is partially tanned (alluded trio in a Traveler character story where they wonder if kaeya has a tanning mark behind his eyepatch.

What does all of this mean?, I’m going to note some of the most popular theories and some wild thought as an extra.

-Possibility 1, its all just a coincidence: While some similarities can be explained with shared Khaenriah leitmotifs and pure chance, the fact that a not insignificant part of the fandom thought they were related just by seeing their designs must mean a significant amount of the design must reflect the other.

Possibility 2, Kaeya and Pierro are related most likely his strangled father or an uncle. Would explain the skin and hair color as well as while intentional similarities in their designs. The kaeya ´s father idea was the most common theory, but with pierro being a royal advisor rather than a royal as well as the past voice of kaeya ´s father in the 3.1 event seeming different to Pierro's, it has lost popularity.

It is still possible they are related and Pierro was just far from being the throne heir, also giving him a possible vendetta against the Alberichs and in the case of an uncle might serve as a future Hamlet reference, as well as being a popular trope in general .

-Possibility 3, the motifs are meant to show Kaeya.'s connection to the fatui rather than to Pierro himself. Some of the motifs are shared both in Pierro´s design, the harbinger coats and Kaeya's design. Often also mixed with the second possibility. Could also be a foreshadowing to a possible betrayal by Kaeya. Personally I don’t really see this possibility if not mixed with second one because the most definite proof is specific to Pierro. A counter argument is the shared motifs between Kaeya and Childe. Like Kaeya. ´s never ending performance constellation having the same name as Childe. ´s boss theme, especifically before using foul legacy, also the shared eye motif between kaeya and the fatui.

-Possibility 4, Kaeya is somehow a Clone of Pierro. (Either biologically or just his creation imitating someone else. I’ve seen this theory proposed but I haven’t thought much about. It honestly, this is usually mixed with the father theory.

Extra!: Possibility 5 (Originally thought by a friend of mine but i think its pretty interesting and tried to fill in the gaps), also the least likely but still fun to explore. Kaeya and Pierro are the same person. In Genshin the idea of rewriting the past has is present, mostly seen with Wanderer, his quest also shows changing the past via the Irminsul will end up in essentially the same result. (Wanderer changed the past erasing himself, but the ones that had to die still died), Also seen with Nahida and Rukka. With the cyclical nature of time in Genshin and the journey of the twins, It is possible our twin had a similar journey as us just for everything to be reseted (The cutscene of the abyss sibling shows Mondstadt being destroyed). kaeya could have tried to change things in Khaenriah via the Irminsul but eventually failed ending up in the destruction of Khaenriah. This would explain why Pierro knows about fate´s plans and why he had advice to try and avoid the destruction.This would explain the shared motifs in the fatui and Kaeya´s uniform, as well as physical similarities between the two. Personally I don’t think they share a vibe, and the explanation is quite convoluted and makes several assumptions, It’s still a fun idea, and i quite like it though. I believe we still lack key information to make a clear and definite decision, but the similarities are still. There and we can still try to approximate ourselves to the truth.

[fluffs-palace]

can I get a summary of the mcs so I know what kind of questions to ask about which ones 👀

(I am so bad at summaries but I'm gonna try lol and now im so late 😖 im sorry this took me foreverrrr)

MC Summaries

Lyari

Generally Lyari's sort of a sleepy version of Asra, his LI. They're rather calm and laid back. He'd rather take life slow and one step at a time.

They're agender and use any pronouns. Anything you can think of she's fine with.

Physically, he's an inch taller than Asra — 5'9". Their hair is a cool tone white in contrast of their partner's warm toned white. Its straighter while having the staple jellyfish cut. Sometime the tendrils are put into braids or bubble braids. She presents more masc in her fashion sense.

She enjoys sewing and carries a pair of shears with her everywhere.

They don't have a familiar yet. (Im honestly undecided but it works perfectly for his character so it sticks around for now lol)

Marsom

He's just a big happy dude. Might be a lil vain of him, but he loves the sound of his own voice. Mars will talk nonstop. His LI, Muriel, can absolutely be as silent as he wants; Marsom will talk more than enough for the both of them. He is also the biggest extrovert you will ever meet. A hugger too. He will give you a crushing bear hug every time you see him.

For his pronouns its just he/him! As for his physical appearance, his height doesn't go unnoticed. Not as tall as his love, but he still stands at a good 6'5". He has a boft build with tan skin and short blond hair. Here's art of him!

Archery is a passion of his. Along with that, he enjoys cooking a lot. Mars loves to drag Muri into the kitchen to cook with him or just cook something for him in general.

His familiar is a menace of a lil raccoon, Voroot. He loveeeeess "stealing" food from Mars. Its not really stealing since his mage will always whip him something up begrudgingly. They have a pretty sassy relationship.

(Possibly my favorite mc out of all them i love him so much)

Osanna

Osanna's a gentle woman. Her voice is soft and kind. Don't let her timid nature fool you, though; she's got a ton of energy. Being a massive bookworm, Osanna loves trying to bring her books to life by taking adventures with her LI, Nadia, wherever she can.

Her design isn't set in stone yet, but she does love pink. She often wears more cottage core themed type clothing. She loves a good maxi skirt that will twirl with her or catch the wind while she rides. She's missing her right leg, half way down her thigh. She does indeed have a prosthetic very technically similar to Lucio's— much prettier though, in her opinion.

Along with her books, she loves the horses at the palace stables. She looks a little silly riding her mount as she's a rather small woman (5'3"). It can only be expected a Clydesdale would seem a little out of place. Nadia always finds it amusing when they bring out the ladder for her.

Lastly, her familiar is a chunky little mouse named Eeka! She has a curly coat and adorably large ears. She's often found snacking on the horses' feed. Oats especially. Her furs a warm soft grey.

Samuel

Quick with dry wit, Samuel's a lovely contrast to his theaterical partner, Julian. To most, he can sound cold or untoward, but those close to him know he's just a little monotoned. His half lidded, sour resting expression doesn't often help that misconception either.

Samuel loves a bright color, especially purple. Paired with a lovely teal and fine copper jewelry is his go to. He can't stand tight clothing, though, except in his midrif. It's weirdly the only place where he feels the need for it. Oh, and shoes! He will never be caught dead in shoes— unless he's in the palace. First impressions, right?

His hair falls at his shoulder blades with a waviness to it. It is absolutely so fluffy. He'll often get random people sticking their hands in it. His eyes are a piercing light blue that compliments his teals wonderfully. Barely hitting Julian's shoulders, he is 5'7". Here's art of him as well!

Ever since getting dragged to Nevivon— don't let his antics fool you, he loved it and begs to back— he loves tinkering with different recipes. Whether it be baking or just plain cooking, he'll gladly give it a shot. Might even imbue it with some magical qualities. Bonus points if he's having to cook while adventuring with Julian. The challenge is the best part!

Samuel has more than one familiar; four actually! All siblings who found themselves at Portia's sanctuary. He's got an affinity for bunnies, so she knew they would be in good hands. It was just lucky there was that knowing click when he laid eyes on them! Their names are Clubs, Art, Spades, and Dia (the only girl).

Seli

Seli's a bit of a wild card. While her personality is decided, I haven't finished Portia route yet. Because of that I'm hesitant to give her a blurb like the other characters listed. I can give you what I have now more informally though!

She was also the only MC I decided to develop with a tarot pull. The cards I pulled, what their associations/questions were, and what I interpreted from them will be in this post! It's a lot to try to fit in this small part dedicated to her.

I don't have a design for her, but I know I want to incorporate warm colors like reds, oranges, and yellows. I honestly keep invisioning something close to Nahara, but I don't want to like rip her design. It's something I still really struggle with.

She has burn scars from before her death! They're in pretty obvious places, so they're still there after the ritual. Some, though, that weren't ever on display miraculously aren't there anymore. The phantom pains still stick around, however.

She has a bearded dragon familiar named Nuru! Little trivia fact for you, Seli's last name, Vega, and her familiar's name, Nuru, are old characters of mine. Nuru and Vega were each from open species when I first learned those were a thing.

Tai

Very big TBD to be honest with you. They're my Valerius mc so I don't have a route to back it up with. Because of that I've been a little slower in their development. I'm hoping the asks could help me fast track that process some :))

The few facts I do have are:

Intersex with they/them pronouns

Segmental acrofacial vitiligo

4'11"

Redish purple eyes and hair like wine

Specializes in gardening and related magicks

Vaura

They're rather bull headed. They know what they want and they will take it. Confidence is definitely not something they lack. While stubborn, they're also very maternal. They have to deal with Lucio after all. Neither of them mind, though. A match made in hell 😌❤️

They're a non-binary person with they/them pronouns. They're often dressed in dark colors, mainly greens and reds, with pops of gold. Lots of gold, actually. Life's short, they want to be fancy while it lasts. Their green hair is usually pulled into an updo with a cresent moon shaped bun on the back of their head. They also have bangs. Their art!

Lucio might whine about it but there's no getting over the fact that they're naturally taller than him at 5'11". Only added to when they're wearing their favorite heeled boots.

A ring of keys jingle on their hip. They don't go to anything but they think they're neat. They have a large collection of really cool keys.

Marion is the name of their familiar. He's a mink with a blondish gold silky coat. He has some vision impairment— he's lost most of his eyesight, but reacts most to light.

[setoangel01-fanfiction]

When the Sky Met the Earth

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Pairing: Zack Fair x Aerith Gainsborough (Zerith)

Rated: T

Story Summary: Zerith Flower Shop AU. Aerith quietly sells flowers in her tiny shop located in Midgar when the new tall, dark and devastatingly handsome delivery driver catches her eye - and steals her heart in the process.

.....

Setting: Takes place in Midgar but Shinra is merely an energy company so there was never SOLDIER nor Hojo to ruin everything. Yet not all is well because with the pollution still plentiful in Midgar, any plant life within the city struggles to thrive.

Characters: Aerith, hiding her Cetra heritage from the world yet wanting to use her powers for good in some way, opens the only flower shop in Midgar. It became a way to survive and also fill the dreary Midgar and its people's lives with a little bit of color and a touch of happiness. Yet because of what she is, she's still rather shy and hesitant to branch out, and other than her customers, doesn't know much of the world outside of the city.

Zack is a delivery driver from Gongaga. With no SOLDIER or other options available to him, Zack is naturally restless. Never being able to stay still in the stifling quiet of his tiny hometown, Zack was determined to travel by any means necessary. Which he fulfilled by accidentally making a business out of delivering people's special orders of Gongaga's Famous Imports of Mushrooms and various plants all across the world.

...This is the story of how they met.

...........

Damn, he was hot… No! Gorgeous!

That's all Aerith could really focus on regarding the delivery guy stepping into her shop.

Tall, dark and handsome would be all the other adjectives she could also associate with him. The captivating stranger delivering her soil and new batch of potted plants she ordered special from Gongaga stood easily over six feet tall, statuesque and incredibly athletic. Framed with thick broad shoulders and a nice rich tan that showcased a life spent out in the sunshine. Arms lined with impressive sinewy muscles, that would probably feel amazing to be wrapped in, all thick broad angles accentuated by a sleeveless wool turtleneck and loose cargo pants that did wonders for his already incredible figure.

Yet nothing could compare to his gorgeous face.

Sexy dimples framing a bright white smile and the prettiest pair of exquisite blue eyes she had ever seen. All this untamed beauty could only be finished off with the wildest yet adorable thick black hair spiked back to better show off his features with a single stubborn strand of ebony resting against his forehead. Even the cross shaped scar on his jaw merely added to his appeal…

Aerith was already in love and she didn't even know his name.

Yet what better way than to introduce herself first to get it?

...............

Damn, she was pretty… No! Beautiful!

That's all Zack could really focus on towards the florist when walking into her quaint shop.

Standing at least a head shorter than himself and paired with a gorgeous hourglass figure. Petite and lithe in the tapered waist cinched by her white apron but generous in the flared feminine curves of her shapely hips and modest breasts. All curves and softness he wanted to press against himself were hugged perfectly by the flowy pink dress that looked amazing contrasted against flawless milky skin. Hair made of bountiful russet curls flecked with hints of cinnamon in every other strand and held back in a pink bandana and lively ponytail that trailed down past her waist.

She couldn't be more his type if she tried.

Yet somehow she was when he became immediately enthralled in her enchanting face for the first time. Beautiful, dainty and heart shaped framed by two twisted ringlet bangs, accentuated by the cutest little button nose sprinkled with light freckles, softest looking cupid's bow pink lips and the most ethereal pair of green eyes he'd ever seen in his damn life. She was so heavenly, he could have sworn he'd died and was greeted into the gates of paradise by the most beautiful angel ever created by Gaia's hands…

Zack was already in love and he didn't even know her name.

Yet what better way than to introduce himself first to get it?

...................

"Hello, I'm Aerith."

"Heya! I'm Zack."

"…"

"…"

They'd spoken out at the exact same time.

Zack was the first to break the silence with a chuckle and embarrassed smile which Aerith followed shortly after with a breathy giggle behind a dainty hand.

"Heh. Let's try that again, shall we?…" he theatrically cleared his throat before offering her his hand, "Hi there! The name's Zack," the dark-haired man introduced himself. The easy confidence and charisma he exuded his entire life seemed to falter under the attention of the suffocating beauty in front of him. Never had he felt more shy or tongue tied than gazing into meadow green eyes that reminded him so much of the lush green pastures of his hometown nestled right in the irises of this city girl.

Aerith hoped the heat of the day concealed how her cheeks had burned, flushed scarlet under his attentive expression and those astounding sapphire eyes. While Aerith had met countless people from all walks of life in her time running the only flower shop in Midgar, she could easily determine that she had never met anyone like him before. So many people who lived in this city were worn and weary or so enslaved within their own lives and personal bubble, that they barely acknowledged her existence. Yet this man's sunny demeanor and hypnotic gaze that held the beauty of a cloudless sky in his iris never faltered his attention away from her.

"Hello Zack. My name is Aerith." Aerith placed her much smaller hand in his outstretched palm and was instantly struck by the gentleness of his grip, hands so large and warm even through the soft leather of his gloves.

Aerith… A beautiful name for an equally beautiful woman.

Melodic voice caressing his ears like honey and silk and the way she said his name like a breathy exhale? Zack was smitten. The sensation of her pressing her hand into his own, he registered just how petite in every aspect she was yet he felt the deceptive strength in her fingers, the bits of dirt clinging to her fingertips and under her practical short nails. She was fucking perfect. Zack hoped she couldn't hear the way his heart pounded frantically against his sternum.

"Nice to meet you, Aerith," he spoke her name like a benediction and never had she heard her name spoken like something to be treasured. She hoped he'd blame the heat of her shop to be responsible for the ample redness filling her cheeks. Wanting to make a good impression, she gripped his hand firmly, shaking it slightly and her heart skipped a beat at the deepening dimple in his cheek as his smile broadened further.

Realizing he still had a hold of her hand after their elongated greeting, Zack finally came back to his body. Desperately hoping he didn't freak her out or think he was some lecherous creep! The last thing he wanted to do was to offend her.

Feeling cowed at his own behavior and like he finally broke out of some kind of spell, Zack put his hands back on his hips (the place her hand had touched his own still tingled), put his customer service voice back on and asked, "I assume I have the right place. The order form said Gainsborough and I had you down for 10 bags of dark planting soil and some Gongaga bred flowers, correct?"

Aerith curled her hands together over her chest as if in prayer when Zack suddenly pulled back from their handshake (the place his hand was wrapped around her own was pleasantly warm). Finally acknowledging his statement and realizing that he was there for business, she flushed. Hoping he didn't notice how unprofessional and strange her behavior had been thus far, she quickly affirmed, "Yep, Aerith Gainsborough! That's me."

Zack nodded, "Perfect! I'll unload the soil bags last, but right now, I have a few fragile potted plants in the truck bed that should be attended to first. I'll grab those right away, but once I get back in, do ya mind showing me where I should put them?"

Looking away from his bewitching eyes and trying to act more natural (normal was best, right?), Aerith nodded. "Of course."

"Great! Be right back!" he left as quickly as he came and it was like he took all the oxygen in the room with him.

.................

The bell above the door still ringing, Aerith stared at the place he vacated and held back the tingle that echoed along her spine from the comforting warmth he left behind.

Aerith's strange connection to plants and life itself as the last Cetra, a heritage she valiantly hid her entire life, suddenly had rang to life around him unlike anything she'd ever experienced beforehand. It was akin to a burst of pure radiant sunlight through the dark clouds overhead. Like the Planet itself was ringing its approval; as if the echoes of the lifestream itself was pulling his very essence to her and vice versa. Akin to a puzzle piece that slipped in to complete some incomplete part of her soul, when she hadn't even been aware anything had been missing, until he clicked perfectly into place.

Never in her life had she felt such an instant connection to anyone.

Rather isolated her entire life, friendly and approachable certainly, but never letting anyone in too close to see the real her she valiantly sequestered away. The girl that always knew when someone she'd known, even in passing, had died the moment it transpired, the hushed whispers she spoke to the Planet or digging her strangely glowing fingers into dead soil only to watch as new plant-life emerged from their lush new depths.

She was different…Always had been.

A freak, an anomaly - the last of her kind the world forgot ever existed.

Yet even if her mind was warring against her desires to bring this stranger in any closer, her heart wanted nothing more than to find out more about him…and hoping he saw something about her that was worth knowing too.

.......................

As soon as Zack rushed back to his pick-up truck, he took a much needed moment to lean against the vehicle as if all the air had left his lungs in one fell swoop.

The heat of the metal from recent use of the engine not even phasing him; solely focused on calming the frantic pounding of his heart. Never in his damn life had he felt such an instant attraction to anyone. Doing this job and being born a naturally social butterfly, he'd met countless people on his travels, yet absolutely no one on the entire Planet had ever instantly drawn him into their orbit like this girl he barely spoken a dozen words to had. It was akin to a moth to a flame; inevitable. The severe need to be close to her even if it made no logical sense.

Meeting her was like he was seeing colors for the first time or experiencing his first sunrise after a seemingly endless winter.

Zack had always shone too brightly, been a little too friendly and overzealous most of the time due to his excitable nature and never being able to stay still. Yet as many friends he'd acquired over the years traveling Gaia, he felt rather lonely. Traveling to and from the ends of the Planet on business, never finding a true sense of home other than the brief stints he was in Gongaga. While he'd had a few romantic relationships prior, they never lasted long. Every woman he'd either dated or even had a brief fling with had never felt right. The women, while physically beautiful, were shallow and superficial, yet try as he might, he could never connect with any of them on more than a baser level that only went skin deep.

Even in a world filled with people - many he considered friends - he felt so utterly alone sometimes.

Yet the moment he waltzed into the quaint little flower shop ready for merely another boring day at work delivering Gongagan goods - it instead flipped his entire world upside down. And now, all he could see when he blinked was the comforting warmth of her ethereal green eyes, her sweet smile and this inexplicable pull he felt towards her…she felt like coming home in the best way possible.

Feeling chagrined, Zack only hoped he hadn't come on too strong for her tastes. Perhaps he could merely start by getting to know her better…and hoped she felt the same persistent need to connect to him too.

"C'mon, Zack…You can do it," he hyped himself up under his breath. The Gongaga native shifted into a determined stance and gathered the plant he needed from the front seat.

....................

Aerith was keeping her mind occupied with organizing a few stray bits and bobs behind the counter when Zack walked back in the shop. His smile was gentle and bright like a few scattered rays of sunlight that warmed her skin. His presence filling her chest like a fresh breeze on a stifling hot day, the hum of the Planet hovering around him in acceptance and excitement that had her heart skip a beat when his smile grew as his gaze settled into her own.

"Here we are," he announced. His azure gaze flicking down to the potted plant encased in a thick plastic tub and held in steady, gentle hands.

It was only that glance that tore her eyes away from his attractive face. Blushing, Aerith ignored the pounding of her heart to meet him in the center of the store, stopping next to the buckets of freshly cut roses she'd cultivated that morning.

"Ooh, which ones are these?" Aerith asked.

Zack flushed at the warmth she exuded when she closed the distance between them. The way the sunlight was filtering through the windows and catching on the amber and reds scattered in her brunette hair, giving her a halo effect like the angel she appeared to be.

Realizing she asked him a question, he quickly answered, "These are the Gongagan Lilies. It's best to transfer them while they're only sprouts so they can survive the long trips I make. When they're stronger, they can easily be transferred into deeper soil."

Aerith peered down into the tub, her fingers gently resting on its edge and purposefully brushing against his hands still holding it. The tiny green sprouts appeared healthy and full of life, she sensed their presence and knew they had been well taken care of - maybe even a bit spoiled in their previous environment. Feeling their pleased murmurs, Aerith smiled.

Zack flushed at her innocuous touch and the up-curve of her pretty pink lips as she looked down at the plants. Feeling a tad hot under the collar and his perpetual need to fill the sudden silence, he continued, "I, uh, gave them a little water before I left port this morning but it was a long drive here so they probably can go with a bit more soon. And as long as you water them regularly and leave them where they'll get plenty of sunshine, they should grow just fine!"

Lifting her eyes from the plants, she meet Zack's sweet gaze and smile that put the sun to shame. "Thank you so much. I've only seen these particular lilies in books before! I always thought they were absolutely beautiful and wanted the opportunity to grow some myself. I really hope they'll be happy and thrive here."

Feeling brave, Zack gently nudged her hand with his own still clenched around the pot. "Under your green thumb, I'm sure they will! I've delivered a bunch of stuff to Midgar but never flowers before. I've never even known that plants can actually grow here until I seen your shop! You must be one hell of an amazing gardener!"

Aerith flushed under his overwhelming praise, hands finally leaving the gravitational pull of his presence to brush down the small bits of soil on her apron in order to give her hands something to do to abate this endless nervous energy filling her chest.

"Thanks," she muttered sweetly.

Zack swallowed the lump in his throat at her bashful smile. He prayed this instant attraction wasn't one sided and her body was giving him the right cues to tell him she probably was interested but he'd never want to push anything.

Play it cool, Zack, just play it cool…

"You're welcome. So, uh…where did ya want me to put this down?"

The florist jumped at the question, eyes leaving the safety of the toes of her practical brown boots to peer towards a sunny alcove at the back of the shop. "Right over here would be perfect. Follow me!"

Zack did so. Keeping a professional distance, but with her back turned, he did allow his eyes to roam over the swaying of her gorgeous wavy hair and even the gait she walked as if treading on air. She was magnificent. The scent of flowers and plant life was apparent in the shop, but amidst it all, he caught the scent of her hair as she stopped in front of him and fuck, she smelt so damn good. Floral, fresh and full of life was the only description he could give it.

"Here we are!" Aerith announced, bringing Zack back down to Gaia amidst his place lost atop the clouds. Dainty hand was gesturing towards a shelf filled with tubs filled with colorful flowers of various shapes and sizes. Right in the center was just enough room for the new addition.

Aerith watched as he gingerly set the planter down, feeling flush as his body brushed beside her to do so. It was only now that she truly registered how incredibly tall he was. The addicting warmth of his skin combined with the scent of woodsy sandalwood cologne, the freshness of rich dark soil he carried with the slight tinge of clean sweat and motor oil only made him that much more real and alluring.

Biting her lip, Aerith reached for the watering can nearby and while she gently gave the plants the perfect amount of water they required, Zack's eyes never left her.

Hypnotized and lost in the way the sun glistened along her milky skin, the droplets of water that scattered bits of light over her. Yet it was the smile she guided towards the tiny sprouts that took Zack's breath away. A smile so tender and loving curving the edges of her mouth, nurturing and full of care for the smallest of life. And in a world filled with shallow people who could care less, she was like a beacon of pure light in a cold dreary world…

Yet when her curious eyes met his own and she caught him staring at her like a love sick puppy, he panicked.

"I'll uh, let you finish up here. I'll go get the rest of the stuff. Be right back!" he said suddenly, and when he left again, he took all the air away from her lungs this time.

...................

Bags of soil lined neatly in the storage room and the other plants she ordered all scattered in various areas of the shop. Aerith couldn't wait to see all of them in full bloom! All the Gongagan plants she'd researched were gorgeous and to have some in her shop!? it was like a dream come true…but she felt melancholy because she felt like the time with Zack was coming to an abrupt end.

And since she caught him staring at her watering the plants, he'd been almost standoffish.

She wondered if she did something wrong…

"I think that's everything." Zack announced, brushing his hands of any loose dirt after placing the final pouches of bulbs she ordered atop the counter.

Zack pursed his lips, glancing forlornly at her back where she stood in the alcove still peering at the Gongagan Lily sprouts. Every rational thought inside of his head kept telling him he was being strange, that this sudden attraction came from the mere lack of substantial contact with the opposite sex for the past few months…yet his heart told him otherwise. This inexplicable pull he'd felt upon meeting her was getting more insistent and as his time with her was nearing its end, it was now a frantic thump of protest against his sternum.

The florist glanced at him over her shoulder. A smile that was brighter than a summer day in Gongaga etched onto her mouth as she looked at him in a way Zack knew he didn't deserve.

"I can't thank you enough, Zack!" she exclaimed, her voice like a balm, a sweet melody to his aching heart. "When the vendor told me someone actually delivered fresh Gongaga Mushrooms, I didn't believe it… I'm glad I was wrong."

Zack swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat at the naked tenderness in her eyes. She was so beautiful it made his chest positively throb. While Zack wasn't a believer in fate, why did this feel like it? Like he known her his entire life?

"Yeah, me too," the unfiltered words came out of nowhere and he almost slapped a hand over his mouth when her beautiful laugh suddenly filled the air around him in infectious joy.

Zack couldn't help but join her.

Aerith bit down on another giggle about to leave her lips. The last Cetra peered around at her shop and knew she had no right to keep him here any longer than she already had. Hating that feeling as if this moment and this connection she had was coming to an end because of her own stubborn shyness, Aerith forced herself to approach him. She peered up at his questioning expression, smile sweet as she reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a generous wad of gil.

"Thank you so much, Zack! I really appreciate everything," She offered him the bills and while he was normally happy to accept tips, it didn't feel right taking absolutely anything from her…

Instead, he felt the want and need to build her a house with a field full of every flower on Gaia to surround it, only to see how it would make her smile… His heart throbbed painfully in his chest.

Zack's eyes left the green of the offered gil and lifted to meet the much more brilliant verdant shade of her irises.

"No, I can't accept that." he honestly stated with a shake of his head, gently pressing the money back towards her chest.

A conflicted look flashed across her expression as she slipped the gil back into her apron pocket. She huffed cutely with a pursed pout on her already tempting mouth, "You've done so much work and drove so far to deliver these! I need to offer you something!"

Yet all Zack could focus on was the fact that Aerith's smile was like the sun. Meadow green eyes sparkling with life and cheeks flushed a beautiful cherry hue as she gazed back up at him from her modest height. How the actual hell could he walk out of here without even trying? The worst she could say is no, right?

Using every bit of charisma Aerith had seemingly sucked out of him, Zack put his hands on his hips, a wide smile on his face as he looked at her and asked, "...How about one date?" Zack asked, the words seemingly coming from nowhere and yet felt so familiar on his tongue.

As if he'd asked her this same question before…

Aerith's eyes widened but never left his as those four simple words left his mouth. There was a flash of something substantial behind her eyes, as if in recognition or remembrance she clung to with both hands.

Yet before he could focus on that, it was gone, and instead, her smile widened.

For some reason, hearing him simply asking her out, she felt like crying and laughing at the same time. Although she'd never even experienced her first one, she already desired to kiss him until both their lips were swollen. It was so strange, those words, as if he'd asked her this question before, as if this very moment had already happened, that in some other life, she'd already experienced his lips on hers - as if them meeting today was simply meant to be.

The Planet hummed happily in her chest, combined with the warmth in her cheeks and the smile pulling at her lips.

Like something so wonderful had just occurred - like her life was about to change for the better.

And it was all because she met Zack.

So, Aerith smiled and replied, "Yes. I'd love to."

[ariendiel]

LITG S2 Colour Seasons

Summers (cool)

Lottie: Light Summer (we can see this executed perfectly in her hair dye options, and her lipstick. However black is too strong for her, it makes her a bit yellow-ish, but that just makes her "pop" more, which adds to the Gothic style)

Gary: True Summer (his hair is so yellow aka springy, his skin is so pink and purple, an his eyes are a vibrant bright blue... unrealistic design but I did my best to translate him to real life)

Bobby: Muted Summer (cool-neutral. The neutral tones come in with his season being a neighbor to soft autumn, he as some warmth but leans cool overall, and has an olive tone, low contrast)

Henrik: Light Summer

Arjun: Muted summer (his hair also has ashy tones)

Winters (cool)

Marisol: Deep Winter

Hope: Bright Winter (each color of her makeup actually compliments her, but it's just too many all at once)

Lucas: Clear winter (icey pastels King)

Carl: Clear Winter

Kassam: Bright Winter

Winters are easiest to spot for me,very distinct from the other seasons in thier electric and dramatic colours.

Autumn's (warm)

Priya: Deep Autumn (warm-neutral. Anything deep and rich. She can wear gold best, followed by rose gold- a deep autumn specialty, and even silver is it's not a very cold type)

Blake: Soft autumn (warm, low contrast, and can wear gold mainly, copper, metals and silver If they're brushed or patina finished. Her hair is a bit intense, so maybe she has a bit more warmth that leads her into true autumn...)

Noah: Deep Autumn- true neutral (I've struggled with him, true neutrals are rare irl, but based on the fact that he's rich, and can wear neutrals and navy like no on else I've settled on this or now.. he just has so much red undertones but also has medium contrast.. im not 100% satisfied, so any input would be appreciated)

Rocco: True Autumn

Elijah: Deep autumn (I don't have a quality screenshotnof him so this isn't confident, but he's warm-neutral, low contrast, and muted)

Springs (warm)

Hannah: Warm Spring

Chelsea: Light spring (her natural tan is very springy)

Jo: Soft Spring (neighboring the summer season, she has some coolness)

Shannon: Warm Spring

Rahim: Clear Spring (warm and bright, and he so happens to be blessed to wear violet... love that for him)

Elisa: Light Spring

Felix: Light Spring (he's wearing mostly summery colours, maybe to accommodate his dyed hair?)

Jakub: True Spring

Graham: True Spring (hes bright and his hair is warm.. I considered True Autumn.. do we really care about him? lol)

OK, my theory is that there are so many springs in litg because these colours are juicy, fresh, trendy, bright and eye catching. Which is perfect in a summery, hot setting like the villa.

In the colour season theory, things like overtone (freckles, tanning VS burning, and blushing, eye colour) aren't indicators of a specific season, however they can give clues to a person's place on the dial within thier base season: Soft, bright, true, Muted, deep, clear.

This art style doesn't add eye texture or patterns-probably due to size, space and distance-but those are the best tell-tale of someone's season, so obviously I couldn't work with that.

Anyways, it was fun to do this, I find it interesting how some characters don't always wear their best colours, just like real people :) overall, thier chosen clothes give insight into thier personalities! I'd love any feedback or corrections from anyone who's also into this x

This is so, so good! I'm in awe, anon 🤍

Absolutely loved reading the analysis for the different characters, and I'm definitely trusting your judgement on this one. For people not familiar with all this, here's a reference photo for you. It doesn't match the categories you mentioned perfectly, but I think it's close enough:

Noah is definitely tricky, as he does wear deep blues and neutrals and warm colours well (at least in my mind). We love complex characters though, even if it's "just" about colours 😌 My ideal colours for him are definitely these, but I'm not sure which category they fit in:

[howdy-cowpoke]

TIMING: Recent, but not current. LOCATION: Prickly Pear Acres SUMMARY: Monty talks to Daisy about something important.

—

The afternoon sun bore down on the figures that milled about the farm doing their chores, bringing with it a heat that even the undead could feel. One in particular was carrying bales of hay from his work truck to the nearby barn, ignoring the craned necks and hoof stamps of greedy horses in the stalls that he passed. It wasn’t until the truck bed was empty and the task complete that he stopped, pulling off his gloves and stuffing them in the back pocket of his jeans, lifting the stetson hat off his head to run a hand through his long hair and push it back from his face. 

As he lowered it back into place, he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. Turning to see a familiar face headed his way, the cowboy smiled. 

“Hey, Dais,” he said affectionately as she drew near, her pale skin and dark braid a much more stark contrast of color than his own tanned hide and light brown mop of hair, made lighter over the years by sun exposure. She smiled right back at him, though there was a hint of worry in her expression—which made sense, since it was unusual for him to request to speak to her alone. “Just finished up here, let’s, um… let’s go up to the house,” he suggested, motioning for her to follow. She did so, but her brows were knitted as she climbed into the passenger seat of the truck, waiting for Monty to raise the tailgate and get in the driver’s side. 

“What’s this about, boss?” she asked curiously, glancing over at him as he drove them up the dirt road to the house atop the hill. He just chuckled and shook his head and gave no answer, which piqued her curiosity further. “I ain’t in trouble, am I?” At that, Monty let out an actual laugh, sparing her a quick glance.

“What? No, dios… no. Nothing like that. I just wanted to… well, you will see.” 

She wouldn’t get anything more out of him until they were inside the house, boots removed and hats hung by the door. Following him to the kitchen, the woman slowed as she saw a bunch of papers strewn about the old wooden kitchen table. “... what’s this?”

Monty sighed, approaching the table and tapping his fingers against its surface as he looked down at the documents. The air suddenly felt very thick, and he wasn’t sure why it was such a difficult thing to get out. Perhaps he was afraid she’d say no—or maybe he was more afraid she’d say yes. “This… is…” He spoke slowly, like he was taking great care to consider each word before it left his lips. His gaze leaped up to meet hers, and he appeared anxious. “The deed to the farm. And some other… various things, you know more about this than me—”

“Are you sellin’ the farm?!” Daisy bleated fearfully. Oh. Oh, no. Monty hadn’t considered that that was how this would look and he quickly stepped toward her, hands hovering over her arms for a moment before being awkwardly pressed back against his own sides. 

“No! No, Dais, I wouldn’t—this is not like that, ahh—” He squinted his eyes closed for a moment and paused, trying to anchor himself. “It’s—I want you to have it.”

“... what?”

“The farm. I want you to have it.”

“Me? But—” She looked confused, her bright eyes darting from the paperwork then back to her friend. “But what—why? Why do you…” She couldn’t seem to decide which question to ask first. “... are you leaving?” The sudden drop in her tone that was now laced with sadness made the guilt come creeping back.

“I’m… not, no. Not really. I would still… be here. I would still work. But I… I just think you would do better running this place, Daisy. I really do.” 

“Bullshit, Monty. That’s bullshit n’ you know it! If you’re still gonna be here, why even bother with transferrin’ anythin’ to me?” He flinched away from her, stepping back toward the table and letting his gaze rake over its surface. 

“Because I… I need… time. For me.” He glanced back at her, worrying his lower lip for a moment before continuing. “I have been working almost every day since I died, hermana. I want to… experience things. Things I have never given myself the time to enjoy.” 

Her expression softened and she took a steadying breath, moving to meet him again and wrap her arms around him in a hug. He tried very gently to pull away at first, but quickly accepted his fate and just stood there, feeling bad for even having asked. 

“Okay,” came her mumbled response, her eyes staring out the kitchen window at the bustling farm that lay outstretched at their doorstep. She’d never done this on her own, though it was true she was more equipped to handle the business side of things than her partner had ever been. But that didn’t mean he was useless, far from it—he had so many years of experience, more than any of the undead that worked here. He’d always been a valuable resource and a well of knowledge. And even though he insisted that he wouldn’t be leaving, she knew it meant she’d be seeing less and less of him. Especially now that he had Kaden in his life—she imagined that some day, that meant he’d move off the farm entirely to go pursue whatever kind of life they wanted to build together. And that was okay. He was allowed to want that. She was sad about it, but she was also happy that he was finally giving himself that freedom he needed to enjoy the time he’d been given. “Okay, darlin’. If that’s what you want, then we can do that.”

The relief was instant and Monty finally lifted his arms to hug Daisy back, surprised to find that his eyes were wet. “Thank you,” he breathed, giving her a squeeze before pulling back to look at her, a soft smile tugging the corners of his mouth. Her hands moved to frame his face and he let out a breathy chuckle, now feeling guilty and like a fool, but what else was new? Daisy’s eyes shone with tears as well and he wondered what exactly it was that was making her cry, but he wouldn’t ask. 

His hands circled around her wrists and he smiled wider. “I love you,” she said, giving her head a small shake. Monty nodded between her palms.

���Yo te amo también, Daisy.”

[kim-poce]

55. Alex and Neo: Late At Night

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CW: pet whump (recovery), really brief reference to past noncon. They be bonding!

=-=

The day had been long, not bad just tiring, Neo unconsciously curled up further into himself, he was shivering slightly and his breathing was getting faster and faster.

Alex covered the young man, luckily he had made sure to leave some pillows and blankets around the common areas of that floor, this allowed him to reach for a blanket and wrap the boy up without taking his head off his lap. This decreased the shivering, but only after Alex ran his fingers between Neo's hair for a good while did the younger man relax.

After Aurora moved in, Neo has often felt overwhelmed. He loves his sister, of course, but it is clear how much he forces himself to look stronger in front of her. This must be hard, Alex is sure, and the girl's agitated personality didn't make it easier. Still, he was happy, just really tired.

Alex looked down at the young man. His slightly tan skin was covered in several pinkish scars, but there is no sign of the bruises that painted his whole body black and blue when he was first brought in. Aurora had fixed his, once uneven, reddish brown hair, and now the scar on his cheek was even more visible. He had gained some weight in the last months, and as he trusted Alex enough to stand up straight he seemed taller now.

A smile broke out on Alex's face. It was good to see Neo healing, slowly but always, it made him feel something close to hope as if someone getting better under that cursed roof was proof that his own suffering wasn't set in stone.

Still, he was feeling selfish lately, as Neo spent more and more time with his sister Alex was lonelier than ever. He was forbidden to work so when he wasn't with Neo he was training; he isn't naturally strong, and he had been neglecting his training for a while now. There were also other changes. With Evie becoming more lenient the dark circles under his eyes had decreased, not vanished, of course, they'll probably be there for as long as he lives. His hair had grown past the 'right length’ that his parents once demanded, despite the anxiety he liked it better like this, at least this way he isn't completely like his father. His own bruises were mostly faded, and since he is on a forced vacation they will probably heal completely before he gets hurt again.

He didn't stink of blood anymore. He rarely acknowledged the smell but he felt the difference now that it is gone, he wonders if Neon noticed it, and his heart ached at the thought that this probably caused the boy to be further scared at some point.

When did I become this soft? A chill went down his spine at the thought. Or was I always this weak? He glanced down, his hands still carefully caressing Neo's hair. Is being weak such a bad thing?

Alex's hair raised at the sound of approaching footsteps, he evened his breathing and paid attention to the sound. Aurora's footsteps were light, contrasting with her upright and energetic personality, according to his team's background check he used to be a pretty good pickpocketer so he can see why she walked this lightly. Did she even know that this makes the guards think she is up to something? They read her almost completely silent steps as some sort of threat as if she was waiting for the time to attack. Maybe that house was more messed up and paranoid than Alex thought at first.

The living room's door opened slowly, and Alex put his finger on his lips to ask for silence even before the teenager peeked from inside. Aurora had slightly darker skin compared to her brother, but their hair had the same shade of reddish brown. She kept hers long, often tied up in a ponytail with cute butterfly accessories, which matched (Alex guessed) with the light-colored shirts and jeans shorts she often wears. Both siblings were short and seemed to be naturally prone to grow muscles, in other circumstances Alex could see Evie taking them in as guards.

“Is he sleeping?” she asked, only glaring into Alex's eyes just once! That's a pretty good sign, maybe in a few more weeks and she won't look at him as some sort of children-eating monster.

Alex nodded, cursing himself at the selfish thoughts flooding his mind. If she is here I'm not needed anymore, and soon she will take him away from me, she is already spending so much time with him. How long until he realizes I'm not worthy of living with or talking to? He shook his head, telling himself he was just scared. That those thoughts came without his permission, that Neo is so much happier now that his sister is here.

“Will you two sleep here again? You should at least use a bed instead of the hard floor,” she said warily.

“It's better like this,” he said again, it's not like he'll ever talk to her about her brother's fear of being near beds with someone. “Do you want something?”

“Is your sister coming back home soon?” She has been asking this same thing every day. It's understandable, Alex's words are law unless Evie says otherwise, so the girl is growing anxious about living under someone's roof without knowing if she can.

“I don't know when she'll come back, but as long as you are polite she won't do anything.”

“So you are saying she'll do something if I'm rude? What will she do? Maybe she will-”

“Aurora,” Alex hissed in a low voice before caressing Neo, who flinched at the sound, he wasn't in the mood of listening to whatever rumor (true or not) people outside the organization hears about his sister. “Please.”

Aurora sighed. For almost a minute she stood near the open door, awkwardly looking around. After thinking by herself she closed the door as silently as she could and made her way close to the two men.

“Can I borrow a blanket?” she asked, sitting near the other side of Neo.

“Sure.”

She reached for the nearest blanket and made herself comfortable over a couple pillows, leaning her head on the wall and closed her eyes, “You should buy a tv.”

“Probably.”

“Why did you decide to join the mafia and make money if you don't buy yourself cool stuff?”

“I didn’t join. You do know I was born here, right?”

She opened her eyes to read him and clicked her tongue. “Buy a TV, subscribe to Netflix and I'll show you some good series.”

“...Okay?”

Aurora held the hand of her sleeping brother, “...Did someone ever tell you that you are softer than you look?”

“Unfortunately,” he nodded, hiding the chill and the fear the sentence caused. 

The girl closed her eyes once again, “Maybe sleeping here isn't that bad. Can I?”

“You are so polite today,” he joked, also leaning on the wall and closing his eyes. “Do as you wish.”

It had been a long, tiring day, so it didn’t take long for them to join Neo in his sleep.

=-=

Taglist: @cupcakes-and-pain, @whump-blog, @wolfeyedwitch, @octopus-reactivated, @whumpkinpie, @equinix, @stuck-in-this-mortal-form, @melancholy-in-the-morning, @neverthelass, @latenightcupsofcoffee, @rose-pinkie, @whumpcreations, @inpainandsuffering

[frodo-with-glasses]

Well, well... let's start a new ask game with something PAINFUL! https://www.tumblr.com/frodo-with-glasses/699931081844162562/oh-no-details-are-under-the-cut-not-samfro No. 4, 15, 16 and 20, if that's not too much

Ohoho, you were always the one for angst, weren’t you, Maggie? ;-) Nice choice!

(Read the whole comic here!)

4. What part of this piece was the most difficult to draw?

Definitely Frodo’s pose in the first panel. I wanted to create this feeling that Frodo was towering over Sam—sort of hunched over him with this greedy, demanding, frightening presence—but it was really difficult to get that across and also keep him, ahem, decent. I ended up taking a lot of reference photos of myself in the mirror to try to get it right.

A close second is the pose where Frodo is snatching the Ring from Sam. I’m still not 100% happy with that one, but it works for what it is.

15. If you drew in color, what color would [x] be?

You didn’t specify which part of the drawing you’re curious about here, so I guess I’ll just describe the whole thing: Sam’s hair and vest are brown, his trousers tan, his cloak grey, and his skin slightly tanner than Frodo’s; Frodo’s hair is of course blonde with brown roots, but rather dirtied up at the moment, and his skin would be pale except for the red whiplash on his back and the greenish wound on his neck. The Ring, of course, is gold and shiny, and its chain is grey.

But since we’re in the Tower, and it’s dark, and the only light is the lantern overhead, we might actually get a color scheme that looks very similar to the one in Scarlet; all harsh blacks and reds. Very dramatic. Very bright red glint on the Ring when Frodo snatches it. And Frodo’s eyes might possibly look bloodshot in the last two panels.

16. If there is a song or quote associated with this drawing, why did you choose that song/quote?

The only quote associated with this drawing is its caption, “oh no”. I chose that caption because…well, I feel it’s a proper response. X-D Oftentimes I use the caption to add a second joke or something, but with the dramatic moments, I try to be a bit more frugal with my words so as not to undercut the emotions of the scene.

Now, if you’re trying to ask why I chose to draw this scene in particular—well. Because pain, that’s why. >:-D

20. Quick! Random fun fact!

Okay so the reason this took me so long to answer is because I couldn’t think of a fun fact to put here—but finally, I think I’ve got something!

In many other comics, I use nice neat squares and rectangles as the panel shapes. It’s just easy to work with. Here, however, the comic is structured as four large triangles, with tinier trapezoids in sort of a pyramid shape within the second big triangle.

This definitely made the comic a huge pain to plan (lol), but it serves a purpose: the slanted lines and irregular shapes makes everything feel “off-kilter”, slightly “wrong”, a reflection of how Frodo isn’t quite himself in this moment because of the Ring (and in a way, the same is true for Sam!). Everything from the shape and size of the panels to the way they’re battling for real estate on the page reflects the confusion and conflict of this moment.

I especially like the contrast between Sam’s quiet, tiny, “I could share it with you, maybe?” versus the huge visual BANG! of Frodo tearing the Ring away from him in that enormous panel. It’s like a sucker-punch in the gut, which is exactly how I imagine it would’ve felt for Sam >:-3

ARTIST COMMENTARY ASK GAME!

[camprokku]

𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 (๑و•̀ω•́)و

gif by ewkpop (tumblr)

.　 *　.　　　　. 　 ° 　. ●                  ° .

¸ .　　★　° :.　 . • ° 　 .　 *　:.　☆

Actual name: Roberto. He doesn't like it though, Rokku will do better.

— He/Him. Age: 16 yo. 1.69 [5'6"] Role: Camper | Prefered Cabin: 3

gif by tguz5200 (tumblr)

𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖!! ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)σ»

｡:ﾟ(｡ﹷ ‸ ﹷ ✿) 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐀𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃!!

About: After using his mom's hair dye for his blonde hair, she got really mad and convinced her father to leave him at the camp for a while because they got temporarily (not really) tired of him.

He doesn't like cooking, ironing or cleaning but will do so in death or life situations. Although he likes the idea of exploring nature, he is hesitant about interacting with mud and dirty water, he has clothes to take care of! It's redundant to say he is very cocky and dramatic, not being able to eat the dessert he expected is worth tears for him. He is a bit too proud of himself alone and doesn't mind others' opinions (because they just go through his ears, lol!), yet he isn't afraid of voicing his either.

And, as unrelated as it sounds. The most he expects from this experience is to match the rest of his body tan, it's just so messed up…

¸ .　　★　° :.　ヽ(´∠_｀(´Ｕ｀) .　 *　:.　☆

Likes: Himself, sweet food and drinks, pins, fashion, cats and barbie movies. Currently on his 1D era. Dislikes: Onions, garlic, sportswear and taking medicine.

gif by bishonelover (tumblr)

(っ´▽｀)っ PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: (Note, this is because the mod doesn't know how to draw :3)

He wears a pink bucket hat with various pins on it on a daily basis. The most obvious and also his favorite pin is a Hello Kitty one. His hair is badly dyed blonde, showing raven roots when his hat is off. His endings are wasted pink, colored with crepe paper.

His eyes are blue and very sensitive to light, but he is not into wearing sunglasses that much. He has perforated earlobes, yet no earrings.

He (initially?) wears a tied white carding over his shoulders. A pink T-shirt with the camp's logo and white Bermuda shorts, everything has to match! Furthermore, he wears long (3/4) socks with two pink stripes on top and, oh surprise! pink and white Nike sneakers.

About accessories, he has a McDonald's Hello Kitty watch. It's the only thing that doesn't fit most of his outfits but he decides not to pay much attention to it. Alongside, he wears some beaded bracelets, changing them depending on the outfit he is wearing. When it comes to his bucket hats, he has got other two (white and black!) for the same reasons.

About his tan! All of his body is pretty much dark-skinned, he is someone who gets easily tanned and enjoys walking around. However, all the zones short-sleeved T-shirts and short pants can cover are much lighter in contrast.