#i am mighty interested about what’s in your head about the situation

[wyervan]

I've got ANOTHERR question;

What if the slasher boys found another person who was even more extreme than them? I don't know any specific extreme or in which way but... somehow.

Also, quick mention but your art is really nice!

Ehehe, now that I saw ur recent art, this ask is making a lotta sense.

Mmm 🤔 I’m assuming from one of your other recent asks that this individual has also gotten into the slashing business. I’m also assuming “extreme” means more bloodthirsty or violent.

Sun and Moon likely would becoming increasingly nervous that their new partner would blow their cover. What they would first read as enthusiastic zeal for the cause, now they fear will get them into trouble. But is it the law they have to worry about? Or is the greatest danger this unpredictable figure that has entered their lives?

[nokiatelava]

✿✿In A Good Way✿✿

⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊⊹

Author’s Note - Hello hellooo!! Okay, so in this story it’s gonna be an OC!Na’vi x Fem!Sully!Reader. I’ve never, ever written a story where there is a OC love interest. So I’m very excited but just as nervous because I am definitely trying something new out! Also, please if I had made any grammatical errors I apologize! But anyway, please enjoy the story!

⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊⊹

Summary - Y/n Sully, was the daughter of the mighty Toruk Makto. She was striking, a pleasure to the eyes of those that stared. But Y/n wanted more than just looks, she yearned for love. True love. Yet she was to scared. Of the heartbreak, the pain, the grief, the dread. But, she just so happened to meet a very special boy.

⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊⊹

Warnings - helpless romantics, young love, annoying siblings, light swearing, family love, yearning, self-doubt (never doubt yourself!!), reassurance, father-daughter talk, comfort

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

The stiff fibers of your newly weaved basket rubbed gently against the palm of your hand and finger tips as you walked down the small path in the forest.

You were on your way to forage Lionberry seeds as well as the Melon Tree fruit you’ve been craving to taste for the past few days.

As you continued walking down the path you were able to spot a small cluster of the blue Lionberry seeds, almost successfully tucked away behind a few trees.

Once you made your way to the plants, and plucked enough seeds from the center. Snacking on some yourself for the extra energy, you ventured back onto the path.

The chirps and abundant distant howls brought a serene atmosphere to everything as you walked through the sunlit forest. Your eyes still peeled looking for the Melon Trees.

Which was right up across the path, a clearing that held a bunch of the Melon Trees and the fruits you had been searching for.

As you walked into the passageway, a feeling of trepidation pooled hot into your stomach as you stared at the muscular back of a young na’vi man who was picking the fruits you were about to.

You were frozen in the entrance of the passage way, thinking about the only three options you could go about the situation you were in, or bound to be in.

1. Back away slowly and forget you even wanted fruit in the first place.

2. Walk into the clearing and pick the fruit as if nobody was there.

Or 3.. Which you were currently doing. Continue to stare at this young man who is definitely your age’s back.

Embarrassment pinged down your spine as your face grew hot at the sight in front of you. Diverting your dry eyes and walking into the foliage either way.

Trying to ignore that you would be in there regardless of the fact that there was a boy there too.

Or may you say man.. The physique of his body made him look like he was not one to be trifled with.

The almost silent patters of your feet against the grass caught his attention as he turned his head towards you. His eyes widening for a split second as he saw you, up close.

“Y/n, Oel Ngati Kameie.” He did the universal sign of respect and greeting.

“Oel Ngati Kameie. I don’t think we’ve ever met before. Tell me, what is your name?” You couldn’t even believe the words coming out of your own mouth.

When did you ever want to start a conversation? The tone you used made you sound like your mother. Nothing was wrong with that. But where the hell did it come from?

“My name is Awpxey! It’s nice to formally meet you,” A close-eyed smile took over his features, your eyes looking up into his face at the bright attitude.

“It is nice to formally meet you too, Awpxey. I see you were picking Melon Tree fruit, they are ripe enough now correct?” Your fingers tightened against the handle of the basket. The fibers feeling as though they were gonna snap with the pressure you applied on them.

‘Why are am I being so awkward? I mean at least I didn’t ask him how’s he’s doing! Don’t conversations always go downhill from there?’

“Ah yes, all the fruits are seemingly becoming more ripe by they day. Finally, I have been waiting to long for these fruits. But they are to good to forget about.”

You nodded along in silent agreement with his words.

“It’s a bit of a mood spoiler when you find your favorite fruit isn’t ripe yet isn’t it?” Your body language was against your own better judgment.

Your tail low and swaying, the short grass tickling the underside as it swished faster the longer you stood in front of him.

“Yes! It kills my day every time!”

The both of you stood still. Awpxey was stuck staring into your eyes. His body stiff as he stood in front of you before he cleared his throat, his face getting hot.

“W-well, I should let you go get your fruit then! I still have to finish picking mine..” Awpxey gave a small chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck. His face turning a light shade of purple as he blushed before turning his face in the direction of his basket.

‘Did I just stutter? In front of Y/n? You’ve gotta be joking. Literally.’

“Yeah.. uhm, yeah. I’ll be right, uh, right there,” you pointed to a specific Melon Tree that had not gotten picked yet. Far enough away from the one Awpxey was at but just close enough.

“Great, well, I’ll be right there then.” Awpxey reluctantly turned his face back towards Y/n. A nervous smile on his face.

You give him a smile and a small nod, walking over to the tree you had pointed out. Going about your business picking the medium sized fruits off of the tree.

The clearing was now filled with a comfortable silence, the rustles of the leaves and the crunches of the grass set a peaceful ambience to the area.

That was until a loud snap rang in the area, your shoulders tensed at the unreasonably loud sound. A small, embarrassed ‘oh’ being said but not by you.

It was Awpxey. His basket that carried a good amount of Melon Tree fruit snapped. Breaking due to the pressure of so much fruit on it, not only that but it was certainly worn down.

“Here, let me help.” You brought your basket over to Awpxey, picking up his fallen fruits and putting them in your own basket.

“No Y/n, no. You do not have to carry my fruit for me, plus, you have seeds in here, it might break again.” Awpxey felt guilty as he watched you pick up his fruit. Awkwardly holding the few in his hand as he refused to place it in your basket.

You took the fruits out his hands — a spark running up your hands — and placed them into your basket, picking up and placing the remaining fruit in your basket before standing back up.

“Come.” You beckoned him to follow behind you, which he quickly did.

“I will weave you a new basket. Meet me here tomorrow at the same time and I will give it to you.” You spoke as you walked out the clearing.

You were offering, but also demanding at the same time. You’ve had time on your hands recently. So what good to do with it than make a basket for someone who’s just broke?

Awpxey’s eyes widened. “No Y/n! You don’t have to do that, seriously! It’s alright I promise,” Awpxey was trying to convince you he didn’t need a new one. But you knew better.

“Not asking Awpxey, come here tomorrow and you will have a new basket.”

Awpxey’s shoulders slouched as he realized you wouldn’t change your mind. “Okay…” He said with a grumble as you walked in front of him.

Once you made it back to High Camp, you asked Awpxey to direct you both towards his family’s hut so you can drop off his fruit. An apprehensive look developed on his face as he got closer to his family’s home.

Hoping his parents wouldn’t say something that could drive you away.

You both entered his family’s kelku, a small smile on your face as you looked towards his parents.

Who had turned to face you quickly once they seen you walk in, their current conversation put to hold as shock visibly enveloped their faces.

“Oel Ngati Kameie.” You greeted, bringing your hand to your forehead before taking it back down.

They both recuperated themselves, and greeted you back, “Oel Ngati Kameie.” His parents had small smiles on their face also. Their minds jumping when they noticed the basket full of the Melon Tree fruit. Was it an offering to ask for their blessing?

Awpxey’s face dropped and started to get hot as he realized where his parents minds were turning to, but before he could say anything, his mother spoke.

“Y/n, what brings you here dear? And with all that fruit!” Itxä was a nice woman, you’ve met her before at clan gatherings and have spoken to her while she was in Mo’at’s tent more than a few times.

“I came to help bring Awpxey’s fruit back! His basket broke while he was picking the fruit and I decided to put them in mine! I do plan on weaving him a new basket, he will receive it tomorrow!” You explained yourself in a soft tone, his parents were sweet people.

Awpxey’s father, Puo was a funny and sweet man. Always wishing to keep the ones around him safe and happy.

“And you’re holding the basket? Awpxey! I took a long time out of my days to teach you to be a gentleman and this is how you turn up?” Puo exclaimed. You covered your smile with your hand as you watched Awpxey put his hands forward, trying to explain himself to his father.

“No dad!- That’s not even what happened!-“ Puo looked at his son with a bored look as he put his hands on his hips.

“Well from what I’m seeing, that is what happened. You idiot!” You never knew men could be so sassy, but you have your own fair share at your home.

And it’s not just Tuk.

Itxä helped you sort the Melon Tree fruits into their own fruit bowl, making sure you had more still in your basket, much to your own protests before she sent you off with a smile.

As you walked home, it was almost as if realization was settling into you.

You just went to that boy’s home.. Met his parents. And talked with his mother…

A blush adorned your face once you entered your own hut. Quickly setting away the fruits before anyone could notice your warm face.

But it just had to be your father who spoke up first.

“What’s got your face all warmed up babygirl?” Dread was the only thing you felt once you heard all the conversations stop. All eyes turning towards you.

Lo’ak smirked, deciding on taking his chance to do his daily readings.

“Yeah big sis. Couldn’t help but notice you came home blushing.. Did you meet a boy?” You cringed as you heard the smile in his tone. And cringed at how he got his reading assumption, correct.

You hissed lightly in his direction to defend yourself.

“Shut the hell up Lo’ak! I didn’t meet anybody. And even if I did. It’s definitely not any of your monkey brain business.” You clapped back at him verbally, which shut him up.

For only a few seconds.

“I do not have a monkey brain! And even if I did, don’t you remember what Norm said? He said monkeys were one of the smartest animals, since they were like human technically?” He thought he had shut you up now, that was before you noticed this was just gonna become a stupid bickering back and forth that could go on for hours.

“Who are you trying to fool Lo’ak? You’re one of the dumbest people I know.” Your arms were now crossed over your chest. Facing him as you say on the floor, trying to start weaving Awpxey’s basket.

“Oh yeah? Well then who’s the smartest person you know!?” You don’t know where he was going with that, but you answered anyway.

“I am.” You said nonchalantly and started to make the basket.

Tuk scoffed loudly as her face scrunched.

“Excuse me? I thought I was the smartest person you knew Y/n!” Tuk’s tone was smart mouthed.

Your eyes widened as you realized what you said. “I was just joking Tuk! You know you’re the smartest person here!”

Now it was your father’s turn to scoff, placing his hand on his chest.

“But you said I was the smartest babygirl?” Now everyone was looking between you and your father. And your face held disbelief as you paused in weaving.

“Um… Well… Yeah you are too dad!” You noticed your mother patting your father’s shoulder as he held a look of exaggerated betrayal on his face.

“Can I weave in peace?” You ask defeatedly. Neteyam’s face scruched in confusion at your question.

“Didn’t you just finish weaving one, like yesterday?”

Dread, once again, enveloped your body as embarrassment sunk in. Lo’ak was having a ball at your flushed face and obvious body language.

“You’re making one for a boy aren’t you?” His tone was sleazy and you wanted to sucker punch him right in his nose.

“Shut up Lo’ak!”

Your father’s face twisted into a grimace, “you’re courting somebody?” His voice was dry, as if his mouth was only grating sandpaper.

“No dad! No, I’m not courting anybody. I’m only doing somebody a favor..” The way your dad visibly softened his back and rested against your mother made you feel calmer.

“Who are you weaving for ma’ite?” As soon as the question left your mother’s lips, everyone in the room perked up and stared at you.

“Umm… It’s for Itxä’s and Puo’s son..” Your parents smiled at the familiar names.

“Itxä is a nice woman, she’s sweet.” Your mother stated.

“Puo’s one funny man isn’t he?” Your father said chuckling. You nodded with a small smile, finally feeling in the clear as the random chatter started all over again.

“Wait.. Did you say son?” Neteyam spoke looking at you, 5 other heads turning in your direction once more.

You groaned, now annoyed at the fact the attention was on you once again.

“Yes Neteyam. I said son.” You grumbled.

“Why are you making a basket for him Y/n?” Tuk asked as she moved to sit next to you on the floor, curling up into your side.

“His broke Tuk-Tuk, I’m just doing him a favor.” You explained as you put your arm around Tuk, playing with one of her short braids softly.

“How do you know his basket broke?” Kiri asked with a smirk. You felt like your heart almost broke. Never, ever did you expect Kiri to join in on your brother’s teasing you.

“Were you guys out, together?” Lo’ak questioned next. Raising his eyebrows up and down repeatedly, taunting you.

“Did nothing interesting happen while I was gone? Why are you guys so focused on me. Like didn’t Lo’ak shit himself 4 days ago or something?”

Lo’ak’s face paled. “That was eight years ago you skxawng!”

“Oh, well it feels like yesterday-”

“Language, both of you.” Your dad cut in.

“Skxawng isn’t even a bad word!” Lo’ak was quick to try and defend himself.

“But it is an insult, and Y/n, you know better to be swearing here. Tuk is here!” Your mother scolded you both.

“Huh?” Tuk said as she looked over to Neytiri, she hadn’t even been listening.

“Well never mind that then. But anyway, you both know to watch your mouths.”

Lo’ak grumbled his incessant nothings while you continued to weave.

Hours passed in the blink of an eye, the basket was fortunately halfway done and it was dinner time. Tuk had ended up falling asleep against you, so you woke her gently before joining your family at the table.

You all ate, somewhat peacefully, as Lo’ak sped through the whole meal and almost choked more than you can count on two hands.

Once dinner was over you helped clean up the table and settle everything away.

Taking it upon yourself to put Tuk to bed early as she seemed so tired.

You brought yourself back to the center of you kelku, trying to at least finish the basket before tomorrow.

Jake watched you sadly from the table. His ears folded down and eyes looking a darker yellow with sadness.

Neytiri noticed his grim attitude immediately. “Ma’Jake? What is wrong?” She sat next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He looked at you a bit more before turning back to Neytiri.

“She’s already growing up so fast… like she’s getting a boyfriend?.. It feels like just yesterday I was holding her while she cried..."

Jake remembers how tough you were to put to sleep at one point. Missing that feeling of pride he had when you finally closed your eyes.

Neytiri cringed as she realized what she’s gonna say may hurt Jake’s feelings.

“Well you could always hold her.. The crying part may or may not happen…” Neytiri hoped she spoke so quiet Jake couldn’t hear her, but Neytiri knew better.

“What do you mean by that?” Jake was quick to ask.

“She’s met a boy Jake.. You never know what path Eywa has planned for her. Maybe she could stay with Awpxey forever, maybe Awpxey could break her heart. But no matter what happens ma’Jake, you have to be there for her always. You are her father, one of her confiders. She trusts you, and forever will.”

At this point Jake was a blink away from bawling like a baby. Neytiri’s words gave him a newfound confidence, but also a newfound fear.

He didn’t want you to go around chasing boys, and getting your heart broken in return.

The last thing he wanted his sweet babygirl to run into was a player. But he felt a feeling in his heart that told him not to interfere.

It was to be left up to Eywa. Your fate and will was in her hands.

In your own head, you weren’t really thinking about a future or anything with Awpxey. You were doing him a simple favor. But you couldn’t help yourself as your mind drifted to the memory of his back in the sunlit clearing.

Your hands became clammy and your throat dried. Heat bursting in your neck and spreading down your spine to your whole body.

Your hands moved hastily, finishing up the basket with an embarrassed huff. You were hoping nobody was looking at you.

“Come you guys, it is time for us to sleep!” Your mother whisper shouted. Acknowledging the fact Tuk was already asleep.

You all complied, filing into your sleeping mats and saying goodnight.

A giddy feeling was all you could feel in your chest and stomach as a smile broke out onto your face.

You were going to see Awpxey tomorrow and you were beyond ecstatic. You closed your eyes as they began to fall shut themselves.

In the morning when you all awoke and gravitated towards the table for breakfast,  you embarrassingly ate at a pace that would put Lo'ak to shame.

Lo’ak was feeding into your flushed face and rushed actions.

“What's the matter big sis?” He asked, cocking his eyebrow annoyingly with a sneer on his face. “You excited to see your boyfriend?”

You growled at him in annoyance, “He is not my boyfriend.”

“Yet,” Kiri added before covering her mouth with her hand, trying to mask her smile.

"Kiri!" You said in an irritated tone.

"Why are you joining them with their bs!?” You felt like you were being cornered, without a corner.

“Watch your mouth,” your father grumbled exasperatedly.

“Fine.” You sighed, finishing your breakfast a whole lot slower now.

“Y/n? Can we go to the forest with you too?” Tuk laid her head against your collarbone, closing her eyes as she felt your hand brush through her braids softly.

“I’m sorry Tuk, not right now. But if you want, later we can go to Grandmother’s tent and I could teach you a few more things…” You whispered into her ear, watching how it perked as you spoke about teaching her new things.

“Of course! Only if you pinky promise!” You laughed as you folded your other fingers down, leaving your ring finger sticking out awkwardly.

When you, Kiri, and Lo’ak were younger your father had taught you about pinky promises. You three made promises about random stuff almost everyday.

Tuk and Neteyam picked up an it quickly and wanted to try and make them too, just using their last finger as a makeshift pinky.

“I promise Tuk, okay? I’ll see you later.” You kissed the top of her head before grabbing the new basket you made and waving to your family.

Your pace was almost a skip as you went towards the ikran, mounting yours and quickly flying down to the large forest below.

Your keen eyes surveyed the forest from above trying your best to look for the clearing you and Awpxey were just at yesterday.

When you finally spotted it, you landed your ikran a little bit away from it, choosing to have a small walk the rest of the way.

When you finally entered the clearing, you were greeted with the same muscular back you saw yesterday.

Awpxey gave you a smile as he seen you, quickly walking towards you.

“Hi Y/n.” He said in an almost hushed tone.

“Hi Awpxey.” Your voice was breathy, light and clear as it traveled to Awpxey’s ears. Which turned a darker pink as they folded against his head.

“Here’s your basket, I hope you like it!” You presented the gift to him, and he took it with hasty hands and and a happy face.

“It’s perfect Y/n! Thank you so much!”

Your face heated as you felt shy under his praise and gaze.

“Y-Yeah it’s no problem at all Awpxey, if you ever need anything else you can always tell me.”

He smiled, his fingers fidgeting with the strong fibers of the weaving.

“I definitely will..”

A quiet pause enveloped the clearing, it wasn’t awkward. Just silence, with the sounds of chirping and hooting from other animals in the forest.

“Hey Y/n… I was wondering if you wanna hang out?” Awpxey’s voice came out slow and controlled. Almost as if he was rehearsing. Which he had.

There was a quick blank silence.

“N-Now?” Your mind was still working on trying to process what you had heard. But once it clicked you answered back quickly.

“Yeah that’s fine Awpxey, w-we can hang out if you want.” You didn’t even know when he wanted to hang out, but you had no objections if it were to be right now.

Awpxey’s tail was shaking behind his back, as he was trying his best to not let it sway to excitedly where you would notice.

You were on the same page as him, fighting the urge to reach behind your back and pull your own tail.

Awpxey nodded, “I was gonna ask if you think now is okay?..”

“Now’s perfectly fine!” Your smile was small, though it was grateful.

That whole day, you and Awpxey strolled around the forest, looking at all the different animals and plants.

Multiple “accidents” happened where as you both walked, your hands would bump. There was a unfamiliar feeling that would bloom in your stomach as his touch sent an electric shock up your arm.

Eclipse was bound to happen soon, so you both decided it would be smart to start heading home now.

As you two continued to walk side by side, the sudden memory of this morning and Tuk rushed through your head.

You had spent the whole day with Awpxey, you forgot about literally everything.

Your steps paused, hand coming to your forehead as you sucked a guilty sigh.

Awpxey was quick to stop, turning to face you quickly.

“Y/n? Are you alright? What has happened?” He paced a step closer, placing his hands and your shoulders.

You had a grimace on your face,

“I forgot that my younger sister wanted to play with me today… Gosh how could I have forgotten?” Guilt was eating away at you.

Tuk was probably home all day, waiting for you, and most likely pestering your parents for when you were to come home.

Awpxey gave a small reassuring smile. He had no siblings, so he couldn’t really say he understood. But he understood the guilt of being late.

“I am sure she will me alright Y/n, we should get you home now so you don’t make her wait any longer!” Awpxey nudged you forward gently, to which you complied and walked.

“I promised her- Promised! That since we couldn’t come to the forest, I would teach her new things about different herbs and pastes in our grandmothers tent together.”

You were rambling, talking with your hands. You felt disappointed in yourself.

How could one make a promise and just forget it?

Awpxey just walked next to you, soft smile adorning his full lips. He could tell you felt guilty about leaving your sister, so he let you ramble and didn’t interrupt you to try and invalidate your feelings in any way.

Once back at High Camp, you wanted to go home quick, but you never left without saying goodbye.

“Bye Awpxey! It was really nice hanging out with you today, had lots of fun! We should do it again!”

You were saying as you scurried off your ikran, facing him quick.

Awpxey climbed down with grace.

“I know, it was really nice today Y/n. We have to do it again.” His voice was so deep and sultry, a rumble passed through your bones.

Purple was becoming to spread on your face, so you turned quickly and ran home.

“Bye Awpxey!” You threw over your shoulder, sending him a small wave.

“Bye Y/n..” He lifted his hand a bit to wave too, although his goodbye was quite silent.

You didn’t even want to enter your kelku.

You walked so slow towards the enterance of your home, taking deep breaths as to just calm yourself down.

Though you ended up entering quick due to the guilt that ate away at your stomach.

You felt irresponsible.

How could you just have left Tuk over him? Over a boy?

Your whole life all you have been taught was to just care for your family. Only pay attention to your family.

They are what’s most important. Your responsibility.

“Tuk-” You mutter as you enter the hut.

Eyes turn to you, studying. But in your state of mind they felt judging.

“Hi Y/n.” Tuk said with a wave and smile, she held a snack in her hand.

“Tuk. I’m really sorry about not coming home earlier. I know I said I was going to take you to see grandma but I really forgot, it completely slipped my mind and-“

You were cut off.

“Y/n.” It was your father. Jake’s gravely voice grounded you quick, snapping you up straight.

“It’s fine you didn’t come and get her, she was sleeping for almost the whole day anyway. She had a headache.” Your father explained to you.

It didn’t help. It made you feel more guiltier than ever.

You should have been there. She was in pain.

“Oh.. Are you feeling better Tuk?” You were now next to her, placing your hand on her forehead.

“Mhm! I got snacks, see?” Tuk held up her small handful of cut up Melon Tree Fruit.

Seeing it made your heart thump just a bit harder.

It was the exact fruit that had made you meet your ma- The man you were with today.

“Oh, well that’s good. Do they taste good? Are they ripe yet?” You examine the fruits color from afar.

“Y/n.”

The voice pulled your attention from Tuk.

It was your father who had called you.

This alone made your mouth feel sticky, your hands already becoming clammy.

“Yeah dad?” You tried your hardest to make your voice the same tone it was before, to not sound nervous.

To not crumble under the gaze of your mother. Nor your siblings who were barely visible.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Shit.

Did you do something? You raked your head as hard as you could to think of any recent events that could have possibly gotten you in trouble.

Was this about Awpxey?

Before you even noticed you were at a secluded area of your family’s kelku.

Alone with your father, and beyond nervous.

“Come, sit with me babygirl.” Your dad waved his hand towards himself, taking a seat onto the floor in a criss crossed position.

You quickly sat down, deciding to sit with your legs to your chest for now.

Your ears twitched as you heard your dad sigh. A pit crating into your stomach.

Was he upset with you?

“I’m not angry with you babygirl.. I just have.. A few questions is all.” He spoke softly. His voice hesitant and surprisingly, nervous.

You nodded, “okay dad. You can ask me.”

Your father opened his mouth, taking in a breath before closing it and turning his head. He didn’t know what to say, how to ask his question.

Your fingers fidgeted with the jewelry on your hands.

Just how nervous was he to not even be able to face you and speak?

“That… Boy. That you’ve been talking to recently, Awpxey. The ones your siblings keep teasing you about.” The sentence came out stiff, hesitant. As if it hurt him to even say the boy’s name in a sentence.

You nodded, signaling to him to carry on.

“I was, um, just wondering if you guys are… You know.” Your father lifted his hands at the end of his sentence.

You were trying to process his words, what is he even talking about?

Then it suddenly clicked.

He thinks you and Awpxey are dating.

Oh god.

“Dating?” You say the word out loud, it sounds so taboo to even say it. In front of your father no less.

“Yeah. Yeah, dating.. Are you guys, dating?” Your father almost looked pale. What exactly is going on here?

“We’re not dating. No, definitely not.” You were quick to respond. You hoped it wasn’t to fast to be considered ‘suspicious’.

You father slowly nodded, his lips pursed as he was working your words.

“Well, I just. I really, um, wanted to tell you that..” There was a pause.

It was really hitting Jake now.

His babygirl is growing up.

This is going to be a new chapter in everyone's lives.

You've found love.

Now he— and everybody else— is going to have to learn how to transition from having you most of the time to having barely seeing you. Though he's come to realize, it's been like that ever since you moved to High Camp.

Jake has come to terms that he isn't the best father. But he loves all his children. And always will. And Eywa knows he prays so much to her at night. Asking for patience, knowledge, and strength to help him become a better father.

It’s going to be hard for him to accept that his babygirl is growing up.

Jake took in a much needed breath, “I just wanted to tell you I love you.” His nod and smile gave you that feeling of happiness from back when you were younger.

“And that I’m here for you, always will be. I will be your shoulder to cry when you need it, I’ll listen to every problem you want me to hear because I love you. I want to see you mentally, not only physically as my daughter. But emotionally as my first baby.” Jake’s voice cracked slightly throughout his sentences. Small tears pricked the corners of his eyes.

You were no better. As soon as he said he loved you, your eyes burned. It feels so good to hear your parents say they love you when you feel they haven’t said it in such a long time.

You wiped your eyes, “I love you too dad. And I’ll be here for you too. You can tell me anything too.” Both of you were vulnerable. Your hearts were exposed, almost as if they were out of your chests. The words your father shared were deep. It was personal, but he still told you.

Because he wanted to.

“And I also want you to know. You have my blessing. If that boy starts courting you and you know truly that he’s the one you want and the one you see. You have my blessing.”

Your smiles were contagious, both of you had mirrored smiles on your face, giggling at each others slowly swollen faces.

Before embracing in a much needed, daddy-daughter hug.

hi! this story was a process and a mf half! so much happened while this was in the making, research, blah blah blah blah, school, home stuff but it’s fine! i got it done! and i’m happy i did! if any of you think I should genuinely keep the story going and make a part two please tell me! I’m always open to accepting requests! bye, and thank you for reading 💖!

[multi-fandoms-posts]

Powers of the Heart

X Men Masterlist

X Men Masterlist 2

One evening, as Y/N is getting ready for another date with Erik, Tony walks into her room. He leans casually against the doorframe, but Y/N immediately senses there’s more going on. His expression is serious, and his eyes are fixed on her.

“You look good,” Tony starts, but there’s a scrutinizing tone in his voice.

“Thanks, Dad.” Y/N turns to him, a hint of a knowing smile on her lips. She knows her father well enough to understand that he’s leading up to something.

“So, Erik, huh?” Tony crosses his arms over his chest. “You picked the guy who can control metal and has quite the history behind him?”

Y/N sighs and sits on the edge of the bed. “I know what you’re thinking, Dad. But Erik isn’t who you think he is. He’s had a tough past, but he’s not Magneto anymore, not the one you know.”

Tony nods slowly, as if weighing her words, but his brow remains furrowed. “Look, I get that people can change. I mean, I wasn’t always the best guy either, you know that. But Magneto? That guy fought against the Avengers. Against me. And I can’t just forget what he’s done.”

“He’s changed,” Y/N insists, meeting her father’s gaze steadily. “You don’t know the whole story. He made mistakes, yes, but he’s trying to make up for them.”

Tony takes a deep breath before slowly sitting down on the chair beside her bed. “Look, Y/N, you’re the most important thing in my life. I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt. Erik’s powerful, and that makes him unpredictable.”

Y/N shakes her head and takes her father’s hand. “He’s not unpredictable. Not anymore. I know him, Dad. He protects me, and I trust him.”

Tony rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Okay, listen. I’m not going to pretend I’ll ever fully trust Erik. But if he’s important to you, and you love him, then…” He raises his hands in surrender. “I’ll at least try to accept it. I’m your father, and it’s my job to be suspicious.”

Y/N smiles in relief and hugs her father tightly. “Thank you, Dad. I know this isn’t easy for you.”

Tony pats her back and mutters, “Don’t worry about it. But let me tell you, if he causes even a hint of trouble, I’ll personally remind him why they call me Iron Man.”

Y/N laughs and lets him go. “I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”

“I hope not,” Tony says, standing up. “Alright, go on your date. I’ll be here working on my suit. But be careful.”

“I always am,” Y/N replies, giving him one last smile before heading for the door.

After she’s gone, Tony lingers in her room for a moment, looking around the empty space, murmuring to himself, “Erik Lehnsherr... This is going to be interesting.”

Deep down, Tony knows he has to trust his daughter, but he’ll always keep a close eye on Erik—both as a father who loves his daughter and as someone who knows just how dangerous it can be to underestimate people with power.

---

Erik stands in the driveway of the Stark residence. It’s an unusual situation for him. He, the mighty Magneto, leader of mutants, now standing here waiting for his girlfriend, Y/N Stark. Her smile has a way of driving away all his worries and the pain of the past.

He hears the door quietly open and lifts his head. Y/N steps out, a radiant smile on her lips. She’s wearing a simple yet elegant black dress, highlighting her confident style.

“You look stunning,” he says, his voice deep and full of admiration.

Y/N laughs softly as she walks toward him. “You don’t look too bad yourself,” she replies, glancing at him in his perfectly tailored suit.

Erik gently places his hand on her waist, pulling her a little closer. “I missed you,” he whispers, leaning in to kiss her. The kiss is tender and full of emotion, as if it’s the first and last thing he ever wants to do. Y/N returns the kiss, her hands resting gently on his chest, feeling the weight of this special moment.

As they slowly pull apart, they gaze into each other’s eyes. “I missed you too,” Y/N responds, her voice soft, almost shy.

Erik takes her hand and leads her to the car. As he opens the car door with a swift gesture—almost silently—Y/N smirks.

“You just can’t resist, can you?” she teases.

"Why should I?" Erik shrugs. "It's easier to do things my way." He winks at her and helps her get in.

As they both sit in the car, a comfortable silence fills the air. Erik drives calmly through the streets of New York, the city lights reflecting off the windows.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Y/N asks curiously after a while.

"It's a surprise," Erik replies without taking his eyes off the road. He can feel her gaze on him, and he can't help but smile.

"Surprises, huh," she murmurs, leaning back and relaxing.

After a short drive, Erik pulls up to a small, hidden restaurant. From the outside, it looks unassuming, but Erik knows it's one of the best in the city. A place most people overlook, which he likes. No big fuss, no paparazzi—just the two of them.

They step out and enter the restaurant. Inside, they are greeted by a warm, intimate atmosphere. Candlelight flickers on the tables, and soft music fills the room.

"How did you find this place?" Y/N asks as they sit down.

"I have my sources," Erik responds mysteriously, placing the menu in front of him.

"This is beautiful," Y/N whispers, looking around as Erik gently takes her hand across the table.

"Not as beautiful as you," Erik quietly replies, lifting her hand to his lips for a gentle kiss.

The evening flows in a warm current of conversation, laughter, and glances that grow longer and more meaningful. They talk about everything, from Y/N’s latest projects at Stark Industries to Erik's thoughts on the future of mutants. But between all the words, there are moments when Erik leans in and kisses her—soft, brief kisses that pull him deeper into her spell each time.

"You know," Y/N says after one of those kisses, "I could really get used to these surprise dates."

Erik smiles, his eyes glowing in the candlelight. "I hope so," he murmurs, leaning in to touch her lips again. This time, the kiss is deeper, longer, as if he wants to forget the entire world in this moment. Her hands move to the back of his neck, pulling him even closer.

When they finally pull away, Y/N breathes heavily. "You're making it really hard not to kiss you all night long."

Erik smiles at her, his forehead gently touching hers. "Then kiss me," he quietly dares her.

Y/N laughs and pulls him to her again. Their lips meet, and the world around them seems to stop. There’s only the two of them, their breaths mingling, and the warmth flowing between them.

As they share dessert later, Y/N leans in slightly. "I have to say, this was a perfect evening. You really have great taste, Lehnsherr."

Erik smiles back at her, leaning in as well, and softly replies, "I’m just lucky to be here with you."

For a moment, silence falls between them, but it’s not an awkward silence. It’s the kind of silence that happens when words aren’t necessary. Erik raises his hand and gently brushes a strand of hair away from Y/N’s face. Their eyes meet, and in that moment, he feels that this is more than just a simple date. It’s something real, something deep.

After dinner, they leave the restaurant hand in hand. The night is cool, but Erik pulls Y/N close, holding her in his arms as they walk back to the car together. they simply enjoy each other's presence, the touches, and the soft kisses Erik continues to plant on her hand, her temple, her lips.

The night finally comes to an end as Erik drives her back to the Stark mansion. They stand by the door, and Y/N hesitates for a moment before looking up at him.

"Thank you for tonight, Erik. It was perfect."

"It was my pleasure," he replies, leaning in to give her one last kiss.

"See you tomorrow?" she asks softly.

"Of course," Erik answers.

With one last smile, Y/N steps inside the house, and Erik stands there for a moment, watching her go, feeling something warm rise within him. Then he turns and heads back to the car, content.

[rosehippiefield]

Could you maybe tell something about one of your ocs? I am really interested :33

Okay so I've written little fanfic about her. Just in case I'll write its starting and ending points

Start

Mission The Blood Woods were dark and scary, full of dangers lurking at each corner. Especially at night, when all horror was amplified by hideous monsters waking up and hunting their prey. Even leaves were colored in scarlet, deterring any foolish travelers that would make mistake coming there. Not many dared to set a foot in those lands, even if the situation called for it.

But in this case, there was no choice. A path through this horrid forest led to wounded people that would otherwise die in span of few days, with no other way to reach them. Somebody had to heal them. Somebody had to carry necessary medicine. Even if this someone is a young frail girl.

Steloryna walked briskly through the woods, trying to not pay attention to shimmering red. She had to concentrate on saving victims. She couldn’t let her doubts overcome her again. She can be useful! She can save at least someone! She couldn’t stay aside if it meant other people had to risk their lives.

A drop of scarlet liquid on blond hair when she recklessly run under bizarre weeping willow trees. A thorn, plunged in tiny shoulder when making a way through the bushes. Steloryna continued. She had a potion to stop pain, but someone needed it a lot more. It was bearable enough. A smile appeared on her face with thought that her friends didn’t experience this.

Suddenly, a screeching noise rang through dreaded forest. Girl looked in the direction of the sound and everything became clear: a monster has found her. She was given a tiny knife and one grenade emitting deadly gas. Against a beast three time her size. With her physical strength, she wouldn’t be able to throw grenade at hideous creature either. But that wasn’t what worried her.

Steloryna tilted her head to the side and opened her palms in an offer of peace. Creature, with no visible eyes to tell the reaction, lunged forward instead. Girl jumped to the left, just in time to dodge a deadly attack, and sighed at the prospect of the inevitable battle.

Putting her hands together and chanting a spell, Steloryna was ready for the fight. Her clothes began to change with more flower motives appearing on her skirt, shirt and head. A chamomile. Thin vines crawled from the surface, tightening around monster’s limbs. Torn to shreds in a second. White gas filled the air, full of sleep-inducing agents. Blown away with mighty roar. With no other way, our heroine decided to flee.

Where? The only way is up, or the beast will catch up in a moment. With help of same vines Steloryna lifted herself to the top of a tree. A tall, stout oak tree. The beast made attempts to break it, of course, but to no avail. Breathing heavily, it rammed again and again against sturdy trunk. At last it stopped, but still refused to wander away. Steloryna had to use her sleeping spell again, which exhausted her. At least she can move on.

Climbing down, the girl looked at the creature, now harmless and defenseless. When it wakes up, it can seriously harm someone. Maybe kill… Steloryna furrowed her eyebrows. She could not use that knife. A creature before her was alive. Why was it so dangerous to people? Maybe just to protect itself? Even if not, she chose to go away.

Soon, she would miraculously save people she risked her life for. Soon, she would be called angel for her selflessness. Soon, her friends would berate her for not using even a bit of healing potion on herself. Soon, she would return to that forest to try to understand it and its habitants. It’s her duty no one gets hurt after all.

End

So I wanted to try to show some of her traits in this fanfic, but the general idea is that this girl is too selfless and kind. Also many things change depending on the univirse and my mood. And memory, I've forgotten many of my ideas about her.

She's named Steloryna (or Sterorine maybe, it doen't matter too much), she's 19, she has interest in flowers and medicine. If it's magical universe, she's able to transform with power of a certain flower, but for that she has to know a lot about it and grow at least one flower of its kind.

She also can feel pain more sharply (in my universe every feeling is amplified, so it's possible to win with power of friendship/bromance/family, but negative feelings also have stronger influence. Like having a headache when your loved one sits in the exam lol). So she has keen sense of suffering and if she doesn't deal with it she feels almost same pain. It's kind of selfish to want to help because she wants to put herself at ease too. Selfish in the most selfless way.

There'a also her backstory where some dear people sacrificed themself for her sake, and she couldn't move on for a long time and thought that being useful is the only way to justify her survival. She even had suicidal thoughts, but fortunately didn't go through with it. But she developped interest in extreme sports like racing. When it doesn't harm anyone, of course.

There are some other themes like people percieving her like a divine angel and not a tired person with her own flaws. Or her having interest in faith because that's where she finds forgiveness for herself. Her kindness to others also brings her to liking herself a bit more.

So that's that! I still have many contradictory ideas about Stellie because I want her to be wise and calm while also often foolishly self sacrificial. Maybe one day I'll do something with her

[jorrated]

Some super stray thoughts I had while reading STCO so far:

Knuckles would NOT prioritize his past over Tikal’s suffering are you crazy in the head!!!!

Zak Simond-Hurn’s art is really charming, if it wasn't for the digital onomatopoeias, I wouldn’t mind having this style by a base for an official sonic comic! The design for the red echidna villain however… HM. Not pleasing to the eye.

I like that Ebony are having a bigger role on the fist few issues! But also Ebony’s constantly referring to Super as his friend and doing things to bring him back. Like I get it but also is this going to be her only trait now? Girl…

And porker is going on adventures again. Actually I don’t think they ever explained why Porker went back to being more adventurous in the og comic, participating in Chaos defeat and all. Not against it, and I like to see he still has a bit of bite and wasn't reduced to only a coward, tho it would’ve been cool to see at least a comment on how hes back on “adventuring”.

It’s cool to see Amy dealing with grief over Jhonny (I’ve given up trying to write his name correctly, too weird for me), but IDK. Amy probably was the best grounded character in that situation, so it feels weird to see her distressed over it? I don’t know how to explain it but in my eyes, Amy’s grief for Jhonny would definitively be more melancholic than scary/guilty. I’m glad they are trying to flesh out Amy more, but it doesn’t feel very cohesive with the comic to me. And Jhonny-zombie the killer… a bit tacky but in a funny way.

WHO…. Designed Vichama. I just want to talk. Tell me why you made him look that way. What is that. What went through your head. Dude. I get that Ebony has considerably more anthro body features than the other animal characters, but I feel like Vichama crosses the line into the “gross valley”. If he were drawn closer to how Zachary is I probably wouldn’t care, he probs would’ve looked like an Archie character. But the bulging muscles are kinda upsetting to look at. Cover up man.

So Shadow was created by some enemies of the echidnas. Noted.

Big and the Drakon prosecutor are actually really cute. I like them. Knuckles trying to break Ebony’s spell on Tikal is making me fume. HE WOULDN'T TRY TO DO THAT!!!!! He maybe would be a little desperate trying to trigger some memories but he wouldn't knowingly hurt someone to get information!!!! There is a pannel tho in this part of the comic that makes Knux ask “Where is Porker” and then “Where is the emeralds”. THAT is Knuckles to me, checking in on people before anything else.

Knuckles not being able to carry Big is bullshit. KNUCKLES PUNCHES ROCKS IN HALF LMAO. It’s fine I assume they need to be separated for a reason.

ROUGE STICK LEGS. Somebody please give my girl a double cheeseburger with extra fries and a big gulp of soda.

Actually I love that Rouge is a cunt here. Girlboss!!!! Stole this dudes emeralds AND left them to die, queen shit. Didn’t work but she did have the intent to kill them.

Big wouldn’t eat his friends….. He’d never eat Froggy, and DP (Drakon Prosecutor) even tho looks like a fish, Big considers a friend. BIG WOULDNT THINK ABOUT EATING HIS FRIENDS!!! HE IS A KIND BIG GUY!!!!!!!!!!!! ← most egregious mistake until now. Fucking funny tho can you imagine dying by vore They kept Mighty funny, that’s good.

MMMMN. I like that Sonic is consistently arachnophobic. Really nice continuity. How he first met Shadow tho… It felt underwhelming? Like yeah we know they were going to meet some time but IDK. The framing/pacing is weird to me. Either have them meet quickly at the start of the issue and Sonic is like “IDK WHO that guy is but I don’t like him!!!” or have them meet at the end of the issue, but only show Shadow in shadow (lol) to hook to the next issue. Shadow’s bland ass “I am Shadow” has the same energy as two kindergartners introducing themselves first day of school.

Shadow’s personality is interesting tho. I like him being a bit cocky but not too much, it’s a good take on him, plus he bounces off Sonic pretty well. I do wonder what the hell they’re going to do with him tho.

Awn… acknowledgment of some of the chaotix families… Blockhead Bill my dude

Tikal being given more of a spotlight is neat. It doesn’t give her much, but it’s refreshing to see her thoughts and intentions. However, I can’t help but think that she was mainly inserted to aid Knuckles and be a well of angst. Like IDK, Knuckles has moments mourning his past, or wondering if he will ever understand his ancestors, and Tikal well… She sees things rather than feel? If that makes sense? Like in this comic she is able to see a bit of the past and think “wow this is horrible! Must be a nightmare!” but she doesn’t feel despair? Or anything much? The only moment so far she felt despair was to make Knux Angst, like “ooooh shes suffering so we need to wipe her memories, that means Knuckles wont have his backstories :(“. Smells fishy.

Oh wow, Shadow has an actually interesting backstory here. It gives a reason to follow Robotnik, hate Sonic, not give a shit, aaaand its ambiguous enough you can probably pull off whatever. Fucking congrats STCO writers.

Fave image. What the fuck are they even doing here. Freaks.

Hm. No thoughts on Shadows maybe death. Thematically it’s interesting and all, but we don’t get enough time with him to give a shit. Unless I’m reading it wrong it seems like Shadow is sacrificing himself to save Robotnik, but IDK.

Grimer develops a situatioship depression.

2007 ANTI-ASIAN RACISM. BAD.

Bro what’s with this Knuckles characterization. He would NOT be mean to Tikal. If anything he’d probably be a bit overbearing, trying to give attention to her even if she didn’t want it. I get trying to tie him living his whole life alone being overwhelmed and feeling frustrated that Tikal can’t give him answers, but he wouldn't treat her like crap what is this. I like Porker’s and Knux bro moment, but that doesn’t make up for treating Tikal badly for no reason. Where’s her catharsis? She’s probably just as confused and desperate as Knuckles but she doesn't get any of these moments. Sigh. This idea could’ve definitely worked if Tikal was pushier or more imposing, but like she doesn’t do much, so Knuckles just snaps and it feels off. Knuckles’s stories are probably the issues with the biggest potential, but the writers for sure squander him the most, whomp whomp.

“One of Sonic’s fears is seeing Amy settle down with someone else” no it isn’t shut the fuck up. And the fact they put this on the same level of fear as Jhonny death is deranged.

The tonal whiplash between character comics is p funny honestly. You’ll have one really serious comic followed by a comedic one, lil bit of a mood killer. I guess STC also did this, but to me it at least wasn't jarring like this. Like how am I supposed to process Big getting shot, after Knux and Tikal experiencing the worst nightmare of their lives, living the trauma of seeing million of dead echidnas, after Vector put angel island as a security fund for his ship LMAO.

SONIC CHARACTERS HELPINH OUT THE POLICE SFAJHBJHBWRKJBJB??????!!!!!!!!????????????????????!!!!!!!!!????????11111111!!!!!!!111!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate this actually.

These Shorty and Tekno comics…… I don’t know what it is about them but god. I just don’t like them! Firstly that now it seems they are a completely separated duo from the rest of the team. Like They don’t interact with Sonic or Amy or whatever. Secondly.. Shortfuse is TOO nice. It doesn’t feel like him where is his tantrums??? And this isn’t a diss on the artstyle itself, cause I think it looks pretty nice and cute, but I don’t think it’s really fitting for the characters? Tekno and Shorty look like they’re in a shoujo manga.

I really like how Sonic is now a loser LOL. He got canceled to hell and back.

Finally Rouge makes and appearance. Kinda only realized how little she showed up during the SA2 adaptation.

Grimer destroying Sonic’s reputation is actually kinda nice. I like that they acknowledge his Robotnik situationship depression, tho I think it’s a bit over the top have him be behind EVERYTHING. Still like it tho. Go gross boy go! (Also the art in this issue is REALLY solid, wow, Zak Simond-Hurn really is my favorite artist from the STCO group).

At some point I think I need to stop complaining about Knux’s characterization. But I Do Not Like How They Write My Boy. Doc Zach is still serving cunt so that’s great. Go grandpa go!

It’s kinda awesome to see how the issues expanded through STCO’s run, but I think having so many stories at the same time kinda makes stuff bloated. Like I’m sure I’ll forget some parts of this, even if they are short bits. Like do we really need to follow 2 sonic stories and 2 amy stories at the same time? I think it would’ve been better to pace this with a limit of 3-4 stories MAX per issue. And then once a character story is done, release the next story with the same character. Sonic and Knuckles are kinda always going to be there, having the biggest pull on the comic’s lore and story, so the other ones could cycle out between amy, tekno, shorty, tails, sonic’s world, chaotix, and so on. I haven’t read some of the other non-sonic stories like decap n attack, but those could be thrown in the cycle too!

Actually I love that DP is just hanging out in Big’s restaurant. It’s goofy I really love it.

I wonder how old Sonic’s gang is supposed to be here. Like in theory some years have passed in the comic, but how many. It’s not important at all but Amy is seen drinking wine with Chrysalis and it’s like?? Is she a kid?? Is she an adult?? Is she underage drinking? Again it’s not a big deal, and I don’t even think these characters need a specific age but IDK this was odd to me.

Oof the multiple stories at the same type problem came instantly. I like how Amy acknowledges the losses of the group, Sonic is “evil”, Jhonny is dead, Tekno is missing and stuff, Porker has PTSD and cant fight… But like. That feels so weird when you have a story right next to it with Amy and Tekno together!!! This is why the pacing and bloating feels whack, the comic has continuity with SOME of the stories but not all so its confusing. I know the OG comic had moments like these but because it had less stories per issue, it was way less noticeable, and usually were one-off stories I think.

And on the topic of Porker, I did mention before how he just kinda.. went back to being more adventurous? But know the comic insists that he can’t do it? Man this is kinda messy. I don’t mind Porker starting to become more adventurous again and then maybe regressing a bit in recovery, being too much for him, but it doesn’t feel like that is what it’s being intended here. It feels like someone read STC and maybe skimmed on STCO and then wrote this, so it feels out of place? Like you have porker in the first issue of STCO going on a mission no problems at all, but then on another issue he goes on a mission to blow up an eggman database or smth and hes freaking the fuck out being nervous all the time. Like which is it!!!!! I don’t mind him progressing and regressing on his trauma but at least acknowledge or be consistent with it! Is it because the underwater mission didn’t involve Robotnik? Is that it? Who knows.

I get that Knux and the crew planned to bait Zachary and shit, but like, then why did they act like that in the previous issue? Like the plan was to break the shield so why did Porker said to Knux be careful about it? Girl. This information is only given to bait and switch the audience and it doesn’t work. Porker and Knux have no reason to pretend to not have a plan when they are alone what.

Tails working with cops I’m going to kill myself.

Oh so like. The special zone is dead for real. Like for real FR. Jesus. Could’ve let the characters grieve a bit huh.

Really liked the #250 issue (Tho its funny that I complained about the number of stories per issue, and then #250 has ONE story LOL)! It’s awesome to see the different arts from the varied artists on the STCO team. And even with my complains and whining, it’s an impressive project full of love, good to see stuff like this!

TURBO TURBO TURBO MY BOY TURBO!!!!

The art on this issue is great but some of the flow of the dialogue is off, as in, sometimes I don’t know which speech bubble I’m supposed to read next, cause usually you go left to right, but it seems this story follows top to bottom for speech bubbles and left to right to panel. Not awful but it did throw me off, and it does fuck up the pacing.

um. hi shadow? ok.

(Only read until issue #250)

[birdo-is-here]

Lucifer does some self-renovations while Enoch sits there and looks angry

word count: ~1800

trigger warning for quite a lot of blood and gore (specifically with the eyes) and also some brief talks about fetishes (skip over Asmodeus’ part if you don’t wanna read about that)

“I’ve been thinking of giving myself a mouth” Lucifer said, as if that was a completely normal thing to say. Technically, to him, it was.

The King of Demons was in his front office, sat at his desk. The room was rather simple in shape; a rectangle. The two shorter walls were covered in soft velvet. The wall behind Lucifer was a window looking out upon the eighth layer; A very, very large casino. The room was remarkably clean, with a rubbish bin in one corner, and a plant that reached the height of the ceiling in the other.

Lucifer stared into a mirror, paying no real mind to the man he spoke to.

Metatron— Or, well, Enoch, now— somehow managed to scowl further. Lucifer never really knew the man too well; a bit beyond his time, but he’d quickly discovered in the old guy’s presence that he loved to scowl.

“Please, I implore that you explain what that has to do with the situation at hand,” The human responded. Enoch was sat at a chair, on the other side of the desk, sort of as if the two were in a meeting. Of course, it was anything but.

Prometheus made a choked sound, his voice muffled under the desk. He sounded to be wheezing for a moment, before he finally managed to speak. Lucifer didn’t even look down; though of course Enoch looked confused as to where the voice was coming from.

“There is no ‘situation at hand’, he just says whatever the fuck he—“ The demon stopped short as Lucifer kicked a leg out, shoving it into Prometheus’ gut. He made an anguished sound that certainly seemed to hurt much more than one would expect.

Despite the rather cruel action, Lucifer spoke pleasantly, “thank you for your input, Prometheus.”

Prometheus coughed a bit, but he didn’t actually seem that phased, “yeahhappytohelp..”

Enoch seemed flummoxed, to say the least, “what was that…”

“No one of concern. An office pet, per say,” Lucifer waved a dismissive hand. He still studied himself in the mirror, as if planning a new make-up routine. It was a bit like a make-up routine, wasn’t it?

He ran a finger down the lower eyelid of the largest eye in the lower half of his face. There were three eyes there that would’ve been in the way of a mouth, “hmm… I’ll have to move those…”

In a rather abrupt, gore-ish series of actions, a knife was summoned into Lucifer’s hand and, in one motion, was stabbed into one of the demon’s eyes. He sucked in a pained breath as he tilted the knife to one side, still in his eye, and spooned the purple orb out of its socket.

Lucifer placed the knife on the table, nudging the piece of flesh onto the wooden surface. It looked a bit more red than purple, now. Dark red blood quickly began to seep into the wood. Well, that was the larger of the three eyes done.

His gaze finally flitted to Enoch. The man looked guarded, but the unnerve in his demeanour was easy to spot for someone with centuries of experience. Humour glinted in the King of Demon’s eyes as dark red blood began to trail down and off his face.

“Do you still have your… ‘ascended identity’, by the way?” The question didn’t really have to do with anything at all. He was just curious.

“… What do you mean by that?”

“Your pronouns.”

“Oh,” That high-and-mighty exterior wilted, just a little, “I… do not. Do all that. Anymore. I am a man again.”

Lucifer hummed, tilting his head at the other, “Y’know, people are gonna look at that and find some trangender-allegory type bullshit in it.”

Enoch scoffed. Lucifer found that subtle disgust in his tone very interesting. “That is entirely separate. This is different.”

“Oh yeah? How?”

“This was God’s doing, it was actually… part of the plan.”

Lucifer hummed, nodding. He decided to humour the man. Truth was, he figured Enoch would fit in right well down here. The demon placed down the mirror on the desk, and a towel was put into his hand instead. He picked up the knife and began to clean it off.

A moment later, the towel was discarded and once again replaced by the mirror. Asmodeus looked back at him. The pink demon had a mischievous look to her, as she typically did. Then, she ducked back down past the mirror’s borders.

Lucifer placed the knife at another eye, and apparently Enoch found it appropriate to ask:

“Are you going to do this in front of me?” He sounded discomforted, and slightly bothered, as if Lucifer was simply inconveniencing him by stabbing out his own eyes. The demon looked back to the man, humour ever present in his gaze.

“Well, I thought you loved this sort of thing. That’s the sort of wind I always caught from Heaven.”

The discomfort grew, “... You would think wrong.”

“Oh, please,” A new voice spoke up; Asmodeus appeared, partially in the floor, next to Enoch’s seat, “you looooved it~ You were a total sadist for their suffering, weren’t you old man?”

Enoch sneered down at Asmodeus, disgusted. There was a bite to his words, “Do not bring your rancid assumptions into this. I would never partake in such acts.”

Asmodeus giggled, only spurred on by his anger. She sunk into the floor again, reappearing beside Lucifer — who had gone back to preparing to stab his own eye out. Asmodeus leaned her weight against the desk, still laughing to herself even as she spoke.

“Even if it wasn’t any fetish, babes, surely you can agree that some part of you enjoyed it.”

The human scowled. “No.”

She matched his tone, the laughter dissipating, “you’re so boring.”

Enoch sighed — it sounded closer to a growl, though, “I never held any opinion toward it. It was simply business.”

Lucifer perked up, then. He stabbed the knife into his eye as he spoke, “ah, like Hell’s own work, then?”

Whether it was the demon’s words, or him suddenly skewering his own eye, something seemed to catch Enoch slightly off-guard. His gaze sidled elsewhere, voice a little quieter, “Whatever you say.”

Asmodeus seemed to lose interest in the whole matter, sinking back down into the floor. As she did so, Mammon phased half-way through the wall, one hand on the soft velvet lining, as if there wasn’t a door to his left that he could’ve simply used. He regarded Enoch with a hungered interest for a moment, before looking to Lucifer, who’s skewered eyeball was now in hand.

“Belphegor is still hungry, for your information. It has started to complain again.”

“Let it go through Leviathan’s lair for a couple days, he’s started to get a bit overpopulated.”

On cue, Leviathan’s serpentine head appeared out of the ceiling, his voice a sing-song tone. Could a man not take out his own eyes in peace?

“That insatiable beast will not feast on my measly sum—~”

“Measly?!” Mammon chipped in. Enoch seemed exasperated already. Lucifer laughed internally at that, “Your conduct would be those suffering from thalassophobia and claustrophobia, you have no such ailments!”

“Don’t go calling the kettle black, teapot~” There was a tinge of aggression to his sweet tone. Leviathan waded in Mammon’s direction as he spoke. “Why don’t we send it after your lot, instead, then?”

“It ate from—!”

“Hey.” Lucifer finally spoke up, his tone hard. Both of them backed off remarkably quickly. The King of Demons waved a dismissive hand, his voice becoming casual again, though it still held a distinct taste of passive aggression, “Let’s not argue in my office, shall we? Go sort it out elsewhere.”

And, perhaps shockingly, they didn’t even argue. Leviathan backtracked into the ceiling, and Mammon ducked back out of the wall. Their muffled arguing could almost immediately be heard through the wall, but luckily their voices seemed to be quickly fading. Lucifer sighed.

“Can’t even have a moment to skewer my own eyeball, right?” Enoch didn’t even try to humour him, so he made a clicking noise and shot finger-guns at the man. The eye was still there. It was bleeding all over the desk. Gross.. Anyway.

Repeating the previous process, Lucifer nudged the eye onto the table and allowed it to join his other eye, before cleaning the knife off once again and angling it to point at the last eye.

“Hmm… Should’ve used a fork, now that I think about it…” He muttered it to himself. Enoch scoffed. Lucifer found it a little intriguing how the man never even bothered to try avert his gaze. He wondered if he thought the demon would do something if he tried not to watch.

He didn’t know if he would, to be fair. He liked the surprise of it all. Who KNOWS what he’d think of next?

“Are you planning to do anything with me?” Enoch spoke up. There was a hint, just a barely noticeable tinge of nervousness to his tone. Ah, the old man fears eternal torture? ..or would it be death? For him, Lucifer supposed death would make the most sense.

He didn’t like Death too much, either. Well, he tried not to, anyway. Before he could go down any of those rabbit holes, he did not respond.

..What, did you really expect him to risk giving away his plan like that? Hell, no. Even if he’d lied about it, the old sod would’ve just detected the lie and called him out on it. Instead, Lucifer simply stabbed himself in the eye one last time, yanking it out with a squelch. The demon didn’t even flinch this time, he never broke eye contact with the man.

Enoch cleared his throat, rephrasing his words. The unease suddenly grew more deliciously evident.

“Are you going to kill me?” Ah, there it was. So it was death, then.

Of course he wasn’t, that would’ve taken all the fun out of it. Death would have simply sent him to a different Hell. In a way, the man was already dead. He’d just simply skipped the… loss of life part.

Lucifer’s empty eye sockets closed, the odd skin texturing sealing over to make it look bare and empty. Then, it started to move again, the demon’s skin moving and contorting to create something strikingly reminiscent of a mouth.

And with his newly formed mouth, Lucifer still made no response. Instead, he smiled. It was a malicious, ill-intentioned grin that certainly would have told the man a plain and simple “yes.” .. Fortunately, it seemed the geezer could only detect mistruths in one’s words, and not so much actions. Very good.

He wondered if the man thought he was going to Heaven. He wouldn’t have been surprised, despite the guy’s apprehension. Humans tended to fear the things they loved so greatly. Just ask God.

[tangleworm]

NOMIA

Hi everyone, been a while! I'm making an isometric tactics game called NOMIA.

What's the summary?

It's Final Fantasy Tactics meets Slay the Spire.

It's about the characters I've been drawing, navigating a dreamlike world where things that fade from the collective memory coalesce into places and creatures. It's an exercise in making a cozy fantasy setting that explores lesser-seen worldbuilding elements.

What makes this unique?

I'm focusing on three things that I hope will make for a fun and unique experience.

1. Your hand has two halves. The left side of your hand represents your Actions, which persist between turns, but have charges and cooldowns. The right side of your hand represents your Gambits, which are drawn from a deck of cards each turn, and are discarded when played. You can add to both decks over the course of a run, expressing your playstyle through character building as well as deckbuilding.

2. Your party has two heroes. You'll always pick two at the start of each expedition -- a Mighty and a Magical. The Mighty has more Actions. The Magical has more Gambits.

Each has a unique deck of possible cards.

3. Your enemies have tells. Enemy intents are shown on your turn, rewarding clever defense. Intents are adjusted when you play cards, but not randomly; enemies have a goal in mind and will do their best to achieve it, allowing you to counterplay.

You can make enemies reconsider their target by attacking them. A character can play tank for their partner if they're in a pinch.

What am I working on?

I've spent roughly the last four months laying the groundwork for the card battle system, and figuring out a card creation pipeline and art style that would make it feasible for me, one (1) person, to make hundreds of unique and interesting cards.

I hope to achieve a sense of multiplicative game design -- that is, each aspect of the game creates synergies with the others, creating many possibilities and stories.

Next, I'll be working on run progression, and unique map/enemy generation for the different biomes I have in my head.

Thanks for taking the time to read my devlog!

---

(What does NOMIA stand for?

It stands for No One Makes It Alone. I am, ironically, making this alone. But I also like to think of it as a meditation on the fact that even in this situation, I'm benefiting from the work of countless people who have inspired me and laid the groundwork for what I'm trying to do.)

[futureseaempress]

It’s Beas nice ask day!

So my question for you: What is your craziest “truth is stranger than fiction” moment you have experienced in real life

oh me oh my i have like a billion moments like these...

i gotta say its tied between (okay going under the cut cause im a clown who must dance)

So on a dark and stormy night, my stoner roommate and I were trying to trace back why our dryer just wasn't getting clothes dry quickly. Only problem: our electrical is under our house in a crawl space and our house is situated on an UNEVEN hill. So you have to be mighty tiny to crawl into the right places.

Good news: I am small.

Bad news: I am horribly claustrophobic and cannot enter this spot without my brain SCREAMING that the house will collapse on me.

So we go under the house anyway calling up to our other roomies (beauties who are watching reality tv on the couch and laughing at us) to help us echo locate where we oughta be.

Bubba bumps his back on SOMETHING but we don't pay it any mind, he's okay and we can't get where we need to anyway. I give up and go shower to get the red clay and cobwebs off and he goes to idk smoke weed. BUT oh no

the water

it's no longer running

...

oh shit

what did we accidentally do???

i hop back into my clothes and my beat up nikes to go explore. We're turning knobs and levers we've never even seen before while our roomie calls to us updates from topside.

we're pacing the property

at a complete loss

then

just as we're about to go to a hotel for the night and call someone to get us water for the next day

i hit my head on SOMETHING under the house

i hear a loud WHOOOOOOOOOOOOSH

and my beautiful roommate shouting "WATER'S BACK"

same beautiful roommate

about two years prior

im heeming and hawing about how my only family in our city is a gay hair stylist who primarily works in the african american women's beauty industry... i've only met him twice, but he was really kind to me and im hoping that as the only gays we might bond. but it's also weird bc he robbed my grandma and pawned all my moms gold jewelry from the half a year they lived in Saudi Arabia. and also the only thing we have in common is growing up in a very small town in a different state and now living in a big city.

and im describing my neil patrick harris look alike of an uncle

and my roommate this look on her face

and she asks "have you ever seen chris rock's documentary Good Hair?" and i say "no of course i have not."

and she says "well i know you love Ice T i thought maybe" and i say "while i love him my knowledge is VERY lacking" and she takes a knee and swears to me that "as a black woman [she] must educate [me, her] white compatriot"

and the whole lead up in this documentary is all the contestants for this hair competition saying their biggest fear

and

every

single

one

man, woman, new to the game, old hat

are afraid of one man

.... Jason.

AND WHO IS JASON?? IF NOT MY GAY AS THE DAY IS LONG WHITE TWINK UNCLE. WHO WHEN I FIRST MET MY GRANDMOTHER FAILED TO MENTION HAD ANY RELATION TO US AND UPON THE SECOND MEETING (at said grandmothers funeral) MY MOM ASKED HO WI COULD POSSIBLY KNOW HIM. HE ONCE STOLE THE FAMILY GOLD FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND COULD HAVE BEEN ROBBED OF THIS ENTIRE EXPERIENCE AS HE WAS IN AN AIRPORT HEADING TO NEW YORK BUT HIS FLIGHT GOT DELAYED ON 9-11 AND HE USED TO HAVE A WIFE AND HAS A SON BY HER AND HE'S THE MOST INTERESTING MAN I HAVE EVER MET.

anyway these are my stories

DUN DUN

[dailyaudiobible]

03/28/2023 DAB Transcript

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22, Luke 8:4-21, Psalms 69:19-36, Proverbs 12:2-3

Today is the 28th day of March welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian and it’s great to be here with you today as we move forward, kind of making our last push in these last few days of this third month of the year. I guess we’ll be moving into a new month before this week is out. But that is a few days in front of us. It is so nice to be here right now today around the Global Campfire together with you as we take the next step forward. And that next step leads us back into the book of Deuteronomy, the last book of the Torah, the last discourses of Moses to the children of Israel before he becomes a part of history, and we move forward with new leaders. And, so, let's go back out with the children of Israel and a mighty throng as Moses says all the things that he needs to say. Today Deuteronomy chapters 9 and 10.

Commentary:

Okay. So, as we pass through the book of Deuteronomy in these final discourses of Moses there's a bunch of review involved. And if we just stop and think about it we’ve been learning about the rules, like the establishment of this people, and the law and the rules and the statutes and the holidays, we’ve been learning about is stuff for a long time and there's a lot to it. A lot to keep in mind. In fact, it's forming a culture and so it becomes the way of the culture so that it’s just embedded into the tapestry of the culture. If we had to remember all this stuff it would take a good amount of effort to be sure and that can lead us to just wonder what are…so…what are the rules now, then? So, we have this Mosaic law, but we’re told that we don’t have to obey the Mosaic law. We’re told us this in the New Testament, that we’re at least free from the curse of the law. And then Jesus gives commandments in the New Testament and so what are we…like how does this work? How would you know? What are the rules? Like how can you know thank you moving in the right direction? Because there's so much to remember. But in our reading from Deuteronomy today Moses consolidated it down into a way that we can all understand. And he said, “so now Israel, what is the Lord your God asking of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes that I'm commanding you today for your own good.” And it's that “for your own good part” we need to pay attention to. We have read a lot of rules and rituals and customs and observances. We’ve read the whole law, and we’ve been told many many times to not forget. And, so, once again we have to step back and ask ourselves because it feels a lot of times when we get into a religious system that there are all kinds of rules and regulations and a lot of things to remember and a lot of situations and situational things to remember and it can seem like a lot, but if you start peeling it back, peeling back the layers watching how this story unfolded, what we realize is that God gave the law as a framework from which the people could live in safety and in blessing before God. These were the outer boundaries. This was God laying down an awareness for people that there are limits to what you can do before you start to destroy yourself. And if you step beyond these boundaries you are headed in that direction. God didn't free his children from Egyptian slavery simply to re-enslave them because He's a complete control freak. He didn't do that because He's not interested in creating this game or this set of rules to dominate over people and enslave people that He had just set free. What God is interested in is a relationship with us and He told the ancient ones that He wanted a relationship with them and He told them you must be holy because I am holy. This is how we relate to one another, which helps us when we’re considering the rules in the Old Testament or the commands in the New Testament. If we think about this through the lens of relationship, we realize that every relationship we have is governed by rules. Let's just look at our marriages. We may not think of them as rules, but there are things that if we step outside the boundary of what we have agreed to, that that is going to destroy our marriage, destroy our family, and ultimately destroy us. We know that. And I guess we could live our lives in fear of that each and every day or we could realize I love my wife, I love my husband, it is that love that makes me aware of the boundaries that I will not step beyond. Spiritually, the way that Moses is laying this out is the same. If we love the Lord with all of our heart, and all our strength, and all of our mind then we become unwilling to betray that love. God has certainly demonstrated in vivid clarity that He is unwilling to betray His love for us and that He is unwilling to surrender us even when we are the betrayer. The rules aren't to make our lives boring. The rules haven't been given to put us in a cage. We have simply been given the parameters that will lead us into life and an awareness that outside those parameters is destruction and we have been given the opportunity to choose life.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for that. And when we try to make it a list of things that we gotta tic off every day, things that we have to do, well then we have some kind of transactional thing going on, that if we do this then You have to do that. And love doesn't work like that. You have loved us and have withheld nothing from us. It's crazy for us to think that You’re trying to cage us or put us in a box or keep us from doing fun things when You have withheld nothing from us, including the breath of life, including Jesus Your Son. You have come for us and are inviting us to live inside of a relationship, and there are things that we should and things that we should not do in a relationship, and we are learning. And as we become more and more in love with You, Your desires and Your will become more and more apparent to us because we know You and You know us, otherwise known as a relationship. And, so, come Holy Spirit and lead us deeper into this relationship this very day and every day we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

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Check out the different sections like…like the Daily Audio Bible Shop. There are resources there in all kinds of categories, everything from coffee and tea, fresh roasted and sourced and sent right to your door to the Daily…you have things to write in, the Daily Audio Bible journal that has been fashioned over the years and perfected. All of the Black Wing pencils to journal with. A number of things there in the Daily Audio Bible Shop for the journey that we are on. So, check it out at dailyaudiobible.com or using the Daily Audio Bible app. You can access the Shop either place.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, if this mission to bring the spoken word of God read fresh every day and offered freely to anyone who will listen anywhere on this planet any time of day or night and to build community around just showing up, the rhythm of showing up around the Global Campfire every day, if that's is life-giving to you than thank you humbly for your partnership. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app. That's the little red button up at the top or you can dial 877-942- 4253.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Coming soon…

[lestwritewhilewaitingforajobcall]

Tamed Seas - Poseidon x Reader

(A/N)

This is the very first post I’m making on this equally new account and also the very first time I am ever using a second person POV for the reader. Let me know your thoughts!

The following story is just for shits and giggles. I do not own any of the characters, they are the property of Shinya Umemura and Takumi Fukui and Ajichika. I also do not own you, the reader.

Warning: Swearing from my disclaimer.

Tamed Seas

Poseidon x Reader

They were never allowed to stare.

If Poseidon never looked anyone in the eye, deeming them unworthy of even a simple gaze, then anyone other than himself were equally unworthy in looking at his wife.

Just before the meeting had started about a decision to be made on humanity’s fate, Poseidon had entered in his full regalia, his wife walking alongside him. Of course, such a prestigious couple deserved such a special entrance, as Hermes, per Zeus’ request too, played his violin most ceremoniously, a proud smirk on his face upon seeing the royal feet step perfectly on the red carpet he had immediately placed upon knowing of their arrival. Zeus’ older brother held a record of never attending meetings, much more any simple get-togethers unless they were of real utmost importance such as this one.

Shiva’s eyes grew at the sight of the couple. Even though Poseidon’s wife had originally been a mortal who had ascended to godhood, you were glowing and looked as ethereal as Aphrodite. Was he seeing things? He blinked and leaned forward in his seat. The last time he saw you was at the announcement of your wedding, then after the ceremony he never caught a glimpse of you ever again and only heard stories of your new and impressive conquests. Were you always this godlike?

As if reading his thoughts, he gulped upon finding himself at the receiving end of Poseidon’s cold and stoic stare. He shrugged his shoulders. Man, he had heard rumors of his sudden protectiveness towards his wife, but he never expected him to be this overly protective. He was merely trying to figure out if his wife was always glowing like this or not. Both figuratively and literally.

Alright, maybe he was checking you out a little bit.

Unlike the god of the seas, his wife greeted Zeus, and all the familiar gods with a warm smile. It had been ages since you had seen them all together, and the sight brought a sense of nostalgia to the days where you had first earned their favor, then their respect, and then their friendship. Although your story might not be as mighty (and as physically taxing) as Hercules’ was, you considered those ‘young’ days to also be one of your best apart from getting married to the man god who you had given your heart for and will continue to love and cherish for the rest of your life. Since you became Poseidon’s wife, you had not had much time to do leisure outside the palace, and correspondingly after heralding the title of ‘queen of the seas,’ you had taken it upon yourself to help your husband in matters concerning his own kingdom and the vast seas themselves.

“Master Zeus—” Zeus threw you a knowing look. “My apologies, Zeus, it’s such a pleasure to see you again!”

“Same here, little lady! Judging by the frequent calmness of the Atlantic Ocean, I trust you and my brother are faring along quite well?” The father of all gods chuckled, then wiggled his gray eyebrows. “Why, I must say, me and most of the other Olympians have been waiting for some new gods and goddesses to rule alongside us, if you know what I mean! Ehe he~”

Characteristic of your husband, Poseidon simply scoffed before muttering how gods such as themselves need not gossip. Blue eyes never left the Hindu god however, and unbeknownst to his wife, he lingered closer to you than usual whenever the both of you were in public.

This time, Shiva had had enough. He was sure he only looked at the direction of Poseidon’s wife only once, and admired you only once as well, yet he was being skewered by the god’s gaze for longer than what he had intentionally allowed. As if he had openly claimed you as his! He was the god of destruction for heaven’s sake, and would not allow this sacrilegious act, regardless of whoever he had to settle the score with. If it was with another prominent deity, then it would be a lot more fun. Golden eyes narrowed daringly, an equally challenging aura oozing from his form and startling the nearby gods.

“Lord Shiva, are you okay—”

“(Name). How many times do I have to repeat myself? You have no need to refer to other gods with honorifics.” Your attention whipped to your husband, who to your surprise, held a familiar, challenging stance. Unbeknownst to you but the other gods especially Aphrodite, Poseidon simply matched the challenge of the Hindu god. “You are the wife of the seas. All the other gods are beneath you, as they are beneath me as well.”

Upon hearing this, Shiva gripped his concrete armrests too greatly and it crumbled to dust under his strength. Pumped at where this interaction seemed to be heading−the thought of fighting, he stood up, arms on the ready to cause destruction. Despite being in the middle of the crowd and quite far away from the center of the stadium where the couple stood, he caught glimpse of the famous trident he would never be caught dead wielding. Now this was getting interesting!

“My rules are simple: you disrespect me, you die,” He pointed at Poseidon, which the latter found disgusting enough to scrunch up his nose.

“Should we put a stop to this, Lord Zeus?” Hermes asked behind a white gloved hand. Not exceeding any expectations, Zeus laughed after a stroke of his beard and clapped. He always was one to find entertainment in alike situations, especially after the fact that this was the only time, he and all the other gods had really felt Poseidon riled up. The expression on the god of the seas’ face remained calm but it was betrayed by the suffocating, dominating presence he emitted from where he stood.

“And after you die, your wife would become firsthand witness of realizing how your title betrays your strength,” Shiva stretched, but halfway through noticed Poseidon’s quick work of his trident. He took a stance and prepared for the parrying move.

Amidst the unexpected battle that was soon to happen, to everyone’s surprise, a whistling sound echoed along the tension-filled stadium. It was a tune most foreign to the gods, all except one. From your lips, a beautiful melody poured out as a soft gentle breeze seemed to have begun to blow. It was an old tune you had learned from one of your many lifetimes in the mortal world,

And the very same one you had sung to Poseidon that had sustained him in trying moments.

Poseidon came to a full stop, his muscles unmoving as he listened and slowly, put his trident down. What was he thinking? He should not have been swayed by a foolish taunt committed by a foolish god. He was perfection incarnate. His wife would never fall for a foolish antic, so why did he? Now he was both angry and confused with himself. How could he have allowed himself for even a moment, for others to see him angry over this? What even was this?

Without the need to look at you, relishing in your fine tunes reminded him of the initial catalyst to his reaction and an answer to his question. Whenever matters concerned his wife, his emotions, which he learned were out of his control, seemed to defy all rational logic, which, even at the very beginning of your courtship, bypassed his ego. Of course, despite these strong feelings, the one thing Poseidon had control over were his actions. Therefore, he had always had a grip on how he presented himself. Although it was still a slow progress to figuring out this foreign feeling with his wife, the only other being he deemed truly worthy to allow into his life, anyone else will never have a chance of being privy to this side of him−a sentiment that thankfully, his wife shared. Though he never admitted it, he was confused and left mulling over for some time when you had also told him before that you had meant a different thing.

“…Foolish. Gods have no need for wars, we are perfect beings ourselves. You are not the reason for my presence here and are not worthy of my time and attention.” Another long silence fell, finally broken by Poseidon, ignoring the mix of surprised and fearful stares. His legs started carrying him towards the direction of one of the high stage boxes in the stadium. “Come, (Name).”

Shiva, who had his fists out and ready to fight, blinked twice in confusion before grunting, scratching the back of his ear violently in frustration. “You Greek gods have always been boring! And here I thought I’d finally be able to cause some destruction again, this time in Valhalla…”

Other than the Hindu god himself, none would ever understand if he had riled up the Greek god on purpose for the sake of his own entertainment or, perhaps, for something more personal. Zeus, meanwhile, followed the sight of his older brother walking quietly alongside his wife. Aphrodite nodded her head in his direction, affirming his suspicions. He would never fully understand the concept of love, but hey, he did get the message that all would be damned if so much as a single hair went missing on (Name)’s hair. And it seems he was not alone in this thought, as despite Shiva’s aggressive taunting, he also managed to peak into the gravity of the god of seas’ feelings towards his wife.

After Shiva had been calmed down and more gods piled in along with the Valkyries, Zeus set his meeting in motion. From the stands, Poseidon and his wife occupied the two seats that closely resembled their thrones. Eagerly sitting beside the god, (Name) grinned. Every day she had to sit close to her husband or even at times on his lap, she always felt like her body fit snugly against his.

Blue eyes stared uninterested at the spectacle.

“Dearest?” Poseidon turned his head and met your gaze. Any dark smudges had disappeared beneath his eyes, and his mouth that was carved into a seemingly permanent frown softened. His lips went from a thin line to a gentle curve.

“Thank you.”

No more words needed to be said. Poseidon knew what you were thanking him for, and he responded by closing his eyes as though he was swallowing every ounce of serenity that emitted from you. And the taste was sweet…

Above the angry retaliation of the gods regarding the verdict of Ragnarok, Poseidon enjoyed an elusive peace. Even if it was just a simple moment like this, he set his features in calm lines and his shoulders sank−a truly rare sight, a special secret between himself and his wife.

“I don’t care about this. I am eager to go home.” Poseidon whispered under his breath.

A chuckle left his wife’s lips. “We’re going home soon, don’t fret.”

[disillusionedjudge]

@tarnishedxknight

Everren stifled a sigh of her own, though... more saddened than frustrated. It was clear Ashelia was becoming more dejected the more she protested, and... still, she did her best to cling to whatever shreds of hope she had left. It was admirable, really, and Everren knew it would be hypocritical if she tried to put down the Princess's stubbornness. But, she shifted, and leaned back against the copilot's seat as she crossed her arms over her chest, and allowed her gaze to drift out the windshield. Her jaw shifting as she mulled over their situation, and how best to handle it without putting down Ashelia completely.

However, her attention snapped back to her the moment Ashelia mentioned the Nam-Yensa Sandsea, and she closed her eyes in response. Stifling yet another sigh as she resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. Gods above, was she really about to...? "Skystones will not work in Jagd," she said slowly, "so we would have to walk the rest of the way." Everren tilted her head as she studied the Dalmascan. "Not impossible, but we will need to pace ourselves, and it won't hurt to get provisions before we reach the Sandsea. If we're lucky, we may be able to borrow chocobos for a stretch, but that will depend on the kindness of the local fishers."

Oh, she certainly couldn't retract including herself into this situation now, but... as much as Everren wanted to stay as far away from the Empire as possible, she couldn't ignore the itch for adventure. The need to get involved again - to see much-needed change to Ivalice come to fruition. Perhaps not in the one she once yearned for before, but... well, this little ragtag group of theirs was growing on her.

But whatever warmth that had appeared in her gaze faded as Ashelia tried to argue with her about Ondore, and... Everren felt her heart begin to ache as the Princess visibly faltered. As she noticed the tell-tell sign of tears in her eyes, and the tremor in her voice. It was not her intention to destroy her hope, but... "My dear," she said gently, "sky pirates cannot live on the word of another alone. I do not doubt your promise, but I have never been one satisfied only by gil." A part of Everren wanted to point out how she was attempting to steal the Strahl after all, but... that felt like unnecessary salt in the wound. It was clear Ashelia was not thinking clearly, and she wasn't in the mood to make it worse. "I am willing to help you, but I cannot force Balthier or Fran to join. I may, perhaps, be able to convince them to at least fly us out to Jagd, but even that I cannot promise."

This time, Everren let out a sigh, but before she could continue, Ondore's voice interrupted, and she jumped. Her heart in her throat.

"That's quite enough, your Majesty."

She spun to face him, opening her mouth to apologize and to try and clear the situation before he decided he was done playing host to a group of sky pirates, and--

"Balthier! Damn you!"

Balthier, who had a hunch that Ashelia was not one to sit idle, smirked as he moved to stand beside Basch - who she hadn't realized had joined them as well - and cocked an eyebrow. "What do you think? A bit over the top?" he asked, still using Ondore's voice.

Everren scowled. "Always. You--"

"You know it comes in handy with our line of work," he interrupted, turning the voice emulator off as he set aside, and moved into the cockpit to join them. His focus on Ashelia. "I'm leaving you with the Marquis. Trust me, you're better off--"

Everren's gaze lit up. "You missed the conversation, did you not?"

He glanced at her and tilted his head. "You are certainly a poor influence. As you said, you cannot force Fran and I to--"

She ignored him. "She has promised us treasure and gil if we aid her," she coaxed, and didn't miss the interested glint in Balthier's gaze. "It would be a mighty share, would it not?"

For a moment, it was clear he was considering it. His expression thoughtful, before he shook his head - and, for a moment, Everren could've sworn she saw a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes before it vanished just as quickly. "She's better off here. The Marquis can help her better than the three of us with reclaiming her throne, and I have no interest in escaping a Judge Magister again."

Frustration caught in Everren's throat as she took a deep breath through her nose, though she narrowed her eyes as she stared at Balthier. She knew him well - knew there was more to it than his flippant response - but held her tongue. Instead, she tilted her head, and with a small smirk, turned back to Ashelia.

"Everren--"

"He likes to make things difficult," she explained to the Princess, and leaned over her to pull what appeared to be a lever back into place. Hearing a faint click as it connected with its opposite. "You have to reconnect the yoke to use it. More of an inconvenience than a deterrent, really-"

"Hey!"

"-but he designed it, not I. So, if you simply straighten the yoke, you'll level the ailerons, and the ship won't roll." She winked at Ashelia with a small, crooked grin, and glanced over her shoulder at Balthier to meet his scowl. "What? I am merely trying to teach her, Balthier. No harm done."

As Everren began casually throwing out ways in which she would very likely fall far short of being able to successfully pilot the Strahl, however veiled they may have been, Ashelia sighed again, this time even more dejectedly. She simply could not think about the what-ifs. They would scare her, discourage her, hold her back... and she needed to be firm and determined if she was going to get anything done. Throwing the ship into a roll... did not sound good at all, though. "I shall try," was all Ashelia said, mostly because she really didn't have a better response.

When asked where the Dawn Shard was, Ashelia did not want to say. Everren's reasons for wanting to know where valid ones, though, and if there was some problem with the ship not being able to make the journey, Ashe supposed she may as well know now, before she attempted to fly it. "It is in the ancient tomb of the first Dynast King, Raithwall, west of the Nam-Yensa Sandsea, in the Valley of the Dead," she relented, prepared to hear Everren's objections, which she was certain were coming.

Truth be told, Everren spoke a surprising amount of wisdom to her as she laid out the potential consequences of both making off with the Strahl and remaining where they were with Marquis Ondore. Ashe began to feel a bit prickly, the very familiar feeling of panic setting in as she realized that her situation was growing dimmer and more perilous by the minute. "Uncle would... he'd... he would never do such things..." she argued back utterly unconvincingly, both the tremble in her weak voice and the sad distress in her gaze giving away that she knew the position Ondore would be placed in... and what he would ultimately decide. "I-I..." she said, losing her resolve and feeling defeated once again.

She was right. Horribly, perfectly, irrefutably right. This was not a journey Ashe could make herself, not by any stretch of the imagination. And she could not very well ask Balthier, Fran, or even Everren herself to aid her on a wing and a prayer of someday being paid with gil and treasure as of yet not even in Ashe's possession. She could not blame them for wanting more assurance than that, though she may not understand living one's life for wealth and adventure instead of for family and country.

The sting of tears was in her eyes again, and she hated that she was about to cry so childishly. She just loved Dalmasca so much and was trying so hard to help her, to free her from Archadia's clutches... "If you all will help me to free Dalmasca and reclaim the throne, I will make good on my promise of payment. Is my word not enough? If my word cannot be believed, then what sort of future queen would I be? I have no reason to be deceitful," she said, even as the irony of her sitting in the pilot's seat of an airship that did not belong to her as she was attempting to steal it being lost on her entirely.

Basch... was a very light sleeper, for a number of reasons. He'd been trying to rest a bit - he was still so weak from his imprisonment, but trying his best nonetheless - when he'd heard shuffling around him. Given their situation, he was not about to assume it was benign. Upon investigation, he'd realized Ashelia had wandered away.

If for no other purpose than to make certain she was safe, he'd followed her... to the Strahl. Basch's heart sank, for he knew how painful it must be for Ashelia to have to sit and wait in relative comfort while Dalmasca was under Archadian occupation. But to go so far as to steal an airship from a sky pirate... Clearly, she was desperate, but this was nothing he did not already know. He'd seen the desperation and heartbreak in her eyes when Marquis Ondore ordered her to stay put, and it had hurt him too. Her pain was his as well.

Reaching the Strahl, he saw that Everren was already attempting to talk Ashelia down. Rather than interrupt that process, Basch merely crossed his arms and leaned against the entrance to the ship's cabin, listening carefully. If she was truly going to leave, bound for the Tomb of Raithwall, he would of course follow. It was his duty to protect and aid her, owed to both her and her father, but also his heart would allow no less. But he did agree with Everren. If done at all, this needed to be thought through a lot more carefully...

[itisannak]

Car Sex (Luke Hemmings Smut)

Summary: Luke and (Y/N), both college students, living with their parents, have to get creative to find some alone time. (Smut / Unprotected Sex /  Penetrative Sex / Public Sex / Creampie) (Words: 5.4k) (Request)

"Be back by 11:30." My dad shouts as I run down the stairs, heading to the door. "The movie ends at 12." I remind him, sighing over how strict he becomes when he knows I am going out with Luke. "12 it is then." He replies, peeking at me from his armchair. "I don't have classes tomorrow... And teleportation had yet to be invented last time I checked." I point out, crossing my arms before my chest. "Smarty-pants. If he brings you home a minute after 12:30, you are grounded." My dad tries to sound tough, but he is a big softie. I rush to him, leaving a peck on his cheek before strutting out of the door.

Luke has been waiting long enough in the car, longer than I would have the patience to wait for someone without pressing my hand on the horn. I did not expect to see him inside the parked pick-up park, but here I am, opening the passenger door to join him inside. "Wow, that is a first..." I comment, pressing my lips together to stop my laughter as soon as I am in. I just picture him as a hillibilly, chewing on a hay straw, and the mental image is enough to make me double over in laughter. "Shut up. My brother lent me it for the night." He explains, pulling out of the driveway. "Why does your brother have a truck?" I ask, pulling the seatbelt to fasten myself. "He works in constructions." He replies, turning his head for a quick peck on my forehead. "Right." I mumble. "What time does your curfew start?" He asks me, shifting the gears. "I have to be home at 12.30, not a minute later. It still fucks me up that I still have a curfew at 19 and you don't." I groan, crossing my arms. Luke shrugs, having a charming little smirk decorating his lips. "My parents had enough of setting rules for disobeying teenagers with my brothers, so I guess I had it easy, they never bothered placing one." He comments as I prop my elbow against the window's frame, supporting my head as I look at him. "There is no way your mother is that elastic with you. I had chills every time I walked into her class in high school." I really do exasperate, earning a laugh from Luke. I love it when he laughs; his face brightens up, and his dimples make him really irresistible, along with the crinkles around his eyes. I reach over, stroking a messy curl with my fingers, before pushing it off his forehead. "She is much chiller when you get to know her." He replies, resting his hand on my thigh. "I guess you are right." I sigh, feeling jittery at the way he touches me. "Pity I will have to take you home straight after the movie. I was hoping for some more time with you." He says in a low voice, almost like he fears getting heard. "It has been too long since the last time we had more time together." I reply. It would be a lie if I said I am not actively craving him. I still dream of his touch, the way he kissed me last time, the way he moved against me. "To be clear, I am talking about having sex." He explains and I chuckle, throwing my head back. "I am talking about having sex too, Luke." I reply, making him hum, pleased by my response. "We gotta do something about the housing situation." He sounds determined, which is just hilarious at this point. "Well, we are broke, college students who can only afford to live with their parents. I don't know if there is much we can do about it at this point." I reply, while his hand squeezes my inner thigh. "I am just... I just need more of you." He groans and I hum, feeling my stomach tighten at his words. "Can we talk about the movie? This is becoming... A little too intense for me." I bite my bottom lip, running my fingers through my hair. "Of course. They are showing the Texas Chainsaw Massacre." He states, letting his touch linger for a little longer before he removes his hand. I press my thighs together, trying to relieve some of the tension between them. It is hard for me to take my mind off Luke being inside me, kissing me, touching me, even with the prospect of watching a movie about cannibalistic psychopaths. "Why do you always pick horror movies for date night?" I groan, nudging his shoulder. "Because you always leave me in charge. And because the gore is the only thing stopping me from fantasizing about you." He replies, taking my hand in his and bringing it to his lips. "You fantasize about me?" I ask, feeling the tingly sensation making its way back. "All the time. My thoughts are just a never-ending movie of things I want to do with you... of things I want to do to you. And I am just trying to find ways to just pause that movie for a while." He admits. "Is the movie playing right now?" I ask, flushing as I wait for him to tell me. "You wanna know?" He asks and I nod at him, knowing my eyes are glistening with excitement. "Right now it shows the scene where it is Sunday morning, and we have just woken up, naked in bed. And I am just taking you in, in all your glory." He replies. "You are definitely giving me the PG-13 version right now." I point out and he shrugs. "I am keeping some of the good stuff for a little later." He winks at me, causing me to bite the inside of my cheek.

We purchase some popcorn and sodas from the drive-through kiosk before Luke finds the spot we are supposed to park. The back of the pick-up truck is facing the screen, which means we will have to get out of the car and climb onto the back. "I really want to see you try to get in the back, wearing that dress." Luke comments, picking up the snacks and getting out of the car. "I know you want to peek under my skirt, but gosh, don't be so obvious about it." I chuckle, hopping off the car. Luke waits for me in the back of the truck, holding his connected palms low, so I can step on them and go up the cargo bed. "You are a true gentleman..." I comment, leaving a peck on his cheek, before I step on his hands and he boosts me up. "Need help?" I ask him once I land just right. "I got it. Lay the blanket I have in there. And move the snacks, I don't want to knock them." He instructs, stepping onto the rim under the taillights. I hold the snacks tight as he steps in, dusting himself off. "This is actually nice." I admit, laying one of the blankets for us. "See? That will teach you not to laugh at me before you see my intentions." He comments, sitting down on the blanket, with his back against the divider. "You should be happy I am laughing. It means you make me happy." I reply and he hums. I take a seat between his thighs, leaning my head back on his shoulder, bringing my lips to his neck for a soft peck. "I promise to hold you tight at the scary parts." I whisper, knowing that I will spend the entirety of this movie with my face buried in his chest. "I will hold you up to that." He chuckles, leaving a peck on my forehead.

The night chill proves I am a fool for wearing a frilly little dress for the night screening. But luckily, Luke has predicted that and has brought a second blanket along, which now is covering our laps. "You look mighty cute in the cinema lights." Luke whispers, stroking my hair softly. "You are supposed to be focusing on the movie, not me." I laugh, trying to keep my voice low so I don't bother the rest of the viewers. "You are far more interesting than any movie." He replies, turning my head to plant a kiss on my lips. I smile against his lips, parting my mouth so he can slip his tongue past my lips. His hand softly grazes my face, and I then decide to turn around and straddle his lap. "You can't do that to me." He groans, throwing his head back. That gives me access to his neck, which I take advantage of and trail with kisses. "Why not?" I ask, pouting at him. "(Y/N), please... This is torturing. It has been too long since we had sex. I am craving you, and this is not helping me." He replies, while my hands move to his hair. "I am craving you too. I need you." I whine, earning a sigh. "I need you too. But we don't have the time nor the place to do that." He replies, and I shake my head. "What about right here, right now?" I ask, making him tilt his head and look at me, with eyes glazed in excitement. "You mean...?" "Who's going to see us? And don't say the movie is more interesting than me..." "Fuck the movie." He groans, bringing his hand to trace my thigh, stopping on the hem of my dress. "I'd rather you fuck me." I reply, earning a smirk from him. "This is risky." He comments and I shrug. "You love it, don't you?" I ask and he hums. He throws the lap blanket aside, laying me with my back on the blanket laid on the floor of the cargo bed. "You will have to be very quiet..." He states, stroking my cheek softly. "You are the one to talk..." I mumble before he leans down to kiss me.

He clumsily fumbles with the lap blanket, covering us for a mock discreteness, even though we both know a blanket will do nothing. He roams his hands from my face to my sides and then retires them on my thigh. I prop my leg up, wrapping it around his waist. "You are so soft." He moans against my mouth, squeezing my thigh softly. My lips curl into a smile, feeling goosebumps crawl onto my skin. "Oh shit." He groans, making me look at him with a furrow on my brow. "What? What happened?" I ask, watching as his face twists in frustration. "Condoms are in the glove compartment. I have to go back in the car." He groans, throwing his head back. "It is ok... We don't need one." I state, feeling my core becoming warm at the thought of him sliding inside me bare. "Are you sure about this?" He asks me and I nod. "It is not a risky day. I need you." I almost beg, causing him to chuckle at me, as his hands work his pants to free his cock. "I will just... Push your panties aside... No one will know what we are doing." He mutters, spreading my legs more, propping them around his waist. Blindly and clumsily, he tries to line up his tip to my entrance. The only lights come from the light poles around the parking space, and of course, the projector playing the movie, so there is almost only darkness surrounding us. Luke finally manages to slip inside me, moving slowly so the car doesn't rattle and bring any suspicion on us. "Shit, you feel good." He whispers by my ear, planting a peck on my earlobe. He buries his face in my neck, nibbling on my skin as he begins rocking his hips on mine. It takes me a moment to get my mind off the catastrophic thought that we are going to get caught, but the moment the first moan slips from his lips, I feel chills crawl down my spine. "Oh, God." I mumble, finally feeling his cock stretching me, with each thrust making me wetter and wetter. "Shh, we have to be quiet, remember?" He playfully reminds me, passing his tongue over the spot he was sucking on a second ago. "Buzzkiller." I whisper, but it soon turns into a gasp as he thrusts his whole cock inside me, making me pulse around him. I have to bring my hand to my mouth as Luke backs out and thrusts in again, this time with more force than before. I bite onto my palm, preventing myself from making a sound as Luke tries to find a rhythm for us. We both know this cannot last as long as the last time did; in contrast to the time we stayed up all night fucking, we will now have to be done in less than 10 minutes. "The way you take my cock is going to be the death of me." He mumbles as I buck my hips up to meet his thrusts, trying to find an angle for his cock to hit my spot. Luke groans softly, placing a hand under the small of my back to support me. "We are fucking under the stars." I giggle softly, squeezing myself around him. "I am going to find us a house, I promise you that." He slams his hips on mine, making the car move a little. "Careful." I groan, but the way he is rocking his hips on mine makes my mind fuzzy around the edges. We have to pray the people around us are too focused on the movie, or else we are putting on a show for them. Luke brings on hand from under my back to my cheek, touching it softly. "You feel so good around me, baby." He says raspily as I move my hips in a soft circle. The top of his cock brushes against my clit and I feel myself tighten around him. I muffle a whimper, closing my eyes tightly to focus on anything else but the way he feels inside me. "I can feel you here." I grab his hand and let it press on my lower stomach, right at the nook where I feel the impact of his thrusts. Luke strokes his thumb over that spot, giving me a slow, deep thrust, looking mesmerized by the way my stomach inflates and falls as he fucks me. His hand travels under my dress, heading straight to my breasts, cupping them and stroking his thumbs over my nipples. I whimper and shudder, bucking my hips against his and taking his cock more inside me. "You are going to fuck yourself on my cock, princess?" He asks cockily, pinching my nipple between his fingers, pulling at it sadistically slow. "Will you fill me up, daddy?" I ask him back; two can play this game. I can see his eyes sparkle at my question, even in the dark night. "Shit, (Y/N)... I am going to cum..." Luke groans by my ear, making me tighten around him in surprise. "Cum, please. I want to feel all of you inside me..." I groan, my mind becoming clouded by my need for him. "But you are not there yet..." Luke protests. "You have a mouth, don't you?" I ask him, heaving for breath. Luke chuckles and looks at me amused, before slamming his hips on mine, pinning me down to ravage me. Luke brings his face to my neck, muffling himself by biting onto my skin. I gasp in shock, the slight sting of pain sending waves of electricity down my body. "I am going to fucking wreck you... I am going to fucking ruin you for everyone else. You are mine... Just mine. " He groans, gluing his hips on mine as he cums, hissing as he reaches his high. It takes him a moment of grunting and breathing funny before he cups my face and kisses me harshly. "I am going to make you feel good, princess. I promise." His voice is still heavy and groggy from his orgasm, and he sounds so chillingly sexy, contrasting the loud chainsaw buzzing that goes off every couple of minutes in the movie.

He parts from my lips and slides down my body, spreading my legs more and fixing himself between my thighs. He traces my slit softly, watching me as I still pulse from the loss of contact. He uses his fingers to part my lips, revealing my entrance and my clit to him. He wastes no time lapping up his tongue on my sex, moaning as he tastes us mixing together. I smile to myself and look up at the night sky, taking in the pretty little stars as Luke curls his tongue on my entrance, gathering the pooling wetness and his cum on the tip of his tongue. He brings the tip to my clit, teasing it in slow, agonizing circles, making me jolt at every single one of them. Once he sees I am teased to a sufficient level for his liking, he wraps his lips around my clit, suckling on it hungrily. My breath gets caught in my lungs and I am baffling between bringing my hand to my mouth to stop any sounds from escaping or tangling my fingers in his hair, pulling at his locks, and guiding his mouth where I need him. "Luke..." I whine, messing my fingers in his hair, contrasting the intensity that courses through my body with the softness of his curls. Luke hums in approval, flicking his tongue against the head of my clit. I press my lips together and roll my hips in the air as my orgasm explodes inside me, spreading on my body. I try my hardest not to make a sound, nor move too much that the car squeaks. Luke moves up from between my thighs after he fixes my panties over my core. He leans in, kissing my lips softly. I realize that I have been smiling since I hit my orgasm, but only after Luke mimics my smirk. "I am going to find us a house." He announces again, tracing his hand softly over my cheek. "Yeah, we need one." I agree, moving my tongue across my bottom lip, tasting us together. "Do you think anyone saw us?" Luke asks, rolling next to me. I fix my head upon his chest, letting myself hear his heartbeat. "As long as we do not end up on a pornsite, I am not that mad if they did." I reply and he chuckles. "Kinky... I like that about you." "You like what about me?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow. "You are always up for testing your limits." He replies and I hum. "I wish we could sleep together tonight." He sighs, pecking at the top of my head. "I think my dad will neuter you if you show up at my house for a sleepover. And your mom will probably bound me in your basement and torture me for seducing her benjamin." I giggle and he scoffs. "My mom is not a monster." Luke protests playfully. "I don't know. Her nickname was Charybdis in high school." I mumble and he punches my arm playfully.

"Will you call me before bed?" Luke asks me as he parks in front of my house. "Do you want me to?" I ask him, undoing my seatbelt. "Since I can't sleep with you tonight, at least I would like us to do it over facetime." He shrugs, tapping the tip of my nose softly. "I will certainly facetime you then. I will see you on Tuesday, won't I?" I ask and he nods. "Ok then. Talk to you in a bit." I bite my lip before I lean in to plant a soft peck on his lips. He waits until I am inside the house to take off, which brings a smile to my face. He cares a lot and he is really protective, without crossing any boundaries. "Did you have fun at the movies?" My dad asks, making me jump at the sound of his voice. He has stayed exactly where I left him, which is a little creepy. "You scared the shit out of me, dad." I gasp, touching my chest and feeling my heart pounding. "We saw the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Not really my style, but it was ok." I reply and he hums. "If you wake up screaming in the middle of the night because you had a nightmare, I will know who to blame." He goes back to watching TV. It is not a secret that my dad does not really like Luke; he thinks of him as a devil in the disguise of an angel. "Goodnight dad." I run up the stairs to take off my makeup and get ready for my night call with Luke.

I tap my fingers nervously as I wait for Luke to pick me up. We are supposed to head for a dinner date, but I am not sure we will go through with it. Luke's car pulls up in front of me, and I rush inside, earning a look of surprise from him. "I was ready to wait for you at least 15 more minutes." Luke chuckles, helping me with my seatbelt. "Can you find a space somewhere a bit private?" I ask him, earning a hum from him. "I will be happy to..." He starts the car, aloof to my jitters.

Luke parks behind an elementary school, which seems abandoned for the day, before he undoes his seatbelt and turns to look at me. "It will do for now, don't you think?" Luke asks, cocking an eyebrow at me. "We need to talk." I state, making his face drop. "Oh. That sounds a little ominous." He replies and I nod my head. "I am late." I just let it out, dropping the bomb on his lap now. "Late for what? Do you have to be somewhere before our date?" He asks. I roll my eyes and rest my head back on my seat. "Luke..." I sigh. "What?" He asks, frustrated over my reaction. "My period is late. I might be pregnant." I explain and he looks at me dumbfounded. "Are you sure?" He manages to utter after a second of just staring. "My tracker says I am a week late. And I am never late, not this long. I am freaking out." I sniffle, my hands bunching up my cardigan. Luke stays silent, starting the car again. I feel awful in this silence but I understand he needs time to process it. It took me two days to swallow this, he deserves at least a couple of minutes to even begin thinking about it. It itches me on the inside to just ask him to say anything, but I decide to control myself. Without a word, he parks the car in front of a pharmacy and exits the car. It would make more sense for him to slam the door on the way out, but he didn't. I cannot find a way to translate his coldness and it pains me to sit here without a clue. He is gone for a little over 10 minutes but it felt a century to me. I don't dare ask him what he bought, so the car sinks in silence again.

The next stop is at a totally strange house to me. Luke helps me undo the seatbelt, still silent, and motions me to follow him. He unlocks the door to an apartment, letting me go in first. "What is this place?" I finally have the courage to ask once we enter the poorly furnished place. "I told you I would find us an apartment. I wanted to tell you at dinner, but I guess..." He replies, handing me the paper bag from the pharmacy. "Is it what I think it is?" I ask and he nods. "Luke, I am scared." I admit and he sighs. He wraps his arms around me, pressing his lips softly on my forehead. "I am too. But we need to face our fear. Or it will catch upon us." He replies, stroking a piece of hair behind my ear. "Come on. I will be right outside." He guides me to the small bathroom, giving me a small smile before I shut the door. It is such a lonely process doing this. I know Luke is waiting for me, I know that he is here for me, right outside the door that divides us, but I feel so alone. It is nerve-wracking, having to wait even a moment for the test that will define the rest of my relationship with Luke. There is a soft knock on the door, Luke's knuckles must barely even touch the wooden furniture. "Did you do it?" He asks nervously, but not demandingly. "I am waiting for the result." I sniffle. "Would you like me to come in and wait with you?" He asks. "No. I will be out in a minute..." I am too upset myself to have Luke's nervousness right now. "Ok, love." He sighs, giving up. I know he is trying to comfort me and this is the best way he can think of doing so, but it is just... I don't know if it is too much or too little.

The timer goes off and I know that I have to face the little plastic stick at last. It is so stupid that I am terrified by a piece of plastic, but I feel a tug at my heartstrings just at the thought of what the result might be. I peek at it, finding the word 'PREGNANT' on the little digital screen. Fuck. "Can I come in?" Luke asks. He must have heard the timer too so he knows the test has shown a result. I am too emotional to answer him, all I want to do is cry. How did that happen? Fuck, why did it happen now? We were always careful and we barely ever had a place to be just the two of us. God, that night at the drive-in... I was stupid enough to tell him it didn't matter going bare. Luke barges into the bathroom after my lack of response, his eyes instantly falling on me. He sighs understandingly, moving closer to me and wrapping his arms around me. "It's ok... It's all ok, love. Please, stop crying." He tries to soothe me, but it will take more than a hug and his soft voice to calm me down. "I've ruined both our futures..." I moan, my voice barely coming off. "No, no, you didn't. It is my fault too. Hey, we are going to be alright. She's gonna be apples, you'll see." He cheers, rubbing the small of my back soothingly.

My obstetrician could only see me 2 days after I took the test. Despite me wanting to rush to the first person with an available appointment, Luke told me that 2 days wouldn't hurt and we should go to the one I trust. And now as I am feeling in the form of family history and reason of the visit, Luke is sitting next to me, almost completely unfazed, as if his life is not about to tumble down. "How can you be so calm?" I ask him, annoyed by how cool he seems. "I am not." He replies, not even turning to look at me. "You are. You are awfully calm and cool for someone who is going to be a father before he finishes college." I whisper the last part, even though it is just us in the waiting room. I have been tiptoeing around admitting my pregnancy, not even daring to say it to myself out loud. "You think I am not panicking? You think I am not about to have a nervous breakdown? But I have to keep calm and be here for you. You are a mess, (Y/N)." He says through gritted teeth. "Well, I am sorry this is too much for me. I will try my hardest not to let my mess affect you." I snap, moving to a chair away from him. "I didn't mean it that way..." He protests and I hum, scribbling on the form fast.

The doctor calls me in her office, finally ready to exam me. Luke follows suit, asking her if it is ok to join us too. "Is it ok with you, (Y/N)?" She turns to me. "I really couldn't care less." I mumble, climbing onto the exam bed. Luke walks in, standing in the corner of the room awkwardly. "I will need you to take your jeans and underwear off for this." She instructs me and I nod. "Your urine sample gave us a positive pregnancy test, so I will have to go transvaginally to see the fetus. We have done this in the past, but you will feel slight discomfort when I enter the prob." She states, prepping the little wand. I feel as if I want to throw up, this ordeal has been stressing me out a lot. "Ok. Are you ready?" She asks as I lay on my back. I nod my head and take a deep breath, boosting myself for the exam. Pushing past the initial discomfort, I turn to look at my doctor as she looks at the screen with a frown. "Do you have any symptoms?" She asks me, looking at the ultrasound carefully. "No, other than my period being late, no." I reply and she hums. "You took a home test?" "Yes, it came back positive. Is everything ok?" I ask her. "Well, you are not pregnant. But you have a positive home test and a urine stip test. So my guess is there is proteinuria and that is why we had 2 false positives. I will order you a lab work for that, just to rule things out, but I think it might be stress-related." She replies. "I am not pregnant?" I ask, my heart skipping in relief. "You are not." She replies. "Are you sure?" Luke asks for the first time since the exam started. "I am very certain you are not expecting. Based on your reactions I will say congratulations, you are not pregnant." She chuckles, handing me a couple of tissues to clean up. "I will leave you to get dressed and go order the lab test. You can pick it up from my receptionist." She smiles at us before she leaves the room.

After the doctor's visit, I was craving ice cream, so Luke drove me to my favorite place for a strawberry soft serve. Since our date night was canceled from my pregnancy scare, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and take a stroll at the park. He holds my hand in his as we both lick our ice cream as if the last couple of days didn't happen. "We are not having sex again without a condom." I lean my head on his shoulder as he hums in agreement. "That is certain." He adds. "I am sorry I was so... messy the last couple of days." I apologize and he shrugs. "It is one of the things I love about you." He brings my hand to his lips, pecking it lightly. "For what is worth, you were an excellent partner and you handled this scare probably the best way possible." I comment and he sighs. "I was scared beyond words. We are too young to become parents." "I agree. We barely have a place to be alone..." I point out. "Well, we do have it, though." He says, making me bite the inside of my cheek. "I really liked the space, from what I remember seeing..." "I am glad you did. Cause I plan on spending a lot of time in it with you." He plants a kiss on my forehead, making me feel my face get hot. "We never learn, do we?" I chuckle and he shrugs. "I think we learned our lesson." He takes a long lick of his dessert.

My Masterlist  /  Chronological Masterlist  /  The "Less than 100 Notes Fics" Masterlist  /  My Ko-Fi

[missgeniality]

A Date With Destiny (m)

“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves, alone - we find it with another.” - Thomas Merton

➺ Pairing: Jungkook x Female Reader

➺ Trope: Strangers to Lovers, Idol!AU

➺ Genre: Fluff, Smut, one comedian in the mix

➺ Rating: 18+

➺ Word Count: 11k

➺ Summary: You are a boss lady in the tech industry travelling to world for work. He is a chart-topping artist touring the globe to perform in front of millions of fans. In the cosmos of life, you are not likely to cross paths. Luckily, fate has a different plan for you two.

➺ Warnings: dom!jk, unprotected sex (sex is cleaner when you pack your weiner!), hickeys galore, lot of spit, oral (male and female receiving), balls receive attention, throat fucking, cum eating, edging, masturbation kinda?, cum play, pussy slapping, pussy sniffing, fingering, squirting, spanking, pain kink?, tit slapping, reader teases a bit but this man is a tease maestro, cum stuffing (is that a thing even?), Jungkook’s THIGHS need their own warning

➺ Author’s Note: @ppersonna​​ is an angel among us peasants. Thank you so much for all your help with this!   This is my first attempt at writing, and the tiniest feedback goes a long way! Hope you enjoy! 

When you die, the first pit stop you make is to the coffee gods. 

Without coffee, this whole month would have been a disaster. Back-to-back meetings, daily flights, countless documents being read, it’s a miracle your eyes are open and fully functioning. 

Being the Chief Technical Officer of a well-established company at your age had been anything but a cakewalk. You had strived hard and crossed many boulders to come to where you are. But if reaching that point required huge amounts of effort, now your work is tenfold. 

“Why can’t I just get longer flights so I can nap in them?” You mumble into your nth cup of coffee - not keeping count is for your own sanity. 

“Because longer flights apparently have crying children. You, our resident baby-magnet hypothesized that shorter flights equal more time in hotel rooms ‘sleeping’. Guess who sleeps in said hotel rooms? Everyone but you.” Your personal assistant and part-time truth-spouter Jake offers helpfully. 

“Past me was such an idiot.” You shoot back, wondering if you could inject the espresso right through your veins.

Jake pouts. “Woman, you take on jobs that an intern could do. If you weren’t such an unnecessary perfectionist I would be on the beaches of Thailand, getting sensual massages and eating some pretty pussy. But here we are, on our way to Seoul. So quit your whining because clearly, I have lost more.” 

“What if I wanted to do that too?”

“Can I watch?” 

“Right.” And that was the end of the conversation. 

Passengers on flight KE654 from Bangkok to Seoul are requested to report for boarding at Gate 45A. First Class passengers will be boarded first, followed by Business class and lastly Economy. Please keep your boarding pass ready for checking.

Jake stands up, groaning. “This is where we say goodbye. Do you wanna pretend like we’re strangers and have a hot one-night stand when we land?” 

“Sometimes I think it’s your natural response to flirt with a breathing being. Do you ever accidentally just, you know, flirt with a tree?” You try to sound sarcastic, but you’re genuinely curious. 

“If a day comes when a hot specimen like me has to flirt with a tree, humanity is doomed. Catch ya later!” He blows you a kiss before leaving for the restroom. You shake your head in awe, a small smile finding your lips. He knew how to get your mind off things.

For all his flirting, Jake’s interest in you is perfunctory. He looks after you, keeps you from starving or gouging your eyeballs out, and calms you when things are too hard. He’s seen your worst. You’ve seen him drunk out of his mind, bailed him out when he “accidentally” smoked up, and heard every new pick-up line his ingenious brain churned out. Basically, you’ve seen his worst as well. 

You take a look at your boarding pass. 3C. Jake would be in business class, and you in first. Not your choice, the company makes the rules. It's for the better, he says. Apparently, he can ‘prowl for his hunt better’, without your judgmental glare. You nearly vomit on him just for his choice of words.

Entering the flight, you stash away your hand baggage the first place you find the room and head to your seat and-

Holy. Shit.

Jeon Jungkook is sitting on your seat.

Jeon Jungkook is on your flight? 

BTS is on your flight? 

What are the odds?

Granted, you’re not a 16-year old obsessive fan, collecting photocards and waving light sticks through the screen, but even in your adulthood you’ve admired their music and shows, routinely keeping up with their discography. 

Hell, you even learned Korean years ago to better understand their songs. Maybe you are an obsessive fan.

But you can’t approach them like that. They no doubt want some privacy and not be recognized. God forbid you approach Jungkook with crazy eyes, just to be escorted off the plane for stalking. While you liked their work, you had your own, and getting thrown off this flight does not help you there.

So, you’re just gonna have to speak to him like just another passenger. 

BTS who? 

Biggest boyband who? 

You only listen to Frank Sinatra. 

“Excuse me?” You call out, a shiver of a whisper leaving your lips. You immediately chastise yourself for being so star-struck.

Big, round eyes glitter under the bucket hat. The softest ‘huh’ throws a lasso over your heart, and holds it captive. He adjusts his hat, inked fingers making a brief yet lasting appearance. The epitome of tenderness, you muse as his eyes flit here and there to figure out the situation. After finding no one to help him out, he gently offers “Yes?”

You feel extremely guilty for marring his serene face with creases of trouble. “I think this is my seat. See, 3C.” you say, pointing to the seat and then to your ticket for good measure. Did he suspect you recognize them? No. Do you look like you’re over-gesticulating? Totally. 

“Oh.” His brow distresses further, the sight has you ready to give the man your seat and hide in the bathroom for the rest of the flight. “But even I am 3C.”

His ticket shows the same characters as yours. 

Huh?

With both your faces contorted in confusion, an air hostess comes forward to help. 

“We both are booked on the same seat. How does that happen? Do I need to catch another flight?” You suddenly pour out, remembering the countless commitments you have in Seoul that would go down the drain if you don’t make it by tonight.

She's quick to reassure you. “Do not worry ma’am, I’m sure there must have been an error in the printing. I’ll be right back.” At the same time, Jungkook is approached by someone, probably one of their staff, to discuss the issue.

The air hostess returns smiling. “Ma’am, you both were booked on the same seat but this adjacent seat was left empty. We are extremely sorry for the error. You may take 3B.” She reiterates the same message to Jungkook in Korean, who then looks mighty relieved. 

Goddamn, his eyes got bigger. How much bigger can they get?

“All okay then?” He glances sideways, smile irradiating your senses and waking you up better than all the coffee could. 

“All good. Sorry for the trouble.” You add, even though it isn’t your mistake in any way.

“No no. No trouble” He beams back. 

Aw, you are in trouble. 

As the flight is about to take off, you can see the rest of BTS in the rows ahead of you, with some other staff members taking up other seats. There’s one old man with a scowl on his face, whom you can’t place with the BigHit group. Great, no crying kids. Unless the frowning grandpa snores to the heavens, you can actually catch a good four-hour snooze. Take that, Jake. Hope a kid blows snot in his face. 

Looking at your neighbor, you find him busy searching for a good video game on the screen. The other members seem to be using this flight to catch a nap, except him. You always wondered whether their on-screen persona was real or not. Now you could say at least one of his characteristics is true. 

Turning away, you bring your focus back to the document at hand. The schematics for a new product your company was launching. You had spearheaded its conception and looked over every single detail in its manufacturing. The Seoul branch is one of the main players in its production, and your last stop before heading back home. You must have every word in this file burnt in the back of your eyelids to make this deal smooth. 

Reclining your seat, and putting your legs up, you got down to business.

An Angel was calling you. 

You want to wake up, but you couldn’t, fearing the Angel would stop singing to you. Something is poking you, but the voice just drowns it all out.

Wait...

Fluttering your eyes open, you see Jeon Jungkook staring right at you. 

“Hi... They, umm--Food? Want to eat?” the Angel utters. Jungkook utters. Tomato, to-mah-to. 

“Oh!” you exclaim, wiping non-existent drool on your face. His palm on your shoulder quickly retracts at your exaggerated attempt to hide your embarrassment. “Thank you so much.”

Then, he does that thing. He smiles. Eye scrunch and all. 

Fuck the coffee gods. When you die, you want to meet the Grand Master and ask him what crack he was on to hand over so much power to one man’s smile. 

The food is placed on your table, and you thank the hostess graciously. 

“Do you need anything to drink?” She asks, to which you only shake your head. There was enough caffeine in your system to shoot a horse to the moon and you were still drowsy. There was no need to catalyze this process with booze.  

“Your Korean accent is pretty good.” Your next-seat resident comments. Ah, you had conversed with the hostess in Korean. 

“Thank you very much.” You giggle, roleplaying an acne-prone teenager talking to her hunk of a crush.

“Have you been speaking for a long time?” He pops a huge morsel of food after asking. Well, that’s another on-screen quality found to be accurate.

“Six years now. Comes in handy for my work.” 

“Oh! Did you have to learn it for work? That’s fascinating.” Another mouthful went in. You didn’t even know it was physically possible to hold that much rice using chopsticks.

“Uhh.. no..” You tussle your hair, trying to stop your cheeks from turning beet red, “I just listened to some music and consuming more content.. and subtitles are a bore, plus I needed a hobby at the time so..” 

Your unnecessarily long explanation was cut short by Jungkook’s child-like laugh, enjoying the pickle you were putting yourself in. 

“Hey! I just didn’t want to put you in an uncomfortable situation, that’s all.” you try to be cross, knowing it’s inconceivable since God himself seems to have given him whatever he wanted. If big ol’ Almighty can’t stand against his charms, you are but a mere pleb. 

He looks at you kindly. “Thank you, that was very thoughtful. I’ve been speaking to so many foreigners trying to get across to them I got surprised when you spoke so fluently.” 

He went back to chomping on his food like it was his last meal, completely unaware of your staring.  

You both speak for a long time. He explains their latest shoot and fan meeting, and you listen to him pour out his love for his job and fans as much as he could articulate. The rest of the emotion is portrayed by his now widest eyeballs (they cannot get any wider, you confirm by asking him - a request he apparently gets a lot) and intense gesticulation. It is very gratifying to listen to his past schedules, and you slip in a quick prayer for not having a job where you had to maintain public appearances while having a schedule as persevering as theirs. Sure, you had a ton of commitments. But can you throw your hair in a bun and aggressively scowl at a monitor and still meet your target? Fuck yeah.

You went on to tell him about yourself - your job, your travels, the reason you were in Seoul. He listens to them with rapt attention throwing in appropriate questions without interrupting your flow. He gives the right amount of sympathy; just enough to show that he understands why you have three sets of nightwear and a futon in your office, but not too much where it seems like you should “take a break” and “think about the joys of motherhood” - as you are often told. 

During the conversation, you digress a little to take in his slight features. The apple of his cheeks, in full display, when he tells you about how he pranked his members. The light pout of his lips when he talks about the times their path seemed too far-fetched, when every single obstacle felt like the end of their career. The stars in his eyes when he speaks of how he feels during tours, meeting the endless number of fans, the drive that keeps him going. They all make an endearing package. Eager to please, you kept the conversation going with gusto. The meal is followed by a snack break, after which you had effectively exhausted all conversation topics that could be brought up with near-strangers.

A quick alcohol break later, (yes, you caved, the catalyst was welcome) you both doze off, seemingly exhausted from recollecting respective timetables. He wakes up soon after to play video games and talk to the other members. But you fall into a deep slumber, with an Angel’s chuckles in the background guiding you through the sleep. 

Jungkook wakes up to see his character dead. The video game was forgotten after his conversation with you began. 

He spent an inordinate amount of time talking to you. And now that you’re asleep, he is only thinking about how much he enjoyed the conversation. Jungkook is not a speaker. His introversion leaves much to be desired in that department. Most of the time, his members cover for him, play the role of dutiful wingmen, and introduce him to their friends. And still, it took him a long time to talk freely.

But something about you made him open up.

Maybe it was the way you listened to him, lips slightly parted when you were absorbing every single word he let out. Maybe it was the questions you asked, treading lightly and skirting any personal questions. Maybe it was the fact that you pretended to not know him at first, mindful of his privacy. The butterflies in him could be explained by this.

But.

It could also be how graceful you looked, even though you’re dressed in sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. It could be how you carried yourself, with great elegance and poise, even though your work was taxing. It could also be your toe socks, and your glee when he showed you his.

Your personality is infectious. He already misses you, despite you being inches away, desperately wants to exhaust every second of this journey engrossed in you. 

He wonders if you feel that way too.

Speaking of whom-

A snicker escapes his lips when he turns to face you. 

In your sleepy haze, Jungkook sees that a) your mouth is wide open, b) your hands mindlessly fiddle with the reams of pages on your lap, and c) your eyes scrunch as sunlight pierces through the flight to bounce off your face. Cute, he muses, trying to locate the source of the criminal rays irking you. 

The window letting the sunbeam in is beside an old man sitting on the other end. He is eyeing the magazine in his hands with abject disapproval, like the booklet had sullied him and his family. 

Gathering up the courage, Jungkook calls out for the man.

“Excuse me, sir. Do you mind pulling the window shade?” He asks, in the sweetest voice that his hyungs would melt at first listen. 

Puppy eyes are met with the geezer’s piercing glare, making Jungkook wonder if he accidentally said something strikingly offensive instead of what he thought he said. About to backtrack his words and try again, he gets interrupted by the man letting out a big grunt, after which he continues in his endeavor to telepathically set fire to the magazine. He does not forget to give a nasty side-eye but completely refuses to comply with Jungkook’s request. 

“And my team thinks my glares are spooky.” You pique, having witnessed the whole interaction, “I ought to have him on board”. Jungkook snorts, and you take that to be his agreement. 

Pausing, you throw caution in the wind and add, “Thank you though, that was very sweet of you.”

He eyes you demurely. “No problem, you looked like you needed the rest.” 

“Listen, I-”

“So I was think-”

Ladies and gentlemen, we have just been cleared to land at the Incheon International airport. Please ensure your backpacks and suitcases are stowed away in the overhead compartments or underneath the seats ahead of you. The flight attendants are currently passing around the cabin to make a final compliance check and pick up any remaining cups and glasses. Thank you.

High-quality curses almost make it to heaven (speakers). The announcement dissipates all the courage you had mustered, feeling a rush exit your body. You had almost asked for his contact - and by the looks of it, he had wanted it too. Or maybe your hair is a rat's nest and he was just going to point that out. Guess you will never know.

You shyly smile at each other before going about following the instructions. Your half-read document gets stuffed back into its bag, to be read once you have no distractions in the form of eye candy armed with saccharine speech. Well, you have Jake to distract you plenty, but you can shoo him away by threatening his paycheck. 

As the flight descends, you look over to your neighbor - one last time, you guess - and surprisingly lock eyes with him. Anything that had exited you comes rushing back, veins in full alertness. A moment’s awkwardness later you both burst out laughing, each doing their best to hide their crimson cheeks. You find one more online fact to be true - Jungkook’s peak happiness laughter, eye crinkle and nose scrunch, can melt your whole entire heart. 

“Hey mami, come here often?”

“For the last time Jake, I will not hesitate to donate your bones for science.”

“Well, I heard bone, it's already a win for me.”

You let out a sigh of exasperation. There is no reforming him. 

“How was the flight?” Jake questions as you approach the baggage belt. Looking out for your somber black suitcase, you try to play it off like you did not spend the whole time in the company of a stranger who is on the fast track to your heart.

“The usual. Sleep, eat, read needlessly printed out documents that could have been shoved into on email, repeat. What about you?”

As Jake starts an account of his flight experience in exorbitant detail, you took the opportunity to try and find your ride. Once you locate it and get in, you catch the end of his sermon. 

“-and the name of the book will be ‘How to manage a farm - ‘cause chicks gon’ be crazy!’. What do you think?”

“I think it was a good idea I chose to zone out.”

“Y/N come on! It’s a self-help book for poor souls born without my raw charisma. Men and women out there want me, but I can’t satisfy them all. I will just resort to making more of me! It will have pointers, DIY’s and pick-up lines crafted by yours truly - wanna hear one?”

You throw your bag in front and turn to him. “Do I have a choice? Go ahead.”

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, he starts. “Am I cute? Squish my cheeks. Am I hot? Clap my cheeks.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Points for creativity. You’ll still get wine splashed at you.”

Jake was not one to give up. “‘It’s good we don’t need eye condoms, or you’d be on your way to delivery.’”

“Just… don’t have kids, okay? This gene must be stopped, right here.”

“Okay, this one is my all-time favorite. ‘Rack so big, I don’t motorboat, I motorship.’”

That’s it. The guffaw itching you since the start of this conversation is out of its cages, populating the air in the car. Wiping stray tears from your face, you face Jake, seeming very pleased with himself. Undoubtedly, he is coming up with absurd scenarios to ease your nerves. No book is in the works (one could only hope).

“Thank you, I feel much better now. You can stop coming up with these.”

The goof has the gall to look appalled. “I was going to cut you ten percent of my book commission but I guess that’s out. Hmph.”

“I’m at the receiving end of all these pick-up lines. I should make twenty at least for all the nuisance I’ve put up with.” 

“All right mami, we’ll shelve this for later. Here’s the schedule for today. You have a 10 a.m. breakfast meeting with Dr. Park Shin Young, Lead Research Scientist of the project. Then you have a bunch of seminars to attend, which will go on all afternoon. There’s a bar right beside this venue.”

“How is that pertinent?”

“So you know where to find me.” He continues, unperturbed. “After which there’s an evening meeting with the whole team to demonstrate the product and a marketing meeting right after.”

“Am I required for the marketing meeting?” Your expertise is limited to the technical field. PR work isn’t your cup of tea, but they stubbornly demand your presence. 

Jake exhales. “We’ve been through this. You CAN doze off during the meeting, but you have to be there. Just pretend you’re a college student, sitting in one class, completing assignments for another.”

“But if I’m there I feel the need to pay attention.” you whine.

“Clearly you weren’t one of those college students,” Jake says, perusing through his diary, “Stop being a pedant and do one of those things people do. Loving their jobs and whatnot.”

Before you can retort a reply, the driver pulls up to your destination and you exit the car. 

Eleven at night is when you finally check in to the hotel. The tedious day warrants your heels coming off before you even reach your floor. There’s an irritant drumming, from the balls of your feet right up to your temples, that beg for your attention. Setting your footwear on your bags, you massage your feet for temporary relief as the lift took you closer to a more permanent one.

Once your suitcase gets parked in the closet, you head to the bathroom to soak your day away with the bath bomb kit you were gifted in one of the seminars. The ball fizzles as soon as it hits the water, dispersing in tiny bubbles and a heady aroma of vanilla and lavender. The soft amber tones of the walls, the lambent gold lighting, and the ambrosial air put all your senses at ease. You sink in; the bathwater permeating warmth through your skin. Crackling bubbles with every move; the water teases your neck, soothing the laceration with every lick. Every pulse point on you is enhanced - you let yourself float wherever your mind takes you. 

A familiar face makes its presence known. You allow yourself to think about him, after pushing his visage away all day. Something about him… felt like home. Soothing, comforting, always speaking in dulcet tones unless something humorous pulled out a loud laugh. Even that wasn’t jarring; it was the exact opposite. Felt like sunshine filled your lungs every time he cracked up. Made you want to keep talking to him, keep him amused and entertained. You can’t imagine he converses with every stranger like that. 

But maybe he did; maybe this is some unspoken celebrity culture you were unaware of. 

All you know is that this was a once in a lifetime experience. There’s no way you are encountering another personage ever again. There’s no way you’re encountering him again. Luck can only thrive so far. 

So when you exit the bathroom, clad in a towel, remnant bathwater dripping from every end, the last thing you expect is Jungkook, spread out on the bed, casually flipping through his phone like it’s his own abode. 

“J-Jungkook?”

Y/N. In his room. In a towel. Dripping wet hair. Emanating a delectable aroma. 

Y/N. In person.

He is dreaming. He has to be. He's been thinking of you ever since the flight, so now he is delusional. Nothing else. There’s absolutely no chance that you’re in his room, let alone… like this. 

Right?

“What are you… what are you doing in my room?”

Wrong. 

Jungkook knows he should say something. He should not be gawking at you like he is doing now. But God. You look so pretty, eyebrows arched up in confusion, jaw about to be unhinged, hands fluttering around not knowing what to do. 

He forces his body to action.

"Y/N!" He exclaims, finally averting his eyes to face the wall. 

Pause.

"Wait, what do you mean MY room? This is my room!"

You’re baffled. "Huh? How is that possible? This was given to me!" 

“I really don’t know, Y/N, there must have been some confusion! Please, you have to believe me!” 

Jungkook wants to turn around and face you. He desperately wants to clear the air. He can see that this looks bad. He obviously looks like an enamored creep, waltzing into your space. You probably think he does this all the time. Many a time people have misunderstood him, his celebrity status not earning him many points. You must think the same.

And now you’re going to tell him to get out and never see you again, he hypothesizes. His brain is working overtime trying to remedy the situation, without noticing your now relaxing demeanor. 

“Oh, okay.”

“I’ll fix this, I’ll go to the reception and fix this. You don’t worry, I didn’t see anything, you can trust me, I’ll go an-”

“Hey, hey,” your tone gentle, “it’s okay, trust me. Just, let me get dressed and I’ll come down with you.”

Your soothing response almost has Jungkook on his knees. Whoever orchestrated this meet, he is just thankful for this good turn. Anyone else would go berserk, and rightfully so. 

But you’re not anyone else. 

He isn’t just anyone.  

Technically, he isn’t a stranger, you try to justify. You should have been more shocked, enraged, or at least doubtful of his intentions. But you weren’t. You had accepted his explanation, let him stay in your room while you changed in the bathroom, and now are en-route to the main desk to rectify this error.

The air around you two is strained; he won’t even look you in the eye. Any question you have is replied to concisely, leaving no room for a chat. Nothing to disperse the tension between you two. 

Like now, in the elevator, Jungkook has done the math and maintains the maximum distance between you. Opposite ends of the diagonal of this lift, his peripheral vision probably barely picks you up. However, his evasion helps in a way--you are able to study his full form.

He is dressed casually, and any lesser man would have seemed casual enough. On him, it is a whole new game. Ripped jeans hugging his sturdy legs, the slashed fabric allowing you a peek of his dangerous thighs. A plain white t-shirt tucked in to show off his lean waistline. The only thing holding you back from having a full-blown wet dream, wide awake, is his chestnut overcoat, saving his modesty and yours. 

Jake was right, eye condoms are the need of the century. 

To be fair, Jungkook had the worse end. He saw you scantily clad, post-bath glow and everything. You wonder what is going through his mind. 

Definitely nothing like the debauchery unfolding in yours. 

He has probably seen his fair share of women, and one hot to trot lady isn’t anything new. If anything, him dodging you is a sign of his civility, something you are lacking apparently--ready to jump his bones.

Stop thinking about his thighs, you whore. Get back home and trusty old Vlad the Impaler will take care of you.

The employee’s jaw almost hits the desk as Jungkook explains the situation. 

“Ma’am, Sir, we are extremely sorry about this confusion. We usually keep another key for family members, but somehow you got them both. We are deeply apologetic.”

“Yes, it’s okay, I’d just like my room key now and-”

“We will give you the best of our service to make up for this disorder. Not that we didn’t plan on giving you the best anyway, but now it will be top-notch! Please allow us to have your room cleaned again ma’am. Kyuyoung-ah! Get the people to prep 5338 and set 5337 again, and add more flowers!”

“Hey, that really won’t be necessary, we can just go back and forget about all thi-”

“And!” She continues, relentless, fully intent on doing her job, “Here are coupons for our round the clock pub! The ambiance is phenomenal, and our bartender makes a mean drink! You can use the facility for free during your stay. Hope this compensates for our gaffe. Once again, we are extremely sorry!”

She extends two passport-sized coupons that you hurriedly grab, wanting this quandary to end. 

The walk back to the elevator is less tight-lipped, only because Jungkook starts his deluge of apologies. Even though you had felt the same way on the flight, he was going overboard. You quickly assuage him and deflect his concerns.

“It’s okay, Jungkook. It really is. I know it was a mistake.”

“I know, but I shouldn’t have just walked in like that. I should have checked.”

Your expression is the visual form of a question mark. 

“Do you go around making sure your hotel room doesn’t have a surprise occupant?”

You’re taking this too lightly; it's obvious you are doing it for him. He can only laugh, broad delicious shoulders loosening in relief.

After a delay, you add, “You can’t help it if fate wants us crossing paths like this.” 

The quip makes Jungkook lose a beat. He cocks a brow in surprise - at that juncture, his features lose all boyish charm and turn unquestionably irresistible. 

Then, in a flash, the expression is replaced by his usual grin, back to his boy-next-door spirit. Are there world records for this speed? Jungkook needs to sign up to one.

Collecting the stars floating around your head, you return the favor, thankful that the barrier is now broken. 

After a quick break of courage gathering, you turn to him. “How come you’re staying in this hotel? Thought you’d be home.”

A thought is building in your mind; that this is too personal a question. But before you can take it back, you hear a chime. Jungkook moves. And somehow, you are moving with him. 

The elevator door opens, and people walk out. 

But that’s not where your attention is. 

You are focused on the sole patch of your body in contact with Jungkook’s arm. 

The palm of his hand sitting at the small of your waist is what had guided you away from the elevator. Even through the fabric of your t-shirt, his hand is sending goosebumps all over your body. The air feels twenty degrees too hot for you.

Jungkook is simply being his chivalrous self, while you are ready to get arrested for public nudity.

Woman, you are a disgrace. Get laid.

Jungkook will high five himself once he gets to his pad. 

Is it right to get so euphoric about the smallest act of intimacy? That too with a near stranger? He has no answer. You are special to him; that much he knows. And someone up there agrees with him as well, letting him run into you again (albeit under crude circumstances; he’ll take what he gets). In this proximity, he can hear the slight gasp that escapes you once you recognize his hold, feel your muscles tense, smell the flowery fragrance you still carry. The fragrance that takes his mind on a rewind routine; one he forces to a halt. He feels lewd for taking pleasure in that misfortune, but he can take pleasure in the present. 

Entering the elevator, Jungkook has taken note of one thing: the roles have been reversed. On the downward voyage, it had been him avoiding you. Now, even with the closeness, you refuse to meet his eye. Something on the carpeted floor has your unrelenting attention. Letting his gaze dip to you, he bit back a smirk. Good to know you are as affected by him as he is by you.

“It’s a shoot.” 

You relent, looking up to him. “Huh?”

“You asked me why I’m here, it’s a shoot. The site is close by, so we don’t waste time traveling. Once the shoot is done, we will get back home.”

“Ah, that makes sense.” 

You beg your grey matter to find some topic of conversation to halt the blood rushing to your cheeks. The atmosphere is frozen again, but not like last time. Any unease earlier present has drifted. The tension that once kept you from closeness now keeps you from moving apart. His hand sits unmoved, continuing to rest on your hip. Jungkook can hear the loud thudding of a heartbeat, but he cannot discern whether they are from his heart or from yours.

Continuing after a pause, “I will be here for a few days now.” he adds, the suggestive hint of the words masked by his innocuous smile. 

“Ah.” You lamely add. You ought to kick yourself - but at this closeness, you might hit him too. 

The span of your separation is contracting, even though none of you move. Like the land underneath you is shifting, because even Mother Earth can’t handle the sexual tension in this confined space. 

“Ma’am, Sir, you’re here!” 

The booming voice of an employee disrupts the scene. You jump, wondering how you didn’t hear the door open, while Jungkook takes a graceful step back unscathed. 

“Your rooms are ready, please follow me.”

The walk back is quiet, except for bashfully exchanged glances and racing pulses. When you finally reach your respective rooms, he speaks again. 

“Want to accidentally cross paths with me at the bar?”

The heat reaches your ears. A moment of silence prompts you to look up, and you are held hostage by his eyes. His gaze flickers, intense and probing. Then, as if it never happened, his eyes narrow and his smile softens, harmless and easy. Again, this has to be witchcraft.

“Maybe we’ll let destiny decide. Hasn’t failed us so far.” 

Now, alone in bed with nothing but your thoughts, you wonder when it will ever happen again.

Three days. Three days before it happens again.

Three days filled with conferences, a ton of files, and a lot of battery acid disguised as coffee. Apart from the success of your work, the highlight of your time is when Jake tried to fix his shoe heel at a meeting and ended up gluing his fingers together. In a quiet room filled with immersed employees, he had yelled, “Superglue, my ass!”. 

The punctuation was not vocalized. 

Tonight was your last night in Seoul. It was supposed to be a night to yourself, but an office party pulled you out of your cavern to get dressed. You put on an elegant dress, a black and silver number, only to find the ‘party’ was the most monotonous excuse of networking. High-end businessmen exchanging cards over non-alcoholic fizz was not your idea of a party, so you quickly excused yourself. 

The coupon still weighed heavy in your purse, carrying memoirs of the last time you saw him. You had wanted to go earlier, but always held yourself back. What if he wasn’t there? What if you missed your chance? Why did you have to sashay away with a cool statement that night instead of clawing your way through the lust-filled air and settling things then and there? 

You supposed a drink at the hotel bar on your last night couldn’t be a bad thing, even if Jungkook didn’t show up.

So here you are, sipping on your wine and trying to appear nonchalant as you look out the window overseeing the city’s skyline. One ear is trained to the door of the pub, the slightest peep from that corner alerting your antenna. 

So far, no sign of him. 

This won’t work, you tell yourself. Second time’s a charm, third time’s pushing it too far. 

But as you wave the bartender to top up your drink, the corner of your eye catches movement; one, two, three heads appear through the door. Signature multichromatic mops of hair make their way in, forcing your pulse to marathon mode. 

And then you hear it. 

You hear his trademark cachinnate echoing through the structure. Multitudes of contrasting sentiments fill your gut. Are you sensing relief, that fate served its purpose without fail? Or is it the anticipation of how events will unfold? A sense of titillation, that a three-day old bond makes you feel more than year-old relationships you’ve had? You pry your eyes from that direction, trying to appear aloof when you are anything but. 

When you think you’ve gathered your composure, you look up. Like a hare falling for its bait, you are trapped, because he is looking right back at you.

Jin and Jimin are laughing about something that happened on set today, but Jungkook only has eyes for you. He can’t believe his luck. 

The past few days, his schedule had no give. After every shoot, the only thing he remembered was taking off his shoes and falling into a deep slumber.

So today when the shoot wrapped up earlier, Jungkook grabbed his trusty wingmen and open bar enthusiasts to utilize his coupon, and possibly test his kismet.

“Wasn’t she on our flight?” Jin observes, tracking Jungkook’s sight. 

“Oh yeah! Dude, is she the one?” Jimin keenly notes. “How do you keep bumping into each other like this?”

Jungkook downs his whisky, the burn felt from the throat to his diaphragm. “I don’t know, hyung. I don’t know what to do.” Beckoning the bartender for a refill, he tears away from your sight. 

 “Okay, liquid fortification is all good but how about,” Jin stops briefly to pluck the coupon out of Jungkook’s hands, “we handle the drinks department while you attend to her?”

Jimin nods in assent. “The worst thing you could do is spend time with her slurring and garbling while she ditches your sorry ass.”

“Hey! I won’t do that. Just, ” Jungkook gulps, “I don’t know... We’ve met like, hardly a few times. It really doesn’t make sense. What if we’re not on the same page?”

Jimin frowns, and even Jin seems unhappy with his reasoning.

“Things don’t have to make sense. You’re two consenting adults. You like her. By the way she’s eyeing you right now, I’m sure the feeling is mutual. You said it’s easy to talk to her right?”

Jungkook pouts, but sees his point.

“Then go with that. Don’t chart out a plan, just go with your heart.” Jin adopts a soft smile of encouragement. 

“Meanwhile we will grab the others and exploit this coupon to the full extent!” Jimin gleefully appends.

Jungkook’s eyes crinkle as he laughs with the other two. They are right. Carpe diem, right?

Finding you again, his breath hitches. You look beautiful. The sleek black dress with silver embellishments over the torso. It hugs you in the right places, accentuating your already alluring frame. Your shoulders bare, elegant collarbones waiting to be tasted. Hair tied up, exposing the delicious curve of your neck, a stretch Jungkook wants to pepper kisses onto, without missing a spot. You look exquisite against the backdrop of the night.

Carpe noctem it is. 

“Did you really dress up to use the coupon?” The tongue-in-cheek query breaking your line of thought.

A breathy chuckle leaves your lips, hopefully masking the frenzy in your heart. 

“I had a party. A very dull party. Figured I preferred my own company over that.” 

“Do you prefer your own company over mine?”

He’s still standing, tall frame waiting for your permission to occupy the next seat. God, he looks amazing.

“Not at all.” The words leave huskier than you intend, but they convey the message.

He takes the seat, a mere step away, his cologne wafting over to your side. The alcohol buzz makes the scent feel stronger, every bone in you wanting to dive in nose-first. 

Apparently you have been staring, because he nervously chuckles “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Should you go the modest route or fuck it?

Fuck it.

“You look... great today,” is all you get out. Stupid brain spewing half-baked goods.

Understatement of the year. He looks like sin incarnate. All black attire highlighting his golden skin, the dichotomy of his whole look has you understandably tongue-tied. Black jeans - no rips, sadly- with a dark grey high-neck t-shirt, tucked in of course, because pain is the only constant for you. A black trench coat is thrown on top to seal the look. The obsidian outfit sends desperate need through your body, an intense desire to rip it all off surging through you. Somehow, through all these layers you can sense his fit body, his rippled muscles, his sturdy pecs, like they have an aura of their own. 

“Ah, thank you. You look amazing as well.” Halting a moment to sip his drink, he resumes.  “Sucks that you dressed up for nothing.”

“Well, you liked it. So it's not for nothing.”

If looks were potent, Jungkook’s own could set you on fire. Gaze coolly raking over your figure, the tick in his jaw betrays his reaction. A chill passes through every part of your body under his intense scrutiny.

“Are there other things you would wear… if I liked it?” He carefully treads.

“There are certain things I’m wearing right now that I’m sure you would appreciate.” 

If not for the shrinking distance between you two, you couldn’t have caught the low hiss. His animalistic need, usually kept well under control, is raging against its bonds, screaming to let go. Your exquisite gown, flowing down your curves, accentuating the swell of your ass - God save this dress from his feral hands. Against his will, he restrains himself. He would make this a lasting encounter. 

“How many drinks have you had?” He needs you to remember every single moment.

“Two glasses of wine, don’t worry. You?” 

“A shot of whisky, that’s all. Haven’t even finished my second drink.”

Gone were his cherubic appearance and dimpled smiles; the man in front of you is oozing pure sex appeal. His clenched jawline, furrowed brow, and perfectly placed tresses add to his raw masculinity. The cusp of your thighs is damp; if this is his effect here, what will it be behind locked doors? You wonder whether this is the same man that gushed about old-era video games in the flight. 

“Well, if you are wearing them for me, I’d be a fool to miss them.” he brings you back to the present. Twinkling eyes match your eager ones as you give a small nod.

Every step you take shoots a thrilling tingle through your spine. Every inch of distance closed forces you to close the next with doubled speed. Every foot forward adds to the thick air, laced with hunger, desire, and an inordinate amount of trust placed in the hands of a stranger. 

The first time you two walked back to the elevator, his move had caught you unaware. 

Now, the arm wraps around your entire waist, body flush against his, yet you yearn to get closer. 

Last time, you couldn’t match his gaze, skin burnt a crimson hue. 

Now, your eyes are locked together, any movement in your surroundings be damned.

Michael Jackson rising from the dead and performing Thriller wouldn’t tear you away from your current view (sorry MJ, maybe next time).

When the doors close, he places a palm on your bare back, bringing you to his chest.

“I’ve wanted this so bad, ever since I met you. It’s insane.”

The hand caressing your back makes you sigh. “Not if I wanted the same.”

His grip tightens. “The things I want to do to you...” eyes searching yours, ”tell me you can handle it.”

“Oh baby,” you drawl, “I’ll do whatever you want. Whatever it is,” your lips hover on his, “I can take it.”

The elevator doors opened too soon for your liking, and Jungkook drags you through the corridor. You’re practically hanging on to him, feet barely responsive, the faint buzz of wine making you giddy. His hawkish gaze soaks in everything you do, memorizing every response to his touch. 

You lean over to lay wet kisses on his neck. Pleasure searing through his veins, Jungkook’s knees almost buckle. He pushes you against a wall and locks you in with his form.

“Uh-uh-uh, honey,” he tsks, “you’re not making this easy on me?”

You pretend to ponder. “Well, I didn’t plan on making it easy.”

He smirks, all sex, and the wetness between your legs is making its presence known. Leaning into your ear, he whispers, “Unless you want me to have my way with you right here…” and all your brattiness dissipates. 

Satisfied, he grins. “Your place or mine?” 

“Hmmn, depends.”

He cocks a brow. “On?”

“Am I gonna be able to walk tomorrow?”

That damned smirk. “Your place it is.”

Jungkook’s lips are on yours the moment your door is locked. He cages you against its frame, teeth clashing and biting anything they find. You let your hands roam all over, searching for something to hold on to. A throaty sound leaves Jungkook when your digits card through his hair and tug on it, a sound you gladly swallow.

Time seems to have taken a break. Your thoughts are blank. You chase the kiss like it's the only thing you know, the only thing you’re born to do, your sole mission in life before you die. The bruising pace Jungkook set is eagerly matched by you. Gravity is slowly losing its meaning, and you’re nothing but a stray entity floating in space. And this kiss is your only source of air. 

Jungkook pulls you towards him, closing the nonexistent distance between you. Heat rises from his chest, the feeling is hypnotic beyond reason. A taste of you has ruined every other flavor. He kept his eyes half-open, sneaking peeks at your flushed face whenever you come for air. His fingers explored your body, grabbing your ass and pulling you into him. Your clothed crevice jolts at the friction, hips hounding for more.

The moan that leaves you gets muted, because Jungkook takes this opportunity to take control. Tongue forcing its way in to explore every corner of your mouth, it melds with your own muscle. If this were a dance, it would be a fierce tango, oozing with sexual tension. Breathing is now trivial, this kiss is imperative. 

Jungkook’s hands grab your hips and twirl you, both of you now facing a full-length mirror. You can witness your neckline being abused, mulberry blossoms left in place. The sight has your sex clenching, and lips liberated, you couldn’t stop yourself from mewling.

“Fuck, Y/N. I’m going to make you scream so loud, the hotel reception will hear you.”

With your head spinning in lust, you try to form your words right. “An- And what? Discuss how a second room for you was - oh god - was useless?” 

Jungkook pauses to admire his craft; your neck, shoulders, and collar are now littered with bruises, like a garden of hyacinth at his disposal. The view is maddening, your lusty gaze locked on to him in the mirror. His mane is tousled, no doubt your handiwork, and his hand is tracing the outline of your dress. 

“That cursed day,” He chokes out, “You were so fucking hard to resist you know?”

You turn back to face him, hand reaching back to undo your halter neck, “You have me now.” Stepping back, you let your gown fall.

He froze. You are standing in front of him, robed in only your black lace-embroidered strapless bra, and matching panties, each adorned with a white bow. The swell of your breasts barely caged in the cups, making Jungkook drool at sight. All the wind was knocked out of his lungs; you look like a prisoner’s last meal, waiting to be devoured. 

“On your knees.” he commands.  

Not a second is put to waste. You begin undressing him, unbuckling the pants and aggressively pulling them down. Next come the boxers, and you are faced with-

Wow.

You mean this in the nicest way, but, what a dick.

He is already hard, the mushroomed tip angry and red, leaking a drop of precum begging to be tasted. The girth exceeds your expectation, already visualizing the delicious visual of your cunt stretched thin. He is going to reach places even Vlad the Impaler couldn’t; you are already brimming with anticipation for the final act.

And his thighs. Nothing angelic about them. Taut. Muscular. Sinewy. Something uncivilized in you wants them to trap your frame between them, caging you, pinning you down. You press kisses on his inner thigh, letting your tongue poke out when you hear him exhale. A sharp bite shocks Jungkook, but you only smirk.

“Wanted to do that since I saw you.” 

The stare that meets you is practically challenging you to try that again, and perhaps reap some delicious consequences.

You bring yourself back, giving his cock the full attention that it deserves. Looking up, you see his half-lidded eyes, assertive and arresting, compelling you to go on. 

You bring your palm up to him. He raised a brow in question.

“Spit for me.”

Jungkook almost busts his load when he hears you. “Fuck, so dirty.” he garbles out. Rolling his neck in an attempt to divert his blood, he takes your hand and drops a thick glob at the center of your palm. 

A throaty moan arises from you, and his dick is harder than ever.

“Go on baby, show me you can suck dick like a champ.”

You give him a confident look; you’re about to rock his world. Starting with small licks, you tease the slit and taste the pre-cum lodged in it. Meanwhile, you work the spit along the shaft; you spit on it again, the original amount insufficient to cover the length. You can feel his dick twitching against your attention, eager to be sheathed. Interspersing with some long drags on the underside, you zero in on the pinched skin under the head. 

Jungkook is staring at your jerking him off. The sight of you, clad in lingerie is blowing his mind. If that was not enough, the mirror in front is providing a sumptuous secondary perspective. The smooth stretch of your back, the swell of your ass, the panty fabric barely able to cover the expanse, everything on you is making him short circuit. Seeing you on your knees, your deferential nature stirs something in him. If he doesn’t control himself, he will bend you in half and ride you to sunrise. He doesn’t want to scare you, but fuck, his depraved early man instincts are telling him otherwise. 

“What are you- ohhh, holy shi-”

Instead of slipping his cock fully into your mouth, you hold it up, and pay careful attention to his balls. Jungkook’s hands come to rest on your head, a telltale sign of his unraveling. With a smile, you let your tongue swipe through every nook and corner till they are coated in saliva.

“You think you’re such a fucking tease, ” He grabs you by your now unraveled tresses and pulls you back, “Ease up baby, your throat is in for a treat.”

In one quick swoop, he lodges himself at the base of your throat, provoking your gag reflex, but you restrain the urge to pull back. Breathing through your nose, you suck and swallow whatever you can; his girth isn't giving you much to work with.

Jungkook growls. “Such a tight fit. Like you’re meant to be like this. Forever.”

The last word slips out unwittingly. 

Alarmed, his eyes flit down to gauge your response, but all you are doing is looking back at him. 

Fuck, your dovelike eyes are captivating. They look so angelic, a complete contrast to the perverse posture you are in. Not an ounce of displeasure in response to his words. Pure, unadulterated affection for him. Only for him. 

“God, you’re going to be the death of me.” Jungkook husks. “You’ll do anything for me, you said?”

Muffled whimpers impart your compliance, and you bob your head up and down for good measure. The tip of his cock hits every ridge of your throat, the vibration releasing more fluid down.

“Pleasure yourself, baby. Touch yourself, but don’t you cum.”

Your brow distresses further, a disgruntled whine leaving you and reverberating around him. Already so turned on, the lightest friction would make you combust.

Jungkook’s teeth clench. “Edge yourself for me, sweetie.” 

It's like your body is tuned to his command. Slipping two fingers under the band, you part and slide them on either side of your throbbing nub. Despite you avoiding any pressure point that might push you over the edge, the pleasure threatens to tip you over. 

You look over for his approval. Swallowing, he nods. Your self-stimulation is making him dizzy. It's time to get serious.

“Such a good girl. Don’t stop, okay? I’m going to fuck your throat raw.” Starting with mellow jerks, “Hope you don’t have to speak anytime tomorrow.” he rasps.

The carpeted floor grazing your knees only adds to the revelry. You’re not in control of yourself anymore. The back of your gullet is aching as Jungkook shoves into you again and again. An amalgamation of his salty juices and your dribble lewdly coats your chin and neck; you must look ravished. Everything with Jungkook feels augmented; every single motion of his making your sex clench. 

He is close - you can feel his grip on your hair tightening. 

“Can I cum on you?” words slither through his clamped teeth. You frantically nod. 

With a loud grunt, he pulls you off and releases all over your chest, a stray pump landing on your chin. Thick liquid, dripping from your jaw onto your collarbones and breasts, the whole scene is filthy good. Your unfilled cunt is aching to be replete with the cum. 

Post-orgasmic glow is dazzling on him--hair drenched in sweat, tufts sticking to his forehead. His breathing is heavy and resonant as dilated pupils take in your soaked state. Bending down, he crooks a finger under your chin, anchoring his attention on your dewy stare. The onyx embers in his eyes bore into yours, studying for any hesitation in them. A microscopic moment of tenderness, unspoken words exchange between you. 

Satisfied to find only searing hunger, his digits collect the beads of cum on your jaw, pushing them back into your mouth. Your eyes roll skyward, relishing the briny taste, nearly asking him to do it again. Leaning further, he grabs the wrist of your hand that is thoughtlessly rubbing your sex - you didn’t even realize you were still doing it. You feel drained, like you orgasmed vicariously through him. 

“My turn.” He wears a devilish expression on his archangel eyes.

Lips connect once again as he pulls you up. If he tastes himself, he is relishing it, with his tongue exploring the deep cavern. With wobbly ankles, you let him guide you to your bed, dropping on your back. He follows you, pouncing on you, plunging into your mouth again like a beast hungered. Bodies melting together like an icicle under the summer blaze, your hands hunt to frisk his skin. Realizing he is yet to undress, you yank at this t-shirt, attempting to liberate him from the offending fabric.

“Tsk, greedy.” he bit your ear, soothing the sting with a kiss. 

“Cruel is what it is.” You huff, like everything he’s doing is not a blissful affair. 

How do men do that? Violently ripping their shirt off and leaving a messy mop of hair in its wake, nevertheless looking like they could walk a runway the next instant. Jungkook was no exception. The moment he pulls his shirt off, you are rendered speechless.

Chiseled chest like the work of an artisan. Droplets of sweat race down the paths traced by the sculpted abs, an intense desire to taste them forming in you. He is a mesomorphic dream who puts Greek gods to shame. Swallowing, you let your hand trace the outline of his pecks, feeling him shudder against your touch.

“Jungkook, please.”

Who was he to deny you?

Leaning up to you with a wicked smirk, Jungkook drops a thick line of spit right on your hardened nipple. The concoction of his cum and spit soaks through the lacy material. A lone finger circles, avoiding the spot that requires the most attention. You arch your back, begging him for more, just more of anything. The wet fabric amplifies the emptiness in your cunt. 

“Aww,” he coos, clearly amused by your neediness, “undo this for me, sweetness. Let me see you.”

Moving at lightning speed, you unhook the bra, swinging it away to a corner of the room. 

“Oh no.” He mock-frowns, veins bulging on his arm as he controls himself. “Look at these tits, fuck.” Mind reeling with ideas, filthy ideas, of all the things he wants to do to you. “You’ve ruined everything else for me.”

You tremble. “Good, so have you. Want you for myself. Want you,” pulling him close, “to do your worst.” you end with a whisper.

Jungkook’s jaw tightens. “Careful what you ask for,” he grits before diving headfirst into your bosom. 

He licks and laves and bites and laps--your breasts are on fire. Continuing his marking spree, new blemishes make an appearance on your torso. Nibbling on one nipple, he pinches the other; pulling moan after moan from you. 

Your hips barely touch the bed, bucking up in response to Jungkook’s sinking teeth into your ample bust. He has decided to not leave an inch without his saliva, and like a man on a mission, covers every part with rapt attention. 

“Yo- You don’t have to--oh holy fuck--you don’t have to, cover me in marks you kno--ohh my go-” The sentence is spastic, piercing mewls breaking your flow of speech and thought. 

“These fucking tits,” roughly clasping your pert breast in his large palm, “they look so much better like this.” The proud smile he shows has not the slightest hint of regret. 

Catching a break, he twiddles your nipples, letting his other hand sit on your covered sex. He is teasing you; you recognize that. Just giving you opportunities to disobey, to take all the pain he has to offer.

It’s a good thing you like the pain.

You slowly roll your hips, trying to grind against his palm, taking whatever help you can get.

A sharp smack lands on your clit, shooting your eyes open - you don’t even know when they closed. Jungkook’s hand is soothing the site of the blow, the pain converting to pleasure under his touch. 

“Patience, sweetness,” the gravely whisper sending tingles down your spine, “such a good girl for me.”

You give him a slight nod - he smacks you again, once, twice, thrice, without a break. Your entrance is smarting, but you want to give him everything. Biting your lips to stop the labored moans escaping, you clench your eyes and savor the burn.

Your show of obedience has Jungkook’s heart thronging. Fuck, he was enjoying toying with you. Playing you like a fiddle. You produce every tone he desires in the form of wanton melodies, he wants to play them over and over again like his favorite song.

“How are we doing?” he asks, a shit-eating grin plastered on him. Before you could answer, his fingers shallowly enter your soaked pussy, still hampered by the cloth. 

“You- fuck, you said I was the tease here?” Your hands are at his wrist, begging to pull the scrap of cloth aside and have his way. 

He comes to face your sopping mound, pausing only to speak “Never said I wasn’t,” and starts pressing soft, feathery kisses. “That day, seeing you dripping in that towel, I dreamt of having these legs around me.”

“I swear, at least take it off - oh Jungkoo-”

Without warning, he kneads your ass and pushes you into his face. 

You feel like you’ve been on the edge for hours. The suckle on your engorged clit along with the abrasion of the lace gets you so close. So damn close. So, so clo-

The tightness in your belly finally snaps and you howl, gushing your vat of arousal onto his face. The high was more intense than you had imagined, so high that you wonder if you will ever find your way back to reality. You feel like a rock in space, aimlessly floating in the vast nothingness.

You dimly notice Jungkook toying with the lacy hem of your panties, pulling it back to snap it against your hip. The sting is soon forgotten, along with your panties flung across the bed, as he parks himself back between your legs.

“You smell incredible.” He approves, taking a long whiff of your honeyed center. “Look at you, so messy.” He licks a long stripe along your crease. “Messy girl, I should clean you up.”

“Wait Jungkook-” you oppose, lids heaving in pleasure. “I need you inside me, please. I can’t take -oof”

Gnawing at your sodden folds, he let his nose press against your clit. “You’re so fucking tight, you think you can take me?” He shakes his head. “Gotta stretch you out, gotta make me fit.” He presses his tongue against your nub, feeling it throb in anticipation. “And I think you can give me one more.” He ends, before invading your drenched channel with two fingers. You are putting up with his torments the best you can; walls fluttering against his lips, legs entwined behind Jungkook’s back trapping him between your thighs. 

“Ah! God - I, I can’t-” Your eyes are screwed shut, hands bunching the sheets in your grasp.

His fingers fluctuate between scissoring motions, their lengths opening you up for him and curling inside, fingertips finding the rough patch inside. He adds a third finger, pussy straining to accommodate them all. Your thighs clench in the burn, and he groans into your pussy at the pressure. Increasing the pace, he pumps into you harder and faster, sucking your puffy lips in tandem. 

“Please, please, harder - let me cum - please oh go-” 

“Fuck yeah baby, your pussy is just sucking me in. You like that? You like me shoving into your cunt?”

“Uungh yes yes I love it!”

“Doesn’t it hurt? Or are you such a slut for pain? Tell me, tell me you’re a pain slut.”

“Fuck, Jungkook, don’t you stop- I am! I am a pain slut! Your pain slut!”

“Goood girrrll,” he husks out. Even though he is taking charge, your words are what control him. “Only mine. My pain slut will come for me now.”

A spray of cum ejects out of you, coating Jungkook’s chest and inundating your legs. The coherent part in you recognizes that you just squirted, but the neanderthal side shuts all recognition of anything that is not Jungkook’s cock. Even after two climaxes, you are hungry to get more. More of him. 

If you don’t fuck him now, you will lose your capability to reason. 

Limbs still heavy and reeling from the ravaging, you pick your pieces and drag Jungkook to the headboard. 

“I’m going to ride you.” you declare and straddle him. 

Jungkook is staring fixedly at your still-leaking cunt. Running his tongue over his lower lip, and licking the remnant syrup of your release. You position yourself, letting the drippage fall directly on his erection. He twitches, eyes still feasting on the mess you are making. 

Finding purchase on his shoulders, you lower yourself. Jungkook’s breath staggers as you drag your inner lips along his hard shaft. You repeat this motion till your fluids drip to his balls. 

“Y/N, I swear to God, if you don’t stop with this-”

“You’ll do what?” you challenge, an eyebrow raised in response to his threat. 

He grabs you by your waist, jerking you up before bringing you down on his dick. Your cunt, creamy from his earlier ministrations, gives no resistance to his hardness. His cock twitches inside as you bottom out. Pulling you closer, he bites your lip and tugs at it. 

“I’ll do this.”

A sharp spank makes you clench around him, the supple flesh of your ass ricocheting in response. 

“Go on baby, ride me.” 

The low-grained command sets you in motion. Slowly gyrating your hips, you feel every ridge of this length inside. Jungkook’s grip on your waist tightens, and you’re sure you will see evidence of it tomorrow. Your grasp on his shoulders isn’t faring any better. 

“You’re so tight, fuck, and so wet. Who made you like this, huh?” A second spank punctuating his question.

“Oh God, you-”, you barely manage to recognize your own voice, “You, Jungkook! Only you!” 

“That’s fucking right, only me.” 

Hips snapping, he meets you halfway. Both of you are lost in each other, lewd sounds of your skin slapping and juices quelching barely muffled by your desperate whines and moans of passion. Eyes locked in like magnets, neither of you could look away. 

Jungkook pulls back a little, slapping your jiggling tit. Your sex clenches, and the following slap has you lodging yourself in the crook of his neck, searching for a reprieve. 

“Want some help?”

One swift move and you are on your stomach, face pushed into a pillow, and ass out. A final spank lands right in the middle, and you can feel it pulsate everywhere. He pushes back into your glistening core, taking control of your pleasure and pain. One hand carding through the nape of your neck, pushing you down, the other hand grabbing your waist and setting the pace. The new angle hits deeper, you feel so full. 

“Jungkoo--unghh I need to cum! Need to- umph- cum so bad!” You are wailing at this point, shame lying somewhere near your flung clothes.

“Fuck, babe, me too. Go ahead and play with yourself, nice and slow.”

It takes a few swipes for the tightness in you to detonate. Tears flood your face as you unravel, your orgasm crashing into you like waves of a tsunami. You clench tight, wetness flows out of your hole as Jungkook pumps in and out, chasing his high. 

He comes undone soon after, ropes of his ejaculate filling your insides. He stays in, plugging you as if to not allow any of it out. But as his member softens, he gives in, turning you on your back to meet his face. 

Butterfly-soft kisses are exchanged after the blazing encounter. He asks you if you’re okay between breaths, a tender murmur you almost miss, as if you weren’t screaming your lungs out moments ago. Nuzzling into his neck, you confirm.

A snort disrupts the silence. Looking up, you see Jungkook chuckling.

In response to your cocked eyebrow, he says “Want to talk about what a freak you are?”

“Want to talk about what a hypocrite you are?”

“Hey, you asked me to spit on you!”

You mock-gasp, hand on chest for the extra effect. “My breasts need medical attention after your attention! Freak!” 

Laughter echoes in the room as you two tumble in the blankets, and you feel his release seeping out of you. Turning to him, you pout, “Your mess is leaking out of me.” 

Jungkook gets up to leave the bed, and you expect a wet towel coming your way. 

What you don’t expect is him parting your legs, gunmetal eyes following the rivulets escaping your abused hole. 

“Your cunt smells so good with my cum on it,” he purrs. 

He gathers the escaping thick liquid and pushes it back into your quivering core. 

Jolting with oversensitivity, you try to stall him but he is fingering you with a vengeance. The ache and soreness soon dispel, bringing forth a new wave of ecstasy. His unrelenting stare concentrates on the mix of fluids on his fingers. With a few strokes on your sensitive bundle of nerves and fingers stuffed inside, you come again, legs shivering and pussy overflowing, his juices intermingled with yours. 

You are dazed; you’ve lost track of everything. The room is spinning in front of you and your body feels like lead. All you can manage is to arch your neck, and plead, “No more, you freak.” 

Jungkook giggles, eyes crinkling in good humor. Ah, the duality of this man is a force to reckon with. You can’t believe this is the same man that fucked you into your bed like a primordial beast. There’s no way you can move anytime soon. 

After a clean-up interval, you are wrapped in each other's arms, melting into the embrace. His musky fragrance putting you at ease, you tuck your in the nook of his neck, basking in the aroma. Hands pressed against his broad chest, exuding warmth for you. His hand cradles your head, snuggling in closer till there is no space to cover. Sweet nothings whispered into each other’s lips, tender kisses exchanged in place of the scorching ones that had passed. You drift in and out of your slumber, fearing the sun would ascend too soon and break you apart. 

A dim glow from the other end of the bed wakes you up. On turning you find Jungkook, dressed in his now-wrinkled clothes, seated on the edge. His gaze, pensive. You lay a hand on his thigh.

“Oh, did the light wake you?”

The alarm on his face makes you smile. “No, your absence did.” 

The corners of his mouth turned up, eyeing you with softness. 

“I have an early schedule. I didn’t want to wake you, but, ” he lets his palm rest on yours, “I also didn’t want to leave without it.”

Neither of you know how to walk away from this. The silence is deafening, unuttered sentiments hanging in the still air. Jungkook’s chest is heavy. 

This is insane. He wants to lay you against a bed of flowers, treat you like the delicate petal you bear resemblance to, worship your body till the sun succumbs to your blazing passion. How is he to explain that his heart is beating through his chest for someone he knows for mere days? He rifles through his memories for a similar instance. 

He finds none. 

Maybe you don’t feel the same way. Maybe, you are blissfully unaware of the tumultuous emotions lurching in the pit of his belly. He can’t assume you will echo his lovesick needs, but he can’t let go. 

You inch closer. 

Fervid feelings die hard. He probes your eyes searching for an intensity matching his. 

You let your lips convey the answer.

Passionate as ever, you draw him into the kiss. His lashes flutter against your rosy cheeks. At the moment, there is no dominance in him. Almost like his tongue, dragging across your swollen lips, is healing the brutality of last night. If you pull back, he comes after you; an incessant tug of war no player wants to win. 

“Please Jungkook,” you choke between kisses, “Please tell me this isn’t the last of us.”

He is hovering on top of you, the galaxy in his eyes twinkling at your words. 

“Please, I don’t want this to end.” You continue against his lips. Head versus heart, you fought a losing battle; how were you to stall the inevitable? Fueled, you plunge your tongue into him, determined to make your ardor known. The void of ferocity is filled with slow sensuality; like he is the sole reservoir to quench your thirst. 

“Y/N”, he breathes out, “I feel like I know everything about you and nothing about you at the same time.” Resting your foreheads against one another, he continues. “I’m not about to let fate decide when we cross paths again.”

A grin finds your lips. “Destiny really pulled its weight here, didn’t it?”

He wordlessly nods, not wanting to break the tranquility in place. However, it is short-lived; his phone’s ringer makes sure of it. 

“Yeah, I’ll be right down.” Something the speaker says turns Jungkook scarlet red. “I said I’ll be right there!” he yells before ending the call.

“The members are asking why I wasn’t in my room.” he clarifies, waggling his brows.  You join his laughter, happy to have just the simple moment with him. 

After exchanging numbers (and a photo for keepsake), Jungkook presses one last kiss, lips promising to find each other again. Somehow, you don’t say goodbye. You just stare at his disappearing body, confident that the next encounter is not far. 

Jake is babbling about his night, how he managed to ditch the god-awful party and hang out with some overenthusiastic college-goers who paid for his drinks with their trust fund dough. This is usually the time you ask him if he’s proud of mooching off of children, but today his exaggerated narrative is cracking you up. 

His forehead creases. “What’s up with you today? You haven’t vowed to skin me alive even once.”

“You like it when I threaten bodily harm?”

“I’m kinky like that.”

You just shrug. Erotic images make a fleeting appearance in your mind, but they are interrupted by your flight announcement. 

“Aren’t you glad this is over? You can go back to overworking yourself in your office instead of a hotel!” Jake remarks, throwing his bag over his shoulder. “At least your back won’t break in the travel.”

Thinking over your experience in the city, you confess “Actually, I look forward to returning here.”

A thought slips in, curving your mouth into a smile. You quietly add,

“And yeah, my back was broken all right.”

Thank you for making it to the end! Please do let me know what you think!

[sundayswiththeilluminati]

I LOVE your meta on how essek was the perfect asset and want to ask the follow-up question in your tags: how do you think it went down? The agreement between Essek and the Assembly? And I think the fandom was convinced Essek would be disposed of after the peace talks — how do you see his future if there was no intervention by the Mighty Nein in 97?

ruvi-muffin asked:

What are your specific thoughts abt how ludinus recruited essek??👀👀 oh Person who knows a surprising amount of spy stuff 🙏🙏🙏👀👀👀

Anonymous asked:

PLEASE share your specific thoughts about how Essek was recruited, I'm so intrigued!

Anonymous asked:

Hello yes i am very interested in these very specific thoughts about how Essek got recruited? All these things about how actual intelligence works/uses their assets/how that ties to Essek and the M9 is really interesting :D

Thank you all so much for asking me the specific question I wanted someone to ask. I had to write and rewrite this post a half-dozen times because I kept going off on tangents about other Cold War spy stories so trust me there’s plenty more where this came from.

For reference, my original post on what made Essek an ideal recruitment target and why the M9 were the ideal counter to it.

First off, this is all based on real-world intelligence ops and is only as relevant to the campaign as Matt Mercer cares to make it. Having said that *slams notebook on table* BUCKLE UP, KIDDOS.

There are two ways Essek may have been recruited: he approached the Assembly or the Assembly approached him. I think the Assembly approached him. Not to be too hard on the guy, but Essek said it himself: he’s kind of a coward. I can’t see him mustering up the nerve to take that first step. Plus his espionage seems to have focused specifically on the beacons rather than dunamancy as a whole; that sounds like the Assembly to me. The beacons specifically offer the prospect of immortality and the Cerberus mages are arrogant enough to assume they can figure out dunamancy themselves if they have a beacon in hand. There’s no way the Assembly haven’t been trying to beg, borrow, or steal those beacons for centuries. Essek may not have even been their first try - just the first that worked. 

Chronologically, Essek would have popped up on either the Assembly or the Augen Trust’s radar quite early as I assume they keep tabs on all powerful Dynasty mages. As they followed his career, the Assembly would have ID’d Essek as a perfect target for recruitment as a spy, and then further for ego-based recruitment. Recruitment for espionage is a slow process - even slower in a fantasy world where some races reasonably expect to live 500+ years. Many intelligence agencies will do a sort of light meet-and-greet just to start a file on various people who might years later be of interest. The Assembly would have cultivated Essek as an intelligence asset with the same degree of time and care - and using some of the same methods - that Trent used to turn the Blumenthal trio into assassins. 

If they followed a modern playbook, they would have made contact with Essek anywhere from 2 to 10 years before the theft - nothing underhanded. A Cerberus mage approaches him at a negotiation or conference and strikes up a conversation. Then it’s increasing “chance” encounters to get Essek familiar with the handler, play the “we’re both mages, really we’re on the same side” angle to earn enough sympathy & trust to start talking regularly. Once the channel’s open, the handler and asset meet and/or talk routinely while the handler assesses the target’s motives, weaknesses, and the possibility that they’re a double agent. 

Espionage proper then starts with small favors, acts Essek can rationalize as victimless or even helpful to the Dynasty. In this stage the handler is getting the asset comfortable with engaging in espionage. They reward the asset for what feels like minimal moral trespass. For Essek that would have been praising his research, encouraging avenues of investigation they knew the Dynasty had shut down. Having meetings with Ludinus plays right into the ego trip - the Head of the Assembly himself is taking the time to meet with him! The Assembly gets how important this work is! That keeps Essek isolated from Dynasty members who might convince him to take a step back and builds loyalty to the Assembly over the Dynasty.

Once an asset settles in, espionage becomes easier. Routines get established. Moral hurdles have been overcome. Now the asks get bigger and the rewards get sparser. The handler will suggest larger acts just to get the asset thinking about them, since the more they consider “just hypothetically” how to pull it off, the more likely it is they’ll do it. This is where the idea of stealing the beacons would get introduced (though of course it’s been the goal all along.) I’ll bet the Assembly hinted at all the study that could be done if they could just get to the beacons in person, constantly bemoaning the lack of access. By now Essek sees the Assembly as colleagues in arcane pursuits, kindred minds, unlike the boring, stuffy old mages of the Dynasty. Of course he could outwit the Dynasty’s security and get the beacons to the Assembly - he’s a prodigy, a genius, everyone says so. And it’s not like he was stealing all of them. The consecuted would be fine. Everyone would be fine.

None of this is intended to absolve Essek of personal responsibility. But it provides a context for his actions, and for why he might regret them so much even though he apparently did them willingly. Asset handlers are very, very good at drawing someone willing to commit minor transgressions into far greater crimes. Look at how Trent shaped Caleb, Astrid, and Eadwulf. He didn’t order them to execute their own parents on day one. He spent years coaxing, tempting, and coercing them into darker and darker crimes, letting them rationalize their own actions at each step, preying on the same vulnerabilities as Essek: isolation (separating the three from other students, telling them their work was secret), ambition (the promise of great arcane power, of shaping the Empire’s destiny), and ego (”we were going to keep the empire safe,” telling them they were gifted, they were chosen).

So how do IRL spies rationalize their actions? Those who spy for reasons of conscience or ideology have done the rationalizing ahead of time, but everyone else has to get there somehow. Some who spy for revenge tell themselves it’s what their superiors deserve, while others tell themselves everyone’s doing it. Some just need a lie to get started (most commonly about who they’re spying for), while others have to keep up the charade all along. Let’s look at a few cases similar to Essek’s that demonstrate just how slippery the slope can be.

Aldrich Ames, a long-term CIA officer slash double agent for the KGB, got suckered in by thinking he could control the situation and wasn’t really hurting anyone. Ames had chronic financial trouble related to excessive drinking & his wife’s lavish lifestyle and in 1985 came up with a plan: he would essentially con the KGB by selling them a minor amount of classified info that he deemed “virtually worthless.” In April he set up the exchange and the KGB paid him $50,000, enough to satisfy his immediate debts. But after actually doing it Ames said he felt he’d now crossed a line he couldn’t step back from, and continued to sell information to the Soviets. By the time he was caught he had, by his own admission, compromised “virtually all Soviet agents of the CIA.”

While some assets just need a lie to get started, others require a delicate dance of self-delusion. Col. George Trofimoff was an Army officer who ran the center where would-be Soviet defectors were assessed & questioned. Trofimoff, a Russian émigré at a young age, was chronically in debt. In 1969 he renewed his acquaintance with his stepbrother back in Russia, now a bishop in the Russian Orthodox Church, and began to pass secrets in return for money - but he and his stepbrother never framed the transactions as such. Trofimoff described their meetings as, “very informal. ... First, it was just a conversation between the two of us. He would ask my opinion on this and that--then, he would maybe ask me, 'Well, what does your unit think about it?' Or, 'What does the American government think about it?’” His compensation was similarly informal: “I said I needed money. ... And he says, 'I tell you what, I'll loan it to you.' So he gave me, I think, 5,000 marks and then, it wasn't enough, because I needed more. ... Then he says, 'Well, you know, I'll tell you what. You don't owe me any money. And if you need some more, I can give you some more. Don't worry about it. You're going to have to have a few things, this and that.' And this is how it started.” Trofimoff could pretend to himself that he wasn’t really spying - just having a chat with his stepbrother - and wasn’t really getting paid for it - just borrowing a little money.

This got longer than I intended it to be and there’s still plenty to talk about, so I’ll save the rest for a second post. Next time: what happens long-term to espionage assets? And what happens if an asset regrets their actions and/or attempts to cut off contact with their handlers?

(This accidentally turned into a series on Essek & IRL espionage: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4)

[hikari3601]

Unrequited (Part II)

Home page

Part one | Part Two

Pairing | Xiao x Yaksha! Reader

Authors’ Note | This was actually quite interesting to write, especially Bosacius’ piece. Anyways hope you enjoy!

Warnings | Mentions of blood and gore, major character death

“Our fate is to die an agonising death one way or another my friend. Our karmic debt merely dictates the way in which we die.”

The world around you seemed to slow down, one moment Bosacius was apologising profusely and the next you felt warmth spread from just above your abdomen. It took a moment to realise what had happened, but soon enough, once you had registered it, the pain you felt spread like a wildfire, its level so unnatural -even for a Yaksha, you practically prayed for death to take you.

The man who had now shifted to hold you correctly started weeping as of in mourning and by now the voices in your head had gone silent in rage and envy at the sight of your pain but at the hands of another.

You looked down only to see his wrist peeking out of your midriff. Through the pain, you smiled, finally understanding the magnitude of the karmic debt which you had all accumulated. Redemption was nothing but a wistful dream, something that the ‘All Mighty Yakshas’ did not deserve, for centuries worth of death would only breed more death.

Throughout your silent epiphany, Bosacius slowly regained his consciousness and looking down, he, too, gained an understanding of your situation.

“Y/N… D-Did I do this? Why -why would I ever… Archons! Please forgive me, I’m so sorry. Please don’t-”

“It’s ok.” You mumbled, lulling your head onto his shoulder. You tasted the blood in your mouth and frowned. Poison, you noted. He had poisoned you as well.

“You need to leave before they come back.”

“But what about you?”

The world around you blurred -but unfortunately you didn’t have the luxury to space out, not in a situation as dire as this.

“I’ll manage until help comes, but if Xiao or Master see this you will be killed. I don’t have much power left but I’ll need you to enter my abode. You will most likely teleport to a random place, but I’ll make sure that my adeptibeast teleports you to somewhere far from Liyue.”

“I can’t leave you! You’ll die if my arm is removed!”

“I’ll die either way. They made you poison me. I’ll most likely live for about 15 minutes at the rate of which it’s spreading and 10 if you were to remove your hand.”

You felt your body loosen up as it became harder to stay conscience.

Sure you would be able to live for some time extra, but that didn’t mean that you would be awake or without pain.

“I don’t hold this against you Bosacius. You were under the influence of vengeful spirits, there was no way you could have fought them off.”

“W-What has gotten into you? You’ve always believed that we would overcome their power-”

“Our fate is to die an agonising death one way or another, my friend. Our karmic debt merely dictates the way in which we die.”

You tried to move your arms to comfort him one last time but found that you couldn’t move an inch.

“I know you feel guilty, but I’d rather you live than die at the hands of your comrades…as ironic as that sounds. I want you to live Bosacius, our pain means that we conquered over all those who could’ve hurt our beloved nation. I know it’s selfish to ask this of you, but please, you must live. Live with the guilt of listening to my words, but please, don’t let me die knowing that I could have saved you.”

Albeit slowly, you managed to force your body into bringing your realm dispatch key into being and heavily, you placed the object onto your friend.

“Thank you for all the laughs and smiles my friend, you shared a heavy weight with me, and for that, I am sincerely grateful to have known you. The time has now come for me to repay you.”

“Y/N-”

You closed your eyes in an attempt to shut out the pain in both your gut and heart -that only seemed to get worse without the presence of your friend.

In times such as these, you hated being a Yaksha. If you were human, you would have died long ago, but due to your immortality and high tolerance to practically anything related to death and most forms of pain, injuries such as this one took longer to affect you -but the poison had taken its toll on you.

You truly were selfish, you thought.

You didn’t recall falling asleep, but you woke up when a pair of arms shifted you. Wearily, you opened your eyes and met a pair of sombre, amber orbs looking down at you with so much pain, you, too, felt it; the guilt, the restrained tears and all the resentment held towards the lamentable fate of the Yakshas.

“You made it back.” You groggily muttered.

“Where is Bosacius?”

“He left.”

“Where to?”

“My abode.”

“Grant me access.”

“No. You’ll kill him when you see him…and he left with my dispatch key, no one can go in anymore.”

Silence settled upon the two of you for a brief period as Xiao held you close.

“You are a fool.” He mumbled into the crook of your neck.

“I know, but you still love me.”

You heard him sigh in defeat. “You’re a foolish immortal who only pesters me…but your death will plague me more-”

“Try being genuinely nice for a change.”

Despite your plea, Xiao remained silent.

“Hah, is it that hard to be nice to me?”

You sorrowfully smiled, “Am I such a terrible being that you can’t even bring yourself to say one nice thing to me while I’m on the verge of death…”

“You’re not going to-”

“Face it, Xiao. If you do, it won’t bother you as much when I’m gone.”

He waited another moment, “You looked pretty today when you sat atop that roof and looked at me.”

He shifted his head as if hiding from your gaze.

“And when you asked me to stay I actually considered it.”

The world around you started fading in and out of focus again, but this time it was more of a hassle to remain awake -your time was almost up.

“And what have you decided?”

“I will stay.”

“But what does it matter if the person who had requested you to stay leaves?”

“It’s what you wanted…and it’s the only way I can honour your life. I cannot narrate your life in a book for I never had the courage to ask you about your past and I cannot tell the humans of your beauty in fear of hurting them with my karmic debt. Staying is the only way to continue your legacy.” He paused.

“I’ll think of you…always. For as long as I live, your words will live as well.”

“Jeez Xiao, I asked you to be kind not lie.” You smile, but despite your joke, you felt your heart flutter at his words.

Xiao pulled you in closer, not caring for the blood -your blood, that soaked his body.

“I’m not lying.” He whispered. “I apologise for not returning your feelings in the manner that you want and deserve, I…am unable to be compassionate and loving like you, but I still hold you dear to me, despite my outward behaviours. I wished to protect you…but in the end, I only failed.” 

“Don’t spew such nonsense. Knowing that I’ll be remembered by someone I love as much as you, will truly allow me to rest well a-and having you here by my side -hell, just being in your arms is something I will forever cherish… You didn’t fail, not in the slightest, you saved me so many times -from my loneliness and fear. I wish you could see into my mind Xiao because if you could you’d understand just how much you truly mean to me and how much you’ve done for me.”

Things slowed down again and this time you didn’t fight it. You felt a wave of warmth consume you and you smiled -you had reached the end, but you were content, for all that was held in your heart had finally been released.

“You may have been my second favourite Yaksha Xiao, but you will always be my most cherished companion, although I-I wish we could have been more…” Finally, with all the remaining strength you had keeping you alive, you let yourself gently caress his soft hair.

XxxX

He felt the soothing pressure of your hand on his head gradually lose its strength before it glided onto his cheek and finally fell to your side.

He removed his head from your neck and quietly gazed down at your weakening form in his arms -he never looked down, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to bare seeing that horrid sight.

His eyes glossed over with the hundreds of unsaid promises and words that he held within as he watched your breathing slow to a complete stop. The diamond on your forehead flickered once, twice and by the third time, it never relit itself.

You had passed -with a gentle smile on your soft visage, in the arms of the man whom you had given your heart and soul to. 

He only wished he could have done the same.

[sparring-spirals]

okay! something something liveblog TLOVM s1 episode 8 LETS DO THIS I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO CASS (this one got long sorry)

call it influence of the Mighty “man we end up busting a ton of cults” Nein but lots of people chanting in the start of an episode put me on EDGE okay. anyway hello pike! :)

oh, sorry, more of a “hello pike :(” still going thru it, i see. breakups (with magical entities) are rough!

christ i was vibing too hard with the intro and got jolted by the whole “cass and percy” situation WHOOPS.

yay healing magic but also ohgOD are you putting dirt DIRECTLY INTO AN OPEN WOUND???? THAT SEEMS EXTREMELY- (I am dragged offstage by the collar)

anders, sir, i think percy might be a little too angry to appreciate your monologuing. classic miscalulation, you should’ve gotten at least half your monologue in BEFORE playing your big cards.

“this revenge is mine” “not if you’re dead” sorry percy your friends care about you and also are dramatic hoes who deliver one liners to undercut your one liner.

you know i made that quip and then Vex delivered the reverse one-liner about the long shot and... that might be a twin-specific thing. These dramatic hoes. I adore them.

pike 🤝 keyleth : muttering “please work please work” when they cast spells because of a complex relationship with themselves and their power

ADORABLE keyleth moment but also- CASS don’t SCREAM with your throat oh god Keyleth don’t GRAB her by her throat oh god don’t TILT YOUR HEAD BACKWARDS. *mutter mutter healing magic mutter mutter*

FUCKING charm person, always a bitch. anyway i love the little moments when they figure out a fight and do Good. before they kill each other.

SKJDFHALSJDGSHD this shouldn’t be funny but pike working her ass off panicking and worrying to reach the everlight and then she gets there and its just “who r u”

anyway: poor pike oh man :(

again: LOVE the moments of teamup and smoothness (right before they kill each other. but that vex/keyleth teamup! nice!)

me: oh no this is a 4v1! *watches percy get taken over by demon* ..... 4v2?

oh i was hoping someone would rip out his silver tongue but this is also good :) “work out all the angles” one-liner brain always at 100% huh percy

fantastic mundanity of VM chasing a tongue while percy strides by leaking smoke. like “ah yes, percy leaking smoke, we’ve all seen it now, CATCH THE GODDAMN TONGUE”.

again: sick one liners. and keyleth going “guys, the smoke!” thank u kiki.

i look up from stuffing cass into my pockets: what? no? i? what? listen shes mine now get away. anyway sibling relationships really got me *waves arms inarticulately* aaaa

ngl with the tone vex used for “kinda terrified... kinda impressed” that’s not what i thought the second half of the sentence was going to be. that said, from vex, what she said is probably the higher compliment.

keyleth looks so happy and at peace doing this, awww

yes i am googling “does slit throat cause blood to come out of mouth” yes it is for a shitpost on a fandom blog i run please do not arrest me

(i don’t think it does but i also didn’t research very hard)

i adore all these voice actors but matts delivery of “delilah, what are you doing” was a lil wack and made me laugh a little. did this man just wake up

1: *googles how much blood is in a human body* 2: sylas seeing this and just going 🤨 kajsdfhlasjdfh

fucking CHRIST everlight!! use a zone of truth like everyone else!! goddamn!!!

sorry, correction: fucking CHRIST everlight!! recommend a therapist like everyone else!! goddamn!!

I think there’s a genuinely interesting analysis/discussion around faith-driven guilt and “goodness” and etc but i also think its really funny- and sweet! that pike was like “im... bad.” after all this struggling :( and the everlight was like “nahw ur good nw ok see you”

okay seriously joking aside: this is a really, really lovely scene, and beautifully done. <3

“of course its zombies! fuck me!” listen Scanlan, that IS what you were asking for.

cinnamontography <3

overall:

- i really, really enjoyed this ep, actually! Not sure what it is but so far I’ve very much been enjoying the second ep in each of the releases lmao.

- a lot more medical and biological questions coming out of this ep than i was expecting, but that’s how it goes sometimes i guess.

- I think in general the little character interactions and quips in action/battle are some of my favorites- they always feel very right and are always so telling in multiple ways :’D like Vex being mean to Keyleth but trusting her in combat, speaks VOLUMES. Grog raging being about rage, but also about his friends. Who ducks and hides, who backs up who- augh. lovely.

- Cass. <3 like, I know, there’s still Some Things that’ll happen, but damn shes BEEN thru it okay. 

- Pike’s scene with the Everlight- so, so, so, good. In dialogue, in VA, the bit with the VM silhouettes- very nice.

- Percy got a ricocheting bullet shot and some VERY cathartic murder and we love that for him and also his smoke demon. but mostly for him.