#i had many ideas but i decided to draw him with miss spade because his relationship with his mom was one of the things that made me love him

[stellabyystarlight]

it's 3/6 in japan sooo... happy bday to the bestest boy ever!!!! 🫶♠️

[spirit-shroud]

what are some roles that have been largely changed for cityrune? since you said queen was an influencer now :]

hi ty for asking me im vibrating. havent gotten to talk about this au now for three years and now that chapter 2 is like real and this time i can like........draw occasionally and i have more understanding of nuance...... [grips table] [screams]

this isnt quite what you asked but heres what's everyone from chapter 1 has been Up To with a little bit of context (and under a read more bc it got LENGTHY):

kris - professional stay at home teen (they live w/ asgore n help run the flower shop sometimes. this decision was entirely bc i dont like toriel). was wrongly diagnosed w Sudden Soul Rejection when they were incredibly young and given an experimental transplanted soul as a replacement. it works for them fine, give or take having to see gaster once a month for checkups. but sometimes the soul makes them skittish n decides they're going to sit in front of the pc and play 30 consecutive hours of a certain simulation game and not even let them drown people in the pool. if it were entirely up to them, they'd be like. passing out on the sofa to documentaries about bigfoot. or practicing cool knife tricks to impress their friends at their next tabletop meetup

- EDITED IN: the soul is kind of their friend. they are wearing a hypothetical get along shirt. most of the time, they agree on actions and things to do. tends to refer to themself + their soul as we/us which originally was just something they did in their head but they kept slipping in speech/text n just became a Thing of how they talk. switches to 'I/Me' whenever smth is wrong.

- also edited in: they believe the soul they have is their original soul bc nobody has told them otherwise. whenever theyre like 'oh yeah we think about our soul n view it as a separate entity to us like. all the time. it likes to hurt if we make too many choices it doesn't seem to like and kind of forces us to be a toned down version of what we want to be but thats just how souls are haha' and everyone is like.... 'Hey Kris That's Really Not How It Is.' theyre like. 'huh. gonna ignore that for now' - this was going to be a plot point

toriel - head of H0MEWOR1D (H01)'s department of education; kind of lost her roots as a simple math teacher as she was pushed into a lot of power she didn't even really seek out. divorced asgore over some miscommunications in their relationship; also loosely as a result of grief from asriel's death

asgore - the same. runs a lil flower/gift shop. people come in more to talk with him than to buy flowers most of the time, though

asriel Flowey - he's back in flower form, thanks to the government an accident. causes a lot of technology glitches wherever he goes, and wants revenge. isn't sure how to go about it. asriel "died" around 8 years before the story takes place and kris still misses him and refuses to even THINK about even the IDEA of calling someone their sibling after what happened, just in case it somehow happens a second time

susie - more of the same really. she spends most of her time either at grillby's (she's sort of become his assistant n helps with opening/closing. it just happened) or getting into low-stakes trouble w/ kris

noelle - she's in the city's equivalent of college and shes so tired. shes So Abysmally Tired n got kinda pushed 2 follow in her mom's footsteps. she's rarely around anymore except through text or on monsters & mages (dnd) night. (however.........she will come back w/ a long break n hang out w everyone again)

berdly - tbh i didnt even consider berdly when i made the au initially. idk what he's doing. probably in a similar situation to noelle??? canonically got kicked out of the M&M group due to clashes w/ other players but lurks in their group chat to posts memes sometimes

didnt rly think of any other of kris' classmates (+ their families) after ch1 and probably will continue to not, until chs 3-5 come out and i gotta whip up roles and histories for like. a lotta guys all of a sudden. i also forgot about noelle's parents

sans - runs a convenience store that everyone kind of thinks is a front, but also it has really cheap snacks and the local teens make a point of stopping there after school. so essentially, more of the same papyrus - similar to ut. is a very polite and sweet boy but you'll know when he's coming

grillby - he's back. he runs a bar like back in ut but the cozy vibes and weird-for-a-bar hours keep attracting kids who need parents, so half of his menu is comprised of overly sweet mocktails. usually only frequented by monsters

QC - same as usual. has a "rivalry" with grillbz but, theyre besties and have a book club

mettaton - he's real and he's back. he's similar to how he is back in ut w/ his EX body. likes to hang out at grillby's and talk to unsuspecting fans. has a show for everything

napstablook - similar to how they are in ut. helps mtt with making music sometimes. doesn't leave the house too often, but spends a lot of time posting on undernet

undyne - unfortunately. more of the same. she is a cop in the monster district. i am also upset by this but couldn't think of anything better for her

alphys - a doctor studying under dr. gaster in the hopes she'll one day take over his research. she spends most of her time as a nurse with a bigger title, though, and blocks out the weirdness of her job with anime.

gaster - weird guy. H01's top soul researcher and resident House wannabe. trying to manufacture the ultimate soul that can be controlled with simple internal switches, but so far he's only had 1 (very limited) success with a certain human. monsters just melt, and darkners just sorta......get weird... he's onto Something, though.

ralsei - lonely boy with some very strange hobbies. popular on UnderNet for poetry, baking videos, and general cryptid vibe. is the DM for the monsters & mages group (also seems to think everything is actually very fine in H01 when it is very much not)

lancer - about the same. professional Round Boy. lives w/ rouxls full time. follows susie around like a lost puppy and calls himself her "underling."

rouxls - runs a hotel/casino kind of deal where the objective Bad Guys hang out, and usually ends up doing any of the spade king's paperwork.

spade king - mafia godfather. kind of a dick. don't play cards with him

seam - works with the spade king as his right hand cat more or less because they have for a lot of years and are in that 'sunk cost fallacy' zone. thinks of retiring to a quiet life in the monster section of town like, daily

jevil - used to work with the spade king, but got imprisoned for Crimes. got weird after The Accident (separate from asriel's accident)

temmies (all) - dont really get mentioned except offhandedly but they run the monster space station. so far, are the only monsters who have ever been to space.

as far as chapter 2 goes:

yeah i dont have much so far for characters. in the original version of the au i accidentally made darkners as a whole just kinda..... not great? like all sorts of weird organized crime ties n sort of going out of their way to be A Problem to the city (not even in like. a revolution way. in a working against them but with the same goals kinda way). with the whole context it worked At The Time, bc i just had the spade king to look to as a villain, and also in this au the darkners are just trying to survive a world that ultimately was not built for them (that humans think they own, and monsters sort of... seeing this and wondering what it'll mean for them whichever one wins), but w/ new info abt how the dark world works n more guys to work with i want to kind of. edit the vibe a bit. like yea darkners will ultimately do whatever it takes to take over H01, but maybe in a better way than like. idk. all this. it doesnt have to be peaceful or anything it just has to be more adaptable as we meet more kinds of darkners

however yeah i thought up 'queen as some sort of childless mommy blogger/influencer' and that completely revived all memory i had of this au. she should be on mtt's talkshow. also she sells collectible wine glasses w/ her likeness

spamton is another one of gaster's failed soul experiments, but he hasn't melted yet, and seems............fine? sort of. so he hasn't gotten decommissioned yet. he does want to give you malware tho. hot monster singles in your area n all that

im blanking on the rest of the guys but i hope any of this was comprehensible

[slightlyrebelliouswriter23]

Ace of Spades

This beautiful cover art was drawn by @corpsecro​ ! ♠︎💫

Summary: Inej Ghafa, most certainly not a tomato, endures the drunken Barrel King’s witticisms and the Kaz Brekker equivalent of a lacy negligee. That is all.

Chapter 2- A Smiteable Offence

There was not much Inej Ghafa wouldn’t have done to have been able to frame a portrait of his expression in that very moment. 

She was used to seeing Kaz’s scheming face. In fact, they’d once made a game out of spotting it, all those months ago. Her heart still ached for those memories, and the people she’d had to leave behind. 

But the expression Kaz wore was nothing at all like his scheming face. 

I have a proposal, she’d said. 

And for the first time in all the years she’d known him, Kaz Brekker had looked truly flummoxed. As if he was trying to puzzle out what it was before she told him. 

The opposite of his scheming face, in every respect.

Inej imagined it was the expression he was so used to seeing reflected on the faces of others while he plotted. A little thrill ran through her. That she had been the one to draw that expression on his face was a feat worthy of endless bragging rights. 

But Inej had promptly schooled her features into cruel amusement—a mask she’d perfected during her time on the high seas, when there was no other option than to remain either cruel or amused or some mad combination of both. 

Then, Inej had ordered Kaz out of the bath.

“Why?” he’d groused. “I can hear you just fine from amongst the bubbles, Inej dear.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” Inej had said. “However, I think Ghezen might just smite us both for discussing matters of business in such an unbusinesslike setting.”

He’d given her an incredulous look, his eyes like pools of spilt ink, and she’d thought of lemons and elephants and vomiting over the side of her ship to keep herself from blushing. 

Kaz had held her gaze from under sable lashes, his head wreathed in clouds of pink bubbles. “So this is for Ghezen’s sake,” he’d said, words slurred by the effects of alcohol and a disbelieving tone.

She’d shrugged. “And yours. Unless you like the idea of being smitten by the gods.”

“You don’t believe in Ghezen, Wraith.”

“Ah, but Ketterdam believes in Ghezen,” she’d said, sage and sober as a scholar. “And we are in Ketterdam, are we not? Best respect the gods of the land, Kaz.”

At that, Kaz had only sunk further into the bubbles, mumbling something about her saints. 

“I’m nothing if not pious,” she’d said sweetly, and slid with graceful ease off the counter. 

This bathroom, Inej had decided, was much too small, much too hot for bubbles and verbal sparring and Kaz Brekker. With everything save for his nose and eyes below the water’s rosy surface, she’d felt him tracking her movements towards the door.

“I’ll be waiting,” she’d thrown over her shoulder as she sauntered into the adjoining room and silently let out a held breath.

Now, Inej was staring at a soot stain in the carpet while Kaz dressed in the bathroom. He had left the door ajar, and she could hear the sounds of water slowly circling the drain, the lazy donning of dry clothes. Steam and a bouquet of wildflowers wafted through the open door.

“I hope your dressing process is not as indulgent as your bathing process,” she quipped from her perch on the cherrywood dresser. She hadn’t dared to sit on the bed for… more than a few obvious reasons.

The top of Kaz’s dresser functioned as a second desk of sorts. It was covered in stacks of parchment and books, ink bottles and silver pens and loose nibs. But Kaz had managed to carefully organise the assortment of bits and bobs into something that was not chaos. Inej expected nothing less from him. 

Besides, she thought, it made it easier for her to find a space amongst the official documents and other business accoutrements. 

She picked up a wooden block that looked like a game and a puzzle wrapped in one from atop a perfect stack of papers. 

She could imagine Kaz sat here, at his desk, fiddling with the puzzle block while scheming to keep his hands busy, making a delightful myriad of concentrated faces. Or late at night when he couldn’t sleep—

Inej placed the cube back down. A dangerous spiral, her thoughts.

“You’ll forgive me for doing a certain amount of primping,” Kaz drawled, his gravelly voice smoothed over by remnants of whiskey, echoing off the tiles of the bathroom. “I was threatened with a brutal smiting.”

“You don’t have to do any primping,” Inej snorted. “I didn’t drag any of the Dregs up here. It’s just me.” 

“No,” he said. “It is you and Ghezen.” He poked his head into the bedroom. “Arguably the two most deific figures of my decidedly immoral life.” Kaz gave her a languorous smile, and all the saints damn her for noticing he had yet to put on a shirt.

For a fraction of a moment, Inej’s eyes went wide. Then she remembered herself and thought of cabbages (which she’d survived off of for months and despised with every bone in her body) and the way Nina had looked the last time she saw her.

There. Now she most certainly was not blushing. She hoped.

“So you see,” Kaz said, “I must comb my hair.” And with that, he disappeared into the steam of the bathroom once more. 

Perhaps, she thought, as anxious as she was to begin, allowing Kaz some time to sober up a bit before discussing such serious matters might not be such a bad thing. Especially since drunk Kaz seemed to have a penchant for uncharacteristic joviality and exchanging witticisms that made her susceptible to turning pink.

Inej swiped away the thought and stared hard at the baroque rug. 

Kaz had attempted to cover the soot stain with a lamp, and the sight of it made that small ache in her chest bloom again. 

A carpet, which had not been here the last time Inej was in this room, and was likely just as expensive as it was new. A soot stain, the sign of a story she had not been told, had not been there to witness. 

Both things, signs of life ebbing and flowing around her like the tides.

Inej saw life in the little things, the small and insignificant changes made while she’d been away. There were so many—and they were all reminders of just how much she’d missed.

Of course, she’d been busy, too. Enormously so. 

She had followed her heart’s desires. Captained a ship of ruthless female pirates and warriors, traversed the True Sea, tracking down slavers and bringing them to their watery demises. 

She had made a name for herself. A name that was hers and only hers. 

Inej Ghafa, Slaughterer of Slavers.

It had a nice ring to it.

None of what she had accomplished was negligible in the slightest. She was proud of the work that had been done by herself and her crew. 

Even still, this ache nudged her every now and again. 

Inej couldn’t help but feel that while she’d been following her heart out to the stormy seas of great and honourable deeds, life and all of its soot stains and stories and small things had swirled around her, passing her by, leaving her stuck in the eddies.

She had missed this place dearly. Grown up in these alleyways and canals. Despite the misfortunes that brought her to Ketterdam, or perhaps born of them, she had spread roots here. 

It wasn’t until she was pulled away by the ever-changing, ever-competing currents of decisions and fate, that Inej realised just how deep those roots had grown.

It was something like longing, this ache. A longing which felt every bit as much like what she’d felt a lifetime ago when she’d been desperate to find her family again. 

Before Kaz had found them, and brought them to her.

And then she’d left. And done so much good. And had missed so many small things.

Inej shook her head, scattering her thoughts like light across the waves. 

“I doubt Ghezen would smite you for not combing your hair,” she grumbled at Kaz to distract herself.

“Patience, Inej,” Kaz said. “Is a virtue.”

“Of which I have many,” she retorted, and she swore she heard his answering smile through the walls.

“Undeniably. But uncombed hair to a business meeting?” he hummed. “The impropriety of such things.”

With Kaz safely in the other room, Inej allowed the creep of heat like poison ivy to crawl up her neck. Which was ridiculous. And which she immediately shoved down when the bathroom door swung open in full.

Termites and restaurant leavings and bloody ship decks.

He was not wearing a shirt. Still. 

To her great horror, Inej realised what he was wearing: pyjamas. Black satin pyjama bottoms, which she figured must have been the Kaz Brekker equivalent of a lacy negligee. 

She would be utterly vexed with him if she was not so wholly concentrated on not turning into a tomato. 

He was all moon pale and shadowed night. Inej managed to spread a smooth smile across her face like sickly sweet jam, if only to spite him.

“As the most deific and pious person in this room,” she said as she appraised his outfit (or shameless lack thereof) with a carefully unbothered eye. “I should tell you that out of all of Ghezen’s smiteable offences, not wearing a shirt to a business meeting is a great deal higher on the list than forgetting to comb your hair.”

Kaz’s grin was a slashing scythe as he started across the room—towards the dresser, she realised. Towards Inej herself. 

Her heart leapt. She did not dare breathe. Didn’t think she could, even if she wanted to.

He was a hand’s breadth away when he stopped before her, his bare torso so close to her legs dangling over the side of the dresser that she could feel the heat from him as if he’d brought the bath to her. 

“I’m starting to think,” he murmured, “Ghezen is more goat than god where this conversation is concerned.” Amusement percolated his tone, a drip of black coffee.

Her heart stumbled, but Inej merely eyed him with the sort of authority she would invoke if he were a rowdy member of her crew.

“What are you doing, Kaz?” she asked him. She knew it’d been a good long while since she’d seen him, but she did not think for a second that his traumas no longer ailed him. 

Inej knew this because regardless of the passage of time, her own traumas still sat right under her skin, still woke her at night. 

She knew what it was to struggle with the darkness of a past you’d rather forget. Sometimes, Inej even thought that no amount of time or vengeance would ever fully separate her from it. 

As if this pain had been sewn and soldered right into the very marrow of her bones.

And now, Kaz’s nearness was toeing the line between the brand of closeness they were familiar with and something much more dangerous. Something she didn’t think either of them could handle. 

All either of them need do was lean forward a few inches, or reach out a hand. 

Inej remained frozen, eyeing Kaz warily, even though he made no further moves toward her. Even as his gaze traced her lips, midnight eyes brushing her flushed cheeks in a soft caress, trailing the angle of her jaw down to her neck where her thundering heart surely gave away any pretence of indifference she might still hold.

He smelled like roses and whiskey and myrrh.

“I’m merely doing what you’ve asked,” Kaz responded innocently. “Or, at least, I’m trying to.”

Inej furrowed her brow and the boy before her smirked.

“Would you kindly move your legs so I can get a shirt out of this drawer?” he said, his breath fanning across her face. “Unless you’ve changed your mind about the dress code.”

Inej’s blush was evident now. She couldn’t help herself. Could not so much as think of a response, much less a witty retort. 

It was all she could do to hold Kaz’s unwavering gaze as she tucked her legs to her chest. 

He opened the second drawer from the top, pulling out a button-up of the same ilk as the pyjama bottoms he wore, and shrugged it on. Then, he sat down in the large swivelling chair at the desk and spun it around to face her.

“Now,” Kaz said, steepling his fingers as if this were indeed a very serious business meeting, and he was indeed not very tipsy. “You were proposing.”

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

AN: Some more Kanej fluff for you because I’m self-indulgent af. Thank you so much for reading! And a massive thank you to The Serrated Spades - @6crowgang​ @fishmaid​ @corpsecro​ @ravenclawsandbeak​ @shelbychild​ @something-else-mella789​ @dregsoftea @flerkenkiddingme​ and @artbyisambeleza​ - the team of creators, editors, and beta readers who’ve been working with me these past few months to create something really special for @grishaversebigbang​ !! 

More chapters to come soon- if you’d like to be on the tag list for future chapter updates, just shoot me a message/ask 🖤💫

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[alyssa-ward]

Return to the End

[ Following Bared and Stolen Souls ]

Anger. Panic. Frustration. Pain. It all came flooding through as the link ripped violently open without so much as a 'Hello, how are you?'.  It’s a shock to the woman in the dagger, snapping her attention to Riley as the single word comes through in Alyssa’s mind. "Fuck..."

"What happened?" Alyssa, still reeling from the mental assault of Riley’s emotions, she lets her own worry come through.  The last thing she remembered was Riley telling her they were getting the soul tonight.  Clearly that’s gone wrong.

"You remember how I said 'if everything goes according to plan blah, blah, blah..." Laughter both heard and felt with a dark undertone that puts Alyssa on edge. "Well, that was my first mistake. The second - and this one's a doozy - was assuming that insufferable prick's bodyguard had turned in for the night after the shift change. Because of course, the one fucking night he doesn't..." More laughter, but the pain is still visible, audible too in an exhaled sigh. "Plans change, we adapt, we survive." The words spoken like a mantra, repeated over a couple times before she regained her focus.

"Can we just kill the bodyguard too?" Alyssa interrupts the repeated mantra, trying to not let too much of her concern or thoughts show through the link. But she's worried.  If Riley dies here, this is the end of it.  Enough to make someone think they might be cursed. "I can make use of both...you okay? Hurt?" She pushes off the stump with the wolf, and a moment later she's standing before Riley's soul, studying it for harm.

"Just took a lucky shot, I'll be fine," the reply is pained, but it doesn’t seem overly labored. "Didn't even make it to the mark before this bastard blindsided me," and then quieter, as though not directed at Alyssa "...throws punches like a damn Gronn..." "The bastard's big, but he's slow. I've been leading him to the outskirts - figure that'll save me from having to dispose of a small giant in the middle of the city." Another pause to slow her breathing and better clear her thoughts. "You ready in there..?"

"Don't die on me, I'll start to think carrying me around is bad luck," after deciding there's nothing she can do for Riley's soul she returns to the clearing, already gathering power into herself. "I'm ready. He might still try to take a few swings after you cut him but he'll go down fast."

"Me? I'm too stubborn to die." A lighthearted joke in the midst of chaos is almost too appropriate for the woman delivering it. "As for our oversized friend, I'm not too worried ab-..." Riley's words cut jarringly short, but the link remains open.  Whatever just happened, she’s still holding the dagger. A flash of blinding rage in the wake of sudden shock, and then the link starts to flicker, weakening in waves that become increasingly more pronounced with each second that ticks by. 

“Riley?” Alyssa’s worry rises and flares as the connection wanes.  She’d only meant the death thing as a joke.  "Riley stay with me. Don't you die on me. I don't want to have to explain to Kat at the end of this that I got her friend killed."

There’s a distinct lack of fear from the other side. Instead, an almost eerie sense of calm, felt even as the connection continues to wane, and in that surprisingly serene break in the chaos, Riley's voice comes through her thoughts, clear as day. "Hope you're okay with a bit more than a cut..."

Relief across the link from the warlock as the voice comes back through. "More than okay, just get me his blood."

And then the action requested comes through clear as a bell.

The trees in the Darkened Woods of Alyssa’s mind part.  As every time before, the vibrancy of the soul the blade has stabbed into is intoxicating.  Her mind blanks, hands thrown outward to entangle the bodyguard’s revealed soul in chains of fel and soul magic, purples and greens leashing her hands to the very essence of the man.

Whatever happens outside of the blade is lost to the Warlock.  Even Riley’s soul dims at the corners of her vision as she puts single minded focus forward.  She can feel the man’s suffering as she tears out his soul, the chains binding and tightening as it condenses and draws into her extended palms, forming yet another perfect little purple crystal.

Alyssa stares down at the crystal in her hands, shoulders trembling as she has once again given in to her addictions.  Riley’s voice, raspy now, snaps her out of it. "Will it work..?" The question ended with a grunt, and the trees to the now empty clearing that was the bodyguard close once more.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out. It's going to take some work to separate the usable stuff out of this. His soul is not a very bright one." the reply is distracted, Aly’s mind is already racing with next steps.

"Sorry about that..." Riley murmers, her voice straining with the effort before she returns to purely mental communication. "If there's nothing salvageable, I'll find something better," tone is cold, but not disingenuous. "Otherwise, we continue with the plan, and make our way to Uldum."

"Agreed," Alyssa replies. "How long will it take you to travel? I couldn't even estimate how long this will take me, because...time and all." Her inability to determine durations from within the dagger goes unsaid. "I'm going to strip this soul apart, I'll fuel myself with the bad parts, nothing will go to waste. Whatever good there is in here, I'll see if it can strengthen the wolf." A pause before she adds, "I'm sorry Riley. There's every chance I could be wrong about all of this. I could be misunderstanding what Kat sent me. This may not work at all but I don't have many ideas."

"I've got a connection that'll set me up with a portal, so I could be there as early as tomorrow morning. From there, it'll take some time to travel to the right camp, but I figure... if we can just find her, we might be able to buy a little time for you to utilize whatever tricks you've got up your sleeves." A pause. "Metaphorical sleeves, of course." The attempt at levity seems to cut through her previously chilled tone in favor of something slightly more welcoming. "You've got nothing to be sorry about, Alyssa. Not as far as I'm concerned, at least. If this doesn't work, we'll just have to figure out something that will. It's as simple, and as complicated as that."

"It's nice to work with someone who shares my feelings on the impossible. If nothing else works I will find my way into the Shadowlands and pull her out myself. She's not gone. I don't accept it." Riley's levity, and determination makes her smile, a warmth that can be felt across the link through the weapon. "We'll figure something out. Simple and complicated as that," she echoes the other woman's words, finding a liking for them.

"Seems stubbornness is a trait we share in spades," Riley’s reply makes Alyssa smile to herself.

About to end the conversation, to turn focus fully to the soul, something else strikes Alyssa.  Something put off too long. "Could you do a favour for me, before you leave Stormwind? We are in Stormwind right?"

"Your tab's starting to add up, Alyssa," Riley’s tone is teasing, but it’s not unfounded either.  Alysa already owes a great debt to this woman. "You name it, and I'll do what I can."

"I'll pay it if I'm ever alive to make good," amusement bleeds from the Warlock in return, before her tone sobers. "When I died, my home burned down. It was a...cautionary measure. I don't think my brother knows what happened to me, he's been left with nothing but the mystery. Could you have a letter delivered? Just something simple. Alyssa is okay, she misses you, she'll be back eventually, something nice like that?"

A somber sense of understanding emanates from Riley's side of the link then, and her gentle nod is almost felt. "Of course. You tell me where it needs to go, and it'll be done."

"Thank you. He's lost enough, he shouldn't have to lose his sister too. Not yet." Appreciation can be felt in return. She gives the address, a townhouse in Old Town near the fountain, and the name, Damien Ward.

"I'll make sure he knows you're still here, until you're able to tell him yourself." There's a faint flicker of hope in Riley's tone, despite the many uncertainties that lie before them. That handled, the subject turns back to the most pressing matter. "I'll give you some space to get to work while I take care of things out here, and check in with you once everything's in order. Yeah?"

"Yeah, I appreciate that. I'll let you know too if I make any breakthroughs. You make a good partner...we'll find her." As much for herself as for Riley, as her attention shifts off the conversation and onto the soulstone she now holds. Splitting apart a person's soul into its base elements is taxing work, and a slip up could cause whatever she has to escape into the shadowlands, so for now, she is silent and focused.

Theory and practice are very different things.  Alyssa finds as she works that if this were the real world, if she was in her physical form, this task may be wholly impractical.  “Y’really not goin’ t’elp me even a little are you?”  She asks the wolf, without looking up from her work. The soul shard now dances through the air, shattered into a million little motes of flickering crystal shards, like glitter on the air of her consciousness.  If she truly breathed, rather than the false life she lives in her dagger prison, she would inhale the dust of it, but here it is safe.

Though she can’t extract actual memories from a soul, what she can see is intent.  The glittering motes of the bodyguards soul are washes of intent.  She begins the slow process of work, hands extended out to manipulate.  The bits of colour dance about with subtle gestures of fingertips.  Steady concentration slowly separates the motes out into clusters along a timeline, capturing bits and pieces of brighter light from childhood, from times of innocence.  Darker along the ends of a life lived in sin and anger, of dark deeds.  A flick of her wrist motions the entire back half of the man’s life to coalesce into a ball of inky dark glitter that drifts into her palm and is simply absorbed.  The wolf won’t need those parts, but she can use them for strength.

Sifting through the rest she pulls on moments of intense emotion.  On the hints of a first kiss.  On the warm memory of a mother caring for a sick son.  On the thrill of freedom of a first coin made honestly.  These glittering bits and pieces she plucks from the myriad array of crystalline fragments before her, slowly and painstakingly pulling every drop of goodness and light and justice out of this battered soul that she can.  

Some motes darken at her touch, her own corruption bleeding through and ruining them, those she absorbs for herself, redoubling her efforts to create a small clean pure soul.

It feels like it’s been days.  A week or more.  Of every moment digging through the atoms of the universe that made up this man.  It can’t possibly have been though.  If so much time has passed, Riley would have stopped her, chimed in.  Regardless of the true passage of time, Alyssa holds, floating above her palm a small crystal, all but radiating light to a near painful degree.  More pure and just than any soul has any right to be, let alone one from the source she took it from.

The freshly born have done more wrong and seen more trauma than what she holds now.

The moment of truth, Alyssa approaches the sleeping wolf with shaking steps.  “Y’ready f’this?  I’m countin’ on you t’take it and do...somethin’.  Anythin’.”  Her hands extend out, floating the crystal towards the wolf, carefully not touching it lest she taint it with her own essence.  The glowing crystal presses against the white wolf, and then sinks into it as Alyssa’s woven magic infuses it into the creature

A glow begins beneath the fur of the white wolf, beginning from somewhere inside and then radiating along its body, rippling beneath white and grey with a brilliant light.  Aly finds herself covering her eyes against it, a grin lighting lips, excitement as something begins to happen.

And then her face falls.  The energy infused burns away, eaten up by the sleeping creature.  It dims, fades, and puffs away, and all the hard work is gone.  The moments of painstaking extraction snuffed out in a small puff, with no sign or trace of the magic she put into it.

Alyssa sighs, slumping down to the forest floor to rest head against the log, and await the next time she sees Riley’s soul visible in the woods.

"Riley? I don't have good news," time has passed, who knows how much, but the woods part, Riley’s soul revealed, the link re-established.  Alyssa wastes no time.  Her voice dejected and lost.

Clear hesitance from Riley. Not surprising. "I'm afraid to ask..." she finally says, bracing for what's to come.

"It won't hold the energy," the news could be worse. Alyssa didn’t kill the wolf. She didn’t take away any shred of hope, and yet, she feels in many ways like there is none. "There was some reaction, but then it simply burned off what I put in and we're...back to where we were. Maybe more power? But I don't know how long we have to keep trying things. Best to just find her." The temptation to ask for more is there.  Kill a priest, a paladin, bring her a better soul, try something bigger...but she’s not ready for another failure, nor is their timeline.

The equivalent of a long, deep sigh could be felt, a definite sense of begrudging acceptance. "Of course..." It comes quietly, but Alyssa with their connection still hears it well enough. Still, the disappointment didn’t seem directed at her. "Alright. Alright- at least we know now, yeah?" Riley pauses, letting that small sliver of reassurance hang by a thread for a moment. "We'll stick with the plan. Get to Uldum, find her, and... whatever comes after that. If an opportunity arises between now and then to try for something a little stronger..?" Another pause. "Well, I've never been one to pass up a good opportunity..."

"That all suits," Alyssa certainly isn't defeated, but she'd hoped for a breakthrough. The lack of one shows in her tone. "Yes, if we get the chance at something stronger, we can take it. Otherwise...well if we find Kat we will go from there? I have no idea what to do Riley."

"We just need to focus on what we do know." Riley’s words make Alyssa smirk.  What they know isn’t much. "Take this whirlwind of shit one step at a time..." Once again, she seems to be making an attempt at convincing herself just as much as she was Aly. "Are you alright..?" The concern, for a moment, surprises Alyssa, but then, they do seem to be establishing a rapport. "I'm just about packed and ready to go, but... are you ready for this?"

"I appreciate you asking. I'm as alright as I can be. No harm done, I'm recharged a bit off what I took from that person if anything. I'm just...tired emotionally." As if that wasn't evident enough in her bleed into the link.

"At least something good came from all of that..." The sentiment in Riley’s words feel genuine, as opposed to leaning towards sarcasm. "You? How are those injuries?"

"I'm fine. I don't want to come off as a prick with the whole 'I've had it so much worse' routine, but... I really have had worse. Just a couple bruised ribs and a whopper of a headache."

"I actually don't think I can say that right now," some amusement about the situation comes through in Alyssa’s reply. "Surviving the end of Gilneas was close, but I think my current situation is about as bad as I've gotten." Being dead and trapped in a dagger is...its own sort of special.  

"Alright. I think you win this one..." An attempt at a lighthearted tease to add to their brief moment of levity before she also shifts her attention back to their looming journey.

Alyssa lets attention shift back to the topic most relevant, "I'm ready as I will be. I think it's on you now, I don't know what else I can do beyond supporting you until she's found."

"I've got everything squared away here. All that's left to do is lock up and head out - with any luck, I'll be ankle-deep in sand within the hour." This she does not seem happy about, despite her phrasing.

"Going to have to go see Uldum for real some day, if I ever get out of this. I've only ever been as a kitchen accessory," Alyssa's trying to stay light, it's easier that way. "I'm here. We'll get through this."

"Hey, for what it's worth, you make a good-looking knife - these engravings are gorgeous." Riley falls into a pattern of light banter as though it's second-nature. Perhaps it is. "Hold tight in there, Alyssa. I'll see you on the other side..." Perhaps a poor choice of words before the link is severed, given what they're about to walk into.

"Thanks. Good genetics," she jokes back. And then once more the link is gone, and Alyssa returns to waiting.

[ @blue-eyedraven ]

[ Mentions of @kat-hawke​ & @dardillien-ward​ ]

[demented-dukey]

"Reasons Why I Ship RemRom" Masterlist

(Companion to "Reasons Why I Shouldn’t Ship Remrom" Masterlist)

I keep getting asked why I ship Rem/Rom, or why anyone would ship Rem/Rom. So. Here’s a list of possible reasons (You can also find more information about why people ship fictional incest on Fanlore.org).

Some apply to me personally, some do not, but I will use the term “I/Me” in all of the following sentences (in no particular order, numbered for ease of reference):

1. Because Thomas likes the theory that all Sanders Sides ships are an expression of self-love. Thomas’s quotes from the live stream include him saying, "What are my thoughts on sides ships? Guys, I really don't care." "I think that, in the realm of fanfiction, you guys, like, you guys do what you're doing. I'm not here to squash or rain on anybody's parade." "I don't like to stifle people's creativity in that aspect. Fanfiction, you guys, do whatever creatively is in your heart."

2. Because it’s just conceptual. Joan said in a Tumblr post that they were brothers conceptually, NOT biologically, in the same way Patton is a dad or Logan is a teacher. It’s a concept or trope, like the phrase “brothers in arms”, so that Remus could allude to Thomas’s dreams and the biblical quotes.

3. Because they are NOT really brothers. It isn’t really incest. All the sides are equally fictional. They split from the same original idea, so technically that makes them clones, or selfcest. They might call themselves brothers, but it’s just a nickname, I don’t feel like they’re brothers. Thomas and Joan have said multiple times that the sides are not separate personalities - Character Thomas does not have DID - all of the sides are just aspects of a single personality, so any pairing of any of the sides is just elaborate masturbation or selfcest.

4. Because they ARE really brothers/twins. Yes, I think this is incest, and I ship it anyway. Twins are hot, and incest is kinky. There is a whole porn industry cashing in on the idea that siblings are hot, and twins are even hotter. Relationships are built on shared experiences, and brothers have that in spades!

5. Because it DOESN’T MATTER whether or not they are brothers. I don’t really care about whether it’s incest or not, I would still ship Remus and Roman either way. I like each of their characters, and I like exploring the dynamic of how they would match each other in a romantic relationship.

6. Because canon was made to be broken. Maybe they’re brothers in canon, but people write fanfic in all kinds of different AUs where the characters are all kinds of different creatures with all kinds of different relationships. Why can’t I write something where they aren’t related and they fall in love?

7. Because technically Remus and Roman are two halves of the same fusion. To borrow from “Steven Universe” for a second, Sapphire and Ruby form Garnet, and that’s totally acceptable. But what happens when you reverse it? What if Garnet was created first, and then they split into Sapphire and Ruby? Is it then Not Okay? Why? The basic premise is still exactly the same - Garnet is still a whole being/relationship/experience, and Sapphire and Ruby are what happens when you split Garnet up into separate halves. Why is combining a fusion okay, but splitting one is not? The fusion of Thomas was split to form Morality, Logic, Creativity, etc. We now know that Creativity was split again to form Roman and Remus. Therefore, shipping Roman and Remus is no more incestual than any other two sides.

8. Because Remus and Roman are literally ~soulmates~.  In Plato’s story of soulmates, the story goes that humans originally had four arms, four legs, and a single head made of two faces. Zeus split the humans in half, and each human would forever long for his/her other half; the other half of his/her soul. It’s fate that they are drawn to each other!

9. Because fuck you, that’s why. I don’t have to explain myself to you. Who do you think you are, the Purity Police? Fuck you.

10. Because of “Reasons” that I don’t feel comfortable sharing. I have my reasons, and I demand my privacy. I do not require anyone’s stamp of approval. My reasons are mine.

11. Because of petty spite. There have been so, so many anti-ship posts telling me not to ship them that now I ship them out of spite. I wasn’t even thinking about the pairing until the antis put it in my head. The more people tell me I can’t, the more I want to. I’m wacky like that.

12. Because RemRom is forbidden fruit. I’m attracted to things that are forbidden. If this is wrong, then I don’t wanna be right!

13. Because... I don’t know? I just kinda want to, and I don’t know why? Not everyone sits down and makes lists of justifications of why they ship what they ship. Why should I have to have a reason? Who decides what reasons are “valid enough”? I’m really a big ball of confusion as to the ‘why’, all I know is that I want to see the boys kiss. Isn’t that enough of a reason? I think, therefore I am?

14. Because the Prince and the Duke are both Royalty. Royalty and Incest go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly! Everybody knows royalty only marries other royalty, and all those generations of inbreeding makes it hard to find royalty that isn’t incest, am I rite?

15. Because Moxiety is an acceptable ship, but RemRom is “controversial”. Moxiety is as much incestual as RemRom. Patton/Virgil have a Father/Son vibe going for them. They’ve referred to each other in canon as “kiddo” and “popstar”, and multiple times Patton has called Virgil his “child”. But both platonic and romantic relationships are still combined under the same “Moxiety” tag, and it is accepted and welcomed in the fandom despite the incestual undertones.

16. Because it’s simple math. If Thomas Sanders is hot, then 2x Thomas Sanders is twice as hot, right?

17. Because of Rule 34 of the internet. If a thing exists, then porn of it is on the internet. Somebody’s gonna ship it, so it mineswell be me.

18. Because I have Intrusive Thoughts. I already have a little Remus in my head, and writing about the sick, twisted things he whispers to me is the only way I can tire him out so I can get some peace and rest.

19. Because I AM an Incest Survivor. I have been through a traumatic experience, and reading/writing about it in a fictional setting helps me process my trauma.

20. Because I am NOT an Incest Survivor. Science has proven that reading fiction can help boost your empathy by practicing your ability to see the world through other people’s eyes, whether it be the author's or a character's. I’ve never experienced incest, but I want to be better able to empathize with people who have. I also read Abusive/Unsympathetic!Character fanfic so I can recognize warning signs, and so I know how to act in order to not be abusive to others in Real Life.

21. Because Incest is bad/dirty/wrong/gross. I like dark topics, and I find it interesting to explore taboo subjects in fiction. Murder is wrong, child abuse is wrong, but fiction is still written about them. Topics that are “wrong” are still worthy topics to write about - nay, they are even MORESO worthy of being written about in fiction because they are so taboo and not talked about in real life!

22. Because Incest between Consenting Adults is NOT wrong. I don’t think it's “hot” or “kinky” or anything. I just think it's okay for two consenting adults who are related to be in a relationship if it's love.

23. Because Fiction does not equal Reality. Fiction is a safe space to explore topics that would be horrific in real life. Murder Mystery writers do not kill people in real life, and I don’t condone or commit incest in real life. 

24. Because too much self-censorship is exhausting and can be damaging over time. It stifles creativity when I’m constantly scrutinizing and discarding every idea for being immoral and problematic. I already have these thoughts, and repressing them doesn't help.

25. Because censorship is a slippery, slippery slope. Where do we draw the lines, and who gets to decide? Where does it stop? If the characters become step-siblings because their parents got married, is it still incest? How long do two people have to live in close physical and emotional proximity before it crosses that line? Is it okay to ship clones, because they are exactly the same person, and it’s basically just masturbation? How long do clones have to live separate lives and have separate experiences before they become indistinguishable from twins, and it’s no longer okay to ship them? Is it homophobic to take a slash pairing and genderswap only one of the people? What if I headcanon one of the characters as trans, does that make turning a slash pairing into a het pairing okay now? Is it okay to make a canon straight character gay, but not okay to make a canon gay character straight? What if I headcanon a gay character as bi, then is it okay to put them in a “straight” relationship? Can I ship same-age teenagers, or is that pedophilia? Or is it okay to ship them, as long as it’s not explicit?

26. Because Remus would ship it. Look me in the eye and tell me there is a single kink or taboo Remus, Duke of Unicorn Porn, wouldn’t be 100% in support of. I dare you.

I think I got the most popular reasons? If any pro-shippers have reasons I’m missing and want added to the list, let me know.

[oswaldsirius]

Do you want me? (Part I)

Pairing: Sirius/Celeste

Word Count: 5758

Summary: What do you get a man who doesn’t want anything for his birthday? Something he can’t resist.

Warnings: This is definitely a smut fic and there’s a bit of a uniform/outfit kink in there.

A/N: Behold the nonsense I decided to write after reading his birthday story! I had a different idea originally but this....just this. And I had to split it into parts so that I could at least post something today!

-

           This was stupid. She was stupid. Why had she ever asked for their help? This wasn’t help. It was stupid.

           Celeste stared at Sirius, well aware of how he was near gaping at her. She didn’t blame him. She had to look foolish done up like this. A maid outfit. How had she let them convince her this was a good idea? “I should change,” she squeaked, hating herself for it.

           She tried to get away from him, but she got too close. His hand closed on her arm and he tugged her to a stop. She stumbled into him, the heels on her shoes more than she was used to. She fell into his chest and stayed there, refusing to look at him. The only sound in the room was their breathing before he sighed deeply.

           “What is this, Celeste?”

           She still didn’t look at him, telling herself the buttons on his shirt were more interesting than anything else. “Your present,” she muttered.

           “A maid outfit?”

           Her nose wrinkled at his tone, but she still didn’t look up.

           “Cherry?”

           Damn it. “I wanted to take care of you,” she admitted. “You said that you usually take care of others and I know that better than anyone. You’re always taking care of me and I just wanted to do that for you for once. The guys thought…I mean, when I asked them what…They came up with this.” Her voice petered out in a whisper as she said the words.

           “It was their idea?”

           What was that in his voice? She looked up with a puzzled frown. “Yes.” Did he look…disappointed?

           Sirius’s hand trailed along her back, rubbing in the soothing way that always calmed her. “I see.”

           She stared at him, trying to piece together what he was giving her. He still had a hard time letting her see everything he was thinking but there was enough there for her to wonder. “I agreed to it,” she said. “I thought, at the time, it was a good idea.”

           “What do you think now?”

           Originally, given his stunned reaction, she’d wanted nothing to do with it but now, in this very moment? “Will you let me serve you?” she whispered.

           His gaze somehow got darker and she saw the flash of desire rush across his face. Did he like this? Was it actually a good idea? “How?”

           His voice was a low rumble that had her own desire flaring. Pressing trembling hands to his chest, she pushed a little and took a step back. She’d agreed to this, she was going to see it through, if only to see how else he was going to react to it. She brushed her hands over her skirt and apron and looked up at him again, giving him a bright smile. “However, you like.”

           Sirius exhaled slowly and there was no missing the flush settling across his cheeks. She knew that look, had seen it so many times before he took her. But that wasn’t where this was going. Not yet. Unless that was all he wanted from her.

           She stood perfectly still as he looked her over again, letting him take his time. “Was there something in particular you had in mind?”

           He wanted her in bed, she could see it, but something was holding him back from saying it. “It’s been a long day,” he said, his gaze slowly raising to meet hers. “You offered a bath?”

           “If that’s what you want, I can draw it now for you. Or would you prefer a shower? I’m happy to help with both.”

           “Damn it,” Sirius breathed, his voice cracking. “Celeste, you-”

           A thrill of delight wound through her as she realised what it was. The outfit or rather uniform. How could she have not realised? The few times she’d slipped into parts of his he’d reacted. She’d thought it was simply because it was his and she was wearing it, but no. It was the outfit that was doing him in. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his chest. Rising on her toes, she brushed her mouth against his and smiled. “Which would you prefer, Queen of Spades?”

           His brows drew together, his expression torn. She knew how both options were going to end since she had no intentions of letting him do either alone. And so did he. It was just a matter of which one he wanted more. “Shower,” he rasped.

           Celeste smiled, pleased. If he’d chosen bath, they were unlikely to leave the tub in a timely manner. Letting her hand trail down his chest, she ignored his swift inhale as her fingers slipped over the front of his pants before she took his hand. “Come along then.”

           He was muttering under his breath as she led him into the bathroom, but he followed her so she chose to ignore that as well. His hand was hot in hers even with the glove separating them and she shivered as she thought about him running them over her under the spray of water.

           Don’t get ahead of yourself, she thought, letting go of him. She could feel him watching as she gathered towels to set beside the tub before she turned to him. “Let me,” she breathed when he reached for his tie.

           Violet eyes were nearly blazing with lust as she took her time with his clothes. Careful tugs on different items to remove them. Hanging his jacket to keep it from wrinkling, tucking his gloves and belts onto a shelf near the sink for him tomorrow morning. She could feel him shaking as she worked buttons from holes on his shirt, but she didn’t let him distract her. She was just as liable to see an early end to this if she gave in now and that wasn’t what she wanted for him.

           “You wear so many clothes,” she mused, sliding his shirt down his arms.

           “Never seemed like a problem before.”

           “It isn’t a problem now,” she said, adding the shirt to the hamper. “I’m more than capable of doing my job.”

           “Celeste.”

           She looked back in time to see him reaching behind him to haul off the dark layer he wore next to his skin and toss it aside. She bit his lip and barely stemmed the noise that left her as the wide expanse of his back came into view. More than that, the light red marks that littered it, remnants of the previous night. She pressed her thighs together, remembering the feel of him moving over and in her as she had made them. She’d learned early on that doing it only spurred him on, had caught him looking at them in the mirror with a far too satisfied look on his face.

           “They don’t hurt, Celeste. They never hurt, not even when you’re making them. It’s proof that I’m pleasing you properly.”

           She’d flushed then when he’d said that and her face felt hot now thinking about it. But she stepped forward to place a hand on his back and felt him tense. “Sirius,” she chided gently. “You’re so tense. Was today bad?”

           Dark eyes looked at her over his shoulder. “It was fine.”

           Shaking her head, she walked around him. Her fingers trailed along his skin, just above the waistband of his pants. “I don’t believe you. You work so hard and you have a horrible habit of not letting anyone know just how much you have in any day. Will you let me help you relax?”

           He actually shuddered this time, exhaling slowly, evenly, far too controlled. It was hard not to smile at the reaction. She knew he was doing his best to hold himself back and she didn’t want to push him further. Yet.

           “It’s my job to take care of you tonight, Queen of Spades,” Celeste breathed. “You’ll let me help you, won’t you?”

           Maybe she was going to push a little more, but it was worth it, watching the desire and want cloud his features. He didn’t say anything, pursing his lips together, but he nodded once.

           Celeste smiled and pressed both of her hands to his abdomen. She pretended not to notice how the muscles quivered under her touch as she let her fingers fall to his pants. Taking her time with his belt, she didn’t miss the way he kept reaching for her before stopping himself. They both knew if he put his hands on her now, this evening was going to go completely differently. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing for either of them, but she knew he was trying to behave, to let her do this.

           In reward for that, she made quick work of the fastenings on his pants. “Oh,” she murmured, pausing before she slid them down his legs. “My mistake.”

           “Celeste, what-” He cut himself off as she sank to her knees in front of him.

           She didn’t need to look to know he was staring. The weight of it was pressing into her skin as she tugged on the laces of his boots. “How silly of me to forget,” she said.

           Sirius didn’t say anything and she smiled to herself as she worked.

           It was easy to get the laces tugged loose enough, a little harder to coax him into lifting his feet so she could slip the boots off. She set both them and socks aside and pressed her hands to his thighs. She slowly slid them up until she could hook her fingers into the waistband of his pants. Ignoring the sputtering noise that left him as she caught what few layers he had left on, she eased them down his legs, being careful of his erection.

           She flushed a little at the soft hiss that left him as she bared him, no missing the curse woven in there. But she didn’t stop, pushing the cloth down and coaxing him to step out of them as well. She sat there for a moment, folding his clothes to set aside. They would go into the hamper, but she needed to stall, to catch herself before she moved on to the next part.

           “Celeste.”

           Looking up at Sirius, Celeste made herself meet his gaze but it was hard. She didn’t let herself bite her lip, didn’t let herself react to anything. She sat back on her heels and looked up at him patiently. She could see his chest heaving, his lips parted as each breath came harder than the last. He was watching her with open lust and she could only imagine what he was thinking. She knew what she was thinking and prayed he was going along the same lines.

           She didn’t break his gaze as she reached behind herself to tug on the tie of the apron. It easily came loose and his brows drew together as she set it aside. “Shall I take it off?” she asked, running her hands down her front.

           “You can’t shower with it on,” he rasped.

           A brief moment to consider teasing him before she tossed it aside. Another swift tug on the ties behind her and the bodice of the dress loosened.

           “No corset?” Sirius whispered as she shrugged her shoulders enough to have the material reveal how little was underneath it.

           “Not with this one,” she murmured. She had a few dresses that had enough structure in them that it wasn’t needed and she hadn’t let herself think about exactly why this one was built the same way. “Do you approve?”

           “Yes.”

           Oh dear. If she wasn’t careful, his voice alone was going to be enough to do her in. Steeling herself against it, she reached up toward him. “Help me up?”

           His hands were hot as they caught hers and he carefully pulled her up. His grip tightened, squeezing her fingers as the action caused her dress to slip further down her arms, revealing that there was absolutely nothing under the dress. “Cherry, you are….”

           Getting nearly aroused as he was and they’d barely touched. She carefully pulled her hands from his and slipped the rest of her dress off. It was hard, moving away from him, but she made herself do it as she carefully hung the dress beside his jacket. A few more tugs saw her petticoats free and they were set aside as well until all she was left in were her stockings.

           “I want you like that.”

           The growl had her shivering and she looked over her shoulder at him. “Like…what?” she whispered.

           Sirius had twisted around to watch her and his eyes raked over her. “Exactly like this.”

           Wearing only her…? Her face heated but she said, “If that’s what you want.”

           He took a step toward her before making himself stop. “Shower first.”

           He said that but she wasn’t sure that was what either of them wanted anymore. She didn’t move immediately, caught in his stare, before quivering fingers undid the silken ties holding her stockings up. She started to quickly push them down before she slowed at his noise. It was impossible not to shiver as her fingers trailed over her leg, gently removing the stocking in a show for him.

           “Come here,” he said once she had set them aside.

           Her legs were weak as she crossed to him and she was glad for it when his arms slid around her, hauling her into him. Pressing her hands to his chest as he kissed her, she wasn’t surprised by how hard his heart was pounding under her palm. Hers was doing the exact same thing as he pulled her closer. There was no ignoring his erection now, not as it pressed hotly to her belly.

           She wanted nothing more than to sink fully into his embrace, to enjoy it and see where it would go, but she made herself push away. “Sirius,” she mumbled as he followed, trying to catch her mouth again. “Your shower.”

           Dark eyes were barely slit open to look at her and he held them together, unmoving. “I want you,” he said lowly.

           Three words and they sent all her plans into a freefall. She stared up at him, her own breathing growing laboured which did not help. Her breasts brushed against his chest with every one, aching for more of his touch than simply that. “If that’s what you want,” she breathed, voice trembling. “It’s your birthday.”

           His breath was hot as he exhaled, washing over her bare skin and only arousing her even more. “No,” he said, setting her back on her feet. “You set this up for me.”

           “Whatever you want, Sirius.”

           Curling over her, his forehead pressed to hers. He stood like that, holding her gaze and simply breathing. His grip on her slowly loosened, stroking along her back. “Let’s try the shower,” he said lowly.

           “Try?”

           “I’m not very good at resisting you.”

           She bit her lip at how husky his voice had gotten, the words slipping over her skin in a silken caress. She peeked up at him as he took a step back with a sigh before giving in a little for him. “Would you take my hair down?”

           His gaze lit up and she turned her back to him. His hands were immediately pulling pins from the style, carefully loosening the coils and braids at the back of her neck. He was methodical about it, taking his time to make sure he worked all of them free, but she didn’t miss the way his touch brushed across her skin. She stayed as still as she could for him, nearly purring as he ran his fingers through the locks once they were tumbling down her back. She arched into him as he swept them aside to press a kiss to her neck. “You’re spoiling me,” he said against her.

           “It’s your birthday. I’m allowed.”

           He smiled, she could feel it, before he kissed her again. “I suppose I could let you this once.”

           She rolled her eyes before turning to the tub. “Shall we?” she asked.

           Sirius didn’t move as she turned on the water and a glance showed him pushing both hands through his hair. She watched him, enjoying how his muscles shifted and moved in his back as he did it.

           She forced herself to look away, to put her hand under the water to test its temperature. But the image lingered, taunting her with the want to run her hands over him, to make more marks on him, to simply touch him. “It’s ready,” she said, her voice barely there.

           He didn’t say anything and she shrieked when strong arms wound around her waist, lifting her to set her in the tub. His chuckle did nothing to help her and she stared at him as he climbed in with her. “Well?” he murmured, tugging the curtain closed around them.

           He was unfair but she turned to switch the tap. She shuddered as a rush of water struck her before it began to warm and she slowly straightened. “Sirius,” she whispered as he stepped into her, his arms on either side of her and palms pressed flat to the tiles.

           He rubbed his cheek against her hair as the water fell over them both.

           She let him have the moment, knew how much he was struggling right now, before she reached past him. She just contained her breathy moan as her breasts brushed against his chest and he growled in response. But she snatched up soap and cloth both, telling herself to stay on the task at hand. And to get her hands on him properly.

           Sirius was watching her as she rubbed soap and cloth together and it made her hands tremble in response. It was hardly the first time they’d shared a shower, nowhere near the first, and they had helped each other bathe before. But this time was different…all because she’d given the offer while wearing that outfit.

           “May I?” she asked, setting the soap aside and lifting the cloth.

           “Yes.”  

           Only a single word and yet so full of desire. She took a deep breath before steeling herself.

           There was no missing the shakes running through him as she carefully attended to him. She didn’t let any part of him go missed, dragging the wash cloth over every muscle and slipping into every dip between them. She paused at times to grab the soap again, pretending not to notice how heavily he was breathing or how much he was crowding her back against the wall.

           “You’re trying to kill me,” he accused as she reached his hips but didn’t go lower.

           Celeste looked up with a frown. “I am not,” she insisted. “I’m trying to do a good job.”

           He was not convinced. He stepped a little closer as she soaped up the cloth again, but she froze as he leaned in. “If you get on your knees again,” he said lowly, “I’m keeping you there.”

           Her breath caught, tangling in her throat with her voice. She’d been considering it, wanting to wash the length of his legs before teasing him a bit more. Apparently, she hadn’t been as subtle about that thought as she would have liked. His gaze held her fast and he almost seemed to be daring her to do it. A part of her wanted to, to fall to her knees and take him into her mouth to tend to his body in a completely different way but…. “Switch places,” she breathed, gesturing.

           He didn’t want to. He wanted to keep her between the wall and him. She waited and waited some more before he finally half shifted, giving her enough room to slip behind him. His arm tensed as she used it to keep her balance before he stepped forward under the spray to wash the suds from his front. “Celeste,” he hissed.

           She didn’t stop, running the soap cloth over his back. She was careful around the scratches, but most had barely broken his skin. It still made him shudder and she could hear him cursing softly again. “Does it hurt?” she asked innocently. “Should I stop?”

           “Don’t you dare,” he growled.

           Celeste grinned to herself and kept going, stroking ever lower on his back. She paid loving attention to the dip at the base of his spine, her fingers finding and caressing the dimples on either side. His shudder delighted her even though she knew it was unfair to him. She knew how much he liked being touched there, just what it did to him. Drawing circles inside the hollows with the tips of her fingers, she let the wash cloth fall. There was no point in the farce now and she wanted to touch him.

           Her fingers fell further and he tensed as she traced over the light scratches she had left on his ass. “Were these a problem today?” she asked, stroking outward along his hips.

           “No.”

           She wasn’t sure if she believed him, but she let it lie and focused instead on touching him.

           “Celeste, don’t-” He broke off with a groaning growl as she reached around him.

           She followed as he leaned forward, bracing his hands on the wall as a shudder racked him. Water was sluicing down his back now, washing away the last of the soap and she pressed a kiss to him. “Do you remember our first shower?” she whispered, kissing him again.

           He groaned again, his hips bucking forward.

           Smiling, she let her hand trail along his erection. Her touch was light, lighter than it normally was now, and she stroked him slowly. “I do,” Celeste breathed.

           She pressed against him, taking him in both hands and delighting in the soft whimper that spilled from him. Slipping one hand up, she twisted it around the head and rubbed her thumb along the underside of him. She traced his shape, taking her time even as he continued to swear and shudder in her grasp.

           “So do I,” he growled suddenly.

           “No!” she protested as he gripped her wrists and pulled her from him. She knew what was coming but she still gasped when he hauled her around him and pinned her hands back against the tiles. “This is new.”

           Raw desire was covering his face and he inhaled slowly. His fingers flexed around her wrists and she wondered if it was too much. She hadn’t pushed this hard before, hadn’t felt bold enough to do it before. Had she found his limit?

           She didn’t resist him as he pulled one of her hands away from the wall and brought it back to his cock. She quickly curled around him, stroking him to convince him not to pull her away again. His lips pressed together, his nostrils flaring as he exhaled hard, but he let her go.

           Was he going to let her do this? He had that first time, and a few since then, but-Celeste gasped, jerking against the tiles as his free hand slid between her thighs. “Sirius!”

           “I remember,” he said lowly, his gaze hot as he watched her squirm against his touch, “and I think this is a better way to go about it.”

           Oh, no. It was going to be harder to focus on him as his fingers slipped through her sex, pressing deeper to find her clit. She lifted on her toes before pushing into his hand. “Damn it,” she whispered, making herself remember to move her hand. “But it’s your birthday!”

           The smile on his face was sharp but still full of love and desire. “It is my birthday,” Sirius agreed, “and you asked what I want.”

           She stared up at him, panting softly as he circled around her clit. His thumb pressed just above it, slowly easing the hood back and forth over her. His brows drew together faintly, a soft grunt leaving him, as she squeezed him and he bucked into her hand.

           “I want you,” he murmured. “Just like this.”

           Celeste moaned but it sounded more akin to a whimper. She’d wanted to focus on him and forgotten how much he would want to turn that back on her. “But!”

           “Just. Like. This.”

           Her mouth fell open as he punctuated each word with a rub over her clit, his touch sure and firm. He was going to make her lose all sense if he kept that up! But his hips rolled against her, sliding him through her grip. Her fingers twitched before moving, stroking him again as he thrust into her hand.

           He was watching her hotly and he let go of her hand for a moment to twine their fingers together. But he kept that hand pinned to the wall.

           She cried out as he slid two fingers into her, curling them. That wasn’t fair! How was she supposed to please him when all she wanted to focus on was the pleasure he was giving her? She stared up at him, panting softly as he finger fucked her. Her hand trembled against him and the other squeezed his. “S-Sirius,” she whispered.

           He didn’t say anything, his fingers barely slowing.

           She was going to come at this rate. She was tightening around him, her inner walls clenching as he worked her. It was his birthday! She was meant to be doing this for him!

           That thought had her focusing enough and he grunted as she twisted her hand around the tip. She let him go and switched her grip, letting her thumb stroke over the curves of his head. He growled at her, crowding into her a little more and pressing against that spot inside her that had her gasping. But she didn’t let him distract her for more than a moment. She was going to do this. She was going to. She was-

           “Enough,” Sirius rasped suddenly.

           It was impossible not to feel the loss as his fingers slid from her to grip her wrist and tug her away from him. Her hips rolled, searching for that bit of fullness again and wanting more. “Enough?” she mumbled, not understanding.

           “I want you,” he said lowly.

           Any loss she had felt completely disappeared at those words. “I want you too.”

           Sirius’s expression twisted and he let her go. “Hold on,” he growled, his hands gripping her hips.

           She wound both arms and legs around him as he hefted her off her feet, shuddering as his erection nestled in against her folds. “Sirius,” she pleaded, needing him.

           He shoved the curtain aside, stepping out of the tub but they didn’t make it far. He quickly knelt, still holding her against him and pressed nipping kisses to her neck. “Celeste.”

           There was no mistaking the want in his voice and she responded. She fit one hand between them, finding him quickly and guiding them together. “Easy,” she murmured when his hips snapped up.

           “I know,” he growled, holding himself still.

           He was barely inside her and she knew how much it would torture him to wait longer. She pressed her hand to his abdomen as she leaned back slightly, taking him deeper. She watched his face, watched the strain there as she rolled her hips and worked herself along his cock. He slipped a little deeper with each movement, his fingers digging in harder.

           “Wait,” she whispered when she couldn’t take anymore of him in this position.

           His whimper made her heart skip a beat. He was holding back so much, his body aching and tense against hers. But they both knew if he gave in to what he wanted immediately it wouldn’t work.

           Running her fingers through his hair, she kissed him softly. It was at complete odds with the tension in him, but he kissed her back, struggling to keep it at the same level. She trailed her hands along the back of his neck, stroking and massaging across his shoulders. “Help me,” she breathed against him, leaning back a little further.

           His hands moved, supporting her, and he leaned over her as she lay back on the bathroom rug. But he stopped when she gave him a small push, urging him back upright. His knees shifted, spreading as he braced her hips between them, her legs still curled around him. “Like this?” Sirius rasped.

           She nodded, biting her lip. She knew what was coming, knew exactly what she was getting herself into, but he needed this. Later they could try soft. “Take me, Sirius,” she breathed. “I’m yours.”

           His big body shuddered but he remained still. She watched him simply breathe, staring down at her spread in front of him. She could only imagine what she looked like, but she didn’t care. The want on his face, the lust and desire and love, drove everything else away.

           Her hips rolled in his grip as he slowly pulled out of her, the drag of his cock sending pleasure through her. A cry left her as he slipped completely from her, the tip of him just resting against her. “Sirius, please,” she begged. “Please don’t. Please.”

           “Damn it,” he growled.

           Celeste tossed her head back as he drove into her, her pleased shout filling the small room. “Yes!” she cried, her thighs squeezing him.

           “Again?”

           His voice was low as he held himself there, buried inside of her, and she nodded frantically. She bit her lip as he repeated the slow withdrawal, trying not to squirm at how good it felt. Her hands searched for something to hold onto, curling around the edges of the mat as he paused again. “Please!”

           His hips snapped forward and she nearly screamed as he didn’t stop this time. He smoothly moved inside her, pulling her into his thrusts with ease. He lifted her further, keeping only her shoulders grounded as he fucked her. Their harsh panting echoed back over the sound of the still running water, the sharp slap of skin punctuating it.

           She reached for him, her fingers curling around his wrists this time and her nails digging in as she clung to him. He was driving deep into her, his control nearly snapped as he took her. She watched him from under her lashes, drinking in the sight of him slowly losing himself.

           His lower lip was caught fast between his teeth, the flesh red and bruised from how many times he’d done it. A heavy flush had settled across his cheeks and crept down his neck. His shoulders were still tense, the muscles in his arms flexing as he moved them both. Droplets of water were dripping from his hair to trail down his body, urging her gaze to follow and she did. She didn’t resist the siren’s call of his body and let herself revel in him.

           She didn’t know if she made a noise or if he could feel her gaze but violet eyes found hers as she looked back at his face. His brows drew together and he leaned into her a little, grinding into her on this thrust. The pressure on her clit had her head falling back, her lips parting on a wordless cry, and she writhed in his grasp.

           He mumbled something she couldn’t hear and leaned further into her. One of his arms slid under her, lifting her just that little bit more. She cried out again as his thumb found her clit, rubbing circles over and around it. She’d wanted to last, to give him everything he wanted, but she couldn’t. Not when he knew every little thing that would send her over.

           Her eyes squeezed shut, a trembling moan spilling from her as she came. She bucked against him, her hips pushing into his next thrust without any of his help. His sharp swearing filled her ears as she squeezed him and she moaned again as he ground into her. It didn’t last, his hips snapping forward and pulling even more pleasure from her.

           Her voice broke on a cry as he moved inside her, pushing her orgasm further. His own cry drowned out hers and his hand fell away from her clit to slap against the tiled floor. She bit her lip as he shuddered against her, wanting to open her eyes to see him but her own pleasure was still too much. He panted as his hips bucked between her legs before he was pressing against her, pressing as deep as he could get.

           Neither of them moved beyond the trembles washing through them both. But his grip on her slowly eased, letting her rest against the mat and his weight coming down on her.

           She quickly wrapped her arms around him, clinging despite the moment. She needed to hold onto him, needed to feel him against her. Rubbing her cheek against his wet hair, she mumbled softly, broken words that couldn’t fully express how much she loved him.

           His lips moved on her neck, doing the same for her. One hand stroked along her side, his fingers shaking but not stilling.

           There was no telling how long they lay there, basking in each other. Her legs slid limply from around him and she shivered as her skin met cool tiles on the floor. That had him inhaling deeply and shifting on her.

           Sirius braced himself on one arm, still panting and flushed. She stared back at him, unable to say anything as she struggled to breathe. His back arched under her hands as they moved over him, her nails dragging against his skin and adding fresh marks to the others. “Alright?” he whispered, his voice cracking.

           She hummed, not quite sure if she was. She was content to lay there and possibly melt into a puddle. Was that alright?

           Shaking fingers brushed her hair away from her face and trailed down her cheek. “Celeste?”

           “Mmfine,” she mumbled. “You?”

           He shook his head, letting his weight settle back on her. “No.”

           A flash of concern overrode her pleasure before it faded as he kissed her, his lips moving gently and slowly. He lingered, drawing it out as both of their breathing began to calm. But her heart was still pounding as his tongue slipped against hers. He’d barely pulled away before she whispered, “How can I help?”

           Celeste waited, gazing up at him as he stared down at her, a hint of heat returning to his gaze. “Stay with me tonight?”

           She slid her hand up to bury in the back of his hair and smiled as his eyes closed with a soft moan. “Whatever you want, Sirius.”

[chronicbatfictioner]

Theater of the Soul - Chapter 19

Fortunately, in spite of his sudden hysterics, Dr Nelson did not deem a need for Jason to be sedated again.

Jason cried and cried into Bruce's arm, telling them the horror story of how he was brought to a small hospital right after the accident, had his legs merely splinted, and then brought to Napier's house somewhere at the outskirts of Los Angeles. Then he was given a shot, and then he didn't remember anything else. The next thing he knew was that he was crawling across asphalt and there were kids. He remembered Danny and Ellie when Tim showed him their photos, but he didn't know their names. He just said that they looked out for him, and he looked out for them. He was able to walk only a little while before meeting Danny and Ellie.

He could not remember much, just that the photo of red-breasted robin in his jacket kept him feeling like he could get home, someday. That someone would look for him. His head felt cloudy the whole time, and he could not think of what else to do; thus figured out that he was being thrown back to the streets. He knew he had to try to survive, somehow, in a strange city with strange people. He didn't remember wanting to try to figure out how to go home; his head was too clouded and painful to figure out things.

He did remember everything from the time he had met Danny and Ellie, and that they had brought him food. Sometimes there would be people who would try to harass them, and Jason would fight for them. He might be only sixteen, just a few years older than Danny. But he was tall and big enough to fight off three people at once - which he had, at one point.

Food, fortunately, was easy to come by. Unlike Gotham, Los Angeles' population apparently liked to throw away perfectly good food. He remembered that one time, Danny came back to them with a whole large black plastic bag filled with donuts. It might have been a little less fluffy than fresh donuts, but they gorged happily, set aside a dozen for the rest of the day, and shared the loot with the rest of the people around them. There were many homeless like them, some with kids, some with pets; and they all mind their own group's business. But no one would turn down free food.

Tim had left the room a little while later, when Alfred came to pick him up and Dick drove him home. The next day, when Tim returned to visit him, Jason again patted the space on his bed.

"I saw your eyes back then and suddenly thought of-- wanted to go home." Jason said. "Thanks for finding me, Birdie."

"I had to," Tim admitted. "The only option if I didn't find you is that you were... not alive. And I can't... that'll ruin Bruce." and me, said the voice in his head.

Jason was quiet for a moment. "Babs told me you'd found me by kind of referring back to the things I've told you back then." he smiled wryly, "at least that means you'd listened."

"Well, you're a good storyteller." Tim grinned back. "We've all missed you, you know."

Jason was glaring at him, a little blankly, making Tim's heart beat a little faster with worry. He snapped his fingers in front of Jason's face. "Hey, you okay?"

Jason blinked, annoyedly. "Yeah, I was just thinking." he said. "The robin. I could remember it being... safe, y'know? Even in the worst times, it... it kept me 'safe', I think..." he shrugged. "You remember when you took the photo?"

"Yeah, sure. Robinson's park. We were making your portfolio and headshots." Tim smiled. "I still haven't given it to you."

Jason smiled ruefully. "I'd offer to pay. But I think I'm broke now..." he said. "We... I should've known he was a con... The gigs he'd gotten me were... crap, and that's just me being nice." Jason inhaled and exhaled loudly. "I hope somebody would take a spade to his damn head and club him to death."

Tim stilled. No one had told Jason that Napier was dead, yet. He'd had another psychotherapy session with Dr Nelson yesterday, and another one this morning. In true, cheeky, Jason form, Jason stated that he has no secrets, and the sessions can take place with whoever present listening along. Yesterday was Bruce; and this morning, Alfred was there.

Tim just thought that Jason simply did not want to be alone. In a way, neither did Tim. He knew what it's like to be alone and lonely, and although there are still times he preferred to be alone; Tim already knew that he would never be lonely with the plethora of people looking out for him.

They chatted and played the video games that Tim had brought along. Jason wanted to know how Tim's school was doing, and there was a little pang of jealousy in his voice when he realized that he'd missed two whole years of school - while Tim would be graduating. Tim was more surprised when Jason apologized for missing Tim's birthday. Birthdays. Plural.

"I'd intended to at least send you a postcard." he said. "Thought if I'd made it big in LA, I'd even send you a plane ticket."

"You can still get me a postcard for this year's birthday." Tim told him.

"Oh yeah, I totally intend to give you something. Fifteen eh, Timmy?" there was a tinge of sadness in his voice. "You going to get your Learner's Permit and all? I'll probably get you a keychain or something." Jason's voice still sounded cheery, but Tim could catch the strain in it.

"How about..." he turned to face Jason. "You get better. By my birthday, I expect you to be in a wheelchair already and get there. And on my sixteenth birthday, you can be my 'accompanying adult' for the permit's test. I'll be starting the lessons after my birthday, anyway. Once you graduated to crutches, I may even allow you in the backseat." he explained, only partly joking.

Jason replied, "Little birdie, I'mma demand them to put me on wheelchairs tomorrow, what makes you think I'll wait a week?"

"There's this thing called infection that could be serious, you know." Tim deadpanned.

"I've weathered bugs and germs from the streets of LA. I'm practically invincible."

"We're in Gotham."

"Oh snap," Jason quipped. "bugs and germs here have horns, don't they? And like, mainline the devil or something?"

"I'd say so, yes." Tim replied, straight-faced. "So no, you're not getting to wheelchairs tomorrow."

"Day after, then." Jason nodded decidedly.

"Nooo...! Wait until Dr Cross give the all-clear!"

"Tim, buddy, it's my body. I know it best."

"Jay, buddy, Dr Cross has literally see the insides of your body, under your skin, to your bones. I think he knows you better." They were on a glare-off standstill for a few seconds, until Tim put his trump card on the table. "I'mma tell Alfred." he delivered.

Jason groaned in dismay. "Nooo...! You traitor!"

"Then wait until Dr Cross okay-ed you for wheelchair and physiotherapy!" Tim replied, almost smugly.

Jason huffed. "Fine... although I think he'll let me on a wheelchair, anyway, within a few days..."

Tim rolled his eyes. In spite of all of his arguments, he knew that Jason was right. If Jason would try to charm Dr Cross, he could probably get away with practically anything he wanted.

A little voice in his head said that if Jason would be charged with Napier's murder, there would be a massive chance that Jason could charm the juries and whatnot. Like Bruce, Jason definitely know how to capitalize on his good looks.

He shook his head lightly, mentally erasing the idea that Jason had been at fault for anything. No matter what. Jason could not be blamed. Must not be blamed. Of all the things Jason has experienced, being viewed as a murderer must not be one of it. His mind was starting to figure out ways to blame Napier's death on other, unrelated issues. Good thing that Tim could actually think better while his hands were doing something else, because Jason seemed insistent on beating him on the video game they resumed.

His eyes felt swollen, dry and he knew that they would be red. He had wept for a good long time, feeling like such an idiot. Bruce kept telling him that it was all alright, that he wasn't at fault for running off with Napier and ended up like this.

A whole damn year was missing from his life. There were birthdays he'd missed, not just his own. There were memories missing, replaced with blurry memories of his life on the streets.

He looked at Tim, still stoically standing - metaphorically, that is, because Tim was basically snuggling right next to him. He'd tried to thank Tim a number of times for not giving up on him, and Tim would just brush him off; as if it was just another day of life for him. Jason simply could not fathom what could happen to him if he'd not been discovered by Tim. On the streets, definitely. Amnesiac and catatonic, totally.

He was just relieved that he had not resorted to violence like the 'crazies'. There were plenty of those in Gotham's homeless community when he was little. The sane ones would always warn his little 10-year-old self and steered him away from the crazies; those with untreated mental problems or substance problems who would not care if those around them were as down-and-out as they were and demand to be given whatever it is they wanted by using violence.

Jason was realistic. He knew that the longer he was on the street with questionable mental health, he would have ended up just like those 'crazies'. Tim had assured him that he hadn't, and that the only acts of violence he had done were of the protective kind. But he still has the nagging feeling that Tim was not telling him the whole truth. 

And now Tim was snuggling next to him, seemingly half asleep as the marathoning of the series he'd suggested still running on TV. When he moved, and Tim didn't even blink, he knew that Tim was already asleep with his eyes not-closed properly. He draw up the blanket and smoothed some hair from Tim's forehead, and placed a chaste kiss.

Whatever would happen, he knew that this boy will forever be in his foremost priority. Anyone thinking of hurting him would absolutely regret it. Even if it means he would never get on stage again. Whatever Tim wanted, Jason decided, Tim will get. And Jason would be on the forefront to help and cheer him on.

Right now, though, he shall need to get his physical strength back, especially on his legs. He started mapping out the possible exercises that he could do without aggravating his lower legs, to present to the doctors. He remembered Bruce's words of "figure out the pros and cons, all possible questions and arguments, all roads and pathways; until you can eat, breathe, and sleep the character as if you were born as it."

Fine, it might have been a suggestion on how to understand a character. But that doesn't mean it cannot be applied on everything else. So he started a note on the tablet that Barbara had given him earlier, and listed down a good number of exercises he could do on his own. Physiotherapy be damned. He shall get up on his feet and/or be as mobile as possible as soon as possible.

[hotcocosharing]

Lose To Win Chapter 23: All The Help She'd Get

Title: Lose To Win Chapter 23 Fandom: Kiss By The Baddest Bidder & Her Love In The Force Rated: Drama, Thriller, Angst, Fluff, Smut, Mystery? MPD’s OC: Mika HIJIKATA KBTBB’s OC: Mia SAKATA Characters: Goto, Kaga, Shuichi, Eisuke, Soryu, Mamoru, Baba, Ota

Summary: 1. Soryu, Mika & Kaga had threesome, (here) 2. Soryu got shot, Kaga left him to bleed (to death, sort of) 3. Soryu was operated by Dr. Edwards (suspicious Dr working for mysterious boss) and Luke in Eiuke’s suite 4. Esiuke got invited to the cruise’s exclusive auction & Mia decides to STOP him

Tagging: adrienneloves so you’d know what happens to Soryu and Mika.  111archravenue , silver-red-rose , lxvescramble & hifftn who’ve always been here for me :’( Thank you! I know this series is taking forever and if you’ve missed my feeds or simply want to know what happens next, let me know and I’ll tag you. Background: Mika went to the Tres Spades Hotel under Eisuke’s request. (Order) and led to seeing her ex- Hyogo Kaga. With Jin Namba’s persuasion, Eisuke agrees to work with Public Safety, going on an eight days cruise trip with Kaga, Goto and Mika. What kind of mystery and danger await? You have no idea!

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ Chapter 1: The Reunion Chapter 2: RSVP Chapter 3: Recharge Chapter 4: Welcome Back Chapter 5: Decision Of A Lifetime Chapter 6: Our Story Chapter 7: Stress Release Chapter 8: Play Thing Chapter 9: What The Three Words Mean Chapter 10: A Real Man Chapter 11: The CEO Chapter 12: Boarding Chapter 13: What Did You Wish For? Chapter 14: Don’t Tease Me Chapter 15: One Hell Of A Night Chapter 16: Feeling Lucky? Chapter 17: Left In The Past Chapter 18: Poker Face Chapter 19: To Victory Chapter 20: Wish Comes True Chapter 21: Last Apology Chapter 22:  Can You Handle It?

Chapter 23:  All The Help She’d Get

Mia’s & Eisuke’s World “I think this is a mistake.” Mia stares at the reflection of Eisuke as his back is facing her.

“I rarely make any mistake.” He says coldly, “And your opinion isn’t required on this matter.”

It never is! Mia internally screams her remarks, no one ever values her opinion, they never bother asking because her thoughts don’t matter. She has no say- not in the matter of getting caged and sold in a black market auction, or taking her time to digest the shock and confusion before choosing her NEW OWNER and most definitely never has the choice of being involved in so many troubles. 

She hasn’t asked for any of it, she always bites her lips and accepts her fate because she believes everything happens for a reason and each painful experience is just as precious as the rest. Being an unexpected highlight of that auction has miraculously led her to Eisuke, the one man who’s misunderstood by many yet she sees right through him at critical times. 

“Let the others find him!” She clings to him from behind, begging him not to go because this is one of those times. Something is not right and if she’d feel this is a trap, so does Eisuke.

His hands rest on hers, squeezing them for a few seconds before pulling them away. “He’s my father.”

“You don’t even know if he will be there or if they have actual information on him.”

“Yes, they do.” His hands back on his tie while his eyes stay on her. “I need to know the truth. He’s my father. Aren’t you the one who goes on all the time about how important family is?”

“I am your family, Eisuke. And I’m your…….” Her argument trails off, who is she to him? His woman, his girlfriend, his fiancée? They haven’t exactly put a tag on it and Eisuke hasn’t even once mentioned about their future, does he intend to make her Mrs. Ichinomiya or she’ll see someone else takes her place over some business deals while Eisuke makes her stay? It is very possible, Mia knows that deep in her heart, she simply chooses not to think about it. But right now, she’s not exactly convincing. 

“He’s my family.” He clears his throat then draws a long, shaky breath. “I deserve to know the truth.”

“But this could get you killed, Eisuke. Just listen to me for once, please!” Her plea makes no difference, as expected. She has lost again, she could never win against him. Not with her concern, morals and certainly not with her love. “I’m your family too.” She murmurs once again, mostly to herself.

All these years of care, tolerance, and understanding, persuading herself that he always has a good reason for whatever he does because the ends justify his means. With that, the bathroom door closes behind her. She needs some space, anywhere free from Eisuke. 

“I’ll see you at the party,” he stands by the door frame, “though I prefer to show up together." 

Mia sighs, nearly laughing at herself. This is his way of telling her that he’s being understanding, he has changed his preferences for her mood swing.

Standing in front of the mirror with her hands gripping onto the marble sink, she thinks hard. What can she do to stop him? She pulls her hair back into a high ponytail then holds an eye makeup pen up close to her lash line. Who would help her to make it happen? She presses her finger on the outside corner of her eyelid and draws a thin line. Next, she picks up a makeup brush and swirls it in a small container of blushes before dabbing it onto her cheeks. What is Eisuke most afraid of? Picking up a lipstick she carefully applies a deep, glossy red, one that matches her dress perfectly. Eisuke does like her to stand out regardless of the efforts she has spent on staying away from spotlights. It’s simply not possible, not when she’s with Eisuke Ichinomiya.

That’s it!

An idea strike, a brilliant one she would think but perhaps not to others or at least it could only be brilliant with their help. She needs to be careful with her choice of help though, someone who has the knowledge to make it happen and the ability to keep it under everyone’s radar.

Continue from Mika’s World

"Why can’t you be a supportive sister like you should for once?!”

The room is left with dead silence again, honestly, you hate Eisuke’s suite so much! Glaring at your twins with your fists clenched, you don’t even know where to begin. With so much going on and now being accused of a lousy sister really should be the least of your worry. You exhale deeply and huff out in frustration, “Soryu hasn’t waked up yet.” Eying Luke on the side, he nods as confirmation. “I need to find the shooter." 

"And I need to stop Eisuke from dying.”

You have to bite your tongue before slipping out something you’d regret. Mia worries a lot and normally you wouldn’t blame her, with the deals and underground businesses of Eisuke’s, she would be insane not to think so. But, death? When Soryu is the actual one lying in bed, the only truth you want to tell your sister is to stop being dramatic but her teary eyes meet yours, whispering out a request you couldn’t ignore. “Please, help me.”

Whatever reasons Mia has, she has persuaded Luke to take part and now you are her only hope.

“Fine,” you mutter, “just text me the essentials, skip me for the planning.” You quickly add then excuse yourself for a conversation you have neither the time nor the energy to engage.

You still need to meet Goto for another dinner party, just how many more of these damn parties do you have to attend before anyone of you are even close to finding who the heck is manipulating this whole orchestra!?

NOTES: NEXT- Takao from MFW again :) Eisuke at auction while the rest try to find the shooter/assassin waitress in the party, oh it’s a masquerade party

[everlarkficexchange]

Together- Part 2.

Written By: @albinokittens300

Rating: K

Prompt: 69- Hijacked Peeta with an everlark toast baby in D13. Enough said [submitted by @elaine-spades​]

Summery: Peeta loses control for the first time in front of their daughter. It turns out it may just be the catalyst to bring them together again.

_______________________________________

All she could muster was a nod in acknowledgment. It was the first time Peeta had a level head with her since the night before she was pulled out of the arena and he was captured by the Capitol. “I understand you hate me.” She starts. Forcing the words out. But once started, they flow unaided from her mouth somehow. “It breaks my heart, and I miss the man you used to be so much. It was hard for me to accept that I loved you, and that you don’t remember us. But…however you feel about me now. Or whenever you get these memories sorted out. Willow is your daughter, and you should be allowed to see her. But she is my daughter too. And I’ll let you kill me before you hurt her.” At the last words, she looks down at her sleeping girl. Her tiny baby thumb in her mouth. “Willow…is all I have left.” And Katniss realizes he’s right. His family refused to leave 12 before the bombing, and died because of it. Willow is not only the last of Peetas family, but the only other Mellark alive. “Maybe…maybe we should try and do this together, or at least cooperate in some way? It can’t be good for her, being shuffled between us. Having to have one of us or the other at any given time. That’s unfair to her. And being around you might help me deal with you better.” He said, sounding desperate and nervous. Like he was afraid she would turn him down flat. Seeing Peeta more often, being with him and their girl at the same time all the while possibly helping him recover? It sounded almost to good to be true. “That’s a good idea.” She whispered back. Slowly, they learned to be parents together. It was difficult the first few days, sometimes Peeta had to control insults and spiting out horrible memories the hijacking told him were true. But they quickly learned to be civil. Katniss was there when Peeta was with her, and they both watched over and bonded with her. Peeta would play with her. Shaking her raddle, enticing Willows tiny hands to do the same when the toy was handed to her. Playing peek-a-boo, making her giggle and babble her baby-talk. He would, with Willow still in his lap, let them watch him draw. Both mother and daughter watched the lines and colors come to life on the page from his gentle hands.   She sang and read to her daughter, too. Willow adored her voice, singing or just speaking. Like Peeta, she also would talk to her child and tell her how much she is loved, that she was her most precious gift. Neither minded when they seemed to be having a private conversation with there daughter. Sometimes, both would go on long monologues to the infant, just to somehow hope she knew how loved she was. And that they were always going to be there for her. There were many moments, particularly in the beginning where he abruptly handed her the infant and than ran to the corner and rocked back and fourth till the memories passed. Clenching himself so tight his muscles would ache for hours afterwards. At first the talk was only about there daughter- a topic that seemed to be free of landmine triggers for Peetas rages. If anything, it served to keep him pleasant. Together, they became somewhat cohesive in parenting. Spending more and more time together, cooperating and working with one another to rear their little love child. Slowly, they seemed forced to talk about other things. It started with her singing the Meadow Song as the Willow slowly drifted to sleep in her bassinet, the one she sang to Rue as she died. It seemed so familiar to him, but not all at once. “Did…did you sing that song to someone, have I heard it before? I don’t remember it, but…it feels familiar.” He sounded shy. Katniss voice was choked as she replied. “Yes. A little girl, Rue. I sang it to her when Marvel killed her. We had been allies, in the first games. She asked me to sing for her as she was dying. It was a song I had always sung to Prim whenever she had nightmares.” “You sing beautifully…” he blushed at the comment. It was the truth. Form that point on, Katniss would sing for both of them. Peeta then began to ask questions. And he quickly found Katniss had answers, when put towards others, seemed true. While Willow napped, or even while she was with them, he would ask her about memories. Which she was slowly growing more comfortable answering. She would settle Willow in a crib to try and talk him through the moments when he had to crouch and rock to get through the memories. Even let a song be sung from her lips for just him, too. The singing and her presence seemed to ease the rages he experienced, and give him more and more control over the ones he had. Soon, they were spending more and more time together. While Willow slept, Peeta coaxed her into conversation. Random things that seemed to mean nothing. He found her inspiring- she loved so fiercely and was so determined. Caring for her entire family, sacrificing herself for her sister in the first games. He had never heard such bravery or devotion. They discussed what he remembered, what they planned to do once this nightmare was over. And were shocked when they had the same answer- both wanted to return to 12. Rebuild and remake their old home. A place Willow could grow up in, safe and sound. After a particularly painful session with Dr. Aurelius, he had come out wiping tears from his eyes. Sometimes he felt so alone. His mother was hard to miss after what she put him through, but his father and brothers loved him. They were his family, his home. All of them were dead, now. Gone. And he was utterly on his own. It was only when he saw Katniss and Willow waiting for him did he begin to reconsider that thought. “What are you doing here?” He asked, curiously. Seeing him, Katniss grinned shallowly and stood up. “We thought we would wait for you to go to lunch.“ Katniss says. As if it was common sense. Willow giggled and reached out to him. With a matching grin, Peeta pushed any hurt away and took her into his arms. Planting a flurry of kisses on his little girls cheek. Shifting her into one arm as Katniss offered him a hand. And when he sat with them in the cafeteria and begin idling talking, Peeta realized Katniss chose to be with him. Looking over at Prim and her mother sitting with the Hawthornes and Johanna, it was clear Katniss would have been welcomed there. She chose to be here. When he looked over at her gently wiping Willows messy face with a napkin, he felt a sudden lifting sense joy and pride. This may be a work in progress, but they were his family.  She showed him the meadow of the greenhouse in District 13, and they had a picnic of the small bit of lunch they were allowed. Once finished, Katniss allowed him to braid some of the flowers into her hair and Willow toddled between the two of them. Happily babbling, and using her two new and only words- Mama and Papa. The artificial light felt like a sun in the warm greenhouse, and they basked in it as if it was. Peeta had said this was the happiest he had been, most at home, since the Quarter Quell. Katniss told him about their day on the roof after that. Peeta drew them one day when Willow and Katniss decided on a nap while he painted, and Katniss was stunned to silence at it’s beauty. The Districts ebellion waged on with Katniss playing the puppet of a voice. The rebels slowly gained ground with their ‘leaders' uplifted spirit. Because she was nursing Willow, Katniss didn’t see a lick of true battle. And it suited her just fine, protecting her loved ones here. She hated being a pawn, but it was worth it. Seeing Willow grow and learn everyday made it easily worth it. Prim, Peeta, Gale, her Mother, they were all safe as well and it felt like a dream. Gale and Johanna fought like cats and dogs at first, but seemed to very attached to one another. Slowly, Peetas condition improved as he regained his memories. As more memories were sorted, he saw the truth. His love for her and her strange love for him. Katniss rejoiced when, after a session, he walked out of the room and kissed her fully on the lips. She was hypnotized, the feeling of his lips on hers so good it bordered on intoxicating. Warm, safe, familiar and perfect. On instinct, she kissed back. Sinking into him without caring for any of the small crowd that had gathered. Only him and becoming familiar with him again. Willows giggle only broke the kiss for a second, and her mother and father giggled too. Kissing became commonplace after that. One night not long after, after settling Willow to bed, Katniss held his arm as he moved to leave. Peeta didn’t fight her when she slowly lead him to her bed. They sat down, and simply both leaned in without thinking to kiss one another. Her eyes glanced at the bed, big enough for the both of them. The unspoken question between them. Silently, he got under the cover and held her close to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her snuggly and the world seemed perfect for the first time in so, so long. "Stay will me?” She whispered into his shoulder as he held her. Though it was mostly assurance. Katniss was almost positive of his answer. The feeling of the safety and security in his arms gave her the real promise. Though she wanted to hear it, too. Smiling into her hair, he only could give a single answer. Muffled by the kiss he placed in her hair. “Always.”

A/N- So, this was a little rushed, but should be good. This is just some fluffy conclusion to the first part! Hope you all enjoy :)

[kevintalexander]

The Friction-Free Way To Recruit Without Prospecting Or Selling

The Friction-Free Way To Recruit Without Prospecting Or Selling

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There’s an easier, friction-free way to promote your products and business without experiencing rejection.

If you’re still prospecting by bugging friends, family or complete strangers to grow your business then this may just be the most important post you read today..

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Imagine how it would feel to never have another one of those ‘catching up’ conversations with old acquaintances…

Just waiting for the right time to pounce with your offer.

I read somewhere a long time ago that there’s ONLY 1 Way We As Humans Learn… and that’s by making mistakes.

The mistakes can be yours or someone else’s so learn from other people’s mistakes because you won’t live long enough to make them all yourself.

I can’t remember the author’s name to give credit so if you happen to know who said this let me know in the comments.

That message of learning from other people’s mistakes had a massive impact on my life as well as my business. It’s why I decided to get a mentor who had already been where I was and could help me avoid pitfalls and get to success faster.

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My search led me to find my mentor Ferny Ceballos. Ferny has been in the industry since 2008.

He’s a top producer in his company and has a very successful networking business.

Before I let Ferny talk about the top 5 WRONG ways to recruit on social media (as well as what to do instead), let me quickly tell you my story…

I started dabbling with network marketing way back in 2008. Between 2008 and 2010 I joined numerous companies because truthfully I hated all of the options I was taught to grow my business.

I did not want to contact my warm market

I did not want to reach out to strangers

I did not want to do home meetings

I did not want to babysit… sorry, I mean motivate a bunch of people in order to grow my team

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I wanted to find a company that solved these problems for me.

In 2012 I found Empower Network (EN) and went ALL-IN.

If you knew about EN then reading the phrase ALL IN either made you smile (because it’s funny now in hindsight) or it made you cringe and possibly even increased your heart rate… and not in a good way.

If you’ve never heard of EN and you’re curious you can google it and my statement will make a lot more sense then.

Anyway, the point of meniting EN isn’t to rag on them. It’s to explain what made me decide to go all in and why that matters to you.

EN promised to solve all the problems I faced with growing my business utilizing the power of the internet.

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We were going to draw people in towards us utilizing content marketing… namely blogging.

Long story short, EN ended up crashing and burning… and along with it all my hopes for growing my business in a way where I could avoid doing the things I disliked.

Back then I knew very little about the internet in terms of using it to attract and influence other like minded people.

For almost the next decade I did a deep dive with how to run paid advertising profitably so it was no longer an expense but an investment that paid me back in spades.

Along the way I quit my job, went full time as an entrepreneur, got distracted and left the network marketing altogether and picked up affiliate marketing.

I had a few successes and a bunch of failures. Too many failures to mention here. Overall, the few successes I had outweighed all the failures.

Not too long ago I stumbled across an interesting post from a lady on Facebook.

I clicked on it and read her blog post. She had successfully built her networking business utilizing the internet.

I studied everything she was doing. I read all her emails and blog posts and even watched her videos on social media.

This was the missing piece!

What she was doing was both simple and brilliant!

It solved all the problems I had over a decade ago that made me turn my back on network marketing.

Her name was Brandy Shaver. I dug in a bit deeper and found her mentors were 2 guys (Tim Erway and Ferny Ceballos). I immediately hired those guys to mentor me as well.

Now let me turn this over to Ferny so he can tell you a bit about himself and what qualifies him to talk about this topic.

*************************

Hey guys, Ferny here.

It’s been over a decade since I entered the network marketing arena and my life took a crazy detour into the world of entrepreneurship.

I’ve undergone deep personal development and experienced more negativity than any human should have to endure, but the good news is that my story in this industry has a happy ending.

I quit my job as an engineer 2 1/2 years after joining the industry in 2008, became a 6-figure earner in direct sales by 2009, built a 7-figure internet company by 2012, and I am now the co-owner of an online direct sales company.

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My journey was filled with many fumbles, embarrassing moments, and more prospecting “faux pas” than I care to share

I hope my friends, family, and strangers I have attempted to prospect have long forgotten the things I did. LOL!

But here’s a few, so you have an idea…

Have you ever invited friends over for some beers and very unsmoothly transitioned to showing the business plan to a very angry audience?

I have.

Have you ever tried to prospect your bartender, a few too many beers past ‘buzzed,’ and have him respond with, “Is this Amway?”

Doh! I have.

Here’s a good one… have you ever, while on a date, prospected a girl as a “test,” because your upline told you that if a girl is not positive about your business, she’s not a keeper?

Yep… that didn’t turn out well!

And that’s about as much as I’ll reveal because I’m starting to get really depressed remembering all this right now. Haha.

The point is, before I cast some heavy stones at some networkers, but I just wanted to let y’all know I’ve made mistakes too.

But that doesn’t mean we should go easy on those that are committing some MAJOR mistakes when recruiting with social media.

In my day, my fumbles happened offline and there is no record…thankfully!

Unfortunately, today…

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The Internet Never Forgets and It’s Ruining It for Everyone Else!

I once heard that success in business is all about ‘time’ and ‘place.’

As a professional marketer, I would add ‘message’ to the equation as well.

Network marketers today are being taught methods of recruiting with social media. Unfortunately, these so often include the wrong message, at the wrong time, at the wrong place.

Here’s the truth!

There is a VERY fine line between recruiting with social media and spamming people.

I’m sorry to say that most network marketers have been turned into human spam bots by their upline and company leaders…

‘Disposable distributors’ tasked with the job of spreading the word about their company’s products or opportunity at the expense of the individual’s reputation and risking the suspension of their social media accounts.

Just recently, I asked affiliates of my company to share examples of the WRONG WAY to prospect online by sending me screenshots of the poor attempts at prospecting they receive every day…

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The WRONG Way to Prospect and Recruit

Have a look at these…

Successful entrepreneurs and networkers alike eventually learn the true secret to success, and it becomes the foundation upon which their entire prospecting, recruiting and business building strategy is founded.

That secret being:

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care” – Theodore Roosevelt

The screenshots above are an example of a weak attempt from people recruiting with social media…

People who haven’t yet figured out that building a business is not about tricking people or finding the right copy/paste FB messages to send to strangers.

It’s about actually caring about people, becoming a person of value, and being someone uniquely positioned to help someone with their problems!

That last part is critical: “uniquely positioned to help someone with their problems.”

Any idiot can copy and paste a message into the Private Message function on Facebook.

What sets you apart from the rest of the desperate reps hitting people’s inboxes with their new “ground floor” opportunities or cash programs?

Now, this doesn’t mean prospecting online doesn’t work.

I know some very skilled recruiters who are excellent at online prospecting, but just like offline prospecting, they’ve devoted the time and effort to learn this very difficult skill and have mastered it.

And if that’s the strategy you want to deploy, you need to do it right or else!

But if you’re still a little fuzzy on whether you are a spammer or not, here’s a guide of sorts…

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Top 5 Warning Signs Your Social Media Prospecting Efforts are Actually SPAM

1.) Your first private message to a stranger on social media includes a link to join your opportunity.

2.) You get angry replies via private messaging and/or you have been reported as a spammer.

3.) You post links to your opportunity or website in the comments section of other people’s social media posts.

4.) You compulsively want to talk about your company or products without anyone asking you to share.

Finally… this one is the most important one…

5.) You engage in interactions online with a hidden agenda hoping to transition the topic to something that would get people interested in your opportunity without caring about knowing the other person.

This last one for me is a big one but could also be controversial.

After all, #5 is the very definition of prospecting (online or offline) that even when done right… can still feel awkward, result in people getting angry at you, and very unleveraged.

That is why I eventually decided to stop prospecting altogether.

But here’s the interesting thing…

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“When I Stopped Prospecting People, My Business Started Growing!”

I can’t tell you how relieved and at peace I felt, when I once again, was able to go out with my friends, visiting a family member’s home, or be in a public place without having to think about prospecting anyone.

Just enjoying being normal again was incredible after two years of being taught by my upline that “everyone was a prospect” and approaching every conversation with a hidden agenda; I was free!

That’s because it wasn’t until I STOPPED prospecting that my business actually started growing!

Weird, right?

At this point, you may be asking…

“Then how the heck did your business grow? How can you grow a network marketing business without recruiting with social media and spamming your friends and family?”

Well before I answer that, I have to say that there are people who are very skilled prospectors and recruiters who completely disregard the issues I mentioned above.

They knowingly and unashamedly, approach every interaction with a stranger as a prospecting opportunity.

Getting yelled at or cursed out by prospects is no big deal, as long as some people say ‘yes.’

And just like doing it right offline, there’s a way to successfully do it online as well. After learning and becoming very good at prospecting, I decided that I didn’t want to build my business this way.

The problem with prospecting in general, as it’s normally taught, is that the mindset going in is still about what YOU want people to do and about manipulating people into doing what you want them to do.

In other words, it’s about YOU, not them. I didn’t like that, but I still did it for a little while… until I found a better way.

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The More Leveraged Alternative to 1-on-1 Prospecting, Which Won’t Make You Feel Like a Cheap Salesman

Now, I am not trying to be high and mighty about all this prospecting stuff because I’m not.

If it came down to either feeding my family with ‘stone cold’ prospecting tactics or my kids starving, I would choose stone cold prospecting every time, without remorse.

But the reason I was able to quit prospecting was that, with the help of some extraordinary mentors,

I eventually discovered an online recruiting strategy which enabled me to recruit more people in one day than the most skilled recruiter in the world can do in a month.

I was able to passively generate leads, customers, and new reps even when I was out having fun with friends and family.

(Hence why I didn’t have to worry about prospecting them!)

Rather than spending hours spamming or private messaging people on social media, I learned how to legitimately get Facebook and other networks to actually help me attract the people who are most interested in what I have to offer by using their own ads platform! (i.e. going legit!)

In fact, every day for almost 8 years now, I’ve awoken to an email inbox full of notifications for new leads, new customers, new team members, and commissions I earned while sleeping!

All without resorting to the odious and deceitful tactics commonly used when recruiting with social media in our industry.

This strategy is called ‘attraction marketing’, which is an internet marketing strategy designed for networkers and people in direct sales!

You see, if your business depends on you being on social media, sending private messages, or commenting on people’s posts all day, you are NOT doing internet marketing… despite what you may have been led to believe.

Online prospecting and internet marketing are NOT the same thing! Internet marketing is a passive strategy, which works, even when you are not.

So if you want to learn how to PASSIVELY build a business by attracting the prospects you want online, then get access to my free 10-Day Online Recruiting Bootcamp available here.

There, I reveal the strategy I’ve used for the past decade, plus.

You’ll also get more details about a book I wrote that goes into the nuts n’ bolts of my recruiting & selling formula.

Now if traditional prospecting online or offline is your thing and you want to stick to that, by all means, go for it.

There are many top trainers and earners of mine in the industry that focus on cold market recruiting skills…

(And they do ‘attraction marketing’ too!)

For me, there was simply a certain way I wanted to live my life and that was more important.

I would much rather make a ton of money in my business first and then have my friends and family beg me to tell them more about it.

It’s much better than begging my friends and family to join a business which isn’t making any money.

Which would you prefer?

Exactly!

Sincerely,

Kevin Alexander & Ferny Ceballos

FREE INTERNET RECRUITING COURSE

Finally, An Easy Way To Recruit – Rejection FREE – Without Wasting Your Time & Money Chasing Dead Beat Prospects & Leads…

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An Easy Way To Recruit – Rejection FREE – Without Wasting Your Time & Money Chasing Dead Beat Prospects & Leads…

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