#i had to draw this with my mouse it was a PAIN

[warmfuzzyanimal]

cowasaurolophus

[jumalanpelko]

During christmas i finally got myself a new wacom and it is actually a cintiq!!

AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH

I am so privileged to have one (i study animation and only have one year of school left so I needed one that 1. Worked 2. Was one that is for professionals)

But! I am still going to draw the rest of the comic with mouse as well (thats how ive done most of it) so the style doesnt change. I think it has charm in it

Might do some of the sketches with it tho since it is PAINFUL with a mouse. We shall see

[cecilogical]

A sketch of Vestige from the latest mirror scene!! From 'Enter, Pursued by a Buck' (which is such a good story and honestly had been life-altering (to me)) which is by @sharkdukes

[mistycookie]

[iwakuraz]

tried to make some transparent versions of a few sketchbook pages, already posted the last two pages before but shhh it doesn't matter just smile and wave

originals

[mocury-moto]

wow my artistic confidence just skyrocketed okay good to know

[leyavo]

| I am my father's daughter |

💖 Dad!Price x Daughter!reader

PART TWO: Agreeing to let Toff check you over, you make the decision of whether not you want to stay with your dad or just take off, which would be so much easier.

TW: Hurt/angst/mentions of abuse/comfort/ some TF141 too. [Part one] [Series masterlist] 3026words

Toff lived up to her nickname, no letters dropped at the end of her words like the team your dad had around him. No she was posh, well spoken and had the accent of someone that came from old money.

The gold designer watch on her wrist and the rock of an engagement ring, also telling enough. Her fingers prodded the yellowing bruise on your rib cage, the rock dazzling under the light, blinding you each time she moved.

She doesn't fit in, too put together compared to the likes of your father. He's still wearing some sort of hat, whether its the ridiculous army bucket hat or a snug knitted fisherman one, if he's not it's stuffed in his back pocket. You're convinced he's still got the same Levi jeans, a few added scrapes and as he says, they wear well. There's an array of plaid and flannel shirts in varying colours hanging in his wardrobe, like another uniform he wears on his downtime instead of his camo gear.

Your dad had slipped that she went to some prestigious medical school before working in the military. Not that it mattered it to you, you'd see a vet if it meant they wouldn't talk to your dad.

Thankfully she made your dad wait in the hall, her office door shut as she assessed you. If you got this over with, you could leave and not have to speak of it ever again. You could just imagine him pacing the hallway, halting to greet the soldiers calling him captain and then resuming his pacing.

Being the Captain’s daughter also meant you had a shared family health plan with him. One you’d never heard of before. He did use to remind you to go for dental and medical check ups, but moving around when you were younger made it difficult. Your mother reluctant to fill out forms to sign you up to a new doctor’s surgery because she wasn’t sure if the new home was long term. Shocker, they never were.

"You won't, uh tell my dad?" You asked as you rolled the layers of clothing back down.

Toff tipped your chin up with her finger, "all patient records are confidential, even if your dad's Captain Price." She pushed her chair back wheeling it to the desk and picking up a pair of tweezers, sliding back to you.

She peered over her thick framed glasses at you, turning your face side to side inspecting the gash above your brow. The metal of the tweezer cool against your skin, she prodded the tape drawing back with a nod of satisfaction.

"Soap patched you up well," Toff said handing you a plastic cup of water and some painkillers.

"Sorry, what," you blurted out, choking on the water.

Humming Toff nodded, "he's good with light touch, probably why your dad got him to fix you up whilst you were out cold." She managed to get hold of some of your medical records, which she requested last night. No doubt your dad had called as soon as you fell asleep in the car and asked her for a favour.

You muttered a string of curse words under your breath, did the whole bloody army base know what happened last night? Toff was too busy reading your record, brows scrunching as she double clicked the mouse.

"You broke your wrist six years ago, but never had surgery," she said, turning the computer screen for you to see the x-ray. "The follow up on here, shows your bone moved during it was in a cast, but your guardian refused surgery." Her pen circling the area of the screen for you.

"We were moving and it felt fine," you shrugged, looking down at your wrist. You wondered if your dad knew about that one.

"Does it bother you now?" Toff said, returning to you and picking up your right wrist, pushing your sleeve up. "Huh, there's a lump there, does that hurt? Any regular pain? Does it restrict you from doing certain things, this is your dominant hand?" Her hazel eyes snapped up to yours as you snatched your wrist back and shoved the sleeve back down.

All of her questions spun around in your head, you hadn't even thought about the pain when there was other things to worry about.

Toff stood from her chair, palms raised as if you were going to bolt out of the room, you wanted to.

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry. Is that all you need me to take a look at?"

"Yes, thanks,” you snapped, flinging your hoody back on and zipping it up.

You're ready to bid your dad goodbye and never look back, but as you swung the door open you crashed into the back of someone else.

Soap's light touch kept you upright, you're trying not to think of him patching you up whilst you slept. The thought alone making you feel pathetic, small in his presence. Like you can't even look after yourself.

“Captain got called in,” Soap said, as if that’s supposed to mean anything to you. You’re used to him coming and going, more focused on his job than you.

More interested in his team, how he so easily referred to Soap as son. You haven’t even been there for a day and he’s found another family, leaving you to feel like a spare part. You want to hate Soap, but you don’t know him. Don’t know your dad the way they do.

The walls began to press in and you took off down the narrow corridor, your sight on the world outside. You needed fresh air, needed to catch your breath and not fall apart in front of Soap.

"Hey, woah," Soap called after you, his boots stomping as he tried to catch up. "dammit slow down would ya, like a fuckin’ greyhound."

You forced the door open with a bit too much force and they slammed against the stairs railing as you rushed down the steps.

"I am not a dog!" You spun around, jabbing his chest with your finger. The cool air swept your hair across your face, drawing a deep breath from you. You watched Soap's chest rise and fall as if he was coaching your breathing.

He tucked the curtain of hair shielding your eyes behind your ear, "feel better now?"

“I’d feel a whole lot better if you signed me out right now.” You raised your brow, wincing at the tape pulling it tight.

Soap shook his head, falling into step beside you. He waved, signalling for the guard to let you both through the gate back into the residential area “Your dad’s a good man, why don’t you give him a chance?”

“Because I’m not a soldier, he had his chance six years ago.” The three years he didn’t reach out, didn’t bother checking in on you. Only to find out he had another kid, another family.

You didn’t miss the tic of his jaw or the gulp he took. All the little signs you looked for when you said the wrong thing, you were good at noticing the change in people. Knew how even the nicest ones could change like a flick of a switch.

Soap leant down, face close to yours that you could feel his hot breath fanning the curve of your nose. “Look, if you’re only here to piss off your dad, I’ll sign you out right now. Hell I’ll even take the blame for you leaving, just don’t go asking him about six years ago.”

“Got it,” you said, voice low but good enough for him to hear. The tension in your body kept you in place, breath trembling as he backed off and started walking ahead.

You trailed after him, keeping your distance incase he turned around again. The beating of your heart drummed against your chest, palms sweating as you balled them up inside your pockets.

Why were you so pathetic when confronted? You could just hear your dad’s voice in the back of your head telling you to knee him in the groin. Take up some space so they can’t take all of yours.

Space, exactly what you needed after being stuck in house with a team of men. You slipped through the front door, not glancing at Soap as you rushed to the safety of your dad’s room.

Shutting the door, you pressed your back against the wood panel. The lock sliding into place, your body slumping to the floor and arms wrapping around your legs as you brought them into your chest.

Your small area of safety calming you. After a moment of silence, you picked yourself up and climbed under the duvet. The memory foam mattress too hard on your back that you flipped over on your stomach, closing your eyes.

-

The constant buzzing of your phone drew you out of your sleep, your eyes heavy as you squinted at the window. You don't know why your dad opened the blinds, the sun making it harder for you to focus. His half of the bed smooth and tucked underneath the mattress, not a crease in sight till you tugged the duvet.

Numb tingles danced across your upper back, you groaned into your pillow and attempted to roll your shoulder. Searing pain stopping you before you could rise from the bed.

Eying the alarm clock, you stumbled out of the room and down the hallway to the bathroom. You're glad the others are training this afternoon and you can sort this out yourself. It can't be that bad.

You pulled your hoody over your head, wincing at the pull of your arm stretching the skin across your shoulder blade.

Peering over your shoulder, you looked at your reflection in the mirror and your fingers pressing into the red skin. A weeping wound oozed yellow pus just right of your back below your neck. You'd forgotten about the graze, too distracted by Toff questioning your broken wrist.

You added a little more pressure and clutched the edge of the sink, black dots lining your vision. You heard the thud before you felt your body fall to the floor.

Sweat ran down your forehead, the cool tiles beneath you a welcome addition against the heat of your skin. Since when were you so hot? your breaths quickened as you tried to focus on your phone across the bathroom. Your hand aching to reach for it.

Maybe if you just rested for a little.

John couldn't wait to sit outside and have a cigar. The day had knocked him, your call in the early hours of the morning throwing him off track and his duties as a captain, a father. He hated how he got called away whilst he waited for Toff to check you over, hoping to catch you before you went on another stroll around the base to get away from his questioning.

He pulled his boots off and added them to the shoes lined up by the door, the living room and kitchen were clear. The mumbled tones of his teammates drew his attention to the hallway. He dragged a hand down his face, hoping he wouldn't have to readjust yet another bathroom schedule.

John joined the guys huddled by the closed bathroom door, looking around Soap for a clue of what the hell they were doing. "I mean we could shimmy the door open, pop it out of the frame with a bit of force," Ghost said, his calloused hand tracing the wood.

They’re all covered in sweat from their training session. Thinking they’d revert back to their bathroom schedules like normal, but they’re locked out. Only the new recruits use the communal showers.

"I don't think kickin’ the door in, is gonna make the lass feel safe." Soap said, arm shooting across the guys before they could move. The warped door's been wreaking havoc since they were assigned the house, but they haven't been bothered about taking it off and shaving it down or replacing the temperamental lock. That or wait on the long list of maintenance services.

“What the hell are you boneheads going on about?” John grumbled, their heads snapping towards him as they finally realised he was there. He glanced to the lock picking device in Ghost’s hand and the dagger wedged into the crack of the door.

“The doors locked, she was talking a second ago…” Gaz winced as the captain’s fist banged against the door shaking the whole wall.

John held his hand over his shoulder silencing them all behind him, his head titling as he tried to listen for any movement. Another knock on the door, "hey kiddo, you alright in there? If you can hear me give me something, anything."

A light tap bounced back, the tension in the captains shoulders easing at the sound.

"Can't kick the door in, there ain’t enough room in there for it to fall. Could hurt her," Gaz said, he yanked the dagger out of the door and shoved it back into Soap's hand.

"Could take the window out and go in that way." Ghost added, as if they were planning to scale a building and ambush a rogue team.

Their mumbled voices merged together in the cramped hallway.

"Window it is."

Gaz volunteered to climb through the second floor window and break the lock from the inside. John holding his breath as he waited on the other side, his chest stung at the sight of you in Gaz's arms. The ringing in his ear and the hands pushing him forwards kept him in tow behind Gaz. You were so pale, words slurred and hand dropping over his arm like a dead weight.

John was no stranger to the infirmary, he'd been sat either at someone's bedside or the unconscious one receiving aid. What he wasn't used to though, was his daughter strung up with an IV and sleeping off the medication Toff had given her.

Nurses flitted back and forth from the bed, herding John to the side as they assessed you. Gaz and Soap had gone back to the house to sleep, Ghost fixed the door and the lock and stopped by to give the captain a strong flask of coffee leaving straight after.

The constant questions, ones he didn't know since he'd never been asked before. How could he not know if you were allergic to anything or if there were any underlying health issues? It hadn't even been two days since you'd come back into his life and he didn't know you at all.

Hours had passed since Gaz had carried you through the house and to the infirmary. Your skin pale and clammy, hair sticking to your forehead. He'd never seen you like that, lost for words as he trailed after them.

The marks of another man's grasp circled your bicep, green bruise fading, but visible as you laid in the bed. John thought the split lip and gashes on your head and brow were bad, the wound on your back much worse. Couldn't understand how you carried the pain so well, as if you'd mastered putting up with it. That scared him.

He nodded to the nurse as she finished her shift, the clipboard at the end of your bed falling to the floor. He picked it up flicking through the pages and shuffling them back into the file. His hands hesitating as he read your name, Marston not Price. Was he that detached from your life that you'd dropped his last name? He'd even put his surname for you when he'd signed you into the base and you hadn't said anything when you looked at the visitor pass.

A hand smoothed across his back, chair scraping along the floor beside him. “Lucky girl, Cap. Mild case of sepsis, good that you caught on to it early and brought her in," Toff said, she leant her elbows on her knees and ducked her head to catch John's gaze.

He couldn't glance at her though, his gaze on his hand on top of yours. "You were supposed to check her over," he snarled, more angry at himself for not paying enough attention than at Toff.

"She didn't show me the wound on her back, just some bruising and the marks on her face that were visible. If I'd have known John..." Her words cut off by John's hand patting her knee.

"How she looking?"

"You caught it in the early stages, could be a few days or a week or more. She'll need to be monitored here and make sure the infection has gone. A wound like that though with the placement, would have made it difficult for her to tend to herself." Toff flicked through the medical chart, eyes flitting to the heart monitor as she walked around the bed.

John didn't want to think about you alone, isolated from people that could help and care for you. How you lacked a family and friends to lean on during those times. His mind consumed with finding whoever did this to you. Ghost had already asked him if he wanted him to look into it.

Toff hooked up another bag of IV, silently bidding him goodbye and returning to her office over the other side of the infirmary. Door ajar incase she was needed.

A twitch of your finger tapped against John's, followed by the hurried beat of the heart monitor. You whimpered in to the pillow, rapid movement fluttering under your eyelids.

“You’re okay, kid. Just relax, your old man’s right here,” he said, adjusting your pillow and smoothing your hair out of the way.

“Captain,” you slurred, lazy smile tugging your lips. You struggled to keep your eyes open, but you clutched his pointer finger like you used to as a kid.

You’d called him Captain as a kid, your mother’s doing as she used to tell you stories about daddy becoming one, one day. Playing soldiers whenever he came home and he’d always let you be the captain, your little voice commanding him to play.

"I've got you kid, you're safe."

- thank you for all your lovely comments on the first part!! :) more parts to come soon! Hope you liked it - Leya

[pretty-little-mind33]

James Potter x plus-sized!fem!reader

Summary: When you overhear some of James's friends comment on your weight, James comforts you.

Genre: Fluff, hurt and comfort 🤧💗

Warnings: insecurities, bullying over someone's weight, reader's weight is heavily implied (obviously), crying, swearing, protective!James <3

JAMES POTTER MASTERLIST

You hear a snarl, "Did you see what she had for dinner?" Andy laughs loudly, "It isn't surprising she's fat, huh?"

Your heart sinks.

Benjamin hums in approval and adds, "I wonder what James even sees in her."

Their words echo around your head as you twist and turn your way around tables to find James again. He's laughing like a little boy when you see him, his smile so wide it's almost obnoxious as he rests his arm on top of your empty chair.

His cheeks look dusted pink from the wine he'd drank. He's so handsome, you think, and when you see the cake you had wanted earlier your cheeks become warm.

Quiet as a mouse, you slide into your chair and James turns to send you a grin. You send him a weak smile in return and then look down at the small plate in front of you. Raspberry Cheesecake. Your favorite. You look around. None of the other girlfriends have ordered any desserts.

You glance nervously at James again. He's chatting with his friends and he looks so happy. He's been so generous to you all evening, letting you pick anything on the menu because yes this was his teams' celebratory dinner, but as your boyfriend he wouldn't even think of letting you pay for yourself.

Guilt hits you hard. While his teammates girlfriends' had ordered lighter meals, you honestly didn't think much of it when you ordered a larger one. You didn't have the chance to have lunch, and those french fries sounded incredibly delicious.

You pick up your spoon and immediately, your lower lip trembles. Quickly, you sink your teeth into it and the pain soothes your sudden need to burst into embarrassed tears. When James's hand comes to your thigh, a gesture so mundane for him, you jump.

James turns his head and leans in closer to your ear, "What's wrong, darling?" he asks in a whisper, his thumb drawing circles on your skin. When you don't respond like you usually do by leaning in closer to him, he pulls away and looks at you seriously. His eyes bounce around all your features as if he's trying to understand if you're injured or upset.

"It's nothing," you mumble and look at your plate, "I'm just not hungry anymore."

James frowns. "Are you sure? I know this is your favorite," he winks with a teasing smile, recalling how happy you looked when you saw it on the menu.

You nod, freezing when you hear Andy and Benjamin walk back from the restroom. When they sit next to their girlfriends: their gorgeous, slim, girlfriends, you want to wither away as you suddenly feel like an elephant in the same maroon velvet dress you'd felt so pretty in earlier.

Immediately sensing your discomfort, James's smile disappears. He turns to his teammates and then glances at you as he takes your hand, squeezing it. "I'll get you a box, my love. And then I'll pay and we can go home, mmhm?" he says but you shake your head.

"No, you can finish your dinner, Jamie," you insist, your voice small. You don't want to ruin this for him.

James doesn't listen because soon, he's helping you out of your chair, your cheesecake in a box in his hand, as he says his goodbyes to his friends. You feel Andy and Benjamin staring as you leave and, on instinct, you let James walk further in front of you so you don't embarrass him.

However, James's arm links around your waist and moves you in closer to him the moment the fresh evening air hits your skin. You bump into his chest and feel the familiar warmth of his lips press against your temple as he inhales your scent.

"I love you," he says.

You don't answer, instead curling your arms around your stomach protectively. James drops his hand and asks, "Hey, are you cold, lovely?"

You stay quiet again, opting to chew on the inside of your cheek.

James takes your elbow and spins you around so you're facing him. You can't look him in the eyes as your arms hug around you. James gently moves you so you're boxed into the building and his arm as he bends his head to you a little.

"Hey, what's wrong? What happened? Talk to me," he holds your chin in his hand and makes you look at him. When he sees how glossy your eyes are, his heart breaks. "Oh, love," his voice is smooth and you can hear the sadness in his words.

At this, you can't help the tears that rapidly cascade down your cheeks. You try wiping them with your palm so he won't see them but it's no use because James has already taken you into his arms and you're practically sobbing into his chest now. You feel him inhale sharply as his hand strokes the back of your head, his fingers intertwining into your hair. He's cooing small, confused, praises into your ear as he holds you.

You can hear in his voice that he doesn't understand, "Baby, please, what happened?" he asks again and his heart shatters even more when he hears your hiccuped cry.

You shake your head into his chest.

I wonder what James even sees in her.

Benjamin's words won't leave your mind and the tears continue to fall.

"Is it something I did? Because if it is, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry I'm making you cry."

You pull away hearing this, shaking your head more frantically as snot runs down your nose. "No James, it's not y-you." You whimper and James uses his free hand to thumb at the tears near your eyes.

"Then what happened?" he asks again.

You look away, suddenly embarrassed, "I- am I- I too fat for you?"

The question is immediately followed by a deafening silence as James's hand slides from your cheeks. You can see his eyes bounce around your face, searching for any sign that you're making a joke. He can't imagine you actually mean what you've just asked him.

"Y/n, why would you ask me that?!" James manages to ask. He sounds upset.

Your lip trembles and the tears resume, "Some of your friends," You start and James's eyes narrow, "I - I heard them make some comments about what I had for dinner and h-how you deserve someone prettier, slimmer and — "

"Who said that?" James interrupts you, his voice stern.

"I mean, they didn't say it in those exact words."

"Who was it, Y/n?" James repeats. He couldn't give any fucks what exactly his friend had said, all he needed to know was that whatever those assholes had said it made you cry, no sob, into his chest.

"It doesn't matter," you sniff, looking away from your boyfriend, "They're right. You deserve someone better than me, someone prettier. You're way out of my league. I have always known that," you force out a heartbroken laugh.

James's voice breaks. "How can you say that?"

He holds your cheek in his hand. Your cheeks warm up as your eyes widen, surprised by the passion and emotion in his movements as James plants a sloppy kiss on your forehead.

He sprinkles kisses all across your face. "Fuck, I love you. I don't want anyone else," His hand slides under your chin and tilts your head up just slightly so he can make sure you're looking at him again. "I'm the one who doesn't deserve to call someone as beautiful and kind as you, mine." He kisses your lips delicately.

You clutch at James's arm, voice shaky when you ask, "So you don't think I'm too fat,"

James shakes his head instantly and presses his forehead against yours, "Oh baby, no. You aren't. There is no such thing when love is involved. I love you like this and I'll love you whatever you decide to look like in the future."

You let him hold you, nuzzling into him as finally your tears start to calm. James's body is warm and it sends goosebumps up your skin. "I love you," you whisper, wanting to hear him say it too.

James doesn't hesitate, "I love you. I absolutely adore you," his lips find your cheek and he kisses you again. He pulls away and looks into your eyes. "Please don't cry like this again, you don't know how much it breaks my heart," his hand comes to push some hair away from your eyes. "Now, can you tell me who put those stupid ideas in your head so I know who I have to beat up?"

You can tell he's only half joking and you chuckle. "I promise it doesn't matter."

"Matters to me," He grumbles but doesn't push you to answer. He turns you around and pulls you in closer by your waist as he continues to walk you home.

Once you arrive at your apartment, you convince James to stay the night – or rather you ask since it didn't take much convincing at all.

As you sit on the couch, waiting for him to come so you can start your movie, James walks into the room with your cheesecake and a spoon. You look up, a small smile curling your lips.

"I said I wasn't hungry," you move over and let him sit next to you.

"Oh shush," James rolls his eyes and hands you the plate. He knows you too well for that excuse. You take the plate into your lap and then reach for the spoon.

James makes a tsk noise and holds it away from you. You pout. "Nuhuh, in this relationship we share," he says, grinning, and lowers his hand in front of you. With a click of metal, just like a magician, he reveals another spoon behind yours and you smirk.

"Prick," you mutter and snatch one of the spoons from him. Despite your insult, you adjust your position so James can easily access the cheesecake.

You turn away from him and take a mouthful as you exaggerate a moan and James scoots closer. He does the same and he also grins.

"Delicious," he says and looks at you. With his spoon, he gently taps your nose. "You have some here, love," he teases as if he isn't the one who just smudged cheesecake all over you.

You lean in and playfully rub your nose over his shirt, which earns a groan as James tries to push you away. "Hey! I like this shirt," he whines.

"You can wash it tomorrow, don't be a baby," you tease him. With a smirk, James takes the plate from you and moves it further from your reach. You frown. "And don't take the cheesecake hostage because you're angry with me."

You reach over to take another spoonful of the dessert, however James intercepts your actions as he swoops under your arm and kisses you.

You laugh into his mouth and feel James grin against your lips. He pulls away and he sounds more serious when he smiles and says, "Next time I want to celebrate just us, mm? Just like this," he kisses you again.

You smile. "That I can do. Now hand over the cheesecake now, or I swear I'll – " James interrupts you with yet another kiss, which earns him one of those giggles he loves so much.

[knoepfl]

Title: In the Pale Moonlight

Characters: Astarion x Reader

Warnings:

Slight angst

Emotional vulnerability

Hints of possessiveness

Blood drinking (lightly implied)

Masterlist

Words: 1,150

The fire crackled softly in the camp, its embers glowing like faint stars in the night. Most of the party had already retreated to their tents, the quiet hum of sleep settling over the clearing. Only two figures remained awake—the vampire spawn and the one foolish enough to grow close to him.

Astarion sat with his usual grace, one leg crossed over the other, his silver hair catching the moonlight in delicate strands. In the soft glow, he looked almost ethereal—too beautiful for a creature forged from centuries of cruelty and pain. His crimson gaze flickered toward you, playful as ever, but beneath that smile was something harder to decipher.

"You should be resting, darling," he murmured, tilting his head slightly, the way a cat watches a mouse. "Or did you come out here for me?"

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at the corners of your mouth. "What if I did?"

Astarion’s grin widened—sharp, dangerous, and yet somehow genuine in a way that made your heart skip a beat. He had a way of making every word feel like both a joke and a promise.

"Then I’d say you have excellent taste," he purred, scooting closer with a fluid, feline movement. His hand reached out, brushing against yours for the briefest moment, sending a shiver up your spine. "Though I must wonder—what keeps you so captivated? My devastating charm, perhaps? Or is it the mystery that draws you in?"

You gave him a sidelong glance, trying to see past the layers of bravado he wore like armor. "You think I haven’t noticed the cracks beneath that charm?"

His smile faltered, just a flicker, and for a second you saw it—the exhaustion, the fear, the ache of someone who had spent too long pretending. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by that familiar smirk.

"Oh, you wound me," Astarion said dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. "I thought I was doing such a good job at hiding my flaws."

You leaned in slightly, close enough to see the faint lines of strain around his eyes. "You don’t have to hide them from me, you know."

For a moment, Astarion stilled. The playful banter he wielded like a weapon faded into silence, leaving only the barest trace of something raw and uncertain between you.

"Careful, darling," he whispered, his voice low and almost… pleading. "It’s dangerous to care for someone like me."

You searched his gaze, seeing the layers of fear hidden beneath the mirth. He wanted to trust—desperately, perhaps—but he didn’t know how. Not after what Cazador had done to him, not after centuries of being treated like a tool, a possession.

"You don’t scare me," you whispered back, your hand brushing against his.

Astarion chuckled softly, though there was no humor in it. "That’s what makes you dangerous, too."

He turned his hand over, letting your fingers interlace with his. For all his teasing, there was a fragile quality to the way he held your hand—like he wasn’t sure if he should hold on tighter or let go before it was too late.

The fire crackled softly between you, filling the space with warmth and light, though neither of you really needed it. The moon overhead bathed Astarion in pale silver, making him look like a dream—too beautiful, too tragic.

"You know," he said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper, "I spent so long believing I could only survive by taking, by pretending, by being whoever someone needed me to be. And now…"

His gaze met yours, raw and exposed in a way you’d never seen before. "Now you come along, with your kind words and your foolish heart, and I don’t know what to do with you."

You smiled softly, squeezing his hand. "You could try being yourself."

A bitter laugh escaped him, but there was no malice in it. "And what if you don’t like who I am?"

"I already do," you whispered.

The weight of those words settled between you, heavy and undeniable. Astarion’s smile faded into something softer—something real. For the first time, he looked at you not as a game, not as a conquest, but as someone who saw him for what he was and didn’t flinch away.

"I hate how much I want you," he confessed, his voice rough and uneven. "It’s terrifying. But gods help me, I can’t stop."

The admission hung in the air between you, fragile and dangerous. You knew what it cost him to say it, how much trust it took for him to bare even a sliver of his heart. And in that moment, you knew you would never betray that trust.

He shifted closer, his hand tightening around yours as if grounding himself in the connection. "Stay with me," he whispered, almost too softly to hear.

You nodded, brushing a stray strand of silver hair from his face. "Always."

For the first time in what felt like centuries, Astarion allowed himself to relax—just a little. The fear was still there, the shadows of his past still lingering, but for tonight, he could pretend. He could let himself believe that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as broken as he thought.

And with you by his side, perhaps he wouldn’t have to pretend for much longer.

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this softer, more vulnerable take on Astarion. If you’d like a follow-up or have any other requests, feel free to ask!

[reallyhatethiswebsite]

prompt. loquacious devil gets his cake and eats it: telepathy during cunnilingus.

When he offered you a reward and you told him what you wanted, you didn't expect him to agree. So when he did, since you've been such a good little mouse after all, you couldn't contain your excitment, giddily scrambling onto the bed. The devil laughed at you, a little mean, observing you languidly.

"My, my. How eager you are to see me on my knees - metaphorically or not. Perhaps I should be concerned..."

"No," you said, aware of the line to tread around Raphael. He liked it when you begged, when you simpered, when you wanted him. He liked it when you were bold. He didn't like when you were audacious. When you dared to push above your station. "I just - your mouth on me...it's..."

"Oh?" An eyebrow raised on Raphael's handsome face, a sly smile spreading his pretty, thin lips. "Is it a fantasy of yours, pet? A naughty thought that has kept you warm at night when you're lonely in your bed?"

"Yes," you murmured. Fought not to combust with embarassment at the salacious way the devil smirked at you. He was delighted by this information, you knew. His tail swayed to and fro.

"Well," he purred, "far be it from me to deny you something you've longed for."

Like a huge red panther, Raphael crawled onto the bed after you. His feline smile never faded. His big wings flexed. His size dwarfed you. You watched him, your heart pounding with anticipation. Blood roared in your ears. You let your thighs fall open for the devil's broad frame, gasping in surprise when he clicked his fingers and your trousers and small-clothes disappeared. You stuffed your knuckles in your mouth and bit them. To have Raphael between your legs like this was as electric and arousing as you imagined, but in hindsight, potentially dangerous; a predatory gleam in his eye, sharp teeth so close to your softest, most vulnerable parts...he had less penchant for biting than his incubus, but you knew from experience the possibility definitely wasn't off the table. A testament to how doomed you were that the threat didn't frighten you.

(You had no idea.)

"What's this?" Raphael crooned. Tilted his head. Dragged one claw through the softness of your pubic curls to brush over your clit and between your mons. You took in a sharp breath, but Raphael simply pulled his finger away to show you it was coated in slick. He was deeply amused. "Wet already and I haven't even started yet...how utterly pathetic your desperation for me is. But fret not, my sweet, wanton little mouse. I can keep a secret."

Before you could say anything, he sucked his claw clean, humming as he did so. "Not bad. This won't be as much of a chore as I thought."

Raphael, squatting in the space between your knees, grabbed the meat of your thighs and widened their spread, stretching almost to the point of pain. You liked the discomfort. The threat of ten sharp points, ten cambion claws piercing your skin and drawing blood. The devil stared at your sex, so close each hot puff of his breath tingled, raising all the baby hairs on your arms and the back of your neck. He stared until you began to squirm.

"Raphael," you whispered.

The devil chuckled, a deep and throaty sound that, quite literally, went to your cunt. Without fanfare, his rough warm tongue lolled out and licked you from the base of your sex to the top of your clit in a single, harsh swipe. You whined, biting deep into your own knuckles. Your other hand longed to grip one of Raphael's mighty horns, but you knew that you weren't to touch him until he allowed it, so instead you twisted your fingers into the sheets beneath you. He squeezed your flesh in his big red hands tighter, claws scratching light welts. Again he licked, and again, and again, and again; hard, harder, sloppy, effortlessly rolling the meat of his tongue against your entrance, teased it with its separate forked tips, spreading your gooey slick around as he pleased. Your back arched, pushing your aching sex into his face. Encouraging him to enter you. Lick you inside and out.

"Yes, please please please..."

So greedy. I'm already rewarding you with my generous service, and yet you're still asking for more. Perhaps I've spoiled you too much.

You twitched. You heard the devil's voice clear as day, but his mouth was occupied. You opened your eyes (you didn't know when you had closed them) and glanced down. Though he was buried in your snatch, Raphael’s reptilian eyes, onyx and fire, were fixed on you. His gaze was searing. What a fucking sight. Your stomach dropped, and then it roiled with shock and desire. He was in your head, you realised. Sifting through your thoughts like sheets of paper, projecting his words directly into your consciousness. Of course he would find a way to keep talking despite having his mouth full of pussy.

Crass.

"It's...mmm, ahh, my mind..."

Wrong. You belong to me, don't forget. What's yours is mine.

That shouldn't have thrilled you as much as it did. You felt Raphael's amusement and satisfaction about that as though it were your own. Your body trembled, guts taut. He was sucking on your labia, flattening his tongue to rub on your slick flesh everywhere except where you wanted.

Suck my clit, you thought, please, I need you to suck my clit.

You couldn't control your thoughts, though, mind racing about how gorgeous, how handsome, how beautiful he looked all the time as though he'd been carved to life by hellish angels, how fucking incredible he was between your legs, how you could come just by watching him down there because he painted such an erotic portrait lapping at your pussy that you'd be masturbating to the memory for the rest of your life but it would never feel as good as it did now, oh please suck my clit...

Hells. It was a groan, gruff, a tad irritated, but you sensed the desire in him, the fire you were igniting in his blood as you stroked his ego. Your thoughts are so chaotic, so loud. I'm tempted to lobotomise you, my needy little pet, but then whose desperate, carnal fantasies about myself would I indulge in, if not yours?

Finally, at last, he took pity on you. Enveloped your swollen clit in the moist cavern of his mouth. Sucked hard. So hard his fangs scraped you. You squealed, you couldn't help it, your legs clamping around his head. He seemed to like that. His arousal, his true fiendish nature, began leaking into his projected thoughts.

So warm. So pliant. How good your sopping quim tastes. I can smell your sweet mortal blood pumping through your veins, you know. You would let me tear you open and drink straight from the still-beating source, wouldn't you? Yesss...such a good little creature you are...

You'd let him take you to pieces. You'd do it yourself if he asked. You rutted against his face, rolling your hips in desperate pursuit of the violent orgasm you could feel pulling at all the strings that made you a person. Strings held by this devil, the puppeteer of your ruin, and your salvation. You loved him. You adored him.

And now he knew. Shit.

This time you physically felt his dark, smug, infernal satisfaction like the scuttling legs of spiders across your brain. The cruel smile pulling his lips around your fat clit. How utterly you had ruined yourself. He had ruined you.

Oh, you poor thing. You can't keep a secret at all. He cooed to your very quivering soul. Slid his serpentine tongue up your entrance suddenly, a selfish invasion, groaning in dark delight when your insides clamped around it and you shrieked. Grabbed his horns reflexively. He let you, fragmented thoughts drifting by of you split on his cock and screaming as he writhed and rutted and emptied his balls, filled you and fucked you and bred you over and over and over. You were taking his tongue so well. You'd take everything else, too. So, so greedy. But that's alright. We're going to have such fun together...aren't we?

[kierahn]

yandere police officer x wanted criminal male reader :D?

A GAME OF TAG. [ y ! police officer x m ! criminal reader ]

yandere ! police officer x criminal ! male reader

warnings:

suggestive content (16+)

agressive handling from yan! officer

request/ask here.

a rushed update since i haven't posted in a while :] i have a long weekend ahead, i might be able to catch up with writing some of the piled up requests in my inbox.

× silas cromwell. it was a known fact to everyone in town that he and you were long-term rivals; like the two opposing sides of a coin. you were his favorite criminal. but you ? you didn't really like him that much; all snugged and smug in his police uniform. you were not one to get along with his kind too well.

× this game of cat and mouse between you and silas had been going on for about 2 years now. the young officer would always find himself facing a dead end everytime he tried to uncover your real identity. it was a pain in the ass for silas to chase someone he didn't know much about around.

× it was a frustratingly long chase, but silas would always find himself grinning at the thought of emerging as the victor of this game of chase you had started. little by little, his obssession with you grew.

× and, finally, he claimed sweet victory. what was more sweeter than having the most notorious mastermind himself in his grasp ? after 2 years of restlessly pursuing you, he finally had you on the tip of his fingers.

× "so what do you intend to do now, dear officer ?" the criminal asks smugly, his hands cuffed behind him and a blindfold taking away his vision as he sat on his knees before the officer. a delicious sight for silas to take in. "hand me over to the 'authorities' ? let their so-called justice deal with me ? tell me," you continued to prod him for answers, your smug smile never fading. oh, how he would love to break through that confident facade of yours.

× "i believe you don't fully understand, y/n." silas draws out after snapping out of his thoughts, standing before your kneeled form. a cold hand placed itself under your chin, sending a shiver up your spine. "i'm the authority. i'll be the one delivering justice." his voice dropped to a hauntingly low tone, holding a hint of threat that made something inside of you click.

× all this time, you've been the one in charge of leading the chase between you two; the one who was always on top of the game you yourself started. but now silas had taken the control out of your hands.

× "it seems like you're finally starting to realize," silas' voice started to move around you, your lack of sight heightening your sense of hearing. "GH–!" a harsh blow to your stomach causes you to slouch over in pain, a pained groan escaping your lips.

× you violently coughed, the harsh kick causing your breath to stop for a second. you pant heavily, drool spilling from your lips. for a flimsy officer like him, silas really knew how to use his feet to make it hurt. "that was very foul move, officer–" a cough, then a mocking laugh. "kicking down a defenseless opponent is completely unnecessary."

× a tug to your hair and a large hand encasing your cheeks tightly into a bruising grip. your laid-back attitude was starting to get on his nerves. why weren't you cowering in fear before him like he had expected ? you weren't taking him seriously at all.

× "y/n l/n, you have some nerve." you could sense that silas was very, very close to you with how his hot breath kissed the tip of your nose. however, you remained unfazed. you didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing you all vulnerable.

× but he would get his satisfaction either way. he always gets his way. "maybe we can find a better use for that pretty mouth of yours." his grip on your cheeks slightly loosened, his thumb glazing over your lower lip.

× "consider this my reward for winning this childish game of tag."

[buginacup]

What was the hardest Beastie for you to design in general! There's so many fantastic designs I'm curious which one had you stumped if any at all. Also how on earth did you come up with so many funny little expressions! I feel like I see a new one everytime I play, they're fantastic! Thank you for your wonderful touch to this game, such lovely little guys!

What was the hardest Beastie for you to design in general?

One in particular comes to mind but it's still sort of a secret. I'll try to return to this when more people know about it so I can talk about it in particular!

There were plenty of other snags, though. In particular Crabaret was so so hard to pose. They don't have finished sprites yet, but Crabaret is unique in that their final sprites will not flip (always crab walking), instead they have two sets of poses for w/e direction they're facing.

Have you ever tried to imagine a crab pivoting on a "waist"? A crab doesn't have a waist! And I gave its torso such a naturalistic shape from every angle other than front why on god's GREEN EARTH DID I DO THIS TO MYSELF!

Around the time I was doing poses for this beastie I started experiencing some (still quite present!) nerve pain/numbness in my hands. For other designs (like Yueffowl) I've done vector art with my mouse to give my hands a break, but try as I did I couldn't do low-res art in a way that communicated the stupid ridiculously nuanced shape I gave this crab, so it was a slow process of sketching out the color-coded body part position in little bursts, using supplemental 3D modeling for stuff I had no means to draw;

Don't get me wrong I'm quite proud of Crabaret but good lord this one was months of on and off work.

How on earth did you come up with so many funny little expressions?

I can't take all the credits on the expressions! Nearly all of them were originally drawn by Greg, but at a resolution that looked really blurry at the size the faces wound up being. I get real fussy about pixel resolution in a way that Greg doesn't, so I asked if I could redraw them at the size they're currently used. Here's a side by side of some of the old/new faces.

As you can see a lot of their soul was already there! I mostly just pushed the shape language of them and sharpened them. Greg wanted them to still feel like his drawings and they definitely do!

[jumalanpelko]

So fun fact since my tablet isnt tabletting i made all of this with mouse and i would like to say something that only works in finnish: Ai saatanan vittu mun ranne perkele

So i did it! I took some of the cats that people asked for (mostly those with easy designs cause i am tired) and then went "might as well add some of my favs"

so it is more like 9 cats

Fishwhisker from @the-exiled-comic such a cool comic!

Silkglide from @chasing-faith-and-fate havent read this one yet, but this design is so nice!

Daisypaw from @whistleclangen havent read this yet but love the style and Daisy has such a nice design (Could be a suncat)

Specstar from @goofy-clan again one that i havent have time to read yet but such a cute style. I had fun trying to shape the eyes to kinda look like they do in the comic.

Mariner from @wavesalwayscrash Now I love this comic! Messed up man who misses his wife

Trout from @whatlurksbean Again, love this comic! Cult cats cult cats! Their cult should meet jumalanpelko cult. Also I love Trout she is my fav and she is absolutely fucking shit up so bad girl stop

And the last 3 that i just wanted to draw. Aka The Sad Moms

Fiercestripe from @loudclan-clangen . I love this comic so much and it causes me pain. I love middle aged sad mother (Also could be a suncat)

Tigertoe from @circus-clangen She is naked cause honestly i couldnt art anymore. Love this.... is it even a comic at this point? Anyway I love it. I am so worried for her. (also could be a suncat)

Pansybloom from @splinterclan SHE. I LOVE HER. I love this comic I love the style, it is so smooth?? And I want HER TO BE HAPPY

[hemipenal-system]

aww, what’s the matter? why are you crying?

you’re scared? what of, morsel?

me? why are you scared of me? you asked me to hold you in my mouth until we got somewhere warmer, and my mouth is plenty warm…

don’t worry about me, morsel… i’m your friend, i would never eat you… at least not permanently.

hey, hey, no, don’t worry! i said i wouldn't hurt you and i meant it!

come out? i'm sorry, morsel, i can't let you out yet! it's so cold out here you'd practically freeze to death if i let you out! besides, all that saliva you're soaked with now... it'd just make you colder. i think it's best if i just hold on to you for now.

besides, i think you're enjoying this more than you want to admit to me.

oh, come on. you think i can't feel how you squirm when i curl my tongue along your back? how you grab onto my teeth desperately when i curl it over you and scrape the rough side against your bare legs?

you know, my tongue was designed with a purpose. every part of a creature as beautiful as me is. those hard keratin spikes you enjoy so much? they’re meant to grind against bigger creatures than you, shearing flesh from bone and slathering what’s left in enzyme-loaded saliva that begins to melt you down to bone shadows even before you’re swallowed…

oh, no, not for you. you’re very small, small enough i could swallow you whole. you’d like it more that way, wouldn’t you? alive and conscious for the whole thing?

yes, morsel, i know why you were so eager to climb into my mouth- and i know it’s not fear of heights like you claimed. we may be a mile above the ground with only my wings and internal fire to sustain us, but my blood runs through me everywhere and my claws would have been more than warm enough to keep you safe from the biting cold at this altitude.

don’t worry, this is what you’re supposed to want. you’re from a prey species. sure, we have peace treaties now and you have enough weapons to fend us off now, but for millennia that’s how it went! you ran, you got pinned down, you struggled, and then we tore you limb from limb, reveling in the blood and adrenaline of a meal well hunted…

you don’t have to be embarrassed, morsel! you’re allowed to want me to devour you! i know you find me attractive – in the same way a mouse finds a cat attractive, of course. you’ve always had an affinity for dragons. i’ve seen how you look at the other riders who’re more… open about what they do with their mounts. you can tell me those things, you know.

i told you, i’m not going to let you out! it’s not safe for you at this height or temperature!

yes, obviously i've thought about doing this to you. never seriously, but... enough. humans make wonderful prey... your gentle struggling because you're intelligent enough to trust us and know we won't really hurt you even if we draw a bit of blood... it's very different than tearing the horns off a deer and swallowing it whole, you know.

i've eaten your kind before, you know. i wasn't always so... docile. your nomad convoys made such wonderful buffets: chicken, beef, pork, human – and you always had such wonderful fruits and spices in those little covered wagons of yours! i enjoyed cracking them open like nuts, devouring everything inside.

no, you're not nutritious at all. your meat is really stringy. the terrified shaking and pleading is tantalizing, though...

what do you mean, "what are you doing?" all this talk about food is making me hungry. i'm just savoring your taste is all. you're like one of those hard candies you humans buy from the market to suck on, except warm and salty and savory and-

i could swallow you. it'd be so easy.

no, no, not digest you. stop writhing like that – or continue if you want. it feels nice. i'd just swallow you and hold you in my first stomach for a while. think of it as a warm, damp, dark hug from me. no pain, no flesh itching and melting off, just a gentle squeeze.

hold still, morsel. i need to reposition you a bit is all. that's right, legs like that, arms go that way - yes, exactly! now don't move.

yes, i know it's a bit tight. my prey is a bit more chewed, usually. stop complaining about it or i'll pull you back up and bite you into small pieces so you'll fit better. is that what you want?

there. is that comfortable? i can adjust a bit if you want. hey, no, stop squirming. you're not going to die. that is not stomach acid. if you don't stop panicking i'm going to have to squeeze to hold you still.

i told you. i'm very much stronger than you. stop trying to push out. you're going to sit in there whether you like it or not, morsel.

stop calling you that? why should i? you're literally in my stomach. are you not food, at least for the moment?

don't even tempt me. i am hungry.

just go to sleep or something. we're going to be in the air for a while. if you stop wiggling around in there i'll let you out when i land. i know how soothing it is to be in there. i was a hatchling once too, you know.

i can literally feel you relaxing as my crop massages you. you're yawning. don't even lie to me.

good night, morsel...

[girliism]

girl dad!art who has to accept the fact that his little girl is now a teenager.

“mickey mouse pancakes again?” you walked into the kitchen dropping a kiss on art’s shoulder. “she likes them.” art mumbled. it was saturday, so art spent all morning making pancakes, eggs, sausages everything so you all could sit down and eat together.

“hi family, bye family.” your daughter walked pasted the two of you heading for the door, beach bag in hand. “um, where do think you’re going.” art turned around, hand resting on his cocked hip. “to the beach with katie, don’t worry about breakfast we’re gonna stop and get ihop.” your daughter explained going to reach for the doorknob. “wait, and who okayed this?” your daughter sighed closing the door turing to face the two of you. “mom did, she didn’t tell you?” art and your daughter turn to look at you matching blue eyes focused on you. your eyes flick between them. “i totally forgot that was this saturday love.” your daughter pouted a little. “i can still go right?” you gave her nod. your daughter made a sound of of excitement. “thanks! i’ll text you when we get there bye mom, see ya dad.” and with that she was out the door.

your turn in your chair to face art, he’s still staring at the front door. “see ya dad.” art scoffed “when did i become just dad, and saturdays are supposed be family day.” you got up from your chair to wrap your arms around him. “honey, most fifteen year old girls don’t always wanna spend saturday with their parents, she’s a teenager now, we’re kinda the last thing on her list at the moment.” you gave him pat on the chest for reassurance.

art was hearing none of it, he knew you were growing up but that doesn’t mean the two of you weren’t still close, in his eyes.

it was another saturday and art had the whole day planned out. “bean, if you would please hang up the phone.” art stood in the door way of his daughters room, the walls the that used to to be covered in butterfly stickers and stick figure drawings now replaced with posters of her favorite movies and artists. “yeah, it’s my dad, uh huh i’ll call you back.” she hung the phone asking what was it that he needed. “wanna spend the day with you today, you know daddy daughter outing.” your daughter made a face. “oh, i kinda had plans today.” she didn’t have plans, but laying in her bed sending tiktok’s back and forth with her friends sounded better than hanging out with her dad all day. “oh come on, humor me, at least for two hours.” she reluctantly agreed walking out the door behind art silently begging you to save her.

the car ride started off painful quite before art cleared his throat. “so, what’s going on in your life, any cute boys or you know girls you like.” she wanted to jump out the car. “oh god.” your daughter whispers, covering her face trying to hide from this conversation. “what, i wanna know what’s going on in life you know, make sure you’re being safe. guys, they…. they can be very convincing.” she immediately starts shaking her head. “no no no, dad stop please ok i’m not doing that with anyone and moms already given me the rundown.” art nods his head slowly. “good that’s good, you’re too young anyway.” the rest of the car ride after that was pleasant, she spent it telling him about the project she’s working on and how she’s thinking about joining cheer with lily.

“oh my god.” your daughter laughs a little getting out of the car seeing where art had brought them. “and you almost passed up on this.” art shook his head. he had brought them to the broad walk, a place she use to love and come to all the time. the sight of all the rides and deep fried food stands brings back memories of when art would take her here, carrying her on his shoulders as she placed her sticky hands in his hair. “oh, dad you have to go on the drop with me first.” what was supposed to be two hours turned into four as art got dragged around the broad walk. they went on every ride, ate from all the food stands (art may or may not have thrown up behind the porta potties.) before they ended the night on a bench eating cotton candy.

art watched his daughter cross from him, her features no longer covered by baby fat. “hey, bean thanks for spending the day with me.” his daughter just shrugged and smiled. “ehh, wasn’t that bad, you’re kinda fun to hang out with.” art chuckled. “it’s just, i know you’re growing up and i get you’re not always gonna want to come do things like this, so thanks for letting me pretend you’re still my little girl.” your daughter got up from her side of the table and sat next to art throwing her arm around his shoulder. “daddy, you don’t have to pretend, i’m always gonna be your little girl i’m just not a little girl, and yeah i’d much rather spend time with my friends but i guess i put you on the my schedule.” art sighs dramatically, kissing the side of her head. “where did all the time go? tell me you still like mickey mouse pancakes at least.” your daughter gasped as if the question offended her. “of course i still like them, are you crazy?”

the ride home was much better than the ride there. no awkward conversation just laughs and trading of the aux cord. “so, since we have established that i still love you how ‘bout we talk about what car i’m getting for my sixteenth.” your daughter gave art her sweetest smile. “ha! funny, how about you pass first then we’ll talk.” art said back knowing she had already failed twice

(🤗)

[cameliawrites]

The kanej ficlet I started writing last night (because the Voices in my Head compelled me to) is the most fun I’ve had writing anything in a long time, so I’m sharing a little snippet (mildly NSFW lol) and asking you to giggle and kick your feet with me for a moment:

That thought brings a smile to the corners of her lips—and it’s as if Kaz has a sixth sense for her amusement, because it’s at this moment that he looks up from the table for the first time and spots her at the corner of the bar, where she migrated after slipping inside the club. He gazes at her with a simmering intensity that pushes the smile from her lips almost as quickly as it appeared, and she can’t help the near-silent oh that escapes from her parted lips as he devours her sight like a man starved.

For a moment, Inej thinks he’s going to sweep his arm against the table and send the deck of cards he’d so neatly shuffled a few seconds ago fluttering over the heads of the clubgoers as wildly as Mister Crimson throwing false coins into a crowd of revelers. For a moment, Inej wants him to. She imagines that rough, dark voice of his demanding that everybody on the floor get out, NOW, sending the patrons scattering. They know that Dirtyhands means business. Of course, Inej wouldn’t leave; she would only float closer, silent as a mouse scurrying up to a housecat poised to pounce, and lift her chin to him in defiance. His answering grin would be sharp as claws. And as soon as the front door swung shut behind the final straggler, in one effortless movement, Kaz would grab his cane by its end and hook the end of the silver crow’s head beak into Inej’s belt loop, tugging her forward, hard, till she’s close enough that he can wrap his forearm around her waist, pulling her into the firm plane of his chest and abdomen—but then he’d be pushing her away, pushing her onto the game table, chips and coins and cards all digging into her back, but no matter, because there’s the heat of him between her thighs as he throws the cane to the floor with a violent clatter, grabs her by the back of the neck, drawing her into a kiss so passionate that it’s almost painful, and—

HOLY FUCKING SAINTS ABOVE, INEJ, GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE BARREL. She forces herself to get a grip over her imagination, because in reality, Kaz is doing none of these things; he’s returned his attention to the game that’s just started at his table. He’s working, instead of going fucking insane.