#i hadn't drawn at all in like ten days (which is a very long time for me) and hadn't done digital art in like a month so i was very rusty

[tizzymcwizzy]

had a good drawing day today :)

[hispg]

My sweet friend

Pairings: Best friend Leon! x fem! Reader

Wc: 2.2k

Summary: After a party you decided to sleep in your best friend's house, little do you know that sleeping is the last thing that he'll do.

Warnings: Porn without plot, unprotected sex, p in v, fingering, somnophilia, dub-con, drunk sex, dirty thoughts, a bit of dirty talk, shameless smut.

He was shirtless, just wearing his sweatpants, all at ease as he waited for the episode to finish.

Another quiet evening in Leon's apartment. He was just lazing around watching some series on TV. It was his day off, so he was making the most of it.

He wasn't one for staying up late, and considering it was already half past ten at night, it was high time he fell asleep.

He was about to doze off on the sofa when he heard the doorbell ring. This puzzled him since he hadn't invited anyone to his apartment that night.

Sleepily, he got up from the sofa and headed for the door. He opened it while rubbing his eyes, not even paying attention to who was waiting for him.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite police officer!" You say in a slightly raspy, slurred voice. You were very loud that night.

He opens his eyes, noticing your figure. He was used to these visits from you. After all, you were best friends, but he'd never seen you so loose like this.

"Uhm, what are you doing here?" The question came quietly from his lips, although he kept a sweet smile for you.

Of course, he heard when you started talking, but paying attention to what you were saying was another story. His eyes traveled down your body, and seeing the way your curves were being hugged by your tight black dress was simply immoral.

He took a deep breath, remembering every detail. It wasn't hard to guess that you were coming from a party, and you looked so beautiful.

"Mhmmm, Leon! Will you let me in?" You whimpered slyly, throwing yourself into his arms.

"Ugh, you stink of alcohol." He grumbles, gently dragging you inside.

All you did was mumble some nonsensical things, which frankly Leon didn't even try to pay attention to. He just dragged you into his room, laying you on the bed.

You needed that, just as you would need him the next day. He swore to God he was trying not to look at you, but the way your curves were so exposed in that dress.

He shouldn't have, but he could already feel his blood pulsing in his lower body. As a precaution, he decided that he would sleep on the sofa for the night until he heard your whimper.

"Am I going to sleep alone? No! What if there's a monster under the bed?" You said in the same drunken, raspy voice. He wondered how much you'd had to drink that night. And for making the situation more amusing somehow, you sat on the bed and pouted at him.

He hides a laugh from you, finding your childish behavior comical, to say the least.

"Ok, I'll sleep here. But if you kick me out of bed, I'll throw you out. Do you hear me?" Leon whispers jokingly, sticking his tongue out at you.

You nod desperately, pulling him into bed with you. He falls onto the bed gently, snuggling into his side.

And once you lay back down on his bed, he can't help but look at you with the most pleading eyes on earth. Even if you're not noticing it, too busy trying to be comfortable on his bed.

But he can't help it. The way your dress always lifts up a bit, threatening to show the curve of your ass. Fuck, too exciting for him not pay attention. He could end this, surely, just putting a blanket over you would solve the problem.

And that's exactly the point, he don't want to solve the problem.

He preferred to stay on his side of the bed, looking at your ass bouncing every time you tried to get on a comfortable position, the way that the dress drawns your curves so damn perfectly.

He swear to God that he's trying to not think about it, but the way that his cock is throbbing on his pants says otherwise. He even grabs a pillow, softly rubbing against his erection, hoping that this helps him to ease a little.

Didn't take long for him to get mad about it, why instead of the pillow, it couldn't be that pretty mouth of yours? That pretty plump, pink lips of yours? Damn, the way that it would fit perfectly around his cock.

Or even better, what if he can use that pretty pussy of yours? He can bet that your pussy it's just pretty as you.

Without even noticing, his hands slipped through his pants, his fingers rubbing the tip of his hard cock. And he can already feel the considerable amount of pre-cum sliding down on this dick, messing his thighs on the process.

When he felt what he was doing, he stopped himself, thinking about how wrong it was. No, it was too dirty to do that while you were beside him.

He breathed heavily, trying to focus on getting his composure back. He got his phone, and started to scroll it, praying that this give him some sleep, so he can just close his eyes and rest, even if he doubt that he's going to be able to sleep this night.

A couple of minutes later, he felt a bit more calm, taking deep breaths and trying his best to not think about you. But when he turned to your side, his mouth fell open, eyes widening at the sight.

There you were, laying on your stomach, your dress was now at your waist, giving him a perfect angle of your bare ass cheeks. His mind goes wild, seeing how round and plump they're.

And then again, he felt his cock hardening, so damn hard that he can see it through the sheets.

"Fuck me.." He murmured, drooling at the magnificent sight of your bare ass.

His hands trembled, and he was willing to at least give a squeeze on that ass, he can't control himself. It was such a hot sin in front of him.

And well, before he even realized his hand was on his cock, palming himself to get some relieve.

His another hand roaming in your arms, gently caressing it. He can't believe how much he gets aroused only by such a simple touch like this. He felt your soft skin under his fingertips, and it was so damn smooth.

You shivered at his touch, even if you were sleeping, just one involuntary action. As if even when you were sleeping, you still wanted his touch.

He couldn't help, letting out a soft whimper while he was jerking off, feeling so excited over you. He can't contain himself, too much for him.

Finally, his hands reached your lower back, and he started to play with the waistband of your panties, wanting to desperately feel what's underneath.

Slipping his hand down further, he gets to touch your ass cheek. Dragging his fingers over it, rubbing and giving little squeezes. Feeling the soft flesh of your ass.

And shit, he felt so turned on by that. Cock twitching and pulsing on his hand, he's sure that once he come, it's going to be a thick,long load. He's more than sure of it.

You stirred, shifting your ass a bit more up, stretching yourself a bit, soon turning back to your normal position.

And then again, Leon whimpered, hand dangerously close to your covered pussy, fingers roaming eagerly your ass, wavering around each centimeter.

That purked little cunt, that he desperately wants to suck and lick until you're begging him to stop. That little cunt that he wants to fuck over and over, and fill it up with his cum. 

In an impulsive thought, his hands slide to your already wet folds, not touching it directly. The tip of his indicator finger stroking it above your soaked panties, and he was whining so damn much right now.

He keeps telling himself that this is wrong, that he shouldn't be doing this. But hell, if is this bad, why you're so fucking wet? There is no way that you didn't want this, too.

The way that you started to rub your thighs together, pressing them against each other so tightly. This was the bit of sight that he needed, and well, he would keep going.

He kept stroking his cock with one hand,  he was trying his best to not cum that fast, but he can't help it. When he entered his finger on you, feeling your tight wet walls sucking him in, he whined loudly, more than he should.

Words can't describe how relieved he felt knowing that you were a deep sleeper this night, maybe from the tiredness along with the fact that you were a bit drunk. Enough to knock you down on this bed.

Then again he slipped another finger, whimpering at the sensation of your tight little cunt. Wanting so bad that it was his cock instead.

His fingers started to grind you, moving at a slow and steady pace. Feeling your gummy and velvety walls embrace him tightly.

"Mhm.." There it was, your sweet voice moaning at his touch.

You started to stir, drowsy opening your eyes. Your eyes nervously darts around, while Leon look at you with a soft smile, as if he wasn't doing anything. But you could clearly feel how hot it was between your legs, you could feel your fluids dripping down your thighs.

Too bad you were too tired to protest, not that you were against it either. Not least because as soon as you realized what he was doing, you swung your hips towards him, thrusting in a way that made what he was doing easier.

Another sweet whimper escapes his lips, his fingers start to move faster. In and out, curving around and hitting your sweet spots. By then, you were buried in the pillow, letting out sleepy cries and moans, and that made him even hornier.

Just seeing that you accepted him even though you were in such a vulnerable state made him lose his mind easily. And without waiting long, he asked you, "Do you want me to rock you?"

It seemed like an innocent proposal at first, not that you were in the best state of mind.

But all you did was nod, wanting him to rock you to sleep. He quickly withdrew his fingers from you, making you whimper at the emptiness you felt.

He licked his fingers, savoring the taste of your sweet honey. And indeed it was just as he imagined, you were as sweet and delicious as honey.

And then he pulled you to him, your back against his chest, one of his hands finding your hips, pushing them forward a little.

In one swift movement, he shoved his cock into you. With one strong, deep thrust, he was all the way inside you.

Only now did you understand what he meant, it wasn't a proposal to go to sleep.

He was going to rock into you.

"Mhmh, Leon..." You moan softly, your fingers curling into the pillow.

"Shh, I'll put you to sleep." He whispers in a little whimper, feeling overwhelmed by the way your pussy nestled his cock so well.

This was better than you imagined, him thrusting gently while holding you by the waist, moving in and out.

He whimpered so much, it was so good the way your spongy walls gripped him, pulled him in.

The poor thing was so needy that he couldn't stop touching you, kissing your neck, biting and licking the soft skin.

Just as he stroked your clit from time to time, only to feel your little hole clench around him.

"I'm close." You moaned a little louder, your nails sinking into the pillow.

He growled in your ear, squeezing your waist and thrusting in without warning. He knew he was close too, and surely he couldn't wait to come inside you, to fill you with his cum until you couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm going to fill you up, until my cum starts leaking out." He murmurs, rocking his hips at an abnormal speed. Moving back and forth without stopping.

"Mhmhmm, ah, ah..." You babble, not even making the effort to speak a single sentence.

"Getting fucking drunk on that cock, aren't you?" He groans, thrusting into your weak spot, making you see stars every time.

Enough for you to fall apart, calling his name again and again, your walls slapping against his cock, spilling everything you had to offer.

That was the last straw for him too, you could feel the first spurts inside you. And just as he imagined, it was a long load, he can see it running down your wet folds. He gives you a satisfied smile, seeing what he's wanted to see for ages.

You were breathing heavily, your lips parted, and your eyes closed. He was almost in the same state, except he was wide awake.

He kisses your cheek, pulling the covers over you both, not even bothering to clean up around here.

"Sleep well, sweetheart." He whispers, tucking you into the same big spoon position.

Giving you a tight hug and light kisses on the neck, and that's how it went until you both fell asleep.

Being honest? He couldn't wait for the next day, because he was going to do it all over again.

Oh, how he would.

[lynnsenpai]

My ten year anniversary of beating cancer

On October 2nd 2014, I - a trans woman - was diagnosed with testicular cancer. I wanna talk about that a little today. (((Probably obvious trigger warnings, but I'm going to talk about cancer, mortality, and transphobia.)))

It was a crazy time, because that morning, I was just going in for my yearly physical with my doctor. I planned to talk to her about taking steps towards bottom surgery that day, and then I was just excited to get home and count down the hours until Smash Bros for 3DS would release the very next day. But the appointment went an unexpected direction during the physical.

I'd always been told by doctors my whole life to check for lumps, and as much as I hated that part of my body, I did as I was told. So when I never found lumps, I assumed that meant I was okay. Then my doctor told me one of them felt oddly hard. She left the room for some time (I assume to check some things) and when she returned, she explained she had some concerns and was sending to another specialist to confirm some things. She said she felt very sure it was a sign of testicular cancer, though.

At the time, my brain wasn't ready to hear that. My doctor was visibly shaken. My spouse was on the verge of tears. And I was deep in denial like, "but I mean there's a chance it might not be, right? So I'm not going to sweat it." In hindsight, I'm sure I was frustrating to listen to for not taking it seriously. But it wasn't like I was trying to be obstinate, I just was that strongly in disbelief. I didn't feel sick. I wasn't in any pain. Things were going well; this couldn't possibly be happening now.

And yet, a few days later, I saw the specialist, and it was confirmed. I had cancer. Any optimistic doubts I had, shot down in an instant. The specialist wanted to take care of this as fast as he could, so I was scheduled for surgery at the end of the month, and he gave me a stack of prescriptions for various tests I would go to - basically one a day - for the next few weeks.

I had lots of blood drawn. I had x-rays done. I had CT scans. I had an incredibly awkward, uncomfortable ultrasound. And at each appointment, I was seeing some new doctor, nurse, technician, or otherwise professional who probably looked at my chart and, despite my legally changed name and gender marker by that point, saw that the person in front of them had testicular cancer. “And such a person could only be a man.”

I feel like it must sound so petty to be worried about pronouns when you're dealing with something like cancer. But I want to stress that I was nearly a year in presenting full time as myself by that point. I hadn't been called a man in a very long time. And up until earlier that very month, I was on cloud nine and ready to take the next step in my transition. This whole ordeal, on top of being horrendously scary, also took huge strides in regressing all the progress I'd made with confidence and self-love over the previous two years.

And it got worse too. Insurance refused to cover the surgery because I changed the gender marker. Because "why would a woman need to get surgery to remove a testicle. That's just silly!" And there was no convincing them otherwise. Insult to injury, I had to change that gender marker back to an M in their system so that they would approve this surgery. It was a surprisingly easy change to make happen too (which was technically beneficial for the surgery, but also sucked in its own way).

Oh, and then I had to go off all my HRT meds in preparation to reduce the risk of blood clots during surgery. I never felt lower.

All the while, I had plenty of time to think about my mortality. I was only 30. What about my spouse who I love more than anything and might be leaving alone forever? What about my ongoing webcomic, my work of passion which at the time was only nearing about the halfway point, and was at risk of being left unfinished forever? And what about my own future that not so long ago felt so bright?

It would not be an understatement to call October 2014 one of the darkest, heaviest, scariest periods of my life. But not in that good fun "Halloweeny" way.

But the big day came. On October 28th - ten years ago today - I went in for surgery for the first time. I was in the OR for maybe an hour, and the cancerous testicle was removed. As suddenly as it started, it was over.

Recovery was a long and painful (without dragging out the story longer than it already is, the surgical site got infected, so healing probably ended up taking longer than it should have). But the good news, all things considered, was that they successfully removed it, and I wouldn't even need chemo because it was caught so early.

There's technically more to the story. I would later see an oncologist who encouraged a second surgery, to remove the other testicle, as well as lymph nodes around the kidneys, all as a preventative measure to make sure it didn't come back or spread. I didn't love this idea, but she seemed confident that this was the right choice, so I went along with it. And just four months after the first surgery, I went and did it all again. (This time went much more smoothly, but was a much bigger incision, and was still a very long recovery.)

The whole thing, start to finish - including recovery time - was only about 7 months long. I would go for regular oncology visits and testing and blood draws along the way for years to come, but it never showed up again.

In 2016, I finally got back on track for bottom surgery, and then had it done later that same year. My gender marker is back to being an F (where it should be) on everything. I also have two wicked cool scars to show that I conquered cancer.

Unfortunately, I don't think I ever fully mentally recovered from the emotional stress of that first month, as doctor visits still evoke way more anxiety for me than they used to. But I don't get misgendered anymore, at least.

This was all ten years ago I wasn't sure I'd still be here on this day back then. But I got through it. I'm still here for my spouse. I finished that first webcomic after an 11 year run, and have since started a second. And… I'm doing okay. I'm doing the best I can everyday.

It was a terrible time in my life - an especially terrible way to start my 30's - but I think it helps to talk about from time to time. And the ten year anniversary, feels as meaningful a time as any.

So thank you for reading all that. Please make sure to take care of and check yourself. Even if it's a part of yourself you don't want.

Stay safe, stay happy, and stay healthy everyone.

[hyperfixated-homo]

The Disney Trivia

Ao3 Link (leave a comment if you wanna! it would make my day <3)

Summary:

It's been months now since the side's have made up, and started actually treating each other like family. Now, with everything back together, they have the brilliant idea to play a game of trivia!

In which, Virgil and Roman are the hosts (who knows more about Disney than those two?) and also may be dating, we'll get back to you on that one.

Patton and Janus are flirting the whole time.

And Remus just thinks Logan is neat.

A/N: Holy god that is the most I have ever written in a single session ever. I don't regret it at all, this was amazing asodijowajd. I missed a lot! But it was kinda necessary because the fic would have been hella long otherwise and some of it was contradictory. I hope you guys like it :)

Word Count: 5117

Ships: Mociet, Prinxiety, Intrulogical

Warnings: Mentions of Remus' heart squishing? I don't think there's anything to be really concerned about lmao

“Why are we doing this again?”

“Because DISNEY Logan!”

“That’s not exactly a sufficient answer, Roman.”

Patton smiled at the two of them as they started bickering. Even now, months after their little family sorted through their drama and everyone started getting along, it seemed like some things would never change.

The sides sat together in a large debate hall, apparently a dreamspace Logan had created a while back for a video with Virgil. Back then it had been the two of them arguing over Thomas’ negative thinking, but now it was being used for something much more fun. The side’s first ever proper group trivia!

It was an idea Roman had a couple weeks ago, during their family game nights (which mainly consisted of uncontrollable chaos). He had thrown it out there randomly during a game of Kahoot, but forgot about it shortly after.

It wasn’t until earlier that week that it was brought up again.

Virgil had come up to him shyly asking if he still felt down to do a proper game of trivia, and had suggested the first theme: Disney!

Roman had agreed instantly, and the two of them spent a couple days planning and researching for the game.

The two of them would be running the game as hosts, while the other sides were split into groups of two. Janus and Patton had been dubbed team Mociet, while Logan and Remus were in team Intrulogical.

Patton was more than a little confused when Remus started giggling at the names, but shrugged it off.

The room had been decorated more interestingly for the fun occasion. Roman and Virgil had stated that they wanted to go all out for this trivia, even if it’s more of a joke than anything else.

The curtains behind were closed, colored black as they were before, but now had added detailing that made it a less monotone background. They had strung up simple banners on the wall, and there were more than a couple new lights in the room that they wanted to use for aesthetic purposes. The floor had been changed to carpeting that had a full rainbow gradient from one corner of the room to the other.

But most importantly was the art.

Hundreds of paintings of Disney characters lined the walls. Different, stylised versions of every princess, prince and villain imaginable had been drawn on them in bright, vibrant colors.

Logan was very confused when he saw them, noting that they wouldn’t be seen much anyways since the attention would be on the judges and the stage, so he didn’t understand why they would put so much effort into it.

Roman said that it didn’t matter.

(The amount of fun that he and Remus had painting them together more than made up for it.)

It was a very neat set up! And according to the boys, there were a couple other things too that they hadn't even shown yet, because they wanted it to be a surprise for when the game actually started.

“Wow, they’re still going?”

Janus’ voice cut through Patton’s thoughts, snapping his attention to the snakey side on his left.

“Huh? Oh- they stopped arguing about the scoreboard ten minutes ago. This is a new argument.”

Janus looked at him with a deadpan expression that Patton couldn’t help but smile at.

“It’s not that bad. We just need to wait for Virgil to get the cards! He’s not going to take that long.”

Janus’ eyes softened quickly, and he turned to look back at Logan and Roman. “Yes… I suppose so. We’ll just have to wait.”

Then he turned back around, suddenly seeming a lot more competitive. “What’s our game plan?”

Patton blinked. He had absolutely no clue what Janus was talking about.

“The what now?”

Janus sighed, fondly exasperated.

“How are we going to win this Patton? You probably know at least a little bit about disney. I’m going to be fully honest, I know virtually nothing. I would say that the teams are fair in that sense except Logan’s a massive Marvel nerd and Remus knows almost as much about Disney in general as Roman, so it really isn’t. We’re at a massive disadvantage here.”

Patton blinked, again.

And Janus sighed, again.

“Do we not- is there no game plan?”

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhh,” Patton looked between him and Roman. “…be nice and hope for the best?”

Janus looked at him for a moment, then once again turned away, mumbling something about how hard it would be to gaslight Virgil into giving them points. Patton was about to make a concerned remark when the door slammed open and the anxious side himself walked into the room.

“Alright losers, stop the fighting. It’s game time.”

Roman audibly squealed, immediately stumbling over to his stand.

“Okay everybody stand in your area. Go stand- you too remus, you stand normally by your podium. We’re starting! Play the music! Why isn’t- LOGAN, THIS IS YOUR DREAMSCAPE, PLAY THE MUSIC!”

Logan rolled his eyes, but complied with the prince’s request, snapping his fingers. The Disney theme started playing, and suddenly the lights shut off.

As the music swelled, new, brighter spotlights slammed on, and the four contestants were surprised to see that they’d been changed into stunning suits and corsets, similar to their outfits at the courtroom but clearly glamorized by Roman. Their podiums had changed as well, the old wooden stands being covered fabric of their own colors with their symbols at the bottom.

Before they had time to even mention the change, another bright spotlight illuminated their hosts. Virgil and Roman were also wearing new clothes, much more layered outfits with more designs sewn into them. Virgil was sat down behind a tilted table that no doubt hid the question cards, while Roman stood in front of them.

The short intro theme faded into a bright show theme, something Patton vaguely recognised.

Roman jumped forwards, welcoming them to the show and going over a prepared speech that played in time with the music.

“Welcome everyone to the first ever Sanders Sides Trivia! Not about us, but being played by us! Today we have a very special theme, suggested by my darling emo nightmare behind me,” Virgil blushed and gave a little wave “DISNEY!”

Patton cheered. Remus joined in, and then all four of them were clapping for Roman.

His eyes were alight as he walked in front of them, posture bubbly in a way that it only ever was when he got the chance to be on stage.

“Thank you! Thank you all!” He took a mock bow.

“Today on the stage we have our two wonderful teams! First up, Team Mociet! Featuring everyone’s favorite father figure, Patton, and the slithery snake himself, Janus!”

Remus whooped from beside them, and Logan and Virgil clapped for them loudly.

Janus loudly said “Totally hate being here today, how dare you invite me.”

Patton waved at everyone, unable to stop himself from giggling.

“And as their competitors today, we’ve got our brilliant book nerd, Logan, and his partner in crime (who may or may not have actually committed some crimes), Remus!”

He and Janus cheered for them, and Remus laughed maniacally while the two of them waved as well.

“I am, of course, Roman Sanders, and this is Virgil! We will be your hosts today everybody!” he continued. The four of them together gave them a round of applause, Patton and Remus yelling out compliments over the loud noise.

“Thank you, thank you. And thank you all for coming! We’re going to go over some ground rules first, before the game can officially start, so we can just jump straight into it!”

He made his way behind the table, as he said that, sitting down. The next part was apparently Virgil’s job to present.

“We’re playing by a point system. You are given points for getting questions right, giving us a good argument or just being cool in general. We’d set better requirements but honestly, I’m sure that all of you guys would find a loophole no matter what rules we set. So we’re not doing that. Points are given based entirely on how me and Roman feel about your answers.” He leaned forwards in his chair, and rested his head in his hands, elbows on the table.

“We can also add points at any time in the game!” Roman chimed in quickly “Not just during question times! For example, padre, I’m loving the attitude right now. Plus ten points!”

There was a loud ring, and then the curtains opened behind them to show a big board, with the two teams' scores on it. Team Mociet had ten points.

Virgil continued. “We can and will take away points, too. Not for getting questions wrong, but for other things. Arguments we don’t like, trying to cheat, sabotage, all that good stuff. Like, say, that stupid hat Janus is still wearing. Minus ten points. Bad hat.”

There was a sort of power down sound, and they watched the points be erased and go down to zero.

Janus didn’t say anything. He just looked at Virgil with the most “are you serious right now” face he could muster. Patton tried his absolute hardest to not laugh next to him. He mostly succeeded.

Virgil was not phased.

“Also, fun fact, even though we can’t actually participate or win, me and Roman can also get points. Because we’re just superior to you guys in every way. We have pretty general rules here, no changing the answer, no physical fighting, no attempted murder, the usual things. Basically just don’t break our monopoly rules and we’ll probably be fine.”

“We’re also not going to win anything.” Patton wondered how long Virgil and Roman had rehearsed this for them to be this in sync. “This is obviously just for fun. No need to get too competitive. I’m looking at you Logan.”

“That’s bold coming from the guy who played checkers with Janus for five hours because he refused to stop until he won a game.” Remus called out.

“That’s not what we’re talking about right now.” Roman replied “And honestly, you would have too if you saw how close I was. There were so many times I almost won. We tied at least-”

“ANYWAYS!” Virgil interrupted him. If Roman started rambling now they would never actually play. “That’s all we have to say. We might add or change some rules later on if things are too chaotic.”

“Right, right. Okay! With that all out of the way, let the games begin!”

A happy little tune that sounded somewhat similar to the ending of a looney toons episode played, and the lights flickered on again.

There was silence for a moment in the debate room, and then Virgil spoke quietly.

“So… how was that?”

“Guys that was amazing!! Oh my goodness I loved it!!” Patton was practically vibrating on the spot from pure excitement over the performance that the two of them just gave.

“Oh I absolutely despised the personal nicknames. Horribly kind of you.” Janus couldn’t seem to keep a smile off his face, clearly also very hyped up.

“I was not expecting the lightshow, I will admit. It was a brilliant choice to use that blackout period to change the scenery, we were all invested quite quickly.” Logan commented.

“Very good idea. We all look hotter than a hooker on a Friday evening in these clothes!” Was Remus’ response. An interesting complement, but a complement nonetheless.

Their judges were clearly happy with the positive reception, Roman hardly able to keep still in his chair and Virgil’s eyeshadow glowing a bright, glittery purple.

“Then let us not waste any more time! Onwards, to the competition!”

Patton let himself relax into a more comfortable standing position, as the category of the first questions were announced.

They would have an absolute blast playing this, he was sure. He just wondered if it would get as chaotic as their previous family times.

———

Everything instantly fell apart.

Well, instantly was a bit of a stretch. Everyone behaved for at least five minutes, usually the game nights spiral downhill as soon as it starts!

Patton just needs to keep looking at the positives. If not, he might literally explode.

“THUMBS both ARE and ARE NOT FINGERS, ROMAN. Some people, especially those in the medical field, do refer to them as such for simplicity's sake, but the truth is that the answer to that question is SUBJECTIVE. They have a DIFFERENT ANATOMY, ROMAN. I DID NOT ANSWER INCORRECTLY.”

“LOGAN THE QUESTION WAS HOW MANY FINGERS MICKEY MOUSE HAS. IT ISN’T THAT COMPLICATED.”

“DEFINE A FINGER FOR ME ROMAN. DEFINE IT. TELL ME WHAT A FINGER IS. IS A THUMB A FINGER TO YOU? IS IT? DOES EVERYONE HERE CONSIDER A THUMB A FINGER?”

Remus raised his hand lazily, pretending to not find this entire situation hilarious. “I don’t think a thumb is a finger. It’s a digit.”

“REMUS STOP SUCKING UP TO LOGAN LIKE THAT FOR MORE POINTS-”

It was honestly sort of amazing that they’d managed to start screaming at each other so quickly. They hadn't even gotten to the actual “debate for points” questions. These were just regular trivia. And yet they somehow managed to start a debate. About fingers.

When Virgil said that they could gain points by “giving a good argument”, Patton didn’t think he considered how far Logan and Janus were willing to go to convince the others that they were correct. Maybe he forgot that one debated for fun and the other liked to pretend to be a lawyer. This was bound to happen eventually.

Although, Patton wasn’t really focusing on that right now, but rather the fact that Janus was trying to change the points on the scoreboard behind them again.

“Jan! Stop that!” He whisper shouted.

“Stop what? I’m not doing anything.” He lied. Like a liar.

“Stop trying to give us points, we’re tied already, it doesn’t matter!”

Indeed, the two teams were tied at 30 points each, after seven questions. So far, they had been pretty simple, and the reason that their team didn’t have more points was because Virgil had randomly decided to subtract five from them, because he “felt like Janus was up to something. Nothing in particular but… something.”

He was right, obviously. Janus was trying to steal the question cards from the host table with one of his spare hands. But Virgil didn’t know that.

“No, you're right. I’m sorry sweetheart. There’s no point in cheating this early in the game, it’ll just make the others suspicious and make it harder to do so later on. I’ll save that one for later” Janus winked.

“That is not what I meant and you know it mister.” Patton crossed his arms, as if that would make Janus take him more seriously.

“Do I?” His mischievous smirk only seemed to grow.

“Yes! You do!”

“Sorry about that darling. I’ll get it eventually, promise.” Even if Patton wasn’t literally face to face with him right now, he would be able to hear the smirk in Janus’ voice.

“That’s-”

“FINE. YOU GUYS CAN GET TWO POINTS. IS THAT OKAY?”

“FINE.”

“FINE.”

Roman threw his hand up and the scoreboard behind them changed to show the numbers 30 - 32.

All four of the other sides just stared at the two of them.

“Okay, Virgil, what’s the next question?”

He looked Roman up and down, squinted, and then looked away.

“Uh… when did snow white come out.”

“Alright. JANUS.” The deceitful side jumped slightly, then turned to Roman, smoothing out his outfit as if it never happened.

“Right. What’s the question?”

“Minus five points for not paying attention.”

“Wha- excuse me?” Janus stared at Virgil in shock. “That’s not fair-”

“Shoulda been listening dude. You keep forgetting that we can do that. Pay attention.” Virgil smirked at Janus’ barely concealed rage. “The question is what year Snow White came out.”

Janus rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Pfft, easy. 1957”

Roman stood up quickly, and in a dramatic gesture moved to point at Janus “HAH, WRONG! It was-”

“No, it’s not! It’s totally 1947! Are you just making stuff up to make me lose?”

Roman stared at him, immediately stumped. He spluttered out a “What? No! I promise it’s-”

But Janus was quick, and also an expert gaslighter. “Then did someone change the date on the flash card? Because it was definitely 1937! How could you get such an easy question wrong!?”

Roman’s mouth opened and closed a couple times, as if he was trying to refute the statement but couldn’t find the words.

“When did it come out then?”

Virgil rolled his eyes in response. “1937. Dude you were off by like twenty years.”

“No he wasn’t.” Remus’ voice. Yet again speaking purely to add on to this meaningless argument, adding flame to the fire. “He said 1937.”

Virgil looked at him like he’d grown four heads. “N- dude did you miss that entire conversation? He said 1957.”

“He did also say 1937, though.” Said Logan, as if he was helping them in literally any way. “Are we still counting it if he changes his answer before the actual answer is revealed? His final date was 1937.”

Roman just stood there, trying and failing to process their questions. Virgil answered for him.

“We. We’re not accepting that. Final decision. We’re the hosts here, and he’s not getting any points.” Then he turned to glare at Janus again. “Matter of fact, minus five points for trying to trick us.”

Now it was Janus’ turn to splutter, exclaiming various forms of “what the hell, Virgil?” and “why??? Just why???”

Patton sighed, leaning down to lay his head on his stand.

“Patton! This next question is for you!”

He snapped his head up to look at them, smiling on instinct. “Yeah! I got this!”

“I thought it was one question per team-” Logan tried to interject but Roman steamrolled over him.

“How many years was Genie from Aladdin trapped in the magic lamp?”

“Oh! Uhh… like a hundred thousand years right? It was a really long time!”

Roman looked at his card, then at Virgil. He just shrugged. “Close enough.”

The princely side turned back to Patton, a beaming smile on his face. “Great job popstar, 10 points for you! You’re doing fantastic!”

“Ten poi- he didn’t even get it right?!”

“Shush up Logan, he deserves it. Anyways, Remus!”

Patton found himself smiling as well. The fact that his kiddos would give him points even when he got it wrong, ah he loved them so much!

He looked over to see what Janus thought, only to see him quickly turn away to look at their friends. He caught a glimpse of a smile on his face though, a moment of fondness in his expression.

And then Patton found himself smiling a whole lot more.

It was nice. This was nice. Maybe a little bit chaotic, but when were they not?

Besides, it wasn’t that bad.

———

At some point during the trivia, Virgil and Roman had started to give themselves points. Which was fine, they had mentioned that they would do so at the start after all!

But then they started doing so increasingly often.

Like, every couple minutes often.

For things like how cute the other looked, or how smart they were, or how well they worked together.

And they gave each other a lot of points. Like, hundreds of points. Way too many points, considering the fact that it was over double the amount of points the two teams had combined.

So Remus and Logan, the competitive bastards that they were, of course immediately decided to comment on it and start a debate on whether it was appropriate to give each other points for things like “the color of their eyes” (Roman you can’t give your team points every time you look at Virgil because you think he’s pretty. If we could all do that then what is even the point of the point system in the first place?)

And the hosts immediately took offense, justifying it by saying that they were the ones in charge here, so obviously they got to decide what was and wasn’t a good reason to give someone points.

Which prompted Janus to start another debate about how unjust it was that the two of them were in complete control in this situation even though it was not through democratic election, thus making them the unofficial rulers of a self proclaimed biarchy.

To which they responded that since it’s not a government system, it doesn’t work like that.

And now they were talking about kingdom hierarchy, in the middle of a disney debate.

And yet again, Patton could not find reason to care, because Janus was once again attempting to change the scores in their favor.

“Jay! We said that you couldn’t do this!”

“We said? I think you mean you said, my dear. I never agreed to anything.”

Patton threw his head back tiredly. “Janus, that’s cheating. It’s not fair to the others! We aren’t even winning anything, there’s no need to keep trying to find ways to win!”

“Oh but Patton, I need to do something to assist you! After all, you’ve almost been carrying me this whole game!”

That was true. Virgil and Roman had tried their absolute hardest to find ways to discredit Janus’ every answer, and take away points from him at any chance they got. In direct juxtaposition, they gave Patton as many points as they possibly could, even for completely incorrect answers.

(Patton didn’t really know how to explain that the points didn’t really mean anything to him, and by now was answering wrong just to see how Janus would react when they gave him the points. The fact that they were somehow still above negative points was honestly just a bonus.)

“C’mon sugar, let me do this? Please?”

Well. If Janus was going to play it like that, then Patton was going to have to bring out the big guns as well.

He turned to him, opened his eyes, and gave him is best pouty face.

He saw the exact moment Janus’ face went from “smug flirting” to “oh no he’s cute”.

He had to fight to not blush at the way the snake looked at him.

(Janus couldn’t stop looking at his eyes, his lips, the soft curves of his face as he tried to win him over. Patton looked every bit like the sweetheart Janus kept calling him.)

He sighed, closing his eyes, and pretending that he wasn’t completely melting on the inside. “…I suppose it doesn’t matter that much. If it really upsets you, I’ll stop.”

Patton’s face split and without really thinking about it, he launched himself forwards to crush Janus in a hug.

Arms wrapped around him by instinct (too many arms for a normal person, probably, but Patton had always thought that more arms meant more comfort). He laughed out a small thank you, burying his face into Janus’ suit.

“Yes, yes, I’m amazing, I know. Go back to your stand, you’re making me look soft.”

Patton laughed at the comment, but did indeed stand up and go back to his podium (he didn’t mention the fact that despite the complaints, Janus didn’t try to separate himself from him until Patton did).

The others had been arguing for far too long now anyways.

“I’m just saying, we should definitely have guillotined more rulers! It would have fixed so many problems!”

Wait, what?

“Remus, that would be RIDICULOUS. They didn’t have the concept of free will, or rights back then. They just would have elected another bad ruler!”

“Guys what the hell are we talking about.”

The conversation died instantly. The four of them looked at each other, and then at Janus, and then back at each other.

“I uh… I have no clue.” Was Virgil’s reply.

Which was typical. And also understandable. But maybe not what they should be doing right now.

“…okay. Can we get back to trivia now. That’s… that’s like the only reason we’re here in this stupidly fancy room, still standing up, still killing my legs. Can we wrap this up please.”

Roman snapped into action, getting the cards and moving swiftly on to the next question.

“Right! Yeah! Y'know what, we’re going to do a couple flash rounds. Me and Virge will just call out some questions and whoever answers first and most accurately gets points. Good?”

They nodded.

The game continued.

———

“Order!” Roman called out in the loud room. “Order in the court! This is the FINAL question! Up for debate here my guys, gals and nonbinary pals. Completely subjective, alright?”

Everyone hushed up, ready to answer the final question.

“Who is the best Disney prince?”

“Flynn Rider.” Four voices called out simultaneously.

The hosts paused for a moment, before looking at each other, and then back at their contestants.

“Correct. Five hundred points for everyone. Good game!”

“Well, this was a miserable experience. I despised every part of it.” he smiled at Virgil and Roman, not out of mischief or irritation but of pure, unfiltered care. “Thank you for organizing this. It was wonderful.”

Patton nodded aggressively next to him. “Yeah!! We got super side tracked but by golly was it fun!”

Roman laughed, and Virgil’s eyeshadow seemed to brighten a few shades to match the pink growing on his cheeks.

“Yeah it was… it was fun or whatever.”

“It was enjoyable.” Said Logan from beside them. His voice was low, a little raw from how much yelling he did in the two hours they spent doing the trivia. “Even though it devolved quickly into something that was most definitely not trivia.”

“Maybe next time we should have another group host it.” Remus said. “Y’know, like the winners of this game get to choose a theme for the next time.”

All of them seemed to perk up a little at that idea.

“Who won?” asked Janus.

“Not you guys.” was Virgil’s immediate response.

Janus hissed at him. Virgil hissed back.

“Did we even count the points?” Roman squinted at the board behind them, as if closing his eyes would make the massive numbers on them make more sense.

“I believe you stopped trying to actually calculate it when you started adding thousands onto the board. Much less the millions.

Roman shrugged. “Eh. That’s fair. We don’t really know who won then. Maybe we can hold a vote or something.”

Logan hummed. “That would be appropriate.”

Patton felt a hand rest on his, atop his podium.

He smiled, and closed his eyes.

For a moment there was peace. The group was tired out, energy completely depleted after that rollercoaster of emotions.

“…Maybe Janus should be disqualified though. I would consider changing the question cards and the scoreboards quite an easy disqualifier.”

“He did WHAT.”

———

Maybe it was a little bit mean for Remus to tell Logan that Janus had cheated right at the end there. Everyone was tired after all, so there was no point in wasting any of their remaining energy on questioning how he did it.

But Remus was petty.

And Janus did try to mess with his score.

All is fair in love and war.

Besides, who would he even be if he didn’t try to cause a little chaos right at the end?

He looked over at the other sides from his spot in between his and Logan’s podiums, bent in a position that would probably be impossible, if he weren’t an imaginary person who could make his spine disappear if he wanted to.

Janus was trying to justify himself to a group of three angry light sides, although it was clear that most of that effort went into trying to explain his methods to Patton. Said moral side was making an attempt to scold him that would probably be more effective if he looked in any way mad, and not just like his kitty had clawed up his favorite couch cushion. Roman and Virgil were leaning together in their seats, heads leaning on each other and holding hands.

He turned to look at his teammate. Logan stood resting his elbows on the podium in a rare moment of relaxation. He was observing the “fight” just as Remus was before, but usual cold expression was replaced with a soft, happy smile.

Something about it made Remus’ heart squish strangely. Maybe he was having heart palpitations.

He untangled himself enough to poke Logan's leg with his foot.

“Psst.”

Logan turned to look down. The fondness remained on his face, albeit with a little bit of added confusion.

He looked really hot from down here, damn.

“What is it you need, Remus?”

“If you could see any marvel scene in real life right now, to study, what scene would it be.”

Logan furrowed his brow and tilted his head. “…Comic book or movie scene?”

Remus shimmied, moving around so that he could stand up.

“Either.”

Logan took a moment to think, looking away from him in concentration. “Hm… there’s a fascinating scene in the marvel comics where the Scarlet Witch removes the abilities of all mutants from planet earth, almost by accident, because she doesn’t want them and the humans to keep fighting. Although, I suppose that’s not exactly a visitable scene, since her powers are never really thought to be observable in that sense.” He looked at Remus again, who was now standing up. “I would want to see what Tony Stark’s lab looks like. I know most of the science there isn’t real by any means, but it would still be fascinating to see how he would theoretically create his suits and weaponry.”

That sounded really smart. And complicated. And like it would take a lot of effort.

Remus reached out and grabbed him by the hand.

And suddenly, they weren’t in Logan’s dreamscape anymore, but Remus’.

Although it didn’t look like what his dreamscape usually looked like.

There were tables and tables of tech all around them. Holograms and metal scraps and projects were laid out that looked incredibly similar to the ones in the original Marvel movies. There were some odd choices of weapons, for sure, some of them seemingly old fashioned and not at all what would actually be in Ironman’s lab.

It didn’t matter.

And it didn’t matter how much energy it took Remus to make the room. Or how much his head hurt trying to remember basic mechanics so that he could make anything here believable.

None of it mattered.

It was all worth it, for the way Logan screamed in happiness.

[charmedreincarnation]

Hi Maya!! I hope you're doing wonderfully! I just wanted to tell you something fun about my self-concept changing with a "big" manifestation, and to share for anyone else who needs reminders that it IS possible to change your inner beliefs and feelings with persistence! This isn't a "success" story in the sense that you'll see I have a huge manifestation at the end of it, but it is a MASSIVE success story to me in my mindset shift and ability to manifest anything in my life!!

I've been manifesting entering the void so I can win a very specific amount of money, by winning a $64 million dollar jackpot that hadn't been won for awhile. I had been working on this manifestation for about a week, doing the conscious inner-man fulfillment. (I know I can manifest it without the void, but the void was so fun to affirm for so I stuck with that).

When I first started manifesting this, I had bought a ticket, listened to a bunch of Doja Cat to feel like a fuckin' badass lol, and was just vibin' and absolutely feeling myself, knowing I was the coolest person on planet earth and knowing I was about to bring in some insane wealth that would change me and my loved ones lives. But as I got closer to the lottery draw that evening, my heart was absolutely pounding - I kept refreshing the page to see my numbers which I "knew" would show up, but it kept saying "TBA." it was an hour of me checking back on the numbers over and over again to see if it was announced, and even though I had zero proof that I hadn't one, the waiting for my lottery numbers to show up was driving me crazy and eventually filled me with doubt and sadness. I didn't even have disappointing proof that my numbers weren't drawn, but the waiting for it completely sucked the joy out of the manifestation for me and I was devastating myself the whole time! And, of course, it didn't manifest lol. Today is a week since I bought the last lottery ticketand I have been practicing visualizing myself waking up and seeing an email telling me that they're excited for me to come in for my scheduled appointment to collect my prize. I was feeling good all day long, and just an hour ago found myself doing the dishes when I remembered I had ten minutes to enter the lottery for the week before it was drawn. I went to my room and loaded up the website, and found out that someone had one the super duper grand prize of $64,000,000 the week I had entered, so the prize draw was back to $10,000,000. When I saw that information pop up, the funniest thought popped into my head - "Oh, that's weird, I literally already won the grand prize, so someone else couldn't have? Weird!" I was so certain that I would be winning that money (and still am) that seeing something that would have destroyed me a week early didn't give me any negative feelings at ALL! I felt so confidently I this assumption that I literally didn't even buy a lottery ticket after, I just affirmed to myself, "I am so thrilled I won the $64,000,000 jackpot!" and filled my heart and soul right back up.

Anyway, this is a long assed story, but I think this is proof that persistence in your thoughts is key, and that persistence WILL change your state to a positive one and that you WILL reach "the sabbath" of relaxing into the truth of your fulfillment. I used to think that just telling myself I had it and visualizing my success over and over again wouldn't really change my beliefs and repetitive I-can't-have-or-win-it thoughts until it showed up in my 3D, but this is proof that your thoughts can change in such a short period if you just persist and give yourself the joy and fulfillment as your inner man. I'm sure many people could do it even faster than me with the right mindset, but this was such a huge success for me - honestly an even bigger success story than actually winning it, which I will! It's reaffirmed to me the joy of manifesting just for the sake of happiness and spiritual contentment and not just material goodness. ANYWAYYYYY, thanks for listening, I am so grateful for your blog and can't wait to come back into your inbox with my success story of become a multifuckin'millionaire!! 🥳

“Imagination is the force that brings about fulfillment.” I’m so proud of you my multi millionaire baddie 💗💗

Secondly, periodt. bad rich bitches listen to doja cat 😻

[semimedieval]

the beach part 5: jack and augustine where the fuck are you guys

I was going to collapse the pendant-acquisition Indiana Jones plot and the lengthy post-pendant discussion unpacking the pendants. But then the post-pendant discussion turned out to be WILDLY long, so here I am cutting it into two parts anyway.

I appreciate the mystic sense of untapped power held within the pendants, which is cool and interesting even if it never necessarily gets resolved – at least the og RP tries, whereas 2.0 never even considers that a near-infinite source of magic energy needs some kind of origin story.

Rim woke up. "It was full of water," He continued as if he had never been asleep. "Like there was a whole ocean in there, and you helped me open a door to it" He babbled on getting confused. "It's kinda hard to explain…" "Odd. At that moment, actually, I felt like the all the ice power I'd had was being pulled out of me." Lupus remarked. "So it doesn't just bestow power." "It takes it," Quartz said suddenly. She had been deep in thought. "That is, one pendant takes power from another."

These are two people who absolutely have not talked their visions out in advance, but it's fun enough to read Magical Theory Quartz that I forgive Past Me for

"But it's funny how it always slowly fills you with energy, as if a charge is being built up and when your there your taking that charge, but it's still very strong," He added realizing how much stronger he felt, even after nearly suffocating. "Well, power replenishes itself after a while," Quartz reasoned. "At some point we were attacked by bandits who found a way to drain Spark's powers, but she regained them pretty soon. Although, in some cases..." She looked thoughtful.

I want to note that, while I'm adding in commas for readability, I am the only 12-year old in this damn roleplay who correctly punctuates quotations. Big win for 2012 katia, and for annoying people (Same thing). I also feel very charmed by the image of Quartz sitting on the beach and thinking about magical theory for half an hour while Rim is unconscious. It's real to ME.

Run thought for a moment. "Like the amulet pendant thingies. I wonder if these are like an Extraneis power, or several" He looked at his one. "When I look closely at mine I can almost hear waves, but maybe theyre the voices of Extranei who put their power into this…" he watched it for a few seconds of drawn out silence ten shook his head. "Never mind that's definently waves" "Hm, good point." Lupus picked his up. "Mine gives out the essence of ice. It's hard to explain, but let's just say that it's a very hot day and the pendant shouldn't be as cold as snow." Quartz sat, deep in thought.

I smiled. Rim goes on to explain the trap system to everyone else, using the phrase "think Indiana Jones" in case we hadn't already picked up that we were meant to think of Indiana Jones. Quartz thinks it's kind of hot when beautiful brunettes navigate trap systems:

Quartz looked at him and Lupus with new respect. "And you survived all that? That's a miracle all by itself." "If we're right, we wouldn't have survived without these pendants," Lupus said grimly. Rim nodded. "Though to be fair, I don't think it was supposed to stay shut like that." He pointed out. He leaned against the rock (He had gathered enough courage to sit on the sand) enjoying the warmth and watching the others. It was good to have a family. "I should hope not," she said.

AW, HE LIKES HIS FRIENDS. I love Quartz and I love her extremely, "i do declare!" approach to having a crush on this silly guy. I want them to kiss and I also want her to lose him and never forget she lost him. Yippeeeeee

Anyway there's a very long discussion regarding the technicalities of magic, which I do not feel like copying and pasting because it gets to be a little much, but I like the speculative tone of it. And look, we manage to finagle the conversation into something plot-relevant!

"I think they replenish all the time while we're simioultaneously using them to live. That is, even of we don't seem to use them, they're being used, and replentished. Some people however, have some left over, enough to manipulate and use. That's us." Quartz explained. She was enjoying this; powers had always interested her. Rim considered this. "That is interesting, so that would explain why using them to much weakens you. But that would mean using them enough would drain them completely, so that you could never use them again" Then he looked at his pendant. "Oh" he said quietly. "I don't think so, I think the only way you can lose them completely is when they stop renewing themselves. I guess that's what almost happened to Chu--" She paused and glanced over at him. "What is it?" He looked up. "That would mean that we replenish our powers after then normal people right? So that means that if a normal person were to get the right one of these…" "Then they'd have powers too?"

I immediately note that I've badly misspelled 'simultaneously' while failing to acknowledge that I also badly misspelled 'replenish.' I think this line of reasoning weakens a little bit in the light of updated lore, in which using magic is a lot more about gaining an instinctive access to the world's ambient magic rather than being about An Internal Reserve Of Magic Within You, though I guess the latter reading is still supported by vincedis and the fact that it works. Anyway, we cut to Monoceros and Shadow briefly, where their interactions just embarrass me regarding my ability to write powers.

Instead I'll stick to Rim and Quartz, and Quartz jumping to the WILDEST "are you mad at me" conclusion possible regarding Rim's theory of Power Acquisition Through Magical Pendants.

Rim nodded. "And I think I've seen one similar to Ky's before, once." "Have you met anyone who can control light besides Ky and..." she paused. "You're not implying that I'm not an authentic Extranei, right?" Rim shook his head quickly. "No-no-no, not you, I would never dream one of you guys would hide something like that, especially you, I'm thinking someone who I haven't seen use powers, but the pendant was the same, and how they dressed was mostly white and gold."

Especially you! What a classic Rimquartz moment. But the secrets of What Rim Meant By That were not meant to be for now because, if there's one thing that can distract Quartz from discussions of magical theory, it's accusations of heterosexuality. Girl how did you even hear that it was a private remark! Beaches can be big!

Ky stuck her feet into the warm sand and looked intently at Rim and Quartz, a small smiling forming on her face. "Looks like those to are hitting it off." She said casually to Lupus. "Excuse me?" Quartz asked indignantly. "Oh, nothing," Ky laughed.

It may have been bad etiquette, but Moopy was offline and Jack was back online, which facilitated this CLASSIC act of sublime gay confusion on Quartz's part. Is it Compulsory Heterosexuality? Is it Heteroerotic Embarrassment? Is she blushing tellingly? Are Rim's feelings curiously hurt? All we know is "Anyway, I'll talk to you later, hi Spark!"

"Anyway, I'll talk to you later," Quartz said, and stood up. "Hi, Spark," she said, sitting down next to her friend.

Honestly I am almost regretful because I think that Quartz ran away from a fruitful conversation with plot and universe implications and back to the safe world of Beach Episode. But such is the push-and-pull of late-stage Extranei, right? We'll hear more about these mysterious pendants, for better or worse. For now, I find my second stopping point. I guess it could have been One Long Post after all, but whatever, it's not like anybody will get MAD at me if I devote multiple sections to the beach.

[mulletmunson]

shook me all night long ( munson )

author's note: had a rather intrusive thought in the middle of my shift today n couldn't let it go. like i know that ac/dc was very well known globally in the 80s but i feel like aus kinda took it to the next level? like there is undoubtably not an australian that grew up in that decade that doesn't know every word to every song. n say that reader has moved from aus to hawkins to live with extended family and they're a metal head like eddie and introduces him to ac/dc? ( edit: i was high when i wrote this and it took me days to edit omg )

or

the reader lives in the trailer next to eddie's and they end up exchanging cassettes from time to time.

warnings: 18+! MDNI! strong language, smut ( eddie x gender neutral reader ), oral ( m!receiving ), use of y/n - i think it's like two or three times idk, eddie just straight up being whipped for the reader it's kinda cute

word count: 4.2k

moving to hawkins, indiana at the beginning of your senior year wasn't the first thing on your to do list but you didn't end up with much of a choice. your uncle had received the opportunity of a life time and as your legal guardian ( even though your 18th birthday was merely a month away ) you were involuntarily dragged along with him and your aunt. you didn't necessarily hate the town. it was a weird place. mall fires and stories of a lab killing a teenage girl. nothing seemed like it at all fit. like the town was a puzzle with several, very important, pieces missing. regardless of all this, you couldn't help but be drawn in. like the darkest parts of hawkins were begging you to explore them.

maybe that's also what drew you to your obnoxiously loud neighbour and his impeccable taste in music. eddie munson, who you'd seen around school leading his D&D club through the halls, was exactly the kind of person that would have your mother rolling in her grave if she ever saw you around him. she'd never taken a liking to the way you expressed yourself, all dark clothes and sterling silver, loud music blaring through your cassette player at all hours of the day. and so, in typical fashion, you'd left your worn out judas priest cassette on his doorstep one morning ( along with a return address ) in hopes to spark up some sort of conversation. it was returned two days later with a red circle around the sixth track, a note sticking out of the casing. this one was my favourite was scribbled across the lined paper in red marker. "eat me alive, huh?" you mumbled and flipped the cassette in the air as you moved into the trailer, laughing to yourself.

the day after your tape was returned you almost crushed one under your foot as you left for school that morning. looking down you spotted 'theatre of pain' sitting right by your toe. you'd heard theatre of pain in passing some time last year. a few songs were played on the radio. motley crue wasn't, however, a band that you pictured eddie actually listening to. the makeup and glam-rock sound didn't really seem to be his type of vibe. you were proved wrong again on that regard though when the next week he left a def leppard tape at your door.

even though these exchanges were small and quite insignificant, you felt like you were learning a lot more about eddie through the tapes and the notes he left with them. always circling his favourite song on the back of your tape in the same red marker. the note always flirty. you also felt like you were opening yourself up a little more as well. you never really had anyone to share your music taste with. your dad had died when you were ten after he introduced you to rock music so you'd never really felt good about sharing what it meant to you with anyone else. it was your thing that you cherished because of him. that was obviously until you moved to the trailer park and the loud music blasting from the house next door made you feel at ease. safe in a way that you hadn't in a long time.

the exchanges went on for a while. each of you leaving longer notes which lead to exchanging glances in the hallways. on a dreary sunday night, perhaps two or so weeks after the judas priest tape was left, you decided to take a risky step and leave your all time favourite cassette on eddie’s porch in hopes that he’d find it and listen to it before school the next day. the sticky note you stuck to the cover of the who made who album simply read this one is my favourite of all time. treat her with respect please x. you knew that ac/dc was renowned throughout the world but there was a high likelihood that a small town like hawkins hadn’t heard much of them. it was a shot in the dark, their sound being something that felt so central to australia, but it was a step that you were willing to take if it meant it brought you closer to eddie.

so here you sat, alone at your lunch table with your walkman by your side as it played the ozzy tape that eddie had left you a few days ago. you were watching his table, seeing dustin and mike laugh at something that gareth must of said. eddie was normally there by now, ranting about one thing or another in his typical exaggerated way. but he wasn’t. frowning to yourself, you pulled your headphones off your ears and began to collect your things. he obviously wasn’t coming in today. perhaps you’d catch him tomorrow.

you were pushing yourself out of your seat when you felt a hand on your shoulder and suddenly you were shoved back down into the chair. a small yelp escaped your lips as your ass hit the hard plastic. whipping your head around, you locked eyes with eddie as he pulled out the chair beside you and practically slammed your ac/dc tape on the table. “how have i never heard of these guys!” he exclaimed, shuffling the seat closer to you in the process. “never?” you asked, a little surprised. you already knew that it was a risky move but you never would have thought that he’d never heard of them. “not even on the radio?” eddie looked at you, raising his eyebrow. “sweetheart, do i look like i listen to the radio?” you melted a little at the pet name. “i have more of their stuff back home if you want to come over after school?” you tried really hard to not sound too excited at the idea of eddie being in your house, in your room. he grinned at you, teeth nipping at his bottom lip in the process. if there was a god, you knew he was testing you.

“sounds like fun” he said and you reached for your tape. he snatched it up before you could wrap your fingers around it. “i think i’ll hold onto this for a little bit longer, thank you.” and with that he was up and moving towards his table, the boys all eyeing you as eddie walked towards them.

–

you sat on your couch, arm resting on the back as you stared out the window. you’d sped home so that you’d get to the trailer park before eddie, hoping that your uncle's motorcycle he let you ride to school on the odd occasion, would beat his old van. you had. and you also had time to change clothes, find every ac/dc cassette you owned and sort them by release date. school was let out 30 minutes ago and he still wasn’t home. you were starting to regret even asking him over. sighing to yourself you moved away from the window and headed towards the speaker on the kitchen counter. your aunt and uncle wouldn’t be home from work until later that evening. it was like that most days of the week, which meant you had time to yourself with your music for a few hours. 

you slipped the led zeppelin tape into the player and grinned when whole lotta love started blasting through the speakers. you swayed your hips slightly to the music as you moved through the kitchen. as the chorus swelled and the music grew louder, you didn’t hear eddie enter. didn’t hear him throw himself down on the couch and like he lived there, arms spread over the back of the seat and head cocked to the side as he watched you move through the small kitchen. he smiled to himself, resisting the urge to pinch his thigh to remind himself that he’s not dreaming. that he’s actually here. he’d been hoping that the little flirtations that had been going on between you for the past month were not entirely one-sided. that there was a chance you might be interested in him as well.

he’d never met anyone like you. foul mouthed and unapologetic. you’d caught his eye the moment that you walked into the lunch hall. you’d dressed almost exactly like he was, given you were wearing a very cropped metallica shirt and not a hellfire one and your worn leather jacket looked like it was going to fall apart with each movement. and then you’d been the one to make the first move. he’d be lying if he said he didn’t listen to the tape over and over again because he knew that you had. because it was yours. he waited patiently each time he returned your tape with one of his. dreaming of your handwriting on the yellow sticky notes you always used. even when he wasn’t waiting for something to appear on his front porch he was thinking of you. of the way you power walked through the halls, never stopping to let anyone look at you a second time. he admired it. admired you.

you spun on your heel and jumped, a small yelp escaping your lips when you spotted eddie lounging on the couch. “eddie!” you shouted, throwing the juice box you were holding at him. it hit him square in the chest and he let out a soft laugh. “sorry, i didn’t mean to scare you” he said, leaning forward on the couch and resting his elbows on his knees. his dark eyes were locked on you, dragging down the line of your waist and the curve of your ass. you felt hot all of a sudden, watching him watch you. you averted your eyes and cleared your throat, moving towards the coffee table in the middle of the living room and kneeling in front of it. it was the only thing that was separating you from him but with the way he was leaning over it to get closer to you, it wasn’t that much of a distance. “these are all of their records so far. the earlier five were recorded with their original lead Bon. he passed away in the early 80s and the band then found Brian and have since released four other albums. he was the only vocalist they could find that was the closest to Bon’s sound.” you looked up from the tapes to see eddie grinning at you.

“sorry i’m rambling” you muttered, sitting back on your heels and watching as he looked over the tapes laid out on the table. “it’s cute. i like that you’re so invested in this” he said, tucking his hair behind his ears. “it’s pretty much the background of my childhood. i heard it every day. dad loved it and so does my uncle. they’ve been a part of my life since the day i was born pretty much.” eddie smiled and reached into the pocket of his leather jacket, pulling out the tape you gave him. “which one was your favourite?” you asked, reaching over to take it from him and sliding it in line with the others. he chuckled and flipped the tape over to show you the red circle around you shook me all night long and you chuckled to yourself. “what’s with you and the songs filled with the most innuendos munson?” you said, taking the tape off the counter and getting up, moving towards the speaker on your kitchen counter. “they’re always the best ones sweetheart. the ones that hype me up the most” he said and you could hear the smirk in his voice. there was a part of you, deep down, that was hoping he would be choosing those songs to send you some sort of message.

you placed the cassette in the player and skipped to the track that eddie had circled. you spun, a flutter of butterflies in your stomach as you faced the metal head on your couch. “that was the only reason?” you asked, sauntering over to the coffee table and perching on the end of it. you heard brian's voice play throughout the room, the lyrics to the song egging you on as you leant a little towards eddie. a shit eating grin spread across his face and you couldn’t help the goosebumps that arose on your skin at the sight. “what exactly are you implying here y/n?” he asked, his tongue darting out to swipe across his bottom lip. you bit your own, the sudden intrusive thought of what his tongue would feel like on yours passed through your head. you wanted to know what he tasted like. what he would feel like when he pressed his weight on you. how his hands would feel on your skin. “i don’t know. were you implying something when you chose those songs?” she told me to come but i was already there. eddie smirked at you as that line played through the trailer. “maybe i was, maybe i wasn’t. did you want me to be?” he asked, leaning even closer to you, your faces mere inches apart.

all confidence left your body. you thought you had control of the situation, inviting him over with the full intent to instigate something. yet here you sat, nerves running wild as you tried to think of something to say to eddie. “i, uh- uhm, i don’t know” you stumbled over your words, not being able to look away from his face but trying so hard to do so. his large, brown eyes kept staring into yours and you couldn’t stop from staring right back. “sweetheart, if you want something from me, all you have to do is ask” he said as he scooted towards you, reaching out a hand to place it on your exposed thigh. his calloused hand continued to slide up your leg and began toying with the hem of your shorts. goosebumps riddled your skin as his fingers rubbed circles up and down your leg. you hummed to yourself and moved sideways so that you were sitting on the table directly in front of eddie. he reached his other hand up to your other thigh and tugged, trying to pull you closer to him.

“so?” he asked. you could barely even think about a response let alone make one but you opened your mouth anyway and the words fell out. “wanna taste you.” eddie chuckled, leaning in further. “yeah? which part of me?” made a meal outta me, and come back for more. “a-all of you” you said, eyes darting down to his lips and slowly grazing over the rest of his body. drinking in the veins of his hands and the way his skinny jeans hugged his lower half perfectly.

he let out a low, animalistic grunt and tugged you off the coffee table until you were planted in his lap. my mind was aching and we were making it. his head was tilted back to look up at you, lips ghosting over each other as you lowered yourself into his lap fully. eddie hummed and moved his hands from your thighs to wrap them around your waist, pulling you flush against his chest. the thin material of the basketball shorts you were wearing did nothing to hide how turned on the both of you were. you whined a little at the feeling of him underneath you, grinding down ever so slightly and pulling a simultaneous whimper out of the both of you. “been hard since i got here honey. thought of bein’ alone with you tonight got me so riled up. could barely hold myself together on the way here.” eddie was mumbling into your skin as he pressed his face into your neck, dragging his nose along your jaw to breathe you in. his lips brushed against your throat and you gasped, arching into him at the sensation.

it felt pathetic really, that a touch so soft and innocent had you melting into a puddle on his lap. you could feel him smiling against your skin as you tangled your fingers in his hair and pulled. his head jolted back and he looked up at you with a sly smirk before leaning forward and pressing a harsh kiss to your lips. it was hot. all teeth and tongue as your spit mingles together. the grinding of your hips had become more consistent as eddie slid his hands over your ass to guide your movements.

you had to pull away to breathe and as you did so eddie immediately moved to suck at the soft skin just under your jaw. you were panting, trying so hard to catch your breath whilst he was doing everything to take it away. you shifted in his lap and felt his cock press right into your groin. eddie let out a low moan into your skin and you felt his teeth nip at you ever so slightly. “eds.” the word came out airy, like a whisper. “want to– need to–” you couldn’t form a sentence. weren’t exactly sure how to word it really. you wanted him in your mouth so bad but you didn’t know how to ask. eddie was humming along to the song, shocked that all of this had happened so quickly and it was still playing in the background.

you moved your body away from his carefully, sliding back on his legs so you were sitting over his knees. a worried look crossed the boys face as his hands slid to the tops of your thighs. “are you okay? do you want to stop? what’s wrong?” he asked, brows furrowed together in a mixture of confusion and concern. you smiled at him and did your best to slide of his lap and onto the floor in front of him. you managed, without falling backwards into the coffee table and making a fool of yourself in such a heated moment. kneeling between his spread legs, you looked up to meet his gaze. “y/n. you–” he was cut off by his sharp intake of breath when you dragged your hands up the front of his jeans. “said i wanted to taste all of you eds. meant it too” you spoke softly, eyes flicking down to where your hands were placed just above the waistband of his jeans – fingertips gliding softly at the skin of his stomach just under his shirt. 

he was breathing heavy now, eyes locked on you as you dragged your nails across his skin. eddie sucked in a breath and you smiled a little. the power you were holding over him in this moment had your nerves vibrating, your whole body fizzing with excitement. you hadn’t had any control of the situation from the moment that eddie walked in the door, but now that you were on your knees in front of him and touching him with such delicacy – all the ropes were in your hands. you moved your hands down his pants, slowly popping open the button and dragging the zipper down. eddie lifted his hips with your movements, trying to get some sort of friction from your hands. “sweetheart. if you want something from me, all you have to do is ask” you said, mimicking his words from earlier. eddie laughed lightly but it was soon cut off by a hiss through his teeth as you snapped the waistband of his exposed boxers against his hip. “i need you to tell me eds. need to hear it in words.” "fuck," he breathes unsteadily and you can see how tense he is as he tries to restrain himself. the muscles at the line of his hips spasming as he tries not to buck up into your touch. "need you to touch me, sweetheart," he almost whimpers. "need to feel that mouth of yours, please." the please has you drooling. the knowledge that he’s begging you for it. that he wants it as badly as you do has every part of your body hot.

you grip the waistband of both his jeans and his boxers and tug, eddie lifts his hips as you do, although it takes almost all your strength to pull them down to even his knees. his cock lay heavy on his thigh, the tip almost purple from straining against his tight jeans. you couldn’t help but stare, running your hands up his bare thighs and causing his hips to jump. “it’s so pretty, eddie” you whisper as you reached for him, taking him in your hand and squeezing lightly. “sweetheart” he grunted out, shuffling forward a little more so he was perched on the end of the couch. he hunched over you, long curls falling to the sides of his face. they seemed to envelop you, caging you off from the rest of the world. you smiled up at him and pressed a swift kiss to his swollen lips before bending down again and taking him into your mouth. you hummed around him as the salty taste of precum landed on your tongue and eddie moaned loud at the feeling. you looked up to see his head thrown back, slender neck on display.

slowly you began to suction and hollow out your cheeks, taking him in little by little, your hand working at the space you couldn’t fit in your mouth, pumping back and forth. you were already gagging a little around him as he hit the back of your throat, but you didn’t care. the weight of him heavy on your tongue and the lewd sounds he was letting out as you bobbed up and down were making it all the more worth it. “huh-, god, fuuck…” eddie had placed his hands on the back of your head, gently pushing you further down his cock as your spit dribbled onto his crotch, dampening the unruly curls at his base. he was trying so hard to open his eyes to look down at you and when he finally managed to do so, he found you already staring intently up at him. your mouth full of him, lips swollen and cheeks red as you worked your mouth down him. “so fucking good, sweetheart, you’re so fucking good. been thinking about this from the moment i saw you. been jacking off to the thought of you since you arrived.” you hummed around him at the thought of that, arousal growing more intense as you reached down to touch yourself through your shorts, hoping for some sort of relief.

he shudders, his chest moving up and down in rhythm with your head and hand. “you touching yourself honey? getting off to the feeling of me in your mouth yeah? so dirty. so, so-” he’s rambling and bucking up into your mouth, practically fucking your throat at this point. all you can do is nod at his words, tears spilling from the corners of your eyes as they mix with everything else that had spread across your cheeks. your moans were blissful vibrations around his throbbing cock which only made his own louder. “o-oh, shit, you feel so fucking amazing, so fucking good….shit, baby, you’re so fucking good - god i fuckin’ love this.” his hands make you go faster, choking you more on his dick as your nose begins to rub against the matted curls at his base, his musky scent filling your nose. your gags were going straight to his head and it spurs him on even more.

he was rambling uncontrobbly now, words spilling out of his mouth as frequently as the delicious moans, “holy shit, sweetheart, y-yeah, hmm, fuck just like that,” he’s muttering for you to go faster, thumb wiping away at your tears as he whines, keening loudly as he feels his release quickly about to come, “yeah baby, fuck! shit, you’re doing amazing. taking me so well. oh god, I’m gonna cum. you’re gonna make me cum honey…is it okay if i- fuck - if i cum? please, fuck, y-you okay with that?” you’re trying your best to nod, humming around him to indicate that it’s okay. that you want it.

it’s what sends him over the edge in the end. hot, white spurts of cum running down your throat as he pushes your head down, your salvia covering your own hand as you try your best to swallow everything that he has to offer. eddie stopped writhing and you noticed the muscles in his stomach unclench as his breathing slowed again. “holy fucking shit” he said, pushing his hair away from his forehead as you pulled your mouth off him with a wet pop. you let go of his now, softening cock and reached to wipe the dribble from the side of your mouth. eddie beat you to it, catching your spit and a little of his own cum onto his thumb. he stared deeply into your eyes as he put his thumb to his own lips and sucked it clean.

blushing heavy, you stood up and rubbed at your achy knees as eddie shucked his boxers back up over his lower half. the tape moved well into the next song by now and the loud guitar filled your ears as you and eddie stared at each other in silence. his hands were on your thighs, pushing up under your shorts tentatively, as if to ask if it was okay. like you didn’t just have his cock in your mouth. like you weren’t touching yourself whilst doing so. “think it’s your turn now sweetheart.”

[miss-smutty]

Forbidden

Chapter 3

A/N- Evey couple of chapters you will get Professor Hemsworth's POV and this is the first one 🥵 I really wanted to write his story and hear his thoughts too.

Summary- He can't get her out of his mind, the girl in the coffee shop. Will fate bring them together again?

Word count- 2.9K

Pairing- Prof!Hems X Reader

Warnings- Age gap (OC is 20) student/professor relationship, swearing, dirty talk

18+ Only!

Disclaimer: This is an entire work of fiction/AU and has no affiliation to real life what so ever! This is a fictional story about fictional characters who happen to share names and faces with some real people.

Posted: 5th Sept 2021

Taglist:- @innerpaperexpertcloud @pandaxnienke @chickensarentcheap @jjpogueprincess @longlostinanotherworld @mostly-marvel-musings @darklydeliciousdesires @monet-belle @help2700 @presidentpotts

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Chris Pov

My Apartment was silent as usual, empty like always when I arrived home from work, throwing my coat and bag on to the sofa and slumping down next to them.

I couldn't stand the silence, it taunted me and brought back memories I'd rather not remember. I'd thought about getting a roommate but still hadn't gotten around to posting out an ad, the idea made me nervous. Although I hated being alone, living with a stranger would be even worse. I turned on the TV to fill the expanse of the large empty room that I'd work so hard for but ultimately meant absolutely nothing to me.

My mind began to wander back to this morning and the chance meeting with the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on. She'd taken my breath away and made me so nervous that I'd used some cheesy chat up line. I'd known at the time it would come back to haunt me tonight, no wonder she ran out of there as soon as she could. Thats why I hesitated, my hand brushed against the small of her back when I was about to ask her for her number and it took away my sensibility. I leaned in like I was about to kiss her, thank god I stopped myself though, how ridiculous would that have been?

I'd spoke to her for no more than ten minutes but somehow felt like I'd known her all my life. Asking for her number wouldn't have been the most unusual thing but she was in such a rush and I didn't want to make her late. There's absolutely nothing more I hate than tardiness.

I still couldn't get her off of my mind, she was beautiful, long dark hair that flowed down her back and the most piercing green eyes I'd ever seen. I couldn't stop looking into them, framed by dark eyelashes that made the emerald green pop even more. It's been a long time since I'd met a woman that made me feel as nervous as she did. The only thing is, she was young, much younger than me and I'd be fooling myself to think I'd actually stand a chance with her. Even if by some miracle I did, she deserved more than what I could give her, I was a mess, even after all this time I was still living in the past.

**********

I woke up feeling like a teenage boy again, a tent of my erection in the cotton sheets sprawled across my middle. I'd dreamt about the girl all night and honestly nothing about it was innocent. I rubbed at my eyes and stretched my muscles before finally getting out of bed, I had my first Junior Comms class to teach today and of course, I couldn't be late.

To say I was dreading today would be an understatement, I'd made a deal with the Dean to teach the Comms class because none of the other professors were willing and I was desperate for a job. I was hoping that if I exceeded expectations during my first semester I would finally get to teach psychology like I'd planned in the first place. Of course that meant being on my best behaviour and a lot of arse kissing, which I would do, albeit reluctantly.

The air was crisp this morning as I set off walking towards the university, luckily for me I didn't live to far away from the campus and the walk would help distract my thoughts because God knows they needed distracting. They always did.

Before I knew it, I'd arrived at the halls, looking up at the architecture of the building and realising my idea to walk obviously hadn't worked. I'd barely paid attention the entire time and it was only muscle memory that had gotten me to my required destination.

I held onto the door handle of the lecture hall and took a deep breath before stepping in, the room erupting into wolf whistles was not what I expected but admittedly better than what I was thinking. I scanned the room and my students, rolling my eyes at the girls lining the front row, their eager faces taking me in. 

The class was full of typical students, the usual cliques you see at every educational institution. The jocks and cheerleaders, the nerds and oh fuck. The air was almost knocked from my lungs when I spotted her sat at the back of class. The girl I'd been talking to in the coffee shop yesterday, the girl that had been on my mind and in my dreams ever since. She was here, right in front of me which meant she was my student and younger than I'd actually thought. Fuck.

Even though she was now out of bounds I couldn't take my goddamn eyes off of her, the way her wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders. I could feel my cock tingling when my eyes fell to her low cut top and that unreal cleavage. I pulled my eyes away from her so as not to draw attention and focused on preparing for the lesson, leaving the students to whisper for a while longer while I recovered my composure.

Like a magnet, my eyes unwillingly kept finding their way back to her and she looked uncomfortable, squirming in her seat. I was making her uncomfortable and I still couldn't stop myself, I frowned as I subtly watched her cheeks blush and realised she's probably embarrassed because she'd been flirting with her Professor. Of course she'd be embarrassed, I was so much older than her but was it wrong that I didn't feel one ounce of awkwardness at the fact I had been flirting with a student?

All I could think about as I watched her tits bounce as she moved In her seat, was burying my face in her cleavage and I knew I had to look away before my dick reacted. The last thing I needed in a class full of students was to be walking around with a fucking erection.

I could stand there and watch her all day but certain students had stopped talking and they were waiting for me to speak and I'd almost forgotten why I was here In the first place. I really needed to get my head in the game, being infatuated with a student would definitely not get me the promotion I was looking for.

I pushed my hands in my tight pockets, hoping to stretch the fabric a little so my semi-hard dick wasn't so apparent, then my eyes were drawn to her again and she was talking to Jake. That pissed me off and I could feel my jaw tensing as I cleared my throat rather forcibly, hoping to get the attention of the whole class at the same time as distracting her from the rather friendly conversation she was having with another guy. A guy her age at that.

"Now I've got your attention, we're going to use our first session to get to know each other a little better. You'll be doing quite a lot of speeches so it's best if you feel comfortable with one another. I'll start by introducing myself." I looked at her again, gulping hard when I saw her with the end of her pen in her mouth and the way her lips wrapped around it. Fuck. "So, I'm Professor Hemsworth and I'm originally from Melbourne in Australia." I looked to her and she smiled, remembering what we spoke about yesterday.

A student started with the typical Australian stereotypes although I'm actually surprised no one told me to throw another shrimp on the Barbie. I laughed along anyway, I'd been expecting it, it's literally the first thing anyone who isn't Australian says when they first meet me. So when I told him it wasn't very original I meant it, I'd heard it a thousand times before and I'll hear it a thousand times again.

I told the class a little about myself before informing them they would do the same, it didn't go down well, the room filled with groans. I looked to her and she looked downright terrified, I sympathized for her, it wasn't easy speaking in front of a room full of people but was the best way to break the ice.

"Claire Abbott." I called, watching the blonde at the front stand, nervously. She giggled and twirled her hair around her finger as she smiled at me, I knew what she was doing. I quickly glanced at the girl from the coffee shop as she rolled her eyes at the blonde at the front, I smirked back at her, amused at her tolerance for predictable girls.

"I erm… I don't know what to say?" The blonde said, looking at me questioningly.

"Just anything about yourself that we might find interesting, the first thing that comes to mind."

"Well I own four horses and I'm the cheer captain." I had to stop myself from laughing when she rolled her eyes again but the smile soon disappeared when I saw Jake lean over to speak to her and the way she laughed at him made my blood boil. I was seething, not because they were speaking instead of listening but because she was speaking to him instead of me.

"You two at the back, we'll wait for you shall we?" I called them out, my voice more stern than I expected. I was pissed off that Jake would easily be able to get to know her and I couldn't. She stared at me, her eyes wide, she was surprised I'd called them out in front of everyone which made me even more pissed off because that probably blew my chances even more. What the hell am I thinking? What chances, I need to remember I'm her fucking Professor.

She sat silently through the rest of the class, I still couldn't keep my eyes off of her and thankfully neither could she. She looked flustered and I liked it, I liked that I could make her feel that way without even touching her. She was so goddamn hot I could hardly concentrate on what the other students were saying.

When I glanced down at the sheet of names in front of me and saw Jake's name my jaw clenched.

"Jake Hudson." I couldn't help narrowing my eyes as he stood up, I just knew he'd say something cocky and I was so fucking jealous of him right now. I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath, I needed to keep my cool, especially in a room full of students and her. If she knew what I was really like she wouldn't look at me the way she did.

"Hi, I'm Jake." I bit onto the inside of my gum, that bit of pain keeping me grounded. "I'm also from Australia." He gave me that fucking cocky half arsed smile I'd been waiting for and the adrenaline shot through me. I was thankful no one noticed apart from maybe the one person in here I didn't want to notice. She was watching me carefully. I had to loosen my tie a little as he continued to speak, I was burning up with rage.

I'm glad class was almost over, I needed a stiff drink and I needed it now. I looked at my sheet of names again and there were only a couple left, I wondered which one was hers. I needed to know her name. Fuck. I needed to know everything about her.

"Jessica Watson." She stood up. Fuck, Jessica, it was a cute name and fit her perfectly. I was mesmerized with her and the way she spoke as she tucked her long hair behind her ears. "These last couple of days have been pretty eventful for me." She looked right at me, what was she going to say? "I'm living the life of a romance novels heroine and I'm excited to see what the next couple of days bring." Oh fuck. Was she talking about meeting me? Or Jake? I like to think by the way she studied me as she spoke, she was talking about me. This was wrong, so wrong but why did it feel so right? I forgot there was anybody else in the room, my cock twinging as I pictured myself fucking her on this desk. I needed to stop thinking like this, it's unprofessional and completely immoral. I shook my head and turned back to the class.

"I hope we all feel a bit more comfortable with each other now, some of you shared some pretty revealing things." I looked at Jessica. "Some of you, not so much." Then raised my eyebrows at a group of guys in the middle of class that had used thier time to inform everyone about the party at their frat house this weekend. "I'll have a schedule for you all next time I see you, anybody that has any questions can see me after class, everyone else is free to leave." I looked at her one last time, hoping she'd use this opportunity to come and speak to me.

I sighed when I sat back at my desk and a group of girls took their opportunity, I wasn't in the mood for it but answered their questions anyway. I didn't take my eyes from Jessica, especially when Jake started speaking to her again. The girls in front of me were taking up my time, trying to flirt with me instead of asking relevant questions and I was over it.

"Do you actually have any questions about the course ladies? I have other things to be getting on with if not." I was a little short with them without actually meaning to be. I just wanted them out of my goddamn way so I could see what was going on with Jessica and Jake.

The girls finally left, more like stormed off but I couldn't care less right now. She was still sat at her desk which means she waited until I was alone which has got to be a good sign. We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, the silence driving me insane so I cleared my throat and she blinked like I'd woken her from a daydream. What was she thinking about?

She packed up her things into her bag slowly, I could tell she was buying herself time but I felt relaxed now we were alone, in fact I felt excited which was completely ridiculous. I felt like a damn teenager.

"Did you need to talk Miss Watson?" I was amused and I needed to break the ice before the silence got the better of me. I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms across my chest.

"I erm…" She walked towards me, down the stairs, looking at her feet. She was unsteady and looked nervous as hell, was she going to tell me to back off? "I wanted to apologise, I had no idea you were a Professor." She stood at the bottom of the stairs, I was glad she wasn't too close. I don't know if I'd be able to control myself around her and lord knows I had to. The atmosphere was tense, neither of us really knowing what to say or do, all I could think about was ripping off her clothes.

"There's no need to apologise Miss Watson, I also had no idea you were a student but I was hoping to bump into you again. Funny how things work out isn't it?" I cocked my eyebrow at her, testing her, seeing how she would react to my comment. Something changed and she didn't look quite so nervous anymore.

"I think fate can be rather cruel Professor Hemsworth." The way she called me Professor stirred something deep inside me, a hunger I didn't know I had and when she moved closer to me I began to feel nervous.

"Oh really? Why is that Miss Watson?" She was so close now, I could smell her sweet scent of coconut shampoo. I wanted to touch her badly, I didn't though. I didn't dare because I knew if I did I wouldn't be able to stop myself and I must restrain, she's my student after all. It's wrong. It's forbidden.

I still couldn't stop myself from flirting, like an uncontrollable impulse and as soon as I opened my mouth to try and be professional I would just go right ahead and flirt. She was so outrageously attractive but the kind of attractive where she didn't know it and didn't flaunt it, which I found even more endearing.

"I was hoping to bump into you again too, only now the thought of what could've happened will have to remain a fantasy." My restraint was really being tested now, she was teasing me, egging me on and the fact she'd also been fantasising about me made it extra difficult to resist. I had to loosen my tie again, I needed my fingers to be busy so I didn't touch her. I had an internal conflict going on inside my mind and it was like torture, if this was day one of class how the hell was I meant to survive the whole semester?

"I better get to my next class, we can't have anyone thinking I'm your favourite now can we?" Fuck sake. I ground my teeth together, I was glad she was leaving, I couldn't take the tension any longer but at the same time I knew, with distance the desire would only intensify. She turned to leave and I couldn't stop myself watching her hips sway as she walked, her ass was so round and bouncy, it hypnotised me and that's when I knew I was in deep trouble.

[backtoyuta]

WayV: Your first date with them --------------------------------------------------------------------------

❁ [Kun] cliche dinner; A simple but intimate date, a hole in the wall restaurant that you never thought twice about. He starts with his shirt worn neatly, but as time goes on he becomes more and more relaxed and he rolls up the sleeves, unbuttons the top button, his hair is messy from running his hand through it absentmindedly. Compliments that start off confident, but always punctuated by shy smiles and rosy cheeks. He lets you try some of his food and has to catch the smile on his face while you munch and contemplate if you like it. Forgo a taxi so you can walk home slowly together and make the night feel longer, hands bumping together occasionally before he finally grabs your fingers and interlocks them; kisses your cheek tenderly before he leaves you at your door.

❁ [Ten] artsy date; Takes you to a fashion museum and other little exhibitions. Intertwines your fingers occasionally and lets them go because he's that kind of a tease. Speaks quietly and lowly so as not to disturb the people around you looking at exhibits quietly. Bends close to your head when you talk, so you're always catching whiffs of his cologne. Interprets artwork horribly just to hear you laugh, but you leave the exhibition inspired none the less. Bounce ideas off of each other, by the time the date is over you're one investment away from starting a clothing business together. He asks a lot of questions about your home life to know you better, loves talking about childhood memories. Is scheduling the second date before the first is already over before leaning in slowly for a kiss.

❁ [Winwin] late night escapade; Prefers night time because places aren't as crowded, theres more room for privacy. Doesn't want to overdo it on flamboyancy so just takes you to a bar instead. Struggles to look you in the eye but it's because he's so nervous. Prefers to listen to you than to talk about himself, and tries to come up with subtle ways to distract you from how late it's getting so he can make the night feel longer. Spend most of the date walking and talking, faces illuminated by street lamps, soft laughter at the gaggle of club goers acting foolish and drunk as they walk past you. Redirects you nearly three times down a different street when he felt you were a little too close to your home. Mentions having the second date at his place so if it got too late you could just stay over, tries to act cool when saying it; fails.

❁ [Lucas] friendzone purgatory; The kind of date where you're not actually sure if it is a date or not, because you were supposed to be with a group of people and you've never been alone with him for this long before. A casual date, walking around public parks and play areas, buying ice cream at convenience stores and him acting like yours is dripping a mess just so he can have a lick. Lots of banter, playfully pushing him and him accidentally sending you flying when he retaliates with his strength. Both of you being secretly glad you were alone rather than with the group you were initially meeting with, constantly joking about being on a date, but it's becoming less and less of a joke every time you mention it. Playing childish games like "I spy" and Hide and Seek before acknowledging the sun going down and opting to just go back to his and hang for a bit.

❁ [Xiaojun] went on for way longer than you prepared; glancing at the clock you did a double take when noticing the time. The day you had planned was ruined by rotten weather, so you both improvised and did fun activities at your place instead. It was a very low-pressure date; digging out your old board games and losing it over a game of "operation", baking pre-mixed cookies to eat with warm drinks while racing raindrops down a window. Telling each other stories about your childhood; times when you and your siblings didn't talk for 3 days straight, how you broke your leg, recalling the worst first date you've ever been on and him laughing along with you. Dragging all your cozy blankets downstairs to set up in the living room and sprawling out on the sofa. It was halfway through the Studio Ghibli marathon did you realise it was almost midnight and the room had gotten incredibly dark. The rain hadn't stopped, the atmosphere went undisturbed, and you realised you were having too much of a good time, which is why it slipped by too fast.

❁ [Hendery] group arcade date; A date with just the two of you felt like too much pressure, so he opted for a group activity where he could get to know you better. You spent the whole afternoon challenging each other to different games, the competitive spark becoming confused with a spark of chemistry, but fun none the less. Sitting next to each other in the booth of the diner style restaurant, muscles aching from laughter, wiping ketchup from the corner of his mouth. People giving you the side eye because you and your friends are becoming a little too rowdy, placing all or nothing bets on the next arcade game only to take it back and play it again on something else. Falling out of step with your other friends so you can have one-on-one conversations, drawn out hugs when it's time to say goodbye, him texting you not even 10 minutes after he left.

❁ [Yangyang] classic Netflix and chill; Yangyang is young, and says a lot of stuff out of pocket, so the low maintenance date is probably what he's looking for. Arriving at his and immediately going to order a pizza, playfully arguing over movies and bouncing between streaming platforms trying to decide what to watch. Sitting a careful distance away from him to start with but by the end of the night you're shoulder to shoulder and legs pressed up against each other's. Him talking over the movie constantly, having pillows at the ready to throw at his face when he tries to scare you during the horror film you're watching. Looking up at him for a second when he's been quiet for a little too long and immediately feeling his lips capture yours. The next hours are spent watching the movie occasionally, but concentrating more on his hands casually slung around your waist, practically lying on top of each other, the film becoming more of a background noise than anything.

[theelderhazelnut]

Prompt 7 with dialogue 2, and prompt 13 with dialogue 11 please?

Thanks for the ask! Sorry it took me this long to write this. Also I'm gonna write prompt 13 in another post to keep either one standardly short.

Prompt 7: Unflinchingly settling your head into your lover's lap while they watch television/are reading a book/doing their favorite hobby. Then asking your lover to explain what's going on/what they're doing.

Dialogue 2: "God, you look so good."

Ombra erased the line for the creature's abdomen for the fifth time in the past ten minutes. She let out a loud exhale before reaching her hand for one of the tomes on the table. The tome's eroded cover was the polar opposite of the table's polished, glossy and dark stone.

Ombra looked over the pages on which was drawn anatomy sketches of a Netherrealmer race she had a hard time memorizing the name of it. She didn't check its name since fixing the mess of a drawing in front of her was already on her nerves. She had to admit that she still wasn't a creature artist, but luckily, she was pushing herself to learn.

However, it wasn't for practicing this time. Ombra was supposed to deliver a proper concept sketch of a redesigned creature to her lover. Quan Chi didn't demand it, but well, he kindly asked for it.

Staring at the piece of paper, Ombra was focusing on visualizing the perfect shape for its abdomen and pelvis as she suddenly felt something laid on her thigh. Since she heard some sounds while he was coming down the stairs, she wasn't startled.

She moved her arms slightly to have a better look of his head on her lap.

"Did you drink tea? Or you forgot again?" Ombra asked in a low tone, glancing at her drawing several times.

"I didn't. I once did and you mention it every time." His sentence ended in a deep chuckle which Ombra would travel the seven seas to hear it everyday.

"I'm just making sure." Leaning her head on her hand, she caressed his cheek with the other. Sometimes he would just appear out of nowhere and seek her touch like a tiny puppy. He only acts this way when he has made sure no one is anywhere to see them. Quan Chi closed his eyes sleepily as her fingers began drawing a line on where supposed to be his eyebrows, stroking his frown lines.

"You don't wish to make me fall asleep here."

If she did, she would have to sit there for an hour or so, and watch his relaxed sleeping face which even in that condition wasn't peaceful at all. What a luxury.

Quan Chi turned on his back. "I was busy looking at your face I didn't realize what you're exactly doing."

Ombra felt her cheeks warming up a little, her gaze darting everywhere but his face. Even after all this time, sometimes she felt too powerless to look at him directly in the eyes; especially when he complimented her or was just lovingly staring at her. Just like a high-school girl acting frustrated around her crush.

"You look so good when you are painting. As usual. Perhaps you still haven't realized that you almost always frown when you're focusing on it."

"Would you please let me concentrate?" They both laughed shortly.

"Your eyes are craving sleep. Leave it for tomorrow, or another day." He was right. Her eyelids began feeling so heavy in the past half an hour, but Ombra neglected them in order to get this job done by tonight. However, her body was not cooperating with her heart anymore.

"It's been almost two weeks and I still haven't drawn anything properly." Which was a lie. Everything was about to be finished, but since she hadn't delivered anything yet it was as if she had done nothing. They both had argued a lot about this issue of hers. Perfectionism.

The words that were about to come out of her mouth were replaced by a short gasp as she felt an arm slipped under her knees, lifting her up instantly. Her neck was being supported by his other arm. Ombra looked up at him with wide eyes, but he was observing the piece of paper on the table.

"I very much appreciate it, my angel. However I don't remember if I ever told you to ignore your sleep time for it. These beautiful eyes need rest." Quan Chi smiled at the sketch. Then he moved his arm a little to near her face to his, planting a kiss on her forehead. All Ombra craved at that moment was to just melt in the warmth of his body. She leant her head on his shoulder as he headed towards the stairs leading to their bedroom.

[be-the-spark-flyboy]

Witching Hour [1/8]

FinnPoe Modern/Magic Au

warning: swearing, mentions of ghosts/spirits

A/n: welcome to my au I swear I have a plan this time :))) This part is Finn pov where we get a backstory. I used the term ghosts and spirits interchangeably loll sorry if it bothers you

—-

-Finn is not your ordinary 23 year old guy.

-He can talk to ghosts.

-Not like the spirit mediums they usually showed on tv. He never lit a candle in the dark to call upon the dead or used an ouija board or some shit. The dead were simply drawn to him.

-He could hold whole ass conversations with them without even trying.

-As a child, he has gotten kicked out of more foster homes than he could count. Strange things happened around him and it freaked adults out.

-Eventually Finn learned to hide his ability enough to fit in with the rest of the normal population.

-He learned to gasp and act shocked whenever one of his spirit friends got too excited and knocked something over. Stopped having conversations with the dead when there were other people around. Apparently it made him look crazy.

-Having said that, there was only one person in his life who didn't think he was crazy. Rey.

-That was because she was crazier than him.

-Finn met Rey in a foster home when he was ten. She was a couple years younger than him. This older kid was trying to pick on her (she was tiny) and Finn thought he should help.

-That was he saw a lamp fly halfway across the room to smack the bully on his side. And Finn decided they were going to be the bestest friends.

-Though at first Rey hadn't wanted anything to do with him, Finn stubbornly stuck by her side. And that ended up being the best thing that happened to either of them.

-Throughout his life, one spirit in particular played a major reoccurring role in Finn’s life.

-This one was significantly weirder than usual. He glowed blue as opposed to the translucent grayness other spirits possessed (geddit?). And could easily handle objects like a living person.

-So other than the fact that he glowed blue and was mostly see-through, (and only ever visible to Finn) his presence felt as strong as a living person.

-Finn remembered seeing him around all the time when he was slightly bigger than a toddler. Almost like he was watching over him.

-He also easily took a liking to Rey. Which was very surprising considering how he always had something to say about every one of Finn’s friends.

-For someone (something?) who was that familiar, Finn never found out his name. His dead companion always said that he’d find out in due time. Whatever the fuck that meant.

-Once he described the weird ass robes the spirit was wearing to Rey and they decided that he must have been some sort of rich merchant from the 18th century.

-Hence the ghost was then more commonly referred to as The Old Guy. (Even if he only looks 30+)

-So, back to present day 23 year old Finn.

-Finn would say his quality of life has greatly improved.

-He has an apartment he shares with Rey. He is in college. Has a part-time job (that he kinda hates but he needs the money tho)

-One day while Finn is leaving for said job, mentally preparing himself for another exhausting shift, he tries to grab his umbrella.

-Which is quickly snatched up by Old Guy as he decides that he needs it for some reason, stubbornly refusing to give it back to Finn.

-So Finn leaves house, short of an umbrella, praying his shift doesn’t run too long (like it always does) and he gets home before it starts raining.

-Little does he know, his whole life is about to change.

—-

Taglist:

@writefightandflightclub @justrunamok @mssr-mcknickers @phoenixhalliwell @happybeeps-nat @arkofblake

[shiroganeryo]

D.Gray-Man Tag 2!

I got tagged by my friend Violet (@14thexorcist) again to hop into the part two of this little game she made, and there are few things I love more than babbling about DGM, so let’s go!

The rules are to tag 4 people but, since I'm late to do this, I won't tag anyone this time. However, if you see it and want to do it, feel tagged by me! Here's the blank post.

⭐ What’s your favorite manga page/panel? That's quite the hard pick, every chapter and arc have something of amazing and remarkable in them. There are many moments I love hence many favorites on this matter, but thinking of what moves my heart, I can easily pick two pages without having to think twice.

From The 225th Night: Visiting A.W. - CALL 2.

This moment made me very happy; it was the first time we saw Allen smiling in a long while. I personally love the interaction he has with Johnny in this; it's full of warmth and relief. Seeing Johnny hug him so fondly like this as he smiles makes me smile. The visuals are beautiful as well, as expected from Hoshino-sensei's artwork.

From The 230th Night: Saying Goodbye to A.W: Torchlight and Tearstains

I love everything about this page and its middle panel. The parallel between current Allen and dog Allen is perfectly set as a mirror image; the two of them are looking at each other, and both their right hand and paw are on top of the grave. In my opinion, this is where Hoshino's genius shows. She's great at giving us meaningful representations with simplicity and subtlety.

⭐ What’s your favorite chapter? I can remember at least one thing I love in every chapter, so let's narrow down the options! Currently, my favorite one is The 226th Night: Searching for A.W. - Live Man + Dead Man. Being honest, I love the whole A.W arc. We get a lot of insight on Allen and witness his growth (emotionally); I also love the part Johnny, Kanda and Link are playing in here. We also get hints towards the truth about Nea.

But this chapter in specific has some of my favorite lines as soon as it starts. Quoting the official english translation: "I can return from that beautiful place, so like heaven... taking the only path there is.

The voice that calls me... It connects me to this world. It is a bond... and a summons.

That... is 'Home'!"

We begin with such a strong and meaningful message and metaphor about the bonds that keep us around, that tie us to the ones we love. The message is clear and powerful, it literally gives me chills. And then, the next thing we see is Allen realizing he's back from Nea's conscience's world and showing, for a second, his ultimate relief in being back. This moment is so rewarding to me, and extremely important to his development. We all love Allen for how human he is, and seeing how afraid he was, it becomes ten times more rewarding. His weaknesses make him palpable and strongly moves our heart; we take in the moment as if it happened to us, as if we were back to a loved one's arms after being lost and alone for so long ourselves. I also love Tiedoll's participation in this chapter! The scene on which the Maker of Eden forms the wagon underneath Allen and Johnny is amazingly drawn!

⭐ Do you have a favorite volume? Without a doubt, it's Volume 3. The Rewinding City arc is still one of my favorites, it hadn't been mentioned yet only because it can't compete with the feelings and plot lore overload we get from the latest chapters hahah. But this arc was the first that made me feel that tingly, warm feeling in my heart. I loved Miranda on the spot and I could see myself on her. It made me so happy to see her finally getting her "thanks", the realization of that moment sank in as hard for me as it did for her. So this spot goes on to the volume that introduced Miranda and her arc!

⭐ Do you like Mana or Nea more? That's hard to answer, as I'm rather lukewarm about both. I'd say I like Nea more because what we see from him is what he has always been; while Mana, on the other hand, has many facets.

We have Mana from when he was younger, Mana from when he was travelling with Allen, and the current Mana that is the Millennium Earl. I do love the Mana Allen met, that I can say for sure! But I'm still waiting to see how he was when younger, if he was any different or not, to decide how I feel about him "as a whole".

So, for the time being, I'm picking Nea. He is fun to see going about, I gotta be honest; it would be nice if he didn't need Allen to be erased to do so, though.

⭐ What’s one thing that you like and dislike about Hallow? If I can be so bold, I'll start saying that what I dislike the most about Hallow is how much slander it gets from the fandom LOL

By all means I understand it delivered a subpar quality, but I don't think it's as terrible as everyone makes it seem. The OG 2006 anime also had a lot of flaws, ranging from adaptation issues (the novels, Lenalee existing in random places, Cross being uncharacterized, Allen being dumbed up for appeal) to small animation choices that were a little poor.

I also agree that Hallow's pacing was rushed, however, it's still not fair comparing both adaptations when one of them had 103 episodes and the other had only 13. It's alright to appreciate both, acknowledge the hard work put into them and I wish people realized that more often.

With that out of the way, I'd say that's basically what I dislike about it. I do have criticism on the animation and things like this, but none of that made me enjoy Hallow less; the things it proposed to cover, like the Artificial Exorcists arc and the Seed of Destruction arc were amazingly done in my opinion. Even if the animation got a little wack in several moments. I do agree it's sad that we didn't get a Zombie arc adaptation, but starting on that note would be... weird, to say the less. So while I regret it, I understand the decision.

Now on to what I like the most about it: I'd say it's the new color palette. Some people say it's too bright, and I totally get it, as I can't bear too much brightness myself! But the new colors are more appealing to me, and as much as I love the OG 2006 anime, at times I thought the colors were too dark/blurry, it was a little hard to see.

Still on that note, I love how Allen is looking in Hallow. Crown Clown now has a glowing effect to it, and it looks awesome in dark scenes! I also love how they didn't make Allen's hair extremely white, but a more natural tone. His white eyelashes are also really pretty.

⭐ What’s your favorite piece of DGM merch? These keychains!

Just look at how cute they are! There are many pieces of merch I like, especially if we take into account the art books, but the bocchi-kun keychains make me want to get them all!

⭐ Follow up question: what’s a piece of merch that you wish existed? I'd love it if we had figures of most of the characters. We got figures for Hallow and they're awesome, but I'd love a figure of Miranda, for example. There was no Lenalee figure as well, and even if I didn't get one of her for myself, I bet it would look awesome!

As always, this got super long, but if you read until here, I wish you have an awesome day! Thank you for reading on 💞

[kitmon]

Keys Are Under the Mat {1/?}

Llewyn Davis x OC

Summary: Struggling singer/songwriter, Llewyn Davis, has faced the rough and tumble world of the music industry as well as the callous hand of life. When an up-and-coming folk singer makes a trip back home and finds herself at the hands of the battered down couch-surfer, her first thought is to offer him a bit of compassion.

Warnings: Cursing, mentions of sexual activity

“Hold me, while I cry into your coat

Tie the rope round my throat, why don't ya?

Did you even read the note I wrote ya?

Boy, you're my antido-o-o-o-ote

Baby, it's only you I dote"

Her delicate fingers danced along the strings of her amaranth-colored acoustic. It was a fairly new guitar, given to her by a rather close colleague. She used to play at the Gaslight Café exclusively in the late fifties, not because she particularly liked that venue, more so because they were the only ones who gave a fraction of a fuck about her shitty guitar with a few broken strings and a makeshift capo that was made in the bathroom 10 minutes before a show using a sharpie and a rubber band. The crowd was always friendly; never hostile or awkward, just... supportive which was always appreciated on her part. Having people enjoy or at least pretend to enjoy her music was comforting at the time. As of right now, she was only visiting for old times sake, nostalgia purposes.

The new guitar was a testament to the amount of shit she'd been through. I mean signing a record deal is a pretty big deal, right? Having people know your name and buy your album. I mean, she was no Bob Dylan but she'd get stopped in the street from time to time which was unquestionably a step up from the loogies and cat-calls sent her way. Even now, her appearance at the usually humdrum populated café has drawn more attention than anticipated. The seats were all taken and the rather small building held far more people than the fire marshal recommended, but what a turn-out it was.

The audience hummed the chorus, cautious to not tune out her newfangled voice as it continued, nonchalant as ever as if there were only a few unamused patrons sitting in the crowd, but there wasn't. The populace of Greenwich Village loved her. She made a shit-hole like Greenwich something for people to keep their eyes on. And she didn't disappoint.

Her eyes remained lowered as she rather curled into herself and let the song end with a guttural reverberation. There was a silence as her eyelids lifted marginally, letting out a few pants of air to recover. Then an uproar, a surge in applause! She glanced up and flashed a charming smile, one that only showed the top row of teeth and caused her childish eyes to crinkle as she let out a giggle, concealing her laughter from the large array of eyes with her dainty hands. She adjusted herself and lifted a hand to reach the microphone.

"Thank you, you guys are a lovely audience, much nicer than Queens," the crowd let out a dispersed chuckle at her humor and she smiled again at their enthusiasm. She loved this, the feeling of having immense support. It made her feel... alive, to say the least.

"Okay, I'll be back in 20, take it easy while I'm gone." She waved off the crowd, unfurling herself from her guitar strap and handed the instrument to the stagehand, thanking the man afterward. She smoothed out any puckers or creases found in her dress as she stepped down from the stage, heading towards Pappi and another bystander, one who looked as if he'd been sleeping on the floor for days. Poor sucker looked as if he didn't even own a winter coat.

Pappi's arms extended out towards her, inviting her into his embrace. "You did great, kid," her eyes brightened at the compliment as she wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed her rosy cheek flush against his chest. The action should have been far more intimate than the two adults interpreted it, and most others would have perceived it that way as well. In fact, most familiars thought Pappi was fucking her most of the time.

Which he wasn't and neither one had ever considered it. Just business partners with an intimate brother-sister bond. Nothing more, Nothing less. The taller man, gripped her by her upper arms to gaze at her, with a gentleness, "Really, gave em a show."

"Aw thanks, Pappi, but I've got to admit that I'd still be singing songs on my back porch if it weren't for this dump." She jested, her hands hanging from her hips. Pappi let out a deep chuckle which was softened by her one-off laugh that wasn't exactly delicate or poised but was attractive in an unorthodox sense. The banter played out until somebody approached Pappi and tugged at the sleeve of his button-up to get his attention. She looked with furrowed brows and a curious expression as the man whispered in Pappi's ear with what appeared to be urgency. Pappi muttered a quick swear under his breath, and looked up at her with an apologetic frown and the same knitted brows she once wore.

"Sorry, kid. There's a few thugs out back making a mess," he patted her on the arm and told her he'd be right back after taking care of the 'mess'. Her head bobbed in understanding as her eyes watched as Pappi followed the man outback and into the fray. Her stare lingered on the door, but it was the serendipitous turn of her head that allowed her to acknowledge the ragged man sitting at the bar. His eyes fixated on the golden hue of the whiskey in his glass. She was almost certain he hadn't moved an inch since she came over, only stayed staring at the same glass of whiskey for at least five minutes. God, he looked like hell. His coat was hanging on by a thread, quite literally. Holes in miscellaneous places, unruly hair that looked like it hasn't been combed in days, shoes that looked soaked by the snow just outdoors and a runny nose that looked like the result of an oncoming cold. His wardrobe fitting flawlessly against the backdrop of the monochromatic greys and tans that made up the scene of New York in the Sixties. He looked familiar, she was sure of that. It was likely he'd played a few gigs at the Gaslight, same as her. Then again there were dozens of scruffy looking musicians who sidled into the Gaslight to perform, this one was hardly any different.

She sucked in a breath through her nose and ambled towards him, "So, you a friend of Pappi's?" Her elbows supported her weight against the hardwood bar, her fingers interlaced with each other as she peered down into the swirling rings of the once tall-standing oak. It took him a bit longer to register that she was speaking to him, "Oh, um, yeah, I guess..." His hand slipping up towards his face to rub at the skin, waking him up. His hooded eyes look over to her and away from that untouched glass of whiskey. Her laugh startled him, unexpected as it was. Her giggle was an unfamiliar sound. It shattered through the blaring car horns outside, the chatter of the audience, even threw the bullshit that spewed out of the radio sitting on the counter across from them. He just stared at her, unaware of just how ignorant someone would have to be to notice all the shit that's taking place everywhere around them and still have something to laugh about. It was selfish, but who wasn't these days. Everyone wanted others to be as devoid of joy as they were. Of course, there were a few stragglers who managed to keep a pep in their step and a smile on their faces. Those are the ones who get broken. They break down so quickly in a place that loses hope quicker than a bucket with gunshots loses water. But, she wasn't ignorant, and he knew this. She just decided to not take anybody's shit. And when nobody gives a fuck whether your dreams are accomplished or not, you learn to say fuck off right back. I guess that's what separates the losers from the winners. Her demeanor and the way she carried herself, with the balloon-sleeves and ruffled collar of her dress shirt, the way it was neatly tucked into her pinafore, it gave the impression that she was... incapable. But she was ten times more capable than almost everyone in that Café.

"If you don't mind me asking," she lifted her hand to wave down a bartender, not making eye contact with him until she knew someone was coming to attend to her request. "Got a name?" Her bright brown eyes locked with the gray and muddied irises of his own and it ignited a raft in his brain, making him adjust his position in self-consciousness.

"Um, yeah. Llewyn,"

Llewyn, Llewyn... she's heard that name before. She takes a sip from her glass of red wine the bartender had passed to her not to long ago. She takes a sip and contemplates why that name sounds so familiar.

"... Llewyn... Davis?"

It had slipped from her lips before she could even register it. And it surprised him, far more that she knew who he was. He couldn't remember meeting her or introducing himself to her before but then again, he was a performer. Not a very popular or reputable one mind you, but a performer none the less. She'd probably seen him at the Gaslight once before or something.

"Uh..., yeah... Hey, how'd you, um?"

"Oh, um I think I might own one of your albums. Inside Llewyn Davis, right?" The mention of his less than successful solo artist debut was a bit upsetting but he just dismissed it and looked away. "Yup... that's the one." His voice sounded disappointed and beaten but who could blame him. Chasing a dream so far that it only leads you to a dead-end can be frustrating.

"You know, I really enjoyed it," she mused, much to his disbelief but it must have only been out of politeness. "That makes one of us," he mutters, his frown dropping a millimeter or so. She couldn't decipher what he was referring to, but she could tell that whatever it was, it had sucked the rest of his joy and drive out of him. The business will do that to you, take a starry-eyed kid and promise them a dream only to drop them on their ass and tell them they'll never be more than a stand-in gig for a bunch of nobodies.

"I really loved the song— oh, how'd it go?" She pondered, the way her thick eyebrows scrunched up in concentration giving her the wonders of a child. The same way her determination to prove the potential the album had was childish. But it was the truth, she did enjoy the album and even recommended it to a few friends back when she bought it, now it just sits in a blue milk crate next to her record player, collecting dust. He gazed at her expectantly waiting to hear her utter at least a single lyric from his album.

"Oh!" She snaps her fingers in triumph, startling Llewyn once more. "It goes," and she readied her voice with a clearing of her throat and sang what she could remember. "Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone," his eyes widened a bit at the surprise of her actually acknowledging his music, and the fact that she enjoyed it, no less. "Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone," the lilt in her voice echoed through the Café and a few patrons stopped their chatter to cherish her sweet voice. The silence stuck around for a beat and her eyes fluttered open after her display.

"Yeah, that's it!" Her outburst wasn't expected and nearly knocked Llewyn out of his seat for about the fifth time.

"Yeah," he muttered, letting his eyes linger on her form a moment longer than he'd like to admit, brows furrowed in thinking. "Whad'ya say your name was again?" He questioned, curiosity getting the better of him. And there was that damn giggle again, opening his eyes to a whole new world of possibilities where you can giggle and laugh about things without having to feel sorry about the lack of a difference it makes. She answers and it's just nothing special but at the same time it feels like... a novelty. "Dorothy.”

[crimsonrae]

Across the Road, At the Brothel

Chapter Ten

Summary: Jaskier fell in love any day that the sun rose in the East. It was a trifling, pleasurable experience for him. Even when he was jumping out a window to avoid cuckolded husbands. So what happens when his trifles start to become more significant? Jaskier/OC. Some Yennefer/Geralt

A/N: Jaskier is just too adorable not to write about. This is a relationship development story with an OC. There will be smut in later chapters and plenty of angst.

Rating: Mature

Simple and Complex

"Twas early one morning a fair maid arose,

And slipped away with her lover's clothes,

And off to the fields a sure she goes

With naught e'na kiss in the morning early."

An unwilling smile pulled at Lyrra's lips as she smothered a sigh and attempted to pay her bard no mind. She finished hanging a few freshly laundered shirts and trousers as she listened to his approach. She had slipped out of her cottage long before Jaskier had woken. A basket of laundry in hand as she went to the stream – Geralt had roused enough from his place by her hearth to note her exit but seemed incline to rest longer himself. She was grateful for the solitude. It gave her a chance to gather her thoughts and calm the whirlwind that Jaskier had incited in her. She needed the distance and the time to figure out -

"Are you really just going to ignore me?"

Him.

Lyrra glanced around the shirt she was pinning up with a raised brow to see him standing proudly with his hands on his hips, "Did you say something?"

Jaskier narrowed his gaze at her in an odd mix of exasperation and amusement, "Lyrra."

"Jaskier." She intoned and bit back a smirk as he huffed.

A sly glint entered his eyes as he began to sing again.

"The bard arose and he discovered her sin,

His heart and his song composed quite the din."

Lyrra could not help the faint laugh that left her as she listened to him. Puckish amusement danced in his blue orbs as he sidled up next to her and slid an arm around her waist.

"And he had the will for to greet her so slim

With a kiss in the morning early."

She didn't need the last line of his song to see the kiss coming. A quiet sigh left her as she welcomed his familiar embrace. Her skin still tingled with the memory of their coupling and the calm she had achieved was swiftly thwarted by his touch. Reluctantly, she pulled away.

Jaskier smiled contentedly at her, "Good morning."

"It's afternoon, you slept the morning away." Lyrra replied lightly as she moved her basket under the tree her clothesline was tethered on, "And I'm rather sure those aren't the words to that song."

"Ehh, I'm a bard, pretty much gives me free rein to change the words." Jaskier shrugged. His keen eyes cataloged her every move, "You should've slept the morning away too. You were up as long as I was."

As if to prove his point, Lyrra found herself swallowing a yawn. In all actuality, she had been up longer than he had. Her mind had not been able to let the events of the night settle and her dreams had taken a dark turn once she had drifted off. She still wasn't sure what had come over her in that bathing chamber, she was never that bold. Yet, bold was the only way to describe her actions from the time he entered until...well. A blush rose to her cheeks and she could see a salacious grin crossing Jaskier's lips from her periphery at the sight. He knew well where her mind had gone.

"Stop it." She murmured lowly, refusing to look in his direction.

"Stop what?" His tone dripped with quiet laughter.

"You know what." She glowered faintly at him and wished that she still had a few shirts to pin to the line, if only to have something to do besides stare at him.

He tilted his head and his mirthful smile continued to tease her as he said, "You are adorably shy in the light of day. I do hope that I never make you stop blushing."

It was her turn to huff, "Jaskier."

He chuckled quietly and reached for her again, "Now what happened to the woman who had her wicked way with me last night, hmm?"

Lyrra was sure her face was scarlet now at his words as she allowed him to draw her close again, "She came to her senses."

"That sounds...not good." Jaskier murmured as he tilted her chin up and frowned bemusedly at her, "I suppose it's time we actually have that talk."

Lyrra shifted awkwardly under his gaze as she ruefully wondered which talk he was referring to, their tryst or her back. Neither was a conversation she particularly wanted to have, if for completely different reasons. She had been grateful when the topic had fallen to the wayside upon returning to her cottage.

She forced a smile when she realized she was taking too long to respond, "That talk."

"Yes, the one you've been trying to figure out how to avoid since I brought it up last night." Jaskier uttered faintly amused as she looked away somewhat sheepishly and bit back a sigh, "Believe it or not, not a conversation I want to have either, but as fun, as our little dance has been... we do need to -"

He waved his hand about as he tried to find the right words. Lyrra took pity on him as her smile turned a little more genuine, "Clear the air? Create some boundaries? Form an understanding?"

Jaskier nodded, "Yes, that. That would be good."

Lyrra stifled a giggle as she saw her nerves reflected in his expression. It amazed her how he could go from unerringly confident to uncertain in a matter of seconds, especially around her. She was not someone to be nervous around. Her fingers itched with the need to touch him, reassure him. The impulse to soothe his quiet anxiety was strong and unexpected. She wasn't a tactile person by any means, she usually went out of her way to avoid being touched. Jaskier was her opposite in this manner, he felt everything, like an overgrown toddler. He picked up, played, listened, and sometimes tasted everything with which he came into contact. He took comfort in touch, she knew this implicitly.

As if to prove her unspoken point, he seemed to sense her reluctance and reached out to caress her cheek, "What is it? Talk to me."

"It's nothing – I just...I tend to get carried away with you."

Jaskier raised a brow as he prodded her to continue, "And that's a bad thing?"

"It's not like me." She mumbled quietly and resisted the urge to fidget. She didn't know how to explain to him the maelstrom he made her feel. How she found him both comforting and disconcerting. How she allowed him more liberties than anyone since...since ever.

"Again, that's a bad thing?" He was more curious now than concerned. Jaskier had been far from surprised when he had woken to find her gone... simply disappointed. He was quickly beginning to learn that avoidance was his lover's instinctual response to anything that made her -

"It's an uncomfortable thing." Lyrra grimaced.

Uncomfortable. He smiled gently at her, at least she was somewhat aware of her tendencies, "You know, I typically don't do serious."

Lyrra blinked at the strange segue, "Really? Hadn't noticed."

He bit back a laugh at her dry tone as he made his point, "Serious is complicated and boring and messy. I like easy and fun, simple... but you, my lovely Lyrra, you are very complicated and serious. But I can say with absolute certainty you are not boring. You make me curious."

She merely stared at him still unsure where he was going with his little lecture.

"Curious. Confused. Uncomfortable." Jaskier answered placing a special emphasis on that last word, "No, strike that – you don't make me uncomfortable; you make me uncertain. None of that is necessarily a bad thing, you know?"

"Hasn't been my experience." Lyrra replied softly.

"No, I suppose it hasn't." His fingers brushed across her back and the brand he now knew rested there and she tensed at the reminder, "I don't think that I make you uncomfortable, either. I think it's that you enjoy yourself with me that discomfits you. Tell me you didn't enjoy yourself last night."

Her cheeks burned and she couldn't meet his eyes as she fumbled for a response, "I... you know, I did."

"Do you want to do it again?" He asked quietly and linked his fingers with hers.

Lyrra felt her stomach flutter at the question as she tried vainly to ignore the heat that rushed through her veins, "...yes."

"So do I." He murmured softly and unconsciously leaned into her, "Is that really so unsettling?"

Her grey eyes were drawn to his lips, "...yes. You unsettle me, Jaskier."

"How?"

"I crave you. I've known you barely a fortnight." Lyrra whispered, not missing the desirous look that entered his eyes at her words, "And I crave your kisses and your touch... even your voice. I don't crave people. I don't know what to do with you."

"I think you know exactly what to do with me." He couldn't help the tease that left his tongue even as she hit his arm, "Ow."

Vaguely annoyed, she attempted to pull away from him again, but he refused to let her step back. "Alright, okay. I'm sorry. I don't do serious, remember? It's just... this doesn't have to be hard, it can be simple."

Lyrra sighed frustrated, "Nothing about this is simple."

"Only because you're making it complicated." Jaskier pointed out somewhat humorously, "We already agreed to not get married and after last night, I think we're agreed we can't be merely friends. Especially, since we both admitted we want a repeat..." His words slowly caught up with him and he offered her an acknowledging nod, "Right, we may be a little complicated."

Lyrra snorted and shook her head at him. He was utterly ridiculous and she adored it despite herself, "Let me make this simple. I like you, Jaskier. That's simple. You like me back, that's simple too. Last night was great and yes, I want it to happen again, but I'm not sure that it should."

"Why?" He breathed the questioned startled.

The possibility of them not continuing their affair had not occurred to the bard, she could see that plainly and sighed again, "In a day, a week, sometime rather soon you're going to be gone, Jaskier... And I don't - I don't want to miss you."

He looked like he had been struck and Lyrra tried not to wince under his stare or to follow after him when he stepped away. She felt cold at his abrupt distance. Perhaps, she had worded that too harshly. Guilt twisted in her gut as she silently pleaded with him to understand what she couldn't say.

"Right." A bitter laugh escaped him, "Oh, avoidance should really be your middle name, Lyrrana."

"Jaskier-"

"No." He shook his head and cut her off, "You don't want to miss me? That's shit, if ever I heard it. Let's reword that, shall we? What you really mean to say is: Jaskier, you're going to hurt me, so let's not even bother."

A stone sank with a ferocious crash in her stomach as his words and gaze scolded her like an unruly child. She wanted to be angry with him, but he wasn't entirely wrong. She stared helplessly, not sure how to respond or even if she should.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I really should've rented that room for us last night." He murmured almost sadly, "I'm not going to hurt you, Lyrra."

She swallowed tightly, "I know..."

"Do you?!" His disbelief seared her and she found she couldn't meet his gaze any longer, "Do I scare you, Lyrra? Last night did I -"

"No. No, Jaskier." Lyrra interrupted before he could finish his question, "I wanted last night. You didn't push me or force me."

Jaskier stared at her as he replayed everything he had said and done in that bathing chamber. A slow realization began to creep on him, "But I did scare you."

"No."

Despite the certainty in her voice, he knew it was a lie. It wasn't physical intimacy that was causing Lyrra's hesitance over their affair, it was emotional, "I did. When I saw your back. When I demanded you let me in, I scared you."

Lyrra's lips tightened into a thin line as she glared at him, "No."

Jaskier didn't seem to hear her as he muttered, "How am I attracted to the most emotionally stunted people on the bloody Continent?"

"Jaskier." She sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Can we forget this conversation and go back to where you kissed me good morning?"

He looked as frustrated as she felt as he, in turn, uttered, "No. I promised you last night we go at your pace, not mine... I'll see if I can get my room back at the inn."

"You don't have to." Lyrra started softly.

Jaskier forced a smile at her and she hated it, "Yeah, I do. I think we both need our space. Simpler this way."

She went to protest further, but he cut her off once again.

"Oh...one more thing." A determined expression marred his visage as he swept back into her space and pressed his lips to hers. Lyrra gasped faintly at the sudden contact and he stole the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Unconsciously, her hands rose to tangle in his hair as he backed her against the trunk of the tree. A fiery thrill rushed through her veins as coherent thought left her and all she could do was cling to him as she simply felt.

She felt his warmth and the subtle strength in his body as he pressed against her. She felt his almost desperate grip on her hips and tasted his passion as he took his fill. He hadn't kissed her like this before... He was usually gentle, curious, searching, but this was demanding, almost possessive, it was dizzying. It wasn't until she completely melted into his touch that he pulled away and pressed his head to hers.

A smug gleam sparkled in his eyes, "That's what I thought too."

Utter confusion descended on Lyrra as she stared at him, "What?"

His smile was even smugger, "The thing about having this talk is that declaring our intentions goes both ways. I'll stay at the inn, but I fully intend to end up back in your bed and if I happen to fall into your heart, all the better. You don't get to ignore me. You don't get to be afraid of me, Lyrra. I'm not that scary."

No, he was terrifying.

He stole one more kiss before starting his trek to the cottage. Lyrra was left bewildered to stare after him. She shouted out the only thing that came to mind before he got too far, "This is far from simple!"

Jaskier spun on his heel and grinned, "Yeah, but I already told you – you're complicated. And I like you. Besides, I'm not that easy to get rid of, ask Geralt."

He disappeared around the bend a second later and Lyrra covered her face in disbelief, "He's absolutely mad."

»»————-　　————-««

Geralt felt a headache coming on as he headed back towards the woods. Enough time had passed since he had last checked the clearing that whoever had created the mutated fleders would have had the chance to find their corpses. He hoped anyway. Otherwise, he would need to figure out another way to track down those creature's creator and that meant spending more time in the Toussaint countryside than he was comfortable. Especially, now that Jaskier and Lyrra were...

He didn't know what the fuck those two were doing.

Which in part was why he had a headache now. Jaskier had been gathering his things when he had left the cottage, muttering under his breath about being drawn to emotionally constipated people.

Geralt didn't ask.

He would really rather not know.

What he had gleaned was that they were getting rooms at the inn. Despite his earlier protestations about overstaying their welcome in Lyrra's home, he wasn't looking forward to dealing with the general populace again. He pushed the thought aside as he moved quietly through the brush. The smell of rot had only become heavier in the days that followed and he no longer needed to follow his tracks back to the clearing. The other change was the faint buzzing of flies that filled his ears. The fleders decomp had attracted more insects. His teeth clenched as he resigned himself to the fact that the creator of the two beasts either had not bothered to look for them or the corpses hadn't been discovered yet.

There certainly hadn't been any talk amongst the locals about the discovery of two fleder corpses. He sighed as he stepped fully out of the woods and casually observed the clearing again. The flesh was almost completely gone from the fleders now... wait...fleder. One. Geralt tilted his head and eyed the shadows behind the first corpse. He wasn't mistaken there was only one body now. The other was gone.

He strode forward and bent to study the ground. There were drag marks, but that could have been from an animal dragging the body away for food. Yet, he found that scenario unlikely. Most scavengers could sense a potentially dangerous meal. The venom the fleder created would likely have made it toxic to any creature that attempted to eat it.

More silently than he had entered the clearing, he exited following the tracks. Even then, he could have followed his nose the stench was so bad. Whoever or whatever had come to claim the body had done so recently. It wasn't long before he stumbled onto a narrow path.

The trees had thinned and he could make out neatly organized rows of barren grape vines through the foliage. He must have been on the edge of one of the vineyards. Frowning, he continued on his hunt. Geralt noted the unnatural stillness in the air as he walked. He heard no birds or little critters scurrying through the brush. There were no distant sounds of farmhands, not even a breeze of wind to stir the leaves. A familiar twinge in his gut had him ill at ease, he wasn't the only predator afoot.

He must have walked a quarter-mile when he did finally hear it. It was low and shrill like an out of tune string on a lute. A song. Someone was singing. His twinge turned into a solid sinking instinct as he had a good assumption of what he was about to discover. His hand twitched for his sword as he dimly realized he had not brought the silver one with him. He had anticipated a human threat, not a monster. Geralt knew he had a choice to make – he could continue on and have his assumptions proven correct, but be ill-equipped to deal with the threat or he could head back and return later to a threat that had potentially disappeared.

Sighing quietly, he drew his sword and bent to pull a small silver dagger from his boot. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. He skirted to the edge of the path as he moved like a stalking cat around the bend. His golden eyes missed nothing as he took in the dilapidated ruins of an old manor. Past the tumbled walls he could make out the form of a woman. Her singing was louder now as she hunched over the rotted form of the missing fleder. A bruxa.

He watched for a moment as the bruxa continued to sing. Her head tilted back enough that he could see what appeared to be tears streaming down her cheeks as she caressed the festered corpse. Geralt frowned in confusion.

Had the bruxa made the fleders? Was that even possible?

It wasn't unheard of for bruxae to hunt in packs, but he had never known a bruxa to bother with a fleder. The creatures were usually too stupid and wild to be of notice to the high order vampires.

A low grumbling sounded behind him and Geralt stiffened. It seemed fate had taken his choice from his hand. He whipped around to see a very alive, very hungry looking fleder. The commotion had garnered the attention of the bruxa and her song turned into a screeching cry.

"Fuck." Geralt muttered.

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[simply-sams-things]

We can try to make it work

Something I thought of a few days ago.

Reader is 13 weeks pregnant in the beginning

Spelling is not the best cuase I'm tired.

Summary:You meet the cast of Bohemian Rhapsody 6 weeks after you found out you were expecting your ex boyfriends baby. He knew but wanted nothing to do with you or the baby. So you put on a brave face and continued your daily life but with a bump. You are a make up artist for big movies and today was your first day on the Bohemian Rhapsody set. You were excited becuase its a Queen biopic which who dosent love Queen!?

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

You walked into the tralior you parked next to which said Joe Mazzello and Ben Hardy on it because thats were you were told to go. You felt a little sick but you took a bottle of ginger ale in your purse incase you got sick. You walked in to see a man with lite brown hair and a man with blond hair trying to make a conversation but failing.

"Hi I'm Y/N nice to meet you" you started off when you put your purse on the counter with your name on it.

"Hi I'm Ben. Ben Hardy" the blonde one said putting his hand out for you to shake. You shook it.

"Nice to meet you Ben" you said "and you are?" You said looking at the brown haired man.

"Joe. Uh Joe Mazzello" he replied

"Well hi Joe I guess I'm doing your make up today since your in my chair but we can't start till 8 and its 7 so we have an hour" you told him. "Ben I think Ryan will be here in about ten minutes so dont worry you're not being left out"

Ben chuckled and said he was going to go find some food and asked if anyone wanted anything the both of you said no but thanks for offering.

"So Joe where ya from" you started

"New York. You?"

"Oh I'm from ______"

"How long have you been doing makeup if you dont mind me asking"

"Well since I was small but I didnt get into it until I was in high school and after high school I went to beauty school which lead me into the film industry and now I'm here"

"How about you with acting?"

"Oh I've been doing it since I was very young and I played in some big roles but now im playing John Deacon in a Queen biopic which is amazing" he said excitingly

"You were in Jurrasic Park" you realized

"Yes yes I was!" He said laughing which caused you to giggle.

Ryan walked in at that time and said hello and set up his situation and you realised you had to set yours up. Joe watched you and you knew so you simply gave him a smile through the mirrior which cuase him to blush.

You felt it get hot in the tralior suddenly and took your sweater off showing your tiny bump and Joes eyes quickly adverted away from it as soon as he realised he was staring at it.

"Joe its okay to stare at it I dont mind" you told him knowing the look he gave it. It was one everyone gave after they saw it. Mabye it was becuase of no ring on your finger or mabye it was becuase you were only 25. Either way who knows you were used to it.

"Sorry I just umm wasnt expecting a bump"

"Nobody does but it kinda happens when you get pregnant mine just popped out a few days ago" you said with a chuckle.

"Sorry again"

"Dont be Joe its okay I dont mind you looking at it just don't stare at it to long cuase that's a bit weird" another laugh to lighten the mood. Ryan had no idea what was going on and just listened to the strange conversation unfolding in front of him. Ben, thank god, walked in and sat down and greeted Ryan. It was 7:30 so you thought it was a good idea to start Joes look but of course the second wave of nausea washed over you and Joe noticed.

"Y/N you okay?" He asked you.

"Yeah just wait a bit I'll be back in a minute" you grabbed your Ginger ale and walked outside in the still cold morning air. You walked around the trailor and sat on the curb. You were chugging the Ale and didn't notice Joe looking at you.

"Are you okay?" His question scared you and you jumped. "Sorry. Sorry didnt mean to scare you just making sure you're okay." He sat down next to you.

"Yeah no its okay I'm fine Joe go back inside I'll be there in a few minutes just needed air"

"Are you sure it looked like you were going to get sick"

"Just morning sickness thats all but it wont be until a few more weeks till its gone im fine though really" you told the man.

"Okay well I dont want to be rude and leave you so I'll stay here with you until you want to go and do my face"

You laughed. "You dont have to but thanks I'm ready to go back just needed fresh air."

You both walked in and you did your thing while only almost throwing up once. You walked to set together and for the next six weeks you talked about your families and lives and you had enough courage to tell Joe about your situation with the babys father with the rest of the cast one night at dinner.

"Wow thats just a loss for him" he told you.

"What do you mean?" You asked

"He misses out on being in the life of a child and its mom" he said

"Joe are you flirting with your makeup artist?" Rami, the man who plays Freddie Mercury, asked Joe. You had grown close to the rest of the cast quickly and helping them when their personal artist were not around.

"No I'm just saying he lost something a lot of people want to have" Joe said looking any were but your eyes. At the time of the conversation you were 19 weeks.

Gwilym, Brian Mays actor portrayal, noticed the tension and asked you a question you never thought about.

"So Y/N are going to find out the gender?"

"Well I haven't thought about it yet" And the truth was you hadn't then you realised that appointment was in three days. "Crap I have an appointment in a few days"

"Why is that a bad thing?" Lucy asked. Mary Austins look alike.

"No its not but I have nobody to come with" you said with a frown. Everybody looked at you and then Joe and then back to you and then back to Joe.

"What?" Joe asked.

Ben then spoke up.

"How about Joe and I go with you? If thats okay with you of course"

"That would be lovely Joe you listening?" You asked

"Yes I am but that's your thing I dont want to interrupt that moment"

Everyone groaned.

"Joe its alright you and Ben can come with I think it would make it more interesting to be very honest."

Two days later Ben texted the group chat saying he can't go cuase he had a date. But Joe and you knew what he was doing. He pulled a move were three people had plans but the one who invited backs out and leaves the other two too do the thing.

Joe picked you up so you didn't waste gas and energy and he wanted to talk about the whole Ben thing.

"Y/N you look lovely this morning" he said when you opened the door. You were wearing leggings and a black maternity shirt that said 'coming this June' as well as a big jacket.

"Well thank you and you look good as well" you told him. Joe was wearing jeans and a blue shirt and a jacket. Simple outfit for a normal thing he thought.

He opened the car door for you and went to the driver side and started the car and the radio was turned on full blast which Joe had forgotten about and apologized when turning it down.

You were laughing and said its okay multiple times. Joe was embarrassed.

At the appointment you had to get your blood drawn and was going to get called back right before you found out the baby's gender. You hate the thought of your blood getting drawn. It scared you to the point were you wanted to leave.

"Hey its okay but you need to do this I'm right here incase you need me" he told you.

"Can you come back with me please?"

"Of course"

"Y/N Y/L/N" a nurse called "Hi I'm nurse Gina your husband can come with you cuase we will head right to the ultrasound room after the test"

"Oh he's not my husband just a friend" you explained

"Umm okay well he can come back"

"Joe?" You motioned for him to follow

You sat in the chair and set your arm out while Gina put the blue band above your vein. Joe noticed your scared face and put his hand out for you to hold. You grabbed it and he started to distract you.

"So Y/N what do you want the gender to be?"

"Oh I dont know a boy maybe?"

"A boy would be nice you can teach him all your tricks to make people focus like you do on set"

"Yeah" you felt the needle but then it was done and you looked over and saw that she was done. You let go of Joe's hand and said sorry for crushing it.

You were taken back to the room and you got on the table and gave Joe your purse.

"Okay so I'm swole right now so dont judge my mountain" you said with a chuckle

"I would never" he said bashfully. You lifted your shirt and Joe poked it. Making you laugh.

"Okay Y/N this will be what?" Gina asked

"Cold!" Joe and you said at the same time and that caused you all to burst into a fit of giggles. You wondered how Joe knew that.

"Here we go" Gina said and put the cold gel on your belly and then the doppler. She started with the normal stuff like heart and brain and lung growth and she even did the heartbeat. Joe was amazed by that part. And then Gina took a few pictures of the baby.

"Alright are you finding out the Gender today?" She asked

"Yes we are" You replied

"So let me just go and find were the part is cuase your baby is kinda low but thats great right now cause it needs to be head down for delivery" she said while moving the device around your belly.

"Its a.....boy!"

"Really!?" You asked about to cry and then you looked at Joe who had a big smile which cuased you to cry.

"Yep! And he is very healthy so dont worry about that. I'll leave you two be" Gina said cleaning off your belly and leaving. Joe helped you get off the table and gave you a hug and kiss on the head.

"You got your boy"

"I did!" You exclaimed still crying

"Hey why you crying?"

"Oh just becuase in happy and hormonal."

"Lets go get brunch to celebrate there is a nice place down the street"

"Okay!"

A few weeks later it was the week before Christmas and you were going to visit your family at your grandparents cabin in Vermont but you had told them you were bringing your boyfriend. Problem was you didnt have one and that's how you ended up on Joe's front door step scared shitless and wanting to leave but as you were about to leave Joe opened the door.

"Y/N is what are you doing here? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" He asked pulling you inside.

"Yeah everything's good nothings wrong. you were leaving I should go" you said turning but Joe grabbed your hand.

"No whats going on? My date can wait family is first"

"Date? Joe go its fine it doesn't matter"

"Yes it does Y/N whats up?" He said pushing you to the couch and sitting down next to you.

"Well umm okay so I'm in big trouble with my family" you started "I told my family that I have a boyfriend and that I would bring him for Christmas but you see I dont have one and now I'm going to show up pregnant which they know but I told them that I was still with his father but obviously I'm not cuase he's a dick and is a no-show to anything" you said fast needing to take a breathe.

"I dont understand why you're here though" he told you

"I was going to ask if you wanted to come to my familys cabin and pretend to be my boyfriend but now I feel like an idiot so I should just go" you started to get up but Joe pulled you back down and into his lap.

"Joe I'm going to break you"

"No you won't" he said "I'll do it"

"You dont have to if you dont want to" you said

"I want to plus it would be fun a free cabin trip"

"Joe are you sure?"

"Yes I am Y/N"

"But dont you want to be with your family I'm sure you do Joe"

"To be honest I was actually going to Rami's house so this is an upgrade" he said with a chuckle.

"Okay then 'boyfriend' what are your limits?"

"What do you mean?"

"What can we do and not do, to convince my family we are a copule?"

He told you all the stuff he was willing to do such as holding hands, hugging and even a kiss on the cheek. You agreed and set your boundaries.

Four days later Joe and you took the journey all the way to Stowe, Vermont to your grandparents cabin. He drove but it took awhile cuase you had to pee a lot but it was still fun. You took pictures in every town you came upon and had lunch in a little town outside of Stowe. When you got to the cabin, your parents were already there including the rest of your family.

"Joe they will ask you a bunch of questions and I'm very sorry about that"

"Its okay, hey its okay are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes"

"Okay then lets go 'girlfriend'!" And he hopped out of the car and went to open your door. You walked up saying you would get the bags later. When you got to the door your aunt opend it and grabbed you into a big hug saying you has gotten so big since she saw her last and was kissing your face and hair. Joe was trying not to laugh. She saw Joe and brought him into the hug and said welcome to the family.

"Kathy let those children inside they are freezing!" Your mom said.

Aunt Kathy moved and let Joe and you inside. Your mom and dad knew joe and what he was doing so he was happy to have familiar faces around.

"Joe! Y/N! You made it!" Your dad said.

"Yes we did sir" Joe said

"Hopefully she wasn't to much for you!" Your mom said

"Of course not! He on the other had was a bugger!" He said pointing to your belly and laughing. You held on to his hand the whole time.

"What was my grandson doing that could be so annoying?" You mom joked "have you felt him move yet?"

"No not yet but the doc said this week we should feel him move" you said

"Well come on in you must be tired and hungry"

The rest of the day was spent talking and having many family members asking Joe his whole life story and also touching your bump and waiting to feel any movement, but your boy was stubborn and wouldn't budge.

Joe and your dad brought in the bags and took it to your room. You were in the kitchen with your mom when she asked a question.

"Do you like Joe?"

"As a friend yes" you said low incase anyone was listening

"No as boyfriend materiel silly!"

"I dont know mom, he is my best friend in a way. I feel more connected to him more then i do with others. I like him yes but I'm afraid he wont like me back mom."

"Baby he likes you too I can tell by the way he looks at you and trust me I know that look because your father gives that look to food and you know he loves his food"

"Mom!" You said laughing

"What he does!"

Later that night, after your shower you walked into the bedroom and saw Joe on the bed looking at the t.v. looking for a channel. You decided to climb in next to him and try to fall asleep but it was hard cuase it was cild in the room no matter how many blankets you had on you.

"Are you alright?" Joe asked "You're shaking the bed"

"I'm cold" you said sounding hopeless and that broke Joes heart.

"Well we could uhh...if you want to...cuddle to keep you from dying of frost bite?" He finally manged to get out

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

And before he knew it you were next to him still shivering but next to him. Your swollen belly touching his stomach and your arms pulled close to you while his arms managed to find their way around you. But he started to get annoyed cause you kept poking his stomach.

"Stop poking me"

"I'm not the baby is poking you...wait you can feel that too!" You said looking up at him

"Wait that's the baby!?" He said looking down at you. His hand then found its way onto your belly trying to feel him kick again. You then guided his hand to the right place and he said 'wow' under his breath and you smiled and put your head on his cjest and kept moving his hand wherever the baby was kicking.

"I like you too you know" he said out loud. Your heart went a million times fast becuase he heared your conversation with your mom, but then it sank cuase he probably was doing it only becuase you were a single mom.

"Joe-"

"No listen I like you in fact I love you becuase you are so strong and are raising this little guy all by yourself and the moment you walked into that trailor a few months ago I was certain you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. When you took that sweater off and I saw this guy for the first time I got sad cuase I thought you were taken but when that dickwad of a ex boyfriend called you saying all those horrible things about you at Gwils birthday party I was enraged becuase how could anybody say that to you or anybody-"

He was stop by you becuase your lips were crashing against each other. He sat up more and sitting you into his lap. You leaned back from the kiss smiling.

"Joe I love you and I have since that first day" you gave him another long and passionate kiss. "You have changed my world in so many ways-" you felt a few tears run down your fave. Joe brushed his thumb over your cheek to wipe them away."-I love you so much"

"I love you to Y/N more then the world combined" he said leaning into another kiss but just then your son felt jealous and kicked you extremely hard Joe felt it and winced a little.

"Ow!" You said putting your forehead on Joe's chest and he started rubbing his hands up and down your back.

"Are you okay love?"

"Yeah just hurt a little he must feel left out I guess" you explained

Joe leaned down aa bit just above your belly and started talking to it.

"Hey little man I know you can hear me so listen up! I like your mom a lot and I was trying to kiss her before you made yourself known which is great becuase your moving but before I kiss your mom I want your permission first okay? Can I kiss your mommy?" He asked and you bursted into a fit of laughter.

"Joe!"

"What?" He asked smugly

"He is kicking like crazy now thanks a lot" you said moving off of him and looking at the clock noticing it was 10:30 at night.

"Well I should take that as a yes" he said before moving back down to cuddle you again.

"Okay mister we should go to bed tomorrow is Christmas eve and I'm tired" you said moving your head on his chest and he wrapped you back into hos embrace.

"Damn it" you whisperd

"What?"

"I have to pee."

The next morning as you got dressed you felt a pair of arms wrap around your shoulders and you leand back and looked up at your lover.

"Hi" you beamed up at him.

"Hi" he said before placing a kiss at your lips.

"Are we the real thing now?"

"I guess" he said before spinning you around to hug you.

"Well, boyfriend I'm happy becuase after last night I wanted to eat some sour patch kids and well since you get the honor of being with me this means you get to go to the store and get sour patch kids for me" you squealed patting his chest before looking for your bra and shirt for the day.

"Wait thats no fair I want some too!" He said looking at you looking through the drawrs trying to figure out were you placed your bras.

"Middle one honey" he told you

"How do you know that?"

"I watched you unpack yesterday and then you told me to remind you that you put them in there" he said after pulling his shirt over his head.

"Well I'm going to come to the store with you so i can get my candy as well"

You walked down stairs hand in hand and saw your mom cooking breakfast you then wanted to instantly help but she asked for Joe and told you to find your father. You gave Joe a look but he waved you off and you wandered around looking for your dad.

"Joe I heard you and Y/N talking last night and I couldn't be happier but I want you to know if you hurt my baby and grandbaby in anyway no one will find your body" she told him "understand?"

"Yes Ma'am" he said "I love both of them alot in fact with all my heart and soul. She has changed me and that baby boy has changed me as well. I love them to the moon and back and I could never hurt them."

"Good because they are my world Joe and you are now because you're in our family now! Now help me with this food or your girlfriend will be angry and she is a mean angry hungry person like a very mean one!" She told him pulling him into a hug. She noticed that you and your dad were listening the whole time.

"Ease-droppers!" She exclaimed letting go of Joe who turned around to see you and your dad standing there smiling.

"Mom stop threatening my love" you said going up to give Joe a hug and grab some bacon.

"I will as soon as you stop stealing the food!" She said playfully slapping your hand and you retreated it with two pieces of the bacon and handding one to Joe before walking out to the living room. Your sister was there talking to her husband and watching their three kids play. You had two nephews and a niece. The twins, Gabe and Quinn, we're 6 and Katy was 4. They adored you and when they saw you they all fought about who was going to sit next to you and on your lap.

"Hey kiddos I love you and all but nobody is sitting on my lap" you told them.

"But auntie why!?" Katy asked.

"Well your baby cousin is making it hard for anyone to sit on my lap even doggies can't sit on my lap anymore!" The three gasped.

Then Quinn got down close to your stomach and started talking.

"Hi baby cousin it's your biggest cousin Qinn I want to ask you a favor! Can you move back so I can sit on auntie's lap because I want to and I haven't in a long time love you baby cousin!" Every one in the room chuckled and you sister asked you and Joe a question about the baby.

"Have you guys got a name for him yet? because I have a few!" You looked at Joe who shrugged.

"No we haven't actually but I have thought of a few" you said looking back at her.

"Really? What are they?" Your brother-in-law asked.

"Umm well I liked the name Landon, I thought it was cute. I want a unique name cause I can tell he is going to be an interesting baby already. I also like the name Ashton" Joe watched you and listened with a passion.

"What about you Joe? Do you have any names" your sister asked Joe didn't want to admit but he thought of names for his own children in the future so he just said those ones.

"I like the name Sutton. It's a gender neutral name I've always liked." Your heart melted that was the name but you would tell that Joe later.

"Those are nice names!" Gabe said.

"Yes auntie they are but the name Katy is the best!" Katy said

"Of course it is Katy girl!" You smiled "how about we go play in the snow! So we can pass time while we wait for Grandma to finish breakfast!" You suggested

"Yay!!" Everyone said

*******

After your Christmas Eve feast also known as Chinese food, your whole family say in the living room. You were on the couch and Joe was at you legs while Katy sat on your lap. She somehow fit and because you just ate you knew that the baby would start kicking soon and he did Katy looked up at you in awe and squealed. Everyone looked at you both.

"Auntie's baby is kicking me!" She said joyfully

Everyone rushed over and felt him kick and then they sat down.

"Is it wierd?" Gabe asked

"A little but I'm used to it now"

"Alright kids time for bed because santa is coming tonight!" Your sister said

"Can auntie put us to bed?" The three said all at once rubbing their eyes.

"If she wants to" she looked at you

"Of course I will I am happy too but after you guys are out I'm going to bed because I want to know what santa brought me!" You said heading up stairs behind the three.

Once in their room you tucked the twins in their big bed and gave them a kiss on the heads before going over to Katy's bed and tucking her in.

"Can you sing us a song please?" Quinn said very sleepy sounding.

"Okay loves what song Gabe?"

"I don't" he yawnd "know"

"Well how about moon river? I sang that to all three of you when you were baby's"

"Okay" they said

"Moon river wider than a mile

Crossin' in style someday

My dream maker

Heartbreaker

Wherever you're going I'm going the same

Two drifters off to see the world

It's such a crazy world you'll see (What I see, who I become)

What I see, who I become

We're all chasin' after our end

Chasin' after our ends

Life's just around the bend, my friend

Moon river and me"

You ended the song and kissed all of their heads as they fell into a deep slumber dreaming of tomorrow. The baby was going crazy the whole time and as you walked into your room you saw Joe on the bed with a big smile on his face.

"What? Do I have something on my shirt?"

"No"

"Then why are you smiling like an idiot right now?" He laughed and motioned you to sit on the bed and you did.

"I like your voice"

"You heard that!?"

"Oh yeah and it was beautiful and sexy"

"Joe!"

"It was and it adds another reason to love you even more"

"Thank you for that compliment and I guess your not the only one who thinks so because he was going crazy the whole time!" You kissed Joe and he hummed.

"Sutton is a nice name Joe I like it"

"You do?"

"Yes I do it's a beautiful name"

"I wasn't going to mention it to you but I'm glad you like it." He kissed your head as it laid against his shoulder "Do you want it?"

"What no that's your name babe I could never take it"

"I want you to have it" he thought for a second "well him have it" he rubbed his hand over your belly.

"Are you sure because we can name him something else"

"We?"

"Well yeah because we are together I'm sorry it's to soon I shouldn't have said anything"

"No no no I like it the sound of we and that you trust me with this"

"Joey I love you stop being perfect but don't stop please" you said getting up to change into more comfortable sleep clothes which ended being Joe's shirt and some flannel pants.

"Don't stop being sexy please?" He said while you cuddled into him.

"Okay I won't as long as you're enjoying the veiw I won't!"

******* part 2 coming soon

[whiskeykneat]

One More Saturday Night [2]

CHAPTER TWO

Smoke curls upwards from the cigarette dangling out of Joanna's mouth as she looks Gale up and down. It's near ten o'clock, long after the street lamps have clicked on, and the air outside the carhop smells of oil and grease. Gale has just gotten off his shift at the mine, he's scrubbed and scrubbed at the coal dust in the seams of his hands, but with back to back twelve hour shifts, they'll never be clean.

The letter that came this morning from the capital is burning a hole in his pocket.

He'd taken one look at it sitting forlornly on the kitchen table next to his warm dinner, and when his mother's step had creaked on the bottom stair, Gale didn't have to look past the washtub curtain to know that she'd been crying, he could hear it in her voice.

[[MORE]]

I'm going out, Ma, he'd said, but hadn't stopped her when she'd drawn him tight to her thin body for a fierce hug.

You tell Katniss, Gale. Tell her tonight, Hazelle had whispered, wiping her eyes. And give her my love.

"Katniss?" Joanna purses her red lips, sucking on the cigarette so hard he can imagine what those sinful red lips would look like wrapped around his cock, and Gale gives her a once-over of his own. "She's working. Took my shift." She brushes past him, letting him feel every inch of her pointy brassiere pressing up to his chest. "You're gonna have a hard time prying her from that dump up to Lookout Point tonight." Joanna rolls her eyes, nodding towards the parking lot, full of every warm-blooded teenager in town, as if there's nothing better to do on a Saturday night in 1964, in every house in town a television, on every radio the sound of the devil's music.

For the times they are a-changin’...

"You could come up to Lookout Point with me." Joanna's red nails lightly trail down his forearm, and goosebumps pimple along Gale's skin. She looks up at him from under her lashes, biting down on the tip of her thumb. And he considers it for a moment, he really does, but he's been down that road before: sinking down into her warm wet softness, hearing her mewl as she claws his back, begging him to empty himself inside of her, anything to fill the gaping hole inside them both.

Joanna purrs as she runs a finger up his chest, playing with his collar. "It ain't as pretty, but we can go down to the Slag Heap if you've a mind to get ham-hocked." There's no reason he should refuse her. Thom will be there, after all, and every other man on the crew. Right now, nothing sounds better than drinking so hard he can't see straight, anything except thinking about the letter in his pocket.

Gale looks down at Joanna for a moment, and he hears what she's saying to him, offering him a way out tonight, a way to forget that in two days, he’ll be on a train to his army training, where they'll put a gun in his hands and send him off to the jungle, and there will be no more Saturday nights like this one, where all he has to worry about is which pretty girl he’ll be taking home.

(All of them. None of them. Any of them except the only one he wants, the only one he's ever wanted, the one he can never have at all.)

He fingers the ribbon wrapped around his wrist, threadbare now, but once as sky blue as the bottles that hang from the chinaberry tree outside his mother’s front door -- as if it is what is keeping him tethered to this town, like a candle burning against the darkness. "Nah, not tonight."

"Well, if you want something to take the edge off, you know where to find me." Joanna pouts dramatically, one hand on her hip. She winks, then, and leaves him, a cloud of Chanel in her wake.

As if his body has a mind of its own, Gale finds himself hopping back in the truck, and bringing it around to the parking lot. The carhop is jumping tonight, hormones and energy pumping out of every sleek car, on beat with the music.

Stay… just a little bit longer…

Gale parks in the back, near the tree line, and cuts the engine. The place is full of Townies, all dressed to the nines, the boys with shaggy Beatles hair and the girls in mini skirts and beehives. In his work denim and his button down plaid shirt, Gale feels suddenly old beyond his years and out of place, as though he's peeped into a pinhole camera of an era gone by, one he never belonged to, was never a part of. These boys have never spent twelve hours down in a mining shaft, working every muscle as they lay waste to the mountain. They've never left school to become breaker boys, separating the impurities from the coal. They do not know what it's like to descend down into the darkness, day after day after day, until it is like you have never known the light.

“What would you like?” The voice, a car over, arrests him in his tracks, and Gale feels his whole body shiver with recognition.

It's the voice that's haunted his dreams since the summer of 1961, sleepy afternoons and strawberry kisses. It's the haunting melody of the piano drifting through the dusty air as he makes his way to the mine in the dawnlight, pricking memories long buried: of her in his arms, twirling around in that big, empty gazebo. That slate-tiled gazebo, with the big cupola, with lots of shady corners for stealing kisses. It was where Madge Undersee had her debutante ball, as Gale watched from the shade of the sycamore tree in his ill-fitting suit, and knew he could never be a part of her world.

He'd taken employment in the mine the very next day, and the day he'd turned eighteen he'd gone down in the pit for the first time, the memory of the girl he could never have seared forever on his heart.

•••

Gale hasn't seen Madge Undersee since the morning after the debutante ball, when he'd met her under the sycamore tree just past the edge of the sprawling gardens, where once he'd carved their initials together: M+G.

She'd been wearing white, he recalls: a frothy camisole, so fine he could see the outline of her breasts and feel the answering swell in his denim jeans, and pine green silk pajama pants that hugged her delicate curves. Gale knew that if he touched her, the silk would whisper over her skin, that she'd make a little moan in her throat, and that her lips would be velvety and plush, tasting of clouds and cream as he parted them with the tip of his tongue.

If he kissed her, he'd be unable to finish what he came to do, and that's the one thing that killed him, to take the only thing good and fine in his world, and make what lay between them something cheap.

He thought about her father, and the suitcase of money, money that could have fed his whole family for a year, and bought a new house besides, were he the kind of man who didn't have his pride, the kind of man who didn't know right from wrong. He was seventeen, but he's been a man since he was twelve, the night his father died and mantle of responsibility, of family, came to lay on his shoulders.

Madge smiled up at him, handing him a tiny teacup filled with black coffee, his big, rough working man's hand nearly engulfing her own. For a moment, he let his hand linger on hers, until her cheeks turned pink, and then he took a step back, the space between them thick with words unspoken. There was an eyelash on her cheek, he wanted to blow it off, he wanted to make a wish. But the time had passed for such foolish fancies.

My daughter is not for you, Gale Hawthorne, Mayor Undersee had said gently, the suitcase lying on the table between them like Pandora's Box, the sounds of the party drifting up from below. There was a line of coal smudged along the cuff of Gale's suit jacket, and he tugged at his sleeve, feeling the poorly constructed seams give out just a touch.

The tux belonged to Thom's pa, who was as of a mind as Gale's in that a suit was only for marrying and burying. Not fucking around at a party to impress some high class piece of tail. Gale had never wanted to deck the elderly man more in his entire life.

I wanna hold your hand, crooned Paul McCartney on the record player.

Under the ancient sycamore tree, Madge's eyes were as deep and blue as the Delft china plates in the display case at the five and dime, and the little gold flecks danced like specks of sunlight as she gazed up at him. When he spoke, tears sprung to her eyes, and her teacup fell to the roots of the tree, shattering and spilling like the sound a heart makes when it breaks beyond hope or repair.

High in the tree, a pair of mated bluebirds sang, to usher in the morning.

•••

There she is, Miss Prim and Proper, the Debutante herself: Madge Undersee. And she looks better than ever, if that's possible: golden and slender, with legs that go on forever. Gale can't help but drink every bit of her in, as if he hasn't been able to stop thinking of her since the day they parted, as if he’s never thought about walking up to the front door of her house and asking if she's home. But he heard from Katniss that Madge went up to university in Charlottesville, and he’d thought that after that, she'd never return.

He's heard a rumor that Madge got engaged, that she's marrying Seneca Crane, the son of a senator, the china already picked and the invitations sent out.

If that's the truth, why is Madge working at the carhop? She should be making her wedding trousseau. She should be shopping all over Paris with her Daddy's money, and buying French lingerie for that stuck up rich man, to lie in his big bed with the hundred count sheets, and let him taste her sweetness.

Like clouds and cream. Like strawberries.

"Fuck!" Gale presses his forehead to his hands, which are clenched on the steering wheel.

He should drive out of here right now. He should go home and get a good sleep in his own bed. He should… But he won't. And, catching himself rubbing the satin ribbon around his wrist again, he knows why.

Madge Undersee.

He's halfway out of the car already when he hears her voice again, and this time nothing can stop Gale Hawthorne from getting what he's come back for, from the one person he can't leave behind without saying goodbye.

•••

“Please, please don't.” Madge vainly bats at the hands groping her ass, and for a moment she's back in the frat house, trying to push Seneca off of her as his tongue goes down her throat and his knee forces her legs apart.

You're so frigid, Margreta. Don't be such a goddamned prude.

“You heard the lady. She said no.”

It's like she's imagining things. Gale Hawthorne. Standing between her and Cato Curlew, steel in his tone. His voice ripples with command, and Madge feels a trickle of warmth low in her belly, though she's still angry with him, after all these cold years apart.

Why is he here now, when he's stayed away for so long? Doesn't he know that she no longer needs him, that she stopped waiting for him long ago? “I don't need your help,” Madge informs Gale’s broad shoulders. “Go away.”

She can hear the sneer in Cato’s voice. “That ain't no lady.” He spits a stream of tobacco on the asphalt. “Everyone with half a brain knows that she's been spreading her legs for any Seam bastard who asks since she was sixteen.”

Gale grabs Cato by the shirt, and blood sprays against the mirror on the door. Cato comes out swinging, shaking his head like a bull before he charges at Gale. Madge screams, and they all come running, the boys laying bets, the girls huddled to the side and watching through their fingers, titillated and horrified all at once.

The two men square off on the blacktop, Cato big and square and stocky, Gale tall and broad-shouldered but with a latent strength honed from years swinging a pickaxe. Cato is bleeding from the nose, and his fists are up as he and Gale circle one another. Madge has heard the stories, Cato killed the last man he fought in a brawl, down in Wheeler.

“Don't! Stop!” She tries to dart between them, but Wheatley Mellark grabs her arm, hauling her back.

“You'll just make it worse,” he murmurs in her ear.

“Get him, Cato!” Cato’s friend Marvel cups his hands and lets out a wild yell, and Cato surges forward like he's been shot from a cannon. “Show that Seam bastard what we do to coal miners who think they can touch Town women!”

Madge is pale, she is shaking. “Stop them,” she begs Wheatley and Delly, who has appeared at her other side, a serious look on her face.

Gale and Cato circle one another on the gray, cracked asphalt, dust rising in the air.

“That's right,” Gale taunts, his voice deep and carrying. “These dirty, coal-stained hands have touched Town women… While you're at your office with your secretary, I've been plowing your girlfriends… Your wives… And your momma, Curlew.”

Cato roars, and charges Gale. Gale dodges Cato, turning and socking his fist into Cato’s jaw. Cato spits out blood, lunging for Gale, and then both men are on the asphalt, rolling over and over with the smell of heat and blood in the air.

“Stop it! Gale Hawthorne, stop it right now!” Katniss comes gliding across the pavement, but Peeta Mellark, near the edge of the crowd, catches her arm, his mouth moving in words that Madge cannot make out, even if she wanted to.

She can hear nothing except the thud of flesh on flesh, and then Gale is on top of Cato, punching and punching him, and suddenly the wail of police sirens can be heard coming down the avenue, and Madge snaps out of her coma.

“We have to go!” Madge yanks on Gale’s arm, hard, and he resists her for only a moment before snapping back into focus, his dark gray eyes gone soft as he looks at her. She doesn't want to think about what that means, not right now, not when this could all be taken away in an instant. Cato is Town, and his daddy is a rich man besides. Gale is Seam. A night in jail would be the lightest of sentences Gale could pray for.

So instead, Madge leans forward, cupping Gale’s jaw, and whispers in his ear, “Now,” and Gale, stumbling like a drunk in the dark, doesn't question her when she jumps into the truck beside him and grinds the gears, and they speed off into the night.

•••

“You're an idiot.” Madge presses the damp napkin a little too hard to Gale’s jaw, and he winces, trying to pull away. “You know that?” Her voice is low and furious, and he thinks he's never been more intrigued by her than at this very moment, all her ladylike poise gone, the air between them crackling like lightning about to strike.

“Maybe if you had stayed where you were supposed to be --” Gale growls, turning his jaw from her ministrations. “On your side of town -- Then I wouldn't have had to step in in the first place!”

“I don't see how it's any of your business where I spend my time, or who I spend it with!” Madge pushes on Gale’s chest, and he laughs darkly. “What's your problem?”

“You are! If you had just stayed in your place -- the princess in her tower -- instead of slumming it --” He’d kill any man who touched her without her permission, she has to know that.

Tears spring to the corners of her eyes, and for an instant Gale feels like a monster for wounding her, but -- You deserve this, he reminds himself. She can't know that all he wants to do is to take her in his arms and kiss her tears away. He's already made his choice.

“I…” Madge turns her face away for a moment, composing herself. He wonders if she still sings to herself in her head. He wonders why he can feel the space between their bodies so keenly, why he still wants to pull her close, to open the door they locked so long ago. “I think you should take me home.”

Gale swallows, turning his face to hers. In the moonlight, her profile would look at home stamped on an antique bronze coin, too beautiful to be anything but legendary. Wars have been fought over women like Madge Undersee, in times of old. She's everything that's wrong and right for him, and even though his heart says it's right, his mind whispers that it's wrong, wrong, wrong.

Gale leans toward Madge, who tenses, and as he wraps a finger around single golden curl, she turns her face up to him with a question in her eyes, that indent on her lower lip enchanting him as it did when he was a boy, begging to be explored by his tongue. His hand comes up, and he caresses the line of her jaw, feeling her tremble uncontrollably at his touch. “What are you so afraid of?” Gale whispers huskily, even though he knows the answer.

What he isn't expecting are the next words out of her mouth.

“I don't want Daddy to hear about…” she waves a hand to encompass their surroundings, or maybe the events that have taken place. “...this.”

“I didn't ask for his damned approval.” His laugh is rusty, as though it's been a long time since he's had anything to laugh about. “I bet Daddy approves if he's got cash in his pockets instead of coal.”

Madge reels back, as if she's been slapped. “Fuck you.” Before Gale can process what's happening, the car door slams behind her, and she runs barefoot across the dark parking lot, and straight into the Slag Heap.

“Fuck!” Gale slams his hands on the dashboard, wincing. He leaves the door swinging, and runs after her.

She's standing at the bar when Gale catches up to her, her shoulders heaving, downing a shot of something amber, the heady scent of it already purring on her skin. “What do you want?” She slams the shot glass on the bar with a hiss, and Gale grabs her by the shoulders, unsure of what he intends to do right up until this moment.

“Another shot,” the bartender drawls, and Gale slams it down, and then he's kissing Madge Undersee, his hands cupping that little heart shaped face, his thumbs stroking her jawline, the taste of her as raw and real as though it's been home all along, as if he's never known it until she's back in his arms, pliant and soft, nipping at her bottom lip, his tongue meeting hers, tasting of amber and cream and the mist that rises off the mountains in the morning.

Madge pulls back, and slaps him, hard. “You bastard.” There's a round of shocked applause, led by Joanna, who blows Gale a sultry kiss and a wink, leaning against her pool cue before lining up her shot.

But Gale isn't here for Joanna tonight. “Madge!” Gale bellows, past caring what anyone thinks. His long strides overtake her in the parking lot, and he finds her leaning against the cab of his truck, her shoulders shaking.

“Get me out of here, Gale,” Madge whispers, her voice raw.

He touches her gently, as though she is a wild doe that might startle or frighten, and she surprises him by turning around and falling into his arms, her face pressed to his chest, her heart matching the beat of his own. He lifts her tear streaked face with one finger, and then she stands on tip-toe, and they are kissing again, slow and soft and sure, as if all the time they've spent apart has been leading up to this moment.