#i may have bitten off more than i can chew but i have a plan. have some damn FAITH ok???????

[ursaspecter]

"Lonesome Cowboy" Dress-up Game Dev Log #01

So as some of y'all may be aware, I'm working on a little dress up game! I intend to publish it on meiker.io, so for legal reasons it totally isn't Arthur Morgan. Just some random cowboy that happens to look a lot like him. His name? Uhhhhhhhh.... Alfred Martin.... Yeah there we go that's his name yep mhm.

This is my first ever project like this, and I'm super excited to share it with y'all! I still have a long way to go as I want this to have a ton of customization, but I thought I would share what I have so far!

Here's the base I created. This is without anything added on top. I know the boxer-briefs aren't exactly period accurate, but I figured it would allow more room to work with than putting a union suit on his base model. I also gave him a farmer's tan to add a bit more character!

He has 4 hairstyles!

3 facial hair style sets plus 1 bonus moustache with the ability to mix and match!

Customizable body hair! (Arm and leg hair can be turned on or off according to preference ^u^)

Various skin details! So far I have face freckles, shoulder freckles, stretch marks, and a bullet scar on his left shoulder. Each of them are separate of course.

And finally what I think many people will be most excited about...

3 top surgery scar variants!

3 different binders plus some bandages. (DISCLAIMER: I do NOT endorse or recommend binding with anything other than a binder or trans tape! The inclusion of bandages is to simply provide a more period accurate option as modern chest binders as we know them did not exist in 1899. Please bind responsibly and safely!)

Let me know if you guys have any suggestions for what you want to see him wear! I already have a few ideas for bonus fun/memey outfits I want to include that I'll wait until the full release to disclose that way I can give everyone a chance to find them on their own ;)

[c-e-d-dreamer]

Hi! I hope you know I ask this with no pressure or anything, but now that Falling For Your Fools Gold is over, I was curious if you have another fic planned or not? I just love your writing so much!

Hello, lovely Anon! So, I will admit that I am behind on my writing schedule and feeling le stressed about it, but if all goes to plan, my posting schedule for the rest of the summer should be....

A 6-part Elucien AU inspired by Disney's Enchanted that I should be posting for Elucien Week (which starts July 9)

Cassian Week starts July 30, and I have lots of fun fics planned for it, including:

An IPB AU with Cassian as a blue alien man

Gargoyle Cassian

A Regency AU where Cassian takes Taylor Swift's song Speak Now too literally

A one-shot where Cassian goes into Mate Mode(tm)

The first chapter of the infamous Hockey Cassian

And then after Cassian Week, the goal is that with the first chapter of Hockey Cassian posted, I will return to my weekly updates for that fic

And then Nessian Week is in September but I can't think about that just yet....

[mummer]

can someone please dare me to finish qhorinmance chapter 2 in the next couple of days so that i actually do it

[magiefish]

Crossed 10,000 words. I guess this is a novella now 🙃

I've written like 7000 words for a short-story in six days. What the fuck is wrong with me.

[maybanksbabe]

𝐢𝐢: 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐞 | 𝐑.𝐂 + 𝐓.𝐓

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Topper only wants to please you both. and when the perfect opportunity arises, who are you and Rafe to deny him? Though it isn't long before Topper realises he may have bitten off more than he can chew...

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠(𝐬): Bondage (duh it's in the title), language, use of a strap-on, oral (m), overstimulation, use of toys, degradation, sub!Topper, spitting, marking, nicknames, no use of Y/N (if I slipped lmk!)

---

"You remember your safe word, right baby?" you cooed as you finished securing the padded cuffs around Topper's wrists, so his hands were above his head.

"Yes..." A swift tap to his bare inner thigh made him jolt slightly.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he repeated, cheeks already burnished pink. You shuffled down, dragging your nails along his exposed skin. Topper was already naked, per your and Rafe's request, so you moved down to his legs and reached for the soft pinkish-red rope you'd bought specifically for a moment like this.

You brought his heels up to his thighs and began securing them with the silky rope, keeping him perfectly pinned open. The teasing grazes around his inner thighs, close to his aching, leaking cock, had him stifling whimpers and breathy moans.

"So pretty," you praised as you sat back and admired your work.

"Is he ready?" Rafe asked from the doorway, donning low-slung sweatpants and no shirt. There was a delicate gold chain around his neck, resting against his collarbones and glowing nicely in the warm lighting of the bedroom.

"Almost." You stepped off the bed to gather what you needed; your strap-on and a few accessories. The strap was one that Topper was particularly fond of; pink, thick and long enough to compete with Rafe. A liberal amount of lube was squeezed into your hand and then applied to Topper's exposed, waiting hole. The throaty gasp-turned-moan that escaped Topper made both you and Rafe smile.

Rafe moved over to the bed and shed his sweatpants as he went. The sight of his pert, round ass made you drool just a little as he knelt on the mattress, straddling Topper's chest and leaning in. Whilst Rafe used Topper's mouth, you began prepping him for your own entertainment. You pressed a sizeable vibrating plug to his puckered opening and listened to the way he gasped and gagged on Rafe's dick.

"Such a good boy..." you cooed and skimmed your nails across his inner thighs, following the curves and contours of the muscles, making his cock twitch in anticipation of what you had planned for him whilst Rafe continued to use his mouth.

Rafe threaded his fingers into Topper's hair and held him still, nose pressed flush to his navel. You leaned forward and squeezed gently at the bulge in his throat, adoring the way he gagged and moaned around Rafe's cock.

"Be nice," you reminded Rafe as he pulled back and let Topper catch his breath, drool on his lips and at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were hazy and lust-blown as he looked up at the two of you.

"Gonna let me fuck this pretty little mouth of yours, hm?" Rafe asked, half-rhetorically as he tugged a little harder on Topper's hair, eliciting a limp-kitten-type response.

"Please," he panted, "- wanna be a good boy..." Rafe, unable to deny him the need to please, tapped the tip of his cock on Topper's exposed tongue before getting lost in the sensations of his mouth and throat. You sat back and started slowly jerking Topper off, adoring the muffled whimpers and moans you pulled from him.

Your free hand moved to press against the plug that was humming away, settled deep in his ass and the way his body convulsed and twitched nearly threw Rafe off, clearly feeling better with the added pressure.

"Think you're ready for my strap, baby?" you asked and Rafe pulled away briefly, allowing him to answer.

"Yes! Please, ma'am," he gasped, straining against the ropes around his wrists. You pressed experimentally against the plug again as Rafe pushed back into his mouth, leaving him completely at your mercy. Carefully, you removed the vibrating plug and turned it off, setting it aside and reaching for the bottle of lube again. This time coating the thick, pink silicone toy in a generous amount.

"Stretch him out for me," Rafe encouraged over his shoulder as you took the tip of the toy and pressed it against Topper's ass, savouring the way he squirmed and whimpered for more.

Stuffed full, all the way until your hips were flush to the backs of his thighs, you stayed still for a moment. Topper tried desperately to move, to beg for more and bring you closer, but Rafe pinning him down to use his mouth had left him occupied whilst his restraints were still on.

You set a steady, firm rhythm, gripping Topper's hips tightly to help draw him onto your strap. The noises he made for you both were heavenly and you wished you'd had the foresight to ask if you could set up a camera to watch it back later. That would have to be for another time.

Whilst you alternated between holding his hips to pin him down further and jerking him off in time with your thrusts, you could tell he didn't have much left in him. It wouldn't be long before he was spent and tapping out. Until then, however, you kept on, watching as Rafe finished in Topper's mouth and held his mouth open to spit a parting gift on top. Of course, he swallowed it all eagerly and when Rafe climbed off of him for a moment, you could see the flush in his cheeks, tears in his eyes and drool on his chin from Rafe's exploits.

"So pretty," you hummed, spurred on by his pathetic, hoarse whimpering and begging for more. Rafe leaned over with his phone and took a picture or two. Or ten, of Topper's fucked-out face and a few live ones to capture the sounds he let out too.

"Please - Please, m' gonna -"

"You better ask nicely," you warned, knowing he was on the precipice of blowing his load across his stomach.

"Can I cum, please, ma'am? Please?" You pretended to think about it, looking at Rafe with a wicked grin, who was already half-hard again.

"What do you think, Rafe?" Topper sobbed as you stroked him with a firmer grip and rocked into him that little bit harder. It was cruel, really, but if he didn't love it, he'd let you know soon enough.

"Wanna see him blow his fuckin' load and make a mess," Rafe stated bluntly, leaning in to nip at his ear and catch his bottom lip between his teeth.

"Okay. Since you've been such a good boy, you can cum." With something crossed between a desperate sob of relief and a pathetic, mewling whine, Topper came loud and hard, muscles twitching and spasming with the continued overstimulation.

"- Can't! 'lease - can't take anymore!" he cried, tears rolling down his cheeks and dripping onto the pillows. You slowed to a stop and removed your hand. You knew that he'd be a touch too sensitive to tease anymore, so you slowly, gently, pulled out. Topper let out a shuddering gasp at the loss of contact and whilst Rafe disappeared to grab a bottle of water and a warm cloth to clean him up with, you went about untying him and removed the padded cuffs from the headboard.

"You were so good, Top. How do you feel?" He nodded with a slight hiccup.

"Great. Thank you..."

-/-/-

@rafeskinktober

[n6918]

Emerald has recently gotten ahold of Grimm Manticore venom, which when diluted properly can serve as a very potent aphrodisiac. She has big plans for it, but unfortunately, Oscar mistakes it for some harmless energy drinks and downs more than the recommended dosage, increasing the poor farmhands libido tenfold. Looks like Emerald may have bitten off more than she can chew with him…

When Emerald had walked in and saw Oscar with the empty glass of manticore venom she knew she was in trouble. The hazy green tint to his eyes and lustful look at her had told her what his intentions were. But she never imagined that it was going to be this strong, or that being on the other end of an aphrodisiac induce lust could be so overwhelming.

"Oscar! Oscar rest please!? I can't come anymore OH GODS!" Emerald pleaded with him. It had been four hours now and the farmhand only seem to be getting started. Her clothes had long since been tossed to the side so that he could have more easy access to her beautiful dark skin. Onto which he had written and drawn several things with markers that were in the room; including a few pine trees and a tally mark of how many times he had orgasm inside the former thief. The most prominent of all being the words written above her breast, which simply said 'PINES'.

"Oscar? Just a minute please! I just need a minute TOOOOFUCKKKKK" was all the words she got out. Oscar was holding her legs together as she lay on her back, keeping up a murderous pace as he fucked her extremely sensitive pussy. Her hands desperately searched for something to hold onto, but only found the bedsheets as the pillows had long since disappeared. Leaving her with nothing as she began to shutter and climax from his latest round of fucking.

"FUUUUCK YEAH!" Oscar moaned out at the top of his lungs. Bottoming out in her and he came again from her tightening up around him. Looking down at her fucked silly face he could only feel his farm to asking for more. But being the good boy he was he let go of her legs and pulled out for a moment. walking over to the bathroom he got a large glass of water and drank one down for himself, before filling another and walking over to Emerald and handing it to her. He watched as she drank it down quickly after realizing what it was.

Picking up the marker he added another telemark to the set already on her lower abdomen, well he lined himself up again between her legs. Taking hold of the empty glass as he quickly shoved into her and watched her surprise as she shuttered in response.

"Oscar wait i ne-" Emerald with silenced by his lips colliding with hers as He pulled her into a deep kiss well he began a new rhythm to his pleasure. She was so exhausted at this point that she could not stop him from his aphrodisiac induced lust. Her legs and arms just lay next to her as he played with her breast and pounded away with his hips on her abused cunt. she could already feel herself approaching another peak as he kept up the steady pace, fucking her much more romantically this time to spice things up.

As he pulled away from her lips for a second and towards her ears she couldn't of expected the words he was about to say. "Your going to be such a good mother for my kids" He whispered into her ear as she felt his heavy balls slap against her taint. That breeding kink of his that Ruby had warned him about was really strong apparently. 

[theblindhakune]

I planned on making this into a very short animation where they pull the sword together, Ri-Kusu goes unconscious and Hyper gets the markings.

Two issues: I haven't animated much in my life, and I'm making this on pc because my tablet doesn't have any animation programs which means that I struggle with linework.

I may have bitten off more than I can chew

[tarragonthedragon]

so not to hold DC to timelines or anything but if Bruce Wayne dropped out of med school to be batman that really implies he can't have started seriously planning to be batman until he was like. minimum 24. he went on his ninja training old tour like max two years before he adopted Dick. I hate this timeline.

consider instead: Bruce Wayne is fully aware that his ambition to be both batman and a doctor is deranged but it's not really any more deranged than just being batman. he does ninja training on his gap year. goes tocollege with Harvey Dent and moonlights as Batman. gets into med school despite his carefully cultivated reputation as a hard drinking party boy dumbass.

it is only when he is a full time student, full time CEO, part time party boy, full time vigilante AND the new parent of a grieving 9yo who can only be convinced not to do murders by giving him a daily dose of vigilante justice that Bruce considers he may have bitten off more than he can chew here

[gucciforasushirestaurant]

can i request something fluffy? maybe christmas cookie baking with harry!

Cookies.

summary: baking cookies with H.

word count: 610

reading time: 2min 30sec

content warning: pet names (baby, honey, babe), illusions to trauma around the holidays.

_______________

“Will you please focus?” you giggle. You shimmy away from Harry’s kisses to your neck, as he stands behind you, his flour-covered hands on your waist. “Go back to your station, please!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll be good,” he smirks, kissing the side of your head before taking his spot next to you, and rolling out more cookie dough. “How many more do we have to do?”

“However many we can get with the dough we have left. I overestimated how much the recipe would make.” You pout.

You may have bitten off more than you could chew, with the cookies. The baking part was the easy part, it was the decorating that would take you a while, and the more cookies you made the more you needed to decorate. And everything didn’t need to be perfect…but it had to be close to it because we're set to host Friends-mas this weekend. A test run for when you host Harry’s family on Christmas day. And, oh boy, were you nervous! You wanted to impress, you wanted to be the best host there was. You’ve been a Pinterest fiend for weeks, saving every recipe and DIY that you’ve come across. And when you saw the hand-decorated cookies, Well, you had to buy your own set of cookie cutters and decorating supplies! Your beautifully decorated cookies were planned to be everyone's party favors.

Once half of the cookies were cool enough to decorate and the last half were baking, you began decorating.

“This is the part where I’m useless.” Harry jokes, watching you dye different icings. Harry was the musician, but you were the artist, and he was sure his creations wouldn’t be up to par.

“What? No! I want you to decorate some too.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. these are supposed to be favors from the both of us.” You beam up at him, handing him a piping bag. “Now, do you want to copy me or do you wanna free hand it?”

“I’ll copy yours first until I get the hang of it.”

You went at his pace for the first few cookies, while his hands got adjusted to the piping bag in his hand. And he wasn’t too bad! They didn’t look as crisp as yours did, slightly messy but that’s what made them personal.

“Thank you,” you say quietly into the silence that falls between you. Harry sets his piping bag of icing down, for another color.

“For what, baby?”

“For baking cookies with me,” you say shyly.

“You don’t have to thank me honey, you know I love spending time with you.” He leans over kissing your cheek, and you nudge your hip to his.

“I know. But still, I used to hate this time of year. I never got to bake cookies or make a gingerbread house,” you let out a sad chuckle. “But now - I don’t know - I enjoy this time of year. It feels so cozy,” you sigh, putting the finishing touches on your cookies. "And I get to bake cookies. With you,” you smile looking over at him, and he pops a dimple.

“I love you.” Harry blurts, and you can't hold back the giggle.

“I love you too.” You look down at your work. 40 cookies it turned out. Way too many, but they all turned out adorable. “Well, we did it, baby. Yours doesn't look bad at all! You can barely tell who did what?"

“You are an adorable liar baby.” He chuckles, picking up one of his first cookies that looked a little rough around the edges, and taking a bite.

“You tried your best,” you admit with a soft smile.

🎄🎄🎄

Kinkmas 2023 Masterlist

Kinkmas 2023 Blurb Masterlist

Request a Kinkmas Blurb <3

[zombubble]

From In Memory; In Truth Ch. 21:

(Gentle reminder, for those who may have forgotten, Xie Yuan is the alias Wei Wuxian is using while he's in the Mortal Realm uwuwuwuwu.)

If Lan Zhan wants any sort of genuine connection with Xie Yuan, he first must stop hiding parts of himself from the man. He knows, agonizingly well, what such concealment does. He knows what hiding things has led to in the past, and he… He can’t, anymore. Falling in love with Xie Yuan was never the plan—had been actively upsetting at the start—but now that it’s happened, he wants to do things right. Lan Zhan wants to start with honesty, about both his feelings for Xie Yuan, and about his feelings for Wei Ying because he can’t hide them forever. If they’re going to be a problem for Xie Yuan, he’d rather know right away, so he doesn’t get any more involved than he already has. Because if Wei Ying is a dealbreaker for the god, then Lan Zhan… can’t. Falling in love isn’t a betrayal of Wei Ying, but to thoroughly reject him just to keep that love… That is. He won’t betray Wei Ying again. “Hanguang-jun!” Xie Yuan runs through the crowd, looking around until he sees Lan Zhan step out from behind a lantern vendor whose wares had been hiding him. Hurrying over, Xie Yuan grins. “Look, they’re rabbits!” he says, holding up spun sugar candy on sticks. Indeed, it’s a pair of rabbits, one standing tall and proud and the other curled up on its back. Xie Yuan holds out the one standing. “Its posture befits the esteemed Hanguang-jun,” he laughs. Ears hot, Lan Zhan takes it. It really does, and he looks at it, the rotund shape of his body, the lines of it up to the head with its cute little ears and a ribbon tied around its— The rabbit has a little forehead ribbon. Cheeks growing warm, Lan Zhan looks at Xie Yuan. “Did… Did you—” He points to the ribbon, right above the bunny’s cute, inquisitive eyes. Laughing even louder, Xie Yuan nods. “I asked the good grandfather making the candy to add that,” he says eventually. “Do you like it? It’s cute, huh?” Lan Zhan looks away. It’s… so cute. He can’t eat such a thing; that’d be terrible. Meanwhile, Xie Yuan’s bitten off one of his sugar-rabbit’s feet. “We should buy lanterns,” Xie Yuan says, “and go over to the river.  The grandfather said that lanterns float down from upstream, too, and it’s really a sight.” “I ought to make an offering,” Lan Zhan says, looking up at the full moon. “Does Chang'e have a preference?” “Never met her,” Xie Yuan says around a mouthful of sugar. “Don’t hear much of her, either, but I imagine a goddess as old as her would be gracious about anything.” Nodding, Lan Zhan looks around, and sees a fruit vendor selling little bundles made for offerings to people as ill-prepared for the festival as Lan Zhan. Going over, he quickly purchases one of those, and then some wine (with extra for Xie Yuan, to whom Lan Zhan’s been… wanting to make an official offering), and finally, he finds a lantern. A rabbit, curled up, within the full moon’s gentle face. With these, he makes his way back over to Xie Yuan, who’s chewing now on the sugar-rabbit’s tail, and takes a breath. He can do this. He can talk about his feelings. And he needs to.

Mid-Autumn Festival time!!! And they're spending it together.... what could happen?

Who knows? I certainly don't.

Thanks for reading, I'll see you next week!!

[twistthesinews-writes]

The Needle and the Damage Done

Summary: Devil's Minion era. Daniel drinks Armand's blood for the first time. There's no going back now. [1063 words]

Disclaimer: Listen. Don't come at me. I haven't even read Queen of the Damned. I hadn't been planning on writing any fic for these two in the first place. Then I remembered Henning May's cover of The Needle and the Damage Done and something possessed me right in the middle of an online class and uh. This happened. (Whether or not you read this, definitely listen to that cover. Because like. Damn.)

I may have taken significant creative liberties with how it feels to drink vampire blood.

Still in pretty rough shape, I might try to neaten it up, continue it, and post it on AO3 eventually. For now, though, it's gonna live here. Enjoy some fucked up power dynamics and a junkie not-quite-realizing that he's bitten off more than he can chew.

The first time he drank of the blood, he knew he had crossed a line.

Up until then, it had been just another thing to try, just another probably-dumb idea. Dumber than his usual, maybe, sure, but at the end of the day just another step down his not-so-slow but mundanely steady path of self-destruction.

The instant the first drop slides down his throat, he feels the ground disappear beneath him and knows he’s reached that path’s end. What he thought was just another step turned out to be a plummet off the edge of the cliff he always knew, but never truly believed was there.

And then it’s too late.

He grabs Armand’s wrist, drags it to his mouth with more desperation and naked need than he’s ever felt drinking from a bottle, be it liquor or milk. He barely catches the flicker of cold amusement from the creature he does not yet realize he has just become wholly reliant on. For this, he cannot find another dealer. He can’t drop to his knees in the right club bathroom for another hit. Now, to a deeper degree than he even knew was possible, he is an owned thing.

For the moment, though, he isn’t thinking about this. He isn’t thinking about anything at all, everything beyond the instinct to drink, drink, drink stripped from him. He is too far gone to be ashamed of the mewling whimper he lets out when the source of the blood is ripped away from him. He turns his eyes up, wet, pleading, to those of his new master and finds a glinting smile.

“That’s enough for now, boy,” he says. Daniel blinks, slowly, an electric feeling starting to spark its way through his body. Neuron by neuron, his brain begins to come back to life.

“For now,” he repeats hoarsely. “We can do this again?” It’s a moot question. If the answer is no, Daniel will die. That doesn’t feel like melodrama, it feels like simple fact.

“If you’re good,” Armand says, buttoning the cuff of his shirtsleeve.

“Anything,” Daniel breathes. “Armand— I— anything.” Daniel tries to crawl toward Armand on the bed, but abruptly, his tingling arms give out from under him and he falls, landing face-first on the sheets in front of where Armand sits cross-legged. Before he can roll over so he can breathe, Armand’s hand lands in his hair, pressing his face harder into the mattress. Daniel doesn’t resist. Right now, breathing seems superfluous to Armand’s hand on him, Armand’s blood in him.

You’ll never leave me now, will you? he hears in his head. Stars swirling behind his eyes, he shakes his head as best he can. He tries to open his mouth to reply, but the pressure against his face is too great and he can’t draw breath to speak anyway. Instead he thinks, as hard as he can,

No. No. Never. I’ll never leave you, never, never, never— Things are getting hazy, now—maybe vampire blood doesn’t actually absolve a human of his need for oxygen—but even as he begins to lose feeling in his extremities, still all his thoughts are occupied by that one-worded mantra, repeated like a prayer. The stars flashing behind his closed eyelids are blinking out one by one when abruptly the hand against his head yanks him up by the hair. He heaves in a gasp of air, the room suddenly very bright, every desperate inhale carrying sharper, more intense scents than he’s ever experienced before.

“All right,” murmurs Armand, effortlessly flipping Daniel onto his back, stroking his hair as he pants. “All right. How do you feel?”

Daniel blinks up at Armand’s upside-down face. “I… I can hear a woman on the street hushing her baby. She’s speaking… Serbian, I think? Something Slavic. And the Nuts4Nuts guy—he’s just put a fresh batch of peanuts on to roast. I can smell them. Armand,” Daniel says urgently. “Armand, the window’s closed. The window’s closed and we’re on the seventh floor.”

Armand smiles indulgently down at him. “And so we are.”

Daniel closes his eyes and takes another breath. “Is this what it’s like for you all the time?”

All of a sudden, the electricity sparking through his veins meets oxygen and is set ablaze. He leaps off the bed, energy pulsing through him. “Is this how you feel all the time?,” he repeats excitedly. “God, no wonder food tastes like nothing to you—what could compare to this?” Daniel bounces on his feet a few times, then reaches out to yank on Armand’s wrist. “Come on, let’s go!”

Armand arches an eyebrow at him. Pulling on him is like pulling stone. “Go?”

“Yes, come on, let’s go out! Let’s go chase down some dumb guy or get in a bar fight or steal a painting or—or—or anything, let’s just go!” Daniel’s bouncing from foot to foot now, all but running in place. The energy thrumming through him is easily equal to any coke high he’s experienced, and usually he wouldn’t hesitate to strike out on his own at this point, burn that energy off however he saw fit. But somehow the only thing worse than staying still right now is the thought of being away from Armand. Armand, who looks from where Daniel is pulling ineffectively at his wrist to Daniel’s slightly manic grin with a deeply unimpressed expression.

“You’re forgetting your manners, I think,” he says softly. “Is this how you show me your gratitude?”

Daniel drops his hand as if burned. “No, I—I’m sorry—I—I only meant—”

Armand tsk’s softly. Daniel feels it like a knife in his chest.

“I know just what you meant, child. You think I can’t find sufficient outlet for the ancient energy in your veins here, in this apartment? In this very room?”

Golden eyes bore into him, and Daniel finds his sense of fear has been intensified along with everything else. He stops bouncing, trains his eyes on the ground, not daring to meet the deceptively soft gaze of the predator that owns him.

“Of—of course. I mean, what… what would you like to do?”

Silence. Daniel risks glancing up. The danger has dissolved from Armand’s face, replaced by a fond smile.

“Oh my darling boy.” A hand caresses Daniel’s cheek. “Why don’t we go out?”

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

Fun fact: I wrote the first draft of this by hand in my best cursive during online class. No clue why. I'd meant to take my lecture notes on that paper. In possibly-related news, I suspect I haven't gotten my Adderall dosage quite right yet.

If you've gotten this far, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed <3

[lumilasi]

Bleach fic master list

Since I did make one for my bnha fics years ago (that I still have linked in my pinned post) I figured now that I'm also actively writing for Bleach, I should make one for it too. The status title below is the link to fic in question as with my other list post.

(I'm currently only including the 4 I am actively writing, as I have no art made for the older ones, but I may include them later.)

STATUS: ONGOING

In a world ravaged by Demonic creatures from another dimension, beings the inhabitants began to refer to as "the Hollows," humans banded together to create the Shinigami Order, a group spiritually powerful folk who fight against these creatures to keep everyone safe from them.

Kurosaki Ichigo is a rookie Shinigami who encounters a strange blade, that initially seems void of a spirit. However, as time passes, he quickly learns nothing is what it seems - including their history books, and he starts questioning just who exactly are the monsters here.

Also, having a literal King as your spirit-companion can truly be a troublesome matter. Having one as a lover is a whole new level of "oh shit what did I get myself into." Especially if the king is Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez

STATUS: ONGOING

After three years since the end of the Quincy war, Ichigo finds himself struggling with normal life. Things change when he is asked to join on a missing person search mission by Nelliel, said missing person being Grimmjow of all people. The outcome of this search results in an unexpected, horrifying result that leaves Ichigo stranded in Hueco Mundo for now, to not hurt his loved ones.

The only silver lining of the situation being, maybe he can FINALLY make friends with the blue haired asshole, because Kurosaki Ichigo is nothing if not stubborn about making friends with people who hate his guts. In this case though, he might've bitten off more than he could chew.....

STATUS: ONGOING

Ichigo finds out Urahara has been keeping an angry secret in his basement, the said angry secret turning out to be an important part of foiling the plans of a certain Aizen Sousuke. Too bad Grimmjow's an (attractive) asshole. Things get even stranger however, as Ichigo slowly begins to realize......he's met this man before.

STATUS: ONGOING

Ichigo, looking for his missing twin brother after he disappeared to go after a man he believes was responsible for their mother's death, ends up getting mixed into a bigger mess than he bargained for, including having to deal with Shiro's relationship problems.

The worst part is when Ichigo begins to realize, he has equally shitty taste to his brother when it comes to attractive criminals.....

------------

I decided to add fic descriptions on this list too unlike the other one, because it is (currently) much shorter.

[the-knucklesverse]

Are any of the Knuckles a pure bean? If so, can we get a story featuring him?

We do indeed have some pure bean Knuckles.

The adorable and endearing, (yet often mischievous) Little Z.

The cheerful and engaging, Lavender!

The supportive and caring big bro, Boom!

The dragon with the spirit of a golden retriever, Quetzal!

These four are almost never seen angry and never hide that soft heart that almost all Knuckles' share. If someone's having a day or feeling bit down, one of these four will be more than willing to assist with kiddy shenanigans, a cheerful attitude, the big bro vibes or some dragon mandated rest.

And then we have some honorary pure beans in our quieter and more timid, Jax, Gnarly and Yunuen who aren't quite the same as the four above, but these three are unlikely to start a fight or behave aggressively. (These three have been through a lot and must be handled with care)

Now, please enjoy a little wholesome story featuring Z and Lavender, under the cut. ~~ Night

The idea struck Lavender out of nowhere, and whatever was previously on the table was shoved aside in favour of a collection of art and craft supplies. She laid out the pens, pencils and thread in a manner that was messy, but organised to her. She then got to work, smiling all the while.

Her task was simple, but it was going to be a long one. Create a handmade, custom accessory for every Knuckles here. They may all be versions of the same person, but each of them were unique and would need careful thought put into what she made, and while she didn't know now what she was going to make everyone she hoped she'd work it out along the way.

Her first idea was for her sister, she liked things to be practical and serve a purpose, so a band to tie back her spines would do just fine. And while her sister would be fine with just a plain band, Lavender absolutely had to add some flare. Some nice traditional echidna designs would make a wonderful addition.

After about an hour it started to dawn on her that she may have bitten off more than she could chew. With only one gift completed and no solid plans for anyone else, she was stumped and the last fifteen minutes had been spent twirling a pencil around in her ungloved claws. She likely would have spent fifteen more minutes doing nothing but twirling the pencil around if she had not gotten distracted by the sound of little feet moving in an uneven gait in her direction. The closer the footsteps came the more she was able to make out the sound of laughter as well as annoyed, piratey yells that could only come from one echidna.

Little Z came round the corner moments later with the same mischievous grin and giggle he always wore after a prank went off successfully. She had to commend his skill in pranking, and if one of the prank wars between her and her sister ever made it's way here she would certainly be recruiting the little zombie onto her team before her sister got the chance to.

Lavender peered around the corner expecting to see Dread run in grumbling about whatever mischief Z got up to but her action only made Z giggle even harder.

"If you're looking for Dread, he won't be following."

"He won't be?"

"Uh-uh. I got him with a bucket of soapy water. He's gotta go rinse himself now."

Lavender grew a smile to match Little Z's. Dread did smell awful rather often, it was like he took pride in poor hygiene sometimes. "Well you've saved our noses for a while. Well done, Z." She stood up and gave a little silly bow to Z, which he promptly returned in just as silly of a way

"So that's what I've been up to," He swung his arms back and forth as he spoke. "What are you doing?"

Lavender returned her gaze to her craft and huffed. She wanted it to be a surprise to all, but there was no point in hiding it now that Z was here.

"I wanted to make nice accessories for you all. But now I'm completely stumped. I haven't been here long enough to make anything as special and personalized as i made for my sister."

The little zombie somehow became even more excited and began to bounce on his heels "Oh! Oh! I can help! I know lots of little things the other Knuckles like!"

Lavender perked up and hope that she would actually accomplish this project filled her with energy. "Oh please tell me, i've been stuck for so long on this!"

"Don't worry, I got this!" Z shuffled over, grabbing some paper and pencil on the way and stood next to her. "Nile likes to be all fancy and formal. We gotta make him something that uses lots of traditional markings."

"Ooh and Ren likes to hang round the garden doesn't he? Lets make him something flowery he can put on his hat or something!"

"Good idea! For Cyber we'll have to make it a decoration since he wont be able to wear it, OH! and also I got a great Idea for Wachowski!" The two's voices became almost unintelligible to all but each other from the pure excitement coursing through them and many ideas quickly began to get scribbled down and the project was reignited.

Many hours, an one unfortunate incident with glitter later, and all the gifts were completed.

[daydream-cement]

The Dinner Party

Larissa Weems x OC (Fern Rogers)

Authors Note: This is inspired by Jaidan's own dinner party with soup and her famous cookies ;) luv ya bb

“Fern, you need to get changed.” Larissa came rushing in the kitchen, her hands were preoccupied with attaching earrings to her earlobes. You were finishing up preparing dinner, knowing well that guests would be arriving any moment. Larissa and you had been planning this housewarming dinner party for months, yet you were both still running around completing last minute tasks.

“I will. Give me a sec.” You were balancing a hot pan of roast vegetables in one hand while stirring a large pot of soup on the stove.

Her eyes fell on the mess of children's toys that littered the dinner table and living room floor, “I thought you put the baby toys away.”

“I thought you were going to do it. I’m making dinner.” You leave the soup spoon on the edge of the sink and leave the vegetables on pot holders to cool. You heard Larissa mumble something under her breath as you heard the baby toys hitting the bottom of the toy bin. While you both had been excited about the dinner party, it seemed as though you had bitten off more than you could chew with the new house and the new babies.

“What was that?” You try to turn the potential argument into an opportunity to laugh and tease one another, by lifting your tone. Checking on Larissa, you round the corner into the living room to see her wrestling with the lid of the girl’s toy chest, bringing a smirk to your lips.

Larissa decides to leave the toy chest half closed, huffing in frustration as she stands upright. She turned to you and her look of exasperation faded to a fake smile, “I’m just listing all the reasons why I love you.”

“Yeah… Mhmm… Sure…” You nod and give her a grin in response, your hands resting on your hips.

Larissa was shaking her head slowly as she approached you. A deep sigh escaped her as she leaned down into your embrace, she pretended to cry as she spoke, “Is it too late to cancel?”

“Yes. It is too late. Now get in the kitchen and finish up dinner.” You laugh as you give her a quick squeeze, pulling away before she could get too comfortable. Placing your hands on her cheeks, you stare at her, babying her like you do the girls, “I promise you will survive. You are just cranky because you are hungry.”

Larissa rolled her eyes with a huff and pressed her lips to yours, “I hope you are proud of yourself. I may perish.”

“Sounds good, honey. I will give a wonderful eulogy.” Shaking your head, you leave her in the hall by herself, retreating to your bedroom to put on your formal clothes for the dinner party.

When you return to the kitchen, Larissa is snacking on one of the cookies you made, causing you to shoo her from the kitchen, “Get out of my kitchen. You can have a cookie when everyone else gets one.”

“Okay, Diane…” Larissa laughs as she swipes an additional cookie from over your shoulder. You know you are far too short to try and take it back from her, instead you place the lid back on the container of cookies and shove it to the back of the counter where it would be out of sight.

You ignore her addressing you by your mother’s name as she often did when you turned bossy, “Wait by the front door for people to arrive, would you?”

“Anything for you, love of my life.” Larissa is overzealous with her words and the nickname which makes you smile as you check once more over the food preparations.

Many of those who were in attendance were Nevermore colleagues and their spouses. As soon as people began arriving, Larissa's nervousness seemed to cease, feeling more at liberty to chat and enjoy her evening mingling. You stayed more to the kitchen and focused on hostess duties which made you happy in your own way.

Of course, Rowan tended to be the life of the party, enjoying her own series of wisecracks. Everyone seemed to be pleased by the meal you had prepared and Larissa gave you a pleased smirk when she took a cookie off the top of the pile when dessert came around. By the end of the night, you had been relieved of your hostess duties to sit around with all of the attendees and split a couple more bottles of wine. You were sitting in Larissa's lap as you both enjoyed the flowing conversation and booze.

Even after the night ended, you will have one memento from that evening. A picture of you and Larissa laughing together. Her hand was around your waist as you rested in her arms. Rowan's phone captured the pure joy of the moment perfectly.

[amoebaforce]

Cat/Mouse

Part 4 of 4 (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

After a string of bold thefts rocks the Edenite art scene, veteran hunter Nadine picks up the bounty of a lifetime. Fifty thousand credits, just to capture the elusive thief and bring her in alive. It should be an easy job... but one look at her mark tells Nadine she might have bitten off more than she can chew. On a space station full of secret dealings, dirty money, and luxurious lies, it seems even the simplest contracts are prone to complication. tags: violence, blood, strangulation, graphic language

Nadine stood a good long second over Web’s shuddering body, ears ringing like she’d detonated a mine. She could hardly catch her breath, blood hot in her veins, mind roaring with a strange mix of glee and rage. If she had more time, she’d hit him again. She’d break his other thumb to match, she’d kick him in the–

“Nadine,” a fuzzy voice called. “Nadine!”

A small lilac hand found the crook of her arm. Ulu’zah breezed into view, all four eyes awash with tears. Nadine felt all the air rush out of her lungs. The ringing faded into vast, empty silence.

“We need to go,” the thief said, voice thin and unsure.

Nadine knew she was right. But before that, there was something she needed to do.

“Deactivate your virus,” she told Ulu’zah.

“Huh?”

“The worm you got spoofin’ the cameras. Turn it off. I’ve got a guy in the system; he’s gonna need to see.”

Ulu’zah hesitated, then gave a short nod and pulled a handheld processor from her bag. As she tapped the screen, Nadine felt her earpiece crackle.

“Nadine, what– Oh shit.” Xerxes uttered a long sigh. Nadine could almost see him rubbing his temples, eyes slicing between the Diralith on her arm and the male on the floor. “Alright, change of plans, I guess.”

Nadine shot the camera a knowing look, then shoved her feet back in her shoes and jerked her thumb toward the door.

“Right,” Xerxes said flatly. “I can guide you toward the exit, but the staff is already nearing the vault.”

The lock unsealed with a click. Nadine took Ulu’zah’s hand, trying and failing not to notice how soft and cool it was in hers. The two shared a quiet glance, and then they were running. Web shouted out behind them, but the slam of the door cut his voice in two, leaving nothing but footsteps and labored breathing to fill the empty air.

“First right,” Xerxes reported. “Down the steps. Second left.”

Nadine whispered his instructions aloud, and Ulu’zah followed. Half a minute in, a distant cry echoed through the metal halls, and each overhead light turned sickly red as the alarm began to wail. Nadine gritted her teeth and ushered Ulu’zah down a narrow corridor.

“Sorry ‘bout the noise, baby,” the hunter muttered.

Ulu’zah’s brow crumpled, but she said nothing.

“Guards coming by,” Xerxes warned sharply.

Nadine slowed to a stop. Wordlessly, she took Ulu’zah by the shoulders and backed her into a shallow alcove, pressing her to the wall just as a veritable platoon of armed guards rushed past the end of the passageway.

Chest to chest, gazes locked, nervous systems wired, it felt like neither of them could breathe. It wasn’t just the adrenaline — it was the closeness, too. The scent of each other’s skin, the heat of their bodies. How long had it been since they’d touched like this? Eight, nine days? With all that had happened since then, it may as well have been a lifetime. 

Nadine lifted her hand to Ulu’zah’s face, too swept up to think better of it, and the thief flinched as if expecting a slap. Nadine tasted bile. Anger swelled inside her, but she forced it away. There would come a time, gods willing, when she could fix this. When she could help Ulu’zah get her revenge. But first, they had to survive this. So Nadine stroked her thumb along the little thief’s cheek and wiped away a crystalline tear. Under the strobing crimson light, it glistened like a sharp-cut ruby.

Ulu’zah finally exhaled, softening into the touch just a little. She searched Nadine’s face, delicate features creased with confusion, yet there was no rejection in her icy blue eyes. Just that same quiet sadness as before. Under all the noise, she whispered:

“I changed my mind.”

Nadine smiled. “Easy way?”

Ulu’zah bobbed her head. “Easy way.”

The last of the guards hurried past them, and Xerxes chimed in once more.

“Give it two more seconds, then hang a left. Go seventy-five feet, and you’ll find an exit door. But you need to hurry, Nadine — if you don’t get out before they sweep the basement, you’ll be locked in.”

The hunter swore under her breath, and Ulu’zah shot her a questioning glance.

“We gotta make a break for it, and we gotta make it soon” Nadine explained, urging the thief back into action.

She didn’t need much urging. Ulu’zah moved with newfound vigor as they rounded the corner, silent and focused as she ran to keep pace with the taller female. Just as Xerxes said, the pair spotted a thick metal door awaiting them — but it was clear at once that he’d neglected to mention a vital detail.

“Damn!” Nadine hissed, heart sinking at the sight of another numbered keypad.

Xerxes swore, too. “What the– I don’t have a passcode on file! This is supposed to be a standard lock. Shit– Try the one from before. Two-seven-three-six-nine-four-one-nine.”

Nadine did as she was told, breathing slowly in an effort to keep her cool, but when the little screen flashed red, she uttered another foul word.

“What’s wrong?” Ulu’zah asked, voice tight with worry.

“Don’t have the code.”

A smirk tugged at the Diralith’s lips. “Is that all?”

She pulled out her processor for a second time, along with a laser cutter the size and shape of a pen. In seconds, she’d sliced through the metal casing and yanked out the computer’s innards, fingers deft from frequent practice. Ulu’zah rearranged some wires, plugged her processor into the lock, and activated a familiar-looking program.

“That little thing can break a lock?” Nadine remarked, keeping watch over their flanks.

“All the new ones can, if you know how to write the code,” Ulu’zah said.

Nadine huffed to herself, a reply sparking on her tongue, but the slamming of a nearby door took the snark right out of her mouth. She and Ulu’zah exchanged urgent looks. 

“Two incoming,” Xerxes said, voice tight. Nadine might have thought him concerned, but she’d worked for him long enough to know better.

“Ulu–” Nadine started.

“Just a few more seconds,” the thief murmured back, fingers hovering over the cords. “Come on, come on…”

A flash of green and a tiny beep. Ulu’zah tore the processor from the lock just as the tip of a boot emerged from a side corridor that was far, far too close. Nadine reached over Ulu’zah and ripped open the door, practically steering the thief forward to get them outside faster. The females tumbled out into a dark alleyway. Nadine slammed the partition shut again, ignoring the rising outcry behind them, and together they rushed for the main thoroughfare. There, they could blend into the bystanders, slip into another alley–

But as they rounded the corner, all semblance of Nadine’s plan crumbled to dust. She and Ulu’zah skidded to a halt, suddenly face-to-face with three hulking males, dressed in black and packing a pistol each. Xerxes swore in her ear. Ulu’zah let out a clipped scream as Nadine stepped between her and the newcomers.

“This is bad,” Xerxes said. Nadine could hear him typing in the background. “Very, very bad.”

Yeah, no kidding. The hunter’s mind raced a thousand miles a second, running through all of their options. They were barely outside the alley; turning back meant facing the auction guards and the police. Going forward meant tangling with deadly weapons. The odds were shit, either way.

The tallest male, a brutish-looking Uroki, grinned as he read the look on her face.

“Well, lookee here,” he drawled, malice glittering in his amber irises. “You find yourself a friend, little Twig?”

Nadine knew that name — she’d seen it before, on that data packet. So it wasn’t nonsense, after all. It was Ulu’zah’s call sign.

“Piss off, Lake!” the Diralith snapped. Her words were resolute, but the quake in her voice betrayed her.

“Forget the plan,” Xerxes exclaimed. “I’m calling the Feds.”

Anger throbbed through Nadine’s head. After all this time, all this work, Xerxes wanted her to give up? No way — no fucking way. She was going to finish this tonight, one way or another.

“Hey now,” Nadine said, just a little too loud. “There ain’t no need to get all hostile.”

Xerxes audibly bristled. “Nadine? What the hell are you doing?”

She took a step forward and lifted her palms. This was a desperate bid, based on an awful lot of wishful thinking, but damn was she ready to gamble.

The Uroki called Lake cocked his brow. “Hostile? Nobody’s hostile here, ‘cept maybe the traitor hiding behind you.”

“Good,” Nadine said. “Good. Maybe now we can talk a little business.”

He smirked. “You wanna talk business with me, hunter?”

She smirked back. “Nah — I ain’t got time to be chattin’ with alleyway thugs like you, Lake. I wanna talk to the bastard you work for.”

Lake’s lips twitched into a snarl. Behind Nadine, Ulu’zah went stiff. Xerxes stuttered some shocked string of syllables, with not a lick of sense between them. 

“Well then, I guess it’s your lucky fuckin’ day,” Lake said.

And as if conjured, a glossy black shuttle came rolling down the darkened street behind him. The thing was luxury incarnate — fully tinted windows, chrome trim, kitten-purr engine — but to Nadine, it might as well have been a hearse. Her stomach cartwheeled inside her. She’d planned to drag this out a little, give herself some time to think, but it seemed she wouldn’t get the chance.

Ulu’zah inched closer as the shuttle stopped, her breaths coming sharp and quick. Nadine reached back to lay a hand on the thief’s arm. Lake and the other goons stepped aside, and the shuttle door opened on silent hinges, revealing a palatial cabin done up in shades of black and red. Two wide bench seats framed the cabin — one empty, and the other occupied entirely by an enormous male in a cream-white suit.

Their faces were obscured by the open door, but Nadine knew who they were. She could feel it in the way Ulu’zah froze.

“Get in,” Lake grunted, gesturing to the open door with the tip of his gun. “Time to go for a ride.”

Xerxes inhaled sharply.

“Nadine, forget the plan. The Feds are coming — stall or run, but do not get in that shuttle. I know you want to finish this, I know you want to help that girl, but–”

Nadine saw red. Jaw flexing, she plucked the comm from her ear and tossed it aside. The trio of lackeys didn’t seem to notice, but oh, Ulu’zah saw. Her palm found the center of Nadine’s back, fingers trembling like leaves. 

“Alrighty then,” the hunter replied aloud. “C’mon, sugar.”

She urged Ulu’zah to stand at her side, saying under her breath:

“Keep ahold of that bag.”

Ulu’zah just gulped, her expression crumpling like a paper bag. Nadine almost grimaced. But Ulu’zah’s knuckles went obediently tight around her pack, and in her glassy eyes flickered something deadly and all-too-familiar. If the thief was going down, she was taking someone with her. Nadine just hoped it wasn’t going to be her.

She helped Ulu’zah into the shuttle, glaring daggers at the leering males until she finally ducked her head through the door. It was like entering a cave made of silk — complete with a monster lurking within. There he was, seven feet of muscle and sinew swathed in pure-white scales, all leading up to an angular, reptilian face adorned with membranous frills. Rock.

Once, a long time ago, a crewman from a merchant freighter told Nadine a story about white-scaled Vaxxori. They were rare, hatched from only one in 1,000 eggs, and that made them deeply auspicious. Females were prized for their beauty and desired as wives, while males were bestowed titles and powerful positions of authority. In fact, as the tipsy sailor told it, the commander of Vaxxor was himself a white-scaled male, as were most of his closest advisors.

Back then, Nadine didn’t want to believe it. The whole idea recalled some of Terra’s most heinous histories, and that left a bad taste in her mouth. Surely regular, modern people didn’t really think that way, regardless of where they came from. But now, sitting across from one such “gods-favored” male, Nadine appraised the look in his small, golden eyes, and she changed her mind.

Rock smiled. His teeth were razor-sharp. “Well, well — if it isn’t Nadine Haylea, bounty huntress extraordinaire.”

Heart pounding in her chest, Nadine slung her arm around Ulu’zah’s shoulders as the shuttle lifted away from the curb. Time to cast the dice.

“And you must be Rock,” she replied. “Just the guy I wanted to see.”

His nostrils widened in amusement.

“You’ve been quite the busy bee lately,” Rock told her. “Accosting my forger, levying threats against my organization, smashing my teleporter, punching my favorite employee… Am I meant to believe you’ve done all this just to get my attention?”

Nadine gave a tiny shrug. “You’re a hard man to get ahold of, Rock. Pullin’ a few stunts seemed faster than writin’ you a letter.”

She read his face, seeking something, anything, that might key her in to his thoughts. Even the smallest insight would help — a twitch of the mouth, a squint of the eye — but there was nothing to see. Rock was calm as could be. She had not so much as chipped the veneer of his contempt.

And yet… a non-reaction was still a reaction. He was comfortable; unconcerned. Rock unclasped his hands with a dry chuckle.

“You have me now, huntress. Tell me, what message could possibly be so urgent?”

Nadine stole a glance at the Diralith to her side. She sat with her feet together and her arms crossed, gaze glued to the floor, body so still that she might not have been breathing, but each tendril curling back from her temples shuddered with terror. Nadine stroked a furtive thumb over her shoulder.

“It’s real simple, really,” Nadine said. “From where I’m sittin’, we each got somethin’ the other wants. I just wanna settle our books.”

His demeanor went a little sharp. It was intrigue, or maybe murderous instinct. Nadine wasn’t sure — his features were still too new to her eyes.

“Holding my product hostage, are we?” Rock sighed to himself. “Very well — I shall entertain you a moment. What would you ask for it? A few million credits? A crate of palladium bars? Perhaps the deed to a mining asteroid, while you’re at it.”

Despite her knotted gut, Nadine forced out an easy laugh, shaking her head like they were old friends shooting the shit.

“Gee, that’s mighty tempting, Rock, but it really ain’t like that. See, I want to give the pitcher back — honest, I do. That’s why I’m only askin’ for one little thing.”

“And what, precisely, is that?”

Nadine settled deeper in her seat, knees spread wide. “Ulu’zah.”

She might as well have told him to fuck himself. Rock’s eyes went dangerously narrow, and a silent Ulu’zah shivered against Nadine’s arm.

“You… wouldn’t know what to do with her,” Rock said slowly, like he had to roll each word over his tongue before he spat them out. 

“I’m sure I’ll figure it out,” Nadine replied.

Now Rock’s grin twisted into a snarl. “You really think I’d give up my best asset in exchange for some little clay trinket, huntress?”

“No — I think you’re an entrepreneur. I think you’d release an unhappy employee from their contract in exchange for an ancient vase worth ten times her debt.”

Rock’s pupils dilated, and for just a moment, he almost looked impressed under all the seething rage. He flexed his hands in his lap.

Probably practicing how he’s gonna throttle me, Nadine thought bleakly.

As if he’d heard her, Rock said, “Why should I bother? I could kill you right here, and no one would ever know.”

Nadine had been asking herself that same question. Luckily, she’d already found an answer.

“I mean, you could kill me,” she agreed, “but I reckon the mess wouldn’t be worth the effort. Steam-cleaning the seats, bleaching the fixtures… and that’s only if you manage to outrun the Feds.”

Rock went still as a statue, blinking for the very first time since Nadine sat down. Now that she knew the look of his anger, she could pinpoint the moment it shifted into rage.

“The Feds?” the Vaxxori repeated thickly. “You’re gonna call the Feds on me?”

Nadine shook her head. “I don’t want to. But if you kill me, this here gadget will do it for me.” She pointed to the thick, steel belt buckle under her navel. “Don’t know how it works, really. Some business with micromachines and heartbeat sensors.”

The Vaxxori’s stare was like gravity: a crushing weight against her form, trying to fold her small and grind her to dust. But Nadine wouldn’t break so easily. She let her knees slide even wider. Rock growled and snapped his head toward Ulu’zah instead, hoping to find a softer target.

“And what of you, little Twig?” he barked. “Do you have anything to say on this matter? Or are you just going to let this Terran filth steal you away from me? Me, the male who picked you out of the gutter, fed you, housed you — the male who turned a helpless wretch into a peerless artist, the envy of enterprises galaxy-wide?”

“You’re wrong,” Ulu’zah said, clear and resonant as a silver bell.

Rock’s pupils swallowed the gold of his eyes. 

“What?”

Ulu’zah lifted her head and repeated, louder this time, “You’re wrong. You didn’t make me an artist, Rock. I did that myself.”

“Twig–”

“You hear me? I did that!” Anger stained her every word. “It’s my education, my talent! You might’ve gotten me out of that cell on Pivarri, but it wasn’t because you wanted to save me. You just wanted to put me in a different kind of prison.”

“Why you–”

Rock bared his teeth, but Ulu’zah shook her head at him, a wild courage throbbing through her eyes. Now she was yelling.

“No! No, you’re not gonna ignore me this time, Rock! You’re not gonna lock me in my room or punish me. You’re gonna shut up and listen. I’m done. Understand? Done with the lying, the stealing, the hiding — done with you. And if you don’t wanna spend the rest of your miserable life in a Federation hell-hole, you’d better take our fucking deal.”

The silence that followed was a dire thing. Nadine’s breath slowed, her body preparing itself for whatever came after this. A fist, or a foot, or maybe a knife… But Rock was motionless as the side of a cliff, and Ulu’zah’s glare was the water come to erode him.

Pride swelled in Nadine’s chest.

Holy crap, she thought. This might actually work. 

Then Rock smiled, and her whole body flashed cold instead.

“So it’s true,” he hummed. “You’ve actually fallen for the huntress.”

Ulu’zah’s cheeks flushed violet as she sucked in an indignant gasp. She lurched forward like she was going to hit him, but Nadine read the tension in her knees and grabbed her before she gave him a reason to react.

“Oh, screw you!” Ulu’zah shrieked, wriggling to be free.

Nadine wanted to agree, but her heart was beating too fast for words, thrashing like a bird with a broken wing. Why the hell would Rock say that? Just to get under Ulu’zah’s skin? Or maybe just to piss Nadine off. But if that was his goal… Well, he’d failed rather spectacularly. The Terran cleared her throat.

“Alright, that’s enough,” she said coolly. “You heard the lady — void her contract, take your pitcher, and we can all be on our merry ways. Unless you really wanna try your luck with the cops.”

Rock considered her for the briefest moment. Nostrils twitching, eyes shining.

“I think I’ll take my chances.”

And then, he pounced.

Nadine never could recall what happened next. One second, she was in her seat, holding Ulu’zah’s arms with both hands. The next, she was pinned to the cabin floor, ears ringing from an open-palmed slap to the face. Rock’s thick fingers caught her by the throat as pain bloomed across her jaw. Somewhere behind his hulking form, Ulu’zah screamed.

“Terrans,” the Vaxxori spat, face twisted in a ghastly grin. “You all think you’re so damned special. Exceptions to every rule, heroes in every story… Well, let me remind you of your true place in this universe, Nadine Haylea.”

Rock brought the back of his hand across her other cheek, and blood pooled behind Nadine’s teeth. She gurgled and sputtered, clawing fruitlessly at the palm around her neck as her eyesight spotted and blurred. 

“You are worse than worthless. You are insignificant. Inconsequential. I am superior to you in every conceivable way. I could crush you under my heel in an instant, as easy as killing an insect.”

Nadine coughed a mist of crimson over Rock’s knuckles, her mind a raging torrent.

Stay calm, it scolded her. Think rationally. Keep your airway clear. Wait for a chance to get free. Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.

But Ulu’zah was still screaming, still pleading, beating her fists against the plane of Rock’s back, and the sound flooded Nadine’s veins with a dark and primal urge — like a wolf’s howl forcing a reply from its pack.

“You’re so fulla shit, Rock,” the hunter wheezed, anger taking hold of her. “You ain’t a mob boss; you’re a playground bully in a nice suit.”

With a guttural roar, Rock lifted Nadine by the throat and bashed her back down. Stars danced through her vision, and the rush of air past her lips only pulled his fingers tighter around her windpipe. Ulu’zah fell to her knees.

“Please,” she begged. “Take the pitcher. Take me. I won’t leave you. I’ll do whatever you say. I’ll take more jobs, extend my contract — I’ll even keep my door open! Just please, please don’t kill her!”

Rock smirked. “You must be confused, little Twig. Negotiations are over.”

He turned his head a fraction of an inch, just enough to look in Ulu’zah’s eyes, to see the devastation written there inside them — but that was all the distraction Nadine needed. She took a handful of his shirt collar and pulled, channeling every fiber of her power into an upward thrust of the knees. Her patellas met the center of Rock’s stomach; pain exploded from both sides. Rock’s breath fizzled from his lungs. Shock slackened his body and uncurled his fingers, and Nadine seized the moment to heave him to the side and sidle out from his murderous clutches.

She vaulted to her feet and spat a glob of blood onto the carpet. Rock staggered as he panted around his fangs, face etched with molten fury. Ulu’zah scrambled to the farthest corner, narrowly avoiding a gratuitous swing of the Vaxxori’s tail, and pressed her back to the wall.

“Wrong again,” Nadine said. She raised her fists before her. “We’re just gettin’ started.”

Rock curled his lips at her and took a heavy step forward.

“Think you can win?” he asked.

Nadine shook her head. “Nope. But I don’t have to.”

She expected him to question her, to ponder her meaning, but Rock was unfazed. He laughed like a crazed hyena and wound back a left hook. Nadine weaved to the side as it sailed past her, then ducked beneath a right jab, air whistling viciously past her head. Shit, was he strong. Catching one of those might knock her cold, or worse.

All the more reason not to get hit.

She was smaller than him, and mercifully quicker — and, even better, Rock’s fighting was heavy, imprecise. He wasn’t used to his victims striking back. She could work with that. Reading the arc of his swings, Nadine dodged a third blow, then a fourth, keeping herself balanced on the balls of her feet.

“Why are you doing this?” Rock asked, as if voicing a thought aloud. “Risking your career, your reputation, your very life, and for what — a pathetic vector from an indigent, backwater planet?”

These were rhetorical questions, wholly disinterested in real answers, but Nadine offered one anyway.

“I care about her.”

Rock tossed her a cruel snort, followed by an even-crueler fist. Nadine dodged it by the width of a hair, heart skipping as his scales glittered past her nose. She swore under her breath.

Where the hell was her backup? Sure, it always took a few minutes for the Feds to get off their asses, but the main station was only a mile away. Nadine could’ve walked there by now. Could’ve taken Ulu inside, tucked her somewhere safe, far from all the rancor and the violence and the fear… Could’ve made sure Rock would never see her again.

That wretched heat boiled through her again — the same she felt that night in the alley, watching Web grab Ulu’s arm. Nadine bared her teeth and slid under another hook, then let the rage explode. The sole of her dress shoe crashed into the back of Rock’s knee. He shouted a curse as he lost his balance, and when he caught himself on the edge of the bench, his claws ripped long gashes through its velvet plush.

“Enough of this,” he hissed.

Rock threw himself at her once more, snapping his jaw like a rabid dog. Nadine lurched back, tried to duck, but she was no match for a Vaxxori scorned. Rock caught her throat in his palm and slammed her all the way back to the cabin floor, then pinned her down with a knee to each elbow. Nadine’s joints cracked and popped under the weight, forcing out a ragged scream.

“I should have done this right at the start,” Rock told her. “Nipped you in the bud. Oh, well — lesson learned.”

And he squeezed, and squeezed, harder than Nadine thought possible, and for longer, too, until the edges of the world were black and foggy. Until Ulu’s frantic pleas went silent. Until, suddenly, there came a loud cry and a cacophonous shattering. The hand around Nadine’s throat went limp. Fell away.

Nadine sucked in a big, beautiful breath, and it felt like the first one she’d ever taken. She coughed and sputtered and shoved Rock’s heavy form, and he slid almost-limply onto the floor beside her. Adrenaline shivered through her as she pulled herself to her hands and knees. 

All around her were broken shards of pottery, all glazed in beige and white, some spattered with viscous flecks of red. Nadine blinked once, then twice. The pitcher — it was broken, but how? It was packed away… 

But crumpled nearby was a familiar paper wrapping, and above it a vision of sublime wrath: Ulu’zah, steel-faced and slow-breathing, gaze fixed tranquilly upon her handiwork. Nadine’s jaw slipped loose. She gulped, and her entire upper half burned with pain. Her groan seemed to shake the Diralith from a trance.

“Oh,” she whispered, brow crumpling down at Nadine. “Are you okay?”

The hunter nodded. “I’ll live.”

That seemed to calm some nerve within Ulu’zah. She nodded, giving the cabin a determined scan.

“Right. Gotta land this thing.”

Nadine agreed and inched a little further from Rock’s twitching body. She could tell by the half-words sloshing in his throat that he was only stunned — and she didn’t want to be anywhere near him when that inevitably changed. Behind her, Ulu’zah ran her hands along the walls until she found a seam, then pried open a little door to reveal a blinking control panel. After a second of silent study, she pressed a few buttons and Nadine felt the shuttle start to descend.

Precocious relief thudded through her. She sighed and mopped her brow with the back of her wrist.

“Holy shit,” she muttered. Then, “You broke the art.”

Ulu’zah blew out a disbelieving laugh. “Yeah, well… it was that or nothing, I guess.”

Nothing wasn’t really the right word, but all of the better ones were too big, too thorny to lay comfortably on a tongue. Maybe their mouths would grow to fit them someday; maybe they would not. Nadine didn’t know.

“Thanks,” she said instead.

A phantom smile echoed across Ulu’zah’s face. She turned away, feigning a glance at the controls, and her bitten lips parted around a reply, but an abrupt siren-wail broke the moment in two. This time, the females sighed in unison.

“Oh, I never thought I’d be happy to hear that sound,” Ulu’zah said.

The shuttle found solid ground and whirred to a stop, and the single siren split into a chorus, surrounding them at every angle. A voice blared through a nearby megaphone, making some demand Nadine couldn’t quite make out. All the noise shook Rock even closer to consciousness. Growling and muttering, he groped a hand across the floor, looking for a person to kill or a weapon to do it with. Nadine was on her feet before he raised his head.

“That’s our cue,” she chirped.

Ulu’zah slapped the panel, and the hatch released with a tiny puff of air. Now the megaphone-voice was clear as day.

“All occupants must exit the shuttle now! Come out with your hands up! Slowly! Palms open!”

With one last nod exchanged, the pair stepped out into a swirl of chaos — blinding spotlights, screaming alarms, flashing lights in a hundred hues of red, and maybe six dozen weapons trained right at their hearts. The bossy Fed instructed them to step away from the door. When they obeyed, a half-dozen bodies in padded armor rushed inside the cabin, ready to take the real prize. An unfortunate task. Rock was already roaring again.

An agent shuffled Nadine and Ulu’zah back to the makeshift perimeter, and from the crowd stepped a stocky Terran male with olive skin and a mane of silver curls. He lifted a ring-studded hand to pluck the cigar from between his lips. For the first time in Nadine’s life, the grassy smell of vetiver made her smile.

“Xerxes,” she gasped, hands falling back to her sides.

“Let me guess,” Ulu’zah said. “The voice in your ear?”

Xerxes sauntered a little closer, eyeing the smaller female up and down. “In the flesh. And you must be the illustrious Ulu’zah.” His attention sliced back to Nadine and the quick-spreading bruises on her face. “You alright?”

Nadine grunted. “Been better.”

“Hmph. The price of heroics, I suppose.”

Ulu’zah crossed one arm across her chest, feet shuffling as though she were fighting to keep them in place. She cast the bounty broker a wary look.

“Are you going to arrest me now?” she blurted. 

Xerxes considered her for a slow second. Nadine could only imagine what swirled there in his mind — ironies without measure, fallacies beyond reckoning, quips hitherto uninvented. But the male’s little smirk was shockingly malice-free.

“Not me,” he answered. “The Feds… soon as they’re done with that, anyway.”

Xerxes tipped his head toward the shuttle, where four burly agents were half-carrying, half-dragging Rock onto the pavement. Trailing just behind were the other two Feds, nursing jaws and arms that must’ve caught his stray fists. The now-handcuffed Vaxxori swore and gnashed his maw, trying to shoulder-check the agents against the walls, thrashing like a salmon in a net — but against so many equitably sized foes, the effort was entirely wasted.

Ulu’zah took one look and burst into tears.

“Oh, Dirax– Oh, oh…”

She wobbled a half-step backward, right into Nadine’s open arms. The agents shoved Rock into a prison craft, and Ulu’zah turned, crushing herself into the hunter’s broad chest. Her fingers laced themselves under Nadine’s blood-spattered collar.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Nadine told her. “It’s okay. I’m right here.”

She snaked her arms around Ulu’zah’s back, ignoring the arch of Xerxes’ brows. She was in for a lecture later — probably worse, if she was being honest — but in that moment, Nadine didn’t care. All that mattered was the female wrapped around her.

“I can’t believe it,” Ulu’zah wept. “It’s over. It’s… over.”

Nadine held her a little tighter. “You’re safe, Ulu. He’ll never hurt you again.”

Ulu’zah’s crying pitched a little higher, then crumbled into deep, open sobs. Xerxes grimaced and busied himself with a passing agent, ordering them to do some inane task or another, if only to look at someone else. It was all the same to Nadine. She let Ulu’zah’s sorrow soak her jacket, her shirt, all the way down to her goose-fleshed skin. And when Ulu’zah sighed and wiped her eyes, murmuring a quiet thank-you, Nadine cupped her dampened cheek in one palm.

Even now, under these frenetic lights, with her swollen eyes and disheveled clothes, she was a devastating beauty. It was incomprehensible. Uncanny. Nadine drifted her thumb across Ulu’zah’s lower lip.

“I’m riding to the station with you,” she told her.

“You don’t have to,” Ulu’zah replied quietly.

“I want to. ‘Sides, I gotta give them a statement… and probably my clothes, too.”

The Diralith managed a thin chuckle, tracing an absentminded circle on the back of Nadine’s neck.

“Alright.” A pause. “Did you… Did you mean what you told him, Nadine? Do you really care about me?”

A nameless feeling seized her then, turned her reckless and brash.

“It’s the truth,” Nadine said. “I care about you. And it’s not ‘cause you’re pretty, or ‘cause I’m tryin’ to pull one over on you. I mean, you are pretty, but that’s not what I’m talkin’ about. It’s like… I look at you, and I see everything at once. The past, the future, all these possibilities just floating around. Ugh, I don’t even know if this makes any sense–”

But Ulu’zah cut her off. “It does.”

And with the barest downward urge, she pulled Nadine into a lush, unhurried kiss. Every cell in her body rippled at once. Surprise melted into delight, streamed through her veins, pooled in every neglected corner of the vessel she was. Her hand slotted perfectly into the small of Ulu’zah’s back. She closed her eyes, letting each sense drown one by one. The universe shrank, retracted, until this was all there was — until everything was a single shade of purple.

[preromantics]

wip clearing 1: peter/tony, tony!vampire

still trying to finish several things in my wip folder this december, but i think i might post some of the shorter snippets to tumblr instead!

wip context: i orginally was going to write the vampire!au where tony was turned and tried to handle it himself but ended up feeding from peter. it was going to be more cycle-of-guilt/tony beating himself up about his mingling vampire and sexual desire vibes. peter turning ended up being easier to write, but here is the ~350 word beginning i jotted down + a lazy summary of the rest.

Peter is coming out of an Organic Geochemistry midterm when his phone vibrates in his pocket. It takes him a few seconds to register that it’s ringing – the midterm seemed too easy, and now he’s on edge that he’s fundamentally missed some core principle.

He smiles at the caller ID, a sufficient distraction from his imminent academic spiral, and answers.

“Hey kid,” Tony says, “hope I’m not interrupting your midterm.”

Peter feels a small flutter, somewhere deep in his chest that he’s been trying and failing to push deeper for years. He and Tony had briefly bantered last weekend during a twenty-minute overlap at the New York lab and Peter had mentioned this particular class in passing. He’s surprised and pleased that Tony remembered. 

“Just finished,” Peter confirms. “What’s up?” (So casual, these days.)

“Was hoping you could hop down to the city to help us handle a vampire coven,” Tony says. 

In Peter’s mind, he says it way too nonchalantly for– “A what?”

“You know, blood-sucking, live in the dark, prey on virgins,” Tony says. 

Peter can hear a small scuffle through the phone, another voice in the background. “Yeah, yeah,” Tony says, “not specifically virgins, I stand corrected.”

Peter glances at his watch – a slim custom Patek Philippe from none other than the caller himself that Peter still refuses to google the price of – and does some train schedule math in his head. “I could be there by dinner,” he says.

“I’ll send a jet and a briefing,” Tony says. “You can meet the wizard at Bleeker and he can fill in the rest.”

Peter hears a distinct “Stark” admonishment for the wizard comment come from the background of the call.

“You’re not joining?” Peter asks.

“I had – ah – something else came up. I may have bitten off more than I can chew here, I’m afraid.”

There’s something that sounds like a snort in the background, and Peter is amused – Dr. Strange doesn’t snort, so he’s not sure what’s going on wherever Tony is.

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

And then the plan was that Tony would somehow get some of Peter's blood on him in a fight and guilty lick it off, get caught by Peter who would be too shocked to say anything -> Peter watching Tony drink synthetic blood in the lab and asking too many questions for Tony's liking -> Peter offering himself as a warm, fresh blood experiment -> Tony enjoying it Too Much and being deeply guilty -> Peter continuing to offer until they fuck