#it���s to be expected and I understand

[thewritetofreespeech]

Could I request Alucard with a s/o who has smaller yet sensitive breasts?

Alucard isn’t really a fan of large breasts in general. He finds them ostentatious.

He prefers a more sleek, nubile figure in his partners.

Since they are smaller and more pert, he did not expect them to be so sensitive.

At first, he just thought it was because his hands were cold. Being part vampire his body temperature is usually lower than the average human, which equals cold hands.

He makes an effort to warm them up at much as possible when they are being intimate but regardless their reaction is very high.

Alucard quickly realizes that it’s their actual breasts that are sensitive, not his touch. Which is interesting to him.

If asked not to touch them he will respect their wishes. Understanding that stimulation like that can be a lot for some people.

If they are fine with it, Alucard will focus on them as he likes their reaction.

Touching them. Licking their nipples. Massaging their whole breast in his hand.

The sweet pebbles of their nipples against their chest is remarkable to him and just begs for him to flick his tongue against them.

[jinxedshapeshifter]

Why Kristoph Gavin Is Like That: An Essay

Alright so common sentiments I've seen regarding Kristoph are "Why is he like that" and "I want to study him in a lab" and I am a psychology nerd, so I decided to analyze Kristoph. Obligatory disclaimer: I am not a psychologist. Wanting to analyze Kristoph's behavior may or may not have gotten me interested in criminal and forensic psychology but I am not a psychologist. I am simply a guy who likes to psychoanalyze fictional characters from the most clinical perspective I can get to without actually being a psychologist. So let's begin.

Part 1: Diagnosing Kristoph Gavin

The thing about Kristoph is I think to fundamentally understand him, you need to diagnose him. In fact, I haven't posted my analysis of Kristoph's black Psyche-Locks because of it. As I said, I'm not a psychologist, but I do enjoy looking through the DSM-5 every once in a while, so I'm going off of that.

When you first look at Kristoph's behavior, you would (understandably) say he's a narcissist. From a purely colloquial perspective, this is absolutely true. However, I also think he very likely has narcissistic personality disorder. To be completely clear, I don't think his behavior is inherently a result of this. I think his behavior is a result of realizing he has a problem (even if he doesn't realize it's narcissism, he does acknowledge that he's fucked up because the reason he gives for killing Zak is "I am an evil human being") and not bothering to get help for it. In fact I'd argue he embraces it. So let's go through the DSM-5's diagnostic criteria for NPD (I don't need to explain where most of these are applicable but I'm going to anyway).

Criterion 1: Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements) - While I don't personally think the examples provided by the DSM-5 are reflective of Kristoph's behavior (although I think an argument could be made about him exaggerating his achievements, depending on if you think he was forging evidence before the Gramarye trial, which I personally do but I'll get into that later) I absolutely think he has a grandiose sense of self-importance because he canonically has a god complex, which is implied to be why he became a defense attorney; by doing that, he made people depend on him and literally had people's lives in his hands.

Criterion 2: Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love - I don't really know exactly how applicable this is, and it might've been more applicable when he was younger. However, he was so determined to get a win over Klavier in Klavier's first trial to forge evidence over it, so there's something to be said about him having a preoccupation with success not unlike Manfred I think.

Criterion 3: Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions) - He literally says this himself. He literally says the jury is made up of "ignorant swine" and says they're soiling the courts, I don't know what else to say on this point

Criterion 4: Requires excessive admiration - I will once again point you to the implication that he became a defense attorney specifically to make people dependent on him. The judge calls him the best defense attorney in town so I think it's safe to assume he's never lost a trial (which I will bring up again later). The nanosecond it's implied Apollo is turning on him and losing admiration for him, Kristoph takes it as a fucking betrayal, specifically saying "Et tu, Justice? You would betray me, your teacher?" Reminder, this is because Apollo decided to listen to Phoenix's testimony.

Criterion 5: Has a sense of entitlement (i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations) - Can I say his cell is evidence of this? No? Alright. He seems pretty fucking upset when he's reminded he's not the defense attorney in Phoenix's case. What does this imply? He acts like he's entitled to acting as the defense attorney during the case. This in comparison to the other defense attorneys who have acted as co-counsel at some point (Mia, Diego, Phoenix, Apollo, Kazuma, Athena) who let the acting defense attorney do their damn job. Like it might even be that no other lawyer acting as co-counsel has ever acted as entitled as Kristoph does that makes it feel like Kristoph comes off as entitled in the first place (in which case, I very much think Kristoph is meant to come off as entitled during Turnabout Trump).

Criterion 6: Is interpersonally exploitative (i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends) - I'm not explaining this. Phoenix's disbarment hinged on this, I refuse to explain this. I already made a post about it in regards to Apollo, I'm not explaining this here

Criterion 7: Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others - I think in order to be as horrible as he is, he would have to lack empathy. Idk. Like he obviously lacks empathy but I don't know how to explain it.

Criterion 8: Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her - Literally his motive for everything. He got Phoenix disbarred because he was upset over Zak firing him.

Criterion 9: Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes - I will once again direct you to him calling the jury "ignorant swine" in Turnabout Succession.

That is 8 out of 9 criteria he definitely meets and one that's debatable. You only need to meet five of the critera to be diagnosed. The only reason one is debatable is because we don't get into Kris's head. Conclusion: "Kristoph has NPD" isn't an unreasonable assumption. Kristoph having NPD is actually why I haven't posted the analysis on his Psyche-Locks; I didn't think I could explain Kristoph having NPD well in that post and having that explanation is crucial to understanding that analysis (which will be added to this one instead of it being its own post).

As I said at the start, I do not think Kristoph having NPD makes him a horrible person. I think he knows he has a problem, and instead of getting help for it, he embraces it. He chooses not to get help and that choice and him borderline embracing his narcissistic traits is what makes him a horrible person. This is yet another thing that makes Kristoph and Klavier so interesting; Klavier exhibited similar narcissistic tendencies at 17 (although not near as bad as Kristoph) but it feels like he recognized that he had a problem and got help for it. Narcissistic personality disorder can be caused by trauma, and it wouldn't surprise me if Kristoph and Klavier had very similar yet very different responses to whatever traumatic event they experienced. In Kris's case, this resulted in NPD that he didn't get help for and arguably embraces.

Part 2: Evidence Forgery & A Perfect Trial Record

The judge explicitly refers to Kristoph as "the best defense attorney in town" when he asks about Apollo's status as the acting attorney and Apollo refers to Kristoph as a "top-notch defense attorney" when he asks Phoenix why he wanted Apollo to be his attorney. In my opinion, both of these statements would imply that Kristoph has never lost a trial. Even Phoenix has lost trials, and he basically had Kristoph's reputation before being disbarred (which has some super interesting implications actually). This is where Klavier comes into play.

For Kristoph to forge evidence to guarantee a win, he's either not as good a defense attorney as his reputation would have people believe, or he was confident Klavier had a chance to win the trial. If we really think about it, I think the first option, that Kristoph just isn't as good a defense attorney as people think, is more likely, and this also leads into the evidence forgery discussion. He had no qualms about spending $100k on forged evidence. This implies one of two things; either he's forged evidence before or he's von Karma levels of rich. I think it's much more likely that Kristoph forges evidence to make up for the fact that he's not actually as good a defense attorney as people think he is.

He's a year younger than Phoenix, so if we assume he became a defense attorney at the same age as Phoenix (24), he'd already been a defense attorney for two years at that point. Going a bit further, if we assume he became a defense attorney at the same age as Apollo (22) instead, then he'd been an attorney for four years by the time Zak's trial was happening (and he had been an attorney long enough by Zak's trial to be well known, as Klavier says "Ah, figures my bro's more famous in this part of town" when the judge asks if Klavier and Kristoph are related). There's plenty of room for him to forge evidence there, as long as the decisive evidence doesn't require replication of something that would be unique, like handwriting. He could (probably) easily forge a murder weapon or a bloodstain. This would explain why he's so willing to pay $100k for a forgery too. If we keep with the assumption that he forged evidence his entire career but never had to do anything with something like handwriting, he'd probably pay an arm and a leg to get the evidence he needs.

Considering Kristoph is also willing to murder people over a seven year old case, I wouldn't be surprised if he defended people he knew were guilty. Depending on the case, he would probably have to forge evidence at some point.

Part 3: Black Psyche-Locks

Kristoph having black Psyche-Locks when he's asked about why he killed Zak is interesting. It makes a lot more sense if you keep in mind that he is a narcissist. To fully explore Kris's Psyche-Locks, we need to go back to something Spark Brushel mentions in Turnabout Succession's MASON system section.

Spark says that Kristoph started stalking everyone who could conceivably be involved in Zak's case out of paranoia. In Kristoph's brain, this was probably completely justified. His paranoia was specifically rooted in the belief that Zak would appear to someone involved in the case and expose Kristoph's forgery. Kristoph stalked Spark, he stalked Phoenix, he stalked the Mishams, I wouldn't be surprised if he (attempted to) stalk Klavier. If the fact that he forged the evidence that got Phoenix Wright disbarred ever got out, his reputation would be tarnished beyond repair, and to him, his reputation is the most important thing he has. He was so careful about how he handled the forged diary page that nobody suspected anything was even wrong with it except Klavier. All of this adds context to his Psyche-Locks being black instead of red.

I think it's incredibly likely that whether through paranoia-fueled delusion or just not being able to consciously acknowledge that he did kill Zak (which, if revealed and then investigated, could absolutely expose all of Kristoph's wrongdoings, something I think he would've realized), he genuinely didn't realize he killed Zak. I 100% think it's possible that Kristoph genuinely thought he'd killed some random guy on impulse. "But Jinx," I hear you saying, "why would he have gone after Zak if he didn't realize who he is?" As I said, I think it's possible that Kris thought he killed a random guy on impulse. He didn't plan to kill Zak. If he had, he would've been more prepared for it. I think some part of his brain recognized Zak which is what gave him the impulse in the first place, but he didn't become consciously aware of it until Turnabout Succession. Alternatively, he got so far in denial that he managed to delude himself into genuinely thinking he hadn't killed Zak, and he had just killed some rando named Shadi Smith. Phoenix didn't even recognize Zak when he introduced himself as Shadi. If Phoenix, who played poker with and defended Zak and has a picture of him in his office, didn't recognize Zak immediately, why would Kristoph?

It's also not impossible that there are multiple other murders Kristoph's committed that we don't know about. Hell, he tried to poison the Mishams after Zak's trial. At the very least I don't think that was his first time attempting murder. Kristoph's not an idiot, he's just careless (which doesn't surprise me, considering he is so convinced that if he ties his loose ends he won't get caught that he doesn't even tie his loose ends all the way, nor watch what he says in regards to murders he committed). That's not to say he's some kind of mastermind either, but he is intelligent. I don't think he could pull Simeon Saint levels of bullshit but he's very much capable of successfully and skillfully manipulating people. My point here being, if he has murdered other people before he murdered Zak and after he attempted to poison the Mishams, he probably wouldn't be surprised about having the impulse to kill some random guy, making him more inclined to believe he did just kill some guy.

I also think it's worth it to compare how Athena's Psyche-Locks broke in Dual Destinies to Kristoph's behavior. Athena was able to be eased into her Psyche-Locks breaking. She didn't have any reason not to trust the things Phoenix was saying. Kristoph is so paranoid that he doesn't trust anyone. He wouldn't have been able to have his Psyche-Locks broken because he would just deny everything that's being said until he can't deny it anymore and breaks down, something at least directly related to his paranoia, if not also his NPD. This is why I mentioned in this post that breaking Kristoph's Psyche-Locks would always be a bad idea. He'd never get to a point where he'd be able to mentally handle the truth. Kris's trust issues run so deep that he'd never trust anything anyone's saying until the damage is already done and the Psyche-Locks are broken. In Kristoph's case, there's no way to break those fuckers without causing the damage Pearl mentioned as something that'll happen if they're broken when they're not ready to be. I wouldn't be surprised if this is why Kristoph's breakdown in Turnabout Succession is so intense.

Part 4: Kristoph's Personal Relationships

For this section, I'm going to discuss each of Kristoph's relationships separately, then go into what his relationships say about him in general. So let's start.

Kristoph & Klavier

Kristoph and Klavier's dynamic is genuinely one of the most interesting in the Ace Attorney series to me.

Klavier doesn't really talk about Kristoph much, and the same sorta seems to apply to Kristoph. We don't learn anything about Klavier and Kristoph's dynamic until Turnabout Succession, and we know Kristoph didn't talk about Klavier because Apollo didn't even know Kristoph has a brother. When we do see what their dynamic was like in 2019, it's Klavier being used by Kristoph. Kristoph used Klavier to get Phoenix disbarred, and it weighed on Klavier's mind for seven years.

I also think it's worth noting the following exchange from Turnabout Succession:

Klavier: Let's clean out the family closet, eh, Kristoph? Kristoph: You're spinning out of control. Calm yourself before you say something you'll regret. Klavier: Spinning out of whose control? Mine? …Or yours?

Which implies that Kristoph exhibited some kind of controlling behavior towards Klavier. It doesn't surprise me because Kristoph's a control freak. I'd also be more surprised if Klavier wasn't afraid of Kristoph killing him at some point. Additionally, something I mentioned in my Klavier analysis is that in the 2019 section of Turnabout Succession, Klavier does have a good view of Kristoph and even seems to look up to him. He takes Kristoph at his word that Phoenix is going to present forged evidence despite (by 24 year old Klavier's account) finding it weird even then, and keeps him anonymous when he brings up the fact that Phoenix presented forged evidence. Another thing I mentioned in the aforementioned Klavier analysis is that based on Klavier's behavior, he didn't realize Kristoph was manipulating him until sometime after the 2019 section of Turnabout Succession. Something made Klavier realize he was being manipulated. Could be age or that Kristoph did something that made Klavier realize Kristoph was a piece of shit, but no matter what it was, something happened that made Klavier's view of Kristoph shift.

Kristoph & Phoenix

Kristoph and Phoenix are also really interesting to me because Kristoph's end of their friendship is fueled by paranoia, and Phoenix's side is fueled by a desire to keep Kristoph close and basically investigate him. It's toxic on both their ends, and that makes it really interesting. Their dynamic also has a really good example of "Kristoph will lash out if someone even minutely slights him" in both Phoenix's trial and Vera's.

During Phoenix's trial, Kristoph gets so upset over the trial even slightly alluding to the potential for him being present to kill Shadi that the judge has to remind him that Phoenix is his client. Phoenix is also so determined to get Kristoph caught that he forges evidence (technically twice) and revamps the entire justice system (and this was exclusively to get Kristoph caught). They're both incredibly petty with each other. I'm not really sure what to add here, they're just so toxic they should come with a radiation warning.

Kristoph & Apollo

Apollo looks up to Kristoph. Kristoph uses this to his advantage during Phoenix's trial, using the fact that Apollo is loyal to and looks up to both Kristoph and Phoenix to emotionally manipulate him. He then probably tries to use "You would betray me, your teacher?" to further manipulate him, but Apollo's desire to find the truth overrides his loyalty to Kristoph (something Apollo literally tells Kristoph).

Kristoph has one final instance of trying to emotionally manipulate Apollo; he gets Klavier to the point where he essentially shuts down then blames Klavier shutting down on Apollo. This doesn't work of course, and Apollo bulldozes on through anyway.

In general I think we can come to a pretty solid conclusion that Kristoph will either manipulate and gaslight people to get what he wants or stalks them out of an intense paranoia that's directly related to how he sees himself as a result of the NPD he didn't get treatment for. Instead of coping with things like a normal fucking person, he resorts to both physical and psychological violence and stalking.

Part 5: Conclusion

So here we are. Almost 3k words later. I do not want the takeaway from this to be "Kristoph's a manipulative, violent asshole because he's a narcissist" and if that's your takeaway you need to rethink literally everything I said here. The fact that Kristoph could be diagnosed with NPD has nothing to do with him choosing violence. NPD has nothing to do with him choosing to stalk everyone involved with Zak's trial instead of getting help for his paranoia. I want that to be perfectly clear. The thing with NPD is it can be hard for the person suffering from it to realize they have it and subsequently get help for it. Kristoph's problem isn't exactly that he has NPD. It's that he never got help for the thinking patterns the NPD caused. Had he gotten help I don't think he would've ended up stalking and murdering people. He'd still have NPD, but he wouldn't be near as fucked up.

It's why Klavier and Kristoph are so interesting as characters. Klavier has narcissistic traits but he evidently got help for them, as he's nowhere near as egotistical at 24 as he was when he was 17, although he does start exhibiting those traits again under high stress situations. He's still not completely okay mentally (otherwise he wouldn't regress like that), but he's also better than Kristoph at managing his symptoms when they do show up. Kristoph doesn't even try to get help for his symptoms, which leads to his downfall. Had he gotten help for his narcissism, he might've ended up a bit more like Klavier.

I hope Ace Attorney's prison system has a proper therapy program. I hope Kristoph's able to get help when and if he decides he wants it, because I am personally of the belief that everyone deserves help if they want it, and Kristoph's no different. I don't think he deserves to have Phoenix, Apollo, or Klavier back in his life, and I wouldn't blame any of them for never talking to him again, but that doesn't mean I don't think Kristoph deserves help. He would just have to realize he has a problem first, which I doubt happened soon after Apollo Justice and I'd frankly be surprised if it ever happens. But I hope the offer for help is there if he decides he wants it.

So why is Kristoph Like That? Untreated mental health issues that he's implied to realize is a problem.

*Again, please do not act like I'm saying Kristoph having NPD is an excuse for his actions. He chose not to get help. He chose to stalk people. He chose to kill people. Him having NPD isn't an excuse for that. My goal here was simply to answer "Why is Kristoph Gavin like that?" Do not misconstrue my intentions here or what I'm saying. Kristoph's NPD isn't what drove him to do what he did. Him choosing to embrace symptoms that hurt people did.

[midnight-bay-if]

How would the ro’s react to a extremely pent up mc

(NSFW I wrote this under the assumption the ROs are already dating MC. Hope that's okay!)

S: They hadn't meant to neglect you at all. Reports for the last mission took longer to complete than they would have liked. When they finally come home, they rush to your side, as eager to ease the ache they have endured for you while being shackled to their desk.

"You are not alone in your yearning," they whisper, stroking their thumb across your cheek. "Tonight, I am yours. Tonight, you can give the orders, and I will perform to the best of my considerable ability. That's a promise."

Rain: They feel it, too. In fact, it isn't an unusual feeling for them when they are around you. So when you come to them all hot and bothered, Rain is happy to oblige to ease that tension. Watching you writhe beneath them, or squirming beneath your touch, feels as essential as oxygen to them.

"Tell me all the ways I am yours, and I will demonstrate every way you are mine."

Taj: They enjoy it all a little much, watching you being needy and knowing it is them you need. At first, they will tease. A stray touch that doesn't entirely ease the ache or whispered words that stoke the flame without ever quelling it. Then, once they have heard you beg, they will serve you an oasis, flooding you with the sort of unabashed desire they did not think themselves capable of.

"Don't say you are exhausted already, Koel; we've barely gotten started."

N: It is a scent they bask in; it is the smell of desperation. When N catches it, their eyes turn hooded, and they smile at you salaciously. They do not need to delve into your mind to know your desires since they are written like notes on a sheet of music, and N is more than happy to bring you to the crescendo.

"Do not expect to sleep tonight, my dear, because I am not done by half."

Umbra: Umbra did not understand desire until you breathed life into their existence. Then, they desired everything you were willing to give. It still confounds them to think you desire the same things in return, but they would never leave you wanting.

"Whisper to me what keeps you awake in the dark, and I will turn out the lights."

[hazymoonlinh]

hi this is my first time requesting

saw your writing and lover it ,so i think it would be neat and interesting if mydei met an outworlder who comes from a planet that has to do with racing and driving and offers mydei a ride,especially someone like him has probably never seen an actual motorcycle

Eyyo this is neat asf, also thank you thank you for the kind words eheheehe

I mean he would try to be calm but he’s pretty much nervous and stiff ahaha.

King s Ride.

Mydei x gn!reader.

I use the word “outworlder” because it’s easier to write.

The air was thick with the scent of burnt metal and faint embers, remnants of a skirmish long over. Mydei, ever the composed warrior, stood near the rubble, surveying the aftermath with a frown. His golden armor gleamed faintly under the fading light, a beacon of authority amidst the chaos.

“Hey, you look like you could use a lift.”

The voice came from behind him, casual and confident. Mydei turned, his piercing eyes narrowing as they landed on a strange figure leaning casually against a sleek, black-and-silver machine. It looked nothing like any vehicle he had ever seen. Two wheels, a roaring engine, and glowing lines of energy pulsed along its frame like veins of liquid light.

The outworlder smirked, their attire just as bold as their attitude—leather-like gear, tinted goggles pushed up to their forehead, and a jacket adorned with vibrant, racing-inspired patterns. They patted the seat of the bike invitingly. “What’s the matter? Never seen a motorcycle before?”

Mydei crossed his arms. “Why would I concern myself with trivial contraptions?” he replied, his tone dripping with disdain.

“Trivial? Please,” the outworlder scoffed, rolling their eyes. “This baby’s a masterpiece. Fastest thing you’ll find this side of the stars. And it’s not just about speed—it’s about freedom.”

“Freedom,” Mydei echoed, skeptical.

“Yeah,” they said, straddling the bike and revving the engine. The deep growl of the motor rumbled through the air, startling a few nearby birds. “You can’t understand it until you feel it. Hop on, and I’ll show you.”

Mydei glanced at the seat behind them, then back at the outworlder, who was grinning like they’d already won. He opened his mouth to refuse—only for a low, menacing growl to echo in the distance. The remnants of their pursuers weren’t far behind.

“Your choice, golden boy,” the outworlder teased, revving the engine again. “Stick around and fight, or get on and ride like hell.”

With a sharp sigh, Mydei stepped forward, his pride taking a minor hit. “I’ll tolerate this… for now.”

“Sure you will,” they quipped, barely stifling a laugh. Mydei climbed onto the bike, his posture stiff as he awkwardly placed his hands on the edge of the seat.

“Uh-uh. You’ll want to hold on to me,” the outworlder said, glancing over their shoulder. “Unless you’re planning on flying off.”

He hesitated but wrapped his arms around their waist reluctantly. “If you tell anyone about this—”

“Yeah, yeah, your reputation, blah, blah,” they interrupted. “Just hang tight, Your Majesty.”

And then they were off.

The motorcycle roared to life, its engine a symphony of power and precision. Mydei felt the wind tear past him, his cape fluttering violently behind as they shot forward at breakneck speed. The ground blurred beneath them, and for the first time in a long while, he felt… weightless.

“See?” the outworlder shouted over the wind. “Not so bad, huh?”

He didn’t respond, too preoccupied with the unfamiliar sensation of adrenaline coursing through him. The speed, the motion—it wasn’t chaotic, as he had expected. It was controlled, powerful.

For the first time, Mydei understood what they meant. It wasn’t about running away—it was about chasing. Chasing purpose, chasing life.

As the bike skidded to a halt at the edge of a cliff overlooking the vast horizon, Mydei released his hold, albeit reluctantly. The outworlder shot him a knowing grin. “Told you you’d like it.”

He straightened his armor, his usual composure slipping back into place. “It was tolerable,” he said it cooly, though the faintest hint of color touched his cheeks.

The outworlder laughed, revving the engine again. “Careful, golden boy, or I might think you want another ride.”

“Don’t push your luck, outworlder.”

.

.

.

.

.

Let me know if you’d like any changes or if you’d like to explore this further haha.

Sorry cuz this is late, I was preparing for Tet 🙉

I’m coping so hard while waiting for him.

[kjack89]

Just going to try to write my way through it, I guess.

Pre-slash/friendship, modern AU. Cw: suicide ideation, depression.

“Hey,” Grantaire said, a little awkwardly, and Enjolras glanced up at him. “Can I, uh, talk to you?”

For a brief moment, Enjolras was tempted to either point out that they were already talking, or the grammatically correct way of asking was ‘May I’, or any other of their usual way of mostly mocking the other, but something about the way Grantaire was toying with the hem of his t-shirt made Enjolras think this was something serious.

“Yeah, of course,” he said instead, tucking his phone in his back pocket. “Do you, uh, want to go outside?”

The back room of the Musain had thinned after the meeting had wrapped up, but there were enough stragglers that someone would probably overhear if they stayed. Grantaire jerked a shrug and gestured for Enjolras to lead the way. He rolled his eyes but did, heading out to the alley with Grantaire on his heels.

“So,” Enjolras said, crossing his arms in front of his chest and resting his back against the brick wall. “What’s up?”

Grantaire mirrored his pose, his shoulder just brushing against Enjolras’s. “So you know I had surgery recently.”

Enjolras glanced sideways at him. “Yeah,” he said, a little cautiously. “Gallbladder, right?” Grantaire nodded. “How, uh, how’s the recovery been?”

“Fine,” Grantaire said. “As expected.”

Enjolras nodded. “Ok,” he said, still cautious about where this was headed. “I mean, I’m glad to hear it, but—”

Grantaire turned to face him, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I need you to do me a favor.”

That was not entirely what Enjolras had expected. “Sure?”

Grantaire took a deep breath before withdrawing one hand from his pocket, extending it to Enjolras. “I need you to hold onto these.”

Enjolras reached out automatically. “What—” he started, breaking off when he saw that Grantaire had just handed him a pill bottle. “You’re allowed to take painkillers.”

He didn’t mean to blurt it like that, didn’t even know that they were painkillers, though given Grantaire’s history, it probably made the most sense, and besides—

“I know that,” Grantaire said, breaking Enjolras’s thought spiral.

At least temporarily.

“I mean,” he said, scrambling for something to say that wouldn’t make him sound like an idiot, “even with your– your problem.”

Grantaire raised both eyebrows. ��My addiction,” he said. “You can say it, it’s not a dirty word.”

Enjolras jerked a nod. “Right, of course. I just mean—”

“I can take prescription painkillers as prescribed by a doctor without violating my sobriety, I know,” Grantaire said. He gave Enjolras a sideways look. “Little curious why you know that.”

Enjolras shrugged, feeling a flush cross his face. “I did some research,” he muttered.

Grantaire blinked. “Did you?” he asked, sounding surprised.

Enjolras cleared his throat. “So then why—”

Grantaire looked away. “I just. I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to hold onto them right now.” He shrugged. “But I am still in some pain so if I need one, I’ll come to you.”

Enjolras glanced down at the pill bottle. “Don’t you think Joly, or Combeferre—”

“You’re the only one whose schedule is as fucked as mine is.”

Enjolras half smiled. “Fair enough.” His smile faded as he turned the pill bottle over in his hand. “I still don’t understand,” he admitted. “If you think you might relapse…” Something tightened in Grantaire’s expression, and Enjolras felt his stomach plummet with realization. “You’re not worried about relapsing, are you.”

He didn’t pitch it as a question, and Grantaire shook his head. “No,” he said quietly. “No I’m not.”

Enjolras’s mouth went dry. “R—”

Grantaire scrubbed a hand across his mouth before forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. “Look, it’s not– things just aren’t great right now, you know?” he said, something dismissive in his tone, as if this wasn’t a big deal, or as if he was trying to convince himself of that. “And I don’t need to have any, uh, means on hand to do something stupid.”

Enjolras’s grip on the pill bottle was so tight that his knuckles were white. “Are you—”

Grantaire’s eyes darted to his and away again. “I don’t have any plans, I promise.��� He shrugged again, twisting the hem of his shirt between his fingers. “But it’s also getting harder and harder to see a way through it, you know?”

“Yeah,” Enjolras said quietly. “I know.”

Grantaire took a deep breath. “Anyway. Like I said, I’ll, um, I’ll let you know if I need one.”

He turned as if to leave, as if he thought there was any world in which Enjolras would let him just walk away. There wasn’t, of course, and Enjolras reached out automatically to grab his arm. “Grantaire—”

“What?” Grantaire asked, something wary in his expression as he glanced back at him.

“You’re not allowed to do anything stupid.”

Something tightened in Grantaire’s expression before he barked a dry, humorless laugh. “To listen to you, I do something stupid every day.”

But Enjolras refused to let him brush this off. “You know what I mean.”

Grantaire sighed. “I promise, I have no plans—”

“But you have thought about it,” Enjolras said sharply, daring Grantaire to contradict him. “And like I said, you’re not allowed to.”

Grantaire shook his head. “I never was very good at following orders, Apollo.”

Enjolras gave him a look. “Like my order for you to never call me that again?”

A ghost of a smile twitched across Grantaire’s lips. “Exactly.”

Enjolras didn’t dignify that with a response. “I don’t care,” he said stubbornly, finally letting go of Grantaire’s arm. “I’m giving you an order anyway. If the thought of disobeying an order or, I don’t know, disappointing me or whatever gives you even a second’s hesitation, then it’s worth it.”

Grantaire sighed, his expression tightening again. “The disappointment angle is a nice touch, but I disappoint you in everything I do, so.”

He jerked another shrug but Enjolras shook his head. “No,” he said quietly. “You don’t.” Grantaire didn’t look convinced and Enjolras frowned, searching his expression. “If the thought of disappointing me won’t help, what will?”

“Intensive in-patient therapy that my insurance won’t cover, an updated drug regimen that I can’t get approved because the next appointments to see a psychiatrist are 6 months out at the earliest, and a society that’s not on the precipice of fascism, mostly.”

Enjolras nodded. “Well. Good thing I’m already doing what I can on that last front.”

Grantaire managed a small, tired smile. “I know.”

Enjolras hesitated before asking, “Is there anything else?”

“It’s not the kind of problem that has a solution,” Grantaire told him.

“I know that.”

“I mean, I’m sure you’d love to organize a march against my mental illness or whatever—”

“I really would,” Enjolras said.

Grantaire’s lips twitched. “Change.org petition?”

Despite everything, Enjolras snorted a laugh. “Oh, absolutely. Sign here to tell Grantaire’s depression to fuck off.”

Grantaire’s smile widened. “If we get 10,000 signatures, the White House has to respond.”

“Exactly.” Enjolras hesitated before telling him, “If there was anything I could do, I would. In a heartbeat.”

Grantaire’s smile faded. “Yeah, well.” He scuffed the toe of his shoe against the ground. “Kind of a moot point. But, uh, thanks. For, you know.”

“Yeah,” Enjolras said, matching his tone. “You’re welcome.”

Grantaire hesitated, glancing up at him. “Enjolras—”

“What?”

“Give me a reason not to.”

Enjolras sucked in a breath. His immediate, initial instinct was to tell Grantaire anything he wanted to hear, to tell him that he knew Grantaire had feelings for him and maybe, with time, Enjolras could develop feelings back. It wasn’t entirely a lie, after all.

But it also wasn’t what Grantaire needed to hear.

He needed to hear the truth.

So instead, he took a deep breath, and he told him, “Because I want to win.”

Grantaire stared at him. “What?”

“Four years from now, ten years from now, however long it takes. I want to be able to tell you, ‘I told you so’.”

Grantaire’s brow furrowed. “About what?”

“Any of it,” Enjolras told him. “All of it. That we were right, that we changed things, that things got fucking better because we fought tooth and nail for every scrap of better we could get. I want to be able to tell you that.”

Grantaire cocked his head. “So to be clear, you want me to stay alive so that you can gloat?”

He sounded almost amused, and Enjolras shrugged. “I figure if your spite’s not enough to keep you going, maybe mine will.”

“You’ve got enough spite to share?” Grantaire asked dryly, and at the look Enjolras gave him, barked a laugh. “Ok, stupid question.”

“Very,” Enjolras agreed.

Grantaire’s eyes narrowed. “You’re supposed to say there’s no such thing as a stupid question.”

Enjolras arched an eyebrow. “And yet you’re bound and determined to prove that statement wrong every single day.”

“Maybe that’ll be what keeps me going,” Grantaire said.

But Enjolras didn’t laugh at that. “Whatever it takes.”

Grantaire nodded. “Right. Thanks, I think.”

Again he turned to go, and again Enjolras couldn’t let him. “Grantaire—”

“What?” Grantaire said, and Enjolras reached out to pull him into a hug. “Oof. Um. Hi?”

Enjolras didn’t let go as he told him, as fiercely as he had promised anything in his life, “If you do anything to hurt yourself, I will kill you.”

Grantaire huffed a light laugh, patting Enjolras’s back. “I think that would kind of defeat the purpose—”

“I mean it.”

Grantaire shook his head and tried to pull away. “Enj… I’ve failed at everything you’ve ever asked of me.”

Enjolras nodded. “I know.”

“What makes you think this time will be different?”

“Because it has to be.”

“Well,” Grantaire said, after a long moment. “We’ll see, I guess.”

Enjolras nodded and gave Grantaire a tight smile. “I’m going to be unbearable for a while, just as a fair warning.”

Grantaire made a face. “I would expect nothing less.” He hesitated before adding, “And you can tell people, I guess. It’s not really a secret.”

“You realize I’ll be roping all of our friends into making sure you stay alive.”

Grantaire just shrugged. “It’s not the worst thing you’ve roped them into.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

But Grantaire didn’t smile at that, instead looking away as he told Enjolras, “I really never wanted to be one of your causes.”

Enjolras shook his head. “You’re not,” he said firmly, and when Grantaire gave him a look, he added, “But you are one of my friends.”

Grantaire jerked a nod. “I– thank you,” he said quietly.

“You’re welcome,” Enjolras repeated. “And I’ll, uh, I’ll keep these safe.”

What he wanted to say was, I’ll keep you safe, but judging by the small, lopsided but nonetheless genuine smile Grantaire gave him, he understood anyway.

And hopefully, he might find a way to believe that Enjolras meant it.

[archonoclasm]

What really gets me is how Dorian really does try giving you an out when you romance him:

Inquisitor: I thought we could discuss what happens…after. Dorian: Ah, yes. After. Dreadful thing, after. Let’s see. Assuming one or both of us aren’t slaughtered along the way, what do you wish to happen? We could go our separate ways if you prefer. I’ve been a port in a storm before. I would understand.

Another example comes after you have sex:

Dorian: I’m curious where this goes, you and I. We’ve had fun. Perfectly reasonable to leave it here, get on with the business of killing Archdemons and such… Inquisitor: Tell me what you want. Dorian: All on me then? Inquisitor: Should it be all on me?

And this revealing bit of dialogue after you have sex and say you just want it to be sex, nothing more, much to Dorian's totally expected disappontment:

Inquisitor: I don’t know if I want more. Wasn’t this a good time? Dorian: I’ve no burning need to stroke your ego. More of the same would not be unwelcome. Perhaps this is something we can speak on later…once we see whether you or I survive this whole business. Until then… I need to go. [Dorian stands and starts to collect his clothes.]

I know I mention this a bit, but Dorian really just primes himself for being let down. It's genuinely all he knows. Well and truly. And it's so heartbreaking that he throws you these lines to use to escape so he can try and minimize the hurt before falling for you deeper to that point in which he can neither easily nor safely scrabble out of.

This line he says reveals so much about him. He's so, so confident in terms of sex, but romance, emotions, the vulnerability... He's lost, inexperienced, and not a little bit worried:

Dorian: You say that like [starting a relationship]'s a simple thing, easily imagined. I have no examples with which to compare.

[chronurgy]

Taking a look at Dragon Age sales figures -

Origins - 3.2 million copies sold (as of Feb 2010, about 4 months after its launch)

Two - 2 million copies sold (as of two months after launch)

Inquisition - over 12 million copies sold (10 years post-release, unfortunately I can't find a more comparable time frame for sales)

Veilguard - 1.5 million "players reached" (about 3 months post-release, expectation for 3 million copies sold, unclear definition of players reached)

Awhile ago, when the generally positive critical reviews for veilguard came out, I said I was pretty sure bioware would be fine and would make it long enough to at least produce mass effect 5. Now, looking at these stats, I'm not so sure. Dragon age 2 was generally treated as a bit of a commercial flop for bioware, so seeing veilguard undersell it by a minimum of half a million units is not encouraging. Especially when it undersold ea's expectations for it by at least half. And I don't think ea's expectations were unreasonable! Three million in sales would put it in between the first two games and well below inquisition, the game it's a direct sequel to. That honestly feels a little odd, since it would imply that the studio didn't believe they picked up any new fans from inquisition's success.

I think that the 10 year gap was absolutely corrosive to the fan base. I understand why it happened on a development level, but it was an absolutely massive mistake. They completely lost the ability to capitalize on the excitement and name recognition inquisition generated as the incredibly popular game of the year for its direct sequel. Again, I completely understand what happened. I just think that all of the decisions that allowed this to happen (canceling project joplin, generally putting the series in the back burner, etc) were incredibly bad. They lost hype and momentum and ended up with far less in excitement and sales than they could have, especially since they lost a lot of long-time, key employees because of the development hell that ensued. This is on both bioware and ea. Bioware for their incredible mismanagement and just constant bag-fumbling and terrible working conditions and choices generally, and ea for allowing this to happen and generally pushing their studios toward a live-service model (plus all the other general ea fuckery).

It's also worth mentioning the "players reached" wording. That obviously doesn't mean the same thing as "copies sold," which likely means that the game sold less than 1.5 million copies. Admittedly, it's probably worth asking exactly how relevant sales numbers still are as we enter the era of game streaming services. It's genuinely hard to say, and that's going to be an industry-wide shift. But no matter how you slice it, the game clearly didn't do well commercially.

Looking toward the future, the first question has to be not what bioware will learn from this, but if bioware will even survive long enough to learn from this. They've had three poor releases in a row in an industry that isn't exactly forgiving. There have also been a few high profile departures recently, and while that might not be particularly unusual after a game launch, it can't be overlooked entirely. The studio is very much at risk of shutting down at this juncture.

But assuming bioware doesn't shut down, where do they go from here? What lessons will they learn from veilguard's failure? While it clearly wasn't a commercial success, it reviewed fairly well with a metacritic score of 82 (compare Andromeda's score of 71, Inqusition's of 85, origins' of 86, da2's of 79, and the Mass Effect trilogy's low 90s). Player reviews, on the other hand, were more mixed. Will bioware decide they made a good game and players just didn't get it? Andromeda and veilguard's writing definitely had some similarities, so maybe this is just the direction the studio has decided to go in and nothing will shake them from it. Or will they see the feedback and lurch too far in the opposite direction? They have a habit of doing that (they did it with inquisition after da2 and anthem's facial animations after Andromeda, for example). It could be that they decide it needs to be even more generic, even safer, to make sure they get the broadest possible appeal. It could be that they decide they need to double down on the nostalgia factor to attract the players of the older games. I don't know. I don't think anyone really does, at this point.

Honestly, I don't think bioware knows either. The studio clearly has a lot of issues that will take a lot of time, money, and introspection to fix. These issues are likely very entrenched in the studio's culture, and have been present for at least a decade, if not longer. And I don't know that bioware has the resources or the willpower to address them, given the circumstances.

[sujiverse]

— ୨ৎ . . . zero-zero-two !

sypnosis: just when suji thought it would become worse, she founds herself slowly warming up to the boys.

genre/s: fluff

warning/s: none

word count: 1,584

a/n: not proof read again

“How is it, so far?” Suji took a sip of her iced americano. She stayed silent for a couple of seconds, not wanting to discuss anything regarding the new surroundings. Suyeong, her older sister, rolled her eyes at the way she was acting.

“Come on, little sis. I’m pretty sure it wasn't that bad.” Seeing how the latter zoned out got Suyeong thinking. Suji, on the other hand, her mind drifted off to the first few days being around the new trainees which was definitely something. “Nothing much happened. It was awkward and—” she paused, “something I couldn't pinpoint.”

Her older sister was about to take a bite of the cheesecake she ordered, but stopped when she heard Suji talk. “Tell me what happened that made you think about that.” The younger female sighed, putting herself in a more comfortable position before she narrated the prior days.

Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

No one spoke as they arrived at the practice room with Suji. There was tension going in the air as a result of the sudden, overwhelming news to the trainees. All the cameras in the room were turned off. No staff member was inside to give them the time and space to know about each other all by themselves. The only female member’s patience was already running out because they could've used the entire time waiting for someone to talk for their practice.

“We’re just wasting our time.” She spoke, making all heads snap to her way. “Is no one gonna introduce themselves?” The boys exchanged looks, wondering who would like to go first. Suji looked uninterested and kept taking a glance at her watch for the time. Someone cleared their throat and that caught her attention.

The boy smiled at her, his smile reaching his eyes. “Hi, I’m Kwon Soonyoung.” That's why he was familiar. She remembered bumping into him the day she arrived at Pledis, for sure he wouldn't be able to recall it. The person beside him began introducing himself right after up until it went back to her so-called enemy. Seungcheol. He still had the same expression on his face, looking so stern and serious.

“I’m Choi Seungcheol.” His tone was so cold, Suji bet she thought she was living somewhere in the North. She had heard about him a lot—how he was brought up as a potential leader by one of the staff and she could see it. Just from his aura, there was something about him that could make him intimidating. The female nodded, quite happy that everyone was given the spotlight to introduce themselves. Maybe it was a little step, but she knew it was something.

She took her mask off and straightened her posture, she took in the gasps from her sides. “Again, I’m Suji. You might feel like you've seen me somewhere and you're right. Suyeong from afterschool is my older sister because of her I was able to visit the company at a very young age. Unfortunately, before they could even cast me I was casted by a huge entertainment company.” Seokmin, who was beside her, had a shocked face as she turned to him because of the noises he tried to suppress.

“But I think the story screams for another time?” Some of the trainees groaned and she couldn't help but chuckle. “I don't know what you’ll feel about it, but I’ve debuted before.” she hesitated, her eyes moving to take quick glances at each of the trainees. “I’m not here to replace anyone, okay? I’m here to become a part of this team. I know you might feel like this is unfair, I feel it too. I understand your feelings, but I really don't have a say to it.”

Suji felt embarrassed, it was her first time meeting them and here she was—rambling about her thoughts. At first, she initially imagined herself being that cold and intimidating member yet as someone who was as soft as a marshmallow she wasn't able to handle it. “I won't expect for us to get close immediately, but if you need someone I’m here.” Right after she finished speaking, the choreographer entered the room and urged everyone to find their places so they could start their practice.

Seungcheol, who had been eyeing Suji earlier, was slowly bringing his walls down. The CEO wasn't someone who would make irrational decisions and probably thought this was for the better. He often found himself stealing glances at her, watching her do her best to keep up with the team. Maybe, one day he would be able to accept everything but for now, he’ll take one step at a time.

The female came in earlier than everyone. She was so used to the training she received from her previous company that she couldn't let go of it. Doing a few stretches definitely made her feel slightly better. These days, she has been feeling uncomfortable. Well, yes, partly because of the horrible first meeting she had with the boys, but also due to the ache in her knees.

A familiar melody echoed throughout the practice room, it made the latter close her eyes and let her body mindlessly move to the rhythm. There was this ache bubbling in her chest that she tried to ignore. Many thoughts ran through her head, mostly negative. She couldn't do it. Suji walked over to turn the music off—to change it to something that wouldn't make her heart break.

“Oh—hi...” A voice took her attention away from the laptop. Was it Chan? For a split second, she couldn't remember the name of the youngest trainee. Seeing the stoic expression on her face probably scared him that he immediately fixed his posture and bowed to greet her. “I’m Lee Chan.”

She just stared at him.

“I’m sor—”

“Shouldn't you be at school?” Suji crossed her arms, wondering why on earth was he here at this time when she overheard he had classes today from one of the boys. The younger one stayed silent, his lips zipped up as if he was trying to hide something.

Chan opened his mouth, like he wanted to say something but no words came out. Suji could see how he took a deep breath just so he could tell her what he wanted to say. “I..” She raised her eyebrow, almost wanting to laugh at how he gulped and let his eyes roam around the room in an attempt to not have eye contact with her.

“I wanted to…” He looked at his hands, fidgeting with it as he struggled to continue, “...know more about you, sunbaenim.” Suji didn't expect that. They only met yesterday and it was different from whatever was running through her mind. She was in disbelief that what she could only do was laugh and mutter, “What?”

Seeing how the maknae’s expression changed from being nervous to embarrassed made her clear her throat. She eyed him for a couple of seconds before she sat on the floor, patting the space in front of her for him to sit at. Chan’s eyes sparkled and the female felt warmth in her chest, it was like looking at how she acted before during her early trainee days.

“What did you want to know about?”

“Y-you debuted before, right?” Suji nodded and she knew where this was headed. “What happened?” She found herself staring at the wall, thinking of how she could tell everything to him. This wasn't the first time someone asked her about it, but she never really dared to answer. “You don't have to if you can't.” She shook her head and brought her knees to her chest.

She didn't know where to start. There were so many things that happened that for some of it, it was kind of a blur to her. Was it slowly becoming a trauma? Maybe. “I can't tell you every detail because I am not ready.” Chan nodded, understanding what she meant. “It's just sometimes, things you wouldn't expect would happen. At some point in your life, you think you’re slowly reaching your dreams and all of a sudden everything would go down.”

The younger male looked at her curiously, “Were you happy during that time?” It got her thinking. Was she?

“I think at the very start I was happy. It was so cool, you know, being able to perform in front of an audience.” A warm smile spread on her face as a few memories came to her mind. “Sometimes you just have to let go of things in order to grow.” She could feel tears brimming in her eyes, somehow it felt comforting to be able to talk about the past with someone new. Someone she knew would become a part of her life soon.

Chan hesitated yet still called her out, “Noona.” She hummed in response, tilting her head backwards to get rid of the tears that were forcing to come down before she looked at him. “I hope we stay together for a long time.” It brought another smile to Suji's face. “I hope so too.” She stood up and offered a hand to Chan.

“How about I show you new moves?” The youngest member eagerly nodded and held her hand. “Let's go!” The room was filled with laughter and smiles as the two of them turned the music on, dancing whatever move they could think off. What they didn't know was someone looking at them at the door with a big smile on his face.

[masonmace]

Please let me finish this one chat OH FUCK 😔 (future Tim: I finished in one night!!)

tw: age gap (reader is late 20's, John is almost 40), p in v, hand-gags, oral (reader receiving), praise, biting, yada yada (not proofread)

Babysitter!reader....

Assume afab reader.

John knew he'd found the perfect match for his son, Thomson, in you. His mother used to take him during deployments, but her job required a lot of time from home and from school. Which isn't good.

Having said that, during those times, you go over to his house and stay there with his son. Take the boy to school, his sports, all else in place of Jonathon. He gives you free rein! For the most part. Just no snooping in the back room... you've always wondered what was in there.

Just respect John too much to go and search out a key to said room.

John wasn't supposed to come home for another couple of days. Normally, the day before he comes back, you clean the place up, all else. Wash the Captain's bed sheets - which have been thoroughly tainted in your smells.

That wasn't the case time around. You haven't expected him for another few days, so you crashed in his bed after putting Tommy in his own. You're gone at this point; completely and utterly slumped. Phone playing out the sound of whatever last video you were watching over and over and over.

John notices that the house is silent...dark and quiet. Bed time for everyone at the ripe old time of two am. The guest bedroom door shut, so he figures you're in there. Quiet and stealthy-like, John sneaks upstairs. Making his stop to his son's room and peeping the door open. Seeing the groggy seven year old snoozing open-mouthed in bed. His night light illuminating just enough.

He stalks forward and brushes Tommy's hair back, sweetly kissing his temple once - then twice - before turning and sneaking back out.

Rubbing his face, he closes the door with his other hand. Feeling at ease now as he moves down the hall to his own bedroom on the opposite end of the snazzy flat.

He nudges the door open with a little thud, flicking the light on.

There you are, shooting up from your laid position with a rough "mh!" Eyes shut tight and eyebrows furrowed. Hair all messed up and bare chested in Jonathon's bed.

John stares for a second. Listening as you call out to see if Tommy's there, a little shocked to see you - presumably bare - in his bed.

"It's me, luv." He says, a gravel in his voice. Watching as your jaw goes utterly slack and eyes wide with surprise. You swallow down a yelped apology. Hands fumbling around for the hoodie you'd worn before tearing it off before sleeping. Only to realize that it, too had been John's. "No stress."

John puts out a placating hand and sighs through his nose. Mustering a tired smile. Though he can't bring himself to understand why you slept in his bed and not the guest bedroom.

"Ain't bother 'nough to get you out, dear." He mumbles. Sighing idly and chuckling. "I take it it's cozy?" He sets his bag to the side and grumbles low in his throat. He's already in a tee and jeans.

Eventually, he comes back to the room. You've found your way out of bed and into clothes that were your own. John's thought about it, and, well, he's got other plans. He raises an eyebrow, catching his shoulder before you can leave the room.

"Ah-ah, luv." He says, hand slipping to your upper chest and guiding you back into the room. "'Stead of leavin'." He pauses, turning to face you better. Blinking gently down at you. "Figured you could stay in bed with me."

Shocked, you pause, standing in the doorway and eyeballing John.

"Y'know. Help me out and we can forget you were in my bed." He states, voice a little lower.

Now, Price is a very handsome man. That much is true. He hasn't had the time to look for a partner since his wife left.

"Like... help you..?" you say, eyeballing John a tad but skeptically. He takes a deep breath and nods.

"Not mandatory." Jonathon hums, giving a shrug and itching his bottom lip with his teeth. "But I'd love your company." He breathes, thumb drawing little circles on your shoulder. When you nod, he can't help but smile. Lips quirking up at the corners.

He watches you as you step further into the room, clicking the door shut behind you. Price's hand jutting out to lock it just in case. "Don't you worry about him." He says, same hand moving to brush some hair behind your ear. "You can keep it down, yeah?" He purrs, gently and playfully pinching your ear in the way he usually does.

He pulls you closer by your waist, leaning into you and ducking his head lower.

It doesn't take much longer for him to be kissing you. Humming against your lips and deepening it as you return the kiss. Lips swaying together. John giving a groan once you lace your arms around his neck. His tongue tracing your lips and licking into your mouth once your pink lips part. As your lips dance together, John walks you both back towards his bed. Sitting down onto the edge and parting from the kiss to allow you to climb into his lap.

He gives a satisfied hum, hands finding your hips and lips returning to yours. Giving quite the pleased hum as you start grinding onto him. His strong hands finding way to grope at your rear.

You both make quick work of removing one another's clothes. His hands tugging off the hoodie you'd just recently put on. You returning the favor and shedding his shirt. Both of you sit back and admire for a second before it's right back to sucking face.

It isn't all that long until John's rolling you over and tossing you further onto his blanket and pillow-covered bed. The entirety of it still stinking like his musk and only a touch like you. He crawls over you, eagerly grasping the unaccompanied waistband of your shorts. Pulling them down.

Not casting much of a second glance as he tossed the clothes somewhere to the side. Tongue guiding way for his lips as he makes way down your neck. Breathing in your scent as he sucks light red marks into your neck. Slowly but surely making way down your warm body. Leaving marks and bites in his wake. His own hips gently rutting into the mattress, stiff and needy in his jeans and boxers.

There's no wasting of time to get nestled between your legs. His rough hands grasping your thighs and guiding them onto his burly shoulders. His kisses started on one knee, guiding lower and lower between your legs. Mustache scraping along your sensitive thighs and teeth sinking into the flesh in rough love bites. Jonathon's thoroughly enjoying the sharp breaths and winced moans you give with each bite.

The ache in your core bordering unbearable as he works his magic on the other side. Finally - fucking finally - he's between your legs. Fat tongue flattening to lick up your sweet, wet cunt. Growling at the flavor of you. Giving something akin to a huffed moan as he closes his lips around you and sucks your lower lips. Damn near making out with her as he slurps and suckles at you. His arms hugging your hips and keeping you thoroughly planted on his face.

Growling into his face-full as he latched onto your clit and sucks like his life depends on it. Not giving even half a shit as your thighs close around his head. As much as he wants to hear your mewls, he knows it'll have to wait until you both have true alone-time.

He starts with his tongue. Lapping at your hole - wet and hungry - suckling at it before he licks into you. Jaw dropping as he thrusts his tongue into you. One hand reaching up and grasping your chest, thumbing at your nipple. His other lower and replacing his tongue with a finger.

Easing it into you, meaty and thick. Your plush walls accepting him as he goes back to sucking the rest of you. His grunts all the praise you need as he starts to thrust and curl that digit into you. His lips parting with a sloppy pop. "Pretty cunt tastes so amazin', luv.." he groans. Taking a second to flick his tongue on your clit and rest his cheek on your thigh. Easing a second finger in and watching your face twist. "Did she need this?"

His voice is a sultry purr. Watching your eager nods. Developing a boastful grin before his face is right back between your legs. He can feel the way your hips are starting to squirm against him, and he follows like a dog. Fingers thrusting and curling in a mind boggling slow yet rough pace. Jamming into you a curling into that spongey little spot. His tongue and lips working your clit.

Jonathon gives an "mmh.." against your cunt, urging you to cum as he feels the way you tighten on his fingers. The thrusts of his fingers shallow now, quicker and equally as rough. He can feel the way your thighs are closing around his head. Breath coming in ragged gasps snd eyes slowly rolling back. The way he groans against your cunt sending you into a shaking orgasm.

The man happily works you through it as you tremble. Thighs trembling and cunt fluttering around his thick fingers. His pace slowing as he works you through it. Gently lapping at your clit. Waiting until your breath evens out to pull his fingers out. He lays a fee gentle kisses along your thighs. Making his way up your body once again. "You did so well..." he purrs.

John slowly presses the fingers he'd used on you against your lips. Easing his fingers into your warm mouth. Rubbing his fingers against your tongue and groaning as you suck on them. "Good.." he purrs, peering down into your eyes.

He waits a second before pulling his fingers out of your mouth. His hands coming to hold your cheeks and pull you in for a proper kiss. Lips swaying with yours. His cock straining desperately in his pants. Pulling off of you with a wet sound.

"Can I fuck you raw?" He requests, thumb rubbing across your cheekbone and gaze dark with lust. Slowly wetting his lips. When you give permission, he gives a low groan in anticipation, leaning back on his heels and quickly working to get his pesky pants off.

He undoes his belt and all else with practiced ease, grunting and finally getting them down enough. His aching cock springing free. Hanging under its own weight. He's thick. Uncut in the prettiest way. Pre already beaded at the tip as he kicks his pants off onto the floor. He sucks his teeth, eyes dark and predatory as he crawls his way but up to you.

"I've always wondered what you'd look like in my bed." He purrs, his dick twitching with interest as you wrap your legs around his hips. His hand running between the two of you. "How you'd feel on my cock..."

His voice trails. Holding himself at the base and teasing the tip through your slick folds. Hissing at the feeling and forcing himself not to buck. His ears straining to hear your response.

John chuckles to himself. Finally pressing his tip to your entrance and easing himself into you. You can't help but be thankful that he'd prepped you, jaw falling open and the stretch causing the slightest of burns as he eases into your willing cunt. His own breath huffing out as he eases inch after inch into you. His eyes fluttering.

You feel so full by the time he bottoms out. Both of you connected at the hips, taking deep breaths. John's hand gently scraping through your hair, eyes half lidded and down on your face. Rasping out a pant. "Fuckin' hell.." he breathes. "Sweetest pussy I've ever felt, luv..." Jonathon pants.

He only waits a couple seconds longer before his hips ease forward into you again. The sensation enough to have you gasping and head knocking back into the sheets. Moaning so sweetly as he repeats the process. With your next moan is when he clamps a hand over your mouth. "Sshh, luv." He grunts. Voice on the edge of a groan as he thrusts into you with a soft squelch. Starting to pick up the pace. His free hand pushing your knee up and bending it upwards. His hips shifting to pounding down into you.

John's thrusts are quicker now. Heavy. Splitting you open on his fat cock. His head dipping to start leaving hot, open kisses along your neck. Able to feel the stresses of his missions melting away as he fucks your sweet pussy. His other hand still clamped over your mouth. Now freed hand snaking between your legs to start rubbing at your needy, throbbing clit.

It only adds, thumb swirling around the sensitive nub and his cock now plunging in and out of you. Quick and desperate for release. Jonathon having no care on if you're on the pill or anything. You can't seem to find it in you either - only one thing on either of your minds: your approaching orgasms.

Yours is sneaking up on you. Eyes screwing together and walls clamping down on the intrusion. John's jaw slacked to let hoarse, raspy pants out. Nodding at you - giving you all the permission you'll ever need to cum. That hot coil in your guts. The heat that starts on the insides of your thighs and bases of your ankles. Plump thighs trembling and shaking, tightening around John's hips. Panting and heaving as the coil finally snaps.

You shudder and moan against John's hand, sweet cunt sucking at John. Fluttering and spasming as he fucks you throat it.

Jonathon's head hanging as he keeps moving. Heaving a hot "almost, luv, almost." Speaking through his front teeth. His thrusts quick and frantic, chasing his own release.

He plops his hips down into you a couple more times before he shudders and comes with a hardly bitten-back groan. His own eyes fluttering and rolling. Hips bucking and cock pulsing and straining with each pump of cum he gives your willing womb.

He rasps out a few heavy breaths before lowering himself down. Easing his weight onto your body and plopping his head into the crook of your neck. His hands slowly moving to hold your waist. Leaving gentle, sweet kisses along your shoulder.

"Thank you.." he breathes. Snaking his arms around your waist and shifting to lay on his side. Cuddling you to his chest and brushing your hair back. You can feel his cum slowly bubbling out around the sides of his softening cock. He doesn't seem to care. Hearing your murmured thank you in return, gently kissing forward.

Seems Nanny has another task

[astra-galaxie]

Taking a Break

Hi everyone.

As you’ve probably guessed from the title, I am taking a break from the Criminal Case fandom. I’ll be gone for at least 2 weeks, maybe more if needed. While I’m gone, I will not be on any sites, at least not for CC-related reasons, updating any of my stories or posting new content on Tumblr. That means I won’t be checking notifications or even going on some platforms, and I will be leaving all the Discord servers I am in after posting this.

If you need to reach me (please don’t contact me about CC), I will occasionally check my direct messages on Discord.

2024 has so far been the worst year for my mental health, and to summarize how I feel in one sentence: I’m tired, and honestly, I have considered leaving CC more than once. I tried not to let my mental health affect my relationship with CC since it was like the light at the end of the tunnel for me. But with things calming down IRL, I’ve realized how straining CC was on my mental health and a person can only bend so much before they break, and I fear I will break if I do not step away…

I have been in the CC fandom for over 10 years, most of that time spent as a lurker and then as a writer who stayed in a little bubble isolated with my stories and rarely engaging with others. But over time, I came out of my bubble with the help of friends I made through CC and gained even more along the way. However, things have happened recently behind the scenes that are making me consider leaving the fandom, so it's time I take a break and focus on other things for a little while.

This is not goodbye forever. If you know me and my stories, you know my goal is to write every Criminal Case season from 1 to 8 (yes, I will be writing and hopefully improving City of Romance!). I’ve been at it for about 8 years, so I’m too far into things to give up!

But I have another goal, and no, I’m not referring to making headcanons for every CC character. It's to create a safe space for people to share their ideas, thoughts, and opinions without fearing ridicule. There is enough hate in the world, so why should I contribute to it when I can use my platform to be positive instead? It’s why, even when the idea might not be my cup of tea, or I might not understand parts of it, I still encourage people to pursue their ideas and focus on the good things. I hope people know that you can send me the craziest, crack-filled ideas (anonymously or not) and that I will do my best to give positive feedback.

I do give constructive feedback if people ask me to, but again, I’m no Goddess of Writing and Content Creation, so I would never expect people to take my words as gospel. I would never want people to feel they HAVE to change something in their creation just because I suggested it. I want people to be happy with THEIR work, just as I am with mine.

The biggest piece of advice I always give people when they ask for my help or opinion on their project(s) is to write about what makes you happy. While it is important to listen to feedback to learn what you can improve on, ultimately, YOU are the creator. YOU are putting in the time, effort and skills into the project, and if YOU are not happy with what you are creating, then you will lose interest in it. Create things you are happy and proud of. YOU are bringing your ideas to life and sharing them for others to enjoy, not the other way around.

You can never please everyone, but you can always please yourself.

But do NOT use that as an excuse to spam, rage bait, or terrorize others. Everyone is entitled to their likes and dislikes, but you should not force your opinions on others. If you see something you don’t like, just ignore/block it and keep scrolling. It takes much less time than writing a hate comment or making a call-out post. And while sometimes those are reasonably warranted, please still take the time to consider the repercussions of something before you post it and ask yourself: Is it really worth it?

If you’ve stuck with me this long, thank you for listening to my rambling.

Maybe it's naive or wishful thinking to hope people have learned from 2024 and will think before they post, but I hope at least some people will learn from their mistakes or those of others. I know I have learned from the mistakes I’ve made. I don’t think I’m perfect or anyone special because, at the end of the day, I’m just a writer who discovered a hobby for creating fanfiction when they were a teen and somehow gained a following of amazing fans and made fantastic friends along the way. I’m human and make mistakes, but it's from those mistakes that we grow and improve as people.

That said, I am signing off for now. My mental health is at rock bottom, and all I can focus on recently is negative. I keep thinking the worst of my writing and other content. All my mind has been telling me is that everything I make is terrible, and no one likes it. And while I know that is far from the truth, thanks to the amazing support and love I receive from all of you (shout out to everyone who keeps the CC fandom alive!) I must leave and stop focusing on everything before returning with a clear, more positive mindset.

I will see you all when I return. Will I not do anything CC related? Probably not, since you can take Astra out of CC, but you can't take CC out of Astra! But I will not be touching or even looking at my mainstream series while I’m gone, so don’t expect me to return with an update ready for it.

Thank you for listening.

Astra G.

[dasketcherz]

okay, fiiine... your sister's not so bad, goggles.

[hballegro]

girls in pearls??

girls in pearls!! 👏💖

[contagious-watermelon]

there's just something about being called (just) ace by your aroace friend even after only ever referring to yourself as aromantic

[dolokhoded]

my one season 4 complaint is Where The Fuck Was Aneesa

[nebuladreamz]

HI I UNDERSTAND THE HYPE OF SLEUTH JESTERS NOW

IM ABOUT TO START PART 9 AND I HAVE BEEN FUCKING HOOKED.

[milfbrainrot]

"claire's a bad mom" claire chose to have her kids claire tells her kids bedtime stories and claire pretends not to be in life threatening danger when she's terrified for her own and her kids' safety to help them stay calm and literally only wants to know if they're okay before prioritizing herself and keeping them far away from danger by rescuing herself i think ur just racist