#manny «¤» in character

[monenblogi]

@itsalcngstory (emily) - for dis

“Lady, I’m havin’ a really bad day...” 

Understatement of the century right there, he was tearing at the metaphorical edges just to keep sone semblance of control. Hell of a chase Manny had given earlier to the case they had been on for the last month, and the new role of ‘see to the rumors’ was just...  

Well, something. And he was pretty sure he was going to strangle the blue house bunch if he wasn’t allowed to take a fucking nap. 

“Look, I’m gonna keep this brief.” He thumbed a finger behind him to a shop window where a pair of women appeared to be watching them. “Dunno why they’re mad about you bein’ here, and I don’t wanna know. Just—take this as a warning about ‘em and pretend I told y’ something horrendous t’ make you wanna leave. Ham it up.” With one hand, he waved around to make it look like he was doing quite the job for whatever reason the witches were being grumpy about a newcomer.  

In his other hand, he had a card and held it out. “Address for a safe place outta their line of sight. You’re gonna wanna meet me there in an hour, and y’ can’t miss it. It’s got an ugly ass bear statue in front.” 

[mirxndatano]

No one is going to silence me

No, Star Wars The Acolyte wasn’t perfect, and it’s not the best of Star Wars. In fact, nothing in this franchise has been perfect, not even The Mandalorian (I’ve just thrown three scorpions at myself, but oh well).

The Acolyte was like breathing fresh air after YEARS of repetitive content focused on: The Empire, Skywalker family, Rebellion, and that’s it.

The Acolyte was a series that reignited a spark and charm in people who had distanced themselves a bit—or a lot—from SW due to the toxicity or simply because they no longer connected with the new content.

The Acolyte made MANY women interested in Star Wars thanks to the fact that it was made and written by a woman who KNOWS what we really like, and that’s why it delivered a tremendous Female Gaze.

The Acolyte DOES deserve or deserved a second season. But as always, they’ve shown what their priorities are: to continually cater to the toxic crowd and the 40+ men who want to keep living in nostalgia and are stuck in The Empire Strikes Back."

[mydairpercabeth]

facecards so lethal i started watching star wars

[calkestis]

Jennifer Bryan, costume designer, about the design for "The Stranger" THE ACOLYTE

[monenblogi]

He had been careful for the first few weeks, really he had. Nose to the grindstone, trying to not have a heart attack over the absolute state of the cold case room alone, trying to also not end up dying from a pile of files falling on top of him in said cold case room, very simple things Manny was sure he had in line. 

Absolute bullshit, that was. And the beeping seemed to just follow— 

Now, dogs weren’t supposed to have caffeine. Manny knew better, knew that maybe the third one was a bad idea before everything had dropped to black.  

Piecing together everything was less than pleasant, but somehow not any worse than trying to figure out where the hell he ended up and what the best course of action he could take without landing an indecency charge. Judging by the trees and mixed smells, Manny was going to guess somewhere in the rich part of town—or the hills. Ears ringing, half stumbling as he wracked his brain. 

The last thing he could recall was dipping into the alley before his arm gave a violent crack... 

A cursory glance told him nothing. Maybe a few too much absences than most cops but nothing alarming. No suspicious history in his bank accounts. No alarming rate of complaints from civilians. Not even any history of reprimands from his higher ups. 

A clean cop. As clean as one can be, he supposed. 

“ Hm. “ He leaned back then, taking a long sip of his drink and abandoned the file for now to pull up the man’s location. Diverting camera links to have an eye on him. 

Just a man in a coffee shop in a new city that’s more unforgiving than most. Normal. Nothing out of the blue. Except there’s a slight tint  in the lens of the camera that makes him furrow his brow. It could just be an old one. That part of the city hasn’t received any new cameras in a long while. Budget cuts and other reasons. 

It could be nothing. 

He’s about to turn back towards the file to give it another glance when Alfred came down from upstairs to remind him to sleep. ( More like insisted really. ) And a simple command shuts down the computer to where it was left rolling the live footage of a coop having his drink. 

Nothing more. 

[oshamirs]

QIMIR in THE ACOLYTE 1.02 ⋄ Revenge/Justice

[jinprint]

"was that its name?"

rewatching the acolyte (well, parts of it) and i am currently obsessed with reading into the dialogue with a slightly different perspective. like during jecki's death:

sol: jecki!

the stranger: was that its name?

sol: she was a child.

the stranger [shrugging]: you brought her here.

the first time i watched this scene, i totally thought qimir called jecki "it" at first just to be a dick. but it really speaks to the fact that qimir finds the jedi's values and philosophies to be inherently broken.

was jecki a soldier or a kid? pick one. was she a tool or a child? if she was the latter, why would you bring her here to hunt down a criminal that already killed two masters? obviously this is not a person who will hesitate to kill jedi.

you treated her it like a tool, and now you see the consequences of that unfold right before you; hence qimir makes a point of this. (also interesting to wonder how this could tie into his backstory with vernestra)

why would you bring a kid there? is it the enemy's fault when you choose to bring a child to the battlefield? is the enemy really responsible for her death, or you?

referring to jecki as "it" is, i think, a jab at the jedi for treating their padawan as tools, for choosing specific moments to humanize them or weaponize them (perhaps as his master did to him?) it's not because he didn't see her as a person—it's because he doesn't believe that the jedi truly did.

"the jedi live in a dream... an acolyte kills the dream."

but that's just my two cents.

[monenblogi]

Abandoned—or it sounded like abandonment to him. Another likelihood he had considered but didn’t want to actually put to words. It spoke to the forgotten bit in the back of his head of how absolutely angry it made him. Stay calm, we’re dealing with it. 

Funny that the beast felt so upset about it. 

“You’ll stay with me then. Kids like you need somewhere to sleep.” Manny nodded like the choice was obvious enough. “How about... we talk about the rest in the morning. Think we’ve both had enough excitement for one night.” 

Straightening back out proved to be a bit of an effort for his knees, but Manny eventually managed and carefully took the girl’s free hand in his own. For a moment, he also considered taking his badge back but shook his head of the thought. It seemed almost comforting to her, no way he should take it if that was helping. “Keep a hold of that for me, okay?” 

He could worry about getting it back later. 

“Y’ got a name, kiddo?” A fair opener to distract the kid, keep her focused straight ahead and not on the mess they were leaving behind. “What about favorite food? Know a place that makes great chicken nuggets I can have delivered.” 

Manny might as well add that to the call list anyways. Get the kid fed, put some feelers out, get the scene cleaned before morning... Kris was going to kill him for this one, but they’d definitely understand. 

Max’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of him being a cop. On the one hand, cops protected people. That was their job. So maybe it would be safe to go with him. But on the other hand, she had hurt Colton. She’d been stealing food and stuff, lately. Max was a criminal, and cops arrested criminals.

And then he mentioned looking for her guardian and her face crumpled. It took everything in her to not just start bawling like a dumb baby right then and there. Just another reminder that she was alone. That her parents didn’t want her anymore because she was bad and dangerous and a monster.

It wasn’t fair, even if she did deserve it.

The green glow of her eyes had dimmed, leaving behind a warm brown colour. Still fearful, and now pained, as well. She shook her head, rubbed at her eyes. “M’not allowed to go back,” she admitted softly, guiltily, avoiding meeting his gaze.

Regardless of her living situation (or lack thereof), she took the man’s badge and started inspecting it. Max had no idea what she was looking for—it wasn’t like she actually knew what a detective badge was supposed to look like—but she looked it over carefully anyways.

“…Okay,” she said, handing it back. It wasn’t like she had many other choices but to go with him. She couldn’t go home, she didn’t want to stay here, so it was either go with Mr. Morales or try to run away and be all by herself again.

Frankly, even though he was kind of scary himself, Max thought she’d rather stay with someone that would keep her safe, even if it would only be temporary.

[monenblogi]

@normaltothemax - we don't remember where it went oh well lucy meet your new dad

Alright, so maybe he didn’t really get the full picture when he volunteered for foster care. Maybe he should’ve asked a few more questions that’d probably help shed a light onto why the social worker seemed to just make an immediate U-turn out the office. 

Kid couldn’t be all that bad, right? 

“... She always do that?” Manny pointed at the closing door before shaking his head. Right, this was the getting to know period. So he sat down in the, admittedly and rather comically, small chair. Oh, this was going to be hell on his knees... 

“So, you’re gonna be comin’ with me. Y’ got questions about that, kiddo?--and the room’s green, by the way.” 

[artsninspo]

COUNTERFEIT - one

➨ rio's library - good girl nbc

「 ✦ full library & archive ✦ 」

🍒 author's Note: back with another story! this is a multipart story. formerly known as cherries. it's a mix of the drinks series and forgiveless. Rio's more 'gang-friend' in this one. Enjoy ♥️

🍒 pairing: Rio (Good Girls) X Faith (Original Character) All my characters are black women.

🍒 word count: ~1.7K

🍒 summary: bad days lead to bars, friends, drinks and strangers.

🍒 one ~ cherry margaritas

If one more person calls me ungrateful I don't think I'll ever stop screaming. I shoot my sister a glare and her voice catches in her throat leaving her mouth open with words that will be left unsaid. Traitor. My anger is clear as day, and Char knows better than anyone that I've reached my limit. Amber, our ‘friend’ stops too looking up at me as I stand. I didn't invite Amber over for an earful, I invited her over for support. For fucks sake. The stare down comes to an end when Char closes her big mouth, swallowing.

“Faith” her tone is what it should have been all along but its too little too late. The call comes again but I'm halfway down the hall and to my bedroom. I walk into my closet angry at myself for thinking my sister would back me. I grab a coat and slip into a pair of baggy jeans. I kick my pumps from this evening's date night aside and grab a monogrammed bumbag.

“Faith” Amber says, wearing on my thinning patience.

“What?” I respond, casting a look over my shoulder.

“It’s not that we don't think you're great - I mean of course we do your the life of the party, you're so smart and funny”

“I’m glad I provide entertainment for you Amber” I respond and she places a hand on her chest. I brace for the perpetual state of victimhood that follows nice-nasty and outright mean.

“I didn't mean it like that!” Amber says. Whether it's fact or fiction makes no difference to me - my goal was to shut her up and when her nostrils flare I know I've achieved my goal.

“Don't be like that Faith, Jason is – being bored isn’t a reason to leave him. He literally worships you” Char continues. I wish her position was disappointing or surprising but it’s what I expect from Char now that she's been fully indoctrinated by our mothers social climb. Years of private school, country clubs and tennis lessons have her disillusioned.

“It’s fine, I don't expect you to understand” I snap, pushing past the both of them. 

“Where are you going, do you want me to come?” she asks, eyeing my casual attire.

“No, finish the wine and talk about how ungrateful I am” I respond slamming the front door to our condo. I rush to the elevator hoping they won't follow me and call a cab once I'm in the lobby. The wait is less than a minute. I turn off my location, blocking my sister, Amber and Jason for the night.

I’m too young to be so stressed, I've felt like I've been drowning for weeks as Jason turned the intensity up in our relationship in all the wrong ways. Trying to become bffs with my mother and Rick. Talking with the future, talking about expectations and children and houses. Why would anyone think I would sign up for a lifetime of the one I didn’t choose. The one Ma laid on her back and threw away everything she knew and held dear for. I’d never so eagerly trade my autonomy. I rate the driver five stars for the much appreciated silence and smile as my feet touch the pavement. I smell cigarettes and weed as patrons partake outside the bar. I can see it’s busy when I head in. Unlike anything in the heart of the city D’s place is truly one of one. Traditional wood counters, stools, a pool table, a jukebox, booth seating on one side, open space in the middle and a few table configurations for those who want to sit and talk. Everywhere is full tonight and it makes me happy for my friend as I head to the bar a man getting up to give me his stool. I look around for Diego smiling when I find him.

“Hey” I wave, and he comes over with top shelf tequila.  Smiling at my presence he makes a show of making my favorite drink a cherry margarita and tops it with five cherries. “Thanks” I beam saluting him before my first sip. “Perfection” I wince and he laughs.

“What’s up?” He asks and I chew on one of the cherries pushing the rest of them into the liquid in the hopes they absorb some of the liquor.

“Nothing much, I can help you bartend if you drive me home…” I suggest.

Diego dries a glass. “I don’t get off until three” 

“It’s fine” I shrug while having another swig.

“Doesn’t Jason usually get tickets to the big games? I was looking for you court side” He asks, looking up at the mounted TV in the bar.

“We broke up” I confess and he frowns, pausing his task.

“What’d he do? Do I need to fuck him up for you?” D asks, ready for war.

“Nothing, it just wasn’t going to work.” I admit taking another cherry. D gives me an unsure look before manning his bar. I watch the clock run out and drain the liquid from my glass, then I get behind the bar and get to work. Diego and I grew up together on the same block as kids. He spent a lot of time with me and my sister before the whispering started. People thought it was poor parenting to have him sleeping in a room with two girls. D would’ve never laid a finger on us. He moved away when I was ten and we reconnected after college. He became the big brother I never had. Now, he has his life together and I’m the wreck.

Time goes by when you’re having fun and D and I are an excellent team. Working, being busy, accomplishing something and being around D is grounding for me. There’s nothing we want from each other or hope to gain from our association and honestly it’s refreshing. D really has put everything into this place and it’s a pleasure to help him keep his patrons happy with good drinks and excellent customer service. It’s a sausage fest and the flirtation is harmless. Almost all of them are regulars and regular guys here to drink a few beers and watch the game. I make a show of eating the cherries from my glass gaining an audience, extra tips and looks of disapproving amusement from D. It's harmless rebellion, the kind of thing that Jason would spend hours scolding me for - not understanding I’m just joking around. Having a bit of fun. D’s bar is the kind of place that would make Jason itch. There’s no VIP seating, back room or slipping someone extra money to get better service. Honestly that behaviour may lead him to a black eye and pressing assault charges for his uppity ways. The thought makes me smile as the patrons file out,  I have so many tips there's no more space in my pockets so D gets me a jar. 

 By the time it’s three AM I’ve forgotten all about my breakup. D and the security clean off the tables and put the chairs up. I get the mop ready and clean the floors to save them from sticky floors when they come in later on today. The bell rings and the door opens to three men walking in. I wait for someone to tell them we’re closed but no one does. The tall slim one in all black sits at the bar and the other two go into the back. My heart rate slows as I look around for D, when I don't see him I keep my head down mopping until D comes from in the back. He greets the man and pours him something top shelf.I continue mopping until I see Diego motioning for me to come over. I do and he looks nervous. He hands me his keys. “Go wait in the car” he says handing me his keys.

“My coat” I remind D, and he nods, getting it from behind the bar for me.

“I don’t remember hiring you,” the guy drinking at the bar says, stopping me in my tracks. His voice is smooth and his eyes are too easy for him to be anything but trouble. The tattoo on his neck tells me he’s bad news, as well as how rigid D’s posture is behind me.

“She’s a friend, came to help me out” Diego says, being oddly submissive. I look up at him confused. He has at least a hundred pounds of muscle on this guy and he’s afraid of no one. The guy turns to face us and his hands go in his pockets as he gives me a slow once over. He’s hard to read.

“I didn’t know we needed help and I don’t remember getting a text that you’d have someone else closing with you” he adds. His speech is slow and calm which adds to the sense of danger about him.

“I was headed home, came by for a drink and it was getting crazy in here. I just wanted to help out” I explain and the man gives a half smile but it only makes me more uneasy.

“There are health codes, forms, certifications and things we need in case something comes up or a by-law officer stops by.  I need to know who’s behind my bar. Who’s serving my customers.” he doubles looking at D.

“I said she’s a friend,” Diego grits in response. The man’s jaw clenches but he turns around.

“Shit hits the fan, you’ll have to deal with it, not me” he says going back to his drink and I hurry out of the bar. I have a million questions but I don’t ask any the entire ride home. My mind goes to a hundred scenarios, landing on one every time if D needed money why didn't he ask me for some. If it was for protection didn’t he know better than to get mixed up with men like … whoever that was? The car slows to a stop in front of my condo and he puts it in park handing my tips.

“Take care, and if Jason needs a clue let me know” he says before kissing my cheek.

“Thanks” I smile and he hands me another jar. I smile when I realize they’re tequila soaked cherries. “Sorry for the trouble” I apologize.

“My cousin is OCD about people,” he shrugs.

“Ok” I nod wondering why I don't know this one of Diego’s cousins or that he was the bar owner. I don't push, instead I hug my friend and trust our bond before heading into the building, into the elevator and into the apartment I share with my sister.

authors note: well that's all for now folks. see you around for the next part. don't forget to ❣ Like, ❝ Comment, ↺ Reblog

click here to ✮ join taglist ✮ and be notified when it drops.

tags: @meadows5 @wnbweasley @becauseimher @ariiaeltheedonn @woahthatshitfat @miniaturehideoutmentality @kokobells @ffenthusiastt @sowhatariyana @1xtral1983 @theegoddessofmelanin @fictionalreads @roxytheimmortal @fairytale07 @rampsen

[bootsysblog15]

Me bcs my hubby (a cunty sith with insane hot takes and the blood of my favorite characters on his hands) wasnt in the episode

[monenblogi]

"Mm. 3 food places in this shithole and maybe only one gets the coffee right 50% of the time.” Something to also be said about small town living but he couldn’t think of it at that moment. He huffed around a bite of his own food and grimaced for emphasis. 

Alright, so maybe the senses were still a bit higher strung than usual... 

“Might be safer...” A beat as he seemed to psyche himself up for another bite. Equally terrible, why’d the beast have to be like this. “Y’ staying at the fancy hotel with the fake bear then? Heard they actually budgeted to make proper suits on the middle floors with kitchenettes.” A short pause. 

“’course, I’m thinking that’s a lie. No way they had the money for it.” 

"Is it?"

She quirks a brow, arms crossing over her chest for a second as she cants her head to the side. ADMITTEDLY that was hardly the first time someone tried to WARN her about bad food. She'd only been in town a WEEK and that was perhaps the FIFTH time she'd heard that already.

"I think I'm going to just start grocery shopping instead."

THE MENTION of fruit only makes her more skeptical, considering the fact that MUCH LIKE MEAT, fruit could be a slippery slope if one wasn't careful, and it goes without saying that she's not in the market for trouble.

[chibifox2002]

POV: You called him cute.

Reference photos under cut (pics of real moth)

[knific]

oh trophy and cup cousins hc

[fhrlclln]

beautiful strangers | yao

SUMMARY -> in a moment of relaxation by the pool, you think about your wellness assistant. and he happens to be thinking about you too, more than he had denied himself of the thought.

yao x fem! reader

masterlist

GENRE -> nsfw/smut

WARNINGS -> leaving his relationship w/ masha & delilah ambiguous here (open to interpretation), mentions of drugs & nonconsensual drugging, sexual tension, inner conflicts, protected p in v, oral sex (both!reaciving) & fingering.

WC -> 6.89k

a/n: once again, i have only watched about 4 episodes. lmaoo. don’t know if yao is ooc in this but focus on the sexual tension cuz i certainly had the time on writing it!! hope you all liked thisss

likes, comments and reposts are greatly appreciated !! <3

enjoy !!

the sun hits your skin nicely, as the pool water cools it.

you let out a relaxed sigh, loving that you’re the only one in the community pool right now, swimming alone. by swimming, just floating around until the tips of your toes and fingers wrinkle. to say you actually like your stay here in the elusive but beautiful house of tranquillum. as skeptical as you are with their ways of… healing. the resort’s commodities and nature make up for it. a wellness retreat was not part of your plans, but you needed a break from all the recent stress that has been going on in your life. so, when you heard of a remote wellness retreat in california, why not? nothing would go wrong with surrounding yourself with these… spiritual healers?

your feet splash lightly in the water, and you adjust yourself on the pool noodle that’s helping you stay afloat. your rayband sunglasses sit perfectly on the bride of your nose, shielding your eyes from the scorching sun’s rays of light. your thoughts are dead silent; the water and sun are the only things you feel. but now it drifts carelessly to a certain man you cannot stop thinking about since your stay here.

pale honey skin, face defined and chiseled, dark brown eyes that turn into a honey-brown color when it hits the sun, voice soft and gentle, lips rosy and kissable, muscled arms, and long black hair that's always tied in a man-bun.

god, you crave for the man.

your thighs rub against each other at the thought of him. by him, yao- your wellness assistant in this retreat. oh, eyes were immediately drawn to him, you remembered. how soft and light his voice was when he greeted you with a smile. namaste.

he was pretty in the eyes, but you weren't that incredibly deprived to want to do anything with him. you merely treat him as some other pretty commodity the tranquillum offers. one for you to stare at when he isn't looking, or you don't care if he is looking either way. you only had about 8 days left in the retreat. what was the point of throwing yourself to an attractive staff of the place? you just decided that admiring him would be enough and that the thought of him satiates your fantasies the nights you have gone to bed, coming undone thinking of him.

the pattern of footsteps makes your head tilt up as a mischievous grin settles on your face. the man you were just thinking of greets you with a smile in return.

"a quick swim before the banquet?" he starts off lightly, seeming amused at how fast you were to lounge in the pool after returning from doing the activity in the forest. earth-day, as they all coined it.

"mhm." you nod, relaxing your head again on the pool noodle.

"how was earth-day for you?" ah, there he goes with his questions. you amusingly think as you let out a relaxed sigh.

"very nurturing. naturey." you merely answer, shrugging. "then i swam naked in a river with delilah."

he lets out a chuckle. your eyes beneath your sunglasses follow his every move as he walks by the pool's edge, scrunching up his pants to his knees as he sits down now, his feet dangling in the water. he looks a little tense, but he hid it pretty well.

“what’s wrong?” you ask, letting the pool noodles on your head and feet go as you splash against the water. you stand on your tiptoes, water leveled to your chin as you removed your glasses to look at him. he masks his surprise at your question as he shakes his head, still showing you a small smile on his lips. you reel into that.

“nothing.” he answered you. “i hoped the activity made you want to open yourself to us. as you opened yourself to nature.”

“i did.” you quietly said, remembering the conversation you had in the jacuzzi. though, you weren’t the one opening up to anyone, you were there just to hear it.

yao looks at you, uncertain what to say next. usually, there’s a script in his mind from how long he has been working here, and treating guests, like you. except, you weren’t the same as everyone else. he had observed this, so had masha, you were like a tough nut to crack. always masking yourself in this mysterious but comforting persona, deflecting easily whatever words of comfort they say. but that wasn’t the thing that troubles him now.

you look like a siren seducing him in the blue pristine water.

the moment you stepped in the tranquillum, he couldn’t stop thinking about how your eyes stared at him. how your lashes fluttered when you said namaste back to him. how easy and kind you are not to argue with him when he had to kindly take your phone. how carefree and curious you are to explore the resort. but he admires your strong will not to tell what you were suffering. not even masha could spill it out of you.

he craves to know that… he craves to heal it. he craves to hear your vulnerable voice tell him what troubled you, and why you were here. he imagines you’d cry, then he’ll hold you in his arms while he soothes you with his words of comfort and healing. you’ll thank him with puffy eyes and tear-stained lips.

“you’re staring.” you say, swimming towards him. he holds his breath for a moment, you are now a bit closer to him. your face just a mere step away from his legs submerged in the water. indeed, you look like a siren eyeing her prey to a lonely and gullible sailor. the sailor being him.

“apologies.” he merely says again. it troubles him to think of the desire pooling in him as you smiled at him. you were a guest, he was your wellness consultant. what would masha think of him now?

“we’re beautiful strangers, aren’t we?” you suddenly say, as you swam to the pool steps, ready to get out. your body swayed a bit with each step you took. his eyes stared at the dripping water from your hips to your thighs running down to your bare legs. he rakes his gaze further up slowly, appreciating how the ray of orange light from the horizon hitting your skin perfectly. how that subtle slow drip of water from your chin goes down to your neck then to the swell of your bikini-covered chest.

“don’t worry.” you say with a whisper as you got out of the pool, grabbing your towel as you wrapped it around you. he snaps out of his trance, looking away from you for a moment, ashamed. have you noticed his stare again?

you tilt your head inquisitively to the side, putting on a subtle sly grin. “i like to stare at beautiful things too.”

he looks back into your eyes, his heart beating loudly. he feels like you can see through and that frightens him a bit. before he could say something, you leave him there alone. but you don’t leave his mind not once as he runs his hand across his face. the water freezes his calfs as he grits his jaw, trying his hardest not to think about you again. he closes his eyes, opting to meditate now for a bit, hoping it would clear his mind.

he doesn’t want to think about you again.

・゜゜・．

the banquet was something. it started off as fun the first part, all the guests danced around the bonfire. he smiles, dancing with delilah for a bit then choosing to just stay put and watch the other guests have fun. yet… you were not here as he looks around slyly. hoping his other co-workers wouldn’t notice his frequent scan of the entire area. but luckily, it wasn’t just him noticing your absence.

“have you seen her?” delilah asked beside him in whisper, pertaining to you. “masha is about to arrive.”

“no. i haven’t.” he says, usually he would have an answer than he doesn’t know. delilah stares at him confusingly, and he lets out a sigh. “i’ll fetch her in her room.”

“all right.” she thanked him as he headed back to where your private lodgings were. the lights were dim as he walked through the familiar hallway to your room. the curtains are still drawn up, making the moonlight seep in as he hears your voice, humming a relaxed tune.

he takes a short inhale, readying himself as the lights come from your room near his periphery. the first thing he notices when he enters the threshold is you, sitting by the vanity, putting on a rogue lipstick on your soft lips. his heart starts to beat into a familiar rhythm that bugged him. you were focused on applying the satin red lipstick on your lips, meticulously perfecting how it would look. he doesn't say anything in greeting but the moment your eyes meet his through the mirror, he goes quiet. and you smiled in greeting.

"is the banquet starting?" your soft voice echoes through the room. he leans on the wall next to him, crossing his arms.

"yes. dinner is about to start." your eyes focused on where the bulge of his muscles and veins on his arms peek out. he's wearing a white button-down, sleeves rolled to his elbows and his hair tied as usual.

"sorry." you grinned, putting down your lipstick as you quickly did a final retouch before standing up. "party must be missing out on all the fun if you're here to escort me there."

he chuckles at that as his eyes rake over your figure. you're wearing a long dress that hugs your curves, the leopard print you chose to wear for tonight, something bold and daring. you seem to catch his eyes as you walk towards him then motioning to your dress.

"do i look good?" you asked, and he immediately looked up to your grinning face. the crimson stain on your lips entices him. he feels somewhat dizzy all of a sudden. he doesn't know if it's the wine that's affecting him or... just you.

"you look beautiful." he says, his tone a bit lower and intimate. as if you were his lover he's appreciating. even though you were just a stranger to him that he felt oddly too connected with. we're beautiful strangers, aren't we? your words echoed in his head, his chest rises as he blinks, trying to focus ahead of the protocol and such.

"thank you." your smile didn't leave your face as you neared him, ready go to the banquet. "let's go."

your bare arm brushes against his skin for a moment, and your sweet scent fills his nostrils making his whole control snap. the look of your eyes flash through his mind, knowing and seducing him. the way you looked at him in the pool, he knew you were feeling the same as him. before you could even get past him, he immediately grabbed your elbow, making you let out a noise of surprise.

"is there something wrong-" your question dies down from your lips when you stare into his dark eyes. how close your face is to his. you can clearly see something stirring inside those dark brown orbs. yao 's brow furrowed, and suddenly, he felt panic arise in him about how close he was to you.

"oh..." you say and your head cocks to the side. you seem to piece something together as you only say something that triggered him now.

"don't hold back." you softly whispered, as if you knew the fight he had with himself to not let his irrational thoughts come alive. it's as if the roles were reversed, he wasn't the one consoling a guest crumbling with their inner self. you were the one now softly telling him to let go.

"i-" he stutters, trying to apologize, but your lips gently brush against his. his hold on your arm tightens, and you merely grin at him as he surges forward. all careful resistance for you in him is gone.

soft. he thinks, as his lips land on yours. addicting. his hands went down to your waist as you eagerly reciprocated back. choosing to place your hands on his chest, feeling for his loud heartbeat. his eyes are tightly shut, still feeling rigid. how all of this feels wrong. he shouldn't be kissing you. he shouldn't be kissing a guest when his main purpose is to help you get well. where was his mantra? where did it go? all the rules he set for himself are now gone in this moment. how your lips moved heatedly against his are the only thing on his mind.

his body moves on its own accord. desperate to hold you close to him. your warm body pressing against his. his mind cries in pain. telling himself to stop, but he can't. your little noises between kisses has his whole core shaking. how sweet your lips tasted, how perfect his hands roam carefully around your curves. he imagines this moment, that this was a normal day he had back when he wasn't involved with masha. that you were his date that night and he's kissing you until you beg for him to join him in your room. that this was all not happening in the tranquillum. that he's just a normal guy, kissing a beautiful woman. not a man who blindly schemed with a woman who claims to make suffering people find peace in their 10-day wellness journey.

but the fantasy disperses when you pull away from him.

there's a moment of silence when you just look at him. he licks his lips, tasting your lipstick on his tongue. he feels his whole body shudder when he sees your perfectly stained rogue lips are now slightly smudged. he looks back, looking deflated, and he realizes he did something wrong. would masha see this? knowing she has a lot of security cameras hiding in every part of the tranquillum. every guest is monitored. he squeezes your hips, looking away from you with shame enveloping him entirely.

"you should go ahead." you say, always ahead of him before he could say something. he stiffens, dropping his hands from your hips. his hands clenching momentarily before he forces them to dangle by his sides. you merely smiled at him again. not once did a flash of regret like he has appeared on your face. you enjoyed it. "wipe your lips before you go. i'm going to fix my lipstick again."

he winces at that. "that was inappropriate of me. i-i... apologize." he says, pertaining to the kiss. his head hangs low as your hand on his chest pulls back, and he almost wants to place it back there again. above his beating heart.

"don't worry. i'm glad you didn't hold back." you said before moving away from him to go back to your vanity. you leave him there in his own shame. he forces himself to walk out of your room, wiping his hands over his lips harshly. it stained his fingertips, and that made him want to run away. but he chooses to stay in the lobby. his mind is clouded and he wants to bury himself in the soil. and a question in his mind hangs around in the air.

was he glad that he didn't hold back?

eventually, both of you arrive shortly before masha could arrive. yao still had the decency to help you sit next to frances. pulling your chair back like the gentleman he is. but he doesn't make eye contact with you, fearing others might realize what you two did in your room if he looked at you. your face remained the same, face neutral as if no problem had occurred. your lips are perfectly red, without any evidence of the smudge he did on them. he's suddenly self-conscious, wondering if others could see the light red stain on his own lips.

masha arrives, and she greets them all. yao helps her to her seat as he stands beside her while she does her opening words for the banquet. you watch with observing eyes, gaze flickering back to yao. he feels your eyes on him, his own resolve crumbling for a moment as he looks back at you wearily.

before all of you can sit down, masha looks at you with amusement dazzling in her eyes. you look back at her as she turns to yao momentarily. he's silent from what you can see from your distance. she looks at you again, something in her piercing blue eyes telling you that she knows something. it doesn't bother you as you merely smile back, a little wider than usual. his jaw clenches when he notices the eye contact between you and masha.

it seems his appetite for roasted goat is subtly gone now, and shame and desire are filling his stomach.

the night doesn't end for everyone. after the fun in the banquet died down when masha was asked if she was medicating all of the guests, and she reluctantly told the truth. microdosing apparently. when those words left her mouth and her justification that this has been a protocol they have been formulating for the past years, and you didn't want to hear any more of it. you stood up, leaving them to argue with themselves. yao had watched you leave, saying you were going to turn in for the night. no one had argued back, their attention solely on masha, who they were furious with for the moment. there, he sees a flicker of something other than a smile or amusement across your face. he almost wants to follow you, a nervousness in him thinking that your view of him has changed. not that it should matter to him, he was just a part of helping all of the guests- including you, get well.

but he remained glued to his spot. listening to masha talking to troy and the others, defending herself. eventually, all guests started to leave the table, upset at the fact they were illegally drugging them without their consent. a hand lightly touches his. he looks at masha as she smiles.

"give her some time." she says, her accent thick and comforting. "and try again." he ponders at that, knowing she was pertaining to you. but nonetheless, he obeys masha.

"i will." he gulps.

・゜゜・．

he doesn't know how many hours have passed as he stares at the ceiling of his room. the wind gently breezes in from his opened window. the wind chimes by the door gently making a sound along the breeze of the cold night. his mind is in disarray, flickering back and forth to the thoughts of you. to your lips, your body against his, your smudged lipstick that stained your chin because of him, and your face at that moment in the banquet.

you were upset.

he knows it. how your eyes subtly lost that amusement and curiosity and turned into a profound show of betrayal. what caused that reaction? he wonders. it was obvious that if he were a guest and he was presented with the information of being non-consensually drugged- or medicated... he would be upset. but that wasn't the problem; he knew you'd be much more amused based on how you have been acting since you arrived here. as masha had said to him, you were something. you had no background information whatsoever on past traumas... you just came here... for fun?

his brows furrowed as he sat up, his hair tousled and messy. he runs his fingers through his locks, something in him beckoning him to go to you. he needs to know what you were truly here for. and, most importantly... why did you let him kiss you? was it for fun as well? he wonders as he picks his shirt up on the chair and stands up. he hastily puts it on, grabbing his flashlight, no hesitation now to go to you. he doesn't care if masha or delilah or the others would question him tomorrow. he just needs to know...

what hurts you?

it was a grueling walk to get to your lodgings. each step he took had him wondering if this impulse he was acting out on was right. certainly, he knew kissing you wasn't right. he was your wellness consultant, you were a guest. what happened between you two was a mistake. he's sure of that... or is he?

his view of your place comes into view, the lights are out but your backdoor was opened, and he suddenly stops in his steps. he shouldn't. his mind roars, and he almost turns back until...

"yao?" your soft voice comes from somewhere. he stiffens, head immediately looking to where you are. he sees you slowly emerge from the darkness in front of him. his flashlight illuminates your figure, he sees that you're wearing a cotton robe that's opened to reveal your silk black nightgown. he gulps, guessing you wanted a late-night walk.

"can't sleep?" he asks, and you nod, crossing your arms due to the cold breeze.

"what are you doing here?" you eye him curiously.

"just..." he tries to lie, but he can't anymore. "i think we should talk inside your room." he immediately says, going closer to you to grab your wrist. you don't say anything but let him drag you back inside your private lodgings through the backdoor that's opened. once you two are inside, he closes it shut, drawing the curtains to really get some privacy. he turns to you, readying himself but you surprise him again.

"i like your hair like this." you softly said, fingers touching the stray strands of his long hair that are not bound by a hair tie on the side of his face. his chest rises at the sensation of your hand brushing gently against his cheek. he grips your hand softly in return, not swatting it away.

"the kiss..."

"...was a mistake?" you grinned. "didn't feel like a mistake, though."

he stutters yet again, slowly lowering your hand down but not letting go. and then, his eyes suddenly catch the smoothie he made for you earlier before the banquet. not an ounce was drunk, and was just sitting perfectly on your bedside table, right where he had placed it.

"you didn't drink it." he says and your grin slowly disappears at that.

"i don't like the drugs in it." you say, and he realizes that you must have known much earlier than all of the guests about the microdosing.

"you don't have to worry. it's completely legal, and we tailor it to your health records. so the dosage we give you is perfectly fine-"

"i still don't want it in me." your words are sharp. and there, he can see that flicker of sadness in your eyes.

"...would you like to tell me why?" he gently asks, going in slow to ease you out. you shake your head.

"it doesn't matter."

"it matters to me." he says, his thumb caressing your skin. you look away now, shrugging. he waits patiently. "your wellness is my concern."

“so drugging me is part of that?” your brows furrow.

“medicating you- it’s different. it’s part of the protocol masha has implemented to all guests here.” he explained. but there is a moment of doubt for that. he believes that masha planned this for a greater cause.

“how is that normal?” your voice grows thick, you’re about to say something else but you hold back. yao frowns at that. “just… forget about it. i don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“talking helps.” he whispered. “what troubles you with this?”

there’s a moment of hesitation seen on your face. you inhale sharply, ignoring his soft look he has on. a look that brings comfort, an easy facade he takes to get a guest to let it all out.

“…why did you hold back before kissing me?” you suddenly asked. his facade breaks momentarily. he almost got it out of you. but you knew well to play this game.

“that’s…- we’re talking about you.”

“well it is you kissing me.”

he sighs, wanting to end this right now. but no, he came here for one thing. and that one thing is you.

“i… i don’t know.” he stutters.

“you know.” you push on. his mind is in a loop again. for a moment, you watch him fight his inner self again.

“you’re something.” he finally confessed. “something that i can’t understand. something so new to me. you came here so different from all the other guests. not struggling, not crying on the first day… and that made me feel too intrigued with you. you don’t weep, don’t say nothing what troubles you.” he takes a breath before finally saying it, looking deep into your eyes.

“you have been in my mind all day and night since you came here.”

“is that a bad thing?” your lashes fluttered, your voice is making him in a trance as you take a step closer to him.

“it is.” he gulps. “you’re a guest. that ruins the protocol-“

“but you still chose to kiss me.”

“it was out of impulse.“

“but you let go.” you argued and he nods at that.

“i did.” he nods again. he feels like a fool now, oh how the tables have turned. you had the upper hand again.

“kiss me again.” you lift your chin up, how close your face is to his in this moment. he shuddered, his other hand goes to your hip unconsciously. he shakes his head and you smiled, lips so close to his. your hot breath fanning against his chin.

“and to be fair…” you whispered, looking down at his trembling lips. “you have been on my mind since day one as well, yao.”

and there his whole world crumbled. he kisses you, forgetting everything he had meticulously planned. it wasn’t soft as before. he kisses you like he’s a man desperate for everything. you kissed him back eagerly. your mouth slightly opens and he pushes his tongue in, holding you close as you grabbed the fabric of his loose shirt. gripping it tight as you start to walk backwards to your bed, leading him there. his brows furrow, knowing where this would all lead.

fuck it.

fuck it all. fuck the protocol. and all the justification he has in his head that this would lead to utter chaos. fuck what masha thinks about this. he hastily breaks the kiss for a moment, clutching his shirt as he messily takes it off him. your eyes gaze down to see his perfectly toned chest and abdomen. you can’t help but let your hand caress his skin. he looks at you with a tender expression, seeing how you wanted him so bad as well.

“i want you.” you whispered. “don’t think of anything. just think of us.” you tell him softly and he nods. he can do that.

he then watches you take a step back. shrugging your robe off, letting it fall to the floor. his eyes rake over your figure, your nipples peaking through the thin fabric of satin. he waits, seeing your fingers fiddle with the lace straps as you let it fall off your shoulders. and the rest came falling down to the floor. you smirk, beckoning him to come closer.

you stand there, naked as ever. his cock stirs in his cotton pants, you had no underwear beneath that nightgown, and that made him surge forward to kiss you again. his large hands went to your bare hips, motioning you to jump up. and you did, wrapping your legs around his waist as he grips your plump ass. fuck, you felt to soft in his arms. how your bare chest pressed warmly against his. his heart beats loudly as he walks towards your large bed, plopping you down gently while he immediately hovers above you.

“so pretty.” he whispered, kissing the tip of your nose down to your lips, chin, then to the appetizing bare neck. you let out a soft sigh of pleasure, your hand caressing his broad back as he littered kisses and bites on your neck.

“you’re pretty.” you grinned, your other hand going downwards to his pants. he lets you pull it down with his help, tossing it to the floor as well. his cock springs out and he sighs heavenly when your hand brushes his tip for a moment.

“we’re beautiful strangers, right?” he mirrors your words. you laugh at that, how fitting it is that you two are still complete strangers to one another in this very moment.

“we are.” you smiled and everything feels like a fever dream.

he explores your body with tenderness. kissing his way down of your bare body. treating you like a goddess that has graced him with this blessing of letting him have you. his lips trace against the peak of your breasts, kissing them softly while he descends down to kiss the soft flesh of your abdomen. he praises you all the way, loving the way you let little moans out of his name. his big hands grip your thighs, ushering you to open up. wanting to see the prize between your legs.

you obeyed him, spreading your legs wide open as he is blessed with the sight of you glistening before him. his mouth waters, kissing your inner thigh. he eagerly moves down to kiss the center of your cunt. you shudder at his ministrations, and he smiles at that, kissing your wet entrance again. the taste of you having him go wild. how sweet and delectable you are. he’s like eve in the moment, the forbidden apple the devil presented her seduces her to taste it… to eat it.

and he did. he sins, lapping your glistening cunt before him. sucking your clit while he alternates to lapping his tongue on your vulva. you moaned, gripping his long locks. bucking your hips up at the wave of pleasure he’s doing. you’re so wet for him, he almost wants to pull away and shove himself in you, knowing he’ll slide in so easily. he licks, he sucks, he hungers, but it doesn’t satiate him. he wants more- oh, how greedy he is.

his free hand joins in. one finger prodded in your clenching entrance. he works his magic, making you whine out his name. you’re so tight against his finger. his cock stirs, his other hand going down to touch himself while he eats you out and fingering you at the same time. sweat glistens both of your bodies. your back arches when the tip of his fingers hits a spot in you while he sucks your clit. you seem to can’t take it anymore as you wiggled your hips wildly.

he stops, sensing your distress. he detaches his face from your cunt, all his willpower to sit up on his knees as he licked his lower lip. you blink lazily, seeing his chin shine with your wetness. his fingers are still rubbing your stimulated pussy. his chest rises as you move to sit up. your eyes are focused, focused on his cock in his other hand.

“come here.” you command him and he obeys. you then swat his hand away from his prick, your soft hand replacing his and he groans at that. you pump him slowly, you wet your lips as you tentatively lick his tip. his head tilted back, bucking his hips up at the sensation of your tongue.

“fuck… you’re-“ his words are cut off when you take him in your mouth. your tongue swirls around his tip and he grips the back of your head as you then start to take him all in your mouth. he was so big, he wonders if you’ll swallow him whole. you moan, it vibrates through him as he thrusted his hips up, making you gag. but you don’t falter, you just take a deep breath as you suck him off now.

“baby… god, that feels so good.” he says, trying to stay still as you did your magic. “you’re so good.”

you bob your head back and forth, sucking him off. your tongue swirling around as you hollow your cheeks. your other hand gripped the remaining length that’s remaining while your other grips his sack. his eyes are watering, he bites his lip hard as he pushes your head forward. you gag, and he moans out your name. he’s almost there but he doesn’t want to end this yet.

he gently moves back, you whine when his cock slips out of your mouth. he gently ushered you to lay back down. you obeyed him, laying on your back. he slots himself between your legs, gripping his wet cock but he goes rigid. you sense his distress as you grinned, motioning to your bedside drawer.

“i have some condoms in there.” you reassured him. he nods, relieved as he hastily goes to get it. he’s amused you brought condoms, and he wonders why.

“always ready, huh?” he teased and you roll your eyes at him.

“you never know.” you say with a low sultry tone. he chuckles, ripping the coil cover off as he fishes the condom out. he rolls it on his cock as he comes back to you. he pumps himself, his whole shame was gone now as he rubs his tip against your vulva.

“yao…” you moaned. he positions himself, propping himself on his elbow beside your head. his other hand guides him to enter you slowly. your back arched as you feel him fill you up. he kisses you again, this time as soft as the first time you two kissed. he shuddered at the sensation of your walls welcoming him warmly.

he closes his eyes at the sensation as he bottoms himself in you. he lets out a noise of pleasure as your hands gripped his biceps. and there, everything feels perfect. he starts a rhythm, a slow one, grinding himself as you clench around him. he opens his eyes now, wanting to see your face. your brows are furrowed, not the ones of sadness, but of the pleasure he’s giving you. his heart is beating loudly as he thrusts in and out of you.

your bodies move against each other. kisses are shared and words of praises are thrown back. the sensation of sweat and warmth of both your bodies makes it all the more satisfying. both of you are focused to each other. he’s forgetting for a moment that he’s in the tranquillum. that he’s just making sweet love to you in his apartment back in l.a. that you are just his lovely girlfriend, and he’s not your wellness consultant at the moment. just a normal night.

but that fantasy will soon end as he pounds into you. his release is almost there and doesn’t want to cum yet. your moans are getting louder, your legs are wrapped around his waist as he sucks your nipple. he thrusts in you more roughly, fucking you into completion. his hair dangling, brushing against your warm cheeks. he lets out a strained moan, feeling you clench around him tight as you cum wildly. fuck, he can feel your juices coat his cock as he pounds into you. how warm you are as he feels himself nearing his high.

he doesn’t want this moment to end.

god, he hoped this was a dream. a dream that will have him forgetting about it tomorrow. but he knows better as his last thrust has him moaning your name out. his orgasm hits him hard, filling in the condom as his chest heaves. everything dies down as he let himself savor the moment of him inside you. your breaths are heavy, and he forces himself to pull himself out as you whined at that. he gently hushes you, kissing your lips and cheeks. he weakly lays beside you now on your bed. the cool cotton sheets helping him relax.

you then proceeded to snuggle against him. he welcomes you in his arms, your head laying on his chest as you rest your leg around his lower abdomen. his hand caresses your bare back as you two just lay in silence. he just looks up to the ceiling, not knowing what to feel. you seem to sense his stirring distress as your hand caressed his sweaty chest.

what will masha think of him now? that question repeats in his head.

“she knows.” you suddenly say. he stiffens at that as his hand on your back stops its movements. he looks down at you and you look back at him, and for a moment he sees your eyes gaze to the corner. he follows your gaze, seeing the potted big plant in the corner of your room. the glint of something in there making him feel nervous.

“i know.” he nods, sighing to himself as he caresses your back again. your bare body against his the only thing keeping the running thoughts in his mind go away. there’s a slight tension between you two until you break it.

“…my friend was addicted to drugs back then. that’s why i don’t like it.” you suddenly confessed. he blinks at that, his stomach fluttering at your sudden words.

“are you scared of consuming it?” he asks and you nod. you have a look of regret plastered across your face.

“not back then…” you shrugged. “i was young. wanted to try new things and… i got her into it.” he listens, as you tell him about what you had experienced years ago. you don’t cry in his arms just like he imagined when you finally told him what was bothering you about the microdosing. you just talk… without that barrier between you being a guest and him being your wellness consultant. and that makes him feel somewhat more contented than ever. he as well opens up to you. it has been a long time since he talked to someone in a normal way about what happened in his life before he had saved masha from her gunshot wound as an emt back then. the normalcy of just having a casual conversation, it just…

it felt right.

and his own fight with his inner self dies down. you’re now sleeping soundly in his arms. he’s still awake but the lull of drowsiness is telling him to rest. he snuggles his face against the back of your neck. his arm wrapped securely around your waist as he looks at the smoothie you didn’t drink this day. he has an inkling feeling all his beliefs he put on for the tranquillum and masha are starting to change.

and in the morning, he doesn’t put anything in your smoothie or meals, forgetting the protocol all together.

・゜゜・．

you watch in silence from a distance, the night’s wind breezes past your face as the blaring red and blue lights of cop cars come into view. you watch as masha is taken in, looking euphoric, as if she’s happy to be taken away by the police, in peace. you merely let out a small smile watching the chaos drizzle down. it was fun to watch all the things that happened in these past 10 days of wellness. before masha could get in the cop car, she looked to where you were standing and offered you a kind smile of goodbye. you smile back, waving, even though you still don’t like her.

it was somehow melancholic in a sense of how this all ended. despite the drugs, the deceiving and the sketchy things masha have done, it did however made all the guests here- actually find peace in the end of suffering. although, for you, it was almost like a funny story you watched in the distance.

you clutch your cotton robe around you, feeling the chillness in the air. your eyes wandered to where a figure was walking towards you, and your smile widens as yao stops a few feet away from you.

“is this a goodbye?” you start, tilting your head to the side a bit as you gauge his reaction. he looks solemn, as if there’s a weight on his shoulders that has finally disappeared.

“if you want to.” he puts his hands inside his pockets, the cold air seeming to affect him as well. his tone is soft but there’s a slight sound of hope in there towards you. your eyes sparkled at his words, he steps closer to you and you stay in your place. your heart beating with anticipation.

“well…” you say as he takes your hand into his, looking deeply in your eyes. “it’s a good thing i don’t want to.” you whisper into the night and he smiles.

“i’m glad.” he softly says as he raises your hand to press a chaste kiss on top of it. you don’t say anything else, liking the comforting silence, you intertwined your hand with his as you both start walking back to the resort, hand in hand.

and this weird trip you went to, did earn you a happy ending as well.

[cosmicwhoreo]

Vezzer doodles I'm too tired to describe

+Manny cameo because I can he belong to @chibifox2002

I'm takin a nap now gnite