#maybe i won't lose my nerve and will keep this up for like more than five minutes

[whatswrongwithblue]

Reader does actually try to walk off a cliff and Alastor catches them and gets furious and sexy about it and pounds Vexi... I mean reader into the mattress so hard she can't walk anymore and he ends up laughing saying 'let's see you try to do that again now your legs won't work'

Beta'd by @inuhalfdemon

For my darling @redvexillum, I know you're Overtime Vexi right now; working hard on the Discord server, keeping up with daily Kinktober posts, and also literally working an IRL job. This is a no pressure gift to you. Read when you have time and need a little pick me up. I even based Reader off of your avatar on your blog and used language specifically from my favorite fic of yours . . . you know the one *wink wink*.

TRIGGER WARNINGS!: suicide ideation, suicide attempt, depression, mental illness, dissociation, possesive Alastor, Alastor owns Reader's soul, sex as punishment, angry sex, oral (fem receiving), p/v sex, shadow tendrils/tentacles, bondage, use of a gag, overstimulation, lack of aftercare, begging, dom/sub dynamic.

Falling

The warm night breeze ghosted through your hair; a gentle lover’s caress across the back of your neck. It calmed your nerves as you looked down at the drop below and you closed your eyes, thinking you could almost hear the wind telling you to take that final step.

Just one little step.

A few seconds of falling.

Then darkness. Nothing. Peace.

The wind kicked up a little harder, fanning out your wings, and nearly making you lose your balance. You gasped and flailed your arms, catching your balance before you fell.

A stupid lingering human instinct to save yourself. Your body’s nervous system fighting against what your mind desperately wanted.

You took a deep, steadying breath in, and tucked your wings in. They were tiny; pink and membranous things that seemed more for aesthetic than any kind of purpose. It’s not like you could fly with them. They were no more useful than your asymmetrical horns when it came to that skill only very few Sinners were lucky enough to have. And they weren’t even very demonic looking, as far as demon appendages went. Both your horns and your wings were pink, slightly darker shades than the pastel of your skin and hair. Even your fucking irises were pink.

While you quite loved pink as a human, it just felt insulting down in Hell. Like every other aspect of your demon visage. Useless. Infantile. Boring.

Nearly making you fall to your death by being caught in a sudden gust of hot air was the only favor your wings had ever done for you.

Not that you would permanently die, you lamented. Eventually you would re-spawn somewhere within the city. But re-spawning took hours, sometimes even days. And in that time would be nothing. When you were alive you always joked about wishing that you could just take your brain out of your skull, like a temporary death, just to quiet the awful thoughts and feelings your malfunctioning organ plagued you with day and night.

Here in Hell, you could actually do that. Again and again, if you so chose to.

All you had to do was jump.

Maybe it wasn’t worth it. When you came back, Alastor would certainly hunt you down and find you. And you could just see the disappointment in his face. Hear the disgust in his voice. How lowly he would think of his darling then, that she would perform such an empty and pathetic act.

But then again, he was going to find out who you were at your core eventually. Better to rip the bandage off and make him face just how truly damaged you were before you continued to waste his time further. He was bound to get tired of pulling you out of your depressed funks after enough time had gone by. And what good did you bring to his life anyway?

You were a distraction.

He had snapped that to you earlier that evening when you had interrupted his work at the hotel. Those last stinging words echoed through your mind, branding themselves into your grey matter so that you never forgot them.

Well, you wouldn’t be distracting him anymore after this stunt. He wouldn’t bother with you afterwards.

And if you found you really did enjoy the nothingness that came between death and re-spawning, the extermination wasn’t far away. All you had to do was stand in front of an exorcist and simply not move as they brought their blade down on you. Then it would truly be an eternity of peace and quiet for you.

No more distractions.

The thought came to you bitterly as you considered that Alastor was the one who had been distracting you. All these months of his attention, of him making you his darling, of him making you fall in love with him, had just distracted you for a while. But now the pain was back, worse than ever, with one small argument between you two and you realized if it wasn’t for him, you likely would have jumped off this roof months ago.

You could have let it all go during the last extermination, while everyone else was huddled safely inside the hotel.

What a waste of time. A useless, boring, distracting life.

A deep breath. A single tear sliding down your cheek. A last thought of warmth and safety whispering through your mind . . .

“Alastor.”

His name left your lips like a prayer and an apology.

You took a step over the ledge.

The street below became your entire field of view as you lost your footing entirely.

And then the world glitched.

Colors blended in choppy formation and static screamed in your ears, threatening to burst your ears drums. Everything was fuzzy and going dark and a strange tingling filled your body, like your very blood had turned to static.

And then you were back on your own two feet, standing face to chest with the red and black pinstriped suit you knew so well.

Unnaturally large claws had you by the shoulders and you tilted your head up, taking in the full view of a very angry Radio Demon.

Alastor towered over you, his antlers spread wide, his eyes turning like radio dials, and he lifted you up like you weighed nothing until you were face to face and your feet were dangling several feet in the air.

“What the fuck was that?” he snarled, his voice even more full of static than you were used to.

Your eyes went wide at the use of vulgarity from him. You could count with your two useless wings how many times you had heard him swear before and never had it been directed at you.

When you didn’t answer right away, he shook you, calling you by your real name rather than darling, which he never did. He demanded an answer but all you could manage was a little whimper before you broke.

Your chin quivered and you felt the swell of tears in your eyes as a sob squeezed your chest and erupted out.

“I’m sorry,” you choked out and then slowly, ever so gently, you felt yourself being lowered to the ground and then your face was pressed against the soft fabric of Alastor’s suit. His bow tie tickled the side of your face and his scent, heady with Spanish moss and cypress, and some other uniquely Earthy smell that was entirely him, filled your senses.

“Darling,” he said quietly, “my darling . . . why?”

You could barely breath through your sobs, let alone speak, so it took you a moment to gather the strength to answer. Clutching at the back of his jacket, you pressed your face into him harder, trying to hide your reasoning, bury your shame, pretend like every pathetic part of you didn’t exist.

But he had seen, hadn’t he? He had watched you take that step, had come up here to find you and seen that final microsecond when there was nothing but air between you and the ground below.

And he had altered reality to bring you back to him. To save you.

Half of you hoped that meant he really did love you like you loved him. Like he promised every day that he did, even though you never quite believed it.

The other half of you whispered an insipid little lie that was too tempting to not consider  . . . that this whole stunt of yours was just another distraction.

“I don’t want to be a bother anymore,” you finally whispered, hiccupping and choking as you struggled to speak.

Alastor went stiff around you, and you thought then that he would finally push you away. Agree that you really were just a bother. That if he were to ever shackle himself to another soul, it certainly wouldn’t be to such a weak little wretch as yourself.

Instead, his long, clawed fingers grasped you by your chin, forcing you to look up at him. And though his expression was often hard to read, the strain in his smile showed anger while the burning in his ruby eyes showed pain.

“What gave you the idea that you could do such a thing? That I would allow it?”

“Wha . . . what?”

“You’re mine now, darling.” He pulled on your chin, forcing you on tip toe as he brought your face closer to him. “You belong to me and I don’t let what belongs to me just fly away. It seems you have forgotten that.”

His claws were digging into your cheeks and along your jaw line, stinging and threatening, even as he brought his lips down and gave you the gentlest kiss on the forehead.

 

“Perhaps I need to remind you of that,” he whispered to you, his voice low and tender, crackling with a passion you couldn’t misplace. He was angry, you realized, oh yes he was furious with you. But as the world went fuzzy once again, and you felt the familiar sensation of melting into shadow, and your soul blended with his, you could literally feel that burning rage inside of him being twisted and morphed into more direct emotions. Lust and desire filled what was left of your identity as Alastor transported you through the ceiling and walls of the hotel and into your room.

Now this was flying.

Alastor had sat you at the foot of your bed, making quick work of removing your underwear, lifting your pleated skirt above your hips, and kneeling before you, all before you had come down from the bizarre and disorienting high of being nothing but shadow with him.

Now you were reduced to a shell of a person, thoughtless and detached from your feelings and in the best of ways, as Alastor’s tongue made your nervous system aware of nothing else but the bundle of nerves between your legs.

Your knees were resting on his shoulders and already shaking as his tongue twisted and lapped at your clit, occasionally giving the swollen pearl a hard suck, as two fingers pumped into your core, working to pull a second climax from you.

Distantly you were aware of the flutter of your wings; a helpless reflex, along with the tremble of your legs. Tears streamed down your cheeks, though you paid that no mind either. Even if you had noticed them, you wouldn’t be able to place which emotion was drawing them from your eyes.

You only knew that this feeling; the intense physical sensation of Alastor turning you into a whimpering, wanton mess, allowed you to dissociate in the best of ways and everything that had tormented you to the point of standing on that cliff’s edge was completely forgotten.

The fingers of one of your hands wrapped themselves in a white-knuckled grip around his antler while your other hand found purchase in his red locks and you sobbed out his name as you came again.

Just as your walls began to clench, Alastor pulled himself from your clutches, leaving your cunt to clench needfully onto nothing. The abrupt lack of touch right at the beginning of your orgasm was torture and in his absence you pressed your legs together, searching for any friction that would allow for a fraction of the satisfaction his tongue and fingers should be giving you.  

“Now, now, dear,” Alastor tutted, and you felt your legs forced back apart. “Remember, I’m here to make a point. And that point is . . .” You looked down to see tendrils of shadows spreading your legs farther open, tangling themselves around your thighs and hips. “. . . You’re mine.” He began undoing the top of his trousers. “And  any rash decisions,” he pushed his trousers down below his waist, “like trying to jump off buildings,” he pulled his cock free and you salivated at the sight of its red and swollen tip already weeping pre-cum for you, “or pleasuring yourself without permission,” he leaned over you, his tense and wicked smile inches away from your lips as his took a painful fistful of your hair, “will be met with severe punishments.”

You swallowed, daring to meet his eyes with your own submissive, watery ones, and nodded.

“There’s my darling I know and cherish,” he said sweetly. His fingers left your hair and traced along your jaw until they came to your lips.

“And now that we’re at an understanding,” he snapped his fingers and your clothes vanished, “let’s see how well you can take your punishment.”

His cock thrust into you as black tendrils slithered their way up the rest of your nude body, pinning you in place. They teased and stroked every erogenous zone with lovely tenderness, their touch soothing and affectionate even as they forced you to near absolute stillness. In stark contrast, Alastor pounded into you, stretching you to the point of burning and igniting the still burning embers of your last orgasm that Alastor had left unfinished.

You came within seconds, your walls spasming hard against the fat width of his cock. Alastor drove on as if he hadn’t noticed, deep enough to hit the blind end of your depths with every forward thrust. The bruising combination left a dull cramp in your belly as your climax went on for several more moments, an intense combination of pleasure and pressure.   

After the quaking within your core subsided, you went limp within the clutches of the shadows. Three orgasms as intense as the ones you had just experienced were more than enough to placate your mind and body and your teary eyes now began to droop with sleepiness.

And yet Alastor was clearly not finished with you.

“Alastor,” you pleaded, knowing he still hadn’t come but you intended to beg for him to be a little gentler with you until he had. Instead of letting you speak, however; a tendril that had been near your throat laced itself through your open mouth and synched itself around your head, effectively gagging you.

The only response you got from your lover was an angry red glow of his eyes as they narrowed onto you, before he gripped your thighs with his claws and continued on with his brutal pace.

Too much, too much, too much, you internally screamed, a fresh torrent of hot tears burning down your cheeks. Your teeth sunk into the meat of the tentacle between your lips and you strained against the ones holding your wrists down to the bed.

The brutal pace of your punishment went on for several more minutes; an eternity for your overstimulated sex. Everything between your ribs and your thighs burned and ached from the ceaseless, intrusive rhythm of Alastor’s body against yours. Inside and out, he continued to savagely ravish you, until there was nothing else for you to do but begin to silently cry and take the punishment he was dolling out.

Alastor pulled out of you with a suddenness that both relieved and confused you. Your throbbing cunt ached from what it had just been through but as your eyes met his, you felt an emptiness within you. Still wrapped in tentacles, you glanced down at his glistening cock before you looked back up at the sharp tooth smile on the face of the man that you feared and loved above all else.

He still looked as pissed off as ever but there was a softness at the corner of his eyes that hinted at concern and you knew him well enough to know he was worried he might have taken things to far.

As you felt the shadow tentacles begin to loosen around you, you felt a emotion so long-forgotten you almost didn’t recognize it.

Confidence.

And with that thought, you wordlessly turned yourself around until your lay on your belly, exposing your backside and the tiny pink wings you knew Alastor loved to play with whenever he was angry.

A moment came and went and you were just beginning to wonder if you had misread the owner of your soul. You opened your mouth to speak his name once more but before you could utter a syllable, you felt your arms yanked back by the wrists and a powerful tendril wrap around your throat, holding you face down into the mattress.

The shadows that were still around your hips tightened and forcefully lifted your ass into the air and you braced yourself a second before Alastor’s cock slammed back into you, filling you back up to completion and eviscerating that feeling of emptiness.

Tired and spent as you were, you moaned aloud and squeezed his member with every last bit of strength you had within your spongey walls.  

You felt the long, slow drag of his retreating cock sliding against every sensitive bundle of nerves inside of you before another snap of Alastor’s hips had it rocketing back into you.

“Say it,” he commanded and you shuddered with your whole body, knowing what he wanted to hear.

“I’m your darling,” you replied, breathless and yet moaning again as he rewarded you with another thrust.

“And?”

“I belong to you.” He matched this thrust with a gentle stroke of a shadow across the membrane of one of your wings. “Mmmmmm, more,” you begged, as your wings gave a tiny, involuntary flap at the feather light touch.

But he had stilled behind you, waiting for your needfulness to build until you were begging.

“Please,” you sobbed out, feeling your chin quiver as all the emotions of the night came rushing back to you. “I’m sorry, Al’. I’m so sorry.”

As you spoke, the touching of your wings and the powerful movement of his cock began anew. You blabbered on, afraid if you stopped talking, the pleasant sensation of his touch within you and above you would end.

“I love you. I’ll never leave you. I’ll never even think about leaving you ever again. Not in anyway. Not even when your angry with me. Not even when I hate myself. Because I’m yours and I’ll always be yours. I’m so sorry, Alastor. Please don’t stop. Please, you feel so good. Fill me up, love. Because I’m your darling and I’ll be good from now on, please just fill me up. I’m your good girl and I love you and I want to feel you inside me. Please, please, oh God Al’, you feel so good, I’m – I’m – I-”

With a painful pull on your wrists you felt all the way into your shoulders, you felt him spill his seed within you as his body tense and every shadow of his went impossibly taut around you. The heat of his cum burned your walls and spilled down your inner thighs, coating you and marking you as his, and you came along with him, screaming into the sheets. Every tendril bruised into your skin, leaving marks around your throat, breasts, wings, hips, and thighs, as Alastor lost all control, even as he continued to pound into you with an uneven and desperate pace.

Everything blurred as you came down from the high together. You felt your muscles turn to jelly and give out in the final moments of your climax, just in time to feel Alastor finally still and begin to soften before he pulled out.

After several serene moments had gone by, the sheets beneath you began to move and pull away. As if in a dream, you felt your body being moved up the bed and then Alastor’s weight joined next to you as you were tucked into bed. Without being cleaned and without a word of praise or love, which he usually included in an aftercare routine for you.

But you knew, deep within the fog of your exhausted mind, that you deserved this. You would wake up in the morning marked by the bruises and the sticky mess between your legs, and only then would you be allowed to shower and heal yourself.

“Thank you,” you murmured with closed eyes as he finished tucking you in. “I don’t think I can move after that, let alone walk.”

An amused, deep chuckle came from Alastor before he pinched your cheek hard enough to make your eyes snap back open.

He got up from the bed, now fully dressed, and straightened his bow tie and monocle before marching towards the door with a pleased and arrogant look on his face.

“Good, my darling. That’s good. Let’s see you try to pull that nonsense again now that your legs don’t work. Sweet dreams,” he added as he opened the bedroom door and gave you one last warning smile before he slammed the door behind him, hard enough to knock a few decorations off the walls.

You sighed as you heard a lock clicking into place, knowing his point was made, and that he was still very much angry with you. But the storm had passed, for both of you. You relaxed into the soft pillow and closed your eyes, the first smile in days touching your lips as you drifted off to sleep.

[estellan0vella]

A Chance Encounter Older Brother Sukuna AU HFBU

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the faint scent of pastries in the bustling café. You sit by the window, the warm sunlight streaming through the glass, casting a soft glow on your sketchbook. With each stroke of your pencil, a new design takes shape, intricate patterns and delicate lines flowing effortlessly from your hand. It's your sanctuary, a place where you lose yourself in the art, forgetting the world around you.

Suddenly, a shadow falls over your sketchbook. You look up to find a man standing there, his pink hair catching the light, his red eyes locked onto your drawings. He's tall, muscular, and covered in tattoos, each one more intricate than the last. He exudes an air of confidence and mystery that makes your heart skip a beat.

"Those are some impressive sketches," he says, his voice deep and smooth. "Do you mind if I take a closer look?"

You nod, feeling a mix of surprise and curiosity. He studies your drawings with a keen eye, his expression thoughtful. After a moment, he pulls out a business card and scribbles something on the back before handing it to you.

"I'm Sukuna," he introduces himself with a charming smile. "I own a tattoo parlour nearby. I'd love to see more of your work. Here's my card, and I've added my personal number. Give me a call if you're interested."

With that, he walks away, leaving you with a fluttering heart and a business card that feels like a golden ticket. You can't help but smile as you slip the card into your pocket, already anticipating the conversation you'll have later with your flatmate.

That night, you and Gojo settle into your usual routine: wine, face masks, and a cheesy movie playing in the background. The soft glow of the TV casts a cozy ambiance in the room as you recount the events of the day. Gojo's eyes widen in disbelief, his face covered in a bright green face mask.

"Wait, wait, wait," he says, sitting up straight and nearly spilling his wine. "You're telling me a drop-dead sexy man gave you his personal number? This is not a drill, Y/N! We need to talk about this."

You laugh, feeling the warmth of the wine and Gojo's infectious excitement. "I know, right? He owns a tattoo parlour and seemed really interested in my sketches. I think I might actually call him."

Gojo's grin widens. "You absolutely should. This is fate, my dear. Sexy tattoo artists don't just walk into your life every day."

You sip your wine, a thoughtful look on your face. "I mean, what if he was just being polite? Maybe he gives his number to a lot of people."

"Y/N," Gojo says, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Men like that do not just hand out their personal numbers. He's interested. And he owns a tattoo parlour? That's like, instant cool points."

"I guess," you reply, unable to keep a smile from forming. "He was really intense, though. Those red eyes... I felt like he could see right through me."

Gojo leans forward, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Tell me more about him. What else did he say?"

"He asked if I worked anywhere and complimented my sketches," you say, replaying the encounter in your mind. "Then he handed me his business card with his number on the back and told me to call him if I was looking for something more."

Gojo gasps theatrically. "Y/N, this is like something out of a romance novel! You have to call him. Imagine all the possibilities. Maybe you'll get an amazing job and a hot boyfriend out of this."

You laugh, shaking your head. "Slow down, Satoru. It's just a phone number. Besides, what if he's not looking for anything serious?"

Gojo waves his hand dismissively. "Please. You won't know until you call him. Worst case, you have a fun fling with a gorgeous guy. Best case, you get a new job and a fantastic relationship. It's a win-win."

"You make it sound so easy," you say, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "But what if he's not what I'm expecting? What if he doesn't like me once he gets to know me?"

Gojo places a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "Y/N, you're amazing. If he doesn't see that, then it's his loss. But you owe it to yourself to find out. Take the chance."

You nod, feeling a surge of determination. "You're right. I'll go to the parlour in a few days"

"That's my girl!" Gojo cheers, clinking his glass against yours. "Now, let's focus on this movie and see if the heroine ends up with the handsome prince."

A few days later, you find yourself standing outside Sukuna's tattoo parlour, your heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves. The shop is a blend of modern and edgy, with bold artwork adorning the walls and a sleek, inviting atmosphere.

As you step inside, you're greeted by two men lounging near the reception desk. One has long black hair tied back, and the other is muscular with short, spiky hair. They glance up as you enter, their eyes lighting up with curiosity.

"Well, well, well," the long-haired man says with a smirk. "If it isn't the pretty woman from the coffee shop. Sukuna's been talking about you."

The other man chuckles, giving you a once-over. "I'm Geto, and this is Toji. Sukuna's been in a good mood since he met you. I gotta say, we're all curious."

You blush, feeling a bit flustered under their teasing gazes. "I'm Y/N. Sukuna invited me to come by and show him more of my sketches."

Before you can say more, Sukuna emerges from the back room, his eyes lighting up when he sees you. "Y/N, you made it," he says, his tone warm and inviting. "Come on back, I'd love to see what you've brought."

You follow him into his office, the walls lined with more of his impressive artwork. He motions for you to sit, and you spread out your sketchbook, showing him your latest designs. He flips through the pages, his expression thoughtful and appreciative.

"These are incredible," he says, looking up at you with admiration. "Have you ever thought about doing tattoos yourself?"

You hesitate, then shake your head. "I don't think I could. I have epilepsy, and I wouldn't feel comfortable working on someone's skin with the risk of a seizure."

Sukuna's expression softens with understanding. "I get that. But your designs are too good to go unnoticed. How about this – you design the tattoos, and I'll handle the inking? We can call it a collaboration."

You smile, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. "That sounds amazing. But are you sure? Mixing business and pleasure can be tricky."

He leans in closer, his eyes locking onto yours. "I'll make an exception to the rule this time. How about we discuss it over drinks?"

You agree, and later that evening, you find yourself in a cozy bar with Sukuna, the atmosphere relaxed and intimate. As you sip your drinks, he tells you about his three-year-old brother, Yuji, and how he became Yuji's legal guardian after their parents died.

"It's been a challenge," he admits, his eyes reflecting both pride and a hint of weariness. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Yuji's everything to me."

You share a bit about your own background, mentioning your strained relationship with your wealthy family. He doesn't press for details, respecting your boundaries.

"I want you to have this," you say, handing him a small card. "It's instructions on what to do if I have a seizure. Just in case."

Sukuna takes the card, his expression serious as he reads it. "Thank you for trusting me with this," he says sincerely. "I want to make sure you're safe."

You smile, feeling a connection growing between you. "I've got some stories if you're interested."

His grin returns, and he leans in closer, eager to listen. "I'm all ears."

You take a deep breath, recalling some of the more memorable experiences. "Once I learned what the aura was I used it to my advantage so when I'd feel one coming on I'd freak out my asshole family members by saying some freaky shit before dropping into a seizure"

Sukuna's eyes widen with intrigue and amusement. "Freaky shit, huh? Give me an example."

You laugh, taking a sip of your drink to gather your thoughts. "Okay, so there was this one time at a family dinner. I felt a seizure coming on, and my aunt was going on and on about some new business venture. I interrupted her and said, 'Auntie, the spirits are restless tonight. They demand a sacrifice.' Then I started to convulse and dropped to the floor."

Sukuna bursts out laughing, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "No way! That must have scared the hell out of her."

"It did," you reply, grinning. "She screamed and started throwing holy water at me. It was pure chaos. My parents were mortified especially when other family started recommeding exorcists. My aunt, bless her, she never quite looked at me the same way again."

"I can imagine," Sukuna snorts. 

The night continues with more stories and laughter, the bond between you growing stronger. When it's time to leave, Sukuna insists on walking you back to your apartment.

As you approach your building, you spot Gojo waiting by the entrance, his eyes widening in surprise when he sees you with Sukuna.

"Well, well," Gojo teases, a grin spreading across his face. "Looks like someone had a good night."

You laugh, feeling a bit shy under his scrutiny. "Gojo, this is Sukuna. Sukuna, this is my flatmate, Gojo."

Gojo extends a hand, shaking Sukuna's firmly. "Nice to meet you, Sukuna. I've heard a lot about you."

Sukuna nods, his demeanor friendly but reserved. "Likewise. Take care of her, Gojo."

With that, Sukuna bids you goodnight, his gaze lingering on you for a moment before he turns to leave. You watch him go, a smile playing on your lips.

Inside the apartment, Gojo wastes no time. "Okay, spill. How was it?"

You flop onto the couch, feeling giddy. "It was amazing. He's so kind and understanding. And did I mention how sexy he is?"

Gojo laughs, grabbing his phone. "Let's see this parlour of his. If he's as hot as you say, I need to check out his work."

You both gather around the laptop, pulling up the website for Sukuna's tattoo parlour. The screen fills with images of stunning artwork and a few photos of the team.

Gojo points to one of the pictures, his eyes widening when he spots one of Sukuna's co-workers. "Is that one Geto? I want to lick him like a lollipop."

You burst into laughter, the wine and the excitement of the night making everything feel surreal. "Gojo, you're incorrigible."

He grins, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. "What can I say? I have a weakness for hot guys with tattoos. But seriously, Y/N, I'm happy for you. He seems like a great guy."

You nod, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you. "Yeah, he really is. I think this could be the start of something special."

"So, Y/N," Gojo begins with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "it's criminal that you didn't go home with Sukuna tonight."

You playfully roll your eyes, knowing where this is headed. "Oh, come on, Gojo. We had a great time together. That's what matters."

He gives you an exaggerated sigh, as if disappointed by your response. "Fine, fine. I'll let it slide this time. But," he adds with a pointed look, "you owe me."

You raise an eyebrow, intrigued. "I owe you? What for?"

Gojo leans in conspiratorially, his grin widening. "You're going to start working at Sukuna's parlour, right? Well, since you'll be seeing that sexy man every day, it's only fair that you set me up with Geto."

You burst into laughter, shaking your head at his audacity. "You're shameless, Gojo. But I'll consider it."

"Consider it?" he exclaims dramatically. "Y/N, my dear friend, this is a matter of utmost importance! Geto needs to know that I'm interested."

"You're impossible," you chuckle, picking up your phone to check the time. "Speaking of which, I should probably text Sukuna and let him know I got home safely."

Gojo perks up immediately, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Ooh, can I help with that?"

You raise an eyebrow suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

He grins devilishly. "Give me your phone. I'll text him for you."

You hesitate for a moment, weighing the risks of letting Gojo loose with your phone. But after a moment's thought, you hand it over with a smirk. "Alright, but no funny business."

Gojo takes the phone eagerly, his fingers flying over the screen as he composes a message. "Don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior."

He taps away for a few seconds before showing you the screen. "There. Sent."

You read the message aloud, your eyes widening in surprise. "It's Gojo. Does Geto like men?"

Gojo grins triumphantly, handing the phone back to you. "Now we wait for Sukuna's response."

"You're unbelievable," you laugh, shaking your head as you put your phone down. "I can't believe you just did that."

As you set your phone down, still chuckling at Gojo's audacity, it suddenly lights up with an incoming call. Your heart skips a beat as you see Sukuna's name flashing on the screen.

"Oh no," you mutter, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "He's calling."

Gojo raises an eyebrow mischievously. "Well, aren't you going to answer?"

You hesitate for a moment, debating whether to let Gojo handle the situation. But before you can make a move, Gojo snatches up your phone with a grin and answers it before you can stop him.

"Hello, Sukuna," Gojo says casually, leaning back on the couch as if he's answering his own phone. "Yeah, it's me, Gojo. Sorry to disappoint, but Y/N left her phone with me. So, does Geto like men?"

You lunge forward, panic rising in your chest. "Gojo, give me that phone!"

But Gojo dodges your grasp effortlessly, grinning as he keeps his attention on the call. "What? Oh, she's fine. Just a bit annoyed that I'm hijacking her phone. So, about Geto..."

You let out an exasperated groan, trying again to grab the phone from him. "Gojo, seriously! Give it back!"

Gojo laughs, evading your attempts with surprising agility as he continues speaking into the phone. "Yeah, yeah, Y/N's trying to kill me for asking. But hey, inquiring minds want to know."

You dive for the phone once more, nearly toppling over the coffee table in your pursuit. "Gojo, I swear!"

Gojo dances away from you, effortlessly dodging your furious attempts to reclaim your phone. "Hold on, Sukuna. Let me put you on speaker. Y/N's dying to hear the answer."

You freeze, realizing you're caught in Gojo's playful trap. You give up your chase for a moment, glaring at him with mock fury. "Gojo, you're impossible."

He grins mischievously, finally relenting and putting the call on speaker. "Alright, Sukuna. Now that we have an audience, spill the beans. Does Geto like men? I need to know if that criminally sexy hunk of man meat is my future husband"

"For fuck sake," You mutter, taking a big gulp from the wine bottle. 

The room fills with Sukuna's laughter as Gojo's audacious questions ring through the speakerphone. You groan inwardly, burying your face in a nearby cushion as you listen to your friend's shameless interrogation.

Sukuna's amused voice cuts through the air. "Gojo, you're certainly direct. I can't say about Geto's preferences, but I'm sure he'd appreciate the attention."

Gojo, undeterred, continues his playful banter. "Alright, fair enough. Now, on a scale of one to ten, how hot do you think my best friend is?"

You shoot Gojo a death glare, mouthing 'stop it' furiously, but he's too engrossed in his antics to notice. You grab a cushion and hurl it at him with all your might, hitting him square in the face.

"Ow! Hey!" Gojo protests, momentarily distracted from the call. "Okay, okay, I get it. Just asking for a friend."

Sukuna chuckles on the other end of the line. "I'd say she's a solid eleven."

You groan again, your face burning with embarrassment as you snatch the phone from Gojo's hand. "I'm so sorry, Sukuna. He's incorrigible."

"No need to apologize," Sukuna replies. "It's been entertaining, to say the least. But Gojo, you might want to tread carefully with those questions."

Gojo rubs his nose where the cushion hit him, his grin undiminished. "Understood, Sukuna. But one last thing – you don't cry after doing it, right? Because if so, you're not allowed near Y/N. She's been through that before-"

Sukuna's hearty laughter echoes through the speakerphone again as Gojo's teasing provokes another exasperated response from you. You grab your sketchbook from the coffee table and fling it at Gojo with all your might. The sketchbook sails through the air, narrowly missing Gojo's head as he ducks, still chuckling.

Before Gojo can finish his sentence, you launch yourself at him with a primal yell, tackling him to the ground. He lets out a surprised grunt as the two of you crash onto the floor, cushions and blankets flying everywhere.

"Gojo, shut up!" you yell, wrestling to pin him down while he continues to laugh uproariously.

You manage to wrest the phone from Gojo's grasp and, without missing a beat, dash toward your bedroom. "Sorry, Sukuna! Give me a second!" you call out, sprinting down the hallway. Gojo's laughter follows you as you slam your door shut and lock it, leaning against it for a moment to catch your breath.

"Finally," you mutter, bringing the phone to your ear. "Sorry about that, Sukuna. Gojo can be a bit... much."

Sukuna's laughter is still present in his voice. "No worries, Y/N. It was entertaining. You have quite the energetic friend."

"That's one way to put it," you sigh, feeling a mix of exasperation and fondness. "So, about what Gojo said..."

"Don't worry, I'm not a crier," Sukuna says and you breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank God," You say.

"I'm curious to know about the crier," Sukuna's voice has a teasing lilt to it. 

"I'll tell you!" Gojo calls through the door. "Her ex would cry almost every time they-"

"Gojo, I will take the kitchen knife and-" you start to threaten, your voice carrying a mix of genuine frustration and playful menace.

Gojo's voice interrupts you through the door. "And do what? Cut my precious hair? You wouldn't dare!"

"No, I have some garden shears reserved for your hair!" you call back, your tone dripping with mock menace. "Rusty and blunt."

Gojo's laughter booms through the door. "You wouldn't dare. My hair is a work of art!"

"It's a work of something, that's for sure," you retort, a grin spreading across your face despite yourself.

Behind the door, you hear Gojo's exaggerated gasp. "I am hurt, Y/N. Deeply hurt. I thought we were friends."

"We are," you chuckle, shaking your head. "But seriously, stop eavesdropping."

Gojo's voice turns playful again. "Fine, fine. I'll leave you and Sukuna to your romantic phone call in peace. But remember, if you need any tips on handling a tattooed bad boy, I'm your man."

You roll your eyes, the amusement clear in your voice. "Thanks, Gojo. I'll keep that in mind."

Once you're sure Gojo has retreated, you settle back against your bedroom door with a sigh, bringing the phone back to your ear. "Sorry about that, Sukuna."

Sukuna's warm chuckle fills your ear. "No need to apologize. Your friend seems... colorful."

"That's one way to describe him," you agree, feeling a smile tug at your lips. "So, what were you saying before we were interrupted?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to come to the parlour again," Sukuna says, his voice taking on a slightly more serious tone. "But this time, it's closed, and I thought we could have a different kind of date."

Your curiosity piques. "A different kind of date?"

"Yeah," Sukuna continues, his tone gentle yet filled with anticipation. "I have some fake skin for tattoo practice. I thought maybe you could bring your sketches, and I could show you some basics. If you're interested, of course."

The idea sends a thrill through you. "That sounds amazing, Sukuna. I'd love to learn more about tattooing from you."

"Great," Sukuna replies, his voice warm with approval. "How about tomorrow evening? I'll set everything up, and we can take our time."

You feel a rush of excitement at the thought of spending more time with Sukuna and delving into his world of tattoo artistry. "Tomorrow evening sounds perfect. I can't wait."

"Me neither," Sukuna says softly. "I'll text you the details. Until then, Y/N."

"Until then, Sukuna," you reply, feeling butterflies flutter in your stomach as you hang up the phone.

As you hang up with Sukuna, Gojo bursts back into your room with his usual dramatic flair. "So, spill the tea! What did Sukuna say? When's the next hot date?"

You chuckle at his enthusiasm, shaking your head at his antics. "Tomorrow evening. We're going to the parlour after hours."

Gojo's eyes widen in mock surprise. "Ooh, after hours? That's scandalous. Are you sure you're ready for that level of intimacy?"

Rolling your eyes, you play along with his teasing. "It's not like that, Gojo. We're just going to practice tattooing on fake skin."

Gojo raises an eyebrow suggestively. "Sure, sure. Tattooing. I get it. Wink wink."

You laugh, swatting at him playfully. "Stop it, you perv."

Ignoring your protest, Gojo flops down on your bed dramatically. "Seriously though, I'm happy for you. Sukuna seems like a good guy. And hot, let's not forget hot."

"You're not wrong," you admit with a grin, unable to deny Sukuna's attractiveness.

"And what about Geto?" Gojo prompts eagerly, propping himself up on his elbows. "When are you setting me up with him? You promised!"

You shake your head, amused by his persistence. "I'll see what I can do, Gojo. But don't get your hopes up too high."

"I'm counting on you, Y/N," Gojo says dramatically, clutching his heart as if wounded. "My future happiness depends on this."

"Your future happiness depends on many things, but sure, I'll add 'Geto matchmaker' to my list," you reply, teasing him gently.

Gojo grins, rolling onto his back and staring up at the ceiling. "You know I trust you with my love life, Y/N. You've got impeccable taste."

"That's debatable," you quip back, enjoying the banter with your friend.

He sits up suddenly, his expression turning serious for a moment. "But seriously, Y/N. I'm glad you're hitting it off with Sukuna. You deserve someone who appreciates your sketches and makes you laugh."

Your heart warms at his sincerity. "Thanks, Gojo. That means a lot."

"Anytime," Gojo says with a grin, returning to his usual playful demeanour. "Now, back to Sukuna and Geto. Double date soon, perhaps?"

You laugh, shaking your head at his relentless matchmaking efforts. "Let's see how tomorrow goes first, okay?"

"Fair enough," Gojo concedes with a shrug. "But just remember, I'm counting on you."

"I won't forget," you assure him, already looking forward to the next chapter with Sukuna and whatever adventures (and matchmaking schemes) Gojo might drag you into next.

taglist - @sad-darksoul @thejujvtsupost @kyo-kyo1

[padfootdaredmetoo]

Attachments

Anakin Skywalker X Padawan Reader

This was purely selfish, but I couldn't get it out of my head. I don't think there is a demand for these sorts of fics. Anyway, this takes place during the Revenge of the Sith. The reader is Anakin's Padawan from the Clone Wars. When she hears that Anakin is fallen to the dark side she decides it's a great time to confess her feelings. (she is legal and he didn't know her as a kid) (I'm not exactly well versed in Star Wars lore so apologies in advance)

Warnings: Kissing

You were not entirely shocked by Obi-Wan’s words. The chancellor's words about the Republic's corruption had drawn you in too. But No way Anakin was a Sith. You had been beside him the whole war. No way he would turn his back on you or Obi-Wan or his life. 

Maybe that was your heart speaking. You could feel darkness clouding him but could still feel him well enough to find him. You landed your ship and walked out. The planet's heat bit at your skin and your eyes burned. 

You felt him acknowledge your presence and your stomach filled with nerves. Anakin had been through a lot in his life and you saw how people often treated him. You knew there was a chance he was so far gone that killing you wouldn't be an issue. 

But your heart held so much hope you were rooted on the path in front of you. You had tried to be a good Padawan, tried to avoid attachment. But avoiding attachment to him was almost impossible. Everything about him puts you at ease. 

He emerged from the shadowy arch onto the bridge you had landed on. His hood was drawn and you wanted nothing more than to rip it off. You wanted see his eyes while he broke your heart. 

“Anakin.” You broke the silence and the hurt was already palpable in your voice. He moved towards you, coming close and grabbing your shoulders. 

“You have to understand. The corruption, all of this war, everything it’s -” 

“All lies, Anakin. Palpatine is playing everyone, I don’t trust him.” 

“The power is necessary to bring balance to the galaxy. It’s necessary to save you.” Anakin’s voice was dark and it caused you to shudder. 

“I don’t want you to be the chosen one.” You whispered raising your hands up slowly and pushing his hood back. His eyes were varying dark shades of red. 

“Who do you want me to be then?” He snapped. Everyone always needed or wanted him to be something, you were no exception. 

“Mine.” You barely got the words out. This confession was going to doom you, yet you knew if there was a way, any chance of bringing him back, you had to take it. His eyes flared. 

“I must master death to keep you alive. My dreams - I won't lose you like my mother.” You could feel his mental blocks fluttering. 

“You saw me dying surrounded by lava.” You waved a hand around. “So save me.” He thought about your words for a moment. 

“Not even the Sith can master death, they can move bodies, do you really want Palpatine inside me?” You raised a brow and he gripped your shoulders tighter in anger. 

“No, but I - I can’t go back now.” You felt his mind move back to the control room behind him. All those separatists dead. 

“Don’t judge me if I don't mourn for them.” You knew you should be more serious about things, but that’s just how you were with Anakin. They could be in the thick of battle still telling jokes. 

“He wants me to go kill the younglings,” Anakin whispered. 

“Good Luck.” You snorted and his eyes flared. “Anakin you cried like a baby when you held Senator Amidala's kids for the first time. You can do a lot of things, but killing children isn't one of them.” 

“Why are you so sure of me?” His voice was breaking and you could feel his emotions radiating off of him more freely.

“Because I love you.” You felt his arms slacken and moved towards him. Grabbing his face. 

“The code-” 

“Had never stopped us from misbehaving before.” You watched the war raging in his mind. You decided to go for it, worst case you would die but at least you would know what it would be like to kiss him. You pulled at his face and raised up on your tiptoes. He didn't make it easy for you, but then again he never did. 

Your lips crashed against his and you felt his arms wrap around you tightly. His head bowed to you and he kissed you back. The attachment forming between you was all-consuming. It took all of you and you could feel his memories and mind pressing against yours. He felt everything inside you. All your emotions about him. There was no space to feel self-conscious as his own love poured against you. Tears spilled down your cheeks and he gripped at your flesh through your robes. 

Mine - Be mine Anakin

Your mind kept saying it over and over and over again before you realized he could probably hear it. His kisses were harsh and consuming and you could feel them in your soul. There is nowhere you wouldn't follow this bond. You prayed he would be kind, if only for your sake, and return to the light. 

A splash of lava washed up on the edge of the bridge as chunks of rocks slid into it. He broke the kiss abruptly. 

“Time to save you.” He motioned towards the ramp of the ship. You went inside and like every mission over the past three years, you resumed your usual positions. His eyes were their usual rich brown and you felt your muscles relax. You took the first easy breath in a long time. 

He chose you. 

“You have a stowaway on this ship.” He said. You stood up and moved in front of Anakin, lightsaber drawn. A move he repeatedly tried to get you to stop. But at the end of the hall, Obi-Wan’s figure revealed itself. 

Anakin struggled with his master occasionally and you hoped that this didn’t set him back. He needed time to rest before coming to terms with everything if he was going to stay in the light. After that, they could lecture him. 

“Master,” Anakin said in a neutral voice. 

“Anakin.” Obi-Wan greeted him with a broken voice. Anakin moved past you and moved towards his master. Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin’s face looking into his eyes before making a choking sound. 

His arms wrapped around Anakin tightly.

“My boy, my son.” The tears were evident in his voice. “I failed you. Anakin -” His voice cut off as Anakin hugged him back. 

“It wasn’t your fault, master.” Anakin was crying too. 

“It was, it is. I should have- I was so focused on doing everything by the code, I forgot some of Qui-Gon’s most important rules.” You decided to resume your spot steering the ship giving them a moment. “He tried to tell me of corruption, I didn’t see it till-” 

“Master no one saw it. I let you down and I’m sorry.” 

“It is behind us now.” He released Anakin and patted him on the back. You looked over your shoulder and watched as he tried to compose himself. Tears were streaming down your own face. 

“Not you too,” Anakin said moving towards you. 

“Dad moments kill me.” You mumbled wiping the tears on the back of your hands. Anakin took his seat and motioned for you to come sit on his lap. You didn't need to be asked twice. You curled up in his lap, tucking your face into his neck. Obi-Wan took your spot. 

“I haven't slept in a very long time.” You yawned “I’m sorry if I doze off.” Anakin only kissed the top of your head. He was just happy to be trusted to hold your sleeping body. To be trusted to watch over you.

[avastrasposts]

Big Sky Country - ch. 9**

Hi!

I'm sorry this chapter took so long! I totally blame Marcus Acacius, I was taken in by that rugged general and had to write the brain worm that had been in my head since last summer. Hopefully chapter 10 won't take as long but I can't promise anything.

Anyway, four weeks ago we left Frankie and Aisling in the truck after talking it out and spending a day on the ranch and we're going jump straight into some much awaited smut as they go at it again for the first time since their hook up in Brooklyn.

Almost 7k and spicy.

He was painfully hard by the time they got out of the truck. Aching. Yet he couldn’t stop kissing her and move them faster across the yard. Grabbing her hips, pulling her as close as possible, he was losing himself in her as they stumbled towards the cabin. She managed to get the door open behind them while he pushed her against the door frame, kissing the sweet smelling skin just under her ear. She moaned under him and his cock twitched, the sound shooting through his body like a live wire. When her hand slipped down and palmed his throbbing length, he growled, pushing himself into her hand. 

“Please, Ash,” he begged, “if you touch me, I’m not gonna last.” The last words came out as a low whine as she stroked him, cupping her hand around him. He had his eyes screwed shut, and he could hear her soft giggle as she ran her nails across the zipper of his jeans. 

“Poor, Fish, so tightly wound. Maybe I should take care of you first before I let you go down on me again?” 

Frankie could only shake his head as she continued to tease him, low gasps escaping when she popped open the button of his jeans and slid her hand straight into his boxers. 

“You feel so good, Frankie,” Aisling mumbled into his ear, wrapping her fingers around the smooth, warm skin of his hard cock. He was being incoherent, head tipped back as he spluttered something in Spanish, his teeth catching on his wet bottom lip at the last word. 

“So good, Frankie,” she whispered, gently squeezing his solid length and pulling another groan from him. 

“Please, hermosa,” he mumbled, “I’m gonna come in my pants, I wanna…” he trailed off as she pulled her hand from his paining cock, hissing at the loss of contact. 

“I wanna take care of you first, in bed, properly,” he mumbled, pulling her mouth to his as he wrapped her arms around his neck, control coming back to him when she was no longer stroking him. 

“Will you let me ride you again, I’ve been practicing all day,” she smiled and he huffed a laugh. 

“Anything you want, Ash, just let me make you feel good first.” 

“Take me to bed then,” she replied, making him open his mouth to her tongue as he guided them towards his bedroom. 

He was as good as she remembered, and then some. She’d been wondering if she’d exaggerated in her head how good he’d been before, if she’d built it up in her mind as something more than it had been. But then he settled himself between her legs, after pulling off his shirt, and groaned loudly as he dipped his tongue into her slick folds. He had her arching her back off the bed, his mouth closing around her clit with a low hum that reverberated through her nerves. When he slipped two thick fingers into her liquid heat, she tangled her hands in his hair and gasped at the stretch as he curled his fingers up. 

“Fuck…Frankie,” she muttered, fighting to keep her eyes open so that she could see his dark eyes looking back at her with a pleased expression. He doubled down, flicking his tongue over her clit as he increased the pace of his fingers, his eyes burning up her body as he watched her responses to the way he touched her. Her soft thighs were around his ears and he used his free hand to hold her open for him, he could feel her muscles tremble and shake as he teased her nerves. An extra firm stroke made her cry out, her fingers tightening around his curls, and he did it again, spurred on by her increasingly breathless moans. 

When she came, he watched her mouth fall open as she squeezed her eyes shut, a violent shudder running through her body. He had to hold on to her hips to keep her down while he worked her through every shred of the orgasm, he could hear her pant his name while she slowly came down. 

He lapped gently at her folds, skirting around her sensitive nerves, before he kissed the inside of her thighs, moving up her body, pausing at the pale freckles on her breast, kissing them softly while he played with the nipple on the other. Her fingers were carding through his curls and she let a deep sigh escape with a small chuckle. 

“At the risk of inflating your ego, you’re really good at that, Frankie,” she said and he moved up, smiling down at her as he held himself over her on his forearms. 

“I like doing it, especially when you let me know how good it makes you feel,” he replied, leaning down for a soft kiss. She slipped her tongue between his lips and tasted the salty tang on his tongue, the thought of where it came from made a tendril of heat curl through her core again, even though she was still coming down, her body relaxing. 

“Can I repay the favor?” she mumbled against his lips, feeling the very hard outline of him against her hip. He was not too discreetly grinding his erection against her. 

“Yes please,” he mumbled back, still trying to keep his composure as his aching cock begged for attention, “Let me just get th….fuck…no….” he suddenly sighed, slapping his hand on his forehead in an almost comical gesture. “I don’t have any condoms,” he said, “I-I haven’t exactly had much use for them since New York…” Frankie gave her a crooked smile as a pink hue crept up his neck that had nothing to do with his arousal. 

“Did you get a check-up?” Aisling asked, stroking her fingertips over the sweet blush of his skin, “I have an IUD and I got myself tested after you.” 

A brief look of pain flashed across Frankie’s face, he winced at the idea of Aisling feeling that he was such a pig that she needed to get tested even though they’d used a condom last time. 

“I'm sorry,” he said, rolling off her and onto his side, rubbing a hand over his face, “that you had to get tested because of me.” 

“Meh…” Aisling shrugged, rolling over so that she was facing him on the bed, “It wasn’t how I expected our hook up to go, but better safe than sorry you know.” 

“Yeah, I get that. And I got tested after I came back here, after Eva, I wanted a clean slate,” Frankie said and Aisling gave him a soft smile. 

“Was this a total mood killer conversation?” she asked and he chuckled in that warm low voice she loved. 

“Nah, necessary conversation, now we know,” he replied and she shifted herself closer, pushing him onto his back. 

“Ok, good, because I can see the outline of that pretty cock of yours in your jeans and I’m dying to get my hands on it,” she grinned as she began unzipping him, “Lift those hips, Fishy.” 

“Ok, ‘Fishy’ is off the table,” he snorted as he did as she said and she laughed. 

“Noted. How about ‘Fish sticks’?” 

“Only in private company,” he smiled, “it’s cute when you say it.” 

“So ‘Fuck me, Fish sticks,’ works?” Aisling looked down at him, noting how his eyes were darting between her face and where her hands were brushing against his cock still inside his pants. 

Frankie lost his train of thought as she pulled down his jeans, hooking her fingers into his boxers and sliding them down at the same time. His cock bobbed free from its confines and he groaned as it bounced back on to his belly. 

“N-no, no ‘fish sticks’ in the bedroom,” he huffed out, laughing in between hisses as her fingers closed around his painfully hard erection. 

“How about ‘Francisco’?” she asked, swinging a leg over his hips and settling down just over the flushed red tip of his cock, shiny with precum. 

Frankie bit his lip and nodded, his eyes fixed on her hand wrapped around him as she held him just by her entrance. 

“Anything, hermosa,” he muttered. He would’ve said yes to anything as she slowly sank down over him, the heat of her slick folds enveloping him as she sighed in pleasure at the stretch. 

Aisling grabbed his shoulders, steadying herself as he filled her, and he tipped his head back, eyes screwed shut, as she began to rock her hips. He slid in and out, his hard cock slick and hot and she tilted her hips, letting him hit that spot deep inside that made sparks shoot through her body. It made her let out a low whimper and she dug her fingers into his shoulders to stop herself from collapsing over him, resting her forehead against his, the familiar tingle of ecstasy already beginning to make itself known. 

His large hand cupped the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his as they rocked together. Tongues slipped in and out and he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. His cock was aching, buried deep inside her, and with a groan he thrust up into her, she arched her back as he panted into her mouth. She could hear him mumbling under his breath, his hands finding her hips and matching her rhythm. 

“F-fuuck…t-t-win t-tu-urboshaft,” he gritted out between clenched teeth, taking a deep breath, “fuck, Ash, too good…M-m t-two thirty…” 

“Frankie,” Aisling asked, panting as she slowed her movements, and he gritted his teeth, “w-what…what are you saying?” 

A strangled laugh, half moan, half chuckle, escaped him as he seemed to bite back a louder moan. 

“Parts of the Apache helicopter, I-I list the parts in my head when I don’t wanna come too fast,” he said, smiling at her as she began to giggle, “I didn’t realize I was saying it out loud.”

She let the laughter bubble up through her even as he took a new hold of her hips and began thrusting his hips up into her, forcing her laughter into a moan with the feel of it. Heavy, thick, stretching her out, every nerve ending in her core was begging for more as he drove up into her.  

One hand left her hip and he slipped it between them, the rough pad of his finger deftly finding her clit and circling it, teasing as she gasped. 

“Please, Ash, come for me again, I’m so fucking close,” Frankie mumbled, his fingers sliding over her sensitive bundle of nerves, “I need to feel you come on my cock, give me one more.”

He pulled back and looked at her, meeting her hooded eyes, half closed, as he drove her pleasure higher. A whimper escaped as it suddenly crashed over her, the force of it making her cry out for him and her muscles froze under the onslaught of pleasure radiating from where their bodies joined. Frankie felt his insides tighten as Aisling’s body arched and clamped down around him, with a gasp he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and jerking his hips, pumping his spend as buried his face against the hot skin of her neck. He could feel his own heart thumping as his cock twitched and pulsated deep inside her. Her pulse was thrumming just under his mouth as he tried to contain his need to suck a mark into her skin. He could hear her whimper his name as her body relaxed in his grip, and he whispered her name back to her, finding her warm mouth, and breathing her name against it. 

He held her tight, arms wrapped around her, as their heart rates slowed down and she caressed the damp curls at the back of his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. Frankie hummed under her touch, the slow drag of her fingers soothing, but he also realized he didn’t need soothing. There was no anxiety, no itch in his body and his mind was quiet, just filled with a feeling of contentment. He was no fool, he knew it would come back, both the itch and all the other shit that his mind threw at him after all the years of abuse. But for once, it was silent, and he relaxed into the feeling of Aisling's hands, her presence keeping him calm. 

Aisling shifted her weight, letting Frankie slip out of her as she pulled him down with her, stretching out on the bed. Unlike the last time, he scooped her up, his arms winding around her and she put her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. 

“How are you feeling?” she asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace of the room. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, he knew what she meant. 

“I’m good, I feel good, it’s very different this time,” he replied, “Different situation, different place.” 

“Different you?” 

“A little bit, yeah,” he said, “but mostly it’s a better situation. Being honest with you, about it all, makes it easier.” 

She tilted her head up so that she could meet his soft brown eyes looking down at her, his hand slowly trailing up and down her back. 

“I’m glad you told me, I knew we had a lot to talk about but I never would’ve guessed all the stuff you’ve been through. It couldn’t have been easy, Frankie.” 

“I was nervous telling you, but it felt good afterward, lighter. And Herb said something when I came back, about making sure I learned the lesson so that I didn’t make the same mistake again, with you, if I was lucky enough to see you again. And I’ve tried to live by that these past few months. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, but the least I could do was to learn something about my mistake this time.” 

“You feel very different, Frankie, different in a good way,” Aisling said, pushing herself up so that she was level with him, “You’re calm here, and you feel more in control, balanced. Whatever you’ve been trying to do these past few months, it’s working, I can see that.” 

“Thank you,” Frankie replied, reaching up and cupping her cheek with his warm palm, and it struck her how even his simple thank you was different. His look didn’t waver, his gaze was steady on her, and he accepted her assessment of him, not downplaying it or brushing it off. 

“We’re gonna be ok, Frankie,” Aisling said, putting her hand on top of his, “I know we’ll be fine, I trust you.” 

A small smile pulled at his lips at her words, “Thank you,” he said again and she returned his smile, meeting his kiss as he pulled her closer. 

Aisling woke the next morning with the unfamiliar feeling of Frankie splayed on his belly next to her. His arm was flung over her middle, pinning her to the bed, and when she tried to wriggle free, he huffed and pulled her closer. 

“No sneaking off,” he muttered, his eyes still closed and his face buried in the pillow. His voice was rough with sleep, but she could hear the smile in it. 

Aisling chuckled and rolled over, pushing her nose into the unruly curls by his neck, and kissed the warm skin. 

“I need to pee,” she mumbled into his hair as he hummed under her. 

“Me too, but I’m too comfortable like this.” 

“What if we go pee and I promise to cuddle you just like this when we get back?” She nuzzled closer to him and kissed more of him, reaching his scruffy jaw and feeling the gray beard tickle her lips. 

“You wanna watch me pee?” Frankie mumbled under her, “Is there something you’re not telling me?” 

“Ok, smart ass,” she protested, mock anger in her voice as she pushed herself away and Frankie started laughing, holding on to her waist and pulling her down again. He was smiling widely at her as he rolled her over and got on top. His heavy weight pushed her into the mattress as he caged her in, smiling down at her with those warm brown eyes and messy curls creating a halo around his head. 

“I’m just trying to figure out if this is a thing that turns you on,” he laughed, dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose as she smiled up at him. 

“This,” Aisling said, pointing between them in the small space created by their bodies, “turns me on. But I also really need to pee.” 

“Me on top like this turns you on?” Frankie asked, his eyes taking on a darker shade as he dropped down on his forearms, his mouth only just hovering over hers and she whined in protest. 

“Yes, it does, you’re too fucking strong the way you just roll me over and push me down and it’s so fucking sexy but I really need to pee!” 

She wriggled under him and with a satisfied smirk Frankie let her go, rolling over on to his side as she hurried to the bathroom. 

“Such a menace, Francisco,” she threw over her shoulder at him and she could hear his laughter as she closed the bathroom door. 

Frankie made good on his promise to take them out on the trail up to one of his favorite spots after breakfast. He got Clover and Dolly saddled up down at the ranch as Aisling watched him move around the stable with ease. Again she was struck by how much at home he looked here, calm around the horses, comfortably chatting with them in a low voice as he tightened straps and checked the equipment. He really was a very different version of the man she’d met in Brooklyn. The same Frankie, but more confident, collected and stable. 

As she watched him, Aisling wondered how long it would’ve taken before the issues that plagued him in New York would’ve become too much to handle if he’d stayed, even if he’d stayed with her. Would’ve she had started seeing him the way Eva did? Start distrusting him and resenting him? It was hard to imagine, he’d seemed uncertain of himself, divided and troubled by something back there, but she’d still been drawn to him, attracted to him from the start. But how much hadn’t Eva been through before she gave up? 

Aisling ran her hand through her hair and watched how the muscles of Frankie’s broad back moved and flexed as he picked up Clover’s heavy saddle and lifted it onto her back. How would she have reacted if this seemingly so stable man came home high one day? How many chances would she have given him if she was in love with him back then? She sighed as she realized she probably would’ve given him as many chances as Eva, it was hard watching someone you love, lie and cheat. Picking up and leaving the first time it happened only seemed easy to those on the outside. 

“You ok, Ash?” Frankie asked as he noticed her far away look when he came up to her. He gently put his hand on her cheek and she smiled up at him. 

“I was miles away, thinking about Eva, actually.” 

“About Eva? Why?” Frankie said, feeling the familiar jolt of fear shooting through him at the thought that he’d somehow fucked up already. 

“I can see your panic, Frankie,” Aisling smiled, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze, “it’s nothing bad. I was just thinking that when I see you here, how different you are, I understand how hard it must’ve been for her to see you struggle in New York. It couldn’t have been easy for her to have to choose between living here with you or in Brooklyn without you.” 

“It wasn’t,” Frankie shook his head, “I asked too much of her, but I didn’t realize it.” He absentmindedly stroked Dolly’s neck, “I’m really trying to not repeat that mistake with you,” he said and Aisling stepped closer to him. His eyes had shifted into something more worried, a flash of the man she’d met in Brooklyn, “I’m still scared I’ll fuck things up with you.” 

“I’ll tell you, Frankie,” Aisling soothed him, her hands wrapping around his middle, “I promise I’ll tell you if anything shifts or changes, we’ll work on it together before it gets out of hand. But you’re so different now, that’s what made me think of Eva. I can see how different you are now compared to back in Brooklyn, but maybe she never saw that, I don’t know who you were when you first moved out here.” 

“A fucking mess…” Frankie sighed, “A real fucking mess, barely hanging on to my sobriety, pushing everyone away except her and Herb. I thought I got better pretty fast but that was an illusion, it took months for me to get a grip on things for real. I thought she was happy until it was too late and she left, but I don’t blame her. I didn’t see what she was going through properly, I was too focused on myself.” 

Frankie sighed and leaned his forehead against Aisling's as she moved her hands into his hair, “I promise I’ll do anything to not repeat that with you.” 

“I know you will, and I’m willing to help you, Francisco, as much as I can.” 

She gave him a kiss, her soft lips molding against his and he smiled into it, relaxing as her fingers ran through his hair, caressing his neck. 

“Thanks, Ash,” he mumbled as Dolly gave an impatient huff next to them, shaking her head and breaking the moment. 

“Let’s get this lady out on the trail before she loses her cool,” Frankie chuckled as he patted her neck and Aisling giggled at Dolly’s impatient look. 

The early hours of the day were cool even though the sun was out, early fall was starting to make itself known, and Aisling was grateful for the sweater Frankie had lent her. She was swimming in it but he’d rolled the sleeves up before he’d helped her up on Clover’s back, making sure she was secure before he swung himself into Dolly’s saddle. The sight of him so effortlessly pulling himself up made her smile and bite her lip to hide it. His strong legs gripping Dolly’s sides was enticing and he made it look so easy as he firmly guided her around to face Aisling before they set off. 

“All good?” he asked, making Dolly halt next to Clover and putting his hand on hers. 

“I think so, as long as Clover follows you and doesn’t take off with me on her own adventure,” she replied, patting Clover’s chestnut neck. 

“She’ll follow me, don’t worry. And we’ll just walk today, take it nice and slow.” Frankie smiled at Aisling, he was excited in a way he hadn’t been in a long time, he’d nursed an impossible dream about taking Aisling up into the mountains, showing her what he loved the most about this place. Now it was finally happening, two days ago he’d thought he’d never even see her again, but now she was here. 

The trail heading up into the foothills of the Rockies was wide enough for them to ride side by side at first. Aisling tried to copy Frankie’s relaxed riding style, sitting deep in the saddle with his hand hanging loose by his side. Dolly seemed to know what he wanted her to do without him doing anything, just a small movement of his hand and she adjusted her course. Clover on the other hand just followed Dolly, keeping her gait smooth and steady as Aisling gripped Clover’s sides with her legs and held on to the pommel. Frankie glanced over at Aisling and smiled, she looked more confident in the saddle with every passing minute and he reached out and squeezed her thigh, feeling it move under his fingers. 

“You’re doing great, hermosa, you’ll be ready for a lope soon,” he said and her bright smile lit a fire inside him. She looked happy when she smiled at him and he almost pinched himself to check that this was real. 

As the trail narrowed Clover dropped back and followed behind. The landscape changed, the trail passed between high cliffs and then through fir tree forests as the horses climbed higher. Eventually the trees dropped away too, and as they emerged out into a high mountain valley Aisling gasped, taking in the wide view. 

Frankie turned in the saddle and checked that Aisling was still ok. 

“All good back there?” 

“Yeah, this is amazing, Frankie,” Aisling sighed, “It’s so beautiful, I can’t believe this is real…” 

Frankie smiled and looked at the landscape through her eyes for the first time. He’d been awed when Herb took him up here the first time, and he still saw the beauty of the place. But to see Aisling's wide eyed reaction made him appreciate it even more. The narrow valley was covered with tall grass and scattered with the last of the late summer flowers, creating a mat of gold dotted with reds and blues that gently sloped up towards the truly tall, snow capped, mountain peaks to the west. On either side, the foothills climbed up, covered in thick conifer trees, framing and protecting the valley. 

“I thought you might like it,” Frankie replied, slowing Dolly down so that she was level with Clover as they slowly rode into the tall grass, leaving the trail behind. 

“I feel like I’m in an old western or something, minus the outlaws and guns, getting ready to go panning for gold.” 

“You look like a real cowboy, Ash,” Frankie chuckled. He’d picked out a hat for her before they left, tilting it down to protect her eyes, and now she gave him a two fingered Clint Eastwood tap to the brim of the hat. 

“Partner,” she chuckled and Frankie did the same with a grin. 

“Ma’am.” 

He pointed to a small clump of trees about halfway up the valley, “We’re heading there, the stream curves around the trees and it’s a good spot to water the horses and have lunch. How’s your muscles feeling?” 

“Stiff, but nothing compared to what I think they’ll be tomorrow,” Aisling replied, following the direction of Frankie’s finger. 

“They did actually pan for gold up here,” Frankie said, “There's a small cabin further up the valley where someone staked claims back in the 1860’s. Herb has a whole lecture he gives the guests about the gold rush era.” 

“Did they find gold?” 

“Yeah, most of western Montana was settled because of gold, silver and copper, and there was definitely gold in these mountains.” 

“I’ll keep an eye out at the creek,” Aisling smiled, “that’d be so cool, to find an actual nugget.” 

“You might find something, I’ve got two tiny nuggets at home that I found up here. And Herb’s got a bunch too. But we’ve all found them in the spring so we think the spring floods bring them down from higher up when the snow melts.” 

“I’ll come back in the spring then,” Aisling replied as Frankie pulled on Dolly’s reins and made her come to a halt. With a smooth movement he dismounted and grabbed Clover’s reins, putting his other hand up to Aisling. 

“I really hope you do, Ash,” he said, and the look he gave her made her smile widely as he helped her down. 

“I want to come back, I’m having an amazing time here, with you,” she said and Frankie caressed her cheek. 

“Honestly, Ash, I don’t want you to leave at all, I just want you to stay.” 

“You really want me to stay, cramp your style, get between you and Dolly?” Aisling asked and Frankie snorted as she put her arms around his waist. 

“How many times do I have to tell you? Stay for as long as you want, you can stay permanently and I’ll be the luckiest guy ever, just stay with me and Dolly, Ash.” 

Dolly gave a low whinny as if to agree, and Aisling giggled as Frankie nudged his nose against her cheek before he kissed her. Humming into her mouth he pulled her closer and nipped at her bottom lip. 

“Dolly wants you to stay too, and I’m sure Clover agrees and you can’t say no to them.”

Aisling pushed her hands into Frankie's curls and scratched the back of his head while he kissed her again. 

“Are you using Dolly and Clover as emotional black mail,” she laughed against his lips. 

“Is it working?” 

“You don’t need to black mail me, I’ve already agreed to stay.” 

“Thank you.” 

Frankie stroked his thumb over her cheek and pressed a soft kiss to her lips again before he straightened up.

“Go explore, I’ll get the ladies sorted,” he smiled. 

Frankie tethered the horses and made sure they had water and some snacks, before he followed Aisling down to the creek. She was sitting on a flat rock by the water’s edge, peeling her socks off as he sat down next to her. 

“Going for a swim?” he asked, letting his arm rest along her shoulders, when she leaned into him, he kissed her temple. 

“I didn’t bring a bikini, will you be scandalized if I skinny dip?” she asked, wiggling her now free toes.

“If you skinny dip I’m not responsible for what happens next,” Frankie replied with a serious tone, giving her a mischievous wink when she looked over at him, “but you’d better test that water before you commit to swimming in it.” He nodded at the crystal clear stream that bubbled past them just beyond the edge of the rock. 

“It’s not safe for swimming?” Aisling asked but Frankie just chuckled and nodded to the water again. 

“Oh it’s safe alright, just put your feet in it first.” 

Aisling frowned at the expression on his face and then scooted to the edge of the rock and dangled her feet over the edge. The water level wasn’t very high and she gingerly put the toes of her right foot into the water. 

“Oh fuck!” she shrieked and rapidly yanked her foot up again, “That’s ice, Frankie!” 

Frankie laughed behind her as she carefully dipped her foot into the water again, squealing as the icy cold water rushed over her toes. 

“Oh shit that’s cold, so cold, so cold, so cold,” she gasped, putting her other foot into the water. 

“So pull them up again,” Frankie laughed, but Aisling shook her head. 

“No, I just…shit…need to get used to it. It’s k-kinda nice,” she stuttered, both feet in the water now. 

Frankie scooted forward and yanked his boots off, tossing them behind them together with his socks. 

“If I lose a toe to frostbite, I’m blaming you, Ash,” he chuckled, taking hold of her hand and dipping his feet into the water next to hers with a loud gasp. 

“Fuck me that’s c-cold,” he gasped as Aisling giggled and grabbed hold his arm, kicking her feet in the water to keep her toes moving. 

“W-why is it so cold, it’s the end of the summer?” she asked as Frankie tried to keep his composure and not pull up his feet straight away. 

“This creek comes down from the mountains up there,” he said and pointed towards the highest peaks in the distance, “They are snow capped all year around and I’m pretty sure some of the glaciers feed straight into this creek. It’s never warm, not even in the middle of summer.” 

“I’ve never felt glacial water before, but this feels about right, I can’t feel my toes,” Aisling replied and shook his head.  

“Ok, that’s enough,” he said and pulled his feet up, shaking the water from them as Aisling caved and pulled up her feet too, “Give me those ice block toes,” he said and motioned for her to put her feet in his lap. She swung her feet to him with a smile as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and started rubbing her toes between his warm hands. 

“Five star service at this ranch,” she smiled and cupped her hand around the back of his head and caressed his soft curls. 

“Only for you, Ash. And the horses, the three of you are my favorite girls,” Frankie replied, tweaking her pinky toe with a grin that made Aisling feel warmth rise up in her chest for entirely different reasons. 

“I’m flattered,” she said and scooted closer so that she could kiss his cheek while he smiled under her lips, “If you can also provide lunch, I will leave a five star review on Yelp.” 

“I can provide sandwiches and hot coffee,” he replied, still rubbing her feet. 

“Deal! That sounds great.” 

“Next time I’ll plan a bit more and we can cook some food up here, light a fire and make some ‘smores,” Frankie said while Aisling got to her feet and gave him her hand to stand up. 

“Can we come out here and camp overnight? I’ve never done that,” she said. 

“Yeah, for sure! That would be awesome,” Frankie gave her a big grin while they went back to the horses and his pack. “We take guests on overnight camping trips all the time. I’ll plan something before it gets too cold at night.” 

“But if it’s really cold, maybe we need to share a sleeping bag?” Aisling winked at him and Frankie chuckled. 

“Hermosa, it can be a heatwave, we’re still sharing a sleeping bag.” 

Lunch was peaceful, the serene valley a perfect backdrop to just sitting on a blanket with Frankie. Aisling scooted close to him, leaned against his side as he put his arm around her, coffee mug in the other hand. 

There really wasn’t any need to talk right now, all the big things had been said, all cards on the table. Frankie felt light but grounded in a way he hadn’t in many years. His mind was quiet and calm, he found he could even think back on how he’d ended up here without too much pain. It was like he could finally pick up the pieces of the different choices he’d made in his life and see how they all fit together, one decision jacking into the next to create a path that led him here. He’d made bad decision, terrible ones even, but at least they’d all led him here; sitting on a blanket, sipping coffee, with his arm around a person who made him feel complete and nothing to do but to go home, spend the night with her and then wake up tomorrow and work with the horses. 

He briefly closed his eyes and reminded himself to commit this moment to memory, to keep as a token when things weren’t as easy, to have as a mental talisman. The sun was warm on his back, the breeze mild, he could hear birds nearby, the soft sounds of the horses feeding and next to him, pressed to his side, Aisling and her sweet scent. He could even feel how a few loose strands of her hair were ticking against his neck and he leaned into it, seeking out her hair with his nose and inhaling. 

Aisling leaned her head against Frankie’s shoulder as he buried his nose in her hair, and reached up to scratch his scruffy beard, trailing her fingertips over the bare patches, tracing the outlines. Frankie put his coffee mug down and pulled her down with him as he laid back, her head on his arm as a pillow.

“Nap time,” he said, “it’s tradition.” 

“If you say so,” she smiled and tucked herself into his side with her arm over his soft belly, he curled his around her shoulders. She glanced up at him and his eyes were already closed, his face relaxed. She shifted up a little bit and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, it made him smile without opening his eyes, and she settled back down and closed her own eyes. 

The sun had moved in the sky when Frankie stirred, about an hour had passed, he calculated. Ash was still curled into his side and his arm had fallen asleep. He glanced over at the two horses who were standing in the shade of the trees, Dolly was affectionately nibbling on Clover’s withers while their tails swished to keep the flies at bay. Frankie looked down at Aisling and gently stroked her cheek. 

“C’mon sleepy girl, time to get a move on,” he mumbled softly, watching her stir and blink awake, looking confused for a moment. 

“Sleep well?” he smiled at her as she yawned and nodded. 

“Went out like a light, best nap ever,” she smiled, “You’re a very comfy pillow.” 

“You’re a very comfy blanket,” Frankie chuckled and she pushed herself up so that she could kiss him. His mouth was soft, warm from the sun, and she could feel him deepen the kiss as he cupped his hand around the back of her head, his tongue slipping between her lips. She softly hummed into him, relishing the sleepy feeling of the kiss until he slowly pulled away. 

“C’mon, we have a bit of a ride back too, but next time we’ll stay up here overnight,” he smiled. 

He pushed up to his feet and gave her a hand, soon they were in the saddle again and heading back down the trail. 

“I can already feel my muscles starting to protest,” Aisling laughed as she adjusted her seat in the saddle, “My thighs are stiff and my butt hurts.” 

“You can have a hot bath when we get back, that’ll help,” Frankie said, turning in his saddle to look at her. “How do you feel about trying to lope? There’s a nice flat stretch coming up.” 

“Ok, just don’t laugh when I fall off!”

“You won’t fall, just grip with your legs and hold onto the pommel, Clover will do the rest. She’ll follow Dolly,” Frankie slowed down so that he was next to Aisling as the trail widened, “Ready?” 

Aisling nodded, looking a bit nervous, and Frankie smiled at her, putting his hand on her thigh and giving it a squeeze. 

“Just remember to squeeze her sides and follow her motion with your hips, ok?” 

“Ok.” 

“Ok then, c’mon Dolly, nice and easy, just a slow lope.” 

He smacked his lips and Dolly picked up her pace, breaking into a rolling lope as he moved his hips. 

“Oh shit,” Aisling gasped as Clover followed, gripping the pommel tight.

“You ok, Ash?” Frankie called back, turning in the saddle while Dolly loped on, his body moving effortlessly with her gait. 

“Y-yeah…j-just a little wobbly,” Aisling stuttered and tightened her grip with her legs. 

“Relax a little, just like when she walks, follow her movement.” 

Frankie let Dolly lope for another minute, then he slowed her down, coming to a walk while Clover did the same and Dolly walked next to the buckskin mare. 

“You did great, Ash!” Frankie exclaimed, beaming at her as she puffed a laugh and exhaled. 

“I feel shaken, but it was fun!”

“Wanna do it again, maybe a little bit longer this time?” 

“Yeah, sure!” Aisling beamed back at him, her eyes bright from the thrill and Frankie wanted nothing else but to kiss her as he grinned. 

“Let’s go then,” he laughed, and once again signaled Dolly to break into a slow lope. 

The ride back was faster as they alternated between loping and walking the horses. Aisling felt more and more confident as Clover kept a steady pace and she got used to following her movements. But it was hard work, by the time Frankie slowed down as they neared the ranch, sweat was running down her back and her muscles were aching. But she beamed at Frankie as he came alongside her and gave her leg a squeeze. 

“That was amazing, I wanna be a cowboy when I grow up,” she laughed, “but I won’t be able to walk tomorrow!” 

Frankie laughed too and halted Dolly, “Let’s walk the rest of the way, it’ll help your legs to recover.” 

With the horses ambling behind them, they walked the last stretch down to the ranch and Frankie couldn’t help grinning when Aisling put her hand in his. The two dogs, Whiskey and Benny, came sprinting down the trail when they spotted the horses and happily bounded around them the rest of the way. Once back, the horses were taken care of and put in their stalls, the dogs were given final scratches, and then Frankie helped her into the truck for the drive back to the cabin.

“Are you hungry?” he asked as they started nearing home. The sun was dipping behind the mountains, painting the sky in brilliant pinks and oranges as the shadows grew. 

“Yeah, absolutely, wanna DoorDash?” Aisling asked and stuck out her tongue at Frankie when he raised his eyebrows, “I’m joking, no DoorDash out here.” 

“City slicker,” he teased, “I’ve got burger meat in the freezer, how about I fire up the grill?” 

“Sounds perfect, but I think you might have guests?” Aisling nodded at the rental truck that was parked outside the cabin. 

“What the…?” Frankie mumbled, his eyebrows pulling into a frown as he slowed the car to a halt and killed the engine. 

In the gathering darkness they could see three men stand up and walk to the edge of the porch.

Chapter 10

Tag list: @harriedandharassed @inept-the-magnificent @sheepdogchick3 @readingiskeepingmegoing @noisynightmarepoetry @survivingandenduring @vabeachazn @amyispxnk @oberynslady @amyispxnk @thewiigers @lady-bess @missladym1981@peppermintfury @typewriter83 @anoverwhelmingdin @vabeachazn

[zoeykallus]

A bit of a specific ask: the f! Jedi General assigned to squad 99 survived because of them and is still mourning weeks later. But she keeps it to herself because the clones couldn't possibly understand how her connection to the Jedi through the force just heightens the grief. She’s been frustrated and lashing out (sensory overload?) and Hunter finally tries to soothe his General that he’s always held a flame for. she didn’t realize it but Hunter gets it. The overload when sensory input is just too much. Maybe starting as fluff then progressing to more passionate/masochism as she releases the anger? I can just imagine pulling in that delicious hair of his and hearing him talk about how he can smell her

😳

Uhm, let me try 😅

Wasn't sure how far I should go, so I was kinda careful and just hinted some things (mostly).

Hunter x Jedi Fem! Reader One-shot - Perceptions And Senses

Warnings: Strongly Suggestive/Fluff/Sensory Play (Is that a thing?)/ 18+

_________

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

_________

You are still here, days after Order 66 reached its climax. The loss still sits deep in your bones, like an echo the death cries of so many, like one, resound muffled within you. Far away, yet buried so deep inside you. You have become very silent, more silent than the boys of CF 99 are used to from you. But they let you grieve in peace, they can imagine that you are suffering, even if they can hardly grasp the extent of it. They can't empathize with how you feel, how the Force acts as an amplifier of all this death, this grief. You lose your patience more quickly, sometimes you get frustrated, you react gruffly to your surroundings, even if you regret it shortly after. No one blames you. But Hunter seeks your closeness more often, quietly, gently, unobtrusively. You enjoy his closeness, he's like a calm pole, something to orient yourself to when the spiral of painful echoes pulls you along again. You sit under a tree not far from the Marauder, but out of its sight. You try to organize your thoughts, to take a breath, maybe to meditate, but your thoughts are so jumbled, so painful, they just won't calm down.

"Are you okay?" You look up startled, you were so focused on yourself that you didn't even notice Hunter. "Sure," you say quietly. Hunter looks at you scrutinizingly and says, "Why don't you tell me the truth?" You frown critically and are about to react angrily, but you see his gentle expression and restrain yourself. He sits down with you and says calmly, "General Skywalker once told me that the Force can be overwhelming, especially when there are many negative things happening around you. The Force amplifies perception, and something like sensory overload can happen as a result." You blink, then sigh, anticipating what Hunter is getting at. "Put simply, I suppose that may be partially true," you say quietly. He nods and explains, "Through my senses, I have that sometimes, too. Depending on where we are traveling, unpleasant smells, sounds, vibrations overlap. It can throw a guy off balance quite a bit." "You perceive almost everything, don't you?" you ask, curious.

"Yeah, pretty much. I can smell hormones, fear, body odors, just about anything. Metallic noises can be hell, and the vibrations in big cities sometimes give me a violent headache. Some days several of these things overlap at once. It can get on my nerves." You look at him and say quietly, "The Force is my friend, but sometimes my torturer. When Order 66 was executed, so many Jedi died, I felt them all, heard their echoes, felt them just disappear. I still feel and hear the echoes sometimes, coupled with this feeling of emptiness, of loss." He gently reaches for your hand and says, "I'm no expert, but maybe you need an outlet, something to blow off steam, empty your head" "I don't know if it's that easy," you say doubtfully. "I didn't say it was easy." You sigh, then ask curiously, "You can smell me too can't you?" "Yes, of course," Hunter says with a small smirk. "What do I smell like when I retreat, like today?" you want to know.

"Hmm," Hunter thinks for a moment and says, "It's a sour smell, slightly bitter, something that blends into your actual smell, which is actually much more pleasant" "Oh," you say quietly, "So you like my smell?" "Usually yes" His voice has taken on that tone again, low, deep, slightly smoky. It tingles under your skin and you feel warm. You look at him and he smiles again. "I can smell when you're taken with me too....." Your eyes grow wide for a moment. "Taken?" "Aroused." Your mouth pops open, but no words pass your lips for the first moment. He continues to speak with that one pitch, "When I speak in that voice, your body immediately responds" You blink and say, "So you're trying to manipulate me right now?" He shrugs gently and says, "A little bit maybe, I want to make you feel better." You feel a little annoyance, but also more of that strange warmth, you feel strong impulses that you can't place, and you reach out of one and grab his hair. Hunter tears open his eyes in startlement, but he doesn't fight back. Suddenly, he throws himself forward, your hand still in his long, dark hair.

Your heart is racing wildly, it's so warm, it's tingling, it feels surprisingly good, whatever this is. His face in the hollow between your shoulder and neck, he takes a deep breath and murmurs, "rage, arousal." It happens automatically, your thighs wrap around his hips and he presses even closer to your body, you feel the hard codpiece clearly between your legs. The heat concentrates on the triangle between your thighs, you feel the tingling as your muscles tense and automatically your body seeks even more contact with him. You whisper to him, "Can you make me forget, if only for a moment?" Hunter growls softly, close to your neck, "I think I can, but are you sure that's what you want?" "Yes, I'm sure." His hands are so fast under the fabric of your clothes that you almost feel dizzy. His touches are demanding, yet gentle. Hunter seems to know exactly what he's doing.

His fingers glide over your skin, each touch leaving a small, tingling firework. You open your mind, feel him very clearly, the desire, the lust he feels, the affection towards you. It feels so intense to perceive him in this way, his presence, his sensation spreads like balm over every dark corner of your mind. You concentrate fully on him, his touch, his perceptions and let yourself fall.

"Hunter?" "Yes, love?" "These moments when I need your distraction may well happen more often," you hint.

Hunter gently bites your neck, sending a shiver through your body before saying, "That's okay, I'm ready for you anytime"

@rintheemolion

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@meshla-madalene

@chxpsi

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@nahoney22 @ladykatakuri

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@palliateclaw

@either-madness-or-brilliance

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@andy-solo1

@hunterssecretrecipe

@heyitsaloy

@greaser-wolf

@extrahotpixels

@hated-by-me

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@echos-girlfriend

@cpnt616

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[sibillascribbles08]

Man I've written 28 fics for rise, that's insane, anyway here's a master post, sort of? I realized some people either A) may not know how many different fics I've written or B) not realized "oh he wrote that" sooo

One Shots

Don't You Care? – Donnie and Leo centric, post-movie. Donnie isn't always great with feelings, and when he fails to understand Leo's, he tries to find a way to fix it. Doing so forces him to unpack some of his own thoughts on their victory over the kraang as well.

To Bridge a Canyon of your Own Design – Splinter centric, post-movie, a bit of a retrospective on his relationship with his sons, his depression, and him trying to move away from his unhealthy coping mechanisms.

I Didn't Vote for You – Leo's the leader now, and Donnie always finds ways to argue with him about it. Leo wants to find out why Donnie has such a problem with how he's trying to lead the team, but it turns out that isn't the problem. It's simply the fact that Leo's the leader at all.

I'd Give Anything – Donnie-centric. A slightly alternate take on the movie's ending where instead of just firing a drill into the portal, Donnie jumped in, and ends up losing an arm in the process. But he has to kind of piece all of that together as he recovers in the med bay, talking to each of his family members.

Grappling With Things Beyond Your Control – Gift fic for my friend Bat! Donnie-centric, post season 2. Suddenly getting ninpo with no prior training causes Donnie's powers to start to run amok, and on top of that he has to help his family not only find a new home but move into one. It's a lot to balance, maybe too much to balance.

Four Turtles in your Corner (Store) – A silly fic about April being out of supplies for her period, and in desperation sends the boys to go get her some. I'm sure four reptilian mutants have competent knowledge on what humans need for things like this.

Now Lie In It – Big Bang fic! Takes place during season 2. Leo won't sleep, and ends up getting on Donnie's nerves. The softshell's solution to the problem is a simple sleep potion, but when he pours too much into Leo's tea his brother won't wake up. Time to force April and Draxum to go find an antidote while he hides his mistake from the rest of his family. (it sounds angsty but it's comedic, actually)

What Will You Leave Behind – Big Bang fic! Doomed timeline, Raph centric. Raph is the first of his siblings to die during the war. And while he does everything he can to be their ever present pillar as they eventually follow after, he can't help but loathe the fact that the ones still down there are suffering and he can't do anything to help.

My Words Died With You – Gift fic for Bat! Doomed timeline, Donnie centric. Donnie quit speaking when Raphael died, months later he still isn't. His family tries to help him cope with this, even Raphael does from the afterlife, but it may not be enough.

VHHB series

(These are all post-movie)

My Roommate the Troubled Time Traveler (One Shot) – Casey and Draxum centric. Casey Jones Jr. isn't coping too great with being in the present, and trying to live in the lair isn't helping. So Mikey has the GREAT idea to convince Draxum to let Casey be his roommate. The alchemist thinks this is a terrible idea, but he might be able to help the kid far more than he realizes.

Violet Hues and Holly Blue (Completed) – Donnie centric. 8 months after the kraang invasion and Donnie's been the reigning champ in the Battle Nexus for a while, in his attempts to improve his mystic abilities. But this draws the attention of a business focused wasp named Holly Blue who offers to help sell his tech designs in the Hidden City. Donnie ends up agreeing, having to keep that secret from his family too, but eventually they're going to find out. (This is only a partial summary haha sorry, fic is heckin long)

Missing Pages – Just some VHHB extras, but hey it features Big Mama being herself, Lou Jitsu maiming some people, Donnie dealing with past blood on his hands and uuuuh Leo and Holly becoming friends (what a mood whiplash)

You Are Loved (Completed)– Two-shot fic about the Caseys (of the Senior and Junior variety). Casey Jr. wants to know why his ninpo sprung up so suddenly, and in his search to find out discovers his family is much closer than he realizes. Meanwhile Cassandra is struggling with her place among the Hamatos, it doesn't help when she finds out they're keeping a pretty big secret from her. Hopefully they can make it up to her.

The Sun and Icarus (Completed) – Mikey-centric. He's been doing pretty good at developing his mystic abilities lately, but now they're starting to explode, pretty violently. And it turns out if this keeps up the whole ordeal could just kill him. Better find a way to put a cap on it, or something to that effect. (Wow more power overloading fics from ME)

Girls' Night (One Shot) – April centric one shot, also April/Sunita. She's just trying to have a fun night out with the girls, inviting Holly Blue along for the ride, but maybe that was a mistake because in her attempts to playfully tease the wasp, she's suddenly forced to confront her own crush.

And For my Next Trick (One Shot) – Leo-centric one shot. Leo's getting frustrated with his lack of progress on his mystic powers, and with Hueso's advice decides to shift his focus to a different kind of magic, stage magic. With Hueso Jr.'s help, he plans to put on an entire show, which should be fine if some other magician doesn't show up to steal the show.

Look Up Hero in the Dictionary (Completed) – Raph centric. Raph's feeling a bit too idle in the city lately, with only minor crimes going on, but in his wish for something exciting a strange explosion happens at an apartment building. He attempts to help everyone escape, but a yokai holding the building together stays behind, and on top of that charges Raph with the task to take care of her child. Have fun taking care of a powerful psychic seven-year old, Raph.

What You're Made Of (One Shot) - Casey Jr. centric. Casey is getting frustrated with discovering weird things about his body like skin problems and peanut allergies. Draxum suggests he find out who his other parent is to get an idea of his genetic history, but when he finds out who it is, he's kind of ticked off that his family never told him. (this is a bio dad Raph fic for the record).

The Knight and the Dragon (Completed) - Jasonnie centric. Episodic chapters about Donnie and Jason learning to be friends and then becoming more than friends. Very sappy, a bit of angst, a lot of me making up lore about Jason.

Here's To You Holly Blue (Completed) - Grief fic, OC, Donnie and Leo focused. Takes place roughly 17 years later when Holly Blue's health takes a drastic drop and she won't be coming out of it.

Off Colors AU (Separated AU)

Off Colors: Contrasts (Completed) - Covers season 1. Leonardo's spent most of his life believing he's an only child because his little brother was kidnapped when they were only toddlers. But a rescue mission to the Hidden City with his best friend April results in him finding out he actually has three siblings. And in the span of a couple of weeks he finds out all of them are alive and, unfortunately, working for bad guys. He's going to try everything he can to stop them and convince them to come home, but it may be a fools errand.

Other Chaptered Fics

An Alien Invasion Happened but That's Not Really What This is About (Completed) - Long ass title. Jason-centric. Hi I wrote a novella sized fic about what happens to this kid during and after the events of the movie. Watch him attempt badly to cope with trauma while also fixing his relationship with his very queer dad who loves him a lot.

Artificial Phoenix (Completed) – Lou Jitsu died in the arena but then Big Mama said no no no! So Draxum brings him back to life while mutating four turtles so Lou Jitsu said NO NO NO! And he took them and ran. Alternate take on the events of the show, where Splinter is undead and unmutated, and unfortunately does not keep his soul in his body the entire time, leaving his sons grieving and desperate to get him back.

Jasonnie things

Not Part of the Plan (One Shot) – Donnie centric. Despite knowing time travel exists, Donnie is still surprised to find his future self in his lab. But his excitement at the possibilities is swiftly crushed as his future self has an easy time embarrassing him. He hopes he can at least gather some useful information in the process, but he slowly begins to wonder if he even wants answers to all these questions.

You Have to Let Him Go (One Shot) – Donnie centric also sad as hell. I literally just wanted to write about how Donnie's husband hecking dies. Read this if you want to be miserable. (or if you hate Jase I guess ??? alskdjf man got char grilled (I have to make jokes to keep myself from being upset shh))

I'll Put the Knife in Your Hand (Completed) – Well, now that Donnie heard about his possible future husband, he's determined to at least get to know the guy. Unfortunately his family is far more cautious about this than he seems to be. AKA Four times Donnie's family believes Jase is planning to stab him in the back, and the one time he actually does.

ERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND (One Shot) - Donnie is messing around with his mind machine again, and in the process ends up erasing part of his memory. Specifically the memories about Jase, and Jase is barely handling this well. Good thing Donnie's brothers who totally and absolutely are on good terms with Jase are there to help. Maybe.

Dual Dragons (One Shot) - Collab fic with @there-wolf ! A fic in which our versions of Jason end up encountering each other and even switching universes temporarily, giving them a window into how their life could be different (for better or worse).

[facingthefossegrim]

it starts with a kiss 。

19 Days (Chapter 409-410 Spoilers)

As a returnee to the comic & fandom, and already late into the chapters, I'm aware that someone else has likely posted similar content on the internet. If so, feel free link me as you like, but I'll be putting down my own observations and two cents here, thanks.

Good grief, where do I start with this? Maybe their longing gazes, how Mo is looking at He Tian as the latter is staring down at his lips? (And even in the subsequent panels, note how He Tian keeps returning his gaze to Mo's mouth.)

Judging by the position of their hands, it looks like He Tian is the one who initiates the contact, but I could be wrong. Either way, it's clear that Mo's nervous (he's been sweating non-stop, and his free hand's shaking), but even his nervousness and uncertainty doesn't stop him from closing the distance. He Tian's gaze has shifted from his mouth to his eyes (much more intimate and intense), and Mo ends up losing his nerves and aborting the mouth-to-mouth kiss.

Mo chooses to close his eyes to escape (the pressure, the intensity, the intimacy), but from his furrowed brow, even this isn't easy. He Tian, on the other hand, closes the distance with his embrace, accepting whatever modicum of affection Mo's willing to give him. He's following Mo's lead. Mo's pace.

Mo quickly breaks away in the panel following the kiss; the way he pulls back and keeps an arm between them shows a desire for distance; he's embarrassed and trying to change the subject (good grief, can you get more tsundere than "my mom prolly doesn't hate you" --he can't even bring himself to express his own feelings towards He Tian directly; has to bring his mom in the conversation, pfft.)

He Tian, on the other hand, won't be so easily distracted or dissuaded. He's got his arms around Mo and won't let him pull back too much; his eyes have returned to Mo's mouth, even as he prompts him to continue. (He's trying to get Mo to confess, aha.)

Even in this next panel, as Mo turns aside, He Tian is maintaining contact with him, only letting go when Mo presents him with the piercing kit, but the kit itself isn't important; his eyes remain on Mo's face, he's seeing everything Mo isn't saying.

The detail of the piercing kit, I like, because Mo's piercings symbolize ownership. Mo isn't a pet or a dog, but he's been compared one several times (both by She Li and He Tian). She Li and He Tian have both used Mo's piercings as a mark of ownership (She Li having pierced Mo's ear, and He Tian buying him earrings). Unlike with She Li, Mo is willing to accept He Tian.

Though He Tian was being possessive af in chapters 282-284 when the backstory about the piercings was revealed, Mo was the one who decided that he wanted to wear the earrings that He Tian gave him.

In chapters 372-373, Mo even took it a step further and requested a new piercing from He Tian, but after the initial shocked reaction, He Tian beckons him over and says this:

Mo's confessing to him. Not directly, and not with straightforward words, 'cause let's face it, that brand of vulnerability doesn't come easy to Mo. He's nervous, and stuttering, and avoiding eye contact, but He Tian's not about to let it go. Mo needs to look, to actually see and understand for himself how He Tian feels as well.

The way He Tian puts himself under Mo is pretty interesting (reminds me of when he did this in chapter 296, when he declared in front of Mo's underlings that He Tian would be his lackey). Is it a way to reassure Mo while simultaneously soothing his ego? Or is it a way for He Tian to communicate that the ball's in Mo's court; that he's the one who'll set the pacing in their relationship?

He' Tian's pretty clever, using just the right words to reassure Mo. He's turning Mo's gaze to him, and while Mo is looking at his face here, He Tian is instead looking right at his lips, communicating exactly what he wants. He's stroking Mo's bottom lip with his thumb, while slowly closing the distance Mo previously created.

That look in Mo's eyes, it's a reflection of mutual desire, and maybe it's because Mo can see it now, that what He Tian wants is what they both want, that Mo tells him when prompted (with a gesture, rather than words). Even now, he's looking carefully at He Tian for his reaction, not because he thinks the latter will reject him, but because he wants to make sure he sees it clearly.

As for He Tian, he's the one who's slowly been closing the gap all this time (their faces getting closer and closer), but Mo's the one who has the final say. He Tian complies to his unspoken wish.

It's the perfect kiss.

Credits: comic by Old Xian 。translations by alexc1ting 。

[crownedwille]

My wilmon vampire AU

Since I keep seeing vampire fics I decided to share some of my own WIP I've been writing on and off for like a year. It contains vampire Wilhelm and vampire hunter Simon and I need to spread more of that propaganda to counteract the vampire Simon stuff lmao. This is only a snippet since it's not done yet and I don't know when it will be but this part felt like a good introduction.

Enemies to lovers type of situation, mentions of blood and death (duh), and Simon having a strong case of I can fix him, no really, I can

"Wille, you promised."

Simon got out his stake out of reflex, ready to aim and use it. Wilhelm grinned darkly at him, blood still staining his teeth, a body lying on the ground, neck ripped apart. If Simon were to touch it, it would probably still be warm. If he had come a few minutes earlier maybe then he could've still saved this life.

He hated it. He hated when Wille decided to bring his meals home and he hated coming home to a bloody massacre (and when he did he start considering Wille's place home?) and not being able to do anything about it. It was by far not his first time seeing a dead body in his job but it still left a stinging pain in his chest. He always mourned the ones he couldn't save, even if they were faceless strangers.

"You know you can't kill me." Wilhelm referred to the stake Simon was still clutching in his hand.

Yes, he knew. It wasn't about whether Simon built up the courage to do it (they both knew he was more than capable). Wilhelm had opened up about his family one cozy evening and told him that he was born into one of the three noble vampire families that were considered well over a thousand years old. They were at the top, basically royalty amongst vampires and couldn't be killed by sunlight or wooden stakes.

There was a weapon rumored to exist that could kill them but it has vanished and no one has come across it in over two hundred years. Wilhelm was, for better or worse, truly immortal.

Wilhelm had told him even more about his family that night in a bitter tone, how he had had a complicated relationship with his parents, feeling like he had to always compete with his brother for their affection and lost but he loved his brother who was always there for him and made sure he didn't feel lonely in their castle and then Wilhelm lost him, the only person he was ever close to and he has been angry and lonely ever since. Since now.

Wille had cried that night. According to his own words, it has been about 90 years since he last shed any tears. It was the first time Wille had been so vulnerable with him and Simon had cried too and Wille had let Simon hold him and they had the most gentle sex that night.

It never happened again.

Simon swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to conceal his nerves and come across as determined. "No but this can still hurt you." And he would use it. Maybe just to teach Wille a lesson.

Wilhelm chuckled. "As if I'd let you come this close with that."

"You already have, once," Simon retorted sharply.

Wilhelm's laugh died. Yes, they both vividly remembered the day they first met when Simon put a stake in his heart. "And I won't make the same mistake again. I have been doing this for centuries, long before you were even born, don't think you stand a chance against me."

Simon got the warning. Wilhelm was superior to him in everything, speed, strength, experience and he would lose the fight. He was only alive because Wilhelm let him and had to count on Wille's soft spot for him that it was enough.

Simon knew by now that it was more than just that, there was real affection on both sides. The time they spent together couldn't just be erased, Simon was in way too deep now. He had feelings for Wille and he knew they were reciprocated.

Wilhelm was unpredictable and impulsive but he wouldn't kill him, of that he was sure. But could Simon just stand by and watch him murder innocent people? He had made a pact to himself and the Hunters League to protect the innocent from monsters like Wille. It was his duty. And he had always been proud to fulfill it.

And now here he was, letting Wilhelm continue killing innocent people.

"I can't let you keep doing this, you know I have to do something," he tried to bargain.

"So just because you feel guilty I should stop doing something that keeps me alive?"

"Bullshit," Simon snapped, "you don't need to kill them to stay alive."

Wilhelm gave a miniscule shrug. "Maybe. But I want to."

Hearing those words so straight forward made Simon flinch. He knew that was a reason why many vampires killed, not because of survival, taking a little blood would sustain them enough but they enjoyed it. They were predators. It was nothing new but still, he hated hearing it from Wille's mouth.

Wilhelm caught his reaction and scoffed. "You knew exactly who I was from the beginning, I never pretended to be anything else. You knew and yet you still continued to come back for more. I didn't make you do anything, so don't you come here and blame me now, this is on you."

Simon suppressed a wince. Another thing he hated, being confronted with the truth. He knew about Wille being a vampire before they had even spoken but not what kind and he had not anticipated the feelings and complications that came with it.

He wanted to say it was a lie, that there was more to Wille and he wanted to be a good person and was trying so hard not to kill. There were occasional hints that made Simon believe in it and what made him stay. He had hope when Wille was his soft and tender self with vulnerable eyes and then he crushed it again when he got cold and mean.

"I can't let you kill." He tried again, the wood digging into the palm of his hand.

Wille's grin came back, he licked the remaining blood from his teeth. "Too late for that."

Wilhelm was being intentionally cruel right now. It was something he was very good at, digging right into Simon's insecurities and moral struggles when he wanted to win an argument and it definitely was not the first time they had this one.

Simon kept feeling conflicted and hated himself everytime he let Wilhelm get away with murder. He couldn't actually slay him but he should at least stop seeing him, he shouldn't still have feelings for Wille even after he saw him draining somebody of their blood, right? What was wrong with him?

Wilhelm walked towards him. He took the stake out of Simon's hand, who let him, and threw it carelessly on the ground somewhere next to the body. "Just give it up."

"Why don't you give it up and stop being such a bastard!" Simon snarled, some of the fight coming back to him.

Wilhelm didn't react to Simon's aggressive taunt like Simon expected him to and instead started caressing his neck and ran his fingers down his arm tenderly. Simon shivered. "I'm sorry, okay. I won't do it again."

There it was, the sweet soft Wille that promised him to stop. Lies. They were lies. Simon was aware of it by now but it was still comforting to hear. He decided to turn off the rational side of his brain telling him that, he wanted to stop fighting, he just wanted to be with Wille without any of the complications.

"Promise?" He yearned to hear the empty words again and feel Wille's lips on his.

Wilhelm nodded and pulled Simon closer for a kiss, the drained body lying on the ground forgotten.

"I promise."

[patheticgirlsteve]

Steve loves Eddie's hands. They're beautiful and they're kind of impossible not to stare at, Steve thinks. He's not really sure how everyone else manages to pull their eyes away from them when they're playing guitar at The Hideout, or gesticulating with gusto during one of their Hellfire sessions, or when they're absently spinning the rings that adorn his fingers.

So, yeah, Steve loves Eddie's hands, thinks about them constantly. About what they would feel like holding Steve's hand as they sit together on the couch during movie night, or how they would feel cupping his face as he leaned in for a kiss, or how they would feel sinking into Steve's hair, tugging just a little.

So when Steve sees his opportunity to find out just how those hands feel cradled in his own, he takes it.

They've been at the trailer all day, smoking and just hanging out together with no expectations. These are some of Steve's favorite days lately, just spending time with Eddie, listening to him ramble about whatever nerd tangent he's gone off on any given day.

He specially likes days like today, specifically. Days when Eddie's writing music. He won't let Steve see what lyrics he's frantically scrawling into his notebook, but Steve gets to hear the music and that's enough for him. He's kind of honored to be allowed to witness what is clearly a very personal process for Eddie.

Eddie's been playing and writing and playing and writing and playing some more all day, and Steve sees his chance as soon as Eddie puts his baby back on her mount on the wall and flops back onto his bed with a wide grin.

Steve grins back and doesn't say anything as he reaches out and grabs one of Eddie's hands. He carefully starts removing the bulky silver rings from Eddie's fingers.

"What are you doing?" Eddie is watching Steve with an intensity that is hard to ignore, but Steve just continues in his task. He's on a mission and he will not be derailed.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Steve says, slipping off the last of Eddie's rings. They're sitting close, Eddie leaned back against his pillow and Steve cross-legged next to him with his body turned toward Eddie's like a sunflower finding the sun.

"It looks like you're taking off my rings. Why are you doing that? Are you trying to steal them? You could just ask, you know, I'd give you one if you wanted," Eddie doesn't sound upset, just confused and maybe a tiny bit flustered underneath his joking tone. Steve would check to see if Eddie's face has that delightful little flush that it sometimes gets when Steve touches him a little more tenderly than usual or flirts with him a little more overtly.

Steve would like to look, but he thinks he might lose his nerve if he does, so he keeps his eyes focused on Eddie's hands. On Eddie's long fingers, his chipped nails, his calloused fingertips. He places the removed rings into a small pile on Eddie's bedside table, in the little jewelry dish that Steve had gotten for him last month.

"No thanks, they're not really my style. I'm taking them off so that I can do this," And he pulls Eddie's arm out a little further from his body so that he can start massaging Eddie's palm with both of his thumbs.

"Oh," Eddie gasps and Steve feels a rush of satisfaction at how out of breath Eddie sounds. Steve chances a look up and is quietly delighted to see that Eddie is indeed blushing.

"Yeah," Steve offers a small smile as he turns his attention back to Eddie's hand in his. "I figured your hands must be cramping a bit after playing and scribbling things down in your little notebook all day."

Steve sees Eddie nod out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, um," Eddie says and Steve's heart is racing in his chest. "Thanks, that, uh, it feels good."

"Good," Steve looks up at Eddie with another small smile and releases his hand. "Other hand?" He holds his own palm up for Eddie to place his hand in, which he does bashfully.

"Okay," Eddie is staring openly at Steve almost like he can't believe that Steve would want to massage his hands, which Steve thinks is ridiculous because it's not like he's been subtle about his attraction to Eddie for the past several months.

Steve squeezes Eddie's hand quickly before he works his thumbs into his other palm and it's a little bit sweaty now, but Steve doesn't mind. They sit in companionable silence while Steve finishes the massage.

When he's done, he doesn't release Eddie's hand back to him, just sits with it in his own for a moment. He could do something now, it's a risk, but Steve's almost positive now that Eddie feels the same way about Steve that Steve feels about Eddie. And even if Steve's wrong about that he knows that Eddie won't give him shit for being queer.

So, why not? The benefits of being right outweigh the fear of being wrong and Steve makes up his mind.

"Steve?" Eddie asks slowly, but makes no move to remove his hand from Steve's grip.

"Eddie," Steve answers and brings Eddie's knuckles up to trace across his lips. Steve hears Eddie gasp as he places a gentle but undeniable kiss on the center of Eddie's knuckles, letting his lips linger for a moment before pulling back to look at Eddie's face.

For such a small kiss Eddie looks absolutely wrecked, his face is flushed, his eyes are blown wide, and his mouth is hanging open. Steve's eyes drop to Eddie's lips unconsciously and Eddie closes them with a swallow that makes his adam's apple bob tantalizingly.

"Eddie," Steve repeats and he inches forward so that his knees are pressed up against Eddie's thighs, his face hovering over Eddie's. "Tell me if I'm wrong, okay?"

And then he kisses Eddie.

He doesn't panic when Eddie doesn't kiss back immediately, Steve's kissed enough people to know that it takes a moment sometimes for your brain to catch up with your body.

He doesn't panic, but he does feel a huge rush of relief when Eddie does kiss back, sweet and deep and Steve feels like he could drown in it.

And when one of Eddie's hands comes up to cradle Steve's face while the other works its way into Steve's hair, it feels even better than Steve had imagined.

[whentherewerebicycles]

ok obviously because i am myself i have to journal through some Big Feelings!!!!

here are some of my feelings:

i feel an immense sense of relief. i have been in so much pain for so long with no solutions and no clear endpoint. i feel like i've been slowly losing my mind for weeks. it is just not good for your brain to experience that much pain or to feel that much raw despair every night for so long. i can have my baby and then i can have the surgeries and then i can get PT and then i can recover normal motor functions and not be in excruciating agony. i feel like i've been so deep in the despair pit that i've started losing sight of the fact that i'm genuinely excited to have a baby. i've started losing sight of the fact that there's going to be a baby, period. it's felt like this would just last forever and ever and ever. but it won't. it might last another month or two but from sunday onwards i will be moving in the direction of less pain.

i feel an immense sense of guilt. i know i should wait until 39-40 weeks for his health/well-being but also i know many people who were induced early and their babies are fine. i was born at 38 weeks and he'll be born at 37.5 weeks and i have had no lasting health issues. and they will keep a close eye on him and we will be able to manage anything that happens. i am trying not to let myself be swallowed up by the fear that i am being hugely selfish by prioritizing an end to my own pain over his well-being. i love him so much and i want him to be healthy but i also have to trust that my health and well-being matters and is important to his health and well-being. like i guess start as you mean to go on, you know, and i want to try to be a parent who can make decisions that take care of my kid but also honor my own needs.

i feel frustrated. as my sister pointed out if people had felt a greater sense of urgency about the pain earlier i probably could have gotten to "clear evidence of nerve damage" sooner and then had time to prepare for an early term induction instead of making it feel so rushed. also maybe i wouldn't have done so much damage to my hands in the meantime. i mean maybe everything would've played out exactly the same way and that's fine but it is still a little frustrating to tell people that you are in the worst pain you've ever experienced and to have them be like aw i'm sorry but that seems normal. but it's fine! it's fine.

i feel kind of proud of myself. one of my goals for pregnancy esp after the pregnancy loss over the summer was to get better at medical self-advocacy. i tend to be really cowed by doctors and to downplay symptoms or to assume that if i am a bit more forceful in asking for things i'll be labeled a difficult patient. but i think over the last couple months i have done a good job of nicely but firmly being like, this is not normal. this is not normal. this is not normal. i know you are saying this is normal but this is not and cannot be normal. and i feel like saying that repeatedly and showing up to the ED and calling all the time finally made people be like hm maybe this isn't normal, and then i was able to get objective confirmation that my hands were sooo fucked up, and now things are happening that are moving me towards a future without this pain.

i feel stressed about work but also in some ways i've moved so far beyond that i don't feel that stressed. like i just don't have time to care about my boss yelling at me or being passive-aggressive towards me for leaving early. i'm about to do something that is so, so, so, so, SO immensely more important and meaningful and life-affirming than like, figuring out who's going to cover tabling events or run an application workshop in the fall. like come on. i am not going to expend a single ounce of energy on that in this last week. i will wrap up everything to the very best of my ability and then i will leave it. nothing is life or death in this job, and i have done a good job already of preparing my team for the transition.

i feel panicky!!!!!! i'm going to have a baby in less than a week. i thought i had more time although like what was i even going to do with that time given the fact that i can barely perform household chores or type for more than 30 min at a time or sleep. i feel panicky just because it feels so sudden, but also like, i have everything i need to bring him home, and i've read all the books and done all the pre-baby prep work and i've spent nine months getting ready for this moment. i have a bunch of chores and errands i want to take care of before sunday, but then i want to really dedicate saturday to reflection and journaling and taking long walks and just like, experiencing the last day of being just me.

i feel grief!!!! a whole part of my life - the part where i'm not a parent - is ending. i wish i had more time to honor that transition and to reflect on what it meant. i will definitely carve out time this week to do that and will try to not fritter away the next five days with errands... i think it's much more important to spend time getting myself emotionally ready.

this is a little dumb but i must voice it aloud: i feel weirdly sad about ending the part of my life where my dogs were my most important companions & beloved creatures. i know they will continue to be my beloved creatures! my best little guy and my sweet scruffy little girl! but the time when we were just a little family unit of three is ending and everything will be different now even if it will also be better and richer in a whole host of ways. i have already done a lot of crying and forcibly snuggling a disgruntled Pip and i anticipate there is a lot more of that in my future this week lol. but we will take lots of good long walks and i'll snuggle them so much and i will just trust that it might take a little time for us to settle back into our new normal but we'll get there.

i feel grief, too, at the thought of not being pregnant anymore. in some ways i'm SO ready... my whole body just feels so heavy and so uncomfortable and so swollen, and of course, as you might have heard, my hands hurt so much i think about cutting my fingers off at least once a night. but for the most part, up until this last stretch of pain, i've really, really loved being pregnant. i love feeling him kick and stretch and roll over inside of me. i love rubbing the outside of my stomach and feeling him press against the inside in response, like we're talking to each other, like we're making contact. my baby!! my little guy i've carried inside of me for nine months. i did expect to have more time to savor the end of pregnancy and to honor the experience (even the painful parts) in ways that felt meaningful to me. i feel real grief about not being sure if i'll ever get to do this again! and i wish, idk, i wish i could've paced myself through the end of it differently and had time away from the distractions of work to really have this experience of being in my very pregnant body, connected to my baby in a way I'll never be again, in a way that has felt really deeply meaningful to me. i'll do my best to make that time this week, and i know it's ok, i know that the next chapter will be so good too, but i can grieve not getting to have the ending to pregnancy i wanted.

i feel ready to be changed forever. the rush at the end is not what i wanted for myself, just in terms of getting my head on straight before he arrived, but on some deeper level i've been ready for this for so long, and i'm so, so ready. i want to meet my baby. i can't believe he's going to be my kid for the rest of my life. i can't believe how lucky i am that i got to choose this for myself and that i get to live the life i wanted. i'm so ready. i'm so ready. i can't wait to meet my kid and i can't wait to meet my new self on the other side of this big, big, big, forever-life-altering change.

[dailyoyo]

GGs ranked by how quickly they would resort to murdering their friends if they were stuck in a timeloop (Real edition)

my sincerest fucking apologies to pseud for what ive done to their blog.

THAT SAID: on account of this being very long and very grim to the point that most of it is too grimdark to even be funny anymore i am putting it under a readmore. This is a half-joke half-serious post about the ggs getting stuck in a time loop and murdering each other so like. you get what you click on.

also these are all specifically based aroudn our interps/jet set radio paradox obviously so bear that in mind lol

RULES TO MINIMIZE VARIABLES: only one of them knows they're in a time loop, each is a separate scenario where the listed character is the one who knows and remembers. they do not know why the loop is happening and they do not know how to stop it. the span of time the loop happens is relatively normal, though dangerous enough events happen (maybe just normal jsr stuff) that people may accidentally die during it depending on the exempt character's actions. everyone who dies during a loop is alive again when the date rolls back over. everything is back to square one. no consequences. 14. Pots pots is a dog, even if a highly intelligent one. assuming he can even grasp the idea of a time loop (unlikely) i believe it is even further unlikely that he would recognize it as a bad thing. very possible he just stays in the time loop contentedly forever 13. Soda it takes like a week (or until the first "someone dies and comes back") for him to even notice he's in a timeloop (general apathy/depression?). but when he does notice he's pretty together about it. obviously he wants out but he's literally got all the time in the world, he doesn't need to do stupid traumatic shit just to see what happens. he's got this.

12. Jazz WHY WOULD MURDER EVEN BE PART OF THIS EQUATION WHAT THE FUCK? shes not gonna kill anybody and would think its super fucked to even raise the idea. how is that supposed to help. That said. she does keep repeatedly explaining she's in a time loop almost every loop and it is getting to the point that she kiiiiinda wants to strangle someone or two as stress relief because by god is she stressed. she Won't, she's got more sense than that, but. But…

11. Boogie i think she never really goes full murdermode or anything and the very idea of that happening would shock and disturb her, but surprisingly early on she gives into the impulse to push one of the other ggs into traffic (it doesn't matter anyway, right?) and watches them get ran over. and she's like O_O oh jesus fuck that was horrible. and she never kills anyone again during the loops but it HAUNTS her and makes her nervous abt the idea that she COULD do it again.

10. Gum she's mostly level headed, i think, so she wouldn't be quick to resort to madness. but give her enough time and she starts feeling desperate and does some scary shit in the hopes that maybe somehow they'll at least remember next time. like more than anything i think it's the isolation of it that gets to her. maybe she doesn't progress to outright intentional murder, maybe she only tries it once or twice to see if it fixes anything (it doesn't). while she doesn't go full-blown axe-crazy she DOES become incredibly dangerous and desperate to just not be the only one who remembers.

9. Garam while his nerves end up aaaabsolutely shot and he loses all his patience to see the same day happening over and over, i think it would honestly take a while for him to become a danger to the ggs. he'd rather take out his stress on Literally Anything Else. that said he'd reach a point where he accidentally kills someone for real (whether a gg or an unrelated party) and it fucks him up reallll bad, but whether it fucks him up in a "fine whatever i can kill people who cares" way or a "I NEED TO BE CAREFUL THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN HOLY FUCK" way depends on the circumstances.

8. Beat honestly? unless something in particular causes him to suspect one of the ggs is responsible for the loop, it takes a while for it to even occur to him that killing his friends is an option. like maybe he might end up killing the GGs' enemies and maybe even rivals, but if you brought up the idea of killing his FRIENDS to him he'd be like "wait huh??? but why even????" that said, though, keep him in there long enough and he might develop a severe god complex and start doing it purely to power trip.

7. Combo putting him in a time loop i think would really be the last straw in his miserable life. maybe he deserves the right to kill someone at this point really. while he focuses intently on trying to find a way to break the loop, as it all begins to grate on him he really just stops giving a shit about much of anything. the murder isn't a constant thing, more like one or two good ol' kill em all style breakdowns, and obviously it only makes him feel sick to his stomach when the date rolls over, but what can he even do about it?

6. Clutch he tries to play it cool at first and not think about it too hard but it isnt long before a sort of prey animal panic is invoked in him and hes like. I gotta get outta here. I gotta get out of here. Oh my god i gotta get the hell out of here. and it doesn't help that hes really not close with these guys yknow. and any concern from the ggs he reacts to with escalating violence until he reaches the point he's killing them multiple times in hopes that gives him a way out. eventually he just gives up

5. Corn at first the thought of killing his friends doesnt even cross his mind but he becomes increasingly desperate to understand what's happening and soon enough it's a last resort. it's all very methodical testing the limits of the loop and himself, not explaining anything to anyone else because they'll forget anyway and becoming increasingly hostile and isolationist. he doesn't want to but He's out of options. He has to FIGURE IT OUT.

4. Roboy what bothers him more than anything else is the feeling of helplessness over the whole thing and even if the others COULD help him he's not going to try to get their help. he kills the other ggs to feel less powerless, like he has any sort of control over the situation, and all it does is make him feel worse and worse and worse. maybe eventually reaches a point where he starts deleting his memories of the resets in the hopes this breaks the vicious feedback loop but all it does is ensure the cycle never ends.

3. Yoyo If you put yoyo in a situation where nothing he does matters and none of his actions have consequences he will do increasingly crazy dumb shit because it's not like it matters anyway. and he will undergo EXTREMELY RAPID psychological decay that DOES end in him killing members of the ggs just to see what effect it has both on the loop and on others' psyches. and he will just assume that the loop is forever and ever with no way to ever break it.

2. Cube cube upon realizing she and she alone is in a timeloop will rapidly come to the conclusion that she is in actual literal hell. everything wrong with her will come to the surface at once. she will suffer a severe psychological break SO fast and the streets will run red. maybe she's enjoying it. maybe she isn't. but she is convinced this HAS to happen. and that she deserves it. 1. Mew As soon as Mew finds out that deaths don't stick she's going to massacre all of the GGs just to see how it feels. just once. to try it. it's fine. it doesn't matter. Where did she get that higurashi cleaver

bonus: with the way i joke about zero beat maybe he doesnt even notice hes in a time loop until After hes maimed someone to death. i dont know man. im lying. who fucking give a shit

[fishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

I LOVE LOVE THE CRANE WIVES !!!!!!!

IVE LOVED EVERY PIECE OF THEIR MUSIC WHICH I THINK IVE LISTENDED TO ALMOST ALL OF IT.

NEVER HEARD A CRANE WIVES SONG I DISLIKED!!!1

THE FUNKY LITTLE LEADING BASS LINE AND THE HOWLING VOCALS HAVE MY HEART AND SOULLLLL

SOME OF MY FAVORITE CRANE WIVES LYRICS: Album - Safe Ship, Harbored

You won't find me where you left me No, I'm long gone (Long gone)You can't bind me in the state you kept meFor so long (So long)

I give up my sight To see I give up my air To breathe

We're the daughters of sinners, we're the sons of saints

If there's a hole in the silver lining I'll be the one, the one to find itI take it upon myself to make sure I do . I might find nothing when I start lookingBut I turn it over in my hands untilMy fingers wear it through

Where does your faith fall? Where does your faith fall in me?Don't break the bottleDon't waste your blessings on me

My dreams keep diggin' up the bones of memories Discarded remnants of former timesNow every skeleton is slappin' its knees Laughin' at the holes he left behind

I have all the time I need (And when full moon beckons)To repent my wicked deeds(She relives the night that took her life)Plant my guilty seed(To suffer it in her eternal penance) By the moonlight in the cemetery

Album - The Fool in Her Wedding Gown

Spreading out the ashes of a love That only gave and gave

I'm swimming in this dress, a child in her mother's clothes This ring around my finger's like a chain around my throatAre you so sure you've tamed me?

Don't just watch me go, you fool Run with me, keep up, keep up, keep up

That though we're gray, we can stay young, and wild, and free

And if I were someplace else And if I were someone elseAnd if I were not myself, would this be easier?

I'm at a loss for better plans 'Cause this is all I haveSo I'll just close my eyes and try To pretend That it gets easier

All you're doing now is losing me

I gave you everything I had And now I want it back

You built the glacier house in the fadin' SummerYou cursed the earth you settled under

I know that you mean so well But I am not a vessel for your good intent

Though I planted the seeds, gave them everything they needBut the flowers in our window box don't growLittle buds make their graves as the warmth inside us fadesBut I still don't know shit about letting go

Just give me back, give me back to the ground

When my ghost sings my battle cry you'll be too sorry to dance

Am I the only thing that keeps you safe when the light is gone?

But I still hold out hope that maybe someday I'll be worth more than all the silence left in my way

But if in the end I lose my voiceWill you forget about your love for me?

And when you break the surface oh without mePlease don't return me to the dark of all the memories

The heart is just a muscle with a rhythm all its own It doesn't stop when you decide not to move on The heart knows nothing of your love or of your loss

Album - Coyote Stories

No amount of fear will keep you safe

With the risk of fall I never climbed at allEvery day I told myself“I’m not ready”

Their stories reveal Regrets their smiles can’t conceal

I could have been anyone, anyone else Before you made the choice for me

Bore the shadows that you made With no light of my own

I shine only with the light you gave me

All is fair in love and war, but I can’t fight with you anymoreThis will be the death of me

I'm one deep breath away from a breakdown My nerves are wrecked and coming unwound

I rip myself apart at the seams I find one weak spot and start unravelingHoping I can find a better me

I keep my closet free of skeletons 'Cause I'm much better at digging graves

I've seen good men spoiled Chained to their jobs like houndsThey work and sleep and work againIn the darkest nights they howlTheir cries are a warningTo everyone followingNo man should stand to work all of his daysAnd have nothing at the end of them

I got no money but the changeThat jingles in my pocketsReminding me how little I haveAnd as for time I amPowerless to stop itIt keeps rambling on like a mad, wandering man

And my dear papa gave me Lessons in regretHe said all that he'd done would be for nothingIf I followed in his steps

He taught me that the hand that feeds Deserves to be bitten when it beats

And that no man should get More of my time than me, than me

I may never be a rich man But I can, make sure that I am free

That these hands of mine were clumsy, not cleverAnd I tried to do the best that I couldBut try as I might I couldn't bring myself to hold you

There is love that doesn't have a place to rest But it would have buried you if it had settled on your shoulders

For keeping my claws away when they were close enough to hurt you

I want to know that there are lands Not yet touched by human handsI want to be the one to find them

Album - Foxlore

Sure, you can forget about all the things you've done But what about the rest of us?

High-tail it when it gets to be too much What about the rest of us?

Marrow made a wife of Eve But no one gave up a rib for me and mine

Time has changed the metaphor Now, dust is not the origin of boneLittle girl, don't let them sell you any armorAll your ribs are still your own

The time has come for moving on You can't be always trying to dig upWhat you've already buried

Every word I say is kindling But the smoke clears when you're aroundWon't you stay with me, my darlingWhen my walls start burning down, down, down?

You don't have to believe every single thought That tumbles through your headJust 'cause it sounds like you talkingSometimes all you can doIs say goodnight and tuck your demons into bed'Cause they're not worth fighting

What good has ever come of it? What answers will you find?Turn out the lights on your mind

Don't buy me flowers It pains me to watch pretty little things wilt away

Keep the light so dim that you can't see What's out there ahead

If only I could break the chain of disappointments Weighing me downShake off the ghosts that whisper warnings

The crows in the garden are laughing at my expense

Put your ear to my heart or set your teeth against my throatGive me something pretty to wear beneath my blood-stained clothes

Tell the crows they can have their pound of flesh

Get on your knees and dig up the garden Won't you throw down that spade andDig up the garden, darling?Get your hands dirty and rip up the gardenWon't you cut down that apple tree for me?

Album - Here I Am

I thought it would be easier to change How many times can someone start again?How many more times will it take?

Got bombs that are falling on my mind I'm getting used to the noise and light,

I wanna be found I think I'm ready to be hereTie me down, tie me down

This ghost town is making a ghost of me

They shake me off and ask why I bother The answer is simpleMy father, his fatherI come from a long line of people who believeIn the flowers that growIn the cracks in the street

Tender as a bruise Sharper than a razorWraps her tentacles around meLike she'll never let me goFury shakes the rafters, but never in my favorI'm trembling in the eye of the only storm I've ever known

Stop the car, I wanna get outI'm craving open air and solid ground'Cause I've been watching from the backseatWatching the world slipping past me

Like a moth in the night I'm desperate for a minute in the light'Cause everywhere that I goSomething pulls me to the shadows

I'm a fool I've been howling at a hollow moon

Is this a bunker or a shallow grave? Either way I'm leftHolding onto the shovel and ropeDigging in the dirtFinding bones, finding ghosts

Take me in my damaged state Walked a thousand miles to be here againPull apart your useless gamesBut your song sings in my veins, and I'mSinging tooI can't drown you out no matter what I do

I’m just a ten cent copy Of people far more advanced than meEvery thought that I’ve ever hadCould be ripped from a magazineCut me a path, and I will follow itDraw me a line, and I’ll avoid itI’m nothing if not obedientYou have my word

I am not a builder I’m much better at blowing things downI will join the wolfAt my door

I keep tallies I keep scoreI'm a petty thing on a high, high horseYou've got your mouth openI hold my tongueThere's so many things that we can't ignore

Congrats to anyone who made it this far down the post lmao

(Life Series / Trafficblr fans, i see you all and im with you all.)

Europe/Britian/Scotland tour when??? plsplspls i need to see them live on stage!!!

This has been a Crane Wives Appretiation Post , Thank you for Consideration and please listen to their music if you dont already!!!

[howlingday]

Can you the studio c scetch operation breakup with black sun and yang.

Operation Blake-Hole Sun

Blake: Thank you for helping with this, Yang. I'm not the best with ending relationships cleanly.

Yang: Hey, what are friends for if not to... end the friendships of other people?

Blake: I'm just worried I'm going to lose my nerve and do something I'll regret. Especially since I feel like Sun is a lot more invested in this relationship than I am.

Yang: No worries. I've broken plenty of hearts in my dating sim games. (Puts on cap) Got your ear-piece?

Blake: Yeah, I do. Do you wanna test it?

Yang: Sure. This is Golden Dragon. Do you read me Black Cat?

Blake: Could we maybe try a different name for me?

Yang: Uh, sure. How about Heartstomper? Soulstealer?

Blake: You know what? Black Cat is fine.

Yang: Fine, fine. Commencing Operation: Blake-Hole Sun. (Hides round the corner)

Blake: (Knocks)

Sun: (Steps out) Hey, Blake! (Hugs her)

Blake: Hey... I, uh, need to talk to you about something.

Yang: You are doing great. I repeat, you are doing great!

Sun: To be honest, I was worried, because I thought you forgot it was my birthday today.

Yang: You are Salem. I repeat, you are Salem.

Blake: N-No, I, uh... I didn't forget.

Yang: I did not sign up for this, Black Cat! You didn't tell me it was his birthday!

Blake: How was I supposed to know?!

Yang: There's this neat little thing called a scroll! You should try it!

Sun: You feelin' hungry? I'm feelin' hungry. What say we get some noodles?

Blake: Uh...

Sun: Tell ya what; I'll grab my wallet and you think about it. (Reenters house)

Yang: Are you sure you want to continue? If he's anything like me, then he is going to cry. A lot. Like, a lot a lot.

Blake: I have to! I can't keep living a lie!

Yang: You lie all the time!

Blake: Yeah, but I also really wanna break up with him.

Sun: (Comes back out) Of course, I could also take you to this awesome taco place.

Yang: Alright. Let's ruin his special day.

Sun: 'Course, it's your special day, too. Y'know, 'cause it's our six-month anniversary.

Yang: ...HAVE YOU A HEART OF STONE, WOMAN?

Blake: What do I do?

Yang: You need to stop the conversation and change topics!

Blake: STOP! I... want to talk about cheese.

Yang: ...Okay, now transition from talking about cheese to... breaking up with him.

Blake: This isn't easy for me, like how cheese isn't easy for me because of my... lactose intolerance.

Yang: But...

Blake: But-

Sun: Say no more. I saw this coming. So I'll save us the awkardness.

Yang: Great. Great so far.

Sun: I love you, Blake.

Yang: OOOOOH! Red alert! The L word has been brought into play! We need to regroup!

Sun: Hold tight! I gotta grab something! (Runs inside)

Yang: Stop him! Don't let him bring out any presents! Stop him!

Sun: (Comes out, Holding black kitten) What do you want to name her? I'm thinking BB. For Bitty Blake.

Yang: RRGH! That is such a cute name! We're losing control of the conversation! We need to regroup!

Starr: Well, howdy there! I'm Starr Sangzang, Sun's cousin. It's great to finally meet the Blake he's been gushing over.

Yang: Engaging multiple hostiles!

Blake: Yang, help me!

Yang: On my way!

Yang: Hey... there!

Sun: What's up, Yang?

Yang: I'm... robbing you?

Starr: ...I'd wished a bitch would friggin' try! (Jumps Yang, Pounding the daylights outta her)

Yang: (Crawls back to her corner)

Sun: That was... weird of her.

Starr: See, this is why you need to carry a bag of sand like I do. (Leans near Blake) Both a distraction AND a melee weapon.

Yang: ...Man down, Black Cat. Man down... D-Don't worry, we can still pull through this...

Blake: Mhm.

Starr: Y'know, it's really great to see Sun all happy again. Considering this is the one-year anniversary of when his last girlfriend broke up with him. Can you believe that? And on his birthday, too? Only way it got worse was when Uncle Buck-Bill died.

Sun: (Cuddling kitten) You won't die like Uncle BB, will you, new BB?

Yang: ...Abort mission.

Starr: I mean, what kinda sick, twisted kinda person would do that?

Yang: Abort mission, Black Cat. You gotta date him for at least three more weeks before breaking up with him. I... My conscience and my ribs are screaming at me!

Blake: No, no, I... I would never do something like that. Uh, just let me slip into this alleyway to grab your present.

Yang: (Dragged away by Blake) Requesting MedEvac.

Blake: Oh, shut up!

Neptune: (Rappels down from the roof) Mission accomplished. Nicely done, everyone. Operation "Stop Blake From Breaking Sun's Heart And Come Up With A Better Plan Name Later" was a complete success!

[pyrusinc]

Mosaic (Akumabug)

Adrien glanced around his room, now illuminated by telltale blue embers of time, and felt every nerve in his body light in alarm as Bunnyx's exhausted form stumbled through the portal that had blazed into existence. He rushed to her side as she collapsed on the floor, shuddering coughs tearing through her throat.

"Bunnyx? Are you alright?" He asked in a rush as he helped her up. "D-doesn't matter," she choked. "Something terrible has happened, and you're our only shot at fixing it." Leaning on Adrien, she raised a trembling hand to the air, faint sparks dancing along her fingers. A second portal flashed before them, and Adrien exchanged a worried glance with Plagg before calling on his transformation and helping Bunnyx through. The interior of the Burrow was as harrowing as it always was, but for an entirely different reason than normal- the infinite number of rippling windows into time that usually greeted travelers, bekoning them with whispered could-have-been's and might-be's were absent, leaving the endless white abyss to expand into oblivion. With no sense of space within this void of time, Adrien searched for something to focus on to keep his head from spinning. Bunnyx was in rough shape, even worse than he'd initially realized. Her usually sharp gaze was clouded with pain and fear, and her rabbit ears were pinned back, occasionally flicking nervously. She seemed to be steading herself, prepairing for something, but each breath seemed to bring her some amount of distress. There was something else about her too, something he couldn't quite place, something wrong about her that his eyes refused to focus on, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what. A million questions raced through his mind, fighting to be asked, but he settled on the simplest he could manage. "What happened, Alix?"

It could have been a second before she responded, or a minute. In this fathomless space, it felt like an eternity.

"...Have you ever wondered what would happen if you were akumatized?"

"I try not to think about thing's that won't happen."

A dry laugh echoed through the Burrow. "Good one, but its less that it won't happen and more that you can't allow it to. If a miraculous wielder as powerful as you were akumatized, it would be catastrophic. Worse than Monarch winning."

"What are you getting at? I've never been akumatized."

Bunnyx shook her head, "In your timeline, maybe, and only because we worked to undo and retroactively prevent it from ever happening."

Adrien felt his blood run cold. Undo it? Had he been akumatized before? Had he, in some far off, erased timeline, been corrupted? Bunnyx flickered like a match going out and relighting, and she fell into another coughing fit. "W-what are you saying? Did.... Did I do this to you?" Adrien finally managed.

"N-no." Bunnyx rasped. "Destruction was a gradual fade into nothingness. Now I feel like my cells are burning... Like I said, if someone as powerful as you were akumatized, it would be devestating. World ending. But you're still here..."

His heart stopped. Any distress he had felt at the idea of losing himself was gone in an instant, replaced by dawning horror of what Bunnyx was implying.

"That's impossible-" he whispered. "That could never..."

Adrien looked up, searching pained eyes. Bunnyx looked so fragile, a far cry from the strong, sassy hero he had always seen her as. The stalwart protector of ages, reduced to a shivering hare... and there, imperceptible but for the stillness of their shared stress, it was. The wrongness he hadn't been able to discern. Shimmering lines were drifting from Bunnyx's suit, the nearly invisible hexagonal mesh weave of her transformation was sloughing off her body. It was subtle, but the glimmer was unmistakable now that he had seen it- the very threads of her existence were being pulled from her being. The faint hexagons drifted mere centimeters from her surface before splitting, becoming undone. Subtle shapes curling in on themselves and twisting in on each other, endlessly. It hurt to watch, a physically excruciating thing to behold happen to a person, watching as the very fibers of their life were mutated beyond recognition. There was a word for this, for what was happening to Alix Kubdel.

She was fractalling.

Becoming mosaic.

A sputtering portal burned into existence beside them, and Bunnyx stumbled away from Adrien, barely standing, but still defiant. "Every other future has already been obliterated, or worse. This is the only timeline yours will ever lead to, if we don't fix it. I know its a lot to ask, but you're the only one that can do this... Get in, destroy the akuma, and get out. We should know enough by then to prevent this possibility from ever being realized."

Fear coiled through Adrien's veins, turning his body sluggish and unresponsive, but he forced himself to take a shuddering breath and step froward, towards the portal. Towards the unknown end of realities that existed on the other side. He could do this, he had to do this.

Behind him, he heard Bunnyx's strength give out as she collapsed to the ground, but he couldn't bring himself to look away from the task ahead of him. If he faltered for even a second, he wasn't sure he'd be able to bring himself to face it again. Every cell in his body urged him forward, to do the one thing he would always do, and every cell in his body screamed for him to run away, away, away from this impossible future.

Bunnyx's broken voice drifted through the void around him as stepped through the portal and into this finale that must be undone.

"Do what you do best, Chat Noir."

"Save Ladybug."

@isabugs and i have been rotating this idea like two feral cavedwellers rotating a cartoon slab of meat on a spit. and like those two feral cavedwellers, we have been cooking. here are some drabbles :)

[joprompts]

chess (musical) starters. part one. *starters from the musical. adjust as necessary.

everybody's playing the game but nobody's rules are the same. nobody's on nobody's side.

all men have a weakness: his is that woman.

no one in your life is with you constantly. no one is completely on your side and though i move my world to be with him, still the gap between us is too wide.

no one can deny that these are difficult times.

knowing i want you, knowing i love you, cannot compare to my despair, knowing i've lost you.

they're not too polite.

who needs a dream? who needs ambition? who'd be the fool in my position?

don't get me wrong, i'm not complaining.

that's the problem. he's a brilliant lunatic, and you can't tell which way he'll jump. like his game, he's impossible to analyze. you can't predict him, dissect him, which of course means he's not a lunatic at all.

i've been a fool to allow dreams to become great expectations.

how can i love you so much yet make no move?

one of these days--and it won't be long--he'll know more about me than he should.

if it were love, i would give that love every second i had.

wasn't it good? wasn't he fine? isn't it madness he can't be mine?

i'm on the case, can't be fooled. any objection is overruled.

pity instead the careless mother, what she missed, what she lost when she let me go. i wonder, does she know?

pity the child who knew his parents.

if i knew from the start, why am i falling apart?

i'm not getting rich. my only interest is in something which gives me the chance of working with the best.

you have caused such grief i can't forgive this evil thing you've done.

if you walk out on me, you're really betraying your father. were he alive now he'd surely be dying of shame.

you're on nobody's side, but your own.

there will be days and nights when i'll want you more than i'll want to.

you and i, we've seen it all.

this is the one situation i wanted most to avoid.

the one i should not think of keeps rolling through my mind and i don't want to let that go!

what's going on around me is barely making sense. i need some explanations fast!

what if he saw my whole existence?

what we've just seen's a pathetic display from a man who's beginning to crack. he's afraid. he knows he isn't the player he was and he won't get it back.

once i had dreams now they're obsessions. hopes became needs. lovers possessions.

maybe it's best to love a stranger. well, that's what i've done. heaven help my heart.

who'd ever think it? such a very pretty setting. tell me what's the betting, very pretty plotting, too. no matter--i've done all your work for you.

i want to talk chess.

how'd we ever get this far before you showed me what you really are?

never lose your heart, use your head!

looking back, i could have played it differently. won a few more moments, who can tell?

not much is known of early days of chess beyond a fairly vague report.

where's daddy? dead or in the KGB?

when i was nine, i learned survival, taught myself not to care.

pity the child who twenty-five years on, finds her confidence gone!

how you've hated my success!

it's the only thing i can stay true to.

you got your tricks, good for you, but there's no gambit i don't see through.

there must be more i could achieve but i don't have the nerve to leave!

how can you let mediocrity win? you have one chance left. win for chess. you were five one up. now it's five all. get a grip.

i don't see anything outrageous about demanding what i'm worth.

chasing our hearts' desire, but we go on pretending stories like ours have happy endings.

did i plan doing all of this for the love of a man?

[potatowithahat]

Letters to a Lover

A Bg3 fic

Astarion,

Astarion please, I beg of you, just give him a chance. I know you have your preconceived notions about him... but I… I really think the three of us could work.  More then work, even.  I think the three of us could flourish. Dare I say thrive even? Please Astarion, for me. Just give him a chance.  I know your heart is big enough,  and I've seen the ways you look at him when you think I'm not looking. He's so, so kind. You know he's been hurt.  I feel that if you let him in you'd find your quite empathetic with his.. aliment. His curse is not that unlike yours,  forcing both of you to consume something not so savoiry. Please,  just consider it. I would forever be in your debts

    Your love, Vesa

Dearest Vesa,

My dear, you must be out of your head.  Maybe that tadpole is finally taking over.  I am nothing like that power-hungry fool. I didn't choose my life, while he actively sought it out. There is nothing we have in common, except maybe our fondness for you. You could seldom find a soul in this camp who doesn't share that same belief though.  I must ask you, why him? Out of all our companions, Gale? He's your choice for our third? Why not Wyll? I know you have your reasons,  but certainly, another warlock may suit our situation better than some stuffy wizard. Honestly love, why him? He looks as if he's never seen a bath, and that hair is greasier than a boar. I.. I just don't see what it is about him you find so... arousing. I mean, that whole 'Gale of Waterdeep' bit. It doesn't make any sense.  No one even cares about some tiny town he may be from. For Gods sake, the man seems like his only friends ever are his mother and cat. Please,  can we find someone else? You know I'm not opposed to the idea of a third, but does it have to be him?

   Your obedient lover, Asterion

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My, deer sweet, sweet lover,

Oh, come on Asterion. He is truly not that bad. And mine and Wyll's patrons... aren't exactly on the friendliest of terms. And you know I'm not one for demons. And you certainly weren't calling him Stuffy when he saved your ass with that fireball not a fortnight ago. He's perfect. That 'scruff' of a beard is beautiful, and neither you nor I can grow one. Please, I promise he's not as bad as you believe.  He's quite wonderful once you get used to him.

   Your favorite lover, Vesa.

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Apparently my favorite lover although you're getting on my nerves,

Have you been spending time with that oaf? Honestly my love, I thought you decent enough to keep better company.  And more to your beard point, I do believe we both know prestidigitation, so that's no issue if you really want that so badly. He's a human love and in his thirties.  He won't last half either of our lifetimes.  I'd hate to see you in pain when we lose him. You really mustn't get attached. Let's just find another like us. There's no need to rush this, my love. We have plenty of time to find a third. I just don't want to rush into things and choose someone... less than savory. He's got the personality of a page of paper, and honestly, I Pity that goddess whom he attached himself to. I truly think it best we don't get involved, less we might anger her.

 Questioning your intentions, Asterion

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Come on my love

You know he and Mystra are over Astarion. Please, I beg of you. For me. Just give him a chance

    Forever grateful, Vesa

__________________________________

I hate that i love you this much, 

...Fine. but when this goes sideways my love, I'll still be by your side to pick up the pieces

  Forever yours, Asterion

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This is just the first chapter, so please don't fret dear readers!

The rest of the chapters (and other content) are up on my Ao3!

Don't feel like searching my page? Don't worry! You can find the rest of Letters to a Lover Here!

I also take requests! I plan on setting up a masterlist soon and if you're interested please ask! I promise I will get to it!!!!