#might do an aesthetic moodboard at some point

[vhagar-balerion-meraxes]

I miss this cocky little shit

[annoyinglandmagazine]

Genderbent Modern AU Maedhros

[cavillscurls]

Divine Dynasty | Joel Miller Mafia AU (THE PREQUEL)

**PLEASE NOTE: This installment was written and released after Chapter Two. It can be read at any point in the series.**

Pairing: Mafia!Joel Miller x f!reader

Summary: Joel graciously hosts your twenty-first birthday party at his estate. You are both finally forced to acknowledge the feelings you have been harboring for one another.

Warnings/tags: MDNI. This takes place 4 years prior to the main storyline. Foul language. Alcohol consumption. Age gap (reader is currently 21, Joel is currently 36). Dual POV. Joel wrestling with the idea of his attraction to reader. Sexual tension. Suggestive scenarios. Flirting !!! Mutual pining. General Mafia themes. No descriptions of race or body type; reader wears a bikini bathing suit. Moodboard for aesthetics only.

Word Count: 5.4k

CHAPTER ONE. | CHAPTER TWO. | SERIES MASTERLIST.

❝Babe, there’s something wretched about this.

Something so precious about this.

Where to begin?

Babe, there’s something broken about this,

but I might be hoping about this.

Oh, what a sin. ❞

— Hozier, From Eden

“Joel, I swear, if you ask me about the goddamn cake one more time, I’m gonna sock ya right in the jaw.” 

Joel Miller was not a patient man. 

He tried to be, albeit, not very well. In a life where one was used to getting what they wanted whenever they wanted, feeling out of control was not a skill he had mastered. And fuck, did he feel out of his element. 

He didn’t realize when he offered to host your birthday party in his home that it would be such a massive undertaking. The truth was, it was only so because of his own doing. He was making it much harder on himself than needed, but how could he not? It was you. Ever since your mother passed, he had seen much more of you. Always at your fathers side. A watchful eye never passing judgment on the life they lived, only admiration and curiosity. Joel couldn’t shake the incessant need to seek another moment alone with you. 

Moments altogether were few and far between. Normally reduced to watchful eyes across the room while you beamed pridefully beside your father at dinners or laughed at whatever ridiculous joke Tommy was telling the group. In truth, he had hardly spoken to you directly since you were but a child, the thought alone making his stomach clench in disgust for how quickly pure thoughts of joyous youth became an unbridled attraction. 

Joel hadn’t thought much about the feelings he discovered he was harboring about you. It was purposeful. Dimming them to a dull throb in his subconscious was easier than facing the gravity of what they meant. He could admire from afar. He would admire a little closer tonight—but it was a special occasion. 

Instead, he channeled all of that energy into creating the perfect evening. He had hired chefs working in his kitchen since four o’clock. The decor for the grand foyer and living space were designed and chosen meticulously, mostly gold accents to accompany that of the chandeliers. And of course, the cake, which he and Tommy spent a good thirty-five minutes arguing about, settling on a chocolate mousse that could satisfy any crowd. 

Guests began arriving about an hour before Joel knew he could expect you. This was good. This meant he had ample time for people to get drunk enough to not notice how insane he was going over just about everything: did he choose the right food? The right music? Could he have possibly forgotten someone vital to invite? 

He was in the midst of checking over the hors d'oeuvres for what felt like the fourth time when he felt the startling clap of a hand on his shoulder. Joel cocked his head over to see Tommy shuffle in beside him, his arm draped over his shoulders. 

“Doin’ alright, big brother?” Tommy asked, but Joel had already turned his attention back to the table in front of him. He reached out to carefully adjust some of the dishes that were placed crooked. 

Tommy watched him fiddle for another moment before he gave Joel’s shoulder another squeeze, this time, a bit more firm. 

“Joel,” Tommy said slowly, to which his brother responded with a grunt, finally finding his eyes. Tommy was looking at him sympathetically, a quaint smile on his lips. Meanwhile, Joel was certain he already looked like a wreck. Sweat dampened his brow, his heart pounding against his chest. “Everything’s gonna go just fine,” Tommy consoled. 

“Everythin’ has to go perfect.” 

“It will.” It was no secret that Joel was a perfectionist, but this was beyond his usual absurdity. Normally, the younger Miller brother would not pass up the opportunity to tease, but he knew better. This was important to Joel, which made it important to the entirety of the clan. 

Tommy released his brother with a final pat between the shoulders. “I’m gonna make sure they’ve got enough hands at the front. Call me if you need anythin’, yeah?” Joel’s insufficient grumble would have to suffice as a response. 

If you need anything. What did he need? To get his head on straight, for one. A drink, for two. An open bar may have been one of his best ideas of the evening thus far. He hiked his way over to the makeshift station, doing his very best to avoid the eye-line of his men and arriving guests alike.  

“Whiskey neat,” he mumbled to the bartender, wrapping his fingers around the glass when it was handed to him and taking it back in one, hearty swig. The burn was familiar, comforting in the way it slid down his throat. Numerous evenings much like this one were spent locked up in his parlor, the weight of an empire on his shoulders, while he nursed the entire bottle through the night. It calmed the nerves and steadied him. A habit that he, perhaps, needed to be mindful of, but was nonetheless grateful for in a moment of irritating self-doubt. 

Joel Miller had never been a man to question himself, his actions, his intentions. 

Not until you. 

“Surprise!” 

When Meg, your oldest and longest friend, told you to get dressed up for the evening, you had an astute inkling that it may have had something to do with your birthday. You were rather indifferent to the occasion, content to spend the evening with a handful of friends inside watching films and eating snacks most years. But you would never pass up a party. 

Especially not when it was being hosted by none other than Joel Miller. 

You had decided to get ready with Meg at her apartment, giving in to the soft nudge your father conveniently pestered you with to get out of the house. This was the first clue of the evening's plans. You spent the next few hours with homemade margaritas in hand, dancing around her living room to music much too loud while you dolled yourselves up; a routine you were all too familiar with, as many high school nights with Meg were spent doing similar antics. The dress of choice was a deep crimson, with thin straps holding up the square neckline, hugging your curves in all the right places; it reached the floor, but saved room for the generous slit up your right leg. 

When the car arrived for you both, it took all of three turns before you knew exactly where it would be taking you. You had this particular route mapped out, and it wouldn’t have taken much on Joel’s part to organize your arrival with Meg. The idea alone that he sought out the guidance of your closest friend for a special day made your chest tighten in delight. 

Your friends didn’t know the line of work Joel ran, but they had their educated suspicions. They were smart enough not to question; they got to bask in the glory of what his field of work provided, and to that, they were content. Meg would dance her way around the conversation a bit less inconspicuously than the others, but she never pushed. Her friendship with you went beyond any perks of your father's profession. 

It wasn’t long before you were standing at the double doors of Joel’s foyer, being bathed in the love of friends and family alike. Your father was one of the first to approach you, pulling you into a hug and wishing you a happy birthday. You thanked him with glassy eyes, overwhelmed by the affection of those who greeted you. It was a warm, fuzzy feeling. Only heightening when you finally looked across the room to see a certain brown-eyed beauty sauntering over your direction as the path around you began to clear. 

Oh, he looked good. 

Gelled curls and a firmly pressed black suit, you already felt like mush upon his gaze. His lips were curled into a quaint little smirk, and his dazzling eyes seemed to glisten a little under the chandelier lights. A proper host, dashing and bold. And yet, when he approached you, it was easy to feel like the only two in the room. 

Joel stopped a few feet short of you, and you tilted your neck back to take in his glorious tanned features. You tried to bite back the grin that spread across your cheeks, but it was impossible. Not while he was looking at you like that. Not while you knew this entire spectacle had been his doing for you. You had hardly even noticed the two champagne flutes he held until he lifted one up to eye level. 

“Believe I’m allowed to give this to ya now,” he remarked, and you chuckled breathily. 

He handed you one of the flutes, tipping his own in your direction for a gentle clink. You both took a sip of the bubbly sweetness and then, he was placing his free hand delicately at the small of your back to properly greet you, taking a step forward so he could lean his lips down to your ear. Your body ignited, growing taut at his touch. 

“You look incredible,” he murmured, words only the two of you were allowed to indulge in. His proximity made sure of that. It also gave you a heavy whiff of him, the heady scent of his expensive cologne mixed with his natural pheromones had your head spinning. 

You let your eyes close momentarily, basking in the moment that was bound to be fleeting. “Thank you,” you whispered in response, and with a soft chuckle and careful peck of his lips to your temple, he released you. 

You looked up to him again, this time, pure admiration displayed behind your eyes. “This is incredible,” you told him, nodding your head towards the decorated foyer in front of you. “Thank you for arranging all of it, I—”

He held his free hand up, halting you. “Ain’t no need to thank me, darlin’. Besides,” he said, tilting his head to eye you over your shoulder. “I had a little help.” 

You turned your head to see Meg standing behind you still, glittering smile and all. She shrugged, swiping a piece of hair back from her shoulder in subtle boasting. 

“Oh, it was nothing.” She couldn’t even pretend to hide her pride, but you didn’t mind. Eternally grateful to have someone who would go through such trouble to appease you for one night. 

It wasn’t long before Meg was blabbering about how many things and people there were to see; old friends from high school, the few from childhood, new ones from university. Family you hadn’t seen for years. A photo booth she insisted be used by you and her first. Before you knew it, she was grabbing at your hands, tugging you away from the crowd that greeted you, away from Joel. You turned your head over your shoulder to shoot him an apologetic glance at her eagerness, hoping to convey how desperately you wished to continue talking to him. You could talk to him all evening long if obligation didn’t lie elsewhere. 

He softly shook his head at you, mouthing a have fun, and you convinced yourself his focused eyes were promising you they would find you later. 

The rest of the occasion was just as grand as you expected it to be at the hands of Joel. 

A delicious array of food that kept your belly filled pleasantly, nonetheless allowing room for the decadent dessert that came shortly after. You held your cheeks, inflamed with appreciation and embarrassment when the horde of your friends and family sang happy birthday to you. It was one of the few moments you were able to spot Joel’s eyes throughout the evening, as he dutifully held up the cake with Tommy whilst you blew out the candles. You couldn’t help but laugh when you saw him beaming at you, overcome with a delight you were not sure you had ever experienced as intensely. 

The steady flow of champagne and cocktails kept your veins buzzing and your head free from worries. More of your school friends from the years had filed in throughout the evening; Steven, a particularly charming fellow that Meg had her eyes on for years, made an appearance. He brought along one of your old flings, Noah, who had remained a good friend despite your attraction to each other never blooming into more. You wondered how long it would take and how drunk Meg needed to be before she made her move on one or the other. 

Around eleven, guests were beginning to make their exits at a leisurely pace. You were nowhere near tired nor ready to say goodbye to what felt like the perfect evening, but you could not overstay your welcome. Besides, nothing could diminish the sheer glee you felt in fact that Joel Miller had planned all of this just for you. 

You were in the midst of embracing your father in farewell, promising him you would call as soon as you and Meg made it safely back to her apartment for the night when you felt a tap on your shoulder. Turning away from the doorway, you saw none other than Meg herself standing behind you, a smirk on her face and rocking giddy from heel to toe. 

“Party’s not over yet, birthday girl,” she started, your confusion only sending her grin wider. “Two words: Night. Swimming.” 

You frowned. “But I didn’t bring a bathing su—”

You didn’t notice the bag hanging off her fingertips until she brought it around from behind her back, dangling it in front of your face, proudly. You gave her a knowing look, and she beamed back at you because of course she came prepared. Preparedness meant you had no room to protest her plans, but even if she hadn’t come ready, you wouldn’t have complained. 

Any opportunity to stay even a moment longer in Joel Miller’s home as an opportunity you would take. 

“Cannonball!” 

Tommy was the culprit of the barbaric screech and mighty splash of water that attacked everybody in the pool. He, amongst other younger members of the clan, as well as Meg, Steven, and Noah had joined the after-party in Joel’s spacious backyard paradise. Warm, twinkling lights you had never noticed before were strung up over the pool. You wondered if he set them out just for the occasion, a thought that made your chest warm with more than just the soothing touch of the heated water. 

And yet, the gracious host himself did not partake. No, he sat idly by. Still fully clothed in his evening apparel. Watching. 

You, on the other hand, could not decide whether or not you were thankful for or mortified at the choice of swimwear Meg brought you. Of course, it was your raunchiest bikini; a two-piece black set with triangles that just barely cupped each breast, and bottoms that, no matter much you tugged at them to cover more, revealed a generous amount of your ass. 

You did your best not to draw too much attention to yourself, as if that was even possible on a day like this. At the very least, you tried your hardest not to keep casting eyes back at Joel who still sat at one of the lounge chairs. He would check his phone every few moments, a party still no distraction from the work he was still responsible for. But when he wasn’t occupied, you would catch his eyes on you; following your descent into the warm water, keeping a watch on the way you moved, maybe even how close the other men got to you. 

The latter very well could’ve been a false fantasy, but it was one you didn’t mind indulging. Not one bit. 

At one point, Tommy set up a net at the far end of the pool, rousing everyone into a game of volleyball. You were lucky the estate had no nearby neighbors, as the shouts of triumph and groans of defeat echoed loudly through the night sky. You ended up on the winning team, much to Tommy’s efforts. 

The approaching midnight did little to cease shenanigans, and after the third game, it was decided that more drinks would be necessary before another round could commence. Tommy chanted in excitement over some bourbon he had in the reserve, to which both Steven and Noah showed interest in, eagerly grabbing their towels and following him inside. 

You were the last to leave the pool, taking your time in drying yourself when you reached for your towel that was conveniently placed on the lounge chair adjacent to Joel’s. He had made no effort to move, still lost in his phone. 

This is your chance, you thought. The most unobtrusive opportunity tonight thus far to get yourself a moment alone with him. You scrunched at your wet hair painfully slow, hoping the crowd would disappear without so much as a glance in your direction. 

“You coming?!” Meg called from the sliding door. 

Fuck. 

“Uh, yeah! I’m just gonna dry off a little more. I’ll catch up,” you assured her with a tight lip smile. She returned it with an arch of her brow but pressed no further before slipping inside. 

With the majority of the chatter migrated back to the house, a calming silence fell over the backyard. You could hear the crickets in their dusk song, a soft rustle of wind through the leaves on the trees, skin prickling with goosebumps at the realization that it was colder outside the warmth of the pool. When you were certain the back door would not reopen, you turned your attention back to the occupied lounge chair. 

Joel’s eyes were already on you. 

“Too cool to join us?” you teased, tilting your head at him as you continued to run the towel through your hair. 

His lips curled into a smirk. “Someone’s gotta be sober ‘nough to keep an eye on y’all,” he mused, carefully tucking his phone back into his jacket pocket. When he looked at you now, it was as though it was the first time he was really seeing what you were wearing. Or not wearing. He was shameless, letting his gaze run over the entirety of your figure once, twice, mapping out damp skin and committing it to memory. 

You, on the other hand, were speechless. A gawking statue frozen in a perpetual daze, unmoving to the only spectator who had ever made you feel like a piece of art worth looking at. Joel had that ability. To cast away your insecurities with his suave words and tender eyes, never giving any indication that his intentions with you were anything but sincere, whatever they may be. It was no wonder he consumed your very being; night and day, an endless cycle of senseless yearning you attempted, and failed, to tame. 

You realized, then, that your time was limited. Girlish fantasies and chronic overthinking of his every move would have to wait.  You braced yourself with a deep breath, wrapping the towel around your torso and rolling back your shoulders in an attempt to release some of the budding tension before carefully stepping towards the chair beside him, and plopping down on the edge. It was now or never. 

“Well, it’s certainly not me you have to worry about,” you feigned innocence, batting your eyelashes rather dramatically. Teasing him. “I’ve never had a drop of alcohol before tonight.” 

Joel threw his head back, laughing. The kind that spread his lips so wide, his dimple showed, filling your stomach with heat.  “No, ‘course not,” he agreed, turning his body to mirror you, knees nearly touching across the short distance between chairs. “Too much of a good girl to do such a thing, right?” 

The way he said it, low in his chest, his chin tilted down and peering up through devilish eyes, you couldn’t even allow yourself to entertain the idea that he was just being nice. Being Joel. That had always meant something entirely different when it came to you, anyway, hadn’t it? All rational was thrown to the wind, and for a moment, as foolish as it may have been, you let yourself indulge in the idea that perhaps he was interested in you beyond being the daughter of one of his men. 

“Right,” you breathed, internally scolding yourself for how winded you already sounded. 

He was studying you again. In a way that made you hyper aware of your body, the droplets of water rolling over your skin the only saving grace from the way it burned under his gaze. Joel pursed his lips, and then: 

“Come here,” he beckoned, lifting a hand to curl his fingers gesturally in the air. Your brows furrowed in momentary confusion. How much closer did he want you to get? 

Realizing how stupid your own question was, you wordlessly stood, holding the towel taut around you as you stepped into the space between his thighs. He craned his neck back to look at you, the twinkle that sparked in his eyes simultaneously frightening and exhilarating. 

“Sit,” he commanded softly, patting his thigh and seeming to pay no mind to the way your body was already dripping water onto his slacks. 

Your brows lifted and your lips parted a bit in surprise. He must have been losing it. You must have been losing it. “But…I’m all wet,” you said, your eyes peering sheepishly down at him. 

He tilted his chin up at you, a casual smirk ghosting his lips. “I gotta closet full of suits, darlin’. I ain’t gonna miss this one.” 

You wondered if he heard the way your breath caught in your throat. 

You were a damn fool to even consider denying his request. Joel Miller asking you to sit on his lap? He may as well have plucked the very fantasies from your brain with his own fingertips. If only you could tell the nagging voice in the back of your head reminding you of who he was, where you were, to shut up for five minutes. What better day of the year was there for selfish indulgences, anyway? 

And fuck, were you eager to be selfish for him. 

You didn’t allow yourself to dawdle any longer. Wordlessly, you lowered yourself onto one of his thighs, muscles rigid. He eyed you the entire time, the intensity of them drawing you in like a moth to a flame. His legs were sturdy below you, but his hands remained dutifully to himself. 

“Got somethin’ for ya,” he spoke, his voice somehow sounding richer this close. He was reaching into his back pocket then, pulling out what was revealed before you as a black, velvet box. 

You sucked in a breath. “Joel…” You peered down at the rectangle in his hands, feeling as though your chest may explode. The entire evening had been grand, the idea of any more endowments seeming almost undeserved. “You really didn’t have to get me—”

“Hush, now. Ain’t no way you thought I wasn’t gettin’ you a gift,” he interrupted, shaking his head at you. “Been waitin’ all night to give it to you,” he admitted, the soft glimmer that casted over his eyes when he said it making your heart flutter. “Go on, open it,” he urged you softly.

You stared at the box for a moment before finally reaching out to hold it between your fingers, paying no mind to the way the towel slipped from below your arms. It bunched up around your lap, and you swore you felt Joel’s body tense below you. With trembling fingers, you carefully took off the top. 

“Oh my god,” you gasped, eyes grown wide. Splayed within the box was a dainty station necklace; what it lacked in gaudiness it made up for in sparkle, a sequence of gems, alternating between diamonds and your birthstone. Even in the lowlight, they twinkled. Confirming their legitimacy.  

You were overcome by incessant emotion; the idea of him spending time meticulously hand-picking a gift for you, one that you would wear with pride, an eager display of the way his charm had consumed you, dowsed you in a sick sense of pride. Not to mention how expensive it must have been, and yet, he deemed you worthy. The thought alone made you shiver. 

You tilted your head over your shoulder, eyeing up at him wistfully through your lashes. He was so close, and he smelled so good. Peering carefully down at you, you saw his eyes flicker to your lips. 

“Put it on for me?” you asked softly. You watched the muscle in his jaw twitch before he nodded once. Hesitation was no longer a foe. You gave into instinct, turning your body until you were perched forward on his lap, his chest flushed against your back. 

Joel reached around you, carefully lifting the necklace from the plush fabric it sat atop. You snaked a hand up, gathering your hair to the back of your head as he brought the gift closer to your neck. You couldn’t help but let your eyes flutter shut. 

You were consumed by him. The sturdiness, the safety of his body around you. Warm breath fanning cool skin, while yours came bated. You imagined what a predicament you must have looked like, then; Joel, fully clothed, your scantily clad body rested back against him. Perhaps you should have been ashamed, but all you could picture was what it would be like, feel like, to be just like this in a much less savory scenario. What it may feel like to have his hands mold your body to their touch, the way his lips would bleed whispers into your skin. 

His knuckles brushed the tip of your spine while he secured the clasp. Sat perfectly above your collarbones, you couldn’t help but let your hair fall to reach the same hand forward, tracing gentle fingers over the stones. 

“It’s beautiful,” you murmured. “Thank you.” 

You weren’t sure he heard you at first, but then, you felt it. Feather-light, you assumed your mind was playing tricks on you. But there was no denying the rough sensation of his stubble as it tickled your neck, the plush of his lips just barely grazing your skin right below the precious gift. You stiffened, body set alight at the smooth pass of his warm breath over your wet skin. There was no doubt he could see the goosebumps that rapidly began to litter your arms and legs, and you held your breath in fear of whatever would come out in response to having him so close. 

“M’glad you like it,” he muttered, right into the crook of your neck, and you couldn’t stop yourself from clenching your thighs together. The delicious baritone vibrating straight through to your core. 

“I love it,” you emphasized, not trusting your voice to speak any more above a whisper. Even then, it came out mangled, strained. On the precipice of losing control. 

Up until then, he had been rather restrained. But the hands he had honorably kept to himself had crept up slowly, knuckles brushing over the sides of your thighs. Even with the barrier of the towel, your skin felt like fire under his touch. 

You could’ve stayed like that forever, huddled up in his lap, his very own branding around your neck, waiting patiently for whatever move he made next. But you were feeling bold, a bit tipsy, and intoxicated by the idea of him. Carefully, you maneuvered yourself atop of him again, turning halfway back around until you were able to look at him properly. 

His eyes were on you, taking you in much closer than ever before. It made you gasp, the intensity of his gaze, though you couldn’t seem to falter from it. Tentative hands had crept up your thighs, settling delicately on either hip. Your hands ached to reach out and touch him in return, but your brain left you frozen. Casted under the spell of proximity, his scent alone, like hearty wood and a hint of mint, dampened your senses. 

He said your name once. Quiet. A warning, or an inquisition, perhaps. Then, his eyes flickered down to your lips again, this time, lingering there. You could feel his breath against your face; one motion, and you could taste him. Satiate a hunger deeply rooted inside of you for years past and years to come. But he was already moving, lifting a hand and dragging two fingers over the apple of your cheek, tucking away strands of damp hair behind your ear. 

Your breath had picked up, so loud you were sure he could hear it. See the way your chest heaved up and down. You thought you noticed his hitch, too. Shoulders taut and inviting below his button-up. The hand that pushed away your hair lingered at the nape of your neck, between your hairline and his precious gift, holding you loosely in place. 

He watched the way you took your bottom lip between your teeth nervously before dampening his own with his tongue. You followed the way it dragged across the appealing surface in awe, craving nothing more than to taste the very same spot. 

When he said your name a second time, your thighs clenched harder than before. It was deep, almost a groan of sheer desperation and dwindling restraint. His grip on the back of your neck tightened ever so slightly, and you didn’t even have the capacity to question the integrity of what was about to happen because it was happening. 

Unwilling to let the opportunity slip away, you reached a shaky hand forward and pressed it to his chest. This time, you were certain his muscles twitched, because you could feel them. Bouncing below your touch, as if your pliancy was a pleasant surprise. Maybe it was to him, but for you, it was the easiest decision in the world. 

You held your breath, the invisible magnet between the two of you pulling you both forward until the tip of his nose brushed yours. You heard him inhale, the anticipation and hesitancy in both of your movements nearly too much to bear. A culmination of every desire you had ever experienced reduced to one moment. 

The faintest brush was his lips, ghosting over yours, never quite leaning in. Testing the waters. Perhaps he expected you to retreat, dismiss him in a fit of rage. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth lay in the way you grabbed a fist full of his shirt between your fingers, your eyes perpetually following the movement of his mouth. His own hand tightened at the base of your skull, wrapping his fingers through your hair. A low sort of groan resonated in the back of his throat, and you heard the metaphorical thread of his restraint snap. He was pulling you to him, snaking his free arm around your waist to flush you forward, slanting his mouth towards yours with another delicate, mind-numbing brush of his lips, just about to capture yours and — 

The sound of voices re-emerging through the back door ceased your fantasy before it even had a chance to begin. 

You were off of Joel’s lap in seconds, scurrying to your feet and he back to his respective spot in the lounge chair. You stood petrified as Meg and the others filed into the backyard, unable to look at Joel while you shakily wrapped your towel back around you. You could hear him, though. Breath as labored and uneven as yours, dark eyes probably blown in the same sort of fear. You fiddled with your hair, trying to look inconspicuous as if you hadn’t just been perched on the lap of your father's boss, a man much older than you, who happened to be the head of the fucking mafia. 

You should have felt more shame for the way that reality drenched you in arousal. It coated every inch of your skin; insatiable and growing, only fueled by the weakness in his self-control that you prayed would continue to break. The gift around your neck was an anchor, bounding you to him more than ever before. The feel of his lips, however brief, a beacon of his shared desire, the certainty you felt in it now destined to drive you mad. 

Perhaps you would be the one to give in, to lose all sense of control. 

You wouldn’t speak about that fleeting moment. At least, not for years to come. But it was only a matter of time.

Because fuck, you wanted him. 

So desperately, you weren’t sure you would be able to stop yourself from wanting him until you had him. 

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chapter song:

bonus gif:

i know it’s not joel, but fits this version of him too well not to include.

[bubblespalace]

(😷: sensitive topic)

What would be the reaction of the Sakamaki brothers when they themselves discover that their partner has an eating disorder?

P.S.: I wanted to ask, what is a Moodboard? I can't figure out what it is hehe 🥲

Bubble: Hi, love! Nice to see you again! First off, I heavily relate to this request. So I'll actually be doing you one better and making a reaction for each Sakamaki with headcannons attached. This is a special ask because I have deep connection with it 💕

And a moodboard is basically a collection of aesthetic images with a prompt! 😉 💕

TW

"Why are you so worried about this? Tell me the truth, because whatever reason you give me won't be valid anyway."

🎻-I honestly think this would worry Shuu. He's kinda used to women chasing him and trying to entice him with their looks. So finding out that you actually don't think you're attractive, to the point where you stop eating, will confuse him.

🎻-To help, I actually think he'll be one of the healthiest of the boys in dealing with this with you. He'll probably either encourage you to eat or make sure you're not over doing it. He might even offer some kind of a reward for doing the healthy thing here. Like hearing him play the violin.

🎻-Overall, one of the best to have in this situation.

"Oh? Well, I shall be trying my best to guide you towards the right path, my dear. My lady shouldn't be in an unhealthy place on my watch."

🧪-So Reiji might have a less gentle approach at first. He'd probably be strict, making you sit down and eat a certain portion at certain times to get you on a schedule. And he would probably pull out the whip when you do something unhealthy as a result of this disorder.

🧪- But when he notices he isn't helping, he'd probably try something gentle. Or at least gently for him. I can see him doing some of the same things Shu does, rewarding and all. He'd probably try to buy you clothes that make you feel good about yourself too, if the eating disorder affects your body image.

🧪 He'd be a little kinder. Maybe her wouldn't point out anything food or body related, even during a punishment. Reiji would love his S/O, so he wouldn't be that mean.

"Well, jeez, chichinashi. No wonder you got no boobs... That was a joke! But hey... You should know besides being titless, I do like you. I deserve the best after all!"

🏀-Meet the worst boy to have in this situation. (You thought I was gonna say Kanato- Hahaha!) Honestly, Ayato will probably be okay still. Just not the best. He would offer you something all the time, whether it be popcorn, chips, or whatever. He'd probably even offer you some takoyaki, just a bit.

🏀 He'd also randomly do something in public like grab you around the waist turn you around and kiss you to show how hot he finds you, of your body image ties in with the disorder. He'd try to make you feel desired.

🏀-But he'll still be calling you chichinashi.

"What? Dolly, why? I picked you to be my doll. Therefore I do find you deserving of quite a lot. Do you doubt me? Come here, please eat some sweets with me."

🍭-I am gonna project what I want here because I love Kanato so much, and I have an eating disorder so don't mind me. Okay, Kanato would actually be another one of the best to have during this situation. Due to his relationship with food, particularly sweets, I think he'd want to get this silly idea out of your head.

🍭-He's going to sit you down all the time, have you eat with him. And he's going to tell you what a beautiful doll you are like this, satiated, not hungry. If you don't listen and don't eat, he'd throw a tantrum and maybe forcefeed you.

🍭-But he'll be treating you well if you accept his help. He's going to make you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. And if you ever start to think overwise, or start to think he wants you thinner or thicker, he'll be telling you otherwise.

"Huh? Bitch-chan, but why? I don't understand. Could you explain, please. I'm quite serious about this."

🎩-Laito will have you eating happily without a thought in the world after some time if this disorder ties into body image. Both in public and private, he will be worshipping your body. Not even in an NSFW way all the time. Sometimes it will just be soft, sweet touches around your waist or thighs.

🎩-The good thing about Laito is he really isn't picky when it comes to looks. He truly believes everyone is beautiful and will make you feel that way. If it is a disorder that doesn't tie into body image, he will be making sure you are eating right. You'll definitely see a more realistic side of emotion in him during this time.

🎩-Another good boy to have here.

"Whoa, why? Did I make you feel this way?"

🌹-First thing Subaru will think is it's something he did. He'd probably not believe you if you say it's not because of him too. Eventually he's going to be trying to help too. Making sure you're at least eating something sustainable a day. He feels the need to make sure you're okay.

🌹-If it gets better for you, first thing Subaru is going to do is breathe a breath of relief. He loves you, although being tsundere as hell, and would just die if this disorder got worse.

🌹 He'll also give little compliments here and there, but will turn into a blushing, stuttering mess right after and deny to anyone he ever said it.

[samanthahirr]

007 Fest 2024 Intro Post

Well, I got here at a quarter to 9 for my meeting with Bill Tanner—the chief of staff's my main point of contact. And quite a good friend, really, since I've been servicing EPS's contract for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office here for the last three years, and…oh, sorry, I'm Bethany Arden, the EPS facilities manager for MI6's Vauxhall headquarters. You could say I know every inch of this building—because I do! From the physical-security perimeter barriers outside to every air vent and water pipe, there's no structural detail too small for my blueprints.

And today, I came bearing great news! The FCDO finally approved a budget for a much-needed refresh of the furnishings. Listen, can I be honest for a moment? I love this building to bits, but it's one of the ugliest in my portfolio by far, strictly on an interior design basis. You have to agree, this place's design aesthetic should have been buried along with Margaret Thatcher—all that walnut wainscoting and brown leather upholstery, ugh. Hardly the modern, agile look and feel you want to project to important visitors, is it?

Speaking of agile, you should see the new ergonomic chair designs in my supplier's 2024 catalogue. They've also got some surprisingly affordable standing desks that raise and lower with the press of a button—who says you can't be Equality Act-compliant and still be stylish, eh?

So, as I was saying, I arrived early, lugging this far-too-heavy-for-me tote bag of fabric and paint swatches…oh, could you? That's so kind, thank you. And I confess my nose was buried in another catalogue, bookmarking new seating units that might replace those dreadfully uncomfortable plaid numbers in the lobby, so I didn't even notice Doris at the front desk was asleep at her post for a whole five minutes. I mean, I did think it odd that Bill didn't answer my text right away; he's always appreciative of punctuality. But then someone started screaming down the hall, and when I finally looked around I spotted Doris, and those two guards passed out in the corner, and—

Well. Looks like I'll be rescheduling my meeting. Once all of this is…sorted. But don't you think we ought to call emergency services? Surely some outside help will straighten this out. No? Oh. Oh, I suppose you're right. Well, all hands on deck, as they say. I'm happy to help however I can.

Just, um, one more thing. Has anyone seen Bill?

~

Hi all, I'm samanthahirr aka Sam, and I'm so looking forward to my third 007 Fest for the @mi6-cafe! I'm on Station Atlantic, and I bring fic-writing, moodboard-dabbling, and enthusiastic-commenting skills to the team!

[multi-fandom-agereg]

hi :3

was wondering if you could please do an agere (3-5) cg!schlatt moodboard !! if not, that’s perfectly fine <3

Caregiver!Schlatt 🩹 Moodboard

🐏🩹 || CG Schlatt w/ nostalgic feels and young kid aesthetic

╰┈─➤ SOTD : "Sweater Weather" - The Neighborhood

☁️ seriously tho, I love Schlatt. It's been a long while since I've tuned into a video of his. But I might do that at some point soon. I hope I hit the mark with this Moodboard though:) enjoy !

[ss-shitstorm]

Hey I am considering writing my own book for a different fandom (gravity falls ) and you are without a doubt my favorite author (I recommended your works to my sgt lol). I have a few questions if you feel like answering if not that’s totally fine too.

First off- how do you prepare a space and headspace to get in the writing mood

Second- do you have any recommended playlist that help

Third- how do you make your characters so personable and yet not copy paste persona

I really enjoy how passionate you are and how much it shows through your work and would like a crumb of knowledge on how to derive from it 🙇‍♀️

My brain is sorta fried but I'm so fucking flattered you'd ask and are gonna do my best to answer this.

This is kinda complicated. I kinda...don't. I just force myself to do it. It's part of my routine like brushing my teeth or exercising. If I need to be in a specific mood for a specific character then I've got moodboards and by moodboards I mean picture folders of the character in question with a bunch of memes/shitposts/aesthetic fodder that reminds me of them. But a huge part of my productivity is to make it routine. That and (if I can help it) writing it as early in the day as possible, and leaving more mundane, less cognition-intensive tasks for later. (looking up "chronotypes" has actually been super helpful for this. Most people's brains have a certain time of day that they work best)

2. I don't really have a specific playlist for writing, but I kinda trained my brain to respond to certain musical genres by *only* playing them while I was studying or writing, so now when that type of music comes on, my brain goes "oh. It's time to learn chemistry/write." if you wanna try this then I suggest using a genre that you're not gonna really be tempted to listen to in different settings. Something pleasant to you that you're sorta ambivalent about.(I personally listen to Keji Haino and drone metal bc the odds of hearing or wanting to hear that shit outside of writing sessions is really low)

3. Ooh. this one's a (super flattering btw!) toughie. My personal technique for this is to write every character as though at some point, I might have to make the protag fall in love with them.(Or if that's not appropriate/possible for whatever reason, then the protag might adopt them/become extremely close found family) This way I learn more about them, take them more seriously, and I fall in love with them a little too. It kinda makes nobody a true side character.

Another thing is giving the preexisting characters(if we're speaking strictly fanfic) multiple new traits and hobbies that don't clash with their canon personality. Take your blorbo. Plop this fucker down in front of you and see how hard you can OC-ify their ass before they're no longer the character you started out with. Basically blingee the evershitting FUCK out of them. Then dial it back. Strip your new OC back down until they start resembling the character you started out with, and stop somewhere around there. That's your blueprint. You don't start OUT with this brand new freshly makeover'd guy, you slowly let your readers get to know them over the course of multiple chapters.

There's a thin line between enhancing their personality/backtory and covering up, and you'll probably cross it multiple times. But if there's one thing I've learned from decades of reading fanfic, it's that risking OOC behavior is kinda necessary to turn a good fic into a *mind-blowingly* good fic.

thank you for asking bro and good luck. I don't know much about GF other than ppl want to fuck the old guys and the flying dorrito but I'm in your corner the whole way. LMK when you write that shit

[halfmoth-halfman]

i got an ask about advice for writing when you're discouraged, so i thought i'd make a post addressing some of the points because i think this is something that everyone has gone through and can relate to. most of this is just what's helped me/what i'd tell myself in the past, but if anyone has advice to add on please feel free! i hope this helps at least a little bit, anon!

"I’m not good at (dialogue/atmosphere/prose/etc)."

write it anyways! one of the best ways to build a skill is to keep doing it. even if you don't ever post it, or only share it with a few friends, or just read it to your pets, or whatever you choose to do, it's better to write something "badly" than to not write at all. or even asking for help on how to improve from other writers. i struggle a lot with atmosphere and scenery, and something that helped me a lot was talking to other writers whose fics i really enjoy and inspire me. i know it may seem intimidating, but there are plenty of writers on tumblr that would love to talk about how they compose their scenes, their dialogue, anything and everything if someone asks.

"I can’t make moodboards/headers/aesthetic posts."

the good news is, you don't have to! fics don't have to have anything other than the fic itself. i can't speak for everyone, but while aesthetics may get my attention, it's the person behind the blog that i stay for. if you want your blog or your fics to have a pretty aesthetic, it shouldn't be because you feel forced to but because you want to do it. if you don't find making moodboards or headers or aesthetic posts fun, then you don't have to do them. and if you want to, but don't know how, there are a ton of resources, links, and blogs dedicated to helping on tumblr.

"I’m not at (insert someone else)’s writing level."

and you might never be, and that's okay! every writer is different - they have different styles, write at different paces, perceive their skill differently. basing your progress on someone else's isn't going to help because you're not them. you have your own time, energy, ability, and ideas, you'll grow and improve at your own pace, just like they did. don't force yourself to try and follow the same timeline of someone else, and don't put yourself down because you're getting better - and you are getting better - at your own pace.

"I can’t find the motivation to write."

honestly same. i think it's a pretty universal experience to lose motivation for something you were excited about at one point. sometimes the vibes aren't it and the story doesn't want to story, but that's alright. it can be hard to stay motivated, and what gets someone inspired again is different everyone. i can't give advice for anything outside of what's helped me, but a few ways i've re-motivated myself to write something are: making a fic playlist, stepping away from the fic for a day or two, giving it to a friend to read, re-watching/reading the source material, doodling fic ideas, and skipping to a different part of the story.

"I can’t write fast enough."

unless it's for something like work where you have a fixed deadline, there is no "fast enough" in writing. don't let anyone tell you otherwise. when i first started writing, in the very early days of ao3 and tumblr, fic updates could takes months or even more than a year and that was fine! one of my favorite fics took a six year hiatus, and that didn't diminish any of the enjoyment i had when it came back. you are not a machine, you're a human being with needs outside of writing. it's always okay if you need to take a break, if there's a long wait between chapters, or if you want to stop a project altogether and come back to it six years later. if someone gives you grief because you can't write within their time-frame then they're not worth having as a reader - do not overwork yourself for the sake of finishing a fic.

"It’s hard to stick to one idea at a time."

then don't! write all the ideas. write every single one. working on a project and you have a drabble that you just keep thinking about? write it. you get a sudden idea for a one-shot in a different fandom? write it. woke up in the mood to start a new five-chapter fic? write it. you can start or stop writing about anything at any time. there is no rule that you have to stick to one idea and finish it before you can write anything else, don't make yourself stick to something if it's not what you want to write, and don't punish yourself if you need to take a break from your current project.

"Maybe I’m not made for writing on tumblr."

tumblr is a shitposting website that barely works at the best of times. half of my drafts get deleted every other week for no reason - there is no way to be "made for writing on tumblr"! but tumblr is huge, there's a bajillion communities on here that would be so excited to have another writer, and a ton that are solely dedicated to helping writers and providing different resources. i guarantee there is someone on this website that will love and adore your writing.

"The things I read are better than anything I can write/comparing myself to other writers."

i don't have the cake picture saved, but we all know the gist of it: the audience (generally) isn't going to care about how decorated your cake is compared to another, they're just happy to get two cakes. and that's really all it is. your fic might not be the same preferred flavor as the audience of other writers, but there is someone out there who's going to enjoy it. i won't tell you to just not compare yourself to others, i know that's not how it works, but what has helped me is changing the way i view other fics. instead of thinking "i wish i could write like this person", i look at like "this inspires me to improve my writing". and don't get me wrong, i still have moments of doubt about my writing compared to some of the people i read, i don't think that will ever really stop, but the best thing you can do is not let yourself give in to that feeling. try and stop that train of thought before it leaves the station. no one else can write the way you can. no one else can tell your stories the way you can. no one else has the same voice as you do. if everyone wrote the same way, everything would be boring. the heart of a fic is seeing the author's personality shine through it. if you see someone write a good fic, that doesn't mean yours won't be. you have to give yourself a chance even when you feel like your writing won't be as good as someone else's. you have to bake your cake anyway.

"How do I find joy in something I know I’ll never be good at?"

you won't. full stop. if you keep telling yourself you'll never be good at something, you'll never improve, there's no point in trying, then you'll never enjoy it. i know it's easier said than done, but you have to have some level of confidence in yourself and in your writing. not only will you not enjoy it, other people will see the lack of enjoyment, the "i wrote this and it sucks" comments, the self-degradation, and they won't enjoy it either - no one feels good about a fic the author clearly didn't want to write. and, if you try everything you possibly can and still can't find any joy in writing, then maybe writing isn't the hobby for you. and that's perfectly okay! i tried quilting and glassblowing several times before i realized i just didn't like it the same way i liked writing. you owe it to yourself to find something that's fun, that makes you smile, that you're excited to do. there's a million hobbies out there, i promise you'll find something that brings you joy.

[acmoorereadsandwrites]

How to Stop Spinning Your Wheels and Write

First: mental health is real. If you are in burnout, take care of yourself because if you push yourself in burnout, you can prolong it. You might want to try some of these things to keep being creative during burnout, but don't force yourself.

Take care of yourself.

Try more creative outlines. I don't outline the way most people think of it. I outline with moodboards that nobody but me can understand, including main characters, relationships, side characters, and aesthetics. It makes sense to me and, when I look at it, I know exactly what I want each picture to do and say and why it's in the space it's in. If you are more visual, you can try that or a Pepe Silvia-esque string board. You can even try a playlist that is one song per chapter to convey the mood and repeat songs as needed. Don't take forever to do this; spend no more than a day or two and then get to writing.

Instead of a character sheet, writing the same scene from the POV of every character in a given chapter so you learn more about them. Character sheets can get some of us really in the weeds and we focus so much on whether or not our characters like punk vs classical music and certain fashion tastes that are ultimately not going to be on the page. That's not to say knowing these things are bad, but you can also get to know your characters by writing how they view each other and certain situations and by doing that, you also learn their motivations in each scene.

Just write 100 words a day of the project. That's it. Or a page in a notebook or 15 minutes of a sprint. Give yourself a small, reachable, tangible goal where you can see your writing grow. 'But I don't know where the story is going!' That's OK! It doesn't have to be perfect. You can write four pages and realize it's going nowhere and then cross it all out and start again. Pros do that, too.

If you're writing SFF, identify if you have Worldbuilder's Disease. What is this? It's when you spend all your time building a world for a story and you never get around to the story because the world isn't 'finished'. Tolkien didn't finish building his world. Last time I checked, GRRM never created more than 7 words of High Valyrian; David J. Peterson did for GOT. If you have Worldbuilder's Disease, make a checklist for what you absolutely need and if you have 75% or more done, you write and worldbuild on alternating days until you have what you absolutely need. By then, you should also have a better understanding of your characters and plot. If worldbuilding is your passion, you don't have to abandon it; but if it's stopping you from writing the story you want to tell, at some point, you do need to stop focusing on the worldbuilding and on the story.

If your perfectionism is the problem and you feel that draft one has to be perfect, this is going to be harder for some people than it is for others. For some people, accepting that draft 1 isn't going to be the end result is by calling it 'the shitty draft'. For others, it's by doing a draft zero, which I believe comes from screenwriting, and you write an unstructured draft with all your research and pants the hell out of it. For some people, that is draft one, for others, its a way to trick their brain into not putting too much pressure on themselves. Let yourself infodump in the draft if you have to. Get a cheerleader or enabler.

Get yourself an accountability buddy. Find someone in your friend group who also has a novel they want to write or a piece they want to learn how to play or a game they wanna finish, set a date for when it needs to be done that is reasonable, and check-in with each other. New Years' Resolutions don't work for most people, but cheering on a friend and them cheering you on and having someone who will ask you 'how's the book coming?' and listen to you when you talk about the best and worst parts of the week can be really effective to stopping yourself from going back to spinning your wheels.

Get a critique partner. Can be someone you met in fandom if you both are coming from the fanfic world or critique circle or a writing group in your area. If what you need is feedback, put yourself out there to get it.

Carrot method. If what you need is a treat, find a treat within your budget. Some people get a cupcake on Fridays if they met their writing goals four days in a row. Others treat themselves to a literary magazine subscription or a new hardcover book if they hit their goals for the month. If what you need to do is watch an episode of your favorite TV show after writing 800 words that night, do it. My personal variation of this is writing 500 words of the main project before I can work on other projects. Some days, I never get to the projects and others, I breeze right through and then get to do a whole short story I've wanted to write all week.

Fill in the blank method. My strongest points are dialogue and dynamics. If I forced myself to do internal things and description and sensory details down to the last detail on the first draft, nothing would ever get done. I give myself leeway and write the dialogue and dynamics and add the things I have to later. The more I practice internal aspects and description, the more I just do them, but I don't pressure myself. Pressuring yourself is not the answer.

Start in the middle. Starting is hard; many writers start in the wrong place, especially on their book. Some people do have a better sense of where a story should start than others, but some people have a better idea of what a strong finish is than others. Maybe your strength is the finish line. It's OK to write the last half of the book first and then add the first half. The first few chapters are almost always the chapters that are rewritten the most; that's why they tend to be the strongest and tightest.

[brionysea]

any characters specifically?? there's so many lol

ooo i was mainly thinking abt (what i call) the gang- Lucas, max, dustin, el, Mike, will etc- and possibly Nancy if that’s okay? im sorry if this is too much to ask of you and I hope you have a great day!!!!! :D

lucas

colour - green

deepest fears - ??? idk. assuming this is for a vecna fic or something, i guess play around with whatever's happened at this point in the timeline. seeing max die is a huge one, and all the "being violently targeted by insane white boys for daring to Exist While Black" is bound to have taken a toll on him (not that canon's acknowledged any of it, of course)

aesthetic - uh... basketballs. they look good on the aesthetic moodboard for him in my brain right now

max

colour - orange and/or rainbow. the first part might just be because i'm obsessed with red hair (hello, childhood obsession with the little mermaid and red-haired!paige from charmed), but max wears a LOT of rainbows

deepest fears - becoming like billy (continuing the cycle of violence) and that her friends (and mother) think she deserves the same fate as him (dying horribly and painfully via the upside down and traumatising someone as she does). season 4 was great for her :)

aesthetic - skateboards

dustin

colour - ???? my brain is saying blue but i have no idea. maybe someone in the notes knows?

deepest fears - probably a loss of control. he likes to Be Prepared and Have All The Knowledge. having no idea what's going on and being completely unprepared for any bad things that might pop up is the inverse of that

aesthetic - library books

el

colour - pink

deepest fears - that she's a monster

aesthetic - she doesn't really know who she is yet, so like... idk, some of those bright oufits she wore in season 3?? there were a LOT of hearts scattered around her bedroom in season 4, she seems to really like those <3

mike

colour - blue. including (but not limited to) a blue so deep that it looks black

deepest fears - being unwanted, being rejected for something he can't change about himself. in essence, that he's inherently unlovable

aesthetic - i went for a bike for my aesthetic mike wheeler playlist picture. wheels, wheeler. you get it

will

colour - yellow

deepest fears - oh god. i don't think about him enough for this. considering his two biggest breakdowns so far have been about losing mike, i guess that? the whole thing about being a freak, keeping parts of himself secret, being treated like this fragile little baby (when if anything being a survivor makes him the opposite). i'm not the right person to ask about will tbh

aesthetic - art, drawing, sketchbooks. dungeons and dragons, nintendo, wizard imagery

nancy

colour - purple/pink

deepest fears - maybe just watch her vecna vision sequence again? lol. she's mostly got survivor's guilt and blames herself for not saving barb. she's scared of that happening again, e.g. when she was the first to dive into the lake after steve, because she refuses to do nothing again like when barb got dragged into steve's pool yelling for nancy's help (which fred dying on her watch was an echo of)

aesthetic - my initial, instinctive thought is "girlboss" lol. guns, notebooks (re: investigative journalism). there's a wall of stuff in her room that el looks at in season 1 which might be helpful (i'm thinking of the little photostrip of nancy and barb messing around and laughing like el and max did in season 3)

[platonic-qpr-selfshipping]

💿, 🖥️, 💬 for ur hsr s/i :3

— @mister-ancunin

thanks for these :D!

💿┆What does your s/i look like? How do you draw or make them? (Either by drawing, writing, or by using picrews?)

I mostly have a Pinterest board for them lmao. I'm not so sure of what to do with their hair, but for now it's probably a long-ish curly mess that they try to keep up with different yet simple hairstyles. might just chop it off at some point tho. in terms of fashion, I imagine Navier with some cybercore cothes and big chunky shoes

🖥┆ If you were to describe your lore between your s/I and f/o in a poorly written or drawn style, what would it be?

I think child drawings would fit most of Navier's relationships with other members of the Astral Express ksdhjs and not even fully colored, just some sketchy lines and scribbles of basic shapes drawn with different color pencils. although mostly for Dan Heng and Welt. It'd probably be a way more formal and technical style for Himeko since I think I'd be scared of her at first mostly out of respect KLSJDK like wow ma'am you fixing this whole train?? all by yourself?? I will procceed to be scared of anything I could possibly say and do around you ^_^

💬┆If your s/i or f/o had a moodboard/stimboard, what would it look like? Do they have a specific aesthetic?

hmm once again thinking of big shoes, maybe oversized jackets, piles of papers, calculators, clearly worn backpacks, gloves, small bricks of juice, sleeping on the sofa, carrying pens in pockets and the night sky

[lv-iceprince]

@skymoonies

ahh! oh my god hi! i had the best time doing this ship for you, i got carried away but honestly. i can't see you with anyone else and i had to get deep into and inject this with as many vibes as I could.

thank you so much for being patient and giving me the opportunity to do this for you! you're so amazing keep being awesome please and thank you!

also since this is a ship and i normally do a random member i just went with jake. but if you ever wanted a similar thing with sunghoon where it wasn't so much a ship but the whole moodboard, music and aesthetic kind of love story snippet things i can always do one for you and just have it under a more generalised different title since I want to start doing similar things with aesthetics and songs but it's more along the line of music based drabbles. the point is i totally wanted to just give you jake for this one but again i am open to writing something more specific to sunghoon if people want that, it wouldn't be ship related though.

~general~

Honestly, the energy in this ship is so vibrant and so damn addictive. This 100% prefaces your entire relationship. There is something so beautiful about your connection with Jake, the allure of it all with a dash of something that teeters on the edge of danger in the most sensual way. Maybe you won't ever be in dangerous situations around Jake but there is always something that feels like you are living life in the most exciting way. He has a habit of pulling you into his charm, it's so strange. He might be the most nerdiest guy you have ever met until he removes his glasses.

I see the playlist you sent in as the soundtrack for your entire relationship with Jake. Each one holds a memory or a moment in time that progressed your relationship forward, mini anniversaries of sorts.

--

DAHLIA- (G)I-DLE: That moment when you realised that the love you felt for Jake was unlike anything you had ever felt before. He was caught, suspended in your mind and you wanted to be on the tip of his tongue. He became more than a schoolgirl crush, he was the realest thing you could ever hold in your hands. It was also the start of you waking up early to wait outside of his house, wanting to be the first person to see his messy hair, to hear his husky morning voice. He was the boy who struggled to be attentive and wake up in the morning but each day he sees you there he is fully attentive. You make him feel more himself, he blooms in your presence.

Sofia- Clairo: Warm summer nights sitting on his roof, his flannel shirt wrapped around your quite bare body. Even if it's tempting to let your mind drift back to what you had done a mere ten minutes ago, you decide to stay in the moment. You felt like you were about to drift off into the night sky, but ironically, you were yanked back down into reality at the sight of Jake admiring the stars wishing he could float up there too. You assumed that something like this would feel more formal, more transactional in some sense as if you were now gifted with maturity but you still felt giggly and young. Being there with Jake felt right.

Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock)- TXT: Being winded by Jake was nothing new, you liked the feeling of having your breath leave your lungs, but not like this. You knew Jake was a rugby boy but regardless, you hadn't expected to be on the ground practically winded after he tackled you. Despite what it looked like you couldn't claim that Jake had been rough with you, he had been so gentle, his arms guarding the middle of your back as you tumbled to the ground together. The reason behind your breathlessness was the fact that he was on top of you, panting and grinning like a loser. When you had tried to awkwardly wriggle out of his grasp Jake pulled you back in "Just one more minute and I'll be good y/n".

Don't Know What To Do- BLACKPINK: Jake made the most mundane things feel like an adventure, his Mum had left him with a list of chores that he had to get done by that evening. Instead of running to his car and speeding off to the first place he had to go, the car shuddered and came to a stop outside of your house. He had sent you a one worded text yet you knew exactly what he wanted from you

"Adventure?"

Almost skipping out to his car you were greeted with a hug and a passionate kiss on the lips. The next thing you know he's strapping you into your seat like the passenger princess you are, taking extra time to trail a line of kisses over your clavicle before taking his seat beside you. "So here's the thing I have some things to do but I thought you'd be so bored without me today, you know, killing two birds with one stone. But more than that, I think we're overdue for a good date. So what do you say we run around town like a couple of losers?"

Like Crazy (English Version)-Jimin: He couldn't help but feel like a bit of a burden to you, you didn't have to come along to this party, he could see it in your eyes, all that was unsaid, you would rather be elsewhere. The words of his friends were leaking through one ear and out the next as he took in your form, marvelling at the blue lights dancing on his little fairy. With a flurry of words and a hand up to stop Jay in his tracks Jake approaches you. In his head it's like one of those coming of age movies, the music beating with his heart as he comes to stop in front of you. He smiles at you, a knowing smile "I couldn't help but notice you looking at me from across the room, I hope your boyfriend doesn't mind me asking for a dance." You had to roll your eyes at Jake, despite dating he was never over using that pickup line. Instead of denying him you take his hand and lead him towards the centre of the room.

I Wanna Be Yours- Arctic Monkeys: Both of you held a deep secret, not that anyone would really be surprised, but it was something that was sacred to you. Jake Sim was a good guy, even if this was the case he was actually a walking contradiction. He didn't mean to be but there were parts of him that yearned to grow up, by day he was the studious boy who kept to himself and on late nights and weekends he was just Jake. You had fallen for his boyish charm, so for some time he held back on taking a drag of a cigarette or voicing his more suggestive thoughts, he kept those reserved for his friends. But for some reason he had a change of heart. After dating you he wanted you to see him in all of his vulnerability even if that meant seeing how conflicted he was. Through the smoke of his cigarette you saw the perfect partner, you had wanted to grow with Jake, both of you exploring life and the passionate love that came with it.

--

The love you share with Jake is the most energetic, the most innocent, the kindest, the most lustful and every other emotion and feeling in between. This type of thing isn't for everybody but there is freedom in letting yourself be in love with Jake and living in the moment. You know he is your forever, but all both of you care about is being in his arms in the deep blue right now.

~moodboard~

~your song~

~shufflemancy reading~

I tried to find love

In someone else too many times

But I hope you know I mean it (mean it)

When I tell you you're the one that was on my mind,

When I look at you

In your eyes (your eyes)

I see there's something burning inside you (inside you)

[aphroditestummyrolls]

Hi!

Your moodboards are so beautiful. Can you tell us more about the inspiration for the Wesper Fantasy AU? It's lovely. (Please say there is a fanfic for it or there might be one day soon.)

If you don't mind, could you also share how you make your moodboards, where you find your images and what program you use to organize them in the 3x3 format?

-Sixofcrowdaydreams

Hi!

Thank you so much 🥹❤️ they are so fun to make, and it’s been really helping me stay motivated with my stories, too.

I use LiveCollage for my 3x3 grid— they have lots of other options as well. The 3x3 is just my favourite. I get my pictures from Pinterest and sometimes from aesthetic blogs on tumblr. As for how I generally construct and organise them, I focus on the main beats of the story/the main characteristics of the character I’m playing with; make sure my pictures follow a general colour palette of 2-3 colours (for instance, the fantasy wesper one is teal green and an amber shade of orange); and I try to have them radiate out from the centre. The most important point is usually in the centre, but there are some exceptions. A lot of it just comes down to if it looks balanced/good.

The fantasy au wesper story is actually based on world building of an original fantasy world I started when I was 18 (omg almost a decade ago 🫠). It centers around a small hamlet built up on a ridge, just barely scraping above a deeply enchanted woodland that is supposedly full of big bad creatures— the hamlet is able to become a kingdom of huge influence through the export of the minerals in the ridge that they mine/export through the use of the tunnel system/the river under the ridge. It is extremely taboo to enter the forest without economically sound and governmentally sanctioned reason. The old superstitions of the beasts in the woods are still strong over the people.

Naturally, there is a huge illegal demand to smuggle people and goods in and out of the wood to the wider world on the other side of the mountains. It's a great place for clandestine things, meeting forbidden lovers, or doing illegal things.

Enter, Kaz Brekker and his Crows.

They are well known by anyone that needs to know as the best gang for anything having to do with the woodland— they've become almost as mythologised as the beasts and magic of the woods. And there are, naturally, warrants out for their arrest by order of King Jan. There always has been, it seems. They've become symbols of freedom and the breaking of the superstition that keeps everyone on the ridge. Jesper is one of the best at living in and getting through the woods— what he doesn't know is that this is because he's half sprite. After his sprite mother was hunted and murdered, his father went to a witch when Jesper was small and repressed his magic and his memories. He was trying to protect him from the prejudice against the woodland creatures/sprites like his mother.

But, things like that can’t stay repressed forever. They find a way out— for Jesper, they come out in his uncanny ability to navigate the forest, his immaculate aim, and… and strange dreams of a young man that he just doesn’t understand. All Jesper knows is that he’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

Enter Wylan.

Prince Wylan Van Eck was sequestered away from the public when he was a small child after his mother “died”, to be hidden away in shame for his defect of being an illiterate invalid.

He lives a life of luxury, but it's a prison. and the world of royalty knows him only as The Ghost Prince of Ketterdam. A young Prince hidden away until a mysterious “curse” could be lifted from him. King Jan has been subjecting his son to all sorts of "cures" since he was young. Torturing him. And, for a long time, he’s been sending knights out on illegal poaching missions to steal woodland sprites/magical objects from the enchanted woods, hoping to find something that will fix him. Wylan, though, shows no sign of improvement. He does have a very active imagination, though— he has the most incredible dreams. Of the most beautiful man.

That’s the basics of it! It’s not currently in the works, really, just an idea that I love in a world that I’m really proud to have built. And now it’s a world where I get to play with my blorbos! There’s other stories taking priority now, but eventually, I’ll at least write out a few oneshots/chapters for the fantasy au!

Thanks for asking! ❤️

[stingrayextraordinaire]

I just wanted to let you know how much I admire and am inspired by your work! I've recently started trying my hand at mood boards, and while I continue to kind of "study" how they are put together, I was wondering if you might share a "rule of thumb" or tip for a beginner, perhaps pertaining to color coordination across the images. :)

Friend, this is so kind of you!! I'm honored that you enjoy the moodboards. Congrats on starting to make some of your own! The best general rule I can give is to just start making them and learning from your own mistakes, because nothing beats that :)

For color coordination, I usually pick a theme color (gold, for example) and try to choose pictures that have that color in them somehow. Some of the photos might be primarily gold, and some might just have a little touch of gold. Either way, it keeps the colors coordinated.

Next, I choose some secondary colors to complement the color scheme. If I want a radiant warm-toned board, I would blend the gold theme with hints of red, orange, or brown. If I want a cool-toned board, it would be blue, green, silver, lavender, etc. Sometimes I do single-toned (pure gold) or dual-toned (gold and black only, for example), but generally I go with at least three colors to make the board feel balanced. If you find a photo you really want to use, you can always color / shade / tint it to get the color you want. LunaPic is a great free editing site that allows you to do this!

As far as arranging my pictures, I try not to group photos that are too similar in the same corners of the board. For example, if I'm using 4 photos with a long-haired girl, I would spread those photos throughout the moodboard (maybe one in each corner, or in a T shape) so they feel natural. The same goes for photos with similar colors, shapes, symbols, etc. They should all be organized in a way that draws attention to the photo itself, not the ones around it.

Finally, I usually try to tell a story through my moodboards. Even if I don't know what the story is when I start, I come up with it as I'm going. This isn't necessary for boards that are based on existing stories (like fairytales or movies), but when you're doing something like a Bath and Body Works scent or a nursery rhyme with very little context, you can breathe life into that board by creating a story in your head. That keeps your photos consistent and connects with your audience by drawing them in, rather than just choosing a series of nine pictures with the same aesthetic.

I hope this is helpful! There are plenty of subtle tricks to the trade, but I'm sure you'll discover your own methods as you start. Hopefully these tips will be a good starting point :) Best of luck with your boards, and please let me know if I can give any more help!!

[mckinleyhq]

birds of a feather, we should stick together, i know i said I'd never think i wasn't better alone can't change the weather, might not be forever but if it's forever, it's even better

it's time for the first parent-teacher night of the year, for a week the families of mckinley's senior class will be descending onto school grounds to find out what the future of their hopeful graduate may hold.

character development tasks.

option one. create a family tree for your muse; feel free to use online resources such as milanote to create a family tree - you can include just immediately family or get creative adding in extended family !!

option two. create a playlist featuring at least five songs, that describes your muses family dynamics or how your muse views family in general !!

option three. introduce us to your muse family, you can choose face claims, names & even describe your characters relationships with each of the members of their family - this can be in the form of headcanons, bullet points or graphics !!

alternative option. in the spirit of family, have your muse take this quiz, and find out which cartoon family they belong in - post your results in the corresponding server channel for this week !!

to count towards task fills, these must be original content uploaded and posted by you - reblogs of gif sets, photosets, etc will not count or be reposted onto the inspiration account.

this are just a few options for you that you can choose to participate in for this week’s theme - you are welcome to fulfill the task using all of these methods, some of them, or even by making up your own. as always these tasks are optional, but encouraged. you can post your results in the task channel and utilize the following tumblr tags: mckinleyhq:task & mhqinspo !! happy development !!

glee club task.

this week, is all about family and how your muse fits into their family, and we’re hoping to embrace that during glee club this week as well !!

it’s time to perform another song during glee club practice - you can do this in the form of a youtube video, a spotify link, a headcanon drabble, or even an aesthetic post/edit - the only thing you need to include is the title of the song they will be performing. your song choice should be a song that symbolizes family to your character - this can be a song that your muse's family loves, a song that decribes the family dynamic, a song about family - whatever you think fits. be sure to post a link to your post in the glee weekly task channel in the discord server !!

be creative as you’d like with this week’s theme !! we’d love to see all forms of content relating to this theme of : family week !!

other note. there will be a moodboard monday task posted on monday that will focus on family dynamics.

[localthumbcache]

Hi it’s me again! Honestly that’s cool I thought it may have been omegaverse related but in case it wasn’t I didn’t want to embarrass myself. 😭 I blame wattpad and the fact like I really liked werewolves. 😔

Anyways! Definitely if you do post anything related to your characters I would be happy to read! They’re really stunning!

Also I was curious how you gain inspiration for your characters. I know you mentioned you put parts of yourself into their stories and/or them, but are there usually any other factors that help you figure out how they may look or who they’re personalities will be? Whether it’s a songs, lyric(s), animals, aesthetics, shows/movies, or anything.

Hey hey anon!! ᵔદᵔ

Loll tbh I kinda judged the omegaverse at first until I watched coleydoesthings video on it. She gives a very good explanation and it even got me interested soo here we are! I was a tiny bit hesitant on sharing the smut here bc "cringe" but idrc!! (This is tumblr lol we're all weirdos)

And tysm!! 🩷 I'm glad to hear that 🥺 I might work some more on the doc since I'm pretty much gonna be in bed all day 😭 probably won't get to release it today but hopefully I'll be halfway done or smth

Also, since I don't actually play the game a lot (I've even removed some gameplay mods) I've been thinking about making short stories until maybe one day when I actually want to work on a full series - once i get the lore and all that jazz locked down that is. For now they'd just be little scenarios and things that happen in their lives ᵔદᵔ I don't rlly like the gameplay so might as well use the sims as a creative medium lol

I get most of my inspo off of pinterest and sometimes other people's sims! I have a simspo board which has faces, character concepts, and even style inspiration. I also have moodboards dedicated to them, which helps me put together their overall vibe. Music is kind of a factor too, although I associate a sim with a song I already know instead of making sims based off of it. Some sims I've based off of people I know irl

I also want to work on a mini music project as well as a voice canon one :> ohh and an incorrect quotes one too! Just a silly way to understand their characters a bit better :3

I take inspo for world building as well! I'm really focusing on vampires rn. I took some inspiration from dracula, the vampyre, interview with a vampire, and various yt videos on vampire lore/history. This video explains the biology of vampires (he even scientifically explains how crosses are harmful to them!!), and this one explains their history.

For example: before the pretty, well put-together person that we envision when we think of vampires, vampires before that were depicted as more animalistic than anything. So why not have the best of both worlds!! When in human form, my vampires have very little vampiric qualities (ex. Keith's eyes have a red glint to them, the vatores ears are slightly pointed, and all of them have larger canines than the average human), they're able to show up on camera and have reflections, and crosses are only harmful to them if they're blessed. When they turn into their dark form (or "true form" as hunters call it), however, they do not have a reflection, they cannot be caught on camera, and like the old vampires, they appear monstrous.