#mom mode bleeding over

[residentdormouse]

Seeing Stars (And Other Shapes) Word Tag Game

Profuse apologies @mrsmungus for the delay in this. In true sharing is caring fashion, my children had given me their stomach bug, and I was down and out for a few days. Finally starting to get caught up.

My Words: Circle, Square, Triangle, Heart, Star

Since we’ve covered the alphabet, our colors and shapes, we should probably start on our counting.

Your Words: One, Two, Three, Four, Five (substituting up as needed)

As Always, this remains an -Open Tag- for anybody looking to join, although unlike our alliteration train, this is traveling an unclear path moving forward. What’s next? Who knows. Seeing our pattern, my three year old may advise better than I... 🤣

Circle:

(One of the only times I go for Flagg’s perspective. Wasn’t a place I wanted to linger long, let’s be honest 😂)

The cell didn't leave much room to maneuver. So many steps had been taken to avoid this in his lifetime. Years dedicated to its prevention. He would not be caged or taken advantage of. Never again.

But now the walking dude could barely pace a circle in his new found space.

The cubes around him held a variety of creatures. Things he himself had never seen before. And then there were things he recognized with little doubt.

Flagg glared at the same sentinels he had trusted. Slavers in some of the others. Prior residents of his New Vegas. His self-created paradise. A flash of red hit his eyes at just the mention of the place. His realm and his folly.

Once more, his fist smashed against the glass, obstructing his view of the creatures. Because there was no question now; they were like him. They were something more. Something under all that, a connection just outside his grasp. Beyond his current knowledge. A connection of crimson and destruction.

Square:

The TV was already turned off, the portable music player and headphones he wore were now resting on the table, and the last thing left was to throw a blanket over the small child. Once everything around him was peaceful and squared away, she went into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water for herself.

"How was Lloyd?"

'He said they know about him. Who he was.'

The idea threw her for a second. Hell, she barely knew who Lloyd was, and she came here with him. For people here to already know… And how exactly did he find all this out…

"Is he sure? How does—?"

'Max.'

Three letters, but it said all it needed to. She knew Max just as long as Lloyd, and while his past in Vegas was more threatening in appearance, the girl, one who by all logic should be a savior-hero type, seemed to be more of a menace than anybody else she knew. Well, practically everyone else. But her interactions with their nightmare man were limited in comparison to the others, and Harold… well, he had his own problems too.

Triangle: (Shape)

(I got nothing. No triangles in this world. Maybe I should go write some Gravity Falls stuff real quick. Replaced it with ‘Shape’ since there seems to be no other actual simple shapes listed that I can find at least…)

The closer the figure came, the more irregularities she picked up on. The sagging skin, eyes that had just the slightest red shine to them. Eyes like she saw in her nightmares.

The pair of them continued to backpedal slowly, their sight never leaving the prowling shape. A small amount of distance was placed between them, until she backed into something solid. Solid, but not static. Pliable. Only slightly, but it moved as she hit against it, and the thought made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Her breath caught in her chest as she turned around to see another figure, the red shine taking over dead looking eyes, coarse hair poking out around its eye sockets. She didn’t have time to process anything further.

Heart:

"You own a cabin?" Scribbling started on a blank page.

"I don't think, just in my head."

"What's all in this cabin?"

"Lots of books, some pictures. Hey! I think Glen painted this one." Instinctively, his smile reflected the one shining on her face, but otherwise, Glen remained silent.

"So we're after Trips, then?" Disappointed with the development, Stan muttered it more to himself, but still turned to Glen for confirmation, "...you met her after Trips, right?" Nodding affirmatively only prompted Stan to close his notebook and sink back on the couch. "I'm not really sure what to try next. I was hoping something there would work."

Looking back at Hayden, his heart sank. Was this really it? He was hoping to give her some answers by the end of this. Would be a lie to say he wasn't damn curious himself, but that was secondary. He wanted her to know, even if it didn’t help them. Especially if it didn’t help them. Once she knew what was there, she may be able to let it go. Or they could begin actively dealing with it. Either way, it had to be better than the purgatory she kept herself in. Whatever they found, though, he believed what she told him before: regardless of what was found, she wanted this life here with him. And he was coming to realize he wanted it just as much.

But he also knew, until they tried everything, she wasn't going to give up on this.

"Hey, Stan, do you mind if I give it a shot…?"

Star:

(A bit longer, but I love writing Harold and Glen bickering. Non-canon fun time.)

"Well, that metaphor leaves a bigger question. If that fucker was just the knife, who exactly stabbed us in the first place."

Max gave a sly smile as she checked in on him. "Oh, gold star for you sweetheart. Truly." The two shared an unspoken exchange of expressions that neither Hayden nor Glen could miss, but it faded shortly after it appeared. “While I’d love to delve into the shit show that your world is clearly immersed in, I’m still waiting for some clarification here myself. And to be honest, think I’ve been pretty damn patient about it to this point. So spill.”

Glen felt Hayden turn her attention to him as well. “If everything’s falling apart regardless, I think I’d like to know it all too…”

His other free hand went over to fall on hers. “Yeah, yeah. Of course.”

A smile was sent her way, the only gesture that he could give at this point. It seemed to be enough though. Her shoulders released the tension that had built up, and he could see a new calm taking over her features.

His train of thought was derailed as a pizza combo flew in front of his vision. “Hey! What’d I say about that shit!” Another shot back and bounced off Hayden’s head. “Story time. Start talking.”

Harold grumbled as he turned back around in his seat. “Like he really needs the extra prompting… Give Bateman the floor, and he’ll pontificate until your eyes roll back in your skull and your soul shrivels up and dies…”

Unable to hold it back, a light chuckle at the commentary escaped him. “Fuck you too, Harold.”

[starry-bi-sky]

*hits you with more Ras Danyal fanart and runs🏃*

Don’t ask me the context of the RR and Danny one, I saw the pose and wanted to practice drawing duos kfhsh

Haven't forgotten for a second that there's meant to be Flashfam here >:]. I just didn't have a lot of thoughts about him and his interactions with Danny in the au, I've watched s1 and half of s2 of the netflix Flash show and that's about it. I think once Danny kinda 'settles' in Central City (that is, he routinely returns to it the most and stays there for a few weeks at a time messing with the portal gun before going out to get more parts) they have frequent little hangouts/run-ins/what have you. Flash is the first person to learn the mystery boy's 'name' :] and is perhaps the first person Danny officially 'reveals' his powers to (not his ghost form tho, just some of his powers).

(Now, they all knew he was some kind of meta and perhaps knew one or two of his powers or had theories, but Flash is the first person Danny himself actually turns to and goes: 'okay, here is what I can do'. And Flash is both very smug and very touched about it. The kid trusts him!! How can he not??)

("Now can you please tell your little hero friends to get off my back? I appreciate the concern, but I can handle myself. Can tie my own shoelaces and everything.")

Flash asks Danny about his powers (the ones he told him, which I think would probably be invisibility/intangibility/flight because those are have been his most prominently used ones and explains how he's been able to get all over the country faster than he should + his ability to slip away and stuff) and vice versa, Danny asks Flash about his -- he's infinitely curious about how his superspeed works and the stuff he looked up said he can phase through walls? He wants to know the difference between Flash's phasing and his phasing, etc, etc.

I don't know enough about the other speedsters to include Danny interacting with them, unfortunately. Every time Flash spots Danny sitting somewhere in CC while he's running around, he loops back to some food place and grabs something for him to eat, and then drops it off next to him. Otherwise Danny will try and refuse it.

This happens especially if Flash sees him and thinks Danny looks otherwise emaciated/exhausted/or if he's been away from Central City for longer than normal. He has no idea where the kid sleeps, and currently he's not trying to figure it out, it'll break the fragile trust he's built with Danny.

Danny Is An Alternate Version Of Ra's Al Ghul And Flash Already Called Dibs On Adopting Him

Danny In All His Sleep Deprived Slightly Scuffed Up From A Fight Glory Is On His Way To Clockworks Tower To Hopefully Get A Nap And Maybe Some Homework Done When A Natural Portal Opens Up In Front Of Him And Proceeds To Unceremoniously Drop Him In The DC Verse Just Outside Of Central City Before Promptly Closing Leaving A Tired Danny Behind In A Run Down Abandoned Parking Lot.

It's Times Like This When Danny Regrets Putting Off Learning How To Make His Own Portals, Cause Now He Is Very Much Stuck For The Foreseeable Future And He Has No Idea Where Or When He Is. Luckily For Him However Central City Isn't Too Far Away, Unlucky For Him However Is That Once In The City He Realizes This Isn't His Dimension. He's Pretty Sure He'd Remember Something Called The Justice League.

So What Do You Do When Supernatural Bullshit Fails You? You Fall Back On Your Mad Scientist Roots And You Make A Portal Gun. So That's Exactly What Danny Plans To Do.

Unfortunately Staying Alive And Building Questionably Safe Portal Technology Requires Money And Supplies, So He Ends Up Wandering From City To City Doing Odd Jobs/Fixing Up Busted Tech For Cash Or Unwanted Electronics For His "Operation: Get Home" Needs. This Obviously Ends In A Few Superhero Encounter Shenanigans.

Though He Always Ends Up Back Near Central City, Both On The Off Chance The Natural Portal Will Open Up Again And Because Out Of All The Superheroes That Apparently Exist In This Universe The Speedsters Are His Favorite (Red Robin Is Solidly His Second Favorite Ever Since The Gotham Vigilante Gave Him A Large Coffee Filled With Enough Caffeine To Kill A Man).

Unbeknownst To Danny However Is That Every Hero/Vigilante He Has Encountered Has Come To At Least One Of The Following Conclusions; 1. Run Away Meta Who Is In Desperate Need Of A Good Meal/Adoption Bait. 2. Possibly Red Robin/Tim Drake Clone 3. A Good Kid But Could Possibly Be A Future Rouge If Left Unsupervised. 4. Did Bats Get A New Kid And Why Is He Here?

All Flash Knows Is That He Saw The Kid First And Therefore Has Dibs. Suck It Bruce.

Fast-forward A Few Months And Danny Gets Hurt During A Rogue Attack While Trying To Help Some Civilians Get To Safety (Old Hero Habits Die Hard (Ha Die Hard) And All That Jazz) And He Nopes Out Once Everyone Is Safe And When The Paramedics Are Busy With Other People Unaware He Left A Blood Sample Behind.

One DNA Test Brought To You By Paranoid Bat Concerns Of A Possible Red Robin Clone Later And They Find Out That Dannys DNA Matches One Ra's Al Ghul.

They Now Think Danny Is An Escaped Ra's Al Ghul Clone.

Memes For The Vibes:

[ginnsbaker]

fic: if i bleed (you'll be the last to know) (12/?)

Part Summary: You know Leigh well enough to recognize that she never acts without intention. She must have agonized about this too—about that kiss, about you. And she's making it difficult for you to guess just what conclusions she had come to in the time you were apart.

Pairing: Leigh Shaw x Fem!Reader | Word count for this part: 6.500+ | Warnings: Smut | Author's note: I honestly don't know what else to write in the summary without giving too much away, so without further ado… P.S. No cliffhangers this time ;)

Masterlist | Part I Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI

-

A week after Thanksgiving, as the icy Maine wind whips across the tarmac at Rockland Airport, you find yourself holding a container of lobster cakes—your mother's way of sending a piece of home back with you. Despite her protests about you cutting your visit short, she spent last night in the kitchen, crafting your favorite dish, the smell of butter and ocean filling the house. “Eat these when you miss home,” she had said, pressing the container into your hands with a sad smile. The decision to leave early was anything but easy.

You initially planned to stay five more days in Camden, but Leigh's radio silence prompted you to book a direct flight to Los Angeles. It was eating you up inside; you had to go back. The familiar dark screen of your phone kept you on edge; you hadn't expected Leigh to strictly follow through on her promise not to contact you. She had a way of doing the unexpected. Or maybe you've been so wrapped up in your thoughts that you underestimated how deeply she wanted you that night. And perhaps you've overestimated your own anger, believing it would even slightly lessen your feelings for her.

Sitting in the window seat with the whole row to yourself, you stare at your phone as the flight attendant's voice crackles over the intercom, signaling it's time to switch to airplane mode. Impulsively, you tap out a text to her.

Belated Happy Thanksgiving, Leigh. If you’re free tomorrow evening, maybe we could talk? Perhaps over dinner?

It’s straightforward, maybe too much so, but it’s sent before you can overthink it.

The flight attendant's voice fills the cabin once more, reminding everyone to switch their devices as the plane is about to take off. You comply, toggling the setting and sealing off any immediate replies. The engines roar to life, and as the plane ascends, you try to push away the knot of apprehension tightening in your stomach.

As you wait to fall asleep, you think about Leigh—whether she’s seen your message and what she might be feeling. You wonder about the time apart, recalling the old saying that distance makes the heart grow fonder.

Or does it make it forget instead?

-

You touch down in L.A. just as the date ticks over to December 1st, the clock a little past midnight. The moment the plane reaches the gate, you grab your phone and switch off airplane mode. There's a message from your mom, checking in to see if you've landed safely, and you text her back to let her know you did. Suzie has also texted, saying Foreman called in sick and asking if you can cover at the clinic later. You shoot back a quick reply, saying you just landed, you'll catch some sleep, and might be in late in the morning.

But there’s nothing from Leigh. No text, no missed call, nothing to indicate she received your message or is interested in meeting.

You sigh and, without thinking, tap her name on the screen. The call goes through, and the phone rings as you make your way through the late-night crowd at LAX. It continues ringing, unanswered, until it finally clicks over to voicemail. You mutter a soft curse under your breath. Of course, she's not going to pick up—it's 12:30 in the morning. You consider sending a quick apology text but then reconsider, figuring you've already pushed enough boundaries by calling her this late.

Instead, you slide your phone back into your pocket and head toward baggage claim. You weave through the half-awake travelers and the sterile glow of the airport lights, finally spotting your suitcase trundling along the carousel. You heft it off and make your way through the automatic doors. You glance one more time at your phone, half hoping for a notification, but it's blank. With a sigh, you head for the exit, feeling the exhaustion settle in.

-

You check your inbox first thing in the morning, but there's still nothing from Leigh. You don't have time to overanalyze this again because you're already running late for work.

-

The whole day is swamped, with emergencies piling up alongside a packed schedule of immunizations and follow-ups. Suzie mistakenly booked an entire week's worth of scheduled vaccines for today, a Saturday. She explains that the clients requested to move their appointments to the weekend, adding, “We're closed on Sundays, so I thought today would work.”

You try to hide your frustration, not wanting to lay the blame on her. Your nerves are already frayed, and every hour that passes without a word from Leigh has you feeling more on edge.  As you tend to your patients and give instructions to the staff, you feel the pressure building, a headache beginning to throb behind your eyes. The never-ending stream of clients leaves you with no time to catch your breath. Between each appointment, you plaster on a polite smile, but inside, you're counting down the minutes until you can check out of, well, everything.

As the clock hits seven, you can't take another minute. The clinic has been a madhouse since the doors opened. You barely glance at Suzie as you callously tell her, “Close early. I'm tired.” Without waiting for her response, you trudge straight to your office and slump into your chair, eyes closed against the harsh fluorescent lights. Resting your head back, you exhale slowly, letting the tension drain from your shoulders. The fatigue wraps itself around you like a fog, and for a moment, everything falls away.

A few minutes later, you hear a gentle knock. It's Suzie, standing in the doorway with a paper in her hand. Without opening your eyes, you mutter, “What is it?” Your irritation seeps through, but you’re too drained to rein it in.

Suzie hesitates before stepping into your office, her expression unreadable. She extends the paper towards you. “It's my resignation letter,” she says quietly.

Your eyes snap open, and the paper feels heavier than it should as you take it from her hands. You’ve been nothing short of awful to her all day, snapping at every turn. 

“Is this about today?” you ask. 

She gives you a small, weary smile and points to the date on the letter. “I wrote this last week, right after you left for Maine.”

You glance down at the letter and see that it’s dated exactly a week ago. “Why didn’t you give it to me sooner?”

“I didn’t want to ruin your vacation,” she says softly. “I know how much you needed that break. And honestly, you’ve got enough on your plate right now without me adding to it.”

You can feel the burn of frustration and shame behind your eyes. “You’ve been a rock here, Suzie. I don’t want you to go. Please reconsider.”

She shakes her head gently. “I’ve thought this through. It’s time. I care about this place, and about you, but I need to move on.”

You let out a long breath. “I see. Still, I'm sorry today was so rough,” you say, looking up at her wistfully. You try working your puppy eyes, and for a moment it seems effective as her expression softens into a frown. 

But then she says, “It’s not the clinic or the work I do here. I got an offer for a research position; it's something I've always wanted to try.”

That makes you smile. If that’s the case, then you’re truly happy for her.

“I understand. I wish you hadn't felt the need to keep this to yourself, especially with everything else happening today,” you say, still clutching the paper tightly in your hand, crumpling it slightly.

Suzie shrugs. “I didn't want to add to your stress. Don’t worry, I’ll count the 30 days' notice from today, not the date on my resignation, so you have time to find someone to replace me.”

From that, you know her mind’s already made up. As you read her letter again, your eyes start to sting. You glance back up at her, your vision blurring. “Suzie, thank you,” you mumble thickly.

“Hey, it's okay,” she says gently. “I'm not leaving town. We can still grab lunch whenever. I know how glued to your desk you get, so I'll drag you out for a bite now and then.” You let out a shaky chuckle, wiping your eyes with the back of your hand.

“It's just—I’m going to miss you, and I don’t know how I'll replace you,” you say with a sniffle.

“Missing me is a given,” she says, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. “Actually, I might know someone interested in my job.”

Your ears perk up at that. Good help is hard to find these days, especially with more demands from applicants and a tight job market. “Who?” you ask, curious.

Suzie turns around as if she's going to leave without answering, but then she glances over her shoulder, her smirk widening. “Sara.”

-

A little while later, you catch Suzie just as she's finishing up in the lobby.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll lock up. You’ve done enough today,” you say, sending her home. She gives you a grateful smile, slings her bag over her shoulder, and wishes you a good night before heading out.

Finally alone, you take a moment to decompress. Clasping your hands behind your back, you stretch, trying to release the day's tension. A dull ache climbs up your spine, reminding you how tight your muscles are. Unable to hold the position for more than a few seconds, you relax, the discomfort too much to bear. It's hard to tell whether it's from the long-haul flight yesterday, your age creeping up on you, poor posture, or all of the above. 

On a whim, you book a late-night yoga session at the Beautiful Beast, hoping to relieve the tightness in your back. It’s been a while since your last visit.

Afterward, you head to the small bathroom in your office to get ready. It's basic, not meant for much more than washing hands and changing scrubs, but it’s all you've got. Stripping off your day's clothes, you step into the shower, letting the hot water beat down on your back. The steam fills the tiny space, and the heat melts a bit of the stiffness away. After a quick rinse, you towel off and slip into your yoga gear. The stretchy fabric feels liberating after being in stiff work clothes all day. You roll up your yoga mat, tucked behind the office door, and switch off the bathroom light.

As you're about to head out of the clinic, you check your phone, hoping to see something from Leigh. There's nothing—she hasn’t even read your last message. The stonewalling feels all too familiar, and you're tired of it.

You slide into your car, letting out a weary sigh. As you start the engine, thoughts of Suzie's suggestion to hire Sara sneak back into your mind. You can't help but chortle at the idea—it’s so unexpected, almost comical, considering how you know Sara and her standing friends-with-benefits proposition. It feels far-fetched, and knowing Suzie, she was likely just teasing.

The drive to the fitness studio is as mechanical as it gets. You're hardly aware of the turns you take until you park in front of the building. You step out, mind still elsewhere, and open your car door—right into someone walking by.

“Ow!”

“Shit, I’m so sorry, I didn’t—” you start to say, cutting yourself off when you see who it is. 

Leigh, of all people, is rubbing her elbow, wincing. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a plain white shirt under a jacket, paired with simple black tights. 

“See me? Lovely excuse,” she quips, her eyes fixed on her arm rather than you. Her expression is primed to unleash more frustration when she finally turns to meet the source of the blunder.

 “I—” Leigh stops, visibly surprised to see you. Quickly, her face smooths into something more neutral. “Y/N. You…you really should watch it.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” you say, rubbing the back of your neck. “Are you alright?”

She rubs her elbow once more, then nods slowly. “Just startled me a bit, but I’m fine.”

Once you both regain your bearings, you unconsciously begin rocking back and forth on the balls of your feet, hesitating despite the things you’ve rehearsed in your head all week. Your text message inviting her to meet tonight lingers at the forefront of your mind. But before you can bring it up, Leigh catches you by surprise.

“So, you’re heading in for a class?” she asks casually, as if the last time you saw each other didn’t end with a kiss and a confrontation that put the aforementioned kiss on hold.

“Uh, yeah, yeah, I am,” you reply. Then you remember Leigh doesn't work here anymore, but with her mother owning the place, it's no surprise to see her around occasionally. 

Still, you ask, “How about you?”

“You mind if we walk while we talk?” Leigh suggests.

You nod, a little thrown off but managing to say, “Sure, just let me grab my stuff.” 

She waits a few seconds as you gather your belongings, and then you both start walking toward the building. Leigh sets a brisk pace, always a step ahead, and you find yourself almost hurrying to keep up with her.

“I just got back to working here again,” she says after a beat.

Surprised, you ask, “Oh, how did that happen?”

“Long story,” she replies with a slight shrug, her eyes focused ahead.

Unsatisfied with her vague answer, your eyes drift to her lips. Memories of that last kiss flood back—their soft, velvety feel and that distinct taste that’s all hers, like fresh water after a long, grueling hike. It's a taste that's unmistakably Leigh, nothing else like it. As you walk together, you struggle to stay present. This isn’t at all how you pictured your reunion with her would go. Not by a long shot.

“Leigh,” you call out, stopping abruptly. Your voice comes out higher than intended, quivering a bit. You clear your throat and try again, “D-Did you get my text yesterday?”

Leigh glances back over her shoulder, her expression unreadable. “No.”

The bluntness leaves you momentarily stunned. You wait for her to follow up, to ask about the text, but she doesn’t. As you both step into the Beautiful Beast studio, you start to ask if you can talk later, but Leigh gets there first.

“We can pick this up later, Y/N. We should really get to class,” she says, heading into the room full of waiting students without waiting for your answer.

You're left more stumped than ever. Last time, she was almost on her knees, begging for forgiveness. Now, she's acting like nothing happened. How did everything change so much in just a week? With a head full of questions and doubts, you roll out your yoga mat and try to focus on the practice ahead. You can't help but wonder if the kiss you shared with Leigh really happened or if it was just a mirage of your desires.

You struggle through some of the poses, wobbling and nearly toppling over more than once. Leigh, however, doesn't chide or correct you as she used to; she mostly leaves you alone, focusing instead on helping others who are struggling more than you. It makes you feel strangely isolated, even though you know she's just fulfilling her role as an instructor and there are plenty of beginners in tonight’s session.

As the hour winds down, Leigh's soft “Namaste” signals the end of the class. She bows gracefully to the students, and you don't waste a moment, rising immediately to make your way to her as she rolls up her mat.

“Leigh.”

“Hey,” she responds breathlessly, not looking up. Other students pass by, thanking her, and she responds with smiles and cheerful “see you next times.” You stand there, feeling awkward as you wait for a turn.

When the last person leaves, Leigh finally looks up at you. “What's up?” she asks.

You find yourself stuttering, still fixated on the text message. Feeling a bit pathetic about how much it’s affecting you, but you shake it off, remembering why you cut your visit to Camden short. It was because of this—because of her.

“Leigh, can we talk? About... you know, how we left things that night?”

Her face remains jarringly impartial as she wipes down her mat. “Talk? Here? Right now?”

You quickly shake your head. “No, I don't mean right this second,” you clarify, watching her closely to gauge her reaction. Are you the only one feeling like you're on a tightrope? 

“You haven't had dinner yet, right?” You try to sound nonchalant too, but it's a struggle.

She looks around the emptying studio as if she needs a moment to consider. After a few beats, she nods. “Sure, why not? I’ll just change and meet you out front.”

You can't help but smile, mainly out of relief that she said yes. “Great, see you in a minute,” you say, realizing you need to change into drier clothes too.

Fifteen minutes later, Leigh steps out, looking refreshed as if she didn't just burn through a few hundred calories leading a rigorous yoga session. She's wearing a cozy gray sweater and cargo pants, a much more laid-back look compared to your jeans and cardigan.

As she draws near, she tilts her head slightly and says, “I actually brought a car. Have you thought of where we're going to get dinner?”

You scramble to think of a suitable place. In-N-Out pops into your head—quick, easy, but completely wrong for the kind of talk you need to have. You can't imagine hashing out your feelings under the harsh lights of a fast food place, over burgers and fries.

“Um,” you stammer, looking around like inspiration might hit you in the face. 

“How about we head to your apartment?” Leigh suggests out of nowhere. “It's closer, and we could grab some drive-thru on the way.”

You blink at her suggestion, surprised she'd even consider it after everything that went down last time at your place.

“There's only one parking spot,” you say blankly. “And the street has no parking after 10 p.m.”

Leigh seems unfazed, offering a quick solution. “Then we’ll just take your car. I can leave mine here.”

Your nerves flare at the thought of having her back in your apartment. Your tongue feels heavy, and you can't think of a single reason to tell her why it’s a bad idea.

“Okay,” you say slowly. “Let's do that.”

You head to your car together, fumbling with the keys as you unlock it. Leigh slips into the passenger seat, and you take a deep breath before starting the engine. You pull into a drive-thru of In-N-Out and Leigh scrolls through her phone, picking out what to order. 

You know Leigh well enough to recognize that she never acts without intention. She must have agonized about this too—about that kiss, about you. And she's making it difficult for you to guess just what conclusions she had come to in the time you were apart.

-

The takeout is spread across your dining table, a small feast that Leigh ordered for the two of you. Boxes of fries, nuggets, and burgers crowd the surface, enough to feed a group. You barely nibble on a fry while Leigh is already finishing her cheeseburger, wiping her fingers with a napkin and eyeing the remaining food.

“You weren’t hungry, huh?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Guess not,” you reply, wiping away the residual salt from your fingers.

Leigh takes a sip of her drink, washing down the last bite before looking at you with purpose. “Mind if I go first?” she asks.

You narrow your eyes. So, she's eager to dive right in. “Sure, go ahead,” you say. You observe Leigh closely for the first time in what feels like ages. Concealer cakes beneath her eyes, settling into the natural wrinkles there. She’s still undeniably beautiful, but there's a tiredness to her now that’s hard to miss. Her cheeks, usually lifted by her prominent cheekbones, seem hollowed out more than usual.

“I guess I want to start by saying that I'm…” Leigh trails off, her eyes darting around as if the right words might be hidden among the packets of ketchup and silverware. “...a horrible person.”

You open your mouth to protest, but she cuts you off smoothly.

“No, listen. You were right. I ignore you out of nowhere. I take advantage of your kindness. And it’s not just you—I’ve been doing this with everyone around me for a while now. I haven't cared about what others think or feel because I was focused on being true to myself, always playing the ‘dead husband’ card. I’ve taken everyone's patience and understanding for granted, and I’m really, really sorry.”

You sit back, stunned. The whole evening, you'd braced for a different kind of conversation. You expected Leigh to say the kiss was a mistake—just a result of nerves or a lapse in judgment driven by jealousy. You had been so sure she'd shut you down, just like all the other times. 

“You're sorry?” The words slip out unbidden, tinged with surprise and skepticism.

“Yeah,” she says, looking you square in the eye. “I know it's hard to believe, but I really am sorry for how I've treated you.”

It’s going well—too well. Your mind struggles to accept it, but your heart?

“I thought you were going to say that night was a mistake. That the kiss meant nothing,” you whisper so faintly, almost as if you don't want her to hear.

“It kept me up for nights,” Leigh replies just as softly, “and that doesn’t usually happen to me over a simple kiss.”

Your heart soars.

She doesn’t regret it. She’s sorry. This is all going too well.

“It was on my mind the whole time, even when I was all the way across the country,” you whisper wantonly. 

The corners of Leigh’s lips twitch upward, and you can't tell if it's a good sign. Her saying she’s just as affected blinds you to any other cues that might suggest otherwise.

“There’s something else I need to tell you,” Leigh says darkly, leaning back into her chair with a weary slump. “Because I’m done living in half-truths and half-realities. I can’t handle any more surprises.”

You feel a flash of confusion, trying to stitch together what Leigh might say next. She knows about your cheesy alter-ego on her advice column, the details of your past with Matt. But half-truths? What does she mean by that?

Leigh meets your gaze, and there’s something about her stare that tells you she’s coming apart, yet she's clenching every muscle to keep herself intact. You want to reach across the table, to offer a touch that might steady her, but her hands are hidden, clenched in her lap beneath the table. Her shoulders hunch, making her seem smaller, as if she's trying to fold into herself.

“Leigh, just tell me,” you urge, though not impatiently.

She exhales slowly, the breath you hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I broke up with Danny,” she finally says, and for a brief, absurd moment, relief washes over you. 

That's…it? 

Your smile starts to form, naive in its inception, but it’s quickly stifled as Leigh’s voice drops lower, and her next words cut through the nascent joy. 

“And then he said something I didn't think could drive the dagger Matt left in my heart any deeper,” she says slowly, like she’s having a hard time dragging every syllable.

Leigh takes a deep breath, her chest rising and falling deliberately. “He told me he was pretty involved when you and Matt got together. That you first knew him as Nick, and he helped Matt reach out to you.”

Your heart sinks. You had almost forgotten that night with Danny when you discovered his real identity and how he fit into everything. He'd begged you to keep quiet, and in his desperation, you agreed—not because he pleaded, but because you believed Leigh was happy with him. It wasn’t your secret to reveal, not then.

You've known this all along and never said a word. Your throat tightens as panic sets in, your heart racing with the implications of having kept this from Leigh. Guilt pricks at you, cold and sharp.

“I…” Your voice falters, and you swallow hard, thinking, This is it, this is how I lose her. 

“I didn’t think it was my place to say anything,” you say. “I thought you were happy with him. I didn’t want to be the one to—”

“Y/N,” Leigh interjects softly. Her tone stops you cold—it's not angry, just… defeated. Which, somehow, feels worse. She looks down, twisting a napkin between her fingers. “I’m telling you this because I’m finding out that secrets can be just as hard to handle as loss.”

You nod absentmindedly, still processing, and move to clear the table in a daze. Wrapping up the leftover food, you tuck it into the fridge. The mundane task doesn't ease the tightness in your chest, but it gives your hands something to do.

“You’re not upset I didn’t tell you?” you ask, like you can’t believe you’ll come out of this conversation unscathed.

Leigh takes her time to answer. With your focus on tidying up, you miss the way her hands ball into fists. When she finally speaks, her voice has a steely edge for the first time this evening.

“At first, I was livid, of course. But Danny bore the brunt of it. He claimed he wanted me, but he was never on my side. If he were, he would’ve never helped Matt cheat on me.”

You finish tucking the last container into the fridge and lean back against the counter, your eyes on Leigh. She's staring out the window. How is it that she’s telling you these things, yet it still feels like she’s not revealing anything at all?

“I should’ve told you sooner,” you say softly. “I’m sorry.”

Leigh gets up and walks toward you. She stops so close that your breath catches. You remember the last time she was this near, how the world blurred, and how hard it was to think clearly. You can see the way her jaw tightens as she takes a breath.

“It wasn’t your secret to tell,” she says.

“But—” you start to say, though the thought fizzles out as she steps even closer.

“You're okay in that regard,” she murmurs, her voice low. 

In that regard? 

You want to ask what she means, but Leigh shuffles nearer still, her eyes searching your face. She's so close now that you can see the faint reflection of the kitchen light in her eyes, specs of yellow in darkened green. It’s nothing short of dazzling.

“Do you forgive me for last time?” she asks quietly. 

A lump forms in your throat, and all you can think about is how desperately you don't want to mess this up. You had forgiven her long before stepping onto a plane back to Maine. It happened as soon as you let her walk away that night, but you just couldn't accept how easy it was. 

You nod, unable to trust your ability to speak. 

Leigh's eyes soften as she watches you. Her fingertips brush against your jaw, her touch feather-light. 

“Is it okay if I kiss you, then?” she asks, both careful and seductive.

Your resounding yes comes in the form of you closing the gap, your lips meeting hers like an arrow striking its target. Leigh’s arms wrap around your shoulders instinctively, her fingers brushing the back of your neck, and you pull her in even tighter, deepening the kiss. Her breath mingles with yours as she sighs softly against your mouth, and it’s only then that when you feel all of her that Los Angeles starts to feel like a second home.

There are still questions, an unending list that always surfaces around Leigh, but they evaporate one by one when her tongue flicks out, seeking entrance. You surrender, lips parting, allowing her to taste you. The kiss grows with a messy urgency in seconds. Her hands roam down your back, gripping tightly as she presses in, as if trying to melt into you. You draw her nearer, your chests flush together as the kiss becomes wet and breathless.

Your apartment is silent except for your soft pants and the slick sounds of your lips meeting.  Doubts about your ability to please a woman creep in after such a long hiatus. But before these thoughts can take hold, Leigh takes charge. She grabs your hips and gently guides you backward toward the bedroom, cutting off any chance for you to slow things down.

She breaks the kiss just long enough to slip your cardigan off your shoulders and whisper, her breath warm against your lips, “Should we take this somewhere more comfortable?”

It seems almost unfair for her to pose that question while simultaneously moving to your neck, drawing a soft groan from you. Her teeth gently graze a sensitive spot just below your clavicle, applying pressure that promises to leave a mark, then soothing it with her tongue.

Leigh smirks when she feels you struggle for breath, much less for words. Your knees buckle slightly, but she holds you up with a firm grip, guiding you back until you bump against the edge of the bed. 

You know you're on the verge of something that might change everything, but right now, you're entirely Leigh's. There's no space to consider the implications, to remember that she was Matt's grieving widow just months ago. Right now, she's just the girl who holds your attention completely, the one who couldn't get rid of you even if she tried.

Leigh tumbles with you onto the bed, her thighs straddling your hips. With practiced ease, she removes her shirt and bra all at once, leaving her bare above you. The sight strips you of any last coherent thought. She isn’t the image of perfection peddled in glossy and well-curated social feeds; her body is beautifully real. Her tits look heavy and asymmetrical, round as grapefruit; her nipples pinkish-brown, pebbled and inviting. There’s a soft fold in her belly, and an overwhelming desire washes over you to kiss it. You think you might die just from looking at her.

You look up at Leigh and tell her, reverently, “You’re so devastatingly beautiful.” 

Leigh's cheeks flush as she tries to hide her smile behind her hair. “You don't have to tell me that,” she whispers. “You already got me into your bed.”

You chuckle, nerves still humming under the surface. “You were just as beautiful when devouring a cheeseburger.” Both of you laugh, the sound light and easy, allowing some of the thick sexual energy to dissipate slightly. 

You find yourself relaxing just enough to admit, “I'm not sure how to touch you right, but I want to make you feel good.”

“Just do whatever feels good for you,” she suggests, her expression softening further.

You scrunch your face a little at her, letting out a small chuckle. “That’s the thing—I haven't been getting much action myself.”

Leigh’s smile spreads wider into something mischievous and you swallow dryly at the sight. She shifts off your lap and settles at your side, propping herself up on one arm to look down at you. “Let me help you with that,” she murmurs, her voice low.

You're no longer smiling, feeling your face flush as you ask, “What do you have in mind?”

Instead of answering, Leigh’s fingers trace down to the button of your pants, deftly unfastening it. She gently scratches the skin beneath with her fingernail before sliding the zipper down. You watch as she bites her lip at the sight of the wet patch on your underwear before glancing back up at you. Her pupils are wide, the deep green of her irises barely visible in the surrounding darkness.

“Take them off,” she instructs softly.

You swallow heavily and do as she says, trying not to cover yourself despite feeling incredibly vulnerable. You haven't been naked in front of anyone in so long, and you're embarrassed by how exposed and wet you are right now.

Leigh watches you closely, and you can see the desire burning in her gaze. With her free hand, she reaches for you, her touch gentle, coaxing your thighs open as she trails her fingers up your inner thigh. You draw a sharp breath and close your eyes, expecting her fingers to graze your wetness next.

But Leigh surprises you—and herself—by guiding your right hand just below your navel, her fingers warm and sure on your wrist. Her times with Danny were about dominating and taking, but with you, she wants to give, to watch, to soak up every moan, every breathy reaction, every shiver. She wants to see you take pleasure for yourself, deriving her own pleasure from it.

“Start there,” she murmurs, her breath hot against your ear. “Tease yourself.”

Your hand hovers there, and she gives a slight nod of encouragement. As her touch slips away, you begin to explore the softness of your own skin, tracing light circles below your belly button. You utter a soft, “Fuck,” when your fingertips graze your slick, discovering just how turned on you really are. The filthy noises it creates make you whimper.

Leigh watches you hungrily. “You should be doing this more often,” she murmurs, eyes tracing the movement of your fingers now glistening with your own arousal. “You're so fucking hot. It's such a shame.”

The sound of her voice makes you arch your back further, hips bucking as you start a wide circular motion against your clit. Exerting every ounce of control not to come right away, you focus on the sensation of Leigh's eyes on you and the stimulation from your own fingers. You want to hold out, to let her watch you teeter on the edge. Your teeth dig into your lower lip, trying to curb the wave of pleasure building inside you.

Leigh's voice is a soothing command, whispering, “That's it, be patient. Don't rush it.”

“Fuck, Leigh, I’m—” Your words die in your throat as she lifts your shirt slowly, exposing your nipple to the cool air for a brief moment before her mouth engulfs it. The sensation of her sucking, then laving your nipple with her tongue, circling it, mimicking the motion you're doing on your clit, sends a jolt through you. Little flicks of her tongue to the tip of your nipple drive you crazy, and you gasp, your body responding eagerly to her touch.

Your rhythm stutters as she discards her pants and panties in one swift motion, leaving her gloriously bare. The sight of her naked body ignites a strong wave of desire to touch her instead, but Leigh pins you with a warning glare, silently telling you not to stop.

She straddles one of your legs, and you gasp when you feel her warm, wet pussy against your knee as she starts rocking against it. You position your leg to give her better leverage, and she starts sliding against you, her tits bouncing with each motion. Leigh's sucking on your nipple becomes sloppier, more frantic, until she can no longer concentrate and releases it with a wet pop.

“Oh, fuck, Y/N—” 

Leigh’s face contorts in pleasure as her drenched folds meet your thigh over and over, sweat dripping down between her breasts from the strain of holding herself up above you. The sight of her fucking herself against your leg is nothing short of mesmerizing. You increase the movements of your fingers, rubbing harshly at your clit as you watch Leigh, her breath coming in short gasps. Her eyes flutter closed, and a soft moan escapes her lips. The sound drives you wild, and you curve your spine, lifting your hips to meet your own hand.

Sex with anyone else has never felt this good before, and she hasn’t even properly touched you yet. It’s intoxicating, the way she takes her pleasure and gives it to you all at once. You’re lost in the haze of it all: the smell of Leigh’s arousal, her sweat-soaked skin, the sight of her tits bouncing and her face flushed with desire.

With your free hand, you grab the back of Leigh's head, guiding her down towards you. “C-Come here,” you manage to say, your voice breaking with need. 

Leigh obeys, her mouth meeting yours in a frenzied kiss. You swallow each other's moans, the taste of her lips sending a fresh wave of desire coursing through you. It's this simple, sweet connection of lips that utterly dissolves all your defenses.

A keening moan escapes you as Leigh slides a finger inside you, pushing deep to the third knuckle, causing your head to tip back and break the kiss as the tightness in your belly becomes too much. “Leigh, can I—” Your voice is a mere whisper, your body trembling with the effort to hold back.

Leigh's eyes meet yours, and she nods vigorously, her breath coming in short gasps. “Yes, come. Come with me.”

It's too much—the sight, the sounds, the feel of her—it’s all too much. With a final, shuddering whine, you let go, your orgasm crashing over you. Your body convulses, muscles clenching and releasing as you ride out the intense pleasure. Moments later, Leigh follows, her body shaking as she comes, her moans mingling with yours. Leigh’s face is a picture of bliss, her eyes half-closed, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. You try to memorize it before she collapses on top of you, a sweaty mess of tangled limbs and satisfied sighs.

Blindly, you stare up at the ceiling, trying to catch your breath, feeling Leigh's hot puffs of air tickle your neck as she catches hers. Slowly, you circle your arms around her waist, keeping her on top of you, acutely aware of every point where your skin meets hers, the warmth spreading between you. 

You bury your nose in her hair and breathe in deeply. This act feels more intimate than anything you had done moments ago. The simple closeness, the quiet afterglow, the way you can actually feel her heart beating steadily against your chest.

Minutes pass in comfortable silence, your thumb tracing lazy patterns on her back. Her breathing gradually evens out, each exhale growing softer and deeper. Realizing she's fallen asleep, a contented smile spreads across your face. You press a gentle kiss to her temple, letting your lips linger there for a moment. Carefully, you reach for the covers and draw them over both of you. You hold her close until your own eyelids grow heavy, and you drift off to sleep as well.

[skymar13]

Could we get a bnha x a Reader who gets the urge to throw up over anything? I’m on my period rn and I cannot also I love your works ! 🫶🏼

How BNHA are when you’re on your period

Yes ofc. You’re so sweet, if yall have the chance take a look at their page!

Not spell checked

:fluff

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Bakugo

He’s kinda grossed out at first but he will slowly get used to it

He will buy you everything mina tells him to buy even if he thinks it’s useless shit

The first time you threw up was during training and he thought it was his fault but then noticed you having to leave class more often and put two and two together

Lowkey thought you were pregnant

After you tell him what’s actually happing he’ll start bringing extra water and nausea medicine

If you stain the bed he will be so awkward about changing the sheets

Over all ten out of ten his mom was very blunt about her periods so I guess he knew just never knew yk?

Izuku

Freaks out on you

He was aware of periods but freaks out when it actually comes to it

Asked Ururaka and tsu what to get you and what you needed and really tried to be supportive

You were the rock so when you’re emotional he’s emotional and it’s a messy week

When you throw up it sends him into panic mode because he doesn’t know what to do. Will hold your hair for you and stay as long as you need

Has a page in his note book on what you need and where to get it for your period

If you stain he’s fine with it lowkey scared to wash them for some reason

Called his mom on what to do.

Over all normal teen boy reaction.

Kirishima

Knows the most about periods

Knows a general idea of what to get you and how to help but had to ask the girls a couple of things

He was very normal about it and acted like it was an every day thing

He knew how to deal with your cravings and mood swings

Carried medicine for nausea and head aches and extra water when u feel dehydrated

If you throw up and he’s around he’s doing the most, he’s getting you water holding your hair fanning your face allat

If you stain anything he has no shame in helping you clean up and washing his sheets

Overall best out of everyone already prepared for this and doesn’t really care it’s literally natural

Iida

Panicked like alot

He knew what a period is of-course he did so why is he so scared it’s a woman’s passage of life

He immediately texted every girl he knew on what to do and naught three of everything they sent him for all the good shit too

Wasn’t grossed out more worried on how he can make you comfortable and make this week the easiest for you

When you’re throwing up he’s press pressure points to help you feel less nauseated

Learned what foods you did and didn’t like and which ones made you feel greasy or bloated

If you stain he’s immediately washing and helping you clean no ifs or buts will literally march to the washer no shame

Overall dream boat boyfriend but he panicked the first couple of times

Kaminari

He was the worst, definitely the guy to make faces and say the worst shit

Kirishima had to tell him to get his shit together and bakugo even gave him shit

Jirou told him what to get and made it as an apology

Became a fat ass with you and ate snacks and watched movies with you all day

If you’re emotional he’s js letting you be, you hate him he’s okay you wanna cuddle he’s alr laying down

When you throw up around him he’s the first one to make sure you’re okay and holds your hair back for you

One of those guys to say periods ain’t that bad then try a period simulator and cry

If you stain he’s making faces and helping you wash but that’s it he’s not touching anything

You have to be the one that normalizes periods for him and lowkey get mad at his behavior

Overall he’s a teenage boy one that wasn’t really taught about this growing up so bare with him

Todoroki

Is horrified to see you bleeding

Doesn’t know what a period is his dad never told him about it and his mom well yk…

Texted fuyumi about it and she told him what to do how to act allat good stuff

Doesn’t understand it but he’s here for you whenever you need him he’s at your command

Doesn’t mind your behavior just kinda stays non chalant

When you throw up around him he’s doing everything that he should be doing giving you water and holding your hair back

When you stain lowkey has a mini panic attack but eventually snaps out and helps you clean up

Overall he was sheltered but isn’t like kaminari at all opposite end of the sheltered spectrum

Mirio

A lot like kirishima in the idea that he already knows what to do and get and is already used to this by now with nejire

Buys you everything before you even need it and has stuff in his restroom for you to use when you’re over

Memorizes your schedule

Thinks that your so cute when you get annoyed

When you throw up he’s doing the most like iida fanning you giving you water holding you hair and giving you medicine

If you stain he’s literally the most supportive person ever he’s saying it’s okays and he’s got it lends you his clothes allat jazz

Overall he’s amazing but we already expected that

Tamaki

We already know. He had a panic attack about you having a panic attack about nothing

He’s doesn’t know what to do so he called nejire and she just got you everything you needed and give it to him to give to you

Doesn’t know what to do doesn’t make faces just genuinely confused

When you tell him what you need he does it no questions

Loves to be big backed with you because it helps him as much as it does you

When you throw up he’s useless panics and freezes and either nejire or mirio end up helping

But he does get used to it and eventually helps you

When you stain he also freezes before helping you but again he’s very nervous about it

Overall he’s Tamaki

✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧

Let me know if you want more characters

As always requests open

[sissylittlefeather]

I done did it again, y'all.

Suspicious Minds: Part 1

A/N: I watched the movie Argylle and was hit with some insane inspiration and I just couldn't control it. So, please enjoy the first part of this modern AU spy!Elvis x reader fic. I really wanted this to be a one-shot, but I hit 5k words at what I think is the halfway point and had to split it. I'm really excited to write part 2 for this one...

@ccab You know I love you so much. Thank you for screaming about this with me.

Warnings: 18+ minors do not interact, this is intense, gun violence, espionage, cussing, an erection, masturbation (female), kissing, oral sex (f receiving), p in v penetrative sex, unprotected sex, creampie, I hope that's everything

Word count: ~5.5k

You adjust your glasses and look back at the computer screen. Your mom is always on you about not staring at a screen in the dark. She's convinced you'll ruin your eyesight, but it's not going to get any better, so why worry? Instead, you focus in again and go back to the hacking you've been working on for the past twelve hours. When you get in this mode, you don't sleep. For you it's like a game. You have a mission and you won't stop until you manage to finish it. You mainly do contract work for government agencies, cracking encryptions and writing code to secure against other hackers. But this was a private contract for a company you didn't recognize. Still, the money was unbelievable, so you took the job just as seriously, put on your EDM music, and got to work.

Now, 12 hours later, you throw your hands in the air in celebration. You finally got to what you were trying to get to. Your assignment is to download what you found onto a flash drive and deliver it to a lock box. But instead, you decide to take a peek at what you've uncovered.

It's maps. But they're maps with what look like targets and information that you're pretty sure you shouldn't see. This appears to be information that is vital to national security. You've done this kind of work before, but never for a private contract. You start to wonder if you should give it to the people who have asked for it. The flash drive blinks red to indicate that all of the information is saved. You eject it and hold it in your hand. Then, you set it on your desk and head to bed. It's 3am and the sunrise will be here before you know it.

******

You wake up with a hand on your mouth and scream into his palm.

"Sh sh sh... I'm the good guy. You're okay, honey, hush." You stop screaming mostly out of shock and he takes his hand off of you slowly.

"Who the fuck-" He puts his hand back over your mouth. Your eyes meet his blue ones and he's shockingly reassuring.

"My name is Elvis. I'm here to protect you. So please stop making noise." His southern drawl is comforting, for some reason. He moves his hand off of your mouth again. You whisper.

"Protect me from what? Or whom, I guess?"

"Where is the flash drive?"

"What?" Just then you hear your front door bust open.

"Goddamnit." He stands up away from your bed and you sit up frantically. "Get dressed, but don't make any noise."

He walks into the living room and you slide out of bed to the floor and crawl over to your closet. You grab some jeans and a bra and get dressed as quickly and quietly as you can, purposely ignoring the sounds of the struggle coming from the living room. But when you hear what sounds like a silenced gunshot, you gasp and run to the doorway. Elvis turns to you, having just shot a man who lays on your carpet bleeding.

"Go back in your room!" The other guy grabs him and punches him in the face, causing him to drop the gun. They trade hits back and forth and you watch. At one point, Elvis kicks the gun and it slides over and hits your feet. The other guy gets him in a headlock and he hollers to you.

"Throw me the gun!"

"The what?" You're so in shock that you can't understand the words he's saying.

"The gun! At your feet!" You look down and see it there, but your brain has a hard time making sense of what's happening. "Just pick it up and throw it to me!"

You pick up the gun and hold it in your hand. You've never held a gun before. It's heavier than you expected.

"Honey, throw it!" You look up at Elvis and he's struggling with the guy wrapped around his neck. You toss it gently and it lands about a foot away from him. He shakes his head at you and then grunts, throwing the guy over him onto the floor. You gasp as he grabs the gun and shoots the guy in the head. As the blood spreads over your floor, you inhale sharply and start to pass out. Elvis catches you and shakes you.

"Not yet, baby. Where is the flash drive?"

"The what?"

"The flash drive! With the information you downloaded from earlier!"

"Oh! It's on my desk." You walk to it and grab it, holding it up for him to see. He snatches it away from you.

"We need to hide this somewhere they'll never expect. Go get your dildo."

"My what?!"

"Your dildo, I'm going to-"

"I do not have one of those."

"Yes, you do. It's pink."

"How do you-"

"Not important! Go get it!" You purse your lips and run to your nightstand.

"It's a vibrator, not a dildo."

"Okay, whatever. Lemme have it." You hand it to him and he opens the end, dumping the batteries on the ground. He slides the flash drive into it and then closes it again.

"Wait... will I get it back?" He walks to you and put his hand on your cheek.

"Honey, stick with me long enough and you won't need it anymore." You blush. He's unimaginably attractive, but you try to ignore what he just said. "Pack a bag. We need to go."

You grab a duffel bag and throw some clothes and toiletries in it as fast as possible. Before you zip it up, he tosses the vibrator in the top and lets you close it.

"Wait. Why should I trust you?" He stops and turns back to face you, running his hand through his black hair in exasperation.

"Honey, I just killed two guys to protect you. You really need to ask that?" You shrug your shoulders and look up at him.

"I don't know you." He grabs your shoulders and looks into your eyes.

"My name is Elvis Presley. I'm an agent for the good guys. I'm here to take care of you and make sure no harm comes to you or that flash drive of information you collected. I promise you can trust me. Now, we need to go. Are you coming?"

You look into his face for half a second and then nod. You're not sure where this is going or even how you got here, but you have no choice other than to trust this man.

You run down the stairs of your apartment building with him close behind you. He puts his hand on the small of your back and practically pushes you toward his car. When you get to it, your mouth drops open. It's a 1970 Stutz Blackhawk.

"Isn't this a little conspicuous?" You ask as you slide into the passenger seat. He gets in and closes the door, starting it up.

"It's too conspicuous. No one would ever think it's mine. What kind of spy drives a car like this?"

"Are you James Bond?" He laughs as he pulls out onto the street.

"No. Bond is British." You think it's interesting that that's what he chooses to prove his difference. Like everything else about them is the same. You look out the window as buildings flash by. The sun is starting to peek over the horizon and it hits you that you've only had a couple of hours of sleep.

"Where are we going?" You ask sleepily, yawning.

"Somewhere safe. But we won't be there for a while. You can go to sleep." You shake your head and try to stay alert.

"No. I'm okay." But you're not. Not at all.

"Honey, this is going to be a long road. You should rest while you can. I won't let anything happen to you." He reaches out and pats your knee softly. You look down at his hand. It's an unexpectedly kind gesture. The exhaustion sets in and you decide to trust that you're safe with him, for now at least. You lean your head against the window and close your eyes, sleep setting in before you have time to think of anything else.

******

You wake up and stretch. That was the strangest dream. It feels like you're on a couch though. You don't remember it, but you must've fallen asleep in the living room after finishing your work.

"You're awake."

You sit up suddenly. It wasn't a dream. He's real. You look around the room and try to figure out where you are, but your surroundings are completely unfamiliar.

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere safe. Are you hungry?" The smell of bacon makes your stomach growl.

"Yes."

"I'm not much of a cook, but I made some peanut butter and banana sandwiches, if you want one." You frown.

"Why do I smell bacon?" A wide smile spreads across his face and a boyish charm shines through that you didn't expect from a hot shot agent.

"C'mere." You walk to the table and he sets a plate in front of you. On it is a sandwich with peanut butter, bananas, and bacon. You wrinkle your nose. "Just try it before you make that face."

You cautiously take a bite. It's better than you expected. Much better. You look up at him surprised and he holds his hands out.

"See! It's good!"

"It really is." He sits down next to you and you both eat your sandwiches. After a few more bites, a thought comes to you. "How did I get in here?"

"I carried you." He says it matter-of-factly like it's something he does all the time.

"Oh. What time is it?" You look around the room for a clock and realize for the first time that you don't have your phone. You must've left it in your apartment.

"It's a little after 2pm. You slept for a while."

The conversation continues and you make small talk. Once you finish eating, you work together to clean up the kitchen and then settle on the couch. It's very small, so you have to sit pretty close together. He turns on the TV and you spend the bulk of the afternoon there. For dinner, he orders a pizza and you sit together and eat awkwardly again. The evening passes in front of the TV and before you know it, it's time for bed. He stands up and walks from room to room.

"I'll be damned." He shakes his head frustratedly.

"What?"

"There's only one goddamn bed in this house. I'll have to sleep on the couch." You both look over at the tiny couch. It's essentially a love seat, so there's no way he will fit on there comfortably.

"Or I could?"

"No, you need to be in the bed behind a door, in case someone comes in during the night." You swallow deeply. That prospect is terrifying.

"O-okay, then. Goodnight..." He nods and you take your bag into the room with the bed. Once you have your pajamas on, you settle into the bed and the reality of your situation hits you. It's like the adrenaline from the day wears off and it becomes clear to you just how scary things are right now. The tears gather in your eyes and then start to slide down your face. Will your life ever go back to normal? What happens if these guys catch up to you? Before you know it, you're crying pretty hard, holding yourself and trying to breathe.

Elvis sits on the couch in the living room and tries not to hear you crying. He's been assigned to protect plenty of women, but there's something about you that makes him a little crazy. He shouldn't even think about what he's considering right now. Still, he considers it as the sounds of you crying come from the bedroom. It's torture for him to know how scared and alone you must be in there. He lays back on the little couch and tries to get comfortable.

"Goddamnit."

You're in the bed with tears on your cheeks when you hear the door open. You sit up quickly and see Elvis in the doorway.

"You alright?"

"No. Why the fuck would I be alright?! My life is literally in shambles. And I'm stuck here with..."

"With me?"

"No, that's not what I meant. I just mean... I'm scared. And I have no one." He sits down next to you on the bed. He almost whispers.

"You have me." You look up at him and he reaches out and wipes the tears off your cheek with his thumb. You're not sure why he's being so sweet to you, but it's exactly what you need right now.

"Will you... will you stay with me?" He clears his throat and pulls his hand back.

"Oh... you know..."

"Never mind. It's okay." You look down at your hands in your lap and try to ignore the lump in your throat.

"Yes. I'll stay in here with you. It's probably better that I stay close to protect you anyway. And there won't be any sleeping on that couch. The bed is the better option." You look up at him and nod.

Yes, he's sleeping with you because the couch is too small. Not because he can't stop wondering what it would feel like to wrap his arms around you. You lay down and he lays down next to you without touching you. You reach over and turn the lamp off.

"Well, goodnight." He looks over at you in the dark.

"Goodnight, Elvis."

You both lay there silently trying to fall asleep. It takes a while, but eventually you drift off.

******

In the morning, you wake up with your back pressed against him and his arm around you. You don't think anything of it really until you feel him. He has a massive erection and it's currently pushing up against you. You start to giggle uncontrollably and your movement wakes him up.

"What's going on? Why are you laughing?"

"Y-you..." You get out in between giggles. "I can feel you..."

"Fucking hell." He rolls away from you quickly, but it's even more obvious when he's on his back. "Goddamnit. I'm sorry."

He sits up on the edge of the bed facing away from you.

"I'm sorry. I just... it's morning... God..." You're laughing so hard that you can hardly breathe. He stands up and walks quickly to the door, muttering as he goes. "I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

He leaves you in the room laughing and hoping that he doesn't sleep on the couch.

The day passes slowly and awkwardly with the two of you eating sandwiches and watching TV again. Around noon, you decide to take a shower.

"I'm not sure that's smart."

"Why not?"

"I can't protect you if I can't see you." You roll your eyes.

"I've been fine this whole time. I think I'll be okay for a twenty minute shower." He thinks for a minute.

"Leave the door cracked."

"What? No!" He sighs, exasperated.

"I won't look. I'll just be able to hear you and get in fast if anything happens. Otherwise, no shower."

"Okay, fine."

You leave the door cracked and get into the shower, looking in the mirror to make sure he isn't watching. He's nowhere to be found, so you relax and let the hot water wash over you. It feels so good running down your skin, cutting hot pathways on your shoulders and thighs. Suddenly, a thought wriggles its way into your brain and won't go away. You imagine him in the shower with you, pressed up against your back. What you felt this morning is hard to ignore and you wonder what he looks like without his clothes on. You think about his hands running over your body and before you know it, it's not the shower making you wet. You peek in the mirror again to make sure Elvis is still not looking. When you're satisfied he's not there, your hand slides down the front of your abdomen until your fingers find your clit. You begin to make circles and think about his mouth. He has a beautiful mouth and the thought of it pressed to you as his tongue makes circles on you just about drives you wild. You slide a finger into yourself and pump it in and out as you continue to rub over and around your sensitive bud. Then, you imagine him on top of you, slamming his cock into you and without thinking, you moan.

"Elvis..." You say it quietly, but it's loud enough for him to hear it with the door cracked. He stands just outside and looks in the mirror to make sure you're okay. He can see the outline of your body through the foggy glass shower door. That's when he realizes what you're doing and swallows hard. When you cum, hard, on your own hand and say his name again, he almost loses it.

He cannot be having these thoughts about you. Sure, he's had sex with girls on missions before, it's practically his trademark, but something about this feels different. He doesn't want to fuck you. He wants to make love to you. And that thought terrifies him. He peels himself away from the door and goes to sit back on the couch. His erection is back, but there's not much he can do about it right now, so he tries to think of anything else to make it go away. He's dying to go into the other bathroom and do exactly what you just did, but he can't leave you alone. Instead, he tucks himself up under his belt quickly when he hears the water turn off.

"FUCK." He hits the couch next to him and then sits with his head in his hands. This cannot be happening.

"Are you okay?" He looks up at you quickly, standing there with your hair wet.

"Mhmmm. Yep, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." You think to yourself that he looks like he's about to cry.

"Well I am. Let's just... watch TV, okay?"

"Okay..." You sit down on the couch next to him and spend the rest of the afternoon watching TV. What you don't know is that Elvis is in misery being so close to you without touching you. And what he doesn't know is that you want him to touch you more than anything in the world.

******

Finally, evening comes and you start to get hungry.

"What's for dinner?"

"Well. I'm kind of a one-trick pony in the kitchen. I don't think you want another sandwich." He seems to have relaxed after whatever happened earlier.

"I can cook."

"Or we can just go get something."

"No, I'd like to cook for you. As a thank you for protecting me." He tries not to give himself away by how he looks at you, but the tension between you is palpable. "Can we go to the store? Is that allowed?"

"Yes, that should be fine. If they knew where we were we'd know it by now."

You get back into the Blackhawk and make your way to the grocery store. You're in a small town away from where you live, so there's only one store. Elvis stays close to you as you wander the aisles for what you need to make dinner. You also grab some essentials. He's not sure how long you'll have to be at the house, so you get food to keep you sustained for at least a few days. Once you've gotten everything you need and checked out, you make your way back to the house and get to work in the kitchen.

He watches as you move around gracefully and longs to put his arms around you. You notice him staring and decide he needs a task.

"Get over here and chop something."

"Yes ma'am." He salutes you jokingly and you set him up with some peppers.

"Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"My grandmother. She was an amazing cook. I spent summers with her when I was a kid, so she was able to teach me."

"That's nice."

"What was your family like? Or can't you tell me?"

"I probably shouldn't." You nod. It makes sense that he can't divulge any personal secrets. But he just can't seem to tell you no. "Fuck it. I was very close to my mother growing up. There were a lot of times when it was just me, her, and the shirts on our backs. My father worked a lot. And then she died when I was 23. I had just joined the army."

He gets very quiet and looks down at the vegetables he's chopping intentionally. You walk over and put your hand on his arm gently. The contact makes his heart jump.

"I'm sorry for your loss." He looks down into your face, his eyes flicking between yours and then down to your mouth momentarily. It takes everything in him not to lean down and kiss you.

"Thank you. Anyway I joined the military and was recruited by... who I work for now... and the rest is history."

Finally, the food is ready and you sit down to eat together again. He's impressed by your culinary skills and spends the next few minutes gushing about how good dinner is. The conversation continues and you talk about everything and nothing. Somehow, you make your way around to talking about music.

"Here's a fun question: what do you like better, singing or dancing?" He asks you as the meal comes to a conclusion.

"I'm not much of a singer, but I also don't dance, so I'm not sure how to answer that question." You respond and he laughs.

"You don't dance?"

"Well, I never really have before. Haven't had much opportunity. I was too big of a nerd to go to high school dances and in college I pretty much kept to myself."

"Then, it's not that you don't dance, you just haven't yet. We need to fix that." You're surprised by his enthusiasm, but he's eager for an excuse to touch you. He turns on the radio and finds a station with a good song.

"Really, it's okay. I don't really want to dance."

"C'mon, it's not hard." He puts his arm around your waist and pulls you in close to him. You both breathe deeply and he takes your hand in his. He moves you around the room effortlessly and your embarrassment melts away. The feeling of his arm around you is enough to distract you from anything. He dips you and spins you and before you know it you're both laughing. Eventually the song ends and he holds you close to him and looks down into your face. The next song is a slow one, so he begins to sway gently.

"See, dancing's not so bad."

"No, it's fun with you." You look up at him and his eyes flick down to your lips. He wants to kiss you. You can tell. And you want to let him.

He slowly leans forward, hovering above your mouth with your noses touching. It seems like he's trying to decide something. Eventually, he moves the slightest bit forward and presses his soft lips to yours. The kiss is a sweet one, and he kisses you again like this several times. The fourth time he kisses you, though, he parts your lips with his and dips his tongue into your mouth. By this point you've stopped dancing and both of your arms are around his neck, with both of his around your waist. The heat between you picks up as your mouths move together in a rhythm.

Suddenly, he stops and pulls away from you. He runs his hand through his hair and sighs.

"Y/n, I can't. I can't do this."

"Oh... okay..."

"I'm sorry. You should go to bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"Okay. I'm sorry if I-"

"You didn't do anything wrong. It's me." You nod your head and walk away from him to the bedroom. After closing the door, you change into your sleeping t-shirt and crawl under the covers. The bed seems lonely without him.

In the living room, he paces back and forth, sitting down periodically. He's going through everything in his mind and trying to convince himself that there's nothing there for you. That he can reasonably fuck you and then move on like he always has. But these thoughts are invaded by other ones: the sound of your laugh, the softness of your smile, the grace with which you moved around the kitchen, and your voice saying his name in the shower. He's never been so frustrated by a woman. He starts to get a little angry. What is it about you anyway? Who are you to come into his life and interrupt it like this? He has a job to do. You're the one being all distracting and unprofessional. He needs to set you straight. You need to know that this is completely inappropriate.

You're almost asleep when the door opens dramatically. You sit up on the side of the bed and Elvis stomps over to you and sits next to you.

"You know why I can't do this, right?" He asks aggressively. You're not sure where this anger is coming from.

"Yeah, it's your job-"

"It is my job! My job is to protect you, not... this... whatever this is..." He gestures frantically to the space between you.

"Elvis, I'm not sure why you're yelling at me." He yells even louder.

"Because! You're making me feel things I don't want to feel!" He looks at you desperately, chest heaving. Your heart is pounding.

"I'm-"

His lips crash into yours with a feverish need. Everything he's just said goes out the window as his hands run over your body and he kisses down your neck. You whimper and he groans with the intense passion. He pulls your t-shirt up over your head and off, tossing it to the side. One hand immediately goes to your breast while his mouth explores the opposite nipple. Your hands are in his hair as he works, your head thrown back in pleasure. The sensation of his lips on your breast is exquisite and you moan as he lightly pinches your nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Your fingers go to the buttons on his shirt and you fumble with them for a while before he just rips it open and lets you push it backwards off of his shoulders.

He lays you down on the bed surprisingly gently and kisses down your stomach. The only thing separating you from him is your white cotton panties. He sits up on his knees, erection stretching the fabric of his pants, and hooks his fingers under the waistband of your panties. His eyes search yours for permission and you nod slightly as a smile spreads across his face. He pulls your panties down your legs and off and then presses his lips to your ankle. Pushing your legs open, he drags his finger up your slit to the bundle of nerves at the top.

"Can I make you feel good, baby?" He asks as he makes circles on you.

"God, yes, Elvis, please." You whine as he settles between your legs. He starts by pushing his tongue into you and then licking up either side of your sensitive bud. You need him to touch the right spot with his tongue so badly it almost hurts. Your legs shake with desire and he hovers about an inch away from you. You feel his breath on you and it feels like you might die with how close he is. Then, he very softly flicks your clit with the tip of his tongue. "Fuck! Elvis, please!"

Your back arches and your hips buck as you practically beg him. He continues to flick your clit with his tongue, though, adding a little more pressure each time. With each flick of his tongue, the blood rushes to your core and you feel your climax building. Finally, when you're about to scream and your orgasm is just seconds away, he dives in fully, licking your pussy with the entirety of his tongue.

"OH FUCK, ELVIS!" Your orgasm hits you like a runaway train, setting off fireworks all over your body as the pulsating waves of pleasure crash into you. He licks you through your release until you come back down to earth. Then, he sits up and wipes his face with his hand.

"I want- no, I need to make love to you. Please let me make love to you." You sit up and unbutton his pants, pushing them down to free his cock. He grunts as you take him in your hand and pump him, gently moving his foreskin back and forth.

"What are you waiting for?" You whisper. He moans deep in his throat and leans forward on top of you, kicking his pants the rest of the way off. Holding himself in one hand, he teases your clit with his tip and then lines up with your entrance. He begins to push into you slowly, giving your body a chance to adjust to his size. You feel every inch of his cock as he enters you and it fills you up perfectly. Once he's pushed into you fully, he slides almost all the way out and with a slow, deep roll of his hips fills you again. He continues to thrust into you, slow and deep, over and over. His rhythm is steady, his pace dramatic and soulful. You begin to moan softly each time his hips meet yours and he grunts in reply. There's something overwhelmingly sexy about how he's taking his time, filling you, pulling back, and then slowly filling you again. Sweat drips down his face, gathers on his chest, and wets his hair on his brow, matching your own. The feeling of him inside you is unlike anything you've ever experienced before. He reaches down to hold one of your hips, thrusting somehow even deeper than he already was. With every pump, his dick rubs against your g-spot and the slow pace has you dancing on the edge of another orgasm. Just when you think the lovemaking can't get any sweeter, he leans forward and captures your lips in a deep kiss. Then he presses his forehead to yours and closes his eyes. All the while, he's still sliding in and out of you, pushing deeper with each thrust.

"Goddamnit, baby. You feel so good." He kisses you again and his pace speeds up the slightest bit. Every time your hips meet, it feels like the next thrust will send you over the edge.

Without pulling out, he rolls over on his side and brings you with him, throwing your leg over his hip. He goes back to thrusting, increasing his speed, but not changing the depth of his strokes. Your eyes meet and his blue ones search yours for something. You're not sure what he's looking for, but you hope he finds it.

"Y/n, I- FUCK." He's interrupted when the coil of his orgasm snaps and he cums hard inside you, closing his eyes and shuddering against you. His release pushes you over the edge and you tumble into oblivion with him, pulsing and fluttering around him. He presses his forehead to yours again as he pumps weakly a few more times and then pulls out of you. Kissing your lips, he rolls over on his back and pulls you onto his chest.

"What were you going to say?"

"Hmm?"

"Right before you came. You were saying something."

"Oh, it was nothing." He thinks to himself that it absolutely was not nothing, but he was probably just caught up in the moment. It doesn't need saying now.

You nod and snuggle into him, hoping he doesn't try to go sleep on the couch. He doesn't, thankfully. He stays right there in the bed with you. He knows it's stupid and inappropriate, but he no longer cares. Maybe you'll be stuck together in the safe house for a long, long time. This is his last thought before you both drift off to sleep.

******

You wake up to the sound of birds chirping and the feeling of Elvis wrapped around you, both of you still naked. You're just about to revel in the closeness and daydream about what you'll do stuck in the safe house today, but Elvis sits straight up in bed.

"What-?"

"Shh, honey, hush." He says it quietly and you start to get scared. "Someone's in the house."

He jumps out of the bed and grabs his pants, pulling them on without buttoning them, and gets his gun from the nightstand. You don't even remember him putting it there.

"Get dressed, quickly and quietly." You nod and slide out of the bed, gathering your clothing and slipping it on silently. He positions you so that you can't be seen from the door and then opens it, gun in hand.

"Ah, Agent Presley. You're awake."

******

Taglist:

@ccab @elvisfatass @elvisalltheway101 @aliypop @18lkpeters @dkayfixates @tacozebra051 @your-nanas-house @deniseinmn @joshuntildawn13 @lookingforrainbows @60svintage @littlehoneyposts @epthedream69 @louisejoy86 @rjmartin11 @from-memphis-with-love @deltafalax @atleastpleasetelephone @cinnamoroll-things

[babygirl-diaz]

The Price You Pay (TW: Domestic Violence Reference)

(There is no actual domestic violence but some characters think there is)

***

“You were getting hurt as a kid and that’s exactly what you’re doing now!” Mom yelled over the phone. 

Kick. Duck. Punch. Duck. 

“You’re not a child anymore, Evan. Do you even want to see your 40th birthday?” Dad decided to chime in. 

Kick. Duck. Punch. Duck. 

“No, I don’t think he does, Philip.” Buck could hear the disappointment in his mother’s voice. “He doesn’t care if he lives or dies. He doesn’t care what happens to us if he’s gone. What happens to Maddie? To his boyfriend.” 

Kick. Du- SHIT. 

“Keep your head in the game, Evan,” Tommy told him. “If this was an actual match, you could have gotten hurt.” 

Buck nodded and wiped the sweat off his brows with the back of his hand. He bounced back and forth, while carefully watching Tommy’s movements. 

“Maybe if Daniel was alive-” 

“Well, he’s not is he?!” Buck interrupted his mother before she could finish that sentence

“Well, maybe if he was then we wouldn’t have to live with this- this constant state of panic,” Mom’s voice was suddenly cold. 

Buck went quiet for a moment when it hit him what she was trying to say. “You really wish it was him alive instead of me, don’t you?” 

“Maybe I do…” 

“Margaret!” Dad gasped. “Evan, she didn’t mean tha-” 

“FUCK!” 

Tommy’s scream brought Buck out of his thoughts and he saw his boyfriend lying on the floor nursing his nose.

“Shit!” Buck hissed and immediately got down by his boyfriend’s side. “Tommy, Tommy, hey, you okay?” When Buck touched Tommy’s face, he felt blood and that’s when he realized that Tommy’s nose was bleeding. Turns out, Buck had kicked him in the face and potentially broken his nose. “Tommy, can you sit up for me?” Buck got into first responder mode and helped Tommy sit up, with his back to the corner post. “Lean forward and pinch the bridge of your nose.” When Tommy followed his instructions, Buck rushed to find an ice pack and a towel. He came back with them and gave the ice pack to Tommy, asking him to put it on his nose as he helped him up. 

“Shit, baby, I am so sorry,” Buck felt so bad. 

“It’s okay,” Tommy replied and wrapped an arm around Buck’s shoulder. 

“Come on, I’ll take you to the ER,” Buck told Tommy and led him out to his jeep. He helped his boyfriend inside and closed the door before getting into the driver’s side. He kept looking over at Tommy to make sure he wasn’t choking on his blood as he rushed them to the ER. Once there, they filled out a few forms and then waited for the nurse to call them in. Buck kept a protective arm around Tommy’s shoulders and kept checking on him. 

“Thomas Kinard?” The nurse called out

Both Buck and Tommy got up and went to her. Buck kept holding onto Tommy’s hand and the nurse gave them a wary look. 

Once they were in the examination room, the nurse asked them a few questions. “How did you get hurt?” 

“Oh I am just clumsy and fell down the stairs,” Tommy replied. 

Buck furrowed his eyebrows and wondered why Tommy didn’t just tell her the truth. When he looked over at his boyfriend, Tommy gave him an assuring look. 

The nurse didn’t look too convinced but told them the doctor would be in soon after asking them a couple more questions. 

Once she left Buck looked over at Tommy again. “Why didn’t you tell her the truth? It was an accident.” 

“You’re already feeling so guilty-” 

Buck was about to protest when Tommy stopped him. “Don’t even try to lie to me. I know you and I know this is killing you on the inside. I didn’t want to make you feel worse in front of her.” 

Buck sighed and sat down beside Tommy on the examination table and wrapped an arm around him, kissing the side of his head. “I am sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just-” Before Buck could finish that sentence, someone cleared their throat and Buck looked up to see the doctor standing there. He hadn’t even heard her come in. 

The doctor asked Tommy questions and then examined his nose and his face. “Well, it’s definitely broken,” she pointed out. “I’ll write you some painkillers and we’re going to do a few tests to make sure you don’t have a head injury.” 

“My head feels fine,” Tommy pointed out. 

“It’s just a precaution,” the doctor replied and gave Buck a look he couldn’t quite decipher. 

Tommy was soon taken for tests and Buck waited outside the room. Once they finished, they were asked to wait in the examination room. Buck stayed close to Tommy, drowning in guilt but trying to stay strong for his boyfriend. He held his hand and kept pressing kisses to his forehead and temple now and then. 

When the doctor returned, she told them that the results looked good and there wasn’t any injury to Tommy’s head. But then she did something odd. “Um… Do you mind waiting outside? I just- I have a few more things I need to check and then Mr. Kinard can go home.”

“Why can’t he just stay?” Tommy asked. 

“Tommy, it’s okay. I’ll go get the jeep in the meantime,” Buck told his boyfriend and kissed the top of his head before leaving. 

He waited in the jeep with his hands gripping the steering wheel as his mind kept going back to what his mother- no- what MARGARET said earlier. He let go of the wheel and sighed rubbing his forehead. He already accidentally hurt Tommy because of her. He didn’t want to dwell on what she said and make things worse. 

When Tommy finally came out, there was an amused look on his face. He was clutching onto something and twisting it between his hands. He then shoved it into his hoodie pocket. 

“You good?” Buck asked Tommy when he got in. 

“Apart from the busted nose, yeah,” Tommy chuckled. 

When Buck frowned at him, the older man leaned in and kissed his cheek. 

Whatever Tommy had slipped into his hoodie pocket earlier was sticking out and Buck noticed it said something about abuse. His eyes widened and he pulled out the paper to realize it was a domestic violence pamphlet for victims. 

Buck's heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. “They- they think I am abusing you?” Buck asked on the verge of tears. 

Tommy immediately cupped his face and shook his head. “They’re idiots. I told them it was an accident but they just thought I was lying. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have told them that I fell down the stairs,” he said cringing. 

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Buck told him panicking a little. “I swear, Tommy. It was genuinely an accident. I was thinking about what Margaret and Philip said to me and I just-” 

“Hey, hey, hey, you don’t have to explain anything…” Tommy assured him. “I know you didn’t do it on purpose. I was there, remember?” He leaned in and tried pressing a kiss to Buck’s lips but Buck pulled away. 

“Punch me,” Buck told him. 

“What?” Tommy asked furrowing his eyebrows

“Punch me. Let’s make it equal,” Buck replied. 

“Okay, now that would definitely be considered domestic violence.” 

“It won’t because I am asking you to punch me,” Buck insisted. “Just punch me!” 

“NO!” Tommy yelled and cupped Buck’s face. “That’s not how this relationship works. I’m not punching you on purpose when I know the kick was accidental.” 

“But-” 

“But nothing,” Tommy told him. “I love you, Evan, and I would never hurt you on purpose. Just like I know you wouldn’t hurt me.” 

Buck wrapped his arms around Tommy and pulled him into a tight hug. “I love you so much. I am so sorry.” 

“Shhh… It’s okay, baby. I’m okay. I promise,” Tommy said kissing the side of Buck’s head. 

Buck buried his face in the crook of Tommy’s neck and took in his smell. “I love you,” he said again. 

[beanghostprincess]

Transfem Buggy anon, back at it again

Luffy beat the everloving snot out of Kaido. Luffy and his alliance freed Wano. Buggy likely couldn't have visited Wano - soon after the Last Island, there was the hot mess with Roger leaving, the crew disbanding, everyone separating, Buggy+Shanks Survival Mode, the execution, Buggy and Shanks Survival Mode 2 Electric Boogaloo, and by the time Buggy would even be feasibly ready to go, it would have been locked down.

She'd have never once been able to truly visit that place.

And now? Now she has the Guild. She has responsibilities, appearances to uphold, and she'd find out that Luffy has been named an Emperor Officially and Wano Is Free.

She... she wants her mom. Gods, she wants her mom.

She calls Shanks. Asks if he'd heard. Asks if he knows. And he says he was close by. He's so near that he could be docked by the morning. And Buggy aches. How can she make this work? How can she do this, Shanks, she doesn't know what she's doing, it's gotten so crazy so quickly, she's drowning in it-

And he offers an alliance.

A no-harm agreement. Some of his and some of hers, themselves both involved, to go to Wano for personal and professional reasons. Wano is, after all, the homeland of very talented samurai and smiths.

And Buggy realizes the Guild could probably recruit from there - at the very least, establish trade for quality goods. It's a bit far, but it would be worth it for the sheer quality alone - and it would boost the economy.

Shanks would be able to call it an adventure, would be able to set it as a vested interest bc of his history with Kaido, it could work-

Crocodile and Mihawk do insist on accompanying her - for surface level United Fronts, for private "don't fuck it up", for personal "why is she so interested no I'm not curious about her no I don't wanna know her better shut up-"

Shanks gets a kick out of it.

Buggy is so preoccupied with seeing the home Toki told her about, maybe even seeing Toki herself, she's practically vibrating. She's in better spirits than she has been for YEARS.

When they finally arrive, Buggy asks Shanks if she can use his room. He just smiles and nods. When she comes out, all three men are a little breathless bc she's done her hair so artfully, with an unfamiliar hair piece, a loop of flowers made from beads and painstakingly cared for. Her makeup is no less flattering, but the style has changed slightly. Her outfit is a short kimono with half cut sleeves and leggings. She wears it well, and it's only the fact that they know her, have been with her, that has them aware of the fact that she ISN'T in fact a local.

They go to town.

Buggy gets along with them famously. Shanks is a very close second, perfectly mannered, while Mihawk and Crocodile trail slightly behind, out if place and reserved. It's all wonderful, blissful for a few hours, business and pleasure together, before they get lunch at a small restaurant, and an older woman steps over, bows, and asks the blue haired pirate if she "is little Buggy? Lady Toki's girl...?"

Buggy's heart skips a beat.

Toki has been dead for some time now. She fell with the destruction of Oden Castle, may her soul find rest. But she'd been a very close friend, and Toki has told this woman about her loved ones, her children, her husband, her friends, her other baby who deserved a Wano that deserved her in turn. Toki had photographs, keepsakes, and they all were entrusted to her closest friend.

Buggy is emotional. Shanks offers her his arm, his shoulder, and the others are silent, supportive sentinels. The ones who knew her mourned.

Buggy visits her grave. Tells her mom all about herself now. About the things she's seen and done and learned, from the day she watched the Wano shores bleed into the horizon to the day Buggy came home, well and truly.

Crocodile and Mihawk feel as if they are intruding heavily, but Shanks stops them with a look. Buggy did not tell them to leave. She absently waves for them to take a seat with her.

Toki taught her many things - honoring the dead among them. She talks the process out, and neither of her lieutenants mention that she and Shanks both are crying quietly.

The two former warlords learn many, many things about their chairwoman on this trip.

WELEWDJUIWEGFJKIWBFBWEJKFBWEFJKLWENFKLWNEKLFNWKEFNKWLEFNLKWENFKLWENKLFNWELKFNWEKLFNKWLENFKLEWLKFWNEKLFNWEKLFNWLKEFNLKEWFN <- super normal and mentally stable reaction to this. I am SO normal about this (I am NOT).

This is just so beautiful. Buggy finding out her mother is dead but there's so much she can still enjoy in Wano after telling Toki everything that has changed in her life. I think she enjoys the trip and she finally feels at home because everything she knows is thanks to her. Buggy wants the three men to stay with her because she feels a little less alone, and they're surprisingly extremely respectful. I imagine Buggy talking to Hiyori and Momo and it kills me,,, It's so sweet. I think Crocodile, Mihawk, and Shanks are having a moment of peak realization and they're starting to be down down bad for her. Like. There's no coming back after this because Buggy owns their hearts fr. Also, she falls so many times with that kimono because she's still a failgirl and she isn't used to those clothes because the last time she wore one of those was when she was a kid. And yet she still looks gorgeous and like she belongs there.

[bleue-flora]

You're so right it's so rude of me to forget about Punz

I am sadly sick with silly idea disease right now so I'm spinning the kids getting on the dsmp in my head rn

(First of all, C!Dream immediately glaring at C!Techno and C!Phil when he realizes that you just told the kids everything????)

(He suddenly understands how C!Tommy got like that a lot more)

I imagine the kids would extra love C!Dream (and probably C!Techno but he's terrible with kids and they know from their own Techno that he gets overwhelmed by people quickly) because he has a big cool cape they can hide under. P!Tommy says he looks like batman

C!Dream builds carves a quick room for nap time in a mountain and when someone goes to check on them they find C!Dream passed out and several kids napping under his cape like baby chicks hiding under their mom's wings

(Okay, also silly ideas: P!Punz pointing at C!Dream super excited because his best friend is gonna be the coolest person in the world, P!Sam trying to put on a brave face and protect C!Dream from other adults when he sees he's uncomfortable, any time any adult gets too angry or shouty the kids will side eye them an ask if they need nap time)

Okay that's it *explodes*

P!Punz being protective of c!Dream for some reason is so funny to me. I imagine p!Dream, p!Punz and p!Sam watch all the superhero movies and stuff including The Avengers and Arrow. So even though they were too young to see c!Dream when he was bleeding out into the table, they still put together a rough picture of what happened (lots of scars like Oliver Queen -> torture). But in general I imagine all kids younger than 13 (ya know PG13 lol) weren’t allowed to see c!Dream until he was properly healed and such, so they didn’t get the download on what happened. C!Dream would still be glaring at c!Phil and c!Techno because they let some of the kids see him so vulnerable and more or less told them everything.

Yeah c!Techno is not good with kids but they think his (backup cape - c!Dream refuses to return the one he left in prison something about finders keepers… damn children encouraging him to use kid logic…) cape and pig appearance is so cool. One afternoon Dream indulges the kids and builds a little bat cave in the mountain next to Ranboo’s house. It’s hard work though and eventually he gets tired and in need of a “batnap” forcing some of the younger ones to join him, they snuggle under the warm cape a little closer than is comfortable for Dream but he falls asleep anyways… it’s the first sleep he’s had in ages without a single nightmare. C!Phil and c!Techno make sure no one pounces on the group, p!Tommy does anyways. Understandably, c!Dream reacts badly to a kid attacking him and his baby chicks and ends up punching p!Tommy, breaking his nose. P!Tommy precedes to whine the rest of the day about how both Dreams are his “abusers”… both Dreams role their eyes, making p!Tubbo and p!Ranboo giggle.

P!Punz is pretty proud to have great taste of best friends in both worlds. C!Phil points out that c!Punz actually betrayed c!Dream, so p!Punz decides he shall take over his job as c!Dream’s bff. C!Dream finds it cute and his mannerisms make him miss c!Punz.

Both Dreams flinch at the sound of angry adults even if it’s not directed at them. Whenever the adults get angry p!Techno, p!Sapnap and p!George run off and hide while p!Dream stays put, ready but scared. P!Sam and p!Punz both know about p!Dream’s parental abuse in some manner and automatically go into protective mode whenever p!Dream looks even remotely uncomfortable around the adults. And after p!Sam notices c!Dream acting similarly, he starts taking a protective stance for him too. C!Dream finds it sweet even if sometimes his brain conjures imagines of c!Quackity killing p!Sam in seconds just to get to him, other times be thinks about how it should’ve been the his Sam, the Warden, standing over him protecting him…

[vasilissadragomir]

GIRL! What you mean you also writing about katniss's period in your fanfic too. Please tell me more about it, I'd love to know!

LMAO okay sooooo without spoiling too much i just think that it’s very important for katniss to experience her body operating as normal for literally the first time in her life. even before the games/the incomprehensibly stressful circumstances of catching fire/the war she was malnourished. perhaps not as badly as most others in the seam, or even in the town bc it seems meat was hard to come by even for peacekeepers and merchants, but she absolutely was underfed and lacking essential nutrients. so even if she was getting a period, like you said, it most certainly wasn’t quite normal or regular.

but periods aren’t just about actual bleeding or physical symptoms, ofc. her body likely never experienced the full breadth of hormonal fluctuation people go through during a healthy menstrual cycle. we know katniss is often moody and irritable because a) she’s a teenager b) she’s starving and c) she’s stressed out of her mind in constant survival mode, but she’s almost always in control. what happens when her hormones, allowed to function for the first time as they’re meant to, take control of her body like they do for most teenagers w periods? especially with all the emotional upheaval of the war and losing prim, i bet experiencing pms for the first time sends her into a tailspin. she’s probably crying a lot, eating a lot, and feels like everything is coming apart around her at the littlest things. which, compounded with the ptsd and grief, and the first time lack of need to be in survival mode, is overwhelming and causes her to act impulsively.

not to mention, of course, why we get periods in the first place. how does peeta’a presence interact with her body’s discovery of its normal function, especially this function? we know they grow back together. we know she feels that thing again. we know so after. but what happens between those things? it’s implied that katniss and peeta are at least kissing before so after. what is it that motivates katniss to kiss him back, beyond, of course, love? katniss likes kissing. she says when she’s kissing gale that it reminds her that her body’s alive. what is it like for her to kiss the person she actually loves when her body is healthy enough to urge her on?

now, of course katniss knows about periods, their symptoms, and sex/pregnancy. a pet peeve i have in fics is when people act like katniss doesn’t know about this stuff because she’s “pure” or, frankly, because readers see district 12 as backwards and uneducated or something. but katniss’ mom is an apothecary. katniss absolutely knows the clinical ins and outs of puberty. but at the same time, i bet she never really expected all that stuff to happen to *her* the way it does to other people. she’s always been in control while in district 12 up until the end of the war. why would something like a hormonal shake-up change that? i don’t think she’ll recognize what’s happening to her (im shocked by it every month, and ive had a semi-regular period for more of my life than not and i knew what to expect from like age 5). when she does realize it, she’ll likely be in denial about it.

i also think this is a great opportunity for katniss and her mom to bond and begin to repair their relationship. because for the first time, katniss actually will, palpably, *need* her mom and her expertise in a way she hasn’t in over five years.

[dumpster-fire-sapphic-failgirl]

Over here just thinking about the connections/backstory dropped in the last two episodes of Candela

Auntie Bee was once a decently well off married lady until something took/killed her husband

Auntie Bee helped Sean’s mom raise the three boys after both their husbands died/vanished

Jean’s dad performed an exorcism on Marion when M&J were both kids. She was there for it. It is implied that they both don’t have souls

Marion and Sean grew up together. As a kid, Sean noped out of the church bc Marion didn’t have a soul which just taught Sean that soul’s are bullshit

Nathanial recruited all 4 boys (Sean+brothers+Marion) but was only on the lines with Sean and Marion

One of Sean’s brothers was killed on the lines due to a command decision, but the other was courtmartialed and presumably executed

Sean killed a bunch of kids

Marion saved Sean’s life with his powers, possibly multiple times

A greedy landlord had Sean’s ma declared insane by a corrupt doctor so that he could take her building.

Nathanial has a John Wick mode that he turned on when shit got real

The monster is there to take revenge. It had a sister that was killed. (the monster in ep1?) It desperately wants to connect with Sean for most of E2. Still not entirely sure how the other circle factors into it. might need to rewatch both episodes again.

The big bad of the first series was Eddie. Which means the monsters are humans that were twisted by the bleed. Which makes me wonder who exactly is standing over Sean wearing Sean’s face at the end of Ep 2. Maybe the Silver Flame lady who is supposedly in the sanatorium right now? And she’s taking revenge on the rest of her circle?

[yakuzabrainrotlive]

IT'S OVER! Jeez, that was a long game compared to K1-Y4.

"Mom, can we have the Yakuza 4? "

"We have the Yakuza 4 at home"

The Yakuza 4 at home:

Returning to the past a little.... why did they leave passed-out Kiryu like this?? Have y'all checked for a pulse?? 😭 at least put him on the sofa, dear lord💀

I LOOOOOVE how you could choose your character for these group fights!! Such a fun idea. I kinda trained Kiryu up for nothing since I used Akiyama any time I could >.<

Majima being willing to die to save Haruka makes me so... KEJSKEIDOLW. I'm chewing my bathroom tiles. I knew he's a good person, but I was still touched. Also his line "That girl means more to Kiryu-chan than life itself"

I am SO NORMAL ABOUT THIS SCENE.

......

NAHH I AM NOT. DAMN.

Nothing to say about this besides:

Watase is a top 5 character for me. What a legend.

Shinada's introspection was so well written and I feel like his character arc was finished very neatly here. I do hope we see him in Y6, but I feel like he's gonna go in the Characters We No Longer Need Void™. I'm surprisingly okay with that, even though I'll miss him.

Aizawa, huh. I mean..... okay? Sure? NOT the final boss I expected, but I do like that we get like... a random man trying to climb to the top thing. I'm neutral on this. Still, him saying he wants a "fair fight" as he sees that Kiryu is actively bleeding quite heavily was kind of a "????" thing for me. Ryuji or Watase would never😤

His fight, though. I was going "HOW MANY DAMN HEALTH BARS DOES THIS FUCKER HAVE" out loud in my apartment every time I saw a color of health bar I hadn't seen before. I'll admit; I got frustrated and my thumb hurt, so I did use like.... 2 or 3 tiger drops on him. Oopsies.

I really liked the fight moving along the entire headquarters and ending outside, it was neat.

WHEN I TELL YOU I WEPT, I mean it. Hooooo boy. Haven't cried that hard since Yakuza 0. It was.... AAAAAA. GRRRRRR. PUNCHING MY WALLS AND SCREAMING😭 I love them so, so much and the reunion was everything I ever wanted and then some.

......and then I cried some more in Premium adventure mode when I saw that they hold hands when they walked together. I kinda thought Haruka or Kiryu would feel like she's too "old" for handholding with her dad, but no. And I'm so happy about that. I immediately went to karaoke with her and just. Walked around the city with her.

I'm NOT EXAGGERATING. THIS IS THE LITERAL TRUTH; I have 54 screenshots of them just holding hands in different parts of Sotenbori 🥺💕

Kiryu's content little smile and nods when Haruka says she likes the food during her requests gave me incredible amounts of serotonin and will to live.

All in all, incredible finale part.

[moviesludge]

some things from the last couple of days:

the Halloween pumpkins lasted longer than expected but were finally trashed today. I bought a battery powered flasher to try out and it was dimmer than I expected but has three modes and they all look pretty cool. 1 is a yellow candle flicker, 2 is a strobe, and 3 is a rainbow color roll. We always mean to get some votive candles but were stuck with tealights this year that we had to replace often. But I did get a bleeding skull candle both this year and last year that lasted a really long time. So I put the older one in my big pumpkin and it still hasn't burned all the way out

though my mom doesn't often watch tv with my dad and I, I convinced her to check out LOST with us (first time checking out the show beyond its original run. She was cold and I got her an extra blanket and also gave her my old hot topic pacman beanie that I bought a million years ago. LOST somehow feels like a good show to be watching right now. She went to give my beanie back and I told her she can keep it. I also pointed out the little tag on the side that says EAT ME. She laughed.

in general this extremely depressing and unpleasant turn of events is making me want to be better for myself and for others, in all kinds of different ways. I stayed in bed for a while but I watered the plants and did the dishes.

I bought a portable hard drive that was on sale for a great price on the 5th and it showed up on the 6th. I also noticed it went back to its regular price the next day.

I lost 3 more pounds and hit 250!

Cut ties with 2 old work acquaintances I long suspected of having shitty politics. Found out for sure recently.

the night after the election result I had an extremely unsettling dream. In the context of the dream my grandmother (who passed away in 2016) was still alive. I went to her house and it was empty. She was gone. There were basic furnishings but it felt very large and very empty. I got a really terrible feeling that something happened to her. That she had left the house for some unknown reason and left important things behind, making it seem alarming. I searched for her but couldn't find her. And then while sitting in the house, a man came to the door. <Incidentally it was a guy I used to work with around 2001. He was the type of coworker who was a kind of funny casual acquaintance who was always cracking the same stupid joke over and over again. Towards the end of the time I knew that guy, he asked me (after I quit that job) if I wanted to go with him out to some rural type of place to work on some weird job he had information about. The way he described it sounded very sketchy and I avoided him after that.> So he comes to the door and is knocking but I don't want to know what he wants. I don't want him to know I'm there. I don't want him to come into the house.

[octopuscityblues]

Kafkaryan, The Wrath Of Cod

June 2024 Progress Report

TLDR: Unfortunately we had to push back our planned release date again. We don't have a new date yet, but we're trying our best to bring you Octopus City Blues as soon as humanly possible. We're very sorry about that. The rest of the update will go over some of the things we've been working on and provide additional context for the delay.

Progress

Starting in April, Marina (benevolent tentacle artist) and I (Firas, malevolent snail) significantly changed the way we work. Previously, art and development were mostly done independently and we communicated on a weekly or biweekly basis. We switched to a virtual office kind of setup where we dedicate fixed hours to working together every day. It's been going great so far and we feel much more motivated and productive.

Our current target is the Robot Graveyard, the lawless wasteland at the base of Gold Tower. We're mainly working on the remaining interior locations such as the Conman's shop or the cyborg club.

By the way, we recently released yet another demo update, based on all the quality-of-life and interaction improvements made since the previous one. These include:

🦔 Kaf the Hedgehog is now 33% faster and has 100% more walking frames! 

🖼️ Intuitive top-of-the-line settings menu to crank up your sim's colors to 11. 

🎨 New text background colors to make your eyes bleed. From the grimy "Jungle" to the ominous "Caput Mortuum". 

💬 Switch between the gossip and item menu modes like a pro using Q/E keys or the gamepad's shoulder buttons. 

🎮 Say goodbye to gamepad confusion! The simulation will reliably remember the most recently used controller. 

🍄 Beetles crave mushrooms. Drop the right item in the plaza and watch the little critters go! 

😷 You no longer have to "touch" dirty objects or people to interact with them. Standing close by is sufficient. 

🤖 Sacrificing Mom to science will pay off sooner.

🪲 And numerous other fixes, copy editing changes, and a host of new potential bugs for you to discover!

I'm also happy to present one of several music tracks that the newest addition to our team, Shannon (omnibenevolent troubadour), has been working on:

There's a lot more happening behind the scenes. For example, Julia (unambivalent wordsmith) went over and helped improve large portions of the script, while Karl (ambivalent doodler) is practicing card tricks.

The Delay

Octopus City Blues has had a long and rocky journey over the years, so I apologize if the following is too long and boring. Nevertheless, you all deserve an honest explanation for the delays. Back in late 2021 when I was pitching the project to the Midgame Fund, the plan looked something like this:

Early 2022: Demo play testing

Late 2022: Release of Act 1 in Early Access.

Mid 2023: Steam Next Fest demo

Late 2023 / Early 2024: Release of Act 2

Later in 2024: KS reward fulfillment, possible localization and console ports

After getting funded, the helpful investors at Midgame Fund advised against Early Access and recommended releasing both acts together. Much of 2022 was spent on discussions, planning, and extensive play testing that took place in two main rounds. The testing feedback showed us that we still had much to do, particularly when it came to guiding the players.

By early 2023 we were struggling to follow the original plan as we addressed all the testing feedback. That's why I decided to cut a lot of planned content and rewrite the story so that it no longer had two acts. The original acts were separated by a 10-year gap, which would've required a lot of art editing and writing completely new responses for every character.

The next play testing round coincided with the Indigo event. Even after all the changes made, some players were still struggling with certain parts or running into bugs. That's why we decided to participate in the October Steam Next Fest edition instead of the June one. The release date was pushed back to Q1 2024.

The Next Fest event itself was a great success. After years of neglecting marketing, we used 2023 to promote the project and make it more viable financially. On the other hand, the event left us with even more feedback, some of which we were still addressing in January (2024). The release date was pushed back to Q2.

In early 2024 the Q2 release plan was still feasible. However, things temporarily took a turn for the worse after our last update. The first roadblock was due to real life developments and personal circumstances that impacted the availability of key team members. Thankfully, everything is back to normal now.

A more general problem is that the more we get done, the more work we end up creating for ourselves. The complex branching quest design means that the amount of testing needed can grow exponentially. Automated testing and play testing rounds can only take us so far.

The next obstacle had to do with the 2023 rewrite. Taking a story with many characters and intertwined elements and completely rewriting major parts of it turned out to be much trickier than expected. Some major plot elements simply didn't work in the new framework, and I had to make additional changes to improve the story's overall pacing and consistency.

At first I thought we could still release the main parts, and then slowly restore some content after release.  That would've meant early adopters and our biggest supporters wouldn't get the complete intended experience. There are also many more things we'd like to tackle after release (Kickstarter rewards, localization, porting) instead of adding more content.

To be clear, there are some things that we still plan to add after release (as free DLC). In particular, there are the arcade games and the quests related to them. While not part of the main story, they were in our original pitch (and much of the art is already done).

All of this brings us to our current plan. The story is still in one act, but some previously cut areas and quests will be restored. As mentioned in the previous section, we've adopted a new way of working since April and have been slowly adding the remaining areas and characters to the simulation. While things look promising, it's hard to tell what will happen tomorrow or if additional play testing will require even more changes.

OCB is something that particularly benefits from these play testing rounds, because the more we can anticipate the player's actions (e.g. trying to combine the knife and baby items), the more fun and immersive the experience feels. Obviously, we can never get rid of every bug or address all feedback before release.  That's why we'll just have to find the right balance.

We still have to finish the following parts: Graveyard (in-progress), Big Beef, Turkeys, and the ending. Of those, Big Beef is the most involved one. I changed the planned release date on Steam to simply 2024 because that's our goal, but please keep in mind that it's not a release date either. We'll only announce a concrete release date once all of these areas are done and work primarily shifts to testing and polishing.

If you've made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read all of that! We remain as committed to this project as we were on day one, and we're genuinely trying our best as flawed and naively optimistic humanoids. We owe it all to your continued support and understanding.

[valyalyon]

August 2, 2025

This short post is about D's labor with her and Raphael's son, lot of CW's ahead. This is does have a happy ending, though, so I hope everyone enjoys!

Previous Post | Next Post

DIE MASTER LIST OR #LYONDIE DIVIDERS

I had entered the hospital early that morning with Raphael at my side...

CW: difficult labor resulting in rapid blood loss, mentions of vomiting, hospital setting, blood collection and transfusion mentions, near-death experience. 500 words.

...My water had broken a few hours before we had arrived, but I had delayed going to the hospital just a bit.

Even arriving after a delay, our son was still not ready to come out, and I went through a pretty agonizing labor. About mid-day, Raphael was calling my mother to come to the hospital.

By that point, I had started to bleed, but not a lot. I was holding up really well, and kept a pretty jovial personality the whole way through, sometimes cracking jokes in the heat of a contraction to help Raphael calm down.

He was definitely panicking, and I know it was warranted…

When my mom arrived, she was brought into another room immediately for her blood to be collected. Only about 35 minutes had passed since she was called, and I had started losing a lot more blood.

I was still seemingly in good spirits, but I was quieter, and my eyes and face were getting dull. Raphael was in panic mode, he had never seen me so weak and was worried he’d be losing me.

I remember trying to crack jokes, but soon I was vomiting.

Within seconds, there were IV’s, blood transplants from my mother, and the voice of a scared Raphael, “hurry! Fuck, hurry!”

There was a moment where I felt myself losing consciousness, I could feel everything around me, but I was standing or floating? Apart from myself, and then I started to lose everything.

I was in quite a lot of pain, and our son was not budging. My cervix was expanding, but my son just wasn’t coming out, I needed to push.

The issue was that I was so weak after all the blood I lost. My brain essentially was convinced that I was dying, and I started to die.

Even after the transplants, my body was like, too heavy to move. Like I had already gone into the mode of a corpse. Emotionally, I died, and my body felt so weak.

My mom’s blood literally saved my life.

For a couple hours, I barely moved, and then I finally gathered the strength.

I sat up and started pushing, giving birth to Leon at 8:15pm.

Leon had tufts of dark hair and he was a fat baby. He laid on my chest with his eyes closed, and a little scowl on his face that reminded me a lot of his father.

Raphael’s eyes were bright for once. He looked at Leon and I with an expression that showed care and concern. Finally, he spoke, “he’s so beautiful… you’re so beautiful. Thank you, Dolores.”

“That labor was scary,” I finally admitted to him.

He nodded his head, a sigh escaping his lips, “yeah that was terrifying.”

“Do you want to hold him?” I asked, looking up at Raphael.

“Please,” he pulled up a chair and I handed Leon over to him slowly.

Raphael took him into his arms, cradling him, and then sitting down, “he’s so pudgy but small…”

“He has your hair,” I laughed and pointed.

“I’m so lucky to have you and him here right now, Dolores. Thank you…”

[silver-tooth-the-panther]

hullo! would you mind writing some more mom mode tanjiro? I really like the concept (:

(Here you go! I’m trying to clear out all my requests and I think people forgot that I’m a vore blog lmao! I’m so sorry it took so long to get to it. I have been thinking about this scenario for a while and I hope you enjoy it!)

The King’s Care

(A Demon Slayer Vore Fanfic!)

Warnings: Blood, swearing, and soft vore

Word Count: 673

“Fucking damn it!” Genya growled as he wrapped his bloodied leg, back flat against a tree. While patrolling the forests of Kaikoma mountain, Genya encountered a large bear. Foam spewed from its mouth, which immediately told Genya that it wasn’t going to be friendly. The bear managed to get a few hits in, including the one on his leg, but Genya managed to shoot the bear right in the chest.

He didn’t want to kill it. The bear was just an animal! Yet he knew he couldn’t let it suffer anymore. Genya tightened the white bandages, trying to stop the bleeding. “I need to get home.” He whispered to himself. The half-demon put his hand against the tree behind him, bracing himself. A loud groan emitted from his throat as he put pressure on his injured leg.

As he put more pressure on it, the pain only grew stronger. The poor pup roared in terrible agony before falling back down. He planted his back against the tree, heaving. “Nemi…Mui..Kanao..” Genya whispered for any sense of comfort. He thought for a second, trying to remember who else was patrolling with him on this night. “Tanjiro.” Genya’s obsidian eyes opened with realization. With a heavy heart, Genya roared into the night, calling for help.

The night sky watched Genya as he waited. Crickets sang their song, completely undisturbed by the blood on the ground. Genya leaned his head up towards the moon, closing his eyes and panting. Then, like a lantern of hope, Genya could hear frantic footsteps rushing through the grass, rapidly approaching him.

Genya opened his eyes to see the young Demon King standing in front of him. His scarlet eyes shone brightly in the night. Genya smiled at his friend. “Hi Tanjiro.” He said softly, looking down at his leg. “I’m uhh..in a bit of a messy situation. Think you could help me?”

Tanjiro nodded as he crouched down. He made a soft rumbling sound, translating to “You’re in too much pain to just carry you back. Let me pouch you.” Genya chuckled softly, realizing what was going on. “I see. You’ve entered ‘Mom Mode’. It’s not necessary, Tanjiro. Besides, Nemi would make fun of me til the day I die..again.”

Tanjiro only rumbled once more. “But you’re hurt!” Genya looked down at the gaping wound, then back up at his friend. He knew that Tanjiro was just trying to help him. Genya sighed and shook his head with a smile. “Alright. Go ahead and pouch me.”

The Demon King smiled warmly before crawling closer. He made a soft chuff before lowering his jaws over his friend. Genya immediately relaxed inside Tanjiro’s warm jaws. The damp and soft environment created such a soothing sensation. With gentle hands, Tanjiro carefully pushed his friend deeper into his gullet.

The Demon King’s maroon throat moved like the waves of the ocean. It’s slow ripples of movement carried Genya down to the organic pouch. He didn’t struggle. He didn’t fight. Genya trusted his friend completely and rested his head against the maroon flesh.

The injured half-demon was gently deposited into Tanjiro’s tummy. His friend’s gentle breathing made the soft and comfortable walls move subtly. The fluffy pouch radiated with warmth and Tanjiro's soothing heartbeat brought great comfort. Genya smiled to himself as he curled up inside Tanjiro’s belly.

Tanjiro made a soft and gentle rumble. Genya chuckled lightly and patted the maroon walls. “Yeah. I'm fine, Tanjiro. Thank you.” A satisfied huff came from the Demon King. Genya carefully unwrapped the bandages on his leg and watched the gaping wound. It quickly healed up thanks to his friend. “Incredible.” Genya whispered in awe.

Suddenly, he felt the walls around him sway slowly. Tanjiro was running back to the Infinity Castle. “Hey Tanjiro?” A soft huff responded. “Could you tell my grandpas and Nemi where I am? I don’t want them to worry.” Tanjiro rumbled once again. “Thank you.” Genya closed his eyes and let the swaying of Tanjiro’s tummy lull him to sleep.

[ezra-iolite]

Swiftwire: Updated Appearance

..... She really needed a fresh new look, due to all the shit she's gone through, and just generally smooth out the rough edges of her lore, which I'll do as part of a full bio later, since it's gonna be a long post.... So I'll just do her main details here for the sake of putting only what's important here. XD But also JUST LOOK AT HER!!! 😭 SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL!!

This was done by the amazingly talented and legendary Torrent/torrentarts on Tik Tok!! So if you ever see this, THANK YOU AGAIN, HONEY!! >w<

(Also a version of her without her kanga/scarf, her flags or her earring~)

Swiftwire Asya Zahara Mutheru of the Maasai Tribe

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Her story is still generally the same, but just added a few tweaks to make her blend in better with a more canon aligned world (i.e; Earthspark and a little bit of IDW/Lost Light), but I'll reveal it at a later time, once it's fully fleshed out.

~*~

In short.... Swift is still a former human (originally named Asya Mutheru) that was turned into a Cybertronian, doing so by having her body digested by the Energon within a Cybertronian protoform's hollow spark, burning away her corpse to pluck her soul out and turn it into the spark that brought Swiftwire to life, all thanks to her birth father, Jeremy Omari.

~*~

Personality wise, Swift is still as maternal, goofy, vain but kind, and as flirtatious as ever, and is generally the "Mom Friend with gremlin energy" within any group she finds herself a part of.

~*~

Deep inside her psyche, however.... the monster that Swift's body was supposed to become is still alive.... He's just taking the backseat instead of dominating and controlling the body fully like Swift is now. This is purely because Asya was supposed to die and pass on when her human body became the cadaver powering her spark... But instead, her soul took over and changed the Cybertronian husk into her new body, one that became female presenting instead of male.

~*~

That monster is Talos, a Beastformer designed by Jeremy to take on the appearance of a blue Minotaur Spartan Hoplite soldier in the form of a manmade Transformer.

~*~

Talos's presence is still inside Swift, and only truly comes out when she is angry and starts to "see red". That saying, in her case, is literal, as her eyes change and her jaw elongates to show who is slowly taking over her (as seen in the image above Swift~).

This change is known as 10% Corruption Mode, where Talos takes over only a small part of her and dominates only her face and her instincts. The more of her body that changes, the more the "corruption" reaches 100%. When it reaches that mark, Swift will no longer be in the driver seat of her own body and mind, and both will then be fully under Talos's control.

~*~

Talos and Swift are like Jekyll and Hyde, but instead of them simply sharing a mind, Swift and Talos are both Transformers with their own root and alt-modes, existing in the same body. Talos has his main form (the Spartan Hoplite) and his Beast alt mode (the Minotaur), while Swift has her main form/root mode and her jet alt mode. So Swift isn't really a Triple or a Quadruple-Changer.... Talos exists within her with his own root mode body that takes over Swift's, and her jet form becomes the Minotaur form he transforms into.

~*~

When Talos takes over Swift's body, her frame colour changes from glittery orange to a dark midnight blue, starting from the head and bleeding down her body. It is a painful process each time, as it feels like she is being ripped apart from the inside out, especially when she tries to keep Talos locked inside, but before this happens, the first two things that change are her eyes and her jaw, the 10% Corruption stage....

~*~

Her eyes are always the first to change before the colour of her frame switches. Usually, they are blue with black sclera, and white slit pupils that were once round, before Talos first emerged and forced her to change. They remain slit to this day as a remnant of his presence within her, and so when he emerges.... They turn from white to red. The blue of her irises then vanish into the sea of black of her sclera, making her pupils the only thing that stand out in her eyes, and show that Talos has now taken over her mind.

~*~

The next to change is her face.... Her cheeks bear a line across them that is another permanent remnant of Talos's influence, and so that line opens and forcibly stretches and exposes the metal muscles and sinew that connects her jaw to her skull, but it doesn't damage her jaw or skin in any way. Her cheeks heal every time she returns to normal.

~*~

If the changes progress any further from here and reaches above 40% Corruption, then Swift will be locked inside herself and Talos will fully front without any further resistance, and assume full control over the body. If Swift does manage to resist and stop Talos before reaching 40%, then she can regain control and revert back to her own body.

~*~

If not..... Then her body will fully turn blue, her Seeker form becomes masculine and beefier, and Talos will then stand in his full, armored, Spartan Hoplite form with split-hoof bipedal legs, Swift's dreadlocks now forming the iconic mohawk of his helmet (also turned black and blue in hue) and her wings flat and fused together to act like a cape, with Talos's split-mouthed face hidden in his helmet, as the body now presents itself as his.

~*~

As his Minotaur Beast alt-mode..... The wings and dreadlocks are packed away, and his upper body becomes that of a bull with long, curved horns pointed forwards, a thick silver ring in his snout, and his maw still filled with fangs and his arms bearing Swift's claws... Which become blacker and travel further up her arms the more she allows Talos to take over.

The only way to bring Swift back is to knock Talos unconscious.

~*~

It should also be noted that Swift's height is 17 feet... Talos's main/Spartan form is 25 feet tall, while his Minotaur form is roughly 22 feet. (All using Earthspark heights for comparison)

Also..... This is his voice claim.... Everything he says is canon to what Talos is like and how he speaks to Swift in their shared headspace~