#not just gray brown or beige you know ?

[albonium]

i can't tell if i really like this rug or not

[hoseoksluna]

THE FUN DAY, pt. I. | kth ft. pjm

pairing: idol!military!boyfriend!taehyung x f. reader (ft. best friend!jimin)

genre: fluff, angst — the sad kind

word count: 4.8k

summary: you've prepared a fun day for your boyfriend's military vacation. thank god he's here, right?

pin: f. / playlist: fun / taglist: join / discord: join

warnings: suggestive but not described themes of sex and alcohol consumption.

note: i'm so EXCITED to bring you this fic that i can't wait until tomorrow to post this. everyone welcome TAEHYUNG and JIMIN to the hoseoksluna universe. i have to tell you a secret. taehyung was my first bias when i first became army. taehyungie was the first one to save me from the bunch—literally to resurrect me because in him i found all the things i used to love and fell out of. jazz, poetry, the aesthetics and arts. it is an honor to write about him and i think i will write another taehyung fic next week. if you have any ideas, drop them in my ask box and i will use them for inspiration. this fic is dedicated to my baby ruru @tkslovechild, my tatlim @jjk7k, and the beautiful anon that asked me for a tae fic while i was already working on this one. i love you all so much. enjoy this beautiful piece. <3 mwah.

𓂃 ౨ৎ .

I am much too alone in this world, yet not alone enough to truly consecrate the hour. I am much too small in this world, yet not small enough to be to you just object and thing, dark and smart. I want my free will and want it accompanying the path which leads to action; and want during times that beg questions, where something is up, to be among those in the know, or else be alone.

I want to mirror your image to its fullest perfection, never be blind or too old to uphold your weighty wavering reflection. I want to unfold. Nowhere I wish to stay crooked, bent; for there I would be dishonest, untrue. I want my conscience to be true before you; want to describe myself like a picture I observed for a long time, one close up, like a new word I learned and embraced, like the everday jug, like my mother's face, like a ship that carried me along through the deadliest storm.

𓂃 ౨ৎ . — I Am Much Too Alone in This World, Yet Not Alone by Rainer Maria Rilke

It was your love language, to dress up like your boyfriend. 

Dress pants, shirts and jackets. Linen, silk, leather. Pointed heels or oxford shoes. Grays, browns, beiges and whites. It was something that made you happy—and it was something that represented a vessel, made of unbreakable porcelain, for your love that you carried for Taehyung. 

He’s sitting in the corner of your bedroom, on a wooden stool he specifically placed at such a picturesque place. With the ivory curtains drifting along the nape of his neck, sheer enough to expose the small vase of tulips that stoop in a private longing for his touch. He fondles them often to preoccupy his mind when you take your usual long showers and he waits for the fashion shows you give him. He’s the one who says yes or no. These shoes, love. Look, they’re just like mine. And right at this moment, the wine-yellow petals are caught between his slender fingers when you come out and he doesn’t let go of them—because you’re not holding up the outfit for the day as you always are. 

For the fun day as you’ve called it. 

You’re dressed in it. Low-waisted gray dress pants with a little, tight, white shirt. Black stilettos, black shoulder purse. Your trench coat is waiting for you in the hall, hung up and lonely, but other than that you’re matching him fully. It feels as though you’re fading into him, becoming a singular being that has his DNA and his beauty, and when he beams up at you, boxy smile on full show, spine straight and tall on the stool, long fingers gripping its rim, Taehyung, with his gray suit and a white shirt, somehow validates that feeling. 

Somehow, in that peculiar Taehyung way of his. 

He extends his hands towards you, asking for your closeness. There’s a mist of murkiness that envelops him, with the saddened clouds beyond the window, standing in the place of the sun. It moves through you, this image of him reaching for you in this landscape, and you think he deserves to be painted like this. With black charcoal and a little bit of soft carmine to eternalize the blush of his cheeks—the only trace of color in the sketchbook. Your hands don’t know the art of drawing, but your heart does and while you take those necessary steps towards him, you feel the scratches of that dark pencil over that grainy flesh. 

His palms find your curves and you consider it unbelievable, the fact he’s still so big, despite the size of the stool and the height of your heels. No matter how much taller you grow, he’ll always be that tower that protects you from the blazing heat of the sun. 

He’s the epitome of autumn. No longer a boy, but a man, whose lungs are perfumed by apples, leaves, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and the slight iciness of the seasonal wind. Whose eyes witnessed the growth of your form since you were a little girl with two long braids. 

Childhood best friends turned to lovers, favored by the hanging, twinkling stars. 

You always saw him the most in autumn. Chasing you down during festivities that your mom couldn’t not be a part of, grabbing a hold of one of your braided pigtails with his already long fingers, then tickling you until you gave up. Ever so easy to catch because of the length of your hair. You knew, even as a little girl, that he was not just a part of your life, but your life itself. More than a companion, more than a friend. You dreamed about having his babies and that dream would come to life through your imagination whenever he would chase you down, years later, in the grand halls of the east wing of his grandiose family home, where nobody ever comes, just to steal a kiss or two. It was the moment you realized that you were no longer kids, even though you acted as such, but that you desired little legs to follow you in the fun of it all. 

And that kiss changed every autumn from that year on.

Stolen glances, the blush of cheeks, quivering fingers that no longer grabbed your braids. Not until many autumns later. You gave him your everything, every bit of your newly-bloomed femininity, your dream of having his babies and he folded it into the vinyls of his favorite jazz music that he would play every night whenever he needed inspiration or whenever he simply needed you. 

Newly. Not just yet as adults and no longer as kids. Somewhere in between. 

And then the duties of adulthood came. The natural process of drifting apart settled between your bodies and you no longer played in the stage between. Taehyung, the saxophone-playing jazz singer, moving foreign bodies into his personal, heart-sung rhythm. Not yours, never yours for a long time. You, working a day job that never paid enough, not for the dresses you yearned to wear at those clubs he would play at. 

But what you didn’t know was that drifting apart meant coming together eventually. 

He might have become your Turnip Head, silent and distant, but you were Sophie—and you found him. You found him while looking for something, or someone for the lack of better words, and he helped you. Over a cup of coffee he didn’t drink, at a jazz bar you always wanted to come to. Your date was a hit and miss and the guy never came, and your Turnip Head didn’t help you find your Howl. 

He helped you find himself. And from that moment on, you never drifted apart again. 

Who would’ve thought that seeking a relationship that did not resemble your dream nor your childhood would make you find him all over again. 

In autumn, too. 

Taehyung paid for your dresses, your female suits, paid for your drinks. Kissed you underneath those dimmed, brown lights before he went off to play songs that moved your body at last. Dancing alone to his songs was your dream come true until he set down his saxophone and joined you. Let his band mates play his favorite Etta James song as he took your hand and drifted upon the dance floor with you. Those who danced before this song sat down, let you have this opportunity for yourself, and Taehyung kissed you, after a long time, after many autumns had passed, right then and there. 

And both of you realized that you could never drift apart again. You could only drift together. 

You moved in together. He bought you tulips of every possible hue every week. Played you his new songs for you on the saxophone. Took you to art galleries. Took you sightseeing, sometimes alone with you, sometimes with Jimin joining you. Shared your dream about having babies with you and talked about it all the time. Tried it out, seized it many times, though the outcome both of you desired never came. Had a beautiful life with you until…

Until he thinned out into his Turnip Head form and skipped away to fulfill his country duties. 

But he’s here. Oh, he’s here. Buff and big, apples, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Brown eyes that carry the memory of your growth, hands that clutch your hips and that hold the silky memory of your still long braids. Hands that edge around your slightly, barely puffy tummy and that don’t know that you are with a concoction of a small him and you, a divine magical realism, a dream that came true without his knowledge right after the last hours of his military vacation were up and he had to go back to serve the country. 

The reason behind this fun day. 

The day of his second vacation, the day you tell him. 

“You look just like me,” he breathes, the width of his smile never lessening, hands skipping over the space between your hips and your arms and grabbing your hands. It gets to you still, the way his eyes never look up at you, the way they never have, and you feel so sweetly small. Even more so when Taehyung stands to his feet and slides his suit jacket over your shoulders. You become even smaller, a fawn taken care of. A pregnant fawn. “And now you are me.” 

Oh, he doesn’t know just how much. Not yet. 

He sits back down and gently pushes you to take a step back. On wavering feet, like that freshly-born fawn, you waver on your feet, but Taehyung keeps you stable, leaning forward to make sure you’ve caught your balance. A wisp of his dark hair falls over his eye that he, at last, flicks up at you. And the sensation from it, it is nothing that you ever felt before. 

It is a step forward. 

It’s something that tells you: go ahead. 

You planned to tell him at the jazz bar where he kissed you for the first time as an adult and made you his. But now, now it feels more than right, amidst this strange newness that you don’t think you’ll ever experience again. 

You open your mouth, brace yourself, but Taehyung is faster. Ringing fills your ears, the atmosphere around you feels gooey—as if you’re walking through a limbo. 

“Jimin will meet us at the park.” 

Oh, yes. Walk in the park, a warm drink to go, then the jazz bar. Jimin is having his military break as well, about to sing in Taehyung’s honor, you already knew this, knew he would join you, but being in the presence of your boyfriend, the detail slipped out. 

The newness leaves. Taehyung straightens. Towers over you. The normalcy flattens over the chemistry between you and him, the atmosphere lessening to feathery lightness and when you move your arms to give back his jacket, your arms feel as though they’re not your own. 

Your smile falls. 

Jazz bar it is. 

“We should go,” you prompt, turning around, having all the balance in the world as you go fetch your purse and reapply your red lipstick. 

Taehyung watches you in the mirror, his boxy grin on eternal display, warming your heart. You think about how you can’t wait until his baby witnesses that smile for the first time—and wonder if God is molding, at this very hour, the same one upon their little face. It brings tears to your eyes, ones that you quickly blink away, and instead you focus on lining your lips with the tip of the lipstick with utmost precision. 

In your vast collection of lip liners, you don’t have a red one. Truth be told, you always feared this vibrant color. It represented a stigma you never liked—that only promiscuous women wear that color, but to you it was never that. 

It was a color that meant you lose your girlhood, your childhood upon wearing. 

And now, it is a color that announces the next era of your life: adulthood, but different, painted with motherly instincts that are of these vibrant hues. Womanhood. No longer fearful, but brave. 

Right. 

You want your baby to connect this color to you and know that you made it. You waited your whole life for their father and gave it to him in one of the autumns as a child. Without knowing, without realizing. 

That color is a legacy. 

As if he could hear your thoughts, Taehyung kisses the back of your head, halting your motions. Wraps his arms around you as he props his chin on the place he kissed—and right here, right now, you’re looking at a family portrait in the mirror. 

A living, breathing one. With lifting chests in tandem, growing smiles and a growing baby in your womb. 

Magical realism in full effect. 

And then Taehyung is off to fetch your trench coat, holding it up for your arms to slip inside its sleeves. Grabs your hand and revels in the autumn weather outside, boxy smile never faltering. Sings in the car on the way to the park, makes eye contact as he mouths the lyrics—kiss me once and kiss me twice, then kiss me once again, it’s been a long, long time—because he could never sing over that part. It’s too precious to his heart for him to do so. 

The wind accompanies you and grabs your other hand as you walk down the pathway lined with half-barren trees and a still pond. Taehyung hums the Bing Crosby song that seems to be playing on loop within his mind and it is the only greenery that spreads around through his husky voice. All else—the pond, the trees and the last of their leaves that dance around you, the shrubberies and the clouds up above—are smeared with sullen blues and grays, to which Taehyung is everlastingly immune. 

Jimin is standing by an antique coffee stand, dressed to the nines in an outfit he most definitely must be cold in. Black dress pants with a jacket that stuns you. A matching Hussar one, with golden braiding. A military piece of clothing from another time. You think it suits the fun day quite delightfully, but not as much as it suits him. The golden detail goes hand in hand with his golden hair and you think he needs his picture taken. 

“Jimin!” you call out, making his confused little face turn in your direction, and he swivels his body to face you altogether. He holds two cups of coffee in both of his hands, one for him and one for you. You melt at that and look up at Taehyung to see his boxy smile ever so frozen and beautiful, pointed at his best friend. 

When you reach him, he hugs you. His cold skin stings you and you quickly warm him up with rubbing motions against his back. Scrunch your brows in puzzlement when he doesn’t hug Taehyung nor even look at him. 

But all is swept away when Jimin exclaims in discomfort and takes a rapid sip of his boiling drink. 

“Jimin, where’s your coat?” you ask him in pity, watching him shake and moan in pain once he burns his tongue. He uses the cup to warm up both of his hands. 

“I didn’t think Paris would be so cold in October,” he explains in a hushed, livid tone, drawing the rim of the paper cup back to his lips as if he didn’t learn his lesson. Typical Jimin. “But this outfit is for Taehyung anyways, so I’ll survive.” 

He talks of him but he doesn’t look at him. Makes heart eyes at the misting coffee, instead. Like Taehyung isn’t here at all. 

Strange. 

You shake off the thought. 

“Go stand by the pond before you freeze. I want to take a picture of you,” you say, softly, pulling your phone out of your purse. Glancing up, you expect Jimin to be ready with his pose, but he’s looking at you as if you said the most outrageous thing in the world. Eyes wide, mouth downturned in horror. You laugh and place a hand on his arm. “Go, Jimin. This is a special day and special days ask for special pictures.” 

Jimin sighs and nods, despite the fact he doesn’t really look like he wants to do it. 

“Fine, but I’m keeping the coffee in my hand.” 

Your tender laughter prolongs. “Fair enough. Go pose with your little heat pack.” 

Gazing out at the pond, Taehyung is already standing there. With his brown coat over his gray suit, he coalesces with the autumnal scenery and you think he belongs there. That a statue should be made of him right where his feet are planted, for people to remember and appreciate his beauty. You snap a few pictures of him before Jimin makes his way towards the stone bannister and stops right in front of Taehyung, who towers over him. Jimin lifts his cup and smiles a little tight smile, the mist from his coffee eclipsing over him like a soft fog. Switching to portrait mode, Taehyung is gone by the time your screen clears out and shows Jimin by his lonesome self, setting his coffee cup down on the bannister and turning around for some dramatic, aesthetic shots. Taehyung laughs in your ear, catches your slipping purse and places it back on your shoulder, and what he says next gives your life a whole new meaning. 

“Jimin is cute, but he’s strong and sane enough to protect you while I’m gone.”

You pivot back, piercing your sight right through him, not believing those words were just flung out of him like that. Taehyung never mentioned you having a protector while being in the military and even the whole concept of it confuses you even deeper as Jimin is serving as well. He might not be in the special forces like your boyfriend is, but he’s serving nonetheless. The systems are the same, no matter the department. 

Before you can ask him what he meant by that, the sing-song tone of Jimin’s voice reaches you. He calls out your name with a bit of alarm. 

“What’s wrong?” 

You gaze back and meet his eyes in full motion—he’s already taking long steps towards you and grabbing your arm, taking your confusion to another level.  

“What happened?” he asks, his pupils thin dots that ripple through your skin with stiff, panicky electroshocks. You glance back at Taehyung to discover that he’s not standing behind you at all, but behind Jimin, clutching his shoulder. 

You blink. “Nothing.” 

Jimin lets go of your arm and inhales the autumnal air. The pond, suddenly, heaves. 

“Let’s go somewhere warm,” Jimin suggests and you agree with him with a nod of your head. Pinpricks of iciness kisses your fingertips, despite the fact you’re still holding your own cup of coffee that Jimin bought you. 

A strange feeling seizes you. 

The jazz bar is an embrace of snug heat that embraces your womb first before greeting the rest of your body. You can’t help but to touch your baby, say to her in your heart: this is your Daddy’s most favorite place in the whole wide world. And the feeling is so surreal that it washes away the strange sensation that clung to you so heavily. 

You’re the first customers to come. Jimin sighs in absolute relief and he’s standing in the middle of the dance floor, frozen in time, as he lets the warmth of the place defrost his bones. Your cup of coffee was long finished and discharged; Jimin’s drank his in long sips that took seconds to finish, too, and the whole ordeal was so funny to you that it’s given you a sense of lightness that you needed. 

Taehyung hasn’t spoken a word since you left your apartment. 

He sits at the bar stool like he sat in your shared bedroom. One leg propped on the footrest while the other is relaxed on the floor, one hand folded on the apex of his thigh, the other drumming on the bar while the band he doesn’t know is rehearsing their instruments. You take a seat right beside him and feel like the parents you’re about to become. Sophisticated, classical, sublime. 

The pretentious kind, but in a good way. 

That thought makes you smile softly until the bartender asks you if you’d like anything. You politely decline her, even though you’d love a glass of wine with the daddy to be beside you. You can’t drink, not for many months to come. You wait for her to ask Taehyung the same question, but she doesn’t even lift her eyes to his direction. She wipes down the wood of the bar and leaps away. 

Nobody fucking asks Taehyung anything. 

Amidst a hearty guitar strumming solo, Jimin notices the furrow of your brows, the downturned pout of your mouth that opens to ask Taehyung about the strangeness that keeps occurring today. But before you get the words out, Jimin calls out your name into the microphone, the vowels made sweet by the sound of his princely voice. He stands with the band behind his back, his Hussar jacket exquisitely fitting the dimmed background. He holds out his hand for you, a poignant glint perched on top of his irises, and he flattens his puffy, pink lips. 

“Don’t be sad. Tonight is for Taehyung and all sadness is prohibited,” he says with his feigned announcer articulations, the corners of his mouth rounding in a similar manner to yours, in sympathy. “We will have to kindly ask you to leave if you proceed in your sadness. Please, join me here.” 

You roll your eyes, but the smile gracing your features couldn’t be erased even with the force of the whole wide world. You stand to your feet and paddle your way to him, the heels of your stilettos clicking on the worn parquets. Jimin gives you a soft grin and places his microphone down, meeting you halfway on the dance floor and taking your hand. 

It is when he begins to sing, just for you, that you perceive that the instrumental song the guitarist played is one, which is contained in one of Taehyung’s vinyls. The ones he would play in the darkest of nights and sing the lyrics to your bare body. Tears prick your waterline when Jimin guides you into a gentle slow dance while maintaining the tones of the song with utmost perfection. 

And Taehyung is carried in every languid motion and in every vocal cord that is strained upon this hour in his honor. 

I’m in the mood for love, simply because you’re near me…

You gaze back at Taehyung, who sits still and smiles his boxy smile. Frozen and beautiful, but unbreathing. 

Still and unbreathing. 

Frozen. 

You halt your movements. 

Jimin stops the dance, ends the song with a deep hum that pulses through you along with the notion that something isn’t right, but very, very wrong. 

“I wish Taehyung were here,” Jimin says with a deep sigh, holding both of your hands, and an uncanny, perplexing feeling constricts your throat. 

Your breath shivers, vision blurry. “But he is here.” 

Jimin lets go of your hands and you lament his touch. You need to be touched because you feel yourself shrinking into a fawn most vulnerable that doesn’t know what’s real anymore. A fawn just born, pathetically ignorant of the world and of her loved ones.

“I know, but I wish he were here for real.” 

A cold sweat drips down your spine, paralyzing you. Your constricted throat dries up like a well and you can’t swallow. You can’t think, you can’t blink—your lungs can’t lift to inhale any air and they mirror Taehyung’s still ones, unbreathing. 

It is a surprise to you, the question that flows out of you. 

“Jimin, who is sitting at the bar?” 

A wrinkle forms between his brows as he sweeps his gaze over all those bar stools and doesn’t linger at the occupied space that you know is there. A perturbing energy thuds in his eyes once he returns them to yours, and that alarming potency in him rises once again. 

“Who do you see there?” he asks, carefully, leaving his mouth parted as he anticipates your answer. 

You peer back behind you and don’t find any bar stools occupied. Not single one. 

No Taehyung, smiling his boxy smile. 

No Taehyung behind Jimin. 

No Taehyung behind you. 

A sob rumbles out of you in unison with your realization that you were, indeed, very wrong. You catch your sob, covering your mouth with your fingers as your tears spurt down onto your cheeks. 

And then the memories arrive, the reality.

But Jimin ceases their flow with the warmth of his even more careful question. 

“Did you see him at the park, too?” 

You can only nod, but you can’t look at him. You stare at nothing in particular and it seems that what Jimin has ceased, he allows to stream through the pond of your thoughts, accompanied by his vocalized truth. 

“Taehyung isn’t here. He should’ve been here with us, but he had to go to North Korea. There was a conflict, remember? You know this.” 

Taehyung’s apologetic text message appears before your eyes. The letter that came first before his phone call, where he explained to you that he can’t have his vacation and visit you because he has to go and save his country. The real, known reason between the pair of you and Jimin behind this fun day. To honor Taehyung for what he’s doing. The day you wanted to share, as well, that you were pregnant. 

The aloneness has gotten to you, helped by your blessed state. Confused your mind to the point that you imagined him here when he’s not here at all. 

Jimin calls your name and you glance at him. Perhaps he can see the truth dawning on you by the way pity twists his features. He caresses your arm and leaves his hand there, his heat locking in the realization. 

“What has happened to you?” 

Another onrush of tears clouds your vision. Your spine bends. And you can’t. 

You can’t not tell him. You can’t keep it in. 

“I’m pregnant.” 

Jimin’s eyes widen and it merely takes him a second to envelop you in his embrace. He coos your name, rubs your back, a whimper resonates in his chest against yours as he holds back his tears. The music falls into nothingness—and nothing is said for a time that appears to be as long as the season of autumn. 

And then, somehow, you’re outside of the jazz club, sitting on Jimin’s Hussar jacket that he put down on the cold ground for you beside him. And the silence continues until it doesn’t. 

“Does he know?” he asks, and you feel his irises gliding across the side of your face that you cannot turn. 

It’s you who’s frozen this time. 

Still and unbreathing. 

With no smiling Taehyung at your hip. 

“I wanted to tell him tonight,” you say, quietly, with your hands helplessly in your lap. “On the day of his vacation that he looked forward to.” 

Jimin sighs, the sound full of that terrible pity. “How far along are you?” 

It’s a question that brings life to your numb hands and you take them to your belly. 

“Three months.” 

A beat of silence. 

You fondle your growing baby. Jimin seems to be watching you, considering his following words, but you fear to move your eyes. Lift them in expectation to see Taehyung only to meet the half-barren trees and the leaves on the ground that have absurdly regained their vivid colors. 

Lift them to look at Jimin and meet the outcome of your autumn-long aloneness. 

“He’ll be back in a month and I’ll talk to the Sergeant and offer my own vacation. I’ll give it up so you can see him and tell him.” 

A sob lodges itself in your throat and you tilt to the side, leaning your head on Jimin’s shoulder. He, in response, leans his against yours. 

“I don’t think your Sergeant will even hear you out,” you say, humorlessly, your personal pain still prickling the flesh of your heart. 

But then Taehyung’s words wash over you. 

Jimin is cute, but he’s strong and sane enough to protect you while I’m gone.

Jimin, Taehyung’s best friend, who’s been there for him through thick and thin, long before you came into the picture. Jimin, who stuck by your side when sightseeing, and took your pictures. Who devoured dinners with you and drank a whole bottle of liquor with you when Taehyung abstained. 

Jimin, your best friend, too. 

“Will you be here for me while he’s gone?” you ask, the sob in your throat enlarging, preventing you from speaking, but you push through. “So I won't get delusional again?” 

Jimin takes your hand in his, squeezing it firmly in your lap, his thumb brushing over your little, half-swollen belly. 

“It’s the least I can do. Let’s get you home.” 

And he does. 

He calls a cab. Walks with you up the stairs, lingers at the door, watches you take off your heels—watches the comprehension of this day being anything but fun take form on your face and posture, and he hugs you. Reassures you that he will be here the whole week until his vacation is over, and even long after that. 

And you nod. Thank him. Turn your head away when he clicks the door shut behind him. Walk over to the window and stifle your tears when you see him head over to the liquor store in front of your apartment and leave with a bottle of spirits hanging from his fingertips. 

And the tears rush out, despite your efforts, when your gaze cascades down onto the windowsill and onto the vase, where white wine-doused tulips stooped in yearning for Taehyung’s touch a few hours ago. 

They aren’t stooping. They’re flaccid, dead and withered. Like the fun day you prepared.

Because Taehyung hasn’t bought any newly blooming tulips in a long while. 

𓂃 ౨ৎ LOVE-KISSED BABIES: @jjk7k , @tkslovechild , @euphoricmyth , @cinmmongirl , @ririkookiemonster , @perfectiondazesworld , @https-mei , @bangtansonyeondanue , @jungkoock , @cinmmongirl , @hoseokkie-caeks , @kam9404 , @fr0ggieth1nk , @parkinglot-nights

© 2024 hoseoksluna, all rights reserved

BACK to masterlist | read part two

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Day 1: lost pet, meet cute

Masterlist flufftober 🎃

Reblog if you liked it!

When Spencer entered his apartment, he was unpleasantly surprised by the mess he found. There was trash strewn across the floor, as if someone had kicked over the garbage can he kept next to the bookshelf. There were some clothes scattered on the floor and also sheets of paper with obvious bite marks, as if someone had chewed on them.

It was ridiculous to think that this was the work of a thief since the valuables were still in their place and there were no signs of forced entry; the window was still ajar, just as he had left it that morning.

Spencer moved cautiously through the apartment, assessing the possibility that this was due to some rodent. The building had hired an exterminator just a month ago, and he feared that the company hadn’t done a good job. He continued to wander, somewhat frustrated at the thought of having to deal with such a problem, and that was when he heard a noise coming from his bedroom, as if something had fallen to the floor.

The man walked in that direction and was even more surprised to see a lump moving beneath the sheets. If what was there was a rat, he swore to God he would buy another mattress if necessary, as he didn’t want to expose himself to the collection of germs that those animals harbored. Fearful, he set his briefcase down beside the bed to approach and discover what it was.

He was taken aback to see that what was writhing peacefully in his sheets was a long, beige little animal instead of the gray furball he had expected.

“A ferret?” he spoke to himself, immediately identifying what kind of mammal it was.

Spencer extended his hand and confirmed that it was a friendly specimen, as it climbed up to his hand to sniff him, making him laugh. While he held it in both hands and petted it, he wondered how it had managed to get into his apartment. He thought it plausible that another kind of intruder might have appeared, but ferrets were hardly common on the streets of DC, let alone sneaking into apartments.

Could it belong to a neighbor? he also thought, considering the possibility that in the morning, when he closed the door, the stowaway had slipped in.

In any case, the best option was to keep it safe until someone showed up to claim it, or, in the worst case, to ask Penelope for help in posting it on social media so that the owner could be found. He just hoped it would be sooner rather than later, as he didn’t feel capable of taking care of an animal of that kind if it proved to be as disastrous as it had shown.

The ferret was docile with him, as Spencer was able to carry it to the living room to keep a closer watch while he prepared to review the papers of a pending case. The little animal ran back and forth, climbed onto the couch, and even used one of his dirty socks as a ball to play.

He had never had pets that required so much attention because it broke his heart to know he couldn’t give them a happy life, knowing that cases sometimes kept him away for weeks in another state and it would feel extremely lonely.

For a long time, while he read here and there, he reflected on his guest. It was a pet that could be considered exotic, and he hadn’t seen one in a long time; the last time he remembered was during a visit to the zoo many years ago that wasn’t worth counting. Its color was, as he had already noticed, beige with brown: the stereotypical image of a ferret. During that reflection, he wondered what the name of the little furry creature running around his apartment was and, above all, to whom it belonged.

Fortunately, the answer didn’t take long to arrive at his door, presenting itself with three soft knocks and the image of a girl soaked in tears through the peephole.

“I’m so sorry to bother you, sir,” he heard, in a sob. It was a young girl, just a few years younger than Spencer, and looked completely desperate. “But I… uh… I’m your upstairs neighbor, and I was wondering if you happen to have seen a ferret around the buildi—Gwin!” you suddenly shouted, which was met with another shout from inside.

The mustelid immediately ran toward you, recognizing its owner, and then you bent down to grab it, happiness reflected all over your face as you showered the pet with kisses.

“Stupid little brat! Here you were. I nearly died when I didn’t see you. I don’t want you to leave the house again, or I’m going to take you to a shelter where you’ll get fleas.”

“In fact, it’s more likely that your ferret would catch fleas from coming into contact with wild animals like hedgehogs; they’re uncommon hosts if they live indoors.”

It was then that you finally noticed the man in front of you: that messy golden hair, his awkward posture, an incomplete formal suit, and a calm smile on his face. He avoided looking at you, perhaps due to nervousness from being unfamiliar with the person in front of him, and you wondered how old he was.

You had been so mesmerized by him that you didn’t realize how uncomfortable the silence had become.

“I’m Spencer, by the way,” he cleared his throat, noticing your lack of response. He thought that the random curious tidbit he had shared might have frightened you, but you smiled widely to reassure him.

“Oh, how rude of me,” you exclaimed, embarrassed. You then told him your name. “I was so excited to have found Gwin that I forgot about courtesy.”

“Is he your pet, I assume?”

“He’s a mischievous little rascal; I was terrified thinking he had escaped. I… left the window open and he went out through the fire escape. I guess that’s how he got to your apartment.”

“Oh! Yes, that’s most likely. I also forgot to close my window.”

“It’s a blessing, otherwise he would have run all over the stairs, and I don’t know where the hell he would be right now,” you expressed sadly, continuing to pamper the animal in your arms. “I’m sorry for the trouble, Mr. Spencer.”

“Just call me Spencer; otherwise, I feel old,” he complained, half-smiling. “You can’t be more than one or two years younger than me.”

“I’m in college; I just moved because I need more space,” you replied, trying to justify yourself. “Are you in college?”

“No, I work in a government agency. I was very young when I graduated”

“Are you some kind of child prodigy?”

Spencer laughed at her question.

“Something like that.”

The two of you looked at each other for a moment, smiling, trying to remember all the possible characteristics of the strange presence. It was a somewhat hypnotic moment, to a certain extent, interrupted by the pet squirming in your hands trying to climb onto your shoulder.

“I think I should go. I promise to take better care of my love; he won’t cause any more trouble.”

“It was no trouble at all. He’s very cute, in fact.”

“He’s my best friend in the world; he has kept me company since I started college, haven’t you?” you exclaimed cheerfully, kissing the animal again, who squeaked contentedly. “I always wanted pets, but I could never have them; I’m allergic to fur.”

“And ferrets are hypoallergenic animals, right?” he hastily said, wanting to impress you with this. Although, of course, you already knew that.

“What a clever man,” you replied playfully, perhaps even a bit flirtatiously. You had a pair of eyes, and your neighbor was very handsome. “Gwin, thank this good person for taking care of you.”

You brought the animal closer to him, and as if the ferret really understood, it rubbed against his cheek, causing him to laugh.

“It’s good to know you found him,” was all he replied.

You hesitated for a moment, teetering on your toes, and then let Gwin climb onto your shoulder as he usually did.

“I guess we’ll see each other around, Spencer. Goodnight, and thanks again.”

He waved goodbye with a smile on his sealed lips, and then you started down the hall.

You hoped to run into that man again, and who knows, maybe every once in a while you’d let the ferret loose to have an excuse.

[smelt-starverse]

On the Amphibia Timeskip Designs

Hi! I know I normally don't do analysis posts like these, but I got into an interesting conversation (read: infodumped hard to a couple of unsuspecting friends) about the subject on Discord earlier and I felt like it might be enjoyed by you all. Anyways, to begin...

I think the best place to start is Marcy. The thing that jumps out to me about her new design the most to me is her color scheme.

Across the board, everything is brighter and more saturated. Her dark blue coat has been swapped for a bright blue jacket, her dull green skirt has been traded for some vibrant green pants, her shirt has gone from a light gray to an off-white, and her debatably brown boots have been replaced with light brown, almost orange shoes.

Through the entire series, her hair is neat, properly combed (when not messed up by water or helmet-hair, anyways), and it's got this layer of gloss to it. It's a pretty innocuous set of details...

...but I think the picture comes together better when we compare it to her hair in the finale. It's less neat, it's messy in places, but it's not greasy anymore. It's not constrained at all, it's healthy and doing its own thing. And I think, in a way, that applies to her outfit as a whole. Throughout the "present" of Amphibia, Marcy is nearly always wearing a uniform of some kind; her school uniform, the Newtopian Night Guard uniform, the Core's greaves, it's always a look forced on her. In the finale, though, she finally gets to make her own decision on what to wear. It's casual, but it's her, emphasized by the personal touches like the pins on her jacket and the figures on her bag that expand out from little expressions of freedom on her original design. She's even got ear piercings, something typically associated with rebellion and freedom. She's finally allowed to be her own person. Not anybody else's, just... herself.

My thoughts on Sasha and Anne are a bit less in-depth, but there's definitely interesting stuff to mention regardless.

It might not seem like Sasha's changed much visually during the timeskip. Her hair is cut pretty much the same way, she still has a pink accessory on her head, she's still wearing a skirt and a jacket (like she did over her school uniform), and... I think that's intentional. It's a subtle sign that most of Sasha's growth wasn't off-screen during a ten-year time jump...

...it was during Season 3. With every redesign she got from her Barrel's Warhammer redesign onwards, her design got softer. Less spikes, more rounded edges, less rigidity. She even undid her ponytail, not holding her hair back anymore. Her reds got less area on her design, until on the timeskip look they were pretty much replaced entirely with a simple purple skirt. All that aggressiveness is gone, replaced with a comparatively soft design...

...and with the addition of a blue shirt to her color palette. It comes off as a little random, but considering her new profession as a therapist, I think a light and soft color palette featuring hues that are easy on the eyes is an important part of that. It's subtle, but I think it helps a lot.

And finally... Anne.

I find Anne's timeskip design to be the most difficult to talk about in this context, because it's mostly just a regular uniform. The green polo, beige shorts, white undershirt, and lanyard are just what she has to wear to work, and I find it a little difficult to find meaning from it... but that doesn't mean there's nothing there.

Let's get the obvious one out of the way. The leaf scrunchy is a cute way to call back to Anne's hair leaves, a pretty defining aspect of her original design dating all the way back to the first episode of the show that followed her all through her journey in Amphibia. It's a fun little way to reminisce on her past... but it's not the only part of her outfit dedicated to reminiscing.

That little blue flower band on her wrist is also easy to miss, but pretty obvious what it's referencing once you notice it.

It's most obviously a callback to the blue flower crown from earlier in the same episode, but Anne's almost always been associated with blue and flowers, with even her energy aura in her Calamity form taking the shape of blue flower petals.

But those are just simple callbacks. I think the two things that tell us the most about Anne's growth and who she is now... are these.

For her entire exodus in Amphibia, Anne's had one ragged shoe to keep her company. She wasn't ready for an adventure in the swamp. Now, she has proper rain boots, something designed to actually withstand the kind of work she does now. She's fully become comfortable with where she is and who she wants to be. And, of course, there's that little bandage on her leg. Perhaps it's a sign that she's still going out there, undergoing little adventures, taking risks and getting into trouble. Maybe it's a sign that that spirit we come to know so well over the course of the show is still alive and well... or maybe it's where she takes her estrogen shots

[sunkissedchld]

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

in astrology, the seventh house is associated with the zodiac sign libra and the planet venus. oftentimes, people only think of the 7th house in the context of marriage and other partnerships - which is fine to an extent since it is connected to those things - but when it comes to having personal planets in the 7th house, it can feel very irritating to want to know information about yourself and only ever finding out information about others or someone you haven’t even met yet. this post is an attempt to look more into the 7th house outside of its association to others and instead look into it from the lense of one’s personal introspection.

𝐒𝐔𝐍

the sun represents our life’s purpose, our sense of self, and our driving energy force. those with their sun in the seventh house may feel as if they always need to perform a balancing act in their lives. they may be careful in their thought processes and with their words when it comes to speaking to people. they may come off as relatable and charming to people, and strangers may feel comfortable telling them seemingly private information within the first few minutes of meeting them. their life’s purpose is to look at situations from a full perspective and view all sides of the field rather than being biased towards one or the other. they also aim to connect to the collective and show compassion to those who may not always receive it. showing their understanding of human nature and emotions is their forte.

𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍

the moon represents the way we understand and express our emotions. those with the moon in the seventh house may have a strong understanding of how their emotions function. they might have been the kids that found it easy to voice why they were crying or how someone hurt them. as a result of their comfortability with their emotions, it’s easy for seventh house moons to connect and empathize with others. seventh house moons may prefer to do more introspection to understand their emotions. although they understand others when they struggle with feelings, they are one of the last to openly express when they are actively struggling with their own. they may be playful when it comes to expressing the emotions they may be uncomfortable with talking about in public, so they may joke around or use self-deprecating humor sometimes.

𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐘

mercury represents the way our mind works and the way we communicate. those with mercury in the seventh house may be very diplomatic with their words. they may be careful about what they say and who they say it to. they may do a lot more active thinking about their words and way of thinking than they let on. everything they say has meaning and is intentional to their speech. they may be very particular about grammar! they may not have just one way of learning but instead do well when having a mix of tactics. for example, instead of learning well through just music, seventh house mercuries may learn well through music and repetition. seventh house mercuries are very well-versed in their communication.

𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐒

venus deals with our values and how we express our love and fashion aesthetic. those with venus in the seventh house value balance and harmony when it comes to human connection. they want everyone to get along and have the desire for a more rosy view of the world where everyone is nice and all things and people are treated equally. for love, it may be hard to feel “loved” by those with venus in the seventh house because it may feel as if they treat everyone the same. sure, they might kiss or spend more time with their significant other, but they may come off as being flirty with everyone because of their charming nature. when it comes to fashion, they may prefer more neutral tones like black, beige, gray, brown, or other related colors. they dress for whatever occasion is specified but may prefer to have a “clean” look overall.

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐒

mars represents our actions and willpower. it also tells us about our physical and mental strength and what we desire. those with mars in the seventh house may be a little indecisive at times, but once they’ve finally made their mind up (or someone else has done it for them) they give their all to their given task. seventh house mars willpower reminds me of aries in that there’s a strong dedication, but their dedication is out of genuine passion or wanting to do good instead of to prove a point or just out of competitive nature. those with mars in the seventh house may find it easy to gain muscle when making an effort and also may have good mental fortitude when making the decision to stay positive. seventh house mars may find it easy to fall into self-fulfilling prophecy (good or bad). additionally, those with seventh house mars desire a type of stability and peace. they may be more sentimental when it comes to their desires and actions than they let on.

𝐉𝐔𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑

jupiter details what we believe in and how we grow and expand our minds. those with jupiter in the seventh house believe in a diplomatic way of living where everyone and everything is harmonious and equal. they may be a little gullible because they may see the good in everyone or everything, despite that not necessarily being true. they grow through being willing to listen to every perspective, even if they disagree. their intent is to try and understand where people are coming from, and that is how they gain knowledge and expand their way of thinking. also, those with jupiter in the seventh house remind me of people with mercury in the seventh house in that they both may be really good at persuading others because of the seventh house placement with those specific planets. 

𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍

saturn represents our boundaries, limitations, and what we need to gain responsibility for. those with saturn in the seventh house may be chronically indecisive. they may prefer when people tell them what to do versus making decisions themselves. also, they may find it debilitating being alone. they may insert themselves into everyone’s business in a way but only because they don’t want to be alone with themselves. those with saturn in the seventh house need to gain responsibility for their own true thoughts and feelings. they can’t keep looking to others to find their own answers if that makes sense. there is also definitely a need to be open with someone - likely a potential future spouse or significant other. there’s a responsibility to seventh house saturn’s self to learn how to be vulnerable with other people and with themselves.

𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐒

uranus tells us how and when we rebel and where we are innovative. those with uranus in the seventh house may rebel when it comes to traditional relationships. they may be open to polyamory, or they may be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. they may not like the idea of having societal contracts; they may possibly be interested in or agree with ideologies like anarchism. they may also like untraditional hierarchical structures in relationships, the workplace, government, etc. those with seventh house uranus want to push the boundaries of societal relationships and make an effort to bring people of various walks of life together.

𝐍𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐄

neptune details our dreams and imagination and where we want to find freedom from societal limitations. those with neptune in the seventh house may have vivid or (moreso) grandiose dreams. for example, if they have a dream about a school they once went to, the replication of the school in their dream will be pretty exact even if it’s been decades since they last saw it in person. their dreams may feel so realistic that it’s hard for them to recognize if they have woken up or not, or it may be hard to decipher whether a memory happened in real life or was a dream. also, they may dream of outside landscapes often - like vast forests or gardens. there’s a sense of wanting realistic people and scenery in their dreams but wanting to up the grandness of real life in their dreams if that makes sense. additionally, they may find themselves communicating with their friends, family, and future spouse through dreams.

𝐏𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐎

pluto deals with where and how we transform. it also tells of how we confront our fears. those with pluto in the seventh house ultimately transform when it comes to how they understand relationships with themselves and others. they will eventually learn to have more independence and self-trust rather than being overly reliant on others. they will learn to be comfortable with being alone. additionally, they transform through meeting with other people. i’m reminded of the saying that “everything comes and goes for a reason”; there may be people in seventh house pluto’s lives that they feel are so important that they can’t live without that they eventually lose or stop talking to. it’s through these building and loss of relationships that they eventually confront their fears of being alone. through this, they learn to lean on themselves and feel comfortable in their own silence.

[followmybadreligion]

"Je te laisserai des mot"

a valentine’s day date with your sweet, sweet boyfriend.

“Hyunjin, come here.” You called as you dusted your hands free of the white, cakey flour that’d made a thin coat over them. Your voice bounced off the tall walls of your apartment and played back in your head like a loud, jarring record that disturbed the once quiet, peaceful atmosphere, and you immediately regret not just going to get him. 

In front of you sat a large bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough, which you’d spent the better half of the morning preparing– from scratch. On the side of that lay two pink, heart-shaped baking trays, one for you and one for him. You’d already coated them in butter (The only non-stick agent you had) and sprinkled a thin layer of brown sugar across them, and now all that was left for you to do was preheat the oven.

“Three seventy-five,” you whispered to yourself, spinning away from your work to assess the settings on your oven. It was brand new, much like the rest of the place, but the controls were easy enough to work with the typical dials traded for a sleek screen. You tapped it once and waited for it to illuminate before pressing the “Bake” option promoted on its right side and setting it properly. 

A small smile spread across your lips as you looked at the cute, white fixture nestled among brown cabinets with tops of beige wood. Its once-dark interior lit up with an orange hue, courtesy of the heating panel built into the bottom, and you could just barely feel the heat begin to radiate from it. Just a few minutes before you’d be able to get your treats in there and baking— that was if Hyun were to hurry. 

You moved over a few feet to an empty counter space, lifting yourself onto it and crossing your legs over one another as you waited. The wood was warm underneath your exposed thighs, pressing into you firmly enough to leave marks for sure. You giggled as you thought of his reaction to seeing you like this. More than likely, he’d be a little surprised at the sight— you, in his Dear Daniel tee, your panties and socks, and virtually nothing else, lightly dusted with flour and sugar— it’d be a trip for sure. But knowing him, he’d love it. He always loved seeing you in his clothes, and he loved seeing you work on your hobbies even more. 

From your spot on the counter, you had the perfect view from one of the living room windows to the incoming sunrise. The sky swirled with beautiful shades of orange and pink, contrasted with the masses of gray and yellow underneath it. Skyscrapers, hoards of cars, lively apartment units— all of it did little to dull the beauty of the new day, and you took a few minutes to bask in it. 

You could faintly make out the sound of beeping, rushing cars, even from how high up your flat was, but somehow that only added to the ambiance— warmth enveloping you at all sides, a show of such pretty colors, and the sound of what felt the most like home— Seoul. 

But oh, this moment would be so much better with your boy. 

You sighed deeply, realizing it’d been a good few minutes since you’d called his name and he still hadn’t answered. You turned towards the oven again, catching sight of the pink, square-shaped clock resting above it on the spice rack. It read 6:34, which was no surprise to you with the sunrise and all. What was a surprise, however, was that Hyunjin still wasn’t up. Normally, he’d already be at the window with his sketch pad, drawing whatever subject had come to mind (It was almost always you) while he sipped away on his coffee or tea of the morning. 

You pushed yourself to the edge of the counter, allowing yourself to slide over the edge and onto your feet before you took off towards the stairs of your loft. The railing– a black, thin fixture– was crisp and loud under your touch, prompting you to let go of it as you climbed the remainder of the stairs. You wanted to wake him as softly and sweetly as possible, especially today. 

A soft smile adorned your lips as you approached your bedroom, eyes locking on the adorable sight that was your boyfriend. He was sprawled out over the bed, arms clutching your pillow to his chest in his sleep. His face rested on your other one, buried under a mess of long, dark hair, but from what you could make out— his pink, swollen lips and red, flushed cheeks— he was sleeping peacefully. Several large windows fixed across the space poured in more of that golden hue, making him seem even more angelic than he was, and for a moment, you just wished you could draw as well as him. 

“Honey,” you called, this time a lot softer as you approached his resting figure. He hummed softly in response, but his eyes still didn’t open. 

Crawling into bed next to him, you grabbed the pillow he clung to and pulled it away to catch his attention. He whined at your antics, stirring more as he reached for something else to hold. 

“You gotta wake up now.” You said through a smile of pure admiration. He looked so cute to you like this, and there was little you could do to stop your hands from coming up and fanning through his pretty locks. You started at the front, lightly combing away the strands that obscured his pretty face— a face sculpted by some Greek god whom you’d thank every day for the rest of your life. Then, you brought your hands back to gently fluff up the rest of his mane, giggling at how he whined more under your touch. 

“I have a surprise for you.”

He blew out a deep breath, eyes clamping shut for a few seconds as he struggled to wake up fully. After a few more moments of silence, his eyes opened in a squint, dark brown irises magnified by light tears. He didn’t speak and opened his mouth in a wide “O” shape, letting out a soft yawn that only made your heart grow softer.

“What surprise?” he whispered, hands coming up to wipe the sleep out of his face. 

“You’ll have to come with me to see.” You whispered back, beginning to raise yourself from the bed. 

His touch against your thigh immediately halted your actions, the warm sensation sending a small jolt of electricity up your body. It was jarring— the feeling of his hand squeezing into you— but it was also incredibly welcomed, and you immediately allowed yourself to sink back into the plush surface beneath you. 

“Wait,” his voice was soft but raspy, still stale from the lack of use overnight, “Will you lay here with me for a few more seconds, please?” 

“Baby, I-” but before you could finish your sentence, he was pulling you into his bare, broad chest and laying back down with you. 

“Just a few more minutes.” 

-

You weren’t sure how long you spent nestled in Hyunjin’s arms before you realized you’d still had that oven on. While the boy rested peacefully above you, you slid out of his grasp as swiftly as possible, as you knew he’d only pull you back if he were to wake. 

Then, you were back downstairs, without your boy, right at square one. 

You sighed as you glanced around at the setting you’d created for the two of you: mugs of hot chocolate (That’d long gone cold) with heart-shaped marshmallows floating in it, festive cookware, pink and white candles, your Polaroid loaded with red and white film; a cute baking date for the two of you to bring in Valentine’s day, and yet you couldn’t get him down here. 

Sunrise had long since passed, and now, a pale, white light poured into your kitchen, adding a lighter feel to the scene you’d set. It still looked just as pretty to you, even though you hadn’t envisioned it like this, and you were itching for Hyunjin to see it as well. 

You racked your brain for what to do, contemplating going up and trying to get him a second time before your eyes ghosted over the light pink vinyl player you’d set up when you were decorating. You immediately walked over to it, looking through the few records you sat out. Most were by Lana Del Rey, a guilty pleasure of Hyunjin’s, though he never seemed too guilty. The only one that was different was one with a brown and beige cover, depicting a man and woman who you could only assume were from the Victorian age. The man was on his knees, facing away from an unknown woman who used his capped head as an armrest or a leaning post. The image of the two was encased by dark, interlinking tiles, snaking from one end of the vinyl to the other, leaving a space at the bottom where you’d penned in a simple titled: “Je te laisserai des mot.” 

After lifting the needle, you slid the vinyl from its casing and delicately placed it on the player, taking a second to wipe away any dust that’d settled on it. Then, you dropped the needle to its proper position, lifted the volume slider to its maximum setting, and pressed play. 

The melodic humming of a man filled your mind immediately, accompanied by the few keys of a piano. The feeling fluttering through your heart was hard to explain; it was lovely, like a mix of bliss and happiness that possessed you as you melted into the chords, but there was also a sense of pain and longing etched into it.  

Your eyes clamped shut as the song forged on, his humming growing quiet as a symphony of strings and piano overtook him. When you first saw the record, you thought that perhaps you’d left it out by mistake. You’d always found it to be a particularly romantic song, and it did remind you of Hyun, but part of you felt as if it were too sad to play at a moment like this. However, now you could see why you’d chosen to leave it out. 

When you listened to it, moments that you and he had shared flashed through your mind like pretty scenes from a movie: driving in the rain with your hands intertwined, slow dancing in the living room as the city lights shined on you, staring at each other until you both got shy and laughed the feeling away: all those beautiful things that the two of you had done moving by like a montage. But you didn’t want the moment you two were about to share to be a part of that; you wanted it to be the scene itself. 

Just as the symphony faded and the man’s voice bled back in, you began to hear shuffling from upstairs, which snapped you from your sudden idleness. 

You turned to the two mugs of cocoa and put them into the microwave to heat for a few minutes, excitement coursing through you. 

The song continued to lull in the background, the man’s words echoing through your head. 

Je te laisserai des mot 

“I will leave you with notes,” you translated out in your head. You didn’t speak French, no, but you’d listened to the song so often that you made it a point to look up translations of the lyrics, and you now knew just about everything he sang by heart. 

En-dessous de ta porte 

“Underneath your door.”

En-dessous de les murs qui chantent 

“Underneath the singing walls.” 

You began to sing along with the lyrics lowly, admiring the way your voice seemed to blend in with the silkiness of the singers. At the same time, you could hear how Hyunjin shuffled out of bed, taking a few seconds before he walked towards the stairs. He paused at the top of the case for a few beats, almost as if to get a better listen, before hurriedly skipping down them two steps at a time. 

You looked his way, smile gleaming as you took note of his disheveled state. Despite your smoothing earlier, his hair was back to being a mess, some of it making a curtain over his eyes while the rest swooped and curled about. He still wasn’t wearing a shirt, and the several love bites you’d given him the night before were very visible, making your cheeks heat a bit. The most amusing part of it all, though, was the boy’s face. Even with his tired appearance, his eyes were wide with shock and excitement, and his lips formed a small circle as he analyzed the kitchen for himself. 

“You did all of this, baby?” He finally quipped after a few seconds of staring. You couldn’t suppress your giggle as you moved to stop the microwave, gently grabbing the handles of the mugs and placing them on the counter. 

“Of course I did.” You replied, walking towards him. “Happy Valentine’s Day, my boy.” 

A soft smile spread across his face at your words, and he began to walk towards you, meeting you in the middle and wrapping you up in his arms without a second thought. You could feel how fast his heart was beating against you, the beat so clear with your head against his chest. Even after dating for so long, being that close to you never failed to make him nervous. 

“I love you.” He whispered, breaking the brief silence that’d settled between you. His hands squeezed your waist tighter at his statement, and you could feel how bated his breath was as the words left his mouth– almost like he was scared. 

You paused for a second, giving yourself the time to pour over his words. He’d told you that so many times. So, so many times, yet it caught you by surprise each one. 

You pulled back for a second and ran your hands down from his neck to his bare chest, allowing them to rest there as you looked up at him.

The song still hummed in the background, a soft, melodic humming drifting through the air as the two of you gazed upon each other. You fought against yourself, wanting nothing more but to press your lips against his and pour as much of your love into as him could, but you knew that you couldn’t. He knew what it felt like. He needed to hear it now. 

“Hyunjin,” you started, watching as his eyes widened a bit as he became more eager to hear what you’d say, “there aren’t words strong enough to describe the way I feel about you.” 

“I mean…I need you.” You continued, tilting your head slightly as you moved your hands up to play in his hair. His eyes blinked closed a few times at the sensation of your fingers against his scalp, causing you to giggle a bit, before he diverted his attention back towards you. 

“I adore you.” A blissful smile crossed his face at that, eyes crinkling at the sides. 

You inched your face closer to his, standing up on your tippy toes in an effort to level with him more. 

“I love you, baby.” You finally whispered, voice as smooth as honey. “I love you so much.” 

And with that, your lips were against his. 

-

“What’d you write on yours?” You questioned, looking over only for him to shield his pan with his arm. 

“Not yet!” He exclaimed, lowering his face closer to his work as he moved the piping bag along as slowly and carefully as he could. 

“Hyunjin…” you whined, tapping his arm slightly to his panic. You’d long been done with decorating and were now standing off to the side, sipping on your second mug of hot cocoa of the morning. 

You knew how particular Hyun was when it came to his art, and it was always something that you admired, but it was killing you that he was being so secretive, especially because you hadn’t expected him to take it that seriously. It was food coloring and frosting after all. Not oil canvases and watercolors. What was taking him so long? 

You shifted away for a second towards the record player again, noticing how Lana’s dreamy voice had faded out and the record was starting from the beginning once again. You flicked the pause button and lifted the needle, bringing your finger down onto the vinyl and letting it scape against its surface as it came to a stop. 

“Do me a favor, please.” Hyunjin pipped up. 

You paused, looking back at him as you waited for him to continue.

“Play our song.” This time he looked back, piping bag in hand as he met your gaze. 

You threw him a soft smile before you turned back, putting the first vinyl away and grabbing the all-too-familiar beige cover. 

For the fourth time that morning, you loaded it onto the player and began to play it, humming softly as you did so. Hyunjin joined in, voice softer than yours, but still there. He always did that when you sang– joined in with you, softly enough to hear you, but loud enough to let you know he was there. 

Just as the man’s voice began to fade in, Hyunjin broke away from the song, and whispered a simple, “Come here, baby.” 

You did as he asked, sitting your mug down on the counter in front of you and turning to approach him. You rested your head against his shoulder, one arm draping across his shoulder as you peered down at the pink, heart-shaped pan that rested right next to yours. 

In his, lay a heart-shaped cookie cake, covered from top to bottom in light brown frosting. It was perfectly smooth, not a single dip or line in its foundation, and you just knew that Hyunjin had gone over it time and time again to make sure of that. Around the edges of the cookie were white, interwebbing vines that crawled up the sides and stopped just shy of the upper edge. The most captivating part, however, was the top that was particularly bare, away from thirteen, white cursive words. 

“I will always leave you notes if you will always pick them up.”

Je te laisserai des mot.

A/N: Hey y'all! This was meant to come out on Valentine's Day (I'm a day late and a dollar short, I know🥲) but I've been swamped and had to push it back. Still, I hope you guys enjoy having a late V-day with this sweet boy. Thanks for reading! -M'k <3

[sunkissedchldrecon]

𝐈 𝐀𝐦 𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 & 𝐍𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐬𝐞

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊��� 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝟕𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆?

the seventh house in a birth chart is associated with the zodiac sign libra and the planet venus. oftentimes, people only think of the 7th house in the context of marriage and other partnerships - which is somewhat fine! but when it comes to having personal planets in the 7th house, it can feel very irritating to want to know information about yourself and only ever finding out information about others or someone you haven't even met yet. this post is an attempt to look more into the 7th house outside of its association to others and instead look into it from the lense of one's personal introspection.

𝐒𝐔𝐍

the sun represents our life's purpose, our sense of self, and our driving energy force. those with their sun in the seventh house may feel as if they always need to perform a balancing act in their lives. they may be careful in their thought processes and with their words when it comes to speaking to people. they may come off as relatable and charming to people, and strangers may feel comfortable telling them seemingly private information within the first few minutes of meeting them. their life's purpose is to look at situations from a full perspective and view all sides of the field rather than being biased towards one or the other. they also aim to connect to the collective and show compassion to those who may not always receive it. showing their understanding of human nature and emotions is their forte.

𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍

the moon represents the way we understand and express our emotions. those with the moon in the seventh house may have a strong understanding of how their emotions function. they might have been the kids that found it easy to voice why they were crying or how someone hurt them. as a result of their comfortability with their emotions, it's easy for seventh house moons to connect and empathize with others. seventh house moons may prefer to do more introspection to understand their emotions. although they understand others when they struggle with feelings, they are one of the last to openly express when they are actively struggling with their own. they may be playful when it comes to expressing the emotions they may be uncomfortable with talking about in public, so they may joke around or use self-deprecating humor sometimes.

𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐘

mercury represents the way our mind works and the way we communicate. those with mercury in the seventh house may be very diplomatic with their words. they may be careful about what they say and who they say it to. they may do a lot more active thinking about their words and way of thinking than they let on. everything they say has meaning and is intentional to their speech. they may be very particular about grammar! they may not have just one way of learning but instead do well when having a mix of tactics. for example, instead of learning well through just music, seventh house mercuries may learn well through music and repetition. seventh house mercuries are very well-versed in their communication.

𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐒

venus deals with our values and how we express our love and fashion aesthetic. those with venus in the seventh house value balance and harmony when it comes to human connection. they want everyone to get along and have the desire for a more rosy view of the world where everyone is nice and all things and people are treated equally. for love, it may be hard to feel "loved" by those with venus in the seventh house because it may feel as if they treat everyone the same. sure, they might kiss or spend more time with their significant other, but they may come off as being flirty with everyone because of their charming nature. when it comes to fashion, they may prefer more neutral tones like black, beige, gray, brown, or other related colors. they dress for whatever occasion is specified but may prefer to have a "clean" look overall.

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐒

mars represents our actions and willpower. it also tells us about our physical and mental strength and what we desire. those with mars in the seventh house may be a little indecisive at times, but once they've finally made their mind up (or someone else has done it for them) they give their all to their given task. seventh house mars willpower reminds me of aries in that there's a strong dedication, but their dedication is out of genuine passion or wanting to do good instead of to prove a point or just out of competitive nature. those with mars in the seventh house may find it easy to gain muscle when making an effort and also may have good mental fortitude when making the decision to stay positive. seventh house mars may find it easy to fall into self-fulfilling prophecy (good or bad). additionally, those with seventh house mars desire a type of stability and peace. they may be more sentimental when it comes to their desires and actions than they let on.

𝐉𝐔𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑

jupiter details what we believe in and how we grow and expand our minds. those with jupiter in the seventh house believe in a diplomatic way of living where everyone and everything is harmonious and equal. they may be a little gullible because they may see the good in everyone or everything, despite that not necessarily being true. they grow through being willing to listen to every perspective, even if they disagree. their intent is to try and understand where people are coming from, and that is how they gain knowledge and expand their way of thinking. also, those with jupiter in the seventh house remind me of people with mercury in the seventh house in that they both may be really good at persuading others because of the seventh house placement with those specific planets. 

𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍

saturn represents our boundaries, limitations, and what we need to gain responsibility for. those with saturn in the seventh house may be chronically indecisive. they may prefer when people tell them what to do versus making decisions themselves. also, they may find it debilitating being alone. they may insert themselves into everyone's business in a way but only because they don't want to be alone with themselves. those with saturn in the seventh house need to gain responsibility for their own true thoughts and feelings. they can't keep looking to others to find their own answers if that makes sense. there is also definitely a need to be open with someone - likely a potential future spouse or significant other. there's a responsibility to seventh house saturn's self to learn how to be vulnerable with other people and with themselves.

𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐒

uranus tells us how and when we rebel and where we are innovative. those with uranus in the seventh house may rebel when it comes to traditional relationships. they may be open to polyamory, or they may be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. they may not like the idea of having societal contracts; they may possibly be interested in or agree with ideologies like anarchism. they may also like untraditional hierarchical structures in relationships, the workplace, government, etc. those with seventh house uranus want to push the boundaries of societal relationships.

𝐍𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐄

neptune details our dreams and imagination and where we want to find freedom from societal limitations. those with neptune in the seventh house may have vivid or (moreso) grandiose dreams. for example, if they have a dream about a school they once went to, the replication of the school in their dream will be pretty exact even if it's been decades since they last saw it in person. their dreams may feel so realistic that it's hard for them to recognize if they have woken up or not, or it may be hard to decipher whether a memory happened in real life or was a dream. also, they may dream of outside landscapes often - like vast forests or gardens. there's a sense of wanting realistic people and scenery in their dreams but wanting to up the grandness of real life in their dreams if that makes sense. additionally, they may find themselves communicating with their friends, family, and future spouse through dreams.

𝐏𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐎

pluto deals with where and how we transform. it also tells of how we confront our fears. those with pluto in the seventh house ultimately transform when it comes to how they understand relationships with themselves and others. they will eventually learn to have more independence and self-trust rather than being overly reliant on others. they will learn to be comfortable with being alone. additionally, they transform through meeting with other people. i'm reminded of the saying that "everything comes and goes for a reason"; there may be people in seventh house pluto's lives that they feel are so important that they can't live without that they eventually lose or stop talking to. it's through these building and loss of relationships that they eventually confront their fears of being alone. through this, they learn to lean on themselves and feel comfortable in their own silence.

[bitbugbites-re]

𝙿𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚛 𝙵𝚊𝚌𝚎 | 𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔬𝔰 𝔬𝔩𝔦𝔳𝔢𝔦𝔯𝔞 𝔵 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯

Game nights are fun. Especially so when you mix "Sex Chocolates" and Go Fish.

a03 link

word count: ~2.7k

gender: fem! reader

cw: NSFW, FLUFF // aphrodisiacs, kissing, neck kissing, foreplay, vaginal sex, no use of y/n, reader-insert, sex chocolates??? not even finishing a game of go fish smh

a/n: do my author notes boost my aura. be honest guys

p.s. -- if you’re only interested in the smut, you can scroll down until you reach the thin black bar lololol

“Is this elephant blue?” the man beside you questioned, his slimy facemask beginning to lift at the edges that covered his stubble-coated jaw. 

Raising a brow, you glanced at the card he was observing, as you began pressing your hand to the wet, papery skincare sheet that rested on his face. The card, indeed, had an image of a baby-blue elephant on it, drawn in a simplified, cutesy manner–not to mention, it was accompanied by an ‘s,’ and the word elephant in all lowercase. You patted his face once more, ensuring the facemask was placed smoothly onto his warm skin, and then answered his question.

“Yeah, it looks pretty blue to me. Why?”

Pressing his lips into a fine line, he shook his head, a loose strand of hair untucking itself from one of the millions of barrettes placed in his hair. They ranged from a million different colors, to a million different decals, to a million different sizes. His favorites, he claimed, were the red chili peppers–because they were, as he claims, “hot and spicy,” like him.

“Have you ever seen a blue elephant?” he asked, his tone sardonic. “I mean, really–what is with this blue elephant propaganda? They’re gray. Or brown–either or.”

Looking over at him, you stifled a laugh and simply smiled. “I didn’t know this was something you were so passionate about, Carlos.”

Chuckling under his breath, he turned to face you, grinning. “Oh yeah, I’m real serious about this stuff. I mean, what are they teaching the children, y’know? That elephants are blue? It’s just not right.”

Rolling your eyes, you slapped his shoulder softly. The card he was holding was part of a children’s Go Fish Alphabet card pack, one which you asked him to pick up on his way home from work–Well, sort of. You hadn’t asked him to get an alphabet set of cards meant for teaching toddlers letters and animals, but cards were cards. You suppose.

“So we’re playing Go Fish tonight?” you asked, switching your sitting position, your legs brushing against the scratchy, beige carpet. 

“Not unless you know how to play poker or blackjack with these things,” he said, his tone lighthearted as he began shuffling the deck. 

“Ha, ha,” you exclaimed, your voice filled with sarcasm. “What would we bet, anyways? I don’t know how I feel forking up my cash to a guy who uses his money on Go Fish Alphabet cards.”

Whipping his head towards you, he feigned a hurt expression. “How could you say that? These are precious cards my wonderful girlfriend asked me to get. It was money well spent.”

Laughing, you reached over for the flimsy bowl of popcorn, aching for a handful–or two, or three–of the hot, buttery snack. You threw a singular popcorn at Carlos, watching him scramble for it unsuccessfully. It fell to the distant floor, to which, he quickly retrieved it and stuffed it in his mouth anyways.

“Eeeeewwww,” you teased, scrunching your face at him. He only scooted closer to you, using his thick arm to close the distance as he lifted his body that lay sideways. 

“Give me a kiss, pretty girl.” 

You faked a scream before getting up and attempting to run. He was quicker than you, though, and before you could make it out of your room, he had his arms wrapped tight around your waist, the scent of his skincare sheet wafting from behind. You felt him shift and interlock his fingers, pressing his hands against your stomach, pulling you into him as his head lowered to your neck, pressing kisses to it softly. 

You flinched from the drastic temperature change of his facemask meeting your skin, and started to wack his arm with haste. “Cold, cold, cold–” you repeated, sucking air in through your teeth.

He quickly pulled back, removing the skincare sheet and balling it up in his fist, before quickly shooting it toward the trashcan. Surprisingly, he didn’t miss.

You felt him untwine his fingers, his dominant hand rising to his face, only to do a singular swipe from his forehead-down to wipe the moisture off, before wiping it on his pants and returning his hand to where it was originally placed. You quietly murmured to him that it ruins the point if he touches his face after the mask, but when you felt his lips pin against your neck again, you lost all resolve to criticize his boyish actions.

“I got something else for us,” he mumbled, his voice low as well as without much focus on his actual speech; he continued working on your neck, and without a doubt, you felt a growth press against your backside. 

Your cheeks felt warm, and it was starting to get difficult to hold your eyes open, his touch feeling like a massage. “Hmm?” you mumbled, feeling him slowly drag a hand from your stomach, to your waist, to his pocket. 

He pulled out what sounded like a wrapper, and when he held it out in front of you, you saw that it was a candy labeled ‘Sex Chocolates,’ with bold, red lipstick stain decals over black packaging.

You blinked a couple of times, rereading the name, mostly unsure why the company would straight up name–what you assumed was a brand of herbal aphrodisiac chocolates–quite literally, ‘Sex Chocolates.’ It would be like if a toilet company named themselves, ‘Toilet.’ 

Just toilet.

You shrugged away the thought upon hearing Carlos speak, which you had no doubt was to clarify just what he was holding. Not that it needed much introduction.

“I was thinking,” he paused, moving his hand to raise your palm and place the candy in it, “we could each have one of these before playing our game. First one who caves, loses.”

Smirking, you began unwrapping the chocolate in your hand. 

This was going to be a piece of cake.

It was not a piece of cake. 

You were now sitting there, your heart feeling like it was about to burst out from your chest, while Carlos was sitting happily surrounded by the millions of barrettes he removed from his hair, analyzing the few cards left in his hand. “Got a lowercase ‘s,’ for squirrel?”

You shook your head, but to be honest, you didn’t give a single damn any longer about this game or his all-lowercase squirrel. You weren’t sure if those chocolates were really what they advertised or if they were just a placebo, but something was happening to you, that was for sure.

Maybe you had tricked yourself into thinking that they really do work, and as a result, they did–but no matter, because you had already caught yourself eyeing up Carlos like he was meat on a stick, multiple times.

At first, it was his arms that stuck out to you. The way his veins protruded, how his muscles flexed as he messed with his cards. You imagined how every single hair on his arm would feel as you ran your hand up it, and how your palm would follow the curves of his firm forearm, to his thick upper arm, to his broad shoulder. 

Next, it was his brows, strangely enough. You liked the way they moved, the way they would crease along with his forehead, how they showed every single emotion or thought that he had–how he had no poker face.

And now, it was his stomach. The way you could see a sliver of it due to his shirt being raised slightly, his untamed happy trail exposed so innocently. How around, only a mere centimeter, the band of his briefs peeked out. And god, not to mention, how you could see a bit of one of his v lines. 

Yup. You were done for.

Biting the inside of your cheek, you’re suddenly snapped out of your thoughts by the growing smirk on Carlos’ face. “Having trouble focusing, Pipsqueak? There’s no shame in calling it quits.”

“I’m good,” you stated, despite the horrible urge to squirm into his lap and beg for him to leave his mark over every single spot on your body.

You wanted his tongue everywhere. In your mouth, fighting for dominance; on your breasts, teasing you along with his teeth; on the palm of your hand, trailing to the veins on your wrist; and on your–

“Shit, it’s really getting to ‘ya, isn’t it?”

Your eyes met Carlos’ once again, and you watched as he inched closer to you, his face now mere inches away from yours. 

“Whenever you’re ready,” he said, his voice low and sultry, barely above a whisper. “I’m yours.”

Within seconds, your lips crashed into his. The fact that this meant that you would lose the game was the absolute last thing on your mind right now, while the first thing, was everything you wanted Carlos to do to you–what you wanted to do to him.

As his velvety lips accepted your desperate ones, you pictured the two of you in every and any way imaginable. Missionary, in the bed, with your head trapped between one of his king-sized arms and his domineering head in the crook of your neck, panting with each thrust. On his face, with fistfuls of his black hair between your fingers and your beating clit brushing against the breath from his nose, begging you to cum. Cowgirl, on the floor, with your palms resting on his dense collarbones and his throbbing cock deep within your core.

Just to name a few.

You felt his facial hair rub against your cheeks, before suddenly, Carlos had you pinned by the arms to the floor. He then rose to his knees, hovering over you, looking at you through his bottom lashes with a lustful expression. Taking in a sharp inhale, he tilted his head and smiled smugly.

“I win.”

You simply stared up at him, your breathing quick, unable to contend his statement. You assumed he would gloat a little more, but surprisingly, he ended up helping you up fairly quickly. Once he did, he led you to the nearby bed, pulling you onto his lap–it didn’t take long at all for you to start grinding on one of his thighs, your head buried in between his neck and shoulder. You were so desperate for him, that you felt a little like a pervert as you rubbed yourself off, the musky scent of his skin being the only thing that filled your nostrils. 

“Calm down, Girl,” he said, softly placing his arm on your waist, holding you to him. His voice was light, and it sounded like he was genuinely starting to get concerned. “You are okay, right?”

Nodding your head into his shoulder, you let out a whimper as you found your sweet spot, dragging your hips slowly, back and forth atop his leg. In response, Carlos flexed the muscle within his thigh, pressing it up slightly, so that more pressure was provided. This time, you let out a gasp, and reached your hand up to the collar of Carlos’ shirt, gripping it as if you were holding on for dear life.

Fuck, you wanted him so bad.

“Carlos,” you breathed out, “I need you.”

Within an instant, Carlos had you on the bed, flipped on your back, with his knee pressed to your heat. He kept it there, letting you continue massaging yourself on him, as he pulled his shirt over his head with both arms. Mesmerized, you watched as his abs stiffened and relaxed with each move.

Next, he shuffled his pants and briefs down to his mid-thigh, sighing as his hard cock was released from its confines. After he did that, he removed his knee from between your legs, earning a whine from you, before then pulling your shorts and underwear down for you. Once they were completely off, he returned the two of you to your original positions, where he sat on the edge of the bed, and you sat facing toward him on his lap. His hand moved down south, softly caressing the side of your thigh, before eventually pushing between your folds and inserting a finger slowly. 

“Woah, you’re soaking,” he exclaimed, shocked by how wet you were already. Instead of gawking at this discovery, he simply inserted a second finger and continued trying to help relax the muscles in your core. It didn’t take much longer for the two of you to feel ready for the next step, to which Carlos slid his slick, thickset fingers out of your core. 

You raised your hips as he stroked himself slowly, positioning the head of his cock so that it aligned to the entrance of your heat. And then, you got exactly what you wanted.

He helped you lower yourself down onto him, and with ease, his manhood sunk deep inside you. Surprisingly, he was more vocal than you. With a couple of groans, he threw his head back, one of his hands positioned behind him, while the other held onto you tight. “Fuck, Babygirl, you feel so good.”

You began to move, slowly raising and dropping your hips, taking him in, then out, in, then out, over and over again. As the pattern continued, you deviated by wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him. He reciprocated, and the two of you focused on your interlocked lips for a while, until eventually, he pulled back, moving one of his hands to caress your cheek. With hooded eyes, he moved his thumb over your lips, rubbing them gingerly. 

“Show me your tongue,” he instructed, leaving his thumb to rest on your bottom lip as you opened your mouth, following what he commanded. “That’s a good girl.”

Carlos moved the tip of his thumb to rest on your tongue, letting you suck on it gently as you continued to ride atop him, his eyes greedily watching you use him how you liked. 

You continued like that for a while longer, until soon enough, he moved his wet thumb from your mouth to your clit, and began to rub in constant, circular motions. A warm pit began to grow in your stomach, and within no time, you were tightening around his cock, on the verge of cumming. 

“Cum for me pretty girl,” he said, his voice strained as he was beginning to lose himself as well. “I’m not going to last much longer, and–I want you to cum first,” he groaned, having to slow his pace and flex his lower half. He was holding back an orgasm. 

Listening to his words, you moved your head to the crook of his neck, and shut your eyes as you focused on his thumb circling your clit. You came quickly, and as you did, Carlos filled your ears with plenty of praises and compliments–for being so good, and for being so patient.

Once you had finished, it was his turn. He let you collect yourself for a minute before leaning back, placing his hands on your hips, and thrusting wildly into you, as if he had lost all of the control he had previously.

“Fucking, god,” he groaned, the bed shaking wildly as he continuously ravaged you. You watched him as he got close, the way his throat strained, the way he panted and cussed, the way his entire face was scrunched. Not long after, you heard him let out a loud whine, his cock twitching and throbbing as his thick cum poured out into you in warm loads. 

It took a minute for him to catch his breath and pull out, but when he did, you felt his cum start to slowly drip out of your core, coating all over his cock. He didn’t even seem to notice.

Still trying to catch your breath, you glanced at Carlos, wondering how he was faring. He seemed more exhausted than you despite the chocolate affecting you more, and that resulted in a laugh from you.

Confused, Carlos looked up at you. “What? What’s funny?”

You continued to giggle, laying your head on his chest, and cuddling into his sweat-stricken body.

“Maybe you do have a poker face, after all.”

[ashintheairlikesnow]

She Wasn't Sure She Believed Herself

Bleeding in Moonlight: Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four |

CW: Werewolf whumpee, escaped whumpee with caretakers, referenced abuse, dehumanization by captors, and captivity

-

Anaya swayed lightly as she made her way up the steps. The front door to Vanessa’s house was painted the same deep shade of blue as the underside of the porch ceiling.

Between that and the fact that the porch was painted a flat and blinding white, Anaya felt a little like she was standing upside down in the ocean, a wave breaking beneath her and the depths of the ocean over her head. 

It was deeply disorienting.

Then again, maybe that was the sleep deprivation talking.

Every other house on the block was the same basic set of shades - gray house with black shutters, white house with gray shutters, pale yellow house with black shutters, another gray, a different white, light brown that was nearly beige, actual beige… Vanessa’s house, with all its dancing blues, had stood out like a beacon as soon as they turned onto the street. 

Eden was right behind her, one arm supporting Misae and his own eyes moving over the porch swing that moved gently in the wind. A small black cat sat on the swing, watching them with intense curiosity. Its tail flicked as it took in the sight of Misae. They’d managed to find an old hoodie of Eden’s and some of Anaya’s sweatpants for Misae to wear, and the boy looked absolutely swamped in the hoodie, hood pulled up to cover his face as much as he could and sleeves long enough to completely hide his hands. They couldn’t help his lack of shoes, but Anaya had managed to get some white socks on him and had decided to just hope for the best. He could limp, with support, and Eden had kept an arm around him, taking most of his weight as he slowly struggled up the steps. 

The boy’s face was white with pain, and his eyes kept dancing wildly trying to take in everything at once, but he stayed upright and he didn’t pass out again, so… Anaya called it a win.

“Why don’t you knock?” Anaya asked, nervously picking at her fingernails with her other hand, trying to calm her nerves. “You’re better at talking to people.”

“First off, that’s a gigantic lie. Secondly, she isn’t my friend,” Eden answered easily. This wasn’t the first time they’d had some version of a conversation like this one. She had the distinct sense that if he could, he would have shrugged. As it was, he was holding nearly all of Misae’s weight by now. “She’s your friend. You should knock.”

“I mean, I may have… I may have exaggerated how well I know her, a little bit?” Anaya found a bit of skin sticking out near her cuticle on her thumb and absently picked at it, staring down. “We just talk on the internet. I don’t even know exactly how old she is. I’ve never seen her face, and now I’m showing up with my boyfriend and a werewolf.”

“Hey. Look at me, baby.” She raised her eyes and found Eden smiling at her, weary but warm. She couldn’t help but smile back. “You’ve got a good sense for people, you always have. And you said she agreed to let us crash, right?”

“Yeah, she did. She said no problem, just…” Anaya looked over at Misae. “I might have not mentioned… him.”

The boy was staring at the cat now. The cat met his gaze with slitted pupils, ears slightly back, fur slightly raised. There was a flash of what might have been sharp teeth, the subtle whisper of a warning hiss.

Misae’s lips pulled back from his own teeth in tandem. 

Anaya stared with wide eyes as she realized his canine teeth were longer than they should be. When she looked down at his hands, she saw fingernails that stretched even as she looked at them, hardening into obvious claws even as his fingers started to thicken and turn blunt.

Was he... growing paws?

The cat turned and leaped gracefully up onto the railing and then down to the ground on the other side, disappearing in a flash around the side of the house. 

Anaya's eyes jumped back to Misae's face.

His lips were closed, and his hands had gone back to normal. Maybe she was imagining it?

“Maybe,” Eden suggested, tone irritatingly mild, “Maybe we all just stay calm and don’t bring the werewolf thing right off the bat.”

"... but did you just see-"

"Mmhmm. I know what I think I saw, anyway."

"You cannot possibly still not believe-"

“I didn’t say that I don’t believe it. Just, let’s not like fling that info around willy-nilly, Naya, yeah? And you, Misae, keep a hold on those teeth. We'll keep the wolf thing to ourselves for at least a little while. Besides, I flat out cannot drive anymore until we get some sleep. So…” Eden shifted a little and then gestured at the door. “Knock.”

Anaya took a deep breath, and turned around, stepping up to the door. Beneath her feet, a pale doormat read Welcome, witches and there was a sign hanging right at Anaya’s eye level: Live laugh lobotomize.

Right.

This was Vanessa. She had nothing to worry about.

Not that having nothing to worry about had ever once stopped Anaya from worrying. Camping had always been the only time she ever felt totally calm, and even that was a little ruined now. How many secret homes with hidden people kept like animals were there in the world, and she just didn't know about them?

The thought kept spinning circles when she tried not to think at all.

The door swung open just as Anaya's knuckles touched the door and she jerked her hand back in surprise. Behind her, Misae straightened a little, leaning against Eden while trying to look like he wasn’t hurt. His eyes kept shifting, as if he was trying to look everywhere all at once. 

God, they looked like such a mess. 

The wooden sign clacked as it swung forward and back, and Anaya’s first impression was of a pair of sparkling brown eyes. “I thought I heard voices,” Vanessa smiled. She was a tall, broad woman with a deep, melodic voice, totally unlike Anaya’s mental image of her. Her eyes matched her ponytail and she looked very much like every high school art teacher Anaya had ever imagined. Right down to the paint-splattered tunic and leggings. 

She took in the three of them in a moment, and then her smile widened and she stepped back and to the side. “Well, you’re clearly Anaya,” She continued. “It’s nice to see you in person for the first time. So, if you’re Anaya, then this must be the hottie boyfriend… Evan?”

“Eden,” Anaya corrected absently, still trying to connect this warm and soft woman standing before her with the acerbic, dryly sarcastic online voice she’d been chatting with for years. 

“Oh, right. Sorry, Eden.”

“That’s okay.” Eden shrugged, a shy smile playing around his lips, flushed a little still from hearing hottie probably. He was always weak to compliments. “Evan actually was on my shortlist for names, anyway, actually.”

“Oh, was it?” Vanessa’s eyebrow quirked up. “You’re not just saying that so I feel less like I just face planted into a mud puddle in public, are you?”

Oh, okay. Now that was the Vanessa that Anaya knew so well.

“Ha, no, it really was. But then I thought of Eden, and, well, I just… liked it better than all the others.”

“Well, I like Eden better, too. It fits - you’re clearly paradise on two legs.” Vanessa winked, and Eden turned tomato-red. Anaya felt herself nearly knocked over by a wave of something between her usual full-throated adoration of her awkward boyfriend's struggle to take a compliment and relief that things were going so well when she’d been so scared they wouldn’t. Vanessa laughed, her laugh as mellow as everything else about her appearance. “Seriously, though… come, come on in, all of you.”

Anaya’s pulse jackhammered in her throat and at her wrists as she stepped forward, moving from the sunset light outdoors into the darker house. The first thing she saw was a wall painted a beautiful deep evergreen, a wall of a dozen or so pieces of framed artwork that had every rainbow shade and probably a few colors Anaya had never even heard of. Side lamps were lit everywhere, and a ceiling fan turned lazily overhead. This looked like somebody's perfect cozy escape from the world.

Anaya wondered how it would feel, to have a home like this. Somewhere that you owned outright. She and Eden had always been renters, and half the time these days they lived out of Eden's car.

“So… there’s you two, and there’s also… who is this you have with you?” Vanessa asked, voice lilting just a little in curiosity. “A brother? Cousin? What’s your name, honey?”

Misae didn’t answer. His chin had lowered, even though his eyes were locked on Vanessa now, watching her every movement. 

Anaya cleared her throat. “This is… um, this is Misae. We… met him on the trip.”

“Oh, okay. I knew you were camping this weekend in Idaho, so… oh, that’s why you texted me for somewhere to stay? Because of meeting him?” 

“Yeah.” Anaya tried to keep her voice casual, unruffled. “He just needs a safe place, he, uh… He r-ran away from home.” It was close enough to true. Really it was true, she just… left out a few minor details. He was being hunted by a man with a gun and oh, hey, he also turns into a wolf. That’s not a problem, right? “I know I didn’t mention he was with us, and I'm so sorry. We will completely understand if you don’t want to deal with-”

“Hey, I didn’t say that.” Vanessa raised her hands, as though showing she was harmless. Or thought they were. “It’s definitely not a problem. I just wasn’t thinking about you needing more than bed. Seriously, it is no problem, I can blow up the air mattress for an extra bed.” 

“Okay, okay, thank you so much, Vanessa. We’ll just get settled, and if you could tell us where the shower is-“

“Oh, honey,” Vanessa interrupted. “Are you hurt?”

Anaya opened her mouth to reply, but realized Vanessa wasn't looking at her at all. Vanessa moved towards Misae, hands out.

To Anaya's horror, Misae recoiled, snarling with lips pulled back from his teeth, before he lost his balance, trying to catch himself and accidentally putting too much weight on his injured leg.

His knee buckled, and he went down hard, losing his balance with a high-pitched cry, somehow ending up turned around and falling right off the steps onto the stone path that led up to the porch.

He desperately grabbed at Eden's arm to try and catch himself and instead pulled Eden down with him.

Eden grunted when he landed hard on his left elbow, but he had the good luck of falling a little to the side and landing in the grass. Misae smacked down into concrete, catching himself with his hands but Anaya watched his ankle twist in the process.

His whine turned to whimpers, deeply canine. He hunched his shoulders and curled up, still snarling and making a sound somewhere between whimper and growl, and Anaya wondered if everything she hadn’t said about this strange boy was about to spill out anyway, whether she liked it or not.

When Vanessa took one more step forward, Misae snapped at her from where he lay, teeth clicking together sharply. His canines were growing again.

Anaya tried to think of an explanation - something logical that didn't involve breaking the news that at least one totally mythological creature had turned out to be absolutely real - but nothing came.

She only stared with her eyes and mouth both wide.

“Oh, shit,” Vanessa whispered. She didn't seem to have noticed Misae's teeth changing, and Anaya was hit with relief that cut as sharp as any knife. “Oh. I am so fucking sorry, I didn’t-... I didn’t mean-” She moved again, and Anaya caught her by one arm. Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned. “I swear, Anaya, I didn’t mean to scare him!”

“No, I know, he’s just… really jumpy about people who move too fast,” Anaya soothed, watching as Eden moved to Misae and murmured to him. The boy's expression gradually changed and he shook his head, eyes down and hair covering as much of his face as he could manage. At least he stopped making that face. Eden nodded, murmured something not quite audible in reply, and very slowly reached out. 

Misae sat back, holding his hands palms-up, letting Eden take them in his own hands to look them over. Blood welled where skin had been scraped away by catching himself when he fell. 

Misae looked up through the curtain of his messy hair, watching Eden's face. Anaya swallowed hard as she saw a spot of red where she knew the bandage was on Misae’s leg. Was that damn wound ever going to stop bleeding?

“He got used to getting hurt where he lived before,” Anaya said in a low voice, keeping her hand on Vanessa to keep her from potentially scaring the poor kid all over again. She told herself she wasn’t lying - those scars Misae was covered with, hidden thanks to Eden’s shirt and Anaya’s sweatpants, proved that pain had definitely been something Misae understood very well indeed. Maybe the only thing he seemed to understand. “It’s made him jumpy. Let’s, um, let’s go inside and then Eden and Misae can come in after us?”

Vanessa slowly nodded, reluctantly turning away. “Okay. I really am so sorry.”

“It’s totally fine,” Anaya said. She had no idea if it was fine or not. The words just came out automatically, an instinctive reply to try and soothe the unsettled air around them. “He’ll be okay. We’re just trying to get him far enough away that he feels safer.”

“Yeah. I can… I can see why.” Vanessa seemed to remember this was her house and straightened up a little. She shot one more hesitant glance over her shoulder, and then led Anaya through a small living room stuffed with too many hand-me-down couches draped in deep brick-red covers and throw pillows and blankets, into a small hallway with four doors. “So, we have… a linen closet, towels are in there-” She pointed at the first door. Then, across the hall, the bathroom with a tiny shower-bathtub, a toilet, and a sink and mirror. “My water heater isn’t great, but if your showers are fast they can be hot. Otherwise, you might have to settle for more or less warm. And here, right here-” She opened the last door on the left. “This is the guest bed. I’m sorry there isn’t more space-”

“It’s perfect,” Anaya said, forcing her voice to brighten up. Her mind wandered back to the boys outside. “We’ll get settled and get clean and then, if you don’t mind, we might just want to like… nap for a while.”

“Not a problem. I have some work to finish up, anyway.” Vanessa smiled, even as she still looked a little worried and guilty. “Any requests for supper? I’m afraid delivery in this neighborhood isn’t happening, but I’ve got some frozen pizzas and garlic bread, or I could make pasta and sauce, or… if anybody’s low carb, uh, I could run to the store for steak or something…”

Anaya thought of Misae’s thin face, wiry arms, knobby knees, the way his stomach pulled in too much, how he swam in clothes that shouldn't have been oversized. The way his eyes seemed to sink a little into his face. “Um… No, carbs are definitely a good idea. Pizzas?”

“Okay. I’ll get the oven preheating. You three just… you get settled. Let me know if there's anything you need or you can't find.” Vanessa disappeared back out the door and Anaya stepped further into the little room.

There was a side table with a little lamp and she switched it on, absently. It gave the little room, walls painted blue, a cozy glow. She dropped her backpack onto the fluffy oversized comforter - clearly made for a king-sized mattress but laid out over the queen-sized bed - and sat down, slowly leaning over with her hands over her face.

She was so tired.

At least Vanessa had been a lot less bothered by the sudden appearance of two disheveled adults and one teenager than Anaya had expected, but the last bit had clearly thrown that initial lack of bother away. Now they not only had a teenage runaway with them, he was visibly injured and he’d reacted to Vanessa attempting to touch him in a way that made it equally clear he hadn’t come from anywhere good. Plus, the noises he'd made, the way he snarled and snapped like an animal... If Vanessa got too curious, or decided to call the fucking cops... Anaya didn't know why exactly, but she knew that would end badly.

A throat cleared in the doorway and Anaya looked up. Eden stood there, smiling a little, Misae leaning against him again. The boy’s eyes darted around, never landing on any one place for long. He’d been limping before - now he was flat out hopping on one leg, using Eden to keep himself upright. His injured leg was pulled slightly up. 

“He’s okay,” Eden said, in a tone that said he was soothing them both. “Just a little scrape on the hands. I’ll get my kit from the car, we’ll get him a good shower and then I can bandage him up again.”

“Good.” Anaya breathed the word out. Even that felt like it took more energy than she really had left. She hadn’t realized how hard she was working to hold herself together until she didn’t really have to any longer. 

She wanted to sleep for a week.

Maybe a month.

But she’d settle for patting the bed next to her. “Misae, why don’t you just come over here and lay down for a minute with me, okay?”

Misae’s eyebrows briefly furrowed. He licked at his lips - something Anaya was realizing he did almost compulsively when nervous - and then slowly shook his head. “Not allowed,” He said, voice low. He sounded a little confused.

“What? Why? Because you’re bleeding?” 

Misae stared at her for a few long seconds, then shook his head again. “No. We're... not allowed on the furniture.”

Eden’s eyes closed, tightly, for just a second. Anaya watched a vague flush of anger move over his face and be just as quickly pressed down and done away with. She knew what she was seeing, though, and knew Eden would smile soft and sweet even as he turned that over and over in his mind all night long. The same way Anaya would.

Not allowed on the furniture because he's been treated like he’s a dog.

“Well, here you are allowed on the furniture, and I’m saying you should lay down on the bed and get the weight off that leg. Okay?” She patted the bed again. This time, Misae hesitantly nodded and let Eden support his slightly absurd little bunny-hops forward until they made it close enough for him to more collapse than lay down. Misae curled himself up as tightly as he could, arms tucked against his body and only his injured leg out straight, the other one curled with his knee nearly to his chest.

"Oh," He whispered, eyes wide.

Anaya blinked at the look of surprise on his face, and tilted her own head as she looked down at him, slipping a firm pillow beneath his head only for his eyes to widen even further. She fought back a faint smile, worried he might think she was mocking him. “What’s that look for?”

Misae swallowed, those strange golden-brown eyes shifting to meet hers. He returned her smile. “I didn’t know beds were so soft,” He explained. “I’ve never been in one.”

Anaya couldn’t think of a single thing she could possibly say to that.

Eden backed away from them. “I’ll go get our things from the car and then I’m just going to get right into the shower,” He said, voice tight and hard, and turned away, closing the door a little too hard behind him as he went. 

Misae winced when the door shut with a loud thunk, shifting until the top of his head just brushed against the side of Anaya’s leg. She let her hand drift down to run fingers through his hair like she had while Eden stitched him up in the car - oh god, that was less than twelve hours ago, somehow it felt like so much more time had passed than that - and the boy breathed out in something that seemed like pure pleasure, eyes fluttering shut. 

“He’s angry,” Misae said, voice low. Just above a whisper, a little hoarse. "At me."

“He's angry, but not at you," Anaya replied, shifting until her back was against the headboard, keeping her fingers sifting through soft strands. Her own eyes closed and she could feel her exhaustion weighing down every corner of her mind. “Definitely not at you. Just at… what it seems like life has been for you. It’s not going to be like that for you anymore, okay? We’ll figure out how to find some place better for you.”

Misae didn’t reply.

Anaya knew that he was silent, this time, not because he had nothing to say in response, but because he didn’t believe her. 

She wasn’t sure she believed herself.

-

@finder-of-rings @burtlederp @deluxewhump @scoundrelwithboba @shrimpwritings @yassifiedinformation @wildfaewhump @whatwhump @honeycollectswhump @tundra-tiger @dont-look-me-in-the-eye @there-will-always-be-blood

[floral-force]

Of Brown Eyes and Desert Skies

cowboy!din djarin x f!reader - old west/western au oneshot

summary: When a new man storms into the saloon you work at, you're instantly terrified--and captivated. But as he lingers in town and stirs up trouble with every step, you question who the brown-eyed man is underneath the poncho, and if he really is just a bounty killer at his core.

words: 10.7k+

warnings/tags: EXPLICIT. 18+ ONLY. smut (rough, fingering, oral, riding, doggy style, spitting, spanking), period-typical violence (not graphic) and sexism (not from din), the helmet hat comes off, din is morally gray and not always nice, barmaid!reader

a/n: This is heavily inspired by Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy and the Man with No Name. Please mind the tags.

read on ao3 | masterlist

When he stormed into the saloon, you knew he was trouble. You had an eye for these things, a sixth sense for danger. 

A hush fell over the crowd of people when the swinging doors opened. The stranger’s eyes narrowed under his black Stetson hat, and a cloth covered his face below them, the plain beige fabric laying over the earthy green poncho draped over broad shoulders. The brim of his hat cast a shadow over the few inches of exposed skin. You nearly dropped the glass you were drying when he started to walk over to you in those stiff, dark denim pants, the bottom of a brown leather holster bouncing on his thick right thigh, heavy with a hidden weight. 

Something within you stirred, scorching your skin. He sat down on a stool right in front of where you worked and conversation within the saloon picked up again. His severe gaze burned a hole through you, and you took a step back, suddenly conscious of the sweat on the back of your neck and the heat coiling low in your gut. The sweat starting to dot your forehead certainly wasn’t from the heat of high noon, the sun hanging in a cloudless blue sky.

“Can I get you somethin’, sir?”

“Whiskey,” he said, his voice gravelly but smooth at the same time. Seductive and sultry. 

You nodded and turned around, pulling a bottle of amber liquid off the bar shelf and grabbing a low glass. You could feel him staring at you as you poured, heat prickling your ears. You told him the price and he shifted to the side, digging money out of his pocket. 

“Keep the change.” 

“Thank you, sir.”

You gave him a smile and walked over to the register, entering the sale. You stashed the change in the jar you kept next to it, happy to see it slowly getting filled to the brim. You didn’t make too much here, but you had no other choice. It wasn’t a bad job, but it came with its problems—drunk men getting handsy or bold being the overwhelming one. When you’d arrived here all those years ago, it was either working as a barmaid or a laundress. You chose the former, and you didn’t regret it. It just meant you ran into interesting people, and this man was no exception—he’d made that clear when his brown boots stomped across the old wooden floor.

“‘Scuse me, miss?” 

The man called out to you, and you quickly walked over to him, spreading your arms out and leaning forward. He was swirling his glass in a lightly tanned hand, a blue cuff settled over his wrist. You wondered if his hands felt rough, how they’d feel on the soft skin of your waist. 

You swallowed thickly. “Yes, sir?”

“You know if the sheriff here has any bounties out?”

Oh, shit. He was one of them. “Mm-mm.” You shook your head. “I haven’t heard or seen anythin’.”

He nodded and set his glass down, leaning forward and staring into your eyes, his brow set. He was close enough for you to see the sweat under his eyes, staring you down, making your heart thrum in your chest and throat go dry. The chestnut eyes gave you a once-over, slowly trailing down your body and stopping where the bar top hid the rest of you from sight. They jumped back up to your widened ones, and the corners crinkled with a hidden smirk. 

“That’s a damn shame, ‘cause suddenly, I find myself wantin’ to stay a bit longer,” he husked, pulling the cloth away from his face and slugging the rest of the whiskey back. You caught a glimpse of his jawline as he tilted his head back and noticed the scruff covering it. 

You raised an eyebrow and innocently asked, “Oh, really? How come?” 

“Found myself somethin’ a bit better than a money,” he said, tipping his hat back slightly. “And she’s standin’ right in front’a me.”

His smooth compliment nearly made you forget he was a bounty hunter. The way he eyed you up and down almost covered up and dulled what your head was telling you. This man was trouble through and through, and you’d known it from the moment he swaggered through the doors. He’d caught your eye like no other man just passing through ever had. You wanted desperately to comb your fingers through the dark brown curls peeking out under his hat, to kiss the lips hidden under the cloth, to know him like nobody ever had. 

You must’ve been staring a bit too long because you heard a low chuckle and felt a finger tap your forearm. You shook your head and chuckled nervously. 

“I’m sorry, sir, just thinkin’ too much.” 

He hummed. “I like a woman who thinks too much. Makes it even better when I make her go quiet.”

The purred innuendo made your lips part and eyes go wide. You wanted that. And he knew it. The clever cowboy was already playing you and pressing all the right keys; it was as if he’d already snuck under your skirt and made you go limp. 

He looked over his shoulder at the stairs climbing up the back wall facing the doors. “You stay around here?”

“Up-upstairs,” you stuttered. “I got my own room.”

“Good.”

“It-it doesn’t hide noise all that well.”

He stared at you and snickered. “Darlin’, you really think I give a shit?”

And he really didn’t. He had you howling as he rammed into you, completely unforgiving as his cock filled you to the brim. The man growled and grunted your name as he fucked you from behind, rough hands gripping your ass and spreading your round cheeks. He burned like sand at noon, more punishing than the summer heat. You gave in to him, letting him burn you as much as he wanted. 

You were drooling into your worn mattress with tears in your eyes. The man held your wrists behind your back in one large hand. The other was kneading the fat on your hip as it recoiled with each slam of his hips. 

“This th’best pussy I ever had, darlin’, god damn,” he rasped.

“G-good,” you panted between his brutal thrusts.

“Listen t’yourself.” He laughed, the sound mirthful and deadly. “Can barely fuckin’ speak. Told you I’d fuck ya til you couldn’t speak, darlin’.” 

Your eyes squeezed shut and you moaned at his dirty words. You should have never doubted that he’d have your mouth going dry, feeling his cock dig deep inside of you and choke something in your throat. He humbled and punished you for doubting him with his unforgiving pace. His tongue lavished you with dirty praise and raspy groans, the sounds making your cunt throb and suck him in deeper even as your walls started to get raw from his roughness. 

He’d proven his tongue was filthy only moments ago as he licked circles around the sensitive bud between your legs. You were entirely naked—garments in a heap on the floor—but he still wore all his clothes except for the poncho and cloth. Even his worn denim shirt was still on, only the first four buttons undone—his hands were too busy yanking your clothes off to be bothered with his. The man was impatient and hungry, and you didn’t dare deny him. 

He still wore the black hat as he worked his mouth on your sex, tonguing between your folds and teasing your slick hole. But you didn’t mind it, not when he moaned into your cunt with each broad lick of his tongue. He gave in to your whiny pleas for his thick fingers, obliging you with two right away. The digits stretched you open, made you throw your head back and clamp your legs around his head, the brim of his hat bending into your shins. 

He clicked his tongue and placed his free hand on one of your knees, gently pushing it down as he muttered, “Spread those legs for me, baby. Need ‘em open for me.” You did as told and he hummed in approval. “Atta girl.”

He praised you by sucking your clit and rubbing his fingers against a soft spot within you. You were twitching and mumbling nonsense, an utter mess for the scoundrel between your shaking thighs. Your cunt pulsed around him, your peak suddenly rising with the motion.

“That’s it, darlin’,” he’d coaxed as you panted and gripped the sheets. “Need to get you nice’n ready for my cock.”

It only took a few more moments before you came with a sharp cry, legs shaking and a foot twitching. A fire blazed within you, one he had started and intended to keep burning. He worked you through it, sucking in a breath as he felt you pulse around his fingers. 

“Good fuckin’ girl,” he crooned. Then, he flipped you over, not even giving you time to recover from your high. 

He’d barely tugged his pants down, only undoing his belt and dropping his holster to the floor. He growled and grabbed your ass, lifting it into the air and forcing you to arch your back. When he pushed into you with a groan, you felt the fabric scratch against you as he sheathed himself in your still-sensitive cunt. 

You hissed and squirmed and cried out “Fuck, I’m—I’m still sens—”

“Don’ care,” he grunted. “I fuckin’ need you, darlin’.”

You nodded and moaned at his harsh affection. You were ashamed that you loved it, that it made you throb. A sharp slap on your ass made you jump, the tingling sensation left behind sent your head spinning. He rubbed it and soothed the tender skin, rough hands suddenly soft. 

And now, he fucked you without mercy. Any trace of tenderness was gone with the wind. The man with brown eyes filled you more than anyone ever had, made you see stars when others had only made you see specks. When you begged him to spit on himself, that your cunt was getting raw, he pressed his sweaty chest against your back and gently tapped your cheek with his knuckles. 

You opened your eyes and saw his open hand in front of them. 

“Spit.”

Your pussy ached at his demand and you opened your mouth for the brown-eyed man, lifting your head as much as you could. Saliva dripped off your tongue and landed on his calloused palm. He took his hand back and you set your head back down, taking a deep breath when he pulled himself out of you to stroke his cock. His free hand grabbed the meat of one of your cheeks, his thumb kneading close to the tight ring of muscle hidden between them. The wet sound of him stroking his cock with your spit made you smile and shudder. 

There was something satisfying about this cowboy using you. All rough edges and dry desert heat. He was as ruthless and unyielding as the western terrain you called home. You nearly screamed when he rammed himself back inside of your aching hole, silencing yourself by burying your face into the mattress. The man carved a canyon through you with brute, relentless force and praised your wild howls and whines with a slap on your ass and one slow rock of his hips. He teased you over and over, quickly learning where to drag the fat head of his cock to make you shiver and shake.

“P-please,” you begged, your eyes squeezed shut. “Don’t fuckin’ stop!”

The man chuckled at your desperate cry. You felt yourself shiver when he ran his hands up your thighs before kneading your plump cheeks again. Any pride you felt at hypnotizing him with your ass was quickly washed away when he landed a sharp smack against your right cheek, immediately following it with one on your left, another landing back on your right. You arched your back even more for him and wiggled one of your hands down to rub sloppy circles on your clit. The thick member filling you to the brim was driving you to the edge, and the added sparks of pleasure from your sensitive nub was pushing you even closer.

He started fucking you with something even more feral than before, his groans loud and strained. Your moans melted into his with each burning stroke and every needy rub against your clit.

“God, I can feel you fuckin’ pulsin’ around me, baby,” he growled. 

“Y-you feel so fucking good,” you answered, mouth open so your hoarse moans could slip into the air.

“Yeah? This th’best cock you ever had?” 

He stole your answer with a punishing slam of his hips. Your free hand clawed at the sheets, and you tried to squirm up away from him. There was a low growl as you were yanked back, his fingers digging into the fat of your hips. The man chuckled mirthfully when you gasped, impaled on his cock yet again.

“Don’t try to run from a bounty killer, darlin’,” he rasped, his thrusts getting needier, reaching deeper and lingering longer within your quivering hole. “’Specially when your cunt feels this fuckin’ good.” 

His breathing began to match your frenzied pants, the pace of his thrusts as frantic as your fingers on your sensitive clit.

“I’ll ask ya again,” he gave you a sharp thrust, keeping you in place with his strong hands. “Is this the best cock you ever fuckin’ had?”

“Fuck—yes, baby, yes!” You howled into the mattress as you felt your walls start to spasm, a sudden heat starting to take over you. 

“C’mon, darlin’, that’s—fuck—that’s it.” The brown-eyed man’s hips slapped against your ass, the sound echoing, and he started growling—the feral and primal bounty killer finally taking over. “Fuckin’ c-come for me—fuck, I feel it—good fuckin’ girl—”

You came around his length with a scream, your legs shaking with the force of your orgasm. A white-hot fire burned from your aching, quivering hole to your fuck-drunk head. You couldn’t feel anything other than your walls clenching around his cock, couldn’t hear anything other than your desperate whines.

“F-fuckin’ come for me, you fuckin’ scoundrel,” you growled, voice shaking as you continued to ride the crest of your climax. You drunkenly smiled when you heard a low groan and whined when the head of his cock kissed something deep within you, leaving its mark on you forever, guaranteeing you’d never feel this good ever again.

“Fuckin’ God—darlin’, I could bury m’self in your delicious cunt forever—fuck!”

The brown-eyed man gave your spent hole one final, cruel thrust. He pulled out of you with a groan, and you hissed at the feel of him leaving you; he left you raw and empty and gaping. You quickly forgave him when you heard the squelch of his fist jerking himself to completion with your juices. You smiled and sighed as he covered your ass in hot ropes of his seed, reveling in how fucking needy he sounded when he reached his peak. He sucked in air through his teeth, slowly loosening his grip on your hip. You jumped when he slapped your ass, shaking your head when he smugly chuckled.

You scooted forward and dropped your aching legs to the mattress with a groan. You didn’t care about the cum he left behind; right now, you needed to catch your breath after the divine beating he’d just given your pussy. The floor creaked under his boots as he started rustling around—probably putting that poncho back on—and humming to himself. You jumped when something wet stroked across your painted ass, quieted by a low hush.

“Just cleanin’ up my mess,” he rumbled. “I may be a scoundrel—” he mocked your voice— "but my mama taught me manners.”

You chuckled and turned your head to the side, eyes fluttering open to stare at the wall and your two measly pillows. “You’re a true gentleman.”

He shrugged, then gave the tender spots on your cheeks a soft massage with his fingers and then tapped your hips and helped you roll onto your back. You melted into the mattress with a blissful sigh, not bothering to think too long about how someone so brutal could be so tender.

“I wouldn’ call myself that, darlin’.” 

His eyes met yours and you bit your lip. Even though the cloth was covering his face again, you had a hunch that what hid underneath it was handsome. You could see the corners of his eyes gently crease with the whisper of a smile as he stared down at you, running a warm, calloused hand up and down your sweaty skin.

“I’m just as rotten as the rest of ‘em.”

The next day, the owner was with you, standing behind the bar all the way down on your left and chatting with an old regular. Mr. Daniels was middle-aged, stout and balding, with skin as leathery as a saddlebag and always dressed in a white shirt. He was constantly mentioning his wife and daughters and boasted about them to anyone who would listen; he seemed to extend that fatherly protection your way sometimes. He was a kind enough man—letting you live in the attic above the saloon for free, paying you a decent wage—and you had no complaints. 

You weren’t surprised to see the brown-eyed man slamming into the saloon the next day, the patrons a little less rattled by his presence than they were yesterday. When he stomped over to where you stood, Mr. Daniels gave you a quick glance, and you responded with a smile and tilt of your head—I’m alright.

“What’ll it be, sir?” you asked. 

You could feel your sore hole throb when he looked up at you under that wide-brimmed hat, a ray of sun lighting up his golden skin and making his chestnut eyes glow. He leaned against the bar, resting a bent arm on it. Relaxed and certain of his place in the small saloon, not a hint of fear in his posture. 

“I think you already know, darlin’.”

He winked at you, and you felt heat rush to your cheeks. You turned and grabbed the whiskey you’d poured him yesterday with a nod. His eyes looked you up and down as you grabbed a glass and poured out his drink with a coy smile on your face. 

He handed you money for the drink and said, “Thanks, darlin’. Keep the change.”

You smiled. “You’re too kind, sir.”

He tipped his hat. You walked over to the register, entered the sale, and dropped the change into your jar. As you moved back to where you’d been standing, the man straightened and walked down the bar to where Mr. Daniels and the old man were talking. You watched as he pulled a scroll of yellowed parchment out from under his poncho and spread it on the dark wood counter. Out of curiosity, you took a few small steps in that direction, acting busy with organizing the liquor shelves.

“You seen this man?” he inquired.

“No, ‘fraid not,” the old man replied with a smack of his lips.

You turned around and picked up a glass and a cloth, drying it and looking around the saloon. At table in the far corner, two men sat playing cards, smoke curling out of their mouths, the brims of their hats tipped down and hiding their faces from prying eyes. A few other tables were scattered around the small saloon, more hatted men nursing their drinks at them. Their soft chatter filled the air and was speckled with the occasional sounds of a horse trotting down the road. It was a slow afternoon, but you didn’t mind if it meant you kept yourself occupied with eavesdropping.

“And you?”

“Can’t say I have,” Mr. Daniels responded.

The man hummed and started to roll the yellowed paper up. You squinted, trying to see what was printed on it. You swallowed when you read the word “WANTED” in big black letters before he rolled the edge back up. The man leaned back and shoved it back under the poncho, nodding. He knocked the rest of his drink back and set the glass on the bar top and turned to look at you with narrowed eyes before pushing it down your way. Something vicious lurked within those brown eyes, keeping itself hidden under the brim of his hat and only revealed now that the afternoon sun didn’t reach them.

You extended your arm to reach and pick the glass up, immediately bending over and dunking it in the bucket of soapy water at your feet. You bit your cheek, ashamed that you felt heat pulse between your legs at his darkened stare. Being the target of his gaze was either thrilling or terrifying; right now, you weren’t sure what it was for you. It made you wonder how he had looked at you while he was ramming his cock into you. Ultimately, whatever his gaze was didn’t matter if it made you burn just from the thought of it.

The sound of someone cursing and a stool being pushed across the floor made you snap up to stand again; your eyes widened when you saw the man’s fist wrapped in the fabric of Mr. Daniels’ shirt, pulling him against the bar with only one arm. The old man was standing back a few feet away on the poncho-clad man’s right, his long gray eyebrows knitted together. 

“You sure?” He growled.

The cantina had gone silent, all eyes focused on the man and his hold on Mr. Daniels. You were staring too, your heart racing in your chest and threatening to break your ribs.

“Even if I did,” Mr. Daniels said through gritted teeth, “I wouldn’t know where to find him.”

He glanced over at you, eyes lingering before meeting the man’s stare again. 

The man tilted his head. “You wouldn’t know?”

Mr. Daniels shook his head again. “I told you, I just wouldn’t—” his eyes landed on you— “know where—” back to the man—“to look.”

You took a step back when Mr. Daniels looked at you one last time, then back at the man. His brow was set, but you glanced down and saw his hand shaking below the bar. The man let go of him with a push and conversation in the saloon resumed as he started to stalk towards you. His dark eyes were stormy as he set his sights on you and squinted, the spurs on his boots jingling menacingly with each step. You braced yourself for impact; muscles tensing, heart racing, teeth sinking into your bottom lip, fingers curling into your palms and nails digging in. 

The collision never came. His poncho swept past you and he came to stand at one of the two small square windows at the front of the saloon. You doubted he could see much with how dirty the glass was; the sun must’ve scorched the dust and grime into the aged panes before you’d even blown into town. Frankly, you were relieved that you weren’t on the receiving end of his threatening, squinting stare. 

However, you couldn’t deny the way something in your gut fluttered when you thought you’d be the one pulled against the bar by his leather-rough hands, his fingers catching the low neckline of your blouse and skimming over your hot skin, your shallow pants gently waving his bandana. But you reckoned that the haunting flutters were probably just lusty leftovers from your tryst the other night.

He looked over his shoulder at you, still squinting and heavy with frustration. Your lips parted when he held your wide eyes with his stare, the flutters growing into a rumble and shaking you from within. Or maybe that sensation was just his heavy footfalls across the floor echoing under your skin as he turned to the left and stomped out the doors. You watched him with eager eyes as he walked to the inn across the street, beige dust kicked up with every sinister step. Before he unleashed his storm on the inn, he turned over his shoulder to look at the saloon.

You squinted, moving closer to peer out of the windows. No, he wasn’t looking at the weather-worn building—he had his burning gaze focused on you.

With a tip of his hat, he slid inside, and you leaned back. You placed a hand on your chest and felt your heart beating hard and fast underneath it. 

Mr. Daniels clicked his tongue, announcing his arrival at your side. You looked back at him, the man’s stare set on the inn.

“Some fuckin’ fella,” he grumbled, ivory face red with anger.

You nodded slowly and walked back to the soap water bucket, picking up the forgotten whiskey glass and shaking it off before drying it with a rag. You pursed your lips and tried to forget how his suntanned hands had dwarfed the glass, and tried to wipe away the memory of them digging into the meat of your thighs as he slurped up your juices with a deep moan. Despite your best efforts, they didn’t fade away, and neither did a smudge on the glass.

Everything in this town was filthy, you figured, shoving the glass to the very back of the cupboard so it could be forgotten. Even the drifters that passed through were coated in grime.

The brown-eyed man was lucky your boss needed business, because the look Mr. Daniels gave him when he walked into the saloon the next evening could scorch anything within ten miles. He skulked through the doors at dusk, eyeing up the loud crowd before making a path to where you stood pouring out four shots of whiskey. Of course you’d instantly noticed him—you’d felt the air become charged as if it were about to storm as soon as he’d arrived. The men you served paid you with paper bills and winks, knocking back the shots as you walked over to where the man stood. Without a word, you turned and grabbed a glass; you didn’t need to ask what he or any other man in a hat wanted to drink tonight. As you avoided his eyes, he stared you down. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a golden hand already pushing coins and a paper bill your way as the amber liquid gurgled into the glass. 

You finished and gave him a practiced smile, scooping the money into your hand as he told you to keep the change yet again. The bottle was nearly empty, but you still placed it back on the shelf before walking to the register. You avoided looking in his direction at all costs; the most you allowed yourself to see was the brim of his hat and the poncho fabric that fell over his left arm. Instead, you gave your best performance to the other patrons—chatting with the town regulars and smiling at the men passing through—and got caught up in the large crowd, the early purple of the night still settling over town.

You heard a few raps on the wood above the chatter and lively piano. When you looked up at the man, you choked on your breath. 

“Long time, no see, sweet thing,” he drawled, a cigarillo in the corner of his leering mouth. Blue eyes pierced you and his fair cheeks were tinted with a whiskey-induced blush.

You cleared your throat, smoothing your plain black skirt. “Can I get you somethin’?”

“Other than your ass in my bed? Whiskey.”

You brushed off the lewd remark, thankful there was a clean glass and whiskey on the bartender’s counter you’d must’ve forgotten to put back earlier. John, your old beau, kept his icy gaze fixed on you and puffed smoke to the side. Blond hair coated his head underneath the beige high-crowned hat, and you fought back a wince at remembering the times you shared with him. You told him the cost and he made a slow show of placing the money in your waiting hand, pressing his palm against your fingers and closing them around the money. You guessed you did a poor job of hiding a shudder, because he gave you a mirthful chuckle.

“What, sugar? You missin’ the way I’d fuck ya?”

You didn’t acknowledge his vulgar comment. You’d never been spoken to like that, even from the drunkest of men. It was just understood that men didn’t curse in conversation with ladies; even the gnarliest and dirtiest of them knew that. You could smell the liquor on John’s breath and had no interest in indulging his drunken idiocy. Instead, you bit the inside of your cheek, shoved the money in your waist apron’s pocket, turned to the left and walked a few steps down the bar, plastering a smile on your face as you greeted a new patron. The brown-eyed man still stood where you’d served him, and you caught him pulling the cloth covering his face back with pinched fingers as his other hand lifted his almost-empty glass. 

After you’d finished serving a gray-mustached man, thanking him for the tip as he walked away, your red-faced old flame slapped his palms against the wood and leaned into your space, blue eyes hazy. 

“I was talkin’ to you,” he hissed. “An’ I ain’t done yet.”

Your heart sped up and you gulped, your mouth dry and body cold. He’d only been like this with you once before—when you’d ended things with him back in your old town the day before you left. It was a cruel twist of fate that he happened to be passing through your new town a few years later. He obviously hadn’t forgotten about you, much to your dismay.

“Is there a problem here?” 

The brown-eyed man was looming behind John, his eyes narrowed. You hadn’t even noticed him move; he was like a shadow. John turned his head over his shoulder, keeping his hands planted on the counter as he eyed the man up. He scoffed and curled his fingers under his palms.

“Ain’t your business, saddle bum,” he snarled.

The man slowly stepped forward and came to stand in front of John, sweeping the front of his poncho over his right shoulder. Your eyes widened when you saw his chestnut-colored leather belt, the holster heavy with a pistol.

“It is now.”

John’s head swiveled back to you, his face smug and eyes cloudy. “I don’ remember talkin’ ‘bout this fella. Do you, sugar?”

You didn’t respond, opting to look over his shoulder and watch as the man turned John around by his shoulder. He pushed John against the edge of the counter, chestnut eyes fiery. From where you stood, it was hard to tell if he was using more force now than he had yesterday with Mr. Daniels; your gut told you he was. Something was different tonight, and it wasn’t the whiskey.

“Keep talkin’ and see what happens,” the man threatened, his voice low.

John laughed and shook his head. “What, did’ya have this soiled dove?” he asked loudly, drawing the attention of those who hadn’t noticed the stranger’s physical threat. 

The derogatory term made you gasp and take a step back, your skin hot under your off-shoulder blouse. The man’s eyes flicked over to you for only a second before squinting at John again. He shook his head, his beige cloth covering shifting slightly with the movement.

“Don’t do it,” the brown-eyed man warned.

You could barely see John toss the butt of his cigarillo on the floor, but you did see his head turn to the right and heard him spit. The people around them had moved back and gone silent, turning their backs to avoid being dragged into a fight that didn’t concern them. You didn’t blame them—you wouldn’t want to be in the path of this desert storm either.

There was a low growl and then the poncho-clad man was dragging John across the floor to the doors, tossing him out of them. There was a heavy thud when his body hit the ground, and you watched the man push the doors open and tilt his head down to look at the ground, presumably where the drunkard still sat. His hands gripped the tops of the doors, his stance wide and menacing. He shook his head, and you fought your better judgment, running to the end of the bar at the windows and then pushing through the patrons. They let you pass and then you were standing behind the cowboy at the doors, your blood cold but skin hot at the same time. 

Night had fallen, and the two yellow lanterns mounted outside the saloon cast a weak glow on the porch. John was scrambling to his feet and backing away, abandoning his hat and stumbling down the two wooden steps, almost falling on the dirt road. The man looked back at you; the side of his face visible to you darkened from the lack of light. You could only see the whites of his eyes; for once, he wasn’t squinting. Your breaths were shallow, and you pulled at your fingers.

“This bum bothering you, ma’am?” His voice was softer now, the edges smoothed, so unlike the threatening tones you’d heard only moments prior.

You swallowed thickly, but you caught John starting to rush at the stranger and you shouted, “Look out!” instead.

He wasted no time, immediately taking a step forward out of the doorway and planting his back foot before throwing a punch, his fist connecting with the bone of John’s nose. A sickening crack elicited a cry from you and a few of the other saloon girls that had seen or heard it. John dropped to the wooden porch again with a howl. 

You cautiously pushed the doors open and let them hit you on your way out. A sick pleasure filled your chest when the man kicked John down to the dirt road, his spurs jingling.

“Go to the inn and leave her alone,” he enunciated. “I’m not gonna tell you again.”

His voice and words were clearer than you’d ever heard them before. A part of you thought you heard something protective underscoring his firm warning, but it was just a delusion. It had absolutely nothing to do with you; the man clearly just didn’t want to have a scrap with John. It wasn’t because he couldn’t do it—he was obviously capable if he was a bounty hunter—but because he didn’t want to waste his time with it. 

There was a dark, sardonic laugh. “Oh, she got you real good, didn’ she?” 

You stiffened, covering your quivering lips with a hand, and the pair of brown eyes met your wide ones. His targeted vulgarity was starting to get to you, and it was becoming hard to hide. You felt embarrassed to be tearing up in front of the mysterious man, but you heard a sharp exhale as his eyes searched yours, the blast of air disturbing the cloth on his face. It was as if he was looking at you for permission, awaiting your orders and at your command—your own personal soldier, a bounty hunter tied only to you and the open land ahead of him.

“I don’ blame ya,” John sneered. “Best whore I ever had.”

Silence fell across the crowd; any lingering conversations had gone cold after that. You choked back a cry, your eyes flitting between John rising to his feet and the hunter in front of you. You noticed his fists clench before he finally took his eyes off you and stormed down into the street. He cut off the drunken cackles that filled the air with a swift punch, and you could barely see his knuckles connect with John’s jaw. He stayed upright this time and tried to swing at the man, but John’s sloppy form left him open to a punch in the gut that knocked him a foot backward. You stepped further out onto the porch, the sun-bleached wood creaking underneath your feet as you watched the stranger give John another kick before bending over to yank him up by the collar with both of his hands.

“You say one more goddamn word and I’m sendin’ you into that desert and tossin’ your canteen,” he seethed between gritted teeth.

John’s eyes landed on you, and he laughed. “That slut ain’ wor—”

He was cut off with a growl and a punch, falling to the ground. John was limp and unresponsive when the stranger nudged him with the toe of his boot. The man spat on him, then turned around to face the stunned crowd. Tears were streaming down your face, both of your hands over your nose and mouth.

“Which horse is his?” he asked, his voice deep and loud.

Only a few seconds later, he nodded; someone must’ve pointed it out. You watched him stalk over to a brown horse on his right, rifling through John’s belongings and pocketing cash and valuables he found. The man found his canteen and tossed it to the ground, then walked back over to John and dragged him to the horse. He heaved John up on his shoulder and tossed him over the saddle, then took the reins off the horse to loosely tie John’s feet together and then lead it under the horse’s belly to bind his hands together, making sure to keep the makeshift restraint taut. Finally, he led the horse to the right and out of sight; there was a shout and a whinny, then the frantic sound of hoofbeats as the horse galloped away.

The man came back into view as he approached the saloon again. The only sound filling the nighttime air was the jangling of his spurs and your sniffs as you calmed down. He made his way up to the porch, standing in front of you, his poncho still over his shoulder and revealing his brown leather vest and faded denim shirt. His eyes looked you over, lingering on your wet cheeks. 

He had just sent a drunk, unconscious man into the desert without water on a spooked horse at night. It was one of the cruelest things a man could do. And yet, here he was, his eyes soft under a furrowed brow. The yellow lamplight showed that the storms in his eyes had settled, but his forehead would bear the evidence of it in deepened lines.

“You alright, darlin’?”

The term of endearment didn’t make you squirm. Coupled with the gentle, low rumble of his voice, it made you feel…comfortable. “Comfortable” certainly wasn’t something you should feel around a man like him, and yet, you found yourself wanting to fall into his chest and let his arms support you and his warm hands sink into your flesh. 

But all you could do right now was nod and wipe the backs of your hands over your wet cheeks. You gave him a weak smile. “I’m rattled, but I’ll live.” 

You paused, looking down and then meeting his strangely soft eyes again. You wished you could see the rest of his face and not just imagine it based on how it had felt between your legs. 

“Thanks,” you said meekly. You shakily exhaled and repeated yourself. “Thank you, Brown Eyes.”

You swore you saw a smile creasing the corners of his eyes at the nickname. He waved off your thanks, tipped the black brim of his hat, and turned around to walk over to the inn. The shadow slunk back into the night. 

You were pulled out of your thoughts when your boss yelled and dispersed the crowd, then called your name. Mr. Daniels stood in front of you, his face worried as he looked you over, thick fingers gripping your biceps. The concerned and protective father inside of him was taking over, and you found it to be quite comforting and nice; you never complained when he treated you like one of his daughters. He asked you a dozen questions at once but trailed off after noticing your voice waver and bottom lip quiver. Mr. Daniels guided you to the stairs in the back of the saloon and told you to take the rest of the night off despite your protests—he’d hear none of it.

All you could think of as you lay in bed curled up under your thin blankets was the mysterious, brown-eyed stranger. How could a man so violent have such kind eyes? It just wasn’t fair, you thought to yourself as your eyes fluttered close and you drifted to sleep, the lively chatter of the saloon below a background to the memories of the stranger’s dulcet voice.

You thought that would be the last of Brown Eyes. You thought he’d be gone without a trace, a shadow haunting conversations for a while, another dusty drifter wandering the desert as if he were Moses. Just another man as wild as the terrain he traversed. You hadn’t expected to see him again unless it was in your dreams. He’d kick up dust there, then vanish with it when you opened your eyes. 

You really, truly thought his stunt last night would be the last one he performed in this town, and part of you wished it had been when he threw his shadow into the saloon the next afternoon, the sun at his back.

He leisurely strolled over to a table nestled in the back-right corner of the saloon. Three men sitting around its circular wood top playing cards. The jangle of his spurs accompanying each cocksure step of his boots alerted them to his approach, the decorative threads on the edge of his poncho fluttering gently. Finally, Brown Eyes stood with his back to you at the right side of one of the men, his black hat tilting slightly to look down at him. The other two men leaned forward and glanced at each other. 

You took a few steps to the right and angled your head a bit to see what was going on. You caught the two men slowly placing their cards on the table and trailing their hands to the edge of the circular table. The man looking up at Brown Eyes was red in the face and spoke quietly enough for his words to slip underneath other conversations in the saloon and go undetected by your ears. Your eyebrows knitted together as you watched the interaction from afar, then raised when the cowboy’s poncho flew over his shoulder.

“Christ almighty,” you murmured as his hand twitched at his thigh. 

You looked over to the left at Mr. Daniels, and he gave you a sideways glance. He and the regular in front of him were focused on the altercation; a few of the patrons in the bustling afternoon crowd had noticed as well. Despite the attention, you knew that nobody would intervene. This wasn’t anyone’s business except for the men in the corner. 

As you watched one of the seated men reach for his pistol, you swore under your breath. Out of instinct, you dropped to your feet, crouching behind the bar just as the sound of gunshots pierced the air. The sharp blasts made you cover your ears, and then they suddenly stopped. Instead, a wounded groan filled the air, then the crack of a fist against bone and the thump of a body hitting the wooden floor to punctuate the statement. There was a curt jingle of spurs and an oof, signals of a sharp kick.

“Alive or dead, your choice,” a familiar gravelly voice stated. 

It was flat and indifferent, so unlike the man who had come to your aid and who had cleaned you up after ruining you with the relentless thrusts of his hips. Yes, he’d been violent last night, but there was something gentle in his eyes hidden within their storm clouds. It almost made your heart ache, but then you remembered what he’d done to Mr. Daniels and how he’d sentenced a man to death without a second thought. You remembered who Brown Eyes was at his core, and the warm ache in your chest withered away.

“You son of a bitch!” A man yelled. “I’ll fuckin’ strangle you!”

A mirthful chuckle. “I’d like to see you try.”

There was shuffling, a shout, a gunshot, then silence. The bounty killer had won again.

When your boss stood, you followed suit, your heart racing. You knew that the customers you served weren’t all honest people with honest jobs. Hell, it was naïve to think that about anyone you met out on the frontier. You’d just never experienced a gunfight inside the saloon. You’d seen a few unfold on the dusty main road splitting the town in half, but no bullets had ever blown holes through the saloon’s grimy windows; the sharp smell of gunpowder had never tainted its air. You took a few deep breaths and tried to steady your shaking hands. Even after all these years out west, you still had wild experiences waiting to shock you.

Brown Eyes holstered his revolver with a flourish, then walked to the bar. 

“Here, for the trouble.” He placed a few bills and some coins down in front of a glaring Mr. Daniels, then tipped his hat at you. “Apologies, miss.”

He walked back over to the dead man then crouched down and lifted the body over his left shoulder. You heard him mumble under his breath and turn towards the doors to leave. You caught his eyes and swallowed when you saw how dark they were under his hat’s black brim. He silently left the saloon, the doors swinging and clacking behind him. All that remained were two dead men splayed out in their chairs, arms out and hats tipped back.

You looked at Mr. Daniels. He shook his head and sighed.

“And that, my dear, is why God destined some men to be carpenters.” 

He wiped off his hands with a frayed cloth and tossed it on the counter. Mr. Daniels shuffled behind you and down the bar with a huff as the patrons’ chatter began again. He quickly walked to the saloon doors and gave them a sharp push, stepping into the hot afternoon sun.

“’M leavin’ at dawn t’morrow,” Brown Eyes said into your cunt. 

A hot lick of his tongue made your hips buck. He swiped it side to side over your clit as he planted his hands on your hips and forced them into the mattress. You clawed at the sheets underneath you, your head thrown back in ecstasy. Another obscene slurp and moan from the bounty hunter sent you reeling and added to the growing tension in your belly. You forced yourself up to recline on your forearms, looking down at the hatless man hungrily eating you out as if it were his first meal in weeks. 

You choked out a breath when the tip of his tongue swirled itself around your hole and then pushed inside of it. Lusty eyes met yours, and you felt his lips curl into a smile against your spit and slick-drenched center. He held your gaze and sucked on the hardened nub, squeezing the meat of your hips when you moaned.

“You like that, darlin’?” he asked, gently sucking again and chuckling at your gasp.

You nodded emphatically. “Fuck, yes, I do, Brown Eyes,” you panted, the muscles in your gut tightening when he groaned at the nickname, your legs starting to tense. “I really, really do.”

When you closed your eyes and let your head fall back with a whine, he shook his head and nipped at the sensitive bud, making you jump and look back down at him. He was staring up at you, something menacing in his eyes. It made your walls flutter, it thrilled you, it made your heart race even more. He was reminding you that even though he was serving you, he was still in control—he was always in control, no matter where he was.

He licked a slow, broad stripe up your cunt, then pulled back. You groaned in frustration at the cruel loss of contact, the heat and tension within you backing away from the glorious peak he’d gotten so close to pushing them over. 

“You’re so mean,” you whined.

You heard him suck in a breath between his teeth. “You’re breakin’ my heart, baby.” 

His room at the inn had a few lamps to combat the dark desert night, but only one was lit. The lamp on the bedside table to his right cast a little light on him, but the curve of your thigh and the bend of your knee had shrouded him in black shadows while he knelt on the floor and ravished you with his tongue. Now that your legs had dropped to rest and bend over the edge of the mattress, you could see the corners of his brown eyes creased with a smile that he hid behind your dripping cunt. He dipped one thick finger inside of you and snickered when you gasped and startled. Your pussy was still throbbing and aching for release, and it wouldn’t stop until he pushed you over that heavenly edge. 

Warm hands massaged your flesh and trailed down to grip the underside of your thighs. His fingers dug in and lifted them a little bit so he could turn his head and press wet kisses on your inner thighs. You felt the ridge of his nose as his lips worked. Delicate eyelashes fluttered against tan cheeks. Brown Eyes gave you one last kiss and a playful nip that made you giggle.

“See, darlin’?” he murmured into your sensitive skin, opening his eyes again. “I can be nice.”

When you raised your eyebrow, he dramatically rolled his eyes. He turned around and stood up with a grunt that made you bite back a chuckle. Yellow light flickered on his bare back and revealed a few scarred splotches; you’d convinced him to take off his shirt and vest earlier, and now it was time for the rest. You swung up to sit on your knees as Brown Eyes hummed and took off his dark denim pants and underdrawers in one motion. 

He walked over to the chair next to a short dresser beside the door, meticulously folding the clothing and setting it underneath his folded shirt. His poncho and vest were draped over the back of the tiny chair, his hat resting on top of the shirt, a beige cloth peeking out beneath it. Dusty brown boots waited on the floor. The brown leather holster weighed down the poncho. A rifle leaned against the dresser—“A Winchester 73, m’favorite”—to finish the cowboy’s closet.

Brown Eyes cleared his throat and ran a large hand over the back of his head, fingers teasing his soft brown curls. He turned around to face you, striding over, his thick cock hard and bouncing with each step. It nearly distracted you from his face—his bare face, the handsome one he’d been hiding all this time. 

He lifted your chin with two fingers and you nearly melted into the mattress. Your eyes wandered all over his features, greedy for every detail. You were finally seeing the curved nose you’d felt against your thighs and folds. A neat mustache lay above the pink lips that had brought you to shambles. Scruff lined the jaw you’d stolen a look at a few days ago and crept up his cheeks. You noticed a bare patch in the scruff to the right of his chin, and your eyes traced the thin canyons on his forehead left behind from years of erosion and desert sun.

“My mama told me it’s rude to stare,” Brown Eyes chastised, the corner of his mouth quirking up a bit.

“I didn’t think it was rude to stare at art,” you quipped back, leaning forward a bit more when he brushed his thumb over your lips and massaged one of your breasts in his hand.

Your heart sped up when he bent down, his face only inches from yours. You could feel his steady exhales heat the air you inhaled through parted lips, his handsome face stealing every bit of sense from your head and making you weak. 

He clicked his tongue. “She also told me lyin’ is bad.”

Your eyebrows knitted together. “Why would I lie to someone like you? I’ve seen what happens. I’ve seen what you can do, Brown Eyes.”

You trailed off, biting your lip when he sharply inhaled. Damn, he sure loved when you called him that. He hooked his thumb into the corner of your mouth, his lust-blown eyes watching it as he swept it across your lower lip and your cunt ached with want. 

“You’re right, darlin’,” he acquiesced. “Didn’ take you for the lyin’ type anyway.” 

He gave you a soft smile you didn’t think bounty killers were capable of and you simpered. Brown Eyes pinched your chin before sitting next to you and laying back, pumping his cock in his fist. You adjusted yourself so you could trail your hands across his hot skin, explore its ridges and softness, soak in its warmth. Your hands graced across it until they cupped his jaw, startling him with a sensation he probably hadn’t experienced in years. 

You bent down with half-lidded eyes and gently parted lips. Chestnut eyes locked with yours right before you crashed your lips into his and let one of your hands reach and grasp his cock. The interruption made him moan into your mouth, the sound desperate and low in his throat. You shared a whine with Brown Eyes when his right hand forced itself between your thighs and shuddered when his fingertips stroked up and down the seam of your folds. He smiled against your lips when you began rolling your hips to steal more of his scalding touch.

He pulled back from your lips and whispered, “You wanna go for a ride, darlin’?”

You bit your lip and nodded. Brown Eyes grinned at you—this man was full of surprises tonight—and turned himself to lay in the center of the mattress. You moved and knelt between his slightly spread legs, your feet touching the wooden footboard as you stared down at him. He was biting his lip and let them part when you massaged your tits before bending over, making sure to arch your back, your lips hovering near the fat head of his cock. You looked back up at him coquettishly—you were in control now, teasing him with hot exhales and smiling after he gave you a few needy groans.

When you swirled your tongue around the head of his cock, you felt him tug the sheets with a hiss. A lick from the base to the tip made him swear; he was finally getting a taste of his own medicine. You planted your hands on his hips and held his gaze for a few more seconds before closing your eyes and wrapping your lips around him, slowly bobbing up and down, working lower and lower as you went. Your brow furrowed, spit starting to dribble down your chin, and you opened your eyes just in time to see him throw his head back and curse.

“Fuck, baby, god damn,” Brown Eyes rasped, groaning when you pressed your tongue against him as you slid back up again before twisting your head back down, just over halfway down his throbbing length. 

He choked when you took every inch of him, your spit-covered lips pressing against the curls at the base. You could only hold it for a moment—his girth and length pushed you to the limit—and then you bobbed back up and swirled your tongue around the bulging head before releasing him from your mouth with a wet pop. He looked down at you as you licked up a few beads of liquid leaking from his cock, wrapping a hand around his shaft before sucking him back into your mouth, wildly working your tongue around the head as you stroked. Your pussy throbbed when he whined, one of his hands coming to clasp your forearm as you snaked your free hand up his torso, splaying your fingers out for stability. 

He’d grown even harder somehow, and your hand trailed down to give his balls a quick, light squeeze, eliciting an even louder whine; you hoped that nobody occupied the room next to his. Your hand went back to work his shaft, but he tugged your forearm and his other hand held your cheek. You looked up at him and slowly let his cock fall out of your mouth, watching his eyes scrunch closed and eyebrows knit together, his plush pink lips falling open. His chestnut eyes opened again as you straddled his torso, your ass bumping against the leaking length, making him hiss and smile.

“Baby, if you kept that up, I would’a come down your throat.” He panted and shook his head. “But I wanna see you painted in it.”

You giggled when his large palms clapped on your cheeks, grabbing the meat of them and spreading them.

“Go ‘head, darlin’,” he urged. “Ride this cowboy’s cock.”

“Don’ have to tell me twice,” you chuckled, giving him a kiss before sitting back on your knees. 

You started to slowly lower yourself onto his cock, lips parting as his fat head notched inside of your slick and needy hole, already splitting you open. His hands traveled up the curve of your ass and over your hips to rest on your thighs, low groans coaxing you further down. You planted your hands next to his ears and stared into his eyes as you slammed your ass against him, hissing as he filled you to the brim. His eyes squeezed shut and he whined, hands moving back to your ass.

“You take me so well, darlin’, fuck,” he growled. His eyes bore deep into yours, and he gently squeezed your cheeks. “Now, c’mon, baby girl. Move those gorgeous hips.”

You slowly rolled your hips back a few times, feeling your ass shake and letting your cunt adjust to his size. When you started to speed up, the man nodded and grunted along with your pants. The tension inside of you had returned with a vengeance, your walls already fluttering after only a few minutes of riding him. You picked up the pace and added another movement, sliding up and down, hammering back down with a filthy, wet sound. You threw your head back and shifted to rest on your knees, sinking down to the base and holding his gaze as he groaned. You began massaging your breasts and circled your hips, remaining fully seated on his cock.

“F-fuck, feels amazing, Brown Eyes,” you moaned, your index and middle fingers landing on your clit and rubbing small circles around it. 

You lifted your head to look at him when he swatted your fingers away. Brown Eyes gave you a sly smile. “Allow me, darlin’. You keep on ridin’, and don’ stop ‘til I say so.”

You nodded and then moaned when he pressed his thumb against the sensitive nub. You fell forward and planted your hands next to his ears again, your face twisted in ecstasy as he pushed you to the peak he’d denied you earlier. You kept pounding your ass back, picking up the pace when his pants began to grow louder, riding towards his own climax along with you.

“Oh, fuck—fuck—Brown Eyes, I’m gonna come,” you gasped, something white hot threatening to scorch you from the inside out.

“Do it, darlin’, come for me,” he growled, his thumb working your clit frantically as the roll of your hips became erratic. “Clench my cock, soak me—”

You cut off his encouragement with a cry of pleasure, your entire body shaking and burning, your cunt pulsing around him and drenching him in your juices. You slumped forward to rest on your forearms, and he went to work, thrusting his hips up into you, grunting and growling into your ear. You stared at him, your head heavy as you basked in the afterglow of your white-hot climax. When you sloppily kissed his lips, spit still wet on your chin, Brown Eyes growled and pushed you onto your back, bending your sweaty legs and forcing your knees towards your ears as much as they could. You whimpered when he fucked into you with feral grunts and growls, your slick-coated walls letting the head of him push deep inside of you. The force was pushing you towards the footboard, and he placed his large hand on the top of your head to shield you from it and hold you in place for his cock.

“Fuck—your pussy feels fuckin’ incredible,” he opened his eyes, and there was a familiar dark storm brewing in them, his pupils blown as he gritted his teeth and increased his pace. 

“Come on me,” you whispered, still drunk with pleasure, eyes brimming with tears from his brutal strokes. You reached your hand up and cupped his jaw with pleading eyes. 

Your touch sent him over the edge, and he pulled out of you with a moan. You let your arms fall back and bend behind your head, watching him give his cock one final pump before thick ropes of his spend painted your body. You closed your eyes and smiled listening to his choked moans, then opened them again to see his head thrown back and cock throbbing as his body started to come down from his climax.

Brown Eyes stared back down at you and smiled, eyes trailing up your torso from your hips to your breasts. You blissfully sighed and smiled, and he flopped down at your right side with a huff. You looked over at him, his head propped up on his hand, his handsome face and body masked by a little darkness with the light behind his back. 

“You look mighty lovely covered in my come, darlin’.” He gave you a gentle kiss and smiled against your lips. “Prettiest thing I ever seen.”

“Surely I can’t be prettier than a bunch of money in your hand for a bounty,” you half-teased.

He pulled back and furrowed his brow, shaking his head. Your eyes fluttered close when his hand cupped your cheek—it was trembling against your skin—and you leaned into his warm touch.

“Darlin’,” he said sternly. You opened your eyes to meet his again, the storm in them suddenly gone. “Didn’ I tell you my first day here that I’d found somethin’ better than money?”

You furrowed your brow. “I..I think so,” you responded hesitantly.

“I know I did, darlin’,” he confirmed, brushing his thumb across the apple of your cheek. “An’ didn’ I tell ya I’m not a liar?” You nodded and he pressed a kiss against your sweaty forehead, then pulled back and murmured, “You’re lovelier than any sunset I ever seen.” 

The compliment made you shyly smile and giggle, but it quickly faded as you stared into his eyes. A question weighed on your chest, and you worried your lip between your teeth. You’d covered it up and hid it, and now you couldn’t hold it back any longer—especially since he was leaving town tomorrow.

“Brown Eyes, will you ever come back?” you asked meekly. You quickly added, “Here, I mean. To the town. Not to me.” Your skin warmed with embarrassment.

He hesitated, glancing at the sheets before looking back into your eyes. “Well, you want me to?”

Did you really want him to, even after all he’d done since he stormed into town and held it—and you—captive in his fury? The man with a revolver on his hip and a Winchester 73 and a belt of bullets? The one who’d sent John to his death, who’d threatened Mr. Daniels, who’d killed three men without blinking? Did you really want the bounty killer to return and shroud you in his stormy shadow again?

“Yeah,” you smiled. “I want that.”

He smiled against your lips as he kissed you, and you wondered if he ever smiled after killing a bounty as you tangled your fingers in his hair.

masterlist a/n: whew! thank you for reading all of this! it really ran away from me. please let me know what you think with comments and reblogs !!

taglist (join here):

@bbyanarchist @threeheadedlamb @dindjarinsmut @djarinslove @saradika @tortor-mcgee @sofasoap @hardlystrictlystarwars, @hrtsforpascal @notsosecretspy @totallynotastanacc @elinedjarin @maddiedrmr @kaqua @fairy-tale-writer @charlottetownwaffles, @theamuz, @jellybeanstacey0519 @tizylish, @graciexmarvel, @dheet, @kalea-bane, @mymindfuckery

[spectres-n-soap]

All The Things I've Said PT2 - Ghost x Reader x Soap

Content Warnings - Ghosts past, tragic backstory™️, pregnancy, implied protective Ghost

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

A/N - 2/7 done.

Ghost has found that the times when you are gone from the flat while attending therapy is suffocating. He normally does not mind being alone or the silence that comes with it but after spending the last weeks with you, he finds that he hates it.

He tries to keep busy now instead of sitting around like a dog left at home while the owner goes shopping. Which is what he did the first few times you told him that you would text him when the session was over. He had wandered from the couch, to the dining room chairs and back to the couch so many times in just a few hours that he was sure he was going mad.

It wasn’t until the fourth day of this that something had clicked and he started this routine. You were heavily pregnant now and after the reveal that you’d likely have to get a c-section, he had picked up more chores around the house. He cleans the dishes, takes out the trash, makes your bed and does the laundry. He buys food for the house and keeps everything stocked. Ghost looks at the little sage green onesie in his hands and wonders if the baby will even fit. He saw the size of them, they were going to be a big and fat baby.

Ghost folds the onesie with a skill that had made his hands shake when he first did it. Joseph had been a very fat and happy baby. All smiles and giggles, only crying when hungry or having soiled his nappy. He had big blue eyes that Ghost can still recall with clarity but not without it being soiled with the memory of how those eyes looked when he was dead. Maybe that's why he couldn’t visit Johnny before he was cremated. His and Joseph’s eyes were so similar. He didn’t want the memory of two sets of blue eyes glazed over with the gray of death.

Ghost rubs the soft fabric of the beige pants that went with the white shirt he had just folded. It was soft, non irritating for a baby’s soft and delicate skin. His mind is drawn back to the past, back to when Beth had just finished her own baby shower and there were so many gifts.

Despite Ghost’s family being rather small, Beth’s was not. It had been refreshing and a little overwhelming to have so many people over. But his mum had enjoyed it, she had made so much food that despite the twenty people in that house there were still leftovers.

Beth rested her head against Tommy’s shoulder, tired from all the fuss and talking while Simon gathered up the trash. “You okay love?” Tommy asked softly and cupped Beth’s cheek. Beth smiled up at Simon’s brother and nodded.

“Jus’ tired. That’s all.” Beth yawned and Tommy smiled before he suggested she take a nap while he and Simon cleaned up. Beth didn’t need any convincing and with their mum’s help, waddled up the stairs to their bedroom. Simon kept putting things into the trash bag as Tommy gathered up the collection of blue onesies and outfits. Simon had never imagined Tommy being a father.

He had never envisioned either of them being fathers because of the shit job their father had done. And yet, here was Tommy. Married to a wonderfully kind woman with a baby on the way, clean from drugs and their father left to die from whatever cancers ate away at his body. Good fuckin’ riddiance thought Simon.

“You’re gonna be a good father.” Simon said, not exactly sure where that came from. Tommy smiled at him, brown eyes mirrored each other.

“And you’re gonna be a good uncle.” Tommy said as he folded up another blue onesie. “You’re already a good brother.” Simon shook his head but didn’t argue. He had told the military to fuck off, that he was going on leave to fix up the mess that was his family. He didn’t know how much longer he would be able to stay on hardship leave. Hopefully long enough to see baby Joseph.

“I’m doing what I’m meant to do.” Simon said with a shrug as he stuffed one last pile of ripped apart wrapping paper. “I came back for my family.”

“Thank you Simon.” Tommy placed a hand on Simon’s shoulder. “For making me get better.”

Simon shrugged off his hand, “I only threw the rope, you’re the one who had to climb.”

Ghost rewashes the baby bottles, not interested in the baby drinking from unwashed bottles. He watches the droplets slowly drip from the bottle as he sets them on the drying rack, he swallows as the memories claw up from the depths. He wishes they were happy still and not fucked up with blood and a type of grief that didn’t let go.

He looked down at the baby in his arms. All swaddled in a soft blue blanket with a blue boonie on his head. Baby Joseph. His face was still wrinkled and his eyes were shut, his mouth slightly open as he slept. There were feelings stirring deep within him that he had never felt before. There was this tiny life being held in his hands, hands that had killed and shot off guns that would surely ruin Joseph's hearing. And yet he was the only one holding him as Tommy doted on Beth after some skin to skin contact earlier.

Simon held his breath as Joseph blinked, his little blue eyes unfocused as he stared up at Simon. Joseph squinted and a small toothless smile appeared. “Hi Joseph.” Simon whispered as he looked down at his nephew and he felt tears appear in his eyes. “It's your uncle Simon.” Simon licked his dry lips as Joseph looked up at him, “I’ll protect you. I’ll protect your entire family. Promise.” Simon murmured, so quietly he almost didn’t hear himself say it.

Simon wipes at his eyes as the memory fades and leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. He checks his phone just as your text message appears, “I’m ready to be picked up.” Simon wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans before he grabs his keys as he stuffs down the emotions those memories conjure. You are not Beth. Johnny was not Tommy. And he was not going to let anything happen to you or that baby.

[essentiallyleaf]

day 22. daddy kink. with. sakura.

758 words.

tags.

kinktober ‘23, futa!idol x female reader, daddy kink, cockhungry reader, somewhat rough sex, i’m not feeling very funny tonight.

notes.

they just keep getting shorter! i swear it’s not because i’m procrastinating writing until 12 a.m. though. exhaustedly, leaf.

You met the girl in a mall, she was reading Kafka with the most peaceful, relaxed air, like there was a desert around her, when in reality it was so crowded and loud that you couldn’t hear your friend talk to you from across the table at the coffee shop. She later told you she likes to hear the sound of the artificial waterfall beside the escalator while she reads; you told her, go to the river; she told you, it’s not the same, people go to the river to relax, I don’t read to relax; you asked her, what do you read for?; she answered you, I read to understand what the writer is like in bed. Anyway, you went up to her and asked whether she knew if there was a library in the mall - you knew there was one right around the corner, but pick-up lines aren’t your forte; whose forte are they, if truth be told? - and if she had a book to recommend. “Well, it depends, what do you like?” It’s very easy to make conversation, if you think about it: you can start anywhere you want, and it’s like tributary streams, at some point you always end up channeling into your common interests.

It’s just following the course of the river that leads to her writing down her number on the paper towel you’d gotten with your coffee - “It’s Sakura, by the way, but you can call me Kkura,” she said with a warm smile, like she loved her name, like she had chosen it herself - to the two of you meeting again (neither of you used the word date, but in retrospect, well, yeah) in a bar downtown. They didn’t call themselves a gay bar, but the place had queer written all over it; I mean, Monthly Murder Mystery Monday? Really? To the two of you seeing each other four times in the next week, to her asking if you wanted to come to her house to have a drink after the fourth, cause she wanted to show you her wild animal plushie collection. One thing that surely was wild was the sex, that night. Kkura was plunging into your pussy from the back as you were bent over her bed, ass in the air, and she felt huge inside you. Your face was sunk into the soft light gray-brown fur of the sloth when it escaped your mouth.

“Ngh- ahaadhd- …addy!”

“What did you just say?”

“I- Nothing, I’msor-”

“Again.”

The thing about a river’s delta is, it splits very gradually, just one extra fork at a time, so you don’t really notice how wide it has spread until you’re already deep into it. You start calling her daddy every time you’re hungry for her cock, and she feeds you (the unholy sound of your slurps fills the room like there’s three girls sucking it at the same time, but no, it’s just little old you), then every time you’re hungry. She’s the sweetest girlfriend, you know she’d always get you whatever you’re craving if you asked nicely. You call her daddy when it’s just the two of you, then if there’s close friends around. They still smile jokingly when it happens, but they understand, they know what it’s like; not to be with a girl whose rod that can rearrange your insides, but to be lucky enough to be next to someone that you love and to not be afraid to show it. You almost have a slip up the first time you meet her parents: “Dad- Da… Dadaism was, pretty… wacky, wasn’t it? Duchamp, what an eccentric soul, haha!” Even the save is embarrassing, but it’ll be a great story to tell your kids; ok, maybe not your kids, maybe your friends.

She’s your daddy when you sit on her lap and start grinding on it while she’s having breakfast, when you lay your head on her shoulder and she gropes your tits, only covered by a thin beige t-shirt, while you’re watching Worlds, when she fucks you missionary and slaps your thighs until they become red like your cheeks at her parents’ house, and her fingers gently wrap around your throat, and she kisses you like her throat is burning and only you can help relieve it. You can’t separate freshwater and salt, once you’re out in the sea. It’s all mixed together, as one. And it’s not good or bad, it’s all just part of a natural cycle. Sakura, Kkura, daddy; any name, any place, any time.

-

footnotes.

my favorite shirt from Raygun is the one that says ‘Iowa: flee to flourish’. friedly, leaf.

[yuraimi-lee-bunny]

OK, seriously, it's been 5 years of keeping this with me, but I think it's been too long and I need to get it out:

Gray isn't white skinned. Gray isn't a "white guy".

Whithe person is Tigress, Maelstrom, Paper Star, Chase Devineaux, Julie Argent, Zach and Ivy.

But Gray isn't. Gray has a "beige" skin tone, it's an almost orange skin tone. He isn't as white as other characters that if you put them in the light they almost shine like a Twilight's vampire.

And I have never understood why some call him "white man" because throughout the entire series it's very clear that he isn't. Yeah, ok, he's not brown, but he isn't white either. In Spanish we have a term called "apiñonado" (a middle term between white and brown, which people who are a mix between an indigenous person and someone with white skin tend to have. You know, the consequences of miscegenation)

Which has sometimes led me to think that Gray is a person with Aboriginal roots (that's another topic. And although I have no proof, I have no doubt either.)

Even here I leave you the best proof. In a place with little light. Chase and Gray. Chase is white, not Gray!

And well, I could put more proof, but I think these are the clearest. I'm not mad at anyone, but I'm not going to understand why even Gray's wiki says "Skin: white" when it's VERY obvious that it's not, and there have always been other terms to describe different skin tones, not just "black and white"

[layla4567]

Awful things to you...

Pairing: TVA!Loki x Variant!fem!reader

Summary: You are a variant and the TVA pursues you tirelessly until they find you. Loki will be in charge of interrogating you and you are not sure if that is a reward or a punishment.

Warnings: Based on episode 2 of the second season, smut, slightly dom loki, good cop and bad cop dynamic (loki is bad cop obviously), reader being a lil brat, slightly choking(?, hair pulling, fingering with clothes, sex with clothes/hook up idk.

WC: 3.4k

You were sitting in the middle of the room in an uncomfortable, small seat that didn't even have a backrest. You looked at the ceiling bored while the warm, yellowish lights hit you squarely in the face. It seemed like you were in some kind of madhouse with a completely empty, windowless orange room with a solid oval iron door in front of you. Your clothing wasn't comfortable either, the baggy jumpsuit of a horrible beige color made you look like a prisoner (although technically you were) and that uncomfortable and annoying necklace they had put on you was starting to make you itch. You placed a finger between the skin of your neck and the material of the collar, trying in vain to push it away a little but it kept squeezing. You were just grumbling when two people entered the room. One was a man with gray hair and a mustache with an affable and good-natured appearance, his partner who was taller, had somewhat longer and black hair combed back. They both wore brown uniforms with matching ties.

"Well, well, well. Finally someone comes to visit me, I was getting bored"-you said cheekily

The gray-haired man came a little closer with an easy and graceful step towards you without stopping smiling.

"Well, sorry, we were a little busy."-He answered, laughing at his own joke.

You simply stared at him and grunted something, narrowing your eyes and nodding indifferently, the other tall man came closer to be next to his friends. An awkward silence settled between the three of you so the first man decided to break that silence.

"Oh but where are my manners? We haven't even introduced ourselves, I'm Agent Mobius and he's my partner Loki."-He said pointing to himself and then to his friend.

"And I suppose you already know my name"- you said with irritating irony.

"Yes, and that's why we're here."-said the one called Loki

"Oh so you know how to talk after all"-you pretended to be surprised

Loki sighed and was tempted to roll his eyes but he simply restrained himself, as Mobius knew that his companion was someone somewhat irascible, he continued speaking for him.

"Well there's no reason to be so rude, look we brought you here because you committed something on your sacred line that created a ramification"

You interrupted him, closing your eyes and waving a hand in front of him, fed up with his rant.

"I'm sorry but I'm not understanding you shit"

"In short, you did something you shouldn't have and we brought you here to keep you from causing more problems."

You turned laughing sarcastically to see Loki as you frowned.

"So now I'm locked up and watched by two kinds of babysitters?"

"I wouldn't say it like that-"

"This is stupid"- you exalted -"I want to leave, let me get out of here"-you demanded

You stood determined to push them out of your way and get out the door when Loki, who was considerably taller than you, stood in front of you, blocking the door and placing his hands on your shoulders, stopping you.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

You sighed in annoyance, you weren't afraid of him or Mobius but you weren't stupid, they were two against one and you weren't sure if you would be able to take down Loki.

"Ugh fine, what do you want from me then?"

"We want to know what you did or rather why you did it"-Mobius said placing his hands behind his back.

"I thought you knew that, since you know me so well."-You rolled your eyes, putting your hands on your hips.

"We'd rather it come out of your mouth, ok?"

Loki narrowed his eyes and you looked at him out of the corner of your eye and up and down, contemplating whether to say what you know or not. After a few seconds of silence you clicked your tongue.

"Alright, how about I tell you a story, shall I? Once upon a time there was a pretty, intelligent girl who got tired of living in misery and, let's say, one day she innocently stole a diamond ring so she could sell it. Until two couple of weirdos came and captured her. The end"

"Did you like the story?"-You smiled sarcastically as you blinked your eyelashes innocently, making a kind of pout.

"I think you're a great storyteller."

Mobius always tried to make a joke with that smile on the verge of being a laugh, but you looked at him with the seriousness of a wax statue, somewhat uncomfortable, he stopped smiling and fell silent.

Loki took the lead

"The point is that now we need to know what you did with that ring, obviously you hid it because you didn't have it with you"

"Good deduction Sherlock, you surprise me."

Your poisonous sarcasm never left your throat and was beginning to make Loki impatient, who closed his eyes and took a deep breath. You were just having fun watching him lose his temper. Mobius, as a good-hearted man, tried to see things from all possible perspectives.

"Look y/n, I understand, okay? You must be feeling frustrated and confused, two agents take you from where you were and take you to a strange place and you don't understand what's happening! I really understand, but right now we have more urgent matters and we really need you to tell us where you hid it"

You looked at him, narrowing your eyes, trying to suppress a smile. Unfortunately, appealing to empathy is not going to make you give in. Your lips will be sealed

"I'm sorry…I think I forgot. Also, if you have more urgent matters then I would recommend that you take care of them first."

You smiled mischievously as Mobius lowered his head and sighed in defeat, Loki looked at him.

"Ok I give up, Loki it's your turn I'll go eat a pie"

Loki nodded and smiled. Now that he had his partner's approval, Loki felt freer to question you. Before Mobius left through the door, he approached Loki and whispered.

"Be gently"

After patting him on the back, he trotted off and walked out the door, looking happier. Now Loki was staring at you with hypnotizing green eyes, he had raised his chin a little and looked menacing.

"Good, how about we start on the right foot? I'm just warning you that I won't be as patient as my partner."

His guttural voice echoed in the room and its bounce off the walls reached your ears from different places, it seemed as if there was more than one Loki speaking to you, you shivered a little, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"I already told you that I don't remember where I left the ring."

"Oh that's a pity"

To your surprise, Loki was smiling and looking down at you with his hands clasped in front of him. There was something elegant yet intimidating about him. The way he moved or the way he spoke, he did it with Shakespearean grace. Slowly he began to approach you

"You know? Maybe you don't know who I am but I am known for being the god of mischief and for having done terrible, horrible things to many people."

With each thing he said, he took a step and got closer, until he was so close to you that you had to lean back slightly until you almost fell out of your chair and looked at him completely from below with your neck tense, his haughty and threatening presence looming upon you like the shadow of the grim reaper. His head covered the light coming from the ceiling spotlight, making an interesting contrast. Now seeing him against the light, the shadows sharpened Loki's face, framing his perfect nose and jaw, the light seemed to want to stay away from him as if he were someone who belonged to the darkness. You swallowed, intimidated.

"And believe me, I will have no mercy or fear in doing all those terrible and awful things…to you"

His voice was almost a whisper, so low and sounding grave and hoarse, it made you feel things, things that were better not to say. You didn't know why, but those threats didn't provoke fear in you, but rather the opposite. It was hot. Trying to sound casual you said

"Uhh scary man.."

Your voice was almost inaudible almost like a whisper but you managed to try to smile cheekily as some kind of flirt. Loki didn't seem fazed, instead he laughed airily, widening his Cheshire cat smile. And he began to walk around you like a vulture, making his shadow grow that enveloped you like a heavenly or demonic mantle.

"You have guts, I like that. You would have been a great ally in my troops"

Now Loki's voice was close to your ear in the back, whispering to you as he didn't stop spinning.

"But be careful what you say, a slip of the tongue and it could cost you dearly"

With everything he said, added to the fact that his breath tickled your ear from behind, he made you clench your legs and make your body rigid while you held your hands to the seat.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me the cat got your tongue."

Now his laugh was tickling the right side of your cheek as you could feel his green eyes nearby penetrating your face looking into your eyes and mouth.

"Come on, let me hear your sweet voice one more time, I want to know what you have to say."-Loki said, narrowing his eyes for a second and smiling mockingly, but his words sounded like a demand.

"I…I uhm.."

"Oh so the cat did get your tongue anyway"

You cursed inside, biting your lips and frowning, you were behaving stupidly, you couldn't even say a word. Suddenly Loki grabbed your hair, intertwining his fingers and pulling it back slightly, surprised you let out a moan as you placed a hand on his trying to remove it from your hair.

"We can do this all day darling, but at some point you're going to have to start talking, don't you think?"

Loki was still behind you to have easier access to your hair, and he never let go of it. His face was close to your right side and his lips brushed the skin of your ear as he spoke. Without warning his lips collided with the top of your jaw. He wasn't leaving kisses or anything like that but the simple touch of his soft lips running over and caressing your face made you melt.

"You're not going to say anything yet, huh? Bad for you."-He said with his open mouth resting on your cheek.

Loki pulled your hair a little more and placed wet kisses on your jaw, tracing the curve of it. Loki sighed and grunted, panting lightly as if this turned him on too. You bit your lips hard, suppressing your moans.

"You have beautiful, silky skin, but this ugly necklace bothers me greatly."

Loki took something out of his pocket and pressed a button that deactivated the collar and it fell to the ground with a thud. Satisfied now Loki began to kiss and suck on your neck moving your head to the side to have more access. Loki seemed like a thirsty vampire and you his poor victim. You began to thrash as you spread your legs, placing one hand between them to grab the edge of the small seat and unconsciously grinding your hips.

"L-loki..stop..please"-moaning brokenly

"Oh now do you want me to stop? And what is that movement in your hips?"-he mocked shamelessly

You closed your eyes in shame, feeling your cheeks heat up as you tried to stop your hips and dug your nails into the seat.

"That's simple, if you want me to stop then tell me what you know"

Loki growled in your ear as his tongue probed the skin of your neck near your jaw, licking you like ice cream. At this point you could no longer control your moans and you writhed, eager to touch him, to place your hands on his hair as he did with yours.

"Are you sure you want me to stop?"

"NOoo.."

You whimpered as a plea, opening your mouth. Loki assumed you would say that so he let your hair go and stood in front of you. He easily lifted you from the seat, when you stood up your thighs were trembling and you were panting. Loki sat on the small round seat and spread his legs, patting his lap inviting you to sit on it. You blushed and couldn't move a muscle so he grabbed you by the wrist and pulled you to wrap your legs around his waist, sitting facing you with your eyes fixed on his. Loki placed his large hand on your cheeks, squeezing them a little until he made you pout.

"You are being very unfair to me"

Loki's hand went down to your throat and he brought his mouth close to your ear.

"Will you still not tell me where you hid it?"

Loki looked at you and tightened his fingers a little around the grip on your neck, you shook your head.

"Good"-he smiled

Loki's hand left your neck and moved down your torso slowly and painfully, he seemed to take his time on purpose. With his delicate fingers he traced waves and spirals near your chest, from time to time his palm traveled to the side of your torso near the ribs and cupping your breasts, he even allowed himself to feel your erect nipples with his thumb and squeeze them mischievously as if they were buttons

"Loki!"-you gasped shakily.

"Do you like that, pet?"

You nodded without remorse, your eyes dilating in desire as a shiver ran down your spine. Loki continued to touch you elegantly, his two hands traveled to your waist and didn't stop there. They continued down to your lower belly and your mons, that's when you let out an involuntary moan as you retracted your hips.

Loki, delighting in the noises you made, narrowed his eyes, smiling sideways and tilting his head.

"What do you think now? Will you tell me where it is?"

You shook your head again, biting your lower lip trying to suppress your smile, you felt like a naughty girl about to be punished, it amused you. And Loki seemed to be amused too.

"Ok, don't say I didn't warn you."

Loki placed one hand on your lower back, slightly pulling you towards his body while his other hand was placed on your vagina, that touch made you gasp but more so when his middle and index fingers were placed at your entrance trying to push the fabric of your beige uniform. You couldn't help but squeal like a mouse.

"Oh.. delicious"

Loki rubbed your entrance with his fingers trying to uselessly put them somewhere, even so, his fingers felt your flesh and that gesture began to make you wet. Luckily the fabric of the clothing was light and did not loosen in that area so his fingers could touch your hungry and throbbing pussy without problems.

Again you pathetically began to move your hips hoping to feel more friction while your face buried in the crook of his neck drowning out your babbling and moaning. Loki's calmness was overwhelmingly annoying. You were desperate that he had control, rubbing your back with a strange tenderness contrasted with what his other hand was doing to your core, while he repeated to you to take a deep breath as if you were about to be vaccinated. How could he be so sweet and delicate and a horny pervert at the same time?

"You're doing well, but I'd like to know where the ring is, please."-he said mocking your desperate desires

You still had your face buried in the crook of his neck, muttering and gasping incomprehensible words.

"I'm sorry darling, I didn't hear you correctly, what did you say?"-Loki said as you pressed harder and deeper into your entrance.

"I don't know!"

You moaned sharply, quickly removing your face from his shoulder while you breathed with your mouth open, trying not to succumb to your carnal impulses but you couldn't grip his shoulders tightly as if your hands were pliers.

"What a naughty girl you are. Do you really like being punished? You'll be glad to know I'm not done yet."

Loki grabbed and dug his fingers into your mules, pulling you even closer to him and forcing you to bring your pelvis together and crash against his. You were wondering what he was going to do when suddenly he raised his hips and his bulge collided with your entrance. This drew another louder moan from you. Loki stood there watching your reaction in amusement.

"What a delight to hear you like that, pet"

Another bounce of his hip and you had to close your eyes and bite your lip to keep from letting out the growl that remained locked in your throat. You were practically sitting on his cock and you felt your core throbbing harder and harder until it started to hurt acutely, this was torture, but a pleasurable one. Loki moved his pelvis upward again, holding your hips and threw your head back, releasing a pitiful moan.

"I'll ask you one more time, don't exhaust my patience. WHERE.IS.IT?"

To emphasize his words, he collided his pelvis with yours again, this time more abruptly as he wrinkled his face. You dug your nails into his back and gritted your teeth, you could feel the tears gathering in your eyes.

"I.DON'T.KNOW"

Loki, on the other hand, seemed happy with that answer.

"Whatever you want"

Now without mercy, Loki ground his hips up and down, colliding with your entrance while your hands clung to the back of his neck and you pressed your chest against his. Your face was on his shoulder looking towards the door fearing that someone would come and find you in this embarrassing situation, you had no idea how much time had passed. Loki found his own rhythm going fast and without tiring, you accompanied him bouncing up and down accompanying his hips when he went up, they seemed like a harmonious wave. But they were far from harmony, you two were panting and you were a mess since he started touching you with his manly hands. your palms were sweating and your uniform was starting to stick to your body. When you thought that nothing could be worse, Loki began to kiss your neck again, this time leaving small bites, you closed your eyes tightly and gritted your teeth, feeling like you were losing your mind. Your hand finally gripped his hair tightly and you took revenge, being able to pull him back to which he grunted. This little Eden that had settled between the two of you and the room didn't seem like enough to you. It was just a false sense of pleasure, you really needed him inside you no matter how hard his cock was or how deep you sat on it, you couldn't take this anymore unless he really fucked you properly.

"Loki… I-I give up, I'll tell you... where it is…"-you said between moans and gasps.

"But we were having fun"

He laughed shamelessly as he stopped and let you get off his lap, when you did you could barely stand. You were breathing hard and your knees were bending about to hit the floor and you were all sweaty. Loki seemed a little better than you but you still noticed that the hair on his forehead was damp. Between broken words you kept your promise and gave him the information he wanted.

"See? It was not that difficult"-He said smiling as if nothing had happened while he caressed your cheek with a finger.

At that moment Mobius entered, smiling as always and with a can in one hand. Seeing them in such a pitiful state, his corners loosened a little and confusion appeared on his face.

"What did I miss?"

"Oh nothing, the interrogation was just fruitful"-Loki said while winking at you knowingly.

Mobius and Loki said goodbye to you while you continued standing trying to catch your breath and process what had happened. When the two of them closed the door behind you you could hear Mobius' somewhat muffled voice asking Loki: "Hey, why are you so sweaty? It looks like you ran a marathon."

[monsterblogging]

Fuck JKR: How To Create A Harry Potter-Esque Aesthetic Without Any Harry Potter In It

So I saw a few posts from people mentioning that a reason people might be into Harry Potter is because of the aesthetic or atmosphere, and ya know what? I can't even argue that, because if there's one thing about HP, it's that it Sure Does Have Aesthetic And Atmosphere.

So! I'm gonna tell you how to STEAL ITS LOOK! Because:

JK Rowling considers ANY support of her work to be support of her politics.

Fan content/fan merch is still free advertisement for Rowling's work. YOU might not choose to give her money, but you can't be sure you won't pull people into the fandom who will.

Everyone should create more things that aren't tied to corporate-owned IP, period.

So. Most things in these films have an aged, antique look. You'll see a lot of brown hues, both on sets and on people's clothes. There's a lot of near-blacks (especially charcoals and walnuts) and lighter grays on the sets, especially from the third film onwards. (Wood is more often than not stained dark, while lighter hues are often provided by bricks or plaster.) The last two films use a lot of stormy blues and grays. Prisoner of Azkaban also emphasizes contrast between tones, which heightens a sense of texture. True black also appears throughout the films, such as on students' uniforms and many Death Eaters' outfits, and on the chairs in Malfoy Manor. White appears occasionally, especially on Hedwig, students' shirts, or during winter scenes, but pure white isn't otherwise really common. Paper or parchment is usually warm beige. There's also a lot of silver, gold, and brass, often appearing on things like dishware, tools, trinkets, Christmas baubles, and so forth. Bronze also comes up occasionally.

Reds, yellows, blues, and greens are pretty common throughout the films, even outside of Hogwarts, though you'll see just about every color somewhere. For example, orange is often found around the Weasleys, and orange, maroon, and purple feature in the divination classroom. Teal features prominently in Grimmauld Place (contrasted with saffron yellows).

Most colors aren't really super bright; a lot of the time they look a little faded, or like they're colored with natural dyes. If you use medieval illustrations to source your colors, or aim for earth tones and jewel tones, you'll be about right for a lot of what you see in the films. Bright colors are pretty rare; some of the brights we do see are in Honeydukes, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, and certain magical effects, such as Floo fire.

A lot of light is provided by candles, torches, or fireplaces, which cast a warm yellow/orange light. Moonlight is represented by blue light in the first and second films. Blue light is also used for the Goblet of Fire and the penseive.

Another thing you gotta have in there is clutter. It should look kinda antique and give off a kind of magical or mystical atmosphere. Think books, storage jars, orreries, crystal balls, old lamps, antique clocks, vintage glassware, antique mirrors, old teapots, and little metal trinkets. (If you're trying to decorate a physical room, your stuff doesn't have to actually be antique, of course; antique-styled is fine.)

Texture is also very important, which can be represented with full or top grain leather book covers, stone walls, dents and scratches, cracks, embellishments, and embossing. Additionally, all damage and wear gives a sense of oldness to things. Stains and variegated colors also add interest. (If you're decorating a physical space, you might look into aging/distressing/antiquing techniques.)

If you want a space to look cozy, you don't really want bare or blank walls. Shelves, paintings, tapestries, and wallpaper can all help with that. Again, use brown, rather than black. Warm, yellow lighting will also help. If you lean toward blacks and cool lighting, you're going to have a colder-looking space.

Fashion in the wizarding world is extremely all over the place, ranging from stereotypical fantasy witch and wizard clothing, to pretty normal vintage clothing, to some wacky vintage-inspired looks, to the kind of fashion that would be put under the cozycore umbrella, to ordinary modern clothing. One thing that's absent is subculture fashion as we know it. (Bellatrix Lestrange does look kinda goth, but it's less a subculture thing, and more a "yeah we're putting our bad guys in fancy black stuff" thing.)

If you're trying to lean into the whole quirky/eccentric/old-fashioned kinda thing, you'll want to pass over the more modern and obviously synthetic type stuff. Also, patterns, textured fabrics, knits, mixed colors, lace, and other embellishments can add interest to outfits.

Architecture is also all over the place. Hogwarts is pretty medieval, while places like Diagon Alley give more Victorian vibe. The main thing is looking old fashioned and quaint.

To try and summarize all of that:

Browns. Lots and lots and lots of browns. Blacks and grays, too. Contrast between light and dark browns and blacks/grays.

More beige and gray than pure white; more charcoal gray and dark walnut brown than true black.

Among other colors, mostly earth tones and jewel tones. Very limited brights.

Polished metal and glass also add shininess.

Old-fashioned. Vintage. Antique.

Clutter, texture, patterns, variegation. Minimalist/clean aesthetic avoided.

Aged and distressed.

Lighting often yellow/orange due to coming from fire. Blue/teal light often coming from moonlight and certain magical light sources.

Now, here are some things we actually don't see. I'm not mentioning them to discourage you from using them if they're what you really want, but to inform you about them so you can consider whether they might throw off the vibe for you:

Green/purple/black combos.

Purple/silver/black combos. Pink/purple/teal combos.

Pink/black combos.

Orange/black combos.

Green/orange/purple combos.

Red/black combos.

Basically a lot of combos commonly associated with Halloween, witches, or vampires.

Big raw crystals. We see crystal balls now and then, but that's it.

Other natural items used as decorations - feathers, pinecones, sticks, etc. The one exception I can think of are the shells embedded in the walls of Shell Cottage.

Crushed velvet. Lots of fantasy uses this, HP films don't.

If you need inspiration, go look up medieval and renaissance diagrams and illustrations of stuff like the four elements, the zodiac, the solar system, and all that. Go look up alchemical symbols and emblems. Search up pre-WWII vintage ephemera. Go look up Victorian clipart. Look up stuff like botanical, zoological, and astronomical books and art from the 17th-19th centuries. Look up vintage wallpaper and fabric patterns. Look at vintage-style crafts. Research period architecture and fashion. Research European heraldry.

If you're wondering what exactly you're going to design around without Hogwarts and the Four Houses, here are some suggestions:

The four classical elements (earth, air, fire, and water)

The four seasons

Card suits - Tarot, French, whatever you want

Holidays - Halloween, Christmas, whatever

Fairy tales

Flowers

Mythical creatures

Bugs

Birds

Any other animals you like

Ecosystems

Your own original worldbuilding

So yeah, there ya go. You don't need to keep participating in HP to indulge in the aesthetic.

[NOTICE: Anybody who clowns on this post by making this about them and their childhood, patting themselves on the back about their chosen means of "ethical" participation, praising the fandom, or adding any other form of irrelevant bullshit is getting blocked. Also, I don't want to hear about PJO or Earthsea again for the millionth time, either.]

[t-hal-mothman]

CW: blood

Lately I wanted to work, but I started drawing… and BOOM, absolutely at random Rick and Morty in Centaur AU came up…

by this point, I have already come up with a pretty extensive plot around this, so I intend to develop this dimension a little in my head :D

I'm also absolutely thrilled with the dumb pink backpack, so I plan to write a fanfiction-oneshot for this art in the near future, just to make sure that enough attention is paid to the pink backpack.

number of times I fixed this sketch should have been seen... I break and change the poses/hands etc. of the characters

the idea WAS BORN QUICKLY, it was just so instant, "I need centaurs Rick and Morty, who are running from something by jumping into a portal!!!" and I sat down to sketch it quickly, so it's kind of just spontaneous :D

I would also like to show some work with the designs that I started picking at

when I was starting, I couldn't figure out what I wanted to see, and to my surprise, I stumbled more at Rick than at Morty coat, although I've always been bad at bay and buckskin horses, I'm better at dealing with palomino or gray coats, and here it turned out the other way around

But I'm glad that it turned out to be very pleasant and good! So have a look:

As a result, I got 2 versions of Rick - old and youth, a kind of azure handsome alien appearance, just for fun

I really think our looks kind of reflect our essence, don't ya'll think?

When we do not meet on earth such a coat (or hair colour) as Rick's, except perhaps shades of more gray-purple like grulla or blue dun, you will not find such a bright blue and azure and I just found it INCREDIBLY AMAZING in the sense that through his coat you can show a little more in terms of his "strangeness" than when he's just a human being

and about Morty's coat - there's everything much simpler, his usual hair colour in general easily falls on the ordinary most "common" horse coat, let's say so BUT I still didn't want to make him simple chestnut or bay, it was just for me it was meh

I wanted something closer to the chestnut dun coat, and it was quite difficult to make it so that it still fit Morty, but I also didn't want something overly ordinary >:( I wanted to add beige brown and a little crimson, just so that his coat didn't look like dirt - I wanted to show that he was actually a pretty cute young stallion with a cute look (if he would have cared about it a little more...)

I also really wanted to show the difference through their legs and hooves by adding dark stockings and hooves to Rick (Rick's stockings turn noticeably gray with age, as well as a bright dorsal stripe); and light hooves and white socks for Morty!

although I did have thoughts of adding a little more to the bodies, for example a little more ammunition, like boots or bandages to protect their legs

but I thought that Morty wouldn't really think about it in the long run - after all, it's pretty safe on Earth, and as for space it's possible that he doesn't really care, and Rick just doesn't give a heck about it as if losing an arm or a leg or getting a couple of open wounds - is a trivial matter

I've also always been delighted with Rick's cybernetics, so at some point I just took AND BIT OFF RICK'S LEG on art, because who knows what he faced protecting Morty and stuff they originally went for where they went, so I just added a couple of holes where you can see his gold-teal mechanics