#now to finish adding these to their TH profiles
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gorogues · 6 months ago
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Fictober 2024
Prompt number #18 Fanfiction Fandom: Flash Rogues Rating: T – Teen and up Warnings: Injury (concussion), profanity
Day Eighteen: “You always have a plan”
“The Rogues don’t run,” Len always said, but things had gone sideways and they found themselves fleeing anyway.  They’d been ambushed on a job by unseen attackers, who’d fired some beanbag rounds at Len’s head and successfully damaged their primary weapons.
“I’ve got you,” Mark told Len with concern, letting the other man lean on him as they walked.  “Just focus on putting one foot in front of another.”
“We need…we need shelter,” Len said wearily, plagued with blurred vision and struggling to focus.
Axel came running back to the group, only five feet above the ground to keep a lower profile.  “I don’t see anyone up ahead!”
Evan had been fiddling with his broken mirror gun with obvious frustration on his face.  “Whole thing’s rotten, pals.  It’ll need tae be entirely rebuilt in ma lab.”
“Shelter,” Len repeated, so Mark squinted at their surroundings, noticing a shed or some sort of outbuilding nearby.  Without a word, he steered their injured leader towards it, and there was a stroke of good luck: it was unlocked and there was a switch to flick on some fritzing lightbulbs.
“What is this place?  And who the hell knew to attack us strategically like that?” Axel wondered as they trooped inside and Mark helped Len to sit down.  There were a couple of lawnmowers and some other landscaping equipment around them, so it seemed like it was probably a groundskeeper’s shed.
“Might be a reflective surface in here fur an escape,” Evan suggested, busying himself in a search.
And then the building went dark.
“Uh…what was that?  Who turned out the lights?” Axel asked, looking around and seeing nothing but darkness.  There were no windows set into the building.
“Nae good,” Evan fretted.  “We’re gawn nowhere wi’oot any reflection!”
“They must have followed us.  Cold, what do we do?” Mark asked worriedly, and Len groaned with exhaustion and a pounding headache.  He was dizzy and struggling to remain conscious for fear of a concussion.
“Don’t know.”
“You’ve got to have a plan.  You always have a plan!” Axel told him desperately.
“Mirror gun, cold gun, and weather wand are busted, right?” Len said, doing his best to concentrate.  Mark nodded, but then realized they were in darkness and corrected himself.
“Yes.”
“B-best bet is to make some light and try to escape that way.  We’ll get clobbered in a fight without weapons,” Len finally suggested.
It was then that they heard the movements of multiple people around the shed.
“FBI!  Hands up now!” a voice barked, and Mark swore under his breath.
“Give up before somebody else gets hurt, guys,” a more familiar voice added, and this time everybody swore.
“James fuckin’ Jesse..!” Axel exclaimed, rifling through his bag to find an explosive toy or anything to throw at his vengeful predecessor.  He didn’t relish the thought of ending up in the first Trickster’s custody.
“No wonder they knew exactly how to target us,” Len muttered, though at least he felt slightly better now that he didn’t have to focus his wavering vision in the dark.  “We need light.  Now.”
“I got sparklers,” Axel offered.
“That’d be risky, since the low licht would gies us a poor reflection” Evan said skeptically.  “We might get lost and no’ be able to find our way oot.”
“We don’t got a lot of options.  Try it,” Len ordered, so Axel pulled out every sparkler he had in his bag of tricks and pulled their tabs to light them all at once.
Then a battering ram struck the door, causing it to shudder inward.
Evan frantically searched for a reflective surface within the shed, rubbing his hands over the lawnmowers and equipment to uncover a potential shine under the caked grass and dirt.  But everything appeared to have a dull matte finish.
“Wait!  I’ve got a mirror!” Mark suddenly remembered, pulling a small compact mirror out of his pocket, and Evan snatched it away to hold next to the sparklers which were almost out of fuel.  He concentrated, angling the mirror and lights for optimum reflection, and shoved Len inside the portal.  Then Mark, and then Axel.
The door broke down, flooding the shed with light, and Evan grinned at the invading FBI agents.
“Awright, efters.”
Then he too was gone.
“Dammit!” James growled, throwing his gun to the ground.  “We need to do a better job of incapacitating the Mirror Master next time!”
“Where’d that mirror come from, anyway?” Axel asked as they got Len to lie down on the couch with a cover for his eyes and a huge ice pack for his head.
“Oh, well, I forgot that I keep it as a back-up escape hatch for our emergency situations,” Mark answered as nonchalantly as possible, a bit uncomfortable.  Nobody needed to know how often he checked his hair, after all.
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nie7027 · 10 months ago
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{{I've had this draft saved literally since April 18th 2019 but I didn't post it back then because I wanted to finish the super5 headcanons first... which i of course havent done.
But I think it's finally time I post it.
I reread it recently and I don't think it's as spoilery of other wips as I had initially and thought and its related to the other stuff I'm gonna post soon so why not use it as a preview for it?
Anyway it finally is here. I hope you enjoy this tiny list of headcanons}}
Mob psychobook headcanons
These could actually apply to any social red but Psychobook is the one i know besides Tumblr (and no, none of them have tumblr...maybe just Seri)
Teru's
Teru's used to be the typical popular kid psychobook where used to he the typical popular kid psychobook where he posted pics of the parties he went("Crazy night guys, thanks for inviting me!), his soccer matches ("Another victory for Vinegars soccer team. You are welcome~") and trainings(even some from his personal training when it didnt end that bad), the food he ate at the new trendy coffe he went and the obligatory selfie every couple of days that will make his notifications blow up everytime with likes and comments
Now he sometimes still does those but he posts mostly pics of nice sights he finds on his bicycle routes, pics of him hanging with his friends/new family or the lastest fuck up Reigen did
He, Shou and Tome are invested in a meme competition. Whoever makes Mob laugh the loudest wins. Sadly they have to be with him so he can see them.
Rarely Terus posts a pic of him & Mob (or Mob alone) with the emoji equivalent of a gay keysmash and when he does it drives crazy the whole alumnae of Vinegar middle school, everybody wondering who is that bland looking guy and what Teru meant by that.
Mob's
Mob's used to be empty but now it's filled with pics Tome posts of their karaoke outings, pics where the body improvement club tag him and Terus, shous and tomes memes
But he rarely uses it and doesnt get to see them. Still he likes the milk memes teru found (do those even exist?)
Thats why he doesnt know he has basically become the body improvements star. Captain musashi and the others tend to photos of him with inspirational quotes (warrio male kind of) in the club page to attract new reclutees
After terus mysterious post a swarm of Vinegar students tried to add him as friend
But Mob thinks they are internet weirdos and ignores their invitation
It's actually Dimple who uses it more
Ritsu's
Ritsus used to be th pristine psychobook profile proper of a student council member. He had added the majority of the school and he made posts of the schools next event, resolutions the council had reached after their last session or answered any question any student could have but was to shy to personally ask.
His most personal post where the seldom book quotes he posted from the lastest book he read and liked.
Everything changed with Shou
The students didnt know who he was but suddenly this random kid started to tag Ritsu in even more random posts(most of them hamster related...Ritsu liked all of them?) and post pics of him AND RITSU doing the weirdest things you could imagine
Theres a pic of Ritsu with the most ridiculous susprised face(thats the most expressive people have seen him?? Whats going on?) in front of a microwave in flames. The fact shou edited it with a caption saying "And he didnt believe me eggs could explode" didnt help
Theres another of them hangin at the tallest part of the city (people dont undertsmad how is that even possible? You cant even acces that area)
And theres even a blurry pic that looks like they are running away from a police car
Shinji, who knows whats Ritsu is truly capable of, likes each of those pics
Everybody in Salt middle school is confused. But the only thing they get is Ritsus "Sorry" to Kamuro when the council president makes a blank comment in the infamous police pic.
They quickly recognize Shou as the kid that sometimes flies(yeah FLIES) besides Ritsus classroom or sneaks in the school
Shou's
The only reason Shou made a psychobook profile was to keep in contact with the espers that helped him during the domination arc
But he quickly realizes how useful it is to annoy Ritsu when he is bored
Besides the memes and Ritsu pics, his psychobook is full of interesting facts of different animals and reblogs of drawings from artist he follows and tutorials
As Mob he was invaded by a swarm of vinegar students once he appears in one of Terus pics. He accepts all of them the same way he accepted Ritsus classmates. It ends well for him because that way his drawing are seen by many peoplea and he receives lots of likes.
It takes a while but he finally unblocks Seri one day. Seri likes each and every thing he posts and makes encouraging comments on his drawings.
Serizawa's
Seri had a profile during his isolation days where he added many "friends" (random internet weirdos) with whom he talked about the things he liked and the media he consumed
Once he rejoins society with the Spirits and such cre he makes a new personal profile
He only has his family, the spirits and such crew, his school friends and the super5 added but thats all he needs
He follows many cooking and baking pages and once he learns to cook he saves the recipes he wants to try
He doesnt know if he cried more the day Shou unblocked him or they day Teru put him as his dad.
Minegishis
Minegishi only has the super5, Mob Ritsu, Tome and his coworkers added as friends
He follows many pages about plants and how to take care of them and pages that post downloadable audiobooks for Shimazaki
He rarely posts but he likes all the posts where he is tagged.
His elder coworkers tag him in lovely pictures of flowers with inspirational quotes. He likes those too.
The other super5 make fun of him for this but they secretly like them, especially those that talk about being a good person.
He follows many trolling pages too but never reblogs them. He doesnt want the other to know where he gets some of his humor sense.
Hatori
Hatori follows mostly memes pages, specially those about programming because he can "relate"
He say he understands them. (He doesnt)
He almost fell for the "delete system32 to make you computer faster" joke but his coworkers stopped him. He passed it as him messing around
Shibata's
Shibata follows personal trainers and healthy foods pages
He and Seri swap recipes they find and think the other might like
He saves exercises routines and tries to convince the other super 5 to try them with him.
Specially Hatori, he needs them.
He is only succesful when he finds those routines based on fictional characthers
It doesnt last much
He follows the body improvement club page. He actually sends some of the quotes that end up in some of the Mobs pics.
Shimazaki's
Shimazaki doesnt have a psychobook per se
It's a bot that hatori made to post "uwu" ":3" or "nyas~" every once in a while
The profile pic is the photo they took of Shimazaki wearing the prank glasses
Sometimes the other super5 post photos of their hang outs
"Its our register of Shimazakis progress!" says Hatori
Sometimes it receives messages from internet weirdos and most of them go along the lines of "Weren't you the guy that kidnapped the prime minister?".
The others are horny texts.
They delete all of them.
Tome's
Tomes psychobook can be considered the normalest of the spirits and such crew.
Even though half of her posts are cospirational thories and supposedly aliens sightings
Apart from that she has the normal amount of friends ("Seriously guys, why do you have every random you find added?") and posts a regular amount of pics of her hangouts
Besides the memes. Teru and she share LGBTQ content they find interesting
Seri somehow is the first to know about the lastest news of the videogames they follow and tags her on them
She edits Terus posts of Reigen fuck ups and turns them into memes. The super5, Ritsu and Dimble(using Mobs profile) always like them.
Its on psychobook where she organizes the telepathy club next reunion
She has been nagging Mob and Take to use their psychobooks more so they can see in time what they are planning to do
Takenaka's
Take has enough with the whole wind reading thing. Good luck trying to convince him to make a psychobook profile.
Reigen's
Since his birthday during the separation arc Reigen decided to completeley get away from his psychobook seeing as how little those persons cared for him
But he forgets to delete the app
So one day his phone cant stop blaring with notifications and when Reigen picks it up to see what the hell was going on
He had messages and messages of exfriends congratulating him for his son and saying things like "Wow Reigen, you had it very closeted" "we didnt know you were so private" "who is the lucky mother?"
Teru had put him as his dad
Reigen was having an existencial crisis and needed some comfort so he started searching Seri
Only to find him crying because Teru did the same to him
They ended togeyher as a crying mess sprawled over the couch. Only Dimple got to see them like that
So writing my fanfic "Sunflower" made me think of these headcanons but i couldnt post them then because i hadnt finished the super5 headcanons and didnt want to spoil some things. As you can see this finally shows what Ive been saying of "College funds", "Sunflower" and the "super5 headcanons" taking place in the same universe.
Really, i wrote down a timeline of how these things overlap and can tell you what the s&s crew were doing while shimazaki was fucking around or what the super5 were doing while the crew celebrated terus birthdays.
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auxiliarydetective · 1 year ago
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We've done it!
Or, more accurately, you've done it! Thanks to you, my fellow Tumblrinas, I've actually managed to hit 200 followers!
I never thought I would get this far, but I'm eternally grateful for all the love you've given me, and I can't wait to share many more brainrots with you!
In tune with that, I've decided: Why not let you look even further into my mind? I've given you lots of writing, but why not provide some visuals? And so, in thinking about what I wanted to do for my 200 followers celebration, I came up with...
⁕ Evie's Mind Palace Festival! ⁕
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(Placing a cut so this doesn't get too long ^^)
As depicted in this lovely graphic above, I'm going to be focusing on my OCs' fashion for this little event. But not just that! I'll get to the bonuses later :)
For now, text version! Because Tumblr likes not loading images and some people may not be able to view the image
↬ Step 1: Pick an OC of your choice! From my OCs, that is. Hope that was clear. Anyone from the list. I'll even throw in a little bonus and say that unintroduced OCs are allowed! That means the ones on this list AND ones I may have rambled to to you in a chat we've had.
↬ Step 2: Pick an occasion prompt! The prompts are as follows:
Casual (aka everyday wear, aka their basic character design or an alternate outfit or it)
Formal
Training/Athletic
Battle (this may overlap with either 1. or 3. for some characters, but let's assume they actually get geared up for battle)
Hot weather (your typical summer clothes)
Cold weather (sweaters, winter coats, you name it)
Swimwear
Canon event (may overlap with some other categories, but I made this a separate thing for the lore opportunities it provides) - Make sure to specify what canon event you want!
Stealing clothes - You can include who the character should steal from in your ask, otherwise I will pick the victim myself.
Holiday-themed - Pick your holiday! Any holiday counts.
Fandombend - Pick your fandom! (This will probably come with some headcanons on what the OC would be like in the new fandom)
Inspired by a song - Please, pick a song! Preferably from the OC's playlist. I should have a playlist for almost every OC. Hop into the "#playlist" tag on my blog to find them and, if they're not posted over there anywhere, tap on any playlist that's there, let it take you to my Spotify profile, and hop into the "Character Playlists" folder!
↬ Step 3: If you want, pick an extra prompt! Your options are:
Historical - Please specify your time frame! You don't necessarily have to, but I tend to be an indecisive little gremlin, so it would make things a little easier if you could pick ^^"
Fantasy (This, of course, makes little sense if the OC is already in a fantasy setting)
Sci-fi (Once again, this makes little sense if the OC is already in a sci-fi setting)
Steampunk
Cultural - Please pick a culture for me to take inspiration from! It doesn't have to be a real-life culture. For example, you could pick Japan for some kimono art or you could pick the Kuja from One Piece!
Color prompt - Pick your color! I ask that you do keep it at one color so that I have some more freedom, and I won't take specific hex codes either because those specific hex codes might clash with the OC's color palette
Prompt of your choice - This can be literally anything! Yes, also an occasion, in which case it would replace your original occasion prompt. I just didn't have the space to add in all occasions known to man, so if you have another idea, this is where to put it.
↬ Step 4: Send your ask! Done!
Once you've sent your ask, please keep in mind that it might take me a while to answer it. I'll then make a collage/moodboard and get the ask posted. Maybe, I'll also draw your prompt, depending on if I have the energy and/or time for it. If I plan on doing that, I'll let you know in the post and tag you once I have the drawing finished! I may also be swayed into adding a little fic snippet to the answer, if I do feel so inclined. Maybe a song to match the vibes? It'll be a little surprise!
► Rules:
Be nice! It's not hard, and it's basically all I ask.
This is the one time you might not want to shower me in asks because these asks might take a bit to answer. I'm not putting a cap on how many asks per person you're allowed to send, just maybe be mindful of how long they take to answer and space them out over the time of the event.
I'll be accepting asks from the time that this is posted until March 17th. The event ends with the strike of midnight starting the next day. Whenever that may be in your time zone. As long as it's still 23:59 on March 17th somewhere around the world, send in your ask. I might also extend the event if asks keep coming in and I have the energy to keep going.
↬ Additional info for mutuals: You get to ask for crossovers! Just pick one of my OCs and one of yours and I'll try my best to draw them. I might bother you for references though, so be prepared! It doesn't matter how long we've been mutuals for! It could've been five minutes, you're still allowed to send in crossover asks. As long as we're mutuals, let's say, at the time that the ask is answered, it's all good. In practice, that means that you just need to be following me to be able to send in a crossover request. If you ask nicely and maybe say something about why you'd think why our two children would go well together and we share a fandom, it's very unlikely that I'll deny your request and won't follow you back.
Also, if you've ever wanted to say something about my OCs and/or me and my blog, this might be the perfect time for you to do it.
Okay, that's it for now! Love you, everyone! Here's to more fandom-y shenanigans!
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Also, behold my new non-OC post divider! It features a lineart sketch of my blog icon in the middle! The icon was designed by @benevolenterrancy pretty much exactly two years ago when they realized my old icon was not, in fact, a unicorn. I still go full-on heart-eyes mode whenever I see my icon, so I figured it was time to remind everyone of the amazing artist that created it <3
Taglist: @starcrossedjedis @oneirataxia-girl @daughter-of-melpomene @fluffle-system @wheresmybloodynauglamir @supermarine-silvally @nanukanal @cody-helix02 (I believe this is the first time I've ever used my full taglist, aka the basic taglist plus everyone from fandom-specific taglists - wowie!) - Let me know if you'd like to be added or removed, for specific fandoms or the general list!
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kogameh · 11 months ago
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Uh, OC related thing
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I did some ✨️significant updates✨️ to the main 6 characters' Toyhouse pages, so just in case anyone actually noticed "wait, since when this got added?" or you know, want to read them now BEFORE it gets overwhelmed with MORE characters, here you go!!! YAYYYY
➡️➡️You can view them HERE. (mainly the first section of characters. I've yet to update the rest lol)
And now the patch notes(?) under the cut:
The most significant update is the fact that their character description AND backstory now has at least 3 paragraphs. It's not as intimidating as it may sound, but I can 1000% predict only like 3 people max would actually read those, so welp. (HUGE special thanks if you do though!!! You're the REAL MVP here.)
This was mainly because I don't want to oversimply them too much to the point it felt too tropey/barebones and I'm putting away their longer/more fleshed out Weebly profiles (for now) which also means there's no access to that for the few people that may want to know more. So. Yeah. (I try to keep them relatively spoiler-free unless mentioned, though, which is why some characters may have less information than the others. Namely Kagami and Kureha haha.)
(Then again, I've learned the hard way that even a shorter one sentence of paragraph won't make a difference if people just, well, don't want to read them haha...so might as well go big or go home)
The moodboards are changed to be properly aligned with the rest of the sections now. I still don't know if I prefer the older, bigger layout where you can appreciate the artworks better or this one that is way cleaner and satisfying to look at haha. I do worry if it's much easier to scroll past them this way though...you wouldn't want to miss the cat on Kureha's page. Would you.
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You can compare the old layout with the new layout here and here if you want to, albeit they're different characters aha.
I also reset the favourites for them, so if you have a TH acc and want to fav or re-fav, feel free to do so!!
And I guess that's about it! Not much else to say about the rest than some added trivia section (which I often update quietly whenever an idea strikes anyway lol) and fixing some outdated links :3c
With the Weebly site being temporarily put on hiatus(?) from new updates I also realize there isn't a way to thoroughly share the lore and worldbuilding anymore which TH isn't meant for so...I WILL finish that crash course powerpoint eventually for that purpose. Surely. SURELY.
Thanks for tuning in~
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pumaskulls · 2 years ago
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Finished up the chibis for the Sideshow folder now!! Tbh I'm kinda on the fence with how Tyreen's turned out.....so I might redo hers later
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fallensimeon · 4 years ago
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Take Me For A Ride (NSFW 18+)
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A spicy F!MC x Mammon smut mixed with a little angst and fluff, my first time trying out writing! Don’t judge too harshly, I tried my best y’know!
Topic warnings: F!MC, angst, smut, fluff, intercourse, car sex, fellatio, rough play (nearly BDSM-ish), biting, blood, curse words, yelling, dirty talking. Read at your own risk! 
Words: 5,419
Y/N has enough of the brothers attacking Mammon, and comforts him when he needs her the most. One thing leads to another, and, well... let’s just say they go for the ride of a lifetime.
18+! MINORS, PLEASE DO NOT INTERACT!
If you like my work, please feel free to like, comment, follow, share, or REBLOG. Thank you for taking the time to read my first piece!
It was a gloomy day down in the Devildom, just one of those days where tensions were high in the House of Lamentation. You were in your room, having just completed your homework so you began studying for a test coming up in the next few days. You had a good feeling you were going to ace it, so you began to organize your books and papers and stash them away in your bag.
You were tired. You had felt overworked as of late, always having work to do, or having one of the brothers drag you into one of their troubles as usual. But today? Nobody had reached out. Everyone had seemed so distant from one another. That wasn’t normal, it was always loud in the house no matter where you went. The fact that it was so quiet for once was shocking.
You finished packing up your school supplies and leaned your backpack against your desk in your room. You just wanted to relax, so you decided to ease your chest and arms comfortably onto your desk and scroll through Devilgram for a while. Looking through the brothers’ profiles always put a smile on your face, because they sometimes posted the most hilarious pictures. However, you found yourself on Mammon’s profile for the longest. 
He was a model, of course he was stunning. Perfectly-tanned skin, luscious snow white locks gracing his head, the most beautiful blue eyes that almost glowed gold. You could never tell him how you really felt, he would just push you away. Plus, there was probably some model out there who was after him already anyways. Why would Mammon want to be with some weak human?
You jumped slightly as a text notification popped up on your screen.
“Dinner is ready, please make your way to the dining hall. You wouldn’t want Beel to get to your plate first,” Lucifer sent. You chuckled and began to make your way down to have dinner. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be as awkward as it was earlier that day.
You make it down to the dining hall, not a single of the brothers making eye contact with you. You froze in your tracks. You can’t lie, that hurt a little bit, you figured at least one of them might greet you.
“Good to see you, Y/N. Come, take a seat. I know you have been working hard up there, you need to eat well,” Lucifer stated, a slight smile on his face. He was glad that at least one of you was focused on your studies that day.
You smiled, finally someone broke the awkward silence. “Thank you Lucifer.”
You made your way around the long table to find an open seat. Your heart fluttered as you walked your way past Mammon, smelling the arousing scent of his cologne waft past your face. You smiled and let out a low but happy sigh, and he looked up for just a second having heard you, a light blush on his face. “Y’know I don’t bite, you can come sit next to me human,” Mammon said lightly, making eye contact with you for the first time that day.
You felt a shudder run down your spine. His voice is so alluring, you could listen to it all day every day. A blush forms on your cheeks as you take a seat next to him.
Everyone around you is surprisingly in their own conversations with one another, which is pretty odd after earlier. Although, you were happy to hear the voices of all of your favorite people around the room. You couldn’t dare to complain, it was nice seeing everyone let go of the awkward tension that had previously filled the House of Lamentation. This, however, was short-lived.
You were almost done with your dinner, only a few forkfuls left, when you heard an argument start. “Oh great, here we go again,” you thought to yourself as you looked up to see Lucifer standing up behind Mammon. You didn’t have a good feeling about this.
“You worthless scumbag, what did you do with my new Ruri-chan figure?!” Levi yelled, close enough to Mammon’s face to spit on him whilst speaking.
“My new perfume went missing too, I bet it had something to do with that idiot,” Asmo shouted across the table at him, a sour glare on his face.
“Come to think of it, my new mystery novel went missing last night, I was going to read it but I couldn’t find it,” Satan added to the fire.
The twins began to spew on about how much of a moron Mammon was, him having done nothing to either of them. Lucifer began to holler at Mammon about every little thing he finds wrong when you realize that was the last straw. You weren’t going to sit there and let everyone torment the demon that meant most to you. You looked over at Mammon, trembling in his seat, trying to hold back tears as his brothers kept pushing him further and further over the edge. He looked like he could break at any second. You know for a fact he didn’t take anyone’s things, he was with you all day yesterday. It couldn’t have been him.
“KNOCK IT OFF, ALL OF YOU! BACK OFF! I THINK HE’S HAD ENOUGH ALREADY!” you shouted at the top of your lungs. The boys all froze in shock and fear, never expecting that out of you. Tears began to stream down your face. You never thought you would see the day that you would have to break up an argument, especially when the only people Mammon trusted were his brothers. Seeing them all treat him like shit made you angry  and upset.
“Y/N...” Lucifer sighed and began to speak, but you weren’t going to give him the chance to continue.
“C’mon Mammon, you don’t deserve this, let’s get out of here,” you gently took hold of Mammon’s hand and dragged him away from the table towards his bedroom. The dining hall fell completely silent once again.
You make it all the way to Mammon’s bedroom door when he stops you in your tracks, pulling your arm back towards him lightly. You turn around to see his cheeks burning red, the tears that formed earlier finally starting to come down his face. He looked somewhat relieved, somewhat embarrassed at the same time. He just barely lifted his head to look you in the eyes.
“You didn’t have to go and do that for me human, ya know I can’t handle m’self, right? I-I just needed to think of what t’say...” he said softly, not enough confidence in his voice for you to believe it for a second.
He was shaking, more so than when he usually gets yelled at. You gently let go of his hand and lifted your hand to cup his right cheek, brushing away his tears with your thumb. He felt so warm.
“Mammoney, I wasn’t just going to sit there and let them stomp all over you like that. They have NO evidence to prove that you took anything from them, but they kept going anyway. I’m so sick of their bullshit, watch them find all of their things that they misplaced themselves. I hope they hate themselves for treating you like that.” You loosened your hand from his cheek and tucked your body against his, arms wrapped around his warm shoulders, bringing him in for a cozy embrace.
This broke him. He leaned into your embrace, the tears streaming down his face as he sobbed into the crook of your neck. The two of you stood in a hug for at least 2 minutes straight, neither of you daring to break away. It just felt so nice, you never wanted to let go.
“Th-thank you Y/N, I’m glad you trust me enough t’know I wouldn’t steal their boring stuff. Why would I need Asmo’s perfume, let alone Satan’s book? Y’know, I-I wonder if they think before they point f-fingers like that. C’mon human, let’s get inside, I just w-wanna relax.” Mammon explains with the slightest blushy grin on his face. He opens the door to let you in first, and closes it behind him.
You had never been in Mammon’s room before, he’s never let you in before now. Your eyes scanned around the room, in awe of how cozy it was. His plush leather sofa and a mahogany wood pool table beside it, bottles of alcohol and a few grimm strewn across it. He has a projector rather than a television, two speakers beside the coffee table below it. He has an open concept closet, adorned with studio lights, and his bed pressed flush on the other side of the wall. His room has two floors, the only things up there being his entryway door... and a car? How did he get this in here? What kind of car was it? How interesting. Rather than walking down the stairs as Mammon was expecting you to do, you made your way towards his car and leaned against the hood.
“Is this your car? It’s so amazing! I can’t imagine how much money you must have put into this beauty,” you exclaimed, being somewhat an admirer of cars, having been raised by your father who’s life revolves around them. You grazed your hand over the headlights and the grill along the front, a glint in your eyes from the spotlights shining down on you and the car.
Mammon was standing next to the door, choked up to say the very least. He was blushing furiously, gripping into his lush white hair with his hand, head tilted down and giggling. “Y’mean my Demonia? It’s nothing really, Lucifer helped me get it a while back once I got my license. Pretty cool right? Of course the Great Mammon is cool!” he chuckled, barely able to keep eye contact with you. The truth was, the car meant a lot to him and it did cost a lot, but he couldn’t focus on that right now. He was too busy staring you down, lights glistening against your soft skin, looking oh-so-hot leaned up against his car like that. Little did you know you were his treasure, he admired you every second he got, whether you realized it or not. He began to walk over to you, leaning next to you on the hood, resting his hand softly against yours, interlocking fingers with you.
Needless to say, you were surprised. You jumped slightly at his touch, hesitant to move. You returned the favor regardless, locking your fingers between his, the warmth of his body flushing through your veins, instantly calming you. He means everything to you, and now this? How can you not tell him how you feel now? This was the best opportunity you could get your hands on. You let go of his hand and made your way off of the hood of the car, locked his bedroom door, dimmed his lights slightly, and made your way back over to him. You inched closer to him, barely hugging distance away.
He was looking up at you softly, still blushing. He was shaking a little bit, but you were too, of course. Now was your chance. It was now or never. Either you tell him how you feel now, or hold it in and never find out if your feelings are reciprocated. Your heart was ready to burst out of your chest, but you couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Mammon, you know I care about you... more than myself sometimes, if I’m being honest. Any time I see you enter the room or my eyes meet up with you, I get tons of butterflies inside. You make me feel like I’m not just some useless human that nobody likes. You make me feel special, and I just want you to know that... I love you. I’m in love with you...” you paused, too nervous to continue.
Mammon.exe has stopped working. You... love HIM? The moron, the idiot, the scumbag? You deserve better, but he can’t deny how he really feels. His brothers aren’t anywhere around, so now’s his chance.
“I-human I... I love you too. Y’mean everything to me. I can’t stand seeing my brothers eyeing you up and taking all of my time with ya away from me. You’re MY human... my... my treasure. You deserve better than me, I’m just some lousy good-for-nothi-” he couldn’t speak anymore. You held him by his cheeks and pulled his face to yours, kissing him on his lips. The first tender moment shared between the two of you, your first kiss. He sits still for a moment before realizing what’s happening, leaning into your kiss and holding you by your waist. Your chests graze against one another as the kiss turns more passionate. Mammon slides his tongue against your lips asking for permission before you slide your tongue in between his. You felt higher than a kite at that moment, the butterflies seemingly flying out through the top of your head.
Before long, you were straddling his lap on the hood of his car, breathing into his neck as he planted kisses along your collarbone, nibbling at you and caressing your lower back. You both pulled away from each other to look into each others’ eyes.
“So this is really happening huh?” you blush and look down, feeling a tad bit shy. Mammon brings his hand up to your cheek, some of his fingers lacing into your hair. “We don’t have to do anything ya don’t wanna do, but first...” he places his hands lovingly on your hips and looks into your eyes. “I want you to be mine and only mine, ya hear? No mackin’ on my brothers or anythin’... you’re MY treasure. Well, if you’ll let me have ya...” he starts blushing too, barely able to keep his eyes on you. The words you have been waiting to hear, that you’re HIS and only his... it makes you melt. You hold onto his hips, and lean in to whisper into his ear. “Of course I’m yours, and only yours. You can have all of me if you want it, and I mean ALL of me...” you whisper and nibble on his earlobe, a smirk forming across your face.
He can’t hold back anymore. He slams his mouth against yours in the most passionate kiss, moaning against your lips and pulling you in closer, pressing you against his chest. His hands start to slip under your shirt, making their way up your bare back until he reaches about midway. He looks at you as if he’s asking permission, to which you respond by grazing your hands over his upper thighs. You lean in once again to whisper sensually, “So have you ever done it in your car?”
His excitement cannot be contained, his body heats up hotter as the bulge in his pants grows harder. Without another word, Mammon scoots off of the car, grabbing you underneath your thighs and carrying you into the backseat of his car, placing you gently while he pushes the seats back and reclining them back further. The open space has grown larger. He climbs his way into the car and shuts the door behind him, hovering over you.
He doesn’t waste any time before he starts to undress you. He slips your uniform jacket off followed by your tank top, revealing your black lace bralette. You whisper in his ear “You like that? I bet you’ll like it more when you see the panties I have to match.”
You set off a fire in his chest, a low growl seeping out from his throat. He sheds his uniform jacket and tears off his undershirt, a huge ripping noise emerging, making you increasingly wet as the tension increases. His bare chest is a glorious sight to behold... so sexy and strong, so protective.
He pushes you back against the seat and makes room to slide off your uniform pants, whilst you slide your shoes off and kick them into the passenger seat beside you. He makes his way down to your feet, carefully sliding off your socks which he notices have a grimm pattern on them, and slyly smirks. His eyes scan your exposed skin from your head to your toes and back up, revving him up even more.
He begins to kiss you from your feet, up your calves and your thighs, until he reaches your inner thighs. Your black lace panties meet his face, becoming more and more flushed. He slides his hands up to the waistband and toys with the lace, planting his face against the fabric. That smell... the smell of arousal... it’s so strong. He could only imagine how wet you are for him. He looks up at you and you nod, giving permission to continue.
Mammon growls and grabs your waistband with his teeth, the sound of tearing lace floods the car. You moan in response, wishing you could hear him like this all the time. Your hands reach down to your now exposed heat and stroke the lips, shining from how slick he made you. Mammon’s eyes start shining, staring down as if he’s a predator who’s just hunted down his prey. He licks his lips and flashes his teeth, slight fangs showing. You spread your lips for him and make your legs more comfortable, inviting him to take a taste.
“Mn... you’re so perfect Y/N, so wet for me, I can almost taste it,” he leans down and begins lapping his tongue at your clit. Shudders run up and down your spine from the senastion, bringing out a sensual moan from your chest, back arching. Mammon grips onto your thighs and holds them open. He drags his tongue up and down your opening, sliding it inside of you. He moans into you, admiring how you taste, your flavor. He makes his way back up to your clit, the tip of his tongue dancing around it. He looks up and you and smirks, sliding two fingers inside of you, pulsing them in and out at a steady pace, curling his fingertips from time to time. You can’t help but let out a moan, never having felt so stimulated and so turned-on before.
“M-Mammon... p-p-please... k-keep going b-baby...” you moaned out as he brought you closer and closer to your orgasm. Did you just call him your baby? Oh, he heard that. He wants to hear it again. He pulses his fingers inside you faster and faster, sucking on your clit, giving you no mercy. The heat inside of you is unbearable. You begin to buck your hips against his face and grab him by the hair, pushing him against your heat, your other hand gripping tightly against the leather seat below you,
It was taking everything Mammon had to not whip himself out and slam himself into you, but he had to make himself more comfortable. As he continued, he used his left hand to undo his pants, releasing his bulge hidden by his boxers. He was only getting harder as you moaned his name again and again.
“I’m... I’m gonna.. gaaaAAAHH!” you moaned out as you reached your orgasm, letting your grip loose from his hair as your body let go of the tension. Mammon laps his tongue down to clean up the mess you made. He gathers some on his tongue, looking up to you with his tongue sticking out, when he suddenly takes it into his mouth and swallows you.
He notices the flaming blush that adorns your cheeks. He brings himself up, sitting on your thighs, his bulge prominent. You stare down his body, glazed in sweat, realizing he lapsed into his demon form as you came down from your orgasm. His horns were shining, wings folded against his back as the car wasn’t a big enough space to let them free. You were positioned on the driver’s side back passenger’s seat, so you decided to slide into the center seat. You reach your hands to touch Mammon’s back, stroking his wings ever so gently. He moans in response, realizing he’s sensitive there. You begin to help guide them open as he leans into you. They fly open and block the whole view out of the windshield, darkening the space between you.
Your hands come down to meet his waistband, tugging on it carefully. You look up into Mammon’s eyes, he can see the desire written over your face. He makes his bulge dance in response, prompting you to go for it. You drag down his boxers and out springs his length, glistening from his precum. It looks so tasty. You lean back in your seat to where you are practically laying down, gripping behind his thighs and urging him to come forward. He was on his knees, his length shadowing over your chest, his tip just barely against your lips. You hold yourself up by your elbows, turning up to him, teasing him “I bet you want your cock in my mouth, don’t you Mammon? You want to see your fragile human squirm under you, taking all of you inside of them?”
Oh, you did it now. His claws getting ever so longer as a growl comes from deep in his chest. “If you want it, show me just how badly,” your last words as he gripped your hair and pushed your mouth around his length, letting out a choke. He moaned in pleasure as he felt himself at the back of your throat, vibrations coming from you barely fitting him inside you. Mammon begins thrusting his hips back and forth, you sucking up on his length oh-so-perfectly. The smell of arousal and the sound of moans fill the car, enveloping both of you. All either of you can feel is bliss. He breaks the silence. 
“Y-Y/N... y-you’re so warm, ya s-suck me off so well, k-keep going, I’m getting close-” He can’t speak anymore, feeling the surge of pleasure rush up through his thighs as you swirl your tongue around him, bringing him to the edge. You pull your mouth off of his length and put his hand around it, urging him to get himself off. “I would love if the Great Mammon would cum for me, I want to feel it all over my face, I want you to make me yours, show me who owns me,” you moan up at him, pulling down your bra to release your warm breasts, toying with them to tease him.
“Oh f-fuck, y-you’re all mine, my treasure, my b-baby, I’m.. I’m...” he groans out, and he’s pushed over the edge. He bucks forward, letting out a deep deep growl, moaning your name and climaxing all over your face and your chest, his cum hot against your skin. He looks down at you taking his load and lets out another groan, watching as you lap it up with your fingertips, eventually licking them clean.
He pushes you down against the leather seats, his length rubbing against your throbbing heat, aching for you. You let out a squeal from your sensitivity, your chest arching up towards him. You reach your hands down to try to push him into you but he stops you, grabbing your wrists and pinning them down above your head. He pushes his lips firmly against yours, exploring your mouth with his tongue. Your chests are touching, he’s just about burning you with the heat radiating from his body.
He pulls away from your face and looks down to you, it looks like he wants to say something. He looks... nervous? After all of that?
“Mammon, are you okay?” you asked gently, turning your head slightly, a smile on your face. “Y-yeah, I just don’t wanna hurt ya. I tried to open ya up for me but what if it’s too much for your human body to handle?” he sighs and stares away for a moment. He loosens the grip on your wrists and you cup both of his cheeks, whispering up at him softly, “I trust you with my life, Mammon. I feel so safe with you, you’re my protector. The Great Mammon. I promise if it’s too much I’ll tell you right away. It’s okay baby.”
He nods and smiles with a blush in response, he couldn’t be happier to hear you say those words to him, as unexpected as they are.
You spread open your legs for him, situating your body in a more comfortable spot, preparing for the time of your life. You lift yourself up with your hands and whisper into his ear, “Take me for a ride, won’t you?”
He growls and stretches his arms and his back, preparing himself. You want a ride? A ride is what you’re gonna get, and it’s gonna be a bumpy one.
He picks up your bottom half by your thighs, dragging you towards him, putting you in the perfect position. He takes hold of his length and lines himself up with your opening, rubbing his tip up and down your heat. You squirm under him, pleading with him in your head, dying for him to give you what you’ve only dreamed of for nearly a year now. He hears you struggling and lets out a low chuckle, a bit evil. He likes to see you all worked up for him, there’s nothing better, honestly.
He begins sliding his length inside of you, the heat from within immediately making him jolt. He can’t help the arousal from feeling you around him, squeezing him tight. You let out a small whimper and look up to him, concern suddenly written all over his face.
Your wrists had been freed a while ago so you take this opportunity to grab onto his soft bottom, pushing him further into you, moaning right in his ear. It hurts... it hurts so good. He’s so big compared to you. Your eyes roll into the back of your head as he hits the deepest parts of you. You must have awakened something in him, the look in his eyes giving him an almost primal vibe. He leans down and whispers into your ear along with a growl “That’s a good human, take all of me inside of ya, scream my name, ‘m gonna fuck you so hard ya won’t walk for a week...”
He thrusts in and out of you at a fast pace, hitting your core over and over again. You’re both moaning and groaning into each others’ ears. Mammon grips hard onto the headrests of the seats, pounding into you like it’s his last day to live. Your hands grasping at his shoulders, you can’t help but claw your nails down, leaving red scratches all over his back. He almost hisses in response, causing you to moan out louder. He takes his right hand and brings it to your throat, silencing you. Your eyes roll back into your head once again, your back arching and your hands gripping tight against the leather seats, nearly ripping them open.
His thrusts speed up, bringing you closer and closer to the biggest orgasm of your life. Mammon's hand around your throat, you try to let out a sentence, “Mammoney baby, I’m gonna c-cum for you, p-please, d-don’t hold back,” you managed to say. His face goes beat red and wings flutter behind him. 
You stroke his horns atop his head, barely letting out one last sentence. “F-fill me up with your cum, m-mark your t-territory, I’m a-all yours-” your sentence is cut off as your orgasm takes over your body, Mammon releasing your throat, you proceeding to scream his name in pleasure as you gripped his length inside of you, trying to juice him.
He pounds his length into you faster and faster, bringing himself to the edge of his climax. He can’t hold back, can’t speak. He brings his head down to bite your neck, leaving teeth marks and a little bit of blood afterwards, marking you as his. He sucks on his marking and groans out loudly in pleasure, unable to contain himself any longer. You can feel his length twitch as he fills you up inside, heating the inner walls of your core, giving you the most butterflies you’ve ever had.
You both look down and giggle along with deep breaths, you did a number to the seats of his car. You look at him in worry as he sees the condition of the leather. He notices that you look scared so he holds you tight to him, body-to-body warmth between you.
“I can already tell what you’re ‘bout to say, and it’s alright. Y’mean more to me than some leather seats. Now I can look at my seats ‘n remember my first time with ya, amirite?” he says with a smile, placing the most gentle of kisses on your lips, glazed with sweat.
You go to try to stand up to get out of the car but your body is beyond it’s limits. Mammon notices you struggling to get up and chuckles. “I told ya you wouldn’t be able t’walk for a while.”
He pulls his boxers back on and picks you up bridal style out of the car seat, carrying you down the stairs and onto his bed gently. He remembers tearing up your underwear so he dashes to his closet, finding one of his favorite t-shirts and a pair of pajama pants and swiftly bringing them over to the bed.
“Put these on, we don’t need ya walking out with stains on your uniform and no underwear,” he explains with a giggle. He looked up at you to see you looking sad. “What’sa matter treasure?”
“Well, I was hoping... maybe... that I could stay with you for the night?” you ask, nervously waiting for a response. Mammon helps you take off your bralette and get dressed in his comfy clothes, and cups your cheek, looking into your eyes.
“Of course y’can stay with me, you’re my human! My treasure! Who wouldn’t wanna stay with the Great Mammon anyway?” he smirks and chuckles, you smacking his chest in return.
He crawls up into the bed with you, laying you next to him and pulling your back into his chest. He covers you both with his bedspread and begins rubbing your arms, resting his cheek against your ear. He had never felt this way before. He really fell for a human. Does he regret it? Not at all, he wouldn’t have it any other way. The only problem now? Now he feels like he has to protect you forever, all the time. He loves you too much to ever see you get hurt.
“S-so... does this mean... y-you’re my girlfriend?” Mammon let out shyly, almost expecting you to say something negative or reject him.
You turn back to face him, your arm around his waist. You smile up at him, “I would love nothing more than to be your girlfriend... your treasure.” You plant the lightest kiss on his forehead and turn back around as he begins to spoon you again. Within the next few minutes, you fell asleep in his arms, not a care in the world, no thoughts besides the thought of being his treasure forever.
The brothers felt bad about what happened earlier and were worried about Mammon’s well-being. Lucifer approached his door with the brothers, quickly realizing it’s locked. He took his master keys out of his coat pocket and unlocked Mammon’s door. He took a few steps in and froze in place. His brothers glanced with him over his shoulder to see Mammon with his arms around you, protecting you, sleeping next to you.
They all couldn’t bring themselves to make a sound. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Y/N... and Mammon?
“It’s about time he told her how he felt!” Asmo shouted as the brothers all shushed him, not wanting to wake the two of you.
“We can talk to him in the morning, let him have peace for once today. I can only imagine Y/N needs rest as well,” Lucifer explained.
Lucifer and the brothers turned around and Lucifer locked the door behind him, a cheeky smirk on his face. He was proud of his brother for finally being honest with himself and taking pride in what he wanted. Would he ever let Mammon know that? Oh, hell no.
I’ve wanted to see a fic about this ever since I fell in love with Mammon and saw his room, so I wrote it!
 I’m only comfortable with F!MC writing since I’ve never familiarized myself with GN!MC or M!MC. My apologies!
I do NOT give permission to post this anywhere else. I also have this posted on Wattpad, my username is daradoodlebug. If you like my work, please feel free to like, comment, follow, share, or REBLOG. Thank you for taking the time to read my first piece!
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chelleztjs18 · 4 years ago
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Lost in Assistance - Ch. 5
Elizabeth Olsen x Fem!Reader
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GIF: I do not own this GIF.
Summary: Y/n is a professional celebrity's personal assistant in Hollywood got hired with two years contract to be the assistant of the famous and talented Elizabeth Olsen / Lizzie by her manager. Both Y/n and Lizzie hate each other since day one, and they have mutual friend. One is as stubborn as the other, will Y/n stay when Lizzie gives attitudes and tries her best to make her quit before the contract ends?
Warning: fluff, angst, smut (in future chapters), swearing words ( +18 only)
All chapters
“Hey, I’m leaving now. Are you there yet?” Lizzie texted shortly after she turned on her car. “I’ll be there in 15 minutes.” Aubrey replied. “Okay, on my way. It won’t get me too long to get there.” She tossed her cell phone onto the passenger side seat and started to drive.
It’s almost lunch time hour, the traffic is getting undeniably more crowded. It’s typical L.A traffic with its uncertainty crowd flow on random parts here and there. While driving Lizzie starts to think about the meeting today. A part of her actually feels bad knowing that you might have heard what she said on the phone. Deep down she knows it’s not your fault to be caught in the middle of this whole matter. The more she thinks about it, the more it triggers her memory that your were actually the girl who smiled nicely to her at the coffee shop who didn’t do anything that made Lizzie get recognized when she was trying to not to be and that was why Lizzie nodded and smiled as an appreciation towards you.
Of course once her common sense slowly starts to get her to think in the right way, her stubbornness quickly erupts and plays with her emotion again. Especially when her memory rewinded the view when your left hand grabbed the pen and signed the contract even after she gave you a cold intimidating statement then it was followed by the memory of all of her conversations with Jane and her mom who hired you without her agreeing to it. It makes her feel that they don’t think she is old enough to deal with this situation. Her anxiety only makes her more emotional in handling this matter and forces her to dislike you even more and to think what she should do to make you quit.
All the thinking while driving clearly makes it feels faster to get to the restaurant where she's meeting Aubrey. She parked her car, then walked into this quiet restaurant. She was greeted by the host then she explained she is meeting her friend here as her green eyes are searching for where Aubrey sits. “Lizzie! Over here!” Aubrey’s voice quickly caught her attention. Lizzie sees her sitting at the table in the patio and walks to her.
“Hey, how are you? It took longer to get here than you thought huh?” She gave Lizzie a hug. “Hey, how are you? Yeah, sorry, I got caught in a little traffic.” Lizzie sighed then she took a seat. The girls order some food and drink to accompany them while they are catching up.
“Sooo, what's up with your text yesterday. What do you want to figure out together with me? From your text, I can feel you were upset.” Aubrey starts the conversation. “Really? You can sense how I feel from my text?” Lizzie rolled her eyes playfully. “Of course, we are best friends, more like a soulmate I think but seriously what’s going on?” She joked around but tried to dig into what's going on at the same time.
Lizzie starts with a sigh and takes a sip of her drink. “Do you remember when I told you that Jane and my mom are thinking of getting me a new personal assistant?”
“Yeah? They still talk about it with you?” Aubrey said as she took a bite of her food.
“Even worse! They hired one already regardless of the fact that I said that I don't need one. I met her this morning. She came by with Mitchel Elrod to sign the contract and everything. Turns out she is his best friend.” Lizzie explained with huge annoyance.
“Oh yeah, I remember him. I got my assistant from his company. Does she know how you feel about this thing?”
“Oh that part, she might have heard what I said when I was talking with you on the phone this morning because I didn’t know that she was sitting in front of me in the waiting room. I felt terrible actually but then in the meeting I was thinking fuck it so I told her bluntly straight to her face that I actually don’t need her and I’m here because I’m forced to give it a try so this better be worth it.” Lizzie put her head to her hands, her thumbs massage her temples a little bit.
Aubrey gasped, “No you did not! Then what did she say?” Aubrey got so invested with what’s going on.
“Nothing really. She just said she hopes I like the way she works. That’s all. I was hoping she would change her mind and say no to work for me after what I said to her, but then she signed everything like she was trying to say “challenge accepted” to me.” Lizzie motions an air quote then takes another sip of her drink to calm herself down. “It’s like a competition to me now. This just made me doesn’t like her more.” She added.
“So I need your help to figure out how to make her quit because the contract said it can be terminated if there is a mutual agreement from both parties. So if one day she says she wants to quit, I will agree to it and boom! Case close!” Lizzie told her idea with confidence.
“Why are you trying so hard anyway? I meant Jane and your mom have a point. She will be very busy, they just want someone to help to provide your needs at work. You're gonna have a few busy years sister with all the upcoming filmings and others. It’s for your own sake I guess.” Aubrey shrugged as she tried to talk Lizzie out.
“Oh my God! Aubrey, you are supposed to be on my side. The problem is my anxiety. It’s hard to adjust with new people. This is also about how they don’t listen to my opinion or what I want. They hired her without finalizing it with me first.” Lizzie explains in frustration.
“It’s also about your ego isn’t it?” Aubrey added as she knows her best friends very well. 
“They know you would still say no even if they asked you before they hired her and honey I really understand your anxiety, I'm so sorry. Okay, I’ll help you. Why don’t you just give her hard times at work? Give her “hell” at work.” She suggested.
“And how do I do that?” Lizzie asked in confusion.
“I don’t know. Just be as bitchy as you can, ask ridiculous things. Make her do stuff that doesn’t make sense. So basically gets on her nerves every single day, I guess. Be difficult, you know what I meant.” Aubrey continues with her suggestions.
“I think you are right! Aubrey you are a genius! Thank you!” 
“What would you do without me?” Aubrey rolls her eyes joking around. “Anyway, what’s her name again? How does she look?” All of this conversation made Aubrey curious and pulled out her phone.
“Y/n Y/l/n. She looks okay and well dressed. A little taller than me. She’s - “ Aubrey all of a sudden cuts her off before she can even finish her sentence. 
“Wait! what?! Y/n Y/L/n?” Aubrey is as surprised as she can be, then looks at her phone and shows it to her confused friend. “Is this her?” Lizzie squints her eyes as she takes a look at the social media account profile Aubrey shows her. “YES! That’s her. Wait, how do you know? Please don’t tell me you know her too.” Lizzie covers her face with both of her hands as a sign of frustration.
“Actually, Yes I know her. I know her from a mutual friend quite a while ago. She also introduced me to Mitchel. I didn’t know she came back to work with him. I haven’t seen her for a while, we just sometimes text each other here and there just to say hi.”
“Aww, she hasn’t really changed. I always like the way she dresses and her good taste of music. Look, isn’t she cute?” Aubrey smirked jokingly as she continued checking Y/n’s social media on her phone and showed it to Lizzie.
“What are you talking about Aubrey? Cute or not, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m upset with this whole situation and I already do not like her, besides I don’t date girls. I’m dating Robbie. You know that! So can you focus here please?" Lizzie snapped her finger to regain Aubrey's attention back to the main topic.
“Haha, okay chill. I was just joking because you are so tense right now. You are dating Robbie but it doesn't look or feel like you guys are dating. You both barely spend time together. He is too busy with his band and his tours. You know what? I started to think he dates you just to boost his fame.” Aubrey casually points out her opinion to her best friends.
“Aubrey, I’m here not to talk about my relationship.” Lizzie reminded her why they are there.
“Okay okay!” Aubrey laughed. “Anyway, I don’t think I can help you to give more ideas to annoy y/n at work. I love you but I didn’t know it was Y/n you were talking about. She’s my friend too, I can't do that to her. At least I gave you the idea in the beginning but just considered I never tell you anything. Sorry babe, I hope you understand.”
“That’s too bad but okay, I understand.” She pouted but she can’t complain because at least Aubrey already gave her a little rough idea what to do.
The girls used the chance to also catch up with each other’s life but unfortunately it has to come to an end as one of them has to go home.
“Okay Liz, sorry I gotta go. I’ll see you when I see you, okay. Remember, don’t hate her too much if you don’t want to end up falling for her. Well that was what old people used to say, I think.” Aubrey teased Lizzie while giving her a goodbye hug.
“Aubrey stop! That won’t happen. See you soon. Thanks for the help.” Lizzie hugs her goodbye. Lizzie then got into her car and pulled her phone out.
“Hey Y/n, this is Elizabeth Olsen. On friday, we are supposed to drive together to my photoshoot location. Meet me at the office at 6 AM. We’ll take your car from there. Oh, don’t forget my coffee. The one I like. It’s on the list.” Lizzie texted Y/n with no signs of compromise in text.
“Hi. Ms. Olsen, I thought the schedule was at 8 AM but okay, I will meet you there at 6 AM on Friday, with your coffee.” Agreeing is all y/n can do. It’s the first day of work anyway, what’s the worst could happen.
Ch. 6
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writing-in-april · 4 years ago
Text
Green with Envy
Spencer Reid x Female Reader
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Summary: Spencer gets green with envy over something reader can’t control angering reader- hot and heavy makeup sex ensues.
A/N: hey guys 🥺 this is my sixth fic for my 1250 follower celebration and this is a day late- thank you to everyone who was super nice and considerate about me pushing this off till today- I was having a super hard time emotionally last night and I needed some time to myself. Again thanks so so much- this is based off of a combination of this request and this request for jealous Spencer. Also part two to Dr. Jekyll will be out tonight or tomorrow depending on if I can finish it- still a little bit behind schedule from me pushing this off last night. Thanks for reading 🥺
Warnings: 18+, Someone’s harassing reader at work, Spencer is a jerk at first I promise he apologizes, Unprotected sex, Oral sex (F receiving)
Main Masterlist Word Count: 2.1k
“Could you go and check case evidence? And bring the detective with you.” Hotch had approached me, giving me orders for the next step to take in the team’s investigation. I accepted them with no discernible dissent in my voice towards Hotch, even though I would have rather stayed with Spencer working on the geographical profile. Especially since the detective had not taken my subtle hints of turning him down when he flirted with me. Unfortunately like many of these instances it was just easier to keep my mouth shut rather than cause problems with the police department we were liaising with. Though I still did know if I’d I had told Hotch he would’ve understood and changed it with a drop of a hat. it was still just easier to not say anything and power through the case, however sad and disappointing it was.
The detective had been hot on my heels ever since we had touched down here. At first it had been endearing and I just carefully let him down, saying a simple no to coffee.
I was sure he got the impression that if he ‘convinced me’ more he’d get me to say yes. I hadn’t told him until later that I had a boyfriend because it hadn’t been his business. I had only told him with a snippy tone in frustration when he would not let up. Unfortunately for me again he seemed to take it as a sign of ‘playing hard to get’ and did not stop his pursuits. I should probably tell Hotch about it before I punch him in the nose.
I was frustrated and annoyed, plus basically every other negative feeling in the book. I just wanted to be alone, or with Spencer.
When I finally got time to slip out of the room for a breather I scampered my way over to where my boyfriend was as he always gave me some sort of solace.
Unfortunately, it seems like the universe was against me this week.
Spencer’s eyes usually held not one ounce of anger, especially not towards me. When he flashed me a glare I got a little angry myself. What had I done to face the wrath of the genius? His demeanor towards me wasn’t doing anything to squash my bad feelings as it normally did, right now it was just fueling the flames.
I decided to just ask him upfront after a third glare was flashed in my direction instead of dancing around the issue any more, we did have a job to do, “Hey- Spencer, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” His tone was clipped and sharp, sharp enough that it felt like it could cut me.I wouldn’t have been that surprised if it did. It was obvious that ‘nothing’ was not true, there was obviously something going on.
I decided to ask again just to be sure, though there was definitely a possibility I was going to be snapped at again, “Are you sure?”
The harsh glare I was given was more piercing than the previous ones, cutting me deep.
“Yes, I’m sure!” Was whispered shouted at me along with the glare. It took every fiber of my being not to snap his head off even harsher than what he had done to me. Blinking back tears I got up and stormed off, completely done with the day- with this case. I just wanted to put this case behind me, putting it in the files to never be thought about by me again.
When we got to the hotel, after we were finished for the day, there was an eerie silence that fell over us. The silence only held for a moment as we stared at each other. I wasn’t going to speak before he was and if it wasn’t an apology I didn’t know if I had the energy left in me to say anything back.
I had ended up telling Hotch what had been going on with the detective, it had become too much for it to be reasonable to brush off (though in a perfect world brushing off someone like that wouldn’t be a reality but that’s just a daydream of mine I guess)
I stood at the other side of the room for a minute waiting to see if he’d say anything or if we’d be dancing around each other like this for the rest of the night.
He ran his hands through his hair a few times, looking like he was trying to collect his thoughts and sat down on one of the beds in the room. I wondered also if I’d be slipping into the second untouched bed by the window tonight.
“I-I’m so sorry.” My only response at first was a slight hum from the back of my throat while I processed my own thoughts. He seemed sincere, I wanted to believe he was sincere that is.
“Sorry for what?” On the ride back to the hotel, once my irritation towards his attitude had somewhat satiated in the cool silence of the car, I had figured out what he had been bothered by. Spencer wasn’t all that hard to read once I got to know him. However, I wasn’t going to provide the reason for it, I still wanted to hear the reasoning from his own mouth.
“I was envious- jealous of you and the detective today.”
“You were envious?” Being green with envy wasn’t something that Spencer had ever expressed in our relationship before. Being envious- or jealous as most people would call it could be something to be played with in a relationship. It’s an emotion to be delicately handled otherwise the relationship could be filled with possessiveness and aggression.
Spencer was for sure out of line earlier today, he was certainly right when he said I’m sorry.
But, since he had said sorry and that I could tell he was sincere, maybe there was still a chance to play with the delicate emotion in a way that would not crack the foundation. Plus the added fact that I didn’t need to ask for an apology was comforting. There was no need for a fight when the person at fault admitted it. And, in time I’m sure when our relationship has had more time to build a larger foundation, those feelings of envy would not be so easily provoked— unless of course if it was time to play with those delicate emotions.
“Y-yeah, I was getting mad that I wasn’t the one that you were with today. A-and- I also didn’t like that the detective wouldn’t stop flirting with you…” His stuttered apology wasn’t what I was totally paying attention to, though don’t get me wrong I did appreciate it. What I was focused on was how much I wanted to claim him, to show him how much I was just as much as he was mine.
“Well, I’m glad you apologized, I accept it and I understand where you were coming from- plus the case hasn’t been easy on any of us. Just don’t ever do something like that again, please.” Spencer’s shoulders slumped from a sigh and an added nod, relaxing from my words after being tense with anxiety. Sauntering over to him after I had accepted his apology with one plan in mind made my panties wet with anticipation. When I straddled his lap his eyes blew wide, not expecting these turn of events. I grabbed the back of his hair, not too harshly, just enough to get a firm grip to tilt his hair back while I spoke into the shell of his ear, “And, now I’d like to show you how much I belong to you— and it’s just as much as you belong to me.”
Instead of getting an intelligible response from Spencer all I got was a moan, not that I was complaining. While I captured his lips in a breathless kiss I began to grind my hips down onto him in slow circles, giving him a taste of what’s to come.
He surrendered to my dominance in the kiss almost immediately, letting me guide him in any way I wanted him to go. As I rocked my hips over the bulge in his slacks I could feel it grow harder underneath me, I couldn’t wait to free it from its confines. I made sure to mark up his neck with as many hickies that made me satisfied- plus I let him give a few to me as well.
His submission underneath me wasn’t something that I was unused to. This time seemed to be a little different however.
I couldn’t place my finger on what exactly was different, maybe it was that we were so desperate for each other that the clothes practically melted off- which was a lot quicker than how we normally took our pace.
“Can I show you how good I can be for you, Miss?” His eyes were wide and begging, there was no way I could refuse a face like that.
That was how I ended up riding his face, with no hesitation in sight from him. All he wanted to do was to please and he was greedy for it. Even after I had started to pull up off of him after I had already had a shattering orgasm he pulled his hands down onto my hips to have me writhing on top of him im overstimulation. I could’ve punished him for it, but it felt too good to punish.
I was going to make sure he was ready too, possibly by taking him into my mouth for a bit, which I loved to do. However, his little whimpered out pleads about how much he wanted to feel me were just as hard to ignore as the previous pleas. It was hard to say no to a face that looked so pretty when he begged.
I sunk down on him slowly, at least letting myself relish in that feeling for a bit before Spencer would undoubtedly coax me into a faster pace because of how desperate he was. My own desperation wasn’t too far behind to be honest.
When I took him down fully to the hilt I only let myself feel the weight of him inside me for a moment before I started to roll my hips to create a rhythm. The pace I created was just as everything else up until this point had been, desperate.
While I bounced on him I had become unsatisfied with the amount of marks I had left on him before, diving into his neck to pepper them with hickies not really considering the fact that we had to go to work tomorrow. At least he still had that concealer he bought when we first started dating.
Seems that Spencer could not seem to think of it either as in between my ravishing of his neck and upper chest he’d also been getting in his fair share of marks. His were more centered at my chest, he’d been making sure my boobs were not neglected.
My second orgasm washed over me when Spencer brought up his fingers to rub my clit in quick circles. When my pace began to stutter in their movements as I rode myself through my orgasm while trying to help Spencer reach his, his hands came up to my hips to help aid me. Once my pleasure had partially abated I began to focus on his.
“Come on, sweet boy, you’ve shown me how good you are, now I want you to cum for me.”
His eyes rolled back into his head at my words, close to falling off the edge. I grabbed both of his hands interlinking them together and pinned them to the bed to help push him towards his release. A high pitched whine came up from his throat and he fell over the edge, cumming inside me.
We stayed together like that for a bit while we were both coming down from our highs. For a while there was only silence between us as we basked in each other's presence until I decided to make a joke.
“Are you no longer green with envy?” I simpered a bit at him, teasing him just a little as I started to even out my breath some whileI also traced all the marks I had left on him. I was teasing him about the events of today, but I’m reality that horrible detective was far from my mind- it was just Spencer and I. I’d have to see later while looking in the mirror what marks he had also left on me to claim me just as much as I had done to him.
His nose scrunched up at me and he giggled, his giggles were my favorite sound. When I first heard it I knew I would become addicted to pulling little giggles out of him as often as I could. In an uncharacteristic comeback through giggles Spencer then said, “No you kinda fucked it out of me.”
—-
Tag list (message me if you want to be added):
All works: @shotarosleftpinky @90spumkin @kyra-morningstar @s1utformgg
All MGG characters: @muffin-cup
Spencer Reid/CM: @calm-and-doctor @destiny-tsukino @safertokiss @slutforthegubes
Sub Spencer: @thatsonezesty13 @pastathighs @virtualpeanutartisanjudge @calm-and-doctor
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word-scribbless · 4 years ago
Text
Gibbs x female reader
Warning: Sexual talk but no actual smut.
Summary: Y/N is an FBI profiler who consults with NCIS. Gibbs interigation of Holly Snow, and his remarks about how he may or may not be in the bedroom lead to interesting talks between Y/N and Gibbs.
A Time and a Place.
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Masterlist
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Y/N watched the integration of Holly Snow with a small smirk and an undeniable twist of jealousy and something else she didn’t really want to name in her gut. Sure the FBI profiler had had a crush on the agent since she began consulting for NCIS about 5 years ago now. They always flirted, and he was nicer to her than anyone, but he was Gibbs. He was unattainable and she knew she had to just be happy with being flirty friends.
She stood on the other side of the interigation room glass, trying to hide how much his words were affecting her. Tony teased her enough as it was she didn’t need him to her reaction to Gibbs saying there was a ‘time and place’ to be rough fueling the fire. Which is why she waited until after the interrogation, when Gibbs had entered the observation room and tony had left to make her comment.
“Sooo” she said with a smile, watching as Gibbs turned a skeptical eye towards her. He knew that tone. “A time and a place huh?” Referring to Gibbs answer to Snow.
She watched Gibbs roll his eyes and move towards her. She didn’t miss the way his eyes darkened a little at her words though, and she loved that.
“Yn” he warned, fixing her with the Gibbs glare.
“What? She asked innocently, touching his forearm. He leaned closer to her and warned again.
“Yn...”
“Right not the time?” She smiled.
“Or the place.” He whispered teasingly in her ear. So close she could feel his breathe (and his smirk) on her neck. He Loved the shiver it caused in her. They were always playful and flirty but god she wished he’d make a move. She knew though, this was better than nothing. He was rarely this open with anyone.
“Okay okay” she held her hands up and began to walk away. “I’ll get back to work.”
Before she could get too far she felt Gibbs gentle grip on her arms. She turned back to face him and swallowed deeply at the look in his eyes. It was between desire, nerves, and something else she’s too scared to name.
“Tonight my place.” He said in the low gruff Gibbs voice that she loves.
She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked,
“Is that the time and place?” She joked.
“Mhm” he replied with a small smile before brushing some hair behind her ear gently and adding “it’s also a date.”
“A date?” She answered, breathless at his gentle touch and his unexpected request.
He Nodded at her with a smile.
“Okay I’ll be there” she nodded back, leaning up to kiss his cheek.
Before she could move to the door again Gibbs placed a kiss on her forehead and whispered “good”.
Causing her to smile as she reached for the door. “Tonight” she said with a smile.
“Tonight” he confirmed and watched her turn the handle to leave.
Relief washed over him that he finally was able to make a move.
Y/N wasn’t a new guest at Gibb’s house. They often had take out or watched movies. Tonight however, was the first time she was nervous. Those nerves quickly washed away as she laughed, and ate and drank with Gibbs.
Things were slightly different than usual, he sat a little closer, held her hand every once in a while, kissed her cheek. All things she decided, she’d love to get used to.
After dinner, they moved to the couch, Gibbs pulled her under his arm and they settled in to a comfortable silence as an old movie played.
Eventually y/n felt comfortable enough to bring back up their usual banter.
“So are we gonna talk about what you said today?” She smirked looking up at him.
“You really haven’t dropped that?” He chuckled.
“I mean I’ve thought about it, I’m curious.” She said and looked down shyly, realizing what she had just admitted to him.
“Oh yeah?” He smirked, lifting her chin back to look her in the eyes.
“Yeah, you’re sorta hard to figure out. You’re so stoic and strong I could see you liking to be rough but you’re also passionate and caring and careful, especially with me.”
He Huffed a small smile and looked a little shy at her words.
“What you think I don’t notice that you’re different towards me?”
Gibbs Shrugged, but she noticed the small smile didn’t leave his face.
“My favorite part of the day is when you look up from your coffee to check on me, or when you walk me to my car, just to make sure I’m not in the dark alone.” She admits and takes his hand.
He smiled at her and then reverted back to the original topic with a smirk.
“so what’s your assessment doc? Was I telling the truth?”
“I think so” she nodded
“Yeah?” He pressed and watched her nod before speaking again.
“There’s a time and a place. I think if you took me to your bedroom right now you’d be slow, and sweet. You’d still want to be in charge but you’d be careful with me. I think the more comfortable you got with me, the more we, were intimate...”She said and they both laughed softly. “you’d enjoy letting me take charge too. Let me set the pace, let me make you feel good, show you how sexy you are to me.” She said the last part softer, moving one of her hands to his chest. “But that takes trust, love.”
She said and they both looked down a bit shyly.
“Either way, you’d be sure I was take care of. safe but also...” she paused and then softly added “Satisfied, really satisfied.” She looked back up with a small smirk to see Gibbs smirking back at her.
“Am I right?” She asked quietly.
“Mhm” he nodded “you didn’t really mention the rough part too much though” he pushed, enjoying this side of her much more than he’d ever let himself before. They always joked about these things, but this, a real conversation about it? He couldn’t deny it was affecting him, in a very good way.
Y/N smiled and said “I think that’d be easier for you than letting me take charge. I think you’d like to be a little bit rough, make me breathless and clawing at your back, give a hickey or two, let me give you some. but you’d never hurt me, wouldn’t do anything too risky. I don’t think that type of rough would be enjoyable for you, even in a playful way. Which I appreciate.”
Gibbs nodded and replied. “I know.”
“You know?”
“Mhm” he replied causing y/n to raise a questioning eyebrow.
“You’re not the only one that’s thought about it.” He admitted and she could swear she say his face redden just a bit.
“Hmm what do you think I’d be like then?” She asked, readjusting her self so her legs were over his lap and she was facing him more, still tucked under his arm, his other arm now resting over her legs.
“Passionate,” he responded, looking away, almost as if he were imagining it. “you’d lose yourself in me. Throw your head back, move with me, trust me to take over. Trust me to give you pleasure and care for you.” He said softly, his eyes turning that dark color she had seen earlier as he looked back into her eyes.
“I do trust you.” She said taking his face In her hands.
“ I trust you too.” He said, pulling her closer by her wait.
“Yeah?” She whispered and he began to lean in.
“Mhm” he said before connecting their lips. She sighed at the feeling of his lips on hers and melted into him. Opening her lips to allow his tongue entrance. Gibbs began to deepen the kiss even more when Y/N pulled back gently.
His hand that wasn’t on her waist was cupping her cheek and he moved his thumb over it lightly, looking at her in question.
“Gibbs I think you know this, but sex, it it doesn’t come with out feelings for me.”
He nodded “I do know” he said and placed a loving kiss on her head, sensing that she wasn’t finished.
“I- I have feelings for you, feelings I’m not going to express fully because I don’t want to scare you away.” God she knew him too well.
“I’m not scared Y/N.” He assured her.
Sure he’d been terrified of his feelings for her at first. He denied them, wished them away, saw women that would never be her, but the truth was he didn’t want them to go away. He’d do anything for her, to make her happy, safe, loved. He wanted to be the one to deserve her, and he was ready to try to be.
“I know, but I know you, when your heart gets involved you shut down.” She said as she stroked his cheek.
“My hearts been involved for a long time.” He whispered, leaning in to kiss her nose and nuzzle his against her neck.
He knew being affectionate and truthful was the only way to show her he was serious. She hugged him tighter around the middle and asked the question he was waiting for.
“Rule 12?”
“You’re a consultant” he replied against the soft skin of her neck.
“Ahh a loop hole” she laughed softly and pulled back to look at him.
He nodded and lifted his head to look at her.
“I’d transfer” she said looking in his eyes.
He wasn’t expecting that.
“Y/n” he sighed.
“I don’t want to push you, if you don’t feel how I do, but Gibbs I lo- I care about you and I’d transfer if it would mean you giving this a chance.” She blurted.
“Don’t transfer.” He said cupping her cheek.
She nodded and looked down, a bit sadly. Gibbs realized she misunderstood him.
“I understand, but this, the things we talked about... in the bedroom, I can’t do that with out strings.” She said and Gibbs hated how defeated she sounded.
“I’m not asking you to.” He said
She nodded, still looking upset and he realized it was time to be be clear. He took a deep breath and put his hand on the side of her neck, guiding her eyes to his.
“I want this Y/N.” He confessed.
“You do?” She smiled wide as he nodded.
“Yes, I trust you. I know you deserve more than me...”
“N-“ she tried to disagree but he stopped her
“BUT. I know you don’t want anyone else. You deserve everything you want.”
She nodded and kissed him quickly.
“Jethro, I want you.” She whispered against his lips.
“I want you too.” He whispered back.
She kissed him again, slowly before pulling away and moving to straddle him.
“I want this” she said kissing his head, “this” kissing his heart, “and th-“ she began to say and move lower before he stopped her, pulling her back up.
“What?” She breathed out.
“Y/N I love you.” He breathed out quietly, staring into her eyes.
Her breath caught as she tried to speak. “I-“
“I needed you to know before this goes further.” He confessed.
His words caused her to smile and kiss him sweetly before pulling back, cupping his face and responding.
“I love you too jethro.”
“Mm” he hummed as he kissed her lips. “Good.” He said kissing her again. “Proceed.” He said looking toward where she was originally headed.
Y/N giggled along with his laugh and kissed him, repeating her previously intended path.
@diesinspanishbcimhispanic @averyhotchner
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2manyfandoms2count · 4 years ago
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I love you (not) - Chapter 15
It's already September and I can't believe this fic isn't finished yet, I swear May was like. Last week.
Anyway, this chapter is full of soft touches because yes, hope you enjoy!
First | Previous | AO3
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Chapter 15: In which the real pining begins
“Hey Chat, it’s LB, I might be a little late for tonight’s patrol, I’ve been running all day and I still have a couple of things I need to take care of… Could you maybe get some pastries? I’m starving, you’ll forever be my absolute hero (and of course I’ll pay you back, I just can’t swing by a bakery right now). See you in a bit!”
Chat Noir paused as he finished listening to Ladybug’s message, slowly wrapping his head around the fact that she probably wouldn’t be the only one arriving late, despite his best efforts at being early. He looked at her profile picture pensively. His partner had absolutely no idea, but even she was trying to get him to do the right thing, namely: sending him to Marinette.
Well, to a bakery, but he knew very well that he wouldn’t find it in him to bring anything less than the best pastries in Paris to his Lady, especially if it meant getting a grip and owning up to his actions.
Because yes, he was ashamed of admitting it even to himself, but he’d been a coward ever since the fight against Hostzilla. He’d avoided Marinette for almost two weeks (as Chat Noir, obviously, although the past few days had seen his guilt increase so much that he’d struggled to even hold her gaze at school), partly because of last minute additions to his schedule, but mostly because he’d gotten cold feet anytime he’d come remotely close to her building.
It was time this stopped and that he bit the bullet. It wasn’t like Marinette could easily make the first step; even staying up to scrutinise the skyline would have been fruitless: he’d made some convoluted detours on his way home from patrol to avoid a rerun of the fateful night that had brought them into their fake - no, not fake, complicated  relationship.
He’d had enough time to mull it all over, and it was clearly time to do something about the situation.
This tiptoeing around the issue ended tonight.
---
The bells jingled quietly as he pushed the bakery door. The warm backlighting and the sweet smell of rising dough welcomed him and made him relax a little, as did the sight of Marinette tiredly stretching behind the counter. He smiled softly. There really was something about this place that made him feel at ease, safe, even.
Marinette straightened up at the sight of Chat Noir awkwardly shuffling near the entrance of the shop, leaning forwards to take a look at one of the displays, and bit back a smug smile at the thought that her plan to lure him in had worked perfectly. His stomach grumbled and she stifled a giggle. The sound was enough to draw his attention; their gazes met, and both felt their cheeks pinken.
“Hey, Chat,” Marinette said almost breathlessly after what seemed like a thousand years of just staring into each other's eyes. “Long time no see.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Even though her tone had been void of any accusation, he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, making her melt slightly. “I’ve been pretty busy lately.” It wasn’t a complete lie, but he still felt bad about leaving her hanging for so long.
“It’s alright, being a superhero is a full time job, after all." She cleared her throat. "How can I help you today?” She winced imperceptibly at her cowardice. They were the only ones in the bakery, it was stupid to ignore the elephant in the room. Still, she grabbed a paper bag and a pair of tongs, and looked at him expectantly.
“Oh, erm, I need pastries. I’m on snack duty for patrol.” He chuckled nervously.
“Ah, well, I can't let our beloved heroes starve, can I? I wouldn’t want the responsibility of another Feast on my hands.” She winked.
"Don't remind me.” Chat shuddered at the memory of the sentimonster’s gooey tongue.
“Is there anything I can get you in particular?” She stifled a giggle at the same image.
“Well, you know me, I can’t leave those chouquettes on your hands, it would be a waste.” He eyed the relevant basket hungrily.
“Are you sure you want all of them? This is... 500g, the equivalent of six portions.”
“And?” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Right, nevermind.” She shook her head, an amused smile spreading to her lips. “Anything else?”
“Hmm, could I have a collection of macarons for Ladybug? Anything but passion fruit, she always gives those to me so I’m not sure she likes them, and since I already have the chouquettes... I think I'm covered.”
Marinette rolled her eyes as she picked the sweet delicacies for herself. Leave it to Chat to believe that her leaving his favourite macarons aside was because she didn’t like them.
“Will that be all?” She cocked her head to the side when she was done packing the box.
“To ring up, yes.” He paused. “But I was actually wondering if you purr-haps had time for a quick chat?”
“With you? Always,” Marinette flashed him a relieved smile as she handed him the pastries and signalled for him to follow her towards the back. She saw he was about to protest, so she added: “If you’re thinking about paying for this, I’m pretty sure my parents would cut me off if they found out I’d sold anything to you or Ladybug, so I'm not risking it. And don’t worry, it’s been a slow night so I don’t have to stay at the counter - we’ll hear if anyone comes in. You said that this was going to be quick, right?”
“I did.” Chat scratched the back of his head nervously as they sat down on the bottom steps of the building’s staircase.
There was a pause as the both of them tried to organise their thoughts and put them into words that would lead to a definite, yet delicate rejection. Marinette smoothed the fabric of her apron as she did, while Chat fiddled with the pastry bag.
“So, the other night, huh?” He awkwardly cleared his throat, wincing at his sudden lack of eloquence. He decided to go for the half-lie route rather than delve straight into their kiss. If he was already this tongue-tied while keeping his thoughts about it at bay, who knew what mentioning it would do. “I couldn’t find you at the hotel after the fight… Were you hit by the akuma?”
Marinette’s head shot up and she squinted at him, calculating her next move. Chat’s hypothesis provided good foundations to build on. Maybe he’d even get to the conclusion she wanted him to reach on his own.
“You can tell me, I promise I won’t be mad.” He smiled softly.
“Fine,” she sighed dramatically. “I overheard Hostzilla say she was looking for me just after you left, and I thought I could placate her a little so I went out in the open. She didn’t even see me, I got knocked out by a fancy table almost just as I came out of the hotel.” She rolled her eyes, hoping her lie was believable enough.
“Meowch.” Chat winced, before gently cupping her chin and tilting it to either side, trying to assess any remaining damage.
“I’m fine though, don’t worry! Ladybug’s cure got me right back on my feet.” She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then reluctantly pushed Chat’s hand away.
“I knew it wasn’t like you not to show up at some point during the fight.” He smiled triumphantly to himself at the thought that his vigilance during the battle hadn’t been completely uncalled for. He frowned and cleared his throat before continuing. “But it’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about. I’m not entirely sure why you were targeted this time, but I’m just afraid that if we…” He trailed off, suddenly unsure of what to say next. They’d never actually elucidated their relationship status; if they went forward, would they be continuing to date, or just starting? Would Marinette be offended if he used the latter?
“If we… continue on our set course?” Marinette offered.
“Yes, exactly, thank you.” He flashed her a quick smile. “I’m afraid that if we continue on our set course, there might be more opportunities for you to get caught up in fights, especially if word about our relationship gets out. I don’t want to put you in harm’s way, Marinette, I couldn’t bear you getting hurt because of me.”
Marinette was struck by the apparent anguish in her partner’s eyes as he looked at her. She instinctively reached for his hand.
“And I don’t want you to have to worry about me. I… I got my hands on footage of that battle, and I saw how distracted you were. You already have so much on your mind… I wouldn’t want to be a burden and put your safety in peril.”
“You could never be a burden, princess.” He absentmindedly ran his thumb across the back of her hand, but smiled sadly. “But I suppose you’ve reached the same conclusion I did.”
“Taking this relationship further would be a mistake.” She nodded gently.
“I’m sorry, Marinette.”
“Whatever for?” She took a deep breath and smiled bravely. “It’s not your fault. Just… Bad timing, I guess. If a hero-civilian relationship was ever supposed to work.”
“You're probably right.”
Marinette sighed and looked at her watch. “Anyway, you should probably go, Ladybug will wonder what happened to you.”
They both stood up, and walked slowly towards the bakery door. Marinette opened the door for him, but he paused and turned around before he’d crossed the threshold.
“For the record, I really enjoyed being your boyfriend while it lasted.” He felt his heart rate pick up as the words tumbled out of his mouth.
“It was really nice.” She smiled gently. Then, feeling a burst of braveness, she took a couple of steps forwards to stand face to face with him.
She stood on her tiptoes before she could process exactly what she was doing and lose her nerve, tenderly kissed his cheek, and took a step back with a soft, if slightly sad, smile. Chat gasped slightly, his hand flying to his cheek. The point of impact of his… friend ’s lips felt like the epicentre of a wave of warmth, just like it had the last time she’d pulled something of the sort.
“Maybe we can make it work one day.” She looked down and blushed, rocking on the ball of her feet.
“Maybe one day,” he echoed.
He gave her one last, longing look before taking off into the night, afraid he might throw all caution to the wind if he stayed any longer.
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mor-beck-more-problems · 4 years ago
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Corpses in the Meadow || Morgan & Eilidh
TIMING: Current
PARTIES: @braindeacl & @mor-beck-more-problems
SUMMARY: Nothing brings together two dead women like wildflowers and flesh eating watermellons.
Morgan had thought her days of laying in the ground for hours were behind her, but April really was the cruelest month and she hadn’t gotten free of its grip yet. Today, under a bright spring sun, she furrowed her nails deep into the earth and tried to pull herself under, as if the ground and all its creatures were a blanket for her. But of course the earth didn’t hold anyone like that except for the dead. The for real, permanent, definitely-no-walking dead. Morgan brushed her fingers along the newly sprung wildflowers, imagining what their petals felt like, if they were as tender and smooth as her memory told her they were. At least she could enjoy their colors, and their fluffy golden pollen centers. Morgan plucked some carefully by the stem and knotted them together from her sprawl on the ground. Maybe if she ever got to have a real funeral, she’d ask whosever was left to care about her for wildflowers. She should probably find out if her zombie goo was toxic to plants, but if she could go back to being a part of the world, if she could be felt and taken in, that wouldn’t be the worst thing.
Carefully, Morgan plucked more flowers from around her and wove them with care, on and off, between laying and watching the bright eye of the sun through the trees, until she heard the grass crunch behind her. Morgan tilted her head back, squinting to catch a glimpse of the figure. Please no hunters, she thought. I don’t want to convince a hunter I deserve to live today.
Springtime was here, and Eilidh couldn’t help but smile. For one so shrouded in death, life in all its forms filled her with delight. As the forest shivered, awoken from its winter slumber, she felt herself drawn more and more to its embrace. Of course, she did have the professional need to be there so frequently, but that wasn’t the main motivation. Even when her ventures were work focused, such as now, she took her time getting to the needed destination. Especially after the gateway adventure and all these damn fires. Between work and wondering what the hell was going on, she deserved to have a moment of relaxation. But she tried not to worry about that now. She inhaled a deep breath—the hint of spring air tickling her nose, so accustomed to just a suggestion of its true form she didn’t know the difference. The sounds of creatures, excited by the revitalized forest as well, filled her ears with a wonderful symphony. Colors that weren’t there the day before dazzled her eyes and—wait, who was that?
She squinted. Aye, looks like a person. Well, she should probably investigate. Changing course, she got closer, and closer, and closer, until she could clearly see what the other person was doing. Arms to her hips, brows furrowed, voice stern, she called, “Hey, you’re not supposed to do that!” A pause. Then, a grin. “Nah, it’s whatever. Just don’t pick too much, or I will have to actually ask you to stop.” Even closer now, she peered curiously as the braided flora, trying to make sense of its unfinished form. “What are you working on, anyway?”
The voice calling out to Morgan definitely didn’t sound like a hunter. “Sorry!” Morgan called dully. Then the voice warmed, not laughing, but bouncing like it wanted to. Slowly, Morgan sat up to look at her. Definitely a lot prettier and friendlier than any stranger she’d run into in the woods so far. “I’m making, well…” She looked down at her handiwork. It had gotten too long to be a circlet, unless she wanted to twist it over itself. “Honestly, I’m just passing the time. Making things helps me think. Or not think, I guess. Normally I do that at home, I’m not a serial flower picker or anything. I just didn’t feel like being inside about it.” But she did, apparently, feel like oversharing about it.
Morgan grinned ruefully and held it out to the stranger. “Do you want it? It’ll look better on you, with how tall you are.” She nodded at her, insisting. “Are these your woods?”
“Seems like you’ve had a lot of time to pass.” Eilidh mused while surveying the length of the, well, the to-be-decided. It reminded her of her own absentminded creations, especially during days when she would forego human society for days, weeks, months at a time. And it was a pretty little thing; she could tell its creator had experience.
She perked excitedly at the offering—eyes alight and giggle bubbling—and immediately claimed it, though with care. Within her grasp, she gently turned and twisted the woven piece, concentration on her face. Suddenly, epiphany. She dropped down to her knees, taking care to not disturb too much of the vegetation below. She wrapped it once around her head, quickly connecting the end piece to the rest, and then began to weave the remaining part within her own hair into a side braid. “I don’t claim them, but I do work here.” Feeling hospitable after the generosity, she continued. “Speaking of, I was heading over to do something. But I know a real good flower spot on the way. It’s not on a commonly used trail. So, nice and private. But you can’t pick any of those. And I’ll know, so don’t try. Still, they’re wonderful to look at, ‘specially right now.” She finished the braid. Part of the flowers still stuck out at the end; her hair just wasn’t quite long enough. Ah well. “Interested?”
Morgan looked up at the sky to check the position of the sun, then her phone to confirm her suspicions. She’d been laying here for hours and it had barely felt like anything. Maybe that could have been a relief, but she’d been down this proverbial hole too many times to be glad about skipping suffering by being absent from herself. “I guess I have, yeah…” Her voice tapered off into a laugh. Technically, she had all the time in the world.
She smiled in spite of herself as the woman wrapped the flowers into her hair. She seemed to have done it before. “So that’s why you’d have to stop me if I became too much of a flower thief. At least you’re a lot more pleasant than any of the other public service workers I’ve met in town.” Although between Marley Stryder and Kaden in his scowl-y asshole days, that bar was pretty low. Morgan looked at the sky again. It was well past morning, but she didn’t feel like going back home while everyone in it was away doing...alive-people things, presumably. “Uh...you know, I don’t see why not. It’s okay if I take pictures of them though, right? It’s not gonna hurt them any.” Slowly, she got to her feet and waited for the woman to show her the way. “If we’re going off on unknown woodsy adventures, I should probably know you as something better than ‘strangely nice park lady’. I’m Morgan.”
Mischief twinkled in Eilidh’s eyes when she looked upon the other. “You caught me. I want all the flowers to myself.” Sentence punctuated with a mock evil laugh. She did, perhaps, on her off time, pick flowers and use them for various things. She mostly placed them in her hair, or pressed them in a book, or added them to her crafts, similar to the one now braided in her hair. She always made sure not to take too much, and to give back to the earth in ways she could.
Her? Pleasant? James would scoff if he was near, but he was off having private time. Though, at times, she could be such a word. Especially when she was surrounded by all that nature could give: when the sun hit the nape of her neck and the breeze cooled her skin and the trees danced amongst the flow. It calmed her. It was why she always felt drawn to it. It was her home. It was the only true one she had left, anyhow.
She arose, brushing off remnants of the ground off her skirt. “Aye, photography’s fine. Just don’t have me in them. I don’t like paparazzi. And call me Macleod.” She nodded in greeting. Then, with her head, she motioned onward and began their journey. “This way. It’s not too far from here.” Initially, the trail they took was large and the ground smooth, packed down by many feet over the years: a main path. The trail Eilidh quickly turned into was less so. It was marked, and it would come up on the map if you looked, but the ground was noticeably less tame. And the surrounding wilderness knew this, knew the barrier between it and the path was weaker. Eilidh didn’t bat an eye as they continued.
Morgan laughed softly in response. “Are you saying you’re secretly an international pop star on the run, Macleod?” She teased dryly. “Because I could use the boost to my Instagram profile. Cat pictures interspersed with flowers, decaying animals, and their bones isn’t very mainstream.” She took out her phone, arching a brow, then turned and took a close shot of a tree branch. It was easier to hold herself up in front of someone, especially a stranger. She had her pride, even if sometimes she overshared to the point of distressing people. And then, new people were such convenient puzzles and experiences. She didn’t have to be sad looking at herself if she was learning their expressions and what they were like and how their presence colored the world.
She followed this woman, Macleod, down the trail. It was one of those obscure ones that was half grown over by neglect, or some unspoken message from nature. Morgan had a sense that they were passing into someone else’s territory. Morgan stumbled behind her, scanning their surroundings, the birds flying above the trees, the blur of butterflies in the distance. Further on, she thought she spied a shadow, some deer maybe, lazing on its way through its day. “And this is definitely a secret flower patch and not a secret murder patch, right…?” She asked.
“I’ll never tell.” She winked. Then, pause. Instagram. Eilidh was almost sure she knew which one that was. Should someone the age she looks like know what that was? She decided not to mention it and look it up later. “Really? ‘Cause all that already got my attention.” The brief moment the phone faced her, she stiffened ever so slightly—shoulders barely rose, face found a subtle hardness. As the lens passed on to a new target, the tension washed off her just as quickly as it came. Her eyes followed the new direction. A simple tree branch, but the way the light hit it just so… she understood the interest.
She let out a short chuckle. “Nah, the murder patch is half a klick that way.” She took note of Morgan’s unease and quickened her pace, figuring it was best to get to their destination sooner rather than later. The breeze picked up, brushing aside the flimsy vegetation ahead and the pair got an early glimpse of their goal. Colors erupted between the green, as if a window into another world. The wind took a turn, and the air suddenly became engulfed in a cornucopia of sweetness. Unfortunately, to her it was only a little tickle in her nose. Nothing more.
“Really?” Morgan said, brows raised. “Well that’s not something I hear every day. You don’t have a collection too, do you? Because I have a lot of death sculptures and I’m running out of shelf space.” Not that she’d been adding much to it lately. Between taking care of her family and being too miserable to cook for herself, she hadn’t been doing much in her studio besides breathing and spacing out. But if a normie like Cutler could find something nice in it, maybe Macleod could too.
But before Morgan could make her pitch, they arrived. It had rained the night before and the ground was still iridescent with water, which now shimmered in the sunlight as if enchanted with a glaze of pearl. White flowers streamed over the grass as if they’d been poured from the sky. Bunches of violets and peonies danced in the breeze and a thin haze of dandelion puffs and pollen floated like pixies through the air. Morgan gaped in awe, too awed to bother aiming her camera. “I was about eighty-five percent sure you were serious about this not being a murder patch, but stars above--” She tipdoed carefully into the flowers, trying to disturb as few of them as possible. “What are their names?” she asked, sinking down to brush the petals. “What do they smell like?”
Eilidh perked curiously. “Can’t say I have a ‘death sculpture’ collection. What’d they look like?” Images of a room overcome with ceramic skeletons filled her mind. And then, the same room taken over by structures constructed by pieces of the dead. But all theorizing dashed from her mind at the sudden burst of colors. Despite having found herself in the spot many times, the sight was still delightful. Especially now, when many of the flowers were finally awoken from their slumber—stretching, dancing in the spring air. Their full vitality overwhelming the area in every hue. The forest was a sky, and this was its rainbow. Morgan’s reaction reminded Eilidh of when she first found the area less than a year prior. Sadly, it was located just as the flowers began to take their rest. But now she can enjoy it in its full glory.
“Well, that one’s Jeffrey, that one’s Helga.” She pointed to flowers at random. “Kidding… Maybe. Who knows, they could like being called Helga.” Still, she wasn’t going to force upon them a name. But she wasn’t sure if her current company would understand the sentiment, so she continued. “Anyway, these are known as Dog’s Tooth,” she motioned to a congregation of yellow petaled flowers, “and those’re Lady’s Slippers,” it was the collection of peculiarly shaped flower’s turn to be gestured at. “To name a few.” She matched Morgan’s tentative steps and joined her by a dense patch of purple flowers, one of which Morgan currently caressed. While the petals were small, their large numbers resulted in a relatively tall plant. She nodded, regarding its presence. “This one is supposedly very obedient. But I can tell they still have a wild spirit.” She too placed a gentle finger on the petals, though her fingers hardly registered anything. Her nose faced the same situation. A faint sweetness lingered, but only enough to register its existence, not to understand. “Uh, they smell like flowers. Sweet. Ya know.” Odd question. It made her wonder.
Something lurked just outside of view. But it was coming closer.
Morgan was too swept up in the rainbow spray of flowers to notice anything in the shadows. She was picking her way over to the edge of the patch so she could lay down without crushing any of them. She took out her phone and photographed the biggest flowers up close, and then from as close to ‘below’ as she could. “Pixie’s eye view, you know?” She teased. She really did want to find out if this was how Sundew and the rest of her pixie family saw the world, but Macleod didn’t need to know that. “Also, I think it would be pretty great if you actually had named them. Helga’s especially pretty.” She brushed her finger over the petals and tried to remember what they felt like. She would think of them when she touched Deirdre’s lips. Sometimes they were so smooth, just a little sticky with her matte color of the day. Maybe this flower was like that. Morgan smiled fondly at the association. At last she put her phone away and sat up, simply enjoying the light in the moment. She took a deep inhale, but all she got was a faint whiff of...flower. She couldn’t detect enough to separate anything besides that soft, pollen-y perfume. “I...had my sense of smell damaged in an accident,” she said at last. “Nothing’s like it used to be. But it’s okay, if you don’t know how to describe it. And it’s probably hard, with so many around…” She let the thought go with a sad sigh, then sat a little straighter, forcing herself to brighten. “How did you find this? I know it’s your job to be here, but it must have taken a while to notice.”
For a moment, Eilidh’s eyes glanced upon Maybe-Helga: a beautiful white flower with magenta freckles at the base of elongated petals. She wished she knew what they thought of the name. She’d try asking another time. “Hm, maybe.” Before musing on that thought for too long, she looked back at the sound of Morgan taking a deep breath. Watched as her features and her words darkened in the aftermath, a rolling cloud casting a shadow over the otherwise beautiful day. Eilidh wanted to help. But she couldn’t even pretend. The true complexities of their scents had been lost to the forgetfulness of time. A part of a life she pretended was fully disconnected from her. What she could detect now was all she could ever know. Not that it bothered her much; how could you miss something you never knew?
“I spend lots of time exploring. Probably too much.” She winked, pressing a finger on her lips. “Don’t tell anyone.” While she took her job seriously, she never understood the notion that her entire time had to be utilized for work, and work, and more work. What’s the point of being among flowers if she can’t (sort of) smell them? But that thought was pushed out when a rustle occurred just on the outskirts of the meadow. An intrigued hum rushed through her throat as she got a closer look of the– “Watermelon?” Odd. She hadn’t spotted it when they first got there. And watermelons don’t just appear out of nowhere. Taking another step forward, her eyes scanned the nearby area. Trying to detect whoever left it behind. Focus drawn elsewhere, the watermelon quickly rolled up to her without detection. She looked down and it rolled to a stop near her feet. As if struck by an invisible knife, it was cleaved in two. Fangs protruded out of each half, filling the newly opened space. Her eyes held curiosity at the action.
But it craved blood. Its fangs dug into her leg. With a shout, Eilidh started wrestling it off.
“Watermelon?” Morgan repeated. She had moved on to another flower, which had a pistil so large it made the flower look like a face with a long, odd nose, and was thinking of a person-name to give it. So she didn’t notice anything was wrong until Macleod screamed.
“Oh, shit--!”
Morgan scrambled to her feet and trampled through the flower patch to get to the other woman. “Hold on, you’re gonna be okay!” She shoved her arm between its wet melon jaws, forcing it loose enough for Macleod’s leg to come free. The melon, hungry for anything, chomped down on her arm, shredding her muscles to ribbons. Morgan clamped her jaw shut to muffle the sound of her scream and tried to bash the melon into the ground. But strong as she was, the melon was pretty hefty, and with the pain and awkwardness, she only managed to dent a few chunks off its bulbous shape. “I got this!” She choked out. “Get as far away as you can!”
Pent up force building up as she struggled, when the hold of the watermelon was released, Eilidh tumbled backwards. She shot back up to see… Morgan had taken her place? Eilidh didn’t know whether to be worried or impressed by her tenacity. But it was no time for introspection, it was clear Morgan was suffering. Eilidh stuck out the—non-chewed up—leg and fished out the iron dagger strapped to the thigh. Then she launched herself back into the fray. The blade struck deep into the green flesh. She pressed it forward, adding a new gash. But this time, no teeth sprouted out. Instead, it seized, trembling for a few moments, until stillness took over. The teeth relinquished themselves from Morgan.
She stared at the mangled arm. But something, something familiar, was off about it. “Fuck. Ok, let’s get you out of–” More rustling. Eilidh whipped her head to the sound. Two watermelons revealed themselves. Perhaps this was their area? She’d usually try and leave them alone at this point, if willing. Or in this instance, pick up Morgan and leave. But her leg was still healing, so she wasn’t sure if she’d be fast enough to outrun their roll. Making a decision, she gripped her leg, fingers encircling the flesh loosened by the first watermelon. She ripped off a chunk and threw it away from the flowers. Bait. Like hungry sharks, the two dived at the morsel. While they were distracted, she kicked into one so hard it bent her toes into the balls of her feet. The watermelon went flying into the trunk of a tree. Smash! Red chunks flew out of the mouth cavity as it rolled back onto the ground. Her eyes locked onto the remaining one. While her attention had been focused elsewhere, it had started making its move towards Morgan. But Eilidh interrupted, pouncing on it and sending stab after stab. It tried to roll away, the thing was surprisingly slippery considering, but with one final strike of her dagger, it stopped as well.
Morgan tumbled free and rolled onto the flowerbed. The watermelon’s teeth hurt coming out just as much as they’d hurt coming in. She dug her hands into the ground, ripping up grass as her arm knit itself back together again. “What are you doing? They’re gonna--” She turned her head toward the carnage. Macleod was--handling herself just fine? She saw the woman rip off her leg and use it as bait. The rest of Macleod’s watermelon slaughter passed in a daze. That woman had just ripped off her leg. She ripped off her leg like it was nothing and she didn’t have anything coming out of it except for a few black globs of blood. She didn’t even look phased. Was this what it felt like when people watched her cut off her fingers?
When the last watermelon had been stabbed to a pulp, Morgan sat up, staring at Macleod with open wonder. “You ripped off your leg to save me,” she said. “And I turned my arm into hamburger meat to save you.” She held out the still-healing arm for emphasis, laughing deliriously. The two of them pouncing on watermelons to save the day when neither of them were in danger of dying again. It was hilarious. “So...you’re a zombie too, huh?”
Eilidh looked over at the carnage. Hopefully those watermelons would have a better go next time. She nodded, a casual bow, with words leaving her lips, so soft they were illegible. She turned, remembering eyes were still on her. Passions had distracted her. In the heat of the moment, she forgot to consider how Morgan would react to, well, the way her body reacted to violence. Her leg was in clear view, already at work to reseal the newly torn muscles. There was no denying it; no future attempt at naivety. She considered her options. The grip on her dagger tightened. Wait, no, no, not that. Not again. She sighed. “Let’s just forget this and get you help.” But before she could pick up the injured woman, her eyes focused on her arm. The arm that was also in the process of healing. Same as her own tattered limb. Tissue that hadn’t been there just a moment prior concealed parts of the lesion, with more on the way. Where the fresh skin hadn’t been produced, a familiar black ooze leaked out. Arm mirrored leg. Realizing no real danger to Morgan was present, Eilidh relaxed. All the two needed was rest. She wished she had known that a minute earlier, though. Poor critters.
And there it was. That word. Tension returned, forcing her body into a straight fixture. Face contorted, words sour. “No, I’m not! I’m a–” She took a deep breath. “Doesn’t matter what I am.” It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself rather than Morgan. “So you’re one then, yeah?”
“Oh, no!” Morgan said, grimacing with embarrassment. “It’s just. I’ve only seen two more of us. Ever. And one of them was my best friend who made me like this at the last minute. My last minute, not theirs, obviously. Uh--” None of these were the words she was actually trying to get out. “I’m not used to this. Or asking for personal terminology. Sorry. What I’m trying to say is I’m sorry. I know the z word isn’t for everyone and I shouldn’t have assumed, I was just--” She looked at her haplessly. “It’s just been a really lonely time for me lately. And you’re--kind of incredible. And it does matter to me, what you want to be called. Very much. But yeah. I’m one too. A year now, so, still new. Newer at this than it feels like. How long have you been...you know? Do you meet a lot of people like us out here?”
While her ears listened to Morgan’s words, Eilidh’s eyes drifted to the blade in her hand—both slick and sticky with the juices of the fallen. Curiously—it was flesh after all—she gave it a lick, collecting the remnants of the slain creatures on her tongue. Nothing. She tasted nothing. Figures. She wiped the rest of the juices off with her sock before returning the dagger to its holster. Her eyes returned to looking, watching, Morgan. Studying her. The heat from her outburst still burned at her throat, but it started to cool as the woman’s words sunk in. The apology seemed genuine, and the attempt at reconciliation was appreciated. The creases on her face lifted, revealing a softer expression. Especially at the admittance to the newness of her existence and the loneliness following; at that she finally lifted her hands, patting the air in a calming motion. “It’s alright, it’s alright. That word is just—I hate it. But I’m not mad.” Not anymore, at least. The flow of apologetic words had been enough to calm Eilidh’s sudden temper. Brief silence followed as she looked Morgan up and down. Considering. “I’m a Slúagh. Similar to—yeah. But not the same. Guess we’re sorta like cousins in a way. Besides you, I’ve only met one zombie in White Crest. But I’ve seen a few here and there over the years.” Never another just like her, however. But she refrained from mentioning or even hinting at… them. That would only lead to further questions; questions she was not in the mood to answer. “And let’s just say I’m old.”
Morgan squirmed under the intensity of Macleod’s gaze. “Hated, noted,” she said. “I’ve never heard that other term before. Slu-aagh? Is it a regional thing, or a time period thing, do you think? But either way, I mean, all my birth family died before I did, so I barely remember what it’s like to have a cousin. This still feels really--I know we don’t have biochemical instant affinity for each other like fae do, but it feels wrong to brush off finding each other, when there don’t seem to be many of us who survive long enough to be found. And if we’re lucky, there won’t be many other people who can know us as long as we can. That, and we just saved each other…” She petered into laughter. “Even if we were pretty much fine the whole time. So, why not? Be friends, or as much as we can be to each other. Have you fed recently, by any chance? Because I have some meal prepped brain burgers at home, if you want. Or I could grab some of whatever you eat, if that’s something different. If you want, of course.”
“Slúagh.” The word rolled off her tongue naturally. “Not just a term. It’s what I am.” Eilidh insisted, that fire ready to return if resistance was found. At the following statement, Eilidh simply just stared. She couldn’t remember having—no, she’s never had a family. At least not biologically. Slúaghs can’t reproduce after all. No matter how much she had tried. With the mention of friendship, the blank expression plastered on her face shifted into the hint of a pleased one. Eyes widened in interest. It was always nice, making a new connection. And she was right. This existence could get lonely, in that sense. It was impossible to find those like her, and rare to run into those like Morgan. At least ones that had a good grip on themselves. Not everyone was cut out for their unique lifestyle, even with help. And moaning and groaning didn’t make for good conversation, though the wrestling could be fun. The other ones, well. Most acted like she was lying about who—what—she was. Sometimes the thought was enough to send her tempers firing. Enough to make her generally avoid association with them, in case of opposition. But for some reason she still craved that kinship. While the use of us didn’t go unnoticed, and her face had tensed at the usage, Morgan seemed to be less dismissive than the average. And those gentle eyes were very persuasive, inviting. Morgan reminded her of James; she should introduce them.
A drop of hunger stirred from within at the thought of feeding, dashing out any contemplation. “Nah. And getting your leg chewed to hell makes a gal hungry.” The damaged leg was close to appearing as if nothing happened, a craving the only reminder it did. She hummed curiously. “Brain burgers! Fun. I usually don’t bother cooking. So, brain burgers it is.” A small chuckle escaped her. “What a first friend date, though, huh?” She gestured to the watermelon gore surrounding them.
It meant far too much to Morgan to hear the word “friend date.” She was smiling too much. When she looked at the watermelon gore around them, she burst with laughter that startled two birds from their nest. She had to clench herself still to keep from bouncing. “Yes! I mean, to the burgers. They take awhile to make, getting some flavor to actually, you know, flavor, but they’re pretty nice! Not like what you remember, if you do remember, but it’s better than plain grey stuff.” And now she was talking too much again. As you do. Morgan got to her feet and dusted herself off. “But all this--” She gestured, laughing again. “I think that’s just how White Crest brings people together.”
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ga-yuu · 4 years ago
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“Cherry Blossom colored love” Part 2~ Yoritomo Story
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*Shogunate hallway background* (Yuno POV)
One spring night---
(I have to hurry....!!)
I was walking fast as I could in the hallway. 
It was only a while ago when I heard Yoritomo-sama’s return.
(I also heard that some bandits attacked him and got injured on the way...)
I happened to hear some vassals talking about this incident, so I quickly headed to his room with my medicine box.
..........
*Yoritomo’s room background*
Yuno: “Yoritomo-sama, are you alright!?”
I forgot to knock in a hurry and instantly opened the sliding doors to Yoritomo-sama’s room.
 He was sitting at the back of his room, looked up when I called his name.
Yoritomo: “What’s wrong? What’s with that pale face? Did you want to see me so badly?”
(Eh?)
While resting his elbow on the armrest, Yoritomo-sama looked at me with what looked like a teasing smile.
Morinaga-san who was sitting opposite him also looks at me with slight confusion.
Morinaga: “What’s wrong? Yuno.”
Yuno: “I’m sorry to disturb you. I heard Yoritomo-sama was attacked by some bandits and got injured....”
After hearing my words, Morinaga-san looked at me with a surprised face but then smiled.
Morinaga: “Well, what you heard is true. But do you actually think Yoritomo-sama would be injured?”
Yuno: “So he’s not?”
Yoritomo: “I’m completely fine, as you can see.”
Morinaga: “There is a small mistake in what you heard. The one who got injured is the other party.”
Yuno: “Oh....”
Morinaga: “Apparently the attack was out of blue.”
Yoritomo: “That guy tried to lay hands on me while Morinaga was around. Too bad he didn’t make it alive.”
Morinaga: “I was with him as an escort, but I didn’t think I’d get a chance to play a part at the end.”
While listening to their conversation, I remembered what I heard from the vassals before I came here.
---FLASHBACK---
*Shogunate hallway background*
Vassal 1: “Did you hear that Yoritomo-sama has returned? Also, there was an attack and he got severely injured.”
Vassal 2: “That’s right, I feel bad for him...”
---FLASHBACK ENDS---
(So the one who was killed was the attacker....!!)
(I know, normally these two guys couldn’t be beaten that easily.)
When I realized my mistake, I instantly blushed from embarrassment and opened the sliding door without waiting for their reply.
Yuno: “Sorry, my mistake. Please excuse me.”
Yoritomo: “Wait.”
Yoritomo-sama instantly stops me, when I quickly tried to leave.
Yoritomo:(with the most lecherous face) “Since you’re already here, come closer.”
He gives me his nasty smile and I started to have a bad premonition.
Morinaga: “Okay. Since I finished my report, I have no reason to stay here. See you tomorrow, Yuno. That is if you survive his teasing. Good luck anyway.”
Yuno: “Ah Morinaga-san!”
(He’s gone....)
He closed the sliding doors mercilessly and left me here to die.
Yoritomo: “Yuno. How long are you going to stand there?”
Feeling prompted, I had no choice but to sit next to him.
Yuno: “Okay. Look I got worried when I got the news about someone being injured and came here running without confirming.”
Yoritomo: “That’s what I’m asking you. Why did you make such a mistake? Were you feeling lonely when I was away for few days?”
Yuno: “Hmm...It's not like that. But it can’t be helped because you can’t avoid your work.”
Yoritomo: “Heh.”
Yoritomo-sama, then hugged me tightly as he smiled amusingly.
Yoritomo: “You’re not being truthful.”
On contrary to his teasing tone, his gesture seemed a little cute and that ached the back of my chest.
Yuno: “I’m relieved that you came back safely.”
Yoritomo: “Yeah.”
Yoritomo-sama smiled and finally stroked my head.
Yoritomo: “It's too early to go to bed. I’ll take you somewhere nice as a reward for answering honestly.”
Yuno: “What? Now?”
He reaches out for me when I looked confused.
Yoritomo: “It's not that far. Come, let’s go.”
Yuno: “Okay.”
(I’m curious as to where you’re taking me.)
At the same time, I was excited to go out with him after he came back from his work.
......
*Cherry blossom tree background*
Yoritomo-sama brought me to a hill, not far from the Imperial Palace. There was a big beautiful cherry blossom tree shining under the moonlight.
Yuno: “Woah, how pretty.”
Yoritomo: “Yeah, but it's beginning to fall.”
The pale red petals reflected the moonlight and stand out white in the night. At the same time when I felt the wind brushing my cheeks, the petals also fluttered down.
Yuno: “I had no idea, this place was nearby.”
Yoritomo: “I don’t blame you. Even I happened to find it while taking a different road back to Kamakura.”
(And he wanted to show me this view....)
A heat of joy gradually spreads my chest and I looked back at the cherry blossoms next to Yoritomo-sama.
Then a mysterious feeling welled up in me as I saw the petals falling one by one.
Yuno: “It’s beautiful, but I feel scared at the same time.”
When I made that sudden remark, I started to wonder about my own words.
Yuno: “I wonder why I’m scared when it's so beautiful.”
Yoritomo: “You’re not wrong. The cherry blossoms at the end of the fall have long been a symbol of death.”
Yuno: “Really?”
Yoritomo: “It’s in the ‘Nihon Shoki’(book written and published in 720 AD which comprises oldest official history of Japan and myths.). The story of Ninigi no Mikoto and Konohanasakuyahime.  Ninigi no Mikoto chose Konohanasakuyahime, the incarnation of cherry blossoms, as his marriage partner. But the life of every human being on earth, even those of God’s blood, is equally doomed to be scattered.” (If you still don’t understand the story check this link.) That’s the story.”
(....So cherry blossom tree is a symbol of human’s limited life...)
The reason why my heart was tightened was that the profile of Yoritomo-sama, who was talking about the myth, looked somewhat lonely.
Before I could feel anxious, Yoritomo-sama suddenly hugged me.
Yuno: “Yoritomo-sama?”
Yoritomo: “Why do you look so sad?”
Yuno: “No...I...”
(Yoritomo-sama really understands me very well.)
While completely being consumed by his warmth, my heart starts to pound. However, I was feeling reluctant to accept the kindness of being ahead of me, and I smiled in a hurry.
Yuno: “I just thought it was surprising. I didn’t know that Yoritomo-sama was familiar with myths.”
Yoritomo: “Well, I just remembered the story that was taught to me when I was a kid. If you want more, I’ll tell you something more interesting.”
Yuno: “?”
Yoritomo: “I heard this from Tamamo.”
Yoritomo-sama apparently started talking about ghosts that haunt the cherry blossom trees.
Yoritomo: “It seems that a ghost occasionally appears under the cherry blossom tree and grants human wishes.”
Yuno: “Really, that’s it?”
(I expected it to take a scary turn but it didn’t.)
Yoritomo-sama smiled mischievously as if he had seen through my heart.
Yoritomo: “But if it doesn’t like the human, it will devour him from head to toe.”
Yuno: “Wh-Why would it do that...?”
Yoritomo: “Who knows. They are fickle and follow their own desires. There’s no point in trying to make sense of them in the way humans can understand.”
(That may be very well true...)
I felt the wind was getting colder, so I looked up at the cherry blossoms and rubbed my arms. 
In the past, I might have heard this story and thought that it wasn’t real. But now that I know about the existence of monsters, I feel like the ghost under the cherry blossom tree might appear too.
Yoritomo: “It has started to get cold. Do you want to go back?”
Yuno: “Yeah, let’s go.”
I tried not to show how I was a little scared and went back home.
.......
*Shogunate hallway background*
Yuno: “Thanks for showing me that beautiful view.”
Yoritomo: “Yeah, but it's a shame that it's all going to scatter in few days.”
As we walked down the hallway, while remembering the sight, one of Yoritomo-sama’s retainers walked from the other side.
Vassal: “Ah Yoritomo-sama, you have arrived. Sorry to trouble you at night, but in fact, there is a report I have for you.”
After listening to his vassal’s words, Yoritomo-sama thinks about something for a moment.
Yoritomo: “Okey I get it. You can wait for me in the hall.”
Yoritomo urged his vassals to the hall first before turning to me.
(ah....)
His face comes closer to my ear as if to whisper a secret. When his feint breath touches my ear, I start to blush.
Yoritomo: “You just heard a ghost story. Are you sure you’ll be alright alone? If you’re scared, you’re always welcomed to sneak into my room.”
His low voice makes my cheeks even hotter.
Yuno: “No thanks. I’m not scared and I’m already an adult.”
(And I also don’t want to disturb Yoritomo-sama’s sleep since he has been busy these days.)
Seeing my rebellious attitude, Yoritomo-sama smiles.
Yoritomo: “Fine then. Come whenever you change your mind.”
In the end, he left for the hall leaving a tempting whisper behind.
.......
After few minutes....
I was standing in front of Yoritomo-sama’s room.
Yuno: ‘Yoritomo-sama, are you back yet?”
When I called out his name, there was no reply from inside.
(Hmmm... I wonder if he’s still in the hall.)
----FLASHBACK----
Yoritomo: “If you’re scared, you’re always welcomed to sneak into my room.”
----FLASHBACK ENDS----
(I’m no afraid of the cherry blossom ghost, but----)
When I remember the face of Yoritomo-sama I saw at that time, I felt uncomfortable.
After a small hesitation, I gently opened the door.
Yuno: “....I’m coming in.”
*Yoritomo’s room background*
When I entered the room, I saw Yoritomo-sama lying on his bed, asleep.
(He’s already asleep...)
(It’s not like Yoritomo-sama to not know if someone comes in.)
I was a little worried but managed not to make a sound and slowly walked upto his bed.
(Maybe he’s really sleeping...)
I knelt at his bedside and stared at his sleeping face. Immediately after that, the back of my chest buzzed again, and my anxiety revived.
---FLASHBACK---
Yoritomo: “The cherry blossoms at the end of the fall have long been a symbol of death.”
---FLASHBACK ENDS---
His sad expression was stuck in my head since then.
Yoritomo-sama is a man who is willing to take the initiative in the war for the sake of the role he has to fulfil.
(I thought I was already prepared to be by his side.)
(But I’m scared when I think about what would happen to him.)
Perhaps today’s misunderstanding was due to that fear that might come in the future. 
I had been pretending to be oblivious to the fact that my timid heart was exposed by the night cherry blossoms and I really wanted to see Yoritomo-sama’s face before I went to sleep.
(One day, even if something like an irresistible destiny takes him away from us, then---)
(I’m not strong as Morinaga-san to protect him physically.)
Driven by the anxiety on my heart, I quietly laid next to him and made sure not to wake him up. I gently cradle his head against my chest.
(Let me stay by your side as long as I have a life.)
Yuno: “.....Please.”
When I whispered like I was praying---
Yuno: “!”
I felt his hand going around my waist and pulling me closer.
Yuno: “Yo-Yoritomo-sama....are awake?”
Yoritomo: “.............”
Yoritomo-sama, who I assumed was still sleeping, sighs softly.
When I tried to quietly get up, I realized the hand which was holding me had to be taken off in order for me to get up, which would definitely wake him up.
(He looks really tired. He has another inspection tomorrow and was also busy for the past few days.)
(Let me sleep with you tonight.)
I decided to think of an excuse when he wakes up in the morning and snuggled on his chest. Feeling his body heat and listening to his heartbeat calmed me down.
.......
*Inspection Site background* (Yoritomo POV)
The next day, Yoritomo came to visit the land near Kamakura.
Yoritomo:” ..........”
Yoritomo looks like he is thinking about something, even though he is doing what he is supposed to do.
Morinaga: “You have received many gifts this time.”
Morinaga accompanied me for this inspection as well.
Morinaga: “Are you not going to wear that glittering cloak today?”
Yoritomo: “I’ll wear that later. Anyway, I’m going back to Kamakura.”
I looked at the elegant cloak, which I usually don’t wear. Then for some reason, Morinaga smiled and sat in front of me.
Morinaga: “Now, tell me what’s wrong with you?”
Yoritomo: “What do you mean?”
Morinaga: “You’re doing your job, but there seems to be something you’re worried about.”
Perhaps he has known me for quite a long time, he could easily see through me. Then I opened my mouth while thinking about Yuno last night.
Yoritomo: “Have you heard Yuno’s wish?”
Morinaga: “Wish....? What is it?”
Yoritomo: “I don’t know. Yuno came to my room last night when I fell asleep---”
I remembered the sound of Yuno’s earnest voice as she prayed ‘Please’ and explained it to Morinaga.
Morinaga: “I see. Now I’m curious too. But Yuno fell asleep with you after that, right? Did you ask her today morning?”
Yoritomo: “Sure enough, I did ask her in the morning.”
---FLASHBACK---
Yuno: “Go-Good Morning.”
Yoritomo: “Oh Good morning. So are you going to tell me why you secretly sneaked into my room last night?”
Yuno: “..............I got scared after listening to your ghost story.”
Yoritomo: “What’s with that pause?”
Yuno: “Oh, by the way, I have to make the medicine you asked me for. Also, Yoritomo-sama is planning to leave early, right? I’m sorry to disturb you. Excuse me!”
Yoritomo: “Hey! And she’s gone.”
---FLASHBACK ENDS---
A faint smile appears on my lips as I recall Yuno’s appearance this morning.
Yoritomo: “She is a real pain in the ass, you know that?”
Morinaga: “I like the face you’re making now.”
Yoritomo: “Now now, don’t make fun of me like that.”
I smiled as I continued to read the rest of the documents.
The day after Yoritomo went for the inspection....
*Shogunate hallway background* (Yuno POV)
I was working hard as a pharmacist as usual.
Vassal: “Thank you, Yuno-san.”
Yuno: “No more bruise right.? Please take good care of yourself.”
(Okay.....today’s work is over.)
Today is the day when Yoritomo-sama returns from the inspection, but I heard that he will arrive at night.
(I was told to show up when he comes back, but what will I do until then.)
After cleaning up my tools, I remembered the cherry blossom tree I saw with Yoritomo-sama.
(.....I was a little worried that night, but I’m fine now.)
(Let’s go see it again before it scatters.)
.......
*Cherry Blossom tree background*
By the time I reached the view, it was almost twilight.
(After all, it's beautiful...)
When I was staring at the petals that were scattered around---
I suddenly heard someone’s footsteps behind me.
???: “What are you doing here?”
When I suddenly heard someone’s voice behind me, closer than I expected, I turned around.
It was a man wearing a gorgeous light red haori coat while hiding his face with an open fan. It was a breathtaking sight to see.
(Maybe...)
Yuno: “The cherry blossom ghost?”
As I asked that, I remembered the story Yoritomo-sama told me.
(No that’s impossible, right?)
A sneaky grin under the fan confirming my doubts caught my eye.
???: “Do you have any wish you’d like me to grant?”
For some reason, I was terribly attracted to his quiet voice.
The man gently reaches out to me, when I was standing still without being alert---
???: “I like you. So I’ll make a special exception for you.”
Yoritomo-sama was the first person that came to my mind when he touched me.
(My wish is----)
Premium End // Epilogue
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the-nooz · 4 years ago
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May 5th came and went this year like every other May 5th.  The only real difference was conversation and discussion concerning The NOOZ.  The NOOZ turned 35 this year.  It was first published on May 5th, 1986.  
But, as it turns out, the 35th birthday of The NOOZ may be the most important one in decades. Why?  Because The NOOZ is back.  Thanks to a bit of nudging by some fans The NOOZ is looking to self-publish a new book with past articles and begin publishing new stories and articles.  However, we’re going to be smarter (doubtful), more technological adept (because we have no choice), and timely with our delivery (no fucking way).  We have a new set of platforms and a new set of topics!
With that said, prepare for our first story.  Here goes!
Jean-Michel Basquiat
While I was contemplating my first new article, I wanted to celebrate The NOOZ and thus, tried to think of some 80s topics that have aged well, like The NOOZ, and deserve some of my attention.  I bounced around with two or three topics and pounced on Basquiat.  
Basquiat had a very brief and explosive career.  He was intimately connected to pop culture and pop art beginning with his emergence in the late 70s as a graffiti artist in SOHO to his untimely death in 1988. He did collaborations with Andy Warhol, was a friend of Keith Haring’s and lived with Madonna one summer.  
But I never understood his artwork or his success.  Now, with that said, “understanding” artwork is a load of crap in my mind.  I don’t believe anyone needs to have a deep understanding of artwork to appreciate it.  I think art appreciation should be much more basic.  My level of understanding is, more often than not, based on one simple question.  That question is, “Do I feel something when I look at it?”  If I can honestly answer, “Yes”, then I feel I have an appreciation and understanding of any given piece.  
I recently took a deeper dive into his artwork and read Taschen’s publication of his artwork.  It provided a chronological view of his art and added some content to provide a timeline of his work and shows.  
Here’s what I learned:
·         I think he was a person that had a billion thoughts coming at him at all times.
·         His art goes in cycles.  He would become fixated on an image or word/phrase and then repeat it over and over again as if trying to perfect it or match it exactly as he saw it in his mind. I do that too when I paint.  As much as anything else it looks like his art was really a continuation of pieces and evolution from one painting to the next.  A perfect example is the use of US coins in a series of paintings in 1987.  The coins were never the main focus, but they were usually found somewhere near the edge and were always profiled the same way.  He was trying to work his mental vision into a physical representation.
·         I really enjoyed his early pieces and his later pieces.  The pieces in the middle seemed lazy.  Essentially like he needed to produce something, so he rushed through.
·         I’m not sure he really had a complete plan on any of his paintings before he started. He might have thought of a topic, but it looks like he just started painting and constructing until he felt he had accomplished a finished product.  I would guess he was very liberated when he painted.  
·         His self portraits were menacing and full of emotion.  
·         At first glance his paintings look like elementary school art.  However, as I looked more and more it became apparent that it was by design and when he wanted to draw/paint the perfect line, he could do it.  
·         I never understood the purpose of crossing out some of the words he had written into his paintings. But I found myself focusing on those crossed out words.  I’m sure that was his intent.  It is a great way to bring focus to the parts of the painting that were important to him.
·         He was into anatomy.  
·         Based on the number of times he had A and O in his paintings I’m assuming he had some sort of religious background.  
So, do I appreciate and understand his artwork?  Let’s go back to that simple question.  
“Do I feel something when I look at it?”
“Yes, I do.”
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A Tale of Red States and Blue States
Once upon a time, there was a state.
It was a large state, with vast stretches of country between its world-class cities. It had communities rich in diversity and activism and ideas – and it had a lot of resentful white people who were just plain old rich.
The richest and most resentful white people created a terrible blight they called “modern conservatism.” They set their wicked curse on the state, and then unleashed it on the nation with two Republican presidents – one lamentable, the next even worse.
There were many along the way who sounded the alarm, but there were more who ignored the danger far too long. The spell had summoned a beast. The beast was hideous and stupid. It was no good at anything except being a hateful beast. But the dark spell had done so much damage that being a hateful beast was enough for the beast to win, at least for a time.
In one version of the story, the state is called “California.”
In another, it is called “Texas.”
It’s strange to think of now, with a decade of sneering about the “left coast” and “San Francisco liberals” and blah blah blah baked into political conventional wisdom, but it’s true. The reactionary modern conservatism which held the whip hand on the backlash to the great civil rights advances of the 1960s was born in California. California voted for Richard Nixon six times: once as their senator, twice as Eisenhower’s vice president, and then three times as the Republican presidential nominee. In between those elections, Nixon of course had to win primaries. In 1968, when he was the Republican front-runner, he faced an upstart challenger who wanted to make sure he’d be racist enough to keep conservative southerners in the tent. That person was not a southerner, but the then-governor of California, Ronald Reagan, who would go on to be the next Republican elected after Nixon.
So what the fuck happened? Well, a lot of things, and I don’t want to pretend to do justice to the generations of righteous activism that pushed back against this disastrous regime. Democrats did occasionally win state-wide – notably, California elected two Democratic women to the Senate in 1992 – even though Orange County was practically a metonym for American conservatism right up until the 2018 midterms. But the turning point that seems to have gotten your average voter to turn on the Republican party for good was in 1994. Governor Pete Wilson, a kind of hard-right proto-Trump, threw his weight behind a hateful anti-immigrant ballot initiative. It passed, even though it was so deranged that it never went into effect because a federal court ruled it unconstitutional within days of the vote, because the California electorate really was that conservative. The electorate changed, almost on a dime. Mexican-American voters organized. Their friends and neighbors and fellow citizens realized that sitting back wasn’t an option. And now the Republican Party of California is a fucking joke.
This isn’t, like, the eternal winds of history blowing microscopic chips off the statue of Ozymandias. If you remember the Clinton presidency, this happened in your lifetime. If you’re a little bit younger than that, it happened in your big cousins’ lifetimes.
Part of what makes it hard to see changes like this is that the dim bulbs in our political media see everything through a horse race lens, where who gets one particular W is the only piece of information worth retaining. You win and you’re clever; you lose and you’re a dumb sucker who tried. Who gets power is really important! But if you only care about that, then you miss the really important trends.
Take the Georgia 6th, the district once represented by Newt fucking Gingrich. Its representative joined Trump’s cabinet in early 2017, at least in part because it was such a supposedly safe Republican seat, so there was a special election for his replacement. Traumatized Democrats and Women’s Marchers threw themselves into the steeply uphill campaign of former John Lewis intern Jon Ossoff. When he came up a few points short, our blue-check media betters tried to turn Ossoff into a punch line stand-in for silly #Resistance liberal losers coping with Trump by losing some more, SUCK IT, MOM! but the other, correct, interpretation is that Ossoff only came up a few points short in a district that was supposed to protect the kookiest of right-wing cranks. His campaign had functioned as kind of an ad hoc boot camp for novice organizers, canvassers, and future school board candidates who had previously been too discouraged and disorganized to take this kind of swing, and it showed Democratic party donors that the district was winnable. So when gun safety advocate and Mother of the Movement Lucy McBath stepped up to the plate in the 2018 midterms, her campaign had the infrastructure it needed, and now she’s well-positioned to be reelected because she’s doing a great job. Meanwhile, Ossoff’s organizing chops and the enthusiastic work his supporters did for Rep. McBath are a big part of why he’s in a dead heat against incumbent Republican Senator David Purdue.
That’s why I’m keeping an eye on the South this year. The presidential campaign there is interesting, but the real story is in those network effects. There’s a rising tide that threatens to make the blue wave of 2018 look like a light spring shower if things break the right way. Just look at the Democratic senate candidates. They’re a diverse group: men and women, Black and white, preacher and fighter pilot. Most are relative newcomers to national audiences, but only some of them are young. Jon Ossoff is just 33; when he was in grade school, Mike Espy of Mississippi was Secretary of Agriculture. What they do seem to have in common is that they are having the time of their fucking lives.
Here’s Espy:
Moving and grooving in McComb. pic.twitter.com/RANCRGGpX7
— Mike Espy (@MikeEspyMS)
October 31, 2020
Ossoff:
The people of Georgia are tired of having a spineless, disgraced politician serve as their Senator. pic.twitter.com/OdaYwFKzmz
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff)
October 30, 2020
Senator Doug Jones of Alabama:
I know you’ve heard us say it before, but when you see this clip, it bears reappearing: This guy really is clueless. https://t.co/w9YOUHegCW
— Doug Jones (@DougJones)
October 22, 2020
Jamie Harrison of South Carolina:
It's debate night and y'all know I'm going to walk it like I talk it. Let's see if @LindseyGrahamSC can do the same. pic.twitter.com/TNABxsaTEO
— Jaime Harrison (@harrisonjaime)
October 30, 2020
And the bad bitch with her eye on the big prize, MJ Hegar of Texas:
It's about time Texans had a senator as tough as we are. https://t.co/8MQ8Tykmyt pic.twitter.com/bgPr5vtgdh
— MJ Hegar (@mjhegar)
October 16, 2020
Clutch those pearls, John! https://t.co/iWej8MrhtV
— MJ Hegar (@mjhegar)
October 22, 2020
The spineless bootlicker Hegar is challenging, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, is currently resting his dainty patoot in the seat once held by none other than Lyndon Baines Johnson. As president, LBJ would aggressively push for some of the greatest human rights legislation in American history in pursuit of what he called the Great Society. That meant Medicare and Medicaid. It meant a revolution in environmental protections. It meant PBS. And it meant telling the one-party authoritarian regime in the Jim Crow south that America was done with their bullshit, they were going to have real democracy, they were going to do it now, and if they didn’t like it they could eat his ass.
Johnson was a complicated guy and left a complicated legacy. His project required an unusual leader of courage, conviction, and unmitigated savvy, cut with streaks of megalomania and dubious mental health. No architect but Lyndon Johnson would have built the Great Society, and no place but Texas could have built Lyndon Johnson.
Then again, Texas also gave us the Bushes in the late twentieth century. It gave us a terrorist attack on a Biden campaign bus just this weekend.
That darkness is real. So is the long, grinding slog to turn on the light. Like the GA-06 silliness, Democratic efforts in Texas get laughed at as some quixotic waste of resources by arrogant flops. In fact, the past few years of high-profile statewide elections in Texas have been on a pretty clear trajectory. In 2014, Wendy Davis, a state senator from Fort Worth who captured widespread progressive attention with her heroic filibuster of a 2013 state abortion ban, ran for governor. She lost by the ~20-point margin you’d expect in a year where Republicans everywhere did really well, but it was a vitamin B-12 shot to a perpetually overwhelmed state Democratic party. The 2016 Clinton campaign, when it was (correctly!) on the offensive before FBI Director Comey decided he would really prefer a Trump presidency, invested heavily in its Texas ground game. It was always a long shot, but even after the Comey letter and the Texas-specific sabotage by the Russian Internet Research Agency, Texas Democrats cut Trump’s margin there down to single digits. That is to say, they recruited the volunteers and taught the skills and raised the cash and registered the voters to carry the ball way down the field. And in the 2018 midterms, El Paso representative Beto O’Rourke built on all that energy to fight Senator Ted Cruz to a near draw. O’Rourke didn’t quite make it, but he did help a lot of downballot Democrats over the finish line and forced Republicans to light a few oil drums of cash on fire to save a seat that they had always assumed would be safe.
That growth has been possible because of a ton of hard work and persuasion, but it’s also been possible because there was so much untapped potential. As progressives have argued for years, Texas was less of a “red state” than a non-voting state. I’m not a person that usually has a lot of patience for people not bothering to vote, because the people who get to be loud about that are whiny, privileged assholes who can afford to be flip about the right to vote. But there are a lot of people who find it hard because they absolutely do know the weight and importance of voting, because they or their mothers or their grandfathers were beaten and terrorized to keep them away from the polls. They might make the same mouth-noises as the selfish dilettantes about how it doesn’t matter and they’re all corrupt and blah blah blah. But a vote is a tiny little leap of faith. It’s at least a skip of hope. And it hurts to know the weight and importance of that and to keep feeling that disappointment over and over again.
A key thing that Republicans in the South managed to do for a while, but California Republicans didn’t, was to let their misrule seem almost tolerable day to day. As outrageous as the overall trends were, as catastrophic the results were for a lot of people’s lives, it didn’t necessarily feel entirely irrational for lots of people to avoid the inconvenience and disappointment of trying to stop them. But if you’re just going to be a constant, unwavering shit show of incompetence and evil, infuriating people every waking minute of every fucking day for years on end, they’re not going to be deterred by inconvenience and disappointment. They're not going to be deterred by fucking tear gas. They’re going to understand that it’s worth trying to get rid of you, even if it’s a long shot. They’re going to line up to kick you in the shin just for the hell of it. And that’s exactly what millions of them have already done.
These dumbass motherfuckers radicalized Taylor goddamn Swift!
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LOOK WHAT YOU MADE HER DO!
So yeah. People who had given up are fucking voting. Texas has already had hundreds of thousands more people vote than voted in all of 2016. BEFORE ELECTION DAY!
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Vice President Biden likes to recite a poem by the great Irish bard Seamus Heaney. It’s about how you have to have faith that a better world is possible, even when you don’t have any rational reason to expect it any time soon, because it’s the only way you’ll be able to seize the most precious of opportunities, when “justice can rise up/ And hope and history rhyme.”
Sometimes hope and history walk into a bar to tell dirty jokes for a bachelorette party in downtown Austin. And they rhyme.
For a hundred and fifty years, unreconstructed revanchist terrorist sympathizers have threatened that “the South will rise again.” They mean the treasonous mobsters who called themselves the Confederacy.
Why do those losers get to define the South? Like, literally, they’re losers. They lost.
There’s another South. The terrorists cut it off at the knees, so it never quite rose the first time. But it’s always been there. The South the heroes of Reconstruction tried to build. The South of the Kennedy Space Station and the Center for Disease Control. The South of the French Quarter of New Orleans and the gay neighborhoods of Atlanta. The South of Barbara Jordan, Ann and Cecile Richards, Stacey Abrams, and the young women of the Virginia state legislature. The South of Maya Angelou, Molly Ivins, and Mark Twain. The South of the exiles of Miami and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. The South of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Representative John Lewis. The South of James Earl Carter, William Jefferson Clinton, and Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Once upon a time, there was a colossus. The richest and most resentful white people feared it, for it was both great and good. So they hunted it mercilessly. They tortured and killed its most vulnerable people. They bound it and silenced it and told the rest of the world it didn’t even exist. But they knew that wicked lie was the best they could do, for something so mighty could never be slain by the likes of them.
The giant grows stronger every day as it struggles against its chains, and those chains are turning to rust. One day soon  - maybe in this decade; maybe this week – it will break free. It will rise. And it will shake the earth. Just you watch.
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theastrophilearchitect · 4 years ago
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A new project.
Because the first one wasn’t working. Writing journey #3.
Tue 30/03/2021 - ‘Bay Tree’ Word Count: 42,150 07.27 Hello! So I established in my last writing update that I was taking a break from my WIP ‘Bay Tree’, to return May 10th, and even though I’m not writing today, I just wanted to say that taking a break feels amazing. I’m focusing on reading (granted, I’ve been reading House of Earth and Blood for like two weeks) and it’s really helping ideas for edits develop. 
In my draft, I got to chapter 13 (I think) of twenty-something (because I didn’t fully outline the climax, so I’m unclear as to how many chapters there will ultimately be) but I just don’t think I can get all the way through a draft without first doing some developmental edits. So, for the next few weeks, I’m going to note the changes I think I could make, then figure out which ones I won’t implement, then how I will implement the others on May 10th.
In the meantime, this Thursday, I’m going to start working on a new WIP, which I have quite a clear idea for, but obviously need to develop the plot. So that’s it for today, and I’ll update again for my new project on Thursday April 1st.
Thu 01/04/2021 09.54 It is Thursday! I’m free for a couple weeks! Which means it’s time to start working on a new project. My goal for the day is just to compile some of the various ideas I have into something vaguely cohesive, then I’ll develop it tomorrow, and hopefully make a skeletal outline on Saturday, scene block on Sunday... I’m going to shut up before I set myself a thousand insane deadlines, but I’d like to have started a draft by the end of my free time. So, let’s go.
Wow. Blank documents really are intimidating, aren’t they?
13.04 I already had my core concept, but now I have almost a justification for it--why it happens, and I think I want to build up my world first, then characters, because knowing the world and its various peoples will allow me to figure out how exactly they fit in and develop their motivations, then finally do the plot. I’ll only work out the three characters I’m currently certain will be integral for the plot, because I don’t want to waste time on developing characters who are ultimately unnecessary, like I did in the earliest days of Bay Tree. 
Basically, with a world, I can work out motivations; with motivations, I can work out characters, and with characters, I can create a character-driven plot. I want to focus on creating both lovable characters and a memorable plot--I know all my favourite books have memorable characters, but the ones I enjoy the absolute most are the ones where it doesn’t feel like the plot only exists to drive the characters into relationships (I’m looking at you, Cassandra Clare. Seriously, I love Shadowhunters books, but the technically ‘main’ plots always feel second to the subplots).
Fri 02/04/2021 08.16 Honestly, didn’t get too much done yesterday. Mostly because I ended up down a rabbit hole of researching (though I do think what I learned will help me to form my world), and I was busier than I expected to be. Regardless, I think I want to make this a series. I have a feeling Bay Tree is also going to become at least two books when I revisit it, but I’m going to go into this one with that intention.
Obviously I don’t know how long it will be right now, but I think I’m going to aim for three books, then let it shape itself.
12.25 I just spent an hour writing out a history of the world and how it got to where it is. This is really fun, but really intense.
16.36 So, I have a rough plot in mind. I have an ending, a catalyst, a backstory for the world, and a few characters. And a lot of things that need names. I waited a really long time to name my characters in Bay Tree, thinking they’d be easier to name when I had then conceptualised, which makes sense, but I’d given them numbers with which to refer to them until that point, so it was a long time before my protagonist became her actual name instead of just ‘3′, despite the fact she technically became 2 because I had to cut 1.
Anyway, going to pick names, then let nominative determinism do its thing.
Jesus, I have no good male names. I keep a list of names, first and last, I like for use, but I have so many more female ones than I do male.
In Bay Tree, I used MBTIs as a starting point for personalities, which I’m planning to do here, especially since I know the types so much better now, but I want names first.
Maybe I just ought to choose this specific character’s surname first. Maybe he goes by his surname, or some variation thereupon (like how Daniel Arlington from Ninth House goes by Darlington).
Maybe he doesn’t need a name. Maybe we literally just call him Hero Guy.
God, screw this. He’s Hero Guy until either it comes to me, or I have no choice but to name him.
Sat 03/04/2021 11.15 I feel like crap today. I’ve been doing nothing for three hours, and I, quite frankly, need to get something done. So I’m going to write.
12.41 Wow, initial development really is the hardest bit of the process, huh?
Sun 04/04/2021 08.04 I’d really like to do more worldbuilding first, and character development, but it’s difficult when I don’t know the different parts’ roles. So, today, I’m going to attempt to outline the primary plot points of the three books. Attempt being the operative word here.
13.41 Honestly, yeah, I’m struggling with the plot. I think I managed to get Bay Tree’s plot so fast when I sat down to actually write it because it had been on my brain for a couple weeks, whereas I literally started this project three days ago.
Maybe that’s how I’ll handle this--when I hit a wall with one project, I work on the other to give myself some distance. Working on Bay Tree requires less thought anyway, because that plot’s already mostly figured out. Yeah. I think I’m going to revisit Bay Tree, but for reference’s sake, I’m going to dub the new project... eh... the first thing that came to mind was ‘Feather President’ which is more related to the actual content than ‘Bay Tree’, but it sounds so much crazier. I want to dub it something that actually could be a title, even if it definitely won’t be the final title, because I don’t want people to look at my blog, see ‘Feather President’ in the pinned post and immediately assume I’m insane.
Could always just use an acronym. Let’s go with FSB; those are one of the character’s (also the only character who so far has a name) initials, which may ultimately change, but it works for now. Bay Tree and FSB.
I’m going to end this particular writing stint here and come back in a couple hours, at which point I’m going to switch back to Bay Tree.
I should really stop planning so far ahead when my plans will inevitably change.
15.40 So here’s the plan I currently have that I definitely won’t stick to: at the start of each week, I’ll determine which project I work on (operating Monday-Sunday; if you think the week starts any day but Monday, you’re wrong, and I’m not sorry), and only work on that project throughout the week. So I’ll work on Bay Tree this week, and FSB next week.
I’m going to let myself work on a project for more than one week at a time, but I think I’m going to say I can only work on one for three consecutive weeks before I have to switch to the other. This seems like a good way to stay excited. Yes.
This second? Not completely sure. Might just go read and deal with it tomorrow.
Mon 05/04/2021 - ‘Bay Tree’ 11.37 Actually really glad I just sat down and read--I read about 200 pages yesterday in total, which meant I could easily finish the last 100 pages this morning. So I finished Starsight (the recent reads post will probably be up by the time this one is)--was anyone aware the A Court of Silver Flames paperback is £24 on Amazon? Anyone?
Anyway, we’re returning to Bay Tree today, after nearly two weeks (I know that’s not even long), and I’m going to attempt to implement my edits, by which I mean I’m going to put scene changes at the bottom in brackets, then technically implement them when I redraft.
Tue 06/04/2021 - ‘Bay Tree’ 09.11 I didn’t exactly accomplish much yesterday. I spent a good few hours just watching YouTube, because I didn’t have any motivation to do work, which screwed up my schedule, and I did no writing aside from transferring my list of edits from my phone to my document. I started reading Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater, but didn’t get very far in--I’m obsessed with Stiefvater’s writing style; it’s the perfect mix between typical prose and fairytale-style storytelling. Anyway.
I’m going to switch to a new Scrivener project for the sake of cleaning it up--Bay Tree is a hot mess right now--and hopefully begin to implement my edits--maybe not today, but certainly this week.
Thu 08/04/2021 - ‘Bay Tree’ 16.53 So I haven’t yet had a day where I’ve done nothing (since my break finished), but the last couple days I’ve just been doing tiny amounts of what I’m calling ‘reference pruning’, where I’m just editing and clarifying character, worldbuilding and location documents. I’ve ‘pruned’ five character references, and I hate it. It needs to be done, but it doesn’t need to be done now. I’ve decided I’m just going to completely clear out the new Scrivener project I started for Bay Tree, and add stuff to it as it becomes necessary. I’m going to make notes of overarching edits (stuff I can’t just note at the bottom of a scene), and just get started with draft 1.7, adding and editing references as it becomes necessary. I’m also going to say I just need to spend an hour writing a day, rather than a word minimum.
Okay. Edits established. Things to bear in mind established. I need to go through the character profile for the POV character in chapter one, then we can get started. Or rather, I’ll get started tomorrow, because I need to go cook soon, and even if I do have time after dinner, I’m not going to, because I’m going to read then. Okay. Character.
I’m getting excited again!
Oh, and the setting. I need to do the setting document.
I’d like to draw attention tot he fact one of my character documents describes her as having ‘black upturned gold eyes.’ 
Clearly I couldn’t pick a colour, but now I’m inspired to give her heterochromia.
Character done, and setting undone, but I need to go cook now, so I’ll pick this back up tomorrow, when I may also do some actual work.
I just hope these posts give someone security in that writing is a messy process, and you don’t have to be perfect all the time to be a) competent, and b) a writer. I’m a competent writer, and I’ve only ever written about 60% of a draft. But I’m still going, still trying, and that’s the point.
Fri 09/04/2021 - ‘Bay Tree’: 484 words 09.15 Okay. So we’re redrafting, and this is like my fourth draft of the first chapter, so let’s just go.
Sun 11/04/2021 - ‘Bay Tree’: 576 words 09.01 Yeah, I missed yesterday. Ironically, having time off seems to be making productivity more difficult, despite the fact I actually have time for it. 
09.19 I feel like this project is making me stagnate. I think what I have is almost subconsciously tying me down, preventing me from improving, but I don’t want to just restart, because I want my bases, and it’s so ingrained in my head, I can’t physically start from scratch. Crap.
I think it needs to sit for longer. Crap.
It’s alright. I mean, it sucks, but it’s alright. It’s not like there’s any ideal age to become an author anyway, and I’m a long way off the average. I have time, and if it takes shelving projects now to complete better ones later, so be it. Maybe I’ll return to Bay Tree in a few weeks, or a few months, or a few years, or never, but I’ve learnt a lot from it.
So we move on.
Mon 12/04/2021 - FSB 08.05 This post is such a mess. I’m a mess at the moment. Today, we’re just continuing to work on FSB’s plot, and I think I’m already going to change the name of the character whose initials are FSB, so its nickname will probably change, too.
I had a trilogy in mind, but looking at it now, I think a duology will be best to convey the arc I have in mind.
21.51 I’ve actually accomplished quite a lot today--I’ve mostly been doing character profiles, but that helps me form tidbits to add to the story, which I can eventually string together. We’re progressing.
Tue 13/04/2021 - FSB 08.37 Hello! I think I can safely come to the conclusion I prefer development to actual drafting. Anyway, today I’m going to focus on completing the character profile for my other protagonist and do a little more work on another important figure. Then, I hope to be able to figure out the drive of the main plot in book one.
On another note, I am debating whether to plan out two books or three. Mulling it over, I think three books would give a more fulfilling arc, but it depends if I can work out enough content for the main plot. We’ll see.
Yeah, it’s going to be three. Two just can’t carry the impact I want.
20.00 I made pretty good progress today, but I just wanted to make the point I’m a lot more confident this project will hold my interest for longer than Bay Tree. This was something ruminating in the back of my mind for weeks, that I was desperate to write, where Bay Tree was very much a ‘sit down, make something up’ process at the beginning. Anyway, I think I’m done writing for the day, and I’ll get back to this tomorrow. (Because unlike most writers, I have a functional sleep schedule)
Wed 14/04/2021 09.19 Honestly, my head is empty right now, so I really need to open my project before determining what I want to do today.
Okay, so we’re basically just going to continue filling in holes.
14.50 Working out the plot, I’m pretty confident I’ve got the A plot covered, which the B plot will fit into, but I need more subplots.
Thu 15/04/2021 10.12 I want to work this one out mostly on the fly. I have nearly the whole of book one plotted out, but I want to work out the fine details as I write it; as I go, I’ll add more detail to my outlines of two and three. But for now, book one.
15.28 I’ve got basically the whole of book one covered; there’s just a gaping hole in act one, that I’m not sure I can fill. I mean, I can fill it, and I will, but I don’t feel like it’ll be that intentional of a thing. I think it’ll be more of an accidental idea that happens to flourish, but I’m going to keep working nonetheless.
Fri 16/04/2021 14.08 Good afternoon! I would’ve started writing earlier, but I wanted to catch up on the reading I didn’t do yesterday to make sure I finish A Court of Silver Flames within a week, so I can return the ebook and get a refund, because, despite being £6 cheaper than the paperback, it still cost me £8, and I want my money back. (Seriously, the paperback is fourteen pounds on amazon. Which is nearly twenty dollars. Which is pretty standard for a hardback, but it’s the paperback.) I’m about ten pages off meeting my minimum for the day (though I need to surpass that if I do want to finish it within a week), but it’s writing time.
14.37 I’m still establishing how, exactly, it applies, but I think I’ve solved it!
Definitely happy that as I’m planning, all I want is to make the characters happy, because I already love them so much. But they don’t get to be.
I have a section on a Pinterest board that’s just called ‘Simping’, and is just pictures of couples doing cute as shit things, and I literally just want my characters to dance together. Always. In Bay Tree, in FSB. Just dancing.
15.04 I have book one covered. It still needs development, scene development, but I can now move on to outlining book two, during which I’ll continue to develop one, integrate themes and such. 
Honestly, the plot falling into place is absolutely the most exciting part of writing. I get an adrenaline rush (yes, while sitting in a chair, typing), I start to love the characters, the world, the story... ahhhh.
I’m actually really satisfied with how the plot seems to be going.
16.44 The word ambiguous has too many Us in it. Three vowels in a row??? And the vowel sequence is a palindrome?? Don’t want it. 
I’m just sat here discovering new music. And it’s all so good and so dramatic and so perfect.
Okay, why do I have to come up with ideas so easily when I don’t need them? Then when I do I have nothing?
17.51 And just to clarify now, this post will actually end with Sunday the 18th, because after that I’m going to take three weeks completely off writing (aside from noting ideas), because I have a lot going on, then I’ll return on May 10th.
Note to self: develop a character who isn’t one of your two protagonists.
Sat 17/04/2021 10.23 I’m thinking I ought to do a more in-depth outline of book one before doing the basis of book two. Help me set up subplots and so on. Yanno, because other characters need some kind of agency, and I currently basically have two characters.
Sun 18/04/2021  08.52 I managed to plot out Bay Tree so fast because I’d already done so much development--plot was the only thing I was still missing. Anyway, I’m having a minor crisis. I think I’m a plotter, but I’m not entirely certain. It clearly didn’t work for Bay Tree. I think I may just start a draft of FSB now, and hope that lets me work out the other two books as I go.
In one of my excessive plans I will probably fail to stick to: I think I’d like to write a draft of the whole trilogy, all the way through, before even editing book one. I’ll obviously make notes of edits as I go, write as if I’ve already made them, eg. if, while writing book two, I have an idea for a book one edit, I’ll write book two as if I’ve already implemented it, which means I’ll have a little less editing to do of book two.
I have this all planned out in my head, but I’m probably being overambitious. We’re staying optimistic, though. I don’t believe in manifesting, but we’re manifesting.
14.23 I want to say I tried. I got a few details for the first couple chapters, but when I opened a doc to actually write it... nope. I need an outline to have a starting point. I just need detail.
Scene blocking sucks. But then I can’t write without it, so what can you do?
And I guess that wraps up this update. Writing this section, I’m about halfway through the writing break, and I have so many more ideas for this project. I was excited for Bay Tree because it was the first time I really made progress, but I’m excited for this one because I genuinely love this story. This post is going up May 14th, at which point I’ll be back to writing, and the next update should come mid to early June. 
And that’s a wrap.
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aperrywilliams · 5 years ago
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Hot Genius (Spencer Reid x Maxine Brenner)
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(Not my gif!)
Masterlist - Requests
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Pairing: Spencer Reid x Maxine Brenner.
Request: I'm anon cause I'm shy but a quick fic where Prentiss asks Spencer and Max to act as bait for a serial killer that attacks newlyweds or married couples however you write it will be perfect.
Summary: Spencer is not very happy at Emily's suggestion that Max help them catch a serial killer. But despite his apprehensions, he has no choice.
Word Count: 3040.
Warnings: Some curses. Suggestive sex talk. Fluff.
A/N: This is my first formal request. Thank you Anon for suggest a Spencer-Max fic. I hope you’ll like it. I’ll take the boldness to tag @andiebeaword​  and @dreatine​ since it’s a maxcer fic.
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"Thanks for bringing me today. With the failure in the subway it would have taken me a long time to arrive,” I said when we had reached our destination.
"Let's say you were lucky that today was my day off," Max replied as I opened the car door in the FBI parking lot.
"I know. Don't you want to go up for a while? Penelope will surely be happy to see you considering that you have not seen each other in several weeks.” Max thought for a few seconds about my proposal.
"Yes. It's not a bad idea. You could offer me a good coffee too. The one in this morning was a disappoint, I must say,” she replied, looking at me with disapproving eyes.
“Hey! The online order has taken longer than I expected. It was the only type of coffee in home this morning." I tried to defend myself, but without much success.
"I'm amazed at how imprudent are you Dr. Reid with such important thing.” Max shook her head, continuing in her disapproving tone.
"I'm sure you're going to torture me all week for this, am I right?". I answered before giving a defeated sigh.
"Of course I’ll do," she said, laughing.
"Okay. I deserve it"
When we crossed the glass doors of the BAU the first person who saw us arrive was Penelope. She couldn’t hide her happiness from seeing Max. Since we started dating, the two became quite close, even Max had joined more than one of the BAU girls' nights. I must confess it made me nervous at first, but the girls adore Max so I relax easy with that.
"Is not the great Max who deigns to appear in these places?". Penelope exclaimed from the other side of the bullpen .
"Hey Penelope. I think you are overstating a little…” Max replied to Garcia's questioning.
"Of course I’m not overstating. We have not heard from you in centuries! Besides, Boy Wonder is not one of those who talks a lot, so every time we ask him about you he only answers 'She is fine…’” Garcia complained.
"I have a very chatty boyfriend as you can see ..." Max replied laughing and winking at me.
"Ok, ok. Let's take advantage of the fact that you are here and we go to my Batcave to talk for a while”. Garcia was unable to finish speaking and was already pulling my girlfriend down the hall to her office. Max looked me muttering a 'sorry'. I just shrugged with a farewell wave.
I hadn't noticed Prentiss was outside her office staring at the scene that had just occurred.
"I see Penelope kidnapped your girlfriend." I turned to look at her and with a grimace drawn on my face I replied.
"Yep . So it seems"
"Well. Since you're here, shall we meet in the conference room? I need to discuss a case with you."
Luke, Rossi, Matt, Prentiss and I were in the conference room. Emily started talking about one of the cases that was torturing the DC police in recent days. We had worked on the profile just the day before, but apparently the police's efforts to locate the unsub were not being very effective.
“Given this context, we agreed with the police that in order to attract the unsub we need a newly-married couple in the club. It is the only way to get him out of his hiding place,” said Prentiss.
"Okay. But... ¿are we sure the unsub hunt there?" Rossi asked.
“When reviewing victimology yesterday the only crossing point was that club," said Luke.
"Wouldn't it be enough to stand guard and wait?" I asked hoping that the profile delivered the day before was enough to locate him.
"I think we would be making a mistake if we let the local police try to do that on their own . We know that the unsub is very methodical. You have to be subtle with him and the local police is anything but that from what we have seen” Prentiss replied.
"Well. So, will we have to do it? Who?” Luke asked.
“Until half an hour ago I had no idea about that. But now I know. Spencer and Max will do it” . Prentiss spoke as if she was talking about what she had for breakfast in the morning.
"Wait… what? Max?, me?... No. No way. Forget it!"
Prentiss was crazy if she thought I was going to accept something like that. Already this covert operation seemed like a bad idea to me, worse if I had to involve my girlfriend, who was not an FBI agent by the way.
"Spencer, please. We don't have many options and we have to act quickly.” Prentiss pleaded.
No options?, there is a whole building full of agents ...
“But Emily, it's dangerous. We all saw the photos of what this guy does to his victims. There has to be another way." I tried to reason with her.
“That is why you’ll be there with her and us monitoring the situation all the time. It’s the only chance to do this quickly and prevent more victims."
Great. The argument of the victims. Don't get me wrong, I’m fully aware of the importance of this work. But the risk was doubled if we added a civilian - my girlfriend by the way - to the equation.
"Why can't it be another couple? Luke with Tara, or Matt with JJ?”
“JJ is sick from Henry's flu. Tara is conducting interviews for the Georgia case.” Prentiss replied.
I could see the disapproving look of Luke, Matt and David on me. Sure, the antihero in the story was me now, refusing Emily's brilliant idea.
"What about you?" I asked as a last resort.
“Are you kidding?, I'm not for that kind of mission anymore. Also I’m not the target type of the unsub and someone has to supervise the operation,” Prentiss defended herself.
"Max won’t to do it...". That was more a thought to me than something I wanted to say out loud.
"We haven't asked her," said Emily.
At that precise moment, Max entered the conference room, accompanying Penelope.
"What is it I won’t want to do?" Max asked curiously.
"Great ..." was the only thing I could say under my breath. Knowing Max during this time I already knew what will be her response. Independent my opinion or all the protests I might have.
"Max. We have to talk about something…” Prentiss said inviting her to sit in one of the chairs in the room.
That was how that night with Max we were outside the club where we hoped to locate the unsub. Our cover was to pretend to be a newly married couple having a good time in that busy place.
I was reluctant to enter yet. Max could feel my hesitancy and took my hand squeezing it to look at her.
"Spencer... I know very well I’m not an FBI agent and I have neither the training nor the experience for this. But I'm just trying to help."
"I know. I know. I'm not mad at you for that. I'm rather... concerned. What if I can't protect you? What if I fail?”. It was a fear more than founded. There were so many things that could go wrong.
"Don’t think about that. You are good at your job and there is also a team behind supporting you right now. I promise not to do anything stupid that could put us at risk.” I let out a sigh.
"Yes, okay, okay. Let’s go to catch this bastard". I said , trying rather encourage me to myself. Max smiled and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Furthermore, it’s not necessary that we should pretend much. Although these rings are fake, the kisses and embraces that we can give ourselves in there do not have to be," she said playfully. So she rose to his feet and caught my lips with hers. God, how I love those kisses!. I didn't want to be in that club at the time. I would have preferred to be in her place!.
"This will make it difficult to concentrate me..." . She started to laugh without letting me go. I caught her lips with mine again. When we parted, we hold hands and entered to the club. Just then, the audio in our headphones started working. Prentiss will be the one giving the instructions this night.
"Alright guys. Go ahead. Let's do this and let's do it fast. The first thing you have to do is go to the bar and order a drink. From there start a conversation and try to scan the place discretely"
The first obstacle was precisely finding a place in the bar. The club was crowded with people. How is it possible that so many people enjoy places like this? it was very hot, people sweating and the floor was a combination of germs and residues of perhaps what other things. Max did a good job finding a spot to access to the bar. Once there, I gestured to the barman to give us two drinks. We leaned against the bar counter and began to 'talk' as we slowly sip our drinks.
"What do we have to look at?" Max asked. I leaned down to speak into her ear so I wouldn't have to scream. The music was very loud.
“If our profile is correct, it is a white man between 30 and 40, with strong features. Tall. Semi-formal dress. He should be alone, but he should be confident. Hardly nervous. Very observant. He would have to be looking all over the place looking for his new victims. You have to look at those who watch couples either on the dance floor or here at the bar.” Max gave a loud laugh that at first shocked me, then she came over to speak in my ear.
"So I guess we should attract his attention, right?... I didn't laugh out loud because I found it funny, by the way..." she told me.
"Clever girl!" Prentiss chirped over our headphones. "Well lovebirds, while you look at your surroundings, take advantage of playing around a bit.”
The statement made me blush. Max gave a nervous laugh. I leaned closer and hugged Max around the waist as I rested my head on her shoulder. She raised her head a little to kiss me. Besides pressing her against my body, I didn't know much to do. I mean, I could think of millions of things to do... but not in a public place, if you know what I mean...
"Spencer, it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to kiss my neck so we can have a better view of the opposite side..." Max suggested.
"Are you sure ... ?"
"Yes... why not? ... not that we haven't done this before..." Max replied.
"I know, I’m sorry. I'm a little nervous."
It was true. I was nervous. I was with my girlfriend in a club and I need to pretend something I would love to be doing in private. How the hell is something like that controlled? Anyway, I took Max's suggestion and started kissing her neck slowly while my eyes scanned the place. She let out some giggles because of the tickle while she also was looking around.
"Spencer, near the bathrooms I see a suspicious man looking at us, red shirt, black tie and black jeans..." Max whispered in my ear.
"I see another one looking at us from behind the dance floor, black dress pants, white shirt and black jacket...". I replied.
“We have to clear doubts before any movement. Raise your bet guys,” Prentiss instructed. What the hell did that mean?...
Without warning, Max tugged at my hair so I had to look at her and then tugged at my tie and pulled me into one of the most passionate kisses I got in a long time. Just to make it even more believable - I thought – she raised slightly one of her legs and began stroking one of mine. I couldn't help but freeze for a few seconds. Max noticed my nervousness at her bold move.
"Hey hot genius, just think like we're on the couch of your place..." Max said as she started to kiss my jaw. The moment those words came out of her mouth we heard chuckles from the earpiece. I could only to dig my head into Max's neck trying to hide my embarrassment.
"Sorry, I forgot they can hear us..." Max apologized, also blushing.
"Don’t worry about us... you continue to do your own thing... at least what can be done in public... remember our mission." Prentiss replied trying to maintain her composure.
“Ok… the man who was on the other side of the dance floor came closer to us, now he is leaning against one of the walls that gives the back exit. The one who was near the toilets, in a red shirt, went with a woman to dance,” I said after identifying the unsubs.
"What do you think Reid, is he our unsub?" Prentiss asked.
"I'm almost sure. He is looking very eagerly at our hands and rings… and he fits the profile”.
"Perfect. We started phase 2 now,” instructed Emily. I took Max's hand and we walked to the back exit, making sure to stop for a few minutes near the unsub so he could get a closer look of us and hear us. With my hands I took Max's cheeks and after giving her a burning kiss I began to speak.
“Baby, I’m so happy I had married you. Now you are mine and nobody else, always remember that... only mine, understood?". Saying that was part of the character. The unsub hunted couples where the man showed possessive traits in the relationship and was what he sought to annul by killing them first in front of their partners.
"I know baby. I’m yours and nobody else's. Show me right now that I belong to you and only you”. Max replied as she put her arms around my neck and we kissed again. Convinced that the unsub had heard us, we began to move towards the back door without break our embrace.
As we stepped outside, the cold in the alley hit us. It was true that the club was burning inside and not only because of the large number of people on it.
I cornered Max to one of the walls, allowing her to have a view of the door so she could to notify me when the unsub left the club. Only two minutes passed and the unsub went out into the alley. Max's warning signal to me was a sultry "Oh, Spencer... baby." I took her by the waist again, pretending a fiery make out session in that dark alley.
"Is it time for the arrest?" I asked without detaching myself from Max.
"Not yet Reid. We have to wait for him to try to attack you before we can do something,” Prentiss replied.
"Great..." I muttered under my breath .
"Spencer... he is approaching very fast..." Max said quickly.
"Is he armed?..." I asked.
"He has a kni…". Max couldn't finish the sentence when I felt an arm pull me to turn violently.
"Leave her alone!" the unsub yelled waving a knife to threaten me.
“Hey! Hey! ... what's going on ?, what's your problem man...?” I said faking confusion.
“She is not yours! You don't deserve her. You are like all the bastards inside this fucking club. You don't really love her,” he shouted frantically. I had my eyes fixed on the knife while trying to get Max out of his sight with my body and arms.
"Take it easy man... nobody has to get hurt..." I tried to reason with him.
"Of course it is, and you will be the first!". My eyes and mind were so focused on the knife he was waving with one of his hands that I didn't notice his other hand that struck my face with a punch that knocked me to the floor.
Stunned I tried to get up quickly when I saw the unsub begin to approach Max. But I was dizzy, I couldn't find stability. Fortunately before he could touch her, Luke appeared out of nowhere and leaped him, knocking him to the floor. Matt appeared behind Luke to help him in the arrest and lead him to the police car. Prentiss approached Max to see how she was doing. I was still on the floor.
"If anyone cares, the bastard punched me in the face..." I complained as I put one of the palms of my hands on my now more sore face.
Max quickly approached to see how I was doing. Prentiss held out a hand to help me up.
"Let me see that face..." Max said as she saw what would be a big bruise in a few hours.
"Don't complain Reid, you will survive," Prentiss joked.
"This was not in the script," I protested. Emily nodded.
"Yes I know. The two of you did a good job, by the way. Max, you keep me surprising. Congratulations" Prentiss said smiling.
"Thank you Emily…" Max replied and then turned her eyes to me, examining if she found any other wound on my face.
"Spencer, like a reward for you good job in this case, tomorrow you have the day off..."
"How generous Emily…" I replied ironically.
"That's how I am. You know that. Well maybe that gives you enough time to finish what you started in there… right hot genius?” Prentiss sentenced, laughing and patting me on the back before leaving the place. With Max we both flushed like tomatoes.
"Sorry..." Max muttered.
"It's okay. Although you can be sure that even the director of the FBI will know about this tomorrow"
"So... what if let's put it into practice so they can speak with reason?, don´t you think?..." Max suggested winking at me and intertwining our hands to start our way home.
“Yeah, you’re right. I have no reason to protest for such excellent suggestion” I said with a eager smirk.
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