#one day i wanna make an animation of all the things that happened that con

[uraveragelonelysapphic]

Danger

Colt Seavers x fem!reader

a/n: hey team! surprise! also, i despise the way this turned out. but i haven’t written in ages, so i guess I’ve gotta start somewhere. if it’s shit, i apologize in advance! but enjoy!!!

summary: you have an issue with your boyfriend’s addiction to danger. he doesn’t see the problem. but will he see it when the shoe is on the other foot?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“you’re not listening to me.”

“no, i hear you loud and clear. you don’t agree with me doing my job.”

you and colt have been at it for the entirety of your lunch break. this all started when you heard from your coworker, hannah, in the animal welfare department that colt had agreed to perform a stunt involving him leaping from one helicopter to another. you were outraged to hear this through the grapevine instead of from your own boyfriend.

so, when he walked into your tent during lunch with that stupid smirk on his face, you just lost it. needless to say, he was not receptive to your worries.

you sigh, running your hand through your hair frustratedly. “that is not what i’m saying and you know it, colt. i’m just saying i can tell you’re getting riskier and riskier. this isn’t a car roll we’re talking about here, colt. this is literally leaping through the air. something that could absolutely be done through vfx.”

he takes a deep breath, trying to calm the conversation down. “you just don’t get it. the pressure to agree to something when you’re on set with everyone watching you…you just don’t get it.”

you furrowed your brows at this. “i don’t get it? i work on a film set too, in case you forgot.”

he can feel tensions are high, so he attempts once more to calm things by making a joke…one that happens to be in very poor taste.

“i mean, technically, but, don’t you just sit in your trailer all day and tell dogs to sit and stay? it’s not like you’re actually experiencing the pressures of hollywood,” he says with a chuckle.

your heart drops at that. no way did he just demean your entire life’s work to ‘telling dogs to sit and stay’. you’ve worked for years to be a professional animal trainer for screen and stage. it’s been your dream since you were a little girl growing up helping your parents with the animal sanctuary they founded.

“what did you just say?” you ask, shocked.

you see the fear on his face as he realizes the implications of his own words. “oh my god, no, i didn’t mean-“

you cut him off, a look of pure betrayal on your face. “no, i know exactly what you meant. now, if you’ll excuse me, i have to get some dogs to sit.”

“baby, wait, i-“

“out, seavers,” you demanded.

colt knew upon hearing you call him by his last name that there was no mending this right now, so he nodded his head in defeat and slowly left your tent.

you sat down in your chair and put your head in your hands, trying not to cry. deep down, you knew he was just trying to ease the tension of the situation with his typical colt-seavers-awkward-humor. but you just couldn’t shake the feeling his words left you with. he knew how hard you had worked for this position and how demeaning people could be about it. you just never thought that your biggest insecurity would be the bud of one of his jokes.

taking a deep breath, you stand up and try to shake off your argument. you had work to do.

~

meanwhile, colt is back on set, trying his best to focus as dan briefs him on what his airplane jump will look like. understandably, the stunt man is having trouble focusing. all he can think about is the look of complete and utter betrayal on your face after he made that joke. that stupid fucking joke. why couldn’t he have thought before he spoke, just this once?

“earth to seavers…” dan snaps in colt’s face, trying to get his attention.

“sorry, dan, you were saying?”

dan rolls his eyes. “you might wanna listen to this, considering it’s going to be one of the most dangerous stunts ever performed.”

colt cringes at that. “actually, dan, on second thought-“

dan’s walkie interrupts the conversation as a panicked voice comes through.

“we have a code red in animal welfare, code red in animal welfare.”

colt’s eyes widen at that. “dan, what the fuck does that mean?”

dan puts up a hand to shut colt up. “shhhh, i’m trying to hear it-“

“everyone please clear the area, emts to animal welfare, emts to animal welfare.”

dan speaks into the walkie. “can we request some elaboration on the situation please?”

the walkie beeps with a response. “koda got spooked.”

colt is terrified at this point, his heartbeat ringing in his ears. “dan…isn’t koda a black bear?”

dan slowly nods his head, worry prominent on his face.

“colt, i think you’ve gotta get to animal welfare. this could be bad.”

~

as you slowly regain consciousness, the first thing you notice is that you can only see half as well as usual. you lift your hand up to your face with a shaky hand and make contact with gauze that seems to be covering half of your face.

“oh fuck.“

your words startled a certain fall guy out of his slumber. upon noticing the panic on your face, he’s quick to move to your side.

“hey, sweetheart, how are you doing?” he gently asks.

“that depends,” you start slowly, “do i still have two eyes?”

he stifles a laugh at your blunt response. “yeah, don’t worry. you still have two eyes. it was a close one, though. he got you pretty good.”

you look at him confused. “what even happened? all i remember is koda getting overwhelmed and going to jump on me. everything else is lost on me.”

colt sighed. “you were knocked unconscious once you hit the ground, but from there koda did some damage with his claws. luckily, hannah was able to get him off of you before he-“ his breath hitches at the thought.

you squeeze his hand. “hey, it’s okay. it’s all okay.”

colt’s face crumples at this as tears fall down his face. you take his face in your hands and gently wipe his tears away. “what is it, honey?”

“i get it now. getting the call on the walkie. i get it. my heart fucking stopped because i thought that you were gonna-“

you press a kiss to his forehead. “shhh. i didn’t, though.”

“but you could’ve, and the last thing i would’ve said to you was that dumb joke that was the opposite of the truth,” he sobbed out.

“baby, i know that. i was just upset in the moment because it hit a sore spot, but of course i knew your true intentions. we’re okay, yeah?” you stroke his hair to calm him down, and the two of you sit there for a moment until his sobs become sniffles.

you bask in the silence, happy to still be alive and still be with him.

“i’m not doing it.”

upon your curious look, colt continues.

“the plane stunt. i’m not doing it.”

you sigh. “i just worry, but ultimately you do know best-“

he cuts you off. “no, no. i learned today how terrifying it is to watch you in danger of losing your life. i can’t imagine how you feel everyday on set. i’m not doing it.”

you smile. “well, i can’t say i’m not relieved to hear that.”

he smiles back at you.

“i love you, darling.”

“i love you right back, fall guy.”

[oneatlatime]

The Blind Bandit

I had honestly forgotten that the Gaang were trying to find an earthbending teacher, so the 'previously on' segment was actually useful instead of spoilery.

Nobody's face is having a good time.

Look at this sweetheart. You go ahead and treat yourself honey. You've single-handedly escorted a pair of earth-shatteringly overpowered tweens around the world for months; the least you deserve is a shopping trip.

"You kids like earthbending?" Has the same energy as "wanna buy a sun dial?" from that animated Hercules movie.

This guy is one of those strip mall karate types.

I take back everything I ever said about Zuko's season 1 haircut. This guy has a dust bunny poop on his head.

Momo's bag now.

My absolute favourite girl power: incredible violence!

The acoustics at this earth rumble place must be great. I don't see any microphones.

"That's what I paid for." Sokka is a simple creature at heart. Likes food and violence.

Something very strange about this guy's face. I think his mouth moves but his eyes don't.

So apparently earthbending gets you mad air.

Oh! I get it. This is a WWE parody. Somebody on the writing team did their homework too. Don't ask me how I know, but this is a very accurate parody.

Sokka thinks listening to big muscles is a very good idea actually.

And here's the heel. Complete with russian accent. And oddly homoerotic anthem. And cowardice when challenged! Yep, total heel.

I LOLed at the zamboni badgermoles and hockey organ.

She's like two feet tall!

I'm. in love.

I could watch little girls beat up grown men all day.

Earthbending sonar?

Omigod it predicts. She can see moves before they happen.

Well it's a good thing Bumi said to look for someone who Waited and Listened rather than Watched.

"I don't really want to fight you. I want to talk to you." Says the guy who just volunteered, in front of a full stadium, to FIGHT her. Time and place, Aang.

Get back on the ground you flighty airbender. She sees with that ground. No fair.

This is about the face I made when Aang pulled that move. Does this boy think at all? I love him, but what part of stealing her well-earned title is supposed to convince her to talk to him?

You messed up.

I love sartorially inclined Sokka. It's a tiny an innocuous little trait, but it rounds out his character so well.

I get to watch two different girls terrorise idiots this episode. I am blessed.

So I'm guessing the two idiots at the earthbending academy are doing that excercise where kung fu people stick their hands in sand (I've seen videos of it) but it really looked like they were in the 'beat back the dough' phase of making bread.

In this universe of plot-convenient clothing blindness, how do Dumb and Dumber recognise Aang as the one who beat the Blind Bandit?

I think the voice actor for the dumb kid with actual hair did a bunch of voices in season 1. The soldier who gives Aang Bato's map comes to mind.

Have I said recently how much I love Sokka and Katara?

These wrestling guys keep switching between first and third person. Too many rocks to the head.

This could be a board for a murder mystery board game. Or a map for a DND dungeon.

It's her hair. I thought the Blind Bandit had a cap type thing with a little brim for her costume, but it's just a pile of her hair? Like a beehive?

A lesson in character writing: if you want to make someone look super dumb, have them earnestly believe in the credentials and authenticity of a guy you have previously set up as a borderline con artist. Lookin at you, Blind Bandit's dad.

"Basic forms and breathing exercises only." That line is just so funny. And they're all so stupid. She snapped like half a dozen spines last night and this guy is preaching breathing exercises.

Wow! I hate her dad!

I hate him more!

Sokka going ham on some rice rather than listen to the idiots. Good priorities.

This passive aggressive fight between the girl and Aang at the dinner table is so fun.

Looking for somewhere to store your meal after you've face planted into it? Try the top of your head!

I need to get a hold of some of those magic napkins. Wiped up a whole multicourse meal in like 5 seconds.

That is indeed the appropriate reaction to this pint sized badass. Glad Aang is learning. (Also this episode needs more Appa. The last couple have been sadly bereft.)

Called it. Earthdending sonar. Or is it more like echolocation? No! Whiskers!

How does this pint sized badass - who if I am understanding correctly, is not known to exist outside the walls of her house - have more emotional intelligence than the entirety of the Gaang put together?

So much for the guards in the garden. They'd actually be useful now.

Sokka. Priorities. Although given how many times Aang has escaped custody/kidnapping he's probably ok to take a minute to fangirl over an autograph.

These idiot parents don't know their daughter at all. That chafes.

"I'm not smiling." I LOLed at that too. Perfect delivery.

Hippo man having a snack before he gets down to business. No wonder he's missing teeth.

All this blind and tiny and helpless and fragile talk is really making me hope someone smacks the crap out of the dad. What an awful thing to say, nevermind saying it where your daughter can hear.

SMACKDOWN INCOMING

This is gonna be good.

If this girl does join the Gaang the writers are going to have to nerf her in every major conflict. She's too powerful. I bet she could take on the firelord now.

And that's why you don't announce sneak attacks.

So remember how Sokka was absolutely losing his shit over the Boulder? That's me right now.

She waits. All these idiots are losing because they're getting impatient and attacking first. Which means that, to her senses, they're telegraphing their moves. That is so cool. And so is this visual.

Here's your chance Dad. Are you going to mess it up?

"I love fighting. I love being an Earthbender. And I'm really really good at it." me:

I don't have words for how much I LOVE when little girls STAND UP for THEMSELVES and THEIR INTERESTS. This would have had me HOLLERING if I'd seen it as a kid. It was a message I needed to hear too.

Wow I want to kill her parents.

OH FUCK OFF

COME ON

You made my girl cry.

Get wrecked belt stealer. I LOLed at this too.

Sokka just beaned a blind girl on the head. Not a good look. I laughed though.

Fun fact: everyone in this picture is a piece of shit.

I haven't been this steamed since Zuko's dad burned half his face off.

Final Thoughts

IT WAS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, this episode feels like it's movie quality. This show is usually excellent, but this feels like a cut above. I feel like I could sense the love the writers, animators, voice actors, everyone had for this episode. They had a good time making it and were enthusiastic about it. And there were lots of tiny background details in this episode too. I'm sure I missed quite a few. Oh No! I'll have to rewatch it!

New team member! That hasn't happened since Momo. Actually, no wonder the episode was so good. Introducing the first new team member in at least a season's worth of episodes is a delicate operation. I bet they were workshopping this episode since early in the first season.

And Toph! (thank you credits for how to spell that - I was really hoping it wasn't Toff). Be still my heart I love Toph. She may well take Sokka's spot as my favourite character. Strength of character, self-assurance, emotional intelligence, badassery, mastery of violence, what's not to love!!!

How did she get so emotionally intelligent and articulate if her parents have kept her caged her whole life? I don't know but I'm not complaining!

How did her parents get away with caging her for her whole life? I do know (money) and I am complaining. Very much so. And yet Toph can still find it within herself to have an honest conversation with them, including apologising for leaving said cage. I never would have had the maturity to do that in a similar situation. I would have gone the Katara explosive rage route.

A little girl who stands up for herself. Against HER PARENTS. I just. Do you know how amazing that is? Especially in a kids' show? I was ROBBED by not being able to see this show when I was Toph's age.

Does bending work like a muscle, in that you build up stamina? Because if so, then Toph is the strongest human earthbender in the world by default. If she's using it in place of seeing, then she's using it 100% of the time that she's awake, all day every day. By the time she was like 5 years old she'd probably used her bending more than the average earthbender does in their whole lifetime.

My one complaint is Toph's voice. Nothing wrong with it; this is a me thing. It fits her perfectly, but my ears do not play well with nasal voices, which hers is. I had to rewind quite a few times and resorted to subtitles by the end. Hopefully I'll get used to it like I did Zuko's.

Sokka! My soon to be demoted beloved! He shone in this episode. I love that he has fashion sense and is not afraid to show it. I'm thinking, what with how hung up he was on masculinity at the start of the show, that the water tribes have a different conception of masculinity: one that classes fashionability as a masculine or gender neutral trait. Even back in season one it didn't take much to get Sokka into the Kyoshi warrior uniform, and he's shockingly good at applying face paint symmetrically. Which I still cannot do with winged eyeliner.

Katara! Not headed for a career in diplomacy but so satisfying to watch. I would love to have a Katara in my pocket that I could unleash on people. And her and Sokka bouncing off each other this episode was great. Every one was at peak performance this episode, except Aang. Not at his brightest this episode.

Checking for typos before I post this and I realise I'd already forgotten that Toph is blind! Just like in the Northern Air Temple, this is how you do disability right: as just a part of who they are, rather than an entire personality. This show is so good.

In sum, Toph:

[vincent-4ever]

Obey me brothers: boyfriend headcanons

Gender neutral reader

Tw: A bit suggestive in Asmodeus' part?

(This is my first fan fic so don't expect it to be perfect + not proofread)

≻───── ⋆✩⋆ ───── ⋆✩⋆ ─────≺

● Lucifer

When he's working he likes to have you by his side. Dealing with his brothers is already enough, so when he's filling out papers which is probably the only alone time he gets, he likes to have you there. Your warm presence, your smile, you bring him joy by simply just existing.

Occasionally, when this happens, he'll have classical music on in the background. So sometimes, when he's in a flirty/good mood, he'll invite you to slow dance with him.

I don't think he's really into public affection, I feel like the most he'll do in public is give you a peck on the cheek.

He definitely calls you some classic pet names like prince/princess, doll, baby, babe, my love, and darling.

Sometimes when he's deep in a conversation with Diavolo, he'll slip out a "oh that reminds me of this time when me and y/n—" and then he quickly realizes his mistake.

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● Mammon

He's very clingy. He comes to your room a lot, sleeps in the same bed as you, and the list goes on.

I feel like he would sometimes randomly hug or kiss you, in public or when you're alone. He's probably into showing you off in public, he'd walk around with his hand around your waist, or holding your hand.

I can imagine he tries to teach you how to gamble. He will try to get you to play poker with him a lot. Despite him trying to "teach you" you win every time. I can imagine him using this as an excuse. "Listen, I just wanna win this time ya hear! It's not like I enjoy playin' with ya or anything!"

I feel like he would bring you with him whenever he has a photoshoot for a magazine or something. Whether you're taking the photo with him, or you're behind the camera, he enjoys knowing that you're there. It comforts him, and he's probably thinking about how you're probably thinking how hot he is. (Considering you're reading this you probably think that often)

For pet names, I feel like it could be the most random thing. One day it's my boy/my girl, darling, babe, and then the next day he accidentally calls you Goldie. (He's fully convinced you're jealous of Goldie btw)

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●Leviathan

He isn't very clingy at first, but overtime he'll become more clingy to you. Like, at first, he will be too scared to even hold your hand. So sometimes he'll randomly ask you when he finally gets enough courage to hold your hand.

PLEASE make him fully aware he means the world to you! He loves you with all his heart. Despite feeling this way, poor Levi is too scared to go past holding your hand in public. He thinks everyone will judge you guys because "you're too good for him, looks and personality wise," so whenever you get the chance PLEASE watch anime with him, read manga with him, and play video games with him. And also remind him of how much you love him, or he'll start to think you hate him :(

He would definitely go to cons in the human world with you. And with enough convincing him about how you guys won't be judged, he'll try to match with you. Whether you're matching with characters from your favorite anime/show/video game, or his, he's totally down! When getting into cosplay, if you need help he'll probably also help you, or at least try to. If he can't in the very end, he'll get Asmo to help.

When he first introduced you to Henry, he started ranting about TSL, and Henry of course. After about a good 10-20 minutes he'll freak out and apologize saying how he must have been annoying, and if you say you don't mind he'll continue to rant about it :)

For pet names, I feel like he would be very nervous with this. I feel like he mainly calls you by a shortened version of your name if you have one, or your name. But when you're doing something together like reading manga, watching anime, or playing video games he'll accidentally call you "bae" or "sweetie" without thinking. After you're done, and you go to your room around 12 or 1 AM, he'll realize that he said that and start blushing and covering his face with a pillow or something.

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● Satan

Since Lucifer doesn't allow Satan to have a cat, or anyone else to have a cat, Satan thought sneaking one in your room would be best. He calls it "plan cat in y/n's room because Lucifer would never break y/n's heart," in short, when Lucifer found out which was only a week after it happened, he forced you to give the cat to an adoption center.

I feel like Satan would like to read books to you. Bedtime story? You got it! Maybe you just feel like hearing an interesting story? He will definitely find a book to read to you! And not only does he read them to you, he recommends many books to you. Sometimes he comes to your room just to ask if you finished the book he gave you. If you didn't, he'll probably do that weird partner thing you do in school, you know when one of you holds one page and the other holds the other? I feel like he would be a very fast reader so he'll take his time with you, asking when you're ready to go to the next page.

He'll go to the human world to go on Cat cafe dates with you. He'll probably end up accidentally showing the cats more affection than you to you though.

He would definitely take you to a bookstore, probably for a first date too. He probably does this to see what kind of books you like, so he can recommend/lend you some in the future. If you like mangas more than novels/chapter books, he'll ask Levi what he could recommend to you, or buy you.

Since I feel like Satan is into very subtle public affection, he calls you pet names in public. Probably the same pet names as Lucifer but add "kitten" in the mix. Also, with public affection, he doesn't do it a lot, but when he does he's only holding your hand or giving you a peck on the cheek, this is mainly because while he enjoys it, he prefers your sweet moments together to be you two alone.

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● Asmodeus

The walking definition of public affection. He will take your hand and drag you to different clothing stores. When you try on clothes he picked for you, he'll grab your waist and literally start making out with you. Right there and then. He's the avatar of lust, and he can't help himself. Seeing you in the clothes that HE picked, makes him feel happy.

He wants to cuddle you every night. If you fall asleep before he even enters the room, he'll join you. If you're reading a book, or playing on your D.D.D, he'll lay down next to you, hug you, and lay his head on your chest and slowly fall asleep.

He will help you with your makeup. Especially if you enjoy a unique style of makeup, or you're cosplaying. He enjoys doing unique makeup looks, and he loves how good you look when he's done. He has to hold back kissing you because he doesn't wanna ruin your makeup.

He would probably bathe with you, because he claims he knows the secret to silky soft hair, or the perfect skincare routine. It's all excuses to spend alone time with him. When you're out of the bath, he'll show you his skincare routine, and have you do it with him.

He ADORES pet names! I feel like he uses Darling, My love, sweetie/my sweet/sweetie pie, hon/honey, cutie, and baby a lot. And when you guys are on a date or taking a nap together, he'll use pet names very often, and would also call you adorable in the same sentence. I feel like he would do this in public so everyone knows you're his, because he loves having a partner as beautiful as he is.

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● Beelzebub

He knows all the best restaurants, and brings you to them. Sometimes he occasionally accidentally eats your food or takes a big bite, but he'll apologize shortly after. He'll probably end up buying you more food but end up taking a bite again, and he eventually gives up.

He doesn't show much emotion, but I feel like when you're sad, he's completely MISERABLE. I feel like it's the same for most brothers, but everyone hides it but him. He will come up to your room with snacks, which he either ate almost all of it or all of it.

He isn't really big on public affection. I don't think he feels like he needs to hold your hand, or kiss you in public to prove he loves you. Infact, I don't think he's very touchy at all. Yeah you kiss a lot, but it's usually when you're alone.

Every time Belphie plans something with him, he invites you. He doesn't like to think you're alone.

I don't really know about pet names. I feel like if he called you a pet name like he tried pet names out before, like he probably called you 'honey' and immediately got hungry. So he either calls you by your name or a shortened version if you have one.

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● Belphegor

A lot of naps. And I'm also assuming since he has a body pillow, he enjoys cuddling with you while you fall asleep together. He probably clings on to you, and buries his face into your chest.

I feel like he LOVES it when you play with his hair. Like he loses himself when you do it. He'll just be leaning on your shoulder and you'll be playing with his hair and he'll fall asleep faster than usual.

Very protective of you, but doesn't do anything about it. He gets really jealous and mad when he sees someone hitting on you, especially when everyone knows you're his. He will probably say something rude to them and drag you away at most.

I wouldn't say he's obsessed with public affection but I feel like in cafes he will lean his head on your shoulder. He would also kiss you on the cheek sometimes.

For pet names, I feel like he would use prince/princess, star, baby, babe, and of course, a shortened version of your name if you have one.

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Thank you for reading this is my first actual fanfic! If you have suggestions pls do suggest them. :) (No nsfw)

[shintin]

Gunpowder Dreams

Chapter 10 (Plan)

↳ Vash the Stampede x Female Reader

They didn't know a wounded man would show no mercy when they took the best thing he ever had away from him. What did they say? Don't poke the dragon if you can't take the heat; if you do, expect the flames.

Genre: explicit smut, toxic relation, romance, angst (Mafia au).

Warnings/Tags: +18, NSFW, Alternative Universe/Modern Setting, no spoilers from manga and anime, dominate Vash the Stampede, sexual situations, dub-con, graphic violence, gore, angst, toxicity, gunplay, manhandling, cunnilingus + fellatio, creampie, fingering, unprotected sex, multiple orgasms, hair pulling, too many smut scenes, emotional trauma, and etc.

Song Recommendation: Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?

Note: Sorry for the delayed update. Unexpected events in life took place. I hope with this smut chapter, I can earn your forgiveness.

Chapter Index - Next Chapter

The darkness suffocated you; unsettling dreams bled all over your mind and prevented you from finding rest. You only had your dreams to give you peace, but now they had vanished, leaving you unsure how to get them back.

All you saw when you closed your eyes was Knives.

You kept getting cut over and over and over, with a knife in his hand, and Vash shot his brother in the leg and outside, the wind sang, but its high-pitched and off-key melody made it difficult for you to ask it to stop. The blood on your skin drained the warmth from your veins, leaving you freezing. The floor beneath you seemed to engulf you as you lay on your back. You could taste the clotted blood in your mouth, throat, and heart.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Yet another delightful adventure in the land of perpetual misfortune.

With a sigh, you turned in bed, your eyes adjusted to the darkness, and when you blinked, you realized the leather couch in front of the windows was empty, with rumpled sheets tossed aside. Despite the house having millions of rooms, he chose to sleep on the couch. You weren't sure why he kept you in his room or why he preferred the sofa over another room. You didn't seek answers or dwell on it. Having him in the room brought comfort, but he was absent right now.

Once again, a sigh came out of your lips.

Being in Vash's presence was like a rollercoaster ride. He was so used to solitude that each day spent with him brought new revelations. These discoveries weren't entirely negative; in fact, most of what you learned about him was endearing and harmless.

Just last week, you stumbled upon him in his office, listening to vintage vinyl records. While you had seen his collection of records before, stacked high alongside old books and artwork, but seeing him simply sitting and listening to the music was a new experience altogether.

He didn't even notice your presence when you walked in that day. He sat completely motionless, staring at the wall, and you later realized he was listening to a Johnny Cash record. You discovered this when you peeked into his office hours after he had already left.

Your curiosity got the best of you as you couldn't help but wonder why Vash kept resetting the needle to listen to that one particular record. You were determined to find out which song it was, and it turned out to be a tune called "You're My Sunshine."

You had yet to share with him what you had witnessed that day, as you didn't want to disturb his comfort in his own space. However, some of you wanted to unravel his past, uncover both the good and bad aspects, and lay bare all the secrets so you could be done with it because you believed your imagination posed a greater threat than any of his hidden truths.

But you were not sure how to make that happen. He wasn't exactly known for his communication skills.

The previous night, you had feigned sleep as you watched him enter the room, cautiously lighting a small lampshade to avoid waking you up. He silently took a seat at the table, unloading his firearm and arranging the golden bullets on a cloth. He leaned over and cracked open the window slightly, hoping to dissipate the scent of gunpowder, but the bold wind had other plans. It audaciously swept in and playfully tousled his golden locks, eliciting a bittersweet smile from you that carried a tinge of pain. Yes, even smiling hurt. But witnessing him find solace was a rarity; now, you were fortunate enough to experience it twice.

With a revolver clutched in his gloved hand, he diligently used a bore snake to clean the barrel. You recognized the process because, when your father still had remnants of his humanity, he had taught you how to assist him in maintaining his firearm. However, you were only a child back then, unaware that cleaning the gun meant he had likely used it to take someone's life.

Men and their guns. They all use them for destruction, and the man before you had even used it to make you—

As the old memory resurfaced, a blend of anger and shameful emotions welled up, stinging the back of your eyes. You closed your eyes tightly, unwilling to witness Vash's sinful ritual any longer.

As you glanced around the dim room, your sleep-riddled eyes scanned from the couch to the shadows cast by the furniture. The filtered sunlight seeping through the covered windows faintly illuminated the space. Amidst the shadows, a phantom-like silhouette took shape that wasn't there, with light blond hair, chilling green eyes, and a mole beneath the right eye—a vicious ghost.

Your grandmother used to say that if you dwell on the thought of the devil long enough, he will appear at your doorstep.

The floorboards made a creaking sound to your right, seemingly originating from somewhere in the bedroom. Your head swiftly turned in that direction, and you took a sudden, sharp breath. The hairs on the back of your neck stood on end like a frightened dog backed into a corner. You held your breath, being cautious not to make any noise in case the sound repeated. Silence enveloped the room, an eerie stillness. Your fingers tightly gripped the duvet on your lap as your heart raced faster.

There was an intruder in the room. But how? How the fuck did Knives manage to evade the guards again?

After another creak, a distinct footstep echoed through the room. You cautiously rose from the bed, but as you stood up, a wave of dizziness nearly caused you to fall. You managed to grab onto the side of the bed, trying to steady your spinning head.

You made your way over slowly, masking the nausea coursing through your body. Your chest rose and fell rapidly, breaths coming in quick succession. With measured steps, you pressed your back against the cold wall. Despite your attempts, a trembling breath managed to escape. Your chest heaved as you took rapid, shallow breaths while the echoing footsteps reverberated from an unfamiliar location.

You stood frozen, your back melding into the wall as if you were one with it, rendering you immobile and unable to hide. However, you refused to become a victim once more. Determined, you knew you had to find a sharp object. With urgency, you sprinted towards the wooden nightstand by the bed, frantically rummaging through the drawers in search of a knife, a gun, or any means of defense.

But you suddenly stopped.

One of the drawers contained a collection of origami made from napkins, which you had previously crafted. It struck you as odd that Vash had kept these seemingly insignificant origami pieces while discarding the plates he used to bring you donuts.

With hands trembling, you shut the drawer and turned your attention elsewhere in search of a weapon. However, in your state of unease, you accidentally collided head-on with something solid.

Something human.

Male.

You heard him sharply inhale, felt his hands stabilize your body, and sensed the blood draining from your face, leaving you weak and lightheaded.

"Vash," you exclaimed, struggling to catch your breath. You went through the familiar motions, just as you always did. Your heart skipped a beat, then raced uncontrollably, your breath became shallow, and your palms grew sweaty. No matter how many times you encountered him, he consistently evoked the same response from you: a mix of fear and excitement. You couldn't quite explain why it excited you.

Something had to be amiss with you. It wasn't ordinary for fiery warmth to surge through your veins in such conditions, leaving a tingle in its wake.

He refused to release his grip on you. You could hear the rapid, forceful thumping of his heart in the quiet space between you. He remained incredibly still and tense as if he were struggling to maintain control over his own body.

Your heart was giving out. "It was you—"

"What are you searching for?" he whispered, his words strained as if he struggled to breathe. His eyes, an unusual shade of blue, captured your attention even in the darkness—they were stunning, crystal clear, and had a penetrating quality that was somewhat unsettling. His hair was thick, a lustrous hue of gold, and his physique appeared slender and unassuming, yet his grip conveyed effortless strength.

"I thought someone was in the—" you trailed off, abruptly stopping your words. Vash stood before you, clad in nothing but a towel. A TOWEL! The embarrassment swept over you, and you wished you could simply disappear, perhaps even roll under the bed to avoid the awkwardness.

The voice you heard came from him. He had just stepped out of the shower, appearing as if he had hurriedly done so because of you. Water droplets cascaded from the tips of his hair onto his shoulder blades, trickling down towards his chest and well-defined abdominal muscles.

Vash maintained a deliberately neutral expression, his voice unaffected as he assured, "He won't return to this house again."

For a brief moment, it was hard to fathom that you were still standing there, gazing at Vash, who was wearing nothing but a towel. It wasn't easy to take the situation, or even yourself, seriously.

"You kept those origamis."

There it was. A flash of anger. In and out. Vash's eyes flickered with intensity, then settled. He shifted his gaze towards the wall, remaining silent for a moment. "Yes," he murmured, his voice calm and composed.

"I didn't intend to rummage through your belongings."

He said nothing.

"I was searching for something sharp to defend myself against the person hiding in the room." The words slipped effortlessly from your mouth. What surprised you even more was the need to vocalize them, to reassure Vash that you hadn't invaded his privacy.

"I couldn't care less if you get bored and snoop around my stuff," he stated dismissively, walking past you without making eye contact. "My mother used to craft origami. They reminded me of her." His voice was chillingly cold. You observed as he opened the drawer, clutching the towel around his waist with one hand, and crushed all the origami in his wet fist. " But she's dead now, so it holds no significance anymore." With that, he returned to the bathroom and flushed them down the toilet right before your astonished eyes.

You couldn't quite understand why you felt a pang of hurt, considering those napkin origamis held no particular significance to you. However, witnessing him collect and preserve them in the drawer beside his bed stirred something tender in your heart. Unfortunately, as always, you couldn't shut up and ended up ruining the moment.

However, you were now aware. This man would go to any lengths to eliminate anything that could be perceived as a weakness.

He emerged from the bathroom and proceeded towards his walk-in closet, disregarding your gaze. You continued to watch him as he dropped his towel, exposing his bare buttocks to your view. You gulped as a hot sensation enveloped you, and your eyes shamelessly roamed from his butt cheeks to the muscles of his thighs, finally settling on his calves.

Who did sculpt this man?

 Vash had everything going for him in the looks department. He was hot as sin, with a stunning body and killer charm. You almost drool, but when he caught you stealing a glance, you hastily averted your gaze, pretending to be engrossed in the fantastic sheets.

Sheets? Seriously? Huh!

"You know, it's pretty rude to be snooping on people, love."

Embarrassment flooded your face, heating your cheeks, as you were caught in such a juvenile act. Suddenly, you felt utterly clueless about what to do with your hands. Your thoughts raced, overtaken by self-reproach. What the heck was wrong with you? The overwhelming urge to hide and disappear consumed you. You sprinted to the bathroom, securing the door with two locks. Leaning against the door, you slid down until you sat on the cool, black-tiled bathroom floor.

Stop grinning, stupid girl!

*

Another day in the never-ending circus of misery.

The gentle afternoon sunbeams lazily brushed against your cheeks, almost as if teasing you. Squinting your eyes, you peered out the window. It was chilly outside, yet the usual forecast of rain seemed absent for the day. The Gods above were like twisted demons, mocking you by making such a gloomy day appear this beautiful.

Ugh! Why—

No!

Wait a damn minute!

Vash stood in the yard, and you were aware of this because you could see him from behind the curtain. He wore a tailor-made shirt that hugged his figure, a black shade so deep that it nearly dazzled. His shoulders were embraced by a charcoal gray coat, fifty shades darker than coal, while his golden spiked hair contrasted the somber autumn surroundings. Black pants adorned his legs, accompanied by black leather gloves and matte black boots.

He appeared flawless, particularly amidst the grimness of the dirt and decay, encompassed by the dreariest hues this scenery could present. He stood as a striking figure, his eyes adorned in shades of deep blue and turquoise, casting a captivating silhouette against the backdrop of the setting sun in a stunningly beguiling manner.

He could be glowing.

That could be a halo around his head.

This could be the world's way of making an example out of irony.

Vash possessed a beauty that surpassed even your most attractive ex-partner. He was far from being human; every aspect of him was extraordinary and unconventional.

He looked around, his eyes shielded by purple round sunglasses, and a gust of wind momentarily revealed the holster strapped to his right leg as his coat flapped open. He didn't even step into his own yard without his gun. The irony!

The men surrounding him appeared to be awaiting instructions, anticipating something, and you couldn't tear your eyes away. A strange thrill coursed through you, being in such proximity yet still distant. It felt like an advantage, being able to observe him unnoticed.

He was a strange, strange, unhinged man. You weren't sure if you could ever forget what he had done to you, the way he had made you feel, and the intense desire to bring harm upon him. The urge to despise him indefinitely lingered within you, but it was gradually weakening. He had abducted you, callously exposing you to danger, and vanished while his brother subjected you to repeated torment. Yet, he also took it upon himself to mend the shattered fragments afterward, carefully gathering and reassembling them—as janky as it was. You wanted to harbor hatred towards him but found yourself at a loss as to how to do so anymore.

You had no clue about who he truly was—actually, you never had much knowledge regarding how he spent his days unless he was in your company. Even now, you remained clueless about his purpose for being there.

He eventually uttered a few words to the men, and they nodded in swift agreement before running around. You retreated entirely behind the curtains, making sure to stay hidden. You positioned yourself at an angle, ensuring he wouldn't catch sight of you even if he happened to glance in your direction.

Vash removed his glasses and ran his hand across his face, briefly covering his eyes before his hand settled on his mouth as though he held something he couldn't bring himself to say.

Suddenly, he seemed tired. His eyes appeared somewhat … sorrowful, although you were convinced you were just reading him wrong. You observed him as he observed those around him, paying close attention to notice that his gaze lingered on the red Geranium flowers, fighting to survive in the harsh weather. You attempted to decipher Vash's expression as he stared at them, but he was always careful to keep himself completely neutral. He remained like a statue in the wind, doing nothing more than blinking.

A stray dog headed straight toward him. Suddenly, fear gripped you. You felt concerned for the poor creature, a weak little animal that had mistakenly wandered into the wrong place, searching for morsels of food to stave off hunger for a few more hours.

Your heart began racing in your chest, pumping blood too quickly and forcefully. A sense of impending doom washed over you, leaving you with an unexplainable feeling that something dreadful was on the horizon.

The black dog dashed straight into the back of Vash's legs as if it had impaired vision and couldn't see its path clearly. It panted heavily, its tongue hanging to the side, seemingly unsure how to retract it. The dog whined and whimpered slightly, leaving saliva all over Vash's impeccably fine pants. You held your breath, anxiously awaiting as the golden man turned around.

You half expected he might draw his gun and shoot the dog directly in the head, having witnessed him do such a thing to a person before. However, upon seeing the dog, Vash's countenance underwent a transformation. His flawless facade fractured, revealing cracks in his otherwise perfect demeanor. Surprise elevated his eyebrows and widened his eyes if only for a fleeting moment, providing you with ample opportunity to take note of it.

He looked around, his eyes shifting as they surveyed his surroundings before he gently scooped the animal into his arms. You felt a sudden desperation to witness his next actions, and your anxiety heightened, making it difficult to catch your breath.

You had witnessed the extent of Vash's capabilities when it came to harming another person. You had observed his callous heart, his emotionless eyes, and his complete indifference. His composed and collected demeanor remained unshaken even after he took a life without hesitation. Now, you could only speculate about what he might have in store for an innocent dog.

You felt an urgent need to witness it firsthand. You had to dispel the notion of him being a good person from your mind, and this was the perfect opportunity. It would serve as evidence that he was sick, corrupted, completely in the wrong, and would forever remain so.

You had to see what he was going to do to the helpless animal when a familiar voice called out from behind you, causing you to freeze in your tracks.

"Having an absolute blast, aren't we?" Bradd remarked sarcastically. "This room conveniently provides the ideal windows for our top-notch boss surveillance operations."

You quickly turned your head, giving him a sharp glare. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and shrugged nonchalantly upon noticing your reaction. He proceeded, "I knocked on the door multiple times. However, it seems you were so absorbed in your mission that you didn't notice, and I had to come in without an invitation."

Bradd moved until he stood beside you, and his presence tightened the knot forming in your stomach. T There was an ice-cold fortress shrouded around him, as palpable as the tension in his shoulders. It felt as though he was creating a distance between you, as if you were about to be sent off to war, and he believed he would never see you again.

On certain days, you resented him for assisting the twins, but deep down, you couldn't deny the truth that he was a good man. He had become your emotional support in recent months, and you had started to understand his character. He belonged to the category of men who prioritized only their own family, and anything beyond that circle? Held no significance to him.

At the moment, you were an outsider who had disrupted their usual order, akin to a parasite, just as he had described.

You turned your head, and your eyes widened at the sight of Vash crouching on the ground, using his hands to feed something to the dog. The trembling, bony body of the animal was nestled inside Vash's open coat, seeking warmth after enduring the cold for so long. The dog wagged its tail vigorously, briefly making eye contact with Vash before diving back into the cozy refuge of his coat. You heard Vash laugh, a sound you had rarely witnessed. It was a laughter that seemed to transform him into a completely different person, the kind of laugh that put stars in his eyes and dazzled his lips.

You realized you had never seen this side of him before. You had never glimpsed his teeth, so impeccably straight and white, an embodiment of perfection.

A flawless, flawless exterior for a man with a black, black heart.

It was almost inconceivable that the person you were staring at had blood on his hands. He looked soft and vulnerable—so human. His eyes squinted from his wide grin, and his rosy cheeks bore the marks of the chilly weather. Even his dimples were visible, adding to his overall charm.

He was undeniably the most breathtaking sight you had ever encountered. And yet, you wished you had never laid eyes on him, for something within your heart was tearing apart at the seams. You struggled to comprehend the image before you, as you desperately needed him to be wicked so you could revert to hating him. However, he defied your expectations. You didn't want to see Vash like this. It felt wrong, yet in some inexplicable way, it also felt right.

You believed that the revelations had ended, but you were mistaken once again. This realization left you pondering the extent of what remained unknown and how much more you would discover about Vash in the days and months ahead.

And it scared you.

Because the more you uncovered about him, you found fewer excuses to distance yourself from him. The image you once had of him was transforming right in front of your eyes, becoming something that terrified you in ways you never could've expected. Amid so much uncertainty, all you could think was that it wasn't the right time. It wasn't the right place. Not when there were still so many problems around.

If only your emotions could grasp the significance of perfect timing.

You released a sigh, frustrated with your own indecisiveness. Although you couldn't ignore your physical attraction towards him, you struggled to let go of your initial perception of his character. It wasn't easy for you to abruptly shift your perspective and view him as anything other than a manipulative monster. You required time to adapt to the idea of accepting Vash as a normal human.

"The dog," Bradd interrupted, returning you to the present. "Nicholas used to take care of that dog, but we hadn't seen her around for quite some time until a few days ago," Bradd explained. "Seems like Angelica has taken a liking to Vash as well." Bradd glanced at you from the corner of his eye, and you found yourself perplexed, trying to comprehend why he continued to smile at you even after he averted his gaze. Flustered and feeling strangely embarrassed, you scrambled to find something to say.

"Is there anything you need from me?" you inquired, keeping your gaze fixed on Vash as he affectionately rubbed the dog's head and chuckled, trying to avoid eye contact with Bradd.

"Hm?"

You shifted your attention to Bradd. "You're here. Did you come for small talk?"

"Oh," Bradd responded, scratching the back of his neck while sporting a smile. The creases forming at the corners of his lips and eyes revealed his age. You wondered whether he had a family and if they were aware of his association with mafia freaks.

"I came to see how you're doing and to let you know that Vash wants to meet you in the living room. If you need to change, I'll wait here to accompany you. I know you've likely become familiar with the layout of this house through your very successful attempts to flee, but I still want to ensure you don't wander into the wrong rooms," he said, winking.

You bit your tongue to refrain from responding with more sarcasm than his.

*

Vash couldn't hide his surprise when he walked into the living room. As you glanced up, you finished the remaining Vodka in your glass. "Apologies for once again getting into your alcohol," you said to him, and he blinked in response.

"You're feeling better."

You nodded over your shoulder. "I was thirsty, and the drinks were there while you ran late."

"Yes," he replied, speaking slowly and cautiously.

"So I had a few shots."

"I can tell," Vash remarked, remaining stationary near the stairs, his gaze fixed upon you. He didn't utter a word but slowly advanced into the living room, removing his coat and delicately placing it over an armchair. He retrieved a gun from his holster and another from his back, deliberately positioning them on the table beside your empty vodka glass.

"I want to hurt your brother, Vash Saverem," you blurted out abruptly. It startled you to realize how much you had transformed over the past few months. You felt like an entirely different person—more audacious, hardened, and, for the first time, willing to acknowledge your anger. It was a liberating experience.

"Are you—" he shook his head, then apologized, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

You looked up, feeling the weight of Vash's stare. He appeared captivated as if intrigued by your words. If he didn't fully grasp your meaning, you were prepared to express it differently. "I need revenge," you stated firmly, or that's what you thought.

He took a seat and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and intertwining his hands. A wide, amused grin spread across his face, radiating a genuine sincerity that struck you like thunder. Something pricked at your eyes and weakened your knees. "How do you plan to accomplish that, love?"

"I've got plans."

"Is that so?" He leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms over his chest, and couldn't help but maintain a constant smile.

"Yes," you replied, growing increasingly irritated. Vash didn't seem to be taking you seriously, likely attributing your seriousness to being drunk. While you were indeed drunk, you were also very, very serious.

Vash waited, observing your annoyed expression, and nodded once, signaling you to continue.

A familiar, intoxicating buzz settled in your stomach, amplified by the alcohol swirling within your empty belly. Beads of sweat formed on your forehead, and your mouth felt parched as if you had swallowed sand. "Your brother—"

"You can't even speak his name yet talk about revenge?"

You attempted to conceal your surprise, but now you found yourself uncertain why you hesitated to utter his name. Perhaps it was because you feared that he would suddenly materialize, much like summoning a devil by speaking his name.

You slid your empty glass towards Vash, indicating that you wanted him to refill it. Vash glanced at you, and what looked like concern was clouded in his pretty eyes.

"If you want me to mention his name, hand me the bottle," you declared, snatching the vodka bottle from his grasp before taking a large gulp. The taste made your face contort, reaffirming your belief that alcohol tasted like shit when it wasn't mixed with something. You'd die on that hill. However, you did appreciate the burning sensation as it traveled down your throat, spreading warmth throughout your body.

"Knives," you said the name, taking a deep breath. Remembering the adage that fear of a name only heightens fear of the thing itself, you decided to defy that fear. So fuck him and his name! "Are you content now?"

He let out a snort. "Do you honestly believe that you can simply stroll out of this room," Vash said to you, "knock on Knives' door and shoot him in the head?"

Yes. "No."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire," Vash said softly, and you glared at him. "My brother isn't here," Vash continued. "He's gone to deal with a business complication elsewhere."

"He's not here?" you questioned.

"No," Vash responded, his smile fading. "And that's precisely why I wanted to speak with you." He picked up a larger glass from the table and poured himself a whole serving of Bourbon, likely his preferred drink. He downed the bitter liquor in a single gulp, then refilled the glass. He pressed the glass against his lips with his gaze fixed on you. "I need you to be gone until he returns," he said, closing his eyes as he swallowed the entire contents of the glass.

"What?" Your heart picked up so quickly that you thought you might be experiencing a heart attack.

"You heard what I said."

"No," you declared, shaking your head. It's often said that you can't repeat the same mistake twice; for the second time, it becomes a choice rather than a mistake. Therefore, this was your decision.

"Bradd will help you. It's up to you whether you want to return to your father's house or forge a new path for yourself. If you opt for the latter, I'm ready to offer my support—"

"I JUST TOLD YOU I WANT TO GET MY REVENGE!"

"How?" Vash scrutinized you intently. "How do you plan to reach my twin? How will you confront him?"

"I already told you I have plans!" you exclaimed, clenching your fists. "But I require your help," you whispered, filled with both fear and a glimmer of hope. You caught Vash's gaze from across the table. "What if I exploit Knives' vulnerability?" you asked, raising your eyebrow slightly.

"That seems unlikely."

"Why do you think that?" you said, feeling desperate. "Even if there's the slightest chance—"

Vash sighed and ran his hand through his hair, disheveling his perfectly spiked hair. "He doesn't have any weaknesses. If there were any, I would have discovered them long ago. You wouldn't be making such statements if you knew him like I do. Hope will only break your heart all over again."

You dug your nails into the leather that you feared it might rip. However, you resisted the urge. You were well aware of the threats you had heard and your chosen path. "I am an outsider," you found yourself saying. "Maybe I can perceive things more clearly than you—"

"Love—"

"Dammit, Vash! I have to give it a shot. You have to understand—"

"This is not good for you," he avoided eye contact. "It's dangerous for you to believe anyone could harm Knives."

You stared at his resolute and unwavering profile while he focused on his hands. "In the worst-case scenario, I might end up dead. You have nothing to lose, so why won't you allow me to pursue it?" you whispered.

He rubbed his forehead. "I have numerous conflicts to deal with in the coming days," he said, his voice tense. "I have meetings to attend and negotiations with people even worse than my family." He took a deep breath, the air feeling constricted. A weighty silence hung between you. "I understand that you are now afraid of even your own shadow," he continued, his voice filled with concern. "You struggle to sleep, and I know my presence makes you uncomfortable. However, I can't leave you alone anymore. I've lost my trust in Knives. So, I'm granting you your freedom once again. But this time, I'll ensure you truly are leaving. I'm making this decision for your well-being."

"Oh." A pause. Was he sleeping on the uncomfortable couch because he was worried about you?

"Yes," he said—another pause.

"Or," you said to him, "I remain here, and you use me for whatever plan you have involving my father—"

"I don't have any plans regarding that," Vash replied melancholic.

"Fortunately for you, I have made plans, and in exchange, you will allow me to seek revenge against your brother, I mean Knives. I am prepared to face the consequences on my own."

Vash fought a smile but couldn't hold it back. He glanced downward, letting out a small laugh, before locking eyes with you. He shook his head.

"What's so funny?"

"My lovely girl."

"What?"

"I've been waiting for this moment for quite a while now."

"What do you mean?"

"You're finally ready," he remarked. "You're finally ready to fight back."

Shock surged through you. "Of course I am," you replied. In an instant, memories of the unbearable pain and the horrifying fear of being brutally attacked flooded your mind. You hadn't forgotten any of it, but you realized that if you wanted to find peace, you needed to momentarily set aside your animosity toward Vash. Because now that you were prepared to fight, you felt a sense of empowerment like never before. You marveled at how different you felt and how different you knew things could be. You had a lot of things to do, so many scores to settle, and a big revenge to exact.

Everything had changed. The child you once were had succumbed to her foolishness. It was your turn to engage in this game on your terms, and you were not afraid of cheating.

No matter what lay ahead, there was no going back for you now. There were no other choices. "I forge forward or die."

Vash burst into laughter, his expression bordering like he might cry.

"I will cause hurt to your brother," you declared, "and I will make sure he learns not to threaten me."

He was still smiling.

"I will."

"I know," he said.

"Then why are you laughing at me?" you asked, puzzled.

"I'm not," he said softly. "I'm just wondering," he said, "if you would like my assistance."

"What? You agree with—" You blinked rapidly, unable to believe what you just heard.

"There are three things you should know about me, love," he said, leaning his elbows on his knees and interlocking his fingers. "First," he began, "I hate my brother more than you could comprehend." He cleared his throat. "Second, I am unapologetically self-centered and make decisions primarily based on my interests in nearly every situation. And third," he paused, looking down and chuckling softly, "I believe death would be a reward for despicable people like me or your father." He lifted his head. "I've always told you," Vash said, "that we would make an exceptional team. From the moment we met, I've been waiting for you to be ready to acknowledge your anger and strength. I've been waiting patiently all this time."

"That's why you wanted to use me to hurt my father?"

"Does that bother you?"

Your jaw dropped. "What? Of course, it bothers me! Wouldn't it bother you?"

"No," he said casually. "I would feel honored to have assisted."

Words eluded you. You couldn't tell if it was the influence of alcohol or a newfound courage that ignited within you, urging you to let your inner fire scorch others as well. "If that's the case," you declared, your gaze fixed on Vash's face, "then I want to bestow an honor upon you, Mr. Savrem."

He raised an eyebrow. "You want to use me?"

"Yep," you exclaimed, emphasizing the P. "We can hit two birds with one stone."

Vash took hold of his glass and reclined against the couch, looking at you as though he no longer recognized you. Good. When something is subjected to intense pressure, it becomes distorted. It forms sharp edges that can inflict deep wounds.

He lightly tapped his finger against the crystal, and the sound reverberated through the quiet living room. The crackling of the fireplace was the only other sound present.

Vash crossed one leg over the other. "Elaborate," he demanded.

"Do you—like, do you just like men?"

"Why? Are you trying to seduce me?" Vash asked in a relaxed manner, drawing your focus toward him as he sipped his Bourbon and peered at you over the rim of his glass.

His gaze was probing and studious, yet you offered no reaction. Your facial muscles remained steadfast as you replied, "That's what you desire, isn't it?"

A sly grin appeared on Vash's face, accentuated by the dim lighting and the flickering shadows, giving him a sinister look. However, you didn't even flinch in response. He no longer had the power to intimidate you. You had witnessed him kneeling before you.

"Is this a part of your grand plan?"

"Yes," you replied, contemplating how you wished you had a bigger mouth to accommodate more alcohol. It was essential to muster courage for what you were about to say.

"Nothing will hurt my dad more than seeing everyone talk about his beloved daughter fucking his enemy. And about your brother," you stated, taking a deep breath. You couldn't believe those words had come from your mouth. Your ears grew warm, but you had to press on because Vash didn't even flinch and needed him to take you seriously. "He has a vulnerability, and it's you," you continued, and he lowered his glass, tilting his head to the side as his eyebrows furrowed. Encouraged, you pressed forward, "He cut me because he believed you cared for me, and I am growing in you." You let out a mocking laugh, "So, you are his weakness. He doesn't want to share his little brother, and I want to do the exact opposite."

"You didn't tell me anything about this detail."

"There was no reason for you to be aware of it then. However, now I want you to pretend that you have succumbed to my seduction. I know you are skilled at acting, so it shouldn't pose a challenge for you," you said, taking another swig and wincing at the burning.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I can't fuck you," he stated, finishing the remainder of his whiskey.

The words felt unpleasant on your tongue, but you forced them out anyway. "I don't want a relationship, and If you are interested in the buttholes—"

"For fuck's sake! I've been with women as well. So, let's put an end to this discussion about holes!"

"So, if you're not exclusively interested in men, what's holding you back?" you rushed out. He tilted his head, patiently waiting. "From fucking me," you stated plainly. "You didn't hold back before. What's preventing you now?"

He remained quiet for a moment. "Because I couldn't bear the guilt," he whispered, gazing at you contemplatively. "If it were to happen again, the outcome would be vastly different — you're already aware of that."

You folded your arms. "Would it, though?"

"Yes," he said firmly. "Do you think if I were to pin you against a wall, you would resist initially only to succumb to pleasure eventually? Or do you think you would fight as if your life depended on it, only to end up mentally checking out from the trauma?"

You swallowed, the truth leaving a bitter taste in your mouth.

"I will never claim to be a good, kind, or even honorable man. There is little of that left in me, and the truth is, it was never truly there to start with. I was born with a blackened soul. However, there is a distinction between those who are needlessly evil and those who do wrong in the hopes of achieving something good. I'll leave it up to you to decide which category I fall into."

You realized you didn't need to think about it at all. Trauma had a tight hold on you, but all you wanted Vash to do was hold you tighter.

You downed the remaining Vodka in a single gulp, relishing in the burn as it traveled down your throat. The clock ticked, approaching eight PM. It was the perfect timing since the household staff would soon be present to serve dinner. Why not put on a performance for them? You were confident that at least one of them would discreetly inform Knives about everything.

Adrenaline got steadily released into your bloodstream, akin to injecting heroin into a vein. Rising to your feet, you approached Vash, causing his muscles to tense up as you parted his crossed legs and settled onto his lap. Almost subconsciously, his hand swiftly grasped your waist to hold you. No matter how much he pretended otherwise, it was clear that men were all the same. Their dicks dictated their every decision.

"You'll end up getting hurt," he cautioned, his voice taking on a deeper tone as the words slipped out quietly and deliberately.

" Maybe I need another pain to wash away the one I'm experiencing now," you stated, unreservedly running your hand between your legs, provocatively stroking his crotch through his pants, all while maintaining unwavering eye contact with him.

He took a deep breath. "You're toying with fire," he croaked, shifting his gaze from your face to your hand resting on his groin.

"Then let your flames consume me, Vash," you urged, intensifying the pressure of your hand against the fabric. "Imagine the retribution we will exact upon the men who ruined us."

He tightly shut his eyes, tilting his head back as his lips parted. You reached out and touched him once more, this time with gentle tenderness. You felt his thumb caressing your side. Good.

You wished for Knives to witness this moment, wanting to prove something to the deluded man who thought he owned you. The only person with the right to claim your body was the one you granted permission to. You would allow Vash's hands to explore every inch of your skin, followed by the touch of his mouth. You would let his tongue lick your pussy until you were sated, right before he fucked you until you no longer knew your name.

You would let him because you said he could.

Vash drew you closer, pressing his body against yours and pinning your breasts against his chest. Your breath faltered as you felt the warmth surround you, his arm encircling your waist tightly, firmly locking you in place.

You liked the way he felt pressed against you. The softness of your body molded against the hard ridges of his. It felt... pleasant. Satisfying.

"We can handle this, Vash. Approach it like a business," you whispered in his ear, sensing his breath leaving him and his heart pounding against your chest.

Vash locked eyes with you briefly, and as you leaned in to kiss him, he placed his forefinger on your lips. "No need for kisses. This is not about making love. It's strictly business," he asserted.

As you were about to part your lips to speak, you were interrupted by his soft lips gliding rhythmically against your neck, reminiscent of water swaying the rocks beneath a cliff. A moan rose from your throat, and you immediately grasped the back of his neck, urging him to press his head closer to your skin.

He emitted a low, primal growl, his self-control slipping away. His other hand entwined itself in your hair, adjusting the angle of your head to gain better access. He sank his teeth into your flesh, skillfully exploring with an unrestrained fervor.

You clung to him tightly, pressing further into him. Shuddering with the feel of his hard cock digging into your stomach, his size only fueling your desire. He wasn't small, and that was precisely what you craved tonight. Something that would silence Knives' voice with pleasure, leaving you breathless and thoroughly gratified.

His tongue wrestled with your collarbones, skillfully swiping and lapping while his teeth playfully nipped at them. Another moan slipped free, bouncing in the air until he matched it with his groan.

The grip on your hair tightened, tilting your head back, allowing his lips to roam freely along the sensitive area where your neck and shoulder met.

You gasped as his teeth grazed your skin, a subtle warning before he sank them in. The sharp pleasure rolled your eyes to the back of your head, followed by a long moan.

"Fuck," he cursed, his tongue flicking against your neck as he emitted a primal groan. "That voice drives me wild."

You felt your eyelids flutter as you succumbed to the pleasure his tongue and teeth were drawing out of you. His hands ventured lower, and soon, you felt a firm tug on your jeans. The button popped open in seconds, accompanied by the low purr of your zipper being undone.

On a low growl, Vash inquired, "Is your pussy wet for me like before, love?" as he playfully nipped at your neck. It stung a little, causing you to wince in response to the slight pain. However, his tongue glided over the bite mark, soothing the sting.

"Yes," you whispered, pleasure overpowering the lingering pain. His hand smoothly slid down the front of your jeans and underwear, his fingers gradually moving lower until the tip of his middle finger teasingly dipped inside you.

A low, guttural growl arose from you as he realized how truthful you were being. "Fuck, love, that's it. If you want our plan to succeed, you need to be louder. Don't you want everyone to know we're fucking?"

Suddenly, two fingers delved inside you, skillfully curling to hit that sweet spot. Your vision blurred, and a scream of pleasure erupted from your lips, becoming your sole response. It was the only thing you could do at that moment.

With instinct, you tilted your hips, grinding against his hand. He withdrew his fingers partially before driving them back into you again. And again, until he fucked you with his fingers, leaving you with nothing to do but hold on tightly, your nails digging into his shirt.

You let out long, husky moans that emanated from your throat, obediently filling the space precisely as he had requested.

"You certainly know how to make a scene," he whispered into your ear, punctuating his words with a sharp nip. The heel of his palm pressed firmly against your clit, sending waves of pleasure through you. With his skilled fingers, he elevated your arousal, causing the orgasm to coil deep in your stomach. Then, he rubbed you just right, causing your knees to quake from the intense pleasure.

"Oh," you moaned, your breath coming in irregular, breathless gasps.

In a dark whisper, he asked, "Will you scream when you come on my hand, love?"

You thought you nodded, but you couldn't be sure, for in a matter of seconds, your head jerked backward as your climax escalated, building up to an intense peak.

"Let me hear it," he encouraged. His fingers glided out, only to plunge back in, this time with the addition of a third finger.

You bit your lip as you tumbled over the edge. A cry rushed out, the sound wavering in pitch as deep-seated pleasure engulfed you. Shamelessly, you pressed against his hand, surrendering to the relentless waves of ecstasy.

"So vindictive," he murmured, his voice tinged with satisfaction. Breathless yet possessing a heightened hunger, he took out his hand and lightly brushed it against your lower lip, spreading your arousal. "You've made quite a mess on my hand, love. It would be rude not to clean it up."

While maintaining eye contact, your tongue darted out, the tip sliding across his finger. He smiled wickedly, prompting you to open your mouth wider. Soon, you tasted your own familiar flavor, but it didn't last long as he withdrew his fingers and licked the remainder himself. You never expected such a simple and primal act to make you ache for him even more than you already did.

His hot breath tickled against your face, causing a shiver to run down your spine. As you closed your eyes, you couldn't help but bite your lip when you felt his hands slip into your shirt.

"Vash," you said in a hushed, breathless voice. His warm breath caressed your neck as he leaned in closer. Gentle lips delicately grazed the edge of your ear. Like a cascading waterfall, a torrent of chills raced down your back.

"You're such a good, obedient girl," he remarked. The aroma of smoke mingled with hints of mint and wood enveloped you. The thought of him being delicious and the desire to have him in your mouth crossed your mind.

As if reading your mind, he reached up and placed his hand on the back of your head, his fingers entwining in your hair and drawing you impossibly closer. In a moment of impulse, you did something foolish. You drew his lower lip into your mouth, savoring the taste of him and the feel of his lips against yours. Suddenly aware of your behavior, you let go of his lip, attempting to pull away.

He was like a drug, and similar to the actual substance, he led you to make idiotic decisions.

He held onto you tightly, using his hand to press your forehead against his own forcefully. "I explicitly said no kissing. Right?" His grip on your hair was firm.

You nodded in response.

In return, his tongue traced your chin, descending towards your neck once more. You let out a soft, unintentional moan, and as soon as he noticed your body's response, he nibbled on your skin. He completely consumed you, sucking and licking your body in a way you'd never experienced.

He was leaving hickeys all over your skin, and you found yourself powerless to resist him, just as you were powerless to deny the pleasure that ran through your veins. Another low growl pinged through his mouth, serving as a mere indication of his following action.

He gripped your waist and lifted you. "You're such a good fucking girl," he praised, leaning against your chest before biting your breasts through your shirt and bra. He held you against the wall, his body pressing tightly against yours.

Gasping for air, your feet touched the ground as you struggled to hold up your head, desperately inhaling precious oxygen. He firmly held your cheeks with his large hand, growling against you.

You inserted your hands between your bodies, traveling towards his muscled stomach and firm chest. With force, you roughly pushed him away.

"Wait, please stop," you gasped, feeling a haze of confusion clouding your mind. The heat of the moment had left your pussy pulsating and your senses overwhelmed.

"What did I tell you?" he demanded with a sharp tone. His piercing blue eyes locked onto yours, captivating you in a hypnotic grip. It was difficult to avert your gaze when you felt like a helpless prey entrapped by the eyes of a predator.

"What?" you whispered, still feeling lightheaded.

"You're toying with fire," he reiterated slowly, his voice rough with gravel. Your mouth opened, but the words remained trapped, unable to get out.

His lips brushed against your cheek, tracing a path along your jawline. "Think about the prying eyes behind these walls. Let's stick to your original plan and provide them with something to gossip about," he concluded, punctuating his words with a sharp nip on your earlobe. Your body reacted, arching involuntarily as sweat drops formed on your skin. " I know you want me."

"No," you denied in a whisper. "You're wrong."

He raised his head, a smug smirk gracing his lips. "So, you're going to be a bad girl tonight? Lie to my face and act like your pussy isn't aching to be filled up with my cock?"

A flush of heat spread across your cheeks, a blend of anger and embarrassment. "Not everything revolves around physical attraction," you retorted after a moment. "Maybe my body wants you, but up here," you tapped your temple, "it's a different story."

He nodded slowly, studying your face with a pensive gaze. Stepping back, he left you feeling a sense of emptiness. It was akin to a dark veil encasing the sun on a scorching summer day—a sudden, chilling coldness that seeped into your bones.

He seized your hand and yanked you away from the wall. He twirled you around until you stood in front of one of the mirrors next to the fireplace. You watched him from the reflection as he pressed his body against yours, his warmth soaking into your very being. Your gaze fixated on the mirror, your eyes meeting and colliding through the glass.

He lowered himself gradually, bringing his mouth close to your ear, never breaking eye contact. "If you've had a change of heart, I won't push you into anything and will stop right now," he whispered in your ear, eliciting sparks throughout your nerve endings. His voice carried ominous promises and dangerous new beginnings.

You swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in your throat. The word "No" teetered on the edge of your tongue, like a delicate ballerina dancing precariously at the tip, dangerously close to falling off and breaking her ankle. Because if you said no to this man, you'd spend the rest of your night—week—possibly longer, regretting it.

As he desired, a sense of recklessness and impulsiveness descended upon you. All you yearned for was to surrender yourself to him. You were dying to deny him, yet you had to fight your body from turning and pulling him into you.

Perhaps, just this once, to piss off Knives, you considered giving in.

You rolled your lip between your teeth, and he watched you closely, studying every gesture as if trying to interpret a cryptic language concealed within the contours of your body.

"So you think it'll work?" you inquired, your voice husky and uneven. His mouth remained close to your ear while his gaze remained fixed on yours.

He nodded slowly, his expression serious and his gaze penetrating. "Yes, love," he whispered. You closed your eyes, resignation taking over your body. You couldn't deny the truth to yourself anymore. Even if he doubted the plan's success, you still wanted him to have you tonight.

Noticing the shift, he trailed his hand over your stomach. You stiffened under his touch, feeling goosebumps rising on your skin. His fingers gripped your shirt, gradually lifting it up, parting the material at a painful pace.

"Does it hurt you when I touch your scars?"

Your eyes widened. The man, bearing his own soul's fractures, would never perceive your scars as repulsive.

"Just get it over with," you snapped, frustration emanating from his intentionally slow progression.

A malicious grin appeared on his lips, and even the mirror couldn't diminish the cruelty behind it. "Poor little thing," he jeered. "You miss having a man inside you? Were your fingers not enough to satisfy you? Have you fantasized about me while touching yourself?"

With just a glance, he possessed an uncanny ability to steal the air from your lungs. When his words accompanied that piercing gaze, it felt like you had no lungs at all.

Your shirt fell to the ground.

"What if your men come in?" you whispered, your voice barely breaking through the palpable tension in the air.

He grinned—a mischievous smile that conveyed his indifference if someone did. "What do you think they'd do?" he asked, his fingertips lightly brushing against your scars.

Goosebumps emerged, a tangible reaction from the electricity dancing across your skin wherever his touch landed.

"Do you think they'd watch?" he asked. "Do you think they would relish the sight of your naked body? Maybe they would get off on witnessing your dripping pussy or the rise and fall of your chest as you climax. I even think they would delight in watching your eyes roll back when my cock fills you so fully you can't fit any more of me inside you."

A shot of fear jolted through your heart, forcing the muscle into overdrive. Yet, despite this, your body still reacted more illicitly. Just like his words, you felt a renewed throbbing between your legs.

Would you be comfortable with a stranger observing? You doubted it. But there was something about the way he described the scenario that made you wonder if he would allow it to occur regardless.

"Are you comfortable with others seeing us undressed?" you challenged, breathless while staring at your shirt on the wooden floor.

Vash's fingers traced along your spine, moving slowly and purposefully. Their touch felt scorching, like searing lava against your flesh.

"No," he murmured into your ear. You observed him as his gaze descended, fixating on your chest. The band of your bra tightened, pressing uncomfortably against your skin before loosening. The black cups that held your breasts released, leaving you fully exposed. Your nipples were painfully erect.

When he caught sight of your hardened peaks, his tongue drifted across his lower lip as if he was salivating at the sight. "Do you want to know what I would do?" he questioned. "I would allow them to watch. I would let them watch me fuck you. They would watch as my cock fills every one of your holes and watch you cry with intense orgasms. And then, I'd fucking kill them. With my cock still wet from your cum, I would slice their throats for daring to lay their eyes upon us."

The fear within you constricted, forming a sharp tip that seemed capable of bursting the fragile balloon of sanity you clung to.

"You're insane," you gasped.

This time, he chuckled, his deep laughter sending a shiver straight to the apex of your thighs. "You were aware of this, and yet you asked for it," he murmured absentmindedly.

His focus pulled away, and his hands explored your stomach, delicately tracing the lines of your scars as if he found them captivating. Eventually, he cupped your breasts, his large hands making them appear smaller, barely contained within his grasp. He was a monster. Inside and out. Yet, despite all logic, you couldn't ignore the fact that other than your panties, your jeans had become wholly soaked, too. It seemed impossible for the body to experience both hatred and desire simultaneously.

He forcefully squeezed your breasts, causing you to scream out of pain.

"Be a good girl and scream louder," he ordered before relinquishing his hold on your breasts and moving his hands towards your jeans. You were swamped by confusion and a sense of dread. You knew this was all so terribly wrong. Yet, you couldn't bring yourself to stop him as he hooked his thumbs on either side, pulling your jeans down. First, he assisted you in removing your shoes and effortlessly slipped the jeans off, setting you completely free.

You remained clad only in your wet black panties. Swallowing hard, your heart raced as you surveyed your reflection. Vash, on the other hand, remained fully clothed, his eyes examining every angle of your undressed form. He looked as if he couldn't decide, unsure where to begin.

You resisted the impulse to cover yourself. The act of hiding felt more humiliating than standing nearly bare before an attractive man.

"You need to undress as well," you insisted. There was no way you were going to be the only one left vulnerable and exposed.

Finally, he came out from behind you and stood directly before you. It felt more real when you were not looking at them through a glass mirror. Yet, you couldn't pretend that your pussy wasn't weeping for him and that you were not anticipating the feel of him inside of you. You weren't a victim this time, as you were the mastermind behind this ill-advised situation.

"If you want that, love, then you'll have to be the one to do it," he declared with a raised voice. He regarded you skeptically as if he doubted your willingness to undress him. And there was no doubt in your mind he understood the effect that look had on you. The jerk was well aware of your inability to resist a challenge.

You reciprocated the same level of respect he had shown you. Slowly and delicately, you undressed him, purposefully grazing your fingers against his skin, earning your own shivers and growls of impatience.

You took off his shirt and stared at his scarred and rugged skin. His scars still caused him pain, evident by his reaction when your fingertips brushed over them, causing him to tense and bare his teeth. It wasn't physical pain; these scars had already healed. Yet, they resembled icebergs—seemingly formidable and commanding on the outside, yet concealing something far more significant and menacing beneath the surface. They had the power to sink someone to the depths of their darkest desires, much like the Titanic. These scars wounded him deeply within, and you were genuinely curious about the stories behind each one.

In the areas without scars, there were tattoos. The most notable tattoo was a giant maze extending from his neck to his right arm. You didn't know, but he had a few small tattoos here and there, too.

"You didn't cover any of your scars with tattoos," you quietly observed, running your finger along the maze lines. The tattoos intentionally avoided the raised skin, as if deliberately respecting the scars.

"I don't hide from my failures," he asserted. However, his physical beauty extended beyond his failures. His body was filled with well-defined muscles, strong without being too bulky. His physique made it clear that he could kill you with his pinky without looking like he took steroids for breakfast. And if that alone didn't turn your knees to jelly, the thick veins roping from his neck, down his robust arms, and into his large hands were enough to unravel you.

He was… fucking phenomenal.

He observed you with great care, his eyes burning with intensity as you examined him. He was nearly vibrating beneath your slow perusal, so you moved on and resumed your torture. It took a total of zero seconds before he was bristling with the need to fuck you. You felt so much power in your fingertips, and you couldn't help but wonder how much more powerful you would be if he had a feeling for you.

With every inch of his skin revealed, you grew shakier and wetter. It seemed unjust for someone to possess such flawless allure despite the visible imperfections and scars. If anything, the evident signs of the hardships his body had endured only made him that much more edible.

You choked on air as you lowered his pants, his hard cock jutting out from the confines of his pants. So this was what accepting death via dick looked like.

Once he was completely undressed, you took a big step back and examined the reflection in the mirror. Your gaze fixated on his muscular thighs, firm and shapely buttocks, and sculpted back that had enticed you since that doomed morning. You couldn't help but fantasize about running your hands all over them. And then there was the most gorgeous cock you'd ever seen.

You wanted to run away. Far, far away. To put as much distance as possible between yourself and this man. It was clear to you that he would bring about your downfall after tonight. You could taste it on your tongue.

"Are you scared?" he asked in a low, dark voice. His gaze bore into you, his expression inscrutable.

"Yes," you responded honestly. His smile, almost breathtaking, nearly weakened your resolve. It felt unnatural how strikingly beautiful he was. Without a doubt, he was the embodiment of darkness. Now, more than ever, you were convinced he was the fucking devil.

"You ought to be," he warned, his voice tinged with menace. Without thinking, you took another step backward, but he made no move to impede your retreat.

"Get on your knees, love," he commanded in a sinister tone. You hesitated, uncertain whether to obey or search for the common sense you seemed to have misplaced somewhere along the way into this living room and make a swift escape.

"Don't test me," he growled, his face dropping into a stern expression. Lowering his jaw, he glared down at you with an intimidating gaze. The threat in his face frightened you, causing your juices to dampen your thighs.

You dropped to your knees with a jolt, the impact causing pain. It was exactly what you both desired. He tilted your head back forcefully, making you gaze up at him. His cock brushed against your cheek, serving as a forewarning of what lay ahead.

"You enjoy being a naughty girl, don't you? You like the thrill of testing me because you get off on the fear I instill in you. You're a silly little girl toying with danger," he taunted, his face contorted into a cruel snarl. Tears welled up in your eyes as he held your head firmly, burning just like the inferno of ire and lust in his eyes.

"Tell me, love, have you ever been fucked by a man like me?"

"Better," you hissed, feeling the dormant resentment towards him resurface. Something very dark and dangerous shuttered over his eyes. He raised an eyebrow, and instantly, you recoiled inward. It was a lie. You both knew it.

Good girls don't lie. That was the first thing you learned when you were put in a religious school as a child. The second lesson was not to trust the devil and his influence. However, they forgot to mention the crucial advice of not provoking him once you had fallen under his sway. Perhaps that was considered basic common fucking sense.

Your lip quivered as you scolded yourself for your foolishness. Feelings of bitterness and mistrust simmered just below the surface. You couldn't fathom why you entertained the idea of allowing Vash to dominate and have his way with you without putting up a fight.

"Open your fucking mouth, bad girl. Right now, or I'll make you gag on my cock," he demanded, his voice dripping with threat.

This time, you obeyed. The moment your lips separated, Vash forcefully thrust the tip into your mouth, pushing it deep down your throat. He hissed through his teeth, accompanied by another feral growl.

You whimpered and then gagged as he pushed his dick deeper. It felt like rigid steel wrapped in smooth fabric, but the sleekness did little to alleviate the pain. He was too thick and too long for your mouth.

Tears instantly flooded your eyes and streamed down your cheeks as he continued to penetrate you forcefully. As a reflex, you grasped onto his sturdy thighs, attempting to create some distance. However, he swiftly seized both of your hands, clasping them together in one of his while maintaining his grip on your head with the other. He held your bound hands high against his abdomen, giving the appearance of a woman kneeling in prayer, worshipping the very embodiment of evil.

"Suck it. Now," he growled.

You complied with his command, hoping he'd ease up. You sucked hard, creating a hollow in your cheeks while running your tongue smoothly over the prominent vein on the underside of his length.

"That's it, love," he exhaled, granting you a momentary respite. However, within seconds, he pulled you back towards him, taking control of your movements as he guided your head back and forth while you continued to suck him with your mouth.

He murmured words of encouragement and let out deep, pleasure-filled groans as he became increasingly assertive. Every syllable and moan that left his lips fueled your growing desperation to satisfy him.

"Let's see. Your high school sweetheart, Eren Yeager, he was better than me, huh?"

Your eyes widened in confusion, unsure of how Vash knew him and fearing this conversation's direction. "I highly doubt he was better than me. Who else?" he emphasized the last word by thrusting deeper into your throat, causing you to choke. After a few seconds of struggling, he relented. "Satoru Gojo, Cloud Strife, that boy Zuko..." he continued, listing off every man you had gone on a date with. Admittedly, the number wasn't significant, but it felt a lot considering the peril in which you had just placed their lives. He abruptly jerked your head back, granting you a brief moment to catch your breath as he uttered, "I will enjoy killing each and every one of them, love."

Before you could even form a response or take another gasp of air, he resumed choking you with his cock. Your vision began to blur at the edges as he thrust deeply into your throat. No matter how much you gagged and fought against him, he only became harder and more aroused.

"What if I cum in your mouth, and you swallow it to make your father proud?"

For a brief moment, you glared up at him, your hatred burning brighter than any trace of desire. He smiled, or rather revealed his teeth, as he noticed the anger reflected in your eyes.

"You want it, but you won't damn well receive it. You haven't earned that privilege just yet."

Without any warning, he forcefully yanked your head back, his cock popping free. He gripped your chin firmly, raising you until you were on your tiptoes.

"Vash, please," you whimpered, your vision hazy from tears and your chest constricted from the lack of air. Uncertain of what you were pleading for, whether it was your own life or the lives of the innocent men you had unknowingly condemned to death.

"That's such a good girl," he praised. "I love it when you're scared and begging."

Just as you believed you could finally inhale, he swiftly stole your breath again. His lips closed tightly against yours in a captivating kiss, electrifying your senses. Your nails dug into his chest, provoking a deep growl from him as he dominated your mouth with his own. He claimed he wouldn't kiss you, but the energy between you crackled and exploded, causing both of you to drink from each other fervently. The kiss ignited sparks of fire and filled your tongue with the mingling flavor of bitter whisky.

Poison had never tasted so good.

As your tongues battled for control, he firmly grasped your waist and yanked you upwards. Your legs naturally wrapped around his trim waist just as you felt the cool glass pressed against your back. The mirror's chill threatened to send shivers curling for epilogue through your body, but the heat radiating from his body against yours was scorching hot.

A sudden, piercing bite of pain on either side of your hips caused you to gasp into his mouth. With a quick, forceful pull, he tore your panties away from your body, leaving the shredded fabric caught somewhere between your bodies.

He withdrew and positioned the head of his cock at the entrance. "Spread your pussy for me, love," he commanded.

"No!" you shouted. "There's absolutely no way I'll let you fuck me without a condom!"

"Why bother? You already have an IUD, so clearly, my spawns won't have any chance of impregnating you," he retorted, his tone laced with heavy sarcasm.

"How the hell do you know that?" you exclaimed, swiftly hitting his chest.

"Milly."

So the nurse examined you, checking if Knives had raped you or not.

"I don't want your STDs!" you spat out angrily.

"Who the fuck do you think I am?" Vash demanded, his eyes ablaze with anger.

"A manwhore!" you said.

He pushed you closer to the mirror while glancing between you and his reflection. "I haven't been with anymore since Nick!"

"Oh, C'mon! You fucked a girl on your birthday!"

"I didn't," he said, then relaxed his hold, letting you free.

"But Bradd—"

"I helped that abused waitress to run away," he said quietly.

You tried to speak up and ask him to just fuck you, but the anger on his face silenced you. Just as he was about to move away, you halted him and obeyed his instructions.

You spread your legs and, grabbing his cock, guided it into your entrance. It was belittling when he knew you weren't supposed to want it. And as a consequence of offending him, he was going to make you show him how much you wanted him. By spreading your pussy and inviting him in.

Gods, you hated him.

His hands tightened on your hips painfully. You knew that you would wake up tomorrow with bruises shaped like handprints, and a part of you dreaded that. The imprints left on your skin would make it impossible to forget what happened.

"Do not ever label me as a manwhore," he warned just before he forcefully brought you down onto his awaiting dick.

"Ah!" you cried out, your hands poised to push him away from your chest. He was too much, stretching you wider than you'd ever been. Your eyes rounded into giant saucers as you whimpered in response to the extreme pressure.

You sensed his grith slipping through your fingers as he worked himself deeper. "Stop! It's too big," you gasped.

"Well, tough luck for you," he cooed mockingly, his tone husky and tight. "This is the consequence of being a naughty girl, isn't it?"

When you remained silent, he forcefully pulled you down on his dick harder, causing you to let out another pained whimper.

"Answer me," he barked.

"Yes!" you exclaimed, breathless, as you tightly shut your eyes in response to the invasion.

"Will you behave now?"

"Yes," you mewled desperately. The pain was morphing into something much more intense and breathtaking.

He slid out and then eased back in with a gentler but still angry motion. It felt as if your body was on the verge of exploding. This wasn't natural to be so goddamn full.

He withdrew until only the tip remained, and then he slammed his entire length inside of you. It went so deep that you felt it all the way up to your throat.

You cried out, your voice cracking under the swell of emotions welling up in your chest. It didn't feel right at all.

"Damn, love, I can barely fucking fit."

Perhaps that's why it felt as if he was ripping you apart. He began with deliberate and powerful movements, forcefully thrusting before pulling out at a painfully slow pace, only to slam back inside you once more.

You felt your body starting to yield, eagerly taking him in as he ravished you with each thrust. He widened his stance, using the mirror for support, causing your stomach to tighten in anticipation of the damage he was about to exert on your organs.

Shockwaves scattered throughout your nerve endings as he quickened his pace, roughly fucking you against the mirror while loud noises you never made in your life fell from your lips.

The pleasure was blinding, and the sight of him moving in and out between your fingers heightened the strong desire stirring in the pit of your stomach.

He let you down, swiftly turned you around, and wasted no time before thrusting back inside you. You closed your eyes and pressed your palms against the mirror to find stability.

"Look at us in the mirror," he demanded roughly. It required significant effort, but you pried your eyes open and let them wander over the mirror. It was too much— watching him drive himself inside you so deeply.

Your eyes were partially closed, and your face displayed undeniable bliss. Then, you caught a glimpse of him in the mirror, and your gazes met. A torrent of emotions washed over you, causing your heart to sink, and you quickly averted your eyes. It was the most euphoric experience you ever had.

Your eyes met his again, and a sly smile spread across his face. He leaned in, his lips gently skating across the crook of your neck as he watched you slowly come apart at the seams, all the while maintaining a mischievous grin.

"Now, confess, have you ever been fucked by a man like me?"

You nibbled on your lip and shook your head, resisting the temptation to roll your eyes in sheer exasperation.

He abruptly halted, causing an involuntary, embarrassing scream to leave your lips. He pushed your back down to readjust your positions, and the moment he hit that particular spot, your legs trembled uncontrollably.

"Oh my God," you moaned, unable to prevent your eyes from rolling back this time.

"That's right, love. I am your fucking God," he growled, and then you felt his teeth sinking into your neck.

Your stomach tightened as an orgasm built rapidly, threatening to overpower you. It felt as if a furious Poseidon resided within, conjuring a destructive tsunami that seemed poised to engulf you.

The mirror began to shudder from the force of his intense thrusts violently. It seemed as if it could shatter at any moment, yet you were unable to bring myself to care. Just as you were on the brink of reaching climax, he pulled completely out.

You whimpered, feeling the sudden emptiness almost as if it were painful. "What—"

He took a step back and gestured towards the floor. Your knees wobbled, your balance disrupted by the sharp pleasure throbbing between your thighs. "Get on your hands and knees," he instructed.

You didn't protest, primarily because the absence of the orgasm was distressing, and your legs could barely bear your weight any longer. Frustration welled up, evident in the tearful corners of your eyes, but you suppressed your snarky remark. You knew that he would only escalate your punishment further.

You expected him to enter you once more from behind, but instead, he swiftly slid his hands between your legs and gripped you from underneath your hips. He lifted you, causing your knees to lose contact with the ground, and you had to quickly catch yourself to prevent from falling face-first.

You felt his warm breath fanned across your pussy just moments before his teeth latched onto your sensitive clit. You yelped as pain and pleasure mingled. However, he wasted no time in lavishing attention on your throbbing bundle of nerves, skillfully using his mouth to suck while lapping at your dripping cunt.

He hummed, sending delightful vibrations resonating through your core. "You taste so fucking good," he murmured before teasingly flicking his tongue against your sensitive clit. You gazed up shamelessly, observing him feast on you from behind. You adjusted your head to obtain the best view of him on his knees, hungrily devouring your pussy as if he were famished.

The impending orgasm resurfaced, now even more imminent than before. You were unable to grind back into Vash's face like you desired, leaving you utterly defenseless against the relentless assault of his tongue.

"Vash, please," you begged, your eyes crying with pleasure.

"Do you want to come?" he asked; his voice was breathless and unsteady.

"Yes," you pleaded with a groan.

Vash pulled away, and in frustration, you screamed, pounding your fist against the floor. Overwhelmed by fury from being denied for the second time, you struggled against his grip, thrashing in defiance. He chuckled at your futile attempt.

"You motherfucking ass—"

He abruptly halted your outburst by seating himself inside you, causing his balls to smack against the sensitive nub. You choked on your words, this angle allowing him in far deeper than before. He seized your hair, forcefully pulling your head back, making you look directly into the mirror in front of you. From this angle, you could witness him vigorously fuck you.

"You want to cream all over my cock, love?"

You nodded your head frantically.

He responded with a smile. "Have you been a good girl?"

Once again, you nodded unsteadily.

"Then fucking say it," he urged, calling out your name.

As his gravelly voice pronounced your full name, you instinctively clenched around his cock.

"I'm a good girl," you breathed, too far gone to feel anything but blinding lust. He molded his body against your back, spearing through your tightening pussy. The hand in your hair slid down to wrap around your throat, exerting a firm grip, while his other hand splayed across your stomach. Your vision became hazy, and finally, the tsunami of orgasm crashed through you.

You emitted an ear-piercing scream that nearly rattled the mirror. Vash's name spilled from your lips in a frenzied chant as your entire world exploded into myriad fragments.

"Fuck! That's it, love. Your pussy is incredibly tight. Milk my cock," Vash managed to say through gritted teeth. He concluded with a growl, his hips trembling as he slammed into you for one last time, filling you with his cum until there was no room left inside of you. Your combined fluids trickled down your thighs as you lay on the floor, panting and breathless. Your body convulsed with aftershocks, even after the biggest orgasm you had ever experienced subsided.

You couldn't fucking breathe, let alone move or form coherent thoughts. None of it felt normal. Not a single bit.

Your breath hitched, and your teeth clenched from the feel of him sliding out of you.

Disregarding Vash's presence, you hurriedly scrambled to dress yourself.

As you approached your shoes, a muttered "shit" caught your attention from behind. Turning around, you found Vash staring at his phone, his face etched with a serious expression. He was dressed in nothing but his black boots and loosely fastened pants, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of the well-defined V disappearing beneath the fabric. The glow from his phone emphasized the muscles flexing against his smooth skin, with scars and intricate black tattoos only enhancing his raw allure. The veins coursing through his hands and arms were visibly bulging, and if you weren't already leaning against the mirror, his overwhelming presence would have caused you to collapse. That masterpiece of jagged scars and rugged edges had ravished you completely, leaving you breathless.

You closed your eyes and leaned against the glass, seeking respite. Suddenly, you felt the warmth of Vash's hand on the back of your neck, causing your eyes to snap open. You realized he was pulling you closer, resting your head against his chest and draping his shirt over your shoulders. Assuming that this would be the last time you permitted his touch, you allowed him to slip his hands beneath your knees and neck, hoisting you effortlessly into his arms.

Exhaustion had enveloped you so entirely that his words, "Let's bring you to our room," evaded your weary ears.

Taglist: @julk4e - @lune010 - @beanibon - @emptybrain01 - @changingchances @awkwardchick87 @enchantedforest-network

[watashime-ciel]

rhythm heaven headcanons because im more sad than i should-

but first of all i have an announcement. and its that today, august 18th in argentina, its children's day and as im 16 im still technically a child to i asked my mom to get me something very specific as a gift. so, in a few weeks or months, dj yellow plushie is coming home! i wanted both yellow and blue, but she could only pay for one, so i chose yellow. hes gonna be with me in conventions from now on, either being tied up on the table so people buy me stuff to free him (/lh), or being my cosplay pal. thats all. if you wanna follow the dj yellow plushie adventures, follow me on instagram berry_lemon_arty, and if you cant find it, try with watashime_vkipper. its the same acc, but im changing the user soon to watashime_vkipper when i go back to my showroom. ANYWAYS lets go with the headcanons (and idc if i repeat some from past posts, i cant remember what i said)

-J.J is someone very insecure, actually. and lets out his anger on others (ahem, Yellow). but when he met Cecil, things changed a bit. Cecil allowed him to be angry, sad, disappointed, and make questions that were a call for reassurance

-Yellow has worked restlessly to buy a ticket to see Kikuo, no matter if he was in another country. and he never could- something happens everytime hes going to buy a ticket, and the money goes somewhere else. he cried for days because of that (reference to Kikuo just leaving argentina in this instant, although im not a fan lol)

-Cecil is also a germaphobic, but not as much(?) as Blue is. Cecil can at least touch whatever is contaminated to throw it away or clean it, whilst Blue cant because he feels like hes gonna pass out

-Yellow has been more time in a mental hospital than in school.🧍

-for a time, Blue was convinced he only signed up to Yellow's dj classes because he fell in love with him at first sight. it was during the time he was unsure how to express himself

-remember that Yellow's spirit animal is Len Kagamine? but its also Angel Dust, and possibly Spinel for how flexible he is. breakdancing? he can do it. pole dancing? he can do it. parkour? he can do it. lyra dancing? he can do it. dance trapeze? guess what. HE CAN DO IT. has he ever broken a bone or something? surprisingly, no. the only time he did was his right ankle at a comic con, participating on the cosplay contest as Kokoro Tsurumaki dancing Egao Sing A Song. Kokoro uses heels, and he loves them, and knows how to dance and do acrobatics with them. but he jumped and didnt get down very well, breaking his right ankle, but finishing the performance like nothing and winning the best performance prize. he only felt the pain once he sat down, but he did feel something wrong after not getting down properly

-you cant use your fingers to count the amount of times Blue got back home from work and saw Yellow in a female cosplay. and you cant also count the different reactions he had. dont use your imagination that much.

-Cecil is obsessed with Final Fantasy (a reference to Soushi)

-J.J may or may not accidentaly call acoustic guitars, "autistic guitars". most of the times he doesnt notices that

-whenever Cecil went to J.J's house (to his parents', actually), J.J's mom would do that classic "mom-embarassing-son" conversation thing. that way Cecil found out stuff about J.J that he couldnt even imagine lol

[cluttertoadcos]

Kids at cons!

Okay, Pollywogs, I was once a kid at anime conventions, and let us be honest, I was obnoxious. This was back in 2013, right after the height of the Homestuck fandom. I was 100% running around the convention hall with candy-corn-colored cat ears, poorly sealed gray facepaint, and a tail I had made from the scraps of last year's holiday projects.

So, I totally get it! Anime conventions, especially smaller ones, tend to be largely family-friendly, and they should be. I'm really writing about the need for kids to have their guardians nearby, even at these family-friendly events.

I bring this up because this weekend @ Kitsune Kon here in the land of cheese, my bestie and I had a few weird interactions with some kiddos who seemed to need their adults.

I'll start not at the beginning but with a drink. My Bestie and I had decided to go down to the rave-not-rave Kitsune Kon hosts every year. As we got to the bar attached to the hotel, all dressed up, we ordered fun sailor moon-themed cocktails, found ourselves a nice buzz, and went off to dance. This is where we run into our first kiddos in this story in the main event hall, the DJ throwing some wild tunes, and maybe about 30 other people in the room...

The Dancing Kid

Okay, so I'll admit the kid had some moves. A dance circle was formed, and the kiddo took to it like a moth to a flame. And while the dance there has never been 18+, you don't tend to expect the kiddos to be running around past 11 p.m. This wouldn't have been a problem in the slightest if they didn't keep coming up to my friend to try and dance battle with him. In theory, it's pretty funny, right? We both thought so the first time it happened. He turned down the battle, and we continued dancing, except the kid kept coming up to him repeatedly. The unknown kid wouldn't leave him alone till we broke away from the circle, and all I remember thinking was, "Where is this kid, guardian?" but my question remained unanswered. The kid just kept dancing.

After that, the night moved on, and so did we, as we danced until we dropped and promptly went to bed like the folk we are.

I wanna double down again on the fact that cons are mostly and should be family-friendly. Even so, if you ever become a little nerd's guardian, then please take this advice from not just me, your favorite random Tumblr cosplayer, but also the random Reddit user Weird_Abrocoma7835, "Always keep an eye out for how to easily identify staff (staff shirts, places they tend to be) in case of emergency. Feel free to talk to people if you feel uncomfortable or if someone is being a creep."

PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS TOADY! TALK SAFETY WITH ANY MINOR YOU BRING WITH YOU TO CONVENTION SPACES

Make sure they know what event staff and security look like. If you do not explain to kids what to do in an emergency, they won't know. Also, it might be best to devise a plan for if you and your kiddo get separated. Do you want them to find the nearest wall and stay put? Do you think they should find the closest person in uniform? What is the plan? No matter what it is, make sure you all have one. And unlike the next kiddo from Kitsune Kon, please don't leave your young teens alone at a convention.

Crane Machine Kid

Don't get me wrong, the crane machine kiddo was a sweetheart. Outside the video game room this year, they had a keychain claw machine with really high odds. My coconspirator for the weekend decided to dump like $30 into it, and we went after the dumb little plushes we wanted with a passion! After acquiring our silly keychains, he offered the rest of his turn to other people waiting in line. This is where the cane machine kid comes in. They hesitantly took the last few of his rounds and then promptly told us how their day was going...Bad. The friends they were supposed to hang out with at Con had ditched 'em, and their parent that drove them couldn't pick them up for another 3 hours. This would have been bad enough, but they were 14 years old, alone in a new space, and now they decided to cling to the first adults who were kind to them.

Don't get me wrong; I am not saying adults and kids can't talk at cons, but let me be honest with ya'll: it was uncomfortable to have a minor trying to plan a hangout with the two random mid-20s adults; they just met. The kid's eagerness to be friends both enduring and disconcerting. Their lack of guardians at the convention center concerning. It was just a wild and uncomfortable situation all around for both the adults in this situation.

The moral of these stories is, please keep an eye on your kiddos at cons. I don't care if it's not your cup of tea; either make sure your kid has a trusted adult or keep them from going.

[sunnyie-eve]

Special Bond || 8. One of Us

Paring: Paul Lost Boys x Original female character Emerson cousin!

Word Count: 1.6k

Warnings: none

Last: Won't Hurt You | Next: Won't Let You

As Kat lays down for a nap, her door swings open and Michael comes in shutting it behind him. "Care to explain what is happening to me?" He says annoyed. "You're half vampire because you the drank blood David gave you. If you say I'm stupid or crazy how do you explain what's happening to you. David, Dwayne, Paul, and Marko are all vampires. Star, Laddie and you are half vampire. I'm their human friend still because I haven't drank the blood yet." Katherine explains sitting up in her bed. "Why did you let me drink blood?" He walks over to her. "I literally told you word for word; You don't have to. You don't know what you're getting yourself into. And Star told you it was blood and you chuckled." She gets annoyed with him.

"Star said you saw I'll be like the other four. And you will be too at some point." Michael sits down in her bed. "I get these visions. I've seen you become a full vampire." She explains to him. "I don't wanna be a killer." He tells her. "Well, you give in and become a full one because you choose to. And being a vampire doesn't automatically make you a killer of innocent people. Your first kill yes but after that you can live off of animal blood. That's how I saw me for when I'm one."

"If I didn't want to be this... how would I fix myself?" Michael asks. "You kill the head vampire but it will only work if your half. And it's not any of the boys... there's another vampire they keep secret. They would never say it even if death was their only option so you're stuck like this." She tells him. "I would be with Star forever." He kinda likes the idea. "Well yeah, you're her mate. That's kinda how it works. She and David were never a thing. He just added her because she was alone then added Laddie for her. She and Laddie are ready to become a full vampires when I drink from the bottle." Michael listens to her words thinking of the pros and cons about the whole situation leaving her room.

"When do I?" Michael asks Kat as they head downstairs to leave. "It's not something you can change." She looks at him. "I don't want it to change. I want to be prepared. I've been thinking all day and I want this." Michael tells her truthfully. "It could be tonight. Let me see." Katherine takes a shot at the dark touching his arm and gets the vision, "Yeah, tonight. The vision still looks the same it hasn't changed one bit." She explains to him so he nods his head.

"Michael, Max is coming to dinner. I'd like you to meet him." Lucy sees the two leaving. "I can't, I have plans. Kat and I will be back later." Michael tells her. As Michael opens the door to leave they run into Max. "Hey. How you doing? You must be Michael, right?" Max says holding flowers for Lucy. "And you must be Max." Michael says. "Right. How are you? Well, you're the man of the house and I'm not coming in until you invite me." Max says as they awkwardly stand there and Kat looks at Max. "You're invited." Michael tells him. "Thanks very much. Katherine." Max goes in bumping into her. She gets a vision of him and loses her balance staring at him, "Max... Enjoy dinner. Aunt Lucy put in a lot of work just for you." She smiles then leaves with Michael. "I'm gonna go see Star." He gets on his bike leaving and Paul shows up. "I'm here for my bike and you. The others are at the boardwalk waiting for us." He gives her a kiss. "Okay, I have to talk to David." They get on his bike leaving.

"The lovers are here." Marko winks at the two as they pull up. "So it's Max's blood because he's the head vampire." Katherine looks at David and they all stare at her, "I saw it when he bumped into me after Michael invited him into our house. What's his plan with my aunt?" She crosses her arms. "He's only said he wants a big family. If we have Michael it will make it easier for her to join. And we get him so." David explains. "Well, I saw her take his offer." She shakes her head.

As they just stand around Michael shows up grabbing David asking where was Star. "Michael, if you ever wanna see Star again... you better come with us now." David tells him to get on his bike. "Kat you can come along to see your future." David smiles so the boys chant her name. "I'm not going because of your peer pressure." She gets on Paul's bike.

When they get to their destination, Paul smiles dragging Katherine to the tree with the group. She really didn't have a problem with watching them kill because she's technically seen them do it in visions. Closer up she sees it was the Surf Nazis having fun around a bonfire. "Michael, over here. You don't wanna miss this." David laughs so Michael finally joins them in the tree. "Initiation is over Michael. It's time to join the club." David shows Michael him Vamped out and the others do the same startling him for a second while Kat just looked at them like she normally does.

The four take off to attack and it was nothing like Katherine normally sees in her visions. She looks away covering her ears and sees Michael watching them never looking away. When he does look away it was over to her and his eyes change. As the boys call Michael's name he tries to hold back looking at Katherine with her back turned to the scene. "We only have to kill once then find other ways to feed." She whispers so Michael goes to join the four. Katherine walks over to the bikes trying to calm her heart rate. "Now we just wait for you, Kitty." David says as they come over the hill so Katherine turns to face them. All five had blood on them and looked a mess as they laugh. Katherine felt uncomfortable just because of their laughing.

Katherine just gets a ride with Michael back home and was worried if he can control himself now. "I think I can handle myself Kat. I didn't kill Sam the first time and I chose to join the group. I think if I tried hard enough I could've held back." Michael says as they get off his bike. "What am I going to do about my mom, Sam, and Grandpa?" Michael asks the important question to her. "Your mom will become one soon because the head vampire tells her about you and me soon..." She tells him. "My mom chooses to become a vampire?" He chuckles. "Yes, and the plan is to get Sam too. The head vampire wants a big family. Mostly your mom to control the boys since they are out of hand with the killings."

"It's Max, isn't it? He asked to be invited in." Michael shakes his head. "Well, vampires can come in uninvited as well. Just inviting them in makes things not work on them." She explains to him. "Well, we need to either talk Sam into it, trick him, or wait till he has no choice." Michael sighs. "I say last option. Talking to him, he'll involve the Frog Brothers and the second one will make him distrust us even more than just keep pretending your half. Oh, you're invited in." Kat says going inside with him giggling.

As they go upstairs they hear Sam so they go check on him. "Don't kill me." Sam looks at them. "Michael isn't going to kill you. He can control himself." Katherine tells him. "What about you?" Sam eyes her. "What? I'm normal." She crosses her arms. "The brothers told me they saw you kissing the crazy blonde and know what they are. There's no way you hang out with bloodsuckers." Sam keeps his distance. "Come here." She goes to the bathroom standing in front of the mirror. "Tell me who the head vampire is so I can help Michael. I thought it was Max, but I was wrong." Sam tells her. "None of the four are the head vampire and they keep it a secret. Even if the only option was death they wouldn't tell." Katherine lies to him.

"Michael. Katherine ." They hear Star call out from outside. "It's that girl from the boardwalk is she one of them?" Sam asks them. "I have to talk to you two. Can I come up?" Star looks up at them. "No." Sam says. "I'll get the door." Michael turns to leave but Star comes up anyways. "She's one of them." Sam runs to his bed complaining scared. "You knew where David was taking me, didn't you? And where were you tonight? I went to you first." Michael asks. "Michael." Star steps forward touching Kat to see if it would give her a vision and it does.

Katherine looks at Star shocked, "Thought you were going to wait for me..." She says with a chuckle. "What?" Sam asks confused. "Star's a full Vampire so is Laddie." Kat looks at Michael saying it in her head for him to read and hear. Katherine then tells Star everything so they can pretend in front of Sam so Star leaves in an upset way. "I know exactly who to call to help us." Sam rushes to get the phone. "We don't need the stupid brothers." Katherine groans as he talks to the brothers.

[lamp-oil-enjoyer]

so there's this girl

literally the most beautiful person i have ever seen in my entire life

i met her at a fucking anime con of all places, we didn't talk there but i saw her and felt non-heterosexual emotions towards that pretty girl in cosplay

i later found her instagram and felt non-heterosexual emotions towards that pretty girl completely unrelated to the cosplay, in her instagram i found out she's really cool, same age as me and pansexual (WHICH IS VERY GOOD FOR ME, A GIRL)

my mentally ill brain, with negative self-esteem and confidence was like "it's impossible, you don't have a chance, don't even bother trying", unfortunately for my brain but fortunately for me i told my friends i saw a cute girl in cosplay and they encouraged me to text her, and being a highly influenceable person i did it

it was the first time i ever did something like this and that not being enough she didn't know i was trans yet so i was scared, she didn't care at all, we talked for a while, i was super scared of being annoying or making her uncomfortable where she wouldn't want to talk to me anymore, at one point i even made that clear to her so she'd tell me if i did anything that made her uncomfortable

but we just kept talking, not only was i talking to her I WAS VERY CLEARLY FLIRTING WITH HER SINCE DAY ONE AND SHE WAS FINE WITH IT AND SOMETIMES RESPONDED IN A SIMILARLY INTERESTED WAY (there was this one time she posted a pretty photo and i said how she was so pretty in it, i had also posted a photo, i basically made it very clear that she's beautiful, and she said "personally, i think you're prettier than me")

my brain was flabbergasted, later on i even got her number, and it's been amazing so far, we get along well, i'm still always scared of messing up or her realizing i'm not good enough for the amazing person she is

we've been talking for about a month and with a courage i did not know i had i very nervously asked her out reassuring her multiple times it was perfectly fine if she just said no

SHE SAID YES, not exactly yes, more specifically she said "i'm free next weekend :)" it really feels too good to be true, we didn't say it was a date and it's very ambiguous if she's into me or not but it's VERY clear i am REALLY into her and i'm so excited we're going to see each other for the first time i can't even sleep but also afraid we don't get along that well irl but also VERY EXCITED to see her

so yeah i'm happy

oh and i forgot to mention, the whole seeing her at the con, messaging her on instagram thing happened literally 2 days after i got to the conclusion that i'm completely unlovable and it is numerically impossible for anyone to be romantically interested in me especially knowing that i'm trans, ace, etc (all things she knows about)

my therapist is gonna be real happy with me this week

i'm perfectly aware that nothing much will happen in my date(?) but one can only dream like i really wanna kiss her and hold hands and hug and do that type of stuff also kiss her cheek and just be affectionate in general i like that stuff

btw we're probably just going to a burger king or the shitty small town mall we have that's nearly bankrupt with a whole third of the mall being literally empty, it's pretty lame but it's the best we got where we live

please wish me good luck on my ambiguous meeting that could be a date

[kelmcdonald]

See You at VanCAF

This is copy pasted from my newletter. 

Hey all! My main thing is I'll be at VanCAF which is in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 20&21. They haven't posted con maps yet, so I don't know what my table number is. But I'll be there and it's free to get into. So stop by!

Like I said the big thing this month is going to VanCAF. The rest of the month is mostly keeping my nose to the grindstone. 

This month's full moon movie is The Wolfman again. This time the remake. While watching the original Wolf Man, myself and other folks in the discord talked about some of the stuff that was changed in the remake (stuff like the remake is twice as long.) So I figured doing a back to back would be kinda fun. So if you wanna join, we'll be watching it May 5th at 6pm PST. Join the discord if you want.

As always I'll be streaming art on Twitch. My schedule is currently the following:

Tuesday 8pm-10pm PST

Wednesday 8pm-10pm PST

Thursday 6pm-9pm PST (during the Iron Circus Geekshow)

I mentioned last month that I was redoing the live reading of Fame and Misfortune. My mic worked this time so I've saved it and posted it on my youtube. We go over through the whole story in about 30 mins. Then I answer some questions from fans.

I'll definitely doing something like this for The Better to Find You With. As I'll get to in the next section, I got a lot of stuff on my plate. It will probably be some time in the fall.

I spent a lot of April still playing catching up on things. I was really backed up on my work for Seven Seas. I think I got it handled now, but Blue Moon is still not done. I think that has to be my primary focus this month. I was hoping to get the current chapter of You are the Chosen One last month, but that didn't happen. It's penciled so for the next few Fridays I'll post the pencils of the rest of chapter.

By the time those go up, I'll hopefully be done with Blue Moon and can give You are the Chosen One more attention. I hate to do it, but I have to put something on hold. The City Between being free means it gets me more new readers/attention and You are the Chosen One takes longer. And after I write Blue Moon, I should probably make sure the next batch of You are the Chosen One script are ready for drawing. So here's my to do list/priority:

Write Blue Moon

Keep up with The City Between

Freelance thing that is NDA

Clean up Murky Water to make a book

Finish Chapter 3 of You are the Chosen One

Review next few chapters of You are the Chosen One

Anyway, that's quite a lot.  I barely had time to read or watch new stuff this month. So kinda a short list this month.

Darling by Olivia Stephens - Darling is a Western Horror about a black woman who's living as a werewolf to escape the racism of 1800s America. She meets a black man on the run and the two have an instant connection Olivia art is excellent and rendering makes every page look both beautiful and haunting. It's one of the best werewolf comics I've read. You should all go back it here.

Love is Hard for Otaku - This is one checked out because Mangasplaining did an episode on it. They had a kinda mixed opinion of it, but I was curious to look into it myself. It's about a gal who's a big nerd but is hiding it from her day job because her last boyfriend dumped her for being too nerdy. A nerdy guy friend proposes they date each other because since they are both nerds she won't have to worry about him dumping her for it. There is a manga and an anime. The manga is a little rough. The pacing seems to be kinda wonky. The anime does a better job landing the jokes, mostly because a lot of the jokes involved references to anime. So the joke works better when they can copy the scene from Evangelion shot for shot, rather than translation the animation into a comic. I don't 100% buy the characters as a couple so I'm on the fence about continuing to watch it. 

Nope - This was something that was on my I should get around to seeing this movie since it came out. It was streaming so I made a point to watch it. It's less than a year old so I won't go into details about the plot. But I really liked the point it makes about random chance and nature. I also really liked the relationship between the two main siblings. It was a good mix for conflict, frustration, and affection.

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me through the big workload that's going on. Please back my Patreon if you can. Every little bit helps!

[weirdthoughtsandideas]

If DCLA characters had Tumblr part 5 🕺🏼

💍 queenoftherink Follow

How many times can my cousin end a sentence with ”eh”? Today she was like ”what’s that face, eh? Be happy, eh? We’re gonna skate today, eh!”

🇺🇸 clueless-american Follow

Been following you for a while and didn’t know your cousin was from Canada!

💍 queenoftherink Follow

She’s from Mexico. Not everyone is from fucking North America on this website.

🛼 rollerskatingonthemoon Follow

Mexico is a part of North America though 😅

💍 queenoftherink Follow

Luna i’m trying to defend you here which does not happen often, so be quiet.

6 notes

🎤 singing-is-who-i-am Follow

Anyone want my dad I’m sick of him

💍 queenoftherink Follow

I never had a dad (nor ever missed one, I have mommy issues not daddy issues).

How is he? What could I expect from getting him?

🎤 singing-is-who-i-am Follow

I guess pros:

- He does care about you

- He can be sweet

But cons:

- He will not respect your boundaries ever

- He will SPY ON YOU because he does not trust you even when he says he does

- He will keep you locked inside your house for years just so he can control you

- He keeps treating you like a child. And I don’t mean ”he sets boundaries” or makes reasonsble decisions, I mean BABY TALKING to you, can’t accept the fact that you are older than 10 (and some things he does I would even be embarrassed about at age 10)…

- Example of the above, just the other day he tried to literally feed me?? Like he grabbed my fork and went ”open up!”… sometimes I’m literally afraid to come home to find how he switched out my bed for a baby crib or something

- Boyfriends??? No no. He won’t accept that. He makes a scene if they dare to stand next to me. Actually he’s like this with boys in general.

- Have kicked out boyfriends AND friends because he’s mad

- I literally had to attend a school in secret because he wouldn’t let me attend it

- My aunt could not say she was my aunt because if she would, he would take me away again, as he wanted to escape everyone of my mom’s past

- Oh Yeah. My mom died and instead of taking care of it and maybe… idk help me grieve he just took me around the globe, moving to a new country all the time, escaping everything. It wasn’t until we moved back to BA that I started getting to know stuff. What did he think would happen if I found out more about my mom?? That I would… ”become too sad”??

- When I complained that I feel controlled, locked up and miserable he just acts like I am overreacting and ”can’t understand” why I am like this

💍 queenoftherink Follow

I think I got daddy issues just by reading that.

I am sending you my pity.

7 notes

🎀 italys-biggest-bow-collector Follow

So Cat’s Eye is an anime that I have never heard the japanese version of before. And ?? why is it SO DIFFERENT

Like it’s good but. So different from the version I grew up with.

👩🏻‍🦱 dangerously-beautiful-ant Follow

I’ve never seen this anime. What version did you grow up with?

🎀 italys-biggest-bow-collector Follow

This

🤌🏻 luz-camara-y-accion Follow

You’re telling me that’s NOT what the original theme song sounded like?

🙍🏻‍♂️ my-name-is-tomas Follow

But that came out it 1985! How could you see it when you weren’t even born?

🎀 italys-biggest-bow-collector Follow

Have you heard of fucking re-runs, Tomas?

15 notes

🛼 rollerskatingonthemoon Follow

I feel like Tintin

📸 felicityfornow Follow

In what way?

🛼 rollerskatingonthemoon Follow

Idk I just feel like him.

1000 notes

🍓 chico-fresa Follow

Petition for @rollerskatingonthemoon to change her url to chica-delivery

🛼 rollerskatingonthemoon Follow

Why?

🍓 chico-fresa Follow

So we can match

🛼 rollerskatingonthemoon Follow

Why would I wanna match?

🎸 beanie-guitarist Follow

Respect her decision for individuality and not matching ✊🏼

🍓 chico-fresa Follow

Who even are you? You don’t know us.

🏳️‍🌈 creyendoenmi Follow

Wait, you don’t know who HE is?? That’s literally so easy to figure out what

🎸 beanie-guitarist Follow

Shhhh let him be confused it’s funny

18 notes

🌼 punk-not-dead Follow

💬 Anonymous asked:

Hi! Can we hear more childhood stories from you? You seem to always have such interesting ones to tell

🌼 punk-not-dead replied

So I mentioned previously that my childhood enemy’s mother once babysat me and my sisters when I was like 8. Let’s call her ”Priscila”.

So she and my mom used to be friends, probably only due to the fact that they had children at the same time so they could bond over that, because they have nothing else in common. Now, while I did not get along with her daughter, I did not have much against her. Until this night.

It was me (8), my twin sisters (5) and my second youngest sister (11 months). We at first did not bother our babysitter that much. We just sat on the couch watching TV. That was until she turned it off. We all protested and she said it was not good for us to watch so much TV. I argued that there was a show we did not want to miss and she was like "I don't care, you can't watch it". I didn't listen to her and put on the TV again. She got visibly annoyed, and once again turned it off. One of the twins asked what we are supposed to do instead and she was like "I don't know, find something to do."

So, naturally, we decided to play evil witches. I knew how to make water boil on the stove, so I put it on while the twins carried our sister towards the boiling water. We were just about to lower her into it when Priscila ran inside. Now, we weren’t ACTUALLY gonna boil her, we were just playing! But she was not amused. She snatched our sister and yelled at us and we were like ”you told us to find something to do so this is what we do”. She concluded we must be hungry if we have turned to cannibalism, so she made us some dinner.

Now here's the thing: We are picky eaters. Our parents did not tell her that. Or they did, and she just ignored it. Because she cooked something, I don't recall what it was, and we just refused to eat it. It was too much sauce, and different stuff touched each other. She just called us spoiled and that we need to learn to eat. We TRIED, but we could not get it down our throats. I took one bite and felt like throwing up. It was physically impossible to eat it. But "because she could eat it", she argued all of us could. Then our youngest sister needed a diaper change, so Priscila had to go away with her. I honestly think she took one for the team, so that Priscila woud be distracted for a bit.

Because, as she was gone, we just threw her food in the trash, went to get ice cream from the freezer and then decided to go watch TV. Well, I went to watch TV. The twins decided to go wake up the spirits that live in our house (my house is haunted, I don't have time to explain it). I guess Priscila has never changed a diaper before because she was gone for like 30 minutes (again, she has a daughter herself, so idk why she sucks at taking care of children). When she came back, the room was pitch black. I had to turn off the TV so that the chance of a spirit being awoken would be bigger. Suddenly all the lights flickered, and our great-grandma's spirit awoke. She's kind, but she does not like strangers, so she started yelling at Priscila. Priscila got super scared and ran out of the house and called my parents to get home, because their house is possessed! Our parents were like "yeah we know calm down".

Our great-grandma was tired and went back to rest after a while, and Priscila was now convinced it was a prank. We told her no, we just wanted to see the spirits, it was totally unrelated to her. But she wasn't too sure and she forced us to sit on the couch and not move for the rest of the evening.

She never babysat us again after that. She told our mom we were devils and my mom was like "I don't think I want you to babysit anymore".

🌟 supernova-number-one Follow

Like sure my mom is terrible but I even pity her for having to spent time at your house. You are devils.

Also, she told me that when I was a baby, all she did was feed me and put me to bed. My dad was the one changing diapers and wiping baby vomit and stuff. If he wasn’t home she apparently just let me sit in my waste because she refused.

10 notes

🏳️‍🌈 creyendoenmi Follow

I’ve made 5 shirts in 3 hours! Feeling productive today

🌼 punk-not-dead Follow

How can you make so many clothes in like speed time?

I tried to make myself a voodoo doll in middle school and the thread went up immediely and the legs hung loose. Then I gave up and never did anything sewing related again

🏳️‍🌈 creyendoenmi Follow

I make clothes by magic I guess.

But girl I need to see your voodoo doll?!

🌼 punk-not-dead Follow

Other leg and arm is gone. I suck at sewing so bad it got up immediately. My voodoo dreams ruined

30 notes

🎸 beanie-guitarist Follow

Good thing with your bestie's parents knowing you since you were like 7: They treat you like part of the family, they always make you feel welcomed, you feel safe with them

Bad thing with your bestie's parents knowing you since you were like 7: They sometimes still see you as you were as a little kid and because you spilled juice ONE TIME when you were 8, now every time you drink juice they always go "don't spill it now"

🎸 beanie-guitarist Follow

Also I found out from my own parents that they had a discussion with bestie's parents about when we would start dating or realize our feelings, because they were convinced we were in love. They weren't COMPLETELY wrong but that's another story...

🎸 beanie-guitarist Follow

Ok people really wanted to hear that story jeez

To make it simple: I did sorta have a crush on her for many years. It's the reason I MOVED TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. She sorta had a thing for me too, but she also had so much else going on and... well, she said it was ok that I said this, but she's not as good with romantic commitment, she feels more comfortable with friendship - especially since she was getting used to a new country she had moved to and stuff, and just being friends with me like always was one of the things that was the same. And I get that. Though, I think I kinda was more pushy to be something more with her at that time, I guess moving to another country for her really gave me the confidence. But, there was some drama, we sort of fell out for a while, mostly because there was this other boy who... well we're friends now but back then he was an asshole (he has not figured out it's me who has this blog so it's ok), and he constantly tried to flirt with my bestie. And she had not even gotten much romantic experience AT ALL, so having him be all over her AND then also me, I guess it made her feel harder to commit even more. I dated another girl for a while and then I realized that girl was horrible, and I just... took it upon myself and kissed my bestie.

Everything was wonderful for a while. We had so much fun, I was filled with joy. But, we never told our parents. I was so happy I forgot to call mine, and with her parents we just pretended like nothing. But I really feel like they felt like something went on.

Anyway, I realized eventually that I was more into this relationship than her, and I did not want to ruin things between us. She really tried, I know how much she loves me, but it just wasn't the right time in her life (apparently she had a crush on me some years later but then it was the wrong time for ME, so we sort of missed each other lol). So, we broke up. This was achy, but tbh, soon enough we went back to just be the best of friends like always - and we even got closer! Trying out dating was in the end actually a really good experience for us to have, and I am more happy to have taken that chance rather than never trying.

Anyway, remember how we never told our parents we were dating? Well, we also did not tell them we broke up. Since they had sort of figured out we were dating even if we didn't tell them, they CONTINUED to think so for so long. Like, my bestie dated a guy over the summer after we broke up, she never told them. I swear that it took them almost 6 months at least to realize.

#to think this post was just about my bestie's parents teasing me about juice I spilled a decade ago #and now i'm telling a personal story about the reason I moved to BA

90 notes

🎤 singing-is-who-i-am Follow

So my dad is really against me dating boys, so I sometimes wonder what would happen if I dated a girl. How would he react? The same way? Or would he let it go because he was not prepared for it?

🎀 italys-biggest-bow-collector Follow

I have wondered this same thing about your dad…

#tbh one time I felt like kissing you on the mouth in front of him to see his reaction

3 notes

🏳️‍🌈 creyendoenmi Follow

I started a post like this before, but I started conversations in reblogs and stuff there, so I am remaking it: What were some early signs you weren’t straight?

This is not just for gays, but for every sexuality! 🙌🏼 (except for straight)

💍 queenoftherink Follow

Oof this is interesting because I guess I sorta always knew I was bi, even before I knew what bi was. But I didn’t really have a crush on the same gender until I was a teenager… and I didn’t really put a word on it until a certain confrontation with my guardian…

But I think an early sign was the fact that I had this imaginary friend that I pretended came to me at night and slept next to me at night. I always loved her comfort and warmth. At one point I recall I felt almost in love with her (I was like 7 but I did feel ”butterflies in my tummy”), so I abruptly switched her gender so that I could be in love with a boy. And then this imaginary friend sometimes was a boy, sometimes a girl, and sometimes neither.

So I guess I came up with a genderfluid imaginary friend that I sorta had a crush on, although it could also have been my need for comfort? But immediately feeling like I needed to change my imaginary friend’s gender if I felt I had a crush on them, yeah… maybe that says something.

🛼 rollerskatingonthemoon Follow

Does constantly wearing the pan flag in the clothing pattern count? 🤣🤣

💄 not-homophobic-goth-girl Follow

idk… just girls, you know?

👩🏻‍🦱 dangerously-beautiful-ant Follow

^ You described it perfectly omg

✌🏼 arodarmivida Follow

^^ Omg this. I had struggles coming up with a good answer and you just took the words out of me.

69 notes

💍 queenoftherink Follow

So I guess I gotta tell the story of the ”confrontation” with my guardian since many of you have been asking.

I had a crush on a girl once. I had never had a crush on a girl before, so this was very odd for me. Now, my guardian could see that something was going on, and that I did not tell her. And she is weird; she does not really care about my life, but if I don’t tell her stuff, she will get mad at me for ”keeping secrets”.

Nonetheless I got closer to this girl I had a crush on, we spent a lot of time together. And we sorta had… a little thing going on. I never told my guardian since I couldn’t see how she would find this interesting. Also I wasn’t sure how she felt about two girls…

But somehow, she found out. I guess she spied on me, or forced her assistant to spy on me (which is arguably more creepy. Imagine being a grown man and a part of your job is spying on a teenage girl). She went inside my room one night with a strict expression, as she asked:

”Do you feel attracted to other girls?”

I was taken back, not prepared for that question. I immediately got nervous and went ”no, I like boys!”

”Yes, but do you feel attracted to other girls, too?” she asked. I asked why she was asking this, and she was like ”Just answer the question”

So I said ”…yes” and felt very guilty, as if I had been doing something wrong.

My guardian was silent for a moment, and then she went ”…very well”. Then she left the room.

We never talked about it ever again.

#it was kinda that confrontation that led me to realizing I was bi ?? #like I knew but I hadn’t admitted it to myself until then

22 notes

[silversoulstardust]

Hi YES i'd love to see ur ver of law! ((And if i werent shy af id also love to share mine (prob might just slide into ur dms w this one c.c))) If it happens it's gna be pretty underwhelming tho. my plan so far is zou-time law (sans kikoku) bc i think it's the only outfit i can try to pull off ahhh, if even that.

So im currently looking around the secondhands for a white baseball cap (it's so hard to find one without some text on it? Jfc. But ye gna put spots on it w a marker); a black dressshirt; jeans that i might also paint with spots but tbh im too scared ill ruin em (and i only have one pair of blue jeans xD i wear black usually); +plus i'll buy some facepaint n do the tattoos!!; The only one thing i actually have so far at the ready is a black wig, purely by chance. Idk if ill manage the rest in time ahhh.

Whats funny is that im gna be at that con for around 3-4hours tops, and my only motivation to do law is because i wanna let ppl know that i wanna talk ab him asffghjjkl (tho i might be too awkward to actually hold a convo lmao thatll be funny. In and out.). My whole idea w going to that con started actually PURELY bc im deeply hiperfixated w law rn (and by 'right now' i mean 'for the last two months', ever since i read the most recent spoiler regarding him n drowned in the fandom again ahah), and im having a very minimal outlet socially ahh. The next anime-related con i could attend would be in winter.. i dont wanna wait that long..

Sorry for the long message asdfgh it got away from me. ALSO just saw the pool noodle!! Love the idea!!!! We need thorough updates on the progress!!!! (ofc as long as u wanna keep doing em v.v)

bestie there's no such thing as underwhelming cosplay!! it's either you do or you don't and if you do? you already deserve a star bc at least you tried! ⭐ I know how some people are very particular and want it to follow their character design to a perfect t but you also need to consider time and resources for it. some people can afford to buy expensive props while others have to make it from scratch and I think that's the fun part of cosplaying that is lost these days. you have to get crafty ^-^

ashjkl also mildly related to this I love watching hijabi cosplayers getting creative with their costumes whilst covering themselves properly. I think I'm gonna take a leaf out of their book and wear my yellow blouse and make it a modest version of law so I don't have to draw all over my chest lol. I recently cut my hair to a short wolf cut and it's naturally black so that part is settled too :] don't paint on your jeans, though!! it's pretty risky. maybe buy a black cloth duct tape and cut it into small round shapes and paste it on? that's what I'm planning to do to my jeans too hehe

and I feel you on wanting to talk about your fav character with other people!! honestly I can't shut up about luffy even for a second. I went to a concert with another tumblr mutual recently and one piece was all I talked about lol. but since I'm a big lawlu believer I can't help but love torao too 💛

[absolutesort]

FRANKIE & EVIE — DAY THIRTY-NINE.

location :   bean bags.

description :   frankie and evie are sweaty, and frankie sweats abt her relationship.

featuring :   evie   /  @inquixotic

𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨.

“man, i’m sweating like a pig,” frankie sighs, fiddling with the corks hanging from her australian bushwacker sun hat. feels more i'm a celebrity, get me out of here than love island, but she loves a novelty item of clothing, especially when it's one she's robbed from dylan. why does mallorca feel hotter than naples right now? she’s used to long summers quad-biking down the dirt track with the burning heat of a florida sun on her back, air con in the trailer always broken, waking up to find her sheets damp with sweat, but the kind of heat in the villa hits different. it’s like being on edge only heightens it, makes her feel like peeling her skin off, walking around the place looking like something out of they live — i came here to chew bubblegum and fuck athletes, and i'm all outta bubblegum! “i kinda wanna pick your brain, actually. like how solid would you say you and charlene are? not that i think anything will happen just… i don’t know, miles saying he wants to take a step back has me buggin’ out. obviously him and charlene were talking about getting to know each other before we closed things off, and now the door’s wide open again it’s like… anybody could break into my house.”

evelyn mendoza.

“i know, babes, it’s like we’re on a fuckin’ barbeque.” even in bikinis, wearing next to nothing, the heat permeates in a way she’s only known in the islands. it’s weird to think europe gets like this, too, especially when she feels like all she hears is that it pours constantly. she’s fanning herself with her hand, hair pulled off her neck and twisted up with the other. “i’m going to shave my head,” she announces, shaking out her curls finally as she lets go, trying to ignore the feeling of sweat dripping down her neck. the producers would have to come dab them down at this rate. “we’re good, yeah. open, but focused in,” she answers, slowly, turning over her phrasing in her head. normally, that would’ve been paired with a sunny smile, but the rest of what frankie says gives her pause. “they were gettin’ to know each other?” she hadn’t been aware of that, nor had either of them mentioned it — was it not serious? there’s the little spike of uncertainty in her chest, even though she’s well aware that agreement could’ve been had before she came in, but they had kissed during the challenge, right? was that the reason? “we agreed to give each other a heads up, but we’re not like, exclusive or anything. it’s only been a few days, so nothin’ is locked down.” there’s a note of apology to that, smiling a little sympathetically at frankie’s situation, of which she heard a little. “so wait — what happened after you and callie talked? you guys are takin’ a step back?” what didn’t she hear of that frankallie convo that would’ve caused that, she wonders.

𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨.

“listen,” frankie starts, reaching out to place her hand against evie’s knee. despite the lack of sincerity on evie’s part (or at least frankie hopes she isn’t serious), she’ll still commit to the bit. “you're a hot bitch and i truly believe you can rock anything but… if i'm honest, i think you would look like a baby chick. or like, that animated penguin on tiktok.” already, she’s cracking up, hand moving up to her eyes to wipe away a tear. “and as your friend i don't think i could allow you to do that to yourself.” it’s such a funny image—evie’s bald head on an animated penguin’s body—that frankie starts coughing mid-laugh, tears springing from her eyes. “jeez. calm down. it’s not that funny,” she tells herself, still snorting. “no, but i would look gross if i shaved my head, too, which is why i can laugh about it.” she just hopes miles doesn’t go for the sinead o’connor look. shrugging, frankie sinks back into her bean bag, playing with the cords on her bikini bottoms. somehow, she feels like she’s put her foot in it, that maybe she’s indirectly created a shitty situation for charlene. “i mean, i don’t know if they were or not. miles just said that he wanted to get to know her, and i kind of… i reacted super childishly to it, actually. just started hitting shit.”  her lips purse, jovial mood soured somewhat.  “the idea of him kissing anyone else just makes me feel physically sick, and since i’ve already had to sit through them kissing in a challenge,” which at the time had felt like no biggie, because miles had seemed focused on her, “it’s not too hard to imagine it happening again. and now i’m sat here imagining it and i just wanna—” she throws her hands out, as if expelling some kind of toxin. “bleugh, y’know? i just want that crap gone from my head.”

frankie sighs a little when evie presses her about the situation, unsure how to explain herself without coming across as a total dick. “i kept telling him things with callie were done, which they were! and like, i genuinely thought i was totally over it. because he’s so great, and we have so much fun together, and he made that speech at the recoupling and it was just… it was all going so well. it felt like it was going too well. and then callie picked my movie, and we went for a talk and it just ended up with us both like… admitting that there’d been feelings and stuff, which i kind of already knew, because the way she behaved after casa wasn’t like… four-day fling kinda reaction, y’know? she was yelling and crying and stuff. but basically i ended up saying look, we keep having the same conversation and it’s not going anywhere, and it's not fair on miles or angel to keep putting them through it, so what do you want to do with this, because we either we put this thing to bed now, or we try it again, like those are the two options.” does it sound like a big ‘oof’ when she says it aloud, or has she just built it up in her head as something way more awful than it actually is? “but yeah, i think we both knew that the only real answer to that was to focus on miles and angel. but i needed to put that ultimatum on the table for her to recognise that it’s not going to go back to being us, and that she doesn’t actually want that. angel meets her needs, and i didn’t — and miles makes me happier, even callie can see that. so it was good, because it feels like she doesn’t hate me any more. but now her relationship is like, crops nourished, harvest bountiful and mine’s obviously not, so… yeah, i don’t know. every time i see him, i wanna just grab his face and smush it, but i’m trying to give him space. it sucks.”

evelyn mendoza.

"i'd look like a penguin?" she hadn't been serious, but now she's seriously alarmed — she's wanted to try a pixie cut before, and no one told her she didn't have the face for it. what if she just did it and ended up looking like happy feet? "oh, god. okay, undercut it is. that's way gayer anyways." or at least it feels it. shaved head could just be a bad bitch. frankie's laughter sends evie into a fit of giggles, melting the alarm away just as quickly as it came on before she gasps, grabbing frankie's thigh. "oh, my god! eden and i were chattin', you should try brown. like, hair. wig. whatever. we decided you'd look killer, like totally 80s rock star. don't shave it, though, i think you'd get, like, major dad friend vibes." she's like halfway there anyways, with the way she jokes. "he said that," she repeats, brow furrowed. obviously, he doesn't need her permission, but it feels a little weird that he wouldn't have mentioned it to her at least. she thought they were on their way to becoming friends. she nods along, in full agreement with frankie's graphic sentiment. "i guess if charlene says anything, we'll know, right? she said she'd tell me if there were other people she's wantin' to kiss." she leans her head back to look up at the sky, making a face. "i feel like she and i have a good enough vibe that you don't need to be worried but...i dunno." she's not so confident in her situation that a goofy guy doesn't make her antsy. still, she brushes it off a little and rolls her head to grin at frankie. "if he steals my girl, though, i'm gonna steal you to make him proper mad, full disclosure."

she listens quietly, having heard some of the discussion firsthand, although the ultimatum surprises her a little. "honestly, comin' in, i thought you two weren't done," she admits, giving a small shrug of her shoulders, honest. "but if you two are happier now...yeah, that was the right move. but miles wasn't happy 'bout it?" her head's tilted, confused. isn't that what he wanted, to focus on frankie? "i think you shouldn't judge your own relationship by hers," she says slowly, trying to figure out the proper wording to say their approach isn't realistic. "they're both rushin' things and if it works for them, that's great, but look at josh and naomi. took 'em a full month to figure their bullshit out, right?" maybe part of it is wishful thinking, wanting less competition, but she also thinks that miles is a simp at heart, too. "i've heard how he talks about you, right, like it's not...you guys'll be fine, i think." in her expert, two relationship having opinion.

𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨.

“a very fuckin’ cute penguin!” frankie assures her, finger and thumb pinching evie’s cheek between them. “the kind that you’d like, accidentally sign up to sponsor for a year when you’re doom-scrolling and you’ve had a few beers and get kinda liberal with your cashflow…” the tip of her finger boops against evie’s nose, before she shifts back into her bean bag, sunglasses pulled down over her eyes to shield them from the sun. “man, 80s rocker chick? that sounds dope. maybe when i get out of here i’ll dye it. just for the lols, you know? miles is into blondes, but… i dunno, i think i could get him to like me any kinda way.” or maybe that’s just wistful thinking, steadfast faith placed on a rocky connection in the hope that it might prove true. jeez. if she doesn’t finish this thing with miles’ hand in hers, then what’s the fucking point? sure, it’s been a fun holiday, but she doesn’t just want a holiday any more — she’s grown greedy enough to want to take a piece of the holiday back with her. clutching her chest in one hand, and evie’s fingers in the other, frankie fixes her with a smile that’s only half-ironic. “dude, are you serious right now? i’m like, so flattered. i would love to be stolen by you. girl, if the two of them go for it, there’s no way i’m not stealing you right back.” the words might operate at a pretty surface level, but still there’s a warmth to the way the two of them interact. evie’s only been in the villa a few days, but already she’s become one of frankie’s closest friends, and lately it feels like she needs all the friends she can get. “honestly, in my head, it was done. like two days into knowing miles, i was ready to kinda bite the bullet and jump ship. i think… i don’t know, it’s easy to get anxious in here that you’re not making the right choices.” making choices isn’t really a conscious process that happens with frankie. first thought, best thought is her usual modus operandi. but recently, taking the bull by the horns and leading head-first into impulse hasn’t exactly been serving her well, and more often than not it’s come back around to bite her on the ass. “i’m not a person who regrets shit, really, so i don’t wanna leave here with any regrets. and obviously i’d never regret miles, he’s already one of the best people i’ve eve met in my life, but i think… maybe to be able to fully be all-in on him i needed to properly shut down the callie thing. to make it certain that that was like… sealed off, rigged with the explosives, due for demolition type deal. and yeah, i went the wrong way about it, presenting it like there was an option for us to get back together, like that was fuckin’ stupid, dude, but like. at least there’s no confusion now.” before, it had felt closed off, but in the way of a scabbed wound one pick away from reopening. now, it feels like the faint line of a scar, like the little one that bisects her abdomen from when they’d taken her appendix away. she’d asked the doctor if she could keep it in a jar, give it little googly eyes and name it bruce, but sadly keeping body parts is pretty unhygienic. “a month! god, i don’t have a month, evie. like, what if i go tomorrow and we never get to fix this? i think i’d actually fuckin’... i’d have to catch a flight to dublin and just camp out at the airport until he gets back, like some tragic fuckin’ superfan with a parasocial crush. literally the script called and they want the plot of their hit single the man who can’t be moved back.”

[thenerdyalchemist]

Something that made you cry this year?

Haha haha..... oh boi this story. Please note I never cry like if u asked me this last year there would be nothing because I don’t ever have emotions...

SO DENVER POP CULTURE CON 2019.

The whole story boils down to a few events but man okay so. My best friends had to move away the weekend of DPCC great right? 👍 not really. She left mid day Sunday and after saying goodbye I kept it together. That was until I got back into the con and my amazing art mom asked me what was wrong. I started crying until I couldn’t control it and so she and my art emotional support ended up helping me out and I cried under her artist alley table... it was fun... but somehow by some miracle a few min after crying under the table I got a call that I could meet Matthew Mercer?!?! So still crying I ran to go see Matt got in line and was still crying. I got to meet the legend himself but when explaining that I just had to say goodbye to my best friend I started crying again... However Matt was literally the best and reached over the table to give me a hug and talked me thro it. That was my one and only cry story from this year...

Moral to the story? Don’t let your best friend ever leave you. And Matthew Mercer is one of the best human beings alive.

[eldritch-spouse]

Now I am only a slight masochist but I would personally and willingly let Vinnel tear me to pieces if it meant I could get a piece of those gorgeous thighs of his 😳 (I- I wanna touch them Pinnie)

[On the shorter side, but I think this is really cute. Time to make it awful. :7]

TW: Non-con, threats of violence, suffocation, smothering(?), you almost vomit, degradation, this is more horror porn than anything.

A pair of colorful digits snaps near your face.

" Uhuhuhu-! "

You blink out of your trance with a hard jump.

It's one of the smoother days inside The Clergy. Well, no, not really, the correct way to word it is that it's a smooth day in The Clergy, for you specifically.

See, as Vinnel's glorified porcelain doll of a human, you really, really love it when you're not the centerpiece of his horrid shows. Or don't participate in them at all. And ever since they got the mimic to work here, things have been slightly less stressful for you, because Vinnel is a lot more focused on commenting and perfecting his beloved "escape floor" games.

In short, this means that he'll spend a lot less time sticking pins in you and Jingles, in favor of painting or crafting little knick-knacks to then place within the escape floor where Sybastian, that gangly bundle of teeth and limbs, will hunt people down one by one. Or fuck them, honestly, it's the toss of a coin in this shithole. Even if you think Vinnel is a deplorable person, rotten to the core both physically and mentally, you have to agree on one thing. Well, two things-

First, he's a very creative soul. One kind of has to be, to keep torture entertaining and engage the audience for as long as he has. You're very surprised by his ability to customize masks and dolls. How he can make something as simple as a painting function in the same way a lock would, combining elegance, horror and usefulness in admirable ways. The jester likes showing his work off to you, and as much as you want to hate him, it does help keep you minimally sane in the performer's clutches. Sometimes, he even lets you work with him on some pieces!

Second, he's got the most delicious hips you've ever seen on anyone. And you just got caught staring at them red-handed...

See, you're in a small room above the escape floor with him. This place has several screens all showing several angels of the floor beneath you. It is through this space that Vinnel can see everything happening while the game unfolds, and he commentates over it with a microphone. This is broadcasted for the viewing pleasure of both a live and digital audience. Usually, you just try to nap or spin yourself around on the cushioned chair while the jester does his loud quips and taunts. Sometimes you play games with Jingles. Today was no different, you were simply picking at the threads of your frilled pastel dress while he rambled and encouraged people to make bets on who would die first.

The thing with Vinnel is that he gets really into these games. It's sort of like watching a middle-aged man screaming obscenities at football players on the TV. The more animated he gets, the more the jester will gesticulate and twist, naturally. It just so happened that, up until recently, he was glued to the main screen where the last man was standing, lost and scared. This pose had him bent over the desk, mask down, ass up, one knee leaning on the wooden surface while a fast tail swayed enthusiastically.

It... Well, it sure was a view. He's always had very full hips, for most men. Then again, you don't know what slime men are "supposed" to look like, and he's definitely ill, so... But that didn't matter, you were stuck ogling the jester's legs for too long. And he caught you.

Vinnel cackles louder and you can feel yourself flushing velvet even under all the layers of makeup he caked on your face.

" Well, someone seems to be enjoying a show of their own, eh? "

The performer jabs, a smarmy grin on their porcelain face as he twists to face you, now firmly seated on the desk. You quietly note that he turned the microphone off.

" I- N-No, I just zoned out. " You sputter. Yeah, zoned out looking specifically at his hips and ass. Mhm.

" Bwaha-! " He swings his legs, seemingly very amused. When he sits, the form of his body naturally adapts, only serving to make his hips look wider than they already are. You gulp. " Poppet, I'd say you have a career in comedy! "

A forward lean.

" Because you're certainly a joke. "

Ouch. Okay.

But you've been around Vinnel long enough to know what this is. He just wants to make you cry, he'll say what he thinks will get the waterworks on, not exactly what he feels. You still flinch. Because regardless of whether or not he means it... He's right. You are a joke. A huge joke. Getting kidnapped, thrown into the claws of a fucking clown inside a place where there's no hope for humans. You're a fucking joke because you accept this, because you sit still and let him dress you up like a toy, because you'll let him cut you, let him bruise you- And still smile when you're called pretty, when he makes you paint with him, when you're shown a shred of compassion that you know Vinnel will rip away sooner or later.

Because only jokes allow that. Only jokes like you.

Face heating further, mascara drips down your powdered cheeks as you try, so very hard, not to start sobbing. Vinnel is humming lowly, decidedly pleased with himself while he savors the reaction he wanted to get in the first place. You hear him mutter a curse under his breath and it makes you boil in anger, because he's getting off on how fragile you are. Again.

You can't stand it.

" Y- Ugh, you're such a dick! "

It sounds more like a sad whimper than the indignant shout it was meant to be. As if you're some kicked dog keening on the sidewalk rather than the intimidating being you know you need to be to free yourself from this sadist's clutches. But it's pointless anyway, isn't it? You've been declawed and defanged since the moment you were tossed in here, Vinnel is just treating you like the prey you've been labeled as.

Another manic, no, hysterical bout of laughter. " ... Dick, huh? " He wheezes, the smug, gurgling nasal undertone making you want to crawl walls.

You don't notice the tail that's been slowly edging your chair closer to the desk until the jester spreads his legs and captures your upper body with them, ankles crossing behind your back to keep you bent and caged against him.

" Uhuhu- The same dick you've been drooling for all this time, daisy bell? " The entertainer nudges a finger against your wet cheek, you know he'd be licking your tears if they weren't tainted by makeup. You must look like a complete mess right now.

Fuck, he knows exactly what he's doing. You're immobilized between those plush, oddly strong thighs of his, face far too close to that heart-shaped crotch to be comfortable. One would figure that, since he floats so much, his legs would be weak, if not atrophied in some way. And yet, here you are, struggling in vain against the surprisingly solid mass. It's strange, you don't feel the cording of muscle on those legs like you would with a human. Regardless of the oddities in Vinnel's form, you're still blushing madly.

" Shut the fuh- "

Whatever you're about to retort is rapidly snuffed by the jester jostling his grip on you, legs rising to wrap over the back of your head and swiftly force you against his groin.

For a moment, you're simply too stunned to move, merely processing. You can feel the physical tremors of Vinnel's giggling as strong legs pull you further onto his covered privates. You... You can't breathe! Oh God. Brain finally coming to terms with the situation, it commands your limbs to start moving, feet kicking to shift the chair while your arms slap and claw uselessly. Nothing you can do will put a dent in that suit, and trying to pry his legs apart is only making the clown guffaw heartlessly.

Oh fuck, is this how you die? What if he's had enough? What if you're not fun anymore? You thought he'd want a messier way to end you, but then again, suffocating someone to death against his crotch sounds humiliating enough to be right up his alley... The monster's hips jut, he hums something you can't make out while harshly grinding his suited genitals against your poor face. You're crying harder, now from oxygen-deprived panic.

There's something writhing against your features. You've been in Vinnel's bloody clutches long enough to know exactly what it is. That weird writhing mass of tendrils that comprises his cock, it's poking and prodding at your face, trying to latch onto anything beyond the fibers of his finely tailored prison. You can feel that mass attempt to delve into your mouth the moment it opens in a desperate effort to draw breath that isn't there.

Batting and slapping harder at the jester's body does nothing. Not even your pitiful, surrendering palm slams on the desk's surface elicit some sort of mercy. Not that Vinnel is known for his ability to spare others. He only grinds and ruts harder against your breathless, sobbing self. The only end to it seems to come when you no longer have the ability to do anything other than tap lightly, body spasming in small ripples of protest.

" There there, you and your dramatic flair... " The jester murmurs mockingly, a hand patting your tangled hair.

Right as it feels like you're going to pass out, you're suddenly freed, pained by the jarring brightness as the world ceases to be a dark pit. The wild lungfuls you take are disgusting and harsh, making it feel as if your stomach is going to jump out your throat. The room spins and swirls for a couple of agonizing moments while you pant, drool and cry.

You have no composure to comment or fight back with. Nor do you dare to.

" Y'know, I think you forget where you are sometimes, poppy! " His tone is chipper and almost innocuous, in spite of the violently writhing tendrils beneath his now painted suit.

You really do forget. Holy shit.

" How silly of you! Tsk tsk- " The performer pulls at a very subtle seam lining the heart shape of his intricate suit, opening it slowly. Sloppy, viscous, pitch black tendrils immediately emerge, clashing against each other and Vinnel's thighs, spreading ink-like splotches wherever there's contact. He's very careful about when and where he opens his suit, you're surprised he's going this far.

" Why, guess I'll just have to drill it into your head. "

You jump. Not too far, Vinnel still has a more or less firm grip on your recovering form. But you know better than to take most of his threats as just bark- He does bite. Hard. And it's so much worse than his bark, you have no doubt Vinnel will literally drill something into your skull if he feels he needs to. Fearful, silent eyes gaze imploringly up at the monster.

" Not literally, oh ho, I don't want another Jingles... " He's visibly very thrilled by the terror nonetheless.

Lord, that poor bobble.

A hand fists locks of your hair, keeping a taut grip of your head and forcing it back to look directly at the beaming jester. " Play nice now, poppet! " He gurgles, a deformed purr resounding as your face is brought closer to that squirming mass.

You're ashamed of the way you freeze in awe when those numerous tendrils suddenly converge into a different shape before your very own eyes. The mass that comprises his genitals forms itself into something traditionally more phallic, though you can definitely still see the curls of where several tendrils twine with each other, forming a strangely prehensile shaft. The moment is ruined as soon as it slaps against your cheek, a strained scowl on your face. Gross.

Said reaction only serves to make him laugh however. " Open wide- "

You resist the urge to growl something at the monster, knowing he'll simply punish you harder. Indeed, with Vinnel, you're better off just letting it happen and sparing yourself more pain than necessary. Doing as told, you're instantly jolted by the sensation of him on your tongue. The jester just... Tastes awful. You don't have the words for it, he feels acidic and bitter all at once, other times he's far too sweet in a spoiled way that makes your taste-buds shrivel up.

He's dipping past your mouth and into the depths of your throat far too fast, causing your poor body to heave reflexively, from both the length of his cock and the palate of his "skin". Instead of letting you pull back to cough or try again, Vinnel only drags you against him further, thighs coming back up to force you into welcoming the root of his wet shaft. Your cheeks, chin and nose are caked in blackness, it clings to you like a sickness. his sickness, wanting to take you over piece by piece. At least, you think to yourself, he doesn't stink.

Regardless, there's very little you can do aside from crying harder, trying to save your breath while Vinnel fucks your face, legs caging you firmly. You whine and gag harshly, muffled sobs making the jester throb in your throat, his lurid moans of sadistic glee ringing out. It hurts, it hurts and your vision is blurring and he's still rutting into your fucking face. Oh God... You can't even think.

Then, then he does the thing that's always scared you the most. The jester pushes your head into the sea of blackness that makes up his ill slime. It gets everywhere. Into your eyelids, crawling up your nostrils, hugging your face, pulling it in further, further, deeper-

It's the most invasive, claustrophobic thing you have ever felt in your entire life. The moment your ears are encased and you can sense thin tendrils prodding at your ear canal, something primal snaps within you.

Every last shred of oxygen you still have lingering in your lungs is expelled as you start screaming around his cock in earnest, a muffled, garbled shriek of unadulterated animal terror while you try to yank your face away from the abyss, from the mass trying to crawl inside your body, absorb you.

God, you're gonna get sick, you're gonna die. You can't take this anymore. Body violently jerking as it juggles the urge to hurl and gasp all at once, arms flailing. You're only briefly aware of the jester's hasty pistoning, of how the hand at your scalp is tightening its grip in his frenzy of lust.

You don't spend more than a minute in that state of deep panic, but it felt as if you were submerged for hours. Because when the monster finally, finally pulls back, you don't even know what to do with yourself, shaking and sobbing ugly, coughing, trying to wipe his disgusting likeness off your skin as you hiccup and whimper, swaying. Your throat is so raw.

Flooded ears only pick up on a muted growling moan before something else hits your face. Ropes of his vile, runny cum, adding to the already horrific mess on your visage. You're still crying like a baby, too scared to do anything.

" Awwwwie, poor little thing... " He coos, still stroking himself through his orgasm. " See poppet, sometimes dear old Vinnel has to put little dolls like you in their place, and we don't like that, do we? "

Trying to clear your throat to speak is pointless, his blackness is rigidly clogging it. You merely shake your head, still attempting to clean yourself in shame. Trembling hands grip the skirt of your pastel dress, intending to use it as a makeshift towel, before you're interrupted. " No no! Bad girl, come here! "

And you do, fuck do you- Like Hell you want a repeat of what just happened. Vinnel reaches into his wide sleeves and picks out two cloths, one to wipe himself before closing his suit again, and another for you. In great contrast to his previous cruel treatment, the jester gently dries your red, disheveled face, grinning down at you with endless giddiness. The tears haven't stopped.

They don't stop either when the monster scoops you up into his lap, rocking you softly, humming a lullaby as covered claws twirl locks of hair.

The worst part is that you lean into him, desperate for the comfort that no one but your captor will offer.

The tears never stop.

And they never will.

[38sr]

#IndustryQs I’m curious, what’s it like working in the industry? What kind of environment is it usually? Is it hard to find a job, and are the jobs you get secure? (Like, can you stay with a company for years with stable pay/benefits?)

I’m interested in working in the animation industry too, and am going to university for it soon… there’s some things that make me anxious about it.

No worries at all! I completely understand being anxious about the animation industry. I just wanna start off by saying working in animation (or really any industry) comes with its pros and cons, ebbs and flows, etc. and it's not 100% perfect. Everything that I'm about to type is from the perspective of being a storyboard artist and 2D animator as well my personal experience from art school to getting my first studio job to current day. Some things may vary depending on job positions (or just the personal experience of a different person). So what I say here isn't 100% the absolute, definitive overlook on the animation industry. Alright? Let's go! Is it hard to find a job?

There's no way to really sugarcoat this but yes. And also no at the same time.

Why yes? I would say the hardest time it was for me to find a job was the very first one as an intern at Sesame Workshop in college. That was my first time ever working in a studio (and also got paid full time). But that internship came after a plethora of rejections which effected my self-confidence as an artist a lot. After that internship (and graduation), I didn't get my next full time in-house studio gig until 2 years later. Most of my friends who also work in the industry also share similar experiences where it's not always guaranteed you'll find a job immediately after you graduate. There are some people who have but the majority tend to finally really break in a couple years after graduating. And I know that sounds scary but trust me it's okay. Everyone moves at their own pace and you shouldn't mandate yourself (especially when life is unpredictable and things happen outside of your control). So is it hard find a job? Yes, but usually the first one is the hardest of them all. But then why no? Well once you do break in, it becomes easier to find the next gig and you start building relationships with fellow creatives. The animation industry is a very close knit community so if you're great to work with, meet your deadlines, and do good work, you'll build a rep and will get recommended for other projects. Unfortunately, this is also kind of the reason why it's so hard to break in. Some jobs are be filled through recommendations/referrals of people with experience and good rep with others. From personal experience, I don't blame any production who didn't hire me because I was so new and no one in the industry had ever worked with me or knew about my work ethic. All I could do was hone my skills and make that the thing that drew employers in. Luckily now I don't worry as much as finding the next gig, but in the beginning it was rough and I just had to keep at it until someone took a chance on me.

Are the jobs you get secure? (Like, can you stay with a company for years with stable pay/benefits?)

As for wages and benefits, yes. There is a union called The Animation Guild that represent animation workers. A lot of the studios are under the union so they adhere to the Guild's contracts and wages so that you're appropriately paid for your job. So you could hop between union studios without losing your fair wages and benefits. As for if the jobs are secure, yes and no. It really depends.

Working for animation is very nomadic because it's project based. You only get hired for a certain amount time for a project then leave once the work is done. Nowadays, you're lucky to find a production that is at least a year long (especially if we're talking about TV animation productions). Feature animation productions tend to have longer production schedules due to bigger budgets. So you could board on the same movie for 2 or more years and get paid a steady wage. Also feature productions aren't as fast paced as TV productions which don't have the biggest budgets (and therefore shorter production schedules).

For TV, it's not always guaranteed your show will get renewed for a new season and when it doesn't you have to search for the next gig. My current production as I'm writing this (Spiderman Freshman Year) is the longest I'll ever be on a production since we were lucky enough to get renewed for another season. It feels so relieving to know I have job security in that sense and I don't blame you for worrying about it. Sometimes you only have a gig for 6 months and have to start the search again half way through that job. It may not be ideal but I personally like being able to work on different kinds of projects, work at different studios and learn from all the different experiences in hopes it can be useful if I ever am in a leadership role. While sometimes it can be worrisome to think about, I prefer to look at it as a way to learn and try something new. As for staying with a company for years? Mmmmm you could but again it depends if there are projects available that can hire you. While I was at Titmouse, I hopped between Star Trek Lower Decks and Critical Role thanks to my supervising director on Star Trek recommending me. Most studios want to retain their talent so if there is something available and it's a project you genuinely want to work on then yeah you can virtually keep working at the same company for years. I know people who worked at the same place for 10+ years and never wanna leave haha.

What’s it like working in the industry? What kind of environment is it usually? Maybe this is me being me but it's like any other job haha. Granted yes, I'm living my childhood dream and am incredibly grateful for that. I love my job and get to work on shows that my family and friends can watch and be like, "Oh shit! Li worked on this!" But despite all of that, it's still a job at the end of the day. I wake up at 8AM, clock in at 9AM, do my assignments and clock out at 6PM. Some days are hard when I can't quite visualize a certain scene in my head and some days I breeze through a whole board sequence in one breath. Sometimes I get aggravated about the industry but it never gets to a point where I wanna leave all together. And I've gotten to meet wonderful, amazing talented people who push me to become not just a better artist but a better person. Working in the animation industry is really just like any other job. It just so happens we make entertainment for the masses haha.

But as for the environment, it's a bit hard to say 'cause the animation industry has been working from home for 2 and a half years (going on 3 years). But what little time I did get to be in a physical studio and you know, work with other people isn't really any different from working at home. Except for like, not being able to do spontaneous lunches and en-passing conversations. I do miss those random human interactions so now I have to make it a point to actively do that. But yeah, it's usually just a bunch of nerds who love to create, love the craft and come together to make the magic happen. I hope that answered your questions!

[stevesbestgirl]

A Moment of Your Time - Part 18

Mob!Bucky x Reader (1726 words)

Series Masterlist - Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

Warnings: smut, daddy kink, almost choking, thigh riding, Bucky being a dom, idk

A/N: Not sure how this got to be so long, I wanted more to happen, but I’m not cutting any of it so here we are. Happy Mafia Monday everyone!

“Can I ask you something, doll?”

You hummed contently, “Of course.”

“Maybe now’s not the best time, since we just argued,” he chuckled softly.

Your brow furrowed, “Something wrong?”

“No, course not.” He brushed his fingers over your waist, “I just wanna make sure you’re happy here.”

“Bucky, if I wasn’t happy, I wouldn’t be here.”

His knuckles brushed over your ribs, “I guess.”

“You guess?”

“Feels like I turned your life upside down.”

You almost wanted to laugh; talk about an understatement. You’d moved out of your apartment, lost your virginity, fallen out with Phil, hell- you’d been abducted, which would sound made up if you said it out loud.

“Oh, you did.” Leaning in to kiss his cheek, you laughed, “But the past couple days with you have made me happier than I’ve ever been.”

He half-smiled, “You sure? Even after today?”

“It’s an adjustment,” you admitted. “But I’m sure.” You appraised him, “Can I ask you something?”

“Course, baby.”

“Will you tell me about your work?”

He went stiff, “Doll-”

“I know, I know, clean hands,” you said quickly. “But I was friends with one of Rogers’ men for years and I didn’t even know it. I just wanna know the basics- your men, what they do, the names of people I should avoid.”

He sighed, “I guess it couldn’t hurt.” You beamed and his lips tipped up in a little smile, “You know Clint. He’s a top-notch marksman, but he’s sort of my all-around guy. My go-to for my personal security detail and arguably, the most competent of the bunch. Thor mentioned that you two met earlier.” You nodded. “He’s muscle, mostly. Good security and great in a scrap, if it comes to it. Vision does the books and the legal stuff. He’s fair in a fight, but doesn’t see a ton of action. He keeps everything looking clean from the outside.”

“What exactly does your organization look like from the outside?” you asked curiously.

He chuckled, “On the books, I run a private security detail, among a few other things. Some small business investments; I own a laundromat, a butcher shop, a couple restaurants, a waste management company, a small casino, a few storage units.” He waved his hand like it was all trivial.

You hoped you didn’t look surprised- you’d known he was influential, but you didn’t realize how directly he had his hands in practically everything. You almost felt guilty about keeping him from his work; even if some of it was for fronting purposes, that was still a ton of management.

“I know you haven’t met Strange yet, but he’s something like a strategist. Got a sharp mind. Good for planning,” he paused, “Complex endeavors. He’s a pro-sharper. And he’s got a medical background, so he plays medic for us once in a blue moon.”

“Do people get hurt a lot?”

He grinned wickedly, “Not often. Not mine, anyway. Just to be safe, I’ve had Pete acting as a runner, although he’s spent a good bit of time shadowing Clint, so his new assignment is your personal security.”

“As for Rogers’ men, the main ones you need to look out for are Wilson, Lang, and Banner. The one you really gotta keep an eye out for is Wilson. First name is Sam. If I had to make a comparison, he’s almost as good as Clint at what he does. He’s sharp, ruthless, and he’s got a handsome face that cons people into trusting him.

Scott Lang plans the heists- bank robberies, home invasions, you name it. The guy acts like a dope, but he’s hiding some serious strategy. Bruce Banner is the same. He looks like a softy, but if a fight breaks out, the guy’s like an animal. And Coulson is a paper pusher, almost exclusively. Rumor has it he’s fair with a gun, but he lacks the mean streak Rogers looks for.” He added offhandedly, "I've heard a few rumors that he's got some broad-" he cleared his throat, "A woman on his team, but its probably just a girlfriend." You nodded, processing everything you’d heard.

“Thanks, Bucky,” you said softly.

“Course, doll. I probably should have told you some of that sooner, but I wanna keep you out of it as much as I can.” He buried his face in your neck, “You’re too good for all that.”

You were quiet for a minute, “So, where did you go if you weren’t messing with Phil?”

He pulled his face from your neck, where he was peppering soft kisses, “Maybe I should save it since you’re not mad at me anymore.”

You knew he was teasing by the smirk on his lips, but you crossed your arms in a pout, “You left without even telling me and I don’t get to know why?”

“Relax, relax,” he laughed, digging inside his inside pocket, “I wanted to get you a present- an apology.”

“You didn’t-”

“You know I did,” he grinned.

He pulled a long box from his jacket and you scooted back on the couch, protesting, “No, no more presents!”

“It’s too late, baby,” he cooed, the self-satisfied smirk growing. He flipped the top open, waiting for your reaction.

Inside, a beautiful bracelet glimmered in the light, each stone dancing to its own rhythm. Your heart jumped to your throat; you’d never even dared to admire something so stunning. After the war, jewelry like this was rare to see. Your voice came out in a fainter protest than before, “Bucky, I can’t-”

“Course you can,” he insisted, removing it from the box.

You shook your head fervently, “You should take it back; it’s too much.”

He captured your wrist, “I can’t take it back.” He draped it over your wrist, pausing before doing the clasp, “Do you really not want it?”

“Of course I do, it’s beautiful,” you admitted softly, watching the way it twinkled on your arm. “But-”

“No buts, sweetheart,” Bucky said firmly, clipping it on your wrist before pulling your hand up and kissing your palm.

The rest of your protests died in your throat at the way it glittered on your arm. You twisted your hand this way and that to watch it catch the light while Bucky watched, grinning.

“You like it?” he asked, the very question a tease because the answer was obvious.

“I love it,” you murmured, entranced. “It’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

You realized your mistake as he smirked, “You know what-”

“Don’t say it,” you interrupted, your fingers wrapping around the back of his neck as you leaned in for a kiss.

He grabbed your chin, holding you back, “You don’t even know what I was gonna say.”

You couldn’t help but smile, “I’m pretty sure I do.”

“What do I get if you’re wrong?”

“Same thing you get if you let go of my face,” you giggled.

He leaned in, whispering into your lips, “But then I don’t get to tell my girl that she’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

You rolled your eyes, but the faint blush in your cheeks probably ruined the act of protest. Bucky brushed his nose against yours, his breath teasing your lips, “Do I still get a kiss?”

You hummed, pretending to think it over, “Maybe just one.”

He chuckled low, “Guess I should have got a more expensive bracelet.” Your protest was cut off by his mouth on yours, his tongue darting between your lips. The fingers cupping your chin brushed the line of your jaw and down the side of your neck.

When he pulled away, your head was spinning. He smiled, “If I only get one, I gotta make it count.” His grin widened, “Unless you wanna renegotiate?”

Pride be damned- you nodded quickly, sliding forward to straddle his lap and assault his lips. His laugh went unfinished, cutting off as you pressed your clothed core against his thigh. His lips moved with yours and the hand on your neck splayed out, the cool metal of his rings on your skin drawing a soft gasp from your throat.

Palming him through his pants, your thighs clenched around his at the twitch of his cock through the fabric. “That what you’re after, doll?” he growled. The timbre of his voice against your lips gave you goosebumps.

“Yes,” you whimpered, feeling him grow hard beneath your hand.

“Yes what, sweetheart?” he urged, squeezing the side of your neck softly. It wasn’t quite choking, but your breath grew shallow and you burned with desire, shifting restlessly against his thigh.

“Yes, sir,” you tried, whimpering as you slid your hips forward, rubbing yourself on his thigh until his fingers dropped to your hip, holding you in place.

“Not quite, sweets. My men call me ‘sir,’ but not my baby.” He bit down on the pulse point of your neck and breathed, “If you wanna play, you gotta ask right.” He sucked on the spot he’d bitten, pulling a moan from deep in your belly.

You pleaded, “Please- please, Daddy.”

“There you go, babydoll,” he practically purred. He flexed his thigh, giving you a slight amount of friction, “Go ahead ‘n ride me until you’re ready for me.”

He peppered kisses and bites up and down your neck, whispering praises in your ear as your hips pulled against him, your arousal seeping through your panties onto his slacks. He chuckled, almost mocking, “That’s right sweets, ruin my pants. I wanna feel how wet you are for me.”

Normally, you’d be horrified at the idea, but something inside you relished the idea of letting him see how much you wanted him. Even the taunting only made you blush and bite down on your lip to stifle a moan at his words.

Suddenly his fingers were on your waist again, your movement frozen. The dark edge to his voice was back, “I don’t think so, baby. Lemme hear you.”

“Bucky, I-”

“No,” he growled. The back of your neck prickled at the authority in his voice.

A squeak slipped out as the pads of his fingers pressed into your hips so tightly that you wouldn’t be surprised if you had bruises later.

“Daddy,” you pleaded. The word was still a little foreign on your tongue, but the way Bucky twitched under your palm served as encouragement.

“What do you want, sweets?” he cooed. “Tell me.”

“I want you,” you breathed.

That was finally the right thing to say. He hummed, his hands gliding over your thighs, “You got it, doll.”