#or maybe each option is both the lady and the tiger

[szynkaaa]

Zhu Bajie and the Violet Spider (and i guess all the other tragic love stories)

Alright, finished Chapter 4 in my NG+ and here are some of my thoughts, ramblings and musings about Zhu Bajie and the Violet Spider. Also will be going with Black Myth Wukong's version of JTTW

Everything is under cut because long text

What we know:

ZBJ was an Admiral in the Celestial Court, there was a maid working there who was crushing on him and took care of him at some point. ZBJ gets cast out from the court into the mortal realm and turns into a pig. Maid tries to follow him, but gets turned into a spider because the word pig (猪zhū) and spider (蜘蛛Zhīzhū) sound similar and she thought he turned into a spider.

The pilgrims run into White Bone Demon, who turns into 3 mortals and each time SWK beat them down. It is not explained how they fell in love or why, just that he was in love with her. The subtitles from the scene:

ZBJ: "It was her tricks that made Master drive Wukong away" Old Monkey: "On White Tiger Ridge, he forsook his lover. Three times he broke her into pieces, convincing himself his heart would ache no more. Yet, as you must know, he had never let go of her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so eager to get away from the Buddahood he attained."

Side note, in CN the old moneky says "他倒是狠心绝情", which translates to "he was very cruel and heartless".

Like all the other demon in the book they wanted to eat Tripitaka because they were convinced that would grant them immortality. In JTTW, White Bone Demon transforms herself into a young lady, then elder woman and then old man, pretending to ask for help. Each time SWK was able to see through her disguise and he struck them down. Tripitaka thought he was killing innocent mortals so he sent SWK away, said he wasn't one of his disciple anymore. iirc ZBJ was not helping lol.

I hope the DLC will shed some more information on the romance, but I also understand if they don't elaborate further. According to some redditors the White Bone Demon romance is a nod towards another game Game Science worked on where SWK and White Bone Demon where a thing.

Later on in their journey, ZBJ sees a bunch of pretty women bathing. He turns himself into a fish. The Violet Spider recognizes him and I guess they reconcile?? or not really because the spiders also try to kidnap and eat Tripitaka and SWK leaves ZBJ to take care of the spiders, he killed everyone except the Violet Spider, who had to eat the remains of her sisters in order to survive.

Speculation from my side is if SWK knew about ZBJ history with the Violet Spider. I think it would be interesting for them to have a conversation about it at some point, since both of them had demon lovers who tried to eat their master so they were forced to kill them (except ZBJ spared the Violet Spider). Maybe SWK wishes he had that option too instead of living with the pain later on. A lot of wiggle rooms for interpretations and headcanons.

lot of shit happens. they finish their travel, SWK attains buddahood. Realizes he hates the court life, also cannot let go that he had to kills his past lover. just wants to chill with his homies and be back on his mountain. and the circlet is still there. hatches his masterplan to die so he can be reborn and be truly free

Throughout the game and dialogues in the game, we know that there were several monkeys/Destined One attempting to retrieve all 5 artifacts and become SWK. The way I understood is, if you reach the bad ending, the cycle starts a new. a new monkey will arise and try again until said monkey reaches the True Ending.

It is very heavily implied that the 4th spider was in love with one of the reincarnation, and they were supposed to get married or have gotten married. but alas monke has to continue his main quest, and he never returned back to her.

My question is, do each Destine One reincarnation retain memories from previous Destined One? Does "our" Destined One know who she is and what he means to her? fun things to also think about.

Oh yeah also pretty sure ZBJ and the Violet Spider got married in chapter 4 LOL. Very questionable marriage since ZBJ was not in a place to consent to it and was pretty much forced into it. But she came out wearing a red wedding dress and then sisters were telling him what to do and not to do, and they were also saying he is the one mother wants all those years even though they disagree with the choice. And then later on before the Violet Spider boss battle, iirc ZBJ says she should have just eaten him before the vows and stuff. Either she mates and then eats her husbands LOL. and her daughters also feast on the newly wed husband.

Heavily implied that the youngest spider kid is ZBJ and Violet Spiders kid. At least that's how I interprested the scene, why else would she show him the youngest daughter? Also all the daughters were born after ZBJ killed Violet Spider's sisters and left her to die, as they say it all happened before they were born so they cannot understand mother's obsession

My 2 cents: None of the spider sisters share the same father. I believe that the Violet Spider would find a new mate, get married, consumate the marriage and then eat the husband. Probably got pregnant from each marriage. It seems like the spider sisters are also very familiar with the ritual ( also LOL would the 4th spider sister have eaten the Destined One??). I also thought at first that Chapter 4 is the first time since JTTW Zhu Bajie bumped into the spider sisters and Violet Spider, but after my NG+ playthrough I realize that would not make much sense. If the youngest daughter really is their kid, then that means they must have met before the current event and JTTW.

We know that this is also not the first Destined One ZBJ met: when we rescue him in chapter 3, he says something along the line "great another mute" - implying he has helped other DO before. Which also means he has visited the spider lair with the DO before, so my guess it is very likely that he may have done the deed with the Violet Spider, and this is how the youngest daughter was conceived? And then he and the Destined One left once again, leaving the 4th Sister and Violet Spider behind again. I think that this would also "make sense" why the Violet Spider was so obsessed and hung up on ZBJ in chapter 4. It couldn't have been "just" what happened in JTTW, some more things must have happened in-between. ZBJ constantly picking bros before hoes I guess.

Fan speculation is also that the reason why ZBJ cannot be with the Violet Spider is to protect them from the Celestial Court.

We have 4 different love stories in this game: SWK and White Bone Demon, Zhu Bajie and the Violet Spider, Destined One and 4th Sister and then the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron-Fan.

I don't haven't started my chapter 5 playthrough yet but the gist I got is that their story isn't a happy one either and controlled by the Celestial Court. It sounds like none of the love stories have a happy ending and in one way or another, the Celestial Court is the cause for it. SWK and White Bone Demon doesn't fully fall into that category, but in JTTW it is said that all the demons they encounter were all orchestrated by Buddha, where they have to face 81 trials. Putting that into BMW's version of JTTW, technically a higher being still interfered with their love story and "forced" SWK to kill his lover, if they put White Bone Demon into their way. Again, this is just my musing and headcanon, and nothing of this is confirmed.

This is my opinion, but I personally love that Game Science gave both SWK and DO and ZBJ a love story, some more obvious than the others. It just adds a more human touch to the overall story of the game that I personally love.

Now excuse me while I go try to smooch a stone monkey.

[apparitionism]

Road 5

Lixiviation is a process in which a solvent is applied to a solid mixture in order to extract the soluble part of that mixture; your goal might be to obtain the soluble part, which dissolves in the solvent, or the leftover insoluble part. Percolation and leaching refer to the same thing, but I like “lixiviation,” as a word, because it evokes its Latin root, which is related to liquid and liquidity—different connotations than the other two. Anyway, it’s a useful metaphor in lots of contexts, and I tried for a while to use it in this part. I tried to get a lot of different ideas to work here, and most of them didn’t. What survived all the cuts may not work either, but I’ve spent way too much time already on the succession of minutes that make up this part. Probably part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4 also. Anyway, if you feel like it, keep lixiviation in the back of your mind.

Road 5

They aren’t ten minutes from the airport when the engine hinks out a warning, a rumble that Myka registers but doesn’t process. Then it coughs, gently, a little artful Victorian consumptive pant, as if into an embroidered handkerchief. Then it stops entirely.

Myka tries not to swear. That belongs elsewhere too. But when she has got the Infiniti on the side of the highway, when she has got it stopped and safe and she is sitting there capable of only the barest rational thought, she utters a purposeful “what the amen fuck.”

She’d had a sergeant, late in her second tour, use that as his daily morning hail, the pronunciation leaving no doubt about his Alabama roots, right down to the ay-men. The proper response had been “Great day to be an American.” No matter what that morning was the morning-after of.

Helena does not give the proper response. Instead, she reaches over and takes Myka’s hand. “You were right,” she says.

“Are you trying to be funny? It broke down.”

“Not about that.” She nods at the jagged horizon. “You said it’s beautiful here, and you’re right.”

The sun idles behind the mountains, changing them to volcanoes.

Myka says, “So many different sunsets. For us, I mean. Desert, beach, mountains.”

Helena doesn’t say anything. She holds Myka’s hand until the fire in front of them fades.

****

In response to a text from Myka, Alicia arrives in the tow truck. It takes her a beat to notice Helena emerging from the sedan, but Myka can mark the exact moment of that noticing, because Alicia whistles. Then she says, to Myka’s mortification, “I bet you’re Myka’s hardcore stalker who’s good in bed.”

Helena turns to Myka and demands, “Do you collect oversharers?” She then focuses on Alicia. “And what conditioner do you use on your hair?”

“I don’t think it would work for you.” But Alicia’s eyes take on a little squint of calculation, and she raises a hand like she might be going to take her glove off and test that dark gloss.

It’s ridiculous: it’s only the idea of someone else—and Alicia, at that, Alicia who has no interest—touching Helena’s hair. That’s all it is, and as something that provokes a bodily awakening, it’s certainly no “tale of asking other women for sunscreen.” But Myka is mortified again: one sting of that idea, and now some itchy carnal toxin is perfusing its way through every one of her vessels and veins.

Helena seems oblivious to Myka’s distress; she is busy telling Alicia, with odd regret, “That is most likely true. But I will say that your braids are lovely.”

“Hey, Myka, your hardcore stalker says my braids are lovely. You could notice, once in a while.”

“I’m not listening to either one of you,” Myka maintains, to cover this embarrassing onset. “I’m hooking up the tow.”

Alicia tells Helena, “She loves to hook up the tow—the wheel brackets. She’s not a cute person, right? But it’s the cutest thing.”

Helena says, “It certainly seems idiosyncratic.” She moves, with apparent disapproval, to stand over Myka.

Myka maneuvers the brackets into place around the passenger-side front tire and tries not to react, other than to say, to the tire, “I like hydraulics. Leave me alone.”

“I like you. And I don’t believe I will leave you alone.”

Alicia, leaning against the truck, watching and not helping, says to Myka, “This is not the kind of girl I thought you’d be into.”

“This is not the girl I was originally into,” Myka tells the tire.

“You aren’t the girl I was originally into either,” Helena points out.

Myka points out right back, “You weren’t originally into me at all.” She stands up. Keeps looking down at the tire, now bracket-ensconced.

“That’s true,” Helena says.

Alicia remarks, “That part I get.”

But as Alicia speaks, Helena murmurs to Myka, “and I’m sorry for that,” and then she is pulling Myka toward her into a kiss, one that Myka is astonished to find herself first not warding off, then not stepping out of. This touch of lips is new, softer, like Helena knows that the kiss is a surprise and so is Myka’s stunned willingness to participate in it. Like Helena is in fact stealing the kiss, from whatever version of Myka would not have volunteered it. The kiss has the additional surprising effect of both stoking the want and making it easier to bear—and it is as if Helena knows that too.

As Myka regains her awareness of a world that is not Helena’s mouth on hers, Alicia is shaking her head and saying “...during that blizzard in ’97”—no doubt a pronouncement on this unprecedented sight. Unprecedented, like a three-feet-of-snow-in-twenty-four-hours blizzard in anybody’s lifetime. And everybody knows what everybody was doing during that blizzard in ’97, thanks to the baby boom nine months later.

Alicia drives the truck back. Helena sits next to her, in the middle of the bench seat, and they have a detailed discussion of how careful Alicia has to be about her nails, even with the gloves. “Not like Myka. She’d just reach in and yank a plug,” Alicia says, and Helena responds, “I’m sure she would.”

Myka sits scrunched up against the passenger-side window and watches her breath fog the glass.

At the garage, everything is routine, but for the shine that Helena’s presence lends to it all. Myka and Alicia let the car down and untether it—and Alicia seems to delight in explaining each step to Helena as they accomplish it. Inside, Manny is still there, and “Manny, this is Helena,” Myka says, like she was always going to be saying that today. Manny takes a step away from the SUV in his bay, but before he approaches, he empties his mouth of tobacco. Myka finds this unexpectedly moving. Courtly, despite the fact that he leaves his hat on as he shakes Helena’s hand and says “hey.”

He and Alicia leave soon after that, which they must have been getting ready to do even as Myka was sending her “need a tow” text. That means Manny waited on purpose for them—and that seems courtly too, even though Myka would bet it happened because Alicia spent some time telling him a story titled “Here’s Why Myka Forgot to Check That Gas Cap.” Manny likes to pretend he doesn’t have a curious bone in his body, but he grew up on telenovelas—he appreciates a plot twist. Those usually happen in Alicia’s life, though, and Myka’s not sure how to feel about taking the starring role in this particular episode.

Alicia, on her way out, says to Helena, “Hasta, stalker.” These gleeful words make Manny run through the fuller version of the cap tic: hat off, other hand through gray buzz cut, hat on. It’s not a laugh, but it’s close.

“They seem very nice,” Helena says when she and Myka are alone.

“They’re good with the cars,” Myka says. Dispassionate, even as her blood is beating alone alone alone.

“That’s delightful to know. They also seem very nice.”

“Yeah. Manny basically couldn’t care less—well, not out loud—and Alicia’s an oversharer, like you said. But yeah.” Myka starts her closing-up ritual: checking locks, storing supplies. Placing tagged keys on hooks. Double-checking each tag. She is aware enough to know that she is keeping herself, and most importantly her hands, busy—a cousin, she thinks, of Helena’s year-ago physical indecision.

“What happens now?” Helena asks.

What Myka should say is, “Now I fix a car,” because she’s got one right there in the back, broken in some way she could expend a lot of effort diagnosing. A lot of hands-busy time. What Myka does say is, “Well, you checked out of your hotel. And you missed your plane. So I guess you’re coming home with me.” The right attitude to take toward that might be joy, or it might be terror, but Myka hews, in the moment, to pragmatism: Helena is coming home with her. It’s a fact like any other fact.

Nothing dramatic happens when they do get to Myka’s house, though Myka spends the entire drive—in her own truck, which thank god is making its right sound—expecting a lightning strike, or an overturned semi releasing terrified chickens onto the roadway, or some other sign. She wouldn’t be able to interpret it, but it would at least be a sign. Instead, she finds herself carrying Helena’s roller bag inside. Finds herself turning around to be startled by Helena here in this space, exotic against a background long faded to drab.

Finds herself asking, “Have you had anything to eat?” When Helena shakes her head, Myka says, “You should eat. I’ll heat something up.” Wear sunscreen, eat food. Look for animal tracks, call me if the car breaks, get some sleep, rehydrate. If she is handing out shoulds? Then she herself should stop telling Helena what to do. Should have stopped a year ago. Should have kept from starting. “But only if you want me to,” she amends.

“That would be fine,” Helena says.

So Myka’s hands get to be busy again, now with a pan, the stove, bowls, because the best she has on hand is turkey soup in Tupperware in the refrigerator. Farther from Essaouira she could not get.

They eat together, and they drink beer, because that and diet soda are all Myka has, and Helena says she doesn’t prefer soda. She says it just that way: “I don’t prefer soda.”

That’s how it goes, like anybody’s evening at home, one in which they dwell on banalities that they had no time for—that were irrelevant—in north Africa. Helena doesn’t prefer soda. Myka crumbles saltine crackers into her soup, and Helena judges this both charming and barbarous. They discover that they have been taught wildly divergent “proper” ways of utilizing soup spoons.

Myka has no idea whether she is on fire or under anesthesia.

“This is quite good,” Helena says, setting down her spoon. “Did you make it?”

“No. Manny did.”

Helena’s head tilts. “Manny makes your food?”

“Not just Manny. Do you know why I fix cars?”

“Because you enjoy it? You seem to enjoy it.”

“I do. But also,” and Myka accepted long ago that she would always be admitting this, or demonstrating it, “I’m terrible at everything else.”

“Everything?”

That question drags in its wake a languid aspect that Myka begins to bend toward, but she says, “Just about.”

“So other people make your food for you.”

“Not always. I don’t ask them to. Manny for example tends to make extra. Since his wife left.”

Helena’s head moves—another tilt. A question.

“It’s not a story,” Myka tells her. “It’s just what happened.”

And Helena’s head moves once again, like she might pursue it, but instead she nods a such things happen nod. She looks into her bowl.

Myka asks, “Was that enough? Are you still hungry?”

“That was fine.”

Myka could stand up and busy her hands again: clear the table, wash the dishes, re-Tupperware the soup that remains in the pot. But sitting at this table, sharing these trivia, has created a thickness between them, something so substantial that dust might settle on it. Movement might frighten it away, so instead, Myka asks, “Do we need to... talk?”

“We talked a great deal yesterday.”

“We did.”

“Do you know what I realized? During that great deal of talking yesterday?”

“I honestly can’t”—Helena’s hand reaches out to hers, through the heaviness, and of course that’s the one right movement, a stroke of thin skin on thin skin, light and cool and interrupting. “Can’t. Can’t imagine,” she finishes.

“Your voice differs slightly from my memory of it.”

“So it wasn’t me telling you all those things anyway?”

“Perhaps that was sea-level you,” Helena says, and the words might be a joke, but her tone does not reveal it.

Myka swallows a low laugh anyway. “You think it’s the altitude?”

“Sea-level you then. Mile-high you now.” She smiles a sly little curve, like she’s caught Myka in the difference.

“We’re higher than that,” Myka informs her.

“Are we?” Helena asks. She stands and walks around the table, as if Myka has said “come here.” She offers her hand to Myka and pulls her up out of the chair, and then they are standing together, as they might have done a year ago, but now they are regarding each other, no desert or shoreline in sight. No sunset with its impersonal, grand beauty is here to take on any of the weight. There is only Helena, beauty nearly as grand but concentrated, sending Myka wishes-and-wants higher, proximity-and-pheromones deeper, and her bedroom is down the hall. Her head is light, and her body is heavy. High and low, she could pull on this hand holding hers, pull hard, all the way down the hall.

Could. Should? “What if this”—and Myka first intends “this” to mean this thick and thin thing between them, intends to ask something like “isn’t real?”, but she changes her mind, pushes the question in a different direction, two different directions, toward and away from that room down the hall and all its consequences—“is the worst thing we could do?”

“Then you need to take me back to the airport. Right now.” The pressure of her hand on Myka’s doesn’t change, but whatever meaning this hold of a hand conveys is expanding.

Myka raises the hand that Helena is not holding and touches the scarf, still doing its job, still protecting. “There aren’t any flights out, this time of night,” she says.

“So what you are saying is that it is too late.”

Decisions, and when we make them. What we make them about. “What did you really come here for?”

“To find out. To see.” She sighs, and Myka would ask “see what?”, but Helena is already going on, “See whether any of it was real.” She is a mind-reader. “A year ago I could see nothing through my grief. Only vague outlines: you said it yourself, that I wasn’t present. I looked on as someone else acted.”

This hurts Myka in a way she doesn’t want to examine but can’t quite turn away from. “Even when we—” she starts, and she might be trying to twist a knife deeper into herself.

Helena interrupts, again reaching into Myka’s thoughts, “Except for my wanting you, when I hadn’t wanted anything. The terror of it.”

Terror—and Myka is reminded of Helena’s “Do you think it took nothing for me to come here?” from last night, how much all of this has to have cost Helena, every step, every choice. “You came here anyway,” Myka says.

“I did.” She smiles, eyes and all. “And here I stand with you, rewarded. Incidentally, you should know that I was telling you the truth last night as well. About my motives: I did want to make sure you were all right.”

Myka moves her hand up from the scarf to Helena’s hair. Its length embraces her fingers; her blood jumps. And that is very real. “I can be. When I can look to the next minute and see that it’s taken care of, that it isn’t going to be a disaster.”

“Let me take care of the next minute. It will be no disaster. Please, let me.”

The next minute is slow and strange, like some dream of a year ago: Helena is touching Myka’s clothing, manipulating its surfaces with those familiarly busy hands, but it is present-Helena doing so, here in this wrong, dream-weird space. In the real, year-ago version, Myka had taken these actions as signifying only hesitancy, but now, with what might be dream-logic, she rereads them: then and now, these movements were, these movements are, Helena making sure of something she already knew, already knows. Not occupying or distracting herself; instead, readying herself.

Helena leans to Myka’s ear. “I can feel your body thinking. Under my hands. About the next minute?”

“About you. About everything I got wrong.” About how many times she has had to double back, on Helena’s tracks and her own.

In answer, Helena kisses her, a taste high and bright, and that is the next minute. And the next: Helena says, low and grounding, “Not wrong. Not always right, but not wrong.”

And so to the next minute, and the ones after that, as Myka begins to uncover the answers to her questions about Helena’s present body, encouraged by Helena’s own hands. She takes the beautiful opportunity to remove that protective scarf, to begin to navigate terrain that is both familiar and new—terrain that is always both familiar and new. Bodies share features, processes, but each body differs from every other, and each body differs from itself, from one minute to the next. Sickness, health. Age. Reconstructing all the differences that have come before, via traces: wrists, once starved to sticks, rarely rethicken; skin etches itself with straiae to document the swell that accommodates new life. The body records. For future reference.

All that is written on Myka’s outer body is a scar at the top of her right biceps. The buried, mutating evidence of repeated sunburns will no doubt unearth itself over time, but for now, that scar is her only physical testament of what happened. It is so small. Two inches long. Insufficient. Embarrassing.

Helena had kissed that scar, a year ago, and Myka had thought it accidental—her lips were everywhere, so there too. But now she kisses it deliberately, as if reuniting with a friend.

Myka’s entire body is reinterpreting Helena’s year-ago actions, down to the tight grip of her arm, relentless now as it was then. How could she have failed to know, then, that Helena was driving some new magic into being?

It’s Myka’s turn, this time, to break against Helena, and it’s not at all poetic; there’s no moving ocean outside the window to show her how. Yet Helena smiles as it happens, and all Myka can find as a response to this new, unbounded smile is some echo of last night’s stupefied you are saying so many words.

A thousand other things will happen, but they won’t be this.

But what is this?

This is a physical process that is just like any other, for human bodies are nothing but engines. In place of intake, compression, power, exhaust, over and over, here presynaptic terminals are stimulated, motor neurons release acetylcholine, myofilaments slide, muscle fibers contract.

This is a physical process that is unlike any other, for it transubstantiates all of the body’s details and systems and signals into a philosophy—a verb that connects I and you.

This is a physical process that Myka fears the labor of turning back into details and systems and signals. Numbered instructions and lists. Neurons, acetylcholine, myofilaments.

For she can see the next minute, and the next, and the thought of exiling herself from such new beauty is intolerable. But even as she is inside those minutes, she is outside them, asking what about the hours? Will there be empty future hours, hours that she will have to relearn how to fill, now that Helena has come inside and lain here and smiled?

In the middle of the night:

Myka opens her eyes, unsure whether her breath is moving out or in. Or at all.

“...new clothes,” her ear feels a voice—a real voice, Helena’s voice—say. Her shoulder recognizes the stroke of a real hand, Helena’s hand. Down, up, down, up, down, up: a palliative repetition.

“What,” Myka rasps, her throat arid.

“You were making noises. Straining to speak,” Helena says. “Forget that dream, whatever it was. Forget it and sleep.” The drag of her hand resumes. “The little match girl. The princess and the pea, the red shoes. The snow queen.” She pauses. “The steadfast tin soldier.” She pauses again. “The story of a mother.” She breathes. “The fir-tree. Thumbelina. The ugly duckling. The nightingale.”

The nightingale; its song. An Emperor’s tears. The real bird displaced by one mechanical, predictable. Yet when the Emperor languishes, only the song of the real sways Death to surrender his prize and depart.

In the morning:

Myka watches as Helena awakens. Her opening eyes are not at all red. Against the white of Myka’s own sheets, her skin is pale and uniform, as if the sun now chooses to shine upon both sides of her—all of her—with equal, respectful delicacy.

Myka lets her hands impersonate the sun.

The next minute. And the next.

TBC

[daenqyu]

heather | kaminari denki

— gif isn’t mine !! credits go to @misakachan

pairing: kaminari x fem!reader | platonic!kirishima x fem!reader

genre: LOTS of angst, some comfort(?)

summary: kaminari had been oblivious to your feelings for years now, and at first it was okay, you didn’t mind hiding them. until you noticed the way he looked at her and suddenly, it wasn’t okay anymore.

warnings: swearing

word count: 5.6k

a/n: this is my first time writing and posting for a bnha character so i really hope you guys like it <3 i usually don’t write angst, but i couldn’t stop thinking about this and decided to write it down and i’m very happy with how it turned out.

« i still remember third of december

me in your sweater, you said it looked better

on me, than it did you, only if you knew

how much i liked you »

YOUR whole body trembled thanks to the coldness surrounding you, the snow decorating the floor and trees being a clear sign that winter had already begun in japan. you hugged your arms in a poor attempt to provide yourself some kind of heath, only to be met with the feeling of your cold hands. out of all the days you could’ve forgotten your jacket, it had to be on one of the coldest days of december. profanities fell from your lips as you tried your best to endure the pain until the bus came, but you were sure you would pass out by then. or maybe you were exaggerating.

the bus stop wasn’t that far away from your house, maybe if you ran you could get your jacket and get back on time to catch the bus. you checked your phone to see the time, a groan leaving your lips as you realized that was going to be practically impossible. if you left now, by the time you came back the bus would be long gone. dammit, why do i have to forget everything?

“well well, look who we have here.” your ears perked up as soon as you heard the male’s voice, a small smile making its way to your lips.

kaminari made his way over to you, both hands on his pockets as he returned the smile, making the butterflies in your stomach go crazy. the smile didn't falter until he took note of your current state. his eyes widened with concern and his hands worked fast to take his jacket off.

“denki, what are you doing?” confusion was evident on your face, but that didn’t stop the blonde from wrapping you up in the warm material.

you blushed from the sudden proximity, his face just inches away as he finished zipping up the piece of clothing. it didn’t take long before his cologne filled your nostrils and you basked in the comfort it gave you; it smelled like home. kaminari’s smile returned to his face when he saw your body visibly relax at the newfound heath, even though goosebumps began to form on his skin by the sudden change of temperature. he could handle being cold for a few hours.

“there, now you won’t die of hypothermia.”

“but what about you?”

he shrugged, tilting his head to the side before answering, “it’s fine, it looks better on you anyways.”

you knew he probably meant it in a friendly way, but you couldn’t help the way your heart skipped a beat at the compliment. suddenly you felt all warm inside, and it wasn’t because of the jacket. but rather the effect your best friend had on you.

right.

the smile slowly disappeared from your face, replaced with a hurt expression instead.

that’s all we are.

realization dawned upon you quickly and you scolded yourself for almost believing something so irrational and overall stupid. but as he nudged your arm with his elbow and started talking to you about a new video game that had come out that exact same day, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he did so, you allowed yourself to hold on to that fantasy a little longer. after all, dreaming didn’t hurt anyone right?

and so, you spent the whole ride to school envisioning an universe in which kaminari returned your feelings for him. an universe in which he loved you just as much as you loved him and you didn’t have to worry about anything, because at least you had him. an universe in which you didn’t have to overthink every little thing he did, wondering whether or not he actually meant it or if he was being his usual flirty self. an universe in which you were able to call him yours.

when school ended and you found yourself at the bus station once again, with kaminari next to you, you began to take off the jacket, having it worn all day and deciding it was time to give it back. but kaminari’s hands stopped you, hovering on top of yours, before you could finish unzipping it. you looked at him questioningly, trying your best to ignore the erratic beating of your heart and the electricity you felt right where your hands were touching.

“you can keep it.” his words confused you even more.

“what? no. it’s your jacket, you’ll get cold and besides it’s-”

“oh please don’t act like you don’t love wearing my clothes.” his tone was teasing, yet knowingly eyes scanned your face and you looked away, a hint of blush across your cheeks.

“whatever, but don’t expect to get it back.” kaminari laughed, his hands leaving your own and you had to hold back from taking it and interlacing your fingers together.

as you parted ways, walking in opposite directions to head back to your houses after a long day at school, you hugged yourself for the second time that day. this time, actually being able to feel warm. both inside and out.

—

« but I watch your eyes

as she walks by

what a sight for sore eyes

brighter than the blue sky

she’s got you mesmerized

while I die »

YOU and kaminari told each other everything, well at least most things. so it didn’t surprise you when he started rambling about yet another girl. don’t get me wrong, you loved him to death, but you had to admit that the boy could be quite unlucky with the ladies, much to own your luck that is. but this time was different and you both knew it. you noticed it in the way he smiled whenever he talked about her, how he was able to light up from just hearing her name, and most importantly, the way he looked at her. and you immediately knew. because it was the same way you looked at him.

she was your classmate and friend, and you could totally understand why kaminari was so smitten with her. she was funny, smart, caring, beautiful; in other words everything you weren’t. and while it’s true you knew it was bad to be envious of people, specially your friends, you simply couldn’t not wish to be her. i mean come on, not only did she have an awesome quirk you had no chance of competing against, she also had the boy you loved wrapped around her finger and she wasn’t even aware of it.

“and then when he was about to- denki, are you even listening?” he wasn’t, but you didn’t want to admit that.

“hm? oh sorry! what were you saying?” his pretty amber eyes looked at you for only a split second, before going back to admire the dark purpled haired girl.

jirou stood a few feet away from you guys, talking and laughing with sero and mina. you could feel your heart slowly breaking as you saw kaminari’s lips curl into a small smile when she briefly looked at him, waving at him in the process. and of course you didn’t miss the way she blushed.

“ah it’s nothing important anyways.”

“hey y/n, do you think i should ask jirou out?”

oh.

you were pretty certain you stopped breathing once your brain registered his words. how could he be so oblivious?! you had been friends since fucking middle school and you were supposed to believe that he never once noticed how hopelessly in love you were with him? did you not show it enough? were you that bad at displaying your love for people? or was he just ridiculously dumb? you desperately hoped it was the latter, because deep down a part of you still believed that there was a possibility for you two. that an us could be possible if you just showed him how serious you were about him.

but the rational part of you was screaming at you to stop being so damn stupid, to finally open your eyes and realize kaminari didn’t and would never reciprocate your feelings. that you were hoping for the impossible to happen, that you were preparing yourself for absolute heartbreak if you thought for a second he would choose you over her. and while you wanted nothing more than to yell at him for being so dense, for not seeing that you were right there, you simply couldn’t. so you went with the safer option.

“y-yeah, you should. i’m sure she’ll say yes.” you were able to muster a smile, and despite the lump in your throat, you feel happiness surge through you as he turns around and gives you a big smile.

“you think so? but what if she says no?”

“any girl would be lucky to have you, denki. you’re sweet, cool, and funny. what more could a girl ask for?” you were only half joking, but of course he didn’t notice.

“well if you say it like that it just sounds like you have a crush on me.” he winked at you and you swore you were about to pass out. not only because of the wink, but because of his sudden implication. (which was a fact)

“you wish,” you snort to make it seem more real, and it seems to work because kaminari’s now pouting at you. “now go get em’ tiger.”

“please don’t say that again.”

“wow okay, cold.”

he stood up, taking a deep breath before walking over to jirou, starting off with a joke as he leaned down on her desk and, as much as she tried to stifle it, a loud laugh escaped her. apparently kaminari’s charm didn’t only work on you. but oh how you wished it did because that way you would be the one getting asked out right now, not her. quite frankly, you would give anything to have him look at you the way he was looking at her right now, as if she was some mystical creature. or better yet, as if he was under some kind of love spell that made him unable to look at anyone else like that.

from the other corner of the classroom, a certain red haired guy looked at you with pity in his eyes, but also concern. he made his way to you, sitting down in kaminari’s previous spot. you sent him a, clearly fake, smile when you noticed it was none other than kirishima, one of your best friends. but he saw right through that.

“hey,” his voice was soft and low, he didn’t exactly want the whole class to know about what was going on. “are you okay?”

you gulped, but still nodded. “of course, why wouldn’t i be?” another fake smile.

“don’t give me that bullshit y/n. you don’t need to lie to me.” that was all you needed to hear before dropping the act, your smile quickly being replaced with a frown and kirishima’s heart hurt for you.

“this sucks,” you say under your breath, looking away towards their direction only to see kaminari playing with one of jirou’s earphone jacks, which obviously made the pain in your chest worsen. “i just want him to look at me the same way he looks at her,” tears began to sting at the corners of your eyes. “is that too much to ask for?” you asked no one in particular as you looked up to kirishima.

“it’s not, but you’ll be okay,” without thinking it twice, he hugged you and you didn’t fight back, instead welcoming the warmth his chest provided you and resting your head against one of his shoulders. “you know he doesn’t know y/n, if he did i’m sure things would be different.”

“i know, but it’s fine. i just want him to be happy.”

even if it’s not with me.

but you don’t say that, preferring to just stay on kirishima’s arms a little longer while trying to ignore the two love birds giggling behind you, your heart breaking more and more each time you heard kaminari’s sweet words. because they weren’t for you, they were for her.

—

« why would you ever kiss me?

i’m not even half as pretty

you gave her your sweater

it’s just polyester

but you like her better

wish i were heather »

HIDING your emotions was something you mastered pretty well by now. you spent years keeping your feelings for kaminari to yourself and you didn’t mind at all; you had come to terms with the fact that this crush was probably one sided a long time ago. so, why did you suddenly felt the need to tell him? it never bothered you, but now, after having to see him every day making heart eyes at her and hear him talk about how cool she was, you thought maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea. you just wanted him to have the option; he deserved to know right? or maybe you were just hoping that he would choose you over her. just like you would choose him over anyone in a heartbeat.

but to be honest, you didn’t know what you would do with yourself if he didn’t. if he chose her over you while knowing you loved him too. what if she meant more to him than you did? what if he thought you were outright weird and things became awkward? what if your friendship wasn’t as special as you thought it was? you shook your head, hands coming up to your temples to try and get rid of some of the tension. no, that couldn’t be. you knew he loved you...at least as a friend.

it had been 2 months already since kaminari and jirou started talking. they weren’t oficial yet, but you accidentally overheard her conversation with yaoyorozu a few days ago and heard her complaining about how she wished he finally made a move on her. that somehow relieved you because at least they hadn’t gotten physical yet, but at the same time you wondered if you were being a bad friend by thinking that. maybe you were, but you couldn’t help it. i mean you liked the boy for fucks sake, it was understandable that you weren’t exactly hoping for them to pounce on each other.

“where’s denki?” kirishima asked as he caught up with you in the hallway, both of you making your way to the new dorms.

“don’t know, he left before i could even ask him.” you tried your best to sound neutral, but you knew you didn’t do a good job when you heard kirishima sighing. however, much to your liking, he stayed quiet and didn’t say anything about it, changing the topic to today’s events.

you were grateful to have him; he was the only one who knew about your crush on kaminari and the only one who was able to take your mind off things even for just a little while. soon enough you found yourself laughing by his side as he talked about bakugou’s weird antics and how hot-headed he could be at times, which you had experienced firsthand.

“he was all like ‘hey shitty hair, if you’re not gonna do a good work then fuck off!’ like man calm down, i didn’t even do anything.” you giggled at his accurate impersonation of the angry blonde. shaking your head as you looked up, noticing you were already at the dorms building.

you squinted your eyes when you saw two people standing right in front of the main entrance, but couldn’t make out their faces thanks to the long distance. yet the closer you got, the better you could see them. and once your eyes focused on the couple completely, everything stopped.

it was them.

they were kissing.

right in front of you.

his arms were wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him as if he never wanted to let her go, and her own were wrapped around his neck, caressing his soft blonde hair which you loved to ruffle whenever he laid down on your lap.

they looked so beautiful, straight out of a cheesy romcom movie. the sun was beginning to set and its rays reflected on their skin perfectly, making them look golden. and in that precise moment you realized just how beautiful jirou was and how much she complimented kaminari in every sense of the word. could it be that they were made for each other?

before you knew it, a single tear rolled down your cheek, and you weakly smiled at kirishima when he opened his mouth to try and comfort you, yet no words seemed to come out. because he knew that no matter what he said, the damage was already done. the couple hadn’t even noticed you two, too immersed in their own little world as they giggled and made their way inside, all while holding each other’s hands.

“they make a good couple, don’t they?” you fixed your eyes on your shoes, holding back the sobs that desperately wanted to escape you.

“y/n…” kirishima’s tone was sad, mostly because he didn’t know what to do, but also because he understood perfectly the pain you were going through. he had been experiencing it for a while now.

“i’ll see you tomorrow, kiri.” you sent him another smile, but right when you started walking towards the entrance he managed to see the tears falling down your cheeks as you bit down on your lower lip.

and somehow, that kiss proved to you that you could never beat her, that she had won over kaminari’s heart. something you could never do.

—

« watch as she stands with her holding your hand

put your arm 'round her shoulder, 

now I'm getting colder

but how could I hate her? 

she’s such an angel

but then again, kinda wish she were dead »

PEOPLE often say one’s happiness shouldn’t relay on others and you had always been a firm believer of that, knowing that people were unpredictable and that they could change at any moment given. so it was only reasonable that you made yourself happy, without needing to depend on other people, yet that didn’t really add up with your current situation. it made you look like a hypocrite.

ever since jirou and kaminari started dating, you had been spending less and less time together. the only time you could have him all to yourself was when you occasionally paired up during training and even then you didn’t really talk much. you were happy everything had worked out for them, and you loved to see kaminari happy, but it hurt you. it hurt so much, to the point that sometimes it was hard to get out of bed. 

you missed your best friend. and you knew it was selfish, but did it even matter at this point? did he he notice how you talked less and less? how you barely smiled anymore? of course he didn’t. he was too busy looking at her anyways, too busy going on dates and learning how to play the guitar just for her. his girlfriend. 

and as much as you wanted to hate them both, you didn’t have it in you. why would you? because they were happy and in love? you weren’t that desperate. but sometimes, as you watched her throw her head back while she laughed at something kaminari said, you wished he had never met her. you wished you never came to UA in the first place, that way they wouldn’t have met and you would probably still have your best friend by your side. no. even if he hadn’t met her, you knew he would never go for a girl like you.

these past few months had been hell for you, you barely left your room unless it was for school, your eating habits couldn’t have gotten any worse, and you weren’t getting any sleep, too busy crying your eyes out as you wondered what the hell you did wrong. and you knew what you were doing wasn’t healthy, but a part of you wished that something really bad happened to you just so kaminari would pay attention to you again. but he didn’t.

today was one of those days, you didn’t feel like getting up your bed just to watch a dumb movie with your classmates, and possible have to witness jirou and kaminari being all lovey dovey right in front of you. the thought alone was enough to make you roll your eyes, scoffing at how much the pair loved PDA. 

“come on y/n! it’ll be so fun.” kirishima was currently trying to convince you to go watch a movie with the rest of class 1-A in the common room, but as expected you denied his invitation. “even bakugou is going!” 

“then you’ll be more than fine without me.” 

“i’ll miss you tho.” he gave you puppy eyes and you groaned, placing your pillow over your face.

“since when are you so cheesy?”

“stop trying to change the subject,” a frustrated sigh left his lips, and you lowered your pillow to look at him. he was sitting down on the floor with his legs crossed, a frown evident on his face. “i know you don’t wanna talk about it, but you can’t keep on like this y/n.” you flinched slightly at his serious tone.

“i know,” this time it was you who sighed, weighing your options in your head. you knew kirishima was right and he was trying his best to make you feel better, so the least you could do was make him some company. “okay fine,” his head turned in your direction, looking at you hopefully. “i’ll go, but it better be a good movie.” 

“yes! you won’t regret it, i promise. and if at some point you wanna leave, then we’ll leave, but you have to at least try.” your heart swelled at his consideration; he was too sweet to you and you didn’t deserve it at all.

“you don’t have to do that, kiri.”

“but i want to. i know it’s not easy, so i’m proud of you for doing this.” his words made a lump appear in your throat. maybe you were being overly sensitive, but hearing him say that meant a lot.

it wasn’t long before the clock striked 9PM and everyone started making their way to the common room, chatting happily as they sat down and got everything ready for the night. you watched as people started to take a seat, whether it was on the couches or on the floor, and you started to get a bit anxious when you noticed kaminari walking down the stairs, but jirou was nowhere to be seen. thankfully.

as much as you tried to not let him have an effect on you, your heart still skipped a beat whenever you saw him. it was truly inevitable, but what you hated the most was knowing you had no effect on him whatsoever. 

before you could look away and hide from his view, kaminari spotted you. he sent you a big smile, waving his hand before walking over to where you stood. ok, calm down act normal. it’s just denki. you tried to calm yourself down, but your breath hitched in your throat when you suddenly felt his arms engulf you in a tight hug, your arms slowly coming up to his neck to return the gesture. you would be lying if you said you hadn’t miss this feeling. the feeling of being home again. 

but it ended way too fast for your liking.

“hey you! we haven’t hung out in a while, i miss you.” 

because you’re too busy with your girlfriend, asshole. 

“yeah sorry about that, i’ve been kinda busy i guess.” your tone was off and he noticed, but he brushed it off. maybe she’s tired.

“then what are you doing tomorrow? we can go to the mall or wherever you want to.” your head quickly shot up, looking at him with nothing but hope in your eyes.

“really?”

“of course! we need to have some bestie time.” the wink he sent you was playful, but your lips still curved into a smile from hearing him saying he wanted to spend time with you.

“then maybe we can go to this new-”

“hey babe i saved you a seat,” out of the blue, jirou appeared right next to kaminari, slipping her hand into his. and your heart clenched when you noticed he held it back tightly. “oh, hi y/n!” she sent you a warm, genuine smile, and you felt so bad for wanting her to feel your pain. 

“hi jirou.” 

“i was just telling y/n about how we should hang out.” you frowned at him, is he inviting her? 

“oh? where did you plan on going?” 

“i told her she should pick.”

“well that sounds even more fun, any ideas?”

“actually i just remembered i got some homework to finish.” it was a lie, but you didn’t have it in you to third wheel on what was supposed to be a date with your best friend.

“what?” kaminari asked you, not understanding you sudden change in attitude.

“yeah, maybe next time tho.” he wanted to ask what was wrong, but as he opened his mouth to do so, you saw kirishima walking towards the common room with bakugou and took that as your cue to leave the awkward encounter. 

“well that was weird.” he mumbled to himself and jirou looked at him questioningly, wondering what he meant.

“hm? what was that babe?” the blonde shook his head, convincing himself he was probably overthinking things. he placed his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder before walking over to one of the couches. to be more precise, the couch in front of yours. 

you sat beside kirishima, your leg bouncing up and down anxiously as you waited for iida to finally play the goddamn movie so you had something else to pay attention to instead of them. kirishima quickly noticed the unusual movement and was about to ask you what was wrong, but once he saw where your gaze was locked on, it didn’t take him long to put two and two together. 

he knew better than to ask you in front of everyone if you were okay, so he just gave your knee a light squeeze, which you highly appreciated and let him know so by smiling at him. after a few minutes that felt like eternity, iida played the movie and told everyone to not make any unnecessary noises and be considerate of your classmates which made you scoff slightly. 

twenty minutes into the movie and everything was going great so far. you had actually managed to get immersed in the plot and found yourself leaning your head against kirishima’s shoulder to get a better view, but also because the effect of not having a stable sleeping schedule was dawning on you. however, just when you thought you were about to fall asleep on your friend’s comfortable shoulder, you heard some giggles. you opened your eyes slowly, frowning when you saw kaminari leaving small kisses on jirou’s neck. your heart felt like it was being stabbed for the hundredth time and you tried to ignore them and just focus on the tv screen. you really tried to remain calm, to keep up your act just as you had done all this months, but you lost it when you heard those three damn words leave his lips.

“i love you.”

it was low, barely even audible, but you heard it. you heard it loud and clear. and just like that, with your heart losing every last bit of hope it had, you stood up from your seat abruptly, making everyone look at you, before making your way upstairs without saying another word. all of your classmates looked between them, not only confused, but also concerned. 

“oi shitty hair,” bakugou spoke from his place next to kirishima, who looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “go check up on her.” he muttered and kirishima only nodded before walking upstairs to follow you.

bakugou’s words worried kaminari even more, was there something going on with you that he didn’t know about? was that why you were acting so weird earlier? no way, you told him everything. you were best friends after all...right? and with that question on his mind, he couldn’t focus on the movie or his girlfriend anymore.

you walked towards your room silently, even though you wanted nothing more than to scream and fight someone. you wanted, no, needed to let all of your pent up frustration out. you had been patient enough, putting his happiness before your own for years now, and while you knew it wasn’t his fault at all, you wanted to be mad at him about something. you wanted him to understand that this wasn’t fair, that you could be good for him if he gave you the chance, that you wouldn’t be a waste of his time, but the only thing that was coming out of you were tears.

angry tears stained your face as they furiously ran down your cheeks, reminding you of all the sleepless nights you spent alone, crying your heart out to no one but yourself. you stood in front of your room, hand reaching out to the door’s knob to open it and spend yet another night wondering why the hell you weren’t enough. but a hand stopped you.

kirishima’s grip on your forearm was gentle, but firm enough to let you know he wasn’t going anywhere, and somehow, his touch made you want to cry even more. you tried to push him away, telling him that you were perfectly fine, yet your bloodshot eyes told a whole different story. and as much as you kicked and screamed, kirishima knew the last thing you needed was to be alone.

“let go!” seeing that holding your arms had no effect on you whatsoever, he tried a different approach. his strong arms hugged you to his chest, and, as much as you wanted to deny it, you found comfort in them. “i said let me go, kirishima.” 

“no. y/n listen to me. you need to stop bottling all your feelings up, nothing good will come out of that,” you finally started to relax, breathing heavily as you listened to his words. “it doesn’t matter if you talk, cry, or scream, but you need to voice out how you feel. if it’s not to him, then tell me. i’m always ready to listen.” his voice was so gentle, so soft, yet it held so much emotion and honesty. 

more tears fell down your cheeks as you gripped kirishima’s shirt tightly against your fingers, your face hiding comfortably on his chest. 

“i can’t take this anymore kiri,” you started talking and kirishima was quick to hug you a little tighter, one of his hands rubbing small circles on the small of your back. “i miss him so much, i miss my best friend. and i want him to be happy, i really do, but why must his happiness cause me so much pain?” a sob racked through your whole body after hearing yourself say those words, the ones you never thought you’d voice out to someone. “at first it was fine and i didn’t mind that much, but now? we barely even talk anymore, and when we do it’s always small talk. and we used to talk for hours about everything and anything, we would never get bored when we were together. now it’s like i don’t even exist to him except for when he seems to have some time to spare. did our friendship meant shit to him? because fuck i wasted years of my life loving someone who can’t even notice how much i’ve been struggling.” 

by this point your tears had stained kirishima’s shirt almost completely, but he couldn’t give less of a fuck about that. all that mattered was you and only you. the only thought on his mind was how he was gonna make you feel better. so he held you in his arms a little longer, hoping that somehow his actions could express everything he felt. his free hand came up to caress your hair while he shushed you softly, rocking you two back and forth. 

that’s how the night ended. 

you, with your heart broken in a million pieces, longing for the person who made you feel this way. because you knew you would always love him, maybe even more than you loved yourself. you knew that no matter how much you tried to hate him, you could never even get close to feeling anything but pure adoration for the boy. and if having him in your life implied having to handle all this heartache and hurt, then maybe you could endure it. because for him it was all worth it. 

and a certain redhead with all his feelings caught in his throat. he wanted nothing more than to scream at you for not noticing he understood completely how you felt, way more than you imagined, yet he knew that you would always only have eyes for him. but perhaps that was okay. if the only way to be close to you was comforting you because you loved a guy who was too dense to see what he had in front of him, then so be it. in the end it was all worth it for you.

[rebelwrites]

Let’s Get Out Of Here (NSFW)

Clay Spenser x Reader

A/N REBEL SMUT IS BACK 😜

Warnings: I think it’s just unprotected sex

Join The Group Chat Here - If You Want Tagging Manually Let Me Know 🖤

Clay Spenser Masterlist

This Months Writing

He knew what he was doing when he came strolling into the pub, straight from hitting the gym, wearing that tight shirt. He was playing a game and you were falling for it. Just like you did every single time but things never happened because one or both of you got far too drunk and ended up staggering back home. But not tonight, you were determined to get the taste of the golden boy.

So here you were leaning against the bar chatting to Jase, but got completely distracted as Clay walked in, with that god damn smirk on his face that always made you weak at the knees. And the bastard had the audacity to wink at you, sending your brain into a frenzy.

“Earth to Y/N” Jason laughed waving his hand in front of your face bringing you back to reality. “You back with us, we lost you there for a moment kiddo”

“Yeah, yeah I’m back” you nodded as you looked away from Clay and back to Jase.

That was another reason nothing had happened between you and Clay, you were deemed off limits. The first day you hung around with the guys he made it very clear you were off limits. Which sucked but you knew he was just following your dads wishes and protecting you, but it was a bit of a buzzkill with someone who you saw as an Uncle basically cock blocked you from the start.

“What were you staring at anyway?” He asked standing next to you following your gaze to a certain blonde. “Oh should have known, anything I should be worried about?”

“Nah” you laughed knocking the shot back “Well not yet anyway, just close your eyes, don’t watch me tonight or something. I’m done playing games.

“Wondered when you’d grow some balls kiddo” Jase laughed as he kissed the top of your head “Knew something would happen between you two, I’ve seen it bubbling away for the last few months now”

“So you aren’t gonna go into protective dad mode?” You asked, raising your brow at him.

“Like you said, I just won’t look, can’t do anything if I can’t see” he laughed “Go get him tiger”

You couldn’t help but laugh to yourself as you grabbed the tray of shots and your beer before heading over to the pool table where the rest of the guys were.

“Fear not the life of the party has landed” you grinned, placing the shots down on the pool table.

“But I’m already here Princess” Clay smirked, winking at you again as he reached for his shot.

“Fuck you Blondie” you grinned, knocking the shot back.

“I mean you could but I don’t think you could handle me” he laughed making you roll your eyes.

“More like you couldn’t handle me pretty boy” you winked, slapping his chest before wandering over to Sonny.

You had a plan and it was going to work this time, you were going to tease the fuck out of him until he caved. So you purposely position yourself on the pool table as you racked the balls up, your ass in his eyeline. A small smirk appeared on your face as you heard Brock say something about him staring and having a death wish.

Looking up Sonny shook his head at you laughing. He knew what you were doing, he always knew and loved watching things play out as it meant he had more ammo to throw at Clay.

As the night went on, Clay didn’t take the bait anymore and it was starting to annoy you now so you upped your game as you learn forward to take your shot, looking up from the pool cue, you locked eyes with him, slowly running your tongue over your bottoms lip before pulling it between your teeth. You didn’t know if your eyes were playing tricks on you but you swore his eyes darkened with lust and he gulped but you couldn’t say for sure.

But you weren't giving up, all you had to do was keep giving him the look whilst biting your lip and he would be putty in your hands. It also helped the dirty thoughts you were thinking as you ran your eyes over his body.

Just like you thought, it didn’t take long for him to cave as the moment you had finished the game of pool, he grabbed your wrist pulling you into his body, backing you into the wall behind you. The moment your back hit the wall you heard Sonny wolf whistle but you blocked him out only focusing on the feeling of Clay’s body pressed against you making you bite your lip again.

Your whole body was tingling and felt like it was on fire as he pinned your arms above your head, dropping his face so his lips were only inches away from yours, he was so close you could smell the beer on his breath.

“You’ve been giving me bedroom eyes for the past half an hour, time to tell me what exactly, was on your mind.” He said slowly whilst maintaining eye contact.

“Maybe you will never find out” you giggled.

“You and I both know that I will find out” he hummed as he moved his hips, slowly grinding against you, you couldn’t help but moan at the feeling, making him smirk.

Everything happened so fast, his hands moved from your wrists, running down your body until he was cupping your ass, you got the message loud and clear as you jumped up, wrapping your arms around his neck and legs around his waist, allowing him to get closer to you, his lips connected with yours as he pressed you against the wall.

The kiss was hot, heavy and full of lust. You know you were screwed as just one kiss left you feeling like you were floating so you had a feeling anything more would kill you off but it was a price you were willing to play, especially when he depended the kiss, his tongue slipping into your mouth as you said the unspoken words you both had, right there in the pub pinned against the wall.

If you could you would have ripped his clothes off him right then and there but unfortunately that wasn’t an option and neither was taking this any further, especially with Sonny around.

“Oooooh shit” he shouted slamming his hands on the pool table making you and Clay pull away from each other, but maintaining eye contact. “Some babies are being made tonight ladies and gentlemen”

Resting your forehead against Clay’s you let out a breathless laugh. You couldn’t help yourself as you got lost in his eyes. There was no going back now, the line had been crossed.

“Let’s get out of here” he whispered against your lips before stealing another kiss. “Before either of us get to drunk to carry this on”

“Your place is closer” you giggled as he gently set you down on the ground, the moment your feet touched the ground you stole his cap, it just had to be done, something you always did, placing the cap backwards on your head you ran your hand down his chest, linking your fingers with his, guiding him through the crowd with everyone whistling behind you.

The walk to his place didn’t take long but the air around you was different, the banter had turned a lot more flirty and you were both itching to get behind closed doors to finish what you had started.

The moment you walked into his apartment and the door was locked you were dragged to the bedroom, and pushed down onto the bed, and a topless Clay pinned you down with his body, you felt so happy to finally be able to roam his sculpted body with yours hands.

No words were spoken as Clay dipped his head down, brushing your hair off your shoulder, placing hot kisses down your neck, instantly making you feel weak especially when he nipped at your skin. You were under his spell and was loving it, soft moans left your lips as you bucked your hips up against him trying to get some friction.

“You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamt of this moment” you breathed as he repositioned so he could get your shirt off.

“I think I can guess” he hummed as his eyes ran down your body. “Tell me something Y/N did you ever think of me whilst you got yourself off”

“All the damn time” you whispered as you fumbled with the button of his jeans. “I just hope you live up to dream Clay”

“Oh baby it’s gonna be so much better” he smirked as he unfastened your bra, throwing it across the room, taking one of your nipples in his mouth, his tongue moving slowly making you moan.

“Please no more teasing Clay” you moaned “I need you, I need to feel you”

“Mmm now that I can do” he hummed against your skin before gently biting your nipple sending shockwaves through your body. “God you know how to drive me insane” he smirked as he undid your jeans, pulling them down your body before doing the same with your thong.

“Fuck why haven’t we done this sooner” he whispered against your skin, placing soft kisses over your body. “You know this won’t just be a one night thing, I know I’m going to get addicted to feeling you around my cock, hearing you moan my name”

“Oh god Clay please” you whimpered as he ran his finger over your core.

Within seconds he was now naked, and hovering over you, the tip of his cock rubbing against your clit making you dig your nails into his shoulders.

“Tell me if I’m too rough okay” he whispered against your lips before softly kissing you as he pushed himself inside.

A gasp left your lips as the feeling of his stretching you out, you knew he was packing but didn’t know it would feel this good, he started off slow letting you get used to him but soon got the hint by your moans and started to move his hips.

“Fuck Princess” he grunted in your ear “so fucking tight”

You knew you weren't going to last long, as your moans got louder with every thrust, every move sent shockwaves through your body making you claw at Clay’s back, no doubt leaving marks but in the heat of the moment neither of you cared.

“Clay fuck” you moaned burying your face in the crook of his neck as his thumb found your clit, finding the same pace as his hips and that familiar feeling was getting stronger in the pit of your stomach, you were close and knew he knew as he thrusted harder making you bite into his shoulder from the pleasure. “Shit, shit, shit” you panted as he pushed you over the edge of climax.

But he didn’t let off, he was chasing his own high, but he was close as his thrusts were getting slower and he pulled you as close to him as physically possible, you had no time to come down from your first high as another was building, his lips connected with yours as he pushed you down into the bed, both moaning into the kiss as you fell over the edge of ecstasy.

The feeling of him laying on top of you whilst you both came down from your high was one of the best feelings in the world.

“I normally last longer than that” he laughed, nuzzling his head in the crook of your neck.

“I have no doubt in that” you giggled as you stared at the ceiling, “I mean if that was just a quickie then you are gonna put me in an early grave”

“Is that right?” He laughed, propping himself up on his elbow “wanna see how many more rounds we can go?”

“Is that a bet Clay Spenser?” You smirked wrapping yours around around his neck “because if so game on baby”

@chibsytelford @mrsmarvelous1995 @supervalcsi

@everyhowlmarksthedead @talicat713

[nanoland]

title: Compass Rose 

series: Lucifer (TV) 

pairings: Mazikeen/Eve

summary: In which Mazikeen exercises her renowned patience. 

warnings: Lucifer is kind of a dick in this. Not intentionally; he’s just young and colossally self-centered. 

 Also on Ao3! 

0 

“You. Demon. What’s your name?” asks the Morningstar, looking bored and depressed, as usual.

She straightens up, brimming with nerves and excitement, feeling her acidic blood bubble happily because he’s so handsome! And he’s talking to her! Her siblings will shriek with jealousy when they hear of this. “Mazikeen, my liege.”

“Mazikeen,” he repeats, mispronouncing it. “Great. Maze, do something about… all that, would you? It’s dreadfully grating.”

He gestures to the sea of damned, miserable human souls milling around the base of his throne, calling up to him for help or mercy.

“Yes, my liege,” she says, her bright mind already hard at work planning the next few millennia of punishment.

 0 

“Maze, is there a letter from Amenadiel?”

Mazikeen is now four hundred years old and in all that time, not a single letter has arrived in Hell, from Amenadiel or anyone else. Regardless, her handsome king asks every week.

It’s fine. She’s far too mature and cunning to feel even the slightest scrap of envy towards some pompous old angel she’s never even met, regardless of how obviously Lucifer loves him.

Regardless of how obvious it is that he loves no one in Hell half as much.

“No, my liege.”

“Hmm. Fine. Whatever. Fuck him, then. Brothers – who needs ‘em?”

She nods. She herself has many, many brothers, and sisters, and siblings who are neither or both, and she certainly doesn’t need them.

(Sometimes she longs for them, especially when she’s weary from the years and years dedicated to building and securing Lucifer’s kingdom, but she never needs. Needing is for the weak.)

It occurs to her that that king might be cheered by stories of Tradiusis, her most treasured and most useless brother, who is prone to chatting with the damned and asking them about all the silly human indulgences they enjoyed in life, like movies and theme parks and hot dogs. Fool that he is, the mere thought of him always brings a smile to her face.

But she decides against it, suspecting that if she were to begin telling Lucifer about her family, he’d get that same dull, faintly irritated expression she sees every time she reads him a report about the number of new arrivals and how various parts of Hell will need to be restructured to accommodate them all.

(She wonders what will happen when Hell is full – does he have a plan? Is she expected to have a plan?)

(How long, exactly, are they supposed to keep doing this?)

(Surely this can’t be all they were made for?)  

 0  

“Maze, get me a drink, would you?”

Mazikeen is Lucifer’s right hand, his bodyguard, the highest-ranked demon in Hell, named the Lady of Pain, the Whirlwind, and the Blood Dancer by her peers and underlings.

Pouring drinks is… new to her.

But this is what he wants; this club, this loud music, these inebriated humans constantly demanding attention and entertainment, constantly needing to be managed. And he’s her king.

She pours him his drink and listens to him play the piano, until some wretch attempts to grope her and loses two fingers.

 0 

Running a nightclub is, it turns out, complicated.

There are all sorts of rules and regulations regarding what can and cannot be done inside it.

At one point, Lucifer decides it would be fun to have white tigers roaming the dance floor. After a few days spent looking into that option, she has to explain that they may to have settle for waitresses dressed as tigers. He pouts like it’s her fault and goes back to the piano.

She’s also not allowed to kill anyone, which is, honestly, ridiculous. Mazikeen is an ancient being, a warrior nigh unparalleled, with centuries of experience contending with the worst the human race has to offer, and every single night she endures treatment from at least one of Lucifer’s guests that, even to her vast, reasonable, and patient mind, clearly warrants swift annihilation.

If murder is, indeed, illegal, how do all the mortal women in this city who serve drinks cope?

“You block it out, I guess,” says Suzy, a waitress with thick red hair and tired eyes, after Mazikeen has had to save her yet again from a patron with wandering hands (and now broken hands). “You know, just… don’t let it get to you. Grow a thick skin.”

Mazikeen considers the half of her body that has no skin whatsoever and snickers inappropriately. Then she gifts Suzy one of her knives.

 0 

Chloe gasps. “Maze! No! Absolutely not!”

“Why?” she asks, annoyed but also genuinely curious.

“I can’t just torture a suspect to get information, Maze. It’s wrong.”

Mazikeen considers saying: You already torture people. You lock them up in tiny boxes until their minds break and their lives are utterly ruined. How is that different? I don’t understand.

Mazikeen considers saying: You let Lucifer violate peoples’ innermost selves to obtain information. How is that better? I don’t understand.

Mazikeen considers saying: I don’t want to be good. I don’t care about being good. So why do I seem to put so much more thought into how to be good than you do? I don’t understand, I don’t, I don’t.

Instead, Mazikeen rolls her eyes and says nothing.

 0 

“Maze! No! What were you thinking?” cries Linda, rushing over to the cradle. “You can’t give that to a baby!”

She snatches away Mazikeen’s present; a blade, small and silver, just right for tiny hands, the same blade Mazikeen herself received from her favourite sister on her fourth birthday. It has tasted the blood of over a hundred enemies.

Charlie starts to cry and Linda puts the blade aside so she can pick him up and comfort him.

“Children need to be able to protect themselves,” Mazikeen insists.

“No, Maze. Children need to be protected.”

“No one protected me.”

Linda doesn’t say: Exactly. Why would I want my son to be anything like you?

Because Linda is kind.

But Mazikeen is perceptive and she sees it in her friend’s eyes all the same.

 0 

“So then, then it turns out that Jon Snow is actually Daenarys Targaryen’s cousin, right, which makes him – oh no! – a rival contender for the Iron Throne, and…”

“Ugh,” Mazikeen groans, cutting Ella off. “I thought this was a show about dragons! Why does it waste so much time on people either fucking or killing their relatives?”

She laughs at Mazikeen’s exaggerated annoyance. “It’s not just about dragons. There’s a lot of stuff about politics and war and, yeah, fucked-up family dynamics. Honestly, that’s one of the reasons it grips me so much. My own family’s always got a ton of drama going on, too. I mean – no incest. Not that I’m aware of. But you know all about my brothers.”

Mazikeen is about to ask what the dragons look like – whether the show’s version bears any resemblance to the beasts she’s ridden into battle – when Ella tilts her head sideways and squints at her. “Huh. Now that I think about it… I’ve told you all about my brothers but I’ve never asked anything about your family. That was shitty of me! Can I ask now? Or is it, like, one of those things you don’t talk about? Like where you’re from and how you met Lucifer?”

Fiddling with a lock of her hair – it’s straight and black today – Mazikeen says, “I don’t mind talking about it. Just… most people don’t care.”

Ella frowns, briefly (cutely, curse her). “Well, I wanna know! You got any brothers?”

“Yeah.”

“How many?”

“A lot. I’m not actually sure exactly how many there are now.”

“Oh, right. Gotcha. Are you close to any of them?”

“Not these days. But when we were young, we were pretty tight-knit. Didn’t really have anyone besides each other.”

Ella asks her more questions and though she has to keep her answers extremely vague, Mazikeen finds that she likes talking about her home and her childhood. Prolonged exposure to the human world has begun to make her feel insubstantial; a tool, a disguise, a thing without roots or history. Lucifer’s been no help with that, for he’s only ever known her as his servant (and, sometimes, when he’s in a good mood, his friend, by virtue of the fact that friendship with someone who works for you – who can do nothing but work for you – requires no tedious emotional labour whatsoever).

It’s nice to remember that she has, in fact, been other things. That she could, perhaps, be other things in the future.

 0 

“So,” Dan slurs, hunched over his beer. “You got whores… hordes… horns? Thought demons had horns.”

She’s busy applying a fresh coat of candy-pink lipstick to match her powder-blue bob. “Some do. I don’t.”

“Well, that sucks. That’s not fair! You deserve horns. You’re cool, Maze.”

Because that provokes a twinge of genuine affection, she says, “Wanna see what I have got?”

“Hell, yeah!”

He grins drunkenly.

“You need to promise not to scream.”

“Oh – oh, man, is it scary? Is it gross?”

She shows him her true face.

After a moment of owlish blinking, he shrugs and returns to his beer. “Eh. S’not that gross. Lucifer’s grosser. Wanna play pool?”

 0 

Amenadiel presents her with a beautiful black sheath. “I crafted it from my own feathers. It will keep the blade contained until he’s old enough to wield it safely.”

She slides Charlie’s knife into it. “Someone will need to teach him.”

“Who taught you?”

“Me? No one. They just threw us at one another and clapped for whoever survived. But… well. He’s not like me, is he?”

The angel places the sheathed blade down beside Charlie’s stuffed rabbit and plastic truck. “Maybe not now. With any luck, that will change.”

 0 

“Ma-aaze,” Lucifer groans, flopping back in his armchair with his long legs artfully folded and his hand over his eyes. “I’ve had such a tiresome morning. Pour me a drink, would you?”

“Pour it your damn self,” she suggests, standing on his penthouse’s balcony and admiring the view. His throne in Hell was about as tall as this building. From up here, all the little people down below look exactly the same.

He pouts and fetches a glass – and, to her surprise, one for her as well.

 0 

Mazikeen brings an abrupt, efficient end to the bar fight by slamming her palm into an assailant’s solar plexus.

He drops like a ton of bricks, joining the pile of groaning men, broken furniture, and smashed bottles. (Shit; it’s going to take ages to clean all this up. If Lucifer didn’t have infinite money, Lux would have gone bankrupt eight times by now.)

She turns to see Eve staring at her, beautiful mouth hanging open, and braces herself for the “Maze! No!”.

“That was so cool,” Eve breathes, and rushes over to leap into Mazikeen’s arms, only to draw back at the last second. “Oh no! You’re hurt!”

There is, indeed, a small cut on Mazikeen’s left hand.

“Don’t care, doesn’t matter,” says Mazikeen, reaching for her, wanting badly to be kissed.

But Eve drags her into a quiet back room where she applies disinfectant and bandaids with cartoon cats on them.

“I really wanna learn how you did that thing with your elbow,” she chatters, wiping away a few spots of blood with a white handkerchief. “The way his nose just went crunch! – man, it was fantastic.”

“I can teach you. If you like.”

Eve’s dark eyes are fond. “You’re always offering to do something for me – to teach me how to fight, or to carry something, or to protect me. It’s… like, I love it. But you know you don’t have to, right?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“I wanna do stuff for you sometimes. Oh! That reminds me. Lucifer was going to take Chloe to a wrestling match but then they had another fight and he’s back to being sad, sooo I stole the tickets out of his jacket. Wanna go?”

“I love you,” says Mazikeen, even though she’s said it five times today. She likes the way it sounds in her mouth. She likes the way it makes Eve’s whole face sparkle.

“I love you too, babe.”

[pl-panda]

Damienette arranged marriage: part 22

Credits: Miraculous Ladybug team for the elements I take from MLB show. DC for their characters, @ozmav for the AU, @maribat-archive for giving me access to so many different stories to have take inspirations from, @thyladyanput for idea for Chat Damian and me for the plot.

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 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20

Part 21

Damienette arranged marriage: part 22

NEXT

-------------------------------

“I can assure you me and your father can take care of ourselves.”

“Against normal villains yeah, but what if someone scarier comes. Or a particularly vicious Akuma?”

“What do you want to say sweety?”

“Maman… I want you to join the miraculous team.” Marinette stated and pulled a small box from her bag. 

--------------------------

“Oh sweety.” Sabine took the box and opened it. Inside laid a panjas bracelet with tiger mark in the middle. “You didn’t have to. Your old lady can kick ass without such things.” She smiled and put on the bracelet. A dark pink spirit reassembling a tiger appeared.

“Oh! Hi there. Hi hi. I see I have a new wielder.” Roaar turned to Marinette. “Thank you guardian for choosing me for this. I am sure we will achieve great things together.”

“No problem Roaar. I hope you two will get by great together.” The girl smiled at enthusiastic Kwami.

“Uh… Hi little spirit. My name is Sabine.” Mother spoke, getting Roaar’s attention. 

“Ah. Pleasure to meet you. Hi Hi. I am Roaar, the kwami of power. I can grant you the strength, speed, agility or endurance in battle.”

“Roaar is also very friendly. You told me that you wish to have someone to read books with like the old times but I am always busy. She said she loves adventures. I am sure you will have a perfect time together maman!” Marinette was beaming. She could already see that her mom and the kwami would match each other perfectly. 

“That is indeed very considerate Marinette. Thank you for this gift. I can assure you we will do our best to help you sweety. And kick Chat Noir in the ass the moment I see him.” Sabine smiled overly sweet at the thought. 

-----------------------

The next two months passed without much progress. Police disregarded the evidence whatsoever and all attempts to infiltrate Agreste manor ended with failure. The new heroine Pink Tigress joined the permanent rooster of heroes in Paris. Ladybug offered her father a miraculous too, but he decided that he will leave this stuff to the awesome girls in the house. 

Marinette spent most of her days either with Damian or Chloe. The girl didn’t pester Marinette for a miraculous like she expected and even covered for the young heroine when she needed it. She declared that she will earn her right be hero properly this time. But she was still her sassy self.

Alix indeed shifted sides, but so far she was unable to convince anyone else about Lila’s lies. Any attempt would end up with some Akuma and later the person would not remember what caused it or would eat up Lila’s lies. In the end it seemed that the liar was rooted too deeply to remove her. It didn’t really disheart neither Damian nor Chloe from trying. The two made it their personal mission to at least make Lila fear for her little empire at each step, albeit with little success besides few Akuma attacks. Marinette had no way of persuading them to stop. 

On the bright side of things, Sabine got in contact with Cass. At first the girl was reluctant to trust her newly discovered aunt, but as the relationship progressed the two woman got on the good side. Roaar also helped. Even if the sprite was not visible on camera, she still spoke on the phone and somehow the curious cat made Cass open up just enough for Sabine to make a connection. 

---------------------------------------

With the trip rapidly approaching, Ladybug called the war council. All of the active heroes (and Chloe) gathered in Hotel Grand Paris since it was easier and less risky. They all came in civilian clothes under different excuses. Only Pink Tigress actually used her hero persona to enter. And Chat Noir was not invited.  Nobody wanted him and Tim decided that he had some revelation about the cat. 

“Okay. We can begin.” Tim said as he activated the scrambler. No transmission could now enter or leave the room without his permission. 

“Yes. As you all know soon Damian and I will have to leave for Gotham to finalize some of the… matters.” Marinette started, but her husband interrupted her

“tt. We are formalizing the marriage.” Damian bluntly explained.

The girl blushed, but continued anyway. “Yes. And it will be hard to keep fighting Akumas on the distance and with the time difference.”

“Maybe give someone else the earrings for the time.” Stephanie disregarded the matter. “I mean look at how many heroes there are here. I am sure we can deal with this.”

“Actually, the only two staying will be Ryuko and Viperion.” Sabine quickly dozed off the girl’s hopes.

“What?” Stephanie was surprised by this. 

“Miss Bourgeois...” Damian stopped himself from saying ‘Yellow Menace’. Just because the two worked against common enemy (Lila) didn’t mean they had to like each other. They both rivalized for Marinette’s attention. So far Damian still got most of it, but the girl made sure that Chloe didn’t feel neglected. She always made sure to invite the mayor’s daughter to all group activities and things that weren’t dates. Or at least what she didn’t think would be dates. That was one weird evening. 

“Chloe is going with the class. And I am very sorry Chloe but I am still hesitant to trust you with Miraculous.” Marinette stopped Damian from saying something that would turn the war council into just war.

“No worries Mari-bug. I know I acted utterly ridiculous! and I still must work for the trust. And I have some business in Gotham that I couldn’t really miss.” Chloe grinned maliciously. 

“Do we want to know what is that you seek in the city of crime, miss Bo… Chloe?” Kagami asked. She was still not used to referring to others by their first names. 

“Nope!” The girl stated smugly, popping the ‘P’. 

“Maybe it would be best to look back at Paris right now.” Luka decided to remind them why they were here between humming some songs. 

“Yes! But before the Hawkmoth matter, “ Marinette looked at the older Wayne in the room. “Tim, you said you had something about Chat Noir.”

“Right. Just let me get some coffee first” He stood up but Steph and Damian pulled him down.

“No coffee for you before this is over Drake. Some of us had evening plans.” The glare Damian sent him could only be rivaled by his fathers one, but Tim just shrugged. The boy was either bravest person on earth or just much too tired to care about his health. Given the amount of coffee he drank, it was almost certainly the second one.

“Fine Demon Spawn. Way to ruin the mood.” Red Robin instead displayed the video of fight with Chat d’Amour from various cctv cameras. “One thing bugged me about this one. He was akumatized to go after Mari, but it doesn’t make much sense. What would get him upset?”

“I… Actually I have no idea…” Marinette admitted.

“Oh! I can have few ideas.” Chloe chimed in. “But none are good. The best one is that this leather-clad jerk was just self-pitying himself so much that he attracted Akuma. But the other one is much worse: he actually followed you around and got angry with the fact you were dating Damian. It means he is even more creepy.” At this idea Marinette couldn’t help but notice that Kagami and Damian instinctively grabbed their swords. The fencer now carried a katana around. Her mother was pleased when the girl extended her repertoire and Damian had a sparring partner. Plus both looked less awkward if both brought swords to school. What Mari failed to notice is her mother slipping one hand into the sporting bag she had and pulling a rather large knife. It only got her attention when Sabine started sharpening it while looking about as casually as Chloe when she was applying make-up. She seemed natural.

“Uh… I apreciate the protectiveness, but I think you are scaring someone maman.”

“Don’t worry sweety. I just remembered that I forgot to do this back home.” Mother said casually, trying to calm her daughter. “I asked your aunt to get me one with Cat motif on it.” 

“Maman!”

“ekh.” Damian faux-coughed, getting their attention.

“Right. So what is the real reason Tim?”

“Well, I did some thinking and I came to the conclusion that while both reasons are probable, neither match the timeline.”

“Get to the finish line hon.” Stephanie urged him.

“Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste.” Tim sighted.

“I take it back. Explain.” The dumbfounded expression on Spoiler’s face spoke volumes.

“So first I back-tracked the time of his akumatization. Based on the moment he crashed your party I put it against how long it would take him to get there from each point in town and how long it would take Akuma to get from the spawning zone to him in that location. All times were average and I factored in the uncertainty. But no matter how you look at it, to match with this exact timing he had to start from this circle.” To make it easier to understand, Tim displayed the map of Paris with maked Hotel, the spawning zone as they came to call area from where Akumas supposedly originated (now even smaller than before with Agreste Manor close to the center), and a ring around the hotel. “As you can see, the ring goes directly through College Francoise Dupont. It would make sense if he was actually in the building or at least close. We also already knew that Chat Noir was around the same age as Marinette. This leaves us with three options. He would either need to be home-schooled, attend the college or not go to school at all to be able to be there. That is unless he was skipping school, but it is improbable.”

“And why is that Sherlock?” Chloe interrupted.

“Because it would be too hard for him to skip school enough to stay Chat Noir. I checked his arrival time on other Akuma cases. There is no other school in close enough proximity for him to attend if he didn’t constantly skip classes just to patrol the city or more specifically shadow your class. Take that Queenie!” He raised his hand in the air before resuming his serious tone. “Anyway. Based on this and the fact he was always close to his class I came to conclusion that he was a student at the school. Then I just went through all the male students that weren’t akumatized and compared their confirmed locations with Chat Noir sightings. I admit the Gorrizilla case threw me off track for a moment, but then I noticed that Chat was not present for the most of the case until Adriens head was covered by a helmet. It just so happened that our model just so happened to meet his look alike on that day. Coincidence? I think not!” He screamed.

“That is indeed some revelation…” Kagami started, but Tim shushed her.

“That’s not the end. I believe that Chat Noir is now working with Hawkmoth!”

——————————————————————————————————–

Taglist (sorry if I missed you)@pheonixashtree @sassakitty @unabashedbookworm @vixen-uchiha @maggiecc12 @actualdisasterwoman @tired-butterfly @shizukiryuu @floralfi @imanerddealwith @northernbluetongue @krispydefendorpolice @toodaloo-kangaroo @dast218 @bluesoulblueheart @theatreandcomicfreak @disneyfoxuniverse @mindfulmagics @alwaysnumberonetruth @nyaabinch @jardimazul @lenamau @rosep16 @dramatic-squirrel @sonif50 @daminett4life @lulutheawkwardess @weird-pale-blonde-person @mooshoon @jeminiikrystal @mochegato @moonlightstar64 @dragonflyswing @silverwhiteraven @shamefullove @magic-miraculous @valeks-princess @heaven428 @mlbchaosqueen @winter-gardenflower @spicybelladonna @emo-elaine13 @vetilora @karukofox21 @my-name-is-michell  @sturchling @lokiifriggasonn @redscarlet95 @melicmusicmagic @interobanginyourmom @the-fusionist @razzledazzle247 @miss-mysterys-blog @darkthunder1589 @i-is-mysterious @catthhay @the-one-woman-army @zestyzealot @dahjokester @write-for-your-life2 @mermaidreject @peachedpocky @sassakitty @dahjokester @crazylittlemunchkin @novicevoice @justafanwarrior @eliza-bitch @schrodingers25 @tired-butterfly @toodaloo-kangaroo @redscarlet95 @miukiiu @sassakitty @corabeth11

[ao3bronte]

🐞Little Lady Paws🐾

1 | 2 | 3

Ladybug gets into a “hairy” predicament when an akuma capture goes wrong.

A collaboration between @ao3bronte​ and @yamina20-blog​ 💕

Carefully clinging to Chat’s wrist with all her strength, Chat flies passed the buildings and rooftops of the 4ème arrondissement on his way over to Master Fu’s. Ladybug tries her best to stay focused on the skyline but she soon gives up and just closes her eyes in an attempt to keep herself from getting sick to her stomach. How did Chat get around the city like this? The jarring ups and downs of his baton on the concrete below made her head spin!

Finally, Chat slows his momentum and lands in a crouch. Feeling safe enough to open her eyes, Ladybug watches from behind his thumb as Chat crawls through Master Fu’s kitchen window and somersaults over a small pile of dishes.

“Back for more tips in Mandarin, Chat Noir?”

“Not exactly,” Chat replies, setting his baton in its holster as Master Fu walks through the threshold of the room, “We have a problem.”

“I can see that,” Master Fu says, peering outside the window at the menagerie of animals blocking traffic on the streets, “I presume Ladybug has found herself in a hairy situation?”

Chat snickers, unfurling his fingers, “She's a hamster.”

“Oh deer,” Master Fu responds with a wry smile of his own, stroking his beard, “There's not much we can do about this, to be perfectly honest.”

Nothing we can do?!

Master Fu glances down at Ladybug and offers up his palm, “I'm afraid not, although we should all be very lucky you didn't turn into an actual Ladybug. That would have been much worse.”

Ladybug pads over to Master Fu’s palm and sits gingerly, her little shoulders slumping forwards. How is she going to cure the damage done by the akuma if she couldn’t be changed back? How is she going to save Paris when she’s stuck like this?

Chat nods in agreement and follows Master Fu into the main parlour, “Is there any way I can cure the damage? There’s got to be something I could do.”

“The Black Cat Miraculous is capable of many things, but Ladybug’s Cure isn’t one of them,” Master Fu sits down on the bamboo mat and invites Chat to follow suit, “The fact that her yoyo let you capture the akuma is a miracle unto itself. It goes to show that you trust each other enough to allow each other to use your weapons intrinsically, which isn’t always the case with each pairing. However, I’m afraid that’s where the sharing ends.”

“So I can’t purify the city?”

“No, and neither can she,” Master Fu sets Ladybug down onto the mat and waits for her to situate herself, “She’s far too small to hold the crowbar herself. If she had been turned into an ape maybe, or a tiger…”

Chat grimaces, “So we need to find a way to make her bigger?”

“I don’t think that’s even possible,” Master Fu says with a sigh, glancing down at Ladybug’s frowning eyes. “Your best bet is to keep her close and hope that Le Papillon creates another akuma that can help you in some way.”

“I can’t say that we’ve ever found an akuma helpful,” he shrugs, drawing a claw across the bamboo mat, “But I guess we don't have a choice.”

“No, we don't,” Master Fu reaches out and lightly rubs the pad of his finger between Ladybug’s little ears. It's a strange sensation, but not a bad one, and she leans into his touch, “These things have a way of solving themselves sometimes. This is hardly the first time a Ladybug has found herself in a bind.”

Ladybug chirps, drawing his attention to her paws as she rolls them in a circle, “You want to hear more?”

Ladybug nods eagerly and Master Fu smiles, “Before my time, I heard of a Ladybug who was turned into a stone statue. It took the entire team to find a solution, but they did in the end. The Peacock Miraculous is particularly good at bringing a person's needs to light if they’re in a tough situation and using her feathers, she and the other Miraculous that were active at the time brought her back to life.”

“It’s nice to know that the Peacock wasn’t always used for evil,” Chat says with a frown, fiddling idly with the cuffs of his boots, “But I guess we don’t have that luxury now. Are you sure you don’t have a potion or something that could help us?”

Master Fu shakes his head, “I’m sorry to the both of you. As I said, you simply have to be patient and hope Le Papillon takes advantage of all of the strife taking place in the city.”

Ladybug sighs and it comes out as a squeak. How am I going to tell my parents?

Master Fu gives her another scritch between the ears, “We’re going to have to find a way to communicate with you. Any ideas Chat Noir?”

“A mobile phone or an iPad?” he suggests as Ladybug turns to face him. She glances down at her paws and nods, “Alright. I’ll find you one to talk on once we get you somewhere safe.”

“You won’t be able to go back to your parent’s home looking like this,” Master Fu says, pointing to the red and black earrings still adorning her ears, “It’s a risk letting anyone see you with your Miraculous still active.”

Chat Noir continues to fidget, “Will she detransform at some point?”

“I doubt it, but you never know,” he responds, “Which is why we need to keep her someplace where she can stay out of harm’s way.”

Chat looks just as puzzled as she feels, “跟我一起吗?” [Gēn wǒ yī qǐ ma? - With me?]

Rubbing her ears, Ladybug spins around and glances between the two of them with wide eyes. Did she just lose the ability to understand French all of the sudden? Or did they just…

“我 觉 那 最好.” [Wǒ jué nà zuì hǎo - I think that would be best.]

HEY! She stomps her foot and chirps up at the two of them, heedless to their guilty expressions. Speak in a language I can understand!

“Chat Noir is going to bring you to a trustworthy friend of his for safekeeping,” Master Fu explains, clasping his hands together, “You’ll be safe with him and Chat Noir will retrieve you when the time is right.”

Ladybug cheeps indignantly, What about school? And I don’t want to stay with Chat Noir’s friend! I want to go home!

“I’m sorry Ladybug, I really am,” Chat Noir’s lips twist into a grimace, “But I promise, my friend is really nice. You’ll be safe there, I know it.”

Facing no other feasible option, Ladybug slumps onto her haunches. How long would she be stuck like this? And why did this have to happen to her?

“Keep in touch,” Master Fu says to Chat Noir over her head and Ladybug has never felt so small, “I will be keeping an eye on things in the meantime. If you need any help, do not hesitate to call.”

“Yes Master,” Chat Noir climbs back onto his feet and scoops her up into his palms once again, “See you soon.”

They’re back out under the setting Parisian sun before she knows it and she clings desperately to him, drawing on all of her rodent strength as he zips through alleys and cantilevers over rooftops. He senses her distress after a minute or two and deposits her onto his shoulder, “Would it be easier for you to hold onto my collar?”

Ladybug hopes her newly acquired fur covers her blush of embarrassment as she settles against the warmth of his neck, blinking as she gets her bearings. She digs into his mardarin collar with her paws and maneuvers herself until she’s more or less straddling his zipper, her haunches resting on the top of his bell.

“Comfy?” he laughs nervously and Ladybug shivers as his voice rumbles through his chest and Adam’s apple, the sound tickling her fur. She squeaks a reluctant affirmative and he's off once again, at a slightly less breakneck pace, much to her relief.

His untamed hair grazes her own from time to time and Ladybug finds it easier to just bury her face in the notch between his collarbones and hold on for dear life. She'd be thoroughly embarrassed at the closeness of her position but she's already so out of her element that she just can't handle another blow to her ego and simply prays that Chat Noir's friend is a nice enough person and will treat her kindly while she's forced to stay with him.

"We're almost there," Chat Noir cradles her for a moment and Ladybug peeks out from behind his collar, spotting a familiar mansion on the horizon.

Where are we going?

"See that big home to the left, Ladybug? That's where my friend lives."

WHAT?!

"He's a really big animal lover," Chat Noir chuckles, hovering on the cusp on his baton so she can get a better view, "But his father would never let him get a pet so I think he'll be really happy to see you."

BUT THAT'S—

"You already know who he is, you've saved him a hundred times from akumas. And he's a really big fan of yours too so you'll have lots of things to talk about."

CHAT NOIR , I DEMAND YOU PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!

"I promise you're going to have a great time. Adrien Agreste has wanted a hamster ever since he was little."

They land with a gentle thud on a familiar eave beside a wall of floor to ceiling windows and Ladybug feels the breath leave her lungs.

"He's not home right now, but I'm going to leave you here anyway. When I find him, I'm going to explain everything that happened so you won't have to worry! And I promise that I'll come by to visit everyday to let you know what's going on."

Slipping in through an open window, Chat somersaults inside and walks towards the bed at the far end of the room. Ladybug's heart begins to patter in earnest, the realisation on whose bed she's about to be dropped on dawning before her eyes.

"And here you are. This will be home for the next couple of days...I'm sure it won't take any longer than that for Le Papillon to make the next move," Chat looks around for a moment before bending down to her level, his elbows making little divots on the mattress before her, "Take it easy on Adrien, okay? I know you're not happy, but like Master Fu said, it could have been worse!"

He smiles and it's so genuine that Ladybug's indignance melts, if only a little.

"I better get going," Chat straightens and waves at her one last time, "Adrien will be back before you know it! À plus!"

Chat Noir disappears and suddenly Ladybug finds herself alone.

In Adrien's bed.

As a hamster.

ಠ_ಠ

[lokispettigerr]

Painting the Wind: Jotun!Loki x Female!Reader SMUT (NSFW)

Requested by @rougepetale. I killed three Bilgesnipe with one arrow though because I decided to follow out two more requests-- a Jotun!Loki fic and a dark fic. This is book material and I am proud. 

***It is Pet Tiger Tuesdays!!!! Get stoked!

Summary: Reader drives men, and women, wild with just her scent. One evening, she attends her friend’s art viewing at a studio. When Loki catches her scent she runs, spurred on by the dangerous lust that he radiates.

Word Count: 4096

Warning: Sex Pollen, Dom Loki, Non-Con

A/N: So, remember that Mushroom Muse Stew I posted about a while back? Maybe last week, well it pops up again here. **Not my image

Beauty, attraction, and irresistibility is a blessing and a curse. 

When I was younger, I was raised by monsters who injected their precious serum into my blood year after year after year. Each injection would make me the person I am today, the beast I have become. But do you ever wonder who the true monster is? The beast that was either born into its circumstances or forced into them, or the people or superhuman entity that made them the way they are.

As I look in the mirror now at my reflection I don’t look much a beast. I have doe eyes, bright and big. My lashes make shadows dance upon my cheeks. My lips are full and my skin glows inhumanly. I have womanly curves and hair that shines even on a cloudy day. 

If you want to know the truth, how I really feel about all this talk of monsters and beasts. I think that both parties are at fault. The people who raised me are at fault for sure for forcing this path upon me, but I too am at fault. You gasp? You are shocked? You don’t know me. There are times when I enjoy the way people are uncontrollably aroused towards me. I enjoy knowing that I am constantly in control because they would do anything to be with me, if even for a few moments. You see, there is a part of me that is very much like the monsters who raised me. I am greedy. I was never given love or affection and no matter how much I get now, even an infinite amount… It would never be enough. There is something in me insidious and wrong. 

I turned from my reflection just as my open hand turned to a fist wanting to smash the shiny glass into pieces. What good would that do me? 

I left the house, my heels clicking down the sidewalk outside of the apartment building. The wind was beginning to pick up and the sun kept passing behind giant, ominous looking clouds. I kept my head down shielding my eyes against the wind as my hair fanned out, causing a trail of pheromones to sway luxuriously out behind me. 

Everywhere I went I painted the tail of the wind with my intoxicating scent. Of course, this wasn’t always safe, but I had been trained by the monstrous, mad scientists that raised me. I was unbelievably strong and was meant to be a breeding *whore* to create super soldiers. 

I was an experiment gone wrong. All of my sisters were too. All of us failed. It was something I always found laughable. 

We were all deemed infertile. The pheromones they so ruthlessly injected us with made us alluring, but ironically it nuked our reproductive organs. No sweet bundle of baby joys would ever be a product of me, and in truth, I liked it better that way. I can imagine that with my background I would be a horrifying parent. 

I essentially was a super-soldier. I could practically strangle a man with my bare hands within moments. I could hit someone on their shoulder hard enough that their head would come clean off. When I was a kid, and not very strong I would walk past dandelions doing the same thing. Hitting them hard enough for the flower head to pop right off, all while I ran along wearing a white dress, bows in my hair musical laughter pouring from my lips. Innocence turned to corruption-- it has always been there. 

My text notification chirped and I pulled the phone out of my pocket with a quick glance at the screen. I was meeting Willow at her art showing tonight. I had promised and I was going to come through for her. Being around a group of people like that always made me antsy, all of them would be horny and wanting to grab at me being in close proximity but luckily, Willow mentioned there was an open bar. When I was able to get a little buzz, the anxiety from the surrounding horn dogs usually lessened and I could loosen up, even give them a little of what they wanted. 

I turned the corner and approached the art studio building, “Montross Art Studios” a golden wire looking sign read. It swayed back and forth in the wind as the breeze began to pick up. I could only hope that when I opened the door, the wind would not blow my scent within the art studio. In close quarters it moved slowly, but if the wind stirred the air it would be a scent spread like wildfire. 

I was lucky. The wind had stopped long enough for me to get inside the studio. The door creaked loudly on its hinges, but the studio was full of laughter and chatter, blues music playing over the speakers. 

I scanned the sea of faces looking for Willow’s dark bob and big brown eyes. She was around somewhere, I could sense it. I knew I would run into her eventually and my nerves were already jumping and on highwire so I decided to go to the bar and grab a drink. 

A handsome man stood up against the bar, his posture excuding cockyness and confidence-- of course, if I looked like him I would do the same thing. His hair was shockingly black and his eyes were bright green. He was leaning over the counter of the bar talking in an erotic purr at the bartender who would laugh intermittently while he took a clean wipe towel and rubbed different glasses, making them have a shine. 

He took a sip of a green drink and placed the cup on the bar to move a strand of his black hair behind his ear, exposing his sharp jawline. I was usually not nervous when approaching any sex, but this man at the counter made me feel uneasy. I weighed my options, continue to feel anxious and on edge throughout the art gathering or face one man for a few moments, order a drink, and feel the calm settle over my brain like a security blanket. The choice was easy, a few minutes of discomfort was much easier than discomfort the remainder of the night. 

I made sure to walk as smoothly as I could, so as not to stir the air. When I made it to the bar I kept my distance from the attractive man who oozed danger all about him. 

“Hi there,” I paused while I looked for the bartender's name tag, it read, “Joe?”. I giggled, “ You aren’t sure if Joe is your name?”

He shot me a shy smile back, “If I made a beautiful woman like you laugh then I have succeeded. For you, I’ll be whoever you want me to be. What’ll you have?”

“Just a martini please.” I glanced from the side of my eye at the dark-haired man standing beside me. I could feel his piercing gaze. “Joe, she was mistaken, she will have what I am having.”

I looked at him, wide-eyed, my eyebrows going up. Joe seemed confused, “She said she would like a marti--”

The man standing beside me cut him off, his eyes boring through Joe and into the wall, “Absinthe, Joe. Get the lady Absinthe.”

Joe’s face went blank and he immediately began to pour Absinthe. A chill went down my spine, I had never seen someone command something with such force. I quickly began to rethink the drink. Screw this, I could be uncomfortable the rest of the night. 

Once the bartender had finished preparing the Absinthe he lit the sugar cube on fire. I could not deny the color of the Absinthe combined with the bright burning flame was beautiful. I smiled to myself enraptured by the fire. For a moment I felt alone in the room, the fire holding my attention. It was so beautiful. 

“Your complexion is glowing.” The twilight satin voice brought my thoughts back to the current situation. 

I looked away from the flame, “Just a trick of the light, everyone looks captivating against the allure of firelight.”

The man was silent as he continued to watch me, his eyes half-lidded. 

“I think not,” he whispered, “you’re special…”

I feigned ignorance, after all he was just feeling the average effects of being too close to me. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” I wanted to take a sip of the absinthe, something to keep my mouth busy so I no longer felt the need to carry on this conversation. 

Just then, the door to the studio opened and a gust of wind blew in stirring the air around me, making my hair twirl along my back and shoulders. The flame above the absinthe blew out. Shit!

It was as if time stilled, the man beside me went rigid-- his body freezing, all except for his nostrils which flared dramatically, taking in my scent. His eyes fluttered closed and his head reclined slightly back. Strangely, blue lines were creeping up his neck, and his skin began to darken. 

My eyes searched the crowd, Did anyone else see this? 

His eyes shot open, burning and completely red, “What were you saying?” 

I had to get out! “Uh, gotta go!” I turned to leave, but his fingers quickly closed around my arm. “Not so fast,” he warned. He was strong, superhuman strong. I should have easily been able to break his hold on me but his grasp was like chains of solid iron. 

Just then Willow approached. The mysterious man released my arm, but not before Willow saw him holding it. 

“What’s going on here, Loki?” She asked, a concerned look on her face. 

I answered instead. “I’m so sorry Willow, I got a call. I’ll try to see if I can make it next time.” I ducked my head not wanting her to see the lie. 

Her face fell, disappointment covering it, “Well, okay, if you have to go, I understand.”

I began to walk away, towards the door, towards freedom, “I’ll call you!” I called out over my shoulder and the door slammed behind me. I never looked back to see what the man was doing or if he was watching me, but every fiber of me felt like it was the sugar cube still sitting on the absinthe, on fire, burning brightly-- a flame that would never extinguish. I knew he was watching me as I walked away. 

Usually, I don’t have this kind of reaction, but my body screamed at me to get away as fast as I could. It was as if my brain knew, from all the strength and training that I had, even I could not hold my own against the man in the art studio-- Loki was it? What an odd name. I shoved my arms, hurriedly into my cloak and quickly flipped up the hood. I carried around a thin cloak oftentimes, it helped keep my pheromones in one place and not billowing all about-- plus it looked kinda cool. 

With each step I took, my anxiety increased. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being followed. I sped up my pace only to hear what sounded like footsteps approaching at the same speed as my own. I glanced back, the wind tugging ruthlessly at my hood. No one was there. It was only me, the echo of my footsteps. I was alone and so close to home. I would be safe soon. 

My heart was racing and my blood was pumping, making a whooshing sound that filled my ears and pounded around my head. Every few moments I would glance back only to see an empty sidewalk and a few dried leaves skirt by, pushed on by the wind. 

Dusk had settled, not doing anything to help my nerves, and street lamps flickered to life. The harsh light pooled down at the sidewalk interrupting any chances I had at using my night vision. I would try to peer out past the bright lights towards the edge of the trees or across the sidewalk from where I loped, but all I could see were shadows with hunger in their eyes and saliva dripping from their teeth. None of it was real, my fear was making it all up. My imagination was running wild and I knew that as soon as I made it back home and my locks were in place everything would be right in the world. 

Wait… There, what was that? Footsteps not matching my own approaching from behind, my breath caught in my throat and I opened my mouth in case I needed all the air possible for a scream. I was so close, so close to home-- just around the corner and I could rush up the steps, past the lonely, naked lady fountain, past the gardenias making the night smell aromatic, past the garden bed, past the empty swing that often rocked back and forth in the cool night air as it creaked out a forlorn tune, all the way up seven steps to the threshold of my *home*.

I opened the old iron gate, tossing it shut behind me without ever looking back. My hood flew off in my hurry to get inside and I skipped up the steps taking two at a time. The keys were already in my hand and I forced them into the latch turning while I simultaneously twisted the knob. 

The smell of the sage I had burnt early trickled out. I inhaled deeply, the sigh that left my parted lips was one of triumph. I had made it. I shrugged out of my cloak, exposing the skin on my shoulders. I tossed the keys towards the stand near the door and they landed with a sharp clack. The house was dark, but it didn’t matter. I let the darkness of my home envelop me like a warm blanket. I teased my arm along the wall feeling towards the light switch, bracing myself for the moment the lights would come on when I heard a low rumble as someone across from me cleared their throat-- a growl from a hunter. 

Panic choked me, my eyes grew wide with fear and I could acutely see myself from somewhere else in the room. I stood, frozen with terror, unable to move.

“You’re wondering how I came to be here. How I knew this humble abode was yours.” Loki’s sultry voice purred at me from the shadows, just above a whisper. “The fountain out front is a nice touch.” He stalked towards me, the shadows sliding away from him to expose his predatory form. The blue tendrils that had begun to crawl up his skin in the art studio had taken full effect. His skin was now a deep blue hue with exotic markings and his eyes were a violent red. They glowed and cut through the darkness. Had he been bitten by some ghastly bug that had bestowed this monstrous, yet alluring form upon him?

Suddenly, my brain jump-started. I pushed away from the wall, running down the hallway and towards the kitchen. I needed a weapon! Anything. 

It was no use! Somehow the devil named, “Loki” was there-- it was as if he appeared from thin air. 

“There is no use in fighting it. You will soon tire, and I will not soon grow bored.” He glanced at me, his eyes glowing feverishly. 

I reached for a large knife, serrated and as long as my forearm. *This would do the trick*, I thought, right before it turned into a snake within my grasp. I yelped dropping it before running off again towards the dining room. Had something been slipped into my drink to make me have delusions?

I stopped, my back against the wall, my shoulder blades hurting. My chest rose and fell as I heaved. Loki walked, smooth as a water dancer, into the dining room. His chin was tilted down and a deranged smile was on his lips. He was beautiful-- there was no denying it. 

When he reached the rug under the table, I pushed off the wall, my palms lifting and shoving the solid oak table towards Loki. 

But with a simple wave of his hand, it stopped in thin air, never touching him. He moved his hand to the side as if swatting at a lazy fly and it smashed against the wall next to me. How? How was he doing this?

He laughed and I wanted to smile in response, I would do anything to hear that sultry laughter again. “You are clever. I like that about you,” he said as he moved towards me. I stayed against the wall. Clearly, running was useless. I clenched my jaw and narrowed my eyes. 

“Ooo-- you plan to fight me then?” his eyes went up and down my body, lingering on my hips and my heaving, sweat glistening breasts. “How,” he paused a smile spreading to his face again, “...admirable.” 

He stopped inches from me and part of me wanted to reach out to touch the lines etched on his skin. Were they scars? Had they ever caused him pain? I bit my lip.

“I wouldn’t,” he warned, his voice causing goosebumps to race across my skin and my nipples to tighten. 

I lifted my hand, reeling it back to hit him with all of my strength. It would stun him, for sure. Anything I could do to get out of this situation. 

Too quick, and he saw it coming. My wrist hitting his hand made a loud smacking sound and Loki laughed as if he was amused by my animosity. 

“You are a feral thing aren’t you?”

I grunted, getting ready to slam my forehead against his. He managed to see that one too! His other hand went to my throat, his cool fingers closing around my windpipe. 

He was too strong-- it was incredible. His power was immense. 

Loki leaned towards me, his fingers sliding up my throat to push my jawline. I tried to withstand him, but at last, I submitted. I turned my head to the side and he slid his pointed nose up my neck, inhaling deeply. 

“I can’t possibly help myself,” Loki said aloud, though more to himself than to me. 

“Any reservations, my delightful pet?” he asked, polite as ever, as if he wasn’t holding me against my will. 

“Yes,” I spat, “Go fuck yourse--”.

Loki’s finger went to my lips, shushing me. “My, my, what a foul mouth you have.”

Stupidly, I opened my mouth, taking his finger between my teeth as I bit down. Loki didn’t flinch, instead, he chuckled and removed his now slick finger from my mouth. Though he was smiling, I could feel dark rage rolling from him in waves. “Watch me,” he commanded, and compelled, I couldn’t look away from him.  

His hand slid down to the hem of my dress, pushed past it and pulled gently at my thong, exposing my weeping, wet opening. His masterful fingers plunged within me forcefully, and I cried out in pleasure and in surprise. 

“Ohoho, you like that don’t you? You have wanted this since you first laid eyes on me. Haven’t you?” Loki asked. 

I looked away from him, not wanting to admit what I had in truth felt from the beginning. I wasn’t ready to admit it. 

“Answer me!” he growled as he curled his fingers within and without faster, his thumb rubbing around my aching clit in tight circles. 

The more he rubbed his finger pads upon the spongy tissue of my g-spot, the more I lost the ability to speak-- to form coherent thoughts. I moaned in response. 

“Very well, Pet. That is answer enough. I need to hear you speak for me again.”

*Speak for him again?* What did he mean by that? 

I leaned closer to him, drawing him towards me. My lips closed on his own, and my tongue pried at his lips, coaxing him to part them. He did as I bid, an unspoken communication taking place. And when he opened them I bit down, tasting his blood in my mouth-- it was cool and tasted of the darkest berries. Poisonous yet delicious. 

I had surprised him and a hiss escaped his lips as he pulled away from me. He had recovered quickly, regaining his composure. 

“Fool me once…” His strong arm closed around my waist, and I cried out. “You shouldn’t have done that, Pet.”

He threw me down, effortlessly and I hit the couch, the springs bouncing against my weight. 

He removed his clothes and his body met mine, his soul touched mine. His skin covered me like the waves of the sea that caress the sand of the beach. 

Loki pulled back from me, looking at me hungrily. His hand came up to graze at my breast. I could tell he wanted to slow down, to take all of me in, but something in him or the beast in me made him rush on. 

He pushed his way into me, and I whimpered, his length filling me entirely. 

I rolled my eyes back in my head as visions danced behind my eyelids. A lightning strike met a lone tree, igniting it, making it burn brilliantly. A fox took down a hare, killing it as its narrow jaws closed down around its neck. A herd of wild horses, free and unbroken, stirred the dry-packed earth of a desert-- their mouths open in a song that echoed throughout a canyon. A bird plummeting down, wind flowing through its outstretched wings, 10,000ft. down. 

Loki’s deep moan aroused me further. I opened my eyes to find his muscled form taken in the throes of ecstasy. For a moment, I wondered if he had seen what I had seen, but the thought was gone as quickly as it came. 

Loki’s body stilled as if he was trying to slow down and savor me, but my hips continued to move and buck. I grabbed his narrow hips, pushing and pulling at him, fascinated by the blue tint his skin had against mine. His hand grabbed at both of my wrists, bringing them up easily to rest in confinement above my head. 

“Fuck it,” he breathed raggedly and he sped up his pace, his fingers closing harshly around the bones in my wrist.

“I’m cumming, I’m cumming, oh.” Loki thrust into me, his cum pumping against the opening of my cervix.

In response to Loki’s words, my body came without warning and my back arched, legs shaking as I cried out, my walls clenching down around him. 

Loki’s breath was cool against my neck, a welcome sensation. He stilled above me before turning to lay beside me. I watched his every move, my eyes full of wonder.

“What?” he asked. 

“Nothing,” I replied, “Well, I guess I’m just surprised.”

Loki read my mind, “In the manner things played out? I must admit, I am surprised by this myself.”

I shook my head, “It’s normal. For you... Anyone else, really. I have a curse or an ability. When I was young I was forcibly given a serum that creates a pheromone that causes an irresistible attraction towards me.”

“I knew you were special, but even regardless of that, you are special because you were created for me.” He nodded, knowingly. 

I glanced at him, surprised, “How do you mean?”

“You saw my skin change to blue, my red eyes-- the lines upon my skin. I am part Jotun-- something I can explain more later. Without any control, my true mate will force me into Jotun form without my consent. Something that will not placate until my sexual needs and union with the mate is fulfilled.” 

I was speechless. I needed time to process this. 

After a few moments of silence, Loki muttered, “Mushrooms.”

“Huh?” 

“Mushroom stew. A writer friend of mine recently taught me how to make it.”

“Oh-- uh, cool,” I responded, confused and unimpressed.

“Are you hungry? I am completely famished. I’ll make it for us.” He looked at me, his green eyes shining like stars in the dark. It took me a moment to realize he was waiting for me to say something. 

 I smiled, it was evident he wanted things to work. “Sure, Loki, that sounds delicious.”

“Perfect.” He bent his neck, his face coming towards me and he placed a shy kiss on my lips. 

***** Hope you all enjoyed this and it made you slide to the edge of your seat! There is so much about this one I am proud of, and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts! Send me an ask or leave me a comment and like and reblog! It is the most helpful thing you can do. 

If you would like to be on the Taglist please send me an ASK.  Until next time,  Loki’s Pet Tiger

[swanqueeneverafter]

Sins of the Past Pt.13

Wonderland. Whispering Woods. (Ella and Will walk through the woods.) Ella: “What do you know about the Grendel?” Will: “Nothing pleasant. Only a few people have seen him and lived to tell about it, and what they tell is nasty.” Ella: “What would a creature like that want with the Forget-Me-Knot?” Will: “I suppose he wants it for the same reason the Caterpillar does, Ella. There's power in knowing things other people don't. Knowing their secrets, things they've tried to hide, mistakes they've made.” Ella: “So we're going to make the most cruel and powerful insect in Wonderland even more powerful and therefore even more cruel?” Will: “That looks to be the size of it.” Ella: “There must be a way to get what we want without just putting our troubles onto others.” Will: “Well, what if I was to tell you you could be with your mother and be happy forever, but somebody else had to suffer because of it? Would you do it?” Ella: (Hesitates:) “Well, that's not an option-” Will: “Maybe it's not an option today, but it could be tomorrow. How much is she worth to you, Ella? Don't forget what we're doing here. It's thieving.” Ella: “Yes, I'm getting that.” Will: “Yeah. You wanted a thief well, you got one.” (Through a break in the trees, they arrive at the Grendel’s house.) Ella: “Do you think the Grendel's in there?” Will: “Doesn't matter. We don't have a choice. We're going in there either way. (Ella draws her sword and walks towards the house:) You gonna challenge him to a duel?” Ella: (Stops, turns to him:) “I've fought monsters before. Have you?” Will: “I've stolen from them. And what my experience has taught me is, the only thing better than defeating a monster is never having to fight one in the first place.” Ella: “Well, how do you propose we get the knot from him then?” Will: “Simple. I'll create a diversion. Once I've drawn the Grendel out, you go inside, grab the knot, and run. If we lose each other, meet at Greener Pastures.” Ella: (Impressed:) “That plan is actually quite sound. You really are a thief.” Will: “Aye. Follow me. (They continue walking to the house:) The trick is poise. Keep your cool and always stay one step ahead of your mark.” (At that very moment, Will and Ella literally fall into a trap. Landing hard at the bottom of a pit, they are both knocked unconscious. Looking down on them from above, the Grendel surveys his captives.)

Outskirts of Valencia. (Having bumped into Richard and Roberta, Henry relays his plans of joining Ella's quest in Wonderland.) Richard: "Well, obviously I'm in!" Henry: "Really? That... that would be-" Richard: "Just like old times!" (Happily, Richard grabs Henry and pulls him in for a hug.) Roberta: "I'm sorry to break this up, but Richard, we already have a quest remember? We have to save our Kingdom from being stolen out from us by that odd Catrina woman." Richard: "Oh come now, surely we can do both! I mean how often does an opportunity like this come along?" Henry: "Actually... I wouldn't mind the company." Richard: "There now, you see? How could we leave Henry in his hour of need?" Roberta: "Oh I don’t know, Henry didn't seem to have a problem leaving Ella to get on with things. (Turns to Henry, with a false smile:) Did you, Henry?" Henry: "Er... Hey! There's Jasmine arriving on a flying carpet!" (Although normally this would be seen as a pretty feeble way of avoiding Roberta's question, Queen Jasmine does in fact arrive, floating down to them from atop her magic carpet.) Jasmine: "I got your message and came as soon as I could. (Senses the tension in the air:) What's going on?" Henry: (Innocently:) “Nothing.” Roberta: "Henry was just going to explain why he abandoned Ella and now wants us to help him find her again." Richard: "Well that's a bit harsh-" Roberta: "No, no. I think we'd all like to hear his explanation." Jasmine: (Her arms now folded:) "I'm quite curious, actually." Henry: (Sighs:) "Look I know I messed up and I'm trying to make things right. If you don't want to help me, I completely understand." (Richard pouts at Roberta, who finally relents.) Roberta: "All right, fine. You can go with Henry." Richard: "Excellent!" Roberta: "I'm flying to Agrabah with Jasmine to come up with a plan to save our Kingdom. When we've thought of one, I'll come and find you." Richard: (Kisses her:) "Thanks, baby, you're the best." Roberta: "Mm alright but remember that Catrina has sent men out looking for us. Promise me you'll stay out of trouble." Richard: "I promise. (Giving Henry one last dirty look, Roberta climbs aboard the magic carpet beside Jasmine and flies away:) This is going to be so much fun!" (Hoping that he doesn't regret his decision, Henry smiles and together they set off on their journey.)

Camelot. Council Chamber. Night. (Guinevere shakes her head while watching from the window as a vast army gathers outside the city walls.) Guinevere: (To Soldier:) “Those are Bayard’s colours, aren’t they?” Soldier: “Yes, Your Majesty. They intend to attack at first light.” (The soldier leaves as Morgana enters.) Morgana: “Guin?” Guinevere: “All is lost. We’ll be massacred, every last one of us.” Morgana: “No one has to die.” Guinevere: “What do you mean?” Morgana: “Those that defy them, those that choose to fight, they will surely die. But those who do not resist, those that choose to welcome change, they will have a future here. Everyone has a choice, Guin.” (Realising that she’s been duped, Guinevere bows her head for a moment then gives Morgana a forced smile.) Guinevere: “What choice would you have me make?” Morgana: “Boyard is sympathetic to our cause. He signed a treaty with Uther and would see his rightful heir on the throne. If you were to step aside, quietly, then there needn’t be any bloodshed.” Guinevere: (Hesitates, then smiles:) “You know I have always been loyal to you, Morgana. And I always will be.” Morgana: (Morgana smiles and takes her hands:) “Then have no fear. No harm will come to you, I promise you that.” (Guinevere smiles and nods. Morgana hugs her. Guinevere looks uneasy, Morgana smirks while looking out at the army.) Woods. Lady Helen’s Tent. (The singer for Elsa’s party, Lady Helen, camps in the woods.) Lady Helen: (Humming to herself, she hears a noise outside her tent:) “Hello? Gregory?” Gregory: (Poking his head inside the tent:) “Lady Helen.” Lady Helen: “Is all well?” Gregory: “Yes, ma’am. With luck, we should reach Arendelle late tomorrow.” Lady Helen: “That’s good.” Gregory: “I’ll be outside if you need me. (He leaves the tent. Also hearing a noise, Gregory draws his sword:) Who’s there? Who’s there?” Lady Helen’s Tent. (An unseen figure enters the tent, holding an effigy of Lady Helen.) Stranger: “Akwele seo magdp. Akwele seo magdp. Akwele seo magdp. (Standing, Lady Helen watches as the figure stabs the effigy several times, killing Lady Helen. Standing over the dead woman:) Ghefrolinz grimpoxin kouata.” (The stranger transforms into Lady Helen.)

Neverland. Night. (Regina and Emma sit by a warm campfire under a blanket of stars, waiting for them to fall.) Regina: "I believe I was promised falling stars, and yet just stars.” Emma: (Whispers:) “Be patient. It's almost time.” (As if on cue, the star-fall begins. The stars float down like snowflakes.) Regina: “That's incredible.” Emma: “You know, they say, one kiss under the falling stars, and it brings you good fortune.” Regina: “If you want to kiss me, you don't have to make up a story.” Emma: “It wasn't a story.” (Regina gives Emma a look as if to say ‘Really?’ To which Emma replies with a shrug and a look that says ‘Alright, but can you blame me?’ Laughing, Regina leans over and kisses Emma. A kiss that Emma receives and responds to most eagerly. Eventually, after momentarily quenching their thirst for each other, they settle back down and stare up at the sky.) Emma: “I’ve always loved the stars.” Regina: “Mm. Me too.” Emma: “Back when I was living on the streets, I met this kid who couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me. He taught me about the stars, the constellations, the planets. On the last night I saw him, he gave me an old compass. (Laughs:) It never really worked, you know? It would spin in all different directions, but I kept it with me for the longest time. (Regina watches Emma lovingly, utterly engrossed in her story:) I used to pretend that the compass had great magic and that every time I looked at it, it was pointing me towards home, back to my family. It was the only thing that kept me going for a long time. The promise of something better, just waiting for me to find it.” Regina: “What happened to it?” Emma: (Shrugs:) “I lost it. I must’ve dropped it somewhere along the way between foster families. It provided me a sense of comfort, believing my family was still out there.” Regina: “I’m sorry. (Leans up to kiss Emma’s cheek, then hears something. Whispers:) There’s someone in the bushes.” Emma: (Whisper:) “I know.” (In a flurry of movement, both women are on their feet, ready for action.) Regina: “Come out, come out wherever you are.” Emma: “Ooh nice! Creepy and intimidating, I like it.” Tiger Lily: (Still cloaked in darkness:) “Please, I mean you no harm.” Regina: “I’d have a better time believing you if you weren’t hiding in the shadows.” Emma: “Show yourself!” Tiger Lily: “I’m coming out.” (Slowly, the woman steps out of the darkness into the light. While Regina remains cautious, recognition dawns on Emma’s face.) Emma: “Tiger Lily?” Regina: “You know her?” Emma: “She’s a fairy. (Looks her up and down:) Or was.” Tiger Lily: “Please, you’re both in great danger. You must come with me.”

Wonderland. Grendel's House. (Waking up on the floor of the kitchen, Will looks beside him to see Ella still unconscious. Both are bound with rope at their hands and feet.) Will: "Ella. (Nudges her awake:) Ella." Ella: (Waking with a start:) "Will, are you all right?" Will: "I've been better. Where are we?" Ella: (Looking around:) "I think we're in his house." Will: "Actually, I think we're in his kitchen. (The Grendel enters, carrying firewood:) Excuse me, sir?" (The Grendel growls at them, picking up a large knife before walking over to the wheel to sharpen it.) Ella: "There has to be a way out of here." Will: (Staring at a pile of human bones in front of him:) "The only way out seems to be through his digestive tract." Ella: "You said you were such a great thief. Maybe it's time you show what you can do." Storybrooke. Bakery. (Hook and Rumplestiltskin enter while the woman behind the counter is putting on the finishing touches to a gingerbread house.) Hook: "'Scuse me, ma'am. Are you, uh, Hilda, the proprietor of this bakery?" Hilda: "Mm-hmm. This is delicate work. I will be right with you." Hook: "Actually, we're here to pick up a cake. For Queen Elsa's birthday?” Hilda: “Ah yes.” Hook: “My wife was supposed to be collecting it herself, I don't suppose you've seen her today?" Rumplestiltskin: "Tall woman, blonde. Likes to wear black and has breath like brimstone." Hook: "Oi." Hilda: (Chuckles:) "I remember. (Turns to face them:) But I didn't see her." Hook: (Realises she's blind:) "I... I apologize. I didn't-” Rumplestiltskin: “Bit off-season for gingerbread, isn't it?” Hilda: “Never. It's my number-one seller. As it was for my predecessor, before the unfortunate incident.” Rumplestiltskin: (Explains as Hook looks to him, confused:) “Somehow there was a mix-up and one day the baker, or Muffin Man, as he liked to be known, made a batch of gingerbread men who came to life. It was an unusual, albeit delicious couple of days spent tracking them all down.” Hilda: “That’s not the incident I was referring to.” Hook: “No?” Hilda: “No, I meant the reason the Muffin Man decided to sell up in the first place. Involving the Mayor and the Sheriff?” Rumplestiltskin: “Ah, yes. That incident.” Hilda: “The poor man never got over those imprints he saw in the flour.” Hook: (Clears his throat:) “That must’ve been quite the sight. Now, the cake?” Hilda: “Oh, yes. It’s back here, if one of you gentlemen would lend me a hand?” Hook: “Of course. (Hook walks around the counter, lifting the large box and walking carefully towards the door:) Thanks for your help.” Hilda: “Cookie for the road? They're fresh out of the oven.” Rumplestiltskin: “Oh, no, thank you. Though, they look delicious. Have a good day.” (Having retrieved the cake, Rumplestiltskin and Hook leave the bakery.)

Arendelle. (Elsa smiles as she watches Lily organise the servants.) Lily: (Running a hand through her hair:) "Everything that could go wrong is going wrong! The cake's not here, the singer hasn't arrived. The decorations aren't hanging right." Elsa: "Lily, Lily stop. Relax, everything is going to be fine. I love what you've done here. It's magical." Lily: "It's a mess." Elsa: "I love it. Come here. (Pulls the stressed out woman to her:) Nothing in this world matters to me more than being able to spend my birthday with the people I love." Lily: "Yeah, but-" Elsa: (Forcing a chocolate treat in Lily's mouth:) "I already have everything I could want for my birthday, right here. Okay? (Unable to form words due to the caramel filled candy in her mouth, Lily nods:) Good, now that's settled I think it's time we get ourselves ready. The guests will be arriving soon along with the cake and the singer and everything will be just perfect." (Playfully patting Lily on the butt, Elsa leads them out of the room, grabbing a chocolate treat for herself on the way.) Storybrooke. Past. (During the honeymoon stage of their marriage, Regina and Emma walk lazily down the street together. With Henry off finding his own adventures, the pair have been getting to know each other better. Sharing hopes, fears, dreams and of course, sexual proclivities. Lately their mutual yearning for each other has resulted in some close calls in some very unusual places. After almost getting caught in the Charming's hayloft, they've agreed to play things a little safer, for the time being. Arriving outside the bakery, Regina reads the sign in the window.) Regina: "Typical. I haven't been able to come here since the Muffin Man took over and now he's out to lunch." Emma: "They say his stuff is pretty great. I'm glad someone finally bought the place. Just seeing Ingrid's shop all boarded up made me a little sad." Regina: "Mm. Well as Mayor, it's my civic duty to make sure his goods are up to standard." Emma: "Still keeping your hands in everything after all this time?" Regina: "But of course. (Regina uses her magic to unlock the door:) Shall we?" Emma: "You know that's breaking and entering. You could get charged for that." Regina: "There was no breaking. Just entering." (Regina enters the shop and Emma follows.) Emma: "Very clever, but you could still get caught." Regina: "Oh it's fine. I'm friendly with the Sheriff." Emma: (Already checking out the sticky buns behind the counter:) "Uh huh. So, see anything you like? (Turns to see Regina has vanished:) Regina?" Regina: (Calling from the back room:) "I'm in here." (Following the sound of her wife's voice, Emma gasps at the sight that greets her. Clad in only her underwear, Regina stands behind the large table, kneading dough in her hands.) Emma: "What are you doing?" Regina: "There's nothing quite like a fresh loaf of bread and, seeing as no one's here to make one for me, I thought I'd do it myself." Emma: "Okay, but why are you in your underwear?" Regina: (Calmly:) "Two reasons. One, I obviously don't want go get my clothes covered in flour. And two, (She pauses her kneading of the dough and leans over the table:) I thought you'd appreciate the view." Emma: (Sparing a backwards glance to the shop:) "We don't even know how long he's gonna be gone for." Regina: "Well then I guess, (Regina smooths her hands over her chest, leaving traces of flour over herself:) we'd better not waste any time."

(Regina picks up a dishcloth from the bench and twirls it, pulling at the ends sharply for effect.) Emma: (Her eyes widening as Regina approaches:) "What are you going to do with that?" Regina: "We're going to have some fun." (Regina raises the makeshift blindfold towards Emma who protests.) Emma: "What, I don't get to see anything?" Regina: (Pursing her lips:) "Fine. (Putting down the dishcloth, Regina reaches behind her back and unclasps her bra. Her red lace panties are removed next. Standing with her hand on her hip:) Better?" Emma: (Smiles:) "Much." (Picking the dishcloth back up, Regina proceeds to place it over Emma's eyes, fastening it around her head. Leaning in, Regina tastes Emma's lips, pulling back slowly to pepper kisses along the blonde's jawline.) Regina: (Whispering in Emma's ear:) "No peeking." (Regina begins by removing Emma's jacket. Then, running her hands up underneath the hem of her shirt, rolls the offending garment up Emma's body. With Emma's helpful raise of her arms, the shirt joins the other items of clothing currently strewn across the bakery floor. Casually pushing the straps of Emma's bra down her muscled arms, Emma trembles at the touch of Regina's practiced hands.) Emma: (Sensing Regina step backwards:) "What do you have in mind? (Without replying, Regina reaches into the barrel of flour, grabbing two handfuls and tossing them on top of the wooden bench behind Emma. Feeling Regina's silky, flour-covered hands run up her bare back to unclasp her bra, Emma moans at the soft caress, nuzzling her lips against her wife's neck. Emma cries out at the sensation of Regina's thumbs lightly brushing her nipples:) A-again." Regina: (Chuckles:) "Soon." (Regina's hands slide to Emma's waist and unfastens her jeans. Tugging them down over her hips along with Emma's underwear, Regina kneels before her nearly naked wife. Running her fingers up Emma's legs and over the contours of her waist, Regina squeezes the right cheek of Emma's ass, leaving a floury hand print on her perfect behind. Lifting her gently onto the flour covered table, Regina kneels once more to remove Emma's boots. As Regina begins a tender massage of her feet, Emma sighs contentedly, laying back on the table. Stepping back, Regina allows Emma to take in her surroundings as she gathers a few items from around the kitchen. Curiously relaxed, given the circumstances, Emma allows her mind to wander.) Emma: "I wonder what would happen if someone were to walk in right now?" (Emma's mind immediately refocuses on the here and now at the touch of soft bristles making contact with her left nipple. Enjoying Emma’s gasp of delight, Regina returns the pastry brush into the bowl of melted butter and applies another liberal coating to Emma's other nipple.) Regina: (Leaning over her:) "I guess they will see their beautiful Sheriff, being ravished by one very attentive Madam Mayor."   (And with that, Regina descends upon Emma, determined to devour every inch of her.) Wonderland. Present. Grendel's House. (Will attempts to free Ella and himself from their bondage using one of the skeleton's fingers.) Grendel: (From the other room:) "Fire's ready." Ella: "Will, did you hear that? I think he's talking to someone." Will: "Brilliant! Because one bloody monster isn't enough.” Grendel: “What's for dinner?” (Will leans over to get a look at who the Grendel is talking to but sees the man sitting alone at the table.) Will: “He's alone. The crazy bloke's talking to himself.” Ella: “Will, come on. He might see you.” Will: “Well, hello.” Ella: “What is it?” Will: “The knot. It's right there. (Ella inches forward to see for herself when a young woman appears inside the knot:) Bloody hell.” Grendel: “Mmm. You smell lovely.” Ella: “Will, we've got to get out.” Young Man: (Appearing inside the knot beside the woman:) “Fresh meat, my dearest.” (They kiss.) Young Woman: “Mmm. Thank you.” Young Man: (Holding her in his arms:) “Did you have a good day?” Young Woman: “I did.” Young Man: “Did you go for a walk?” Ella: “Those two must have been the last ones in the room. What did he do to those poor people?” Will: “I don't think he did anything to them.” Ella: “What?” Will: “Ella, I think there may be a way for us to get everything we want today.”

Neverland. Cave. (Checking that Maria is settled and happy, Emma turns to face Tiger Lily.) Emma: "All right, enough with the secrecy. Tell us what's going on." Tiger Lily: "Camelot has fallen and I fear its new Queen brings great darkness on the horizon." Regina: "What about Guinevere. Does she still live?" Tiger Lily: (Nods:) "Guinevere stepped aside so that Morgana could rule." Emma: "Listen, we're on vacation. We'll congratulate the new queen when we get back." Tiger Lily: "You don't understand, Morgana is guided by her sister Morgause. It is their belief that unless their brother is avenged, Morgana cannot truly take the throne." Emma: "Their brother? You mean Arthur?" Tiger Lily: "Yes. Within an hour of taking power, Morgana and Morgause issued a reward for your capture. The word has spread quickly throughout all the lands, including Neverland. You are not safe here." Regina: "The hideout. We could-" Emma: "No, I'm not hiding in some glorified tent the rest of my life. If they have a problem with me, I'm not that hard to find." Regina: (Rolls her eyes:) "Why is it every damn time we get involved with Camelot, you end up being persecuted?" Arendelle. The Palace. Banquet Hall. (Celebratory horns signal Queen Elsa’s entrance and everyone finds their place at the tables.) Anna: “We have enjoyed many years of peace and prosperity thanks to the leadership of my sister. Tonight, we honour her on her birthday. To Queen Elsa! (She raises her glass and toasts her sister, the members of the court follow suit:) Now, for tonight’s entertainment, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the renowned singer, Lady Helen of Mora.” (Applause. The music begins and Anna takes her seat beside Elsa on the dais. Sitting on Elsa’s other side, Lily raises Elsa’s hand to her lips and kisses it. Lady Helen sings. While she continues her melodic tune, the court members begin nodding off to sleep. Cobwebs begin forming over the enchanted sleepers. Lady Helen is staring at Lily as she walks forward, pulling a dagger from her sleeve.)

[likemymask]

One Piece Daemon AU

Presented with only slight spelling corrections and some elaborations, the mess of a One Piece Daemon/His Dark Materials AU that would not leave me alone and would only let me work on it at 1-3AM.

Also now I’m writing snippets for it just like my Gundam Wing and Star Trek daemon AU. Because.

Luffy: sea king with Conqueror Haki so they can’t be controlled. Separated but not because that’s as free as you can get. Fuck yea, she’s in north blue chilling the fuck out (heh) half the time and being absolutely chaotic as shit the other half. Her attitude is diametrically opposed to what Luffy is doing at the time. LOL she runs/swims into Shanks when Luffy’s still barely a pirate so he has no idea (not that the marines do either) one time. This 2000ft tall monster is squinting at him, and he thinks he’s about to get ate and then she goes “oh you’re so much smaller now!” Cause of course she spent her formative years as a baby version of his daemon. The entire crew is goddamn losing it, cause what kind of monster is this that even Red Hair’s Haki can’t control it, until Shanks yells out her name and then everyone loses it further still. I have decided Eastern dragon aesthetic but water/earth theme as opposed to Kaido’s air/fire theme. Still blue, but blue-green, tiger stripes cause camoflage and also badass and maybe she settles after Luffy meets Zoro’s daemon *whistles*

Zoro: tiger obviously normal colors or green and black cause why the fuck not, Zoro is not into stealth really. ”The only one who can call me stupid is me. “ “.....stupid” Cat vs sword fight ensues. Can be found cuddling Chopper when Zoro’s tired, super sloshed, both.

Nami: monkey? Lemur: small, fast, quick hands, caring but only when you prove you deserve it. Absolutely torments Zoro’s when she’s pissed because tigers can’t normally climb fucking main masts but a) she parkours and b) when has that ever stopped Zoro/her? Likes to hang out in the tree grove, absolutely pick pockets people while Nami plays distraction.

Robin: cat some kind of cat not big CARACAL. Looks aloof but absolutely ready to be ridiculous at any opportunity.

Franky: dog or dolphin. Something excitable loyal ready to throw down Newfoundland? Big, friendly, over-excitable, likes water and sailing...yes.

Usopp: Corvid or monkey; curious, intelligent, stubborn, inventive, tool solving/using. Lives in groups/troops and cares for others. Probably corvid, too similar to Nami otherwise. Crow most likely.

Sanji: swan. Black, and absolutely a viper and very sorry about Sanji’s attitude towards woman cause she’s more refined about it. Same intensity though. Will bite the shit out of you. Tiger vs swan fight, GO. Do also groom each other though cause human affectionate displays are stupid sometimes.

Fishmen don’t have daemons its another conflict and excuse for racism.

Law: wolf but like starved and Eurasian crazy with it. LONG leggos. Spiky black fur around the head, grey black white speckled cause T R A U M A

Ace: was a fire hawk, no actual fire but red as hell and BIG tail and wings. Her species not liked on most islands cause they don’t leave once they’re settled. They stand their ground. More angst ha ha. Never met settled Luffys daemon because I’M A MONSTER.

Sabo: never settled until he learned Ace was dead and then she settled as fire hawk because trauma and angst and also he knows who he is now. Not being settled was useful for a while when he did infiltration etc but now they’re both happy/sad about it.

Garp. Big dog. Bull mastiff dog. Not good with kids only with attacking things and defending but very loyal. Also big. “ Bullmastiffs are also difficult even for adults to control, so they aren’t a good choice if your child wants to help walk the dog. They like to please and crave attention, but they’re so big that even a well-intentioned nudge can end up hurting small children. ” HMMMMM RINGS A BELL, THIS DOES

Chopper: also no daemon or if so then monkey because HANDS. OH BOI THAT MUST HAVE BEEN A FUN THING. EAT SOME FRUIT, WAKE UP WITH A SOUL. Wait no people think he’s a pet. No daemon then.

Mihawk: literally whatever Shank’s daemon is he insists this is why they’re friends while Mihawk wine aunts in the background. He’s more refined though than Shanks and his soul (this is not a challenge). Like absolutely cold as ice until he cracks a pun, but no one believes the victim cause no way Mihawk would do that. Soooo proud, regal, loyal but willing to have a good time. Some kind of dog or cat. Big and fast and POWER. Could do big cat to be more like Zoro or a dog/canid to foil it. Maned wolf?

Vivi: it’s lazy to say her bird Caracue I can’t spell it’s one am but imma do it. KAROO HOW THE FUCK DID I MISSPELL THAT.

Crocodile: big fuck off alligator cause fuck you that’s why. HOLY FUCK I FORGOT HE HAD THE BANANA ONES IN HIS CASINO THAT’S GREAT

Logias turn to same element so Ace’s daemon is now a literal actual fire hawk, fuck the history books I’m writing this shit.

Don fuck face Flamingo: is what it is but like Kipo And the Age of Wonderbeasts it got TEETH, cause anything that survived acid water and shit is not cool. In fact, you know what, she’s albino and thinks that makes her special, honey you just don’t got shrimp vitamins, you buffoon of a bird.

All the dino Zoans are modern descendant of those animals so chickens. Or birds. Chickens would be so goddamn funny especially the 3 foot tall fluffy ones...fuck what’re they called(Brahmas). Oh wait. Emus. Ohhhhhhh fuck emus as an option.

Mammoth Zoan can have a Mammoth daemon because I want to see that on a ship.

(Makino) Bartender lady I can’t remember her name starts with m capybara cause she’s chill as shit and friend shaped. 

Dadan: is not friend shaped but is friend. Big fuck off bear or buffalo or wildebeest

Brooke: Laboon, Lampoon whatever Moby Dick. There’s some trauma, they had to leave him, but they didn’t want to and Brooke offered to stay but Laboon thought he’d be fine. Spoiler alert He Is Not. No one is fine.

Ohhhhhhh fuck bad good idea: Rogers daemon also a Sea King but the marines never goddamn figured it out, hoooooo my gods Shanks is having goddamn flashbacks. 

Momo and Kaido both have Eastern dragon daemons cause fake fruit.mythical zoan fruit but Momos is the size of a gecko and black so she’s hide-able. Kaido’s isn’t as big but is still Fuck Off huge. Red because I said so. 

Beastmen also do not have daemons because fuck the amount of significant characters in One Piece

Cora(zon): also had a wolf, because yay trauma and repeats and trauma bonding!But she was like, pretty yellow white and dog-ish up until the moment she ripped your throat out for offending her/harming her pack. Law learned much from her about appearances, being underestimated, and then for the most part did the exact opposite.

Slime man: *Aka Trebol* has a hagfish cause fuck him and Doflamingo

Boa: her snake weapon thing. Big noodley boy. The skull is for A E S T H E T I C

   Ace's daemon named Picaro: Spanish for naughty/badly behaved and that is a synonym for rogue cause MOMMA'S BOI and I keep misreading Rouge as rogue cause PIRATES, and this way it's a little better than naming the fire hawk Red though Ace does call her that sometimes .          You know what, he has the same daemon as Rouge/mom actually cause stubborn enough to not go into labor for 20 months is bonkers and that shit deserves recognition. Also because FUCK the number of characters in One Piece.              Celestial Dragons don't have special daemons but they do splice/separate cause they're fuckers that's why              AU of AU        Luffy's daemon close enough to WRECK MARINEFORD'S SHIT THAT'S RIGHT BABEY ACE LIVES, ASL REUNION AND SUCH          Sabo's daemon settles as a dog but one of the CRAZY breeds, like poodle or husky.

AU OF AU PART TWO: originally when thinking about a One Piece daemon AU Luffy was gonna have a cheetah; long, fast, use recoil to increase speed and change directions, males live in groups with their brothers and are highly affectionate. Tendency to run into walls. Has a fur pattern presentation named King Cheetah, looks like a more Armament Haki version.

[ddaengyoonmin]

Chapter 2

Pairing: Jungkook x reader, eventual Ot7 x reader in later chapters

Genre: fluff, angst, uhh maybe smut eventually??

Theme: Based kinda on sword art online a lot of similar ideas and themes kinda combining the idea of them trapped in the game, but the world is closer to ALFheim online

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: Swearing?..I swear a lot it can’t be contained.

Next --> Chapter 3

-------------------------------------------

-“But this isn’t the real world...this is my world” He pulled away, a smirk on his face. Your eyes widened.  What were you getting yourself into…-

“What the hell does that mean” You laughed trying to hide the nervousness flooding over your body at his closeness.

He shrugged and laughed, returning to his previous demeanor quickly.

“I just mean to say that...I think you’ll find I’m quite... skilled, when it comes to this kind of thing”

‘He’s such a flirt’ you thought.

You couldn’t deny to yourself that you were most definitely falling for it though.  The last man you’d felt this type of attraction toward was years ago in your freshman year of college, it was brief and fleeting, and this felt stronger.  

You’d never had a boyfriend, you didn’t see the point. Getting straight A’s in high school kept you busy and then College, and now your job.  You thought you were completely content with that being your life.

So this feeling was new, and baffling to you.  You’d barely just met this man and you already felt like you have to get to know more about him.

“So...Kookie? I call you that right?” You said pointing to the screen to his left.

He nodded and pointed to yours, “Velvet Tiger huh??”

“It’s actually a combination of my cats names” you admitted and blushed.

He nodded slowly with a look you couldn’t quite read. Something close to amusement possibly? He must think you’re a dork, or worse, already assumes you are a crazy cat lady just like your family does.

“So, why didn’t you use a spell to fight off the bees? Wouldn’t that have been better than running like a dog with its tail between its legs? You are in a game with magic you know” he states.

“Spell?”

He groaned and rolled his eyes, “Jesus christ, did you read the manual on this game? Or ever look up anything about it before diving in?”

You shook your head looking down at your feet.

He sighed, “So we are really starting from square one here huh?”

He ran his fingers through his hair again.  It seemed to be a habit of his, and you were becoming quite fond of it.

“So...basics of spells is probably a good place to start” he said and moved close to your side so he was standing facing your holographic screen.  He pointed to the menu button.  “Touch your finger to that”

You did as he said, a new page opened up ‘Spells, Items, Skills, Spell Store, Achievements, Settings, Log out’ were all listed on the screen.

“Everyone starts out with a couple basic spells depending on the fairy race they selected.  Shadow fairies like me get ‘Shadow ball’ for a fighting spell and ‘Quiet feet’ as an illusion spell, my race specializes in sneak skills, illusion magic and night vision”

He motions for you to click your finger to the word ‘spells’ on your screen.

Again you are taken to a new page with two spells listed, ‘Squirt Gun’ and ‘Novice Healing’.

“If you select one of the two of those it’ll be your default spell”

He continued on, showing you different tips and tricks, for how to use your spells and how to level up different skills by using them frequently.

He taught you about the five races of fairies when you admitted you had only just skimmed over the info on them and just tried to pick the one you thought looked the coolest.  That earned a laugh and some teasing from him.  

There were ‘fire fairies’ who specialized in (obviously) fire magic, and they were the strongest but also the slowest.  

Next were ‘hybrid fairies’ with either the ears and tail of a wolf, cat, rabbit, or fox depending on what the game auto picked for you in the character room.

(You now slightly remembered seeing fox ears on yourself on one of your options you had scrolled through…) They specialized in animal taming and controlling spells, and had excellent long distance eye sight.

 Lastly there were the Sylph fairies, who were skilled at wind spells, and music spells that could enchant, stun, or temporarily confuse and disorient opponents. They were also the fastest.

Most of the info he continued to spill out went right over your head, but he was so cute talking about it so you couldn’t bear to admit you only were taking in about 90% of this info.  You could tell that he was a huge gaming fanatic.

 You would’ve never seen yourself being attracted to someone with such an impractical hobby, but here you were, in the game with him, grinning widely and nodding along as he talked about this fantasy world you were both sitting in.

Finally, after much explaining he excitedly grabbed your hand dragging you to the treeline that you were previously headed to in your frantic escape from killer bees.

You take note of how soft his hand feels holding yours, then remind yourself that this is just a game.  Who knows what his hands feel like in real life...or if you’d ever even meet in real life.  That thought made your heart sink a bit, but, you were going to do your best enjoy your time with him in this world (‘his world’ as he said) as much as you could.

“Time to take everything I explained and put it into action” He grinned as he continued to pull you into the forest.

You spent the next few hours fighting various in-game creatures. The freakiest being a four foot tall rabbit with giant fangs you nearly fainted upon seeing.

You conquered some fears and slightly got the hang of how to use the Squirt gun spell to shoot water from your fingertips to cause damage.

By the end of all of your “beginners lessons” as Kookie called it, you had leveled up from level 1 to level 4 and Kookie had leveled up from his previous level 10 to 12, explaining that it was easier to level up at the beginning and gets harder as you go on.  

You also were surprised to see after each defeated beast a small amount of ‘coin’ showed up in the corner of your screen.  

‘Dammit’ you thought as you shook your head ‘mom was right, I’m having fun, and I made a friend’ you contemplated downplaying your fantastic adventure you had today when she called you late tonight (as she said she would)  just so you didn’t have to hear her smug “I told you so”

Kookie laid out on the ground, relaxed and propped up on his elbows, one leg slightly crossing over the other.  He smiled as he stared at his screen scrolling with one finger through the new items he’d acquired from defeating creatures with you on his first day, looking very proud of himself.  Realizing you were staring he turned his head to you “Good day huh?” he grinned ear to ear.

You took a seat next to your new friend cross legged, “Honestly? Yeah, and I really didn’t expect to, thank you...really” You can’t remember the last time you spent this much time with another person, let alone a cute guy that (you assumed?) was near your age.  

He looked quite pleased with himself upon hearing your appreciation of him, “Anytime sweetheart.” he paused “Actually... Will you be here tomorrow? We could meet up again, I still haven't taught you about in game flying!”

“Sure!” You said with more enthusiasm than you planned.

“It’s a date then” He said, bringing his hands behind his head as he relaxed staring straight up into the sky.

You blushed, ‘Date…’

You joined in and looked up too, it was the most beautiful sunset you’d ever seen in your life.  All the shades of pinks and oranges painting the sky in a way you could only have dreamed about before.

Wait...sunset?

“Holy shit, what time is it” You said in a slight panic

He chuckled “uhhh 7:00 or so I think” he sat up and double checked on his screen and then nodded.

“Yikes, I’m probably hungry as fuck...weird that I can’t feel it here, that's probably not too smart for the game makers to have ignored that”

You also had some thoughts about how salty Velvet was going to be when you got home. You half expected her to have been curled up on your lap the whole time pawing at you curiously trying to demand pets and attention from your unmoving body in the chair.  Tiger on the other hand was much like you and probably didn’t notice your absence.

Kookie shrugged, “yeah, I suppose that might cause some problems, you kinda lose track of time here, especially with good company” he smirked poking your shoulder, causing you to blush again and hold the spot he had just touched shyly.

“ I had logged out and had a big meal right before I found you, but I’m probably pretty hungry too”  he continued, and put a hand to his face in a thinking gesture,

“I’m craving….pizza!” he exclaimed pointing a finger to the air, making you giggle at his goofiness.

“See you tomorrow then!” You beamed at him “Enjoy your pizza!”

You clicked the menu button on your screen to log out, in the corner of your eye you saw Kookie was doing the same.  

“That’s weird…” you heard him say “The logout button is...gone?”

You looked to your screen, “Oh shit, mine is too!”

“Probably just first day glitches, that blows…” He shook his head “I’m sure we aren’t the first ones to notice, I bet it's been reported and they are working on it as we speak”

“Shouldn’t we report it too though? Just in case?” you looked to him “you know how to do that right?”

He nodded in agreement and went to the settings menu on his screen “For real?” He sounded irritated “The button to contact support is gone too?”

You’ve now started to worry a bit.  “Wha...what do we do?”

Just as you said that a loud sound like an alarm blared out all around you and Kookie, causing you to jump and startling some birds in a nearby bush making them flutter away to the now darkening sky.

Your screen flashed red along with Kookie’s screen.

“ALL PLAYERS REPORT TO FLOOR ONE’S MAIN TOWN SQUARE” it read in bold, urgent looking letters.

“Okay...that's probably good right? They know there's something up and they are going to gather us all together to explain” you stutter out

Kookie nodded but didn’t say anything, he didn’t feel right about this. He finally stood up and offered you his hand, you took it and got on your feet as well.

“I’ll show you the way” he said with a grin.  But something seemed off about that grin, there was some worry hidden behind it.  You didn't like this at all...

[petrichorismydrug]

OPIA | KSJ

Pairing: Hybrid!Kim Seokjin x reader

Genre: Fluff | Angst (like 20% maybe) | (+ in the future)

Warnings: None at the moment, will update this later on as the story goes on

Song I mostly heard to write this chapter: Remind me to forget Kygo ft Miguel

Summary:  You wanted a companion for such a long time and today was the day, you are getting an Hybrid because roomates are hard to find and they are hella cute. You are not picky but not having idea of what you wanted was a little harder than expected, until you see that one and only that you can take home.

A/N: I want this to be a serie, so lets see how this turns out. Tons of love

Word count: 1.5k

---

The plan was to pick one and go home, pretty simple, nothing more just that, but the world is cruel and cold with lots of plans that you didn’t anticipate. First because they all were cute as hell and you wanted them all, but your house was not as big for all this people. According to your guide all of them were trained or good behaved because the houses that leaved them said so, and the time proved to be true.

Second, the ‘tour’ started with the most common ones, dogs, cats and even bunnies, -most people would have gone home with that cute bunny or even that shy cat, they were really cute- but none of them really clicked with you; when the atmosphere changed and the hall became taller and dark you knew before she told you that you were at the Big Predator aisle  and chills run all your back with every step. To say that seeing an Eagle hybrid flying caught you off guard was underrated. The polar bear and tiger were astonishing beautiful and big but when you reached the black panther room, if before you were shocked, now you couldn’t name the feeling. He was gorgeous. Even more than that already meaningless human word. He was beyond that.

Curiosity filled you as you watched him, and this lady was giving you his data, but you weren’t listening.

Why were you so drawn by him? He was godly beautiful, yes, but there was something different. A tie of some kind if you want to put a name on it.

And suddenly it hit you. Those piercing bright yellow eyes. That jet-black hair. The shy smile.

You knew him.

But where though? Your poor brain was working a thousand miles per hour and you can swear it started to smell like bacon. Your line of thinking was so far away, and your thoughts were screaming so loudly. You have already lost all the information the lady had given you and at this point your interest was somewhere else, the most certain thing is that she told you things that you already knew, like, that it’s a hybrid with many talents, kind and meek.

“Jin” your mouth speaks on his own for the first time in a while, like muscle memory. You’d interrupted her halfway through some unknown sentence, and she seemed surprised, so far aside from the polite smile tattooed all the way of this shelter tour you had not showed any sign of interest for any specimen she had shown you, as incorrect as that sounds.

“Yes, his name is Jin, well actually Seokjin, but… how do you know...?” They don’t give the names, is not important, because the majority that adopts a hybrid usually changes its name.

"How long has he been here?" you interrupted her, and she seemed surprised, again.

"About a year, but there is nothing wrong with him, I assure you that, in fact he is very docile and healthy one, he just- seems to not have established any link with any human at the moment." Her words started to shutter and were far one for another, because, with each she said Jin take a step closer to you, reaching quickly the glass wall. It was cute to see his ears were raised with joy and a hand was resting in the transparent material that separates you. Not waiting a second you did the same thing, giving him a smile too and then, the world disappeared, and you were sure that the glow in his eyes could illuminate the entire room if there was a power failure. It was such an intimate moment that the lady had to read the papers she had in her hands, even though she already knew them by heart.  

“I want him”

“Are- are you sure? We haven’t seen the rest of the...” Again, you interrupted her unintentionally. How much would you give to be able to take home each and every one, but now, your eyes could not see anything else, and your mind could not place any other option than this beautiful companion that was seeing you so fixedly, now with a smile that you couldn't quite read.

“I want him, they are all beautiful, but" you broke the spell that was the look of the half-cat, to stare at Suhyun -according to the presentation card on his flap- "He is perfect, he is the only one I want to take home with me" You lost the way your new partner looks at you when the word home came out of your mouth. In all honestly, he didn't plan on having a home in his life ever again.

***

Waiting.

Waiting was tedious itself but now it was worst. It is supposed to be a quick process – the ads say it, their words not yours – and here you are a little impatient, for starters because when there is the hope of a future better you want that future to start as soon as possible, and the other reason being that the paperwork was taking so much to be ready and by that, bringing Jin was  being delayed and now it was almost an hour since you signed the damn – and at some short stupid, but oh well -  pile of paper to finally be able to bring him to his now home. If this could be faster you would be in your living room with a pizza and some hot beverage watching a movie, but no, you are in a cold hallway and the hunger that you had been evading and trying to ignore was now being notice by the constant discomfort and warning of a future, but near roar.

But all growing frustration , hunger and possible anger dissipated when you heard a door open – the only that matters at this point- and you thanked the heavens, an Hallelujah almost drifted out of your mouth, and indeed Suhyun came with a guard at her left and Jin walking behind them hugging a small backpack, which most surely is the one that carries his belongings. No grown man looks like him, you don’t know if you can call him cute, but he was in all forms.

“Well hi” you greeted, standing and walking to them to finally be able to touch your new family member. “You sure take your time to make thing right, I like that” that was a lie, but what can you do at this point? Complain?

“Miss, I have some bad news” your mom detector woke up in you with an alarm that screamed ‘DANGER/PROTECT’ Suhyun handed you a carpet that happens to be the profile and legal papers of Seokjin and some ‘doctor papers’ here and there. She started to talk again while you read the document in hand. “He had a medical procedure and check last week, this was sent today, and we are sad to inform you that he has been having some eye problems-” A pause, nobody moved. “His sight is getting poor. If you want, we can go and see the area- “

“You don’t dare to end that sentence, please, he is here, behind you and can hear clearly, I will appreciate that you don’t hurt my friend feelings” when your eyes looked for his, he was starting at the ground, he was not that big beautiful creature, he was now a not wanted hybrid. That was wrong, everything was wrong, but It was not his fault and he needed to know. “I’ve to say thanks though, you are doing your job, both of you, but no thanks. I’m not changing my decision; I don’t take this as a lie or anything, I will not cause problem for this institution even I will sing a paper if you want me to, but I already told you. I choose him. I still want him, that thingy doesn’t mean shit to me”

You hated costumers that will make a big fuss by small things, but this, this was important, and every word you said, you said it for the three of them to understand. And thankfully Jin lighted up again and you notice that his eyes were shining with tears and his nose was red. “Come here” you opened your arms for him to take shelter in your embrace, but you were not sure if he will actually, well, hug you. A part of you really expect him to avoid that, but you were glad when he lightly pushed the guard and rushed to embrace you with a bear kind of hug, bit of the air in your lungs escaped, but it was fine, he was fine, his face even find a place in your neck, you hated people to be near that area, but if he being there bring him some kind of comfort you are willing to give that.

To try to calm him down a bit more, you stroked his hair. It was soft, of course but for some reason he had a lot of knots, you were contemplating the idea of cutting it, but that was a worry for later.

[illegiblewords]

Design discussion under the cut!

Roegadyns and hyur highlanders are probably the two ffxiv races I’ve seen get criticized the most visually. I think it might be partly because people don’t always know how to handle the beefier body types and partly because facial structure can get odd sometimes.

I seriously love doing design challenges though, and playing with expectations. So these are four examples of alts I use for roegadyns and highlanders respectively, with one male and one female in each race option! The roegadyns also have both a hellsguard and a seawolf shown.

On top of the basic personal designs, I wanted to play a little with expectations. For the hellsguard male I wanted to incorporate his nose with stripes so there would be a tiger look, instead of just leaving it unaddressed. I made him a samurai because it’s one of the faster and more visually precise classes while also playing into what we’ve seen of Doman hellsguard. For the seawolf, I wanted to make a highly feminine, soft, and delicate looking character since that is something critics tend to be tough on for female roegadyns. I also know that lady roegadyns have body types that can be a little tricky at times to address in terms of fashion--I wanted to help the shoulders look proportional, play to the hourglass shape between bust and hips, and overall find balance. I made her a bard because imo it’s one of the prettiest classes, and because I wanted to weave in themes of sirens with a character very tied to Limsa Lominsa.

For the male highlander, I saw a guy months ago feeling bummed out because he wanted an option for harder, traditionally masculine, more hip-hop style dancers. A lot of people lashed out at that particular fan but honestly I felt bad for him. He was someone who loved dancing irl and was subjected to stereotypes and assumptions about what that meant, so he wanted something that reflected the reality of what he personally does a little. With that, I really wanted to make a super masculine and edgy-feeling dancer whose color scheme would mesh with the animations. This, I figured, might help the job feel unified with that harder aesthetic. Also I wanted  to make a hot male highlander to show this is also super doable lol. Since most highlanders so far are native to Ala Mhigo, I tried to make both of the highlanders I designed incorporate some Middle Eastern and Indian visual influence as per the region. The lady I specifically wanted to look graceful, dainty, and traditionally pretty; to have short hair while still being very feminine, and to use all of those things as a warrior. This was because warrior as a job is super heavy and hard hitting/tends to be indelicate in animations. Juxtaposing all of those elements and doing it with a female highlander (when that subrace is often criticized as less cute) felt like an opportunity to really mess with assumptions.

I might mess with other classes more in the future too. Maybe Lalafells or something.

[mysticsparklewings]

Together Furever

This artwork is now available as a free Coloring Page! ____ Today we have another Valentine-themed kitty art. This one is modeled after two pet kitties I lost over the past year, Presto (boy) and Flame (girl). Both were very dear to me, and they seemed very appropriate for a lovey kitty piece, as they were one of the sweetest kitty couples I've known. Flame, such a loving and sweet darling, had her choice of the boy kitties, but when mating season came around Presto was her first and only choice, and likewise the father of her only litter of Magic, a little girl who looked just like him, and Sparky, the wild dark tabby mama's boy. And Presto, bless him, he wasn't much of a cuddle bug but he was a gentleman and, God, beautiful. He also certainly has his choice of lady kitties, but it was clear to me once they found each other that they were basically married. Don't get me wrong; Flame was beautiful in her own right. She was mostly tabby, but she had flecks of orange through, making her look almost calico. And, I think my favorite part, when she looked at you, you could see her mouth was half the normal pink kitty flesh color, and half the darker flesh color usually reserved for black kitties. It was odd, but also really cute. And she always looked so happy, almost like she was smiling. And her fur was so soft! They both had the same warm, green eyes. That same far-away, wistful look in them. I love them both so much, and I know they really are "Together Furever" in the beyond, even if I can't be there with them. And by this time, they're with their children too. (Magic, unfortunately, passed away at only a few months old. Sparky only recently met with a fatal car encounter.) It's bittersweet. I miss them all, but I am glad they can at least be reunited as a family. I did my best to capture Presto and Flame's likenesses here, though neither of them are quite right. Flame's unique tabby pattern doesn't translate super well into my drawing style, and I didn't have a good reference photo for what Presto's face and chest would look like at this angle. Still, I hope I've done them at least a little justice. My initial sketch was based on two kitties standing in a doorway, so to adjust for the odd paw positioning, I quite put them on this little stair pedestal, and then I put the heart behind them to fill space, symbolize their love, and fit with this month's lovey themes. The initial sketch was also pretty small, so I stuck with my habit of doing the lines digitally, printing them, and then tracing them onto whatever paper best suits the project. Thanks to my current set up, I did have to fight for a little longer than normal to get lines I was happy with, but I eventually got it. I think. Once my lines were all ready to go on a piece of mixed media paper, I did a few tests to figure out how I wanted to go about coloring both kitties and (to a much lesser extent_ the background elements. Flame went first since my only other tabby-cat attempts have been gray and orange, which are much simpler compared to the normal tabby coloring, let alone her orange-spotted tabby coat. In the end, I decided my best option was to start with (in alcohol marker) the orange spots and most of the tabby stripes, then go over that with a grayish-brown base, shade and touch up as needed, and then go over the whole thing with my "Tiger" Koh-i-Noor tri-tone pencil to enhance the "tabby texture," then final color touch-ups with a few normal colored pencils. Originally, I thought I'd be coloring in the black parts of Presto's fur with some watercolor. My practice run with that told me that wasn't a very good idea. So I tried some color options with my markers before opting for a process similar to Flame. Alcohol marker base, preliminary shading, then final shading with pencils. The white parts of his fur I just shaded with markers and otherwise left it alone. Though there is the tiniest bit of pink on his nose and mouth since he had that in real life, especially when he was a fluffy little kitten. Once they were taken care of, I moved on to the background. (Because apparently I work backward; I really need to get in the habit of doing the background first. ) I knew from pretty much the beginning that I wanted the steps to be a pretty pale, almost white color. I tried this pale purple look on a test page, and I really liked it, especially juxtaposed to the colors of the kitties, so I went with it on the final. Though I did add a little slightly darker shadow on the final just to make the color pop a little more. And then I started on the heart. I tried to fill the heart in with watercolor, as I had on a test page, but I wasn’t careful enough and the color came out too red and very patchy in an unattractive way. I tried to fix it with pastels, but instead of lightening the red it started to turn grayish in some spots. So finally I did one of only two other things I knew to do. I pulled out my gouache, mixed up a color closer to what I wanted, and I painted over it. (The other option would’ve been acrylic paint. The gouache just felt like the better choice of the two.) I do miss some of the color variations the watercolor on my test page had, but I like the overall color so much better than the reddish-gray mess hiding underneath. Moral of the story? Never underestimate the usefulness of gouache!   And that worked out a little better than I had anticipated too, as I thought Flame's whiskers came out a little long when I did the lines initially, but the gouache covered up the ones on the right, so I could re-do them. And I ironically got Presto's a little too long when I went back over them in white gel pen, and the gouache allowed me to pretty easily fix them too. At some point, I thought maybe I'd go around the two of them with the white gel pen, but once I fixed the heart and their whiskers, I looked at it for a while and decided they didn't need it. The contrast is right. They stand out perfectly well on their own. And so, it was done. Honestly, this piece took more out of me emotionally than I expected. I love Presto and Flame so much, and I miss them dearly, but I've tried not to think about it too much since each of their respective deaths. And so I had to work through a lot of that while I was looking at photos of them and try to get their likenesses right. But I'm glad I went through with it. I needed it, and they more than deserve it, this labor of love. So, as this Valentine's Day approaches, I hope they know how much I still love them and their kids, bless all their souls. I know they're all together now, as a loving, happy family. And I hope all of you, my Sparklers, can know love as pure and sweet as theirs, whether it be with a significant other, your family, or your found family/friends. ____ Artwork © me, MysticSparkleWings ____ Where to find me & my artwork: My Website | Commission Info + Prices | Ko-Fi | dA Print Shop | RedBubble |   Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram

[blackreesemajic]

Social Distancing with a New Flame

         ✨💕 You just met a new boo and just when the vibes started flowing boom* 💥 💥 the world shuts down and quarantine is turned on. The honeymoon phase should be the time you and your person are going on dates, boo’d up in public, holding hands, and sucking each other's face every second of the day.  😘😘😘

Your mind is filled with a plethora of in-person activities y’all can be doing during this time to make the butterflies in your stomach flutter like they just popped a perk.

If your situation is anything like mine, You may feel like your coochie was just put on 90-day probation without your consent. Thank you to the reviews of Steve Harvey’s, “Act like a Lady, Think like a man.” And his toxic masculinity perpetuated in his book,  I would have read it and MAYBE had been better prepared for THIS situation. 

Remember, although times are hard right now it’s not always about sex! Your peach  🍑 may be yearning for that eggplant  🍆 but 30-90 days is not. that. long... of a wait to be intimate with someone. 

You could be like one of those people who wait until marriage…

No shade, but I am not one of those people.  

I’m the, “Bring that ass here boi!” type of people. 

The CDC recommends that we “Stay Calm” during this time quarantine.

 It sounds unrealistic to me.  😒

 How can we stay calm when our sexual desires are all over the place. 

There are three things we are ALL doing during this time if we are not daydreaming about the outside land. 

We spend all day bouncing that ass from Insta to Facebook, Twitter to Tumblr then back to Insta again…

 Log on to our ex’s Netflix account and be entertained by the white Trashery of Tiger King and then see the same trashery in the White House to remind us the world has gone straight to SHITS... 

Lastly, switching to Private mode on our phones and visiting pornhub.com or xvideos.com to see who is offering the best free subscription. 

 Trust me, I’m right there with you! 

 Just because social distancing is in effect does not mean you have to distance your heart. 

Let’s use this time to get to know each other on a personal level. 

Isolation could be causing your energies to yearn for one another louder than ever. You may even have a heightened craving of intimacy during this time. This time in quarantine can be beneficial to your dating life if you consider yourself someone who is, “Shy or Introverted” or are attracted to people who are. Many people with introverted personalities would prefer getting to know each other over the phone or on a virtual date. This is the time to bring back genuine connections, open and honest conversations, and my ALL TIME FAVORITE… Falling asleep on the phone. 

[[Pieces of Reese: If he in quarantine at “his crib” but can only talk to you during certain hours or when he steps outside… He in quarantine with someone else, sis. LET HIM GO! ]]   🔑 😒

Here are some tips to keep the flame lit, tea hot, and coffee dripping down your lips. So that when you and your new boo do get back together the connection is stronger than ever!

1.     Self Healing and Reflecting: I know. I know. You were so excited because you feel like you could have finally met your “PERSON”. And now, You can’t even see them in-person. Your mind starts to ponder so many “What the fucking Ifs!” “What if they get bored with me?” “What if they lose interest?” “What if they have multiple quarantine boo’s”  “What if they catch corona and die?!!!” I know it sounds fucking crazy but its a real fucking fear.  You must remember that FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real!

I NEED YOU TO IMMEDIATELY; Reset your mind and Refocus yourself. 

Now is the time you must remind yourself that “YOU ARE THAT BITCH!” Use this time to get to know you. Get healthy Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally... If being in a relationship/ situationship is what you desire at the end of all of this. Use the time to make yourself WHOLE. Thou can’t pick up broken glass without cutting the hand that is trying to put the pieces back together.  

[[ “We don’t fear being alone. We fear getting to know the parts of ourselves we didn’t know before.” - Pieces of Reese ]]

 Pick up a pen and paper and write: Write a letter to yourself. Write in your diary. Write to your person. Write your feelings. Write yourself daily affirmations and post them on your bathroom mirror so that you see them every day. Get connected with the feelings behind your everyday thoughts.

Set a routine; Whatever the routine looks like to you, set it! There is no amount of work you need to force yourself to meet society’s sense of productivity. The routine is only in place to keep your body prepared for what the universe has to offer you once this is all done.

2.       Virtual Dates: It seems crazy but having a virtual date can be romantic and is also cost-efficient. If you or your partner want to be extravagant you can rotate turns ordering the other person a meal (Be sure to leave your delivery person a decent tip for working through these hard times). You can both go into your own kitchens and cook each other your favorite meal. Make something you will want your person to try when you are in one space. Try describing the taste of the meal, who taught you how to make it, and why it is your favorite. Adding wine or alcohol loosens things up and being alone could make you more comfortable with being yourself on the date. A great website to get the conversation going: www.goalcast.com/2018/04/19/deep-questions-to-ask-your-partner/amp/ 

3.   Share what you see: If you are a lover of music, videos, Memes, or GIFs, Do NOT be afraid to share it with your person. With everything that is happening in the world currently, Now is the perfect time to make someone smile and laugh. Remember that MENTAL HEALTH is real! For people who suffer from Mental Health Illness, forced isolation calls for undesired thoughts of not being wanted. Show your person they are the first person you thought of when you have seen or heard something. Make them feel like, you couldn��t wait to send it to them. Let them know they are not alone during this time. You are their person   

4. If you are adventurous: Video or Phone sex has never got anyone left on READ. It actually gets you a callback.

 It's safe, sexy, and Kinky AS FUCK! Call your friends who love BDSM to teach you a thing or two. Virtual sex allows you to push the boundaries between you and your partner. It makes each person excited for what's to come when you are in one space. 

You can set the mood for your virtual hook up by lighting candles, having your space neat, camera angles must be on point,  and start off with a striptease to get the eggplant ripe and keep the peach juicy. 

Playing a ”If I miss, I Strip. If you miss, You strip.” [if you know, you know ❤️ + 🏀 ] type of game may relax you and your partner. Of course, Make it specific to you and yours. Don’t forget to have your #BlackReeseMajic music playlist ready. If you don’t have a music playlist visit my apple music/ Spotify to follow any of mine  

5.    Lastly, Optional, and specific for my Spiritual Souls who believe in the power of Manifestation: ✨💕✨💕✨💕

[You do not have to have a person already to do this step. If you are someone hoping to find your quarantine boo or keep the one you have then this is for you]

 Step One: is to start by writing out everything you want in your person. Qualities, Attributes, Values, and Looks (if you believe in detail). Remember to write out how you want to be treated by your person. If you want to go the extra step. You can write what ‘You’ will be able to offer to your person. Once you have produced the person you desire in the concrete sense,

 Step Two: is to call on your spirits guides, ancestors, and higher power to bring forth your ask. Some things you may need to connect with the spiritual realm but are not required are 1.Pink Candle (Pink candles personify the purest form of love, a love without selfishness with selfless emotions, are ideal for the beginning of a relationship), 2. Herbs or Essential oils [if you have] have a centuries-long history of symbolizing love and devotion (Lavender, Rose, Basil, Calendula...etc). 3. Sage: “Sage is known to have healing properties and with the power of intention and spiritual connection with the source of all existence, the burning of Sage assists with healing and clearing.” 4. Offering: Clean and freshwater is the simplest form of offering. You can also offer coins, jewelry, fruits, anything appealing to the spirits. 5. Bell or anything that makes noise (can be your voice) 

And Step Three: Have a table or space specific for intentions or manifestation. With a clear mind, body, and soul begin my thanking creation for all that you already have. I like to place my “person desires” list under my pink candle. I sprinkle my herbs around and inside my candle. I  use a couple of drops of my essential oils for fragrance (Spirits love good smelling things). I make my spiritual space as pretty as possible (Glitter is enticing to spirits and crystals deepens the vibrations). I give the offering (usually freshwater, money, or coins). I chant (Chanting is specific to you. If you need help with a chant I usually say, “All praises to the most high. God, Spirits, Creation, and Ancestors, I thank you for everything you have done and everything you continue to do. I offer you my purest self and this alter to bring forth my ask…”  I burn my sage (smell, clarity, and guidance to myself and spirits), and finally, I light my pink love candle.

 I let my candle burn for a whole day or I light it every day for a few hours then blow it out.   

I hope this tea has filled your soul the way writing it has filled mine. Stay at home if you can and stay safe during this time. 

If you are someone who lost a loved one from complications of COVID19, I pray for healing and peace over your life. I am sending EACH and every one of you Light and Love from the depths of my soul. 

Spread Light and Love Every day! ✨💕

PEACE & Be The.      

    Sincerely, Pieces of Reese

Sources: 

https://www.miracleswithinus.com/the-spiritual-side-of-sage.html

https://dontmesswithmama.com/essential-oils-for-romance-love/

https://www.thespruce.com/herb-meanings-in-love-and-romance-1761964

https://www.sisterlove.org/post/keeping-it-safe-and-sexy-covid19

[sockdreams]

Socks Through Time: History of Top-Stripes

If you've been paying attention to fashion trends for 2018, you may have noticed that top-striped styles are currently a must-have. Being the nerds and amateur historians that we are, we decided to look into the history of this look, and the results were both surprising, and reassuring.

But what is surprising about the history of top-stripes? Well, in this day and age we tend to associate the look with sporty styles, and for most of the 20th century that's really what a top-striped sock was: athletic. However, in our research we were excited to find some super-elegant top striped stockings, such as this beautiful "clocked" style (for more info on clocking, see one of our previous blogs, Historical Costuming Part 2!) from the late 17th century.

Image under public domain, sourced from metmuseum.org, a Gift of Henri-Marcel Cadgene, 1955

Here the top stripes appear to tie the gold clocked design into the overall composition of the stocking, and may also serve to provide a reinforced/more textured area for era-appropriate ribbon garters to grip, since the blue body of the stocking would have been a fine silk. This is really just an assumption on our part, but we think it's safe to say that these were not intended for athletic wear.

The earliest appearance of something like top-striped athletic socks that our internet sleuthing skills could unearth happens in the 1910's, which seems to be about the time that sports teams began adopting them as uniform socks. Interestingly, the two or three stripes on these styles weren't placed at the very tops of the socks, but when you look at the way the members of the 1912 West Point football team (can you spot the former US President in their line-up?) wear pants that come to just below their knees, overlapping with the tops of the socks, it begins to make sense. In this context, the stripes are about as high up as you can see on the sock, creating the illusion of "true" top-stripes. On the other hand, the North Carolina Tarheels Men's Basketball team of 1911 wore shorts, which gives us a better look at their socks!

West Point Football Team, 1912. Public Domain via wikimedia commons.

North Carolina Tarheels Men's Basketball Team, 1911. Public domain via wikimedia commons.

But American Football is not the only football at play here, and the top-striped sporty sock style was definitely not confined to the 1910's! Enter Dick, Kerr's Ladies Football Club of Lancashire, England! This team was wildly popular from 1917 until 1965, when women's teams were banned by the Football Association, supposedly because women were too delicate to play sports, but most likely in reality because the women's games regularly outsold the men's games that were held on the same days. While we don't have photographic evidence of every iteration of their uniforms, we have got these lovely photos of their team from the early 1920's sporting thick, ribbed black socks with top stripes, not unlike our Sporty Stripe OTKs!

Dick, Kerr's Ladies F. C., 1921. Photo is US public domain, via wikipedia.

For a better look at those nice thick turn-cuff socks, we present you with this (incidentally adorable) photo of the team captains kissing.

The team captains, 1920. Public domain, via wikimedia commons.

Now, some of you sports enthusiasts might be wondering about a certain other ballgame with a long history of sock-related superstition, as well as multiple teams named after socks. If that wasn't enough hints, we're talking about baseball! Though the earliest uniforms used solid colored socks, by the 1930's these sporty little details had worked their way into baseball uniforms too! As you can see from this photo of the American League's 1937 All-Star players, different teams used different numbers of stripes, while the Yankee's stuck with solids (maybe because they're already wearing pinstriped uniforms). Of course the Red Sox are the sock-themed team, so it makes perfect sense that their socks would have the most stripes!

From left to right Lou Gehrig, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Gehringer, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg. Image sourced via Library of Congress, Harris & Ewing photograph collection.

Taking a closer look at the above image, you might also notice that those socks are lacking certain socky features... things like heels and toes. It appears that these were a sort of stirruped over-sock, which covered the white socks that you can see peeping out of their shoes. While we weren't able to find much information about this particular feature in our researching, our best guess is that this allowed for consecutive wears of the uniform "socks" without washings in-between, as the more generic foot-covering under-socks could be traded out for clean pairs each day -- it's the same reasoning behind this author's love of our Long Cuffable Scrunchable Leg Warmers. It's like my favorite socks, but I can wear them every day for weeks without washing them!

But ball sports weren't the only sports to get in on this trend! What about puck sports? You know, hockey! Introducing the Preston Rivulettes of Canada! We were delighted to discover photos of this women's hockey team  in what looks like something akin to our Super Long Ribbed Leg Warmers, only with sporty stripes! Now, like the early rugby socks we looked at, the stripes aren't at the top of the sock (or sock-like garment), but their sparseness is what gives them that distinctly sporty look. Somehow two stripes just looks more aerodynamic than a whole sockful of stripes!

Preston Rivulettes  Postcard, 1940. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Now let's get back to football. Or is it soccer? You know -- the one with the spherical ball! Foot(spherical)ball is by far the most popular sport internationally, and like any sport their fans are passionate. We mention this only as framing for the following image, because we want you to really feel the excitement of the moment captured! The year is 1966, and Club Atlético Peñarol of Uruguay has just won the Copa Libertadores de América -- the premier South American football club tournament. Though Peñarol had won the first two editions of the tournament in 1960 and '61, this was their big comeback after other teams took the title in 1962 - '65. You can tell from the spirit of the photo that this was a big moment for the team, as they run across the field celebrating. Possibly even more exciting is the fact that they appear to be wearing almost the exact same socks as the Dick, Kerr's Ladies Football Club circa 1921! To our minds, this firmly places the top striped athletic sock is the Classics category, along with the Doric column.

Club Atlético Peñarol's 1966 Copa Libertadores victory. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

And because we just can't get enough of those groovy soccer uniforms, it's time we took a look at what's been lauded as one of the most attractive uniform designs in football history, belonging to the Peru National Football Team. The white jerseys with red horizontal "sashes" are designed to reference games played between schools, in which both teams would wear white shirts with a removable colored sash, to easily distinguish team members. The uniform also features white socks with red top-stripes, to match.

Peru 1970 National Football Team. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

You may have noticed that the era we most associate with top striped socks is the 1960's and especially the 1970's. Another big trend that emerged at around the same time, and which coexisted beautifully with the aforementioned socks, was skating. Roller skating had already been around since 1760, and in a way it was roller skates that gave birth to the first skateboards in the late 1940's, which consisted of wooden planks with added roller skate wheels. The early 70's saw the invention of  polyurethane wheels, which made for a smoother ride, better traction, and generally a more enjoyable experience. This precipitated a sudden rise in popularity for skating, and brought us the iconically 1970's skater fashions that we know and love today!

From the first Tokyo Bombers: Yasuko Sasaki, Tiger forest, Yumiko Horii, Rikki Endo, Kazuo Kono, Keiko Ayabe, Mickey Kakuda. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

For whatever reason, we found it next to impossible to find public domain photos of 1970's skateboarders, so while we aren't able to post the great photos we looked at here, we're happy to link you to them! We were really into this collection of Los Angeles skateboarders by photographer Hugh Holland. You can also find some interesting background information on how the skateboarding trend was influenced by a severe drought!

House Brand Top-Stripes

At last we have arrived at the point in our Sock Journal where we show you what we've got! Options for recreating this ultra-sporty look are luckily quite plentiful, so let's start out with some of our house brand options! While we only have two top-striped styles in our Dreamer Socks line, they're some heavy hitters! With 12 different colorways and 28 inch top-stretch, our Dreamer Americana Thigh Highs have rocketed into our top sellers! At a more classic length, the Retro Sport Socks come in three sporty colorways -- depending on your favorite team, we might even have your colors!

Dreamer Americana Thigh Highs * Retro Sport Socks

Our DreaM Stockings line includes a pretty great variety of top-striped styles, some of which are particularly good for that thicker, vintage vibe. Some are even authentically tube socks!

Dreamy Striped Over the Knee Tube Socks * Dreamy Knee High Tube Socks * Top Striped Over the Knee Tube Socks

The Skater Stripes (which are discontinued, so get yours while the getting's good!) and Sorcerer Socks are very similar beasts, only the skater stripes are a cotton blend and come in more stripe variations, while the Sorcerer Socks are nylon and feature colors for the Hogwarts houses.

Skater Stripes * Sorcerer Socks

The Skater Stripes are being phased out in favor of some of the newer options we now carry, including the taller, ribbed Sporty Stripe Over the Knee Socks, which I previously mentioned are a pretty good match for those 1920's soccer uniform socks.

Sporty Stripe Over the Knee Socks

The final styles on our tour of house brand top stripes combine two of our favorite things: marled yarn and top-stripes! If you've been following our company over the years, you may have noticed our obsession with marled socks. There was an era when we couldn't find any marled yarns and had no marled socks (after years of carrying O Marleds - the precursor to our M45s and Confetti M45s, which are made on the same machines the O Marleds used to be knitted on) but we found ways of getting around that issue, which is what happens when you're utterly determined to have your favorite pattern. We think the marriage of these two patterns is a match made in heaven!

Top-Striped Marled Slouch Socks * Top-Striped Marled Scrunchable Socks

Other Suppliers's Top-Stripes

Of course we also carry lots of top striped styles from our other suppliers! For instance, most Gumball Poodle socks, which are made in the classic "cheer sock" style, come with top stripes, but some go above and beyond, incorporating the top stripe into the design, or in the case of their PRINCESS socks, turning it into a crown.

PRINCESS Knee Highs * Stormy Weather Over the Knee Socks * Bored AF Crews

Stance is another supplier that features a lot of top-stripes, and it's not too surprising given that their styles are geared towards skateboarders and surfers! We enjoy the way they mix it up with wild patterns from time to time, too!

Durango Midcalves * Mega Babe Crews * Me Vs. You Kids' Crews

Another supplier that tends to surprise us with their top-stripes is Leg Avenue. Their offerings tend more towards the hosiery and lingerie end of the spectrum, and yet they manage to work some elegant top stripes into that wheelhouse, which is appropriately "full circle" given that we started out with those fancy 17th century stockings!

Sheer Stockings with Striped Tops * Over the Rainbow Thigh High * Lurex Anklets

Of course we have plenty of other top-striped options, but to feature all of them would make for a very long blog indeed. Instead, we encourage you to check out the entire top-striped collection, because there's a reason this look never seems to go out of fashion. As a style that has been around for centuries, top-stripes are truly timeless.

♥~Rosalind Socks by Sock Dreams • Free Shipping in the US • $5 International Shipping Find us on facebook | twitter | pinterest | instagram | sock journal | g+