#please include me in this secret society

[protivorech1e]

Is there exists a discord server about Fowler in this world?... It’s just that sometimes it seems to me that I’ve missed and don’t know smth, and in fact, all Fowler fans are sitting somewhere and hiding from the rest of the world............(Exactly from me)

[euphoria-looney]

HIHIHIHIHI!

Sorry for this obscene request but wouldn't it be cool to do a oneshot of batfam x neglected!vigilante! reader, where she's like spiderman but instead of being bitten by a radioactive spider, she comes in contact with a radioactive flower that was an unfinished project from a scientist while on a school's field trip and so now she has like powers/abilities like Isabella from Encanto and uh uh she's extremely flexible since she's a ballerina as well and she makes her own suits/clothing in secret and her suit includes flower-like designs and Pointe shoes?

SORRY FOR REQUESTING OUT OF NOWHERE AND THAT THIS IS LONG AND TO SPECIFIC (u don't have to do it if u want to, just wanted to see something different, and if u do decide to do this you can change what you'd like to change)

SUPER RICH KIDS

Yan(?) Batfam x Reader

Oneshot(?)

"The maids come around too much. Parents ain't around enough. To many joy rides in daddy's Jaguar. Too many white lies and white lines. Super rich kids with nothin' but loose ends. Super rich kids with nothin' but fake friends." 'Super Rich Kids' by Frank Ocean ft. Earl Sweatshirt

Divider Creds: @cafekitsune

What came first, the chicken or the egg? Well, it doesn’t matter as the plants came before; without them we wouldn’t even live like we are currently.

"-And I expect nothing but the best from you guys when we arrive. If anyone has a problem with that, please let me know in my office. The student council, class representatives, and chaperones will be here, so don't fully rely on teachers. And no, we have designated restrooms and gas station stops, so don't request them." Mrs. Simeon, my homeroom teacher, instructed.

"I'll call roll now and then head off to my bus." As she started checking off names, my group got comfortable at our spot.

It was a table seat with Penelope sitting across from me, Astro diagonal to me, and Aldira's next to me. We were the student council. I, the President, Aldira the Vice-President, Penny the Secretary, and Astro the Treasurer.

"You know, this is more like a train than a bus," Penny commented.

"We are one of the richest schools, and funded by millionaires," Astro replied.

"I'm just annoyed we have to go with the underclassmen." Aldira pulled some snacks out of his bag and put them on the table, as did the rest of us.

"Who cares? A trip is a trip, and who are we to complain? It just means no schoolwork for a week." I shrugged and grabbed some gummies off the table.

Now, this may be a bit crazy but I know you're a bit nosey but I know you are quite curious about who I am, and what I contribute to this declining society, I am [name] Wayne on document but [name] [l.name] in which in the future I shall presume to change.

I am 18 years old, and based on the other stories you've read, some think that I am great at everything. I met Penelope in 8th grade at a debate competition, and she’s pursuing an art major.

I met Astro in 6th grade, but more towards the end of the year. I was trying out archery and found out he was the club leader and currently playing the violin.

Finally, Aldira met him in elementary school or something. Currently, he’s in volleyball and karate. He also enjoys playing games, and coding when he’s really bored.

Besides that point, we are heading off to a lab that specializes in keeping special and rare plants, chemicals, and things that I don’t think high schoolers should be seeing, but seeing as Bruce Wayne got convinced by his two princesses, we had no other choice but to go.

The worst part was that we were soon going to hop off the bus and onto a plane since the place was closed off for the obvious reason, if you couldn’t already tell.

This would be a long journey, but at least nothing bad should happen while we go there.

I take back what I’ve said. A scarecrow attack is happening, and gas is enveloping us. 

“I just wanted to take a nap.” Penny kicked a rock on the ground as some people around us were going hysterical.

“Yes, don’t we all.” Aldira rolled his eyes and strode over to 4 guys, waving him over. I  characterize them as his love interest, but he begs to differ. 

I felt a head lean on my shoulder.

Now we would also be the hysterical ones on the ground if I didn’t pack ‘supervillain repellent bags.’ Of course, the question of the incident would be, why do you need to bring those?

And you wouldn’t be the first to ask.

“Why in the world would we need that big bag full of ‘supervillain repellents? It’s a field trip, not a place to get obliterated.” Penny side-eyed me.

“Wherever Serena and Melody go, trouble follows, and you’d expect supervillains not to do anything to high schoolers when we are heading to one of the closed-off and dangerous places in the world? Trust me, we’ll need these things.” I threw them each a big bag of items.

And would you look at that? The gas mask did come in handy. So did the suits, Aldira's company had their plane but he had refused their offer though I wouldn’t be surprised if he went with them now, and some lucky kids were saved by most of the bats, with Damian still in his civilian attire he just took Melody to safety and Serena she went off to use her glitter magic to get rid of some of the gas.

Her superhero name? ‘GlitterBomb’

Anyway, I’m not surprised about the others being here with 2 of their most precious girls on the trip. I highly doubt that not all of them volunteered to go, but Bruce stayed behind with Barbara and Dick as they watched over the city.

However, after this event, I wouldn’t doubt them to also attend; just a matter of who loses rock paper scissors.

“Baby bird!” I heard a loud voice approaching at high speed, Dick with his arms spread like an eagle and kept that super speed up… before zooming right past me and right where Melody was.

“I knew this would happen, We shouldn’t have let their grade on this trip.” He was rubbing his cheeks against hers, having her in a tight bear hug. She suddenly got out of his grip, seeing as all the gas had been cleared, and went straight towards me. Slamming herself on me, making Astro groan and blink in a daze before going on his iPad to check the schedule that had been altered.

“I was so worried about you! I was hoping that the gas hadn’t reached you! Also, when did you manage to bring all of this?” She was shoved aside as Serena came up to me.

“Seriously, [name], what if we also get that gas injected into us? You should’ve brought more!” Wow, she took Melody's words and changed the whole direction of the conversation.

I was going to reply, but Astro took the lead.

“We might miss the plane if we keep talking. We should leave.” I took his hand and left with him before any of them could chase after me, more like Melody and Serena. The rest were more worried about them and escorted them to our private plane, originally Melody wanted me to go with them on it and Delphie agreed but I decided to just go on the school plane with my friends, besides all the seats are first class anyway it’s not like I’m flying in the sky with a booty ahh seat.

“I’m so annoyed I was going to the food court, but everything was closed. Now I’m just stuck with snacks.” Penny collapsed onto her seat, I was starting to wonder where she was; after all, she grumbled and marched off into a different place away from us while I was watching the scene unfold.

Astro passed out in his chair, and Aldira…

Oh yeah, he was whisked away earlier.

“Made it just in time.” Aldira was heavily breathing and tired. 

Finally, the trip started, and we set off for the facility. The idea was like Jurassic Park, just replacing the dinosaurs with plants and items.

“This right here is where our rarest plant resides, unfortunately, we haven’t figured out how to store and deal with it, so until then, it shall be left to itself.” The scientist then led us away, and before I knew it, the sun had already gone down.

Tomorrow would be the last day then we were going to go back to Gotham. However, that flower just kept playing in my head, so I got up when I assumed no one was awake and tiptoed out of my bed before I saw Penny in the kitchen drinking water and she noticed me.

“[name], what are you doing still awake?” She raised an eyebrow at me.

“Just about to take a stroll around here, you know, get some fresh air…” She tilted her head at me.

“At midnight, in a dangerous science lab?” Her suspicion wasn’t disguised as her tone gave it away.

“I’ll go with her.” Aldira perked up, he had a knack for staying up.

“I wasn’t saying I wouldn’t go, just wondering why.” Penny threw a wrapper at him.

“What are you all doing up so late?” A groggy voice made us all jump; that came from Astro. Unlike us, he made sure to always sleep early and wake up early.

“Exploring… want to come?” I made up a decision, and soon we all made it out of our rooms and into the lab, and I stopped at the specific place we were earlier.

Astro looked huger than he usually was, swaddled in his blanket, Penny holding the blanket so it wouldn’t hit the floor and make it dirty, and Aldira was taking a picture of this. 

I soon approached the door before Aldira grabbed my wrist.

“What are you doing?!” He whispered.

I just opened the door, and like teenagers, we entered the room, and a glowing flower was in the center.

“Woah, what is that?” We all went to look closer at it, and then the flower went out.

“We should go unless we want to be caught.” Astro chided, and we just nodded.

I felt weird since this morning, but pushing it off, I finished packing and stretched a little bit before I heard a scream (scrumped 😍) in Penny’s room, coming from her, which was out of the ordinary.

So, the collective footsteps ran to her room.

“What happened?!”

“Who died?!”

“PP?!”

We stumble into a scene of her room wrapped up in… thread? She was in it too.

“I just wanted to draw.” She made the motions and rambled, but the funniest part of this was that she started explaining this in a monotone, as if it was just another Tuesday lesson, and we all missed the lecture.

“Can you… retract it?” I titled my head, and slowly it all dispersed.

“Well, Penelope was the closest one to that flower yesterday,” Astro concluded, doing that usual crossed hand with one holding his chin.

“We’ll figure this out later. For now, we should pack up and head to the airport before we get left behind.” We agreed and went to pack up.

“...I can’t believe it withered…” 

“Shame, but we were trying to find a way of disposing it- but the effects are left unknown-...”

I heard bits and pieces of the conversation while I was passing through and all of us threw each other a glance.

By the time we were back in Gotham, I was exhausted, but then a phone call buzzed my phone.

[Large Gay Fantasy Facetime (Join)]

Astro had initiated the call, which he never did.

“Whassup~?” Aldira’s had a facemask on, smoothing it out with his jade roller.

“I… was trying to play Vivaldi's Four Seasons Winter, and now, there’s a whole winter in my room.” He sounded more agitated than shocked; he was an academic victim for a reason. He panned his camera over his entire room, and there were icicles surrounding him, snow on the floor, and water that seemed to be dripping down the walls.

Penny immediately cackled, running up to her camera for what I presumed was to get a closer view of Astro's distress. Before she slipped on her debate papers that she, I presumed, had been working all night on.

Now it was Aldira’s turn to laugh at the both of them gripping onto the phone, but he started glitching out before his Facetime shut off, and in the next few minutes he rejoin his hair all frizzled up and him with this ‘I just got a massive wave of constipation’ hit the screen.

“So, all my electronics turned off, and for a hot minute, I got hacked. I hacked myself. Guess who got powers?”

“Great, [name] you want to tell us something next?”

I burst out laughing.

“Naur, seems I was the only one not affected. Lucky me.”

“You’re telling me the one who dragged us into that room was the only one not affected? I call BS.” By now, we were just up at night chatting.

“You know what this means, right?” I questioned them.

“My career is over, and that means I should call it and jump from a cliff, yes.” Astro had collapsed onto his now normal floors.

“What he said.” Aldira was picking his nose.

“No, with practice, you guys could be the next top superheroes or mysterious into-the-night vigilantes. Oh! Or-”

“[name], we already have vigilantes, and besides, if we were busy with that, how’d we hang out with you?”

“I’m a nepo baby. I’d rather you guys save those in need than worry about me.”

“And our grades.”

“Make a schedule. Of course, I was just suggesting; don’t let me force you guys into this. Imagine the people who’d just be ungrateful and berate y’all. Overall, these powers are like another limb to you guys; who knows, it might be fun having them.” They thought about it, but as the night went on, we all agreed that we had to sleep; school was tomorrow.

“Besides, sometimes, a family is two grown men dressed in bright spandex and their orphan acrobat they picked off the street.”

“[name] what the fuck?”

“What does that have to do with this conversation?”

“This isn’t off of those old Superman, Batman, and 1st Robin comics, is it?”

“Woah, did my father just call for me to go to bed?” I looked around.

“Your father doesn’t acknowledge you, and neither does your family,” Astro deadpanned at me.

“Hang yourself.”

3 MONTHS LATER

Walking through the halls, my heels clicked against the floor as I entered the library and climbed some stairs before reaching the usual table we’ve had for year, two look dead, and the other locked into his studies.

“E-ehem, um, is this seat taken?” A guy fiddled from where his friends were standing, they watched with curious eyes.

“If there is a bag on the seat, does it mean it’s open?” Penny snarky replied cut him off.

“W-well, I just-”

“We’re just wondering since you guys get such high scores on your test-” A girl behind him approached and wrapped their arms together.

“Hey, did you not hear what she just said? Does it look like we have more room for dead weight?” Astro scoffed and pushed his glasses up.

“What’s up, guys? Didn’t know we had company?” I moved Aldira’s bag out of the way and side-eyed the group that was trying to join us.

“N-no, never mind.” The girl waved themselves off and dragged him back to the disappointed friend group they had.

“Man, you fumbled that… the connections we lost… Ain’t no way, you look like you were going to piss your pants.”

“You know it’s been years, and still people try and act all buddy-buddy with us.”

“Can’t blame them, look at us.”

“Off topic, but [name], did Richard get a BBL?” I smacked Aldira upside the head.

“What! It’s a serious question!”

“If I kill myself, would you guys miss me?”

“Your car, definitely,” I replied to Penny.

“Guess what? Another attack is going on, it’s your turn, Ali” Aldira grumbled right next to me as Astro turned his laptop around for us to see the news.

“Ai!” Meet ‘Ai’, otherwise known as Aldira. (Making up names is hard for superheroes.)

He chose that name since it sounded like an ‘eye’ because he could see out of any electronic device and could hack and control them. It would’ve been really bad if he went emo and villainy on us.

Penelope is an ‘Artist,’ the name stemming from the fact that she could draw and whatever it was would appear. It had to be specific, like the position if it was an item like a boulder or something, and if the drawing was too vague, you needed to describe it in detail.

Finally, we have ‘Composer.’ I think you could tell what his power is by now, but it just emulates elemental power from playing any sort of instrument. He was able to gain the ability to play any instrument with the gained power so it would be more accessible in any room. The elements branch off so that power is also great.

And I’m still me. Some people would feel bad for me, but I’m having the time of my life. Don’t get me wrong, powers are cool, but the cons that come with them aren’t. You could use it for good or bad, and there’s no in-between. I highly doubt anyone with magic wouldn’t use it, and whether it impacts them or not, it will.

Physically, mentally? All I know is that having powers changes everything, and that’s the last thing I need right now. Seeing how it changed my friend's life just solidified my reasons.

“[name], you and your friends haven’t been hanging out a lot. If you're ever lonely, I’ll always be considerate and let you sit with me.” Serena told me innocently, but honestly, the words told me a different story.

Mind you, I’m mid-bite into my brownies that I made and just wanted a quick snack before I lock in for my ap statistics test tomorrow.

“The last thing [name] would want to do with you is hang out; besides, if she were lonely, she’d hang out with me.” Melody tugged Serena away.

I took that as my cue and plugged my headphones in.

3RD POV

“And you will do that by doing what? You’re even in the same grade as us.”

“Just like how you aren’t smart enough to be in the same classes as her?”

At this point, they were just insulting each other face-to-face with that comedic headbutting thing. [name] just turned on the TV to see her friends working together with the current attack, and then heard a door opening behind the catfight before her.

“You know, I have to hand it to those kids; a break during the day feels nice.” In comes my realtor, Bruce Wayne, holding Delphie, before spotting the two girls tussling.

“Serena! Melody! Let go of each other!”

They both immediately let go and eye each other down, and each parent goes to their child. 

“Are you okay, What did Serena do now, hm?” Delphie scanned all around, looking for some sort of injury. She gently held Melody like she was a piece of glass.

“What started all of this?” Bruce brooded. Some of the family returned from their mission/rooms to see the commotion.

“I- She- enugh-” Melody cried, and Serena just scoffed before putting on her innocent facade again.

“We didn’t mean to; it’s just- we, [name]...” She shielded her face, and suddenly, for once, the attention was all on [name].

Negative attention.

“[name], what trouble did you cause for them to fight? Are you not ashamed? As their older sister, you shouldn’t set a bad example. You don’t see any of your other siblings doing something like this, do you?” Bruce stood there with crossed arms and a stone-cold face.

“It’s not like that- She’s twisting her words!” Melody spurted in Delphie's hold, and some of her siblings came up to console her, but she raised an eyebrow and slapped their hands away.

“Enough, [name], go to your room. You’ve done enough. Now…”

She swallowed the lump in her throat, not from sadness or anything; She just wasn’t done chewing on her brownies before massaging her temples and standing up and heading to her room. 

To be fair, you have to hand it to her, she squinted hard to see what Bruce was saying.

Not before getting berated at.

“You really are just trouble and a burden.” Damian started as she passed, making her freeze and stare at him.

“What did he say, my narwhal is going up and down?- what is he spouting so fast😨???” The stressed-out senior just nodded.

From her point of view though, this toddler was speaking out words like he was the next rapper, so she opted on giving a smile(?) but it looked more like a sneer due to Bruce’s damn genes. Damian was shocked before rolling his eyes, but his mouth got cupped by Dick.

“[name], don’t cause a scene. Damian didn’t mean it.” He motioned her off, but that made her even more confused because she still didn’t understand what was going on and just gave up on understanding and more on getting some work in.

[name]’s POV

Man, this assignment is killing me. I should go to bed soon, but I haven’t watered my belladonnas in a hot minute. I popped my neck and my back before getting up and grabbing my plant mister. I walked over to my belladonnas. I sprayed a few, then put it down to admire the belladonnas. I gently touched a petal, and it began growing quickly through my room, making me fall back.

Taking off my headphones, I adjusted my glasses. It seemed the belladonnas moved in whatever way I wanted them to. Not what I needed before going to bed, but the last thing I needed was to talk to myself about this, and I rushed over to my phone.

[Facetiming (Academic Victims)] (idk abt yall but my gc changes a lot.)

“ERm 🤓 we might have a situation, guys.” I awkwardly smiled at the camera and showed my flower-covered room.

"Did your family let poison ivy in your house?” Penny looked like she went through ten pounds of sugar but we won’t talk about that as she still managed to answer the call at the end of the day.

“I was just trying to water some flowers 😞😤, so uh, any advice on how to control your magic?”

Finally, it seemed to register in the 3 heroes' minds why her room looked like she just got captured by Poison Ivy.

“Wait, wait- you can control plants?!” 

“IDK, I JUST WANTED TO WATER MY BELLADONNAS!” 

3rd POV

Leaping from a building and dodging a bullet by hitting a split before tying a guy up and throwing him off the building, landing him in a snap dragon that engulfed them before letting them on the ground, lining them up with their teammates.

‘Deceptful grace’ is what she calls the move for the snap dragon.

Descending from her poppy swing, she landed in front of a talon and, having him wrapped in vines, she bounced off.

“So- if you ever make mac n’ cheese make sure none of your guests are lactose intolerant or do, no one cares.” She ranted about her thoughts while trying to search for the last remaining guy.

A guy behind her shoots a bullet, but before it can collide with her, it bursts into petals, making her turn around and pull him from his feet by some weeds that were on the grass, wrapping him in weeds too, before dragging them to a boutique shop and decorating them.

“Red or yellow?”

“What?”

“For the flowers, goofy.” She smiled at him.

She was the superhero known as ‘Florist’ and made a magical girl-like design for a costume as she had been scrolling through Tumblr the night before and was reading a few things here and there and got back into her childhood phase.

It has flower designs that wrapped around her body and she wore these pointe shoes that went damn good with the outfit too.

“Alrighty, say cheese, dummies.” She pulled out her phone and put up a peace sign while the talons just frowned and accepted their fate.

By fair they had to say she’s the worst hero they go up against, not only does she yap their ear off but she degrades them too while she’s at it, and the worst part is she says it so nicely that you almost forget she called you an ‘dick rider’ a second early with a sweet tone.

You have the Bat-family that makes things quick and doesn't say anything other than their emo words.

Ai, he doesn’t even face them most of the time, he hijacks something, heck it might even belong to you, then jumps you.

Oh, and if you somehow hear a magnificent melody, don’t clap, don’t cheer, it’s not a good sign, it means you’re going down, avatar style. Then you just see Composer walk up and spray some sort of sanitizer over you before he even decides to make sure you’re still alive before shoving you in a police car and heading to god knows where.

But don’t worry because the Artist will just put you in a jail cell. No need for the fighting, you’re already apprehended.

And they thought metahumans only stayed in metropolises. (Not metahumans, you fake ass fans 😞)

“So anyway, today I went to school, you know, because unlike you donkies I like to be educated, and I stumbled into a girl, she was crying, get this, she got rejected by one of the popular guys.”

“Wait, who?”

“I can’t tell y’all confidentially; besides, I’m a minor- technically, you know it’s sad when you beef with little kids.”

“Alright, lay off us 💀”

“So anyway, she then started to bother his brother.”

“Why…?”

“Because if you can’t go after one, go after the other attractive one, you feel me?” 

“You like ‘em?” 

“I’ll slap you in your face; that would be illegal in so many ways. Anyway, his sister came up, she did that innocent act, and so the girl thought she was trying to steal him anyway.”

“Let me be a spoiled Gotham kid in my next life.” One of the talons whispered to the other.

“I wouldn’t advise it; you look like you’d get bullied just for your hair.” The girl shrugged.

“Just kill me.” A talon looked over to his other accomplices and they were knock out cold, not from anything violent but rather because this girl had been here talking to them since an hour ago but had to keep them company since something bigger was going on in the center and the batfam were taking care of that and her squad was taking care of the other villains.

“Alright, thank you for capturing them. We’ll take it from here.” Police finally showed up after a good hour.

“There is a god out there.” The guy smiled up to the sky, a single tear slipping out of his eye.

[name]’s POV

You know acrobat is fucking hard and scary as hell but seeing the tricks are fun.

I’m saying this because I bought a few things that I thought would be good for training, especially when I’m in the air or high spaces.

Of course, I only do it when I’m done with ballet practice as there’s a show I’m performing soon, ‘Sleeping Beauty’. The hardest part would be holding my pose for a good minute, on my toes, one foot up and a hand up while a guy slowly spins me around before I let go and stay in that pose for a little long. No, it’s not even my legs that much, compared to my back.

Fun fact: common misconception is that I’m standing on my tippy toe, that my toes are bending when I’m doing ballet, but you’d be wrong as I’m literally on the tips of my toes, no bending is happening (lol)

I got a pole, so that I can do that dramatic sliding and twirling around while I’m going down, silks for similar reasons and is really interesting, a hoop, and currently my favorite currently has to be the trapeze.

I put on my bodysuit that had shorts on them and some socks that left out my toes both in back before tying up my hair the best way I would so they wouldn’t get in the way of my face and stood up.

First, though, I start a bit with body control.

I let out a nervous breathe before swinging on the trapeze letting my feet meet the base of it, letting go of the strings that attach to it, I twirled midair and let my legs wrap themselves onto the strings letting myself swing before using the momentum to push up with my torso and twirling into a sitting position letting my bottom rest on the base of it, and swinging a bit, glad to still be intact, letting my legs swing back and forth before standing back onto one of the ledges.

“That should be enough for one day…” I went down and stretched a bit before heading out before seeing Cassandra and Dick at the door.

It wasn’t unusual as sometimes they would practice here. I gave them a small smile before pushing a button that I had Aldira install, and it went back to how it usually was.

“Your ballet is impressive, as always.” Cassandra complimented me.

“Thank you…” I blushed not used to getting complements, especially from Cassandra, she’s one of the people I admire after all.

“Acrobat.” I titled my head at Dicks word.

“You do acrobatics.” I nodded. (Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy? 🤨)

“It’s fun, I’d recommend it, but you already seem fexible enough.” With that I left them to training and went to my room.

Guess you could say… I keep it undercover. (Sorry, I had to ♥️)

Damian insulting [name] in the hallway summary:

“What the…”

“imgonnabeatimgonnabeatyou “

“Is he saying something?”

“imgonnabeatyouimgonnabeatyou”

“I’M GONNA BEAT YOU”

Little background context for [name]: She has never strived for the batfam's attention, as she was more focused on appeasing her mom. No, she doesn't have a family-like relationship with Alfred. From her POV, they are more like baking buddies, and she knows his main point of job is to serve the Wayne family and feels like sometimes he's hanging out with her out of obligation. So far, the only people obsessed with her are Melody - [D/D], Delphie - [M/D], and Serena. The main friend group of [name] is popular for their grades and social standing. (Maybe outfit inspos, too).

I'm debating on if [name] has ever told them the truth behind the mask of batfam. I'll leave that to you guys. Also, I'll just make it to how the school doesn't know that [name] is related to the Waynes for plot reasons, and the only people who know are her friends and, obvi, her family. [name] doesn't know the context for any of the batfams background and is just great at guessing the craziest logic that does, in fact, apply to anyone.

Yeah, how do we feel? It's very hard to stick to one prompt, and I had so much fun writing this. Anyway, if something new pops up... (hopefully it won't bc I already have so many things to write for) Don't be surprised.

Also, I think I gave details on [name] 's friend's magic but haven't gone into [name] herself, as you can tell she has plant magic, I took it from the request, but it ain't just flowers but also herbs and trees stuff like that, dabbles into poison and healing as yk they are plants and they are the bases for everything technically anyway yeah pretty cool 😎.

I tried a new type of formatting with the photos and skinny divider if y'all didn't notice... you like? If there are any formatting oddities please tell me.

Anyway hope you guys like it, would you like this to be a series? How do you guys feel about how slow I update.

PLS PLS PLS comment and sent request my beautiful viewers and uhhh, yeah ❤. (making me feel like a beggar out in these streets 🙄)

Oh, and if there's anything wrong with the spelling, grammar, or something just not right and cringy, TELL MEE.

[gummilutt]

Custom food commitment is a thing of the past!

I want to highlight a creation by someone else today, because I think it's super cool and very useful to the community! Have you ever wanted to use custom food, but were put off by the fact that once in, you shouldn't technically remove it because it creates broken memories and tokens and whatnots? Do you have food in that you wish you could remove but don't want to because of those aspects?

Well fret no more, because jonasn has posted an updated version of his Memory Commander, that now has an invalid food removal option under Mass Deletion.../Remove EVERYONE'S Invalid Food. It cycles through the entire hood, removing memories where the food subject no longer exists, leftover plates that are empty (does not include apartment lots, or secret society lot) and fave foods referring to non-existing dishes. It could already sort of do it for one Sim at a time, but now it can do the entire hood all at once! How amazing is that?!

Check out this great mod object here

I was a tester for this function and it's been working perfectly in my testing. That said, please know that I am in no means an expert on corruption or anything such. To me this seems like a great tool that is super useful, but use is at your own risk. I've run a number of tests for jonasn on the functionality, and he's done what he could to verify the outcomes to see it's all good, but as with anything complicated there's always a slight possibility that there is something you overlooked. The object pops up a dialog that informs you how many things were removed, and if you exit lot without saving then the actions aren't saved, so I recommend just testing it if you are interested :)

Aside from this one function, the Memory Commander is also basically a one stop shop for anything memory-related you could possibly want. It can assign any game memory, it can modify existing memories to change subject etc. You can even assign other custom memories with it, as long as at least one Sim has gotten it in the hood. It's such a handy tool for anyone that likes memories, and as you know, I am memory obsessed so I am a big fan!

[cherryobx]

Illicit affairs

a/n: last fic of my 2.4k picnic! thank u all for requesting and participating! i love yall! also, this song is so Rafe fr

pairing: Rafe Cameron x pogue!reader

summary: you're tired of keeping your relationship a secret

warnings: rafe is a simp but also so stupid, language, like one sexual innuendo i think, mentions of alcohol, drugs and doing them (idk if i missed anything but if i did pls let me know)

wc: 4.3k

Even though it wasn’t technically wrong in any way, it seemed that way. People in Kildare had been separated into two for so long that it made it almost sinful or illegal in a sense for a pogue and a kook to be together. But you loved him. You loved Rafe.

You met him at Midsummers. Sarah begged you to go with her because she didn’t want to go alone and converse with all the snotty kooks there, even though she herself was a part of that society unfortunately. She just needed someone there for her so she could make this evening a bit less insufferable.

“It doesn’t seem so bad, to be honest,” you said looking around yourself and the people there who were dressed in all kinds of fancy outfits. You yourself included.

Sarah offered to buy you a dress. You denied her offer at first but after rummaging through your own closet you finally said yes to her. You didn’t have anything to wear to an event like that. You also didn’t want people to make fun of you or notice immediately that you definitely didn’t belong there.

Sarah was happy to help you out and go shopping together. It took you a whole day to find something you not only liked but felt confident in. You also kept your eye on the price tags and made sure to not pick anything super expensive because you were planning on paying her back. Even though she insisted that it was a gift and she didn’t want your money.

“Trust me. It will get worse as people drink. They start getting chatty and ask too many questions that I don’t wanna answer.” She scoffed and took a sip of her champagne flute.

“Like what?” you asked curiously.

“Every year they’re like ‘are you seeing anyone’, ‘what college are you going to’, ‘planning on getting married’ or stuff like that. Like let me live. It’s none of their business. One time this older lady kept telling me I needed to lose weight. Like what? It’s insane.”

Your eyes are wide in slight shock. “Yeah, they never know when to shut up, do they?” 

“No, they do not.”

And then your eyes met his. He was standing across the room with a bunch of his friends. Rafe tilted his head as he looked at you curiously. You felt almost exposed under his gaze. There was a small smirk on his face as he raised his glass, saluting you, before downing its contents with one gulp. 

You were sure he knew you weren’t a kook. He saw right through you. But you didn’t find it in you to care. 

You mimicked his actions and the smirk on his face grew into a smile.

You kept stealing glances at each other throughout the night and once Sarah was pulled away by some of her acquaintances, Rafe made his move

He was standing at your side in a second. “You lost?”

“Why would I be lost?” you asked, turning your head so you could look up at him.

“Because you don’t belong here, sweetheart.” 

Your heart rate picked up at the pet name he used, making you nervous. He was so attractive, although you didn’t want to admit it to yourself. He looked really good in his suit. He wasn’t wearing a tie and the first couple buttons of his shirt were undone.

“That obvious?” You chuckled and took a sip of your champagne.

“Surprisingly not really. But I’ve seen you running around with your pogue friends so I know you’re not a kook.”

“That I am not. But I’m a friend of Sarah’s. She invited me here so please don’t rat me out,” you pleaded.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, pretty girl. See you around.” He left as suddenly as he arrived, leaving you standing there with a dumbfounded look on your face and a stomach full of butterflies. 

Pretty girl.

Somehow, through many coincidences, you and Rafe kept seeing each other around more often. At Tannyhill when you were visiting Sarah, at your work, on the street. It wasn’t like you hadn’t seen him around before but it was weird how you seemed to run into him much more after the Midsummer incident.

Your relationship with Rafe took off after one night at Tannyhill when you couldn’t sleep so you wandered around the house and ran into Rafe in the kitchen who was getting a late night snack.

“Well look who it is?” He smirked. “Isn’t that my favorite pogue?”

“Am I not the only pogue you’re not absolutely disgusted by?” You asked and hopped onto the kitchen island, sitting there and dangling your legs.

Rafe took in your appearance. You were wearing shorts and a large hoodie. You looked really cozy. He almost wanted to tuck you to bed and give you a goodnight kiss, which he realized was an absolute crazy thought to have.

“Hence why you’re my favorite.” He stood next to you, booped your nose, and leaned against the counter, facing you. 

“Want one?” He held out a small bowl full of strawberries that he had previously washed and removed the tops from.

“Sure. Thanks.” You looked at him for a second before taking one from the bowl and popping it into your mouth. It seemed insane to be on speaking terms with the Rafe Cameron who was known for being an asshole to pogues.

Another thought you had, which you also thought was an insane one, was that he was beautiful. He had always been extremely handsome but in that moment, in the moonlight, he was breathtaking.

“You’re thinking really loud,” he commented after catching you staring at him with a disconnected look in your eyes.

You’re shaken from your trance and your eyes meet his. “What?”

“I said you’re thinking loud, kid.” 

Again with the nicknames. You were pretty certain he knew what he was doing.

“Oh umm…” you started but then he scooted closer to you and all thoughts vanished from your head.

And he noticed. Of course he noticed. Rafe was not stupid. He knew what kind of effect he had on girls. But he liked your reactions especially. He found himself liking you, actually. He never thought he’d like a pogue, that he’d not be repulsed by one. But with you it seemed to be the opposite. He was drawn to you.

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” he asks. He pushed himself off the counter, putting down his bowl of strawberries, and forced himself between your legs. You instinctively made more room for him, accommodating his large frame in your space.

“Nothing much.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really? You were so deep in thought just a second ago.”

He places his hands on your bare thighs, feeling your warm skin under his palms. You looked down and saw how big his hands were and swallowed thickly.

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t be coy. Share with the class.”

You laughed. “What class, Rafe?” 

He smiled. “Come on, baby. Don’t be shy. I shared my strawberries with you.”

“A strawberry for my thoughts?”

His smile widened, revealing his perfect teeth. “Exactly.”

“What do you wanna know?” You raise an eyebrow at him in question.

He shrugs. “Just what you’re thinking.”

“I’m thinking that the moonlight is very pretty.” It was not completely a lie but also not the full truth. And Rafe knew that.

He squeezed your thighs with his hands. “What else?”

“That you’re really close to me.” He leaned even closer at that. He was so close your noses were almost touching. His eyes darted to your lips for a second before he looked back up at your eyes.

“Are you bothered by that?”

“No.”

“Anything else on your mind?” You couldn’t help but look down at his lips too. It was just a second but Rafe caught that. Of course he did.

“No.”

“No?”

“No,” you confirmed, obviously not being honest. There were about a million scenarios in your head at that moment and all of them included Rafe’s lips on yours and his tongue in your mouth.

“Fucking liar.”

“I’m not lying,” you tried to deny it but he saw right through you.

“You’re not lying?”

You shook your head.

“Is that so?” 

You nodded. Rafe smiled and leaned in. Your lips were just about to touch.”Why are you lying to me?”

You open your mouth to once again deny his claims but he interrupted you even before you could begin. “Be honest, baby.”

Baby.

“I’m thinking about your lips.” You were almost shocked at your own words, they just slipped out. 

“My lips? What about them?” He knew exactly what you meant but found joy in teasing the living hell out of you.

“They look so kissable.” You were wondering if you were drunk because you’d never say stuff like that to him of all people in the daylight.

“Then you should probably find out if they are as kissable as they look.”

You blinked at him. “Why are you acting like this?”

He looked confused as he furrowed his eyebrows. “Like what?”

“You’re flirting with me. And touching me.”

“So? Can’t I? Say the word and I’ll back off.”

“No, it’s just that I’m a pogue. Don’t you like want to light me on fire and stuff?”

His forehead fell to your shoulder as he chuckled. “Light you on fire? You’re funny, kid.”

Kid.

“Don’t you?”

He raised his head and looked you in the eyes again. “I would like to do many things to you but lighting you on fire is not one of them.”

“Then why are you flirting with me?”

“Is it that crazy that I actually like you? That I’m attracted to you?”

“Kind of,” you admit. 

“Why?”

“Because you’re a kook? Because you’re insanely hot and I can’t imagine you wanting anything to do with me?”

“You think I’m hot?”

You rolled your eyes. “Don’t let it get to your head. Your ego is big enough as it is.”

“You know what else is big?” He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked knowingly.

You gave him a gentle shove but laughed nonetheless. “Shut up.”

He laughed alongside you and it felt good. It was fun. He was fun. You never thought you could use that word to describe Rafe but that’s how it felt.

When your laughter died down he got this look in his eyes that could only be described as ‘hungry’. He wanted something, craved something.

Automatically you angled your body towards his. It was like something was pulling you. A magnet of sorts, perhaps.

Once again you found yourself close. You were too close for a pogue and a kook anyway but too close for two random people as well.

His eyes met yours in a plea. And you took the leap, leaning in and connecting your lips. He didn’t waste a second to kiss you back. It was slow and almost sweet at first, experimental. But then it got heated. Hands everywhere.

You didn’t find it in yourself to care about the consequences or future in that moment. You didn’t care that it was socially not acceptable for you to be making out with a kook. You just didn’t care. You just wanted to kiss him.

After that night, these meetings started happening intentionally. Sometimes Rafe sneaked into your house, other times you snuck into his. You found each other at every party, every event. It became serious. But both of you knew that this was meant to be a secret. This relationship was only for you two, no one else.

“Make sure no one sees you, okay?” You stood on your front porch, Rafe in front of you who was about to leave. He had spent the night but had to leave before your parents woke up. They’d kill you if they knew you were dating a kook, Rafe Cameron at that. The sun was starting to rise and the birds were chirping. It was a beautiful morning.

You grabbed the hood of his hoodie and pulled it up to cover him up as much as possible. You didn’t want to risk anything.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll take the other route, no one really uses it.” He leaned down to press a kiss to your lips. “Bye, baby.”

“Bye.” You waved him off and watched him drive away.

Soon, your friends started suspecting that something was going on. They saw how happy and glowing you looked, tremendously more than you usually were, but couldn’t figure out for the life of them what or who exactly it was.

“What’s got you in such a good mood lately?” Kie asked one day when all of you were sitting in John B’s backyard, you, Kie, and Sarah in the hammock and the guys in lawn chairs.

You shrugged “It’s summer.”

“Bullshit,” JJ scoffed.

“Bullshit?” Did they really see right through you?

“Yeah. I’ve never seen you like this,” he commented, narrowing his eyes at you like he was trying to see into your brain and what was going on in there.

“Like what?”

They all looked at each other, speaking only with their eyes. That meant that they had discussed this topic previously and were hesitant to bring up their suspicions.

“You seem…in love,” Sarah said. It was actually kind of ironic how she was the one who spoke up. If she only knew it was her own brother who you were seeing.

“In love? What?” You tried to play it off by acting confused. “I'm as single as ever.”

Pope rolled his eyes at you. “Yeah right. You know you’re a horrible liar right?”

“Shut up.”

“We’re going to find out eventually who this mystery lover is. It’s either you tell us or we’ll do some investigating.”

You suddenly became nervous. “Just drop it guys. Okay?”

They raised their hands in surrender but exchanged quick looks with each other which told you that the topic wasn’t as much as dropped as it was postponed.

Later that night you snuck off to see Rafe. You excused yourself and lied that you were tired and your head was hurting. They didn’t seem convinced but didn’t start prying either. You made sure you weren’t followed when you biked to Tannyhill. 

Sneaking into his house wasn’t very hard. The place is huge, so many doors to enter through without being seen.

He met you at the staircase and dragged you to his room.

“They suspect that I’m seeing someone.” You were laying between Rafe’s big arms in his bed under the covers, all cozy and warm. Your back was against his chest, his body curled around yours. It made you feel very safe,

“Who?”

“My friends, your sister.”

“Wheezie?”

“No, Sarah, you idiot.” He laughed and then placed a kiss on your shoulder, the action making you feel all giddy inside.

“They won’t find out. They’re stupid.”

“Hey!” You furrowed your brows. “Don’t call them that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a part of that group. By calling them stupid, you’re calling me stupid.”

“Who said you aren’t stupid?” You just knew he was smirking.

“Asshole.”

“You love me.”

“Are you sure about that?” You turned around in his arms and looked at him, a smirk on your face.

“Yes.” He said confidently, placing a soft kiss on your nose before pressing one to your lips. You closed your eyes in bliss, relishing in the feeling.

Weeks turned into months and so far into your relationship you had managed to hide it and be with him undetected. Your friends tried to do some detective work but unsuccessfully so.

“Aren’t you tired?” Sarah asked one night when you were sitting in John B’s backyard once again, just chilling and spending time with each other.

“Of what?”

“Of hiding your relationship.”

There was a beat of silence. You thought about what she said. And she was right. You were kind of tired, obviously not of Rafe but all the sneaking around and almost never seeing each other in the daylight. You love being with him and love spending time with him but sometimes you actually wanted to be out in public with him. To go on dates or the beach together or whatever normal couples did.

And you wanted to be with him without hiding it. Without either of you caring about what others might think. Without there being judgment from people closest to you.

“I have to go.” You stood up.

“What? Why? I’m sorry if what I said upset you.” Sarah jumped up too, grabbing your wrist to stop you.

“No, it’s not that. I just have to go.”

You texted Rafe to meet you at a random parking lot where he sometimes picked you up. You arrived before him and paced around nervously, biting the skin on the inside of your lips.

He pulled up about 10 minutes later, parked the car and then got out, hurrying to you. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

He placed his hands on your arms and looked you in the eyes with a worried expression, searching for the answer in your eyes.

“I’m fine, Rafe. I just needed to talk to you.”

He furrowed his brows and stood up taller. “Okay. What is it?”

“Sarah said something tonight and it made me think.”

Rafe rolled his eyes at that. “Sarah?”

You nodded. “She asked me if I was tired of hiding us, our relationship.”

“And?”

“I am. I’m so tired, Rafe. Aren’t you?” You asked, looking him in the eyes.

He contemplated for a second. “I am. But there isn’t really anything we could do about it, right?”

“We could just say fuck it and go public?” you asked, voice filled with hope.

“Go public? No, that’s not a good idea.” He shook his head, shooting down your idea immediately.

You were taken aback by that. “You said you were tired too?”

“Yes but this,” he pointed a finger back and forth between you two, “going public will ruin both of us.”

“Will it? We don’t know that, Rafe. We can’t possibly know that.”

“It most definitely will,” he argued.

“How can you be so sure?”

“We’re supposed to hate each other.”

“So? I love you, Rafe. I don’t care anymore. I wanna be your girlfriend everywhere, not just your bedroom or this random-ass parking lot. I want to be your girlfriend during the day too, not just night. Don’t you want that?”

“Of course I do but it’s not that simple. You’re asking for a lot.”

You took a step back, away from him. “I’m asking for a lot? I want us to be normal!”

“Baby.” He tried to get closer again but you just backed up again.

“Don’t fucking ‘baby’ me right now! Do you even love me?” You were beginning to feel frustrated and that brought tears to your eyes.

“Of course I love you! You knew that this is what it was going to be like when we started dating. You knew!” He was clearly angry and frustrated too.

You took in a shaky breath. Rafe’s constantly angry but it’s never been directed towards you before.

“Then I can’t do this anymore.”

“Kid-” he said, voice now quieter, almost pleading.

“No, I can’t do this to myself.” You turned around and hurried towards your bike which was lying next to the curb. 

“Let’s just talk about this!” he called after you.

“Clearly there’s nothing to talk about anymore.” You looked back at him.

“I love you.”

“Do you?” you asked, eyes filled with tears.

“Of course I do.”

“Then why don’t you want to be with me?”

“I do want to be with you but what we have is complicated.”

“It’s really not, Rafe.” You got on your bike and pedaled away as quickly as possible. You didn’t greet your parents as you got home and stormed past them to your room where you finally broke down.

You loved him. Of course you loved him. But you were tired and he wasn’t willing to compromise. 

Days passed and you barely left your room. All you did was wallow in sadness and cry yourself to sleep every night. And even then you didn’t get any peace because he even filled your dreams. You couldn’t get a break.

Rafe was absolutely miserable too, lashing out at everyone, breaking furniture and punching walls. He couldn’t sleep so he sat on the balcony the whole night, occasionally doing a line or smoking something to make him feel better but it never worked, he couldn’t get the heartbreaking look of you in that parking lot out of his head. 

It was a warm summer night a couple of days after your breakup. Rafe was smoking a joint on the balcony at Tannyhill when Sarah approached him, keeping her distance just in case. She stood by the door and leaned against the frame.

“You should go after her.”

Rafe turned around and stared at his sister. “What?”

Sarah said your name and Rafe swore his heart skipped a beat, or stopped working completely. 

“Why the hell should I talk to her. She’s your friend,” he scoffed and took another hit, looking at the treeline.

“You love her.” 

His head snapped towards Sarah.

“I know, Rafe.”

“I don’t know what the fuck you think you know but you don’t. So get lost.”

“It wasn’t really hard to figure out,” she continued. “I’ve never seen you actually happy before, you know?”

“Go annoy someone else.” He looks away before taking a big breath to calm his racing heart.

“It’s not the end of the world to love a pogue, Rafe. It’s literally not that big of a deal. You’re so stupid.”

He sighed before he spoke. He couldn’t believe he was about to actually talk to Sarah of all people about this. “It’s not just that.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue and explain what he meant by that.

Another sigh. “She’s the first girl I’ve ever loved and I pussied out when she told me she wanted to stop hiding.”

“Go talk to her.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Of course it is.”

“She loves you, Rafe, for whatever reason. I hate seeing her suffer. I don’t care that much about you but your actions are what caused this. So fix it so I can have my friend back.”

“You’re so annoying, y’know that?” His blunt had run out and he put the butt into the ashtray, then pushing past Sarah into the house

“Where are you going?” She whipped around and followed Rafe down the stairs.

“Where do you think I’m going, dumbass?” 

“Say hi for me.” 

“I won’t.” He slammed the door and got in his car, making the drive across town to your house. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to say. That he’s sorry? That’s pathetic.

He stopped the car on the side of the road and walked up to your house, picking up pebbles as he went.

He threw one against your bedroom window. The sound was loud in the quiet of the night but you didn’t open the window on the first try like he had hoped.

He threw one more. And then one after that. He kept trying until you pulled open the window, staring down at him. “What the hell do you want?” you hissed.

“I love you. I was an idiot. I was a pussy and I made a big deal about something that isn’t even that important. I love you and I don’t care who knows. I want you to be mine 24/7. I knew I was going to love you from the moment I saw you at Midsummers. I’m a fucking fool and I’ve never deserved you in the first place. I’ve never deserved your love but I need it. I can’t live without your love. You’re like a drug and I cannot live without you. I can’t get you out of my damn head. I’m half the man that I could be when I’m without you. You’re the first girl I’ve ever loved and I promise I will try to be worthy of you and your love for as long as you’ll have me. I want you to be my girlfriend officially. I want to show you off and take you on dates. I want to introduce you to my dad. I just want you. I will love you in private and in public, when we’re alone and when with friends. I promise. Please, just give me another chance. I’m sorry.”

Rafe watched you disappear from the window and his heart sunk. He tried. He turned to leave but then heard the front door open and saw you sprinting towards him in your cute pajamas and messy hair.

He caught you in his arms, holding you close to his chest so tight you thought you were going to suffocate.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” you mumble against his t-shirt.

“I know.”

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

“You will have to do a lot of groveling.”

“I will, I promise.”

You raised your head from his chest, looking up at him. “Did you really mean all that?”

“I did and I do. I love you and it shouldn’t matter if we’re from the opposite sides of an island. It’s not important in the slightest because I love you and that’s all that matters.”

“Do you wanna come inside?” you asked.

“Thought you’d never ask.” He wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you to his side as you made your way back towards the house. He pressed a lingering kiss to your hair, keeping his lips there.

“I love you, kid.”

“I love you too, baby.”

[cece693]

Absolutely love your works💗

Could you please do some Hannibal Lecter x Steve Kemp? Mads and Sebastian are literally the hottest. Two cannibalistic serial killers in a room, they might kiss (or maybe fall in love)? ( ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°)💞

So, I didn't really know who Steve was, but a quick google search put me up to date. And from what I'm gathering, he's just a more sadistic (is that the word?) man compared to Hannibal. Like, don't get me wrong, Hannibal isn't innocent, but he doesn't indulge people's pain if it isn't necessary (everything he does serves a greater purpose) but for Steve he thrives off it. I'm intrigued by his character (not ashamed to admit it, he might become a regular if the movie's good.) I don't know if your request only wanted to feature these two characters, but I couldn't help myself to include a male reader. Hope you enjoy it still!

pairing: hannibal lecter x male reader x steve kemp tags: you're also a cannibalistic killer, pre-relationship, monsters love too, or whatever they consider love at least, can we even call it that if you're at the first stages of your relationship?, au in a way

You didn’t expect this. Of all the places your macabre interests could lead you, you never thought you’d end up in a dimly lit dining room with two men whose reputations precede them in the darkest corners of rumor and legend. Yet here you are, stepping carefully across the polished floor—every tap of your heel against the marble echoing in your chest.

Hannibal Lecter stands beside a candlelit table as though hosting a dinner party for the most discerning of guests. He wears a tailored suit that hangs perfectly off his slim frame, his dark eyes never leaving you. His posture is regal, almost too poised, like a cat preparing to pounce. Across from him, leaning against a wall with an air of cool dismissal, is Steve Kemp. Where Lecter is refined, Kemp is rough around the edges—swagger in his stance, a slight smirk curving his lips. You can almost sense their energies clash in the room’s heavy air, or perhaps they harmonize, each man possessing that brand of charisma only monsters can wear so effortlessly.

It’s a meeting of twisted minds, a singularly dangerous gathering, and you…You’re the third seat at this table, the new confidant in their circle of secrets. They’ve invited you here because—like them—you walk the fine line between polite society and your appetite for its darker aspects. Maybe they want to see if you can keep up. Maybe they want to see if you’re worthy to indulge in their most prized pleasures.

“Please,” Hannibal says, voice smooth as silk, gesturing to the empty chair. The flickering candles give his expression a strangely tender glow. “Join us, won’t you?”

You settle onto the chair, heart pounding yet oddly thrilled. Kemp eyes you with guarded curiosity, as if he’s deciding whether you’re truly made of the same raw stuff as they are. He lifts a corner of his mouth in an almost friendly greeting before lifting a wine glass to his lips.

Hannibal’s sharp gaze flicks between you and Kemp, faint amusement dancing across his face. “I must say, it’s an intriguing opportunity to break bread”—his tone curls around that phrase knowingly—“with someone of equal taste.”

Kemp snorts a laugh, setting his glass down with a soft clink. “Taste. That’s one way to put it.”

Silence settles over you three for a moment. You feel your pulse drum in your ears as you realize that, in this hush, none of you are exactly concerned with covering up who or what you are. Not anymore. The three of you are cannibals—each in different stages of mastery, each with unique philosophies of the “art.” There’s a thrill in acknowledging it openly.

“Shall we toast?” you suggest, forcing your voice to remain steady as you raise your glass. They both follow your lead, though each with a different glint in his eye. Kemp’s is mischievous—like a child about to break a rule just for the fun of it. Hannibal’s is calculating and darkly pleased, as though everything is going exactly as he’d planned. Glasses clink lightly, crystal against crystal, and you all drink. The wine is robust, luxurious, and red as blood.

Conversation flows with surprising ease. You trade stories of near misses—close calls with the authorities, how you lured a target that one time when the moonlight was just right, how Hannibal managed to remain undetected for so many years. Kemp leans forward, describing a particularly brutal hunt out in some isolated countryside. You can’t help noticing how intently Hannibal listens, how his lips curve whenever Kemp’s story peaks in violence.

In turn, Hannibal recounts one of his finer “culinary experiences,” discussing it with the flair of a man describing a Michelin-star dish. There’s something entrancing about how he moves his hands in emphasis, voice hushed but warm. Each word holds a promise of something new and forbidden. And, on Kemp’s face, you catch a flicker of fascination and something deeper—a grudging admiration, perhaps.

Hours seem to pass without any of you noticing, the candles burning low, the wine dwindling. Every so often, your gaze flickers to the door, but there’s a compulsion in you to stay. They’re dangerous, yes—but so are you. And there’s something heady about being in a room with people who truly understand that side of you, who won’t flinch at your confessions or grimace at your appetites.

When Lecter rises to pick out another bottle of wine from a discreet sideboard, Kemp edges closer, regarding you with a tilt of his head. “He likes to make it all elegant,” he says quietly, casting a glance at Hannibal’s back. “Me? I prefer the chase. But I’ve got to admit, there’s something about the way he does it that gets under your skin. Under mine.”

You’re about to reply when Hannibal’s voice floats over, smooth and cool. “If you have something to say, Steve, please share with the group.”

Kemp’s eyes widen fractionally in annoyance, then he snorts. “Just telling our friend here how you’re a man of unique refinement.”

A faint smile ghosts across Hannibal’s lips. “I take that as a compliment.”

It’s not long before you notice the way Hannibal’s gaze drifts across Kemp’s features—no longer just polite or calculating. There’s a curious softness there, tinged with hunger that extends beyond the culinary. It’s in the long glances, the brush of fingers as Hannibal offers Kemp the fresh glass. It’s in the whisper of breath between them as they stand too close for a moment. Kemp, at first, seems unsure how to respond, but he doesn’t pull away.

You sense it too: a sharp tension thickening in the air, a shift from cautious rivalry to something that resonates dangerously between them. You’ve heard stories about Hannibal’s affections—rare, but potent. And clearly, Steve Kemp isn’t immune to that magnetism.

Then Hannibal’s hand comes up gently to rest along Kemp’s cheek, his thumb grazing across the man’s jawline. You hear a whispered breath escape Kemp’s lips, though you can’t tell if it’s a sigh or a growl. It’s a moment suspended in time: two apex predators testing a new type of closeness. You meet Hannibal’s dark gaze. He inclines his head, as though letting you witness the moment or inviting you closer—perhaps both. There’s a flutter in your stomach, an odd blend of fear and excitement. After all, there is no guarantee they wouldn’t turn on you and yet you inch forward, transfixed.

Kemp’s mouth curves into a half-smile as he leans ever so slightly toward Hannibal’s touch. “Not exactly what I expected,” he murmurs, his voice unsteady but laced with a rough undercurrent of desire.

Hannibal’s response is quiet and almost tender: “Life rarely meets our expectations, Steve. Sometimes, it surpasses them.”

Their lips brush, a hesitant meeting that holds a thousand questions in the space of a heartbeat. You wonder if you’re meant to see this, but neither man hides it. And then, in a breath, Hannibal presses just a bit closer, tasting Kemp’s mouth with the careful precision of a connoisseur sampling a forbidden delicacy.

The flickering candlelight catches the reflection of something like acceptance—maybe even longing—in Kemp’s eyes. When they part, the air is thick with the echo of that moment. You realize your breathing has become ragged, goosebumps prickling your arms.

Silence stretches. Your heart feels like it could burst from the tension. Then Kemp speaks, his voice low, directed to you. “So, what do you say?” He glances from you to Hannibal. “Think you can handle being part of…this?”

There’s an unspoken meaning behind his words: not just the partnership in their dark proclivities, but the melding of your shared hungers, your deviance, and the possibility of more. In a way, they’re asking if you can stand in this circle—equal, accepted, involved. You swallow hard, your throat dry, but manage to nod.

A small smile graces Hannibal’s lips as he arches one brow, pleased by your answer. He takes a step toward you, bridging the distance. Behind him, Kemp watches, his smile both relaxed and knowing. You tense for an instant, uncertain if this nearness is safe, but deep down, you’ve never wanted safety. Not really. Hannibal lowers his voice. “Fear can be so exhilarating when shared in the right company, don’t you think?”

You nod, though you can’t quite find words. Even if you could, you’re not sure they’d convey the cocktail of emotions surging through you. Hunger, fear, curiosity, desire—all laced with an electric undercurrent that only these two can bring out in you.

Kemp steps up beside Lecter, and the three of you stand there, locked in a moment that feels as though it could spiral into either violence or intimacy—or both—at any second. There’s a shared understanding in your eyes: that you’re each too far gone into your own darkness for any illusions of normalcy. And strangely enough, that’s the one thing that binds you together.

When Hannibal and Kemp exchange another glance, you feel the tension mount again, as though they’re both inviting you to lean in, to let go of any last scraps of hesitation and join them in something that’s equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.

And so you do.

[patchwork-crow-writes]

Losing my mind rn and I need to share it with someone because I stumbled on some dialouge where rudy says jokingly that if angore wants to go to prom woth him he should just ask. Like I have spent several years thinking that asgore x rudy is just a silly ship based on the whole bouquet of roses thing BUT THEN RUDY SAYS THAT??? LIKE BRO YOURE MARRIED??? Like I dont think theyre gonna get together in canon still but now im convinced that this weird semiromantic bond does indeed exist after years of denying it

It's just very intresting to me, how hometown has these vibes of a this stringent religious town without showing any of the bad things that happens in those type of towns

Like kris has the vibes of a closeted trans kid (massive sweater, not taking care of themselves, "you can wear anything you want" in the dark world) Despite diegetically kris is out and transphobia doesnt exist in hometown

Rudy's and asgore's thing really feels like how historically there were many queer and gay men with wives but still dated men in secret and how that sort of cheating would cause issues later down the line, but obviously homophobia doesn't actually exist in hometown, and rudy isn't actually cheating on his wife, yet that tension remains

Sane with alphys and undyne not being together, something about this town is just stifling despite no actual dietetic bigotry existing within it

And berdly's behaviour being very intentionally written to mirror the average misogynistic gamer (THIS IS NOT ME HATING ON HIM I LOVE HIM), he isn't actually misogynistic as the game tells us, but the vibes are intentionally there, similairly to how obsessed he is with romance and how he mistakes friendliness for romantic attraction, which is very amanormative (which is why people, myself included, headcanon him as aromantic in denial) despite us having no reason to belive that hometown is an amanormative society

Similairly the snowgrave route using so much romantic language and marriage symbolism to allude to the idea of forcing these two queer kids into a comphet marriage feels very important (not saying kriselle is a straight ship obviously, just that in the showgrave route they're being forced into cishet roles)

It's a very clever thing, I feel. It allows deltarune to discuss these problems without showing them or having them exist in the story? This allows the story to maintain its lighter tone (in the normal route) and avoids allianeting its audience. It's all just very clever use of metaphor and coding, and I like it a lot

Sorry for the ramble I originally planned to only bring up the rudy quote and leave but this ask got away from me 😔

First off anon, please do not apologise for rambling! I really dig the energy and enthusiasm, love seeing people get really animated about stuff they're into! It's great, and you're great for expressing it :)

And yeah! The whole Rudy and Asgore thing is really interesting! There does seem to be this frisson of something between them - not necessarily romantic/sexual in nature, but this sense that these two people are actually Really Important to each other in ways that can't easily be expressed by the limited ways that society at large sees love and friendship. Take the prom example - very much considered to be a thing for boys or girls to take the person they Like(romantically) to have a good time and show off and all that stuff. But take that societal expectation away, and what's to say you can't take someone you love and appreciate platonically, exhibit the deep care and commitment you have with that person to others, and just have a fun time together? And I honestly feel that both Asgore and Rudy would love to be able to do that openly. And maybe they'd hook up, maybe they'd express their love for each other physically, but that almost kind of doesn't matter when you look at it this way.

And you're entirely right, technically there's no outward stigma around these non-heteronormative displays of affection in Hometown - hell, even the central religion of the Angel doesn't have a concept of sin according to its own priest! And YET, there is still this strange shroud drawn over it all, this kind of veneer or performance of "normalcy", for lack of a better term. Or perhaps more accurately, the people of Hometown are in many ways acting in ways they feel they Ought to behave, even though everyone there's actually really chill and non-judgmental about these things (that we know of anyhow).

Berdly stands out most to me here, for two reasons - the first is, we already know he's playing up to an aspect of his character, his intelligence. But the moment that veneer's stripped from him, he immediately adopts another, playing to his supposed idiocy instead. And I feel this parallels his broader MLG-Redditor-esque personality that's been established throughout Chapter 2 - he acts that way because he FEELS like he OUGHT to act that way, based on the common popular portrayal of such people. So of Course he sees Noelle's friendship as evidence of a deeper crush she has for him, and of Course he sees Susie trying to comfort him as evidence of there being a romantic spark blossoming between them, and he says himself he's chosen Susie's route as though his life is a visual novel, because that's what the role he's playing demands of him. And as we've seen with his smart-stupid persona shift, he's not quite ready to let that performance go yet, he still needs external validation to tell him how he ought to be, rather than trusting in who he actually is, and trusting that others will accept his genuine, aromantic self. (yeah, it makes too much sense for him not to be aro at this stage, lmao)

And it's like - what if ALL of Hometown is like Berdly? What if they're just performing roles that they think other people expect them to perform, instead of trusting that they can be authentic? What if Asriel's belief that he has sinned when he sacrifices Yoshi to jump higher in the game is an extension of his performance as a Good Boy, despite the Angel's religion having no concept of sin? What if the "wink-wink nugde-nugde" gestures between Asgore and Rudy, and to a lesser extent the Royal Guards (just bros hanging out by the lake, anyone?) is not a subversion of their performance but instead a continuation of it? Like, people Know, it's Obvious to anyone who cares to look, but it's all part of the performance of "normalcy" so it gets a pass.

What if Susie performs the role of bully because it's easier than trying to be geuninely vulnerable and asking for help? And what if people don't challenge her on her behaviour not because they're scared to, but because at this point it's just what's Expected of her?

What if Noelle liking scary things (and by extension Susie) isn't a way to break free from her strict upbringing, but instead a way to let her continue being the model student and all-around good girl while having a "subversive" outlet that isn't actually all that subversive?

And what if Kris dresses down, acts weird and hides all their stuff because they've in some way grown accustomed to their role as the ""outcast"", the weird human who doesn't "belong", who was largely accepted as human and non-binary, and yet feels like they are still not quite of Hometown in the same way the monsters are?

The people of hometown seem to cling to normality like it's a life-raft or a security blanket, too afraid to let go of the roles they've agreed to perform for each other's benefit to be fully, outwardly themselves. I think people like to know that the role they play confirms their identity in the eyes of others - by being witnessed playing that role, they earn "approval" from their peers, and so they continue to play that role, iterating upon it as time goes on. Even if that role is portrayed negatively, the sense of identity one derives from it can still provide comfort and security in the face of an uncertain world. It can be scary to let that go and to try and reinvent yourself, even if the role you're playing no longer serves you like it used to.

And, continuing in this vein, what if Snowgrave is the idea of people playing these roles taken to its logical, violent endpoint, and far from being a subversion of the narrative, it's actually a warning of conforming too much to the role you're expected to play? Kris and Noelle are old friends who drifted apart but still care for each other in ways that can't easily be quantified. Even Noelle doesn't quite know how to define their relationship, and her assertion that they're friends, and the comfort she derived from that, is more relief that this nebulous Thing they have has been Quantified, put into a neat box.

But the incredibly performative nature of Snowgrave speaks to its falsehood. It's like a caricature of romance in lieu of there being any actual romantic feelings there, like kids mimicking the gestures of their parents without understanding the significance of those gestures. You make Noelle wear a ring because that's what People In A Romantic Relationship Do. You make Noelle stronger because that's What You Do in video games, but also because you're meant to Support Your Romantic Partner and Give Guidance to them - you're Helping her. You call for Noelle to help you against Spamton NEO and she comes running - because that is what you are Supposed To Do, drop everything and help out the One Person who you totally Belong to and who Belongs to you. That's Just What You Do, and you Don't Question It.

...I have gone quite a ways off-piste, it would seem! But man, you really made me think about this, and it was so fun to think about everything through this lens. Thank you so much for rambling to me, please don't ever hesitate to do so again, should the mood strike you!

(also, now I kinda want to see Rudy and Asgore curled up on the couch watching TV together and stroking each other's hair. That's the kind of energy I feel their friendship/qpr thingy would have for some reason, haha!)

[mullermilkshake]

Scold's bridal

Part 1 <- -> Part 2

Last minute notes to add to your thesis.

Curator!Kento Nanami x Fem! Reader DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT,Restraints,Sexualising/ glorifying torture methods,Scold's bridle,Coercion,Blackmail,Manipulation,Exhibition

<<< For more content, click this link to go back to the Masterlist! >>>

I did research, but I'm no historian, if there's inconsistencies, please let me know <3

It wasn’t unknown to your colleagues about your dislike for Kento Nanami.

A character of aloofness and pure sadism with his words and interests surrounding his craft. He enjoyed the devices he taught and spoke about. He loved the clouded gaze on a woman’s face when he spoke of such terrors no one should have ever endured.

There were many tools used for torture. Nanami had assess to every one of them inside the Tokyo museum. The only blessing working in such an environment was that it was far too big to cross paths frequently and you stayed as far away as possible. He appeared to leave you alone too.

But every so often, the two of you were inevitably in the same room professionally. And that disgusted you.

There was just something about him that unsettled you though you imagined he wasn’t the most horrid man in the world outside of work. A puny spark in your gut prevented you from testing the theory whenever he accompanied the team out for drinks.

Which was most of the time.

“This was used to silence women during the seventeenth century. It was to prevent them from speaking entirely as a form of punishment.” The entire room sat in silent anticipation as he spoke.

You however sat tucked in the corner making notes. Mostly uninterested doodles, this subject being an odd part of your thesis that was essential to getting the recognition you needed. From everyone including Kento Nanami.

“Humility was enough to keep them from speaking out of turn or nagging individuals; possible gossip in the town and spreading words that others could view as rumours.”

One woman in the front you noticed hesitantly held her arm up. Nanami noticed her immediately with his narrowed eyes like prey. “Yes?”

“Did it hurt? Uh… like wearing it all day?”

“It was incredibly painful. The mouthpiece was often accompanied by a spike to compress the tongue to keep them from speaking. Sort of a way to show where their place was in society and it was not spilling town secrets or news of affairs.”

You weren’t paying any sort of attention like you should have. It was obvious that the pompous prick would have taken pleasure in hurting someone like that, it made you sick the way he got excited over torture, like he would done it himself in another lifetime.

The whole thing was barbaric and it bewildered you how someone could chose such a macabre topic to study and teach inside the museum. There were plenty of simpler and more teachable categories that would prove useful for collages and a students thesis work than this… horror show.

Yet people were always interested in it. That was a fact you never understood.

Your name was called. It was just the way he glared at you sometimes, like there was plenty more he had to say in the dim room in front of anybody else who happened to be standing there, though he never did. 

“Can you come up here and hold this please?” He held up the scold's bridle between his fingers.

You knew he’d use that in the bedroom if he was given the chance. Sick fuck.

Just the way he looked at you. So much to say. What unnerved you more was the simple lack of control his eyes appeared to have, as though he was undressing you in his putrid mind or thinking of what to do with you that wasn’t by any stretch of the mind professional.

But, there was a room full of people as his audience. He wouldn't do a thing to you whilst there were here, despite your gut screaming to you that he would. The rest of the room observed you, turning their heads and watching, some judging as you placed your note book down, smoothed down your skirt as you rose and tip toed towards him. A lot of the women who came in this tour always had doe eyes for Nanami. Those were the ones silently giving you judgemental glances as you got closer to him. 

Ugh, if any of you want to be more than three feet next to him, be my guest. 

“Right,” He lifted the bridle to show the room. “I’ll show you a quick application before we move onto the next room and conclude the tour.”

It was getting late, the last tour of the night and- what? An application to put that thing in his hands on… you? Not a chance in hell were you letting him get that close. Close enough to touch you.

It seemed like he not only read your body language but also your mind. “Please don’t be alarmed. This is a replica.” He pulled out another from behind his podium.

“This is not fitted with anything that will hurt you. I promise.” It sounded reassuring enough, but still.

The eyes in the room were scolding your have enough with the humiliation of even entertaining him. But, you supposed if you got it over with, then you could get your things together early and leave before he was even finished with the tour. That way he couldn’t speak with you after about the tour itself. He wouldn't ask what you thought of it, his top conversing skill no doubt and you couldn’t care less to entertain him further.

“A-alright.”

“Okay.” He came closer within your personal space, opened the steel casing with a creak and slyly shifted your hair out of the way to give your neck a subtle tingle with his fingertips.

“So the mouthpiece was inserted first, sitting in place so the neck peice and headband could be securely fastened in place.”

It took you a moment to let the plate past your lips, the smooth crescent shape was nothing to fear, but you could definitely sense a slither of what those women felt all those years ago.

You looked to him for reassurance again, and he did with one curt nod. The plate come into contact, the icy material pressuring your teeth and tongue until it started to adjust to your body heat quickly.

The metal bands wrapped round and clicked into place. At least it was not padlocked so you could get out of it when you wanted, a small mercy you hadn’t put past Nanami to- click. What the hell was that? You felt the back noticing the rather weighty padlock attached. He placed the key my ontop of the podium and moved behind you, a chain to he had a fucking chain?

How many people did he have to ask to actually get to show this and you were the stupid mug that agreed. Everyone watched and all you wanted was for a large hole to suck you up and eat you.

You wanted out. You fucking wanted out.

The key was sitting there all shiny and calling your name to take it. But before you could, Nanami took a hold of the bridle and brought you back two steps.

“Now, when women were paraded in the streets, it wasn’t uncommon for their husbands to chain them up for a time in the middle of town so others could see them, often throwing insults or verses of the bible at them.”

Another woman threw her hand up, more eager now that you were chained to the wall. “How long would they stay there for?”

“It depends what the crime was to fit the punishment. Sometimes it was blasphemy, and that warranted a harsh time. Perhaps hours, maybe even for a day being taken out to town with no food or water.”

The group chatted amongst themselves. You just stood there in shock. “Well I think this is a great time to go one to the last part of the tour, it’s getting late.” 

He glanced at his watch and then at you as the group got to their feet and moaned a little for its end. “The keys on the podium, get out of that thing and meet us in the next room. Don’t take too long.”

You gave him no courtesy of acknowledgement, only waited for him and his thirsty group to leave so you could de-humiliate yourself in peace from prying eyes.

Only, that was if you could reach the key. The idiot left you out of reach and you couldn’t even hook the damn thing with your shoe or foot for added length. He was a stupid idiot. Now the element of panic set in and you couldn’t call for help. The plate compressed your tongue it almost made you gag. 

You rummaged through your pockets for your phone but even that was where you things were, right in the corner of the room. If you recalled you didn’t even have his number. You would need to rely on his impatience after the tour to hopefully come looking for you.

He would come looking for you. Him or a custodian, though how would you even explain that? That Nanami left you and buggered off home.

No. He would come looking for you.

He would.

Possibly.

But he did, you noticed his presence immediately, like a deer to a hunter you turned and saw him leant against the door frame cleaning his glasses.

“It seems like you’re in a little bit of a bind. Doesn’t it?”

You huffed at him, as was the only way to audibly communicate. The hands thrown on your hips with a heavy tap, tap, tap of your foot ought to give him enough evidence that you were less than impressed with his actions.

Just get the damn key and get this shit off of my head already. You pointed to the key, another obvious statement.

He slide his glasses on his face and skulked over towards you, footsteps echoing off the parquet flooring. The dim overhead lights made him seem like a supervillain from those movies you hated, casting shadows over the high peaks of his cheekbones.

“As entertaining as this is, before I take that off, I have some questions I’d like for you to answer. Can you do that?”

You audibly growled in his direction, you couldn’t answer even if you actually wanted to. Fiddling with the bridle and shaking the chain and padlock was the only answer you had.

“Why do you avoid me so much?” It wasn’t innocent. His question did not spark any sense of upset or hurt to the point he had been wanting to ask you for some time.

No. It was just a morbid curiosity.

You could see it in his eyes. And of course you couldn’t answer. “Is it that you just don’t like me?”

I can’t stand you, even more so now. 

Though before you could shake your head, he spoke again. “Or is it that you’re sexually intimidated?”

What the hell? No way was that the case. You found Nanami weird and odd for liking torture as much as he did, that it seemed to set him off talking about degrading women and then actually degrading women like this. You refused to believe that he was married or had a partner in some capacity just because of the way he spoke of people in history. 

It was clear to you every time his eyes would glow up like a child on a special holiday whenever there were new artefacts or transcripts depicting this stuff, like they were his own presents he got to share with everybody.

You shook your head before he could come up with any more elusive theories of why you wanted to be no nowhere near him.

“You don’t have to lie to yourself.” Another step towards you and then he’d have a chance to touch you. “It’s always fascinated me how spoiled you are.”

Spoiled? You were not spoiled.

He exhaled through his nose in amusement. “You are. I see it every time the Director looks at you.”

The Director? Masamichi Yaga was a kind man who gave you the freedom of picking your own path. That’s why you were in the same room as Nanami tonight, to add a singular part to your thesis that you chose. It wasn’t assigned to you like some of the other staff were.

Nanami noticed your frown and ran his fingertip down the length of your nose that made you shoot back away from him frowning even deeper.

“Yes you are. He spoils you and you may not even see it. But I know if you went to his office now and propositioned him, he’d lock the door and have you over his desk with your skirt up in an instant.”

Ew. No. That wouldn’t happen. But if it did, why did it bother him? As he got within your proximity again, you backed away in tandem with his own footsteps.

You wanted the bridle off, but he had to get so close in order for that to happen.

Fuck. 

“Why does that bother me?” Now he was just talking to himself. “Well, because I see the way you look at me too, like you’d do anything to get out of the room I’m in. That's why you never come for drinks after work if I’m there and how lacklustre you are in my presence.”

Another step. “I know you can’t stand me and to be quite frank with you. I enjoy it.”

All this time you were avoiding him and it was fuelling the fire? Shit.

“I think we should go for a drink after this, I want to see just how much you loathe me.”

Not a chance. You knew your limits and if you had a few or possibly got tipsy, then it wouldn’t just be talking. You would tell him exactly what you thought of him and probably end up hate fucking him in the public bathroom.

You could not hold your drink very well and besides Nanami going, that was the main reason you didn’t frequent the bar with the other staff members.

So, you shook your head.

“You can’t reach that key, so it’s up to me to get you out. Unless you want to wait for the night watchman, or a custodian to let you out? Would be pretty hard if I took the key though. Would be pretty embarrassing.”

Why the hell was he blackmailing you like this? If he took that key, they would need a locksmith to come out if they had no bolt cutters and what museum would have a pair of bolt cutters on hand?

You’d be in this uncomfortable thing all night, and in the morning. Fuck it was Saturday… there’d be no one coming out until Monday. What if you were stuck in this thing forever?

No way.

No fucking way. 

Coercion was a trait that made you hate him all the more. But what actual choice did you have?

So you nodded, reluctantly enough you couldn’t even look at him. But he kept his word at least and brought the key to unlock the bridle.

“There, that’s better.”

You shot around to face him with utter fire in your eyes. “One drink, and I never want to be in the same room as you again. Are we clear?”

“Of course. But something tells me otherwise.”

“I doubt that.” You shot off to grab your belongings in the corner, ready for one drink and one hell of a chat with the director in the morning.

You wanted Nanami fired immediately and wanted him gone from your life entirely. He was in no way professional enough to talk about the things that interested him. Kento Nanami was just as deranged as you took him for at face value.

More predatory than the animal exhibits the museum held.

And for some reason he had you in his sights.

DISCLAIMER - Crossposted from my AO3 - I do not own any of the characters or anything from the anime. This is a work of fan fiction and is absolutely not representative of the views or intentions of the original creator(s).

Also please don’t post any of my work without permission thank you!

[simmerkate]

Dark Academia Clutter

✨ Base Game Compatible 🎨 Maxis Match-Friendly 📁 6 New Objects | Custom Meshes | High Detail

📅 Early Access Available Now🔓 Public Release: April 19th

Bring a touch of mystery, intellect, and vintage charm into your Sims’ world with this moody and elegant collection. Ideal for libraries, study rooms, secret society halls, or historical homes.

Included Items:

🌍 Old Globe

Earth-toned vintage globe with a deep wooden base

Adds scholarly vibes to any corner

🎨 Dark Academia Wall Art

3 framed paintings: florals, a dreamy storm cloud, and vintage botanicals

Baroque-style black frames for that gothic gallery look

🔭 Old Telescope

Antique brass telescope on a wood tripod

For the celestial scholar or curious dreamer

🕯️ Gothic Candle

Slim taper candle in a wrought iron holder

Perfect moody lighting for long nights of study

📖 Ancient Book

Two variations in green and brown leather

Intricate runes and latches for a magical, mysterious feel

✒️ Ink Well and Feather

Black ink pot with a dark quill

A must-have for any writer, alchemist, or spell-caster⚠️ Polycount NoticeMost items in this set are low poly and optimized for gameplay. However, please note:

🔭 Old Telescope – High Poly (~5k+ polys)Use with caution on lower-end systems or if you’re running lots of high-poly CC. It’s best suited for storytelling, screenshots, or decorative builds. 🔓 Public Release: April 19th Patreon (xx) ad-free

Socials

Follow me for updates, sneak peeks, and more custom content!

Instagram: @SimmerKatex

Facebook: facebook.com/simmerkate

Website: www.simmerkate.com

CurseForge: SimmerKate

[quirekey]

pretty please write more abt d-16 and megatron im THIRSTY for more of him

Okay so anything about D16 / Megatron? Aight bet lets do this….. I MADE IT ANGST AAAAA

[ D16 / MEGATRON ] x [ GN!READER ]

[ d16 / megatron x cybertronian!gn!poet!reader ]

READER INTRO

You were a famous Cybertronian, known for your poetry. You loved to write about melodramatic stories that would give deep and unheard meanings. You are graceful and seemingly magical, being able to put somebody at ease with a few simple words. Your poems consisted of many types of romance because you thought that romance is something that really digs deep into somebody’s spark. You never had many friends because you weren’t social, but you did admire others that could socialise. Many cybertronians look up to you and you stay humble, including D16. Just to mention, you did have a cog.

HEADCANONS

- D16 has many idols that vary and one of them is you. He admires your fantastic vocabulary and the amount of emotional depth you are able to add to your poems. You looked so dreamy, the way you spoke, walked and wrote. D16 may or may not have a small crush on you.

- D16 was one persistent fan and his relentless want for your attention did give him a wanted ending. When you are out, many Cybertronians are talking to you and are wanting to receive writing tips, signatures or even just small glances and waves. D16 knew this so he made a gift (a little piece of energon and a letter) and was able to give it to you despite the crowd.

- You opened your gift when you got to your quarters and this warmed your spark so much. His gift was so miniture and cute. You then read his letter and it felt like you melted on the spot.

“From- D16 To- (Y/N)”

“Hi, I really wanted to talk to you in person but you seem out of my league so I thought a letter would fit best. I made this letter to tell you that you have inspired me to start writing myself. Your poems are so nice to read after every mining shift and I hope you make more in the future.”

- After you read the poem, this tiny miner has been lingering in your mind. You thought you had these thoughts because of his tiny gift, but they have gotten pretty far. You wanted this tiny bot in your arms, you wanted to show him the love and affection he deserves. You made a personal poem about how a mere gift has grown into undefined feelings.

- When you see him, you would talk straight to him first. This did catch him off-guard every time because his idol was talking to him. You would bring him gifts that you thought he would like and you would also give him one of your treasured pens. Though it was hard for him to take care of these gifts, he did try pretty hard to keep them clean and in-quality.

- You guys eventually became close friends and he does confess his love for you. He tried his best to be stoic but it was hard to keep his fluster away. You couldn’t resist him but decided that it’s best to be friends due to his and your part in society. You did like him back so there was still a chance.

- One day you were able to build the courage and tell the cogless bot how much you loved him. How you yearned to have him in your arms and for you to whisper words of sweet affirmation into his audio receptors. You had a serious problem with this lingering love so you had to spill it.

- Fortunately, you two started dating in secret. To make it short, it was very wholesome. Though you two were constantly distanced, you both knew that you were in each other’s processors.

- When he went from being D16 to Megatron, this conflicted you. Your brain told you to stay in Iacon with the autobots and Optimus Prime. Your spark told you to leave with the bot you have loved from the beginning and join the Decepticons with Megatron. Your spark that has been growing and blooming took over and you left Iacon for Megatron’s love.

- Megatron still had love for you and gave you a special role that did not require you to do any work. You wanted you to be happy. Just because he changed, doesn’t mean his spark has changed.

- All you do is write poems in your spacious and dim quarters. It's hard to feel comfort due to the yelling outside your room and it’s hard to get inspiration for your poems because all you are doing is evil. Sure, it isn’t impossible but it feels like it is in the situation you were in.

[damagdsnow]

Fix my reputation

Pairing: young Coriolanus Snow x fem!reader

Summary: You and Coryo are together for mutual benefits, he needs a well known woman by his side to look reliable and loving during the presidential elections and you need your reputation to be fixed after your unforgivable scandal. 

Tags: slow burn, enemies to lovers, fake dating, arranged marriage, manipulative/soft Snow, strong and independent reader (as she should), fluff, angst, power play. eventual: smut, fingering, thigh riding, switching sub/dom, degradation, denied orgasm, piv, dirty talk, overstimulation, oral (fem/male receiving), praising public sex

Chapter 1, chapter 2;

aesthetic chapter one, aesthetic chapter two;

Tw: Snow being Snow, mention of alcohol, panic/anxiety attack, eventual: mention of blood

Word count: 6.7k

Note: English is not my first language so if you see mistakes please feel free to correct me in the comments! It is also my very first time posting here on tumblr, I’ve always wanted to post my writing and finally I am now brave enough to do so, enjoy!

You hated that man. 

If there was something you were sure about, it was that you didn’t want to be here with him, at the same table having lunch. You could feel his perking blue eyes staring into your soul even though he was not looking at you, he was meticulously cutting an apple with his long fingers and a shiny knife.

How did you get here? The man you so wholeheartedly hated, was now part of your life, and you couldn’t do anything about it. You felt like that apple he was cutting so carefully, peeling your skin, your essence, the way he was holding it seemed he was scared it could run away. You could run away. 

The problem was, you would never run away. Run away to whom? To your mother who disclaimed you? To those friends who didn’t help you out? You had no choice. Now the only thing you had was your reputation ruined for a fatal mistake that could have been avoided. That was not enough, the only way to clean your image was to be with Snow. The charismatic, intelligent and kind Coriolanus Snow. Or this was what people said about him. What The Capitol said about him.

You didn’t think the same. You knew who he really was, you saw what they couldn't see. He was evil, he was the one who got the games so popular with his ideas, the one who didn’t mind sending children to death.

You and Coriolanus had only one thing in common. Maybe two or three. One of them was that you both needed each other’s influence in society for different interests. His strategy to win the elections included a woman by his side to make him look reliable and sensitive, but he mostly planned on taking advantage of your popularity to make his own name. You, on the other hand, just needed someone who could clean your reputation after a little incident.

Who better than the master manipulator Coriolanus Snow? You weren’t thrilled with the idea of spending time with him. But it was going to be just for once. The gala before the official beginning of presidential elections, the most awaited event in the Capitol.

The agreement was playing the part of two lovers who not by chance people already knew, his name was well known. Yours? Still on the news. It was just a ball, you could do a night of pretending. 

 “Tigris said you haven't tried your dress on yet,” his voice interrupted your thoughts, and you looked in his direction to see his expression. 

He still had the apple in his hands and he was cutting it in half-moon shapes, he took one bite in his mouth and he directly stared at you while chewing. You tried to hide your disgust as Snow's eyes met yours, his smile sending chills down your spine. It was as you had imagined, or even worse, you felt his blue eyes dissecting you in pieces, like he was examining you, looking for your deepest secrets. You knew that staying calm and composed in his presence was crucial. 

“I don’t want to, it fits me.” You didn’t even look at that dress, it was even sent to your house but you refused to open the box knowing that he chose it.

“I hope it will,” Coriolanus didn’t take his eyes off of yours. “At least try to read how you should answer the questions, many people will be there,” he then said while standing up from his chair. His tall frame loomed over you, and you couldn't help but shiver under his intense gaze. 

“Are you giving me homework to do now?” you said, looking up at him.

“I’m simply providing you with some advice,” his voice tinged with subtle amusement. “Oh, you think it’s going to be simple after all you did? “The Capitol won’t forgive you easily,” then he walked away, leaving you alone in the dining room. 

This day felt longer than ever. The morning before you had received a letter from Snow’s manor telling you that someone was going to pick you up to prepare you for the event. It was signed by his publicist, Iris. You met her a couple of times before: a well dressed woman who knew too much about anyone's business in the Capitol. It was her idea to have lunch with him, “just to get to know each other more,” she said, but for you it was just a reminder of his real personality. They even gave you a room for the day, two chambers away from his, quoting Iris’s letter “this way you can feel comfortable,” you thought she was too attentive and kind to work for someone like Snow.

Iris was the one convincing you to take part in this gala, she explained to you that someone cherished like Coriolanus would draw the attention away from the scandal. You two just had to pretend to be together, “the Capitol loves unexpected new couples,” the publisher said to you the first time you saw her, “the young aspiring president and the woman everybody talks about.” Iris was convinced that this way Coriolanus was seen as the devoted partner who wasn’t afraid of your bad reputation, and you as the woman ready to rise from the ashes. 

You ran into your room and slammed the door so loud you hoped he could hear you. You found a big envelope on your bedsheets, and you hoped it was some sort of -hey remember the incident? It’s not your fault, everything it’s okay!-thing, but unfortunately, it was not a free pass to the world. It was a sheet listing all possible answers to some questions you might be asked today at the gala. It was like a script to follow to save your face, to look good in front of the cameras, in front of the-very-judging-elitè. In that sheet, you could find any imaginable question they could ask, where your dress was from or who your family were. 

“Did you do that on purpose?” It was one of the questions, and you thought this was something Snow would ask you. He didn’t say a thing about what you did, in the few times you talked he never asked you directly about the scandal. He could have wanted explanations, the real version of the story from you, but he never said a word. You read the answers on the sheet, and they were all perfectly written, so meticulously explained using the Capitol-vocabulary, elegant words and a candid tone. 

“How did you meet Mr. Snow?” Your heart skipped a beat, you didn’t consider being asked about your fake relationship with him, it was all new to you.

 “…it was love at first sight, who couldn’t love an extraordinary man like him, I immediately fell in love.” You had to read the full answer twice to be certain you weren’t hallucinating. 

You would never have said those words, never in a billion years, not even under torture, of course you were ready to lie, but lying to this level? It was too much. You knew it was him who wrote this answer, you imagined the grin on his face while typing those words about him. You were mad. The answers about your dating life with Coriolanus were filled with romantic moments and exaggerated gestures that made you feel uncomfortable reading their unrealistic nature. You tried imagining those things happening in real life, but it felt completely alien and artificial. It was difficult to believe that anyone could genuinely experience those events. With Coriolanus mostly. You read the pages, over and over, a book would have been better because there was too much to read, but instead, you were stuck with a bunch of printed documents detailing your supposed love story. 

He also put dates on when things happened: your first date in the lake house in July, the time you had dinner in a fancy restaurant in August and the day you moved in his place. Lies. Lies. Lies. Apparently you officially started dating three months ago. Three? You scrolled over the pages, hoping not to read what you were thinking. 

“…after the incident, Coryo was very supportive, always there to comfort and reassure me even though all I did. I felt like I betrayed him too, but he always said we could get through it together, and I found myself falling for him all over again.” You knew none of this ever happened, and yet here it was, staring back at you in black and white. It was as if the words were playing tricks, as if the words were there to pretend instead of simply put on paper.

You sighed and closed the file, feeling a mix of frustration, confusion, and irritation. He was never there for you. Nobody was. You were all alone. After that day, you cried every night, and you were the one reassuring yourself, lying in front of the mirror saying ‘it’s going to be okay’ while your sense of guilt was slowly eating your guts. He wanted to appear like the perfect partner, but you knew the truth. It was all a façade. Deep down, you knew the real him, and it took all your strength to acknowledge the reality. You threw the stack of files on the floor, it was all too much. 

You got up from the bed, and you went directly to his room, determined to confront him about the distorted reality that had been painted in those files. You didn’t even knock on his door, and you felt surprised when you noticed it wasn’t locked. You open the door, and you close it from behind, entering the room. He was standing close to his bed, completely oblivious to your presence. It was like he expected you to burst into his room out of nowhere.

“You finally read the file,” he said, looking at his wrist without making eye contact. 

He was focusing on buttoning his cuff links, his fingers fumbling with the buttons, his white shirt still open and his blonde hair wet from the shower. His normally confident demeanor was replaced with vulnerability as he waited for your response, the tension thick in the air. It was the very first time you saw him not perfectly dressed up, without styled hair and shiny shoes. The sight of him standing there, so different from his usual self, caught you off guard.

“Yes, I’ve read your fabricated tale,” you said, trying not to look at him, at the droplets of water sliding down his temple, his fingers still struggling with the shirt. “You should have become a fiction book writer, you got talent.” 

"I just wanted to impress you," he admitted, finally looking up to meet your gaze. “I can see I got a reaction from you,” he definitely succeeded in catching your attention, with those iper-articulated lies, not even close to what really happened.

“The agreement was that I won't say anything bad about you, just be by your side as a trophy-fake-girlfriend in this stupid gala, inventing absurd stories won't win my reputation back," you said firmly, crossing your arms. 

He reached his desk where there was a glass of some alcohol sloshing around, poured himself a drink and took a long, deep swig. “They won't believe you if you only stand by me like a mannequin, you have to be an active member of their social life, so they can get to know you, sympathize you and maybe forgive you,” he said in a calm tone, you could see his profile while he was again drinking from his glass, his shirt still open that showed his toned body.

You immediately looked away taking a deep breath. “I won't be a part of any false narrative you wrote,” was the only thing that came to your mind. 

He scoffed his head, “Just for the period of the presidential campaign, nothing more.” 

“Are you suggesting that this ridiculous act is going to take longer than just a day?” 

“I know you don’t like me, you just need to pretend you do. I’ll do the same,” he took another sip of that liquor while looking at you, “the publicist said just one appearance at the gala isn’t going to be beneficial to either of us.”

“Why are you telling me this now? The plan was slightly different,” you said

“Oh I knew you were going to be reluctant about the idea of pretending to live here, just for show,” he was serious, his fierce eyes looking at you waiting for a reply.

“I almost tolerated your presence at work, and now you want me to live in the same house as yours?” You asked 

“After the gala, they are going to focus on the ‘new couple’, our performance has to be something they really believe in,” he leaned his head at the same height as yours, “we already don’t have that chemistry, at least they are going to think we live together,” Coriolanus said to your ear, his curls brushing your cheek. 

“I simply decline your proposal, find someone else.” You said with a fake smile.

“Didn’t journalists harass you every time you left your little apartment? How exhausting, isn’t it?” He whispered in a sarcastic tone, making you remember all those times you ran away from photographers. “I got peacekeepers here, no one is going to bother you anymore, as long as you don’t bother me,” he turned to the desk, placing the empty glass in a tray, “strangers in real life, lovers on the outside.” 

“The problem is that I despise you, I cannot do this for one more day,” you couldn’t see his expression,  just his white see-through shirt displaying his back muscles.

“No, the problem is that you don’t understand how fucked up your situation is,” he was now facing you, “I know people who were condemned for way less, you are lucky,” his words were sharp as blades.

“Lucky to have you? It’s a punishment,” you said and he laughed. 

“Then don’t come at me crying at why people still hate you,” he took a few steps closer to you

 “So you can comfort me like you did a month ago?” You asked him pointing out the most absurd lie in that file.

“Oh, so you read every single page, you really did your homework.”

You stood your ground, refusing to be manipulated any longer. He was doing that purposely, just to provoke you, saying those things just to see how far you could take. Coriolanus was looking at you with his piercing gaze, attempting to intimidate you, he expected you to buckle down and crumble in front of him, but you would never give him such satisfaction, you were already in hell, so why not play with fire? 

“Why me?” you asked him, and you saw a sense of surprise in his eyes. “Why, of all the girls in Panem, you decide the only one who can give you trouble?” You took a step closer to his figure, “there are so many good girls from rich families and intact reputations, why me? I’ll just ruin you.” You said, trying to catch his eyes looking back at you. But you could only see his frowning eyebrows, his wet messy hair and a droplet of water trailing down his neck, you were so close to him, you could hear him breathing.

“Everybody knows your name, bad press is still press,” his eyes finally met yours. “You are the center of attention,” he took a step back, as if momentarily distancing himself from the tension. “The presidential elections are extremely competitive, it’s not a race for who’s superior to whom,” he licked his lips, “but who is going to perform better for these people looking for distractions. “We are going to be their little show”

“So tell me Coriolanus,” you stepped closer as you were before. The height difference was such that it made you look up at him, you took one side of his shirt in your hand and you buttoned up with the other, feeling his warm torso on your fingers. "How exactly do you propose to fix my reputation while bolstering your own?” you finished, a sly smile dancing on your lips and your eyes looking for him. 

Coriolanus was looking down at your fingers still brushing his skin, he had his lips parted and he softly whispered, “just play the game,” his eyes still fixed on you. He was talking about making everything right again, but it felt like there was something more behind those words. 

You stepped back, trying to compose yourself. “I’m just giving them another reason to hate me with this bunch of lies,” you were looking down at the floor when you heard him stepping closer to you. You didn’t look at him, but you could feel his eyes on your face. 

He lifted your chin with two fingers and made you look up at him, “I’ll make them fall for our lie,” he said, his voice was so deep and calm.

 “You are a master manipulator,” you whispered back, looking down again as if the floor was more interesting than the man standing in front of you. 

You heard him chuckle, and he leaned closer to your ear, “and I’m going to teach you how to be one too.”

Your first public appearance after the scandal was going to be at this gala. Everything was calculated in detail, the dress you wore had to be long and white, as pure as snow. Your hair had to be loose so it could cover your exposed back, and apparently you had to memorize pages and pages of answers you could give. After your intense conversation in his room you decided to play the game seeing how far you could take, how far you would do to take everything back. He wanted you under his spell, he was trying to shape you how he desired, for his own interests. 

“Dear, why aren’t you dressed yet?” The publicist said to you while you were sitting on the smooth sheets of your bed. You had your bathrobe still on, it’s been thirty minutes since you had a shower but you had your head in the clouds. 

You couldn’t stop thinking about your conversation with Coriolanus, his wet hair, the words he said to you, his naked torso, his manipulating eyes. You repeat to yourself that he was Coriolanus Snow, and not any man, he probably told you half the strategy he really had in mind. Being with him was like playing chess blindfolded, you had to trust him but he could mess up your moves, change your plans.

“Come here I’ll help you,” Iris said, she seemed like a good person, she had a comforting smile and an elegant manner with everything she did. She was wearing a short coppery-brown color dress, it was shiny as her nails, decorated with tiny gold stones. You took her hand and you stood up, making the bathrobe fall on the carpet. The silk of the dress soothed your skin like a petal, you looked at the mirror and the weak light coming from your window gently reflected on your bright dress, almost making it shine. 

“It is really pretty,” you said astonished while turning to see your exposed back. Then your smile disappeared because you remembered it was him who picked the dress. 

 “You are making it pretty, my darling,” Iris stated as she fastened the zip on your side. It was a simple dress yet delicate and impressive, it embraced the shape of your body effortlessly. 

“It is just a little loose here on your waist,” the woman said, touching the excess fabric on your side. You remembered the conversation early this morning when you proudly said the dress fitted you.

“I’m going to tell Tigris to fix it,” Iris said and you immediately looked at her reflection in the mirror.

“No please,” she changed her expression, “it is bad luck to mend a dress the same day it is worn,” your mother always said that to you, maybe it was not a popular saying considering the publicist's face.

 She tilted her head with a confused smile as she touched the yellow-butterflies-clip in her voluminous red wig. Now that you were thinking about it, you sewed your skirt the day it happened, ‘it’s just a coincidence, I don’t believe in these things’ you said to yourself, you were not superstitious but at the same time you avoided superstitions, just in case.

 “Whatever you want,” Iris said with a soft smile. 

  You touched your neck and you thought how a shiny pendant would look good. “Iris, do we have some necklace to match this dress?” She stepped closer to you looking at your chest. 

“I think you shouldn’t wear any jewelry tonight,” you tilted your head in confusion, “see, today is your first appearance after the,” she paused, “incident.”

“And what is it supposed to do with jewe—“ she didn’t let you finish your sentence.

“You could wear pearls or diamonds but what would the elite think? That you want to appear, that you want to show off,” she walked behind you so you could see her reflection in the mirror. “How you present yourself is the way they perceive you,” Iris brushed your long hair on the side, exposing your neck, “you are wearing a white dress, ‘how pure!’ No diamonds, ‘how modest!’ “try to think like the socialites, once you enter their minds, your act will get a standing ovation”. Her words put everything in a different perspective, she really knew what she was doing. 

You heard a knock on the door, “the party starts in an hour!” A muffled voice said from the corridor.

“Thank you Ariandes, we’re almost done!” Iris said in a loud tone. 

In less than sixty minutes you had to put on your best mask and try to change the mind of a thousand people about yourself, with Coriolanus by your side, pretending he is your supportive lover. You felt a rush of anxiety on your chest, like a weight pressing against your heart.

“I don’t think I can go,” you whispered with a trembling voice. Iris made a worried look.

“Oh sweety, I can only imagine what you have been through,” she took a lilac glass flask from the desk beside the mirror, “you are a strong woman,” she sprayed a lavender fragrance on your neck and she smiled. 

You looked at yourself in the mirror, and with all your strength you tried to keep the tears that threatened to spill over. “Iris, how do I fake being so interested in someone?” You asked, thinking about what was written in that file. 

“Have you ever been in love?” She asked with a soft gaze.

You didn’t know the answer to that question, you had a couple of boyfriends in your university years, but were you in love? 

“It’s when every atom of your body's only desire is to burn at the mere thought of being with that someone,” Iris looked up, like she was thinking of somebody, you felt even more disoriented with her answer. 

You couldn’t identify that feeling with anyone, you’ve never met someone that made ‘your cells burn’. What would that even mean, you thought.

 The door opened and you turned your head to see Ariandes, the political advisor, “We gotta go,” he said looking at Iris. The man had his hair pulled back in a long braid, dark as his skin. You walked in his direction and you followed him.

The moment you stepped into the car you felt a sudden tension, it was dark outside, only one side of Coriolanus’ face was lit up by cars passing by. He was wearing a red coat that covered the rest of the outfit, his blonde locks were lightly falling on his temples and you noticed he was wearing a ring on his left index finger.

 “Act as natural as possible,” Coriolanus said and he looked at you, it felt like he was inspecting your body and you wished to be in his mind at that very moment.

 Was everything going according to plan? 

No, you didn’t want to know what it was like to be in his head, it was torturing enough being on the outside. 

“I’m not very good at lying,”

‘not as good as you’, you wanted to say. 

He looked at you like he read your mind, luckily you couldn’t see his expression. “Don’t be impulsive, smile and never leave my side,” you felt he was giving you orders, “what 's going to happen at the political campaign depends partially on today’s gala.”

 “You know, Mr. Snow,” you started “I tried reading your fiction-book but it was so,” you tried examining his face, “unrealistic,” he scoffed and looked the other way, “you want me to paint you as the man you aren’t and never will —caring, affectionate and respectful “I can’t do miracles, people won’t believe my lies forever.”

Coriolanus clenched his jaw, “at least the whole Panem doesn’t hate me,” he said close to your face.

“Yet,” you added, hoping to maintain eye contact one more second. 

“And just a reminder,” he said, “without me you would have been at home, crying and begging for forgiveness,” he whispered in a bitter tone in your ear.

 “And without me you wouldn’t have the attention you crave so much,” you replied, feeling the tension in the air. 

Coriolanus was too close to you, like an animal before hunting his prey, you could see his facial features reflecting the weak light outside. The engine stopped, and the driver opened the car door.

“Mr. Snow” he said and Coriolanus stepped out of the car, he didn’t even look at you. 

‘He would slam the door in my face if he could’, you thought.

 You took the driver’s hand, helping you get out with your long dress. Coriolanus took his maroon coat off and he gave it to an avox at the entrance. You could see him from his back, he was wearing an ivory jacket and trousers, his suit matched your gown. He calculated every single detail. Unexpectedly, Coriolanus waited for you as you stood by him in the hall, he extended his arm and you looked at him. 

“Do I have to?” You asked and you noticed a white rose on his breast pocket. 

“It’s just an act,” he replied and you took him by the arm. 

Let the play begin. 

The ballroom was lit by magnificent chandeliers and the air was filled with whispers and laughter. The atmosphere was comforting and energetic: people with colorful wigs, glitter dresses and sugary drinks. There was not a face you could recognise, it was not what you were used to, even though you have been living in the Capitol for all your life, you’ve never experienced a party like this. You walked through the crowd with Coriolanus by your side, arm by arm, while everybody was looking curiously at your direction. You’ve heard someone saying his name, and something about the girl he was walking with. 

Why her? Since when does Snow have a girlfriend? I’ve heard really bad things about that woman.

And there it was, the gossip, the uncertain glances and how they looked down on you. On the other hand, people were praising him. 

He’s so charming! White suits him well! Future president of Panem. 

You looked at Coriolanus, the warm light was making his eyes brighter, or was it the crowd? He looked at them so proudly, with a confident smile, he was living for that moment, being the center of attention. He met your gaze, then his blue eyes looked at your dress, but not the same way people did. 

It felt different. 

Was he judging? 

Admiring maybe? It was a mystery, nothing was black or white with him. 

Coriolanus greeted a couple of his acquaintances, introducing you as his partner, then calling you his date and it once slipped from his lips calling you his girlfriend. And you actually were, in that moment, you had to act as his beloved girlfriend who had a well known bad reputation. He never let your arm go away, he was acting so well, playing the caring boyfriend who couldn’t leave you alone. 

“Here they are, the couple of the night!” A loud voice came from behind, it was Flavius Windbuzz, one of the most famous tv hosts in the Capitol. His voice was recognisable from miles away, it didn’t matter if you watched television or not, he was everywhere and it was impossible in Capitol City not knowing his name. 

He stepped closer to you with a glowing smile and a glitter microphone, he had his hair gray, more like silver. “Everybody is talking about you, the new Capitol lovebirds,” a camera was pointing at you and your heartbeat was getting faster, everyone stopped talking and stared at you both. “So tell me Mr. Snow, who is this young lady you are showing off?” 

“You said it right Flavius, she is my girlfriend,” he did it again, Coriolanus said girlfriend, this time broadcast on tv. 

“What a pleasure to meet you,” the host said to you, he took your hand and kissed it. These exaggerated gestures were the usual in this type of parties, especially where a silver-haired-man was interviewing the guests. He asked about your family, if you liked the food —you didn’t touch any but you lied, and who was the designer of your dress, everything as the script said.

  “Honey, you are a really interesting woman but I have to ask you something,” Mr. Windbuzz said, “people are talking and it is my job to satisfy their desires. “So tell me, are the rumors true?” 

You expected a much worse question, you stopped breathing for a moment and Coriolanus noticed that because you tightened the grip on his arm. “You tell me Flavius, what do the rumors say?” You answered with a soft smile hiding your discomfort.

  “I know that during the last edition of The Hunger Games, something really unfortunate happened,” you noticed he had purple contacts on, and that was something that made you even more nervous. “Is it true that you took part in the incident we all saw live on TV?” He asked and you felt like your heart was beating outside your chest.

“It is true,” the crowd gasped, and your pulse increased. 

“So tell me, how did it feel when you killed those poor and innocent tributes?” The question was worded differently than what you read on that file. 

Killed. 

Poor and innocent. 

You couldn’t get out of your head their lifeless faces, the foam coming out of their mouths and the sound of the cannon echoing in that room. The hall started spinning, you saw the interviewer’s face, a mix of compassion and concern, as the crowd started whispering more and more you felt your head cold and heavy. The microphone was pointing in your direction but you could not even stutter a syllable, blank pages wandered in your mind and you felt a sense of emptiness. You felt a hand on your shoulder and you turned your dizzy head to see Coriolanus who started talking for you.

“She was more than devastated, I remember—, ” you saw his lips moving like the time had slowed down and you were not listening to his words, his voice echoed in your ears as you never took your eyes off of him. 

His grip on your shoulder tightened and his eyes looked at you as he tilted his head suggesting you both could go away. You followed him even though your ears were still ringing and your sight blurring, Coriolanus was walking too fast so you took his hand in yours or you could really faint on the ground. At that action, he looked at you with a confused stare, his hand grip was firm and steady as he dragged you in the bathroom. After checking no one was in there, he leaned against the door so no one could step in. You stood in front of him, his curls falling on his forehead that was a little sweaty, then he began talking, but the sound of his words were just an intense ring in your ears. He placed both his hands on your cheeks trying to have your attention, and you woke up from your hypnotic state.

“They are just hypocrites, they are the ones who watch The Hunger Games on tv, they send money to help their favorite to kill.” Coriolanus said looking in your eyes, and you started sobbing. “They are not better than you, “stop crying and play their game.” 

You felt the warmth of his hands on your skin, he never touched you this way, it was intimate, nothing you could expect from him. For a moment, you brushed your hand with his but he instantly removed it, walking away from your sight. 

“He was too indiscreet,” you heard him whisper, “I should’ve expected that from him.” 

“No Coriolanus, I should’ve expected this question,” your voice was still trembling, “you said it wasn’t going to be easy, I deserve this, “do you still think this act is a good idea?” You asked him. 

His tall figure leaned against the green tiles of the bathroom, he had his hands on his pockets and he was looking down, thinking about who knows what. Now that you were seeing from a distance, he resembled an angel. His white suit, his blonde curls and the perking blue eyes. No, there was nothing pure and heavenly in him. You thought he was probably thinking about how you ruined his plan, how he had to intervene to save your umpteenth failure and he was now calculating another strategy. 

‘Not an angel, a fallen angel, the next Lucifer of Panem.’

 “The night is still young,” he said while stepping to the door. He didn’t answer your question, was he regretting meeting you? 

Everything was as you left it. The party was still going and no one seemed to have noticed your panic attack. That was a relief. You tried distracting yourself, you couldn’t stop thinking about what happened before. The interview, the crying, his hands on your face. Everything was worse than you had expected. You and Coriolanus were in the hallway next to the massive columns that supported the ceilings, on the other side people were dancing to a classical melody. You wanted to stay there, outside their sight, because to you the dance floor was more like an arena where people were going to attack you. 

“Shall we?” Coriolanus extended his hand suggesting to go dancing with him. 

“I’m not good at dancing, I could step on your feet,” you hoped it would’ve been enough for him to give up. 

“I’ll take the risk.” That was his plan, acting like nothing happened and putting his best smile on to be the charming man everyone adored. 

You took his hand, the same hand that wiped your tears off your face was now intertwined in yours. Every time you looked for an excuse to not like him. As if you had to remind yourself that you hated him. Did you? He was dancing with you so naturally, holding you like you had known each other for a very long time, his hand on your waist as if he was used to it. There was nothing evil in him on the outside, and that was the problem. 

“I’ve just saved your face, thank me later.” 

You rolled your eyes at Coriolanus’ words. “I’m used to humiliations so next time don’t bother yourself.” you replied.

“Oh but I’m not used to it and don’t worry, there will be no next time.” Without a notice, he made you twirl around.

“When will this thing end?” You asked annoyed.

 “I hate it as much as you,” he pushed your waist closer to him, this way you were face to face, noses touching. 

“What the fuck Coriol—,” 

He interrupted you, “for the cameras.” 

You turned your head and you saw a bunch of flashes, blinding your sight. Coriolanus leaned over you and your lips were brushing, you couldn’t push him away because of the photographers. You had no time to tell him something, that he kissed you. It was for a second, just one second where your lips touched. It was cold, dry and unexpected. Just like him. Snow by name, snow by nature. If only eyes could talk. You’d probably say to him how you wished you weren’t there, with him, and you wondered what his blue eyes would say to you, probably the same. After that moment, Coriolanus didn’t say a word to you. You were there, smiling at photographers hoping to drop your mask as soon as they’d left. 

The rest of the night went according to plan. Flavius interviewed all the future candidates and Coriolanus had the opportunity to make his well prepared speech, he also got invitations from influential members close to the president Ravinstill, not to mention the many sponsor offers he had. At least something was going well, for him though. The ride back home was painful. You and Coriolanus were looking outside the window, his crimson coat was the only barrier separating your bodies. 

“Did they ever tell you how bad you are at kissing,” you hated silence so much you could say the stupidest things that came to mind just not to hear your thoughts. You turned your head to see him and his eyes were already on you. 

“Mhm, girls usually compliment me for other qualities,” he chuckled, “and then that wasn’t me kissing, remember it’s just for show,” he whispered looking at the driver hoping he wasn’t paying attention.

“Well, no one believed your poor attempt to look in love,” you said and he untied the knot of his white tie. 

“I was caught off guard,” he said looking at you, cars speeding in the window behind him, “and I can’t just kiss how I would normally do.” 

You tried not to laugh at his words, ‘what would that even mean?’ you thought. “Just try to convince them, because you didn’t even convince me.” 

“How should I kiss you then?”

He put his hand on the back of your head, with his thumb brushed your temple and he pulled you closer, his lips touching yours softly. You knew what was going to happen, but you let him do it. 

The way he kissed you, like he was starving for your lips, hungry for your taste. Was he the same man that kissed you before? You melted in his touch, his hand slided down your neck, his fingers pressing on your throat, making you shiver even more. He tasted like mint and posca, his hair smelled of roses and his skin was warm under your touch.

 Coriolanus pulled away from your lips but you came closer to cut the gap separating you. It felt like an instinct, like you were not satisfied enough and you could feel a sense of heat down your core. He pulled away the coat that was between you and his other hand was now on your exposed back, keeping you closer, his tongue still dancing dangerously with yours as you intertwined your fingers in his locks.

“Coryo” you said between kisses.

He wasn’t intending to stop and neither did you, but you remembered who was the man who was holding you that way, whose hands were making you shiver, whose lips were making you want for more and what nickname you just whined. 

“I think we should,” you managed to say, trying to stop yourself from doing something you were going to regret. You broke the kiss, his lips were swollen still too close to yours. 

He whispered, "I told you, I can be convincing when needed.”    

🦋 A/N: I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, let me know what you think in the comments! I’ll probably explain the details of the scandal and how they met next time, it’s way more than you can imagine from here. Also I KNOW there is no smut here, but bear with me, it's a slow burn and trust me in the next chapter I’ll add some ✨ spice ✨. In this first chapter I wanted to set up the atmosphere.

A special thanks to Freddie Mercury and the song “Play the game” that helped me when I was stuck, to the poet Taylor Swift who reminded me of the many ways you can say the color red. PLEASE let me know if you want to be tagged next time 💌 

ask me questions here !

@gracieghost36955 @annavatar @ghostlyloversworld @badbussylol @gracieroxzy @coolcatyarb @coriosgf @xxrougefangxx @devils-blackrose @wearemadeofstardust0

[hard--headed--woman]

"I had to fight to be myself and to be respected. I'm proud to say I'm a lesbian. I don't talk about it too much, but I don't deny it. I've had to confront society and the Church, which says that homosexuals are condemned. It's absurd! How can they judge someone who was born that way? I didn't learn to be a lesbian, nobody taught me to be the way I am. I was born this way. I've never slept with a man. I've never slept with a man. Yes, I'm a virgin and I'm not ashamed. My Gods made me this way"

- Chavela Vargas

Chavela Vargas (María Isabel Anita Carmen de Jesús Vargas Lizano) was a Mexican singer of Costa Rican origin, born in 1919 in Costa Rica and died in 2012 in Mexico.

She is considered a leading figure in ranchera music, which she sang with strength and emotion. Her voice, rough and warm at the same time, served her theatrical, passionate and human interpretations of standards from the traditional Mexican repertoire.

"And since I have to say it almost everywhere, I'll say it: my parents didn't want me. I suffered for it".

She has an extremely difficult and conflicted relationship with her family, who do not accept her in any way. As a teenager, she left her country and her family for Mexico. The young woman rejected and criticised the ultra-conservative society in which she lives. Once in Mexico, she began singing in the streets.

In the 1940s, she became friends with the painters Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, staying with them for a while and becoming Frida Kahlo's lover.

At the age of 30, she was noticed on Mexico City's Avenida Insurgentes by the composer and famous rancheras singer José Alfredo Jiménez, who became the author of her main hits. With his help, she performed in the cabarets of Mexico City in the mid-1950s before embarking on the road to success in Acapulco, an international tourist destination, where she sang at one of Elizabeth Taylor's weddings.

Chavela Vargas rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s, touring the world. She became a well-known figure in ranchera song, to which she gave a new lease of life.

Dressed like a man, smoking and drinking like a man, carrying a pistol, "the lady with the red poncho, silver hair and brown flesh" as the Spanish singer Joaquín Sabina described her, is characterised by her red sarape.

In a television interview in 2000, she came out as a homosexual woman. This is where the text at the beginning of the post is from!

Chavela's career reached its peak from the recording of her first album (Noche de Bohemia) in 1961 until the end of the 1970s. This was followed by a long period of fifteen years, during which the singer, suffering from a heavy addiction to alcohol, interrupted her musical career, which she did not resume until 1991.

Encouraged by her friend, the director Pedro Almodóvar, who compared her to Édith Piaf, Chavela embarked on a world tour, performing at the Olympia in Paris and Carnegie Hall in New York. Among her most outstanding performances was Tú me acostumbraste by Frank Domínguez in Pedro Almodóvar's film Babel. Being a close friend of Pedro, she has appeared in several of his films, including The Flower of My Secret.

Following a final concert in Madrid on 10 July 2012 to present her album (La Luna Grande), she was hospitalised in the Spanish capital with serious respiratory problems. She died on 5 August 2012, aged 93.

I am sure you know at least one of her song, La Llorona !

In any case, Chavela was an immense artist who had a profound impact on music, and I'm delighted to have discovered her, or rather re-discovered her. I listened to some of her songs and they're amazing if you like that kind of music ! And please look her up yourself, she was such an interesting person, I couldn't talk about everything in this post or it would have been too long !

[onyourhyuck]

Animal Instinct. | NCT SERIES

Title: CHAPTER 1 ‘The Untamed.’

— Prologue: “When the sun sets meet me at my apartment, if you dare.”

— Summary: You are a marine biologist. You should be able to understand animals and their way of living. When you encounter a new society in a bar under the name ‘Sour Grapes’ you find yourself in a troubling situation with seven different men. Seven different animals.

— Genre: Smut with plot. Minors dni. Fantasy with modern timeline. Female!reader. Secondary genders (but with animals) dreamies are complete red flags. Dub-con. Everything is very dark romance related. Nothing here is for the weak. Everything is just pure filth. It gets progressively worse and worse. Multiple orgasms. Overstimulation. Pet names such as ‘my pretty whore’ or ‘princess’ — minor hair pulling, Fingering (female receiving). Creampie, cumming inside / no protection please use a condom.

— Notes: I APOLOGISE FOR TAKING SO LONG. BUT HERE IT IS. MORE FREQUENT UPDATES COMING UP.

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One thing you love about yourself is that your work basically shapes your entire routine. You love walking inside your laboratory seeing the animals in the tanks you have to take care of and examine. This included various important research that no one should know. It is highly top secret. A simple leak of what you collect samples from the sea or other animal biology from biomes and journals you keep could really be a mess for you.

Working on separating the two and three sides of the samples you have listed from the deep oceans all throughout different sights. You felt a hand approaching behind you quickly.

The man taps your shoulders when you’re so busy working with the test tubes. “Hey Y/n mind giving me—” you jump and turn around with a fright.

“Seriously Johnny! I told you not to sneak up on me like this. Especially when I’m working with these highly reactive test tubes.” You scowled at your coworker, Johnny Suh. He was one of your friends and coworkers. Wearing a white cloak and round black glasses on.

He was a handsome fella. Very charming and handsome you have to admit it. Johnny can be professional but he could also be quite a mood maker in such a serious profession.

Laughing at your unusual behaviour, you’re never this jumpy when you are working but he probably assumes he scared you to death. “What got you so anxious Y/n? You never get scared when i do this.” Johnny raised an eyebrow. He swore he could see your own soul leave your body.

Truth be honest ever since that night with Ningning all you are thinking about how your entire life has been a lie. Sour Grape’s has taken your mind over. No. Mark has taken your entire mind off and away from your daily routines. Everyday you’re thinking about ‘How can this be possible?’ Humans coming from other animals and not just monkeys. It’s insane information. You shouldn’t be believing this but when Jaehyun said it’s a secret; it makes you think there must be some truth to it.

No one on earth would make up such a stupid fairytale on the spot.

If you weren’t a marine biologist with side degrees of zoology you’re just the type of person to not let this slide. You want to learn more.

You want to experience the truth. You want to see if it’s the truth if they actually are who they are setting themselves to be.

Letting out soft mumbles as you close off the testing tubes, afterwards putting the collective tubes in the stirring device. “I haven’t slept well for the past few days. Sorry if i seem like I’m on the edge.”

He gave you a soft smirk leaning on the side of the table while watching you. “Oh honey you seem like you’re more than on the edge. You’re off the edge.” Your eyes make eye contact after you were done with your tasks.

Your friend trails now questioning you as you’re looking at him with a soft look that made your thoughts even worse.

“What’s on your mind, Y/n?” Johnny asked with a small smile. You shake your head, you don’t want to share something so crazy. He might think you’re actually insane, or worse, he might even think you lost your entire marbles.

“Nothing serious, John. Let’s just finish up and go home. I’m tired.” You excused yourself from the conversation to finish up. The only thing you want to do today is figure out what to eat for dinner.

Walking down the street to your favourite food truck, you decided to take your mind off whatever you were thinking for the past week or so.

You felt like your brain was just constantly going back to the same topic and it was draining truth be honest. What better way to distract yourself than to eat your favourite stir fry noddles?

Being a local customer the food truck owner gives you discounts nowadays because you were a customer for a long time. A regular at that.

“Hey I would like the usual.” You gave a smile at the owner who nodded seemingly being happy to seeing you drop by.

“I was beginning to think you’d never return, Y/n.” Said the truck owner and you gave a little smirk. “How could I not return? You make the best noodles.” Complimenting them they blushed and started making the noodles for you.

But then something flashed behind you at a fast pace. You didn’t even realise it until the figure stood overshadowed by their body remaining still as a statue.

Gawking at the menu on the side. Your eyes widen when you turned around with disbelief flashing over your lips and cheeks.

“Young man what would you like?” The owner interrupts your own lingering thoughts of shock. The voice, the sound of his breathing, everything else made you feel so small and in danger just by the presence alone of this man.

He looks back from the menu. “The original stir fry m’am.”

You did not realise you were literally staring Mark down in this moment until his face turned over to you and you quickly looked away biting your bottom lip, staring at your very own feet on the ground. You can’t believe it that Mark and you crossed paths when all you’ve been saying is how you’re going to distract yourself finally!

What was this coincidence? Fate? Destiny?

There was this expression on his face that falters when he finally acknowledges your existence. It’s like he met you before but he was trying to find out from where.

And then it hits him. You were the one with Jaehyun that one night.

The dark tone of voice strikes you like a knife behind your back if anything. “You’re that girl at the bar that one time.” Mark said to you, turning to look at you fully with his entire body now facing you.

You definitely caught the predator’s attention now with how easy you’re to read. God you hate being so readable like an open book — a very non interesting book at that.

You fake a smile, maybe if you just pretend you don’t know him he will give up speaking to you. “Oh no, I don’t attend bars. I’m… allergic to alcohol.” You cringe deep inside when you made up the most stupid excuse.

Really? Allergy? He didn’t even ask about your allergies.

Mark frowns which lead you to believe he wasn’t completely swayed by your own actions right now. You forget how much of animal instincts he must have by now. You can’t fool a tiger easily.

“You must’ve mixed me up with someone else.” You said quietly trying to make it seem more and more believable if you just keep talking.

Thankfully you were praying for your meal to arrive first beforehand he got his. The prayer was answered when you grab your plastic container smiling and thanking them. You literally dashed away but why try to run away?

Trying to out run one of the most dangerous cats you probably made the worst mistake to even show a hint of speed in your movements.

When you were to reach your destination to your car the same black towering figure stands over you. In front of you with a dark gaze.

You let out a mini gasp to be honest, you feel like your heart is being crushed by two large walls that keep on moving forward and forward until your heart and lungs collapse.

Mark sighs. “You know that I can hear your beating heart when you lie?” He said rather amused but also it was eerily like a reminiscing threat thrown at you. You stand there quivering, trembling even, and it made Mark so much more entertained than he thought he would be.

He took a step forward. The stir fry plastic box was shaking in very discreet manner in your hands. Each step he takes you took three steps backwards.

This was a new cat and mouse game you didn’t want to be playing with him at all.

“Y/n was it? Jaehyun mentioned you.” Mark said with a little more confidence now that he actually had you cornered. Now you cannot lie on the spot and try to run away from him.

It’s ridiculous. He looks and was human but in reality he’s not just entirely human is he? He’s a freaking tiger with probably the most define genetics. It’s crazy to you.

You mumble trying to get away still. There was just this instinct inside you to make excuses until you can’t anymore. “Sorry i have to go, i am extremely busy.”

Your heartbeat picked up again, Mark sighs pressing an arm around your body and now moved you to sit down at a bench in the scene. You flinch and he forced you to sit down in front of him with his dark eyes watching you. “Another lie. You must enjoy lying a lot don’t you?”

You look away. You’re watching anything but him. “What do you want from me? I swear I don’t… I don’t know anything.” You’re trying your best to make this situation just deescalate.

He grinned amused. “Well that’s also a lie.” He said sitting down next to you on the bench as your heart was racing incredibly fast. Mark thought you might die on the spot if you keep stressing yourself out.

You took a little breath when he sat down next to you which seemed a little less nerve wrecking.

Eventually your heart calmed down when the silence overtook you both. Mark makes a quick glance over at you again, and he continues to speak when he waited for your nerves to sort themselves out.

You sigh. “I didn’t know you liked this place.” You tried to make a conversation as well but you weren’t sure how well he will respond to it.

Heck you don’t know this guy at all.

“I like it. I’m a regular here.” Mark said with a smirk and he moves a bit closer to you now, he opens up his plastic box of stir fry and starts to eat it with the plastic fork you’d get at a restaurant or other food trucks.

You saw him eating and you slowly shift to open your stir fry. But to be honest you’re too scared to even eat in front of him. You’re trying to act normal though. So you take a piece and ate slowly your own food along with Mark. The man kept watching you even though he ate. But you’re avoiding to even acknowledge him so much.

“Y/n do i scare you?” He was quite blunt and upfront. You flinched when he mentions the exact words you’re feeling.

You awkwardly chuckle and put down the fork. “Is it that obvious?”

Mark scoffs a bit. “You didn’t try to hide it.” He leans away and ate some more, you felt a bit less scared and now more guilty. Now that you think about it he seems like a normal guy now.

“Sorry. What Jaehyun said to me that night at the bar messed with my brain.” You admit it, which made the man next to you smirk. “You know I’m human as well. But I do admit it was fun seeing you trembling.” There was a sense of eeriness in his words but at the same time you were watching him.

He admitted to you that watching you embarrass yourself in front of him was a thrilling show but you decided to just not respond to it.

You didn’t even know what to say back anyways.

“So… are you actually…” your voice trails off unable to think of how to say this. How do you even phrase this?

Mark saw your expression like it was the most readable thing he has ever laid eyes on. He leans forward putting the plastic box down. “Part Tiger?” He spoke those words right out of your throat. You bite your inner cheek nodding.

“Is it true?” You asked with your eyes widen.

He grinned and stands up, putting hands in the front jean pockets he then turns around to you rather amused by your curiosity.

Has no one ever told you that curiosity killed the cat? You’re like a small, tiny cat who can’t keep their nose out of something that wasn’t their business.

It felt rather authentic for you though. Most people are just nosey but you seem to be curious because you want to discover something new.

And that is exactly what Mark likes about you. Your intentions are something he hasn’t seen before. Leaning forward he writes something on the paper and passed it to you, with the same hand you saw the large metal ring with the tiger engraved on it. Grabbing the piece of paper you look cautiously from the paper towards Mark’s dark gaze.

“When the sun sets meet me at my apartment, if you dare.” He said to you simply.

Just like a tiger he caught you by surprise with how sharp his tone of voice was full of silky seriousness. And then he disappeared into thin air as well. You only looked away for a second just for Mark to be gone in front of you.

Leaving you questioning if you should take the bait and go to his apartment even though that sounds like some kind of messed up plan.

For once you were dreading the sun setting. Getting out of your car you look back at the paper in your hand and then your eyes fall back on the complex building in the front.

The address that brought you to this place makes you both anxious and excited. You have many running thoughts on your journey going inside. Every single muscle contraction meant you were growing close and closer to danger.

Slipping your hand over the doorknob you didn’t even knock, the door opened up with the man revealing in front of you.

Mark heard you from a mile away. He knew you’d come and he was right when you stood in front of him with a stunned look.

You really do make him feel like he’s hunting you down.

“Come on in Y/n, I don’t bite.” Mark smirked seeing your hesitation as your eyes peek inside the apartment before your whole body walks in. Mark closed the door after you fully enter.

There was a lack of trust between you two but for some you are wanting to trust this man. You don’t know why but you know one thing for sure; he has bland furniture. All neutral colours and very modern in his apartment.

You tread carefully and put your purse bag down on the couch nearby as you stand in middle of his apartment. Your gaze follows where Mark was on the wall leaning one side of his shoulders on it, the muscular arms crossed together and the lower body curved towards the right side.

Breathing hitching you feel it becoming a round ball in your throat. “So Mark will you admit that what I know is true?”

You came for the truth only. But to Mark he wanted more from you than just to give you a simple truth. He wanted to take a taste of something much better than any truth could provide him or to you.

The body slips off the wall approaching you slowly while his gaze was rather intense and playful while watching you.

“I don’t think I can prove anything verbally to you.” Mark whispers gaining a closer look at your face and the natural scent of your body blending in with the morning coffee you drank as well as your floral perfume; creating this intoxicating sensation in the nasal passages. Mark could crawl to you just by the smell of your own skin.

Hands slowly moving to your waist pulling you closer by an inch your feet trotting forward in little steps towards his body. “But I can show you how a tiger has it’s fun?” He smirks brushing the hot breath escaping from his mouth down to your neckline, while his large eyes are watching you keenly to see your reaction for approval.

Goosebumps evoked on your skin when the tiniest touch of his fingers kneading on your waist bringing you closer to him made you fall into this trance; a trap in other words you’re not escaping a primal animal’s desire at all.

He lifts his head only a little, waiting for your lips to give him consent or a sign of any sorts. But you seemed to stunned and even timid.

The reasoning of you coming to his apartment wasn’t to sleep with him. But the idea of sleeping with someone as magnetic and attractive as him clouds your judgemental. You’re a smart woman you know that and even Mark knows it; you know your stuff. But you certainly look tempted by the invitation.

The only thing you could think about was how badly you want to kiss his lips in that moment. Swiftly you press your hands up to his jawline and pull him in with a sudden kiss when your decision was made finally. Your sudden lips and the taste of them lingering in the air stunned the tiger but you soon felt his hands clawing at your hips lifting you up with his arm muscles — bringing forward your body against a nearby wall as your mouths clashed like two boulders in action. Fighting for something you would like to say is survival; survival of the fittest.

Grunting at the smallest thing, Mark enjoyed hearing them a lot, even the clawing he did down your back and to cup your round ass made you grind up against his body in a friction. Your reactions were what made Mark’s instincts going up the roof. The inner animal was raging from just how much you do this to him. You look ethereal and vulnerable.

Your tongues are tied like a knot together constantly trying to go back and forth only to end up pushing and pulsing instead. Your hair was a mess from just the heated makeout with the man who did not show you a signal mercy.

Running your hands through his hair was probably the most difficult thing for him. Mark’s sensitive area was always his hair and head in general.

You wonder if it’s because tigers in general have sensitive ears; in fact all cats have that trait. It just made your mind run free whenever your fingers cross over his hair. He always lets out soft noises between the heavy parting kisses with your red feverous mouth.

Deciding that the wall won’t be enough for him or for you in that matter. Mark lifted you again this time turning only a small swift left to the bedroom the door opens enough to keep you in and throw you on top of his bed. Watching your body sink on the mattress wasn’t as satisfying as your arms pulling him on top with your lips connecting again for another passionate kiss.

Your voice sounds like music to his ears, Mark could never get tired of hearing your own heart racing and pounding against your chest either. It might be his favourite sound afterall this time.

“Fuck — Mark, hold on.” You adjust yourself on the bed when his hands slipped over your shirt unbuttoned it down along with your lowering clothing slipping it to your ankles. Mark did not know a single vocabulary word about slowing down. He was an animal. Animals don’t wait they just do whatever they want. Whenever it suits them. Your words were pointless to Mark.

He gave you a look when your hands press on his biceps. You needed a moment to calm your heart otherwise you would feel like this whole moment will not be savoured enough.

Leaning in he gave you a gentle peck instead on your lips. Mark tried to slow down to your liking. Holding himself back was hard when you look like this in your underwear and bra only. With your skin on skin contact too.

“Please.” You whisper. “You really don’t hold back.” You chuckled a little bit. Mark grinned softly at your reaction.

Humming he slowly took off his shirt. “Didn’t Jaehyun already tell you?” He sighs and your gaze looks up at Mark when he mentioned another name. “I don’t settle down for anyone.” Mark mumbles connecting back to your close body again when the shirt fell down on the bedroom floor.

He doesn’t settle for anyone so there is no reason for Mark to slow down for anyone. Mark goes fast for everyone and everything.

Your eyes are glued together as one. Your heart skips a beat when Mark was simply staring at you but it felt like he was chasing you across the jungle if anything.

Seeing your stare he had a feeling you might be thinking about your second options. Mark pressed forward to you.

“You still have the option to leave sweetheart, because I won’t give you this choice afterwards anymore.” He slants his fingers down your forearms and your eyes lift up staring into his own deadly irises.

You breathily sigh. “No I don’t want to leave.” You tell him with a determined look and you press your lips on the side of his neck kissing down to his defined collarbones.

Mark chuckled at your amusing response. You don’t want to run away yet you’re the one who told him to slow down?

“Alright. Don’t blame me for what’s about to happen next.” Mark’s voice was dark and low, everything that had been attracting you to him all along. You couldn’t wait until Mark kissed you again, you’re craving for more and more.

You don’t even know what you’re craving; is it the dangerous thrill? Or is it the fact that there was this biological element that keeps your hormones growing more complex.

Whatever it was your thoughts shatter down like a glass on the ground shredded to pieces creating a map of what you’d call your scattering thoughts. The heat forming underneath the pawing motions of the hands threading your body like a needle, grabbing your perky breasts. Hearing out your grasps and manhandling you into the mattress to a position of what his desires are. You’re nothing more than a rag doll. In this scenario you didn’t know what else to think. You were caving for more.

Escaping grasps when the rough grain fingers rub down to your revealing womanhood. His yellow-ish sharp eyes glow by the excessive amount of excitement. Your insides were much mild to his fingers. But they manage to heat your insides up so much faster. When he pumps them up and down your eyes were trying to squeeze shut.

Mark didn’t want to look away from your precious eyes when he was pumping his fingers inside your pussy walls. He wanted to watch you cry out. To him if you weren’t shouting to the top of your lungs then he did not do a good job. And Mark values his ego and pride of pleasuring women he takes to bed. You need to have a good time, your pleasure means so much more than his own.

And that’s the type of man Mark is. He focuses on you as much as he can. There was a sense of addiction towards you. Mark loved smelling your increasing scent on his bedsheets that you’re sprawled across looking like a desperate prey begging for mercy, but deep down you want so much more. With those aching teary eyes Mark knew you were close to a climax.

But did his hands stop? No. Mark didn’t care if you’re close to cumming. Mark will make you cum thrice if he wants too.

By the next few minutes you’re not sure what’s happened but your mind was fogging out between the lines. The bed sheets were leaking by your juices and Mark’s hand and your pussy were only an inch away from one another. His fingers were so deeply embedded inside of you it’s causing your voice to come out like a strain meld.

“Oh fuck… fuck… Mark I think I came already.” You said the obvious not knowing that was his intention all along. To make you release so much you’re starting to lose train of consciousness.

The tiger smirks fondly by your answer. Mark stretching your pussy out so much just so you can be able to fit him later on.

Pulling out his fingers out of your hole he licks them across his plum lips while gaze on your eyes. There was not much space between you two; your breathes are touching.

“You taste so sweet, Y/n.” Mark deems it. Pulling apart the boxers fell on the bedroom floor and he pulled your ankles down so your legs are spread round the hips.

You’re gawking at the sight of his thick glory shown towards your face. You’re not sure what else to say because your expression said it all.

Mark sultry chuckles watching you was seriously amusing. You don’t try to hide your expression with your widen little eyes. “What is it? Did i leave you speechless already?”

Though it sounds cocky. Which it probably was. Mark had a good reasoning to sound like a complete womanising douche.

He was thick. Thicker than anything you’ve seen before. You’re unsure what to say but you cannot argue with him either. He did leave you speechless. It was embarrassing for you.

Mark took your token of silence so he leans his face closer to give you a peck on your lips. He whispers down to your shoulders aligning his face with it. In a way this was to comfort you.

“Don’t worry Y/n. We aren’t finished just yet.” Breathily into your skin Mark buried the nose on the collarbone as the shape of Mark enters your pussy walls this time it was stretched with a slight burning angle that caused your whole body to tremble by itself. Holding on to the bedsheets underneath your body you feel like you’re floating by how just the tip touching at your velvety skin you’re reacting so much to it. This wasn’t usual. You’ve not experienced something like that before.

It’s nothing like the previous times you’ve slept with a guy before. It’s nothing like that.

In this case it feels like you’re fighting for your life but at the same time you’re submitting to yourself knowing Mark was the powerful one here. The one in charge of the moment. The variable that will never change is Mark. In a sick twisted way you like this. You like becoming the prey. The way you’re underneath Mark as he is thrusting you like a wild in-domestic beast, it’s what you’ve been craving all this time. The thrill of it.

For once you’ve forgotten all about biology. You’ve became it instead. Maybe you’re starting to finally understand how it feels to be stepped on by someone stronger than you. For once in your life that is.

Mark couldn’t get enough of you however. It’s the way your dark hair is floating like strands of ribbons on his bed sheets that smell of you now. He knew that once you are finished it is mostly likely to return to normal life. You’ll probably never hear from him. Or he might never hear from you on that matter — but those bed sheets will have your lingering smell and he doesn’t think he will change them for a while. You’re addictive. Strangely Mark has never been this compatible before with just anyone.

It’s crazy how a simple “come to my apartment” leads to you actually having sex later on. But you didn’t care how easy it seemed. You were enjoying it far too much to worry about the consequences. Mark was far too lost between the creeks of your neckline and the collarbones, his thinly pressed tongue sucks across your beautiful canvas. Your moans are starting to resemble poetry to his ears. As if you were all he wants to listen to on hours end.

The tiger felt every inch of your insides clenching with awe around his shape. It was the way you wrap around so easily. Your arms do the same thing. They wrap around his body and cling onto him forever. Mark wouldn’t have it any other way.

Your eyes only part ajar like a door does only to see yellowish sparkles of phenomenal beauty spreading across the bedroom. Widening at the sight you felt like you’re hallucinating. But when you’ve looked at the man above you thrusting you seen exactly a pair of two golden Iris’ staring down at you with nothing behind those eyes but lust.

It felt as if every muscle in his body extended to his original position when Mark grunts the bottom lip pierced to his fangs. “Oh yes, keeping looking at me like that. Such a pretty whore you are.”

Cheeks grows out in awe when Mark brushed over his fingers into your hair only to press you even more into the mattress digging his clock so deep in your insides you’ve lost knowledge of how far you could last. By now it’s been far too long. Your body’s overdrive is now overheating like a computer would — yet Mark shows no sign of slowing.

Even the way his voice stood still like the sea breeze. You’re at a loss of words.

Pulling at your hair slightly Mark decided to make you sit up a little so he could rearrange the speed of his thrusts to become quicker and sharper. Which only made you gasp audibly loud when you’re held in this position for so long. Your brain begins to fog once again.

Mark groans besides your shoulders, carving his teeth marks all over your body. You’re starting to look like a butchered meat eaten alive by him.

His eyes shift close. “Fuck… that’s it… now take it all Y/n.” You’re starting to see some slowing down when Mark unleashed the folds between your pussy walls. You’re starting to give up the moment Mark leaves you to the brim; looking full and plum like he wanted you in the state.

Eutrophic state of being overdriven by an animal, was all you’re able to process.

Breathing heavily into your skin you’re closing your eyes only a little, but everytime you do that you wanted to drift off to sleep. Eventually you’re wondering if you are asleep because all you see is black with a faded out voice I’m the background calling your name all over again.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

By the morning you’re awaken by your own fine reflection of how much your body actually endured last night.

Your lips part away staring at the front. Teeth marks scattering from top to bottom. You look like a whole different person compared to when you stepped a foot into this apartment.

Your eyes dart around the bedroom putting on your clothes that were left on the floor. You had to make yourself presentable at least once in your life because right now — you feel and look completely out of place. Brushing your hands into your hair messily brushing it out any knots. Then you open the bedroom door and step out. You’re met with a smell of eggs frying in a pan.

Following the scent you’re now approaching the shoulders of a man. Short sleeve tight shirt on flexing out muscles while wearing an apron. You’re filled with some form of happiness when you see that food is being cooked.

You mumble with a groaning stomach already. “Morning. What are you cooking?”

The man turned around with a little smirk seeing you’re already dressed and awake. Mark was expecting you to be knocked out a little longer. At first he thought you died on him last night. You’ve suddenly out of nowhere blanked out. But it turns out you were due in need of much sleep.

Mark pressed the eggs out of the pan and onto the plates. Your eyes following where his muscular arms extend out the plate towards you. You took a seat down on the chair by the kitchen aisle counter. He pressed a smile.

“Eggs and some toast. It’s the best I can do.” Mark announces.

You smiled and grabbed a fork. “It’s fine I’d eat anything anyone makes me.” You wish you could’ve shut your mouth when you said that though, because you maybe held your expectations high for Mark. He cannot cook eggs for the love of God.

The smile drops on your face instantly and you clear your voice a little when you’re sending a gaze back at Mark. You take a bite of the half burnt — nearly black at the bottom scrambled eggs. How do you burn eggs? You’ve got no possible human explanation for this sorcery.

For someone who is made to be a perfect stone with no hard edges; Mark can’t cook.

You might of found Mark’s first flaw.

You trail off mumbling. “Maybe I should cook next time?” Nonetheless you eat it all without a complaint. But you had to jokingly point o it out to Mark. You’re an honest woman. You couldn’t lie to him. It might feed his delusional ego.

Mark scoffs a little and chuckles at the end. “Good idea, Y/n. I can handle the other eggs.” You nearly choked on your chewing. But before you could say anything to him he was walking out of the kitchen area with that giddy smirk on his face as if he’s proud for saying something as outrageous as that.

“I’ll be in the shower!” Mark announces without a care that you’re probably as red as an apple.

You shake your head in disbelief and trail off a little laugh. You have a feeling this might weirdly be the most calming morning you’ve had. You go back to eating your scrambled egg wondering what else you will expect…

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

@onyourhyuck please refer from translating copyrighting and plagiarising my work thank you!! Reblog and Follow me for more smuts like this!!

[thankskenpenders]

I saw some talk on twitter about there being a trans character in the Lara-Su Chronicles, but didn't see this mentioned in your post, so is this really true or just a rumour? I'm trans and just like to see more trans characters in ANYTHING

Believe me when I say you do not want trans rep from Penders lmao. Please love yourself

Anyway: Ken loves to pat himself on the back on Twitter for planning to put Representation in his stories, but it's really just an ego thing for him. It makes him feel important and progressive. None of it is actually present on the page in TLSC: Beginnings despite his many declarations of how progressive these books will be.

For example, he made a big deal out of the fact that Espio's daughter Salma is autistic now and how big of a deal that is for autistic Sonic fans everywhere, but she's not actually in either of the stories here. She is on the endpaper illustration if you want to look at her godawful new design, though!

He's also spent years making a big deal out of the fact that Rotor/"The Emissary" and Cobar were supposed to be a gay couple in M25YL and how that really broke new ground for comics etc. etc., but in this book all that really results in is a single panel of the Emissary holding Cobar and going "Goddess, don't let him die on me."

And, yes, Ken did, in fact, announce on Twitter some time ago that he plans on including a trans character in The Lara-Su Chronicles. It's apparently even a character we've already met, though whether this means he's retconning a returning Archie Sonic character to be trans or it's one of the new characters is still up in the air. It's presumably an echidna based on Ken's statements about how in the new universe "Echyd'nya" society is so totally progressive and they're "not hung up on gender identity the way humans are" and transitioning is "as common as the air 1 breathes," even going as far as implying that they can spontaneously change sex like amphibians. And yet at the same time this character being trans is a secret in-universe "for reasons that will rock someone’s world."

Exactly none of this is conveyed in any way, shape, or form in the book we got.

I don't really know who the trans character is supposed to be, honestly. My first guess was Dr. Zephyr/Zephur, because their design is slightly gender ambiguous, no one every refers to them with pronouns, and they have no data file to clarify their gender. But no, it can't be them if it's supposed to be an Echyd'nya, and also Zephyr/Zephur is probably just a guy because if they were a woman Ken would've given them an hourglass figure. Maybe... Remington? Given all the shit about his unknown origins, is the Big Twist supposed to be that he was DFAB? I don't know. I just know that, whatever it is, if the story containing the reveal of who the token trans character is even gets published, it's not going to be good.

[v3nusxsky]

Hi. Could you please write about Lesso hiding her feelings for female reader, where Lesso gets suuper drunk once and reader is the one who finds her and helps her, and in process of helping finds out that Lesso has feelings for her? It can end with smut or something cute, whatever you see fit.

Surprised

*Authors note ~ lol this came to me in the shower but i love it so I hope the lovely anon doesn’t mind me tweaking the prompt ever so slightly. Here for subby lesso*

Trigger warnings~ spiking?, Revealed thoughts to soul mate Potion, typical never behaviour

Prompt~ see ask^^^^^

Society rules suck. It’s something you happen to believe with your whole heart. As an Ever, you were forbidden from befriending a Never for as long as you can remember. There was a clear divide that you had to adhere to. It was expected that you follow it religiously. And you did until you were sixteen and met her. Her fierce red hair adding to her Never appearance seemed to draw you in like a moth to a flame. But you couldn’t.

Unless you could. Sneaking off in the middle of the night to hang out. You have clear memories of just laying at your spot, watching the stars twinkle night sky with her at your side. Everything feeling so right. Yet you couldn’t share it with anyone. Your secret. You both knew the rules. And as you grew the importance of keeping your friendship a secret only grew. Life moved on, and your friendship grew alongside it, you couldn’t help but yearn for what you could never have. So you would remain secretly by her side, ready to fight any battle you could for her just as she did for you.

The first ball since the school merger had snuck up on you. Leonora already told you she wouldn’t be there, it’s not her scene, but you still couldn’t help but be excited to finally include everyone. Nevers and Evers alike would be there tonight. Having mixed classes was really a hit with everyone. Everything seemed more balanced these days, the divide lower than ever before.

Your ball grown was a blush pink and had off the shoulder straps. Your hair placed perfectly into an updo. The intricate detailing only added to the beauty you are. Attending the ball to start welcoming the students was magical, seeing everyone develop personalities away from their group, some Evers attending in darker colours and Nevers doing the opposite. It truly filled your heart with joy that they could have what you couldn’t. The future would be better than the past and that is always a win.

The dance was beautiful, nothing out of place as the hall was filled with lovely laughter and joy. It was only when you were confident nothing could go wrong that you allowed yourself to get a goblet of punch. The beautiful lavender colour peaking your interest as you sipped it. You didn’t notice the giggling as the potion set to work. What you did notice was her arrival. You always would.

Fuming. Leonora was fuming. She didn’t want to come to some ball, to dance till the wee hours of the morning with sore feet. She wanted to be in her charmers with a book by the fire. People most definitely aren’t her thing. But of course one of her own Nevers would sneak into the potion room and take something, resulting in goody two shows Clarissa knocking at her door in ball attire, ruining her peaceful evening.

Scanning the room for a skiny one haired wearwolf shouldn’t be hard, but they all look the damn same these days. So one by one Leonora took in the sea of dancers. The second she caught sight of you, her heart stopped. Breathtakingly beautiful as you stood there sipping from a goblet, smiling at the dancers. if only she could get you to smile at her that way. The way your eyes would sparkle slightly as you pull her closer, “eyes on me Leo” you’d murmur to her before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. If only she could see that dress on her floor…

You’d take such good care of her, spending hours worshiping her like a queen, all hers. Your hands all over her body showing her how talented you truly are. The way you’d look at her as she pulled on your hair to get what she wanted. Oh what a sinful night that could be.

Hort. The changing of music snapped the Dean out of her own desires, a snort that was so clearly Hort catching her attention. Back to business. Until you began to stride over to her, dress swaying with the movement so delicately. Oh she could be so good for you, to be under you. Your little smirk simply caused her to roll her eyes. “Lesso, how good of you to join the ball” you practically purred when she was in reaching distance. “Don’t flatter yourself, I’m here for him” she almost growled in response while glaring daggers at Hort. You are too distracting and she knows that she’d crumble with how you tease her. “Hm? Perhaps. But for now you are with me. Come Leo” you command gently taking her by the elbow and back out of the hall with an ease she didn’t know how possessed.

“I know” you muttered cryptically to the other woman, her shock evident. “And just what exactly do you know?” She asked as her eyes gazed to your lips causing you to chuckle. How cute was she? While Leonora clearly had other ideas, imagining you tearing her clothing off her, claiming her lips with yours as you ran your hands all over her. The fascinated continued thoughts of getting you alone and out of that dress. She would do anything you asked. She could just, you interrupted her train of thought with a knowing smile, “I know Leo you would be such a good girl for me wouldnt you?”

“I- what in gods name are you talking about?” She stuttered as you moved to cage her body against the wall. One hand at her hip and the other pressed firmly against the stone wall. “The big bad Dean is really just craving something else aren’t you?” You teased watching as a blush tainted her cheeks and her eyes glanced towards your cleavage that was perfectly on show to her. “You” she mumbled quietly, the shock of the words leaving her mouth was almost overwhelming yet with you this close she couldn’t help it. It’s one thing to lie to herself with you at a distance but with you right here. No chance. “You want me Leo? I’m here. Isn’t that enough?” You teased trailing the hand on her hip up her body gently to grip her chin, “eyes are up here darling.”

“Please” she whimpered gazing into your eyes as her pupils were blown wide with need, “please kiss me.” Her quiet whisper almost when unheard. Yet you indulged her, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips, not enough to be anything but enough to keep her wanting more, whining as you pull away from her body completely. “Please don’t” her mumble gives you a pause, “soon Leo, you aren’t thinking clearly and I’m pretty sure I got spiked darling. I shouldn’t be able to hear all the unholy things you want me to do to you, yet I can. I heard every thought. I know you want me as badly as I want you but I care about you to do anything else till we have clear minds. Get some rest and if you still want me in the morning you know exactly where to find me sweet girl” you ended your little speech with a kiss to her cheek before returning to the ball leaving her stunned against the wall gingerly touching where you just kissed her.

Word count~ 1226

[pboogerswbb]

do you have any book recs? you’re literally my fave writer on here and i’m curious to what you like to read 😌

NOW this is a question that was MEANT FOR ME thank you for asking <3 in general i read a lot of classics how dull i know, but i tried to include many different books and genres and times here

my all time favourites

Donna Tartt is my all time favourite author and i could easily list all her works here but i will not lol (also can never go wrong with Joan Didion, Sylvia Plath, Dostoyevsky or Albert Camus)

The Secret History by Donna Tartt - dark academia, greek tragedy set in the 80s, masterclass in building tension and using literary devices (the kind of book you can analyze every sentence for a deeper meaning and you can trust that the author wrote the book to be endlessly analyzed), if you feel like it's pretentious my friend that is the entire point (discusses privilege and class critically) my favourite book ever i could literally talk about this book for hours (and if anyone wants me to i'll literally write an essay detailing why it's so good)

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - coming-of-age novel in the 50s, societal expectation on women so feminist themes, heartbreaking and relatable for many women in their 20s trying to find their way especially if you struggle with mental health

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reed - wlw, a lighter read, funny and touching, golden age of hollywood, timeless discussion about queer love between women, popular for a reason

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins - the hunger games prequel, masterclass in symbolism and the psyche of a complex villain and how war affects people for generations

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess - dystopian and satirical, a more challenging read, a young criminal who undergoes state-sponsored psychological rehabilitation, themes of state control vs. personal choice and sovereignty

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera - prague in 60s-70s and the soviet invasion, themes of weight and light through four characters, existentialist, love, identity and freedom of choice

books i think everyone should read

Iliad and The Odyssey - two epics from ancient greece that everyone should know

Animal Farm by George Orwell - allegorical story about soviet union and the stalinist regime, dystopian, class consciousness

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - themes of guilt and morality and alienation, referenced a lot in other works of media so reading this will open up a lot of other works for you

other classics

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - intense, gothic, love and passion and gender, SO beautifully written and a beautiful example of how to use literary devices so smoothly the reader barely notices

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy - so long but so worth it, critique of high society in 19th century russia, morality and redemption, consequences of societal judgement, opening sentence: "All happy families resemble each other; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - queer, gothic horror and moral fantasy, a retelling of the myth of narcissus, themes of mortality and youth and beauty, about how art imitates life

The Stranger by Albert Camus - existentialist, timeless, will have you thinking! (anything by albert camus is a good choice)

non-fiction

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - witty, funny, inspiring

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy - dark humor, touching and to me, relatable

queer

Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth - sapphic, coming-of-age set in rural ireland, beautiful language but easy to read, moving and relatable to most queer women

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman - please read this, the movie does NOT do justice to the story but by reading this you'll find a whole new layer in the movie, just a great summer read and extremely touching but also uncomfortable

Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin - taiwanese lesbian novel, queer identity in the 80s, nonlinear format which I LOVE, resonates deeply, cult classic

others

Circe by Madeline Miller - if you like the secret history you will like this, a feminist retelling of circe the goddess of witchcraft

Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion - nihilism and illusory glamor of life in hollywood, 1960s los angeles

hopefully this list has something for everyone

[artofdeductionbysholmes]

My fiancée and I recently received this letter in the mail:

Dear Mr. Snicket,

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! We at the Vineyard of Fragrant Drapes are overjoyed to learn that your future includes wedding bells ringing.

Hello. Enclosed is an award-winning photograph of our beautiful wedding gazebo. If you prefer, the gazebo can be painted a different color. You or your future bride simply need to inform us—we are entirely at your disposal. White paint makes the place come alive, in our opinion, but we'll repaint the building if you do not think so.

The food, as you specifically requested, will not be from the Anxious Clown or Café Salmonella but will come from another fine restaurant nearby that specializes in tea parties. Here at the Vineyard we want to please our customers, so the sugar bowls will all be in place, we promise you. We'll count them if necessary.

Besides the gazebo and the catering, we will provide the following wedding accessories free of charge: candles to burn during the ceremony, three lower arrangements, an official wedding certificate you will probably want to frame for display in your home, and the enclosed souvenir-a photograph of our lovely grounds, inscribed

"Beatrice and Lemony: Love Conquers Nearly Everything." The weather promises to stay beautiful during the entire week. You'll be sad to go awav.

Ring, ring, ring, those wedding bells!

With all due respect,

The Vineyard

We believe it to be in Sebald Code, yet have no time to crack the code.

If you help me crack this code, Sherlock, like the noble person I know you are, an entire secret organization shall be at your beck and call. Please.

-Lemony Snicket

Hello.

At last, you've shown your real face instead of hiding behind Tumblr's veil of anonymity.

The code was remarkably simple to crack—especially after you so helpfully identified its type.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! We at the Vineyard of Fragrant Drapes are overjoyed to learn that your future includes wedding bells ringing.

Hello. Enclosed is an award-winning photograph of our beautiful wedding gazebo. If you prefer, the gazebo can be painted a different color. You or your future bride simply need to inform us—we are entirely at your disposal. White paint makes the place come alive, in our opinion, but we'll repaint the building if you do not think so.

The food, as you specifically requested, will not be from the Anxious Clown or Café Salmonella but will come from another fine restaurant nearby that specializes in tea parties. Here at the Vineyard we want to please our customers, so the sugar bowls will all be in place, we promise you. We'll count them if necessary.

Besides the gazebo and the catering, we will provide the following wedding accessories free of charge: candles to burn during the ceremony, three lower arrangements, an official wedding certificate you will probably want to frame for display in your home, and the enclosed souvenir-a photograph of our lovely grounds, inscribed

"Beatrice and Lemony: Love Conquers Nearly Everything." The weather promises to stay beautiful during the entire week. You'll be sad to go awav.

Ring, ring, ring, those wedding bells!

With all due respect,

The Vineyard

The decrypted message reads as follows:

Hello. If you are alive, do not come here. The Count will burn you and Beatrice. Stay Away.

Looks like I am truly noble. What exactly can your secret society offer to someone like me?

SH