#popular engagement ring designs

[jcolondon]

When it comes to Engagement Rings For Women, there are numerous options available to suit every budget. By exploring affordable alternatives such as gemstones, lab-created diamonds, and alternative designs like oval halo or three-stone rings, you can find a ring that beautifully symbolizes your love without breaking the bank.

[panoplysilver]

Ultimate Guide: Expert Tips for Purchasing Stunning Engagement Rings from Diamond Selection to Ring Settings

Looking to dive into the world of engagement ring shopping, but feeling overwhelmed with all the choices out there? Look no further! Our ultimate guide is here to provide you with expert tips on purchasing the most stunning engagement rings, from diamond selection to ring settings. We understand that buying an engagement ring is a significant investment, both emotionally and financially. Our expert advice will help you make the perfect choice to symbolize your love and commitment. Here's what our comprehensive guide entails: 1. Diamond selection: Uncover the secrets of choosing the perfect diamond for your engagement ring. From understanding the 4Cs (carat, cut, clarity, and color) to exploring various diamond shapes, our guide will demystify the diamond selection process, ensuring you get the best value for your money. 2. Ring settings: Discover the world of ring settings and find the one that suits your partner's style and personality. Whether it's a classic solitaire, a dazzling halo, or a vintage-inspired design, our guide will walk you through the different types of settings and their unique characteristics. 3. Design trends: Stay up-to-date with the latest engagement ring design trends. Our guide will explore popular styles, such as rose gold bands, intricate side details, and alternative gemstones, so you can make a choice that reflects your partner's taste and stands the test of time. 4. Budgeting tips: Understand how to set a realistic budget for your engagement ring purchase without compromising on quality. We'll provide insights into cost-saving options and offer strategies for prioritizing your budget while still achieving a breathtaking ring. 5. Expert advice from jewelers: Gain insider knowledge from experienced jewelers who have helped countless couples find their dream engagement rings. Their tips and recommendations will empower you to make well-informed decisions throughout the purchasing process. Don't let the overwhelming options deter you from finding the perfect engagement ring. By following our ultimate guide, you'll become a savvy ring shopper who confidently selects a stunning symbol of eternal love. Let the journey begin! To access the complete ultimate guide to purchasing breathtaking engagement rings, visit https://www.panoplysilver.com/blogs/news/guide-to-buying-engagement-rings-from-diamond-selection-to-ring-settings. Happy ring hunting!

[raointean]

Silmarillion Survey Essay!

My essay was due last night (submitted it with 6 minutes to spare!) and my professor said I could post it to Tumblr if I wanted to. It's divided into four sections, all marked. The first section is the introduction where I explain the point of the survey, who I studied, and why. The second section is the methods I used to design the survey, get answers, record answers, and control for variables. The third section is results, where I highlight several of the questions I thought would be most stratifying and explain what I actually found (it has graphs!). The fourth section is the discussion where I talk about what I found and what conclusions I drew from that.

I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on the results and my conclusions!

Introduction

            For this project, I looked into age (and length of time in fandom, in one case) affected knowledge and attitudes about fandom language. I investigated several terms and phrases, both from fandom at large and from the Silmarillion fandom specifically. The group I studied was the fandom of The Silmarillion on Tumblr because I am intimately familiar with that internet space (and could therefore phrase the questions in a way that would be understood) and because the majority of Archiveofourown.org (a popular fanfiction website) users are also Tumblr users.

            For the purposes of this paper, I am defining the Silmarillion fandom as a community of practice. The Wenger-Trayner article, “Communities of practice a brief introduction”, defines a community of practice as an entity with three parts: domain, community, and practice. The domain is “an identity defined by a shared domain of interest” (Wenger-Trayner 2). The domain in this case is The Silmarillion. As The Silmarillion is a history book set in a fictional universe, it is incredibly dry at times (there is an entire chapter titled “Of Beleriand and its Realms” which deals mostly with geography) so anyone who reads it by choice is necessarily interested in the work. The second part, community, is made up of “members [that] engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information” (Wenger-Trayner 2). Most fandoms engage in discourse/discussion, create transformative art (mostly written or visual, but I have seen musical as well) and exchange craft advice to better each other’s creative work, but due to the almost academic nature of the Silmarillion fandom, we exchange background lore knowledge, additions to Tolkien’s conlangs, translations, timelines, and character sheets in addition to the regular fandom activities. Finally, the Silmarillion fandom also has a shared practice, defined as “They develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems—in short a shared practice” (Wenger-Trayner 2). As mentioned above, the Silmarillion fandom has shared resources (such as tolkiengateway.net, Nerd of the Rings on YouTube, as well as several established “fandom elders” who are happy to answer questions), stories, established characterizations for “only-mentioned-once-in-a-footnote” type characters, settled linguistic debates, and several research-oriented blogs (such as two of my own) that record niche or new knowledge about either Tolkien’s work or the fandom itself. Almost all of the above (with the possible exception of the website and the youtuber previously mentioned) is unpaid hobby work.

            When doing this survey, I expected to find a rather steep difference between older and younger members of fandom regarding their knowledge of fandom terminology. I expected the 18-25 age group to be the most knowledgeable of fandom terms with the under 18 group to be only slightly behind them and the 26-30 group a slightly further way behind the under 18 group. For the groups over 30, I anticipated that the rate of knowledge would sharply decline and that older fans would be unfamiliar with fandom terminology for the most part. I was… incorrect.

Methods

            There are eight questions highlighted in this paper. The first chart (Figure 1.) is the total percentage of answers that amounted to “I don’t know”, filtered by age. The first table (Figure 2.) looks at the people who did not know the term “Isekai” based on whether or not they were native speakers of English or live in Asia (given that “Isekai” is a Japanese word). The second table (Figure 3.) compares the percentage of people who mentioned that the word “angst” is also present in everyday German, categorized by German speakers and non-German speakers. The third table (Figure 4.) examines attitudes towards the anti/pro-ship terms based on age. The second chart (Figure 5.) examines attitudes towards the term “omegaverse” separated by age. The fourth table (Figure 6.) compares groups of people who could define the difference between “peredhel” and “peredhil”, separated by how long they have participated in the fandom surrounding the Silmarillion fandom. The third chart (Figure 7a.) looks at people who understand the phrase “Fëanor did nothing wrong” as a joke, filtered by age. Finally, the fourth chart (Figure 7b.) shows the percentage of people who used the phrase “tongue-in-cheek” in the 31-40 group as opposed to other age groups (that one was not explicitly asked for in the survey; I simply noticed a steep trend while dissecting the results from the “Fëanor did nothing wrong” question).

            I compiled all of these questions (along with several others) in a google form as a three-part survey. The first part was comprised of basic demographic questions, the second of general fandom terms and phrases, and the third of terms and phrases specific to fanfiction of The Silmarillion. The 418 responses were recorded and examined in Google sheets, which I used to filter the demographic information for ease of synthetization.

            The group I examined was people who participate in the Silmarillion fandom on Tumblr. I chose this group because I am familiar with them, because they are the most likely to be aware of these terms (due to the large overlap between Tumblr and Archive Of Our Own), and because fandom language is (to the best of my knowledge) not well studied. I was able to isolate this group by only posting the survey to Tumblr itself. Tumblr posts are only viewable to Tumblr users, so even if someone were to post a link to the post elsewhere, the only people able to access the survey would be Tumblr users. I further attempted to control by including several fandom related and The Silmarillion-specific questions in the demographic portion of the survey. Anyone who completed the demographic portion would have been well aware of the nature of the survey by the end, regardless of how poorly they understood the original survey posting. These measures, of course, did not stop everyone. I had a few respondents who submitted only the demographic portion or the demographic and general fandom portions. Luckily, due to the Google Sheets functions, such responses were relatively easy to filter out.

Results

(Figure 1. A chart observing, out of all 16,065 answers, how many equate to “I don’t know?” Under 18: 14.24%, 18-25: 5.9%, 26-30: 7.43%, 31-40: 9.17%, 41-50: 13.63%, 51-60: 7.3%, 61-70: 9.7%)

(Figure 2. A table comparing different categories of people and what percentage of them are unfamiliar with the term “Isekai”; a Japanese term which is most commonly defined as “a trope in which a character somehow travels from the mundane ‘real’ universe into a fictional one.” 23.08% of native English speakers are unfamiliar with the term. 27.07% of non-native English speakers are unfamiliar with the term. 20% of respondents who live in Asia are unfamiliar with the term.)

(Figure 3. A table comparing different categories who mention that “Angst” (defined in fandom context as “dramatic, serious, and sometimes dark”) is an everyday word in German. 12.73% of German speakers mentioned it. 1.38% of people who either do not speak German, or did not mention it in their language background, mentioned it.)

(Figure 4. A table comparing the attitudes of different age groups to the terms “anti-ship” and “pro-ship���. These terms are hotly debated in fandom. Those on the anti side of the debate define anti-ship as “being morally against abuse and pedophilia,” and pro-ship as “excusing abuse and pedophilia in fandom.” Those on the pro side of the debate define anti-ship as “puritanical and chronically online people who can’t separate reality and fiction” and pro-ship as “letting people ship whatever they want and separating reality from fiction.” Those under 18 are 4% anti, 4% pro, and 92% neutral. Those from 18-25 are 2.44% anti, 29.27% pro, and 68.29% neutral. Those from 26-30 are 0% anti, 33.67% pro, and 66.33% neutral. Those from 31-40 are 2.2% anti, 26.37% pro, and 71.43% neutral. Those from 41-50 are 0% anti, 46.15% pro, and 53.85% neutral. Those from 51-60 are 12.5% anti, 37.5% anti, and 50% neutral. Those from 61-70 are 0% anti, 50% pro, and 50% neutral (although, admittedly, there are only two respondents in that group.))

(Figure 5. A chart that shows the rate at which respondents cringed (using phrases such as “please don’t make me define this,” “oh god,” and “Nuh uh. Sorry man. Sweet baby rays good lord.”*) within their responses while defining “Omegaverse” (an erotica subgenre within fandom based on outdated wolfpack dynamics. Very popular, but also very taboo). Under 18: 16%, 18-25: 6.71% 26-30: 7.07%, 31-40: 6.45%, 41-50: 12%, 51-60: 12.5%)

*All real responses I received

(Figure 6: A chart exploring the differences between who can correctly identify the difference between the terms “peredhel” (half-elf, singular) and “peredhil” (half-elves, plural) based on how long they have been in the fandom. Those who have been in the fandom for less than a year are 31.71% correct and 14.63% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 1-2 years are 71.67% correct and 10% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 3-4 years are 74.44% correct and 7.78% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 5-9 years are 65.93% correct and 9.89% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 10-14 years are 73.85% correct and 12.31% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 15-19 years are 76.92% correct and 11.59% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 20-24 years are 69.57% correct and 13.04% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 25-29 years are 100% correct and 0% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 30-34 years are 75% correct and 0% incorrect. Those who have been in the fandom for 35-39 years are 100% correct and 0% incorrect.)

(Figure 7a. A chart observing who sees the phrase “Fëanor did nothing wrong as ironic” divided by age. Under 18: 23.53%, 18-25: 35.77%, 26-30: 36.9%, 31-40: 42.67%, 41-50: 22.22%, 51-60: 37.5%)

(Figure 7b. A chart observing the percentages of age groups who used the phrase “tongue-in-cheek” while answering the above question. 18-25: 1.84%, 26-30: 2.04%, 31-40: 9.78)

Discussion

            Observing these results, I can see that, while there is some level of stratification by age and length of time spent in the fandom, it is not nearly as dramatic as I had expected it to be. These results strongly demonstrate the power of communities of practice. These people, across ages and continents, communicate so often and so deeply, that nearly all terms are understood to the same degree by everyone, and nearly everyone has similar stances on divisive pan-fandom debates.

            Were I to do this study again, or a similar study in the future, I would probably narrow the purview by a lot. I would ask fewer questions (or at least, only ask questions of a single type), compare them against only one demographic question, and sincerely consider making them multiple choice. That being said, I do not regret this survey having short answer questions. There were several definitions of several terms that I never could have come up with in a million years. Synthesizing the short answers may have taken more effort on my part, but I learned a lot about my fandom.

@proship-anti-discussion (ship debate was mentioned)

[prickly-paprikash]

One of my favorite things about Denis Villeneuve's style is how utterly masterful he is at subtle storytelling. Using the visuals to tell a tale that, even when you don't figure it out explicitly, one feels it immediately.

In Dune Part 1, my favorite form of this is at the very beginning when the Herald of the Change arrives to formalize the transition of Arrakis' ownership from the Harkonnens to the Atreides. The procession is full of pomp and posturing, with the Herald speaking in this loud, bombastic voice just to announce what is already a given, and Leto responds with his own spectacle—the armies of Atreides, chanting as one. It's all a show, since at this point House Atreides has been commanded by the Emperor. The contract is a legal formality; the costly procession on Caladan was (un)necessary showmanship. In the books, showing off the illusion of power and authority is vital in maintaining this cruel, unyielding power system, and without bringing mention of it, the film shows this off too. Then, once the Duke has sealed the form with his signet ring, everything just... drops.

Leto looks at the Herald in the eye, and asks, "So, it's done?"

And just as Leto replied to the grandiose display of the Emperor, the Herald now replies with the levity the situation truly deserves.

"It's done."

Both the Herald and the Duke know what this truly is. It's not a reward. It's not a show of love. The Herald, at this moment, is looking at a dead man walking. Millions of their currency sunk into this process, barely five minutes in total, and all to simply declare it all "done."

You can even feel a sense of satisfaction from the Herald.

The Emperor, in his paranoia and envy, guided the hand of the Atreides into a trap. And the Atreides know it is their doom, but they have no choice. They are popular and loved by the Great Houses, but they are bound by honor. And bound by might.

And all of this, narrowed down into one brilliant scene.

Once again, this subtle, visual storytelling is in full display in Part 2, and my favorite by far happens on Giedi Prime.

The Bene Gesserit Sister, Lady Margot Fenring (who is also a Lady of her own House in the books), watches on as one of their prospects, Na-Baron Feyd-Rautha engages in ritual combat for his birthday. Afterwards, in a hallway lit by only the fireworks outside, she stalks the Harkonnen heir, and Feyd catches on immediately.

Here's the thing: barring other Sisters of the Bene Gesserit, Paul Atreides, and some very gifted Mentat Assassins—you will never know if a Sister of the Order is stalking you. From the beginning, she had wanted to be caught by him. A lure. A tantalizing bait, perfectly designed to entrap the feral Feyd.

And he sinks in immediately.

Here is where my favorite visual storytelling comes into play.

In the hallway, we begin with a fully covered Margot. She is veiled completely in shadow, with the oil fireworks illuminating only her visage.

Next, Feyd strikes and holds his blade to her neck, revealing her face. But only her face.

Slowly, the scene shows off little by little her skin. In the hall, I believe the most we see is her throat, and I could be mistaken. The light flashes erratically, and we see her the way Feyd must see her.

In the shadows, a threat. In the brief sparks of light, a curiosity.

And when Margot confuses him, leading him to the Guest Wing where she stays, the light fully shows her off. She's still in formal clothing, but now we see her dress. It reveals a plunging neckline that barely shows off the top of her chest. Her top is sleeveless, showing off her shoulders and the soft musculature of her arms. In the dark, we could clearly see her wearing a veil that covered her body.

And the light mimics her, stripping away and revealing something beautiful. Irresistible, especially to Feyd, who despite his high intelligence and skill, is just as brutal and animalistic as his uncle and brother. All three so easily give in to their vice, and Feyd is no different.

He is allured by her. He lusts after her.

And all this without a word hinting towards sex in their entire shared dialogue.

Just the use of light, shadow, and body to tell a story.

Afterwards, Margot speaks to the Reverend Mother and Princess Irulan, revealing that she has secured a child from Feyd in her womb, which again without saying anything specific immediately shows that the Sisters have such power over their own bodies that they can ensure fertilization and have complete knowledge over their pregnancy. They even control what sex the child will be, as alluded to in Dune Part 1 when Jessica, out of the love she had for Leto and his desire for a son, rebelled against the Bene Gesserit's orders and sired a male.

Again, without info-dumping, we immediately understand that this religious order engages in Eugenics, and uses sex, fanaticism, and more to control the Great Houses.

Please watch Dune. Please read Dune.

[choccy-milky]

OKAY HEAR ME OUT CHOCCY SEB GIVES CLORA A SNAKE RING?!?!

Soooooo rereading the fic and I’m back to chapter 33, and it totally popped into my head that they are IN THE VICTORIAN ERA and do ya know what was super popular after the engagement ring that Queen Victoria was given by Prince Albert? A SNAKE RING

AND IF THAT AINT SEB TREATING CLORA LIKE THE QUEEN SHE IS THEN I DONT KNOW WHAT IS 😭💙💚✨

Thank you for coming to my ted talk 🫣😂

LMFAOO YESS TRUST ME, IVE SEEN THIS AFTER DOING MY OWN RESEARCH ABOUT VICTORIAN RINGS, ITS SO PERFECT!! AND THE FACT THAT ITS GREEN TOO LMAO, prince albert was a possessive slytherin confirmed!!🤪 but yea ill DEFS be incorporating a snake into the final design of cloras ring HAHA. i basically HAVE to...yknow, for period accuracy 🥰

WOO YAY im glad i could inspire you to start writing!!!🙏and i get it, writing fanfic is defs self indulgent and for ourselves first and foremost, but obvs nobody wants to release their work into the void😩 as for how my own fic got popular, one of the main things is defs timing. i published the first chap basically within the first week of the game being out (it came out on the 10th and my chap was on the 18th) so it was there right at the peak/start of the fandom. but i also dont wanna attribute it all to timing BAHHA cuz i think im a pretty good writer and that helps....my fic also didnt get popular right away, but i was consistently posting every single week + eventually started adding art every single week, and was just really dedicated to not only writing but also drawing art for it (which is also obvs another huge factor/probs the biggest factor). ive had so many ppl tell me they started reading my fic bc they saw my art on pinterest or something LOL, and some ppl have even read it fandom-blind bc they were into the seb/clora dynamic??? which is another point actually. i always joke about how i love my cliches and good girl+bad boy dynamics, and that im unashamed about loving them LOL, but also...they're cliches for a reason!!! lots of us eat that shit up!!!😤so i think thats defs another factor, vs if my fic was a bit more niche and avant garde LOL the fandom is also (understandably) a lot slower than it was at the beginning of the year so itll be harder in general, but maybe you could commission art to go with your fanfic? ive seen a lot of other HL fanfic writers do it, and i think it defs helps to draw attention! GOOD LUCK and i hope you keep writing!!!🫡💖💖💖🙌

huh??? go with the tide pods instead, THAT shit looks bussin😩😩

AWW TYY😭😭I LOVE THAT HAHAH AND IM GLAD U THINK SO💖💖 my friend also asked me this question after seeing my recent ask, and i STILL have no idea what i would have named it instead LMAOO, thats how bad i am at naming things. even a year later im like bruh idk!!! clora and sebs bizarre adventures??? i guess id probs make it something light/dark themed in retrospect, or something more specific to the ancient magic, but i still have no idea what LOL

[ginnsbaker]

In Losing Grip On Sinking Ships (9/22)

Chapter summary: Several weeks later, an unfortunate situation drives Wanda to seek you out, only to be met with someone she least expects.

Chapter word count: 9k

Pairing: Wanda x Reader, Yelena x Reader (heavy in this chapter)

Author's note: And we start the second phase :)

Next chapter: Ten

AO3 | Masterlist 

Taglist: @blackluthxr | @esposadejoyhuerta | @secretbackrooms | @justgotlizzied , @casquinhaa | @marvelwomen-simp | @sunsol-22 | @wandanatlov3r | @kyaraderuwez | @justyourwritter69 | @stanolsevans | @aliherreraaa | @diaryoflife

-

Nine

Five Weeks Later

“By the power invested in me, by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The minister reads from his pamphlet without as much as a glance to the enamored audience.

Wanda hadn’t known that she was going to attend a wedding near the start of autumn; if she had, she’d have been more than ready with an ensemble that’s appropriate for both the event and the cold season. To be fair, Pietro hadn’t known either. Just a week ago, Shannon surprised him with a date, a venue, and a business card of some designer that she commissioned to provide Pietro’s suit for the ceremony. Wanda might have considered it a trap if it hadn't been for the fact that Pietro was the one on his knees with a ring a year ago. Shannon had simply grown tired of his excuses and took matters into her own hands. Wanda still thinks it’s a colossal mistake but his history with women and commitments tracks. She just wants to know how many more of these she’ll have to attend for the rest of her life. 

“You may kiss the–”  

The minister is cut off by Pietro diving in for a sloppy kiss, and the small crowd of thirty people cheer the newly weds. Wanda claps for the sake of being a good attendant. She almost feels sorry for Shannon, but if she wanted this, she probably wanted it for the wrong reasons. 

And, well, karma is a bitch.

Having been sober for exactly thirty-two days, Wanda’s been nursing the same mocktail she’s had before the start of the program, and she finds it difficult to enjoy anything that’s watered-down. A longing to light a cigarette tugs at her, but the establishment's strict no-smoking policy extends even to the outdoor gardens. Pietro asked that she stays until the party’s over, and knowing how much her presence means to him, she reluctantly agreed. 

“Stop brooding at my wedding, for god’s sake.”

It’s Shannon, dressed in her second gown, a simpler one that makes it hard to tell her apart from her bridesmaids.

"Hi, Shannon," Wanda drawls, swirling the tiny ice left in her rocks glass.

"It's Mrs. Maximoff now," Shannon mutters proudly, displaying both her wedding and engagement rings.

Wanda hides her grimace behind her drink. “Try not to get used to it though. I’m pretty sure you’re aware that there had been two other Mrs. Maximoffs in his past.”

“Don’t sass me on my wedding day, it’s just disrespectful.”

“Point taken. I’d offer to get you a drink, but I think that’s just gonna push the stick further up your ass.” 

Shannon sourly responds with one of her signature fake smiles, but Wanda can see through the facade. She takes pride in having hit a nerve.

Taking the seat next to her, much to Wanda's dismay, Shannon changes the subject. "Anyway, your ex-wife is doing exceptionally well at our company. She's managed to turn around all the bad practices that have been going on for ages."

Wanda’s brows stitch together in confusion. “Your company?”

“Stark Industries.” Shannon says, taking a sip of Wanda’s untouched water.

The revelations throw her off. You didn't appear too thrilled when Wanda saw you right after your interview, so she had assumed you either didn’t get the position or you passed up on the opportunity. But what surprised her even more was discovering that someone like Shannon held a high-ranking position at a popular tech company–which now explains where the extreme confidence comes from.

Shannon smirks. “Don’t look so surprised that I work for the number one company in the world.” 

“Number one?” Wanda scoffs, rubbing her nose with her middle finger. “Hardly. And why are you keeping tabs on her?”

“She works in my department and I interviewed her. She was a disaster, by the way,” Shannon says. “But her references were solid. I mean, Scott Lang? I hired her solely by his recommendation.”

Wanda can't help but smile at the mention of Scott, reminiscent of the old days when she used to host dinners for your boss and your co-workers. She doesn’t, however, dwell this time about the people you’ve brought with you when you walked out of her life. The reality is, people take sides, and rightfully, they have chosen yours. 

"I'm happy for her. She's brilliant and hardworking. You won't regret having her on your team," Wanda says softly, her voice a little bittersweet; she remembers a time when she used to be the first one to know every little thing about you, and it's a feeling she misses.

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re hearing this just now?” Shannon smacks her lips together and then fixes her lipstick that has stained the rim of her drink. “I thought I saw you at our lobby right after her interview.” Shannon gives her a knowing look, her eyes filled with a mix of satisfaction and malice. It's as if she's perfectly aware of the unspeakable things you did to Wanda that day.

"Y-You did?" Wanda stammers, her blood rushing to her face.

“I assumed you were seeing each other again. You looked like a lost little housewife in your little jeans and little shirt.”

“I stopped by to bring her food. I didn’t know I had to dress up for that.”

“How sweet,” Shannon says, though her tone is barely mocking. “Well, if you’re not back together, then I have a piece of information you might find useful.”

Wanda leans back on her chair and crosses her arms in front of her. “And what makes you think I’m interested?”

“Because despite my wrong assumptions earlier, it’s clear that you’re still head over heels in love with her,” Shannon says. “Or am I wrong?”

Wanda looks away and takes a sip of her watered-down mocktail and tries to hide the displeasure on her face. 

Shannon takes this as her cue to continue. “She recently changed her address in our database. I know because those things usually undergo my approval.”

You moved out? Wanda hadn't attempted to contact you, but while running errands for her cafe, she had found herself in your area a couple of times. Each time, she observed that your curtains were drawn and the lights in the living room were always turned off.

Wanda looks on quietly as Shannon reaches into her purse, retrieves an eye pencil, and grabs a napkin from the table. With deliberate movements, she begins to scribble on the napkin.

“Here,” Shannon hands Wanda the napkin with your address scrawled neatly on it. “You’re welcome.”

Wanda hesitantly accepts it, and then asks, “Why are you doing this?”

"Maybe I'm a hopeless romantic," Shannon shrugs, though the glint in her eye betrays her nonchalant demeanor. It almost penetrates Wanda’s defenses, but then she says, “Or I’m supporting your unhealthy obsession knowing it won’t lead anywhere.”

Wanda finds herself laughing. Unlike Pietro, Shannon had never treated Wanda delicately, even after her hospitalization. She finds it oddly refreshing and, in a peculiar way, endearing.

Shannon adopts a small, awkward smile herself. 

“Fair enough.” Wanda says, folding the napkin carefully before putting it inside her bag.

Shannon gets up and runs her palms over the creases on her gown. “Good luck, Wanda. I’m sure you’ll be needing a lot of it.” 

Pietro finds her in the gardens, rubbing her arms to keep herself warm. The nighttime breeze isn’t particularly chilly, but Wanda’s always been susceptible to the cold regardless of the season. He looks particularly dashing in the dark blue suit that Shannon picked for him; and with his hair back to its natural brunette color, the similarities between them have become uncanny once again.

“Sorry about that.” Pietro mutters as he approaches.

Wanda tilts her head at him, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Sorry about what?" she quips, her voice laced with humor. "You mean this wedding?"

Pietro laughs and then shakes his head. “I saw you talking to Shannon and I could tell you weren’t having the best time.”

Wanda doesn't hold back as she speaks her mind. "She's still a bitch," she says bluntly, not mincing her words. "No offense."

“Do I hear fondness in the way you said ‘bitch’?” 

“Not a chance.”

“Between me and her, you forget I’m actually the asshole, right? I know she told you I cheated on her countless times.” Pietro says, somewhat seriously.

“You are,” Wanda says. “But I stand by what I said.”

Pietro sighs. “Anyway, I’m not here to negotiate how you feel towards my wife. I’m here to say goodbye.”

Wanda sobers at that. She’s been so used to having her brother in the same city, a call and a cab away. 

“You’re returning to LA?”

“The day after tomorrow.” Pietro confirms with a nod. 

“Doesn’t she work at Stark Industries?”

“Oh, did I tell you that?” 

“She told me a while ago.” Wanda says.

“She can work remotely,” Pietro explains. “And she prefers doing that from our home in LA.”

The wind begins to pick up, its gentle breeze evolving into a stronger gust. The air becomes alive, stirring the surroundings and causing leaves to dance and swirl in a mesmerizing display. 

Wanda sweeps her hair back from her face, and asks, “Tell me, honestly, why did you stay here for so long? Even before the–” Wanda finds herself having difficulty naming the accident she had more than a month ago. 

But if there��s something she’s learned from therapy so far, it’s that confronting her inner demons requires acknowledging their existence.

“Before my overdose.” Wanda finishes, managing to keep her tone even.

Pietro regards her with a tender look that conveys his immense pride in her recent growth and progress.

“At first, I just wanted to check in on you,” he says, fiddling with the cuffs of his suit. “And when I saw you and the cafe, I thought ‘see, she doesn’t need you’. But at the same time I also realized it was me–I needed you.”

Pietro pauses and rubs the back of his neck–something he does a lot when he’s trying not to be emotional. 

"I missed you, Wands. These past few months, I've felt more like myself than I have in years. I know I'm free to visit you anytime, even when you and Y/N were still together, but it's just not the same when–"

“–when it’s just us.” Wanda finishes for him, her voice thick with emotions that her brother is trying so hard to hold at bay.

“Yeah. I had a really great time with you here, it was good to be home after so many years.”

“LA is your home.” Wanda reminds him. 

"You're my family, Wands," Pietro says, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a warm side hug. "You're my home too."

“I love you, Piet.” 

“I love you too, sis,” Pietro says. “I’m rooting for you–your happiness. Whether it’s with Y/N or someone else or no one. You deserve to be happy. You have a big heart–I know this because you love me just as I am.”

“Then why don’t you just stay here so we can be close to each other all the time?” Wanda sniffs. So many losses. So many changes. Wanda craves normalcy and consistency–things you used to provide in her life with your steady presence.

“Shannon’s family lives in LA, and we’ve already talked about settling there once we’re married.”

Wanda shakes her head, smiling in contempt.

Pietro notices the change in her demeanor and starts rubbing her arm in comfort. “Don’t blame Shannon for this. I suggested it because she’s more comfortable living there if we’re going to start a family.”

“You’re already talking about babies? Piet, that’s a huge step.” she says.

Pietro falls into a thoughtful silence, weighing the decision of whether to share the news with Wanda now or wait a little longer. However, the anticipation and joy of becoming a father soon overpowers his doubts.

With a burst of excitement, he finally speaks up. "Actually, she's pregnant."

"Wow," Wanda exclaims, embracing him tightly, more than thrilled at the news. But as suspicion creeps in, she pulls away abruptly. "Hold on, is that why you rushed into marriage? Because she's pregnant?"

“No. She actually just told me last night, as a wedding gift.” Pietro says. 

“I’m going to be an aunt?” Wanda giggles. “I mean, congratulations! You’re going to be a dad!”

"Thank you, Wands," Pietro says, returning the hug.

Wanda pauses for a moment, a realization dawning on her. "I should stop being mean to her," she admits.

Pietro chuckles. "My advice is to take everything she says or does with a grain of salt."

Wanda's expression softens. "I'm going to miss you, you know? Your future kid, and, fuck it–even Shannon. I'll try to visit this Christmas, okay?"

"You better. I already got you plane tickets."

“Oh, and Piet?”

“Yep?”

“I’ll cut your balls off if you cheat on your wife again this time. Not because she’s having your child, but because it’s… not normal. It’s fucked up. We’re fucked up. The stakes are higher for you now, but even if it wasn’t, it just ruins everything in its wake. it's the biggest regret of my life," Wanda states firmly. Although she feels like a hypocrite as the words escape her lips, she feels compelled to express her feelings in the hope that it carries some weight.

“I know,” Pietro says, looking down at his feet. “I’ve been seeing a professional for two months now.”

“You are?”

Pietro smiles and takes Wanda’s hand, leading her back inside the reception. “Where do you think I got your therapist from?”

***

"You've really nailed it with this restaurant choice," Natasha exclaims at you, her fork stabbing into the juicy medium-rare steak. Her mouth waters as the meat releases its flavorful juices. She’s sitting to your left and Yelena’s right, and when you haven’t developed a psychic link with your partner yet, navigating a delicate situation feels like a sailor and a pilot has come together to figure out how a tractor works. 

Natasha had phoned you earlier today, informing you that her flight from Washington D.C. was scheduled to depart in a mere two hours. This left you with approximately three hours to prepare for her arrival, as well as to have a conversation with Yelena on how you’re both going to break the news to her unsuspecting sister. However, due to Yelena's demanding work schedule, it was difficult to abruptly pull her away from her assignment and so you took it upon yourself to organize this impromptu dinner. 

Your girlfriend, in a state of panic, had only just read your texts an hour ago and arrived late. Since then, there has been absolutely zero opportunity to discuss what your relationship entails for Natasha.

Delaying the inevitable, you focus on other topics.

“So, how was your flight?” you ask Natasha.

“Quick.” 

“When did you find out you’re coming home?” you inquire, eyebrows wiggling at Yelena, attempting to seek her support in engaging in the conversation

“The other day.” Natasha says.

“How do you like your steak?”

Natasha gives you a funny look.

Shifting in your seat uncomfortably, you try to think of more questions to ask, but Yelena beats you to it.

“We’ve been seeing each other.” she announces over her plate of untouched meatballs. 

Your eyes widen in alarm as you look at Yelena, but she nonchalantly shrugs at you, then whispers, "I thought that's what you were trying to tell me with your eyes."

Natasha serenely savors her steak, taking a graceful sip of wine before responding, "Yes, I'm aware."

Surprised, you murmur, "How did you...?"

With a hint of amusement, Natasha replies, "If I were to reveal my skills, I would be violating at least ten pages of a non-disclosure agreement."

"Right," Yelena huffs, a feeling of ease finally settling over her. She indulges in her own plate, eagerly digging in and savoring each bite.

“You know,” You start, shoulders dropping and feeling some of the tension leave your body. “I thought I’m used to what you do, but it’s still weird that you disappear for several weeks and then you come back like,” you snap your fingers. “And we can’t ask you questions.”

“It’s why I love my job so much. People are literally not allowed to ask questions,” Natasha says with a satisfied smirk, dabbing her lips with a napkin. “But I can. So, how did this happen?” she says, motioning between you and Yelena with her finger.

“Didn’t you already know?” you say with a teasing smile. 

Natasha fixes you with a piercing gaze, the kind she typically reserves for her job, making you retreat but not before a nervous gulp catches in your throat.

"Yelena?" she prompts, noticing the uncharacteristic silence.

“I, uh–”

"Hotdog sandwich," you blurt out abruptly, interrupting Yelena's non-existent train of thought, while your mind drifts back to the night when you and Yelena officially started dating. Two pairs of eyes fixate on you, their faces a mix of surprise and bewilderment, as if questioning your sanity. Realizing the awkwardness of your outburst, you quickly clear your throat and gather yourself to continue, "I asked her out one night, shortly after I started my new job, and we kind of just decided to give it a shot while eating a hotdog."

When you look up, Yelena’s eyes carry a fondness, effectively deepening the blush on your cheeks.

“That’s a nice story, Y/N, but I didn’t mean literally. More like… how did you arrive at the decision to be together?” Natasha says, her gaze on you unwavering. You avoid her eyes, suddenly determined to finish the remaining vegetables in your dish.

“It came to us organically, Nat. I don’t know how to explain it without sounding a bit cheesy.” Yelena says. 

“I don’t mind cheesy. Cheesy is good. Love is often cheesy, right?” Natasha says, her gaze directed at you. The mention of the word 'love' catches you off guard, and you almost choke on your peas. Although you feel it deep in your heart that you love Yelena, neither of you have actually said those words to each other.

Yelena nods, her expression serious. "Okay, then. It happened because we still have deep feelings for each other, and we felt it was necessary to give it a chance."

You smile, fully understanding and appreciating Yelena's sentiment. "I agree." 

“Can I speak to Y/N in private?” She tells Yelena, who just shrugs, and then turning to you, Natasha says, “Is that okay?”

“Sure.” you reply, rising from your seat.

You and Natasha emerge from the cozy Italian restaurant, deciding to take a leisurely walk through the neighborhood. The rain has just subsided, leaving behind glistening streets and puddles that dot the pavement, making each step a bit precarious. The dampness in the air seems to mirror the tension in your chest, and you can't shake off the feeling that this walk holds more weight than just enjoying the post-rain atmosphere. The droplets on the ground reflect the streetlights, creating a mesmerizing shimmer that momentarily distracts you from your unease. 

Yet, as you walk alongside Natasha, the silence between you only heightens your anticipation for the impending "sister talk." 

You value your friendship with Natasha deeply, and the prospect of jeopardizing that bond fills you with uncertainty. 

Just as your pulse falls into a steadier rhythm, Natasha breaks the silence, her voice filled with a sense of pride. "I'm proud of you," she declares. "Honestly, I half-expected to return and find you still unemployed, living in my apartment. But look at you now: a new job, a new place... and a new girlfriend," she adds, without a trace of animosity in her words.

“I was the crutch you had to get rid of after all.” Natasha says. 

You laugh nervously at the ‘girlfriend’ remark, appreciating the genuine support from your best friend. "I suppose I relied on you heavily after my divorce," you admit. "It was easy to succumb to self-pity and a meaningless routine because you were there to take care of me. Eventually, I knew I was rotting away no matter how indulgent these Netflix shows are,” you laugh a little. “And well, things simply worked out, you know?”

“Yeah, I can see that it worked out pretty well with my sister.” Natasha quips.

"I care about her, Nat. I always have." you say, coming to a stop to face Natasha and properly look her in the eye.

Natasha nods and takes hold of your elbow, urging you to continue walking. "I know," she acknowledges, a knowing smile touching the corners of her lips. "She may not have shown it earlier, but she’s giddy as fuck. Kind of grosses me out seeing her eyeing you like a piece of candy.”

“But kidding aside, you have my blessing.” Natasha says, and you give her a soft smile in return.

A slight pang of guilt tugs at your heart as you decide not to mention your encounters with Wanda. You understand why Natasha requested this private conversation, and you don't wish to complicate matters by bringing up the brief rupture caused by your connection with Wanda. You and Yelena had reached a mutual understanding regarding Wanda, recognizing that your current relationship should not be overshadowed by your past with your ex-wife. 

Besides, you haven’t talked to Wanda since you and Yelena entered into a relationship. Things have been going well; consequently, you see no justifiable reason to stir up any unnecessary complications or rock the boat.

But nobody reads you the way Natasha does, as she brings up the person you’ve been trying to forget all this time.

“And Wanda? Is that over?”

Lying to Natasha is akin to attempting to deceive a lie detector machine; there’s just no way out of it but the truth–or at least some of it.

“We were briefly in touch,” you admit, carefully filtering the story in your mind as you speak. "Coincidentally, she happened to be at the same club where Clint organized your going-away party."

Natasha raises an eyebrow; you read her well enough too, and it tells you that she hadn’t had an inkling that Wanda had reentered your life at one point.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Natasha asks, the level of her tone masking how she feels about that new information.

“Because you hate her?” You say, daring her to deny it but Natasha only rolls her eyes. “And, uh, I don’t know… Maybe because I knew you’d be disappointed?”

Natasha takes a deep breath, the crisp evening air filling her lungs as she gathers her thoughts. "Did I," she begins, "did I push you into making choices in the past that you weren't entirely comfortable with?"

"Why would you say that?" you inquire, puzzled by Natasha's question.

Natasha's gaze softens, and she replies with earnest sincerity, "Because I never wanted you to feel like you couldn't be completely open with me about anything. I never wanted you to fear my judgment regarding your decisions."

You wonder if Natasha would say the same thing if she knew you had fallen into Wanda’s bed post-divorce. You think about how Natasha urged you to file for it in the first place, how she helped in preparing everything from finding a suitable lawyer to ironing out the details of the agreement. Despite your emotional state during that period, you acknowledge that you made those decisions and chose to take responsibility for them.

“You’re like family to me, Nat. Of course your opinion of me will always matter.��� you say.

“I’m happy you stood by your decision without me,” Natasha says. “I was worried you’d go back to her as soon as I was gone.”

A nervous smile tugs at the corner of your lips as your eyes flit to anywhere but your best friend; the weight of deliberately concealing a significant portion of the story makes you want to crawl out of your skin. Now more than ever, you regret being with Wanda that way. It had every potential to jeopardize your friendship with Natasha.

“How about you and Bruce?” you say, taking the spotlight away from yourself.

Natasha’s smile is sad as she shakes her head. “That ship has sailed. For good.”

“I’m sorry.” you say.

“Don’t be. He can finally allow himself to be happy. He’s a good man. He deserves more than I can give him.”

“What about you?”

“I’d like to believe I deserve more than he’s willing to give,” Natasha says, her voice not harboring any resentment; but it’s clear that she has accepted the fact that their desires and needs diverged, leading them down separate paths. 

“Are you happy?” you ask suddenly, widely curious.

Natasha takes a moment to reflect, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "As happy as I can be," she contemplates. "I've learned that life shouldn't solely revolve around falling in love, you know? I have my work, my sister, my friends, and well, you're not that bad either," she adds with a light-hearted chuckle.

Turning the last corner back to the restaurant, you both bump into Yelena who’s wearing a frown after being left for so long.

“You were both gone for a while already so I thought I’d settle the bill and join you guys for a walk.” Yelena says. “You guys are okay, right?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t we be?” you say, taking her hand and interlacing your fingers together.

Natasha ignores Yelena’s question and says, “How much do I owe you for the food?” 

Yelena pushes the receipt in her sister’s hand and says, “Everything.”

Settling beside Yelena on the bed, you reach for the lamp on your nightstand and switch it off. The room is cast in a soft, bluish glow, as the moon's radiance filters through the blinds. It hasn’t been too long since you and Yelena started sharing this room, and despite initially intending to take things slow, the pace of your relationship accelerated naturally. With busy careers, it felt right to embrace the opportunity to spend more time together without the added complexities of planning and scheduling dates.

“It was weird introducing you to Nat as my girlfriend,” Yelena says, turning on her side to face you as soon as your head hits the pillow.

"I think you handled that quite smoothly," you say with a quiet chortle, the sarcasm failing to come across as strongly as intended.

"You were absolutely perfect though," Yelena whispers, her hand gently cupping your cheek as she pulls you in for a kiss. It begins with a slow, tentative pace, reminiscent of the other kisses you have shared since becoming a couple. 

Tonight, however, there's an undeniable intensity in Yelena's kisses that sends a fiery sensation rippling through your body. Her touch, tracing the skin below your belly button, ignites a rush of heat that intertwines with the passion of the moment. With your hands threaded in her hair, you boldly deepen the kiss, your tongue exploring the depths of her mouth, eliciting a surprised moan that you eagerly swallow.

As Yelena's fingers venture past the waistband of your underwear, a sudden jolt of surprise shoots through your body, causing you to abruptly sit upright. In the process, Yelena loses her balance and falls back onto the bed.

“Y/N?”

"Sorry," you stammer, attempting to calm your nerves and the racing of your heart. "I just remembered I have an important work email I haven't sent yet and..."

Yelena nods understandingly. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead. I've got some editing to do anyway."

You offer a grateful smile and lean in to press a tender kiss on her forehead. Then, you trail another moist kiss just below her ear, eliciting a soft sigh from Yelena's lips. 

“I’ll wait up, okay? Hurry,” Yelena purrs against your neck. 

“I’ll be back.” you say.

At half past midnight, you return to a snoring Yelena, her arm sprawled over the empty spot where you’re supposed to be. It was one email and you got carried away. And even if Yelena’s awake, you’re too exhausted to continue earlier’s steamy exchange.

Carefully, you remove her arm from your side of the bed and mold yourself to Yelena’s sleeping form. 

You haven’t had sex with her yet. The desire is there–a hot burning coal of it–and you have entertained the thought numerous times, but each time the moment draws near, you find yourself hesitant and not quite ready to take that step. It's a decision you have consciously made, respecting your own boundaries and wanting to ensure that the timing feels right for both of you.

Kissing the back of Yelena's head, you savor the softness of her hair against your lips. With a contented sigh, you nuzzle your nose into her locks, finding comfort in her presence as sleep gradually envelops you.

***

“Ms. Maximoff? Over here.”

Wanda looks up to find Sparky’s doctor motioning for her to come inside the check-up room. She gets up and hurries to where Sparky has disappeared into for almost twenty minutes now, and sees him hooked up to an IV, dozing off on his side. 

“Is he going to be okay?” Wanda asks immediately.

“The results of Sparky’s blood test don't look good. His liver is significantly higher than the normal range, and that could be the cause of his recent vomiting. For now, we’ll keep him confined here for one or two more days, depending on his condition, and if he’s responding to medication, you can continue giving them at home.”

“And what if he doesn’t respond to his medication?”

“We will conduct further tests to see what’s going on there. Surgery could be an option, depending on the outcome. While liver diseases in dogs can be treated and managed, there is always the possibility of expiration, I’m afraid.”

Expiration. Dogs have significantly shorter lives; Wanda knows this. But hearing it spoken so soon directly shatters Wanda’s heart. “W-What could have caused this?” she asks.

This is her fault, Wanda makes the conclusion, even before the doctor is done explaining the common causes in detail. She successfully fucked up another important thing in her life. 

In the absence of a little furry baby wagging its tail to greet her, Wanda returns home to a dark and empty apartment. Seeking solace, Wanda clings to the hopeful possibility that Sparky may return home in the next few days. 

Without bothering to turn on the lights, she kicks off her shoes and curls up into a ball on the couch. Her eyes slowly adjust to the darkness, eventually focusing on the small desk where the potted chrysanthemums you gifted her rest. The faint light casts a peculiar shadow on the wall, capturing her attention. Yet, it is the piece of napkin discreetly slipped beneath the pot that her mind is apprehensively fixated to; a thin, fragile thing that would ultimately lead her to you.

It has remained tucked away in Wanda's study, for a month now, as she couldn't bear to disrupt your life once again. She imagines that you are likely doing well, leading a quieter and less tumultuous existence without her. As for Wanda, she has been diligently working on herself, taking each day as it comes. However, the passage of time hasn't diminished her feelings for you, not even in the slightest. The void in her heart, shaped by your absence, remains steadfast, but she has learned to adapt and coexist with it, allowing herself to grow while carrying its weight.

And she wouldn't—not even for a moment—consider disturbing your peace if it weren't for the dog. If your roles were reversed, and you were the one keeping him, Wanda would undoubtedly want to be informed if his brief existence was endangered by an illness.

But then again, you've made your choice. You didn’t want anything to do with her. It was evident in your absence, when you stopped your visits to her apartment, her café; when Wanda's phone could no longer detect any recent online activity from you. You had simply vanished without a trace.

It would be unjust to intrude on your decision when you clearly didn't want to be found.

…And she’s still, quite literally, debating it when she finds herself at your doorstep an hour later.

Your new building looks lavish, Wanda can only imagine how much you’ve spent on the deposit alone. It was a little intimidating when she was asked to leave an ID and the receptionist had to ring your unit to inform you that you had a visitor–dropping her name to you in the process. More interesting than that, however, is that she gave Wanda the go signal to proceed to the elevators, meaning that you gave your consent for her to see you.

There's a sense of relief in realizing that you wouldn't go to the extent of turning her away just to avoid her altogether. She sets aside the questions that her heart desperately wants to ask, knowing they would only thwart the initial intention she has of seeing you.

She is fully aware of how guarded and cautious you were the last time; memories of her well-crafted plans to lure you and get close to you for the obvious reason of winning you back are still fresh in her mind. Wanda understands that she needs to approach this meeting with sensitivity and genuine concern, keeping her intentions clear and focused on Sparky's well-being.

But as she’s about to knock, the door swings open.

“Hi, I–” Wanda’s words die on her tongue and the nervous smile on her face fades into uncertainty.

Standing there, clad in nothing but a t-shirt (which she recognizes having bought it for you) that goes past her thighs, is the woman from the club. The woman who drew the curtains for you in your living room. Her blonde hair cascades in messy beach waves, framing her face and reaching her shoulders. 

She is breathtakingly beautiful. 

But what strikes Wanda the most is how effortlessly the woman seems to blend into the space, appearing more like a tenant than a mere guest who just happened to visit you at this particular time.

Does she live with you?

“Is Y/N home? I’m Wan–” 

"Wanda. I know. I’m Yelena," Yelena interrupts, her tone firm yet not unkind, like she’s struggling as much as the brunette. "She's still at work. Is there something you need from her?"

“You’re Yelena? Natasha’s sister?” Wanda asks.

Yelena nods tentatively, her eyes studying Wanda's reaction; she was surprised to get a call from the reception that a certain Wanda Maximoff wanted to come up to her unit. Despite the nagging question of whether you've been seeing Wanda all this time behind her back, she makes a conscious effort to maintain her composure in front of your ex-wife.

Meanwhile, something in Wanda's mind clicks. It's Yelena, not you, who allowed herself to go up to your floor. It's her, not you, who wanted to meet her. Wanda's mind races with questions. Does Yelena know about her? Did Yelena feel the need to introduce herself to your ex-wife?

"Uh..." Wanda's voice trembles with the onset of a panic attack. It turns out, coming here was a mistake, and she’s just grateful you’re not around to witness it. "I'm sorry. Please forget that I came here. Don't let her know I was here, please? I'm really sorry. I'll just go."

Yelena sucks in her cheeks as she reads into Wanda’s sudden panic. "Sure," she replies before softly closing the door on Wanda.

-

The nights are longer at Stark Industries. You knew what you signed up for when you accepted the job, but now you're starting to feel the repercussions. The stress is taking its toll not only on your work-life balance but also on your relationship with Yelena. You haven’t had dinner together recently, much less a conversation that lasted longer than a few exchanges of “how are you” and “I’m fine”. There’s a lot to make up for, but no date in sight to actually start doing so.

The office is empty except for you and the maintenance worker assigned to the night shift, so when your ringtone cuts through the stillness, the sound of it reverberates off the walls of the empty room, making it too loud for you to ignore.

With your eyes concentrated on a formula on your spreadsheet, you answer your phone without looking at the caller.

“Hey, I’ll be home soon.” you say, assuming it’s Yelena on the line.

“Y/N.” A vaguely familiar voice that’s definitely not Yelena greets you. That’s when you remove your phone from your ear and notice the unknown number on the screen.

“Who’s this?”

The caller doesn’t answer right away. Instead, you can hear rain pouring heavily in the background, something you haven’t been aware of due to the thick windows of the office blocking out outside noises.

“It’s Vision,” The voice cracks over the speaker before you can decide to drop the call. “Wanda needs your help.”

The rain had been relentless throughout the day according to the weather app on your phone. You’ve just been too busy to notice, and so you find yourself without an umbrella. Thankfully, by the time you arrive at the location Vision instructed, the downpour has subsided into a gentle drizzle.

“Jesus, it’s freezing.” you mumble to yourself, wrapping your jacket tighter around your body.

You recognize this part of the city, having gone here numerous times in the past to visit your favorite dive bar where you, Natasha, Clint, and Wanda would hang out for hours just talking and having a good time. Although Natasha and Wanda don’t really talk, they engage in group shots, and Wanda would always challenge you to a game of pool, and you would win one or two matches in a best of seven, because your wife–ex-wife–is just so gifted in just about all kinds of sports. 

However, it's not the same bar where you find Wanda. Instead, it’s near a dead-end street and you stumble upon her slumped against a light post in a sorry state. It's obvious that she has consumed a significant amount of alcohol, leaving her almost blacked out. It makes you suspicious if this happens often–Wanda getting shitfaced in random places with Vision in tow. 

The sight of Vision doesn’t bother you as much as before, but it still leaves a bitter taste in your mouth to see them together in the same place. Vision, to his credit, keeps a respectful distance, yet the yearning in his face is unmistakable. It's a familiar look, one you've witnessed on Wanda's previous boyfriends when they believed you weren't paying attention.

As you draw closer, Wanda's head tilts back, and her intoxicated eyes, heavy-lidded and unfocused, widen ever so slightly in recognition as they lock with yours.

“Y/N? Is that really you?” Wanda drunkenly slurs, her struggling eyes attempting to focus on your face. “If you’re not, please tell Y/N that I’m not with him,” Wanda says, pointing her thumb in his direction, refusing to even look at Vision. “He just showed up out of nowhere and I told him to stay away. I swear, I’m telling the truth. Vision, tell her, please. Tell her to tell Y/N.” 

The street lights become too much for Wanda to bear, and she buries her head into her arms, her knees drawn to her chest. She looks so small and insignificant against the backdrop of a vibrant metropolis. 

Steeling yourself against her sorrowful pleas, you turn to Vision instead. “How did you find her?” you demand.

“I was out with my friends, and happened to pass by this area on our way back,” Vision recounts. “I saw two men trying to take her home, and we intervened. I tried asking Wanda where she lives so I can take her home myself, but she refuses to tell me. I tried calling you using her phone, but I think you blocked her number, so I tried calling you myself.”

You’re inclined to believe him, but there will always be bouts of suspicion lingering on the surface when it concerns Wanda. Though as your eyes return to Wanda’s shivering form, you can’t help but wonder if she would truly rather die in the ditches than accept help from him. For the first time, you find yourself contemplating the possibility of believing her, although a part of you wonders if it's simply your enduring soft spot for her attempting to sway your judgment.

“Thank you,” you say to Vision, surprised to find a little sincerity in your voice.

“If I find out you’re the reason why she’s this miserable, I’m putting everything on the line to make sure you stay away from her.” he declares, igniting a cigarette as you support Wanda, draping one of her arms over your shoulder and lifting her up. In that moment, she feels noticeably lighter than before, and your hand can discern the protrusion of her ribs as you secure her against your side.

“Is that a threat?” you say, clenching your jaw, your own clothes getting soaked fast, not realizing early on just how drenched Wanda is from the rain.

“It’s a warning,” Vision answers coolly. “As far as I know, you haven’t atoned for anything. And it’s not because you don’t deserve it. It’s because of her.”

He’s right–you walked out of that bloodied room unscathed from the law. All along you thought the consequences of what you’ve done to Vision just miraculously resolved on its own with the help of Natasha, but if Wanda had anything to do with how you’re not being served with at least damages for physical assault, what price did she have to pay in return?

It’s a conversation for later–you don’t need Wanda to protect you, especially if it means being coerced into complying with Vision's demands.

“I’m ready for anything,” you tell him, goading him with a smirk as you feel Wanda nestle closer to you, seeking your warmth. “Now, get your jacket off her and I’ll take it from here.”

As Vision gently takes off the garment from Wanda's shoulders, your eyes catch sight of a distinct mark on her finger, a faded indentation left by a ring that she no longer adorns.

-

Upon arriving at Wanda's place, there is no sign of Sparky. You feel a twinge of disappointment, as you had been somewhat anticipating him despite the circumstances. However, your attention swiftly turns to Wanda, who appears even worse now that you have brought her home: her lips are dry and pale, the flush all over her face down to her neck is still there, and she feels excessively warm to touch, almost as if she is–

“Shit, you’re burning up,” you mutter as you place your hand on her damp forehead.

Then all of a sudden, Wanda forcefully pushes you away, her hand covering her mouth, as she rushes towards the bathroom. In her haste, the straps of her sandals snap, breaking under the pressure. Swiftly, you trail behind her, conscientiously removing your shoes along the way to prevent leaving any dirt tracks on her pristine floor. 

When you enter the bathroom, you find Wanda hunched over the toilet, emptying her stomach. Grimacing at the sight, you kneel beside her and carefully gather her dark hair, holding it up while you wait for her to finish. Once she's done, you flush it down for her. Wanda, seemingly drained, rolls away from the toilet and crawls towards the shower where she simply sits in one corner, closing her eyes with the clear intention of settling down for the night right there.

Faced with a decision, you find yourself contemplating your next course of action. You weigh the responsibilities you had undertaken which was to get Wanda to her apartment safely. What happens to her thereafter should no longer be your concern. After all, Yelena is most likely still waiting for you back at home.

Home. A year ago, the extent to which your definition of it has changed would have been unimaginable.

“Y/N,” Wanda’s weak voice draws your attention away from your thoughts. “You should g-go.” she says hoarsely.

Your fingers close around the doorknob, silent and unmoving, as anger wells up within you; Anger at Wanda for getting herself into this mess. Anger towards Vision for asking you to come to her rescue. Anger at yourself for feeling unable to leave Wanda behind, despite everything.

"Did she tell you about me? I told her not to, Y/N. I'm so sorry..." Wanda's whisper reaches your ears, her eyes remaining shut and her head tilted back, revealing the graceful column of her neck. You instinctively avert your gaze.

“What are you talking about?” you ask.

“I-I went to see you. But she said you were still working. I didn’t mean to intrude, I just wanted you to know about Sparky…”

She? Yelena? You didn’t think Yelena would allow Wanda to go up to your apartment just like that.

"He's not well," Wanda continues, her gaze focused on your face as she takes in every detail of it, as if trying to capture the memory of you in case this is the only opportunity she gets.

Your grip on the doorknob tightens. So that explains why Sparky is nowhere to be found.

“I’m sorry to hear that. What happened? Is he okay?”

Wanda hiccups, thoughts too jumbled to put together anything coherent. "Liver–not normal," she manages to say, her voice trailing off. She had convinced herself that she wanted to see you for a legitimate reason, but as she gazes at you now, it becomes painfully clear that it was her deep longing for you that has ultimately prevailed.

"Is there anything I could-" you start to offer your help, your concern for Sparky overriding whatever tension lingers between you and Wanda.

"You should leave, Y/N," Wanda interrupts, mustering the strength to open her eyes and meet yours. The shame and despair swirling in those green orbs are hard to ignore, but you try to remain steadfast. "She's probably worried about you."

You chew on your lower lip for a moment, and then, instead of doing as she says, you close the door behind you. Silently, you begin removing your own clothes, stripping down to your underwear.

"I have to dry them anyway," you mumble after feeling the weight of Wanda's stare. "Come on, let's fix you up and get you ready for bed."

Wanda reaches for the hem of her shirt, her hesitation evident as she refrains from removing it. Sensing her struggle, you take the initiative, hoping to expedite the process so you can attend to her needs and leave soon. With gentle care, you lift her shirt up and over her head, exposing her trembling form. 

That's when you notice it–her wedding ring that Wanda used to wear on her finger, even after your divorce. But now it has taken on a new form, transformed into a pendant hanging delicately from a chain around her neck. It rests there, nestled between her breasts, a symbol of a past chapter in her life–and yours–that she carries with her, in a different way.

Wanda notices where your eyes are lingering and removes the necklace herself when you remain passive and unmoving. 

The next task is unclipping her bra, and as your fingers reach for the hooks, Wanda's hand covers yours, halting your actions.

“Is this–I mean, do you think should…?” she stammers out, and you’re unsure if the blush on her face is still from the alcohol.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before," you say, feeling your own face heat up. "I think you have a fever. I need to get you out of these wet clothes, is that okay?"

Wanda nods meekly, giving her consent.

A few seconds later, Wanda is naked except for the pink she wears on her cheeks. You help her get up and move under the shower. You twist and turn the knob of the shower until you find the desirable temperature, and then start shampooing Wanda’s hair. 

As the water cascades over her and rinses away her self-loathing, Wanda finds herself surrendering to your care, allowing her to cherish this rare, tender moment she never knew she’d get to experience again. She is grateful for the water, realizing how weary you must be of seeing her cry; it’s just not possible to restrain herself from it when you’re this gentle with her.

“Can you handle the rest?” you ask Wanda, putting your hands under the shower to get rid of the soap.

“Yes,” she answers.

“Okay. I’ll go get some towels.”

Collecting both yours and Wanda's clothes from the floor, you quickly step out of the bathroom before you can start processing what you’ve just done.

Don’t think, just do, you say to yourself as you put the clothes in the dryer. 

Don’t think, just do, you repeat as you get fresh towels from the cabinet.

Don’t think.

When you’re both dry and you’re back in your work clothes and Wanda in her pajamas, you accompany her to her bedroom. You tuck her in and touch her forehead once again to check her temperature. The heat still radiates from her body, and it becomes clear that her fever isn't letting up soon. It won’t go down unless she takes something, but with alcohol still in her system, you don’t think that’s a good idea.

Here, drink this," you offer, extending a sports drink to Wanda.

"Thank you," Wanda murmurs, taking a generous sip before returning the bottle to you.

"Try to finish it. You're likely dehydrated," you suggest. Wanda, acknowledging your advice, obediently continues to drink.

“Better?”

Wanda nods with a small smile. “Thank you, Y/N. I’m sorry you had to go through all that trouble. I didn’t think Vision would–”

“You’re welcome,” you interject as soon as she mentions his name. “We’ll talk soon.” 

Wanda's gaze remains fixed on her folded hands in her lap. "You don't have to," she whispers. "You don't have to talk to me or see me if you don't want to. I'm sorry. This doesn't happen a lot anymore—not as often as you might think. Just something happened, and... I didn't mean to involve you, Y/N. I'm really sorry."

Something? What exactly happened? Regardless, you don't think it's healthy for Wanda to subject herself to such a high level of intoxication, no matter what the circumstances may be.

"We'll talk soon," you repeat, keeping your tone firm but gentle. "Take care, Wanda. Good night."

-

Yelena is wide awake in the living room, her attention focused on a book resting on her lap as you arrive home. The soft glow of a lamp illuminates her features, casting a gentle light on her face. There's a stillness in the room, interrupted only by the turning of pages and the sound of your footsteps.

You hesitate for a moment, taking in the sight of her. 

"Hey," you greet her wearily. "You're still awake?"

“I couldn’t sleep without you,” she says, somewhat bashfully. "There's salad in the fridge if you haven't eaten." she offers.

You pause for a moment, and then meeting her gaze, you ask, "Do you have something to tell me?"

Yelena levels you with a look, putting her book down, she says, “No. Do you?” 

Taking a deep breath, you tell her you do. “I took Wanda home,” you declare, bracing yourself for Yelena’s reaction but her face remains stoic. There's a flicker of something in her eyes, almost as if she had been anticipating your words.

“Can you clarify?” Yelena finally speaks up when you make no further effort to elaborate.

"In the office, I received a call from Vision," you explain. “He said Wanda needed my help. She was in no condition to go home on her own so I took her.”

“Why didn’t he take her home himself?”

You shrug slightly. "Wanda refused to go with him.”

There's a quiet intensity in her eyes, a depth of emotions that she holds back, yet you can sense them lingering beneath the surface. And then, she asks, “And nothing happened?”

“I helped her get change and manage her fever,” you say. “Nothing else happened.”

Yelena's gaze softens, and any trace of her being bothered by your confession finally reveals itself in the form of a soft sigh that escapes her lips.

"Thank you for telling me," Yelena says, wrapping her arms around your neck. "In that case, I should have mentioned that Wanda came by, and I let her come up here."

"Why didn't you say anything?" you ask curiously.

"She told me not to let you know," Yelena reveals quite casually. "And I didn't think it was important anyway."

You hum in response, grateful for her honesty and openness at least. Although, you sense that there might be more to the story than meets the eye.

"Aren't you going to ask me if I've been in touch with her?" you inquire, unable to ignore the nagging curiosity in your mind. Yelena's seemingly mild reactions in response to her encounter with Wanda is slightly unsettling.

“I wasn’t going to,” Yelena confesses, lowering her gaze before they come back up with a vulnerability that wasn’t there before. “But have you?”

You shake your head in response, indicating the truth. Yelena’s shoulder slackens and she steps closer to you. “I don’t want to talk about her anymore. I missed you,” Yelena mumbles the words like a secret, before capturing your lips in a short, sweet kiss, effectively stealing you away from your thoughts.

"Me too," you whisper back, feeling the day's events weighing on you, you take her hand and guide her towards the bedroom. "Let's go to bed."

[gwens-wife]

The Retreat Pt. 1

Larissa Weems X f!Reader

Chapter 2

Summary- Y/N is a stressed writer trying to survive university and her sudden rise to popularity. After a strange invitation to a writing retreat hosted by a woman named Larissa Weems at Nevermore academy, what will be uncovered?

TW- None

See A/N at the end :)

—————————

Summer had been especially unpleasant this year. You had been swamped with calls and conferences throughout what was supposed to be your break from university, and while you didn’t mind the attention from your colleagues, social interaction became a chore you weren’t willing to continue to upkeep.

Being a poet and journalist had its perks: recognition, special meetings with important people, getting to essentially do whatever you wanted under the guise of doing it for “research.” You had it easy, honest to God you did. But it had just gotten too slow.

Too much repetition. Too many late nights writing articles about people you didn’t care about. Too much pressure.

You were irrevocably burnt out, and the approaching fall semester loomed over you more and more as the days passed. Sooner or later, a few calls a week and a meeting or two every month would shoot to your phone ringing non stop from editors to publishers and meetings would be every other day if not more. It was hard balancing your personal life and work, at times you wondered how you did it. But it always boiled down to staying in your apartment all summer moping and depressed.

When you weren’t spending hours sitting at your desk staring at the wall trying to make yourself write, you were in bed laying in the dark. You didn’t eat much and your health was beginning to plummet. It was obvious to those around you that you were tired.

You stopped reaching out to friends and most of the time your phone was on silent anyways. Trying to put pen to paper was like learning how to walk again. You felt helpless and trapped in your own mind. How could it be that the same person that was thriving and writing for local celebrities and magazines could barely get out of bed and formulate any sort of coherent sentence? It was madness. But then the invitation came and your attitude had changed.

It came in a sleek, red, wax sealed envelope. Even more confusingly, you had no idea who would’ve sent it. Lightly popping the seal from the paper of the envelope, you opened it to find a crisp white invitation with your name scrawled in perfect cursive along the top. Scanning further down, it read:

Dear Y/N,

I hope this letter finds you well and inspired by the creative pursuits that fuel your passion. It is with great enthusiasm that I extend to you a personal invitation to join us at a unique and invigorating writing retreat on the picturesque grounds of Nevermore Academy.

Throughout your stay, you will have the chance to participate in a variety of workshops, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and receive personalized feedback on your work. Whether you are working on an article, poetry, or any other form of writing, this retreat is designed to support and inspire.

In addition to the enriching literary activities, you will have the opportunity to explore the charming town of Jericho and Nevermore Academy. It is a place where inspiration is found not only in the words we write but in the world around us.

I would be honored to have you join us for this retreat, and I am confident that it will be a transformative experience for you and your writing journey.

As a personalized highlight, I have made special arrangements for your stay. The details of which I am keeping confidential until your arrival and I expect you not to share them with anyone once you’ve been informed.

I look forward to welcoming you to Nevermore and sharing this adventure with you.

Warmest regards,

Larissa Weems

Below the signature sat an address and a golden embossed Nevermore seal at the bottom of the page. This was the perfect opportunity, but who was Larissa Weems and how was she able to get your information all the way from Nevermore?

What secret mysterious information did she have for you?

You had so many questions that you wanted answers to, like why was the retreat being held at a school for outcasts, who was this Larissa woman? But opportunity reared its head, and for the first time all summer, you were excited to meet new people and uncover what Nevermore had in store for you.

——————-

The term has started, and classes drug by. Your fall was the quietest it had ever been, and you couldn’t have been more thankful. You were ready to drive to Jericho and meet the ever alluring Larissa Weems and all the other writers at the retreat. Only a few days left before you could make the drive to Nevermore and answer all your questions.

That night you began packing your suitcase for the month-long trip to Nevermore. Conveniently, your Thanksgiving break fell around the same time, meaning you’d only miss about a week of school between leaving and coming back. It could be excused as a business venture. You packed all the fanciest clothes you had, and honestly you had no idea what you were getting yourself into, but it had to be better than your cramped apartment and not being able to find inspiration to write.

———————

You’d left that weekend.

It was a beautiful drive to Jericho. The leaves were all shades of reds, yellows, and oranges, and recent rain had left a perfect fog over the mountains. It felt like something out of a movie. The air smelled like fall. It was perfect for the occasion.

Once you had hit downtown Jericho, you still had a 20 minute drive to Nevermore. Spotting a café, your stomach rumbled and you decided it couldn’t hurt to stop for a coffee and a pastry. The Weathervane housed a cozy, diner-like atmosphere that you only saw on TV. You couldn’t keep yourself from smiling as you walked in.

A girl came to take your order and you walked out with a chocolate croissant and a chai latte. Begrudgingly, you got back in your car to continue your journey to the retreat. There would be time to explore the town later, and you were more than thrilled to see Nevermore for yourself after the things you’d heard from other people.

———————

When you arrived through the large gates you honestly couldn’t believe your eyes. A castle sat before you. Despite its dark exterior, you could see flower gardens and a lake in the distance, meaning you’d definitely have plenty to do in your spare time. You unloaded your things and walked to the main entrance where a woman with mousy brown hair sat pointedly at a table right beyond the doors.

She introduced herself as Jamie and helped check you into your room and gave you your necessary itinerary for the month, as well as a map and a brief description of what the rest of the day would entail.

“A welcome party will be held tonight to kick things off. Wear something nice. There will be refreshments and drinks at the bar in the ballroom. Everything else you need to know should be on your itinerary.” Jamie outstretched her hand for you to shake, which you did, and you offered a warm smile as a sign of your gratitude that she returned. You debated on even asking, but the anticipation was killing you. You had to meet Larissa and find out what was going on.

“Is there a Larissa Weems here? Where could I find her if she was?” You asked so sweetly your teeth almost rotted there on the spot, but your attitude changed when you seen the way Jamie had reacted to your questions. “Um..No. Ms Weems will not be seeing anyone until later tonight as she’s with someone important. As a friend, I don’t recommend seeking her out. She’s very….strict.” Her voice lowered as she went on, and a pit began to form in your stomach. What the hell have I just gotten myself into?

Smiling in understanding, you decided not to press further. Jamie’s chipper attitude returned as she handed you your room keys. “You’ll be staying in Ophelia Hall. My room is close to yours so should you have any questions don’t be afraid to knock.” With a quick thank you, you headed up the stairs and down a hallway, passing by a large oak door with a golden plaque.

Principal Weems

Your heart started to race and you felt your breathing stop as you put two and two together on Larissa’s profile. She was the principal of Nevermore. A loud crash came from inside the office, accompanied by muffled voices. Something was off, but the sound of oncoming footsteps snapped you out of your train of thought and you rushed to continue the hike to your room.

What would the night bring later on and how could you get closer to Larissa and understanding your strange invitation when everyone here was so secretive? But most importantly, what was the big secret she was harboring?

——————-

Thank you for reading, this is my first ever fic and I would LOVE to hear your feedback. I also didn’t proofread so if anything is wonky excuse it and act like it isn’t there. I have a cool plot in mind and I’m excited to continue writing, however if you have any ideas for how you want the story to proceed don’t be afraid to let me know!

With Love,

-S

[misseviehyde]

THE MAGIC NAILS

By Evie Hyde and Amiee Bee

Chapter 1: Nailing Jessica

Jessica couldn’t believe she had agreed to this; she had so many better things to be doing with her time than going to the nail salon with her vapid bitch of a step mom. For instance, she had soccer practice tonight with the team, but now she was having to miss it for this girly crap.  At least it wasn’t her kickboxing class that she was missing - she really enjoyed that... but she had promised her Dad that she would try to get along with her vain Step Mom for once and he had been insistent that she go and appease her step mom Annabelle with the “girly day” that she seemed so set on.

Jessica hated Annabelle.  Her real Mom had died when she was just a little girl and as a result she had got much closer to her Dad and rather protective of him. Growing up, it had pretty much just been the two of them and Jessica had ended up quite a tomboy as a result.  She had short hair, loved to play rough and after hanging out with her Dad and his buddies as a little girl, could do everything from rewiring a car engine to playing poker . But Jessica could see the loneliness her father faced, and so ironically, it had been her that had encouraged Bill to get out and start dating again.  She had even set up the dating profile online for him.

When her Dad met Annabelle, Jessica had been excited at first.  Her soon to be step mom had seemed nice and was incredibly stylish with the best makeup the young girl had ever seen.  Annabelle had a trim sexy body that she kept in good shape through yoga and running.  She also had an incredible figure for a woman her age with Jessica’s dad describing her as having ‘large firm breasts’ and ‘a squeezable ass’ much to Jessica’s embarrassment.  Although this ex-cheerleading, fashion obsessed beauty seemed a bit ultra feminine for her average looking (but wealthy) Dad, Jessica had just been happy he had managed to find such a beautiful woman.  At the time she hadn’t expected the relationship to last more than a few weeks… how wrong she turned out to be.

Annabelle had made a real effort to impress Jessica to begin with, but after a few months (and once she had Bill wrapped round her little finger) - she finally showed her true colours.  Through sexual control, seduction and manipulation she made Bill completely dependent and obsessed with her. Her shallow and bitchy personality began to show as she stopped wasting time being nice to Jessica and instead began to treat her with contempt and amusement. Annabelle quit her job on the fashion counter at the local department store and instead became a full time house-bitch. She soon had a Tiffany diamond engagement ring on her finger and was happy to spend Bill’s money on expensive dresses, luxury handbags and designer shoes.  

As she became prettier and more glamorous, her power seemed to grow.  Bill was enraptured with his beautiful wife as she draped her body in diamonds, pearls and sexy lingerie.  She began to sport even sluttier longer manicures, expensive pedicures and her once demure clothing changed to reveal the swell of her large firm breasts at all times. Annabelle renovated the house to turn it into a palace to feminine luxury and power, where she was the queen and Bill was just her play-thing. Eventually they married and her power reached its height. 

Finally, with all things nearly in their place, her attention had turned to Jessica.  Jessica was the one remaining thorn in Annabelle’s side.  She had a beautiful house, a perfectly obedient husband - but instead of the popular, cheerleading, sexy daughter that a bitch like her might like… her step daughter Jessica was nauseatingly unmaterialistic and tomboyish.  Annabelle tried to shape Jessica into being more girly, she even tried to buy her nice clothes and makeup and manipulate her into being more popular at school… but none of it worked and they just ended up arguing.  Eventually she had nagged Jessica to give her the chance to have some ‘girl time’ with her and after putting pressure on Bill - she had finally gotten her way...

The drive to the salon was awkward to say the least, Jessica clearly did not want to be doing this and sat in silence with a sour look on her face. By contrast Annabelle had an almost predatory look in her eyes as she examined her young step-daughter from time to time.  The hot bitch was so disappointed in Jessica.  Her step daughter was so frumpy and unfeminine.  At her age she should be manipulating boys and enjoying herself.  All she needed was a little… push.  A little help to realise her full potential.  Annabele  had always wanted a daughter she could shape and mould - one who could understand the pleasures of femininity and be her protegee.  She grinned - the poor girl had no idea what was in store for her today.

Wanting to break the awkward silence Annabelle tried to chat to Jessica and put her at ease. ”So I’m so glad you let me start with your nails, they really will make you feel more girly.  I was chatting to my stylist the other day. You remember Amiee, don’t you? Anyway, she showed me this gorgeous design that would be just wonderful for you. So hot! They would definitely make you the most popular girl on campus.  Don’t you want to be popular?” 

“Not really.  All those popular girls are such bitches.  To be honest, at our school there really aren’t that many girls like that.  The main bitchy girl left and there’s been a lot less bullying since then.  Without a leader, the popular girls kinda went quiet.”

“So - there’s a power vacuum.  A hot girl could easily come in and take control, make things run the way she wanted.  Wouldn’t you like that… to make everyone do what you wanted?  To have any boy you wanted and be popular and powerful?”

“No… absolutely not.  I’m perfectly happy having my friends Chloe and Nicola and just being nice to people.”

“Of course, I understand.  It’s hard for you to imagine, but I’m sure given the right opportunity you would realise just how good it feels to be the alpha bitch.  In the meantime are you ready to get your nails done honey?  We’re here!”

Sure, yeah whatever” Jessica replied, groaning inside.  For her it was just a matter of getting through the next few hours without losing her mind!

Annabelle parked the car and they approached the salon.  Jessica rolled her eyes.  It was a super expensive place by the looks of it - all white and stylish.  Beautiful women sat chatting, surrounded by tasteful pictures and expensive flowers.  The staff were all perfectly made up like Stepford wives with their pretty hair tightly bound up and dressed in white uniforms.  For Jessica it was her idea of Hell.

Walking inside with her step-mother, Jessica felt awkward.  This was not her usual sort of place, she didn’t belong here.  She felt comfortable on a soccer pitch, not in such a strange feminine environment. “Welcome ladies,” smiled a petite and perfectly made up young woman with a friendly face approaching them.  She had sexy green eyes and rich brunette hair, that if unbound might fall to her lower shoulders. She exuded cuteness and friendliness.  She looked like the kind of girl you would happily sit with for hours and chat and gossip.  A name badge on her uniform said she was called Amiee and Jessica realised this was Annabelle’s stylist that she was always raving about.

“You must be Jessica,” purred Amiee.  “Annabelle has told me all about you.  My my, such a pretty girl… or you could be with a little help of course, *giggle*.” Normally Jessica would be offended by such a comment, but there was something so reassuring and calming about Amiee’s manner.  It made you want to trust her, to do whatever she said.  She seemed like such a nice girl.

“Annabelle has asked us to give you a very special manicure.  I think you’ll enjoy it.  Your step mother has been a customer here for a very long time and we helped to change her life,  just like we can change yours.  Come with me to our special booth in the back, it’s where all of our best customers get their nails done.  You’ll feel like a new girl when you come out.”

Annabelle smiled and propelled her step daughter after Amiee towards a small booth at the back of the salon.  Sitting at the nail bar, opposite Amiee, Jessica would have felt panicky if Amiee hadn't been so reassuring.  She had never done anything like this before.  Before long the girl was sat compliantly with her hands extended, ready for the expert manicurist to go to work.  “Just relax Jessica, you’re going to really enjoy this,” soothed Amiee.  Sitting nearby, Annabelle smirked as she watched the stylist begin her work on her tomboy daughter.  She couldn’t wait to see this.

Jessica winced as Amiee got to work filing down and removing all of the dirt from her nails with a ruthless efficiency that she had not expected from the previously bubbly woman. It was painful at first, Amiee digging into all of the hard to reach areas and digging out all of the dirt and grime that had built up from all of Jessica’s various tomboyish pastimes, but once it was done it actually felt quite nice having clean well trimmed nails for once, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all?

She was soon snapped out if it though when Amiee brought out a tray of long acrylic nails, one look at them and Jessica recoiled her hands and started shaking her head furiously. “Nuh uh! No way are you putting a set of those… those... claws on me!” She growled, looking at the tray of nails. They looked like the kind of slutty evil bitch nails that an instagram star or a vain celebrity might wear - the kind who only care about looking good and grabbing a rich boyfriend. They were sharp and wanton, thick and glossy.  They wouldn’t suit her at all - maybe some popular high school bitch, but not a tomboy like her.  She could see why Annabelle liked them though and come to think of it, they looked kind of like a pair her Step Mom wore.

“Relax honey...” Amiee soothingly purred, resting a hand on her shoulder and sending a wave of calmness  through her body. “We always start with them this long and then clip and file them down to a shape and size that suits you. Don’t worry you are in safe hands with me.” What she was saying didn’t sound right, but Amiee looked so trustworthy that Jessica was still somewhat unsure.  Instinctively she found herself trusting Amiee and finally relenting she extended her hand for the stylist to continue her work. Wouldn’t it be nice to do something girly for a change?  whispered an interior voice - quiet yet growing in strength.

Amiee was patient and took her time, softly massaging Jessica’s hands to make sure she was as relaxed as possible.  It felt so good and it was almost hypnotic, Jessica felt her breathing slow down and her heart slow.  She felt calm, relaxed and... receptive.  Her mind wandered and she found herself lost in her own imagination. After a while Jessica zoned completely out, lost in her thoughts and Amiee eagerly got back to work. 

Watching Amiee begin to apply the first nail Jessica thought to herself that if this was all it took to get Annabelle off her back then it might not be so bad. After all she couldn’t remember the last time her nails had actually been clean and feminine like this. The sexy nail looked out of place right now, but she could see that when the set was complete it would make her look great.  That’s right - soon you’ll have a whole set of these… your hand is gonna look really hot, you’ll probably have the sexiest nails in school.  See, this isn’t so bad is it?  Jessica felt a strange tingle running down her hands into her body.  Strangely she felt slightly aroused, like her coochie was getting wet for no reason.  It felt really nice and she squirmed slightly, wanting to giggle at the nice things Amiee was doing to her hands and the way it was making her feel. See - doesn’t this beat kickboxing and stupid soccer? Mmmmmh so nice huh?

As if in a dream Jessica watched Amiee move on to the next nail.  As it slid into place, Jessica felt a strange revulsion at the thought of how short, chewed and grubby her nails had been before and a bitchy smile twisted the corner of her mouth. Soon you’ll look like a princess.  Won’t that be nice? Jessica’s posture changed as she sat up straighter and pushed her chest out slightly.  Her arms and hands took on a more feminine body language as she held her hand out in a much more natural way - as if she were used to be manicured and liked it.  Looking down with admiration. Jessica realised she liked that her nails felt clean and presentable for once, it actually felt nice. She flicked her short hair back and smirked happily. See babe - don’t you feel better already? Don’t you want more….? Mmmmh of course you do... 

Annabelle couldn’t hide the wicked grin from her face as she watched Amiee work her magic on her step daughter. She knew the magic nails were powerful, but she had never watched the process herself and even forewarned it was incredible to watch as Jessica’s short unkempt hair began to tidy itself up and grow. She could see the horrible split ends heal and strengthen as Jessica’s hair lengthened and took on a beautiful blonde colour.  It took on a bitchy shine as it brightened and filled with volume, falling around her head like a golden halo and making her look twice as attractive as she had moments ago.  Her eyebrows lightened to match, plucking themselves and neatening into a perfect pair of arched brows.  The girl didn’t seem to notice or care, her lips were parted slightly and her pupils were dilated.  She was obviously experiencing pleasure at her corruption and that satisfied Annabelle even more.  To know that her weak pathetic step daughter would soon be like her was the most amazing feeling of triumph.

Jessica looked over and saw Annabelle beaming at her, she was obviously loving every minute of this. To her surprise she smiled back and felt proud of the fact Annabelle was pleased for her.  She couldn’t help but notice how happy Annabelle was that they were finally connecting.  See Annabelle isn’t so bad is she?  She’s trying to be a Mom to you… maybe you should think of her as your Mom and be friends?  It would be nice to have another woman to talk to, go shopping with.  This could become a regular thing.  

Jessica tried to remember what it was that annoyed her so much about Annabelle, but she was struggling.  After all Annabelle was just encouraging her to be pretty and popular all the time, was that even such a bad thing? Having a few more friends would be nice and maybe if she looked a bit nicer boys would actually look at her? That would be nice - at the moment boys either ignored her or just treated her like one of the guys. You are definitely not a guy.  You are a gorgeous girl and you have needs… getting a boyfriend is the first step to meeting those needs.  Mmmmh, you deserve a stud to worship that pretty pussy and make you feel good - oh and of course run errands for you and do all the things you want him to...

The heat in her loins intensified as her thoughts turned horny and Jessica found herself becoming jealous of her friend Chloe, who actually had a boyfriend. Although Chloe’s boyfriend Jason wasn’t anything special to look at, he always seemed to look at his girlfriend like she was the only person in the world that mattered. That must feel good, to be admired, worshipped and adored thought Jessica.  Yes… don’t you want to feel that way?  Don’t you want ALL the boys to worship you?

Letting herself daydream Jessica started to imagine what it would actually be like to be popular to have a flock of admirers hanging on her every word, desperately hoping that she would notice them. All that with a strong, handsome guy by her side, willing to do anything to make her happy.  Yes… to be a spoiled, bratty, princess who gets everything she wants.  To wear the head cheerleading outfit and be the prom queen… to dress up in a tight black dress and have every guy want you… it’s your destiny...

“Okay hun, pass me your other hand please, this one is all finished.” Amiee suddenly chirped, breaking Jessica from her erotic daydream and the insidious voice in her head - her own voice. “You zoned out on me for a second there sweetie, everything okay?” she asked with a slight giggle.

Jessica offered up her other hand, but couldn't help marvel at the completed set of beautiful inch long nails that she now sported. Her hand looked like a super-models and the thought of raking her nails down some studs back or wrapping them round a big throbbing cock made her pussy even wetter as she breathed heavily and an involuntary whimper of pleasure escaped her lips. You look like a bitch… doesn’t it feel good to be a bitch?

Amiee grinned - it was like she knew exactly what was on the girls mind as she innocently asked her what she was thinking about.

“Ohhhh, I was just imagining what it would be like to be popular,” sighed Jessica, as she elegantly brushed a lock of golden blonde hair behind her ear, still sounding somewhat dazed.  Her voice didn’t seem right… she coughed to clear her throat and it rose in pitch, becoming sing-song and silken.  Now she sounded like a honeyed seductress with a cute little whine and catch in her voice that made her sound like a hot girly brat.

“I mean… I… like… ummmm… hey like have I always like talked like this?”  she stuttered her inflections and speech patterns changing to imitate those of a cheerleader - a moment of temporary alarm seeming to go off in her head.

“Of course you have.  Relax and don't worry babe, once I am done with you, you won't have to imagine how it feels to be popular,” Aimee replied with a wry smile. “You're definitely going to be the most popular girl in school when you go back.  I guarantee no one will even remember the old you - at least not for long.   It won’t take a smart and beautiful girl like you, long to establish yourself as popular, will it?”  Who would want to remember that loser you were anyway… wouldn’t you rather go back as the most popular girl in the school?  The thought made Jessica even wetter...

Watching from the corner, Annabelle was getting pretty horny herself.  Her tomboy daughter was half-way transformed now and it was so delicious to watch.  The mental changes were clearly accelerating, but so too were the physical.  All the spots and blemishes, scars and bruises that Jessica possessed were fading to be replaced by perfectly smooth skin.  Her tiny a-cup breasts, long a source of joy to her as they were much easier to do sports with, appeared to be growing and pushing out.  Jessica’s face seemed to be shifting slightly… becoming more symmetrical and beautiful.  Soon she would be gorgeous.

Jessica eagerly handed her other hand over to Amiee who began to apply the final five nails.  As each of these slid into place, they would accelerate Jessica’s transformation.  Annabelle watched eagerly as Jessica allowed more nails to slide onto her hand - it was going to be so fun to see how bitchy and slutty Jessica ended up.

Meanwhile the girl was busy day dreaming again. What Amiee had said intrigued Jessica.  On Monday when she went back to school - how hard would it be to take over and become super popular?  Oh it would be easy babe- since Jayde left there has been a power vacuum.  Her old lieutenants Molly and Erica are too busy fighting each other to establish themselves as Queen Bees.  They are both waiting to see who gets selected to be Head cheerleader before launching their power moves.  The auditions and tryouts are next week.  Imagine if you were to apply - imagine if coach Houser chose you to be the Head cheerleader?  You’d be the most powerful girl instantly.

As for the rest of the school - Jessica realised that all through her life she had observed little bits of information and been confided in by various people as she had always seemed trustworthy.  She knew a lot of secrets and gossip about a lot of people in fact.  So - a little bit of a push here - a little nudge there - she could easily make everyone in the school either afraid of her - or so desperate to be her friend they would help her cement her power.  The thought made her smile and her lips curved into a wicked grin.  It would be easy to become the alpha girl… but did she want to do it?  Yes… of course you do.  Don’t you want to be slutty and hot?  This is your time and no one will be able to stop you.

Jessica giggled as her mind filled with poison and dirty thoughts.  At the same time, her outfit began to change as the ninth nail slid into place.  Her comfortable sneakers became strappy black heels as her baggy jeans tightened around her legs and rose to be a jeans skirt.  Her plaid shirt tightened around her bust and turned pink - transforming into a silky crop top with cute little bows on it.  She now looked like a fashionable, sexy, bitch.  Her tits were now big D cups and her waist was tiny.  Expensive makeup covered her face as she looked down eagerly to see Amiee begin to apply the final nail.

That’s it Jessica. Just a moment longer and you’ll be a hot bitch.  It’s going to feel so good - you’re already nearly cumming at the thought of all the bad things you are going to do aren’t you.  Screwing boys and stealing them from their girls… seducing older men, bullying the nerds.  You’re going to be just like Annabelle… it’s going to feel so fucking good.

“No… wait,” groaned Jessica suddenly as her old personality regained control.  “I… this isn’t me… I…”

“Shhhh Jessica,” grinned Amiee grabbing her hand and steadying it.  “You know you want this more than anything.  In fact why don’t you say it… ? Why don’t you admit what you want me to do?  I think we both know by now that these are magic nails and you’re changing into a hotter girl.  One more nail and you’ll become a nasty, spoiled, hot, little bitch just like Annabelle paid us to make you. I’ll promise to remove all the nails I put on so far if you tell me to. Otherwise I’ll slide this one on and complete your change.  I just want to hear you say it first.  Then I’ll make you into a Goddess and you will be free at last.”

On her chair Annabelle gasped and tensed up.  Amiee was taking an incredible risk here… what the hell was she doing? All of her work so far could be undone with this risky gamble.  Jessica could reassert her control and remove the nails, she would never get another chance like this.

But Amiee knew her craft well.  She could smell the wetness in Jessica’s panties and see the lust in her eyes.  She could feel the hunger in the girl - the desire to be popular, pretty and powerful.

Jessica moaned and leaned forward.  Her free hand with the nails on crept down to her panties and slid inside. She moaned as she rubbed her clit and felt her new bitchy pussy - so much tighter and now shaven, pulse with pleasure.  Her big new breasts ached with pleasure and her glossy lips parted in a gasp of lust as she looked into Amiee’s amused eyes.

“Uhhhh, I NEED it… ohhhhhh yes do it… make me into a BITCH!  Make me popular and horny.  I want to be bad… I want to be sexy and feminine.  I can’t stand it anymore, corrupt me please I need it!”

Amiee grinned.  She loved it when the girls tipped over into corruption like this.  It helped to make the effects of the nails even more powerful.  She applied the final nail and Jessica began to cum as her transformation completed itself and her soul turned black as night.  YESSSSS, you aren’t going to regret this… you are a bitch now.

“Ugggghhhh YES damn right I’m a bitch now,” giggled and groaned Jessica as she shook and continued to cum.  “Ohhhh I’m such a fucking bitch and I LOVE IT!”

Annabelle looked at the transformed bitch writhing in the chair and grinned.  Jessica looked amazing, she was still vaguely recognizable, but she looked five times prettier than when she had entered.  The nails had done their wicked work perfectly and Jessica was now just the way her Step Mom had always wanted her to be.

Rising from the nail bar like a bitchy Queen, Jessica giggled as Annabelle looked at her wicked new step-daughter with a grin.

“Oh Jessica, you look amazing - you’re perfect.”

“Hmmmm, I like totally am perfect aren’t I? - but you can call me Jessie now Mommy - I feel like a whole new girl and I like it.”  

“Just be careful with your new nails,” grinned Amiee.  “They are very tough - almost unbreakable in fact… but if they do come loose, the old boring you might come back. Our nails also have a few extra enhancements which I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun discovering.”

 “Thanks so much for my nails Amiee - I will use them to be a bitch, don’t you worry about that.” Jessie purred, flexing her clawed nails, as her head throbbed with naughty ideas and desires.  She couldn’t wait to go to school tomorrow and begin her new reign. 

“That’s okay,” purred Amiee.  “We’re always looking for new customers… make sure you give me a call if you have any more nail needs… I’m always happy to help.”

Hugging Annabelle, the new bitchy Mom and daughter duo smiled at each other.  “At last I have the daughter I always wanted,” grinned Annabelle. “Now let's go max out your Dad’s credit card and get you some new clothes and things. We can burn those old frumpy clothes. Tomorrow you take your place as the spoiled new princess slut of our household.”

For Jessie and her Mom - things were just beginning..

CHAPTER 2 - NAILING JASON

Chloe was worried.  Her best-friend Jessica hadn’t shown up for school today and there was some new girl causing a stir.  The corridor was jammed full of people trying to grab a look and all the boys were saying she was the hottest girl they had ever seen. Great! The last thing the school needed was some hot new bitch coming in and bringing back the cliquey atmosphere they used to have.  Jessica was gonna hate that.

“Chloe - have you seen what’s happening?” panted a breathless Nicola as she suddenly emerged from the melee and grabbed her friends arm.

“No - not yet. I’m more bothered about Jessica though than some dumb new girl. It isn't like her to be off without texting us. Something could be wrong.”

“But Chloe - the new girl IS Jessica. She's had some sort of makeover… she looks like a supermodel. I tried to talk to her but she’s walking around with Molly and Elisha like they are old friends and she completely blanked me!”

“What?!?”

Pushing through the crowd Chloe gawped as she beheld Jessie surrounded by admirers.  The hot bitch was flicking her blonde hair and flirting with everyone in sight.  Her blouse was three buttons open so that her big tits were fully on show and she twirled her hair with her sexy nails, batting her long lashes at the boys and talking like some dumb airhead to Elisha and Molly who dutifully giggled at everything she said.

As Jessie’s gaze fell on her friend, a look of cold disdain crossed the new bitches perfect pink lips.  Here came her old friends - but whatever she may have once felt for them, they weren’t nearly popular enough to be of use.  It was harsh, but if she wanted to be the Alpha Bitch and BOY did she want that so badly, she was going to have to cut them off.

Jessie deliberately turned her back on Chloe and Nicola and made a rude comment to her new friends Molly and Elisha.  She didn’t need her old friends anymore - not now she was sexy, beautiful and soon to be popular.  Molly and Elisha approvingly giggled and moved to flank her.  They were already automatically starting to assume a position of deference and servility which pleased Jessie.  They liked how bitchy and mean she was. 

Meanwhile Chloe felt stung, angry and hurt.  Her friend looked like some dumb popular bitch and was deliberately ignoring her after being friends for years.  She felt tears well in her eyes and without another word she turned and stormed off closely followed by Nicola.

Jessie ignored her former friends for the rest of that week.  She was too busy sinking her claws into the fabric of the school and re-establishing the power and dominance of the popular girls clique.  Everyone was amazed at how much she had changed from one make-over, but it was actually pretty easy to forget the old her and within a matter of hours most people had accepted her new beautiful and bitchy personality and looks.  Maybe there was some power the nails had given or maybe it was because she was so fucking hot now.

Whatever the case Jessie was now mean, bitchy and beautiful. In little under a week she was the most popular girl at school and had slipped into the power vacuum, becoming the Alpha girl just as she wanted.  She would play with her hair all eyes drawn to her slutty nails as every girl wished they could have a manicure like that and every guy imagined those nails wrapped around their cocks.

After a fortnight she was even more established. It was like there was a glamour around her - accelerating her rise - helping people to accept her position. She spread mean rumours about other people, used the unlimited money her bitchy Mom gave her to out-fashion and out-dress everyone else and with her new sycophants Molly and Elisha she got the position of Head Cheerleader just as she had wanted.

Finally Chloe and Nicola had enough.  They couldn’t bear to watch Jessica acting like this - especially as she refused to speak to them and was bullying other girls. They decided to confront her over what was happening and try to stage an intervention. What had become of their once kind friend?

They found Jessie alone by her locker admiring her slutty nails and doing her makeup. “Eugh… what do you losers want?” she rolled her eyes at them as they approached.

“Everyone else may have forgotten the old you already - but we haven’t! Why are you acting like such a bitch?” demanded the more assertive Chloe whilst Nicola watched nervously.

Jessie laughed in amusement. “Poor poor Chloe… always thought you were so much better than me and Nicola. Now I'm the most popular girl in school, you can't stand it.”

“Jessica- this isn't you. Did your step mom do something to you? Snap out of it babe…” pleaded Nicola. 

For a brief moment a strange look crossed Jessica's face. Holy shit - what am I doing? These are my friends! I have to stop this!

But then she looked down and saw the nails on her fingers. Mmmmh I'm so fucking hot and I feel so bitchy.  My pussy has never been so wet and I love being bad.  I don't ever want to stop this.  I want… I NEED more! Jessie moaned as a look of bitchy superiority crossed her features again and her pussy got wet at the thought of being hotter and badder than these bitches ever could be. “I'm sorry Nicola,” she gasped before becoming truly evil once more… “It just feels so fucking good to be hot and bitchy… I love being this way now. Stay away from me if you don't want to get hurt… ohhhh fuck yesssss.” With a shudder evil Jessie was back in control and she grinned mercilessly at her victims. How dare they challenge her?

By now a crowd had gathered - drawn to the drama. Everyone wanted to see how this ended up. They watched their new Queen Bee eagerly - relishing watching her take down yet more losers.

Jessie was only too happy to oblige and almost losing control back to Jessica had made her particularly mean. “Well you drab little uglies - the only thing my Mom did is get me a makeover so I looked good. You two should try it sometime so you don't look like dirty tramps anymore. I've always wondered Chloe, Is your boyfriend Jason gay or something? After all he seems to enjoy kissing you and you basically look like a guy in a skirt…”

Chloe felt anger boil up in her. “You fucking bitch.” 

She slapped Jessie hard across the face and would have done more if Nicola hadn't pulled her away.  “Leave it Chloe… it isn't worth getting suspended for attacking her. None of these witnesses would stand up for us… they all do what she wants now.”

Jessie felt a cold bitchy anger grow in her as she watched her former friends leave. She glared at the other students… daring anyone to laugh as they slunk away and her cheek burned with the slap and the social embarrassment of it too.

“That fat cow dared to slap me in front of everyone?  ME!?!  How dare she!” hissed Jessie in incandescent rage.  “I was just gonna tease those bitches, but essentially leave them alone… but now?!  Now Chloe has to PAY!”

Jessie felt so angry she could burst.  She knew she needed to cut Chloe down to size and make every other girl in this school terrified to fuck with her or she would never get full control.  She needed to humiliate Chloe and take everything from that bitch. Maybe Annabelle could give her some advice, one evil bitch to another?  She would ask when she got home.

That evening after their dinner together in the luxurious bitchy surroundings of their beautiful home - Jessie sat in her PJ's on Annabelle's bed and the pampered bitches discussed what to do.

“She slapped me Mommy,” hissed Jessie in disgust.  “I have never felt so humiliated in all my life, I want to rip that bitches hair out and kick her in the face with stilettos on..”

“Now, now dear - that’s not how bad girls like us deal with situations like these.  Instead we find her weakness - everyone has one, and then we use it against her.  What does Chloe have that she values?”

“Well I guess she has a boyfriend.  Jason.”

“Then it’s simple - you take her man and make him yours.  She’ll be crushed and everyone at school will see you are the superior bitch.”

“Eugh… it’s a good plan Mommy, but Jason is a loser… a nobody.  He’s a nerd.  A hot girl like me can’t go out with someone like him!”

“Hmmmmm, that is a problem.  I know why don’t you call the salon and speak to Amiee, she’s usually good for situations like this…”

Jessie picked up her rose-gold plated iphone and dialed Amiee, admiring as always how hot her nails looked as she did so.  She giggled as Amiee answered and Jessie outlined her problems to her new friend.  A slutty smile of wicked glee slowly spread across Jessie’s face as Amiee told her exactly what she could do.

“Oh yes, that is delicious… you never told me that I could do THAT with my new nails… oh yes!  Mmmmmh I love these things… oh thanks babe, I can’t wait for school now.”  

Annabelle watched with interest as Jessie smirked and put the phone down with a triumphant grin. She wondered what evil plan her wicked step-daughter was hatching now.  She didn’t know fully, but she could tell by Jessie’s horny expression that it was obviously going to be rather delicious!

The next day at school, Jessie put her plan into action. It didn't take much to manipulate the school secretary into helping her out, a few well placed compliments to the pathetic middle aged woman and she was eager to help Jessie with anything she needed. Gladly she sent a message over the school intercom that Jason was to report to Mr Phillips classroom as soon as possible.

Jason opened the door to the classroom hoping to find out why he had been summoned by the elderly history teacher. When he entered the classroom, instead of finding Mr Phillips sitting at his desk, he found the room was apparently empty. Figuring that the teacher had just stepped out for a moment, Jason decided to find himself a seat and wait patiently until Mr Phillips returned. 

Hearing the door close behind him Jason turned round and found Jessie standing  in the doorway. “J..J...Jessica?” he stuttered, not quite believing how much the former tomboy had changed. 

“The one and only.” she replied, flashing him a seductive wink “But I prefer to go by Jessie now babe” she purred.

“What do you want?” Jason asked, keen to get out of the situation as soon as he could.

“You.” she answered, looking him straight in the eye. “That pathetic little bitch you call a girlfriend had the nerve to slap me yesterday in front of everyone. I figured that stealing you away from her would be the perfect way to humiliate her.”

“Look Jessica, I’m flattered, really I am.” Jason said “but I’m in love with Chloe, and I would never even think of doing anything like that to her.”

Jessie, completely unphased by Jason's attempted rejection, began slowly and sexily advancing towards him, smiling wickedly to herself as she watched Jason physically tense up, not having any experience resisting the advances of  a beautiful girl like her.

Jason just stood there motionless, like a deer caught in headlights, before he had managed to react she was pressed up against him, his head swam as her sweet perfume began to intoxicate his senses. 

“I...I…I said no” he stammered weakly, using every ounce of willpower he had left.

Still unperturbed, Jessie delicately placed her hand on his bicep and leaned in to whisper softly into his ear. 

“I’m sorry, but you don't really get a choice in this I’m afraid.” she whispered before firmly squeezing down on his bicep, her talon like nails digging down and piercing his flesh. 

Feeling the nails penetrate his skin, Jason didn’t cry out in pain, instead he found himself unable to move as he felt Jessie's voice enter his mind.

I told you I would make you mine, but I can't be seen with a loser like you. If you're going to be mine you need to be taller, stronger and much more powerful…

Powerful. The word resonated through every part of him, like a gentle throb, in time with the beating of his heart it pulsed. As it did Jason slowly began to change, he grew taller, his shoulders broadened and his thin, wiry muscles began to swell, becoming more defined as they did so. 

It feels good, doesn’t it? Believe me it gets so much better when you embrace it….

Jason couldn’t deny that she was telling the truth, but somewhere deep in his mind he was still fighting, clinging on to who he was and resisting the temptation to give in to Jessie's alluring voice.

There is no need to resist babe, think how much better your life will be… You will no longer be the victim but instead you can be in charge and rule this school through fear and intimidation. 

Images started to flash through his mind of all the times he had been bullied throughout the years, but there was something different… this time he was looking through at things from the other side, this time he was the bully and it felt good, really good. He felt so strong, powerful as he experienced beating up nerds, shoving them in lockers and just watching all of the losers run away from him in fear. A wicked smirk spread across his face as Jason began to enjoy the images that bombarded his mind.

You want it now don’t you? Let go, become my perfect man and you can have it all...

It was at that moment that finally Jason's will crumbled and he succumbed completely to the corrupting influence.

Thats it babe, I can feel it now, you are all mine…

The visions running through his head intensified but now they focused on only one thing, Jessie. He wanted her so badly and he realised that he deserved to have the bitchiest baddest girl at school as his girlfriend.  Chloe was so pathetic.  Why would he go with a girl like that when he could bang the tightest, sluttiest pussy on campus instead? Jessie smiled wickedly as she saw the corruption take and leaning in kissed him hard with her wet pink lips, her tiny tongue in his mouth as she French kissed him and he grabbed her waist and pulled her hot teenage body against his.

“Mmmmmh, oh yes Jason,” moaned Jessie as he kissed her neck and massaged her boobs through her blouse.  He wanted her badly and they were both hot for each other now.  But Jessie knew things were about to get even hotter...

As they made out Jason's changes accelerated tenfold. His shirt began to bulge as powerful slabs of muscle developed under his chest and his abs tightened up to give him the powerful physique of a star quarterback.  His face became slightly more angular and his hair darkened and shortened on his head to a neat short back and sides like all the football squad favoured. Jessie moaned and cooed, running her slutty hands and her evil names over his arms and torso as she felt her man get bigger and stronger. “That’s it baby… become the bad boy you know you want to be…”

Jason grinned and flexed his biceps, “Yes, I feel so fucking good, oh YES!  Fuck that nerd Chloe, I don’t need her anymore.”

Giggling, Jessie sank to her knees before her new man and tore down his trousers. “That’s right - you’re all mine now and I’m gonna do things to you that bitch never could.” Jessie knew it was risky to suck his cock in a classroom where anyone could see, but she wanted to finish his corruption right away and she was so horny now. The thought of taking Chloe’s boyfriend and making him cum in her mouth was so delicious.

Jason’s cock flopped out… it was still quite average, but was already growing as he continued to transform into a true bad boy. Wrapping her hand around his dick, Jessie began to stroke it.  She loved how good her naughty magic nails looked wrapped around a cock.  With every pump and stroke Jason’s dick got harder and so did he… the final elements of his transformation occuring as he became a perfect bully who only cared about being popular and buff.   Licking her lips, Jessie grabbed her phone and pressed send on a message she had already prepared.  That would put the cat amongst the pigeons...

“Are you ready baby?  Let me show you what I can do…”

Jason moaned as Jessie slid her wet lips around his dick and began to suck, her cheeks going concave as she slurped and gagged happily on the length.  She looked up at him, making perfect eye contact as she bobbed her head up and down on his throbbing cock and he entwined his hands in her soft silky hair and used it to push her head deeper and deeper onto his cock.  Jessie giggled, saliva dripping out of the corner of her mouth as she winked at him.  Fuck, she loved showing her new boyfriend just how slutty she could be for him.  To everyone else she was an ice-princess, to Jason she was gonna be his little cumslut.

“Yeah, that’s it Jessie… suck my big cock.  Fuccccckkk, you’re amazing.  Mmmmmh it feels so good when you do that.  Ohhhh fuck, you’re the best… you’re the fucking best!”

Jason was lost in the most wonderful pleasure and totally besotted with his new girlfriends cocksucking skills. He had never felt anything this good all the time he had been dating Chloe.  Now at last he had a real girl who would pleasure him.  He was already fantasizing about fucking her… but he knew he would need to treat her right before she let him do that.  He was going to treat her like a spoiled princess and if anyone messed with his girl they were gonna get it.

Hot slurping noises filled the room as Jessie bobbed her head up and down on his cock and he felt his balls start to tingle.  “Ohhhh yeah, nearly there baby…”  She intensified her sucking, using her spare hand to massage his balls and tip him over the edge.

Meanwhile at the window to the door, the agonised face of Chloe appeared.  She had received a mysterious message a few minutes ago telling her to go to this classroom.  She had been looking for Jason for ages now, wanting to take comfort with her boyfriend after the cruel way Jessie had treated her.  As she peered through the glass, she gasped in shock to see the evil slut herself on her knees sucking some dumb meat-head’s cock.

“That little slut,” spat Chloe as she watched Jessie at work.  Then her heart went cold with horror.  Jessie had positioned the entire scene so that the boy she was sucking off was completely visible opposite the window.  That way Chloe had a perfect view of his face… and although that face was slightly different now - more handsome and manly… it was definitely the face of her boyfriend Jason.

“NOOOOOOOO!” screamed Chloe bursting into the room, even as with a grunt and a gasp Jason cummed into Jessie’s mouth.  She moaned happily and pulling off his cock with a hot wet slurp, turned with a cummy smile to face her rival.

Slurping up the dripping cum from her chin, Jessie swallowed every drop and then standing up slid her hand round Jason’s cock possessively as she deliberately continued to stroke him.  “Hey bitch, do you like what I did to your boyfriend.  He’s mine now and this big cock is all mine to play with.  I can’t wait to ride him later.”

“YOU FUCKING BITCH,” screeched Chloe rushing forward to grab Jessie.  This time she wasn’t just going to slap Jessie she was going to smash her face in.

WHAM.  Chloe screamed as Jason’s muscled arm hit into her chest smashing her backwards and sending her sprawling to the floor.  “Keep away from my girlfriend you pyscho bitch,” he growled. “You touch her again and you’ll regret it.”

Chloe burst into tears whilst Jessie watched with a superior smirk. “No Jason you’re my boyfriend, don’t let her do this - I thought you loved me.”

“Haha, who could love a nerdy loser like you? You’re fucking pathetic.  I’m with Jessie now and it feels so good.”

“Come on baby, let’s leave this loser to her pathetic tears.”  Sliding her hand inside her boyfriends, her new nails glinting as she led him out of the room, Jessie smirked and giggled as she passed Chloe.  “You should never have messed with me bitch…”

For a moment in her own mind Jessica felt a surge of horror at what she was doing to her former friend, then her bitchy new personality reminded her of how good it had felt to suck Jason’s dick and her cruel perfect smile returned to her lips.  Yes - things were so perfect now she was an evil bitch… 

Meanwhile Chloe looked after Jessie and sobbed.  The once feisty and confident girl felt like a complete wreck.  Her life was falling apart and she didn’t know how to fix it.  Surely things couldn’t get any worse though… could they?

CHAPTER 3 - NAILING NICOLA

Nicola just couldn’t  wrap her head about what had happened over the past few weeks. First her best friend Jessica gets hot overnight and becomes the school’s new Queen bee. That was weird enough, but Jessie as she was now known had become a total bitch as well, finding any reason to torment, bully and demean her former friends.

That was weird enough but then, even weirder, Chloe's boyfriend Jason somehow went from being a scrawny nerd to a muscle-bound Jock and the new school bully. Everyone was saying it was because Chloe had dared stand up to Jessie and because of that now no one was brave enough to fuck with her. Jessie was riding high on a wave of superiority. She was now undisputed Queen of the school and seemed to love every minute.

Meanwhile - Nicola had never felt more alone and isolated. Her other friend Chloe had experienced some sort of mental collapse when she lost Jason and sunk into depression and apathy. The once vibrant girl was just a pale shadow of herself - sobbing unhappily at home and refusing to see anyone. She had been “sick” for the last few days now and not at school - Nicola knew that her friend just couldn’t face the sight of the school’s new power couple and she couldn’t really blame her. 

Thing is - Nicola still believed that there was some good in Jessie. She believed some hint of the girl she once knew must be inside. The girl who was a tomboy and liked kickboxing and soccer… the girl who was kind and loyal. She had seen it, just before Chloe had slapped her, she had seen Jessie waver, some semblance of guilt was showing through. It may not have been much but it was there, a small crack in the seemingly perfect veneer that was Jessie, but that was all Nicola needed to give her hope.  

Nicola had always been quiet and a bit of  thinker. She knew that something had to have happened to make Jessica into Jessie and was determined to work out what. It probably had something to do with that bitchy Step Mom of hers Annabelle.  She thought back to the last conversation she had with the old Jessica.  She remembered her friend had been annoyed about having to get a manicure. Maybe that had something to do with it?

Nicola decided to stick as close as she could to Jessie and watch her carefully.  She tried her best to stay out of sight but Jessie didn't seem to be doing anything strange or unusual. After a few days of stalking, Nicola was starting to lose hope. That was until Friday after school, when she saw Jessie leave her two lackeys,  Molly and Elisha at the school gates and instead of taking her usual route home Jessie had headed in the opposite direction entirely. 

Nicola was thrown by the change and found herself having to run in an attempt to keep up as Jessie rounded a corner out of sight. As she rounded the corner she realised her mistake, she tried to stop but ended up barreling into Jessie who had stopped to check her makeup. The force of the impact threw Jessie to the ground.

“Watch where you are going you careless little bitch!” Jessie screamed at Nicola as she brought herself to her feet

“J...J.. Jessie I'm so sorry!” Nicola tried, not wanting to face the wrath of her former friend.

"it was an accident.. I didn't mean to...” 

“Shut up! Look what you did! You useless little tramp! You cracked my nail!” Jessie screeched as Nicola backed away fearfully, fully expecting to be attacked as she saw the venom in Jessie’s beautiful eyes.  Then suddenly the full impact of what had happened occurred to the super-bitch and she stopped still, turning white as a sheet with fear. The popular girl was staring at her hand is fascinated horror, one of her perfect sexy nails had indeed snapped nearly to the quick. 

A sensation like having a bucket of cold water thrown over her, ran through Jessie, from head to toes, and she groaned - clenching her fists, sinking to her knees and gritting her teeth as if she were in terrible pain. “Uuuuhhhh, what’s happening to me? Something is ahhhhh wrong!”

Jessie could almost feel the confidence draining out of her… the certainty that she was right to be so mean, that she was perfect in every way was fading.  Like her broken nail… a million splinters of doubt and guilt suddenly cracked through her persona, fracturing her bitchy supremacy and making her feel bad for the first time since she had put on the nails.  Maybe she wasn’t better compared to everyone else after all? No!  Where were these doubts coming from?

The events of the last month suddenly looked very different and Jessie suddenly realised she had become a completely evil bitch who only cared about her own pleasure and power.  She couldn’t justify the things she had done and the love and affection she had once felt for Nicola and Chloe came flooding back as a sob wracked itself up from her chest and she began to cry.

“Nic?” Jessie asked, looking up at the retreating girl in front of her with her usually perfect makeup running down her face as tears were flowing from her eyes “I….I… couldn’t help it, i’m s...s...sorry”  

Nicola paused… as she watched her former friend carefully, she seemed to be changing. Jessie was losing some of her glamour.  Her hair seemed slightly less shinier and her eyes were no longer cold and wicked.  It was like the old her was reasserting herself somewhat, returning from the dead. The blonde faded from Jessie's hair and her old brunette hair coloration slowly returned.

“Jessica, is that you? The real you?” Nicola asked, stepping forward cautiously. “I don’t understand what is happening here?  Did I hurt you?

Jessica shook her head, tears running down her cheeks.  “No… but you broke one of my nails.  It’s my nails Nic, they made me like this. Snapping it must have brought the old me back for a while… but the rest of the nails are still on my fingers. Ahhhh, I can still feel the urges, the desires to be a bitch controlling me and making me weak. I don’t know how long I can hold Jessie back… she is too strong and I like being her too much, please we don’t have long.”

They sat down on a nearby bench and Jessica proceeded to tell Nicola everything about what had happened over the past few weeks. From her first trip to the Nail Salon to all the evil wicked things she had done - it made for a pretty incredible story.

“Wow - I can’t believe Annabelle did this to you Jessica… what a bitch.  She wanted you to be just as nasty as she was, but it’s over now, all we have to do is get the rest of those evil nails off your fingers and you’ll go fully back to normal.”

“It’s not that simple Nic.  I don’t know if I can go back.  You don’t understand, these nails have ruined me.  Even without them on… I… I think I like some of the things I did.  I think I like dressing girly and having sex with boys now.  I think I like being a girly girl.  I can’t imagine going back to some trampy tomboy… it just, isn’t me anymore.”

“No!  It is you Jessica. It’s your true-self, you’ve only forgotten.  That girl is you and we can help her, please I want my true friend back.”

“Listen Nic.  I’m a bad person.  I’m really not who you think I am,” sobbed Jessica.  “You have to understand.  I LIKED those things that I did… no… I LOVED them.  Being popular and powerful felt so good.  Fucking Jason and turning him into a bad boy was so delicious, destroying Chloe and turning her into the laughing stock of the school with no self confidence - I would do it all again given the chance.  Don’t you see - I’m evil.”

“Jessica… stop it.  You are not evil. An evil person wouldn’t be this honest with themself. Listen, I’ll always be your friend.  I will always accept you for who you are and try to support you.  If you say you felt good about some of the bad things you did- then at least you aren’t lying to yourself. Maybe the old Jessica is gone, but you’re not that total bitch Jessie anymore either.  Maybe you can be a new Jessica, someone who likes to dress nice and be girly, but is also a good person.  Whatever the case we can get through it together.”

Jessica hugged Nicola and they held each other for a few minutes, comforting one another.  Nicola found herself crying too… it felt so good to have her friend back - she never wanted to lose her again.

“Promise me I won’t lose you again Jessica,” 

“I promise… I swear it Nicola.  Whatever happens you and I will be friends forever.  I won’t leave you again.”

“So what are you going to do?” asked Nicola as she dried her face.  “Are you going to take off the rest of the nails?”

“Yes… I think so.  I have some remover at home, I’m going to try and use it.  Then I need to see if I can hide it from my Step-Mom. Look, I’ll see you at school tomorrow - we can work out what we are going to do next after that.”

Nicola smiled, she was pleased her friend was going to be free again soon. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.  Good luck with the nails.”

“Thanks,” waved Jessica as she watched her friend walk away and the friendly smile dropped away to be replaced by an anguished expression.

I wonder if she suspects what you’re about to do Jessica?  Do you think she realises all the way through that pathetic conversation, you were thinking about becoming me again?  It’s going to feel so good to get your nails redone - maybe you’ll be even bitchier as me than before… now your resistance to being a slutty bad bitch is lowered, you’ll enjoy your corruption all the more.

Jessica moaned as she felt her pussy get wet at the thought of becoming Jessie again.  “Noooo, I shouldn’t… I should take these damn nails off and go back to being…”

A nobody?  Don’t fool yourself babe… you love what you’ve become.  You enjoyed sucking Jason’s big fat cock in front of Chloe.  You love how pretty you are… you even love that you and Annabelle get on so well now.  Being spoiled and treated like a Princess is the best.  You know what you need to do.

“I need to get my nails redone, I want to feel powerful again,” groaned Jessica.  “I want to be a fucking bitch.”

Yesss, good girl.  You know what you want, so take it.  Ring Amiee now and book an emergency appointment.  Become Jessie again and let’s continue our rise to ultimate power.

Jessica pulled out her phone.  If she did this, she would be admitting to herself that she wanted and needed to be a bad little bitch.  She couldn’t blame Annabelle… she couldn’t say that it was all someone else’s fault, she would be admitting it was SHE that wanted and needed this.  Her pussy was so wet now, she felt so turned on at the thought of giving in and being Jessie again.  It as almost as if the nails had been designed to break so she would be put in this position… surely that couldn't be true? All she knew was that she needed to feel superior again - she needed the power of the magic nails and she was going to have it. With a moaning whimper, she dialed the salon, her first step on the path to corruption eagerly taken.

“Hello… Amiee… it’s me Jessica, I mean Jessie.  I need your help… I need a new set of nails… ohhh fuck, yes, an even bitchier set?  Yes… I want that… an even bitchier set than last time would be perfect.  Do it to me, I’ll be there right away.” 

Checking she wasn’t being followed, Jessica put her phone away and hurried away.  Her destiny awaited, it was time to get bad again.

************

Nicola checked her phone all that evening and night.  She thought Jessica might ring or text to say what was happening - but there was nothing.  She decided her friend must be feeling ashamed and decided she would comfort her when they met the next day at school… it must be hard to go back to normal after being like that.

The next day at school Nicola looked around for Jessica, but she couldn’t see her.  She went to her locker, and it was then that she heard it.  Clip clop, clip clop - the sound of high heels approaching.

Turning around as if in a dream, Nicola’s mouth dropped open as she saw Jessica striding down the corridor.  She looked like something out a teenage boys wet dream.  Every inch of her perfect body seemed to ooze sexuality and decadence, and she was wrapped in delicate figure hugging designer fabrics and expensive perfume.  Her blonde hair looked like that of an angel and the triumphant smile of bitchiness on her perfect, full kissable lips was enough to make anyone tremble in lust and fear.

Nicola’s eyes were drawn to Jessie’s fingers.  Each was now topped by a long slutty fingernail, perfectly manicured claws - even longer and bitchier than before.  The Goddess didn’t even look at Nicola, simply walked past her and strode onwards - she had no time for losers. Her new set of nails had made her even more beautiful and much more powerful. She could do ANYTHING now and her domination of the school would continue.

“Nooooo, Jessica, what have you done?” groaned Nicola inwardly as she felt herself well up with despair. “You said you wouldn’t leave me again, how could you?” Nicola felt like crawling under her locker and sobbing… but that was exactly what Jessie wanted and she wasn’t about to do it.

“I can still save her.  If I can overpower Jessie and remove all the nails, I just know she’ll be okay.  I need Chloe… she has to help me.”

Nicola didn’t like bunking off school, but this was an emergency.  She ran all the way to Chloe’s house and banged on the door till her friend opened the door.  She looked tired, sad and depressed - Nicola felt so sorry for her.

“Nicola, I already told you - I don’t want to see anyone.  I’m sick, I don’t know what is wrong with me exactly, I just feel so down and tired. Please go.”

“No wait! Chloe, I found out what happened and I know how to fix all of this.  Please listen.”  

There was something so forceful about the way Nicola said it, that Chloe found herself coming out of her depression and looking at her friends intense expression in wonder.  Nicola began to explain everything and Chloe’s eyes widened in wonder as she was told about the strange events of the last few months and finally learned the truth.

“Magic nails? It seems incredible… but if you’re right then there is a way to save Jessica and get things back to normal.  Maybe Jason will even go back to his old self if we bring down that bitch Jessie,” mused Chloe.

“So will you help me?”

“I… I don’t know.  I tried to stop Jessie before and it didn’t go well.  I’m not sure I have the confidence to do this Nic.”

“Come on Chloe, I believe in you.  If we stick together, the power of our friendship will be too strong for even Jessie to stop us.”

“I… I guess so.  Okay.. I’ll do it. I’ll help you stop Jessie, what’s the plan?”

“Well it’s not the most sophisticated plan I ever came up with,” smiled Nicola, “but if we can overpower and tie up Jessie, then we can use some nail remover to get those damn things off her. I’ll lure her into an empty classroom and then if you can get the jump on her, the two of us should be able to take her.”

“We’ll have to be careful though, we need to find a time when she is alone. She doesn’t seem to go anywhere without those two little sycophants of hers in tow.” Chloe chimed in.

“True, plus we need to look out for Jason as well now.” Nicola said, she felt bad for mentioning him, but she knew that it had to be done for the sake of the plan. “I’ve been keeping tabs on her all week, so I think I have a pretty good idea of her routine now. It's risky, but I think there is a window of opportunity that we can use, either way, we have to try.” 

************

Chloe's heart was in her mouth as she waited nervously by the girls bathroom.  A careful scrutiny of Jessie's routine had revealed that there were only a few times she was without her entourage… so they didn't have long to act.

Molly and Elisha were not exactly the two brightest girls in school and so they had to have extra tuition every Friday at eleven. Meanwhile now he was a stud, Jason was busy practicing for the Football Squad.  Jessie was all alone for an hour and as was her habit, she liked to sneak out of lessons and do her makeup in the girls toilets.

Nicola and Chloe  had acquired a rope to tie up Jessie and their plan was to over-power her and remove the nails by force.  Slowly, the rope taut in Chloe's hands - they crept inside the bathroom and prepared to pounce.

To their surprise the room was empty. There was no sign of the uber bitch.  Chloe looked nervously at Nicola. “Are you sure you saw her go in here?” 

She crept forward, then suddenly the door to the nearest stall smashed open - crashing into Chloe and sending her flying. Laughing cruelly, Jessie pounced out and as Nicola tried to grab her, she sent a perfect kick into her ribs and spinning around cracked Chloe under the chin causing her head to snap back and for her to crash to the floor.

“Hahaha, did you bitches forget I used to be a kick-boxing champion before I got my new nails? I may be a slutty Princess now but that doesn't mean I can't take out you losers.”  Walking over cooly to Chloe she grabbed the rope from the groaning girls hands and expertly bound her hands and feet to truss her up like a turkey.

“Tut tut Nicola. Did you think I hadn't spotted you following me? Do you really believe I hadn't anticipated your every move? What a stupid plan…”

“I had to try something! You said I wouldn't lose you again!” Nicola said “How could you do this to yourself? You promised!”

“I was being honest you know” Jessie said with a smugness in her voice “I really did mean it when I said we would be friends forever. I just had a different idea about what that might look like.”

Groaning as she came back round, and seeing the desperate situation, Chloe panicked as she saw Jessie advancing on her friend. Things had gone really wrong again and Nic was no match for this bitch. “No! Leave her alone, she's not a threat to you! What do you want from her?” Chloe screamed from across the room, still struggling against the rope that bound her.

“Well, if you must know Chloe, just like when you showed me your true colours the other week, Nicola finally showed me hers.” Jessie said, turning to taunt Chloe “But unlike you, Nicola wasn't just a jealous little bitch. She actually cared about me, she was still loyal after everything that has happened. I knew she would do anything to 'save’ me, once I had become my better self again. So I decided that I would save her instead, save her from being a unpopular nobody and to save her from having to be friends with you”

Jessie turned and reached into her designer bag, pulling out a small black box. She opened it up as she walked slowly over towards Nicola revealing a full set of long nails. “My friend Amiee gave me these, they are only press-ons so they won't last too long, but it should definitely be long enough to help you see things my way.” 

As she watched Jessie delicately pull the first nail out of the case Nicola retracted her fingers and clenched her fists tightly, hoping in vain that it might stop all of this from happening. Tears streamed down her face as she begged for Jessie to stop “I don’t want this Jessica”  

“That's what I said Nic… but it feels so fucking good to be a spoiled bad girl. You are going to love being a bratty princess, you'll be a popular girl just like Me, Molly and Elisha… soon you'll understand. I can't wait to make you a bitch like me. I understand now just how wet this must have made Mommy when she corrupted me. Now are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way bitch?”

“No! I won't let you put those things on me,” whimpered Nicola as she backed fully against the wall. “Keep back.”

“Awwwww that's too bad,” smiled Jessie nastily. “The hard way then. I don't wanna hurt you anymore, but… for each nail you refuse to wear I'm going to break one of Chloe's fingers. Don't imagine I'm bluffing either. You know I'll do it.”

Nicola sobbed helplessly as Jessie strode over and rolling her over, grabbed Chloe's bound hands.  Sliding her hand round Chloe's little finger, Chloe screamed as Jessie began to painfully bend it back. 

“Noooo! Don't do it Nicola. Let her ahhhhhh break my fingers, I don't ahhhhhh want to lose you too.”

“One more twist and it's gonna snap,” hissed Jessie gleefully as Nicola sobbed. She couldn't bear to see Chloe in such pain. It was too much.

“No stop… I'll do it… I won't resist. Please don't hurt Chloe anymore.”

Releasing Chloe's hands, Jessie rolled her over so she could see and picking up the nails guided Nicola over to the mirror. “Give me your hand. You're gonna look so pretty babe, soon you will be hot just like me.”

Nicola shivered as Jessie gently applied the first nail. She felt an immediate tingle and a strange thrill. It looked so weird on her finger… so sharp and sexy.

Maybe you can fight this?  Maybe it's possible to wear the nails and not be a bitch? Just imagine it, the nails will make you beautiful and popular. They could let you set an example, show everyone that being popular doesn't mean being a bitch.

A second nail slid into place.

Then again… why not be a bitch? Jessie seems to enjoy it and you could be friends with her again.

A third.

Oooh… are my tits gonna get bigger? I've always wanted bigger tits… and a cute bum. In fact prettier lips and oooh green eyes.  Yeah so I look like a slutty girl… that would be hot.

Four nails.

Ohhh shit… they are… my tits… are oooooh swelling up and my hair is getting longer.  Yes! I always wanted long hair but my stupid bitch of a mom totally didn't allow it.  Why the fuck has she insisted on me trying to be clever all these years… where did that get me? I wanna burn all those science books she bought me and replace them with makeup and clothes.  

Five nails.

Jessie was right… this does feel good. Really fucking good.  I can't believe I tried to resist. My hand looks so fucking good. I can just imagine it wrapped round some big fucking cock… jerking it till all that lovely cum comes out. Mmmh I like cum…

Tied up and unable to do anything Chloe sobbed as she watched Nicola transform before her very eyes. Her friend was being corrupted and as she grew thinner, bustier and sluttier - Chloe could only imagine the mental transformation happening behind those cruel green eyes.

“Ohhh yeah Jessie,” giggled Nicola, “hurry up and put the last one on… I love it.”

“Why don't you put the last one on yourself…. Nikki? A bad girl like you should know how to do your nails...”  

“Ummmmm okay Jessie.  Ohhh like Nikki is sooooo cute by the way. Great call Jessie,” grinned Nikki eagerly taking the final nail and applying it herself. As she did so her new tighter pussy throbbed and she squeezed her legs together with a needy gasp. “Ohhhhh fuck I think I just came, ohhhhh that feels so good. Mmmmh I feel great babe!  Thanks so much!”

Jessie grinned.  The dumb little cocktease in front of her used to be one of the smartest girls in school. Instead she was now a naughty spoiled party girl and Jessie's best friend again.  Nikki was the kind of dumb bitchy girl that would loyally support her no matter what and get them into fun adventures wherever they went.  She was now the perfect slut-kick.

They hugged in that false bitchy way popular girls do and Nikki giggled as she wiggled her fingers and admired her nails. “Ohmigosh I love them.”

“Just wait till we get you a proper set at the salon,” purred Jessie. “Then you'll know how real bitchiness feels.”

“What about her?” indicated Nikki as they both looked at Chloe whimpering in the corner.

“Haha, forget about her. I think we broke her mind entirely. She's a nobody now… no friends, no boyfriend, no life!  Lets go.”

As Nikki and Jessie left arm in arm, Chloe giggled almost madly to herself in the corner. “You fucking bitch - you've taken everything from me!  Well I'll have my revenge, even if it means finding that salon and becoming an even bigger bitch than you! I'll do whatever it takes to rob you of your power and become alpha-slut of this school.”

She began working the ropes and grinned as she felt them loosen.  Jessie thought she was out of the game, but as far as she was concerned… they were just getting started…!

CHAPTER 4 - NAILING CHLOE

Catching her reflection in the window of the nail salon - Chloe almost wanted to giggle insanely.   She knew her recent experiences had changed her for the worst, but she looked even more haggard than she remembered.  The face in the glass was the face of a girl capable of anything... indeed she barely recognised the hollow looking, wild-eyed girl she saw there.  The once confident and kind girl she had been was no more, but there was no time to mourn.  She had too much to do, and her revenge was going to be so sweet.

It had taken some effort to find this place. This was the source of the corruption, the place where it had all begun.  Chloe knew that this was where Jessica had been transformed, and now that Nikki was under the influence of a set of nails too, it was where she also had to come to maintain her bitchy new body.  It had only been a matter of time before the two of them got lazy and Chloe was finally able to follow them.  Now she knew where the nails came from... and maybe if she could acquire her own set, she could out-bitch Jessie once and for all.

Opening the door, Chloe walked inside and straight up to the receptionist,  a bored looking hot blonde.  She was gorgeous, but with a slightly wicked and mischievous look to her features that screamed ‘bitch’.  Right now she was insolently chewing bubble gum whilst flicking through a fashion magazine and browsing her phone at the same time.. Her badge said ‘Evie’ and from her demeanour it was clear that she wasn’t particularly enamoured of her current job.

Chloe hesitated for a moment… unsure of how to proceed, then decided to play it safe to start with. “Erm, hello, I’d like to make an appointment to have my nails done.  I want your… special service actually,”  she said as nonchentaly as she could.

The woman snorted in derision and blew a pink bubble with a wet *pop*.  Without even looking up from her magazine, she called across the shop in a slightly sarcastic way.  “Hey! Another stray for you Amiee... you’re just sooooo popular these days.  She says she wants the special...”

Another woman appeared from the back of the shop, a cute looking brunette.  She shot the blonde a slightly icy look and pursed her lips as she obviously tried to hide her uncharacteristic irritation .  “Evie, we’ve talked about your attitude and manner with the customers, please can you try harder?”

Evie insolently blew another pink bubble and ignored Amiee as the brunette took Chloe to one side.

“Sorry about that… now I understand you would like the special.  May I ask how you know about that?  We are very particular with our customers here… who sent you?”

“Cut the crap bitch,” snarled Chloe suddenly, her pretence of being nice dropping almost instantly.  “I know that slut Jessie gets her nails here and I want a set too. I’ll pay twice what she does and if you don’t help me, I’ll find a way to bring this place down, believe me.”

The friendly smile dropped from Amiee’s face, but she showed no sign of fear or being intimidated.  “Ahhhhh, you must be Chloe. I’ve heard all about you from Jessie, what a horrible jealous little slut you are.  Tut, tut… do you really think you’re the first person we have had come here trying to threaten us?  We have powerful friends, believe me… threatening this place is a bad idea.  Trust me dear, your threats are meaningless and even if I was intimidated, understand that Jessie is one of our most valued customers, she’s my greatest achievement actually.  It’s taken me years to find a host so perfect for my nails.  I’ve never seen a girl so thoroughly bonded to the corruption.  She’s my masterpiece and I look forward to helping her dominate this town in years to come.”

Chloe gulped as Amiee advanced on her. There was a quiet menace to the woman and she suddenly noticed that Amiee had very sharp nails herself.  “That’s right dear, you wouldn’t like it if I scratched you with my nails… believe me, we have ways of protecting ourselves here.  Now get out of my shop, I have things to do and I don’t expect to ever see you here again.”

Turning on her heels, Amiee swept regally away without a second glance.  Chloe realised she had been backed up against the wall and her heart was pounding.  She felt despair clutching at her heart and she wanted to sob.  She had come here so full of fire, so sure she was willing to do anything for revenge… but she had failed again.  She was useless and Jessie had won.  She felt the black despair that had previously consumed her starting to return.

“You quit pretty easily don’t you?” smirked a snide voice and she turned to see the blonde was watching her intently.

“Fuck you bitch.  Your boss may have beaten me this time, but I’m not quitting yet,” snarled Chloe.

“Amiee isn’t my boss,” grinned Evie.  “And she’s not the only one who knows how to do the ‘special nails’.  Amiee and I have a bit of rivalry, she’s currently on-top after I made a few mistakes, but I’d like to get back at her if I can.  How about I help you out and in return you take down her favourite new toy?  If Jessie eventually rejects the power, it will look really bad on Amiee and maybe I’ll get to be top manicurist again!”  

Chloe felt her heart race as she realised that Evie was offering to potentially help her.  “You’ll make me a bitch like Jessie?”

“Hah, I’ll make you an even bigger bitch than Jessie, no one does bad-girl like me babe,” giggled Evie.  “But first you have to stop thinking so small.  What’s the point in just making you like Jessie?  If you really want to hurt her and beat her, you need to go for her soft-spot.”

“And what’s that?”

“Why… her beloved Daddy of course.  Even if she’s a vain, naughty bitch, I bet she still cares for him in some sense… and even if she doesn’t, without Daddy’s money she’ll struggle to be an Alpha.  These nails aren’t cheap you know.”

“So how can you help me take down her Daddy?” asked Chloe eagerly, her mind racing as she realised she might have the power to destroy Jessie and Nikki after all.

“Let me do your nails and you’ll see.  Trust me, you’ll love how they make you feel,” grinned Evie, taking Chloe by the hand and leading her off to a private room towards the back of the salon. Evie closed the door quietly as they entered, locking them in and making sure that Amiee had no opportunity to disturb them.

Evie sat Chloe down at the nail bar and got to work straight away, filing and cleaning Chloe’s nails, preparing them for the main event. When she had done, she brought out a set of long plain acrylic nails.

“This may take a little while, I wasn’t expecting this kind of opportunity so I need to start from scratch with this set.” 

Chloe said nothing, sitting silently and grinning maniacally as she watched evie carefully begin painting and shaping the nails. Evie seemed like a woman possessed as he made the preparations, constantly whispering to herself as she delicately crafted her masterpiece. Chloe tried to make out what Evie was whispering but it all just sounded like gibberish. She didn’t care though, all she could focus on was the growing excitement that came from knowing that she would finally be able to take her revenge on Jessie.

“Are you ready?” asked Evie with a wicked smirk as she took Chloe’s hand, ready to apply the first nail.

Chloe nodded enthusiastically, her eyes fixated on the long elegant nail that Evie held, poised just above her fingertip.

“Enjoy this babe, the first time is always the best” Evie said as she delicately pressed the first nail down onto Chloe’s finger.  The enchanted nail fused itself tightly to Chloe's own nail and she let out a gasp, feeling a wave of pleasure pass over her. 

That's it, see how good it feels to embrace it… 

Evie continued to slowly and carefully apply the nails watching Chloe intently as she tilted her head back, closed her eyes and savoured the intense pleasure that she was experiencing. 

Revenge will be so sweet! Just picture it! Jessie, reduced back down to that pathetic loser that she used to be, knowing that everything she had, is out of her grasp forever. Mmmmmhhh!

The sensations she was feeling caused Chloe's heart rate into overdrive, her nervous excitement mixing with the intense pleasure. She could feel herself changing, she didn't know how. So this was how it had felt for Jessie?  No wonder the little bitch was addicted… only a little taste of power was already going to her head.

“Mmmmmore, give me more,” moaned Chloe through her teeth as she delightedly watched Evie begin to apply another nail.

Think how good it will feel to break her spirit, as everything she loves is stripped away from her… think how good it will feel to be a bitch!

Evie watched on, taking a pause between hands to stop and watch Chloe's body begin to change, maturing from the awkward teenager that she was. All of her unwanted fat evaporated as she passed through her twenties, leaving her body lean and toned. Her hips widened as she aged right through to her mid thirties. 

Just imagine how it will feel to sink your new, perfect claws into a man and make him yours. Using your power to change him from the meek pathetic little man he is and bend him to your will and make him your tough, hard bodied, big cocked lover...

Chloe’s breathing began to deepen and with each inhale of breath, her chest pushed out a little further. Her breasts becoming larger and more perfect with each long deep breath, big round, fake tits… perfect for having a guys cock between.  Big attention grabbing globes, just like she had always secretly wanted.  Her formerly kind and low-key personality was warping and twisting just like her body.  She was becoming a horny materialistic selfish slut and it felt so fucking good.

That’s right! As a hot bitch you will be looked after, everything you could ever want will be bought and paid for, leaving you to sit back and enjoy a life of luxury. With all the time in the world to embrace your every desire...

Chloe's mind began to race as it filled with images and possibilities, some of which began to spark what felt like memories. Things that on one hand she knew she had never experienced, but on the other felt intimately familiar.  How to suck a cock… how to ride a big dick… and how to make others do whatever she wanted.  She was a 39 year old, plastic, bimbo bitch now with years of cruel jealous experience and knowledge.  Her toned athletic body was perfectly tanned and completely smooth. Unlike younger women, she had spent nearly 20 years perfecting her looks and had become a hot MILF that no man could resist.  Even her clothing was changing now, designer brands dripping over her skin as she became a bougie bitch.

Soon you’ll be lying on silk sheets, a dildo between your legs as you cum again and again.  You live only for pleasure now.  Your pleasure.  Take what you want, everything is yours!

Flexing her claws, the transformed slut wanted to laugh in ecstasy. Chloe was a wanton gold-digger now who knew how to make men do whatever she wanted.  The final changes occurred as her skin tanned and her lips pushed out into a permanent pout as a perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose in cruel disdain and laughing she commanded Evie to apply the final nail.

“Yes, finish it… it’s time to complete me and time for this bitch to rise! All hail Queen Khloe!”

Khloe moaned and Evie smirked as she applied the final nail and completed her protegee’s corruption into a hot wife.  Chloe was unrecognisable now - the hot pouting slut dressed in Chanel and Dior was enough to take away anyone’s breath.  She looked like a dirty, high maintenance bitch.  Irresistible.

“Ahhhh, I feel so much better now,” grinned Khloe, full of a confidence and cunning she had never known before.  Naive and weak old-her was dead and she was now the perfect weapon.  Her pussy was already dripping wet as she stood up and looked at herself in the mirror.  “Mmmmh my titties are so big, so much bigger than the stupid bitch Jessie.”

“Well you turned out hot, even if I do say so myself,” giggled Evie.  “I was in such a bad mood, but knowing you’re going to fuck up that bitch Amiee and her stupid clients plans is so fucking delicious.  That will teach her for treating me like shit.  Of course, I’ll want paying as well.  You’re going to need to keep me in regular money if you want to stay this way.”

Khloe grinned.  “For this power, I’ll happily pay any price.  But if you’ll be so kind as to give me a few days to get the money, first I need to sink my claws into a man and make him all mine.”

“Sure,” laughed Evie.  “How about we say this first set is completely free, and once you get set up you begin paying me?  Now, my work here is done, now go get them tiger.”

Khloe grinned.  “Ohhh, don’t worry.  I will!”

With a toss of her perfect hair she strutted to the door and out into the street - reborn bad and ready to cause mischief.

CHAPTER 5 - THE FINAL NAILS

Stretching leisurely upon her sun-lounger and admiring her perfect magic nails, Jessie adjusted her tiny bikini and smiled, feeling the envious glances of all the girls nearby focused on her. Their boyfriends were checking her out, and she was already imagining how much fun it would be to fuck them later… maybe two or even three at once?  Making sure they were watching, she picked up a bottle of lotion and began rubbing it into her flawless skin, enjoying how hot it made her look and making sure it went all over her tits and chest so the boys could see.

It was now three weeks since she’d completed her corruption of Nikki and her final defeat of Chloe and Jessie was enjoying a well-deserved break.  Convincing the Principal of the school to let her have a three week holiday had been simplicity itself now that she basically ran the place.  She’d left Nikki in charge during her absence and had taken herself down to a luxury resort - all paid for by her Daddy’s money.

It was funny - but she hadn’t heard much from her Daddy or Annabelle for several weeks now, but she’d been far too busy enjoying herself to investigate.  Turning onto her back, she luxuriated in the sensation of the sun on her body and relaxed, until to her surprise she suddenly heard a voice at her ear.

“Miss?”

“Yes?” 

Jessie opened her eyes and looked at a nervous looking hotel employee curiously.  What did this loser want?

“Ahem… Miss? I’m terribly sorry to interrupt you, but there seems to be a problem…”

“What?”

“Your, ummm, your credit card has been declined.  Your account appears to have been frozen.  The manager has noticed you have run up quite a tab and we were worried that…”

“What? Impossible!  You idiots must have made some sort of mistake!”

“I’m afraid there is no mistake…”

It quickly transpired that for some reason Jessie’s credit had been cut off.  Stunned and outraged she tried to ring her father and Annabelle but neither would answer.  Instead she received a message from her Father saying he was on his way and would explain when he got there.  Meanwhile Jessie was forced to endure the humiliation of sitting in the lobby under-guard with all her luggage whilst the manager looked at her disapprovingly.

Finally after several hours her Daddy arrived, but there was no sign of Annabelle.  Jessie’s mouth dropped open as her Dad entered accompanied by a stunning woman - a stranger with a perfect bimbo body and a killer set of nails.  It was strange - there was something almost familiar about the woman, but Jessie couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Daddy, what the fuck is going on?  Where is Annabelle? Why am I cut off?”

To her outrage her Daddy didn’t answer, but instead looked at his companion - as if he were looking for her permission to speak.  

“Hello Jessica darling.  I’m afraid your Step-Mother is currently in hospital… she had a terrible car accident almost three weeks ago and is currently in a coma.  Don’t worry though - I’m sure my Sister will pull round soon.  In the meantime I’m... looking after... your Daddy.” 

The words just hung there suggestively as Jessie’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Annabelle doesn’t have a sister - this is bullshit.  What’s happening here?”

“Oh my dear - what a suspicious mind you have.  Are you implying that I am impersonating your step-mom’s sister just to get close to your family?  You really are quite the madame.  As I told your Father, you’re getting quite out of control.  Luckily for me that he’s agreed to cut you off and rein you in.” 

The superior smirk plastered across this bitches face as she dropped the bombshell made Jessie's blood boil. “You?  You’ve done this!  You’ll regret this you bitch!”

“Oh… will I?  Your Daddy agrees with me that during this difficult time, it’s time for you to play the dutiful daughter.  You will go to the hospital every night to be with Annabelle and read to her, and your allowance has been cut to the minimum. Ohhhh, I’ve also cancelled all your hair and nail appointments.  That is a pity as your nails are looking a bit shabby dear, I don’t think they’ll last much longer - but going without will teach you an important lesson.”

Jessie’s heart skipped a beat and a cold sweat broke out on her brow.  No… this couldn’t be real.  Without her magic nails, she’d revert back to her old powerless self.  This couldn’t be happening! She wanted to shout and scream at this stupid bitch - but she realised that would be a bad idea.  This dumb MILF couldn’t possibly realise about the magic nails - Jessie just needed to bide her time and win her over.  

“I’ll arrange for your hotel bill to be paid this time and then we are heading back home, I’m sooo looking forward to getting to know you better."

*** ***

The hospital room was sterile and white - it was a private room of course, paid for by Jessie’s rich Father  In the bed lay Annabelle - completely unconscious.  Jessie couldn’t believe how old and pathetic she looked.  Her former busty beauty was gone and she looked like a very average and tired old lady.  An IV dripped fluids into her arm and flowers and cards stood by the bed.  A machine helped her breathe… the beeping of the monitor the only sound as Jessie gritted her teeth and repressed the urge to scream.

“Mommy - you really need to wake up, I need you.  I’m going to turn back into that loser Jessica if we don’t do something. I finally accepted you as my Mom - I need you to help me. I can’t believe that bitch has done this to us, where did she come from - how did she do this?”

“Haven’t you worked it out yet you dumb bitch?” came a scornful voice from behind her and Jessie whirled around to see her ‘Aunt’ dressed in a fur coat and leopard skin dress leaning by the door.  Her nails were obscenely long and pink, they made Jessie feel inadequate… and a horrible suspicion suddenly crossed her mind.  Were those… magic nails?

“Ahhhh, you’re finally starting to work it out.  Hahah, you thought you’d destroyed me, but I have been reborn and I LOVE the new me so much.”

“Chloe?” gasped Jessie in shock, “But how?”

“You think you are the only one with friends?  I found a way to get my own set of magic nails and become Khloe.  I knew you’d never suspect that I was now this hot MILF.  I love being older and more mature, I feel like such a fucking hot bitch these days and your Daddy is such a good fuck in bed.”

“You’re fucking him?”

“Of course I am.  I’m sucking his big fat dick and riding it every night whilst I take all of Annabelle’s belongings and make them mine.  As soon as this useless bitch finally dies, I’ll console your poor grieving father and make him my new husband.  I’ll be your Step-Mom and you’ll never be rid of me.”

“NO!” screamed Jessie.

“Oh yes… and once I’m fully in control, I’ll make your life a fucking hell.  By then of course, you’ll have turned back into the old you… and this time, you won’t be getting new nails.  You’ll be trapped as a loser, knowing you were once the Alpha bitch - but unable to have the power and the pleasure anymore.”  Khloe laughed and her big tits jiggled as she thought of it.

“How did you do this?” shrieked Jessie.

“Oh it was easy. I waited till Annabelle took the car for a service and I seduced the mechanic.  He was too busy fucking my brains out in the back to notice I’d tampered with the brakelines.  I was hoping to kill the bitch, but this is just as good.  She’s never going to wake up Jessie - she’s a fucking vegetable.”

Jessie screamed and ran at Khloe, raking her nails at the bitches face.  Khloe smirked and easily caught her hands, deflecting her attack and Jessie hit the wall, her nails clattering against it and a chip forming on the end of one sexy claw.  Jessie felt a wave of nausea and weakness suddenly hit her and she had to focus on staying as her better self as her skin began to crawl and she ruthlessly suppressed the old her from returning.

“Awwww, did you chip a nail.  Excellent self control there Jessie… you’re holding your Alpha Bitch form so well - but it can’t last.  I give you, maybe a couple of days before you revert back to normal. Once that happens… you’re truly fucked.  Mmmmmh, it’s been such fun telling you all this and knowing there is nothing you can do to stop me.  Now we should head home, I’m getting horny and your Daddy will want to fuck me.”

Jessie had no choice as the more powerful woman grabbed her in an iron grip and roughly pulled her towards the exit.  Her eyes desperately clung to Annabelle and tears stung her eyes as she looked at her now beloved wicked step-mother. Then… as she was dragged out of the room, her eyes suddenly fell on Annabelle’s hands and a flicker of hope filled her. Annabelle didn’t have any nails on her fingers!

*** ***

Pacing her room as a confused Nikki sat on her bed, Jessie grit her teeth at her subordinates incessant questions and tried to explain it again.

“You don’t need to understand, just do as you’re told.  Khloe is too powerful to beat now, but she’s made a critical mistake.  She thinks Annabelle isn’t coming back - but she is wrong.  These nails contain so much power Nikki.  They make us fucking Goddesses.  With them we can do anything.  You have to find Amiee.  You have to get her to go the hospital.”

“But like why?” asked Nikki.  “Your step-mom is like totally brain-dead.”

“We’ll see about that,” grinned Jessie wickedly.  “I think a little manicure might perk her right up.  If we can restore her to her former power, she’ll easily take care of Khloe."

Jessie didn’t know - not for sure - but she had to keep acting strong in front of her subordinate.  Ambitious beta-girls like Nikki could smell weakness and if the little bitch realised Jessie was in such a bad position, things could get nasty.  So far she’d managed to prevent Nikki realising that Jessie couldn’t provide nails for her anymore, she hoped she wouldn’t work it out.

“But why do I have to go?” asked Nikki in confusion.

“Because Khloe is watching my every move and the bitch has convinced my Dad to ground me. You are the only person who is free to act.  Take this note to Amiee, she’ll know what to do.  Now sneak out of my window and get on with this.  Khloe must never find out you were here.”

Nikki nodded and obeyed, and Jessie watched her with a flicker of hope in her eyes.  A few moments passed, and then suddenly she heard the door to her room open.  Jessie turned round and watched as Khloe walked in with a wicked smirk on her face.  The bitch was carrying a bottle of nail remover and had an emery board and a file.

“Hello Jessie. Your Daddy went out tonight and left me in charge… so I thought we’d do some girly stuff together.  I thought I’d start by helping you remove those tatty nails of yours.  Don’t try to resist, you know it won’t help….”

Jessie whimpered in fear and backed away as Khloe advanced.

***** ****

Amiee looked up irritated from her position on the front desk and glanced at the smirking Evie who was working with one of her old clients.   How had this happened?  She had been the premier nail artist in this bar, until that bitch Evie had someone engineered things so that the bars best client Annabelle had unexpectedly stopped coming.  No one knew the exact details, but an email had been sent from the home address explaining that Annabelle was unsatisfied with her nails and would no longer be supporting them.  Amiee couldn’t believe it.  They had been making such good progress corrupting Jessica and her friend Nikki and ensuring another generation of bitches to bag extremely wealthy husbands to pay for their nails and support their business model. 

As if thinking about her had summoned her, Amiee looked up in surprise as Nikki entered the salon and walked over to her.

“Nikki, a pleasure to see you again,” smiled Amiee.  “Your nails must be getting weak, Jessie’s too… are you here to book an appointment, or is there something else going on here?”

Amiee was no fool and she could tell from Nikki’s expression that something serious was happening.  As the girl gushed out her story, Amiee’s glance flitted back to Evie and her face turned into a grimace of annoyance.  “Now I understand… you did the right thing in coming to me. Don’t worry, we’ll soon put everything back to how it was supposed to be.”

**** **

Jessie wanted to scream, but the ballgag that Khloe had forced into her mouth prevented her.  She was trussed up… her legs and arms bound with rope to stop her from struggling as Khloe delicately applied remover to her hands and began to peel off her magic nails.

“Ohhh I can’t wait to see you turn back to normal. Then my victory will be almost complete.  I decided I made a mistake telling you my plans, so I’m accelerating them.  First I’m going to turn you back into a weak little loser - then I’m going to make you eat my pussy and ass till you worship me as your Goddess.  Once I’ve broken your will - I think we’ll pay a visit to the hospital where a tragic accident is about to befall your beloved Step-Mother.  Such a pity.”

Jessie moaned helplessly as the first nail came loose and her body tingled and ached as the magic was ripped away.  Her delicious golden hair lost its sheen and turned back to it’s unkempt tom-boy state and as more and more of the nails were removed… Jessie began to turn back into Jessica.

Soft pouting lips became dull and plain, hypnotic blue eyes became unremarkable slate orbs and her perfect ass lost its shapes and definition as she became a plain looking girl again.  Khloe laughed, loving every minute of watching her rival lose her power - so pleased at her own corruption and that soon, only she would possess the power.

“Mmmmh, once I’ve got Daddy completely under my power, I’m going to stab my nails into that pathetic boyfriend I used to have and make him mine again.  I’ll turn him into a dumb, big dicked boy-toy for my own pleasure and amusement.  It’s going to feel amazing.”

With a cruel laugh, Khloe tore the final nail from Jessie’s fingers and stared down at the blubbing wreck that had once been an all powerful Alpha-girl.  Giggling she leaned in close.  “Welcome back… Jessica.”

Jessica’s chest shook and tears ran down her face, smearing her once perfect mascara. Having the nails removed and losing her power left her feeling empty and weak.  She was nothing without the nails… nothing without her bitchy strength.  She moaned helplessly as Khloe stood up and rolled up her leopardskin dress to reveal a full set of stockings and hold-ups.  The regal looking bitch, rolled down her tiny black satin panties to reveal her perfect pussy… perfectly trimmed and neat.  Laughing she straddled Jessica and lowered her dripping slit to the other girls face.

“Time to worship your Goddess.”

Jessica groaned as Khloe lowered herself onto her face… smothering her so she couldn’t breathe.  She could smell the bitches pussy on her face, suffocating her and then as Khloe shifted position, her nose and face were deep in the sluts pillowy ass.

“Mmmmmh,” moaned Khloe in depraved triumph, “Don’t worry - I’ll let you breathe again in a minute… but I want you to have a taste of how I’m going to execute your weak pathetic Step-Mom.  She’ll die, smothered by my perfect ass as I replace her and dominate this family.  Think of it as a mercy killing, it’s better this way than her spending the rest of her life on a ventilator.”

Jessica felt so lost and pathetic.  Perhaps it would just be better to give into Khloe, to accept her dominance.  How was she supposed to fight this?

Wow, you really are such a fucking loser… I can’t believe you are just going to let this bitch dominate you like this.  Aren’t you even going to fight back?

A bitchy blonde voice in her head, loaded with contempt brought a wash of adrenaline into Jessica’s body suddenly.  It was Jessie… talking to her.

Maybe you don’t deserve to be me after all.  Maybe Khloe does deserve the magic nails and you don’t. 

Jessica felt a surge of anger as the wicked voice in her head taunted her.  She hadn’t ever wanted to become a bitch - but now she had tasted the power and had become addicted to her Alpha girl lifestyle, she was damned if she was going to let anyone take it from her.  As her anger rose she suddenly realised that without the nails on her body had changed back to its original form. The kickboxing tomboy with the developed upper body strength and powerful aggression.

She tested her bonds, realising they were not tied particularly well and that her transformation had loosened them.  She flexed and wiggled them, Khloe too lost in her facesitting to notice.

“Mmmmh, maybe I will just smother you to death after all,” purred Khloe as she fingered her pussy, enjoying the feeling of power, dominance and revenge.  “Maybe you deserve to die kissing my ass.  You betrayed me and tried to destroy my life Jessica… I thought you were my friend, but I should thank you.  I understand now how good it feels to be an amoral bitch who gets whatever she wants.  Maybe I’ll sit on you till you pass out and the oxygen starves your brain.  After I’ve dealt with Annabelle, maybe we could hook your comatose vegetable body to the machines and leave you there forever.  Ohhhh yes, so many ways I can take my revenge on you.”

Jessica realised Khloe had gone completely insane - she wasn’t sure if the bitch was simply trying to make her afraid or really was now planning to smother her to death too.  Spots swan in her eyes and she struggled to breathe as Khloe pushed her perfect ass down harder on her former friends face and suffocated her.

Khloe was close to cumming, lost in the sensations.  She loved how wicked her nails looked on her fingers as they pushed in and out of her pussy.  She couldn’t believe how good it felt to be an evil bitch.

WHACK.

Khloe screamed as she was suddenly violently thrown from her seat on Jessie’s face.  She crashed to the floor and trying to stand up tripped up over her own panties which were around her ankles.

By the time she got back to her feet it was to see that Jessica was on her feet.  The bitch had managed to get the ropes off her hands and untie her feet too.  The ballgag was still in her mouth, and her eyes blazed hatred and anger as she adopted a kick-boxing pose and Khloe laughed.

“You dumb bitch, you think even in your old body you can take me on?” Khloe hissed and spread her hands like claws, her nails glinting in the light.  “One stab from my nails and I’ll be able to dominate your mind and turn you into my slave… just like you did with Jason.  The only reason I haven’t till now is I’ve been enjoying torturing you so much.”

Jessica unfastened the ball gag and ripped it from her mouth, her eyes cautious now.  She knew the magic nails made Khloe more dangerous than she looked.  “I guess I’m going to have to take my chances.”

They circled each other like panthers, then… with a sudden flurry… they attacked!

**** ***

Nikki watched the door nervously - keeping a look out for any Doctors or Nurses that might come in and interfere with what was happening.  She didn’t entirely understand what was happening - it was funny that she used to be so smart - and these days it was much easier just to do whatever Jessie told her.

She hoped her leader knew what she was doing… after all, how was putting nails on a comatose woman supposed to help?

Amiee crouched by the bed, concentrating intently on applying the nails to Annabelle’s fingers. As each one slid into place, the monitor by Annabelle’s bed would beep and fluctuate as if something were happening to stimulate her body and mind.  Her aging body seemed to look better already.  The bruises and cuts from the car crash were vanishing and the grey in her hair was fading to return to silky blackness.  Her sagging breasts seemed to be firming up and getting bigger on her chest too.  It was like Annabelle was being reborn.

A static charge seemed to build up in the room as Amiee prepared to apply the final nail.  Suddenly the heart monitor began to chirp as Annabelle’s heart began to race and brain activity began to register on the monitor.  Sliding the final nail onto Annabelle’s finger, Amiee grinned as the body in front of her convulsed and the heart monitor flatlined.

But Annabelle wasn’t dead.  Instead her beautiful eyes had flown open and she was ripping the ventilator and the wires from her body as she came back to life.  She flexed her nailed fingers and groaned as she sat up - revived by their power and back to her old self

“Amiee… Nikki… what the hell is going on? And where is Jessie?”  

**** ***

Jessica kicked out, but to her horror Khloe blocked the blow and moved into her guard.  She screamed as the powerful bitch stabbed her nails into her neck, and she felt all the will and resistance drain out of her.  

“Good girl,” hissed Khloe, “I guess we’ll just have to do this the easy way.”

A wonderful calm filled Jessica as she realised Goddess Khloe had won.  Her mind and body were just playthings for her Mistress now and Goddess Khloe would soon reprogram her into a perfect slave.  She couldn’t wait.

Khloe grinned as she felt her power flow into Jessica.  Her back to the bedroom door, she revelled in her victory.  For one scary moment there, she had thought Jessica had found a way to break free and escape her fate.  It was a shame, she had wanted to torment and tease the bitch for longer - but she couldn’t take any further risks.  She would wipe Jessica’s mind of all knowledge of the nails and turn her back into a tomboy.  Then she would torment and tease her forever, Jessica never understanding why her new Step-Mom was so evil and mean to her.  Jessie’s head lolled helplessly on her chest as Khloe prepared to fully dominate her mind and felt her magic nails tingle in anticipation.

It’s now or never bitch… this is your final chance to stay as me and be the Queen.

Jessie felt Khloe’s spell on her break.  She knew she only had a few seconds of will power gifted to her by her alter-ego.  With a savage roar she threw her head back and felt it connect with Khloe’s face… there was a sharp crack… and the world went black.

**** ****

Annabelle was furious.  When she finally got her hands on this bitch Khloe she would make the slut understand the meaning of suffering.  Flanked by Amiee and Nikki she hurled open the door to her home and stormed inside, ready to confront and fight Khloe.  But she stopped in amazement at the scene that greeted her.

Chloe sat in the middle of the room, firmly bound to a chair - a ball gag deep in her mouth.  By the chair sat a nail removal kit and it was clear that someone had already taken the magic nails from her.  Tears streaked her face, and there was real fear in her eyes.

“I just thought I’d give her a taste of her own medicine,”  laughed a voice and Annabelle purred happily as her step-daughter crashed into her and gave her a huge hug.  “Mommy, you’re okay - I knew the nails could save you.”

“I was heading here to save you my dear,” grinned Annabelle, “But it seems you truly are the Alpha bitch.  Even without the nails, you’ve defeated Chloe.  What happened?”

“She nearly had me,” shivered Jessica, “but I managed to head butt her and she fell and banged her head on the bed frame.  She was out cold, so I trussed her up - properly this time, and took the nails off her.  She can’t hurt us anymore.”

“Jessica,” giggled Nikki as she saw her old friend was back, “You’re back to normal… eugh, you look awful.  Guess I’m the hottest girl at school now.”

“Not for long, so don’t get any funny ideas Nikki,” smiled Jessica nastily, “I’m going right back to being a bitch.  Amiee… I desperately need a new nail appointment.  I need to be Jessie again, she is the real me, Jessie is who I truly am now.”

Annabelle smiled.  It was so pleasing to see the corruption had fully taken hold.  Even stripped of the nails, Jessica had no interest in her old life. She only wanted to be an Alpha Bitch now and Annabelle was pleased she finally had a step-daughter she could be proud of.  And she really was proud of her. Jessie had more than proven she had the iron will to take her place as the leader of the next generation of bitches that would continue to use the salon and wear the magic nails. One day Jessie would choose her own apprentice and Annabelle only hoped her step-daughter would be just as pleased with her own protégé as she had been with hers.

Amiee grinned,  “I’ll sort you out right away babe… right after I deal with a certain bitch who seems to have gotten ideas above her station… I do so love a happy ending.”

**** ***

Evie glowered sullenly as she watched Jessie leaving the salon with her bitchy Step-Mom… two Goddesses on their way to a life of luxury and power.  She couldn’t believe she’d been demoted… again!  She giggled and smiled to herself as she thought of all the chaos she’d caused… then again it was a lot of fun… maybe it had been worth it after all. 

Jessie felt so relieved to be back to her true self, she vainly admired her immaculate nails and checked her makeup was perfectly on point.  Her step-mom Annabelle smiled to herself as she drove the car home, reminded of their first journey to the salon, what seemed a lifetime ago.  Jessie had come such a long way and finally everything was as it should be.

Pulling up in the driveway the two women strode into their home.   “Slave, go clean my car… and don’t forget to wax it too. I’m going upstairs to entertain my husband. I’m still getting him fully back under control.”

“Yes Mistress,” squeaked Slave as she hurried in her naughty French maid outfit to obey her Goddesses commands.  Humming happily as she began to clean the car.  It was funny, she had no idea who she really was, all she knew was that she had to obey her Mistresses.  It made her so happy to just obey.

Watching her former friend, now a brainwashed slave eagerly cleaning the car, Jessie shook her head in amusement.  “Pathetic.”

She strutted out into the garden wearing her favourite swimsuit and laying down on a lounger, began to sunbathe.  Her enemies were all defeated, her reign as Queen Bee now unopposed. Sure she was kept busy running her clique and manipulating everyone around her - but that was hardly work… It was more like fun.

Being an Alpha Bitch wasn’t an easy task, but Jessie was finally convinced.

She had completely nailed it…

THE END

[floralcrematorium]

a little band AU concept i'll never go back to,,,

I don't know why I keep making Nat suffer, but alas I enjoy working with her and like to build her up after I break her

Anyway. Band AU Nat... Nat's stage presence is very dramatic and there's a bit of symbolism in most everything she does. This specific exploration was about the breakdown of AmeBel -- It was a mutually destructive relationship and both Natalya and Alfred lost sense of their identities. This specific costume sees an engagement ring on a chain, a sheer dress (which I had originally colored white to play with it looking like a wedding dress, but I didn't like it with the color palette and think the black fits better with the theme of mourning), and simple undergarments. The sheer dress is a bit of a veil, a way to symbolize how Natalya's true character was always shrouded from the public. The leotard and corset "undergarments" are meant to show that she's bare - She's showing her true self now, this is Natalya, and she won't be wearing the vision of a false version of herself like a costume anymore. The engagement ring with the broken chain was her way of saying how her relationship with Alfred was something keeping her trapped, it is that very relationship which saw to her rise in fame, and her subsequent feeling of being bound to play pretend.

Both succumb to the pressures of fame and needing to form their images to stay relevant; Alfred wasn't as well known before his relationship with Nat & his newfound identity is fraudulent. Nat on the other hand had an established career, and everything she once knew comes crumbling down (think back to this summer and how Chappell Roan practically became famous overnight)

I don't think Nat would usually lose sight of herself in a relationship the way she does in band AU -- she knows what she wants and is bold. My typical Natalya characterization is that while there are some things she's insecure about, they're not overwhelming and she's rather content to just be her. The difference with Band AU Nat is that under the spotlight, her means of making a living depend entirely on popularity and public perception. When she enters a relationship with this up and coming star whose audience is very different from her own and she's suddenly catapulted into the mainstream, it's incredibly difficult to adjust to.

I think post breakup she works through the events of the last few years in her life in a sort of "comeback" album - a return to form for her, using the genre, sounds, and imagery she used prior to the relationship. Things that make her, her. The artistry which makes her happy. Her comeback album is one of mourning, anger, and begrudging acceptance for not only the failed relationship but for her own character and journey as a musician. She ends up pretty well off in the end, I think. I want her to have a happy ending. I want Nat to make the decision to leave herself, to take back her identity.

Another thing I'd thought of is that down the line, Nat and Tereza (Miss Czechia) end up in a relationship. Natalya and Tereza have history together in the industry -- Tereza is a set designer with as much love for symbolism and visual narrative for Nat. She loves to incorporate hidden messages into the stage and music video sets she composes. Nat adores working with Tereza -> They respect one another as artists and no ideas are weird or shameful

Lyrics from:

• Love Will Bring You Nothing, Mishkin Fitzgerald

• THE DINER, Billie Eilish

• Seventeen, Birdeatsbaby

• Nothing Lasts, Glycerine

• Truce, The Dresden Dolls

Natalya Playlist

[gabessquishytum]

https://www.tumblr.com/athymelyreply/741449177837584384/reggyjester-skeletalroses-so-this-is-a?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/phoebo-fugiente/741458451982630912?source=share

--------

So between these two posts taking me out at the knees for different reasons, I now have Corset Thoughts:

Dream is corsetiere and he vends at his local Renaissance Faire. His corsets are all handmade, high quality and absolutely beautiful. He's very popular and his stall is always full of customers, especially because he accommodates so many different body types.

Hob is at the Renaissance Faire with his girlfriend, and it is her goal to get one of Dream's corsets. She's saved up her money, brought her measurements, etc. Hob decides to indulge her and try on one of the men's corsets Dream has available, and he has a million realizations at once about his body and how good it can look in a well fitting corset.

Ultimately, Hob doesn't buy his own corset even though his girlfriend agrees he looks amazing and absolutely deserves to have a nice quality corset of his own. But Hob is saving up money to propose, and he just doesn't have the extra cash to spend it on an impulse. His girlfriend leaves happily with her purchase though and swears they'll be back next year to get her a second one AND Hob's first corset.

One year later, Hob is back but he's alone this time. Turns out they wanted different things in life so they broke up and it's fine. They're still friendly. But Hob hasn't stopped thinking about that corset. Or the gorgeous coset maker at the Faire. And now that he no longer has a girlfriend to buy an engagement ring for, he now has a lot of extra cash to buy himself a corset... or three.

Hi this is so good!!!! I’m super obsessed with corsets in general and I am constantly in awe of corsetieres, their craftsmanship, and their dedication to making things that are size inclusive. The fact that we’re all acknowledging now that men in corsets are fucking incredible is a very good thing indeed.

I’m just imagining Dream’s face lighting up because he remembers Hob from the previous year and was hoping he’d come back. If he’s honest with himself he’s VERY attracted to Hob but he disguises his interest by asking if he can take a few pictures while Hob tries on the various available styles. He’s trying to get as many pictures as possible for his website so he can show that corsets are perfect for everyone! And Hob looks so good, he clearly belongs front and centre in Dream’s new marketing strategy…

So Hob hands over his measurements, and Dream brings out a selection of different designs for him to try. Most are the traditional laced up variety, but he’s also been experimenting with Velcro as some people can’t manage the laces so easy. Hob gushes on about how talented and thoughtful Dream is, and he seems to be completely in his element as he tries each one on and poses for photos. Dream blushes and stammers and asks if Hob’s girlfriend liked her corset? Which leads to Hob explaining about the breakup.

Dream feels a huge sense of relief, and doesn’t feel quite so terrible about the fact that he can’t keep his eyes off Hob’s fantastic tits. The way the corset compresses the fabric of his shirt and makes absolutely sure that his chest hair is visible is driving Dream wild. His hands are shaking so much, he’s not even sure if the pictures he’s taking will be in focus.

Hob finally decides which corsets he’ll be taking home, and he can’t resist kissing the back of Dream’s hand in thanks. And when he cautiously asks if Dream would care to meet him at the mead tent when he’s due for a break, Dream nearly abandons his stall altogether just at the mere offer. Luckily, one of the other vendors offers to watch his stall for a bit, so Hob is able to spirit Dream away just for a little while. Yes, they do spend the whole time making out in a quiet corner, and yes, Dream does finally cop a feel of the Hoboobies.

Hob is about to have sooooo many pretty outfits designed just for him, the lucky bastard. In all fairness, he was absolutely made to wear corsets. Dream definitely isn’t letting him go!

[donttouchhadesbaklava]

Don't know if you know ('cause I sure didn't until yesterday) but Disney actually touched a little on the relationship between Hades and Persephone. Yeah, I know, shocking.

But when? And where? Well let's see...

Disney has this series of book, that are sort of What if? scenarios of their most popular stores. And one of them was this one here.

Now, it's not that flashed out (since it’s not the focal point of the story) but we do see H&P together.

At that point in the book, Seph is "missing" and we find out she went to live with Hades (willingly). And they're so cute together. I mean, look at this:

(She calls him "my sweet" btw)

And, when Persephone goes back to the surface, it's to show her mother the engagement ring Hades give her.

So, yeah. Thought you'd like to know.

'K, bye!

Yes! I remember when this came out! I did purchase the book when it was for pre-order on amazon. It didn't come for a whole month 😭. I think I stayed up till 2am for the audio book to come out. Fastest purchase of my life 🫠.

It's definitely one of my favourites. Yea, the story could have done with some more touch-ups. Bummer that Persephones design wasn't the one from the movie. But it was a good read regardless. ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

Here's my bookshelf dedicated to Hades. The only merch I have of him is books 💀🖤.

[biancadoes1]

That Chupi ring is a custom piece designed by Nic to include things important to her. Those are Luke, Bridgerton (S3 specifically) and her Irish heritage. But the ring is so popular now that of course they‘ll try to rebrand it to appeal to a broader audience. It‘s a company, they want to make money…It‘s still listed as an engagement ring (or rather again). This changes nothing about Nic‘s feelings about the ring or its significance.

Exactly.

The meaning still remains the same for Nicola but agreed, the ring has had so many eyes on it, it's bound to change meaning for those who purchase or promote one.

Ring truthers stay winning and we won't ever lose.

[hyugaswhore]

ᴛʜᴇ ᴇx-ꜰɪʟᴇꜱ ꜰᴛ. ʟᴇᴠɪ ᴀᴄᴋᴇʀᴍᴀɴ ✦ paradise

you stirred awake as a raucous sound blared from your phone. golden rays flooded your vision, causing you to squint in annoyance, harshly tapping the screen that disturbed your beauty sleep. you pulled the blankets around you as you shuffled again to try to go back to sleep. but with the sun shining brightly through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the echoes of the alarm still ringing in your ears, you groaned loudly and turned on your phone. seeing the big, bold 11:07 am on the lockscreen, you blinked once, twice. 

shit. 

panic filled your veins as you shot up from the fluffy bed, hurrying over to the bathroom as you sent a quick text to your manager and agent. 

you rolled your eyes at the blond’s messages, scoffing as you stepped into the shower, deciding to take your sweet time. who schedules a 10:30 AM shoot anyway?

the loud clacks of your heels echoed in the large lobby, nodding to the receptionist as you passed by. your face scrunched upon feeling the vibrations in your pocket. fishing your phone out, you opened it and smirked at the text.

you chuckled in amusement, changing your course and heading over to the designated studio smugly. 

of course he already had a new shoot waiting for you. with the way your popularity was skyrocketing, it was clear what the people wanted. and you’re hot, who wouldn’t want more? 

pushing open the doors, your lips pulled into a grimace looking at the bright lights and decorated set. with a heavy sigh, you walked further into the room. this is gonna be a long day…

you sighed in satisfaction, walking off the set and stretching. you stiffened as you met icy blue eyes, flinching slightly before walking over to him. 

“studio d13, one hour.” 

scrunching your brows, you mocked him as he walked away. catching your eyes, the photographer flashed a thumbs up at you while you smiled in return. but that smile soon fell as you walked into your private dressing room, plopping down onto the bed. 

your eyes widened as you read the tweet over and over again. blood rushed through you as the silence of the room became deafening. before you knew it, your fingers flew across the screen in hopes of not yelling out personal grievances to your coworkers.

you slammed your phone down, grumbling in irritation as you closed your eyes, taking a well deserved nap.

masterlist — next ↠

ꜱʏɴ✦ᴘꜱɪꜱ after the sudden news of your ex's engagement, you aired out your grievances without a second thought. and oh, that wasn't your burner account?

[eatifa]

do you remember? part 1

a/n - hello! this is inspired by a tiktok edit. i mainly posted this to remind myself that i can write. i was planning to do more characters but it was becoming long.

part 2 - draken, baji, kazutora

part 3 - izana, ran and sanzu - this part is dark so please read the trigger warnings

concept - seeing her again, a person that they used to know.

starring - mikey, koko, chifuyu

mikey doesn't like getting attached.

mikey already been scarred by losing his older brother at such a young age. emotions and feelings were a risk, another thing that could pull at his heartstrings if things went wrong.

it would be foolish to dive into a red light zone with a clear do not enter sign but he could never forget about you. the girl that caught his attention from his high school days.

she was just a nobody, another student in his class but he could never forget about her timid and shy smile. the popular girls would throw himself at him but he couldn't remember none of their name expect for the girl that he felt drawn to.

the time flew by and mikey still lived by that golden rule by just doing one night stand with girls that he would forget about the next day. he would leave without a goodbye since it wasn't needed. their phone calls would be block since clingy girls kept ignoring his hints.

but seeing her again behind the counter belonging to a coffee shop is something that he couldn't ignore. for the first time, mikey wanted to take another risk with someone but he was afraid that it would end into another tragedy.

the spark of moving on burned the thread of doubt as he made a order with the girl that he met many years ago.

koko - saying something that couldn't be taken back.

koko couldn't remember the ignitor that destroyed everything with his fiancee. it must been a petty thing but enough for the anger to cloud his better judgement.

"you're only with me for my money."

a simple sentence. it was a mistake. she didn't see it that way. her slap caused koko's cheek to sting was a sensation that hurts him. but the tears that sprung to her eyes and removing the gold engagement ring from her finger and throwing it in his direction was the thing that kept haunting him.

but nothing could be done. his fiancee was not the forgiving type. a girl that inui introduced him during high school. a girl that he dated before he became successful.

the only woman that held his hand and accepted him despite not being able to offer her anything. she could never been with him for the money because he never had any when the relationship started.

she did not care. she just accepted him for who he was and she still didn't change despite his life beginning to change. the demands for materialistic things never arrived. a person that didn't switch on koko when his fortunates changed for the better.

a woman that could never be a gold digger. her true colours never came out because she didn't have any. getting the feelings of his fiancee to return is something that money could never buy.

the thing that he wanted the most but money couldn't fix it. koko tried moving on but the other girls were too shallow or would bash the lashes when they wanted him to get something for them.

their personalities switching when koko would say no or their complaints irked him. the man rather be alone and he chose that option but the loneliness would get to him.

koko may be rich but he was still just a person.

a man that kept yearning for a girlfriend that stayed with the rags version of him.

absence made the heart fonder and the failed attempts along with the years passing by made him realised he did the biggest mistake of his life.

it's been years. she is probably married and had started her own family.

a thought that brought koko pain where he should forget about the past but he couldn't.

not being able to let go caused him to recognise her straight away. an assistant decorating a mannequin of the designer clothing store that he just entered.

seeing her must be an illusion. she turned around when the manager called out her name and seeing the similar and comforting face caused the memories rushing back.

the first date. the first kiss. the yes. slipping on the engagement ring.

koko wanted to reach out again and locking his eyes with his ex fiancee could be the start of something new.

"sir, do you need my assistance?"

her formal question was directed at him.

koko was just a mere customer in her eyes.

chifuyu - he couldn't control his insecurities.

chifuyu didn't know about the concept of casual. when the feelings start developing, his heart would always be attached to the flowers that he would give to the love of his life.

chifuyu couldn't confess. the aspect of uncertainty made him crawl back into the shell that hid the low self-esteem. being friends was better than creating a dent into the relationship with someone that would always be out of his reach.

his crush began noticing the slight differences, the stuttered answers, avoiding eye contact and the pause that would always happen before asking a personal question.

but she simply did not care.

she proved him wrong.

moving into together with the girl that captured his heart was no longer a dream but became the reality that he secretly wished for. he would wake up to see her soft sleeping form next to him along with planting a kiss on the top of her head.

the sweet fragrance of her hair became his favourite scent, another small cherished detail ingrained inside his heart. the perfect way to start the morning with the person that made his heart skip a beat.

the sunrise illuminating love couldn't be replace by the pitch black of the night. the strong foundation of trust couldn't be destroy by anything.

it will never happen.

the whispers of that she was falling in love with another student attending her university pinged into his direct messages. chifuyu just saw it as spam that he would just delete without opening it.

"get lost."

chifuyu tried stopping his girlfriend from storming out of the apartment but her death glare and the hostile tone froze him to the spot.

her cries startled chifuyu too much that he couldn't help but reach out for his phone since she left thirty minutes ago. a petty fight that spiralled out of control but he accidentally hit a nerve.

a simple apology would fix everything but seeing her phone next to his made him panicked. the time on the screen read out 11:30PM and the anxiety started forming.

a young woman is out at night without a phone to call for help. imaging the worst case scenarios made chifuyu dart for his grey coat along with shoving the phones into the pockets.

it was the worst time to get another message about the fake love interest that kept being spread around. chifuyu would ignore it but seeing the photo of his apparent love rival made him forget about the emergency.

he was too good looking. the fight made chifuyu think that it would be the end. unlocking her phone to check if she was messaging him was a moment of weakness.

"Chifuyu?" the blond spun around to see his love without a scratch on her. there was nothing to worry abo-

"What are you doing?" Chifuyu had forgotten about his treacherous act but seeing the betray glint in her eyes made him realised.

the damage was done.

the end of the most loving relationship that he ever had. chifuyu tried replacing the void but no one could replace her. chifuyu couldn't control his insecurities and he ended up hurting his true love. the innocent soul that did nothing wrong and chifuyu just couldn't forget about her but some people didn't deserve chances.

chifuyu knew he was one of them so he didn't begged her to stay and she didn't.

but the feelings couldn't be snuffed out no matter how hard he would try to stamp them out.

she was his first love but she was never coming back.

chifuyu tried to move on and he waiting to meet another girl for their date. a trip to the amusement park but seeing another figure walked pass him as he waited outside the train station.

his only one true love.

the feelings urged him to reach out and grab her arm. time heals everything and it's been years but chifuyu couldn't do it.

the guilt reminded him that it wasn't a good idea. chifuyu ran inside the train station.

he never like dealing with confrontation.

[eva-knits12]

Steve's Birthday Proposal.

Trigger warning: fluff

Summary: Steve throws a birthday party for you, and you get a shiny new penny!

You're sitting in the backseat of the car, with Happy driving. You're on your way to a local Italian restaurant and you can't wait for tonight. Steve would make this much sweeter, but he's at the restaurant with the rest of the Avengers.

The servers are done setting up the gift table, and they've set up a table with appetizers. The soup and salad course will be next, then the main course. The dessert table and cake will be last.

Steve is busy talking to Natasha, and he has his drink in his hand. Natasha has never been to a birthday party, not even as a child. So, this is a huge thing for her. Natasha and Steve are talking, then Bruce joins in.

Tony is busy talking to Pepper, and Thor and Hawkeye are busy talking. Thor is busy eating every appetizer. His favorite? Thor loves the Caprese salad kebabs.

Steve is busy fiddling with the engagement ring in his pocket. The gift table is full of large gifts and smaller ones.

"Okay, there, Capsicle?" asks Tony.

"I'm fine, Tony," says Steve.

"I'm not the one standing here, getting ready to ask the biggest question of his life, Are you sure (Y/N) is fine with marrying someone old enough to be a pensioner?" asks Tony.

"Okay, Tony, Let's get some appetizers in you," says Pepper.

Pepper leads Tony to the appetizer table. Tony grabs a few appetizers, and has his scotch on his table.

Steve is now talking with Hawkeye. Laura is talking with Nick Fury.

Happy arrives, and he lets you out of the car. He leads you to the room. You're wearing your favorite purple dress with black high heels and black panty hose. You have a purple clutch.

Steve comes over and greets you.

"Hi, doll. Happy birthday. I love you so much," says Steve.

"Thanks, Steve," you say, kissing him lovingly.

"Hi, (Y/N). Happy birthday," says Natasha.

You go to talk and grab a drink and some appetizers. You're starving. You haven't eaten anything since lunch, and that was at 11:30 a.m. this morning. You wanted to get back to your and Steve's shared apartment early in order to get ready for tonight. You wanted to take a bubble bath, and then get dressed and put on your makeup.

Steve had come home before you. He showered, and had his military dress suit laid out, and he had his hair combed. He looked good, He even had on his dress shoes.

Eventually, everyone sits down, and the soup and salad course is served. You and Steve grab a little of each, and it's the Italian wedding soup, and a nice, simple side salad. You cover it in Italian dressing.

Then you guys have the main course, which is pasta bolognese. Steve sneaks a kiss.

Then, the cake is served, and the wait staff comes out with a cake for you. It has several candles, and you blow out each one after everyone has sung "Happy birthday".

You then eat your slice of cake. You have vanilla ice cream on the side. Steve is looking at you lovingly.

Tony can't wait until this is over.

"Why did Steve get to throw this?" asks Tony.

"Maybe because he wanted to make (Y/N)'s birthday special. (Y/N) does so much for others, it's time that we do something for her," says Pepper.

Natasha starts to give you your gifts. Hawkeye got you a really cool knitting needle set. Natasha got you an original edition of To Kill A Mockingbird. Tony and Pepper got you a Kate Spade purse that you had your eye on. You knew you couldn't afford it, so Tony and Pepper got it for you. Bucky and Sam got you a simple gold chain.

Everyone said something nice about you.

Now, it was Steve's turn.

Steve reaches into his pocket, pulling out the small, black velvet box.

"(Y/N), you're so strong, and beautiful. Every day with you has been filled with nothing but love and adventure. From that first day when I came out of the ice, you were there, trying to keep those papers in order. I was navigating a new world in a new place in a new century. I stopped to help you. You were ever so grateful. I fell in love with you that day, and I haven't stopped. (Y/N) (Y/M/N) (Y/L/N), will you marry me? Will you do me the honor of being my wife?" asks Steve.

"YES! I love you so much, Steve. You are a beautiful soul, a gentlemen, and I love you. Yes, I will love to be your wife!" you answer.

Steve slides the ring on the third finger of your left hand. It's a beautiful, vintage ring that you knew was Steve's mother's engagement ring. He was going to donate it to the Smithsonian, but he just couldn't do that. He kept it instead. It sat in his underwear drawer, waiting for the right time.

You and Steve exchange a loving kiss.

Tony and Pepper start to load up your gifts in Tony's BMW. Pepper was in the passengers seat, trying to fight another wave of nausea. She hadn't eaten much, and you were concerned. But, tonight wasn't the time to make the announcement.

Tony helps bring your gifts to your and Steve's shared apartment. Pepper rushed to her and Tony's apartment. She just wanted to tell Tony and the Avengers her good news.

"Steve, I love you. I love you so much," you say.

"(Y/N), I love you so much, doll," says Steve.

You and Steve slow dance a bit for a while, then you two get ready for bed. You both collapse on the bed, because you're both exhausted.

The next morning, you wake up in Steve's arms, your shiny new engagement ring sparkling in the early morning sunlight. You two decide to go out for pancakes that morning, and you're both in your sweats. Tony gives you the day off, and you and Steve decide to snuggle in bed for the entire day.

[importantdestinydefendor]

I'd love to see your noblesse ocs in 10 (in a suit)! Getting the RK treatment, you know. Though I guess it'd also be 7 since I want to see them both <3

What good choices!

I had a lot of fun with these prompts! I have not really posted about these two and I really need to change that! Also I am not too sure about Toths design. He looks way too much like Rael (I think it's the hair ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!).

Have some facts about these two!

First, Tale:

Tale is not a pure blood noble (her mother was a human)

She is the same height as Raizel - 188 cm/6'2

She is the same age as Frankenstein

Her favourit colour is green

She loves baking - her mothers side of the family owns a little cafe

After her parents death she was raised by many different generations of her mothers family and Gejutel, who was her fathers best friend

Tale was engaged to Toths father befor they were forcfully seperated - she still wears the engagment ring

She is the current family/clan leader of the Faruq clan - that makes her the fifth family/clan leader

About the family:

The Faruq family are the judges of the nobles

The family is based on egyptian mythology - they are Anubis (think Karias being cupid)

They are the weakest family since most of the family leaders are alive - besides two

Together they are the strongest and only together they can pass judgment on family/clan leaders

Toth:

He is the second oldest of the current youngest noble generation (right after Rajak)

He is 182 cm/5'11

He is a scientist like his parents - much to his mothers dissmay (she can't count how many times she had to replace the lab)

He is only a quarter noble (his father is a human)

His best friend is/was Rajak (this hurts to write *sobs* Rajak...)

He loves reading and researching everything

He sometimes works part-time at the cafe as a waiter - he is very popular amongst customers much to his annoyance

His name originally was suppossed to be Joan. But I have now changed it to Toth.

Sooo yeah! I think that is all for now! One more fact for good measure: They both work as doctors and scientists at the KSA.

Can you guess who Toths father is? ( • ̀ω•́ )✧

Close up under cut