#pretty solid climax too i felt like even though i think like. when you have a book that's a lot of Suspense Throughout natch the climax like

[elvhenmage]

i finally finished bg3 for the first time and am now wondering what your thoughts are on the ending/epilogue.

i kind of got lucky because i romanced gale (which gave him and my tav exactly the ending i was hoping for) and my tav's best friends were wyll and karlach so their joint epilogue ending was cool as well. but beyond that, i feel a little empty :( i could say lae'zel also kind of got closure for me, but astarion just had to run off screaming because the sun hurts him now and the others didn't even say anything. the moment before you head out for battle where all your allies say one last thing about you honestly felt more emotional to me than the moment you last see your companions.

i think a little celebration at the end where you could talk to the characters one last time would be cool but i wish we at least got DAI-style narration over pictures, just to know how everyone is doing (and i feel like that wouldn't be too hard to make?). it's like i got ripped out of the story at its storm-like climax and not at the "clouds parted, sun out: we get to finally go to sleep without worries" ending i'm used to in pretty much all media. idk if it's just me though.

NO IT IS NOT JUST YOU…. man i had so much to say abt this when i first beat the game but apparently i put it NOWHERE except into my best friend’s brain. so lemme see what i can say.

i also got the karlach and wyll in avernus ending and i rly liked it, that felt like a solid ending. nicely wrapped up their quest lines. but that was rly it?? nothing happened with shadowheart, the only thing i remember is her commenting that we’d be seen as heroes in baldur’s gate if we stayed. i had to convince lae’zel not to run off on me because i didn’t free orpheus, and i was mostly satisfied with that bc it seems like it opened her up to truly find her own path in life. i fucked up gale’s bc i didn’t really process the mystra deal so i told him to leave that damn crown in the water, and he kinda went “i guess that’s for the best” and that was like, the end of it.

so chronologically i ‘finished’ gale, lae’zel, and shadowheart, and then i got the astarion scene where he runs off because of the sun before karlach and wyll’s final scene. my literal love interest was in so much sudden pain that he had to flee the scene, and i didn’t get a single dialogue option to respond with? nothing but one companion making a smart mouthed and/or indifferent comment? and i couldn’t go after him bc that was immediately followed up by karlach’s final scene (which only had wyll and halsin present, for some reason). yeah you could say i was unhappy LMAO and that’s not even to mention his actual epilogue which - spoilers - is maybe two minutes of dialogue in an unknown location that doesn’t even discuss his hasty exit and feels barely more than a chat between friends. and now even THAT’S bugged 😭

anyway i think you’re so so right, i absolutely think we needed a final companion get together like in dai. they literally in the end dialogues talk about going to a tavern or something and i think had we gotten that instead of the disjointed scene on the shoreline it could’ve felt more conclusive and satisfying, bc it did feel very abrupt overall

also i think there was actually meant to be epilogue slides at some point? that could be a rumor though idk but that would’ve been nice too bc as it stands the only companions that i have any knowledge about post-game are astarion, wyll, and karlach. three out of nine people i had recruited. it’s weird! it’s disappointing! i came out of my first time beating the game mostly underwhelmed because act three felt so messy to get through and there wasn’t much of a payoff. i definitely see why so many people don’t finish act three…

anyway i’m typing all this in a car rn so i hope it makes sense but tldr you are not alone!! the ending/epilogue was largely unsatisfying for me as well 😔

[catzlife]

04.05.03

Today was another shift at the new place. It’s been a few months since I left the old restaurant, but every day still feels like I’m stepping into a new chapter of my life. The vibe here is just...different. Livelier. Maybe because it's more upscale, or maybe it’s because I’ve finally got a handle on the rhythm here.

But here’s the thing that's been on my mind lately—the attention. Beautiful women seem to notice me more, and I’m still wrapping my head around why. Back at the old place, I never got this kind of attention. Sure, a friendly smile here and there, but nothing like this. Now, it feels like every other table has someone shooting glances my way, striking up conversations, and even flirting.

I’m not complaining, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I’ve never really felt like the guy who turns heads. Maybe it’s the clothes we have to wear, or something. Or could it be that I’m just projecting a different energy now that I’m in a different environment?

Whatever it is, I’m grateful. It’s kind of fun to see where this goes, and who knows, maybe I'll meet someone special because of it. But man, it’s still strange to think that just a few months ago, I was the same guy, at a different restaurant, living a different life.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings. Another thought that’s been nagging at me: graduation is looming. I’m so close to finishing my degree, with a full scholarship and pretty good grades to show for it. Everyone expects me to jump straight into grad school, but...I think I want to take a year off.

The idea of diving right back into the academic grind sounds exhausting. I’m craving some real-world experience, maybe even travel a bit. Plus, I feel like this job at the restaurant is opening doors for me that I hadn't considered before. Who knows what opportunities might come up in the next year if I just give myself a little breathing room?

It’s tough, though. I know my family and professors have high expectations. They see me as the guy who’s going to solve big problems and make a name for himself. I still want that, but I think a year off to recharge and explore might make me even better when I do head back to the books. Just gotta muster up the courage to tell them my plan.

I often found myself at Domingo's apartment near the Adland Mall. We'd get together some nights, cracking open beers and unwinding from the day's chaos. Charley, with her unique charm, was a constant enigma. Sometimes, I felt she didn't like me, but other times, there was a spark, a fleeting moment of attraction that left me confused. Yet, deep down, I sensed she thought I didn't measure up as a man.

One night, we all ended up at a sports bar, pitchers of beer flowing as we watched the game. I'm usually pretty shy, but after a few beers, I mustered the courage to chat with a stunning stranger at the bar. She seemed friendly, and before I knew it, I was telling her a story, getting more animated with each word. Right as I hit the climax of my tale, my elbow knocked over my drink, spilling beer all over myself and the stranger. The whole place went silent. I could feel Charley's gaze, a mix of amusement and judgment, and Domingo was cracking up. My face burned with embarrassment; I wanted to disappear into the floor.

She's captivating in her own right. I sometimes feel an attraction to her, but I know I’m not in love with her, and I would never betray Domingo. Our friendship means too much to me. Domingo thankfully, isn't fazed by the occasional tension between Charley and me. There's no jealousy because it doesn’t really seem like she's attracted to me. We’ve been through so much together that I know our friendship is rock solid.

One night, we were sitting on Domingo's couch, watching some silly reality show. I made a comment about one of the contestants' outfits, something lighthearted. Charley looked at me with a smirk and said, "You know, sometimes you remind me more of my girlfriends than a guy." Her tone was playful, but the words stung. Domingo chuckled awkwardly, sensing the tension. I laughed it off, but inside, I felt small and inadequate. It was ironic because Charley didn't really have any girlfriends; she mostly hung out with guys. Maybe that's why she sometimes seemed to judge me for my more feminine traits.

After that night, I found myself reflecting on my past loves, feeling that familiar ache. I was still hung up on Katie, who seemed to have moved on effortlessly. Then there was Leti; I would've been happy with her, but she dumped me, leaving me to pick up the pieces alone. And Gabbie—she was the one who got away. We could have been happy, but she had been gone for years now, a distant memory. I couldn't help but be hard on myself, wondering if I was doomed to always fall short in the eyes of the women I cared about.

Pretty recently, Domingo, Charley, Jon, and I headed to the beach. Though we only had a few quiet beers, I felt a little buzzed. The air was crisp, filled with the scent of saltwater and the distant sound of seagulls. We wandered down the trail, giggling and smashing tree branches like it was 1999 and we were flying on LSD. The sky was a deep, cloudless blue, and the waves crashed rhythmically against the shore. It was a day that felt like a snapshot of perfection, each moment stretching out in a blissful haze. Jon found an old, weathered log, and we all took turns balancing on it, trying to outdo each other with silly tricks. Charley laughed freely, her hair catching the sunlight, and for a while, the unspoken tensions dissolved into the salty air. The sun began to set, casting a golden glow over everything, and we sat in silence, absorbing the beauty of the moment. It was the kind of day that made you wish for a bit of weed to cap it off, to hold onto that fleeting sense of carefree contentment just a little longer.

[cptn-m]

One Piece chapter 1120 review

Nineteen pages without even the extra two added by a colour spread. Wow. This hasn’t happened since… chapter 869, back in 2017. We’re 10 chapters into volume 110 but I don’t think it’s over yet, not with the amount of 13 pagers in the run. I think there’s a pretty good chance this volume and this arc reach a climax together next week, which would be a cool pair of things to coincide with the 27th anniversary. Held back by extra breaks and short chapters, there’s no denying the broadcast chapters have felt slow on the weekly read – it’s hard to believe there’s only been 8 of them – but this penultimate release builds up a lot of momentum for the finale, and I’m genuinely looking forward to my reread of the full arc once it’s done.

I love the details of the young dragon and the Number poking its head over the gate in the opening flashback, but if you want a real continuity deep cut, you can see in the ’22 years ago’ establishing shot the same rear entrance to the lab Law uses in the Punk Hazard arc, recognisable even without the destruction and snowfall.

I’m not sure how I feel about the murder of Clover’s brother over his D. Does it track fully with what we know the the World Government would be so ruthless with them? On one hand, the Trafalgar famiy’s choice to hide their D seems to point towards persecution. On the other, Garp and Saul’s ranks in the Marines feel like a contradiction. It’s hard to gauge what the world at large really thinks of the D, if they think of it at all, and how dangerous it is to openly be one. But at least Vegapunk’s speculation that Clover was let do on the assumption he would draw more Ds out of hiding offers Oda an out for any Ds that were let live when they shouldn’t have. It’ll be interesting to see if the level of threat is clarified later in an SBS.

As expected, Nusjuro is being kept around to stall the Sunny from taking off and make sure the events of the finale happen in sync. What I didn’t expect is Atlas being the one to get the last action against him, and how tragic that would be. Man, she was my favourite Vegaclone. The big sad eyes as she says she’s leaving Lilith in the crew’s hands are rough. That childlike, Astro Boy-like design doesn’t feel like something that should be cut up and bloodsplattered, let alone killed off. But she gets to end it as a hero, saving the Sunny, the crew and one part of Vegapunk in the process. Hard to ask for a better way to go out than that.

Down below, we get some solid humour with Luffy and Emet. It’s good for Luffy stay as obvious as possible to Joyboy, Nika and their implications. At least, he should continue to not care about them. The Gear Five transformation doesn’t change who Luffy has been without the Joyboy connections up to this point, and Oda will be smart to keep the revelations from influencing the core character.

It’s a tough dose of reality for Emet’s cooler features to malfunction from the years of decay. I’m sure that rocket fist would have been cool. The amount of damage done to it here seems to suggest the robot will not be joining us for the next arc. I think it would be a little redundant for the final move it seems to be building up to be another self-destruct though. Maybe a beam similar to the Mother Flame-powered Uranus that makes an ocean crater out of Egghead?

And then there’s Saturn. I’ve said in my past two reviews that something had to happen with him to put a bow on the Kuma and Bonney story. It’s too personal. He always had to be the final Elder confronted as the crew departs. But we still can’t do lasting damage to him, and though Luffy has shown the ability to pick and throw the demonic spider, I doubt he’d fall for that twice. So who takes Saturn off the ship? The most tragic answer would be Kuma, whose presence is emphasised as Saturn lands. Can he launch Saturn from the ship, or the ship from under Saturn, without it being an ultimate sacrifice? Kuma’s had such a hard go of it, I really want him to get some downtime with his daughter one or both of them is inevitably being drawn into the final battle, but if I was writing the series I’d be seriously tossing up giving the readers one last gut punch to cement the retreat from Egghead as a costly loss for the heroes right about now.

There’s been a decent chunk of fandom negativity over the broadcast these past few months, but I think this chapter built up some solid momentum, and my energy’s high to see how Egghead concludes next week (or maaaaaaybe the week after) and I hope I’m not alone in that.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

chatted abt it a bit earlier w/someone and i liked this book i finished the other day enough to toss out another Rec to anyone who wants it........”the luminous dead” an avg-lengthed ~300pg Scifi Suspense/Mystery/Thriller/Horror sort of novel ft. a Cave Exploring(ish) situation and also a gay romance. in fact it basically Completely takes place within that cave situation since it kicks off with the protagonist entering the cave. and if you would be like “hm sounds great” to find out a protagonist is a Not Extremely “”Personable”” Lesbian, good news. i had mentioned how i don’t ever exactly seek out scifi stuff very much but when you set it Underground i’m more into it lol, mostly the scifi here is “yes this is a cave on a not-earth planet” and “people can space travel. but capitalism is here too” and like, is mostly relevant in some of the fucked up cave shit being Extra weird and wild (this is relevant always but not often Directly. it’s not a journey of like, increasingly Bizarre Scifi Stuff down there) and the fact that the protagonist, who is the only person entering the cave on this Dangerous Mysterious Mission, has to constantly wear a high-tech suit which not only provides like, assistance re: the physical demands of moving through the cave, but also is Required b/c around here, for some reasons that aren’t Exactly known to anyone yet, if cavers go down Without their body completely encapsulated at all times, they tend to get killed / disappear, wuh oh. also Uh Oh b/c the protag’s one source of contact with the outside world, the woman monitoring her from the surface, has some remote control over the functions of this suit that the protagonist can’t take off, and if you would believe it, her agenda and the purpose of this caving mission quickly become more mysterious and questionable and the capacity to interfere with the protagonist’s physical functions is more of a problem than ever in proportion to that. and if you’re thinking back to “hang on, gay romance, but that is Not Romantic” like yeah that all of that stuff is def regarded as a negative / a big problem

im not good at a well-formatted anything much less novel rec but yeah it was real Well-Paced where the suspense / tension / Problems never really like, got stale / less effective cuz the situations were evolving / changing and each [problem] like, overlapped with / played into other ones real well i felt lol......and yknow expected Cave Things like “hope i don’t fall” and “hope i don’t experience effects of long-term isolation / lack of stimulation in a dark and quiet and yet hostile environment like hallucinations or paranoia or anything” and “there are going to be some Metaphors in this story”.....if you can believe it, death is relevant, and not just in the [protagonist trying not to die] way, although there sure is That. anyways i found it very Readable and engaging and kept feeling like “oh this rules” at many points and like, for example, there was this one moment really even prior to the most climactic sections of things where i was like wow damn this is striking me as so effectively Ominous even though it was during a period with no immediate threat / dread-inspiring issue, things had just been built up to / set up well enough that i was already like, gripping the figurative armrests over some foreboding sign.......i mean i tend to read things as All at Once as i can but i sure charged thru this in like three days or smthing. so if it sounds Interesting again the title is “the luminous dead”

[wheelsup]

kissing lessons

summary: one of your classic movie nights with spencer turns into a learning opportunity

A/N: this is really fluffy, but the whole story centers around kissing. use your own judgement! i’d say it’s at worst 16+

category: spencer reid x gn!reader, fluff (with a bit of spice)  best friends to lovers (sorta)

warnings: just kissing, a brief implication at the end

word count: 3k

Occasionally, the team will spend an extra night in their hotel before heading home from a case. Be it due to poor weather conditions, or the fact that your case wrapped in the dead of night, the reasons for flying don’t ever matter. Because the majority of the times when you have to stay that extra night, you and Spencer have sleepovers.

The routine is pretty much the same. You’ll stock up on gas station snacks – sour peach rings for Spencer, salted microwave popcorn for you – and reconvene in one of your hotel rooms. Preferably, whichever of you got the better deal that week – a bigger tv, a room further away from the ice machine. And you’d rent the cheapest movie available on-demand, the options spanning from low-budget sci-fi to poorly written rom-coms. That night, the viewing fell under the latter category.

Spencer perched at the foot of your bed with both feet tucked under his legs, criss-cross style, while you laid against the headboard to watch. Every now and then, you tossed out your commentary and he’d ignore it. He always says you’re too critical of movies and you’re of the belief that he’s too forgiving.

“I don’t think they should end up together,” you mumbled, words slurring around your mouthful of popcorn. You pulled a face right as the movie approached the romantic climax, after spending the past ninety minutes actively rooting against the couple. Spencer ignored you, pretending to be engrossed in the movie to spite your disparagement of it. “They both suck.”

You groaned, slumped further against the pillows, and shoved your sock-clad toes under Spencer’s left thigh in a call for attention. He jumped at the intrusion, but ultimately, your efforts were futile.

And then the big kiss commenced, and your booing finally piqued his interest. “Gross! I feel bad for people who kiss like that.”

A small bell went off in his head and he took a curious glance at you over his shoulder.

“What do you mean?” he asked. He stopped chewing and the piece of candy in his mouth pushed out his cheek, giving him an adorably innocent look. His brows scrunched in the middle and his nose had a tiny crinkle in it, utterly confused.

You scoffed and matched his expression. “Are you serious?” You jerked your head in the direction of the television and Spencer whipped his head back, squinting. He couldn’t figure out what you were pointing out, what it was that was so obviously wrong to you. “Spencer, he’s swallowing her chin!”

Oh. He hadn’t noticed.

Feeling dumb, he muttered, “I thought that’s how you’re supposed to kiss…” It wasn’t the deepest confession to admit to you that he lacked some knowledge when it came to kissing, but he still refused to look at you as he said it.

“Spencer, please tell me you haven’t been kissing people like that.” You narrowed your eyes at the back of his head, sitting up straighter in bed. He shrugged and lowered his head, focusing on his snack as his fingers dug into the packet of gummy rings in his lap.

He popped another piece into his mouth, pretending to be occupied with eating so as to avoid your prying. “I dunno.”

It didn’t occur to you until that moment that Spencer might have learned everything he knows about kissing – among other things – solely through watching movies. How else could he look at that and think it’s normal? And you’re left wondering if he’s ever even practiced it with another living human. He clearly didn’t want to talk about it, but unfortunately, that only heightened your interest. You had to know.

“Have you ever kissed anyone before?” You kept your voice low, your tone implying that you were ready to exchange this secret with him. You wouldn’t judge him if he admitted he hadn’t.

He scoffed loudly, and though you couldn’t see his face, you’re positive he rolled his eyes too. “Yeah, of course.” Then quietly, he added on, “But it was only like… for four seconds.”

You nodded thoughtfully, considering how this new piece of information adjusted your existing view of Spencer. For some reason, you couldn’t tell if you actually expected him to be experienced or not.

He didn’t exactly scream that he’d… gotten around, for lack of better words, but you’re still surprised to learn that he’s barely done it at all. You supposed he was objectively cute, that maybe you could see it if he weren’t your best friend. And yeah, he’s a little awkward, but he’s smart and kind, so he has three great things going for him, and you’re surprised more people haven’t swooped him up yet.

Your lips curled down in thought, brows raised in curiosity. “And was it good?” It was a genuine enough question, because you’ve never really thought about Spencer Reid and kissing in the same sentence before. As it turned out, there was a lot of missing information relating to those two things.

“I don’t know! I didn’t get, like, a feedback form,” he grunted, angling his shoulder even further away from you. If you could’ve seen him, you’d notice his face boiling and turning red with heat. All this inquiring made him think harder about his … talents … than he’s ever had to before, and he’s not a fan.

You were prepared to do some more digging when the slump in his back made you feel a tinge of guilt. It was your fault he looked so defeated. You pressed too hard, disregarding his boundaries just because you wanted to know more. And now, he was wondering if there was something wrong with him, because you wouldn’t leave it alone.

He barely noticed as you swung your feet from under his thigh and rocked onto your knees, leaning forward to nudge his shoulder with your palm. It hauled his attention out of his thoughts and back into the room. You wanted to apologize, but instead you settled with “I’m sure you’re fine, Spence.”

He nodded unconvincingly. By the glow of the screen, you could see he was still gnawing on the inside of his cheek, focusing his eyes as he played with a loose hangnail on one of his fingers. It made you feel even worse. “Are you actually worried about it?” you asked, laden with concern.

“What if I am bad at it?” He whispered, like saying it too loud would make it true. “And that’s why it’s only happened once?”

A large exhale puffed out of your nose as you weighed your options.

You could go back to your original plan and apologize for setting him down this path of doubt. But that wouldn’t do anything to stop him from worrying, anyway. You could tell him there’s no correlation between the way he kisses and how frequently it’s happened; that you’re sure the reason isn’t because he’s bad. But you don’t know that for sure.

So, fuck it, you thought, grabbing a fistful of his pajama shirt and tugging him closer to you roughly, pressing your lips onto his.

This way, you’d at least have an informed opinion to be able to tell him if he was good or bad.

His lips were softer than you expected – not that you’d thought about them often, they’re just impossibly softer than they look – and invitingly warm. But they were completely stiff.

You could tell he was trying to kiss you back by the way his mouth ferociously moved over yours. He was trying to be a passionate, engaged partner, but he forgot about the aspect of tenderness.

His lips felt like two solid objects just sliding around on your face. They didn’t move in any sort of accordance with yours. There was no push and pull, your lips didn’t mesh perfectly together to form a solitary unit as they moved in unison.

It felt more like his lips were your opponent, putting up an attack and defense play against the actions of your own.

You pulled away, resisting a giggle at his bewildered face. “You’re not so terrible,” you swipe the corner of your mouth, smudged with Spencer’s flavored chapstick, “But it could use some work.”

He was at a loss for words, mouth gaping open as his eyes darted around the room and all over you. Maybe he’d find an explanation for what just happened carved into the walls somewhere or written across your forehead.

What happened was that you kissed him. And he was a little bit bad. Simple as that.

“I-I wasn’t ready!” he stammered, chucking up his hands defensively. He’d process the fact that he’d just made out with his best friend at a later time, right now the bigger concern was the slight cringed look on your face. He sulked and folded his arms.“What was so bad about it?”

“Well,” you scratched the back of your ear, trying to gauge if he’d react well to getting some advice, “my first tip would be to relax your lips.”

“Okay, I can do that.”

“And don’t think too hard. You should react to what’s happening in the moment, not worrying about what your next move is gonna be.” You could see the gears turning in his head as he tried to envision what that would play out like in a real situation. “You wanna try again?” you offered, figuring he’d learn much faster if he was more hands-on about it.

He nodded, and you leaned in close, waiting for him to go for it. His heart quickened under the pressure of performance, eyes screwing shut as he closed the gap. His mouth smashed into yours as he dove in hard. It was toeing on the side of too harsh, but you let that one slide in hopes it was just a byproduct of his nerves.

You had to tap his knee to remind him to relax, and he loosened some of the tension he had in his lips. He slotted his between yours, allowing them to be pliable to your movements and remembering to react, not plan.

He moved his mouth leisurely against yours, trying to match your pressure and pacing. They actually started moving in time with yours at some point. The kiss took on a shape of its own as he started getting out of his head, letting himself enjoy the kiss for what it was in that exact moment.

It was already better than before. Leaps and bounds better. But then he tried to deepen it, building on its intensity but adding more… something into it. You couldn’t even tell what it was he was trying to do.

“Okay, second tip…” you inhaled sharply, pushing him off of you with a palm against his chest. Whatever it was, it needed to stop. “You kinda do this thing like… where you’re blowing air into my mouth?” You scrunched your nose, punctuating your dislike. “That feels weird. Don’t do that. If anything, do the opposite.”

“I’m supposed to suck the air out of your mouth?” His face contorted, voice already slightly exasperated. He barely understood what the air thing was that you claimed he did. He didn’t realize in the process of trying to add pressure to the kiss, he was just forcibly blowing against your mouth.

“Not literally, no.” You laughed a little, rubbing your palm in a comforting pattern on his chest.”But you can use your lips to suck on mine, or my tongue… just nothing involving the exchange of breath. We’re not in CPR training.”

He eased up a little with your joke, adjusting to your advice he gave it another try. After a few moments, he latched onto your bottom lip with his own, sucking it softly into his mouth. “Yeah, like that,” you mumbled against him, voice pitching high in encouragement. He sucked on it with a little more greed, holding it for a second, then eased up, varying the pressure of his movements just like you did before.

You made a mental note to praise him for that at a later time, deciding to instead part your lips to see if he’d venture into further experimentation.

He caught on quickly. He parted them further, prodding his tongue against them as you opened to allow him entry. Just as you started to really enjoy it, he ran his tongue over the inside of your mouth, moving it fast and roughly like he was a washing machine.

“Stop,” you grimaced, tearing away quickly. You had to swipe your hand over your mouth to get rid of the excess saliva that really shouldn’t have been an issue in the first place, given how brief the frenching was. “Your tongue is way too aggressive.”

Overwhelmed, he tilted his head to the ceiling and let out a frustrated grunt, slapping his hands down to the top of his thighs.

There were too many factors to worry about. He had no idea how you looked at him with a straight face and told him not to think too much when there were a million things he needed to remember all at once; he needed to vary his moves to keep it interesting, but make sure he’s not ruining the flow by changing things up too much, and to be gentle but not timid.

All of this was second nature to you, but it was brand new to Spencer. Could you really blame him for not getting the hang of it right away? You decided to stop your list of critiques short for this round to spare him. He’d get there eventually, but not if he felt discouraged too soon.

“I don’t see why people like it in the first place,” he huffed, his head returning to it’s normal posture. In Spencer’s eyes, there truly wasn’t any appeal to kissing with tongue; it looked sloppy and unnecessary, and as you’d just confirmed, it actually was.

You thought about his statement for a second. There’s a certain allure to it, and you didn’t know how to describe it to him. So instead you cupped his cheeks in both your palms and slid your mouth over his again. As his jaw slacked its tension, you slowly pushed your tongue past his lips and gently pressed it against his own before swirling them together.

You sighed softly into his mouth, running your fingers through his hair and tugging carefully at the ends. He made a small noise against you, something like a whimper, and you swallowed the vibrations of it. As you retreated, you captured his bottom lip between your teeth and gave it a light, teasing tug. You soothed it again with your lips before releasing it, a proud giggle forming in your chest as Spencer chased after your lips as you broke apart.

“That’s why.” You smirked at the dazed look on his face. His eyelids remained closed longer than necessary, still feeling the ghost of your mouth on his and a tingle where your fingers were in his hair.

“Oh.” His voice came out meek as he slowly came back to reality, brows wrinkling up his forehead as he opened his eyes.

He put both his palms down on the mattress, one laying flat on either side of you, and dove forward to resume the kiss right where you left it. A surprised squeak left you as his mouth collided with yours with an insatiable hunger. You brought one hand back to his hair, and he was a goner.

He unfolded his legs from under himself and shuffled onto his knees, following his hands until he practically crawled into your lap. Each of his legs hooked onto either side of your thighs as he hovered over your lap, leaning his body entirely into yours.

The physics of it didn’t hold up; he’s taller than you are, and his chest was too heavy for you to carry. The balance was off center and it sent you tumbling back onto the mattress, bringing him down with you until his chest laid on yours.

It was the perfect force – the weight of him on top of you. He tasted like peach candy and sour sugar, and you found yourself craving more of it.

You shuffled higher up the mattress, giving him space to stretch out his body as he followed yours. One of his hands found your waist, gripping tightly, while he placed the other on the mattress beside your head, using it to steady himself. Sliding your legs out from under him, you wrapped them on the outside of his hips, using them to pull him closer down to you.

It only broke off in moments when both of you absolutely needed to get air, gasping as you pulled apart for brief reprieve before colliding again. He followed every word of your advice, getting better with each passing second until he exceeded expectations by leaps and bounds.

Your fingers weaved through his hair, passionately tugging the wavy strands to angle him against you and igniting his nerves under your touch. A soft moan leaves him and you’re encouraged to tighten your grip on them. His hips bucked reactively at the sensation, and he quickly pulled back, a slight embarrassment creeping up his cheeks. He got too carried away.

You took in his flushed face and swollen, kiss-bruised lips. They’d turned a shade of red brighter than you’ve ever seen them, and it was all you could do not to dive for them again as his tongue sweeped over them, soothing the burning heat you’d left on them.

Before he could apologize for his eagerness, you nudged your nose against his, your smile skimming against his lips. “So what else don’t you know how to do?”

☆

☆

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[realcube]

Hey I wanted to know if I could request how Hinata, Kenma, Atsumu and tsukki would react to you doing this trend 😳

Thanks and have a nice day :]

FILMING YOUR NAILS ON THEIR... yeah...

a/n ♡ i- it took me a solid minute to figure out what was going on..what even is that trend AGDFKBNDB on children’s app too smh 

trigger warnings ♡ gn! reader, erm dick touching?, all characters aged up, swearing, degradation, oral (giving), reader has acrylic nails on, filming, handjob, choking, slight hair pulling, facial — minors dni! 

ATSUMU MIYA got an adrenaline rush from it. every time you’d look up from your phone screen to meet his foggy gaze, he’d make it a  point to pull the corners of his lips up into a cocky smirk, as if to prove he was unfazed. however, his twitching legs and impatient tugging on your hair told a different story. as much as he wanted to think the adrenaline was from the risqué nature of what you were doing, there was a large possibility that it could be from anger as he’s never felt more pissed off than when he was forced to helplessly watch as you innocently mouthed the lyrics to the song while gently rubbing his tip through his sweatpants with your nail. call him aggressive, but all he wanted to do in that moment was whip it out and shove it in your dirty mouth to teach you a lesson. after all, you couldn’t just tease him like this and then leave him hanging. payback was in order and that’s exactly what he got as he used your throat as his personal fleshlight, aggravation only subsiding once he was finished shooting his load down you. the video you were filming was lost somewhere in the process though, but don’t worry! being the kind boyfriend he is, atsumu recorded the whole blowjob for you; effortlessly getting all the right angles, the perfect lighting and capturing all your little moans and whimpers clearly, which all came together to highlight how cute your precious face looked while sucking him off like a slut and it was no coincidence that every pretty vein on atsumu’s dick was in the frame either. 

KENMA KUZOME clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes at how much of a tease you were being. i mean, it was clear you were only doing this as an indirect way of asking to be railed; kenma understood the language you speak, or rather, don’t speak. his piercing eyes shifted off his computer screen to glare holes through the side of your head, which you desperately tried to ignore but that became impossible as he took your chin in between his index finger and thumb to force you to look up at him. “how many times have i told you? don’t be a brat. use your words to ask for what you want or you aren’t getting shit.” kenma only sighed through his nose as he watched your features fall to form an adorable pout. stubbornly, you continued making your little video, stroking and rubbing him even more simply out of spite. kenma thought he’d be able to continue to concentrate on what he was typing but it seemed as though every nerve in his body was focussed on the tempting sensations in his dick, so it was hardly surprising when a soft moan slipped passed his lips. but before you could laugh, he had grabbed you hand and pulled you up onto his lap, keeping a tight grip on your fingers, admiring them, “these are nice. who paid for them?” you sighed, rolling you eyes slightly before muttering, “you..” “mhm. and you’ve not paid me back yet.” you nodded, trying to get up so you could grab your purse but kenma’s hand immediately snapped to your waist to pull you back down. “don’t be stupid. i don’t need your money; you know what kind of payment i want.” you didn’t even get the chance to tease him for being a hypocrite and ask him to ‘use his words’ as he uttered in a low voice, “strip.”

KEI TSUKISHIMA was unsure as to how he got into this situation and why he allowed it. for a change, his concerns had nothing to do with trust — he fully believed that you wouldn’t post the video, since you promised that you’d keep it in your ‘my eyes only’ — he was more worried about the power you suddenly had over him. when you first suggested the idea, he agreed because he thought it was hot that you were so needy for him and he could tease you for it later, he really didn’t expect to get off from it. but here he was, sitting at his desk, unable to focus on the video playing on his phone as all his attention was on the gentle movements of your soft palm against his clothed, erect cock. his low cursing under his breath prompting you to drop your phone so you could use both hands to fiddle with the rim of his trousers, “want more, needy?” although he wasn’t too fond of the nickname, the serious yet lustrous look in your eyes told him everything he wanted. “sure, whatever.” he muttered, an involuntary gasp escaping his lips as you hastily tugged down his rims to wrap your nimble fingers around his girth, eagerly starting to jerk him off. gazing up at his red face and visibly frantic breathing, you couldn’t help but snicker, moving your fist even faster at the sight, “you’re so sensitive. when was the last time someone gave you any atten--” “shut up.” he groaned, detaching one of his hands from his face only so he could grip your neck. 

SHŌYŌ HINATA was a blushing mess. how he had gotten into his situation was a blur but currently, he was being palmed through his shorts for your silly video, while he helplessly sat and acknowledged the footsteps creeping closer and closer to the msby changing room. practise had ended ten minutes ago and hinata said he’d lock up for the night so you both thought you were in the clear, but as he stifled his moans to hear the footsteps better, he pried open his heavy lids to lay his eyes on bokuto’s duffle bag which hung directly opposite him. you were aware of bokuto slowly approaching too but unlike shōyō, you didn’t care. well, there was a large part of hinata that must not care either as his hands mindlessly ran down his chest to pull down his shorts, his member springing free so he could direct your hand towards it, “go on.” he urged, biting down harshly on his bottom lip as he peered down at your innocent eyes shaded by your gorgeous lashes, “baby, c’mon. hurry.” there was the slightest bit of hope in hinata’s mind that, if you were quick, perhaps you could make him climax before bokuto arrived. there was many thing he failed to take into consideration with this plan as he thought with his dick rather than his mind, but being kind partner you are, you went along with his demand without a second thought. keenly, you bobbed your fist, only being encouraged by the groans falling from his lips and how his hands slipped into your hair, tugging on your roots. being as sensitive as he was after a long day of practise and with the rapid pace you were going at, his plan came to fruition as he managed to arrive at his high before bokuto walked in. just as you both were about to start celebrating, you heard the rattling of the changing room doorknob, and if it wasn’t for the fact that you locked the door prior, bokuto would’ve stepped into the room and been greeted by the sight of you on your knees with a facial and hinata’s face painted a bright red color, with his sweaty chest and back pressed flush against the wall.

[hellimagines]

Collateral -- JJ Maybank (Part One)

Masterlist

Summary: JJ’s stunt with Barry bites him in the ass when the angry drug dealer kidnaps you and decides you’re JJ’s collateral for the stolen money.

Warnings: kidnapping, violence, angst, mentions of child abuse and drug use

Pairing: JJ Maybank x fem!Routledge!reader

Word Count: 4,800+

A/N: I started writing this after binge-watching Outer Banks, and before I knew what was happening, I had written 20 pages of this and hadn’t even gotten to the climax… So, this has clearly been broken up into parts. I have part two already finished, and I’m almost finished with part three, but I’m not uploading them tonight because I want this to see the light of day first, and gain some love before I do anything. Please let me know what you guys think of this! I know there isn’t a lot of mushy-feely stuff in this chapter, and it’s mainly angst but, I had so much fun writing this, so please give it a chance and tell me what you think. Also, it’s canon divergent because I tweaked the DCS storyline and everything after John B. finds the first gold bar.

|Part Two|Part Three|Part Four|Final Part|

Your shift at The Wreck had been a long and strenuous one, more so than usual, because Kie hadn’t shown up for her night shift which left you to pull a double and cover for her. In your opinion, the nighttime customers were always worse than the morning customers since they typically consisted of kooks and tourons who expected the best of the best and nothing less. You had a short fuse, similar to your boyfriend, and would often get snippy with customers who complained about trivial things: their drinks having too much ice, their salad too much dressing, or their Chef’s Board not enough cheese or the wrong kind of cheese. Kie’s dad kept you on morning and afternoon shifts as much as possible due to the locals of The Cut coming to the cafe during those times, and your ability to make them feel at home while they ate their toast and sipped their coffee. So, having to work a night shift unexpectedly without a break from your morning shift left you feeling exhausted and detached from the world.

As peeved as you were with Kie for pulling a no-call-no-show, you were more worried than anything; especially when you noticed JJ wasn’t waiting outside to walk home with you like he normally was. You hadn’t heard from any of the other pogues since yesterday, when you had to go to work and they went over to Crain Mansion in search of the gold. You would’ve gone with them, but you couldn’t risk missing another day of work and possibly being fired. After your shift yesterday (and noticing the lack of blond curls outside the cafe), you had headed home with the plan to meet up with your friends and learn of any new updates--but, when you arrived, nobody was there. You waited around for the rest of the day, but when 10 o’clock rolled around and nobody had shown, you retreated to your bedroom and fell asleep. When you had woken up around 5 a.m to get ready for your shift at work, you were relieved to find JJ curled around you fast asleep, and your brother, Sarah, Kie, and Pope passed out together on the futon in the living room. They had a pot cradled between the four of them, but you thought nothing of it as you got ready for work. You left behind a note, asking them to stop by The Wreck when they woke up to fill you in on whatever you had missed, but they had never shown up. 

Now, as you locked up The Wreck at the end of your 10 o’clock shift and waved to the cooks and other wait staff as you all parted ways, your worry only increased. The Cut was warm and humid as you made your way toward the chateau, forcing you to shed your work shirt in favor of the tanktop laying beneath. Your hair was pulled into a high-pony, and while it had been sleek and put together at 6 o’clock this morning, you now had frizzed strands falling into your face and the bottom of your hair was sticky from an exploded champagne bottle earlier that night. Your feet ached and your hips felt unbalanced from the constant speed-walking and maneuvering around tables and patrons, and you wanted nothing more than to collapse against JJ in your room and sleep for a solid 12 hours straight. Before you could do that, though, you had to continue your thirty-minute walk to said paradise and make sure everyone was okay. 

As you left the hustle and bustle surrounding The Wreck and the docks, and ventured further into The Cut, you felt the tension beginning to ease out of your body at the familiar surroundings. As much as you loved The Wreck, you were not a fan of the kooks and tourons that migrated there throughout the night, bothering you during and after your shifts. As expected, the night held the worst of the batch, with alcohol and other drugs filtering their systems and giving them loose tongues and firm hands. Even though you could handle yourself and those who tried making a move on you, you never felt at ease or safe while leaving The Wreck; unless JJ or your friends were with you and you didn’t have to check over your shoulder every few feet. Crossing the imaginary threshold between The Wreck and The Cut always eased your mind, allowing you to slow your steps and cease checking your shoulder. This was also primarily because on The Cut, people knew who you were--not only as a waitress, a pogue, or (Y/N) Routledge, but as ‘JJ Maybank’s girl’. It pissed you off to no-end that people referred to you as ‘JJ’s girl’ more than your own name and you’d often chew people out on it, but you couldn’t deny the protection (and love and warmth and all-things-JJ) it gave you. You and JJ had been dating for two years, and while you loved him more than life and he loved you more than surfing, you often wished you could be seen as your own person: as (Y/N). Regardless of your annoyance at being solely known as JJ’s girl, as you walked the barely-lit streets of The Cut in nothing but a tank top and shorts, you were appreciative of your unofficial title. Very few people were walking around this late at night, but those who were offered you a simple nod or kept their eyes trained on the ground as you passed by, a complete contrast to the tourons near The Wreck. You expected this to continue until you reached your house, no longer looking over your shoulder for an unwanted kook or a touron that didn’t know the rules. 

You turned another corner, now only fifteen minutes away from home, and rolled your shoulders to try and release some of the built-up tension you gained from your shift as you walked. You closed your eyes for a brief moment, letting your muscles relax and a gentle breeze from the ocean to cloud your senses. Just as you were about to open your eyes and continue forward, you heard footsteps approaching you from behind. Your eyes shot open and your body turned but before you could see who it was, you felt the barrel of a gun press against your lower back. The metal was cold against your tank top as it dug into you, the owner’s hand coming up to grab your shoulder and keep you from moving away. 

“Maybank shouldn’t be leaving his things unattended, especially ones as pretty as you,” a voice muttered into your ear, jabbing the gun harshly into your spine. You froze, trying to place the voice to a face as you heard a vehicle approach and stop beside you.

“I’m not a thing, actually,” you retorted, keeping the fear out of your voice as the man behind you jerked you forward toward the black SUV. The backdoor swung open, but you couldn’t see who was driving it or if there was anyone else waiting for you inside. “What do you want? JJ isn’t his dad, whatever Luke’s done to piss you off is his own problem, not ours.”

The man laughed sharply in your ear as he shoved you forward, causing you to drop your shirt and tumble off the sidewalk, and your torso to fall into the backseat. You yelled out when the man grabbed your legs and pushed your body into the car, your body bending painfully as he slid in beside you. The door slammed shut and the man backed you into the corner of the SUV, caging your body against the door. Your hand shot down to the door handle, yanking on it to open the door and let you fall out, but it didn’t budge. 

“Child lock, snowball. You’re not going anywhere.” 

You looked up, finally able to see the man’s face as he grinned down at you. His grill shined each time the SUV passed under a streetlight and the black hair dangling in his face tickled your nose from how close he was. Instantly, you brought your foot up and kicked him in the stomach, pushing him away from you as you struggled to sit up. 

“What the fuck do you want, Barry?” you snapped while the dealer across from you laughed loudly and held onto his stomach. 

He smirked at you, “I forgot how much of a kicker you were, snowball.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have been tryin’ to sell blow to fucking 8th graders,” you shot back, glaring at him. “Now tell me what the fuck you want.”

He raised his hands in surrender, the smirk never falling from his face. “I want my fucking money back. You little shits stole 25k from my goddamn house.”

“What the fuck are you on about? The last time I went to your shithole was a year ago to buy an 8ball,” you scoffed. 

“And while I do miss the revenue you brought me during your time as a cokehead, I’m not talking about you, snowball. Your boy, your brother, your brother’s new whore, the ex-kook, and Heyward’s son stole from me. I know you’re too smart and levelheaded to pull a stunt like that, and the ex-kook and her boyfriend have too much going for them to fuck it up by crossing me. This means it was either your boy or your brother,” Barry explained, his jaw tight with anger as he spoke.

“First of all, Kie and Pope have names. Second of all, they’re not dating. Third of all, what makes you think it wasn’t Sarah? From what I’ve heard, the Cameron’s have a history of robbing you blind.”

“Because my sister is too much of a pansy to pull a stunt like this, and she doesn’t even know who the fuck Barry is.” Your head shot up at the new voice, and you made eye contact with Rafe in the rearview mirror. “You dirty pogues have corrupted my sister.”

“I see someone’s been bitched,” you chuckled with a roll of your eyes. Rafe’s foot slammed on the break and caused you to slam into the back of the passenger seat with an oomph. He turned around, his arm already raised to throw a punch, when Barry grabbed it first.

“Chill the fuck out, Country Club. Can’t go beaten on her just yet. Now hurry the fuck up and get us to the hanger.” Rafe’s nostrils flared at Barry’s demand, and after a moment of his fist flexing in Barry’s hold, Rafe relented. He jerked his arm back and continued driving in silence. “Don’t piss off the driver, snowball,” Barry tsked, waving his finger in your face.

“Look, why would JJ or Birdie steal 25 thousand dollars from you? You know how much JJ despises you and your business because of what it’s done to his dad and the hole I fell into last year, and my brother doesn’t even know who the hell you are. It doesn’t make any sense.” 

Barry chuckled, “I see they’ve kept you in the dark. Did they tell you about the gold they found? That they tried pawning off to me this morning?” At the frown on your face and your furrowed brows, Barry laughed even harder. “Oh yeah, they brought in a seven-pound chunk of gold to the shop this morning. Offered ‘em a cashier’s check worth a couple thousand, but your boy is quite the negotiator. So, I sent them to the warehouse for the cash they wanted.”

“And let me take a wild-fucking-guess: on their way, you jumped them, stole the gold, and left them with nothing but dirt under their nails?” 

Barry grinned at your words, his tongue sliding over his grill as he laughed. “See, this is why they should’ve brought you along! Would’ve saved them from all the trouble they’ve gotten themselves into.” 

You rolled your eyes, “Well fuck, no wonder they stole from you. You stole from them first, Barry. An eye for a fucking eye, it’s the way of the jungle ‘round here. It’s the only damn law you follow.”

“You’re right, it is the only law I follow. Which is why you’re here, snowball. You see, before I could complete my task, they jumped me and stole my wallet and the gold. You’re smart, I bet you’re starting to see the problem now. No gold, no wallet, no 25k,” Barry seethed, the smirk falling from his face as he leaned forward, pushing you back into the corner of the seat. “JJ Maybank stole from me, plain as day. If I had seven pounds of gold in my hand it would be different, I wouldn’t be as pissed. But, you see, I don’t. So, as you said, it’s an eye for an eye. And what better to steal from JJ Maybank, than the only thing he cares about? The only thing he owns?”

“He doesn’t own me, so jot that down.”

Barry threw his head back and laughed loudly, shooting an unnerving feeling down your spine. Rafe laughed along, though anyone could tell it was forced as his eyes darted from the mirror to the road. “This entire goddamn island knows that he owns you, snowball, and you damn well know it too. Which means until I get my money back, you’re my collateral.”

--

The bruises decorating JJ’s torso ached with each step he took, but he had to keep moving toward the chateau: he had to prove to the others that he was good. He had to prove that he could do the right thing with the money he stole. Even if his dad couldn’t do the right thing, and wouldn’t let him back in the house without another beating, JJ could do the right thing and be good. Even if he stole the money it didn’t matter, because Barry stole his life, and Barry didn’t deserve the money, and Barry wasn’t good. The money would pay off his restitution, and you wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore and Pope wouldn’t have to feel guilty or worry about it anymore, either. Nobody would have to worry about him anymore, and it would all be good. 

But as JJ limped up the chateau’s steps, repeating to himself that, ‘it was all good, he was good, and everything would be good,’  he wasn’t expecting for the screen door to slam open and for John B. to body slam him into the ground. The blue thermos shot from his grip as he was flung down the stairs, and JJ couldn’t bite back his scream of pain when his already-aching body slammed into the dirt. He didn’t get a second to gather his bearings before John B. was pummeling his fists into his stomach and his arms and his face and anywhere else he could land a hit. JJ couldn’t even lift his legs to fight off his best friend from beating on his twice-battered body.

“This all your fault!” John B. screamed, his face an angry red as tears and spit rained down onto JJ. “He took her because of you!” He ceased his punches only to wrap his hands around JJ’s throat, squeezing and pressing down in an attempt to strangle the life out of his best friend.

Faintly, JJ could hear Pope, Kie, and Sarah screaming, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying. His entire body felt cold but his head felt hot, and the buzzing in his ears was growing louder and louder until it was all he could hear. He could see John B.’s face above him, his lips moving as he screamed and sobbed, and JJ could see his own blood splattered on his best friend’s jaw and shirt. Black spots began to dance in front of his eyes, moving inward until he could only see the murderous rage filling John B.’s eyes. Just as the darkness settled over him, he felt John B.’s weight lift off of him and air came rushing back into his lungs. For a few seconds, all JJ could do was choke on the air whilst his body convulsed, and someone rolled him onto his side in a desperate hurry.

“-eathe, breathe JJ, come on.” Someone was talking to him, rubbing their hand up and down his back as he continued to shake. He still couldn’t see anything and he couldn’t tell who was talking to him and rubbing his back and all he really wanted to do was blackout for a bit. A harsh slap against the center of his back had other plans, causing the air to finally force itself into his lungs. JJ began to cough violently, continuing to choke on the air that was now entering his body. He tried pushing himself to his knees as he dry-heaved onto the ground, but his shaking arms and legs were too weak to support him.

Pope was yelling in the background, “Chill the fuck out, JB! You almost killed him!”, his voice bringing JJ’s senses back to where they belonged. 

“He fucking deserves it! He’s the reason she’s gone!” John B. yelled back, his voice deeper than JJ could remember. JJ blinked a few times, trying to focus on the bloody grass in front of him while his two friends continued fighting in the distance. 

“Hey, just keep breathing,” the person helping him - who JJ now recognized as Kie - soothed, pulling his sweaty hair out of his face as more blood dribbled from his lips. She was upset, JJ could tell by the way her hands were shaking and the sound of wet sniffles every few seconds. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, who John B. was talking about, but all that came out was a harsh wheeze from his burning lungs and even more blood. “Don’t- don’t say anything. Please, JJ, just… just breathe for a few minutes,” Kie whimpered before a sob slipped from her lips. 

He did as she asked and allowed his eyes to close, his body sinking into the ground as he focused on regulating his breathing. After a few minutes, JJ could hear John B. storm inside the chateau, kicking JJ’s crumpled body on his way up the stairs.

“John B., stop it!” Sarah yelled as she followed him inside. 

Pope came and knelt in front of JJ, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to help him sit up. “You fucked up, JJ, worse than I ever thought possible,” Pope sighed as he adjusted JJ against the railing. 

“What-” JJ broke off to cough into his fist, ignoring the blood that splattered across his hand, “what happened?” His voice was hoarse and barely understandable, but Kie and Pope knew what he was saying. 

“You stole twenty-five-thousand dollars from a drug dealer. One of the most nefarious drug dealers on this island, that’s what happened,” Kie said, standing up and pacing in front of the blond. “What did you think was gonna happen, JJ? That he’d let it go?”

“What did he take? The HMS Pogue?” JJ rasped, looking up at his friends in confusion. “(Y/N)’ll be pissed, but we can get it back, or I’ll buy her and John B. a new one with the money.” His thoughts didn’t make sense inside of his pounding head, but he still voiced them regardless. 

“How are you so stupid?” Pope yelled, causing JJ to flinch as the other to shot to his feet. “Why would John B. try to kill you over a boat? Don’t you think (Y/N) would be out here yelling at you, too?”

“My girl doesn’t yell, you know that, Pope,” JJ shook his head. “She’s got work and the boat- the boat is all they’ve got left of Big John,” JJ said, coughing a few times. His head was foggy and his vision was still blurry, so he couldn’t see the mentioned boat sitting on the dock to his left.

“No, JJ,” Kie sighed, “Barry didn’t take the HMS. He took (Y/N). He left a note on the van--he wants his money back, plus the gold, and an extra 5k in exchange for (Y/N). He’ll be back in a week to make the trade.”

“He didn’t say what he’d do to her if we don’t give him what he wants but… it’s not something that needs to be said,” Pope whispered as he carefully watched for JJ’s reaction.

A cold chill fell over JJ, causing him to shiver violently despite the warm temperature outside. “You’re lying,” he spat, forcing himself to his feet. Pope and Kie backed up, steering clear of his sudden burst of energy. “You’re fucking lying, she’s not- she’s not gone, he didn’t lay a fucking finger on her. Barry knows better. You just… you just want me to return the money, that’s it, she’s fine, she’s inside right now, she’s-”

“JJ, stop, please,” Kie cried as JJ spun around, tripping over himself in his haste to run up the stairs. Pope grabbed ahold of him before he could make it very far, pulling him away from the house and John B.’s anger. JJ flailed in his grasp, but he was too weak from the lack of oxygen and two beatings his body had just endured, to fight Pope off. 

“She’s fine!” he screamed, not noticing the tears that were falling from his eyes. “I told her I would protect her, I promised nobody would ever lay a finger on her! She’s inside, and she’s fine--Barry didn’t fucking touch my girl, you’re lying,” he sobbed, straining against Pope’s hold on his biceps.

“Why would we lie about this?” Kie yelled back, suddenly overwhelmed with having to watch JJ fall apart like this in front of her. “Why would your best fucking friend try and beat you to death if it wasn’t true? Why would the gold have been included in the letter? Huh JJ? Do you think (Y/N) would have ever gone along with something like this?” she screamed, her voice hoarse from crying as well.

“We’re telling the truth, JJ. She’s gone,” Pope said, holding onto JJ even tighter as his thrashing momentarily increased. 

JJ let the words wash over him, the truth of his mistake settling deep in his bones. The guilt, and the grief, and the anger weighed him down, and before he could stop himself, he let out a deep, guttural, inhumane scream of agony. Pope couldn’t hold him up anymore as JJ’s knees gave out, his entire body collapsing to the ground while he screamed. His throat burned more than it had before and he didn’t notice when his voice gave out, leaving him a mess on the floor with spit and blood dribbling from his gaping mouth. Pope cradled JJ to his chest, crying into his best friend’s shoulder while Kie fell beside the two, trying to get JJ to breathe again through her own tears.

--

Half an hour later, you were pulling up beside a hanger at the very back of a storage facility. You knew kooks used this area to store their boats, planes, cars, and other expensive things when they weren’t intending to be used in the near future--so you weren’t surprised when Rafe got out of the van and opened up the hanger, revealing a vintage boat and a handful of different furniture. With hurricane season already underway, and summer having begun, you knew kooks weren’t going to be visiting the storage facility very often, meaning there wasn’t a high hope that someone would stumble across you. 

“Welcome to your new home, snowball,” Barry leered, before opening the backdoor and dragging you out of the SUV. He kept the gun pressed against your waist while leading you into the hanger, leaving Rafe to pull the SUV around the corner. It was cold inside, much colder than you were expecting, and you had to fight to keep a shiver from trickling down your spine. “You and I are gonna be real comfortable in here for the next week, maybe longer if your boy doesn’t come through.”

‘He’ll come through’, you thought to yourself, worry spiking inside of you at the mention of JJ. You looked over your shoulder as Rafe came into the hanger and loudly pulled the door down behind him. “So, what? You’re just going to keep me locked up in here until you get what you want? I have a fucking job, Barry. I’ve already called out enough as it is, pulling a no-call-no-show for an entire week is going to get me fired.”

Barry reeled around to stare at you, an incredulous look on his face. “I’ve just kidnapped you and held you at gunpoint, and you’re worried about your damn job?” he asked, waving the gun in front of your face for emphasis.

“Uh, yeah, no shit. My job is the only reason DCS hasn’t snatched me and my brother into the system. Mr. Carrera has agreed to help us maneuver a few technicalities with DCS--so long as I take on extra shifts when needed, and show the fuck up. Plus, a week’s worth of zero tips means bills won’t be paid and stomachs won’t be fed,” you scoffed, knocking the gun away from your face.

“I don’t think you understand the situation you’re in, snowball-”

“Ay, nuh-uh, Country Club. Get your own nickname,” Barry cut in, prompting you to raise your eyebrows.

“But you-”

“Nope. Get your own.”

Rafe paused, glaring down at you in thought, before nodding to himself. “I don’t think you understand the situation you’re in, Maybitch-”

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” you groaned, pressing your fingers to your forehead in exasperation. ‘It’s got a nice ring to it, though, and JJ would eat it up… Could even get a laugh out of Pope, I bet,’ you couldn’t help but think.

Barry knocked the gun against Rafe’s shoulder, shutting him up with a look of annoyance. “Your boy has gotten himself in a lotta trouble, 25k worth of trouble. So until I get my fucking money, you’re not going anywhere,” Barry simplified.

You pouted in mock disappointment, “Could you at least write a note to my boss?” Barry groaned with a roll of his eyes before he nodded his head at Rafe and directed him toward something you couldn’t see. “Look, I’m gonna be honest with you, Bear. JJ and the others have probably spent the money already. JJ’s got restitution to pay, Pope has an interview he needs a suit for, Kie’s been wanting a new surfboard, and Birdie’s been wanting to fix up our boat with somethin’ pretty. There’s no way they’d let 25 thousand dollars burn a hole in their pockets.”

Barry chuckled darkly with a shake of his head and turned your body around. He forced you to face the spot he had sent Rafe to, where you saw a metal chair bolted to the ground with Rafe stood beside it. He held a boat chain, a lock, and zip ties in his hands and a wicked grin was cracked along his face. Barry moved your ponytail out of the way so he could lean his chin on your shoulder, taking satisfaction in the way your body trembled. “Trust me, snowball, after they see how well you’ve been treated at Hotel Barry, they’ll find a way to get me my money. And you,” he paused to laugh softly in your ear, “you’ll be providing me all the information I need on where to find the rest of that gold.”

‘I’m so fucked.’

--

All Writing Taglist (OPEN): @sophster1881​ @alilcloudy​

[idreamofplaid]

Putting the Past to Rest

Square Filled: Angst

Characters: Walker x Reader

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Walker is finally beginning to come to terms with his past because the reader is someone he wants in his future.

Word Count: 2132

A/N: This is for @girl-next-door-writes Make Me Feel Bingo. Be gentle. It’s my first Walker fic. If I did it right, he doesn’t read like Sam or Jared. Not beta’d. All the mistakes are mine.

2nd A/N: Last week I wasn’t so sure, but I knew if anyone could make me love Walker, Jared could do it. Look what happened this week. It’s starting. 

His kiss was all consuming. You could feel the scratch of his beard, his soft lips, and his tongue dancing around yours. All of that threatened to pull you under until you drowned in him, but the thing that truly pulled at your heart and made you want him more than you had ever wanted any man was how he tangled his hands in your hair while making deep sounds of need that sent a shiver of anticipation through you. This was Cordell Walker finally letting the wall down he had kept himself behind for far too long.

You unbuttoned his shirt while he kissed you, anxious to feel the warmth of his skin next to yours. He was already breathing heavily, and the clothes were just now starting to disappear. It seemed he was as impatient as you were to get them off. Walker broke the kiss, finished opening the last buttons at the bottom of his shirt, and stripped it off over his shoulders. 

He pushed you down onto the bed and covered your body with his. The feel of the muscles in his back beneath your fingertips turned you on even more. You had been waiting for this man for longer than you cared to admit; he was finally ready for this, and already he was worth the wait. He would always be worth the wait.

The taste of him on your tongue was something you could never quite imagine, though you had tried. He pulled his mouth from yours and left a slow line of kisses across your cheek to your ear. There was a softness in his kisses now; it was the softness you had glimpsed in him at times he didn’t know you had been looking.

He took your earlobe into his mouth and sucked on it, followed by a gentle nibble and a whisper. “You still want to do this?”

You brought his mouth back to yours for another deep kiss to answer him with your body before you reaffirmed that answer with your words. “I want this so much. Want you, Cord.”

Your eyes fixed on his; they had darkened to the deepest of grays like a sky filled with storm clouds. He had a powerful mix of emotions churning inside him. You were ready to accept all that, accept him in all his complexity, every single scar.

You reached for the hem of your t-shirt, dragged it up your body and over your head. His eyes had a hunger in them now as they raked over you, lingering on your breasts that were still covered by your bra. It was nothing overly sexy, light blue and trimmed in lace. You had no way of knowing when you put it on this morning, that you’d end up in bed with Cordell before the day was through. 

Walker didn’t seem to care that you were wearing an “everyday” bra. He licked his lips in silent appreciation before reaching one of his large hands behind you to pop the hooks. He looked at your exposed breasts and then moved his eyes around your face as if he was memorizing every detail. “You’re gorgeous.”

You reached for his head, letting your fingers play with the hair on the nape of his neck before pulling his mouth back to within an inch of yours. “Show me.” You closed the rest of the distance to kiss him again. 

This time, while you kissed him, your fingers found his belt buckle. You unfastened it and yanked it through his belt loops, flinging it across the room. Your mind hardly registered the sound of it hitting the wall because you had moved your attention to his pants, unbuttoning and unzipping them to get them out of your way.

You pushed them down over his hips, your hands feeling the slight curve of his ass as you went. His cock was fully hard and pressing against you. Judging from the way it felt, his cock was just as big as the rest of him.

He let you go long enough to get his pants off, and you got a good look at him. Cordell was lean and muscled all over, but he was broad. His shoulders and arms were thick and powerful. You wanted to run your hands all over him, feel every bit of him, appreciate the masculine grace of him.

It was his chest that called to you the most. That is where you touched him first. You lay your hand on one of his pecs. It was solid and warm beneath your palm. You moved your hand down his stomach, along the line of hair there, but you stopped just before you got to the base of his cock. It was standing long and thick, a pearl of pre come already beading at the tip.

You inhaled sharply and clenched around nothing. The temptation was too great; you brushed your fingertip over the head of his cock, gathering that drop of pre come and bringing it to your lips. You opened your mouth and pushed your finger into it, slowly dragging it back out as you tasted that bit of him on your tongue.

Cordell groaned and slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them, they had darkened with an intense and yearning stare. He took you back into his arms and lowered you back to the bed. Never before had you felt the strength of a man so completely. When he held you, his embrace was solid and certain. This was what it was to feel safe. This was the way it felt to be in this man’s arms. 

It felt like the temperature had risen. His open mouthed kisses on your neck no longer felt just warm; they were hot. Then he took one of your nipples into the heat of his mouth. His tongue swirled around it, and his lips closed over it, sucking and pulling until there was a burning ache deep in your core. 

Cordell kissed the rest of the way down your body until he reached your waist, and your jeans temporarily stopped him. He opened them and slid them down your legs, bringing your panties with them. He spread your legs and buried his face in the center of you. 

The tip of his nose rubbing against your clit was nearly driving you crazy. He was swiping his tongue through your folds, drinking you in. Your hands fisted the sheets, and you moaned his name. 

Cordell finally slipped two of fingers inside you, and at last there was something to fill the emptiness. He crooked his fingers to rub them over your sweet spot, and you arched into his touch. He’d closed his lips around your clit, intent on kissing and stroking an orgasm from you.

When you were so close your thighs started to shake, he gave you a final push. “Come for me, Y/N.”

You did exactly what he wanted and came apart for him. Your climax tore through you with the pent up power of how long you had wanted him. He kissed you through it, only taking his finger and mouth from you when you stilled.

He rose over you and lightly kissed your lips. “Are you still good with this?” His eyes were searching yours for any sign of hesitation, or maybe it was affirmation he was seeking. “I’m not exactly an uncomplicated man.”

You put your hand on his cheek. “I know who you are, Cordell Walker, and I want all of you.”

His eyes stayed fixed on yours while he lined himself up with your opening and pushed his way inside. He took it slow, giving you only an inch at a time. You could feel his cock throbbing as he stretched you to accept him. 

When he was fully seated, he stayed still and let you breathe. You took in long, deep breaths through your nose and let them out through your mouth. Your breathing began to quicken and you told him “Move, Cord, Please move.”

His thrusts started deep and slow. He was pushing against your cervix with every thrust. When his thrusts got faster, his dick was pounding it. You started to pant. It felt like he could break through into your womb; he was so deep.

You felt yourself approaching that edge again. “Oh, God. Cordell. Cord, please.”

“You don’t have to beg me, baby. Take it. Take what you want.” His breathing had speeded up to match yours. 

You screamed when you came. “That’s it, gorgeous.” He kept thrusting, and another orgasm started to build deep within you. 

This time when you came, he came right along with you. You could feel his hot release filling you, causing you to gasp. Then you felt his hand on the back of your head and his breath on your neck. “I’ve got you, Y/N.”

A few seconds later, he rolled off you and lay on his back. His arm was flung over his head, resting on the pillow. With his other arm, he drew you to him. You put your head on his chest and started to catch your breath. He combed his fingers through your hair and asked, “Was it okay?”

You lifted your head to look at him with an incredulous smile. “What kind of question is that? I can still barely breathe.”

He tried to shrug it off. “A pretty common one, I think.” He faltered, and the nonchalant attitude he was trying for slipped away. “I mean I haven’t done this in a long time, except when I was undercover, and that was...different.”

He never talked about being undercover. Never. Whatever he’d done weighed heavily on him, and that was all you knew until now. What had this job he did so well asked of him? What had it taken from him?

“It was good, Cord. Really good,” you told him quietly. You didn’t touch the undercover thing. There were so many things you wanted to ask him, so many questions you wanted answered. It was too soon for that. This thing between you was fragile and new. Better to allow him to let things out in a trickle that he could control. There was still a dam inside him, holding back so much he wasn’t ready to tell you about yet. 

You were patient. When he was ready to share what had happened, you’d be there. For now, before the silence could get too awkward, you were turning things in a different direction.

You sat up and reached for your t-shirt where it had fallen onto the bed, slipping it back over your head. When you moved to stand up, Cordell grabbed your hand. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to cook you some dinner while you take a nap or a shower, both if you want.” You smiled at him, aware of the firm grip he had on your hand and not quite sure of what it meant, but knowing he needed reassurance from you. You kissed his forehead. “I want you well rested and well fed. I’ve got plans for you later tonight.”

“Don’t go. Not yet. I want you to stay here with me.” A shadow of hurt and sadness crossed his face. Then he tried to lighten the mood, much as you had, by changing  the direction of the conversation. “We can order in later. I’ll be ready for anything you want.” He gave you his dimple studded smile, but it didn’t quite make it to his eyes.

You lay back down beside him, propping yourself on your arm, so you could see his face. “Would you tell me if there was something wrong, Cord?” You knew what this was about. This was a conversation you’d had before, more than once, but was he ready to go deeper?

“It’s not you, not this. I just…” He looked down, his eyes no longer meeting yours. “I want you here with me.” He reached for your hand again and laced his fingers through yours. He looked at your hands joined together for a few seconds before he went on. “I can’t forget it. That I didn’t protect her. Now, it’s you.” He raised his eyes back to yours. “I need to protect you.”

What he wasn’t saying hung between you. You knew, and he knew you knew. If this had just been about sex, it would have happened months ago. Your eyes didn’t leave his, and you answered him with a declaration of your own. “I have never felt as safe as I do when I’m with you.”

Neither one of you was going to say it...yet. You put your head on his shoulder. “I’m here, Cord. I’m not going anywhere.”

Everything: @gambitwinchester @princessmisery666 @peridottea91 @logical-princey @emilyshurley @beenlovingromansincedayoneish @fangirlxwritesx67 @waywardbaby @atc74 @shaniquacynthia @mariekoukie6661 @tumbler-tidbits @fandom-princess-forevermore @terrarium-jpeg @emoryhemsworth @crashdevlin @jules-1999 @mrsdeanfuckingwinchester @cosicas-cuquis @sammyimpala-67 @queenoftheunderdark @dean-winchesters-bacon @timelordy-fangirl2 @sweetness47 @hobby27 @awesomesusiebstuff @kickingitwithkirk @sandlee44 @supernaturalgrandma @dawnie1988 @volleyballer519 @outcastedangel @kdfrqqg @lizette50 @sorenmarie87 @winchesterxfamilybusiness​ @thinkinghardhardlythinking​ @petitgateau911​

I’m tagging all my Sam/Jared peeps. If you don’t want on the Walker list, let me know. 

@girl-next-door-writes @stunudo @feelmyroarrrr @sammit-janet​ @idabbleincrazy​ @evansrogerskitten​ @focusonspn​ @autumninavonlea​ @spnxbsessed​ @durinsbride​ @wendibird​ @waywardnerd67​ @fullmooner​ @julesthequirky​ @sams-sass​

[jippy-kandi]

Digimon Adventure: 2020 – Episode 66: The Last Miracle, The Last Power (Review)

Thoughts on the sixty-sixth episode of the Digimon Adventure reboot series.

We’re finally at the penultimate episode! YAY! \o/

That close-up of Negamon’s eye opening looked like the Demogorgon’s face opening from Stranger Things, lol. (Watch that show! Nancy and Steve are uwu) Negamon/his eye is still so comical to me. :P

And . . . we’re ripping off Our War Game again (+ Apocalymon later)! Great. :P Nah, I don’t mind at all TBH, lol.

Mimi: “Papa, Mama, Grandpa . . .” Nice of Mimi to remind us that they actually have family they care about (and who, in turn, should care about them), lol. This is actually a huge gaping hole that the series has chosen to sweep aside for 99% of the time, at its own detriment . . . Where is a shot of Yuuko Yagami being a mess at her missing kids suddenly fighting in a battle for Earth? I miss when things actually felt like they mattered (more) and there were high stakes. OG Adventure is crying. ;_;

Sora: “We’ll take the tentacles!” Yamato: “We’ll . . .” Taichi: “Keep charging ahead!” In case you forgot who are the actual stars in this series - and who are just guest starring. Toei’s got you! uwu

Mimi being audibly cold when Vikemon did his Arctic Blizzard attack was nice, lol. These neat little Mimi side moments are definitely part of the highlights of this reboot. I wish all the characters had these. <3

It was nice to see all the Megas do their bit, even if it really was just the absolute bare minimum. In a perfect world, Toei would figure out how to give screentime (fairly) equally to the main cast . . . but alas. This is all we get. I still appreciated it, though.

Negamon’s evolution, Abbadomon, is . . . very underwhelming. He looks like a Pacman with film strips, lol. And when he evolved, the animation took a turn? Like it suddenly went into old black-and-white TV land. The music felt super old school, too. I kinda dug it, though? But, I must say, Abbadomon is a lot less intimidating than Millenniumon . . .

So we get all these shots of people in the real world watching the battle . . . and not a single 02 cameo, lol. Toei! COME ON! It would’ve been pretty damn neat! And super easy to do? :P They could’ve just looked similar to Ken and co., lol.

I really liked the second half where the existence of “the other four” (Sora, Mimi, Jou and Koushirou) were eaten by Abbadomon. It was so eerie and it actually had the characters, you know, talk! Damn, I miss that. I miss characters being actual people. :P

Sora: “Taichi . . . Yamato . . .” Why yes, I did appreciate this. Why? Take a wild guess. uwu

The light of hope stuff is, again, obviously inspired by the OG - and is actually fine. :P And while “the other four” are obviously not on the frontlines of the battle, I think their part was great TBH - it worked for me. I prefer these moments more than just attack, attack, attack. :P

Plus, they had a nice evolution montage thing where they all spoke with their Digimon partners. Screentime at last! uwu

There was a surprising Devimon and SkullKnightmon cameo that I dug quite a bit, lol.

And what we’ve all been waiting for - even though he appeared almost immediately at the beginning of the series: Omegamon! His evolution sequence was super cool - and, well, Omegamon himself is just a freakin’ badarse. uwu GET HYPE!

Overall, I actually quite enjoyed it. A solid penultimate episode - and honestly better than expected from this reboot, lmao. Sure, they’re borrowing heavily from the OG - but at least it was done competently. I have (almost) no qualms about this specific retelling. :P

Next episode: THE FINAL ONE! Climax and resolution in 20 minutes, lol.

But the end of this series will be very bittersweet for me . . .

See you then.

;_;

[alloveroliver]

Satan x MC “Unrestrained."

Rating: Smut 18+

A|N: Uhhh, this is pure sin. <3 Immediately goes into smut + established relationship.

WC: ~4,000

Obey Me Fanfic

Her heavy breaths were the only sound filling the room. Satan’s lips crept up the side of her neck, gently trekking over every bit of warm skin. His chest was pressed against her back while his lips explored the curves and dips of her clavicle. His hands reached around her body and toyed with the buttons below her neck. 

She gasped when he pulled the first button free. A sound of supprised mixed with relief filled the quiet library. She was hot and only growing more heated with each deft touch Satan bestowed. The second button popped open, and she sighed. The heat had the means to escape her body now that the cool room air lapped at her scorching skin. 

Satan nuzzled close, his breath bringing chilled bumps to her pink skin. “If you keep making noises like that, we may be caught. You don’t want that, do you?” He punctuated the question with a nip at her lobe. 

She bit her lip and shook her head. She didn’t want a single second of his intimacy to go to waste. It was rare they were alone without any of his brothers or any imps catching up to them. The library was silent on the weekends, especially after the midterm they just had. There was no reason for anyone to be found here, especially this late in the evening. 

They felt at ease knowing they’d be alone. Any sounds, though, would surely alert anyone waltzing by. She bit her tongue when his palm dipped into her bra and cupped her sensitive breast. She knew she could keep quiet, but for how long? If she genuinely wanted to lose herself, it would be a challenge not to make a single peep. 

His strong hand gently kneaded her chest. He rested his forehead against her cheek while he switched from cupping her breast to teasing her nipple with his finger and thumb. He swapped back and forth until he moved to the other side. 

The sensation of his hand on her neglected breast made her falter. She stepped forward and grabbed the edge of the bookshelf. They were off in the corner in a specialty section for especially old books. Most of them looked like they’d never been touched, but somehow their papers looked as if they were stained with coffee. The musty scent of the dust hung low in the air, coating just the tops of the books. The front of the books looked well taken care of by the librarian, but there were far too many shelves in this place to make sure every book was pristine. 

“Part your knees.” Satan’s whisper was rasped as his warm breath spread over her skin down her shirt. Her top was obscured, exposing more cleavage than she’d ever dared to show. 

She did as he said and began to part her wobbling knees. Satan’s hand moved down over her navel and moved between her legs. It was like second nature to began grinding on his hand. Satan pushed his hips into her backside, rubbing his solid girth in time with her rip rotations. He kept a moan at bay, making a low hum in the back of his throat.

His lips met her neck and ear many times before he pulled his hand back lightning fast. He reached around her with both hands and unbuttoned her shorts. The sound of the zipper made them both pause and held their breath. It was louder than any noise they’d made thus far, and she felt her heart began to pound loudly in her ears. 

After a nervous moment, no other sound was detected. Satan shook off the notion that anyone heard them and dipped his fingers into her shorts. He slid along the front of her panties until he met the wet spot. 

He let in a sharp inhale and pressed his lips firmly to her ear. In the quietest whisper, he spoke. “You like the way I touch you, babe? You like it so much. You’ve ruined your pretty little panties. You like to act like you’re so innocent, but I know what makes you wet.” 

It was the raw emotion Satan spoke with that made another groan pass her lips. Abruptly she bit back the sound and pinched her mouth closed. He kissed her neck, and she could feel a wry smile stretch across his face. 

Satan’s tongue traced the crevasse of her neck while three of his fingers ran down her slit. Against her heated skin, she could feel her panties soak through even more. His fingers began to venture along the sides of the elastic that clung to her thighs. He ran his fingertips along the edge of her underwear and shivered. 

Changing his stance, Satan stood flesh against her back. His hardness rubbed along her back, making her ankles quaked at the thought of him taking her right here, right now. He kept swiping over her swollen clit with purpose, teasing her relentlessly. With every new touch, she grew closer and closer to climax. 

Her hips swayed as he removed his hand. His blond hair tickled the side of her face while he brought his hand up to her lips. The tips of his fingers moved over her bottom lip, and she could feel the moisture on his skin. 

He lightly chuckled and brought the fingers to his own mouth. He tasted just the tips and nuzzled the side of her face. “You taste so good. I want more.” 

His hand struck like a viper, dipping back into her shorts, and her knees almost gave out. If it weren’t for his other arm holding her upright, she might have been kneeling by now. Satan went inside her panties and ran one finger up and down her sex. 

“More..” She bucked her hips. “More, please.” 

“So polite, even to a demon.” He taunted, rubbing his pointed finger in circles over her slick entrance. “You want more, like this?” The tip of his finger dipped inside of her, and then he removed it again. “Hmm?” He hummed with a smirk.

“Y-yes..” She pushed her hips to coax him further. She was so hot, all of her skin burned. Her legs felt like jelly, and she wished she could collapse onto the floor with him. 

“What?” A new voice came from behind. 

Satan jerked his hand away from her, standing upright. He pushed her behind him and stood tall as if to hide her. The lights were out, but dim moonlight allowed the area to glow a gentle silver. They remained in the shadow while the footsteps grew closer. 

She grasped a handful of his shirt, hands shaking, hoping they wouldn’t find them. Satan looked mostly normal. His cheeks were flushed she could see, but his clothes were intact. Her clothes, however, were very much skewed and undone. It would be hard to explain her appearance away to whoever was bounding around the corner. 

“What kind of nerd do you have to be to be in the library on the weekend?” A familiar voice echoed off the stacks. 

“Unless they are hiding from someone,” A new voice answered. He giggled, and the other huffed. 

Satan felt behind him to make sure she was hidden while he adjusted himself. 

“Helloooo!” Levi’s evident voice rang into the specialty book section. 

Satan took a step toward him and scowled. “What do you want?” He crossed his arms. 

Asmo rounded the corner, took one look at Satan, and smiled. “Oh, hello, brother.” The edge of Asmo’s lips rose with a smirk. 

“What are you doing back here?” Levi questioned, brows knitted. 

“What does it matter?” Satan snapped, cheeks still red. 

Asmo peeked behind him and clasped his hands together. “I see,” 

“You see what?” Levi questioned. 

“Nothing nothing, Let’s go, Levi.” Asmo hooked onto his brother’s arm and began to pull him away. 

Satan looked even more perturbed by Asmo’s suggestive smile and eyebrow wiggle. He whirled around to his girlfriend and grabbed her hand. 

“Let’s go,” Satan murmured. 

“Is that-mmf” Asmo’s quick tug thwarted Levi's words. “Hey! What’s the big idea!”

She didn’t hear the rest of their little squabble as they rushed out of earshot. Satan snuck her out the side door of the library into a lesser-used hallway. There was a long walk from his room and were sure to be spotted by others on their way. She began to button her top up as they walked quickly down the hall. 

Another voice of someone seemingly talking on the phone began to grow near. 

“Dammit.” Satan spat. He looked just as flustered as she felt. 

She didn’t think she could make it that far anyway. The friction of her shorts rubbing aginst her center made her legs quake as she speed-walked. It was too much yet not enough at the same time. She knew she needed to find a new rendezvous spot and fast. There was no way either of their rooms was an option at this point. 

Looking around, she had an idea. She pulled Satan’s hand and brought him to a labeled door. She shushed him, and Satan nodded. The door opened easily, and they poured into the janitor’s closet lightning fast.

They slammed the door, and Satan ran his fingers through his golden hair. The adrenaline made them puff air in the small space. It was immaculate. Almost no supplies filled the racks. She wondered if this was used for the storage of extra items only. 

“There’s even a lock!” She spouted in surprise. Quickly Satan clicked the lock shut and whipped around. He bent down in a heated kiss and picked her up by the hips. She yelped, but Satan’s mouth muffled it. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he walked several paces toward the back of the closet. 

Satan sat her down atop the counter. It only housed a sink to the left and a tackle box to the right. The space was the perfect size for her to fit. She parted her lips, and his tongue moved to run along hers. 

He ran his hand up and down her back while he kissed her. He pressed his hips against her as he settled between her thighs. It was hard to sit up straight with the intensity of the kiss that she grasped fistfuls of his shirt. 

Satan bucked his hips into hers. She responded with her own thrusts, and soon they were grinding on one another in sync. He wore a simple black button-up shirt, and she made it her mission to rid her boyfriend of the offending garment. With half concentration, she made her way down his chest, unbuttoning each button along the way. 

His carved chest came into view, and she broke the kiss to glance down. Her hand moved along his abs as she pulled him in for another searing kiss. Satan’s eyes were deep dark blue, the color of the hottest fire. His golden hair dangled to his nose, casting a shadow over his brow. 

She moved her hands lower and lower until she cupped his hardened cock that strained against his jeans. Satan groaned and let her grope him for a minute before he backed off. She blinked several times, watching him kneel before her. His shirt hung open yet still clung to his broad shoulders.

He cut his dark eyes up to hers and unbuttoned her shorts once again. Satan then kissed her knee as he unzipped them. He tugged the loose shorts to her ankles and removed them entirely. He dropped them to the floor and began kissing her knee once again. He moved his mouth up her thigh, up and up until he began to lick her essence that dripped past her panty line. 

Satan moaned along her skin, sending a shiver up her spine. His teeth grazed the cloth that covered her sex. He nipped at licked at the soaked fabric until she tossed her head back. 

In a flash, his fingers hooked the elastic of the panties. They were whipped down her legs and tossed behind his shoulder in a flash. Satan’s face immediately buried between her legs. She covered her mouth with one hand and ran the other in his silky locks. She felt Satan’s head move with every lick. 

He lapped at the juices of her slit, sucking the swollen lips until her eyes rolled back. The act only produced more lubricant allowing his tongue to dip into her hole that much easier. Her legs clamped together, but she forced them to relaxed open in hopes that he wouldn’t stop. 

Her hand tightened in his hair as she clenched her jaw. “Higher, oh higher!” 

He hadn’t made to where she wanted it the most, and yet she felt her clit throb with every touch of his mouth on her folds. 

Playfully, he nipped along her sex, making sure his tongue touched every inch of her cunt before making it to the desired spot. Instead of quick movements, his tongue swirled over her clit slowly and methodically. 

“Oh…. fuck!” She moaned loudly into the small space, tossing her head back to rest along the wall. Her hair began to stick to her forehead and nape of her neck as the temperature grew. 

The slow movements along her cunt to her clit prolonged the release she’d been racing toward. It felt incredible yet made her impatient at the same time. Satan knew she was close, and yet he teased her still. His tongue made another slow swipe over the helpless nub, and she whimpered. 

His large hand left her thigh and roamed upwards to her breast. He cupped her chest, pushing the fabric askew. With his mouth on her cunt, he managed to pull her top down her shoulder and expose her left breast. He squeezed her chest and licked her cunt at the same time,  ceasing her breath in her throat.

Satan’s lips encapsulated her clit and he began to suck lightly. His tongue teased the tip while his lips moved back and forth. The way her hips pushed into him became ragged while she moaned “Yes yes yes yes, right there,” 

He released the pressure on the sucking sensation and began to run his tongue up and down her slit. After several swipes, he paused at the top make a U shape with his tongue. She gasped and held his hair in a death grip. 

“Close, so close!” She yelped, letting her back slumped against the wall. 

He moved the U shape faster and faster until her thighs began to close around his head. Satan cut his eyes up to hers, and she noticed how dazed he looks. He was under the same spell she was, seeking primal pleasure from the one they loved. Her pussy pulsed against his lips and her thighs trembled with every throb. Her words were garbled, but she warned him she was cumming over and over until every wave of bliss ceased.

He stood to his feet and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. His eyes locked with hers, and he bent down to press a hot kiss to her lips. Her body felt like jelly in the aftershock, making it impossible for her to sit upright. 

She gasped into his kiss while his hand came up to the back of her neck. He held her head upright when she couldn't.  Satan nipped at her bottom lip, and she hurriedly moved to unbutton his pants. Satan’s pants were almost too tight to unbutton, but she managed to unclasp then unzip them in one fell swoop. 

With deft fingers, he unbuttoned her shirt and opend the garment for his liking. He pulled the cups of her bra down to expose both breasts to him. He only cupped them with his hands while his mind went elsewhere. She stroked him slowly, feeling how impossibly hard he already was. Satan squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his forehead against hers. His cock wept precum, making each stroke more audible than the last. 

His lips move down her neck, kissing her along the way until he met her chest. He teased her nipples with his tongue, gently grazing the nub with his teeth until she mewled. He then moved to the neglected breast and did the same thing. 

The angle she stroked him at wasn’t perfect, but he seemed to enjoy it just as much as any other position. 

“O-” He cleared his throat, “Open your legs more,” He was breathless, chest heaving for oxygen. 

She did as he asked, relaxing her thighs wide for him. Satan’s lips moved along her shoulder to her neck while he lined his cock up with her entrance. He pressed his forehead into her throat as if to steady himself. 

The pressure made her eyes grow wide as the tip of his cock stretched her. Her cunt squeezed against his girth the deeper he slid into her. Satan gasped when her walls clamped down on him. He was trying to keep his cool for as long as he could, making sure her body was amply ready for him to begin thrusting.  

“Fuck me,” Her voice broke the silence, and Satan’s face jerked up to look at her. His eyes were so filled with lust she thought he was almost unrecognizable.

“Getting bolder, I see,” His usually teasing tone was gone. He spoke in a low, sultry voice making her heart jump in her chest. 

She gulped, trying to will her head to nod. Satan’s lips quirked up as he moved closer to her ear. His nose ran along her cheek on the way, making her skin feel even hotter than before. 

“Do you see the position I have you in?” He asked while grabbing both sides of her hips and jerking forward. “I’m the one in control, not you. It’s always been me in control. Do you hear me?” His words dripped sensually from his lips. 

“Please, Satan.” She began. She tried to buck her hips, but he held her in place while his cock remained halfway inside her. “Please fuck me. I’m ready.”

He tisked and dug his fingers deeper into her skin. “Are you now?” 

She nodded eagerly, feeling his lips hover just above her ear. He huffed and nipped at her ear lobe. “Are you sure about that? Are you sure you’re ready for what I want to do to you?” 

Her brows rose, yet she nodded affirmatively still. Whatever Satan had in store for her, she was ready. At this point in their relationship, she’d do anything for him it seemed, anything to please him or gain pleasure from him.

A deep rumble rose in the back of his throat. In one thrust, he buried himself fully into her. He gasped as he gained just as much pleasure from the motion as she had. Satan pulled back from her and held her knees open. He stood with his shirt falling off his shoulder and his eyes looking down at her disastrous state. He backed up and thrust again, and again, watching his cock disappear into her slick cunt. 

“I’ve never seen your pussy this puffy for me before. You’re so fucking wet, babe. Your body craves me, doesn’t it?” He asked his question breathlessly. His hand released one of her knees and moved the caress the lip of her cunt. He moved his hips in a moderate pace while his thumb press onto her clit. 

“Oh!” She cried out, reaching out to grab his arm.

“What’s the matter? You were begging me to touch your clit earlier. Are you sensitive?” He teased, swirling big circles over the nub. 

It sent jolts through her body that left a wave of pleasure in their wake. 

“Gah,” Her thighs began to clamp together, and Satan shook his head. 

“I thought you were ready for me to fuck you.” He taunted again, moving his hips faster against her cunt. “Tell me you want me to keep going.”

Her eyes were screwed shut as she willed her legs to relax. The extra touches to her clit were too much but still felt incredible. Satan slowed down his thrusting and began using two fingers to rub along her clit. 

“K-Keep going,” She managed. “Don’t stop,” 

“Do you like this?” He asked sincerely, not stopping his touches. 

“Yes, yes, I do. I’m just... I’m so sensitive.” 

“I know,” He began to move his hand away from her clit. “I know, I can feel you squeezing my cock, and I like it. It just feels so good to me.” 

The overstimulation was soon missed after that statement. She wished he wouldn’t stop touching her spent clit, but Satan was already moving to her pert nipple. He rolled the nub in his fingers, and she gasped. 

Satan moaned as he sped up, slipping into her easily with how turned on she was. Gentle sounds of skin hitting skin filled the small closet with every thrust. 

She looked up at him, and Satan bent down to her. They kissed sloppily as he sped up, fucking her harder and faster than before. Her hand moved to hug his back, and they adjusted their position to be closer. Her nails began to dig into his skin with how blinding the pleasure became. 

With every sensual thrust, his cock hit her gspot at the perfect angle to make her see stars. He hummed as he hung his head into her neck. She opened her eyes for a moment and watched his muscles flex and contract. Veins became defined along with his sculpted muscles the harder he worked for his own release. His abs cut perfectly into an arrow shape around his hips, making him look incredibly sexy in his current state. 

Satan’s thrusts began to falter while his moans became louder. She began to match his push with her hips seeking her own pleasure in the mix. 

“Cum,” He groaned, “Cum for me again.” 

She felt a wave of heat rush over her when she realized how determined his voice was. It didn’t take but a few more seconds for her to let go and allow the rush of pleasure to overtake her. She felt her cunt throb against his girth, and they both moaned together.

As she came down from the rush, Satan pulled out and quickly stroked himself. He warned her before he began cumming on her chest and stomach. He rocked his hips, stroking slower and slower until his shoulders fell. 

She moved to hug him, allowing him to relax into her arms. He hugged her back, and their panting filled the room. 

Minutes passed, and Satan began running his fingers through her hair. 

“Sorry for the impromptu location.” She let out a breathless laugh into his shoulder. 

“It’s fine. I was trying to take you to my room.” Satan let out a small chuckle.

“Yeah, I don’t think I could have made it that long.” 

“Me neither,” He confessed, lips pressing against her warm cheek. “It was really hot how you took the initiative though and pulled me in here. I was impressed.” 

“Would you have done anything like this in the library? You know, before Asmo and Levi ruined it,” She wondered out loud, playing with a strand of his hair. 

“Mmm, I would have tried.” He laughed. 

“Do,” She took a deep breath “Do you want to go to your room anyway? To maybe clean up a bit.”

He smiled and kissed her lips gently. “We could save water, and you could shower with me.” He winked playfully and let out a mischievous laugh. 

“If it’ll save water.” She responded, biting her lip.

“Oh? You are insatiable,” He nipped at her bottom lip flirtatiously. 

.

.

.

Thank you @peacheat , for your suggestion for the two to interrupt them based on the post I made! I appreciate you!

Thank you guys so much for reading, hope you have a good day! 

Personal Note: I’ve had a bit of a writer’s block lately but no lack of ideas just unable to write them cuz of these stupid high standards I was giving myself. I heard some advice recently that pertained to art but also pertains to writing fics as well. 

“Not every piece of art you make needs to be good. Not every piece of art needs to be a masterpiece. It’s okay to just have a good time creating something and not worry if it’s up to your own standards. Make as much as you can and eventually good stuff will come out. But, if you don’t make the bad stuff, you won’t make the good stuff either.” - Dahli Raz

Idk who else needs to hear that but this will be something I live by now <3

[galladerocksgamer]

Okay so I love the Paranormal Liberation War arc, it does so much fantastic stuff, dang near perfect across the board. But I think it’s pretty widely felt that the pacing got a bit off the rails near the end, we had big reveals and character moments stacking up and half of them barely even felt relevant. And me being the person who just thinks about things in depth and for long periods, I’ve still been dwelling on it for months. And now as the manga has continued, I’m finally seeing how some of the aforementioned War moments could have been better executed in different situations, because honestly this latest arc seems like it would have been tailor-made to address them all. So lemme take a closer look at three different components here: Mirio/Eri, Bakugo, and Hawks.

1. Mirio and Eri

Probably the most random moment from the war’s climax, don’t think anyone was predicting the sudden return of Mirio to battle. I love Mirio, he’s one of my favorite characters, but it was a pretty anticlimactic way to bring him back into the fold. He doesn’t even really bring anything special to the battle, nothing uniquely Mirio. His role is just backing up Best Jeanist against the Nomu, and anyone could have done that. Burnin could’ve arrived sooner, or Manual and Rock Lock could’ve come back after getting the injured heroes to safety. Heck, if you still wanted the Nighteye agency to be involved, then Bubble Girl and Centipeder could’ve been the cavalry to help Jeanist. But instead Mirio returns unexpectedly and none too remarkably.

And on top of that, we’re basically just told “oh by the way Eri has some control of her power now.” Something that the series had been building up toward for awhile just … occurs off-screen with no forewarning. Really feels like a disservice to Eri and her development to not give that intense moment any real spotlight.

It felt extremely weird for me at the time, but I also kinda wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the coming arcs just couldn’t afford to place focus on Eri and Mirio, so their respective developments were tied together to lend an extra surprise to the war’s final bout. But instead this most recent arc has gone the opposite route … through the return of Chisaki.

The man once known as Overhaul, now thoroughly broken and wanting nothing more than to fix his one great regret. With Nagant’s defeat, he winds up back in custody, but having now once again met with Midoriya and made his wish known. So indeed, the opportunity arises for Eri and Mirio to be brought back to the forefront. I don’t doubt that we will indeed have at least a brief glimpse at Eri healing Chisaki’s boss as Midoriya promised, but the potential for that scene could really have been through the roof if it was the impetus for Eri to willingly use her power on a person for the first time.

Imagine Midoriya coming to Eri with that heavy request, of Eri deciding to offer this kindness toward Chisaki of all people, using her power to heal before the man who always told her that she could only destroy. Because really, I don’t think there’d be a question of that, we know the kind of kid Eri is, and she won’t let anyone suffer if there’s any way she could prevent it. Even if Chisaki was the person asking, there might be hesitation and fear, but is there any doubt she’d offer what aid she could in the end? And for Pops to be the first person she helps, to undo the harm carelessly inflicted by Chisaki … well, it’d certainly be poetic.

As for Mirio in this scenario, that could go a couple ways. Route 1: Eri is hesitant to help Chisaki with Pops because she would rather help Mirio get his Quirk back, and we know that her power seems to have a bit of a limit on it via the energy stored in her horn. So what if it did work, but she ran out of juice healing Pops and then made Mirio wait even longer? Well, of course that’s exactly what he’d insist on, he wouldn’t let himself take priority over another person in need of Eri’s help. And he’d take it all in good spirits as always. Or Route 2, if there was concern that Eri’s power could run wild while trying to help Pops, then they could go the complete opposite direction and have Mirio offer to go first, to be the guinea pig for Eri in case of emergency. But of course, he’d have full faith in her all along and coax her through, ensuring her of just how helpful and brave she always is.

So yes, can see how Eri and Mirio’s development could have taken a more satisfying route, and cap us off with some good ole Chisaki angst to boot (though at least we’ve still got a decent serving of that). Now moving on …

2. Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight

So Bakugo’s long and arduous journey of personal growth reached a new peak during the battle with Shigaraki, where his body moved without thinking and he underwent his true heroic awakening to protect Midoriya. Such a sacrifice seems like a perfect cap for his development for the War arc … and then a couple chapters later he forces himself right back into action to back up Best Jeanist, and as promised he reveals his over-the-top hero name to his mentor. In this case I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with the reveal, but in light of his preceding big heroic action, it really feels like a hat on a hat.

It’s not like Bakugo’s hero name heralded some major turning point for the battle; Jeanist’s arrival (and subsequently Mirio’s) had already assured that. And like Mirio, there wasn’t any real special reason for Bakugo to rejoin the fight with the Nomu, especially with Iida and Hado on the scene. After getting skewered by Shigaraki, it would have been pretty simple for Bakugo to just spend the rest of the fight bleeding unconscious on the ground, rather than complicating matters by shoving him back into the fray. And ultimately, the moment feels a bit anticlimactic. All the suspense waiting for Bakugo’s hero name, and then it’s revealed at a time where he barely even has the spotlight.

Of course, such a bombastic name as “Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight” doesn’t particularly lend itself to a quiet or emotional scene, so it wouldn’t be thematically fitting to move that revelation to Bakugo’s hospital bed or his somber apology to Midoriya. That said, given his decision to announce the name first to Jeanist, there would at least be precedent for him to have a “Dabi says secrets in a black speech bubble” moment in the hospital in which he talks to Jeanist but leaves the readers in the dark, before coming back to the actual audience reveal later on.

And there must certainly be other opportunities to present the name appropriately. Bakugo is a master of making an explosive entrance, after all. And when Class 1-A finally catches up to Midoriya, if Bakugo really wanted to make a big impact on his friend/rival before getting into the sentimental stuff, then it would be a prime chance to reveal his hero name in grandiose fashion, both to Midoriya and the audience.

Or if his hero name had been Kacchan, then that reveal would have fit right in with his apology to Midoriya, but that’s neither here nor there

This could be one scenario, of course, but it hardly feels like that would’ve been the only option. And compared to the crammed-in reveal in the final fight with the League, it’s easy to say that there could have been plenty of smoother roads to take.  But setting that aside, moving onto the final touch:

3. Hawks

The long-awaited Hawks backstory doesn’t really disappoint. Admittedly, there weren’t really a lot of holes necessary to fill in there; we’d had enough bits and pieces provided before this point to pretty much put together the whole picture of his crummy childhood. But even without any really surprising turns, the flashback is welcome and hits some good emotional beats. But really, the glaring issue in this area is the timing.

We’re presented this backstory at an instance where Hawks is hardly the most relevant character. Shigaraki is undergoing a personal crisis as All For One seizes the reigns of his own body, Endeavor’s dark history has been exposed and the Todoroki family is in turmoil, escapees from Tartarus roam the streets, and Midoriya consults internally with the vestiges of One For All ... and the narrative decides to take a chapter to look at Hawks. Practically nothing from his flashback directly relates to present events, serving only to further emphasize his already well-established devotion to Endeavor and his (misguided) understanding of Twice’s feelings. The timing is just kind of baffling, especially with some other more appropriate places being readily apparent.

For instance, only a dozen chapters later, we’re properly introduced to Lady Nagant. As Hawks’s predecessor within the Hero Commission, the two have a lot in common, and the similarities and differences between the two could set up some interesting comparisons if Hawks’s backstory was saved to follow up Nagant’s. Two idealistic young children, handpicked by the Commission and groomed into assassins, yet whose outlooks in the present day are starkly opposed? Nagant's guilt driving her to turn on the Commission, while Hawks holds few regrets despite the blood on his hands, longing for freedom from the Commission’s grasp? That kind of parallel could really have built a more solid foundation for Hawks’s past to be laid upon.

That could be an effective setup, but there’s another approach I’d actually much rather have seen, one that brings Hawks’s backstory not later, but earlier: during the dramatic confrontation between Hawks and Dabi. The instant that Dabi reveals he knows Hawks’s real name, the story opens itself up perfectly to dive into his past. And the timing would be superb, showing Hawks at his worst as he murders Twice, then turning back the clock to look at the innocent child who just wants to save people. A little boy whose feathers tingle with the need to rescue those in need, superimposed against the man whose same feathers are used to deliver the killing blow to a victim of hero society’s ills. You want angst? Now that’s how you do angst. Placing the backstory there would play up the tragedy of both Hawks and Twice simultaneously: a “hero” raised by the Commission to cut threats to their control short at the root, and a “villain” who could have been a kindred spirit but instead suffers for their would-be friendship.

And that’s not even the icing on the cake. The real matter of interest here comes in Hawks’s view of Endeavor. By the time we get to Hawks’s backstory, all of Japan has already learned of Endeavor’s history from Dabi, and the result of the timing feels a smidge tone-deaf, and fails to realize the full potential resonance of the situation. The flashback to young Hawks as a victim of child abuse, who is rescued (unwittingly) when Endeavor arrests his father, is presented to us as the moment when Hawks realized that heroes are real, not merely a fantasy. We see why he developed such an ideal view of heroes, and why he is so specifically loyal to Endeavor ... so just imagine if all that was presented during his showdown with Dabi. Imagine if all that came before the tragic revelation of Toya Todoroki. The true terrible irony, that Hawks was rescued from his abusive father by someone secretly guilty of the same crimes, that Hawks’s whole epiphany of “real heroism” was founded upon one of the most corrupt enforcers of all.

The end result would be the same, I’m sure. After all, this is certainly the same thought process Hawks was going through all along, and his decision to maintain his faith in Endeavor’s personal growth would presumably remain unchanged. But presenting Hawks’s backstory before Dabi’s would have opened up a lot more room for us as the audience to actually see Hawks’s views be challenged. If there’s one real complaint I’ve got about Hawks’s character, it’s that we don’t really tend to see him questioning himself or his actions; whatever happens, he rolls with it and presses on, no matter how his ideals are brought into question. But this simple matter of timing could go a long ways to remedying that, granting the audience the chance to watch Hawks grapple with his personal image of and approach to heroism, and his relationship with Endeavor, rather than allowing most of that to pass unseen in the wake of the war’s end. Even if he would ultimately come to the same conclusion, at least such a narrative structure would provide a much more satisfying presentation of his struggle up to that point.

So, I’m not great at endings, but that brings us to the conclusion of my rambling though process here. To recap, the more I’ve thought about it, the more obvious it is that the backloaded War arc could be remedied, and the following arc only made that more obvious. Why force Mirio’s return so soon when he could be tied in later with Eri mastering her powers and the desperate pleas of Chisaki? Why shove in Bakugo’s hero name when the boy has already made a tremendous impact on the arc, and will be more open to further focus during the conflict with Deku in the next? And why throw in Hawks’s backstory as a standalone chapter at a time when it’s largely irrelevant, when there was such great potential to emotionally contrast him with the backstory of Nagant or Dabi? These are the kinds of things I think about. Little things, really, and honestly the whole reason they stand out to me is just that the rest of the arc around them is so dang fantastic. So … yes. This is the testament to my love for this manga, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk, byeeeeee

[ultrahpfan5blog]

Retrospective Review: Quantum of Solace (2008)

QoS is an odd movie in the Craig Bond era. Its one of the only Bond movies which doesn't stand on it own at all and that is by design. Frankly, Casino Royale felt like a complete story. It didn't feel like it needed a direct sequel quite like this, but that's the direction the franchise decided to go. Its also odd because QoS is also a movie that both benefits and suffers from watching it back to back with Casino Royale. Benefits are obviously thee story progression and the connections between characters. The reason it suffers is that it is obvious that its a significantly inferior movie in a lot of aspects. I don't hate QoS and it certainly is not in the vicinity of the worst Bond movies for me like it is for many, but it is undoubtedly a disappointing follow up to Casino Royale.

One major issue with the movie is the action. As I mentioned in my review for Casino Royale, the action sequences in the movie were exhilarating and visceral. QoS came in the post Greengrass Bourne era where all the action films wanted to use the quick cut, shaky cam style without quite having Greengrass's ability to use it. QoS is one of those. Some of the action sequences are genuinely difficult to follow. The opening car chase is one example. There is a shootout at the opera that is similarly chaotic as well as an elevator fight. There are a few good action sequences. There is a good boat chase scene, a pretty strong plane sequence, and the climax is pretty solid. But again, nothing quite the level of Casino Royale and it obviously invites those comparisons.

This movie is also the shortest Bond by a distance. Given it was basically written as it was being shot and by Craig and others who were not professional writers, due to the WGA strike at the time, I would say that was probably for the best. One of the good things about the film is that it does not linger. There is something constantly happening. The story is pretty simple, which is Bond attempting to hunt down the people behind the organization that killed Vesper. Its a revenge movie. So it makes sense for the story to be pretty straightforward. The film tries to be topical by bringing in the demand of oil, which was something that was a hot topic given the start of the Iraq war. The actual plot of the villains is not really of much importance. More that they are present and powerful and they need to be brought down.

Part of why this film suffers is that the villain is really not compelling. In essence the villain is Quantum as an organization, but Dominic Greene is kind of the person at the head of Quantum. He is really not a particularly villainous presence at all. At times he is unintentionally funny when trying to be menacing. Matheu Almaric is alright in the role but the character is just kind of meh. There is also a side villain for the Bond girl in question, who is also just meh. The reason you are invested in Bond taking down the villains is because Casino Royale invested you in the relationship between Bond and Vesper. So the things that succeed in this film lie primarily with what was well setup in Casino Royale. Perplexingly, Mr. White, who is set up as a big antagonist, kind of disappears after the opening of the movie apart from one brief moment.

Olga Kurylenko is not too bad as Camille. She's refreshingly not a Bond girl that is romantically entangled with Bond. She does have her own mission and her own revenge story. Its not given a whole lot of depth so its not something that the audience gets super invested in. But at least she stands out from most Bond girls. Gemma Arterton is the more stereotypical Bond girl in the movie, who shows up to literally be seduced by Bond into helping him and then dies as a result. She is quite stunning though and her death is clearly an homage to a similar Bond girl death in Goldfinger, which was another example of Bond's involvement get a girl killed.

Craig is really the primary reason why the film is still reasonably enjoyable. This is a markedly different performance compared to Casino Royale where he had a twinkle in his eye when flirting with Vesper and did have a sense of humor. This is Bond as a wounded tiger. Full of rage and resentment. And he delivers that phenomenally well. There are some genuinely heartfelt scenes as he struggles to deal with the loss. Irritation when things don't go his way. And also some guilt because he does cause a wave of death on his path of revenge. Matthis and Fields are two casualties of his mission that he bears some responsibility for. I like that the film does point out his culpability, particularly with Field's death. He kept me glued to the screen even when the screenplay isn't strong to keep me engaged. There are some solid returning performances as well. Judi Dench continues to be wonderful as M. The dynamic between her and Craig was one with felt lived in. Jeffrey Wright was a welcome return as Felix Leiter. Giancarlo Giannini is also great. Mathis was a character that was left hanging in Casino Royale. And while his fate is tragic, he does share a few of the best scenes of the movie with Bond.

In the end, Forster does a serviceable job with this film. Its a film that I can watch but its not a particularly memorable one. It also doesn't feel complete. Bond doesn't get Mr. White and we don't really get resolution of what happens with Quantum, even in subsequent films. There is a very satisfying ending scene where Bond confronts Vesper's boyfriend who is part of Quantum. That's another standout scene of the movie with Craig displaying his rage through his eyes. So while it provides some closure, it doesn't do it completely in a satisfying manner. I do think it gets more hate because it came after a classic like Casino Royale, but being a direct sequel, the comparisons were inevitable. For me, the movie is about a 6-6.5/10.

[tsaomengde]

I have watched Star Wars: Visions!  All of them!  On the whole I was entertained.  As with any anthology like this, there are ones I liked more and ones I liked less.  I'm going to do a very quick, spoiler-lite (no twists or reveals, just general impressions) post-mortem on them in order of how much I enjoyed them.  None of these are canon, but I will also address the question: Could It Be?  Not because that's an indicator of quality, but mostly because it's a fun mental exercise.

I watched these in English across the board.  The dubs were all fine.  We've come a long way in that department.  I tried watching in Japanese but there are no English subtitles that aren't also closed caption, which seems like a ridiculous oversight on Disney's part.

9. Akakiri

Animation is okay.  The story is kind of a mishmash of things and I didn't care much for the direction it took.  Not all of these need to be "Star Wars" as I understand it - part of the appeal of anthology productions is the diversity of points of view.  But this really didn't vibe with me.  Disappointing note to end on since it's the last one in the "season." 3/10

Could It Be Canon: Ehhh, not really.

8. Lop and Ochou

Gorgeous animation, solid premise, weak execution.  The stakes are arbitrary and I didn't feel we got a satisfying story arc.  Things felt rushed in some areas and too slow in others.  I enjoyed the pretty pictures though.  4/10

Could It Be Canon: There's a few elements in there that make me say "no," and the bunny people are not one of them, for the record.

7. T0-B1

This was a cute story.  Lots of cute designs, simple story with a nice message.  The animation isn't really my cup of tea but for what it is it was executed with great artistry.  5/10

Could It Be Canon: Not in a billion years.

6. The Twins

Pretty-looking nonsense.  This is definitely the most "anime" of all the episodes, and I don't necessarily mean that in a good or bad way.  I know the Internet has been dying to see Waifu Grievous in action, but I thought the action was just passing okay.  5.5/10

Could It Be Canon: Hell could freeze over, the heat death of the universe could come and go, and this still would never even remotely approach canon.

5. The Village Bride

Very pretty, kind of a contemplative Thing.  Suffers from a lack of... something.  Like there's a lot going on here, and that's not a bad thing, but it doesn't mesh quite right.  Pacing is off, and the climax is cool but I don't know that all the dominoes that fall necessarily add up right.  6/10

Could It Be Canon: Actually this is one of the more canon-plausible episodes.  You could definitely squint and say some of the elements are just artistic choices rather than hard deviations from how we know canon Star Wars to work.

4. Tatooine Rhapsody

This is kind of a ridiculous premise but you know what, they pulled it off.  The animation is fine, in a cute, exaggerated chibi style that really helps sell the tone of the story they're telling.  I had fun with it.  The fact that its story hinges on a band making music means there is music, and I thought it was not bad.  7/10

Could It Be Canon: Again, it's kind of ridiculous, but nothing in the story technically conflicts with how canon Star Wars actually works.  And think about some of the stuff from the old EU.  Waru makes this look down-to-earth.

3. The Elder

Slow as hell to get to the actual point, and the characterization is laid on pretty damn thick (we get it, the Padawan is trigger-happy), but the payoff is well done and the animation is very solid.  Plus, I think this is the first time we see trakata (tactically turning off and reigniting a lightsaber) actually used on-screen basically ever.  7.5/10

Could It Be Canon: Absolutely 100% could be canon.

2. The Ninth Jedi

Really beautiful animation, excellent premise and payoff, and good pacing.  I have basically nothing bad to say about this one except that I would have liked more of this story, since they left us with many directions they could go.  9/10

Could It Be Canon: Ehhhh, no.  The central premise of the story is predicated on the idea that a situation could come into being where lightsabers are lost technology.  From everything we know about lightsabers in both old and new canon, the hardest part about making them is acquiring a crystal and then attuning it using the Force.  If you're Force-sensitive and you're even moderately tech-savvy, you should be able to figure it out.

1. The Duel

I would rather have ended on this one, because it is the best by *far.*  Gorgeous animation that seamlessly blends Kurosawa-style samurai cinema with Star Wars aesthetics in the best possible way.  The story is simple, but effective, and the pacing is dead on.  This is what I signed up for when I pressed "play" on Visions and it delivered.  11/10

Could It Be Canon: Not really.  There's a little too much here that can't just be hand-waved away as artistic choices.  But I would watch or read the hell out of something set in this "version" of Star Wars.

[loverontheleft]

MoSex 4

AU with single Kinky Boots!B. Fluff and smut. Parts 1-3 can be found on my Masterlist in my bio. Moodboard by @a-silver-linings-boyfriend

Brendon x reader. Warnings: So...we’ve ( @beautiful-tragic-fallout ) created a points system for smut.

0.25 for handjob

0.25 for fingering

0.5 for blowing him

0.5 for going down on her

0.75-1.0 for sex, vanilla

1.5-2.0 for sex, advanced positions

3.0 for bondage, spanking, other kinks, or public sex.

This chapter has a score of 6.75 along with general filth, some fluff, language, and dirty talk.

Word count: 6.4k

-||-

You smell him before you feel him. It's the fresh, clean scent of his cologne with its lemon undertones, combined with the sweet, intoxicating smell that is the result of the last hour in his bed with his head between your thighs and your soft, desperate cries as he brought you to orgasm again and again.

“What is it, Princess?” His voice is low as he crawls back up the bed, and you relax back against his chest when his hands wrap around your hips. He guides you back so you’re nestled against his gloriously naked body and smiles against your neck where he’s pressing warm, gentle kisses. “You still seem stressed. Am I losing my touch? Thought I would’ve fucked that out of you by now.”

“You did, for the most part,” you admit, eyes fluttering shut in post-orgasm bliss, before turning to face him. “And I enjoyed your efforts very much. It’s just...I’m sorry, I’m just a little distracted. Normally, I have another job lined up by now. And I mean - I’m fine. My savings are solid. I’d be fine. But with my Kinky Boots contract ending, I should be moving on. There should be something else coming up. And there isn’t.”

“It’ll work out,” Brendon soothes, running a hand through your hair and down your back. “Besides, maybe the universe just wants to see exactly what me spoiling you constantly would look like.” You grin feebly and press closer to him, relishing the feel of his hard cock pressed firmly against your stomach. “I think…” and he pauses for a moment, waiting for you to tip your head up to meet his eyes. “I think I’m gonna stick around for a bit. After my run ends, I mean. I like New York. I haven’t gotten to really explore the area because when I’m not in rehearsal or actually performing or doing press, I’m tangled up with my sweet girl here.” He nuzzles you affectionately. “And I have no intention of giving up my time with her. So, if I want to immerse myself in the city, it’s going to have to wait til my time with the show is over.”

Your breath is caught in your chest and you hardly dare ask the question, but this has been on your mind too and if he’s bringing it up… “you mean you’re staying?” You can hear the hope in your voice. He can too.

“For a while, yeah. I-” he hesitates, tracing a path down your hip. “I love you, Y/n.”

You’re pretty sure he can feel your heart racing. The room is spinning. There’s a ringing in your ears and you feel dizzy. “You love me?” You’re giddy, eyes wide, fingers numb with sheer euphoria, cheeks hurting from the size of your smile.

“I love you,” he confirms, reaching down to grab your waist and hoist you up higher. “Do you, uh...well, I mean. Do you...I was just wondering if you…”

“I love you too,” you whisper, tugging him in by the back of his head to kiss him firmly. “I love you too.” You’re running your fingertips along his jaw, pressing yourself to him, and he’s beaming at you.

“Fuck, that feels so good to say,” Brendon murmurs against your mouth, rolling you both over so he can press you down into his mattress and kiss you deeply. “And so good to hear.”

You tangle your legs around his waist and grind subtly, seeking him. “I love you,” you repeat, scratching at his back as he shifts to fill you. “You’re really staying?”

“I’m really staying, Y/n,” he tells you, groaning in pleasure as you rock your hips up to take him deeper and kiss his neck. “Yes, Princess, my sweet girl. My babydoll. I’m staying. Fuck, you’re always such a good girl for me - take my cock, honey- yes!”

His fingers clutch at you as your back arches, and you whine and beg him to mark you up. “No one will see,” you assure him breathlessly. With the time that’s passed since the show opened, he’s getting more attention and that means you are too. You’ve gotten accustomed to the hat and sunglasses routine and you enjoy tucking yourself into the crook of his arm as he and Zack usher you into wherever you’re all headed. He makes you feel safe. But with more attention comes the requirement of being more careful about leaving marks. A stray visible one could be bad, but you don’t care right now: you want it. You know he does too. He loves watching you strip and seeing all the marks he’s left on your body. “Baby, please. Need you to claim me.”

He groans into your neck, biting down and suckling eagerly, and you shriek, hitching a leg higher over his waist. “Yes, fuck yes,” you gasp. “I love you, Brendon.”

“I love you,” he manages, slightly breathless as he picks up the pace of thrusting into you. “I want my princess to come on my cock.” He slides two fingers into your mouth and you suck greedily. “Good girl,” he praises, and you whimper when he rolls a nipple in between his now-slick fingers. “You sound so pretty, doll. Gonna come for me?”

“Uh huh,” you whisper, tangling a hand in his hair and tugging his mouth down to yours. “Gonna come in me?”

“Fuck,” Brendon mumbles, nipping at your lower lip affectionately. “You know I will, Princess, if you’re still okay with that?”

It’s been two months since the accident in his dressing room, and in bed the next morning, you suggested that maybe, if the two of you were going to be exclusive, maybe the condoms weren’t essential. You were on good birth control anyway, you told him, and you felt like the two of you were good at commitment, so you were okay with forgoing the condoms if he meant it when he said exclusive. Before you had a chance to gauge his reaction, he was on top of you, kissing you fervently, thanking you and promising you that he was committed and you were the only one. One very romantic date to a clinic for testing and two good news phone calls later, and you’ve been able to feel him and only him every time since. He still checks every time though, and you love him for that. Plus, you just love hearing him say it. “You good with me coming in your perfect pussy?” He’s breathing hard as he slides in deep, fingers gripping your thighs as he tries to control himself and wait for permission.

“You know I’m okay with it. You know I love when you come in me.” You drop your legs from his waist and spread them wide, hooking your ankles over the edge of the bed. “Give it to me,” you beg, gasping when he bites down on your neck while thrusting hard and reaching down to rub your clit.

“You first, babydoll. You’ve gotta come for me first, Y/n, you know that.” He’s kissing you frantically, moaning every time your tongues brush, and you can feel your body tensing as he pushes you closer to the edge. “That’s it, Princess. Be a good girl. Be my sweet, messy girl and come all over my cock. Come on my cock.” His encouragement is exactly what you need.

“Ooooh shit!” Your squeal is paired with your nails raking down his back and he grunts, thrusting hard one final time before you feel him trembling over you, praising you and rocking into you through his climax. “Yes, Bren, yes!”

His stomach is tense from the rapid thrusts and there’s a sheen of sweat over his skin. His chest is flushed pink and his eyes are dark, and he’s mumbling something about how in love with you he is. He’s still shuddering over you when you reach for him, needing him closer. He drops down to his forearms and kisses you softly, wrapping you into an embrace. The kiss is sweet and serene, and you find yourself getting lost in it until you break the kiss to yawn. “My perfect girl,” he whispers, grinning at you and tugging the abandoned blankets back up over your bodies. “You sleepy, Princess?”

“Uh huh,” you whisper, snuggling closer. “Less stressed too.” You don’t need to say how much his imminent departure was weighing on you. He knows.

“Good,” Brendon murmurs, stroking a hand down your back and holding you close. “We’ll shower later. Love when you come that hard for me. Makes me fucking wild.”

You agree softly, wiggling against him and guiding his half-hard cock back into you. “Like feeling you in me while we sleep. Like when you have dirty dreams and get hard while you sleep. Love you.”

“I love you too,” Brendon says, kissing the top of your head. “I love you too.”

-||-

“So where will you live?” You’re washing your hair as Brendon leans against the wall of his shower, watching you. “Can you extend the lease on this place?” You look over at him, curiosity all over your face. You’re trying to focus on the conversation, but he really is astonishingly gorgeous, and he’s wet and naked and yours.

“Not sure…but Zack is looking into it. I’d rather stay here if I can, but I figure if I need a new place, I can go house-hunting. Apartment hunting?” He ponders this and you laugh, realizing that he’s probably got some sprawling property back in California. You’ve never lived anywhere other than apartments and brownstones, so a whole house with a yard and probably a pool is such a foreign concept.

“Apartment is most likely,” you tell him, whimpering with delight when he moves back under the water and kisses you softly. “Penthouse, maybe…if you’re feeling fancy,” you manage as his lips move down your neck and his hands curve over your ass.

“As long as I have a space to take you to bed, a space to make you breakfast, and a space to bathe with you after we’re done ravishing each other, I don’t care where I live.” He grins up at you through wet lashes. “I have my priorities straight.”

“Yeah you do,” you say affectionately, ruffling his wet hair. “Though I’d like you to stay here too...I know this area now. I even have a favorite bagel place around the corner.”

Brendon grins and turns the water off, wringing out your hair gently before passing you a towel. “And I’m sure wanting to stay here doesn’t have anything to do with that huge four-post bed to which I routinely tie you...before devouring your pussy until we need to change the sheets.” He winks and you blush, protesting that the bed is a nice perk too but the location of this brownstone is great. He laughs. “We’ll know I’m becoming a New Yorker when I base my living situation on a favorite bagel place,” he teases. “For now, I’ll just let my brilliant, sexy girlfriend pick where we go. She’s never steered me wrong.”

“I don’t know how you can eat them from just anywhere. Murray’s has the best salt bagels, and you never need to go anywhere else.” You cross your arms as if the point is decided and Brendon kisses your forehead.

“You’re right. Murray’s or nothing.” He pauses as you both dry off. “But what if I told you I sent Zack out for breakfast and he didn’t go there?”

You frown at him as you wiggle into a pair of leggings and tug one of his shirts over your head. “I’d say you owe me another weekend at the Plaza with lots of oral and then maybe I can find a way to forgive the transgression,” you tease, shrieking with laughter when he scoops you up into his arms and carries you back to the bed.

“He went to Murray’s, don’t worry. I specified.” He winks at you. “And I already booked our room for next weekend.” He places you down on the bed and flops next to you. “What’s more, I can assure you there will be plenty of me eating you out. I’m already dreaming about you in that bed, hips tipped up so I can grab your ass and really make you come on my tongue. I know we just showered, but damn, I want to get you naked and sitting on my face again, riding my tongue. You’re intoxicating.” He kisses your cheek and you wrap your arms around him, snuggling in close.

“You’re a unicorn,” you tell him. “No one else has ever gone down on me half as good or half as often. My unicorn.”

He beams at you, the love clear on his face. “And I’m planning on keeping it that way. You’re my girl. My babydoll. My princess. Mine. I want you to feel as incredible as you can. Plus, I just really love the feeling of your pussy on my face.” He grins when you blush and rolls over on top of you, sliding down your body and tugging your leggings down. “Can’t get enough of you,” he groans, licking gently.

“Oh fuck,” you sigh, spreading your legs wider for him. “Yeah, baby, just like that. Just - yes...uh huh, fuck yes!”

Brendon smiles and slides two fingers in deep, rocking them forward gently while he fastens his lips around your clit and frets his tongue against you. The squeal you let out is piercing and he presses more insistently with his fingers, all the while telling you not to come yet. He knows you could, but he wants you to be good and wait.

“What?” You sound frantic and in disbelief, but he laughs, telling you that he’ll make you come soon. “Yeah you will,” you pant, moaning and wiggling against his face. “Wanna come on your tongue.”

He groans his approval and squeezes your ass with one hand, thrusting hard with the fingers of his other one. “Wanna eat your cunt for every meal; just want to make this last. Can’t get enough of your sweetness on my face,” he says in a ragged voice, clearly grinding down into the mattress. “Babydoll, my love - let me have you. Need you to rub your sweet cunt on my face and come for me.” His tongue goes back to your clit.

“I’m allowed to come?” You’re breathless, clutching at his hair with both hands and frantically grinding your pussy against his eager mouth and rolling tongue. He nods and you gasp your gratitude as your eyes roll back and your thighs tighten around his head.

He grips your thighs hard and shudders in pleasure, lapping at you needily. The security alarm chimes and he pulls back, hair wild, eyes dark, and swollen lips smeared with you. “Breakfast is here.”

-||-

The episode of Brooklyn99 has just ended and the next one is queued up, which means It’s his turn to lay with his head in your lap. You lift your head up off of his thighs and flip yourself around so he can assume the position you’ve just abandoned. “What will you do when you’re done with the show?” You pose the question as you run your fingers through his hair.

“Get another bagel and then go down on my girlfriend again.” He says this casually and snuggles closer to you, rubbing his head back against your hand.

“What?” You pause, and then laugh. “No, B. I meant after Kinky Boots. Not this episode...although I’m not opposed.”

“Ohhhh, after my show.” He laughs now too, and considers for a moment. “Well, there’s going to be lazy morning sex with you, obviously. Breakfast in bed. Leisurely walks through the city. Lunch and dinner wherever you want. Maybe see some other shows. Literally anything you want. A whole week at the Plaza. A cabin upstate with a case of your favorite wine and no clothes. Whatever you want. Gonna spoil my Princess. Gonna be your boyfriend and your sugar daddy.” He’s got his eyes closed in pleasure as you scratch his scalp, but you can hear the teasing note in his voice. “We’ll do whatever you want.”

“What if I get a new contract? And I’m at work all the time?” You can’t help but sound nervous, but he smirks.

“Then I’ll be your slutty fucktoy and spend all my time in your bed so you can have me whenever you want. I’ll just be naked and ready for you. I’ll make breakfast in the morning and fill up your travel mug with the coffee you like. Send you off to work with one long kiss goodbye. Then I’ll clean the apartment and amuse myself for a while. Get dinner ordered for delivery before getting back in bed. Or maybe I’ll drape myself fetchingly on the couch so I’m the first thing you see when you get in the door.” Brendon’s grinning up at you and you have to laugh because he’s so ridiculous and so cute and so ridiculously cute. “You love me,” he says, half-teasing and half-awestruck. “You’re the best woman I’ve ever known and you love me.”

“I do love you,” you tell him, resting a hand on his stomach and stroking idly as you play with his hair. “I love you so much.”

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that. Your turn again,” Brendon says as he wiggles out of your lap and sits up. “Lay down, Princess. Wanna get my hands on you. If you keep touching me, I’m gonna get distracted and needy. So we gotta switch early.”

“I can make this sacrifice,” you say with a faux-long suffering tone. “I suppose I can tolerate your hands on me.” You wink at him and instead of laying your head in his lap, you tug him down so you’re both stretched across the couch, chest to chest with your back to the back of the couch. “Sleepy,” you admit, snuggling closer to him. “Can’t focus on this episode.”

Without hesitation, Brendon grabs his phone and pauses the stream. “Then we’ll nap, my sleepy love.” He presses a soft kiss to your forehead and you wrap your arms around him. “You cold? You want blankets?” When you nod, he reaches up behind you and tugs a knit blanket down over you both. “Rest, Y/n. I’m not going anywhere.”

-||-

“So,” Brendon begins as he hauls you back into bed after lunch, “where did we land on the sugar daddy thing?” He’s got one eyebrow raised in curiosity and he’s watching you in amusement. You narrow your eyes at him playfully, tugging his hair idly and snuggling into him.

“Depends entirely on why you’re asking,” you tell him with a grin. “I’m not going to stop working to be your slutty fucktoy, to use your phrasing.” You bite lightly at his neck and he groans, reaching down to grope your ass and bring you even closer.

“Just curious. You definitely don’t need to stop working. You’re damn good at your job and you love it. I wouldn’t ask you to do that. Ever.” He’s playing with your fingers now and nuzzling your cheek. “I just keep seeing things I think you would like or places I want to take you but I don’t want you to feel...I don’t know. Like I’m - I don’t know. Trying to make you feel...”

“Hey, I fuck you because I’m super turned on by you and I love you. Not because you pay for things and I feel obligated,” you point out, giggling when you see the look on his face. “Dork. Buy me whatever and take me wherever. Or don’t. I’m still going to want to suck your cock.” Brendon groans happily and you laugh, sliding a hand down into his sweatpants. “You don’t need to worry about me feeling weird. Just keep being you. You’re who I want and need. Sure, you’re a celebrity and a rock star who makes bank but I’m not here for that guy. I’m here for the sweet, sexy, sensitive guy who is my boyfriend. I like the nice dinners we do and our mini-vacations to the Plaza. But I don’t need them. All I need is you. And your world-class dick.” You squeeze lightly and he sighs in pleasure, watching you with dark eyes.

“I love you,” he says a little helplessly, hips twitching as you stroke him idly. You whisper it back to him and he reaches down to wrap his hand around yours. “Don’t tease me, baby. Just a little faster- yes, Y/n, just like that.” Together, you pick up your pace and he buries his face in your neck. “God, you make even a handjob feel so good. Stroke it, Princess; yeah, you feel that hard cock? That’s for you. I’m going to come for you.”

“I wanna lick it,” you tell him, squeezing again as he grunts in pleasure. He shakes his head, kissing down to your collarbone.

“No, baby, you’re sleepy. Love that you want it, but you’re tired right now. Just get me off like this. Play with my cock and make me come like this. You can suck me off later. Guarantee I’ll want it later too. Oh fuck- baby, that’s so good…” He tosses his head back and rocks into your grip eagerly.

“Come on my hand,” you murmur, speeding up. “Come on my hand and let me lick your cum off my fingers.” It sends a thrill right to your clit when he lets out a shuddering gasp, stiffens, and you feel him give in. “Yes,” you whisper, praising him and leaning in to kiss him sweetly as his hips twitch and he trembles. “Love that.”

Brendon laughs shakily, running his free hand through his hair and then pressing against the small of your back so you’re flush against him. “Obviously I love it too,” he says and his lips part silently when you slide your hand out of his sweatpants and delicately place two fingers in your mouth. “Yeah, you look good like that,” he mumbles, snuggling against you. “Got me sleepy now too.”

You finish sucking your fingers clean and run a hand down his arm. “Then let’s sleep.” You shift a little so he can roll onto his back and you can rest your head on his chest. “Don’t be surprised if you wake up with your dick in my mouth. I want you,” you tell him, running your clean hand through his hair tenderly.

-||-

It’s been three days since he told you he was staying, and you’re watching curtain call from the wings, going out of your mind with lust, when you notice the missing button from his jacket. That’s the perfect excuse, if anyone asks.

When he comes off-stage, you grab him by the wrist and lead him back to his dressing room, ignoring the lighthearted comments and amused remarks from the rest of the cast. They know about the two of you, and you’ve worked with many of them before. They’re just glad you finally chose a good guy.

“What’s up, babydoll?” Brendon kisses you gently once you’ve closed the door. “You good?” He raises an eyebrow and you nod, removing his jacket and shirt carefully before guiding his hand up your skirt. “Ah, I’m caught up now.” He kisses you more fervently while his fingers tease you. “Someone is feeling needy. It’s interesting how careful you’re being with the costume pieces. Normally when you’re this wet, you’re clawing at my clothes to get me naked,” Brendon says, curling his fingers and making you gasp and cling to him.

“Only because I’d be the one to repair them before the show tomorrow night,” you remind him breathlessly, kneeling and tugging down his costume-boxers and folding them neatly before turning your attention to the compression shorts and dance belt. “And if I rushed and damaged anything, I’d be distracted the entire time you’re trying to make me come. Plus,” you say, looking up at Brendon with an amused smile, “this is a tease for both of us.”

He’s leaning against the wall, watching you with heavy eyes and biting his lower lip. “Definitely a tease,” he agrees, reaching down to stroke your hair. “Need you, Princess. Need you now.” He gestures down at the compression shorts that are really trying to do their job of concealing his arousal. You whimper and caress his cock through the material, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“Wanna suck your dick so badly but also I need you in me…” you can both hear the conflict in your voice. “Miss feeling your big thick cock filling me up when you fuck me hard.” You feel how wet you are and you look at him desperately. “Can I suck on your cock til you’re close and then take you inside me?”

Brendon’s head hits the back of the door and he groans in ecstasy. “Abso-fucking-lutely.” He promises, moving to sit down on the couch so he can work on one boot while you get the other one off. “Miss your mouth so much. Been thinking about how good you suck me off, how you swallow my cock down and still scratch for me to fuck your mouth...god, Y/n, you make my cock so hard.”

You don’t even need to respond; you just shift so you’re between his knees and rise up so you can take him down in one slick slide of your mouth.

“Holy fucking shit,” Brendon mutters, clutching your hair and trying to keep his hips still. You moan around him, rubbing frantically at your clit through your panties. “Don’t come, baby,” he orders you. “Want you to come on my cock. Wanna come in you and watch your face when I give you all my cum.” He’s panting, gripping the edge of the couch as your head bobs, your tongue working hard.

“That’s it, Princess. Just like that - oh fuck, just like that, suck just like-“ Brendon cuts himself off with a long groan that you’re positive is echoing down the hall. You don’t care. You’ve got one hand wrapped around the base of his cock, squeezing gently as you lick your way back up to the tip. “Holy fuck I love you so much,” he declares when you tease your way down to his balls.

You’ll never get tired of how he tastes. His cock is in your mouth and hands are in your hair; you’re surrounded by him and you know your panties are soaked. He’s watching in awe as you trace lines up his cock with the tip of your tongue, just to take him in your mouth entirely with an eager moan. You slide your panties to the side and roll your hips forward to take two fingers in you. His fingers feel better but yours will have to do, since he’s breathing hard and trying not to fuck your mouth.

Once his gasps, groans, and swears are slurring together into one stream of pleasure, you pull back and wipe at your mouth, your lips swollen and slick, with the back of your hand. “Bend me over the counter and fuck me til I can’t see straight.” With that, you tug your shirt off over your head and shove your skirt down. “Please,” you add, laughing as you bend yourself over the counter and watch him in the mirror.

“Yup, that’s - yes, gonna do that,” he agrees, standing from the couch and crossing the room to grab you by the waist and push into you. “Damn, you’re so fucking tight like this,” he tells you, watching you in the mirror. You whimper in pleasure and stretch your arms out in front of you as you realize there’s nothing to hold onto.

“I’ve got you, babydoll,” and he reassures you by squeezing your hips. He’s curled his fingers around your hips and is keeping you pulled back so his rapid thrusts won’t drive you into the edge of the counter. “Won’t let you get hurt.”

His whole body is tense as he thrusts into you from behind; you’re desperately trying to keep your head lifted to watch in the mirror. All the teasing of your clit has you right on the edge too, and you’re sure you’re going to pass out from sheer pleasure before he’s done with you. The sensation of being filled by him, over and over again, is heaven. The firm heat of his body pressed to yours makes your whole body ache with desire. You lose all sense of time - there’s only his cock filling you and his mouth whispering filth and his hands clutching you. You drop your head, pressing your forehead to the cool surface of the counter. “Don’t look away,” Brendon says in a low voice. “Watch how good we are in the mirror. Eyes on me, Princess. Watch me fuck you. Watch me take you. Watch me make you come.”

“Oh god,” you whine, forcing yourself to open your eyes and meet his gaze in the mirror. “It’s too hot, you’re too hot,” you whimper, pushing back on him. “Seeing us, seeing you fuck me like this, it’s too good. It makes me crazy. You’re gonna make me come. Fuck, I’m gonna come!” He can see the raw desire written on your face and he reaches down to rub at your clit.

“Then come for me,” Brendon tells you, still watching your reflection. “Be a good girl and come on my cock.” He hasn’t even finished the sentence before you’re crying out in ecstasy, the waves of your climax crashing over you. He fucks you through it, holding you in place as you shake and he pushes harder, doubling the tremors taking over your body. “Gonna come in you, yeah? You gonna watch me come in you?” You watch his head dip low to whisper the questions in your ear.

“Yeah,” is all you manage. You moan low in the back of your throat while he chants your name, still rocking into you steadily, even if his rhythm is abandoned.

“That’s my good girl. That’s my Princess,” Brendon murmurs, his thrusts slowing as his orgasm subsides. “Fuck, I love you so much. You are so good. You are so good. Come here, Y/n.” He takes a step back, guiding you to the couch where he flops unceremoniously. You curl up against him, still trembling with the intensity of your orgasm. “You okay?” He’s stroking your back and you nod, lifting your head to meet his eyes.

“I’m fucking fantastic,” you say a little breathlessly, laughing. “That was intense. I loved it. I love you.” He murmurs it back and wraps his arms around you, pulling you closer and rolling you both back deeper into the couch. “I’m exhausted. But I feel fantastic.”

“You look fantastic,” Brendon says, his eyes shining, as he shifts so you can press yourself against him and nestle your head under his chin. He’s running two fingers over your thigh. “You feel fantastic. You are fantastic.”

“You’re pretty fantastic yourself,” you counter, kissing his jawline. “What do you say we take our mutually fantastic selves home and take a shower? Then get some food in you?”

“Oh hell yeah,” Brendon says, wiggling up off the couch to grab his street clothes. “Gonna order now so it’s waiting for us when we get home.”

-||-

There are three bags sitting in the entryway of the flower shop when Zack parks the car, and Brendon scoops you up so that you’re clinging to him, shrieking and trying to not fall. “That’s dinner. Oh - no, I gotcha, babydoll,” he murmurs, and he shifts you slightly so you can wrap your legs around his waist and grip his shoulders. His hand slides under your skirt to grip your ass and you sigh happily, hooking your ankles together. “You’re not going anywhere.” He winks at you as he bends down to grab all three bags.

“Three? How much did you order?” You tease, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. He laughs and shakes his head, telling you it’s not all food. “Then what is it?” You’re curious now, and he shrugs.

“Guess you’ll just have to be patient and see,” he murmurs with a small smile, laughing when you huff and remind him that you’re not patient. “Oh, I know.” He grips you tighter and thanks Zack as he opens the door and proceeds to help you both up the stairs.

You’re finally inside and alone with him when he motions for you to follow him to the bathroom, still carrying the three bags with him. “This is not where normal people eat dinner,” you inform him, completely perplexed as to what his plan is.

“We’re not normal, Princess.” Brendon places the bags on the ground and bends over to plug the tub. “We’ve never been normal.” He yelps playfully when you smack his ass and he narrows his eyes at you. “I’m gonna get you back for that,” he warns, grinning when you retort that you’re sort of counting on that. He’s got the water running when he asks you for the smallest of the bags. You pass it to him without hesitation and he immediately unpacks three small kraft paper envelopes and dumps all of their contents into the hot water.

“Bath bombs?” You look at him, confused.

“Bath bombs,” he confirms, and he reaches for you to come stand beside him and watch the bombs swirl and burst and expand. “Three sex bombs from LUSH.”

“Ooooh,” you purr, stroking his chest now, pressing closer. “I like where this is going.” The smell of ylang-ylang and Jasmine is filling the bathroom and you are interested in getting him naked and in that water.

“So here’s my plan,” Brendon tells you, turning to face you. “I’m going to strip you out of those clothes and get you into this hot water.” You grin, because you’re on the same wavelength. He continues. “Once you’re settled, I’ll join you with the contents of these last two bags.” You raise an eyebrow and he presses a soft kiss to your forehead before starting on your clothes. “Now get your glorious, sexy, naked butt into that tub,” Brendon orders, giving you the faux-stern look that you love. You sink into the petal-pink, sudsy water with a sigh and he smiles. “Good girl.”

As you relax into the water, he rummages in the second bag, withdraws a bottle of red wine, and places it on the edge of the tub. “And finally,” he says with a flourish, “our dinner.” You peer over the edge of the deep tub and look at him with an amused expression, the corners of your lips curling and eyes sparkling as he tugs off his shirt.

“Baby, that’s four slices of cheesecake.”

“I know,” Brendon says, starting on his belt. “We’re having cheesecake and red wine in the bath. This is dinner. We’re adults. We can eat cheesecake in the bath for dinner if we want.” He grins and kicks off his pants, and you watch with interest as he sheds his underwear. He winks at you when you see him half-hard, and you whimper under your breath, gripping the edge of the tub.

“You didn’t bring glasses,” you point out, gesturing toward the wine. He grins as he slides into the water behind you, sighing in pleasure when you wiggle back against him.

“We’re drinking right from the bottle,” Brendon murmurs against your neck. “I’m gonna get you wine-drunk and nice and relaxed and then I’m going to take you to bed.”

“And fuck me slowly?” You sound hopeful, and he bites down gently. “Right?”

“Depends on how wine-drunk you are.” His fingers curve over your breasts and he teases your nipples, groaning when you rub back against his cock. “Don’t wanna take advantage of you. Really just intended to cuddle you up in bed and share some soft kisses, maybe give you a massage.” You whimper and tell him that you want him though, even though you just had him in the dressing room. His fingers slip lower over your stomach and down between your thighs. “Needy Princess. Love that. Might just need to fuck you slowly before the wine, then, huh?”

You’re squirming against his fingers, rolling your hips and nodding eagerly as he nuzzles your ear, nibbling gently.

“Oh,” he says softly. “I forgot something.” He abandons your clit and stretches over the edge of the tub, reaching for the bag the cheesecake came in. “Got it.” He pulls his hand back and he shows you the small tube of silicone lubricant.

“Fuck,” you whisper, grabbing his other hand and shoving it between your thighs so he can feel how wet you are. “You thought of everything.”

“Well, mostly I just fantasized about fucking you against the shower wall tomorrow morning,” Brendon quips, grinning when you laugh. “And I tried to figure out what I needed to make that happen.” You gesture at the cheesecake and wine, telling him that he didn’t need to get all of this.

“No,” he agrees. “That was just because I wanted to eat cheesecake and get drunk with you in the bath. Completely separate from the fantasy morning sex.” He unscrews the top of the tube and you both watch as the clear gel drizzles down over his fingers. “I think we both are willing to wait on the cheesecake and wine?”

“Uh, yeah,” you agree, spreading your legs eagerly. “There’s not much I’m willing to put in front of red wine and cheesecake, but your fingers, and hopefully your cock, definitely make the list.”

Brendon laughs and kisses your cheek as his fingers go deep. You throw your head back and moan his name, already rocking forward for more. “My fingers, and hopefully my cock, thank you.”

[crystalelemental]

This is not a team-building question, but I hope it's okay to ask anyway!

Since Masters is very focused on the human characters and sometimes gave them more depth and development, are there characters that you didn't care/didn't like at first when playing the original game, but came around to like them after seeing their Masters portrayal? Are there also characters that you already like in the original game, and like even more after seeing their Masters portrayal?

Are there also your favorite story events and legendary events (so far)? And, what do you think about the Masters-exclusive characters like Paulo, Tina, Lear, Rachel, and Sawyer, as well as the main story about them (PML arc and the villain arc so far)?

You are completely fine to ask questions like this. I'm all for teambuilding stuff, but I generally just like talking about my opinions, so this is very welcome.

For the first question, I'd say Sophocles is probably the biggest upgrade for me? Like I really didn't like the kid at all in SuMo, I felt like he was super forgettable, but there's just something about his interactions with Cyrus that really make him interesting to me. Like it's so much more development than we got for him anywhere else, I kinda like it. I'd also probably include just about anyone from Gen 6. I didn't dislike them, but found them pretty unremarkable, they didn't leave much of an impression. But a lot of the Center conversations really elevated them. I'd say Diantha just exudes a lot of character she never got to show off in her base game, and while still confusing, Lysandre here seems at least a bit easier for me to follow, in that a lot of his MO seems to be based in making choices for oneself and how those choices resound into the future, which is a really cool angle given the first event that kicks off a lot of XY's climax (your protagonist choosing a button). There's just something in the presentation that reads very different here, where it kind of aligns to this sense that the problems of the world need a great person to make hard choices and push through, while indecision squanders the potential of great people. It's a neat way to portray the guy. Also big surprise, but Hilbert. I dunno, his role in Father or Foe was cute, I kinda like the kid now, and I never thought I'd say that about a protagonist character.

As for like but elevated higher, I'd say Winona is probably grand champion in that regard. I always kinda liked her, but man is her portrayal in Masters a delight, she is such a lunatic I love her. Similar vein, but Liza was a surprise, out of nowhere favorite. I barely even registered Liza but her Center conversations are super precious. I also really liked Roxanne and Jasmine and Clair, some of the general characters I was already drawn to. An interesting exception is Sabrina. I really like Sabrina, but Masters doesn't feel like it's done anything to really...improve on her or make her stand out. Which is strange, but okay.

As for specific events, I think Father or Foe is my outright favorite by composition. That one hits so good. N's lingering feelings of wanting things to work out with Ghetsis, the parallels to Silver who sees exactly why this is tough and Hilbert being completely lost because he didn't come from that kind of background but wanting to support his friend, the group banding together to try and help Ghetsis despite him being a piece of shit and having that all fall apart anyway. I dunno, something about it just hits right. Though I really like the Cyrus one too just for giving us Sophocles and the fact that Cyrus made a friend. Though man, big shoutouts to the Kanto villain arc, that one did such a good job. Like, I never quite thought I'd hit "legitimately compelling" from a gacha game's story mode but fuck dude, they nailed it.

I did really like Winter Wishes, I think it was overall very solid despite kinda missing the correct takeaway from Leon's lifestyle. I liked the PokeWars event, I think that was a pretty neat concept to introduce. And I think I like most of the legendary events; Silver's is good, Sycamore's is fantastic, Hop's is alright. I think it's just Giovanni, Zinnia, and MU that I don't like, and that's mostly because they don't do anything all that different. I...think that's it for what I've been around for. Everything else was before my time and didn't get a rerun, or didn't stand out to me at all.

As for OCs? I like Lear now but couldn't stand him until he was already better. We all knew he wasn't going to be proper villain, and frankly I just think he's a lot better and more fun as a character when he's this dramatic, over the top guy who's basically the Pokemon equivalent of Seto Kaiba. Sawyer's the man, I love that guy. I do not care for Rachel, which is at least 40% design and 60% her character gimmick being super boring to me. Tina has done nothing except show up with Flareon and make me very upset, so...jury's still out on that one. Paulo I actively disliked all through the main story, but I am waiting eagerly for him to turn evil. I want a proper rival turned villain for the sake of power to beat you. I know that's maybe too much to ask but I think this kid can deliver and by god would that turn my opinion on him around in a second. PML I think was a pretty boring story overall, kinda just the backdrop to a gacha game they figured would be marketable because Pokemon prints money on branding alone, but I think the villain arc is seriously stepping up its game and am unbelievably excited for tomorrow's installment.

[smallblueandloud]

some leverage: redemption reactions

i finished leverage redemption today! and i don't have anyone to talk to about it so, here we have my reactions for all eight episodes, both positive and negative. please feel free to reblog/comment -- discussions are what i'm here for! (under a cut because spoilers and also this ended up being 2k. whoops!)

EPISODE 1: the too many rembrandts job

the "aww, this guy is trying to pull his first heist! how cute" job

what they chose to do with nate was... interesting. it might just be that i read too many of those cracky "here's how they should explain nate's absence" posts, but i was expecting something funny. the grief permeating this episode -- it makes SENSE, but it was still weird. leverage doesn't usually have sadness like this. pain, yes, rage, certainly, but sadness? not usually

the way sophie immediately spots the signs of a con and slips into a character? phenomenal. i'm here for EXPERTS BEING EXPERTS and this show does NOT disappoint

harry wilson is a really solid character! most impressively, he's not flynn, which is impressive enough that i'm making a whole bullet point about it. i was worried that noah wyle was kinda a one-trick pony, but it appears not! good for him tbh

i'm LIVING for the ot3 moments in this episode. "what happened?" "we happened" YESSSSS!!! i wish we'd had more domesticity, but i know they did what they could

"he gets it from his father" FUCK!!!!!

the discussion about redemption in this episode is FANTASTIC but personally i am still delirious with excitement about "my nana leads a multi-denominational household" so expect those thoughts in 3-5 business days

EPISODE 2: the panamanian monkey job

the "flash electropop concert" job

BREANNA INTRODUCTION! i love her so MUCH, y'all. we only got to see her dynamic with hardison in this one episode, but man, it manages to be one of her best dynamics anyway. i just! i love her! i love the way the team works with her!

"in our field, you're one of the best. but there, you're the only one." god we have ELIOT/HARDISON rights and i am NOT OKAY. just!! them!!!!!! being supportive!!!!!! they have learned how to be sweet with each other! they work together so much better (in part because we're seeing them from harry's outsider pov instead of nate's insider pov, but STILL)

midway through this episode, i thought "huh, leverage always focuses on specific people, when really the problem is systematic, and pretending it's anything different is just an excuse to not fight for change". and then at the end harry talks about how the system itself is broken! i love knowing that john rogers and i were reading the same tweets last summer. it's a good feeling to trust the people making a piece of media

who let noah wyle speak spanish. whoever it was, they need to rescind their permission

god, the parker/hardison in this episode. THE PARKER/HARDISON IN THIS EPISODE! they KILL me friends they KILL ME!

also just like, hardison in this episode in general. he made a star trek reference! he made a doctor who reference! he decides there are other people who need him more! the way they wrote around gina bellman's maternity leave in s2 was good but this was phenomenal.

also i'm here for ot3 crumbs so "is this like the time when eliot wanted us to say no" is going on my ot3-is-canon conspiracy board

this is a tiny detail but eliot taking out the drone with a goddamn ORANGE was so good. he's so good at his job!! they're all so good at their jobs!! i know i literally just talked about this but AAA

EPISODE 3: the rollin' on the river job

the "sometimes you just want to rob a vault wearing a floofy dress, and that's valid" job

i did... not. like. how the villain in this one was an immigrant whose exploitable weakness was a "desperation" to be included in the upper crust. and the fact that they beat him with a literal southern belle who explicitly beats him BECAUSE her family has been in the area for "hundreds of years"? it just feels Iffy.

also iffy about this episode was breanna's characterization. it felt inconsistent. she feels inconsistent across the whole season, but this episode in particular... she tells harry she's only with the team because she's desperate, that she doesn't believe in hope, and then at the end of the episode she tells parker she wants to be there to change the world. and like, even in the first place, she's not here out of desperation! SHE asked to join the team! like, i can see how it all kinda fits together, but it just feels... inconsistent. idk. i think these scripts all could've benefited from an extra round or two of editing.

anyway! i loved the way they tied hardison into these episodes, even though aldis hodge couldn't be there. he has binders! breanna doesn't want to read them! parker did! he put in big letters, "when in doubt, trust the person in the van". i'm just so !!! about how much i love him and how much he loves his team and how much his team loves him. FOUND FAMILY, BABY!

all inconsistencies in breanna's characterization aside, i really liked her speech at the end. i know how she feels! it's really nice to have someone on the team who's from -- not my world, really, but a lot closer than any of the others. it's a nice feeling! i love her a lot. i hope her writing gets more consistent

lol, parker ate eliot's carrot cake. i love the parker/eliot rights we get in this show, they're so domestic and it's wonderful.

EPISODE 4: the tower job

the "hardison made his partners learn klingon" job

watching this episode was what made me go "they're not going to make us sit through a harry/sophie romance... right? right?"

i'm still not sure they're gonna let us avoid it but it COULD work so... i've decided to just not worry about it for now

i liked the number of ways the con goes wrong! it was fun to watch them work on the fly like that. i think them not having a dedicated Mastermind(tm) is a good watsonian explanation for their plans being pretty haphazard in general, but it's good, they think well on their feet

nate was a chessmaster. he had the whole situation in his mind from the beginning, accounting for every possible outcome. parker and sophie are much more adaptive, and it's cool to see. they can rely on their respective skillsets a lot more than nate could

a really solid episode! probably one of the strongest ones in the season. i liked it a lot.

(ALSO as mentioned above the klingon lines were fantastic and not just because they were a star trek reference -- every time eliot and parker both mentioned hardison, together, it added a year to my lifespan)

EPISODE 5: the paranormal hacktivity job

the "sophie was worryingly prepared to fake her death" job

i know why they characterized the client as a skeptic, i really do, and i loved the format of this episode, but also. But Also. she should've been a love interest for breanna and I'm Right.

having a girl's episode was the CORRECT choice. they do crimes in their free time! they fleece newbie, cruel criminals! it's so good!

it would've been cool to have eliot around for the assassin guy, but it was also cool to see the others take him out without having eliot to rely on. it's like getting to see how they'd take out eliot, if they were ever on opposing sides.

PARKER CANONICALLY USES SCRIPTS IT'S THE BEST THING EVER

breanna bristling about letting the criminal into the theater's electric system was so good god i love her so much. she knows hardware! i bet she likes to work with her hands. i bet she stims. i bet she has adhd

actually, sidenote, but i LOVE these headquarters. they look so nice! the stage is so nice! i loved having an episode set in and around it, it was such a good choice.

EPISODE 6: the card game job

the "FINALLY AN EXPLICITLY QUEER LEVERAGE CHARACTER" job

QUEER BREANNA QUEER BREANNA QUEER BREANNA QUEER BR

UNFOLLOW ME NOW THIS IS GONNA BE THE ONLY THING I POST ABOUT FOR THE REST OF TIME

GOD, what a good way to reveal it. it's fully about her! i love queer romances, of course i do, but i don't think i've ever seen a character come out without a romance being their reason for doing so (however indirectly). i still think she should've gotten a date with the client from 1x05, but i really liked this too.

this episode just felt like a love letter to fandom, and i love that. i love how much it shone through. i'm used to writers specifically going out of their way to make fun of fans and laugh at them, so it was just. really nice to have someone stand up and go, no, this is important for a reason! people love this for a reason! it MEANS something!

very fun to watch eliot swordfight. very fun to watch sophie recite a sonnet in her classic fashion. very fun to watch parker work at being a good mentor. breanna was so excited about the card game! they're all so good!

oh, and i guess harry's here too.

EPISODE 7: the double-edged sword job

the "harry is addicted to mobile games, which is a mood" job

hot take alert! i think this is the weakest episode of the season by a LOT. it needed so much more editing. it felt so disjointed, so all over the place. the plot was haphazard but in a muffled way, where you had no idea why they were doing what they were doing. the climax was sudden and didn't make any sense. it was just weird.

i'm not the person to comment on this but it feels kind of lazy to cast an east asian guy to play a socially-awkward tech genius. just a thought.

oh, of course jonathan frakes directed this episode. sometimes his stuff is really good but other times (ahem, ds9 3x02) it's disjointed and all over the place. i'm not even surprised it was him.

idk if i have anything else to say about this. oh! some of the team moments were great -- mostly involving eliot. i loved the moment of him recognizing the headshot, i LOVED the ten seconds of everyone teasing him. he and parker talked about the wellbeing of their friend, the woman whose ex tracked her down!

separate bulletpoint to say how much i LOVED his conversation with breanna outside the house. he's so good at reassuring! he could go deeper there, talking about being better than your worst day, but he knew when not to push! it was so good.

"first off, this guy can't TOUCH hardison" deserves its own bulletpoint because like. y'all. Y'ALL.

EPISODE 8: the mastermind job

the "eliot is more than just a pretty face" job

oh man this post is so much longer than i thought it would be. okay just one more episode and then i'm done.

the callbacks to original leverage were SO well done and made me feel emotions without feeling overbearing.

i didn't like the central premise -- that nate would share so many details with a random insurance agent -- in the first place, but i did like how it allowed them to bring back nate without actually hiring timerty mcasshole.

i liked eliot's insistence that he's more than just the muscle! he is, and it's really good to know, textually, that the writers do too!

me, watching the resolution of the episode: ah, yeah, insurance fraud. a classic!

harry bonding with his guard had "they don't even have dental!" energy and i am SUCH a fan. i know it was all for the con but also give me harry, unable to stop advising people, even when they're actively holding him hostage

parker! on the phone with hardison!!!! ADORABLE

is it just me or was someone else expecting the accountant's name to be something significant? with the way they led up to it, i was waiting for a "sterling" or something else. my sensors were pinging for another tara reveal. i'm still convinced we're gonna get this guy dramatically revealed in the season finale.

a really nice episode! i had a lot of fun with it. and now i want to rewatch the rashamon job, but tbh i ALWAYS want to rewatch the rashamon job.

and that's a wrap! overall, a fun season, i enjoyed it a lot. not as solid as original leverage, but it's the very beginning, and it was put together during a global pandemic, so i'm cutting them some slack. also levar burton is gonna show up at some point. that's a big reason of why i'm cutting them so much slack.

my personal ranking of the episodes is 1x04, 1x06, 1x08, 1x01, 1x02, 1x03, and finally last (and least), 1x07.

what did you guys think of the new season? what was your favorite episode? do you agree with any of my opinions? disagree with any? let me know, please, i'd love to discuss!