#she was on one of the material testing shows and there was an extended bit about latin

[marmotsomsierost]

Same hat!!

Mine is DK/3 or two strands of fingering/1 (aside from that one fucking red panel riiiiight by my hand which is a single strand of the fingering weight and that i didn't notice until i was like three feet further down the scarf and i am STILL annoyed at it) so it's not quite as world-serpent-y but it definitely felt that way when i was working on it. The pattern (chris brimelow's season 12) i had did suggest a yarn weight & needle size but i went with 'i have this size needle and my fiber god auntie sells this weight yarn and i am away at college therefore this is what we got to work with'.

My scarf's 60 stitches wide and has definitely gained at least a couple feet of stretch over the years. The one i made for my dear friend/evil twin is 30 stitches wide and about seven sections shorter (the 'stunt' version) because yikes.

(Most common comment: "Oh! Are you crocheting an afghan?" ...sure, we'll go with that.)

Knitting question: what project do you regret completing? Like, the one that should have frogged?

The fucking neon blanket.

I can't find a picture of it but I want you to imagine hubris given physical form. This blanket, this fucking blanket was knitted by holding SEVEN strands of yarn together on size 32 needles. I knit it from the inside out and only stopped when I was out of yarn. It was massive. Too massive. It worked as a weighted blanket but it was so hard to actually pick up and move around. I never weighed it but it was just. Too much blanket. Washing it was almost impossible. I had to drag it to a Laundromat to find a washer big enough only to discover that when it was wet IT WAS TOO HEAVY TO PICK UP i literally had to drag it over to the dryers this defeating the purpose of cleaning it

In the end I donated it to a thrift store because I couldn't picture dragging that stupid blanket around for the rest of my life.

[sorcerous-caress]

You've sucked me into the human kink, I have been bewitched <3 tmi but my new go to spank material is that I'm an adventuring party's precious lil cleric, especially in a group of butch warrior women. I offer full body ;) care and they reward me for my services with orgasms and protection.

With a stoic stone butch Half-Orc ranger serving as our leader, an older playful dwarven woman as our fighter, the party rogue is a surprisingly bashful tiefling, there's a mean hard dom drow lady who is our magical expert wizard, and a dragonborn Paladin of the same deity who can be especially protective.

After a very successful job we all rent a big room in a tavern and they all run a train on me..... okay I'll see myself out

Each time I try to write about cleric reader, i get flashbacks to playing squishy supports in moba games where the enemy runs a train on me under the turrent with my useless adc spamming "sup dif"

Maybe if our jungler wasn't busy sucking the mid off, then they'd have had a bit of time to disway the enemy jungler from blowing my guts. Idk what the top is doing honestly, they're in their own world half of the game. Who are they even fighting? The enemy top is right here under the turrent cucking my adc by wave stallling.

But anyway, cleric human let's go.

Imagine it was originally just you and one of them at the start. A new adventuring team, a half-orc ranger, and her precious human healer who tends to her every need and fawns over her every cut and scar.

The second you walked into that adventuring guild, you didn't even get to have a look around before this intimidation half-orc woman approched you. Her tusks were so big and sharp, het gaze sends chills down your spines and her biceps were easily the size of your head.

It was obvious you were a cleric from the way you dressed. The holy clothes, the innocent attire and the cute necklace with a symbol of your god on it. The spellbook you clutched to so adorably as if it will protect you from the dangers of the world outside.

The second she saw you enter, she knew the others here would be swarming you like flies. Everyone wants a healer but nobody wants to be the healer, everyone wants to be the hero of the story.

Not her tho, she never did this for the fame, glory, or gold. She truly was it in for the betterment of the world, no matter how much her own kind is viewed as evil and self serving, she did not care for what others think of her, she'll gladly crush their skulls with her bare hands.

So she tested you as she stood in front of you, not saying a word and watching your reaction closely. Will you run away from this scary half-orc with tears on your pretty cheeks and go hide behind the first human fighter you could spot?

But no. You didn't. Instead, you've only extended your hand to her with a friendly smile. Introducing yourself and asking for her own name. You also spoke normally, unlike how others, especially elves, tend to talk to her own kind with slow condcending words as if she was a brute who didn't understand basic language.

With her by your side, no one else dared to approach you in the guild hall. She walked you through the process of registering as an adventurer, making sure to explain everything you didn't understand and answer all of your questions. Clearly taking pride in showing off her intelligence as a high level ranger.

That's how the two of you met, and since that day she has been by your side. She was clever and knew how to win fights before they even started, a true warrior of the mind that could trick her enemies into walking straight into traps.

But even then, some fights she had to face head on and take the hits meant for you. She always made you her top priority to protect, even sometimes forsaking the mission for your own safety and carrying you away.

At night, the two of you sit around the fire. Her familiar companion cuddling into her side, with you in her arms as you doze off in the safety of her lap.

Then, eventually, someone else approaches the two of you in the guild after turning in a certain mission. A drow wizard with her expensive looking dress walking towards you with confidence.

Staring the two of you down, her confidence didn't falter even after meeting the half-orc eyes. But she did give a small smile towards you, reaching out and holding your chin in her fingers. Turning your face from side to side as she took in your features in great details.

Your half-orc companion got agitated at this strange woman thinking she had the right to just walk up to and touch you. Almost slapping her hand away, wasn't it for the drow pulling back her hand first.

Her next words, are her announcing the fact she is joining your party, human.

[tparker48]

(Contains a bit of M/F, But I hope you enjoy^^)

Wes’ log. I've done it, I’ve finally done it! I’ve made a portal to other dimensions! I didn’t think it would have been possible, a machine capable of exploring timelines. Lab experiment 1 was a complete success, extraction from a timeline called world prime: a boot with algae was retrieved through the wormhole. Fascinating the materials seems to have experienced fertilization, I must note this in my data. With just some more testing, I will finally have a spot in the science committee of Casperfield! Today marks my day view of my ticket to the ranks. Once my machine is ready, the director’s gonna have their socks knocked off when they see-

A bell rang from through the lab, a signal appearing on the screen. “Sir, the director has arrived.” an AI said through a speaker.

“They’re already here?!” Wes said. He closed the recording before taking to his sheets, swatting them together before he placed them onto the table. Rushing to the entrance, large panel doors opened into a small space, a second set of doors behind. “Okay wes, remember, this is your ticket into the committee. Keep calm, keep composure, you’ve got this.” taking a breath, he hit the button as the second panel doors opened, a figure standing on the other side..

"Ahh director.” he bowed. “ welcome to my..” he paused as he looked up, a woman standing in front of him as she held a notepad in hand.

“Professor Wes, I presume?” she asked.

“Uh yes..you are the director?”

“I’m Sarah, the Director’s secretary. The director has important business to attend to.”

“I see.” he tugged at his shirt, extending a hand toward her. “Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you Sarah.”

She walked by him as she entered the lab. “ Charmed. So this is your lab? It seems rather small compared to what you said in your resume."

"Y-yeah.” he scratched his head. “It was taking up too much space according to the government guideline, so I did some remodeling. It’s roomy, yes?"

The Secretary gazed at the scientist, clicking at her pen as she jotted down in her notepad. “I see, well lets just see how “roomy” this place is.”

As she continued to walk, Wes turned around and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Breath Wes, breath. You’re just off to a rocky start..yeah. just keep your cool and everything will be-”

"Hey! Professor, is this gonna take all day? Or do I have to tour myself?" Sarah called.

"Er! Coming!”

The two made their way through the lab to the farther experiments. Giant flasks set on shelves while capsules rested along the walls. Wes guided the secretary through the main corridor, showing her projects he’d been working on along with gadgets he invented. His gaze never left her face, his heart beating every time she lifted her pen to the board. She's a lot harder to please than he thought, but he wasn't going to give up. He still had more experiments to show to her.

10 minutes passed, the two making their way back to the entrance as Wes held a bottle in hand, swirling the green fluid inside. "And so as you can see, this is why the stardust we see now are..well farther than we know." He finished.

The lady massaged at her forehead, a migraine on her head as she finally looked at him. "That was a thrilling story, professor."

"Really?"

"No. This has been a complete waste of time." She walked towards the exit. “If you have any useful projects, you can try again for a spot in the committee next year.”

"Wait! Please give me one more chance!"

"Goodbye, professor."

"Wait! I.." His words jumbled as tried to catch the words. Her rubbery suit transitioned into the shaded lighting as the doors opened. "I-I have a dimension machine!"

Her heels came to a stop, a hand caressing over her chin before she looked at Wes. "A dimension machine you say?"

Alright, you've peaked her interest, Wes thought to himself. Let's not lose it a second time, for his sake. He nodded before ushering a hand behind him, the secretary taking lead as the two made their way to the corners of the lab. Metal pillars stood next to a computer, Wires wrapped around its borders as it connected to a super monitor in the corner.

"Incredible, I've never seen such a machine.." She said, starstruck as she caressed over the metal surface.

"You like it?! Er! I mean..I knew you'd like it." Wes said.

"How does it work?"

"Well it goes simply like this. The portal delivers any product from any era you desire. Medieval, futuristic, heck even the stone ages." He pressed at his wrist, panels shifting as a floating platform lowered to the table, a boot with algae resting upon it. "This here is proof of that. this very boot is from an age where plants have outgrown the world. In time, we could transport goods, materials."

"What about people?" The lady chimed in.

"Living beings?" Wes asked. "Well in theory yes, the machine could potentially transport them. But I haven't exactly tested it."

"Demonstrate."

"D-demonstrate?! Mam..forgive me, I don't think that-"

"Come now professor, this machine is one that must be explored." She said, clicking her pen at the notepad. "And if you want your seat in the committee, it would be most beneficial to prove your worth."

Wes' heart skipped a beat on the statement, looking to the machine before he gazed at the screen. "Well..I suppose a test run couldn't hurt." He turned the dial on the machine before typing a location, a portal forming as it filled the space between the metal pillars. "Let's see, the medieval time could be beneficial, a pretty good cover up too."

"No, not that one."

"Hmm?"

"Medieval is one everyone has studied, Professor Wes. You need to think big if you want to be in the director's ranks. Go for the prehistoric ."

"Prehistoric? but I haven't configured that one yet."

"Then you'd best try." She replied, crossing her arms as she waited.

Wes sighed before he typed at his computer, setting the coordinates, the pillars starting to spark as the portal flickered. " Please have enough juice.." He prayed to himself. Hitting the button, the machine came to life, green plasma swirling to the corners of the pillars.

The lady watched as the portal opened before her, her dress flapping in its gust. "Incredible.." She muttered. Gazing into the portal, an image began to materialize. A jungled plain filled with vine-like trees, a volcano blocking the horizon.

"We'll start with something small." Wes said. He tapped at his wrist as a bot came from a door in the wall. A fish in hand as they approached the portal. "This should be good bait."

The bot walked forward as it entered the vortex, their metal form becoming wavy before it appeared in the jungled space. Getting positioned, the bot opened its speakers as it pointed to the air, the sounds of chirps soon emitting from its microphone.

"And now we wait." He said.

10 minutes had finally passed since the bot was dispatched. Wes and Sarah continue to listen to the robot's call.

"How long is this going to take, professor?" The Secretary asked, he heels tapping against the floor.

"You can't rush the process, one will arrive sooner or later." Wes eyed the portal as he marked the data in his notes, noting the differences in the world's atmosphere as he kept watch over the bot. To think the machine had such capacity to come to this world, he thought. As he collected notes, rustling echoed in the bushes. A little dinosaur peeked out as it came into view of the bot, sniffing the air before it moved closer. "There's one."

"Well what are you waiting for? Command your bot to grab them."

"It’s not that kind of bot Sarah, it’s a transmission bot. We have to wait until it's in range before-"

"Unbelievable, I'm not waiting around any longer." She said, stepping inside the portal.

"Wait! What are you-"

"If you want a scientific breakthrough professor, you've got to take it by the horns and force it."

She marched toward the small creature as she came just within feet. "Come here you!" She demanded. She reached for the creature, but it scooted back. With another lunge, her hands catched air before the creature ran off. "What? Where are you off to now?!" She yelled. She was prepared to give chase, but stomps lingered behind, a shadow looming overhead as she gasped.

"What? What do you see?" Wes asked, Only able to see her form in the portal. The window to the viney jungle suddenly shook, Hairy legs stepping into its frame.

"I don't know what it is!" She yelled, backpedaling as the area grew darker. "Wha..what are you-!..no! Stay back!" She screeched as a palm reached for her. Hoisting her out of view, her voice became muffled, Squelching taking place before a gulp was heard.

"Pretty lady taste good." A smoky voice filled the space, a belch booming above before a leg rose off the ground. A meaty foot stepped in front of the portal, its rupture distorting the vortex's window before it vanished.

"Ah!" Wes gasped, rushing to the controls as red signs appeared on the screen. "Dang it, the energy signature is off scale!"

He pressed at the start button to get the engine going, sparks managing to form in the center of the pillars. But in another spark, it quickly snuffed out before it simmered. "Okay wes, you just lost the director's secretary and is now a creature's lunch in the prehistoric. On top of that, the way to get there has just crashed down." He hyperventilated. "It's fine, perfectly fine."

He looked toward the machine as signs continued to blink at him. "Gaah, it's not fine! I'm fucked! Fucked!" He typed at the computer to at least turn it on, but nothing was available. Instead, the machine powered down, a pop up showing at the top of the screen.

Error 110: Failsafe restart. Estimation: 20 minutes."

"It's restarting? It's restarting!" He raced to his storage equipment as he prepared his extraction kit. "Hang on Sarah, I'll bring you back in one piece!..I hope."

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

20 minutes had passed since the machine shut down, Wes putting on his equipment for extraction. Tightening his sash, he checked his wristwatch to check on the machine's capacity. "Okay, I've got exactly 1 hour to retrieve her before the machine shuts down.”

He approached the machine and pushed start, the machine sparking before the portal opened. The scenery was different from the last time: the moon was out, its clean glow showering the jungled trees. Taking a breath, Wes stepped inside the portal, clutching his safety pack as the metal floors of his lab transitioned to a muddy surface.

"Okay, she was standing right here when she was abducted, the question is, what kind of creature.." He paused as he looked at the ground ahead, some sort of puddle resting within it. Stepping closer, he noticed additional holes above it, shaping into a footprint as big as he was. "Took her."

He moved closer to the footprint as he pulled a drone out, scanning it for analyses. "Look at the size of this thing, could a dinosaur have made this? No..its toes are human-like. Perhaps a neanderthal?"

He continued to scan the print before russling drew his attention to the bushes ahead. Something scaley flowed through the trees, vanishing into the shadow. Puzzled, he ceased the analysis as he sent the drone forward, letting it approach until it came within a foot of the trees.

"What is that?" He pondered. Hitting a button on his wristwatch, the drone turned on its beams. A Trex staring back at him.

Before he could move, the dinosaur roared as it rushed out to them, chomping on the drone between its jaws. Darkness returned to the jungle, the moon the only source of light for Wes as he gazed at the charging dino. He dodged its feet as it moved away, Wes eying it as the moon illuminated its back. The moon . "A T-rex?! Seriously?!" He said.

The T-rex slowed down before it turned around. Stalking Wes as it circled around him. Sparks flew from the drone between its jaws, another chomp spilling oil from its metal husk before it was thrown to the ground. With a growl, the dinosaur charged at Wes once more.

"Not good!" He yelped, running the other direction. He fiddled with his wristwatch for any assistance, his fingers fumbling to get them to its features. He could feel the ground shake beneath him, the rumbling from the dinosaur's growls rumbling at his back.

looking back, he tripped into the mud, the Rex's bite clacking just behind him as he tumbled against a tree. The Rex snorted before it charged again, roaring at Wes before coming in for another bite. "Come on, come on" Wes panicked, pressing at his wristwatch. " Start, Start, Start!"

The rex lunged at him, exposing its flesh to Wes as it. Wes slammed at his Wristwatch, Sparks flashing in his boots before a blast pushed him away, the Trex latching onto the tree as its Teeth sunk into its bark. Wes slid upon the ground as mud carried at his back, his boots knocking him into bushes before he fell to the ground. "finally.." He groaned, holding his side as he got up. "That was a close-"

Crunching lingered beyond the trees, the rex's head shattered them as bark scattered to the ground. "Are you kidding me?!" Wes yelled, tripping over himself.

The rex lunged forward, its jaws coming to range as it chomped just an inch in front of him. He closed his eyes and awaited for them to grab him. But nothing came. Instead, he heard the rex's whimpers before it was dragged back to the trees, a large palm reaching over its back before it hoisted them out the opening.

"What the-?"

The rex Wrestled with the figure, headbutting into their torso, but was quickly flipped over. As the moon shined over them, Wes caught a glimpse of the figure. A caveman? In this stone age? He thought to himself. But snapped out of it when a palm pinned to the dinosaur's head. Vines held in the other as they hogtied their feet.

"Dino Tough! But Dino not stronger than Borf!" The cave man said. Tying the vines into a knot, he got off the T-rex before getting up. "Dino make good breakfast come Morning."

Wes eyed the giant as he stood proudly over the Dinosaur, movements along his torso drawing his attention. His stomach sagged over his waist, wobbling as small bulges danced around its round flesh. "Tasty Lady not digested yet? Lady tougher than Borf thought." He heard him say. A muffle came from his belly upon response, pushing the Cave man's gut just a bit before a palm hoisted it back.

"Lady?.." Wes asked himself. "Does he mean the secretary? She's in there?"

The caveman chuckled boomed through the jungle, jostling his belly as the contents sloshed inside him. "Borf admire lady's efforts, but no leave" he said. "Lady marinate, be good nutrients for belly." He pressed his palm deeper into his gut before letting it spill back onto his waist, her bulges returning.

"Now borf, Make preparations. Lots to do for food." He grabbed the rope, heaving the dinosaur behind him as its whimpers growing distant beyond the trees.

At least he knew what he was up against, Wes thought. Pressing a button at his controls to get his boots working, but only sparks flew beneath. They must've taken damage during his tussle with the rex. "I knew I should've brought a configurator." He said to himself. "Guess I'm walking."

He followed the footprints in the ground, listening to the heavy stomps to help guide him through the shadowed environment. His legs grew tired as the acres moved to a grassy plain. Wes was able to see the Caveman's shoulder over the hill, its stride taking him farther away as he disappeared behind a rock. For a big guy he sure travels fast, he thought to himself. An hour had passed since he left the entryway, a mountain approaching as he dragged his feet on the ground.

But just as he was about to enter the thin path, the tracks turned to the left of him, leading to a cave as a glow peeked inside. "This must be the cave man's lair." Wes said. Walking closer, he took a peek inside.

logs surrounded a campfire as a furred bed laid in the corner. The rex rested against the opposite wall, still hogtied as Borg sharpened his knife. How was he going to get in there without being seen? He can't just walk in there, he'd be done for if he just barged in there. But what else could he do?

He heard a moan come from the cave, Leather grinding together as the Caveman's loincloth was removed from his waist. His cock swung onto the log, Drooling at his feet before he cupped it into his palm.

Wes eyed him as he stretched his toes to the fire, massaging at his foreskin as he waddled over to his bed. His smile never left his belly, caressing over its surface as the muffles inside brought a smile across his face. climbing into bed, he turned his front towards the wall, snoring quick to resonate as he laid limp.

Now's his chance, he thought. He approached the fireplace as climbed on one of the logs, hopping to a strip of the fur that slouched on the edge of the stone underneath. He climbed up upon its platform, its silky fur cushioning beneath his feet. "Baby steps, baby steps!" He whispered, extending his arms as he moved forward..

He approached the sleeping caveman, circling around his feet to his frontside. Slipping past his knees, he shimmied to their torso, The giant's belly extended from his body like a dome, blocking off their head as the corner of the corner filled its absence.

"Let me out of here you ingorotic barbarian!" Sarah yelled beyond walls. The stomach barely budged, hiding her bulge so well at a first glance.

"Sarah," he whispered as loud as he could. Cautious to not wake the giant. Silence only met him, gurgles booming from the gut. Taking a breath, he placed his palms on a portion of skin, and called to her again. "Sarah."

"Who's there?" She answered back.

"It's Wes, I'm here to rescue you."

"Wes? About time you showed up. Get me out here!"

"Hold tight, I've got a plan." He stepped back from stomach as he gazed at the giant. What the heck was his plan, he can't just make him cough her up. He took to his back for options, pulled out medical supplies, utilities, and..Teleporters. "These could work. But how would I get them in there? What kind of question is that? You know the only way is through.." He looked ahead to the edge of the belly, snores echoing on the other side. "The mouth."

"What's taking so long out there!" Sarah yelled, the groans growing louder. "Ah! It's getting tighter!"

"Grr I'm so gonna regret this.." He moved away from the giant's stomach, moving towards the barrel-like shaft that slouched against the way. He made his way toward the tip, its potent smell invading his nose as his nostrils forced themselves to close. "I guess they didn't have soap in this day and age." he groaned. But looked back as the stomach grew smaller in size.

He had no time to waste, he had to get her out. Rubbing his hands, he placed them underneath the loose skin. It felt like he was fishing through a wet bag, the bulbed head getting slicker deeper he went. He felt sick to his stomach as he forced himself closer to the head. And closer, and closer, until the slit kissed at his torso. "Here goes nothing.."

Slrrch! He heaved forward as his hands slipped over the head's shroomed edge. The caveman groaned in their sleep, Turning over on their back as their cock went with it.

The cock's hold was firm, dragging Wes against its glistened surface. Sweat oozed into his arms, the tender walls inside grew stiff, lifting Wes off his feet..

"What are you doing out there?!" Sarah muffled.

"Improvising.." Wes strained. He clinged to the edge of the cockhead, refusing to let go as he thrashed about in midair. The movements stimulated the shaft, the giant's length bulging higher and higher as its limp form grew hard as it carried him upward. Flinging him off as he was thrown through air.

"I'm not used to this!" Wes yelled. Bouncing off the giant belly, and onto the giant's chin. "Made it.." He groaned. Shaking off the butterflies in his stomach, he climbed up to the giant's mouth. Warm breath flowed into him, reeking of meat and fruits as he covered his nose. He dug through his bag and pulled one of the teleporters, turning it on before he threw it inside the giant's mouth.

The giant’s snores suddenly paused from the intrusion, startling Wes as he eyed them. But a breath later, they finally returned to its slumber, a gulp lingering from his throat. Upon its sound, he rushed back to the giant's belly. "I send something down there sarah. Can you feel it!"

"Yeah I..I think so."

"Okay, I want you to cling onto it tightly." He said. He pulled out the other from his bag, activating it as he pointed in front of him. With a click, a white light flashed before Sarah appeared. bits of jerky and chunks of fruit dripped from her clothes, a puddle forming beneath her.

"You sure took your time." She scorned.

"Hehe..sorry for the delay. But we should probably go."

The lady groaned at the suggestion, but saw reason. Wes smiled as extended a hand, but was met by a glance as she got up herself. "So what's your plan professor?" She asked.

"I've got a rendezvous point set outside, once we exit the cave, I'll trigger it so we can leave." He said.

Heading to the edge of the bed, the two used the fur to guide them before they landed on the floor. Running to the exit as they eyed the opening. Mission complete, Wes thought. It seems this went smoother than he thought it would. Making their way to the opening, they ran faster as the moon's light shined outside. But the Trex saw them on their way out, startling it as it thrashed at its restraints.

"Control it!" Sarah Demanded.

"What do you want me to do?!" Wes replied

The Rex made one last eye contact, fire in its eyes as its jaw snapped its vine off the muzzle. With a pause, it roared at the top of its lungs, Its sound carrying through the cave like a modifier. the air as it traveled.

"Grrr.." A loud groan from behind them, the wind inside changing as it flowed out of the cave. Turning around, they saw the silhouette of the caveman upon the bed. "Why breakfast roar?..It not breakfast time yet.."it groaned. He scratched at his belly patting as if it were waiting, but stopped before he shook his belly. "Hmm? Why belly flat?" He blinked his eyes before he gazed at his stomach, looking ahead as he caught a glimpse at the two on the ground."Snack..You take snack!" He yelled, a snarl escaped from his lips.

"We should run!" Wes yelled. He grabbed Sarah and ran toward the exit. The sound of feet touched the ground behind, the cave man's roar following behind it. "We have to get out the cave before the limit is up."

"How do you suppose we do that?! If you haven't noticed we're a pint his size!"

She was right, wes thought, right now we cqn't escape at the size we're at. But there had to be another way. Continuing to run, The sound of the trex pierced the cave, roaring as it bit at its restraints. "That's it!" Wes yelled. He ran toward the dinosaur in the corner, letting go of the Sarah in process.

"What are you doing?!" She yelled.

"Buying us time! Keep moving." He moved to the dino and fiddled at his wristwatch, a little nozzle pointing out of it as its red beam burned into the vine. The restraints simmered under its heat, burnt grass spreading apart as it tore through the first restraint. But it wasn't enough, the Dinosaur continued to thrash in place, its jaw snapping at Wes in process. "I'm trying to help you here!" He said to the Trex, pointing the beam closer to the vine.

The caveman's stomps boomed closer, rubble bouncing on the rocky terrain. In a leap, Wes saw a shadow loom above, a barefoot hurtling toward him. He leaped out the way, blown back by its gust as he rolled to the wall.

"You no take lady! Lady belong to me!" The caveman yelled, stomping towards Wes. Wes moved as fast he could, each step sending him to his knees as floundered to get to his feet. As Wes stumbled to the wall, the caveman rose a foot overhead, crust trickling from his soles. "Borf squash little man!"

Wes scowled at the sight of the foot, looking to the dinosaur that still laid in its restraints. One layer still remained untouched amidst the burnt vines. "Please let this work!" He yelled. He aimed towards the dino as the red laser pierced into the viney rope, its surface melted upon contact, withering as it snapped off, and the T-rex was free.

The caveman paused when stomps lingered behind him, a headbutt meeting his torso as the two collided against the wall. The raised foot crashed, as Wes rolled away, refusing to look back as he ran for the exit. "No! Deal with breakfast later!" He heard the Caveman yell.

Wes took the chance to join her as the made their way to the corner of the mountain. Sarah keeping watch as Wes prepared a portal.

"Now would be a good time for that portal!" She said.

"I'm working on it!" He replied back. hitting a button on his wrist, a portal opened in front of him, his laboratory on the other side. "Lady's first!" He ushered her in, following behind as he made his way to his machine.

"What are you waiting for, close the portal."

"It's not some light switch you just turn off you know!" Wes replied, his fingers stubbing the corner of the keys as he typed in his code. "Come on fingers, don't mess. With me now!"

"Tree!"

"What?"

"Tree!"

A log made its way through the portal, dirt scattering through the lab as branches snapped against the monitors. A fist grasped at one of the pillars, a foot stepping in before a mass entered through. Wes looked up as the cavemen entered inside, its eye locking to his as it peered into his soul. "Oh this isn't good.."

"Laddyy!" The caveman roared out from the portal, metal gears on the pillars crushed between his fingers as a tug snapped them off.

"Professor, do something!" Sarah said.

"I got, i got it!" Wes pushed at the control station as bots came from the walls. "Bots, subdue the caveman!" He ordered.

The machine's eyes glew red before tasers extended from their arms. Charging in swarms, sparks flew as they scoured around the giant's body. The caveman's roar booming through the room as he swatted at the bots. "Bring in the knockout gun!" He ordered the computer, a panel opening to his side as a ray rested on its pedestal.

"Sarah, you may want to.." He looked around for her as no one was there, her lab coat wisping by the far corner. "Hide.."

He shook off the thought and readied his ray, pointing it at the caveman as he squeezed at the nozzle. Round sphere's shot out and collided against the wall. The caveman looking at his direction as he growled.

"Come on Wes, you can aim better than that!" He shot again at the Caveman.

he dodged out the way, grabbing a piece of the monitor as the panel was ripped out, using it as a shield before he chucked it at Wes' direction. He barely had enough time to run, forced to lay on the ground as the panel flew overhead, Its corners breaking the table as it slapped the gun from his hands as it slipped away upon impact.

"Oh crap!" Wes tried to crawl away, but a fist pinned at his back, His breath nearly knocked out of him as he was hoisted of the ground

"Borf no like small man! Small man hurt Borf!" He said. Wes could feel the hand tighten around him like a snake, hoisting him closer to the giant.

"Surely we can..talk this out?!" He wheezed.

"No talk! Borf want snack! Where is-" a blast shot in his back, his limbs getting heavy as his knees dented the ground. "Snack."

The giant fell to the ground as he landed front first against the metal floor. Sarah standing behind him as the gun's nozzle simmered. "I..am not your snack." She said.

"Sarah! Nice work with the gun."

"Don't you nice work me. This has been nothing but a nightmare."

"Well..I wouldn't say nightmare, we had some extraordinary findings today don't you think?" He asked her. Her glare was all that he received, the silence creeping in as he scratched his head. "Okay maybe not all too extraordinary. But hey! At least we still have a specimen. Along with the.." He looked to the machine as sparks flew through the air, its vortex glitching in size before it shriveled. "The portal. Hehe, setbacks am I right."

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wes' log. Today may have been the roughest day I've ever had. I went through a portal to the prehistoric, and ventured into a cave man's lair to rescue the director’s secretary from its clutches. In a daring escape, we managed to make it to my lab in one piece, along with an unexpected guest. She returned to her headquarters and informed the committee about our adventure. It seems I managed to make a great impression..along with a rejection letter. *sigh* but, at least the adventure wasn't a total loss. I've got lots of data from the prehistoric era. Many samples and especially-

"Borf hungry!" The cave man's voice roared.

Wes sighed as he paused his recording. "Borf, we've discussed not interrupting my logs. I told you, I will get you food in a moment."

"Small man said last time. Last time past."

"Yes, but not finished. You will get your food soon."

"But Borf want food now! Borf should squash small man for holding food!"

"Seriously? If Borf squish small man, Borf no get food. Borf stay here hungry while Small man squished. Borf no want that, does borf?"

The caveman grumbled under its breath, slouching in its capsule. "...no."

"Small man thought so. Now.." He pressed a button as a panel moved in the capsule. A stack of hotdogs rested upon it, carried over to the cave man as his mouth watered.

"Hot dogs!" The cave man cheered, grabbing a handful of the small sausages as he wolfed them down. Wes smiling sheepishly at the display as bits of meat hit the glass screen.

He may have lost the spot at the committee, but he did get something extraordinary in return. Science, he thought, you never know what it may bring to you.

[a-land-lacking-sleep]

Day 14: Working Late

(AO3 time)

I am Emmet. I won’t be home for dinner.

This text would be much more normal for Elesa to send compared to Emmet, but Ingo still took it in stride as he lets the spaghetti sauce simmer. So, with the change in schedule for the evening, Ingo went about getting the night ready. It was currently 5:45pm, and Elesa was due home from the Gym by 6:30. Get the food ready, and maybe spend some time watching either TV or movies until she had to get to bed before her photoshoot in the morning.

And by 8pm, the pair were settled down in pajamas, watching The Food Network on the couch in the living room, since it was their shared guilty pleasure that Emmet simply didn’t care for. It was odd for him to not be home yet, especially on an early day, but they made the most of it. The pair salivated over the food these television chefs were making, and occasionally paused to note down specific recipes that strike their paired fancies.

And by 11pm, Elesa was curled up in bed and asleep, and Ingo was at the dining room table, with several books strewn about him and a notebook open for notes. And it was like this that Emmet finally opens the apartment door and walks in. “I am Emmet! Today was too long!” He falls into a chair across the table from and groans in exhaustion.

“Welcome home, brother,” Ingo says, looking up from his studying. “Was today really that busy?” While Ingo was almost always frowning, the furrow of his eyebrows shows his concern as he closes his notebook. “Are you sure I couldn’t have helped today?”

Emmet waves his hand with a sigh as he sits up. “I am Emmet. I am a Subway Boss. You won’t be until Monday. It’s Friday.” With a grunt, he stands up to begin reheating the spaghetti sauce. “You get a bit more on your vacation.”

Ingo grumbles as he taps his pencil against the notebook. “I’ve been on an extended vacation for three years, Emmet. I’m wanting to get back to work, it’s been killing me to do nothing but cook, clean, and study for recertification.”

“Did they let you know if they would waive the fee?” Emmet pokes at the sauce with a spoon as it begins to simmer. “I’d be able to help with the fee. It’d be nice to have it gone, though.”

“Very nice,” Ingo says, slumping in his chair. “They did say that they would waive it due to the circumstances. I feel confident for the test on Thursday.” 

Emmet nods quietly as he prepares his plate of spaghetti and sits across from Ingo again. “You’ll do fine. You are Ingo. You were, are, a Subway Boss.” He slurps up a bit of noodle and swallows before smiling at his brother. “If you fail, then they simply gave you a bad test.”

“Bravo,” Ingo says sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he begins to gather up his books. “So, nothing out of the ordinary at work today? Just stayed late?”

Emmet nods with a mouthful of spaghetti, giving Ingo the chance to clear the table of his study material before swallowing. “Just some maintenance on the computer systems. They needed a manager to sign off. Hilda and Isadore were openers, Cloud had an issue arise.” He shrugs and sighs down at his half-eaten spaghetti. “And I haven’t been here much, so I offered to stay. And now I am tired and hungry, but my appetite is quickly going.”

“Don’t force yourself,” Ingo says with a yawn before stepping over to give Emmet a one-arm hug. “Make sure to treat your engine with care, and get some rest when you’re able. I’m heading to bed. Good night, Emmet.”

“Good night, Ingo.”

[38riku]

BOOKWORM

synopsis: college au! eren visits the library with his friends and manages to score some alone time with his crush (f! reader)

warnings: mdni. smut. penetration. dry humping. public sex. cursing. horny college students.

“DUDE it’s 1pm during finals week why are we at the library?” eren questioned as he followed behind armin who insisted he had a ‘really good study spot’ since the latter was distracted in their dorm.

“I have to agree with eren on this one. it’s unlikely there’s a study room available.” mikasa, the one tasked with helping eren study, added.

“just trust me guys.” he stated as they entered the library.

their worries and doubts came to light as the building was packed. every table, chair, and workable surface was occupied by students cramming in a semester’s worth of knowledge in a day or less.

“hey y/n!” armin beamed as he waved toward the girl who pulled a cart of books. “working during finals week?”

“hey armin and yes, this is the busiest time of the year and I get paid extra.”

eren watched as they shared a friendly hug with one another. armin never mentioned her before, and he was his best friend. the two of them lived together for crying out loud.

“we were hoping to get some last minute studying in but it seems everyone else had the same idea.” the blond admitted sheepishly causing his two friends to snort at him playing coy.

but, y/n only laughed, gesturing to the amount of people in the building. “yeah, no kidding. i would think someone as smart as you knew that beforehand.”

she ushered for the three of them to follow her. armin went ahead, engaging in a conversation with the girl, while mikasa and eren walked behind.

“you know the girl in my philanthropy class I was talking about?” he spoke, his voice audible to only mikasa who nodded.

eren gushed about a girl in his philanthropy class at least three times a week. armin and mikasa advised him to asked her out. admiring her in secret would get him nowhere.

it didn’t take mikasa long to figure out what he was saying. her mouth formed an ‘o’ shape when she realized y/n must be the same girl he’s been pinning.

“eren-”

“here we are! just don’t trash the place ok?” y/n smiled as she opened the door with the words ‘authorized personnel’ on the front. “i got to get back to work. good luck you three!”

with that she went the way they came and they piled in the break room. it was decently sized with a small kitchen, two tables, and a bathroom on the side.

“told you I had a spot.” armin boasted as he sat at one of the tables, unloading his supplies from his backpack. “she usually doesn’t leave until around eight or nine. is that enough time?”

eren didn’t say anything, leaving mikasa to nod in response as she too took out the required materials for them to work.

two hours in they improved in one subject. eren passed the practice tests his professor posted, armin flies through his flash cards, and mikasa can hold a decent conversation in french.

tired and in need of recharge mikasa and armin offered to get snacks, leaving eren in the break room alone to take a power nap.

at least that’s what he said.

standing up, he stretched his tired limbs and made his way out of break room in search for a certain brown skin girl.

he found her on the second floor in the cultural history section. she stood on a rickety stool to reorder the books.

he admired her for a moment. the sunlight from the windows casted a golden glow on her figure. adding to her natural ethereal appearance. her skirt showed off her legs, her skin looked soft, pliable. he wondered just how easily she’d bruise.

“you need some help?” he questioned, keeping a bit of distance not to startle her.

“ah, no thanks. this is the-” she was cut off as the stood started to wobble and in a fit of panic she lost her footing.

eren extended his arms, allowing her to fall on him instead of the carpeted floor.

she started to ramble apologies, making sure she didn’t elbow him or step on his shoes as a result of her clumsiness.

he couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. she was close, close enough for him to smell her hair, the faint scent of coconut wafting in his nose, her skin, a vanilla sweet enough to eat.

his eyes focused on her lips. did her lipgloss have a scent too? was it flavored? he wanted to know.

“oi.” the tone of his voice made her mouth shut instantly. assertive, demanding even. “stop apologizing.”

“but-” she tried to retort but he leaned closer. effectively shutting her up.

“you just don’t listen do you?” his hand ran up and down her sides before squeezing her waist. “you and armin a thing?”

“what? no. he used to mess with my roommate.” she rolled her eyes. “why? you want to fuck me or something?”

eren chuckled at her words, leaning his back against the bookshelf as his thumb continued to rub circles on her hip.

“yeah.” he admitted, cheeks inflamed with an embarrassed blush. he tucked his head in the crook of her neck, mumbling. “but I want to do it right. make you mine first. then mark your pretty self up.”

she slowly closed her thighs as a familiar heat filled her body. the boy she brushed fingers with in class when handing him a pencil. the one that whispered questions in her ear to avoid disrupting the professor.

the one she found devilishly handsome and too attractive for his own good.

“sorry baby, got you all hot and bothered.” his voice was low and sensual, hands intimately exploring her body .

his kisses started at the nape of her neck, moving to her jawline, until he put his lips on hers to stifle her whines.

gently, he switched their position to where her back was against the wall. his body caged her in as he tapped her thighs, signaling her to jump which she obliged.

as she wrapped her legs around his waist he rutted his hips into hers, groaning into the kiss as he felt her arousal.

his mind went blank as she started to grind herself on his erection, breathily moaning at the friction.

“f-fuck you want this?”

he watched as y/n nodded, not stopping the pull and push of her legs as frustrated tears littered her waterline. the sight of her coming blissfully undone caused him to reattach their lips in a fit of desperation and uncontrolled lust. his tongue infiltrating the space and claiming his dominance.

using the wall as leverage he bunched up her skirt in one hand, the other moving her underwear to the side to reveal her soaking cunt. he lazily pumped his finger in and out, relishing the way she squirmed against him.

a trail of saliva connected them as he broke away to watch his ministrations. “so tight, gonna add another ok?”

he quickened his pace, curling his fingers to elicit an array of whimpers from her. “that’s it baby, stretch for me.” his thumb rubbed circles on her clit as tears slid down her cheeks out of pleasure.

removing his fingers he stuffed them in her mouth, watching her devour her own slick. he wanted the sight engraved in his memory.

he lowered his sweats enough to free himself from his boxers. “you want it pretty girl?”

“beg for it.”

he half expected her to say no to his request. but, to his delight, she didn’t. “please eren I need you to fill me up. only you. i need you here.” using a free hand she guided his dick to her pulsating heat, running it along her folds as they moaned in sync.

satisfied, eren started to sink in the warmth and plushness of her body. his hands had a bruising grip on her thighs, lip caught between his teeth as he focused hard not to cum.

“holy shit.” he breathed out as he pulled back just to ram back at in, setting a slow yet brutal pace. capturing her lips in yet another kiss. this one sloppy, swallowing each other’s whines, grunts, and groans.

her legs started to tremble in his hold, “e-eren-”

“you better fucking cum on my dick.” he interjected, sweat littering his forehead as he continued to pound into her with calculated thrust.

“it’s yours,” he whispered sweetly with a gentle lick on the shell of her ear. his change from demanding to sweet caused her to cry out his name, muffled by his lips, as she unraveled.

“and you. are. all. mine.” each word was punctuated with a thrust as he pulled out, splattering the mess on her thighs.

silence ensued as they caught their breaths. eren had hearts in his eyes as he looked at her; fluttering brown eyes, tear stained cheeks, plump lips swollen, and a trail of dark bruises from her collar bone to her neck.

“you’re so pretty y/n.” he stated, gathering the mess he made on her thighs with his fingers.

with glazed eyes she lolled her tongue out, cleaning it up and swallowing with no complaints. his lovesick stare intensified at her actions. “you’re driving me crazy.”

fixing her up, she recovered after a few minutes and the first thing she did was hit his arm. hard.

he didn’t take it personally, from her puffed out cheeks and pout he could tell she was flustered.

“we’re going out when your shift is over. on me.” he smiled and as much as she wanted to be upset with him, she couldn’t.

“whatever.” tucking the damned stool that started it all under her arm, she tried to walk past him only to be pulled in for a quick kiss.

“don’t make me fuck that attitude out of you.”

and scene. feedback always welcomed since this is my first time writing smut. thanks for reading <3 riku

© 2021 38riku. all rights reserved.

[daily-dose-of-imagines]

ᴀ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ’ꜱ ɪɴꜱᴛɪɴᴄᴛ | ɢᴇɴꜱʜɪɴ ɪᴍᴘᴀᴄᴛ ; ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ!ᴢʜᴏɴɢʟɪ x ᴅᴇᴍɪ ɢᴏᴅ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ | ⚠️NSFW [19+]⚠️

Heyoooo!!! It’s been a second hasn’t it? Lololol my bad uwu;; I’ve been doing a lot drawing lately, so I’ve been focusing a lot on that instead of writing— mainly since it requires less brain power for me SKKSSKSK anywho, in celebration of crowning Zhongli in game, I’ve decided to sin—- after talking with Admin T for a bit LOLOL thus, another Femdom fic is born SKSKSK 

As always, thank you all so much for the love and support~! We really appreciate it~!

Art is from my Art Blog: @ko-ffeine​

TW: BDSM ; Chains ; Flogging ; Overstimulation ; Blindfolds ; Shackles ; Collars / Leashes ; Muzzles ; Bondage / Restraints ; Riding ; Face Sitting ; Marking ; Vibratiors ; Breath Play

》》Admin Ko

»»————-　♔　————-««

Decades. It had been decades since her arrival to Teyvat. Thinking back to it, (y/n) hadn’t even realized the bonds she’s made after awakening in the depths of Dragonspine. Though it was best for her to not dwell on the past. After all, she learned early on with her revival that sticking to the past only brought unwanted trouble. 

The sound of chains clattering against marble awoke her out of her thoughts as she peered back to the bundle of chains on all fours. A long scaly tail whipping back and forth impatiently as heated glowing amber orbs bore deeply into her own (e/c) ones. 

“Morax…”

A soft sigh escaped her as she made her way over to the former archon. The loose hanfu that danced along her smooth skin had the dragon keen in want. The metal cage strapped to his mouth prevented his fangs from sinking into her supple flesh. The desire to mark and claim what was rightfully his was strung up high in his head as he strained against the enchanted chains that bound his wrists together. The hefty weight of the gold collar around his throat only further added  to his inability to surge forward as the chain attached to the device around his throat only allowed him so much distance. 

“You were being so good earlier. What’s gotten you riled up?”

Though soothing in tone, (y/n)’s expression was anything but as she marveled at the way the Geo Archon was presented before her. The night before his heat had gotten a hold of him, he had given her permission to be just as rough with him to ensure her safety—- and well, she wasted no time in taking advantage of the opportunity presented to her. 

In a flurry of motions she had skillfully wrapped the archon’s body in beautiful golden ropes. Each one accentuating the toned muscle from eons of war and battles. The delicious flush of red that painted his skin as she continued to further restrain the male only set her belly a flame. 

After all, the initial restraints were only mild. It wasn’t until the late evening did she realize how intensive she had to truly restrain her lover. Enchanted chains shackled him down. A leather muzzle had initially been placed to keep him from biting her, but was quickly forgone as he had ruined that within the span 15 minutes. Thus resulting in the current metal cage that adorned his haughty features. 

The collar and leash combo? That had only occurred when she had attempted to leave for the bathroom— only to be slammed into the floor with a lustful dragon dry humping against her as he snarled and growled at the fact he wasn’t able to sink his teeth into her flesh. 

The end resulted in the intensive flogging that only further fueled both party’s lust. 

“Little one~….”

A pang of warmth hit her as she broke out of her memories from last night to meet his impatient amber orbs.

“I should’ve attached the one with the bar in between just so you wouldn’t distract me.”  

Shaking her head, she made her way over to the male, and once she was within reach his tail immediately latched onto her leg. Easily trailing up to press against her cunt as he fervently surged forward to press himself against her. Yet of course, due to the damn muzzle in his way he could only be tantalizingly a breath away from his goal. 

The pressure his cock held did little to alleviate the pain as the desire to breed into her deeply sprang forth.

A hefty growl came from him as he pushed her even more until she tumbled onto her back. The morning sun only added to the ethereal effect as he pressed himself as close to her as he could. 

“Let me fuck you, Little one…wanna breed you until you’re full of my seed…bearing my children…”

A blush dusted across her features as he continued on before he was suddenly yanked back. A choked gasp came from him as he struggled against the Dendro vines that appeared as the vineyard appendages held him still. Each intimately wrapping around him to keep him seated in a frog tie. The leash having been jerked enough to keep him still as he let out a garbled growl.

“So feisty…this is getting interesting little one…”

“I think it’s time for you to stop talking Morax. I’d rather hear the sounds you truly want to make.”  

“Oh ho? How do you plan on doing that?” 

Taunting and ever so prideful, the mighty dragon refused to back down as he strained to get as close to her as he could. Her nearing form did little to deter the desire to fuck her thoroughly. Though before he could even do much the vines came forth to hold his head still. Smaller ones easily kept his lips open as he struggled to chomp and tear the greenery away. Yet with this, he failed to notice her swiftly remove the muzzle before replacing it with a strong and sturdy ring gag. His mouth now forcibly open as drool began escaping down his chin. 

“Haaah?”

“Not so tough now huh? Like the chains, my lovely Archon, this was also enchanted~. I had the chance to put some of my former power into this device. So I’m confident that it won’t break~.”

Grinning, she watched as the funeral consultant tested the new device before grunting as a flare of his nostrils showed his displeasure in the newly placed device.

“Now that that has been settled, I do believe you should be put to use.” 

A guttural sound of confusion came from Zhongli before darkness overcame him. Leafs? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that his sense of touch was beginning to heighten and his sense of smell was driving him over the wall as he could practically taste how wet her cunt was. 

Almost as if a learned reaction, the dragon’s tongue fervently searched for her as he reached out. His once ‘normal’ tongue now long and thick as his fangs extended ever so slightly over the metal ring of the gag. Freedom from the device was so close, yet as this occurred…

“Guh?! Haah..nnn ”

The metal shifted to accommodate the change Zhongli brought on; and as if to spite him, the device seemed to meld to form a stricter grasp around his face as a metal band formed over his nose bridge, further enforcing the fact that the device was not coming off.

“Ahhh, is, ish nah wha ah wha—ed” 

“Oh? You’ll have to use your words more clearly, love~”

Her tone only further fanned the flames of lust in his belly as he continued to obscenely drool all over the marble floors. Though his attempts at reprimanding her were stilled as he let out a muffled grunt before an animal like moan and growl tore through his throat as he finally got a taste of her juices. 

Oh how he wished to sink his claws into her supple flesh. Mark the terrain with his love bites and scent. Yet with all the restraints scattered about his body, all he could do was eagerly lap at her pussy with his tongue to the best of his abilities. 

And by the sounds she was making, he was doing quite the job. Easily, with his long tongue he teased and taunted her slick walls. All of her weak points, the secret little motions that he knew brought her immense pleasure. 

Though (y/n) couldn’t see it, she knew that her lover’s eyes had rolled up into his head. Especially when she could feel his tongue stutter as she not only buried his face into her wet cunt, but as the heel of her foot began to grind on his weeping cock. 

Muffled moans and grunts came from the man eating her pussy as he strained against the various layers of restraints she bestowed upon him. Just the very sight of him dressed in her materials had her groaning before cumming against the male’s face. 

As she stepped back, she couldn’t help but admire the state she left her lover in. Panting, drooling with a dash of her cum splattered in and an angry red cock. 

A sadistic cord snapped within her as she cupped his cheek. 

“Mmmm…you’re my good boy, aren’t you Morax?”

“..h-haaah?”

“If you can handle my game well, you can fuck me and fill me with your seed~.”

The mere mention of being able to sheath himself into her had the dragon’s tail whipping back and forth quickly as he leaned into her touch even more.

“Let’s see how well you can hold your breath. If you do well, then you win~.” 

Immediately a twitch of his cock was enough to spur her forth as she searched for the last couple of items she needed. With a grin, she easily worked a plug into the ring. Easily, the object filled the dragon’s mouth as his loud pants became muffled grunts and moans. 

Though before she decided to attach the smooth leather muzzle over his mouth and nose, she went to work with laying him on his side. The action causing a confused muffled grunt to come from the dragon before a gasp and moan came from him as he squirmed and struggled at the sudden intrusion of the vibrator up into his ass. 

“I didn’t say that it would be easy, Morax.”

A teasing lit came from her as she watched how the dragon’s hole greedily ate up the vibrator before she turned the toy on low. The reaction was immediate as  the dragon flinched from the sudden motions as mewls and lewd moans continued to leak out from his lips. 

“Ah~ You’re so cute…so weak and pliable just for me~.” 

Cooing, (y/n) gently ran her fingers along the beautiful horns adorning her lover’s head. Now that they were in full bloom and not stumps like yesterday, she had the ability to properly gaze at them. Though as she got to the base of his horns a muffled cry came from the dragon as spurts of cum splattered against her and his abdomen. 

“Ho? I didn’t realize your horns were an erogenous stimulant Morax.”

More muffled whines and growls came from the trembling dragon as he impatiently flicked his tail against the marble. In response, the Demi god pressed a kiss to his forehead before humming.

“Let’s begin our game then~.”

With a grunt and some of her former strength, she sat Zhongli up before she grabbed the leather muzzle. The smooth homeless mask glistened back at her before she placed the item over the dragon’s plugged mouth and nose. The straps behind now buckled securely as silence— save for the vibrations— filled the room. 

Smirking, she tested the waters by lightly rubbing her fingers along the tip of his cock. The motion resulting in a highly muffled moan as the dragon trembled. The flourish of his scales along his arms only further served to show how much control he had lost. 

“My, my…so sensitive. Then…let’s do this~.”

Immediately, she positioned herself over his weeping cock and in an instant sheathed his cock. The motion causing the bound dragon to writhe and buck his hips immediately up into her as his cheeks reddened with the lack of oxygen going to his brain. 

If only she could see his expression. His eyes rolled so far up his head as nothing but pleasure and pain hit him as he felt the burn of his lungs for oxygen and his voice sound so meek amidst it all. Of course that high went away as she tugged lightly at the tip of the mask. Fresh air immediately streamed in as he coughed and sputtered with pleads and moans for more as his cock twitched inside of her. 

“S-Shit…easy there baby…”

The pet name only further fueled his whines as he leaned forward into her as he pressed his face the best he could into her neck as she struggled to keep the mask away from his nose to ensure he got enough oxygen to his brain. 

“Let’s see if I make you cum first or if you make me, how about it Morax~?”

Before he could even try to answer the mask was pressed tightly over his nose again and the slow tell tale sign of their game began as he could feel her hips work their magic. Her heavy panting and groans only seemed to egg him on as he began to partake in the game. His hips meeting hers evenly as the foggy feel from the lack of oxygen began to pull at his lungs again. 

The feeling of helplessness and being an all powerful god tamed by a Demi god had his mind reeling from the pleasure of humiliation as he came hard into her. As he did so, he could feel her walls tighten around him only further over stimulating the male after his high as he struggled to keep up. 

Soon he was met with the lovely breath of air once again as the mask slipped away and he could finally smell her intoxicating scent. Sweat mixed with his musk never failed to fan at his belly as he fervently dug his face into her neck. Quickly chasing after the high, yet a gasp and muffled broken moan came from the male as he felt her move her hips once again. 

“Oh, you thought I was done baby? Not yet~. Didn’t you mention that your heats lasted a week?”

As she mentioned this he couldn’t help but feel his cock swell inside of her again, yet he couldn’t help the keen that came out of his throat at the overstimulation he was about to receive. 

“I’ll take good care of you, love. Even if it means me drilling into your dragon mind that I’m the one who is in control~.” 

Again, the slapping of skin filled the room as muffled whines came from the dragon. His claws straining against the binds as he wanted nothing more than to sink his claws into her hips to cum into her again. 

Yet no, he was at his lover’s mercy; and honestly he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

It wasn’t until she turned the vibrator on high that he came again. A large load coming from him again as he filled her full. His seed seeping deep into her as he  rubbed his cheek against her neck even more refusing to allow her to leave as he wished to keep her plugged up. Just as she did to him.

“I suppose I’ll stay like this….but only for a moment. Then we try to feed you…alright?”

Softly murmuring against his hair she couldn’t help lovingly caress his hair as she basked in the moment of calm that a momentarily tired out dragon could bring. After all, she still had to deal with this for the next 6 days. 

[donutloverxo]

Just for Mrs Barber

Note - Written for @chrissquares @drabblewithfrannybarnes and @amythedvdhoarder 's hoelentine's fic swap challenge! My giftee was the beautiful @kaminorogers . I hope you all like it.

Shoutout to beard kinks resident hoe @sweater-daddiesdumbdork for all her help with this and to my dear friend lizzygal (link to ao3) for the beta.

Dividers by @whimsicalrogers.

Summary - Your husband buys you kinky gifts (and a whole ass house) for your anniversary/valentines.

Warnings - 18+ only please! Explicit sexual content, beard kink, bondage, blindfold, dom!Andy.

Pairing - Andy Barber x reader

Word count - 2.6k

You were sure you heard Linda say something, her voice was mixed up in the background noise of everyone chatting and some music. You couldn’t really listen, not when your husband decided that he was going to look that good and distract you, keeping you from being a good hostess.

Andy always looked good. He could roll out of bed and look good enough to eat—although maybe you were a bit biased. He was one of those people who just didn’t realize how handsome he was.

Maybe he had some sort of eyesight problem, because looking at him now. With his hair made up and beard neatly trimmed, wearing a cream sweater and some dark jeans, the whole ensemble was so basic but he pulled it off so well. His pink lips looked so delicious as they sipped on a beer.

“Mrs Barber.”

You gasped when you heard Linda call out to you, clearing your throat you looked back at her. “Yes?”

“I love what you’ve done with the house, it’s so beautiful.”

A genuine smile graced your face as you thanked her. Andy had asked you what you wanted for your first wedding anniversary, you nonchalantly told him that you wanted the most picture perfect and cosy house in the suburbs. That you were too tired of the noise and pollution of the city and longed to have a garden of your own.

Also, a bigger house would be much better if you ever have any youngins. But you didn’t tell him that. Not yet.

You were just being yourself--kind of a spoilt brat. Which shouldn’t have surprised him because he was the one to spoil you with his love and affection and the occasional material gifts.

You absolutely did not expect him to actually buy you a big ass house. It wasn’t too big if you thought about it. Just a master and two smaller bedrooms, which was what you preferred. You didn’t want to have any distance from your husband. Be it physical or emotional.

The backyard was most spacious. You could probably fit a beautiful gazebo there. But you planned on growing your own vegetables and make delicious meals as a thank you to Andy everyday for the rest of your lives. You had put your heart into decorating every single nook and cranny of the house. Having it be appreciated was most flattering.

“Thank you,” you smiled.

“Your husband is so handsome,” she observed and you only hummed as you looked over at him. He most definitely was. “And he helped you with cooking and setting up.”

“Yes, he did. He always helps. He isn’t one for parties but he indulged me by letting me throw this one,” you told her.

Andy wasn’t that enthusiastic about hosting a barbeque for neighbors who were basically still strangers for your anniversary/valentines. He preferred to have you to himself but with some kisses and cuddles, batting your brand-new eyelash extensions, and convincing he finally gave in.

“Mrs Barber,” Linda grinned, putting her hand on your elbow, “You’re drooling.”

“Oh, I am?” you quickly looked over at her, after admiring how perfect your husband’s ass looked in those damn jeans.

“That’s alright, I promise I won’t tell,” she winked, “you’re both so cute.”

You were gushing some more about Andy, how amazing he was and how the honeymoon phase never seemed to end for you both. But you straightened up when you saw him approaching you.

“Honey,” he said, “We’re out of ice.”

“Oh, I thought we had enough... I’m sure we could do without it,” you shrugged.

Andy snaked a hand around your waist, sipping on his beer as he looked down at you, so much more comfortable by your side. He frowned when he heard the guys calling for him, reluctant to leave your side but you nudged him and told him to go socialise.

“I’ll make it worth your while, later tonight,” you whispered to him.

He pressed his lips to your temple, the scratch of his beard against your skin making you gasp. “I’ll hold you to that,” he said against your face which was heating up by his uncharacteristic public display of affection.

After cleaning up you were finally getting ready for bed. Wiping your make up before taking your diamond studs off.

“We made so many friends too,” you wondered out loud. “It was a success in my book! I hope I was a good hostess.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, you were. Come here now.” You saw him in your dressing tables mirror, extending an arm to you and inviting you to him.

“Um, well, maybe give me a moment,” you stammered, heat creeping up your neck as you scurried off to the bathroom while he called out for you.

He frowned, you never had any problem changing clothes in front of him or being naked and in so many compromising positions before him, so why now?

“Honey, I appreciate this, I really do, but.. maybe we can just do something else,” he told you, holding onto your hand which was massaging his shoulder and kissing your knuckles. He thought it was nice of you to offer a back rub, after the day he had had he needed it, but he wanted something more than that... “I’m hungry,” he licked his lips.

“I can cook something up for you, a post-dinner snack maybe,” you offered.

“No baby,” he chuckled, “Hungry for YOU.”

He kissed the crook of your neck, sucking on a spot he knew drove you wild but then frowned when he didn’t get the reaction he desired from you, in fact you felt a little... stiff.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he looked into your eyes.

“I was actually wondering if we could try something new...”

“Like what?” he pouted. He was a bit concerned, whenever you both had tried something new, it didn’t really go well.

There was that time you slipped and sprained your ankle during a very taxing session in the shower, when you surprised him at his office but then you were caught by his assistant—to this day he still can’t look her in the eye, when you insisted on tying him up but he ended up breaking free of the cuffs and spending the night ravaging you instead.

His unenthusiastic response was clearly not what you wanted as you blinked, disappointed evident on your face, “Nothing,” you shook your head, “now, where were we?” a salacious grin on your lips.

He hadn’t really tried to press on to see what your new suggestion was. He knew he wasn’t the most interesting man in the world. He wasn’t always as easy going as you were. How he even managed to get someone like you was something he could never comprehend.

“Are you ready for your surprise, baby,” came your voice from the master bathroom, “Here I come.”

You twirled before him, showing off your brand new fiery red babydoll. Which cost a pretty penny since it was the season of love.

“Whoa, you look gorgeous... what did I ever do to deserve you...” he wondered as his gaze raked you over.

“It’s actually the other way around,” you waved him off, climbing on the bed, “It’s time for your gift, Mr Barber.”

You took the book he was reading from his hands, setting it beside him and he hummed as you kissed his cheek.

“Actually...” he held onto the curve of your hips, squeezing just a little bit.

“Hm?”

“I have a surprise for you, sweetheart.”

That got your attention. You pulled away from his face, your soft lips still tingling from the coarseness of the hair on his face. “Oh?” Your heart fluttering in excitement. “You didn’t have to. You already bought us a home...” You said in a small voice, your fingers playing with the collar of his t-shirt.

“Oh, believe me, honey, it’s not just for you,” he smirked.

You watched, your fingers drumming along your bare thigh in anticipation as he went through his dresser.

“Since you want to try new things,” he said with his back to you, pulling something out of the dresser, “I figured this might be the perfect opportunity.”

You gasped when you saw, what looked like was a red silk tie and a dark blindfold.

“Wow.” Was all you could say. You had tried to get Andy to watch fifty shades with you and while he didn’t really say it, you knew that he wasn’t really into the movie or the kinky sex. He could barely stay down when you used cute pink fluffy handcuffs on him.

“I hope you can be a good girl for me,” his eyes dark as he stalked towards you, “and stay still. You never do... I always have to hold you down so this should make things easier... hands,” he commanded, his authoritative tone leaving no room for disobedience, as you held your hands out for him, gulping a lump of air and watching his hands tie an intricate knot around your wrists.

“It’s soft...” You wiggled your wrists testing the ties strength.

“Of course it is, I want you to be comfortable, princess,” he kissed your forehead, smoothing a hand over your scalp, he looked at the blindfold and then at you, “It’ll be kinda hard for me to not look into your eyes,” his brow furrowed as he put the blindfold over your head, the elastic stretching and then settling behind your ears till you all you could see was black, “Let me know if you need me to stop... or if you need anything.”

“Yes,” you nodded, pouting when you heard him pulling his tshirt off. You were so excited about the dirty sex that you didn’t even think about this--not being able to see Andy naked. You were about to whine about it but he pushed you back till you were lying on the mattress.

“This is all so exciting...” you whispered, having no idea what he was doing or was about to do, if he was looking at you or elsewhere.

“I know, honey, now you just let me take care of you.” You nodded, shivering when you felt the coolness of his wedding band against your thigh, “Sorry baby, are my hands cold?”

“Just a bit...”

You heard him rubbing them together to heat them up for you, before he touched your inner thigh, parting your thighs to make room for him, he pushed your nightie up, exposing your breasts and stiff peaks to him, “So beautiful... and all for me.”

“All for you, Andy,” you tried to close your legs to rub them together, to create some friction to calm the heat between your legs but his hold on you wouldn’t leave you any room to move.

“You need something, honey? You’ll have to use your words to tell me.”

You huffed, although you couldn’t see him you just knew he had a shit eating grin on his face. “Want you to make love to me, Andy,” you fessed up anyway.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing though. This is how I make love, honey,” you gasped as you felt his warm mouth latching on your nipple, his leaking manhood on your thigh.

“Oh...” you tried to arch your back, to pushed more of you into him.

He released your nipple with a pop, “You like that?”

He had never seen you like this, never knew he wanted you like this--so helpless and completely at his mercy. Writhing under him and craving him so badly, snaking a hand between your legs, “You’re so wet, honey,” he observed as he spread your slick around your lips, pulling a desperate whimper from you.

He sucked his fingers clean, you tasted so sweet, like honey.

He pinned your tied hands above your head when you tried to raise them to touch him, “No baby, you know the rules for tonight. I thought you wanted to be my good girl.”

“I do!” you whimpered again, your body shaking and writhing in his hold.

His poor girl, he knew how hard it must be for you. How you were obsessed with his beard. Sometimes He wondered if you loved it more than you loved him. He hadn’t shaved it off since he had met you.

“Then stay still, and you will be rewarded,” he promised you, pushing a finger inside you as he rubbed his beard against your sensitive nipples which seemed to set you off.

“Oh god,” you shrieked but didn’t dare move your arms.

He trailed kisses down your stomach, on your belly button, before settling between your legs and staring at your bare, glistening cunt.

“All this for me?” he wondered again, he didn’t need for you to answer, you were tied up and presented before him, just for him to feast on however he pleased. He sloppily licked as much of your juices as he could.

“All for you...” you shuddered as he rubbed his beard against the skin of your thigh.

Temporarily losing your vision seemed to have heightened everything, was it always so intense when his calloused fingers touched you? When he pushed three of his fingers inside you while whispering the dirtiest things in the world in your ear, rubbing his beard into the crook of your neck till you came around his fingers.

You were still dizzy from your high, you hissed out his name when he pulled his fingers out of you, leaving your cunt so void and empty.

You didn’t have the opportunity to tell him just how amazing that was, “You ready, babe?” You heard him ask as you nodded, his leaking tip against your opening.

He pushed into you, slowly and steadily to draw it out, he always liked taking his time, a woman like you deserved to be treated right. He hovered over you, staring at your face, your sparkling eyes covered by the blindfold, your bottom lip between your teeth, he pulled it out of your mouth with his thumb

“Don’t want you hurting yourself, honey,” he tutted, shaking his head as be sucked on your bruised bottom lip, fully sheathing himself inside you.

You wrapped your legs around his hips, hooking them behind his back, he was so big - the biggest you had ever had and yet it was never enough. Your cunt was greedy. You needed him deep, as deep as he could go. Exploring parts of you no one had seen or touched before. Only he ever would.

His hand circling your hips to pull you up against him as he rocked his hips against yours, “You’re so tight... squeezing me so tight,” he groaned. “You wanna come for me?” He whispered in your ear before nibbling on your earlobe.

“Yes,” you furiously nodded, your orgasm washing over you, dark spots in your vision as you felt your limbs loosen up.

“Hang on for me,” he warned you, holding onto the headboard as he chased his own end.

You sighed, hooking your tied-up hands around his neck as you felt his warm spend fill you up.

“Feels nice,” you mumbled, nuzzling his beard.

He hushed when you whined like the needy little thing that you were as he pulled out of you, untying your bound wrists.

He dimmed the lights before removing your blindfold, “There she is,” he smiled, kissing your temple as you rubbed your eyes. “Did you have fun, honey?” he held onto your chin as he made you turn your head to him, so that he could look into your eyes.

“Mm-hm. We should do this again sometime,” you yawned. You were better at being tied up than him anyway.

“We will. Happy anniversary.”

“Happy Valentine’s.”

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[erindrifter]

I just had a thought. It’s something that Disney should have thought of, because not only would it have been cool as hell (in my opinion) but also they could have sold more toys and it would have made them more money.

So, in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Anakins lightsaber gets torn in half. (As a side note, yes I consider it to be his, and not Luke’s or Rey’s. They have their own by the end of their stories) Because of this, Rey ends the movie without a lightsaber. However, in a truly stupid move, the next movie starts with Rey having fixed that lightsaber. I don’t like this for a few reasons, but mostly because a Jedi’s lightsaber is a symbol of their connection to the Force. Luke was still training when he had his fathers’ saber, and his journey was all but complete when he made his own. It’s literally one of the final steps in a Jedi’s basic training.

So, Rey starting her last movie with what is in essence her training saber is not great. But how could they have done better? How could Rey, a very smart mechanic with access to Jedi records and a fair amount of material, have made a new lightsaber instead of fixing a broken one?

See, here’s the thing. A single bladed saber doesn’t fully suit Rey. I’m with the group of people who say that Rey should have had a saber staff. And there’s a very easy way to fix that. When the lightsaber gets broken, show that the kyber crystal also broke in two. At the beginning of the movie, show Rey trying to get through the training session, but has issues because she has no weapon. Then, show her trying to make her own saber, but it keeps failing because the only kyber crystal they have is broken, and thus useless.

Except, we know from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order that a broken kyber crystal isn’t actually an issue, but is actually useful to make a double bladed lightsaber. The issue is that Rey hasn’t properly bonded with the crystal, so it won’t work properly for her. At some point in the movie, show her meditating with the crystal, and maybe even show her a vision as a test, which she passes and so she bonds with the crystal, turning it yellow (because I also like that color for Rey). Now, Rey can finish her lightsaber, except she has to account for the second crystal (she was trying to use it as a single crystal, not two, but she learns better during her vision) and so she extends the hilt a bit, but doesn’t add a second emitter, because she doesn’t realize she needs one.

So now, she has her own lightsaber, and it’s a bit scrappy still, but it’s hers. For a while, she only uses a single blade, but during a troublesome blade lock, she activates the second blade, which tears through the bottom of the lightsaber, and she uses it to break the lock. Except, it’s a crystal that wasn’t meant for a double bladed lightsaber, so now she has two blades half as long as the full blade.

Boom. There you go. Rey has her own lightsaber, it’s unique, she uses it for the entire movie, and you can sell toys. The bottom half is all melted and broken, so it looks cool too.

[nastybuckybarnes]

A Broken Fairytale  -  Twelve

Pairing: Prince!Bucky x Reader AU 

Summary: Sold by your mother, you work as a servant for the King and Queen of Acadia. The Prince, much to his initial dismay, takes a liking to you. When a wicked woman intervenes, your life is nothing more than a prison sentence. With a war on the horizon and a betrothal to a missing Princess that he can’t escape, Bucky is forced to be the Prince -and King- that his father wants. A pawn in a bigger game than the two of you realize. 

Warnings:  Fluff, Angst, injuries, Violence, Fluff

Word Count: 2K

A/N: Voila! Sorry for not updating this in like six months but here you go! She’s a little intense so enjoy 

~*~

“I gave you one job.”

The man swallows hard, face bloody and bruised and nearly unrecognizable.

“I almost had her. But the prince-” “You said you could do it! I paid you to get rid of the girl! Not send her back to her family on a silver platter!” She grabs the collar of his shirt, pointed edge of a blade at his throat.

“I-I’ll do it! I’ll get rid of her and I’ll get rid of anyone who gets in my way! I underestimated them once, but I won’t make the same mistake again! I swear to it!” The old woman glares at him, her eyes full of hatred.

“You have one more chance. If you fail I will make you wish you were in the hands of the King, for I will not be nearly as merciful as he.” Rumlow nods, stumbling back as soon as she releases him.

“Now go. I expect to hear news of their death before their wedding. If you fail you will regret it.”

~*~

“You look gorgeous, my daughter.” You turn around, smiling from ear to ear in your white gown.

“Thank you, mother.” She tilts your head up, her eyes on the fading scar on your cheek.

“A mark to show those who test you how strong you are,” She whispers, pressing a kiss to the mark.

Butterflies swarm in your belly as you hear the music playing from the throne room.

"Your Majesty, we are ready to begin,” Pepper says, smiling gently at your mother. She nods, tears in her eyes as she cups your cheeks.

“I always knew the day I gave my daughter away would come. I never thought I would have so little time between having you and losing you.” You nod, leaning your cheek into her hands.

“My daughter and my wife on my daughter’s wedding day. A day I had not thought I would get to see.” The two of you look to the voice, smiling when your father walks in.

“They are waiting for you, my dear. And then I am to walk my daughter down the aisle so soon after getting her back. How I wish we could have more time together.” You nod, a sad smile on your face as your mother hurries out of the room and to her spot in the throne room.

“I have no plans on leaving the kingdom soon. We will have time to reacquaint. But until then, we mustn’t leave them waiting.” He nods, offering you his arm. You take it gratefully, still uneasy wearing heels.

“There has not been a gathering this large in your lifetime. People from Kingdoms across the continent have come to see the union of the two kingdoms and the return of the Princess.” Your heart jumps at that information.

“Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better.” He chuckles, helping you down the stairs slowly.

Your dress is beyond extravagant. It’s an off-white colour with a thick layered skirt and a train that drags dangerously long behind you. The entire gown is covered in pearls and jewels, advertising the wealth of the kingdom. Atop your head rests a beautiful white tiara with large crystals decorating it.

You look exactly how royalty should.

With a bouquet of white roses held tightly in your grasp, you focus on your footsteps, trying your hardest to stay steady as the doors to the throne room get pushed open.

There’s a simultaneous gasp across the room, but you keep your eyes focused on the flowers in your grasp, grateful for the veil covering your face from view.

When your father stops walking, you finally look up, eyes finding the piercing blues of Prince James through the thin material of your veil.

He looks absolutely stunning in his royal colours, the lightness of his suit contrasting beautifully with the darkness of his royal sash. At his side hangs his sword, and on his head is a beautiful gold crown with different coloured jewels.

You curtsey low, your father bowing beside you, and James bows from in front of you before extending his hand. You take it without hesitation, handing your flowers to your father before stepping up in front of the thrones with James.

“Take care of my daughter, James. I have only just gotten her back.” The prince nods, a smile on his face as he gazes at you with nothing but admiration in his eyes.

With practiced grace, James flips your veil over your hair, his eyes alight with happiness.

“Together we are gathered here to witness the union of his Royal Highness Prince James Buchanan Barnes of Acadia, and Her Royal Highness Princess (Y/n) (Y/m/n) (Y/l/n) of Corona. In front of the Gods, each other, and your Kingdoms, you will be united as husband and wife, and King and Queen. Your Kingdoms will be together as one, as you will be.”

The priest smiles warmly at the two of you.

“We have waited many years to witness this union, and now, we listen as you speak your vows.” James clears his throat, turning for a moment to grab the two goblets and handing the empty one to you.

“With this hand, I will lift your sorrows.” He lifts his hand, using his free hand to lift yours.

“Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine.” He pours a tad of wine into your goblet. The two of you each take a sip then set the goblets down. Next, you each pick up a candle, having practiced this enough to know it forward and back.

“With this candle,” he lights his candle then touches the flame to the wick of yours. “I will light your way in darkness.”

You set the candles down, heart racing as he’s handed a gorgeous diamond ring.

“With this ring, I ask you to be mine.” He leans forward, taking your hand gently in his.

“I am yours.” A smile breaks across his face, and right as he’s sliding the ring onto your finger a fiery pain erupts in your shoulder, the force of it sending you tumbling to the ground.

There’s a collective gasp and then screams erupt.

“(Y/n)!” “Your Highness!” You peel your eyes open in time to see guards surrounding you and James, the brunet crouched in front of you with his eyes focused on your chest. You follow his gaze and your eyes nearly fall out of your head.

There’s an arrow stuck in your left shoulder. You look frantically at James and he shushes you, grabbing it by the end and snapping it in half, making it much shorter. You cry out in pain, thrashing against him, but he only murmurs apologies.

“Your Highnesses, we must leave.” You’re ushered to your feet and you suppress a cry of pain, grabbing onto your husband’s hand as the two of you are quickly brought out of the room.

“Someone call for a healer immediately. We have no idea if this has pierced something vital,” James barks as you all hurry through the halls.

“Men, take your posts and allow no one through,” Rhodey says, waiting until the guards have dispersed before pulling on a candelabra mounted on the wall.

The wall creaks open and you look at him in shock.

“Go all the way through. Only few know of this passage. There’s a safe room at the end that will have all the required medical tools you will need, as well as food and water. Answer no one and trust even fewer. When it is safe, myself or a trusted member of the king’s guard will come to fetch you.” You nod, looking at James. He nods as well and helps you through the small opening in the wall.

His hand is on the hilt of his sword, ready to fight anyone if need be.

You’ve got one hand pressed against the spot where the arrow remains, partly sticking out of you, half-broken off. Your vision starts to blur as blood seeps out of the wound.

“We’re almost there. Just hang on tight,” he murmurs, stopping in his tracks when he reaches the large wooden door.

He shoves it open and is quick to help you into the room and sit you on the bed. While he lights the candles, you press hard against your wound, taking deep breaths to try and steady yourself.

Warm hands are suddenly pulling yours away and you gasp, opening your eyes and looking at the culprit.

He smiles apologetically then lifts his hand. There’s the sound of tearing and then your gown is sliding down your chest, leaving you in only your satin slip.

“I must admit, this is not how I envisioned our wedding night,” you murmur, voice quivering slightly with fear and pain. He chuckles once, shaking his head.

“This may sting a bit, but I must do it.” You nod, closing your eyes tightly. He takes hold of the arrow and gives you only a moment to prepare before he's tearing it out of you.

You shout out in pain, tears stinging your eyes a the intense fire in your chest.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, pressing something hot against the wound. If you thought the ripping of the arrow was bad, this is ten times worse.

A scream tears its way out of your throat and you struggle to get away as he cauterizes the wound to the best of his abilities with you writhing in his grasp.

You’re tiptoeing on the edge of consciousness when he finally pulls it away, your shoulder aching and throbbing.

“I’m sorry, my darling.” You clench your jaw and nod, taking a few deep breaths to try and regain your composure.

“Someone means to kill me,” you whisper, the words tasting foul on your tongue.

James nods, holding your hands in between both of his.

“This union is being targeted yet again. It is no accident that so much has happened to attempt to prevent us from marrying.” His words ring with truths that you hadn’t considered, and he must see the shock on your face.

“I will discuss it with our fathers when it is safe to do so. Until then, you need your rest.” He helps you to lie down in the bed, being careful of your injured shoulder.

“You must swear to wake me as soon as there’s any news,” you demand, grabbing his hand tightly. He leans down and presses a gentle kiss to your knuckles.

“Of course. I swear I will.” You nod, satisfied with his answer, then allow yourself to relax into the pillows, your mind racing itself to sleep.

[tanadrin]

Dev Patel and the Green Knight

I finally got around to seeing The Green Knight. Overall, I enjoyed it--David Lowery does a good job capturing the essential weirdness of the tale, which is very much about taking a mundane circumstance (a Christmas feast) and suddenly catapulting the reader into a mythic otherworld through the intrusion of the alien and monstrous, and the fantastical costumes, dramatic lighting, and dissonant score all contribute very well to a sense of otherness that permeates the original story.

But I find it interesting--and, I'll admit, a little frustrating--that no modern film adaptation of medieval literature is really capable of taking the story it's adapting on its own merits. This isn't an objection to modifying the source text, or taking it in new, non-literal direction. I can think of plenty of adaptations of work that play with the source material in interesting ways, and are better for it. Even very faithful adaptations like Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings are inevitably going to alter the source based on the need to adapt it for the screen and the whims of the director. But when it comes to medieval classics, texts like Beowulf or Gawain and the Green Knight are always held at arm's length. An ironic layer is always interpolated into the original story, and even in modified form the story is never allowed to stand on its own.

Contrast, for instance, modern retellings of Arthurian legend; or Wagner's Nibelungenleid; or something like Neil Gaiman's book of Norse mythology. These are all adaptations of much older stories, all medieval; and the authors typically happy to let the stories operate on their own terms. In fact, that is often a selling point: dipping into these tales is a way of sampling an alien culture, one that is remote from us in time rather than space, and part of the sense of heightened drama is the understanding that these stories do not necessarily depict the world in the same way that modern realist prose does. They are fairy-stories, in the Tolkienian sense, and something not quite even like "high fantasy," which, although it is a genre which owes much to the mythic tradition, is usually *told* in the same manner as other realist fiction. And you could take these stories and re-cast them in a realist mold--that's definitely been done with Arthurian legend, either via anachronism or trying to place them in an era-appropriate historical context, and even that yields something quite like the original in tenor, even if the language used to relate the story is often very different.

Watching this movie, I was *strongly* reminded of Robert Zemeckis's Beowulf, in that this did not feel like an attempt to adapt Gawain and the Green Knight for the screen. It felt like an attempt to tell a story *about* Gawain and the Green Knight (the text), a story which does not stand on its own. You don't have to have read the text to understand the movie (although I think some directorial decisions would be a bit mystifying if you hadn't), but the movie definitely situates itself *as a response* to the text. Which is an odd choice! Actually, another good point of comparison is Spike Jonze's Adaptation. It started life as an adaptation of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, but Charlie Kaufman sort of gave up writing that halfway through and wrote a movie about the difficulty he was having writing *that* movie, and the result is something very weird (and very good) that is full of metafictional elements that depend on the existence of this other work, in a way that a straight retelling of The Orchid Thief for the screen obviously would not. And while The Green Knight isn't that extreme, it is definitely playing on the structure of the medieval poem, and replying to it.

The core of the movie (as I understood it) is a tension between young Gawain's aspiration to knightliness, his ambition which is born at least in part from his mother's encouragement, and his own failure to live up to the heroic ideal of greatness. Not chivalric--this is a movie in which the ethos of chivalry makes not even the briefest of appearance, which is weird given that it's nominally an Arthurian romance, and that the chivalric ethos is extremely important to the original text. Instead we have a generic greatness being described, one which is associated with renown, with taking part in mythic events, and with achieving high rank and honor. In the service of seeing her son obtain all this, Gawain's mother seems to cast some kind of spell, whereupon the titular Green Knight appears at Arthur's Christmas-feast; and as in the poem, a game of beheadings is proffered. Gawain accepts the challenge, beheads the knight, and the knight rides away, promising he'll meet Gawain a year and a day hence at the Green Chapel. So far so straightforward. When Gawain sets off a year later to meet the knight, his mother gives him an enchanted belt to keep him safe from harm. Gawain goes on to have a couple of side-of-the-road adventures and mishaps, the kind of thing that's par for the course when you're telling an Arthurian romance, until he arrives at the house of a mysterious benefactor, just about a day away from the Chapel, who grants him hospitality until the day of his challenge.

Now, in the original story, this is where Gawain gets the magic belt, and it's hugely important: Gawain and his host promise to exchange anything they might receive at the end of each day, when the host has been out hunting all day and Gawain has been in the house recuperating from his travels. During this time, the host's wife repeatedly tries to seduce Gawain; and Gawain is trapped between the imperative not to sleep with his host's wife (a major violation of the rules of good chivalric conduct!) and the imperative not to offend the woman (also a violation of those rules). He succeeds, for the most part; he is forced at one point to give his host a kiss at the end of the day, since the wife kissed him; this is shown as him holding nothing back and acting in good faith on the vow he made to his host. When Gawain finally rebuffs the wife for good, she insists that, even if he won't sleep with her, he should at least take a magic belt she has woven that will keep him from harm. He does; but he does *not* give this to his host. When he finally goes to the Green Chapel, the Knight returns the original blow as promised--but only nicks Gawain lightly. He reveals himself to be none other than the host who was sheltering him; the nick was his reprimand for withholding that final gift, but because of his good conduct he is otherwise left unharmed. The whole thing was a test of sorts, one which Gawain passed. Despite flinching at first from the blow, and keeping the belt secret, he shows himself ultimately to be a man of good (albeit not perfect) conduct, and *that* is why he wins honor from the whole affair.

The movie takes this basic narrative and alters it in key places, completely changing the valence of the whole thing. First, Gawain gets the belt at the beginning of his quest, as mentioned; he loses it on the way, but when he reaches the castle, the wife of his host (who succeeds in seducing him with a handjob) presents it to him as if she had woven it herself. He does not actually engage in the game of exchanged with his host, who is *also* not the Green Knight. And we're treated to a monologue about the color green from the wife that feels beat for beat like it's been ripped off from someone's undergraduate essay about Gawain and the Green Knight, which is a little weird even in the context of the rest of the movie. Finally when Gawain reaches the chapel, the knight goes to return the blow--and Gawain completely chickens out and flees. We are then treated to an extended sequence of Gawain returning home; being feted as a hero; earning his knighthood (presumably by lying about what happened); succeeding Arthur as king; him abandoning his low-class beau once she bears him a son, and marrying a princess; going to war; his son dying in a war; and finally, as an old man, being trapped in his throne room as a besieging army breaks its way inside. Just before they do, he removes the magic belt from around his waist, his head fall off, and bam--we're shown this has been an Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge thing this whole time, and the Green Knight has not yet landed his blow.

Gawain finally takes off the belt, throws it aside, and tells the knight to go ahead--and the knight bends down and congratulates him. In context, the reading seems to be this: the belt is a talisman of Gawain's mother's influence, of external expectations for what kind of man he is. The Knight is Arthur or perhaps an agent of his, and the test in *this* case is whether Gawain can be his own person. All the events leading up to this point are perhaps a part of the original magic Gawain's mother cast, an effort to Lilith Weatherwax her kid to greatness by putting him into an epic story. Implicitly, then, the Gawain and the Green Knight we all know is the false version of the tale, the tale as Gawain's mother would have it told.

This is all very clever. But I'm afraid it's so clever it falls apart in the end. Because the structure of the original story that this depends on is dependent in turn on taking the whole notion of chivalric virtue seriously, which this movie plainly does not. Gawain is shown as irreverent and lustful and a bit of a party animal--lovable and good hearted fundamentally, but definitely not an Arthurian hero. That's fine, but that's a very modern sort of character, one that feels out of place in a movie that is trying very hard also to be tonally unmodern, firmly embedded in a mythic otherwhen of Arthurian legend. Moments of slice-of-life mundaneness, while charming, strain mightily against the epic tone the movie tries to take in other places, and strange events like a ghost seeking her lost head or immense giants striding the landscape. We are jostled: are we in the land of myth? Or are we in historical Britain? We cannot be in both!

And this is a movie that was definitely made by people who had read the original text; not just the original text, but also a great deal of criticism *about* the original text. The movie namechecks the theme of fivefold symmetry that's incredibly important to the structure of the poem; there's the aforementioned undergrad essay about colors about 3/4th of the way through; and there's the fact that the structure of the original plot (down to Morgan LeFay in disguise as an old woman in the host's castle) is present in altered form in every detail. But none of these details add up to much. There's a weird homoerotic kiss with the host that implies that in fact *he* wanted to sleep with Gawain, in addition to his wife; the ghost Gawain encounters early on tells him the Green Knight is in fact someone he knows (and therefore *can't* be the host; I think it's implied to be Arthur, like I said, but this is never quite confirmed), and while all these things *about* the original poem are shown, none of them ever get integrated thematically into the plot.

I think as a result, whatever Lowery was going for, the whole movie kind of falls apart in the end. And that's a pity, because somewhere in there is just a really weird, visually striking, really gripping, embellished-and-polished-for-modern-sensibilities-but-also-thematically-true-to-the-source retelling of Gawain and the Green Knight. And that would have been a much better movie! What are we to make of this, a movie that purports to be telling a story-behind-the-story, but one that leaves no room or context for the original? After all, Gawain in the end does *not* flee, does not return home a coward and a liar; presumably, he earns his honor, and can be honest about what happened. But if he is honest, none of the rest of what we have been shown makes a lick of sense, or has any point.

One feels a bit as if modern directors, when confronted with medieval texts being a bit weird, a bit alien in their worldview, instead of realizing that's actually something people like some of from time to time, feel like they have to construct an artificial bridge between the Middle Ages and the present day. But because it is invariably metafictional and self-referential, as if to say "don't worry, we know nobody REALLY wants to watch a bunch of boring medieval shit played straight," it comes off as cringing and ashamed of its source material. This isn't a plea for historicity! Gawain and the Green Knight is not history. But one does occasionally want to see an adaptation of one's favorite works without directors being ashamed of the text they are adapting! And since most people will not have read the original, I am rather confused about what the director intends for the audience to get out of all these references that are dependent on it, but don't stand on their own merits within the narrative of the movie itself.

The acting was good, the set design and costumes were terrific, I loved the slow and measured pacing and the weird score, and the design of the Knight himself, and the landscapes and almost everything else about the movie. So I don't think it's a waste of time, especially if you have read and enjoyed Gawain and the Green Knight, in the original or in translation. But it's definitely a pity to see a movie that was, well, *almost* great, but ended up merely OK.

[wastelandcth]

Red Desert Ridge - cth x afi

part one: the cantina

summary: A cowboy walks into a bar on Friday and orders a drink. 

author’s notes: Welcome to my new mini series! This is a Cashton x reader fic that I’ve been planning for the longest time! Thanks to @in-superbloom and @hoodhoran for letting me scream about this and letting me run ideas by them both. I’m also posting this while I’m taking a very important test so please if I don’t respond right away it’s because my brain is melting over optical terms!

warnings: mentions of alcohol, mentions of sex. 

masterlist || request || series masterlist

Calum watched as the clouds floating by in the sky, the mix of pink and purple fluff that drifted away with the soft breeze a great distraction from the amount of time he'd spent already waiting for the inevitable. The small town that he'd found himself in was nothing more than a long stretch of road lined with shops and a couple of cantinas, the locals of the town passing no more than a glance at him as he'd strolled in on top of his horse. Duke, his prized horse, and really the only other being on Earth that he trusted besides himself, had huffed and whinnied quietly as Calum had led him through the dusty street, snorting in relief when he was finally left in front of a watering hole and promptly ignoring anything Calum did after. Calum had spent the early hours of his day traveling through the dry desert, hoping and wishing that the next few hours would find the end to all his problems. 

But then like a light at the end of the tunnel, Duke’s hooves knocked against the wooden floors of the entrance to a town, bringing Calum’s attention back from the clouds and towards the small town that would bring him answers, or at least that’s what he hoped. His feet found solid ground soon enough and Duke had been left near the water trough. As the sun set on the horizon, letting the pink sky and filter in with oranges and purples, Calum strolled through the town, the spurs on his boots ringing with every step he took on the wooden floorboards. He could feel the eyes of the town on him, the faded green bandana that covered his nose and mouth shielding his face from peering eyes, and it wasn't until he stepped into the crowded cantina that he let the fabric slip down his face and around his neck.

Calum's eyes searched the crowd of people, ranging anywhere from farmers who'd stumbled in after working on the fields all day to the local drunk who seemed to never walk out of the place. The cantina was filled with music and conversation flowing freely around the stucco walls, that was until Calum stepped over the threshold and all eyes were on him. Whispers rang out over the quieted music and Calum couldn't help the smirk on his face as he felt the attention on him. His feet carried him towards the bar, his gait slow and confident as he leaned against the wooden slab that had been sticky with spilled drinks and other substances Calum wasn't sure he wanted to find out about. His hat tipped towards the bartender, who'd been busy serving up shots of clear alcohol and had been the only one in the building to not stop and stare.

"Can I help you, fella?" the bartender finally asked as he walked over, swiping the off-white cloth over the countertop before throwing it over his shoulder to finally study Calum, "Or just traveling through and need a drink?"

The bartender, who Calum assumed was closer to his age and maybe even a little too young to be running a cantina was a tall blonde. His hair was hidden under the black hat that he wore, golden curls peeking out beneath it and sitting just above his shoulders, and Calum found himself smirking at the man's nervous expression. His hands fiddled with the glass in his hand, his head cocking to the side as he waiting for Calum's answer and his eyes kept shifting between Calum's figure and the patrons around them. If Calum hadn't known any better, he would've guessed that the small town saw only a fair share of travelers a year and he'd be the talk of the town in no time.

"Actually, I'm looking for a place to stay," Calum shrugged, pointing over to a bottle of whiskey as he took another glance around the crowded cantina, "Know of any?"

"Oh," the blonde sighed and shrugged, "We usually have a few rooms but if you're looking for a good time," he said and served up the liquor, sliding the glass over to Calum, "The inn down the way charges a pretty fair price and the ladies are always accommodating."

"Luke!" a deep voice called out from behind the blonde, "What did I tell you about sending people that way," the man huffed out, his hand coming over to smack the back of Luke's head, "We would be more than happy to host this traveler in our spacious rooms upstairs!"

The blonde, who Calum was now assuming was Luke, grumbled under his breath and nodded. With one last look at the man who'd smacked his head and then shoved him away from Calum, he rolled his eyes and walked off to check on the rest of the patrons. Calum noticed that Luke had drifted towards another patron of the cantina, whose hair was hidden beneath the brow of a leather hat and kept the shade away from his eyes, whispering something in his ear and making the man glance over at Calum and then back at Luke with a small nod.

 "Sorry about him, he's my son," the man sighed and shook his head, "I've been trying to teach him how things work down here but he's too focused on his dreams of going to the big cities or talking to Michael who will only get him in trouble," he scoffed, "Now about your room and board..."

Calum looked around the cantina, listening to the conversations around him as he nodded in agreement to whatever the man behind the bar rambled on about. Something about extended stays and breakfast every morning with his family. Calum watched the patrons around him, letting himself lean against the wooden bar as he tried to seem in the conversation about the locals and things to do that Luke's father kept rambling on about. His eyes landed on the corner of the cantina, a place hidden in the darkness and shielded from prying eyes. Shielded from the gossip of the small town and the drama that came from a town of a few dozen people.

The small table was littered with drinks and chairs, a couple of men surrounding the table and talking to the man who was leaning back against the chair. The man whose laughter echoed and bounced against the stucco walls of the cantina sat around with no care in the world. His outfit, a white shirt with the first couple of buttons left open to showcase his chest, and the black denim pants that left Calum shifting his stance as his eyes landed on the leather holster that laid against the thick thigh muscle that flexed as the man laughed at whatever his associate had said. The sight of a silky black skirt, the shiny material ending just high enough that a brown leather boot peeked out as it swung against the wooden floor that had been littered with dirt and sand from the outside, had Calum's eyes following the shine of the stretched material up until his eyes were met with another.

Calum saw the way her eyes twinkled, how her lips turned and how her eyes seemed to also trace down his body, stopping at the silver belt buckle that Calum's thumbs were looped through. Her eyes, which had left Calum covered in goosebumps, made the slow and antagonizing trip back up his body until her gaze was back on Calum's. She smirked, bringing the cup that dripped with condensation up to her lips and taking a quiet sip, her eyebrow quirking up as Calum let out a breath he'd been holding in. It wasn't until Calum felt a different pair of eyes on him that he turned his head back to the man, whose hat now laid on his lap, and the laughter he'd roared out seconds before ended with a smirk thrown Calum's way.

Next to Calum, the blond had come back and was chatting with his father as Calum watched the man whose lap she'd taken refuge in turned to face her, his large hand coming up to give her hip a gentle squeeze. Calum could see his lips moving, whispering against her ear and making her squirm in his lap as she nodded a bit. Calum's gaze turned away, turning back to Luke and his father as they set another glass down in front of him and Luke offered to help get him settled in his room upstairs. Calum nodded graciously, his attention slipping from the table in the corner and towards the stairs that Luke had begun to lead him towards.

"You gonna give him a show, darling?" the man whispered against her ear, making her cheeks flush as Calum walked past their table, making his shoulders tense and his jaw clench, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind watching."

"And here you are," Luke mumbled as he opened the door to the small room that Calum would call home for the next couple of days, "It used to be my brother's old room but now we rent it out for travelers whenever we get them."

"Thank you," Calum nodded, setting his pack down near the bed, "Can I ask you something?" he asked quietly as he turned his head towards the blonde.

"Yeah, um, of course," Luke nodded and cleared his throat, shifting uneasily under Calum's stare.

"Who was that man in the corner of the cantina, with all the bounty hunters around him," Calum mumbled and unclipped the bandolier across his chest, setting it down against the hardwood of the dresser.

"Oh, that's Ashton Irwin," Luke sighed softly, "His family owns the mine that's a few hours away, the reason why this town exists."

"And the girl?"

"That's his girl, apparently she's crazier than he is," Luke sighed and shrugged, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, she's my bounty."

“Mr. Hemmings!” Ashton calls out as he walked over to the bar, his gait confident and the smirk on his face present when the older man turns to look at him, “I fear my girl and I might’ve had a bit too much to drink from your fine cantina today, mind if we get a room here for the night?”

“Mr. Irwin, you know you’re always welcomed here!” the older man chuckled, his eyes examining Ashton and then moving towards the table that was always occupied no matter the day, “Your lady and you are always welcomed to stay with us. I’ll have Luke set up the usual?”

“You sure do know how to keep a regular customer coming back,” Ashton nodded and tipped his hat towards him before he walked back over to the table, “I’ll see you all tomorrow? Michael, I want what we talked about in my hands by sunrise tomorrow.”

Michael, the poor guy who seemed to have lovestruck eyes for no one except the blonde boy whose blue eyes always looked stressed, nodded quickly and rose. The tip of his head towards Ashton and the quiet glance towards the bottom of the stairs where Luke, who’s look like he was trying to look anywhere except near them, dismissed him and he was out of the cantina without a word. Ashton had always found him to be a quiet man, but quiet men were always hard workers and he’d be damned if Michael wasn’t proof of that. Michael had been by his side since the beginning and Ashton would always make sure that his friend and loyal companion were always taken care of. He was smart, always finding a solution for whatever problem Ashton found himself in. Whether it be due to his family’s increasing monetary value or because of the girl giggling into the last of her drink as she swayed along to the chatter of the cantina.

Ashton knew she was trouble the second she walked into his life. Well really, he’d walked into her. He’d been strolling around the small town, chatting with Michael about the town’s latest plans to build a schoolhouse for the ever-growing population of children when he’s accidentally opened the door to the cantina and ran straight into her. She was small, hiding behind a hat and a large coat, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of both Ashton and Michael. That’s how their life together began, with an accident, and it has spiraled into craziness since.

“Ash?” her sleep-laced voice brought Ashton back out of his head, “Are we still...?”

“No baby, it’s already too late and the ride back is too risky and I think we should just head up to bed, yeah? Sleep off all that whiskey,” he nodded as he helped her up out of the chair, his head cocking to the side as he saw Luke staring at them both.

“Right this way, Mr. Irwin.”

Ashton knew she was trouble the second he’d laid eyes on her later that night, after having bumped into her and apologized profusely for his mistake. She’d been at the same cantina again, a shot of whiskey in her hand, and wild eyes shining bright as she danced along with a few of the other girls that seemed to hang around to entice the men. Somehow, Ashton knew she wasn’t one of the parlor girls, her eyes never landing on any of the men who stood by and watched them all dance with a hunger that left Ashton with a heavy pit in his stomach at the thought of someone taking her away. It wasn’t until she’d spotted him in the back, his own eyes following the way her body moved along to the cacophony of music and cheers, that she made her way over to him.

“You look like you could use a good ride,” she breathed out, her cheeks flush from the dancing.

“Oh?” Ashton chuckled and raised an eyebrow, “And what might a girl like you know about that?”

That night Ashton had found himself in a similar position to what he was in now, his naked back pressed up against the rickety mattress as his breaths left his lungs in huffs. Above him, under the sliver of moonlight that peeked in through the window on the side of the bed, he watched as her hips rocked with a quick rhythm. Her breast bounced with every rock, taut nipples teasing Ashton as his wrists tugged against the leather belt holding them in place above his head.

“You always feel so good,” she moaned out, her head thrown back as her thighs flexed with every pull of her body, “Always fill me up so good, Ashton.”

Behind him, the headboard hit the wall with every thrust up his hips made, the inevitable smacking of their skin together echoing throughout the empty room. Normally, Ashton would’ve been the one in control, the one who had her pressed down against the mattress and screaming his name until her high hit as she was left a shaky mess of jellied limbs. But tonight, tonight she had begged Ashton to let her out on a show for him no matter how tired she was, wanting to show him exactly how much she’d learned about riding in the past couple of months she’d spent by his side.

“Doing so good, pretty girl,” Ashton breathed out, the leather around his wrist creaking under the tension of his body, “Gonna- fuck- gonna have to teach you more and more, huh?”

“Please, wanna know everything you have to teach,” she whimpered out, her walls clenching around Ashton so hard that he couldn’t remember what not being inside of her pulsing walls felt like, “Oh, Ashton! I’m gonna...”

“You always do put on a good show, little one, let’s see how you handle the finale,” Ashton muttered as his wrist freed from the leather belt and found a grip on her waist. 

From then, with no restraints and no care in the world to who would hear them, Ashton flipped them over, pressing her chest into the bed and her ass in the air. He watched as her cheeks jiggled with every smack of his hips against hers, watched as her body leaned back against his everytime he pulled away from her, the whimpers and moans echoing louder and louder as Ashton’s hips seemed relentless in their chase for a high. He felt her walls clenching around him, warning him that something big was coming and it wasn’t long before the grip she had on him made his own eyes shut and his own moans grew louder and louder. It wasn’t long until the only thing Ashton could think about was how he wanted to stay in her for the rest of his life and wake up the whole town with the pretty noises her mouth and pussy were making. And as the creaky mattress went silent, their panting breaths the only sound in the room now, Ashton could help but smirk against her shoulder, hoping that their neighbor had indeed found pleasure in the show. 

Calum laid in bed, his eyebrows furrowed up at the ceiling as the noise next to his room echoed down the hallways and through the walls that kept him in private. His hand was wrapped tightly around himself, the wet squelch of his hand moving quickly to get any sort of relief a whisper in comparison to the banging on the wall behind him of the moans that made his ears ring. It wasn’t long until he felt his own hips tensing and his cock twitching in his fist, his hand covered with his spend as he let the shaky breaths leave his lungs, the stars behind his eyelids his only anchor to the real world as his orgasm tore through him. His breathing eventually calmed down, his hand searching in the dark for his discarded bandana that he used to quickly clean up the mess he’d made before his brain, now foggy with ecstasy slowly drifted off to sleep, dreams of a black silk skirt and a white unbuttoned shirt soothing his weary and traveled body.

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[progenyroyal]

I just want to go to bed — Konjak Interview

i haven't seen anyone post konjak's APWOT interview, so i'm going to do so here! this is a transcription of what was published in APWOT issue 2, and linked at the bottom is an album with the original images.

admittedly, this is a bit of a heavy (and hefty) read. in this interview, konjak discusses the struggles he endured during the 9 year production period of iconoclasts, the game’s lasting effects on his mental health, his conflicted feelings about the game after its completion, and a bit of advice for aspiring game developers and creators.

It's been almost a year and a half, at the time of writing, since the first completed version of Iconoclasts was released to the public. Today, I sat down to share my story and then went back to sleep three times. I am just trying to write about the game but this is the legacy of Iconoclasts on my psyche.

Iconoclasts is arguably a 'metroidvania' - it's a game of classic platforming with abilities to unlock, two-dimensional pixel art and all that retro aesthetic while taking some modern liberties. The best known thing about the game's development is that I made it all on my own. I created the art assets, code, scripting, narrative, sound effects, music. All of it. I always wanted to create a complete and sprawling game entirely from my own mind. The only input from others was having a publisher in the latter half of development and the people who tested the game's functionality. I had completed games solo before but this was my magnum opus. After many hurdles, and about nine years of development I finally completed it!

Several times since then I have felt that I must have recovered from the workload. But if someone messages me on social media about Iconoclasts, I often choose to look away. If all it takes is a 'thank you', I will respond - I appreciate everyone who has loved and purchased the game because I am objectively not in a bad situation as a result of it. However, probably no amount of success would have made me feel like it was worth it in the end, when I put everything in my life aside for the whole of my 20s to create one project, entirely on my own.

How did I end up so destroyed by Iconoclasts? There are many reasons, of course - shutting myself away, rejecting romance, thinking I would soon be done and after that I could start a life. Part of me, however, believes that the pressure for it to be a success, increasing with every month and year that passed, led to me making design decisions that I didn't really feel were necessary or in keeping with the original idea. Implementing them sacrificed time, willpower and personal expression.

In my opinion, many people's perception of what is 'art' in video games extends only to visual material or marketing trailers. But, during development, I realised that artistry in video games comes from personal expression, how the interactivity of the medium resonates with players. This was just one of the many realisations during this time about what it was that I truly wanted.

So, what am I getting at? Well, I believe that the combination of changing things into what I wanted to be 'marketable', and continuing to make a game with a design completely driven by the narrative, contributed to the feeling that time had just melted away, and that I was wasting my youth and life.

That maybe sounds dramatic, but I spent nearly a decade doing what I started telling myself wasn't what I truly enjoyed. However, at some point I passed a threshold of no turning back. After spending so much time on something you cannot simply toss it all away. I did try to a few times. but it wasn't just a game, it was my life. In my view, I had nothing else to show for myself.

My collapse was a combination of feeling I had submitted to expectations and my changing thoughts about how games should present narrative. It is not lost on me that, these days, what I she best about game creation lies within its interactive expression, while by contrast Iconoclasts is a highly scripted and textual narrative. I wouldn't consider it art, but then you don't have to want to make art to create games. Your ambitions and preferences change a lot between your early 20s and your 30s.

And the game didn't turn out bad at all! If anything, my declining mental state is probably why the completed narrative seems to go somewhere more interesting, somewhere dark. As for how it plays, I still love running around and making things blow up, but only if I can get myself to play it again. That said, it's still a game I spent what felt like an eternity feeling insecure about and thinking I had made many concessions purely for greater commercial success.

I will present the most glaring addition I made to the game to illustrate my point.

For example, right at the end of development I added a system of powerups called 'tweaks' to complement the secret treasure boxes. Led by pressure for financial success and security, I told myself that the modern audience is expecting more rewards than simply overcoming adversity. Literal rewards. The game had been mostly finished at this point, so there wasn't really the freedom for it to be injected with new features and remain balanced and functional. It was already a full experience that didn't need powerups. So they ended up being blatantly pasted on top of an already functioning system, an approach I dislike in other games - one thing should complement the other. In feedback and reviews after the game's release, a bunch of astute writers agreed. I felt I had tarnished the game by adding the frustration of losing power upon taking damage, when no actual, meaningful power was lost. The new system fit thematically but in use, it was a shallow feature at best.

I have since set a goal for myself to use the means I have now to do something entirely as I want it.

You only have so many chances to create something that is entirely your personal expression, without real-life and personal risk.

Am I arguing for not listening to a potential audience? Yeah, in a way, at least not listening to the collective perception of what that audience wants. Whatever you might think makes a video game art, you should try to stick to it if art is what you want to make.

I have often thought I may not be meant to make any more videogames. It occasionally lingers in the back of my mind, but a larger part of me thinks I need to try again, without inviting in that pressure of pleasing an imagined audience. So I am still here, wanting to go solo again. Perhaps I am obsessed with control, in love with the individual creative vision. I'd just make it for me, and only adjust it according to tester feedback on how accessible the game is. Part of that is making something smaller. Something that - at least this time - isn't trying to combine an expression of gameplay with a strict linear way of telling a story, because that contributed to my stress and breakdown. I'm a much bigger fan of just playing these days rather than watching a story unfold.

I still feel as if I failed in treating my own life right, so I don't often give advice, as I haven't felt like the right person to hand it out. But I would say don't enter this industry without the means to prototype your idea, with no outside pressure. The industry is harder than ever right now so don't start out as a studio or with your biggest idea, when you have most to lose. There is nothing I want less for you than getting into financial or emotional debt before you know if your idea is good or not. My depression and severe anxiety were made worse by creating this game. It was an evil combination of pressure to please, worry that I would come out of it broke and a change in my personal taste over many years. So create safety nets for yourself. Start out as a hobby.

In conclusion, make games for yourself but don't lose sight of life beyond work. Most of all, express what's in your head. Bring interactivity to the forefront. But only if you have the means.

(Image description in alt text. This image is taken from the official page for APWOT Issue 2.)

original images

[liquid-luck-00]

My Life is One Complication After Another 2

Some cursing 🤬

Ao3 *** Previous *** Next

~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay so where were we?" she smiled turning and sitting back down with Fang.

"As Damian had asked are you in reality my biological child," Bruce took back control automatically.

"You can't be serious Brucie!" Jagged went and began to squish Mari's face. "This little ray of sunshine related to your broody majesty. I don't buy it."

"I am not broody Jared." Bruce defended.

"I'll believe that when Ladybug dates Chat Noir." he joked.

"So it is possible" Bruce responded with a straight face.

Now it was Mari's turn to laugh, "Not a chance. Ladybug and Chat Noir dating is as possible as Atlantis resurfacing." she finally stopped laughing. The Wayne's tensed as if they knew more than others about Atlantis. "I honestly don't know if I am your child. I have no objections to taking a paternity test if you want, but I already have parents who love and support me, but I am not opposed to adding to my family though." she again smiled like the sunshine she is.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng What the Hell!?!" Chloe screamed storming into the room.

"What did I do!"

"How are you trending and you never told me" she gave a mock gasp.

However it was not the same for Mari. "I'm what." She opened her phone and sure enough she was trending. "How did this happen?"

She went into the first article she could and backtracked, through the sources and timestamps. Then it all made sense. She was on the Ladyblog, an interview with Lila claiming she was friends with a Wayne. The media then believing her a lost Wayne which explains why she is sitting with the Waynes and them asking about her paternity.

"How did you not know. M."

"All my accounts are private and I've been busy. But this explains the reporters now huh."

"M you are ridiculous, utterly ridiculous" Chloe grumbled. She was now sitting on the armrest Mari was leaning against next to Jagged. "At least tell me you remembered to send the photos and interview." Mari sprung up, Fang having sensed the impending jump. "logged into my laptop" Chloe yelled throwing her key to Mari.

"Meet you at the hospital. 20 minutes. bye" she yelled as she ran down the hall taking the stairs faster.

Chloe and Penny got up followed by Jagged heading to the door.

"Whatcha wait'n for Brucie come on" Jagged called to the billionaire.

Slowly the Waynes stood and followed the others to the hospital, sharing looks and texts the entire time.

True to her word Marinette met with them 20 minutes later on the dot in the hospital.

Both Marinette and Bruce had a blood sample and a mouth swab taken. The doctor then came back an hour later with the results.

"Alright. By the genetic markers that were tested. I can say quite confidently that M. Wayne is the biological father of Mlle. Dupain-Cheng." The doctor handed them a folder. "I'II leave you to process."

Marinette didn't need long to process. In fact her only thought was, Well one more for the list. Everyone in the room was watching her. "Okay" she jumped down from the bench, crap. Forgot about that. Her smile never faltered but her eyes were closed a second too long.

In that second Chloe had taken her purse and was holding up a pair of athletic gloves. “Care to explain!” She held the gloves waving them towards Marinette.

"Um, Well, You see" Marinette started to mumble.

"Why don't you explain in the car" Penny came to her rescue.

"We'll get Pizza and have a Rock' n time" Jagged lightened the mood.

Everyone nodded, walking out Mari kept her hands in her pocket. She was putting on her second pair of gloves, Tikki in her hood, she needed to think and running always helped. Mari was only a few yards away when Chloe noticed, Mari spun to face her when she heard her.

"Red!" Chloe yelled. She noticed how two boys froze, Jason and Tim if she is correct.

"Goldie!" she responded, not missing a beat. She heard Chloe behind her.

"Cat." Penny stated.

"Bird." responded Jagged further confusing the Waynes as they neared the hotel.

Tim was the first who noticed the two girls in front of the hotel. Meaning he was on his phone mapping and timing the route.

"Pizza will be delivered in 10." Mari spoke as the other seven stepped out of the car.

The two girls went ahead of them, but instead of the elevator they took the stairs.

Half way through the second of three pizza did Tim finally speak. "How did you two get back so fast." Tim set down his Pizza as he began to gesture frantically. "There is no way for you guys to have beat as it is a fifteen minute drive and a 30 minute walk, 20 if you run. Wait how did you get there in 20 minutes with a detour." Tim surprisingly still had breath.

"The fastest way from point A to B is not through C." Was Marinette's response as she took a bite. Yet that didn't seem like a sufficient answer as her now brother's eyebrows were still knit in confusion, so she took a breath and said. "Free running, it's a great stress reliever." she finished.

"What did you hit this time?" Jagged gave her a semi serious look.

"I didn't hit anything," a pout on her lips. "The pigeon flew into me."

Dick started laughing "she is definitely yours B, I can say for sure even without that paternity test." Another two hours had passed before she noticed the time and bid everyone goodbye. She gave her number to her father and brothers, Damian begrudgingly because Dick put it in and gave it to Mari.

Her parents had closed early for a date so she was home alone. She went to the couch to sketch a few gift ideas for her newly extended family. She was finishing a semi formal coat with a hidden sling for a katana for Damian. He kept grumbling that if he had it, the way the sword appeared in his akuma form, and she is pretty sure Jason's jokes were more literal by everyone's expressions. When her parents came home.

"Bon soir Maman, Papa," she cheerily greeted them.

"How was your day sweetheart." her Papa smiled kissing the top of her head.

"I met a handful of interesting people." she really didn't know how to broach this subject.

"What's wrong sweetie," her mother must have noticed her be uncomfortable. She sat down next to Mari, and her papa sat across from them.

"Did someone or did these people hurt you." her papa's words began to ring with a hard edge.

"Non, nothing like that. It's just, um," bitting her lip then looking up. "Your not my biological father, are you?"

Her parents froze, and had a silent conversation.

"Marinette, your biological father is an important and busy man. Who has no time for children." Her Maman spoke gently and calmly. "His name is Bruce Wayne."

Okay hold up, she tilted her head empathizing her confusion. "He didn't seem to bad, in fact he has four boys."

"That was who you met today," her papa affirmed, seemingly surprised.

She nodded her head and told them what had occurred today, leaving out the akuma and her free running. When she finished her parents once again held a silent conversation.

"Why don't we invite him over tomorrow for lunch. While you show his boys around." her maman smiled.

"Okay I'll send them a message then." Mari smiled taking out her phone.

Tomorrow will be interesting.

But first she had to survive tonight.

Tonight Ladybug, Todd Tenko, and Emeraude Racer were on patrol. Meaning she had the evening with the Couffaine siblings. Since both were holders it wasn't uncommon for them to swap. Meaning Luka would either be Todd or Viperion, and Juleka could be either Racer or Kitsune.

They each knew what was their designated route, and because of the akuma sent earlier the chance of Hawkmoth striking again was less likely. Each one of the heroes went their separate ways and made their rounds. So when the three heroes went to their rendezvous at Notre Dame's bell tower it ways almost two hour later. However, she noticed she had a tail when she passed the Eiffel tower. So she called Todd and Racer to set an illusion and ambush at the bell tower.

When she stepped on the bell towers stopped in the center and so did her tail with four others, forming a 'v" behind her. Todd's illusion left a Ladybug in the center of the tower while she moved to an ambush point. Four figures swung in and stood at each corner, a Todd Tenko, Emeraude Racer, Honey Bee, and Chat Noir.

"Shouldn't all of you be in Gotham?" Ladybug asked for her.

That seemed to take the vigilantes in her city by surprise.

"We heard about the situation and we just want to help." Nightwing, she is pretty sure, spoke up.

Chat Noir scoffed, "huh as if we would believe that."

"Tt. believe what you want. That is the truth." Robin spoke this time. Interesting.

"Yes after being ignored and called liars for three years really builds trust." Honey Bee's hand curled on her top as she spoke.

Batman seemed like he was going say something, but she jumped down from her perch breaking the Ladybug illusion. As they watched her materialize fifty feet up, followed by Racer and Todd flanking her mere seconds later.

"Todd," her eyes never left the five in front of her as she spoke.

"What!" Red Hood jumped in surprise, "How?"

"Curious. But Todd," this time she turned. "can you drop Mirage." Her teammate nodded and the four illusions disappeared. "Do you need to recharge?"

"Already did LB", he smiled.

"Okay," she pulled out her yoyo, and a box fell out into her hands. "who wants a snack before heading back out."

"Me!" Racer rushed to the box pulling out a strawberry eclair.

It is almost a good thing she always makes eight eclairs for patrol. Seriously she makes two for those on patrol, but after Adrien always left them with one and ate four, did she start bringing more.

Before leaving to do a final sweep of patrol. The three Parisian heroes spoke with the visiting vigilantes.

"We could send them Pinky's way," Ladybug responded to Batman's ask for more information.

"Do you think that's smart?" Todd asked.

"Who is Pinky?" Red Robin stepped into the conversation.

"She is our civilian contact and reserve hero." Racer answered.

"Why isn't she a permeant hero?" Nightwing brought up the question.

"Her identity was compromised but and we aren't sure how many know. So she is kept an back up." she answered.

"Who is she and how do we contact her?" Batman demanded or asked in his case.

"She is Multimouse, her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng." All of them seemed to flinch and paled slightly. "And she'll find you."

The three Parisians stood and left.

Yup, tomorrow is going to be interesting.

Extra:

“So was I supposed to find out the Wayne’s were the Bats on my own or would you have told me?” Mari scolded her boyfriend over video call when she got home from patrol.

“I knew you were smart but less than a day you really are a lucky bug.” He smirked at her.

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

“Okay, okay.” He rose his hands in surrender. “But how did you figure it out anyways?”

“Apart from Tim and Jason flinching when Chloe called me Red, Damian’s katana grumbles and Tt., Jason freaking out because Todd was on patrol with me, and all of them paling at my name. It wasn’t to hard to piece together after that.” She shrugged.

“You know you’re scary sometimes right?” He feigned chills a goofy grin on his face.

“You love me though.” She teased him.

“I know I do but I know to keep in your good graces.” He responded now completely serious. “By the way, why was my idiot in Paris?” '

“I apparently made headlines a a lost Wayne.” She waved. “Which has more truth than the media knows apparently.”

“You’re serious!”

“Turns out your idiot is my adoptive idiot brother.”

“So are you related to Dick or Tim?”

“Try Damian.”

“To Demon Spawn! How?!”

“Bruce is my biological father.”

“The bug is a bat. Great!” he rolled his eyes, “I knew you weren’t normal but this is ridiculous.”

“You aren’t exactly normal yourself.” She replied pointedly.

“Ya but you love me.” His goofy grin was back.

“Yes I do.” She smiled in return.

Next

~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist: @dolphin-ghost @unabashedbookworm @bookgirl14 @laurcad123 @mochegato @vixen-uchiha @jjmjjktth @deathwishy @toodaloo-kangaroo @stackofrandomstuff @megaafangirl @trippingovermyfeet @chocolatecatstheron @nathleigh @nyx-in-line @indecisive-mess-named-me @ichigorose @maribat-is-lifeblood @user00000001

[draconic-ichor]

In the Steel Steeds Heart

Chapter 14: Dinner as a Family: Part 2

Warnings: blood, strong language, sexual themes, nipple play, penetrative sex

Summary: Miranda finally makes it known why Juniper’s place at dinner was important

Feedback appreciated. 18+

When the main course was served the maids brought out plates with cuts of red meat and delicate steamed vegetables.

Juniper cut into the meat, seeing blood ooze under her knife. Calling it rare was reaching.

In the past meat like this would have turned poor Juniper’s stomach. But now, with a monster waiting in her belly, the smell mixed with the thick wine made her mouth water.

She took a large bite, eagerly starting to cut a second as she chewed.

Her enthusiasm took the rest of the table off guard. Heisenberg’s jaw tightened worriedly.

“Enjoy it, Dear?” Alicina smiled smugly.

Juniper nodded, her pupils dilated ever so slightly.

The meal went by with little talk, the table feeling tight. Heisenberg did little more than pick at his food, eating around the more well-done edges of the meat and filling up on bread.

Juniper felt a type of hunger she couldn’t describe, finishing her plate and a second glass of wine.

She glanced around the table: Angie was speaking to Donna, both nodding and deep in the conversation. Moraue was having a time of trying to cut his meat, resorting to just shoving the whole piece into his widened mouth. Lady Dimitrescu was trying to be delicate with her silverware, something her large hands made very difficult. And lastly, Miranda took small bites, eyes always moving.

Juniper’s face felt hot, licking her teeth. She stood from the table, stiffening a bit when she felt multiple eyes follow her. Heisenberg looked at her questioningly.

“Just…need to visit the bathroom.” She mumbled awkwardly.

Lady Dimitrescu raised her head, snapping her finger once. A maid quickly came into the hall.

“Show dear Juniper to the guest bath.” She instructed.

The maid bowed, turning to Juniper, “This way m’lady.”

Excusing herself, Juniper quickly followed the girl.

Heisenberg frowned down at his plate, pushing it away slightly.

“You seem very taken with her.” Miranda observed, peering over the top of her wine glass.

When Heisenberg didn’t respond she continued, “It’s a good thing, you’ve never gotten along well with your other siblings.”

Her words turned his stomach. “Juniper isn’t a Lord.” He reminded her, keeping his voice even.

“Ah, but that is one of the reasons I asked you here.” She smiled.

He looked at her curiously, worry rimming his eyes.

“I think our little Juniper could grow into Lordship, in time.” Mother Miranda nodded, taking a long sip from her glass, “She just needs to nurture her abilities.”

She wanted Juniper to become a lord?

Heisenberg frowned, “And what do you have in mind?”

“Always impatient.” Her eyes narrowed, “I want you to take her on the hunt.”

“Why?” He spoke too quickly, earning him a scolding look.

“Now, Heisenberg, you can’t expect to keep her holed up in that dump of a factory forever now, can you?” Lady Dimitrescu commented.

Before he could bark back Miranda confirmed, “I think her unique abilities will be suited perfectly for the task.”

Heisenberg remembered her mutated form and it’s resemblance to the varcolacs, wondering how much about Juniper’s powers she knew about.

“She isn’t ready.” He tried to argue.

“This isn’t up for debate.” Miranda’s voice commanding, “Think of it as a test, to really see her powers.”

Heisenberg nodded, worry curdling his gut.

~

Juniper washed her hands in the large marble sink. Still feeling flushed, she splashed cold water onto her face. She looked up, eyes catching her own gaze in the gilded mirror.

Her breath stuck fast in her throat, heartbeat quickening.

Her reflection looked wrong, the longer she looked the more it twisted before her: her eyes were dark and blown out, almost wild, her jaw was extended, fangs peeking out.

She took a shaking breath seeing more eyes open along her forehead.

Juniper reached up a shaking hand, feeling along her face, smooth skin greeted her fingertips. She blinked, the image gone.

She looked at herself again, flushed and fearful, but it was her.

She touched the surface, sucking in a shaking breath.

What was hidden just beneath her skin?

~

Juniper returned to the table, looking slightly pale.

“You alright?” Heisenberg asked, concern rimming his eyes.

“I’m fine.” She lied, taking her seat. He didn’t look convinced but relented for the time being.

For dessert they were all served their own savarină cake. It was small and golden colored, soaked in rum, filled with sweet cream and topped with blueberry jelly.

Juniper looked up to see Angie giving little grabby hands to her keeper. Donna cut her cake in half, offering one side to Angie. Juniper couldn’t help her lips twitch, as Angie squealed with glee.

Ever a fan of sweets, and seeing this as the most edible thing they were served other than the bread, Heisenberg ate his in a few swift bites.

He glanced over to find Juniper doing little more than pick at the cake.

“You sure you’re ok, Doll?” He pressed in a little more than a whisper.

“I…may have drank too much wine.”

“Hmm.”

“Would you like my dessert? I don’t think I can manage it.”

He perked up almost excitedly. They exchanged plates: Juniper taking his clean one and him her serving. The second cake didn’t fare much better, or longer for that matter.

Once dessert was finished and the maids cleared away the plates, Miranda stood.

“Thank you again, all my dear children.” She nodded to them each, “I trust everyone will play their part during the Hunt?”

The table murmured a yes, Heisenberg unable to meet her eyes.

“Good, then I will take my leave.” She spoke swiftly. Before she could make it to the door Lady Dimitrescu stood to follow, wanting to show Miranda a few last minute things.

“Well…not eat and run.” Heisenberg stretched before standing, “But I hate this fucking castle.”

He leaned against his hammer as Juniper said her goodbyes.

Donna gave her a sweet little wave, Angie practically screamed a heartfelt goodbye, and Moraue thanked her again for her kindness.

Finding their way back to the entryway, Juniper made a sound of realization.

“Oh! My coat!” She suddenly looked worried.

“Where’d you leave it, Buttercup?” Heisenberg sat his hammer down as he spoke.

Thinking for a moment she snapped her finger, “It’s in the changing room, with my old dress.”

“Let’s go get it.” Heisenberg started to stride away, picking his hammer up. Juniper rushed to keep up.

They retraced their steps, finding the changing room rather quickly. Juniper went in, relieved to find her clothing still folded just where she’d left it. Turning around, she almost jumped,e seeing Heisenberg standing behind her.

“You’re not supposed to be in here.” Juniper hissed.

“I don’t give a fuck.” He chuckled looking into a wardrobe, “You think the mega bitch keeps her fancy ass hats in here?”

Juniper pulled on his arm, “Lets go.”

“Ah!” Heisenberg straightened, holding a black lace veil, “Not a hat but one of the girls frilly shit.”

He draped the fabric over his hat, pulling it down around his head, like a babushka.

“Look good Doll?” His lips curled in a shit eating grin.

“Heis…” Juniper tried to stifle a giggle to not encourage him.

“What else do you think is in here?” He rummaged in the wardrobe again, “Think there's a sexy little dress for me?”

“Sexy?” Juniper smirked.

He looked back at her, “Hell yea. That dress makes me want to take you right here.”

Juniper flushed.

Seeing her reaction he pulled the veil away, tossing it to the floor and pulling Juniper to his chest. Looking down through her chest window he licked his dry lips.

“How about we go find an empty room and get you out of that little number for a while, hm?”

The thought of Heisenberg taking her within the home of his least favorite person made a small shiver of excitement run down her spine.

“Only if we’re careful…and fast.” She gulped.

Smiling roguishly, “Well be gone before anyone notices.”

~

After opening several doors and racing quietly down the halls, they finally discovered a free bedroom. It was opulent, as were most rooms in the castle, but had the stale air of dust. It felt safe and far enough away from the night's festivities to serve them well.

Heisenberg walked in whistling, “Damn, swanky!”

Juniper went in more timidly, closing and locking the door. Heisenberg turned and looked her over. “Aw, you look so shy, kitten.” He smirked.

She shot him a look.

“I’m just worried.”

“Why?”

“The…sisters.”

“You worried about the bugs?” He smirked, looking towards the large windows. His eyes narrowed for a moment as the handle rattled open, the window burst open with an icy breeze.

“There,” he soothed, “No bugs will bother us now.”

He slipped his hand into the chest window of her  dress, fondling her breasts. Juniper mewled, feeling him lightly tug at her piercings.

“Careful” her words were a whisper.

Heisenberg kissed down her neck, finding her sweet spot and biting down. She gasped, feeling warmth bloom between her legs.

He lathed his tongue over the mark, groaning out slightly. She felt him take a fistful of the dress, pulling out of his grip. He gave her a warning look, pale eyes narrow.

“Don’t rip this dress!” She hissed. He had nearly closed the distance to do just that, but halted when he saw her gather up the material and pull it over her head.

Her skin prickled in the cold air, she tossed the clothing away, falling back against the fancy bed in only her boots.

“You didn’t wear any panties?” Heisenberg’s face split wolfishly, more blood rushing to his cock.

“I knew you couldn’t be a good boy all night.” She rubbed her thighs together, “Now get over here before we get caught.”

Ever wanting to please her, he instantly complied, unzipping his pants and letting his belt fall free as he closed the distance.

His skin was hot and welcoming as he pressed down onto her, crashing his lips into her own.

Juniper’s hand drifted to his chest. His piercing had long since fully healed, not needing as much time as normal humans.

She purred mischievously as she tugged on his nipple, rolling the metal between her fingers.

He hissed out, pulling away to darkly chuckle, “Oh honey, now is not the time.”

She gave it another tug, “What do you always say to me?” She tried to mimic his voice the best she could, it was a poor imitation still, “Sing for me!”

He pulled away with a huff. Before she could react he flipped her over, pushing her face into the bed. Juniper mewled, raising her hips.

Heisenberg loved to see her in just her work boots and nothing more.

He eagerly pushed into her, earning a moan to slip past her pretty lips. She was already wet and dripping around his cock. He bent over her, stomach pressed into her back, hot scar flush against his chest.

He felt her trapped legs tremble as he fucked her open on the expensive furniture. He reached a hand around her, rubbing circles into her clit as he kept a face pace. Seeing her in that revealing dress and dealing with his shitty ‘family’ had him on edge, and he was ready to blow off some steam.

It didn’t take her long to become a whimpering mess under him. He felt her cunt clench, liquid squirting out around his cock. Juniper cried out, clawing at the sheets.

Heisenberg pumped into her roughly, loving the mess they were making. He brought his hands to her hips, forcing her back into him.

He pulled out, pumping his fist down his sensitive cock, turning enough to splatter his load over the expensive bed sheets.

“Oops.” He smirked, a cocky look over his face.

“Karl?!” Juniper’s cheeks reddened, “We’ll get in trouble.”

“We better get going then.” Heisenberg chuckled, pulling his pants back on.

Juniper struggled to redress quickly, worry thick on her face. She felt like a guilty teenager.

After she had her coat back on and her hair smoothed down she looked up to Heisenberg.

He was sitting on the window sill, one leg already hiked over to the outside.

“What are you doing??” Juniper hissed.

“Uh…?” he looked down at himself showily, “I’m going out the window, Doll.”

“Yea, why?”

“I’m not going out the front fucking door.” He smiled toothily, “Gotta keep our little lay a secret right? Keep them guessing.”

“Heisenberg.” She folded her arms, fixing him with a hard gaze, “You and Moreau are the only two in this whole castle with a penis. I think they’ll know who came all over their guest room.”

“Aw, give the fish freak a break.” Heisenberg put his other leg out the window, “The maids are probably cock hungry enough to give him a ride.”

“Karl!” Juniper scolded, padding up to the window.

She looked down, realizing  they were on the second story. She gulped.

Seeing her fear Heisenberg soothed, “Don’t worry, buttercup.” He offered her his hammer, “Just hang on and I’ll set you down all nice and easy.”

She bit her lip, reaching out a trembling hand, fingers wrapping around the cold metal.

“Hold tight.” He warned. She complied, swinging her legs over to the outside. The wind bit her skin, the hammer in her hands floating before her. It felt unmoving in her grasp, steady and unwavering. She tried to brace herself.

She closed her eyes, nodding and pushing away from the sill.

“Good girl.” Heisenberg smiled, her trust in him making his heart swell.

He concentrated on lowering her as easily and carefully as he could. She kept her eyes shut tight, arms beginning to ache from supporting her weight.

Sooner than she expected her boots met the frozen earth, sending a surprising jolt though her.

Juniper let go, the hammer staying in place for a moment before snapping back into Heisenberg’s hand. He came down next, much quicker and without the caution he used for her.

As soon as his boots met the ground, he hooked his arm around Juniper’s.

His face was alight with glee as he started off into the night.

“Come on!” He laughed, “Let’s get out of here.”

She kept pace with him, the adrenaline and his mirth causing her to join in with the laughter.

[pl-panda]

The Vines that bind us - Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don’t own Miraculous Ladybug or any DC characters. I own only the plot, and even that is inspired by the amazing story "Marigold Ivy" by @lwandile13 on Wattpad. Go check it. It's great. He allowed me to take some inspiration, for which I'm grateful. Also, don't translate the french words maybe. Or at least do it on your own responsibility. Big thanks to @Liza! on Discord for being my Beta :)

NEXT

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a normal girl, with a normal life. But she had a secret. Her real name was Marigold Isley. She was born under that name in Gotham city sixteen years ago. Her mother never revealed to her who was her father, but Mari never cared. She was happy with her mom and several aunts and uncles. Technically, none of them were related to her by blood, but Rogues were quite close to each other (excluding some outcasts like Joker or the Menagerie). They taught her many interesting things such as lockpicking, stealth 101, or hand-to-hand combat. She was five when it started, so her first-ever practical test was breaking into a kitchen cupboard and stealing a jar of cookies. Overall, she was very happy. 

It changed when she was eight. One very tired social service person named Elizabeth Barrow got wind of a child of a villain. That Elizabeth was new to Gotham after being reassigned from Metropolis and didn’t yet get the wind of how things worked. Maybe her colleagues didn’t like her, or maybe she was just too overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problem in Gotham. Previously, there was an unspoken agreement in the government that they wouldn’t notice Marigold. In exchange, rogues were calmer. Or at least tried to keep the death toll down. For a time, Gotham even started to slowly heal. But then, Elizabeth took the case of Marigold Isley. Ivy tried to fight. To protect her daughter. For three days, the city was held hostage by giant plants. It was only the fear in her daughter’s eyes that made Poison Ivy relent and let go. She didn’t want that life for Marigold. The one condition she gave was that the girl would leave America as a whole, to ensure she would be safe from all the madness. 

And so Marigold ended up in the care of baker’s couple in Paris. She never showed any powers thus far and the adoption agency kept the parentage a secret. That’s when Marinette Dupain-Cheng was born. She continued with martial arts training and stealth training, but now only as fun and reminder of her mother and extended family, as opposed to actual necessary survival tool. She also picked up designing as another hobby, which soon turned into a kind of obsession. She was generally a ray of sunshine. 

The one black spot in the happy world of Marinette was the Mayor’s daughter. Chloe Bourgeoise considered herself above others and just couldn’t stand sunshine girl. She ruined her clothes, sometimes damaged her homework, or verbally assaulted her. While Chloe was generally disliked, she was more of a nuance. Overall, Marinette was happy. At least until two events changed that. 

When she was twelve, Paris was attacked by Hawkmoth for the first time. Marinette found herself becoming Ladybug, a superhero with magical powers that protected the city from harm. She received a partner in form of Chat Noir. It took some time before she got hang of it, and then more time before she and Chat became an actual team. Over time, more heroes joined them, even if temporarily only. She had people she could count on. She became Happy again. 

Privately, she started her own brand: MDC, managed to become a class representative, and became best friends with Alya, who joined around the same time she became Ladybug. It was quite ironic. The superhero was best friends with one person whose greatest dream was to unmask the hero. Marinette also developed a huge (and a bit unhealthy) crush on Adrien Agreste, a famous model who was in her class. She spent years vying for his attention, but nothing ever came from her attempts. She was unable to even say a word around him and her face always became red like her mother’s hair. Overall, she couldn’t complain.

Then, when she was fifteen another black spot appeared. It was Lila (Liela) Rossi. She came to their school and immediately started sporting lies with every breath. Surprisingly, everyone seemed to buy into that, believing her like she spoke the gospel. Everyone but Marinette. She tried to expose Lila, but it only backfired. She became an outcast, disliked by everyone, and universally hated. Suddenly, it became okay to bully her because she was a bully herself and deserved it. It became okay to shun her and no longer include her in anything. The worst was Alya, her former best friend. At first, she just tried to nudge Marinette to give Lila a chance. When Marinette tried to show the truth, Alya practically attacked her. She was just as much responsible for Mari being cast out as Lila was. The fact that her best friend abandoned her only fueled the gossip and allowed Lila to drive the final nail in. In the span of a few weeks, Marinette was left alone. 

Around the same time, Chat Noir became more persistent in his pursuit of her while Adrien, who Marinette knew was aware of the lies, was only telling her to keep the high road (do nothing). She could understand him. As a famous model and son of a well-known fashion designer, he was always taught to not provoke the press. It still served as a wake-up call on her crush. 

--------

Marinette was packing her things after lessons when she noticed someone approach her from behind. Immediately, she tensed. After eleven years of martial arts practice, it was an instinct. Before she had time to turn around, something heavy landed on her desk with a loud Thud!. She turned to see Chloe standing over a large book, a single thick envelope, and a puffy bag that content Marinette couldn’t guess.

“What’s a…” She started, but Chloe cut her off. She had her usual ‘resting witch’ expression.

“The book contains every single instance I verbally assaulted you, destroyed something of yours, talked about you behind your back, or in any way otherwise did something wrong toward you. Here are the materials for the damaged clothes,” she pushed the bag toward her, “and here is money for other things.” Chloe gave her the envelope. “I apologize for all of that. I was jealous of all the attention you kept getting even though I thought I deserved it. I now realize that my behavior was wrong and hurtful. I will understand if you’ll never speak to me again. I kept acting ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!” With that, she turned and started to walk again. Marinette idly noticed that there was no Sabrina nearby. Thinking back, Chloe was no longer acting (overly) mean toward anyone as of late.

Making a split-second decision, Marinette raced after the blonde and pulled her into a hug.

“Wha…” Chloe yelped before sinking into the hug. Neither girl realized they were crying until they finally separated. Blonde had her lite make-up in total ruin while Marinette had tears still going down her cheeks. “Does that mean you accept my apologies?”

Marinette didn’t answer immediately. She stood there with open mouth for a moment before smiling weakly. “Yes, Chloe.”

Since that day, they were best friends. It turned out to be a blessing. Chloe, once she finally allowed someone to truly know her, turned out to be a highly intelligent, funny, and very much still overbearing person. She still acted high and mighty, but it no longer felt mean, rather just… felt. She took to defending Marinette from the rest of the class. She was aware of Lila’s lies from day one but never acted on it until it was too late. Sabina abandoned her for the liar. Dealing with loneliness was hard on her. She didn’t even have parents that cared. Her father would probably move sun if she asked, but he had an emotional range of a toothpick. Her mother didn’t even know her name, so she didn’t bother.

Something about their friendship must’ve upset Lila because the girl upped her game. Marinette’s parents suddenly found themselves facing strong critique and constant inspection from the sanitary department and child protection questioning their parenting abilities. MDC, who was slowly becoming one of the go-to fashion designers for famous found herself in the middle of several fake media scandals, including one lawsuit over defamation. If it wasn’t for Jagged Stone and Penny rallying her customers, Marinette and her parents would end up broke. He managed to save MDC and practically made her untouchable. Still, Alya and Lila got off scot-free as nothing could be linked to them.

Perhaps what pushed Lila over the edge was Chloe confronting Adrien. She yelled at him for good two hours straight about responsibility and morality, pointing in detail exactly what he did wrong. She would probably go on if Marinette didn’t stop her. After that, Adrien finally apologized and tried to make things right, but it only turned against him. By then, Lila had everyone so deep into it, that he was powerless. She didn’t go after him as her partnership with Gabriel Agreste was too important, but she did tattle to the Fashion Mogul about it. Gabriel tried to get his son under control, but this was one thing that he couldn’t achieve. 

It did inspire a whole youth fashion line ‘rebel’, which became a global hit.

All this time, Marinette kept two secrets. One was her identity as Ladybug and the guardian, the other was her true name and family. Until she kept neither.

----------

Marinette returned home after another day at school. Recently, her mother revealed she was pregnant with another child, even though she was believed to be barren. Everyone in the bakery was overjoyed and the couple even started to hand out small treats to any guest that came. The free samples helped the business return to a better standing. 

When she entered, strangely there was no sound in the bakery. It was empty. Usually, her parents would both be very busy as it was still business hours. Slightly worried, she went upstairs. When she entered the living room, she found an envelope addressed to her. 

Isley

We tried, but we can no longer tolerate you. We turned a blind eye when we learned how improper you act, trying to drag every boy you meet for some, and we quote, “alone time”. We didn’t react to the bullying accusations, believing them to be overexaggerated. Even when you were expelled, we still had hoped you’ll turn out into a fine young lady. But now, we must think of the baby. Today was the last straw. Hearing about how you ruined that poor impaired girl’s birthday was both cruel and against everything we taught you. 

We held hope you won’t follow in your mother’s footsteps, but you proved us wrong several times. We supported your obsession over fashion, even with the drama it caused, because it was actually non-violent. At first, we didn’t want to teach you how to fight, but we convinced ourselves that you would have a way to vent the emotions somewhere away from us. 

Please, don’t try looking for us. We will probably have already left the country or even the continent. The bakery is yours. We don’t want to have anything to do with the spawn of evil such as you. 

We hoped you would turn out better

Sincerely,

Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng

Marinette tried to read it over and over again, but her eyes welled with tears. She had no idea she was screaming until her throat was coarse. Rationally, she knew she needed to keep calm or she would attract the Akuma, but emotions made her not care. 

Unknowingly to her, the plants all around Paris responded to her cry. They started growing and spreading, trying to get to their queen and comfort her. The Akuma that would’ve come for her stumbled into one of the vines, corrupting it. Hawkmoth was surprised, it was not something anyone ever seen in Paris except on TV or some strange Japanese shows that play after midnight. The more important thing was that even though he akumatized the plants, he had no control over them. He couldn’t even recall his Akuma. 

Back in Marinette’s living room, she started to feel the ground rumble. Soon, plants exploded from the ground and broke windows. She slowly looked at her hands to see them tinted with green. They were not the same as her mother’s, but close. She looked to the floor where pieces of glass littered everything. Her face was the same, but her hair became blue and her eyes were now the most vibrant iridescent green she’s ever seen, exactly the same color her mother’s eyes were. 

She started to panic even more. Tikki floated next to her, talking to her, but Marinette couldn’t hear her. Or maybe process it. She could hear the plants call to her. She could hear them speak. They promised her revenge. They promised retribution on those who attacked her. God’s wrath would rain upon them from the sky and hell’s fury would consume them from beneath. 

Impaired girl…

“Liar Rossi.” Marigold seethed. She knew there was only one person who would do such a thing. Only one talented enough to convince her parents she was a villain. If they wanted a villain, they would get one. Her mind was being clouded. Her clothes were already torn, replaced by a skintight outfit made of leaves, much like her mother wore. Then, Marinette remembered another part of the letter. She added a skirt made of purple petals that complimented her blue hair nicely and long sleeves that reached to her hands, ending with a triangle that reached her middle finger and surrounded it at the base. She left the decolletage as it was.

Exiting her house, she allowed the vines to carry her. There were only so many places The Liar could hide. First, she went toward School, as it was closest. She made plants carry her over the roof right into the courtyard while more of them broke the doors and blocked any exit. The fencing class was still going on, but The Liar was not there. She looked over the scared crowd, spotting two people she wanted to find. She needed to protect them from The Liar, else they end like her. She grabbed the fencer in a red outfit and her partner, knocking their masks to reveal Kagami and Adrien. The plants wrapped around them, forming a sort of cocoon before dragging them to the heart. Marinette then turned her sight to Eifel tower. She knew The Liar liked to drag the class there. 

As she moved through town, she passed the Hotel where Chloe lived. Pausing, she made the plants lift her toward the balcony. Her best friend was indeed there, right next to the lit-up Bee-signal. Honeystly…

“Marinette!?” The blonde jumped in surprise

“Marinette is gone. She should’ve never even been. I’m Marigold, the daughter of Poison Ivy.” For a moment, the fog thickened, but Mari shook it off quickly enough, before whatever caused it managed to get the hold of her. 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng! If you got yourself akumatized, I’m telling my daddy!” Chloe shouted. Seeing the tears form in the iridescent green eyes, she looked at her friend with pity. “Oh, Mari! Is this the Liar again? Come here right now!” The blonde spread her arms for a hug. She didn’t care about the Akuma. Her friend needed her and she would help her conquer the world if she asked. Chloe owed Mari… everything. She helped her evolve beyond being the queen witch. In response to the gesture, the plants in the garden started to grow until they surrounded the two of them in a tight cocoon. Marinette stepped onto the balcony. She affectionately petted the vine that carried her so far before allowing it to return to its hunt for the Liar. 

“Chloeee!” Mari launched herself at the girl. She sunk into the embrace, allowing tears to start flowing again. She sobbed her heart out while pushing a piece of paper she constantly held in her clutched fist before. The blonde took it and read while patting Marinette on the back of her head. 

“Salauds! Ridiculous! Utterly Ridiculous! How dare that cochons! And the chienne! Wait till I tell daddy about this! Don’t worry Mari. I will protect you! I will ruin her! Merde!” The rant made Marigold pause. She never heard Chloe curse. Like… never. “But first. Mari. You know I love you and I would help you hide the body, but drop the Akuma. It’s making you look Ridiculous. Utterly Ridiculous! I mean the dress is so much spot on and so you, but the whole take over Paris is more my style. I can let you be my faithful sidekick while we take over the world if you want.”

For a moment, Marigold continued to stare at Chloe before she burst out in a fit of laughter. It wasn’t a nervous chuckle or the villain cackle, but genuine pearly laughter. It was just so… Chloe-ish. She couldn’t imagine anyone trying to dissuade an Akuma by offering to become a sidekick. 

“You… You… Never change Chlo.” Mari smiled at her friend. 

“Whoa. You… didn’t make me a fertilizer? I mean, of course, you wouldn’t. You are just too good of a person, but Hawkmoth…”

“I’m not akumatized Chloe.” Mari smiled. “It’s me.” As if to prove her point, she stood up and spun, allowing the blonde to see her from all sides. “This is how I really look. Apparently, I do take some after my mom.”

“Your… mom?”

“Pamela Isley, she was a famous biologist. Mom was brilliant. She used to be one of the smartest people in the world.” Mari praised. “There was this one accident that she is now famous for…”

“Pamela Isley? I remember reading about her.” 

“Yeah… She is…”

“Didn’t she create this environment-friendly line of cosmetics?” Chloe asked in her typical fashion

“Yes! I have no idea why everyone remembers her only for the ‘Poison Ivy’ thing!”

“I know, right?” Chloe nodded. “Wait a…”

“Tada!” Mari said weakly before trying to look away, doing everything not to look her friend in the eyes. The blonde gently grabbed her chin and moved it so she could look right into the beautiful green eyes of her best friend.

“Mari! If you think I would abandon you just because your mother took veganism too far… You’re utterly ridiculous!”

Marigold smiled slightly. Slowly, the green receded and her eyes turned back to normal. The dress remained, as without it she would end up naked and she didn’t fancy trying to explain to anyone that. 

She then turned to the plants and tried to order them to return to normal, only for them to resist. For a moment, her mind started to feel fogged, but it didn’t hold at all now. 

“As much as I like the scenery, maybe we stop the plantpocalypse?”

“Um… Remember how I told you I wasn’t akumatized?”

“Yeah?”

“I think the plants are…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Chloe shouted. “Listen here Hawkmoth! Get this Akuma the heck away! I don’t care about some fancy Jewels that will totally clash with your suit! I mean purple and white with red earrings? Are you colorblind?”

There was no visible reaction to the plants. 

“Strange…” Marigold ran her hand over the plants. “They still respond, just refuse to yield.” Inside, Mari cursed that she couldn’t consult Tikki.

“So… Want some cookies?” Chloe asked. “We just have to wait for Ladybug to save the day. At least the damage will be repaired.”

‘Except Ladybug it trapped here…’

Suddenly, something small and black slipped through the vines and entered their small peaceful enclave. It zoomed between items on the balcony, trying to avoid being seen. It would’ve been successful if Chloe didn’t know about Kwamis. 

“What was that!?” She shouted pointing at Plagg’s hiding place.

“What? I didn’t see anything!” Mari tried to lie. It was the one skill she never had. She did compensate for it by never getting caught.

“A Kwami! I’m sure I’ve seen one.” 

“Kwami? Who’s Kwami? Is that some bird? How would a bird get here? I mean we are trapped in…”

“Ugh! I don’t have time for games!” Plagg suddenly floated before the pair. “Chat is trapped and can’t help without revealing himself. Paris is being destroyed mindlessly and nobody can do anything as the vines are harder than steel.” The cat summarized. “And I’m hungry. Give me cheese!” He looked at Chloe. “Camembert would be the best, but I’m not that picky.”

“Why come to us? Ladybug took away my miraculous.” The blonde asked. 

“I didn’t come to you. I came to her.” The god pointed at Mari. 

“Me?! Why? It’s not like…”

“We don’t have time for charades guardian! The Akuma is out of control! Literally! Hawkmoth’s connection was somehow severed and now you have a giant plant that knows only the rage. This is serious!”

Mari wanted to protest or try to save some of her identity, but then Tikki floated out of her purse.

“Oh no! Marinette! He is right! We have a huge problem.”

“Why?” The girl asked resigned.

“You’re Ladybug!” Chloe shouted but was subsequently ignored

“Hawkmoth must’ve akumatized the plant, hoping to control you, but he had no idea it was sentient. But it stopped being sentient the moment you let it go. I… It never happened before.”

“You’re Ladybug!!!” Chloe shouted so loud that everyone had to look at her. 

“We can talk later. Now we need to somehow deal with the plants. Maybe… No. What about… But they are too tough… What if…” Marigold started to run through various scenarios and plans. 

“Can’t you just order them to expel the Akuma?” Plagg asked bored.

“It… It might work.” Mari had a focused expression. In her head, she was running through all her knowledge of biology, miraculous magic, and how her mom’s powers worked. Hesitantly, she walked to the edge of the cocoon and called the main vine to her. The wall spread slightly and allowed the tip of it to enter. Mari touched it and started gently caressing it. 

“you’re a good boy. Yeah! Who’s a good boy? You’re. Yes! You’re a good boy. But Good Boys don’t have Akuma. Do you want to be a good boy? Of course, you do…” 

Chloe stood there and watched how Marigold kept talking to the plant like it was a puppy. She felt something fall into her hand. Opening the palm, she saw two earrings.

“I… I can’t!” She protested, but Plagg floated before her eyes.

“She can’t do it. If Akuma escapes, we will have plantmagedon on a larger scale.”

“Fine. Spots on!”

Just as Mari finally talked the plant into expelling the Akuma, Chloe caught it. 

“Bye Bye Little Butterfly!” She released the pure white bug. “Lucky charm!” Chloe shouted. A red and black folder fell into her hands. She looked at it curiously. Inside, she found a complete set of adoption papers for her father to sign. She quickly pulled out the sheets and tossed the folder itself, releasing a swarm of ladybugs that repaired Paris to how it was before plants. The sheet stayed. 

Transformation dropped after that and Chloe handed the jewel back to the true owner.

“You still have sooo much explaining to do!” 

Nobody remembered about Adrien and Kagami being carried together to safety, which turned out to be Mari’s basement. And while Ladybug Cure should’ve restored them to where they were taken from, for some unknown reason they remained locked there until Mari returned late into the evening to spend the last night at the bakery. It would be some time until Tikki admitted that it was an act of revenge on Plagg for revealing her chosen’s identity. He had to go the whole day without cheese. The one good thing that came from it was that Kagami and Adrien had a long frank talk and ended up as friends. The relationship just wasn’t working.

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When Mari was adopted by the Mayor, she decided to keep using the Dupain-Cheng name at least for now. At first, Chloe’s father was against it, but once the girl presented it as a way of getting good press of mayor who personally looks after his citizens he practically ripped the papers to sign them. Although on paper he was the adopter, Chloe was the real parent/sister that took care of Mari. Lila seethed and spitted, but couldn’t really do much more. Adrien and Chloe roped Jagged Stone and Penny into Marinette Protection Squad. Luka and Kagami, who somehow hooked up, also joined. At some point, Mari entrusted Luka and Kagami with permanent Miraculous and Gave Chloe the Bee miraculous back. Some Fox illusion of Chloe publically applauding new heroine helped hide her identity. The hardest part was revealing to Chat, Viperion, and Ryuko her true identity. Adrien was a big surprise, but at least they finally dealt with their crushes once and for all. The fact that they were in love square in two people was way too awkward. Chloe and Mari did notice Adrien sometimes looking at Luka, but he was happy with Kagami. The only person that disproved of ‘Lukagami’ was Kagami’s mother, but she warmed up to him when he accepted the challenge to a duel and was completely pacified when she learned that Luka is apprenticing under Jagged Stone. 

Jagged and Penny wanted to Adopt Mari, but ended up filling the role of uncle and aunt. After some time, Mari realized that she rebuilt what she once had in Gotham. These people might not have been her family by blood, but it mattered little. That family might’ve been damaged, maybe even broken, but they were happy together. They found solace in one another. Once more, Marinette was happy. 

Until a trip to Gotham came knocking on the front doors.

NEXT

[iridescent-petrichor]

we’ll meet again, chapter five

Pairing: Peter Maximoff x Reader

Warnings: i dont think so?

Words: 1.7K

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

You’d never been on the run from the cops before, and you hated every second of it. It had been only a week since the incident, but you couldn’t take any more of it.

You collapsed in an alley, exhaustion overtaking you. It was a dangerous place to sleep, but you were too tired to care. You were so tired that you almost didn’t hear the footsteps approaching you. Blinking a couple times, you looked up and saw two men walking towards you. Sitting up straighter, you furrowed your brows together. They didn’t seem like threats.

They stopped a couple feet in front of you.

“Hello. My name is Charles Xavier. I understand that you’ve caused a bit of a fire recently.” The man in a wheelchair extended his hand for you to shake. You didn’t take it.

“How did you find me?” They must be cops, or maybe they’re higher up. Government agents maybe? What if you get sent to the Pentagon just like-

“We’re not cops.” You blinked, focusing back on the men in front of you. “I found you through Cerebro – a device Hank designed that helps me connect to other mutants in the world.” He gestures to the man – Hank – who was standing next to him.

“Other… mutants?” Your mind instantly went to Peter. If they found you, they could’ve tracked him down too considering how careless he is with his powers.

“I can help you control your powers. You seem like you need it.” He glanced down, and only then did you notice the fire leaking out of your palms. You jumped, standing stiffly as the fire instantly disappearing before you looked back up at the men.

“You promise?” He nodded, extending his hand once more. You shook it, making the decision final.

He turned in his wheelchair, heading out of the alley and down the street. Hank gave you one last look to make sure you were following before he joined Charles Xavier.

They stopped at a car, motioning for you to get in. You hesitated for a moment, briefly thinking about how stupid of an idea this was if these two were scammers of some kind, before you climbed in the backseat.

Fuck it.

The school was massive to say the least. Giant strings of ivy fell from the roof down the building. It was one of the most beautiful things you’d ever seen. You stepped out of the car, unable to contain the shock on your face.

“Welcome to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.” Hank smiled, appearing next to you.

“Wow.” You muttered, smiling wide.

“Come, let’s show you the inside.” Charles was already heading towards the entrance. You glanced between him and Hank before following him inside.

The inside was just as grand as the outside, and just as devoid of people. You looked from the chandelier to the giant staircase, and finally back to Hank.

“Didn’t you say this was a school?”

He nodded. “It used to be.”

“What happened to everyone?”

He looked to the ground, not responding. When you glanced at Charles, you realized that you likely wouldn’t be getting an answer out of either of them for a while.

“Want the grand tour?” Hank asked, changing the subject, smiling when you nodded enthusiastically.

Maybe being a mutant wasn’t so bad after all.

-

The news of the fire had been eating away at Peter for the next couple weeks, every possibility of what could’ve happened to her stewing in his mind.

Finally, he gave in to his impulse, wishing his mom a quick goodbye before speeding off to the location of where the fire had been. He knew she wouldn’t be there, but it was the only lead on her that he had.

It didn’t take long for him to arrive in New York, and he contemplated trying to find that guy that helped his dad break out of the Pentagon for a moment.

No, I have to stay focused.

He glanced around the crowd on the off chance she’d be nearby. No such luck. He sighed, leaning against a wall for a moment to gather his thoughts.

How are you gonna find one girl in a massive city like this?

-

“Are you sure you’ll be able to get the school back up and running?” You asked, watching Charles wheel over to Cerebro with Hank by your side.

You were wearing sleek gloves made from a mixture of materials Hank had been working with. The three of you quickly acknowledged that before you got your powers under control, you would need to keep them from surfacing at the wrong moment, and after quite a few tests, he determined that your power often came from your hands. They were comforting; it made you feel like you had more control already.

“Yes.” He said simply, now placing the helmet over his head. Hank left your side to join Charles, messing with the controls that you knew better than to even try to understand.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” You asked after a moment of silence. You felt so useless standing there off to the side.

They paused, looking between each other for a moment. “You could… get groceries? Hank suggested lamely.

Awesome.

“Unfortunately there is nothing for you to do in here, maybe it is best that you get out of the mansion for some time today.” Charles said, not looking towards you. He certainly explained it better than Hank would’ve.

You sighed, nodding. “Okay fine, but I’m taking your wallet.” Charles laughed as you turned on your heel and walked from the room.

-

Peter had been in New York for a couple days, calling his mom using spare change at some phone booths around the city to let her know he won’t be home for a while. He managed to call every day, but he could tell she was getting increasingly frustrated whenever he said he wasn’t going home yet.

Today, though, he promised her that he would head home. It was a stupid idea anyway, looking for you here.

When he hung up, he let out a long sigh, leaning against the phone booth. All of the hope that he brought to New York had dwindled out painfully. That’s when he could’ve sworn he saw a glimpse of you walking down the street.

It jolted him back into reality, barely refraining from using his powers to run over there in case it wasn’t actually you.

Then, weaving through the crowd, he saw you. You was walking on the opposite side of the street, facing away from him, but it was unmistakably you. He broke out in a grin, running to you as fast as he could.

-

In their defense, it was a nice day outside.

You took a deep breath, keeping your bag of groceries close to yourself as you weaved between people to get back home.

Home.

Smiling to yourself, you thought about how welcoming Charles and Hank were. The idea of restarting the mutant school excited you, giving you a small skip in your step.

You were so lost in your thoughts you didn’t notice the person run in front of you until you knocked into them.

“Oh!” You backed up. “I’m so…” You apology died on your tongue when you saw who it was.

“Hey.” In an instant, you were closer to the building, out of the way of the impatient crowd.

“Peter.” You brought your hand up to his face as if to make sure he was actually there. “What are you-”

“I saw the news. Quite the fire you started, Y/N.” He was grinning from ear to ear, and it was so contagious.

“Hey, at least I didn’t break a ‘dangerous mutant’ out of the Pentagon.” You matched his smile, unable to contain your happiness from seeing him.

“How’d you even know that was me? I’m sure there’s plenty of very attractive silver-haired mutants out there.” You laughed loudly. God, it was nice just being in his presence again.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“So, where you headed?” He asked, moving away from you to walk in the direction you were originally heading.

“I’ve actually been staying with some mutants,” you had to jog to catch up to him, smiling when you noticed he slowed down to match your pace.

“That’s cool.” He nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. The conversation was easy; it was always so easy with Peter.

“You should stay with us.” You looked up at him, frowning when he laughed shortly.

“I was actually gonna ask you that.” You tilted your head in confusion. “When I saw the news, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. After a while I figured what the hell, I should check on my best friend. Make sure she has a place to stay. And if you didn’t I would’ve let you stay at my place – well my mom’s place. But she’d probably be fine if you holed up in the basement with me, y’know? You were always there all the time anyway, so-”

“Pete.” You spoke, cutting off his rambling. He paused for a moment, before speaking again.

“I was just worried.”

“I get it. But I’m fine. Trust me.” You grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze before letting go.

“You sure?” He finally looked up from the ground, staring at you. “Cause I can’t protect you all the time if I’m all the way in DC.”

“I promise.” You said, giving him a smile as one final reassurance. He seemed to relax a bit, leaning closer to you.

“Okay, good, cause I kinda have to get home.”

“What?”

“I know, I’m sorry.” He groaned, putting an arm around your shoulder and pulling you into him. “I’ve kinda been here for more than a couple of days and my mom is getting more upset by the day and I kinda just promised her that I would be heading home like, now, so…”

“Will we ever get to actually hang out again?” You frowned, laying your head on his shoulder.

“I’m sure we’ll find a way.” You nodded, pulling him into a hug before the two of you said your goodbyes.

As quick as he came, he was gone. You bit your lip, holding back tears that threatened to spill down your face. Saying goodbye to him was always the hardest part.

When you got back to the mansion you set the groceries down in the kitchen, cursing to yourself when you realized you forgot entirely to mention to Peter where you’d been staying.

You marched up the stairs to your bedroom, not bothering to tell the boys you were home. Charles could find out easily, anyway.